ã€ŠThe Ghost Specialistã€‹


 Chapter 1

    The creak of the crystal chandelier came so suddenly that Sam almost jumped out of his skin. He froze, stock-still, the teenage boy now resembling some kind of dark jacket-wearing statue. Slowly, he panned his flashlight around the dusty entry hall but saw nothing more than the aged building around him.

    ¡°There¡¯s definitely something here,¡± he said. ¡°This mansion¡¯s been abandoned for years. I can¡¯t see the chandelier moving like that unless something causes it.¡±

    A gulp was pushed down his throat as he took another step forward. His sneaker squeaked against the flower-patterned floor that was somehow still intact despite the lack of care. For all he strained his ears, Samuel was unable to piece together anything else going on.

    Well, save for a bit of sniffing at his side. A blue, shrew-like creature flicked her head around while remaining on a fear-ridden, high alert.

    ¡°Hey Cyndaquil, I know we¡¯re hunting for Ghost Types, but I think we should make some kind of plan,¡± Sam said. ¡°We haven¡¯t really practiced battling, but I know you know Smokescreen. A cloud like that might be a good way to escape.¡±

    A short squeak came to acknowledge him. Cyndaquil pushed closer to Sam¡¯s body. She was only a foot-and-a-half tall when crouched on all four legs, but as his closest friend and only member of his eventual Pok¨¦mon team, Sam trusted her with all his heart. He¡¯d be relying on her for his purpose here.

    After all, he had come here for a reason. A life-changing goal. This wasn¡¯t just a teenage boy¡¯s wild excursion; this was something he could use to prove himself.

    Mom won¡¯t let me take on the Gym Challenge, and I don¡¯t want to wait another four years until I¡¯m eighteen. If I want to become a proper Ghost Type specialist, what better way to prove that I¡¯m capable than to catch one all on my own?

    All children dreamed of becoming a Pok¨¦mon trainer, but they usually grew out of it. More realistic expectations would settle in, and while most would end up taking on a Gym or two, the vast majority never caught more than a single Pok¨¦mon. Sam, however, had a dream he had stuck with for as long as he could remember.

    He was going to become the very best Ghost Type specialist in the world.

    He just had to prove to his mother that he could do it, first.

    This building was an abandoned mansion, though it wasn¡¯t as large as a true mansion, and it had fallen into disrepair from years of neglect. Outside, windows hung slack on their hinges, and the building¡¯s exterior was covered with wood rot. The abandoned home was tall enough to loom over him when he had first approached, yet almost as if inviting him in, the iron gate that sealed off the property had been unlocked.

    Inside, however, the place was still mostly intact. Opulent wood carvings decorated the walls, and its tile floor had only the faintest coating of dust. It lacked furniture, though, with the entry hall consisting of only a single staircase. Nearby openings led to a similarly empty dining room and a carpeted study that lacked any books or even a chair.

    ¡°I heard Mom talking to a customer about this place. Some kids heard crying coming from here when exploring. Considering it''s been abandoned for years, the cry has to have been from some kind of wild Pok¨¦mon. Based on what I know... I bet it was from either a Duskull or a Shuppet.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t move forward, choosing to remain in place. His lack of confidence got the best of him as he remained just past the paired, front doors. Despite his flashlight providing light, it was mostly only a beam. Occasionally, the tiles reflected it back at him, but it otherwise only revealed small sections at a time.

    ¡°Shuppet are pure Ghost Types, relatively frail, and tend to rely on physical or Dark Type moves,¡± he continued, mostly speaking just to provide some life to the area around him. ¡°They feed off of negative emotions, so maybe one won¡¯t be in an empty place like this. Duskull, however...¡± Sam let out a low, nervous chuckle. ¡°Duskull are a bit different. They¡¯re also pure Ghost Type, but they¡¯re more capable of sustaining a hit. More importantly, they like scaring people.¡±

    Like by letting loose a spooky cry near some young kids.

    He gulped again. At his side, Cyndaquil began to shake. Sam had left his realization go unsaid, but the small Pok¨¦mon seemed to have put the pieces together anyway.

    ¡°...How long can you maintain your fire?¡± he asked with a dry throat.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s back sparked and popped. Briefly, this entry hall was illuminated with flickering flames that created unnatural shadows. Only a second later, all of that faded away.

    ¡°Only a second or two, then. Useful for attacks, but that¡¯s it.¡±

    Sam scoured his mind for any further reason to delay. Did he have anything else to bring up with Cyndaquil? Did he have any other pertinent facts to share? Maybe... Maybe Sam had left something at home?

    No!

    The tense moment was interrupted by a sharp noise; Sam slapped his own cheek.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°We came here for a reason! No point in getting lost in our own fear! We¡¯re going to catch a Ghost Type or die trying! Now, come on, Cyndaquil! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    He marched forward, heading directly up the set of stairs ahead of him. Cyndaquil squeaked in alarm before scurrying forward, doing her best to stay at Sam¡¯s side.

    Sam purposefully kept his expression hardened, his lips pressed tight in a scowl. Sure, his hands might have been shaking, but at least he was no longer stalling just past the front door.

    Truth be told, Sam wasn¡¯t sure how his love for the Ghost Type had started, but between all the spooky stories and tall tales that had piqued his young mind¡¯s interest, he was determined to at least meet one. Nothing ever happened on the island he called home, and he had a feeling this would be his only chance to actually do something about that.

    Heavy footfalls brought him to the second story, where a moth-eaten rug lay tattered down a long hallway. A row of decaying yet impeccably carved doors stretched out to both of Sam¡¯s sides. Opaque, glass windows let in the faintest amount of light from the manor¡¯s exterior, but it remained that Sam¡¯s flashlight was the only thing that let him see past those few inches at the ends of the halls.

    Quickly, Sam shined his light to his left, but there was nothing there but more doors. Then, just as fast, Sam shined his light to his right¡ª

    ¡°Quil!¡±

    Cyndaquil shouted and dashed to hide behind Sam¡¯s legs. At the very end of the hall, something small and dark darted into a room. The door it pushed past squeaked and remained partially opened.

    ¡°D-Duskull,¡± Sam mumbled.

    His eyes were wide, and Cyndaquil pressed herself against him even harder than before.

    ¡°L-Like I said, we¡¯re here for a reason, r-right?¡±

    Sam hated how shaky his voice was.

    This time, while walking forward, Sam made sure to keep his footsteps light. He forced his breathing to slow and his movements to come deliberately. Anything to reduce his noise and presence, he did.

    It was perfectly silent and perfectly motionless around him. Sam could already feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. He had no clue just how terrified he looked. He imagined that his black hair might have turned partially white from fear.

    Though, as far as Sam could tell, that change hadn¡¯t happened. That was something that only ever happened in cartoons¡ªthe possibility didn¡¯t actually exist. Ghosts, though? Ghosts were real.

    Sam kept that in mind as he slowly inched forward.

    Once he reached the point where the shadowed-thing had disappeared, Sam carefully grabbed the bronze handle of the cracked-open door before throwing it the rest of the way open. There, he shouted to mimic some semblance of bravery, and he rapidly moved his light around to search through the room before him. As he did, in his pocket was a weight he was intensely familiar with¡ªa minimized Pok¨¦ball that had taken two-hundred dollars of his pitiful savings to purchase. It would serve as the tool to capture whatever Ghost Type he found.

    Yet, in this room, the beam of his flashlight illuminated nothing more than a dusty bed, a collapsed wardrobe, and a chair covered with a white cloth. Cyndaquil was screaming, but she remained clutched to Sam¡¯s leg. He would have been disappointed, but then the light settled on what was in the room¡¯s very center: a clump of old blankets that had been pushed together to form a makeshift nest.

    There, right in the middle of that clump, was a Pok¨¦mon, but it wasn¡¯t the Duskull that Sam expected. Instead, it was small, pink, and staring at him with a warbling mouth. Curved, rabbit-like ears stood on their ends out of fear.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Sam had to quickly get ahold of his own emotions before he could properly identify the species. ¡°That¡¯s a Whismur! It¡¯s just a Normal Type! There wasn¡¯t any Ghost Type here, a Whismur found itself a home!¡±

    He almost wanted to laugh, but when he saw the Whismur start to shake, he took a step back instead.

    ¡°H-how about that Smokescreen now, Cyndaquil?¡± he asked.

    She was hanging off of his leg. Instead of using the move, she whimpered.

    The thing about Whismur was that it might not have been the Pok¨¦mon Sam wanted, but it was still a Pok¨¦mon capable of using Pok¨¦mon moves. In its case, there was a likely reason those kids had heard its cry; the Pok¨¦mon was like a living speaker-system with how loud of a noise it could make.

    Sam reflexively tried to cover his ears, failed to do so thanks to the flashlight he held, and then shoved it into his pocket to be able to scoop up Cyndaquil. After that, he began to run.

    Behind him, an awful screech rang out. Terrified from Sam¡¯s chaotic entrance, the Whismur began its ear-piercing cry. The unconscious move it used, Uproar, sent out soundwaves so deafening and violent that the very supports of this manor began to shake.

    ¡°Run! Leave! Let¡¯s get the heck out of here!¡±

    Despite yelling, Sam couldn¡¯t hear the sound of his own voice. He clutched Cyndaquil to his chest and sprinted out the front doors.

    This manor hadn¡¯t been built in town; rather, it was located down a small, stone path inside a section of nearby forest. Sam ignored the overgrown front yard, ignored how the trees cast a spooky dim light around him, ignored how the few wild Pok¨¦mon gave him strange looks as he darted past, and he ignored the burning in his legs all the way up until he had properly made his escape.

    He was panting by the end of it, and Sam collapsed onto the ground. Having emerged out of the forest, he was now at the cliffside that overlooked his home:

    Dewford Town.

    A sea of red-brick buildings stretched out below him, grouped up around a small dock at the edge of the island. The cliff he sat on wrapped around the town¡¯s edge, perfectly framing it while also acting as a limit that would never allow the place to grow any larger.

    ¡°I...¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I should have known it wouldn¡¯t be a Ghost Type. Nothing interesting ever happens here.¡±

    He rolled onto his back. Cyndaquil squirmed to free herself from his arms. When she noticed he was resting, she also relaxed, and her head pressed down against his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cyndaquil. I should have never brought us into that mansion,¡± he said. ¡°But I want you to know that I¡¯m going to keep trying. No matter what, I¡¯ll eventually get a Ghost Type, and once I do, Mom will have to let us go on a Pok¨¦mon Journey.¡±

    The idea of exploring the world. Encountering new people and Pok¨¦mon. Building up a team that would be undefeatable at its peak.

    Yeah. That¡¯s the dream.

    Sam knew why he wanted to have a team of only Ghost Types. He wanted to do that because it was cool.

    While resting, Sam breathed out, and the shift of his stomach caused Cyndaquil to unintentionally be pushed off his chest. She squeaked in alarm as she rolled onto her back, and after a moment of flailing, Sam found her having somehow settled into the crook of his arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to abandon you, though,¡± he said. ¡°Just because I want to train Ghost Types doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯d be off the team. Even some of the best Type specialists out there have one or two exceptions. Besides, there isn¡¯t anyone else I¡¯d want to travel with. You¡¯ll always be right by my side.¡±

    She smiled, and Sam smiled back. He had never expected to meet her, as Cyndaquil tended to be a rather rare species. However, Sam had the advantage of having an experienced Grandfather, and though the man had passed, he had made sure Sam wouldn''t start his eventual journey alone. Sam had met with Cyndaquil young and befriended her quickly. They initially planned to explore the world together years ago, but when his Grandfather departed this world, some things had fallen apart.

    ¡°For now... ugh.¡± Sam unconsciously grimaced. ¡°Mom¡¯s not going to be happy if we get back late. I know we want to rest, but we should probably get going.¡±

    Cyndaquil groaned out of annoyance and pushed away to return to her feet. Sam did the same, brushing off loose grass from his jeans and jacket as he did.

    From there, a staircase brought them down the cliffside and into the paved streets of Dewford proper. His home wasn¡¯t too far away, so Sam slowly made his way directly there. He arrived at a building labeled ¡°Bookstore¡± only a few minutes later. Standing outside, he took a deep breath, and then Sam moved within.

 Chapter 2

    Sam felt sore when he entered his home and mother¡¯s shop. Most of his free time was spent sitting around and reading, not running and hiking and fleeing and dealing with all of that back at the mansion.

    Cyndaquil, being a small enough Pok¨¦mon, had curled up behind Sam''s head within his hood. She didn''t perfectly fit, but that meant the fabric was tight against her, creating the perfect nest for her to rest in.

    But even with all that exhaustion Sam currently faced, walking inside immediately filled him with relief. A chime above the front door of the bookstore rang to signify his arrival, and Sam took in a deep breath, tasting the smell of new books in the air.

    Shelves lined the floors, and books lined those shelves. Stories of every genre were out for potential customers to browse, and displayed in the front window were spinning racks filled with colorful comic books.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± his mother called out. Sam didn''t see her until she left the door just behind the checkout counter, where she smiled upon noticing his face. ¡°Sam! You¡¯re back! I was worried I¡¯d need to head out to find you. We just got a delivery in. I''ve been busy unpacking it all.¡±

    ¡°I''ll help,¡± Sam said immediately, offering his assistance despite his exhaustion.

    ¡°Oh? You know you don¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I want to.¡± Sam shrugged. ¡°Can''t a boy want to help out his mom?¡±

    Sam''s mother shook her head, amused, and she moved back through the doorway while waving for Sam to follow. She looked a lot like him, having similar facial features and the same pure black hair, but she kept her hair longer and tied up in a bun. The main difference between them were actually their eyes. Sam¡¯s eyes were a grey that had come from his late father, whereas his mother¡¯s eyes were a deep shade of brown.

    This side room was filled with boxes, just as his mom said. There were a few extra shelves filled with their own books, but those books weren''t on sale; they had already been purchased by people waiting who would soon come to pick up their orders.

    ¡°The ship from Rustboro came in today,¡± his mother said while cutting through mailing tape. ¡°Brought in the usual orders, but we got the shipment, too!¡±

    ¡°The shipment?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The shipment,¡± his mother specified. ¡°You know, the one that comes at the start of each year?¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he rushed forward. His mother chuckled as he moved, and he did his best to not blush. He had to admit that the news was making him act like a little kid again. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help it. He only got to experience this once a year.

    Meanwhile, as Sam knelt in front of the very important box, Cyndaquil stretched to wake up and hopped out of his hood. She landed on the ground and trotted over to the corner, where a Pok¨¦mon bed was laid out and where a purple-and-tan cat was napping within.

    Cyndaquil didn''t wait to join his mother''s Delcatty in her own restful slumber. As she curled up next to it, the large feline moved its head to press against Cyndaquil¡¯s back for warmth.

    ¡°So, to be clear, these are Pok¨¦dexes, right?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yup!¡± His mother cheerfully replied. ¡°The newest editions. Most will go to the local Gym, but we''ll leave a handful here for others to read and hopefully buy.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from grinning as he picked up the thick tome. When his mother wasn''t looking, he sniffed its pages. It had the exact new book smell he had come to love. Then, he opened it up and browsed the table of contents. Right now, the number of species listed within neared over four-hundred.

    Trainers used written Pok¨¦dexes like these as guides on their journeys. Pok¨¦mon Gyms would hand them out to all of their hired Gym Trainers, and Pok¨¦mon Centers tended to keep one or two publicly accessible for people to browse in their waiting rooms.

    Written Pok¨¦dexes contained the sum knowledge humanity had on Pok¨¦mon¡ªor at least the knowledge they had on the species native to closeby regions. This was the Hoenn version, primarily authored by the up-and-coming Professor Birch. Its contents focused on Hoenn, but it contained supporting information on Pok¨¦mon from places like Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh.

    Sam knew that he had come here to help his mother unpack all the books that had arrived via boat, but he ended up sitting back and reading through the Pok¨¦dex, looking for what had changed.

    ¡°So, anything new?¡± his mother asked several minutes laters, an amused smile on her face as Sam continued to be utterly enthralled.

    ¡°Professor Birch managed to narrow down a lot more abilities,¡± Sam said. ¡°They''re passive effects some Pok¨¦mon have due to either their biology or instincts, but they have to be trained to be usable in battle. Some species actually have two listed, but do you know Banette? Apparently they''ve included the species''s tendency to search people as an ability! It has a weird name. They called it ¡®Frisk.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Oh? And you just happened to notice a change in a Ghost Type first, hm?¡± his mother said in a teasing tone.

    ¡°That means nothing! I just like the Type! It''s cool!¡±

    She snorted once. Sam felt the heat from his face turning red.

    ¡°I know. I just find it funny that the first change you notice is of the Type you''re obsessed with.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Sam held up the book to hide his expression. He didn''t want his mother to know he had flipped to the Ghosts first, but she was also completely right.

    He went on to skim it a bit more, but he also recognized he was slacking, Sam did eventually get up to help his mom take out and organize the rest of the new books.

    Most of these orders came from people who lived on the island, as actually getting specific books was hard without the same supply network mainland cities boasted. Ships brought books like these about once a month, or every few weeks if they were lucky. It had taken his mother years to build up her connections, and when it came to deliveries to the city, there was always a small section of those boats reserved just for this shop.

    He would never admit it (Sam was a teen boy), but he was proud of the level of dedication his Mom had to her interests. She was commanding in conversation and always seemed to know exactly what to do. Considering it was just them, Cyndaquil, and Delcatty, Sam and his mom were rather close.

    ¡°...Alright.¡± His mom heaved one final book onto the shelf with the rest. ¡°That should be it. Now we just need to wait for¡ª¡±

    The chime of the front door went off, and Sam¡¯s mom grinned.

    ¡°That must be them. Coming!¡± she shouted.

    Sam¡¯s mom hurried back out to stand in the entrance of the shop, and Sam himself followed.

    Entering the shop was a tall man with rippling muscles and tanned skin that glistened with sweat. He had a cocksure grin on his face as he strode forward and leaned against the front counter. At his side, there was a secondary set of lighter footsteps, and Sam leaned over to see what creature it was.

    This Pok¨¦mon was short, fat, but still muscular and covered with yellow skin. It was one of the few species almost exclusively found on the island: a Makuhita. Though it was heavy like a sumo-wrestler, its padded fists could pack quite the punch.

    ¡°Sup,¡± the man said.

    Sam was already leery of how the man was smiling at his mom.

    ¡°I¡¯m Buck. Recent shake-ups at the Gym means I took over as the one responsible for all its public dealings. You¡¯re Amanda, right?¡±

    ¡°Call me Mandy,¡± his mother replied with a smile.

    Sam didn''t bother to hide his scowl. He was more than willing to show his displeasure at the shameful flirt as he exaggeratedly crossed his arms.

    ¡°Anyway, new Gym Leader means new systems being implemented. I¡¯m here about the books.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± His mother¡¯s expression turned to excitement. ¡°This year''s edition of the Pok¨¦dex! They''ve just come in, so I can go grab¡ª¡±

    Before she could turn around, the buff man, Buck, sucked in air through his teeth. Sam''s mother stopped where she was, quick to narrow her eyes.

    ¡°What is it? New... systems, you said?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re quick to figure it out. Things have changed at the local Gym.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mom was already tapping her foot. The mood was quick to sour.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You might have made that deal with us for new Pok¨¦dexes, but that was with the last Gym Leader,¡± Buck said. ¡°We¡¯re doing a bit of a rework while everything¡¯s being transitioned. As it turns out, we already have new Pok¨¦dexes! And these are far better than just a few books!¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± his mother replied testingly. At this point, she had a completely emotionless look on her face. Sam knew that meant she was ready to blow.

    ¡°See, they''re electronic, and they come with all these neat little features that make books obsolete,¡± Buck continued. ¡°Their inventor, some guy named Professor Oak, managed to put in a Pok¨¦mon scanner, a text-to-speech program, habitat listings, team summary, storage connection, automatic updates¡ª¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Sam''s mother snapped.

    Silence permeated the air. The excitement Buck displayed only a second ago immediately cooled down.

    ¡°So, I''ve come to tell you we won''t be going through with our usual deal. Sorry about that,¡± he said.

    Sam¡¯s mom opened her mouth, closed it, and then seemed to come to the conclusion that she wouldn¡¯t yell about this. Instead, she took a singular, deep, calming breath, then released it slowly before talking once more.

    ¡°We had a deal,¡± she said calmly.

    ¡°Deal¡¯s off,¡± came his reply.

    ¡°I was explicitly told you¡¯d be making this purchase last year. You¡¯ve already given us some of the payment upfront.¡±

    Buck shrugged.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be paying the rest, then.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mom looked at the Gym Trainer like he was the biggest idiot in the world.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why not? We don¡¯t need the books, so we don¡¯t need to spend the money. ¡®Sides, if you ask me, it¡¯s better if our cash is used on more important purchases anyway.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mother tensed, her bottom lip curling up. As for Sam himself, he stared at the man, an understanding coming to his eyes.

    The guy¡¯s a meathead.

    He might have worked for the Gym, but Buck clearly thought books weren¡¯t meant for trainers that specialized in the Fighting Type.

    Yet, as soon as Sam had that thought, he realized this was an opportunity. Mind already on the subject after everything he went through earlier, he blurted something out, and the sound of his own words shocked both him and Buck.

    ¡°Battle me!¡±

    Everyone looked Sam¡¯s way.

    Sam reacted by freezing up, gaping like a fish, and staying motionless until Cyndaquil yawned and trotted over to poke at his leg.

    ¡°...Huh?¡± Buck asked.

    ¡°You''re a Gym Trainer, right? That means you''re great at Pok¨¦mon battles. Sure, you don¡¯t need to accept my challenge, but what if we put the status of this purchase on the line?¡±

    Buck raised an eyebrow, and the man crossed his arms which served to cause his muscles to bulge that much more. At his side, the Makuhita let its hands rest on its stomach. The weighty Pok¨¦mon stood in a distinct contrast to its well-built trainer.

    ¡°...Go on,¡± Buck said.

    ¡°I have a Pok¨¦mon, and you do too¡ªa Makuhita. Three days from now, we''ll have a one-on-one match. If I win, you make the purchase anyway. And if you win¡ª¡±

    ¡°What if we get all your Pok¨¦dexes for half off?¡±

    Sam went silent. He had only come up with this idea for a Pok¨¦mon battle as a way to show off to his mom. If he beat this Gym Trainer, he¡¯d prove his worth, and then she¡¯d have to say yes to him heading out.

    However, while Sam had brought up the concept of betting the book sale, the full implication of the idea hadn¡¯t settled in until now. With the number of written Pok¨¦dexes the Gym usually bought, there would be a lot of money on the line. Not just that, but since the Gym was so well-liked, the negotiated profit margin was thin, too. Accepting this match and losing would mean he¡¯d force his mother to take a major loss.

    Yet, she was here too, quietly listening in. Sam was too nervous to properly respond, and in the end, it was his mother who made the final decision.

    She silently stood there and took in both Sam and Buck. An unfamiliar look entered her eyes as she seemed to analyze everything these two had to offer.

    ¡°...Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Your terms are fine.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Buck¡¯s grin was far too wide. ¡°Then I accept your challenge! Three days ¡®till our battle¡ªI¡¯ll meet you outside of the Pok¨¦mon Center at noon!¡±

    Buck practically strode out of the bookstore, walking with a skip to his step. His Makuhita loyally followed, but when Sam picked up Cyndaquil for comfort, the two Pok¨¦mon stared off before the Makuhita finally stepped outside.

    ¡°...Why did you accept that?¡± Sam quietly asked.

    ¡°Why did you challenge him?¡± his mother replied.

    Sam didn¡¯t have a proper answer, but then strangely enough, his mother grinned. Almost immediately after, she proceeded to snort then laugh, too.

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t expecting something like this today, but it worked well enough. Good job, Sam! Written Pok¨¦dexes haven¡¯t been selling well lately. That order wouldn¡¯t have gone through without you. You¡¯ve just made sure we¡¯ll get a lot of stock off our shelves!¡±

    ¡°But what if I lose?¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be forced to sell them at a loss and I¡¯ll have to budget for the next month,¡± she said all too nonchalantly.

    Sam froze up.

    ¡°But that¡¯s only if you lose,¡± his mother said. ¡°You want to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer, right? Wouldn¡¯t this be a good first step?¡±

 Chapter 3

    Sam felt like he was in a daze as he sat on his bed. His mother had been supportive¡ªfar too supportive.

    What is it that she actually wants?

    He didn¡¯t want to think about that topic. It¡¯d been years of no discussion, and out of nowhere, she was suddenly supporting this random match. Confused and honestly worried, he turned his thoughts to something else: namely, the location where his future opponent worked.

    A Pok¨¦mon Gym.

    Pok¨¦mon Gyms were institutions that served as challenges for the average Pok¨¦mon Trainer¡¯s journey. At one point in almost every person¡¯s life, they would take a break from school, work, and whatever other responsibilities they had to catch Pok¨¦mon, make friends, and explore their local region. Sam hadn¡¯t gone on his Pok¨¦mon journey just yet, mostly because things had come up back when he was first making plans. Cyndaquil had still joined him regardless, but he hadn¡¯t exactly trained or even gained the experience needed to take on someone strong enough to work for a Gym.

    Gyms were places to be conquered, to earn Badges that marked a Pok¨¦mon Trainer¡¯s success. Earn eight, and you could compete in that region¡¯s yearly conference. Earn less, and all you get is a bit of bragging rights.

    If Buck was a Gym Trainer, that meant he had been recognized as a trainer either strong or skilled enough to help maintain the challenges so many faced during the nine-month-long Pok¨¦mon League Season. That Makuhita was likely a veteran of many fights. Sure, it might not have been evolved, but assuming it was as much of a novice as Cyndaquil had been an awful mistake.

    Those thoughts only served to increase his nerves further. Sam hopped off his bed and began to pace. As he did, Cyndaquil moved off his lap to watch him. Her head tracked him back and forth.

    Sam was inside his bedroom, which was actually the building¡¯s attic. Its entrance was located within his family¡¯s living space behind the store. A door connected the store to their home, but only he, his mother, and their Pok¨¦mon were allowed to pass through. Downstairs was a connected living room and kitchen, and up here was his personal space and shared storage. Boxes littered one half of the room, but the other, more empty half, was very decidedly his.

    Pausing, Sam scratched at his own arm nervously, terrified about the lengths he¡¯d need to go to pull off a win. His worried moment was interrupted when Cyndaquil squeaked. Being reminded she was there, he affectionately patted her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just... stressed.¡±

    Cyndaquil turned towards the floor as Sam sat back down. A second later, she was in his lap, relying on puppy-therapy to help calm him down.

    It worked. Kind of. Sam absent-mindedly scratched behind her head and turned his thoughts to a more productive topic.

    ¡°So a Makuhita is a Fighting Type. According to the latest Pok¨¦dex, its ability is Guts, which means trying to burn it will just give it adrenaline to fuel its attacks. We could still burn it to potentially wear it down over time, but the only moves we have at our disposal are Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, and Ember. None of those are that strong.¡±

    The sound that left Cyndaquil¡¯s mouth almost sounded like an apology, but Sam immediately shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Neither of us have gone out of our way to train. If I actually bothered to take you out to battle instead of just reading all day, maybe we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.¡±

    Mainly, Sam was disappointed in himself. At the time, the challenge had seemed like such a good idea.

    The man was a Pok¨¦mon Trainer! And Pok¨¦mon Trainers resolved issues via battle! If Sam wanted to be a Pok¨¦mon Trainer too, why wouldn¡¯t he try to do the same?

    Well, for starters, I don¡¯t have any experience actually leading Pok¨¦mon in battle.

    The thought made him sigh.

    He then heard a series of footsteps from the lower floor before hearing his Mom shout.

    ¡°I just finished closing the store for the day! I¡¯ll be up in a second!¡±

    Shortly after, the trapdoor to his bedroom creaked open, and Delcatty poked her head through. She bounded over to Sam¡¯s bed to join his side, and his mother followed.

    She didn¡¯t say anything as she finished climbing up the ladder. Silently, Sam¡¯s mom moved to sit on the bed next to him.

    Though she didn¡¯t look upset in the slightest, she still let a few seconds of silence hang.

    ¡°Whew,¡± she eventually said, breathing out. ¡°Some day, huh?¡±

    Sam briefly thought back to everything that happened at the abandoned mansion, then to everything that happened in the store.

    ¡°Yeah, you can say that.¡± He chuckled a bit to himself.

    ¡°Look, Sam. I know you¡¯re worried about the battle, but I¡¯ve only seen one person more dedicated to Pok¨¦mon than you, and that man was your Grandfather! You practically inhale any books we get about Pok¨¦mon, and when you¡¯re not reading those, you¡¯re on the computer browsing... What did you call it?¡±

    ¡°The Ghost Type forum, Mom,¡± he said.

    ¡°The Ghost Type forum, right!¡± she said. ¡°But please, listen to me and know that you can do this.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    If I ask about going on my journey now, would she approve?

    He turned to his mother. She was smiling at him. He remembered the last time he had asked and the grim look that overtook her face.

    ¡°Alright, so what do I do?¡± he asked. He chose not to bring up the subject right now.

    ¡°Rely on our secret weapon,¡± his mother easily replied.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°What, yourself, mister. Did you not realize we have a secret weapon in the room right with us?¡±

    Sam stared at his mom blankly, and she chuckled. Delcatty released a few amused meows herself, as well. Silently, his mom waved her hand to gesture to the boxes that filled the other half of the attic.

    ¡°Your father was a Pok¨¦mon Ranger when he passed, and my dad¡ªyour Grandfather¡ªwas a powerful trainer before he retired,¡± she started. ¡°We never really unpacked their stuff after moving, but I bet if we search, we could find something that they wrote down to help you in your preparations, hm?¡±

    Sam looked at the pile with a new perspective. Before, it was just junk that took up space. Now, it could actually contain something worthwhile. Though daunted by the sheer amount of work ahead of him, Sam was willing to do it if it meant he would win.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± he said.

    His mother¡¯s smile was as bright as the sun.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! The best time to start is right now! You get that side, and I¡¯ll get the other! I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something by the end of the night!¡±

    And just like that, Sam and his mother began to dig through piles of junk to hopefully find anything that would mean a victory against Buck.

    Cyndaquil was quick to help, using her snout to sniff out items of interest and going out of her way to organize items set aside. Delcatty seemed as though she just wanted to relax on the bed, but Sam¡¯s mom informed the feline that wouldn¡¯t be the case. With a reluctant ¡°Mrow,¡± Delcatty hopped off and unhappily assisted by pushing a few spare boxes towards Sam and his mother. It meant they only needed to search, and with everyone involved, the group made slow but consistent progress.

    Piles of shirts, old blankets and towels, and sets of uninteresting knick-knacks were pulled out, looked over, and placed on the floor. There was a brief break to look through a yellowed photo-album, but Sam and his mom determinedly parsed through box after box, searching every inch of the attic they could.

    An hour passed, and it felt like they had hardly put even a dent into the pile. Sam at least took some comfort in the fact that this was technically training his and Cyndaquil¡¯s strength, but unless they dedicated themselves to more serious practice, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Still, Cyndaquil had come to Sam solely because of his Grandfather. The man had trained a wild Cyndaquil himself, eventually battling alongside a powerful Typhlosion. The idea of some kind of trick being hidden within these boxes wasn¡¯t actually that ridiculous. Likely, Sam¡¯s Grandfather had written down insights about Cyndaquil¡¯s species that Sam could use to shape the way his friend trained.

    Though, he never found any. Soon enough, shadows from outside began to stretch into the room, and the only light they had was that of a lamp Sam had near his bed. Dust lingered in the air, having been disturbed from all of the shifting of boxes. Sam had thought he was tired before, but after all of this searching, he was utterly exhausted. He ended up slumping back into his desk chair as his mom swiped her hands together, trying to get some of that dust off.

    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll get started on dinner. This is enough for today, hm?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sam replied. A hearty meal sounded absolutely delicious right now.

    His mom replied with a supportive smile and a wave of her hand before she disappeared back down the ladder. Delcatty joined her, leaving just Sam and Cyndaquil alone in this room.

    ¡°...One more box,¡± he said.

    Cyndaquil groaned, but she still went along with the work.

    Sam moved forward, grabbed the edge of one of the cardboard containers, and he pulled it back to give himself room to look through it. Just like so many others, this contained many sheets and towels¡ªleftovers from the variety of beds his Grandfather had purchased for his Pok¨¦mon in his old age. Most of those individuals had either passed away shortly after or had been sent to caretakers who could better afford to take care of them. Cyndaquil¡¯s own grandfather was still around, and that Typhlosion lived with a specialized breeder over in Johto.

    Despite just being miscellaneous sheets, Sam knew they were likely filled with memories. He didn¡¯t toss them aside, but he did make sure to treat them carefully. Looking around the room, he took in how one man¡¯s entire life was essentially reduced down to miscellaneous items stored into boxes.

    It was a heavy thought to consider, so he pushed it out of his mind.

    As he turned back to this last box, shuffling sounds came from inside. Cyndaquil had climbed in, and now she was repeating her name rather excitedly.

    ¡°What is it? Found something?¡±

    He pulled one last blanket back.

    Standing proud, Cyndaquil balanced on her back feet with her front paws pressed into her sides. Underneath her was a wooden chest just big enough to hold in two hands.

    ¡°Woah,¡± Sam breathed.

    The chest had tarnished bronze handles on each side, and it was made up of some kind of dark wood. Carvings decorated its surface, displaying myths and legends commonly known in Kanto, such as the region¡¯s legendary birds. It was finely made and definitely impressive. Cyndaquil jumped out, and Sam lifted it up.

    ¡°This is...¡±

    He really hoped the chest would contain exactly what they were looking for.

    Sam brought it over to his desk. It was both lighter and heavier than he expected. The wood was dense, and items made a few faint noises inside. There was definitely worthwhile ¡°stuff¡± contained within.

    No lock, only a single latch held it closed. It was easy enough to unclick to allow the top to open up. He sat up to better peer in, and Cyndaquil joined him on the table to search, too.

    There were only a handful of items in here, but each one carried obvious sentimental value to the long-passed, old man.

    The first item Sam pulled out was a set of postcards from cities across Kanto and Johto. None were filled out, but they showed pictures of famous locations and attractions, most of them having been taken decades ago.

    Next was one half of a Pok¨¦ball, but specifically one half of an old-fashioned version of one. It was metallic¡ªunpainted¡ªand a knob on its top served as the sealing mechanism instead of the commonly-used button Pok¨¦balls used now. Unfortunately, the other half of the Pok¨¦ball didn¡¯t seem to be present. Altogether, it was nothing more than a long-lost memory.

    After the Pok¨¦ball, Sam pulled out a few different items one-by-one. A rock with a strange, domed bulge to it. A feather divided between red, white, and green that seemed to sparkle rainbow in the light. A framed photo showing off a trio of young adults, with only one of which having the dark hair that would signify him as Sam¡¯s grandfather. The other boy in the picture was nervously holding some kind of sketchbook and had weirdly long, hanging sideburns, and next to them was a smirking young woman with bright, blonde hair.

    Sam stared at the photograph for a while. He had never seen his grandfather so young. Still, he moved on to the next item shortly after. This one was an old case, which he opened up and immediately took in a breath.

    ¡°Woah. If Grandpa had all of these, he probably took on the Gym Challenge right when it started getting popular.¡±

    The case contained a badge from every Gym in Johto and Kanto. In total, there were sixteen, somehow still polished, pins.

    Finally, there was only a single item left, located at the very bottom of this chest. Sam had to stand up to get the leverage to reach in, and he held it up once it was firmly in his hands.

    ¡°A package? Well, it says ¡®To: Richard,¡¯ so it was definitely sent to my Grandpa. I wonder why he never opened it up. It doesn¡¯t say who it¡¯s from.¡±

    Sam looked to Cyndaquil. She was looking right back. Shrugging, Sam went ahead and removed the string that kept the canvas paper on it. A single pull, and practically most of it fell away.

    When he had first picked it up, it had almost felt familiar. Now that he had gone ahead to reveal what it was, he figured out why.

    ¡°It¡¯s a book!¡±

    He forced himself to calm down. Sam silently admitted he was acting a bit too excited for just one item.

    ¡°No title. Weird. Maybe it has what we¡¯re looking for? Let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside.¡±

    The book was more like a journal, though it was both old and thick enough that the word ¡°tome¡± was probably a better descriptor. Its front cover had been stamped with an indent of a Pok¨¦ball, but it was the first interior page that stated what it was.

    ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex.¡± The text was proudly printed just past the front cover. Curiously, no author was written, but Sam found it interesting for something so old to make such a bold declaration with its name.

    Then, intrigued, Sam flipped past a foreword to reach the table of contents, which seemed to go on for a while. He began to read through, flipped the page, continued to read through, flipped the page, read through¡ª

    ¡°This... What? This can¡¯t be real.¡±

    Each entry listed in the table was numbered by the classical entry in the Pok¨¦dex. It started with Bulbasaur, simply enough, and it continued on to include all of the Pok¨¦mon from Kanto, too. Then, from there, the species of Johto were listed, then Hoenn, then Sinnoh, and Unova and Kalos and Alola and Galar and it had so many more species that Sam hadn¡¯t even heard of.

    He had to put it down just to process what he had been holding in his hands.

    To state it bluntly, where modern Pok¨¦dexes had only a few hundred entries, this book boasted over a thousand. The table of contents presented the potential of impossible information, yet the book was at least several decades old.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°...Dear Reader, I know the information within may seem unbelievable, but you must throw those compunctions aside. This journal contains the culmination of my life¡¯s work¡ªboth of this life and last. Decades of effort went into assembling everything here, and countless Pok¨¦mon and trainers contributed to ensure the veracity of what is written. It is my deepest wish for this work to illuminate the potential of future generations. Dear Reader, believe me, everything in this book is completely and utterly true.¡±

    The words from the unknown author¡¯s foreword echoed in Sam¡¯s mind. The very first thing he had done once he was finished processing the book¡¯s existence was to flip back to the foreword and actually read it through. He then proceeded to skim through all of the book¡¯s entries before sitting back in his chair.

    He returned to the foreword again.

    He reread what was written just in case.

    ¡°Completely and utterly true, it says,¡± he mumbled.

    Sam had snuck downstairs and gathered up one of the latest Pok¨¦dexes, which now sat on his desk next to him. His mother had commented on it when she noticed him sneak by while she made dinner, but Sam provided the easy excuse of ¡°Just planning out training, mom!¡±

    He did the responsible thing and tried to check if this so-called ¡°New Pok¨¦dex¡± was actually real. While he didn¡¯t have a way to test any of the information on foreign Pok¨¦mon, for obvious reasons, one thing still stood out to him:

    This decades-old book listed abilities that had only been discovered in the past year. Heck, Banette was clearly listed as having the ability, ¡°Frisk.¡±

    Truth be told, Sam didn¡¯t want to believe this book existed. It was called the ¡°New¡± Pok¨¦dex, yet it was just so old. Pok¨¦mon researchers and professors were in a constant race to discover more and more about Pok¨¦mon species, both known and undiscovered, but what was the point of all that if this book held all the answers?

    It felt like a blow to the stomach, so Sam denied it. After all, if something like this existed, more of the information it contained would be public, right?

    He continued to stare at it, genuinely unsure what to do.

    Do I believe it? Do I pretend it¡¯s all made up? Or... do I take things into my own hands?

    His mom called out to say that dinner was ready. More than willing to have an excuse to leave, Sam climbed down the ladder out of his room while Cyndaquil hopped down the steps to follow. In the center of his kitchen was a small, rounded dining table with raised stools to allow both Delcatty and Cyndaquil to eat alongside Sam and his mom. Plates of battered Pok¨¦mon food with sliced berries on the side were laid out for the pair, and for the two humans¡¯ meals, Sam¡¯s mom had made his favorite, spaghetti.

    Yet, Sam no longer had an appetite. He wanted to worry about the implications of the book he found, but at the same time, he had no clue what those implications even were!

    He sat down, and his mom smiled warmly at him. Cyndaquil jumped up into her chair at the same time. Delcatty was already gracefully chowing down on pre-cut chunks of food, but Cyndaquil wanted to wait for everyone else to start, so Sam forced a few bites down.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam¡¯s mom said. ¡°Manage to find anything interesting up there while I¡¯ve been gone?¡±

    He stared at his food. Sam really didn¡¯t feel like eating.

    ¡°...Maybe,¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯d you find?¡±

    ¡°I found... I found a few notes Grandpa left on Cyndaquil. They should help with training,¡± Sam lied.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure why he didn¡¯t tell the truth, but it felt like his insides were churning. He didn¡¯t want to subject his mother to that same level of confusion.

    Who wrote that book?

    How did they get that information?

    Most importantly, why did his grandfather have it?

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Sam¡¯s mom gained a bright smile, one that was completely unaware of his internal dilemma. ¡°Are the notes useful? What do they say? Do you think you¡¯ll be able to prepare enough in time?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sam said with a shrug. He took his fork and spun noodles around it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re real or not. I checked parts of it, but I¡¯m worried that they might be... outdated.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    His mother tapped her chin before taking another bite of her food. She made sure to properly swallow before speaking next.

    ¡°How¡¯d you check?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Took one of the extra Pok¨¦dexes and compared bits and pieces. Everything added up.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried other resources, too?¡±

    ¡°Other resources?¡±

    ¡°Well you spend so long on that computer of ours that I¡¯d figure you might be able to ask some of your friends online,¡± his mom said.

    Sam almost dropped his fork when she said that.

    Of course! Active trainers will know more than just what some random book says!

    Most written books included information gathered from trainers who actively trained certain uncommon Pok¨¦mon species. Heck, it wasn¡¯t rare for Professors who wrote the Pok¨¦dexes to pay trainers to fill out surveys and forms!

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Thanks, mom! I know exactly what to do now! You¡¯ve been a big help! I love you!¡±

    She smiled again and waved a hand.

    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re just making me blush.¡±

    Sam shoveled the food in his mouth, rushing through the meal with gusto. Once he was done, he dumped his plate in the sink before helping with the dishes. Then, he ran to the corner of the living room where the family computer sat.

    It was big, blocky, and protected by a thick, white case. The monitor was as deep as it was wide, and the computer tower wasn¡¯t that much better at that. The primary purpose of obtaining this computer was less about having access to websites and more about giving his mother a way to manage emails. While video phones were still the primary form of contact, the ease at which emails let her make orders with companies on the mainland was too much to pass up.

    But Sam frequently commandeered the device, mostly for his own entertainment. While online chatrooms were popular uses for the internet these days, Sam primarily used his internet access to visit one specific type of site: Specialist forums.

    Of course, Sam was obsessed with the idea of the Ghost Type, and when he heard of a way to talk to Ghost Type trainers across the world, he immediately jumped on it. There were forum boards dedicated to each of the seventeen Types. Ghost might have not been the most popular choice, but seeing people share their stories and post links to battles in the League video archive was really something else.

    Though, Sam was still a boy. There were times where the site was used for more entertainment-based purposes, where he browsed threads dedicated to sharing creepy stories. Users would post folktales and campfire stories, often pretending to be characters within the very tales themselves. They¡¯d become travelers detailing trips into dusky forests, gaining and losing members of their group without realizing. Haunted objects would be discussed, and then the item¡¯s owner would share strange experiences they had around the house. The one with the most variants was a tale about a parent whose child was stolen by a Gengar. Despite the subject, it was usually the most light-hearted, as the entertainment came from how the storyteller would ridiculously ignore all ¡°advice¡± to an extreme extent.

    However, as Sam¡¯s mother got ready for bed, Sam wasn''t on this site for entertainment this time. Instead, he had a specific task in mind, and he waited until his mother had closed the door to her bedroom to retrieve the journal from his room.

    The New Pok¨¦dex¡¯s organization was kind of a mess¡ªit seemed to drift between technical summaries and relevant, personal anecdotes¡ªbut the very back section of it contained a description of all included moves. Immediately drawn to where Ghost Type attacks were discussed, his eyes locked onto one move in particular. Sam began to quietly whisper what he typed, planning out what to say.

    ¡°New Move Idea,¡± Sam mumbled quietly. ¡°Hey everyone... I have an idea for a move I wanted to try out... no Ghost Types on my team...¡±

    Keyboard clacks echoed out into the otherwise silent living room.

    Ghost Types were known for their highly limited movesets, usually being forced to rely on status moves like Hypnosis or moves of other Types, like Psychic and Thunderbolt. The only attacking moves commonly known were Night Shade and Shadow Ball, but those had their own problems and quirks that made many reluctant to use them. After all, Night Shade was directly tied to a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s personal level of power, and many still argued that Shadow Ball relied on a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical strength rather than its special attack.

    For this, Sam pulled one potential Ghost Type attacking move out of the book. Getting it confirmed here would both help his verification needs and set him up with a potential new strategy for his eventual Ghost Type team. This attack might not have been as strong as Shadow Ball, but that was only true most of the time.

    Including an attack not known to any local region, Sam wrote out the description of a move called ¡°Hex.¡±

    Apparently, it was an Unovan attacking move, but Sam hardly knew anything about that far-off region. While common there, it hadn¡¯t spread here yet, but he really wanted to know if it was true.

    Hex damaged the user¡¯s opponent with, well, a hex, but it was extra-effective on Pok¨¦mon with status conditions. Combining it with the commonly-known Will-O-Wisp would turn the two attacks into a devastating combination.

    All in all, a perfect strategy for the Ghost Type.

    ¡°Let me know... what you think...¡± Sam said, finishing it off.

    He sat back in his chair and reread the post once he was done. This was a suggestion to test rather than an explicit discovery¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to lose this potential advantage, after all. Satisfied with what he wrote, he hit enter.

    The thread was created.

    ¡°Alright, Cyndaquil. With this posted online, we¡¯ll know whether or not the New Pok¨¦dex is real when people reply. Maybe someone is already using the move, or maybe someone will figure it out from my description. Either way, it should confirm something.¡±

    Now that he had a way to genuinely prove it, he wanted it to be true so he could take advantage of it for himself.

    The light went off in his mother¡¯s room. Sam got up to turn off all the other lights in the house, too. The only light was from the computer, and the whirr of its fans provided the sole bit of sound in the room.

    He stared at the flickering screen. Watching. Waiting. Praying for a reply. The internet wasn¡¯t the fastest in these parts, so every minute or so he¡¯d refresh the page, and every minute or so, the refreshed page would be finished loading.

    The first response came soon enough.

    ¡°Dumb idea. Keep it to yourself next time.¡±

    That kind of dismissal was expected; not every random person online was kind.

    A few more people posted their comments discussing the potential of the idea, but Sam¡¯s saving grace came in the form of a reply from someone with the username ¡°MatsubaEnju.¡± Their response was simple:

    ¡°Sounds interesting! I''ll give it a try.¡±

    ¡°We got one!¡± Sam cheered.

    Despite all his previous worries, he couldn¡¯t help but to gain a smile.

    ¡°They¡¯ll test out the attack for us, and if it¡¯s real, we¡¯ll know we have something valuable on our hands. I really hope it is. Imagine if that entire book is true. We could do things no one else could dream of!¡±

    Sam was grinning, but in his lap, Cyndaquil let out a tired yawn. Blinking his eyes, he checked the time: past midnight.

    Huh. It¡¯s later than I thought.

    The exhaustion of the day getting to him, Sam carried Cyndaquil in his arms to return to his bed. There, he went to sleep with a specific dream in his mind.

    When that book is confirmed true, I¡¯ll crush Buck with everything we got!

    <hr>

    Sam woke up early the next day and rushed back to the computer. Cyndaquil stayed in bed as the computer whirred to life downstairs.

    A few minutes after pressing the power button, Sam managed to navigate to the relevant site. To his horror, the forum moderators had deleted his thread, citing that suggestions needed to be kept to the pinned sections. However, he had received a private message.

    It was from MatsubaEnju, and it contained only two words.

    ¡°It worked.¡±

 Chapter 5

    MatsubaEnju¡¯s two-word response sat front and center on the computer screen as Sam blankly stared forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s... real,¡± he whispered.

    He had known it probably was back when he checked it against a Pok¨¦dex, but it took seeing a completely alien source confirming it for everything to fit together in his mind.

    It took several full seconds for his thoughts to settle down before Sam jumped up and rushed to his bedroom¡¯s ladder.

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡± he shouted. ¡°It¡¯s real! We can use the information!¡±

    He scurried upstairs and practically body-slammed his desk chair. It spun in place, letting him face the table of his desk, where the New Pok¨¦dex was laid out in front of him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... Cyndaquil... On page... Wow, that¡¯s far in.¡±

    He hurriedly flipped through as his Pok¨¦mon woke up on the bed next to him. She smacked her lips and waddled over, where she clumsily climbed up onto the desk only to fall into Sam¡¯s lap and resume her slumber.

    ¡°Information about your evolutions are on the next few pages, but we don¡¯t need to worry about that right now. Instead, we can look at what you can learn as a Cyndaquil and maybe your abilities, too. I know in the base Pok¨¦dex¡ªman, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m already calling a modern text the ¡®base¡¯ version¡ªyou have a limited list of learnable moves. There, other than what you already know, you could learn Quick Attack, Flame Wheel, Swift, and Flamethrower. Here, you can learn...¡±

    Sam breathed out when he saw the expansive list before him. More moves than he thought available were listed, and there were many he had never heard of.

    ¡°Flame Charge? Lava Plume? Inferno? Heck, you can learn Rollout!¡±

    They all sounded extremely powerful, and he couldn¡¯t wait to get started.

    ¡°What about your abilities? The base book just states you get Blaze.¡±

    Blaze was an ability that would let Cyndaquil empower her Fire Type moves when in a state close to unconsciousness. It was still listed as a potential ability in his grandfather¡¯s book, but next to it, it stated she could gain the ability ¡°Flash Fire.¡±

    ¡°...That¡¯s incredible,¡± Sam breathed. ¡°With a bit of work, you could become utterly immune to other Fire Type moves. Not just that, but when hit by one, you could learn to use that heat to empower yourself!¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to laugh. This book was incredible. Literally no one else in the world knew this kind of stuff. It was an incredible advantage.

    ¡°Everything all right up there?¡± called his tired mother from below.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s great, mom!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Everything¡¯s perfect, actually!¡±

    He laughed again and started to scratch Cyndaquil affectionately. She was still half asleep, but she looked up at him and smiled.

    ¡°There¡¯s not much in the way of actual training tips in here, but it gives me ideas for how we can move forward. I said three days until our battle with Buck, so we have today and tomorrow to train until then. To start, let¡¯s start with the basics. I want to make sure we can handle proper commands.¡±

    Back at the mansion, Cyndaquil had frozen when she and Sam had encountered Whismur. As simple as it was, Sam needed to make sure they could work together with an instinctual reaction to commands. When Sam shouted a move, Cyndaquil needed to be ready to act. At the same time, he needed to learn how to phrase things to get the best response out of her in battle.

    ¡°I need a tool for this. A clicker, I think,¡± he mumbled.

    Clickers let Sam make a loud noise with the press of his finger. Getting Cyndaquil to react to that noise would be a good start, and then they could shift to issuing and following commands once she got a base reaction down.

    ¡°Alright Cyndaquil, we¡¯re going to the Pok¨¦mart. Wake up!¡±

    Sam placed her on the bed as he started to get dressed and grab his backpack. Cyndaquil groaned as she pushed herself up, but she stumbled and fell back down. Sam had to pause and recognize he was running off of nervous excitement. As it stood, neither of them had eaten breakfast yet.

    One hearty meal and a shout of thanks to his mother later, Sam and Cyndaquil were out of the house. Once more, she was riding in his jacket¡¯s hood as Sam practically charged down the street.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°When practicing commands, we can work double-time, too,¡± Sam said, so many ideas coming together in his mind. ¡°Knowing what Fire Type moves you¡¯ll eventually learn can shape what we practice. Already, I can see it''s worth working on Ember to train your special power and aim.¡±

    He was practically humming as he strode down the street. He wasn¡¯t exactly running, but he was definitely moving much faster than everyone else around him.

    The Pok¨¦mart was located only a few blocks away, just like every other point of interest in this small town. Its blue roof made it stand out from the surrounding, red-brick buildings, and its clear, glass doors welcomed in all potential customers. Yet, despite all of that, Dewford¡¯s Pok¨¦mart was as standard as Pok¨¦marts could come. It served as a Pok¨¦mon League-subsidized market that sold goods for trainers of every form. In fact, the building was where Sam and his mom bought food for their Pok¨¦mon. Though, this time around, he¡¯d be buying actual training supplies.

    A pair of automatic doors slid open as Sam arrived at the store. He gripped the strap of his backpack and felt the weight of the New Pok¨¦dex as he took a step in. He immediately stopped where he stood when he saw a familiar man leaning against the Pok¨¦mart¡¯s front counter.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you! Mark and I were just talking about our battle coming up.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mood immediately soured. He glared at Buck with all of the hatred he could muster.

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Sam asked tersely.

    ¡°Yup. Told him about how you challenged me to make a purchase in your store.¡±

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a pretty simple deal all together,¡± Buck continued. ¡°I buy a buncha books if he wins. I get it all half off when I win.¡±

    The tanned Gym Trainer laughed heartily. At his side, the apron-wearing Pok¨¦mart employee had on his best customer-service smile.

    ¡°Will you need help finding what you need?¡± the employee asked Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sam replied, tense.

    Buck just grinned as Sam marched into an aisle. He did his best to focus on finding what he wanted to purchase instead of that awful man.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m kind of surprised you¡¯re actually taking this seriously. I was just training at Granite Cave and I didn¡¯t see you there,¡± Buck said. ¡°That¡¯s where all the real Pok¨¦mon trainers in these parts go to practice. Novices usually stick to public fields outside of Pok¨¦mon Centers. Or absolute beginners practice around their home.¡±

    Sam bit his tongue rather than responding.

    I was planning on working with Cyndaquil in the alley out back.

    He stared at the rows and rows of tools related to Pok¨¦mon training, but he was unable to pick any of them out. Buck¡¯s taunting tone echoed in his ears, and Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from clenching his fists.

    ¡°Well, whatever,¡± the man said, pushing off of the counter. ¡°New Gym Leader means new workout routines, too. He¡¯s still getting everything set up.¡±

    Buck walked over to the door of the Pok¨¦mart and pointed a set of finger-guns at the worker, a brilliant smile on his face.

    ¡°Be seeing you, Mark! I¡¯ll send someone to pick up our purchase later!¡±

    The sound of the automatic door opening and closing signaled the man leaving. Yet, even with Buck¡¯s absence, Sam could only stare blankly forward. From behind the front counter, the Pok¨¦mart employee sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m... sorry about that. He¡¯s been letting his new position get to his head. Are you sure there¡¯s nothing I can do for you?¡±

    Yeah, punch him for me.

    But Sam didn¡¯t say that. Instead, he continued to stare.

    No one else was inside of this Pok¨¦mart. It was only Sam, Cyndaquil, and the Pok¨¦mart employee. Slowly, he bent down, pretending to look at the items on the lowest shelf. Instead, he pulled his backpack to be in front of his arm. Then, he began to retrieve a certain, impossible book.

    ¡°Do you trust me, Cyndaquil?¡±

    She leaned forward from his hood, letting him see her, and then she nodded her head.

    ¡°Good. Because I want to crush that man. And two days of training isn¡¯t enough. Instead...¡±

    Sam flipped through the pages, bringing the full brunt of his secret weapon to bear. Cyndaquil silently watched from over his shoulder as Sam determinedly searched for a species he could use.

    Shuppet was out¡ªthe Hoenn-native species couldn¡¯t be found on this island.

    Duskull wasn¡¯t available either¡ªthis book might have been oddly specific about where Pok¨¦mon lived, but as far as Sam could tell, there weren¡¯t any other Ghost Types available on Dewford.

    Then, however, Sam went for a long-shot and looked for one last Hoenn-native species he was aware of: Sableye. Normally, Pok¨¦dexes only listed it as appearing in the non-specific location of ¡°caves.¡±

    Here in this book? When Sam flipped to the entry on Sableye, its location could not be clearer.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the place Buck just mentioned. Granite Cave.¡±

    As Buck was a Dewford Gym Trainer, he shared a speciality with the Gym¡¯s favored Type. He didn¡¯t just have a few Fighting Type Pok¨¦mon, but likely, they were all he trained. For this upcoming match, Sam knew the man would be using the Fighting Type Makuhita. He was also unlikely to field any alternatively-Typed surprise.

    With that information in mind, Sam thought back to the Ghost Type. When it came to its effectiveness in battle, one of the many reasons he liked it so much was that most ghosts were great at phasing through basic physical attacks. Not just that, but the Ghost Type was specifically immune to both Normal and Fighting Type moves¡ªthe two Types of moves Buck would likely rely on in their fight.

    There was more to it as well, as Sableye was even better than that. Not only was it a Ghost Type, but Sableye also was part Dark Type, which let it resist Types it would otherwise be weak to. It had no weaknesses, which meant that it was the perfect counter to anything Buck sent out. In other words, catching one would let Sam destroy that man.

    He was already planning out viable strategies in his mind.

    Quickly, with the book confirming this choice for him, Sam rushed to gather up a different set of supplies.

    An Escape Rope.

    A Potion.

    A can of powdered quartz.

    And as for the most important item, Sam already had one. Still in his pocket was the unused Pok¨¦ball intended for the Ghost Type in the mansion that never came.

    Though, even without the Pok¨¦ball, the sum of the purchase drained Sam of all of his savings. He had already spent over two-hundred dollars, and this took everything else he had. In a way, choosing to suddenly shift gears towards catching a Sableye might have been an abrupt move to make. Yet, Sam knew and lived the Ghost Type. There was no doubt in his mind that catching one would absolutely guarantee the win he sought.

    ¡°...You okay there?¡± the Pok¨¦mart employee asked.

    Sam looked up.

    ¡°Oh, huh? Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The man looked unconvinced, but he still scanned the items and took Sam¡¯s cash. Once the transaction was completed, Sam scooped it all up and moved to march out the door.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Sam paused when the Pok¨¦mart employee called out to him.

    ¡°You... Don¡¯t do anything stupid, alright?¡±

    Sam grinned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything I do can be considered stupid, anymore.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Granite Cave was located half-an-hour away from the north side of Dewford. There were two alternate routes to get to it: either take stairs up to a path through the island¡¯s interior woods, or take a path along the beach that trainers frequented.

    Sam took the forest path, which was longer but lacked the trainer population. He only had Cyndaquil on him, and he hadn¡¯t had enough money to afford anything more than one potion. Engaging in battle was the quickest way to train a Pok¨¦mon, but Sam needed her to be in good shape if they were going to explore a cave.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the plan: we sneak in so no one stops us, and then we search until we find a Sableye. I¡¯ll use my flashlight to light up the area around us, so you just stay healthy so you can weaken it until I make the catch.¡±

    Cyndaquil made an unsure hum on his shoulder. She was still sitting in his hood. Hearing her hesitance, Sam did his best not to grimace.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be like the mansion. We know for a fact that there¡¯s at least one species of Ghost Type that dwells here.¡±

    She hummed again, but for all of her nervousness, she still seemed content with letting Sam continue forward.

    They walked in silence as trees loomed around them. No humans were nearby, but occasionally, Sam heard the squawk of the coastal Wingull in the distance.

    The peak of a rocky hill soon poked up above the trees. Approaching it, the sound of waves lapping against its side mixed with the sound of cracking rocks. Sam kept himself close to the forest¡¯s edge without making himself known. Looking ahead, the entrance to Granite Cave wasn¡¯t just one opening, but a whole series of holes in that hill with trainers all around.

    Each one of them had at least one Pok¨¦mon out, and they were either engaged in battle with one another or attacking loose stones. Pok¨¦mon like Machop and Machoke punched rocks to practice their attacks. Other species, like Meditite and Medicham, exchanged blows in spar-like battles.

    There wasn¡¯t any way to approach without being seen, so Sam waited until most of the trainers had turned away. He kept to the shadows, staying at the base of a curving cliff, walking all the way up to the closest entrance he could see.

    Everyone here seemed too busy with their own practice to pay a single, random trainer any mind. Most of the people here were adults, too, but there were a handful of trainers that did seem to be around his age.

    Sam blended into the crowd, and no one sought to stop him. Upon reaching his destination, he glanced one last time over his shoulder, then disappeared into the cave¡¯s interior, where he turned on his flashlight.

    ¡°Phew,¡± he sighed. ¡°Easier than I thought.¡±

    Sam went to help Cyndaquil out of his hood. Bracing her on his arm, he went ahead and set her on the ground.

    ¡°So, uh, I don¡¯t really know the first thing about cave exploration,¡± Sam said quietly.

    Cyndaquil shrunk in on herself, visibly uncomfortable.

    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t worry! We at least know fire isn¡¯t too common here. If we focus on your Ember, we should be able to scare any wild Pok¨¦mon off, right?¡±

    She nodded slowly, obviously unconvinced. Sam did his best to send her a reassuring grin, but it didn¡¯t seem to help.

    Everything will be fine.

    ...Probably.

    He couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say, so Sam took a step forward. Cyndaquil followed after him. Then, together, the pair of Pok¨¦mon and trainer moved deeper into Granite Cave.

    This place was big, but it seemed like that was solely because this room served as the cave¡¯s connected entrance. Other openings from across the cliffside let in light to reveal a massive cavern that stretched out in all directions. Stalactites and stalagmites hung on the ceiling and stood on the floor. Rocks littered the landscape, and a few smaller pathways curved around the upper walls.

    Sam could see various tunnels that led deeper down. Moving the beam of his flashlight around, he couldn¡¯t see any wild Pok¨¦mon, though.

    He figured he needed to head deeper inside.

    ¡°I know we ended up not practicing, but be ready to respond to my voice,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to freeze up in a place like this. When I say Ember, immediately spit out your move.¡±

    A quiet whine left Cyndaquil¡¯s throat as she nervously agreed. The pitter-patter of her tiny footsteps echoed out, though, Sam¡¯s human-sized footfalls echoed a lot worse.

    Water dripped every so often. The air was uncomfortably cold. Sam pulled his jacket tighter as he and Cyndaquil moved to one of the interior entrances. The tunnel sloped down into darkness.

    Neither he nor Cyndaquil began their descent right away. After all, the light of Sam''s flashlight didn¡¯t reach all the way through.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get lost,¡± he mumbled. ¡°We¡¯ll head down and as soon as it levels out, I¡¯ll set up the bait where we know we can find our way out again, alright?¡±

    Another whine from Cyndaquil. He could feel her press against his leg. Not having any further reason to stall, Sam headed down. Cyndaquil kept in pace.

    It was nerve-wracking to feel how this sloped floor went deeper and deeper into the earth. Sam had been in a basement before, of course, but this was a cave! It was literally something else.

    The tunnel continued, and continued, and continued. The stone floor itself was rough but worn down through the efforts of wild Pok¨¦mon. Without access to easy healing like Pok¨¦mon with trainers, many wild individuals resorted to using their moves on their surroundings for safer practice.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Eventually, though, the path did level out as Sam expected and split off into several different ways. Though, Sam didn¡¯t take any other path. He shined his light down to check on Cyndaquil, saw she was still safe, then he took a specific item out of his pack.

    ¡°Sableye eat crystals,¡± Sam said. ¡°They¡¯re not like other Pok¨¦mon since that¡¯s what sustains them. The powdered quartz I bought is usually an additive for Rock Type Pok¨¦mon meals, but I think a Sableye would enjoy it, too.¡±

    As Cyndaquil watched, Sam moved to the center of the room and poured out a small pile of the quartz. Surprisingly, the air down here wasn¡¯t perfectly still¡ªthere was the slightest of winds¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t enough to blow away any of the grains.

    ¡°There. That¡¯s a third of the bottle. That¡¯ll lure a Sableye, right?¡±

    Cyndaquil didn¡¯t make any noises to express her thoughts. Sam would have thought she had disappeared, but he still felt her passive heat. Instead, she was trying to stay as quiet as possible just in case, so Sam went quiet to join her efforts. Without having anything else to do but ready himself, Sam moved back up to hide in the entrance tunnel. There, he began to wait.

    And wait.

    And wait.

    <hr>

    Down here, hours passed slowly. Sam had nothing to do and no way to tell the time. Considering the most he ever left the house was just to travel a few blocks away in town, he never had the need to purchase a watch, either.

    He could have trained with Cyndaquil, but that was noisy and Sam didn¡¯t want to scare away any potential wild encounters. Although the tunnel downwards was long, they were still close enough to the busy entrance that Pok¨¦mon were rare. He hoped that the pile of quartz would be enough.

    Time passed, and he and Cyndaquil stared at the pile of quartz without anything to do. He was tempted to pull out the book, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t want to risk it getting damaged.

    ¡°The flashlight can last up to twelve hours,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°I guess if it starts to flicker, we¡¯ll know it¡¯s time to head out.¡±

    That would mean Sam was gone all day, but if it also meant ensuring a victory against Buck, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

    As his watch continued, Cyndaquill moved over to paw at him to get him to sit down. There, she hopped into his lap and curled up into a ball. Her Fire Type body meant she was like a heated pillow, and the warmth made Sam¡¯s eyes start to close.

    ¡°No! I can¡¯t fall asleep!¡±

    His shout was more like a loud whisper than anything else.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s warmth sunk into his bones. His eyelids felt heavy. He continued to watch the pile of quartz dust and watched and watched and watched and watched¡ª

    Maybe it won¡¯t be so bad if I close them for just a moment?

    Boredom was a powerful motivator to get someone to rest.

    In the end, Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long he slept, but his eyes snapped open to an unnatural noise.

    Scrtch. Scrtch.

    His heart raced in his chest. Cyndaquil practically jumped out of his lap. Sam stumbled but shifted around just enough to let his flashlight illuminate the quartz pile.

    Sam blinked.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon blinked back.

    A girlish Mawile¡ªa small, humanoid Steel Type with a massive, extra pair of jaws¡ªstared at Sam in shock while holding a coarse rock in its hand.

    The wild Mawile, though a rare Pok¨¦mon, was not the species Sam was looking for. It shoved the stone it was carrying into its mouth and scurried off, causing Sam to sigh.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t it. That wasn¡¯t a Sableye. It¡ª¡±

    Scrth. Scrth.

    The same scratching noise rang out. A bit of dust fell from the ceiling. Dreading what he was about to see, Sam brought the light of his flashlight up.

    Two glints in the darkness stared back.

    Sam went stock still when he saw the gemstone eyes of a wild Pok¨¦mon staring right at him. A perfectly white row of sharpened teeth stretched out into a cheshire grin. Around it, fur colored the deep purple of the middle of the night helped it blend into the darkness, but stones on its body let the light properly reveal it. The creature hung off the ceiling with sharpened claws.

    Sam almost dropped his flashlight. He took a stumbling step back. The wild Pok¨¦mon¡ªthe very species he had come here to find¡ªdropped down and landed a foot from the pile.

    ¡°Sable,¡± it said, making some sort of chittering noise. ¡°L-eye?¡±

    Though it was generally agreed Pok¨¦mon spoke in variations of their species¡¯s name, it always came out more like animalistic sounds. In this case, something about the way Sableye spoke caused shivers to go down Sam¡¯s spine.

    ¡°I... I... I...¡±

    He struggled to get any words to leave his mouth.

    This was genuinely the first time in his entire life he had personally seen a Ghost Type. Honestly, it was even more terrifying than he thought.

    I love it.

    Despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Sam brought his free hand forward in a point, the same pose he had seen all of the trainers on T.V. make.

    ¡°Cyndaquil! Ember!¡±

    She squeaked in surprise and didn¡¯t use the move right away. Still, it only took her a second to act, and the flames on her back burst into full blast as she opened up her mouth and released the called-for attack.

    Globs of flaming spittle shot forward in a wide, poorly aimed spray. The Sableye somehow grinned even wider, and it took many, quick steps backwards to completely avoid the attack.

    ¡°Again!¡± Sam shouted, but the wild Sableye was already moving forward.

    Cyndaquil took in a breath to unleash another Ember, but the Sableye rapidly tip-toed over and then jumped at her in a pounce.

    She cried out in pain; a Scratch tore at her side. She wobbled where she stood, and the Sableye hopped right back. The gremlin Pok¨¦mon tilted its head at her. It almost seemed curious about her pain.

    ¡°Are you okay, Cyndaquil?¡±

    She whimpered, but she still nodded in reply. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t actually have any serious wounds. Instead, she was just scared, but fighting was in a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s blood. She took another step forward and raised her head, doing her best to force through the confidence needed to face this foe.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam shouted.

    The wild Sableye once again easily avoided the attack.

    It ran, Cyndaquil¡¯s Ember following after it, but it still managed to scoop up as much of the powdered quartz as it could and dart down one of the side paths.

    ¡°After it!¡± Sam shouted.

    Cyndaquil squeaked in alarm, but Sam was already chasing it deeper down.

    Sableye was a rare Pok¨¦mon. Going deeper was a risk, but it was one Sam was willing to take. Letting it escape here meant letting his one potential chance at a sure-fire victory slip away. Buck absolutely deserved to taste defeat. Sam wanted the man to feel emotional pain.

    With his longer legs, Sam could move faster than Cyndaquil, so he stopped to grab her in one arm. He held the tiny Pok¨¦mon like a football, charging forward. At the same time, he made sure his flashlight remained trained on his foe.

    ¡°Ember again!¡± he shouted.

    In the crook of his arm, Cyndaquil opened her mouth and unleashed her attack.

    More flames chased after the Sableye, but it continued to run, cackling all the way. Sam shouted for Cyndaquil to attack again, and again, and again, but all of the attacks missed. Then, he started to notice a strange smell¡ªsmoke.

    He looked down. The flames from Cyndaquil¡¯s back had set fire to his jacket¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Fire!¡± he shouted in alarm.

    Cyndaquil used Ember again, completely missing the point.

    He rushed to set her down, yanked his jacket from over his head, and tossed that exterior layer to the floor. He stomped on it to put out the flames.

    Sam was panting, both from running and from the adrenaline of the fight. His arm tingled but was undamaged. That whole act had caused him to drop his flashlight, but he picked it up and pointed it at his jacket on the floor.

    A hole had been burned in the arm, but it was still mostly usable. Cyndaquil, however, refused to look him in the eye. She looked as sheepish as she could get.

    ¡°Ugh. This is on me,¡± Sam groaned.

    Pointing his flashlight back towards the corridor, the Sableye was already gone. Not just that, he checked his backpack.

    It stole the bottle! It snuck up on us and took the rest of the quartz when we were asleep!

    Sam wanted to scream. This whole thing had been stupid. The Sableye had completely fooled them, and not just that, they had pointlessly gone deeper into the cave.

    Annoyed, Sam scratched at the side of his head. Cyndaquil made a questioning noise.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. I just didn¡¯t think Ghost Types were as tricky as that.¡±

    He shined his flashlight towards back where they came, but then Sam immediately froze.

    There wasn¡¯t just one tunnel behind him, but a passage of three. Sableye had followed a twisting path deeper into the cave, and now Sam was in an unfamiliar intersection. Each and every entrance was far too similar to tell apart, and that whole moment where he had thrown off his jacket had turned him completely around.

    Which... which one did we come out of?

    ¡°Is it... that one? Or maybe that one?¡±

    He tried to sniff the air to maybe smell where a previous use of Ember had hit, but the smoke from his jacket polluted the space too much. In other words...

    ¡°Cyndaquil,¡± Sam said, ¡°I think we might be lost.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Sam was stupid. He had been a moron, and he hated that.

    What kind of trainer runs deeper into a cave they were unprepared for? What kind of trainer willingly chases a Ghost Type without any prior thought?

    Oh, yeah. Me.

    Now that the reality of the situation had fully sunken in, Sam recognized he had made several critical errors in his decision-making process. Choosing to catch a Sableye was impulsive. Entering the cave without experience was a novice¡¯s mistake. Actually chasing the Sableye?

    He wanted to be a Ghost Type specialist, but what Ghost Type specialist would fall for an obvious trick?

    ¡°I think the worst part about this is that I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m supposed to stay in one place or search for a way out. Do we try to find an exit, or are we supposed to not move and wait for a rescue party? Or, wait, is that only for if you¡¯re lost in a forest?¡±

    As someone who had lived in a small, island city for most of his life, Sam lacked any applicable survival skills. At most, he only took short trips into the nearby forest, and that only happened once every few years. He knew that he was supposed to swim parallel to the shore when caught in a riptide, but that had absolutely nothing to do with being lost in the cave. What hurt him the most about this situation was that he hadn¡¯t just hurt himself. He had hurt Cyndaquil, too.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled, leaning back and sliding down a wall. ¡°I should have never come here. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten us lost like this.¡±

    Cyndaquil walked over, illuminated by the flashlight Sam let hit the ground. She stopped a foot away from his legs, and then she continued forward. Cyndaquil pressed herself against his side and affectionately rubbed against him.

    Things would be alright, she was saying. They just needed to trust one another.

    ¡°I know.¡± A small chuckle left Sam¡¯s lips. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t give up so soon.¡±

    Looking at his Pok¨¦mon and closest friend, Cyndaquil was forcing herself to not shake. Her fur was standing on its ends, but she was standing as tall as she could to appear brave. There was something about how she was pushing past her own fear to comfort Sam that made him feel better. Her support caused a smile to grow on his face, and he shook his while taking out the Potion he had bought. Cyndaquil had a red line on her side after being hit with Sableye¡¯s Scratch.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s think of a plan,¡± he said, spraying Cyndaquil¡¯s side and watching the minor wound fade away. ¡°I have no clue how long we were asleep, so I have no clue how long it¡¯ll take for someone to realize we¡¯re gone. Mom is probably busy working the store, so she won¡¯t get worried until late tonight. As for food¡ª¡±

    His stomach rumbled.

    It was definitely after lunch.

    ¡°Okay, so I don¡¯t have any food on me, which is probably a big problem. We could still wait it out anyway, or we can take escape into our own hands.¡±

    He looked down at Cyndaquil, who was staring up at him with the best determined look she could muster.

    Sam nodded once.

    ¡°Take it into our own hands. Got it.¡±

    Rather than immediately get up to search, Sam moved to take out the book. He hoped the New Pok¨¦dex would contain information useful in this situation.

    Unfortunately, there was nothing inside about survival tips, but it did help in another way. The New Pok¨¦dex was oddly specific about where Pok¨¦mon could be found, so by paging through most of the early entries, Sam was able to figure out what species were native to Granite Cave.

    ¡°Zubat, Machop, and Geodude,¡± Sam started. ¡°There¡¯s also Abra, Aron, Sableye¡ªobviously¡ªand Mawile. There¡¯s also... Huh. Makuhita, too. I wonder if Buck caught his here.¡±

    Sam shook his head. Now was not the time to think about that.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s consider it. Which of these species can we deal with?¡±

    Abra were famously cowards; they always teleported away rather than participate in a fight. Zubat were similar in that they flew away unless encountered in a swarm. Even then, he could avoid the bat Pok¨¦mon by staying quiet and keeping his distance. And, based on what he had seen earlier, he doubted any Mawile would show up again. The species hadn¡¯t seemed too aggressive.

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping that your flames can scare away any Fighting Type that tries to challenge us, as I doubt wild Pok¨¦mon like them would want to risk a burn,¡± Sam said. ¡°Geodude are mostly passive as long as I don¡¯t step on one, but I am worried about fighting any wild Rock Types. Aron are sturdy enough to pose a problem, and Geodude have a Type advantage, regardless of what I said. Added to all of this, we also have Sableye, who...¡±

    Obviously enough, the species was troublesome.

    ¡°Ugh. There¡¯s so much to worry about. I don¡¯t know how Pok¨¦mon trainers do this. Well, I mean, most of them are a lot stronger than us. What sucks is that even if we stay in one place, we¡¯re still at risk of wild Pok¨¦mon ambushing us.¡±

    Sam knew they had to move forward. After all, if they were likely to be caught up in a battle no matter what they did, he¡¯d prefer to have the chance of actually finding an exit at the same time. He took one look at Cyndaquil and saw that she was back to being nervous. He did his best to give her a confident smile.

    ¡°No point in waiting. If we keep a positive attitude, I¡¯m sure we can do it!¡±

    He held his fist out in front of him, and Cyndaquil only hesitated for a short moment before bumping his fist right back.

    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s head out. And...¡± He licked his lips. ¡°Again, I¡¯m really sorry about all of this, Cyndaquil. I promise I won¡¯t let something like this happen again.¡±

    He could tell Cyndaquil knew he genuinely meant that promise with all of his heart.

    There were three potential paths to take behind them. He wanted to assume the middle path was the correct option, but when he gauged his position with the angle of the two other tunnels, he realized it was the least likely to be correct.

    Unsure which way to go, he paced for a moment before discussing it with Cyndaquil. In the end, he determined the path forward by relying on simple logic.

    If he took the right path, then Sam would be taking the right path.

    (This was the equivalent of flipping a coin.)

    Sam hadn¡¯t actually chased Sableye for that long, so thinking about it, he doubted he was that far from where he had first traveled down. One idea was to walk down the path he chose for a reasonable amount of time before turning around if he didn¡¯t recognize anything. The flaw with that plan was that he doubted he¡¯d be able to recognize anything in the first place. This was a cave¡ªspecifically, a cave worn flat through the effort of Pok¨¦mon. Any direction he went would look nearly the same.

    Instead, he decided to stick with the single path he chose for as long as possible, keeping Cyndaquil out of her Pok¨¦ball and nearby. Except, almost right away, he was reaffirmed that they were lost.

    These passages frequently met up with and intersected others.

    ¡°Our one saving grace is that there are multiple entrances to these caves. Even if we don¡¯t find where we came from, we might be able to find another exit. The odds are in our favor.¡±

    Cyndaquil squeaked to acknowledge what he said, but Sam didn¡¯t think she sounded very confident about his words at all.

    They kept walking and walking and walking down the passage. Very soon, Sam saw their first sign of life:

    A curled up, motionless rock. A Geodude kept utterly still, almost indistinguishable from a mundane boulder, napping without realizing either Sam or Cyndaquil were there.

    Sam said nothing, but he held a finger to his lips. Cyndaquil got the message and stayed silent. The pair of them snuck past on their tip-toes and didn¡¯t let up their attempts to be quiet.

    The next Pok¨¦mon Sam encountered after the Geodude was a lone Zubat, but despite Cyndaquil doing her best to jump in front of him, the Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t attack. It merely flew on by, ignoring the pair, and Sam had the bright idea to follow. He had hoped that it was heading back to the surface, but it instead flew into a decently-sized, subterranean cavern. There, he brought his flashlight up to see hundreds of other Zubat roosting on the ceiling.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Obviously, he stepped back and moved away as fast as he could without making any loud noise.

    For all his worry about the dangers of the species here, there was a surprising lack of Pok¨¦mon. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was that they weren¡¯t present, that they were hiding, or that they could be only found deeper in, but Sam and Cyndaquil did not experience any aggressive wild encounters while wandering through the cave.

    In the end, Sam eventually stopped, but it wasn¡¯t because he saw another Pok¨¦mon. The light of his flashlight glinted off of something on the ground, and he paused when he recognized what it was.

    ¡°That¡¯s some of the powdered quartz! Do you think that Sableye dropped it when it ran?¡±

    He brought his flashlight up again, and a few more grains of the quartz reflected back the light. It went down an alternate, connecting tunnel, forming a followable trail. It was entirely possible this path was created when Sam chased after the Sableye when it scooped up the bait pile and ran, but Sam had his doubts.

    ¡°Now, I have to question this. Did Sableye really drop it, or is this just Sableye laying out a trap?¡±

    On one hand, a path of sparkling powder was an easy trail to follow back to the tunnel that led up. On the other hand, Sableye did steal that bottle of powdered quartz, which meant there was the distinct possibility that this was a way the dual Ghost and Dark Type was trying to mess with them.

    Sam gave both options even odds.

    ¡°What do you think, Cyndaquil? Do we follow or keep exploring?¡±

    She squeaked, unsure.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Sam groaned. ¡°I think that we need to follow. This is the first clue we¡¯ve seen so far, and I don¡¯t want to miss our chance to leave just because we¡¯re paranoid. Although, I really don¡¯t trust that Sableye. Let¡¯s stay on high alert, just in case.¡±

    Cyndaquil stiffly nodded as if that were obvious.

    A path set, the pair of trainer and Pok¨¦mon walked forward. Sam made sure to use his flashlight to light up as much of the cave in front of him as possible. The trail wasn¡¯t a perfect line, more like occasional, small spots of powder that shone when illuminated with his flashlight. There were enough gaps in the path that Sam could not tell if it had been left intentionally or not, but then again, that Sableye had seemed maliciously clever.

    Why am I considering the possibility that this wild Pok¨¦mon is some kind of devious mastermind?

    Sam knew why. It was because the Sableye scared him.

    Still, he didn¡¯t want to back down, so he continued forward. Though, he was being extraordinarily cautious about it.

    It followed a straight line, which added credence that it had been created during the previous chase. Yet, any thoughts that this wasn¡¯t a trap all came to a halt when Sam¡¯s flashlight revealed a sudden, sharp turn.

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a turn like that when running after Sableye,¡± Sam mumbled.

    He could feel Cyndaquil push closer to his leg.

    While the trail of dust continued around the corner, Sam was pretty sure this had been intentionally set by Sableye. Still, he was morbidly curious, and he wanted to be aware of Sableye''s plan so he could be prepared.

    One look wouldn''t hurt, right?

    He glanced at Cyndaquil for confirmation, where she nodded to give him permission to continue forward. With that, Sam inched toward where the tunnel turned. He peeked his head around the corner and immediately froze.

    Aron¡ªnot just one, but several dozen. The armored, wild Pok¨¦mon either idly ambled around or dozed off in piles on the ground. Dark stone in the walls made Sam think this tunnel opened up into some kind of iron deposit-rich room, but more importantly, this was the wild Pok¨¦mon¡¯s nest.

    And Sableye was right there.

    None of the Aron here noticed it, but Sableye had purposely positioned itself at the very back, in a shadow. Its gemstone eyes in the flashlight as it held a claw up towards a dozing, much larger metal mass.

    Sam desperately shook his head no.

    Sableye shook its head yes.

    A claw struck down. A wrenching sound rang out as the move scratched against the metal armor of the wild Pok¨¦mon. Sam yanked his head back as Sableye disappeared into a shadow. Several of the wild Aron made noises of alarm while an unhappy rumbling shook the cave.

    He took a single look at Cyndaquil.

    ¡°Run,¡± he whispered.

    Footsteps. Many of them. The tiny Aron were rushing out of their nest to charge at apparent invaders. That Sableye had perfectly primed this trap. While all Sam wanted to do was be prepared, the wild Pok¨¦mon had expected Sam to run away immediately and readied itself accordingly.

    ¡°I hate this! I¡¯m sorry! It wasn¡¯t us that disturbed your nest! There was a Sableye! It was the one who attacked!¡±

    Sam shouted at the flood of Steel Type Pok¨¦mon rushing into the tunnel behind him. Sam was faster than the herd, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long he would be able to run while holding Cyndaquil.

    ¡°Screw it! Cyndaquil, use Ember!¡±

    Her back burst into flame as several globs of flames shot forward at the incoming Pok¨¦mon. Aron weren¡¯t especially weak to the Fire Type, but the attack was threatening enough that the stampede did skid to a halt. A sea of blue eyes stared at Sam and Cyndaquil as they stood off, threatening further attacks.

    ¡°Good. Now, listen to me,¡± Sam said, projecting confidence despite the sheer terror coursing through his veins. ¡°We did not attack you. There was a Sableye. It lead us here, and¡ª¡±

    Sam could barely maintain his balance. The cavern around him shook, and Cyndaquil squeaked in alarm. Turning around, he saw a wall collapse downwards as rubble fell to the tunnel floor.

    A Lairon crashed through to cut Sam off. It was a four-legged tank of iron armor, and there was the faintest of scuff marks on that armor from where the Sableye had just scratched it.

    ¡°L-like I said, there w-was a Sableye. It wasn¡¯t us, we¡ª¡±

    It roared. Cyndaquil¡¯s flames went out as she shrunk from fear. The herd of Aron behind them didn¡¯t charge forward, as now a much stronger member of their evolutionary line was going to take care of their ¡°invader¡± for them.

    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t us,¡± Sam continued, shakily. ¡°Please. All we want to do is leave the cave.¡±

    The heavy Pok¨¦mon remained unconvinced. Angry, it took a step forward. Its blue eyes were as piercing as ever as it glared at Sam and Cyndaquil like the ants they were.

    Oh. It¡¯s going to teach us a lesson.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what that might entail, but he knew that it was nothing good. Wild Pok¨¦mon tended to be more violent when their home territory was threatened, and Sam was right next to its nest.

    Claws dug into the floor. Another rumble left the Lairon¡¯s throat. This tunnel was too tight to give Sam room to run away. He was pinned between a Rock Type Pok¨¦mon and an Aron-filled place.

    Yet, despite everything, Cyndaquil stepped forward even knowing the massive difference in strength. She was shaking horribly, but she seemed intent to not go out without a fight.

    ¡°This is awful. I¡¯m sorry to have fallen for Sableye¡¯s trap again.¡±

    A squeak from Cyndaquil admonished Sam for talking about the wrong thing. He couldn¡¯t help but to chuckle when he heard that reply.

    ¡°Yeah, when you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right,¡± he said, scratching his head. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit back and let it attack us. No matter what, we still have the energy to battle. Second stage Pok¨¦mon or not, that Lairon is going down!¡±

    Sam wouldn¡¯t be able to win. He knew that Cyndaquil was aware of that, too. Yet, after everything they¡¯d been through, neither of them were willing to give up without a fight.

    Yet, that expected fight never occurred.

    ¡°Thunderbolt!¡±

    Sam was immediately lost in utter confusion when an extremely familiar voice rang out. It was followed by a blinding flash. The Lairon groaned in pain and turned around, sparking slightly from the attack it just took.

    He rubbed his eyes.

    What he was seeing didn¡¯t change.

    Delcatty stood across from the Lairon, boldly declaring herself its opponent and looking more confident than ever.

    ¡°Mom?¡± Sam asked, absolutely bewildered.

    Sam¡¯s mother stood in the cave, wearing the same librarian-like outfit and green apron she always had on when managing the bookstore. Except, her hair was tied back, and her shoes had been replaced with heavy boots. A backpack likely full of supplies hung over one shoulder while she looked tired and desperate, yet there was a measure of confidence to her that only experienced trainers tended to have.

    ¡°Oh, not to my family, you don¡¯t,¡± she said.

    Sam¡¯s mother sounded angry.

    She pointed forward as Delcatty knelt down to ready herself for battle. Lairon cried out as stones levitated in the air and were chucked forward. Unfortunately for it, the cat moved with an agility Sam had never seen before to dodge each and every attack.

    ¡°How did you find us?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Not now, honey,¡± his mother said. ¡°We have a battle to win.¡±

    The wild Lairon charged, head held down to prepare what would be a devastating Headbutt. His mother called out a command as it lunged towards Delcatty.

    ¡°Iron Tail!¡±

    Delcatty¡¯s tail gained a silvery sheen. She stepped to the side to avoid the charge, and then her tail lashed out to strike a less-defended point on Lairon''s back.

    Ridiculously, Lairon cried out again before lunging for a Metal Claw. Just like before, Delcatty avoided it by leaping to the side. In fact, she constantly kept to Lairon¡¯s side, leading it in some sort of dance. Metal Claw after Metal Claw came out, but Delcatty avoided them all while repeatedly flicking Lairon¡¯s side with her own reinforced tail.

    ¡°Now, Thunderbolt. Continue to use the move until Lairon¡¯s fainted,¡± Sam¡¯s mother said.

    Delcatty¡¯s fur sparked with static electricity. The move wasn¡¯t as strong as what an Electric Type could have done, but it was powerful enough for a special attack. The Thunderbolt left her body to course through the Lairon, and absolutely nothing about its metal armor helped it resist the move.

    How... How is this possible?

    Delcatty was winning without being touched. Sam had never seen the cat move so skillfully in his life. He¡¯d always thought she was just a house cat, a lazy feline that wanted to sleep all day. But now that he was seeing her in battle, he thought about it. Delcatty was the evolved form of Skitty. Why would such a lazy Pok¨¦mon bother to evolve?

    Eventually, after a full minute of this chase, the smoking form of Lairon tried for one last bash, not even having enough energy to conjure up a full move. It lurched an inch forward before crumpling to the ground. Its eyes spun from the exhaustion of the battle.

    Lairon fainted.

    Victorious, Delcatty proceeded to trot right up to Sam and Cyndaquil, her tail flicking back and forth in pride. Behind him, the herd of Aron tensed out of fear. She ignored them to press against Sam¡¯s leg affectionately, where he petted her back.

    Huh. Static-y.

    ¡°How did you find us?¡± Sam said, repeating his question.

    ¡°Mark came to get me. You know, the Pok¨¦mart employee?¡±

    Sam slowly nodded his head. He remembered how Mark had looked worried when he left.

    ¡°Really, what were you thinking, entering Granite Cave like this? You and Cyndaquil have no experience! This is way out of your league!¡±

    ¡°Me? What about you! You run a bookstore!¡±

    She moved up to Sam and crossed her arms.

    ¡°And what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I, uh...¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, but then his mother smirked.

    ¡°I used to be rated as a five-star trainer. In other words, my team was equivalent to one capable of earning five gym badges. And Delcatty was my ace.¡±

    The smug feline meowed proudly and rejoined her trainer at Sam¡¯s mother¡¯s side. Sam was left speechless, and Cyndaquil was dazed from sheer shock.

    ¡°And... you haven¡¯t explained how you found us,¡± Sam mumbled.

    ¡°While I might have retired, Delcatty used to work with your father when he was a Pok¨¦mon Ranger. She¡¯s used to finding lost people.¡±

    The cat looked extra smug about that. Once more, Sam felt like his entire world had just been overturned.

    ¡°You¡¯re grounded, by the way,¡± his mom said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam mumbled.

    ¡°And when we get home, we¡¯re going to have a serious talk.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    His mother nodded her head, satisfied, but then the floor shook.

    Turning back to the tunnel''s sudden curve, Sam watched in horror as a large, metal claw grabbed onto the edge of the wall. A head the size of his body was sleepily dragged forward. An Aggron, the evolved form of Lairon, made itself known.

    Tired, the massive Pok¨¦mon yawned, the noise shaking the cavern around them once again. It blinked to steady itself before focusing its gaze on both Sam and his mother.

    ¡°Let¡¯s... get out of here,¡± Sam said hesitantly.

    His mother stared at the metal beast.

    ¡°I agree,¡± she said carefully.

    Although Aggron was an incredibly powerful Pok¨¦mon, it was too big to give a proper chase. Not just that, but Delcatty and Sam¡¯s mother knew the way to get out, so within a spare few minutes, Sam was already back on the surface.

    There, though he would never admit to it, Sam was hit with such relief he cried. He thanked his mother. He thanked Delcatty. He thanked Cyndaquil, too. He was a novice who had entered an advanced trainer¡¯s domain, unintentionally risking it all. His plan to catch a Sableye had failed, but with new revelations, he had a feeling a lot would be changing from here on out.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°I don¡¯t like Pok¨¦mon battles.¡±

    The blunt statement cast the area around the kitchen table into silence.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like how they involve Pok¨¦mon getting hurt. I don''t like that no matter how well trained a Pok¨¦mon is, all it takes is one error for a permanent injury. I don''t like the level of strategy and counterplay forced upon everyone who wants to compete at a high level. But the biggest thing of all...¡± Sam''s mom sighed. ¡°I just don¡¯t like losing.¡±

    Sam stared blankly at his mother as he sat across from her at the table. She looked more tired than ever. Cyndaquil was on her own stool, a part of this conversation, but Delcatty was sprawled out across the nearby couch, completely asleep. Honestly, the lazy cat deserved its nap.

    ¡°But I thought you said you were a five-star trainer?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I was. Years ago. It¡¯s just that... I hit a wall when I tried to take on my sixth gym. You have to understand that I grew up under your grandfather, Sam. My dad told me so many stories of him succeeding at such a high level that when I failed to do the same... It hurt.¡±

    She stared forward. Her gaze went briefly unfocused, as if she became lost in memory. It was only an instant, and a second later she shook her head and put her full focus back on telling her story.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t talk to him for a few years after that. I vanished from his life. I was too ashamed to look him in the eyes, so I went to make it on my own. I did odd jobs, did bounties, heck, I practically lived in Pok¨¦mon Centers. It wasn¡¯t until I met your dad and found out that I was pregnant that I...¡±

    She chuckled, slightly.

    ¡°In the end, my dad was just happy I came home.¡±

    Sam fidgeted in his seat. He¡¯d never been told this story by his mother. She always said that she had met his father when traveling, but he hadn¡¯t realized the extent in which she had traveled.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of everything I went through that I know just how completely idiotic entering that cave was of you! What possessed you to think you could take that on? Were you just trying to train? Catch a Pok¨¦mon? You and Cyndaquil have never been in a proper battle! Entering that place was like you were practically begging for¡ª¡±

    ¡°I want to go on a Pok¨¦mon journey.¡±

    Sam¡¯s sudden words surprised both him and his mother.

    ¡°I...¡± He sucked in a breath. ¡°I want to explore the world. See new places. I don¡¯t want to be trapped on this island. And I thought that if I caught a Sableye, I could not only beat Buck, but I could prove to you that I was strong and capable enough to head out on my own.¡±

    His mother went quiet for a long time. Eventually, she sighed.

    ¡°Last time you asked...¡±

    ¡°Was a week after Grandpa died, yeah,¡± Sam mumbled.

    His mother rubbed her head. She didn¡¯t meet Sam¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Your father... After he passed, I moved here to Dewford to be closer to your Grandfather and get help raising you. When you neared the age of your journey, it was his idea to give you Cyndaquil. He thought you two would be great partners.

    ¡°But then...¡± his mother sighed again. ¡°He passed too, and that happened right when you were planning to leave. I said no at the time because I thought you weren¡¯t ready. I... I didn¡¯t want to lose you, too.¡±

    ¡°Mom¡ª¡±

    ¡°Samuel, you''re a smart boy,¡± she said. ¡°You''re smarter than your father when he was your age, and I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d be smarter than your grandfather, too. I know you want to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer, but I''ve never really given you the support you need to do that before now. I thought the battle with Buck would work that out of you, but if you entered Granite Cave, you must really want to leave Dewford, huh?¡±

    Sam bit his lip.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that,¡± he said. ¡°I found a book.¡±

    ¡°A book?¡± she repeated.

    Slowly, Sam reached down to where his backpack was slumped against his chair, and he took out the New Pok¨¦dex. Holding it forward, he passed it to his mom. She carefully took the book and stared at its mostly featureless cover before paging through.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Just like Sam had done, she skipped the foreword to reach the table of contents, and her face flashed with surprise. She flipped back to the start, and confusion settled into her expression as she read the unknown author¡¯s words. She then proceeded to skim through all of the entries¡ªespecially the later ones¡ªin an almost identical way Sam had searched through the book only a day before.

    Then, she closed it and pushed it back. The silence persisted until she was able to gather the words for a reply.

    ¡°And you can confirm all of this?¡± his mother asked.

    ¡°It has information that only the newest copy of the Pok¨¦dex has. Not just that, but I posted a new move online. Someone tested it out and it worked. It worked, Mom.¡±

    MatsubaEnju¡¯s two words flashed once more in Sam''s mind. It was such a short phrase, but he considered that the turning point in how he saw the book.

    ¡°I see,¡± his mother said. ¡°This certainly explains a lot.¡±

    Sam picked the journal back up. As he did, his mother¡¯s eyes briefly flicked to where Cyndaquil sat.

    ¡°So... you''re not taking it away?¡±

    His mother blinked.

    ¡°Why would I take away such a powerful resource?¡±

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t want me to head out, so it¡¯s not useful for me. And with all of the unknown information in it, you can probably sell it to make back the money I¡¯ll lose against Buck.¡±

    A snort¡ªhis mother forced down a laugh. Sam felt his face flush red with embarrassment, but his mother waved her hand as if to try to say she wasn¡¯t laughing at him.

    ¡°No, no. Sam, I¡¯m not going to take that book from you.¡±

    ¡°...You aren''t?¡±

    ¡°With how determined you are, it¡¯s only a matter of time before you head out on your own. It¡¯s better to encourage that now, while you have the proper support.¡±

    Sam¡¯s face lit up, but his expression immediately dropped when he saw his mother¡¯s stern eyes.

    ¡°But don¡¯t get me wrong, It¡¯s still just a book. Sure, the information in it is clearly impossible, but it¡¯s just that. Information. There¡¯s nothing in it that tells you how to battle, how to build a team, or even how to be a proper Pok¨¦mon trainer. It¡¯s only a baseline at best. What¡¯s important is to learn how to actually apply what you read and to convert that knowledge into a viable strategy. If you want to succeed, you need more than just a book. Even the smartest of people will fail to become a Pok¨¦mon trainer without the right mindset.¡±

    Sam nodded fervently. His mother sighed and continued.

    ¡°And, to that point, you¡¯re grounded. What you did was incredibly irresponsible! Entering Granite Cave like that? You put both yourself and Cyndaquil at an extreme risk! You need to think about your choices before you go through with them. I don¡¯t want you going anywhere without my permission until you have a proper understanding of what being a Pok¨¦mon trainer entails.¡±

    He continued to nod before pausing, as a few of his mother¡¯s words stood out.

    ¡°A... proper understanding?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course. Like I said, you¡¯re not going to learn that by reading a book. I¡¯m talking about hands-on training, mister. Preferably by someone who has that experience.¡±

    She was grinning now. His mother was downright smiling. A sudden purr came from the couch, and Sam looked over to Delcatty sitting up, grinning at him as well. Her gaze made it seem like she was looking forward to this.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to... help me train?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure you¡¯ll stay safe when you go on your journey,¡± his mother said. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure you don¡¯t make such an awful decision again. I have years of experience I can use to help you, and you need practical knowledge¡ªpractical knowledge that book doesn¡¯t have. After all, you¡¯ve read it more than me. Is there really anything in it that could help you survive in the wild?¡±

    Sam knew the answer: there was very little. At best, it could tell him what species lived nearby. Yet, this lack of information could be solved through his mother¡¯s support.

    She¡¯d beaten Gyms. She¡¯d lived on her own. If Sam was going to head out...

    I should have just asked.

    He ended up chuckling at his own stupidity. That evolved into laughter, and his mother joined in. He laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and out of sheer relief, he wiped the tears from his eyes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    He and his mother hugged. Cyndaquil hopped on the table and waddled over to join in. Then, a meow, as Delcatty demanded that she take part. Soon enough, everyone was involved.

    ¡°So, training,¡± his mother said, pulling away but leaving her hands on Sam¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You still have to beat Buck in your match soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Right! And I brought up Sableye because its Type¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Sam,¡± his mother interrupted. ¡°You don¡¯t need a new Pok¨¦mon to defeat him. I¡¯m sure that with you and Cyndaquil, if you¡¯re clever enough, you¡¯ll be able to soundly win the battle on your own. He¡¯s kind of a meathead. You just need a plan.¡±

    And Sam already had a plan, didn¡¯t he? He had a plan before he ever went to Granite Cave, he had just pushed it aside in favor of looking for a guaranteed win.

    Nothing in life was ever guaranteed, his mother said. So, over the single day left, they trained.

    Cyndaquil practiced following Sam¡¯s orders as he made clicking sounds with his mouth before shifting to using real words.

    Delcatty proved to be an incredible sparring partner to help Cyndaquil practice both her Tackle and her Leer.

    At dusk, his mother took him to the edge of town to give Sam and Cyndaquil space to see just how large of a Smokescreen she could create.

    Then, for Ember, there were hours and hours of practice to see just how accurate she could make the attack.

    But, in the end, it was still only one day of training. There wasn¡¯t that much room for improvement. Instead, Sam used this time to figure out the exact limits of Cyndaquil¡¯s current capabilities, and he established his plan would work.

    He was confident. He was feeling good. He knew he would be able to defeat Buck.

    You know, Mom was right. I don¡¯t need a Sableye. I don¡¯t need a new Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯m fine with what I have. I just need to trust Cyndaquil, and we¡¯ll win. Buck won¡¯t even stand a chance.

    <hr>

    The morning of, Sam woke up bright and early. The sun shone through the slats of his window above him, and Cyndaquil stirred at his side.

    The attic was silent. Outside, there was only the faint noises of early morning chattering. Children were already laughing, and adults were already heading to work.

    ¡°Good morning, Cyndaquil,¡± Sam said.

    The little Fire Type poked her head up and smiled at him.

    He pushed out of bed, both yawning and stretching, and quickly, Sam threw on his clothes. Climbing downstairs, his mother had already made breakfast. Despite the big day ahead of him, Sam didn¡¯t feel nervous.

    He felt relaxed.

    Just before noon, he left the bookstore. His mother stayed behind, and in a way, that filled him with confidence. Sure, she could have gone for support, but by staying here, it was her way of saying she trusted him to be on his own and still win.

    But Sam wasn¡¯t alone. Cyndaquil was with him. She sat in his hood as the door to the bookstore chimed when he left. Together, the pair of Pok¨¦mon and trainer proudly marched the few blocks it would take them to reach the Pok¨¦mon Center. There, an empty battlefield awaited them with a small stand containing a handful of people. Sam paid the unexpected crowd no mind and put his full focus on the person already waiting for him.

    Buck.

    The Gym Trainer was in the middle of stretching, already glistening with sweat. When he saw Sam approach, he stopped. Buck grinned, almost mockingly, and Sam knew now more than ever that there was no way he¡¯d let himself lose this fight.

 Chapter 9

    ¡°Ah, there we go! Looks like the kid is finally here!¡±

    Buck shook his arms to get off his sweat. A few Pok¨¦balls were magnetically attached to a belt around his waist, ready to be pulled off and thrown forward at a moment¡¯s notice. Makuhita was likely inside one of those balls, as Buck had no Pok¨¦mon at his side. That stood counter to how Sam almost always had Cyndaquil out. She did have her own Pok¨¦ball, she just preferred not to spend too long inside of it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by ¡®finally,¡¯¡± Sam said, annoyed. ¡°You said our match is at noon. It¡¯s before noon. I¡¯m early.¡±

    Sam sent a side-eye to the crowd sitting on the sidelines. He hadn¡¯t expected any observers outside of random people who happened to be nearby. These people looked like they intended to be here, however.

    Buck must have talked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind, right?¡± Buck said, completely brushing over Sam¡¯s previous statement when he noticed Sam stare at the crowd. ¡°Had a lot of errands to run these past few days. Got up to a lot of talking. A rumor or two might have spread around. They¡¯re here to see our fight.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from scowling, which probably didn¡¯t align him well with the crowd. He could see that the Pok¨¦mart worker, Mark, was here. A few of his neighbors were present. There were other shopkeepers, too. Blending in with the rest, there was also a shorter, unfamiliar man with spiky blue hair.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this battle over with. You¡¯ve brought these people here just to embarrass yourself,¡± Sam said.

    Buck opened his mouth and let loose a loud laugh. A few people in the crowd laughed as well.

    ¡°Big words for such a small boy! Fine, then. Let¡¯s have our match!¡±

    Sam sent the man a stiff glare and moved to one side of this outdoor battlefield. Buck did the same, and Sam used this moment to look over the area.

    Pok¨¦mon fields mostly followed the same shape¡ªlarge rectangles painted to be divided in half. Small squares were positioned on each end for the Pok¨¦mon trainers to stand. Neither trainer was allowed to leave their box. As for the Pok¨¦mon, they had to stay inside the bounds of the field for their battle. Stepping outside was usually impossible in official matches thanks to Pok¨¦mon-maintained Psychic barriers, but in a casual setting like this, those lines mostly just served as a general guide.

    ¡°Are you ready, Cyndaquil?¡± Sam whispered, glancing at Buck as he did.

    Buck was just grinning. Waiting. Notably, most battles had referees, but for all the grandstanding the man had done, this battle wasn¡¯t official enough to warrant one being around.

    In response to Sam¡¯s question, Cyndaquil squeaked and climbed out of his hood. Her movements were stiff thanks to nerves, but she was at least not shaking. Sam could tell the crowd was getting to her with how she kept sending glances to them, yet she also was doing her best to stay focused on Buck as much as she could.

    She¡¯ll feel better once the match actually starts.

    ¡°Come on out, Makuhita!¡± Buck shouted.

    He tossed forward a Pok¨¦ball, which opened up and sent out a stream of light. That light coalesced into the pudgy-yet-muscular Pok¨¦mon that was Makuhita.

    To announce its appearance, it lifted up a single leg to unleash a stomp befitting a sumo wrestler.

    ¡°No special rules for this, just the same ones for a casual battle.¡± Buck then gained a look of fake shock, covering an open mouth with his hand. ¡°Oh! Sorry, I totally forgot you haven¡¯t been in a Pok¨¦mon battle before! Need the rules explained?¡±

    Sam groaned. ¡°Really? It¡¯s like you''re obsessed with bullying a fourteen-year-old or something.¡±

    Buck¡¯s grin slackened at that, and a few members of the audience chuckled at the taunt. That seemed to bother him the most, as he proceeded to rush through his role of explaining the rules.

    ¡°Don¡¯t attack a fainted Pok¨¦mon. No moves aimed towards anyone watching. You can¡¯t use items unless agreed upon beforehand. And for this battle, only use the Pok¨¦mon we already have on us.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    For some reason, Sam¡¯s response made the man¡¯s amused look return.

    ¡°We¡¯ll start on the count of three,¡± Buck said. ¡°One. Two... Three!¡±

    Both Sam and Buck immediately pointed forward, each of them striking a dramatic pose like the trainers on television always did. In Buck¡¯s case, the pose came as part of his showboating. In Sam¡¯s case, he did it for two reasons: firstly to force himself into the trainer mindset, and secondly, because it felt right.

    ¡°Cyndaquil, remember the plan! Run away and use Ember!¡±

    ¡°Arm Thrust!¡±

    Before either Pok¨¦mon could move, the difference in trainer experience was made clear; Buck¡¯s quick shout meant Makuhita sprung into action, whereas Cyndaquil waited for Sam to explain the plan.

    The Fighting Type wasn¡¯t very fast. It was a Pok¨¦mon built for bulk and weight. Short legs rapidly pushed against the ground to move it forward, and it readied its punches by holding its naturally gloved fists close to its chest.

    For Cyndaquil, however, even with that delay, she was still able to run. Makuhita managed to reduce the distance between them with its initial lurch forward, but Cyndaquil¡¯s body was much more suited to scurrying around.

    She ran a bit, stopped, then turned and aimed her head. Flames flicked off her back as she opened her mouth. Several globs of Ember fanned out in a spray.

    Makuhita sidestepped most of them, ignoring the few that hit its side. While it wasn¡¯t fast, its movements came out well controlled. Seeing that, Cyndaquil hurriedly stopped her attack since Makuhita was using this moment where she wasn¡¯t running to rapidly approach.

    ¡°Now!¡± Buck shouted.

    The Fighting Type lunged, and Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t ready to continue her dash.

    A fist struck her side, then another. Thankfully, Arm Thrust traded power for speed, so Cyndaquil managed to scramble away and flee after suffering only two hits of that attack.

    ¡°...Keep running,¡± Sam said.

    He was already grimacing.

    One day of training really wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°You know, if all you¡¯re going to do is run away, we can make use of that, too!¡± Buck taunted. ¡°Makuhita, Focus Energy!¡±

    ¡°Go for an Ember now!¡±

    Makuhita brought its arms close to its body and hunkered down. Its eyes were thin enough to always look closed, but it was clear it had turned all of its attention inward to center its internal energy.

    Cyndaquil, as her opponent had stopped, paused her dash around the field to aim another use of Ember. Many of her sparks went wide, missing the immobile Makuhita, but enough of them hit that scorch marks appeared on Makuhita¡¯s yellow skin.

    Come on...

    The Ember continued, and then Makuhita snapped its eyes open. Its gaze was entirely focused on Cyndaquil, but her flames continued to blaze as she continued to attack.

    ¡°Keep going!¡± Sam shouted.

    Buck looked amused at Sam¡¯s poor attempt to deal damage.

    ¡°Charge forward. Grab it for Vital Throw.¡±

    Makuhita charged as commanded. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t move, maintaining her current attack. Sam felt his fists clench by his sides as the distance between them narrowed. By saying nothing, he was essentially ordering her to take this hit.

    Flames scorched Makuhita¡¯s chest as it rushed closer. Within a second, it was on her, and it lunged forward to grab her front paws.

    Ember concluded with a yelp as Makuhita yanked Cyndaquil off the ground. The yellow Pok¨¦mon began to spin, building momentum, then it released it all to send Cyndaquil away in a painful throw.

    She cried out, yet when Makuhita had thrown her, it had winced.

    It took all of Sam¡¯s efforts to not jump in the air in a cheer. He still cried out, though. He couldn¡¯t resist at least some celebration.

    ¡°You did it! Makuhita is burned!¡±

    Once again, Makuhita winced. It clenched its jaw as the scorch marks on its body caused continuing pain. It wasn¡¯t exactly aflame, instead, the heat from its wounds dug into it to have it suffer from damage over time.

    Ember inflicted the exact status condition Sam wanted.

    ¡°...You know, kid, that¡¯s pretty clever of you. How¡¯d you know Makuhita didn¡¯t have Guts?¡±

    Sam smiled. Guts normally boosted a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical power when fueled by the adrenaline of a status effect like a burn, but such a thing didn¡¯t happen here. Instead, the burn hindered Makuhita; the stress of the pain made it difficult to land full-powered attacks.

    ¡°It was obvious. Of course your Makuhita doesn¡¯t have Guts. Most abilities require training to be used in battle, and your Pok¨¦mon hasn¡¯t been with you for that long.¡±

    Sam mimicked Buck¡¯s previous, mocking grin. He received a frown in return.

    Although, I really had no way of knowing. My logic holds, but this was really all just a bet.

    Either Makuhita was burned and that lowered its attack, or Makuhita was burned and it became that much stronger thanks to Guts. For Sam¡¯s purposes, it didn¡¯t matter. Cyndaquil would still need to run away no matter what, and the burn would still slowly damage Makuhita regardless of any harmful or beneficial effects.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Now, run away!¡± Sam shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Get ready for a Smokescreen!¡±

    ¡°Grab it! Hold it down and pin it and beat it ¡®til it faints!¡±

    Buck was downright scowling. Sam smiled, but his attention remained firmly locked on the field.

    Keep going...

    Like before, Cyndaquil proved she was faster. She kept to the edge of the painted boundary as Makuhita gave chase, but it genuinely could not keep up. Flames sparked off her back as she prepared herself to use her next move as soon as possible.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a battle! All you¡¯re doing is running away!¡± Buck yelled.

    ¡°It¡¯s called strategy,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°It¡¯s called cowardice!¡± Buck countered. ¡°Makuhita, time to change things up! Sand-Attack, get it in its eyes!¡±

    Where Makuhita was once giving chase, it stopped and used its momentum to dig its feet into the ground. The skid kicked up dirt which then sailed over the battlefield right towards Cyndaquil.

    The dirt wasn¡¯t sand, but it was still a cloud of irritating grains that coated her face and entered her eyes. She cried out and squinted. Already, Sam could see tears forming as her vision became unreliable.

    Now, Cyndaquil wouldn¡¯t be able to run away. Sure, she might have still had the speed advantage, but she wouldn¡¯t know where to run thanks to her greatly reduced sight.

    Thankfully, at this point, Cyndaquil was finally ready to follow his command.

    ¡°Smokescreen,¡± Sam said.

    Repeating the move¡¯s name encouraged Cyndaquil to go ahead and release it, as a cloud of thick, black smoke left her mouth to coat a good third of the field.

    Sand-Attack might have temporarily blinded Cyndaquil, but this move meant Makuhita wouldn¡¯t be able to rely on sight as well. Both Pok¨¦mon were now invisible to their targets, and with Makuhita being worn down by its burn, the match was firmly in Sam¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Quiet. Listen to your surroundings. Locate it through any noise it makes,¡± Buck said.

    ¡°Cyndaquil! Stay still and don¡¯t make any noise!¡± Sam shouted.

    The thickness of the cloud meant he could only barely make out Buck¡¯s face. The man looked rather annoyed that Sam had immediately given orders that stood counter to his own.

    The field went silent. Smoke continued to drift through the air. It lingered above the battlefield, taking longer to dissipate than non-Pok¨¦mon-based smoke. Sam found himself clenching his jaw as his entire attention was locked onto the darkness.

    You can do it, Cyndaquil. I know you can.

    There was no movement, no sound, and no signs of battle for what felt like minutes. The audience was perfectly silent. Makuhita hunted for Cyndaquil in the continuing smoke.

    Yet, a Pok¨¦mon did eventually cry out.

    It wasn¡¯t the Pok¨¦mon Sam would have liked to hear.

    ¡°Quil!¡±

    Just like that, Sam¡¯s heart sank. He watched as Cyndaquil was tossed directly out of her cover. The Vital Throw caused her to sail through the air and hit the ground hard. After rolling over the dirt, she shook and barely managed to push herself up.

    She breathed heavily. The only reason the move hadn¡¯t fainted her outright was that the burn had weakened this damage.

    ¡°How are you doing, Cyndaquil? Can you hold on?¡± Sam asked.

    She was too tired to make any noise, but she still nodded her head. He gripped his hands and stared forward. From the smoke, Makuhita strode out.

    After all that time Cyndaquil had delayed, Makuhita was now in bad shape. It was breathing just as heavily as Cyndaquil, and it winced with every small move. The burn on its body looked even worse than before¡ªlikely, the heated smoke had negatively affected it. The Pok¨¦mon stood there, panting, as it glared at Cyndaquil where she stood.

    ¡°Knew Vital Throw would work. The move always hits,¡± Buck mumbled. ¡°Alright, Makuhita! Finish off the match! Go ahead and use Arm Thrust!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon proceeded forward. Sam bit his tongue¡ªCyndaquil was far too exhausted to use any new moves. Yet Makuhita didn¡¯t run; it walked. It was just as tired as her.

    The Fighting Type doggedly moved across the entire field, where it stopped only a foot away. Neither Pok¨¦mon immediately acted, instead glaring at one another in silence.

    Then, a smirk from Makuhita. Cyndaquil smirked right back.

    Only a second later, it fell.

    Cyndaquil hadn¡¯t needed to use her own power; a burn would harm a foe no matter the difference in strength. The pain it caused had slowly eaten away at Makuhita¡¯s energy until it finally caused it to collapse.

    ¡°We... won,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°We... We won, Cyndaquil! We won!¡±

    He laughed madly and threw out his hands. A minor applause came from this battle¡¯s small audience. Relief filled Sam¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Not yet, you haven¡¯t,¡± Buck said, snarling. ¡°Makuhita, return! Medicham, come out!¡±

    To both Sam¡¯s utter dismay and complete confusion, Buck returned his fainted Pok¨¦mon and replaced it with a brand new individual. This one was lean with incredibly thick legs. Its eyes had the focus of a Pok¨¦mon that had seen hundreds of battles, and it pressed its two hands together almost in prayer.

    ¡°But... we agreed to have our fight between Makuhita and Cyndaquil?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Did we? Because if you think back to when I was stating the rules earlier, I specifically said that we¡¯d use the Pok¨¦mon we had on us. Hence, Medicham.¡±

    Buck¡¯s grin was in no way friendly. A few of the observers threw boos his way.

    ¡°Oh, quiet you. You don¡¯t realize how much money is riding on this battle,¡± he said. ¡°Medicham, it isn¡¯t moving. Go for a Hi Jump Kick.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! We forfeit!¡±

    Buck made no efforts to call his Pok¨¦mon back.

    Sam wasn¡¯t a fool; he could recognize a losing battle when he saw one. Cyndaquil had already exhausted herself against Makuhita. A veteran Medicham like this would absolutely defeat her.

    He tried to pull Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball from his pocket. Yet, in his panic, he fumbled.

    I need one of those fast-to-use belts.

    Medicham loyally jumped into the air, and Sam moved without thinking. As a leg extended downwards, he charged.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    In an instant, Sam was on top of his Pok¨¦mon, clutching her tightly to his chest in a way to protect her from the incoming attack. Rushing onto the field like this would spell an immediate loss. It was a manual forfeit.

    To Buck, the battle was still on. But to Sam, he knew it had ended when Makuhita collapsed.

    Cyndaquil whined, and Sam clenched his eyes shut. He braced himself to provide her with as much protection from this attack that he could.

    The world was darkness with his closed eyes. Out of fear, he was temporarily deaf. He waited for the impact to come, but it never did.

    ¡°Yeah, alright. This match is over,¡± someone new called out.

    Sam¡¯s tension turned to confusion when he heard that unfamiliar voice. Peeking open an eye, he saw someone standing over him. The man had spiky blue hair and had been in the audience only a moment prior.

    ¡°You...¡±

    There was something about him Sam thought he recognized, but he wasn¡¯t sure who this guy was until he spoke next.

    ¡°Sorry about all of this,¡± the man said, grinning. ¡°We¡¯re still getting our Gym in order. What kind of a Gym Leader would I be if I let one of my own Gym Trainers attack a newbie like that?¡±

    Despite everything that had just happened, this newcomer¡¯s smile was practically infectious. Sam pulled himself off of Cyndaquil, sitting up, and he looked around.

    Somehow, Buck¡¯s Medicham was now lying on its back, groaning. Nearby, a massive Pok¨¦mon stood in front of Sam as if to protect him. Hands as wide as a grown man¡¯s chest were held out like walls, as the evolved form of Makuhita, Hariyama, patiently waited for its trainer¡¯s next command.

    ¡°You¡¯re...¡±

    ¡°Brawly,¡± the apparent Gym Leader said. ¡°There was going to be a big ceremony introducing me to Dewford soon, but I guess this will do.¡±

    He was young, likely barely within his twenties, yet he stood with the intense focus that only the elite of the elite ever had.

    After all, Gym Leaders weren¡¯t just strong trainers. They were people that stood at the peak of their class, hand-chosen by the Pok¨¦mon League to both protect their local area while also serving as the final boss of their Gym¡¯s challenge.

    ¡°So, Buck,¡± Brawly said, terrifyingly casual. ¡°Wanna explain why you¡¯ve been so eager to ¡®help out¡¯ with all our business deals?¡±

    ¡°I, uh...¡±

    Buck¡¯s face drained of blood. He looked like he was about to cry as Brawly cracked the knuckles of his hands.

    ¡°Go heal your Cyndaquil,¡± Brawly said. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll take care of Buck. I think it¡¯s about time he learns that it¡¯s wrong to abuse power.¡±

    Brawly looked just as malicious as Buck had been only a few moments prior, yet Sam didn¡¯t wait. Cyndaquil was staring at the enormous Hariyama next to her in awe, but Sam scooped her up anyway and rushed into the nearby Pok¨¦mon Center, where she would hopefully be treated after that match.

    <hr>

    Sam stood at the front counter of the Pok¨¦mon Center. Technically, there was a small fee for anyone who received healing who wasn¡¯t a registered Pok¨¦mon trainer, but Sam had been a registered Pok¨¦mon trainer ever since Cyndaquil first joined him. He just hadn¡¯t signed up to compete in any Pok¨¦mon League. Although, he would need to register again when his journey actually started.

    Still, there was a cost to this, and that cost was getting yelled at.

    ¡°I mean, really, carrying your Pok¨¦mon like that? Pok¨¦balls exist for a reason. Next time your Pok¨¦mon is hurt, return them so that the passive stasis of their Pok¨¦ball prevents them from getting worse!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Nurse Joy!¡± Sam was quick to salute.

    The pink-haired nurse huffed and leaned back, a satisfied look on her face. After a few moments of staring at the terrified Sam, she let out a sigh and handed over a Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Cyndaquil will be fine. She just needs rest. No training or Pok¨¦mon battles for the rest of the day. She really pushed herself in your match, do you understand me?¡±

    Sam nodded the best he could. The nurse gave him a small smile.

    ¡°Go,¡± she said. ¡°I believe you have some people waiting for you, yes?¡±

    When he turned, he saw not just Brawly standing off to the side, but his mother was here, too.

    ¡°Yo!¡± Brawly brought up a hand and smiled cheerfully as Sam approached. ¡°Just talking to your mom, little dude. Far as I¡¯m concerned, the Pok¨¦dex deal is still on.¡±

    ¡°But Buck¡ª¡±

    ¡°Buck thought he could manipulate things so he could pocket any extra funds for himself. Yes, we might be getting some electronic Pok¨¦dexes, but they¡¯re expensive and are primarily a research tool for the Professors. We don¡¯t have enough to cover every Gym Trainer in the Gym.¡±

    Sam...

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to feel practically all of the tension in his body drain away. He had needed to win the battle to ensure the deal would go through. Now? He had won, and any issues Buck might have caused had vanished just like that.

    ¡°Although, next year, we¡¯ll probably cut back on the amount we¡¯re ordering,¡± Brawly said. ¡°While electronic Pok¨¦dexes might be expensive now, the Professors are hard at work ensuring they¡¯ll be more affordable in the future.¡±

    Sam wanted to cry out about how unfair that was, but his mom immediately waved off those concerns.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. As long as you give us a heads up.¡±

    ¡°Then consider this your one year warning,¡± Brawly said in an almost playful voice.

    Sam really hated the way Brawly had just made his mother laugh.

    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot!¡± said his mother a second later. ¡°Congratulations!¡±

    Out of nowhere, Sam was pulled into a tight hug.

    ¡°I¡¯m so, so proud of you. You won your battle!¡±

    ¡°I... you were right. It¡¯s risky. If Brawly wasn¡¯t there¡ª¡±

    She pulled out to better look Sam in the eye.

    ¡°He was, and that¡¯s what matters. In the future, if you don¡¯t want to be bullied by the strong...¡±

    ¡°Then I should get strong, myself,¡± Sam finished.

    His mother smiled proudly and rubbed his shoulder. When she stepped away from Sam, he sighed, a little embarrassed.

    ¡°But that was a great battle, though!¡± Brawly said, butting in. ¡°Really handled yourself well against Buck. That strategy? Impressive for a new trainer!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The Gym Leader winced.

    ¡°I mean, kind of? Not too many trainers at your level think to try for status moves, but simply putting a status on someone and running away won¡¯t be enough against a stronger opponent.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    At least I know there¡¯s room for improvement.

    Yet, despite how Brawly had put down Sam¡¯s strategy, the man still looked cheerful, and he leaned in to get a bit closer.

    ¡°Now, the real reason I wanted to bring that up is because I have advice for you. You want to be a Pok¨¦mon Trainer, yeah?¡±

    ¡°I do. A Ghost Type specialist. The best there ever was.¡±

    The man grinned.

    ¡°Alright. So, listen. Hoenn is great and all, but if you really want to challenge yourself, I have a different place in mind. You know Johto?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°...But you work for Hoenn? Why recommend somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not technically a Gym Leader here just yet¡ªnot until my first season starts in two months. Johto, though? I trained there, under a man named Chuck. I can personally attest to the strength of the region¡¯s Gym Leaders, and their League season starts in just a handful of weeks, sooner than ours. If you want to face tough opponents, encounter unfamiliar Pok¨¦mon, and really push yourself, I can¡¯t recommend Johto enough.¡±

    Sam looked to his mother. She was smiling without even an ounce of worry. Calmly, she nodded her head.

    ¡°I support your decision, whatever you choose,¡± she said.

    Sam stepped back away from Brawly and looked the Gym Leader in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll follow your advice and head to Johto.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Brawly merrily slapped Sam on the shoulder and took a step back. ¡°Now excuse me, I have an employee to fire.¡±

    And then he cheerfully walked straight out.

    Then it was just Sam and his mother. Delcatty was still at home, and Cyndaquil was in her Pok¨¦ball. The layout of the Pok¨¦mon Center meant there were couched sitting areas for trainers to wait while their Pok¨¦mon were being healed. Taking the chance, he and his mom moved over to one to have a private talk.

    ¡°Sam...¡±

    ¡°Brawly is right. We talked about this. I want to go on my journey.¡±

    She took in a shaky breath.

    ¡°I... understand. Holding you back would have never worked. I¡¯ll support you,¡± his mother said.

    ¡°But...¡± Sam paused, weighing his own words. ¡°I¡¯m not a strong trainer. Not yet, at least. Cyndaquil and I still have a lot of ways we can grow. You said you would help me, right?¡±

    Her eyes were wet, but there was a proud gleam to them, too.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, wiping away her tears.

    Sam immediately embraced his mother, pulling her into a hug. He was squeezed back in return. A second later, Cyndaquil made sure to release herself from her Pok¨¦ball to join in as well.

    ¡°Besides, you said I was grounded, remember?¡± Sam asked.

    His mother laughed.

    ¡°For the rest of the month,¡± she said. ¡°I imagine you¡¯ll be heading out after?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But before then, we still have all that time to spend together.¡±

    He smiled, and his mother smiled back.

    <hr>

    Sam didn¡¯t go to bed right away that night. The thoughts of foreign regions and difficult challenges filled his mind. Instead, he turned to the best resource he had at his disposal: the New Pok¨¦dex. He wanted to see everything Johto had to offer.

    Opening it up, he parsed through it, looking at all of its entries. Pok¨¦mon not native to Hoenn filled the pages in front of him, but when he turned to one specific page, he froze.

    A desk light illuminated the text. The entry listed moves, abilities, approximate stats, and even the immense rarity the Pok¨¦mon had.

    Yet, none of that was what stood out. Instead, it was the name of the species, its Type, and the drawing that came with it that utterly consumed his focus.

    Cyndaquil was unable to look away, too.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°According to this book, you have an alternative final evolution.¡±

    He turned to look at his Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil turned to look at her trainer.

    ¡°It was last sighted over a hundred years ago, but evolving into one should still be possible. What stands out to me the most...¡± Sam swallowed. His throat felt dry. ¡°The thing about Hisuian Typhlosion is that it¡¯s part Ghost Type. Somehow... I... Cyndaquil, if we can figure out how to evolve into this, you can end up sharing a Type with the rest of our future team.¡±

    She looked into his eyes and nodded once.

    If there was ever a way to become a Ghost Type specialist, figuring out a long-lost evolution would be a great first step.

 Chapter 10

    Over the next month, Sam trained.

    He jogged through town with Cyndaquil, not intending to build speed but to build stamina. At first, neither of them could run for longer than a few minutes at a time. But, by the end of it, if they maintained a consistent pace, both of them could reach the end of the town and come back while only being moderately out of breath.

    He returned to Granite Cave, and while he and Cyndaquil didn¡¯t go in, the exterior was a perfect training ground to practice moves. Through repeated attacks against the ample present boulders, Cyndaquil narrowed the width of her Ember, improved Tackle so it could be used alongside quick bursts of speed, and figured out how to use Smokescreen much faster than before. Not just that, but Sam also worked on timing his commands. He himself got a handle on knowing exactly when and how he needed to call out to get Cyndaquil to respond.

    Then, against Delcatty, they sparred, though these were the only battles he and Cyndaquil fought for now. While his mother worked the shop, Delcatty brought the pair to the alley out back, and she ruthlessly led Cyndaquil in circles while demonstrating an agility that prevented all incoming attacks from landing. Yet, despite the lack of success and the exhausting battles, Cyndaquil managed to build up quite the withering Leer from where she always seemed to collapse onto the ground.

    The New Pok¨¦dex was not left out of Sam¡¯s training, either. While nothing was immediately applicable, he made sure to learn as much from it as he could. Though, memorizing a thousand-entry-plus Pok¨¦dex within a single month was a big task.

    Altogether, Sam and Cyndaquil did very little that was ¡°new.¡± Everything about their practice was about building up the basics and preparing themselves to take on the rigorous travels of a trainer¡¯s journey. Sam, while still pale from all the time he spent indoors, now at least had the slightest of tans to him. Also, somehow, Cyndaquil looked more lean and less pudgy than before. And, as Sam frequently helped out his mother as part of the punishment for entering Granite Cave, she lectured him about all of the tips, tricks, and survival skills he would need to know when it came to surviving away from home.

    All of this was for a single goal. Everything Sam did was to ensure he¡¯d become the best Pok¨¦mon Trainer he could be.

    By the end of it, he packed what he could into his backpack and set out alongside his mother and Cyndaquil. His mom used her contacts to get them a ride to Hoenn¡¯s Slateport City. Now, what time was left had run out, and Sam stood at the end of the Slateport docks while his mother fawned over him as throngs of people passed them by.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made sure to pack a change of clothes, right?¡± his mom asked.

    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±

    ¡°Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±

    ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex?¡±

    Sam paused when she stated the title so bluntly and in public. Then again, its title wasn¡¯t very descriptive for what the book actually contained.

    ¡°...Yes, Mom,¡± Sam answered.

    She smiled at him with her hands on his shoulders. It looked like she wanted to say something more, but her eyes started to tear up.

    ¡°A-and,¡± she said, voice choking up, ¡°you¡¯re really sure you want to head out?¡±

    ¡°I am. I will become a proper Ghost Type Specialist. Cyndaquil and I are going to conquer Johto,¡± Sam said, staring unerringly forward, determination clear in his voice.

    For one last time, his mother looked him up and down before bringing him in for the tightest hug of his life.

    ¡°I know you will, Sam,¡± she said. ¡°Just remember I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too, Mom.¡±

    She did the same thing to Cyndaquil, who was riding in Sam¡¯s hood like always. The little Fire Type squeaked and saluted when his mother told her to keep everyone safe. Then, Sam ascended the staircase that led up to the cruise ship heading to Johto¡ªOlivine City, specifically¡ªand he and Cyndaquil waved goodbye to his mother until she was nothing more than a speck on the horizon.

    He stood silent for a long while as all the ship passengers around filed inside. They returned to their rooms, but Sam stared out into the ocean and the rapidly fading landmass on the horizon.

    His heart pounded in his chest.

    He could already feel his blood racing.

    With this boat¡¯s departure from Hoenn, Sam¡¯s journey had properly begun.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s explore the ship, Cyndaquil,¡± he said.

    He turned around and took the first step of his new life as a Pok¨¦mon trainer.

    The S.S. Sagittarius was a cruise liner, but not in the classic sense. It transported thousands of people at once, but it lacked the high-end, luxury features most cruise ships boasted. Instead, it sailed from Johto, to Sinnoh, to Kanto, to Hoenn, and then finally back to Johto for one purpose and one purpose only: collecting and transporting trainers that wanted to see the world. It was more like a floating hotel than anything else, but it had the amenities needed to attract trainers of all forms. Battlefields, training grounds, an in-ship Pok¨¦mon Center, and even trading machines, this was the perfect place to begin a journey as everything and everyone here was all about Pok¨¦mon battles.

    Sam moved through upper walkways and looked around in awe. Rooms surrounded him in stacks that overlooked an interior, open space filled with trainers. He found his own reserved room quickly enough and deposited everything but Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and the New Pok¨¦dex. The only reason Sam had been able to board was due to his mother buying him a ticket from the profit of the Pok¨¦dex sale. He didn¡¯t want even a single cent of that to go to waste.

    He ran downstairs, moving so fast that Cyndaquil bounced in his hood. He descended level after level to reach the lowest deck, where the ship¡¯s battlefields had been set up. They weren¡¯t as large as official battlefields, but there were many of them lined up in a row. Already, trainers participated in battles while others stood off to the side, watching the matches, mingling with one another, and waiting for their own turn.

    ¡°There has to be at least fifty, no, at least a hundred people here,¡± Sam said to Cyndaquil. ¡°Actually, I think there might be more.¡±

    In a town as small as Dewford, gatherings as large as this were practically unheard of. There were just that many trainers here. Not just that, but alongside those trainers were Pok¨¦mon. Plunging into the depths of this crowd, Sam pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex and began to look through it to identify what he saw.

    A Beedrill stabbed its arms towards a Pidgeotto that ducked and weaved between its attacks. A craggy Geodude tore chunks of dirt out of the field to toss them at a yellow sheep, a Mareep, that buzzed with sparks. At the furthest end, a battle took place that far surpassed the rest.

    A bright orange Charizard released an onslaught of flame against a stout Vileplume. The Grass Type was trying its best to resist the fire, but the super effective attack was slowly wearing it down. At the side of that field, an Alakazam was locked in intense concentration to maintain a protective psychic barrier around it. Sam could see how the flames of Charizard¡¯s attack spread out and licked up the sides, unable to reach the audience thanks to Alakazam¡¯s efforts.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Sam shook his head, realizing that he had stopped walking, absolutely enthralled. ¡°Cyndaquil, that¡¯s going to be us one day.¡±

    He heard a soft squeak from behind his ear. Cyndaquil was just as lost in her observations as Sam was.

    ¡°Before that, though, we should probably find someone to battle.¡±

    In a place like this, Sam would be an absolute fool to not fight someone in a match. He had a full month of training that he wanted to put to use against another trainer. Sure, Cyndaquil might not have learned any new moves, but her baseline had increased so dramatically that Sam had absolute confidence in his Pok¨¦mon.

    He rushed over to where a ship employee managed one of the fields and signed himself up to reserve a slot for a battle. He had no opponent set, so he would be skipped over if he didn¡¯t find one. At least, Sam was now guaranteed to have the chance if he managed to get an opponent.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    So, he began to run through the crowd.

    ¡°Hey, do you want to battle?¡±

    Sam stopped in front of one trainer holding an Oddish in her arms. She turned and smiled at him, but that smile fell when her eyes locked onto Cyndaquil behind his head.

    ¡°Yeah, right. You¡¯d crush us way too easily with your Fire Type.¡±

    The response was disappointing, but he moved away and found someone else soon after.

    ¡°You... want to battle my Seel?¡± the trainer said. ¡°You know that Seel is a Water Type though, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Type Advantage or not, I want to have a battle!¡± Sam replied.

    The Pok¨¦mon trainer in front of him gained a funny look before shaking their head and walking away.

    Someone else, then.

    Finding potential opponents was a little difficult, because Sam had to find people with Pok¨¦mon around the same level as Cyndaquil. Despite the sheer number of trainers here, it was hard to simply eyeball the relative strength of the people he saw. Too strong, and they¡¯d decline a pointless match. Too weak, and they wouldn¡¯t want to risk it against Cyndaquil.

    Yet, when Sam did find trainers he thought were at his level, they always seemed to find some sort of excuse after taking a single look at Cyndaquil.

    ¡°Did I read the room wrong?¡± he quietly asked his Pok¨¦mon.

    She mumbled something, but Cyndaquil was just as confused as he was.

    ¡°It¡¯s likely because your Pok¨¦mon is a Starter Pok¨¦mon,¡± a voice from behind Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you realize how intimidating it is to be approached so suddenly by a trainer who has one.¡±

    Sam stopped where he was sulking and turned to whoever had just spoken to him. Approaching him was a boy maybe a year or two older with brown hair smoothed back against his head.

    ¡°Starter Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Why would that make a difference?¡±

    ¡°Starter Pok¨¦mon make all the difference. If not in their potential power, then in their relative rarity,¡± the boy explained, straightening out the sleeves of his suit coat. ¡°Each region has a trio of Pok¨¦mon specially bred to be given out as Starters¡ªprimarily to those that either test into it or who are hand-picked by regional Professors. With your approach being so excitable, and with your Cyndaquil in your hood¡ª¡±

    ¡°They all think I¡¯m some kind of low-level, pseudo-elite!¡± Sam concluded.

    The boy raised one of his eyebrows.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have phrased it exactly like that, but yes, you have the gist of it.¡±

    Sam rubbed the side of his head, a little embarrassed at how he had missed that connection, himself.

    ¡°Xavier,¡± the boy said, introducing himself while holding out a hand.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Sam replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it. ¡°Thanks for the information. It¡¯s a little annoying because I didn¡¯t meet Cyndaquil through any of that. We only met because of my grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Is your grandfather a Professor?¡± Xavier asked.

    ¡°No, but I¡¯m pretty sure his Typhlosion is currently living with one of those specialty breeders you mentioned,¡± Sam replied.

    Xavier hummed and looked over Sam, seemingly taking him in. Sam watched as the boy¡¯s eyes darted to his lack of Pok¨¦ball belt, the aged tome in his hands, and then to Cyndaquil in his hood.

    ¡°You know,¡± Xavier said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind testing the apparent power of a Starter Pok¨¦mon, myself.¡±

    Sam grinned.

    ¡°Great! I already have a battlefield reserved, so if you want to head out¡ª¡±

    ¡°That would be fine,¡± Xavier said with a polite smile.

    He and Sam walked over to the side of the soon-to-be-his field.

    Sam went on to try to talk to Xavier, asking the boy about his own background. Yet, any attempts to make small talk was rebuffed with either silence or a one-word answer. Quickly realizing Xavier wasn¡¯t here to make friends, Sam went silent.

    If he just wants a battle, I guess that works too.

    On the field itself, two identical Magnemite battled it out in a species-based grudge match. Their metallic bodies released shock after shock until one eventually fell, and it was Sam¡¯s turn to go up.

    ¡°Next up, we have... Sam!¡± An employee of the ship called out. ¡°You¡¯re up!¡±

    The field¡¯s manager waved over Sam and Xavier as they stepped onto the field.

    ¡°No high level moves like Hydro Pump or Fire Blast are allowed,¡± the ship employee said to them. ¡°Anything else that risks affecting the ship is not allowed, either. Under no circumstances are you allowed to use Earthquake. Again, do not use Earthquake. We¡¯re on a ship, people. Use common sense.¡±

    The man sighed, as if tired. Sam couldn¡¯t help but to feel embarrassed on behalf of whoever thought it would be smart to use an earth-shaking attack like that on a floating boat.

    But, it wasn¡¯t like Sam had any of those high-level moves at his disposal. He and Cyndaquil were just beginners and were incapable of using anything that strong.

    For now, he thought to himself.

    ¡°Other than your Cyndaquil, how many Pok¨¦mon do you have?¡± Xavier asked.

    ¡°Just the one,¡± Sam replied.

    ¡°...Of course,¡± Xavier mumbled under his breath. ¡°Well then, I will use only one of mine. I wish you luck in our battle. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    The two of them split off, moving to their respective trainer boxes on the sides of the field. Xavier sent a respectful nod to the ship employee while Sam waved to signify he was ready. The employee nodded back to acknowledge the signals before holding out both arms in a mimicry of an official referee¡¯s flags. He then brought them down and called for the two trainers to send out their Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Cyndaquil! I choose you!¡±

    Despite yelling what he always saw on T.V., Sam still felt the heat in his face when he shouted such a cheesy line.

    Cyndaquil squirmed out of his hood and pushed off his shoulder to jump onto the field. Once she landed, she let the flames on her back flare up.

    Xavier, however, had a much more basic entrance for his Pok¨¦mon. He merely reached into his jacket¡¯s front pocket and pulled out a certain, black-and-gold Pok¨¦ball¡ªa Luxury Ball.

    Those were significantly more expensive but were significantly more comfortable for a Pok¨¦mon in exchange.

    ¡°Yanma,¡± Xavier said calmly, releasing a three-foot long, red dragonfly.

    Nice! If it¡¯s a Bug Type, we¡¯ll have the advantage!

    ¡°Begin!¡± the referee shouted a second later.

    Sam was ready for this. He spent almost a full month preparing for battle, and this would be his and Cyndaquil¡¯s first match away from home. His blood raced, and his grin widened. He pointed forward, shouting a command in the very same instant Xavier shouted his own.

    ¡°Ember!¡±

    ¡°Sonicboom.¡±

    Each combatant exploded into action, but in very different ways. Cyndaquil¡¯s flames burst to life at a rate she could not achieve before, and sparks of fire shot out of her mouth in a steady stream. As for Yanma, the bug Pok¨¦mon darted side to side, using the immense speed and agility its wings granted it in the air. Ember chased after it, and even with all its efforts to dodge, Yanma failed to prevent the attack from clipping it in the side and leaving blackened scorch marks on its red carapace.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sam shouted.

    This was a huge improvement over Cyndaquil¡¯s wide sprays from before.

    However, the battle wasn¡¯t won just yet. Still going, the Yanma zipped forward.

    Quickly, the Bug Type raced through the air, pushing past any pain and building up speed to close in onto Cyndaquil. She squeaked in alarm as Yanma forced its wings to flap at an incredible pace and convert its momentum into a blast of air that hit her head-on.

    Sonicboom might have been a Normal Type move, but it was an extremely consistent attack that packed quite the punch in a low level fight like this.

    ¡°Again, Yanma,¡± Xavier said.

    Sam bit his lip in thought as Cyndaquil heaved herself back up.

    ¡°See if you can get it to waver with Leer,¡± he said, taking advantage of a brief delay as Yanma turned around. ¡°Use Ember after.¡±

    Yanma built distance between them once more to repeat the same, bombing-run-like dive it had used last time. Cyndaquil braced herself, and when the Bug Type neared, she glared at it with a sudden, spine-chilling Leer. All of her practice sending Delcatty harsh looks paid off as Yanma wavered in the air, its eyes widening underneath their compound lenses.

    ¡°Go!¡± Sam shouted.

    A second Sonicboom screeched towards Cyndaquil right when she unleashed her own Ember. The two attacks hit their targets; Cyndaquil was too slow to dodge out of the way, and Leer had made it so Yanma wasn¡¯t prepared to dodge. The Bug Type crashed into the ground, the heat of the Fire Type moves getting to it. As for Cyndaquil, the Sonicboom blasted her back. She didn¡¯t have the defenses to resist.

    Both Pok¨¦mon groaned and tried to get back up, but in the end, neither of them managed to push off the ground. Two back-to-back Fire Type moves were too much for Yanma, and the two Sonicbooms were similarly too much for Cyndaquil.

    ¡°Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Yanma is unable to battle!¡± the referee called out. ¡°The outcome is a tie!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a win, but Sam couldn¡¯t stop grinning. Sure, the Sonicboom had knocked Cyndaquil out, but what a match! Quick battles were expected at low levels, so he didn¡¯t even blink at how little time it took. Instead, he was just proud that Cyndaquil knocked out her foe.

    He was also more than satisfied with the results as the match helped him narrow down what needed to improve. Namely, while Cyndaquil had a decent offense, he needed to help her with her agility and the ease at which she could dodge attacks.

    ¡°Cyndaquil! You were amazing!¡± Sam rushed forward to kneel on the ground and scoop Cyndaquil up into his arms. ¡°Perfect use of Leer and Ember. How are you feeling?¡±

    Cyndaquil stirred and shook herself to better come to. Fainting in Pok¨¦mon battles didn¡¯t always mean true unconsciousness; a lot of times, battles simply went until one side was genuinely unable to continue or until a Pok¨¦mon had run out of internal energy, which taking attacks tended to drain.

    ¡°Your thoughts?¡± he asked, repeating a similar question.

    She slumped, disappointed, but Sam smiled and shook his head.

    ¡°No. Your Ember was way better aimed since our match against Buck, and your Leer paved the way for a perfect, second hit. We might not have won, but we still tied. A success in our first true battle!¡±

    Cyndaquil looked to be considering Sam¡¯s words, and he knew she¡¯d feel better soon. He turned his gaze up to thank Xavier for a great match, but when he looked at the boy, Xavier was frowning, obviously disappointed.

    ¡°That¡¯s all the power a Starter Pok¨¦mon has to offer?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°You lost to a Bug Type.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t lose. We tied. There¡¯s a difference,¡± Sam said. ¡°Cyndaquil and I have only been training for a month, anyway. We¡¯ve basically spent the past few years of our life being lazy and growing fat.¡±

    Cyndaquil snorted, somewhat offended.

    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse,¡± Xavier continued. ¡°If you didn¡¯t win, you¡¯ve lost. If you want to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer, you should put in more effort.¡±

    Sam frowned.

    ¡°You sure about that?¡± he asked cautiously.

    Xavier didn¡¯t respond right away. Instead, he returned Yanma to its Luxury Ball as he was no longer occupied with silently observing Sam. His frown deepened as he placed the ball back inside the pocket on his chest.

    ¡°What I¡¯m sure about is that if you want to be successful, whatever you''ve done so far hasn''t been enough,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Starter Pok¨¦mon are given out for a reason¡ªthey¡¯re amenable to training with a fast rate of growth. Honestly, Yanma has only been with me for a few weeks now. If you¡¯ve had a full month to train, this outcome was genuinely pathetic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam snapped. ¡°You realize that you tied with us, which means you¡¯ve lost as well according to your own logic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different. I was merely testing¡ª¡±

    ¡°You were facing us in a fight,¡± Sam said.

    Xavier scowled and turned around.

    ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have got my hopes up,¡± he said.

    Sam glared at his opponent as he walked away. Honestly, he didn¡¯t expect to meet someone almost as rude as Buck.

    ¡°Ugh. Not sure what his problem is, but at least everyone else seemed alright, just intimidated by us,¡± Sam grumbled. ¡°Though, after Buck, maybe an ego is needed to become a Pok¨¦mon trainer?¡±

    He chuckled at his own joke and stood up to leave the field to make room for the next person to use it. However, the second he turned around, he jumped when he realized there was a girl standing behind him, only inches away.

    ¡°Battle me!¡± she shouted with a wide grin on her face.

    Sam was frozen out of surprise, but he eventually managed to get out a reply.

    ¡°...Alright?¡±

    The girl pumped her fists and ran over to the field manager to slot in a new reservation. Sam just stared as he moved to the side.

    At least I don¡¯t have to work to find another opponent.

    And this time around, he had a good feeling his opponent wouldn¡¯t turn out to be a jerk.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡±

    Claws swiped down at Cyndaquil, rapidly aiming to dig into her sides. She repeatedly hopped back with each attempted scratch, the swipes of the move barely missing her by a hair.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam shouted.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s opponent was a Teddiursa¡ªa small, bipedal bear roughly her size with brown fur and a crescent mark on its forehead. Facing it was tough, as the Normal Type had immediately rushed forward to try to overwhelm her. Yet, the fire on her back blazed at full power and she breathed out.

    Ember hit.

    The Fire Type move struck Teddiursa, leaving burn marks on its fur. It stumbled back, bringing its arms up to try to protect its face, but that just meant its stomach was no longer guarded. Taking advantage of that, Sam called for a Tackle, and Cyndaquil pushed off the ground to slam her shoulder into its chest.

    Teddiursa fell to the ground. The referee shouted to end the match.

    ¡°Teddiursa is unable to battle. Cyndaquil wins!¡±

    ¡°There you go, Cyndaquil! We got our first win!¡± Sam shouted.

    There was a smattering of polite clapping off to the sides, but it was nothing too impressed. While this was Sam''s first victory as a Pok¨¦mon trainer, it had still only been a match between two novice trainers. Observers could only get so much out of it at this level.

    ¡°Great battle. Cyndaquil hasn''t been pushed that hard up close before,¡± Sam said, moving forward to shake his opponent¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You sure? Because it looked like she was leaping back pretty nimbly there.¡±

    He chuckled awkwardly. What he said was only partially true. With all the ways Delcatty annoyed Cyndaquil during their spars, Cyndaquil had grown used to opponents trying to strike her up close.

    ¡°Well, your Pok¨¦mon was still impressive regardless,¡± Sam said.

    The girl grinned.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± she replied.

    Sam¡¯s opponent was a girl around his age, though she was maybe a few months older than him since she practically matched him in height. She wore a set of blue overalls over a striped, black-and-white T-shirt, and her blonde hair was kept in a ponytail that hung down her back. As Sam moved off to the side of the field, she followed, and Cyndaquil prodded the side of Teddiursa with her snout to wake it up and encourage it to follow. The girl smiled and waved for it to follow along, too.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t explained why you were so quick to challenge me at the end of the last battle,¡± Sam said. ¡°I thought people would be turned away by my ¡®Starter¡¯ Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Psh. I wanted to challenge you because I saw your battle. And that last guy was a jerk. I can tell you¡¯re pretty cool with how you talked back to him. Why wouldn¡¯t I want to have a match?¡±

    ¡°...Thank you?¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Yeah! No problem!¡± she said genuinely. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your name? My name is Redi.¡±

    Sam blinked.

    Did I really battle her without any introductions?

    He supposed that was what the life of a Pok¨¦mon trainer now entailed.

    ¡°I¡¯m Sam, and that¡¯s Cyndaquil, obviously,¡± he said. ¡°And you said your name is ¡®Ready?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Redi,¡± she corrected.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Redi,¡± she repeated, emphasizing the alternate spelling with her voice.

    Sam rubbed the side of his head. He thought her name was silly, but he wasn¡¯t going to comment on it.

    Heading over, the ship¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center wasn¡¯t anything that special. An unassuming nurse and a Chansey worked a counter that was built into an open space along a wall. Redi and Sam returned their Pok¨¦mon before passing their Pok¨¦balls over. The nurse thanked them before handing the balls off to Chansey to bring to a back room to heal.

    ¡°Anyway, Redi, have you been training with Teddiursa for a while? He was pretty strong in our match,¡± Sam said, finding a place to sit down on a nearby bench.

    ¡°Not really. I mean, I¡¯ve known him for years, but we haven¡¯t really practiced,¡± she replied, sitting down next to him. ¡°I took him with me when I heard about the tournament coming up. That¡¯s the whole reason we¡¯re on this ship, anyway.¡±

    ¡°...Tournament?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi blinked at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know,¡± she said.

    Sam¡¯s blank look was an answer in itself. Redi sighed and pressed her hands together in front of her lips.

    ¡°Okay, okay. So there¡¯s the tournament, yeah? But it¡¯s the Beginner¡¯s Tournament; it¡¯s not for anyone experienced. Every region has one. Basically, at the start of each season, a random city in a region will host a tournament to see which novice trainer has the best chance to make it to the end-of-season Conference. Winning is a good way to attract sponsorships, earn prizes, make money....¡±

    She put a surprising amount of emphasis on the word ¡®money.¡¯

    ¡°And this year it¡¯s taking place in Olivine City! Once this boat docks, I think just about everyone here is going to sign up for it.¡±

    ¡°At least the novices are,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I mean, yeah, that¡¯s assumed. What, do you really think a trainer who¡¯s earned a bunch of Gym badges is going to be allowed in?¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    She then snorted and laughed at her own joke. Sam just rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Anyway, me and Teddiursa are totally gonna sweep that tournament! See, we have a trick; we don''t need strategy when we have power! Everyone always thinks you need some special plan to win your battles, but the way I see it is that everyone overlooks pure, raw power so much that no one is ever prepared for when it punches them in the face!¡±

    ¡°But strategy is important?¡± Sam countered, scratching his cheek. ¡°What are you going to do if Teddiursa gets burned?¡±

    ¡°Push through and punch them in the face,¡± Redi easily replied.

    Well, I suppose that¡¯s one way to do it.

    ¡°So, what''d you think?¡± she asked, grinning. ¡°Gonna compete?¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Sam answered. ¡°I was planning on only taking on Olivine¡¯s Gym, but if there¡¯s a whole tournament taking place there, there¡¯s no way we can pass that up!¡±

    Redi¡¯s grin went as wide as it could go, and she kicked her legs back and forth while leaning back on the bench.

    ¡°Sick!¡± she said. ¡°But I gotta ask, if you didn¡¯t know about the tournament, you at least made plans before heading out, yeah? You have a place to stay?¡±

    Sam¡¯s smile wavered. Redi suddenly looked worried.

    ¡°...You have a place, right?¡± she repeated.

    ¡°I was going to stay in the Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± he replied slowly.

    ¡°Ooh...¡± Redi looked away from Sam awkwardly. ¡°People always fill the big cities when the season starts. Like, Gym battle slots are reserved weeks in advance, and Olivine¡¯s gonna be packed with all these extra tournament trainers taking up rooms. You might, uh, not find a place to stay.¡±

    Sam groaned.

    ¡°I just wanted to start my journey off properly,¡± he said, bringing his head into his hands.

    Redi patted him on the shoulder to try to comfort him. She let a few seconds pass before speaking again.

    ¡°I mean, you could always...¡± She hesitated at first before repeating what she said with newfound confidence. ¡°You could always stay with me!¡±

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°...With you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! My aunt is always open to guests. She wouldn¡¯t mind helping out someone in need!¡±

    Sam stared at Redi with a blank look on his face. She smiled back, not even blinking at how she just offered a family member¡¯s home to someone who was basically a stranger.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sam eventually said. The offer was a little awkward. ¡°I¡¯ll check to see if there really is no other place to stay, first.¡±

    Redi shrugged and hopped off the bench. The Pok¨¦mon Center Chansey walked back out with their Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Your loss. I¡¯ll still give you her address when you find out I¡¯m right.¡± She then leaned in, almost mischievously, her words taking on a conspiratorial tone. ¡°And just so you know, I¡¯m always right.¡±

    Redi walked away to collect her Pok¨¦mon, cackling.

    Walking over to the Pok¨¦mon Center himself, Sam grabbed both Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and a piece of paper containing Redi¡¯s aunt¡¯s address before sending Cyndaquil out on the ground. Redi went ahead and stalked off to rejoin the nearby crowd, crouching slightly as if becoming a predator on a hunt for prey: another opponent.

    ¡°Two back-to-back battles are enough for now,¡± Sam said to Cyndaquil. ¡°I think we should head back to our room to rest and talk about what we can do to improve.¡±

    Cynaquil nodded, both tired and in agreement, and she and Sam returned to do exactly as he said. Over the rest of the trip, she and Sam managed to get a few more battles in before the ship finally arrived in Johto.

    <hr>

    Sam was struck with awe when he entered Olivine City. The port was nowhere near as large as Slateport, but the buildings were tall enough to scratch the sky.

    Office buildings, shopping malls, dozens of different apartment complexes. This place was a true city, one not limited to space available on an island. Streets filled with actual cars divided the city''s blocks, and Pok¨¦mon were surprisingly common here, too. Though there was only the occasional trainer Pok¨¦mon, Sam did see Pidgey perched on signs, Rattata running through alleys, and the occasional Meowth having found a warm spot to sleep in.

    ¡°We¡¯re definitely not in Hoenn anymore. All of these species are firmly from Johto.¡±

    Cyndaquil made a mumbling noise of agreement from where she sat in his hood. Just like Sam, she was lost in taking in the sights.

    Other than the sights of the city itself, Sam also saw quite a number of decorations. Banners hung between streetlights. Lampposts had announcements taped to them. A few posters had been placed against covered, chain-link fences that blocked off construction sites. All of them advertised the very thing Redi had told Sam about not too long before.

    The Beginner¡¯s Tournament¡ªit wasn¡¯t something always held within Olivine, but it would be this year. It advertised how the winners tended to be trainers to look out for. Historically, the trainers that placed almost always earned all eight Gym Badges.

    I want to win it, Sam thought. Unfortunately, he was aware of his lack of experience, but now that he was in Johto, this was the perfect time to obtain it.

    Filled with anticipation, Sam broke out into a run. He then stopped and politely asked a passerby for directions, where he followed what they said to reach the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    The building wasn¡¯t the usual, few-story tall building he was used to. It still had the red roof that he was expecting, but it absolutely fit in with the rest of the towering buildings of this city. Pok¨¦mon Centers were created to both provide easy-to-access healing for the average trainer while also providing a way for traveling trainers to rest. This place had gone all in on that, being at least seven stories tall and absolutely covered with windows that showed off the sheer number of rooms within.

    Sam had never stayed at a Pok¨¦mon Center before, and though he was away from home, he pushed past that longing and focused on the excitement.

    ¡°Ready for this?¡± he asked Cyndaquil.

    She squeaked, affirming that she was, and then Sam headed inside.

    Immediately, Sam was assaulted by noise. The sliding glass door automatically opened up, and just past the entrance, the waiting room was absolutely packed.

    Trainers filled the space, lounging on couches, leaning against the walls, and occupying every video phone set up against the back wall. There was a line that stretched from the nurse¡¯s counter to only a few feet in front of the front door. To say this place was packed was an understatement. It was absolutely filled to the brim.

    Briefly, he recalled the warning Redi gave him.

    ¡°Maybe they have at least one spare room left?¡± he mumbled.

    It took half an hour of waiting in line for Sam to reach the front counter. It was half an hour of standing, waiting, and doing nothing at all. Despite it not requiring much from him, the fact such a short distance took so long to travel made Sam feel utterly exhausted by the end.

    ¡°Welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Center!¡± a nurse¡¯s voice said to snap him out of his daze. ¡°We can restore your Pok¨¦mon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    A pink-haired nurse smiled at him and waited for his response.

    ¡°I...¡± Sam¡¯s voice came out shaky, so he swallowed and forced himself to be confident. ¡°I¡¯d like to register for the upcoming Johto League! I¡¯d also like to register for the Beginner¡¯s Tournament!¡±

    ¡°Certainly! May I have your information?¡±

    Sam provided it, and the nurse turned in her chair to start quickly typing away on a computer at the front desk. There were two other nurses here, too, and each of them were helping their own trainer to the left and right of Sam.

    ¡°Alright... Give me one moment for your trainer card to print out...¡±

    There was a beep followed by a whirring noise. After a few seconds, the nurse leaned over and pulled something from under her desk. She handed it over, and Sam took it to hold with awe.

    Trainer cards identified Pok¨¦mon trainers. They contained absolutely everything about the trainer they belonged to. Name, region of origin, unique trainer ID number, as well as the number of Gym Badges that trainer had earned. Holding one was required to compete in a Gym, and a number of different tournaments were restricted to registered trainers. With this now in his hands, Sam had proof he was truly a Pok¨¦mon trainer.

    It marked the beginning of the rest of his life.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    Sam snapped his head up, the nurse¡¯s voice breaking him out of his trance once again.

    ¡°Y-yeah?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll take some time for your trainer ID to be fully processed with the League, but since you were already registered as a non-competing trainer in Hoenn, that will speed some things up. Before then, do you need to hear the rules of the tournament?¡±

    ¡°That would be nice, thanks,¡± Sam said, blushing at his brief lapse of attention.

    The nurse cleared her throat.

    ¡°The Beginner¡¯s Tournament follows the same set-up as the end of the year Conference, though it¡¯s adjusted for smaller teams. It consists of a group preliminary to determine the competing trainers followed by the actual tournament itself. The preliminaries are set to take place in five days, and the tournament itself will occur in exactly one week. Although, I¡¯ll note that only thirty-two trainers will make it out of the preliminaries. You must not be eliminated if you want to compete.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Sam nodded his head, his gaze locked straight ahead.

    At that, the nurse gained an amused smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great. Make sure to arrive here by 10am the day of.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Got it,¡± Sam said. ¡°And, uh, if it¡¯s a tournament, how many...¡±

    ¡°Our estimates bring the number of registered trainers to be around four hundred. Most trainers here are here for Olivine Gym. But, if your question is about how many Pok¨¦mon will be in each match...¡±

    Sam nodded, encouraging her to continue.

    ¡°Only one Pok¨¦mon will be allowed in each battle of the preliminaries, but up to three Pok¨¦mon are allowed on a team in the actual tournament. If you have only one Pok¨¦mon, I highly recommend catching another. Otherwise, you¡¯d be sending your sole fighter through a series of difficult, back-to-back fights.¡±

    Sam grimaced. He needed a way to practice with Cyndaquil, but throwing her into matches like that would serve only to tire her out and leave her exhausted by the end. The nurse was right; if he wanted to win, he needed a second Pok¨¦mon.

    But where can I catch a Ghost Type in a city like this?

    ¡°Can I help you with anything else?¡± the nurse said, smiling.

    ¡°Yes! Do you have a free room?¡±

    Her smile wavered, and Sam¡¯s expression fell.

    ¡°...Is there somewhere else nearby I could maybe find a place?¡± he asked cautiously.

    A length of awkward silence persisted, which only served to make Sam feel worse and worse.

    ¡°Maybe it might be worth camping at the city¡¯s edge? Trainers are constantly roughing it in the wild!¡± the nurse offered, doing her best to maintain that strained smile.

    The news hit Sam like a rock. Sighing, he thanked the nurse before stepping out of the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    ¡°At least we managed to register properly,¡± he said to Cyndaquil.

    After a few hours of checking other locations only to confirm a lack of free rooms, Sam found himself knocking on the door of a house within the city¡¯s suburbs. There, it opened up, and on the other side was a certain blonde girl with an utterly smug grin on her face.

 Chapter 12

    Sam woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar room. There were no sounds of children playing, Wingull squawking, or waves lapping against a nearby shore. The bed underneath him was significantly wider and squishier than his bed back home. A ceiling fan lazily spun to provide the barest bit of flowing air as light peeked through a set of mauve curtains to land on his eyes. Everything around him was decorated in hues of lavender and white. Out of all the places to stay, he had genuinely not expected to sleep in an old woman''s guest room like this.

    ¡°Good morning, Cyndaquil,¡± Sam said.

    He sat up and rubbed his eyes. From where she had snuggled into a pile of far too many pillows, Cyndaquil poked her head out.

    It was oddly quiet. Olivine was a big city, and Sam would have expected some noise. Except, he wasn''t in the center of the city. Instead, he was rooming in its suburbs, located in the hills to the northwest.

    ¡°I might only have a hundred dollars on me, but I would''ve found a hotel instead of... this,¡± Sam mumbled.

    It wasn''t that he wasn''t thankful, it was just that it felt awkward to stay at the home of someone he barely knew.

    ¡°Alright. Plans,¡± Sam said, standing up and arching his back to help him wake up. ¡°Today, we''ll need to call Mom, but we have until the tournament to do what we want. Training¡¯s a given, but I guess we could explore? Ugh, actually, we should figure out our money situation first. Plus... I don''t really know what to talk to Mom about, anyway.¡±

    Maybe I''ll just tell her that I''m staying with a friend? But I don''t know Redi that well. I can at least talk about the tournament! She''ll enjoy hearing about that.

    Given Sam couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of people shuffling around the house, he didn''t want to be rude and wake them up. Instead, he stayed in the guest room for now, reaching into his backpack and pulling out the New Pok¨¦dex to flip to a certain page.

    He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was trying to force himself to stay awake, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to stand just yet.

    ¡°So. Hisuian Typhlosion,¡± Sam said. Unwilling to do anything else, he could at least discuss his current goal.

    Upon hearing the name of her eventual evolution, Cyndaquil pushed out of her pillows to trot across the bed and rest her head in Sam¡¯s lap.

    ¡°We need to figure out how we¡¯ll actually get you to evolve,¡± he said.

    Cyndaquil stared at the drawing of her alternative final form. Typhlosion were more weasel-shaped than Cyndaquil, and this variant kept the same general body. Except, where the fur on a Typhlosion¡¯s back was blue, a Hisuian Typhlosion¡¯s fur was purple. Not just that, but it had floppier ears and flames that came out like fading wisps.

    She took in every inch of the drawing, and Sam let her analyze it in silence. Her thin eyes were locked forward, and she let out the faintest of squeaks.

    ¡°Quil,¡± she said.

    Basically, she had no clue what to do.

    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Sam said, chuckling slightly before being interrupted by another yawn. ¡°There¡¯s not anything here that actually states how to become a Hisuian Typhlosion. I mean, all it says is ¡®evolve Quilava in ancient Hisui.¡¯ Time travel isn¡¯t a thing. We¡¯re going to need to figure out how to achieve it on our own.¡±

    At least we know it exists.

    Cyndaquil nodded and pushed forward to curl up against Sam¡¯s leg. He started to pet her while turning back to the section on her own species. He read through every detail, intending to find even the slightest of hints for their goal, but the more he read, the more the grimace grew on his face.

    ¡°I mean, it lists all your potentially learnable moves, but there¡¯s only a single Ghost Type move actually included. And it¡¯s Curse.¡±

    To put it lightly, that was a problem. If Cyndaquil was going to eventually evolve into a Ghost Type, Sam wanted her to familiarize herself with Ghost Type energy. Yet, the only move she could do that with was Curse, and the move behaved differently for Ghost Types and non-Ghost Types.

    When used by a Ghost, Curse sacrificed the user¡¯s health to lay a literal curse on the opponent that slowly ate at their vitality. When used by a non-Ghost, it instead sacrificed speed to increase physical power and defense.

    It was such a strange move that most people didn¡¯t even think of it as a Ghost Type move. Ask any expert about it, and they¡¯d say the move had an unknown Type.

    But Curse was their only lead, so Sam had to chase it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to get started on this. Usually, Curse is either an Egg Move or a TM move, so unless we spend a bunch of money to buy you a TM or we figure out you secretly knew it all along, we¡¯re going to have to spend a lot of time training to get you to learn it.¡±

    Learning moves Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t learn through passive training was possible, it just took a lot of extra practice. Egg moves and TM moves weren¡¯t exclusive to what they were named after, they were just so difficult to figure out otherwise that people were more than willing to dump insane amounts of cash to skip that practice.

    ¡°Then...¡± Sam hummed in thought. ¡°I guess we should start trying to figure out how to get you to channel and manipulate Ghost Type energy? I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know any other way to help. Until I actually manage to catch a Ghost Type¡ª¡±

    Cyndaquil put a paw on Sam¡¯s arm to tell him that it was okay.

    Without anything else to talk about, it was just about time to start properly waking up. Ever since Sam started training a month ago, his morning routine became a lot more intensive than before. Instead of immediately getting dressed and stepping out for food, he now worked with Cyndaquil to stretch to warm up for the day. It was light and just something to get their blood pumping, but it was enough to serve the same purpose that a cup of coffee might have had. Of course, once Sam caught a more incorporeal team member, this habit would need to change. As for now, both he and Cyndaquil were rooted firmly enough in the physical that stretching helped enough.

    By the end of these exercises, shuffling noises became audible from deeper into the house. Sam made sure he was washed up and dressed before he walked out with Cyndaquil. There, he was met with a sleepy-looking Redi holding Teddiursa in her lap. Her grey-haired aunt was making breakfast.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± Redi¡¯s aunt cheerfully said. ¡°Did you sleep well? My apologies for not getting the room more set up. I didn¡¯t expect Redi yesterday, and I didn¡¯t expect that she would invite a... friend?¡±

    Sam held back a wince. Redi¡¯s aunt was maintaining a kind smile, but he could tell she had been a little caught off guard by her two guests. Redi, however, was shameless. She had no reaction in the slightest, but that could have also been due to still being half-asleep in her seat.

    ¡°I slept fine,¡± Sam said, politely bowing his head in thanks. ¡°Thank you for lending me your guest room.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was no problem, no problem at all!¡± she said, smiling and waving him off. ¡°The pancakes will be ready in a few minutes. Feel free to indulge in as many as you want. It¡¯s always nice to have family around.¡±

    She turned and began to hum as she returned to cooking, and Sam sat down across from Redi. The girl yawned and rubbed her eyes. Her Teddiursa mimicked her actions in her lap.

    ¡°Mornin¡¯,¡± Redi mumbled.

    ¡°Good morning?¡± Sam offered.

    She blinked as if not expecting Sam, and after rubbing her eyes again, a smug grin returned to her face.

    ¡°So... You took me up on my offer, huh?¡±

    She looked properly awake now.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°We had this conversation last night,¡± he groaned. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anywhere else to go.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because of the tournament!¡± Somehow, her grin deepened. ¡°You signed up, right? Are you going to compete?¡±

    ¡°I signed up yesterday. And you?¡±

    She kicked her feet back and forth in her chair, and her eyes seemed to gaze dreamily into the distance.

    ¡°I still need to sign up, but of course I¡¯m going to compete. I mean, have you seen the prizes? Wads of cash. A bunch of TMs! Rumors say that Professor Elm¡ªhe¡¯s Johto¡¯s most famous Pok¨¦mon Professor, by the way¡ªhas donated an actual Pok¨¦mon Egg for the winner! Those are crazy rare!¡±

    Sam nodded along, but he perked up when he heard Redi mention TMs.

    ¡°TMs? Do you know what kind?¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°Dunno. They could be pre-set or some you can choose. Either way, you could probably trade them with other trainers to get the moves you want.¡±

    Sam knew he wanted to compete in the tournament, but now he really wanted to win.

    If we can place high enough to earn a TM, we might be able to figure out Curse sooner rather than later.

    ¡°But what are your plans today, anyway? Want to go with me while I sign up?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°I...¡± Sam sighed. ¡°I need to figure out a way to earn more cash, first.¡±

    For some reason, Redi¡¯s smile became brighter yet again. She replied right away.

    ¡°Great! So you¡¯ll be coming with me to the Pok¨¦mon Center, after all! Pok¨¦mon Centers are amazing; they always have job boards advertising work listings specifically for Pok¨¦mon Trainers. Those usually involve either some kind of manual labor or fighting against a wild Pok¨¦mon, but it¡¯s way more consistent to earn money through them than by betting on a match with another trainer.¡±

    She then nodded her head and rubbed her chin, closing her eyes as if this was a serious matter.

    ¡°You know, my family puts them up all the time back in Vermillion. I haven¡¯t really done any myself, but you¡¯d be surprised just how helpful it is to get a Pok¨¦mon Trainer to help out with work.¡±

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon Jobs, huh?¡± Sam mumbled.

    Could solve multiple problems at once. Money, experience, and maybe someone needs help with a Ghost Type I can catch?

    Redi¡¯s aunt came out carrying a tray of pancakes soon after, and conversation stopped in favor of shoving as much food as possible into their mouths. Teddiursa and Cyndaquil were required to eat on the floor, however. While different from how Sam¡¯s family usually did it, each of them still got a hearty helping of sliced Oran berries each.

    Once the food was devoured, Redi left the room so she could get ready to head out. As a result, Sam was left alone with her aunt, but he at least had enough experience ringing up customers in his mom¡¯s shop to know how to be polite despite the awkwardness of the situation.

    ¡°So, sweetie, how did you meet Meredith, anyway?¡± her aunt asked, calmly eating her own breakfast at the same table.

    Sam cocked his head to the side.

    ¡°Um, Meredith?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ah. Oops. She tends to go by Redi nowadays, but she¡¯ll always be little Meredith to me,¡± the old woman replied.

    Sam hummed, pretending to be cheerful while also desperately trying to figure out a polite way to reply.

    ¡°I met her on the boat over,¡± he said.

    ¡°Did you talk a lot?¡±

    ¡°I mean, we fought and then she offered to give me a place when she found out I failed to make plans?¡±

    Redi¡¯s aunt smiled at that, despite how brief that description was.

    ¡°Redi¡¯s always been a kind girl. I¡¯m glad she made a friend.¡±

    A door slammed open a second later. Sam turned around in his chair. Charging into the room was Redi and Teddiursa, and they both stopped to pose with their fists held against their sides.

    ¡°Ready, Redi!¡± she shouted, although her face turned bright red when she remembered Sam was still here.

    ¡°To the Pok¨¦mon Center?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Um, yeah.¡± Redi cleared her throat. ¡°There should be one not too far away.¡±

    Sam thanked Redi¡¯s aunt one last time before heading out with Redi and their Pok¨¦mon. She made sure to hug her aunt before leaving, but she did try to hide the act from Sam.

    Heading down the road, Cyndaquil sat in Sam¡¯s hood like usual while Redi walked at their side. For a while, she held Teddiursa in her arms, but the little bear squirmed his way out to begin to scamper around to better look at the things that interested him.

    ¡°So how d¡¯you plan to win the tournament, anyway?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Trying to learn my plans?¡± Sam taunted.

    ¡°Psh. No, just making conversation,¡± Redi replied.

    Sam just shrugged.

    ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t thought too much about it yet. I want to train more with Cyndaquil first.¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡± Redi crossed her arms and nodded along sagely. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s okay, being in the process of making a plan is fine and all, but do you really think you¡¯ll be prepared to beat us?¡±

    She grinned challengingly. Nearby, Teddiursa stopped sniffing a flower to turn and flex his arms at Sam. Seeing that, Sam did his best to puff up his own chest confidently in exchange.

    ¡°I¡¯ll weaken you by inflicting a Burn,¡± he declared.

    ¡°No way! I told you on the boat, and I¡¯ll tell you here. Burn won¡¯t mean nothing if we¡¯re still able to punch Cyndaquil in the face!¡±

    On Sam¡¯s shoulder, Cyndaquil let out an indignant squeak, and Redi cackled with glee.

    (Although, for all that he liked spooky Ghost Type stories, Sam was still intimidated enough to take a step away.)

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t really care how we win,¡± Redi said, shrugging and answering her own question as she almost immediately calmed down. ¡°As long as we make money off the tournament, anything is fine with me.¡±

    Sam went quiet. Truth be told, he was a little embarrassed at how Redi had a stronger plan for her team than he did. It was basic, sure, but she knew she¡¯d focus on brute strength. As for him...

    What am I going to do?

    Brawly told him that running away after inflicting a burn wouldn¡¯t be enough. He had the New Pok¨¦dex, but his mother made it clear that he needed to learn how to apply it if he wanted to put it to use. He had no plan for his team outside of ¡°Ghost Types!¡± With the tournament so soon, he would not only need to spend all his free time training, but he¡¯d also need to figure out a strategy.

    ¡°I guess for me, all I know is that I want to catch Ghost Types,¡± Sam said. ¡°Once I have a bigger team, I¡¯ll figure something else out.¡±

    ¡°Sounds cool! Not a lot of people work with Ghost Types.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I like them.¡±

    Redi purposely elbowed Sam¡¯s arm in a friendly manner. It kind of hurt.

    ¡°Good for you!¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna limit myself to just Teddiursa for now. Training costs money, so I¡¯m keeping my team small.¡±

    They reached a Pok¨¦mon Center a few minutes later. This wasn¡¯t the same one Sam had visited when he first arrived, but it was still a true Pok¨¦mon Center within Olivine City. It was located at the edge of town, intending to service the people who didn¡¯t live downtown, as only one Pok¨¦mon Center couldn¡¯t cut it for a population this large. While the one Sam had visited was the main one, this one was an offshoot branch. However, when he stepped inside, it was almost just as full.

    Redi pushed through the crowds to join the line waiting for a turn at the counter, and Sam headed to the back, to get a turn on a video phone. It was too early in the day to contact his mother, so he just ended up sending a message to her to schedule a call for when she was free.

    Once that was taken care of, he then headed to the side of the room, where a cork board hung on a wall. There, a few papers posted to it listed out notices for trainer assistance¡ªthe Pok¨¦mon Jobs Redi had mentioned¡ªbut everything here was far too difficult for Sam to even think about taking on.

    A wild Gyarados needs to be beaten back? A herd of Tauros need to be corralled? Ugh, fetch medicine from Cianwood? These are way above my level, but that pay is crazy! Man, once we get stronger...

    Sam grinned. Turned out, strength and wealth went pretty hand-in-hand.

    Despite the lack of jobs posted, there were several other trainers standing around nearby. All of them were staring at the empty board, but it was more than that. They almost looked like they were waiting.

    Carefully, Sam joined them, thinking that something was going on. There was an edge to the air around them. All of these people were poised to jump.

    He found out why only a few minutes later; a Chansey walked out of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s back room carrying a thick stack of papers. The egg-shaped Pok¨¦mon waddled up to the board, and Sam realized those notices it held promised new jobs.

    Everyone seemed to turn into a hunter stalking its prey as the Chansey grabbed the corkboard and took it down. Slowly, one-by-one, the Pok¨¦mon pushed pins in to attach the papers to the board. Sam did his best to see what was being offered, but more and more people started to crowd around to lie in wait, which blocked his view.

    Just need to be quick. Have to grab the right job.

    Once it finished putting everything up, the Chansey paused, glanced around, and then it smiled and put the board back up onto the wall.

    ¡°Chansey!¡± it said, and it¡¯s cry was like a gunshot to start the race.

    All the waiting trainers charged forward. Sam found himself included in that flood.

    A Zubat nest to be cleared!

    A red-haired trainer snatched that one up.

    Redirect Skiploom herd!

    A buff man tore the paper off the wall.

    Gloom perfume testing!

    Pollution-Pok¨¦mon garbage collection!

    More and more people reached out and tore papers away. Sam had to squeeze to see what was listed, but it seemed that every job was being claimed.

    Hindered by the crowd, Sam could barely see what was on the board. Bold text stood out to him in one moment only to go missing a second later.

    Except, almost half-hidden behind another sheet of paper, one job stood out. It paid so little that everyone else paid it no mind, but it was perfect for him! He lunged, practically screaming as he pushed through the crowd. His hand grabbed onto the edge of the paper, and with a tug, it tore free of the pin keeping it in place.

    I... I got one! I got a job!

    He grinned and took a step back from the crowd.

    Overall, it was like a feeding school of fish. The mass of trainers swelled around the boards before all the jobs were claimed, where they grumbled and walked away. Behind them, only scraps of paper and the highest level of jobs remained.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I waited,¡± Sam mumbled.

    He moved to get in line to report which job he had taken to the local nurse. It wouldn¡¯t pay much, only twenty bucks, but as he looked over the sheet, he knew it held potential in a different matter.

    I can¡¯t wait.

    Submitting his acceptance only took showing the sheet and handing over his fresh trainer ID. The nurse smiled and recorded the job as his within the system. Satisfied, he stepped outside, and Redi joined him right as he passed through the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s front, glass doors.

    ¡°Sam! Managed to get a job?¡± Redi said. She proudly held up a brand new trainer ID, as if to brag.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. He quickly reread the job notice one more time just to make sure. ¡°It¡¯s not a lot of pay, but I think it might lead me to a new capture.¡±

    ¡°Oooh! What Ghost Type?¡±

    ¡°Not a Ghost Type. It¡¯s even better: a Fighting Type! Specifically, I have to deal with a wild Mankey!¡±

    Redi¡¯s face scrunched up in confusion as he handed over the paper to let her read it over. She glanced between the listing and Sam himself, her bafflement growing the more she read the bolded job listing. Yet, even with her confusion, Sam could only smile.

    A wild Mankey is stealing from fruit stalls? Sure, I¡¯ll scare it off. But, by scare it off, I mean I¡¯ll catch it! And once it¡¯s caught, I¡¯ll have a new Ghost Type to add to the team!

    No one in Indigo knew the potential a single Mankey held. They were physically strong but somewhat fragile Fighting Types, yet all of that changed when they reached their true final form.

    It wasn¡¯t Primeape; it was a step beyond.

    Annihilape.

    A Pok¨¦mon so in control of its own rage that it transcends its pure Fighting Type to become dual Fighting and Ghost. Even better, unlike Hisuian Typhlosion, Sam actually knew how to achieve that evolution, too.

    So, with this opportunity presented before him, there was no way he was going to pass it up.

 Chapter 13

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. You just told me you wanted to catch a Ghost Type,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Yeah, but this counts, too.¡±

    ¡°How? Mankey evolves into Primeape, and that¡¯s a Fighting Type!¡±

    Sam left the answer unsaid. Clearly, Redi didn¡¯t have access to a Pok¨¦dex as advanced as his. Most people thought the only Ghost Types in Kanto were the Gastly line and Misdreavus, but there was actually one more; they just weren¡¯t aware of the evolution.

    Sure, this would have been different in the far-off region of Paldea, but Sam only ever saw the faintest of references to that place, and only ever in rare texts. Annihilape was completely unknown here, and Sam wanted to be the first trainer to use one on their team.

    If I can manage to catch this, I can¡¯t even imagine what the future response to my team will be like.

    Hisuian Typhlosion? Annihilape? People won¡¯t just be shocked at those evolutions, they won¡¯t know how to counter them, either!

    Sam already found himself cackling at the idea. Being able to catch people off guard like that was the whole reason he wanted to make use of that book. With how much more information he had at his disposal, his final team would be that much stronger than every other Ghost Type specialist in the region.

    ¡°No, really, why are you catching a Mankey?¡± Redi asked flatly.

    ¡°Physical attackers are important. Cyndaquil focuses on special moves. Catching a Mankey rounds off my team, and a Fighting Type will help counter any Normal Types, as they¡¯re otherwise immune to ghosts,¡± he half-lied.

    Redi said, ¡°huh,¡± and continued to walk in silence.

    Sam had been worried about his overall team strategy before, but having Mankey fill a needed role like this was a start to putting together the pieces.

    The job listing Sam held in his hand led him to a street not that far from Olivine¡¯s docks. Colorful market stalls lined its sides, and each one sold fresh produce, rare items, or custom arts and crafts. There were Oran Berries, Sitrus Berries, and a few evolutionary stones. There were even people selling furniture that they advertised were ¡°perfect for a secret base!¡±

    The primary purpose of this market, however, was to sell those berries. The northern route between Olivine City and Ecruteak City had a lot of farms and ranches, and the goods here were part of their usual profits.

    Sam followed the job sheet¡¯s directions to reach a specific stall filled with berries and fruits. There, a scowling woman wearing a green apron wielded a broom while sitting underneath her stall¡¯s cloth overhang.

    She spoke before Sam could say anything.

    ¡°You here to take care of it?¡± she said tersely.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam replied, caught off guard by the harsh tone of her voice. ¡°You wanted me to get rid of that Mankey, right?¡±

    Her response came in the form of her spitting on the ground and the scowl on her face deepening.

    ¡°I don¡¯t just want you to get rid of it, I want you to make it suffer. It¡¯s stolen too much! It deserves to hurt for everything that it¡¯s done.¡±

    Sam unconsciously took a step back. Redi looked unimpressed.

    ¡°Man, talk about having a stick up your butt,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the woman said.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just one Pok¨¦mon? How much could it have actually done?¡±

    The shop owner glared at Redi, and the heat of the gaze made her be the one to take a step back this time around.

    ¡°How much could it have done? How much could it have done?¡± the woman shouted. ¡°That pest has stolen half of my produce, destroyed my crates, left refuse all over anything it leaves behind, and as a Mankey, the noises it makes hurt my ears! Do you even know how much one berry costs?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡± Redi offered.

    ¡°Ten dollars for a decent-sized Oran Berry. More for berries that can cure status conditions. Don¡¯t even get me started on how much Sitrus berries cost. And this thing is constantly shoveling them all into its gullet!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how long it¡¯ll take for the Mankey to show up?¡± Sam asked, interrupting the woman¡¯s rant.

    ¡°Not long. Not long at all. It comes and goes. Comes and goes... So often, it comes by just to taunt¡ª¡±

    A grunt. The woman narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± she hissed.

    Eyes darting around, she clenched her broom even tighter than before. Sam and Redi both went on guard, and Sam quietly had Cyndaquil leave his hood to stand on the edge of the woman¡¯s stall.

    It was silent. Mostly. The sounds of the market around them still continued. But within this specific vendor space, no one made a noise. Until, a thump. Then, a shadow appeared on the striped cloth that protected the area from the sun.

    ¡°There it is! Get it! And I don''t care about property damage if you get it gone!¡± the woman shouted.

    Sam took that as explicit permission and called for a move that had the potential to set everything on fire.

    ¡°Ember!¡±

    Flames sparked from Cyndaquil''s back as she opened her mouth and sent dozens of burning globs into the air. They struck the cloth overhang and burned through as whatever creature was on top hooted and hollered in surprise.

    The Ember chased it as it rushed towards the edge of the cloth. Through the holes Cyndaquil¡¯s move made, Sam caught the sight of coarse, whitish fur and thin limbs.

    When the shadow reached the side of the overhang, a brown hand grabbed the edge of the cloth. Using that handhold, it swung around to land right within the displayed fruit.

    It was definitely a Mankey, with a rounded body and two legs and arms. A thin tail extended out of the base of its back, and it had a pig-like snout underneath its red eyes.

    It screeched, and the vendor owner let out a battle cry. She swung the broom down, but the Mankey hopped back. All she ended up doing was crush her own fruit and send juice spraying everywhere.

    ¡°Man! Key! Man! Key!¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Mankey were a species that were known for their impressive rage, but in this case, it didn¡¯t seem angry. It instead just seemed to be enjoying the situation.

    It taunted the woman, laughing as it did. She repeatedly swung her broom at it, and the violent motions prevented Sam from sending Cyndaquil in to attack.

    ¡°Attack it!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°I can¡¯t! You¡¯re in the way!¡±

    ¡°Stop! Being! So! Useless!¡±

    She swung a few more times before pulling back, and then Sam was finally able to call for a Tackle.

    Cyndaquil lunged, and Mankey finally locked its eyes onto her. Its mouth was hidden by the fur covering its face, but the way its eyes curved up told Sam it had a mocking smile.

    Just like what it had done against the woman, it jumped. This time, it hopped right over where Cyndaquil lunged to land behind her, but rather than attack, it started to pick as much as it could up.

    Its hands grabbed as many berries as they could hold. Its tail wrapped around a nice, juicy Sitrus Berry. Sam shouted for another Tackle the same moment the woman swung her broom again.

    Mankey leaped. Cyndaquil was bonked on the head. The primate used its feet to hang from the roof while laughing, then it swung away to start hopping between the other market stall covers in an attempt to flee.

    ¡°You better chase it, boy!¡± the shop owner shouted.

    Sam grabbed Cyndaquil¡ªthey would be faster if he was the one running¡ªand did exactly as said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just be here!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°Good luck with the Mankey!¡±

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll be back!¡±

    She and Teddiursa stayed behind as Sam dashed after the fleeing Fighting Type.

    If it was a month ago, Sam wouldn''t have been able to keep up. Mankey used the agility inherent of a primate to jump from stall to stall, and then from building to building. Before too long, Sam was panting, running down a street rather than the market itself, but Mankey kept going, not even bothering to check what was behind.

    Thankfully, it was easy to track as it generally followed the same path as the road, but the stamina of a Fighting Type was far more than what Sam had. He could barely breathe with how much he had to run. The distance between them kept growing, except¡ª

    I refuse to fall behind! I¡¯m catching that Mankey no matter what!

    Sam had already decided this Mankey would be joining his team. Sure, it was a bit rude, but the agility it had shown off was incredibly impressive.

    Block after block, Sam ran after it. It slowly became nothing more than a white blur on the horizon. Yet, even as he slowed, he finally caught sight of the exact scene he wanted; the Mankey stopped on top of a two-story house at the edge of town and slipped through a window on its upper floor.

    Seeing that, Sam slowed to a jog and eventually stopped, struggling to catch his breath. It was like there was a cinderblock attached to his chest, and he found a fence to lean on to recover. While his legs were burning, he had still done it.

    While it took everything out of him, Sam had somehow chased Mankey all the way to where it was staying.

    ¡°Just a...¡± He breathed in. ¡°Just a minute, Cyndaquil. We¡¯ll go inside once I¡¯m able to walk again.¡±

    He set her on the ground, and she nudged at his leg, worried. He did his best to give her a smile, but it honestly took several minutes before he could properly recover.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said once capable again. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. Mankey is inside of that house. We can¡¯t scare it off. Instead, we have to beat it so I can catch it in a Pok¨¦ball.¡±

    The house it had entered looked abandoned. The foliage around it was overgrown, its faint-blue paint was peeling, and most of its windows had been covered with boards.

    Cyndaquil was doing her best to stand tall. The sight of the old building reminded Sam of that one Dewford mansion.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he said.

    She nodded, doing her best to not shiver.

    Together, they walked up to the front door, where a broken lock hung on the handle of the front, sliding door.

    Ominous.

    Heading inside, the interior was yellowed from age, and a few spiderwebs sat here and there. From the ceiling, Sam thought he saw something move, but it wasn''t the Mankey. It was a green Spinarak that looked deep purple in the darkness.

    ¡°Cyndaquil,¡± he said.

    At his acknowledgement, Cyndaquil let the flames on her back flare. The wild Spinarak didn¡¯t approach further, warded off by the Type it was weak to.

    ¡°I saw Mankey enter a window upstairs. It''s probably in the attic,¡± Sam said.

    He briefly checked to make sure Cyndaquil was okay¡ªshe was¡ªand he sent one last cautious glance to the Spinarak. Satisfied everything was going well, Sam moved to find a route upstairs.

    While this place had a second floor, it was clear no other Pok¨¦mon had made its home here. There was nothing around to leave signs of life, and Sam was once again reminded of that mansion.

    This place is a lot smaller, though.

    A string hung from the ceiling in the corner. Sam recognized it as a way to pull down the ladder to the attic. It creaked when he pulled, and dust clouded the air.

    He coughed. The dust drifted to the ground.

    ¡°Be careful. Stay on guard.¡±

    Sam picked up Cyndaquil to give her an easier time of heading in first. He followed her immediately after, properly entering the attic. Here, the rafters of the building were exposed, and a few empty cardboard boxes were spread out on their sides. There weren¡¯t any pieces of furniture in here like Sam¡¯s own attic room, and while he didn¡¯t see the Mankey, he did at least see the mess it had made.

    Pieces of cardboard from torn-up boxes littered the floor, with those and scraps of cloth pushed together to make some sort of bed in the corner. Cores of fruits and miscellaneous seeds were thrown all around onto the ground. On one side of the room, there was a pile of berries obviously stolen from the vendor. Not just that, but there were also a few Pok¨¦dolls¡ªstuffed toys that resembled Clefairy¡ªscattered around as well.

    One thing that suddenly stood out to Sam was the fact no other Mankey were here.

    That¡¯s strange. I could have sworn Mankey traveled in packs.

    Cyndaquil let her flames burn to illuminate the room. The windows were opened, but the light they provided only reached so far in. This time around, Sam didn¡¯t need to retrieve his flashlight, because all of his and Cyndaquil¡¯s practice together had meant she built up her stamina. She could actually maintain her flames for a few minutes without needing to use any moves.

    Without any excess movement, Sam started to make his way deeper in. He stayed on high alert, constantly looking around, but the eventual encounter didn¡¯t come from his side. It came from directly above him.

    A howl.

    A screech.

    Sam froze only for something wet and squishy to hit his face.

    He gagged almost immediately and bent to hurriedly try to get it off. A half-chewed piece of berry slid onto the ground. It left an uncomfortable residue behind.

    ¡°Man! Key! Man! Key!¡±

    The Mankey laughed, revealing itself to have hidden behind a thick support beam. Sam scowled and only barely managed to stop himself from calling for an Ember.

    Don¡¯t want to burn this place down.

    Thankfully, though, the Mankey seemed willing to take this challenge on. It hopped down to land on the attic floor across from Cyndaquil, and it laced its fingers together to crack them, implying that this would be an easy match.

    ¡°Yeah? You¡¯ll realize your mistake before long,¡± Sam said, a growl to his voice. Pointing forward to start the battle the right way, he shouted for Cyndaquil to attack first.

    ¡°Tackle!¡±

    Cyndaquil charged, and Mankey snickered. Just like what had happened at the fruit stall, it jumped to hop over her attack.

    ¡°Turn and Smokescreen! Right into its face!¡±

    The Fighting Type seemed more intent on playing around with Cyndaquil rather than unleashing attacks of its own. Because of that, it wasn¡¯t ready for when Cyndaquil¡¯s flames flared and she coughed a puff of smoke into its face.

    It screeched in surprise and coughed from the sudden move. This wasn¡¯t a cloud, just a small puff, but it was good enough to create a hindering effect.

    Glad that worked.

    Though an untested strategy, the impromptu Smokescreen was enough to make an opening for Cyndaquil. Sam hurriedly shouted for Ember, and she fired the attack at the Mankey, which was trying to rub the irritants off of its face.

    The move struck, knocking Mankey to the ground. Blackened marks appeared on its fur from where the attack hit.

    ¡°Now, Tackle!¡± Sam shouted.

    The Mankey looked enraged.

    This time, when Cyndaquil charged, it didn¡¯t jump. It stuck its leg out for a Low Kick that made her trip.

    With Cyndaquil having fallen to the ground, Mankey bared its hands to use Scratch at her back. She cried out from the damage, but Sam had an idea.

    ¡°Flare your back!¡± he shouted.

    After all, he had personally experienced the heat of her fire when he picked her up in Granite Cave.

    Just like Sam ordered, Cyndaquil let her flames come out at full blast, and Mankey recoiled as the heat burned through its Scratch.

    ¡°It¡¯s weakened. Let¡¯s finish it off! Create an opening, and use Leer!¡±

    Using its primate agility, Mankey leaped through the air to come at Cyndaquil from above. However, its eyes widened and all aggression was lost when a sudden withering glare came out towards Mankey. Instead of letting it land a powerful attack, its leap only served to deliver it right to where Cyndaquil was waiting.

    Her head slammed into it right under its mouth.

    Mankey cried out.

    When it hit the floor, it briefly rolled around in pain before coming to a stop. Motionless, it was clear that Mankey had been rendered unable to battle.

    ¡°Great. And now for the final blow,¡± Sam said.

    Instead of ordering for one last move, Sam reached into his pack to pull out a Pok¨¦ball¡ªthe same Pok¨¦ball he had brought to catch a Ghost Type in the mansion¡ªand he threw it forward to let it smack Mankey on the face.

    It grunted from the impact, but then the ball opened up. Red light consumed the Fighting Type to bring it into the ball.

    With a clunk, it landed on the floor and shook as the Mankey tried to escape.

    One shake.

    Two shakes.

    Sam held his breath.

    In the end, the battle with Cyndaquil had tired it out enough that after the third shake, Mankey settled down, and the Pok¨¦ball clicked.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sam practically roared his cheer. ¡°We did it, Cyndaquil! We actually caught a Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    She weakly raised a paw. Seeing that, Sam rushed to pull out his sole Potion from his back. She sighed in relief as the spray immediately began healing her wounds.

    ¡°You did absolutely incredible. You¡¯re showing great flexibility with your limited moveset. Ember was kept constrained without burning the floor, Smokescreen came out faster than ever, and your Leer? Oh, your Leer! Now that¡¯s a move we¡¯ll be able to rely on for a long time.¡±

    Embarrassed, she scratched at her cheek as Sam affectionately rubbed her head. Once he made sure she was taken care of, he went over and picked up the Pok¨¦ball that contained Mankey.

    This was Sam¡¯s first capture. It represented a powerful future if he actually managed to get it to evolve. While not a Ghost Type, it still filled a gap on his team. He just needed to figure out a way to train it, first.

    Plus, we need to take on some more jobs to ensure I can afford food, and that¡¯s going to be a problem with all the competition. Before that, we probably need to head to the Pok¨¦mon Center for healing, first. Then I can try to convince Mankey to actually stay and work with us.

    But, uh, I should probably inform the lady who hired me. I actually want to be paid for this job.

    Sam smiled at Cyndaquil and scooped her up. Placing her in his hood to rest, he headed back downstairs, still avoiding that Spinarak, and left to report a job well done.

    <hr>

    According to the stall owner, there was a difference between getting rid of Mankey and capturing it with the promise of a new life. It took a lot of arguing on both Sam and Redi¡¯s parts, but in the end, he still got paid.

 Chapter 14

    Sam rushed back to the Pok¨¦mon Center and passed over Mankey for healing. He then went to a free video phone to finally call his mother. However, the second the line connected, he didn¡¯t see his mom. Instead, the screen flashed to a close-up shot of gemstone eyes and a sharp-toothed grin.

    He screamed.

    Sam fell off his stool. Cyndaquil was thrown into the air from his flailing. His butt hit the ground, hard, and the Sableye on the monitor cackled at his pain.

    ¡°You,¡± Sam hissed.

    The very same Sableye that had tricked him back in Granite Cave pulled away from the camera.

    ¡°Oh, stop scaring him. You know he didn¡¯t deserve that,¡± the voice of Sam¡¯s mother said.

    When Sam managed to climb back up to his seat, he saw the last thing he expected to see; his mother sitting calmly within the Dewford Pok¨¦mon Center while Delcatty sat in her lap and while Sableye crouched on a short desk in front of her.

    To put it lightly, Sam was flabbergasted.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said.

    ¡°Well, turns out we¡¯ve had a bit of a stalker problem in the past month,¡± she said, chuckling. ¡°Sableye here followed you out of the cave, with the two of us none the wiser. I had no idea he was there until you were gone¡ªthe shop felt so empty that all the little things he was trying to do to scare us actually stood out for once!¡±

    ¡°What,¡± Sam replied flatly.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± His mother closed her eyes and nodded sagely. ¡°Anyway, once I figured out something was afoot, all it took was a teensy-weensy bit of effort on Delcatty¡¯s part to find out that this one was there. After, I figured with you gone, I wouldn¡¯t mind the extra help, so we... convinced Sableye to stick around.¡±

    His mother spoke in a cheerful tone, as if what she was describing wasn¡¯t absolutely insane. The Ghost Type on the counter next to her shivered, and Delcatty¡¯s thin tail whipped out to hit Sableye on the arm, as if in reminder.

    To be clear, without doing anything special, Delcatty¡¯s tail hit Sableye on the arm. Given that Sableye was a Ghost Type, the basic attack shouldn¡¯t have landed in the first place. It was as if Sableye let it happen because it knew that if it didn¡¯t, whatever else Delcatty did would be worse.

    ¡°He¡¯s actually pretty cheap, too,¡± his mom continued, nonchalantly. ¡°Quartz costs less than berries. I¡¯ve been saving money on meals.¡±

    ¡°I... Uh...¡±

    Sableye grinned at Sam. The expression on its face had not changed, but it somehow looked more smug than before. In a way, its new life with Sam¡¯s mother was almost like a trade. Sableye would get easy meals, and all it had to do was ¡°volunteer¡± at the bookstore.

    ...But then again, Sableye had been the one to lure Sam into an extremely dangerous situation. He had a feeling that his mother wouldn''t let that go scot-free.

    ¡°So you made it to Olivine! How is everything there?¡±

    Sam was more than willing to move on, and he began to excitedly explain everything that had happened. He talked about encountering Xavier on the ship, meeting Redi and her offer of a place to stay, signing up for a surprise tournament and his acquisition of a proper trainer ID, and then most recently¡ª

    ¡°I managed to catch my first Pok¨¦mon! It¡¯s a Mankey¡ªnot a Ghost Type, but, well, eventually, you know?¡± He coughed into his hand, and his mother seemed to be able to put two-and-two together. ¡°Do you have any advice?¡±

    She hummed. Absent-mindedly, she pet Delcatty in her lap.

    ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve properly caught a Pok¨¦mon,¡± she said, not even blinking at the Sableye sitting in front of her. ¡°I think it¡¯s important to remember that just because you caught Mankey, Mankey isn¡¯t fully on your team.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Pok¨¦balls catch Pok¨¦mon, but they don¡¯t forcefully befriend Pok¨¦mon,¡± his mother explained. ¡°Even Luxury Balls, which are said to promote friendship, only manage to do that by being luxuriously comfortable. Pok¨¦balls don¡¯t stop Pok¨¦mon from running away when you aren¡¯t looking, and Pok¨¦mon Centers run wellness checks to make sure Pok¨¦mon actually like being with their trainers. You need to give Mankey a proper reason to be on your team, otherwise, it might want to run away.

    ¡°So, maybe talk to it and bring up the idea of food, company, a safe way to get stronger...¡±

    She trailed off, implying that Sam would need to figure out a convincing argument on his own.

    ¡°I get it. Thank you Mom,¡± he said.

    ¡°No problem, sweetie! Just remember, everyone here loves you! The same to you too, Cyndaquil! I can tell you¡¯re getting strong!¡± she said.

    Cyndaquil squeaked fondly, and his mother smiled back.

    ¡°I love you, too,¡± Sam said, though he did try to send Sableye a side-eye through the screen. ¡°For now, I think I need to go. Nurse Joy has just about finished healing up Mankey.¡±

    One last exchange of goodbyes with his mom later, and Sam hung up the phone and stepped away. These public video phones didn¡¯t have much in the way of privacy, only plastic dividers to keep them separate from one another. So, when Sam turned around, he jumped when he saw someone had listened in.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Redi stood there, making kissy faces at him. He groaned and moved past her, pretending not to have seen.

    ¡°Come on, Cyndaquil. We have a potential new team member to go pick up,¡± he said.

    Redi lingered nearby, regardless.

    Given that Mankey was Sam¡¯s first real capture, the nurse gave Sam a speech not too dissimilar to what his mother had just told him. One-and-done captures weren¡¯t a thing. The relationship between Pok¨¦mon and trainer was crucial.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t stop there. She went on to praise Professor Oak, even going as far as to recommend some of his books. Sam hid it, but he purposefully ignored her. While those relationships were the core of Professor Oak¡¯s research, he wasn¡¯t a fan of the man considering that the invention of the electronic Pok¨¦dex was hurting his mother¡¯s business.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll keep what you said in mind,¡± Sam lied.

    ¡°I hope so. You better treat Mankey properly,¡± came the nurse¡¯s reply.

    Sam nodded at her once before skipping off to a side glass door. It opened up automatically to let Sam step out into the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s back, where several basic battlefields were set up. There were three of them total out here, with two of them occupied by battles actively taking place. The last was shared by a few sets of trainers practicing with their teams, with plenty of empty space for Sam to claim and train in.

    ¡°Alright, Cyndaquil. Let¡¯s give a warm welcome to Mankey.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll help!¡± Redi added from behind Sam.

    Sam sent her a glance only to see her grinning with Teddiursa puffed up at her side. He shook his head, a little amused at the reaction. Honestly, he was excited, too.

    Tossing forward the Pok¨¦ball, the two halves of the device opened up to let red light pour out onto the battlefield floor. There, it coalesced into the form of Mankey. The Pok¨¦mon stretched its arms, as if just waking up from a nap, before freezing when it noticed Sam standing so close nearby.

    ¡°Hello!¡± Sam said cheerfully.

    Mankey immediately jumped back and drew up its hands, preparing to strike if pressed.

    ¡°Wait, wait! We¡¯re not going to fight you! I know we battled, but I captured you and took you to a Pok¨¦mon Center for a reason!¡± Sam said.

    Looking over the Fighting Type, it was in much better shape than before. The spots where Cyndaquil attacked were healed, with the nurse going as far as to clean lingering soot off its fur. Not just that, but Mankey looked to have been washed, too. Its hair was less coarse and significantly more fluffy. In fact, it had gone from a slight tan color to a color that was mostly white.

    I¡¯ll need to start buying shampoo, Sam thought, making a mental note.

    (As a Fire Type, Cyndaquil was averse to water. She instead burned any dirt off of her, so all Sam had to do was brush her short fur to keep her in good shape.)

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be upfront with you: I want you to properly join my team,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re new at this, but you know from experience that we can fight. Cyndaquil and I have dreams to become some of the strongest trainers around, and we want you to join us.¡±

    Mankey snorted, its pig-nose twitching. After all, practically every trainer had that dream.

    Sam sighed and rubbed his head. Even though he hadn¡¯t convinced it, Mankey had at least lowered its hands and stopped behaving so aggressively. He took a look around to see that all the other trainers here were too occupied with their own teams to pay any attention to them. As for Redi, she was patiently yet excitedly waiting off to the side, ready to jump in whenever Sam would let her.

    He wanted, no, needed Mankey to stay on his team. It had already demonstrated incredible agility, and with enough work together, it could become a powerful Annihilape.

    Time to pull out the big guns, then.

    ¡°Come on. I think I have a way to convince you. It¡¯s involves a secret about our training, so Redi¡ª¡±

    ¡°A secret? Can¡¯t I come?¡±

    She looked up at him with the biggest puppy-dog eyes she could muster. To make matters worse, Teddiursa mimicked her to look even more incredibly cute at her side.

    Sam immediately flinched back, weak to this devastating blow.

    ¡°I... Sorry! But it¡¯s an advantage I don¡¯t want others to have. Every trainer has to have their secrets, yeah?¡± he quickly replied.

    Redi¡¯s look faded, and she made an exaggerated show of snapping her fingers as if she had just been caught.

    ¡°Aw man. Fine. But you¡¯ll eventually tell me, right?¡±

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ll eventually see the results if we can pull it off,¡± Sam said.

    She grinned at that and moved off to practice with Teddiursa. It looked like she was having her Pok¨¦mon almost shadow-box, except the little bear was just scratching at the air. She cheered him on while Sam split off, encouraging Mankey to follow him to have a conversation out of view, under a tree.

    From the way it was looking at him, Sam felt confident that all this talk about secrets caught its curiosity.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam started, kneeling down to better speak on-level with the Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Since I want you on the team, I¡¯m going to show you my trust by revealing a secret no one else knows.¡±

    He went ahead to take The New Pok¨¦dex out of his pack. Mankey crossed its arms and scoffed when it saw the secret was just a book.

    ¡°Now, hold on! Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover! This thing is incredible, and it¡¯s filled with tips no one else can learn.¡± He flipped to the entry on Mankey. ¡°For starters, did you know that you can have Anger Point as an ability? Most people think Mankey can only train Vital Spirit, which prevents you from being put to sleep, but Anger Point would let you maximize your physical attack whenever an opponent lands a critical blow.¡±

    The Fighting Type turned away, acting like it was unconvinced. But, the ears on its head remained pointed towards Sam.

    ¡°Hmm...¡± Sam hummed as if he had to search for more pertinent information, but he already knew exactly what to say. ¡°You know, this also lists a pretty extensive potential moveset. Cross Chop. Close Combat. Outrage. Bet you didn¡¯t know you could learn those moves, huh?¡±

    Mankey didn¡¯t shift in the slightest, continuing to pretend to be unimpressed. That changed when Sam snapped the book shut, the sound causing it to jump. When it thrust its fists down and stomped a foot unhappily, Sam just replied with a grin.

    ¡°You sure about that? What if I told you I wanted to assemble a team of Ghost Types?¡±

    The question was almost a non-sequitur, and it caught Mankey off guard enough that it paused where it was about to rage. It glanced at Cyndaquil. It glanced at the book. Then, it held up its own hands to look at them, and if suddenly putting the pieces together, it snapped its gaze to Sam.

    ¡°There¡¯s an evolution past Primeape,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°An evolution only I know. I wanted to catch you not just because of that, but because I saw your potential with how you could move. You have incredible agility and senses that I know we can hone together. And we¡¯ll have this book to guide us. With a bit of work, we can get you to evolve, and then once you¡¯re a Primeape...¡±

    Sam shook his head as if it were obvious, and then he held out his hand.

    ¡°I can make you strong, Mankey. What do you think about joining my team?¡±

    It hesitated for a second. It didn¡¯t grab Sam¡¯s hand right away. It seemed to stare at him, trying to take him in and gather his measure.

    ¡°Key,¡± it grunted.

    Sam glanced at Cyndaquil for translation.

    She held up a paw and wiggled it.

    So, Mankey is still a little unsure.

    Recognizing he just needed one more strike to finish it off, Sam opened up the book once more and flipped deep, deep in. Unfortunately, Mankey¡¯s final evolution wasn¡¯t listed with the rest of his evolutionary line, but it was instead included over nine-hundred entries in.

    But once he found it, he turned the book around to show Mankey what its true final form looked like. There, Annihilape was detailed, and Mankey went stiff with shock.

    A darkened body. Eyes locked into permanent rage. Hair that drifted off into ghostly wisps.

    Annihilape didn¡¯t just use its anger as a weapon; it was a species that absolutely mastered it.

    Mankey stared at the drawing for a long time, not looking at any specific detail, but memorizing it as a whole. It slowly lifted up a hand to cautiously touch the book, wanting to check that, yes, the book was real, but Sam¡¯s first instinct was to pull the book away. However, he was able to suppress that reaction to let Mankey touch it, demonstrating a level of trust.

    Its fingers hovered over the page before pressing down. It grunted slightly, as if shocked it could actually feel the paper, then dragged his hand down to reveal the drawing once again.

    It stared, motionless. For a second, Sam thought Mankey was about to back off in disbelief. But, it drew back its hand and clenched it into a fist.

    ¡°Man. Key,¡± it declared, eyes hard with determination.

    ¡°Great!¡±

    Sam grabbed that very hand and shook it up and down happily.

    ¡°Welcome to the team, Mankey!¡± he said excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll make you strong! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going to go places. All of us! We¡¯re going to be an undefeatable Ghost Type team!¡±

    Mankey was a little dazed, but it still nodded along. It made a few ¡°ook¡± noises that were much more cheerful than before.

    From there, with Mankey having properly joined, Sam went ahead to flip back to the actual entry on Mankey¡¯s species and read off as much information as he could. Mankey listened intently, taking in the vast potential that he detailed, yet Sam himself was already starting to put together a training plan in his head.

    After all, with two different team members, casual practice wasn¡¯t going to cut it. If he wanted to do well in the rapidly approaching tournament, Sam needed to put both time and serious effort into his life as a Pok¨¦mon trainer.

 Chapter 15

    Cyndaquil flared her flames, illuminating the alley with a flickering light. She said her name in challenge, and three Rattata exited a chewed-through hole in a dumpster to quickly surround her.

    ¡°Get ready, Mankey,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re jumping in if needed.¡±

    Sam was poised to jump. Mankey was already tensing his legs. Half the purpose of this fight was to give Cyndaquil a chance to try something on her own, but even though she was the one to insist on it, Sam couldn¡¯t help but to feel nervous for his friend.

    Her head flicked around as the three Rattata circled her. She was doing her best to keep an eye on all of them, but that was hard to do when they kept angling to get behind her. They snapped at her and bared their teeth. Outside of an occasional shift to keep an eye on them, Cyndaquil was utterly still, preparing with all of her focus.

    Then, a twitch.

    One of the Rattata lunged forward.

    Sam reacted right away. At the top of his lungs, he shouted, ¡°Now!¡±

    Fire exploded out from Cyndaquil¡¯s back. Flames licked up the sides of her mouth. The attacking Rattata skidded to a halt, intimidated by the sight of the rising flames.

    This wasn¡¯t Ember, but a new move altogether.

    As if preparing for a Tackle, Cyndaquil ducked her head down and then pushed forward off the ground. Except, she wasn¡¯t trying for a basic slam, she was trying to get her flames to completely surround her. Her body rolled forward as her back blazed bright, but as so much of her focus was being spent on her fire, the movement only came out as a sweltering somersault.

    Though still intimidating, it was nowhere near the outcome she wanted. For this to be an attack, Cyndaquil needed to roll at a speed equal to or faster than running, and she needed to let her flames completely encompass her form.

    Still, the fire put the three Rattata on guard, and they didn¡¯t lunge for an attack again, choosing to see what Cyndaquil would do next. Sam could feel the heat of her flames from where he was crouched several feet away, but seeing the disappointed expression on her face, he went ahead to give a signal to Mankey.

    ¡°You can help her now,¡± he said.

    Mankey screeched. The primate leaped forward. Excited at the chance for a fight, he jabbed with the side of his hands to land a Karate Chop against a Rattata that didn¡¯t turn to face him fast enough. The super-effective move was enough to convince it that sticking around would mean a losing fight, and it scampered away while squeaking for its two friends to follow.

    They did.

    Mankey slumped disappointedly, and Sam stood up, straining his ears. In the distance, he kept track of the faint sound of the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s panicked footsteps rushing down the street until they suddenly vanished with a splash. He took that as a sign that the trio had disappeared into the sewers, which was what he wanted to hear.

    ¡°Alright. So Flame Wheel¡¯s a no go for now,¡± he said.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s head drooped, and Sam walked over to pat and console her. Mankey gave her a thumbs up, but he looked a little annoyed there hadn¡¯t been more to a fight.

    ¡°I know that Pok¨¦mon grow in stressful situations, but man, my heart is pounding,¡± Sam said, trying to improve her mood. ¡°We¡¯ve only managed to get so much training in, but that was three Rattata! Sure we didn¡¯t directly beat them, but we scared them off, which means we¡¯ve achieved something that makes us scary.¡±

    He smiled at his Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil shook her head, a little exasperated as she recognized what Sam was doing. Still, it was working, as she was no longer as focused on her failure to learn a new move as before.

    ¡°Now, come on. This is about to earn us some money. Who wants to help me nail the board?¡±

    Mankey held up a plank as Sam hammered the nails to keep it in place. The hole that allowed the Rattata to live in the dumpster was properly sealed, completing the job Sam was hired to do. The Pok¨¦mart employee that hired Sam wouldn¡¯t need to worry every time he got close to the dumpster, and the plank was obvious enough that the employee would be able to see any teeth marks if the Rattata tried to return.

    A few minutes later, after collecting the payment from the apron-wearing man, Sam counted his new total sum. To his name, he had sixty bucks. That was down from a hundred thanks to the sheer cost of Pok¨¦mon food.

    Over the past few days, he had been purchasing supplies. After all, he refused to have a woman as kind as Redi¡¯s aunt spend her hard-earned money to feed Sam and his team. His Pok¨¦mon were his responsibility, not hers. Though, she did still cook. He was just the one to purchase and supply any ingredients.

    ¡°The Pok¨¦mon Center updates the job boards twice a day¡ªonce in the morning and once two hours past noon. We have a few hours to spare until the next update, so maybe we should squeeze in a bit more practice?¡± Sam asked.

    Mankey was in agreement. If there was anything Sam could tell from the monkey Pok¨¦mon, it was that Mankey absolutely wanted to become an Annihilape. Cyndaquil, though, she just let loose a chirping sigh from within Sam¡¯s hood. The failure to figure out Flame Wheel was still getting to her.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it in the future,¡± he said, trying to reassure her.

    Even with that declaration, Sam couldn¡¯t help but feel unsure how to continue his team¡¯s training. Repeatedly using moves to improve them helped, and so did the exercises that built up his team¡¯s bodies. Still, despite being a trainer, he was worried he wasn¡¯t doing anything specific enough to actually make a difference with his team. That was one of the reasons he had been so focused on doing jobs; Sam didn¡¯t just want to make money, but the battles and physical labor that came from the work helped vary his team¡¯s practice.

    However, while the small flow of income was nice, Olivine was simply too crowded to give him the chance to find much decent work. Over the past few days, he¡¯d only been able to take on jobs to fight off two different wild Pok¨¦mon and help one man load up a moving truck. His funds were slowly dwindling. At least, Sam hoped that the upcoming tournament would let him turn that around.

    We just have to win, first.

    Two days left until the preliminary matches. Two days left to train.

    Sam¡¯s thoughts on his current situation faded away as he became wholly focused on building up his current Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°We¡¯ll definitely have the usual round of exercise for Cyndaquil, but maybe we¡¯ll include some rolling practice to help you with Flame Wheel?¡± Sam asked, idly walking down an Olivine street with no major destination in mind. ¡°Mankey, I¡¯m still not sure what to do for you. I mean, I think shadow-boxing is a thing, right? Maybe we can ask someone with a Rock Type Pok¨¦mon to make some boulders for you to attack.¡±

    Cyndaquil¡¯s practice was based on what they had done with his mother, so it involved a continuous build-up of her basics. Mankey¡¯s practice, however, Sam wasn¡¯t as confident about. The monkey Pok¨¦mon was a great physical attacker¡ªhe already knew Fighting Type moves like Low Kick and Karate Chop¡ªbut Mankey as a species weren¡¯t great at taking hits.

    Mankey had good agility at least, which meant he could more easily avoid attacks in fights. His stamina was different, but Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to train physical defense without directly attacking his Pok¨¦mon¡ªsomething he didn¡¯t want to do. For all of his claims to be a trainer, Sam was feeling a decent chunk of self-doubt.

    Are my Pok¨¦mon actually improving?

    Should I try to figure out other training techniques?

    Honestly, Sam was starting to regret not paying more attention to all of the different Fighting Type specialists back in Dewford.

    ¡°What if we...¡± Sam let his words drift off as he turned his gaze to the various stores that lined the street. Redi wasn¡¯t around¡ªshe was currently training with Teddiursa on her own¡ªand Sam didn¡¯t have any specific goal. ¡°What if we got a nice lunch?¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t be the training he mentioned, and the act would be a blow to his already dwindling wallet, but Sam was willing to take that hit if it meant getting closer to Mankey. Learning more about his newest team member might assist with coming up with a training plan. Cyndaquil, he knew well, but Mankey still felt like an enigma.

    Glancing down to where Mankey hopped along at his side and feeling the weight of Cyndaquil in his hood, Sam nodded his head to reaffirm his decision.

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s get a nice lunch.¡±

    It would cheer up Cyndaquil while helping his aforementioned worries with Mankey. Besides, Mankey¡¯s eyes had already gone unfocused, and saliva was dripping from his fur-covered mouth.

    Sam laughed.

    I can add that to what I know about him¡ªMankey definitely likes to eat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see if we can find a restaurant that allows people to sit with their Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to have a decent break.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t in downtown Olivine, but a portion of the city where the buildings were small yet filled with businesses. Most had displays advertising specific products¡ªclothes, specialized tools, custom art, comic books¡ªbut he focused on what restaurants he could find.

    His eyes skimmed over most of the options here. As a port city, there was a surprising selection of different types of food. Ramen, sushi, and other common Indigo-meals were present as expected. There were also a few places that advertised ¡°foreign¡± food, namely meals based on the diets of people in Hoenn and Sinnoh. He was forced to pass up most places since he couldn¡¯t afford too large of a drain on his finances, and by the end of it, he was almost ready to give up and buy some pre-made meals for an impromptu picnic in a park.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    However.

    However.

    Sam almost froze when he saw a restaurant that looked completely out of place.

    ¡°An imitation Kalosian place? Huh.¡±

    Mentions of other regions were almost impossible to find. A restaurant that boasted an attempt to mimic Kalos was not just incredibly rare, it was practically unheard. That had already gathered his interest, but what drew him to it even more were the advertisements posted on its front that showed off just how cheap its food was.

    Mankey ran ahead of him as Sam walked through the open front doors. He didn¡¯t need to ask his team if they were interested, as Mankey was happy with anything, and Cyndaquil trusted Sam enough to follow along with whatever he said.

    The layout was about as expected of most restaurants here¡ªa long counter for chefs to stand behind with several tables and sets pressed against the walls. Photos and postcards of Kalos itself hung on the walls, and the tables were covered with white tablecloths, giving the place a fancier-than-usual feel.

    Except, it was empty. There was absolutely no one else here.

    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out.

    A bell rang as he passed through the front door, but no one came out to help him right away. Every single table was empty, and despite all the silverware already set out, there were no customers making use of them.

    Sam actually turned around to check that he had correctly read the sign that stated this place was open.

    He did.

    It was just that empty.

    ¡°We¡¯re here! Give us a moment!¡± a voice eventually called out.

    He heard the sound of rushing footsteps and the rustle of cloth as, a few seconds later, a woman with a bob of brown hair burst through a door that led to the back. She was dressed in a waiter¡¯s outfit that was as stereotypical as it went; it was complete with a black vest, white cuffs, and perfectly clean dress shoes.

    ¡°A customer! Would you like help finding a table?¡± she said, moving to approach Sam.

    Sam glanced around at the empty room once more.

    ¡°Sure?¡± he said.

    She smiled excitedly at him and led him to a spot only a few feet away. His Pok¨¦mon followed and either hopped up or were placed into chairs of their own. The waitress didn¡¯t even blink at their presence. A sign outside had advertised this place as Pok¨¦mon-friendly, after all.

    ¡°I¡¯m Matilda. I¡¯ll be your server today. What do you want to order?¡± she asked, placing down laminated menus in front of Sam.

    He looked at the menus, then he looked up at her. Mankey had already picked his up, except the Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t read.

    ¡°Could we have a moment to decide?¡± Sam asked.

    She blushed.

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    She then scurried off to ¡°subtly¡± watch him from the door she had just left from. He ignored her constant stare as he turned back to his team.

    Thankfully, the menus here listed meals with both pictures and text. It allowed both trainer and Pok¨¦mon to figure out what to choose, and Sam helped his team make their decisions. He and Mankey both chose bowls of soup that were enormous but somehow cheap, and Cyndaquil just wanted a small salad for herself. Unfortunately, even with this place''s incredibly reduced prices, anything too fancy was still firmly outside of Sam¡¯s budget.

    Only a minute later, Sam called the waitress back and placed everyone¡¯s order. Everyone got drinks¡ªwater, because it was cheap¡ªand as she left the room, Sam turned to Mankey, taking advantage of the restaurant¡¯s privacy while also going through with one of the primary reasons he had come here.

    ¡°So, Mankey. I know we¡¯ve been working together a lot, but we haven¡¯t really talked.¡± Sam felt a little awkward. He had been with Cyndaquil for years, so he wasn¡¯t sure how to go through with this. He ended up just stating it bluntly. ¡°I want to learn more about you. What do you want to achieve, for starters?¡±

    Mankey was rotating the menu around in his hands, but the Pok¨¦mon smacked it against the table to set it down when Sam asked his question. The primate¡¯s eyes wandered off and went unfocused in thought as he rocked his head back and forth. Eventually, Mankey grunted and flexed his arms.

    Strength, Sam translated.

    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Sam rubbed the side of his head awkwardly. ¡°I guess that makes sense. I mean, we talked about reaching your final evolution. Then, I guess my question is why do you want to get stronger?¡±

    He almost missed it, but he caught Mankey stiffening ever so slightly in response to the question. Mankey himself, however, brushed past it and simply nodded and grunted his name as if to emphasize his previous point.

    ¡°So, you want to get stronger... just for the sake of it?¡± Sam asked.

    Mankey nodded and pointed at Sam to imply that was exactly right.

    Except, Sam knew that wasn¡¯t right. There was something else there. Mankey had frozen for an instant, after all.

    If I think back to how we found him...

    ¡°But is.. Is that really the truth? What about how we found you completely on your own?¡± he asked.

    This time, Mankey actually froze. His red eyes darted around, as if he was trying to think of an excuse. Eventually, he looked away, crossing his long arms, and Sam grimaced.

    ¡°Can I ask you to talk about it? Please?¡± Sam asked, leaning forward. ¡°I¡¯m your trainer. I want to get to know you better! Your goals are our goals, right?¡±

    Mankey still didn¡¯t meet Sam¡¯s eyes. Sam stared, trying to put as much sincerity into body language as he could. Eventually, Mankey slumped in defeat.

    The Pok¨¦mon made a show of pointing away and going through a few other motions. It took Sam looking at Cyndaquil for body-language translation to understand what the monkey meant.

    ¡°So... Later. You¡¯ll tell me... later,¡± Sam said.

    Mankey excitedly nodded, satisfied with Sam¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. He nodded once to affirm his own decision. ¡°I¡¯ll offer my trust and I won¡¯t bring up the subject until later. I know that there¡¯s definitely something about how you were your own, but you don¡¯t want to speak about it until you¡¯re stronger. Were you caught and brought to this city? Did someone trick you here? No, wait. Don¡¯t answer those questions. Ugh, sorry. I always want to learn more. Force of habit, I guess. Books are usually explicit about what information they contain.¡±

    At least, Mankey did answer those two questions, likely giving Sam a show of trust as well. He adamantly shook his head no for both, as if to emphasize that he had never been caught or involved with another trainer. Rather, Sam got the sense that the Pok¨¦mon had somehow been separated from his pack, but he didn¡¯t want to speak about it just yet.

    I¡¯m happy Mankey gave me something. This was a good decision! And if he wants strength, maybe we focus on power when training?

    Sam hummed and looked over the menu again while thinking about how he wanted to train his team.

    The food came out a short while later, giving everyone their expected meals. Sam and Cyndaquil started to eat, but Mankey slurped down his entire bowl of soup within seconds before turning to Sam and holding out the empty bowl, asking for more.

    Sam stared at the monkey, both dumbstruck and impressed by just how gluttonous he was.

    ¡°You know what? Sure. Here.¡±

    He pushed his soup over, and Mankey said his name excitedly before slurping it down just as fast. Sam half-regretted giving away his lunch, but if his Pok¨¦mon was happy, he was happy.

    (He just had to ignore how his stomach was currently rumbling.)

    He didn¡¯t expect a voice to speak up behind him, though.

    ¡°I can bring you another bowl, if you¡¯d like!¡± the waitress exclaimed.

    Sam almost jumped right out of his chair when she spoke. He had completely forgotten she was here. The room was so empty and so lacking other people that he¡¯d taken having the space for himself for granted.

    ¡°We¡¯re okay!¡± he said a little too loudly.

    ¡°Oh. Alright,¡± came her reply.

    She didn¡¯t leave, choosing to silently stand behind him a short distance away, visibly ready to assist if needed.

    ¡°Are... are you okay?¡± Sam asked. He was a little unnerved by her constant presence.

    The waitress¡¯s smile wavered. Her eyes flicked around the empty room. Eventually, she let out a depressed groan and collapsed into a nearby chair, much to Sam¡¯s utter bewilderment.

    ¡°No one wants Kalosian food!¡± she cried. ¡°They¡¯re too focused on Johto! But Kalos is such a beautiful country. Why doesn¡¯t anyone at least try?¡±

    Her face twisted up in distress, and Sam uncomfortably shifted around in his chair. He was fourteen. He was focused on becoming a Pok¨¦mon trainer. Helping someone who looked to be a decade older than him was decidedly not in his wheelhouse.

    ¡°Maybe people don¡¯t realize?¡± he offered.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I opened this restaurant with my dad. I wanted to introduce Kalos to the region!¡±

    She sniffed. The awkwardness of the situation was almost painful. Cyndaquil stopped eating to poke at her half-eaten salad. Mankey held out the second empty bowl to ask for even more.

    ¡°Maybe... You know, I really think people just don¡¯t think about Kalos,¡± Sam said. ¡°I doubt anyone even knows any of its native Pok¨¦mon. All of the Pok¨¦dexes I¡¯ve read were based on local species. I mean, can you even name any Kalosian Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    She scoffed as if Sam had asked an easy question.

    ¡°Yeah, easy,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie as their starters. Then there¡¯s also Fletchling and Espurr, too.¡±

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°Huh. I actually think you know more foreign species than anyone in Johto,¡± Sam said.

    The waitress suddenly shot up in her seat.

    ¡°Wait, you know them, too?¡±

    Sam scratched at his cheek and debated how much to reveal.

    ¡°My mom owns a bookstore,¡± he settled on. ¡°We get a lot of books. Sometimes I learn about foreign Pok¨¦mon, so what you said wasn¡¯t too unfamiliar.¡±

    That was a half-truth. He had learned of a handful of foreign Pok¨¦mon before obtaining the New Pok¨¦dex. Mentions of them were extremely rare and generally focused on Unova, but it was at least possible to figure out one or two Kalosian Pok¨¦mon names.

    As for what he had learned out of the New Pok¨¦dex, it still wasn¡¯t much. Most of what he read was focused around Johto and Kanto. Sure, when he saw an occasional new evolution, he would glance over it, but the New Pok¨¦dex was so dense that he had only barely skimmed the later parts. Even then, he tended to focus on the Ghost Types more often than not.

    ¡°So you¡¯re a fellow connoisseur,¡± the waitress whispered, completely missing how Sam said he barely knew anything. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean a Pok¨¦mon Connoisseur, but someone who¡¯s actually put time and research in! Oh, I¡¯ve never met anyone else who¡¯s looked into Kalos! Or even anyone who can identify its species!¡±

    She was grinning wildly, now.

    Sam uncomfortably cleared his throat.

    ¡°Again, I don¡¯t really know that much, but it¡¯s at least part of the reason I entered this restaurant in the first place. That, and the prices. I just haven¡¯t had a reason to research Kalosian Pok¨¦mon since they can¡¯t be found here.¡±

    ¡°But they can?¡± the waitress said.

    Sam froze.

    ¡°I mean, some of them, at least,¡± she continued. ¡°None of its more ¡®physical¡¯ species, but some supposedly foreign Pok¨¦mon can appear way, way off-route and aren¡¯t limited to any one region.¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean?¡± Sam asked.

    The possibility was enthralling. He had only wanted to get lunch, but now his entire world-view was being shaken.

    ¡°Okay, okay. So, like, there are Pok¨¦mon species that aren¡¯t as, well, I¡¯ll call them as physical as others,¡± she said. ¡°A lot of those species can appear in certain circumstances, regardless of wherever they are. The most famous example is Bergmite! Bergmite are generally regarded as a Kalosian Pok¨¦mon, but they can be found high up in mountains, and I¡¯m pretty sure they were in Sinnoh in the past!¡±

    ¡°Bergmite,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°That¡¯s... an Ice Type?¡±

    She nodded. She looked extremely proud he had recognized it.

    ¡°Yup! They¡¯re pretty cool. I think those kinds of conditions apply to Ghost Types, too.¡±

    Sam sat up straighter in his chair, making sure to properly look Matilda in the eye.

    ¡°Can you give any examples?¡± he asked.

    She leaned over and unconsciously tugged at her hair in thought before being able to bring up any specific species.

    ¡°Hm... I think... Phantump can occasionally appear in deep forests around the globe, and Honedge sometimes possesses old swords? Johto is old enough that I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you¡¯re able to find either of them. Alternatively, ocean-based Water Types drift from region to region, but those are Water Types, not ghosts.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mind raced a mile-a-minute.

    The New Pok¨¦dex only lists routes and caves as potential habitats. She¡¯s talking about finding other species off-route.

    Routes between cities tended to be patrolled by Pok¨¦mon Rangers to keep them safe, and as a result, tougher wild Pok¨¦mon usually stayed away. It was generally agreed that the Pok¨¦mon that lingered on routes were amenable to being caught but tended to be weaker in exchange. Most Pok¨¦mon-based discoveries centered around safe routes, but so much of the globe went unexplored that new, off-route discoveries were being made all the time.

    But then... Why is the New Pok¨¦dex so limited? I mean, if it contains over a thousand Pok¨¦mon, it should at least have some information on when a species can be found off-route, right?

    He had too many questions that needed to be answered. Sam shook his head to try to snap out of it.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, genuinely meaning it. ¡°I think we¡¯re just about done eating, though. Can we pay?¡±

    The waitress blinked.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it!¡± she said. ¡°Just make me a promise that if you do find any otherwise Kalosian Pok¨¦mon, you¡¯ll bring them here to show me, right?¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Sam said.

    He wasn¡¯t going to pass up a free meal, nor was he going to let someone who had been so helpful down.

    He went on to thank her and helped his Pok¨¦mon off their chairs. The salad had been too much for Cyndaquil to finish, but she was at least feeling better now.

    Mankey was a bit different. The second he hit the floor, he clutched his stomach and grumbled.

    ¡°Ate too much, huh?¡± Sam asked, amused.

    The primate tried to wave Sam away, but he was now wobbling when he walked.

    Thanking the waitress one last time and leaving the restaurant, Sam now had a lot more thoughts on his mind.

    Foreign Pok¨¦mon in Johto. Off-route areas holding alternate species. How many different Ghost Types can I find? How many options are out there?

    The future was filled with potential, but once again, Sam had to focus on the present. Whatever mysteries appeared down the line would need to be put off. For now, he had a Beginner¡¯s Tournament to worry about, and he had a team of Pok¨¦mon that needed to be trained.

 Chapter 16

    Sam did his best to train¡ªhe really did. Except, on his own, he didn¡¯t have his mother¡¯s guidance or Delcatty to face in spars.

    Taking jobs gave him ways to train and earn a bit of money as he did, but the few he managed to snatch away from the crowds tended to be manual labor or scaring away weak wild Pok¨¦mon. He tried to battle the occasional trainer, too, but he had the same problem in that most trainers as inexperienced as him were too intimidated by Cyndaquil to actually fight.

    As for Redi, she was adamant that there would be no contact between them. It wasn¡¯t that she was trying to keep him away, but when Sam had mentioned keeping his training a secret back when he was properly recruiting Mankey, she had become enchanted with doing the same with her own practice with Teddiursa.

    Was Sam prepared?

    Well, to answer that question, he would reply with one word:

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Cyndaquil was in a solid state, though she didn¡¯t have a handle on Flame Wheel. As for Mankey, he was still a new capture, but his agility could give him an edge in battle.

    Keeping all of that in mind, Sam headed over to where the preliminary battles would take place that day. The number of competitors would be narrowed down to only thirty-two, with the applying Pok¨¦mon trainers dividing themselves up between all of the different Pok¨¦mon Centers in Olivine City.

    Sam was assigned to the same Pok¨¦mon Center he had registered at; he went to the main Pok¨¦mon Center in the middle of downtown. Redi, though, was going elsewhere, so he went to participate in these battles alone.

    Surprisingly, when he entered inside, it was slightly less packed today, with the room having plenty of space to loiter around. However, Sam soon learned why, as after following a nurse¡¯s directions to a room deeper in, he saw where most of the trainers had gone.

    This place wasn¡¯t just a Pok¨¦mon Center, it was an entire facility. Stepping past a set of double doors, he entered a room with a two-by-two grid of battlefields. Stands lined its sides, and trainers filled those stands. There were trainers of his age, trainers years older, and even a handful that almost seemed too young to be here.

    He couldn¡¯t stop his amazed intake of breath. This place was ridiculous.

    ¡°And this is only to determine who¡¯s actually competing,¡± he mumbled.

    The room was solely for the preliminaries!

    Heart thrumming with excitement, he climbed the steps up to the stands to take a seat and watch the proceedings. It didn¡¯t take much longer for the last stragglers to file in and for someone to step into the center of the room.

    ¡°Hello everyone! Thanks for showing up,¡± a pink-haired nurse said into a mic set up on the ground floor. ¡°The plan for narrowing down our challengers is simple; if you look behind me, we have a system set up for randomizing matches. Your names and pictures will be pulled up alongside an opponent, and you need to win your fight to continue. Today''s matches will be double elimination¡ªlose two battles and you''re out! Other than that, I wish everyone luck! Our first matched pairs will appear shortly.¡±

    Sam gripped his hands together. He eyed the board with all his focus.

    With how many people are in this room, the odds are in my favor to not go first. And if I''m not first, I''ll be able to scout out everyone who¡ª

    MATCH THREE - SAMUEL GREYSON VERSUS JOE YOUNG

    Sam took one look at the board and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Truth be told, with four matches taking place at once, the odds of being in the first set weren¡¯t impossible, just unlikely. At least, there was a bright side to this. Being in this first set meant people wouldn''t know what to expect from him in these matches.

    Then again, the same is true for my opponent.

    Sam moved back downstairs, despite having just sat down. Trainers positioned themselves on the battlefields to face their foes, and volunteers moved to serve as referees on the sidelines.

    The boy facing Sam was young; likely, he was one of the youngest people here. No more than ten or eleven, he wore a bright yellow shirt with a pair of shorts that looked comfortable and easy to wear.

    ¡°You aren''t beating me! My Rattata is the best Rattata out there!¡± the boy shouted.

    Sam might have only been fourteen, but he felt the difference in age now more than ever.

    ¡°Send out your Pok¨¦mon,¡± the referee said once Sam and the boy had taken up their positions in their respective trainer box.

    ¡°Cyndaquil.¡±

    ¡°Rattata!¡±

    A few murmurs in the audience broke out when Sam revealed his Starter Pok¨¦mon, but not too many as there were still three other matches going on.

    ¡°Begin!¡± the referee shouted.

    Both boys yelled their own commands.

    ¡°Ember!¡±

    ¡°Quick Attack!¡±

    Cyndaquil''s flames burned bright as the small, purple rat that was her opponent dashed across the ground. Its Quick Attack brought it right to her, but unfortunately for it, that meant Cyndaquil could attack that much easier.

    The full force of Ember blasted it from only inches away.

    ¡°Rattata!¡± its trainer cried out in worry.

    ¡°Now, Tackle!¡± Sam said, capitalizing on how Rattata recoiled from the damage.

    Cyndaquil lunged.

    Her head smashed into Rattata''s side, and it was knocked back. After that impact, it sprawled out across the ground, completely unconscious.

    ¡°Rattata is unable to battle. Cyndaquil is the winner!¡±

    ¡°...Huh?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    Wait. That¡¯s... that''s it?

    Cyndaquil only used two of her moves.

    The boy looked like he wanted to cry as his Pok¨¦mon disappeared into a flash of red light. He at least gave Sam a respectful nod before rushing back off to the stands. Then, just like that, the next set of trainers started to head downstairs to claim Sam''s spot.

    Sam made sure to watch carefully at the matches that came after his. Each was similar¡ªone-on-one matches between low level Pok¨¦mon. Except...

    There¡¯s something to be said about the quality here, huh?

    An Oddish relied too much on its draining moves and struggled to land a decisive blow that would finish off its opponent.

    A Pidgey spammed Gusts at its grounded opponent, but its aim was off.

    A Caterpie successfully trapped its opponent within a String Shot web, but now it couldn¡¯t approach its flailing opponent without getting trapped itself.

    Sam hadn¡¯t been in a tournament before. Heck, the most he usually saw of tournaments were only the finals that were streamed on T.V. or of recordings posted online. This was the first time he¡¯d ever been someone participating in one, so this was the first time he¡¯d actually seen behind the scenes.

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    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anyone who was prevented from signing up; anyone could compete as long as they were a beginning trainer. Given that...¡± Sam stood up and leaned against the stands¡¯ railing to better eye a Mareep that was somehow incapable of using Electric Type moves. ¡°No wonder these preliminary matches are taking place. They¡¯re trying to make sure only the strongest of beginners get through. This is to separate the wheat from the chaff.¡±

    His comment got him a side-eye from a trainer on a nearby seat, but Sam didn¡¯t pay them any mind.

    I guess it makes sense. Huh. Most people who go on their journey don¡¯t plan on making it to the end, they just want to see how many Gyms they can beat. Outside of them, there are people who actually want to spend their life as Pok¨¦mon trainers. Those are the people who are doing well in these matches.

    Sam was a novice, yes, but he had spent a month practicing under his mother and the past week of his life training. How many people here had only a single Pok¨¦mon caught in the past few weeks? How many people here had been in only one or two battles before this?

    As Sam watched, someone else stepped up. She had long blue hair that draped around her shoulders.

    ¡°Match between Eliza and Tony, begin!¡± the referee called out.

    Under Eliza¡¯s command was a Slowpoke, of all things, and she was facing off against a Pikachu. The Electric Type¡¯s trainer grinned and pointed forward at Eliza¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Easy win. Use Thundershock.¡±

    The Pikachu sparked with electricity and charged, intent on releasing all of that energy in a super effective attack against the Water Type. It reached Slowpoke within seconds, yet Eliza did nothing. She brought up a fist to settle her chin on, attempting to project an aura of calm despite how her eyes nervously flicked about.

    She mumbled something, but Sam was too far away to hear what she said; Pikachu suddenly locked up, stumbled, and its Thundershock failed.

    ¡°What?¡± its trainer said in shock.

    A second later, Slowpoke¡¯s eyes glowed, and a Confusion sent Pikachu crumpling to the floor. A psychic-blue aura outlined the Electric Type before finishing it off.

    ¡°Pikachu is unable to battle. Slowpoke is the winner!¡±

    The blue-haired trainer cheered and happily returned her Pok¨¦mon. Her opponent returned his and stormed off, grumbling.

    ¡°She¡¯s definitely going to become a threat down the line,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Redi said something like all of the tournament¡¯s finalists have high odds of making it to the Conference, right?¡±

    He glanced around to make sure no one was watching him before pulling out The New Pok¨¦dex. He flipped to the entry on Slowpoke to figure out the move it used.

    Disable. It canceled Pikachu¡¯s attack before it could land.

    Sam made note that Eliza was someone to watch out for.

    Trainers came and went, showing off either impressive skills or a surprising lack of. Although, there were still others who slotted well in between.

    Sam¡¯s second match was against a Pidgey, and he used Cyndaquil again for this match. The bird Pok¨¦mon tried to pin her down with Gust, but a few ranged Embers prevented it from positioning itself in the air. Eventually, its trainer called out for Pidgey to dive for a Quick Attack, but a Leer stalled it for long enough for a Tackle to finish it off.

    Second match down.

    Battles continued throughout the day, and Sam continued to watch everyone with intense focus, and he had other matches himself. Two more came and went, and this time around, he continued to use Cyndaquil. It wasn¡¯t that he was avoiding Mankey, it was just that he knew she was stronger. After witnessing some of the other trainers here, Sam didn¡¯t want to risk sending out a Pok¨¦mon with less experience against a tough opponent.

    Except, things changed in his fifth battle.

    A Machop with bulging muscles and a personality to match rushed Cyndaquil before she could begin any attempts to keep away. She tried to ward it off with Ember, but her attack failed when its Karate Chop smashed into her stomach.

    ¡°Leer!¡± Sam shouted.

    She glared at it, and it did waver for a moment. However, all the move did was open up its defenses, which wasn''t enough to stop further attacks.

    ¡°Low Kick into Seismic Toss,¡± Machop¡¯s trainer ordered.

    The Pok¨¦mon swept out a leg, tripping Cyndaquil where she stood. She hit the ground and exhaled from the impact. The flames on her back flickered and petered out; while still conscious, she had thrown her everything into winning the previous matches. Now, she was paying the cost.

    Machop lunged. It took advantage of how exhausted Cyndaquil currently was. Sam tried to call for a Tackle, but instead of the move landing, Machop wrapped its arms around her body and heaved her into the air.

    ¡°No!¡± Sam yelled.

    It grinned, leaning back. Cyndaquil flailed in its arms, failing to properly start her flames. Then, in an instant, the Seismic Toss brutally slammed her into the floor.

    Machop got back up. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t.

    Sam was certain that everyone watching had winced. After all, he certainly did.

    ¡°Cyndaquil is unable to battle. Machop is the winner!¡± the referee shouted.

    The Pok¨¦mon returned to its trainer with a big, proud grin on its face, and it was met with a dual-high five. Sam¡¯s opponent walked off victorious, but Sam was left to return the fainted Cyndaquil to her Pok¨¦ball in defeat.

    ¡°Thank you. I pushed you. You did well, regardless of my mistake,¡± Sam whispered to Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    As he walked back up to the stands, he silently went over where he had gone wrong:

    He had fallen into a trap of his own making.

    I should have switched in Mankey to give Cyndaquil time to rest. By not dividing the battles between my team members, I ended up exhausting her and costing us that fight.

    Sitting down, Sam was nervous. He couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting in his seat. Before, he had no losses under his name, so he had the safety net of a double-elimination bracket if he were to make a mistake. Now that he had lost? He was one defeat away from elimination.

    He rubbed his arms. The room felt empty. Enough battles had occurred that the trainers who had lost twice had all mostly left. It wouldn¡¯t be too long now before the preliminaries were over.

    Then, sooner than he expected, there was a shout calling for the next set of trainers.

    Sam¡¯s head snapped up, and he eyed the display on the board.

    FIELD TWO - VICTOR WRIGHT VERSUS SAMUEL GREYSON

    Already?

    He supposed it made sense he was being called up. With so many people already eliminated, the pool of remaining trainers was shrinking by the minute.

    He left his seat to walk down to the field, where his opponent was already waiting for him. He was an older trainer, looking around eighteen or nineteen years old. He was dressed in a black, leather jacket and had stubble on his chin and a toothpick held between his teeth.

    ¡°Another kid, huh? This¡¯ll be an easy win,¡± the man said, smirking.

    Sam frowned and clutched Mankey¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. At the referee¡¯s shout, he sent out his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Murkrow!¡±

    ¡°Mankey!¡±

    ¡°A Fighting Type? Sweet! We got a free match!¡± Victor cheered.

    Appearing on the field was a black, crow-like bird with feathers in the shape of a hat on its head. It took one look at where Mankey was hopping between his feet on the ground, and somehow its beak curved up into a smirk not unlike its trainer¡¯s own.

    It was a dual Dark and Flying Type, meaning that Mankey had no strong advantage or disadvantage. Dark Types were usually weak to Fighting, but Flying resisted it. Unfortunately, the Flying Type was strong against Mankey¡¯s Fighting Type, and there was also the added concern of Mankey¡¯s ability to land any attacks.

    Most people don¡¯t think about how hard it is to punch a bird.

    ¡°Mankey. You still have one advantage, here. You¡¯re freshly rested whereas this Mukrow has fought,¡± Sam said quickly. ¡°Keep that in mind, and be our secret weapon!¡±

    Mankey punched his hands together before holding them out, already ready to strike. He stared off at the cruel-looking bird. Even with his opponent having the advantage of flight, Sam was sure Victor would not live up to his name.

    ¡°Begin!¡± the referee shouted.

    ¡°Peck!¡±

    ¡°Leer!¡±

    Both trainers shouted their commands at the same time.

    Murkrow flapped its wings once to take off from the ground, flying through the air aimed right at Mankey. Mankey had known Leer when Sam first caught him, but now that they had time to train together, he had been able to pick up a few tips from Cyndaquil.

    A mighty glare dug into Murkrow, yet the bird remained confident and flew straight forward. Mankey tried to strike without Sam even calling for an attack. Murkrow simply turned and pulled its body to the right to let its beak jab into him, unimpeded.

    ¡°Mankey!¡± Sam shouted.

    His Pok¨¦mon cried out in pain.

    Murkrow flew higher up in the air as Mankey rubbed the point where he was struck. He glared at it with another Leer, but the bird was far too smug to be bothered by such a look.

    ¡°Listen to me. I think Murkrow only knows physical moves. If you can time things right¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peck, again!¡± Victor, Sam¡¯s opponent, shouted. He then crossed his arms and scoffed. ¡°Knew it¡¯d be fast.¡±

    Sam could see Mankey tense at that insulting comment.

    This time, Murkrow came down in a dive-bomb, its head directly aimed at Mankey. Mankey didn¡¯t move, and Sam closed his eyes.

    I should have paced my team better. Mankey would have had easy wins in the earlier matches, and then Cyndaquil wouldn¡¯t have been so tired for this one.

    He readied himself to hear the one last cry that marked Mankey¡¯s defeat, to hear the sound that would signal the end of his participation in this tournament¡ª

    Yet that sound never came.

    Instead, he did hear Mankey cry out, but it was the cry of an attack followed by a dull thump.

    Sam peeked open his eyes.

    He caught the last second of Mankey landing a Karate Chop right to Murkrow¡¯s neck.

    A moment too soon, and Mankey¡¯s strike would have missed Murkrow entirely. An instant too late, and Mankey¡¯s strike would have only clipped Murkrow¡¯s tail.

    He timed it perfectly to land the strike right where Murkrow was vulnerable the most. The Karate Chop sent it back crashing around the ground, where it started to cough. Except, Mankey lunged forward to be on it before it could even think to recover.

    His blow came out like a series of furious Scratches, but they were more like a mixture of everything Mankey knew. There wasn¡¯t anything specific he was using, just raw attacks that contained elements of his other moves like Low Kick and Karate chop. It was simply pure, unadulterated rage that he was using to fuel his fight.

    In other words, Mankey was behaving exactly like a Mankey. Victor should have known not to insult his strength.

    Watching the ongoing onslaught, Sam made a mental note that this assault could be improved into Fury Swipes. He also made sure to keep his mouth shut so as to not ruin Mankey¡¯s attacks.

    Murkrow tried to fight back, but the bird clearly wasn¡¯t used to having a monkey assault it so fanatically. Mankey threw his everything into this, overwhelming it, and before too long, the relatively fragile bird¡¯s head hit the ground, unconscious.

    Mankey jumped back and turned towards Sam and huffed, almost smirking at Victor and making light of all of the man¡¯s previous, disparaging comments.

    ¡°...An easy win, huh?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Murkrow is unable to battle. Mankey is the winner!¡± the volunteer referee shouted.

    Victor almost turned red with anger, but he closed his eyes and took a breath to calm himself down.

    ¡°...Good battle, kid.¡±

    He didn¡¯t sound like he meant it.

    Still, he was politer than some opponents Sam had faced before, and the man headed out of the room. Apparently, his loss against Sam had been his second, eliminating him from the tournament.

    I¡¯m really glad I caught Mankey, now.

    After shouting praise to Mankey, the Pok¨¦mon puffing up in pride, Sam returned him and went back to watching the remaining matches. More trainers went up and battled, but to his surprise, he was never called up again. The number of people in this room never reached its absolute minimum, as it did seem some trainers who had been eliminated stuck around to watch the proceedings, and there were a handful of more experienced trainers sitting around and watching this just for the sake of entertainment.

    ¡°Thanks for participating, everyone!¡± the same nurse from before said after one last battle concluded below. ¡°To those of you who lost but stuck around, I wish you the best of luck competing in your next tournament! To the rest of you, we¡¯ve finished narrowing down our competitors for the Beginner¡¯s Tournament. You¡¯ll see which of you managed to make it in and who your first opponent will be shortly! Make sure to visit the front desk to confirm your placement before leaving the Pok¨¦mon Center today.¡±

    For a moment, Sam stared, both dazed and in shock.

    I... made it in? That was our last battle? We have the chance to compete!

    He wanted to get the Curse TM for Cyndaquil. No, he needed to get it. Learning at least one Ghost Type move would be critical, and Curse was his only idea on how to help her reach her final evolution. Mankey was capable of learning the move too, and Sam could already see a future in which Cyndaquil helped the Fighting Type gain a handle on Ghost Type energy.

    He just needed to place and earn the TM, first.

    However, when the screen above the battlefields turned on to display the tournament¡¯s bracket, Sam almost choked on his spit in his throat. He could see a few familiar faces¡ªXavier, from the boat, and Eliza, that Slowpoke¡¯s trainer¡ªbut Redi was there, too.

    That wouldn¡¯t have been an issue if it wasn¡¯t for how things were set up. Sure, she had made it through her own set of preliminary battles, but the first round had placed her to create what could only be called a disaster.

    Redi would be Sam¡¯s first opponent in the entire tournament. Either she would place highly, or Sam would.

    Only one of them would be able to continue onward.

 Chapter 17

    Sam rushed back to Redi''s place the moment Cyndaquil and Mankey were finished healing. The nurse passed their Pok¨¦balls over, and Sam dashed out of the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    He released the tired Cyndaquil and scooped her up into his hood to rest, whereas Mankey practically skipped along at his side. The little monkey was ecstatic after his victory. Sam spoke quickly as he moved block to block down the streets of Olivine.

    ¡°Great job, both of you,¡± he said to his Pok¨¦mon, darting around a few pedestrians that were returning home from a long day of work. ¡°Cyndaquil, I pushed you more than I should yet you still managed to fight through five different battles. Mankey, I underestimated you. You came in clutch against Murkrow.¡±

    A tired squeak from his hood. Mankey hooted on the ground next to him and leaped in celebration.

    ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll work on better dividing up battle experience between the two of you, and we¡¯ll work on learning more powerful attacks. Mankey, that means taking that rage you showed and using that to our full advantage. After all, mastery of it is going to be important for your final evolution.¡±

    Mankey¡¯s elated hops slowed down in favor of a slower, more controlled pace. His brow furrowed with concentration as he nodded his head¡ªto Mankey, it was as if Sam had just said the most important statement in the world.

    ¡°Before then, we need to head back. To her aunt¡¯s house. Redi is there. And we¡¯re fighting her. We¡¯re fighting Redi. Ugh, I can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Something in Sam¡¯s stomach twisted when he thought of his upcoming battle. The Beginner¡¯s Tournament was supposed to be a way to push his team to new heights, but now he felt like he would just be beating down a friend.

    Redi.

    She was the first person truly friendly to Sam away from home. She was the first person who¡¯d really talked to him¡ªother than Cyndaquil. Redi challenged him to a battle when no one else would. Redi offered Sam a place to stay, no questions asked. And for this tournament? She was the person who told him about it in the first place.

    It¡¯s not fair. I wouldn''t be upset about this at all if we at least made it a few rounds in, first. Instead, we¡¯re fighting in the very first round, basically eliminating one of us before we even got a shot to compete!

    Though, Sam thought it was obvious which one of them would come out a victor. Redi only had one Pok¨¦mon, and Mankey¡¯s Fighting Type attacks meant Teddiursa would fall quickly.

    He hurried back to the small, suburban home with his two Pok¨¦mon still out of their Pok¨¦balls. Sam practically threw the front door open when he arrived, panting and searching through the doily-covered room.

    ¡°Redi!¡± he shouted.

    Instead of the girl he was searching for, Sam found her aunt blinking at him from just a few feet away.

    ¡°Ah. You just missed her, dear. She left to find you only a few minutes ago.¡±

    Sam almost collapsed where he was standing. Instead, he moved to lean against the doorframe and ran his hand down his face.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he grumbled.

    She¡¯d want to talk to him as well. With how their training had separated them these past few days, the two had only really chatted about the tournament late at night, when they both returned to rest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here, I guess,¡± Sam said. ¡°Redi should return soon.¡±

    ¡°Wise,¡± Redi¡¯s aunt replied. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely certain she¡¯ll be here before too long.¡±

    The old woman sent Sam a motherly smile before moving to the nearby kitchen. Sam walked in and closed the door behind him, but before he could collapse on the couch, the old woman¡¯s voice called out to him from the other room.

    ¡°Redi told me the news,¡± the woman said. ¡°You and Redi will be battling one another in the first round?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam replied.

    He couldn¡¯t stop a long sigh.

    It really was unfair.

    The old woman seemed to have a different perspective on the matter, though, as she chuckled lightly and poked her head out back into the living room.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dilemma, but one for the future. For now, would you mind assisting me? I have some cookies I¡¯d like to make. You should join me.¡±

    Sam nodded tiredly and pulled Cyndaquil out of his hood. He placed her into the corner of the couch, where a far-too-frilly pillow served as a comfortable nest. Mankey, meanwhile, hopped up onto the recliner chair and grabbed the nearby remote. He turned on the television and began flipping the channels. He seemed more enthralled by the ability to change what was being displayed rather than the actual picture on the T.V.

    Sam entered the kitchen once his Pok¨¦mon had settled in. After all their hard work today, they deserved to rest. Here, he could see that Redi¡¯s aunt had already taken out all the baking ingredients needed. A bag of flour, butter, eggs, and then some Bellossom-farmed sugar were all set up on the counter.

    ¡°I hope sugar cookies are fine,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s... fine,¡± Sam said. His mind was a little focused on the upcoming battle to feel any hunger right now.

    The old woman hummed and started to measure out what she needed into a bowl. Sam moved to join her at her side.

    ¡°So,¡± Redi¡¯s aunt started, ¡°did you know I originally had no clue Redi was coming here?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked.

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    ¡°Indeed. She simply showed up at my door one day and asked to stay. Obviously, I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡±

    Sam immediately grimaced when she said that. Redi had invited him to stay here too, which meant her aunt had even less preparation for his arrival than he had thought. Yet, while the grimace appeared on his face, the woman cheerfully handed him a bowl of ingredients and a whisk.

    ¡°Mix,¡± she said.

    She then shook her head lightly, as if to admonish him for his silent, internal guilt.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry about it,¡± she said. ¡°I appreciate having company, no matter the circumstance in which it arrives. But I bring up that fact to state the truth of the matter: Redi came here without her parents'' knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said, still stirring.

    She nodded, putting her hands behind her back, and watched Sam mix the ingredients closely. He felt like a little kid again, when his mother would watch him do something from over his shoulder. He found himself standing up straighter and putting more focus into doing a good job.

    ¡°Some say too much sugar can ruin a cookie. I just like it sweet, myself,¡± Redi¡¯s aunt eventually said. ¡°As for Meredith, she¡¯s sweet, too. I know she didn¡¯t want to tell her parents because she didn¡¯t want to worry them. They¡¯re always worrying, those folks. Between their company, a lack of work, and all the trouble Meredith gets up to... Well, before you came, I never once heard her mention any human friends. Can you imagine that?¡±

    Sam pressed his lips together. Redi had seemed rather friendly, but at the same time, she was a little...

    Overbearing.

    She did stick around without him asking her to, but he didn¡¯t begrudge her for the company. If anything, she was one of the first humans that had really talked to him back. After all, back in Dewford, Sam only had Cyndaquil, his mom, and Delcatty. Everyone else was far too active and a little turned off by his love of books.

    ¡°Needless to say, I was surprised when you knocked at my door,¡± Redi¡¯s aunt continued. ¡°There was no way I¡¯d turn you down, and I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t. When you¡¯re not here, Redi talks about her plans for training a lot, but she also tends to talk about how cool you are.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I, uh¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the old woman said, saving Sam from his sputtering. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything else. I shouldn¡¯t say anything else, either! It¡¯s rude to talk about people behind their backs. I just wanted to explain my own perspective a bit more. Oh, and by the way, you don¡¯t need to stir anymore.¡±

    Sam looked down. The cookie dough was properly mixed. It had been getting harder and harder to stir it, but he had been so focused on his thoughts that he hadn¡¯t noticed.

    Then, a beep. The oven was heated to the right temperature.

    ¡°I can get the tray set up, and you can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Redi¡¯s voice practically shook the house, and her aunt closed her mouth before continuing. She simply smiled and quietly took the bowl away from Sam as he rushed out of the kitchen, with no more words exchanged between them.

    Redi stood in the doorway much in the same way Sam once had. She was standing there, panting, a tinge of desperation to her voice. When she saw him, she grinned, and despite all of her obvious tiredness, she marched right up to him and jabbed a finger into his chest.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go easy on me!¡± she all but accused.

    Sam hesitated for a second.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Redi responded with a sharp but challenging grin.

    ¡°I know you. I mean, I know I¡¯ve only known you for about a week now, but I still know you! You¡¯re the kind of guy who¡¯d get all torn up inside when he learns he¡¯s fighting a friend!¡±

    Sam had to look away.

    ¡°But! We¡¯re friends, and friends don¡¯t let one another down,¡± she continued. ¡°And letting me down would include going easy on me! You better not get swallowed up by your nerves or even let me win! Doing that would be a huge insult to everything Teddiursa and I did to get here!¡±

    Speaking of Teddiursa, the little bear Pok¨¦mon stumbled up to the open front door behind Redi. His shoulders heaved up and down with every breath, and he wobbled as he walked over to the couch to hop up and lay down on it.

    Cyndaquil squeaked a quiet greeting at him.

    Teddiursa replied with a short but friendly growl and a tired wave of his paw.

    Sam regretted what he said next, but the words left his mouth before he realized what he was saying.

    ¡°But I beat you on the boat?¡±

    ¡°Psh. Like that matters.¡±

    Sam opened his mouth to counter, but Redi pushed through.

    ¡°See, Teddiursa and I have been training for days, and now we¡¯re stronger than ever!¡± she declared. ¡°You really think that a battle from last week means anything? Ha! You¡¯re not going to win. It¡¯s Teddiursa and me, all the way to the top!¡±

    She threw up her arms for a cheer, and Teddiursa joined in with another tired wave from the couch. Seeing that, Sam couldn¡¯t stop the bit of laughter that left his throat.

    Leave it to Redi to stay cheerful in this situation.

    ¡°Fine, then,¡± he said, puffing up, himself. ¡°Boast all you want, but it¡¯s actually going to be me and my team who¡¯ll be the winners.¡±

    Redi¡¯s grin remained sharp and feral. Before, she almost seemed like she was forcing it, but everything now seemed absolutely genuine.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± she cried out, but her expression did waver for the slightest of seconds before she spoke next. ¡°But, uh, just in case you do win, I want a favor.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to go. Redi bit her lip and walked back to the front door to close it, failing to hide how she needed that time to gather the right words before she could explain.

    ¡°I...¡± Redi took in a deep breath. ¡°Sam, I really like money.¡±

    ¡°Okay?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°This tournament isn¡¯t just a way to earn a bunch of money; it¡¯s also our first chance to be in front of an audience. Think about it. Thousands of people looking at you, their attention divided up between everyone on the field. They¡¯re all focused and ready for a match, then BLAM!¡± She punched a fist into her hand. ¡°They¡¯re hit by someone telling them to hire Vermilion Construction Co., and they¡¯re so bewildered that the name sticks in their mind!¡±

    She smiled mischievously. There was a wild look in her eyes.

    ¡°Sam, this is free advertising space, and if you win, I want you to do my advertising for me,¡± she said.

    Silence stretched out between them. Sam moved to lean against the couch. Redi stood proud and tall.

    ¡°Do you... do you actually plan to do that?¡± Sam asked, somewhat exasperated.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Redi replied without missing a beat. ¡°I¡¯m going to shout the name of my family¡¯s company to the world, and then everyone will know to hire us. I mean, we''ve been doing Pok¨¦mon-assisted construction work for years, and now I can spread that reputation even further! What¡¯s so cool about our work is that we''ve even managed to land a major contract to make a new office building back in Vermilion, but...¡±

    Redi sighed and rubbed her head. She turned to lean against the back of her couch the same as Sam.

    ¡°Despite everything, we¡¯re still small. Everyone always keeps looking to more established companies, so we don¡¯t have enough money to start the project.¡± She then turned to lock her eyes with Sam¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m going to fix that. And no one is going to stop me.¡±

    ¡°...Is this why you left home without telling your parents?¡± he asked.

    Redi froze up. Her mouth gaped open as she stared at Sam. He looked away, a bit guilty at what he just asked.

    ¡°Auntie figured it out. She told you,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sam replied.

    Thankfully, Redi just shrugged in the end, not really bothered by the revelation that Sam knew.

    ¡°It¡¯s... whatever. I left home to advertise my family¡¯s company. It¡¯s not a big deal. People do that all the time.¡±

    Do they?

    ¡°But, training a Pok¨¦mon is expensive,¡± she continued. ¡°Teddiursa¡¯s mom is super strong, and he wants to be strong, so I took him with me. No one back home knew about that until we were gone. They¡¯d say what I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t necessary, but I know it is. We have to push to the top and make use of every chance we get. And then, I¡¯ll become a Pok¨¦mon trainer and make my family¡¯s company known worldwide! It¡¯s the perfect plan!¡±

    She was grinning again, downright proud of everything she had explained. Sam felt like her plan was flawed, but he genuinely didn¡¯t know enough to say whether or not it had issues.

    I mean, Steven Stone managed to bring the Devon Corporation to new heights over in Hoenn. And I know Silph Co. sponsors the occasional trainer over in... well, here, I guess. Redi just wants to do the reverse; instead of having a company pay her to spread their name around, she¡¯s doing it for free.

    There were systems in place that proved advertisements worked. Sam was just caught off guard by the whole idea.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I agree. When I beat you, I¡¯ll make sure to tell everyone about your family¡¯s company.¡±

    ¡°Psh. If you beat me, you mean,¡± she countered. ¡°You really think you can beat Teddiursa? He just completely crushed today¡¯s preliminary rounds! He didn¡¯t lose even once!¡±

    Sam blinked in surprise. He hadn¡¯t fully registered it until now¡ªif Cyndaquil struggled to get to the final round, what did it mean if Teddiursa easily managed to do the same all on his own?

    He glanced down at the sleeping bear and silently questioned whether or not his own victory was as guaranteed as he thought. Teddiursa might have become stronger in the past few days, but he was still only one Pok¨¦mon. Sam had two. That would make a difference.

    Right?

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Sam shook his head. ¡°Beat me? Yeah, right. I¡¯d like to see you try.¡±

    Redi once again grinned challengingly, and Sam smiled smugly right back. Not long after, there was a ding in the kitchen, and Sam and Redi spent the rest of the night munching on cookies while talking about everything they would do once they won the tournament.

 Chapter 18

    Sam reacted in the same way half the group around him reacted; he stared up at the massive building in awe. It had a domed roof, was at least a hundred-fifty feet tall, and its base took up several city blocks. It was a pinnacle of modern engineering, one that couldn¡¯t have ever existed back on Dewford.

    Redi, next to him, giggled. The tour guide and tournament organizer continued to speak as she led their group in.

    ¡°Olivine Arena is host to major events almost every other week. Between Contests, performances, shows, and even tournaments like this one, it''s almost always in use and is one of Olivine¡¯s primary attractions. In fact, elements of its design actually inspired the in-progress Battle Dome, a mysterious building located in Kanto, said to be a part of...¡±

    Her words faded away as Sam clenched his hands. Around him, trainers grouped up, all determined and ready for what waited before them. The Johto Beginner''s tournament was all about introducing novice trainers to what it was like to be a high-level trainer. This tour was part of that. This building was part of that. Everything here was a part of that.

    Honestly?

    It worked.

    According to the tour guide, on average, at least half of the Beginner Tournament participants were successful in earning all eight Gym badges. Half of those managed to compete in the annual Silver Conference. Considering that thousands of trainers took on the Gym Circuit each year and the Silver Conference only allowed a hundred of those trainers at most, the percentage of successful trainers stood out among the participants here.

    Yet, those were humbling statistics. Out of everyone here, only twenty-five percent competed in the end-season tournament on average. While beginners, each and every trainer here had the potential to be an elite, yet the vast majority would still fail to get anywhere in their first year.

    Sam felt small.

    Redi elbowed Sam''s shoulder, and he looked over as she grinned at him.

    ¡°You know my family''s built arenas, too. Nothing as big as this, but they''re all impressive in their own way,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Sam said. ¡°That sounds cool. I guess you''ll have plenty of time to explore and compare them to this place once I beat your team.¡±

    ¡°I bet I¡ªHey!¡±

    Redi fumed while Sam just snickered. She stomped a foot before making a show of stepping a foot away.

    The tour continued up until the thirty-two competing trainers were led to a hallway in the depths of the building. It stretched around the central, open battlefield in a ring, and it was lined with enough dressing rooms to support up to a hundred twenty-eight people.

    ¡°Each of you will have your own, private rooms to recover and strategize between matches,¡± the guide said. ¡°A nurse¡¯s station is located near each exit, where you¡¯ll be able to pass over Pok¨¦mon for healing at the end of each battle. With thirty-two people competing, that''s up to five, serious matches you''ll be participating in today. Make sure you pace and heal your Pok¨¦mon appropriately if you want to win.¡±

    Sam nodded, determined. He wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistake he made back in the preliminaries. Around him, the other trainers reacted in the same way, and it was clear that each and every person here was determined to win.

    He actually recognized a few familiar faces in the crowd. Other than Redi, Sam saw the blue-haired, Slowpoke trainer from his preliminary rounds, and Xavier was there, too. The boy from the boat almost seemed to make a point of glancing over Sam as if he weren''t there, however.

    Really? What did I ever do to him?

    Each trainer here represented a threat Sam would have to beat, and for most of them, he had no clue what their teams were. For now, he just had Redi to beat, though he couldn¡¯t help but still be a bit nervous about the power of the other trainers¡¯ teams.

    ¡°There''s a limit of three Pok¨¦mon in a match. Really think you and Teddiursa will be enough?¡± Sam whispered to Redi.

    ¡°Psh. Of course. Teddiursa is the strongest Pok¨¦mon here,¡± she said outright.

    That earned her a few withering glares, which she responded to with a smug smirk. Sam just sighed and moved forward as the tour guide began pointing out each participant¡¯s individual rooms.

    He said goodbye to Redi and entered his, where he closed the door and sent out his two Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°So. Redi, huh?¡± he mumbled.

    The room was simple enough. A wall mirror. A stool. A couch. A cabinet for storage.

    Sam walked over to sit on the stool and spun around to properly face his team. Cyndaquil stayed on the floor, waiting intently for what he would say, but Mankey went over to the couch and plopped down, where he bounced up and down on the padded cushions.

    ¡°Redi¡¯s team is just Teddiursa. I know with all of our advantages, we should be able to beat him, but...¡±

    She managed to make it through with only one Pok¨¦mon. How many other trainers here managed to do the same?

    Cyndaquil walked over and raised her front paws up, and Sam recognized that as the sign she wanted to be lifted up. He bent over to heave her off the ground and place her in his lap, and she snuggled closer to his stomach and made a satisfied noise.

    That was her trying to reassure him; if Cyndaquil could behave so calmly, then Sam could do the same.

    ¡°You''re right. We can do this,¡± Sam said.

    There was a smacking noise, and Sam looked over to see Mankey munching on something he had pulled out from between the cushion of the couch. The primate blinked at the sudden attention but went ahead to give Sam a thumbs-up all the same.

    In a way, the sheer nonchalance of that act helped Sam feel even more confident than before.

    Above his head, a television hung on the wall, and Sam picked up the remote to turn on the television to play. It was already set to the correct channel, displaying the feed of the tournament that was being broadcast nation-wide.

    Sam chose not to think about how many people would be tuning in today.

    On the screen, a young woman stood in the center of an arena battlefield, wearing a teal dress with a white top. Her brown hair hung down her back with two portions done up into pigtails that stood up on the sides of her head. Stands rose up behind her, though they weren''t filled to the brim. This tournament didn''t quite reach the same level of popularity as a League Conference, but there were enough people here that it was still crowded.

    ¡°...Hello everyone.¡±

    The woman spoke quietly and with a small smile on her face. There was a polite applause in greetings.

    ¡°....My name is Jasmine. I am the Olivine City Gym Leader. Today, I have the h-honor of hosting the Johto Beginner''s Tournament...¡± she said, letting her voice drift off. ¡°It''s, um, it''s lovely that our great city had the chance to hold it this year...¡±

    She looked nervous. She couldn''t have been that old, probably around the same age as Brawly. Yet, where Brawly had a boisterous, can-do attitude, Jasmine didn''t have quite the same presence.

    Sam actually had trouble believing she was the city''s Gym Leader.

    Jasmine continued to speak in a soft voice as she went over the tournament''s rules. Teams of up to three Pok¨¦mon were allowed to compete, and participating trainers were all required to be novices. No one who had earned a Gym Badge was allowed to sign up, but that didn''t necessarily mean that these battles were simple.

    Even at the lowest level, strategy could make all the difference in the world.

    I have Mankey for physical attacks, and I have Cyndaquil for attacking at range. We have a basic strategy for Teddiursa, but is that going to be enough?

    He grimaced, and Jasmine took a deep breath.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s all I need to say about the rules. The tournament will start soon, but before we bring in our first trainers...¡±

    She smiled nervously and fidgeted around to reach into a pocket in her dress. She actually grinned at the camera when she did that; it was almost as if she was proud her dress had pockets. Pulling out two Pok¨¦balls, she tossed them into the air.

    ¡°H-here''s what your Pok¨¦mon might achieve in the future! As a d-demonstration!¡±

    A roar shook the building around Sam, and then the same sound played out of the television a second later. He almost fell from his chair out of surprise when the television screen became consumed by the metal of an enormous Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil shivered.

    A rough but sleek body. Craggy spikes poking out at regular intervals. A head the size of a car and teeth likely capable of eating a car.

    Jasmine¡¯s Steelix was enormous, and the Pok¨¦mon immediately moved to curve itself around her protectively. She was only as tall as its head, and the rest of its snake-like body stretched out behind it several times over.

    ¡°This is Steelix, and that is Magneton,¡± Jasmine said with a smile.

    Sam hadn''t even noticed her Magneton floating in the air¡ªhis gaze was firmly locked onto the behemoth of a Steel Type.

    ¡°T-this might be the Beginner''s Tournament, but each of you hold the potential to eventually compete with my team,¡± Jasmine said, confidence beginning to inch into her voice. ¡°That goes for all of you, even the ones that weren''t able to compete. With enough dedication and effort, any Pok¨¦mon can stand at the top! All it takes is a proper connection to fuel that growth! Believe me when I say that even the meekest of Pok¨¦mon can become powerhouses in their own right. I know from experience that all it takes is a bit of determination to reach new heights. Believe me, and I¡¯ll believe in you. All of you are Pok¨¦mon trainers, and all of you can become elite if you really try!¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    She smiled brilliantly, her eyes now properly taking on the edge an elite trainer would have.

    This was a Gym Leader. Jasmine was a woman who excelled with Steel Types, someone whose Steelix seemed like an insurmountable beast.

    ¡°We''ll beat her one day,¡± Sam declared. ¡°And I don''t mean that we¡¯ll beat the weaker team she keeps for a low level Gym Challenge. I mean that we¡¯ll beat her actual team, and put that Steelix in its place!¡±

    The audience was in an uproarious cheer, celebrating their Gym Leader and her incredible Pok¨¦mon. Jasmine said a few more words to wish all the competitors luck, and then her Steelix pushed its head under her legs to scoop her up and her off the field.

    Sam had goosebumps. Mankey''s hands were clenched into fists. As for Cyndaquil, she stared at the now empty screen. There was a certain determined glint to her eyes.

    ¡°We know who our opponent is. We know her basic strategy. Considering she told us not to hold back...¡± Sam reached into his backpack to take out the New Pok¨¦dex. His Pok¨¦mon turned to him, and he grinned confidently right back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a plan that¡¯ll guarantee us a win,¡± he said.

    <hr>

    A Spearow blew a Poliwag out of its water.

    An Ekans squeezed the consciousness out of a Sentret.

    A familiar Slowpoke crushed a Nidoran against the ground.

    Then, a certain Yanma decimated a Spinarak¡¯s attempts to build a web.

    ¡°These Pok¨¦mon...¡±

    These Pok¨¦mon were Sam¡¯s opponents. Every one of them fought with such skill and such fury that he almost felt out of place being here.

    He had a plan against Redi, but knowing what lurked past the first round was horribly intimidating. Still, he slapped his own face to stay focused.

    Bad, Sam! Only think about what comes next, not what¡¯s after!

    He needed to narrow his thoughts. His match against Redi was next.

    The crowd was cheering when Sam stepped out of an entranceway onto the battlefield. It took all of his effort to not shrink in on himself. At least several hundred people were present with even more watching on the television at home. He hadn¡¯t realized just how big the Beginner¡¯s Tournament was, but if so many people traveled to Olivine just for the chance to compete, he felt that he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.

    Across from him, Redi left her own exit, practically strutting when she stepped out onto the field. The grin on her face was as wide as ever, and she already clutched a Pok¨¦ball in her hand.

    But, rather than move to her trainer box like Sam, she walked all the way up to where a sweatshirt-wearing referee stood at the side.

    Murmurs¡ªthe people watching were confused. Sam was too, until the referee leaned down towards her.

    Before the referee could stop her, Redi lunged forward and grabbed his shirt. There were a few gasps, and Sam¡¯s hand smacked his own forehead.

    Redi grabbed the referee¡¯s shirt-pinned microphone and was now shouting into it.

    ¡°Get all your construction needs with Vermillion Construction Co.! Located in Vermillion City, its work will not leave you¡ªack!¡±

    A nearby Alakazam telekinetically grabbed her. It was here to provide a psychic barrier around the battlefield if needed, but right now it was more intent on dragging Redi away. She was heaved up into the air, surrounded by a blue aura. She flailed her limbs for a second before going slack in defeat.

    ¡°Well then,¡± the referee said with a grunt. A few members of the audience chuckled. ¡°Do that again, and you''ll be disqualified. Understand, miss?¡±

    The Alakazam deposited Redi in her appropriate trainer box. She sent a thumbs up to the referee in acknowledgement, but the grin on her face was not guilty in any way.

    The referee sighed and somehow managed to maintain his professionalism. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

    ¡°This battle follows the same basic ruleset as all League-standard battles,¡± he called out in a voice that echoed over the field. ¡°Healing items used by trainers are not allowed. Held items are allowed. Trainers have a number of available switches equal to one less than the maximum team limit; in this case, each of you can swap your active Pok¨¦mon twice without needing to wait for them to faint. The battle will progress until all of one trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon are unable to continue, where the trainer with Pok¨¦mon remaining will be declared the victor. Any questions?¡±

    He looked between Sam and Redi. Both of them shook their heads no.

    ¡°Then, without further ado...¡± he held up a flag in each hand, one green, one red, the two colors representing the two trainers participating in this match. ¡°Trainer Samuel. Trainer Meredith. Please send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Both Sam and Redi moved immediately, Redi tossing forward the Pok¨¦ball she already held, and Sam reaching into his pocket to pull out his own. Her ball opened up to send out Teddiursa, as expected. For Sam, Mankey hit the field.

    The shout that would start the match came less than a second later.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    ¡°Go for Fury Swipes, Teddiursa!¡± Redi shouted right away.

    ¡°Low Kick, as planned!¡± Sam yelled.

    Sam¡¯s strategy was simple: he wanted Mankey to wear down Teddiursa in melee to open up the bear to being burned at range. He was playing for the long game, where Teddiursa would be slowly worn down to grant him an eventual victory.

    In other words, he was playing it safe. He didn¡¯t want to underestimate the Normal Type in the slightest.

    (Except, he kind of did.)

    Mankey ran forward like an ape, hands over legs, charging right at Teddiursa. The little bear bared his claws right when Mankey dived into a slide to try to kick Teddiursa¡¯s legs out from beneath him. However, while the attack did strike, Teddiursa only winced even through the super effective damage. Mankey¡¯s slide came to a complete halt as his eyes widened in surprise. Then, there was a slash across his side.

    Then another.

    And another.

    ¡°Karate Chop!¡± Sam yelled.

    He hoped that a strong blow would stop Teddiursa¡¯s Fury Swipes.

    Mankey struck. He desperately swung his hand forward. Just like the Low Kick from before, it did hit something, but when Sam looked closer, he saw that Teddiursa had caught Mankey¡¯s attack.

    The bear smirked. Mankey snorted, trying to hide his worry with faux-annoyance.

    ¡°Scratch!¡± Redi shouted.

    ¡°Leer!¡± Sam countered.

    No longer trading speed for power, Teddiursa¡¯s Scratch came out much more brutal than before. Mankey tried to throw him off with a Leer, but Mankey didn¡¯t have the same experience with the move that Cyndaquil had gained from all of her spars with Delcatty. As a result, it wasn¡¯t enough, and the Scratch tore across his face. He cried out in pain.

    Ultimately, Mankey¡¯s species tended to be more about offense than defense; they weren¡¯t the sturdiest Pok¨¦mon around. After having already taken a brutal Fury Swipes, the Scratch forced Mankey back. He hit the ground hard, and after all that previous damage, he did not get up afterwards.

    ¡°Mankey is unable to battle!¡± the referee called out. ¡°Trainer Samuel, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Sam stared at his Fighting Type in shock before turning up to look at Teddiursa. The bear was panting a bit, but he hadn¡¯t taken that much damage. He was putting more force onto his right leg rather than his left leg after taking that Low Kick, but the scuff left from the attack didn¡¯t look serious enough to actually warrant a change in how he fought.

    That was so fast.

    Redi was living up to what she had said. She was having Teddiursa throw his entire raw power into this battle, and she was showing off the strength needed to get through the preliminaries without losing. Teddiursa might have been just one Pok¨¦mon, but where his stamina was limited, Redi could focus all of her training entirely on him. Individually, he outclassed both of Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    Mankey still managed to land Low Kick. We¡¯ll need to hope that was enough to weigh the odds in Cyndaquil¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Giving up, Sammy-boy?¡± Redi shouted in a sing-song voice, taunting Sam as he stared at the field without making a move.

    Sam scowled and returned his Pok¨¦mon. He didn¡¯t react more than that out of fear that the awful nickname would stick.

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡±

    Replacing Mankey on the field was Sam¡¯s sole other Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil appeared and paused, recognizing how Teddiursa looked less damaged than planned.

    ¡°Continue!¡± the referee called out.

    Sam was quick to throw up a hand, pointing forward as he yelled for Cyndaquil to use her first move.

    ¡°Smokescreen!¡±

    Meanwhile, Redi maintained her grin and shouted for the same attack from before.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡±

    Cyndaquil¡¯s back blazed bright, and she exhaled out a plume of smoke from her mouth. The field became obscured by a black cloud, hiding both Cyndaquil and Teddiursa from within.

    Then, a flash. Faint wisps of heat glowed inside the Smokescreen as Teddiursa cried out in pain.

    Ember. Good, she remembered the strategy.

    Sam clenched his fists and tried his best to figure out what was happening inside of the smoke.

    The Smokescreen wasn¡¯t thick enough to completely block his view of Redi, but she did become a shadowy figure with only the barest hint of details on her face. Still, it was pretty obvious that her focus was entirely locked onto the battle as well. She shouted out a command while staring into the smoke.

    ¡°When you¡¯re hit, run in that direction and use Scratch!¡±

    Sam grimaced. Cyndaquil could move and attack, but her actual speed still wasn¡¯t that great. There had been some minor improvements since her tie against Yanma, but not enough to make a difference.

    So, he bit his tongue. He chose not to speak, letting Cyndaquil decide when to use Ember on her own. He hoped making it less obvious for Teddiursa would help, but at the same time, it meant he was just standing there and waiting.

    Seconds passed. Sam could smell the acrid scent of Cyndaquil¡¯s Smokescreen in the air. Everyone focused intently on the cloud, until¡ª

    ¡°Run!¡± Sam shouted.

    There was the glow of an Ember. The sound of back paws crunching over a dirt field. Sam had yelled to try to get Cyndaquil to flee, but his order came too late.

    Ember hit, but it gave away Cyndaquil¡¯s position to Teddiursa. Sam could hear her shout as a Scratch landed across her body, and a growl from Teddiursa had him carry through that attack to toss her out of her smoke in a puff. This time around, she did land on her feet¡ªan improvement from her battle against Buck and his Makuhita. However, she wasn¡¯t alone. Teddiursa exited the smoke after her.

    He was charging. The small bear Pok¨¦mon had both of his claws held up high, ready to unleash his Fury Swipes the moment he was in range. Redi had pulled the same trick of not calling for an attack¡ªwhy would she need to if Teddiursa only knew two moves? As for Cyndaquil, she was panting. Scratch might be a weak attack in high-level matches, but here, Teddiursa was strong enough that each Scratch were painful blows.

    One solid attack, and Cyndaquil would likely faint. Teddiursa was injured, but not to the point where one Ember would finish him off. Not just that, but Teddiursa wasn¡¯t burned, either. There was nothing reducing his physical power, and nothing that made him more tired out than normal.

    Sam had to pull out something wild if he wanted to win. Thankfully, he at least maybe had something in his back pocket.

    ¡°Leer!¡± he said quickly. ¡°And then...¡±

    Sam gulped.

    ¡°Flame Wheel.¡±

    Cyndaquil hadn¡¯t been able to master the move just yet, but if there was ever a time to do so, it was now.

    Teddiursa¡¯s charge almost fell flat as Cyndaquil sent a devastating glare towards Teddiursa. The little bear seemed shocked that she could look at him in such a way, and he stumbled slightly while rushing over the ground. The delay wasn¡¯t enough to affect the power of the incoming move, but it was just enough to give Cyndaquil time to act.

    She jumped. She didn¡¯t leap forward, but she jumped up into the air. As if preparing for a Tackle, she brought her head down, but then she continued that movement by pulling herself into a ball.

    Flame Wheel failed at first. Cyndaquil started to fall, rotating in the air without much happening. The flames on her back were blasting out in full force, yet they weren¡¯t wrapping around her like the move required.

    However, when she hit the ground, it was like a match striking the side of its box. Flames gathered on the ground and were pulled up and around her with every spin. She stayed in place, but every spin made more and more fire circle her and join her in this attacking move.

    ¡°Yes! You did it!¡± Sam called out.

    Honestly, he had never felt more proud.

    Eventually, the rate at which she was spinning was too much, and Cyndaquil practically exploded forth. She left flames in her wake as she shot right at Teddiursa, who was starting to nervously take a few steps back. Her Flame Wheel slammed into his chest, hurting him with the impact and proceeding to burn his brown hair.

    Then, Redi called out.

    Sam had heard the line she used once before.

    ¡°Push through and punch them in the face!¡±

    Teddiursa should have fainted. Specifically, if Teddiursa was at the same level as Cyndaquil, he would have fainted, but Redi¡¯s training over the past few days meant he now surpassed her. As a result, he roared as Cyndaquil ground fire into his chest, clasping his arms around her body as if going for a tight hug. The pressure squeezed her until she stopped, and Teddiursa grinned at her shocked face.

    He threw her into the ground.

    He threw her into the ground!

    All it took was one more shout from Redi, one shout of ¡°Do it,¡± for Teddiursa to lunge forward and unleash a Fury Swipes against Cyndaquil¡¯s prone form.

    The tips of Teddiursa¡¯s claws glinted in the midday sunlight. Raw, unadulterated Normal Type energy coursed through them as he put his everything into this attack.

    Sam called for an Ember, but it was pointless. The move came out before Cyndaquil got the chance to react. She wasn¡¯t great in melee combat, only really having Tackle¡ªand now Flame Wheel¡ªat her disposal. As it stood, she was helpless under Teddiursa¡¯s assault. Within only a handful of seconds, he pulled back from the unmoving Pok¨¦mon on the ground.

    ¡°Cyndaquil is unable to battle. Trainer Samuel has no more usable Pok¨¦mon. Trainer Meredith wins!¡± the referee called out.

    Sam stared, slack-jawed. He lost. Mankey had the Type advantage. Cyndaquil¡¯s flames should have been too hot for Teddiursa to handle. Heck, he had two Pok¨¦mon to Redi¡¯s one!

    Yet, she had pulled through. Teddiursa panted, heavily injured, the only Pok¨¦mon left standing.

    Neither Redi nor Sam immediately returned their Pok¨¦mon. The audience cheered, and the Smokescreen slowly dissipated. Eventually, it faded away enough so that Sam could see Redi¡¯s face.

    Her eyes were red. She rubbed her arm against her face. She was doing her best to muster a smile and failing to do so.

    He touched his own eyes. Moisture came off onto his fingers.

    I lost.

    The words hit him like a truck. Robotically, he returned Cyndaquil back to her Pok¨¦ball.

    Redi moved onto the field, her own movements coming rather stiff. She scooped up Teddiursa in one arm, where he sat like a young child.

    Sam followed, dazed. When he met Redi, he heard a question he hadn¡¯t expected her to ask.

    ¡°...We¡¯re still friends, right?¡±

    He blinked. She was genuinely on the verge of tears. The whole idea of no longer being friends just because of one battle was so ridiculous that he...

    That he...

    Sam giggled.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he said, speaking as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Of course we¡¯re still friends! Just because I lost doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to stop hanging out with you! Teddiursa was incredible. Mankey was incredible. Cyndaquil was even better¡ªI mean, she figured out Flame Wheel! Did your Pok¨¦mon figure out an attack mid-battle?¡±

    He grinned at her, a little smug. Redi let loose a hiccuping laugh, herself.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, a proper grin returning to her face. ¡°Great match, Sam!¡±

    He clasped her free hand and shook.

    ¡°It really was,¡± he said.

    Redi wiped her eyes one more time as Sam smiled, and the two of them waved to the audience before moving off the field.

    He might have been eliminated in the very first round of the tournament, but Redi hadn¡¯t. She still had a chance to win. No matter what, only one of them would have advanced anyway, but Sam still had fun. He would have plenty of chances to do better in the future.

    And he would dedicate himself to ensure that he would never lose again. A loss like this would only happen once.

    Sam would make sure of it.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Redi! You can do it!¡±

    Sam screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to force his voice over the clamor of the crowd. His hands gripped the railing, and Cyndaquil hung off of it, shouting her name just as hard. For a moment, her fervor made it seem she was about to topple forward, but Mankey jumped up to pull her back, and then both Pok¨¦mon returned to shouting, too.

    But Redi didn¡¯t hear them, as her face was scrunched up with worry that replaced her usual smug confidence. Teddiursa was battered, poisoned, and exhausted, but he wasn¡¯t giving up just yet.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡± she ordered.

    The little bear leaped up and slashed downwards. His arms spiraled forward like a child trying to maintain their balance, but he was trying to absolutely eviscerate his foe. Unfortunately, the opposing Pok¨¦mon cackled and merely shifted out of the way. Sam groaned horribly and barely resisted putting his face into his hands.

    Any other day, and he would have been jealous of the trainer with the Gastly on the field. Now? Now, Sam was just getting frustrated.

    ¡°It¡¯s immune! You have to figure out a different way to damage it!¡± he yelled again.

    His Pok¨¦mon matched his volume, but Redi still didn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°Teddiursa, you just need to land one strong hit on its central body,¡± Redi said, eyeing the darkened orb in the center of Gastly¡¯s gaseous form. ¡°I believe in you. Please! Just one hit, one hit and you can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and finish it off, Gastly,¡± its trainer said.

    Redi was in the top eight. She and Teddiursa had utterly destroyed her previous opponent¡ªa pair of Bellsprout whose vines had been torn up by Teddiursa¡¯s claws. This trainer was a completely different story in just how difficult he¡¯d been to fight. First, an Ekans had poisoned Teddiursa, and then a Tentacool had worn him down. Now, there was a Gastly, where Redi had not put two-and-two together to realize that if Teddiursa landed a hit, any extra damage of the attack would be worthless against the Ghost Type.

    ¡°Redi, please!¡± Sam shouted, but his yells continued to go unheard.

    Gastly dove down in the air, rushing to where Teddiursa was swaying where he stood. It popped up right in front of his face and shouted, causing the bear to flinch back in surprise. This wasn¡¯t even a move; it was just a frightening shout. Still, with just how worn out he was thanks to everything else, Teddiursa fell back, and he did not get up.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Sam groaned.

    His Pok¨¦mon groaned alongside him, covering their faces with hands and paws.

    On the side of the field, a referee swung down a flag.

    ¡°Teddiursa is unable to battle. Trainer Meredith has no more usable Pok¨¦mon. Trainer Edgar wins!¡± the referee called out.

    Redi stared at the field, seemingly lost under the weight of her own defeat. Her opponent, Edgar, laughed and hugged his Gastly, the poisonous smoke surrounding the Pok¨¦mon wrapping around his chest as he wrapped his arms around the central sphere.

    She was never going to win this fight, Sam could tell. Gastly had done well to manipulate her into thinking it was dodging moves to avoid damage, but truly, Teddiursa knew no attacks that could have bypassed its Ghost Type immunity.

    The audience clapped around Sam, cheering for a battle well-played. To reach the Top 8 with only one Pok¨¦mon was incredibly impressive, and to lose solely because of blatant immunity meant Redi could have progressed further against a different opponent.

    Yet, Sam wasn¡¯t paying attention to the crowd¡¯s reactions, nor did he share the same excited feeling as the rest of them. Instead, he was just worried about his friend, who stiffly shook Edgar¡¯s hand before running off the field.

    ¡°We¡¯re going after her,¡± he declared.

    Cyndaquil let loose a squeak, immediately agreeing with his plan. Mankey, though, looked a little disappointed they wouldn¡¯t be watching any more battles. He still followed along.

    Sam pushed through the crowd, squeezing through and apologizing for any unintentional bumps into them. Once he reached the staircase, he dashed into the arena¡¯s interior and ran deeper inside.

    ¡°Redi!¡± he shouted.

    He got no response, so Sam kept running. He searched the competitor¡¯s rooms. He searched where the nurses healed Pok¨¦mon. And he searched the stands, hoping she had returned to watch the rest of the tournament.

    But, no matter where Sam looked, he did not find Redi. Out of options, he returned to her aunt¡¯s place out of hope she would head back there.

    Day turned to dusk, and dusk turned to night. Sam sat and waited in the living room for Redi to come back, but as the moon passed through the sky and the sun began to peek over the horizon, Redi still did not return.

    <hr>

    When the tournament ended the next day, the final four participants of the tournament were presented with a prize. Each one of them got a cash fund to help support them on their respective journeys, and they got a selection of berries, TMs, and the first place winner even got a Pok¨¦mon Egg.

    However, the overall winner did the unexpected and turned down that egg, surprising everyone involved. He was the same boy who had beat Redi¡ªEdgar¡ªand he didn¡¯t want a Pok¨¦mon on his team that wasn¡¯t a Poison Type.

    So, instead, the second-place beginner trainer got the egg, and he did not look happy about it.

    Sam was amused when the second-place finalist¡¯s face twisted up in disapproval when the egg was passed to him within its protective case.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    If you don¡¯t win, you¡¯ve lost. Right, Xavier?

    He watched this all happen from within Redi¡¯s aunt¡¯s home. The only thing he received in exchange was a simple participation ribbon. It was akin to something someone might earn from winning a Pok¨¦mon Contest, but it was clearly labeled to mark it as a prize for placing in the Top-32. Overall, it was pretty useless.

    He was tired, but Sam refused to go to sleep. He needed to make sure Redi was okay. Cyndaquil nudged him, trying to encourage him to nap while she kept watch instead. He refused; after all, Sam wouldn¡¯t sleep until he found her if she had gone missing, too.

    Mankey slipped out the back a few times, but he always stayed nearby. Sam drank the coffee that Redi¡¯s aunt offered. He could feel the bags under his eyes, but he refused to fall unconscious.

    ¡°Redi will be back,¡± her aunt would say, speaking as if she knew that to be the undeniable truth. ¡°Give her time. Her loss is not anything to mourn. Instead, celebrate how high she managed to place.¡±

    But Sam stayed up, and dawn crested back into day. Every movement felt sluggish as he sat in the living room and waited for Redi to show back up.

    Then, a click.

    The handle of the front door twisted open.

    Sam shot to his feet and snapped his gaze to the entrance.

    Redi stepped inside, yawning and looking just as tired as he was.

    ¡°Redi!¡± he shouted, honestly in slight disbelief.

    The girl blinked and turned to Sam, looking surprised that he was there.

    ¡°Sam! Good, you¡¯re here!¡± She had a bag slung over her shoulder that she dug into while quickly moving forward. ¡°It took me all night, but I managed to finally trade for it. You¡¯d be surprised just how rare it was even though no one else seems to care about it.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Sam muttered as Redi moved closer. ¡°I thought you had run off! I thought you were upset you lost!¡±

    She paused when approaching him and stared at Sam, confused.

    ¡°Why would I be upset? I managed to advertise my family¡¯s company, and I managed to beat you!¡±

    The grin on her face was as wide as ever, and Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from smacking his own forehead.

    ¡°All this time, you were...¡±

    ¡°Trading!¡± she cheerfully replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t get much for placing as high as I did, but I did get an exclusive ribbon, of which there¡¯s only eight in the world. Took some asking around, took some looking for favors, but I managed to trade it away to get you this. Here!¡±

    Grinning, she pulled out the object she was holding to present it to Sam. Sam stared at it in complete silence. It took him several seconds to gather up any words.

    ¡°A... Curse TM,¡± he said, dazed.

    ¡°Yeah! I heard you talking about it, and I thought it wasn¡¯t fair that I got something out of this tournament while you didn¡¯t.¡±

    She held it out forward a bit more, encouraging Sam to take it. He stood there, not moving, before falling back onto the couch to laugh.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want it?¡±

    Redi stomped a foot, annoyed, but Sam just threw his head back and laughed even harder.

    ¡°No... no! It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just... You were gone all night. Considering you disappeared after your loss, you understand why I might have been worried, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh. ...Huh.¡±

    Redi moved to sit down on a reclining chair. There was a flash of light, and Teddiursa released himself from his Pok¨¦ball to hop up and sit next to her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that. I mean, yeah, I was upset, but I went to the Pok¨¦mon Center to heal Teddiursa instead of using the nurses at the arena. I felt like they would have better supplies to treat him. He was poisoned, after all,¡± she said.

    Sam shook his head.

    No wonder I couldn¡¯t find her.

    He sat there, enjoying the silence and the knowledge that his friend was actually okay before he spoke next.

    ¡°You know, for such a greedy person, you¡¯re surprisingly not that materialistic.¡±

    Redi puffed up her face in annoyance.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not greedy!¡± she shouted. ¡°I¡¯m filial.¡±

    Sam snorted. Redi walked over just so she could smack him in the arm. She stood over him, glaring at him like a mother scolding her child, before the pair of them burst into laughter.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± Sam asked once they had calmed down.

    Redi went silent and inched back to her chair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    The Beginner¡¯s Tournament had ended. That had been their shared goal before now.

    She plopped back down, the sudden motion caused Teddiursa to bounce up a few inches into the air.

    ¡°There¡¯s the local Gym, which Jasmine runs,¡± Sam said. ¡°That¡¯s full of Steel Type Pok¨¦mon, which I think my team can handle. You, though¡ª¡±

    ¡°Teddiursa is tough!¡±

    ¡°Teddiursa only knows Normal Type moves. It¡¯s why you lost to Gastly.¡±

    Redi frowned but didn¡¯t comment. Sam started to think.

    Redi¡¯s amazing at training her Pok¨¦mon. Just a week ago, Cyndaquil beat Teddiursa, but now she managed to get halfway through an entire tournament with just him at her side! I know I could probably beat Olivine Gym with a bit more time to get stronger, but what about Redi? How powerful would she get in that time?

    ¡°So, uh,¡± Redi unconsciously scratched at her arm. ¡°What did you mean by ¡®Teddiursa only knows Normal Type moves?¡¯¡±

    Sam frowned.

    ¡°Olivine Gym specializes in the Steel Type. Steel Types are highly defensive Pok¨¦mon that resist Normal Type damage.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Okay.¡±

    A few seconds passed.

    ¡°And when you said it¡¯s why I lost to Gastly?¡±

    ¡°Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon are completely immune to Normal Type moves. It was tricking you by moving around, pretending to be vulnerable to Teddiursa¡¯s attacks to make it so you wouldn¡¯t change your strategy,¡± he answered.

    She nodded, thinking about it and pursing her lips in consideration. Sam blinked, then he turned her way, staring at her in disbelief.

    ¡°Did you... did you not know?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Alright, look. In my defense, most of that stuff is pretty boring,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Redi, the Type chart is the most basic of basic things you can know!¡±

    ¡°So what? Does it even matter if we¡¯re just going to rely on pure strength, anyway?¡± she shouted.

    Sam opened his mouth to respond, but then he closed it. He didn¡¯t have anything nice to say, after all. Instead, he sat up on the couch to stare Redi in the eye. She refused to meet his gaze.

    ¡°...How much do you know about Pok¨¦mon?¡± he asked cautiously, needing her to give a truthful answer.

    ¡°...Not as much as you,¡± she mumbled.

    Sam blinked yet again.

    ¡°But you trained Teddiursa so well?¡±

    ¡°My family is all about training Pok¨¦mon. My entire life, I¡¯ve helped out with making sure everyone was up-to-par for manual labor when it comes to building. We¡¯ve got Machop, Machoke, Ursaring, and Teddiursa here...¡±

    ¡°But you never bothered to look into what¡¯s needed to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer before you left home,¡± Sam concluded.

    She once again nodded her head.

    Redi is great at training her Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯m not.

    Thanks to the New Pok¨¦dex, I know a lot about Pok¨¦mon. She doesn¡¯t.

    We¡¯re each bad at what the other is good at. We¡¯re each good at what the other is bad at.

    ¡°Redi,¡± Sam said slowly, putting the pieces together in his mind. ¡°I have an idea. What if we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s travel together!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°Look, Sam. I¡¯m great at training. No offense, but you aren¡¯t. Mankey should have put up way more of a fight against Teddiursa than he did.¡±

    Nearby, Mankey snorted, offended. Redi ignored him to hop up and pace.

    ¡°But, I¡¯m also super bad at knowing what to do in battle,¡± she continued. ¡°Yeah, brute strength is great, but if Ghost Types are immune to it, then what¡¯s the point? So, instead, if we travel together to help one another¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can fill in each other¡¯s gaps and be stronger for it,¡± Sam finished.

    Redi paused and turned to Sam. She now had just the biggest of smiles on her face.

    ¡°Not just that,¡± she said. ¡°You know how much money we could save? Pool together our cash, and we could buy bulk supplies for both of our teams and not have to pay anywhere near as much!¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help it. The fact that she so quickly resorted to talking about money made him laugh.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°No, no. You¡¯re completely right,¡± he said, waving her off.

    Sam looked up at Redi, grinning as much as she was.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s take on all of Johto together,¡± he said.

    He stood up, approaching Redi and offering his hand. She looked at it for only a second before clasping it to shake, squeezing Sam¡¯s arm.

    ¡°To partnership!¡± she said.

    ¡°To partnership,¡± Sam wheezed. Her grip was painful.

    ¡°And we already know our first step: defeating Olivine Gym!¡± Redi declared. ¡°So! Follow me outside, mister! I don¡¯t care how tired you are, we¡¯re going to start training right now!¡±

 Chapter 20

    Redi agreed with Sam that it was probably smart to let everyone rest. Once afternoon hit, the new pair of traveling companions left to reach the edge of town, finding a location hidden within a sparsely wooded area that ensured no one unwanted would listen in.

    Cyndaquil was dividing her attention between her own practice and helping others. She now knew Curse. Sam and Redi had stopped at the Pok¨¦mon Center before heading out, and all it took was loading up her Pok¨¦ball and the Curse TM into a specialized PC for her to learn the move.

    To use it, Cyndaquil crouched down and focused. There were no visual components to it. She had to actively maintain the energy inside of her, which meant it took great effort to move with any decent speed. However, that energy actively reinforced her. Brief spars with Mankey made it clear that she could more easily take hits with it active, and her own attacks came out loaded with energy that made them that much more powerful.

    Except...

    It wasn¡¯t as ¡°ghostly¡± as Sam wanted. He could see why so many argued over its actual Type. Ghost Type moves usually had some aspect that was spiritual, misty, or connected to darkness. This? It was almost entirely physical. He genuinely had trouble understanding how the move turned into an actual curse when used by a Ghost Type.

    At least Cyndaquil was working to better get it under control. TMs implanted the memories of a specific technique into a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head, but it took active practice to actually master the move. Half of her attention was spent working on Curse, and the other half was spent helping Redi¡¯s Teddiursa.

    Redi was good at training, so this was a sort of test to both push and assist Teddiursa. Cyndaquil was doing her best to help the bear learn how to utilize Fire Type energy in hopes that he would eventually figure out the otherwise TM-taught Fire Punch.

    Then, finally, Mankey was working on utilizing his own rage to turn Scratch into Fury Swipes. That was going a lot better, as Redi gave the surprisingly helpful advice of, ¡°It¡¯s literally just Scratch but you use it faster.¡±

    But, as the three Pok¨¦mon trained, neither Sam nor Redi were letting them work on their own. The pair of trainers were hard at work themselves, except their work was in conversation, trying to fill one another in about their gaps as a trainer.

    ¡°Back at home, my family was all about building up our Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical power,¡± Redi said, smiling as she clearly remembered some fond memories. ¡°We have a pair of Machoke brothers that can lift over a ton of concrete just on their own. Then, there¡¯s Mama¡ªer, not my mom, but a Kangaskhan¡ªwho¡¯s great at setting up all of the heavy equipment just right. Mama Bear, Teddiursa¡¯s mother, is an Ursaring who¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have both Mama and Mama Bear as part of your family¡¯s Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam asked incredulously.

    ¡°Shut up. I was, like, three. How was I supposed to know those nicknames would stick?¡±

    Her face was bright red.

    ¡°But what I was trying to say is that from years of experience, I¡¯m confident the best way to train your Pok¨¦mon is to let them do what they want,¡± she said, clearing her throat to regain the pace she had set from before. ¡°You don¡¯t need any special exercise for them, you just need to take what they already do and make it more.¡±

    Sam had out a journal in his lap¡ªnot the New Pok¨¦dex, but a blank book he was using to record any notes. Redi was walking back and forth, completely in lecture mode, whereas Sam was resting on a tree stump. When Redi said that he needed to train his Pok¨¦mon by letting them do whatever they wanted, he put down his pen and looked up at her in doubt.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sure I know what you mean,¡± he said. ¡°If Pok¨¦mon get stronger by doing what they want, how do trainers make any difference when compared to wild Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°I mean, free healing,¡± Redi stated.

    Sam had to give her that one.

    ¡°But, um, well, it¡¯s more like...¡± she grumbled and crossed her arms, struggling to find the right words. Sam could tell that she was more of an instinctual type of trainer; she did what she did because it made sense, not because she was meticulously planning her actions. ¡°Okay, so this is a secret, but Teddiursa¡¯s Fury Swipes is better than other Fury Swipes at his level.¡±

    Sam immediately picked up his pen to return to writing.

    ¡°See, in the wild, Teddiursa and Ursaring need ways to sharpen their claws. Usually, it¡¯s done by leaving scratches on trees to mark their territory. By the way, if you ever see trees with clawed off sections of bark, you know you¡¯re near a wild Ursaring and you should leave.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°You know that but not that Ghost is immune to Normal?¡±

    Redi blushed. ¡°Shut up,¡± she said again, crossing her arms. ¡°I focused on Teddiursa, alright? How was I supposed to know there were Pok¨¦mon immune to his strength?¡±

    ¡°So, what I did is, I took that habit and had him try to sharpen his claws on other things,¡± Redi said, clearing her throat and continuing. ¡°We started with harder types of wood¡ªyou can get pieces of scrap wood for free outside of any carpenter¡¯s place. From there, we moved onto stone, which we literally just picked up off the ground. It didn¡¯t really work well at first, because the hard material was making his claws duller rather than sharper. That is, it didn¡¯t work until we figured out a trick to it.¡±

    Redi stood a little taller. The grin on her face told Sam that she was proud of what she figured out.

    ¡°See, all Pok¨¦mon moves use Type energy to fuel their moves, so what if Teddiursa did the same when sharpening his claws? Coursing Normal Type energy made them even stronger than before, and it meant that all of these tougher materials now actually worked to sharpen them. Not just that, but it practiced his control, too, so by starting with something Teddiursa already does naturally...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve figured out a way to make him stronger just by doing something he already does,¡± Sam concluded.

    Redi grinned and pointed at Sam proudly.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± she exclaimed.

    He went ahead and furiously scribbled everything she said into his journal.

    ¡°So then, what do Cyndaquil and Mankey already do?¡± he mumbled under his breath. ¡°Cyndaquil naps a lot, likes being tucked in, and, um...¡±

    ¡°Maybe try to think more about what she does as a member of her species rather than what she does as an individual?¡± Redi offered.

    Sam hummed and tapped his pen against his chin.

    ¡°A lot of her power comes from the flames on her back,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we should work on making those come out stronger, faster, and hotter?¡±

    It would probably work, especially when considering Cyndaquil¡¯s potential abilities. Blaze and Flash Fire both needed to be developed, but both of them were focused on controlling fire itself. Going further, Sam was pretty sure that using her back¡¯s flames might actually help empower her other moves. Instead of repeatedly using Ember or Flame Wheel to practice her Fire Type control, improving how well she could control her own flames might pass benefits into her moves.

    He wrote all of these thoughts down; he wanted to be able to go back to this later and see how he came to certain decisions. Plus, if he thought up something important and unintentionally skipped over it, at least he would have a record to reread later.

    ¡°And for Mankey...¡± Sam started.

    ¡°That¡¯s easy. Just have Mankey beat up Teddiursa.¡±

    Teddiursa was in the process of trying to get his paw to ignite against the air, and he stumbled mid-punch to look up at Redi in horror. Mankey, meanwhile, snapped his gaze to her with his eyes wild in frenzied excitement.

    ¡°I want to make Teddiursa unbeatable in melee combat! What better way to do so than to have him constantly be under assault from a Fighting Type?¡±

    She grinned confidently, and Teddiursa slowly panned a terrified gaze over to Mankey. The monkey interlaced his fingers and pushed them out, cracking his knuckles. A nervous, choking laugh exited Teddiursa¡¯s mouth as he took a step back. Thankfully, Redi intervened.

    ¡°Not now, though. Later. If we want to take on the Gym, we have to get your Fire Punch in order,¡± she said. ¡°That kind of training will be more effective later on.¡±

    Two sighs came in response to that: Teddiursa from relief, and Mankey from disappointment.

    ¡°Speaking of that, here.¡± Sam reached into his backpack and pulled out a stack of cards. ¡°These are for you. The Pok¨¦mon Center had some spares. I figured you don¡¯t want to listen to any of my boring lectures that much.¡±

    One of Redi¡¯s eyes twitched as she looked over what she was given.

    ¡°Are these... flashcards?¡± she said, almost hissing.

    ¡°Yup!¡± Sam said cheerfully. ¡°I can tell you about so many things about Pok¨¦mon, but I think we should make sure you have your basics down first. Given that you don¡¯t have the Type chart memorized just yet, that¡¯s absolutely the number one thing we¡¯ll work on. I mean, really, trying to use Fury Swipes against a Gastly?¡±

    ¡°Are you ever going to let that go?¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Not until you have all of this memorized and can tell me the rarer interactions, like which Types Bug resists.¡±

    Redi opened her mouth then closed it. She mumbled under her breath, ¡°Bug Types have resistances?¡± She started to flip through the stack, looking at both sides of the cards and reading everything to try to find the answer.

    ¡°The Types are Fighting, Ground, and Grass,¡± Sam said after a minute passed without Redi giving him a proper response. ¡°See, not many people know that kind of stuff. But it¡¯s important! Imagine if I sent Mankey out against a Bug Type and had him use Karate Chop.¡±

    The monkey in question scoffed as if to say he¡¯d win anyway, but one look from Sam made Mankey stomp at the ground, annoyed that Sam had a point. Bug Types might have a bad rap when it came to their general strength, but Mankey hadn¡¯t reached the point of being able to win against all of them.

    And then there was a different matter.

    The New Pok¨¦dex.

    Sam debated telling Redi about it, but the second he brought up the idea of giving her assigned reading, she simply scoffed and told him to summarize it for her, instead.

    So it had kind of worked out, in a way. Sam definitely planned to give her some ¡°unique¡± information later on, but Redi wasn¡¯t actually interested in sitting down and reading in the slightest. His secret weapon would remain secret for now.

    But, with everything I found out about Teddiursa¡¯s evolutions...

    ¡°So now that we have our flashcards, that just leaves our plan to take on the Gym,¡± Sam said, deciding that explaining anything too advanced would be a waste of time for now. ¡°How exactly are we going to do this? Should we both just head in and challenge the Gym Leader to a fight?¡±

    Redi snorted as if what Sam said was funny. He glared at her until she stopped looking at the flashcards and started to explain.

    ¡°Okay, okay. So there¡¯s a process to it. We¡¯ll need to sign up to reserve a slot, which might take a while given how busy the city is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Gives us more time to train,¡± Sam said. Redi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Yeah, but the important part to remember is that taking on a Gym requires an upfront fee, a fee that you don¡¯t get back if you lose.¡±

    Sam went silent. Redi pushed on.

    ¡°I want to say that Teddiursa would crush the Gym, but you¡¯ve kind of made it obvious that that won¡¯t be the case. Sure, he¡¯s strong, but I don¡¯t think I have a good handle on how physically defensive Steel Types are, right?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even know they resisted Normal Type moves before yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Redi said yet again. ¡°At least Teddiursa can actually win a fight.¡±

    Both of them snickered before moving on.

    ¡°Basically, I think you should go first, and I think you should earn the prize money from beating both the Trial and the Gym Leader,¡± Redi said.

    Sam tilted his head at her.

    ¡°The Trial and the Gym Leader? What?¡±

    Redi sighed, almost disappointed.

    ¡°You telling me you really don¡¯t know?¡±

    He did his best to look away. Really, he had a one-track mind growing up. And that track had been solely about the Ghost Type.

    ¡°Okay, fine. My family has helped Lt. Surge with his Gym before, so I know all about it,¡± Redi said, honestly sounding like she was bragging more than she was explaining something. ¡°Trials are only available to trainers with five Gym Badges or lower, acting as an alternative way for those trainers to earn Gym Badges without needing to challenge Gym Leaders.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sam immediately asked. The concept seemed so... dumb. Gym Badges were meant to represent a trainer utterly conquering a Gym. Having an easier, alternative method to earn them felt like it lessened their value.

    ¡°Far as I heard, it¡¯s more about freeing up the Gym Leaders¡¯ time,¡± Redi explained. ¡°Like, so many people are taking on the Pok¨¦mon League, and that number is constantly growing. With how common Pok¨¦dexes are getting¡ª¡±

    Sam scowled. Electronic Pok¨¦dexes were far more common in Indigo than they had been back home in Hoenn.

    ¡°¡ªtrainers have been flooding the circuit, so it doesn¡¯t make sense for Gym Leaders to take on everyone who challenges them. Instead, Gym Trials are a way to lessen that flood, because I¡¯m pretty sure it doesn¡¯t make sense to fight all those trainers who otherwise won¡¯t earn more than a handful of Gym Badges,¡± she said, tapping her cheek. ¡°They set up some kind of challenge run by their Gym Trainers¡ªthe Gym Trial¡ªand then that¡¯s a big chunk of trainers they never need to schedule a slot for!¡±

    ¡°But you said I should take on both,¡± Sam said.

    Redi rested her chin on a fist before nodding as if she had given out sage advice.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she easily replied. ¡°You get a reward for winning both of them. Given you¡¯ve said both Cyndaquil and Mankey have an advantage...¡±

    ¡°I should maximize our earnings before you go in, giving us a safety net of cash to fall back on if you lose,¡± Sam concluded.

    Redi grinned.

    ¡°Of course, since I¡¯ll go second, I won¡¯t lose, since I¡¯ll have all that extra time to train. But, um, just in case...¡±

    Sam nodded.

    ¡°I guess it makes sense,¡± he said.

    ¡°And it¡¯s a way to maximize earned experience, too!¡±

    She actually seemed pretty excited about this plan. Redi looked downright proud about how she had come up with something so clever. Sam agreed with it, too. After all, after his challenges, he would be able to come back and give her tips or warnings based on how his own battles went.

    ¡°But, before then, we should continue to work on our teams,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Yeah. I need to learn more about Pok¨¦mon...¡±

    ¡°And I need to get my Pok¨¦mon stronger...¡±

    Curse for Cyndaquil. Fury Swipes for Mankey. Fire Punch for Teddiursa. Plus, all of the general training to make sure everyone was in good shape.

    Sam was already enjoying traveling with Redi, even though they hadn¡¯t left for anywhere just yet. He knew for a fact they would both end up stronger for it. Barely any time had passed, and he was seeing a difference in his Pok¨¦mon. When the time came for them to take on their first Gym, both of their teams would be in a much better state than if they had trained them on their own.

 Chapter 21

    Here¡¯s a question: how long does it take for a trainer to acquire a Gym slot? Of course, the answer is easy. Trainers can register in practically no time at all by simply approaching the Gym¡¯s front reception and scheduling a challenge.

    The real problem comes from the sheer amount of waiting there is before the date of the battle.

    Sam went to Olivine Gym to sign up for a Gym Trial and a battle against the Gym Leader, just as Redi proposed. The second he did so, he balked at the registered date and rushed back to drag Redi over to have her register for a match, herself.

    It would be two weeks.

    Two horribly long weeks.

    Between major cities being packed at the start of each season, the increase in population thanks to the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, and the fact that Olivine served as a port city that people from other regions entered Johto through, there was a full two weeks between the day Sam signed up and the day Sam¡¯s challenges were set.

    It didn¡¯t make sense to have Redi wait for Sam to win before taking it on. With the sheer amount of time they¡¯d need to spend simply waiting, it made more sense to have both of them sign up to minimize the amount of time they spent in town. Thankfully, with the Beginner¡¯s Tournament having taken up the first week-and-a-half of the season, some of that initial rush had lessened, otherwise the wait would have been much longer.

    So, with this long period of time before him, Sam trained. He trained with Redi, he trained with his Pok¨¦mon, and he took on as many Pok¨¦mon Jobs as he could. The initial fee that came with signing up hurt his finances, so he ended up barely scraping by for the rest of the waiting period. For that matter, partnering with Redi was a godsend, because she was able to help support both of their teams with her own cash. Having someone to rely on was genuinely amazing. Sam wasn¡¯t sure he would have been able to do it otherwise.

    Cyndaquil worked on Curse and her fire, as planned. Mankey worked on Fury Swipes and mastering his rage. Sam kept careful notes to see exactly what activities helped train them the most, and once the time for his set date rolled around, he was feeling confident.

    And not that false confidence he had felt before the tournament. Thanks to Redi¡¯s help, he genuinely believed his Pok¨¦mon had vastly improved, and he was itching to send them out in a fight.

    Olivine¡¯s Gym wasn¡¯t in the dead center of the city, but it was pretty close to what Sam considered to be Olivine''s downtown district. It was five stories tall with a sloped front absolutely covered in solar panels. Grass separated it from the rest of the city nearby. It went significantly deeper into the block than anything else here, taking up a ridiculous amount of space when compared to literally any other building Sam had seen.

    He stepped inside, swallowing a breath to solidify his confidence. Redi¡¯s matches wouldn¡¯t be until a few hours after his, so she was still at her aunt¡¯s house.

    (Sleeping, because it was so early in the day.)

    He strode forward, passing by all of the various chairs set up in the waiting room, walking past the dozens of trainers all waiting for their turn. Not all of them had registered a time to fight. Instead, most were sitting around and waiting to fill the slot of any unexpected cancellations. Personally, Sam felt the idea was a little short-sighted, as waiting in the Gym itself required a lot of sitting around and doing nothing except sitting instead of training or anything else.

    It was funny. A month and a half ago, and he would have loved to have all of that free time just to read. Now? It felt wrong to not dedicate at least some of his time to training his team. He took that as a sign that he was slowly becoming a real Pok¨¦mon trainer.

    He approached the front counter, where a woman with red hair reclined in her seat and casually read a book. Her relaxed demeanor stood at odds with the nervousness coursing through his veins.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Sam blushed when his voice cracked when he spoke.

    ¡°I,¡± he repeated, now carefully enunciating his words, ¡°am here to take on the Gym.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± The Gym Trainer glanced at a white computer on her desk. ¡°Samuel Greyson?¡±

    ¡°Sam, actually.¡±

    ¡°Cool. Did you know you have the same first name as Professor Oak?¡±

    He scowled.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t remind me.¡±

    She loosely shrugged and typed a quick message on her blocky keyboard. She glanced at a ticking clock on the wall before there was a ding coming from her device.

    ¡°Alright Sam! You¡¯re all set. Enter the door on your left and take the Pok¨¦ball set out for you.¡±

    ¡°Pok¨¦ball?¡±

    She chuckled, slightly.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see. It would be a spoiler if I told you more about the trial, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± she said, grinning.

    Sam glanced over to the door and back to the Gym Trainer working reception, but she had already returned to reading her book. He was half tempted to try to talk to her about it, but that was just his nerves speaking.

    His Pok¨¦mon were strong.

    He had been training for weeks.

    The first Gym?

    So what?

    He could actually do this.

    Sam pushed the bar and opened up the metal door, stepping through and entering a dark, painted hallway. The door clicked when it closed behind him, plunging him into darkness, and he blinked several times to try to restore his vision.

    Then, a light turned on, perfectly illuminating a Pok¨¦ball held in a slot in the wall.

    He approached it, but a jingle rang out before he got any closer. A faint buzz signified a recorded message was now playing.

    ¡°...Hello. This is Jasmine, Olivine City¡¯s Gym Leader. You are taking on a First Gym Badge challenge and will face an appropriate 1-star level of power. For this Trial, that Pok¨¦ball you see contains a Mareep. Your goal is to escort Mareep through the maze and locate the three Gym Trainers and defeat them. Each Gym Trainer has one Pok¨¦mon on their team, and you have thirty minutes to find and defeat them all to be successful in your challenge. Thank you, and good luck! I am proud of you for having the courage to take on our Gym.¡±

    Another jingle signified that the message was over, and Sam stood taller from the Gym Leader¡¯s words of support. Before grabbing the provided Pok¨¦ball, he instead reached into his pocket and pulled out Cyndaquil¡¯s.

    She appeared in a flash of light pushing her flames to full blast. Seeing that no other Pok¨¦mon were around, she then sheepishly reduced their intensity. Sam smiled, recognizing how Cyndaquil had no problem at all keeping her fire steady and active.

    ¡°We have a maze to get through and trainers to defeat. Give me a moment to send out our guide,¡± he said.

    Cyndaquil nodded as Sam finally grabbed the Pok¨¦ball. The light above it turned off, which would have sent him into darkness if it wasn¡¯t for Cyndaquil¡¯s steady flames illuminating the space around him. Then, he hit the ball¡¯s button, and a small sheep appeared on the floor next to him.

    The Mareep had yellow wool and deep blue skin. Striped horns on the side of its head matched the yellow and black stripes of its tail. At the end of that tail was an orange lightbulb that flickered before maintaining a simple glow. Its wool sparked with static electricity as it smiled at Sam. Then, the Mareep paused and looked around, seemingly surprised about the light already present.

    ¡°You must be Mareep. You¡¯ll be our... light source for the maze?¡± Sam asked.

    Mareep nodded before turning to Cyndaquil. She looked away as the sheep trotted over.

    Mareep cried its name.

    Cyndaquil replied with hers, apologetically.

    Mareep rubbed its wool-free face against Cyndaquil¡¯s, telling her that it was okay.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head out!¡± Sam said. ¡°Cyndaquil, take the lead. Mareep, can you stay next to me?¡±

    Sam could tell right away that he was cheesing the whole challenge portion of the trial. Mareep was supposed to be his sole source of light, and the walls were painted a dark blue to make finding paths that much more difficult. Except, he had Cyndaquil with him, and she provided a significant chunk of extra light. Not just that, but her light wasn¡¯t a yellowish-white but a mix of red, warm hues. That difference in colors made all the difference in the world, as the colors from her flames made any side passages stand out more than before.

    At a few points, Sam encountered doors that were locked shut. Likely, those could be opened and closed by the Gym Trainers to adjust the difficulty of the maze accordingly. Given that this was only a Trial for a first Gym, most doors were closed, but a few were open to provide Sam quick shortcuts through otherwise winding halls.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    It was less of a maze and more like a trip through a few connected corridors. It took him only a handful of minutes before he encountered his first foe. Stepping into a dead-end hallway, Sam noticed an older man with hair just beginning to grey, wearing a brown suit and sitting in a chair. This section of the hallway was a bit wider, allowing it to be more suited for a Pok¨¦mon battle. The man stood up and smiled politely at Sam, beckoning him closer.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve found me first,¡± The Olivine City Gym Trainer said. ¡°Now that our eyes have locked, a Pok¨¦mon battle is inevitable, yes?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sam replied excitedly.

    Mareep moved off to the side. Cyndaquil made sure she was standing right in front of Sam. The man took a look at Cyndaquil and chuckled before sending out his own Pok¨¦mon.

    As expected, it was a Steel Type. Appearing in the air was a single-eyed, metal sphere with two magnets attached to its sides: a Magnemite.

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow you the first move,¡± the gentlemen said.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam replied, ¡°but you¡¯ll regret that! Cyndaquil, use Leer!¡±

    The man cocked his head to the side, as if not expecting Sam to use such a move. From the ground, Cyndaquil let her flames blaze bright as she glared right at the floating Pok¨¦mon. The Magnemite inched back, uncomfortable.

    ¡°Tackle,¡± the man ordered.

    It zipped forward towards where Cyndaquil was waiting for it on the ground. Noticeably, after that Leer, it tried to take her out first rather than to defend itself from any attack.

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± Sam shouted.

    Right before Magnemite slammed its heavy body into her, Cyndaquil lunged forward and slipped underneath her opponent and the ground. Magnemite pulled itself to a halt and turned before it hit the floor, but doing so caused it to delay just enough to give Cyndaquil time to pull herself into a roll.

    Flame Wheel lit up the space even brighter than before as Cyndaquil¡¯s fire utterly consumed her. She tore across the ground, causing the Magnemite to try to retreat, but it wasn¡¯t prepared to dodge after that Leer. Cyndaquil slammed into it to deal devastating, super effective damage.

    The Steel Type hit the ground, already glowing from the heat. Sam pumped a fist when he saw that Magnemite¡¯s eye was already spinning from unconsciousness.

    ¡°That¡¯s one down!¡± he cheered.

    The older man chuckled and returned his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to encounter a beginner who doesn¡¯t immediately attack. Without that Leer, Flame Wheel would not have taken out Magnemite in a single hit.¡±

    Sam grinned.

    ¡°Then our plan worked,¡± he said.

    The man chuckled in reply.

    ¡°You have two more Gym Trainers to go. I wish you luck for the rest of your challenge.¡±

    Cyndaquil walked back to Sam, a little dizzy after that Flame Wheel but otherwise undamaged. Sam bent down to high-five her, and then he high-fived Mareep too, to thank the Pok¨¦mon for its help so far.

    ¡°And now for the next one,¡± he mumbled.

    He found the second Gym Trainer rather quickly, as she was only a few turns away. This time around, he kept Cyndaquil at his side. Instead, he palmed Mankey¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and tossed it forward as a brown haired young woman smiled cheerfully and tossed forward a Pok¨¦ball of her own.

    ¡°Mankey, go!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Pineco!¡± the Gym Trainer called out.

    Sam had to pause when he saw the Pok¨¦mon that appeared. It was a teal blue, resembled a pinecone, and it was a Bug Type rather than a Steel Type.

    ¡°I... what? That¡¯s not a Steel Type.¡±

    ¡°Pineco will eventually evolve into a Steel Type, so as far as a first-level Gym Challenge is concerned, he¡¯s fair game,¡± the woman said cheekily. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re not going to attack... Use Tackle!¡±

    ¡°Mankey, Fury Swipes!¡± Sam countered.

    The Pineco hopped in place before bouncing off the ground, throwing itself through the air right towards Mankey.

    Showing off all of his practice against Teddiursa, Mankey immediately jumped to the side, avoiding the arc of Pineco¡¯s Tackle. However, he didn¡¯t use Fury Swipes, instead choosing to use Karate Chop to smack Pineco downwards.

    The Fighting Type strike wasn¡¯t very effective against a Bug Type like Pineco, but it was the perfect way to halt all of its momentum.

    The Gym Trainer paled at the sight of how vulnerable Pineco now was.

    ¡°Protect yourself!¡± she yelled.

    Mankey started to furiously scratch at Pineco, but Protect meant his move had no effect. Sam shouted, not to yell any new commands, but to ¡°encourage.¡±

    ¡°Mankey!¡± he yelled, taking on an almost challenging tone to his voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it annoying how Pineco is protecting itself from you? Isn¡¯t it just awful how it¡¯s not letting you show off all your hard work?¡±

    The Fury Swipes accelerated. Mankey snorted out of annoyance. Pineco kept up using its Protect, but all that did was make Mankey angrier.

    He breathed heavily now, both from exertion and from anger. It got to the point where Mankey had to let up, simply because he needed to throw his arms out to the side and let loose a furious shout.

    Then, he resumed his assault. His arms were like windmills with how much they were trying to dig into Pineco. Protect came back up, but Fury Swipes continued. The Gym Trainer bit her lip nervously as Sam quietly watched on.

    Pineco never got the chance to react. The Fury Swipes kept it pinned, and with how Sam had stoked Mankey¡¯s anger, the primate never let up.

    When the Pineco¡¯s Protect failed it succumbed to Mankey¡¯s rage-filled attacks, and Sam called out to his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Breathe! The battle is over. You¡¯ve won!¡±

    The angry primate pulled back, his shoulders heaving up and down from his anger-fueled panting. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and then Sam walked over to give him a high-five.

    ¡°Good job,¡± he said.

    Mankey smiled and rubbed the back of his head. Sam laughed at how he acted as if the whole fight were easy.

    He also went ahead and high-fived both Cyndaquil and Mareep again. No special reason, just because.

    Finally, with only one trainer left, Sam plunged into the maze with the fervor of a boy who absolutely wanted to win. His last two opponents had been crushed, and he wanted to crush the third Gym Trainer just as well.

    It took him longer than he wanted to find them. He was half hoping to make some kind of record, but this place was still a maze, regardless of how easy they made it for a trainer¡¯s first Gym Challenge. He went down every hallway, dived through every corridor, but in the end, he only found them when he retraced his steps.

    The last trainer was at the very beginning, having slipped in once Sam left the area.

    The same woman that had been reading the book at the reception counter grinned at him. The older man and other woman Sam had already defeated stood behind her. Their presence was almost like a taunt, but Sam refused to fall for any taunts.

    He had come here to win, and with this last battle, he was so incredibly close.

    ¡°Ready, Sam?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± he replied.

    She grabbed a Pok¨¦ball from her pocket as Sam nodded to Cyndaquil. After one last flash of light, a Geodude appeared on the field.

    ¡°Come on. That¡¯s not a Steel Type,¡± Sam said.

    The Geodude, a Pok¨¦mon consisting of nothing more than a head and two arms made of rock, slumped at Sam¡¯s comment. Its trainer crouched to rub its craggy body.

    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t listen to him, Geodude. You¡¯re just as tough and powerful as any other Pok¨¦mon here!¡±

    Sam rolled his eyes. He guessed it made sense. There were only so many Steel Types in Johto, after all.

    Though, he took one look at where Cyndaquil stood on the field.

    ¡°Are switches allowed in these battles?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sure, but you have to time them well. Use Rock Throw!¡±

    Cyndaquil squeaked in alarm as the Geodude pulled back one of its thick hands. Rock Type energy poured into it, allowing it to form a rock to toss forward in an attack. She tried to duck out of the way, the same as she had done against the Magnemite, but the chunk of stone flew faster and better aimed than expected.

    It thunked into her side and caused her to cry out in pain. The super-effective move made her flames flicker as the Rock Type energy briefly disrupted her fire.

    ¡°Return, Cyndaquil,¡± Sam said, scowling and bringing her back into her ball. ¡°Mankey, come out!¡±

    His Fighting Type hit the field after a flash and practically puffed up in excitement. The primate¡¯s whitish-tan hair stood on its ends as he looked at the Rock Type as if it were prey.

    ¡°Crush it,¡± Sam said.

    He didn¡¯t need to specify any attacks other than that.

    Panicked, Geodude''s trainer shouted, ¡°Defense Curl!¡± Mankey leaped through the air to land right before the Rock Type now pulled into a ball.

    Low Kick should have outright knocked it out, but a lot of the move¡¯s damage came from the act of actually tripping a foe. Against a Pok¨¦mon protecting itself with Defense Curl, there wasn¡¯t any way for a Pok¨¦mon in the shape of a sphere to properly fall.

    What it did do, though, was cause Geodude to roll back and throw off its angle. After withstanding the Low Kick, the Rock Type groaned and tried to stiffly pull itself back open, intending to attack Mankey. However, it faced the ceiling rather than forward, so Mankey was not in its line of sight.

    Before it could reorient itself, an open hand struck Geodude on its face. A Karate Chop sent chips of its body to the floor in an incredibly damaging, super effective attack. This last move was enough to cause Geodude to go limp as it quickly fell unconscious, fainted.

    ¡°Man, kid. That was brutal,¡± the Gym Trainer said.

    A different Gym Trainer, the woman with a Pineco, spoke up in reply.

    ¡°You should have seen how he beat Pineco. It was so mean! He had his Mankey get angrier and angrier and angrier...¡±

    Sam chuckled awkwardly.

    ¡°Sorry, but a Mankey¡¯s best strength is his rage,¡± he said.

    And getting used to controlling that rage is how he¡¯ll eventually evolve.

    The lead Gym Trainer shook her head, amused.

    ¡°Type Advantage can be big at low levels of play. Regardless, you¡¯ve beat the three of us within the allocated time. So, let me be the first to congratulate you for earning the Mineral¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m, uh... Actually, I¡¯ll be fighting Jasmine for the badge this afternoon. She¡¯s the one I¡¯ll need to beat to earn the Gym Badge. All of this was just... practice? I guess?¡±

    He shifted side-to-side a bit awkwardly.

    The three Gym Trainers exchanged a look. Eventually the one who was about to present him with the badge spoke up again.

    ¡°So you¡¯re one of those trainers, then, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°One of those crazy ones trying to squeeze every last bit of practice out of a Gym they can,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who take on both the Trial and battle the Gym Leader each and every time.¡±

    Sam correctly chose not to respond to that.

    Actually, I only took on the Trial for the financial benefits.

    He still had a proud smile on his face, though. After everything with Redi, his team was strong. Sure, this might have been only the first Gym, but every battle had been easy!

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not accepting our Gym Badge just yet, you can follow me,¡± the woman said. ¡°I can give you your prize for winning.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. ¡°And thank you too, Mareep.¡±

    The sheep smiled at him as he returned it to its Pok¨¦ball and passed it over.

    The earnings for winning the Gym Trial weren¡¯t much. It covered the initial payment and then only a small amount more, but anything earned was still appreciated.

    ¡°I have to bring my Pok¨¦mon to the Center to heal them before my match later, but do you have any tips for Jasmine?¡± Sam asked.

    The Gym Trainer, now returned to working the front counter, hummed in thought.

    ¡°Well, Olivine has the least number of Gym Trainers in the region, and with how rare Steel Types are, it¡¯s hard to prepare for challenges at times. Difficulty tends to swing wildly and randomly between each trial and level.¡±

    ¡°So then, for a first badge challenge?¡± Sam asked hopefully.

    ¡°How many stars is your team?¡±

    Sam stared at her blankly, and she let out a short sigh.

    ¡°The strength of a team is approximately measured through a star ranking, where every star a team has is equivalent to the power needed to earn that many Gym Badges. So, a one-star team could easily earn one Gym Badge, a two-star could earn two, a three-star three, and so on and so forth.¡±

    Mom said she had a five-star team. I wonder where Declatty would be rated right now?

    ¡°Your team...¡± She hummed again. ¡°I¡¯d say your team is firmly one-star as it stands.¡±

    Sam grinned. That was proof his Pok¨¦mon had grown stronger.

    ¡°But for this Gym? The Trial is easy, but the battle is a bit harder,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen two-star teams struggle to beat Jasmine¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. It¡¯ll be a difficult fight.¡±

    Sam blanched, but the woman was quick to try to reaffirm him.

    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t worry¡ªthere¡¯s a bright side to this! Jasmine will only be using one Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    That didn¡¯t make Sam feel any better. After all, how strong would that single Pok¨¦mon be? He still thanked the Gym Trainer and headed out, returning to the Pok¨¦mon Center to let his team get healed. There, he gave tips to Redi¡ªkeeping them light so as to not spoil any challenge for her¡ªand she went on to take her own Trial. She had a much tougher time of it, but she still came out victorious.

    The trainers Redi fought were different, but the species of Pok¨¦mon were the same. Teddiursa struggled with Magnemite the most, as he still didn¡¯t have a handle on Fire Punch. Once he managed to grab it out of the air, he fought through the weak Thundershocks to eventually wear it down with Fury Swipes.

    (It only resisted the move. Unlike a Gastly, it wasn¡¯t immune.)

    In the afternoon, it was Sam¡¯s turn to head back to the Gym. There, he greeted a different receptionist and was sent down a different door to reach an interior field. The room was large with its own stands to allow locals to pay for tickets to watch matches, which helped support the Gym. The crowd wasn¡¯t as big as the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, but it was still a bit nerve-wracking that anyone was there.

    Redi found herself a seat. Friends of the challengers got in for free. She cried out Sam¡¯s name in support, causing him to blush, and he found a spot across from Jasmine.

    ¡°...Welcome,¡± the Gym Leader said. ¡°You are my opponent for this match?¡±

    Sam nodded once.

    ¡°I am,¡± he said.

    She smiled gracefully at him before tossing forward a Pok¨¦ball.

    Right away, he was struck by why the receptionist had warned him this battle would be difficult. Sure, Jasmine was using only one Pok¨¦mon, and sure, it might not have been a Steel Type, but he immediately got flashbacks to her enormous Steelix that had appeared on the Beginner¡¯s Tournament field.

    It was so big that several ceiling lights were blocked by its body. Every individual boulder that made up the body of the massive Onix was larger than both Cyndaquil and Mankey combined.

 Chapter 22

    The Onix was a towering snake made of boulders connected like a chain. Head to tail-tip, it was longer than a bus, and it had a dull horn on its head that looked capable of crushing that very bus. For a Pok¨¦mon so large to be the opponent of a first Gym Badge fight made it feel like Jasmine didn¡¯t want anyone to win.

    Sam thought back to the arena. He thought back to the promise he made to his team.

    He would beat Jasmine one day, and he hadn¡¯t been talking about a battle as low-level as this one. He had been talking about her core team, her team of elite Pok¨¦mon. If he wanted to beat her Steelix, he couldn¡¯t let himself get caught up by a single, little Onix. It wouldn¡¯t have been sent out in front of him if it wasn¡¯t possible.

    And he had promised to himself that he wasn¡¯t going to lose ever again. This battle would not be an exception.

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡± he shouted.

    The little Fire Type flashed onto the field with a challenging squeak. Jasmine smiled, but Cyndaquil didn¡¯t spare a single glance to the Gym Leader. Instead, she craned her neck up, and up, and up, until she was staring the Onix in its massive eyes. She fell back on her butt out of both fear and awe.

    ¡°This is our fight, Cyndaquil. We¡¯re beating that Onix today,¡± Sam said.

    She snapped her head to him. For a moment, she looked at Sam in complete disbelief. But the confidence on his face said he knew they could do this. He was already starting to piece together a plan.

    ¡°I have challengers who back out as soon as they see Onix,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°It is good to maintain your composure before such a towering beast.¡±

    Sam merely grunted, not bothering with a proper reply. Instead, he scanned every inch of the massive Pok¨¦mon¡¯s body.

    I¡¯ll need to have Cyndaquil prod it for points of weakness. Maybe where its boulders connect. Or its eyes? Those don¡¯t seem to be made of rock like the rest, but they look just as hardened¡ªin more ways than one.

    As Sam continued his search, Jasmine chuckled quietly.

    ¡°...I understand. You want to get this battle in order, yes?¡± She turned to the side of the field, where a referee in a silver-grey sweatshirt stood at the ready. ¡°I believe both of us are prepared to begin.¡±

    Sam turned to the referee and nodded, agreeing. He wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out anything else until the fight actually started.

    ¡°Then...¡± The referee spoke in a voice loud enough to echo through the room and glanced between the two Pok¨¦mon. ¡°This will be a battle between Challenger Samuel and Gym Leader Jasmine. The challenger will be permitted to use up to three Pok¨¦mon, whereas Gym Leader has limited herself to one. A maximum of two switches are allowed. The format will follow the standard Gym Battle format. And unless there are any questions...¡±

    Sam stared ahead. Jasmine calmly took in the field.

    The referee nodded once before shouting the one word to start the battle.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    The first person to speak wasn¡¯t Sam, nor was it Jasmine. Instead, a voice cried out from the stands with a small, teddy-bear-like Pok¨¦mon crying out alongside her.

    ¡°You can do this, Sam! Beat her up!¡± Redi shouted.

    And with that, both trainers called out for their Pok¨¦mon to move.

    ¡°Tackle, Onix.¡±

    ¡°Ember, all up and down its body! Run away as you do!¡±

    The massive Pok¨¦mon roared¡ªits voice sounded more like the rumble of an avalanche than a living creature. It lowered its head to jab at and smash Cyndaquil, but her back blazed with panicked energy while she scurried away as fast as she could.

    The ground shook when Onix¡¯s chin hit the floor, and Cyndaquil was knocked into the air. She squeaked in alarm and hastily turned around, not dropping her speed in the slightest while running along the edge of the field.

    Flames left her mouth. She loosed an Ember over her shoulder. Onix was big, slow, and lumbering, but what it lacked in speed, it made up in its incredible defense. She pulled the attack across its body by angling her head, and black, sooty marks appeared in a line down Onix¡¯s rocks.

    Except, the Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t even react. Rock resisted Fire, and it didn¡¯t even blink when Ember dug in between where its boulders connected.

    So not a weak point, then.

    The Onix¡¯s tail pushed it forward, beginning to give chase. It was an impossible movement¡ªat least two thirds of its body was raised into the air. Still, its balance was impeccable as its eyes did not leave Cyndaquil¡¯s rushing form.

    ¡°Aim at its face!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Screech,¡± Jasmine said.

    Onix opened its mouth and let loose a new sound. Bits of gravel fell downwards as a noise akin to a scratch against a chalkboard filled the room.

    Sam had to cover his ears to stop himself from falling.

    Cyndaquil had it the worst. Onix faced her, with its open mouth perfectly aimed her way. She stopped running, cringing under the horrific noise, the Screech focused and that much stronger around her.

    But, even with that move obliterating her defenses, Cyndaquil proved she wasn¡¯t going to give up. Though shaking, she managed to aim her snout right at the Onix¡¯s eyes to unleash one last Ember.

    There was little reaction, but that meant there was a reaction. Even though it resisted the comparatively small move, the Onix still pulled back its head ever-so-slightly when the Ember hit.

    Got it. Attack the head, but we¡¯ll need a way to bring it lower. Mankey has the Type advantage here, we just need to position Onix to let him take advantage of that.

    One problem with Sam¡¯s plan: Cyndaquil had stopped moving, but the Onix was still creeping closer. It was slow but steady, and Sam knew Cyndaquil would be too busy with recovering from that Screech to properly dodge.

    ¡°Tackle,¡± Jasmine ordered.

    Cyndaquil tried to drag herself away, but her head was almost visibly spinning. One move in her arsenal could save her, so Sam didn¡¯t wait to call it out.

    ¡°Smokescreen!¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Not once in this fight had Cyndaquil¡¯s flames dropped. Redi was onto something about working with what a Pok¨¦mon already had. Cyndaquil did not need to prepare; she was ready at a moment¡¯s notice.

    She opened her mouth and coughed out a cloud of smoke, obscuring her.

    Onix neared and brought its head down.

    The earth shook, and Sam clenched his fists nervously. For a moment, the only sounds in the room were Redi¡¯s and Teddiursa¡¯s continuing cheers of support.

    Then, something rushed out of the smoke, and Cyndaquil sprinted away on all four limbs. She was shaken but not fainted; likely, the Onix hadn¡¯t slammed on top of her, but the momentum of the slam had still let it push forward to hit her.

    Each time a paw on the right side of her body hit the ground, she winced. She was hurt but still battle-capable. Sam¡¯s chest swelled at the determination his Pok¨¦mon displayed and wasted no time at all to call out the next step of his plan.

    ¡°The sky! Fill the air above the field with smoke!¡±

    She ran. Her mouth opened up, and smoke poured out of her throat. A shadow settled over the field as several of the lights were blocked out, but there was still enough to see what was happening.

    Onix was effectively blinded. As more and more smoke filled the air, the level at which it usually kept its head became utterly obscured.

    ¡°Pause! I¡¯m returning my Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    The referee nodded at Sam, and Jasmine brought a hand down from where she was about to give Onix new orders. Cyndaquil returned to her Pok¨¦ball in a flash of light, and Sam whispered quiet praise to her before wishing her a good rest.

    Then, he pulled out a new Pok¨¦ball from his pocket. This time, Mankey appeared ahead of him.

    ¡°Continue,¡± the referee stated.

    Unlike Cyndaquil¡¯s initial, scared reaction, Mankey was much more excited when he saw Onix. The primate hopped between his feet and pumped his arms with fervent glee. Fighting Type moves were super effective against Rock Type Pok¨¦mon, and this was a chance to actually demonstrate the strength he had cultivated.

    Jasmine ordered a Tackle, and Onix started to rumble forward. Sam took one look at its slow movement and took advantage of this situation for what it was: time to talk.

    ¡°Mankey. This Onix hates you. It hates your small size, it hates your opposing Type, and most important of all, it hates how you have a chance to beat it,¡± Sam said. ¡°If it hates you, we¡¯ll hate it back. So you know what we¡¯re going to do?¡±

    Veins appeared on Mankey¡¯s head. The Onix was almost on him. His red eyes burned with anger as he glared at the Pok¨¦mon that towered so far above his head.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to take a page out of Redi¡¯s book and punch it in the face!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s do this! Use Karate Chop!¡±

    Mankey screeched. His shout was a war cry that announced his own attack. Onix crouched¡ªat least, it crouched as much as a snake-like Pok¨¦mon could crouch¡ªsince it was doing its best to keep its head underneath the smoke. As a result, it was no longer keeping itself as far off the ground as before, giving Mankey significantly more room to act.

    He ignored that for now and instead rushed its body. Using his agility, he hopped forward to grab onto its uneven stone and fling himself right where its head was held low only a few feet away.

    ¡°Harden!¡± Jasmine shouted.

    There was worry in her voice.

    Onix gained a metallic sheen right as Mankey latched onto its face. The primate Pok¨¦mon grabbed onto the stone right under its eyes and smashed his hand downwards. Onix immediately reared back, its deep voice crying out in pain. It threw its head into the smoke clouds, air currents temporarily pushing them apart, and it flailed as Mankey held on throughout all of the movement.

    ¡°Again!¡± Sam shouted.

    Mankey¡¯s hand smashed into Onix¡¯s face a second time.

    Sam could see Mankey recoiling from the pain of punching a dense rock each time he struck, but the monkey¡¯s furious rage pushed him through.

    ¡°Bind!¡± Jasmine called out.

    She¡¯s getting desperate. We¡¯re close.

    Onix fell back to land on its side and let the tip of its tail¡ªthe thinnest part of its body¡ªreach up towards where Mankey was hanging on. However, the monkey climbed higher, moving to where the horn jutted off from the very top of Onix itself. Almost like a sort of game, he used Onix¡¯s own body against it to prevent him from being grabbed.

    Onix was an incredibly defensive Pok¨¦mon, but Sam knew that its fate was sealed. After the two separate Karate Chops, it was already struggling to move. Taking advantage, he called for a different attack, one that might have been weaker, but it was too ferocious for such a massive Pok¨¦mon to resist.

    ¡°Fury Swipes.¡±

    Mankey swung himself down to tear at Onix¡¯s face. It might have resisted the move instead of being vulnerable to it, but each swipe still did a minimum amount of damage, and after a few more seconds, it collapsed, utterly fainted.

    ¡°Onix is unable to battle. Leader Jasmine has no more available Pok¨¦mon. Challenger Samuel is the victor!¡±

    The room erupted into cheers, though it was really just Redi. Sam ran onto the field as Mankey jumped off of Onix to be caught by him, and he swung the monkey around before clutching him close to his chest.

    ¡°Yes! That was amazing!¡± he said. ¡°You took out that enormous Onix so well!¡±

    Mankey coughed, and Sam had to lighten his grip. The primate was held up almost like a doll, but he still made sure to flex in Sam¡¯s arms.

    Sam put him down as he started to shake his hands to try to get some of the pain out. He returned him to his Pok¨¦ball to give him a comfortable space to rest.

    Onix disappeared in red light. Jasmine smiled and approached Sam.

    ¡°...Well done. Onix¡¯s size usually makes it difficult to attack with Fighting Type moves, but your use of Smokescreen solved that problem, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sam beamed.

    ¡°Yeah. Cyndaquil¡¯s pretty amazing, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    The Gym Leader covered her mouth and laughed.

    ¡°Congratulations, Samuel,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°With my defeat, you have clearly demonstrated the strength of both you and your team. You have more than earned the Mineral Badge, which serves as proof of your victory over Olivine Gym.¡±

    She reached into her dress¡¯s pocket and pulled out a shiny, metal octagon that fit in her hand. It was grey and lacked any details more than that, simply being a pin that emphasized how it was made out of metal. She passed it over, and Sam reverently took it. He held it up and let the light glint off of it in the air.

    This was his first Gym Badge.

    His first real proof of success as a trainer.

    He needed just seven more to reach the Conference, and then he could show the whole world just how strong he and his team was.

    Sam thanked Jasmine for the fight, speaking briefly about how he¡¯s looking forward to a rematch, too. She said she would be open to such a battle, as long as he came in the middle of the season, when the rush wasn¡¯t so intense.

    He left, meeting Redi outside where she was already waiting for him.

    ¡°Let me see! Let me see!¡± she said.

    He held it up but didn¡¯t pass it over. She puffed up her face in annoyance, but he smirked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get a chance to earn yours tomorrow. How do you plan to beat Onix, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Same as what you did, just with a lot more scratching,¡± she said, smirking back.

    He laughed when he pictured Teddiursa climbing on the big Pok¨¦mon like some sort of jungle gym, and he headed out to return to the Pok¨¦mon Center. He had a call to make, and he had news of victory to share.

    <hr>

    This time, Sam was ready. When the video phone turned on, he didn¡¯t jump when he was met with a close-up of Sableye¡¯s face.

    He stared forward, unblinking, and so did the image on the screen.

    Neither of them spoke.

    Neither of them moved.

    The motionless silence of the cheshire grin lasted so long that Sam started to think the call had dropped, and that the screen had frozen on the very last thing it displayed.

    ¡°...Hello?¡±

    ¡°Bl-eye!¡± Sableye snapped, suddenly jerking forward and pretending to bite at the camera.

    Sam screamed and fell out of his chair. Sableye had merely been watching. Waiting. Timing things just right to capitalize on the exact moment Sam let his guard down.

    ¡°...I hate you,¡± he grumbled, picking both himself and Cyndaquil off of the ground.

    He placed her in his lap while Mankey climbed up to hang off his neck. Sam hated how both Sableye and Mankey were snickering at his brief fright.

    ¡°Hi sweetie!¡± his mom said from where she sat with Delcatty in her own lap.

    ¡°Hi, mom,¡± Sam said rather unhappily. Next to him, Redi called out ¡°Hi, Mrs. Greyson!¡± but Sam grabbed her face and pushed her away.

    His mother giggled.

    Nothing good ever happened when his mother giggled.

    ¡°How are you, sweetie?¡± she asked with a sickly sweet smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m... good,¡± he said, doing his best to send a stink eye to both Redi and Sableye at the same time. ¡°I got my first Gym Badge! The Mineral Badge! I¡¯m calling you to let you know and to tell you that we¡¯ll be heading off soon!¡±

    He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. Cyndaquil squeaked to cheer, and Mankey raised up a hand in victory.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! And it only took you one attempt?¡±

    Sam puffed up his chest.

    ¡°Yup! Redi¡¯ll need to fight to get hers tomorrow morning, but we¡¯ll be heading out afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Do you have a plan?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Sam replied.

    Like other regions, Johto had eight gyms in it, so those were eight stops Sam and Redi absolutely had to make. Thankfully, the layout of all of the region¡¯s cities and routes meant that they could follow a looping path to visit all of the region''s different locations.

    Their plan was to head east to Ecruteak, then south to Goldenrod, Azalea, and back up to Violet. From there, there were a few different ways to head to the north-eastern Blackthorn, and then they could visit Mahogany Town while traveling back west to finish everything off against Cianwood City¡¯s Gym.

    ¡°Sounds like you have everything well planned out,¡± his mother said. ¡°You¡¯ll remember everything I taught you when you head onto your first Route, right?¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°And if he messes up, he still has me!¡± Redi butted in.

    Sam just rolled his eyes, and his mother stifled a giggle.

    ¡°Then, Sam, I wish you luck. I¡¯m so, so proud of you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± he said, blushing.

    Redi started to make kissy-faces at him again.

    ¡°Could I get a sneak-peek, though, maybe?¡± his mom asked. ¡°Like the details of your plan?¡±

    Sam pulled his stool closer and leaned in. He had Cyndaquil and Mankey with him, but he could picture his next capture already.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re going to Ecruteak City, where the region¡¯s Ghost Type Gym is at! Not just that, but the Burned Tower is there, and the Burned Tower is filled with ghosts.¡±

    His grin deepened.

    ¡°Soon as I can, I¡¯m heading in, and I¡¯ll be catching a new Pok¨¦mon! Just you wait, Mom! Next time you see me, I¡¯ll have a brand new Gastly on my team!¡±

 Chapter 23

    Redi¡¯s battle against Jasmine went about as Sam expected; repeated use of Fury Swipes meant the Onix was eventually worn down. The outcome was impressive, but the battle itself ended up being rather straightforward. It was hard for Onix to react to Teddiursa clutching its horn and tearing into its face.

    That same day, Sam and Redi then moved on, entering Route 39 as Sam¡¯s first jaunt into true wilderness. He, alongside Redi, would travel through the woods, encounter wild Pok¨¦mon, and experience camping without any amenities of a city.

    Except, the immediate area was still rather settled. Stepping onto the route, Sam was met with rolling fields framed by woods and the mountains of a valley. Well-worn dirt served as a road that stretched into the far distance, and the occasional truck drove down that path to transport the goods produced by nearby farms and ranches.

    So close to Olivine, urbanization was still rather common, yet Sam wasn¡¯t disappointed at all. It¡¯d be a few days of travel before they hit true wilderness, but he was still rushing forward, encouraging Redi to follow as he took the lead.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot about this place! I had no clue it was here until Mom told me!¡± he said excitedly. ¡°Man, it¡¯s been years. I wonder if he¡¯s still...¡±

    He let his voice trail off, eyes flicking about to locate the path he was told to find. Feeling similar to him, Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t even properly in his hood; she was leaning forward and half-standing on his shoulder.

    ¡°What? What is it? What¡¯s so exciting about a buncha dumb farms?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam rolled his eyes before locking his gaze onto a small sign on the side of the road. It wasn¡¯t anything special; it merely pointed to a nearby homestead, but Sam still grabbed Redi¡¯s arm and ran forward. She yelped in surprise but still allowed herself to be dragged along.

    This was the place.

    ¡°It¡¯s this way,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s a ranch¡ªa Pok¨¦mon breeder.¡±

    Redi exhaled and pulled her arm back, slowing. Her face was now tinted red.

    ¡°Like a daycare?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Better!¡± Sam replied. ¡°They¡¯ve specialized!¡±

    A winding stream of gravel brought them forward, with every footstep causing it to crunch under their weight. It curved around fields of growing rice, sparse groves of berry trees, and fenced-off, open areas where Tauros and Miltank grazed.

    At the top of the hill, a small, wooden cabin. Nearby, a barn with a few Tauros lingering outside.

    ¡°Here we are. This is it!¡± Sam said.

    Redi gave Sam an exhausted look.

    ¡°A milk farmer?¡± she asked flatly.

    Sam made a point of ignoring her to go right up to the front door and adjust his clothes. He took a deep breath to settle any nerves before knocking. Opening up the door was a thin man in overalls wearing a cap backwards on his head.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± the man said.

    ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m Sam?¡± Sam said. ¡°My grandfather used to work with you.¡±

    He looked up at the ranch owner hopefully. The man¡¯s gaze lazily drifted from Sam to Cyndaquil, where it suddenly sharpened, and he stood up a bit straighter..

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re... You¡¯re!¡± The man slapped his hands together, a genuine grin appearing on his face. ¡°You¡¯re Richard¡¯s kid! Oh, man! You¡¯ve grown so much.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only been four years,¡± Sam replied, a bit embarrassed.

    The man reached out with a gloved hand to scratch under Cyndaquil¡¯s chin. She leaned into his touch and kicked her back leg in pleasure.

    The sound of a foot stomping the ground interrupted the conversation.

    ¡°Alright. Tell me what¡¯s going on or I¡¯m going to sic Teddiursa on you,¡± Redi interjected.

    Sam turned to face her as the man smiled at Redi.

    ¡°This is Carl. Carl runs the place and takes care of all the Pok¨¦mon here. Carl, this is Redi. She¡¯s a friend. We¡¯re traveling together,¡± he stated.

    ¡°Well, howdy!¡± Carl said. ¡°Nice to meet ya, Redi!¡±

    Redi cautiously took his hand while eyeing him up and down.

    ¡°...Nice to meet you too?¡±

    The friendly ranch owner seemed to delight in her reaction.

    ¡°Like this¡¯un said, I run this ranch, and I used to be friends with his grandfather before he passed. Few years back, one of his Pok¨¦mon was sent to me, and I¡¯ve been taking care of ¡®em ever since.¡±

    She nodded a little warily, seemingly uncomfortable with this situation. She sent a glance to Sam, but he nodded his head to confirm the validity of the situation.

    ¡°Come on in. I¡¯ll show you to the proper ranch,¡± Carl said. ¡°It¡¯s through my back door, so follow me.¡±

    Sam eagerly stepped inside, making sure Redi would still follow behind just in case. The interior of the small home was cozy, filled with furniture with thick cushions and decorations hung up like trophies. Fallen horns and sheddings of rare species hung on his walls, abstract artwork and designs filled the space next to them. What drew Sam¡¯s attention the most were the pictures that had been pinned underneath them.

    He heard a gasp from behind him.

    ¡°Is that... Are you shaking hands with Lance?!¡±

    Redi stopped where she was walking to stare at a certain picture on the wall. Sam stopped too to see what exactly she was looking at.

    The picture was of a younger-looking Carl, wearing the same outfit, shaking hands with a teenaged Champion Lance before he ascended into the role.

    Redi¡¯s mouth was agape. Sam glanced between the photo and the very same man. He hadn¡¯t realized just how well-connected Carl was.

    ¡°Ah, yeah, well, that photo¡¯s a bit misleading,¡± Carl said, taking off his cap to scratch his balding head. ¡°We were in discussion about a breeding program for a Pok¨¦mon of his. Unfortunately, they got a bit too testy once they evolved, so we couldn¡¯t go through with it considering the Pok¨¦mon we already got here.¡±

    ¡°...What was that species?¡± Redi asked cautiously.

    ¡°Charmander,¡± Carl replied far, far too casually.

    Redi fell into silence, and Sam chose not to say anything. Carl went on to lead the group out his back door, where a path stretched into the nearby woods. Following it, they soon plunged into shadow, the canopy blocking out the midday sun.

    Sam had a spring to his step despite the relative gloom. Redi shivered, though.

    ¡°Work¡¯s been well,¡± Carl started as they walked. ¡°Our long-standing contract with Elm is still going. Haven¡¯t really had any problems with poachers save for a few pokin¡¯ around, but they won¡¯t be getting close with some of the Pok¨¦mon we got staying here.¡± He smacked his lips in thought. ¡°We mostly work with Tauros and Miltank, ¡®specially Tauros since they¡¯re so good in battle. One trained with moves like Blizzard and Hyper Beam, and whew! You got yourself an ace Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    He grinned, and Sam couldn¡¯t resist grinning too. He wanted to have his own Pok¨¦mon learn such powerful moves.

    Ahead, a bit of light started to poke through the trees as their destination neared. He was almost ready to start running forward, but that was when the sound of cracking twigs ran out.

    A dark shape rose up out of the woods, red eyes glinting, obscured by shadow. The group froze for the briefest of seconds before the creature rushed forward and tackled Sam.

    Sam was absolutely consumed by the assault, being bowled over onto the forest floor. Redi shouted in alarm, and Cyndaquil started to squeak repeatedly.

    Except, she wasn¡¯t worried. She was giggling. Carl chuckled, too.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°I missed you too, buddy,¡± Sam said, hugging the Pok¨¦mon back.

    Moisture swiped across Sam¡¯s face. Warm, dry fur pressed into his body like a blanket. He wrapped his arms around the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s side as it pulled itself back. Sam followed and made sure to scratch the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head.

    ¡°This is Typhlosion!¡± Sam said, introducing the Pok¨¦mon to Redi. ¡°He¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. And he¡¯s Cyndaquil¡¯s grandfather, too.¡±

    Typhlosion was big for a Pok¨¦mon of his species, standing several feet taller than Sam. However, despite his relative size, his age was also apparent. The tan fur on his chest and face had become almost white over the years, and the color of the blue on his back had mellowed out to have a silver tint.

    Redi blinked at the beast, but Cyndaquil had a much happier reaction. She jumped off of Sam¡¯s shoulder to land on Typhlosion¡¯s back, where she climbed up his fur to rest on top of his head.

    ¡°...Wow,¡± Redi said. ¡°I think he might be able to beat Mama in a fight.¡±

    Typhlosion grinned, exposing sharp teeth. He then leaned forward to swipe his tongue across Redi¡¯s face while she laughed.

    ¡°Everyone else is just a bit ahead,¡± Carl said, rejoining the conversation. ¡°Though, it¡¯s technically a secret, so make sure to not let word spread too far, got it?¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Sam cheered.

    Typhlosion joined the group as they continued down the path. There, once they reached its end, the forest opened up into a wide, open grove filled with foliage both living and burnt.

    Pok¨¦mon ran around, laughing and shouting their species¡¯s name. The smell of smoke was a constant presence, as flames occasionally flickered to burst out off their backs. Cyndaquil immediately hopped down to run forward and join where three other, nearly identical Pok¨¦mon were playing tag.

    She approached and let her back flare with fire. The three other Cyndaquil stopped running to stare at her display of control with awe.

    ¡°Outside of Tauros and Miltank, we breed Cyndaquil,¡± Carl said. ¡°This place serves as a retirement community for old trainers'' starters, too. Got a lot of Typhlosion and Quilava here that have come just to rest. Lotta the Cyndaquil here are their offspring, which are given out to trainers across the region to let them gain partners of their own.¡±

    The evolved forms of Cyndaquil lazed around and enjoyed the sun. Quilava sat on rocks and Typhlosion slept within patches of dried grass. It was surprisingly peaceful here even with all the young Pok¨¦mon running about.

    ¡°Can we...¡± Sam started.

    ¡°Go ahead and send your other Pok¨¦mon out, if you want,¡± Carl said, chuckling. ¡°It¡¯s always good to let everyone here get some exercise.¡±

    Mankey was released from his Pok¨¦ball. Teddiursa¡¯s nap was interrupted as he appeared on the ground with a yawn. Cyndaquil beckoned them over to introduce them to the youngest generation, and then all three Pok¨¦mon became caught up in games.

    Behind Sam and Redi, Typhlosion chuffed proudly. Some of these Pok¨¦mon here were members of his family, though he had taken on a purely protective role in his old age.

    ¡°Let me give you a tour. It¡¯s always nice when one of the little¡¯uns¡¯ trainers stop by!¡±

    Carl showed off all the amenities here. There were gardens, fire-proof sheds, caves for nesting, and a section filled with fine dirt that allowed the Pok¨¦mon to bathe without water.

    During this tour, both Teddiursa and Cyndaquil primarily just showed off. Cyndaquil was more than willing to demonstrate her Flame Wheel, and Teddiursa demonstrated just how easily he could cut chunks out of stone. As for Mankey, that Pok¨¦mon was a different story. He was a bit too boastful in his demonstrations, and an annoyed Quilava challenged him to a fight.

    He lost.

    That Quilava was a veteran of a journey of its own. It might not have evolved into a Typhlosion, but it had been in countless battles before being passed over for a comfortable retirement.

    ¡°This place is incredible,¡± Redi said. ¡°How come I haven¡¯t heard of it?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s on a pretty need-to-know basis,¡± Carl replied. ¡°Trainers with the Cyndaquil line are kind of the exception, since their Pok¨¦mon all grew up here. Taking care of Pok¨¦mon once your journey ends can get expensive, so this place helps meet all of their needs. And don¡¯t worry, we got phones set up, and we get visitors all the time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still sad, but it is unavoidable,¡± Sam said. ¡°My mom and I couldn¡¯t afford to take care of Typhlosion with how much he eats.¡±

    Typhlosion was still following them, and he snorted as if to ward away any accusations of him being fat.

    Redi was captivated, eyes still locked onto the members of these rare species gathering around Teddiursa and the rest.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want too big of a team. Doesn¡¯t make sense to not keep them around later.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to catch another Pok¨¦mon eventually,¡± Sam said.

    She shrugged and turned away.

    The tour continued as their Pok¨¦mon continued to play. More of the ranch was shown off, including the spaces where Tauros and Miltank were raised and bred outside. By the end of it, it was nighttime, and Carl invited them in to stay.

    Rather than camping, Sam would spend the night in someone¡¯s home¡ªand he couldn¡¯t exactly say he regretted how he spent his first day away on a Route.

    <hr><hr>

    The moon was full, with Carl¡¯s home illuminated in its pale light. A warm glow left the house¡¯s windows, and laughter rang out from outside.

    Cyndaquil was not with them. Her attention took her outside, to where the cold night air chilled her and where the stars stretched out across the night sky.

    She sat on the top of the hill and stared out at the fields. A pasture made up most of the ranch, with dozens of Tauros and Miltank sleeping within it.

    Today had been fun, but she was now filled with deep nostalgia and... other thoughts. She hoped to get her mind off everything by taking some time to herself and by watching the creatures that were so common here that had been absent in her new home.

    Fireflies.

    They flitted about empty-mindedly. They weren¡¯t Bug Types, but actual bugs. A halo of yellow surrounded their rears as too many to count drifted throughout the nearby fields.

    These creatures seemed impossible to Cyndaquil. She had trouble understanding how such small forms of life could exist. They lacked the same Type energy that fueled Pok¨¦mon. Not just that, but they behaved solely through instinct rather than any form of conscious thought.

    Fireflies were unnatural, but they were still beautiful. One ended up drifting over and landing on the tip of her snout.

    Its glowing thorax faded in and out as it held its wings out to rest. Her thin eyes took it all in, memorizing every detail the best she could, before there was a twitch.

    An itch.

    Cyndaquil sneezed.

    The bug was blown far off, sailing into the distance before catching itself in the air. It did not return, and she couldn''t help but sigh.

    A subdued laugh rumbled next to her.

    She looked over to see her grandfather, the hulking and battle-experienced Typhlosion. Normally, she would have over run to greet him excitedly, but now, she just wasn''t in the mood.

    Cyndaquil remained sitting, and the Pok¨¦mon rumbled again before ambling over to join her. He let the front of his body hit the ground and stretched out before he scooted over to let his side press against her back.

    ¡°Typhlosion,¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Quil,¡± Cyndaquil replied.

    She turned her back gaze up to the stars, and Typhlosion shifted to curl and place his head on the ground next to her.

    He looked at her pointedly.

    Cyndaquil looked away.

    It wasn''t that she was avoiding him, it was just that she...

    She sighed.

    Coming back brought up a lot of memories. This was where she had hatched. This was where she had been raised. She had spent months of her life here before eventually meeting with Sam, and now¡ª

    Typhlosion chuffed.

    Cyndaquil could no longer sit up as straight as before.

    To tell the truth, Cyndaquil was afraid.

    She was afraid of losing. Afraid of being weak. Afraid of not being able to stand up and face those that threatened her best friend¡ªbut most importantly, she was afraid of letting him down.

    She let her worries pour out of her all while Typhlosion silently listened in. She got up to pace, needing to move, and she squeaked frantically to share everything that had been weighing on her since the start of her journey.

    Then, right as she started to speak about how she wasn''t sure if she had really stopped shaking out of fear or if she had just got really good at suppressing it, Typhlosion sat up.

    Cyndaquil shut her mouth.

    The large Fire Type started to trot into the woods, looking over his shoulder to bid her to follow.

    She did, almost needing to run to keep up with the much larger Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strides. They left the area of the house, they left the open plains, and they entered the forest, where he took her quite a ways in.

    They didn''t arrive at the same grove where the rest of the Cyndaquil lived. Instead, Typhlosion brought her to the base of an enormous tree that covered several others with its shade.

    Moonlight poured in through its branches, illuminating the foliage-sparse space around it. A few scarred boulders lingered about. In the base of its roots, there was a hole that smelled like Typhlosion.

    This was his home. It was peaceful. A Pok¨¦mon as old as him needed a quiet place to rest at times.

    But, the old Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t go inside. He wasn¡¯t trying to brag or trying to take Cyndaquil away. Instead, he had merely wanted a private space to show something off, and this space around the tree already had all of its plants burned away long, long ago.

    He let the flames around his neck come alight. The area was cast in hues of reds and yellows. His fire started up without any effort at all, as if it was easy.

    Even though this wasn¡¯t what he wanted to demonstrate, Cyndaquil was already impressed.

    Continuing, Typhlosion pushed off the ground to stand on his back legs. He groaned a bit, his bones creaking in his old age. The flames on his back grew stronger as the clearing lit up brighter than before.

    A wink. Typhlosion grinned. He opened his mouth and let loose an earth-shaking roar.

    This was not a sound that should have come from a Pok¨¦mon. It was the roar of a volcano given life. With his cry, his fire became a furious blaze that should have set the forest on fire, yet all it did was lick harmlessly around its branches. Even from several feet away, and even though she was a Fire Type, Cyndaquil still found herself taking a step back to avoid Typhlosion¡¯s sweltering heat.

    Then, one more cry, and an attack tore out of him. It wasn¡¯t just fire, it was an explosion slicing through the air. A river of flame burst forward to strike a large rock that sat close by.

    Right away, the stone glowed red hot. Parts of it started to melt, the attack was that strong. Cyndaquil¡¯s jaw dropped as Typhlosion let his move end.

    This move was called Eruption.

    Typhlosion grunted to say it was an attack that only the strongest of Typhlosion could command. One day, Cyndaquil would grow powerful enough to use it herself, too.

    Except, the demonstration didn¡¯t cheer Cyndaquil up. She pulled her front paws closer to her chest. Then, she shifted on her back feet, looking away from her grandfather.

    ¡°...Typhlosion?¡± he asked.

    She didn¡¯t meet his eyes.

    ¡°...Cynda. Cyndaquil,¡± she said.

    She wasn''t going to become just any Typhlosion. With Sam, she was going to reach an alternative, final form.

    Typhlosion blinked, and he let his fire peter out. The aged Pok¨¦mon''s expression softened as he trotted back to her side. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t want to look up at him out of guilt, but then he went ahead and curled around her regardless.

    The thing about Hisuian Typhlosion....

    He snorted.

    He told Cyndaquil that far back in the past, he once tried to evolve into one.

    Cyndaquil snapped her gaze to him. She looked at him in honest disbelief.

    The old man closed his eyes. He recalled fading, fond memories of his journey with his trainer. Becoming a Hisuian Typhlosion wasn¡¯t something they worked for, simply a concept that was brought up when he was near evolution. It was too little, too late. The base effort was there, but he had reached his line¡¯s usual evolution regardless of their shared attempts.

    But!

    Typhlosion opened his eyes to stare at Cyndaquil.

    Neither he nor his trainer begrudged one another for their failure. Instead, they were partners, and partners never abandoned each other.

    He pushed his nose forward and nuzzled Cyndaquil¡¯s chest. She giggled at the warm feeling as he rumbled affectionately.

    They sat there for a while, simply enjoying one another¡¯s company. Cyndaquil hadn¡¯t seen him in years, and it was nice to know he was still around.

    After a while, Typhlosion started to hum once again. He mused that if Cyndaquil was working on achieving her final evolution now, instead of when she became close to evolving¡ª

    ¡°Cyndaquil! Where are you?¡±

    Interrupted, his point was never made.

    Cyndaquil sat up and climbed onto her grandfather¡¯s back, using the old Pok¨¦mon¡¯s large size to gain the height needed, peering into the woods. With her increase in elevation, she saw a faint, moving light in the distance.

    Sam.

    He was carrying a flashlight in his hand while crying out her name.

    The sight made something stir unhappily inside Cyndaquil¡¯s chest. She was the one meant to provide her trainer light. Not some dumb, human-made device!

    Leaping forward, she jumped off of her grandfather, squeaking to thank him one last time for all of the support. He smiled at her and pushed off the ground, beginning to return to the hole he called home.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s flames lit up at full blast as she charged right at her trainer. She was an isolated point of light in the forest, a star that immediately drew his attention.

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡± Sam said, eyes lighting up the second he saw her.

    Not waiting even a second, she jumped up to be caught by a set of welcoming arms.

    ¡°Hey, Cyndaquil,¡± he said softly, Cyndaquil letting her flames die back down so as to not burn him. ¡°I got worried when you didn''t come back And then we heard a roar¡ªbut that was Typhlosion, wasn''t it?¡±

    She giggled, not telling, and pressed closer to her best friend''s chest. Sam pulled her in a bit tighter, too, and he began to run his hand over her head.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get out of this cold. Carl made a pie. It''s filled with Oran Berries, so I know you''ll like it. Mankey already ate a bunch, so we better get back before that little glutton finishes off the rest.¡±

    She let herself relax as she was carried back towards the light of the cottage. For all her worries, she was feeling better. Cyndaquil took comfort in knowing that Sam would always be by her side.

 Chapter 24

    Sam used his fork to prod at a pile of dehydrated greens. He couldn''t call them anything but greens with how uniform and non-specific they were. Next to them was a pile of brown mush that was supposed to be protein. He wasn¡¯t sure what that originally was, either.

    ¡°...I don''t think we should buy the cheapest food anymore,¡± he said with a grimace.

    Redi looked down at her own half-eaten plate and slid a spoon out of her mouth.

    ¡°I think it''s fine! You just gotta drink water with it so it doesn''t stick to your teeth as much!¡±

    He had to look away as she smacked her lips and continued to eat. The sound was nauseating, so he pulled out a spare Oran Berry to munch on and distract himself.

    If we hadn''t found that grove...

    Traveling on a Route was different. Heading northwest, Route 39 gave way to Route 38, and the settled hills outside of Olivine transitioned into a much flatter woodland. Sam and Redi sat on a short slope overlooking a stream as they ate their lunch. Their Pok¨¦mon were feasting on their own meals: bowls of canned Pok¨¦mon food rich in protein or calcium depending on if they were a physical or special attacker respectively.

    It helped that canned Pok¨¦mon food was cheap, and each Pok¨¦mon also had an incredibly nutritious Berry. The Berry was delicious and sweet, but Sam couldn¡¯t help but to feel jealous of his Pok¨¦mon; due to their biology, Pok¨¦mon tended to enjoy food more if it was especially nutritious.

    He took a bite of his Oran Berry and slid his plate away. He pretended not to see when Mankey crept over to take that flavorless mash for himself.

    ¡°You think we''ll find another berry tree?¡± Sam asked. ¡°With the rate we¡¯re eating them, we won¡¯t have enough to last.¡±

    ¡°Not sure.¡± Redi tapped her fork against her cheek, leaving a dash of green behind. ¡°Foraging has been decent to us, but there¡¯s always the chance we''ll anger some wild Pok¨¦mon again.¡±

    Sam cringed at the memory. Their current, dwindling pile of berries had been picked from a small grove of berry trees. Gathering them had started out perfectly peaceful, but when the flock of Spearow returned home, they had only managed to escape thanks to Cyndaquil¡¯s Smokescreen.

    And those were Pok¨¦mon that lived on a Route. I can¡¯t even imagine how strong ones that live off-route are. Pok¨¦mon Rangers must be really tough if they¡¯re constantly working to keep them away.

    ¡°I''ll guess I¡¯ll just ration it,¡± Sam said, breaking his berry in half and putting the uneaten part away. ¡°We¡¯ll need different food than bagged, dehydrated meals. Absolutely anything else¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s so cheap!¡± Redi whined. ¡°And it tastes fine!¡±

    Sam glanced over to where Cyndaquil was patting Mankey¡¯s back as he choked. Once better, the monkey then made a point of turning the plate upside-down and letting the food slide off in a clump.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll see if it fits in our budget,¡± she said, relenting. ¡°Just keep in mind that you¡¯re already reserving a huge part of it for yourself, too.¡±

    She returned to eating her food, but she did so in a much more forceful manner, upset. Sam went through the rest of his berry and wiped his hands before pulling out a specific tome.

    Redi didn''t even blink when the New Pok¨¦dex hit his lap. It was obviously Sam¡¯s secret weapon, but it was also a book. Sam was growing more and more aware of just how much Redi despised sitting down and reading written text.

    But he hadn¡¯t taken it out to help her right now. Sam wanted to continue his own research. He had the pages for Cyndaquil and Mankey bookmarked¡ªwith a third bookmarked for Teddiursa¡ªand he was in the process of transferring exactly what he wanted them to learn into his personal journal.

    Sam had been training with Redi over these past few weeks and got to the point where his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s basics were firmly settled. Between Mankey¡¯s spars with Teddiursa, Cyndaquil¡¯s frequent practice controlling her flames, and everyone¡¯s daily exercise and jogs, they had a solid foundation to move onto the next stage.

    The problem was Sam wasn¡¯t sure what the next stage would entail, only the goals he wanted his Pok¨¦mon to achieve. Learning new moves, developing their abilities, figuring out better commands to use in battle...

    He scratched at the side of his head, annoyed.

    ¡°Still haven¡¯t figured out an overall strategy,¡± he said out loud to help himself think. ¡°Cyndaquil¡¯s a special attacker. Mankey¡¯s a physical attacker. That¡¯s a good enough set-up for low level battles, but what¡¯s all our training for?¡±

    He wanted to be a Ghost Type specialist. That detail was already set. What would help him figure out everything else was to create a team-wide strategy to use in battle. That meant he needed to figure out the purpose of each Pok¨¦mon on his team more than just how they attacked.

    Know that, and then the specific goals and steps for practice would all slide into place.

    Strategy in mind, Sam looked over his team''s Pok¨¦dex entries to find any obvious patterns between their moves. Anything that would synergize or fill in a needed gap, he tried to locate, but he was having little success at all.

    He recorded a few attacks¡ªCross Chop would be perfect as a powerful Fighting Type attack, and Quick Attack and Flame Charge would help Cyndaquil with her agility¡ªbut nothing really fit together between his two Pok¨¦mon outside of continuing their basic roles. His study was eventually interrupted by the sound of Mankey getting up. Glancing upwards, Sam watched his Pok¨¦mon push away an empty bowl before huffing and stepping closer to Teddiursa.

    Mankey loomed over the little bear, red eyes locked onto his with a look of challenge. A snort left his pig-like nose, showing that Mankey was ready to fight.

    Teddiursa looked over.

    He also pushed away his bowl.

    Then, he flung his paws to the side and let his claws gleam in the midday sun.

    ¡°If you''re going to fight, do it lower on the hill,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want any stray attacks damaging my books.¡±

    They grunted and did as he said.

    The New Pok¨¦dex wasn¡¯t that fragile, but it was better to be careful. If the worst ever came, his mother had at least made a copy of it to keep at home. None of the information it contained was at risk of being lost, but Sam still didn¡¯t want the original to get hurt.

    ¡°A fight?¡± Redi stood up and put her mostly empty plate on the ground. ¡°Yes! Wait for me, you two! Give me a moment, and I''ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay here?¡± Sam asked.

    He looked up at her hopefully. She glanced down to him, pursing her lip as if to beg. The two of them stared off until she let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

    ¡°Alright. If you need my help, I¡¯ll stay.¡±

    She plopped back down and crossed her arms. Sam could tell she wasn¡¯t actually that upset, but she was still making a show of it.

    Mankey and Teddiursa moved closer to the small stream and readied themselves to spar. These practice bouts had been Redi¡¯s idea, but now they had turned into regular competitions between the two Pok¨¦mon. To keep it fair, it was mostly about landing hits rather than landing actual moves, so any use of Type energy was all but banned. That didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t get hurt¡ªone of the reasons they were burning through their collected Oran Berries so quickly was because the two Pok¨¦mon frequently used them to heal.

    As for Cyndaquil, she simply tugged at Sam¡¯s pants for permission to step away. He nodded at her, and she walked off. Once she had some distance to their camp, she let her back blaze as bright as it could go as she crouched and put all of her focus into manipulating the output of her flames.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I should do to train my team next,¡± Sam admitted to Redi. ¡°I was wondering if you could help¡ªmaybe work with me to develop an overall strategy?¡±

    ¡°Have you considered brute force?¡± she offered.

    Sam sent her a flat look, and she stuck out her tongue.

    ¡°Ghost Types tend to be frail. Mankey eventually won¡¯t be, but Cyndaquil always will. I¡¯m more worried about making a strategy to determine a direction for my entire team. Training¡¯s been going well, yeah, but what specifically are we training for?¡±

    Redi hummed and tapped her chin, leaning back against the hillside to stare up at the sky.

    ¡°Maybe pure speed?¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯s no way to guarantee every future team member will be fast.¡±

    ¡°Then... pure special attack?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just brute force but at range.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    She hummed again, and Sam started to think he had asked the wrong person. Eventually, she responded, but her answer wasn¡¯t what he had hoped.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re going to need to ask someone else.¡±

    He put his pen down and sighed.

    ¡°I guess for now, I¡¯ll probably have Cyndaquil and Mankey work on their abilities, since those¡¯ll be useful no matter what,¡± he said. Redi nodded along to show she approved. ¡°Cyndaquil¡¯s Blaze is tied pretty close to building up her pyrokinesis, which she¡¯s already doing. And the same is true for Anger Point and Mankey¡¯s rage.¡±

    Blaze was an ability that drastically increased the power of Cyndaquil¡¯s Fire Type moves when she was close to falling unconscious. It had to do with pyrokinetic control, large amounts of adrenaline, as well as the immense willpower it took to be seriously hurt but keep going.

    As for Anger Point, that ability was all about using anger to fuel attacks. When mastered, it meant Mankey could use the pain of any critical hits he suffered to enter a furious berserker state and maximize his physical power. The problem with that ability, though, was that it wasn¡¯t necessarily what he needed to become an Annihilape. It was at least a start of him tapping into his rage, but his final evolution would require him to have perfect control over it. Letting it consume him was the opposite of what becoming an Annihilape required.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll keep working on getting all of Teddiursa¡¯s punches down!¡± Redi said cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯re right that we haven¡¯t been looking into Type coverage enough. Stuff like Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and Electric Punch¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thunder Punch.¡±

    ¡°¡ªwill pay off once we figure them out!¡±

    He just snorted at her excitement. He had already brought up easier, alternate attacks Teddiursa could learn, but Redi had ignored them all.

    Lick was a Ghost Type move that could help Teddiursa against Ghost Types, but it was honestly so weak Redi had dismissed it just like every other Ghost Type trainer around. Alternatively, there was Feint Attack, but Redi pointed out that Dark Type moves only countered Psychic and Ghost Types.

    Alternatively¡ªand this was the plan she was absolutely obsessed with¡ªRedi could expand her attempts to teach Teddiursa Fire Punch into attempts that taught both Ice Punch and Thunder Punch as well. With all three elemental punches at his disposal, he would have a far wider¡ªand far stronger¡ªcoverage than anything else might allow.

    ¡°So we¡¯ll keep doing what we¡¯re doing for now, just focused on abilities,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯ll save stronger attacking moves for a later date. Our moves are good enough for the second Gym.¡±

    Redi shrugged.

    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t slack on learning better moves? Does Mankey even have a way to damage Ghost Types? He has the same problem as Teddiursa.¡±

    ¡°...Then we¡¯ll also learn Fire Punch,¡± Sam declared.

    There were mountains of ideas resting in Sam¡¯s head, all thanks to the information contained within the New Pok¨¦dex. However, it took time to train a team, and he still had a long way to go to get anywhere.

    Sitting back, he knew the best thing he could do for his team was probably catch a Gastly. As backwards as adding a new capture seemed, having a third Pok¨¦mon and having a Ghost Type could help narrow down his decisions. Where there was not much synergy between Mankey and Cyndaquil, there was the possibility of synergy existing between them and a Gastly. All it would take was heading to Ecruteak, buying a Pok¨¦ball, and reaching the place where¡ª

    A shout.

    Sam¡¯s daydream came to a sudden halt when he heard Teddiursa¡¯s laughter. Redi glanced towards their Pok¨¦mon only to hop up and throw up her arms out in a cheer.

    ¡°You did it! Ha! You actually did it!¡± She let loose a hollering yell. ¡°Teddiursa, that took like no time at all! Just a few weeks to figure out Fire Punch!¡±

    The bear¡¯s paw was on fire, but not a single fleck of that flame was burning him. Both he and Mankey stared at the burning limb in shock before he turned to Mankey and exposed his teeth in a grin.

    Teddiursa took a step forward.

    Mankey took a step back.

    Now looking closer, Sam realized both Pok¨¦mon were covered in bruises. Their spar had involved more Type energy than he had thought.

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t,¡± he said, under his breath.

    Redi¡¯s shout came out quicker than his.

    ¡°Use Fire Punch!¡± she ordered.

    Her Pok¨¦mon swung down with a blazing fist right as Mankey barely managed to jump away.

    He pushed off the ground, doing a backflip, and landing with a few feet to separate them. Teddursa gave chase, and Sam quickly put down his book.

    ¡°Low Kick! Trip it!¡±

    A second later, the bear face-planted into the dirt. Mankey hooted and hollered to laugh at him as Teddiursa spat out some mud.

    The spar devolved into an actual battle, with both Sam and Redi shouting orders from higher up on the slope. Still, despite the fight, there were bright smiles on their faces. Sure, Sam had a lot to think about in the future, but right now, he was fine with enjoying his time in the present.

    <hr>

    Redi and Sam hadn¡¯t been the only trainers traveling between Olivine and Ecruteak, and they won enough battles that they left the Route with more money than they had entered.

    Sam convinced Redi through logic and reasoning (begging) to let him make a purchase with their shared funds once arrived in Ecruteak. It had taken all day to push through the last distance and actually reach the city. Now, with so little time left in the day, Sam wasted no time at all to rush to the nearest Pok¨¦mart.

    Redi chased after him, yelling for him to slow down.

    Ecruteak City wasn''t anywhere near as tall as Olivine. Wooden buildings in the style of old Johto lined the streets, with more modern houses clustered together in independent city blocks here and there. Running through it, it was clear this place had grown out rather than up. It had kept close to its historic roots and was a common tourist destination as a result.

    However, the Pok¨¦mart still stood out with its blue roof, and Sam immediately headed right in. There, he grabbed a brand new Pok¨¦ball and passed over its cost of two-hundred dollars.

    From his hood, Cyndaquil squeaked in pain at the loss of so much hard-earned cash.

    ¡°Sam. Wait¡ª¡±

    He was already running again, eyes tracking the setting sun. He had no clue about the operating hours of his destination, other than that it was likely dangerous at night. Behind him, Redi sighed and adjusted her clothes before resuming her chase.

    Following the signs set up for tourists, Sam charged towards his destination at the edge of town. There, a historic site laid preserved from over a hundred years ago. The Burned Tower was exactly what its name claimed; it was a tower struck by lightning, burned down into rubble that remained even today.

    Most importantly, the place was filled with Ghost Types.

    Sam was fast enough that it took him only ten minutes to make his purchase and reach the historical site. He breathed heavily, but he had clearly made it in time as there were a few tourists still lingering around. He approached the open entrance, eyeing the old, blackened wood that had begun to rot over the years. Stones that were once its roof and pieces of ancient decorations littered the empty yard around it.

    There was no door, merely an empty archway, and Sam took Cyndaquil out of his hood and placed her on the ground.

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for a Gastly. Be on high alert.¡±

    She stood up a bit straighter, and Sam made sure he had the fresh Pok¨¦ball firmly in his grip.

    However, while he tried to enter the site, a buff man who looked like he¡¯d be better serving as a bouncer moved to block the path ahead of him.

    ¡°Sorry, kid,¡± the man said. ¡°Gym Leader¡¯s orders. You can explore outside, but no one is actually allowed in without Morty¡¯s explicit permission.¡±

    ¡°But... I....¡±

    A Noctowl landed next to a man, two unblinking eyes almost daring Sam to try anything. He knew that Noctowl were keen enough with Hypnosis that trying anything would be an immediate failure.

    ¡°...Fine,¡± Sam grumbled, turning around and retrieving Cyndaquil to place back in his hood.

    At this point, Redi caught up with him right when he started to walk away.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said despondently.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Redi replied. ¡°Why so glum?¡±

    He took one last look over his shoulder at the fallen tower behind him.

    ¡°Can''t enter without Gym Leader Morty''s permission. Won¡¯t be able to go in unless I ask.¡±

    She nodded and patted his shoulder to console him. Then, she leaned in.

    ¡°We could sneak around the guard,¡± she whispered.

    Sam paused and did his best to subtly glance back to the ruins. The man serving as the guard shook his head, already warning him not to try.

    ¡°I think by this point I''ve learned my lesson about entering dangerous places just to chase a ghost,¡± Sam said. ¡°At least, the Gym is still open. We might be able to catch the Gym Leader if we rush.¡±

    They could.

    The Ecruteak Gym was located not too far away, and it was built in the same old Johtonian style that was so prevalent in town. It wasn¡¯t the largest of places, looking more like a decently sized dojo than anything else. It had white walls, a curved yet pointed roof, and it sat on a platform of elevated stone.

    Entry to watch any progressing Gym Battle matches took a five dollar fee, but Morty was already halfway through his last battle for the day, so the Gym Trainer in charge let them enter for free. Sam and Redi exchanged a single look before rushing inside, scaling a staircase that led to a set of mostly empty stands that flanked a lowered battlefield.

    ¡°Houndour, return,¡± a voice grumbled.

    Sam was surprised to see that he recognized the Gym¡¯s challenger. Victor, the jacket-wearing trainer he had beaten back in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament preliminaries. He faced Morty, a young man who wore a tattered, purple scarf and a headband that held short, blond hair.

    On the field, Morty had out a Gastly with poisonous gas that faded in and out around it. It was clearly injured but still able to battle.

    Victor wasn¡¯t much better off, though, as he reattached one of his two Pok¨¦balls back to his belt. That meant the ball he pulled off contained his second and last member of his team.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t lost yet,¡± Victor growled. ¡°Take ¡®em out, Murkrow!¡±

    A black crow hit the field, where it pushed off the ground to flap its wings and maintain a set height in the air. Upon noticing Gastly, it cocked its head to the side in interest.

    Sam and Redi sat down to watch the rest of the match.

    ¡°So you must be a Dark Type specialist. It¡¯s rare to see someone with two Dark Types otherwise,¡± Morty said.

    Victor grunted to confirm it. Morty pulled back a sleeve to check his watch.

    ¡°...I want to apologize to you. Normally I don¡¯t rush these battles, but it¡¯s getting rather late,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah? Then try to beat me!¡±

    Morty chuckled and returned his Gastly.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get too cocky. Perhaps you¡¯ll have better luck another day. Misdreavus!¡±

    Sam sucked in a breath. Misdreavus were rare Ghost Types found in Johto. As it appeared on the field, he took it in; the Pok¨¦mon had a feminine face with hair that drifted in the air behind it. The tips of those strands were pink, and a necklace of red pearls hung around its neck.

    When the referee called for the battle to resume, both trainers called out commands.

    ¡°Pursuit!¡± Victor shouted.

    ¡°Will-o-Wisp,¡± Morty calmly ordered.

    Murkrow rocketed forward as ghostly, wisps of flame appeared floating around Misdreavus. It made no moves to dodge until the very last second, where it pulled back and dropped down, the flames under its control collapsed to strike Murkrow and burn it through its feathers.

    However, Pursuit was still about pursuing an opponent, and Murkrow dove down to strike Misdreavus with the Dark Type attack. The Ghost Type winced but was otherwise fine; Will-O-Wisp had burned Murkrow and made it that much harder to deal damage with its physical attacks.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty impressive that Morty taught his Misdreavus Will-o-Wisp,¡± Sam whispered to Redi. ¡°The species doesn¡¯t learn it on its own. It¡¯s usually a TM Move.¡±

    She hummed¡ªif there was anything Sam had tried to hammer in, it was that being burned could severely hinder Teddiursa. Turning back to the fight, Morty went on to order a new move, but when the Gym Leader spoke, Sam found himself standing up.

    ¡°Now, continue from there, Misdreavus. You know what to do.¡±

    The fact that he didn¡¯t name the attack he was using was a strange sign. Yet, Sam had a gut feeling that he absolutely knew what was about to happen next.

    It looked like Misdreavus conjured another Will-o-Wisp, but instead of the move being colored red, it was a deep purple. Murkrow pulled up in the air to dive down for another Pursuit, but then Misdreavus¡¯s attack struck.

    And the move dug into Murkrow¡¯s wounds.

    Flames of shadow pierced exactly where Murkrow had been burned, a malicious-looking attack that took advantage of its status condition. The pain was too much, and the attack failed. For all that it tried to give chase, it wasn¡¯t prepared for this level of assault.

    ¡°No way...¡± Sam whispered. His knuckles tightened around the stands¡¯ railing.

    ¡°You okay, Sam?¡± Redi asked, sitting up a bit straighter.

    Once more, Morty didn¡¯t name the attack, simply saying, ¡°Again!¡±

    Dark Types resisted Ghost Type moves, making them a strong counter to any Pok¨¦mon of that Type. However, the attack Misdreavus was using was incredibly powerful, especially when considering this was only a second Gym Badge fight.

    The move dug into Murkrow once more, hurting it before it could even think about attacking again. Victor called out in worry, but his shout meant nothing in the face of Misdreavus¡¯s power. Murkrow hurtled towards the ground and slammed into the dirt, utterly fainting from the two, back-to-back moves.

    ¡°No one is supposed to know about it. Only me and one other person,¡± Sam mumbled quickly under his breath. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense unless he already knew about the move. Or... Or.... Or!¡±

    Everything added up. He could not look away from Morty. Cyndaquil nudged him from where she stood on his seat, and Redi poked him on the arm.

    ¡°You okay?¡± she asked again, now sounding more worried than before.

    He didn¡¯t let up. He was ready.

    The second Victor started to walk away, Sam threw himself over the railing to land on the field, several feet below. A shock was sent up through his knees, but he ignored it. Redi shouted his name behind him as he ran right at the Gym Leader.

    Misdreavus moved to stop him. The Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon immediately conjured more balls of flame and rushed at him before he could get too close. The referee, too, responded by pulling out a Pok¨¦ball. However, all of that stopped when Morty opened his mouth and let loose a commanding, ¡°Halt!¡±

    Sam froze. Misdreavus froze. The referee froze.

    Sam felt like there was something creeping up his spine.

    When the Gym Leader breathed out, it was like life was allowed back into the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to enter the arena unless you have a scheduled challenge against me. Why¡¯d you jump down?¡± Morty asked.

    ¡°I... I...¡± Sam clenched his fists and snapped his head up, looking Morty right in the eye. ¡°I have to know,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Another second passed. Sam needed to gather himself up just so he could bark out his question.

    ¡°You... you¡¯re MatsubaEnju, aren¡¯t you? In that battle, you had Misdreavus attack with Hex!¡±

    For a long moment, there was no reaction on Morty¡¯s face as the Gym Leader kept his expression perfectly level. Then, his eyes widened as he seemed to put the clues together, responding with only two words.

    ¡°I am.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Morty led Sam into another room deeper into the Gym. It wasn¡¯t a battlefield or any space dedicated to Pok¨¦mon, but it contained a low-lying table with pillows to use as seats, and its back wall was covered by a floral, paper divider.

    The Gym Leader knelt down in front of the table, offering Sam to do the same while also bidding for him to send out his Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil and Mankey both joined them on pillows of their own, and Morty took out a Pok¨¦ball to release a new team member.

    This Pok¨¦mon was not any species Sam expected. It was tall, purple, and had an innate witch''s hat as part of its head. Its arms hung down like loose sleeves, and it had red gemstones embedded into its neck. Upon being sent out, a cackle left its mouth as it floated over to a shelf. It gathered up a tea pot and several cups before beginning an intricate and methodical process of politely serving tea.

    Sam thought the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s use of Will-O-Wisp to heat up the water was inspired.

    ¡°Do you know what species she is?¡± Morty suddenly asked out of the blue.

    Sam jumped. He had been utterly enthralled by the Pok¨¦mon pouring the water.

    ¡°I, uh, I¡ª¡± He sat up straighter, trying to better present himself with confidence. ¡°It¡¯s a Mismagius...Sir?¡±

    He wasn''t sure why he said ¡°sir.¡± It was dumb. Too polite. Too revealing of the roiling nerves in his stomach, but Morty took Sam¡¯s response with an amused smile.

    ¡°Good,¡± one of the most famous Ghost Type specialists in the world said. ¡°I''m glad you recognized it. What else can tell me about her species?¡±

    ¡°Mismagius is a pure Ghost Type and the evolved form of Misdreavus. They evolve through the use of Dusk Stones, which usually can''t be found in Johto. Like their prior evolution, they aren¡¯t great in melee battles, but they¡¯re exceptional at range and have the speed to support that. Behavior wise, the species is... Well, from my reading, they¡¯re a bit obsessive, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯re known for eclectic collections of specific items not unlike Murkrow, and they tend to torment those that stop them with cries that sound like a witch¡¯s incantation.¡±

    Sam blinked, having been caught up in his own fast-paced description, and he turned to the Mismagius actively serving him at the table. The Pok¨¦mon was now staring at him, one eye closed, the other large and red with malicious intent. A shiver instinctually went down Sam¡¯s spine¡ªhe had called it obsessive to its face! Cyndaquil pushed next to him, trying her best to stand tall in the face of such a powerful Ghost Type, but then the moment was interrupted by Morty¡¯s sudden laugh.

    He threw back his head and guffawed.

    ¡°Hear that, Mismagius? Obsessive!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon turned and glared at Morty instead of Sam. That just made the Gym Leader laugh even harder than before. Mismagius did nothing, to Sam¡¯s surprise, before she huffed and turned around, vanishing from the table by floating away and passing through the back wall.

    Morty wiped an eye and thumped his chest before he was able to properly recover.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m going to pay for that later,¡± he said with a surprising amount of levity in his voice. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t call Mismagius obsessive. Dedicated, absolutely. Her species tends to throw themselves utterly into one concept or another. You should see just how much work she¡¯s done to master Johtonian tea ceremonies!¡±

    He took a sip of his drink before immediately wincing. Sam picked up the handleless cup and did the same.

    It took all of his effort not to gag. The ceremony from before had been an impressive display of Mismagius¡¯s control, but the actual drink itself was extraordinarily bitter.

    Morty pushed away his cup, and Sam did the same. At his side, Mankey poked at the green liquid with his finger, and Cyndaquil sipped at hers before letting out a contented sigh. Glancing down, Sam saw that Cyndaquil''s drink had a slightly different color than the rest.

    ¡°Unfortunately, you don''t see many Mismagius in Johto,¡± Morty said, sounding a little sad about it. ¡°You¡¯re right about Dusk Stones. They don¡¯t form here and have to be acquired from out of region, and then there are League rules about acceptable species, too.¡±

    ¡°Acceptable species?¡± Sam repeated.

    ¡°It''s nothing you have to worry about.¡± Morty shrugged and waved Sam off. ¡°Old clans and older folks have pushed laws to ¡®maintain the cultural identity of Johto.¡¯ That¡¯s been slowly chipped away at thanks to all of our growing deals with other regions. You¡¯d be surprised at what the promise of trade can do, but most Gyms are still limited to species that can be found in Johto¡ªat least, for Gym battles before the fifth badge.¡±

    Sam glanced down and stared at the unmoving tea below him. He thought back to his own Gym Challenge¡ªthe only one he¡¯d been a part of so far.

    ¡°...That explains a lot about Olivine.¡±

    Morty snorted.

    ¡°Yeah. I kind of feel bad for Jasmine. We have meetings between all the Gym Leaders every so often, and she hasn¡¯t held back her complaints about the current system. Can''t use Aron. Can''t use Bronzor. At least with how uncommon Steel Types are at low levels, it gives her an excuse to bring in a wider variety of Gym Trainers to her Gym.¡±

    Sam nodded silently, and Morty shifted back into a more comfortable position. He was no longer kneeling, now leaning back with his weight pressed onto his hands. His legs moved around to be crossed instead of underneath him. Pale eyes stared at Sam as if to take in even the slightest reaction he displayed.

    This situation was weird. Morty was a Gym Leader, and Gym Leaders were meant to be professional¡ªelite. Yet, here Morty was, casually talking to Sam as if they were both just average people. Sam couldn¡¯t get over the fact that the man before him regularly posted on an online forum too, at least enough to have noticed his post and quickly respond.

    Silence stretched out between them. Sam found himself looking away. Neither of them spoke as Sam felt more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

    Finally, he couldn''t resist the burning curiosity in his chest and blurted out a question.

    ¡°You¡¯re MatsubaEnju!¡±

    Though, it was less like a question, and more like a declaration that he was having trouble believing.

    ¡°Yeah. I am,¡± Morty said, repeating the same thing he had said back in his Gym¡¯s arena. ¡°It¡¯s not the most subtle username, to be honest. It¡¯s basically just my name and my town. ¡®Matsuba¡¯ is my name in the old Johto language, and then the same is true for ¡®Enju¡¯ and ¡®Ecruteak.¡¯¡±

    Sam¡¯s face flushed red. He couldn''t help but to feel a bit embarrassed. If he had been a bit more culturally aware, he would have sooner recognized one of the foremost Ghost Type trainers on this side of the globe.

    ¡°So Hex, huh?¡± Morty said, and Sam straightened his posture yet again. ¡°Your description of the move was unusually specific. It¡¯s rare to get an idea that thought out. Of course, when I saw it, I absolutely had to test it.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said.

    He had tried to keep his description vague and general.

    ¡°And then, imagine my surprise when my Pok¨¦mon worked it out in less than an hour!¡± Morty said excitedly, now speaking quicker. ¡°A new attacking move, one completely separate from the likes of Shadow Ball and Night Shade! Not just that, but it slots in perfectly with how most Ghost Types already fight. You¡¯re awfully clever for figuring it out¡ªclearly well-read, too. How long have you been a trainer?¡±

    ¡°Just under a month. ...Sir,¡± Sam said with a wince.

    ¡°It¡¯s impressive to have figured out a new attacking move before you even started.¡±

    The Gym Leader looked over Sam, seemingly analyzing him, but Sam could not meet the man in the eye. Morty had absolutely no clue about the New Pok¨¦dex and how Hex hadn¡¯t been his idea at all. The move was stolen from its pages, but now Sam was getting all of the credit for its ¡°invention.¡±

    He took a sip of his tea to try to distract himself only to gag at the harsh flavor. Mankey kept doing the same with his own drink, but each time the monkey sipped, it was like he was expecting it would taste completely different.

    ¡°I want you to know that you¡¯ve helped me,¡± Morty said, tone serious. ¡°To me, that move wasn''t just a new move, it was a way to increase my team¡¯s strength.¡±

    He breathed out, and for the first time, his gaze turned away from Sam. Letting his head fall back, Morty stared off at nothing at all, seemingly getting lost in thought inside of his own head.

    ¡°I... there''s a certain Pok¨¦mon I want to become worthy of meeting. I want to prove that I have the potential to be in its presence. Hex... the move you named, I owe you for it.¡± Morty rolled his shoulder and returned to looking Sam in the eye. ¡°There are limits on what I can offer you¡ªno money, no sponsorships, no Pok¨¦mon, and no TMs¡ªbut I will return the favor.¡±

    Sam visibly gaped at him.

    ¡°But you¡¯re a Gym Leader. You can''t owe me. This isn¡¯t... What?¡±

    ¡°You helped me improve my team,¡± Morty replied simply. ¡°I can help you improve yours.¡±

    Sam opened his mouth, and then he closed it. He knew that he wasn¡¯t technically responsible for the existence of Hex, but he had unintentionally shared it. He wasn¡¯t going to reveal the advantage he had in the form of the New Pok¨¦dex, but he wasn¡¯t going to let this opportunity pass him up, either.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°I want to be a Ghost Type specialist!¡± Sam declared, not willing to wait even a second longer. ¡°No, not just that! I want to be the best Ghost Type trainer there ever was! I want people to see me and see my team and immediately recognize all our hard work! I want people to look up to us. I want to be the foremost expert on the Ghost Type in the entire world!¡±

    Morty blinked at Sam. He pushed off the ground to better lean forward.

    ¡°You¡¯re motivated, for sure,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°And for your team?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a team of Ghost Types,¡± Sam said.

    The Gym Leader turned to where Cyndaquil and Mankey sat, turned to Sam, turned back to his Pok¨¦mon, and this time, he was the one to open and close his mouth before shaking his head.

    ¡°I suppose even the best of us have exceptions sometimes,¡± he mumbled.

    The man rubbed his chin before grinning. He stood up and grabbed the end of his purple scarf, which he threw over his shoulder to better wrap around his neck.

    ¡°Mismagius!¡± he shouted.

    His Ghost Type poked her head out through the back wall.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading out. Do you want to come with or stay here?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon glanced at Sam before muttering something under her breath. Sam felt a chill run down his spine, but he didn¡¯t let the feeling show on his face.

    Then, she moved back over to Morty, and the Gym Leader returned his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Alright. Follow me,¡± he said.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°As the local Gym Leader, I have responsibilities to fill. You wanted my assistance, and I¡¯ll provide my assistance. If you follow me, I''ll show you something you won¡¯t ever be able to forget. You have my word that you¡¯ll learn something new about the Ghost Type that you wouldn¡¯t be able to learn anywhere else.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t hesitate. He stood to join Morty.

    ¡°Alright¡± he said. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°The local shrine. I¡¯m supposed to visit once a week, and I¡¯m already a bit late today,¡± he said, chuckling slightly. ¡°So, let¡¯s be quick. We wouldn¡¯t want to keep anyone waiting.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam stood off to the side of the Gym¡¯s entrance. Morty stood a few feet away with his sleeve pulled back and his eyes locked onto the face of a watch, a growing dusk behind him. Sam did his best to speak quickly, not wanting to take up any more of the Gym Leader¡¯s time than he already had.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m really sorry, but Morty is a Gym Leader! I can¡¯t pass up this opportunity! I need to learn absolutely everything I can!¡± he said.

    Redi sent a side-eye to the man, uncomfortably shifting between her feet.

    ¡°I don''t know. This feels weird.¡±

    ¡°He trains Ghost Types! Ghost Types always feel weird!¡±

    She sighed, pressed her lips together. ¡°If you asked him for help, why is he bringing you somewhere else? Couldn¡¯t he, I don¡¯t know, just show you how his team trains? Or give you more books to read from like you¡¯re already always doing on your own?¡±

    She sent a pointed look at Sam, and Sam sucked in air through his teeth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not a true Ghost Type specialist yet.¡±

    Redi shrugged and leaned back.

    ¡°Okay. I guess if you¡¯re willing to trust him...¡±

    ¡°We can meet up later at the nearest Pok¨¦mon Center!¡± Sam said quickly, beginning to step back towards Morty. ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to leave you in the Gym! I¡¯ll make it up to you later!¡±

    He waved as he returned to Morty¡¯s side, with Redi waving back, sending one last, suspicious gaze to the man as she did. The Gym Leader sent Sam a glowing smile before quickly descending the nearby stairs. Sam didn¡¯t wait at all to follow and keep in pace.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a short trip to get where we need to go. The shrine is at the end of a main street not too far away. In the meantime, feel free to ask me anything about the Ghost Type. I¡¯ll answer the best I can,¡± Morty said.

    People were already recognizing the Gym Leader. Locals waved, and some tourists tried to approach. Unfortunately for the tourists, Morty didn¡¯t slow down to greet them. Sam felt like he had to run just to stay by the man¡¯s side.

    ¡°Can you describe the Ghost Type for me? As a Gym Leader, you have to have a unique perspective, right?¡±

    Morty chuckled. ¡°I suppose I do,¡± he said. ¡°Ghost Types are... Well, they¡¯re mischievous. Their actions tend to lean towards the malicious more often than not, and when not satisfied, they frequently fall into phases defined by negative emotion.¡±

    ¡°Then how do you train them?¡± Sam asked through his growing, panting breaths.

    ¡°Carefully.¡± Morty laughed at his own joke. ¡°No, but Ghost Types are still Pok¨¦mon, and as long as you keep the Type¡¯s various quirks in mind and treat them with respect, most trainers will come out just fine. I know some people tend to focus on how dangerous Ghost Types are, but all Pok¨¦mon are dangerous. Just look at the Rock Type! One improperly thrown stone, and...¡±

    He winced and shook his head.

    Stores and shops passed them by as they hurried down the street. The road was cobblestone, made specifically for pedestrians.

    He soon turned a corner, and Sam turned just as sharply. The change in scenery was so abrupt that Sam paused before hurrying to catch back up.

    This was the main street Morty had mentioned led to the shrine, but this place wasn¡¯t an empty road. Instead, it was a festival, complete with bright, colorful lanterns hanging on strings above the path and booths lining its sides. Peddlers hawked their wares while skeevy-looking people advertised games that were likely just scams. People dressed in old-fashioned, Johtonian clothes idled about and explored the road. Most were too caught up in their own sightseeing to recognize the Gym Leader, but a few people pointed at him in amazement. Morty smiled back in polite acknowledgement but kept going.

    ¡°This festival happens every Friday. It¡¯s why I need to head to the shrine today,¡± Morty explained. ¡°But back to the topic of Ghost Types¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you give me any tips on figuring out a strategy?¡± Sam asked.

    The Gym Leader hummed and rubbed his chin. Pale eyes flicked around, as if he were searching for something.

    ¡°I would say that it varies from person to person, but I think you have a unique opportunity since you know about Hex,¡± Morty said. ¡°Hex is an incredibly powerful attack¡ªcomparable to Shadow Ball when used in the right circumstances. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you could shape an entire team around it considering the strength the move brings.

    ¡°The way I see it, you have three different ways to make Hex work for you. The first is to simply use it as a surprise, strong attack, structuring your team around a powerful offense.

    ¡°The second is to focus on creating situations to maximize Hex¡¯s potential, which would entail strategies based around status conditions and weakening your foes.

    ¡°Finally, the third option would be to build your team around one or two Pok¨¦mon that have the power to set-up and sweep your foe. Wear down opposing Pok¨¦mon until they¡¯re unable to sustain a defense, and then send out your chosen sweeper to quickly faint everything they have left.¡±

    Sam wished he could take out his journal and write all this down, but the street was too dense with people, and the sounds of loud music gave the place a chaotic atmosphere that made it difficult to listen in. Morty kept talking, and Sam felt like he was fighting just to keep up. He had questions to ask¡ªspecifics he wanted to be explained. Yet, it was like he had to swim against a current just to keep in pace.

    ¡°For you, with your Pok¨¦mon, I¡¯m not able to give any specific advice until you have more members on your team,¡± Morty continued. ¡°The best thing I can say is that at your level, strategy isn¡¯t as important as having a decent offense. True strategy is something to work on at a higher tier of competition, when your team is capable of branching out and implementing more options.¡±

    ¡°But I want to have a way to direct my Pok¨¦mon! I don¡¯t want general training, I want to give them something to focus on as a guide!¡± Sam shouted.

    Morty didn¡¯t hear him. The Gym Leader kept talking. The crushing force of the crowd around him made him feel like he was choking.

    Morty went on to discuss specific, local species. Gastly, and their use of poisonous gasses and their keen insight into Hypnosis. Haunter, with similar skills but now with a pair of proper hands. Gengar were speedy, agile, and capable of a surprising amount of tricks that manipulated shadow. And then there was Misdreavus, a Pok¨¦mon with surprising control over its own special attacks.

    As expected of a Gym Leader, Morty was a veritable fountain of advice, but Sam hadn¡¯t yet heard what he wanted to hear. He kept pushing after him, and the Gym Leader kept talking, seemingly ignoring his constant struggle just to keep up.

    What about capturing a Ghost Type? Training a Ghost Type? The New Pok¨¦dex is clear enough about a species¡¯s potential, but what should I do to add one to my team?

    Morty slipped around a corner, and Sam chased after him. Escaping from the crowd, he managed to grab onto the Gym Leader¡¯s arm to get him to stop and shouted a question at the man.

    ¡°How should I catch a Gastly?¡± he yelled.

    His voice echoed around him. Morty blinked.

    Sam took a look at his surroundings and realized he was now somewhere else entirely. The festival was no longer around him; the street had fallen silent.

    There were no booths, and there was no crowd. All festival-goers had been firmly left behind. The road was no longer as cobbled, having turned into something more akin to pressed gravel. Wherever Morty had led them, they were definitely not on the main path.

    ¡°...Where are we?¡± Sam asked.

    The only light came from infrequent hanging lanterns and the glow of the moon itself. This place was like an alley snug between the backs of buildings, but no windows opened up to this side.

    Morty took a step forward.

    ¡°Follow me and don''t speak.¡±

    Any amusement or levity in his voice was completely gone.

    Sam wanted to push for another answer, but the Gym Leader wasn''t even looking at him. Any friendly expression had left the man¡¯s face to be replaced with an unreadable gaze.

    He chose to silently follow along as Morty pushed deeper in. The pair walked slowly, and their footsteps echoed ominously around them.

    It was cold. The chill of the night pressed into Sam. He found himself wrapping his arms tight around his chest and debated whether or not it was worth sending out Cyndaquil. For now, he figured she¡¯d be more comfortable in her Pok¨¦ball.

    He wasn''t sure how far into the alley it happened, but eventually, a voice called out. It was faint, requiring Sam to strain just to listen. The voice came like a fading whisper, almost caressing Sam¡¯s ear.

    ¡°...Hello.¡±

    Morty stopped. Sam stopped as well. The two of them turned around to face the newcomer¡ªa woman standing about a dozen feet away.

    She was young, older than Sam but younger than Morty. Skin as pale as the moon itself, her face was framed by perfectly straight, jet-black hair. She wore an old-fashioned, Johtonian kimono, but Sam couldn¡¯t see her expression. Held in one hand, a paper fan covered both her nose and her mouth.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Morty replied. The barest of smiles appeared on his face.

    The woman bowed her head ever so slightly in greetings. Morty did not bow back.

    ¡°Forgive me for bothering you, fair travelers. I wish to ask for your assistance. There is a question that must be answered.¡±

    Sam looked at her strangely.

    ¡°A que¡ª¡±

    Morty''s hand cut him off. It hit his shoulder, grabbing on and squeezing him, the sudden pain telling him to shut up and stay quiet.

    The alley became deathly silent. Sam stared at the woman, eyes wide. Yet, Morty seemed entirely unbothered. The Gym Leader maintained that casual, polite smile.

    ¡°My apologies, but we have business elsewhere. We are already running late as it is.¡±

    The woman bowed her head. Her hair and kimono shifted slightly along with the movement. Sam thought she looked like a picture perfect example of ephemeral grace.

    ¡°I understand. I do not wish to be rude,¡± she replied.

    Morty smiled one last time and turned to leave. Sam returned to hurrying after him as they began to walk away.

    ¡°Was that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do not speak. Do not turn around. Stare straight ahead, no matter what you hear.¡±

    Something about Morty¡¯s voice made the hair on the back of Sam''s neck stand up. His tone offered no room for any question, and Sam¡¯s movements came out more stiff than before.

    Each successive footfall was like the stroke of a clock¡ªand a heavy thud against Sam''s heart.

    The voice spoke up again. The woman called out.

    ¡°Oh, but sirs?¡±

    Sam didn''t respond¡ªhe couldn''t. Morty''s hand returned to his shoulder. It inched over to grab the back of his neck, where it squeezed and made it impossible to turn his head.

    ¡°Keep going,¡± Morty whispered. ¡°Do not turn around.¡±

    His footsteps came to him faster. His breaths came to him quicker. He felt colder¡ªfar colder than he had ever felt before. That icy feeling settled into his gut, and he began to truly understand that entering this alley had not been a wise choice.

    ¡°Before you go...¡±

    Her voice was closer. There had been no sounds that signaled her approach.

    ¡°I do want one of you to respond...¡±

    She was right behind them. He could hear her breathing behind his ear.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asking for so long. Won''t someone answer my question...?¡±

    A shadow at the edge of his vision. Morty squeezed his neck even tighter. Sam was unable to ignore it¡ªa silhouette appeared in the corner of his eyes.

    The woman pushed her head forward to place it just right between him and Morty. It was held perfectly level and without any support, as if there was no neck attached to its base. It crept forward ever so slowly¡ªtoo smoothly to be natural¡ªand Sam held his breath as the profile of her face became visible. She was no longer holding up a fan.

    He would never forget her jagged smile, or how it cut from ear to ear.

    And then she was gone. And then they were back in the festival. He and Morty reached the end of the alley and turned the corner, rejoining the chaotic sounds of life and the heavy warmth pervasive to this atmosphere, just one street over.

    Feeling as though he had just run a mile, Sam collapsed to the ground while Morty arched his back and pressed on his lower spine to stretch.

    ¡°What... What was that?¡± Sam all but yelled.

    The Ghost Type specialist merely smiled and shook his head. Morty laughed despite everything they had just gone through, and he turned his pale eyes to where Sam lay on the ground.

    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±

    Sam hesitated.

    He stopped, and he considered.

    He grew up reading scary stories. He grew up absolutely obsessed with the Ghost Type. He always knew there was something more to it, some terrifying, horrifying, otherwise unknown truth. Yet, despite that, Sam had to admit that the current thrumming of his heart wasn¡¯t anything he disliked.

    ¡°I do,¡± he said.

    The Ghost Type specialist offered a hand, and Sam took it, allowing himself to be yanked up. Morty dusted the dirt off of Sam¡¯s jacket, and Sam glanced back down the alleyway.

    It was empty. Lifeless. No sign of that woman remained.

    ¡°Ghost Types wield a spiritual power, but they would be unable to do so if such power didn¡¯t exist,¡± Morty explained. ¡°There are times where conditions line up just right to create something like what we just went through. Was it an illusion? Was it a hallucination? All I can say is this: it was dangerous, and it was good that you listened to my warnings.¡±

    He smiled. A shiver shot through Sam. There was something about the look in Morty¡¯s eyes that told him the Gym Leader was telling the absolute truth.

    ¡°So!¡± Morty patted him on the shoulders, a far different feeling than when he had been grabbed before. ¡°As resident Gym Leader and local Ghost Type specialist, let me be the first to congratulate you! You¡¯ve just had a successful encounter with a real-life ghost. Good job!¡±

 Chapter 26

    ¡°So ghosts are real.¡±

    Morty refused to speak. He dropped a world-shattering revelation on Sam, and then he stayed quiet until he fulfilled his duties at the local shrine. There, the Gym Leader put on a show for the crowd gathering around him, going through the motions of bowing, praying, and donating to the monks that stood guard outside the path to Ecruteak¡¯s historic Bell Tower.

    Of course, when Morty started to make his way back to the Gym, that was when Sam pounced. The Gym Leader headed down a side street instead of traveling down the festival path. The area around them was virtually deserted¡ªbut not deserted in the same way that alley had been. Neither of them were too worried about being overheard, and Sam absolutely could not wait until he was back at Ecruteak¡¯s Gym.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Morty said, which just served to annoy Sam with the half-hearted response. ¡°Or maybe it wasn¡¯t a ghost, but an illusion put on by a pair of Gastly brothers that have been quite the pain in my side? They put on shows like that to scare anyone that passes through their territory. As a Gym Leader, we have an agreement for me to bring them one victim a week so that way they¡¯ll leave everyone else alone.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brows and stared at Morty, but the man kept a faint smile on his face. He looked far too amused, and the explanation was far too mundane. His delivery came with such ease and with such casualness that the explanation felt like it absolutely had to be the truth.

    Except, Sam knew Morty was lying. There wasn¡¯t anything Pok¨¦mon-conjured about that woman in the alleyway. He could tell what Morty was doing; this Gastly story was a lifeline Sam could clutch to if he wanted out. If he didn¡¯t want to believe in ghosts, if he didn¡¯t want to believe in the supernatural, then of course a pair of Gastly had done it! That woman was just an illusion, and since she was just an illusion, Sam could go on to live the rest of his life not worried about what might lurk in the dark!

    Yeah, right.

    ¡°So ghosts are real,¡± Sam stated again, making sure his tone absolutely carried the proper amount of conviction.

    Morty let out a sigh.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, no longer lying, ¡°they are.¡±

    Sam smirked, smug, and he turned back to the direction they were heading. The roof of the Ecruteak Gym poked out above the buildings around them. It¡¯d be a few minutes before they actually arrived.

    As they walked, too many thoughts flowed through his head to ignore. Words started to pour out of his mouth without him able to stop.

    ¡°So if ghosts are real, what does that mean for us? And for Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Are Ghost Types spirits of Pok¨¦mon? Or are they still Pok¨¦mon, but just with those spiritual powers you mentioned? Or maybe they are ghosts but Pok¨¦mon at the same time, so then ghosts are Ghost Type people but people don¡¯t have types so they¡¯re actually just ghosts¡ªwait! What about all those stories I¡¯ve read? How many of those are true?¡±

    Morty let loose a laugh that was a mixture of a sigh and genuine amusement. He shook his head and adjusted his scarf as they continued down the empty street.

    ¡°How familiar are you with Hoenn?¡± Morty asked.

    Sam blinked at the sudden change of topic.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually from Hoenn. ...Sir,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Good! That¡¯ll make things easier. Somewhat.¡± Morty cleared his throat. ¡°If you¡¯re familiar with the species of Dusclops, you should know that it¡¯s capable of evolution. Known primarily in Sinnoh, its evolution, Dusknoir, tends to take on a role handling waywards spirits. Some people are born with the ability to communicate with ghosts and Ghost Types, and they try to lure out questions from experienced Dusknoir to piece together the truth.

    ¡°Yet, unfortunately, those Pok¨¦mon tend to be rather tight-lipped about certain truths. We don¡¯t know if ghosts are actually lost human spirits or masses of negative emotion tied up to create some kind of semi-conscious phenomena.¡±

    Sam needed to pause for a few moments just to take that deluge of revelations in.

    ¡°So that woman...¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a real ghost, yes, or she¡¯s whatever ghosts truly are,¡± Morty answered. ¡°Though, I¡¯ll note she¡¯s relatively harmless if you know how to handle her. Responding to her question can lead her to becoming aggressive, but apologizing and stating you¡¯re expected elsewhere usually lets you go free. Just in case, I do have some trained Ghost Types stationed nearby to maintain illusions that keep people away. They also help any unintentional ¡®visitors¡¯ escape, and then usually that Gastly story is enough to explain away any lasting trauma.

    ¡°As for why she¡¯s there...¡± Morty looked at Sam before a furious blush appeared on his face. ¡°She used to be a performer, of sorts, until she was attacked in that very alley. It wasn¡¯t until a few decades after she passed away that sightings of her apparent ¡®spirit¡¯ began to appear. Enju¡ªEcruteak¡ªhas always been the heart of spiritual phenomenon and Ghost Types in Johto. We¡¯ve been keeping her at bay for years.¡±

    Sam let everything sit for a few moments again. It was like every sentence turned the world on its head. He really wanted the chance to just sit down and think.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Sam eventually replied. ¡°So then why don¡¯t you get rid of her? Shouldn¡¯t you, I don¡¯t know, help her move on?¡±

    Morty grimaced.

    ¡°That ties back to what I said about not knowing if ghosts are actual spirits or not. Actually getting one to move on is difficult, and it usually deals with helping them resolve unfinished business. If we don¡¯t know what that unfinished business is...¡±

    Morty sighed, running his hand through his spiked, blonde hair. The man looked tired, far more tired than he ever looked before.

    He never completed his statement, but Sam could put two-and-two together.

    If you can¡¯t resolve their unfinished business, the spirit can¡¯t move on.

    ¡°Thankfully, true ghosts are exceptionally rare,¡± Morty continued several seconds later. ¡°Not even a thousandth of a percent of people will ever encounter one. But when they do show up, they need to be handled. Usually, only trainers who have been recognized as skilled with the Ghost Type are allowed to do so, and they usually need to earn four or five Gym Badges, first.¡±

    Sam stumbled for a second. He glanced up at Morty, surprised.

    ¡°But you told me,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the Gym Leader replied. ¡°I have a gut feeling you¡¯ll get there one day. That declaration you gave me in the Gym, the sheer amount of knowledge you had on a rare Pok¨¦mon like Mismagius, and then your discovery of Hex...¡±

    He chuckled, shaking his head.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t become at least a basic Ghost Type specialist, I¡¯d be genuinely surprised. Believe me, you have potential with the Ghost Type. A bit of work, a bit of extra research, and you¡¯ll be comparable to some of my best Gym Trainers in no time at all!¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Sam sniffed.

    Something warm stirred in his chest.

    Morty wasn¡¯t just a Gym Leader, he was a premier expert in the Ghost Type, and here he was, telling him that he could be a true specialist!

    Despite everything he had just gone through, and despite all this information being dumped on him, he couldn¡¯t resist a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be giving you some assigned reading about ghosts,¡± Morty said. ¡°Since you now know, it¡¯ll be best to make sure you¡¯re prepared. Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be able to help you more than that¡ªI do have a Gym to run, after all¡ªbut I also think it¡¯s best to not hand all the answers over to beginning trainers. For now, remember what I told you earlier, and train your team the best you can. After today, I want you to stay safe, okay? Not everyone knows what you know, and I¡¯ve found that people who are aware of real ghosts tend to encounter them more frequently than others.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said genuinely.

    Morty smiled and loosely waved away Sam¡¯s thanks with a casual chuckle.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. It¡¯s only right I support a trainer as helpful as you. Plus, this gives me an excuse to set up an exceptionally difficult trial for when you take on my Gym! Those are always the most fun!¡±

    Sam outright grimaced.

    Upon arriving back at Ecruteak Gym, Morty dumped a stack of three tomes into Sam¡¯s arms. He made sure to profusely thank the man before saying goodbye and parting to head to the nearest Pok¨¦mon Center. There, Redi was waiting for him, annoyed but still having gone through the process to reserve them their own rooms. Sam apologized but assured her that everything was alright before heading upstairs to rest.

    This Pok¨¦mon Center was nicer than most, giving trainers individual rooms complete with a closet, a desk, and their own personal bathroom. The space was cramped, but it was far better than camping. After everything that had happened today, Sam took one look at a specific piece of furniture in the room and smiled.

    A bed. A real bed.

    He sent out his Pok¨¦mon before collapsing into the bed¡¯s fluffy embrace, thankful that he could sleep inside for once. For the first time in a long time, he passed out right away. As he drifted off into a deep slumber, his mind was filled with all of his plans for training as well as thoughts about real, actual ghosts.

    <hr>

    Sam sat on a foldable chair outside of Ecruteak while Pok¨¦mon trained around him.

    ¡°Listen to this, Redi,¡± he started, eyes locked onto the book in his lap. ¡°It¡¯s about a specific type of held item. Tags, they¡¯re called.¡±

    He cleared his throat.

    ¡°Tags, sometimes known as Ofuda or Seals, are paper talismans said to be infused with spiritual energy. While there is no measurable proof of that energy, their effectiveness on Pok¨¦mon cannot be dismissed. Created by Channelers, these Tags affect nearby Pok¨¦mon with an enhanced effect on Ghost Types. Cleanse Tags, also known as Purification Seals, ward away hostile intent while also weakening nearby Ghosts. Their opposite, Spell Tags, also known as Cursed Seals, both lure and enhance nearby Ghost Types, and are therefore highly valued by related trainers.¡±

    Sam grinned and looked up from his book. The text was dry but flowing with information. It took the concept of actual, physical ghosts and tackled their existence from an academic standpoint. The same was true about the other two books next to him. One cataloged known, historical sightings of spiritual phenomena, and the other collected witness accounts and journal entries of people who claimed to have seen those spirits in the past.

    These texts were one of a kind and were even partially handwritten. He had seen rare books back at home, but nothing had ever been too valuable since he did live on a relatively isolated island. These books, however, contained information that he couldn¡¯t have even dreamed about before! They were so rare that Morty had gone as far as to make it clear that Sam wasn¡¯t allowed to leave Ecruteak before passing them back over.

    He was absolutely loving all this otherwise unobtainable information. It reminded him of the New Pok¨¦dex, but instead of impossible information about Pok¨¦mon, it contained information about real ghosts.

    Redi looked far less impressed, however. She was listening but was more focused on helping Teddiursa practice his moves. Standing over him like a coach, she carefully analyzed each and every swing of Fire Punch in an attempt to guide him into quickly transitioning between that attack and Fury Swipes.

    ¡°So Cleanse Tags bad for ghosts, Spell Tags good,¡± she said, mostly distracted. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too specific to matter right now?¡±

    ¡°Nothing is ever too specific!¡± Sam cheerfully replied. ¡°And your summary is a bit off. Cleanse Tags are too weak to have an effect in battle, but Spell Tags are strong enough to be a damage-increasing held item. I think the important lesson to take from this is that there are spiritual effects out there that humans can create to affect ghosts. Isn¡¯t that cool? Doesn¡¯t it make you want to figure out ways we can use this to help our Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    She merely grunted. Of course, Sam had told her about the existence of real ghosts¡ªit wouldn¡¯t have been fair to keep traveling with her without at least giving her a warning¡ªbut she hadn¡¯t been blown away by the revelation like Sam had. To Redi, real ghosts were just another threat to beat up like aggressive wild Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You can at least try to pretend to care,¡± Sam said, putting on a fake pout.

    Redi finally looked away from Teddiursa, blinking at Sam as if caught off guard.

    ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, it''s just that we got a Gym challenge coming up, yeah? Gotta train if we want to do well!¡±

    Sam scoffed.

    ¡°We¡¯re Pok¨¦mon trainers. We¡¯ll always have a Gym challenge coming up.¡±

    She grinned cheekily at him and returned to helping Teddiursa.

    Sam went back to his book while his Pok¨¦mon trained around him. It kind of felt like he was sending them off to practice on their own, but building up his mind was just as important as them building up their bodies.

    Cyndaquil had temporarily transitioned back into using Curse. Like how she had practiced training her fire, she was working on the feel of Ghost Type energy coursing through her. Curse, when used repeatedly, significantly slowed her down, requiring each movement to be completely intentional and precise in order to not lose the effect. In exchange, Curse filled her with physical power, and practicing with the move would help her minimize the speed loss in battle.

    As for Mankey, the monkey Pok¨¦mon kept huffing, annoyed. His fist punched through the air in mimicry of Teddiursa¡¯s own attack, but he kept failing to ignite his hand in the way Fire Punch required.

    Yet, as his Pok¨¦mon trained, Sam''s mind started to drift more and more away from the topic of his book.

    Morty did mention that my Gym challenge is going to be more difficult...

    Sighing, he closed the old tome and put it aside for now. He had a team to train in preparation for the Gym, and the New Pok¨¦dex held secrets he wanted to apply.

    ¡°Can both of you come here?¡±

    Cyndaquil released a breath, letting the built-up Ghost Type energy drain out of her. Mankey stopped punching and stared at his fist, annoyed. His fur stood on its ends from the building frustration about his constant failures.

    ¡°I¡¯m changing up how we¡¯re practicing,¡± Sam said once his Pok¨¦mon moved closer. ¡°Morty gave me a lot to think about, and I finally have an idea for a specific strategy for our team.¡±

    Mankey perked up, and Cyndaquil squeaked in congratulations. Nearby, Sam saw Redi turn her head to let her better listen in.

    ¡°Morty talked about three potential ideas we could work on. We could focus on a strong offense, we could build our team around sweepers, and then we could also wear down our foes through a variety of weakening effects¡ªstatus moves. Between the two of you, we have already a strong special attacker and a strong physical attacker¡ª¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon preened at the praise.

    ¡°¡ªBut I don¡¯t think going all in on offense is the solution. With some of the moves I¡¯ve been reading up on, I think we should try focusing on those statuses Morty mentioned.¡±

    It took Morty going over potential strategies for Sam to realize he already had been using one of his own. Back against Buck, he had relied on a burn to win. Against Redi, he tried to do the same but failed. Against Jasmine, he had done something similar but slightly different, using Smokescreen to an impressive effect.

    He didn¡¯t have as much of a power-oriented mindset as Redi did. Instead of immediately calling out attacks, his first thoughts were more focused on how to open up a foe¡¯s defenses. Ghost Types had so many options available to them for this strategy¡ªWill-O-Wisp was a guaranteed way to burn for starters, and even the weak Lick had a chance to paralyze. Sam actually felt like this idea had potential.

    And even if it doesn¡¯t work out, we have time. Widening our movesets won¡¯t hurt if we have to change our strategy at a later date.

    The New Pok¨¦dex had extremely in-depth entries. All it took was a casual browse to identify which moves he wanted his team to focus on, instead.

    ¡°Cyndaquil, you¡¯re easy. Your move set is already strong enough for our level with both Ember and then Curse-boosted Flame Wheel. I would have you work on Quick Attack if Ghost Types weren¡¯t already immune. Instead, in line with your practice controlling fire, I think we should work on Will-O-Wisp alongside your practice with Blaze, striving for easier burns.¡±

    She squeaked, effectively saying, ¡°I can do that!¡± Sam smiled at his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°As for you, Mankey...¡±

    Mankey stood at attention, ready for orders.

    ¡°I think we should give up on Fire Punch¡ªonly for now!¡±

    Mankey immediately deflated in disappointment. Literally every other Pok¨¦mon here had some sort of fire in their moves. Teddiursa had figured out the elemental punch, and Cyndaquil was literally a Fire Type! It was like Sam was trying to purposefully exclude him, except, he wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Even with status effects, you don¡¯t have too many options to let us build around that,¡± Sam started to explain. ¡°Your potential moveset is all about offense, so instead of inflicting a status on an enemy, you¡¯re going to take advantage of whatever the rest of the team managed to inflict.¡±

    The monkey tilted his head to the side, and Sam pulled out his personal journal to point to a move he had identified previously.

    ¡°Assurance,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s a Dark Type move. A bit above your level, but if Teddiursa can learn Fire Punch, you absolutely can learn this attack!¡±

    Sam went on to explain exactly why Assurance was perfect for the team¡¯s planned strategy. The attack wasn¡¯t just super effective against Ghost Types, but it carried the added effect of being stronger if Mankey¡¯s opponent took damage right before he used it. That let it combine well with Will-O-Wisp, as a burn dealt damage over time. That meant, if timed well, he could capitalize on any status effects to have stronger attacks.

    Yet, while Mankey was outright grinning at that proposition, Sam couldn¡¯t help but to feel like he was dropping a lot on his team. Figuring out a strategy, albeit basic, was a start, but there was so much his Pok¨¦mon already had to develop as it stood.

    Between their abilities, their expanding movesets, and their eventual evolutions, Sam was starting to doubt that he would be able to do it. However, Redi quickly walked over to pat Sam on the back.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so down! You finally figured out a plan! That¡¯s a huge development!¡±

    ¡°But we have to work on Quick Attack and Blaze and Anger Point and Fire Punch and everything else I just mentioned and then so much more,¡± Sam groaned.

    Redi just casually shrugged, her usual grin still on her face.

    ¡°Yeah? But that¡¯s the whole point of becoming a trainer, isn¡¯t it? Sure, our end goal is to become unbeatable, but half the fun is all the training along the way.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to chuckle. She was right; Pok¨¦mon trainers couldn¡¯t just skip to the end. They had to put in the work to get there, which was something even Morty had said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. We should better get started, then.¡±

    He had a Ghost Type Gym to conquer.

 Chapter 27

    Sam held the New Pok¨¦dex in one hand as he narrowed his eyes, carefully taking in every slight detail of Mankey¡¯s ongoing spar with Teddiursa. The little bear had a smug smirk on his face, a single paw blazing with the Fire Type energy of Fire Punch. Swing after swing, Mankey was forced backwards, and the strikes he aimed never got a proper chance to land.

    You¡¯re so close...

    Sam didn¡¯t want to speak. There was something about the look in Mankey¡¯s eyes that was absolutely malicious. It¡¯d only been a handful of days since the talk that established their current strategy, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to tackle Ecruteak Gym until Mankey learned a move that could actually damage a Ghost Type.

    Redi yelled something, and Teddiursa lunged. The flames on his paw winked out as he aimed a dual-clawed Fury Swipes. Mankey just barely managed to duck under the attack, desperate to avoid taking more damage. As he pressed his body to the dirt, he kicked out a leg to trip Teddiursa and send him falling to the ground.

    That was enough. Too many failures had built up around Mankey. He had yet to learn Assurance, but Teddiursa had learned Fire Punch. And in this battle, the little bear Pok¨¦mon was practically dancing circles around him.

    A hollering screech echoed through this impromptu training ground as Mankey rushed to capitalize on Teddiursa¡¯s fall. Unable to bear his lack of success, he threw himself against his opponent. Two palms struck the vulnerable Teddiursa, and his chest compressed downwards with all the air leaving his lungs.

    Notably, there was a dark tinge to the strike. It was nothing strong enough to create an aura of Type energy, but it definitely hadn¡¯t been a basic attack.

    Mankey stood there, blinking and staring at his open hands. Teddiursa remained on his back and wheezed while Mankey seemed too shocked to follow up with another move.

    ¡°That was it! Do it again, quickly!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Attack the air!¡±

    Mankey cautiously brought his arms back before thrusting out his palms. A weak darkness tinged his skin, and Sam erupted into cheer.

    He rushed forward, putting down the New Pok¨¦dex and picking up Mankey to hold him and spin.

    ¡°Assurance!¡± Sam said, naming the move. ¡°You finally got it¡ªand you managed to figure it out faster than Teddiursa and Fire Punch!¡±

    Sam stopped spinning, which allowed Mankey to send a smug grin right back at Teddiursa. The bear grumbled as he pushed up, sticking his tongue out at the monkey.

    Sam did make sure not to comment about how Fire Punch was a TM move, but Assurance wasn¡¯t. While it wasn¡¯t conventional knowledge by any means, according to the New Pok¨¦dex, Assurance was on Mankey¡¯s base learnset. While something he could inherently learn, the move wasn¡¯t commonly taught to his species, and most other Mankey weren¡¯t aware of the attack to bother practicing it.

    ¡°Congrats, Mankey! So does that mean you two are going to go do your ¡®exceptionally difficult¡¯ trial now?¡± Redi asked. She approached Teddiursa to make sure he was okay.

    As she checked over her Pok¨¦mon¡ªhe was fine, just winded¡ªSam knelt down and placed Mankey on the floor. Cyndaquil ambled over at the same time, and Sam patted both of them on their heads.

    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± he replied. ¡°Assurance means Mankey can actually attack Ghost Types, and he has plenty of experience in close-up fights as it is. Cyndaquil might not have Will-O-Wisp down, but their abilities have started to develop, which means we should be prepared enough for the Gym.¡±

    That was kind of the trick of this practice; learning these moves also trained their abilities. Will-O-Wisp required a perfected control over flame, similar to Blaze, and both Anger Point and Assurance were built around Mankey¡¯s anger. Although, that was somewhat of a stretch since he only needed that negative emotion to tap into Dark Type energy.

    Of course, those two abilities weren''t completely trained. Actually getting an ability in a mastered state took months of practice. Instead, both were merely developing. Cyndaquil and Mankey could somewhat make use of their abilities in battle, just to a far lesser extent.

    Sam stood up, stretching his back.

    ¡°We''ll head out once we¡¯ve taken a break and made sure Assurance can be repeated. And you, Redi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Still a bit of a crush this early on, but it¡¯s dying down. Our Trial is scheduled in two days,¡± she said cheerfully.

    That wasn''t what Sam wanted to mention, but he let it slide for now. Part of their agreement for traveling together was that Redi would help Sam with training, and he would help Redi learn more about Pok¨¦mon outside of brute strength.

    Except, as much as he was trying to encourage her to branch out to more effective, anti-Ghost Type moves like Lick and Feint Attack, Redi had ignored his advice in favor of going all in on Fire Punch.

    That probably would have been fine in any other situation, but Sam was growing worried about Redi¡¯s chances. She only had one viable move on one viable Pok¨¦mon. He wasn''t sure how she planned on getting through so many fights with such a singular team.

    ¡°I''m going to take Mankey to the Pok¨¦mon Center for a check-over before heading out,¡± Sam said. ¡°Do you want to come with?¡±

    She hummed.

    ¡°I want to work with Teddiursa a bit more. I¡¯ll meet up with you after!¡±

    Mankey practiced Assurance a few more times, better familiarizing himself with the Dark Type energy he had stumbled upon. As much as more practice might have benefited him, the best place to get a better handle on moves was in a high-stakes battle¡ªin other words, a Gym fight.

    The nurse gave both Mankey and Cyndaquil a brief check-up before confirming they were ready to battle. Then, Sam took a deep breath and headed to the local Gym. Thanks to how this was a special Gym Trial planned for him by Morty, the usual waiting list didn''t apply.

    He went into the Ecruteak Gym and informed the front receptionist he was ready. The Gym Trainer checked a few papers before telling him to come back that night.

    ...That night, Sam returned only to find the front doors locked. There, taped to the entrance, was an envelope with his name on it.

    He sent out his Pok¨¦mon, pulled it away, and read its contents out loud.

    ¡°Hey, Sam! Your Gym Trial will be held elsewhere. I¡¯ve written down directions on the back to get there.

    ¡°The basis of the Trial is simple: enter and catch a Ghost Type, just like you wanted. There¡¯s nothing more to it than that. I expect great things from you!

    ¡°-Morty.¡±

    Sam blinked and flipped the letter around. Then, he flipped it back and double-checked the text.

    ¡°Wait a second, if this is right...¡±

    He grabbed his Pok¨¦mon¡ªCyndaquil going into his hood and Mankey hanging off his shoulder¡ªbefore he burst into a dash.

    Block by block, street by street, he followed a surprisingly familiar path. He had taken this route before, just in reverse. In no time at all, Sam arrived at where his second Gym Trial would take place.

    The Burned Tower.

    The area was deserted. Not even a single tourist lingered around. The space around the fallen tower was nothing more than a sparse field with bits of old, worn stones that hadn¡¯t been moved in over a century.

    Sam inched forward as Mankey jumped off his back. Cyndaquil stayed in his hood as Sam cautiously looked around.

    ¡°...There''s no one here.¡±

    His voice was a whisper, but it came out with an echo. A slight breeze chilled him as he kept his eyes peeled.

    ¡°I''m going to keep both of you out,¡± he continued, keeping his voice low. ¡°Cyndaquil, get ready to attack at range, and Mankey, use Assurance to ward off anything that gets too close.¡±

    The monkey grunted in acknowledgement, already holding up his hands. Cyndaquil let Sam carefully retrieve her from his hood before he placed her back on the ground.

    ¡°Stay on high alert. We''re going in.¡±

    There was no buff guard blocking the front door. No Noctowl flew through the air trying to scare Sam away. The open entrance was pure black, but the light of Cyndaquil''s flames pierced the darkness. With its perfect emptiness, it almost felt like it was waiting for him. Beckoning him. Begging for him to step inside.

    He did.

    The Burned Tower was made of wood, blackened and aged, that creaked under Sam''s feet. Enough of its walls and rubble remained that the space was otherwise enclosed. Half of the sky was obscured by a yet-to-fall floor. Trees poked out past the top of the walls. In the center of the room, past a few scorched and fallen wooden beams, Sam could just barely make out a hole in the floor.

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    The night made it hard to see, with only a few yards around Cyndaquil being truly visible. It almost seemed, even after all these years, faint wisps of smoke were still drifting off the burned wood.

    Sam reached into his pocket to take out a Pok¨¦ball. This was the spare he bought right when he entered town. He had more than earned this purchase, as Redi ensured he made up the cost by helping him collect jobs he could take on. Those had helped with a bit of training, but most importantly, they had helped make cash.

    He shook his head, trying to properly focus as he kept to a side wall. His team stayed by his side. He didn''t want to risk falling through the hole in the center of the room, and even though the moon was climbing in the sky, it felt like it was getting darker.

    ¡°Hold on. Is it actually getting darker?¡±

    Cyndaquil stiffened as Sam looked around.

    He realized that he could no longer make out any stars in the sky. The trees that once poked up past the walls were now shrouded by darkness.

    It really was getting darker.

    ¡°Morty''s up to something. I think he has Pok¨¦mon controlling the light.¡±

    Almost as if to check, Mankey struck out at the air. There wasn¡¯t anything there, so all he did was create a slight breeze.

    Sam breathed out at that, chuckling, and he saw his breath appear as mist. He pulled his jacket in close, and Cyndaquil increased the power of her flames.

    He waited. Nothing happened. They remained alone.

    ¡°...Keep moving. There has to be more to this,¡± he said.

    He was walking a little faster now. He kept looking behind him.

    The part that was bothering Sam the most was how empty this place was. This was meant to be a Ghost Type trial, one that Morty said would be extra hard.

    Minutes passed as the relative silence around them continued. While the stars were obscured, the moon wasn''t. The darkness stopped growing at this point.

    Then, still following the edge of this large room, Sam saw it. There was a faint light closer to the center.

    ¡°There,¡± he whispered. ¡°If that''s not a hint, I don''t know what is.¡±

    Then again, Sableye had been tricky back in Granite Cave. What if it''s a lure¡ªa trap?

    For a few seconds, he didn''t move his legs. He debated whether or not it was worth approaching the obvious light, but eventually, he managed to build the needed confidence by throwing that wariness away.

    ¡°Screw it! If it''s a trap, it''s a trap, but this time my team has actually had practice! We''re heading in, you two, and keep in mind that we''re absolutely going to be attacked by ghosts along the way.¡±

    A nervous whine left Cyndaquil''s throat, but Mankey stomped forward in challenge. Sam kept his head high as he followed.

    He left the safety of the wall to march straight there.

    He wasn''t traveling through the center of the room, but just off to the side. The light from Cyndaquil¡¯s flames just barely illuminated the edge of the central hole, which revealed a long and likely painful drop to the tower¡¯s basement.

    The glowing light was only a few feet away at this point, and Sam blinked at what it was. The object was a piece of paper, framed by foil and pinned against a still-standing pillar, with the blocky text of the old Johtonian language written in red ink on its face.

    ¡°A Tag,¡± Sam said. The item was perfectly lit up by moonlight. ¡°...It''s either a Cleanse Tag or a Spell Tag. I don''t know if it''s luring or warding away Ghosts.¡±

    Cyndaquil squeaked, and Sam pulled his gaze down to see what she was pointing at. Leaning against the base of the pillar was what looked to be a ragged, cloth doll sitting slump on the floor.

    He didn''t wait.

    ¡°Ember!¡±

    Sam wasn''t dumb. He knew his Ghost Types. There was no way a doll that looked like that was entirely mundane.

    And when Cyndaquil''s Ember hit, he was proven exactly right.

    The doll pulled off the ground, barely avoiding the flames by bringing itself into the air. It levitated less on its own power and more like it was being carried by a nail that pushed up through the center of its head.

    Blue and yellow eyes opened up as a smile crept onto the creature¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon native to Johto, but one common to Hoenn.

    ¡°Shuppet,¡± Sam said.

    Briefly, he thought back to how Morty seemed upset he wasn¡¯t allowed to use ¡°foreign¡± Pok¨¦mon in low level challenges. This was a Gym Trial, but it wasn¡¯t, really? Morty had said this would be special, after all.

    The Shuppet¡ªnot wild, it was far too focused on this upcoming battle to be anything but trained¡ªgiggled as the space around it tinted dark. The attack was Night Shade, a move intrinsically tied to its own power. Thankfully, at this level, it wasn¡¯t very strong.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get close, and harass it with fire!¡± Sam shouted.

    Shuppet wasn¡¯t the fastest Pok¨¦mon in the world, so when Cyndaquil ran, the Ghost Type was easily outpaced.

    Unfortunately, the Burned Tower was in ruins, and it was not set up for Pok¨¦mon battles. Between all the rubble and fallen lumber, there wasn¡¯t much room for her to actually run away. More used to fighting in open spaces, Cyndaquil soon found herself cornered. She turned around only to see the Shuppet right on her. It approached and let the Night Shade twist over her, dealing damage like some sort of Ghost Type aura.

    ¡°Brace with Curse and prepare to use¡ª¡±

    He cut himself off when he saw a red light glow near the floor.

    ¡°Assurance!¡±

    Mankey, still at Sam¡¯s legs, snapped his gaze over where a white skull peeked out from behind a pile of blackened splinters. Two holes served as its eyes, and a single, red wisp glowed from the space behind them.

    The Pok¨¦mon, a Duskull, tried to float up as Mankey chased after it. He grabbed pieces of wood sticking out to use as handholds as he leaped into the air. Flinging himself forward, his hands struck down.

    Assurance might not have received the boost of prior damage, but it was still a strong, super effective move.

    Duskull was far more tanky than any Shuppet, and while it recoiled from the hit, it was still decently healthy. Mankey fell to the ground while it lingered above him. He needed another way into the air if he wanted to strike again.

    Then, Cyndaquil cried out, and Sam looked over. She was crouched in one place, still using Curse, and Sam realized he had never called for a Flame Wheel.

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± he shouted.

    She pulled herself in and tried to roll towards the Shuppet, but Sam had given the order too late.

    Cyndaquil had used Curse one too many times. While Flame Wheel burned incredibly bright from the boosting power of Curse, Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t actually moving fast enough to chase after her foe.

    And then for Mankey, the Duskull had him trapped. Yes, his agility could bring him up into the air, but how could he attack when a Disable prevented the use of Assurance, and how could he approach when an Astonish made him flinch whenever he was close?

    Two battles were taking place at once. Sam had never practiced ordering more than one Pok¨¦mon, and he felt his nerves fray.

    To make matters worse, he saw the faintest bit of movement off to the side. Just barely visible from Cyndaquil¡¯s harsh, flickering flames was a dark shape hiding behind a different pile of rubble, watching the fight, entertained.

    A faint gas drifted around it. Its actual body was a face on a darkened sphere.

    A Gastly.

    It wasn¡¯t approaching, but it had been lured by the sounds of fighting. There was a lack of focus to it that made Sam absolutely confident the Pok¨¦mon was wild.

    Having his attention drawn three different ways was overwhelming. He took a deep breath, then he forced himself to figure out everything that was here.

    Cyndaquil, too slow to attack the Shuppet.

    Mankey, consistently outplayed by the Duskull in the air.

    Then, there was the unknown Tag pressed against the pillar, and the Gastly that was hiding nearby.

    Sam decided to risk it. Taking a step forward and preparing to run, he shouted a simple, one-word command.

    ¡°Switch!¡±

    Mankey pulled back and blinked, but Cyndaquil immediately understood. While it would take a while for the effects of Curse to wear off, she could at least still attack from range.

    She unleashed an Ember, not against the Shuppet, but against the unsuspecting Duskull. Since she was so far away, it couldn¡¯t stop her with Astonish, and it was already maintaining its Disable against Mankey.

    Except, that Disable failed when Cyndaquil struck it. Flames licked up its body, causing its focus on the move to fade. Mankey tore his gaze away from the Duskull and towards where Shuppet had once been taunting Cyndaquil, not too far off the ground.

    He screeched. Mankey flung himself forward, hands held out. Shuppet turned too late; the Assurance struck. The super effective move slammed the Ghost Type into the floor.

    Meanwhile, while all of this was happening, Sam was running hard. He wasn¡¯t running towards the Gastly, but he was running towards the Tag. He grabbed it and ripped it free from the wall before pushing away to turn around.

    In one hand was the Tag, and in the other hand was that Pok¨¦ball.

    Despite appearing like nothing more than a mundane piece of paper, there was something inherently calming about the item he now held. Right away, Sam knew what it was¡ªa Cleanse Tag. Likely, it was here both as a lure and to keep away any stronger, wild Ghost Pok¨¦mon.

    So the Duskull and Shuppet were distractions, huh? Keep me here instead of anywhere else where a wild Ghost Type might show up?

    His eyes snapped to the wild Gastly, and the Pok¨¦mon was too distracted by the ongoing fight to care about what Sam was up to.

    Once more Sam charged. Around him, the battle progressed. Mankey tore into Shuppet on the floor. Cyndaquil¡¯s Ember harassed the Duskull in the air.

    The Gastly didn¡¯t notice Sam¡¯s approach in time for it to escape. Its eyes, curved up in amusement, drifted over to see him right on top of it the very moment he arrived.

    Sam slapped his hand forward, and the Cleanse Tag hit the Gastly¡¯s body. Instead of his arm passing through, the spiritual seal allowed him to actually touch the Ghost, and the Cleanse Tag stuck to its side.

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Sam shouted it not to command his own Pok¨¦mon, but to properly psych himself up. He thrust his other hand forward, striking the wild Gastly in the face, and the Pok¨¦mon turned to red light before being sucked into the Pok¨¦ball he held in his palm.

    ¡°Come on...¡±

    He pressed the two halves together, squeezing it in hopes the Pok¨¦ball would stay closed. This strategy was insane¡ªwho ever tried to catch a Pok¨¦mon without weakening it first?

    Except, Sam was weakening it. Kind of. Cleanse Tags didn¡¯t have much effect in battle, but part of the effect that kept ghosts away was due to a minor, passive draining effect. By sticking it to the Gastly, that was at least one way it would be weakened. Likely, not much to affect it in a battle, but enough to make a difference in a capture.

    The sounds of battle faded away as Sam held the Pok¨¦ball close. His heart seemed to shake in line with every shake of his ball. He was even holding his breath.

    And then, a miracle.

    The Pok¨¦ball clicked.

    Sam breathed in, feeling like he was on the verge of passing out. The Pok¨¦ball was utterly still, marking a successful capture.

    But he wasn¡¯t done. He still needed to escape. The time to celebrate was later.

    Turning around, he found his Pok¨¦mon waiting for him. At their side were their opponents, who did not look great.

    The Shuppet wasn¡¯t moving. Its eyes were spinning after the assault Mankey had unleashed upon it. As for the Duskull, it wasn¡¯t in any state to battle. Injured, it was hiding behind a pile to avoid any more flames, no longer willing to risk Cyndaquil¡¯s Ember.

    Mankey flexed his arms to brag, and Cyndaquil did her best to smooth out her fur. Between the two of them, they had won.

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°And now, we have a new member of our team.¡±

    Getting out of Burned Tower was a different story. It was like the darkness became even more oppressive than before. The Cleanse Tag would have likely warded it off, but it was currently locked inside of Gastly¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    Instead, Sam carried Cyndaquil in his hands while Mankey hung off the back of his neck. All her practice with the Fire Type meant she had enough control over her flames to not burn them.

    He didn¡¯t want to risk any of them separating, so Sam had his Pok¨¦mon hold on to him. Such low visibility forced him to travel slow, careful not to trip or fall into any unexpected pit. Even though Cyndaquil put her everything into maintaining her light, the aura of visibility around them could be measured in inches. What made matters worse was how, now that the fight had ended, the space was utterly silent.

    Yet, Sam was still able to make it out. They found a wall, followed it, and broke through the open entrance, otherwise unharmed.

    He laughed.

    Sam let himself fall to the ground, where he laughed and laughed out of a Gym Trial well done. Mankey cheered while Cyndaquil just breathed out and let herself fall back into Sam¡¯s arms. Nearby, someone clapped.

    ¡°Man. Good job! I honestly didn¡¯t expect you to solve it like that.¡±

    Sam looked over to see Morty standing there, grinning. Behind him were two of his Gym Trainers attaching Pok¨¦balls back to their belts.

    ¡°What was I supposed to do?¡±

    ¡°Well, not use a Cleanse Tag to catch a Pok¨¦mon, for starters.¡± Morty shook his head.

    ¡°That was supposed to be both a trick and a solution. Sure, a Cleanse Tag keeps Pok¨¦mon away, but that means it also keeps away any potential catches. And then at the end¡ª¡±

    ¡°Night Shade?¡± Sam asked.

    Morty nodded.

    ¡°I had some of my stronger Pok¨¦mon keep the area in darkness without actually damaging you. The Cleanse Tag would have let you lighten that up a little bit¡ªgrabbing it before you got out would have helped. And then for your actual capture...¡±

    The Gym Leader sighed.

    ¡°You were supposed to go into the basement.¡±

    With that explanation, Sam couldn¡¯t help but to laugh again. This was his victory. This was his entire team¡¯s success! His smile deepened when he remembered a certain Pok¨¦mon contained within a ball in his pocket.

    A Ghost Type.

    A real Ghost Type.

    Somehow, Sam finally added one to his team.

    Well, he still had to convince it to stay, and he wondered if Gastly would even want to stick around after that highly unusual capture.

    He¡¯d get to it at a later date.

    Sam went ahead and laid on his back, staring up at the full moon in the sky. Cyndaquil joined him at his side, and Mankey walked over to sit next to his head.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°Without you two, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve anything like this.¡±

    Cyndaquil squeaked her name, scratching at her face, obviously embarrassed. Mankey took the compliment in stride, snorting as if to say the outcome was obvious.

    Sam was happy. Satisfied. He still had a Gym Battle to get to, but plans for that could wait.

    He needed to celebrate. He needed to meet Gastly. He needed to tell Redi of his victory.

    But, for now, Sam was simply content to remain on the ground and stare at the stars with his Pok¨¦mon by his side, completely and utterly victorious.

 Chapter 28

    Sam should have been tired. He should have been downright exhausted from the Gym Trial and how late it was. Both Mankey and Cyndaquil should have been just as tired too, but everyone was wide awake and ready to meet the newest member of the team.

    Everyone but Redi, who could barely keep her eyes open and was already dressed for bed.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t you... supposed to be a Gym Trial?¡± she asked, barely managing to form her sentence. ¡°How did... catch something?¡±

    ¡°My Gym Trial was different¡ªharder¡ªthanks to Morty,¡± Sam said, holding his head high. ¡°I told him about wanting to catch a Gastly, and he went ahead and made that the objective of my trial!¡±

    Sam grinned, and Mankey added to the statement by grunting his name and flexing proudly. Cyndaquil shook her head, but she couldn¡¯t stop smiling, herself.

    Redi wasn¡¯t awake enough to notice that. She just let out a yawn and squeezed Teddiursa a bit tighter. He was held in her arms not unlike a teddy bear, and the little Pok¨¦mon was so passed out that he hung slack like one, too.

    ¡°Samuel Greyson. Your Pok¨¦mon is ready for pick-up!¡±

    He sat up on the waiting area¡¯s couch and turned to see the Pok¨¦mon Center nurse waiting for him behind the front counter. Outside, the night was at its peak, but the Pok¨¦mon Center was still bright and open for business. Pok¨¦mon could get injured at any time of the day, so it didn¡¯t make sense to limit hours. The active nurse had been changed out, however, and while Sam wasn¡¯t familiar enough with the Pok¨¦mon here, he was pretty sure the Chansey had switched for the late night shift, too.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Sam said. Redi responded with a tired grunt. Standing up, he went up to the counter and didn¡¯t bother hiding his excited smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m Samuel,¡± he said, sliding over his trainer ID, which proudly stated his name.

    The nurse took it and hummed, briefly looking over its contents to ensure she had the right person.

    ¡°...Um, by the way, Gastly is freshly caught, so it didn¡¯t give you any trouble, did it?¡± Sam asked.

    The nurse glanced back at Sam and chuckled, passing back his trainer ID, an unassuming Pok¨¦ball, as well as a foil-trimmed piece of paper; the Cleanse Tag.

    ¡°That little guy? Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about him,¡± she said, amusement clear in her voice. ¡°All Chansey are trained to handle Ghost Types, and all Pok¨¦mon Centers come pre-haunted, too. If needed, we could have had our local Haunter step in. And I don¡¯t think that will ever be necessary if I read Gastly''s personality right.¡±

    It was good news that Gastly seemed personable enough, especially since Sam had caught the Pok¨¦mon without bothering to check his personality. Also, that small fact about Pok¨¦mon Centers being haunted was something Sam knew from reading he had done at home. Stationing a Ghost Type in Pok¨¦mon Centers was a common practice to ensure no wild Ghost Types ever snuck in, as the presence of that Ghost Type meant the ¡°territory¡± came pre-claimed. That, and it helped to prevent species like Hypno and others from messing with guests¡¯ dreams.

    Although, it was only most Pok¨¦mon Centers that had secret Ghost Types, so there were still occasional reports of intruders at smaller Pok¨¦mon Centers.

    Sam pocketed his ID and the Cleanse Tag¡ªMorty hadn¡¯t said anything about giving it back, so he went ahead and took the unspoken gift for what it was. He thanked the nurse for her help before rushing back to where everyone else was waiting. There, both Cyndaquil and Mankey immediately jumped off the couch, ready to see how everything would play out. As for Redi, she just slowly turned her head to face Sam and tried to blink away her sleep.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go give my recruitment pitch to Gastly,¡± Sam said. ¡°Wanna come?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you do it in here?¡± Redi mumbled.

    He glanced at the nurse. Given that it was so late at night, only he and Redi were actually present in the main room. The nurse heard them, but unfortunately, she shook her head no.

    ¡°Gotta release him outside,¡± Sam said.

    Redi groaned and pushed off the couch, causing Teddiursa to whine in her arms. Sam tried to assure her that she didn¡¯t have to be present, and that she could meet Gastly tomorrow morning, but Redi absolutely refused to wait. She might have been utterly exhausted, but she wanted to support her friend¡ªtired or not.

    Stepping through the side door that connected to the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s back battlefields, the cold of the night hit Sam, and Redi immediately pulled Teddiursa in to ward off any shivers. The shock of the air served to wake her up.

    ¡°At least I¡¯m not as asleep now.¡±

    She sounded a little unhappy about it, but Sam could tell she at least somewhat appreciated how it would help her focus.

    He proceeded to march over to stand in the nearest battlefield¡ªhe had his pick since no one else was outside. Under the light of the full moon, he made sure both Cyndaquil and Mankey were ready before tossing up the Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Come on out, Gastly!¡±

    Red light flashed as the Pok¨¦mon coalesced into being in the middle of the air. Purple gas coiled around Gastly¡¯s central sphere as eyes snapped open and a fanged mouth stretched into a wide grin.

    ¡°GaaaAAAaastlyyyyYYYyy!¡±

    The Ghost Type moaned his name with the cadence of a stereotypical ghost. He stuck his tongue out and rushed at Sam before stopping a foot away, obviously wanting him to jump.

    Sam blinked emotionlessly.

    He had seen worse before.

    Even though he hadn¡¯t been scared in the slightest, the Ghost Type proceeded to cackle. Gastly bounced in the air, mouth and eyes curved up in a smile. He circled around where Sam stood as if to see how he would react next.

    ¡°I caught you, Gastly, and now I want you to properly join my team!¡± Sam said, grinning and crossing his arms to take on a stance of pure confidence. ¡°Stick with me and I¡¯ll make you strong! And if you want to be scary, I know hundreds of spooky stories that we can take inspiration from!¡±

    The Ghost Type¡¯s eyes almost seemed to sparkle, but instead of agreeing, he moved back to distance himself from Sam, facing him with a challenging grin.

    ¡°I think Gastly wants you to fight him,¡± Redi said. She sounded much more awake now that she had felt the cold night¡¯s air.

    ¡°...That makes sense, I guess. I did kind of surprise him by rushing at him, myself.¡±

    Redi did a double take. ¡°Did you really?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say? I smacked Gastly with a Cleanse Tag before punching him with a Pok¨¦ball. Cyndaquil and Mankey were too busy in their own fights to help with his capture.¡±

    Redi gaped at Sam and said nothing for several seconds before letting out a pained groan.

    ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s not fair! From now on, you¡¯re not allowed to do anything cool unless I¡¯m around to see!¡±

    Sam smirked.

    ¡°No promises.¡±

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Glancing back to his team, he nodded to send Cyndaquil forward before tilting his chin up in an attempt to take on an intimidating pose.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Redi replied.

    ¡°No, not you. I mean¡ª Ugh. Let¡¯s just get this battle started.¡±

    Gastly moved before Sam could give Cyndaquil any orders. Gastly¡¯s species was known for speed, and he didn¡¯t let Sam down. The Ghost Type was clearly untrained, as he merely traveled in a straight line. That would have opened him up to an easy counter via Ember, but Sam held his tongue to see what Gastly would do.

    Immediately upon getting close, Gastly lunged, but Cyndaquil easily dodged to the side. However, she was more used to fighting grounded opponents, and he turned on a dime to run his tongue over the side of her head.

    She stopped moving and seemed to gasp.

    ¡°Cyndaquil! Are you okay?¡± Sam asked.

    Lick wasn¡¯t a strong attack by any means, but it did carry the potential to paralyze. However, Cyndaquil only froze out of disgust. A grimace overtook her face as she tried to wipe off the dripping saliva with a paw.

    Gastly just cackled.

    ¡°Want to get clean? Burn it off! Use Flame Wheel!¡±

    The heat of her back burned away the ethereal spit, and she jumped into the air and curled into a ball. Flames licked around her as she spun and hurtled towards Gastly. The Ghost Type panicked, eyes darting around for a direction to dodge.

    In a basic battlefield like this, there was nowhere to hide, so Gastly quickly backpedaled in the air. It didn¡¯t seem intentional, but the attempt to dodge worked; since he was a Ghost Type, he phased through the floor and disappeared underground without the move striking him.

    The Flame Wheel hit the earth and spread out, Cyndaquil coming to a stop and looking around in surprise. Gastly didn¡¯t immediately surface, but Sam was excited.

    ¡°If he can avoid attacks by phasing into things like that...¡±

    The technique held a lot of potential.

    The field was utterly still as Cyndaquil went on guard to wait for her opponent, gaze rapidly flickering around to see wherever he emerged. After several tense seconds, Gastly poked out of the ground behind her, and Cyndaquil jumped and turned to ready herself to face him.

    She made the mistake of looking into his eyes.

    Gastly¡¯s gaze turned bright blue, and Cyndaquil landed before going utterly still. She didn¡¯t look away or move to attack as Gastly reentered the air. His grin widened as he began to approach, and Cyndaquil continued to do nothing at all.

    ¡°Hypnosis,¡± Sam identified. The move was great at putting an opponent to sleep or lowering their guard by making them too drowsy to act.

    Gastly crept closer and closer to Cyndaquil, easily getting close without a retaliation. Seeing where this was going, Sam picked up her Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Return!¡± he shouted.

    Gastly blinked at him in surprise.

    ¡°Mankey, go ahead and do your thing. Take him out with Assurance!¡±

    A screech. Gastly was caught off guard. From next to Sam, Mankey threw himself into the air, hurtling himself right to where Gastly floated. The Ghost Type tried to use Hypnosis again to get Mankey to stop, but the monkey was far too filled with anger to care about the effects of the move.

    ¡°I guess we can mark Vital Spirit as being in development,¡± Sam mumbled.

    He hadn¡¯t bothered with that ability until now, but it seemed that all of their practice with Mankey¡¯s anger had meant this second ability was slowly coming in. The anger that fueled his attacks meant he couldn¡¯t be able to be forcibly put to sleep¡ªat least, by an opponent around his own level since the ability was barely practiced.

    Within a second, Mankey¡¯s darkened palm struck Gastly in the face, and the Pok¨¦mon was sent into the floor. The Dark Type energy of Assurance seemed to disrupt Gastly¡¯s spiritual form, as he wasn¡¯t able to flee by phasing into the floor once again.

    Already a relatively fragile Pok¨¦mon, that one strike almost took him out. Mankey raised a hand to finish Gastly off, but Sam shouted, and the primate paused and pulled back.

    Gastly rolled backwards before barely managing to return to the air. His eyes spun as if dazed, and he looked to Mankey as if slightly worried.

    Mankey shrugged and waved Gastly off, basically saying the fight was over since he had effectively won.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t already caught you, I would have had Mankey finish you off so I could throw a Pok¨¦ball and add you to the team,¡± Sam said, stepping onto the field to approach.

    Despite his loss, Gastly cackled, finding something about this situation funny. The grin on his face told Sam that he wasn¡¯t upset. Instead, the Pok¨¦mon looked thrilled to have been a part of a battle.

    ¡°So!¡± Sam said. ¡°Willing to stay on the team?¡±

    Gastly nodded with enthusiasm.

    ¡°Great! So you¡¯ve met both Cyndaquil and Mankey. I¡¯m Sam¡ªSamuel¡ªand over there is Redi and Teddiursa, who are friends but not members of the team. We should probably head to bed soon, but I wouldn¡¯t mind learning more about the moves you know, and then also...¡± Sam lowered his voice. ¡°Just wait until you find out about my secret weapon and all the exclusive information we can use to fuel your growth.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam of course called his mother the next day, and of course Sableye managed to catch him off guard. He managed to get through the entire conversation thinking that Sableye wasn¡¯t there until the ghost popped out and jumpscared him right at the end of the call.

    His mother at least met Gastly and learned of Morty, though he didn¡¯t tell her about the existence of real ghosts. Turning to Gastly, the Ghost Type looked jealous of Sableye¡¯s ability to scare Sam, and he went through several successive but failed attempts to do the same while they headed to the edge of town to train.

    The goal for today was to get to know Gastly and to learn exactly what the Pok¨¦mon could do. The basic Ghost Type traits were all there¡ªan enjoyment of scaring people and the ability to phase in and out of solid objects¡ªbut other than that, he was a pretty basic Gastly overall.

    All Gastly inherently had their sole ability mastered, as it was hard to not to have Levitate mastered when the species could literally float. As for his moves, Gastly had clearly never trained. He knew Lick and Hypnosis but nothing else.

    Yet, there was something about the look in his eyes when he watched Mankey practice his attacks and when he watched Cyndaquil train both Curse and her flames. From what Sam could tell, Gastly had never left the bounds of Burned Tower before. They were alike in that way; both of them had the entire world to explore.

    Redi stayed at the Pok¨¦mon Center to challenge other trainers (and make money while doing so), so it was just Sam and his team for today¡¯s practice. They found a nice slope to practice on while Sam spoke to the newest member of his team.

    ¡°There are a few basic moves that should be pretty easy for your species to learn,¡± Sam said. ¡°There¡¯s Confuse Ray, Mean Look, and Spite, which can all disable a foe.¡±

    The New Pok¨¦dex listed both Mean Look and Confuse Ray as moves even the weakest of Gastly could learn, but contemporary texts listed Spite alongside them, too.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying out a strategy based around weakening and debilitating our opponents,¡± Sam continued. ¡°So while Lick and Hypnosis are great for that, these other moves are even better. Mean Look prevents a Pok¨¦mon from switching, allowing you to stop opponents from entering their Pok¨¦ball to rest. Confuse Ray confuses your foes and can cause them to hurt themselves instead of hurting you. Then there¡¯s Spite, which draws out a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s energy, exhausting them and making it harder to use the same move.¡±

    Gastly already looked ready to start, but Sam kept going.

    ¡°Those are for later, though. We¡¯ll use learning those three moves as an early goal. Today, I just want to get a head start at building up your basics and working on your speed. We¡¯ll figure out the best way to use you in a fight.¡±

    Gastly deflated¡ªthe ambient purple mist around him seemed to drop, somehow, and the dark sphere that made up his body shrunk ever so slightly. Gastly, as a species, were rather amorphous, and his body tended to shift along with his emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sam said, laughing slightly at how ridiculous Gastly looked. ¡°I want to expand your moveset as soon as possible, I just want to get to know you more, first. And besides, we have time. Plus, I have the perfect attack that combines well with everything else.¡±

    According to the New Pok¨¦dex, Hex wasn¡¯t even something that difficult for a Gastly to learn. Even better, it was a special attacking move, meaning it used Gastly¡¯s control over Ghost Type energy instead of his physical strength. Right now, he only knew Lick, so Hex was effectively a mandatory attack for him to figure out. Still, they had time. It was only the second month of Sam¡¯s journey, and he had seven more to get the remaining seven badges.

    They spent that day training, and the more they trained, the more Sam realized just how much of a blessing meeting with Morty actually was. Out of everything the Gym Leader had told Sam, it wasn¡¯t the knowledge of real ghosts he appreciated the most, but it was the rundown of strategies the man had given him while traveling through the festival.

    There was something about having a focused objective that made everything slot together that much more easily. Sam could more quickly identify which moves to work on and figure out what they needed to train. If he wanted his Pok¨¦mon to disable opponents for easier wins, why not choose the moves that would allow that act? If he wanted to focus on wearing a foe down, why not focus on speed and stamina? With the sheer number of options the New Pok¨¦dex provided, for once, Sam actually felt like everything was coming together.

    His team worked together to train, going through paired and group activities while taking frequent breaks. Together, four-person races between Sam and his Pok¨¦mon was a way to encourage everyone to train their speed. Weak Embers from Cyndaquil let Gastly practice dodging while also giving Cyndaquil a way to train her Fire Type mastery¡ªknowing how to weaken an attack was a great way to develop her control. For Mankey, Gastly was a surprise, perfect partner for spars. He didn¡¯t need to worry about taking damage from Normal and Fighting Type moves, so Gastly could practice evasion in melee while Mankey practiced his aim against flying foes.

    It was still only one day of practice, so overall improvements were limited. Sam still felt like he gained a good handle on what Gastly could do. The Ghost Type might not have learned any new moves, but he was already quickly catching up with the rest of Sam¡¯s team.

    Then after resting that night, Sam moved onto something else entirely. While Gastly had only scratched the surface of his training, someone else needed his support.

    ¡°Redi, are you really sure you can handle this? You only have Teddiursa, and he only knows Fire Punch,¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine!¡± Redi said as they walked towards the local Gym. ¡°Besides, you said I had a good handle on our strategy! We can do this!¡±

    Sam just sighed and quietly followed along.

    ¡°...Sure, but I don¡¯t think punching them in the face will be that effective against Ghost Types,¡± he mumbled.

    Redi¡¯s trial was scheduled for today, and he wanted to show his support. He followed her to Ecruteak Gym, where she disappeared down a staircase that led to the building¡¯s basement after Sam gave her a thumbs-up for good luck.

    Other trainers sat in chairs in the Gym¡¯s lobby, waiting for their own challenges or out of hope a free slot would open up. Sam pulled out the books Morty loaned him¡ªhe was already most of the way through, but he still had a ways to go.

    While he wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take her, like the trial at Olivine, the Gym Trial here was timed. At most, it would only take thirty minutes before Redi¡¯s challenge was up.

    He expected her to finish sooner rather than later. However, while he read through historical reports of ghosts, the clock continued to tick, and then fifteen minutes passed. After that, twenty. Then twenty-five. Before he knew it, the full half-hour had passed him by.

    Minutes after that, the door to the basement finally opened up, and Redi walked out with a confused look on her face.

    Sam closed his book and stood up.

    ¡°Did you win?¡± he asked, and she tilted her head to the side, almost seeming to gaze right through him.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t lose,¡± she said, an unsure tinge to her voice. ¡°Every fight, we won, but we only fought a single fight.¡±

    Redi took a quick look around at the other trainers here. Most were keeping to themselves, but a few were trying and failing to hide how they were actively listening in.

    ¡°...Come on.¡±

    Redi grabbed Sam¡¯s arm and led him outside. Sam noticed she didn¡¯t go to the front counter to collect a reward.

    ¡°The Gym Trial had us stand in a perfectly dark but empty room and told us to take out the three hiding ghosts. We found one, but...¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Whenever we saw the other two, they ran away before we could get close.¡±

    A conflicted look passed over her face before she forced herself a grin. Taking on a nonchalant stance, she threw her hands behind her head and leaned back as if there was nothing wrong at all.

    ¡°So what I¡¯m trying to say is that we lost! We didn¡¯t pass the Gym Trial,¡± Redi said with false cheer. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered even if Teddiursa knew super-effective moves, anyway. With just him and me, it wasn¡¯t enough. We never stood a chance in the first place.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he could comfort Redi, so he ended up walking with her back to the Pok¨¦mon Center in silence. She was at least maintaining her usual grin, but there was something about the look in her eyes that told him she was still bothered.

    After all, she hadn¡¯t lost in any usual Pok¨¦mon battle, but she had lost to the premise of the overall Gym Trial.

    He only had experience comforting Cyndaquil, as when she was upset, Sam would make sure to keep her close and feed her sweet foods¡ªher favorite. He couldn¡¯t do the same with Redi for obvious reasons, but as they waited in the Pok¨¦mon Center lobby for Teddiursa to be healed, he came up with a great idea.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do a job together!¡±

    Neither of them had spoken for several long minutes, so when Sam blurted out his idea, Redi turned to him and blinked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s do something fun and earn money doing it. You and me, let¡¯s see what jobs are available, and then let¡¯s take one on together!¡±

    She stared at him and tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna make money?¡±

    She snapped her mouth closed and looked away. The furious blush on her face told Sam she really did.

    He got up and walked over to the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s hanging corkboard, with Redi hesitantly following. Ecruteak City was somewhat packed, but it wasn¡¯t going through the same initial crush Olivine had experienced. There were still a few jobs hanging up, but pickings were slim.

    ¡°A store is getting a large delivery that needs unpacking... Someone has a bunch of stuff they need burned... There¡¯s a job to take out a Spinarak nest?¡±

    Sam turned to Redi in hopes one of those options appealed to her. None seemed to gather her interest until she leaned forward to pluck a different piece of paper.

    ¡°How about this one?¡±

    Sam leaned over to read the job¡¯s description.

    ¡°Pond fishing?¡±

    ¡°Apparently there¡¯s a few Grimer that got in that the client wants removed. This was a common issue back in Vermillion. And...¡± Her face flushed red again. ¡°I used to go fishing with my dad, sometimes. I¡¯d know what to do.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it!¡±

    Sam elbowed Redi in the arm, trying to cheer her up. She rolled her eyes, but she had a slight smile on her face.

    Shortly after, the nurse called Redi up to collect Teddiursa, and she took the chance to accept the job before heading out.

    <hr>

    Their destination was a small Goldeen pond, a decorative pool meant to show off the prized and well-bred fish. It wasn¡¯t too large, located within the walled grounds of an old-fashioned, Johtonian home. Unfortunately for its caretakers, the water was too murky to see into, and the plants were dying off. All the Goldeen and the sole Seaking had been recovered and placed into their Pok¨¦balls. It was up to Sam and Redi to clear the place out so the Pok¨¦mon could be returned.

    ¡°Here,¡± Redi said, handing Sam a rod from a stack. ¡°They¡¯re providing us fishing rods since we don¡¯t have any Water Types that can enter the water. We just have to beat up any Grimer that come out. They should learn that they¡¯re not welcome here once they lose a fight.¡±

    Sam took the offered rod and sat on a foldable chair at the edge of the water. Cyndaquil came out to curl up next to him, and Mankey walked over to poke at the pond¡¯s edge. Gastly wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of bright days, so he was trying to hide in Sam¡¯s shadow. Unlike more powerful Ghost Types, he didn¡¯t yet have the capability to go inside of the shadow, so he was just appreciating the shade, half-phased into the floor.

    Redi was a bit less relaxed. She cast her rod and stared at the water with a determined focus. To Sam¡¯s amusement, Teddiursa was doing the same with a rod of his own.

    A faint breeze blew through the area, stirring the leaves of the nearby trees. Ripples shifted across the water, but the three floating bobbers were left undisturbed.

    ¡°So, did you go fishing with your dad often?¡± Sam asked, breaking the ongoing silence.

    ¡°When I was really young, yeah. It was mostly just something we did when Mom was too busy. I liked to try to help out, but I think my parents didn¡¯t want to risk a young kid on a construction site.¡± Redi giggled fondly. ¡°The same was true for Teddiursa. He¡¯d come with us since he didn''t have the same sturdiness of a young Fighting Type, like our Machop.¡±

    Teddiursa snorted next to her. Redi puffed up, almost indignantly.

    ¡°Of course you could handle it now!¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t be able to take a brick to the face!¡±

    Sam wanted to comment but chose not to. Teddiursa preened under the unusual praise.

    ¡°How about you? You lived on an island, right? Did you fish?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Oh, uh, I didn¡¯t. Sorry, but I mostly just sat inside and read.¡±

    She glanced at Sam out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t have been able to guess. It¡¯s not like you still do that all the time.¡±

    Sam snorted just like Teddiursa, but then Redi suddenly yelped. She immediately yanked her fishing rod back and began to rapidly reel in the line.

    ¡°Get ready, Teddiursa!¡± she shouted.

    The bear stabbed his rod into the ground and stood in front of Redi.

    Giving it one last, violent tug, the surface of the water broke as a purple glob of muck was ripped free into the air. The wild Grimer grabbed onto the end of the line and seemed to be trying to climb up. Eyes poked through its soggy gunk and widened at its sudden position above the surface. The arc at which it was pulled sent it flying towards the shore, where Teddiursa pulled back a fist and prepared a Fire Punch.

    ¡°Now!¡± Redi yelled.

    He struck it in the side, causing the living gunk to bend inwards. Despite its amorphous shape, it held a basic form pretty well. When it hit the ground several feet away, it didn¡¯t get up. Teddiursa¡¯s attack caught right when it least expected it, and it was now utterly unconscious.

    ¡°That was¡ª¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that violent when I fished with my dad,¡± Redi said, pride clear in her voice.

    She opened her mouth to speak further, but her face scrunched up in disgust.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Urgh! Let¡¯s move to a different spot before we continue.¡±

    Sam wanted to respond, but when he got a whiff of the stench drifting off of Grimer, he closed his mouth and nodded his head to agree without risking breathing in any more of the smell.

    They moved several feet away, upwind where the Grimer wouldn¡¯t pollute their breathable air. Once it woke up, it would likely run away, but for now, they would have to ignore its body unless they wanted to catch it.

    (They didn¡¯t.)

    ¡°So reading,¡± Redi continued.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam replied. ¡°I had this little overhang right above the shop¡¯s front doors. I had to climb to get to it, but it gave me a view onto the street, the sun provided just the perfect amount of light, and I smuggled pillows up so that way Cyndaquil could sleep next to me while I read. It was a little cramped, but it helped keep in all of her warmth.¡±

    He did most of his reading there, and when it got too late at night, he moved inside to lurk on the Ghost Type forums so he didn¡¯t have to try to read in the dark. That little nook was his favorite place in the world, and since it was technically inside of the shop, he could easily hop down to help his mother whenever she needed it as he was right there.

    ¡°That actually sounds pretty nice, but I can¡¯t imagine staying in one place for too long.¡±

    ¡°Unless you¡¯re fishing,¡± Sam pointed out.

    ¡°Unless I¡¯m fishing,¡± Redi repeated with a snort.

    This time around, Teddiursa got a tug, and Sam prepared himself to fight.

    ¡°Gastly, can I get your help for this?¡±

    The Ghost Type peeked up out of the ground and grinned. Mankey slumped in disappointment, but Sam assured the monkey that he could get the next one.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Sam ordered.

    When the second Grimer was pulled into the air, it was more prepared to act. An arm extended out of its blob-like body in an attempt to hit its reeler¡ªTeddiursa¡ªwith a Pound, but Gastly positioned himself right there to catch its gaze when it looked over.

    Hypnosis required eye-contact for the move to settle in. In battle, it was usually difficult to land, but when a foe had such an obvious path, it was easy to ensure that Grimer hit the ground and didn¡¯t get up, settling down with a snore.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move again,¡± Sam said through a pinched nose.

    Redi was already walking away.

    This third time they sat down, Sam didn¡¯t feel the need to speak, and it seemed that neither did Redi. They let the silence last, appreciating the relaxing environment while also doing their best to ignore the lingering smells of the two unconscious Grimer.

    Unfortunately, something pulled at Sam¡¯s fishing line before too much time could pass.

    ¡°I think it''s my turn to bring one in,¡± he mumbled.

    He tried following the same motions both Redi and Teddiursa had gone through¡ªpulling the rod back and trying to reel it in¡ªbut as he pulled, the Pok¨¦mon fought him. Nothing left the water.

    He chuckled nervously and tried again. Redi put her fishing rod down and stepped over.

    ¡°Let me help.¡±

    She grabbed on and worked with Sam to pull in unison. The fishing rod bent enough to form a full arc, but no matter how hard Sam reeled, nothing was coming out.

    ¡°Am I just really bad at this?¡± he said unhappily.

    Redi helped him yank again.

    ¡°No, I think this one might just be really big.¡±

    The knuckles on their hands turned white as their arms shook with strain. Teddiursa rushed over, and then Mankey clutched the bottom of the pole. They served as a brace at the bottom to help with how hard they were pulling.

    ¡°On the count of three?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yeah. One. Two...¡± Redi breathed free. ¡°Three!¡±

    All four of them yelled, pulling the rod up with all of their might. The water seemed to bend outwards until there was a pop, and something was dragged to the shore.

    The Pok¨¦mon that left the water was large. It was almost identical to the previous Grimer, except its size made it clear it was a different species. Globs of gunk dripped off its body as it seemed to be in the constant motion of flow. Two eyes peeked open to take in everyone here.

    It was a Muk, the evolved form of Grimer.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t think they were aware there was a Muk here,¡± Sam said nervously.

    ¡°That, or they were trying to downplay the difficulty of the job,¡± Redi replied.

    A line stretched across the Muk¡¯s face before opening up into a gaping mouth. Like saliva, slime from its body dripped within, and when it groaned its name, globs splattered over the ground in front of it.

    There was no way they¡¯d be able to leave without a fight.

    ¡°Back up! Hyp¡ªHypnosis! Cyndaquil, go for a burn!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Distract it, Teddiursa!¡±

    ¡°Help him, Mankey!¡± he added.

    Pok¨¦mon leaped into action.

    Thick arms extended out of the Muk¡¯s body to drag itself forward. The sounds it made were like popping groans as it glared at its incoming attackers.

    Gastly, with his speed, moved first, his eyes locking onto Muk''s. Unfortunately, the much larger Pok¨¦mon brought a heavy arm up, swinging for a sweeping Pound.

    The Normal Type move phased through him ineffectively, which surprised the Muk and opened it up to a retaliatory Ember from Cyndaquil. The smell of burning garbage filled the air as her attack hit its side, and then both Mankey and Teddiursa leaped in to attack the Poison Type with their hands.

    ¡°Get back!¡±

    Redi called for the same.

    Both Pok¨¦mon tried to leave, but as Muk was quite literally made up of muck, their hands sank into it and they found themselves unable to pull away.

    From the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s large mouth, gas seeped out like pus from a decaying wound. It coiled around Mankey and Teddiursa¡¯s bodies, but while Teddiursa held his breath, Mankey¡¯s anger meant he was breathing too heavily to do the same.

    He lurched. The move, Poison Gas, poisoned him to hurt him over time.

    ¡°How do we do this?¡± Sam said quickly.

    Redi looked around desperately. Despite having such a clear understanding of her personal strategy, this was not an opponent she could punch in the face.

    ¡°I think... I think we...!¡±

    Another sweep of the arm for another sweep of Pound. Both Mankey and Teddiursa were struck by it, but they were at least knocked away.

    Redi looked overwhelmed. She had lost in the Gym, and now she was about to lose in battle. However, Sam wasn''t willing to be defeated here. He already promised his team he wouldn''t lose again.

    ¡°Our goal is to weaken it! Open it up to Hypnosis!¡±

    Gastly moved back, readying himself with an excited grin on his face. Mankey might have been poisoned and now covered in gunk, but his anger fueled him enough to let him push off the ground.

    Meanwhile, Cyndaquil was already preparing for a new Ember, and Teddiursa bared his claws.

    ¡°Fire!¡± Sam ordered.

    Cyndaquil unleashed her attack. Ember struck Muk as it brought up an arm in an attempt to defend.

    ¡°Mankey! Let Teddiursa hit but pull him away!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to let either of you get stuck again!¡±

    Mankey looked annoyed that he was both being told not to attack and that it was Redi, not Sam, giving him orders, but he still complied.

    With Muk distracted by Cyndaquil¡¯s ongoing Ember, Teddiursa had free reign to come in and punch with a flaming fist. While he did get stuck again, Mankey hopped over to yank and pop him out before any retaliation.

    The Muk was growing angry. This was a Pok¨¦mon that had been ¡°peacefully¡± sleeping at the bottom of a pool, and now it was under attack. Its body inflated and undulated, going through a noisy regurgitation. Its cheeks puffed up before a new move burst free from its mouth; Muk spat up a Sludge aimed at Sam and Redi¡¯s combined teams.

    ¡°Flame Wheel! Gastly, Lick!¡± Sam yelled.

    Cyndaquil understood quickly. She pulled herself into a Flame Wheel and jumped towards the attack. Using the move¡¯s burning momentum, she was able to burn away and knock back a decent chunk of the incoming Sludge.

    As for Gastly, he also understood and moved in, even with the awfulness that Sam¡¯s order entailed. He floated up and swiped at the gunk with an extended tongue, catching it inside of his mouth. He chewed on it for a second before bobbing up and down, implying the taste was just ¡°alright.¡±

    ¡°Yuck,¡± Redi said. Her face tinted green.

    ¡°Gastly is fine. A lot of people forget his species is also part Poison Type.¡±

    Redi looked at Sam, disappointed.

    Sam didn¡¯t order a new move, but there was a follow up. From where he floated above everyone else, Gastly proceeded to continue forward to rush right at Muk.

    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t!

    His Ghost Type didn¡¯t listen. Muk turned Gastly¡¯s way. Sam briefly thought this was an attempt to land a Hypnosis, but that move was never used. Instead, a greyish beam left his eyes to strike Muk in the face.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam gained a bright smile.

    ¡°Confuse Ray! Yes, I knew it was simple! He worked out how to turn Hypnosis into a Ghost Type, confusion move!¡±

    Confuse Ray meant Gastly inflicted Muk with illusions that interfered with its senses. Rather than continuing to attack, it started to swing its arms around it at random.

    ¡°Cyndaquil, I think it¡¯s your turn,¡± Sam said.

    She picked herself off the ground from where she had landed and let her back blaze at full blast. From her mouth, an onslaught of flecks of flame burned through the air, searing the defenseless Muk¡¯s side.

    Gastly remained around his foe, merrily bouncing in the air and staying in front of its face to ensure the confusion never dropped. A few times, Muk seemed to regain its focus, but then another Confuse Ray would hit its face and send it back into a world of illusions.

    Sam, Redi, Mankey, and Teddiursa had no reason to interfere, watching Gastly keep Muk busy while Cyndaquil furiously unleashed Ember after Ember. Mankey sat back and started to wipe gunk off of his fur, and Sam knelt down to treat him with an Antidote from his and Redi¡¯s emergency supplies.

    Redi watched the two Pok¨¦mon work in unison. The slightest of frowns appeared on her face.

    ¡°I think... I think I¡¯m going to wait to take on Ecruteak Gym,¡± she said.

    Sam snapped his gaze to her. ¡°What? You sure?¡± he asked. ¡°You know that means that after I win, I¡¯ll always be one badge ahead.¡±

    ¡°Psh. Only until we loop back around. That was always in the plan!¡± She said, crossing her arms. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re one badge ahead if I can still beat you in a fight. Gym Badges are Gym Badges, but what about a team¡¯s inherent strength?¡±

    She grinned at Sam, almost in challenge, and Sam could see that this grin was finally genuine. He smirked at her right back, willing to meet her in battle if she so chose, but then a shout from Muk drew his attention as Gastly cackled, victorious.

    The large Pok¨¦mon collapsed downwards into a pool of gunk. Its eyes were unfocused and stared up at the empty skies. Gastly rushed over to give Cyndaquil a high five.

    Or at least, he tried to. He didn¡¯t have hands, and Cyndaquil was exhausted after pushing herself so hard. The two ended up doing a sort of headbutt. It wasn¡¯t violent like a usual headbutt, but Gastly pulled back and laughed to cheer.

    ¡°...Yeah, I definitely need to take a second look at how Teddiursa and I are fighting. There¡¯s no way we could have beat Muk on our own.¡±

    ¡°So that means I could beat you, right?¡±

    ¡°You wish. Teddiursa could destroy your team.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Sam replied.

    With the Muk defeated, the remaining Grimer proceeded to rush away, recognizing they stood no chance against a group that could beat that. Thankfully, none of them recognized just how exhausted everyone was, and they left without a fight.

    The job paid well, and Sam felt the experience was worth it. After all, Redi was in a much better mood, and Gastly had figured out Confuse Ray. There was only one thing left to do in Ecruteak, and he wasn¡¯t going to wait.

    His Gym Battle with Morty rapidly approached.

 Chapter 30

    Only two days later, Sam strode into Ecruteak Gym with his head held high. That job with Muk gave both him and Redi a surprise bonus, and with his share, he bought something he¡¯d been waiting on¡ªa belt to keep his Pok¨¦balls.

    His entire team was now magnetically clipped to his waist, where they could easily be retrieved or send themselves out. It was a small change, but it made him feel closer to a real Pok¨¦mon Trainer.

    So, when Sam met Morty on the field of his Gym, he didn¡¯t feel any nerves, only excitement.

    ¡°Finally ready to take me on, huh? You should know I¡¯m not going to go easy on you,¡± Morty said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect you to,¡± Sam replied, adjusting his belt with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m going to earn this badge. Just wait until you see what we can do!¡±

    Redi cheered from the stands. Teddiursa howled his support. Sam briefly waved at them before focusing back on his opponent. Morty pushed back his hair and chuckled.

    ¡°No sense in waiting. Ref?¡±

    At the side of the field, a woman wearing a purple sweatshirt nodded before going over the rules.

    ¡°This will be a battle between Challenger Samuel and Gym Leader Morty. Each trainer will use up to three Pok¨¦mon, with the Challenger having two switches to use at his discretion. The battle will end once one trainer has no more Pok¨¦mon able to fight. Standard League rules apply,¡± the referee called out. ¡°Please, send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Sam and Morty both threw a Pok¨¦ball forward. Hitting the field were two members of the same species¡ªGastly and Gastly.

    Morty grinned.

    ¡°Oh? Using your newest catch so soon?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t reply. While back-and-forths were fun, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to get distracted. He had to win. A single look to the referee told her he was ready, and Morty nodded to do the same.

    Two flags swished. The referee swung her arms.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    Sam¡¯s challenge against his second Gym finally began.

    ¡°Start with Confuse Ray! Circle it like with Muk!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Hypnosis, easy!¡± Morty countered confidently.

    Purple mist coiled around the two ghostly Pok¨¦mon as both Sam¡¯s Gastly and Morty¡¯s Gastly immediately locked eyes. A faint blue glow appeared for Hypnosis while a sickly grey beam connected the two Pok¨¦mon. Unfortunately, Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon had more experience and therefore acted faster. The Hypnosis landed before the Confuse Ray could truly take effect.

    Gastly drifted to the battlefield floor, where he closed his eyes in slumber.

    ¡°That strategy might have worked against someone else, but your Gastly is young. He doesn¡¯t have the speed necessary to be faster than mine!¡± Morty said. He pointed at his chin with a thumb and grinned.

    Sam grumbled as he returned his Pok¨¦mon. Gastly wasn¡¯t out of the battle, but being put to sleep meant he would be unable to avoid any follow-up attacks. One of Sam¡¯s two switches was used up, but now he would have a Pok¨¦mon that could actually fight.

    ¡°Mankey!¡± he shouted.

    Mankey¡¯s ability, Vital Spirit, would prevent the effects of Hypnosis.

    ¡°Confuse Ray,¡± Morty ordered.

    ¡°Assurance!¡± Sam replied.

    Mankey bounded forward on all fours to rush over to Gastly. He leaped into the air right when the Confuse Ray struck him between the eyes. While confused, the arc of his leap meant he sailed right into the immobile Gastly. His Assurance still struck, and he immediately snapped out of confusion.

    ¡°Finish it off!¡± Sam called out.

    Dark Type energy disrupted the opposing Gastly¡¯s spiritual form, and it hit the ground right as Mankey landed next to it. Morty shouted for it to attack, but Mankey had spent the past several days sparring with Gastly and knew how the species could act.

    He side-stepped the Lick and landed one last Assurance to finish it off.

    ¡°Clever,¡± Morty said, returning his Pok¨¦mon. ¡°You prepared for me by having your Mankey train against your Gastly.¡±

    ...Okay, I might have technically done that, but it wasn¡¯t to prepare for this battle. I just thought Mankey and Gastly made good partners.

    Morty grabbed a new Pok¨¦ball at his waist to send out the second member of his team. Appearing on the field was a familiar individual¡ªMorty¡¯s Misdreavus. Sam had witnessed its win against Victor¡¯s Murkrow last week.

    That experience informed Sam of a powerful combination within its moveset¡ªWill-O-Wisp and Hex. He didn¡¯t wait to return Mankey, aware of how a Will-O-Wisp¡¯s burn could cripple the Fighting Type¡¯s attacks.

    ¡°Good. Few trainers learn the importance of knowing when to switch, this early in their careers,¡± Morty said, nodding. ¡°Pulling Mankey back was a smart choice. Maintaining a proper match-up is crucial if you want to win.¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Redi wince, though he was unsure why.

    Sam chose his next Pok¨¦mon carefully¡ªthough, it wasn¡¯t like he had much to think about between the battle-ready Cyndaquil and the currently-asleep Gastly. Cyndaquil¡¯s Fire Type meant she couldn¡¯t be burned with Will-O-Wisp. Sending her out, her mere presence stopped any combination with Hex.

    ¡°Get close and Leer!¡± Sam shouted the second the battle resumed.

    ¡°Hex. Stay at range,¡± Morty countered.

    Misdreavus was a fast Pok¨¦mon, even faster than Gastly. It floated away from Cyndaquil with ease, and Cyndaquil¡¯s tiny legs desperately carried her after it. Red pearls around Misdreavus¡¯s neck glowed with an unearthly light as it glanced over its shoulder, seemingly amused. Ghostly flames appeared around its head before they rushed down to jab at Cyndaquil.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She cried out but did not succumb to the attack. She had no prior wounds for the move to dig into. She chased, ever so slowly narrowing the space between them. When she got close, she lowered her head and unleashed a hateful glare.

    The Leer seemed to shock Misdreavus. The Pok¨¦mon looked like it was having fun. There was something about the anger in Cyndaquil¡¯s gaze that made Misdreavus stumble in the air for the slightest of moments, and that brief delay was enough to let Cyndaquil catch up.

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡±

    She jumped, pulling herself in, and flames wrapped around her body.

    ¡°Psywave!¡± Morty ordered.

    A wiggling wave of Psychic Type energy left the central, largest red pearl.

    Both attacks struck, with Cyndaquil slamming into Misdreavus the same instant the wave pulsed through her. The two Pok¨¦mon were knocked back¡ªMisdreavus staying in the air, and Cyndaquil landing on the ground¡ªbefore they righted themselves to continue the battle, now standing off instead of engaging in a chase.

    ¡°...Spite,¡± Morty ordered.

    Sam held back a grimace¡ªSpite was a good way to exhaust a foe.

    An echoing growl left Misdreavus¡¯s mouth, and Cyndaquil briefly tinted red. Faint wisps of energy drifted out of her, but she refused to quit just yet.

    One more exchange was all that was needed. Two more moves were called out.

    ¡°Hex!¡±

    ¡°Ember!¡±

    Orange-red and deep purple flames rushed at both Pok¨¦mon. Misdreavus was hit by an onslaught of fire while Cyndaquil suffered from spiritual energy digging into her. However, Cyndaquil had the advantage: she¡¯d been training Blaze.

    Ember roared out of Cyndaquil, consuming Misdreavus in a patchwork inferno. Misdreavus¡¯s Hex seared into her fur, but she managed to withstand the Ghost Type¡¯s final attack. Two cries rang out¡ªone in victory, one in defeat. Misdreavus slumped to the ground.

    Redi cheered.

    ¡°Two Pok¨¦mon, two faints! Just one more and you win!¡±

    Sam grinned, rubbing his nose before leaning forward to ensure he¡¯d keep his focus. Sure, Gastly was still asleep, but both Mankey and Cyndaquil were still conscious, and Morty was down to the last member of his team.

    Three to one. I like those odds.

    He kept a close eye on Morty as the Gym Leader returned Misdreavus to his waist.

    But, rather than unclipping a Pok¨¦ball from his belt, Morty changed his plan and reached into his pocket. The Pok¨¦ball he pulled out wasn¡¯t the classic red-and-white but a sphere with an upper half that was primarily blue. He hummed as he looked over the Great Ball before glancing back to Sam and the field itself.

    ¡°Haunter,¡± Morty said.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened. He watched as the evolution of Gastly hit the field.

    Haunter retained Gastly¡¯s purple tint, but its body was far more physical than a sphere surrounded by gas. Spikes ran down its back while a grin stretched across its face. Though still a rather compact Pok¨¦mon, it was a powerful opponent for only a second Gym Badge battle. Two clawed hands floated at the sides of the Haunter¡¯s head, promising a sharp retaliation to anything that got close.

    Malevolent eyes took in Cyndaquil as she breathed heavily from her previous injuries. Her flames might have been brighter than ever, but the Ghost Type grinned in excitement, as if it were looking at easy prey.

    ¡°Night Shade!¡± Morty ordered.

    Sam hastily called for Ember, knowing that Cyndaquil had no chance to run and that he had no legal switches remaining.

    It was fast¡ªfaster than Cyndaquil. Her back blazed with all of her might, only barely managing to strike the Haunter right when it got close. An aura of darkness proceeded to surround them, the space twisting with shadows. Cyndaquil cried out. Haunter cackled. Only a second later, the Night Shade faded, and Cyndaquil was on her side, unconscious and curled into a ball.

    Sam returned her, frowning.

    ¡°You did a good job,¡± he whispered.

    The Haunter retreated, moving higher up into the air while turning its gaze to Sam. As if to taunt, it brought a hand to its mouth, where it ran its clawed fingers over its tongue.

    You think this battle is easy, huh? You really think you can beat the rest of my team?

    Sam¡¯s immediate thought was to send out Mankey and have the primate punch Haunter in its smug face. That was just Redi rubbing off on him, though. His team wasn¡¯t built around that same raw power. He would need to apply his own strategy if he wanted to win.

    Taking a breath to center himself, Sam quickly went over what he knew. Haunter was the evolution of Gastly, but the species still had the same relative frailty. Most Ghost Types¡ªat least the ones common to Indigo¡ªtended to be weak to physical moves. His initial thought was correct in that Mankey would be key to taking Haunter out, but he had a feeling Haunter wouldn¡¯t give away more than one successful hit.

    Hm.

    Sam eyed the floating Ghost Type once more.

    Assurance is more effective when the target has recently taken damage, isn¡¯t it?

    Will-O-Wisp might not have been an option¡ªnot only was Cyndaquil fainted, she hadn¡¯t figured out the move yet¡ªbut Sam did have one way to inflict an ongoing, damaging effect. Deciding on a specific strategy, instead of sending out Mankey, he sent the sole other member of his team.

    ¡°Gastly!¡±

    He was asleep, which risked this strategy, but sleep didn¡¯t technically mean Gastly was out of fight.

    ¡°Wake up, please!¡±

    When the battle resumed, Haunter began to confidently drift down to where Gastly was asleep on the floor. It didn¡¯t bother rushing, and Morty didn¡¯t correct that behavior.

    ¡°Please, Gastly!¡± Sam continued. ¡°You¡¯re our key to victory! I need you to wake up and use Confuse Ray!¡±

    He poured his desperation into his voice. He continued to shout.

    Seconds passed. Haunter arrived.

    ¡°Dream Eater,¡± Morty said, almost sounding a little sad about it, too.

    Haunter stretched open its mouth, widening it far past what should have been normal. Claws inched forward to grab onto Gastly, but Sam called out one final time.

    ¡°Please!¡±

    Gastly snapped open his eyes, and Sam had to resist immediately putting his hands on his face. The Ghost Type was having fun with it; apparently, he had woken up alongside the first call.

    Immediately rushing into action after his ¡°prank,¡± Gastly moved back and shot a grey beam between Haunter¡¯s eyes. The Pok¨¦mon was caught by the Confuse Ray, but it reflexively reacted with a Night Shade.

    Unfortunately, Gastly was caught within it and couldn¡¯t match up to the power of his evolved form.

    Except, that was what Sam wanted.

    ¡°Return!¡±

    While Sam was out of switches, he could still recall his Pok¨¦mon. However, whoever he returned wouldn¡¯t be allowed to be sent back out into the fight.

    With Gastly effectively fainted, Sam immediately tossed forward Mankey¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. The monkey hit the field as Haunter continued its Night Shade.

    However, with its confusion, the move wasn¡¯t as purely offensive as it otherwise had been. Its own attack was damaging it thanks to the condition Gastly had inflicted on it.

    ¡°Now, Assurance!¡±

    Mankey jumped right into the attack without hesitating. The Night Shade twisted around him, but it wasn¡¯t enough to faint him outright.

    A single Assurance shattered the Haunter¡¯s grin. The attack caught it within its own pain and crumpled its face inwards. Assurance was named well¡ªthe move ¡°assured¡± the effect of any previous damage its target had taken.

    The Dark Type move came out twice as effective as it would have otherwise. Haunter was sent spiraling to the floor from the super effective damage. It didn¡¯t rise¡ªit didn¡¯t phase through, either¡ªand the Night Shade faded away.

    Mankey stood, panting, but he remained upright while his opponent remained unmoving on the ground.

    ¡°Haunter is unable to battle. Gym Leader Morty has no more Pok¨¦mon remaining. Challenger Samuel wins!¡±

    Sam had to let the referee¡¯s voice settle in before he could properly react. Letting out the breath he was holding, he threw an arm up into the air.

    ¡°We did it!¡±

    Taking out that Haunter required the effort of his entire team.

    Cyndaquil to inflict a bit of initial damage with her Blaze-boosted Ember.

    Gastly to confuse the Haunter and ensure it was suffering damage over time.

    Then, Mankey, to take advantage of that confusion and unleash a powerful, super effective, melee strike.

    All of that combined meant Sam¡¯s team had not only beat an evolved Pok¨¦mon, but they had won against their second Gym.

    ¡°We did it,¡± he repeated, whispering the phrase under his breath.

    Both Redi and Teddiursa were absolutely screaming from the stands, and Mankey hopped over to reach Sam and clamber up to hang on his back.

    As Haunter was returned, Sam and Morty both stepped onto the field. They moved to meet in the center, where the two of them shook hands.

    ¡°Congratulations, Sam,¡± Morty said. ¡°You beat me. You¡¯ve earned your second Gym Badge.¡±

    Sam could only nod, dazed at his own success, as Morty pocketed Haunter¡¯s Great Ball and retrieved a metal pin.

    ¡°The Fog Badge is yours. By possessing it, you have proof that you¡¯ve beaten my Gym. Not just that, but...¡±

    Morty leaned closer to Sam to whisper, keeping his voice low so that no one else could listen in.

    ¡°When you pass over your ID to the receptionist to collect your cash reward, he¡¯ll be adding a mark to your card¡¯s upper-right corner. That mark will signify you as someone able to handle real-life ghosts. Usually those jobs are reserved for trainers with five or six-star teams, but Pok¨¦mon Center nurses will judge whether or not you can handle it. Welcome to an exclusive club!¡±

    He pulled back, smiling at Sam while Sam blinked at him in surprise.

    ¡°But I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Most of the time, you can fight them off as if it were just a Pok¨¦mon battle,¡± Morty said, pushing past any comments or complaints Sam was about to give. ¡°Beware of illusions, remember what you¡¯ve read, and keep an eye out for any clues about why they¡¯re still around, alright?¡±

    Sam glanced down at the badge he held¡ªa simple, purple representation of an amorphous spirit. Clutching it in his hand, he looked back up and locked eyes with Morty.

    ¡°Got it. Thank you. I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Morty patted him on the shoulder and wished him luck. Sam returned to the Gym¡¯s front lobby, passed over his ID to be marked, and stepped back outside to reunite with Redi.

    ¡°That battle was amazing! Man, just wait ¡®til I take on Morty. That¡¯ll be my... Huh. My seventh badge.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Sam said.

    He gazed at his trainer ID and the mark on the corner of it. It resembled the Fog Badge, just pixilated and with hands</a>.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s next? You know that I¡¯m putting Ecruteak Gym off for now,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°You already know the answer,¡± Sam replied.

    Redi grinned, placing her arms behind her head and staring up at the clear skies.

    ¡°Yup! Goldenrod City is just a trip south, and there, we¡¯ll take on its Gym and collect our next badge!¡±

 Chapter 31

    Sam considered Spite a strange move. The New Pok¨¦dex stated that it drained the energy reserved for a specific attack, but what did that actually entail? Sure, the effect was obvious¡ªit limited how much more the targeted move could be used¡ªbut Sam just couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around Spite¡¯s mechanics.

    I mean, all Pok¨¦mon have a pool of Type energy inside of them. That¡¯s what makes them Pok¨¦mon! But if Spite drains that pool, how does it limit its effects? Shouldn¡¯t it affect other moves? How can it even target a specific attack?

    He wasn''t sure how to train it either, but it seemed that simply being informed of it was enough to let Gastly figure it out. As Sam called for him to use Spite, Gastly went through the move¡¯s motions, growling and causing specific energy to be drained out of an opposing Heracross.

    Its Fury Cutter attack could no longer be used.

    The horned, blue beetle crouched down and crossed its arms while chittering to itself unhappily. Rather than follow up that Spite with a different attack, it glanced over its shoulder at its trainer, a burly man dressed for hiking.

    ¡°Hm,¡± the man grunted. ¡°I don''t think we''ll be able to continue from here. We forfeit!¡±

    Gastly cackled. It was just his normal laugh, but his normal laugh always sounded so malicious that it couldn¡¯t be called anything but a cackle. He proceeded to float backwards to reach Sam, where he lowered himself in the air to let him pat his head.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Sam said.

    Gastly grinned and moved over to Mankey to celebrate. Without any hands, they couldn''t exactly high-five, but he still seemed to appreciate Mankey¡¯s attempt at a high-five, which involved smacking him in the face.

    Next to them, Redi shouted her compliments at Sam as he and his opponent shook hands.

    ¡°You¡¯ve definitely earned your reward money,¡± the man said, pulling out the few bills Sam had won from their bet. ¡°Only got two badges so far, and I didn''t realize just how much a Ghost Type counters us. Can''t really beat Ecruteak Gym with our usual Normal and Fighting Type moves, can we?¡±

    He grinned as his Heracross grumbled behind him. The Pok¨¦mon looked annoyed that it had lost against a weaker foe.

    ¡°Well, good luck in Goldenrod!¡± he said.

    ¡°Good luck in Ecruteak,¡± Sam replied.

    ¡°And just between you and me, if you wanna win the Bug Catching Contest, have a Pok¨¦mon use Headbutt on some of the trees. You might get lucky enough to find a Heracross like I did!¡±

    The man let loose a boisterous laugh before walking off. He and his Heracross disappeared into the trees of Route 36. This Route connected Routes 35 and 37, which served as the main path between Goldenrod and Ecruteak. As it was so heavily forested, trainers weren¡¯t as common here as they had been on the connecting Route with Olivine.

    Sam returned to where Redi sat with their Pok¨¦mon and where they had deposited their stuff. Before he said anything, he reached into his backpack to check the New Pok¨¦dex.

    ...I had a feeling. Heracross¡¯s entry doesn¡¯t list the Bug Catching Contest as a place it can be caught. Yet, just skimming it, it does say both Butterfree and Scyther can be caught there, instead.

    Ugh. I don¡¯t get it.

    This was yet another addition to Sam¡¯s growing list of questions he had about the New Pok¨¦dex. The book hadn''t been wrong¡ªnot yet, at least¡ªbut Sam was growing more and more suspicious about all of the little details it left out. He was starting to grow curious about the identity of its unnamed author, too.

    Who wrote it? And how did they manage it?

    More importantly, why did his grandpa, of all people, have the New Pok¨¦dex mailed to him?

    Sam wanted to find those answers, but he recognized he wouldn¡¯t be able to until he had a stronger team. He needed more power to have the freedom to explore. For now, he planned to stick to major routes and follow the expected path before he could really dive into his search for knowledge.

    ¡°So the Bug Catching Contest,¡± Sam said, standing up.

    Redi pushed away from the tree she was leaning against and rolled her shoulder.

    ¡°Psh. Not interested in Bug Types.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get it. I''m not sure if there are any Bug-Ghost Types in Johto for me to catch.¡±

    Sam returned Cyndaquil and Mankey to let them rest as Redi returned her Teddiursa. Gastly stayed out because he wanted to stay out. Usually, the Ghost Type rested in his Pok¨¦ball to avoid the daylight, but within a shaded forest like this, he was happy to bounce along at Sam''s side.

    ¡°But I do think I want to catch a new Pok¨¦mon,¡± Redi said with a hum.

    It took all of Sam¡¯s effort to not fall flat on his face with the very first step he took.

    ¡°...What? You can¡¯t just drop something so major like that!¡± Sam shouted as he picked his jaw up off the ground. ¡°You said you wanted to keep your team small! And you have Teddiursa! And know your strategy! And then there¡¯s your family¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why are you grinning,¡± Redi said flatly.

    ¡°We''ve been traveling together for weeks and all I¡¯ve helped you with is learning the Type chart! You don¡¯t get it! With this, I can finally, really help!¡±

    Sam practically tore the New Pok¨¦dex out of his backpack. He also took out his journal, holding it under his arm as they walked.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He flipped open the old tome. ¡°What kind of Pok¨¦mon do you want?¡±

    Redi gave the book a side-eye but returned to humming as they began to walk south.

    ¡°Well, it can''t be one that overlaps with Teddiursa¡ª¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    ¡°¡ªSo it should be one that fills as many other roles as possible,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty confident I still want a small team, but I¡¯m thinking that I don¡¯t catch more than three or four Pok¨¦mon. Actually, scratch that. I think I¡¯ll only do four if it''s an emergency. So unless I make a surprise new friend, this Pok¨¦mon will be the second of three.¡±

    Sam swapped which book he held to scribble down Redi''s comments into his journal before opening the New Pok¨¦dex once more.

    Briefly, he glanced at Gastly and whispered to ask if he was willing to act as a floating table. Gastly actually paused to consider it, but then he shook his head before drifting over to Redi¡¯s side.

    ¡°...Okay. And what else?¡± Sam asked, resigned to continue juggling his books.

    ¡°I don''t want it to eat a lot. When Teddiursa evolves, he''ll be expensive. Is there anything cheap like Gastly?¡±

    ¡°You could catch a Ghost Type?¡±

    Redi placed her hands behind her head and stared up into the canopy of branches that covered the path. She hummed, thinking, before shaking her head against the idea.

    ¡°Nah. I should care about branding, shouldn''t I?¡± she mused. ¡°What if we keep it simple and I catch another Normal Type?¡±

    Sam glanced up from the New Pok¨¦dex to look at his friend.

    ¡°You want to be a Normal Type specialist?¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°There are so many reasons to not be a specialist unless you¡¯re really dedicated to that Type,¡± Sam hurriedly replied. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s the obvious¡ªunless you think of specific counters, how are you going to beat a super effective Type?¡±

    She shrugged again.

    ¡°Punch ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d punch a Fighting Type?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it before. We¡¯ll do it again.¡±

    Sam stared at her, aghast, but Redi didn''t reply with the cheeky grin he expected.

    ¡°Back home, my family works with a lot of Normal and Fighting Types,¡± she started slowly. ¡°I know Fighting Types like and expect to be punched in battle, but that¡¯s only true to a certain extent. I guess I could try to catch a Fighting Type, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re the Pok¨¦mon for me. Don¡¯t you think they¡¯re a little much? I think their training is a bit too involved, and I don¡¯t do that.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°...A bit too involved,¡± Sam repeated under his breath.

    He shook his head and read off what he had written down.

    ¡°So you want a Normal Type that doesn''t eat too much or cost too much or require too much effort to train, and then it also can''t have much overlap with Teddiursa when it comes to your team¡¯s overall strategy.¡±

    ¡°Yup. Sounds about right.¡± Redi brought her hands down behind her back and stretched her arms. ¡°So what does that narrow my options down to, oh great Pok¨¦mon Master?¡±

    Sam stared blankly at the page in front of him.

    ¡°...I don''t know.¡±

    It felt like a specific enough list, but at the same time, Sam didn''t yet have all thousand-plus Pok¨¦mon memorized. He could think of a few Normal Types that were good, but all were far too physical to not overlap with Teddiursa.

    This would require research.

    ¡°Thankfully we¡¯re heading to Goldenrod,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we could ask. I¡¯m pretty sure the Gym there specializes in the Normal Type.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Redi replied, perking up. ¡°I think I heard about that. Didn¡¯t the Gym Leader there just replace the old one this year?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?¡±

    Sam probably should have looked into his future opponents a bit more, but he had been busy with both the Beginner¡¯s Tournament and Morty in Olivine and Ecruteak. Goldenrod would be the first time he entered a city without anything major going on. Thankfully, he at least knew the local Gym Leader¡¯s name:

    Whitney.

    She¡¯d be the trainer to beat if he wanted to earn his third Gym Badge.

    <hr>

    Sam had thought Slateport was big.

    Then, he had thought Olivine was big.

    Now?

    He wasn''t even sure he could classify what ¡°big¡± was. The sheer size of Goldenrod City was entirely something else.

    Skyscrapers crowded city blocks, doing exactly what they were called with their ridiculous height. The streets were all paved and were utterly lined with cars. People of all sorts practically flooded the sidewalks as they went to and from work.

    ¡°What? I thought you got over this back in Olivine,¡± Redi said, not even blinking at her surroundings.

    Sam craned his neck up, and up, and up...

    ¡°Why is everything so pointy?¡±

    ¡°I think it''s to catch lightning?¡±

    Practically every skyscraper had a point.

    The city was called Goldenrod, and Sam felt like it lived up to its name. The thousands of windows on the sides of the buildings each caught the sun in just the right way to give everything a faint, golden glow. The reflections didn''t blind the sidewalk, either. The skyscrapers shrunk in width the higher they went. That allowed enough light to reach the streets to prevent everything from being cast into shade.

    ¡°...really interesting!¡± a voice said over the crackle of the radio. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that a Nidoran¡¯s spines can be groomed without risking poison?¡±

    ¡°There will always be a risk, Mary, but as long as you treat a Pok¨¦mon with respect, its body language will guide you! A good relationship between Pok¨¦mon and trainer is key to all success stories, and my research shows that...¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t stop a scowl from forming on his face when he heard that aged voice. A few people gathered around the electronic shop¡¯s open doors to listen in and idle about, but as far as he was concerned, the so-called ¡°Professor Oak¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Talk¡± didn¡¯t have anything worth listening to.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Redi grabbed Sam¡¯s wrist right as he started to slow down. ¡°Signs say the Gym is just up ahead!¡±

    She dragged him, dashing down a few turns to reach their destination, intending to head to Goldenrod Gym and hopefully ask her needed questions. Arriving, the Gym itself looked a little out of place with its domed roof and bright gold text stating ¡°GYM¡± above its front doors. It was nowhere near as tall as the buildings around it, but what it lacked in height, it made up for in width.

    It apparently made that up in importance too, as the entire outside street was closed down to allow a crowd of people to gather around its front doors.

    ¡°Entries. Entries! Do we have any last minute entries?¡± a woman¡¯s voice shouted over a microphone.

    Sam and Redi only needed to exchange a single look before they rushed to push through the crowd and see what this was all about.

    A semi-circle of people stood around a foldable table, and several Gym Trainers positioned themselves as guards outside of Goldenrod Gym. Each Gym Trainer wore a short skirt and a shirt that almost resembled a sailor¡¯s uniform, and they stood with dramatic poses that spoke of tolerating no nonsense.

    No one stopped Sam and Redi as they approached the table. A small stage was set up to the side where another Gym Trainer was using a megaphone to attract more entrants.

    ¡°What¡¯s the registration for?¡± Redi asked the woman sitting behind the table.

    The Gym Trainer looked up.

    ¡°Um, the battle raffle?¡± she replied, saying the raffle¡¯s purpose as if it were obvious. ¡°If your name is drawn, you get to challenge Whitney without needing to wait.¡±

    Apparently, this event took place twice a month¡ªevery two weeks. There had been a larger crowd earlier in the season, but it was still popular enough to draw a crowd and a few reporters.

    Sam didn¡¯t hesitate to provide his name and trainer ID, but Redi drew back. It didn¡¯t make sense for her to enter, as she was both seeking to catch a new Pok¨¦mon and reevaluate her team¡¯s strategy after passing by the previous Gym.

    Once Sam properly entered, he backed off to let a few other last-minute entrants sign up. Everyone¡¯s names were written down on slips and placed into a box. It took only a handful of minutes before the time to draw was up.

    ¡°Then, without further ado...¡± The megaphone whined as the Gym Trainer on the stage placed it under her arm. The box of entrants was lifted up to allow her to reach in, where she pulled out a single, slightly torn slip and read off the written name.

    ¡°Xavier!¡± she shouted. ¡°Xavier, won¡¯t you come up!¡±

    Sam and Redi crossed their arms in near unison.

    ¡°You kidding? Why¡¯d it have to be that guy?¡± Redi grumbled.

    Pushing through the crowd was a boy maybe a year or two older than Sam with brown hair smoothed back on his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m Xavier,¡± the boy said.

    Sam remembered him from the boat to Olivine. Xavier had competed in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament as well.

    Although, it wasn¡¯t just Sam and Redi who remembered who Xavier was. Several of the nearby reporters began to excitedly crowd around him.

    ¡°You were the runner-up in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament!¡±

    ¡°Xavier! Xavier! How does it feel to skip the lines?¡±

    ¡°Wait! Where¡¯s your incubator?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    The first place victor had passed up the Professor-granted Pok¨¦mon egg, allowing Xavier to earn it despite only placing in second. However, Pok¨¦mon eggs needed to be contained within environment-controlled incubators if they were to hatch. Xavier had no such obvious device on his person.

    So it hatched already, huh?

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to grin when he remembered Xavier¡¯s grimace when he was handed the egg.

    The reporters continued to surround him until he managed to escape by hopping onto the stage. Two other Gym Trainers approached to keep the reporters at bay as the megaphone whined once again.

    ¡°Xavier will challenge Whitney to a...¡± The woman whispered to him. ¡°Third Gym Badge battle! Please, allow us space to head inside, and then the rest of you will be able to enter and watch right after!¡±

    As she hopped down and encouraged Xavier to follow, Redi nudged Sam on the arm to get his attention.

    ¡°Wanna watch?¡± she whispered.

    For a moment, Sam wanted to say no, but then again, his team was stronger than it had ever been. Feeling confident, he was also curious. He wanted to see if Xavier¡¯s team could even compare.

    The doors opened, and the crowd began to flow in. Gym Trainers and a few Normal Types¡ªSentret, Furret, Meowth, and Snubbull¡ªencouraged people towards a set of open doors that led to an interior field. A few Pidgeys and Pidgeotto perched on lamps and other pieces of furniture also helped, waving their wings to direct the crowd to where they could watch the impending battle.

    The interior field was a basic Gym battlefield like always, consisting of a painted rectangle over a compressed dirt floor. Whitney, the pink-haired Goldenrod Gym Leader, was already in place across from Xavier. Both of them stood tall.

    She had to be only a few years older than Sam, and maybe only a year older than Xavier. Sam sat up and leaned forward in his seat.

    ¡°And this is her first year as a Gym Leader?¡± he whispered to Redi.

    ¡°Pretty sure. Gotta say, if this event is a way to build a name for herself, she¡¯s doing a pretty good job.¡±

    The reporters were escorted to the ground floor, not needing to sit on the stands like everyone else. A few had cameras pointing at the field, while others furiously took notes in open journals.

    There wasn¡¯t anything special about the rules for this battle, other than it would be a two-on-four match. Whitney would use only two Pok¨¦mon, but her opponent would be allowed to use up to four.

    Once the referee finished speaking, Whitney struck a pose, holding up two fingers in front of her eyes.

    ¡°Ready?¡± she asked.

    A few people in the stands chanted her name. A handful of the Gym Trainers joined in.

    ¡°...Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± Xavier grumbled.

    At the command of the referee, both of them threw forward a Pok¨¦ball to send out their first Pok¨¦mon.

    Gasps rang out. Sure, Clefairy was a rare species, but people were far more interested in the Pok¨¦mon Xavier had released.

    ¡°A Donphan! I saw he had a Phanpy back on the boat, but don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s already evolved!¡± Redi said.

    ¡°...He evolved his Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t known that Xavier had a Phanpy¡ªor a Donphan, for that matter. Evolving a Pok¨¦mon this early was an impressive feat.

    Sam shrunk down in his seat when the referee proceeded to confirm Xavier planned to use all four slots for his team as well. He didn¡¯t just have an evolved Pok¨¦mon, but apparently he had more than just three Pok¨¦mon with him right now.

    Wanting a distraction, Sam pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex to browse as the referee went over a last bit of set-up. He ignored Donphan¡¯s entry for now, instead flipping to Whitney¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, Clefairy, to see exactly what¡ª

    ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡±

    He glanced between the listed information and the pink Pok¨¦mon on the field.

    What the heck is a Fairy Type?

    His question went unanswered, interrupted by the start of the battle below.

    ¡°Scary Face. Defense Curl. Rollout. Proceed!¡±

    ¡°Metronome!¡±

    Everything happened quickly. Donphan glared at Clefairy before tucking itself in for a roll. Donphan normally resembled a sort of squat elephant, but when curled into a ball, the bumps on its back made it look like the tire of a truck.

    However, with Xavier listing off orders so succinctly, Clefairy was quickly overwhelmed. It tried for a Metronome, which randomly called up Thunderbolt. As a Ground Type, Donphan was unaffected by the Electric Type move, and it slammed into the supposed Fairy Type.

    ¡°Again!¡± Whitney called out.

    It never got the chance.

    Building momentum, Donphan tore over the ground like an escaping wheel. Clefairy was struck a second time before a third time finished it off.

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t steal my strategy!¡± Whitney shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s see you do the same to Miltank!¡±

    A pink cow was released onto the field, where it stomped its hooves into the ground. It braced itself with its arms held out to try to catch Donphan and stop the Rollout¡ª

    But the move continued, its strength having grown to unstoppable heights as Xavier¡¯s Pok¨¦mon bashed into Miltank and sent the bovine flying across the field.

    Whitney¡¯s Pok¨¦mon skidded over the dirt and did not get up. For the briefest of moments, absolute silence filled the room until almost everyone erupted into deafening cheers.

    ¡°In an incredible victory, Xavier and his Donphan have absolutely crushed Whitney¡¯s team!¡± the referee called out.

    The Gym Leader had a blank look as she stared at her fainted Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    Whitney¡¯s voice was just barely audible over the noises of the audience thanks to some carefully hidden speakers.

    Xavier returned his Donphan without comment and strode forward to stand in the center. He sent Whitney a pointed look as if telling her to get it over with.

    Credit to her, while Whitney looked like she wanted to cry, she still did her best to maintain a pleasant smile.

    ¡°How about¡ª¡± She breathed in. ¡°How about another cheer for Xavier and his Donphan!¡±

    The audience clapped, and Whitney used the distraction to turn off her mic. She wiped her face with an arm before heading over to shake Xavier¡¯s hand. Her eyes were bright red.

    ¡°...I kind of feel bad for her,¡± Redi mumbled.

    Sam was too busy staring at Xavier to reply.

    The boy nodded respectfully to the Gym Leader as one of her Gym Trainer rushed over, carrying a package. She reached within to hand Xavier a disc. Sam identified it as a TM.

    How come Morty didn¡¯t give me a TM?

    Sam just wanted this event to be over with, but of course the reporters moved in and crowded around Xavier before he could go. They asked him inane questions, mostly about how he was feeling. Silence fell once again when Xavier asked if he could have a moment.

    ¡°I...¡± Xavier had an annoyed look on his face, but that look faded away into utmost seriousness when he took a deep breath. ¡°I am going to win the Silver Conference.¡±

    Shouts of both disbelief and support. By merely holding up a hand, Xavier somehow managed to get everyone to quiet down once more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how experienced you are. I don¡¯t care what Pok¨¦mon you have on your team. No matter who you are, I will beat you. I am going to be this year¡¯s Silver champion.¡±

    He breathed out. Voices started up once more. Xavier refused to take any comments as he strode out of the room.

    ¡°Man, he really has a punchable face, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Redi whispered to Sam.

    Sam hadn¡¯t noticed it, but he had somehow grabbed Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball off of his belt. His knuckles were white in response to Xavier¡¯s declaration, but he forced himself to relax.

    You wanna be the Silver champion, huh?

    Someone winning the overall Conference in their first year was a ridiculous idea. Out of hundreds of people, there could only be one annual champion. Nine times out of ten, it was someone making a repeat challenge after losing the year before. Their experience carried them through.

    But, every once in a long while, a dark horse slipped through the ranks. One person that reached the end despite having never competed before.

    ¡°Xavier isn¡¯t going to win the Silver Conference,¡± Sam said. ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Sure, buddy,¡± Redi replied, patting Sam on the arm. ¡°Now, come on. I want to see if Whitney¡¯s free. I wonder if she¡¯s willing to help me with my team like Morty helped you with yours.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Everyone in the arena room was preoccupied with something. The audience was slowly filing out. Xavier had already left. The reporters were stuck between trying to chase after him or approach Whitney, but the present Gym Trainers were holding them back. Whitney, meanwhile, stood there with a pleasant smile on her face, occasionally waving to the crowd as they exited. Her eyes were red and her movements came out slow. Sam felt like the only reason she was still here was so the audience wouldn¡¯t see her run away.

    Gaze lingering towards the exit of the arena, he almost missed Redi getting up and pushing closer to the arena. He stood up to give chase, apologizing as he bumped into a handful of people trying to leave.

    ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± he hissed under his breath. ¡°Are you really going to head down on your own?¡±

    Redi turned to face him, a defiant look in her eyes.

    ¡°If you could approach Morty, I can approach Whitney,¡± she said. ¡°I refuse to pass up this chance.¡±

    Sam glanced behind her. A few Gym Trainers were still glancing around to make sure the crowd was leaving properly.

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing that,¡± he said.

    She looked like she wanted to argue, but he stopped her.

    ¡°Running down there is absolutely going to get you caught. Let me be your look-out, and then when you move up to Whitney, walk. It¡¯s less suspicious than sneaking in.¡±

    He used that strategy to enter Granite Cave without alerting anyone nearby.

    Redi grinned, and they casually approached the railing that divided the stands from the field below. Just to their left, a chain blocked a thin staircase down. Sam made sure to act as if he had just finished chatting with Redi and was waiting for the crowd to thin out. In reality, he was keeping an eye on where all of the nearby Gym Trainers were looking.

    ¡°Now,¡± he whispered, detecting an opportunity. One of the reporters tried to shout a question at Whitney, earning a glare from all of the Gym Trainers here.

    Redi slipped under the chain as Sam followed, casually walking down the stairs as if it were normal business. They blended into their surroundings, going as far as to have a mock conversation about the weather. Keeping to the wall at the base of the stands, they traced the edge of the arena until they lined up with Whitney. Then, turning sharply, they headed directly towards her.

    Redi breathed in to yell, but Sam elbowed her to interrupt the potential attention-gathering noise, which caused her to let loose an ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Whitney didn¡¯t seem like she expected anyone to be there, and she turned her head out of both bewilderment and shock.

    ¡°I... I need your help!¡± Redi exclaimed.

    She bowed at a full ninety degrees angle. Sam nervously took a step back as a few of the Gym Trainers turned their way.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Whitney choked on a breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m his friend!¡± Redi said, pointing at Sam without leaning back up. ¡°Morty personally helped him! I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re willing to do the same with me! If you¡¯re willing to give me any advice at all!¡±

    Sam waved awkwardly as Whitney blinked, uncomfortable. The Gym Trainers who had noticed them started to rapidly approach. Sam kept a nervous eye on them as they reached to their Pok¨¦balls at their waist.

    ¡°...And you want my help?¡± Whitney repeated.

    There was an almost hopeful tinge to her voice.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Redi easily replied. ¡°I want to train a team of all Normal Types! And you¡¯re the best person to ask for advice with that!¡±

    The two approaching Gym Trainers sent out their Pok¨¦mon¡ªa mean-looking Meowth and a Furret that was trying to look mean but was failing to look anything but cute. Trainers were not supposed to approach a Gym Leader so blatantly. Sam had been an exception thanks to his interactions with ¡®MatsubaEnju.¡¯ But Redi? She mimicked him, but she lacked that prior connection.

    However, Whitney didn¡¯t seem annoyed. Instead, her expression softened. The Gym Leader held up a hand to get her Gym Trainers to stop.

    ¡°What do you need help with?¡±

    Whitney wiped her eyes and stood up a little straighter, and Redi righted herself, stopping her deep bow.

    ¡°I have a Teddiursa, and only a Teddiursa. I wanted to build my team around pure power, but...¡± Redi winced. ¡°It¡¯s not working out.¡±

    Whitney hummed, rubbing her chin in thought.

    ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s moves?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Scratch, Fury Swipes, and Fire Punch,¡± Redi answered.

    Whitney mouthed ¡°Fire Punch¡± to repeat it as she furrowed her brow.

    ¡°Well, I am a Gym Leader, so of course I can help you!¡± she said, taking a stance akin to a teacher with a finger pointed up. ¡°If pure power doesn¡¯t work, do what I do! Build your team to sweep.¡±

    ¡°To sweep?¡±

    Whitney nodded as if she had just said the most sage thing in the world.

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve trained my team around my Miltank and my Tauros. Clefable¡ªor Clefairy¡ªare great Pok¨¦mon to stall and wear down everyone they face with status moves. Then, a Baton Pass can bring any enhancements over to my ace, which is usually a Miltank with Rollout. It¡¯s hard to stop a wholly defensive Miltank beefed up with a Cosmic Power, isn''t it?¡± Whitney said with a grin.

    Redi bobbed her head along with Whitney¡¯s words, obviously trying to commit them to memory.

    ¡°Then, for my Teddiursa?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Teddiursa can learn Swords Dance, which would make any attack that much stronger.¡± Whitney said slowly, obviously thinking hard for solutions. ¡°And for future members of your team¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to catch more Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Redi shouted her declaration, forcing it out.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Whitney replied. ¡°You have three options: a special attacker, some kind of defensive wall, or a Pok¨¦mon with full support. I¡¯d give you specific species, but there¡¯s a huge amount of Normal Types out there. You¡¯d get more out of it if you looked into it on your own.¡±

    Redi sent a side-eye to Sam. Sam gave her a short nod back, communicating that he¡¯d help her. Then, she looked at Whitney and bowed once more.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± she said.

    Whitney put her hands on her waist before gaining a bright grin.

    ¡°Of course! What are Gym Leaders for, if not to help!¡±

    In a vast difference to how she had acted before, Whitney all but skipped away to exit the room. One of the two nearby Gym Trainers sighed.

    ¡°I really wish you hadn¡¯t done that.¡±

    ¡°I mean, thanks for helping cheer Whitney up,¡± the other one said, ¡°but do you realize how many copycats you¡¯re going to inspire?¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Sam glanced around. A few members of the crowd had stopped to watch Redi¡¯s exchange. A handful of reporters had paused as well. Some of them were yelling Redi¡¯s name¡ªapparently, they had recognized her from her Top-Eight placement in the beginner¡¯s tournament.

    But not me?

    He had been a part of that tournament, too.

    Even though Sam and Redi had technically helped, they had still violated the Gym¡¯s rules by stepping onto the field. To be made examples, they were marched out.

    The two of them emerged from a side entrance onto a different street than the one they had entered from. Redi leaned back, smiling, and stared up at the sky.

    ¡°A set-up strategy, built around making Teddiursa stronger than he is now...¡± she said dreamily.

    Sam briefly thought back to everything he had read on Teddiursa¡¯s species including the little bear¡¯s evolution and the lesser-known evolution after that.

    Imagining a Pok¨¦mon that strong becoming even stronger...

    He couldn¡¯t help it. He shivered.

    ¡°So, add a new requirement to my list!¡± Redi said, speaking as if Sam¡¯s sole role was to write stuff down. ¡°Whatever I catch has to be able to make Teddiursa stronger!¡±

    He reached into his pack and quickly added it to the rest.

    ¡°That narrows down a lot of options, surprisingly,¡± he said.

    Redi turned to Sam with a grin.

    ¡°Great! Now, let¡¯s go to the Pok¨¦mon Center! I want to figure out what species to catch as soon as possible!¡±

    She turned to dash away, and Sam had to run just to keep up with her.

    <hr>

    Even in a city as large as Goldenrod, there were still rooms to spare within the Pok¨¦mon Center. Goldenrod City was the place to start out a journey¡ªeven more so than Olivine. Just about two months into the season? Most trainers had already spread throughout Johto. While Goldenrod constantly received new trainers, many more set out than came in. All it took was a quick chat with the local nurse to get a room key for each of them. Thanks to their ongoing Gym Challenge, Sam and Redi had free rooms of their own in this dense city.

    Sam joined Redi in her room to quickly get to work. He spread out his journal and the New Pok¨¦dex on her desk to give him space to take notes. To his left, a window overlooked a Goldenrod City street from several stories up. The uppermost section of this skyscraper was reserved for office space, but Sam was fine enough as it stood being this far off the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ll write down all the Normal Types available in Johto so we can touch on and discuss all your options,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Redi replied.

    She clutched Teddiursa close. Mankey snored on her pillows. Cyndaquil and Gastly played a game where they turned before snapping around dramatically, using either Leer or the in-progress Mean Look to make funny faces to cause the other one to laugh.

    While the New Pok¨¦dex contained over a thousand species, Sam limited himself to only Pok¨¦mon that could be found in Indigo. There was an innate division to the ordering of the Pok¨¦dex that made doing so easy. Each section of the book grouped species by region of first discovery. A region¡¯s Starter Pok¨¦mon served as the first entry before it moved on to include the rest.

    So, Sam was looking at the sections between Bulbasaur and Dragonite, and then the section that came immediately after¡ªthe entries between Chikorita and Tyranitar. Pok¨¦mon found in other regions wouldn¡¯t be helpful, as they weren¡¯t easily obtainable as it stood.

    As he read about and wrote down all the Normal Types he could find, Redi scooted a bit closer on the bed behind him.

    Then she scooted forward again, and again. Slowly, over the course of several minutes, she reached the edge and leaned off of it towards Sam¡ªperhaps a little too far.

    The ensuing thud of her body on the ground and the flailing of limbs as Teddiursa whined was the warning that told Sam he absolutely had to speak. Pulling his chair back to better let him face Redi, he turned around as she picked herself off the floor, apologizing to Teddiursa with a laugh as she did.

    ¡°So you know how I have an old Pok¨¦dex, right?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit old, but the information contained within is some of the best in the world,¡± he continued, keeping things non-specific. ¡°I have a huge list of Pok¨¦mon to go through, so let¡¯s start by marking off the easy ones. No Snorlax or Tauros¡ª¡±

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°Or Kangaskhan,¡± she said. ¡°Back home Mama has to feed Baby¡ªBaby is her son¡ªand together, they eat the equivalent of five. Yeah, all of those are out.¡±

    Even though they were strong species, none of them made sense for Redi to train now. They were far too expensive to train as part of a beginner¡¯s team.

    ¡°Let¡¯s also cross out the Pok¨¦mon that are primarily physical attackers, too. No Raticate, Furret, Persian¡ª¡±

    ¡°No Lickitung. No Stantler,¡± Redi added.

    Sam paused. Stantler had an unknown evolution that was part Psychic Type. It technically had the capability of serving as a support for Teddiursa, but before it reached that evolution, it only really had Confuse Ray, so still he crossed it out for now.

    He also proceeded to cross out Aipom, Miltank, and Dunsparce, with Redi¡¯s approval. Those Pok¨¦mon were far too physical to not overlap with Teddiursa.

    ¡°Chansey is a good option, since the Pok¨¦mon is so predisposed against attacking. It¡¯s basically the perfect wall to withstand any too-strong attacks thanks to its immense stamina and incredible self-healing.¡±

    Redi wobbled her head side-to-side as she considered it.

    ¡°Nah. I still want a Pok¨¦mon that can unleash powerful attacks.¡±

    Sam crossed out Chansey as well as its evolution. Then, he went ahead and crossed out Smeargle as well. That Pok¨¦mon could imitate any move thanks to Sketch, but the actual innate power of the species wasn¡¯t very high.

    ¡°How about Ditto?¡±

    ¡°I think a Ditto would require too much time researching other Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Eevee?¡±

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°Yeah, like I could afford an Eevee. Besides, none of its evolutions maintain the Normal Type.¡±

    Sam went to a more basic option, one that lacked a lot of supporting moves but held potential.

    ¡°You could use a Flying Type like Pidgey, Spearow, or Hoothoot to wear down an opponent from range and tire them out for Teddiursa. Doduo and Farfetch¡¯d are too ground based to do the same. What are your thoughts on that?¡±

    ¡°Not any of those. Flying Types don¡¯t have much in the way of support, I think. I want to buff up Teddiursa, not wear down enemies for him to faint.¡±

    Sam frowned and crossed out every Flying Type still there. He was about to bring up Girafarig, but then Redi said something that gave him pause.

    ¡°To add to that, I don¡¯t want any Fairy Types, too,¡± Redi said.

    It took all of Sam¡¯s effort to not drop the journal right then.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Redi rolled her eyes. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it. People always expect girls to train ¡®cutesy¡¯ Pok¨¦mon like that¡ªFairy Types. Jigglypuff. Clefairy. Clefable... Yeah, I don¡¯t want to be typecast like that.¡±

    She then snorted at her own unintentional pun.

    ¡°But you know what a Fairy Type is,¡± Sam said flatly.

    ¡°Yeah? I mean, I guess some people in Kanto refuse to recognize it, but it¡¯s not like it''s not a Type.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t know Ghost was immune to Normal?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Redi said with a huff.

    Sam stared at her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have it in my flashcards.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was on purpose.¡±

    They stared at one another until Redi seemed to put the pieces together. A smirk crept onto her face as Sam quickly turned away.

    ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t tell me I knew something that our resident Pok¨¦mon Master didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°...Shut up,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°And I didn¡¯t even know all of the type matchups before now! Heck, those flashcards were useful!¡±

    ¡°I lived on an isolated island!¡± Sam yelled.

    ¡°Not an excuse. Can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know an entire Type.¡±

    Oh, why did I say anything? She¡¯s never going to let me live this down.

    A few minutes of teasing went by until Redi went ahead and explained the Fairy Type¡¯s background. It wasn¡¯t actually that unreasonable for Sam to not know of the Type.

    ¡°News of it spread a few years back,¡± she said. ¡°Apparently, there was some drama of a reporter finding out that a few old clans were suppressing knowledge of the Fairy Type. The biggest perpetrators were the Blackthorn Clan, which Champion Lance is a part of. As a family of Dragon Tamers, they didn¡¯t want a Type with that immunity getting out. Lance himself took a different stance, however. He went ahead and boldly told the world that he¡¯d welcome any Fairy Type challengers!¡±

    She gained a dreamy look to her eyes, recalling the scene as a fond memory.

    ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to make that kind of announcement.¡±

    ¡°Sure, buddy,¡± Sam said, a little annoyed.

    ¡°But, like, I think half of Indigo just flat out doesn¡¯t want to recognize it?¡± Redi continued. ¡°So it¡¯s not talked about a lot, and most still consider Fairy Types to be Normal Types.¡±

    That explains why Whitney uses Clefairy and Clefable, at least.

    So Jigglypuff wasn¡¯t an option, and Sam crossed it out.

    ¡°Hm.¡± He looked over the remaining entries. ¡°Redi, you¡¯ve narrowed down your options to only two species.¡±

    ¡°I have?¡± She sat up a little straighter. ¡°Alright, hit me.¡±

    Sam leaned over and tried to smack her on the knee, but she pulled back and stuck her tongue out before snickering.

    ¡°It¡¯s just Girafarig and Porygon left,¡± Sam stated.

    Redi rested her chin on her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Girafarig, but what¡¯s a Porygon?¡±

    ¡°Porygon is either man-made or a computer-generated Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s a special attacker like you want, and it learns a lot of supporting moves while also being great at adapting to its foes.¡±

    Redi hummed, and Sam briefly flipped the New Pok¨¦dex around. He let her look at the included drawing of Porygon before returning it to the desk, where she wouldn¡¯t be able to see the incredible amount of in-depth knowledge the book contained.

    ¡°...Can you give me more specifics on it?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam proceeded to skim through the entry so he could summarize everything for her.

    ¡°It looks like Porygon can learn a lot of Electric Type moves. And Tri-Attack, which is fun and could tie into Teddiursa¡¯s elemental punches. It has lots of beam moves too, and then it has a pair of exclusive moves¡ªConversion and Conversion 2.¡± He briefly checked those moves¡¯ descriptions. ¡°Apparently those moves let Porygon temporarily change its Type?¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°And then its abilities are weird, too. Useful, though,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Trace to copy its foe¡¯s abilities. Download to boost its offense based on its opponent¡¯s weakest form of defense. Analytic to enhance the power of any attacks if it lets its opponent move first.¡±

    Redi chewed on her lip, clearly deep in thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised it can get three abilities.¡±

    Sam blinked.

    Oops. I forgot that having three abilities wasn¡¯t common knowledge.

    ¡°Does it evolve?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam glanced down again.

    ¡°Yeah. Twice,¡± he replied. ¡°Once to Porygon2 when given an Upgrade disk. Another time to Porygon-Z when it''s given a... Dubious Disk?¡±

    That was a really weird name for an item.

    ¡°And for set-up moves?¡± Redi asked with a hum.

    Sam had to look through its learnset one more time.

    ¡°Best I see is Agility, which can increase its speed. Recover can help it stall since that¡¯s one of the best self-healing moves out there. The biggest move to help Teddiursa is Trick Room, which... makes slow Pok¨¦mon fast and fast Pok¨¦mon slow.¡±

    ¡°What,¡± Redi said flatly.

    Sam flipped to the back of the book to double-check.

    ¡°Um, yeah. Apparently, it¡¯s a field effect that lasts five turns, whatever that means.¡±

    Redi immediately stood up from her bed and put her hands on her hips.

    ¡°Alright Teddiursa. Hear that? We¡¯re going to add a Porygon to our team!¡±

    The little bear cheered, but he had been too busy watching Cyndaquil¡¯s and Gastly¡¯s game to have been paying attention. He didn¡¯t look like he knew what a Porygon was; he simply cheered because Redi wanted him to cheer.

    ¡°Hold on. Hold on!¡± Sam frantically waved his hands. ¡°We haven¡¯t even talked about where we can find one, or even if capturing that species is feasible?¡±

    Redi crossed her arms in thought.

    ¡°Oh yeah. You said it was a computer Pok¨¦mon. So where can we find one?¡±

    ¡°...Book just says ¡®The Game Corner.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The Game Corner? I think there¡¯s one in Goldenrod.¡±

    A grin overtook her face. Sam let loose a sigh.

    ¡°Are we visiting the Game Corner?¡± he asked tiredly.

    ¡°The Game Corner!¡± Redi cheered, stomping one leg onto her bed like some sort of a victorious conqueror. ¡°And at the Game Corner, we¡¯ll figure out exactly how to get a Porygon!¡±

    She scooped up Teddiursa and ran outside. Sam took one look at his Pok¨¦mon before returning them so he could chase after her.

    Again.

 Chapter 33

    Gambling wasn¡¯t legal in Indigo. If there was a chance-based game that rewarded players with a cash prize, it went against the region¡¯s criminal code.

    However, if the game didn¡¯t have a cash prize and instead rewarded ¡°worthless¡± metal tokens, then everything was fine. It was also fine if someone just happened to collect these tokens, and it was still fine if that same person just happened to operate an exchange counter that ¡°purchased¡± those tokens in exchange for both cash and physical prizes.

    When combined, Goldenrod¡¯s Game Corner and many other places like it weren''t gambling; they just were places where people could play luck-based games. And if its reward tokens could be sold in exchange for more impressive items, that wasn¡¯t the proprietor¡¯s fault since the exchange counter wasn¡¯t a part of the same business.

    Of course, practically everyone recognized this set-up as abuse of a legal loophole. However, no one was willing to change the law due to the sheer popularity of Game Corners. There would be an uproar if the pseudo-gambling halls were made illegal. Thus, the system was allowed to persist. It was popular enough that tokens were even occasionally earned elsewhere, sometimes as offerings for eating at restaurants, and sometimes trainers even bet them in Pok¨¦mon battles.

    Sam wasn''t too worried when the New Pok¨¦dex said Porygon could be found at the Game Corner. Game Corners often allowed people to trade tokens for certain species of Pok¨¦mon, which was definitely skeevy but still not technically illegal. While actually playing the corner¡¯s games would just be an abyss that''d suck away all their money, he and Redi could grind away battles to eventually earn her enough tokens to gain the species she wanted.

    The only problem was that no one there knew what a ¡°Porygon¡± was.

    ¡°Can you repeat that?¡± the woman working the counter said.

    ¡°Porygon?¡± Redi repeated. ¡°It''s an angular, computer Pok¨¦mon? I was told it could be found here!¡±

    The woman frowned and leaned back to read a paper listing potential prizes on the wall. It included items like TMs, a few held items, and a handful of species like Ekans and Abra.

    ¡°I''m sorry, but we don''t have that species on record,¡± the woman said, giving Redi a sad smile. ¡°If you instead want to trade your tokens for something else¡ª¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have Porygon?¡±

    The woman nodded, pressing her lips together, and Redi let out a sigh.

    Sam stood behind Redi and pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex to double check they had the right location. Porygon was indeed listed as being found at ¡°The Game Corner,¡± but it also listed places he¡¯d never heard of, like the Trophy Garden or White Forest. He was confident that neither of those places were in Johto.

    ¡°You sure Porygon is supposed to be here?¡± Redi said, glancing over her shoulder at Sam.

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure. I just don¡¯t get why this book would be wrong.¡±

    It would be the first time it was wrong outside of omission.

    However, Redi was still just a young teen, and there was something to her downtrodden expression that made the woman behind the counter wince with guilt. She ended up leaning down and waving Redi closer.

    ¡°Look, I really shouldn¡¯t be telling you this, but I¡¯ve heard a rumor that we have a different rare species here.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Redi leaned closer.

    ¡°Uh-huh! I¡¯m not allowed in the back, but I heard some of the guys talking about it. Apparently, we have a trio of Dratini that are going to be given out. If you manage to get the upcoming month¡¯s grand prize¡ªa Dragon Token¡ªyou¡¯ll be able to exchange it for one of them!¡±

    Redi suddenly went still, and Sam noticed a forced smile appear on her face.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, nodding slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for them!¡±

    The woman leaned back up and sent her a smile.

    ¡°Glad to help. Cheer up! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find the species you¡¯re looking for if you keep at it.¡±

    Before he could say anything, Redi grabbed Sam¡¯s wrist to drag him outside. She pulled him out of the gaudy rewards room and around the corner, hiding them within an alley between the exchange building and the Game Corner itself.

    ¡°Alright. There¡¯s something suspicious going on here,¡± she said.

    Sam sighed and put the New Pok¨¦dex away.

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I really thought that Porygon¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not that. The Dratini,¡± she hissed. ¡°How did a Game Corner manage to get three Dragon Types to hand out as a reward?¡±

    Sam knew the New Pok¨¦dex had information on their location, but he¡¯d never bothered to check because he hadn¡¯t been interested in catching one for himself. However, their actual location was a closely guarded secret due to the risks that came with approaching wild Dragon Types¡¯ nests. If the Game Corner had three Dratini, the question was how did they get them in the first place? Either they were caught in the wild¡ªa dangerous proposition¡ªor they were purchased from a specialized breeder.

    Except, Sam knew a specialized breeder would never allow the offspring of a proud Dragon Type be put up as a reward for something as crass as gambling. It would be like if Carl sold a set of Cyndaquil Eggs to a Pok¨¦mon Center. Stuff like that didn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°Lance and the Blackthorn Clan wouldn¡¯t allow this. You know how much flak Goldenrod would get if word got out that the Game Corner had Dratini as prizes?¡± Redi said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too aware of Indigo¡¯s politics. Is it actually that bad?¡±

    She sent him a flat look.

    ¡°Remember what I said about the Fairy Type?¡±

    He winced.

    ¡°Alright, you have a point.¡±

    Redi quickly glanced behind her before sneaking up to the street to check that they weren¡¯t being watched. She looked up¡ªthere were no cameras here¡ªand she started to drag Sam deeper in.

    Meanwhile, Sam was lost in thought. Not about the Dratini, but about Porygon and why it wasn¡¯t here.

    Why did the book say Porygon was at the Game Corner, anyway? And, wait, it¡¯s ancient! How did such an old book even know about a computer generated Pok¨¦mon in the first place?

    The timeline didn''t line up. If Porygon existed back when the book was written, surely more people should have heard about it by now. This divide went beyond just the book¡¯s strangely accurate information on foreign species. Porygon¡¯s numerical placement implied it had first been encountered in Kanto, but no one seemed to be aware of it.

    ¡°We¡¯re sneaking in,¡± Redi suddenly said.

    Sam snapped back to reality.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We have to check. In and out. It¡¯ll be quick. Something about this reeks, and I want to get to the bottom of it.¡±

    Sam frowned. He remembered what happened in Granite Cave and the month of lectures he received afterwards. Something about this situation faintly reminded him of that, even more so than when they had snuck onto the Gym''s battlefield early today.

    But Redi was right. Three Dratini, three Pok¨¦mon that could evolve into one of the most powerful species around, were being offered as prizes? Something was off. Sam agreed they needed to go in, but he wanted to be smart about it.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Wait.¡± He grabbed Redi¡¯s arm to get her to stop, and she snapped her head around, ready to argue. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re heading in, but let¡¯s set some rules. No attacking anyone, and no getting into battles. If we see something off, we pull back and call the police.¡±

    Sam released her hand, and Redi crossed her arms.

    ¡°Do you really think we can beat people who managed to capture Dratini?¡± he asked. ¡°Gastly can go through walls. Let him scout. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt, so let¡¯s stick to just gathering information, alright?¡±

    She scoffed, as if the idea of her getting hurt was ridiculous, but a slight smile still appeared on her face.

    ¡°Okay. Thanks, Sam!¡±

    He smiled back as Redi returned to following the building¡¯s wall. Silently, he unclipped Gastly¡¯s Pok¨¦ball from his belt before sending the Ghost Type out.

    ¡°How much of that did you hear? Do you think you can find us an entrance and help us stay away from any guards?¡±

    The Ghost Type bounced happily, seemingly thrilled to be part of an infiltration. He dipped backwards to phase through the wall of the rewards building before popping out and encouraging them to follow.

    The back of the building was open. A small side street led up to it, where a metal garage door sat open above a long truck. The vehicle was parked but provided just enough space to slip past its sides. Entering, Gastly boldly floated in the middle of the room without bothering to hide himself. Since he was there, Sam took that as a sign that no one was around to stop them.

    ¡°Surprising lack of security,¡± Sam whispered.

    ¡°Well, yeah? Who would steal from a place like this and not get caught? And then imagine what the people that run this place would do as punishment.¡±

    Both of them shivered. Game Corners might be popular, but it was also common knowledge to never cross them.

    Sam and Redi hopped up onto an elevated concrete walkway, heading inside of the garage to reach a door connected to the interior of the building. Gastly floated through as Redi jiggled the handle.

    It didn¡¯t move¡ªit was locked.

    ¡°Teddiursa.¡± Redi released her Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Think you can get the lock?¡±

    The little bear smiled confidently and stood on his toes to reach the handle. He stuck a clawed finger into the keyhole and jiggled it around before there was a click. The door swung open.

    ¡°Teddiursa can pick locks?¡± Sam whispered, following Redi into the hallway.

    ¡°What? No, he just damages them until they don''t work anymore.¡±

    So we''re breaking and entering. Got it.

    He didn''t want to say that part out loud.

    The interior hallway felt oddly sterile, being made up of featureless, grey concrete and lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. Scuff marks and dirt crossed the floor. The place hadn¡¯t been cleaned in ages.

    As for the walls, there were a few doors along the sides that were locked, but the one that seemed the most interesting was the one at the every end. A crossed window revealed a larger room, and Sam could just barely make out the edge of what looked to be cubbies in the walls.

    Gastly poked his head through to tell them the room was unoccupied. Thankfully, this door wasn¡¯t locked like the one that led in from outside.

    Passing through, Sam and Redi took in the room. The space was much cleaner, almost resembling a sort of break room. However, two walls were occupied by storage. One had rows of slotted shelves filled with Pok¨¦balls, and the other had several glass-sealed cubbies with holes in them to allow air to reach within.

    ¡°The Dratini!¡±

    Redi immediately rushed forward as Sam made sure the door closed behind them. He approached, quietly waving for Gastly to continue poking around before joining Redi in front of three, young Dragon Types.

    Just like the counter worker had said, these were Dratini. Each one was a small serpent with blue scales and a white stomach. Tiny wings flapped where ears might have been as they poked up their heads. Pure black eyes stared at them, all three sets full of hope.

    ¡°...This isn''t right,¡± Redi mumbled. ¡°Why are they in such small boxes? And look what they¡¯re feeding them!¡±

    Each cubby was only a foot or two across. Pressed against the glass were bowls containing food and water. However, the water looked stale, and the food was Pok¨¦mon kibble. Not even Redi was cheap enough to subject a Pok¨¦mon to food as low quality as that.

    ¡°And why keep them out like this? Why not keep them in Pok¨¦balls?¡± Sam asked as one of the three Dratini let out a pitiful whine.

    There was a silence as he and Redi both paused to process it.

    ¡°I think... I think It¡¯s a loyalty issue,¡± she said.

    Sam turned to her, but her gaze remained locked on the Dratini in their sealed cubbies.

    ¡°Pok¨¦balls keep Pok¨¦mon in stasis. They don¡¯t need to eat, injuries won¡¯t worsen, and Pok¨¦balls let Pok¨¦mon have a vague idea about what¡¯s going on around them. Most Pok¨¦mon say being in one is comfortable, but what if you don¡¯t want a Pok¨¦mon to be comfortable? What if you want a Pok¨¦mon to be unhappy? That way, once they are caught and handed over to a proper trainer, they¡¯ll love that trainer that much more thanks to their way better treatment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s messed up,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a technique used by poachers.¡±

    A dark look passed over Redi¡¯s face. She looked between all three of the Dratini and glanced to the other wall of Pok¨¦balls.

    ¡°...How many of these Pok¨¦mon were obtained illegally?¡± she mumbled.

    One of the Dratini pushed its head towards the holes in the glass. Redi bent to stick a few fingers through, just barely managing to pet them.

    ¡°We''re freeing them,¡± Redi said, determination settling into her voice.

    Sam could tell Redi wanted to order Teddiursa to attack the glass, but he stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder and whispering, ¡°Hold on.¡±

    ¡°Remember what I said about the strength of the people here?¡± Sam asked.

    She frowned but nodded. Sam pushed on.

    ¡°We only have two-star teams. I don¡¯t think we can win any fights. We have to get out and call for help. If we can get the police involved¡ª¡±

    Footsteps.

    Then, voices.

    Gastly panickedly popped back into the room.

    ¡°...don¡¯t understand. My key didn¡¯t work, but the door still opened.¡±

    ¡°You think the lock broke?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Or Fred¡¯s screwed with it again.¡±

    Sam quickly took a step back and exchanged a glance with Redi. An entire silent conversation carried out between them before they made the executive decision to head deeper in to hide.

    As fast as they could, Redi and Sam moved to a door that led to a different hallway. Teddiursa scrambled, and Redi hurriedly whispered to the three Dratini.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get you help. We promise,¡± she said quietly.

    The door clicked behind them only seconds before the door to the storage room opened up. Sam desperately looked around while Redi actively checked the other doors in this hallway. One creaked open. She waved to him to follow.

    ¡°In here!¡±

    They dipped inside and closed the room off. Thankfully, the door had a lock Sam was quick to apply.

    He breathed out and took the space in. This was essentially an office, complete with a desk, a blocky computer, and a phone on a nearby wall.

    Most importantly, there was a single Pok¨¦ball next to the computer on that desk.

    Sam asked Gastly to continue to remain on guard as he immediately went up to pick up the phone. Redi followed, hand tracing the edges of the desk as she eyed both the Pok¨¦ball and the white machine.

    Quickly, Sam dialed the number for the police.

    ¡°Goldenrod Police. Do you have an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡± He cleared his throat to speak with a deeper and gruffer voice. ¡°I¡¯m at the reward building for the Game Corner, and there¡¯s evidence here that their reward Pok¨¦mon are poached, or are at least being abused.¡±

    ¡°...Please elaborate.¡±

    Sam started to go into detail about what he had seen. As he did, Redi grinned and plopped into the desk chair to sit behind the computer.

    He made a slicing motion across his neck to try to get her to stop, but she cheekily shrugged and turned it on.

    Surprisingly, the computer flashed on within only a few seconds.

    ¡°Huh. No password,¡± Redi said.

    Sam''s eyes bore into her as she grabbed the mouse and started to browse the computer''s contents.

    ¡°...Yes, glass boxes,¡± he said, still attempting to disguise his voice. ¡°Little space to move. Poor conditions. All three looked extremely young.¡±

    ¡°We''ll be there shortly. Please, stay on the line so we can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Gotta go.¡±

    He hung up before the policewoman could shout for him to wait. Frowning, he marched over to stand behind Redi and look at the screen over her shoulder.

    ¡°Isn''t this evidence tampering?¡±

    ¡°Nah, the police will know we''ve been here so there''s no problem. It makes sense to check for more proof, anyway. Trust me, I''ve seen a bunch of detective flicks before!¡±

    Sam glared at her, but she wasn''t even paying attention. Redi softly hummed as she navigated to the computer¡¯s email program.

    It opened up, revealing dozens upon dozens of emails waiting to be read. Most were comments sent by customers. A few were spam. Others involved requests by employees. There was something about shipments with values that made Sam¡¯s head boggle¡ª

    ¡°Hold on. What¡¯s that one?¡±

    It was unread, having recently arrived. The subject line had only two words: ¡°A Gift.¡±

    Redi clicked on it.

    Sam read it out loud.

    ¡°As a bonus, we¡¯ve included an interesting specimen alongside your last shipment. It''s one of a kind, a perfect draw to lure more customers. Use it as you wish and remember who sent it to you.

    To our ongoing partnership,

    -P¡±

    The email lingered as both Sam and Redi stared at the screen. Too many questions flashed through Sam¡¯s mind for him to vocalize anything.

    Who is ¡®P?¡¯

    Why did he send the Pok¨¦ball?

    What species is it?

    ...And what did we get ourselves into?

    As Sam reread the message, Redi picked up the Pok¨¦ball on the desk.

    ¡°Hold on, what are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Porygon, isn''t it?¡±

    She turned to glance up at Sam, a conflicted expression on her face. She looked him in the eye for what felt like minutes before she whispered one question.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    He wasn''t sure how to answer.

    Footsteps echoed in the hallway, forcing both Redi and Sam back into silence. The door muffled a voice into indistinguishable muttering. The handle jiggled. There was a pause, and whoever was on the other side grumbled.

    The jingle of keys was obvious even from here.

    ¡°Hypnosis, Gastly!¡± Sam whispered sharply.

    The door swung open to reveal a greasy-looking man in a button-down shirt that was too tight against his stomach. He had an unhappy scowl on his face, a scowl that froze in place when he locked eyes with Gastly, who was floating at head level.

    The Ghost Type loomed closer, eyes glowing blue as the man went utterly still. No one moved until the man¡¯s eyes rolled up into his head, and he fell face-forward on the ground. He laid there and began to snore.

    Sam and Redi immediately got up to leave. The police were coming, and they didn¡¯t have a place to hide from anyone who might be nearby. However, as they scrambled out of the office, Sam didn''t fail to notice Redi slip the Pok¨¦ball into her pocket.

    They followed the path they came from before, but it was empty now. The voices they had heard had gone deeper in. Before they left, Redi made sure to shout to the three Dratini that help was on the way. A thud sounded from another room¡ªsomeone heard her¡ªbut Sam and Redi disappeared outside before they could be discovered.

    Dashing, they curved back through the alley and hastily returned both Teddiursa and Gastly. They made sure to slow to a casual pace as they joined a few pedestrians headed down the street.

    Then sirens. Cop cars barreled down the road. Behind them, a woman riding an Arcanine kept pace. Her blue hair made her easily recognizable as Officer Jenny.

    ¡°Should we¡ª¡±

    ¡°I want answers, Sam. And I want to stay safe,¡± Redi said. ¡°The Pok¨¦mon Center will keep our rooms reserved for a few days even if we don¡¯t show up. Let¡¯s camp out, just for tonight. Somewhere private, alright?¡±

    ¡°...Alright.¡±

    Cops entered the rewards building right as Sam and Redi turned the corner. Rather than head to the Pok¨¦mon Center, they followed the road to the nearby southern Route and headed a ways into it until they found an obscured grove of trees¡ªa location perfect for a hidden camp.

    Silently, they set up camp as their Pok¨¦mon helped. Cyndaquil could sense Sam¡¯s nerves and stayed right by his side. It¡¯d been a long day, but as they got a fire going and as stars started to appear as pinpricks above them, Redi asked for Sam to stop.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± she said. ¡°I at least need to check.¡±

    Holding up the Pok¨¦ball she had taken from the Game Corner, a Pok¨¦mon coalesced from red light. Their team members stood on guard in case it attacked, but it didn¡¯t.

    A Porygon floated in the air, staring with blank eyes.

 Chapter 34

    Redi took a step closer to Porygon, but Teddiursa shouted his name and tripped over himself in his rush to block her path. She snorted and leaned down to pat his head.

    ¡°I''ll be fine,¡± she said. ¡°I don''t think Porygon is going to attack.¡±

    Sam stayed behind as Redi began to circle the unmoving Pok¨¦mon. She casually held her hands behind her back and tilted her head to the side as she took in every inch of Porygon. It remained where it floated, not bothering to track her path. Its eyes blankly stared out past the grove¡¯s edge.

    Sam started to doubt Porygon was even conscious.

    The Pok¨¦mon consisted of several sharp, angular polygons that, when put together, vaguely resembled a duck. Blue treads spun in place on its sides, their color contrasting with the pink of its body. A tail flicked back and forth as its head slowly drifted about twenty degrees to the left before snapping back to its start and beginning that slow process once again.

    The movements almost reminded Sam of clockwork, but clockwork had a distinctly metallic look and generally had some sort of purpose. These shifts were just passive twitches that felt like an unconscious quirk. Genuinely, it looked like someone took a poorly made computer model and plopped it down in real life.

    ¡°Feels like plastic,¡± Redi said, carefully running a pair of fingers down Porygon¡¯s side.

    There was still no reaction as it remained floating in the middle of the camp. When Sam joined Redi in her slow path around it, he expected it to do something.

    But it didn¡¯t.

    ¡°So, Porygon!¡± Redi completed her circle and snapped her heels together. ¡°What can you tell us about yourself? Were you kidnapped? Poached? Stolen? I¡¯ll be honest, I kind of grabbed you because I want you to be a part of my team, but I don''t want to take you away if you¡¯re already partnered with someone else.¡±

    Despite the seriousness of her questions, Redi spoke with her usual levity. She handled a heavy topic with the lightness of a casual conversation. Sam could tell she was just trying to lighten the mood, but it felt a little callous. Still, if he was Porygon, he would have appreciated the attempt.

    However, there wasn¡¯t a response. Even the direct engagement failed to stir Porygon into action. Its treads continued to spin, and its head continued its slow drifts and snaps back into place. Redi slumped, and she waved a hand in front of Porygon¡¯s face.

    ¡°...Hello?¡±

    Still nothing. She glanced at Sam.

    ¡°Sam, help,¡± she whined.

    He quickly pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex to see if Porygon¡¯s entry included any relevant information.

    ¡°Says here it was designed to explore cyberspace?¡±

    ¡°Wait, designed? Like Porygon was man-made?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°I thought it was obvious when I said it was computer generated.¡±

    Redi rocked back and forth on her feet.

    ¡°Then Porygon was probably stolen from a lab. Question is, what lab? And where?¡±

    The New Pok¨¦dex listed no labs in the locations where Porygon could be found.

    At this point, Sam¡¯s and Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon had finally built enough courage to approach. Teddiursa cautiously inched forward, holding up a stick he kept pointed at Porygon. Mankey and Gastly had no such worries, and Mankey skipped forward to better look at it while Gastly sneaked behind to try to scare it and inspire a reaction.

    Just like everyone else, he failed to get it to move.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Redi said. ¡°If you''re from the future, you gotta have at least something. How do I get it to react, Sam?¡±

    Sam stumbled. He hadn¡¯t realized she was talking to him until she said his name.

    ¡°Wait, me?¡± He held up a hand to his chest. ¡°You think I¡¯m from the future?¡±

    Redi scoffed, not even bothering to glance his way.

    ¡°Well, duh? How else do you explain everything that''s going on?¡± she said, gesturing at nothing specific. ¡°I said I wanted answers. It¡¯s why I wanted to camp somewhere private. That, and to make sure no one saw we had Porygon.¡±

    She proceeded to turn on her heel and face Sam, her head cocked to the side.

    ¡°Look, it all adds up, yeah? You¡¯ve got some kind of old book that has facts no one else knows. You keep saying little things that don¡¯t make sense¡ªlike how Porygon can apparently have three abilities? Plus your strategies! They¡¯re super advanced compared to mine. Only problem is that I don¡¯t get how you didn¡¯t know about the Fairy Type. And your mom. Unless... unless when you call her you¡¯re actually calling her in the future!¡±

    Words failed Sam. He genuinely had to fight just to contemplate the wild accusation Redi threw his way. She walked closer, each footstep punctuated by a demand.

    ¡°So, answers!¡± she said. ¡°I want lottery numbers. The best stocks. Successful companies. Technology to buy! You gotta have some kind of way to make money. You don¡¯t do a bit of time travel and not abuse it. Please?¡±

    She clasped her hands and fluttered her eyes. She put on the best puppy-dog expression she could.

    Sam turned away and cleared his throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m not from the future?¡± he said.

    Redi pulled back.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    She crossed her arms with a frown.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Redi said, pursing her lips. ¡°How do you even know all this stuff, then? I mean, you knew about Porygon when no one else did. And you already know it can evolve, too? You¡¯re way too educated when it comes to Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    ¡°I do a lot of reading,¡± Sam said.

    She scoffed.

    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s a difference between doing a lot of reading and knowing something that¡¯s clearly from the future.¡±

    Sam grimaced, unable to meet her accusing gaze. He knew he¡¯d slipped up a few times, but he didn¡¯t think Redi would care?

    He tried to distract himself, hoping Redi would drop the topic. He turned to their Pok¨¦mon and their continued attempts to get a reaction out of Porygon.

    Teddiursa poked it with his stick. Cyndaquil squeaked at him to get him to stop. Gastly seemed to delight in the chaos, cackling to himself, and Mankey just watched the whole scene impassively while scratching his head and glancing between the floating Pok¨¦mon and everyone else.

    Sam hoped that Redi would take the hint and choose to watch all the nonsense going on, but she refused to look away, staring at him with a gaze that seemed to pierce his soul. Yet, he also knew that he could simply tell his friend that he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, and she would accept that. Redi was understanding like that.

    But Sam was selfish. He wanted to keep the New Pok¨¦dex for himself, but he also wanted to talk about it. You don¡¯t have a book full of world-shattering information and not freak out about it.

    Who else but him knew there was a Ghost Type that was also part Dragon Type? That was so cool! And he couldn¡¯t geek out about it with anyone if he kept it secret!

    Sam let the dam burst. After a month of knowing Redi, he knew he could trust her. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted to be able to speak about his secrets. This wasn¡¯t him being nice, this was him being selfish. He refused to justify it any other way.

    ¡°I¡¯m not from the future,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°But I think I have a book that is?¡±

    Redi pursed her lips.

    ¡°Yeah, that makes way more sense.¡±

    ¡°...It kind of does, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t put the pieces together until Redi¡¯s accusation. It came from an outside perspective, which seemed to line everything up in a way he would have never considered.

    The New Pok¨¦dex was from the future. That¡¯s how it had so much impossible information about Pok¨¦mon. It was old because it was sent back in time. And how was it sent back in time?

    He didn¡¯t know. This theory didn¡¯t answer every question. It answered nothing about where the book came from, how it got to his grandfather, or why it left so many details out.

    Stolen story; please report.

    It at least felt like a headstart. It just wasn¡¯t a headstart he could actually research.

    ¡°I found this book, the New Pok¨¦dex, when I was going through my grandfather¡¯s old stuff,¡± Sam said, holding up the book to let Redi see. ¡°I thought it was just an old Pok¨¦dex, but it has a bunch of undiscovered information on it. Unknown Pok¨¦mon, unknown evolutions, unknown moves...¡±

    Redi hummed. She finally turned back and watched their Pok¨¦mon, chuckling when Cyndaquil snatched the stick from Teddiursa¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I wanted to keep it my secret weapon,¡± Sam continued. ¡°I wanted to be the best Ghost Type trainer out there, so why not rely on information no one else knows? According to the book, Mankey can eventually evolve into a Ghost Type. Cyndaquil can eventually evolve into a Ghost Type. Gastly is... well, he¡¯s already a Ghost Type, but there¡¯s a list of moves in the New Pok¨¦dex I can use to make him the strongest Gengar around.¡±

    ¡°You know you could sell it,¡± Redi suddenly interjected. ¡°If the New Pok¨¦dex is so advanced, why not sell that book and be set for life? Heck, do you even realize how many rare Ghost Types you could buy with that kind of money?¡±

    Sam¡¯s answer came quick.

    ¡°No!¡± he said, pulling the book closer to his chest. ¡°No shortcuts. If I¡¯m going to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer, I¡¯m doing it right. The New Pok¨¦dex is a guide¡ªit¡¯s information I need to spend time learning and understanding rather than just a list of answers. What¡¯s the point of being a trainer if I just skip to the end? The whole point of this is the journey! I wouldn¡¯t give that up for the world!¡±

    He coughed, realizing he got a little impassioned at the end, and Redi let her head flop on her shoulder to send him a grin.

    ¡°I agree,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Can¡¯t blame you for not wanting to sell it. I wouldn¡¯t want to sell that kind of advantage, either. But, uh...¡±

    She scratched her cheek.

    ¡°About my team¡ª¡±

    ¡°I was already planning on drip-feeding you secret information. I just wasn¡¯t going to tell you it was secret when I did.¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°Has anyone told you that you¡¯re an incredible friend?¡±

    ¡°No, but you could say it more often.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an incredible friend.¡±

    Sam turned away so she couldn''t see his face.

    Cyndaquil returned to his side, holding Teddiursa¡¯s stick, which she quickly burned to ash. She stuck her tongue out at the Normal Type, who stuck his tongue out back at her. She then held up her paws to ask to be picked up, and Sam put her in her favored spot within his hood so she could curl up and look out over his shoulder.

    ¡°We still haven''t settled the main issue, though,¡± Sam said, walking closer to everyone else.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Redi mumbled, rubbing her chin. ¡°What are we going to do about Porygon? And why isn¡¯t it doing anything?¡±

    Despite everything, Porygon was yet to do anything but idle, passive movements. No matter how much Teddiursa had poked it or how much Gastly tried to scare it, it had remained in a single spot in the air, blankly staring ahead.

    ¡°Can you come here, Porygon?¡± Redi asked.

    There was no response.

    ¡°What if you¡¯re more direct?¡± Sam offered.

    Redi cleared her throat.

    ¡°Porygon. Come here,¡± she said in a commanding tone.

    To both of their surprise, Porygon actually turned in the air and floated over to sit in front of Redi.

    She hummed as the rest of the Pok¨¦mon shouted in surprise. Cyndaquil chortled in Sam¡¯s hood.

    ¡°Alright. What if you... Move over there!¡± she said, pointing to a spot under a nearby tree.

    Following her orders, Porygon floated to where she pointed.

    ¡°Now move there,¡± Redi said next, choosing a different spot under a different tree.

    It moved as it did before, hovering to reach the designated location.

    ¡°Now there,¡± she continued.

    It moved again.

    ¡°And there,¡± she said.

    It moved yet again.

    ¡°And float higher up.¡±

    It shifted a foot up.

    ¡°And return to my side.¡±

    It returned to her side.

    ¡°Okay. I think I get it,¡± Redi said. ¡°Porygon responds to commands, but it doesn¡¯t do anything for itself.¡±

    ¡°Can it attack?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Are you willing to show off your moves, Porygon?¡± she said, turning to the Pok¨¦mon.

    No response.

    ¡°Show off your moves,¡± Redi ordered, once again returning to a commanding tone of voice.

    Two obvious attacks came out: Tackle, in the form of a sudden lurch forward, and Psybeam, a Psychic Type beam of energy that shot from its beak and impacted a tree. After those two attacks, it then used Sharpen, which somehow made the already sharp angles of its body even sharper. That move would enhance the damage of any physical attack that involved its body.

    Afterwards, Porygon did something strange that didn¡¯t seem to carry an effect. In a wave across its surface, squares not unlike pixels rotated around and flipped only to return Porygon to the same state it was in before.

    It took a bit of searching in the New Pok¨¦dex, but Sam was pretty confident he found what that move was.

    ¡°Conversion, I think,¡± he said. ¡°It changes the user¡¯s Type to the Type of one of its moves.¡±

    Redi rubbed her chin, but that eventually evolved into her furiously scratching at the sides of her head.

    ¡°Ugh! This is so messed up!¡± she groaned with a yell. ¡°It¡¯s like it can¡¯t even think for itself! It¡¯s acting like it''s some kind of tool made just for battles!¡±

    ¡°...It reminds me of how some abused Pok¨¦mon act,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Redi let herself fall to the dirt, where she sat on the ground.

    ¡°I know,¡± she said, leaning back and staring at the darkened sky through gaps in the trees. ¡°It¡¯s messed up. I want to help it.¡±

    A silence stretched out in their hidden camp. Neither Redi nor Sam spoke, choosing instead to simply sit and think about potential solutions.

    The problem was Porygon was an extremely unusual Pok¨¦mon, and there was no telling if its behavior was unique to its species or if it was forced to act this way. Handing it over to the police was out of the question¡ªSam didn¡¯t want to risk Porygon being returned to its previous owner, and he could tell that Redi felt the same way. All Pok¨¦mon deserved to have a bright future no matter what, and perhaps with the New Pok¨¦dex¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping Porygon,¡± Redi said with a tone that spoke of finality. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I technically stole them, I want to make sure they¡¯re happy. And if I have to spend years ensuring that they gain independence...¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯d be years well spent.¡±

    A plan was formed. Redi needed to register Porygon under her name. They had no clue if Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball had a previous owner or not, but they couldn¡¯t risk allowing Porygon to be handed back, especially with the behavior Porygon displayed.

    So, with so few options available to them, they came to the unanimous decision that Redi needed to go to a Pok¨¦mon Center. There, she would talk to a nurse, and they would figure out what to do next from there.

    <hr><hr>

    Redi took a bold step into the Pok¨¦mon Center, the squeak of the automatic doors announcing her entrance. Sam stood behind her back, a comforting presence, and Redi strode towards the front desk where a pink-haired nurse was stationed.

    It felt as though everyone was staring at her, but whenever she checked, the other trainers were too busy with their own conversations. Small groups lingered and chatted within seating areas in the lobby, and others stood around and stared at nothing at all while they waited for their own Pok¨¦mon to be healed.

    It felt like the world was resting on her shoulders. She¡¯d promised she¡¯d make Teddiursa the strongest Pok¨¦mon out there, and now she¡¯d effectively done the same to make sure Porygon would turn out okay. While it had done nothing besides float in place overnight, she already felt attached to the little Pok¨¦mon.

    Porygon deserved to be treated well.

    ¡°Hello and welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Center! Here, we can restore your Pok¨¦mon to full health,¡± the nurse cheerfully said.

    Redi could feel the weight of the two Pok¨¦balls attached to her waist. Sam nodded to her and split off to wait on a nearby couch.

    Porygon was meant to be her Pok¨¦mon, and she needed to ensure that Porygon could stay.

    ¡°I have a pair of Pok¨¦mon that need to be checked,¡± Redi said, not letting even an ounce of nervousness creep into her voice. ¡°Except, I have a team member that needs to be kept secret. They¡¯re...¡±

    She leaned in and gestured for the nurse to do the same.

    ¡°They¡¯re a new species,¡± she whispered, causing the nurse¡¯s eyes to widen in surprise.

    ¡°Well, I... Hm. Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    Redi did not break her gaze away from the pink-haired nurse.

    The nurse looked around, surprisingly calmly, before waving a Chansey over. She stepped back and let the egg-shaped Pok¨¦mon man the counter before nodding to Redi.

    ¡°Please, follow me.¡±

    Redi sent Sam a nervous smile as she followed the nurse into the door behind the counter. There, she was led through a sterile hallway with rooms off to the sides. Some were merely closed off with featureless doors, but others had windows that revealed sleeping Pok¨¦mon tucked into beds. Each one was being monitored by wires and devices, and a few trainers lingered next to those windows to watch their injured Pok¨¦mon with worry clear in their expression.

    The nurse took Redi to a room without a window and opened it up.

    ¡°In here,¡± she said.

    This room reminded Redi of a doctor¡¯s office, with the classic shelves, counter, examination table, and a chair for anyone who accompanied the patient. However, the examination table was about twice as large as the usual ones reserved for humans, and there was a machine against the wall with six slots to allow Pok¨¦balls to be placed within.

    ¡°Please, sit,¡± the nurse said, gesturing to the chair.

    Redi did as asked as the nurse placed her two Pok¨¦balls into the machine. Above it, a screen turned on, and the nurse typed on a keyboard at the machine¡¯s side. An image of Teddiursa appeared and rotated around to let the nurse look him over for obvious injuries.

    ¡°These machines let us summarize a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s status without needing to release them from their Pok¨¦ball. They ensure no bad condition gets worse, and it gives us time to prepare any emergency treatment if necessary.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... good?¡± Redi said.

    The nurse paused to smile at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle of modern medicine,¡± she said. ¡°As for your newest Pok¨¦mon...¡±

    The nurse frowned when Porygon appeared on the screen.

    Where Teddiursa had appeared unmoving, Porygon visibly shifted around in its idle, animated state.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. How much can you tell me about the species?¡± she asked.

    ¡°My Pok¨¦mon... it¡¯s called Porygon,¡± Redi said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it''s man-made. Normal Type. It¡¯s computer generated and can explore cyberspace.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    The nurse rapidly typed on the keyboard, clicks and clacks filling the air. Redi squirmed in her seat, unsure what the nurse was actually doing.

    ¡°Do you... does the Pok¨¦ball have a previous owner?¡± Redi asked.

    The typing stopped.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Porygon... I don¡¯t know if it''s their species, or if it''s a result of how they¡¯re treated,¡± Redi said nervously. ¡°But they don¡¯t act on their own. They only follow commands. I want to help them. I want to make sure they¡¯re okay. And if they were abused¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Pok¨¦ball is blank. Unregistered, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Redi slumped in her chair.

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure Porygon appreciates the sentiment,¡± the nurse continued with a soft smile. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re very dedicated to your team. I just need to get a few last readings on it to make sure everything is okay, and then we can head back out to have a short discussion, alright?¡±

    The mention of a discussion caused Redi¡¯s heart to hammer in her chest, but she still nodded. The nurse maintained her smile.

    Redi knew that she wanted¡ªneeded¡ªto make sure Porygon would be okay, but she hadn¡¯t obtained them through the most ¡°ethical¡± of means. If someone had reported them as stolen, or if the nurse made the connection and reported Porygon to the local police¡ª

    ¡°And... done!¡± the nurse said cheerfully. ¡°You can take your Pok¨¦balls back. Both Teddiursa and Porygon are in perfect health. Let¡¯s head back out to the lobby, alright?¡±

    She smiled at Redi, and Redi nodded cautiously. At the nurse¡¯s command, she retrieved the two Pok¨¦balls from their slots to clip them back to her belt.

    Stepping outside, they returned to the hallway before exiting into the entrance room once again. Sam stood up to try to greet her, but Redi shook her head to get him to wait.

    Still, she appreciated how ready he was to support her if necessary.

    ¡°Without getting into specifics, I¡¯ve gone ahead and registered Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball to be in your name. They¡¯re officially part of your team.¡±

    Redi briefly froze as almost all of her stress melted away.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°However...¡±

    And Redi stood straighter once again.

    ¡°I applaud you for wanting to take care of your Pok¨¦mon, but you need to understand that you don¡¯t have an easy task ahead of you. Not only do we know almost nothing about the species¡ªthis is the first time we¡¯ve ever had a Porygon at a Pok¨¦mon Center, period¡ªif it was abused, you need to show it as much love as you can, or give it the space it needs, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Redi continued to nod her head. She wasn¡¯t sure how else she was supposed to react.

    ¡°Now, I have a list of assigned reading I want you to do, mostly books containing behavioral studies of Pok¨¦mon,¡± the nurse said, scribbling a list of titles on a small piece of paper. ¡°Professor Oak has written nearly countless award-winning studies on the relationship between humans and Pok¨¦mon. Some of their chapters will be key to making sure your Pok¨¦mon comes out okay.¡±

    Redi continued to nod, feeling a little silly but also thankful, as the nurse slid over the sheet and gave her directions to the nearby library. Her trainer ID would let her take out up to three books for a week at a time, and even though Redi really didn¡¯t want to read, she would do so if it meant helping Porygon become more independent.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for everything we need to take care of here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Redi quickly said.

    ¡°¡ªbut might I say one last thing?¡±

    She leaned in when the nurse gestured for her to do so. She then went stiff at the woman¡¯s whisper.

    ¡°Next time, maybe don¡¯t run away after calling the police?¡± the nurse said, winking.

    She openly gaped at the Pok¨¦mon Center employee, but the nurse had already turned away to return to working the front desk computer. Redi wanted to ask how she knew, but something about the nurse¡¯s nonchalant demeanor told her that she planned to keep any involvement a secret.

    Dazed, Redi turned and walked away. Sam rushed to meet her as Cyndaquil squeaked a greeting.

    ¡°Did it work out? How¡¯s Porygon?¡±

    ¡°Porygon is... fine,¡± she said, still feeling a bit confused. ¡°And they¡¯re officially part of my team.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations!¡±

    ¡°But you know what?¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best to make sure they¡¯re comfortable, too! And the nurse gave me a lot of ways I can find out how to do so!¡±

    A confident smile appeared on her face. Sam smiled just as confidently back.

    Porygon deserved someone who cared, and Redi planned to be that person. No Pok¨¦mon deserved to be treated as just a tool, and no Pok¨¦mon deserved to have all of their actions defined solely by their trainer¡¯s commands.

    She knew Sam would support her, especially with the New Pok¨¦dex¡¯s help. This went beyond simply including Porygon on her team. Redi had a duty to ensure the brightest possible future for her newest Pok¨¦mon.

    So, together with Teddiursa, Redi would give it her all. Porygon would feel safe, become more independent, and eventually, they¡¯d become unbeatable, incapable of loss! Everything would all work out in the end, because it had to.

    Redi would make sure of it.

 Chapter 34.5

    Chapter 34.5: A Day in the Life of... Gastly?

    Ghost Types didn''t need to sleep. They could, but it wasn''t truly necessary. Due to their nature as less-than-physical beings, Ghost Types could stay awake for days on end and only feel somewhat exhausted.

    This held true for most species, or at least, the species that mattered. For Gastly, all he cared about was that the fact was true for him¡ªhe only slept once or twice a week because of a very important reason:

    The period just after midnight was completely and utterly his.

    The witching hour was the time of night in which certain species thrived. Diurnal Pok¨¦mon were all deep in slumber, which gave everyone else free reign to do whatever they wanted. Ghost and Dark Types were the prevalent species during the witching hour, and Gastly was proud to consider himself among that group.

    The fallen tower he used to dwell in was crowded. He only ever got a chance to glimpse Ecruteak City. If he ever wanted to head out, he would have risked losing the space he had claimed to be his own. Now that he had a trainer, not only was he being escorted across the entire world, but he was also being trained! Gastly was strong, and he could fend for himself.

    Floating in this darkened Pok¨¦mon Center bedroom, Gastly glanced down at where Sam slept. The sounds of soft snores filled the air as the boy pulled Cyndaquil close to his chest. In her own rest, she nuzzled into him while her back occasionally popped with sparks, an unconscious response to her dreams. Behind her, the occasional bit of ash sat on the bed, turning part of the white sheets black.

    Both of them were far too busy being asleep to notice if Gastly temporarily stepped away. He had a city to explore! Darkness to make use of!

    He wanted to experience the world, but as he moved to phase through a nearby wall, a snort stopped him before he could go.

    Mankey stared at Gastly through his reflection on a tabletop mirror. Gastly wasn¡¯t alone in his wakefulness¡ªthe little monkey used this time to practice without being disturbed. Late at night, the Fighting Type would stare at his reflection for hours on end, practicing his expression. It was as if he needed to fight to keep his anger down when he saw another member of his species.

    Gastly had been too caught up in his own plans to think about the angry ball of fur. Mankey¡¯s eye bore into Gastly, and Gastly briefly debated phasing through the wall anyway.

    However, Mankey didn¡¯t call him out. He rolled his eyes and waved Gastly off.

    They were accomplices for this matter¡ªneither of them were supposed to be up this late at night.

    Gastly quietly whispered his name to say he¡¯d be back within the hour before disappearing into the next room over. He made sure to send a thankful wink to the monkey as he vanished into the wall.

    This room contained the team¡¯s traveling companions¡ªthe girl and her two Pok¨¦mon. Redi laid splayed on the bed, with Teddiursa laying across her stomach. Her sheets were in disarray and miscellaneous gear had been thrown across the room. Above her, Porygon floated and stared down. Gastly wasn¡¯t sure if that Pok¨¦mon needed sleep. He wasn¡¯t sure if it could sleep in the first place.

    But, this was a brief stop before he headed out, and he absolutely had to check. Silently floating forward, he moved to place himself behind that incomprehensible Pok¨¦mon.

    After taking a moment to prepare himself, Gastly popped out and forced his eyeballs out of his head with his tongue sticking out for a scare.

    Unfortunately, there was no reaction from the emotionless Porygon. The Pok¨¦mon remained staring down at its trainer.

    Annoyed, Gastly huffed, and he feigned leaving the room before popping back in front of Porygon for another attempt at a scare. The floating Normal Type didn¡¯t even bother to glance at him. Its gaze was firmly locked onto the bed.

    Finding the reaction boring, Gastly wasn¡¯t willing to try for a third attempt, so he moved on. He had hoped to be the one to finally stir a reaction out of that creature, but he was fine with just leaving it alone.

    Gastly made sure to follow the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s hallways instead of simply passing through the wall to head outside. His concern wasn¡¯t any other trainers, rather, he couldn¡¯t risk angering the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s local ghostly guard.

    A shadow stirred against the ceiling as Gastly floated downstairs. Two red eyes peered out, and Gastly kept low to show his deference to the powerful Pok¨¦mon.

    The Gengar let its cruel grin appear beneath its eyes before it faded back away into mundane darkness. Its role here was to ensure Ghost Types¡ªwild or not¡ªdid not prey on unsuspecting trainers. That was why Gastly let himself be seen in the hallway, so that the Gengar wouldn¡¯t stop him when he came back.

    Although, he did rush out a bit quicker after that encounter. It wasn¡¯t that he was scared, it was just that he was...

    His face tinted ever so slightly.

    Jealous?

    Him?

    No, that couldn¡¯t be possible. Gengar was Gengar. Gastly was Gastly. He¡¯d figure out how to hide in a shadow.

    Eventually.

    The cold nighttime air hit Gastly¡¯s body, and the dim, yellow-orange glow of streetlights lit up the Goldenrod street before him. The countless windows that covered the faces of the nearby buildings were all dark and unused. To the common observer, the city felt utterly empty.

    Gastly was not the common observer.

    Parades of Rattata marched down the sidewalks, keeping themselves tight against the walls to hide their presence in darkness. A lone Raticate peered out from an alley, watching the train and quietly chittering advice to the fellow members of its swarm.

    Above, the pitch-black sky hid Murkrow that searched for shiny objects to add to their collections. A rare Ghost Type joined them, and a single Noctowl silently flew over all of the rest.

    It was practically bustling out here, although there was a distinct lack of humans. For Gastly himself, he took inspiration from the two disparate groups and kept high against the wall to ensure no one would notice him or pay him any mind.

    Following building after building, he explored the city, peering into its oft-ignored nooks and crannies for all the little things no one else ever saw. This served as both a tour and a hunt.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    This was his hour. He would not let it pass by uneventfully.

    He found what he was looking for soon enough, as a clatter followed by loud barks rang out from an alley.

    Grin stretching across his face, Gastly drifted over. Beneath him, a red-snouted hound¡ªa Houndour¡ªfuriously barked at a shaking trash can. Its metallic ringing and clanging provided the perfect distraction to let Gastly move in.

    The Houndour was far too preoccupied with its barking to notice Gastly lowering himself into the alley. He let his body phase to near etherealness, making him seem like he wasn¡¯t all of the way there.

    For several seconds, Gastly lingered. He savored this moment the best he could.

    Then, he cleared his throat. The Houndour turned around.

    Gastly hit it with the most terrifying Mean Look he could manage.

    Immediately, the hound yipped out of fear and scurried backwards, its head being brought to the ground. It stumbled as Gastly¡¯s red eyes bore down on it, but it never got too far away. What made this scare even funnier was that Mean Look prevented the dog from fleeing.

    Fearful whines filled the alley as Gastly¡¯s laughter echoed around him. Next to him, two tiny heads poked out of the trashcan¡ªboth yellow and tipped with pointed ears.

    The twin Pichu, the targets of Houndour¡¯s verbal assault, hopped onto the trashcan¡¯s rim and glanced between the gleeful Gastly and the terrified Houndour. In unison, they joined Gastly¡¯s laughter, pointing at the terrified dog and clutching their stomachs.

    The Houndour¡ªa Dark Type usually not to be trifled with¡ªfinally realized what had happened. It brought its head up, growling, glaring at both Gastly and the two Electric Types menacingly. Flames licked up around its mouth, and Gastly stopped. He had seen Cyndaquil practice enough to know what was going to happen next.

    He fled. He rushed out of the alley, zipping back to the main street. The Houndour chased after him as the two Pichu hopped back into their trash can. Ember hit the nearby walls, and the Houndour effectively roared.

    ¡°Cut it out!¡±

    A window slammed open. A greasy man leaned out and glared. The Houndour growled and stopped attacking. When it looked back at the street, Gastly was already gone.

    He held back his snickers as the Houndour peered around, trying to find him. Gastly positioned himself just behind a streetlight to let the glow hide his form. Eventually, the dog gave up and moved back into the alley, apparently intending to go after those two Pichu instead. Unfortunately for it, Gastly was sure they were already gone. He hadn¡¯t just managed to scare the dog, he had managed to completely ruin its night!

    Gastly chuckled quietly to himself and looked up and down the street.

    That was fun. He didn¡¯t want to let up just yet.

    Searching for another victim, he found a target just a handful of city blocks away. A dizzy-looking man struggled to stay upright as he stared into a shop¡¯s window, watching television replay the nightly news.

    ¡°...was successful in closing the warehouse. Subsequent investigations found nearly a third of the retrieved Pok¨¦mon had been poached illegally, while another third after that had no official documentation...¡±

    Gastly was still a bit annoyed that Mankey had seen him through a mirror. If there was ever a chance to practice, it was right here and now.

    Like what he had done against the Houndour, Gastly silently approached the man from above and behind. He had to focus to maintain the effect, but In the window, his reflection didn¡¯t appear. However, there was still an obvious disturbance in the air.

    It took a full minute for the man to notice the unnatural shift. He seemed to notice it out of the corner of his eye, blinked, and then checked again.

    Gastly was quick. When the man snapped his head around, he rushed upwards. No one ever looked upwards.

    ¡°...Hello?¡± the man called out, gaze flicking about the street. ¡°Anyone... there?¡±

    His voice slurred as he wobbled in place. No one else was around, so the man shrugged and turned back to the television.

    Gastly was right there.

    The girlish scream didn¡¯t quite match the man¡¯s burly body. Gastly laughed and laughed and laughed and disappeared up into the night sky. Behind him, strings of words he had never heard before left the man¡¯s mouth. Just in case, he committed them to memory. Perhaps he could involve them in some sort of Confuse Ray illusion?

    Moving higher into the sky, the streets became darkened lines that criss-crossed Goldenrod City. Skyscrapers attempted to chase after him, but they were too immobile to reach the same heights.

    Gastly let himself levitate above it all and take it all in.

    He saw parks.

    He saw taxis.

    He saw the nearby forest.

    He saw a plume of smoke coming from a building he had explored just a few short days ago.

    Gastly wasn¡¯t sure how long he let himself hang in the sky, but when it came to Ghost Types, they were famously able to wait a long time. It could be weeks, months, or even years until anything of interest entered a Ghost Type¡¯s territory. He, like so many others, was capable of staying in one place with little to do.

    But a deep, shuddering breath suddenly overtook him. It wasn¡¯t a yawn¡ªhe was not tired. He was just... bored. Homesick?

    Taking a few minutes to figure out where he ended up, Gastly quickly located the Pok¨¦mon Center thanks to its neon sign. Rushing downwards, he reached the street and phased through its glass front doors, which automatically opened up behind him.

    The on-duty nurse glanced around to see who had entered, but Gastly remained hidden in the ceiling and sneaked over to head upstairs.

    He followed the hallways back to Sam¡¯s room. Along the way, he kept an eye out for that Gengar, but the evolved Pok¨¦mon never appeared. His eyes felt heavy as he reached his trainer¡¯s temporary bedroom, upon which he phased through the door.

    Gastly paused. Red eyes curved up into a mocking smile against the back wall. Sam sat on the bed, his arms crossed, staring right at Gastly, unaware of the Ghost Type behind him.

    Gastly was experiencing far too many emotions to let any appear on his face. That Gengar sold him out! It subtly woke up Sam after Gastly had left.

    Mankey at least proved to be trustworthy once again, as the Fighting Type was feigning slumber on the Pok¨¦mon Center desk. The problem was the very conscious Sam, the boy¡¯s stern look, and the judgmental Leer Cyndaquil sent his way.

    ¡°Gastly,¡± Sam said, a frown on his face. ¡°You left?¡±

    There was something about the lack of sharpness to Sam¡¯s tone. His words almost sounded hurt. Upset.

    ¡°When I woke up, you were gone. I thought...¡± Sam breathed in. ¡°I thought you decided to leave.¡±

    Gastly wasn¡¯t able to look the boy in the eye.

    ¡°I... Why did you head out? I don¡¯t want to trap you. I don¡¯t want to force you to do anything. If you don¡¯t like being here¡ª¡±

    Gastly snapped out his name. That absolutely was not the case.

    He sighed; Gastly had first come to be inside the Burned Tower. He had stayed there for who knows how long, having practically nothing to do. Most of the other ghosts were fun, but some of the older ones were a bit stringent. He was limited. He couldn¡¯t really leave. He could only ever dream of actually heading out and seeing the rest of the world.

    When Sam¡¯s Gym Trial caused the noises of a battle to echo from upstairs, of course Gastly had to investigate.

    Not once did he expect to get punched in the face, and not once did he expect to be thrust into a Pok¨¦ball. But, once he was inside of it, he realized this was his chance, and he let himself relax alongside the cleansing feeling that he had felt beside him.

    Gastly didn¡¯t want to leave Sam¡¯s side. He didn¡¯t want to be on his own again. He might not have had any grand ambition like everyone else on the team, but he wanted to see what the world had to offer alongside everyone else.

    Sam took it all in, patiently nodding along. However, it was obvious that the boy couldn¡¯t speak Pok¨¦mon.

    When Gastly was done, Sam glanced at Cyndaquil, who gestured to try to elaborate on what Gastly had said.

    ¡°Ah!¡± A light of understanding entered Sam¡¯s eyes. A small smile crept onto his face. ¡°You just want to explore. See the world, huh?¡±

    Gastly¡¯s usual grin returned. A faint cackle left his mouth.

    ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t get mad. This was a bit of a miscommunication. I should have talked to you more in the past,¡± Sam said. ¡°However¡ª¡±

    His stern tone returned.

    ¡°In the future, tell me before you leave. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt, and I don¡¯t want you to get lost. There¡¯s... there¡¯s a lot out there, alright? Especially at this time of night.¡±

    A shudder went through Sam, but Gastly didn¡¯t miss the poorly hidden smile that appeared alongside it.

    He floated closer, and Sam reached out to affectionately pat his head.

    ¡°Once we get more Pok¨¦mon with us, maybe I can assign partners. Or... Hm. Maybe we could schedule something so I can go with you?¡±

    Gastly¡¯s eyes widened as he looked up at Sam. Now that was an idea. He personally wasn¡¯t great at coming up with new plans for scares, but that was what having a Pok¨¦mon trainer was all about!

    Having that kind of strategic mind at his disposal¡ª

    Oh, Gastly was already smiling at the thought of everything he could get up to.

    Without missing a beat, Gastly nodded to show just how much he wanted that. Sam laughed and pulled back from his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Sounds like a plan, Gastly,¡± he said, a yawn leaving his mouth. ¡°But how about we go to sleep for now? We can figure something out for another night.¡±

    Sam laid back on the bed as Cyndaquil pressed herself into the nook formed by his arm. Gengar had already disappeared, likely taking the chance during that discussion to vanish from the room.

    ¡°Go to sleep, Gastly. I know Ghost Types don¡¯t have to rest all the time, but sleeping still helps to keep you healthy.¡±

    Gastly definitely didn¡¯t yawn, but he did inhale deeply for no particular reason. Drifting downwards, he let his body hit the soft, downy mattress while Sam closed his eyes to sleep.

    The room was quiet. The only sound was that of soft breathing. Mankey peeked open an eye to give Gastly a respectful tilt of the head before rolling over to sleep, himself.

    Gastly¡¯s eyes were heavy. Sam was right in that he didn¡¯t need to sleep, but he was also right in that he probably should. Before he drifted off into unconsciousness, however, he thought back to his old home with a single question.

    The Burned Tower was occupied. He hadn¡¯t been the only ghost there. The older ones¡ªthe human ones, not the Pok¨¦mon ones¡ªGastly had to wonder what they would think of him and Sam right now.

 Chapter 35

    There was no avoiding the fact Porygon needed to be trained. Porygon¡¯s unquestioning obedience and machine-like behavior meant that getting them to follow orders wasn¡¯t the problem, it was that they weren¡¯t a great battler. It took an hour for Redi to teach Porygon to lead its targets when aiming Psybeam. It took another hour for her to teach Porygon to chain Sharpen and Tackle.

    Now, though? Now, Redi was just playing around.

    ¡°Up,¡± she said. ¡°Up again. Now... down. Down again. Go... Left. Then Right. Left. Right! Now, B-A-Start!¡±

    Sam much preferred this form of active practice than when Redi had sat down and forced herself to read a few passages within some books. Sure, the information was helpful, but he was pretty sure she could have found alternatives than ones written by Professor Oak.

    He chose not to make a comment when he noticed that. Here, as he watched Porygon rapidly shift around in line with Redi¡¯s orders, it looked silly enough that he had to at least say something.

    ¡°Are you trying to make them do something specific?¡±

    Redi giggled, not answering the question.

    ¡°Training Porygon reminds me a lot of playing video games,¡± she said. ¡°Every little movement needs a command. They don¡¯t do anything on their own. It¡¯s like having a character in an RPG¡ªor controlling some kind of ship to dodge a bullet.¡±

    She giggled again.

    ¡°I wonder if I could plug in a controller?¡± she mused.

    Sam rolled his eyes and focused back on his own task. A Miltank sat before him.

    ¡°Alright, Cyndaquil,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s try again for Will-O-Wisp.¡±

    The little Fire Type shut her eyes, pouring her focus on the task of conjuring a Will-O-Wisp. Motes of fire coalesced into being at her sides, forming from the latent heat of the flames burning on her back. The attack held steady¡ªa success¡ªbut it failed to remain that way when they were sent forward.

    The Will-O-Wisp moved far too slowly and shakily to chase after anything but an unmoving target, and they winked out before they could burn Miltank¡¯s side.

    The pink cow Pok¨¦mon chuffed in amusement and rolled onto its side. It didn¡¯t bother to treat her as a threat.

    Cyndaquil slumped, and Sam knelt to rub her back. Despite the blaze that had been there seconds before, her fur was heavily insulated. She felt only slightly warm.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it next time,¡± he said with a comforting smile. ¡°In the meantime... Gastly, use Mean Look.¡±

    The Ghost Type released himself from his Pok¨¦ball, squirming out to appear in a flash of light. His mouth curled up into a cruel grin that persisted as he crept behind the Miltank. Floating behind its head, he was in the perfect position to give it a scare.

    He rushed forward, cackling. Miltank froze. As much as Gastly¡¯s horrifically twisted smile made it want to run, the use of Mean Look actively prevented that.

    ¡°Bit mean, wasn¡¯t that?¡± Redi commented, walking over. She ordered Porygon to stay exactly a foot away from her side, and the Pok¨¦mon was doing so perfectly.

    ¡°Miltank deserves it after brushing off Cyndaquil like that,¡± Sam said, standing up. ¡°Besides, this is the last one we need. Once we get this third one in, our Gym Trial will be over.¡±

    Redi wasn¡¯t competing; she was just tagging along. Her team needed more work, and she was also absolutely against the idea of what was effectively free labor. But, so many trainers were present that it was the perfect place to blend in and train. Porygon easily fit in with all the different species, with no one giving them even a second glance.

    There were at least two dozen other people trying to herd Miltank back to the nearby barn. This was Goldenrod Gym¡¯s Trial, which took place five times a week, divided up by the tier of the Gym Badge. For challengers with two badges so far, the task was to herd three Miltank off of the field. Most of the bovine Pok¨¦mon were standing around and grazing, but others were being annoyed by trainers trying to move them.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp might not have worked, but I think that¡¯s just a consequence of how we¡¯ve trained,¡± Sam said to Cyndaquil, mumbling as he considered their next steps. ¡°With all your practice with Blaze and Curse, your internal control of energies is incredible. I¡¯d imagine with a little push, you could probably turn Ember into a stronger attack. But, when it comes to Will-O-Wisp...¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°Just need a bit more practice. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there was something basic we¡¯re missing. You have the base form down, we just need to figure out speed.¡±

    She pawed at the ground, and Sam patted her back once again.

    ¡°You know what¡¯ll really make you feel better?¡± he whispered.

    She cocked her head to the side as he pointedly glanced at the Miltank. Gastly was still harassing the Pok¨¦mon with Mean Look.

    ¡°How ¡®bout one last Ember to get it to move, just like how you corralled the rest?¡± Sam said with a smile.

    Bringing the Miltank back to the barn was as easy as the other two. Gastly¡¯s Mean Look helped keep it in line, and the flames from Cyndaquil¡¯s Ember encouraged it to keep moving.

    It was a bit cruel, but these Miltank were obstinate layabouts. Present Gym Trainers went as far as to encourage attacks¡ªto little effect. Water Type moves just cooled the cows down. Flying Type moves gave them a nice breeze. Grass Type moves tended to get eaten, and despite being non-combat Pok¨¦mon that solely produced milk, most melee strikes outright bounced off of them.

    Although, even with this struggle, Sam appreciated that he came here with only two Gym Badges. If he had arrived with even a single Gym Badge more, he would have had to corral Tauros instead, and those Pok¨¦mon were far more aggressive and difficult than the ones here.

    All of Cyndaquil¡¯s training meant she had plenty of stamina to guide the Miltank back to the barn, where it was more than willing to head right in. One of the Gym Trainers overseeing the Gym Trial made a note on a clipboard and started to walk over to hand Sam the badge.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, holding up a hand, ¡°but I plan to earn my Gym Badge in a battle against Whitney.¡±

    The Gym Trainer shrugged.

    ¡°Yeah, you and everyone else,¡± she said.

    The woman walked away as Sam chuckled and scratched his cheek.

    He turned, moving closer to Redi. She was carefully watching Porygon follow behind her with a curious look on her face.

    ¡°I want Porygon to learn Trick Room,¡± she said. ¡°But I have a feeling that¡¯s a long way off. You said Tri-Attack is one of their best attacks?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a strong Normal Type attack that can burn, freeze, or paralyze.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if teaching Porygon Tri-Attack might help Teddiursa, since those effects line up well with all the elemental punches,¡± she said. ¡°And I wonder if telling Porygon to help tutor Teddiursa might help with their independence problem.¡±

    Porygon stared blankly at her. The Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t look like it heard any of that at all.

    Redi sighed, and Sam patted her shoulder.

    ¡°You can figure it out. I believe in you.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡±

    Sam intended to leave at this point, as he needed to return to Goldenrod Gym to collect his earnings, but a sudden shout grabbed his attention before he could walk away.

    ¡°Open the doors!¡±

    A blue-haired girl sprinted down a nearby hill, a Slowpoke clutched in her arms with a Miltank hovering in the air at her side.

    She struggled to hold her Pok¨¦mon aloft, but her Slowpoke didn¡¯t seem to care. Instead, it let its head droop off her side, eyes locked onto the bemused-looking Miltank. A blue glow surrounded the Pok¨¦mon, held up by Psychic Type energy.

    A pair of Gym Trainers rushed to open up the barn doors as the girl dashed over. She breathed heavily as she darted right in.

    A thump.

    The Miltank hit the ground inside.

    ¡°We got it!¡± The girl came striding out, a wide smile on her face. ¡°And that¡¯s our third, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct. And as a reward for completing your Gym Trial¡ª¡±

    A hand stopped the Gym Trainer.

    ¡°Ah, I, uh, plan to battle the Gym Leader for my Gym Badge?¡± the girl said, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head.

    The Gym Trainer rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± she mumbled before returning to keeping an eye on the rest of the trainers.

    The girl placed her Slowpoke on the ground and gave it a happy pet before retrieving a berry from her pack and feeding it as a reward.

    ¡°I know her,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Redi pulled her gaze away from Porygon.

    ¡°I think her name¡¯s... Eliza?¡± Sam said. ¡°Her Slowpoke completely shut down a Pikachu in the preliminaries back in Olivine. And then in the tournament, she got either third or fourth place.¡±

    Redi eyed the blue-haired girl. Eliza looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, just over two years older than Sam. She patted her Slowpoke one last time as it finished eating, then she returned it to its Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised how many familiar people have been here,¡± Redi said. ¡°Xavier at the Gym. This girl right now. I¡¯m pretty sure I saw the guy who beat me in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament the other day...¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    She hummed.

    ¡°I guess it''s because we all started in the same place?¡± Redi said. ¡°Would make sense if we end up mostly traveling in the same direction.¡±

    ¡°...I wonder if she¡¯s up for a battle?¡± Sam mumbled, hardly paying attention.

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°We could battle,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, but we can battle anytime. I want to see how my team stacks up against someone who did so well in the tournament.¡±

    ¡°...Only one round better than me,¡± Redi grumbled, crossing her arms.

    Sam remembered Xavier¡¯s declaration. Sam remembered his own declaration, too. He might have been eliminated in the very first round of the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, but things had changed since then. His team had been growing, he had been developing as a trainer, and now he actually had an idea of what to do for a strategy.

    Before he realized it, he was already walking over to reach Eliza before she left.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Eliza?¡±

    Eliza jumped. Crouching in on herself slightly, she quickly looked around before her gaze settled on Sam.

    For some reason, Sam was reminded of a startled Furret.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she said, a little nervously.

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember me, but we both competed in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament,¡± Sam said. ¡°I was in your group in the preliminaries...¡±

    Her face scrunched up in thought before her eyes lightened in realization.

    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re that boy with the Cyndaquil!¡±

    ¡°Sam.¡± He held out his hand.

    ¡°Eliza,¡± she said, shaking his hand back.

    From the ground, Cyndaquil squeaked a hello, and Eliza turned towards her before her own expression immediately melted.

    ¡°You¡¯re so cute!¡±

    She knelt to let Cyndaquil sniff her hand before scratching the little Pok¨¦mon¡¯s neck. Cyndaquil leaned into the touch.

    ¡°I thought that since we were in the same tournament, you¡¯d be up for a battle to see how we¡¯ve grown?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Ah, um, a battle?¡±

    Her smile suddenly became more strained.

    ¡°Sure, I guess?¡± she continued. ¡°But where¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you''re going to fight, go around to the side of the barn,¡± a Gym Trainer interjected. ¡°There isn¡¯t a field, but there is a flat dirt area you can use. Just don¡¯t get in the way of anyone taking the Trial.¡±

    Sam bowed his head. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He turned to Eliza.

    ¡°So, how ¡®bout it? Let''s have a match!¡±

    The blue-haired girl looked unsure for several moments as she stood back up from petting Cyndaquil. She scratched at her arm.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°but I only have two Pok¨¦mon¡ª¡±

    Redi frowned.

    ¡°Only two Pok¨¦mon, huh?¡± she mumbled quietly.

    Sam ignored her as Eliza started to walk around the side of the barn. He followed, reaching the flat, dirt area the Gym Trainer described.

    ¡°If you have two Pok¨¦mon, how about a two-on-two match?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Double or single?¡±

    ¡°Single.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Eliza said.

    Sam smiled and nodded, taking up a space a distance away from Eliza. This wasn¡¯t an official battlefield by any means¡ªthere were no painted lines on the ground¡ªbut it was a good enough space to serve for a casual match like this.

    ¡°Slowpoke!¡± Eliza shouted. ¡°Let''s come back out!¡±

    Sam grabbed a Pok¨¦ball at his waist before pausing¡ªit was empty. He glanced behind Eliza to give Gastly a stink-eye. The Ghost Type floated onto the field. Eliza yelped out of surprise.

    ¡°A... Ghost Type?¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m trying to be a specialist.¡±

    ¡°But your Cynda¡ª never mind,¡± she said. Her gaze hardened as she stared out over the field.

    Sam¡¯s current goal with his team was to increase the power of his Pok¨¦mon. Everyone¡¯s baseline was in a solid state, they just needed better moves. That meant Mankey was back to working on Fire Punch, with the added thought of turning Karate Chop into Cross Chop. Cyndaquil had her Will-O-Wisp, and then Gastly needed to get a bit of practice in with what he currently had before shifting to Hex.

    This battle served as both a way to check his progress while also giving his team a chance to develop. Cyndaquil needed a chance to figure out Will-O-Wisp, but since he didn¡¯t want her to be interrupted by Slowpoke¡¯s Disable, he had Gastly stay out for now. She could fight Eliza¡¯s second Pokemon, once Gastly won.

    He glanced over to Redi, who was standing off to the side.

    ¡°...What?¡± she said.

    ¡°Wanna ref?¡±

    She blinked in surprise before wobbling her head, considering it.

    ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± she said. ¡°Begin!¡±

    The abrupt shout to start caught both trainers off guard, with Sam and Eliza both stuttering in surprise. However, Sam was more used to Redi¡¯s nonsense and recovered enough to give a command first.

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    ¡°Disable!¡±

    Sam had seen her battle before and knew how to respond.

    ¡°Spite!¡±

    A lot of things happened very quickly.

    A grey beam struck Slowpoke between the eyes, but the Pok¨¦mon went unaffected¡ªlikely, its ability Own Tempo prevented the confusion. However, Slowpoke responded by pushing off the ground ever so slightly and letting its own eyes flash.

    Gastly stiffened when Disable prevented Confuse Ray, but it was a pointless development¡ªOwn Tempo would have prevented it from working, anyway.

    The true winner of this exchange was Gastly¡¯s use of Spite. He stuck his tongue out to taunt as red energy leaked out of Slowpoke¡¯s body.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Eliza frowned. Spite wasn¡¯t a strong enough move to completely disable Disable, but it was enough to threaten any future uses of it. If Eliza ordered it again, Gastly could drain Slowpoke with another Spite and drain the rest of the energy reserved for Disable away.

    ¡°Confusion!¡± Eliza ordered next.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Sam shouted.

    The two Pok¨¦mon made eye contact right when a blue glow surrounded Gastly. The Psychic Type move caused space to twist around him¡ªa super effective attack thanks to his secondary Poison Type¡ªbut the Hypnosis seemed to fail. That is, it only seemed to fail until the Slowpoke fell to the ground several, long seconds later.

    ...Did it really take Slowpoke that long to realize it needed to fall asleep?

    While Sam was annoyed, Gastly was already rushing downwards. Confuse Ray could do nothing to cause Slowpoke to damage itself, so he only had Lick at his disposal to knock it out. However, before he could reach Slowpoke and start dealing damage, Eliza pulled out a Pok¨¦ball and returned her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I¡¯m recalling Slowpoke from the battle. We lost with that Hypnosis. It takes him too long to wake up and keep fighting,¡± she said sheepishly.

    Gastly rolled his eyes before Sam returned him as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll recall Gastly, too. He doesn¡¯t have much in the way of other attacks outside of Lick.¡±

    Confuse Ray, Spite, and Hypnosis were great at setting up opponents for the rest of Sam¡¯s team, and Mean Look could lock a Pok¨¦mon out and prevent them from being returned. However, until he learned Hex, he was a little useless as an attacker.

    ¡°And, um, my second Pok¨¦mon...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam asked.

    Eliza looked away a little awkwardly.

    ¡°Just be careful? I caught them at the Bug Catching contest, and they still don¡¯t always listen to my orders.¡±

    His eyebrows raised. Eliza seemed like a skilled trainer, especially with how strong her Slowpoke was. One Confusion could have potentially taken out Gastly if it wasn¡¯t for Hypnosis interrupting the attack.

    Still, he was curious.

    ¡°Cyndaquil, are you ready?¡±

    She nodded and stepped onto the field. Eliza bit her lip and tossed out a blue Pok¨¦ball with a lattice pattern on it¡ªa Net Ball.

    Appearing from its light was a four-foot tall Bug Type with blades as hands. Cyndaquil automatically took a step back when the Scyther leered at her from above.

    ¡°And you caught that at the Bug Catching contest?¡± Redi said, a little exasperated.

    The Scyther looked mean. Its mouth curved up into a smirk.

    ¡°Um, yes? It was kind of an accident. He surprised me and I threw my Net Ball, and then somehow he stayed in.¡±

    Redi glanced at Sam. Sam glanced at Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t look away from the green Bug Type towering above her.

    ¡°Redi, start the fight,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°...Alright,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°Resume!¡±

    Before Eliza could order anything, Scyther was already rushing Cyndaquil. Its wings buzzed behind it as it pushed forward with a Quick Attack. Cyndaquil just barely avoided the slash of its claw that came down an inch away from her side.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam shouted.

    A flurry of fire left Cyndaquil¡¯s mouth, but Scyther buzzed to the side and hopped to avoid the attack.

    Agility, Sam recognized.

    ¡°Wing Attack!¡± Eliza shouted.

    The Scyther scoffed and rolled its eyes, but it still lunged forward with its wings flapping to increase its speed and shoulder-check Cyndaquil. The impact sent her flying back, hitting the ground where she struggled to push back up.

    The Scyther cackled. Sam felt his hands clench into fists.

    With how strong its attacks are...

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡± he shouted. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to win this unless you use Will-O-Wisp! Try to cut its attack!¡±

    Cyndaquil immediately conjured swirling wisps of flame at her side, but they shakily floated towards Scyther with barely any speed. Eliza called for Scyther to dodge, but the Bug Type ignored her. It stayed still and watched the move approach.

    When the flames reached it, it poked a wisp with the tip of its scythe. The move popped, and Cyndaquil released the breath she was holding.

    Panting, she glared at Scyther as it chortled at her lack of proper control.

    ¡°...You kidding me right now?¡±

    Sam and Cyndaquil both turned to Redi. Scyther turned too, having the confidence to take the match as it pleased.

    ¡°I gotta know, Cyndaquil, why bother controlling Will-O-Wisp all the way to your opponent? You don¡¯t control Ember like that, do you? Just toss it at them! Fine control is fine, but that comes later! Get the basics down first!¡±

    Cyndaquil¡¯s eyes were too thin to let her visibly blink, but her body language screamed that she had been caught off guard by just how much Redi¡¯s suggestion made sense.

    ¡°...Listen to Redi,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Cyndaquil sheepishly squeaked.

    ¡°Um, do you want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp!¡± Sam shouted, interrupting Eliza.

    ¡°Agility!¡± she hurriedly countered.

    Wisps of flame formed at Cyndaquil¡¯s sides, and instead of controlling them all the way to her foe, she treated the move closer to an attack. Instead of pushing them, she ¡°tossed¡± them with her innate Fire Type control to send the spheres hurtling at the Scyther.

    Sam could immediately tell that this was a proper use of Will-O-Wisp.

    ¡°Keep it up!¡± he yelled.

    Scyther was forced to dodge, ducking under the motes of flame as they passed right over its head. Agility increased Scyther¡¯s speed and made it easier to evade Cyndaquil¡¯s moves, but Sam had spent a long time training Cyndaquil¡¯s stamina. She conjured wisp after wisp to fling at her foe, a smile on her face as she unleashed a barrage of flame towards Scyther.

    One caught it in the shoulder. A blackened streak appeared on its green chitin.

    With that hit, it reeled back, allowing another to catch Scyther on its chest. After that, one on its arm. Then the other shoulder. Then three more into its stomach.

    Scyther winced, the heat of the move causing it damage. The tension of the burn on its body made its movements come out forced¡ªany physical attacks would be weaker as a result.

    Eliza no longer looked worried. Now, she looked annoyed.

    ¡°Quick Attack! Get in close and don¡¯t let up!¡±

    ¡°Ready yourself, Cyndaquil! We¡¯re going to pour everything into this!¡±

    Scyther was now more than willing to listen to its trainer, ducking its head to rush with a streamlined Quick Attack. Cyndaquil jumped over a horizontal sweep only for its other arm to swipe down and catch her in the air.

    She cried out in pain, and Scyther hooked her in close to bodycheck her again with Wing Attack. Once more, she was sent flying back.

    Sam held his tongue.

    Cyndaquil bounced on the ground with the large Bug Type chasing after her. She scrambled to return to her feet, panting, but she wasn¡¯t done just yet.

    The little Pok¨¦mon might have been exhausted and injured, but her flames Blazed brighter than ever before.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam shouted. He had been waiting for this exact moment.

    However, the deluge of flame that left her snout couldn¡¯t be called merely an ¡°Ember.¡±

    Sam had known his thoughts on Cyndaquil¡¯s level of control were right. There was no way she had trained for this long and not figured out an insight or two. Her species was more likely to learn physical attacks at this level, with moves like Flame Wheel, Quick Attack, and Flame Charge being common according to the New Pok¨¦dex.

    But, with all of her practice with Curse and Blaze, her internal control was top-tier. The flames she conjured, enhanced through her ability, were dense enough to be a different attack:

    Incinerate.

    Not quite an Ember, but not quite a Flamethrower. There was still a drastic improvement to the attack as her opponent was consumed by flames.

    The super effective attack sent Scyther stumbling back. The fire seared its chitin and forced it to flee.

    ¡°Go for a Quick Attack, Scyther! Just one move, and you can finish it off.¡±

    ¡°Again,¡± Sam ordered calmly.

    Cyndaquil took a breath as a second Incinerate exploded out.

    That was enough. Scyther was once more coated by flame, and when the move ended, it coughed out smoke. Then, it fell to the ground, utterly unconscious.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sam shouted.

    Cyndaquil wobbled in place as her Blaze faded. No longer needing to push herself for her ability, her exhaustion started to catch up to her.

    Sam ran over and scooped her up before she could fall over.

    ¡°Great job!¡± he said.

    She smiled weakly and leaned into him. Proud, he rubbed her head as she made pleased noises before he returned her to a Pok¨¦ball for a rest.

    Eliza had a conflicted expression on her face. She returned the fainted Scyther to its Net Ball.

    ¡°That was the most Scyther listened to me,¡± she mumbled. ¡°You know, he hasn¡¯t lost any battles until now?¡±

    She looked a little sad before a smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°I think he might be more willing to train with us now. Thank you. I really mean it.¡±

    Sam held back a wince when he realized he didn¡¯t bet any money on the match, but Cyndaquil figuring out not one but two new moves made the outcome profitable enough.

    ¡°Good match,¡± he said.

    ¡°Great match!¡± Eliza said cheerfully.

    They shook hands before splitting off. When Sam walked away, Redi joined his side with a grumble next to him.

    ¡°You know, I think you¡¯re giving her too much credit,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, I guess her Slowpoke had a good Confusion, but it''s so slow! And then her Scyther¡¯s strong but it''s barely been trained!¡±

    ¡°What, jealous?¡± Sam said with a smirk.

    Redi¡¯s face turned red as she looked away,

    ¡°No!¡± she shouted. ¡°But with just a bit of training with Porygon, we¡¯d destroy that Slowpoke from range. And then Teddiursa... Well, I¡¯d like to see Scyther dodge his Fire Punch with how open it left the center of its body.¡±

    Sam blinked¡ªhe hadn¡¯t even noticed that opening. He supposed he wasn¡¯t as in tune with close-quarter strategies as Redi was.

    ¡°I still want to thank you, though,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank me?¡±

    ¡°Without you, Cyndaquil wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure out Will-O-Wisp. You helped us past that bottleneck. I bet she wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure out Incinerate without your help, too!¡±

    ¡°Well. I, uh¡ª¡±

    The smug smile on her face didn¡¯t match her stuttering words. She shook her head to reorient herself, bringing her hands behind her back to walk more casually.

    ¡°So, you passed the Gym Trial. Have plans for the Gym?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Gastly needs Hex for sure,¡± Sam said. ¡°Whitney doesn¡¯t seem to realize the opening she has against Ghost Type moves. And then I wouldn¡¯t mind letting Mankey spar against Teddiursa a bit more. He needs to get better attacks. Cross Chop and Fire Punch would be huge for his power.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. As long as you¡¯re willing to keep helping me with Porygon.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! And I have some move suggestions for Teddiursa too, if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    Redi leaned in as Sam took out the New Pok¨¦dex, flipping to the related entries as he began to speak. He knew both of their teams needed a bit more practice, but he also knew their battles at the Goldenrod Gym would come sooner rather than later.

    And he had a good feeling about their chances, too.

 Chapter 36

    Sam walked out of Goldenrod Library holding a few sheets of paper he had printed for ten cents a piece. Redi exited next to him, having returned a few books a nurse had recommended to her a few days before.

    ¡°Huh. Instructions for Hex?¡± she asked, leaning in and stealing a peek.

    ¡°Shh!¡±

    He quickly looked around to check if anyone had heard. Thankfully, there weren¡¯t many people around, and they were all too busy in their own business to bother listening in.

    ¡°Yeah. From Morty,¡± he said. ¡°I messaged him for help, and he sent me a whole bunch of advice. I¡¯ve got a dozen different tips to help Gastly figure out Hex¡ªwhich is surprisingly similar to Spite, I guess? He also added tips for a few other Ghost Type moves, like Shadow Punch, Shadow Claw, Astonish, Ominous Wind¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gonna teach those too?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°No, I think he just wanted to be helpful. Make sure I¡¯m learning a lot about Ghost Types, you know? Those other moves are either physical attacks or are too weak to bother learning. Hex is the best we have for now, and Shadow Ball will probably be a step we take later.¡±

    It was a bit of a surprise to find out that Morty knew of so many other Ghost Type moves, but it made sense to Sam. Morty had Ghost Types from other regions in his Gym¡ªlike the Duskull and Shuppet Sam had fought during the Gym Trial¡ªso why wouldn¡¯t he know the attacks those species could learn?

    The problem was that those moves weren¡¯t worth bothering to teach to most Ghost Types. Astonish was like Lick, in that most Ghost Type trainers ignored it due to its minimal power. Shadow Punch and Shadow Claw weren¡¯t the most useful since they were physical instead of special attacks. The only stand-out option sent to Sam was Ominous Wind, which carried the chance of empowering a Pok¨¦mon if conditions lined up just right. Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible to guarantee that boost, and Shadow Ball was still a better attack in most one-on-one battles.

    Sam still appreciated Morty¡¯s advice. While he didn¡¯t plan on teaching any of these moves at the current moment, just knowing the mindset required for them helped him better understand the Ghost Type.

    There was an intent required to manipulate Ghost Type energy¡ªan intent that was different than just a will to control. Ghost Types needed to want to harm to best use their attacks. It''s why knowing Spite was so helpful; Spite was all about wanting to ¡°spite¡± an enemy with a curse. For Hex, that mindset translated into malicious, Ghost Type flames.

    Sam felt a chill as he continued down the street and skimmed through the instructions. All Pok¨¦mon tended to be friendly, but there was a level of malevolence to these descriptions of Ghost Type moves. Dark Types usually had a bad rap for being Pok¨¦mon most aligned to punching down. Ghost Types, however, actually seemed to carry a much crueler potential.

    ¡°Hey, so Shadow Claw¡ª¡±

    ¡°Weren''t you going to work on Teddiursa''s elemental punches, first?¡± Sam interrupted.

    Redi huffed and crossed her arms.

    ¡°You don''t have to be so direct about it,¡± she mumbled. ¡°But can''t he learn that attack?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said grimly, still glancing at the papers. ¡°It¡¯d be a decent attack for coverage.¡±

    ¡°Great! Can you help me teach it to him once he¡¯s got his punches down? Pretty please? Oh, that, and any Ghost Type moves to Porygon, too! Porygon needs Tri-Attack, but I think we''ll focus on the Gym First.¡±

    And that was a good thought for distraction. They had back-to-back matches scheduled in just two days. Gastly would need to learn Hex by then, but Sam felt confident about his odds of being prepared.

    <hr>

    There wasn''t an audience for Redi¡¯s battle. Well, there was, as all Gyms tended to have a handful of locals that stuck around to watch every match, but the size of the audience wasn''t anywhere close to the size of the audience back during the battle raffle. The battle raffle was an event. Redi¡¯s match was just one of many that took place over the course of the week.

    Still, that didn''t mean Sam couldn''t try to mimic that atmosphere.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± he hollered, cupping his hands around his mouth. ¡°You can do this, Redi!¡±

    Next to him, Cyndaquil shouted her name while Mankey hopped up and down on the stands¡¯ railing. Their cries combined with Sam¡¯s shouts created a cacophony of noise that solely supported Redi.

    Gastly lingered half-phased into the ground, however. He chose to silently wait in the floor and watch the match where few could see him.

    On the battlefield floor, Redi was already within her trainer box, and Whitney stood across from her. The Gym Leader had her arms crossed, a confident smile on her face.

    ¡°Just because I gave you advice doesn''t mean I¡¯ll go easy on you!¡± Whitney shouted.

    ¡°Better not! Morty used a Haunter when Sam fought in his second-badge Gym match!¡±

    Whitney pulled back at Redi¡¯s shout.

    ¡°Ah, uh, a Haunter?¡± she asked.

    Redi just smiled.

    ¡°Looking forward to seeing whatever you got for me,¡± she said. ¡°Come on out, Porygon!¡±

    The strange, polygonal Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field right as Whitney hurriedly waved a Gym Trainer over. She whispered something to them before focusing back on Redi. Briefly, her stance wavered when she caught the sight of the unfamiliar Porygon, but she took it in stride and sent out her first Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Clefairy!¡±

    Redi was one Gym Badge behind Sam. This would be a two-on-two fight, but Sam wasn''t sure if Whitney realized the gap between Redi¡¯s strength and the number of owned Gym Badges.

    ¡°My understanding of Redi''s strategy...¡± Sam said quietly to his Pok¨¦mon as he sat back down. ¡°I think she wants to use Porygon to give Teddiursa some breathing room. Porygon still only knows their initial four moves, but it should be enough that Teddiursa won¡¯t have to do everything by himself.¡±

    The referee didn''t call for the match to begin right away. Instead, there was a brief period of awkward silence as Whitney waited for her Gym Trainer to return.

    ¡°Are we gonna fight or what?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Just give me a moment!¡±

    Whitney bit her lip as she stared behind her at an open door.

    Eventually, that same Gym Trainer came rushing out, holding a different Pok¨¦ball in an outstretched hand. Whitney smiled and clipped it to her waist.

    ¡°Ready!¡± Whitney shouted.

    ¡°Yeah? Need something?¡±

    ¡°...Huh? Wait, not you. I meant¡ª¡±

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    Redi smirked; her ploy worked. Whitney was caught off guard from the dumb wordplay.

    ¡°Sharpen!¡± she shouted, capitalizing on the delay. ¡°Into Psybeam. Then, raise up three feet higher off the floor!¡±

    As if flexing a muscle, Porygon¡¯s angular body became even sharper, and they released a pink beam from their beak. Clefairy just barely managed to dodge the Psybeam by leaping to the side.

    ¡°Why, you¡ª! Use Metronome, Clefairy!¡± Whitney shouted.

    ¡°Clef!¡± Clefairy cheered.

    The pink Pok¨¦mon waggled its arms while keeping an eye on the rising Porygon. Metronome called up a random move:

    One of Clefairy¡¯s fists began to glow with Fighting Type energy, and the Pok¨¦mon dashed across the battlefield floor.

    ¡°Conversion!¡± Redi yelled.

    Pixels erupted across Porygon''s body, twisting around to give the computer Pok¨¦mon a pink tint. With Psybeam being its last used move, Conversion converted Porygon into a Psychic Type.

    And at the perfect time, too, as Clefairy brought its fist up into a jumping punch that carried it into the sky. Sam recognized the attack as one common to Blaziken in Hoenn¡ªSky Uppercut.

    Porygon didn''t receive a command to dodge, so the Clefairy''s fist impacted its body with no problem at all. However, the Psychic Type Conversion turned that super effective attack into a resisted attack, and the move Redi called out next¡ª

    ¡°Psybeam!¡±

    ¡ªnow shared a Type with Porygon, which let the attack come out that much stronger than before.

    The Psybeam blasted Clefairy into the ground. The arc of its Sky Uppercut meant it had lingered in the air at the very peak of the jump.

    ¡°Minimize, Clefairy!¡± Whitney shouted.

    The pink Pok¨¦mon pulled itself in an attempt to shrink in on itself and dodge. Unfortunately for it, Redi gave a command of her own.

    ¡°Drop into Tackle!¡±

    Porygon''s passive floating ceased. Like a brick, they dropped out of the air, but they made sure to angle their body to smash into Clefairy.

    Clefairy wasn''t able to dodge in time as Porygon''s full weight crashed into it from above. Porygon clattered to the ground, no longer floating because it didn''t receive a command to resume its floating, but Clefairy wasn''t moving.

    That Sharpen-boosted Tackle had taken it out.

    Whitney looked crushed, but she quickly straightened herself out and forced a confident expression back onto her face.

    ¡°You might have taken out Clefairy, but you won''t take out¡ª¡±

    ¡°Return!¡±

    The Gym Leader sputtered for a second when Redi immediately recalled Porygon.

    ¡°Leave it to Redi to do whatever she can to throw off her opponent,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Gastly cackled quietly beneath his feet.

    Teddiursa replaced Porygon on the field, and across from him, Whitney quickly released a Miltank from that Pok¨¦ball she received at the last moment.

    There weren¡¯t any words shared between the two trainers, as Sam was pretty sure Whitney had caught onto Redi¡¯s mind games.

    ¡°Begin,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miltank! Same strat as usual!¡± Whitney called out.

    Miltank rolled up into a ball with Defense Curl before using that to continue forward into a Rollout.

    Teddiursa, however, didn¡¯t move, and Redi had a grimace on her face.

    ¡°Teddiursa, use... Ugh.¡± The grimace deepened. ¡°Use...!¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    She didn¡¯t want to say it.

    She really didn¡¯t want to say it.

    Sam had recommended this move, and Redi had taught it to Teddiursa, but she absolutely despised the name it had been given in Sam¡¯s book.

    ¡°Just look at it cute, alright?¡± Redi said, covering her face with her hand.

    As Miltank hurtled towards Teddiursa, Teddiursa stood his ground, but he prepared himself for a defense¡ªof sorts. He pulled his paws into his chest and let his ears flop down onto his head. Rather than attacking, he looked up at Miltank.

    And he gave that cow the best Baby-Doll Eyes he could muster.

    Redi groaned as the aptly-named move caused Miltank to waver. The move had come easy to Teddiursa¡ªaccording to the New Pok¨¦dex, this was a technique even the weakest of Teddiursa could master.

    The Rollout veered off to the side thanks to Miltank¡¯s hesitation. It didn¡¯t want to attack such a cute Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°...Just finish it off,¡± Redi mumbled, no longer wanting to look at the field.

    As the Rollout came to a slow halt, Miltank stood and turned Teddiursa¡¯s way. However, it was unprepared for the Slash that came out. The move, a vastly improved version of both Scratch and Fury Swipes, tore across the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s face, dealing critical damage.

    ¡°Stomp!¡± Whitney shouted.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡± Redi countered.

    A hoof pressed forward, but Teddiursa side-stepped it. He then lunged at the proceeding unguarded stomach, and the damage of his Fury Swipes was too much.

    Miltank fell back, fainted.

    ¡°I...¡±

    ¡°Great battle!¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°Really got my blood pumping!¡±

    Whitney breathed in and forced a smile.

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re a strong trainer, you know that?¡±

    Her smile became genuine as Redi happily smiled back.

    Challenger and Gym Leader shook hands, quickly speaking to one another as Sam looked at his Pok¨¦mon around him.

    ¡°We¡¯re up next,¡± he said quietly. ¡°That means we¡¯ll finally be able to put our practice into a real fight. Gastly, you have Hex. Cyndaquil, you have Will-O-Wisp and Incinerate. Mankey¡ª¡±

    He paused as the monkey Pok¨¦mon glanced up at him.

    ¡°Well, your moveset is the same, but I¡¯m pretty sure the super effective damage will grant you a win.¡±

    Mankey huffed and smacked two fists together. He looked pumped and ready to rumble.

    ¡°Hey, Sam!¡± Redi suddenly shouted.

    Sam turned to her. Both her and Whitney were staring at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother waiting, you¡¯re gonna have your battle right away!¡±

    Whitney started to whisper to a Gym Trainer that went deeper into the Gym to replace her current team with a freshly healed one.

    As for Sam, he returned all of his Pok¨¦mon, heading down the steps to meet Redi on the field. She quickly took him to the side as Whitney repositioned herself in the Gym Leader¡¯s trainer box. She had a curious look on her face.

    ¡°Alright. I had an easy match because Whitney underestimated me¡ªI skipped a Gym, so she used a two-star team when she really should have used a three-star team,¡± she said. Then she blinked. ¡°Except for the Miltank. That was a three-star Pok¨¦mon. Teddiursa is just really good at fighting.¡±

    Sam nodded along, agreeing.

    ¡°So, ¡®cause of that, I made a bet!¡± Redi said with her usual grin. ¡°Double or nothing with both of our potential rewards, I bet her that you could win without a single member of your team fainting!¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression immediately fell, and before he could object, Redi leaned in closer for another whisper.

    ¡°And then Whitney¡ª Oh, man, she made the worst mistake in the world. She accepted, but the format¡¯ll change a bit. You¡¯ll only be able to switch when her Pok¨¦mon faints so you can¡¯t cheese it.¡±

    ¡°Redi,¡± Sam said, exasperated, ¡°my entire team¡¯s strategy is based on interplay between my team¡¯s status moves. I¡¯m all about switching! Individual strength is your strategy.¡±

    She shook her head and stared at him.

    ¡°Look me in the eyes and tell me that¡¯s true,¡± she said challengingly.

    He tried.

    While he didn¡¯t want to admit it, the only form of interplay he had right now was Cyndaquil¡¯s Will-O-Wisp setting up Gastly¡¯s Hex, and Gastly¡¯s Confuse Ray paired well with Mankey¡¯s Assurance.

    Except, Gastly could just as easily set up Hex with Hypnosis, and Mankey was much better off using Fighting Type moves against Whitney¡¯s Normal Type team.

    With Redi¡¯s knowing stare, Sam could tell that she had recognized that before he had. The reality was that this match would be based around individual strength no matter how much he wanted to lie to himself.

    ¡°Double or nothing you said?¡± he repeated.

    ¡°Yeah. And that means the reward money will be just enough to let us buy some TMs. Sounds pretty good, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sam reluctantly agreed.

    ¡°So!¡± Redi slapped Sam on the back, forcing him to catch himself before he fell over. ¡°Go get her, partner! Can¡¯t wait to see you beat Whitney without a faint!¡±

    She grinned again as Sam lightly shook his head and walked to his trainer box.

    ¡°This will be a three-on-three battle between Challenger Samuel and Gym Leader Whitney!¡± the referee announced. ¡°The standard League rules apply, with the following exception¡ªPok¨¦mon can only be switched when an opposing Pok¨¦mon faints. The battle will end once one side has no more Pok¨¦mon able to fight. Are there any questions before we begin?¡±

    Both Sam and Whitney shook their heads.

    ¡°Then, trainers! Please, send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Pok¨¦balls sailed through the air.

    ¡°Mankey!¡±

    ¡°Furret!¡±

    Mankey hit the field, balancing on one leg with his hands held high above his head. Across from him was a ferret-like Pok¨¦mon with a slender yet fluffy body that was decorated with brown and tan stripes.

    One glance at all combatants from the referee, and two flags waved downwards.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    No mind games here. Sam and Whitney shouted their orders at the same time.

    ¡°Low Kick!¡±

    ¡°Quick Attack!¡±

    Furret bounded across the field, its body resembling a wave with how it bounced with each step. It reached Mankey in a blink, slamming into him, but he used the impact to kick out his leg and cause Furret to trip.

    ¡°Karate Chop!¡±

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡±

    The ferret Pok¨¦mon jumped onto Mankey, all four of its paws tearing across his face, one catching him in the eye.

    Furret¡¯s lucky¡ªor unlucky¡ªstrike filled Mankey with a furious rage. The edge of a hand slammed into Furret¡¯s side. Then the other hand on Furret¡¯s other side. Mankey was working on two moves as it stood¡ªCross Chop and Fire Punch¡ªand while this wasn¡¯t exactly a Cross Chop, he was still able to use Karate Chop twice in quick succession.

    Fury Swipes only got a few scratches in before the power of the Fighting Type moves pushed it off Mankey¡¯s body. Mankey was already exhausted, on the verge of fainting, but before either Sam or Whitney could call out a move, he lunged.

    Mankey smacked Furret across the face with just a normal punch.

    His fist sent Furret slamming into the ground. When it looked up to try to attack again, Mankey was right next to it, stomping a Low Kick into its stomach.

    It didn¡¯t get up.

    Mankey¡¯s shoulders heaved up and down from the rage from Furret¡¯s assault. If Sam could guess, one of the scratches from Fury Swipes landed in just the right way to trigger his Anger Point.

    The weak scratch had been the best possible trigger for his ability.

    Whitney returned her Pok¨¦mon as Redi shouted from the audience.

    ¡°Whoo! Go Mankey! You destroyed that Furret!¡±

    Mankey¡¯s blush wasn¡¯t visible with his fur, but he did look away to hide it.

    While Anger Point meant Mankey was filled with furious energy, Sam still returned him. If he waited, he risked Mankey fainting against his next opponent even with his increase in strength. Sam wanted to win the bet, and he didn¡¯t want to take an unneeded risk.

    ¡°You know, I thought Morty trained you?¡± Whitney called out.

    ¡°He gave me some advice when I went to his Gym. Why?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Uh...¡± She looked a bit sheepish. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be using Ghost Types? That¡¯s why I sent out Furret. He knows Foresight. But why the heck do you have a Mankey?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist,¡± Sam said, not answering the question, much to Whitney¡¯s annoyance.

    She rolled her eyes as she sent out her next Pok¨¦mon. Sam did the same, matching her choice with a perfect counter of his own.

    ¡°Clefairy.¡±

    ¡°Gastly!¡±

    ¡°Wait, now you¡¯re using a Ghost Type?¡± Whitney asked incredulously.

    Sam just shrugged as the referee resumed the match.

    ¡°Continue!¡±

    Orders started back up once again.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡±

    ¡°Sing!¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon attempted to put their opponent to sleep.

    As a Normal Type specialist, Whitney had a decent number of challengers try to counter her with Ghost Types, as those Pok¨¦mon were immune to Normal Type attacks. Clefairy showed off that experience by immediately closing its eyes¡ªnegating the chance for Hypnosis to work. Then, a peaceful melody left its mouth.

    ¡°Into the ground!¡± Sam hurriedly shouted.

    Before the Sing could put Gastly to sleep, he dashed downwards to phase into the floor. Inside of there, the move would have a much harder time forcing him asleep.

    However, Whitney looked smug. A slight smirk appeared on her face as her Clefairy continued its song.

    ¡°Use Metronome,¡± she said.

    The melody rounded off to a halt as Clefairy waggled its arms.

    ¡°Gastly, I¡¯m not sure if you can hear me, but get ready to unleash... your most recent attack?¡± Sam said, staying non-specific.

    The result of Metronome¡¯s random move was a mixed bag¡ªClefairy placed its hands into the air, and a faint shimmering screen appeared ahead of it. Reflect would have been a decent defense against any physical move¡ªwhich meant it would have been decent against almost any Ghost Type other than Gastly.

    Sam¡¯s Gastly was different; he was one of the only Pok¨¦mon in Johto to know Hex.

    The Ghost Type practically exploded out of the floor, phasing through it and bringing himself up high into the air. His Hex wasn¡¯t anywhere as strong as the Hexes Sam had seen before, as the flames Gastly conjured seemed immaterial and in fewer numbers. However, those deep purple flames still rushed through the air, and they passed right through that translucent barrier.

    Whitney scoffed. Sam could tell she could at least recognize the unknown attack as a Ghost Type move.

    ¡°Like that could¡ª¡±

    Clefairy was struck.

    The pink Fairy Type¡ªnot a Normal Type¡ªdid not have an immunity to Ghost Type moves. The Hex dug into Clefairy¡¯s flesh and caused it to cry out in pain.

    ¡°Wha¡ª How?¡± Whitney yelled.

    Sam capitalized on her bafflement by shouting a new command.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡±

    The damage of the previous Hex caused Clefairy¡¯s eyes to snap open at just the wrong time. Looking up at Gastly in shock, their gazes met, and Clefairy started to wobble. Then, less than a second later, it fell backwards onto its butt with its head slumped forward in slumber.

    ¡°Finish it!¡±

    ¡°Wake up, Clefairy!¡± Whitney yelled.

    A second Hex. More purple flames raced towards the Pok¨¦mon. This time, they took advantage of the lack of consciousness and dug, twisting into it.

    The Pok¨¦mon squirmed and groaned in pain. Its eyes snapped open in one final cry before it fell backwards, properly fainted.

    Whitney didn¡¯t return her Pok¨¦mon right away. She stared at it in both shock and disbelief.

    ¡°What¡¯s with this year¡¯s trainers? How come everyone is so strong?¡± she whined.

    She sniffed, but instead of crying, she seemed to take on an aura of defiance.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± she said, wiping an arm across her face. ¡°I chose a good Miltank for this fight. One of the strongest in the herd. Don¡¯t expect me to make the same mistake against you as I did your friend! You aren¡¯t winning that easily!¡±

    Sam returned Gastly. Clefairy was the only Pok¨¦mon the Ghost Type could reliably beat, as every other member of Whitney¡¯s team would be immune to Hex. Replacing him was Sam¡¯s last untouched Pok¨¦mon¡ªCyndaquil.

    Her flames were already blazing. She held her head high.

    Then, Whitney sent out her next Pok¨¦mon, and a brand new Miltank appeared on the field. It was larger than the one Redi had fought, and seemed to cast Cyndaquil into shadow even this far away.

    ¡°And now you¡¯re back to not using a Ghost Type,¡± Whitney mumbled.

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist,¡± Sam said.

    Redi laughed. Whitney glared.

    ¡°Ready when you are,¡± Sam said.

    The referee glanced between the two of them before nodding.

    ¡°Continue,¡± she said.

    The battle resumed in no time at all.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp, full blast. Heat it up with Incinerate!¡± Sam called out.

    The heavy Miltank¡¯s movements were less like walking and more like lumbering. Each footstep it took made its fat jiggle, and a solemn frown formed on its face.

    Will-o-Wisp¡ªCyndaquil sent burning motes of fire its way.

    Incinerate¡ªher strongest attack scorched parts of its body black.

    The Miltank did get burned, and it did suffer the damage of Cyndaquil¡¯s moves, but Whitney¡¯s Pok¨¦mon seemed to have trained its ability, Thick Fat. Heat-based attacks did little to affect it.

    The burn from Will-O-Wisp did at least cause a wince. But, as Cyndaquil ran away, it had the energy to continue a slow but consistent chase. Even with the difference in speed, reaching her was inevitable.

    ¡°Body Slam,¡± Whitney ordered.

    When it neared, the Miltank lurched forward. It pushed out its stomach to slam into Cyndaquil¡¯s side.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the burn, that one attack would have immediately taken her out. The power it held was so immense that Cyndaquil was quite literally sent bouncing across the ground.

    ¡°Again,¡± Whitney said.

    The Miltank resumed its slow chase.

    She wasn¡¯t fooling around. There was no strategy involving Rollout, and there was nothing special involving any other moves. For her final Pok¨¦mon, she chose a powerful Miltank that relied solely on its devastating Body Slam.

    Sam was briefly reminded of Redi¡¯s single-minded dedication on offense.

    The field isn¡¯t large enough to let Cyndaquil run away forever, and that Body Slam can jerk Miltank right into her the second it''s within range. We¡¯re on a timer. Burn will eventually faint it, but it¡¯ll catch up before then. How can we take it out?

    Adding to the difficulty, Sam had a gut feeling Smokescreen wouldn¡¯t work. There was something about the confidence in the Miltank¡¯s stride that screamed hiding would only speed up the inevitable.

    Desperation was clear on Cyndaquil¡¯s face as she scurried away as fast as she could. Blaze was activated, but it meant little against the Miltank¡¯s Thick Fat.

    She only had Fire Type moves at her disposal, and there wasn¡¯t any move-in-progress for her to figure out at the last minute. Cyndaquil was limited to what she already knew as the Miltank steadily reduced the distance.

    ¡°...Keep using Incinerate,¡± Sam said through gritted teeth.

    Flames scorched Miltank. It kept moving forward.

    ¡°Body Slam!¡± Whitney yelled.

    He closed his eyes. He heard Cyndaquil shout in pain.

    When he peeked an eye open, she was still conscious, forcing herself to push back up.

    ¡°Cyndaquil...¡± Sam started.

    She unleashed another Incinerate, refusing to give up.

    ¡°Body Slam,¡± Whitney ordered.

    Cyndaquil was sent flying across the field, but she dug a paw into the floor to slow her down and allow her to land on her feet.

    Another Incinerate. Another Body Slam. She should have fainted by now.

    Sam wanted to cry out to get Cyndaquil to stop. He wanted her to not push herself through the pain.

    But Cyndaquil, Cyndaquil was throwing her everything into this. She didn¡¯t need that doubt right now. Rather, she needed his support.

    ¡°You can do it!¡± he yelled.

    One eye was completely shut, but Cyndaquil still stood up straighter. Defiantly, she stared down the Miltank, who was now wobbling from the slow damage of the burn and Cyndaquil¡¯s constant attacks. Despite all her pain, her expression screamed her dedication.

    Cyndaquil could do this all day.

    Sam glanced at the referee¡ªshe was supposed to call the battle if a Pok¨¦mon pushed itself to a dangerous level. Her eyes were locked onto Cyndaquil, and her hand was prepared to swing to call for a stop at any moment, but she didn¡¯t do so just yet.

    Sam clenched his hands and stared forward. One attack to finish it off.

    ¡°Incinerate,¡± he said softly.

    Flames washed over the Miltank. The bovine teetered in place. Whitney opened her mouth to call out a command, but then she paused and stayed silent.

    Without an order, the Pok¨¦mon fell, causing the field to shudder under its weight.

    Cyndaquil won.

    As a slight applause went interrupted by Redi¡¯s fervent cheers, Sam rushed onto the field to scoop Cyndaquil into his arms.

    ¡°Why push yourself that hard? I could have switched you out! The bet didn¡¯t matter that much. You didn¡¯t need to get yourself hurt!¡±

    Yet, as she weakly stared up at him, a smirk stretched across her mouth.

    All of her training added up to this. She had to push beyond her usual level, but she had managed to win in the end.

    Sam just chuckled and shook his head. He laughed, rubbing Cyndaquil¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the best Cyndaquil in the world,¡± he said.

    She squeaked her name proudly as he returned her. Whitney moved onto the field to meet him after returning her Pok¨¦mon as well.

    ¡°I could have ordered her to use Milk Drink,¡± Whitney said once she arrived.

    Milk Drink was Miltank¡¯s signature move. It healed the user¡¯s health by a significant amount. If that Miltank had used it¡ª

    ¡°You have a good Cyndaquil,¡± she continued. ¡°I couldn¡¯t crush her. Not in the face of determination like that. Gym Leaders... Gym Leaders are supposed to raise up trainers, not put them down. I needed to... I need to remember that.¡±

    Whitney had a pained expression on her face. But, at the same time, the faintest of smiles peeked through.

    She nodded at Sam, shaking his hand before stiffly walking away. No badge was handed over just yet¡ªthe surprise back-to-back nature of his and Redi¡¯s challenges meant she hadn¡¯t the chance to grab one for him. He would need to collect it at the Gym¡¯s front desk.

    ¡°You did it!¡± Redi came running over, laughing excitedly. ¡°Man, I knew you could crush that bet!¡±

    ¡°I want your share of the reward money,¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°Cyndaquil deserves it.¡±

    ¡°But, I¡ª¡± Redi huffed. ¡°Fine. That¡¯s fair, but I want at least one of those TMs moves to be an attack your Pok¨¦mon can teach mine.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Sam smiled. Redi rolled her eyes.

    They collected their cash from the front counter as Sam picked up his Plain Badge. It was a yellow square with nothing special to it at all, but it still marked his team¡¯s victory over Goldenrod Gym.

    With these earnings, they had enough to buy two weak TMs or one major one. Once that was taken care of, it would be time to head south and pass through the Ilex Forest to reach Azalea Town.

    There, Sam and Redi would take on the Bug Type Gym, earning them their next Gym Badge and continuing their journeys.

 Chapter 36.5

    Chapter 36.5 - Three Calls and an E-mail

    All Gym Leaders had their share of responsibilities. For Morty, that included managing his Gym, keeping an eye on the local ghost population, and protecting places of spiritual importance, which included both the Burned Tower and the Bell Tower.

    However, he had one more responsibility, as mandated by the Pok¨¦mon League. All Gym Leaders were required to regularly meet to stay informed about developments across the region. The meetings historically took place twice a year, but with rapid increases in technology, the schedule increased to one a month before settling into an every-other-week schedule.

    For these meetings, Morty liked to be punctual¡ªif not to let him be on time, then to give him a chance to slack off. He was almost always one of the first Gym Leaders to join the call, and if he was alone, he would be able to spend a few minutes browsing the Ghost Type forum online. If he didn¡¯t have those few minutes to spare, then he could always chat with whoever was also there. Either way, it was a way to relax before the greater responsibility.

    Today, Morty leaned back in his desk chair as the video phone screen flashed to make the call. Owning a personal video phone was expensive but necessary. The Pok¨¦mon League had covered the costs of its installation, as it was policy to have each Gym have the most up-to-date method of communication.

    Behind him, his Pok¨¦mon played, most of them invisible to the phone¡¯s camera. As Morty waited to connect, Gengar manipulated shadows, Bannette tried to interfere, Dusclops stared out the window, Mismagius practiced with her tea.

    They knew not to interrupt, as this was both Morty¡¯s personal time and a very important call. Still, sometimes his camera would pick up a shift in the background or a flick of a shadow, and sometimes another Gym Leader would notice. It was always funny to see the color drain from their face¡ªeven among Gym Leaders, Ghost Types had earned their reputation of being scary.

    He chuckled to himself, remembering one moment where Jasmine had gone silent mid-sentence when Gengar floated past Morty¡¯s head. The Pok¨¦mon had shown up as a shifting shadow, and Morty never answered whether or not it had been his Gengar or a real ghost.

    Soon enough, a beep. The call connected, and the image of another person appeared on his screen. Morty was a little disappointed he wouldn¡¯t be able to sit back for a bit, but he was also a bit surprised about who was there, waiting for him.

    ¡°Aha! I knew you¡¯d be here! So, Morty. What did you do?¡±

    He winced when Whitney¡¯s voice caused the phone to whine in his ear. He pulled it away from his head until the sound stopped before sighing and focusing back on the screen.

    ¡°Hello, Whitney,¡± he said, a polite smile returning to his face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play coy with me! You know exactly what you did!¡±

    Morty kept his expression placid, pausing briefly to think. He¡¯d been so concerned with local matters, that he had absolutely no clue what she could mean.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Morty pinched his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could¡ª¡±

    ¡°That boy. The one you taught?¡± Whitney asked. ¡°He took out my poor Clefairy with a Ghost Type attack! You know that shouldn¡¯t be possible! Normal Types should be immune to Ghost Type moves!¡±

    Ah.

    Morty understood.

    Whitney¡¯s question was about Sam.

    He couldn¡¯t stop himself from smirking, which caused Whitney to scowl.

    ¡°It was just a bit of tutoring,¡± Morty said, waving her off. ¡°A few tips with a few moves, and a little bit of team-building advice. Plus...¡±

    He paused. Whitney glared at him, daring him to continue.

    ¡°Clefairy is a Fairy Type,¡± Morty said anyway. ¡°Of course a Ghost Type move would hit.¡±

    Whitney huffed and crossed her arms. She refused to look at him through her screen.

    ¡°No such thing as a Fairy Type,¡± she immediately replied. ¡°Clefairy is a Normal Type.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Morty said, chuckling as he did.

    Whitney was in a tough spot both politically and socially. She was Johto¡¯s newest Gym Leader, and she was struggling to prove her strength. The last Goldenrod Gym Leader had been an indomitable man with several powerful Normal Types to back him up. Whitney, however, took a much ¡°cuter¡± approach, relying on kind-looking Pok¨¦mon that were deceptively powerful. She was even lucky enough to have a family farm full of Miltank behind her as well as a befriended colony of the Clefairy.

    The problem with her situation was that the public expected Gym Leaders to stick to one Type. She hadn¡¯t known her beloved Pok¨¦mon were Fairy Types when accepting the job, and now if she ever admitted to it, there¡¯d likely be a public outcry regarding her speciality. What made matters worse was the conservative faction led by the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s elders. If a Gym Leader ever publicly acknowledged the Fairy Type, especially one that used so many of them on her personal team¡ª

    Morty chuckled again.

    Lance would absolutely make a public announcement supporting Whitney. In a way, he already has. But if he ever does voice his support, I imagine the elders of the Blackthorn Clan would absolutely use that against him. Whitney¡¯s days would be numbered, and they¡¯d dangle that over his head.

    Thankfully, the clan was rather insular, so she wouldn¡¯t have any problems if she didn¡¯t make waves. As long as she never admitted to the existence of the Fairy Type¡ªeven in private situations, just in case¡ªshe would have time to gain the support she needed while acceptance of the Fairy Type slowly grew.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get there eventually,¡± Morty said, smiling. ¡°The whims of the public may be varied, but they¡¯re ever-changing. You¡¯ll get your support soon enough.¡±

    ¡°...And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Whitney grumbled with a huff.

    A beep¡ªanother Gym Leader connected to the call. This one with blue hair and an imperious expression on her face. However, when she noticed Whitney, that expression softened with a slight smile.

    ¡°Whitney! How goes it?¡± Clair said.

    The Normal Type Gym Leader sniffed.

    ¡°Awful,¡± Whitney said. ¡°I was publicly crushed by a single Pok¨¦mon, and then I lost a back-to-back challenge without any of the challengers¡¯ Pok¨¦mon fainting. One of them even managed to use a Ghost Type move against me!¡±

    Clair raised an eyebrow. From her reaction, Morty could tell she had already forgotten about him. She had taken it upon herself to mentor Whitney, Johto¡¯s newest Gym Leader. Clair was a rising star when it came to Dragon Type trainers, and it helped that she herself was the Champion¡¯s cousin as well.

    ¡°Hm. What level were your challengers?¡± Clair asked, rubbing her chin.

    ¡°Three-stars, all of them. But I messed up and thought one was two-star since she only had one Gym badge but both of her Pok¨¦mon were three-stars and totally beat my team!¡±

    Clair brought up her chin, and Morty braced himself for another lecture.

    ¡°You need to project your strength! Find a new challenger and crush them publicly!¡±

    ¡°...Aren¡¯t I supposed to help growing trainers?¡± Whitney asked.

    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t matter here. Consider this¡ªencourage an Ace Trainer to battle you, and then destroy them with your core team,¡± Clair said with a smile.

    Morty tuned out the rest of the conversation. He wasn¡¯t needed anymore. Whitney got her complaints in, and now Clair was here to provide advice¡ªor, at least, provide what she thought was advice. To Morty, it felt more like a one-sided lecture and a list of demands, but Whitney seemed to appreciate it.

    His thoughts wandered back on the boy who caused all of this in the first place¡ªSam. He never once thought he would meet the person who suggested Hex, nor did he ever expect them to be so young.

    Morty had been more than happy enough to give Sam advice, especially with how valuable Hex was as an attacking move. It was stronger than Shadow Ball at times, for goodness¡¯ sake!

    However, what was strange to Morty was the boy¡¯s choice of team.

    Why a Cyndaquil? Why a Mankey?

    Well, Morty at least now understood why Sam had a Cyndaquil. It had taken a bit of research, but he found a few sparse mentions of an ancient variant of Typhlosion said to be a guide for wandering spirits.

    He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Sam was intending to obtain that vaunted variant, but he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the boy failed, either. Still, there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with having such a strong Starter Pok¨¦mon on his team. The kid had potential, but he needed experience and a bit more hands-on practice to get up to par.

    Morty planned to watch the kid¡¯s career with interest, as he did with most Ghost Type specialists that wandered through Johto. Few ever figured out something as incredible as Hex. The last person to do that was a certain old woman he refused to think about.

    Another beep¡ªanother Gym Leader joined the call. Jasmine quietly greeted everyone before Clair quickly resumed her lecture.

    Others slowly connected. The boisterous Chuck. The intimidating Walker. A representative for Azalea. Arriving a few minutes late, as part of his usual silent form of protest, was Pryce. He joined the call as the final Gym Leader to arrive.

    With his presence, Clair stopped her domineering lecture before clearing her throat and addressing every Gym Leader at once.

    ¡°Good. Everyone is here.¡±

    ¡°...Is Champion Lance not coming?¡± Jasmine asked, voice just barely above a whisper.

    ¡°No. Lance is busy. Kanto¡¯s been experiencing a wave of crime, and he¡¯s actively trying to tackle that. In his place, he¡¯s asked me to lead this meeting.¡±

    The small smile on her face told Morty that Clair considered that a point of pride. After all, the Champion had asked her to take charge.

    The fact that they were cousins didn¡¯t seem to have much weight in her mind.

    ¡°So! The purpose of today¡¯s meeting is to address that very issue,¡± Clair continued. ¡°The Champion wants all of you to be on high alert. Warnings have already been sent to precincts across Johto, and you need to pass a few more details to your local Ace Trainers and Gym Trainers...¡±

    Shadowy figures stalking alleys. Black-uniformed individuals stealing rare Pok¨¦mon. It spoke of an organization, which was worrying. No one here wanted them to extend their reach into Johto.

    Clair talked about signs to look out for, directing everyone to their recently-sent emails as she did. Morty took note and planned to send some Ghosts Types out to act as watchdogs across Ecruteak.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    But, this was primarily a Kanto problem. Other than putting the right people on high alert, things would continue on as usual in Johto. More Gym Battles, more Gym Trials, more training of Pok¨¦mon¡ª

    But Lance is trying to fight that organization himself, huh?

    Something about Lance¡¯s actions appealed to Morty¡ªthe idea of the raw strength possessed by Champion Lance and his team. It was more of a team of Flying Types than Dragon Types, but Morty would never say that to the Champion¡¯s face. The man boasted incredible power; power that Morty was now starting to want to test.

    How much of a difference would Hex make? If he took on the Champion, how would he and his team fare?

    Gym Leaders could always request private matches, and the idea was tempting.

    Rather tempting, in fact.

    If Morty defeated Lance, he could finally prove himself to be truly powerful. And if he proved himself to be truly powerful¡ª

    Then the tale will come true, and I might finally catch a glimpse of Ho-oh.

    <hr><hr>

    ¡°...absolutely massive!¡± Sam exclaimed. ¡°But Cyndaquil held her ground, and she incinerated that Miltank until it fell! I swear, the ground shook when it finally fainted!¡±

    Amanda smiled at her son. She was glad to see his journey going so well. Even after a month of tutoring him and preparing him, she had been so worried when he and Cyndaquil had left on that boat. She wasn¡¯t ready for him to go, and she didn¡¯t know if he was ready, either.

    But, she was his mother. She would never be ready to see her son leave her home.

    Amanda took comfort in how Sam and Cyndaquil were together, and she took comfort in how they were no longer alone. Already, they had such a big group of friends traveling with them! Just through the video screen, she could see the little group that had formed around them. Mankey hung off Sam¡¯s shoulder and peeked at the monitor. Gastly hovered behind Sam¡¯s head and watched curiously. And then Redi¡ªan actual, human friend¡ªloitered against the wall in the back, likely waiting for Sam to hang up so they could return to training.

    ¡°Congratulations, sweetie,¡± Amanda said. ¡°It sounds like it was an incredible battle. And that was your third badge?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re almost halfway through!¡±

    Sam¡¯s smile was as radiant as the sun, and Amanda almost melted at his confidence. He took so much after both her husband and father, and he didn¡¯t even realize it. That level of courage he held. The sheer dedication he had to his dreams. Three badges in roughly three months was an incredible feat. Her own journey had been wrought with struggles and challenges, but Sam wasn¡¯t her, was he?

    She chuckled as Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon reacted to the call. Mankey lifted up a hand to throw out a ¡°V¡± for ¡°Victory¡± while Gastly sent her a spine-chilling smile. Cyndaquil kept herself close to his chest, and even Redi smiled to herself in the background.

    It made her feel a bit lonely, but she had her own Pok¨¦mon, too. Her sweet Delcatty laid on the ground at her stool¡¯s side, eyes closed to rest but obviously paying attention based on how she held her ears high. Meanwhile, Sableye sat on the videophone¡¯s desk, also paying attention but not intending to go for a scare. If she judged his personality correctly, this was part of a prank; Sableye planned to let the call pass through uneventfully to make her son that much more paranoid next time.

    Subtly, Amanda took a small bit of quartz out of her pocket and placed it on the table. Sableye snapped a hand forward to gobble it up, and Amanda held back a chuckle.

    ¡°You plan to head to Azalea Town next?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yup. Gonna have to go down Route 34 and Ilex Forest to reach there. The Route will be easy enough, but I¡¯m not sure about the forest¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ilex Forest doesn¡¯t have a road,¡± Redi called out from behind. ¡°We¡¯ve got a wide area to travel. Less patrolled by Rangers and more infested with strong Pok¨¦mon. It¡¯s gonna be a whole experience!¡±

    A wild smile stretched across the girl¡¯s face.

    Sam looked to consider Redi¡¯s words as he nodded. Amanda could tell he was already considering what might jump out at him in the forest. The small smile on his face told her he was obviously thinking of potential Ghost Type encounters.

    He really does know what he wants, doesn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Anyway, yeah. Azalea Town and the Bug Type Gym next,¡± her son continued. ¡°Cyndaquil¡¯s going to be big against it! Right, Cyndaquil?¡±

    The Fire Type weakly squeaked.

    Amanda frowned. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°...I think so. Cyndaquil really pushed herself in her battle yesterday, so she¡¯s still recovering.¡±

    Through the screen of the phone, Amanda looked over Cyndaquil a bit more carefully. Some of the Fire Type¡¯s usual energy was missing. Although, it was less like she was tired, and more like she was... holding something back?

    Amanda¡¯s eyes widened imperceptibly before she quickly schooled her expression. She didn¡¯t want to give even a hint away.

    ¡°You said Cyndaquil really pushed herself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°And she was really tired afterwards?¡±

    ¡°Um, yeah. Big battles tend to cause that, right?¡±

    Amanda giggled.

    ¡°Yes, they sure do!¡± she said, sending a pointed glance to Cyndaquil. ¡°Cyndaquil, I hope you get better. And I don¡¯t think you need to worry in the slightest!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon replied with a strained smile, pushing closer to Sam¡¯s stomach. It was a little worrying how Cyndaquil seemed almost against the idea, but sometimes Pok¨¦mon just needed to wait.

    Amanda didn¡¯t plan to say anything. It would be up to her son to figure it out and have a chat.

    There was actually a lot she wasn¡¯t telling Sam. She didn¡¯t want to overwhelm him with advice, but she was also getting up to a few new hobbies after he had left. The store had felt so empty without him around, so Sableye had been a welcome addition¡ªgreedy or not. But, after spending an entire month lecturing and training him...

    Well, there was currently an advertisement pinned not too far away, on the job board of Dewford¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center. She advertised her name and address, and low level trainers could approach her for some basic tutoring. The additional funds helped support the shop, too.

    She and her son chatted a bit more. Her son talked about all the plans for his team and hinted at Redi¡¯s newest team member without stating explicitly what it was. It sounded like he really had a strong plan for how he wanted his team to develop. She was impressed, and had no doubts he¡¯d make it to the Conference. Plus, with the New Pok¨¦dex providing supplementary information along the way¡ª

    ¡°Ah!¡± A memory came to mind. ¡°Before you go, in that one book of yours¡ª¡±

    ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Redi knows.¡±

    Amanda sent him a curious glance about how much he already trusted his friend and filed that information away for later.

    ¡°Do you mind doing something for me?¡± she asked. ¡°Can you tell me what page Dratini¡¯s entry is on, and then the same for Sentret¡¯s entry?¡±

    ¡°...Sure? But why?¡±

    She chuckled and waved him off.

    ¡°Idle curiosity. I just want to make sure my copy is organized correctly,¡± she lied.

    Her son¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion, but he still reached into his pack to retrieve that old tome. Amanda had made a copy of it to keep at home, and then she had made a copy of that to store elsewhere just in case. She didn¡¯t want any of the New Pok¨¦dex¡¯s impossible information to ever be lost.

    Sam quickly flipped through the book and read out the page numbers¡ªroughly 147 for Dratini, and roughly 161 for Sentret. They lined up with the species¡¯ numerical positions in the Pok¨¦dex. Whoever the author was, they had gone through a great effort to keep each entry on a single page.

    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll stop taking up your time. I love you!¡±

    ¡°...Love you too,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Right before the call ended, her son suddenly stiffened as he looked over his screen with suspicion. However, the call ended without Sableye making an appearance. The second the screen went black, Sableye cackled. His usual grin curved up into an even greater show of malicious glee.

    ¡°Oh, you. You know one day he¡¯s going to get you back,¡± she chided.

    Sableye shrugged and stood up. He held up a hand as if to ask for another crystal to munch on, but she clicked her tongue and took a step back. He already got an extra piece a few minutes ago.

    ¡°Now, come on, you two. We¡¯ve got orders to unpack.¡±

    Sableye hopped down to walk alongside Delcatty. The feline¡¯s tail lightly hit him on the arm, teasingly. He grumbled a bit and glared at her, but Delcatty merely strutted away.

    Leaving the Pok¨¦mon Center, Amanda hummed on the way back home. She greeted her neighbors and had pleasant conversations with frequent customers along the way, but the question she asked Sam remained at the forefront of her mind.

    She had asked for Dratini and Sentret specifically because their entries were far enough apart to not make her suspicion immediately apparent. She didn¡¯t want to distract Sam while he was busy on his journey. Sometimes, it really felt like he had a terminal case of Ghost Brain¡ªhe tended to miss the obvious thanks to his obsession with the Ghost Type.

    It took hardly any math to see the numbers didn¡¯t line up¡ªwhich told Amanda her thoughts were true. The two evolved forms of Dratini were the last entries in Kanto. Yet before Sentret, there were only the nine Pok¨¦mon that made up the Starter lines of Johto.

    Together, that was eleven entries, but according to the New Pok¨¦dex¡¯s page numbers, there should have been thirteen.

    Sam had confirmed it for her. Two entries were missing. And if her theory was correct, someone had purposefully removed them before sending the book to her father.

    <hr><hr>

    The depths of Ilex Forest were dark and riddled with Bug Types. Every step seemed to alert the nearby insect Pok¨¦mon. Most merely watched, but others were far more aggressive.

    ¡°Again, Yanma,¡± Xavier said.

    A Whirlwind comparable to a hurricane¡¯s gale shook leaves of the trees that towered above them. Xavier¡¯s dragonfly Pok¨¦mon flapped its wings so intensely that an audible buzz filled the air. In the distance, a swarm of Beedrill rapidly approached with every stinger aimed for a painful jab.

    But, that Whirlwind blew the entire group away. Xavier watched carefully to make sure the swarm did not continue its chase before he resumed his search.

    He scoffed as his eyes scanned the forest. Of course untrained Pok¨¦mon had been dealt with so easily.

    Xavier stepped over a thick root and walked over the forest¡¯s muddy floor. His Yanma flitted downwards to hover behind him, and his Donphan trundled along at his side. Standing on nearby branches, Weedle and Caterpie alike poked their heads out to glance at his group, but each and every one was sent back into hiding from the sharp gazes of his Pok¨¦mon.

    Most Pok¨¦mon trainers would feel proud that their Pok¨¦mon were strong enough to inspire such a reaction, but Xavier knew it wasn¡¯t enough. Weedle and Caterpie had potential in their final forms, but they were weak. He had to keep pushing. He had to keep training his team, and he had to keep searching.

    ¡°Yanma,¡± he said. ¡°Your Whirlwind needs to come out faster. A Pok¨¦mon with Quick Attack would have been able to get close if they were prepared.¡±

    A buzz, and Yanma bobbed up and down in acknowledgement.

    ¡°Donphan, continue your role. Try to track anything nearby through vibrations in the ground. Do you see anything?¡±

    Donphan grunted and closed his eyes. A second later, the pachyderm opened them back up and shook his head.

    Xavier sighed and resumed walking forward.

    ¡°Keep trying. Once you get it down, we¡¯ll be able to use that technique to win battles.¡±

    Donphan grunted his name much more happily and returned to his slow walk forward.

    The purpose of this trip was to add a new Pok¨¦mon to Xavier¡¯s team, but he didn¡¯t want just any Pok¨¦mon to join them. They needed to be dedicated. Powerful. Determined to throw everything into training like his three combat-ready team members. For that purpose, he traveled the edge of the ¡°safe¡± area of Ilex Forest. Likely, strong Pok¨¦mon would wander nearby.

    Yanma¡¯s Compound Eyes made him the perfect candidate to search their surroundings. Similarly, Donphan¡¯s connection to the Ground Type let him extend his senses in a more unusual direction.

    Xavier kept his ear out for anything that stood out. A Noctowl would be a skillful companion. An Exeggcute could evolve into the powerhouse that was Exeggcutor. If he was lucky, a Scyther or a Heracross would appear. Though Bug Types, those two species stood above the rest with their potential.

    This forest held the key to improving his team by leaps and bounds.

    A sudden beep sent a jolt through Xavier¡¯s body. Stiffly, he shoved a hand into his pocket to retrieve his Pok¨¦gear, a hi-tech device capable of making calls, serving as a GPS, telling the time, and sending and receiving emails.

    ¡°Hold,¡± Xavier said, raising up his arm.

    His two Pok¨¦mon loyally stopped where they were following. Their readiness to follow orders allowed Xavier to gain a small smile on his face.

    However, the notice of a message on his Pok¨¦gear caused that smile to fade away.

    What? Too busy to call? Didn¡¯t want to hear my voice?

    It took a few seconds for Xavier to realize he was frowning. He wiped away even the slightest sign of emotion as he accepted the message.

    The email was from the expected sender, because why would anyone else want to contact him? Ignoring any burgeoning feelings of dread, he read it quickly.

    ¡°Saw your announcement. Big words. You better not let us down.¡±

    A growl escaped Xavier¡¯s throat as he shoved the Pok¨¦gear back into his pocket. The email was as much of a warning as it was a dismissal. It was too much like how his journey had started. When he didn¡¯t place high enough, Phanpy had been shoved into his arms and he was told to go ¡°explore the world.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not getting second place,¡± Xavier said, snarling. ¡°We¡¯re not getting third. Or fourth. Or anything else! The only thing that¡¯ll matter is if¡ªwhen¡ªwe win.¡±

    Failing to place in the region-wide test? That would never happen again. Getting second place in a major tournament? A fluke. In the future, his team would stand at the top.

    He would not be dismissed so casually in the future. He would not be tossed to the side as if he was nothing. People would look at Xavier and his team and understand that they were to be remembered.

    Xavier glanced at his Pok¨¦mon before stomping forward.

    ¡°We keep going. We keep training, and we keep pushing forward.¡±

    His Pok¨¦mon let loose a cheer as they chased after him once again.

    Xavier planned to never lose. He would make sure of it.

    <hr><hr>

    Matilda did her best to keep a professional expression on her face. She stood tall in the door to the kitchen, trying to hide how her gaze kept lingering on the people in the room.

    She didn¡¯t just have one customer today, but two! Oh, she wanted to scream, she was so happy!

    Okay, sure, one of those two customers was the kind-of-rude berry seller taking advantage of discounted meals as per their agreement, but the cheap Tamato Berries they were able to buy in exchange more than made up for her frequent visits!

    No, what was truly important was that there was a new customer, a man sitting at a table eating a meal of his own. He had tired eyes alongside a lazy smirk. His straight black hair and grey suit made him the picture-perfect example of a generic businessman.

    It took Matilda an incredible amount of effort to not rush to his side and ask for his thoughts on both his food and the restaurant.

    No, Matilda! Bad! No more bothering customers!

    Even though her father had firmly established she was to not comp meals for anyone. She still had the mindset that friends eat free, and who was someone who had a polite conversation with her if not a friend?

    The only reason this restaurant was still afloat was the occasional group of sailors that made their way here. This restaurant was the only Kalosian restaurant in Olivine, so this was the only place they could eat meals they enjoyed when traveling abroad. Income was tight, but if they could get just a few more customers like that man¡ª

    Matilda stood at attention, going on high alert when the man¡¯s phone rang. She was a bit disappointed when he put down his fork to answer the phone. At least he was comfortable enough to answer the phone within the restaurant. That showed he liked the place, right?

    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he glanced around at the two other people here. He seemed to consider getting up, but he chose to stay. Staring at his phone, he mumbled something impolite as he ran a hand through his generic mop of black hair. For some reason, Matilda could have sworn she saw the faintest bit of purple flash from underneath.

    ¡°Yello?¡± he said, answering the call.

    He jerked, a thump causing his utensils to clatter on the table. The man looked like he was trying to stand to better focus himself, but that was a difficult task considering he was actively sitting for a meal.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m, uh, on my break, sir! Just enjoying a meal, sir! Taking a break from casing¡ª¡± He coughed. ¡°Bit of scouting. Too many Tauros and a ridiculously strong Fire Type to make any... battling worth it without a larger investment.¡±

    Matilda did her best to keep her face level.

    So he¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon trainer?

    That made sense, she supposed. The man looked like he was nothing more than a businessman, but he could be storing Pok¨¦balls in his pockets.

    ¡°Olivine, sir. It was nearby,¡± the man continued.

    He then nodded along¡ªwhich looked a little silly since he was on a video-less phone¡ªbut then his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

    ¡°Taken?¡± he asked, speaking as if repeating a word. ¡°After I...? And you want me to¡ª¡±

    He winced and held the phone away from his head. A second later he brought it back to his ear.

    His smile returned¡ªcasual yet cocksure. Something glinted in his eyes, as if he was looking forward to whatever he was being told to do.

    ¡°Retrieval. Got it.¡±

    Placing the phone between his shoulder and his ear, he took out a pen and scribbled a few words on a nearby napkin. Matilda was curious, but the other customer, the berry vendor, shouted for assistance.

    ¡°I¡¯m out of bread,¡± the woman said.

    Matilda replied with a pleasant smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that!¡±

    She took the basket and hurried back to the kitchen.

    When she came back out, the man was gone. Left on the table was a thick wad of cash¡ªboth payment and a tip¡ªwhich Matilda was a little offended he left but she wasn¡¯t going to complain about extra money.

    The sole other customer got her bread and finished her meal, paying the exact amount and no more. After she left, the restaurant was once again empty, meaning it was time for Matilda to clean.

    However, as she began to wipe the tables and grabbed the tablecloths to clean and replace, she paused. When the man had written his note, some of the ink had bled through onto his tablecloth. Most of the words were illegible, but one stood out.

    ¡°Huh,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder what ¡®Porygon¡¯ means?¡±

    Matilda shrugged and went back to work, her thoughts solely on the cheer that came with a new customer and not the strange word washed clean from the table.

 Chapter 37

    Even with Pok¨¦mon, traveling down a Route wasn¡¯t anything to be done unplanned. Primarily, only major settlements tended to show up on maps, which meant trips had to be created around the time it took to reach big cities. There were always smaller settlements, but most tended to go unmarked. Pok¨¦mon Centers were occasionally present on the Routes themselves, but those Centers tended to be more like rest stops than anything else.

    For that reason, it was important to be prepared before heading out to travel on foot. A big city like Goldenrod was the perfect place to ensure Sam and Redi were properly supplied before heading south to continue their journey.

    ¡°Sleeping bags,¡± Redi said, reading off a checklist written in Sam¡¯s journal from within a Pok¨¦mon Center bedroom. Sam knelt on the floor, checking over both of their backpacks for the proper contents.

    ¡°Check,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Just off to the side. We¡¯ll be able to tie it to the top.¡±

    Redi hummed.

    ¡°Portable tent?¡±

    ¡°Folded up inside and pushed to the bottom to make room.¡±

    ¡°Great! Food and cooking gear?¡±

    ¡°Check for all of that. And I made sure to pick up a different brand of preserved foods. That dried stuff from last time...¡±

    Sam shivered. Redi¡¯s expression turned green.

    They also had healing supplies¡ªPotions and the like. Antidotes were the most important, as paralysis eventually faded and burns could be cooled with water, but poison could only ever be slowly waited out.

    ¡°And toiletries? Toothbrushes, soaps, a change of clothes?¡±

    Sam sent Redi a flat look.

    ¡°You really want me to dig through your backpack for that?¡±

    Her face flushed red as she dived down towards her stuff. Mankey and Teddiursa were sitting on the edge of the nearby bed, and they both snorted in amusement as she hurriedly dug through a side pocket.

    Clothes had to be washed daily, as no matter what level of tolerance for cleanliness a trainer had, it was a mistake to allow them to build up a noticeable smell. Too much muck meant attracting the wrong types of Pok¨¦mon, but a flowery scent meant the same thing, just in a different direction. Pok¨¦marts sold scentless cleaning agents that worked well enough when on a route. The same was true for soaps used on the body¡ªthere was even one clever product that was dry shampoo. Trainers with Water Type Pok¨¦mon at their sides tended to have the most comfortable time outside of cities as they never needed to rely on ponds or rivers for anything. Sam was a bit jealous. As it stood, none of his team had the potential to pick up helpful Water Type moves.

    ¡°Anything we¡¯re missing?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Name something, and I can probably shop around for the cheapest options.¡±

    ¡°We should be fine as long as you have a solution for Porygon¡¯s food.¡±

    A cheeky smile. Redi pulled out a handheld device.

    ¡°It¡¯s secondhand, but it¡¯s absolutely perfect! Sam, meet the PI-89!¡±

    He met that declaration with a barely curious raise of the eyebrow.

    ¡°This baby is capable of doing so many graphs! It¡¯s got sines, cosines, logarithms¡ª¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s helpful?¡± Sam asked bluntly.

    ¡°More than just helpful! It¡¯s solar-powered, too! Not just that, but plug it into any Pok¨¦mon Center computer, and I can download a bunch of new programs for Porygon to eat!¡±

    Sam waited for her to explain further, and she only did after bursting out into laughter.

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± she said, still giggling. ¡°Remember what happened after you called your mom?¡±

    ¡°You mean how Porygon literally entered the screen of the video phone and ate its ability to make calls?¡±

    A wince. Redi didn¡¯t meet his gaze. Porygon floated a few feet away, continuing to look as unemotional and innocent as ever.

    At least the nurse was able to call someone to fix it. Too bad the tech support guy didn¡¯t look very pleased.

    ¡°Yeah, that,¡± Red said. ¡°Anyway, that happened because I, uh, might have ordered Porygon to eat the next, best meal they could find?¡±

    Sam barely resisted covering his face with a palm.

    ¡°But it worked out, because Porygon had been slowing down ever so slightly before then. They were back to tip-top shape afterwards, so I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re a datavore!¡± She paused. ¡°Or an info-vore? Information-vore? Whatever word that means a creature that needs to eat information to survive.¡±

    ¡°So your solution is that calculator?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yeah! Porygon can eat the programs I download, and then I can redownload them the next time we stop at a Pok¨¦mon Center! It¡¯s free food forever!¡±

    She also commented under her breath that, ¡°It¡¯s been helping Porygon¡¯s aim improve, too.¡±

    Sam looked at the calculator in a new light.

    ¡°I guess if we have that, then there¡¯s nothing more to worry about.¡±

    He zipped up his backpack and returned the Pok¨¦mon that were out. Cyndaquil was still recovering from her battle against Whitney¡¯s Miltank the other day, so she was already in her Pok¨¦ball. Mankey disappeared in a flash of light, however, and Sam lifted up some sheets to return Gastly from where he was lurking under the bed. Porygon disappeared, too, but Teddiursa was picked up to be carried in Redi¡¯s arms.

    Downstairs, they handed over the keys to their rooms and thanked the nurse for all of her help. Then, they began to walk south down Goldenrod¡¯s busy streets, heading out of the dense city and towards the much more empty Route 34.

    ¡°You know,¡± Sam started, ¡°we spent less time than I expected. What, we arrived, trained for and challenged the Gym, and then left the next day?¡±

    ¡°Did you really want to stay and risk the wrong person finding out about Porygon?¡±

    ¡°No, but¡ª¡± Sam held back a wince. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay for a while in the next town. We¡¯re ahead of schedule, so I¡¯d like to spend some time there.¡±

    Redi easily nodded her head.

    ¡°Absolutely!¡± she said in a cheery voice. ¡°Azalea Town is a lot smaller than Goldenrod, but with it so close to Ilex, that gives us plenty of great space to train! Then it also has Slowpoke Well, its famous charcoal-makers¡ª Ooh, ooh! And it has Pok¨¦ball-makers, too!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done your research, huh?¡± Sam asked, laughing slightly.

    ¡°Well, duh? When there¡¯s the opportunity to get free Pok¨¦balls in exchange for some piddly Apricorns, of course I¡¯d jump onto that deal.¡±

    Considering that a base Pok¨¦ball was two-hundred dollars at least, being able to trade Apricorn fruits for Pok¨¦balls was an absolutely incredible deal. However, Apricorns tended to be rare, but given that they planned to cover a lot of distance to get through Ilex Forest...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s basically a no brainer.¡±

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°More than a no-brainer. An... empty-header. Lack of header. Even a rock could figure out that¡¯s a good deal.¡±

    They both snickered as they continued south. The streets opened up, and the towering skyscrapers disappeared. Soon enough, they were on the open Route 34, already making good time on their path to Azalea Town.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    <hr>

    Route 34 was a coastal route with a few tiny, seaside villages along its west. People fished for a living and traveled to and from Goldenrod itself. None were that exciting, but they were better places to stay than out in the rolling fields that made up the rest of the route. However, what made Route 34 famous was not these villages but the daycares that made use of its wide, open spaces.

    Daycares served two purposes; they served as places where trainers could ¡°stable¡± a spare Pok¨¦mon or two, and they served as breeding operations. With trainers legally limited to only six Pok¨¦mon on-hand, for a small fee, a daycare could accept a trainer¡¯s ¡°extra¡± Pok¨¦mon and give them a place to stay when not traveling with the rest of the team. As a public business, many people made use of that service, but it also tended to limit people to one or two slots. Its more important business, however, was Pok¨¦mon reproduction. Daycares were the place people sent Pok¨¦mon Eggs to be taken care of.

    Pok¨¦mon Eggs had always been known about, but available information on them had been low until Johto¡¯s own Professor Elm began his own research. Eggs were either laid by species, or they were crafted around newborn Pok¨¦mon as a sort of ¡°cradle¡± to protect them until they had matured enough to last in a battle. Eggs had a surprising amount of similarities to modern Pok¨¦balls, and some historians even claimed that Pok¨¦mon Eggs were what inspired the first designs for Pok¨¦balls.

    A long, fenced off daycare area filled with Pok¨¦mon took up a decent chunk of the route. Walking past it, Sam could see Pok¨¦mon playing¡ªboth trained species like Rhyhorn and Tauros, but there were also areas where newly hatched, baby Pok¨¦mon played under the watchful eye of an older guard.

    A bright yellow Elekid chased a young Magby, both of them laughing while playing tag. Nearby, a pair of Igglybuff used their extremely light bodies to bounce around one another. An Azurill sat on its ball-like tail and watched, sad that it was being left out. At its side, a Smoochum tried to comfort it, but tears welled up in its eyes.

    ¡°Would you ever want to get a Pok¨¦mon Egg?¡± Sam asked, eyes lingering on all the young Pok¨¦mon in the ranch. An Espeon taking in the sun on top of a flat rock raised its head and watched him as he passed.

    Their caretaker, Sam guessed.

    ¡°A Pok¨¦mon Egg? Hm. Maybe,¡± Redi said, humming. ¡°They¡¯re kind of expensive to get outright, and baby Pok¨¦mon need pre-planned meals to make sure they¡¯re getting the right kind of diet for their growth. My family¡¯s taken care of a few, with Baby¡ªthat¡¯s Mama¡¯s kid¡ªbeing the standout¡ª¡±

    ¡°You named the child of a Kangaskhan Baby?¡± Sam interrupted.

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°Again, I was, like, three. You really think I was some kind of expert Name Rater back then?¡±

    Sam sent her an amused smirk. She pushed him away as he laughed.

    ¡°Whatever. Yeah, I could take care of an Egg as long as I had the cash to afford it and if I knew the species would fit on my team. You, Sam?¡±

    ¡°...Not many Ghost Types hatch from eggs,¡± he said.

    Ghost Types could be hatched from an egg, but it was rare for Ghosts to actually reproduce like that, though not impossible. Most of the time, Ghost Types tended to... spawn, if Sam could call the phenomenon anything. Keep enough Ghost Types around, and younger ones started to appear at random without anyone seeing where they came from.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯d be limited to species that are more physical, or species that evolve into Ghost Types. So, something like a Sableye or... a Duskull, maybe? Species like Snorunt are pretty obvious, but there are a bunch of foreign species I could consider too, like maybe Rowlet or Frillish.¡±

    Redi blinked at Sam.

    ¡°You wanna tell me what those are?¡±

    ¡°I can show you pictures.¡±

    ¡°Now¡¯s actually a good time to break for lunch, if you want.¡±

    Sam sent her another amused smirk. He sent a pointed glance to where that group of baby Pok¨¦mon were playing nearby.

    ¡°S-Shut up,¡± Redi said, briefly turning red.

    She just wants to watch all those baby Pok¨¦mon play, doesn¡¯t she?

    Sam was okay with that. He thought they were cute, too.

    ¡°Come on out, everyone!¡± Sam and Redi both said.

    A bit away from the young occupants of the daycare so as to not disturb them, Sam and Redi released the members of their teams to relax off to the side of the route¡¯s main road. Cyndaquil appeared yawning, stretching herself out after a long time inside her Pok¨¦ball. Mankey and Teddiursa appeared next to one another, and as Teddiursa brought his arms out to his sides to stretch out as well, he bumped Mankey. Mankey bumped back. Then Teddiursa pushed back a little harder. Mankey did the same.

    ¡°At least limit the amount of moves you use!¡± Sam called out.

    Those two already found themselves neck-deep in a spar.

    As for their last two team members, Gastly and Porygon appeared without much fanfare. Porygon appeared in the air, and Redi had to tell it to hover by her side, where she patted it on the head. Gastly, meanwhile, moved to hover in Sam¡¯s shadow to stay out of the sun as much as possible.

    ¡°Want to practice while Redi and I set up lunch?¡± Sam said to the hovering Pok¨¦mon, glancing between both him and Cyndaquil.

    He bounced in place excitedly and zipped off to meet with the little Fire Type. Cyndaquil still looked a bit tired, apparently still recovering from her battle against Whitney, but she was willing to work with Gastly as he seemed so excited about it.

    Sam moved to help Redi with lunch. Stew was the easiest meal to prepare, because being clever with the ingredients meant they only had to prepare one thing to feed everyone. While Pok¨¦mon benefitted the most from vitamin-rich meals¡ªlike how calcium tended to strengthen special attackers and how protein strengthened physical attackers¡ªSam and Redi weren¡¯t earning enough money to do so just yet. One or two dedicated meals helped occasionally. Everything else was kept general but still nutritious, otherwise.

    Ingredients were thrown into a pot over a small fire and simmered in water. Their Pok¨¦mon trained, practicing a few recently-acquired TM moves courtesy of the bet against Whitney.

    ¡°But I get the next TM,¡± Redi suddenly said. ¡°If I¡¯d remembered I¡¯d given you that Curse TM...¡±

    Sam chuckled.

    ¡°Definitely. I mean, I got three to your, what, zero?¡±

    She stuck her tongue out at him as he continued to laugh.

    Mankey now knew Ice Punch, which he wielded against Teddiursa¡¯s Fire Punch. The hope was that the monkey¡¯s new familiarity with an elemental punch would help him learn Fire Punch as well. The same was true for Teddiursa and Ice Punch, but right now it seemed the two were more intent on just hitting each other with those attacks as part of spars.

    Cyndaquil, meanwhile, used her new move against Gastly. He conjured a Hex, her eyes flashed with insight, and she dodged the purple flames with ease.

    Detect had been the cheaper of the two TMs, as while it was a move that allowed a Pok¨¦mon to perfectly dodge an incoming attack, the public consensus was that Protect was better in every other way. Detect offered no innate protection, only a brief but significant boost to evasion. Moves that covered a wide-enough area were still unavoidable. There was a reason it was half-off and in the process of being discontinued.

    However, Sam saw Detect as not just a way to dodge a move, but it was also a great training technique. Since the insight the move provided told a Pok¨¦mon how to dodge, practicing with it would allow Cyndaquil to become familiar with how to best move to avoid attacks.

    The stew continued to simmer, and their Pok¨¦mon continued to practice. Redi ran her hand down Porygon¡¯s back, simply watching both their Pok¨¦mon train and the baby Pok¨¦mon in the field as their lunch was slowly prepared.

    ¡°Ho there!¡±

    Sam was caught off guard. Redi as well. He hadn''t noticed the apron-wearing young man approaching. Roughly twenty-or-so, the newcomer adjusted a green bandana that held his hair back on his head.

    ¡°Hi?¡± Sam said. Redi glanced over.

    ¡°Hey?¡± she said, too, awkwardly stepping in front of Porygon.

    ¡°Hi!¡± the man repeated. ¡°Espeon sent me a message just in case. You two are trainers, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam replied suspiciously. ¡°Oh, shoot. Wait, we didn¡¯t mean to bother anyone! We just wanted to watch while taking a break on our journey!¡±

    The daycare worker laughed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! They¡¯re used to travelers stopping by to observe. No, she was doing me a favor.¡± He pulled a Pok¨¦ball out of a pocket on the front of his apron. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for low-level Fire Types to battle. I challenge you to a match!¡±

    Sam bristled.

    Cyndaquil?

    Low-level?

    ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± he said. ¡°Redi, can you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Take care of the stew? Yeah, but you better make sure to bet on this match.¡±

    Sam snorted. If this guy was going to underestimate Cyndaquil, he was going to make him pay¡ªliterally.

    ¡°Fifty bucks to the winner?¡± Sam asked, stepping onto the empty road to use its flat space as a battlefield.

    ¡°Sounds good to me! Ready when you are!¡±

    Sam glanced over to Gastly and Cyndaquil. Their training had stopped, and so had Teddiursa and Mankey¡¯s spar. Cyndaquil slowly ambled over, rubbing her cheeks in an attempt to focus herself. The rest of the team followed to stand to the side and watch, and in the fenced-off meadow itself, the group of baby Pok¨¦mon stopped playing to run over to the fence, hang off, and watch as well.

    ¡°Great! I¡¯m looking forward to this!¡± the daycare worker said. ¡°Come on out, Bellsprout!¡±

    Appearing from the Pok¨¦ball was a walking plant; it had a yellow, bell-shaped head and a body consisting of two leaves as arms and a thin set of roots as legs. Bellsprout¡¯s evolved forms were known to swallow Pok¨¦mon whole. In its weak, base stage, the species was too small to do that, so it tended to rely on poison instead.

    But...

    ¡°A Grass Type, huh?¡±

    Sam rubbed his chin.

    Fighting against a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s weakness was a good way to get stronger.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s your loss,¡± Sam replied. He had those fifty dollars already in the bag.

    Smiling to himself, he pointed forward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with an Incinerate, yeah?¡±

    He didn¡¯t hold back, no matter how much of an advantage he had. Cyndaquil reared back, and a roaring Incinerate left her mouth.

    Where Ember was like a gatling gun of sparks, Incinerate was more like a bomb that exploded into flames. The glob of fire soared through the air, the move looking far too powerful to have been used by an unevolved Pok¨¦mon like her.

    ¡°Oh, sh¡ª Vine Whip! Quickly!¡±

    The breeder already looked panicked.

    Vines stretched out from underneath the Bellsprout¡¯s two leaves, and they whipped through the air to knock the attack to the side.

    Embers lingered on the extended length of plant matter, and Bellsprout panicked for a moment, quickly bringing up the attack and hitting the ground to put the bits of fire out. It sighed in relief, parts of it still steaming, and Sam readied himself for another command.

    But when he looked down, Cyndaquil was breathing heavily.

    ¡°...Are you okay?¡± he asked.

    She smiled at him, her eyes curving up to try to say that she was.

    ¡°Poison Powder!¡± the breeder shouted.

    ¡°Detect!¡±

    However, instead of a flash of insight overtaking her, Cyndaquil winced. A cloud of poisonous dust spat out from Bellsprout¡¯s mouth landed on Cyndaquil and puffed into the air around her.

    Sam frowned. She should have been able to dodge that even without Detect.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± he asked.

    She nodded her head again. Even though she was suffering from poison, she was still determined to continue the match.

    ¡°Wrap!¡± Bellsprout¡¯s trainer shouted.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam yelled to counter.

    He hoped a weaker move would help Cyndaquil¡¯s growing exhaustion. However, where the Incinerate had carried the power he expected of her, the Ember came out as weak as it had when they first started to practice.

    Quick on its roots, the Bellsprout twisted and turned to avoid all the incoming sparks, putting its thin body to use and reminding Sam of a sort of ballerina dancer. Cyndaquil didn¡¯t run away¡ªshe was too tired to and was still poisoned¡ªwhich gave Bellsprout ample time to rush over and wrap itself around her.

    Her back flared. Cyndaquil tried to use her personal flames to burn Bellsprout off of her. However, it adjusted itself to only lock down her hands and feet, using the stem of its body to tie down her mouth and prevent her from using any further moves.

    ¡°I...¡±

    Cyndaquil was struggling. She should have been able to get Bellsprout off. But when the Grass Type wrapped her like this¡ª

    ¡°Keep it up!¡± the daycare worker said.

    It was blatantly clear that Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t going to win.

    ¡°We forfeit!¡± Sam shouted.

    Losing fifty dollars would hurt, but he was more worried about his friend.

    A whistle called the Bellsprout back, and Sam hurried over, catching an Antidote Redi tossed at him from where their medicine was stored in her backpack.

    He sprayed it as Cyndaquil panted heavily. She rubbed her arms and legs.

    ¡°Cyndaquil,¡± he said, rubbing her neck. ¡°I thought you were okay to fight. If you still need to rest¡ª¡±

    She furiously shook her head. It was a one-off thing, she tried to imply. Sam could tell by her determined expression that she was confident it would pass by the next day.

    ¡°If you¡¯re so sure...¡± he mumbled.

    Glancing up, he saw the daycare worker walking over.

    ¡°Great match!¡± he said. ¡°I really appreciated that Ember. All the work Bellsprout and I have spent on dodging is really paying off!¡±

    Sam mournfully handed over the cash, wincing slightly but also acknowledging that losing that much wouldn¡¯t completely destroy their budget. The man smiled and affectionately nuzzled his Bellsprout¡¯s head. The Grass Type had wrapped itself around his arm like some kind of band.

    As he walked off, Sam picked up Cyndaquil and placed her in his hood to hopefully let her rest. He braced himself for Redi to chide him, but the usual teasing that he was met with after a loss never came.

    ¡°Stew¡¯s ready,¡± she said. The team came over to eat.

    Lunch was eaten in silence. After getting some food in her, Cyndaquil seemed fine. Yet, Sam couldn¡¯t help but still feel worried.

 Chapter 38

    Sam kept a close eye on Cyndaquil as they continued to travel south. Most of the time, she was just fine, throwing herself into training and practicing Curse, Will-O-Wisp, and Detect with a fervor rarely seen.

    However, there were other times that she would slow down when she thought Sam wasn¡¯t looking. She would stay low to the ground, barely moving, staring off into the distance as if she was just trying to get a handle on herself. When eating meals, she¡¯d often stare into the flames of their campfire, watching it flicker without touching her food.

    Whenever Sam would try to call out to her, she¡¯d smile at him and go back to behaving completely normally, as if there was nothing wrong.

    There was obviously something wrong.

    The length of time it took to get from city to city was often made longer by the frequent stops Sam and Redi made to train. They were taking on the Gym Challenge, and spending long periods on only walking would have their team¡¯s skills begin to deteriorate. Constant growth was practically demanded if they wanted to reach the Pok¨¦mon League, yet how was that growth supposed to happen when Cyndaquil was frequently distracted by pain?

    A week¡¯s trip turned into slightly less than a week¡¯s trip, as Sam declined to stop as frequently. They still stopped to practice and rest, of course, but it was a few less times than usual. They didn¡¯t reach Azalea Town, rather, they reached the end of Route 34. There, trees began to become more frequent and started to increase in size. A small Pok¨¦mon Center sat at the very edge of Ilex Forest proper to give trainers who spent the past few days pushing through it a place to rest and heal their Pok¨¦mon.

    The nurse there was a junior nurse, much to Sam¡¯s disappointment. She didn¡¯t have as much training or experience as nurses from any major city.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as far as we can tell, there¡¯s nothing wrong with your Cyndaquil,¡± she said as Sam worriedly listened in. ¡°She¡¯s not sick. She¡¯s not poisoned. Best I can tell is that she might need some rest¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been resting almost all the time the last few days,¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve been making her train far less than normal. She¡¯s actually starting to get annoyed.¡±

    The laugh that came after wasn¡¯t happy. He was nervous. Worried about her.

    The junior nurse behind the counter frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to give you an answer, but it¡¯s nothing I¡¯ve seen before. And I can¡¯t really check, either, since our Pok¨¦mon Center doesn¡¯t have the same kind of advanced medical suite as in most cities. We¡¯re mostly equipped to handle poison.¡±

    Sam rubbed his head out of frustration.

    ¡°But!¡± the junior nurse suddenly said. ¡°I can give you a potential solution, at least. Our usual nurse isn¡¯t here right now, as she¡¯s on her usual route of treating Pok¨¦mon in smaller settlements where the forest is sparse. If you¡¯re willing to wait a few days¡ª¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Six, roughly,¡± she said, much to Sam¡¯s frustration. ¡°She just left yesterday, unfortunately. Alternatively, if you¡¯re not willing to wait, I recommend heading to Goldenrod or back through the forest to reach Azalea.¡±

    ¡°...We just came from Goldenrod,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Although, not stopping at all would let them return to the city before the usual nurse returned here.

    ¡°Then, I recommend going to Azalea. Ilex forest is filled with Bug Types, but heading straight to town should allow you to reach there within only three days. Most of the difficulty with traveling through it is wild Pok¨¦mon attacks and the difficult environment, but you should be able to avoid most of that by keeping to the center.¡±

    Sam nodded, weighing his options, and thanked the nurse before picking up Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. He walked over to where Redi was waiting for him on a couch. Teddiursa was fast asleep on a pillow on its side.

    ¡°So, what¡¯d she say?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not sure what¡¯s wrong with Cyndaquil, but that¡¯s because she¡¯s still in training. We can wait for their usual nurse to return¡ª¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Just under a week,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Or we can quickly push through the forest to reach Azalea in the next three or so.¡±

    He sat down, running a hand through his hair. He already knew how Cyndaquil would react if he talked to her; she¡¯d whine at him and try to assure him that everything was fine.

    ¡°Waiting seems like the safest option,¡± Redi mused, ¡°but...¡±

    ¡°Those flashes are getting more frequent. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll be before she¡¯s all but stuck in one place,¡± Sam said.

    He hated this. He hated that Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t feeling well. Part of the reason he liked Ghost Types so much was because they didn¡¯t get sick. They didn¡¯t have medical emergencies, or illnesses, or surprise passings that caught everyone off¡ª

    ¡°I think we should push through the forest. Get her checked out at a proper Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± Sam said. ¡°The sooner the better.¡±

    ¡°Anything we should worry about?¡±

    Sam had done a bit of research on Ilex Forest back in Goldenrod.

    Truth be told, most of what he had looked up was to see what Ghost Types might be present. While he didn¡¯t have a spare Pok¨¦ball right now, he could have easily obtained one in Azalea. Ilex Forest, however, didn¡¯t have a set path or any main road like most dedicated Routes. Instead, it stretched across a large swath of southern Johto, having designated ¡°safe areas¡± for travelers that Rangers regularly patrolled.

    Swarms of Bug Types were the forest¡¯s biggest threats, but they were easily warded away by fire. Between Teddiursa¡¯s Fire Punch, Gastly¡¯s phantasmal Hex, and Mankey¡¯s own eventual learning of Fire Punch, they could scare those Bug Types away. What Sam was worried about the most was the presence of any aggressive, wild Ghost Types. After all...

    ¡°Ghost Types attract Ghost Types,¡± he said.

    Redi cocked her head to the side, a little confused.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It was in one of those books Morty lent me. It implied that ghosts are drawn to ghosts, positing because it takes spiritual power to handle spiritual power. There¡¯s this strange, unexplainable... affection the Type has for itself. Ghost is super effective against Ghost, so why wouldn¡¯t that be the case?¡±

    ¡°And you have Gastly with you,¡± Redi concluded.

    Sam nodded solemnly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a higher-than-usual chance of attracting another Ghost Type. And if we¡¯re rushing, we won¡¯t be staying quiet.¡±

    Sam had a good idea of the species that might appear. The Gastly line was obvious, as no matter where someone went in Indigo, those Ghost Types tended to appear in dark places. Misdreavus was another that was more common to Johto than Kanto. Yet, while those two were the most known about species, Sam had his own theory about what else might be in the forest.

    Dual Grass-Ghost Types were likely present, though likely only deeper in. There was Phantump and its evolved form, Trevenent, which were literally possessed trees. Other than them there was Poltchageist and its evolved form, Sinistcha, which were possessed cups of tea.

    Considering no one in Johto ever reported seeing them in Ilex Forest, those two species were probably only found off-route.

    Though, why would a cup of tea be in a forest? Well, there might be some kind of forgotten, abandoned home deep, deep in.

    But Sam shook his head. It made more sense to prepare for the obvious, which was the Gastly line and Misdreavus.

    ¡°So we¡¯ll need to worry about being attacked?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s a chance, not a guarantee.¡±

    It was at that moment there were two flashes of light. From Sam¡¯s waist, his other two team members released themselves.

    Mankey punched his fist into his palm, demonstrating his readiness to fight. As for Gastly, the Ghost Type simply grinned. He conjured a Hex around himself, showing off just how capable he had become¡ª

    ¡°No moves in the Pok¨¦mon Center!¡±

    ¡ªbut the purple lights winked out when the nurse shouted for him to stop.

    Sam still laughed, thankful for his team¡¯s show of support.

    ¡°And you have us, too,¡± Redi said. ¡°Teddiursa. Me. Porygon. Something attacks us, and it¡¯ll have to fight all of us off!¡±

    Despite all the worry Sam had built up over Cyndaquil, he couldn''t help but to feel a bit of relief.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said genuinely. ¡°Once we rest tonight, we¡¯ll go through Ilex Forest. And before too long, we¡¯ll reach Azalea Town, where we¡¯ll head to the Pok¨¦mon Center and...¡±

    Make sure Cyndaquil starts feeling better.

    <hr>

    The Ilex Forest was ancient, older than Johto itself. The trees here outlasted multiple eras of human history. More often than not, their trunks were as wide as one of Goldenrod¡¯s skyscrapers. Sam felt like he was traveling through a natural version of the city¡¯s downtown, yet he also knew that these were small compared to some of the trees deeper in!

    Branches stretched out hundreds of feet above Sam¡¯s head. Dense leaves shrouded the sky and cast everything into dim light. Occasionally, the curve of a branch would allow a beam or two to get through, creating areas of natural light. Smaller bushes and trees were more common there. The rest of the forest was filled with enormous roots.

    Fallen leaves crunched under their feet as the entire group pushed forward. They forwent stealth in favor of speed. Everyone stayed on high alert.

    Gastly drifted in a perimeter around the group. As a Ghost Type, he was most in-tune with potential ambushes and spirits that might be drawn near. Mankey was Sam¡¯s personal guard, and Teddiursa was Redi¡¯s. Then for Porygon, the floating Normal Type was told to stay exactly one foot away from Redi, where it would serve as a turret that would unleash a Psybeam at anything Redi pointed to.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Other than their Pok¨¦mon, Sam had a secret weapon, too. The Cleanse Tag from Morty was out and proudly displayed on his backpack¡¯s back. Its inscription provided a calming aura around their group, relaxing them as they traveled. For all of his nerves about Cyndaquil, Sam did find himself breathing easier with it out.

    ¡°You really think Cyndaquil will be okay?¡± he asked. The little Fire Type was resting in her Pok¨¦ball, on Sam¡¯s orders.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Redi said alongside a firm nod. ¡°If I had to describe it, it¡¯s more like she¡¯s strained rather than in pain. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything we need to worry about too much. She¡¯ll definitely be able to hold out until we reach the Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    Sam could imagine all of the potential worst case scenarios if he wanted to, but that wouldn¡¯t help him. He forced all of those thoughts out of his head. Instead, hours passed uneventfully as they trudged forward, passed by enormous trees, and climbed over massive roots that occasionally tried to block their path.

    The first day passed without trouble. Sounds of Bug Types could be heard, but their group was large enough that none ever approached. On the second day, Sam felt confident. They could do this. One or two more days, and they would make it. When dusk fell, they began to set up camp.

    Teddiursa helped Redi set up their tents as Mankey used Low Kick to sweep away fallen twigs and leaves in their chosen campsite. A forked set of giant roots provided them a bit of cover, reducing the chances some hostile wild Pok¨¦mon stumbled upon them in the night.

    They were following the most well-traveled path through the forest, however. Already, they had seen several people going the opposite way¡ªand Sam had to turn down battles almost every time. Going as fast as they were, it didn¡¯t make sense to stop. At least no one reacted negatively to that. All of their potential challengers had been understanding and let them continue on their way unbothered.

    With the time to rest rapidly approaching, Sam released Cyndaquil from her Pok¨¦ball as he built a small fire.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked her. Cyndaquil yawned and stretched out, having been inside of her Pok¨¦ball all day.

    She sat on her back paws and punched at the air. She turned up to look at him, a determined smile on her face.

    Sam knew what she was doing. She was trying to tell him that everything was fine and that he shouldn¡¯t worry. Yet, he had known her for years. Her smile didn¡¯t curve up all the way, and the look in her thin eyes was forced.

    He scooped her up and placed her in his hood.

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t! Rest only! Training might worsen your condition, so you¡¯re going in there, little lady!¡±

    She whined unhappily but still nuzzled up inside. With all of her training, she was growing. She still fit in his hood, but it was tighter than before. That at least made it a more cozy nest.

    He chuckled, glad to see her comfortable despite everything else. He also whispered a request for her help, and she conjured a single Will-O-Wisp that lazily drifted over and lit the fire.

    She seemed proud of that contribution, as small as it was. As ingredients were poured into the water, Sam glanced around at the rest of the team.

    Mankey looked disappointed. Since Sam and Redi were keeping their Pok¨¦mon out while in the forest, he had plenty of time to train. While walking, he frequently punched at the air, trying to convert his Ice Punch into Fire Punch. Unfortunately, while he was picking it up, he was learning it nowhere near as fast as Teddiursa. The little bear Pok¨¦mon was already able to completely coat his own fist in ice.

    ¡°I know you can do it, Mankey. Just a bit more training and you¡¯ll nail it, yeah?¡±

    Cyndaquil squeaked her own support from inside his hood.

    ¡°...Maybe if you rest tonight, I can let you sit back there when we travel tomorrow, and you can give him advice on using the Fire Type when we walk.¡±

    Right away, all motivation to push herself tonight faded away. Sam heard her fake a yawn. If it meant less forced rest tomorrow, of course she would rest tonight.

    The orange hues of dusk turned to the darkness of night. The meal finished cooking, and the group had a stew prepared once again.

    ¡°You know, I said I didn¡¯t like the powdered stuff, but I think I¡¯m getting kind of sick of stew,¡± Sam mumbled, holding a spoon in his hand.

    Redi put her own spoon down and sighed.

    ¡°We really should have bought a wider variety of meals.¡±

    It was fine, but eating the same thing every day made good food taste bad.

    Mankey and Teddiursa elbowed each other as they ate, roughhousing until Redi told them to stop or risk spilling their food. Meanwhile, Porygon was inside of her calculator, feasting on the freshly installed programs Redi had obtained at the last Pok¨¦mon Center.

    As Sam turned to Gastly to check on his final team member, he paused. The Ghost Type was staring out into the woods.

    He wasn¡¯t smiling. He was staring forward without a readable expression on his face.

    ¡°Hey¡ª¡±

    Sam stopped.

    When he spoke, the faintest bit of mist left his mouth.

    It suddenly felt far too silent around them, and Sam could have sworn he heard muffled giggling.

    ¡°Gastly, do you... feel that?¡± he asked.

    Everyone else froze mid-bite, snapping their eyes towards Sam as he followed Gastly¡¯s gaze. Gastly did his best to smile nervously at him out of the corner of his eyes. Redi cautiously stood up and held up her calculator, whispering for Porygon to appear at her side.

    Utter silence. Complete stillness. So, so many alarm bells were going off in Sam¡¯s mind. Even the gluttonous Mankey put his bowl of food down, pausing his meal to go on high alert and prepare for whatever was coming.

    It felt like hours passed without anyone moving. Each second was a day that Sam spent staring into the woods.

    A chill went down his spine. Sam felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on its ends.

    ¡°Do you.... think it¡¯s a ghost?¡± Redi asked quietly.

    ¡°A Ghost Type? Yeah, I do,¡± Sam whispered.

    He carefully reached to his belt, aiming to free Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. He didn¡¯t want to involve her in a serious battle, but it was that movement that served as the gunshot to start the race.

    A spine-chilling scream rang out, piercing the heavy silence of their campsite. Directly where Gastly was staring, a dark blur rushed out directly at Sam.

    ¡°Hex, Gastly!¡± he shouted.

    Purple flames rushed to intercept the blur¡¯s course. The incoming Pok¨¦mon spun to the side and easily avoided them all before lifting itself up further into the air.

    Hair drifted out like wisps behind it. Yellow eyes with red irises curved up as if in amusement. The wild Misdreavus glanced at Gastly, as if to ask him if he had been serious about his attack.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°There was no way we¡¯d get through this forest so easily!¡±

    The Misdreavus smiled, bouncing in place. It looked excited. Like it wanted to play. Its gaze slipped away from Gastly to lock onto Sam, and only Sam.

    That made him even more nervous.

    ¡°...Teddiursa,¡± Redi whispered.

    ¡°...Mankey,¡± Sam added.

    They wanted to get those two to assist in the upcoming fight.

    However, Gastly turned around and shook his head. Like the Misdreavus, he was smiling. Grinning. This was his fight, and his expression told them he was looking forward to it.

    ¡°Alright. Be careful,¡± Sam said.

    He had faith in his friend. Besides, this was a wild Pok¨¦mon. How strong could it possibly be?

    For a brief moment, the wild Misdreavus¡¯s gaze flicked over everyone here. But, just like before, it settled on Sam, and it started to drift forward, trying to reach him and only him.

    Gastly acted without Sam needing to call for a move. He howled his name, and a Hex popped into existence like numbers of a rapidly appearing clock. The purple fire launched at the Misdreavus, and the wild Ghost Type pulled back and ducked beneath to avoid every mote.

    Briefly, it looked betrayed¡ªshocked that Gastly had continued to attack at all.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Sam shouted.

    He wasn¡¯t going to give it time to recover, but the Misdreavus closed its eyes to render Gastly¡¯s hypnotic look ineffective.

    He shouted again, calling for Confuse Ray, but even in its temporarily blinded state, the Ghost Type rolled to the side to avoid the greyish beam.

    ¡°Maybe try for a Mean L¡ª Wait, no. Don¡¯t use that.¡±

    Mean Look could prevent a Pok¨¦mon from fleeing, but they wanted this Misdreavus to flee. Besides, the move was ineffective against Ghost Types, anyway.

    Instead, Gastly used Hex once more, unleashing his sole attacking move against his hovering opponent. As the purple flames sparked up around him, he rushed forward to get as close as he could manage.

    Mankey and Teddiursa, cheered their names, supporting Gastly as loud as they could. Gastly smirked and tried to slam his Hex into Misdreavus. To mix it up, he even went for a Lick.

    However, it was like the Misdreavus saw all of that coming. Faster than he could move, it pulled back, moved around him, and dipped and ducked under every one of his attacks.

    Confused, he pulled back. Sam bit his lip nervously. The wild Pok¨¦mon turned its full attention to Gastly, and it opened its mouth to cause bits of shadow to coalesce in front of it.

    ¡°What?!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°That¡¯s Shadow Ball! How does it know that?¡±

    Shadow Ball was commonly thought of as the most powerful Ghost Type move around. Sam knew better than that, but to have a wild Pok¨¦mon use it in such a casual manner...

    Gastly tried to flee, but he was outmatched. A pulsating ball of pure darkness sailed forward and caught him in the back. The Ghost Type move caught him as if he was completely solid, and the attack carried him forward to slam him into the trunk of a large tree.

    He didn¡¯t bring himself out.

    ¡°...Gastly?¡± Sam asked nervously.

    The Misdreavus giggled and resumed its casual drift towards Sam. Its eyes lit up with excitement. The wild Pok¨¦mon was filled with glee.

    ¡°Fire Punch!¡± Redi called out.

    Sam snapped into focus.

    ¡°Ember and Assurance!¡±

    Three Pok¨¦mon unleashed their attacks.

    Cyndaquil, while still tired and still in Sam¡¯s hood, contributed by unleashing an Ember that forced the Misdreavus downwards. Avoiding the move brought it close to the ground, within range of both Mankey and Teddiursa jumping up to hit it with their attacks.

    Unfortunately, while Misdreavus was briefly caught off guard by that combination, it had a defense ready in the form of a Psychic Type move. Eyes glowing blue, a telekinetic Confusion caught both jumping Pok¨¦mon. Mankey was unceremoniously tossed into the ground, and Teddiursa was used as a shield to block a silent follow-up attack from Porygon.

    Redi lowered her finger from where she pointed, chuckling nervously as she did.

    ¡°Sam, should it really be this strong?¡±

    Sam grabbed his Cleanse Tag. The Misdreavus didn¡¯t even glance at it.

    ¡°No. It shouldn¡¯t,¡± he said, taking a step back. ¡°Why is there such a capable wild Pok¨¦mon here, of all places?¡±

    The Misdreavus looked annoyed. It looked at Sam as if he should have known the answer to that question. He took another step back, and the Ghost Type started to speed up. The hair on the back of its head waved from an unseen breeze.

    Cyndaquil winced, unable to use a move. Sam tripped on the edge of a small root and fell on his butt.

    He closed his eyes in panic, an unconscious response when dealing with a predator. Yet, the Misdreavus never reached him.

    He felt heat. A cold heat. Another use of Hex stopped the Misdreavus from getting any further.

    Gastly burst from the tree, phasing out of its thick trunk while panting, forcing himself to recover after that previous attack. His usual casual yet relaxed demeanor was gone. An eye twitched in utter annoyance.

    Another Hex, and another dodge. The Misdreavus clicked its tongue, annoyed.

    ¡°Cyndaquil,¡± Sam whispered despite his worries, ¡°do you think you could¡ª¡±

    His request never concluded; he was interrupted by a bright glow.

    His words caught in his throat, and Sam stared at Gastly. For all the Ghost Type had thrown himself into practice, Sam would have never expected to see this so soon.

    ¡°No way,¡± Redi breathed.

    Sam respectfully agreed.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Pok¨¦mon always grow the most when they¡¯re stressed. There¡¯s a reason most evolutions happen in the middle of battles¡ªso why wouldn¡¯t one happen right now?¡±

    Within the light, Gastly changed. His ambient gas sucked into him, and the sphere that was his body grew and reshaped. Points stabbed out across his back, and a wispy trail emanated from his base. For his mouth, it became fanged, and at his sides, two blobs split off to become clawed hands.

    When the light broke, Gastly was no longer Gastly. Instead, a magnificent Haunter stared at the Misdreavus with hateful determination.

    Sam quickly capitalized on the moment¡ªevolving usually came with a burst of increased energy, and that sometimes came with insight.

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± he yelled.

    The move was something most Haunter could understand intrinsically, and more importantly, the attack homed.

    Haunter¡¯s disconnected hands curled into fists and left his sides, rushing through the air like rockets aimed at Misdreavus. The wild Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes went wide in panic as it tried its best to roll and dodge like it had done so many times before.

    Except, in this case, Haunter could still control his hands, and he leaned to the side to change their course and finally manage a hit. One slammed into Misdreavus¡¯s cheek, and the other slammed directly into its face.

    Haunter cackled happily. Briefly, Sam was reminded of how his own punch had led to Haunter¡¯s capture in the first place.

    The freshly evolved Ghost Type slowly drew back his hands. Though super effective, he still wasn¡¯t a great physical attacker. Misdreavus was hurt, but it was still conscious.

    However, it also looked completely and utterly betrayed.

    Pain that was more than just physical crossed Misdreavus¡¯s face. Its eyes flicked around in a panic. Tears welled up. It sniffed. It seemed incapable of even glancing at Sam.

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±

    Instead of some tough, final match, Misdreavus turned and fled back into the woods, barely holding back sobs. Haunter was left behind, staring out, blinking and confused.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam didn¡¯t know. Something twisted in his chest.

    Still. He had more important things to think about. Cyndaquil needed to reach the Pok¨¦mon Center, but Gastly¡ªno, Haunter¡ªhad evolved!

    He couldn¡¯t help it. He grinned.

    So Xavier might have an evolved Donphan, but now we have an evolved Haunter with us, too!

    He smiled at his Pok¨¦mon, a genuine feeling of happiness for his friend crossing his face.

    ¡°You did it!¡± Sam laughed once. ¡°Congratulations! I should have known you were getting close to evolving!¡±

    Haunter gained his usual grin and pumped his fists, replying with a cheer. He clapped his hands as if to test his new manipulators out.

    Meanwhile, both Mankey and Teddiursa suddenly shouted for his attention. They each held up a hand high.

    Haunter stared with shock. He sniffed, eyes watering as if he had been waiting for this for a long time. Drifting downwards, both Pok¨¦mon smiled at him to finally receive a long-awaited high-five.

    He smacked them in the face instead.

    As they shouted at him angrily, he sped off into the air, cackling all the way.

    ¡°...Of course he did that.¡±

    Sam had to chuckle.

    The two grounded Pok¨¦mon stomped back to the camp, any sense of cheer being replaced by the red marks on their faces.

    ¡°You know, I had a feeling I should have bet on which of our Pok¨¦mon would evolve first,¡± Redi said, stepping closer to Sam.

    ¡°Wait, why?¡± He blinked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I win?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I would have bet on one of your Pok¨¦mon evolving first. Congratulations, by the way.¡±

    Sam replied with a sharp smile.

    ¡°Yeah! And now that Gastly, sorry, Haunter has evolved, that means we¡¯ll get through this forest even easier than before!¡±

    He then looked around and back at the forest, eyeing the darkness where Misdreavus had disappeared.

    ¡°But, uh...¡± He scratched his cheek nervously. ¡°Maybe we should move our campsite? I don¡¯t want that Misdreavus to know where to find us if it returns.¡±

    Redi¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly called for her Pok¨¦mon to help pack everything up.

    Sam did the same, quickly moving to assist. Mankey inhaled both his meal and Teddiursa¡¯s dropped meal before grabbing everything he could.

    Eventually, Haunted drifted back down, and Sam could feel Cyndaquil shift in his hood to properly congratulate him. However, when she squeaked a happy squeak, something about it felt off.

    Why does Cyndaquil sound so... conflicted?

 Chapter 39

    It was so cool to have an evolved Ghost Type nearby.

    Like Gastly, Haunter didn¡¯t have an obvious method of propulsion. If he willed it, he could move in that direction in the air. There was no obvious cloud of poisonous gas around him like there had been in his previous form, but the fur on his body was closer to matted hair. Faint wisps of darkness occasionally drifted out. When Haunter let Sam touch his body, he felt surprisingly silky.

    At times, Haunter would float off to poke and prod at nothing at all within the thick creases of the bark of nearby giant trees. While nothing physical was there, Haunter¡¯s newly acquired fingers would cause shadows to ripple like the surface of a pond.

    Sam desperately wanted to learn more about that ability, especially when Haunter seemed to gain a sudden realization and zipped into Sam¡¯s shadow. He felt a chill as if someone had just walked over his grave, but as Haunter popped in and out, cackling, the feeling became more and more mundane.

    The only form of insight he obtained was when Mankey tried to jab his rapidly improving Fire Punch into Sam¡¯s shadow. It was an attempt to follow after Haunter and light up the pool of ¡°liquid¡± he kept diving into, but it turned out that diving into a shadow turned that shadow into a medium vulnerable to attack.

    So, entering shadows wasn¡¯t a great defense, but it was a great technique for a surprise dodge or hidden movement. So many ideas and strategies filled Sam¡¯s mind, but he couldn¡¯t afford to worry about it. Cyndaquil still frequently experienced moments of tense strain, and Sam was also pretty sure they were actively being watched.

    Someone or something kept leaving Apricorns in their path. Teddiursa was a Pok¨¦mon adept at locating them, too. Since his species was inherently curious, they were said to have the ¡°Pick Up¡± ability. With ease, his eyes picked out piles of leaves and mounds of dirt on the ground, and he would walk over, scrounge around, and come back with a freshly-picked Apricorn to hand to Redi.

    When he brought back a green Apricorn¡ªthe fifth time he had brought one of those fruits back¡ªRedi thanked him, put it away, and glanced over to Sam.

    ¡°I know that I said I wanted to get Apricorns, but this feels weird, right? It¡¯s like someone is trying to leave us gifts. Or mess with us.¡±

    ¡°Like that Misdreavus?¡± Sam offered.

    She shivered.

    ¡°I really hope not.¡±

    Despite nothing being around¡ªHaunter would have alerted them¡ªSam still felt the hair on the back of his neck as if he was being watched.

    Thankfully, this last day within Ilex Forest went uneventfully. That wild Misdreavus was the stand-out encounter, but both the size of their group and Haunter¡¯s evolved strength was more than enough to scare any other wild Pok¨¦mon off. At most, they accidentally approached a tree full of Kakuna but thankfully noticed it before it was too late. They took a wide, wide berth around it to ensure no swarm of Beedrill chased after them for daring to approach the swarm¡¯s home.

    The junior nurse had been slightly wrong when she had told Sam three days to get through Ilex Forest. Instead, it took three full days to get through, and they found the exit late morning of the fourth.

    The woods opened up, and the trees became smaller around them. Light peeked through much more frequently, and when they finally managed to break free, Sam found himself staring over Azalea Town from the top of a hill.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised that Azalea was sometimes called the most peaceful town in Johto. The town was situated right at the edge of Ilex, protected by rolling hills covered by trees. On one side of it was a series of rocky slopes that likely hid the entrance to Union Cave¡ªthe easiest method of traveling north to Violet City. Next to those slopes was a large, calm lake with crystal-clear, blue waters.

    While the view was beautiful, Sam did not want to delay Cyndaquil¡¯s check-up any longer. He descended the hill, carefully placing his steps so as to not fall, using the height he had to locate the red roof of the Pok¨¦mon Center and head straight towards it.

    ¡°So I did some reading back in Goldenrod,¡± Sam started as he walked.

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°Back before we got distracted with all of... this,¡± he continued, gesturing at nothing specific all around him. ¡°Azalea''s pretty unique in that it doesn''t have a dedicated Gym Leader. Even with Ilex Forest being nearby, there usually isn¡¯t a need for a single, strong individual down here. Instead, the local Gym follows a more hive-like structure, with a group of Ace Trainer-equivalents running the place. It¡¯s a source of pride for them, apparently.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t hives have queens?¡± Redi interjected.

    ¡°I mean, yeah, if you¡¯re in Sinnoh and are dealing with Combee and Vespiquen,¡± Sam said. ¡°But down here, they¡¯re taking inspiration from Beedrill. That specific Bug Type works in swarms to protect their vulnerable Kakuna and Weedle.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± Redi grunted. Her eyes scanned the buildings of the town as they approached. ¡°And over there? That section with all that smoke?¡±

    A row of houses churned out black plumes from their chimneys.

    ¡°Probably the Pok¨¦ball-makers, I think?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi hummed, obviously committing that to memory. She and Sam reached the streets of the town itself.

    ¡°So since Cyndaquil needs a check-up, we¡¯ll wait to explore the town after,¡± he said, reassuring himself. ¡°Maybe we can get a nice meal once this is all over?¡±

    Mankey¡¯s eyes went unfocused as his fur-hidden mouth dripped with drool.

    In the middle of the day like this, Haunter remained in Sam¡¯s shadow, making the most of his newfound capability. Although, Sam could occasionally see the Ghost Type¡¯s red eyes peek out to glance around at their surroundings. Cyndaquil stayed in her Pok¨¦ball to rest.

    Here, the buildings were old-fashioned like the buildings of Ecruteak, but there was far less focus on aesthetics and more greater focus on practicality. They were all made out of the bare minimum number of materials required and were much more spread out. Overall, the population of Azalea was likely the same as Dewford, but without tall cliffs restricting its size, this town had grown wide.

    Sam moved quickly from street to street, following the fastest path he could find to reach the Pok¨¦mon Center. He barely bothered to look more closely at the town around him. Sure, there were a surprising number of specialty shops that advertised charcoal goods and herbal remedies, but he was more focused on finally getting Cyndaquil the care she needed.

    Finally arriving at the Pok¨¦mon Center, he found it was wooden like all the rest. This building had a touch of modernity to it with its red-shingled roof and tall glass windows.

    He headed inside, stepping into a room that felt more like an open, cozy lodge rather than the lobby of a medical facility. There was a front counter like usual, and he immediately rushed over to the nurse on duty.

    ¡°Hello, and welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± the pink-haired woman said. ¡°Here, we can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please take my Cyndaquil!¡± Sam shouted. He bowed his head and held his Pok¨¦ball forward. ¡°Please! She¡¯s constantly under strain, and no matter how much we rest, nothing seems to help her!¡±

    The nurse blinked before a soft smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll make sure your Cyndaquil is in perfect health!¡±

    Sam breathed out a huge sigh of relief.

    He passed her Pok¨¦ball over, handing the nurse his trainer ID as well. Stepping back to allow Redi a turn, Sam numbly wandered over to a nearby couch.

    A Chansey brought Cyndaquil into the back. Redi quickly asked for keys to a set of rooms for the pair and hurried over once the nurse provided them.

    ¡°Sam, I¡ª¡± Redi paused when she glanced at Sam¡¯s downtrodden face. ¡°Let me take your stuff. I¡¯ll put it down for you, alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he breathed. ¡°Thanks, Redi.¡±

    She smiled at him and headed into the back.

    Sam all but collapsed onto the couch¡¯s soft cushions, allowing his head to rest on the couch¡¯s back and stare up at the ceiling. Mankey hopped up next to him, sitting and kicking his legs off of the edge.

    There weren¡¯t many people here. One person quietly made a call in the back, but no other trainers lingered in the room. Azalea was a rather small town, after all, even with its Pok¨¦mon League Gym. Based on how quiet it was, Sam had a feeling most trainers stopped by, challenged the Gym, then immediately passed through.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    As he was waiting, he let his mind go blank. He just needed to try to rest. Cyndaquil would be just fine now that she was in a proper facility.

    I don¡¯t know why she would try so hard to convince me that she¡¯s fine even though she was obviously not. Maybe she got injured against Whitney? And then she tried to hide it from me to save me from the guilt? But then why would the nurses not be able to find anything? It feels almost entirely physical. It¡¯s the weirdest sickness I¡¯ve ever seen.

    He didn¡¯t react to the sound of the side door opening up, and he didn¡¯t react to footsteps entering the room. What he did react to was the sound of a voice.

    ¡°Can you check over my Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    It was familiar, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    ¡°Certainly! I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re in perfect health. No sense in risking any lingering injuries after a harsh training session, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the familiar voice said humourlessly.

    Sam watched a certain boy walk over and collapse onto a neighboring couch.

    Xavier looked tired. It was clear he had been pushing himself lately. He leaned back and covered his face with an arm.

    Sam stared at the boy, waiting for him to say something¡ªanything¡ªbut no words ever came.

    ¡°...Hey,¡± Sam said.

    He wasn¡¯t sure why he said that. Something about being ignored made him annoyed.

    ¡°What? Do you need something?¡± Xavier asked, removing his arm to glance at Sam. His voice dripped with politeness.

    Sam wanted Xavier to react and recognize him. He wanted Xavier to realize who he was. Yet, the other boy just stared with a blank look of unfamiliarity. It seemed like all Xavier was doing was trying to get some rest, and Sam was struck by a realization.

    Xavier thought him to be just a ¡°stranger¡± bothering him.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked, annoyance leaking into his tone. ¡°You really don¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    He felt his voice hitch. Xavier raised an eyebrow with a slight hum.

    ¡°Huh? Oh. You''re that boy from the boat.¡±

    Xavier brought his arm back down to continue covering his eyes. Sam stuttered, unable to find his words due to sheer disbelief.

    ¡°...That¡¯s it? Just that boy from the boat?¡± Sam said.

    ¡°We talked once. Battled once. What more do you want from me? I¡¯m not bothering you, am I?¡±

    Sam was once again left struggling to speak. He had built up Xavier so much in his head that to be so utterly dismissed like this was like¡ª

    ¡°You crushed Whitney¡¯s team. You declared you were going to win the Conference. You got second place in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, higher than me!¡±

    Xavier winced at that last one.

    ¡°So what?¡± he snapped.

    ¡°I have an evolved Pok¨¦mon, now,¡± Sam said, sitting up a bit taller.

    A glance at Mankey.

    ¡°Oh. Your Cyndaquil, then? Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°No. My Haunter.¡±

    Xavier rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not the Starter,¡± he mumbled. ¡°You are aware I have three evolved Pok¨¦mon on my team, right?¡±

    Sam felt his hands clench into fists as Xavier leaned forward and rubbed his temples. There wasn¡¯t any time for a response¡ªthe nurse called out Xavier¡¯s name.

    ¡°Xavier! Your Pok¨¦mon are ready for pick-up!¡±

    There was something about how quickly Xavier¡¯s team was checked-over that churned Sam¡¯s gut.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Xavier said.

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam replied.

    Xavier stood up and walked away without any fanfare. Grumbling, Sam rested his face in his hands, trying to calm down. Closing his eyes, he didn¡¯t notice his shadow stretching towards Xavier until it was too late. A purple hand left the darkness to grab the leaving boy¡¯s foot.

    Xavier yelped, but he caught himself before he fell to the floor. He jerked around.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± he shouted.

    Like elastic, Sam¡¯s shadow snapped back to him. Both of them saw. Sam stood up to better face Xavier, and Mankey hopped up onto the back of the couch to defend Sam if needed.

    ¡°Huh? Whatever could you mean?¡± Sam asked.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Haunter to react with a prank, but he appreciated it. If his Pok¨¦mon was going to defend him, he was going to defend his Pok¨¦mon back.

    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Xavier¡¯s expression was thunderous. ¡°You had your Pok¨¦mon attack me!¡±

    ¡°I did nothing of the sort,¡± Sam said imperiously.

    Xavier stormed over, thrusting his finger right at Sam¡¯s chest, but Mankey hopped over to growl and threaten the older boy before he could. At Xavier¡¯s side, a flash. Apparently, not every one of his Pok¨¦mon had been handed over. A tall, tawny owl Pok¨¦mon¡ªa Noctowl¡ªreleased itself to leer at Mankey, ready to defend its trainer as well.

    A thump. Two hands hit the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s front counter.

    ¡°Boys!¡±

    Both Sam and Xavier winced at the sound of the nurse¡¯s angry voice.

    ¡°I will allow no fights within my Pok¨¦mon Center! Either take it outside and handle it like trainers, or talk it out and resolve it like adults!¡±

    Xavier scowled, pulling back and returning his Pok¨¦mon. Sam did the same, returning Mankey, and sent Xavier a smug look.

    A sharp glare from the nurse cowed his reaction.

    ¡°...Sorry,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Xavier scoffed.

    ¡°Yeah. I guess I¡¯m sorry as well,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t sound like he meant it.

    He walked away. Although, it wasn¡¯t like Sam was able to battle anyway. With Cyndaquil in the process of being checked over, his team wasn¡¯t in the position to be involved in any fights.

    As the older boy retrieved the rest of his Pok¨¦mon from the nurse, Sam looked down and whispered a quiet thanks to his team. It warmed him that they were so quickly on his side. Mankey couldn¡¯t react since he was inside of his Pok¨¦ball, but Haunter stuck out a hand and gave him a thumbs up from the floor.

    ¡°And Sam,¡± the nurse said, ¡°can you come here?¡±

    Sam started to walk over as Xavier moved over to the wall and leaned against it. The older boy smirked at him; the tone the nurse used reminded Sam of his mother preparing for a lecture.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Sam said, taking on the appropriate apologetic tone when he arrived. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That guy... he just gets on my nerves. I¡¯m just stressed. Do you have an update on Cyndaquil?¡±

    The nurse¡¯s firm expression softened.

    ¡°Not yet, but I don¡¯t think you have to worry. My Chansey is giving her the most thorough examination she can. Even if we can¡¯t immediately help her, we¡¯ll know what the problem is right away!¡±

    Sam breathed out in satisfied relief.

    ¡°But I wanted to talk to you about something else,¡± she continued, holding out his trainer ID that he left behind. ¡°You have three badges, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sam said. ¡°I was going to challenge Azalea Gym to earn my fourth.¡±

    The nurse pursed her lips as she looked down at his card. She rotated it in her hand, which made a certain part of it shimmer in the light.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really have to check. You are aware what this mark means too, right?¡±

    Her finger tapped on the ghostly sprite on his ID¡¯s top-right corner.

    ¡°Ah. I, uh, don¡¯t think I can say it out loud?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. There¡¯s no problem if you say it here.¡±

    Sam glanced at Xavier out of the corner of his eye, noticing how the older boy didn¡¯t bother hiding how he was listening in.

    Whatever. Really want to find out? I hope you get scared.

    ¡°Morty placed it there,¡± Sam said proudly. ¡°You know, Gym Leader Morty. It signifies that I¡¯m skilled enough to handle real ghosts. I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist!¡±

    Xavier coughed.

    ¡°At least, I¡¯m still training to be one,¡± Sam continued.

    It wouldn¡¯t do him well to brag so boldly in front of the nurse.

    ¡°...Uh-huh.¡± The nurse leaned to the side to glance at her computer, where the members of Sam¡¯s team¡ªspecifically Mankey and Cyndaquil¡ªwere likely displayed.

    ¡°You have a Gastly?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Haunter, now,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°That does demonstrate a level of familiarity...¡±

    The nurse hummed, seeming to genuinely consider something. After several tense seconds, she firmly nodded once, as if coming to a decision.

    ¡°Alright. I have an exclusive job for you.¡±

    Sam¡¯s heart was already hammering in his chest. After that line of questioning, there was only one thing that job could possibly be.

    ¡°You want me to... handle a ghost?¡± he asked cautiously.

    ¡°Oh, no, no, no! Nothing like that!¡± the nurse tittered. ¡°No, I just want you to scout out Slowpoke Well. There have been reports of a possible spirit down there, and I need someone to confirm that¡¯s true before I submit a request for professional assistance. Jobs like that are expensive, and we can¡¯t afford to allow the Pok¨¦mon Center to waste its money!¡±

    Sam stood as tall as he could, puffing out his chest to demonstrate his confidence.

    ¡°Absolutely. Of course I¡¯ll do it. Anything to help,¡± he said.

    He was just excited that he could finally put everything he had learned back in Ecruteak to use.

    The nurse smiled at him and started to type on her computer, likely noting that the job had been accepted. However, a voice called out, interrupting.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Xavier shouted. ¡°How come he gets this job and not someone more qualified?¡±

    The other boy practically ran over to reach the counter.

    ¡°Sam here does have the qualifications,¡± the nurse replied, frowning. ¡°And when it comes to this job¡ª¡±

    ¡°He has three Gym Badges compared to my four,¡± Xavier stated.

    Her frown deepened. Sam immediately scowled. Right when he was about to object, a better idea came to mind.

    ¡°Let him take it!¡± he quickly said. ¡°But only because I¡¯m also taking it. Since it¡¯s just a scouting job, help would make it safer. I wouldn¡¯t mind the assistance!¡±

    Xavier sent Sam a side-eye, opening his mouth to decline. But when the nurse looked away to glance at her computer, Sam sent Xavier a wink. He blinked, surprised.

    ¡°Hm. It would help you stay safer...¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°He has a Noctowl!¡± he added. ¡°Noctowl are great at seeing through illusions!¡±

    Starting to catch on, Xavier nodded his head as well.

    ¡°It took me only two Pok¨¦mon to earn my fourth Gym Badge. My team is strong. I¡¯ll be able to work with the utmost care,¡± he said.

    Another hum. The nurse eyed them both suspiciously before letting loose a sigh of defeat.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± she said. ¡°But I want to be clear: leave the moment you confirm there¡¯s a wild spirit. I don¡¯t want either of you to be harmed, or worse, possessed!¡±

    Both boys quickly nodded in unison, replying with versions of, ¡°You got it!¡± and, ¡°Absolutely!¡±

    Still keeping an eye on them, she turned to head into the back room, where the Chansey had disappeared with Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    The door swung back and forth and back and forth on its hinges before finally settling to be absolutely shut. The moment the nurse was out of sight, Sam and Xavier¡¯s smiles dropped, and Xavier immediately turned to Sam.

    ¡°Explain,¡± he ordered. Even the smallest of his movements screamed of annoyance.

    Sam replied with a cheeky grin.

    ¡°A competition,¡± he said. ¡°Whichever one of us finds the ghost first gets the payment for the job.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hardly anything.¡± Xavier waved him off with a scoff. ¡°How about you put up something that actually matters?¡±

    ¡°Then...¡± Sam briefly remembered something Redi had mentioned before. ¡°Loser has to buy the winner a custom-made Pok¨¦ball.¡±

    ¡°I can do that,¡± Xavier said, nodding. ¡°But I want something else, too¡ªan apology. And you have to say that I¡¯m the better Pok¨¦mon trainer when you lose.¡±

    ¡°When you lose, you mean,¡± Sam said.

    Xavier rolled his eyes and moved to wait by the front door. Sam loitered near a couch, purposefully not even glancing Xavier¡¯s way, before the nurse came back out and called his name.

    ¡°Samuel?¡± she said.

    He nervously approached.

    ¡°How¡¯s Cyndaquil?¡± he asked.

    A soft smile. An amused soft smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you weren¡¯t able to figure out what was wrong,¡± she said alongside her smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a common condition, I¡¯ve only personally seen something like this twice before. Thankfully, there¡¯s no need to worry. I can confidently say that there¡¯s nothing wrong with Cyndaquil.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? But she¡¯s been a lot slower! Are you sure she¡¯s not sick?¡± Sam cried out.

    A chuckle. The nurse shook her head.

    ¡°I can say there¡¯s nothing wrong with Cyndaquil because she¡¯s the picture of perfect health. If anything, she¡¯s too healthy. She might be strained, but the strain is a symptom of a positive change. Congratulations!¡±

    The realization slowly set in, and the nurse continued to speak.

    ¡°She¡¯s been holding it back, but the results are clear. Any moment now, your Cyndaquil is due for her evolution. She''ll be able to evolve into Quilava sometime very soon!¡±

 Chapter 40

    Sam saw Redi leave the back hallway right as the nurse revealed Cyndaquil¡¯s impending evolution. He had no clue what kind of expression he was making, but given the way Redi froze up, he was pretty sure he didn¡¯t look good.

    ¡°Cyndaquil can... evolve?¡± he asked. His hands gripped at the edge of the counter, but he didn¡¯t feel like he had the strength to grab on.

    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. She¡¯s able to evolve right now,¡± the nurse said. ¡°Evolution occurs when Pok¨¦mon gather enough internal energy to support a stronger form. For most Starter Pok¨¦mon and basic species, it¡¯s just a matter of raw power and stamina, like in the case of your Cyndaquil. But for others...¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit more complicated, as it varies from species to species. Some require vast amounts of refined energy, like what¡¯s provided by evolution stones, but that same energy can also be gathered just by staying in the appropriate environment. I¡¯ve heard Kanto¡¯s Blaine has evolved several Growlithe by keeping them nearby Cinnabar¡¯s volcano.¡±

    Sam absentmindedly nodded, and the nurse typed something on her keyboard. She slid him back Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball as well as his trainer ID.

    ¡°In the case of your Haunter¡¯s eventual evolution, his case is slightly different. Certain Pok¨¦mon like him or Graveler or Machoke require significantly more energy, but their required energy is more... Hm. Transient, I suppose? Expect an evolution in a moment of great stress or change, with circumstances varying between individual to individual. I¡¯ve heard some say that trade machines can inspire that kind of evolution too, but...¡±

    She chuckled emotionlessly.

    ¡°If you ask me, it feels somewhat cruel.¡±

    Sam knew most of this, although the comment about trade machines was new to him. The problem was that she wasn¡¯t explaining what he wanted.

    What about Cyndaquil?

    The strain came from her holding back her evolution?

    Why would she do that?

    Sam thought they had promised each other. And yet...

    Cyndaquil has been showing symptoms since the Gym Battle in Goldenrod. Why haven¡¯t I figured it out until now?

    ¡°How can you tell she¡¯s ready for evolution?¡± he asked. ¡°Why would she... Is there a reason she might want to hold it back?¡±

    ¡°To answer your first question, it¡¯s the strain on her body as well as how much power she has at her disposal. That¡¯s her internal energy fighting to be let loose,¡± the nurse answered.

    Weeks.

    Sam grimaced.

    Cyndaquil¡¯s been going through all of that for weeks.

    ¡°As for your second question...¡± The nurse hummed. ¡°Holding back evolution isn¡¯t common, but it''s generally due to a psychological reason. Likely, it¡¯s either because she wants to stay a Cyndaquil, or it¡¯s because she feels she¡¯d benefit from staying a Cyndaquil a bit longer.¡±

    The first possibility was wrong. Sam knew for a fact Cyndaquil was determined to become a Hisuian Typhlosion. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have thrown herself into training so hard, nor would she have focused on Curse so much.

    No, the nurse had been correct with her second guess.

    Cyndaquil wants to maximize the time she spends as a Quilava, Sam realized. Every moment she delays now is another moment she can train after she evolves. This is her trying to ensure she¡¯s prepared. This is her being...

    She¡¯s afraid that she¡¯ll evolve into the wrong Typhlosion.

    Sam felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut. There might not have been anything inherently wrong with Cyndaquil, but she was subjecting herself to extreme stress just to try to ensure the right outcome.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam mumbled.

    The nurse replied with an, ¡°Of course!¡± and bowed her head.

    Sam wanted to leave and talk to his friend. He wanted to assure her that there was no reason to stress, and that they had more than enough time if they both worked at it together. One talk is all that would take. One moment of apology.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t. Someone was waiting for him right outside the Pok¨¦mon Center; he wasn¡¯t exactly free. That, and as he stepped back and started to head to the front door, Redi rushed to his side.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she said. ¡°Sorry for taking so long. Is Cyndaquil alright?¡±

    Sam looked down to where he was still holding his friend¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s just... holding back her evolution?¡± he said, unsure.

    Redi blinked at him. Then, she nodded her head as if everything suddenly made sense.

    ¡°Ah. I thought it was weird she hadn¡¯t evolved yet. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d want to hold it back, though. Well, congratulations, maybe? Are you going to talk to her?¡±

    Sam pursed his lips and replied with a slight nod.

    ¡°I want to, but, uh, I kind of challenged Xavier?¡±

    ¡°...Xavier? That guy is here?¡± Redi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Want me to fight him for you?¡±

    ¡°What? No!¡± Sam said, trying to wave the idea away. ¡°I... I was the one to bother him. The nurse hired me to find a ghost, and now we¡¯re going to race to see who finds it first.¡±

    Redi opened her mouth to try to respond, but she paused to think before she managed to speak.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she finally said. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll go trade our Apricorns for Pok¨¦balls. Want me to sign us up for the Gym while I¡¯m out?¡±

    ¡°Yes please,¡± Sam said.

    Redi smiled at him and bumped his arm. She wasn¡¯t pushing for anything, and like usual, she was acting like nothing was wrong. The way she was treating this like everything was normal made Sam feel better. He really appreciated the casual sign of support as she jogged out of the room, waving goodbye.

    Once she left, Sam took a deep breath and held it in.

    Alright. Just have to meet with Xavier and head to Slowpoke Well. Then, I¡¯ll be able to talk with Cyndaquil about her evolution.

    And then find a ghost.

    He breathed out.

    As Sam stepped outside, he glanced over at the boy next to the door. Xavier was waiting impatiently, standing with his arms crossed and looking annoyed.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± the older boy snapped. ¡°Thought I¡¯d run off to get a head start, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡ª¡± Sam groaned, running his hand over his face. He used this moment to clip Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball back to his belt. ¡°Come on. Since we both need to search Slowpoke Well, I¡¯m gonna give you an overview of how all of this works.¡±

    He really hated how Xavier rolled his eyes.

    The two of them began to walk towards the nearby lake, where Azalea¡¯s famed Slowpoke Well was situated. Sam didn¡¯t really want to talk to Xavier, but part of his Morty-assigned responsibility was to keep people safe from ghosts. That remained true even if he really didn¡¯t like who he was talking to.

    ¡°Look, I want to be absolutely clear before I get into specifics,¡± Sam said, forcing his voice to stay level. ¡°Ghosts are real. And I don¡¯t mean Ghost Types. I mean ghost, ghosts. You know, spirits. Otherworldly entities. Things that have passed away without passing on.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Xavier said. He sounded sarcastic.

    ¡°You really think a Pok¨¦mon Center nurse would give me this job if that wasn¡¯t true?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Give us the job, you mean,¡± Xavier replied. However, hesitation was already creeping into his voice.

    Sam pushed on.

    ¡°Ghosts come in three primary categories¡ªemotional entities, spiritual entities, and Ghost Type projections,¡± he explained. ¡°I only included that last category for accuracy¡¯s sake; most reported ghost sightings are fake and caused by wild Pok¨¦mon. The other two categories are what we¡¯ll need to deal with, though I guess there are some arguments that they might be the same thing?¡±

    When Sam saw Xavier staring at him, he coughed quickly and waved his arms.

    ¡°No, look, look! Morty himself lent me books about all of this. They¡¯re all academic and professionally vetted! Emotional entities are ghosts formed from lingering masses of negative emotions. Spiritual entities are formed when something actually passes on!¡±

    Xavier remained silent. He turned away from Sam and stared at the stone-covered ground.

    ¡°How does this help us?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Um, not much, to be honest,¡± Sam said with an awkward chuckle. ¡°I guess I just didn¡¯t know where to start? You¡¯ll want to look for cold rooms, the feeling of being lost, and moving shadows. Treat anything you encounter as a Ghost Type and run away the best you can. Nine times out of ten, expect some kind of illusion, which is part of the reason I brought up your Noctowl¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why? Because you needed my help?¡± Xavier interrupted.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s because Noctowl are known to be able to see through illusions,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s why Morty¡¯s Gym has a few trainers with them. I only came up with this idea because you have a Noctowl. That Pok¨¦mon gives you a teeny-tiny chance of being able to keep up. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m the one going to find the ghost, not you. I¡¯m the sole Ghost Type specialist between us. I¡¯ll be the sole victor.¡±

    Xavier snorted. They walked in silence for several seconds before the boy spoke up.

    ¡°You sure you specialize in the Ghost Type? You have a Mankey and a Cyndaquil.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam sniffed. ¡°What of it? I know what I said. I train Ghost Types.¡±

    ¡°Tch. Tell me that once they evolve into Ghosts,¡± Xavier said sarcastically, putting his hands in his pockets.

    Sam smirked.

    Trust me, I absolutely will.

    Truth be told, Sam probably could have gone more in depth about what he knew. He could have discussed historical sightings and mentioned known, specific types of ghosts. However, it wouldn¡¯t have helped the search. That, and his mind was stuck on Cyndaquil. All he could do was think about her as they walked the rest of the way in silence. The moment Xavier was gone, Sam planned to ditch the other boy in the name of ¡°competition¡± and bring Cyndaquil out to talk.

    The sky was a beautiful, cloudless blue, which didn¡¯t exactly fit their job or Sam¡¯s internal feelings. The flocks of Pok¨¦mon flew above them, and locals cheerfully idled about as they went through their day.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    It took a decent amount of time to reach their destination¡ªAzalea was rather wide, after all¡ªbut they found themselves at the shore of a softly lapping lake soon enough.

    Slowpoke Well was a well, but it had dried up long ago and now served as the entrance to a cavern that stretched out under the lake. The place was named after the Slowpoke species¡ªobviously¡ªand even just up here, Sam could see groups of the namesake pink Pok¨¦mon lazing about with their tails hanging in the water. Next to them, tiny tunnels only Slowpoke could fit into dotted the lake¡¯s gravel shore.

    An old-fashioned well sat nearby, with crumbling yet somehow still sturdy bricks making up its structure. Peering in, its depths stretched down dozens of feet with a rope ladder serving as the way in. Sam would have brought up how he thought it was strange there was a well right next to a lake¡ªwhy bother with two sources of freshwater, after all¡ªbut that kind of observation was something to have a back-and-forth about with Redi. Xavier didn¡¯t seem like a talker. More than anything, the other boy was a bit too... tense.

    More of a brooder, I guess?

    Sam glanced back at all the dozing, wild Pok¨¦mon, but Xavier was already climbing over the edge of the wall. He paused as a foot touched a rope rung, testing it before looking back up at Sam.

    ¡°I want to know why you bothered me in the first place,¡± Xavier asked.

    Sam blinked. Xavier stared him in the eye with a serious expression on his face.

    ¡°I wanted to prove myself,¡± Sam answered.

    ¡°To who?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to prove myself to...¡±

    He bit his lip.

    What should I say?

    He wanted to prove himself to himself. He wanted to prove that he was a good Pok¨¦mon trainer, and that Xavier wasn¡¯t better than him. He knew he was still growing. He knew he had a long ways to go. All of that, however, sounded lame.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure why he had bothered Xavier. He could have let the other boy rest and allow both of them to continue on without any problems.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Xavier mumbled after Sam went a long time without giving a reply. ¡°A Starter Pok¨¦mon and no proper motivation.¡±

    Sam bristled, opening his mouth to refute him, but Xavier was already climbing down before he could speak. He grumbled nothing polite under his breath before grabbing a Pok¨¦ball off of his belt.

    Rather than sending out Cyndaquil, Sam instead returned Haunter. He aimed the ball at his shadow, and the sneaky Ghost Type was sucked up in a flash of red light and disappeared from where he was hiding.

    Glad to know that works.

    From there, checking to make sure he was alone. Sam held Cyndaquil¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in his hand. He stared at it before deciding to kneel. Then, he hit the button to allow her to appear in front of him, a foot away on the ground.

    ¡°Hi, Cyndaquil,¡± Sam said.

    The little Fire Type yawned upon being sent out and looked up at him with a small smile.

    Sam had to fight to stop himself from frowning. Cyndaquil looked tired. Exhausted, in a way. Yet, that smile was an attempt to reassure him that everything was just fine.

    He now knew what to look for, and Sam could see how she leaned into herself. Cyndaquil was every-so-slightly bent inwards, as if she was trying to hold something close to her chest.

    Or inside of her.

    ¡°Cyndaquil...¡± Sam lightly ran fingers across the fur of her head. ¡°Pok¨¦mon Center treat you well?¡±

    She punched the air with her paws and let her flames flare briefly on her back. She would have looked fine if it wasn¡¯t for how she was clearly holding all of her energy in.

    ¡°The nurse... I talked to the nurse,¡± Sam said. ¡°She said you were close to evolving. Even more, she said you could evolve at any time.¡±

    Cyndaquil went still.

    ¡°I...¡± He wanted to ask why she didn¡¯t tell him, but that felt accusatory. His friend was allowed to have concerns. In the end, he let out a sigh and shook his head.

    ¡°I get it,¡± he said. ¡°I think I really get it. Becoming a forgotten species is... a lot. Yeah? You just wanted to maximize the time before your final evolution. It hurt, but you wanted to make sure both of us would be successful.¡±

    Cyndaquil wasn¡¯t able to meet him in the eye.

    Sam let himself sit back, the gravel crunching under his body. He let his head fall back as he stared up at the sky and sighed.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, ¡°but training isn¡¯t worth it if it just puts you at risk. I want you to... I want you to know that evolving into that Typhlosion doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not you personally become a Ghost Type on our Ghost Type team. Yes, I want to be a specialist. Yes, I¡¯m going to specialize in the Ghost Type. But to make you stress about it? It¡¯s not worth it. Your happiness matters to me more than us being successful. If my worries are making you hurt yourself¡ª¡±

    She hurried over to put a paw on Sam¡¯s leg. She squeaked adamantly, trying to say that wasn¡¯t the case.

    It wasn¡¯t Sam putting all that pressure on her. It wasn¡¯t him that was causing her to hold herself back. She just didn¡¯t want to worry him. She thought that if she held on for long enough, she¡¯d figure out how to hold it back properly without giving anything up. It would have been brushed off like a random illness, and then they would have had more time to... prepare.

    She was afraid.

    She looked at the gravel beneath them and squeaked.

    Cyndaquil was afraid that even with all of her effort, she wasn¡¯t going to reach the final evolution she desired.

    Sam looked at her before letting out a laugh.

    ¡°Man, that¡¯s really dumb, huh?¡±

    She looked up at him and shouted at him, annoyed.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean your worries or your dreams or anything like that. I mean us. How we don¡¯t want either of us to worry one another,¡± he said.

    Cyndaquil let out a sigh and rubbed the side of her head. She let herself sit next to Sam as he scratched the back of her neck just how she liked it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already promised we¡¯d always travel together, so let¡¯s just not think about it? I¡¯m sure if we work together and put our everything into it, we¡¯ll do our best. And if you don¡¯t evolve into a Ghost Type, who cares? We¡¯re trying to do something no one else has really done before us, anyway.¡±

    She sniffed in agreement. Sam sent her the brightest smile he could muster and stood up, swinging his arms.

    ¡°You know, if you really want to delay your evolution, we can ask a Pok¨¦mon Center for an Everstone. They provide them when needed, and using one will easily hold back¡ª¡±

    She furiously shook her head. An Everstone was a commitment. She didn¡¯t want to delay her evolution that much. She just wanted to buy herself a bit more time, and after this conversation, she was feeling better about it, anyway.

    Sam reached for his other two team members¡¯ Pok¨¦balls, but as he did, he looked over Cyndaquil one last time. She was standing easier and with less stress. Though she might not have evolved, it was as if she didn¡¯t need to try as hard to maintain her current form.

    Haunter and Mankey were sent out after that. Mankey looked to be in a foul mood, as the last thing he experienced outside of his ball was Xavier getting up into Sam¡¯s face. Haunter, meanwhile, looked absolutely indignant that Sam had yanked him out of his hiding space within his shadow. He raised his fist at Sam and shook it before laughing at being able to do that sort of action in the first place.

    ¡°Sorry. I wanted a private talk with Cyndaquil.¡±

    The Ghost Type shrugged and placed his hands across one another to mime crossing a set of arms.

    Now that everyone was out, Sam walked over to the rope ladder that stretched into the earth. He glanced down into darkness, let his expression focus, and turned back to his team to share a proper plan.

    ¡°So!¡± he said, starting his announcement with a short shout. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear it earlier, hear it now. The local nurse hired us to scout out a ghost.¡±

    Cyndaquil shivered as she walked closer to Sam. Mankey hopped between his feet excitedly.

    ¡°Not a Ghost Type, but a real ghost,¡± Sam specified.

    Mankey looked even happier. The idea of a good fight seemed to cheer him up after everything else.

    ¡°No, I¡ª¡± Sam rubbed his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get your hopes up. This is a scouting trip. We were explicitly told not to get into any fights.¡±

    Mankey slumped. That put a lid on his excitement, but it was better to be disappointed now instead of later.

    ¡°Slowpoke Well is a... Well, it¡¯s a well,¡± Sam said, chuckling at his own joke. ¡°It¡¯s home to hundreds, if not, thousands of Slowpoke, which are considered sacred to Azalea for... some reason. Basically, we can¡¯t disturb them, but this place is open to the public so we don¡¯t need to sneak around. When we head down there, don¡¯t bother anyone or anything, and keep an eye out for the ghost. And no, we weren¡¯t given any specific details other than that. It¡¯s on us to report back to let the Pok¨¦mon Center make the appropriate arrangements.¡±

    Sam at least had a base level of information to work with, thanks to Morty. Given the advice he had received, he knew he could treat spirits as something akin to Ghost Types. After his encounter with that Misdreavus¡ª

    He quickly looked around and saw nothing.

    ¡ªSam hoped that the attraction between ghosts remained true, and he hoped that either Haunter would guide him or the local ghost would come straight to him.

    Thankfully, Haunter was smiling¡ªmore so than usual. Something about encountering a real ghost made the Ghost Type excited in the same way Mankey had been moments before.

    Haunter moved to float next to Sam, and Mankey clambered up Sam¡¯s body to hang off his shoulder. Sam made sure to deposit Cyndaquil into his hood, as well. Then, making sure everyone was secured and ready, he climbed over the edge of the well and descended the rope ladder into its depths.

    <hr>

    The bottom was stone, and one side of the wall had collapsed outwards into darkness. The only illumination was a faint bit of sun that peeked in from above.

    ¡°We need a light,¡± Sam said.

    He had a flashlight in his backpack, but when he spoke, two Pok¨¦mon acted. Cyndaquil managed to conjure a single, shaky Will-O-Wisp that hovered by her side. As for Haunter, he used Hex. Purple flames levitated around the Ghost Type¡¯s body and revealed the surrounding area in a purple hue.

    ¡°That works,¡± Sam said.

    Haunter cackled, and Cyndaquil breathed out, letting her Will-O-Wisp drop.

    ¡°You¡¯re showing improvement, at least. Your flame control is growing by leaps and bounds. You wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain a flame like that back in Goldenrod.¡±

    She smiled.

    Mankey hopped off Sam¡¯s back as he grabbed his flashlight. It gave him a directed beam of yellow tinted light while everything else glowed in a ghost purple. Now able to see, he stepped forward, and he and his Pok¨¦mon entered a cavern just past the collapsed wall. Like the lake above, there was also a lake below.

    Its waters were murky, and the ceiling was filled with stalactites. Constant drips filled the cavern with irregular, echoing noise. A path of rocky stones circled the edge of the lake, interrupted occasionally by streams that led to other rooms. Ledges and pure stone shores stretched out over and into the water every here and there, and they were all pink.

    Almost entirely pink.

    It was abundantly clear why this place was called Slowpoke Well.

    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled. Don¡¯t bother any of the Slowpoke, and try to locate that ghost.¡±

    Haunter popped an eye out of his head and mimicked slicing through a grape. He laughed as he popped it back in. The entire group gaped at him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do that,¡± Sam whispered.

    Haunter shrugged with his floating hands and moved slightly away to better stay on guard.

    Alongside the constant dripping, the low moans of Slowpoke echoed at regular intervals. One would say its name, then another would say its name in a response several seconds later. That would start a wave of delayed name calling around the entire cavern that would last for minutes at a time.

    Then it was back to near silence afterwards. The process repeated several times as Sam made his way around the lake.

    ¡°Few Zubat in here, too,¡± he commented, watching their sleeping forms hang between the stalactites above. ¡°Thanks for the Hex, Haunter.¡±

    The Ghost Type move¡¯s purple light didn¡¯t wake them, but Sam had a feeling that pointing his flashlight at them would.

    Following the edge of the room, Sam carefully maneuvered over uneven stones and across sections of wet, slippery rock smoothed out by both water and wild Pok¨¦mon. At several points, he had to climb over large boulders or blockades of sharp stalagmites, but Haunter could float, and Mankey could climb. Both of them were perfect assistants to help Sam get through.

    I¡¯d check the New Pok¨¦dex to see if I could figure out what other species could be found here, but I don¡¯t want to risk it. The air is too damp and would be horrible for its pages. I¡¯m thankful Mom made sure I got a waterproof backpack.

    ...Then again, most backpacks for sale in Dewford are waterproof.

    He checked where streams formed side caverns, and they were usually just small ponds that connected to the main lake. Overall, the main cavern area was a few hundred feet across, with the side ponds being maybe ten or twenty feet across at most.

    Occasionally, Sam swore he saw something large swimming in the middle of the underground lake, but his flashlight wasn¡¯t quite strong enough to reveal it. He was at least pretty certain that the large shape was a Pok¨¦mon. It would be much more worrying, otherwise.

    It wasn¡¯t until Sam explored halfway around that he saw anything of note. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t the ghost he wanted. Xavier stood at the edge of one of those side-room ponds, facing away and staring at its back wall.

    Sam would have moved on, not willing to risk assisting his competition, but there was something about this situation that was strange.

    Xavier wasn¡¯t moving. His gaze didn¡¯t leave the back wall. It looked as though his breaths were shallow, and he looked almost entirely motionless outside of them.

    Sam started to feel his heart pound in his chest.

    Don¡¯t tell me...

    He silently crept over, wondering if bringing Xavier was a horrible mistake.

    Keeping each footstep quiet, Sam inched towards Xavier. The boy stared unblinking out over the dark waters. The light from Sam¡¯s flashlight merged with Xavier¡¯s own source of light, an electric lantern hooked to his belt that gave him an almost ethereal glow.

    Sam carefully raised a hand to place on Xavier¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    He put his hand down.

    Xavier quickly turned around.

    The two Pok¨¦mon Trainers both screamed out of fright.

    ¡°What was that for!¡± Xavier yelled, stumbling back and pointing accusingly.

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡± Sam breathed in, clutching his chest. ¡°I thought you might have gotten possessed!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Xavier scowled, but he was also breathing just as heavily from the shock Sam had given. ¡°I was keeping an eye on my Noctowl! She¡¯s scouting.¡±

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    The owl Pok¨¦mon landed next to her trainer. Sam had completely forgotten that Noctowl could fly silently.

    ¡°It was just¡ª You were standing so still,¡± Sam hastily said.

    Xavier sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Whatever. Look there,¡± he said, pointing with his hand.

    The room wasn¡¯t anywhere as large as the lake, but it was still larger than the other ponds, likely about fifty or sixty feet across. Only the faintest bit of light reached the far end, and Sam had to squint to make out whatever Xavier saw.

    Stalagmites grew out of the ground in a near-circle, and lumps branched off their tips to almost resemble coral. It was a strange shape that somehow looked unnatural, yet it had clearly been formed without the influence of anything in this cavern.

    ¡°It looks like a King¡¯s Rock, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Xavier said. ¡°And I think that¡¯s suspicious. A King¡¯s Rock can be used to safely evolve a Slowpoke to a Slowking. Given our location...¡±

    ¡°I thought Slowpoke evolve through Shellder?¡± Sam asked.

    A flash of annoyance went through Xavier¡¯s eyes. He frowned, but he didn¡¯t look away from the strange formation of stone.

    ¡°Sometimes. Not always. Shellder can trigger the evolution, but Slowpoke can also evolve on their own. In that case, new shells grow from rapidly expanding bone, usually out of their tails. King¡¯s Rocks help make sure they grow in the proper shape and out of their heads, becoming Slowking in the process.¡±

    Sam hated that image. He chose not to think about it. His gaze lingered on the King¡¯s Rock-like formation as well.

    However, as he stared, he soon realized something:

    He was having trouble pulling his gaze away.

    There was some trait with the stone formation that made it almost magnetic. When he tried to bring his head to turn, he failed. The rocks consumed his vision, yet Xavier was too focused to notice.

    Sam grit his teeth. What suddenly stood out to him as well was how this room was completely silent, too.

    ¡°H-Haunter?¡± Sam called out. ¡°H-Help.¡±

    A chill shot through his spine when a darkened hand was placed on his shoulder. When he turned, he breathed out in relief when he saw Haunter¡¯s usual grin.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said before glancing at Xavier, doing his best to not even think about those strange rocks. ¡°Hey, what happens when you try to look away?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you do this?¡±

    Sam grabbed Xavier¡¯s shoulder and yanked him back. The older boy looked annoyed, but his face also looked extraordinarily pale.

    ¡°I think the ghost is here,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± Xavier shouted. ¡°...¡®s no such thing. This is just a weird, natural... occurrence. Or maybe there¡¯s a Ghost Type around, not a real ghost.¡±

    ¡°Remember what I said?¡± Sam asked.

    Xavier didn¡¯t reply.

    While unusual, this wasn¡¯t actually evidence. Occasional anomalies like this could be found across the world. Sam needed absolute proof that this was the domain of the ghost.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s try to break that formation.¡±

    ¡°What! No¡ª Why?¡± Xavier hissed.

    Sam held a finger to his lips to shush Xavier. He didn¡¯t actually plan to break it, but he needed to verbalize that threat to see if it stirred a reaction.

    He had read that strategy in a book.

    There was no change in the room. It remained utterly silent, and the magnetism of the King¡¯s Rock formation remained. Sam waited a full minute before giving up.

    ¡°Guess I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Told you,¡± Xavier said.

    ¡°Well, good luck finding it. There¡¯s still more to this place that needs to¡ª¡±

    Sam paused when he turned back around. The smooth floor that had once connected this side room to the main cavern now came to an abrupt halt. A wall stood in place of the opening he had just passed through.

    He didn¡¯t wait. He ran forward.

    This has to be an illusion. It has to be!

    His hand impacted the wall¡ªsolid stone. He took several nervous steps back, until¡ª

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Xavier asked.

    Above the water¡¯s surface, mist started to drift up and coalesce.

    It initially looked like mist formed from a natural chill, but the rate at which it condensed was too much. Something was causing this, and a sudden drop in temperature made Sam rub his arms.

    He found his breath coming to him quickly.

    He was afraid.

    But he was also excited.

    ¡°Alright! Alright. There¡¯s a ghost with us here. And it didn¡¯t appreciate my comment. If we can¡¯t escape, then we¡¯re going to have to defend ourselves. So that means¡ª¡±

    Haunter said something.

    Sam turned his head.

    Sorry Nurse Joy, but I think we¡¯re going to have to fight.

    The mist that hung over the lake changed. Now, within it was a pair of floating eyes. Whatever this ghost was, it was definitely here. And there was something about its narrowed gaze that told Sam it didn¡¯t intend to let them leave.

 Chapter 41

    The floating eyes were like spotlights that exposed Sam within the mist. Yet, despite their glow, no light came from them. The only source of illumination was from Xavier¡¯s lantern, as Sam shoved his flashlight into his backpack so he could dig through and retrieve his Cleanse Tag.

    Unfortunately, the Cleanse Tag could only imbue a passive, calming aura over the area around it. It wasn¡¯t a solution that could be used like the flick of a switch.

    So as Sam clutched the tag in hand, the mist over the pond grew in intensity, condensing and swirling around the eyes of the ghost.

    ¡°Xavier, what Pok¨¦mon do you have?¡± Sam asked quickly.

    ¡°Yanma. Donphan. Noctowl. Poliwhirl. And¡ª¡± The older boy chuckled nervously. ¡°At least, those are the ones useful in a fight.¡±

    Sam nodded once, eyes locking onto the ghost drifting over the water. The stone shore Sam stood on was only eight or so feet across, and any other dry space was too full of loose rocks and stalagmites to be safe to stand on.

    Fighting in melee won¡¯t be possible. Mankey¡¯ll be kind of useless here.

    The monkey Pok¨¦mon was already standing in front of Sam, ready to defend him like always.

    ¡°Treat it like a Ghost Type,¡± Sam said quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back when it attacks.¡±

    ¡°But the nurse said¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you want it to beat us?¡± Sam shouted over Xavier. His implication was left hanging.

    A tense second passed before there was a pulse. The mist shifted over the water. The pair of eyes lurched forward, sending water rippling out from underneath it, as it rushed towards Sam and Xavier with malicious intent.

    Sam acted as fast as he could.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± he shouted.

    Xavier joined in.

    ¡°Noctowl!¡±

    Two moves were used in quick succession; Haunter and Noctowl used Hex and Reflect respectively. Purple flames flickered into existence, threatening the ghost and forcing it to turn in its rush and bank to the side. Meanwhile, Noctowl, from where she stood next to Xavier, raised her wings and caused her eyes to glow. A translucent barrier appeared at the edge of the pond, and as long as that Reflect held, any attempts to get close would force the ghost to slow down to pass through.

    ¡°Now!¡± Sam shouted as the ghost circled the edge of the pond. ¡°Have your Noctowl identify it!¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Use Foresight! As if it were a Ghost Type!¡±

    Xavier shouted his order to Noctowl, and the owl¡¯s eyes flashed once more. The mist remained, but as long as Noctowl maintained her gaze on it, her Foresight allowed the true form of the ghost to be revealed.

    A pink body. A grey shelled tail. Bipedal with short, rounded ears.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sam grumbled.

    Noctowl successfully identified it. And of course, why would it be anything else in a place like Slowpoke Well? This ghost wasn¡¯t a spirit like the woman Sam had encountered in Ecruteak. Instead, this was a long passed Slowbro that was now bound to this room.

    The ghost of a Slowbro let its legs hang loosely underneath it, and its pink flesh had lost the brightness of a Slowbro that was still alive. Following the edge of the pond, it continued its rush around, and pale, irisless eyes tracked Sam and Xavier¡¯s positions as it moved.

    Briefly, it buzzed by the Reflect, not passing through it, once more being dissuaded from getting closer by Haunter¡¯s Hex while causing water to splash in its wake.

    ¡°A Slowbro! A Slowbro...¡± Sam repeated the name to himself, reaching into his backpack once more. He initially hadn¡¯t wanted to take out the New Pok¨¦dex given all the water around, but if it meant being able to deal with this ghost, he was willing to take the risk. ¡°It¡¯s an evolution of Slowpoke¡ªobviously. A Water-Psychic Type, too. Slowbro are good with special attacks and have an enormous amount of stamina. And since it¡¯s been revealed, we can treat it as its base species, too.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said treat it like a Ghost Type!¡± Xavier shouted.

    ¡°Either or,¡± Sam mumbled, still reading through his book. ¡°...Either or.¡±

    Haunter was their best bet. He was an evolved Pok¨¦mon and had the Type advantage over Slowbro regardless of whatever Type combination it was. The problem was that Slowbro was great at withstanding attacks, and its own evolved form helped it offset any weakness of its previous evolution. Not just that, but it was speedy¡ªspeedier than a Slowbro should have been. How much stronger did its status as a spirit make it over a usual Slowbro?

    A swish as the ghost buzzed by the Reflect once again. Noctowl strained, keeping up two moves, and the mist swirled around to create a chilling breeze despite being totally underground.

    ¡°We have to beat it and escape, or we help it move on,¡± Sam said, slamming the New Pok¨¦dex close and shoving it back in his pack. ¡°That means resolving its unfinished business, helping it realize it¡¯s free to pass on, or just beating it up until it''s too tired to continue to exist.¡±

    Xavier looked like he was struggling to keep his expression steady. His gaze was shaky, and his mouth curved into a frown.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying we have to fight it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam unhappily replied.

    Another dash. It continued to circle. Noctowl looked to be getting tired from maintaining such a strong Reflect. Yet, the Slowbro still refused to get close thanks to Haunter, but it also kept returning to the side of that rocky formation in the back.

    Wait a second...

    Sam¡¯s eyes narrowed as he carefully kept track of the ghost''s movements.

    I¡¯m pretty sure it''s bound to that formation, like I had thought before. So that means we can either destroy it, or we can...

    Back in Ecruteak, Morty was closely tied to his duties as the resident Ghost Type Gym Leader. A major part of his responsibility was handling spiritual matters inside the town. When he talked about the woman in that alley, he almost sounded regretful. Mournful.

    It wasn¡¯t right for a spirit to be stuck here like this. Trapped in one place for eternity? With only a single pond to exist in?

    Sam disliked that. No, Sam hated that. Everyone deserved to be able to move on.

    He felt himself calm down as cold determination settled in. Sam stood up straighter and took a single step forward.

    ¡°Haunter can weaken it. Can you damage it?¡±

    Xavier nodded once. His expression hardened as well.

    ¡°We absolutely can.¡±

    As Sam swung his backpack around, Xavier tore a Luxury Ball free from his belt.

    ¡°Yanma!¡± he shouted. ¡°Signal Beam!¡±

    The sudden display of skill gnawed at Sam. With the current public level of knowledge, Bug Types rarely ever learned attacking moves that shared their Type. Xavier¡¯s Yanma either worked itself to the bone to learn that attack, or it had known Signal Beam when it first hatched.

    But Sam pushed past those feelings. Calling for a direct attack like that meant the battle truly began.

    Yanma curved its tail up underneath it, the very tip of it flashing with a bright light. A beam of spiraling colors shot out, striking the Slowbro as it continued to build up the mist.

    The ghostly Pok¨¦mon staggered in the air. Sam quickly whispered a command of his own.

    ¡°Prepare a Spite.¡±

    Haunter disappeared into a shadow created by Xavier¡¯s lantern, merging into darkness that flickered against the wall.

    Catching itself, the Slowbro finally changed its behavior, moving to the very back of the room. It raised its arms, the water of the pond rising alongside them, and it threw that movement forward to thrust a wave hurtling towards Sam and Xavier.

    ¡°That''s Surf! Reflect won''t block that!¡± Xavier yelled.

    Sam realized he didn¡¯t have a way to defend. He wouldn¡¯t be fast enough to call out any useful orders, either.

    Just how strong is this Pok¨¦mon?

    He turned around, rushing to pull the tired Cyndaquil out of his hood, and he bent himself around her to try to protect her from the incoming wave.

    As the water roared closer, to his surprise, he was only hit with a mild splash.

    Mankey, the ever-loyal Mankey, jumped up with two hands raised. A dual Karate Chop¡ªno, a Cross Chop¡ªsplit the incoming Surf and minimized how much of the attack reached Sam. However, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to completely stop it. Mankey was caught by the wave.

    The wave threw the unevolved Fighting Type into the wall. Sam shouted, panicked, and Mankey hit the ground in a daze. His fur dripped, he stumbled, and he fell to his hands and knees. From the damage he sustained, he wasn¡¯t able to get back up, and Sam quickly returned him knowing he¡¯d be able to be healed at the Pok¨¦mon Center later.

    Thank you. I¡¯ll buy you as much food as you want if we get out of this.

    Cyndaquil cried her name in Sam¡¯s arms. He clutched her even tighter and turned back to the rest of the fight.

    Xavier had protected himself by sending out a burly Poliwhirl to block the wave, and his Noctowl had flown high to avoid the attack. Unfortunately, his Yanma had been caught and was now laying on the ground, unable to fly due to its horribly soaked wings.

    He returned it as well.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam shouted, turning his head. ¡°Use it!¡±

    The Slowbro was already repeating that same action, using the churning waters to conjure an even higher Surf than before. Arms raised, the water began to move, but that was when Haunter struck; he burst from the wall and caused red motes to leave the Slowbro¡¯s body.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    The water shuddered and fell, splashing back into the pond without anything more than a small splash. Pure white eyes glowed and glared at Haunter.

    Yet, Sam stood tall.

    ¡°Surf won''t happen again,¡± he said. ¡°This Slowbro is¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really strong,¡± Xavier finished.

    Sam noticed that despite everything, Xavier was grinning. In the face of an incredible and impossible foe, a smile had found its way across his face. When Sam touched his own face, he found he had a smile on as well.

    This is what it means to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer. To keep your head high no matter the odds.

    He was terrified. He was scared. However, Sam was also thrilled. The battle could very well spell the end of his journey, but that was only if they lost. Fighting against a ghost like this was him living out part of his dream. Wasn¡¯t this what he wanted in the first place?

    He made sure Cyndaquil remained safe in his arms as he focused on the fight.

    Slowbro''s blank eyes didn¡¯t look away from Haunter. Spite ensured that a wide-ranged Surf wouldn¡¯t be able to be conjured once again. It came with the unfortunate consequence of making the ghost angry, but its most powerful attack had been rendered unusable.

    Sam just needed to figure out their next steps, but there was a sudden squeak in his arms. Cyndaquil stared up at him.

    ¡°Have a plan?¡±

    She nodded once and gestured to explain her thoughts. Sam nodded in agreement and placed her on the ground.

    He trusted her with his life.

    Upon being set down, Cyndaquil briefly stumbled, slipping on the water-damp ground. However, once she stabilized, she conjured a flickering flame off to her side¡ªa Will-O-Wisp. After the first Will-O-Wisp, a second one appeared. Then another. And another. One by one, a swarm of floating Will-O-Wisps formed in the air around her, almost resembling a lantern festival contained entirely in this one room.

    Sam had never been more proud.

    The Slowbro might have been a Water Type, but it only resisted Fire Type attacks. It wasn¡¯t immune to being burned. With Haunter distracting it, it turned to see the incoming flood of flame too late, and each wisp passed right through to seemingly disrupt its body and turn areas of its mist into smoke.

    Purple flames from Hex quickly followed, as Haunter wasn¡¯t one to pass up the opportunity Cyndaquil provided.

    ¡°Defend us, Poliwhirl. Assist them, Noctowl,¡± Xavier said.

    Poliwhirl moved to the front to better stop any incoming attacks, and the Reflect dropped as Noctowl flew forward. Gusts of wind sliced through tendrils of water that the Slowbro tried to have lash out from the pond.

    ¡°Now bring it here!¡± Sam shouted.

    More Will-O-Wisps poured out from around Cyndaquil. Another Hex forced Slowbro back. The ghost conjured more mist as if trying to hide itself, but Haunter rushed it. A telekinetic Confusion from Noctowl held it in place, and then a Shadow Punch slammed into its cheek.

    The ghost of a Slowbro blinked and touched its cheek as if it hadn¡¯t expected to ever be punched at all. A second later, another Shadow Punch hit it in the other cheek, and then another, and then another.

    Haunter punched it repeatedly, cackling all the while. None of these physical attacks were that strong, but what mattered is that they could hit.

    Case in point, when the Slowbro neared the shore, Xavier¡¯s Poliwhirl tried to reach up and grab it, but it passed right through. That failure alerted it to its surroundings, and it snapped its head around. Cyndaquil¡¯s Will-O-Wisps stopped, and Haunter paused.

    The Slowbro glared at both Sam and Xavier, and then Sam did as he had done before.

    He ran right towards the ghost.

    Haunter laughed in the background. He¡¯d been at the other end of this. After all, Sam was one of the few people insane enough to try to punch a ghost.

    But as Sam charged, still holding the Cleanse Tag in hand, he knew that simply defeating the ghost in battle wouldn¡¯t be enough. They weren¡¯t strong enough to weaken it to the point of passing on. They had definitely angered it, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much more than escape.

    It needed to be put to rest¡ªdeserved to be put to rest¡ªnot just for the sake of any visitors to Slowpoke Well, but also for its own sake. Everything Sam read about ghosts made it clear that staying behind wasn¡¯t pleasant. Ghosts existed in a daze, constantly reliving half-forgotten memories, and they would only ever experience peace once they had moved on.

    It was for that reason he was charging. It wasn¡¯t for violence¡¯s sake, but it was for the simple wish of wanting to help. When the Slowbro reared back out of shock, Haunter used his ghostly hand to lock it in place, keeping it firmly in the material, and Sam finally arrived to act.

    He didn¡¯t punch the Slowbro like he had once punched Haunter. Instead, he swung his arms out wide, wrapped them around the Slowbro, and pulled it into a hug.

    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he whispered.

    The room went silent. Each and every other creature in the room went completely and utterly still.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t fair,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°It isn¡¯t fair that you¡¯ve been stuck here. No one should ever be trapped like this. No one should ever be stuck in a single place. There¡¯s an entire world out there, you know? You shouldn¡¯t have to stay in a single, underground room.¡±

    A weak chuckle left him. The Slowbro lifted up its arms in the same way it had conjured a Surf from before, but then it let itself slump.

    Its arms fell. Its tail went slack. The ghost let its head rest on Sam¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he whispered. ¡°You can rest now. We aren¡¯t going to attack. You can move on.¡±

    ¡°Sam, what¡ª¡±

    A sharp glare from Sam, Haunter, and Cyndaquil shut Xavier up. The ghost of a Slowbro drifted closer to the ground as Sam guided it to lie on the floor.

    ¡°I get it. You wanted to protect this place. And you don¡¯t want anyone to hurt the Slowpoke or that formation in the back, right?¡±

    A groan left its mouth that sent a shiver down Sam¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Yeah. You felt like you had a duty. That¡¯s why you¡¯re still here. Well, how about this? We can protect this place. Humans and Pok¨¦mon, I mean. We¡¯re partners. You don¡¯t need to do everything by yourself.¡±

    It was lying down now. Heavy eyelids began to cover its pure-white eyes. Sam let the hug go, pulling back, but he left one hand resting on the ghost¡¯s side.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said softly. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    This was only working because the ghost wanted to rest but couldn¡¯t. It needed the permission to know it was able to finally pass on. For a moment, it put one of its paws on the ground as if trying to push itself back up, but Cyndaquil walked over. She covered its paw with hers.

    ¡°Cynda,¡± she said. ¡°Quil.¡±

    It stared for several long seconds before it let its head hit the ground once more.

    ¡°Sam...¡± Xavier said, unsure.

    Sam and Cyndaquil stayed at the Slowbro¡¯s side as the Pok¨¦mon finished closing its eyes. Its form became translucent. Then transparent. Then, it was hardly there.

    Haunter joined in, also placing a hand on Slowbro''s side and closing his own eyes. From Sam¡¯s waist, a flash. Soaked and barely conscious, Mankey released himself. He wobbled over to place a hand on the Slowbro as well.

    Poliwhirl joined in. Noctowl glided over and pressed her head to Slowbro''s. Nervously, Xavier bit his lip and knelt next to the spirit. However, when he tried to touch it, his hand passed right through, so he just kept it hovering an inch above.

    No one seemed willing to make any noise. Even the act of breathing seemed to come silently. The group stayed like that as Slowbro came to a rest.

    And the moment continued until a sudden cracking noise caught everyone off-guard.

    Alerted, everyone snapped their gazes to the back of the room, where the King¡¯s Rock-like formation crumpled inwards. When it finished falling apart and they looked back down, the Slowbro was gone. Sam¡¯s Cleanse Tag sat on the floor in its place.

    ¡°It really was a ghost,¡± Xavier said, hurriedly standing up. ¡°You were right.¡±

    Sam wiped a bit of moisture out of his eyes.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said hoarsely. ¡°Kind of surprised that worked. Logically, I knew wild ghosts want to rest, but I wasn''t sure¡ª¡±

    Quilava slapped him on the leg as if to admonish him. Why wouldn¡¯t his plan work?

    Sam didn¡¯t feel admonished at all, however, as he did a second-take to process the current state of his closest friend.

    ...Excuse me?

    Staring back up at him was a familiar yet changed face. Where Cyndaquil¡¯s eyes had been thin enough to look almost closed, Quilava¡¯s eyes were wide and bright. Her body had lengthened to be more weasel-like rather than shrew-like, and ears pointed out from her head, with one of them flicking back in curiosity at his reaction.

    ¡°Quil,¡± she said.

    Sam threw himself forward to bring her into his arms.

    ¡°You did it! Hahaha, congratulations!¡± he cheered, laughing. ¡°I guess you finally evolved, huh?¡±

    She blinked and looked down, freezing when she realized what had happened. Her bottom legs kicked at the air as she whined, but Sam held her high. He smiled at her, and she couldn¡¯t resist smiling back. He made sure to pull her in close, where she leaned into him, content with her evolution.

    Xavier cleared his throat.

    ¡°We should leave sooner rather than later.¡±

    Sam let Quilava climb onto his shoulder, where she draped herself over the back of his neck like some kind of extremely short scarf.

    ¡°Oh. Yeah. Gotta tell Nurse Joy about a job well done, right?¡±

    Xavier nodded, but his gaze lingered on the ruins of those magnetic rocks. Sam looked over as well to see what he was staring at.

    In the center of the rubble, a single item sat on top. It was made of stone and resembled the shape the formation once held.

    ¡°A King¡¯s Rock,¡± Sam whispered, identifying it.

    The Slowbro had been protecting it this whole time.

    Held items like King¡¯s Rocks were valuable¡ªinsanely so. This one in particular could be used to evolve species like Poliwhirl and Slowpoke, or it could be held to give attacks a chance to cause a flinch.

    However, the idea of taking it didn¡¯t sit right with Sam. The idea of angering a ghost, encouraging it to rest, and then taking the item it had been protecting this whole time?

    ¡°Leave it,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s not ours.¡±

    Xavier opened his mouth, then he closed it. He turned around, running a hand through his hair.

    ¡°...Fine.¡±

    The journey out of Slowpoke Well felt a lot easier than the journey in. The frequent sounds of the many Slowpoke groans were mournful, but they were also celebratory. A long lost companion was finally able to rest.

    <hr>

    ¡°I want you to know I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sam said, walking through Azalea next to Xavier. Quilava remained around his neck as they slowly walked back to the Pok¨¦mon Center where this job had first been accepted.

    ¡°Are you saying that because of our bet? The competition is off. We saw the ghost at the same time. Neither of us won,¡± Xavier said, looking annoyed about it.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡ª It¡¯s not about the competition. I just... I shouldn¡¯t have been so rude with you. I shouldn¡¯t come at you so aggressively. And I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you when you just wanted to be left alone. It wasn¡¯t right.¡±

    Xavier didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Ever since I battled you back on that boat I... I¡¯ve built you up in my head. Everywhere I went, it was like you were doing way better than I was. I mean, you placed second in a tournament I lost in the first round. You had an evolved Pok¨¦mon in Goldenrod when it took me until Ilex to evolve one of mine. And then the biggest thing was how you crushed Whitney in a battle! You used a single Pok¨¦mon, but I needed to use my entire team!¡± Sam let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a better trainer than me.¡±

    There was a long period of silence followed by a long sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m not a better trainer, I mean. You... You have information I don¡¯t have,¡± Xavier said, forcing himself to not grit his teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t be called strong. Not yet, at least. You only think that because I¡¯m pushing myself to be ahead. I have to. I have to. I have to prove myself¡ª¡±

    ¡°To who?¡± Sam asked.

    Xavier¡¯s expression was utterly unreadable.

    ¡°I have to prove myself to the entire world.¡±

    For some reason, that felt like a lie.

    ¡°I have my own goals. My own problems. I just... I have to try,¡± he whispered.

    When Xavier stopped walking, Sam stopped too, turning around and looking over at his temporary companion. Xavier stared at the road, his hands clenched into fists, and he soon brought his gaze back up to stare at Sam.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that you have a Starter Pok¨¦mon,¡± he said.

    Sam laughed.

    ¡°Yeah? We¡¯re not friends because she¡¯s a Starter. We¡¯re friends because she¡¯s her. My grandfather set up the meeting where we met. She¡¯s the granddaughter of his Typhlosion, and she¡¯s one of the coolest Pok¨¦mon ever!¡±

    Quilava squeaked proudly. Sam scratched behind her ear.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s better than buying her outright,¡± Xavier said, allowing himself to relax.

    Sam bristled at the idea, but he could also tell Xavier didn¡¯t mean any offense.

    ¡°I guess... I¡¯m sorry, too,¡± Xavier said, resuming the walk forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel worse, nor did I mean to be rude. I¡¯ve been told I can be... abrasive, sometimes. I¡¯ll try to work on that in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Xavier shrugged. He didn¡¯t say anything else.

    The rest of the walk back to the Pok¨¦mon Center was in silence, but when they reached the front door, Sam stopped and stood up straight. He looked Xavier in the eye.

    ¡°Back in Goldenrod, you said you were going to win the Silver Conference,¡± Sam said. ¡°I want you to know that that¡¯s not going to happen because I¡¯m going to be the one who wins.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Xavier raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s easy to say. It¡¯s harder to actually do.¡±

    They glared at one another. Sam smirked slightly. Xavier turned his head. As he put his hand on the handle of the door, Sam didn¡¯t miss it; the corner of the other boy¡¯s mouth curved up ever so slightly in the smallest of smiles.

    ¡°Good luck earning your fourth Gym Badge,¡± Xavier said.

    ¡°Good luck with your fifth,¡± Sam replied.

    Xavier stepped inside, and Sam followed. Their job wasn¡¯t done just yet.

    So we need to report to the nurse, heal our Pok¨¦mon, and make sure Slowpoke Well will be protected. I promised Slowbro that we humans will keep the place safe, and I don¡¯t plan to break that promise.

    Maybe the Gym can do something? Or maybe the League can bring a few Ace Trainers here?

    He¡¯d have to talk to the nurse about it, but his thoughts were interrupted when Redi ran right up to him.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she said as Xavier pulled ahead. She then raised her voice. ¡°I see that smile. So you beat him, right?¡±

    ¡°No! No, Xavier is actually...¡± He sighed. ¡°He¡¯s alright. We fought the ghost.¡±

    ¡°Aw. Without me?¡±

    Sam scoffed.

    ¡°Please. We had to do it without you. If you were there, you would have had Porygon figure out like, ten different Electric Type moves, and then there wouldn¡¯t be any battle left for the rest of us! Wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as fun.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Probably. But you¡¯re wrong about something.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi leaned forward.

    ¡°I would have figured out at least twelve.¡±

    Both of them snickered as they moved to a couch. Xavier started to talk to the nurse.

    ¡°Well, I guess it doesn''t matter as long as you didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± Redi said. ¡°But you have to tell me the story later!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sam easily replied.

    She swung her backpack around, hurrying to dig through it with her face scrunched up in focus. Grabbing something, she smiled and pulled out an item, which she shoved towards Sam.

    ¡°Here! I managed to sign us up for a Gym Trial tomorrow, and I got these! This one¡¯s for you¡ªa Friend Ball for a friend!¡±

    In her hand, Redi held a green Pok¨¦ball with four brown teardrop shapes pointed at its center. He carefully took it in as she held up several other minimized, custom Pok¨¦balls as well.

    ¡°All of these balls have different effects,¡± Redi said cheerfully. ¡°Friend Balls are apparently super comfortable, so Pok¨¦mon like them more. The others do... other things, but we can check that later. I figured we¡¯ll share them as needed, catching whatever Pok¨¦mon that come our way.¡±

    There were five in total, a decent amount to fill out their teams with new Pok¨¦mon, especially if Redi didn¡¯t plan to catch too many more. Sam carefully looked all of them over. These Pok¨¦balls each had niche uses against certain species, and their creation had helped place Azalea on the map.

    When he looked back up at Redi, her smile was as bright as the sun. After everything else that happened today, Sam couldn¡¯t help it. He sniffed.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said genuinely.

    She smiled, but she then blinked and only now seemed to notice the Quilava resting on Sam¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Wait, hold on! You didn¡¯t just fight a ghost, but you also evolved without me?!¡±

    Sam laughed, and Quilava snorted. She was exasperated that Redi hadn¡¯t noticed until now.

    The rest of the day, Sam took it easy. He regaled the story of what happened in Slowpoke Well, and Redi regaled the surprisingly exciting story of her encounter with a rather surly Pok¨¦ball craftsman. Mankey was healed, Quilava was checked over, and he and Xavier were both paid twice the amount the job was supposed to pay¡ªafter all, they did more than was asked. The nurse confirmed she¡¯d pass a message to the Gym to secure protection for Slowpoke Well, and Sam just enjoyed this peaceful time he had with his friends.

    It was nice.

    It was relaxing.

    It was a good break before he, Redi, and all of their Pok¨¦mon challenged the Azalea Gym.

 Chapter 42

    Flying Pok¨¦mon screeched through the air. Other Pok¨¦mon cried out on the ground. Sam saw a Nidorino desperately drag itself into the foliage, and shadows darkened the sky from above.

    ¡°They''re doing another fly-over!¡± someone shouted, but Sam wasn¡¯t able to tell who.

    Three Butterfree trilled as they flew over the meadow. Their cheerful voices echoed out, not matching the panic of the chaos below. Underneath them, a Sleep Powder cloud filled the space between the woods and a hill in the center. Pok¨¦mon ran for cover, the trees serving the sole source of protection from the dust drifting off the Bug Types¡¯ wings.

    ¡°Scatter!¡± Sam yelled. ¡°They can¡¯t get all of us!¡±

    Quilava followed the other Pok¨¦mon entering the woods. With her evolution came speed, and with that speed, an easy development of Tackle into Quick Attack. Haunter darted to hide inside Sam¡¯s shadow, but doing that forced Sam to act to save the both of them.

    Sam just barely managed to push through a bush, dodging a Caterpie that flung a String Shot at his legs. Quilava curved in her dash to dart towards it, flashing out flames from the top of her head and her lower back. The weak Bug Type quickly fled in the face of that super effective fire.

    Mankey didn¡¯t follow. He stayed in the meadow. Rather than hiding, the monkey Pok¨¦mon raised his hands and howled at the sky. Barreling towards him, the three Butterfree dived. The last thing Sam saw of that brave Fighting Type was Mankey being utterly consumed by the Bug Types¡¯ sparkling cloud.

    ¡°Your sacrifice won¡¯t be forgotten,¡± he whispered, saluting that loyal primate.

    With no more targets remaining, the Butterfree circled back to perch on the head and shoulders of a purple-haired, young boy standing on top of the central hill. He laughed¡ªmaniacally. A villainous smile stretched across his face as he played into his role perhaps too well.

    ¡°MWA-HA-HA-HA!¡± He thrust his hands onto his hips. ¡°YOU WILL NEVER CLAIM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE!¡±

    His laughter continued as several Beedrill rose out of the deep woods behind them. In pairs, they moved into the open meadow, beginning to patrol the edge just above the trees.

    ¡°...And this is supposed to be a Gym Trial?¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°No. This is war.¡±

    He breathed out as his Pok¨¦mon gathered around him. Quilava was already at his side, and Haunter left his shadow to enter the air. Stepping out of the meadow was Mankey, who marched right out of the lingering cloud, utterly unaffected thanks to sheer willpower, roiling anger, and most important, his ability, Vital Spirit.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam started, hardening his gaze and putting a fist into his hand. ¡°We need to find the others. Make some kind of plan. Take out that brat Bugsy and actually win this game.¡±

    The Gym Trial was a ¡°simple¡± game of King of the Hill, with trainers being divided up into groups and told to take and hold certain locations. Their opponent was a Gym Trainer, an up-and-coming star in Azalea named Bugsy. Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t anything like a normal match. The Gym provided Bugsy with what felt like a nigh-uncountable number of Bug Types to use.

    There was a swarm between Sam and victory, and unlike most wild Bug Type encounters, this swarm had significantly more than just a single species to worry about.

    As Sam eyed the imperious-looking child at the top of the hill, a rustle came from behind him. He expected to see one of the boy¡¯s many Bug Types approaching in an ambush, but instead, Redi pushed through. Behind her were the three other trainers that made up their group for the Trial.

    ¡°I had Gloom smear some of her saliva on another tree,¡± a green-haired girl said. ¡°It should lure all the Bug Types to it. That¡¯ll give us a few minutes, at least.¡±

    ¡°Should we make a plan, then?¡± a fidgeting boy, a teen a few years older than Sam, asked everyone at once. He looked around hopefully as a duck-like Farfetch¡¯d stood by his side like a soldier standing at attention.

    There wasn¡¯t an immediate response, but the last member of the group did manage to push through that same bush. There was a twig in his hair and a sneer on his face. He kept glaring at Bugsy through the trees.

    ¡°I refuse to lose to him,¡± he snarled.

    A Nidorino limped by his side.

    In theme with the Bug Type Gym, this Trial was all about working in groups¡ªin other words, in a swarm. Only one of them actually had to be on the hill to claim it, but the Trial was designed around an entire group. Unfortunately, teams were balanced around an approximate level of strength rather than an explicit number of Gym Badges. It was why Redi and Sam were in the same Gym Trial, but it was also the reason why a few of these other trainers managed to join in.

    The boy with the Farfetch¡¯d had never once challenged a Gym. He was a local whose Farfetch¡¯d had grown strong while defending him in Ilex Forest, but his actual battle experience was minimal. As for the boy with a sneer, Sam wasn¡¯t a fan. He might have had four Gym Badges under his belt, but he had only ever earned his Badges through taking on Trials.

    That just left Sam, Redi, and the girl with a Gloom. All of them had earned their Gym Badges through active fights against a Gym Leader.

    ¡°So what are we doing?¡± the Farfetch''d trainer asked again, glancing around nervously. ¡°Maybe we could rush him? Overwhelm him as a group?¡±

    ¡°Nah. I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll work,¡± Redi said. ¡°If you look closely, you can see his Ariados waiting in ambush.¡±

    She pointed to the base of the hill, where the tall grass was at its highest. Occasionally, wind blew to allow a red carapace to peek through. To make matters worse, Sam was pretty sure all of the Ariados were actively staring at them.

    The boy¡¯s face went pale as the green-haired girl mumbled something unpleasant about Bug Types under her breath. Sam raked his brain for any strategy possible, but it was the boy who had only ever taken on Gym Trials who spoke up.

    ¡°No. He¡¯s right. We need to rush him if we want to get through.¡±

    Redi, usually one for a straightforward strategy like that, frowned and crossed her arms.

    ¡°Um, no? You¡¯re just asking for us to lose. As much as I¡¯d like to punch that kid in the face¡ª¡±

    The other girl in the group blinked.

    ¡°¡ªhe has a ridiculous amount of Pok¨¦mon with him. We don¡¯t have the numbers to fight all of them off. Not even Teddiursa can handle a swarm of that size.¡±

    Despite her argument, the boy grinned.

    ¡°Exactly! He can¡¯t command them all at once!¡±

    Sam barely resisted covering his face with his hand.

    ¡°Look, there¡¯s five of us and only one of him,¡± the boy continued. ¡°If we each send out all of our Pok¨¦mon, he can¡¯t take us all out, right?¡±

    There were too many things wrong with that plan, in Sam¡¯s opinion. While a push wasn¡¯t the worse thing in the world, they needed to create roles for each person in the group. Otherwise they were too vulnerable to tricks. Not to mention that by releasing their entire teams, they¡¯d have to be in charge of more than one Pok¨¦mon at once, which could cause issues when faced with the chaos of a swarm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that plan would work,¡± Sam said, agreeing with Redi.

    ¡°Yeah? You don¡¯t? But which one of us has four Gym Badges already, huh?¡±

    Sam scowled.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m the most experienced trainer here,¡± the boy continued. ¡°This is meant to be my fifth and last Gym Badge. Give me this, alright? I really think that if we rush him, we can win this with a bang!¡±

    Sam frowned, but the boy smiled and raised a hand. Even though Sam felt like the discussion was still going on, by raising his hand, the boy had effectively started the vote.

    Following him with this plan, the nervous teen raised his own, agreeing with the idea of charging forward. Then, much to Sam¡¯s surprise, the girl with the Gloom voted to support it as well.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°but I actually think we can push through if we all work together.¡±

    Sam sighed. One glance at Redi told him that she also thought this kind of unplanned rush was doomed to fail. Specifically, she sent him a look of, ¡°This kid cannot be real.¡±

    ¡°Direct strategies like this are too vulnerable to tricks,¡± Sam said, trying one last time to change everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°I¡¯d probably vote for this plan if it wasn¡¯t for the fact we know that Bugsy¡¯s already prepared tricks.¡±

    He peeked over at the hidden Ariados, and Redi cleared her throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan of brute strength, and that usually works, but for once, Sam is right.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°I hate to say it, but we need a better plan.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    As both she and Sam glanced around at everyone in the group, the Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s trainer looked as though he wanted to lower his hand. There was a grimace on his face, and his hand started to inch down, but he was interrupted.

    ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± the other boy said.

    He marched forward, not giving anyone time to counter, and readied himself at the edge of the woods. A flash of a Pok¨¦ball saw him release a blue Nidorina, which joined his side opposite to where his Nidorino stood.

    Sam groaned as the Gloom¡¯s trainer moved to ready herself as well, and the Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s trainer walked past and sent Sam a genuine-sounding, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°...Fine,¡± Sam huffed, ¡°but don''t look at me when everything fails.¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯ll be good practice?¡± Redi offered as she followed him over.

    Sam hated how she had a point.

    As they waited at the edge of the woods, a buzz zipped past them as a pair of Beedrill flew by.

    ¡°A Beedrill patrol,¡± the group¡¯s self-elected ¡°leader¡± said. ¡°We¡¯ll burst out the second they¡¯ve passed.¡±

    They crouched, better hiding themselves in the foliage, keeping an eye on all the passing Bug Types. Sharp stingers glinted in the midday sunlight, and their ¡°leader¡± held up a hand.

    Three.

    He put down a finger.

    Two.

    Sam made sure all his Pok¨¦mon were ready.

    One.

    They didn¡¯t all wait for the ¡°go.¡±

    The boy with the Farfetch¡¯d charged forward, leading the pack with a scream at the top of his lungs. Despite the group¡¯s apparent plan, they never established if they were to run out on one or zero.

    ¡°Go, go, go!¡± their leader hurriedly said.

    The remaining four trainers and all of their Pok¨¦mon exploded out of trees and charged at Bugsy¡¯s hill.

    ¡°YOU FOOLS! YOU¡¯LL NEVER GET PAST MY MINIONS!¡± Bugsy shouted.

    Rows and rows of Butterfree entered the air over his head. Roughly two-dozen appeared in a grid, with each one holding a fidgeting, blue pinecone¡ªBug Type Pok¨¦mon called Pineco. The organized swarm then flew to move themselves over everyone else¡¯s heads.

    ¡°Psybeam, Porygon!¡± Redi shouted.

    Teddiursa was already at her side, but she quickly released her second Pok¨¦mon to have it attack with a bright pink beam.

    Thankfully, she had already managed to ¡°program¡± simple, silent commands for when it came to how Porygon followed orders. She pointed, and a Psybeam shot out, aimed perfectly where Redi was pointing. As directed, one of the Butterfree was hit dead-on.

    The Bug Type cried out in pain, and it dipped back so as to not fall onto one of its allies. As it did, however, it let go of its Pineco. The immobile blue Bug Type fell and hit the ground. On impact, the Pok¨¦mon used Self-Destruct to release every ounce of its internal energy all at once, causing an explosion.

    ¡°They¡¯re literally bombing us!¡± Sam shouted, continuing his charge towards the hill regardless.

    He looked at his Pok¨¦mon. Quilava jumped up to land on his back, holding onto him to better aim an Incinerate launched at the grid of Butterfree.

    Several were hit by that burst of flame, forcing them back as they dropped their Pineco. Their aim was off, missing the group but exploding the ground. Nearby, the ¡°leader¡± boy commanded his own Pok¨¦mon to help as well.

    Poison Stings shot out of his team member¡¯s mouths. The boy with the Farfetch¡¯d had his bird Pok¨¦mon enter the air. When Pineco fell, the Flying Type¡¯s Leek batted them away, and the fired Poison Stings managed to push falling Pineco away from the group.

    The defense was working, but it wasn¡¯t perfect. Some members were still charging, and others stopped to play defense. The boy with the Farfetch¡¯d didn¡¯t stop for even a moment, which, given his lead, meant he was the first to have a Pineco land a foot away from him on the ground.

    He stopped, bringing his arms up in fright, but the Pineco didn¡¯t explode. Instead, the Ariados lying in wait made their move, jumping out to fire off String Shots that utterly encased him in a web.

    His Farfetch¡¯d started to desperately try to free him, and Sam looked around. Chaos filled the meadow, and Haunter just barely managed to use Shadow Punch to knock away a Pineco falling towards his head.

    ¡°We¡¯re losing,¡± Sam realized.

    Redi¡¯s Teddiursa used Slash to push back a Pineco before it burst. Another trainer¡¯s Gloom suffered a Self-Destruct right in its face.

    This was all going exactly the way Sam thought it would; Bugsy¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were obliterating them. An unplanned rush was never going to work.

    A lull in the explosions saw several Butterfree flying down to pick up their fallen companions. Pineco were brought back to rest behind Bugsy¡¯s hill, but then more healthy Pineco took their place.

    Another wave was coming. Explosions had churned up the ground, and even more Ariados were still hiding at the base of the hill.

    Sam bit his lip.

    How do we salvage this?

    He already recognized his initial mistake.

    It was one thing to not be rude. It was another to be a complete pushover. Letting this charge happen like this was on him. He should have fought harder against this plan.

    So what can we use? One advantage is Haunter. He''s immune to all the explosions. And then both Mankey and Quilava have Fire Type moves. A solid hit might mean a quick faint.

    Redi was protected by Porygon. The artificial creature demonstrated impeccable skill. While its attacks were kept weak, its perfectly aimed Psybeams meant anything she pointed at was knocked away.

    If we could just regroup...

    Sam locked eyes with Haunter.

    ¡°I have a plan. You''re the lynchpin of it. Ready to start a different strat?¡±

    Haunter smiled and brought up a hand for a perfectly professional salute. Sam whispered his orders.

    Following along, Haunter levitated into the sky. Enough Butterfree had been injured in the first wave that their grid was thinner, but there were enough left to still threaten the group with their Pineco primed to be dropped.

    As fast as he could, Haunter pushed around the flesh of his face. As a combination of the Ghost and Poison Type, his body was rather amorphous. Through a bit of effort, he was able to add uncanny creases to his expression that made Mean Look easier to use.

    One by one, Haunter glared at the flying Butterfree. Their progress forward halted as the Mean Look challenged them and prevented them from getting away.

    One threw a Pineco at him. It exploded, but Self-Destruct was a Normal Type attack. As a Ghost Type, Haunter let the energy pass right through him, and when the smoke faded, he was utterly unharmed.

    With the sounds of Ghost Type cackling filling the air, Sam rushed to his allies for this Gym Trial. He tossed a spare Potion to the trainer with the Gloom, and then he reached their ¡°leader,¡± who was desperately trying to get his two Pok¨¦mon to wake up.

    They had apparently fainted earlier in the fight.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± the boy snapped.

    ¡°Other Pok¨¦mon. I saw you have more balls on your belt. What other team members do you have?¡±

    ¡°Just Sandslash. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Sam said. ¡°Go help out Farfetch¡¯d. Use Sandslash to slash through his trainer¡¯s web!¡±

    The boy opened his mouth to argue, but Sam was already running to Redi.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted "What are we doing?¡±

    ¡°You''re leading the charge! I''m the distraction! Go as fast as you can!¡±

    A malicious-looking smirk appeared on her face.

    ¡°Easy,¡± she said. ¡°Will do.¡±

    Redi cracked her knuckles and turned towards the hill. It looked like Bugsy was going to shout another taunt, but when he locked eyes with Redi, the boy froze up and took a cautious step back.

    ¡°Alright. Mankey. Quilava,¡± Sam said to his team. ¡°Ready to assist?¡±

    Quilava squeaked on Sam¡¯s shoulder, her eyes filled with determination. Mankey, meanwhile, was already enraged. With all these flying Pok¨¦mon, he hadn''t been able to do anything but run, and that really ticked him off.

    Sam glanced up to where Haunter had gathered all the Butterfree. He called out an order.

    ¡°Mankey, grab her. Get ready to throw, and Quilava, use Curse.¡±

    Mankey¡¯s Fighting Type strength let him easily catch her when she hopped down, even with the difference in size. Quilava breathed out, closing her eyes, and her flame started to pulse alongside every breath.

    The Farfetch¡¯d trainer was freed thanks to the assistance of the other boy. Meanwhile, the Gloom was healed, and its trainer joined Redi¡¯s side. Redi was at the front, quickly going over a plan without leaving room for argument, all while she had Porygon shoot Psybeams at Bugsy''s feet. The Gym Trainer wasn''t able to give any more commands to his Pok¨¦mon while under assault like that, and Haunter continued to desperately keep the swarm of Butterfree all in one place.

    However, Bugsy looked to be growing more and more annoyed by the second. A scowl grew onto his face as he brought up a hand for a sharp whistle.

    ¡°Beedrill squads! Take them out!¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened.

    I forgot about the Beedrill!

    A buzzing noise. Another joined in. And another. Then there was so much buzzing at once it was like the air itself was vibrating.

    Enough Beedrill to form two different swarms left the trees and merged up. A cloud of yellow-and-black darkened the sky. Sam shakily took a step back.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way this is a four-star level challenge,¡± he whispered.

    He heard a shout. Redi started to push forward. With such a threat behind them, she chose this moment to make a much more organized push.

    ¡°Change of plans. We¡¯re not attacking the Butterfree. We¡¯re attacking the Beedrill,¡± Sam said.

    Mankey huffed in acknowledgement. Quilava was too focused on building herself up as much as she could to respond in any meaningful way.

    ¡°Get ready...¡± Sam said.

    He slowly inched over to place himself between the Beedrill and the group charging up the hill. They fought off Spinarak and Ariados alike, but if the swarm of Beedrill reached them, that would be it.

    ¡°A bit closer...¡± Sam continued.

    Those yellow-and-black Bug Types began to dive. Each Beedrill was surprisingly fast. At Sam¡¯s side, Mankey pulled his arms back, and Quilava finished one last use of Curse.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    He snapped his fingers and pointed towards the swarm. Mankey threw Quilava with as much force as he could muster.

    Like a boulder leaving a catapult, Quilava hurtled up into the sky. She opened her eyes and shouted her name, curling up her body as she did.

    While Curse increased the user¡¯s physical attack, the downside of the move was that it drastically lowered the user¡¯s speed. However, Quilava didn¡¯t need to worry about speed thanks to Mankey tossing her into the air, himself. All she needed to worry about was maximizing her power and flames exploded out around her.

    Flame Wheel was her best move to combine with Curse. Unlike Ember or Incinerate, the boost to physical power actually applied. Using the Curse¡¯s energy to fuel this attack, Quilava spun and let her flames tear out of her to an incredible length. The spin allowed her fire to rocket out, and her range was massively increased. Thanks to her pouring everything into this, as well as all the practice she had done with internal control, the Flame Wheel was absolutely enormous, and a full third of the swarm was hit by her flames.

    ¡°...Woah.¡±

    Sam heard a yelp as Redi grabbed the collar of the Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s trainer to yank him back into their fight.

    Sam had no such thing, and he stared upwards to behold Quilava¡¯s incredible mastery over flame.

    While she didn¡¯t take out the entire swarm, or even faint more than a handful due to how stretched her Flame Wheel was, the heat was still super effective, and Beedrill were prone to anger. Infuriated by the attack on their swarm, they all turned to face her rather than the rest of the group.

    She panted, landing on top of one of the Beedrill¡¯s head. She looked around sheepishly before being forced off thanks to a dozen pairs of stingers being jabbed her way.

    From head to head, from Beedrill to Beedrill, Quilava jumped, allowing any focus she had on Curse to drop. The only reason she wasn¡¯t immediately overwhelmed was thanks to a combination of Quick Attack and Detect. She could see the attacks coming and had the speed to move out of the way, but this was an extremely dangerous game of leap frog that was quickly tiring her out.

    ¡°Mankey! I need you to help her!¡±

    Sam brought down his hand, which Mankey clasped. He spun around and tossed him, throwing the monkey with all his might. Sam didn¡¯t have the strength of a Fighting Type to back him up, but the swarm took up a lot of air space. Mankey got just high enough to grab a Beedrill¡¯s leg, and then a Fire Punch slammed into its stomach before he hopped to another one.

    ...Unlike Quilava, Mankey was overwhelmed in seconds. He didn¡¯t have the speed or the benefit of Detect to let him avoid their attacks. The Beedrill surrounded him and repeatedly stabbed with their stingers, using Twineedle. Thankfully, it did draw some attention away from Quilava, giving her a few spare moments to land on one¡¯s head and catch her breath.

    It was clear this opponent was far too strong for Sam¡¯s team to handle, but he didn¡¯t care about beating them in a fight. For this Gym Trial, he was only the distraction. Quilava and Mankey were distracting this swarm. Meanwhile, Haunter was still distracting all those Butterfree. Based on his occasional laugh, he was injured, but he was also having fun.

    Eventually, Quilava missed a jump, and she began to fall towards the earth. Unable to grab her Pok¨¦ball in time, Sam leaped with his arms held out. He just barely managed to catch her, pulling her in close as he skidded along the ground.

    ¡°I got you!¡± he said. ¡°That was incredible.¡±

    She looked up and smiled at him with a tired, ¡°Quil.¡±

    Behind, a thump.

    Sam glanced around.

    Mankey peeled himself off the meadow¡¯s dirt and gave Sam a thumbs-up. He hadn''t even attempted to fall into Sam¡¯s arms.

    ¡°HA HA HA!¡±

    Maniacal laughter rang out from the hill once more. However, this time, it didn¡¯t come from Bugsy.

    ¡°FOUL VILLAIN!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°YOUR CLAIM IS NOW OURS! YOU HAVE FACED OUR WRATH AND HAVE BEEN FOUND WANTING! YOUR MINIONS HAVE FAILED!¡±

    She put her hands on her hips and cackled, bringing her head back to stare at the sky. Meanwhile, at the base of the hill, Bugsy rubbed his shoulder and picked himself off the ground. Apparently, he had been thrown down.

    With that unexpected change, the Beedrill were no longer approaching. Sam grabbed Mankey and jogged over to join where everyone else stood at the top. None of the Bug Types stopped him, and Haunter floated back down. The Ghost Type¡¯s face was covered in bruises and cuts, and his body was battered from all the gusts of wind he had suffered from the Butterfree.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Bugsy said. The young boy rubbed his cheeks to better recover from what had happened.

    Up here, the entire group stood tall. The Farfetch¡¯d trainer looked confident for once. The Gloom¡¯s trainer looked tired but was smiling. The last member of their group, the boy who had initially pushed for a rush, just grinned at Sam. He looked satisfied rather than annoyed.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve claimed my hill?¡± Bugsy said. ¡°NO MATTER!¡±

    He threw a hand to his side.

    ¡°THAT WAS THE EASY PART! YOU MAY HAVE CLAIMED MY HILL, BUT CAN YOU HOLD IT? PREPARE YOURSELVES! GET READY FOR AN EVEN GREATER ASSAULT!¡±

    It felt like hours, but it only took five minutes. Bugsy threw everything at them, but in the end, they managed to work together and push through. Together, Sam, Redi, and everyone else successfully completed Azalea¡¯s Gym Trial, and for Sam and Redi, they only had their actual Gym Battle left to earn them their next Gym Badge.

 Chapter 43

    Sam went to bed early after the Azalea Gym Trial. The fight had been exhausting, his team needed rest, and he had other plans for that night as well. Sleep came easily enough, as practically everyone crashed the moment they touched the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s fluffy bed.

    He awoke, hours later and in a daze, when something pointed jabbed into his side. His eyes snapped open, and he was met with a cheshire grin and a glowing red gaze. Haunter cackled when Sam jerked back, as he almost fell to the floor. But, rather than getting annoyed, Sam was thankful. The scare had been effective enough that he was unlikely to go back to sleep anytime soon.

    ¡°Alright, everyone!¡± Sam clapped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s the witching hour, like we planned! Time to wake up!¡±

    Haunter assisted Sam¡¯s efforts with a wail that echoed around the room far more than it should have. That was enough to stir Mankey, who grumbled and rolled to face away on his side. As for Quilava, she groggily smacked her lips and tried to sit up. Unfortunately, all she managed to do was collapse back into a pile.

    Sam carefully took her, placing the limp Fire Type around the back of his neck.

    ¡°Sorry, but we did all agree on this, remember? Haunter wanted to do this as part of his reward for holding off all those Butterfree.¡±

    Quilava whined¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t her reward for the Beedrill be to sleep in? Mankey made a noise that he wanted the same.

    ¡°You can sleep in later this morning,¡± Sam answered. ¡°I want to do this as a team. Doesn¡¯t it sound cool to explore the town at night?¡±

    Two sets of shared groans. Both of them kept their eyes closed, but Mankey sat up, and Quilava rubbed her face to keep herself awake.

    Sam got ready as fast as he could. He threw on a jacket, made sure his stuff was packed in his backpack just in case, and fixed his hair so it wouldn¡¯t be so messy. The only light in the room was a standing lamp that gave everything a dull orange glow. Outside, it was almost pitch black. Azalea might have had street lights, but they were few and far between.

    Eventually, Quilava managed to wake herself up enough to actually keep her eyes open. Mankey, meanwhile, only became fully awake when he accidentally rolled off the bed.

    Both of them got a midnight snack-slash-breakfast from Sam¡ªChesto Berries he had purchased specifically for this moment. The berries¡¯ strong, dry flavor helped them wake up, and they were left blinking, full of energy, afterwards.

    ¡°Our plan is to head out and see what the city is like at night,¡± Sam said, cleaning up the remnants of everyone¡¯s meals. ¡°Towns as old as this one should have a few real ghosts, but Azalea¡¯s also pretty small with a dedicated Gym. I doubt there''s anything we¡¯ll need to worry about, instead, imagine how many Ghost Types might be out there! Haunter, you¡¯re pretty confident a Ghost Type or two will be around, yeah?¡±

    Haunter nodded excitedly, giving Sam a thumb¡¯s up.

    Tonight, there would be no catching, only quiet observation. Where the New Pok¨¦dex was an incredible resource for in-battle capabilities, it had little on the behavior of species outside of fights. Sam wanted to see how Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon behaved in the wild. He¡¯d be a silent observer, joining Haunter to watch Pok¨¦mon go about their night-to-night lives.

    This late at night, Haunter had no need to enter Sam¡¯s shadow, content to merely float at his side. Mankey, meanwhile, ambled over to walk next to Sam. He went through a few stretches to make sure he was awake. As for Quilava, she let out a quiet whine next to Sam¡¯s ear. Given she was no longer a small Cyndaquil, she couldn¡¯t exactly fit in his hood.

    At least, staying on his neck was similar enough, and the position still let her rest her head on his shoulder.

    ¡°Ready, everyone?¡±

    Haunter cheered his name in excitement. The rest of his team made noises to state their readiness, but they were nowhere near as happy.

    Sam left his room, entering a silent hallway, then left the Pok¨¦mon Center to step outside. There, the cool night¡¯s air caressed his face as countless stars decorated the night sky. There were more visible here than from other settlements Sam had been to, as while Azalea Town had modern amenities, there weren¡¯t enough to cause too much light pollution. There was something about seeing that view while also being surrounded by old buildings that made the night feel that much more beautiful.

    Haunter took the lead, and Sam followed. He made sure to not say anything to not disturb the silent peace of the night. The roads in the center of the city were stone, but moving towards the edges, dirt and gravel paths became more frequent. Each footstep audibly crunched against them, yet Haunter was familiar enough with night exploration to make sure they didn¡¯t bother the species active at this time.

    Murkrow were the most common species Sam saw, as they were practically omnipresent during Johto¡¯s nights. The black crow Pok¨¦mon used their dark feathers to blend in with shadows while they eyed the ground for shiny objects to add to their collections. Besides them, there were also Spinarak and Ariados that crawled over and into many nearby buildings. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if they were hunting, looking for a place to nest, or patrolling on behalf of the local Bug Type Gym.

    But the species that caught Sam¡¯s eye the most came into view towards the end of the witching hour. Haunter waved for Sam to stop and held a finger over his mouth before pointing up at the sky. There, illuminated by the moonlight, was a train of Gastly passing over the town. Sharp eyes glowed in the darkness, and Haunter waved a greeting as they floated past.

    If Sam had to guess, this was the time of night they were the most active, going around and looking for people and Pok¨¦mon to scare.

    Though, Sam had the feeling those Gastly weren¡¯t the only Ghost Types about. Sometimes, something would flicker at the edge of his vision, but whenever Sam looked, nothing was there. There was no chill in the air, and the hair on the back of his neck wasn¡¯t standing up, but he couldn¡¯t help but to feel like he was followed. While he observed, he was being observed back, though he had no way to tell what watched him as he wandered through town.

    During this period, he also made sure to stop at the Slowpoke Well, mostly to check if the nurse had carried Sam¡¯s message about protecting the place. To his surprise, the area around the well had almost completely changed. Several full grown evergreen trees now surrounded it like a grove. Looking closely, he could see the moonlight glinting off the compound eyes of a few different Bug Types. The local Gym had stepped in and placed guards as needed.

    It was a big relief to see that. Sam¡¯s promise would be fulfilled.

    ¡°Thank you for this, Haunter,¡± Sam said when the witching hour was at its end. Active species were becoming more rare, and it seemed that these nocturnal Pok¨¦mon had an innate sense of when night was at its deepest. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡¯d never think to explore a city so late. It¡¯s really amazing to see just how many Pok¨¦mon are out and about without any humans to bother them.¡±

    Haunter smiled proudly. He had enjoyed this, too. Next time they came out this late, Sam wanted to bring some berries with him so he could lure wild Pok¨¦mon closer and hopefully have a chat.

    But this was still an hour of walking in the cold night¡¯s air during a time when everyone was usually asleep. Quilava had greatly enjoyed this as well, but Mankey had to hold the leg of Sam¡¯s pants to not lose track of him in the darkness. For him, he was more about battling. Walking around and watching other Pok¨¦mon was boring. He was already ready to go back to sleep.

    In an attempt to stay up, Mankey struck at the air with his hands. He tiredly tried to practice as the group headed back to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    As he was now, Mankey¡¯s Type coverage was extreme. He knew Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Karate Chop, Cross Chop, and Assurance, and he slowly rotated through those attacks for practice. Yet, even though he knew so much, he was also trying to work on one last development¡ªa brand new Ghost Type move would be a perfect addition to his arsenal and help him better fit with the rest of his team.

    However, Mankey¡¯s best and only offensive option for this purpose was Shadow Claw, which he tried to figure out by curling up his fingers and swiping at the air. He needed to channel Ghost Type energy into his hand to use the attack, but he also needed to figure out how to actually control Ghost Type energy, first.

    From Sam¡¯s shoulder, Quilava occasionally squeaked out advice to him, able to do so thanks to all her practice with Curse. Haunter chipped in with advice as well, but from the sharp looks Mankey sent the Ghost Type, Sam could tell that Haunter wasn¡¯t being entirely serious about it.

    ¡°Redi told me she wants Teddiursa to evolve soon,¡± Sam idly commented as they slowly walked back. ¡°I think she¡¯s aiming for an evolution around the time we reach Violet City, which¡¯ll be our fifth Gym, and her fourth. At the same time, she also talked about visiting Azalea Town¡¯s power station. Porygon needs to figure out Electric Type moves, and Teddiursa won¡¯t be trying for evolution until he figures out Thunderpunch, too.¡±

    Both Mankey and Teddiursa were due to learn that Electric Type attack, but Redi¡¯s priority was to have Porygon learn how to utilize electricity, first. Teddiursa was in a solid state thanks to the sheer power of Slash and his own wide Type coverage, but his evolution? Sam could tell that while Teddiursa had put in more work than other members of his species, becoming an Ursaring was still a while away.

    He also had a theory that Teddiursa and Redi were delaying his evolution because they both enjoyed how small and cute he was, but Sam was smart enough to never say that out loud.

    ¡°If the rest of the team has evolved, you¡¯re next,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Becoming a Primeape is when your rage will really start to build, so we¡¯ll be focusing on self-control pretty soon.¡±

    Mankey grunted. His response was less enthused than Sam expected. When he glanced down, the monkey Pok¨¦mon was staring straight ahead. His expression was unreadable.

    ¡°We¡¯ll make you strong,¡± Sam affirmed.

    Mankey replied with a firm nod. His absolute faith in Sam¡¯s training skills was obvious, and Sam refused to let his Pok¨¦mon down.

    Meandering through Azalea, their little group continued along side paths to return to the Pok¨¦mon Center. However, when they reached the part of the city containing its shops, Sam was surprised to see an open door bleeding light onto the road.

    An old building was still open, which was strange to see this late at night. A large plume of smoke poured out from a wide chimney. On the step outside the front was a familiar Pok¨¦mon¡ªa duck-like Farfetch¡¯d holding a leek under a wing. It stood at attention, like a soldier on guard.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The Pok¨¦mon stiffened and squawked its name as Sam made himself known from within the darkness. Mankey and Quilava remained either at his side or behind his neck, but Haunter zipped upwards to hide himself in the darkened night sky.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam greeted it, raising a hand. ¡°You¡¯re still up? Even after our Gym Trial yesterday.¡±

    Farfetch¡¯d said its name awkwardly. Then it said its name indignantly. It sent a nervous glance behind it, into the building. For some reason, the Flying Type almost looked worried.

    While it was distracted, Sam sent a subtle shake of his head to Haunter, who had drifted behind the duck Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head without it being aware. Annoyed, he clicked his tongue, and the Farfetch¡¯d briefly snapped around but saw nothing¡ªHaunter disappeared.

    Sam stepped closer to the open door, remnant curiosity from his exploration fueling him forward.

    ¡°Mind if we go in?¡± he asked.

    He could tell Farfetch¡¯d would have probably turned him down if they hadn¡¯t just won a war-like battle yesterday. However, it instead looked up at him with almost an expression of hope, stepping to the side to allow Sam to enter the shop.

    Inside, he was greeted with rows of shelves filled with charcoal products.

    Liquid inks, blocks of inks, bottles of powdered charcoal, and pitch-black dyes. The burned wood was being sold in all forms¡ªbroken up, clumped, or as solid sticks. In a few places, what seemed to be perfect cylinders of blackened wood sat in cubbies like a library of scrolls. Those pieces were priced the highest, and a counter divided an open workshop from the rest of the store.

    A clay furnace sat in the center of the room, the source of the smoke Sam had seen before he came in. It had several openings, with a few of them completely sealed off. In front of one, a familiar, black-haired teen stared unerringly into the fire.

    Several minutes passed without any acknowledgement that Sam was there. He was eventually forced to clear his throat, which caused the other boy to jump almost a full foot. The teen looked ready to scream, but when his eyes locked onto Sam, they lit up in recognition.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s me?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I¡ª I never got to thank you yesterday! You disappeared so fast! If it weren¡¯t for you, we would have lost the Gym! So, thank you!¡± He pulled his hands tight against his sides and stood up with a bow at ninety degrees. ¡°You made sure we won our first Gym Trial!¡±

    Sam awkwardly coughed into his hand, unable to look at how sincerely the older boy was thanking him.

    ¡°Do you¡ª Do you need something? Trying to make a purchase?¡± the teen said, pulling himself up straight. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re closed! I was just... practicing.¡±

    ¡°Practicing,¡± Sam repeated.

    The teen looked unsure of his own words.

    Looking closer, Sam started to notice more details on his face. There were bags under his eyes that made him look tired¡ªand not just in the physical way.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Sam asked.

    Sam watched the boy slap his cheeks, leaving handprints of dark dust on his face that he failed to realize were there.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± he said all too quickly. ¡°My family makes charcoal, and I wanted to make sure I had the technique down. We use it in a bunch of different products¡ªwhich you can see, can¡¯t you?¡±

    He chuckled awkwardly.

    ¡°No, but their real use is¡ª¡±

    Eyes widening, the boy suddenly turned around and darted over to grab a set of metal tongs. He cursed under his breath as he shoved them into the furnace he had been staring into only a moment before.

    A bit of fumbling, and a loud whoop left his mouth.

    ¡°Yes! It worked!¡±

    A chunk of blackened wood¡ªcharcoal¡ªleft the oven via his tongs. He placed it on a nearby stone counter before smacking it lightly with a hammer. The noise the hit made resembled the ring of metal.

    After a few seconds of walking around it and rotating it with a heavy glove, the boy blinked and looked back up at Sam.

    ¡°Ah! Uh, sorry about that. The real use of charcoal is as a held item. Only certain pieces are good enough to sell as something battle-rated, but they¡¯re our most valuable product. Each one can increase the power of Fire Type moves by up to a fifth.¡±

    Sam let out a whistle.

    ¡°Wow. So is the boost linear or proportional?¡±

    ¡°Linear or¡ª¡± He furrowed his brow. ¡°Proportional, I think? Dad advertises them as a ¡®qualitative¡¯ increase. Fifteen to twenty-five percent, depending on how well the piece came out. So I think its effect scales with the strength of a Pok¨¦mon. That¡¯s proportional, right?¡±

    Sam felt his eyebrows raise¡ªhe was genuinely impressed. He¡¯d always known held items could increase the power of a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s moves, like with Spell Tags and Ghost Types, but he hadn¡¯t been told any specific numbers until now.

    ¡°And how much would one cost?¡±

    He was already going over his budget in his mind.

    ¡°Here? We have a deal with the local Pok¨¦mart to sell them for us. I think they¡¯re priced at around ten thousand?¡±

    Sam wanted to choke.

    ¡°How much?¡± he wheezed.

    ¡°Nine-thousand eight hundred, specifically. I think,¡± the teen said. ¡°But that¡¯s only the price of our highest quality charcoal. You can get a less effective one for around three. Three-thousand, I mean.¡±

    That doesn¡¯t make it better!

    Sam wanted to sit down. He¡¯d always known being a Pok¨¦mon trainer was expensive, but that price was on a completely different level. Then again, a proportional boost that high was definitely enough to make the difference in any battle. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if trainers across the globe came here just to pick up a Charcoal for their Fire Types.

    While Sam struggled to recover from the shock, the charcoal-maker glanced at Quilava, a small smile appearing on his face.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve thanked you enough. Wanna help me out? Test this piece out?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Sam jumped at the opportunity¡ªboth literally and figuratively¡ªand the charcoal-maker boy laughed.

    ¡°Follow me outside,¡± he said.

    Moving around the counter, Sam eagerly followed along as the boy opened a set of double-doors that wouldn¡¯t be out of place in a barn. They connected to a walled-off backyard, where the ground was made of compacted dirt and where several pallets of wood were covered to store.

    ¡°Here. Have your Quilava hold this.¡±

    Sam helped her off from his neck and placed her down. She carefully took the handed-over piece of charcoal in her front paws and stood up on her hind legs.

    Using the charcoal like this in battle wouldn¡¯t be too effective as Quilava moved best when running on all fours. However, there were specialized collars and bands trainers could purchase that gave Pok¨¦mon easy ways to hold items without necessitating hands.

    But, since this was just a test, she held it in her paws and allowed her flames to spark up on both her head and lower spine. As a Quilava, her fire didn¡¯t stretch down the entirety of her back. Instead, her flames gave her a flickering mohawk and tail.

    She breathed in, and the center of the darkened wood began to glow. She then breathed out, and the glow increased to a steady burn. After taking a few seconds to get used to it, she finally turned her head up and unleashed an Incinerate aimed directly at the night sky.

    It exploded¡ªbrilliantly. The attack was bright enough to briefly make it day. Mankey had to rub his eyes, blinded. Haunter had been hiding with a shadow against the building, but he was utterly revealed when the darkness was burned away.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Sam breathed. That attack had received a boost that was far more than a ¡°meager¡± twenty-percent.

    Quilava looked down at the item she held in her hands. Its bright glow continued to build and build and build until there was a loud crack. Everyone watched as it fell apart into ash in her hands.

    ¡°...Oh.¡±

    Quilava looked absolutely mortified. The charcoal-maker looked sick. He was almost in shock.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± He laughed to himself in numb disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I really thought I had it this time.¡±

    In a daze, he walked over to a covered stack of wood and leaned against it, rubbing his head in pain.

    ¡°I guess this is why my dad says he doesn¡¯t want me to take over the shop. Not good enough for him, huh?¡±

    ¡°Wait, he doesn¡¯t?¡± Sam asked. ¡°That was still impressive! I¡¯m sure you can figure it out if you keep trying!¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that. He says there are better things I can do.¡± The boy sighed. ¡°He wants me to go on a journey. He wants me to see the world before I ¡®dedicate myself to his craft.¡¯¡±

    Sam was silent. He didn¡¯t have the personal experience to respond.

    ¡°Both of my parents are pushing for that, actually,¡± the boy continued, venting his feelings. ¡°They want me to head out and see the region instead of continuing to try to learn about how our shop works. But I don¡¯t want that! I want to stay here and learn how to manage the shop! I want to actually help!¡±

    ¡°...So is that why you took on the Gym Trial?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Because your parents pushed you into it?¡±

    It was unusual to take on a Gym with a single Pok¨¦mon so strong, but the other boy shrugged.

    ¡°Kind of. I guess the reason is pretty close. I actually went there by myself. I thought that if I succeeded, they¡¯d get off my back. Now, they¡¯re just pushing even harder.¡±

    He chuckled morosely.

    As they stood there in his backyard, a sudden quack rang out, and his Farfetch¡¯d appeared in the door to the building. The duck Pok¨¦mon marched over to stand at the side of the boy, where it didn¡¯t do anything, merely trying to support its trainer with its presence.

    The teen smiled ever so slightly, but he still seemed upset about the situation.

    ¡°Okay, so I kind of don¡¯t get it. If you¡¯re eventually going to learn how to make charcoal anyway, why don¡¯t you head on a journey?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Are you kidding?¡± The teen snapped his head up, staring at Sam indignantly. ¡°I have to practice! I can¡¯t waste any time! I have to learn how to do what my father can do!¡±

    Sam just rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Okay, sure, but how do you think your father got to where he is?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Heck, I think my team¡¯s getting pretty strong. How do you think I got to where I am?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Sam began to pace. From his own experience, he didn¡¯t like the idea of someone tying themselves down to their family¡¯s shop their whole life. There was an entire world to see! Things to experience!

    He actually felt like he could help.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get anywhere by sitting in one place, doing nothing,¡± he said. ¡°You need experience. You have to go out and see things. I think I agree with your parents. Do you think I would have been able to fight in that Gym Trial if I stayed at home instead?¡±

    ¡°...No?¡±

    Sam stopped, turning to face the boy. He was sitting up a bit straighter now, looking both confused and bewildered.

    ¡°Look, my mom owns a bookstore, but it¡¯s my dream to become a proper Ghost Type specialist. I could have stayed there and read about Ghost Types all my life, but that would have just been knowledge. You need practical skills. Actual skills that you can use to further your dream. For you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I make charcoal. What does that have to do with being a trainer?¡±

    ¡°Have you considered that you could catch a Fire Type?¡± Sam immediately replied.

    The boy¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment as Sam continued to explain.

    ¡°Think about it. A Fire Type on your team. A friend that can help you test held items. Not just that, but imagine how much easier your work would be with someone controlling your oven¡¯s flames. Quilava, wanna demonstrate?¡±

    It took no effort from her to conjure and hold a Will-O-Wisp above her head. She went as far as to adjust the size of it, shrinking and growing it to show her rapidly developing skill.

    ¡°But what about my actual craftsmanship?¡± the boy said. ¡°How does being a trainer train that?¡±

    Sam sent him a flat look.

    ¡°Do you really think this is the only shop where people make charcoal? For me, do you think my mother¡¯s bookstore was the only bookstore in the world? Or that I was the only potential Ghost Type specialist out there?¡±

    The boy stuttered for several seconds before letting out a sigh.

    ¡°I could see how others do it, too,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I hate that you¡¯re right.¡±

    Sam sent him a confident grin.

    On the floor, the Farfetch¡¯d grabbed the leg of the boy¡¯s pants to draw his attention. As he looked down, it stared back up at him with an expression that screamed encouragement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± the boy said, although there was something in his voice that told Sam that he¡¯d already come to a decision.

    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about catch-up. You might be a bit behind on badges, but you have a solid head start,¡± Sam said. ¡°The season might have begun a few months ago, but your Farfetch¡¯d is already crazy strong. I mean, four stars before your first Gym Badge! That¡¯s something to be proud of.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± the boy said with a growing smile.

    He stood up and knelt to rub his Farfetch¡¯d¡¯s head. The Pok¨¦mon somehow smiled with its beak.

    ¡°I have a lot to think about. Thank you. But, uh, I think I need to head to bed?¡±

    Sam blinked. Then he laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, I probably should too, huh?¡±

    They headed back into the shop, where the boy thanked Sam one last time. Saying goodbye and stepping outside, the lights turned off behind him, and Sam entered the darkness of the night once more.

    ¡°Well, that was a bit unexpected. But it was interesting, yeah? Charcoal sure is amazing.¡±

    Quilava held up her paws to ask to be picked up, and Sam put her back on his shoulders. She rubbed against his face, and then Haunter snickered.

    Mankey yawned, but then he blinked when he looked at Sam¡¯s face. After a moment of stunned silence, the primate full-on pointed and laughed.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    When Sam got back to his room in the Pok¨¦mon Center, he quickly checked his reflection in the mirror. When Quilava had rubbed against him, she took the dust from the charcoal and rubbed it on his face.

    It looked like he had whiskers. She pranked him. She pranked him!

    Sam sent her the best glare he could muster before bursting into laughter as well. It was such a dumb trick, but it was funny.

    He really enjoyed tonight. He wouldn¡¯t mind doing this again in the future.

    <hr>

    The next day, when Sam headed downstairs just before noon, the nurse informed him that a package had been delivered to ¡°the boy with the Quilava.¡±

    He snorted, realizing that neither he nor the charcoal-maker had ever exchanged names. But, not one to pass up a gift, he opened up the package.

    Inside was a simple message, a letter saying, ¡°Thank you for helping my son.¡± Underneath, something wrapped in paper.

    Charcoal, blackened and burnt.

    Sam received that invaluable held item as thanks for encouraging the charcoal-maker¡¯s son to begin a journey of his own.

 Chapter 44

    With a late night exploration came a late morning wake-up. It was only about an hour before noon when Sam came to, went downstairs, and found the package containing the piece of Charcoal. To say he was blown away would be an understatement. He understood just how expensive a piece of Charcoal was, and if he was being given one, the charcoal-maker¡¯s family must have been significantly more thankful than he would have thought.

    Quilava would best benefit from the Charcoal when she didn''t need it to hold it in her paws. Keeping it in hand would interfere with her ability to scurry, so Sam needed to buy her a collar, a bandana, or some kind of ribbon that could keep it tight against her body.

    But that was a task for later.

    Still a bit groggy from being awake so late in the night, Sam walked over to a small, back room of the Pok¨¦mon Center, which was the equivalent of a kitchen. With how Pok¨¦mon Centers served as both medical facilities and what were effectively hotels for trainers, part of their budget went into providing free breakfast for anyone staying the night. It was only ever creamy oatmeal at most, but on-duty Chansey tended to break up their precious eggs and mix them in. While it sounded strange, a Chansey¡¯s egg was extremely sweet, almost like sugar, and it carried an extreme amount of nutrients alongside the effect of putting anyone who ate it in a good mood.

    So, Sam and his team ate the cold meal, with a hairnet-wearing Chansey ladling them bowls. Sam ate his with a spoon, Quilava sipped at hers slowly and politely, and Mankey furiously shoved his face into his meal, his fur dripping with food when he came up to breathe, looking around in a daze like some kind of overfed kitten.

    Haunter only took a few bites, stealing them from Sam and everyone else when they weren¡¯t looking. As a Ghost Type, he didn¡¯t exactly need to eat, but when he did, he much preferred berries. His internal energy was fueled with spiritual... something. Unfortunately, it was hard for researchers to figure out what sustained Ghost Types when they weren''t sure themselves.

    Redi had already left earlier, but Sam still planned to get some practice in. Training was a good way to wake up and keep his team in shape. He left, handing their bowls back to the Chansey with a thank you, and moving out to meander through Azalea¡¯s streets.

    He briefly stopped and considered purchasing a few herbal medicines from one of the shops that sat in town.

    ¡°What do you think? Worth getting some?¡± he asked his team.

    Quilava sniffed the air and gagged, but she tried to put on a brave face in a sign of support to Sam. Meanwhile, Mankey outright crossed his arms and made a point of looking away. While herbal medicines tended to be extremely effective, they were also extremely bitter. Both Mankey and Haunter would likely rebel if Sam tried to use those medicines too often.

    Seeing their hateful glares, Sam laughed and skipped the shop. Annoyed, Mankey tried to kick him, but Sam hopped over the attack.

    The dodge didn¡¯t matter. Haunter made use of Sam¡¯s shadow to trip him by reaching up and grabbing his leg.

    The best place to train wasn¡¯t in the town itself. The Ilex Forest contained wild Pok¨¦mon that were more than willing to throw themselves into fights. However, Sam wanted to work on new moves rather than skill in battle, so he instead made his way to the nearby, crystal-clear lake, stepping onto a long, gravel shore wide enough to provide plenty of room to practice new attacks.

    Arriving, he saw a few different trainers practicing with their own teams in the distance, but he didn¡¯t expect to see Redi already here. Then again, traveling together usually meant people picked up one another¡¯s tendencies and habits.

    ¡°Thunder Shock!¡±

    Sam heard her voice before she saw him. Her shout was loud and full of excitement. Redi pumped her hands and cheered at the floating Porygon. Teddiursa did the same next to her.

    To Sam¡¯s surprise, Porygon actually performed the called-for attack. Around its body, raw electricity popped and sparked like a short-ranged aura. Technically, the attack could be combined with Tackle to make a rough Spark attack, but Thunder Shock was specifically a special, ranged move that fit Porygon better¡ªalthough that range was rather short.

    ¡°I slept in for, like, three extra hours, and you already figured an Electric Type attack?¡± Sam called out.

    Redi jumped. Her gaze snapped to the approaching Sam as her hand locked onto Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball at her waist. When she blinked and realized it was just him, she relaxed and her usual cheerful demeanor returned.

    ¡°Yeah! Great, isn¡¯t it? So you found my note.¡±

    ¡°Your note?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Tch. Probably should have given it to the nurse instead of leaving it in my room,¡± she grumbled.

    Sam barely resisted covering his face with a palm.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Redi continued. ¡°Check this out! Porygon, use Thunder Shock!¡±

    Once again, the artificial Pok¨¦mon sparked with electricity. The move covered a slightly smaller area this time around.

    ¡°So I woke up early to visit Azalea¡¯s power plant,¡± Redi explained, grinning at her Pok¨¦mon as Sam moved to her side. ¡°Turns out, it¡¯s not really a power plant, but they have a bunch of windmills behind a nearby hill and a bunch of transformers or something that manage all their power. There was a guy there who protects it in exchange for letting his Pok¨¦mon leech off the power grid to feed themselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam said, trying to see if Porygon was any more responsive¡ªit wasn¡¯t¡ªas Redi kept talking. ¡°He helped you?¡±

    ¡°He did!¡± Redi said excitedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t really need much advice, just a good description. I figured that since Porygon is so much like a computer program, I just needed to define any new potential Types like some kind of variable. So, I asked the guy if he could describe electricity, he told me something about charged particles and currents, which I already forgot¡ª¡±

    This time, Sam couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of covering his face with a palm.

    ¡°¡ªBut Porygon didn¡¯t! And thanks to that, they actually know what electricity is! They can do this now, too! Use Thunder Shock!¡±

    Once more, Porygon sparked, but it looked more like an inch of static over their surface rather than any large burst like before.

    ¡°...We¡¯re still working on it,¡± Redi mumbled, slumping a bit. ¡°I think there¡¯s a charge to it. Porygon¡¯s Electric Type moves become weaker the more we attack and stronger the more we let it build. I¡¯m trying to find the best balance of building and release, and then with some tweaks we should figure out¡ª Wait, what were those moves called?¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Discharge and Charge Beam?¡± Sam offered.

    Redi smiled again.

    ¡°Yeah. Those.¡±

    Teddiursa made a noise next to Redi, and the little bear Pok¨¦mon smirked at where Mankey stood next to Sam. Teddiursa held up a claw, clenching it into a fist. While no obvious Thunder Punch was used, the message was clear; Teddiursa planned to master that attack before Mankey ever had a chance to learn it.

    An eye twitched, and Mankey snorted at Teddiursa. His hand cloaked with the Dark Type energy of Assurance, and he smacked at Sam¡¯s shadow. Haunter yelped and was knocked out, angrily holding up a fist to scold Mankey for ruining his hiding spot. Unfortunately for him, Mankey completely ignored him and used that same Dark Type energy to grab onto Haunter¡¯s spikes and drag him away, all but demanding that the Ghost Type train him in a different move.

    A little bit of competition doesn¡¯t hurt, but this is backwards, isn¡¯t it? Teddiursa is the one with claws, and Mankey¡¯s the one that punches. Yet, Teddiursa is working on Thunder Punch and Mankey is working on Shadow Claw.

    ...Well, as long as they¡¯re motivated.

    He snickered at the thought while Redi started to walk around Porygon, carefully looking over her Pok¨¦mon for any changes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be helping Quilava to learn a new move in the meantime,¡± Sam said. ¡°Tell me if you want advice or need to glance at the New Pok¨¦dex.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I should be fine, though. Just gotta figure out how to make this work before shifting to all those other moves. Tri-Attack and Conversion-2, too.¡±

    She smiled again, her gaze a little unfocused. Sam could tell she was already dreaming about all the nonsense she could get up to with a wider moveset. Sam went ahead and split off to train with his Starter. He helped her down from around his neck and stared at her.

    They had a move to learn today.

    Mankey¡¯s attempts to learn Shadow Claw alongside Haunter also helped Haunter train his personal control of Ghost Type energy. Sometimes, the best way to better understand something was to explain it to someone else. Haunter needed to learn new moves, which included Shadow Ball. Weirdly, it was more difficult to figure out than Hex, but both he and Sam wanted him to learn the attack. It especially grated on Haunter that a wild Misdreavus could use it but not him.

    (Sam also briefly checked to see if that Misdreavus was nearby. He didn¡¯t see anything, but he couldn¡¯t help but to be paranoid that the Ghost Type was following.)

    For Quilava, making use of what she already knew would be best, and she needed an attack that would work on Pok¨¦mon that resisted her Fire Type moves. The new move Sam had planned for her would help against Pok¨¦mon with impeccable dodging skills, though it would be useless against Ghost Types. It served as a decent stopgap for now.

    Swift was a Normal Type attack¡ªspecifically, one that would be Quilava''s first ranged Normal Type move. It conjured a swarm of glowing, homing stars that chased down her foes. It wasn¡¯t the strongest move in the world, but it was good for a Pok¨¦mon of her level.

    Like all moves, Swift required some form of Type energy to fuel it, and Normal Type energy tended to be the ¡°easiest¡± to work with. Normal Type energy was significantly less ¡°flavored¡± than all other Types , and it could be easily manipulated as a result.

    Personally, Sam theorized that was why Teddiursa was so adept at training his elemental punches. As he was a Normal Type, he could easily ¡°convert¡± that energy into different Types to fuel his moves.

    Sam understood Fire and Ghost Type energy the best, thanks to all of Quilava¡¯s training. Through gestures, she described Fire Type energy like the feeling of a forest fire at her fingertips (or toes)¡ªhigh-powered, energetic, a desire to spread, and explosive potential. Meanwhile, Ghost Type energy was almost insidious. It was persistent, and once used, there was a subtle obsession that allowed such moves to almost always carry through their effects. Strangely enough, the Ghost Type itself didn''t have the same level of maliciousness as, say, the Dark Type, but there was still a cold need to it, even if that cold need tended to just be the desire to play pranks.

    Low level moves didn''t necessarily require energy, as attacks like Tackle could be used as a solely physical body slam. Even something like Growl didn¡¯t require much extra effort¡ªit could be as easy as an intimidating shout. However, mastery over Type energy itself was needed to allow moves to actually carry an effect in anything more than the lowest level of play. For Quilava¡¯s work on Swift, she needed to take Normal Type energy, condense it into stars, unleash those stars at her opponent, and then cause them to home.

    But she already had everything she needed to succeed with this practice.

    With her evolution into Quilava came the quick transformation of Tackle into Quick Attack. The same energy that was used for strikes was instead used to push off the ground for quick bursts of speed. With that improvement came an increased understanding of Normal Type energy, and she was also already familiar with rapid-fire attacks and moves that chased their targets thanks to both Ember and Will-O-Wisp. Not to mention, all her practice with Blaze and Curse meant she had the proper internal control to combine everything together.

    Her practice started with Quilava standing still, utterly motionless as she underwent complete focus. Normal Type energy tended to appear as a pure white glow, like the glow that chased some species¡¯ use of Quick Attack. Around her, Quilava caused motes of Normal Type energy to appear outside of her body, which reminded Sam of Will-O-Wisp. Unfortunately, each one quickly fell apart and fizzled out.

    ¡°What if you try to build it inside your mouth like with Ember?¡± Sam suggested after carefully observing her continued efforts.

    Quilava¡¯s next attempt caused her to cough up smoke, but Sam shouted more advice based on everything he¡¯d seen. If Misdreavus formed a Shadow Ball in front of its mouth, what if Quilava did the same for this move? Trying that, she was eventually able to conjure a single, glowing star that she bit down on and tossed with a flick of her head.

    Surprisingly stable. That¡¯s good.

    ¡°Close!¡± Sam called out excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s the exact shape we need. Now you just need to make it come out faster and in a group. Think you can do that?¡±

    She squeaked, already somewhat tired but absolutely determined to figure this out.

    Practice built upon practice, and techniques built upon techniques. While Mankey kept kicking the gravel out of frustration at his failure to figure out Shadow Claw, it took only half an hour for Quilava to turn Swift into a decent attack, and it only took another half an hour after that for her to increase the amount conjured and turn that into a full-fledged attack.

    Her Swift still needed work, but it was battle-ready. Unfortunately, until she practiced it more, Ember would be more powerful. Still, when Quilava finally got it down, bits of stone were launched into the air from the force of the stars that slammed into the gravel beach.

    The sight of it caused Quilava to freeze, as if she wasn¡¯t expecting that level of impact. Slowly, she turned her head in surprise only for Sam to smile at her. Right away, she ran over and jumped into his arms, wiggling with proud excitement.

    ¡°You did it!¡± he said, laughing and rubbing her back. ¡°Mankey, you¡¯re next!¡±

    The Fighting Type huffed, annoyed. Haunter actually looked a bit sheepish for once. It seemed that both he and Sam had thought he¡¯d be able to assist Mankey with the move, but he hadn¡¯t.

    Intending to change his focus and assist, Sam began to walk over, continuing to carry Quilava in his arms. She was larger now. It took a lot more effort to hold her than when she was a Cyndaquil.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about how far we¡¯ve come?¡± Sam whispered to her as he approached. ¡°Think about it. It used to be just us, and we sucked. Mom¡¯s training made that obvious. But now? Now, you¡¯ve evolved. And we have Mankey with us. We have Haunter with us. And we have Redi, a friend, who has Teddiursa and has Porygon and has no problem helping us make sure everything we do to get stronger comes out well.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°We¡¯ve built a pretty cool, little group, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Quilava said her name and leaned into him. He scratched her neck before setting her down. Having arrived, he looked over at both Mankey and Haunter. He cleared his throat to gather everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about the next Gym,¡± he announced as everyone gathered around. ¡°They use Bug Types there, which means we have a pretty significant advantage. Mankey, you have a Fire Type attack in the form of Fire Punch. Quilava, you literally are a Fire Type. And then Haunter, you resist Bug Type moves twice over, and you¡¯re immune to their Normal Type attacks, too.¡±

    His team stood tall and proud. Everything Sam said led to the conclusion that this upcoming Gym battle would be an easy victory.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want that,¡± he said, and his entire team looked at him, confused. ¡°We could rely on our advantages for an easy match, or we can actually make use of our team¡¯s strategy.¡±

    Sam let himself fall onto the ground, sitting back with the gravel shifting to support his weight. Lowering himself, he could better look his Pok¨¦mon in the eye as he glanced over all of them.

    ¡°Quilava, your Will-O-Wisp burns, which has an incredible amount of synergy. Burn pairs well with both Mankey¡¯s Assurance and Haunter¡¯s Hex. Then, it also weakens physical attackers, perfect for safe triggers of Anger Point or lessening how much damage you all take.¡±

    Mankey snorted to say that he wasn¡¯t as fragile as Sam was implying. Yet, Sam also knew that he and Haunter had about the same level of physical endurance¡ªnot much.

    He pushed on.

    ¡°That¡¯s just the benefit of Will-O-Wisp. I haven¡¯t even talked about how moves like Hypnosis, and Confuse Ray could apply. Heck, even Ice Punch is incredible. It can freeze someone if you place your attacks just right!¡±

    Mankey raised his brow.

    ¡°But what I¡¯m trying to say is...¡± Sam took a deep breath. ¡°I want us to win based on skill rather than any inherent advantage. I don¡¯t want us to only rely on strength. In a Gym battle like this, we have the perfect chance to start building the habits that will carry us to a win in the Silver Conference. We¡¯re a team! Let¡¯s fight like one, too!¡±

    Gyms were meant to push trainers, to test them to see if they had the strength to continue to the next tier of play. Gym Leaders fought battles to win, of course, but their teams were always built to be possible to defeat.

    Here, the Gym would let Sam see how his Pok¨¦mon performed against a team of a similar level. Sure, they could rely on Fire Type moves and solely focus on Type advantage, but what would they learn from that? How would they become stronger if they fought like any other trainer?

    ¡°When we take on Azalea Gym, we¡¯ll be at a numbers disadvantage. Whoever fights us will be using four Pok¨¦mon to our three. However, we also have to remember that none of you fainted against Whitney. And I genuinely think we can do that again.¡± Sam smiled at his Pok¨¦mon. His thoughts of the future were already making his heart thrum in his chest. ¡°So this is where things are going to get exciting. Let¡¯s show the world just how much potential we have!¡±

    His team cheered alongside him. Redi briefly glanced over before throwing herself back into training with an even greater ferocity than before. Sam planned to make it to the big leagues, and now was the perfect moment to bring together everything they had learned and develop an undefeatable strategy.

 Chapter 45

    The morning before a Gym Battle was important. Sam demanded that everyone needed to get a good night¡¯s rest and take it easy, as being well-rested was important before a major fight.

    For Mankey, relaxing meant getting his blood pumping, as was his nature as a Fighting Type. He practiced, going through his moves, both in-training and learned, and let his mind wander through all the things he liked to do.

    Such as acting silly to get people to smile.

    Or challenging Pok¨¦mon to some kind of competitive match.

    Alternatively, there was eating. Personally, Mankey liked eating the most.

    He actually considered himself pretty clever when it came to finding food, too. After all, when his troop first discovered their chestnut tree, it was his idea to crack the nuts with rocks. Doing so cut back on the stabbing feeling that came with trying to peel the nuts¡¯ spiky flesh. He was smart! Smarter than the rest. Though, he still had fond memories of everyone else.

    He remembered the time he spent with all the other Mankey, and something twanged in his chest. He closed his eyes, and standing on the Pok¨¦mon Center bed, he swiped a hand through the air once again. Though his fingers were hooked for a clawing attack, no Ghost Type energy came to him to complete the Shadow Claw he desired.

    Annoyed, he breathed out, and Mankey looked over at everyone else here. Sam knelt on the floor, affixing a bandana to Quilava¡¯s neck that would hold her Charcoal close to her skin. Next to a wall, Haunter floated in front of a mirror, his reflection becoming hazy as he did his best to cause his image to fade away.

    But Mankey turned and stared at his own hand. No matter what he did, it felt as though using Ghost Type energy was impossible for him. The more he considered that line of thought, the more he felt as though it was true. A rush of anger flowed through him.

    What annoyed him the most was that smug jerk had already been able to form sparks around a paw. It was only a matter of time before Teddiursa learned how to use Thunder Punch. Even with all of Haunter and Quilava¡¯s advice, Shadow Claw just wasn¡¯t happening. It was nothing like the Dark Type energy of Assurance, which came to Mankey easily. For that attack, all he had to do was think about how much he wanted to strike. To hurt. To cause someone pain and make them suffer for taking everything he¡¯d ever done and tossing it¡ª

    Mankey roared, two hands slamming down into the bed, the mattress squeaking underneath his exerted Cross Chop attack. The quiet praise from Sam and the whispered muttering from Haunter immediately ceased. Everyone turned to look at Mankey, and Mankey blinked awkwardly before calming down and scratching the top of his head.

    ¡°...You alright, Mankey?¡± Sam asked.

    Mankey chuffed, waving Sam off. The primate Pok¨¦mon turned away, focusing back on practicing his claw attacks in the air.

    If it was Shadow Claw, that meant the attack was like some kind of modified Scratch or Fury Swipes, right? He just had to claw with his hand and allow the Ghost Type energy to pour into it.

    But how to form that Ghost Type energy?

    He swiped once. He swiped again. He swiped a third time, and the only sound in the room was his heavy panting as he continued his workout while everyone stared.

    Quilava tried to interrupt with a squeak. She wasn¡¯t necessarily questioning him or anything like that; she was simply expressing her worry for Mankey. The sound made Mankey pause mid-swipe. He didn¡¯t look at her, and Sam stood up to let himself plop down on the edge of the bed, next to where Mankey practiced.

    ¡°I know back in Olivine you said you¡¯d explain everything to me, but I am getting worried,¡± Sam said. ¡°With how much we¡¯ve been developing your anger, it¡¯s... Well, I think it''s getting easier for it to affect you.¡±

    Mankey licked his lips, but the action was hidden by his coarse fur. His immediate thought was to brush Sam off with a snort, but he also trusted his trainer. Sam probably had a point.

    So, Mankey just huffed and let himself fall back to sit on the bed. He still didn¡¯t want to talk about it. He still wasn¡¯t strong enough. They still hadn¡¯t circled back around to the mountains north of Olivine, either. Between his failure to learn this attack, Teddiursa vastly outpacing him, and then with everyone else evolving, Mankey was starting to feel like the weak link.

    Again.

    But his trainer didn¡¯t react the way he expected. There was no frown or admonishment or a remark to tell him to push himself harder. Sam just chuckled and patted Mankey¡¯s head. He glanced up at the ceiling, humming as Mankey stared at him.

    ¡°You know, Shadow Claw isn¡¯t that important. The same is true about your elemental punches. Type coverage is nice, but in the end, width doesn¡¯t matter as much as depth. What matters is your goals and knowing exactly where you want to end up.¡±

    Mankey looked at Sam, replying with an annoyed grunt of his name.

    He ignored what Sam said at the end. Rather, if none of those moves mattered, why did he bother to learn in the first place?

    And to that concern, Sam just smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve talked about our strategy and all of your synergies, but how much do you actually understand about how we¡¯ll be working together as a team?¡±

    Mankey rolled his eyes and grunted. Strategizing was a trainer¡¯s job. His job was to get stronger and beat up anyone that stood in their way.

    And learning stronger moves would help him do exactly that. Which is why Shadow Claw was so important.

    Sam seemed to get the gist of what Mankey was trying to communicate and hummed in response.

    ¡°Alright, so...¡± Sam took a deep breath. He took a moment to gather his words. ¡°You know my basic plan. Overall, we¡¯re going to fight via overwhelming our opponents with status moves to make it difficult to fight us back. Haunter¡¯s the best example of that, with moves like Hypnosis, Spite, and Confuse Ray, and Quilava can do the same thanks to Will-O-Wisp, Leer, and Smokescreen.¡±

    He looked down and rubbed Mankey¡¯s head. A smile was on his face.

    ¡°However,¡± Sam continued, ¡°conditions aren¡¯t enough to win battles¡ªwhich is actually the first piece of advice I ever received. Instead, we need good, solid offense to take advantage of Pok¨¦mon we weaken, and that¡¯s where you¡¯ll come in.¡±

    Mankey blinked and rolled his jaw as he struggled to process everything Sam said.

    ¡°Haunter¡¯s speed makes him a pain to pin down, and Hex can utterly destroy anyone inflicted with a status. With Quilava, Incinerate is an incredible, explosive attack, and now Swift means we can handle speedier targets, too. However, those are all special moves, and their physical attacks won¡¯t hold up in the long run. You¡¯re the lynchpin of all of our strategies, Mankey. I don¡¯t want you selling yourself short.¡±

    He looked up at Sam, but Sam was no longer looking at him. The boy was staring out at nothing at all in particular. There was a plan behind his eyes, a plan that had slowly been building all of this time. He once promised that their team would never be beat, and there was something about his gaze that told Mankey that the dreamed-for future was rapidly coming to fruition.

    ¡°Ghost Types don¡¯t tend to be strong up close,¡± Sam said, his voice basically a whisper. ¡°Most are fragile. Speedy and powerful, yeah, but only certain species can really withstand hits. So if we take you and your incredible physical strength into account...¡±

    Sam turned back to Mankey. There was a shine to his eyes, and Mankey found himself sitting up a bit straighter.

    ¡°Rage Fist and Bulk Up. Those are the only two moves you¡¯ll ever need. Learning them now won¡¯t do you good, but I want you to keep them in mind for when you evolve soon enough.¡±

    Sam then paused, running his tongue over his teeth as he seemed to silently picture that future in his mind.

    ¡°Rage Fist grows for every hit you take, fueling you with the anger of pain,¡± he explained. ¡°You need to master it to evolve into Annihilape, and know that the power behind the strike can grow to outmatch even a Hyper Beam. After that, there¡¯s Bulk Up, which is a Dewford speciality. It¡¯ll boost you physically in every way, increasing both your offense and defense and making you a menace in melee fights. And when you combine the two¡ª¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°I see a future where you¡¯ll be able to take on even a Dragonite on your own and come out absolutely victorious!¡±

    Mankey hadn¡¯t ever asked about the future. He had one goal, yeah, but throwing himself in with Sam meant they both shared their goals now, too. But now, he could only look up at Sam in awe. It wasn¡¯t that he was going to evolve into a secret, final evolution, but Sam was going to make him a monster along the way.

    His trainer grinned back at him excitedly, but the moment didn¡¯t last forever. Quilava suddenly squeaked something and broke Sam out of his excited, almost dream-like state.

    ¡°But, uh, that¡¯s for the future,¡± he said, clearing his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that strategy will actually work until we try it, and we still have to actually train to get there. Big developments for when you¡¯re a Primeape, but we¡¯re sticking to general training for now. Practicing new moves is a good way to train your strength and control of Type energy, so don¡¯t worry about Shadow Claw. You¡¯ll probably figure it out within the next few weeks.¡±

    At this point, Mankey no longer cared. He saw Sam¡¯s dream, and he saw that it was beautiful. More than anything, he wanted that power. He wanted that strength so, so much.

    He hopped out of his seated position to stand on the bed with his fists clenched tight. Staring right at Quilava, Mankey started to speak. He knew that with how long she¡¯d been with Sam, Sam understood her the best, so he did his best to explain his wishes to her in hopes she could share them with Sam¡ª

    ¡°You want a chance to prove yourself?¡± Sam interrupted, understanding his wish regardless. Mankey looked away from the Fire Type to meet Sam in the eye and furiously nod.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    His trainer had understood him perfectly; Mankey wanted a chance to prove that he wasn¡¯t a weak link on the team.

    Once again, Sam hummed. Doubt briefly flashed through his expression, and Mankey wasn¡¯t sure if it was sourced from doubt about Mankey¡¯s strength or the viability of his wish. Still, Sam¡¯s small smile didn¡¯t fade. Instead, it seemed to grow by the second.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°If you want to prove yourself, I can work with that. We¡¯ll need a minor adjustment to our strategy today, but nothing too bad. To keep it simple, I¡¯ll have you fight the Gym¡¯s ace Pok¨¦mon all on your own. You can do that, right?¡±

    Excitement shot down Mankey¡¯s spine. His hair stood on its ends as he pictured the impossible battle before him.

    Sam had mentioned it before; Gym Leaders always saved their toughest Pok¨¦mon for last. If Sam planned to save him, an unevolved Pok¨¦mon, to take on whoever was their final opponent?

    Mankey sniffed.

    The room started to look as blurry as Haunter¡¯s body in the mirror.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, don¡¯t cry¡ª!¡±

    Too late.

    Mankey threw himself into Sam, sobbing and thanking him and sobbing even more. Sam looked to be doing his best to continue smiling, awkwardly chuckling and patting the Fighting Type¡¯s head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want that so much. I mean, we¡¯re just gonna have you do something you¡¯d be able to do anyway.¡±

    Mankey sobbed harder.

    As Sam turned to the rest of the team to talk about specifics for the day, Mankey promised himself that he''d win. He promised he¡¯d crush whoever he fought in a one-on-one match. Not just that, but he also remembered. He remembered a certain Pok¨¦mon that looked far too much like him, and he remembered his promise he made to meet that Pok¨¦mon once again.

    He would win here, and that would be proof. Mankey was in no way the weak link, and when he returned, he¡¯d do more than just destroy that Pok¨¦mon in revenge.

    <hr><hr>

    Sam wasn¡¯t always a fool. He understood that there were only so many Bug Types the Azalea Gym could train. Recognizing how Johto otherwise limited Gym Trainers to Pok¨¦mon found in the region, he knew there were only twelve-or-so Bug Type lines he needed to learn about to be prepared.

    It didn¡¯t take much to create a counter strategy for each one, as his team was well-equipped to handle most foes. Sure, he could have Quilava rely on her Type advantage, or he could use Haunter¡¯s incredible resistance against Bug Type attacks, but what would they gain from that? What would they gain from practicing what they already had?

    A win, of course, but then they¡¯d be relying on advantages they wouldn¡¯t have in every battle. Doing so would be the equivalent of begging to pick up bad habits.

    Mankey¡¯s request would benefit the entire team, to tell the truth. For Gym Battles against Azalea Gym, one of three species were almost always saved for the end: Scyther, Heracross, or Pinsir. He¡¯d only need to worry about facing one of those three, and each was a physical attacker that would perfectly push Mankey while letting everyone else fight without worry. The remaining three Pok¨¦mon would firmly be on Quilava and Haunter¡¯s shoulders, but Sam trusted them and knew they¡¯d be able to win without fainting.

    ¡°And you¡¯re sure that you don¡¯t want any advice?¡± Sam asked Redi as they trudged over a dirt path, heading towards the Gym¡¯s territory just outside of town.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything from your book right now. Some trainers are all about making plans. Other trainers are all about adapting. Me? I want to challenge myself. What¡¯s the point of taking on a Gym if you already know what they¡¯re going to do?¡±

    ¡°Practice?¡± Sam offered.

    Redi snorted.

    ¡°Psh. It¡¯s not the same when you¡¯re expecting it. And, I mean, they¡¯ll only be tossing three Pok¨¦mon at me anyway. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re willing to give me that greater challenge I asked for, or anything like that...¡±

    She frowned and brought her gaze down to the path.

    This upcoming match would have been a different story for her if she had three Gym Badges instead of just two. The fourth battle to earn a Gym Badge was always a drastic increase in challenge over the third and earlier. Most trainers taking on Gym Leaders ended their journeys after struggling to earn their fourth. The fifth was an even higher wall, and the sixth was even higher. That didn¡¯t even include how Gyms had no trials for anything past a fifth Gym Badge. Only battles followed that point, which were impossible to face for trainers that only took on Gym Trials.

    This mattered because Redi skipped Morty¡¯s Gym and was one badge behind Sam. Sam might have been at the point where battles became truly difficult, but Redi was ¡°still in easy territory,¡± as she claimed.

    Annoyed, Redi kicked a rock. Sam winced as it bounced away.

    ¡°Not knowing gives us a greater challenge,¡± she mumbled, talking about not wanting to know what was in Sam¡¯s book.

    The Azalea Gym had two main plots that belonged to it: a building in town and several greenhouses at the edge of the forest. The building in town was more about having a connection to Azalea proper and a center for administrative duties. Meanwhile, these greenhouses were where the Gym¡¯s trainers practiced, battled, and protected young Bug Types.

    The Gym was filled with both trainers and Pok¨¦mon that worked for it, so there wasn¡¯t a long wait here as compared to other cities. While Sam and Redi had a day¡¯s delay for their Gym Trial, the actual Gym Battle was different, as Redi had to specifically ask for a later date when registering. They needed that extra time to train.

    The consequence of having so many Gym Trainers ready to take on challengers was that Sam and Redi would be fighting at the same time. Neither would be able to watch one another¡¯s match. Yet, that fact was almost comforting in a way, as by splitting up to take on the Gym alone, it was almost like a promise to meet back up one Gym Badge stronger.

    So, as they kept walking, the trees started to become more frequent as they neared the forest. The path split in several directions with a sign¡¯s wooden arrows pointing to numbered greenhouses. Glass glinted behind several trunks, hints of green half-obscured within.

    ¡°I gotta go left,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°My challenge is in a greenhouse to the right,¡± Sam replied.

    They looked at one another for only a second before clasping arms.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Psh. Like I¡¯ll need it,¡± Redi said with her usual casual confidence.

    After shaking, they split, marching to their respective battles as Sam smiled, excited for the match to come.

    The greenhouses were laid out in rows, and Sam could see others surrounding the one he approached. Metal supports held up huge panes of glass, and an enormous tree was visible within.

    It was unlocked, so he stepped inside. Right away, several Weedle hurriedly scurried away from the door to hide inside nearby bushes. There was an entire biome in here, with a painted dirt battlefield taking up the center of the room. Thick branches of that massive tree hung over the field, where many Caterpie and Pineco sat to watch this upcoming match.

    The stares he received from so many Bug Type Pok¨¦mon should have been unnerving, but Sam was too excited for this match to be bothered by them. Instead, these Bug Types would be an audience for his impending victory, and as he turned to face the Gym Trainer that would be his opponent¡ª

    ¡°Um, where¡¯s my opponent?¡±

    There was a kid standing across from him.

    A young boy stood opposite to him on the field. The boy wore a white tank top and had on a straw hat that protected his head from the sun. He couldn¡¯t have been more than twelve, which made Sam unsure why the kid was here at all. Yet, despite his young age, he stood with a confidence Sam usually only ever saw in experienced trainers.

    ¡°I¡¯m your opponent!¡± The kid pointed at himself with his thumb. ¡°Bug Catcher Josh! Remember the name!¡±

    He held up a Net Ball¡ªa latticed, blue Pok¨¦ball great at catching Bug and Water Type Pok¨¦mon¡ªas he smirked at Sam.

    ...Really?

    ¡°Is this part of a Trial? Were you told to come here, too? I thought I¡¯d be facing a Gym Trainer or even a Gym Leader-equivalent today,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I am a Gym Trainer!¡± Josh¡¯s face went red as he stomped on the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me because of my age!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re, like, nine?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m eleven!¡± he huffed ¡°What about you? You can¡¯t be older than thirteen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m almost fifteen,¡± Sam said indignantly.

    From the side of the room, someone cleared their throat. A young man, sitting at what looked to be a lawn table, stood up and walked over, glaring at both Sam and that kid.

    He adjusted the sleeves of his tan turtleneck, the most memorable part of the uniform that generally denoted a League-approved referee.

    ¡°I can confirm Josh will be your opponent today,¡± the man said. ¡°Rather than one trainer facing many different tiers of opponents, we do it a bit differently in Azalea. Our trainers are trained to fight at specific tiers of strength to make arranging matches easier.¡±

    ¡°...Huh,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°But I will also state that you should not underestimate Josh, either,¡± the referee continued. ¡°He may be young, but he¡¯s personally fought over forty trainers on behalf of Azalea Gym.¡±

    ¡°And I won most of those battles, too!¡± the kid added in.

    Sam glanced over to Josh, who cheekily smiled back at him. Somehow, the young boy looked as smug as Redi did at times.

    ¡°So how many four-star teams have you beaten?¡± Josh then asked innocently.

    Sam tried to ignore that comment, but he couldn¡¯t stop a scowl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to answer your question,¡± Sam said. He ended that line of discussion by tossing forward a Pok¨¦ball and sending out his first Pok¨¦mon¡ªHaunter.

    Haunter appeared as a mist that seemed to coalesce from the shadows of the overhanging tree. A cruel grin stretched across his face in an attempt to intimidate the young boy, but Josh just swiped a thumb under his nose and sniffed. He looked unimpressed.

    ¡°This will be a four-on-four match between Challenger Samuel and Gym Trainer Josh!¡± the referee called out. ¡°Each trainer will be granted four switches, and the battle will conclude once one side is out of usable Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    He continued to go over the rules, but there were no changes from the standard rules of a Gym Battle.

    ¡°Please, send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡± the referee said to finish off his speech.

    As the kid clutched his Net Ball, Haunter was already excitedly bouncing in the air, ready to take on whatever Bug Type was sent his way. Sam silently went over all of his plans and strategies in his head, preparing himself to absolutely crush whatever was sent his way.

    However, the first Pok¨¦mon sent out wasn¡¯t anything Sam planned for. Yes, it was a species found in Johto, but Sam never bothered to plan for it because he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d need to.

    It was yellow, immobile, and protected by a hardened cocoon. Two tiny claws scratched at the air as Josh¡¯s Kakuna let out a threatening¡ªbut pathetic¡ªhiss.

    ¡°...Are you kidding me right now?¡± Sam asked.

    The words left his mouth without him even realizing it.

    This is a joke, right? Why is he using a Kakuna, of all things?

    ¡°Man, you¡¯re pretty unoriginal,¡± Josh taunted. ¡°You¡¯re saying the same most of my opponents say. You know, the losers.¡±

    ¡°Josh!¡±

    The kid winced when the referee scolded him.

    ¡°He started it!¡± Josh whined.

    The referee glared at the boy, and then he glared at Sam as well. After clearing his throat again, the referee brought up two arms before bringing them down in a snap.

    ¡°Begin!¡± he shouted.

    While Sam was wholly unimpressed by the mid-stage Bug Type in front of him, he also absolutely refused to underestimate his opponent. Against a Bug Type specialist, there was no counting the number of tricks the kid had up his sleeves. Or, lack of sleeves. Sam needed to be careful if the kid had fought in dozens of battles like the referee had said, but he also didn¡¯t plan on letting up on his attitude. Josh was already annoyed, and if it meant causing his opponent to make a mistake, he was willing to push that even farther.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± he shouted, giving no time to delay. ¡°This¡¯ll be easy!¡±

    ¡°String Shot!¡± Josh quickly yelled to counter.

    Haunter went completely and utterly still, his body blurring and forcing observers to squint to make out his basic form. The lack of movement from him let a sticky String Shot connect to his body, and the white gunk spiraled around him before being pulled tight in an effort to restrict his movements.

    Sam said nothing; the String Shot didn¡¯t matter. Haunter had already unleashed a perfect Hypnosis.

    ¡°Wait, don''t look! Close your eyes!¡±

    The panic in Josh''s voice made Sam smirk.

    Haunter was plenty speedy enough to lock eyes with Kakuna before the String Shot had ever been called for. The blurring of his body was just an added effect; Haunter purposefully let himself become hazy just to add to the image of his act. Kakuna, already stuck in one place, locked up even more than before. The two claws at the front of its shell went slack, and there was a mighty¡ªbut underwhelming¡ªthunk as the cocoon Pok¨¦mon fell on its side, utterly unconscious.

    Some battles would end there, as sleep generally meant a Pok¨¦mon had no way to react. But, against Haunter, and in a Gym Battle too, there was a sense that Haunter¡¯s physical, Ghost Type attacks wouldn¡¯t be enough to take it out. One strike, and Kakuna would wake in response. Unfortunately, for them, neither Josh nor the referee had read the New Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Hex!¡± Sam ordered. If Kakuna was going to sleep on the job, he was going to take advantage of it.

    Josh sputtered at Sam¡¯s order¡ªafter all, someone had just shouted for an unknown move¡ªand purple flames seared into the sleeping Kakuna¡¯s yellow form. The spiritual fire dug in and turned its restful slumber into one filled with nightmares while its carapace became scorched black.

    It quickly became apparent that Kakuna had no way to resist. Given that its sole form of protection came from its inherent defense and the move Harden, it had no way to reduce the damage of the special attack. A forced doze turned to true unconsciousness within seconds, and the remaining flames from Hex pulled back and fizzled out under Haunter¡¯s command.

    No longer in a state of pure focus, Haunter blinked. One of his hands slipped free of his String Shot binds to grab the sticky thread only to fail and get gunked up. He turned to look at Sam with a whine.

    ¡°Think of it this way: at least they¡¯ll think you¡¯re too tied up to act fast enough?¡± Sam offered.

    A mischievous smirk flashed across Haunter¡¯s face.

    Kakuna disappeared back into its Pok¨¦ball as Josh looked at Sam with a huff. The boy glanced down, staring at the Net Ball containing his first Pok¨¦mon, before angrily shoving it into his pocket.

    ¡°So what¡¯s next? A Metapod? A Pineco? Maybe you''ll throw a Caterpie at me, too?¡± Sam said.

    Okay, sure, he might have been taunting a kid, but mind games were proven to work! Maybe not academically, but he''d seen them work on matches shown on television, and Redi had used them to great effect in the past.

    However, Josh didn''t look anywhere as furious as Sam expected. Instead, after a few more seconds of feigned anger, a smile rejoined the kid¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Thanks for that,¡± Josh said. ¡°Glad to know you''re as predictable as everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Sam asked.

    A different Net Ball was tossed forward.

    ¡°Come on out, Beedrill! Those bullies beat up Kakuna and didn''t even let her fight!¡±

    Appearing on the field was a massive wasp with two sharp stingers for hands. Two sets of wings furiously flapped behind it, moving at such a fast rate that they caused a loud buzz. The Beedrill, its initial movements slow and analytic, looked between Sam, the String Shot covering Haunter¡¯s body, and the subtle indent in the grass that had once been filled by Kakuna¡¯s unconscious body.

    Haunter nervously chuckled, floating back an inch in the air.

    The Beedrill¡¯s already red eyes turned redder than before.

    There was a moment of tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. The buzz from Beedrill¡¯s wings felt as if it were deafening.

    ¡°Resume!¡± the referee yelled.

    Haunter yelped as Beedrill zipped directly towards him. To Sam, the sacrifice of Kakuna was questionable, but he couldn''t argue against the result. The strategy almost reminded him of two moves he had read about¡ªMemento and Healing Wish¡ªwhich caused the user to faint in exchange for a powerful effect.

    Here, with this kid''s¡ªno, with this Gym Trainer''s¡ªfamiliarity with a species so dedicated to protecting its young, Sam had been set up¡ªtricked in the way he wanted to trick his opponent. Beedrill was enraged, and it would fight with a power that it otherwise wouldn¡¯t have had.

 Chapter 46

    Beedrill blurred yellow as it zipped over the battlefield. The leaves of the overhanging tree shook from the wind that followed in the Bug Type¡¯s wake. Haunter had time for a single yelp but nothing past that. Two gleaming stingers jabbed into him, piercing his purple flesh, and then Beedrill repeated its Twineedle attack to jab him again, and again, and again.

    Haunter was riddled with holes when Beedrill drew its arms back to take a breath.

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡± Sam shouted.

    The lingering holes warped to twist in on themselves, filling the gaps in Haunter¡¯s amorphous body¡ªhis injuries looked much worse than they actually were. He was less rooted in the physical than other Ghost Types, and he had a four-times resistance to Bug Type moves as well. He was still in the fight, but the sheer amount of strikes he had taken couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    Still, his eyes flashed with light. A grey beam struck Beedrill in the center of its forehead. The confusion settled in, but it didn¡¯t let up. Its angry focus allowed it to remain wholly focused on Haunter as it lunged to resume its Twineedle once more.

    Sam breathed out, forcing himself to not panic from the onslaught directed Haunter¡¯s way.

    Come on, Sam! We planned for this! This was the entire reason we didn¡¯t bother to have him dodge String Shot in the first place!

    The sticky gunk from Kakuna was still stuck to Haunter¡¯s body. It remained there, though now with several holes, as the Beedrill continued to attack and as Josh pulled back his straw hat to better observe the battle taking place in the air.

    ¡°Keep it up, Beedrill! Go, get your revenge!¡± he shouted.

    For how young he was, the kid¡¯s bloodlust was somewhat off-putting, but Sam had seen worse. He¡¯d been traveling with Redi.

    ¡°Escape!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Use the shade!¡±

    As one last jab of Twineedle pierced Haunter, he exposed the smile he had barely been holding back. His malleable body had helped minimize the damage from Beedrill¡¯s attacks, and now it let him pull in on himself as the string fell to the floor. The shade of the tree assisted, as the edge of Haunter seemed to fizz. He lunged rather unexpectedly, surprising Beedrill enough to cause it to pull back out of wary shock even through its rage.

    The Bug Type brought up its stingers into an X-shape to try to block whatever Haunter was doing, but his body turned to mist as he passed right through his foe. Beedrill snapped around, expecting to see Haunter behind him.

    Red, compound eyes met nothing. Its gaze rapidly flicked around to try to find him, but no matter where it looked, Haunter was gone.

    Sam could finally allow himself to stop holding his breath. Though Sam¡¯s heart was hammering in his chest, he was relieved that Haunter was able to successfully pull off this trick.

    Only one Pok¨¦mon was visible on the field now, but that Pok¨¦mon was growing more frustrated by the second.

    ¡°Check the tree!¡± Josh shouted, biting his lip. The boy looked almost as annoyed as his Pok¨¦mon.

    When Beedrill looked straight up, nothing was there. When Beedrill looked directly underneath it, nothing was there. It raged and struck at the air, but its attack missed. Haunter remained completely hidden.

    As Sam started to receive the ire of both Josh and his Pok¨¦mon, he chose to simply smile cheekily and say nothing, leaning into their rage. Josh looked like he wanted to shout for something, but he was interrupted when there was finally a change on the battlefield. Red light began to leave Beedrill¡¯s body as a Spite began to drain it. The stratagem worked, but it did reveal Haunter¡¯s position as the light seemed to be pulled to a small spot right on Beedrill¡¯s back.

    If he was able to dive into shadows, who was to say he couldn¡¯t dive into a shadow on top of his opponent¡¯s body?

    ¡°There! It¡¯s under your wings!¡± Josh yelled.

    Sam didn¡¯t bother to stop his laughter at the Beedrill¡¯s panic as Haunter¡¯s red eyes peeked out from a small shadow. Going underneath their opponent was what they originally planned, but if the Gym was so kindly providing them the shade of a tree to use, why not make the most of it?

    Beedril desperately tried to turn around. It did, but Haunter remained on its back. Stingers dug backwards as it tried to scratch behind it. It landed, allowing its wings to stop moving, and it did its best to try to peel Haunter¡¯s shadow away.

    Sam hurriedly lifted up a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Return!¡± he shouted. ¡°Quilava, come on out!¡±

    Using his first of four switches for this battle, Sam replaced Haunter. Josh tried to react with a Poison Sting, but Quilava¡¯s flames were already ablaze and a flash of Detect allowed her to dodge to the side.

    The Beedrill didn¡¯t let up its attacks, but that was no problem for Sam nor Quilava. While its anger had let it focus, the subject of its anger was gone. That meant the move used so long ago was now in full effect.

    Subjected to the illusions of Confuse Ray, Beedrill didn¡¯t bother returning to the sky.

    ¡°Incinerate,¡± Sam said.

    He didn¡¯t need to call it out that loud. Quilava promptly acted in accordance with his command.

    From her mouth, a ball of flame formed and slammed into Beedrill. The explosion of the super effective move sent it clattering to the ground. Still not knocked out yet, it tried to push up. However, its movements were slow from the effects of spite. Quilava was able to fire off a quick Ember to finish it off.

    Sam smiled and swiped a hand over his mouth to disguise his next command.

    ¡°Make sure to taunt him,¡± he said as quietly as he could.

    As Beedrill was sucked back up into its Net Ball with a beam of red light, Quilava sat down and rubbed her paw across the top of her head. It was an action clearly inspired by Delcatty, and she managed to pull off the feline¡¯s smug aura quite well. Josh seemed to seethe at the act, inhaling through his nose and furiously clipping the ball back to his belt.

    ¡°Sure using Beedrill like that was wise?¡± Sam asked, adding insult to injury.

    Strategy was more than just using the right moves. Sometimes, you needed to adjust your opponent¡¯s mindset as well.

    So far, the battle against Josh had been exactly what Sam wanted to see; a rotation, where opposing Pok¨¦mon were set up, then finished off, then set up, then finished off, and so on and so forth. It was less about dealing damage outright and more about making it so Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t fight back. Add a few taunts and snarky comments to make an opponent angry, and then those Pok¨¦mon might be subjected to a few emotionally-influenced, mistaken commands.

    In the future, Sam hoped to be able to stack enough conditions on one opponent to make it that even just recalling that Pok¨¦mon would be a doomed proposition. He wanted it so that anyone he faced felt so overwhelmed that they struggled to come up with any moves.

    Sam waited for the kid to send out his next Pok¨¦mon, but he just pulled his hat down to cover his face.

    ¡°...You¡¯re mean,¡± Josh mumbled.

    Sam winced. The comment hurt, but Sam knew he had to get over it if he wanted to bring this strategy to higher levels of play.

    As Sam chose not to respond, Josh went ahead to grab a new Pok¨¦ball from his belt. Quilava was already heated up and raring to go, and the red-hot charcoal tied to her neck suggested flames even more powerful than from a usual Pok¨¦mon. In the face of such a strong Fire Type, Josh didn¡¯t look like he was satisfied with his own decision.

    This next species was another that appeared in the air. Graceful, white wings kept it aloft as its compound eyes scanned the field.

    ¡°A Butterfree,¡± Sam said. The butterfly Pok¨¦mon¡¯s wings seemed to glisten even in the shade of the field.

    With its appearance, Josh seemed to get a second wind, as a smile was forced back onto his face from under his hat, and he looked back to the field while trying to stand taller than before.

    ¡°You might have taken out half my team, but the rest won¡¯t be that easy!¡± the kid shouted. ¡°Butterfree! Use Sleep Powder!¡±

    For a second, Sam paused.

    Half his team?

    He blinked.

    ¡°Oh yeah. I forgot about Kakuna.¡±

    The kid let out a growl as he made a show of dramatically pointing forward. His expression gained a malicious satisfaction as a cloud of sparkling powder drifted out from under Butterfree¡¯s wings.

    Except, Sam had seen this trick before, and he had the perfect counter for it. His experience in the war that was Azalea¡¯s Gym Trial meant he had the time to think of how to stop it.

    ¡°Curse! Into Flame Wheel!¡±

    Curse was used almost instantaneously. The flames on Quilava¡¯s back gained a dark tint, looking closer to a shaded red. She then curled up into a ball to accelerate towards her opponent, becoming consumed by the dark fire and carried forward by the momentum of Flame Wheel.

    Together, these moves offset the slowdown of Curse while emphasizing the boost it brought. If she hadn¡¯t spent so much time working on her control over that boosting move, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible. But since it was her doing this, she was able to push off the ground to jump into the air, still spinning, and the fires of her attack burned away any Sleep Powder that dared to drift near her.

    Once the Flame Wheel finished burning a path through the cloud, Sam shouted.

    ¡°Now, as practiced, Will-O-Wisp into Swift!¡±

    ¡°Confusion!¡±

    Sailing in an arc, Quilava unfurled as she caused motes of flame to coalesce from the lingering sparks of her previous attack. Each one was launched right towards the gliding Butterfree, who turned around, eyes glowing blue, and tried to use Confusion to stop their advance.

    Yes, some of the Will-O-Wisp motes became stuck in place, but not every mote stopped. More continued their path towards Butterfree, and as Quilava fell, she went ahead and unleashed a barrage of stars from her mouth.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    So focused on keeping the wisps away, Butterfree didn¡¯t have a defense against the Swift.

    ¡°Stun Spore! Whirlwind!¡± Josh desperately shouted.

    His own combination of moves was clever, Sam had to admit. Stun Spore created another debilitating cloud not unlike Sleep Powder, and Whirlwind pushed it all forward directly towards Butterfree¡¯s foe.

    Together, it meant Quilava didn¡¯t have enough space to run away, as the Whirlwind scattered the Stun Spore everywhere. Even Detect wouldn¡¯t do. There was no empty space to move to.

    Quilava sneezed as the spores hit her, but Butterfree had a much more violent reaction as it trilled in pain. While its combination attack came out quickly, both Will-O-Wisp and Swift had landed. The Bug Type was struggling to stay in the air from the injuries it sustained and the blackened marks of a Burn that now scarred its wings.

    Josh clicked his tongue, hesitating. A hand hovered over his waist, as if he were considering a switch.

    ¡°Tch. If you really want to play it that way¡ª¡±

    ¡°Return, Quilava,¡± Sam interrupted.

    ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡±

    Replacing her on the field was Haunter, with Sam using his second switch for the battle.

    The very second the referee off to the side called for the battle to resume, both Sam and Josh called out their moves.

    ¡°Hex!¡±

    ¡°Psybeam!¡±

    Purple flames chased Butterfree, but a Psychic Type attack pierced through their advance. When the Hex struck, it seemed as though Haunter was about to take the attack, but at the very last moment he dipped to the side.

    He cackled. Sam let out a snort. With its computer-like mind, Porygon had exceptional aim. Its Psybeam was far more accurate than Butterfree¡¯s, and Haunter had his share of practicing against this very move.

    If Josh had called for Confusion, he¡¯d likely have taken out Haunter thanks to the damage Beedrill had inflicted before. Instead, Haunter took no damage and his Hex struck Butterfree. It fell out of the sky, calling out its name, and when it crumpled to the floor, it didn¡¯t get up.

    ¡°...Return,¡± Josh mumbled.

    He looked like he was gritting his teeth.

    Sam, meanwhile, hid his sigh of relief with a cocky smile. That switch was a risk that paid off. Quilava had hidden it, but he could tell she was exhausted after putting everything into that expansive combo. Not to mention, she was suffering from paralysis thanks to Stun Spore, too.

    Josh, though, glanced around. He glared at Sam, meeting him in the eyes.

    ¡°That dodge was bunk, and you know it,¡± he said.

    Sam merely shrugged.

    ¡°Sure, it was luck more than anything else, but isn¡¯t a bit of luck needed to win every Pok¨¦mon battle?¡±

    Haunter readily agreed and added to that statement by sticking out his tongue and blowing a raspberry at the kid.

    Grumbling, Josh grabbed one last Pok¨¦ball from his waist.

    ¡°Whatever. I still have my strongest Pok¨¦mon left. And since your team¡¯s so weak¡ª¡±

    ¡°Return, Haunter,¡± Sam said quickly.

    Josh took several seconds to stare with his mouth still open from where he had been interrupted mid-sentence.

    ¡°Ugh! Why don¡¯t you just leave your Pok¨¦mon out!¡± he yelled, stomping on the ground.

    Fuming, Josh tossed forward the final Pok¨¦ball standing between Sam and Azalea¡¯s Gym Badge. Sam was already reaching for Mankey''s Pok¨¦ball as this last opponent appeared on the field.

    So between Scyther, Heracross, and Pinsir, it¡¯s Pinsir. Now that¡¯s lucky for us!

    Pinsir was a Pok¨¦mon covered in a brown carapace with a set of white horns that clacked as they pinched at the air. Stubby hands clenched into fists, and on its face, a vertical mouth gnashed together teeth that honestly reminded Sam of a rib cage.

    ¡°Hey, ref,¡± Sam said, turning to the man overseeing the field.

    The referee didn¡¯t verbalize a response, but he did turn his head to Sam to show he was listening.

    ¡°I know my other two Pok¨¦mon are still able to battle, but is it okay if I withdraw them from the match?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Josh interrupted. ¡°What if your final Pok¨¦mon faints?!¡±

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±

    Frowning, the referee nodded, accepting Sam¡¯s request. Sam went and tossed his final Pok¨¦ball. He knew Mankey had been listening from within, and while strategically flawed, withdrawing both Quilava and Haunter from the battle carried a purpose.

    Mankey wanted a fight between him and this battle¡¯s strongest Pok¨¦mon. There was no back-up, and there was no way out. He¡¯d need to win, or the entire team would lose. Sure, that added a lot of pressure to his shoulders, but it was also a way for Sam to express his absolute faith in this fight.

    When Mankey hit the field, he was absolutely ready to go. His fur stood on its ends, and his hands were held up above his head, positioned to strike.

    Sam went over the possibilities in his head and decided to cash in every taunt he¡¯d been building up right here.

    ¡°How about we end this in one move?¡± he asked.

    He heard Mankey snicker.

    An agreement, then.

    Across from him, Josh practically turned red with rage.

    And it worked. Every moment of cocky arrogance from Sam caused Josh to finally have enough. Once more, he pointed forward, and as his teeth ground together, he managed to get off one more shout.

    ¡°Just... Tear it off the field! Grab it with Vise Grip, and make it hurt, Pinsir!¡±

    Sam wanted to laugh. Everything was lining up perfectly.

    The instant the battle resumed, the Pinsir lunged forward, head lowered and horns to its front. They stretched wide, ready to grab, and Mankey hunkered down to prepare himself for this strike.

    But he didn¡¯t dodge. The Pinsir charged and yanked him right off the floor without an ounce of resistance from his part.

    The result was that Mankey howled in horrible pain. Moves that happened to land in such a way to bypass a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense were generally referred to as critical hits, but what if a Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t bother to put up a defense in the first place?

    Those were generally critical hits as well.

    Josh had made a mistake with his final order. Vise Grip was inherently a weak move. It didn¡¯t do much damage, but it grabbed an opponent to set them up for an easy, follow-up strike. In this case, Mankey was held in the air and squeezed, but the pain from the critical damage overwhelmed him with rage.

    ¡°Anger Point,¡± Sam explained as Mankey began to thrash. ¡°I know Pok¨¦mon abilities are still being discovered, but you should know that¡¯s Mankey¡¯s. When he takes a critical hit, his physical attack is maximized.¡±

    Josh¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Submission! Throw it away, quickly!¡± he said in a panic.

    Pinsir tried to rear its head back, but Mankey roared and wrenched open Pinsir¡¯s horns.

    The jerking movement made it stumble, and Mankey broke free from Pinsir¡¯s grip. Falling, his brown eyes briefly flashed red, and he twisted around to cause a fist to spark into flame thanks to friction off the air.

    Screaming his name, the Fire Punch crashed into the dead center of Pinsir¡¯s head. The impact sent Mankey falling backwards and Pinsir continued its stumble.

    Flames licked at its carapace from where the move hit. Eyes rolled up as its movements stiffened. One final step backwards, and Pinsir fell. Sam felt as though the thud could have been felt from miles away.

    There was a silence between Sam and his opponent. Mankey stood on the field, huffing and puffing and looking around furiously to see if anything would come next.

    But the referee spoke up, and the battle was over.

    ¡°Bug Catcher Josh has no more Pok¨¦mon usable in battle,¡± he called out. ¡°Challenger Samuel wins!¡±

    Josh rubbed his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. As for Mankey, he came to after several rapid blinks before swinging his arms around in victory. Sam shouted¡ªnot saying anything, just needing to vocalize something after that win.

    Mankey turned around and threw himself at Sam. Sam caught him, and the primate Pok¨¦mon started to excitedly swing all over Sam¡¯s body.

    ¡°Feel like you proved yourself?¡± Sam asked.

    Mankey rocked back and forth on one of Sam¡¯s extended arms. The monkey Pok¨¦mon pushed and pulled his legs to continue that motion. He didn¡¯t say anything. He simply looked satisfied.

    Sam went ahead and returned Mankey, as there was a nasty slash across his chest. The Vise Grip had landed critically after all; a big chunk of hair had been sliced clean off.

    Sam happily returned the Pok¨¦ball to his waist, where it rightfully belonged. But, as he did, his expression grew serious.

    Luck was a bigger factor than he had implied. Their victory had come because things had lined up perfectly for them.

    Mankey was meant to be the bruiser on the team. He¡¯d clean up and take out any Pok¨¦mon no one else could handle. Against that Pinsir, the correct decision would have been to have Quilava burn it first. However, since they didn¡¯t do that, if Pinsir had used a move stronger than Vise Grip, or if the boy had brought out a different final Pok¨¦mon capable of super effective moves...

    Well.

    That just means our strategy needs more work in the future.

    Sam stepped onto the field to approach his opponent. The young Gym Trainer was frowning. Josh stared at Pinsir¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, still held in his hand.

    ¡°Good battle,¡± Sam said. He winced, remembering his actions. ¡°And, um, sorry, too.¡±

    ¡°Why? Because you won?¡± Josh clipped the ball back to his hip and looked at Sam with a scrunched up nose.

    ¡°No, I, uh, probably went a little too far trying to anger you. Mind games, you know? I was fishing for that mistake at the end.¡±

    Josh stared at Sam¡¯s hand for several seconds before scoffing and holding out his hand.

    ¡°Yeah, I might have been doing something similar,¡± he said with a sniff.

    Sam laughed.

    ¡°So you know taunting works.¡±

    ¡°How do you think I¡¯ve won half my battles?¡±

    Sam clasped the Gym Trainer¡¯s hand and shook. Both of them snickered as the referee approached.

    ¡°I appreciate the show of good sportsmanship at the end, but I do suggest that you be more respectful to your opponents in the future,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam mumbled.

    ¡°Still, I acknowledge your victory today and grant you this. Here.¡±

    The man handed over a red and black metal pin.

    ¡°This Hive Badge serves as proof of your victory over Azalea Gym. Congratulations, and we wish you the best of luck on the rest of your journey.¡±

    The Hive Badge resembled a Ledyba, but in a simplistic way. It looked like a basic representation of a ladybug roughly the size of Sam¡¯s thumb.

    ¡°Thank you. Both of you. I learned a lot thanks to you.¡±

    Sam bowed his head before heading out of the glass building. Once he was out of view, he let himself do a little hop.

    Yes! No one fainted!

    It was still a little too luck-based for his liking, but he¡¯d celebrate the victory anyway.

    Returning to the crossroads that split the path to each of the greenhouses, Sam was surprised to see Redi already there. She pushed off the wooden sign and waved as he approached.

    ¡°Hey! Got your badge, too?¡± she shouted at him.

    He held up his Hive Badge to answer, which glinted in the sunlight. Redi held up hers as well.

    ¡°You won before me?¡± he asked, reaching her side.

    ¡°Well, duh. I only had to faint three Pok¨¦mon. And Porygon swept.¡± She put her hands behind her head. ¡°Turns out Conversion into Charge Beam is pretty effective, especially when you can release everything you¡¯ve built in a one-hit-KO Discharge at the end.¡±

    ¡°Charge Beam? Discharge? Already?¡± Sam said, blinking.

    ¡°Well, duh. I told you Porygon figured out the Electric Type. With how smart they are, how long did you think it¡¯d take?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t have any words for her. While he had the New Pok¨¦dex, he didn¡¯t have anywhere near as much hands-on knowledge with Porygon as Redi.

    ¡°So Teddiursa didn¡¯t even need to fight,¡± Sam said flatly.

    ¡°A one-Pok¨¦mon wonder! Porygon¡¯s pretty great,¡± Redi said, grinning.

    Having met back up, they both started to head back to the Pok¨¦mon Center to heal their teams, but Redi looked away awkwardly and scratched at her cheek.

    ¡°But, uh, you aren''t upset I didn''t catch the end of your battle, right?¡± she asked. ¡°I had time to stop by, but I kind of forgot which greenhouse you were battling in...¡±

    <hr><hr>

    A few days after their Gym battles, Sam and his friends moved to leave town. They walked over the stone streets and chatted idly among themselves.

    None of them noticed her.

    She was too clever.

    It¡¯d taken years of practice to get this stealthy, and she had absolute confidence in her skills for a reason.

    ¡°So you said you wanted to pass through Union Cave? We can either go through its tunnels or travel over its hills. Either way, doing that leads to Route 32,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°No, Union Cave is best,¡± the girl one replied. ¡°I was talking to some trainers in the Pok¨¦mon Center, and they said there¡¯s a part of it that floods once a week. I wanted to go there when that happens, ¡®cause apparently a herd of Lapras visits and practices their songs.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding. Lapras?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Who''d''ve thunk a Pok¨¦mon as rare as that predictably visits a cave?¡±

    Sam and his friend continued along, and they continued to not notice her following. Sam took out that book of his¡ªthe New Pok¨¦dex¡ªand he flipped through a few pages before gaining a frown.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t get this book at all. Why the heck does it list Union Cave for Lapras but almost nowhere else?¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m right!¡± the girl one smiled. ¡°Oh man, this is going to be so cool!¡±

    They walked a bit further as Sam put away his book. However, he paused outside of one shop right at the side of the road.

    ¡°Mind if we make a stop before heading out?¡±

    ¡°Sure. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in a rush. Still got a lot of time ahead of us until the Conference.¡±

    Sam stepped inside, and the girl one and her team waited on the road. Watching the girl, she desperately wanted to go inside as well. To greet him once again and chat and rest and talk and train, but that...

    Something inside her chest hurt. She waited behind a nearby rooftop, instead.

    Sam came out holding a rolled bundle in his arms. Something beneath its paper was white.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick,¡± he said. ¡°Just one more stop, alright?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± the girl one said, now speaking with a much more serious tone.

    They didn¡¯t talk any further, and she had to keep herself even more quiet than before. Sam hadn¡¯t yet realized the benefits of Night Shade. Controlling shadows made hiding within them a breeze.

    Sam and the girl one continued down the road, exiting the town to approach the lake. When they reached the well, the girl one stayed behind, but Sam continued forward. He approached the stone structure, now surrounded by trees, and he knelt, placing the bundle on the ground and whispering something over it.

    She couldn¡¯t hear what he said, as she couldn¡¯t risk getting close. There were too many watchful eyes. Too many that would see a strange shadow moving across the ground.

    He knelt there for several minutes before standing up, sniffing and wiping his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m good. We can head out, now,¡± he said, returning to his friend.

    The girl one threw her arms up behind her head and took on a casual stance.

    ¡°Great! You wanna talk about Ghost Type moves?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯d like that,¡± he said. Sam looked genuinely happy.

    She waited for them to leave. She waited for them to travel far enough away that none of them would see. At this point, she didn¡¯t care if anyone else responded to her, and she finally left her shadow to drift over to that bundle.

    A Spinarak in the tree hissed at her, but she hissed right back. She had no plans to enter the well¡ªshe was just curious, that¡¯s all.

    Inching closer, she allowed herself to linger in the air a foot away from what Sam had left. They were flowers. White and beautiful. Lilies, she recognized. Something about them stood out to her. Their presence made everything nearby feel... peaceful.

    She wasn¡¯t sure why she did it, but she floated down and picked up a fallen petal in her mouth. She wanted a part of this to be hers, but it wouldn¡¯t be fair to take anything more.

    So she started to leave this place. She started to resume her chase. She also started to prevent tears from dripping from her eyes.

    How long had it been at this point?

    Years?

    Decades?

    More?

    She was tired. She was upset. But to tell the truth, Misdreavus just didn¡¯t want to be on her own anymore.

 Chapter 47

    Sam sat in front of a blank monitor. His stool squeaked with every slight shift. The machine before him made no noise¡ªit was off¡ªand he fidgeted, unable to find a comfortable position.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to make the call,¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°You have to!¡± Redi said, bringing her hands up for emphasis. ¡°If it were any other day, we could have taken our time searching, but Union Cave is supposed to flood today. Come on, Sam! You know we need a guide.¡±

    He sighed, not able to look her in the eye.

    ¡°I know, but... Do I really have to?¡±

    ¡°Alright. I have an idea,¡± Redi said, drawing back and nodding once as if she suddenly understood. ¡°Do you want an argument that¡¯ll change your mind?¡±

    ¡°Sure?¡±

    She cleared her throat, and a second passed without her speaking a word. Then, out of nowhere, she dropped to the floor and pressed her head to the ground, her hands clasped together to beg in just the most pitiful way.

    ¡°Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°Just stop.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Redi hopped back to her feet.

    Sam rubbed his temples and faced the video phone once again. Getting to this Pok¨¦mon Center was... underwhelming, to say the least. He generally expected routes to actually last a while and force them to spend time passing through. However, Azalea was called one of the safest cities in Johto for a reason; it was protected by the Ilex Forest to its west and a series of rugged hills to its northeast. To reach Violet City, trainers had to either climb over those hills or face the tunnel system that was Union Cave. Like how there was a Pok¨¦mon Center at the start of Ilex Forest, there was a Pok¨¦mon Center at the start of Union Cave as well, as the tunnels¡¯ entrance was just far enough away from Azalea to require its own medical facility in case of emergency.

    It had taken barely half a day to arrive at this building.

    This Pok¨¦mon Center wasn¡¯t anywhere as large or as modern as the one in Azalea. Heck, it was barely even the size of the Pok¨¦mon Center north of Ilex Forest. This place felt more like a lodge than anything else, offering bunk beds to sleep in rather than independent bedrooms, and it had a clinic that was only there for emergencies and basic aid. Yet, as it was with all Pok¨¦mon Centers, this one still had a video phone. Only one, but with how few people actually bothered to stop here, no one was around to occupy it and prevent Sam from making this call.

    He took a deep breath and hit the power button. After dialing the appropriate number, the phone connected to one back in Dewford. There, the Pok¨¦mon Center passed on the message that someone had a call waiting, and Sam¡¯s mother appeared in almost record time.

    ¡°Sam! Is everything alright? Are you okay? You never call me out of the blue like this!¡± she said, speaking a mile a minute.

    Sam winced. On the screen, the tips of Delcatty¡¯s ears flicked with annoyance. She had likely been woken up from a nap, but there was still a measure of alertness to her that spoke of hidden worry. Additionally, something with dark fur briefly flashed at the edge of the screen. It wasn¡¯t Delcatty, and its presence signified... something else.

    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± Sam said with a sigh, rubbing his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to make you worried. I needed to ask you for a favor.¡±

    Delcatty let out a ¡°mrow¡± of annoyance as his mother let out a breath and placed a hand over her heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she said, relief obvious on her face. ¡°What is it that you need?¡±

    ¡°...We¡¯re on a time limit,¡± Sam said. ¡°We have to find somewhere specific in a cave today. Do you think you can send over Sableye?¡±

    His mother blinked at him. Delcatty hopped up to rest her front paws on the counter, and stared at the camera. Sableye walked out from behind the monitor on his mother¡¯s desk to appear before Sam and stare blankly at the screen.

    ¡°We¡¯re at Union Cave,¡± Sam quickly explained. ¡°There¡¯s a spot inside that floods once a week, but it¡¯s kind of hidden and we want to find it. The problem is that it¡¯s set to flood today, and we didn¡¯t know that until now. We could try to search by ourselves, but we aren¡¯t really cave dwellers, so we need...¡±

    Sam grit his teeth.

    ¡°We need Sableye¡¯s expertise when it comes to navigating caves,¡± he said unhappily.

    Sam felt as though he had just eaten bile when those words left his mouth. His mother, who had looked so panicked seconds ago, now looked extraordinarily amused. Sam really hated the way Sableye¡¯s mouth curved up into a smug grin, too. The Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t deserve to look at him like that. Sableye¡¯s expression mocked him.

    Sam¡¯s mother didn¡¯t get to respond, however. Redi suddenly butted in, leaning against Sam¡¯s shoulder to squeeze into the call.

    ¡°Hi Ms. Greyson!¡± she said. ¡°Sorry to bother you, but like he said, we really need Sableye¡¯s help! But we can make it worth his while too, look!¡±

    She pulled out a chunk of white polished stone from her pocket.

    ¡°I managed to get this from a hiker who digs for them in these hills! Sableye eats quartz, yeah?¡±

    Sam stared. Redi had bought that crystal barely a few minutes ago. The man who told them the cave was set to flood today was the same man who sold her that chunk. Sam had thought it suspicious that she ¡°wasted¡± her money on something so useless, but now he understood.

    She planned this the second she figured it out, huh?

    Running his hand over his face, he looked back to the screen to see how his family and Sableye were reacting. His mother was still smiling, but now Sableye was actively drooling. The Ghost Type grabbed behind himself to tug at the sleeve of her shirt. One hand went up as he pointed at the screen excitedly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Sableye will have any problem at all helping you out. Isn¡¯t that right, Sableye?¡± Sam¡¯s mother said.

    Delcatty sent Sableye a warning glare, but the glutton didn¡¯t even notice. He bobbed his head, gemstone eyes locked onto his next meal, and Sam¡¯s mother chuckled.

    ¡°Alright. But I do need to actually catch him first if I want to transfer him over,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no problem at all!¡± Redi said. ¡°A lot of people keep Pok¨¦mon around without Pok¨¦balls, so Pok¨¦mon Centers are prepared for that! If you go up to the front desk, I¡¯m confident you can get a temporary Pok¨¦ball that¡¯s in reserve just for the transporter!¡±

    ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll be right back!¡±

    She stood up and left the screen, likely doing exactly as Redi said. Both Delcatty and Sableye hopped down to follow after her, and Sam muted his side of the call to glare at Redi.

    ¡°Are you sure we have to do this? You know what Sableye did back in Granite Cave, right?¡±

    Redi replied with a determined stare back.

    ¡°You wanna wait here for an entire week?¡± she replied.

    Sam clicked his tongue.

    Part of the reason they left Azalea was to, y¡¯know, leave Azalea. Sitting in a tiny, boring Pok¨¦mon Center for a week straight didn¡¯t appeal to Sam. It was either get Sableye, or he¡¯d be forced to do nothing that interesting. If he had a few decent books, Sam wouldn''t have minded, but all he had was the New Pok¨¦dex, and he was already constantly reading entries in it to prepare strategies for his team.

    When Sam¡¯s mother soon appeared back on the screen, she was holding a Pok¨¦ball, but it wasn¡¯t like any other Pok¨¦ball Sam had seen before. It had the same basic shape of two connected hemispheres and a button keeping them closed, but it was also perfectly grey with none of the usual bells-and-whistles specialty Pok¨¦balls tended to come with.

    Sableye held out his arms, and she lightly tapped the ball against his head. Right away, he was sucked up into the ball, causing it to shake only once. When it stopped moving, it dinged, and Sam¡¯s mother placed it into the video phone¡¯s transfer device.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be over shortly!¡± she said cheerfully.

    Sam nodded, mourning the loss of what could have been a pleasant experience. Redi excitedly hopped in place.

    ¡°Thank you Ms. Greyson!¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Amanda.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Amanda!¡±

    His mother smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be good for Sableye to get out for once, just make sure to not lose track of him. And Sam...¡± Her expression wilted for a second. ¡°I want to apologize again. I would have said something if I knew for how long Quilava planned to hold her evolution back.¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I honestly think it ended up being a good experience for the both of us, in the end.¡±

    He smiled at her, and she smiled back, although her expression was a bit more strained. While waiting for Sableye¡¯s Pok¨¦ball to finish transferring, Sam went ahead and released Quilava, Haunter, and Mankey. Quickly, he whispered a few commands.

    They split off, and eventually, the processing was done, and Sableye¡¯s Pok¨¦ball appeared in a glass-covered slot.

    ¡°Thanks again, Amanda!¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Thank you Mom,¡± Sam added.

    His mother waved goodbye to both of them.

    ¡°Good luck!¡± she said.

    And the monitor turned off, and Sam grabbed Sableye¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and rushed outside.

    There wasn¡¯t a dedicated battlefield or training ground here as much as there was a flat, open space just outside. It was dirt with patches of grass, but it was good enough for what Sam intended to do.

    After everything that happened to him, Sam wasn¡¯t going to let Sableye have an easy arrival.

    Pressing the button on the ball, light flashed and Sableye coalesced into being in front of him. The Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon stretched, grinned, and glanced around with his blue, crystal eyes.

    However, the gremlin-like Ghost Type¡¯s smile fell when no one greeted him.

    Only Sam was there.

    Sam¡¯s team was suspiciously absent.

    Sam crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at Sableye, daring the Pok¨¦mon to react. Sableye stared back, tilting his head to the side, and the two began a staring contest¡ªone Sam was destined to lose.

    Sableye wasn¡¯t exactly a Pok¨¦mon that could blink, but this served as the perfect distraction. With nothing else of interest, Sableye only bothered to pay attention to Sam as everyone else prepared in the background.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Eventually, Sam saw the signal¡ªa single flame telling him that everyone was ready.

    ¡°Boo,¡± he said, speaking the keyword that¡¯d start the plan.

    His Pok¨¦mon acted. A purple hand reached out from Sableye¡¯s shadow, grabbing the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s leg and causing him to fall backwards. Sableye yelped in surprise, and as his view turned upside-down, a cloud of stars rushed right at him.

    He cringed, but the Swift went wide. Although, due to Type effectiveness, it wasn''t like the move would have damaged him even if it hit. However, it wasn''t done just there, because as Sableye''s back hit the ground, Mankey rushed out from where the stars obscured his charge with a fist sailing towards Sableye¡¯s face.

    Sableye brought up his hands in an attempt to block, but he had been caught completely flat footed. His mouth was wide and ready to yell as Mankey¡¯s fist continued towards his face.

    There was no impact.

    The punch stopped an inch away from Sableye and the monkey Pok¨¦mon instead lightly poked Sableye on the nose.

    The silence was deafening. Sableye stared with his expression locked to the same fearful expression he had when he saw everything coming his way. Mankey drew back his hand and stared back, taking in the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s look before him.

    Then, a single snort as Mankey wasn¡¯t able to hold it back any longer, and he dropped to the floor, howling with laughter. Haunter left his shadow to reveal himself as well, cackling the whole way.

    ¡°Got you,¡± Sam said.

    This was payback for what happened in Granite Cave.

    On the ground, Sableye glared at Sam, but the Pok¨¦mon pushed back up to his feet and nodded once respectfully.

    Fair¡¯s fair, the action implied.

    Sam would have liked to do more, but this was the best he could think up on such a short notice. It was only a single, rushed scare, but it was enough to be something done in revenge after Sableye had lured him to dangerous locations in Granite Cave.

    Besides, how much had his mother subjugated this Pok¨¦mon while Sam was gone? What had she done to make sure Sableye paid for putting Sam in danger?

    As Sableye brushed himself off, Redi strode over as Mankey and Haunter continued their mad laughter. Quilava trotted over to rejoin everyone else, glaring at Sableye with an implied threat as Mankey and Haunter high-fived behind her.

    ¡°Alright. So now that that¡¯s done, can we go?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°One more thing.¡±

    Sam motioned for Haunter to come over, and he held out an open hand to Redi. She groaned, placing that piece of quartz into it, and Sableye¡¯s eyes immediately locked onto the stone.

    ¡°Show him,¡± Sam told his Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam tossed the crystal to Haunter, who then easily snatched it out of the air. Sableye didn¡¯t look away from it as Haunter held the crystal above Sam¡¯s head.

    ¡°As established, this will be your payment for the job,¡± Sam said to Sableye. ¡°Safely guide us to the flooded bottom of the cave and then back up, and only then will we cough it up. Don¡¯t, and you won¡¯t even get a taste. Sounds good?¡±

    Sableye feverishly nodded.

    ¡°Great! Do it, Haunter.¡±

    The gluttonous Ghost Type could only watch in horror as Haunter opened his mouth and dropped the quartz in with a noisy gulp. He went as far as to lick his lips too, rubbing his stomach to imply he¡¯d just eaten a tasty meal.

    Defeated, Sableye fell to his knees on the ground. Sam suppressed a smirk.

    ¡°I said we¡¯d cough it up, right? I guess I should have been more clear¡ªI meant that literally. But you don¡¯t need to worry. Haunter doesn''t actually eat crystals. He¡¯s just keeping it safe while we head down.¡±

    Sableye had to manually push his jaw closed once more. His default expression involved a toothy grin, but it looked nowhere near as pleased. When he turned around, his way of walking had him take many quick steps, with his head and upper body staying perfectly level.

    It looked as though he was refusing to glance back at Sam, but for a second, Sam could have swore he caught a snicker.

    Did Sableye find that prank funny?

    The line of thought was interrupted by Redi.

    ¡°So is this the point I tell you I have two more?¡±

    He stared at her before shaking his head.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I needed to do all of that for myself. Thanks for waiting, we can head in.¡±

    Sam returned Mankey and Haunter, leaving Quilava out at his side. She didn¡¯t let up her glare, and her flames were already burning dark thanks to a preparatory use of Curse.

    But as Sableye continued forward, Sam followed the Ghost Type in, hoping that the Pok¨¦mon was both skilled and trustworthy enough to lead them to the bottom¡ªand that he wouldn¡¯t be spiteful for everything Sam had done to scare him when he was first sent over.

    <hr>

    Sam had been in two caves before this point. The first was Granite Cave, which he had rushed into with a poorly made plan and the confidence of someone who didn¡¯t know better. That experience was...

    Well, it was on him. For as much as he blamed Sableye for how bad it got (the Pok¨¦mon had literally tried to lure him into an Aron nest, and that was no laughing matter), he couldn¡¯t ignore how unprepared and poorly thought-out his plan had been.

    The second time he¡¯d been in a cave was Slowpoke Well, which was over a week ago at this point. There, he had also entered that place with a poorly made plan and a horribly-reasoned competition to boot.

    He hoped this time around that he wasn''t making a mistake.

    Third time¡¯s the charm, yeah?

    Yet, he was dumb enough to taunt Sableye minutes before following him into a darkened space. He was really starting to question his own decision-making process.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think me and caves just don¡¯t mix,¡± Sam whispered to Redi. ¡°Everytime I¡¯m heading into one, I¡¯ve messed something up. The first was an accident. The second was just dumb. This time? If this doesn''t go well, I¡¯m worried that I¡¯m developing a habit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the fourth time you enter a cave will be perfectly normal,¡± Redi said, bumping his arm.

    Sam stopped walking to stare at her in horror.

    ¡°Why would you ever say that?¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯ve jinxed it!¡±

    She just snickered.

    Sableye briefly shot them a look from the front of the group, his gemstone eyes glinting off of Quilava¡¯s flames. Sound could lure wild Pok¨¦mon, so if they were going to talk, they needed to be quiet.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam added.

    As Sableye turned back around, Sam grumbled to himself¡ªwhy was he apologizing to Sableye when the Pok¨¦mon never apologized to him in the first place? At least, Sableye seemed to be taking his job seriously. From his position at the front of the group, he was just barely visible at the edge of the light from Quilava¡¯s flames. Sableye was clearly more at home in the darkness, and alongside his night vision, he would occasionally stop to sniff the air in his continued task to lead them.

    Sam knew that Sableye ate minerals, but he wondered to himself how much scent influenced Sableye¡¯s perception of the space around him.

    He knows we¡¯re looking for some sort of flooded section that probably connects to the ocean, which we know since Lapras is an ocean-bound species. Is he just sniffing for water? Salt? Can he detect minerals via scent?

    Sam wasn¡¯t going to lie; for all his distaste for this Sableye in particular, there were so many things he was dying to learn about the Ghost Type¡¯s species.

    Unlike the other caves Sam had been inside, Union Cave was almost exclusively a series of tunnels rather than caverns, with pockets of water formed by dripping stalactites. There were no massive, cavernous rooms like the entrance of Granite Cave, and there was no underground lake like the main room of Slowpoke Well.

    Here, Sam was unsure if this place was Pok¨¦mon-made or naturally formed. Rock Types always liked digging and reshaping their environments, but there was a natural slant to the ceiling that made Union Cave feel like it had been carved out by flowing water. Occasionally, a wild Rattata would scurry away from them, scared away by Quilava¡¯s fire. Sometimes, a few Wooper would stick their heads out from muddy puddles, and there had even been a smiling Quagsire at one point.

    ¡°Feels like this place is just cramped enough to only have smaller Pok¨¦mon,¡± Redi said, ducking beneath a low ceiling. ¡°What did your book say?¡±

    ¡°A lot. And little. It¡¯s hard to tell what species of Pok¨¦mon can be found in specific places. Location entries can be massive and include names I¡¯ve never heard of, like where the heck is Ten Carat Hill? And there''s somewhere called Seaward Cave?¡±

    Sam sniffed.

    ¡°But I think I¡¯m slowly picking things up. Usually I just check for specific common species to see if they¡¯re present. I can¡¯t scan every entry, so it''s a sum of guesswork. Here, I knew about the Rattata and Geodude,¡± Sam pointed at a suspicious rock pressed against the wall, ¡°But I didn¡¯t know about the Wooper or Sandshrew. Those were Pok¨¦mon I thought only lived on the surface.¡±

    ¡°So no big creatures,¡± Redi commented.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, no, sorry. There are. Onix can be found here, too.¡±

    She sputtered briefly, and Sableye stopped to furiously hold a finger up to his mouth and shush them. He pointed to a wall, where it looked like part of the ceiling had collapsed. There, a mound of fallen boulders uncoiled and pulled themselves into a nearby hole. Rather than attacking, the wild Onix pulled back to escape from Quilava¡¯s light.

    ¡°...Maybe let¡¯s rely on Haunter,¡± Sam said. Quilava let out an apologetic squeak.

    She was returned, and the dim, unintrusive hues of Haunter¡¯s purple-colored Hex began to light up the space around them instead.

    Sam stayed on alert as Sableye brought them deeper and deeper underground. If there was ever the chance for the Ghost Type to ¡°escape¡± and ditch both the group and Sam¡¯s mother, it would be right here and now. With no Sableye native to Union Cave, he¡¯d be able to dig and hunt for gemstones and crystals without any competition. Sam was just waiting for the moment Sableye led them into a trap, or a pitfall, or a dead end, or caused a ceiling to separate them, but nothing like that ever came.

    Time passed strangely. Without access to sunlight, the seconds didn¡¯t feel like they passed. The sounds they heard were limited to the footsteps of distant Pok¨¦mon, dripping water, and the noise of their own breaths. It was surprisingly uneventful, overall.

    A few times, Sableye almost brought them into one especially cramped room, paused, sniffed the air, and then promptly expressed that Sam and Redi should never enter under any circumstances. It was something about those places having ¡°bad air.¡± Sableye could pass through, but it¡¯d be especially dangerous for Sam and Redi, but not necessarily a few of their Pok¨¦mon.

    After a while, Sableye seemed to catch onto something. He started to speed up. He climbed like a spider over uneven terrain, forcing Sam and Redi to give chase, but no matter how fast he moved, he made sure to remain within line of sight as the caverns twisted, curved, and continued to slope down.

    Sam half-thought that this moment was it, and he chased after Sableye. He had the command to order Haunter to attack on his lips, but then he too smelled something in the air.

    Salt.

    Seawater.

    Around one last bend was the exact location they had asked for. Where the rest of the water in Union Cave was contained within puddles or small ponds, this room contained a single, enormous pool.

    But...

    ¡°I thought it would be larger,¡± Sam said.

    Redi slapped a hand over her mouth so as to not burst into laughter.

    He glared at her and her immature sense of humor before turning back to Sableye. The Ghost Type looked up at him expectantly, despite the terms of their deal.

    ¡°Haunter,¡± Sam said with a sigh.

    Haunted opened his mouth, reached into his throat, and retrieved the crystal he had ¡°eaten¡± to hand it over. Sableye snatched it from him and greedily chomped down.

    ¡°Redi has more that you¡¯ll get when we go back to the surface. I assume you¡¯ll want them too, yeah?¡±

    The crystal broke and shattered thanks to Sableye¡¯s gnashing teeth. The gremlin Pok¨¦mon looked up at Sam and grinned, already halfway through the crystal as if it were some sort of hotdog. He sent Sam a thumbs up and went back to his meal, eyes going glassy as if he was experiencing the best thing in the world.

    ¡°Over here,¡± Redi said in a half-shout, half whisper.

    A ledge raised above the water served as the perfect place to wait and look out. The room was flooded, but there was no movement. No Lapras were here¡ªat least not yet.

    Sam and Redi needed to wait. They climbed up, hunkered down, and used their sleeping bags to cushion the hard floors. A few stones and broken stalagmites served as cover for this ledge.

    The remaining members of their teams were sent out in the meantime. Teddiursa, Porygon, Quilava, and Mankey were all released for the chance to enjoy whatever scene came their way, too.

    Redi pulled Porygon into her lap, where she ran a hand down the artificial Pok¨¦mon¡¯s back. Teddiursa snuggled up next to her, and Quilava moved to sit next to Sam. Haunter went... somewhere, but he kept nearby. Mankey, bored, tried and failed to juggle stones until he was glared at by Quilava to stop making noise.

    Without anything else to do, Sam ended up just watching Sableye. The gremlin Pok¨¦mon was strange in that he barely moved. At times, it seemed the Ghost Type was content with standing perfectly still and staring out into the distance. Watching. Waiting. Not really doing anything but existing in the moment.

    Occasionally, Sableye would steal a glance towards Redi, obviously desiring more of those quartz crystals. However, he didn¡¯t bother her, try to steal, nor did he run off to search for food.

    ¡°...My mom got you good, huh?¡± Sam said quietly.

    Sableye tilted his head at Sam.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to think.

    He still had his personal grudges, but Sableye didn¡¯t seem as... malicious as he would''ve thought. It could have been a trick, but for all his experience with Haunter and with everything he had read about ghosts, it honestly seemed like Sableye had no greater plans. The gremlin Pok¨¦mon had a decent life now. He didn¡¯t have to scramble for food in a cave or keep himself occupied with pranks played on others. Sam still didn¡¯t let down his guard, but with how calmly Sableye was acting, it really felt as though his mother had taken a cruel, wild Pok¨¦mon and somehow made him... tame.

    At this point, it had been months since Sam had left home. Sableye had been with his mom and Delcatty all this time, keeping them company while he was gone. How much had Sableye been helping out? How many of Sam¡¯s responsibilities had Sableye taken on?

    Sam didn¡¯t like where this train of thought was heading. He ended up turning away.

    The group sat in silence for a while longer as Sam stewed. Quilava pressed herself into him, trying to distract him with her soft fur. It worked quite well, as he let his mind drift elsewhere while running his fingers down her back.

    ¡°How long do you think this is going to take?¡± Redi eventually asked, staring out over the water.

    The answer was at least another thirty minutes.

    When they heard a loud splash, Haunter quickly brought his Hex back up, and Sam turned off the flashlight that had been lit in the meantime. Everyone went quiet as they turned to stare out over the pool.

    A shout rang out¡ªcheerful and almost melodic. A large, dark shape broke the surface of the water and craned its head back towards the pool¡¯s depths. There was another splash that followed as another large shape broke through. After that, there was another, and another, and another.

    By the end of it, Sam realized they had underestimated this place. An entire herd of Lapras were visiting here today. He couldn¡¯t make out any details other than the Lapras¡¯ silhouettes thanks to the minimal amount of light provided by Hex, but it kept them hidden. Besides, Sam and everyone else weren¡¯t here to watch; they were here to listen.

    The voices of the chatting wild Pok¨¦mon echoed around the cavern. The Lapras were happy to be here, but they weren¡¯t singing just yet.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot,¡± Redi breathed. ¡°You know, Lapras are supposed to be a protected species. You can¡¯t even catch one without official permission. Think about how rare it is to see this many at once!¡±

    ¡°I bet there¡¯s some kind of underground tunnel. That¡¯s how they got to this place from the ocean,¡± Sam whispered back.

    They crouched and moved closer to the stalagmites, trying to better watch the herd of rare Water Type Pok¨¦mon. Their teams moved to join them, but Redi had to manually call Porygon over. It moved to float at her side right as a single note echoed out.

    It started with one Lapras, beginning with a single, low tone that emerged through the rest of the chatter. A few squealed excitedly, causing the water to splash as they patted at it with their fins. Another joined in, then a few added notes of their own. Eventually, all of the Lapras were singing as one enormous choir.

    Sam immediately understood why the Lapras would come to such a dark and dreary place. They might have been underground, but the walls and ceilings contained their sounds. The acoustics were incredible, and with the sheer number of singing Lapras, it was like each voice harmonized with itself, taking on an ethereal, almost otherworldly quality.

    It was one of the most beautiful things Sam had ever heard, and he regretted not having a way for his Pok¨¦mon to mimic this. Being able to recreate this noise in battle would create the perfect haunting melody to throw off any foe.

    ¡°Hey, um, Sam?¡±

    Redi¡¯s voice came out slurred.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    When Sam spoke, his tongue felt strangely heavy.

    ¡°I think this isn¡¯t just music practice. I think they¡¯re practicing a move.¡±

    Ah, Sam realized. That¡¯s probably why I¡¯m so tired.

    The Lapras weren¡¯t just singing. They were specifically practicing Sing.

    Redi slumped to the ground, already beginning to snore. Porygon drifted down to sit on the floor, with the rate of its treads¡¯ spin slowing as it shut down. Teddiursa pushed himself into the crook of her arm before settling back, and Quilava passed out right as she climbed into Sam¡¯s lap.

    Sam turned to Mankey.

    ¡°Protect... us...¡± he groaned out.

    The last thing he saw was a thumbs up from his Pok¨¦mon, and the last thing he heard was the herd¡¯s continued, haunting song.

    <hr>

    When Sam woke up, nothing had changed. Everyone was still asleep where they had fallen, but Sam was the first to come to. Mankey sat on the edge of their platform, feet dangling off the side as he stared out over the pool.

    ¡°Thanks, Mankey. Good thing we worked on your Vital Spirit, huh?¡±

    Mankey¡¯s ability helped him resist being forcibly put asleep.

    Having spoken, Mankey turned to Sam in surprise, but the primate¡¯s eyes curved up with a smile. Since Haunter had passed out too, Mankey had taken Sam¡¯s flashlight to use as a source of light. Unfortunately, the Lapras were gone. The likely scenario was that they finished their song and dived back down.

    Sam rubbed his eyes to try to wake up a bit more. He didn¡¯t regret coming here, but he did find it a bit funny that yet another trip into a cave had a poor ending. It took him a second to realize it, but¡ª

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sableye?¡±

    Mankey pointed to an opposite edge.

    The gremlin Pok¨¦mon was still here. Despite everyone else falling asleep, Sableye hadn¡¯t left. Like before, he stared out over the water, unmoving. This time, though, there was something more to it. He looked considering¡ªdeep in thought.

    Seeing that, Sam bit his tongue. Sableye could have run away at any time, but he hadn¡¯t. He¡¯d been genuinely reliable.

    A lot of time had passed between now and when Sam first entered Granite Cave. Sure, he might have been upset about never receiving an apology, but he could at least be the bigger trainer¡ªPok¨¦mon? Person?¡ªbetween the two of them.

    ¡°Hey, Sableye?¡± Sam called out. ¡°Thank you for all the help.¡±

    The Ghost Type didn¡¯t turn around, but he did reply to Sam with a slight nod. Slowly, over time, everyone else woke up, and once conscious, they began their trip back up to the surface. Sableye led them back out with no problems at all.

 Chapter 48

    When they found themselves back at Union Cave¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center, Sableye returned to Dewford without any issues. That grey-painted Pok¨¦ball was transported, turning to light, and a few button presses later, and he was back with Sam¡¯s mom.

    Sam didn¡¯t do anything special to say goodbye. Sableye got the last of the quartz¡ªcourtesy of Redi¡ªand Sam thanked him. Then, he was gone.

    Seeing Sableye off was bittersweet, for some reason. Sam wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to think of that Ghost Type anymore. On one hand, Granite Cave had been much more difficult because of him. On the other hand, Sableye had been living with his mother without any problems, and he had even led them through Union Cave without even a single prank.

    Yesterday, Sam would have said he disliked Sableye. Now, Sableye was just kind of... there, in his mind. Those thoughts lingered with him as Sam and everyone else rested through the night, and then those thoughts lingered with him as they re-entered Union Cave. Thankfully, this time around, they didn¡¯t need to delve into its depths. The upper levels were full of weaker Pok¨¦mon with a more well-tread path, serving as a safe, alternative path to climbing the hills above for the trainers who wanted to reach Route 32 quickly.

    Another Pok¨¦mon Center was on the other side of Union Cave, but the tunnels hadn¡¯t been long enough to justify stopping to rest. Sam and Redi continued to push further north, entering a forest that stretched north alongside a wide, ocean bay. Travel was mostly silent until Redi spoke up.

    ¡°You know, you haven¡¯t talked anywhere near as much since Sableye was sent back,¡± she commented.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Nah. You¡¯re usually mumbling about Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon or talking about all those little plans you think up. Or you¡¯re just talking about your book.¡±

    Sam frowned. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just thinking,¡± he answered.

    ¡°¡®Bout Ghost Types?¡±

    ¡°Kinda.¡±

    ¡°Ah. So it is Sableye, then.¡±

    Sam glanced at her as they walked along the edge of the forest, the waves lapping to their right. Redi saw his glance and smirked at him. She waggled a finger in his face.

    ¡°Psh, you really didn¡¯t realize, did you?¡± she asked. ¡°Everytime you looked at Sableye, it was like your face got all twisted up. And not in disgust like Quilava¡¯s expression. She didn¡¯t bother to hide that at all.¡±

    On the ground, Quilava sniffed. It was a dismissive noise; she wasn¡¯t going to bother with hiding her dislike of that Pok¨¦mon. She was just satisfied he was gone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about him, yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°Mostly thinking about how I¡¯m supposed to think about him, I guess? Like, his pranks were pretty malicious back in Granite Cave, but he¡¯s also Ghost Type. It¡¯s kinda what they do. But then he¡¯s also... living with my mom?¡±

    Does that mean he¡¯s part of my family now? The same way my mom and Delcatty and Quilava and the rest of my team are? ...Am I supposed to have Sableye¡¯s back and expect Sableye to have mine?

    Sam clearly remembered how easily Sableye accepted the use of that transfer Pok¨¦ball. He hadn¡¯t resisted. and he even welcomed it without blinking an eye!

    But it¡¯s not like he can blink, anyway.

    Redi hummed, throwing her hands behind her head, and she kicked up her feet as they continued to walk along.

    ¡°You know what I think?¡± she said. ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking things. Something like this has happened a bunch with me and my family.¡±

    ¡°It has?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± She smiled fondly, briefly reliving a few memories. ¡°You think all those Pok¨¦mon we work with just came along peacefully? I mean, they did, ¡®cause my family doesn¡¯t go out to fight for captures, but, like, most are rescues¡ªPok¨¦mon that used to fight but don¡¯t want to anymore. Mama was the biggest of the group, since she originally lived in the Safari Zone with the rest of the Kangaskhan. But then...¡±

    Something flashed through Redi¡¯s expression. It was the same look she had gained when she saw those three Dratini in Goldenrod¡¯s Game Corner.

    ¡°But then Mama got poached. Her and Baby. When she was rescued, she didn¡¯t want to go back. She didn¡¯t feel safe in the Safari Zone anymore.¡±

    Her hands fell to her sides, and her expression dropped. She stared at the dirt path before them. After a few seconds, she looked back up, a smile returning to her face. She took on the same casual demeanor as usual.

    ¡°Well, what I guess I¡¯m trying to say is that Pok¨¦mon adapt. People, too. No one spends their life without changing. Your mom¡¯s influencing Sableye, Sableye is influencing your mom, and then I¡¯m pretty sure both of them are influencing you, too!¡±

    Sam let her words hang. It wasn¡¯t often Redi said something wise.

    ¡°Was Mama difficult when she joined your family?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Kind of. She didn¡¯t like humans. Took a while to build up trust. I think it helped that I was a kid when she joined our family, and I was around the same size as her son.¡±

    Sam hummed. He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. It was a different situation, with a different history, but he still appreciated everything Redi had to say.

    ¡°Thanks, Redi,¡± Sam said. ¡°I guess... I¡¯ll just have to wait and see. Sableye looked weirdly serious after listening to Lapras''s song. I think that image stuck with me.¡±

    ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t even notice that,¡± Redi said. ¡°Think he was upset?¡±

    ¡°More like he was deep in thought,¡± Sam said, frowning.

    Redi snickered. She elbowed him in the arm.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying he was acting like you, then?¡±

    Sam glared at her before snickering, himself.

    Maybe? I guess time will tell when it comes to how Sableye might change.

    And he doesn¡¯t act like me! We¡¯re completely different from one another!

    Route 32 was much of the same environment Sam had seen before, but with a few small differences. The forest was more deciduous than the forests around Olivine and Ecruteak, and its trees were nowhere as unreasonably large as the trees of Ilex. There were two ways forward, either through the Route¡¯s forest or along the coast. It was nice to be able to look out over the bay, so they kept close to where rolling hills and cliffs divided the land from the sea.

    The beaches here weren¡¯t that big, and the ocean was only so far across. No matter where they went, Sam could see land to the far east of the water, and sandy beaches filled the dips between hills. On those beaches, he frequently saw old men and travelers fishing. At one point, there was even a surprise Wingull, but the Hoenn-native species landed on a red-capped fisherman¡¯s shoulder. It looked as though the man had come all the way from another region just to fish.

    But even with all these people, most were too occupied to challenge Sam and Redi to any battles. They stared out over the ocean, eyes locked in focus. Their hands gripped their fishing rods as bobbers drifted out in the water.

    It felt like it was going to be yet another uneventful stretch of travel. They walked, stopped to train, walked, stopped to train, camped, walked, and walked, and walked. The usual cycles of hiking and resting continued with the environment being rather uniform in its sights. But, after a few days passed, Redi suddenly sucked air through her teeth when she saw yet another person fishing on the shore.

    ¡°Oh, ugh. It¡¯s that guy,¡± she said, trying to move to the other side of Sam as if to hide her presence here.

    Sam had heard that sentiment before; his first thought was that she had seen Xavier again, but looking around, he didn¡¯t see him. When he followed Redi¡¯s gaze, all Sam saw was just some random boy.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°There! Are you blind? He¡¯s the one fishing, wearing the purple cap!¡±

    The boy was a bit younger than them, maybe by a year or two. He sat on his backpack, fishing rod in hand, and occasionally drawing it back and casting it out into the water. He wore a vest, a dark purple one that seemed to change in intensity depending on the light. Sam wasn¡¯t sure who he was until the water around his bobber exploded upwards, and an angry looking Tentacruel broke through the surface.

    He used to have a Tentacool before.

    Using its tentacles, the Poison Type Pok¨¦mon lifted a terrified-looking Goldeen out of the water, and the boy shook his head.

    ¡°Next cast, then,¡± Sam just barely heard him say.

    The Tentacruel tossed the Goldeen back into the ocean, which hurriedly swam away, before submerging itself once more to likely find more catches.

    ¡°That¡¯s Edgar,¡± Redi hissed. ¡°I hate him. He beat me in the tournament.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh.¡±

    Huh.

    Sam looked at the boy in a new light.

    Back in Olivine, Edgar placed first in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament. He won overall, defeating Xavier, and he was responsible for Redi¡¯s elimination as well. As part of his first place prize, he was presented with an incredibly rare Pok¨¦mon egg, but he had passed it up as he had no way of guaranteeing it would be a Poison Type. Instead, he had received only a lump sum of cash and a selection of TMs. A lot of TMs.

    Sam briefly remembered that Xavier had that egg. Sam still wasn¡¯t sure what Pok¨¦mon had hatched from it. Xavier hadn¡¯t sent it out.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Edgar has a Gastly, too...¡± Sam mumbled.

    Redi scowled, her front lip curling up in what was almost a snarl.

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. And don¡¯t bring it up just to make fun of me, Mr. I-don¡¯t-know-the-Fairy-Type.¡±

    ¡°At least I didn¡¯t need flash cards.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Those helped! And you were the one to give them to me!¡±

    Sam snorted. He would have shot back with another witty remark, but he was also intrigued by Edgar.

    Edgar¡¯s age wasn¡¯t an issue¡ªSam would have gone on his journey years ago if it wasn¡¯t for certain events that happened around the same time. No, Edgar was a Poison Type trainer, not a Ghost Type trainer. Yet, he had a Gastly on his team, and he had been training that Ghost Type long before Sam first caught Haunter.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if I challenged him to a match, would you?¡± Sam asked. ¡°A mirror match, I¡¯m thinking. My Haunter versus his.¡±

    Redi didn¡¯t look away from the fishing Poison Type trainer. Her expression turned to harsh confusion.

    ¡°But why?¡± she all but hissed.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°You know he has a Gastly, and that Pok¨¦mon is most likely a Haunter by now. Not to mention, Edgar¡¯s a Poison Type trainer training a Ghost Type. It just makes sense to me; if I fight him, I can see how his Pok¨¦mon has improved. I might be able to figure something out for Haunter, but I¡¯d also be able to see how someone who doesn¡¯t specialize in the Ghost Type trains a Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon.

    Redi rubbed her chin. She was still standing behind Sam, using him as cover as her head peeked out from his side. She was trying to act casually about this, but there was a measure of distaste to her expression that half reminded how Quilava reacted to Sableye.

    However, the more Redi seemed to consider Sam¡¯s idea, the more a small smile began to stretch across her face.

    ¡°You know what? Yeah, fight him!¡± she said. ¡°Beat him up for me, and then I¡¯ll know all his tricks for the next time we have a match.¡±

    She looked downright villainous. Honestly, her expression wouldn¡¯t be out of place on a Ghost Type¡ªor a Dark Type, for that matter. She practically pushed him forward as he stepped closer. Sam stumbled before catching himself, and he turned around to glare at her only to watch her run over to a tree to position herself ¡°casually¡± underneath.

    Sam just shook his head and walked closer to the shore.

    ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted. ¡°Edgar, right?¡±

    The boy in question glanced over his shoulder at Sam and watched him approach.

    ¡°We were in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament together,¡± Sam continued. ¡°But I never got the chance to face you back then. I saw that you have a Gastly, and I have one too. A Haunter, I mean. Would you be interested in a mirror match? Pick up some tricks from one another?¡±

    Edgar wobbled his head, considering it, before a bright smile appeared on his face. He grabbed the handle on his fishing rod and reeled his line in.

    ¡°Yeah! Sounds fun!¡± he said.

    Fishing rod placed on the ground, he stood up, pressing on his lower back to stretch. Behind him, his Tentacruel stayed in the water, but it didn¡¯t submerge like before.

    Edgar looked over Sam now that he was no longer sitting. Recognition flashed in his eyes.

    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re that guy from the first round. The uh... The one with the Cyndaquil!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a Quilava now,¡± Sam said, not hiding the pride in his voice.

    ¡°Nice! Grats on the evolution!¡±

    Sam was happy to be recognized, but he felt a bit hypocritical. Before now, he was a little bothered that people had recognized Xavier and Redi from the tournament, but no one had ever recognized him. Yet, the only trainers he himself would have recognized were the trainers who had placed in the highest positions possible. It was weird to have Edgar, of all people, know who he was.

    I mean, Edgar won the tournament overall!

    ¡°So what kind of a battle do you want? One-on-one? Knock-out? First to three hits?¡± Edgar asked. ¡°I¡¯m down for any kind of match at any time. I actually don¡¯t go out of my way to challenge people that much.¡±

    ¡°The usual rules for a one-on-one match should be fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°Fight to the knock-out, Haunter versus Haunter. I¡¯m kind of specializing in the Ghost Type so I want to be able to compare.¡±

    ¡°Wait, the Ghost Type? With a Cyndaquil? And a Machop?¡±

    ¡°Mankey, actually,¡± Sam said, correcting him. ¡°Different Pok¨¦mon. Same Type. And she¡¯s a Quilava now too, remember?¡±

    Edgar nodded and started to walk up the beach.

    ¡°Sounds good to me, but let¡¯s battle away from the shore. Don¡¯t want to disturb the Water Types, y¡¯know?¡±

    But your Tentacruel is still out?

    Sam said nothing. He wasn¡¯t familiar enough with Water Types to know if an evolved Pok¨¦mon would scare others away or not.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually trying to catch a Qwilfish,¡± Edgar said, excitedly talking to Sam as they moved inwards. ¡°Not catch, catch, but just trying to bring one out with my rod. You can learn a lot by observing Pok¨¦mon, and I¡¯m hoping Qwilfish¡¯s spines will help. I only want to add Pok¨¦mon to my team that actually have potential¡ªyou know how it is.¡±

    Sam missed a step when he heard Edgar¡¯s implication at the end. To Sam, all Ghost Types had the potential to be strong. If he met a Pok¨¦mon he liked, he¡¯d catch it no matter what. Other trainers felt differently, but there was something about hearing someone so bluntly deride a species that felt wrong.

    Approaching the edge of the forest, Edgar briefly waved to where Redi was failing to pretend to be uninterested as he continued to chatter on.

    Apparently, there had been a major fishing contest at the back end of Route 32¡¯s bay, and many wild Water Type Pok¨¦mon tended to visit it in hopes of being caught. During this time of year, the variety of species on this route was far greater than anywhere in the region, and Edgar purposefully planned his journey so he¡¯d be around while Qwilfish were swarming.

    ¡°Wait a second, Water Types come from all over the place? Do foreign Pok¨¦mon visit during this time, too?¡± Sam asked, barely managing to get his question in between Edgar¡¯s words.

    ¡°Hm... Foreign Pok¨¦mon? Um, I think I heard someone caught a Finneon? That¡¯s usually from Sinnoh, right?¡±

    Sam sighed.

    No Frillish, then.

    There was a patch of sandy grass between the shore and the treeline of the forest. It wasn¡¯t as wide or as large as other battlefields Sam was used to, but it¡¯d be enough for a match between two Ghost Types. The field itself didn¡¯t matter as much as having a clear space to fight in. Sam and Edgar separated, and Edgar tossed out a Pok¨¦ball.

    Appearing in the air was a Haunter, one that Sam could immediately tell was different than his Haunter. It looked nearly identical to Sam¡¯s, but there were subtle differences, like how it had more angled eyes and how the spikes on its back seemed to be sharper.

    To send his Pok¨¦mon out, Sam merely pointed forward. Out from underneath him, his shadow stretched onto the field. Once it was a few feet away, red eyes flashed from within, and Haunter allowed himself to dramatically float out and enter the air.

    Sam¡¯s shadow snapped back to him like elastic, and Edgar let out a low, impressed whistle.

    ¡°Wow. My Haunter can¡¯t enter shadows yet,¡± he said.

    Looking over their two Pok¨¦mon, both trainers nodded their heads, satisfied.

    ¡°Ready!¡± Edgar shouted.

    ¡°Ready,¡± Sam replied.

    There was no referee for this match. The two shouts of ¡°Ready¡± were enough to signify that they were prepared to start. Sam began by quickly shouting an order.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a few probes. Keep it weak, but use He-¡±

    The word caught in Sam¡¯s throat.

    Haunter knew three attacking moves: Lick, Shadow Punch, and Hex, but Lick was too weak for him to consider, and while Shadow Punch was useful, Haunter¡¯s lack of physical strength meant it dealt little damage. All of his successful battles relied entirely on Hex, as it was a special attacking move that combined well with status conditions.

    But Sam didn¡¯t want to use Hex here. That was his secret weapon, and if he showed it off, then Edgar would learn of the attack for himself. According to Morty, Hex was a game-changer, and Sam wasn¡¯t comfortable with allowing other people to learn it so easily just yet.

    Stalled by the dilemma, Edgar capitalized on Sam¡¯s delay to shout a command of his own.

    ¡°Smog! Surprise ¡®em!¡±

    The opposing Ghost Type opened its mouth, and sickly, dark green smoke poured out to surround it. In almost no time at all, it became hidden within its own toxic gas that slowly spread to cover a decent chunk of the field.

    Sam¡¯s next best option would have been Confuse Ray, but now that the Smog obscured Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, there was no way for the move to land. The same was true for Hypnosis, and Spite would drain the opposing Haunter¡¯s energy but not get rid of the effect of the move.

    Haunter turned to look over at Sam, curious why he hadn¡¯t provided any orders yet.

    ¡°Use Shadow Punch,¡± Sam said, settling on reserving Hex for now. ¡°See if you can track it down!¡±

    Despite the change in strategy, Haunter took it in stride and had his fists leave the side of his body to rocket into the Smog. His body wiggled as he controlled his hands from a distance, searching for his opponent while blind. Yet, from out of nowhere, he yelped, and his hands snapped back to his sides as he shook them and blew on their surface, wincing.

    The Smog parted slightly as Edgar¡¯s Haunter let up its move. Revealed from underneath was an aura around it¡ªa swirling sphere of darkness that obscured all space in a set radius.

    ¡°Usually Smog poisons and damages our opponents, but since your Haunter is a Poison Type, Night Shade is the next best thing,¡± Edgar said.

    The Night Shade had burned Haunter¡¯s hands. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a super effective attack, as though it was a Ghost Type move, Night Shade dealt damage solely based on the user¡¯s current level of strength. Edgar¡¯s Haunter looked decently strong.

    Now revealed, it once more opened its mouth, and another use of Smog poured out to fill up the gaps that had appeared over time. Sam bit his lip in thought; Hex would be the perfect way to damage something within, but since he didn¡¯t want to reveal it, he didn¡¯t have many other moves to choose from.

    But with so few options came only a handful of solutions to pick from. That helped Sam figure out their next step.

    ¡°Spite,¡± he said.

    The energy needed for the opposing Haunter¡¯s last used move, Smog, was drained away. More importantly, the red motes that left its body revealed where it was hiding.

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Sam then shouted.

    Haunter once more sent his fists rocketing forward. His opponent used Night Shade as a defense again, but this time he was prepared for the pain, and the actual damage he took was minimized thanks to the move only affecting his hands.

    The Shadow Punch struck, knocking Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon away. The Night Shade failed as the impact slammed it right out of its cloud.

    ¡°There we go, Haunter! Who needs other attacks?¡± Sam shouted happily.

    Haunter smiled and seemed to lean forward in the air. Yet, for some reason, Edgar looked unbothered.

    ¡°Shadow Ball. Dodgeball style.¡±

    His Pok¨¦mon cackled, opening its mouth to let a pulsated sphere of darkness form before it. The attack started out small, but it grew over time. Surprisingly quickly, the Shadow Ball became greater than its body, and a breeze curved into it, causing some of the Smog to shift where it was lingering above the ground.

    Sam shouted for Confuse Ray, but as the greyish beam left Haunter¡¯s eyes, his opponent rolled to the side to dodge. The Shadow Ball fired out, but it moved too slowly to be a threat. The attack might have been filled with a ridiculous amount of energy, but the increase in size meant it wasn¡¯t able to move anywhere near as fast.

    ¡°Nice try, but¡ª¡±

    Sam¡¯s words were cut off by a shout from Haunter.

    Turns out, there wasn¡¯t just one Shadow Ball being used, but two. The first was large and slow-moving to draw attention away from their opponent. Behind that attack, where it couldn¡¯t be seen, Edgar¡¯s Haunter then charged up a second Shadow Ball that came out significantly faster thanks to its smaller size.

    Haunter was hit by the super effective attack. It pushed him back in the air, leaving a nasty discolored spot on his body. Annoyance flicked within his usually merry eyes. He shouted something, but then he yelped again.

    Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon rushed Haunter.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Sam shouted.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if the move landed or not, as a Night Shade pulsed out of Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon¡¯s body to consume both Pok¨¦mon in the air.

    Sam clenched his hands.

    I should have used Hex.

    The Smog was now only a thin layer above the ground, scarring the patches of grass black. Edgar looked at Sam with a smug grin.

    ¡°Great battle so far!¡± he said. ¡°Impressed by Smog? Took forever to teach Haunter that move, and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m one of the first to do so! You can learn a lot by observing other Pok¨¦mon, and Koffing can be great tutors.¡±

    He paused briefly, eyes flicking up to the dark sphere in the sky.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame the battle¡¯s ending soon, though. Your Haunter is well trained. Didn¡¯t know the species could learn a move like that.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Sam said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Shadow Punch,¡± Edgar answered, and Sam winced. So focused on Hex, he hadn¡¯t remembered Shadow Punch wasn¡¯t common knowledge yet.

    Staring up at the sky something was going on within. Likely, Haunter was attacking with Shadow Punch, and his opponent was reacting by controlling the damage of the Night Shade sphere. Edgar had said the battle would be ending soon, and Sam didn¡¯t doubt him. Except, it would be his Pok¨¦mon winning, not Edgar¡¯s.

    As the hidden brawl continued, Sam noticed Edgar raise a hand at the edge of his vision. He held up three fingers before bringing them down one-by-one.

    Three.

    Two.

    One.

    He clenched his fist, and something dropped from the bottom of the sphere.

    For a moment, when Sam saw a Haunter fall, he thought they had been successful. However, he quickly recognized that the Night Shade was being maintained, and the falling Haunter lacked the sharp features of Edgar¡¯s own Pok¨¦mon.

    There was a dull thump as the Ghost Type hit the ground. Sam stared blankly forward.

    There was no Hypnosis involved. Haunter wasn¡¯t asleep. He was unconscious. Taking that Shadow Ball alongside those Night Shades had been enough to do him in.

    I should have used Hex!

    Sam stared at Haunter.

    Without Hex, they had fought the battle with their hands tied behind their backs, but Edgar didn¡¯t learn the move. Knowledge of its existence wouldn¡¯t spread. Keeping the end-of-season Conference in mind, Sam felt as though he had lost a battle to win a war.

    He decided right there and then to expand Haunter¡¯s moveset. He needed more viable attacks, and probably an attack or two that wasn¡¯t Ghost Type. Normal Types would utterly wall him, otherwise.

    Returning his fainted Pok¨¦mon, Sam closed his eyes. He held Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in one hand and felt the weight in his palm. Over the field itself, he heard a noise akin to some kind of suction. When he opened his eyes back up, any trace of the lingering smog was gone. Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon licked its lips before rubbing its stomach. It let out an ashy burp.

    ¡°Good job, Haunter,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Return for now.¡±

    The Ghost Type disappeared into its Pok¨¦ball without any further words. Edgar then jogged over to meet where Sam was standing on his end of the makeshift field.

    ¡°So, what''d you think?¡± the boy asked.

    He looked up at Sam hopefully. Sighing, Sam ran a hand through his hair.

    ¡°Your Haunter is well-trained,¡± he said, feeling bile in his throat when he said it. ¡°You played to your strengths well. The Smog trick was impressive. I¡¯d have never thought to combine it with Night Shade like that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Took forever to get that move down. But it makes a bunch of shadows for Night Shade to use, perfect for a Haunter! And since Smog poisons whatever goes into it, it¡¯s perfect for my team!¡±

    Edgar¡¯s smile was blinding. The boy seemed to be genuinely happy to receive that compliment.

    ¡°I could totally tell the difference in how we¡¯ve trained our Pok¨¦mon,¡± Edgar said, continuing. ¡°Like, I¡¯m clearly a Poison Type specialist, and you¡¯re clearly a generalist!¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist,¡± Sam repeated.

    Edgar blinked at him.

    ¡°Oh yeah. Sorry. You didn¡¯t use Shadow Ball, so I guess I forgot.¡±

    Sam did his best to not frown.

    ¡°Anyway, I think we should get to the end of this. When do you wanna trade?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.

    ¡°You know, trade Haunters,¡± Edgar eagerly explained, speaking as if those words answered everything. ¡°Trading can trigger an evolution. We both want a Gengar on our team, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I do. It¡¯s¡ª¡± Sam breathed in. ¡°You mean trade them and trade back, right?¡±

    Edgar shrugged.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess we can do that, too,¡± he said.

    Sam visibly gaped at him.

    ¡°You¡¯d really trade away a team member just like that? A Pok¨¦mon you¡¯ve spent time with and trained with and traveling with and befriended and¡ª¡±

    ¡°All Pok¨¦mon want to get stronger. Does it really matter who they¡¯re with?¡±

    Edgar smiled a childlike smile of perfect innocence. It was like he couldn¡¯t even comprehend why Sam might be appalled.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not ready to evolve your Haunter, at least take my number!¡± he said, reaching into his pocket. ¡°You got a Pok¨¦gear?¡±

    ¡°...No.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I got mine for helping out at Goldenrod''s Radio Tower.¡±

    Yeah, brag about that too, why don¡¯t you?

    Edgar scribbled down his number on a piece of paper and handed it over to Sam. Sam took it, but he had nothing polite to say. He chose to remain quiet.

    As Edgar waved goodbye and returned to where his backpack still sat on the shore, he resumed fishing for Qwilfish with the help of his Tentacruel. Sam turned to Redi, who approached looking like she had just eaten something sour.

    ¡°Is it bad I kind of expected that? It might sound funny, but when I fought him, it felt like he was just ordering his Pok¨¦mon around instead of working together. I thought I was just imagining it since he tried to hug his Gastly at the end, but now it¡¯s like he got worse,¡± she said quietly.

    ¡°Too focused on winning, maybe?¡± Sam said. ¡°Ruined by previous success?¡±

    Something inside of Sam churned. He remembered the promise to his team. He wasn¡¯t supposed to lose anymore, but how was he supposed to account for fighting without Hex?

    ¡°He needs to value his Pok¨¦mon more. Not caring about sending away your friend like that is gross.¡±

    ¡°You should hear what he said about Qwilfish,¡± Sam said.

    She crossed her arms and grumbled something about not believing she lost to him. Sam patted her on her shoulder.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be losers together,¡± he said in mock comfort.

    Redi raised a fist as though she was about to hit him in the arm, but in the end, she chose not to and brought her hand back down.

    Sam moved away to leave Edgar behind them before he sent out Haunter. The Pok¨¦mon was still unconscious when he appeared on the ground, but Sam used a Potion to bring him back. It wasn¡¯t as effective as a Revive might have been, but it was enough to treat Haunter¡¯s injuries and allow him to heal naturally. They didn¡¯t need the immediate full jumpstart right now¡ªand not using a Revive saved money, too.

    ¡°So, I did hear him talk about trading. Do you plan to evolve Haunter like that?¡± Redi asked as Haunter re-entered the air.

    The Ghost Type mimed stretched with his hands and turned to face Sam. He might have lost, but Haunter was still his usual cheerful self. If anything, he almost looked excited to have participated in that battle. It made it clear that he still had a long way to go before being strong enough to do whatever he wanted.

    ¡°Not sure. I know I want Haunter to evolve, but the idea of trading him away is... wrong,¡± Sam answered, standing back up. ¡°Trading feels bad. It might be hard, but I¡¯m tempted to try for something more natural.¡±

    ¡°That can take years,¡± Redi said. She wobbled her head. ¡°Well, your book says Porygon needs to trade to evolve. Maybe we can keep it simple and trade and trade back once I find an Upgrade?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d appreciate that. Thank you, Redi,¡± Sam said.

    She smiled at him and turned to continue heading north.

    Sam was a lot more comfortable trading with Redi than doing anything with a trainer like Edgar. Someone like that... Well, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his upbringing or just common sense. Pok¨¦mon were friends, not just tools to use in battle.

    ¡°For now, we need to get you some more moves,¡± Sam said to Haunter. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we learned from that battle, it¡¯s that Hex isn¡¯t enough on its own, especially if we want to win matches outside of Gym Battles.¡±

    Haunter happily nodded his head and dipped back into Sam¡¯s shadow. Sam took out the New Pok¨¦dex to skim through Haunter¡¯s entry to see if he could pick any attacks out from the expansive list included within.

    ¡°Shadow Ball is obvious, but maybe we should branch out,¡± he mused as they walked. ¡°Honestly, we might be neglecting your Poison Type a bit too much. That combination of Smog and Night Shade was pretty effective, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 49

    There was a heat to the air¡ªa palpable tension. After all the talk of Pok¨¦mon reaching new forms, both Mankey and Teddiursa had enough. They fell to an extreme case of evolution fever.

    Cyndaquil had evolved into Quilava. Gastly had evolved into Haunter. And now, a random trainer was already bringing up the idea of Haunter evolving into Gengar? No, it wasn¡¯t fair that Mankey was still in his base form, and Teddiursa felt the same way.

    Even though it was morning, and even though they should have been continuing along Route 32, both Mankey and Teddiursa woke up, stood apart from one another, and refused to move until they started the day off properly.

    (That meant a fight.)

    ¡°You know you two won¡¯t be able to fight in any other battles today if you injure yourself in the morning,¡± Sam pointed out.

    Mankey snorted, communicating that it didn¡¯t matter, and with the way Teddiursa growled, Sam was pretty sure the bear tried to imply that they¡¯d have time to heal.

    All Sam could do was shake his head and step back. He had hoped they¡¯d finally reach the end of the route today, but if these two wanted to battle, then so be it. With the space between them set, the two Pok¨¦mon began to circle one another with a foot dragging behind them. They tilled the dirt, drawing the lines for a perfectly square field. As they both stepped into opposite corners, Sam was briefly reminded of a boxing ring.

    Actually, he was pretty certain that was exactly what they were going for.

    As Teddiursa breathed out, he flexed his paws. Redi rushed over to start whispering in his ear.

    ¡°Alright, Teddiursa, if you want to win, you¡¯re going to have to...¡± She cupped a hand around her mouth to hide the rest of her advice.

    When Sam glanced over to Mankey, his expression fell.

    ¡°And you too, Quilava?¡± he said.

    She squeaked at him apologetically before going right back to whispering advice to Mankey as well. Sam couldn¡¯t even help his own Pok¨¦mon as a coach¡ªQuilava was already fulfilling that role for him.

    Both sides of the boxing ring glared at one another as they centered themselves, breathing at regular intervals. Something about Teddiursa¡¯s movements was familiar, and Mankey¡¯s attempts at regular breathing caused alarm bells to ring in Sam¡¯s mind.

    ¡°You at least understand you¡¯ll need to hold back, right?¡± Sam asked. ¡°We aren¡¯t anywhere near a Pok¨¦mon Center. If you faint¡ª¡±

    The two Pok¨¦mon responded by taking a step forward.

    Sam dragged a hand down his face and moved to stand at the side. Redi practically jumped to join him, pumping a fist in excitement.

    For a brief moment, Sam felt a deep longing for his reading nook back home. But, at the same time, he was a Pok¨¦mon trainer for a reason.

    ¡°You wanna start it properly?¡± Sam asked Redi.

    She grinned, exposing her teeth, and brought her hands up to the sides of her mouth to cause her voice to echo.

    ¡°LADIES AND GENTLE-MON!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°ARE YOU READY TO RRRRRRUMBLE!?¡±

    A cheer. Off to the side, within the shade of a tree, Haunter howled his name. Porygon idly floated next to him, and he excitedly tapped the Pok¨¦mon with the back of his hand. Unfortunately, Porygon was too preoccupied with staring at nothing to join in. The audience remained one Pok¨¦mon, but Sam clapped his hands to mimic an applause.

    ¡°I want a good fight between you two,¡± Redi said. ¡°No low blows, nothing to the eyes, and only¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold back on your moves,¡± Sam interrupted.

    Redi pouted, pursing her lip.

    ¡°Aw, come on, Sam! That¡¯s half the point of the battle!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to get hurt so early in the day. If you really want to support this, then it''s your Potion supplies we¡¯re dipping into.¡±

    Her expression fell. Redi was suddenly stuck with the toughest problem of all; she had to choose between watching a fight or saving money. In the end, she crossed her arms and took a step back.

    ¡°Like I said, a good fight,¡± she said, adding nothing more.

    ¡°You better win, Mankey,¡± Sam added.

    Quilava cheered from where she was still standing in the corner.

    Redi huffed, breathing in. On the field, the two Pok¨¦mon walked forward to meet each other in the center of the field. They made eye contact but otherwise focused on steadying themselves. Sam could see both of their gazes occasionally flick to exactly where they wanted to hit. They couldn¡¯t be more obvious about their plans if they tried.

    Redi was still breathing in. She gathered up as much air as she could. Finally, she couldn¡¯t do it any longer, and let loose a shout that used her entire body at once.

    ¡°START!¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon attacked.

    Mankey¡¯s fist impacted Teddiursa¡¯s face.

    Teddiursa¡¯s claw swiped down the front of Mankey¡¯s body.

    There was a pause, their eyes went unfocused, and then both of them fell backwards to land flat on the ground.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam covered his face with his hand as neither of them got back up.

    This was probably the dumbest way this could have ended, in Sam¡¯s opinion. If he had to guess, both of them had abused set-up moves.

    Sam stepped onto the field, circling the two unconscious Pok¨¦mon. He nudged Mankey. Then he nudged Teddiursa. Neither of them moved after sustaining the other¡¯s blow.

    ¡°So, Quilava...¡± Sam said, drawing out his words. ¡°You helped Mankey figure out Ghost Type energy, didn¡¯t you? You were whispering advice on how to use Curse.¡±

    His friend looked away.

    ¡°And you, Redi,¡± he said, turning to her. ¡°I recognized that move. It was Focus Energy. You managed to get Teddiursa to figure that out too, huh?

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Redi said, coughing into her hand.

    ¡°Congrats, I guess. It must have taken a while to teach those moves.¡± Sam crouched to better look at the two Pok¨¦mon on the ground. ¡°Quilava, Mankey¡¯s been struggling with Ghost Type energy for a while. Mankey¡¯s Curse is thanks to you as much as it is his own efforts. And you, Redi¡ª¡±

    Sam shook his head.

    ¡°Do you really need any compliments?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡±

    Redi stood taller at the ¡°praise.¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon had used their set-up moves in the corners of their makeshift boxing ring, preparing themselves while being whispered advice. Curse let Mankey¡¯s Karate Chop one shot Teddiursa, but the critical strike granted by Focus Energy let Teddiursa bypass any of Mankey¡¯s defenses with Slash.

    Two simultaneous hits for two simultaneous knock-outs. Sam would have been more annoyed if he wasn¡¯t so impressed.

    ¡°At least they¡¯ve shown improvement?¡± he offered.

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    When he sent a pointed stare at Redi, she quickly turned away.

    Given that the two Pok¨¦mon had only suffered a single attack, and given that they still had the rest of the day to recover, both Mankey and Teddiursa were returned to rest without being treated. A Potion could have been used to treat their wounds, but with only a single injury, rest could do the same. Effectively, forcing a natural recovery was a form of punishment for the misguided fight.

    It was kind of funny, though.

    ...But I¡¯m not going to say that out loud.

    He had a persona to maintain. Someone had to be the responsible one, and it couldn¡¯t be Quilava anymore since she had chosen to participate in... that.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pack up camp and head out. We¡¯re close to the end of the route today,¡± Sam said.

    With the ¡°battle¡± over, Haunter dived back into Sam¡¯s shadow, Quilava moved to walk alongside him, and Porygon was returned to its Pok¨¦ball to ensure no one too smart would learn of the species. So far on this route, outside of what had happened in this match, developments had been sparse. Haunter was still working on his Night Shade for their totally-not-stolen combo, and Quilava was now trying to combine Quick Attack and Flame Wheel into the speed-boosting Flame Charge. Most of their practice was about building up a baseline, anyway. That kind of training was constant to ensure they wouldn¡¯t fall behind.

    ¡°So when are you going to help us with Ghost Type moves, anyway?¡± Redi asked Sam once they resumed their travels north.

    ¡°Probably after Mankey¡¯s evolved,¡± Sam answered. ¡°I might know a lot about potential attacks, but my actual experience training Ghost Type moves is limited to just Hex and Curse. Even then, Haunter basically figured out Hex on his own, and Curse was a TM. Quilava has properly claimed it as her own, so she can help, but I might be able to help you more once Mankey evolves. Teaching him Rage Fist should help me understand the Type.¡±

    Redi hummed.

    ¡°Not Shadow Claw?¡±

    ¡°Might be a good stop-gap, but Rage Fist is the attack that¡¯ll get him to evolve. I might have gone back and tried to teach him that, but someone somehow taught him how to use Ghost Type energy already. It¡¯s like I¡¯m not even his trainer or something!¡±

    Quilava let out another apologetic squeak next to him, but Sam laughed and shook his head.

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not actually angry,¡± he said, waving her off. ¡°You¡¯re getting crazy good with Ghost Type energy, and your control is still growing! I¡¯m just feeling a little tense, today. We should reach the ruins by this afternoon.¡±

    Route 32 connected to two places¡ªViolet City and the Ruins of Alph. Both were right at the end of the route, with the Ruins of Alph located not too far away from the city.

    Sam wanted to go to the Ruins of Alph to search for information. The place was an ancient, abandoned settlement famous for unexplainable phenomena. Most importantly, it was a hotspot for researchers and archaeologists. If there was anywhere Sam could go to ask about a long-lost evolution, it would be there.

    ¡°You¡¯re really going to ask for help?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°I am. The New Pok¨¦dex says Hisuian Typhlosion is the evolution of Quilava in old Hisui, but that doesn¡¯t really help us. We¡¯re playing a guessing game when it comes to Quilava¡¯s evolution. I don¡¯t want to risk it. The Ruins of Alph are ancient. There might be information in the ruins, or one of the researchers might know something. Either way, I can¡¯t pass up this opportunity to find something to help.¡±

    Quilava moved a bit closer to Sam as they walked. She briefly leaned into his leg before making room so he wouldn¡¯t stumble. Her potential evolution was meant to be secret, something that¡¯d make her and the rest of the team well known, but neither of them were willing to ignore a way to get answers.

    They were almost already there anyway, as a fork in the road split the path between the ruins and Violet City. Overall, travel hadn¡¯t been too difficult thanks to the relative uniformity of the forested coast, though the water had reached its end a few days ago. Union Cave was almost like a shortcut too, in that it was a direct path through a bunch of otherwise difficult terrain. Not to mention, there were fewer places to explore in Azalea Town than Sam wanted. They hadn¡¯t lingered. Right now, they were actually ahead of schedule.

    It only took a few hours to arrive, allowing them to reach the archaeological site just around noon. The ruins were located within a wide valley, hidden within a set of rocky hills. Dedicated research buildings sat on those hills¡¯ tops, providing a good view over all the ancient buildings below. This place was open to tourists, and Sam could already see people wandering about within the old city, but his goal was to talk to researchers first. He¡¯d be a fool to think himself a better archaeologist than trained professionals.

    Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t allowed inside due to issues involving Type energy, so Sam had to return Quilava before heading in. Despite it being midday, it was rather quiet as he stepped into the building. The place was like a combination of a warehouse and an office complex. There were desks set up along its sides where younger researchers furiously took notes and analyzed small artifacts under bright lights. Crates were stacked in the back, and long tables had collected artifacts spread out in the center.

    Sam didn¡¯t see any other tourists here even though anyone was free to enter. There was only him, Redi, and the many archaeologists working in the room. Sounds of scribbling and murmuring filled the air, and he was hesitant to call for help out of worry he¡¯d disturb them. Thankfully, a nearby worker noticed him and approached with a friendly smile on her face.

    ¡°We don¡¯t get many visitors to this building. Can I help you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes, I wanted to ask a few questions about the Pok¨¦mon here?¡± Sam said.

    The woman nodded along, her eyes flashing with understanding when Sam mentioned Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ll want to talk to Dr. Hale, then. I¡¯ll fetch him for you! Give me one moment.¡±

    She ran off to grab an older man standing in front of the table filled with artifacts. He looked to be forty or so years old, looking over clay tablets with bubbly letters carved into them, one on each tile. As the woman tapped his shoulder to get his attention, she whispered something to explain. He looked up, a sharp gaze snapping to Sam and Redi. His height made him intimidating at first, but as he headed over, his expression was far too excited to carry any malicious intent.

    ¡°Hello!¡± he said jovially with a deep voice that suited him. ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Spencer Hale, but please, just call me Spencer!¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Sam said, shaking the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°And I¡¯m Redi!¡± Redi said, doing the same.

    Spencer tilted his head at her.

    ¡°Ready for what?¡±

    ¡°No. Actually, Redi¡¯s my name.¡±

    Spencer blinked before letting out a deep laugh.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fun! Pleasure to meet you, Sam, Redi. So! I heard you¡¯re trying to find out more about Unown, yes?¡±

    Sam frowned. Redi pursed her lips.

    ¡°Sorry, Unown?¡± she asked. ¡°I thought we were here about Typhlo¡ª something else.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression faltered. His excitement began to fade, but Sam quickly spoke up.

    ¡°Wait, uh¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think I was specific enough when I asked for help. You came over here to talk about Unown, right? You looked kind of excited about it.¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine,¡± Spencer said, waving him off. ¡°I can still answer your questions.¡±

    Sam sent a glance to Redi. She stood up a bit straighter, getting the hint.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to hear about Unown first, if that¡¯s okay?¡± she asked.

    Sam nodded furiously, and Spencer replied with a smile. However, it was more than just a friendly smile. It was one of someone given the chance to give a lecture that all of his colleagues had grown tired of hearing.

    Spencer started with a totally unnecessary crack of his knuckles.

    ¡°Unown are an absolutely fascinating Pok¨¦mon, with appearances dating back thousands of years. They¡¯re extraordinarily rare, only ever found in these ruins and other, select places. They have a connection to the mysterious, and sightings tend to place them next to many unexplained phenomena. They¡¯re a favorite of many conspiracies that tend to be true, more often than not. In fact, it¡¯s commonly agreed that they¡¯re responsible for many of the Ruins of Alph¡¯s unusual events!¡±

    He then leaned in and brought up a hand as if he was sharing a secret.

    ¡°A few myths even say that if they work together, a group of Unown would be comparable to Legendary Pok¨¦mon. We have no proof of such a fact, but it¡¯s a common story told across the world. A fantastical idea, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Redi said. Her eyes looked glazed over.

    ¡°Wow, indeed!¡± Spencer drew himself back and laughed. ¡°Thankfully, while still capable of minor telekinetic feats, Unown are pitifully weak independently, and they¡¯re rare enough that it¡¯s hard to locate more than one at a time. Any mass linkage is exceptionally unlikely. That kind of foretold power would be devastating, but we don''t have anything to worry about. If something like that happens in my lifetime, I¡¯d be surprised.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°Unown are the core of my research, which is why I commonly find myself at these ruins. I think they deserve to be understood better. They¡¯re my favorite Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I can tell,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°And if you want to see one... Ah! Here we go. Take a look at this.¡±

    He jogged back over to the central table, put on a glove, and came back holding one of the tablets. The image inscribed onto it was a rounded letter with an eye right where a gap normally would be.

    ¡°Unown take the form of letters of this ancient alphabet, hence why this place is called the Ruins of Alph. The name can be sourced both from the original name of the city and from the word ¡®Alpha,¡¯ as these ruins were the first major archaeological site established in Johto. But ¡®alpha¡¯ is still part of the ¡®alphabet!¡¯ If I could write a letter to historians...¡¯¡±

    He laughed at his joke.

    ¡°Um, thank you. I didn¡¯t know most of that. It was... a lot of information,¡± Sam said.

    He took a step closer to Redi to hide his smack to her arm. She snapped back to attention and quickly nodded her head.

    ¡°For sure!¡± she shouted.

    A few of the other researchers briefly turned her way.

    ¡°So, for my question...¡± Sam continued.

    ¡°Of course, of course! My apologies if I got a bit too caught up in that little speech of mine. I¡¯ve been told I can be a bit ecstatic when it comes to Unown.¡±

    Redi still looked like she was in a daze.

    ¡°Well, I actually wanted to know if this place has any connection to Sinnoh,¡± Sam asked. ¡°Or, I want to know if there are any species depicted here that used to be found in Sinnoh?¡±

    Spencer didn¡¯t seem to be expecting Sam¡¯s question. Thinking, he hummed and rubbed his chin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very interesting question you have there. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if someone could write several papers on that topic alone. Yes, I do believe we¡¯ve seen a few variant species depicted on these walls¡ªbut not many.¡±

    ¡°Which ones?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°A few ancient fossil Pok¨¦mon, mostly. A Legendary Pok¨¦mon or two. Additionally, some walls have depictions of Growlithe that don¡¯t quite match up to the species¡¯s current appearance.¡±

    Spencer went on to explain how those carvings of Growlithe often included hair that covered their face and neck. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t what Sam was looking for. He wanted to know if Hisuian Typhlosion specifically was depicted in this place, and if he could find any clues to help out Quilava.

    ¡°So... is there anything connected to Hisui here?¡± Sam asked.

    The doctor hummed again. He spent a while in deep thought.

    ¡°You¡¯re at the wrong ruins for that, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Sam slumped.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean these are the only ruins around,¡± the man continued. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Sinjoh Ruins?¡±

    ¡°The Sinjoh Ruins?¡± Sam asked, repeating the word to try it out. ¡°It sounds like someone mashed up ¡®Sinnoh¡¯ and ¡®Johto.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    Spencer¡¯s sudden outburst made Sam jump.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what the Sinjoh ruins are, a mash-up of Sinnoh and Johto! They¡¯re located between the two regions, so much so that it''s set perfectly between the two of them! The Sinjoh ruins can be found high up in the mountains north of Johto, and we researchers are still struggling to understand them. Strangely, if you travel to the ruins from one region before the next, no matter how long the trip is, you¡¯ll find your travel takes less time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so weird,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Spencer said, sagely nodding his head.

    Something in Sam¡¯s gut told him that the Sinjoh ruins were exactly what he was looking for. He absolutely needed to go straight there.

    ¡°So how do we get to the Sinjoh ruins?¡±

    Spencer winced, and he suddenly looked almost... ashamed?

    ¡°Ah,¡± he said, rubbing his neck. ¡°I might have gotten ahead of myself. Only approved researchers or qualified trainers¡ªeight Gym Badges or more¡ªare permitted access. ...I have a feeling neither of you meet those requirements.¡±

    Sam sighed.

    There goes that hope.

    By the time he had eight Gym Badges, Quilava would have likely evolved.

    Then again, we could request an Everstone. That¡¯d buy us some time, but it¡¯d replace her Charcoal. She¡¯s gone against the idea of using an Everstone before, but I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯d still feel the same way. I don¡¯t want her holding herself back again. Maybe there¡¯s somewhere else we can head?

    As Sam struggled to figure out what to do next, Spencer seemed to inspect him, looking him up and down.

    ¡°Might I ask why you want to go to Sinjoh Ruins?¡± he asked quietly.

    Sam looked back up, his focus returning to the conversation at hand.

    ¡°I...¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I have a Pok¨¦mon I¡¯m trying to evolve, and I think she¡¯d be able to evolve into one of those variant species I mentioned if we could just obtain more information.¡±

    Redi immediately looked at him, sucking air through her teeth nervously.

    Revealing Hisuian Typhlosion was a risk, but Spencer was a researcher rather than a Pok¨¦mon Trainer. He was clearly more focused on learning about Unown than ¡°stealing¡± any potential discoveries from Sam. The New Pok¨¦dex was Sam¡¯s advantage, and he had no plan to hand it over. It would stay that way for a long time, but the book wasn¡¯t perfect. He needed supporting information¡ªsupporting information this man might have.

    As Sam explained the concept of Hisuian Typhlosion, Spencer¡¯s eyebrows practically went to the top of his head. Redi openly gaped at Sam, now properly recovered from her daze.

    When he finished speaking, she took his arm and turned him around, leaning closer for a whisper.

    ¡°You sure you wanted to reveal that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. If it means success, I¡¯m willing to reveal a lot more¡ªnot everything¡ªbut anything that¡¯s necessary.¡±

    She gave him another look before turning back to Spencer. The man continued to inspect Sam, and his expression leveled out.

    ¡°And you¡¯re confident such an evolution is possible?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. We¡¯ve been working towards it for months at this point.¡±

    He hummed one last time before giving Sam an approving nod of his head.

    ¡°Who am I to stand in the way of such a determined young trainer? I might not be able to provide you the information you seek, but I can help in a different way. If you give me your names and ID numbers, I can pass along a recommendation that should grant you an approval for an early visit to the Sinjoh Ruins.¡±

    Sam let out the breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said genuinely. ¡°This will help us a lot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re pretty cool!¡± Redi added.

    Spencer chuckled.

    ¡°Of course! And perhaps this experience might encourage you to become researchers, yourselves, when you grow up, hm?¡±

    When Redi scrunched up her face in disgust, Spencer just laughed.

    He headed back to a side table to grab a sheet of paper, and Redi immediately provided her name and trainer ID when he returned. Just in case, Sam checked to make sure the man had the appropriate credentials. He didn¡¯t want to risk his identity being stolen, but Spencer was trustworthy. He¡¯d even been approved by the League.

    ¡°...And that¡¯s my ID,¡± Sam said. ¡°Name¡¯s right there¡ªSamuel Greyson.¡±

    Spencer paused where he was writing, looking up at Sam with a sudden glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Your name is Samuel? Last name Greyson?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Sam offered.

    Once more, Spencer started to smile.

    ¡°This might be... Hm. I don¡¯t suppose you know one ¡®Richard Greyson?¡¯¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my grandfather?¡± Sam answered cautiously.

    Spencer immediately brought himself back up and let loose a full, belly-deep laugh.

    ¡°Amazing! What a coincidence!¡± he practically shouted. ¡°Fate can really be incredible, sometimes! Sam, you¡¯re in the right place. You should know that Richard is a close friend!¡±

 Chapter 50

    Sam stared at Doctor Spencer Hale. The man had an amused expression on his face. A slight smile curved his lips. Sam had no reason to believe he was lying.

    ¡°Richard Greyson,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°My grandfather, Richard Greyson. The Richard Greyson who lived in Dewford Town?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Spencer cheerfully said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but I believe he specifically moved to Dewford to search for something in that cave there. Both of us have been a bit too busy to actually sit down and chat, but we¡¯re definitely friends. And if my memory is correct, it was only a few short¡ª¡±

    ¡°Years,¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s been years. You¡¯re talking as if he¡¯s still around. My grandfather is dead.¡±

    Redi hit Sam on the arm and leaned in to hide her hiss.

    ¡°Sam!¡± she said, keeping her voice low. ¡°You can¡¯t just drop the news on someone like that. It¡¯s rude! What if it were me or Quilava who passed away, and you were finding out right now?¡±

    Sam grimaced as the corners of Spencer¡¯s mouth quivered. The man¡¯s cheerful smile began to fall. Spencer looked like he wanted to say something, but he also looked like he was having trouble forming words.

    ¡°No, n-no. That can¡¯t be true,¡± he eventually managed to say. ¡°No, he¡¯s¡ª I thought¡ª¡±

    Spencer ran a hand over his head and took a few steps back to collapse into a chair.

    He didn¡¯t say anything, choosing to rub his temples with a hand. Redi sent Sam a pointed glance as the doctor let his head fall back to stare at the ceiling. Recognizing grief for what it was, Sam moved closer, knowing Redi was probably right. He sighed before he spoke again.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have dropped the news on you like that.¡±

    A short chuckle left Spencer¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright. I suppose if we were really close friends, I would have heard about his passing by now, huh?¡±

    He sighed as well, closing his eyes and choosing to simply breathe. He had a pained expression on his face, but he was also managing to keep himself calm.

    ¡°I first met your grandfather when he served as a guest lecturer,¡± Spencer said, a small smile twitching back onto his face. ¡°He was visiting the Professor, who managed to nag him into speaking to the class. I remember how he scowled, walked to the front of the group, and said only two sentences. ¡®Pok¨¦mon are special. Remember that.¡¯ Then he walked away as if that was the biggest revelation in the world!¡±

    Spencer laughed, and then he brought a hand up to rub his eyes with his fingers.

    ¡°Richard was... Well, he was a very withdrawn man. I had to go out of my way to get to know him, but once I did, he really opened up.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t have anything to say as Spencer continued to sit back and drift off into memory. He had a fond smile on his face, but his eyes were unfocused.

    Silence passed between them. Eventually, his gaze returned to Sam as he stood up from his chair.

    ¡°Your grandfather was an expert when it came to obscure Pok¨¦mon knowledge. Did you know he¡¯s the reason we know Onix¡¯s method of evolution?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said, frowning. ¡°He never told me about that.¡±

    Spencer chuckled and walked to a nearby table to set down his pen.

    ¡°We always knew that Steelix evolved from Onix, but the actual method wasn¡¯t recorded. A member of the class was running an experiment when Richard dropped by. He took one look at the convoluted set-up and told him, ¡®Just cover an Onix in a Metal Coat.¡¯ He was right, too!¡±

    Spencer laughed again.

    ¡°Never took credit for that, though. The method was slipped into the latest version of the Pok¨¦dex, and it became such common knowledge that no one bothered to learn how we figured it out in the first place.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He knew his grandfather was rather independent¡ªafter all, Sam couldn¡¯t remember a single time the man had left Dewford Town, or even just his own house¡ªbut he also couldn¡¯t remember his grandfather ever talking about another person. He knew his grandfather was knowledgeable, just not to that level. Heck, most of Sam¡¯s childhood was spent sitting before the TV and listening to his grandfather rant about battles. He was also great at knowing exactly what book Sam should read next, too.

    ¡°So if he was so withdrawn, how did you befriend him?¡± Redi suddenly asked.

    Spencer continued his smile.

    ¡°Like I said, I had to go out of my way to do it. I caught him before he could disappear like usual and practically forced him to go out for drinks with the rest of the class. It was his Typhlosion who eventually managed to convince him, but personally, I think if it wasn¡¯t for Professor Oak¡ª¡±

    ¡°Professor Oak?¡± Sam interrupted.

    ¡°Oh, yes! I know I claimed to be close friends with him, but it was Professor Oak who was truly his best friend. Before he moved away, the pair were nearly inseparable! Why?¡± Spencer paused. ¡°Wait, did you not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thanks for all the help, but I think we have to go.¡±

    Sam turned around and stiffly walked out of the building. He could feel Spencer¡¯s confused gaze following him as he left. Redi hurried to chase after him, and Spencer shouted to say one last thing before they were gone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to submit my recommendations, and if you need anything, you can always call me!¡±

    He also tried to shout his condolences and a thank you for telling him the bad news. Unfortunately, the door to the building slammed closed before he could finish.

    ¡°Sam! What¡¯s with you?¡± Redi said, running to his side. ¡°Did you really need to leave so suddenly like that?¡±

    He didn¡¯t immediately respond, choosing instead to move to a small balcony that overlooked the Ruins of Alph. He gripped its railing and took a deep breath.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Redi repeated. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, closing his eyes and breathing out to steady himself. ¡°My grandfather never mentioned Professor Oak. I can¡¯t believe they were friends.¡±

    Redi moved closer. She walked over and stood next to him in front of the railing. She leaned against it, staring out over the same view. Sam could tell that she wanted to talk about how Professor Oak was apparently a family friend, but she didn¡¯t start with that. She started with something else.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like Professor Oak,¡± she said.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like him because...¡± Sam frowned. ¡°He made the electronic Pok¨¦dex. It¡¯s putting my mom¡¯s bookstore out of business.¡±

    Redi stayed silent, waiting for him to speak more. When Sam didn¡¯t continue, her mouth hung open.

    ¡°Wait? That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal!¡± Sam shouted, finally turning her way. ¡°Written Pok¨¦dexes were our best sellers! The number of customers we got was cut way in half!¡±

    His voice echoed out over the canyon. The ruins sat silently below them. A few bird Pok¨¦mon flew off in the distance, and Sam turned back around to face away.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a strong reason to dislike someone,¡± he mumbled.

    Redi snorted and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Okay, fine, I¡¯ll give you that, but you also recognize how big Professor Oak is, right? He¡¯s the reason written Pok¨¦dexes are popular in the first place. He¡¯s the reason the Gym Challenge can be taken on by the average person. He¡¯s why all the cool moves and evolutions aren¡¯t only known by people in power. And he¡¯s why Kanto and Johto don¡¯t hate each other as much anymore.¡±

    What was left unsaid was that he was also friends with Sam¡¯s grandfather.

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam replied, though he wasn¡¯t aware Professor Oak had helped cool tensions between Indigo¡¯s regions. ¡°I know. It¡¯s just... My grandfather never talked about him. Or how he apparently discovered Onix¡¯s evolution. Or how he was important enough to give a lecture to a class learning under the foremost Pok¨¦mon Professor in the world?¡±

    Redi leaned back, her arms going taut as she held onto the railing. She didn¡¯t say anything, and Sam didn¡¯t either. While he could tell she was itching to speak, she didn¡¯t. Sam really appreciated that.

    If my grandfather was so important, how come he didn¡¯t leave any money behind? My mom has to struggle every day just to make ends meet. And all of that stuff in the attic¡ª

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Sam said. ¡°I found the New Pok¨¦dex in my grandfather¡¯s boxes. There¡¯s no way Professor Oak is the author, is he?¡±

    ¡°What? No, it exists ¡®cause of time travel,¡± Redi said, standing back up. ¡°And if Professor Oak had it, why does no one else know anything in it? He¡¯d have published all that weird information, right?¡±

    Sam¡¯s frown deepened. On one hand, he appreciated how much the New Pok¨¦dex had helped him, but on the other hand, he really wished its origin wasn¡¯t so complicated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get how it fits in with my grandfather¡¯s friendship with Professor Oak. If it wasn¡¯t Professor Oak who wrote it, who sent it to my grandpa in the first place?¡±

    Not to mention, the book was still wrapped in brown packaging paper when Sam first found it. His grandfather had never opened it up even after receiving it in the mail. Yet, it was placed in a box containing items that had seemed important to the old man. At least, that was what the box¡¯s contents had implied.

    A little voice in Sam¡¯s head whispered that he could maybe, maybe, find a way to talk to Professor Oak if the Professor was apparently friends with his grandfather. But at the same time, he just didn¡¯t want to. Oak was a region away, and Sam had the rest of his journey ahead of him.

    It was a problem for later. He didn¡¯t want to think about it right now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s explore the ruins,¡± Sam said, wanting nothing more than to focus on something else. ¡°Doctor Hale didn¡¯t know about Hisuian Typhlosion, but he did mention that weird Growlithe. I think there¡¯s a chance he could have seen a carving of Hisuian Typhlosion but not realize it. The two variants look alike. A poor enough carving could mean he didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me!¡± Redi said with a smile.

    They both moved away from the railing and headed down, leaving any complicated thoughts behind them.

    A staircase built into the hillside served as the entrance into the ruins, but so high up, the distance needed to reach the bottom was more than Sam would¡¯ve thought. It gave him plenty of time to look over all of the dusty, brick buildings and the unmaintained environment around them. Chunks of rock hid most of the buildings, others had collapsed, and patches of tall grass spread out here and there, with Pok¨¦mon likely within.

    Strangely enough, even though this place had been known for a while, new discoveries were constantly being made within the Ruins of Alph. Sam would have thought that with its age, most of the ancient settlement would have already been explored. However, with its sheer number of secret entrances and strange traps, new passages and rooms were being discovered on almost a weekly basis.

    The idea of some mention of Hisuian Typhlosion being down there seemed more likely the more he thought about it.

    Reaching the bottom, there was an almost hallowed feeling as Sam and Redi stepped onto a ruined path. With this place being so ancient, it almost felt like being too noisy would be insulting to its existence.

    Haunter remained in Sam¡¯s shadow, as he usually did nowadays. He was there more often than he was in his Pok¨¦ball. Quilava was returned, however, resting after spending all morning walking alongside Sam to reach these ruins. That just left Mankey, who Sam reluctantly sent out alongside Teddiursa. Redi didn¡¯t want a knowledgeable researcher noticing Porygon, after all.

    Mankey immediately glared at Teddiursa, and Teddiursa interlaced his claws to crack his knuckles. Both Pok¨¦mon took one step towards one another before Sam cleared his throat.

    ¡°You two will make sure to be on your best behavior, right?¡± Sam said, almost accusingly. ¡°You know that all kinds of weird Pok¨¦mon lurk here, and you¡¯ll help to ward them off, right?¡±

    Mankey stopped, turning on a heel and bringing a hand up to salute. Teddiursa, however, merely scoffed and crossed his arms.

    ¡°Teddiursa...¡± Redi threatened.

    Her Pok¨¦mon winced and nodded much more enthusiastically after that.

    ¡°Good. We need you in the best shape possible. The Pok¨¦mon here are weird,¡± Sam said.

    He could already see one. Perched on a nearby stack of bricks, a green bird the size of Sam¡¯s hand¡ªa Natu¡ªstared directly at the sun.

    Sam saw others as they began to walk through. Geodude curled up into stones on the ground, but their dark colors stood out from the light stone of the buildings. Rarely, a Smeargle peeked out from behind a fallen wall. The art-driven Pok¨¦mon were likely tourists, searching for ancient carvings in hopes of inspiration.

    Depictions of Unown were common. Most walls had at least one unintelligible line of letters. Sam and everyone else passed by buildings with wide openings that served as entrances. Occasionally, another human stood nearby, either a researcher analyzing a line of carvings or a tourist just looking around. Not every building was accessible or empty. Redi moved to the front of the group, peered into a few of them, and found an empty one that seemed safe enough before heading straight in.

    Mankey and Teddiursa waited outside, standing on guard. Even if this place was open to tourists, it didn¡¯t make sense to risk any aggressive wild Pok¨¦mon following them in.

    The doorway was tall enough to light up the room with natural light, and four ancient pillars still somehow supported the building¡¯s cracked ceiling. There was a brazier in the back¡ªlit by either human or Pok¨¦mon¡ªthat illuminated the dark spaces in the back. On the wall above it, yet another carving. For once, it wasn¡¯t an Unown.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± Redi said, moving closer and tilting her head to better take the carving in. ¡°It¡¯s like a puzzle. Someone arranged the tiles to make some sort of weird Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    The displayed species reminded Sam of a Scyther in that it had scythes for hands and stood on two legs. However, it lacked wings, and its head was armored and flat.

    Something about the carving of the Pok¨¦mon was familiar to Sam, and he quickly took out the New Pok¨¦dex to skim through. Its presence threatened to make him think about his grandfather¡¯s history once more, but he forced himself not to.

    Thankfully, searching through it was a good distraction, and he remembered it well enough to find the correct page.

    ¡°Here. I knew I¡¯ve seen it before,¡± Sam said, holding the book up to let Redi see. ¡°It¡¯s a Kabutops. A fossil Pok¨¦mon. Am I the only one that thinks it''s weird that it¡¯s carved here?¡±

    ¡°No, no. That is really weird. If it''s a fossil Pok¨¦mon, how long ago did it exist?¡± she asked.

    ¡°...Few million years.¡±

    "There¡¯s no way this place is that old, right?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°No. The ruins are dated to be a few thousand,¡± Sam answered again.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°Huh, indeed.¡±

    The dates didn¡¯t make sense. Ancient people didn¡¯t have the same level of technology as modern researchers did now. Sam was pretty sure whoever made the Ruins of Alph couldn¡¯t have possibly known what an ancient Pok¨¦mon like Kabutops looked like. At most, they should have only ever seen its skeleton.

    As he glanced between the two drawings, Redi hummed and looked around the room. Her eyes flicked to the brazier, then to the walls, then to the pillars, and then finally settled on something in the corner.

    ¡°What if an Unown did it?¡± she said, suddenly keeping her voice low. ¡°What if a few thousand years ago, they linked up like Dr. Spencer talked about and caused a few Kabutops to appear?¡±

    ¡°What brought that thought on?¡± Sam asked, whispering and following Redi¡¯s lead.

    Redi silently pointed to the corner, and Sam followed her finger to see a Pok¨¦mon peeking out of a thin gap in the wall.

    It was tiny, just a bit bigger than Sam¡¯s hand overall. Hovering an inch above the floor, its body was black and curved, with a single eye staring out and watching where Mankey and Teddiursa stood guard.

    It was wary of them, but the two Pok¨¦mon hadn¡¯t noticed it. They were too busy making themselves obvious to serve as a warning to anything that might want to head in.

    ¡°Look where it came from,¡± Redi said, still whispering. ¡°There¡¯s a crack in the wall. Looks like the edge of a door. I think the brazier was purposefully placed to make the pillar¡¯s shadow hide it.¡±

    The brazier was old¡ªnot as old as the rest of the ruins, but it definitely hadn¡¯t been moved in decades. When he looked at Redi, he could see the greed growing in her eyes. Likely, she was thinking of hidden treasures contained behind that wall. However, when he glanced back to the Unown, the tiny Pok¨¦mon was staring right at him.

    It clearly was about to run. Redi held her hands up and crouched, shrinking herself to try to be less of a threat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We won¡¯t hurt you!¡± she said, trying and failing to keep her voice soft.

    At the sound of her words, the Unown squeaked and squeezed back through the gap. It disappeared into the darkness of the other side.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Redi shouted.

    She chased after it. The secret door was heavy stone, but since it was already open, Redi was able to slip right in. Sam had to squeeze to follow her, but he was able to make it in after her with both Teddiursa and Mankey yelling and chasing after them.

    He emerged into darkness that refused to let him see even an inch. The only points of light were two red eyes in his shadow.

    ¡°Can you use Hex, Haunter?¡± Sam asked.

    Purple flames drifted upwards and illuminated a stone hallway with their dim light. Ahead, Redi whispered a thanks and no longer needed to struggle to pull out her flashlight. Its beam revealed that not too far ahead, the floor sloped downwards several feet before leveling out into a brick tunnel underground.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read about this,¡± Sam said. ¡°There¡¯s a tunnel system beneath the Ruins of Alph. Entrances to it are all over the place, but people get lost in it all the time.¡±

    ¡°And the Unown is gone, too. Ugh! We might have been able to get it to lead us to treasure. Wouldn¡¯t that have been cool?¡±

    Sam sent her a flat look. Redi snorted in reply.

    ¡°Come on, Sam! We¡¯re in ancient ruins! Where¡¯s your sense of adventure? Secret entrances, secret tunnels, so that means there has to be secret treasure here, too!¡±

    She paused, blinking.

    ¡°Or, you know, maybe something about Hisuian Typhlosion?¡± she offered.

    Sam rolled his eyes, annoyed that she was right yet again. Somehow, Redi always knew the best way to convince him¡ªeither for better or for worse. Besides, she had a point that it wouldn''t hurt to search the immediate area. As long as they didn¡¯t go too deep in, a quick trip in and out meant they wouldn¡¯t lose track of their position and the entrance.

    However, as Sam started to search for his own flashlight in his backpack, he heard a grunt from behind him. Turning around, he saw Teddiursa rubbing an arm and sending Mankey a sour look.

    Mankey seemed annoyed as well¡ªlikely, he disliked how they had both missed the Unown. By smacking Teddiursa, he was trying to firmly place the blame onto Teddiursa¡¯s shoulders rather than his own. Teddiursa growled slightly as Mankey said his name a few times as if to chide.

    Steam left Mankey¡¯s pig-like snout. He lunged, eyes red with rage.

    ¡°Hold on¡ª!¡±

    Sam¡¯s shout came too late. Mankey¡¯s anger got the best of him as he jumped Teddiursa, bringing the pair into a wrestling match on the floor.

    They were at least not using any attacking moves, but it wasn¡¯t like Sam could physically stop a pair of fighting Pok¨¦mon. Redi shouted at them to break apart, but they didn¡¯t hear her. The sound of their voices muffled all noise due to echoes.

    Sam would have been more worried if he had remembered why they had tied in their match this morning. Both Pok¨¦mon had figured out a new move that let them land stronger attacks. Mankey¡¯s Curse could increase his strength, and Teddiursa¡¯s Focus Energy could help him land critical hits. While not a real fight, the violent tussle was more than it usually was. The pair ended up throwing themselves into that barely open door.

    Redi shouted, realizing what was about to happen before Sam could. Both Pok¨¦mon stopped after a loud thunk, clutching forming bumps on their heads as something clicked behind them.

    ¡°Oh, you two!¡± Redi shouted, more than just annoyed.

    She ran towards the door, trying to pull it back, but that thunk had made it smooth with the wall. She had no way to get the leverage to open it once more.

    Sam quickly approached as well.

    ¡°Haunter, can you push from the other side?¡± he asked hurriedly as Redi scratched at the stone.

    Haunter left his shadow, nodded, and phased through the stone. Though Sam couldn¡¯t see his efforts, he knew Haunter was helping. Unfortunately, the secret door didn¡¯t budge even an inch.

    Sam took a step back. Redi¡¯s hands dropped as she stared at the featureless stone walls. A bit of tapping, and no secret buttons were revealed. They had no way to go back out.

    Breathing, Sam let a hand run down over his face. Next to him, Redi looked like she was in pain.

    ¡°Good job, you two,¡± Sam said with a sigh, still staring at the wall. ¡°Your rivalry locked us in.¡±

    The apologetic noises Mankey and Teddiursa made didn¡¯t matter. They had been trapped within the tunnel and had to find an alternative way out if they wanted to escape.

 Chapter 51

    The chill of the darkness felt like it soaked into Sam as he rubbed his head and sighed. Mankey couldn''t meet his gaze, and Teddiursa scratched at the stone floor. The light from Sam and Redi¡¯s flashlights served as the only source of illumination.

    Sam knew it would have been easy to be annoyed. It would be easy to lash out and snap at Mankey or complain or whine or shout about how they were now stuck.

    He didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he turned to Haunter. The Ghost Type¡¯s amorphous body was half-obscured by the dim light.

    ¡°Haunter, you can phase through the ground, right?¡±

    The Ghost Type nodded excitedly. Haunter looked proud of that ability.

    ¡°Then, I have a plan,¡± Sam announced, trying to gather everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°While I do think we should enter the tunnels, I don¡¯t think we should try to explore.¡±

    ¡°Aw, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d get lost,¡± Sam said, interrupting Redi.

    She crossed her arms, but she didn¡¯t try to argue.

    ¡°Caves and underground areas have been awful enough for us as it is,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Haunter can help guide us to another exit by going up and down to the surface and leading us towards the other buildings. I can see the tunnel starting to slope down a few feet away, and if we follow it, we¡¯ll probably be able to find an exit wherever the floor slopes back up.¡±

    The building they had entered was partially covered by rock. That rock hid the hallway they were currently in. Likely, other buildings could contain similar secrets. To Sam, having Haunter guide them would give them the best odds of finding a way out.

    ¡°Hm. What if we send Haunter off to get help, and we wait here?¡± Redi said.

    Sam stared at her, and she could barely keep her expression level before breaking into giggles.

    ¡°Yeah, this is an easy excuse to actually explore, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not exploring, we¡¯re searching for an exit,¡± Sam half-lied. ¡°That, and I don¡¯t think the researchers would appreciate being dragged away just to help a pair of dumb tourists.¡±

    As he sent the signal to Haunter, Haunter pushed his chin out and brought up a hand in a salute before disappearing into the ceiling. A few seconds passed before he came back down, phasing back through and pointing ahead excitedly.

    It¡¯s confirmed, then.

    Haunter could definitely go up and down and use the surface¡¯s landmarks to guide them towards potential exits.

    ¡°Man, I love Ghost Types,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°Thanks for the help. You¡¯re amazing, Haunter!¡±

    Moving to Sam¡¯s side, Haunter made a show of bringing his hands behind his back and shyly looking away. Sam briefly checked his flashlight before taking a step forward, but he paused and looked at Mankey and Teddiursa.

    ¡°Follow carefully, alright? Keep an eye out for Unown.¡±

    He kept his voice light to signal that they weren¡¯t in trouble. However, neither of them were able to look him in the eye or respond in general. Both of them knew they shouldn¡¯t have engaged in a fight like that. Sam could tell that the guilt they were feeling was punishment enough.

    Thankfully, they¡¯ve learned that lesson here and not somewhere more dangerous. If we really get lost, we can still send Haunter out to get help later.

    Truthfully, a small part of Sam felt that this was his fault. While there was a definite rivalry going on between Mankey and Teddiursa, Mankey was also prone to bouts of anger. Sam had helped Mankey develop that anger to fuel his attacks, but they¡¯d barely practiced actually bringing it under his control. Sam had always thought they¡¯d only need to do that when he was about to evolve for the final time.

    Pressing forward into the underground network of tunnels, Sam saw that its brick walls were lined with carvings of Unown. Letters in nonsensical patterns almost seemed to follow them, lit up by the edges of their flashlights¡¯ beams.

    ¡°The floors are spotless,¡± Redi suddenly said after a minute or two of walking through the halls.

    ¡°Sorry, what?¡± Sam asked, looking down and pointing his flashlight to the floor.

    ¡°I kind of expected to see footsteps or scuffs or maybe scratches from things being dragged around? You know, obvious clues that¡¯d lead to treasure? There¡¯s nothing. Nothing! There¡¯s not even dust!¡±

    She grumbled to herself. Her eyes scanned the area around them but seemed to fail to find anything of interest. Sam couldn¡¯t see any hints to any hidden rooms, himself. As far as he could tell, this place was used as a passageway and nothing else.

    They came to an intersection, and Haunter checked the surface before directing them to the left. While the uniform walls didn¡¯t provide any hints on which way to go, Haunter was able to see where the closest building was above them.

    ¡°So...¡± Sam said, his voice echoing as he desperately sought some kind of topic to keep himself distracted. ¡°Looking forward to the next Gym?¡±

    Redi sent Sam a look as if he were insane.

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re really gonna ask me that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to pass the time,¡± he said sheepishly.

    Redi rolled her eyes¡ªor at least Sam was pretty sure she did. It was hard to make out specific details with the shine of her flashlight obscuring them.

    ¡°Duh,¡± she said with a scoff. ¡°It¡¯ll be my fourth Gym. That¡¯s right when they start to get hard. You know that I¡¯m looking forward to an actual challenge! But, uh... Well, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯ll be a challenge as long as Porygon doesn¡¯t sweep again.¡±

    Their fourth Gym¡ªViolet City Gym¡ªwould be the Flying Type Gym, and Porygon was great at Electric Type moves. It had taken only a single, correct push to get Porygon to understand that new Type, and now the Pok¨¦mon was capable of setting up and sweeping thanks to both Conversion and Charge Beam.

    In other words, the Pok¨¦mon could sweep with super effective moves pretty easily, especially when accounting for the artificial Pok¨¦mon¡¯s ridiculous aim.

    Redi mumbled something about Porygon before sending the Pok¨¦mon out next to her. She seemed to look over the polygonal creature before telling it to keep at her side. She affectionately rubbed its back.

    As Sam watched, there wasn¡¯t an obvious reaction, as expected, but Sam did tilt his head. For a second, he could have sworn he saw Porygon¡¯s passive movements slow ever so slightly. Yet, once again, it was hard to make out more details thanks to the bright beam of Redi¡¯s flashlight.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should worry about whether or not it¡¯ll be a challenge,¡± Sam said, turning back to face ahead. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Violet¡¯s Walker is one of the toughest Gym Leaders in Johto.¡±

    ¡°I mean, yeah,¡± Redi said, speaking as if it were obvious. ¡°I even heard he was offered a position in the Elite Four. He turned it down, though. Rumors say it¡¯s ¡®cause he doesn''t like staying in one place.¡±

    But he¡¯s a Gym Leader?

    Sam supposed that a Gym Leader could still go out and patrol the local area.

    Walker was supposed to be one of the foremost experts on the Flying Type too, and Sam was excited to see how that translated into a battle. His team¡¯s agility could probably give even Porygon trouble.

    Another turn, and Haunter briefly disappeared once again. They were apparently right underneath a building, but there was no obvious slope or door, so they were forced to keep moving through the tunnels.

    ¡°How about you, Sam? Looking forward to the next Gym?¡± Redi said.

    He almost made a comment about the obvious question. He chose not to, simply responding with an answer.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± he said. ¡°My team is amazing. Everyone¡¯s getting stronger by the day. By the hour, sometimes! We¡¯ll need to continue developing our strategy and pick up new moves, but if we really want to be prepared, we¡¯ll need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Catch another Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°For your fifth badge, Walker can use either four or five Pok¨¦mon against you, but you only have three Pok¨¦mon on your team,¡± Redi pointed out. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m personally happy with my two team members, but what about you? You know any specific Ghost Types you wanna catch?¡±

    Sam hummed, considering. There were a lot of Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon out there.

    ¡°I have a few species I wouldn¡¯t mind, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to hunt down anything specific,¡± he said. ¡°I think I''d be happy with anything that comes my way, as long as they fit the team or are willing to be my friend. I know I went out of my way to catch a Gastly, but I don¡¯t have that same motivation anymore. I have a Ghost Type, and he¡¯s pretty cool. I know I¡¯ll get another one eventually no matter what. I don¡¯t feel a need to rush.¡±

    Haunter preened at Sam¡¯s words before disappearing back to the surface. Meanwhile, Redi hummed, mimicking Sam. He sent her a dirty look.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Alright, alright. Whatever,¡± she said, snickering. ¡°How ¡®bout we tackle this from a different angle¡ªinstead of what Pok¨¦mon you''d like, what Pok¨¦mon do you not want to catch?¡±

    Sam frowned. With how much he liked Ghost Types, he wanted to say he needed time to think about it. However, an easy answer came to mind almost right away.

    ¡°Mimikyu,¡± he answered.

    ¡°A Mimi... Huh? What''s that Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Mimikyu. A Ghost Type. Alolan. It tries to pretend to be a Pikachu to get people to like it, and it has a decent ability, decent moves, decent stats¡ª¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Redi said for Sam.

    ¡°But, it¡¯s part Fairy Type,¡± he continued, shrugging, not super committed to the idea. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s kinda petty, but I don¡¯t like the Fairy Type. It feels... off and too cheerful. Almost like it¡¯s extra, you know? I¡¯d honestly be fine with never adding a Fairy Type to my team. Wouldn¡¯t complain about that.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t argue against its existence¡ªHex had worked on Whitney¡¯s Clefairy, after all. He just didn¡¯t like that over the many years of his life, he had never heard about the Fairy Type. It didn¡¯t feel reasonable that something as major as an entire Pok¨¦mon Type had avoided his discovery for so long.

    That, and it was too cheerful, like he had said. The Fairy Type seemed like the antithesis of the Ghost Type for him.

    Redi snorted at Sam¡¯s comment. He didn¡¯t have a way to defend himself, so he just shook his head as they continued to follow Haunter¡¯s directions.

    ¡°Any Normal Types you¡¯d like?¡± Sam asked. ¡°I know you said you want to keep your team small and focused, but would you ever make an exception?¡±

    Once more, the light made it hard to see Redi¡¯s exact reaction, but there was obvious thought behind her pause.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Redi eventually said. ¡°Maybe? I definitely prefer the Normal Type ¡®cause it''s so simple to train, but I don¡¯t have that same attachment to it as you do with Ghost. Definitely depends on the Pok¨¦mon. I¡¯ll know when I see them.¡±

    Sam nodded along.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do the same as I did, then,¡± Sam said. ¡°Any Pok¨¦mon you absolutely don¡¯t want to catch?¡±

    ¡°Snorlax,¡± Redi answered right away. ¡°Super strong, but you know how expensive it is to feed?¡±

    They both laughed.

    The hallway continued to stretch out in front of them, and the conversation petered out. The only noise was their footsteps. Teddiursa and Mankey were still trying to make themselves small. A few turns broke up the monotony, but these underground hallways felt as if they would go on forever. Sam let out a sigh as he continued to point his flashlight ahead.

    This is taking a while.

    He expected to see at least one more Unown, but these hallways were strangely devoid of them. The one that had first allowed them to discover the secret door had utterly disappeared, and Sam had no clue where it might have gone. In a place that was apparently supposed to be the one location the species could be found, Sam wasn¡¯t sure why they had all but vanished.

    Suddenly worried, Sam briefly glanced behind. Both Teddiursa and Mankey were following along without a problem. Sam looked at Mankey and saw how the Fighting Type still looked pained.

    His eyes were downcast, and his fur hid a frown. His brow was furrowed in deep thought¡ªas if he was considering all the different ways this could have gone. He walked next to Teddiursa without a problem, but he wasn¡¯t glaring at the other Pok¨¦mon like usual.

    ¡°Hey, Mankey?¡± Sam said. ¡°I want you to know this isn¡¯t a big deal. Part of this is my fault, anyway. If we¡¯d worked on your anger more¡ª¡±

    ¡°There!¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°Finally! The floor¡¯s sloping up!¡±

    She dashed forward, and Sam was forced to cut himself off to give chase. Mankey and Teddiursa both picked up the pace but still stayed in the back. For some reason, they didn¡¯t seem as excited. It was as if the exit reminded them of why everyone was stuck here in the first place.

    A steep slope split from the main hallway to lead to an entrance nearly identical to one they¡¯d first passed through. A similar secret door was built into the wall in front of them, partially open. Unfortunately, it was only noticeable due to its slight angle¡ªbarely cracked. There wasn¡¯t even a gap for them to slip their fingers into.

    But there was an exit here. One that hadn¡¯t clicked shut.

    ¡°Perfect! Come on, help me push it open!¡± Redi asked.

    Once more, she ran ahead and grabbed the door, trying to pull it back. The heavy stone didn¡¯t budge. Only the tips of her fingers could find purchase.

    Sam quickly joined in too, but he struggled just as much to get any sort of grip. After his hands slipped a few times, he walked back to put his flashlight on the ground, and then he returned to try again.

    Even with Haunter phasing through from the other side and helping, Sam and Redi didn¡¯t have the angle to actually pull it back.

    ¡°Has to weigh at least a ton,¡± Sam mumbled, taking a step back. ¡°I mean, at least we have an angle?¡±

    Redi dropped her arms and moved to stand by his side.

    ¡°Hm. If we need leverage... Have a crowbar?¡±

    Sam sent her a look.

    ¡°Why would I have a crowbar?¡±

    ¡°To open doors?¡±

    He scowled as Redi laughed at his reaction. Although, her chuckles quickly quieted.

    ¡°This sucks. I thought about buying one back in Goldenrod, but I also thought we¡¯d never need it and it¡¯d be better to save the money.¡±

    Haunter phased back through to rejoin them. He looked miffed that they¡¯d stopped pulling. But, without something to properly grab onto it, they¡¯d need a ridiculous amount of strength to utilize this exit.

    Almost feels like these doors weren¡¯t meant to open, but then why include so many of them in the first place? No handles, no indents, no secret buttons...

    Only way I can see this working is some kind of telekinesis. Maybe this place was built with a bunch of Psychic Types helping them. Might explain some of the species nearby.

    For the Pok¨¦mon on Sam¡¯s team, Haunter could learn Psychic, but there was no way he was figuring out that move here. There was a difference between gaining insight into a new move in battle and randomly learning an attack of a Type they¡¯d never practiced.

    As Sam stared at the barely angled door, a sinking feeling filled his chest.

    What if the one we entered was the only one open?

    What if all the other doors are closed?

    ...What if we¡¯re never able to find a way out?

    His spiraling train of thought was interrupted by a grunt from behind.

    Sam turned to see Mankey take a step towards them. The little monkey¡¯s expression was hard. When he noticed Sam looking, he nodded, and he started to walk right towards the door.

    Each step came out slow and controlled. Putting to use Quilava¡¯s tutoring, his hair stood on its ends as Curse boosted his bodily might.

    ¡°Curse might help in battle, but it''s better used for improving attacks,¡± Sam said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s less about increasing physical strength and more about making your moves come out with more power.¡±

    Mankey grunted again. He was saying that he at least had to try.

    He paused once he reached the door, closing his eyes and breathing in. He used Curse several times over, trying to maximize how much energy he could draw from the boost. While his hands weren¡¯t any better at grabbing the door than Sam¡¯s or Redi¡¯s, as a Fighting Type Pok¨¦mon, his grip strength was significantly stronger. Though only his fingertips managed to grip the edge, it almost looked like he had a better handhold.

    Mankey roared. His arms shook from the effort.

    ¡°Mankey...¡± Sam said.

    The door didn¡¯t move an inch.

    He ended up falling backwards, breathing heavily. Redi was frowning next to him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this. We can find another way out,¡± Sam said.

    Mankey shook his head. At first, he was just trying to help. Now? It was a point of pride.

    Pushing off the floor to stand back up, Mankey moved closer to the door only for someone else to join his side. Teddiursa stepped up, using his claws to dig into it and get an even better handhold (pawhold?) than him.

    Mankey paused. He met Teddiursa¡¯s gaze. Both of them seemed to hold it for a long time before Mankey joined him to try to pull.

    ¡°Woo! You can do it, Teddiursa! You too, Mankey!¡± Redi cheered.

    Sam quickly glanced at Haunter.

    ¡°Can you push from the other side? You might be able to help.¡±

    A salute. Haunter once more moved to phase through the wall, but he was stopped when both Mankey and Teddiursa shouted. They stared at Sam pointedly.

    ¡°You two... you don¡¯t want Haunter¡¯s help?¡±

    Two simultaneous huffs in response. If Mankey and Teddiursa were the reason everyone was stuck in the first place, then they¡¯d be the reason everyone got out.

    ¡°You two don¡¯t have to do this on your own,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re a team! Let¡¯s work together.¡±

    But when Mankey looked at Sam, Sam knew there was no point. Mankey was adamant he¡¯d open the door. He and Teddiursa working together would be more than enough.

    Sam opened his mouth to fight back against the idea, but he closed his mouth and shook his head, smiling.

    ¡°Alright. Good luck, you two.¡±

    Redi cheered again as Mankey and Teddiursa locked eyes once more. The monkey grunted. The bear growled. The arms of both Pok¨¦mon went taut from the effort as their shouts turned to roars.

    They shook from the strain, forcing as much strength as they could into it. Feet slid against the stone floor as they fought to gain a sturdier stance. Noise echoed around the group. For some reason, the letters on the walls almost seemed to bounce. If Sam didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d almost say the carvings were cheering them on.

    The door didn¡¯t move.

    It continued to stay in one place for a long, long time.

    Past the point Sam would have thought he¡¯d give up, Mankey kept pulling. It might have just been a door, but it was a life or death battle for him. Alongside Teddiursa, the Fighting Type was trying to prove a point.

    Then, finally, there was something. At first, it was just a quiet scratch. It was subtle, but Sam heard it. Something ground together in the walls.

    ¡°They¡¯re actually doing it,¡± he whispered.

    The door began to move. It was only a single, tiny lurch, but it was movement. Most importantly, the added distance let Mankey and Teddiursa adjust their hands to get a better grip.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! You¡¯re so close!¡± Redi cheered.

    Sam clenched his hand into a fist.

    ¡°Just a bit further,¡± he whispered.

    He honestly never thought he¡¯d be so excited to see a door open in his life.

    Their feet continued to scrape across the ground, and the impossible finally started up. The massive chunk of stone actually started to move. For every inch, Mankey and Teddiursa adjusted their grips to better prepare for the next inch. The angle grew larger and larger, and each development started to occur at a brilliant rate.

    Haunter was outright howling in excitement. Redi was cheering along. As for Sam, he silently watched. He continued to silently watch as both Pok¨¦mon were consumed by a brilliant light.

    It wasn¡¯t light from the outside sun. No, the light was coming from inside the tunnel. Both Mankey and Teddiursa glowed as their evolution fever reached its final form¡ªa progression of stage.

    Teddiursa had the most drastic shift, as his height skyrocketed upwards. Where he was once two feet tall, he exploded to be around six. Small paws became threatening claws, and his shoulders became much broader to support his new strength. He grabbed the top of the door as it creaked open, as Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon stayed grabbing the bottom.

    For Mankey, he ballooned outward. His rounded body stayed round, but it increased in size. The biggest change was in limbs, which thickened and rippled with muscles. His hands lost their individual fingers to change into a form resembling a boxing glove¡ªperfect for punching.

    He also lost his tail. Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d take that.

    When the light faded away, there was no Teddiursa and a Mankey trying to rip open the door. Instead, there was a full-fledged Ursaring and Primeape easily pulling open the stone. Their evolutions came with a drastic increase to strength, and Sam could hear the bricks crack into dust due to the difference in power.

    Together, one last roar saw the door thrown open. A half-collapsed building waited before them. Those two secured everyone a way out.

    For a moment, no one could say any words. Primeape and Ursaring looked at each other, as if sizing one another up. After several long seconds, Ursaring chuffed¡ªPrimeape was now only about half his height. However, as veins throbbed on Primeape¡¯s head out of annoyance, the evolved Pok¨¦mon held up an arm in threat. He flexed, showing off his muscles. Yes, Ursaring was strong, but the bear was no Fighting Type.

    For all the rivalry those two had, neither of them attacked. Instead, both of them grinned and clasped arms, congratulating one another on their evolution.

    The very second the moment passed, Redi snapped out of her shock and charged forward. She cried out and let herself fall onto Ursaring¡¯s side.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair! I wanted to be able to carry you more!¡±

    Ursaring chuckled under his breath, saying the name of his evolved form. Sam could see him bring an arm around, but Redi didn¡¯t. She yelped as his claw wrapped around her side and brought her into the air. She flailed, but when the movement stopped, she looked around from where she now hung off of Ursaring¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Actually, this works too,¡± she said.

    Ursaring gained a nasty grin and smacked his claws together. Redi¡¯s expression matched his, as both seemed ready for any future fights.

    As those two shared a moment, Sam faced Primeape. The evolved Fighting Type stared back. Despite Curse having worn off, his hair still seemed a bit frazzled, standing up on its ends.

    Though evolved, his new height still didn¡¯t reach Sam¡¯s chest.

    ¡°So you evolved, huh?¡±

    One of Primeape¡¯s ears twitched. Once again, veins throbbed in annoyance. Primeape snorted at Sam as if to say, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    Sam just laughed in reply. He walked to his Pok¨¦mon and put a hand on his head, rubbing the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s coarse fur.

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Sam said, crouching down. ¡°You worked really hard for this, huh?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t need to sit to let Primeape look him in the eye. The Pok¨¦mon had become so much bigger than he was before. As he stared, Primeape¡¯s expression was flat, face hard to read. However, with a pig-like nose, he sniffed once. Then twice. His eyes began to water.

    ¡°Oh, no. No, Primeape, not again¡ª!¡±

    Even with Sam trying to flee backwards, Primeape was still able to lunge forward and wrap Sam into a hug. Primeape¡¯s newfound strength squeezed the air out of him, but Sam did his best to hug back.

    The air was filled with the sounds of their Pok¨¦mon''s reactions. Primeape cried, Ursaring made noises as he flexed to show off, and Haunter whispered something congratulatory to Primeape from over the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s shoulder. Sam was finally able to free himself when Primeape let go to give the Ghost Type a high-five.

    Quilava squeaked something as well¡ªapparently, she had released herself from her Pok¨¦ball to try to ask for Primeape to let Sam go. Still, her squeaks were just as congratulatory. There was a smile on her face as she looked on, just as proud.

    But Primeape stared at her. More specifically, he looked down, standing rather imperiously, if Sam had to describe it.

    The Fighting Type was trying to make a point. Ursaring might have been taller than him, but he was at least taller than her.

    Any celebration from Quilava ceased as she immediately squeaked indignantly and ran around Primeape. He just laughed, flexing his arms just like Ursaring. Evolution was a point of pride, and he wasn¡¯t going to give up the chance to brag about his increased strength.

    ¡°Well, everyone,¡± Sam said, standing. ¡°The door¡¯s open.¡±

    ¡°Ready to head out?¡± Redi added, shouting to Sam from where she still hung off Ursaring¡¯s back.

    He looked to her and to where the sun''s rays leaked in from the wide open door.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Sam said. ¡°Next stop, Violet City, and there, a fight against Walker in his Gym!¡±

 Chapter 52

    Primeape could break boulders with his fists, and Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to react to that.

    The evolved Fighting Type could throw a punch and shatter the stone, or he could pierce his fist straight through and cause the rock to crumble to dust when he drew his hand back.

    Sam and everyone else were camped not too far away from the Ruins of Alph, near where a few boulders were strewn about on the hilly Route 36. Likely, those boulders were the result of a Rock Type Pok¨¦mon¡¯s moves, but now they served as the perfect targets for testing out Primeape and Ursaring¡¯s increased strength.

    ¡°...Again, please,¡± Sam said hoarsely, his eyes flicking over all the rubble on the ground.

    Primeape huffed, breathing out, and walked over to the next boulder. He brought his naturally gloved fists up into a stance not unlike a boxer¡¯s, and then he threw the strongest right jab he could muster.

    Once more, a loud cracking noise rang out. The boulder before him utterly shattered. When the dust cleared, the only thing left was his fist hovering right where the center of the rock used to be.

    Sam didn¡¯t know what to say. He knew his team was capable of great things, but this was...

    Haunter can dive into shadows. Quilava can launch explosive fireballs. But Primeape?

    There was something about the sheer force behind his strikes that made Sam truly understand the heights his Pok¨¦mon would reach.

    Feeling like he was in a daze, Sam turned to Redi. She had on her face just the largest of smiles as she watched her Pok¨¦mon. Nearby, a full-grown tree laid on its side, its trunk completely sliced through thanks to a single swipe from Ursaring¡¯s claws.

    Ursaring switched targets to face the boulders as well, mostly to not anger any local Grass Types with more fallen trees. While he didn¡¯t have that same shattering force Primeape had, Ursaring¡¯s claws left clean grooves in each rock. Redi kept shouting for him to continue his attacks, all while occasionally tossing new commands towards Porygon in hopes of it finally figuring out Tri-Attack.

    Sam had to manually close his mouth. He truly understood why people thought both Ursaring and Primeape were fully-evolved species; they were displaying a power that seemed top of its class. Yet, Sam also knew both Pok¨¦mon had subsequent evolutionary forms. The Indigo League would not be prepared for the power these two would wield.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said, turning back to face his Pok¨¦mon, ¡°we¡¯ll be working on better controlling your anger soon. Alongside that and Rage Fist and Bulk Up, you¡¯ll be a monster. An unbeatable monster.¡±

    Sam was terrified for his future opponents, but Primeape had a much different reaction.

    He snorted, almost uninterested. Of course that¡¯d be the case. Primeape didn¡¯t even look that excited. At this point, evolving again was a given fact; he just needed to be patient.

    Sam let the newly evolved ape destroy one last boulder before he returned him. Then, Sam walked over to Redi to tell her it was about time to head out. She also gave her Pok¨¦mon a final command. With just a single Slash, Ursaring might as well have cleaved his boulder perfectly in two.

    She returned Porygon, but not that enormous bear.

    ¡°So we¡¯re heading out, now?¡± Redi asked. Her hair was still a bit of a mess after waking up so recently. ¡°I think Violet City¡¯s not too far away. Maybe... I think we¡¯ll arrive just after lunch? Ugh, I can¡¯t wait that long! After this, I wanna fight Walker a.s.a.p.!¡±

    Ursaring¡¯s height let him loom over Sam. There was a natural snarl to his face, and sharp eyes tracked Sam¡¯s movements. Evolution generally came with personality changes¡ªusually minor. Likely, Ursaring would be a bit more angry but also a bit more protective. Thankfully, despite his outward appearance, Ursaring didn¡¯t have a single aggressive bone in his body right now.

    The bear had a thoughtful smile as he brought up a paw to appreciate his own strength. Under his brown fur, muscle rippled and flexed to become hard as stone. The way his claws glinted in the sunlight made the act feel like a threat, if Ursaring wanted to threaten someone, he¡¯d never be that indirect.

    That, and Ursaring was too well trained to ever accidentally hurt anyone he wasn¡¯t ordered to.

    ¡°...It¡¯ll be a short trip,¡± Sam replied after breaking his gaze away from Ursaring. ¡°Once we¡¯re there, there should be a few trainers we can battle to test our Pok¨¦mon. Wouldn¡¯t hurt to shore up our funds, too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it,¡± Redi said with a nasty grin. She looked over to Ursaring. ¡°Hm. Actually Sam, gimme a minute.¡±

    Facing Ursaring, Redi held up her arms in the same way Quilava would when she wanted to be picked up. Ursaring saw that and loyally grabbed her, helping her onto his back. He was about the height of a tall, adult man, but given that he was a bear, he had much broader shoulders, one of which now served as Redi¡¯s seat.

    She kicked her legs happily.

    ¡°Alright. Redi¡¯s ready to go!¡± she cheered.

    A total inversion of who usually carried whom, but Ursaring seemed proud to be able to take on this role.

    ¡°Our teams are getting ridiculous,¡± Sam said under his breath, shaking his head.

    Redi affectionately scratched Ursaring¡¯s head, the bear letting out a contented growl as he followed Sam to the nearby road.

    This close to the city, the path was more well-traveled, giving the group a distinct route to follow to reach the city. Wild Pok¨¦mon wouldn¡¯t be as common, but what kind of insane wild Pok¨¦mon would attack a group with an Ursaring traveling with them?

    The earth seemed to shake with each of Ursaring¡¯s steps.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Redi hummed as she looked over Ursaring¡¯s hulking form. ¡°Food¡¯s gonna be a bit more annoying after this, but it should be fine. We¡¯ll be able to fight tougher trainers and make larger bets. That¡¯ll make up the difference.¡±

    ¡°But that means we could lose more money on those bets, too,¡± Sam pointed out.

    ¡°Psh. So what? We just have to win more than we lose!¡±

    Sam¡¯s thoughts went back to the future of their teams¡¯ development. As he thought of how their two bruisers would get even stronger...

    ¡°And Ursaring can evolve again,¡± Sam said. ¡°Not sure how anyone¡¯s gonna be able to fight against that.¡±

    A squeak left Redi¡¯s throat. Sam looked over as she quickly coughed into her fist.

    ¡°Oh. Yeah. Duh, I definitely remembered that!¡± she said quickly. ¡°I just¡ª Ursaluna.¡±

    She gained a dreamy look in her eyes as she stared off into the distance.

    ¡°What an amazing Pok¨¦mon,¡± Redi breathed. ¡°If I had to choose only one thing to learn from your Pok¨¦dex¡ªWell, I¡¯d probably still choose Porygon. They¡¯re pretty great.¡±

    Ursaring let out an annoyed growl. Redi laughed, trying to wave him off.

    ¡°Oh, come on. Come on! You know we¡¯d figure it out! You really think I¡¯d be satisfied with just this?¡±

    Ursaring replied by grumbling his name under his breath. Sam half-understood his point¡ªRedi would''ve needed to learn about Ursaluna through reading historical accounts. Reading books was something she still didn¡¯t really do.

    ¡°According to the New Pok¨¦dex, evolving into Ursaluna doesn¡¯t actually grant a drastic increase to strength, but it makes it so you¡¯re better at tanking physical moves,¡± Sam said. ¡°Your special attacks would be a bit weaker, but the trade off is worth it, I feel.¡±

    ¡°Yup! That¡¯s half the reason I wanted Porygon! They¡¯ll be able to handle anyone Ursaring can¡¯t fight!¡±

    He growled happily, and Redi scratched his head once more.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°But you brought up money earlier, and I want to touch on that,¡± Sam said. ¡°If you¡¯re evolving Ursaring, we¡¯ll need a peat block from Sinnoh. That¡¯s going to have to require some sort of custom order to have someone fetch it for us. That means cross-region communication and transport, which means Olivine, which means a lot of money is gonna need to be spent. Add even more on top of that since no one¡¯s ever really gone out of their way to buy something like that.¡±

    For once, Sam saw Redi not even blink at the prospect of spending money. Instead, she just leaned over and affectionately wrapped an arm around the back of Ursaring¡¯s head, not bothering to respond to Sam.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re gonna be so cool!¡±

    Ursaring made another pleased noise and stopped walking to flex. Redi gushed about how excited she was and all the brute force strategies she wanted them to rely on, and she did that for the rest of the way down the road.

    Reaching Violet City took less time than they¡¯d thought. Redi was wrong when she said they¡¯d reach there after lunch; it was barely even noon when they arrived. The city was close enough that they could have likely arrived on the same day they reached the Ruins of Alph. Although, if they hadn¡¯t taken a night¡¯s rest, Sam wouldn¡¯t have been able to learn just how strong Primeape was, and he wouldn¡¯t have been able to get all of his thoughts about Professor Oak and his grandfather out of his mind.

    Shoot.

    He chose to think about his upcoming challenge in Violet City¡¯s Gym instead.

    From where the path crested over a hill, Sam could see Violet City from a distance. The city lacked the dense skyline of Goldenrod, and it didn¡¯t have a big downtown district like Olivine. A few tall buildings stood in its center, but none of them reached the same heights. However, there was one tower that scaled higher than the rest. Its upper floors looked under construction, with only bare supports visible.

    Actually...

    He blocked out the sun with his hand and squinted, looking closer. Around that tower, Sam could just barely make out tiny, black dots circling its top. They reminded him of how flies buzzed around rotting food. They either glided around the tower¡¯s many floors, or they moved in to land on its upper open-air structure.

    ¡°Flying Types,¡± Sam realized. ¡°Those are Flying Types! That¡¯s the Gym!¡±

    It looked to be specifically designed to allow flying Pok¨¦mon to move in and out freely. There was nothing holding them down other than their own whims. Although, Sam was a little curious to see how such an open building dealt with rain.

    Eyes still lingering on that tower, Sam started to follow the road down with Redi and Ursaring following behind. Beneath his feet, dirt turned to stone, and to his sides, buildings became more and more common until they were properly in the town. This place might have been a dense city, but its streets were wide. Trees lined the sidewalks, and Sam could see flocks of Pidgey nesting in those trees.

    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s so many Pidgey here because of the Gym,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Or maybe the Gym is here because there¡¯s so many Pidgey nearby?¡±

    Redi remained sitting on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder as they followed the signs directing them to the Pok¨¦mon Center. Though he wasn¡¯t doing anything but walking, Ursaring was a pretty intimidating species. People eyed them from across the street, and it wasn¡¯t uncommon for someone to immediately cross the road rather than walk nearby.

    Those reactions didn¡¯t seem to bother Redi. If anything, she seemed to appreciate people¡¯s reactions as a recognition of Ursaring¡¯s strength.

    ¡°I have a worry about our upcoming battles,¡± Sam said as they continued down the road.

    ¡°Hit me,¡± Redi replied.

    Sam briefly considered literally hitting her as a joke¡ªlightly, of course¡ªbut one look at her position on top of Ursaring, and he knew that wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.

    ¡°Walker uses a team of flying, Flying Types,¡± Sam said. ¡°How are we supposed to handle that?¡±

    She frowned, tapping her hand on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder. He stopped to let her hop down. Rubbing her chin, Redi moved next to Sam before they resumed walking forward.

    ¡°Porygon can definitely do it, but Walker¡¯s team probably has some kind of defense prepared for Electric Type attacks. Not sure if Ursaring can hit a Pok¨¦mon in the air, too.¡±

    ¡°He can jump?¡± Sam offered.

    ¡°Maybe. Or... We could try to learn some kind of Rock Type move to chuck stones at things in the air?¡±

    Sam almost missed his next step. Picturing Ursaring hurling boulders at opponents was intimidating, to say the least.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check the New Pok¨¦dex for Rock Type moves later,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Thanks, Sam. I¡¯ll make sure to help with Primeape¡¯s training, too.¡±

    They didn¡¯t need to ask any locals for directions, as there were enough signs around to direct them to the Pok¨¦mon Center without trouble. Sam did notice a teal-haired policewoman staring at Redi suspiciously, but Redi wasn¡¯t doing anything illegal. She was just walking with Ursaring. Although, if the bear was any larger, there¡¯d likely be restrictions on where he was allowed out. Interfering with foot traffic was a minor yet punishable crime.

    The Pok¨¦mon Center was directly across the street from the Gym, in a shorter building that went only a few floors up. It went deep into its block, however, with many rooms within to support treatment and boarding for a city of this size.

    Primeape, Ursaring, and the rest of their teams were passed over to the nurse to be healed. The two newly-evolved Pok¨¦mon needed to be checked-over to ensure nothing went wrong with their evolutions, and then everyone else needed a base check-up after spending so long on a route.

    While waiting for their Pok¨¦mon to be returned, Sam lingered off to the side as Redi explored the front room. The lobby was the same basic Pok¨¦mon Center lobby¡ªvideo phones in the back, seating areas in the front, with a few trainers loitering around¡ªbut Redi always liked chatting with visiting trainers. Sam preferred to keep to himself. Redi preferred talking to others. Doing so let her get a run-down of new places in exchange for information about the routes she¡¯d just traveled.

    Sam watched her spend a while bouncing around all the different people in the room, chatting and talking about miscellaneous things. She cheerfully went from group to group, eventually reaching a woman who likely wouldn¡¯t be out of place on an Ace Trainer team. A short conversation later, and Redi¡¯s smile faltered as she forced back a frown. Thanking the woman and waving goodbye, Redi then jogged over to meet back with Sam.

    ¡°Bad news. I just learned something about the Gym.¡±

    ¡°Is it closed?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°No. Worse.¡± Redi sighed. ¡°For anyone with less than six Gym Badges, Walker only accepts challenges from trainers who beat his Gym Trial.¡±

    ¡°...But we were going to do that anyway?¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah, but the problem is we need to place first in his trial,¡± Redi said, rubbing her neck. ¡°His Gym Trainers hold Pok¨¦mon races around the city three times a day. Only one person can earn ¡®the right of challenge¡¯ each time.¡±

    The strength of the other trainers in the Trial wouldn¡¯t be an issue¡ªboth Sam and Redi¡¯s teams could face five-star teams well enough. The true issue was that no Pok¨¦mon on their teams was that fast. Or at least, fast enough to outpace the rest and finish first in a race.

    ¡°What are the rules? Do you have to ride Pok¨¦mon? Run alongside them? Or is it Pok¨¦mon running without any commands?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Trainer and Pok¨¦mon work together. Moves are allowed to a certain point, according to what she said,¡± Redi explained, pointing to the woman she had talked to. ¡°I can ride Ursaring, and you can run alongside your Pok¨¦mon, but even if just a basic Ponyta joins the race...¡±

    Sam groaned under his breath. He shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that the Flying Type Gym Leader heavily encouraged speed in his Trial.

    Considering it, he could see two obvious solutions. They could either figure out a strategy to help them win¡ªobviously¡ªor they had to repeatedly take on the trial until they won, effectively brute-forcing it. The trainers with fast Pok¨¦mon would win for sure, which meant they¡¯d be a threat only once. If the influx of new competitors was low, eventually, Sam and Redi would be part of a Gym Trial with only slow opponents remaining.

    But they¡¯d have to get lucky enough for that twice¡ªonce for both of them.

    Not to mention that with only three trials taking place each day, this city was likely a bottleneck for lower-tiered trainers. It would be possible to head elsewhere and come back after earning more badges¡ªeffectively skipping this Gym Trial¡ªbut that was a big reroute for a Gym they were literally right next to.

    As he considered his options, Sam glanced at Redi. She was trying to hide it, but the smallest of smirks twitched onto her face as she watched him think.

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling. Why are you smiling?¡± Sam accused.

    Redi merely hummed, rocking back and forth on her feet.

    ¡°Am I?¡± she said in a sing-song voice. ¡°Oh, if only I already had some kind of solution in mind.¡±

    He stared at her until she laughed, enjoying Sam¡¯s bemused reaction.

    ¡°Alright, alright. No one directly told me this, but I overheard a few people talking about it. I think there¡¯s an advertisement for it on the job board, so let¡¯s make sure it¡¯s happening before making any plans.¡±

    The board attached to the Pok¨¦mon Center wall wasn¡¯t as picked clean as it was back in Olivine. There were a lot of trainers here, but now that the season had been going on for a while, most active trainers had earned the funds they needed to support their teams. Sam and Redi had all but stopped taking on jobs, themselves. Gym earnings, the occasional trainer battle earnings, and Redi¡¯s mind for budgeting was enough to let them feed their teams. It helped that they finished purchasing needed supplies back in Goldenrod, and outside of ongoing costs, the only future items they needed to buy were maybe TMs.

    And probably a crowbar.

    Unfortunately, evolution probably meant they¡¯d need to take jobs again, as larger Pok¨¦mon needed to eat more food. Sam was already scanning the job board as they approached, seeing the usual suspects for jobs as well as a few more difficult ones now that he had a tougher team.

    There were jobs like scaring Pok¨¦mon away, helping people move heavy things around, and the occasional request to burn some spare wood. Sam also saw one job that mentioned helping someone break apart boulders to clear out a field¡ªsomething he knew Primeape could absolutely do.

    However, in addition to everything else on the job board, there was one flier that stood out to him, an advertisement for an event coming up rather soon.

    ¡°The Violet City Tournament,¡± Sam read. ¡°Second of this season. And the prizes¡ª¡±

    He stopped.

    ¡°Winner gets the right to challenge Walker in his Gym?¡± he said.

    ¡°Yup!¡± Redi said. ¡°Top three get to skip the Gym Trial, which is perfect for us since this round of the Tournament is aimed at trainers around our level. If it were the end of the season, we¡¯d stand no chance, but right now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not just that. Look at the other rewards,¡± Sam interrupted.

    Redi glanced to the bottom of the flier and froze.

    The flier was misleading in that it listed an incredible sum to brag about its ¡°cash prizes.¡± However, it was talking about the total value of all prizes, not the prize money the first place trainer would receive. Still, mentioning money was normally enough to get Redi excited, but she wasn¡¯t looking at the numbers. She was looking at the additional prize mentioned below.

    The flier advertised a choice between four TMs as a prize alongside the money, with the first place trainer being able to choose one from four, second place one from three, third place one from two, and fourth would receive whatever was left. Normally, TM moves were a tacked-on bonus, but this flier listed attacks known to be the top of their class¡ªFire Blast, Thunder, Blizzard, and the incredibly powerful Hyper Beam.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi whispered. ¡°Sam. Sam. Sam.¡±

    She turned to place her hands on his shoulders. She stared directly into his eyes.

    ¡°I want that Hyper Beam TM. No, I need it.¡±

    ¡°Place in first,¡± Sam replied.

    She scoffed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I won¡¯t be able to. Ursaring might be strong, but I only have two Pok¨¦mon with me and that¡¯s not enough to get through an entire tournament,¡± she said in a quiet voice. ¡°We¡¯d be able to win the first few fights, but the damage and exhaustion would build up until we wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back. Given that the final rounds are where the toughest Pok¨¦mon end up...¡±

    She let out a rather self-defeating chuckle.

    ¡°No. I can¡¯t do it. But you? Yes. Yes. Sam, you can do it,¡± Redi said, a terrifying smile creeping onto her face. ¡°Think about it. My Pok¨¦mon would get worn down, but you¡¯re all about making it so your opponents can¡¯t hurt you back.¡±

    ¡°I only have three Pok¨¦mon. That¡¯s only one more than you,¡± Sam pointed out. ¡°And their moves expend a lot of energy.¡±

    ¡°But they can rest between the battles. Recovering spent energy is a lot easier to do than healing from injuries.¡±

    Sam turned away from her piercing gaze to stare at the advertisement. While he¡¯d have liked the Fire Blast TM for himself, it was Redi¡¯s turn to get a TM next. She¡¯d gone and put in the effort to get him that Curse TM back in Olivine. She¡¯d also allowed him to take all the prize money from Whitney and purchase two more TMs for his team.

    For her to obtain Hyper Beam here...

    Walker¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were likely too fast for it to matter in the Gym Battle, but just thinking about it being used in any other fight, Sam shivered. He was very thankful the Ghost Types on his team would be immune to that attack.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said. He owed it to his friend, anyway.

    ¡°Great!¡± Redi pulled away. ¡°We have about a week and a half to get ready for the tournament, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help! Believe me, when we¡¯re done with your team, there¡¯s no chance you¡¯ll get anything but first!¡±

    She dropped her hands to her side and turned back to the flier as well. As she did, she chuckled. The sound sent chills down Sam¡¯s spine. A week and a half was a long time to prepare his team and master new moves, but there was something about Redi¡¯s look that made Sam nervous.

    For some reason, he had a feeling this upcoming week would be more difficult than the tournament itself.

 Chapter 53

    It was dusk, now. The colors of the sky were layers of reds, oranges, and purples as the first stars began to peek through. The sight framed the nearby Violet City, with only its condensed skyline and tall Gym tower being visible between the tops of two short hills.

    Sam sat on a boulder. Redi paced before him. It had taken a few hours of searching Route 36 to find a place this isolated. She was insistent that they needed to practice somewhere where no one could spy on them. All trainers had secrets, and if Sam was going to do well in the tournament, the less others knew about his Pok¨¦mon, the better.

    ¡°First off, I want to make a few things clear and set ground rules as I do,¡± Redi started. ¡°I will be battling other trainers over the next few days. You are not allowed to battle anyone until the tournament itself.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?!¡± Sam said, standing up. Battles were way more interesting than doing jobs when it came to growing their funds.

    His outburst was matched by cries from the rest of his team. Quilava and Haunter both shouted their names to complain, and Primeape outright took a step forward and huffed, looking as though he was ready to fight Redi over that demand.

    But, upon this assault of complaints, Redi merely stopped pacing to stand next to Ursaring. The large bear Pok¨¦mon loomed over everyone, crossing his arms like some sort of bouncer outside a club. With how Redi smiled next to him, those two painted a rather intimidating picture of trainer and Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Because,¡± Redi said, looking only at Sam, ¡°I thought you were all about strategy. You''ll practice off-route. Train off-route. Staying away from other people means that no one will be able to learn your plans. You really want to risk being scouted? You really want your strategy to work? Remember that we¡¯re aiming for first. We need every advantage we can get.¡±

    Sam fell back onto his boulder and crossed his arms, same as Ursaring. He stared at Redi, reluctant but acquiescing.

    ¡°Fine, then,¡± he said. ¡°But it still doesn¡¯t make sense for you to battle but not us. Aren¡¯t you worried about people figuring out your plans? Aren¡¯t trainers going to recognize you when you compete?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, that''s easy. I¡¯m allowed to fight because I won''t be battling in the tournament.¡±

    Ursaring snapped his gaze to Redi. He clearly hadn¡¯t known that.

    ¡°Like I said, you have the higher odds of actually placing first,¡± Redi continued, ¡°and as much as I''d like to be able to take out one or two tough trainers for you, we can''t risk the chance of us facing each other again. I''d be forced to defeat you, and then you wouldn''t be able to actually place anywhere.¡±

    ¡°...You really think you¡¯d be able to defeat me?¡±

    Sam leaned back and glared at Redi and Ursaring. Her bear Pok¨¦mon''s evolution had brought a lot of strength, but so had Primeape''s. Sam could think of many different ways each and every Pok¨¦mon on his team could beat them¡ªalthough Haunter was an issue. He only knew Ghost Type attacks, which the Normal Type Ursaring was immune to.

    Hm. We¡¯ll need to fix that.

    Redi cleared her throat to gather everyone¡¯s attention once the jeers had stopped.

    She didn¡¯t address them.

    ¡°So, to summarize, you can¡¯t battle in the city, but that¡¯s because only you will be in the tournament. And then adding to that, I don''t think you should use Hex, either.¡±

    ¡°Anything else, your majesty?¡± Sam said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Should Quilava not use Will-O-Wisp? Should Primeape not punch?¡±

    Redi smirked.

    ¡°If you really want to reveal Hex to the world, then go ahead. And feel free to keep calling me that. ¡®Your majesty¡¯ fits me pretty well, don''tcha think?¡±

    She brought up her chin to look down at him imperiously.

    Sam frowned. He hated to say it, but Redi had a point.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± He scratched at the side of his head. ¡°Hex is Haunter¡¯s main trump card. If we reveal it here, we won¡¯t be able to surprise people with it in the Conference. I want to use it, but can¡¯t. And then you saw what happened with Edgar, too. Without Hex, Haunter might as well not fight.¡±

    Haunter eagerly nodded along in agreement. He didn¡¯t even blink at Sam exposing his main weakness so readily. Redi pursed her lips, considering it. Her gaze turned towards the ground in deep thought.

    ¡°How''s Night Shade coming along? And Smog? You were trying to copy Edgar, right?¡±

    ¡°...Not well, but we at least have something,¡± Sam said.

    Haunter was more than willing to show off, as he closed his eyes and caused an aura of dim shade to flicker around him. It wasn''t too steady, but a base version of Night Shade was at least there. The move probably wasn¡¯t good enough to use in battle, but it was getting close.

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping Shadow Ball will come after. We''ve made the mistake of hyper-specializing Haunter too much into Hex,¡± Sam said. ¡°His Ghost Type control is basically just that and Spite, so our current goal is to rework his understanding. Smog is important, but it might be a bit much. Something more direct like Sludge Bomb might be better.¡±

    Sam sighed.

    ¡°At least we have Quilava. She¡¯s actually a great guide when it comes to using Ghost Type energy.¡±

    Quilava sheepishly sat on her hind legs and rubbed the back of her head. It was a good sign for her future evolution that she was now better with Ghost Type energy than the actual Ghost Type on the team.

    Redi listened to Sam carefully and looked at Haunter once Sam was done.

    ¡°Okay. So since you already have a decent goal, I¡¯m giving you to the end of the week to learn either Night Shade, Shadow Ball, or a Poison Type attack,¡± she said to Haunter. ¡°To motivate you, I¡¯ll pull back your berry funds if you don¡¯t get that done.¡±

    Haunter didn¡¯t seem to be bothered.

    ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯ll have Porygon follow you and ruin all of your scares if you don¡¯t succeed, instead.¡±

    That got his attention.

    Sam frowned at Redi. She said that she¡¯d help train his team, and she would¡ªthey were just going over plans right now. For Sam, the problem was that Redi was only talking about his team.

    ¡°But don''t you think this is a bit much?¡± Sam asked. ¡°You''re throwing yourself into training a team that isn''t even yours.¡±

    Redi took one look at Sam and shook her head. She almost seemed disappointed.

    ¡°Sam, you¡¯re great at knowing what to train, and I''m really good at knowing how to train. You¡¯re the one who told me about Porygon, and you¡¯re the one who gave us the goal of figuring out Electric Type attacks. If it wasn''t for you, I''d probably still be in Ecruteak, trying to figure out how to get Teddiursa to fight a Ghost Type with Normal Type moves! Think of this as me paying you back.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said quietly.

    ¡°Plus, I really want that Hyper Beam TM, so you better win it for me, got it?¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Even with the issue of having no real way to attack flying Pok¨¦mon in her upcoming Gym Battle, Hyper Beam wouldn¡¯t help Redi since it came out too slow and necessitated a recharge. No, Redi was the same girl Sam had met back on the boat; someone who absolutely knew what she wanted, and she wanted her team to fight with the most powerful moves possible.

    Members of Ursaring¡¯s species are also pretty well known for their powerful Hyper Beams, so for her not to teach him that move would mean letting him down.

    ¡°We still need to figure out what we¡¯re doing for Quilava and Primeape, but as far as I¡¯m concerned, it¡¯s more about getting their baselines up rather than learning any new moves.¡±

    Sam nodded; he had shared that expectation with Redi earlier.

    ¡°So then that¡¯s basically our plan for your training over the next week. We¡¯ll come back here tomorrow morning to actually start all of it,¡± she said. ¡°But before then... It¡¯s getting pretty late, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s go get some dinner, my treat, and we can worry about the tournament tomorrow.¡±

    Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon cheered, especially Primeape, who tried to hide how his mouth was already watering at the base mention of free food. However, Sam looked at Redi suspiciously.

    She wasn¡¯t one to spend money without a dedicated reason.

    Buying everyone a meal was suspicious, but he couldn¡¯t figure out any greater plan. That, and Sam wasn¡¯t one to turn down a gift. He still went along with it, and once they left the route and found a restaurant back in Violet City, he ate his fill alongside everyone else. It was a good night to start a good week. The real practice would start tomorrow.

    <hr>

    I should have known.

    The meal was a trap. Sam should have been more wary of Redi¡¯s encouragement. She told everyone to eat as much as they wanted, and she even splurged and bought everyone dessert.

    Primeape was nearly comatose when they got back. Even Quilava had trouble walking. Haunter didn¡¯t necessarily need to eat, but he had his share of the dessert, and his speed in the air was significantly slower than before.

    Morning should have been spent in recovery, but they were woken up early by a knock alongside the first hint of dawn. The second the door was unlocked, Redi barged in and threw open the curtains to let in the sun¡¯s painful light.

    ¡°Rise and shine, everyone! Time for training!¡±

    She got a round in groans in response.

    ¡°Hmph. Pathetic,¡± she said. ¡°See this, Porygon? This is one of the reasons I like you so much. You don¡¯t fall for tricks, and you don¡¯t need to eat. You¡¯re the coolest!¡±

    She fondly patted the Pok¨¦mon floating at her side.

    Breakfast was only a few bites that everyone had to force down. Sam still felt full from last night, even though hours had passed. Redi ignored their complaints and led them on a nausea-inducing march back to their spot on Route 36, and then she gave them only a moment to catch their breath before forcing everyone to train.

    They practiced for an hour straight. Once done, they took an hour¡¯s break and headed back into the city. After following Redi around for a while, it was time for another hour of practice, then after that, an hour off, then an hour on, then off, then on then off and on and off and so on and so forth.

    Harsh conditions were the goal. The free meal was a treat¡ªand a subtle, preemptive apology¡ªbut it was also a way to ensure everyone would have a more difficult time moving around the next day. Pok¨¦mon grew the most when stressed, which was why battles were such an effective way to develop skills. Redi purposefully set this all up to make sure everyone had to push themselves as much as possible. She wanted to maximize the amount of growth everyone experienced before the tournament, and she wanted to start off strong.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Individual practice! Come on, everyone! Sam¡¯s strategy might be all about team synergy, but you still have to be able to fight on your own, too!¡±

    Redi regularly had Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon split up and push themselves on their own. During this time, she walked around and called out improvements they could be making. Sam followed and furiously took notes based on his observations, both planning for the future and recording his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s current strengths so he could see just how much they¡¯d developed by the end of this.

    Redi also made sure to explain her plans for each of Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon as they walked around.

    ¡°First off, Quilava,¡± she said.

    Quilava was paired with Ursaring, and those two were locked in a desperate melee. Well, the desperation was solely on Quilava¡¯s part, as she wasn¡¯t allowed to attack. Quick Attack was perfect for quick bursts of movement, and the flashes of insight provided by Detect helped her learn the best way to dodge. Will-O-Wisp wasn¡¯t technically an attack, so she was allowed to use it. However, the more the burn affected Ursaring, the more his adrenaline built and fueled his swipes.

    She¡¯d fallen for a classic mistake. Now, both she and her opponent were training. Evolved, Ursaring had the potential to train Guts, an ability that drastically increased his attack when he suffered from a status condition. For every improvement Quilava managed, Ursaring grew stronger as well. She learned to better dodge, he learned to better aim, and Ursaring¡¯s ability grew in effectiveness as well.

    ¡°You¡¯re right that Quilava doesn¡¯t need to learn new attack moves¡ªfor now. Yes, keep working on moves she can use as support, but I think she¡¯d get the most out of training the attacks she already has,¡± Redi said, watching the two Pok¨¦mon spar. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like that quote from the old Gym Leader of Saffron City. ¡®Fear not the Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s practiced ten-thousand moves once. Fear the Pok¨¦mon that has practiced one move ten-thousand times.¡¯¡±

    She chuckled.

    ¡°Funny part is, the guy was right. He got challenged to a battle for his authority as a Gym Leader, and he lost the role to a guy whose team had absolutely mastered Psychic.¡± Redi paused. ¡°The attack, I mean. Not the Type.¡±

    One of Ursaring¡¯s Fury Swipes ended up catching Quilava in the side. His brute strength sent her flying, where she landed hard on the ground about a dozen feet away. Sam took a step closer, intending to help her up, but Redi put a hand on his chest to hold him back. Quilava, shaking, pushed to her feet and charged at Ursaring without an ounce of hesitation. So determined to continue her training, she didn¡¯t even notice how her flames moved around her to heat her up and cause her to return at a greater speed.

    ¡°Grats on figuring out Flame Charge,¡± Redi said, patting Sam¡¯s shoulder as he continued to hang back. ¡°Now then. Next Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Primeape was on his own, but he wasn¡¯t punching or attacking or training any of his moves. Instead, he sat alone with his legs crossed, his hands on his knees, and his eyes closed in an attempt to meditate. Unlike with everyone else, this practice was Sam¡¯s idea, because Primeape needed to train in a way unusual for his species if he ever wanted to evolve.

    ¡°...You wanna explain this one to me, again?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam stopped writing in his journal and looked up.

    ¡°Primeape will evolve once he has absolute mastery over his own rage,¡± Sam said. ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex says we¡¯ll know that¡¯s true when he¡¯s able to use Rage Fist twenty times in a row without any mistakes. The problem is, we¡¯ve trained Anger Point. That ability is all about allowing his anger to consume and control him, and we need to do the opposite. Once we have that, we¡¯ll be able to move onto moves like Bulk Up and Rage and Rage Fist. But before then...¡±

    A vein throbbed on Primeape¡¯s head. His fur bristled¡ªno matter how hard he tried, the Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t able to enter a calm state with true control over his emotions. Unfortunately for him, it was an uphill battle. His species meant that he was always enraged.

    Redi silently nodded along, eyeing the angry Pok¨¦mon. Primeape twitched as he struggled to sit still.

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Hey Primeape, can you come here?¡±

    He snapped open his eyes and grumbled to himself, not even fighting Redi¡¯s request. It wasn¡¯t like he was getting anything done anyway, so he stomped over to stand right before them. Hot air left his nose alongside every breath.

    Redi pointed to the rock Sam had sat on when first discussing their plans.

    ¡°Remember how you were breaking boulders outside of the Ruins of Alph?¡± she asked. ¡°Can you do the same thing to that rock over there, but channel more Fighting Type energy into it while using Karate Chop?¡±

    Primeape eyed her suspiciously before huffing and marching over to the rock. He raised a hand up, and Sam stayed quiet, wanting to see exactly what Redi had planned.

    With a force he hadn¡¯t been able to apply before his evolution, Primeape chopped downwards, his hand crashing into the stone. A horrific cracking noise rang out, causing the rest of the Pok¨¦mon to briefly pause. The boulder he hit split perfectly in two, a cleave right through its middle.

    ¡°Bam! Brick Break!¡± Redi punched a fist into the air. ¡°A bit weaker than Cross Chop, but a lot easier to use when you only need one arm. You won¡¯t need to rely on Karate Chop anymore, won¡¯t you, Primeape?¡±

    Primeape stared at his own hand in shock before his eyes curved up with glee. He used the same attack on the boulder twice more, turning the two halves into four quarters.

    ¡°...There goes my seat,¡± Sam grumbled.

    As Primeape practiced his new attack into the air, Sam turned back to Redi, looking at her curiously.

    ¡°How long have you been holding back that idea?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A bit. I have a bunch of plans for your team I wanna test out. I¡¯ve got months worth of Redi built up, and I plan to unleash it all on you this week!¡± She cackled. ¡°Next Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    They moved over to Haunter, who was staring up at the clear sky. He was trying to use Night Shade, but the move was failing to come out, even in its incomplete state like before.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always said that Ghost Type moves work best in darkness, so that screams to me that it¡¯s better to train them during the day,¡± Redi said. ¡°If light can mess with their moves, they should learn to use them in the light to make their attacks even stronger!¡±

    Sam wrote her words down in his journal and stared at Haunter. It looked as though a tendril of darkness tried to creep out of the Ghost Type, but it dissolved away under the light of the sun.

    Sam frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work,¡± he said.

    ¡°Aw. Why not?¡±

    ¡°I guess this could be a way to train the move once he actually learns it, but Night Shade¡¯s too weak to be used even now. I think we should work on a Poison Type move instead. At least until he has a better mastery over Night Shade.¡±

    Redi clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Guess not every plan is a winner,¡± she said under her breath.

    Sam had Haunter change his method of practice to see if he could do anything with gas or sludge, and then they started the cycle of observations over once again.

    Later, during a break period, Sam was still writing in his journal. Months had passed since the start of his journey, and he was now about three-quarters of the way through. Soon, he¡¯d need to buy another one if he wanted to continue recording his thoughts and everything he observed.

    Brick Break can shatter screens. Primeape can counter any Psychic Types that try to get cheeky. Quilava can become a pain to catch with Flame Charge¡ªCan she learn Double Team? I¡¯ll need to double-check the New Pok¨¦dex later. Haunter is... trying. Poison Gas might be better to aim for instead of Smog. Or can he learn Toxic? Sludge Bomb? One of those might work better with his Poison Type.

    Chewing on his pen, it took a moment for Sam to notice Redi standing before him. He looked up at her from where he was sitting on the hillside. She had a knowing smile on her face.

    ¡°And as for you, my court jester.¡±

    Sam scoffed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not calling you ¡®your majesty.¡¯ And I am not your court jester.¡±

    ¡°Alright! Then, you''ll be my fool! So, fool, did you really think your Pok¨¦mon would be the only ones to train?¡±

    Redi had mentioned she was going to battle other trainers in the city, and she did. She just made sure that Sam was absolutely brought along.

    There was a trick to this¡ªif she was the one to fight, then he could observe her opponents¡¯ teams without those same trainers observing his own. Keeping his training to be solely off-route meant no one could learn the ins-and-outs of his strategies, and no one was able to develop any counters to how his Pok¨¦mon fought.

    But Sam was able to craft counters to the trainers he watched. If they competed in the tournament, he¡¯d already know what to do.

    Redi¡¯s Ursaring demolished a Skiploom that tried to paralyze him with Stun Spore. Her Porygon fell to a Raichu that was able to withstand and charge itself from Porygon¡¯s own Electric Type attack. There was one trainer with a Magmar that wore her Pok¨¦mon down through poison inflicted due to Smog.

    Sam noted that other trainers were beginning to rely on status conditions more often. Not as much as him, but it was a common theme between all these mid-level trainers trying out new things.

    Redi¡¯s net wins and losses were about even, so they neither made nor lost money when it came to these battles. Instead, Redi got to have fun and train with her Pok¨¦mon while Sam spent the time writing down his thoughts and theorycrafting new ideas.

    ¡°Now, there¡¯s one more thing we have to do,¡± Redi said, approaching him as the week progressed. ¡°Let me ask you a question. When I say Erika, what kind of person do you picture?¡±

    ¡°Erika? She¡¯s a Grass Type specialist. The leader of Celadon¡¯s Gym, right?¡± Sam asked, with Redi nodding to confirm his words. ¡°Then, I think of some kind of noble lady. Kantonian-style. Wearing a kimono, which she¡¯s known for, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Redi said cheerfully. ¡°And then when I say Lieutenant Surge...¡±

    ¡°A military officer. Or some kind of soldier.¡±

    ¡°Koga.¡±

    ¡°A ninja.¡±

    ¡°Giovanni.¡±

    ¡°A businessman.¡±

    Redi looked extraordinarily pleased as she smiled at Sam.

    ¡°Great! So now I won¡¯t need to argue my point. Appearance affects how people see you¡ªduh. If you really want your strategies to work, that means relying on mind games, and a big portion of mind games is your style.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how she did it. Redi was the one that managed their shared pool of funds, something they both agreed on when they first decided to travel together. He always thought they didn''t have much spare money, but when she marched him into a clothing store, she told him that they didn¡¯t need to worry about any of the listed prices.

    There was a trick to it, he was sure.

    ¡°So. When I say Ghost Type Trainer, what kind of person do you think of?¡± Redi said, browsing through a rack of dark-colored coats.

    ¡°...My first thought is someone who stands tall in the darkness,¡± Sam said, really thinking about it. ¡°They¡¯re... someone who doesn¡¯t back away from the unknown. Someone who¡¯s brave no matter what. A Ghost Type trainer faces the future without forgetting about the past. And no matter who they might lose, it doesn¡¯t affect them. They keep pushing forward.¡±

    Redi¡¯s hand lingered on one coat. She stared at it for a while without comment. When she spoke next, her voice was somewhat softer.

    ¡°Alright. But what do they look like?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe some kind of librarian?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not dressing you like a librarian.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve always been a fan of argyle.¡±

    Redi glared at him. It looked as though she desperately wanted to say something, but she bit her tongue instead.

    ¡°Quick question, did your mom buy all of your outfits back home?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Is that a bad thing?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Alright. So I guess this¡¯ll be up to me,¡± she mumbled under her breath.

    Sam followed along as Redi flew through the shop. She looked between articles of clothing, looked back at Sam, and occasionally grabbed one piece and slung it over an arm. She gathered quite the collection for him to try on, all the while, she explained her thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯m mostly thinking of how Lt. Surge does this,¡± she said. ¡°He dresses as a soldier and acts as some big, tough guy, but he¡¯s a lot more than that. You think he¡¯s all about offense, but when you watch his battles, he does do that, but his real strengths rely on positioning and speed.¡±

    She hummed and grabbed a pair of pants.

    ¡°He¡¯s kinda the main inspiration for my team. But you get why I mean style is a good way to trick your opponents, yeah? You wouldn¡¯t know a guy who acts as bold as him would rely so much on clever tactics. It sets up an expectation that you either match or deny.¡±

    Sam briefly thought back to his battle back in Azalea¡¯s Gym. There, he had intentionally tried to make himself seem arrogant to goad the young Gym Trainer into making a mistake.

    ¡°First impressions are everything,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to throw off my opponents with my looks.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± Redi said, smiling once more.

    Pile of clothing in hand, she led Sam into the back room and shoved it into his arms. She then waited outside as he stepped into the changing room. The number of outfits she chose for him was... a lot.

    ¡°Redi. I hate this,¡± Sam called out.

    ¡°Great, but try something on before making up your mind! And remember, if you hate it, that probably means your opponents will hate it, too!¡±

    Sam grumbled and stared at the sheer amount of clothes before him. He knew that he couldn¡¯t skip trying on any of them¡ªRedi would definitely remember what she picked, and she¡¯d call him out for trying to trick her.

    He picked up one shirt and one pair of pants and tried to figure out if they matched. Everything here was dark-colored, mostly. Despite being chosen for the sake of a trick, these outfits were definitely themed around the Ghost Type.

    Sighing, he closed his eyes and put his backpack on a hook in the room. He took off his belt too, where his Pok¨¦mon were resting in their Pok¨¦balls. He kind of envied them¡ªthey didn¡¯t need to worry about outfits or anything like that. They just needed to worry about fighting and training and evolving and¡ª

    No, Sam was alright with just this.

    Opening his eyes again, he reached down to take off his shirt, but he paused when he noticed the changing room mirror. The reflective surface ran the length of his body, allowing him to see any outfit he wore in full, but it wasn¡¯t himself that caught his eye. No, it was his breath. Mist came out with every exhale.

    ¡°...Redi, do you feel that?¡± he called out nervously.

    ¡°Feel what? Is a shirt I chose too itchy?¡±

    The hair on the back of Sam¡¯s neck began to stand up. He felt a tingling in his spine. Looking around, he saw nothing, but he was expecting it.

    Sam wasn¡¯t alone in this room.

    Slowly, he took a nervous step closer to where his belt hung, debating whether or not he should release a Pok¨¦mon into this room. He was just about to grab a Pok¨¦ball when he saw a flash of darkness out of the corner of his eye, a shadowy fuzz reflected in the mirror.

    He jumped around and locked eyes with something else. A sharp gaze pierced right through him. A shadow slowly pushed out of the wall with hair waving in an unseen breeze. Around its neck, red glowing pearls pulsed and did... nothing.

    Sam¡¯s teeth chattered.

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re... You''re from the forest,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s revenge, isn¡¯t it? Revenge for scaring you off?¡±

    He faced it, trying to keep his head held high. His heart was pounding in his chest as the Ghost Type stared back. With it suddenly so close, he wouldn¡¯t be able to grab a Pok¨¦ball before any attacks.

    Misdreavus.

    The same Pok¨¦mon he had once encountered was now here.

    Sam wanted to call out to Redi. He wanted to call out to his friends. He wasn¡¯t sure what the wild Pok¨¦mon was going to do, or why it was here, but it was right there, even after all of this time.

    Why is it here? Has it been following us? For how long? It¡¯s been weeks since we left the Ilex Forest! We didn¡¯t do anything to it! Why is it so motivated to go after me!?

    Misdreavus cautiously looked around the room, not even bothered by Sam staring right at it. A smile crept onto its face as it seemed to confirm that, yes, no one else was around. It fully left the wall, moving closer. Sam really disliked how it looked satisfied.

    Sam tried to take a step back but hit the wall instead. Using his body to hide the motion, he tried to subtly raise an arm behind his back to grab a Pok¨¦ball.

    But the Misdreavus moved closer, inching towards him in the air. If his team had the energy, they¡¯d have released themselves to defend him, but as it stood, they were all too tired from Redi¡¯s training sessions to notice what was going on right outside of their Pok¨¦balls.

    So this is it, huh? I wonder if I scream I¡¯ll be able to get help before it can attack.

    He was waiting for it to lunge¡ªwaiting for it to use a move. Tense beyond belief, he readied himself for when the Misdreavus attacked...

    But it didn¡¯t.

    Instead, he felt something warm press into his chest. Any form of chill vanished from the air.

    Misdreavus didn¡¯t attack. It pressed itself into his chest. It¡ªshe¡ªnuzzled him. Affectionately. A sound not unlike a purr left her short throat.

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    Sam¡¯s brain ground to a halt. He was only able to make a croaking noise as the Misdreavus rubbed against him. Not once in his life had he shown this Pok¨¦mon any kindness. He didn¡¯t have the brain power to be able to start asking questions.

    Unable to speak, he couldn¡¯t stop the Misdreavus from continuing to happily rub against him. She chattered her name, as if trying to speak, sharing a story he couldn¡¯t understand with no one nearby to listen. She continued on until one point, where she looked up at him as if waiting for a reaction.

    He had none. Sam could see his expression in the mirror. It was a mix of bewilderment, confusion, and most of all, fear.

    She saw that, and her mouth closed. Something in Misdreavus¡¯s expression faltered. Her eyes started to mist as she stared up into Sam¡¯s own.

    ¡°...Misdreavus?¡± she asked.

    Sam responded the same way he did before¡ªhe made a croaking noise and nothing else.

    At first, Misdreavus pulled back as if she didn¡¯t understand. The wild Ghost Type looked at him as if she was looking at him for the first time. Tears started to leave her eyes as she furiously shook her head.

    ¡°...Are you okay?¡± Sam finally asked.

    But Misdreavus didn¡¯t stick around. Before anything else, she turned around and fled back through the wall.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long he stood there, staring, once it was gone. He was alone in the room once more, the strange Ghost Type having utterly run away. They were miles away from Ilex Forest, with multiple routes between Violet City and there. The Misdreavus had to have been following them all that way. Otherwise, how did she find them?

    ¡°Are you going to answer me? Is everything alright in there?¡± Redi¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Sam, it¡¯s not funny. Did you hurt yourself? I guess I can come in if you¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°No, sorry. I¡¯m just... I¡¯m fine.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he chose to say nothing. Sam tried on a few outfits, got Redi¡¯s opinion, and then they bought the cheapest, closest outfit from a different, secondhand store. But as training continued through the rest of the day, Sam found himself unable to focus. All he could think about was that strange encounter with the Misdreavus.

 Chapter 54

    A week was spent training. A week was spent practicing moves, testing new strategies, and pushing everyone beyond the norm. Sam had a journal¡¯s worth of observations and notes, allowing him to know exactly what he needed his Pok¨¦mon to develop. Redi was all about strength, and she knew how to give their practice that bit of extra oomph to push his Pok¨¦mon further. Two sets of eyes were better than one, and together, Sam¡¯s team had the chance to grow more than if he trained them on his own.

    When the final day came rolling around, the results were obvious. Primeape¡¯s strikes shattered anything they hit. Quilava moved with an agility she hadn¡¯t had before. As for Haunter, his Night Shade was definitely battle ready, and as for the Poison Type move he learned¡ª

    Well, Sam planned to save that one for the tournament.

    Sam initially discovered the Violet City Tournament in a rather abrupt manner, all things considering. Other trainers could have learned about it earlier than him, and that would have given them more time to prepare. No victory was guaranteed, but Sam had to say he liked his team''s chances. The day before, they didn¡¯t train. Instead, they chose to rest. On the eve of the tournament, Sam and Redi gathered everyone up, and they had a picnic to celebrate.

    A picnic wasn¡¯t fancy as eating at an expensive restaurant, and the food wasn¡¯t as good as food made by professional chefs. They bought breads and ingredients from a local grocery store and set up a blanket at the edge of the hill. The area they¡¯d suffered in for the past week-and-a-half sat below them. In the distance, the sun slowly set and cast the sky into shades of reds, oranges, and purples.

    This meal might not have been something expensive, but a picnic felt better. It was a way to simply relax among friends. Quilava munched on a salad, Primeape devoured two hoagies¡ªone held in each hand¡ªand Haunter made himself a sandwich only to pick it apart like some kind of dissection. Doing so brought him great joy.

    Meanwhile, Ursaring was passed out in a food coma, and Porygon sat inside of its calculator, eating programs Redi had said looked ¡°especially tasty,¡± whatever that meant.

    And the best part of this picnic was that it was a goodbye. Once they were done eating, they could leave this valley of suffering and never come back.

    Good riddance.

    ¡°You know, I think I''m getting annoyed by the other trainers,¡± Sam said, sitting back and munching on a sandwich of his own at the edge of the hill.

    Redi made a half-hearted attempt to swallow her bite, but there was still food left in her mouth when she spoke.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Like, I don''t know. I mean, I''ve watched you battle literally dozens of people over the past few days, and they''re definitely trainers, but it''s like they don''t know what they''re doing? Ugh, no, not as extreme as that. They obviously know how to train Pok¨¦mon. It''s more like...¡±

    Redi finally managed to swallow the rest of her too-large bite.

    ¡°They''re missing something?¡± she offered.

    ¡°Yeah! It''s like they''re training Pok¨¦mon and that''s it. They''re not trying to work on a greater strategy or build the best team. They''re just... enjoying themselves. Traveling.¡±

    ¡°Going on a journey,¡± Redi said, finishing the statement for Sam.

    He nodded, holding his sandwich in his hands and staring at the marks left from his last bite.

    Most trainers did try to be Pok¨¦mon trainers, but once their journey ended, that was it. Usually Pok¨¦mon stayed with their ex-trainers, but sometimes team members were handed to the Pok¨¦mon League. Doing so allowed those Pok¨¦mon to continue living a battle-based lifestyle if that was what they preferred.

    But generally speaking, most people moved on to join the workforce or go back to school. They¡¯d get hired. Get a job. Get paid. Battling became a hobby at most.

    Of course, a few trainers never retired. They kept pushing and training their teams, and then they¡¯d either become Pok¨¦mon Rangers, like Sam''s father, or they ended up working under a Gym Leader as a Gym Trainer. The exceptional ones among them received personal training from the League to become Ace Trainers, where they helped keep regions safe. Often, Ace Trainers even repeated Gym Circuit challenges and competed in high-level tournaments, but actually seeing something like that was rare in the grand scheme of things.

    People would just explore a region, make some friends, and then go home and effectively retire.

    Sam wasn''t sure how many trainers had dropped out at this point. It was about halfway through Johto''s nine-month-long season. Most would have surely earned a few badges by now, but how many planned to keep going? Something about the relative skill level of Redi¡¯s opponents made Sam feel like there''d be a big drop-off, and soon.

    Redi took another big bite of her sandwich and managed to swallow all of it this time around.

    ¡°Do you have a plan for after your journey?¡± she asked idly.

    Sam looked up.

    ¡°After my journey? I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He was going to be a Ghost Type specialist¡ªno, a Ghost Type master. He planned to build an unbeatable team. That was his goal, his reason for traveling. The idea of his journey eventually ending was... past him. Ghost Types were forever, and in his mind, he¡¯d always pictured himself as being forever, too.

    ¡°Being a Pok¨¦mon Ranger doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± he said slowly. ¡°An Ace Trainer, then? Or maybe I can apply to work in Morty¡¯s Gym. But those feel... limiting. I could try to join the Elite Four?¡±

    Both Hoenn and Kanto had Ghost Type specialists in their Elite Four, Phoebe and Agatha being the regions¡¯ respective members. Those two were powerful trainers, with Phoebe being the most recent addition to Hoenn¡¯s leadership and Agatha being the eldest member of Kanto¡¯s Elite Four. They were an inspiration to many, but to Sam, however, those two were...

    Well, they didn¡¯t quite match up to how he perceived the Ghost Type?

    Agatha seemed too mean. She was too self-assured and almost seemed to disregard the playful nature of Ghosts. Meanwhile, Phoebe was the complete opposite. Her cheerful demeanor didn¡¯t quite match the solemn nature of the Type, either. It wasn¡¯t just their outward appearances that fit those mindsets, everything about how those two battled and interacted with the public aligned with their ideals. Both Agatha and Phoebe might have been peak Ghost Type specialists, but they also both felt too extreme.

    Sam didn¡¯t plan to follow the footsteps of either of them. No, he wanted to find his own understanding somewhere in the middle. When he and his team eventually reached those same heights, he would stand with his own mindset instead of one based off of them.

    He drifted off into thought, unable to truly answer Redi¡¯s question. She saw that and grinned, bringing up her chin to point at herself with her thumb.

    ¡°Need inspiration? Look to me! What I¡¯m going to do is enter a bunch of high-profile tournaments with my peak-level team. I¡¯m gonna be one of those wandering, sponsored trainers, but my sponsorship is my family¡¯s company! I¡¯ll travel the world and advertise it, and then everyone is gonna want to hire us!¡±

    ¡°So then are you going to work construction between tournaments?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi deflated.

    ¡°Oh, uh, probably. I¡¯m eventually going to inherit the company,¡± she said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make sense to spend all my time away, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, ¡°but you could always moonlight as an Ace Trainer.¡±

    ¡°And then I¡¯d have to answer to a greater authority,¡± she said with a snort. ¡°No thanks. Redi is her own boss.¡±

    Sam chuckled. That answer was about what he expected.

    ¡°But what about you?¡± Redi asked, putting her sandwich down and sitting up straighter. ¡°You gonna take over your mom¡¯s bookstore?¡±

    ¡°I don''t¡ª I don''t know,¡± Sam said.

    He might as well have been fifteen at this point, but he felt like he was too young to need to plan something so far in the future.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Sam said, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk about this stuff. I¡¯m just looking forward to the tournament tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Oh man, they really don¡¯t know what they¡¯re in for. I think I¡¯m most excited for the higher rounds. You have a plan for larger teams, right?¡±

    ¡°Duh,¡± Sam easily replied. ¡°Primeape can sweep. Or Quilava. Haunter¡¯s got a few mean tricks, too.¡±

    My opponents are going to learn to hate Haunter¡¯s Hypnosis.

    What was nice about this last training period was that Redi was great at figuring out how to bring out the best in a Pok¨¦mon, but her training was more about improving Pok¨¦mon at an individual level. Her strength was strength¡ªeven for her team right now, there wasn¡¯t much interplay between them outside of being difficult opponents to face on their own.

    However, Sam had the New Pok¨¦dex behind him, and he had years of looking into the Ghost Type past that. Not to mention that he¡¯d spent the past week observing battles to learn how other trainers fought. He hadn¡¯t just watched Redi¡¯s fights; there were a bunch of people who were almost constantly in battle behind the Pok¨¦mon Center. He was able to figure out a bunch of tricks and counters that were now firmly recorded in his notes.

    Sam¡¯s strength was all about strategy¡ªhaving his team members play into one another while relying on status moves. While only Primeape could likely match Redi¡¯s Ursaring through raw might alone, Sam knew his Pok¨¦mon would be able to weaken that Ursaring so much that any of his team members would win in a one-on-one fight.

    So, as both of them had taken what they excelled at and used it to train Sam¡¯s team, the effective rate of growth was greater. In Sam¡¯s opinion, it was practically exponential.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°But facing five Pok¨¦mon on one team...¡± Sam said quietly.

    Sam only had three Pok¨¦mon. A disadvantage in numbers became a bigger issue as Pok¨¦mon grew in level. It was why Redi chose to sit out this tournament, as a team of two Pok¨¦mon simply did not have the stamina to wear down a team more than double its size.

    ¡°You have a plan for a fourth yet?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam sputtered. His encounter with the Misdreavus flashed through his head.

    ¡°No!¡± he shouted. He quickly cleared his throat in an attempt to recover. ¡°No, I, uh, plan to catch whatever comes my way. No specific plans.¡±

    Quilava looked at him funny, glancing up from her meal. Sam hadn''t told her or anyone else about Misdreavus yet. Something about that encounter felt private. It wasn''t his place to publicly discuss another Pok¨¦mon¡¯s problems.

    She¡¯d cried.

    It¡¯d been days since Misdreavus appeared in that private space, but Sam still found himself frequently thinking about her. Each time he remembered that encounter, all Sam could picture was Misdreavus¡¯s tears.

    ¡°...Do you remember that Misdreavus from Ilex Forest?¡± Sam asked softly.

    ¡°The one that attacked us? Yeah, I remember it.¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°It was strong,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d catch it if I found it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be a lot of backtracking.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Sam stared at the rapidly changing sky. ¡°But something about how it looked at us makes me think she just wanted a friend. Attacking her didn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    Back then, he hadn¡¯t understood why Misdreavus looked so betrayed. He hadn¡¯t understood why she had cried after approaching him in the clothing store. She liked him, for some insane reason, but back then, Sam also had enough knowledge to have been rightfully fearful of a Ghost Type ambush.

    Sam was now in a much more peaceful situation. He could now look back on those encounters with proper hindsight.

    He messed up.

    Misdreavus just wanted a friend.

    Given the chance, Sam would take it. He¡¯d apologize and ask her to stay.

    Lost in thought, Sam didn¡¯t immediately notice that Redi fell silent, staring at his expression curiously. When he saw her looking at him, he blushed. He needed to get a handle on how much he was drifting off into thought.

    ¡°So... the Tournament,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°The Tournament,¡± Sam repeated.

    Something warm brushed up against Sam¡¯s side, and he ran his hand through Quilava¡¯s fur.

    His team was stronger than ever, and the Violet City Tournament would be their biggest challenge so far. It would be rounds of back-to-back battles, but he knew that as long as they worked together, they¡¯d win.

    All of their training would finally be put to the test. The thought helped to distract Sam, and he smiled, returning to his sandwich. Around him, his team relaxed, Redi ate, and the sounds of Pok¨¦mon filled the air. Sam focused on all of the strategies flowing through his mind.

    <hr>

    Bright and early, huh? Is it too late to request a delay?

    The Violet City arena was large¡ªnot as large as the one in Olivine, but what it might have lost in impressiveness, it made up for in horizontal scale. Where other arenas tended to be built with steep slopes, this arena was wider than it was tall. There was no ceiling, only a central opening. It was almost as if the view of the sky was more important than the view of the field.

    Sam could see all of that from within the entrance lobby, but not personally. Televisions streamed a view from inside, just barely showing the edge of the arena at the bottom of a live view of the early morning sky. Some people stood around and chatted, but others slowly filed in to head to their seats. Having registered, Sam was supposed to head to the competitors¡¯ waiting room, but his feet felt like lead blocks. He clutched a paper bag full of clothes at his side.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this plan is a good idea,¡± Sam said to Redi, his gaze lingering on the crowd heading in. ¡°They¡¯re gonna laugh. I¡¯m gonna look dumb. They¡¯re going to see my outfit and think, ¡®Who¡¯s this poser?¡¯ and then I¡¯m going to lose all my battles.¡±

    Redi tried to lightly push Sam forward. He resisted. She started to press an arm harder into his back, and red eyes opened up in Sam¡¯s shadow to watch the ongoing struggle.

    ¡°Come on¡ªUgh¡ªSam!¡± Redi said, still pushing. ¡°You agreed with me that this¡¯d work! And I might have chosen the clothes, but you know I wouldn¡¯t have finalized that outfit without your permission!¡±

    Redi was strong. Sam had to lean back with his full weight to not be moved. With her words, however, he let out a breath and stepped to the side. The sudden relief of pressure caused her to stumble, but she caught herself before she could fall.

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam said, sighing as Redi looked up at him and glared. ¡°It just feels like a lot.¡±

    ¡°Does it? The outfit is pretty generic.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Sam corrected. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get sweaty.¡±

    Redi just rolled her eyes and stood back up.

    ¡°You won¡¯t notice once you¡¯re caught up in battle.¡±

    ¡°But the sun¡¯s out.¡±

    ¡°The sun¡¯s always out during the day.¡±

    ¡°Am I really supposed to put on a heavy jacket when it''s not raining?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Sam pressed his lips together in reluctant acceptance. Redi smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°There ya go! Come on, Sam, you know pretending is fun! You just gotta take a single step forward, and the rest will come easy!¡±

    Grumbling to himself, Sam did as she said, placing a single foot in front of the other. Redi beamed at him, and she nodded her head once, utterly satisfied.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be cheering for you in the audience,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯ll be right in the front¡ªthe section reserved for Pok¨¦mon so that Ursaring can watch. Look for us! We¡¯ll be holding up a sign!¡±

    ¡°...See you later,¡± Sam mumbled.

    ¡°Later!¡± Redi said much more cheerfully.

    She jogged away, waving goodbye as she disappeared into the crowd. Her face merged into a sea of countless others as she fought to reach a good seat.

    Sam might have taken a single step, but his legs still refused to move. The overall feeling of the Violet City Tournament was definitely more casual than the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, but this was the first time he actually had a proper strategy to show off. And he¡¯d basically be selling himself as a worthwhile trainer to keep track of, too. He had a reason to be stressed!

    But he couldn¡¯t stay there forever. After several long seconds, he rubbed his cheeks to break out of his trance and marched over to a closed side door. There, he showed a laminated badge to a Machoke wearing sunglasses, and the Pok¨¦mon opened the door to a long hallway before returning to guard.

    Another big difference between this tournament and the Beginner¡¯s Tournament was that trainers were required to be mid-level rather than complete novices. That meant a more limited pool to pull from when it came to potential registrants. In the days approaching, when sign-ups had closed off, advertisements changed to mention five rounds¡ªthere¡¯d be thirty-two trainers at most.

    Competing trainers had to have their teams be rated at a minimum of four stars, and Sam¡¯s team was just barely considered five. No one with too many Gym Badges or a six-star rating or higher was allowed in. After all, if someone that strong won, the prize of the right to battle Walker would go to waste.

    The hallways Sam walked through criss-crossed the entire structure of the place, leading to various rooms for storage and practice. An arena this large was often used for more than just base Pok¨¦mon battles, so it needed more than just rooms for trainers.

    These lower halls almost felt labyrinthine, but signs on the walls directed Sam where to go. Group A would be on one side of the arena with Group B being on the other. That divided competitors into two distinct halves, assisting organizers when it came to laying out matches.

    As a member of Group B, Sam¡¯s destination was a sort of locker-room-slash-waiting-room with benches across the floors and places to store possessions off to the sides. A large television hung on the wall, streaming the version of the tournament shown on cable, but there was also a staircase in the back that provided balcony access if competitors wanted to watch with their own eyes.

    Sam deposited his backpack in a locker and kept himself small as he inched to the side. A few doors blocked off changing rooms, and Sam stepped into one that was unclaimed. There, he sighed one last time before looking at the clothes contained within the sack. He returned Haunter from his shadow, giving himself privacy as he forced himself to get dressed.

    Hope this works.

    When Sam stepped back out to the waiting area, he was no longer the nervous-looking boy that had entered. Instead, a confident, practically arrogant, teen stood in his place.

    Or at least, there was someone trying to be one.

    The smirk Redi told him to maintain came out more like a scowl. Sam¡¯s lips contorted as he did his best to maintain some semblance of confidence. He strode to take a seat in the center of the room, keeping his hands in his pockets and fiddling with his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls as he did. Knowing they were there helped him better control his nerves, but it still felt like everyone was staring right at him.

    Overall, these clothes were generic, just like Redi had said, but they were also something clearly picked out to fit a Ghost Type specialist. For this tournament, Sam wore a dark, open jacket with similarly dark jeans. The colors of his outfit primarily came from a purple shirt under that jacket and a scarf loose on his neck. The jacket hung open, and it was somewhat oversized. Like how his jeans bunched around his ankles, its sleeves bunched on his arms.

    His hood was up, which helped him pretend that his expression was hidden. Redi had been adamant he needed to stay hooded at all times, as that apparently helped ¡°emphasize¡± certain expressions on his face.

    The one piece of this outfit that Sam liked the most was the scarf. He may or may not have picked it out when he recognized it as one styled after Morty¡¯s own. It was thinner, and instead of wrapping it around his neck, he let it hang loose, draping his chest. The scarf might not have fit too well, but he liked it. It helped him feel more like a real Ghost specialist when he had it on.

    He could remember Redi¡¯s words and her reasoning behind these clothes. When he thought about it, her explanation came back to him. It was a pretty basic idea overall.

    ¡°You train Ghost Types. People are always going to expect tricks. What I want to do is make them expect less than you¡¯ll actually use,¡± Redi had said. ¡°Play up your age! Act like a teenager! Make your opponents think that you¡¯re overly arrogant, and make them think you¡¯ll be relying on mostly direct attacks!¡±

    Redi called Sam¡¯s strategy vampire-like. He trained his team to wear down their opponents before finishing them off. This outfit was supposed to influence an opponent¡¯s first impression of him, but Sam just thought it made him look like some sort of stereotypical thief.

    Other than Sam, there were about ten other people in this room. About half had dressed up. Most kept to themselves, but a few glanced his way as he looked around. Reflexively, Sam slouched under their gazes, trying to minimize his presence. Not wanting to see their reactions, he turned his head to stare only at the T.V.

    The tournament hadn¡¯t started yet. The screen was still displaying the sky. Likely, that was the default angle of the arena¡¯s cameras, probably due to the influence of Walker¡¯s Flying Types. There was no telling how many battles and how many Pok¨¦mon had been fought in this arena. Sam¡¯s upcoming matches would be added to that history. He hoped he¡¯d do well.

    He went on trying to distract himself by going over all of his strategies in his head. As he did, his shirt felt itchy. His shoes didn¡¯t fit right. Time felt like it stretched on forever, but eventually, after hours¡ªabout twenty minutes or so¡ªthe display on the television started to change.

    A fanfare played, and a cartoon version of a Pok¨¦ball rolled in from the side. Once it reached the center of the screen, it opened up, and a flash transitioned the scene.

    Three people sat behind a desk: a pink-haired nurse, an older man with a white mustache and a bowler hat, and a guy with blue hair covering one of his eyes. All three were smiling, but the expression of the one with blue hair looked more strained.

    ¡°Hello, hello! Welcome to the Violet City Tournament! I¡¯m Mr. Pok¨¦mon, the primary sponsor and the person who organized all of this in the first place!¡± the man with the mustache said. He followed it up with a jovial laugh.

    ¡°I¡¯m Nurse Joy. Hello! Thank you for having me.¡± The woman with the pink hair brought her head down in a bow.

    ¡°...And I¡¯m Falkner.¡± Falkner briefly brushed his blue hair away from his eye. ¡°I work for the Violet City Gym. I¡¯ll be sitting in on the behalf of Walker. He apologizes for not being able to be here today.¡±

    From Falkner¡¯s terse tone, Sam had a feeling that might not have been true.

    On the screen, a faint applause could be heard, but it was much more audible from the nearby opening with the stairs. Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡ªand that was a wild name to Sam¡ªsmiled and tipped back his hat before resuming his opening speech.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you! We will serve as your announcers for this tournament, and what a wonderful tournament it¡¯ll be!¡±

    They went on to chat about their expectations, talking about the upcoming battles with a few comments from Falkner about Walker¡¯s plans for Violet City, brought on by mention of the Gym Battle grand prize. Just based on the discussed topics alone, it was abundantly clear that the Violet City Tournament was more of a local tournament than a region-wide one. Mr. Pok¨¦mon himself provided the prizes. While he might not have been a true local, he lived nearby and ran many events in both Violet City and Cherrygrove City to the south.

    ¡°In total, we have thirty-one registered competitors, for a total of five rounds,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said after a few minutes of talking. ¡°The rules for this tournament are a bit different than those of the usual League-approved tournament, so why don¡¯t we turn to our head referee below?¡±

    The scene transitioned with that same rolling Pok¨¦ball graphic to now show a man wearing a sky blue turtleneck. He stood in the middle of the arena¡¯s battlefield with an expression on his face that showed he had no room for jokes. He wasn¡¯t too old, but he was bald, and a few lines on his face hinted at his age. Around him, the field wasn¡¯t as smooth as the usual compacted dirt. It had a few small stones scattered around, but they weren¡¯t anything large enough to hide behind or be useful for Sam¡¯s strategies in general, unfortunately.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the man said. ¡°I will be serving as the head referee for this tournament, assisted by two others. I will briefly go over the rules. Please, listen carefully. For these first rounds, I¡¯ll only be explaining them once.

    ¡°Battles will start with small teams, with team allowances increasing over time. At first, trainers will be permitted three Pok¨¦mon and zero switches per battle, but both numbers will go up as the rounds progress.¡±

    He went on to explain in more detail.

    The first round would see trainers using three Pok¨¦mon with no switches allowed. The second round would also see three Pok¨¦mon, but each trainer would gain access to a single switch. In the third round, the number of Pok¨¦mon would increase to four, and the fourth round would also involve four Pok¨¦mon per trainer, but a second switch would be allowed in the match.

    It wouldn¡¯t be until the finals that both numbers would increase at once. There, trainers would be allowed five Pok¨¦mon on their teams with three switches each to use at their discretion.

    Knowing that there wouldn¡¯t be a full, six-on-six match did make Sam feel better, as that meant his team would never need to faint an average of two Pok¨¦mon each. Still, he had to suppress a grimace. The minimal amount of switching restricted his team more than he¡¯d like.

    His team was all about interplay, with team members generally setting up for one another. Usually that worked out fine, as League standard rules saw a number of available switches equal to one less than the maximum number of Pok¨¦mon on a team. Here? They clearly wanted faster battles, as switching usually made matches take longer.

    Sam would need to adjust, but he could at least fight somewhat normally once he made it to the later rounds.

    Though, that means getting to the semifinals if I want a second switch. After this past week, we can definitely do that.

    The head referee continued on to go over a few more rules, mostly just explaining the League¡¯s expectations. Pok¨¦mon could hold only one held item at a time, battles were generally fought to the knock-out with exceptions determined by the referees, and trainers could be carded for extreme unsportsmanlike behavior. Explaining all of this right now was mostly for the audience¡¯s benefit, making sure they didn¡¯t have to hear the same thing repeated before every match, especially since there¡¯d be a lot of battles in the first few rounds.

    As the head referee finished his explanation, he bowed his head and wished the competitors luck. The scene then changed once more to show an aerial shot of the field, and the first two trainers were asked to come out.

    Two people stepped onto the field. At the same time, a member of the arena¡¯s staff opened the waiting room door and named a person to come along to wait on standby. On the screen itself, once the two trainers were in position, they each sent out a Pok¨¦mon.

    The Violet City Tournament started with a shout for the battle to begin. Sam leaned forward in his seat, eyes and ears utterly locked onto the television screen. He needed to gather as much information as he could about all of his future opponents. This tournament was as much of a test of endurance as it was a test of strength.

    Five battles with a team of three.

    If Sam wanted to make it to the top, he needed to approach each and every match with a plan.

 Chapter 55

    In one match, a Skiploom used the air pressure caused by Water Guns to dance around a frustrated Corsola. In another match, a Jynx¡¯s Powder Snow froze the horns of a Stantler laying illusions. A Hitmonchan exchanged many, furious blows with a laughing Machoke. More and more Pok¨¦mon fought and fainted as the first round of the Violet City Tournament progressed.

    Every trainer was strong. All were worthy of their appropriate star rating. Attacks landed with audible impacts. Moves were aimed with impressive accuracy.

    Sam watched it all from the screen in the locker room, carefully observing each and every fight. While he couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of stepping onto the balcony, he could at least watch the television. Doing so let him learn about the Pok¨¦mon of potential future opponents.

    He didn¡¯t have his journal with him. Writing down his observations wouldn¡¯t matter now that the tournament had started. Most of his notes, he¡¯d already memorized. He had spent a while going over the New Pok¨¦dex to look up what moves common species could use, too.

    No, Sam solely focused on the television, not letting his mind wander for even a second. His entire focus was on preparing himself and psyching himself up. He was so involved in staring at the screen that he didn¡¯t initially hear his name be called.

    ¡°...Samuel. Samuel!¡±

    He looked up.

    A woman holding a clipboard stood in the doorway, searching the room.

    ¡°Will a Samuel Greyson please come with me? You¡¯re on deck.¡±

    When Sam stood up, his heart was already pounding in his chest. He¡¯d watched several battles, but it was now his turn to fight.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Sam approached as she nodded at him, leading him out of the room. With 31 competitors, there were fifteen matches in the first round. One lucky person got to skip their first match. Unfortunately, that person wasn¡¯t him.

    He was brought through a series of hallways before descending a staircase that connected to a tunnel that led to the field. Not too far away, the bright light of the late morning sun seemed to be blinding when compared to the far dimmer interior lights. A nurse stood off to the side pushing a cart, waiting for the current battle to end so she could heal the competitor¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You¡¯ll wait here until you¡¯re asked to step out. Don¡¯t emerge early, and wait until the signal, got it?¡± the woman with the clipboard asked.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Sam said. His voice felt hoarse.

    From his position in the tunnel, he could just barely see the match taking place, as a Pidgeotto struggled to face off against a Raichu. Unfortunately for the bird, sometimes a Type advantage couldn¡¯t be bypassed. The Pidgeotto was struck by lightning and fainted. The Raichu¡¯s trainer stood victorious on the field.

    The loser of the battle returned his Pok¨¦mon, shook his opponent¡¯s hand, and then all but ran back into this tunnel. He covered his eyes with an arm and only remembered the nurse was there when she called him over.

    Sam didn¡¯t want that to be him. Sam didn¡¯t want to lose.

    He still gulped, though. There wasn¡¯t any stopping how nervous he was.

    ¡°You¡¯re up in five, four, three...¡±

    The woman held up a hand and pulled her fingers down one-by-one.

    The three announcers¡¯ voices were still echoing in discussion of the last match, but Sam was already walking towards the field. The referee asked for the next trainers to approach the very moment Sam stepped out of the hallway.

    ¡°And there we are! Our next competitors!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice shouted through the speakers.

    Sam emerged to the roar of an audience. The place wasn''t completely filled, but it was still packed. With it being the middle of the day, there was no need for a spotlight to shine on Sam, but he was still half of the center of attention.

    He was suddenly very thankful for the hood of his jacket. Redi hadn¡¯t helped choose this outfit with much thought for comfort, but Sam took comfort in it, anyway. The edges of his hood served as a sort of blinder that helped him ignore how many people were staring. Keeping his hands in his jacket¡¯s pockets hid just how white his knuckles were as well.

    Opposite to Sam was the other competitor, stepping out from an entrance on the complete opposite side of the field. Sam¡¯s opponent was tall, overweight, and wore a yellow vest with a flame pattern creeping up from its bottom. The way his balding hair stuck up on its ends made him resemble a sort of clown.

    The man walked with the confidence Redi told Sam to have, and Sam already didn¡¯t like him. Yes, it was partly due to that assured confidence, but it was mostly due to how much of his opponent¡¯s chest was exposed.

    The announcers¡¯ voices continued to speak above them as they both approached the field.

    ¡°For this battle, we have one Samuel Greyson and one Firebreather Otis,¡± Falkner said, the names coming across stilted, as if he were reading off a card.

    ¡°Wait, is his first name Firebreather, last name Otis?¡± Nurse Joy asked.

    ¡°No, he asked for that title. It¡¯s what he put on his registration card?¡±

    Sam was a bit more robotic in how he walked, and he reached his trainer box first. There, he stared at Otis. For some reason, the heavyset man looked somewhat familiar.

    Otis didn¡¯t blink at Sam, however, and he slowed to delay his arrival to the trainer box. He held up a hand, both waving to the audience and asking for everyone to wait, before taking out a wooden stick and somehow managing to light it by scraping it against the ground. There, torch in hand, Otis then proceeded to dramatically hold it out in front of his face. He breathed in before letting loose a massive exhale. A gout of flame blew a dozen feet ahead.

    ¡°Impressive!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°With skills like that, will young Samuel find Otis¡¯s team too hot to handle?¡±

    He chortled, and Falkner groaned.

    ¡°Samuel has a good chance to win,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°His summary says he¡¯s from Hoenn, and everyone knows trainers from Hoenn always know how to withstand the heat.¡±

    I have a summary?

    I guess I¡¯ve been in a major tournament once before.

    They didn¡¯t mention that, however. The comment about Hoenn kind of rankled Sam, too. Hoenn didn¡¯t get that hot. It got humid sometimes, at most. If anything, Johto was just a colder place. Hoenn¡¯s weather was normal between the two regions.

    Sam¡¯s annoyance continued until he was frowning. He hadn¡¯t smirked even a single time when walking out on the field. He considered trying to salvage this with a smile, but in the end, he chose to keep his lips pressed together in a thin line. Apparently, he¡¯d be going for a more solemn appearance for his debut.

    Finally, Otis reached his trainer box, still holding that flaming torch in one hand. He held his arms out wide as the audience cheered for him. They were here for entertainment, and he clearly planned to provide.

    The referee cleared his throat.

    ¡°Competitor Otis, please put out your fire,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°Ah, my apologies. Certainly!¡±

    Otis smiled and stabbed it into the ground.

    Hitting the dirt, the flames were immediately snuffed out, and tendrils of smoke crept into the air. There was something about how violently he shoved it to the floor that made the act feel like a threat. And with how he stared at Sam, it was like he was implying he was about to do the same to Sam¡¯s team.

    Otis left the smoking stick of wood next to him as he grabbed a Pok¨¦ball from inside his vest¡¯s interior pocket. Sam did the same, retrieving a Pok¨¦ball from his jacket pocket, but he couldn¡¯t look away from the guy. While the outfit was definitely new, Sam swore he had seen Otis before.

    The head referee, professional, had no such compunctions with either competitors¡¯ identity.

    ¡°Trainers, please send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡± the referee shouted.

    Knowing Otis likely relied on Fire Types, Sam grabbed Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball first and tossed it into the air. Otis did the same, and when two Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field, Sam finally understood what was so familiar about his opponent.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Oh, he realized, That¡¯s why I know this guy. Redi challenged him to a fight.

    More importantly, Sam realized something else.

    Huh. I actually know what I need to do to win.

    Quilava might have been on the field, her flames already blazing as strong as they could go, but Haunter was the ¡°solution¡± to the battle. Sam needed him and no one else.

    But that didn¡¯t mean Otis¡¯s Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t intimidating. Appearing across from Quilava was a red, flaming Pok¨¦mon¡ªas expected. It stood on two legs with a bulbous head and a billed mouth that curved up into a mix of a snarl and a smile. The Pok¨¦mon, Magmar, readied itself, raising up both its hands and widening its stance. It had done the same thing against Redi¡¯s Ursaring.

    Two Fire Types faced each other and prepared themselves to fight.

    ¡°A Fire Type, huh?¡± Otis said. ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve made a mistake going against me today.¡±

    Sam replied with nothing. He knew his persona was meant to be arrogant, but he chose to stay silent instead. He merely continued to look over Magmar, making sure it¡¯d behave exactly as he expected. Otis¡¯s taunts meant nothing to him; Sam was going to win.

    ¡°Begin!¡± the referee shouted.

    Magmar was already inhaling, Otis dramatically pointing forward with a deep lean, causing even more of his chest to be exposed.

    ¡°Smog!¡± he ordered.

    Unnaturally green smoke blew out of Magmar¡¯s mouth. Its exhale was strong, sending the gas out like a flood. It threatened to consume Quilava, but Sam countered.

    ¡°Smokescreen.¡±

    Sam spoke calmly. He didn¡¯t feel the need to yell.

    Like the Magmar, Quilava breathed in. However, she was much less dramatic about it, and her smoke was pure black. Though with a smaller size, the Smokescreen collided with the Smog, and the two approaching clouds collided, were sent upwards, and created a swirling cloud in the center of the field.

    Sam didn¡¯t wait.

    ¡°I¡¯m withdrawing Quilava from this battle,¡± he announced.

    There were a few shouts from the audience. The referee nodded to confirm Sam¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Falkner murmured from above. ¡°Completely withdrawing a Pok¨¦mon so soon? He won¡¯t be able to rely on his Pok¨¦mon for the rest of the match.¡±

    If Sam had a switch, he would have used it. Since that wasn¡¯t a possibility, this was the next best thing. It wasn¡¯t risky since he already had a plan to win this fight.

    Quickly, he withdrew Quilava into her Pok¨¦ball and a flash of light saw Haunter appear above the field.

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Otis shouted the very moment the battle resumed.

    Haunter was already eyeing the cloud in the center, and as a stream of flames tore through it, he dropped to float near the floor and rushed to disappear within.

    ¡°Nice try, but hiding won¡¯t matter if we can just burn you out. Another Flamethrower, keep it up!¡±

    More fire left Magmar¡¯s throat. It carved through the mixture of Smokescreen and Smog, but it didn¡¯t reveal Haunter.

    Sam said nothing. He chose to sit back, wait, and watch. Magmar was Otis¡¯s most powerful Pok¨¦mon on his team. The man had beat Redi. He had worn her down through its use of Smog and flames. Haunter didn¡¯t need to worry about poison, but he did need to worry about heat. However, if he didn¡¯t show any injuries, and if they could just get this one Pok¨¦mon to faint...

    Through the smoke, a slowly closing hole formed from the Flamethrower let Sam see Otis¡¯s face. The firebreather looked annoyed at the lack of any reaction. They made eye contact, and Sam pounced.

    He finally smirked.

    ¡°If this isn¡¯t working... Head right into it, Magmar! Use Fire Punch!¡±

    Otis sounded annoyed.

    A swipe through the air saw Magmar¡¯s fist catch fire. A second swipe saw its other fist burn just as bright. Two hands prepped for flaming strikes, and the Magmar charged. Sam waited for just before it entered the cloud to give his first command.

    ¡°Hypnosis.¡±

    Haunter burst out like a jumpscare. Magmar made a honking noise that didn¡¯t quite fit its appearance, letting loose a panicked swing. The Fire Punch came out early, swiping through nothing more than a few wisps of gas, and the power carried in its punch saw Magmar spin in place due to the momentum.

    Credit to it, it was still well-trained, and Magmar caught itself before it fell. It turned back to Haunter to try its second punch, but it froze. Inches away from its face, Haunter¡¯s blue-tinted gaze claimed it.

    ¡°Pull back! Don¡¯t stare!¡± Otis shouted.

    ¡°Too late,¡± Sam said under his breath.

    The flames on Magmar¡¯s fists faded away. Haunter floated closer to it in the air. It didn¡¯t move, utterly trapped, and Haunter pressed his forehead to Magmar¡¯s own.

    A sizzling sound could be heard as Haunter pressed against Magmar. A bit of steam entered the air where the two Pok¨¦mon touched. Arguably, this move could only hurt him, as Haunter was being hurt by the heat. However, maintaining the Hypnosis through the ridiculous heat was intimidating. The corner of Otis¡¯s mouth quivered.

    Magmar slumped to its knees as Haunter pulled back. It crumpled to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.

    ¡°Night Shade!¡±

    Darkness utterly consumed it. Two Pok¨¦mon disappeared, and Otis tried to shout more commands. Haunter¡¯s newest move, Night Shade, might not have been that strong on its own, but it was the perfect cover for anything else he might be doing inside.

    The announcers chatted about the relatively unseen battle so far, and a short while later, the Night Shade dropped. The Smokescreen-Smog combo had all but faded away, but Haunter remained. He floated victorious. Beneath him, Magmar laid unmoving on the ground.

    The head referee raised a flag in Otis¡¯s direction, signaling Magmar had fainted. Otis was forced to return his Pok¨¦mon. When he did so, Sam took pride in how Otis gritted his teeth.

    Sam needed to wait for Otis to decide who to send out next. As time passed to let the other trainer make a decision, the screen above the field showed the status of both trainers¡¯ teams. Sam had three circles under a photo of him. Two circles displayed pictures of Quilava and Haunter, but the last was a question mark. Meanwhile, Otis had three circles¡ªMagmar and two question marks. And, since they had been eliminated from the fight, both Quilava and Magmar¡¯s pictures were greyed out.

    As Sam smiled at that¡ªthe first true knock-out of the match¡ªhe suddenly heard Mr. Pok¨¦mon laugh.

    ¡°Oh? It looks like young Samuel already has fans in the audience!¡±

    The screen above cut to show Redi sitting next to Ursaring. They each held up one side of a banner that said ¡°You can do it, Sam!¡±

    Sam felt warm when he saw that, but Ursaring quickly tapped Redi on the shoulder. She glanced up at the screen, a grin appeared, and they worked together to quickly show the other side of the banner.

    ¡°Hire Vermillion Construction Co. for all your construction needs!¡±

    The camera couldn¡¯t switch away fast enough.

    ¡°Vulpix!¡± Otis shouted.

    The shout brought Sam¡¯s attention back onto the field. Otis looked serious. Angry. He all but snarled at Sam.

    ¡°You won¡¯t faint my other Pok¨¦mon as easily as Magmar,¡± he said.

    ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Sam asked.

    For the briefest of moments, Otis looked as though he wanted to take Sam up on the offer. Instead, he bit his lip and said nothing. The referee resumed the match.

    ¡°Hypnosis.¡±

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to snort.

    Clearly, Otis wanted to try to trap Haunter in illusions before he could do the same to Vulpix. Unfortunately for him, Haunter easily rolled away from the red fox¡¯s greyish beam, and upon making eye contact, the little Pok¨¦mon immediately collapsed.

    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Otis shouted.

    Vulpix and Haunter disappeared within a Night Shade before the move dropped, leaving Vulpix fainted on the ground.

    Otis practically slammed the Pok¨¦ball back into his vest pocket once Vulpix was returned. A hand went down to grip the end of his torch, likely an unconscious reaction. Sam couldn¡¯t hear it, but it looked like Otis let out a growl as well.

    ¡°Furret!¡± he shouted.

    Sam raised an eyebrow¡ªFurret was a Normal Type, not a Fire Type. A week ago, it could have utterly walled Haunter. Now? Now, he actually had a way to fight back.

    ¡°Hypnosis,¡± Sam said the moment the battle resumed.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t! Use Quick Attack! Into Sunny Day!¡± Otis shouted.

    Before Haunter could lock eyes with it, Furret was already dashing to the side, circling around the floating Ghost Type. It focused on what was ahead of it rather than its opponent, meaning that Haunter couldn¡¯t land his move.

    He stayed in place, though he rotated to track the running ferret. As part of its circling dash, it leaped into the air, rolled with its limbs clutched close to its chest, and tossed them out when it faced upside down. With that movement came a fiery sphere it threw high into the air.

    Sunny Day was a weather move, the first time Sam had personally seen one in battle. Sunny Day¡¯s harsh sunlight seared away all other weather conditions and created an intense heat that powered up Fire Type attacks.

    Sam could see where Otis was going with this¡ªSunny Day was bright. The man wanted to make the darkness-conjuring Night Shade impossible to use while also empowering the Fire Type.

    Except, there was a problem with that line of thinking.

    Sure, Night Shade is a decent way for Haunter to hide, but why would we use it against a Normal Type? Furret is immune!

    His confidence regained, Otis shouted for one more command.

    ¡°Fire Punch! And use your speed to guide you¡ªclose your eyes!¡±

    Furret turned on a dime, its noodly body briefly twisting into a sharp, right angle. It bounded forward and jumped, sailing right towards Haunter with a paw consumed by flame. Clearly, Sam wasn¡¯t the only one to have relied on a TM move in the past, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    Time to make a splash.

    This would be the first time Sam used something from the New Pok¨¦dex in such a public battle. Smiling, he called for Haunter¡¯s Poison Type attack.

    The crowd went wild.

    Haunter pulled back, the blind Fire Punch becoming nothing more than a graze. As Furret continued its arc and began to fall, he quickly breathed in and grinned, exposing his teeth. Then, like a kid playing with water, he pressed his tongue forward to cause liquid to spray out through the gaps between his teeth. It splashed onto Furret¡¯s fur, and when the Pok¨¦mon landed, a bit of steam drifted off of its body.

    ¡°What move was that?¡± Falkner¡¯s voice echoed out, surprised.

    Nurse Joy hummed but didn¡¯t answer.

    Sam couldn¡¯t see him, but the pause in the announcers¡¯ voices made him think that Mr. Pok¨¦mon was rubbing his mustache.

    ¡°Acid Spray,¡± the man said. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve heard of that move before. Mostly from foreign Poison Type trainers, but if I recall correctly, Kanto¡¯s Koga has displayed it in his fights. While Acid Spray might not be the most damaging move, its acid scours its target''s flesh. The result is that the move scales in power, rendering opponents quite vulnerable to further special attacks.¡±

    There was a pregnant pause after Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    ¡°Brutal,¡± Nurse Joy said.

    Some of the audience quieted down.

    Truthfully, Sam hadn¡¯t intended to teach Haunter this move. He had started with Smog, but that had been put aside as Quilava¡¯s Smokescreen worked well enough to create dark clouds. He instead tried for Sludge Bomb, as that was a powerful Poison Type attack.

    However, their attempts to make use of Haunter¡¯s Poison Type resulted in a happy accident; by first attempting to learn the gaseous Smog before moving into the more solid Sludge Bomb, Haunter¡¯s poisons came out like thin liquids. Sam used the New Pok¨¦dex to scan for alternatives before settling on this attack.

    Acid Spray could come out like a splattering glob or as a spray from the teeth. Either way, it was rather caustic. It burned foes and made them more vulnerable to follow-up moves from any special attackers on Sam¡¯s team.

    You know, maybe Otis should have called for Furret to open its eyes, huh?

    Furret was still sizzling, even now. The Acid Spray lingered on its body and burned at both its flesh and fur. It wiggled unhappily, and instead of resuming its dash, Furret fell on its side and rolled across the dirt to try to rub off all of the lingering acid.

    ¡°What did you do to Furret?¡± Otis accused.

    Sam shrugged.

    ¡°Oh, you know. Used Acid Spray?¡±

    With that phrasing, Haunter attacked again, this time spitting out a glob. Furret dodged with Quick Attack, but that was all it could do. Haunter didn¡¯t let up his assault.

    Due to the barrage of Acid Sprays coming its way, Furret could no longer attack. It was forced to keep running to avoid Haunter¡¯s moves. With it being Otis¡¯s last Pok¨¦mon and with the potential build-up of Acid Spray¡¯s effects, it couldn¡¯t afford to take any damage. However, while it never took any direct attacks, each attack still caused a few droplets to splash onto its fur.

    Its defeat would be inevitable if it kept this up.

    ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s it! Go for a Fire Punch, head on!¡±

    And that was the mistake Sam was waiting for.

    He watched as Furret turned, rolled, and jumped into the air, and once its trajectory was set, he called out a move.

    ¡°Hypnosis.¡±

    Otis smacked his own face.

    So focused on Acid Spray, they forgot about the real reason Haunter was out. He made eye contact with the soaring Furret, and the Pok¨¦mon slumped without attacking. When it hit the ground, asleep, it had no way to avoid one last, direct hit.

    A final Acid Spray finished it off.

    ¡°And in an impressive battle, Samuel Greyson and Haunter have utterly dominated Otis¡¯s team!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon shouted. ¡°An incredible show of techniques, both new and old! Won¡¯t everyone give a hand for these two trainers?¡±

    As Otis returned his Pok¨¦mon, and as the audience cheered, Sam could have sworn he heard Redi excitedly shouting his name over the noise of the crowd.

    Sam returned Haunter, who disappeared in the middle of a salute. He walked onto the field, making sure to avoid anywhere the Acid Spray landed, and shook Otis¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Good battle,¡± Sam said.

    Otis just grunted.

    Sam casually waved to the audience one last time before stepping off the field. Haunter was passed over to the awaiting nurse to get treated, and instead of returning to the waiting room, Sam left.

    He had time before the next round, and he wanted to talk to Redi before his next match began.

 Chapter 56

    Sam was ambushed the moment he left the lower hallways. The Machoke standing guard stepped to the side to let him out only for him to be rushed by a pair of reporters.

    ¡°Hi, Samuel! I¡¯m Marilyn with the Johto News Network! Would you be interested in a quick interview? The public is dying for answers!¡±

    The blonde woman¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope as she held a microphone under her chin. Behind her, a heavyset man balanced a camera on one shoulder, keeping it pointed right at Sam.

    ¡°Uhh...¡±

    His mind went blank. He¡¯d never been in an interview before. Sure, he¡¯d had fantasies of being interviewed once he was a rich and famous Ghost Type specialist, but right now?

    ¡°We¡¯re interviewing every competitor we can catch. Don¡¯t worry! You aren¡¯t the only one going to be on T.V.!¡±

    ...Be on T.V.

    ¡°Okay?¡± Sam said, speaking before realizing what was leaving his mouth.

    ¡°Great!¡±

    Marilyn all but dragged Sam to a corner of the arena¡¯s front lobby, where a few people were still occasionally heading in. Groups passed by to pick up confections from vendors in the upper level, and a few of them pointed at Sam from a railing that overlooked the entrance. None of them approached, but a few people did stop to watch the impending interview from the side.

    Marilyn fluffed her hair. The reporter adjusted her suit jacket and stood up a bit straighter while staring at the camera¡¯s lens.

    ¡°Everything ready?¡± she asked.

    The cameraman, a hanging card naming him as Monroe, gave her a thumbs up before using his hand to start counting down from five.

    ¡°Is this live?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Hm? No, this is pre-recorded. You¡¯ll be able to catch yourself on a segment tonight. And don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll fix any blemishes in post.¡±

    ¡°Blemishes?¡±

    A red light on the camera turned on, and Marilyn gave it a blinding smile.

    ¡°Hello! Today we¡¯re here with competitor Samuel Greyson, whose Haunter made an impressive showing in the first round of the Violet City Tournament!¡± She turned towards Sam. ¡°Your use of Hypnosis was inspiring, and Acid Spray was a genuine surprise! Everyone wants to know: where do you get your ideas from, and how did you train your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Sam blinked at her and shifted uncomfortably. The camera recorded every smallest movement. He was suddenly very aware that Haunter wasn¡¯t nearby. The Pok¨¦mon was actively being treated by a nurse for the damage he¡¯d taken during the fight with Otis. Without him in Sam¡¯s shadow, there was no comforting chill in his spine or the occasional brush of something next to his feet to remind him that he wasn¡¯t alone.

    His mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to say anything out loud.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of research,¡± he said, wondering why he agreed to this in the first place. ¡°I¡¯ve spent a lot of time looking into the Ghost Type. Morty helped me kickstart my strategy, too.¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°Wait, do you mean Gym Leader Morty? Morty of Ecruteak City Gym, that Morty?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uhm, yes? He helped me get out of a rut I was stuck in. Helped me figure out what kind of strategy I wanted for my team, too. I wasn¡¯t able to get a sponsorship, though. I met him after the season started, which meant any offers like that had already been given out.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re saying that a sponsorship was on the table,¡± Marilyn stated incredulously.

    Sam nervously licked his lips, realizing he probably said too much. He kept his mouth closed as he tried to find a way to recover.

    ¡°Well,¡± the reporter chuckled to herself, ¡°now that¡¯s a twist! Tutored by Morty himself¡ª¡±

    ¡°He just gave me advice.¡±

    ¡°¡ªTo help out with his team¡¯s strategy!¡± she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose he¡¯s helped you with any other tricks, or if you have any other secret plans up your sleeves?¡±

    Sam swallowed a bit of saliva. He already knew a few answers to that question.

    Haunter has been training another Ghost Type move. It¡¯s not battle ready, but he might be able to pull it off in a pinch.

    Quilava doesn¡¯t have any new attacks, but we''ve been chaining her moves together in new ways.

    And no one¡¯s going to expect a bruiser like Primeape to be on my team. Not to mention that Brick Break and Rock Smash are basically the same attack, and with all the practice we¡¯ve done with his anger and his other punching moves¡ª

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll just have to wait and see,¡± Sam offered.

    Marilyn laughed, and Sam was already looking for a way to escape. A hallway led to a publicly-accessible route, and he knew it contained a staircase that¡¯d let him reach the upper levels and talk to Redi.

    Only two questions had been asked, but Sam already felt like he had butchered this interview. First he was too revealing, then he wasn¡¯t revealing enough. He also hadn¡¯t thought to maintain his persona.

    Managing appearances was getting really annoying to do.

    ¡°For the rest of your team¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m actually needed somewhere else. I have to leave,¡± Sam interrupted.

    ¡°Oh well¡ª¡± Marilyn was cut off again when Sam started to walk away. ¡°Any final words before you go?¡±

    He stopped, paused, and remembered a statement he had heard back in Goldenrod. He turned to face the camera one last time, a confident smile returning to his face.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m winning this tournament, and I¡¯m going to win the Silver Conference, too.¡±

    Marilyn¡¯s expression would have fit a hungry Meowth finding a pile of fish. She turned back to the camera and continued to speak at it as Sam disappeared out to the side.

    Maybe that salvaged something?

    He was experiencing this from a first-person view. He had no clue how he¡¯d come across on the screen.

    ...Although, he would absolutely try to catch the news tonight. He¡¯d also probably call his mom and tell her he was going to be on T.V.

    Before heading upstairs, Sam slipped into a bathroom and changed his outfit. He took off his hooded jacket and scarf, bundling them under one arm. He had to fix his hair to make it not as flat, but when he exited, he didn¡¯t have anything on that¡¯d identify him as a competitor. He looked like almost any other guy.

    No one bothered him as he moved to an upper entrance to the arena. A tunnel emerged to where the audience sat. Cheers filled the air around him, with the announcers¡¯ voices reacting to a battle taking place below. Sam searched for Redi, having seen her hold up a sign around this area earlier. It took a few seconds, but he quickly found her. She was still seated in the very first row, the space dedicated for friends of competitors and trainers with larger Pok¨¦mon.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Redi. Redi!¡± Sam half-hissed, half-shouted from where he remained in the hallway tunnel.

    A few people passed him and gave him a strange look. One of Ursaring¡¯s rounded ears flicked back as Sam continued to hiss. The large, ursine Pok¨¦mon looked a little out of place in a seat meant for a human, but sitting down, he was about the height of an adult male. Although, he was much wider than one and significantly more furry.

    Turning around, Ursaring made eye contact with Sam and nudged Redi with his snout. He pointed to Sam, and she smiled. Redi got up and jogged over to meet him.

    The moment she arrived next to him, Redi pumped her fists.

    ¡°That was perfect! Might not have looked as arrogant as we wanted, but you came across even better. The tired eyes. The shadows on your face. The way you had a scowl! Oh, you looked like you thought this tournament wasn¡¯t worth your time! Grumpy and annoyed that you had to be called out on the field in the first place!¡±

    ¡°I was trying to look serious,¡± Sam said quietly.

    Redi waved her hand.

    ¡°You did. But you also looked confident. If you want to trick your opponents, it¡¯ll definitely work. Honestly, if I saw you, I¡¯d think you would try to rely on strong attacks to end the battle early. But now that you showed off Haunter?¡± She grinned. ¡°People will expect him to have tricks, but they won¡¯t have even an inkling of what Quilava and Primeape are capable of.¡±

    She wiped her mouth. Sam was pretty sure she was drooling at the thought of that Hyper Beam TM as a reward.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Redi continued, ¡°where is Haunter, anyway? I wanna congratulate him on his match.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s getting healed. He spent a lot of time in the smoke cloud dodging Flamethrowers, and he got really close to Magmar¡¯s Flame Body, too. It was pretty hot out there, and just being around fire can be draining. You know, because of the heat?¡±

    Haunter wasn¡¯t burned, but Sam wasn¡¯t going to make any assumptions. Between each match, he wanted his Pok¨¦mon to rest as much as they could to be in tip-top shape for their next one.

    ¡°I mostly came here to bounce a strategy off of you,¡± Sam said. ¡°What do you think about me only using Haunter in the next two matches?¡±

    Redi hummed, crossing her arms as she considered it.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention making this mistake before? In the preliminary rounds of the Beginner¡¯s Tournament. You talked about relying on Cyndaquil too much. She got tired and fainted, right?¡±

    Sam shook his head.

    ¡°Different idea this time around. Those battles were restricted to one Pok¨¦mon at a time, which is where I messed up. I can swap him out if he¡¯s starting to slow down. I¡¯m more thinking of really playing into his tricks. Make people less prepared for the rest of my team, kinda in line with what you just said.¡±

    Haunter¡¯s moveset was perfect for wearing enemies down. He relied on utility moves the most out of any member of Sam¡¯s team. Primeape was the opposite in that he was pure offense, and Quilava was a mix of the two. Both of them were more susceptible to damage from attacks. Keeping Haunter out more often in these early rounds could help minimize the injuries Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon received.

    ¡°I¡¯d be careful about it, but it sounds like a good idea on paper. I¡¯d probably fall for it, honestly,¡± Redi said. ¡°I¡¯d have liked to tell you to be careful about people getting used to how Haunter fights, but...¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Redi said. ¡°You¡¯re the one better at strategy between the two of us. With what I¡¯ve seen from you, I doubt anyone will be prepared for all of your tricks.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Redi. I¡ª¡±

    The crowd suddenly turned uproarious. Redi¡¯s head snapped to the battlefield, and Sam went quiet, needing to cover his ears. From his position in the hallway, Sam wasn¡¯t able to see what was going on within the field so far away. However, all it took was a single look exchanged with Redi to make a silent agreement to head out and check what was going on.

    ¡°A magnificent use of Psychic from a Pok¨¦mon yet to achieve its final form! Who knows what Franklin¡¯s Pok¨¦mon might be capable of once it evolves?¡±

    The screen on the field showed two trainers with team members listed out underneath them. One trainer had three Pok¨¦mon revealed, yet the other only had one.

    A Vileplume and a Ledian were greyed out¡ªfainted. A headshot of a Clefable was still in full color, but things weren¡¯t looking good for it on the field.

    A lone Kadabra stood with a hand outstretched, a spoon held in one hand. Its opponent, that very Clefable, squirmed in the air, levitating due to a constricting blue glow.

    ¡°Finish it,¡± the Kadabra¡¯s trainer, Franklin, said.

    The spoon in Kadabra¡¯s hand bent at a sharp angle. Clefable was slammed into the ground, and it didn¡¯t get up.

    ¡°The winner, Franklin!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice shouted from the speakers within the arena. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what he¡¯ll be capable of in the next round!¡±

    The crowd resumed its cheers at an incredible volume, and Sam and Redi moved back to hide in the hallway.

    ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t the only trainer sweeping with one Pok¨¦mon,¡± she said, nudging Sam¡¯s arm.

    Sam glanced back out to the field. He couldn¡¯t see it, but new trainers were already coming out.

    ¡°Edgar¡¯s in the tournament, too,¡± he said quietly. ¡°A few other strong trainers as well. I know my team has trained well enough, but if I¡¯m going to win...¡±

    Sam had an uphill battle ahead of him.

    <hr>

    Most trainers in the tournament had five star teams. Each of them were strong enough to have decent odds at winning their fifth Gym Badge. Thankfully, Sam¡¯s team was also at that level after a week and a half throwing themselves into Redi¡¯s harsh training. It was exhausting¡ªnot something any of them would be willing to do often¡ªbut the results spoke for themselves.

    However, as Sam carefully observed what matches he could, he began to notice a pattern. Yes, trainers were relying on status conditions more often, but most of the competitors lacked an overarching strategy. People had been building up their teams, but they tended to fail to build up their strategies. As far as he could tell, these trainers were only just now preparing themselves for the long run.

    But, take Sam. He¡¯d been working on properly developing his team¡¯s strategy ever since after his first badge. It was strange to suddenly stop, look around, and realize that he had somehow become ahead of the curve.

    He was also distinctly aware that his team had counters to the status conditions trainers were beginning to rely on. Haunter¡¯s Poison Type meant he was immune to being poisoned. Quilava¡¯s Fire Type meant she couldn¡¯t be burned. While Primeape¡¯s Fighting Type didn¡¯t grant him such an immunity, his ability Vital Spirit meant he could never be forcibly put to sleep. That meant their only weakness was paralysis, but Sam also had ideas on how to counter that.

    The more he paid attention, the more he understood that he had a legitimate chance to win. It wasn¡¯t just bluster; his team was legitimately strong and well trained. He only needed to worry about their stamina over time, as he was working with three Pok¨¦mon whereas the other trainers tended to have at least four.

    For now, at least, the second battle was going well.

    ¡°Hypnosis,¡± Sam said.

    Haunter¡¯s move failed to put his opponent¡¯s last Pok¨¦mon to sleep, but it was a reminder that the Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t risk opening its eyes.

    At the start, a Bellosom was sent into unconsciousness after Haunter floated too far up for its Stun Spore to reach. A Dugtrio was able to avoid the move for a while, but it still had to surface if it wanted to attack with something Haunter wasn¡¯t immune to thanks to his Levitate. That just left a Graveler, who might as well have not been attacking. It dug its four arms into the ground, ripped free chunks of earth, and chucked them at Haunter with rapid-fire Rock Throws.

    Unfortunately for it, it was attacking blind.

    ¡°Keep it up! It can¡¯t dodge forever!¡± the Graveler¡¯s trainer shouted.

    Sam kept his mouth closed. His opponent was just exhausting himself and praying for a miracle hit.

    Haunter was having a great time, meanwhile, laughing and cackling and shouting his name as he easily avoided every toss. They either went too wide or moved through the air too slowly. The Graveler was too focused on keeping its eyes closed to actually adjust its aim.

    Sam had to admit that Hypnosis wasn¡¯t a perfect strategy, but he was content to abuse it while opponents weren¡¯t prepared to counter the move. Hypnosis tended to come out slowly, taking a while to take full effect. After all, in training, Haunter had prioritized accuracy over speed. Here, a Pok¨¦mon more used to Hypnosis¡¯s effects could likely break out of it. Alternatively, they could simply outpace it, like how Otis¡¯s Furret had done.

    For now, it meant an easy victory again in his second battle, which Sam was moments away from winning. The sound of Haunter¡¯s laughter seemed to come from everywhere but him, and his movement in the air was perfectly silent. Graveler didn¡¯t have a way to know where he was.

    Eventually, the Rock Type was forced to peek open an eye to try to see where Haunter was, but the moment it did, Haunter was ready. Confuse Ray came out faster than Hypnosis, and the illusions panicked Graveler and caused it to keep its eyes open. A Magnitude did no damage to the floating Haunter, and its use of the attack gave Haunter plenty of time to zip over, make eye contact, and cause Graveler to slump to the ground.

    Moves like Dream Eater or Nightmare would pair better with sleep, but those were moves to be learned later. Night Shade worked well enough for now, and, not moving, Graveler was an easy target for Haunter¡¯s continued assault.

    Just like the two Pok¨¦mon before it, Graveler fainted without putting up a decent fight.

    ¡°Samuel is victorious!¡± the head referee shouted.

    As the crowd cheered, Sam smiled and raised a single hand to wave at the audience. He tried to maintain a nonchalant look, but Haunter rushed him. The Ghost Type affectionately pushed against his face.

    ¡°Hold on, wait Haunter! My persona!¡± Sam hissed in a whisper.

    People laughed. One of the commenters said something. As Haunter continued his half-feigned show of affection, he sent Sam a pointed look.

    Though this had only been the second match, Hypnosis was an intensive move. Using it so frequently was taking a lot out of him. He needed time to rest. Relying on this strategy again in the next round would likely take him out of the tournament.

    ¡°Got it. Thanks,¡± Sam whispered.

    He nodded slightly, hiding the motion in his hood as he returned his Pok¨¦mon. He put the Pok¨¦ball back into his pocket before shaking his opponent¡¯s hand and leaving the field.

    Back in the waiting room, Sam went over alternate strategies in his mind as he observed the remaining battles. Thirty-one had been turned to sixteen, and now that sixteen was turning to eight. The room was significantly emptier this time around, and it didn¡¯t take long for the next few matches to take place and conclude.

    ¡°What an exciting tournament!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said, speaking while the Pok¨¦ball graphic transitioned the screen to a shot of the three announcers in their box. ¡°I have to say, there have been quite a number of surprises and upsets. So many different strategies!¡±

    Next to him, Nurse Joy sighed.

    ¡°I was rooting for Travis. It¡¯s a shame he was eliminated. His opponent definitely deserved that win, however.¡±

    ¡°Abe¡¯s my favorite,¡± Falkner added, but he didn¡¯t go into any details.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon laughed again and picked up a stack of papers sitting on the desk in front of him. He smiled, but his bushy mustache half-hid the curve of his lips.

    ¡°Well then! With that final match concluded, we¡¯re onto the third round of the Violet City Tournament. Thirty-one trainers entered the arena today, and now only eight of them are left. With the numbers cut to a fourth, it¡¯s time to change things up. We¡¯re now in phase two of how these battles are organized. I hope you¡¯re looking forward to this as much as I am!¡±

    Another scene transition took place. An unlabeled bracket replaced the announcers on the screen.

    ¡°No matter who fights, all competitors have tough battles ahead of them. Whether it''s Abe and his devastating Fearow, Melody and her hard-to-pin Jumpluff, or Samuel and his sleep-inducing Haunter, they¡¯re going to have to play well if they want to make it to the finals!¡±

    The cheers were greater for Abe and Melody, as those two were locals and Violet City was definitely biased for trainers who lived nearby. Sam still puffed up his chest when his name was mentioned, however. It was a point of pride that his team was significant enough to be singled out.

    ¡°For the rest of these rounds, matches will be determined by the Pok¨¦mon League¡¯s latest pairing algorithms, now in use for major tournaments such as the Conference itself! Computers will automatically pair trainers against one another to make the most exciting tournament possible. The results will be up shortly, as soon as the calculations are done!¡±

    ¡°Technology sure is incredible,¡± Nurse Joy said.

    A fanfare played as a series of names randomly flashed through each of the eight boxes on the screen, letters and portraits changing too fast to let anyone see. A drumroll then preceded a series of beeps, and one by one, boxes were filled with the identifies of trainers and their opponents.

    ¡°You should be seeing the bracket on the screen now,¡± Falkner said. ¡°Where is¡ª There we go.¡±

    Franklin versus Melody. Abe versus Roland. Edgar versus¡ª

    Sam was placed in the fourth match of the third round. He stayed quiet as he took in the portrait of his opponent.

    A smug grin. A dark leather jacket. The smallest of goatees growing on his chin.

    He¡¯d seen the man before. They¡¯d fought once in Olivine. Sam was pretty sure he had witnessed his loss against Morty in his Gym.

    ¡°Hm. Franklin and his Kadabra will likely be celebrating this outcome,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°Looks like his two most difficult opponents facing each other! For the last battle of round three, it¡¯ll be Samuel versus Victor in a Ghost versus Dark Type match for the ages!¡±

 Chapter 57

    When the announcers described the bracket, they had described the battles in order. They started with Franklin¡¯s battle in the top-left and ended with Sam¡¯s battle in the bottom right. Sam had the advantage of being assigned the last battle of the four, meaning he could spend time observing and preparing for the other trainers¡¯ teams. However, with how the bracket was essentially divided into halves to determine the finalists, only one person on each side of the bracket would actually matter. Sam didn¡¯t truly need to observe any of the first four trainers just yet. He only needed to worry about them once he beat Victor and had the potential to defeat Edgar and move on.

    Because, honestly, if Edgar doesn¡¯t win his next match, there''s something major missing in my understanding of Pok¨¦mon. If he loses, I might as well drop out because there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to win with an understanding that flawed.

    Sam was also pretty sure his final opponent would be Franklin, but that was only an assumption. He didn¡¯t mean any offense to the rest of the competitors, but Franklin was the only trainer among them who hadn¡¯t revealed more than one Pok¨¦mon. He was doing the same as Sam; having a single team member easily sweep anyone he faced. If he displayed a Pok¨¦mon other than his Kadabra in the impending match, Sam could still hear about it from Redi later. No, what Sam needed to do right now was ensure a win against Victor. He needed to plan if he wanted to reach the top four and guarantee himself at least one of those insanely valuable prize TMs.

    After retrieving his stuff from a locker, Sam slipped out of the waiting room as the sounds of quiet conversations continued behind him. Most of the trainers here had already been eliminated, but that didn¡¯t mean they were suddenly banned from the room. They also had belongings stored in the lockers, and the exterior balcony gave them a far better view of the battlefield than if they went and found a seat in the stands.

    Intending to find a private space to plan, Sam returned to the lowest hallways to pick up the healed Haunter and began searching for an empty room. Doors to single-person dressing rooms were common, though they were in fewer numbers than in the Olivine¡¯s arena. Sam waited until no one was around to release his Ghost Type, who appeared with a somewhat tired nod of his head.

    ¡°Can you get the door?¡± Sam asked.

    Haunter phased through and opened it with a click from the other side. Sam stepped in and smiled at him gratefully before making sure the entrance was locked behind him.

    ¡°Come on out, everyone,¡± Sam said, tossing two more Pok¨¦balls into the air.

    Now safe, his team appeared. Quilava arched her back, and Primeape bashed his fists together. He looked up at Sam expectantly.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your time to shine in the next round. Haunter needs to rest.¡±

    Primeape grinned under his thick fur, though the Pok¨¦mon did send a subtle, concerned glance towards Haunter.

    It wasn¡¯t that Haunter was weak, but his relative amorphousness came with a certain lack of stamina. So many uses of an intensive move like Hypnosis could be draining, and he¡¯d pushed himself to not take damage from any direct attacks.

    ¡°We¡¯re having a team planning session,¡± Sam announced, swinging his backpack over his shoulder and beginning to dig through. ¡°Haunter¡¯s already taken out two teams for us, but we still have three more coming up. Victor and his Dark Types are our immediate concern. Edgar and his Poison Types will be after. We¡¯ll do this again when the finals come up, but now, let¡¯s see what our next opponents have to offer.¡±

    Once he found it, Sam placed the New Pok¨¦dex on a stool in the center of the room. Primeape dragged another one over to give him the height needed to let him see. As the stool¡¯s legs squeaked across the tile, Sam scooped up Quilava and deposited her on his shoulders so that she could look on as well.

    ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex has a ridiculous number of species, but I¡¯m getting better at remembering where and what the entries are,¡± Sam said as everyone gathered around. ¡°I¡¯ve mostly been focusing on nearby species, but between Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, and Hoenn, that¡¯s at least five-hundred different Pok¨¦mon to memorize¡ªespecially when you count all the variants and alternate evolutions.¡±

    Sam almost licked his finger to turn the page but stopped. That kind of action risked damaging the old book. Instead, he just carefully parsed through to find the entries he wanted. As he did, he mumbled to go over the relevant species he could remember.

    ¡°If Victor¡¯s specializing in the Dark Type, there¡¯s only so many Pok¨¦mon he can have. He¡¯s shown off a Murkrow, a Houndoom, and a Sneasel, but then he might be hiding an Umbreon or a... Tyranitar?¡± Sam shivered, but he doubted such a rare and powerful Pok¨¦mon would make an appearance in this tournament. ¡°As for any other species, he¡¯ll likely only have Pok¨¦mon found in Johto. I mean, he only had two Pok¨¦mon back in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, and unless he made a pit stop in Hoenn or traded for a new species¡ªwhich doesn¡¯t seem like something he¡¯d do¡ªhe¡¯ll probably have some sort of mix of those five.¡±

    Sam glanced around at his team. He quickly flipped through the pages to show them drawings of each of the species he¡¯d mentioned. Primeape made a noise when he saw Murkrow; he¡¯d been the one to knock it out with a strike to the throat back in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament preliminaries. Sam was also pretty sure he had seen Victor use his unevolved Houndour against Morty, but Victor had lost that battle, and that entire day might as well have been a blur, anyway.

    He cleared his throat and began to state more specific details, starting with the obvious.

    ¡°Murkrow¡¯s a Flying Type. Quick and agile, capable of strikes that make use of its speed. Just going off the New Pok¨¦dex, I¡¯d say we¡¯d need to worry about it harassing us from range, but it''s only ever shown off contact moves. Most of its listed moves are still unknown. We should be able to attack it right before it gets close.¡±

    Primeape punched his fists together again. Sam sent him a nod¡ªeven though Murkrow¡¯s Flying Type gave it an advantage, Primeape would make for a good counter. However, Sam also shifted his head to nudge Quilava. If Murkrow had to get close to strike, then it¡¯d also have trouble avoiding Quilava¡¯s flames.

    ¡°As for its abilities...¡±

    Abilities were tougher to judge since so many remained undiscovered. There was no way to tell what a Pok¨¦mon had trained until its abilities became relevant in a fight.

    ¡°Kinda doubt it¡¯ll have Super Luck or Prankster trained. Haven¡¯t heard of Super Luck before, and Prankster is its hidden ability. Only like, ten species actually have their hidden abilities known, and even then I doubt the average trainer has bothered to research them. Really, it¡¯s Insomnia we need to worry about. That means for you, Haunter...¡±

    The Ghost Type nodded his head. Insomnia meant a Pok¨¦mon had great difficulties falling asleep. Something like Hypnosis wouldn¡¯t work. While Sam planned to hold Haunter back as much as possible in this upcoming match, if he was sent out against Murkrow, they¡¯d need to resort to something other than the one strategy they¡¯ve relied on so far.

    Which is fine. If anything, I wouldn¡¯t mind being able to branch out for once.

    ¡°Up next is Victor¡¯s Houndoom,¡± Sam said, turning to the next entry. ¡°It¡¯s a classic Fire Type with a Dark Type twist. Expect attacks from range, but also expect devastating bites. Really, what we need to worry about most is Flash Fire. It¡¯ll be able to absorb and empower itself with any flames thrown at it, so remember that ability, and then Early Bird will let it wake up from Hypnosis right away, too.¡±

    With that comment, Haunter huffed, miming crossing a set of invisible arms. The revealed Pok¨¦mon on Victor¡¯s team practically no-sold his Hypnosis so far, but he did have a considering look on his face.

    Against Houndoom, ranged attacks would remain a problem, but Haunter could float and avoid the Dark Type¡¯s bites. Not just that, but Acid Spray was still a strong attacking move. If Houndoom proved to be too strong, even a single use of Acid Spray could prime the Pok¨¦mon to be taken out by Quilava¡¯s Swift.

    Sam took note of Haunter¡¯s reminder, but he doubted he¡¯d need to send Haunter out in this battle.

    ¡°So that just leaves his Sneasel,¡± Sam said next. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot to say about it. Ice and Dark Type, a very fast physical attacker. It¡¯s also pretty frail, so one super effective move should be able to take it out.¡±

    Primeape and Quilava would be the most useful in this next battle, with the super effective advantage of Primeape¡¯s Fighting Type putting the odds firmly in his favor. However, with two more rounds, Sam was wary of revealing too much more and letting future opponents plan. Sure, he could probably beat Victor, but if he showed off too much of what his Pok¨¦mon could do, anyone he faced next would be able to prepare counters like he was doing right now.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    However, Sam focused his thoughts back on the task at hand. This upcoming third round would allow four Pok¨¦mon to be used, which meant Victor had one last, unrevealed team member that needed to be figured out.

    ¡°Victor might have an Umbreon or maybe a Pupitar next, but those two are really rare. He might also have a non-Dark Type Pok¨¦mon on his team, but that means any other species might show up. There¡¯re too many options to bother preparing for right now.¡±

    Umbreon tended to be tanky Pok¨¦mon that were hard to take out, and while Sam doubted Victor had any Pok¨¦mon in Tyranitar¡¯s evolutionary line, they were all still weak to Primeape¡¯s Fighting Type moves. That, and they leaned towards physical moves. Quilava¡¯s Will-O-Wisp would be absolutely crippling.

    Sam frowned after discussing that. Since this was the fourth round, battles would consist of up to four Pok¨¦mon each, though each trainer still only had one switch at their disposal. That meant only one Pok¨¦mon had the potential to be recalled while setting up for the next team member. Sam¡¯s strategy was still hindered; this battle would be based more on personal power, something that Sam hoped all the training with Redi had hopefully shored up.

    ¡°Any final thoughts?¡± he said, nerves building. ¡°Any ideas or recommendations?¡±

    Sam looked between his Pok¨¦mon. While he was the final judge of strategy in battle, his Pok¨¦mon knew what they were capable of and could have insights into what techniques to rely on. Speaking of, Primeape raised a hand. His fur began to stick out as he pulsed a quick use of Curse and followed it up with a few light punches.

    The implication was clear; Primeape wanted to set himself up and sweep through Victor¡¯s team.

    ¡°...Maybe,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s the Houndoom that¡¯d give you trouble. That, and Curse reduces your speed, and Victor¡¯s other two known Pok¨¦mon are really speedy. If you had Bulk Up¡ª¡±

    Primeape snorted to say he could do it regardless.

    Sam hesitantly nodded, but unless something went wrong, he wasn¡¯t sure it was wise to have Primeape expend so much energy in one battle. It¡¯d basically mean Primeape would be useless against Edgar. But, given that Primeape wouldn¡¯t be able to do much against an onslaught of Poison anyway...

    I¡¯ll think about it.

    At least for now, Sam had been able to go over what Victor could do.

    ¡°You remember our strategies, and I¡¯ll do my best to call them out when needed in battle. Don¡¯t be afraid to think for yourself. We¡¯ve already discussed our use-conditions for most of your techniques before the tournament started,¡± Sam said. ¡°For now, we also have Edgar¡¯s team of Poison Types coming up, and I think for that we¡¯ll be able to rely on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Loud thumps shook the room¡¯s door.

    ¡°Room¡¯s locked for a reason! I have half a mind to disqualify you from the tournament for this!¡±

    Shouts of worry came out from Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon as he hurriedly returned his team. He shoved the New Pok¨¦dex into his backpack while Haunter disappeared into his shadow, finishing just in time for the jingling of keys to mark the opening of the door.

    An overweight security man glared at Sam, sending him a flat look.

    ¡°Kid, we have security cameras all over the place. We can see just about the entire arena at once,¡± he said. ¡°Competitors need to stick to their zones for a reason. If you were gone when it was your turn to go up¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Sam stood up and bent forward into a full-body bow.

    Head turned towards the ground, he watched the nervous sweat on his face drip to the floor, and the man in the doorway sigh. Craning his neck up, Sam saw the security guard tiredly rub the back of his neck.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I, uh, don¡¯t actually have the authority to disqualify you. Just... Next time, if you really need a private space, know that you¡¯re allowed to ask.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±

    Sam awkwardly chuckled, a little guilty about being caught.

    As he walked out of the room, the security guard crossed his arms and watched Sam go. The dressing room was locked behind him, but it had at least given Sam the chance to use the New Pok¨¦dex to prepare for his next match.

    When he returned to the locker room, he found he had missed Franklin¡¯s battle, though he hadn¡¯t missed any new information. The other trainer still only needed to use his Kadabra to pull off a win. Sam was able to catch the last half of the second battle, and he watched Edgar¡¯s battle after that. Then, it was his turn to head out. His match against Victor was up next.

    <hr>

    Sam was already walking out of the waiting room the moment the third battle¡¯s outcome was obvious. Edgar had modified his Haunter¡¯s strategy; now, instead of waiting for an opponent to enter his Haunter¡¯s Smog, the Ghost Type used the Smog to disguise its body while attacking with Shadow Punches that homed.

    Sam didn¡¯t see the final Pok¨¦mon faint, but he could hear the muffled cheers from within the hallways themselves. Every step he took contained a nervous energy. He could feel how his heart thrummed in line with the audience¡¯s shouts.

    He almost ran into the same staff member from last time. Still holding her clipboard, she blinked at him before nodding once respectfully. No words needed to be exchanged as Sam was led over to the tunnel that exited onto the field. The woman left alongside the defeated trainer from the previous match, who passed his Pok¨¦mon to the awaiting nurse and followed her out.

    With them gone, Sam was now the only person in this hallway. Breathing out, he moved back and leaned against the wall.

    ¡°One match left,¡± he whispered. ¡°At least, until we¡¯ve earned ourselves a new TM.¡±

    No guarantees that it''d be the Hyper Beam Redi sought, but it¡¯d at least be something. Even if Sam was awarded with a less in-demand move like Thunder or Blizzard, there was a chance they could trade for that Hyper Beam TM if they threw something extra in for exchange.

    But if he could win the next three battles...

    Advertisements played outside. Time without a battle passed to show commercials and to let people use the bathroom and get snacks. The noises of the arena washed over Sam as he went through all of his strategies in his mind.

    He actually found it a bit funny that while Dark Types usually had the advantage over Ghost Types, his current team lacked such a weakness. Only Haunter was vulnerable. The rest of his team had decent odds of fighting with an advantage.

    Breathing in once more, he closed his eyes and felt the weight of his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s Pok¨¦balls in his pockets. There was a chill in the air that he tried to ward off by pulling his jacket tighter¡ª

    His eyes snapped open.

    A chill in the air?

    Standing back up, Sam breathed out and saw mist leave his throat.

    Too many times, Sam had felt this chill. Too many times, this had happened for Sam to not know what this feeling meant. When he looked around, he saw nothing, but the unnatural chill was utterly out of place in this hallway.

    The hair on the back of his neck stood on its ends. That confirmed for Sam that he was being watched.

    ¡°...Misdreavus,¡± he said.

    There wasn¡¯t a response, but a subtle shift told Sam he had been heard.

    ¡°I...¡± His words briefly caught in his throat. ¡°I know that you¡¯re there.¡±

    Nothing. The chill remained, but it almost felt focused. If he could guess, it was now entirely directed on him.

    ¡°You came to see me off, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯ve been watching the tournament. You¡¯ve been nearby for a while, I think. I...¡± Sam breathed in. ¡°I appreciate that. I just... I just want you to know that I never intended to make you cry. And back in the forest, you didn¡¯t attack until we attacked. You were just trying to approach me like you did in the changing room.¡±

    A Pok¨¦ball in Sam¡¯s pocket shook slightly. He already knew it was Quilava getting ready to release herself if needed. However, he brought his hand down to grasp it. He didn¡¯t intend to send her out. He wanted to try to signal that she should hold back.

    ¡°I think what I really want to say is that I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sam continued quietly. ¡°We didn¡¯t know, but we still shouldn¡¯t have attacked. Looking back on it, I recognize that we should have talked first. You didn¡¯t deserve to be pushed away like that.¡±

    He paused to better gather his next words.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been stalk¡ªfollowed before,¡± he said carefully. ¡°So... again, thank you for seeing me off. I¡¯ll be winning this next match. I¡¯ll actually be winning this entire tournament. And if you¡ª If you really want to¡ª¡±

    The chill vanished in an instant. It pulled back the same way a child would pull back from a flame. The usual warmth of the hallway returned as footsteps echoed from deeper in.

    That same woman from before approached.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be on shortly,¡± she said.

    Sam rubbed his face.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll come back a winner.¡±

    She looked at him funny, but he didn''t say that for the woman. He said it for himself. He said it for his team.

    Most importantly, Sam said it for Misdreavus.

    Eventually, the break between matches finished, and the woman counted down on her fingers to signal when Sam needed to walk out. He emerged to the cheers of the crowd and the voices of the announcers filling the air around him.

    ¡°And there¡¯re the trainers we¡¯ve been waiting for. Samuel! Victor! I can''t wait to see how that Haunter will react to a team of Dark Types!¡±

    Approaching the field from the other side was Sam¡¯s opponent. Victor¡¯s expression was hard to parse; it was either a malicious smirk or an unhappy scowl. Sam thought it was amusing how both of them walked up to the field with their hands in their pockets. Except, Sam was trying to be more casual about it, and Victor was a storm.

    As part of the pomp and circumstance of these later round matches, the head referee started to go over the rules. Two other referees stood behind each trainer as well to provide more viewpoints for making tough calls. However, while the head referee spoke, what no one expected was for Victor to interrupt him by suddenly calling out.

    ¡°Send him out,¡± Victor said, his gaze not breaking from Sam.

    ¡°You mean Haunter?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°No. You know who I¡¯m talking about. Send him out. That Mankey of yours. Murkrow¡¯s been dying for revenge.¡±

    The audience became energetic. They¡¯d come to witness battles. But with Victor¡¯s words, they were now witnessing a story as well.

    ¡°Oh? Perhaps this grudge match might be a true grudge match!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice echoed out from above. ¡°It seems that Victor and young Samuel have a history between them!¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s nothing too serious,¡± Nurse Joy added quietly.

    To the shouts of the audience and a stare from Sam, Victor snapped an arm out of his pocket to hold a Pok¨¦ball in front of his chest. He had a confident smirk on his face as he stared back expectantly. The referee glared at Victor. He sent out his Pok¨¦mon regardless.

    Sam almost shivered from the black-feathered Murkrow¡¯s threatening gaze. Almost.

    ¡°Pft.¡± Sam scoffed, regaining his persona¡¯s show of confidence. ¡°Like I¡¯d do what my opponent says."

    Victor¡¯s expression contorted into a true scowl.

    Rather than send out Primeape, Sam released Quilava. She¡¯d be able to weaken that Murkrow with a burn to start off the battle. But, since he didn¡¯t listen to Victor¡¯s challenge, oohs and aahs came from the audience. It was a rather dramatic start to a battle amid the more generic rest of the tournament.

    Though both sides had sent out their Pok¨¦mon without his permission, the head referee managed to keep a professional look on his face. The rules might not have been described as he intended, but they¡¯d been shared several times before. Everyone here already knew what to expect.

    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d ask you to send out your Pok¨¦mon, but since you two have already seen fit to do so...¡±

    Sam shrugged to say, ¡°What can you do?¡± Victor¡¯s smile exposed his teeth.

    ¡°Trainers!¡± the head referee shouted instead, raising his arms to bring up a pair of flags. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Born ready,¡± Victor snarled.

    The referee looked between them once more and nodded.

    ¡°Then... let the battle begin!¡±

 Chapter 58

    Sam called for a Smokescreen, and Quilava''s flames flared to life. She breathed in deep as across from her, the Murkrow took off into the sky. The center of the field became obscured by a murky, black cloud. Victor seemed unbothered.

    ¡°Aerial Ace!¡± he shouted.

    Aerial Ace consisted of a loop and a dive that allowed its user to locate a target and slam into it with pin-point accuracy. With Murkrow pulling up higher into the air, its speed would let it pierce through almost any move that¡¯d otherwise let Quilava dodge.

    Thankfully, she did know at least one.

    ¡°Detect,¡± Sam said quickly. ¡°Into Flame Charge. Incinerate.¡±

    She stood still. The Smokescreen lingered on the field. When the Murkrow dived, she waited until the very last minute to lunge to the side. Detect let her all but see the trajectory of the move, and as the bird''s momentum carried it back into the air, she chased after it.

    Fire wreathed her body in a dash forward that increased her speed, thanks to Flame Charge. That translated into a faster projectile when she fired an Incinerate into the air. The move exploded in an airbust, but Murkrow pulled to the side and flew past the flames with only the lightest of singes.

    ¡°Incredible! So little time has passed and this battle is already so heated!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon shouted.

    ¡°That Murkrow...¡±

    Falkner¡¯s voice drifted off as Victor growled and shouted at Sam from across the field.

    ¡°Don''t expect something that simple to work!¡± Victor yelled. ¡°Night Shade! Into Feint Attack! You know what to target.¡±

    Once more, Murkrow dived. Sam frowned; Feint Attack was another highly accurate move that''d make Smokescreen worthless. The cloud was already beginning to dissipate without Quilava''s influence, and Sam wasn''t going to bother telling her to use it again.

    ¡°Our normal strategy,¡± Sam said. Quilava would know what that meant, and disguising his order would prevent Victor and Murkrow from reacting.

    This time, when Murkrow dived back down, darkness flickered up around it. As a non-Ghost Type, its Night Shade wasn''t as pitch black as Haunter''s, but the move still came out dark enough to hide its exact position. Murkrow¡¯s speed let its conjured shadows consume Quilava, and for a few seconds, the only things visible within were faint silhouettes and tiny pin-pricks of light that pierced through thanks to Will-O-Wisp.

    There was definite movement, but the specific details couldn''t be made out. Will-O-Wisps flickered out, and cries came from both Pok¨¦mon. After the clash, both Pok¨¦mon pulled back. Murkrow was burned. Quilava winced; there was a nasty cut into her fur on her side.

    After flying upwards once more, Murkrow didn''t come back down. Victor spoke up once again.

    ¡°Send him out,¡± he said.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam replied. ¡°I¡¯m exactly where I want to be.¡±

    ¡°Fine then. Return!¡±

    Murkrow disappeared.

    Sam expected to see Victor¡¯s Houndoom¡ªits Flash Fire would let it counter Quilava''s flames incredibly well¡ªbut what he absolutely didn''t expect was the man¡¯s Sneasel to make an appearance.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Victor has just sent out an Ice Type against a Fire Type!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon''s voice shouted.

    Confused, Nurse Joy mumbled something, but Sam didn¡¯t hear. He was already trying to remember everything he could in an attempt to figure out Victor¡¯s game.

    The Sneasel wore a confident smirk. It ran the backs of its sharp claws across a feather sticking out from behind an ear.

    ¡°Quick Attack. You know the rest,¡± Victor said. He sounded relaxed despite the Type disadvantage he had for this fight.

    Sneasel licked a claw and narrowed its eyes at Quilava. She stood still and prepared herself, but then it was like the Pok¨¦mon disappeared. Sneasel moved fast enough that a blink would lose track of it. She appeared in front of Quilava, sweeping a claw low to catch her in the leg.

    Unfortunately, not used to such a small but speedy target, she wasn¡¯t able to avoid the slash.

    Victor cackled.

    ¡°Keep it up!¡±

    Will-O-Wisp flames sparked up around Quilava. She bid them to shoot down at the Sneasel, but its rapid-fire Fury Swipes prevented her from aiming too well. Each claw only ever swept downwards, always aiming at a single point on her front right leg. While her own agility was well-practiced, Sneasel had taken the concept of speed and made it entirely its own.

    Too many attacks were coming her way, and more than that, Quilava almost looked like she was... slowing down?

    ¡°Ember!¡± Sam shouted.

    Any other attack would have come out too slowly to matter. Quilava''s fire flared, and she opened her mouth to unleash burning sparks at her opponent. The move was desperate, but thankfully, Sneasel was finally forced away.

    Both Pok¨¦mon stood off from one another and panted. For how well she was doing, Quilava was already tired, and the assault to her leg meant she winced whenever she put pressure on that foot. Her fur also looked wet, strangely enough.

    ¡°...I see,¡± Sam said. Victor¡¯s smirk was infuriating. ¡°You¡¯re using Icy Wind. It¡¯s subtle, but you¡¯ve been mixing it in with Sneasel¡¯s attack to slow Quilava down.¡±

    The voices of the announcers sounded shocked. No one else had noticed a thing, but that was the only explanation for why Quilava was suddenly wet. While the bone-chilling frost from Icy Wind had passively melted, the added weight of the water was still weighing Quilava down.

    Victor replied to Sam by tapping a finger to his temple. As Sam considered it, Victor¡¯s strategy made sense; speed control was often the difference between a win and a loss.

    Every ounce of Sneasel¡¯s strategy was making the most use of its speed, and that included slowing its opponents down. Between the targeted swipes at the legs and the Icy Winds themselves, it was trying to completely overwhelm its foes.

    But Sam wasn''t willing to let Sneasel walk all over his team.

    ¡°Return!¡±

    In this battle, four Pok¨¦mon were allowed, but there was still only one permitted switch. It made sense to bring back Quilava now before she took more damage. Doing so would keep her healthy for any future opponents and also allow her to rest for when she was sent out next.

    But returning her was a mistake.

    The very moment Sam grabbed Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, Victor¡¯s gaze sharpened. Before Quilava could be turned to light, the Dark Type trainer shouted a single word command.

    ¡°Pursuit!¡±

    Sneasel lunged, holding its claws high. Preparing herself to be returned, Quilava was in no position to defend against the dual strike that painfully slammed into her lower leg.

    Her cry of pain was quickly silenced by the act of being returned. As a Dark Type Pok¨¦mon, Sneasel put more effort into the attack than it needed to. Its Pursuit was just plain cruel.

    ¡°And right before young Samuel can return his Quilava, Victor orders Sneasel to land a devastating blow!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon yelled. ¡°Pursuit is one of the only moves that can hit a returning Pok¨¦mon, and when it does, it deals significantly more damage!¡±

    Nurse Joy made an unhappy noise.

    ¡°That attack was too much. Sneasel¡¯s been too focused on where it strikes. I doubt Quilava will be able to use that leg until she''s treated at a Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    In other words, Quilava¡¯s ability to move would be shot for the rest of the tournament. Victor had decimated Sam¡¯s chances to win in a single blow. A third of his team wouldn¡¯t be able to fight at the same level as before.

    Sam stood there, clutching Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. He stared at it as Nurse Joy¡¯s words echoed in his ears.

    Until she''s treated?

    Heavy injuries weren''t uncommon in Pok¨¦mon battles, but to experience one here, not even halfway through a major tournament?

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Sam hated Victor¡¯s ongoing smirk. His expression was one of someone who had just won the entire tournament.

    ¡°So, gonna send him out now?¡± Victor said, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

    On the field, Sneasel licked its claws.

    As Victor locked eyes with Sam, something started to burn in Sam''s chest. Victor didn''t deserve to act that smug. Sam could feel the scowl forming on his face, but he couldn¡¯t find a reason to care.

    They had tricked him.

    Him.

    And what ate at him the most was how they had injured Quilava more than what was necessary.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said, sending out his Pok¨¦mon.

    Victor smiled.

    ¡°So he evolved, huh?¡±

    Sam could hear the audience cheering at the unexpected team member. Between the flames of Quilava and the shadows of Haunter, a bruiser like Primeape seemed otherwise out of place.

    But their shouts were deaf in Sam''s ears. The voices of the announcers become meaningless to him.

    ¡°They hurt Quilava,¡± Sam told Primeape. ¡°They targeted her legs and purposefully injured her. She won''t be able to run until tomorrow.¡±

    On the field, a vein throbbed on Primeape''s head. His excitement for the battle faded away, slowly replaced by growing anger.

    ¡°She won''t be able to fight how she likes. She won''t be able to use her speed,¡± Sam continued.

    Primeape''s hair stood on its end.

    ¡°And worst of all, it was just a ploy to lure you out. They didn''t even care for her. She was just a roadblock to bringing you in battle.¡±

    A crack pierced through the crowd¡¯s shouts as Primeape clenched his fists. Victor''s smirk twitched down ever so slightly. He looked to be struggling to maintain that same smile.

    ¡°Hey, uh, so you know this is just a battle, right? Targeting certain body parts is just good strategy. And we don''t actually care about the rematch that much! We were just trying to play it up for the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Brick Break,¡± Sam interrupted.

    When the battle resumed, Primeape exploded forward into a dash.

    Sneasel was still faster, but its arrogance vanished in the face of Primeape''s pure rage. Victor¡¯s Pok¨¦mon used Quick Attack to run away and only run away¡ªsomething that served to increase Primeape¡¯s rage. For all its speed, Sneasel could never truly escape Primeape¡¯s impending wrath. After all, Victor had already used his one switch, and as a species, Primeape were known to never give up a grudge.

    ¡°I-Icy Wind!¡± Victor shouted.

    His stutter was music to Sam''s ears.

    Sneasel paused to turn and release a frosty breeze across Primeape''s body. Ice formed on his hair, chilling him and intending to slow him down.

    That didn''t matter.

    His ongoing momentum carried him forward to crush Sneasel¡¯s face with a fist.

    The Pok¨¦mon bounced. For a moment, it was almost like Primeape''s strike caused its face to cave in. Dust was thrown into the air as it skidded over the ground, and when it came to a stop, Sneasel was motionless outside of its breathing. The audience fell into a dead silence for the briefest of moments before erupting into cheers.

    ¡°Fine! If you want to play it like that, come out, Murkrow!¡±

    The bird reappeared, replacing Sneasel on the field.

    ¡°Curse, Primeape,¡± Sam said. ¡°On repeat.¡±

    ¡°Aerial Ace! Don''t stay nearby!¡±

    Primeape closed his eyes and breathed in, focusing. While not a Bulk Up, a week of meditation allowed him to pull off this move much more easily than before. He let the energy flow through him as Mukrow flew and pulled up into the air. When it dived down, there was a pause.

    Primeape snapped open his eyes and struck with a fist. Before Murkrow could even reach him, he snatched it right out of the air.

    ¡°Finish it,¡± Sam ordered.

    ¡°N-Night Shade!¡± Victor tried to shout.

    Though dim darkness briefly popped up around Primeape, the move fell just as quickly as it started. Primeape¡¯s free hand slammed into Murkrow¡¯s gut, and he tossed the unconscious Pok¨¦mon to the side a second later.

    ¡°Next,¡± Sam said.

    One of Victor¡¯s eyes twitched. He didn''t grab his next Pok¨¦ball right away.

    ¡°...I''ve never seen a Primeape that brutal. What move is it using again?¡± Nurse Joy asked.

    ¡°Curse,¡± Falkner said. ¡°Primeape is maintaining a few instances of it at once. When used by a non-Ghost Type, Curse usually forces its user to slow thanks to the intense focus needed to maintain it, but with how Primeape is utilizing its rage...¡±

    His voice trailed off. Someone else spoke up.

    ¡°A Pok¨¦mon consumed by anger, but not enough to lose itself. Faith in its trainer so strong, that there¡¯s no thought behind its actions other than directed violence. I would call it beautiful if it wasn''t so terrifying,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said.

    The delay seemed to let Victor steady himself somewhat. He unclipped a third ball from his belt and whispered something under his breath. Then, with a shout, his next team member appeared.

    ¡°Houndoom! Overwhelm it with flame!¡±

    ¡°Rage,¡± Sam said.

    He didn''t need to say more than that.

    Houndoom was a canine with fur that seemed naturally blackened by ash. Ridges of bone lined its back, almost resembling stripes. Two large horns curved out of its head as the Dark Type stared at Primeape.

    Fire licked out of the sides of its mouth before it exhaled a Flamethrower that utterly engulfed Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon on the field.

    Now, Primeape didn''t have much in the way of defense. Curse strengthened his body to help mitigate the damage of physical attacks, but that did nothing to help him against a special move like Flamethrower. The fire and its heat crept into him, dealing damage he couldn''t resist.

    But the move couldn¡¯t last forever, and when Houndoom stopped to breathe in, it paused, eyes widening in fear.

    Primeape was walking forward. The fire had obscured his movement. Curse meant he couldn¡¯t move very fast, but he was unrelenting. Each step caused his anger to grow as lingering embers burned at his hair.

    ¡°Again,¡± Victor said.

    Primeape was engulfed once more. When the second Flamethrower ended, parts of his fur was now charred black.

    ¡°Again!¡± Victor shouted.

    Smoke drifted from Primeape. A burn had definitely settled in. His body was covered in scorch marks, but rage-filled eyes pierced through, malevolently locked onto Houndoom¡¯s.

    Briefly, Sam could picture how Primeape would be once he evolved. A resolute force of nature, a body rippling with muscle, a being chained to the earth through the force of his own will.

    A material specter of pure rage.

    One day, Primeape would be unstoppable, but today was not that day. This was just a glimpse, come and gone like the embers of Houndoom''s flames.

    ¡°Just... take it out, Houndoom! One last Flamethrower, before it can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Too late.¡±

    Primeape lurched forward, the last few feet skipping by in a dash. His hand snapped up to grip Houndoom''s mouth shut, preventing Flamethrower from being used again.

    The dog¡¯s whines were pitiful. It tried to pull away, but Primeape was just too strong. Like he had done with Murkrow, Primeape held his opponent in place and drew a hand back.

    Nothing happened.

    No attack hit. Houndoom disappeared in a flash.

    A few members of the crowd booed as Victor let out a long breath. Frowning, the referee turned towards him.

    ¡°You have already recalled Murkrow. By returning Houndoom here, you''ve withdrawn it from the fight.¡±

    ¡°I... I know,¡± Victor said with a sigh.

    One Pok¨¦mon left.

    There was only one Pok¨¦mon left between them and a guaranteed TM prize, but Sam wasn''t sure what that Pok¨¦mon was. Houndoom had done a number to Primeape. Though he looked as enraged and deadly as ever, he had been severely hurt from that fight.

    He should not have been able to withstand two Flamethrowers, let alone three. He was pushing himself beyond his normal level, and Sam could tell they''d pay for this later.

    Not too far away from Primeape, Victor unhooked his last Pok¨¦ball, and he held it in one hand. He stared at it, though not consistently. His gaze kept flicking to where Primeape stood on the field and back to the ball in his hand.

    ¡°I have a Golbat,¡± Victor said.

    That made sense to Sam. While not a Dark Type, the species was capable of powerful bites that played well alongside Dark Type strategies.

    ¡°Primeape is on my side of the field,¡± Victor continued. ¡°He marched here when he approached Houndoom. I can only send out Golbat so far away. No matter where he appears, my Pok¨¦mon will be in range of Primeape¡¯s attacks, and since he''s drastically boosted by Curse...¡±

    No way. Hold on¡ª

    ¡°I don''t have a way to win this. I don''t want my Pok¨¦mon getting hurt if it¡¯s not necessary,¡± Victor said. ¡°I forfeit.¡±

    The audience exploded into an uproar. The announcers were shouting¡ªsomeone forfeiting in such a manner was generally unheard of. But Victor was defeated, if not through Pok¨¦mon, then through the sheer intimidation.

    ¡°Plus, he still has Quilava and Haunter. Even if I knocked out Primeape, Golbat''s a recent catch. Not even Dark Type moves would give us a win,¡± Victor added.

    The head referee nodded along, accepting Victor¡¯s reasoning. Meanwhile, Sam stood there and clenched his fists. It wasn''t Victor¡¯s place to end the battle like that. He shouldn¡¯t have forfeit.

    Except, as the adrenaline of an ongoing battle faded away, Sam breathed out.

    As a trainer, he had to acknowledge it was completely acceptable for Victor to end the match there.

    This was just one battle, and Victor had the right to care about his Pok¨¦mon. Sam had the right to care for his own team, too. The injury to Quilava might require a night to properly heal, but it was only a single night and a single injury. Holding a grudge over it would be unreasonable, even though he really wanted to.

    Without a target for his anger, Primeape started to wobble on his feet. Sam returned him before Victor noticed. Likely, Primeape was a single light touch away from falling onto his back.

    Stepping onto the field, Sam met Victor met in the center. The referee specifically declared Sam the ¡°winner¡± of the match, purposefully not using the word ¡°victor¡± to avoid confusion.

    ¡°Your team is...¡± Victor smiled morosely and shook Sam¡¯s hand. ¡°Good fight. I¡¯ll do better next time.¡±

    ¡°Good fight. And I will, too.¡±

    Something about Sam¡¯s words caused Victor to flinch. He stiffly turned around to leave the field.

    Sam waved to the audience before returning to the waiting room, himself. He passed over Quilava and Primeape to be healed, but he was now stuck with a dilemma.

    Sure, he was in the top four, and sure, Sam had guaranteed himself at least one TM. However, with two of his Pok¨¦mon so injured and exhausted, he felt as though his odds of winning overall had dropped to zero.

    <hr>

    Edgar was Sam''s next opponent, of course. Though Sam felt emotionally spent after the match against Victor, he knew he still needed to spend the time between battles planning for his upcoming fight. He grabbed his stuff from a locker and made sure he had Haunter''s Pok¨¦ball with him. His other team members were healing, but Sam could at least still read through the entries of the Poison Type species he knew of.

    As he started towards the exit of the waiting room, he heard a voice.

    ¡°Let me in! I¡¯m a friend of one of the competitors! I have to go inside!¡±

    He exited the room to see Redi trying to convince a burly security guard to let her pass.

    ¡°Redi,¡± Sam greeted.

    ¡°See? Told you!¡±

    She stuck out her tongue at the guard before moving to the side of the hallway with Sam.

    ¡°How¡¯s Quilava? And Primeape?¡± Redi asked in a worried tone.

    ¡°They¡¯re being healed. But... Primeape won''t have the energy to push himself like that again. And Quilava¡¯s leg probably won''t be healed until tomorrow. She should be able to run, at least, but she won¡¯t be able to do anything too intense.¡±

    Redi grumbled, unhappily crossing her arms.

    ¡°Stupid Victor. Stupid Dark Types. If I ever get my hands on him¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If we weren''t in a tournament, I probably wouldn''t have even blinked after that battle.¡±

    ¡°Still...¡±

    She eyed Sam before sighing, falling with a slump even though she wasn¡¯t the one battling.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to rely on Haunter again after this,¡± Sam continued. ¡°He¡¯s been able to rest at least, so he should be fine for the next match. It¡¯s against Edgar, though, and we know he¡¯s put Shadow Punch to use.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to use Hex?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sam said slowly. ¡°We could sweep with that. But I don''t know if I want to pull it out here instead of waiting until the bigger tournament.¡±

    Doing so would help him win, but it¡¯d cost him in the long run. The Violet City Tournament wasn''t as important as the Silver Conference, but Sam did want to see if some of his Pok¨¦mon could learn Hyper Beam, too.

    Thinking about it, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re destined to lose to Edgar. It¡¯ll be an uphill battle, but we do at least have some chance of winning.

    ¡°Man,¡± Redi groaned. ¡°Too bad you don''t have some secret, fourth Pok¨¦mon. Something you can pull out of your pocket and surprise everyone here.¡±

    ¡°That was supposed to be Primeape, but¡ª¡± Sam paused, cutting himself off. ¡°Hold on. What if I do?¡±

    Redi blinked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What if I told you I could get a fourth Pok¨¦mon on my team?¡±

    Teams had to be approved to enter this tournament, but from what Sam had read, there was nothing against using a Pok¨¦mon you¡¯d just caught. It was a specific exception only left out because it wasn''t necessary. After all, how many people would ever be able to catch a new Pok¨¦mon in between rounds? The only other rule that might be relevant was one that prevented trainers from using traded Pok¨¦mon obtained during the tournament itself.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Sam?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon here. A Ghost Type. Convincing her to join my team could give my Pok¨¦mon the breathing room we need to win. We already know she¡¯s strong, and if I can just find her...¡±

    He snapped his gaze to his friend.

    ¡°Redi, Misdreavus is in the building with us right now. If she¡¯s willing to help, we¡¯d be able to beat Edgar and move onto the finals, no problem at all.¡±

 Chapter 59

    If Sam wanted to win this tournament, he couldn¡¯t ignore the current status of his team. Quilava had an injured leg, which prevented her from moving at her usual top speed. Also, Primeape had pushed himself far past the norm and was now utterly exhausted. He teetered in place whenever he was sent out. As for Haunter, he was... fine¡ªa bit tired at most¡ªbut Sam had a feeling his future opponents would be expecting the Ghost Type. Haunter would definitely be able to fight, but people would likely have counters in mind.

    And given that my next opponent is Edgar, of all people...

    The effectiveness of Sam¡¯s team had been cut. The other remaining trainers might have had injured Pok¨¦mon as well, but they also had the advantage of a larger team to draw from. Heavily injured Pok¨¦mon could rest while others fought on the field. Not to mention that it wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all to keep one or two Pok¨¦mon untouched and at full health, able to sweep when sent out thanks to their fully rested energy.

    Sam¡¯s sole saving grace was that he¡¯d only need to get through four Pok¨¦mon rather than six in the next round. Unfortunately, his odds were minimal at best.

    Breathing in, Sam stared at Redi, aware of all of those facts as he spoke his mind. He knew what he had said, and he stood by his decision.

    ¡°Sam, what?¡± Redi asked in a bewildered voice. ¡°Misdreavus isn¡¯t here. It¡¯s back in Ilex forest, where it attacked us. Are you saying it followed us?¡±

    ¡°She did,¡± Sam answered.

    A moment of silence.

    ¡°...So you¡¯re telling me that a wild Pok¨¦mon has been following us for weeks. Through Azalea. Through Union Cave. Through Route 32 and the Ruins of Alph and Route 36?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Redi frowned.

    Sam breathed out and shifted in place, feeling the heft of his backpack behind him and the New Pok¨¦dex within.

    ¡°Misdreavus has been following us. The whole time, like you said. There¡¯ve been a few points where I¡¯ve felt watched, and then...¡± He paused. ¡°She showed up when we were clothes shopping. Approached me when I was alone and when everyone was passed out in their Pok¨¦balls. I thought she¡¯d attack, but she didn¡¯t. She pressed into my chest as if I were a friend before realizing how terrified I was and running away. ...She saw me off to the last battle, too.¡±

    Redi stared at Sam, a disbelieving look in her eyes. He could see her suppress a shiver; Sam couldn¡¯t deny how terrifying it was to find out they¡¯d been followed by a Ghost Type all this time.

    ¡°When she approached me back at the clothing store, she was...¡± Sam lowered his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She cried. I think... I think she¡¯s lonely.¡±

    Redi leaned against the wall, stabilizing herself. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before her eyes snapped to Sam with newfound focus.

    ¡°So your solution to this tournament is to catch Misdreavus. Add her to your team so you have another Pok¨¦mon to rely on?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We know that she¡¯s strong. Back in Ilex, she only ran away once we really started to fight her, but she could have definitely swept our teams back then. I don¡¯t plan to use her on her own to win every fight. She¡¯d just help give everyone else breathing room and lessen the pressure on their shoulders.¡±

    He rubbed his head, a little uncomfortable. Sam also didn¡¯t like the idea of Misdreavus still being on her own when he had the chance to do something about that.

    ¡°And like I said, she¡¯s in the arena. If I can just find her and convince her to help¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Redi said, clapping her hands. ¡°What do we need to do?¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but to smile at the determination that filled his friend¡¯s voice. This tournament was stressful, but he was glad Redi was around. Even if he lost, he¡¯d still have someone to talk to.

    But he didn¡¯t want to think about the possibility of losing right now. He took a moment to look quickly around. Unfortunately, while Sam could tell he wasn¡¯t actively being watched, he knew Misdreavus wouldn¡¯t want to appear with so many people nearby. A security guard stood in front of the competitor¡¯s waiting room, and the occasional arena employee hustled by. It was too noisy and too crowded for a wild Ghost Type to be comfortable. That, and Sam doubted Misdreavus spent all her time following him. She was likely nearby in the arena, but they needed to find exactly where she was.

    Silently trying to dredge up everything he could remember about Ghost Type behavior, Sam grabbed Redi¡¯s hand and started to drag her away, intending to explain everything relevant where no one could listen in.

    ¡°Wha¡ª What, wait! Hold on!¡±

    He charged through the hall before reaching an unoccupied stairwell. He pulled Redi in and glanced around to make sure no one would hear there.

    ¡°Okay. The basic idea is that we¡¯ll need to search, but I know a bunch of helpful advice about Ghost Types from¡ª¡± Sam blinked. ¡°Why is your face red?¡±

    Redi pulled back, awkwardly coughing into her hand.

    ¡°Out of breath,¡± she said.

    ¡°But we only ran for a few seconds?¡±

    ¡°Just tell me what we¡¯re doing!¡± she shouted, though she quickly quieted down when distant footsteps echoed in the hall.

    Sam waited to make sure whoever was walking wasn¡¯t coming their way before nodding once. His expression turned serious.

    ¡°Misdreavus is somewhere in this building. She¡¯s likely going to try to watch my next battle. While we could definitely find her then, we can¡¯t afford to wait that long. I need to convince her before it¡¯s my turn, since I need her with me when I step onto the field. The best piece of advice I can give you is that Ghost Types tend to stick to dark areas. Specifically, look out for places where she can hide.¡±

    Sam went on to describe the hiding spots that most frequently contained Ghost Types. That meant darkened corners, gaps beneath furniture, closets, empty rooms, spaces inside of walls, and, surprisingly, in the ceilings above people¡¯s heads.

    When Sam finished describing all those locations and what to look for, both of them went silent. They briefly glanced up, but nothing was there.

    ¡°Since I¡¯ll be able to recognize what to look for more easily, I want you to take Haunter and search with him,¡± Sam said. ¡°Quilava and Primeape are still being healed, but that¡¯s a good thing. If I¡¯m completely on my own, Misdreavus might be more motivated to approach me.¡±

    Redi frowned, pausing.

    ¡°You¡¯re giving me Haunter? Sam, you won¡¯t have any Pok¨¦mon on you. What happens if it¡¯s your turn to go up and we¡¯re not anywhere nearby?¡±

    He merely shrugged.

    ¡°Then it won¡¯t matter. Edgar¡¯s a skilled trainer, my disagreements with his mindset or not. Three Pok¨¦mon won¡¯t cut it. I¡¯ll lose whether or not Haunter is with me.¡±

    But a fourth Pok¨¦mon, especially one as strong as Misdreavus, could make all the difference when it came to pulling off a win.

    Redi pressed her lips into a thin line, but she didn¡¯t refuse Sam¡¯s offer. He reached into his pocket to bring out Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. He held it out, but she didn¡¯t immediately grab it.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said.

    Reluctantly, Redi picked up the Pok¨¦ball from Sam¡¯s hand and held it in her own.

    ¡°...I know we need to start looking, but I do want to know,¡± Redi said quietly. ¡°Do you really want to catch her like this? Without talking to your team and only so you can use her to win a tournament?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s¡ª It¡¯s not just that. It¡¯s also because of...¡±

    Sam went quiet. He remembered her expression back in both the forest and in the clothing store.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of her face,¡± he whispered. ¡°I know that sounds weird, but... She just seemed so sad. Lonely. Like she was following me for a reason. I think... I think she just wants a friend. I want to be that for her.¡±

    Redi seemed to inspect Sam, taking in his entire expression. She must have liked what she saw, because she nodded once and smiled.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this. We¡¯ll be back soon!¡±

    ¡°You go up, I¡¯ll go down. And send Haunter out as soon as you can. He¡¯s great at urban exploration.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Both of them rushed out of the stairwell. Redi started to run through the upper halls, a flash of light releasing Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon at her side. Meanwhile, Sam disappeared downstairs to search the arena¡¯s underground floors. Between them, there was only one goal: find Misdreavus. Once found, Sam hoped she¡¯d be willing to join his team.

    But truthfully, Sam¡¯s goal had changed. He¡¯d already earned himself at least one of the prize TMs. With Misdreavus so close nearby, the topic of his thoughts had changed. He wasn¡¯t worried about the tournament, anymore.

    <hr><hr>

    Redi¡¯s heart was already pounding in her chest, but she ignored that feeling as she raced through the arena¡¯s spiderweb of hallways, checking every door she could. Sam was the expert with Ghost Types, not her. Haunter helped fill in the gaps for the things Redi didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Next door,¡± she said.

    It was locked, so Redi wasn¡¯t able to glance in. Haunter phased through to check on her behalf. She waited a few seconds, and he came back out. Unfortunately, just like the several times before, Haunter mournfully shook his head.

    ¡°Not in there either? Ugh,¡± Redi groaned.

    Stairwells had been searched. Hallways had been run through. Open lockers had been checked, but Redi still hadn¡¯t found Misdreavus.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    She¡¯d found many other things, though. Stuff like wild Pok¨¦mon, lost items, and even a couple who had thought they were better hidden than they actually were. Wild Pok¨¦mon were present in the criss-cross of service hallways that went through the walls and underneath the arena. She had seen species like Rattata, Spinarak, Sentret, and even a lone Zubat hanging from a room¡¯s rafters, but none were the individual she was looking for.

    Redi ended up stopping, putting her hands on her knees to catch her breath. She¡¯d been running for what felt like hours, but how much time had really passed?

    The muffled cheers coming from the center arena answered her question. The first of the two semifinal matches was ongoing. Sam¡¯s battle was next. There was only the rest of this match and a short break to go.

    ¡°Come on. Can¡¯t waste any time,¡± Redi said.

    Haunter saluted her and easily kept up as she resumed her mad dash forward. The pressure of the situation weighed on her shoulders, making her feel like she was in some sort of panic. More and more stress settled in as she failed to find even the slightest hint of her target. She almost wanted to call out Misdreavus¡¯s name, but she couldn¡¯t. Some part inside of her said doing so would just scare the wild Pok¨¦mon away.

    Sam¡¯s the one who has all the clever strategies. I¡¯m just the dumb girl who always brute-forces everything.

    Her run started to slow as painful memories cropped up.

    Sam had made a big deal saying that she was his first human friend. But with how all the other girls in Vermillion treated her, Sam was her first human friend, too.

    They didn¡¯t like what she liked. They didn¡¯t like searching for Bug Types or pushing wheelbarrows or running with Pok¨¦mon or climbing on Machoke like a jungle gym. They were all more... studious. They cared about studying and schoolwork and preparing to become actual trainers. They went outside, yeah, but Redi was considered to be... abrasive.

    Their words had stung. At a young age, Redi decided it¡¯d be fine if her only friends were her family¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    She didn¡¯t want to let Sam down. He was competing in this tournament for her, and that meant something, especially since she was the one who eliminated him back in Olivine. If she wasn¡¯t able to find Misdreavus, he wouldn¡¯t be able to win. He wouldn¡¯t be able to beat Edgar, he wouldn¡¯t place first, and he wouldn¡¯t get the TM he was specifically trying to get for her.

    And if it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have evolved Ursaring or known about Ursaluna or met Porygon or...

    Redi sighed, arched her back, and stretched while catching her breath.

    Friends were meant to help each other, and Redi wanted to help Sam. She wanted to do something right in her life for once. She didn¡¯t want to be little, annoying Meredith anymore.

    Something about Redi¡¯s pause seemed to stir Haunter. Sam¡¯s Ghost Type floated down and put his hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°...Thanks, Haunter,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just the nerves stirring up old memories. We have a few more rooms left on this side of the arena, and then we can move on to¡ª¡±

    Something glinted in the corner of Redi¡¯s eye.

    She turned, thinking she¡¯d found a hint, but it wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon that had caught her attention. Instead, a lone security camera pointed directly at her, with her own reflection staring back within its dark lens.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Redi said. ¡°This place has a lot of those around, doesn¡¯t it? The arena probably has a room to keep an eye on all of them too, yeah?¡±

    Haunter looked at her a little strangely, but he still nodded along. As Redi considered it, she felt herself begin to smile once more.

    ¡°I actually think I have a plan.¡±

    Her pace picked up twice over as Redi¡¯s charge evolved into a one-girl stampede. The occasional person in these hallways just about had to dive out of her way to avoid being trampled. Section by section, Redi searched, trying to find a specific, labeled room. Haunter followed, and she ran as fast as she could right up until¡ª

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    Redi skidded to a halt to see a man in a security uniform glaring daggers at her.

    ¡°These hallways are for staff and competitors only. You¡¯re not supposed to be here, and it isn¡¯t safe to run¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the main security room is?¡±

    The guard blinked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I found a lost Pok¨¦ball,¡± Redi lied. ¡°I thought it made the most sense to hand it over to a professional, y¡¯know?¡±

    The security guard suddenly looked very awkward. He tried to adjust his belt. However, he wasn¡¯t in the best of shape, as the act itself only seemed to serve to make his stomach jiggle.

    ¡°Well, if you hand it here¡ª

    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Redi interrupted, taking on a faux, desperate voice. ¡°It has a Pok¨¦mon in it! I have to see them off myself! Please! I¡¯ve just been so worried!¡±

    Pushing out her lower lip, Redi held up Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. The Ghost Type himself had disappeared when the security guard made himself known, and now the man was scratching his head under his hat.

    Redi threw everything into her act, playing up the role of a poor, oh-so-worried young girl the best she could.

    Ugh. I can taste the bile in my throat.

    But it worked. The security guard¡¯s harsh glare dropped, and he let out a soft sigh.

    ¡°Our office isn¡¯t too far away. Just two floors up and a turn to the left. But I¡¯m here. If you¡¯re so worried, I can take¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Redi shouted, holding back her snickers when she cut off the security guard yet again. ¡°I¡¯ll drop it off real quick before returning to the stands, ¡®kay?¡±

    ¡°...¡¯kay?¡± the man said, repeating the word in a near daze.

    Redi took off, all but leaving the overweight security guard in the dust, as she followed his directions the best she could. Haunter re-emerged from a wall to help, and in almost no time at all, they came to a halt right outside a door labeled ¡°SECURITY.¡±

    Redi knocked on it. Shuffling came from inside.

    The door opened up, and a different, gaunt-looking man in a uniform stared at her.

    ¡°...Yeah?¡± he said.

    ¡°I think this place might be haunted.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He suddenly stiffened as his eyes locked onto something behind Redi. His eyes glazed over thanks to Haunter¡¯s Hypnosis piercing right into him. The guard slumped to the floor, sound asleep, letting Redi freely slip into the restricted space and lock the door behind her.

    ¡°Great job,¡± she whispered.

    Haunter brought up a hand for a high-five, but Redi¡¯s arm passed right through when she tried to respond.

    He cackled, and she grumbled. Slowly, Redi hefted the man over to the rotating chair in the center, putting all of her strength into positioning him just right. She made sure to tip his hat over his eyes, so that way when he woke up, he¡¯d think he¡¯d simply taken a nap.

    ¡°And now, the benefits.¡±

    Turning around, Redi was immediately met with a wide array of camera screens before her. Countless monitors showed views from all across the arena.

    From this room, there was nowhere to hide. She could see everywhere and everything at once.

    Man, Sam¡¯s gonna be ticked off if he ever finds out we did this. ...Also, I might get arrested if this security guard remembers me.

    Eh, whatever.

    That was a problem for future Redi, and she did her best to search for any signs of Misdreavus, no longer needing to run around. Her eyes flicked from monitor to monitor to monitor to monitor to monitor...

    Redi felt dizzy.

    There were too many screens to search through with just one person. It didn¡¯t help that after a few seconds, each one tended to flicker with static and change to a new picture.

    ¡°If only I had¡ª Oh yeah. Right.¡±

    Redi sent out Porygon.

    ¡°Porygon, I need your help. You remember Misdreavus, yeah? Well...¡±

    To Redi¡¯s surprise, she didn¡¯t need to go into specifics like normal. Porygon, where they floated in the air, turned towards the screens and phased right in.

    She wasn¡¯t really sure how this worked. Porygon was a computer-made Pok¨¦mon, so that meant they could go into computers. But then were these monitors computers? Redi had thought they were a camera system. Then again, so many electronics were technically computers nowadays. She even remembered hearing something about how music-playing birthday cards were more advanced than the computers first used to send probes into space.

    All of that summed into a singular truth: Porygon was able to enter these electronics and search through their displays on Redi¡¯s behalf. When one monitor screen flickered, Redi smiled when she saw that part of it was now staying the same. A pixelated sprite of Porygon remained in the corner and began moving from one device to the next.

    In the time it would have taken Redi to search only a handful of screens, Porygon ran through every single one. Pictures flashed in and out as the Pok¨¦mon changed what was being displayed to parse through the entire arena in seconds.

    Then, like a view from the compound eyes of a Bug Type, every monitor flashed to now show the same image at once.

    It was the view of a camera in the lowest level. No specific Pok¨¦mon appeared, but some kind of fuzzy mist drifted through the hallway. It lacked details, but it was clearly ghostly enough.

    ¡°There. On the lowest floor.¡± Redi turned to face Haunter. ¡°Think you can tell Sam?¡±

    Her words didn¡¯t matter; Haunter was already gone. That just left Redi and Porygon, alone in this room, next to the security guard who was rapidly waking up.

    Oh no.

    <hr><hr>

    Sam couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of battle anymore. The arena had been quiet for a while. These later rounds had a longer period between matches to give Pok¨¦mon more time to rest, but he knew that it¡¯d be his turn to fight at any moment. He could only imagine what the staff might do when they found a semifinalist like him wasn¡¯t in the waiting room.

    To say he was nervous would be an understatement. It was taking all of his effort to not freak out. He was starting to regret this harebrained idea and everything it involved.

    But he also didn¡¯t care about that. Frankly, he was more worried about Misdreavus.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long he ran through the basement levels, glancing through storage rooms and old, unused locker rooms, and tunnels that felt like they led to nowhere. Eyes occasionally stared at him from shadows, but those never belonged to the wild Pok¨¦mon he was searching for.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how long it took, but his saving grace finally revealed itself. While Haunter didn¡¯t make his main body visible, his hands popped out of the ceiling in front of Sam. They floated in the air and pointed, serving as arrows that told Sam where to go.

    ¡°Thanks, Haunter. And you too, Redi.¡±

    He knew Redi wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him, but he still wanted to say it.

    Sam ran. It was the only thing he could do. Haunter¡¯s hands stayed in front of Sam, guiding each and every turn. He moved from hallway to hallway, intersection to intersection, but it honestly didn¡¯t take that long.

    He turned one corner and suddenly felt as though all of the air had left his lungs. Something impossibly cold passed through his chest, causing him to collapse to the floor in a gasp.

    A yelp came from behind him. He could barely turn his head around in time to shout, ¡°Wait!¡±

    There, Misdreavus stared, eyes wide in shock. Sam shook and picked himself off the floor, rubbing the spot on his chest she had just unintentionally passed through.

    ¡°...Hey,¡± he choked out. ¡°I found you, Misdreavus.¡±

    She¡¯d been wandering these halls, idly waiting for the next battle. But now that she¡¯d been discovered, the wild Ghost Type looked like she wanted nothing more than to run away. If anyone else had found her, she would have immediately vanished. Instead, she waited.

    She waited to hear what Sam would say.

    ...Except, now that he actually was here, his words failed him. He wanted to convince Misdreavus to join his team, but he¡¯d been so focused on trying to find her, he¡¯d never actually thought of what he¡¯d say to convince her.

    Silently, Pok¨¦mon and human stared at one another. Misdreavus¡¯s body passively waved in the air. It was ghostly; she looked like she was under the effects of some unseen breeze.

    But neither of them talked. Misdreavus nervously floated back an inch. Sam gulped. If he messed up here...

    ¡°Wanna join me?¡± he said.

    He winced at his own words.

    ¡°I mean, no, ugh. I¡¯m just trying to say that I really need your help, but I also want you to be my friend?¡±

    Misdreavus blinked at him.

    ¡°Quilava is injured. Primeape is exhausted. Haunter can still battle, but he won¡¯t be enough to win any matches on his own. We have fights in the tournament that we need your help to win, but... Ugh.¡±

    Sam let out a sigh and ran his hand down his face. He could already tell he was messing this up.

    ¡°No it¡¯s... It¡¯s not actually that,¡± he said, his words leaving his mouth before he gave them proper thought. ¡°I know why I first got this idea; it¡¯s true that I thought you could help us win. Except, I kind of don¡¯t care about that anymore? I entered this tournament to get a TM for Redi. I¡¯m in fourth place at a minimum; I will get at least one, which we can use to trade. And then when it comes to getting in first, who cares? This isn¡¯t the Conference. It¡¯d suck, but I can try to take on the Gym Trial if I want to beat Walker. I don¡¯t need to win overall.¡±

    He shook his head. Misdreavus looked confused.

    ¡°No. I... I just want you to join my team in general. Even if you don¡¯t fight with us, that¡¯s fine. You followed us all this way here. You left the Ilex Forest to chase after us. We might not have noticed you, but if you¡¯ve been with us for so long, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re part of our group already?¡± Sam chuckled. ¡°That and... I¡¯m selfish. It bothers me to see you so sad. I guess that in the end it¡¯s, well, I just don¡¯t want you to be on your own anymore.

    ¡°So come with me. Let¡¯s be friends.¡±

    Misdreavus didn¡¯t react. This whole time, while Sam was speaking, it was like the wild Ghost Type had been utterly frozen in place. But when Sam spoke those last two sentences, Misdreavus turned around. She didn¡¯t let Sam see her expression.

    ¡°Drea,¡± the wild Pok¨¦mon said.

    Sam nodded as if he understood, but he really didn¡¯t know what she meant.

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Annoyed, Misdreavus snapped around to glare at Sam. Now that he could see her, he could also see her eyes were watery and bright red.

    ¡°Drea. Drea!¡± she repeated.

    Sam tried his best to decipher her body language. She seemed to want something. She seemed to...

    ¡°You want something in return?¡±

    The wild Ghost Type eagerly nodded.

    It took a few more gestures, but Sam figured her out. When he did, he couldn¡¯t help but to smile.

    ¡°You want a hug,¡± he said.

    A shout. Denial.

    ¡°More than that. A hug every day?¡±

    A pause. It was slow and almost imperceptible. Misdreavus gave Sam the smallest of nods, as if she wasn¡¯t even aware of what she was doing.

    And Sam let out a laugh.

    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t accept that. No, it¡¯s too one-sided. How about... Two hugs? No, three! Wait, how about this¡ªI¡¯ll never turn down a hug as long as you ask, alright?¡±

    Misdreavus continued to stare. She didn¡¯t even blink. The Ghost Type failed to give an immediate response; it was like Sam had given her an offer in an alien language.

    But he knew she understood. Mist formed at the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°So... Would that be enough? Are you willing to join my team? More than that¡ªwould you be willing to be my friend?¡±

    This pause stretched for ages. The corners of Misdreavus¡¯s mouth quivered. Her eyes flicked up and down¡¯s Sam¡¯s form as her face went through too many emotions at once.

    But in the end, she reacted in the same way she¡¯d acted twice before. Like she had done in both the Ilex Forest and the clothing store, she rushed right at Sam. However, this time around, with a better understanding of the situation, no one stopped her, and Sam hugged her back when she slammed into his chest.

    ¡°...It¡¯s been a while, huh? Welcome to the team. I¡¯m glad to have you.¡±

    Misdreavus cried out her name, sobbing and soaking Sam¡¯s shirt.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long the moment lasted. Despite being a Ghost Type, Misdreavus was surprisingly warm. However, the hug didn¡¯t last forever¡ªhe soon heard two sets of footsteps running down a nearby hall.

    Caught off guard, Misdreavus froze and pulled back. She moved to hide behind Sam.

    Rushing down the hallway was the same woman who had escorted him to the arena earlier. She still held a clipboard in one hand, and she panted. Behind her, a burly security guard followed with a frown on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re on three minutes ago,¡± she eventually managed to say through heavy breaths.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Haunter floated down to rejoin Sam at his side. The Ghost Type waved to Misdreavus, who nervously nodded back in greetings.

    Sam needed to head to the arena and reclaim his other two team members before the battle, but before he could go, there was one last, very important thing to do.

    He reached into his pack.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any normal Pok¨¦balls on me, but Redi gave me this,¡± Sam said. ¡°Ready to properly join the team, Misdreavus? How about a Friend Ball for a friend?¡±

 Ghost Type Poll [Closed]

    Update 6/4: The poll is now closed! Thank you everyone for voting!

    <hr>

    Hello!

    When voting in this poll, please think about what you want to read and what fits well on Sam¡¯s team. In the listed options, there¡¯s only one species that I don¡¯t have a satisfying justification for, but that¡¯s something I can develop over time.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Any species that has been left out has been left out intentionally. I didn¡¯t include every Ghost Type, only the ones I felt would be the most interesting to write. A few others would have required a ridiculous level of justification to include, so they unfortunately couldn¡¯t be included. If any missing species feels especially egregious to you, feel free to ask why!

    You¡¯ll be able to pick your top three choices in this poll. You should be able to see the current results immediately, too. And, if you want to learn more about Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon before making your decision, Bulbapedia has a helpful article about the Type here</a>.

    The options have been sorted alphabetically, based on the names of their base forms.

 Chapter 60

    ¡°Our apologies for the delay, but we''ll be getting right into the battle!¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice settled down the arena as Sam stepped out onto the field. He wasn''t sure how disheveled he looked, but he had done his best to fix up his outfit before heading to compete.

    His last two Pok¨¦mon had been retrieved from the nurse, and Haunter had returned with his Pok¨¦ball carried in mouth. The familiar weight of their Pok¨¦balls was comforting as Sam strode forward. He casually waved, and in the distance, he could see Edgar doing the same.

    ¡°That''s our opponent,¡± he whispered. ¡°A Poison Type specialist. A slight tendency to try to set up the field in his favor. Expect him to rely on poisoning you, if possible. Also expect his Pok¨¦mon to be strong and well trained.¡±

    For once, Sam didn''t just have three Pok¨¦mon on him. For so long, it felt as though he was stuck with half of a full team. Now, however, a certain green Pok¨¦ball sat at just the edge of his pocket. He wasn''t sure how well it let a Pok¨¦mon see out, but he hoped that Misdreavus would be able to watch and observe the impending fight.

    When he reached the field, he did his best to not react to the occasional glare the referee sent his way. It was more than just the brief check-over most challengers ever received. The man was unhappy, clearly aware of the true reason behind the battle''s delay. It certainly wasn¡¯t the excuse of technical issues that the announcers gave, after all.

    Sam kept his mind on preparing for the battle, instead.

    Edgar will use four Pok¨¦mon. I also have four now, but I won¡¯t be able to rely on their full potential. Quilava is still injured. Primeape is utterly exhausted. But, while Primeape will need to sit this out, Quilava can still technically fight, and we have both Haunter and Misdreavus, too.

    He hummed.

    Haunter needs to get at least one knock-out. Quilava as well. Misdreavus is strong, but we haven¡¯t trained together. I have to hope that our chat on the way over and whatever she saw when following us means she understands how we fight. I need her to take out at least two members of Edgar¡¯s team if we want to win.

    Of course, Sam would throw everything his team had into this match, but he knew he¡¯d need to rely on the newly caught Misdreavus rather extensively. She had no history of practice and no familiarity with Sam''s strategies outside of anything she might have picked up while following them. However, she wanted to fight. She wanted to win. Sam had asked, and Misdreavus had declared that she wanted to prove her place on the team.

    ¡°Hi Sam!¡± Edgar called out, smiling and bringing up a hand.

    ¡°...Hi,¡± Sam said. He sent a brief glance to the referee. The man still looked annoyed at the delay, but he wasn''t stopping the competitors from talking.

    Edgar continued.

    ¡°Glad to see you doing so well! I liked your matches. I kind of get why you have a Primeape on your team, now. But.... Well, ugh, how do I phrase this? It''s a shame you aren''t going to get any further. You had potential.¡±

    One of Sam''s eyes twitched.

    ¡°I mean, do you really think you can beat me?¡± Edgar asked.

    Sam replied by simply taking out a Pok¨¦ball as the crowd ooh¡¯d in response. He could already feel the faint movement of Haunter stirring within. Neither of them appreciated Edgar¡¯s comment.

    ¡°There''s a difference between thinking something and knowing something,¡± Sam replied. ¡°For example, you think you¡¯re going to win. I know I¡¯m going to win.¡±

    More shouts came from the audience. Some were cheers of support, others were yelling at Sam as if he were a heel that needed to be stomped down. Either way, Edgar took Sam¡¯s words in stride, the younger trainer smiling and bobbing his head the whole time.

    ¡°I''d like to see you try.¡±

    The referee had enough at that point. He shouted for both trainers to send out their Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Edgar shouted in a nearly identical cry.

    Two floating Ghost Types appeared over the field. Two floating Ghost Types that looked almost exactly the same.

    ¡°My, my! A mirror match! Seems that both trainers heard my wishes for this fight!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said.

    ¡°I doubt they heard your wishes. It simply makes strategic sense,¡± Falkner replied. ¡°Samuel''s Haunter has proven to be a powerful combatant with a Hypnosis that can utterly cripple a team. That strategy is already known, so why bother tipping his hand with a different one? Meanwhile, Edgar predicted that obvious choice, so of course he replied with his best counter.¡±

    A hum came from Nurse Joy.

    ¡°I''m not sure about that theory. Seems to me that Sam''s Pok¨¦mon were injured in the last match, and now he''s trying to give them time to heal.¡±

    Below, two Ghost Types on the field stared off. The referee looked between them and nodded once.

    ¡°You know the rules,¡± he said loudly. ¡°Four Pok¨¦mon, two switches each. Trainers, get ready!¡±

    He raised a pair of flags before bringing them down in a swish.

    ¡°Let the battle begin!¡±

    Not even going through the rules, huh? My delay must have really messed things up.

    The thought quickly flashed through Sam''s mind. Both he and Edgar were already shouting out commands.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡±

    ¡°Smog, quick!¡±

    Before Haunter could send Edgar''s Pok¨¦mon into a forced slumber, gas spilled out of his opponent¡¯s mouth and completely surrounded it on the field. The Smog served as cover and filled the area, creating an environment where it could move without being seen.

    For now, with Hypnosis hitting nothing but smoke, Haunter held back, and Sam held back his own commands as well. Both of them waited to hear what Edgar would shout next.

    He shouted nothing. Edgar¡¯s Haunter attacked on its own.

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Sam called out as a counter.

    Fists shot out of the Smog, and fists shot out from Haunter¡¯s sides. Two identical attacks crashed against each other in the air.

    ¡°Grab them!¡± Sam shouted quickly.

    As the two sets of Shadow Punch impacted, each set of hands pulled back to try again. This time, Haunter opened up his fists to lunge forward and wrap around his opponent¡¯s hands, holding them in place. Still hidden in the Smog cloud, Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon tried to draw them back, but Haunter fought against it. The hands of both Pok¨¦mon became occupied in a furious tug-of-war.

    ¡°Sludge Bomb!¡± Edgar yelled.

    ¡°Acid Spray!¡± Sam ordered.

    A glob of gooey tar was lobbed high into the air, sailing out from the center of the Smog. Haunter couldn¡¯t exactly locate his opponent¡¯s position, so his Acid Spray came out more like a wide mist that covered as much area as possible. He barely managed to get it out in time for the Sludge Bomb to start plummeting directly towards him, but Haunter was familiar with his opponent¡¯s tricks. This Poison Type move was conspicuously large with an obvious arc. He easily dodged the much smaller and much faster Shadow Ball that shot his way.

    ¡°Keep it up,¡± Sam said.

    Repeated uses of Acid Spray ate away at edges of the Smog, but if it was doing anything to the enemy Haunter, the result went unseen.

    ¡°Barrage. Fast attacks,¡± Edgar said. ¡°Overwhelm it with speed.¡±

    A mass of Shadow Balls came out fast, but the move still necessitated projectiles to be fired off one-by-one. This past week of training had put Haunter through worse, and he spun and rolled and drifted high up in the air in a dance that avoided each and every one of those attacks.

    He cackled. His smile told Sam he was clearly enjoying this. Several times over, he continued to spray his acid into the Smog. Edgar¡¯s Haunter had to pause to re-up its obscuration at many points. Even with it hidden, it was clear which Ghost Type had the advantage.

    (Sam¡¯s.)

    ¡°Lick!¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t see Edgar¡¯s expression, but the boy¡¯s voice was tinged with frustration.

    The opposing Haunter exploded out of the cloud, rushing Haunter with a malicious grin. A too-large tongue hung out the side of its mouth, and Sam waited until it was close.

    ¡°Lick!¡± he shouted as well.

    Two tongues lolled out. Two tongues swiped forward, each running across the other¡¯s surface. Both Haunter froze, blinking, and the audience¡¯s groans filled the air as the two Pok¨¦mon simultaneously gagged.

    Their floating hands stopped the ongoing fight to be returned to the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sides. In unison, they swiped at their tongues, trying to wipe away any foreign saliva left behind.

    ¡°Disgusting,¡± Falkner¡¯s voice said.

    Sam regretted giving that order, but at least the two attacks canceled out.

    Lick wasn¡¯t the strongest Ghost Type move in the world, but it was capable of paralysis. It wasn¡¯t something Sam had his Pok¨¦mon practice much, but it was a good emergency technique if Haunter was getting overwhelmed up close.

    Unfortunately, it seemed that Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was far more used to gross situations, as it recovered much more quickly than Sam''s Pok¨¦mon. Edgar pointed forward and called out an attack, taking advantage of Haunter still being distracted by his tongue.

    ¡°Shadow Ball,¡± Edgar ordered for the final time.

    Haunter looked up a moment too late, and a ball of darkness slammed right into his face.

    The move sent him careening to the battlefield floor. Small stones were knocked up into the air as his body impacted it, not phasing through. He was left in a daze, eyes spinning. A super effective attack like that wasn¡¯t something he could handle.

    But he was still technically conscious.

    And through the slowly dissipating Smog, Edgar looked rather annoyed.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Haunter. Return!¡± Edgar said.

    This time around, Sam was faster.

    ¡°Mean Look!¡±

    Though Haunter was now severely injured, he snapped himself into a roll forward, looking up to glare at the Pok¨¦mon floating directly above him. When the light of his opponent¡¯s Pok¨¦ball surrounded the enemy Haunter, the light broke. Both the energy of the move and the opposing Haunter itself fought against the effect.

    Haunter had taunted his opponent, and it¡¯d be sticking on the field as long as Mean Look lingered.

    ¡°...Was that wise?¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice said from above.

    The announcers started to comment on the validity of Sam¡¯s strategy. Edgar wanted a safe and easy switch while his opponent¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was injured, but for some reason, they didn¡¯t understand why Sam would want to keep a seemingly healthier Pok¨¦mon out on the field. With the current difference in strength, Edgar¡¯s Haunter would have plenty of opportunities to take Sam¡¯s own Haunter out.

    Except, that wasn¡¯t true.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Edgar was trying to hide it, but it was blatantly obvious to Sam. Acid Spray had landed through the Smog cloud, not creating any obvious injuries, but instead eating away at the opposing Haunter¡¯s amorphous body and creating points on its surface where it looked a bit fuzzy. The Poison Type attack might have not caused much damage, but Acid Spray¡¯s caustic effect ate away at its defenses and opened it up to future special attacks.

    In other words, we just need one attack to win.

    Mean Look ensured the Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t flee, but Sam didn¡¯t have many options for attacks to take it out. Not just that, but the point blank, super effective Shadow Ball was devastating. Haunter was liable to fall unconscious at any moment. If a move missed, the Mean Look would go to waste.

    Sam decided to risk it. Haunter had been practicing the move, but it hadn¡¯t been ready to be used in battle before now.

    ¡°Ominous Wind,¡± he said.

    Anything that involved a projectile would have been too easy to dodge. Instead, what was more difficult to avoid was an entire gale.

    Haunter poured the last of his energy into this attack. He knew he would faint, so he solely focused on making sure this attack couldn¡¯t be avoided. Remaining on the ground, he threw his hands to the side and cried out his name. From behind him, a dark, chilling smoke blew out. It reminded Sam of the fog of a deep forest or the mist of a midnight beach.

    Haunter laughed. Edgar¡¯s Haunter tried to run away. But, taunted by Mean Look as it was, it was reluctant to flee, and that cost it the match. The Ominous Wind caught and consumed it, seeping into the weak points formed by Acid Spray. The super effective damage drained its energy and caused it to collapse into unconsciousness.

    Unfortunately, Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon used the last of his energy to send that attack out, and he collapsed back onto the ground as well.

    ¡°Well now! A mirror match ends up in mirrored ties! Seems to me that these two Haunter are rather equal, hm?¡±

    No. They¡¯re not. Haunter¡¯s still fighting with a handicap.

    All it would have taken was one Hex to overwhelm the Smog and eliminate Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. The flames conjured by that move could appear as several projectiles at once. So used to hiding, Sam doubted Edgar¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was great at dodging. That, and he doubted the other boy had pushed himself recently. He seemed to have grown cocky after his Beginner¡¯s Tournament win.

    Edgar returned his Pok¨¦mon, and Sam returned his as well. Rather than immediately making his next selection, Sam held Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in front of him.

    ¡°Thank you. Because of you, you¡¯ve carried us through this tournament. And because of you, we¡¯re going to win this fight as well,¡± he whispered.

    Edgar didn¡¯t look happy. Clearly, he hadn¡¯t expected his Haunter to faint. Though, instead of making any comments, he merely sent out the next member of his team.

    ¡°Victreebel.¡±

    Victreebel was part Grass Type, appearing as a pitcher plant capable of swallowing a full grown man. Sam was tempted to send out Quilava here, but he paused, grabbing Misdreavus¡¯s Pok¨¦ball instead.

    ¡°One shake if you know Mean Look. Two shakes if you don¡¯t.¡±

    He smiled when the ball shook once in his hand. The smile turned into a full-on grin as he tossed the Friend Ball into the air.

    Misdreavus made her debut on the field.

    ¡°Resume!¡± the head referee shouted.

    Sam and Edgar both called for different moves.

    ¡°Toxic!¡± Edgar shouted quickly.

    ¡°Mean Look,¡± Sam cheerfully replied.

    Misdreavus¡¯s hair flowed behind her as if caught in a harsh wind. The red pearls around her neck glowed with bright light. She glared at Victreebel challengingly, both as a fellow Pok¨¦mon and as a terrifying banshee.

    Meanwhile, from the pitcher plant¡¯s body, it eagerly met her taunt and made a series of horrible, choking noises. As it spat acidic mucus up at her, Misdreavus barely dodged the splatter of the debilitating Toxic, using Confusion to send any properly aimed chunks of gunk towards the floor.

    We¡¯ll need to be wary of that. Toxic might as well be a guaranteed hit when used by a Poison Type. Confusion is the only reason she¡¯s unaffected. We won¡¯t be able to risk getting close, either.

    Sam knew what major attacks Misdreavus had¡ªshe had done her best to describe them on the walk over. It was an expansive selection when compared to some of his team members, but she really only knew Ghost and Psychic Type attacks. While her species was adept at using something like Will-O-Wisp, she personally hadn¡¯t learned it. She only knew one status move, and while it was more volatile than most conditions, it still paired well with Mean Look.

    ¡°Confuse Ray,¡± Sam said.

    Large leaves on Victreebel¡¯s sides flung Razor Leaves that carved through the air. Misdreavus floated backwards to buy herself time, firing off a grey beam that struck Victreebel between the eyes as she did. She tried to completely dodge Victreebel''s attack, but her use of Confuse Ray meant she wasn¡¯t able to quickly switch into a telekinetic Confusion. A sharpened leaf ended up leaving a long slice across her cheek.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine. It¡¯s one strike. I¡¯ve seen you take worse,¡± Sam said.

    He spoke with confidence to not betray his feelings to Edgar or the audience, but that statement was meant more as a question. Thankfully, Misdreavus truly didn¡¯t seem bothered¡ªshe might have taken some damage, but it was only one leaf out of many.

    ¡°Victreebel! Razor Leaf again, don¡¯t let it dodge!¡± Edgar shouted, trying to be loud enough to pierce through the haze of his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s confusion.

    Under the effects of Confuse Ray, Victreebel did hear Edgar¡¯s command, but it seemed unsure where its target was. To adjust for that, it spun, and small, sharpened leaves went everywhere as it attempted to attack every spot on the field at once.

    Psychic barriers flashed on the sides, preventing stray leaves from leaving the field¡¯s bounds. Resident Psychic Types protected both the trainers and staff. Misdreavus didn¡¯t have such a protection, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Psywave,¡± Sam ordered.

    Misdreavus sent out a psychic sine wave that waxed and waned with power while moving towards her foe.

    The spinning leaves were knocked aside, and Victreebel was too busy trying to attack to dodge. Misdreavus¡¯s attack struck it dead center, and as a partial Poison Type, the Psychic Type move dealt super effective damage. The nature of Psywave meant its actual power tended to vary¡ªsomething that Sam hoped to correct by eventually teaching Misdreavus Psybeam¡ªbut the attack was timed well, striking its target near its peak.

    His smile twitching downwards, Edgar¡¯s hand reached for his Pok¨¦ball, but he paused. Mean Look meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to return his Pok¨¦mon and break it free of that confusion. Switching right now was impossible.

    Sam chose to stay silent as the exchange continued on the field. Like Haunter before her, Misdreavus actually looked like she was having fun. Watched by the entire audience, she didn¡¯t seem to mind the many eyes. Instead, she just seemed to be happy to fight alongside Sam as part of his team.

    ¡°Finish it off with Shadow Ball,¡± Sam eventually said.

    With Misdreavus floating in the air, Victreebel¡¯s strategy was effectively crippled. She was the perfect counter; Vine Whip couldn¡¯t reach her, she was too far away to be swallowed whole, and her Confusion could cause any attempts for a Toxic to miss.

    ¡°Sludge Bomb, quick!¡± Edgar shouted.

    Victreebel snapped out of its confusion to gurgle and cough up a glob of poison at Misdreavus.

    To dodge, she let herself fall, careening towards the ground and pulling up in a movement similar to Aerial Ace. She used the momentum to fire off a Shadow Ball, and Sam heard Falkner briefly whisper something along the lines of ¡°how inspired.¡±

    The Shadow Ball hit Victreebel right in its chest. Edgar¡¯s smile vanished.

    After everything else, that was more than enough, and the Grass Type Pok¨¦mon crumpled before being returned. Edgar unhappily clipped its Pok¨¦ball back on his belt.

    ¡°...didn¡¯t know you had a Misdreavus,¡± the boy grumbled.

    Misdreavus quickly turned around to rush to where Sam was standing in his trainer box. She stopped before leaving the bounds of the field. Large eyes stared up at him, almost begging.

    Amused, Sam smiled and took a step forward. He rubbed her head affectionately. She was asking, after all.

    ¡°Good job,¡± he said.

    Elated, Misdreavus cried out her name before returning to the air, beaming proudly with a slight smirk sent Edgar¡¯s way. As the other trainer palmed a Pok¨¦ball, Sam glanced up at the audience. Such a sign of affection definitely didn¡¯t match the appearance he was going for, but he didn¡¯t mind. Misdreavus deserved the thanks for all her hard work.

    That¡¯s strange, though. I don¡¯t see Redi.

    Neither her nor Ursaring were in their seats. Sam wasn¡¯t sure what happened to them.

    ¡°Might have taken out Victreebel a bit too easily, but try this! Tentacruel!¡±

    The many-tentacled jellyfish Pok¨¦mon that had once helped Edgar fish now appeared on the field. Misdreavus pulled herself back to ready herself to resume the fight.

    ¡°Pst,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°Have any other status moves?¡±

    Unfortunately, she shook her head. She had a decent number of attacks, but Confuse Ray and Mean Look¡ªand technically Growl¡ªwere the only moves she had for support. So, instead of keeping her out, Sam used one of his two switches to return her for now.

    ¡°Quilava,¡± Sam said.

    The crowd went utterly wild.

    ¡°What?! And just like that, Sam sends out a Fire Type against a Water Type foe!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon yelled.

    Edgar looked like he wanted to comment, but the boy just ended up closing his mouth. He shook his head, and when the battle resumed, he went ahead and gave the obvious command.

    ¡°Bubble Beam.¡±

    ¡°Swift,¡± Sam said.

    The reaction was about as expected. While he hadn¡¯t had much time to check the New Pok¨¦dex before this, he at least knew Tentacruel tended to lack moves that involved straight streams of water. At most, a Tentacruel would know an attack like Water Pulse or Bubble Beam, two moves Quilava could easily deal with. If it knew Surf, Sam would have seen Edgar call for it in an earlier battle.

    No such thing had ever occurred.

    No, Edgar was clearly a Poison Type specialist who relied on Poison Type moves. The Bubble Beam came out solely to take advantage of Quilava¡¯s Fire Type, but she swiped her head to the side, and an array of spiraling stars came out to rush her foe.

    Each star of Swift pierced through and popped the incoming bubbles. It helped disguise what she did after, as Tentacruel was distracted by the barrage from Swift striking its side.

    It was unfortunately rather resistant to special attacks, so the Swift didn¡¯t do much damage. Thankfully, it did lead the way for Quilava¡¯s follow-up move.

    ¡°There we go,¡± Sam said, smiling.

    Quilava didn¡¯t need to rely on her injured foot just to toss out a few attacks. In the wake of the Swift was a hidden Will-O-Wisp. Tentacruel might have been a Water Type, but that didn¡¯t mean it was immune to burns.

    ¡°I¡¯m using my second switch,¡± Sam called out.

    The battle was put on momentary pause as Quilava came back, and Misdreavus reappeared in her place.

    ¡°Mean Look and¡ª Well, hide from it the same way you hid from me,¡± Sam told her.

    The second that Mean Look trapped the Tentacruel on the field, Edgar threw up his hands and groaned.

    ¡°Really?! Come on!¡±

    Misdreavus then proceeded to dive into the floor. There wasn¡¯t much of a clear shadow underneath her, but one formed right as she hit the ground.

    ¡°No way,¡± Sam breathed.

    Shadow Sneak?

    Misdreavus was a special attacker. A move like that shouldn¡¯t have been naturally learned by her species.

    And then to add to that ridiculousness, Misdreavus went on to use another move at the same time. A Night Shade, darker than Haunter¡¯s, popped up and obscured her exact position on the field.

    Where did she learn this kind of stuff? Between this combination and Shadow Ball, she¡¯s far too strong to have been a simple wild Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Toxic,¡± Edgar snarled. His usual affable demeanor had utterly vanished. Now, he seemed more determined than ever to win the battle.

    Tentacruel shot out streams of poison from its tentacles, each aimed at where the dark sphere hid Misdreavus¡¯s zig-zags over the field. The attack always entered that sphere, but it didn¡¯t seem to land, forming deep purple puddles instead. Misdreavus was able to repeatedly dodge, utterly avoiding multiple uses of Toxic, until¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s setting up the field,¡± Sam realized.

    Tentacruel¡¯s burn was eating away at it, but it was also slowly using its Toxic puddles to corral where Misdreavus could potentially go.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! We waited long enough, return!¡±

    ¡°Mean Look!¡± Sam countered.

    While the first use of the move had worn off, it was just as easy to re-up it even through the shadow on the ground.

    ¡°Fine! Whatever! Who cares about being able to switch?¡± Edgar shouted. ¡°Just use Water Pulse, or something! See if it likes that!¡±

    ¡°The sky!¡±

    That was all Sam managed to get out.

    Misdreavus left the ground, her Shadow Sneak ending, but with so few safe places left after Toxic, the pulsating ring of water ended up striking her in the air.

    ¡°Misdreavus!¡± Sam shouted, worried.

    The attack knocked her back, but she didn¡¯t fall. However, she was panting. She¡¯d spent a while running, and Tentacruel wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon to scoff at.

    She was tired and injured. As Edgar¡¯s grin returned, Sam looked at his opponent¡¯s Pok¨¦mon carefully.

    I¡¯m relying too much on status moves again, aren¡¯t I? Wearing it down is fine, but a strategy like this always works best when supported by real damage.

    ¡°Just need you to faint this last Pok¨¦mon, and we¡¯ll be good. Get close and use Confusion,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Again!¡±

    Misdreavus dived downwards. Both her eyes and her red pearl necklace glowed with Psychic Type energy. On land, Tentacruel didn¡¯t have much in the way of mobility, but its many tentacles tried to draw it back as it fired off one last Water Pulse.

    The move hit.

    But Misdreavus let it hit.

    She crashed right through the ringed pulse, preserving her momentum as water splattered everywhere. Sailing right at it, Tentacruel stiffened as her Confusion took effect.

    Confusion was too weak of a move and Tentacruel was too large of a Pok¨¦mon for Misdreavus to lift her opponent into the air. However, the attack still caused space to twist around it, dealing super effective damage and causing quite a bit of pain.

    ¡°Toxic!¡± Edgar shouted.

    Even through the attack, Tentacruel swiped with a tentacle. This time around, while the minimal distance allowed for a more effective Confusion, that same lack of distance prevented Misdreavus from sending the poisonous sludge away from her in time.

    ¡°There we go,¡± Edgar said, smiling once more.

    Tentacruel fell, but Misdreavus was now badly poisoned.

    Edgar returned his Pok¨¦mon quickly. Misdreavus looked like she was having trouble breathing, the Toxic growing by the second. To make matters worse, Edgar took his time to make his final selection. He didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by how he only had one available Pok¨¦mon left. He had two to pick from, and he was letting Misdreavus suffer from being badly poisoned, following the rules but violating their spirit.

    He really was a Poison Type trainer through and through.

    ¡°Looks like Edgar is in quite the pickle. He only has one team member left for this battle,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon commented, his voice being carried throughout the arena.

    ¡°Hm. You might think that, but I¡¯m not sure about Samuel¡¯s chances,¡± Falkner replied. ¡°His Quilava is still injured from its last battle, and now his Misdreavus is suffering from Toxic, too. With no switches remaining, he might be more disadvantaged than he might look. Especially after everything his Primeape has gone through¡ªis it even in a state to join a fight?¡±

    He¡¯s not, but you¡¯re underestimating Quilava.

    Misdreavus struggled to stay in the air. All the while, Edgar continued to delay.

    ¡°Send out your next Pok¨¦mon,¡± the referee ordered tersely.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Sorry about that! Just thinking!¡±

    Sam could see an obvious lie for what it was.

    Plucking a Pok¨¦ball from his waist, Edgar sent out one final team member.

    ¡°Arbok,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Really think you¡¯ll be able to defeat my starter so easily?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Edgar blinked.

    ¡°Misdreavus, Night Shade!¡± Sam called out.

    Arbok tried to coil in on itself, but Misdreavus was too fast. She lunged and flashed with the slightest bit of damage before she fell, finally succumbing to her poison.

    Sam quickly returned her. She hadn¡¯t taken any devastating direct hits. Though badly poisoned, all it would take was one treatment from a nurse, and he knew Misdreavus would be right as rain.

    ¡°You did amazing for your first battle. You¡¯re the reason we¡¯re going to win.¡±

    He had no way of telling for sure, but for some reason, he imagined her Pok¨¦ball feeling warm inside.

    Replacing Misdreavus on the field was Quilava, the same Pok¨¦mon who had burned the Tentacruel appearing once again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run. Focus on dodging. Build yourself up and get ready,¡± Sam ordered calmly.

    His closest friend and the second starter on the field grinned. Quilava¡¯s flames started to take on a darker hue as she built herself up with Curse.

    ¡°Poison Sting! Into Wrap!¡± Edgar shouted.

    It might have suffered a flash of Night Shade, but that was nothing for it as the Arbok moved at an incredibly fast speed. It slithered across the field and opened its mouth, unleashing many sharpened needles that rocketed towards Quilava.

    While she wasn¡¯t running, she had been using Curse. The move took a lot of focus to maintain, but the flashes of insight provided by Detect still allowed her to dodge Arbok¡¯s projectiles with ease. However, while the Poison Sting didn¡¯t hit, Arbok was able to dash right up to her, where it snapped out with its tail. It wrapped her with its body, the serpent Pok¨¦mon coiling around her and beginning to squeeze.

    ¡°And don¡¯t even think about using Will-O-Wisp! Arbok¡¯s Shed Skin means your attempts to burn will be useless!¡± Edgar taunted.

    The announcers commented something about how impressive it was that Edgar had trained his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s ability.

    Please. Just wait until everyone realizes just how common abilities as good as Shed Skin actually are.

    Sam waited to give any commands. Quilava kept using Curse, building up both her defenses and physical strength. Arbok was strong, and it was clear the pressure of the move strained Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but also knew she could take it.

    ¡°Wait for it... Wait for it...¡± Edgar mumbled. ¡°Now! Use Poison Fang!¡±

    Arbok¡¯s lower jaw unhinged to try to bite down, but Sam only needed to say a single word for a counter.

    ¡°Incinerate.¡±

    Fire exploded against Arbok¡¯s face.

    The snake Pok¨¦mon reared back, its move never landing. A hiss left its throat from the point-blank pain, and it loosened its grip. Quilava squirmed her way out and jumped into the air.

    ¡°Flame Wheel.¡±

    ¡°Glare!¡± Edgar hurriedly shouted.

    Sorry, but you¡¯ve activated our trap by squeezing her like that. Really think you¡¯ll be able to handle Quilava boosted by Blaze?

    Arbok snapped its gaze towards her, but Quilava had already tucked her head in to let herself be consumed by darkened fire. Like a meteor, she slammed down, and her target crashed into the floor. All of this together meant she had dealt massive damage. It was honestly a miracle that Arbok didn¡¯t faint.

    ¡°Go for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ember.¡±

    The weakest Fire Type move, one not even affected by Curse, was what ended up finishing Arbok off.

    It was over.

    ¡°The victor is Samuel!¡±

    Sam was finally able to breath out now that the battle was over.

    We won. Huh.

    Sam felt a little strange. The battle hadn¡¯t been as difficult as he¡¯d thought. It was hard, yes, but Edgar was supposed to be a sort of prodigy. Even though he had won the Beginner¡¯s Tournament, it was like for that entire match, Sam had just been leading him around by the nose.

    By far, his most difficult opponent had been Edgar¡¯s Haunter. The rest, well, Sam had counter strategies prepared for most of Edgar¡¯s team. He knew what he needed to do, and while there had been a bit of nerves thanks to Misdreavus¡¯s lack of practice, it all worked out.

    And now, we just have the finals to get through. We¡¯re in second place overall.

    Unable to stop his smile, Sam returned Quilava so that she wouldn¡¯t need to run to him and potentially further damage her leg. He walked forward, stepping onto the field, going over all the moments of the battle in his head as he met with Edgar in the center.

    The younger trainer stared at him. Around them, the consequences of their battle. Puddles of now-diluted Toxic remained. The arena¡¯s Ground Types would need to fix up the field for the next match.

    After a short moment of wait, Edgar stuck out his hand rather aggressively.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you in the Conference.¡±

    Sam clasped Edgar¡¯s hand and shook.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m pretty sure you won''t.¡±

    The statement was met with a frown.

    Sam pulled back, casually waving to the audience. Edgar unhappily did the same. After spending a few seconds together to show good sportsmanship, Sam exited the field as one of the tournament¡¯s two finalists, leaving Edgar behind.

 Chapter 61

    After so many rounds of battling, the Violet City Tournament was entering its final phase. Two competitors were left to fight it out in a final match to determine who won overall.

    As no one wanted the finals to be a fight between exhausted Pok¨¦mon, the final round had the longest break before it, giving competitors a full hour to rest while also allowing a battle for third to take place towards its end. When it came to tournaments, people were always the most interested in the final rounds. That full hour¡¯s break didn¡¯t just let Pok¨¦mon recover, but it also gave people a chance to stand up, buy food, arrive at the arena after a long day of work, and watch replays and highlights of previous battles on the arena¡¯s large screens.

    There was no telling how many more people were watching from home, too. Specific, recorded matches were actively being played on cable to time everything just right to let even more people watch the tournament live. Most of the at-home viewership would come from a local Violet City network, with a few smaller, region-wide channels displaying the fights as well. Unfortunately, this tournament wasn''t shown across regions. His mother had checked, and both she and Sam had been disappointed that she wasn''t able to watch.

    However, the Pok¨¦mon League did have a video archive that allowed people to rewatch almost any official or close-to-official battle online. Anyone could catch these battles after the fact, which meant Sam¡¯s future opponents would be able to look him up and prepare for any strategies they witnessed here. The archival site was part of the reason Sam wore an outfit for this¡ªwhy not start working on his public appearance now rather than later? Technically, the Beginner¡¯s Tournament also recorded a battle involving Sam, but he doubted anyone would get anything out of watching a Teddiursa beat up a Mankey and a Cyndaquil. No, this was effectively his debut as a trainer.

    And I made it to the finals!

    He couldn¡¯t stop smiling as he leaned back in a cushioned armchair. Given that he was a finalist and given the long break before the final match, an entire, private dressing room had been provided for himself and his team. It had a couch, it had a mirror, and it had this exceedingly comfortable armchair.

    But Sam was alone. All of his Pok¨¦mon were currently with a nurse. They were being treated with the best care possible so they could perform at full health in the final fight.

    Quilava¡¯s foot injury won¡¯t be as bad, but it¡¯s still something her opponents can take advantage of if she turns while running. Primeape should be able to recover from his exhaustion. If not, I¡¯ll probably be able to buy him an energy drink or something. Haunter should be fine. Same with Misdreavus. That means my entire team will be ready to take on Franklin.

    Sam would have liked to plan more, but he simply didn¡¯t have a way. Through every round, Franklin had only ever used his Kadabra. The only reason it was able to succeed was thanks to the move Recover, which restored its health within each match. That, and Franklin combined Kadabra¡¯s Psychic and Teleport to make approaching it a nightmare.

    He¡¯s definitely burning through a supply of Elixirs with how much energy it''s been expending. Still, with how he¡¯s been pushing it, one solid physical attack should be able to take it out. I¡¯d like to have Primeape do that, but that¡¯s just asking for Kadabra to one-shot him with a Psychic. Same with Haunter, unfortunately. That means I¡¯ll need to rely on Quilava or... Misdreavus.

    I still need to introduce her to the rest of the team.

    He also needed to go over more specific strategies with her, which was possible now that they actually had time. The next battle would be a test of how well his team had trained rather than how well they could prepare. With so little information, there wasn¡¯t anything Sam could do to prepare counters for Franklin ahead of time.

    Sam¡¯s mind went on and wandered, with him mostly thinking about future improvements for his team. Misdreavus definitely needed to learn more status moves, and Haunter needed to learn Shadow Ball. Ominous Wind was a decent stop-gap for him, but it lacked the certain ¡°oomph¡± that Shadow Ball could provide. That, and it kind of grated on Sam that the only Pok¨¦mon who knew the move was one that had known it from before. He was even tempted to train Haunter without Misdreavus¡¯s help so he could learn more about the Ghost Type, himself.

    Actually, that makes more sense anyway. I¡¯ll likely need to help future Pok¨¦mon learn Shadow Ball. Asking for Misdreavus to serve as a tutor would help Haunter, but it won¡¯t help me when it comes to becoming a proper Ghost Type specialist.

    Sam continued to lean back and think, drifting off with his body melting into the cushioned chair. Before too long, however, there was a knock at the door. Sam shot up and ran over to retrieve his Pok¨¦mon now that they¡¯d been healed.

    It wasn¡¯t the nurse, and it wasn¡¯t his Pok¨¦mon being returned to him, either.

    ¡°This your friend?¡± a burly security guard grunted.

    Redi tried to pull away from the man, but he had her arm locked down with an iron grip. He didn¡¯t even move when she yanked, and there was a nasty-looking scowl on her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sam said in a low voice. The guard seemed to misunderstand why Sam might be upset and grinned, unaware of the heat beginning to roil in Sam¡¯s chest.

    ¡°This girl attacked a member of security. And when we tried to capture her, she had the gall to run away! Took ages to nab her, but when we did, she starts claiming that she''s one of the competitors¡¯ ¡®friends.¡¯ Came here to prove a point, mostly. But now that¡¯s been taken care of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I didn''t attack you! I just warned you the place was haunted!¡± Redi growled. ¡°And when I helped your friend into the chair so he wouldn¡¯t be on the ground, you know what he did? Screamed at my Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    The security guard gained a scowl on his face that matched Redi¡¯s own.

    ¡°Not my fault you¡¯re training a freak.¡±

    ¡°Porygon is not a freak, you take that back!¡±

    His grip tightened around Redi¡¯s arm, and her next shout was cut off. If Sam had his Pok¨¦mon with him...

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend,¡± he said, doing his best to keep his voice level.

    The security guard blinked at Sam, and Redi looked up at him, a smug grin on her face.

    ¡°Ha! Told you!¡±

    ¡°But she still¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let her go,¡± Sam demanded.

    The security guard threw Redi¡¯s arm forward, causing her to stumble towards where Sam stood.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he snapped. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this ¡®cause you¡¯re a finalist. Not supposed to stir the pot, they said. This city gives you way too much freedom. If I had my way, you¡¯d be kicked out of here and arrested! Hear me, girl?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Go do your job so you can return to bullying people at a mall or whatever you do in your free time.¡±

    The security guard''s face turned red. Redi stuck her tongue out at him. Before he could respond, Sam closed the door in his face.

    ¡°Did you attack him?¡± Sam whispered.

    ¡°...No?¡±

    ¡°Did you have Haunter use Hypnosis?¡± he asked after a few seconds of giving it thought.

    Redi turned away from him and didn¡¯t respond, but not responding itself was an answer enough.

    Sam sighed and dragged his hand down his face.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just have Pok¨¦mon use moves on people like that. You know how illegal that is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only illegal if they cause harm,¡± Redi quickly replied. ¡°Technically, since I didn¡¯t explicitly order Hypnosis, and since Haunter¡¯s not actually my Pok¨¦mon, I¡¯m only on the hook for trespassing. Do you think they don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Sam¡¯s stare made her shut up.

    ¡°So this was how you found Misdreavus?¡±

    Redi slowly nodded.

    Sam went quiet for a long time before letting out another sigh. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t actually too mad. It could have been a lot worse.

    ¡°Thank you. It was a risk. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to meet up with her.¡±

    ¡°No problem!¡± Redi walked over to nudge Sam in the arm. ¡°So you caught her, huh? Wasn¡¯t able to watch your last battle because of, uh...¡±

    She briefly drifted off.

    They chatted for a bit, but with Redi having spent so long running away, she started to wobble where she stood, the adrenaline crash getting to her. She walked over and called out dibs on the couch, where she promptly collapsed and fell asleep. As Sam watched, Porygon released itself without an order, and the artificial Pok¨¦mon floated down to sit on her back.

    ¡°Weird,¡± Sam said.

    The knock Sam wanted to hear happened just a minute later. Opening up the door, he wasn¡¯t met with a security guard, but the smiling face of a Chansey. The nurse Pok¨¦mon said its name to ask to be let in, and it pushed forward a cart once Sam gave it permission. Four Pok¨¦balls sat on top of that cart¡ªthree red, one green. Inside, the Chansey handed Sam a form that listed out his team¡¯s current statuses before bowing its head. It then brought everything back out and left Sam with the Pok¨¦balls.

    The sheet detailed nothing unexpected. Quilava¡¯s front right leg had a hairline fracture, but with the inherent sturdiness of Pok¨¦mon as well as the quality of modern medicine, it was genuinely nothing major, though an injury like that would have been devastating for a human.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    After making sure there were no other surprises, Sam went ahead and sent out his first three team members, holding Misdreavus back for now. Quilava appeared with a yawn, sitting down and briefly licking her injured leg. Primeape appeared and wobbled just as much as Redi had. Clearly, he was still a bit tired, but with how much time was left before the next match, a nap would put him right as rain. As for Haunter, meanwhile, the floating Ghost Type¡¯s eyes lingered on the fourth Pok¨¦ball in Sam¡¯s hand. Quilava soon started to stare at it as well.

    ¡°In our last fight, you probably noticed we aren¡¯t a team of three anymore. We have a fourth friend with us now,¡± Sam said.

    Haunter was already grinning. Primeape, meanwhile, blinked.

    Wait, are you genuinely surprised?

    Sam pushed past that reaction. He kept sharing what he wanted to say.

    ¡°Usually I¡¯d have wanted to ask before a new capture, but I only had Haunter with me when it happened. Our new team member is... We¡¯ve met her before. Once in Ilex, once in¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself. His team hadn¡¯t been out in that clothing store.

    Over on the couch, half-asleep, Redi brought up a hand.

    ¡°Get on with it,¡± she slurred.

    Sam shook his head.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stop delaying. Long story short, I caught her in the arena. This is Misdreavus. Everybody, please say hi!¡±

    Sam released the Ghost Type from out of her Friend Ball.

    Misdreavus appeared doing her best to maintain a friendly expression, but she was also trying to hide the nerves underneath. She might not have had hands, but the sound she made and the slight turn of her body was about the equivalent of a nervous wave.

    Haunter eagerly waved back. While he already knew about her, he seemed excited to have a fellow Ghost Type on the team. Primeape, meanwhile, lifted up a hand in bare greetings then walked over to join Redi on the couch. He pushed her legs out of the way to give himself space to hop up. The second his back hit the cushions, he passed out and snored.

    ¡°About as expected for him, yeah,¡± Sam mumbled. He turned and glanced at Quilava.

    The Fire Type was doing her best to keep a placid expression on her face, but her eyes kept flicking over to Sam. She recognized Misdreavus and remembered being ¡°attacked.¡± Quilava was silently trying to ask him if he was really sure about this capture.

    ¡°Back in the forest, Misdreavus wasn¡¯t attacking,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°She was just trying to say hello, and I misunderstood that. She followed us because... she was lonely. My excuse for trying to find her was to get her to help us win the tournament, but really, I just wanted her to have a friend.¡±

    Quilava eyed Misdreavus as the Ghost Type levitated downwards to move closer to her on the floor. She said her name in greeting, and Quilava slowly did the same right back. Neither of them moved, simply existing next to one another. Finally, Misdreavus seemed to come to a decision. She bit her lip in thought before leaning down for a whisper.

    Whatever she said encouraged Quilava to follow. The pair started to move to the corner of the room, Misdreavus briefly turning around to tell Sam to stay behind, and then they started to talk.

    It was mostly Misdreavus. Sam could occasionally hear a noise from her, but she kept her voice quiet and positioned herself to block Quilava¡¯s expressions and hide her own. Sam didn¡¯t know her well enough yet to understand her body language, but he could at least tell she was sharing a story.

    Occasionally, Quilava squeaked something to ask a question or make a comment, but it was mostly just Misdreavus talking for several minutes straight. Sam tried to subtly move around to catch a glimpse of how Quilava was responding, but even though she wasn¡¯t facing him, Misdreavus moved to make sure Sam could never see either of their faces.

    He was nervous, and he paced, but enough time passed that he ended up sitting down in the armchair. Their noises continued, the only other sounds being both Redi¡¯s and Primeape¡¯s snores. Haunter disappeared... somewhere, but Sam knew his Pok¨¦mon would be back in time to strategize before the finals.

    When Misdreavus eventually stopped talking, there was a long period of silence interrupted by a single squeak. Quilava used that noise to ask the equivalent of a simple question:

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Sam could see Misdreavus nod to confirm.

    Before he could even process what that might mean, Quilava let out a wail and threw herself into the Ghost Type. Misdreavus fell back, bewildered, but she remained solid enough to allow Quilava to press against her.

    Sam could actually see their expressions now. Misdreavus looked overwhelmed, and Quilava was outright sobbing. As he stared, the tears suddenly stopped, and Quilava snapped her gaze to him.

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re keeping her,¡± Quilava¡¯s expression almost explicitly said.

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re friends now. Why would we send her away?¡±

    A huff from Quilava might as well have said, ¡°Good.¡± She continued to press herself against Misdreavus, affectionately rubbing her face against the Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Am I going to get any hints about what just happened?¡± Sam asked.

    Both Pok¨¦mon shook their heads no in perfect unison.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he sighed. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I guess. I¡¯m not going to force you to tell me if you don¡¯t want to, but... I am curious why you know such strong moves. Shadow Ball and especially Shadow Sneak aren¡¯t common for wild Ghost Types. Were you trained?¡±

    Misdreavus locked up but managed to shake her head. Sam had seen the expression on her face once before; Primeape had looked the same way when his own background was close to being discussed. It wasn¡¯t that she figured out those moves out on her own, but she wasn¡¯t willing to answer the question until later.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, breathing out. ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t want to force you to answer anything you don¡¯t want to. Primeape has his own secrets he hasn¡¯t told me, so it¡¯s not a big deal if you have your own motivations too, alright? Just remember that we¡¯re a team. If you need help with something, anything¡ª¡±

    Misdreavus furiously nodded. Sam could tell she absolutely knew that she could rely on him.

    He smiled at her, and Quilava came bounding over. The weasel-like Fire Type jumped into his lap. He began to run his fingers through the warm fur on her back as Misdreavus followed her over to perch on the back of the chair.

    He leaned into his seat¡¯s cushions, relaxing alongside his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°We should probably go over a few strategies soon, but we have time before our next match. How about we just take it easy for a bit, first? I might not have any books on me, but I do know a lot of stories. I have this one my grandfather told me when I was little. It¡¯s about a mystical knight and his partner, Lucario...¡±

    <hr>

    When it was time for the final round to start, Sam felt as though he should have been nervous. The idea of starting the battle that would determine the winner should have caused him to panic. Instead, he felt calm, collected, and ready to take on whatever Franklin had to offer.

    He trusted his team, and his team trusted him. He didn¡¯t bother thinking about all the ways he might lose. Instead, Sam thought about all the ways he might win.

    Stepping out onto the field, he might have been the only one leaving the tunnel, but he knew he wasn¡¯t alone. His team was with him, inside of their Pok¨¦balls. Redi was in the audience. Her team was alongside her, too.

    Sam looked up.

    Above him, after an entire day of battling, the sun was no longer visible but was now close to lowering into sunset. The sky was beginning to hint at night with a few darker shades, and lights had turned on inside the arena to keep the central floor lit up. This start of the match was a bit different than previous starts, as Franklin was already on the field. Both trainers came out one at a time to allow the announcers to hype the crowds up.

    ¡°And there¡¯s our resident Ghost Type specialist!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice shouted. ¡°An incredible Haunter! A powerful Misdreavus! A Primeape able to sweep an entire team all on its own, and a Quilava whose flames always leave its opponents burned!¡±

    The audience roared. Sam¡¯s heart swelled with pride. He wasn¡¯t just being recognized as a Ghost Type specialist, but all of his teams¡¯ efforts were being recognized, too. The cheers were deafening, and he could hear people yelling both his and his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s names.

    I wonder if we¡¯ll have any dedicated fans after this.

    The crowd started to quiet down as he approached his trainer box. Franklin watched him as he moved into position.

    Contrary to how Sam was introduced, Franklin had much less of an introduction, being described as a ¡°mysterious challenger and his lone Kadabra,¡± without much else. Apparently, he hailed from Kanto¡¯s Saffron City¡ªwhich gave credence to him being a Psychic Type specialist given which Gym was there. Unfortunately, as this was also Franklin¡¯s official debut, nothing was known about him for sure.

    Franklin wore a maroon shirt, buttoned across his chest. His hair was black and neatly cropped, a look common to Indigo. He stood with a practiced confidence, but he wasn¡¯t arrogant about it. He slightly bowed his head in respect for Sam, and Sam slightly bowed his head right back.

    ¡°And look at that,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°A show of respect between our two toughest competitors before the final match! Neither of them seem to be worried about their chances. I can¡¯t wait to see what kind of tricks they might have up their sleeves!¡±

    Falkner spoke up, replying to Mr. Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°The rest of Franklin¡¯s team is still unknown. If either trainer has an advantage, it¡¯s definitely him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. Samuel seems like a clever young man. We¡¯re up for an exciting finals, folks, with the exact combatants not known until we find out!¡±

    There was an awkward pause.

    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that always true? That you don¡¯t know something until you learn it?¡±

    Nurse Joy¡¯s whisper was broadcast to the entire arena, failing to be hidden under her breath.

    With those last words from the announcers, the head referee stepped up to the field. Two more referees stood behind both trainers, serving as a way to check what each competitor saw. Additionally, instead of being hidden, two green Xatu stood with the junior referees as well. Likely, those avian Psychic Types were responsible for the field¡¯s protective barriers, conjuring them to prevent moves from leaving the field.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had a long tournament so far,¡± the head referee said, his voice coming from speakers throughout the entire arena. ¡°Thirty battles have been fought on this field. Twenty-nine competitors have been eliminated. I am proud of each and every trainer who has fought here today. We¡¯ve had no major problems or disturbances. I¡¯d say this tournament has been a rousing success.¡±

    Sam looked at the experienced old man. The head referee was actually smiling. It stood at odds with his otherwise stern professionalism that he¡¯d displayed during the rest of the fights.

    ¡°The rules for this final battle are simple; fight until your opponent has no more usable members of their team. Follow the Pok¨¦mon League¡¯s rules and expectations. Both of you will be able to send out five Pok¨¦mon for this match, and you¡¯ll each have three switches to use at your discretion. Understand?¡±

    Sam nodded. Franklin bowed his head in acknowledgement once more.

    ¡°Good. Send out your Pok¨¦mon. And... I wish you luck. To the both of you. I expect an exciting fight.¡±

    Franklin¡¯s Kadabra appeared on the field. It had to take a few steps to balance itself despite having an hour to rest. Its eyelids drooped, but its tired gaze still had a level of determination to it that told Sam it wasn¡¯t ever going to give up.

    Sam, meanwhile, decided to start simply. His closest friend and starter Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field. Flames burned from Quilava¡¯s head and lower back.

    ¡°It¡¯s with my deepest pleasure to have served as your referee,¡± the older man continued. ¡°So, for the final time today...¡±

    He brought two flags up into the air. A tense silence fell over the arena. Once more, he glanced between the two competitors before smiling to himself, satisfied.

    A pair of dual swishes echoed through the air.

    ¡°Let the battle begin!¡±

    Quilava dashed forward. Kadabra held a spoon in one hand and waved it. Each movement left a translucent film behind that hardened into a barrier.

    Light Screen. Interesting.

    Sam called out a command.

    ¡°Swift, as usual!¡±

    Quilava let loose her attack.

    Quilava¡¯s move carried the usual trick of the stars hiding and guiding the flames of a Will-O-Wisp. The Swift battered Kadabra¡¯s psychic barrier, but the Light Screen was fragile due to its exhaustion. Enough stars pierced into it and caused the barrier to shatter. The move passed right through.

    Kadabra suffered the full brunt of the attack, and both the Swift and Will-O-Wisp hit it several times over. Kadabra took the damage from Quilava¡¯s homing Normal Type move and was inflicted with a burn from the follow-up Will-O-Wisp.

    ¡°Next, Incinerate,¡± Sam said.

    Franklin remained silent, continuing to merely observe the fight.

    A quick Recover from Kadabra saw the damage of the Swift be healed, but Quilava reared up and formed a ball of flame right in front of her mouth. She fell, using that momentum to fling her Incinerate forward, which exploded against the Kadabra¡¯s chest.

    A shout. Kadabra stumbled back. The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s long mustache drooped as it breathed heavily, struggling to keep standing up.

    What¡¯s his game? Why is he leaving his Kadabra out like this?

    ¡°Again, Quilava,¡± Sam said.

    The Kadabra stayed in one place, forcing itself to both breathe and use Recover.

    Without Kadabra readying an attack, Quilava took her time with this Incinerate, pouring more and more flames into an ever growing fireball.

    Franklin finally spoke, but he didn¡¯t give any commands.

    ¡°Kadabra. How are you feeling?¡±

    His voice came out steady and unconcerned.

    Kadabra just grunted. It brought up its spoon once more, taking a step back. As it did, it adjusted its stance, and it aimed both its spoon and gaze at the move Quilava was still forming.

    I don¡¯t get it. Kadabra is utterly exhausted after fighting in so many matches. If it wasn¡¯t for Recover, it would have fainted by now. Why put his Pok¨¦mon through so much stress? I mean, I guess it¡¯s doing well, but it¡¯s only a mid-stage¡ª

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Quilava, get back!¡±

    The move didn¡¯t drop, but she did stop building it up. Quilava hopped back in the same moment she unleashed the growing Incinerate. As the flaming sphere roared through the air, Kadabra¡¯s eyes suddenly grew hyper-focused and flashed a brilliant blue.

    In a single instant, every ember of the incoming Incinerate stopped in its place. It hung motionless in the air, not even wavering an inch due to Kadabra¡¯s immense telekinetic control.

    ¡°Crush it,¡± Franklin ordered.

    The flames pressed together inch by inch, Kadabra¡¯s psychic power shrinking the sphere as if it were crushing a metal can. The smaller the Incinerate became, the greater light it gave off. Quilava ran back to the edge of the field and skidded to a halt, watching Kadabra from the furthest possible distance away. Sam stayed silent, too. Ordering an attack now would just let Kadabra switch targets and unleash all of its focus on Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, instead.

    The audience went silent in this immense show of Psychic Type control. The Incinerate became a single, impossibly bright ember. A miniature sun floated in the center of the field. It was so bright that a few yelps rang out, and Sam was forced to cover his eyes.

    The Incinerate was soon snuffed out, but that blinding light didn¡¯t vanish. Instead, the moment the move disappeared, Franklin¡¯s Psychic Type began to change.

    ¡°This is why you¡¯ve been putting your Kadabra through so much, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sam asked. ¡°This whole tournament has just been a way to get it to evolve.¡±

    Kadabra¡¯s limbs extended. Its body grew upwards. Where there was once a rather bulky Psychic Type, one much more lean formed in its place.

    Franklin simply smiled as the light of his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s evolution broke. Replacing Kadabra was an Alakazam, and the energies from its evolution seemed to have fixed its growing exhaustion, too.

    ¡°Indeed. A trade evolution felt... wrong, but it is also true that Pok¨¦mon grow the most when brought to the brink. This was our solution. I¡¯d say it¡¯s worked rather well.¡±

    The fight¡¯s previous exchange might as well have not happened. Across from Quilava was a freshly evolved Alakazam, a species known to Indigo as one of the strongest Psychic Types around. In any other circumstance, that increase to power would have sealed the fight right here.

    Except, Sam still had a chance. After all, the Alakazam¡¯s evolution hadn¡¯t fixed its burn.

 Chapter 62

    The annoying fact of this battle was how little Sam knew about Franklin''s team. Sure, the freshly evolved Alakazam had extensively revealed its moveset in the previous rounds, but there were no hints to the identities of the rest of Franklin¡¯s team members outside of a vague connection to Kanto''s Psychic Type Gym.

    In a way, Sam wouldn''t be able to rely on the New Pok¨¦dex here. There had been no building up an advantage or developing a true plan beforehand. It was just Sam, his Pok¨¦mon, and the strategies they''d built together that could be used to win this battle.

    What do I know about his Alakazam? Sam thought to himself.

    Quilava crouched in front of him, and both of them carefully watched the Alakazam rip a chunk of earth out from the field, practicing the control that came with its new form.

    Effectively, it only knows three moves: Recover, Teleport, and Psychic. It¡¯s weirdly bad at true ranged attacks, but it can definitely grab things from a few feet away. How far? Probably longer than it could as a Kadabra. No, what we really need to worry about is¡ª

    ¡°Teleport,¡± Franklin ordered calmly.

    ¡°Smokescreen, everywhere! Cover the field!¡±

    Quilava was only saved by a brief flash of light that came from behind her. Teleport wasn''t truly instantaneous; in most cases, there was a short build-up time and a wind down. The flash of light that came from the instant transportation forewarned her of Alakazam''s sudden lurch to her side. She was able to cough up inky black smoke into its face and run away without suffering its telekinesis.

    The Pok¨¦mon stumbled as it appeared, coughing and trying to wave the gas away. Quilava dashed off, furiously letting smoke pour out of her mouth and the flames on her head and back. Her Smokescreen filled the space around her. Soon, a growing portion of the field became utterly obscured.

    ¡°I''m returning my Pok¨¦mon!¡± Sam then shouted.

    Alakazam lowered its one spoon from where it had been aiming it at the cloud. Thankfully, its evolution hadn''t automatically given it a second spoon. While seemingly mundane, spoons were weirdly effective as focuses for the Psychic Type.

    Quilava quickly ran out of her smoke, and Sam returned her as soon as he saw her. Alakazam might have been burned, but Sam refused to pull an Edgar. He sent out Misdreavus the moment he was able to bring her Friend Ball into his hand.

    ¡°Simple goals: hide, and use Shadow Ball. All you need to do, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said.

    The battle resumed, and she dived into the ground. Dirt was thrown into the air thanks to Alakazam''s Psychic, but thanks to the speed of her Shadow Sneak, Misdreavus was able to freely dash off into the cloud.

    And Sam was finally able to breathe out in relief.

    Alakazam¡¯s burn marred its flesh, its skin scorched black from where it had been struck by Will-O-Wisp before. The Pok¨¦mon was functional but limited. Too extreme of a movement, and it¡¯d suffer pain. Even when it didn¡¯t move, the lingering heat ate at its energy.

    It was on a time limit.

    Psychic pressed down on the cloud, but the Telekinesis slipped around it like oil on water. Quilava had pumped enough smoke into the area that whenever Alakazam tried to tear the cloud away, more of it came in to fill the space up via ambient drift.

    Of course, the Smokescreen wouldn''t last forever, but it wouldn''t need to.

    Alakazam dodged a Shadow Ball.

    It appeared elsewhere thanks to Teleport.

    After a moment of trying to steady itself, an arm with a blackened burn across it tensed.

    Alakazam winced.

    ¡°Interesting strategy. Young Samuel seems to be relying on Quilava''s burn to put a timer on this match. Alakazam is liable to faint if it''s unable to find that Misdreavus¡ªand all the while, it¡¯s forced to expend its energy just to avoid its opponent¡¯s Shadow Balls!¡±

    Alakazam stopped to use Recover, but a Shadow Ball was launched at it and forced it away. The Smokescreen was slowly reducing in height as natural wind ate at it, but the moment Sam was waiting for soon occurred.

    ¡°Return, Alakazam,¡± Franklin said.

    Sam did not call for a Mean Look. Trapping it in this state would likely cause it to get desperate, and Sam didn¡¯t want to risk Misdreavus¡¯s health so early in the match.

    ¡°Hm. No one has forced me to switch before you,¡± Franklin said.

    ¡°No one¡¯s fought you in the finals before me, too!¡± Sam pointed out.

    Franklin chuckled and clipped the Pok¨¦ball back to his belt. He waited a few seconds, and the Smokescreen continued to decrease in height. Misdreavus could have still fit inside, but she popped out of the gas, shaking herself to get any lingering ash off of her.

    ¡°Mr. Mime,¡± Franklin said.

    Sam hid a happy, clenched fist in his pocket.

    I knew it! He is a Psychic Type specialist!

    ...The question is, do I want to use the second of my three switches here?

    Being able to switch Pok¨¦mon was a precious commodity in this match. Switching let trainers exchange team members to either reset momentum or give themselves an advantage. For Sam''s team, it let him play more into his Pok¨¦mon''s synergies.

    However, being aware of Mr. Mime''s capabilities, Sam also knew a switch would give him a very easy win.

    Sam waited to let Franklin move first. Given he had a Mr. Mime, the expected occurred. The opposing trainer whispered something to his Pok¨¦mon, and the Mr. Mime started to press its hands against a wall that wasn''t there.

    A Shadow Ball was launched out from above the lingering smoke, pushing what remained towards the ground as it sailed towards the Mr. Mime. It did nothing, the attack dissipated against an unseen wall in front of its target.

    Mr. Mime were experts at forming invisible barriers. Misdreavus could potentially slip under one with Shadow Sneak, but that posed the risk of being unable to leave her shadow if Mr. Mime trapped her with an invisible lid.

    ¡°Ugh. Screw it. Come back, Misdreavus.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t give up an easy knock-out like this.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± he said.

    Fueled by a half an hour''s nap, Primeape was bouncing on his toes, raring to go. He didn''t even resemble his previously exhausted state.

    ¡°Maze,¡± Franklin ordered.

    ¡°Move in,¡± Sam said.

    Two different commands came out, Franklin calling for Mr. Mime to begin creating an invisible labyrinth, but Sam just called for Primeape to charge forward.

    The ape Pok¨¦mon bounded across the field, long footsteps almost causing him to hop with each step. His arms raised up, but Mr. Mime barely spared him a glance.

    A mistake.

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± Sam shouted when Primeape got close.

    Franklin let out a gasp as a chop downwards utterly shattered through Mr. Mime¡¯s barrier. The ringing sound of breaking glass filled the air as Primeape snapped a hand forward to grab the bewildered Pok¨¦mon. By its neck, the Mr. Mime was slammed into the ground, and a stomp¡ªa Low Kick¡ªkicked the air out of it. Caught off guard, it wasn¡¯t able to put up a fight in the face of a bruiser like Primeape.

    Fist chilled over, an Ice Punch slammed into its chin to finish it off.

    Mr. Mime was the first faint of the match, and the crowd was going wild, almost bloodthirsty at that brutal display. Franklin was silent as he returned his Pok¨¦mon, and Sam gained a grin.

    That was the first knock-out of the battle and the first knock-out on Franklin''s team for the entire tournament so far.

    ¡°How about that? Looks like we''re fighting with even teams now,¡± Sam said.

    Actually, maybe Redi has a point. Being arrogant is kind of fun.

    Franklin frowned ever so slightly.

    ¡°Not for long,¡± he said, tossing forward a new Pok¨¦ball.

    As Franklin revealed his third team member, a vein on Primeape¡¯s head throbbed out of annoyance. Falkner¡¯s voice immediately spoke up, echoing throughout the arena.

    ¡°That''s a new capture, likely from the Ruins of Alph. I don¡¯t get it. Why would he send out an untrained Natu here?¡±

    The green, fist-sized bird didn¡¯t resemble a difficult opponent in the slightest. Primeape¡¯s whole purpose in these battles was to take out the opponents the rest of Sam¡¯s team couldn¡¯t handle¡ªand he enjoyed that. This was just... a bird. A pathetically weak one, at that.

    ¡°Do it,¡± Sam said once the battle continued.

    Primeape jabbed, fist covered with ice. One strike would have been enough to take it out, but when he pulled back his arm from the Ice Punch, he blinked.

    Natu wasn''t there.

    ¡°Tu-tu.¡±

    From behind Primeape, Natu let out an emotionless chirp. It wasn''t a laugh or even a mocking comment, it was just a straight statement.

    Primeape went still, turning around. He glared at his opponent and jabbed once more.

    Sam could see what happened this time. Natu used Teleport. As a Pok¨¦mon so small, it barely had any mass to move. For it, Teleport was used in an instant.

    ¡°Watch your anger, Primeape,¡± Sam warned.

    Primeape nodded with a snort, somewhat acknowledging Sam''s comment but not truly settling down.

    Another Ice Punch, and another miss. To make matters worse, Natu wasn''t even looking at him. It stared up at the arena''s walls, staring at exactly where the sun would have otherwise sat. With every punch, it flashed away. No matter how many times he attacked, his moves never landed. His anger grew and grew until...

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°How cute! Natu is on Primeape''s head,¡± Nurse Joy said.

    A silence fell over the field. Natu hadn''t attacked even once, but here it was, perched right on top of Primeape. At first, he didn''t display any emotions¡ªhe wasn¡¯t able to. But, as the truth of the situation settled in, his body grew red with rage so hot that steam looked to leave his body.

    ¡°Fire Punch!¡± Sam shouted, trying to give Primeape a method to vent.

    A flaming fist curved through the air. Heat seared around Primeape as he aimed his fist right above him. Natu didn¡¯t move, and it really seemed that he would finally land an attack.

    It chirped, jumping in place once. Eyes suddenly glowing blue, Primeape¡¯s arm was pushed down, and his Fire Punch smashed into his face.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said sympathetically.

    Franklin¡¯s Pok¨¦mon hopped off of Primeape. It fluttered down to the field¡¯s floor, untouched by the move.

    ¡°...Return,¡± Sam said.

    Primeape wasn¡¯t fainted, but Sam was willing to use his final switch to spare his Pok¨¦mon of the embarrassment. He had been wobbling where he stood, teetering in place after that borderline cartoonish show against the Natu.

    And Franklin looked amused. The other trainer chuckled softly under his breath.

    Annoyed, Sam quickly went over what Pok¨¦mon he had. He was out of switches, meaning that whoever came out would need to remain until they fainted. He had to choose his next team member carefully, and given that Franklin was a Psychic Type trainer and would have a more difficult time with Ghost Types...

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam shouted, sending out the first Ghost Type he¡¯d ever caught. ¡°Mean Look! Into Ominous Wind!¡±

    Natu was normally an unflappable Pok¨¦mon, but in the case of Haunter¡¯s Mean Look, it shook its feathers as if trying to get the effects of the move off of it. However, Mean Look still worked to prevent it from escaping, and Haunter raised his hands to let a chilling breeze blow from behind him.

    Teleport wouldn¡¯t matter here; Ominous Wind was a breeze that covered practically the entire battlefield. The Smokescreen had all but faded away while Primeape was sent out, but with the wind Haunter summoned, the last of its traces dissipated under his control.

    Sam called for Ominous wind both to counter Natu¡¯s Teleport and in hopes of the move¡¯s secondary effects. There was a chance, a small one, albeit, that the wind gave Haunter the energy to move with increased effectiveness in every way, but that didn¡¯t happen here.

    At least, Natu was caught in the wind and shivered. It tried to resist the otherworldly chill, but like water freezing over, it stiffened and eventually fell to the ground. The one move was enough; like Falkner said, it was a new capture and relatively untrained.

    ¡°Return,¡± Franklin said.

    The Pok¨¦mon that replaced Natu was another Psychic Type, Franklin¡¯s fourth team member now revealed. It stood at roughly half of Franklin¡¯s height, and it had a large nose, white fluff around its neck, and a stone pendulum that it let swing from one hand. The Hypno¡¯s mouth was hidden due to its snout-like nose, but Sam could somehow tell it had a grin. It was already looking at Haunter, and when the battle resumed, both trainers gave similar commands.

    ¡°Hypnosis.¡±

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    For once, it wasn¡¯t Haunter using Hypnosis. Sam didn¡¯t even need the New Pok¨¦dex to know why that¡¯d be a bad idea. Hypno was a rather infamous Pok¨¦mon able to control sleep without being able to fall asleep itself. Enough scary stories about it had been mixed in with the Ghost Type stories online that Sam was fully aware of what it could do.

    It was for that reason he called for Confuse Ray. Either they¡¯d take it out quickly, or Haunter would be put to sleep, unable to fight back.

    This was a contest of speed, or at least Sam thought it would be. He wanted to disrupt Hypno¡¯s Hypnosis before the move came into its full effect. However, this was instead a contest of skill. Hypno didn¡¯t need to be all there to use a move its species excelled at.

    Its pendulum swung, and rings of energy left it to reach Haunter before either he or Sam realized what was going on. The Ghost Type tried to forcibly hold open his eyes with his fingers, but he slowly drifted towards the floor. The moment he touched it, there was no further reaction from him. It was as if he had laid onto a comfortable bed after a long day of work.

    Franklin¡¯s simple call of Hypno¡¯s name allowed it to refocus itself after that Confuse Ray. Sam tried the same for the sleeping Haunter to no avail.

    He closed his eyes as the Hypno casually walked over and began to use Dream Eater. Motes of energy left Haunter¡¯s unconscious form. He tossed and turned in his sleep before ultimately being finished off.

    At least it was quick.

    ¡°...Return,¡± Sam said, bringing Haunter back into a Pok¨¦ball.

    Sam was down to three, but so was Franklin. However, Franklin had only lost a Mr. Mime and a Natu. The Mr. Mime would have been a hassle to faint, but that Natu wasn¡¯t a difficult opponent. The biggest issue was that Primeape had been led to injure himself.

    Sam¡¯s team had all been revealed so far, but he had to hope they still had a few more viable tricks to end this fight.

    He palmed Primeape¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and took a deep breath.

    We¡¯re halfway through.

    The ape Pok¨¦mon reappeared on the field, showing up where he had disappeared from moments before.

    ¡°Stay calm and stay focused. We¡¯re fighting at a disadvantage, but we can¡¯t let it get to us.¡±

    There was a mark on Primeape¡¯s face from where he had punched himself. A few members in the audience snickered. However, he thankfully didn¡¯t care about those laughs.

    Natu might have fainted, but Hypno would serve just as good a target for his revenge.

    ¡°Resume,¡± the referee called out.

    Hypno once more let its pendulum swing, and Sam had to force back a confused expression on his face.

    Wait, why use Hypnosis when Primeape¡¯s ability is Vital Spirit?

    He breathed out when he realized why; abilities were still becoming known. His eyes widened as he suddenly understood that Franklin was fighting with even less information than him.

    ¡°Get in close, quick!¡± Sam shouted.

    He had sent Primeape out to stop Hypnosis in general, but he had never dreamed that Franklin would make the mistake of letting his Pok¨¦mon use it.

    He needed to capitalize on this situation before Franklin changed strategies.

    Primeape ran in much the same way he had done against the Mr. Mime. It was a dash of reckless abandon, but while his opponent was caught off guard, it was much more prepared to respond.

    ¡°Confusion!¡± Franklin said, his voice tinged with surprise.

    The super effective move didn¡¯t stop him. Primeape howled in his dash but kept running.

    Fearfully, the Hypno took a step back, but that didn¡¯t save it from Primeape¡¯s punch. A flaming Fire Punch seared through the air to catch it in its chest.

    ¡°Assurance!¡±

    And a follow-up shoulder check, infused with Dark Type energy, sent it right to the ground.

    If Fire Punch had left a burn, Assurance would have been more effective, but at least it''s still a super effective attack.

    Hypno shakily tried to raise up its pendulum once more, but Primeape kicked it in the stomach to finish it off.

    And that was that.

    We just... what?

    Sam suddenly realized he was in the lead.

    ¡°Return, Hypno,¡± Franklin said.

    Primeape was left panting. Franklin only had two Pok¨¦mon left. He had one more unknown team member and his freshly evolved Alakazam. Primeape wasn¡¯t in the best of positions¡ªthe Confusion and his own Fire Punch together meant one solid attack could finish him off. Not just that, but Franklin clearly had a Psychic Type team. Whatever his next Pok¨¦mon was, it would definitely have the Type advantage.

    ¡°Venomoth,¡± Franklin named.

    Sam blinked.

    But that¡¯s¡ª

    ¡°And Franklin sends out a non-Psychic Type Pok¨¦mon!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon yelled.

    ¡°For those of you confused, it¡¯s not uncommon for Psychic Type specialists to include a Bug or Ghost Type on their teams,¡± Falkner explained. ¡°Those Pok¨¦mon help counter Dark and Ghost Type opponents while still being capable of Psychic Type attacks themselves.¡±

    The Venomoth¡¯s pale purple wings kept it in the sky above the field. Tiny legs tapped its thorax. Sam bit down on his tongue.

    When it came to his team, training time for this tournament had been limited. There were still a few gaps on his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s movesets that he hadn¡¯t been able to fill in. Most of the time, his team members could place themselves in synergistic roles for one another. Currently, on his team, three of his four Pok¨¦mon could attack opponents in the air.

    The only Pok¨¦mon that couldn¡¯t was Primeape. He was limited to melee attacks. He didn¡¯t have any moves to wear fliers down yet. He was the Pok¨¦mon that was meant to come in and take out otherwise difficult opponents, not one to help weaken an opponent¡¯s team.

    Primeape tried to run, but the Venomoth brought itself through the air. Falling off its wings was a powdery dust that caused Primeape to lock up in an allergic reaction. He sneezed multiple times over.

    ¡°Stun Spore,¡± Sam identified with a growl.

    Franklin called for a Psybeam. An attack like that didn¡¯t require the Venomoth to get close.

    All Sam could do was sit back and watch Venomoth safely attack the immobile Primeape from range. The Psybeam hit, dealt super effective damage, and with the damage he took earlier, this attack was enough to finish Primeape off.

    ¡°...Return.¡±

    This was a consequence of using all of his switches earlier. Franklin was able to position his team members to have the advantage, now.

    At least I can somewhat do the same.

    Coming in after Primeape was Misdreavus.

    ¡°Shadow Sneak. Confusion.¡±

    She dived into the floor, using a shadow to rush at where Venomoth fluttered above the ground. Franklin called for a Supersonic, but the harsh screech the moth Pok¨¦mon let loose didn¡¯t carry the highest rate of success. Misdreavus was able to resist the otherwise confusion-inflicting move and use her momentum to fling herself into the air. The flying bug was ripped free of its own flight thanks to her Confusion. The super effective attack didn¡¯t faint it, but it disrupted its momentum to weaken how well it could dodge.

    ¡°Psybeam!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Ball!¡±

    Two moves struck. Misdreavus was clipped by the Psychic Type beam, but Venomoth took the ball of dark energy directly to its chest. It fell to the ground, legs going tight against its body. Its eyes weren¡¯t closed¡ªthey were unable to¡ªbut it was no longer staring at anything, utterly unconscious.

    ¡°Return,¡± Franklin said.

    Sam stayed quiet. The match had been brutal. Once the first few exchanges happened, the rest of the fight had been back-to-back knockouts so far.

    The crowd was going wild. Sam had a chance to pull off a win.

    He just has his Alakazam left. One more Pok¨¦mon! And the Pok¨¦mon I have out is a Ghost Type!

    Sam was absolutely favored. He just needed to not stumble before the finish.

    ¡°Prepare yourself,¡± Franklin said.

    His confident tone made Sam nervous.

    When Alakazam reappeared, it looked rejuvenated. Its burn was still there, but its time within its Pok¨¦ball had allowed it to rest.

    Against Misdreavus, it started with a Recover, buying itself time while continuing to suffer from Quilava¡¯s burn.

    ¡°Shadow Sneak,¡± Sam said.

    A shadow darted towards it along the ground. Alakazam stayed in place, waiting until right before Misdreavus reached it¡ª

    ¡°Teleport!¡±

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    She burst outwards, affecting nothing, but her eyes quickly locked onto Alakazam across the field as a grey beam struck it between the eyes.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Sam hissed a cheer under his breath, clenching a fist within his jacket¡¯s pocket. With Alakazam confused, it was going to struggle to attack that much more.

    Sam would have withdrawn Misdreavus from the match here if he felt his victory was more secure. However, he recognized how absolutely deranged it would be to do something like that in the finals, where Franklin likely had more tricks up his sleeve.

    ¡°Focus. Look around you. See where it¡¯s going to be instead of where it is.¡±

    Alakazam might have been lost under the illusions inflicted by Confuse Ray, but it managed to get a hold of itself to close its eyes, but it was still confused.

    Its head glowed blue, and Misdreavus unleashed a Shadow Ball. However, Alakazam used Teleport to move away.

    How did it see that coming?

    The answer came when Alakazam teleported again, unprompted. It was using Teleport without knowing whether or not it was under attack.

    ¡°Time your next one well, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said.

    She nodded once, mumbling her name as her eyes flicked about to follow where Alakazam popped in and out across the field.

    Her Shadow Ball grew slowly as she began to drift towards the center edge. She wouldn¡¯t need to worry about Alakazam appearing behind her there, and being in the center gave her about an equal distance to attack no matter where Alakazam appeared. The Shadow Ball grew and grew as Alakazam appeared in random spots away from her.

    ¡°Perfect. Now, do it, Alakazam,¡± Franklin ordered.

    It suddenly appeared next to Misdreavus. She yelped, turning its way and trying to release her attack, but it proceeded to disappear, and she yelled in horrible pain.

    It was like a flash of light that came from nowhere. A zap of Psychic Type energy shot out of nothing to strike where Misdreavus was actively floating.

    Sam was confused, but the announcers explained it for him.

    ¡°A Future Sight! It¡¯s rare to see that move outside of species like Xatu and Espeon.¡±

    It might not have been super effective, but Future Sight was an incredibly strong attack. Given that it was a fully evolved Alakazam attacking an unevolved Misdreavus, she crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°Trainer Samuel, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon,¡± the referee said.

    Sam was silent. Misdreavus disappeared back into her Friend Ball.

    This has been a slog. We¡¯ve traded off Pok¨¦mon one-by-one just to end up in the same exact scenario we started in.

    Except this time, neither of us have a team behind our Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam had to wonder how he¡¯d compare to Franklin¡ªstatistically, at least. The other trainer¡¯s Alakazam was clearly the strongest Pok¨¦mon he had, but at how many stars was his team rated? Given Franklin had sent out a Natu, he clearly only had five Pok¨¦mon; a more experienced team member would have been chosen if available. When trainers went back and forth to trade Pok¨¦mon like this, it generally meant they were roughly an even match.

    Still, he¡¯s probably only a five star trainer, just like me. Alakazam is a head above everyone else.

    Sam held up his last Pok¨¦ball. He stared at Franklin before looking right at it.

    ¡°I trust you. Finish it off,¡± Sam whispered.

    He released his final team member. The battle would be decided how it started: through a match between Quilava and Alakazam.

    When the referee called for the battle to resume, neither Pok¨¦mon immediately acted. Similarly, both trainers stayed silent. Sam wasn¡¯t sure what was going on in Franklin¡¯s mind, but Sam was considering which trick he wanted to rely on, himself.

    In the end, it was Franklin who gave a command first.

    ¡°Psychic!¡±

    ¡°Swift, distract!¡± Sam yelled, settling on a final strategy.

    Alakazam teleported to get within range of Quilava, but she unleashed a Swift that forced it to use Teleport to avoid the move¡¯s strike. The stars missed their target and sailed high into the air. Quilava pushed off the ground to try to lunge with a Quick Attack.

    The usually fast move wasn¡¯t fast enough. A telekinetic Psychic tore Quilava off the ground and into the air. Alakazam held up its spoon as if it were a weapon¡¯s sights, focusing on its target and preparing to squeeze Quilava into submission with its Psychic Type grip.

    But it paused.

    Quilava poured her everything into a single move: a Leer.

    It did nothing. Alakazam didn¡¯t even wince. All it did was scoff, as if annoyed that Quilava thought a Leer of all things be effective. However, what it clearly didn¡¯t expect was for Quilava to reply with a smirk. She stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at the confused-looking Alakazam.

    Why? To distract, as Sam had ordered. Something smacked into the back of Alakazam¡¯s head, causing it to suddenly stumble forward. Turning around, Alakazam peered upwards and learned a hard truth.

    Swift was an attack that homed. It never missed in the first place.

    While some stars had indeed gone off into the distance, a good portion of them had curved around to now be rushing right back at it.

    ¡°Teleport, quick!¡± Franklin yelled.

    A barrage was coming Alakazam¡¯s way, but it wasn¡¯t the Swift¡¯s barrage that was going to hit it first.

    This distraction had been multilayered, two-fold. Quilava had drawn its attention away from the Swift, and now that Swift drew Alakazam¡¯s attention away from her. Released from its Psychic, she fell out of the air and used the momentum of that fall to tuck her head in and pull herself tight. She blazed with a Flame Wheel that sent her slamming into Alakazam¡¯s side.

    If it had been more experienced in battle, it would have known to keep an eye on the Swift. But, Alakazam was a competitor in a mid-level tournament. This strategy was good enough. The Flame wheel knocked the air out of it, and from behind, the stars of the Swift assaulted its back.

    For a moment, the field was silent. The impact of Flame Wheel let Quilava push off of Alakazam to land on her feet. She stood with her flames blazing, her ability activated thanks to her current level of exhaustion.

    The battle was determined by a single wheeze. Alakazam tried to bring up an arm, but it suffered from a full body wince.

    It was still burned, after all.

    The Psychic Type fell to the ground. Alakazam no longer possessed the energy to continue.

    ¡°Franklin has no more usable Pok¨¦mon. Samuel is the victor!¡± the head referee yelled.

    The audience was deafening. The announcers yelled through their microphones. A deep roar pierced through the thousands of shouts as Ursaring screamed his support next to Redi.

    ¡°We... won,¡± Sam said.

    He felt numb.

    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen, was it?

    He was sure that even with all of his training, his team wasn¡¯t supposed to win. He¡¯d lost in the first round of his first tournament. That meant he was supposed to reach the second or third at most here, right?

    But he¡¯d won. He¡¯d beaten Franklin. He¡¯d beaten Victor. He''d beaten Edgar too, and he¡¯d beaten all of the Pok¨¦mon that involved. But this wasn¡¯t just a success for him as a trainer. This wasn¡¯t just because of what he had learned in the New Pok¨¦dex, either. His Pok¨¦mon had been the ones to fight in these battles, and his Pok¨¦mon had been the ones to push themselves to actually follow and master all the harebrained ideas Sam had thrown at them.

    Sam hadn¡¯t just won. His entire team had won, too.

    We actually did it.

    He couldn¡¯t find the energy to recover from the shock.

    As he stood there, the fallen Alakazam was returned, and Franklin let out a sigh. Quilava came bounding over to jump into Sam¡¯s arms. He easily hugged her back.

 Chapter 63

    There was almost no downtime between the final battle and the awards ceremony itself. Sam shook Franklin¡¯s hand and walked off the field, where he was almost immediately met by a nurse. She led him into a side room that contained a smaller version of a Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s scanning system. His team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls were placed on it, and then they were released one by one to individually have their wounds treated.

    Sam watched the entire healing process. To his surprise, the nurse mostly relied on Hyper Potions for this final post-battle session. Hyper Potions were ridiculously effective at treating wounds, so much so that trainers were told to only use them sparingly. Applying a Hyper Potion too often might not have obvious side effects, but it could have long-term consequences for a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s immune system.

    No, this was just a quick check over and treatment to make sure his team could be present for the awards ceremony. Everyone¡¯s wounds were healed in a way to prevent them from getting worse, but they¡¯d still need to rest later.

    When the treatment had concluded, Sam left the room with his team snug in their Pok¨¦balls. There, he found that the awards ceremony had already started. The field was gone. The lines and the damage from previous battles had been replaced by a smooth dirt floor, likely thanks to the work of local Ground Types. Where the field once was, there was now a small stage set up with a winner¡¯s podium sitting in its center.

    Three people stood on the podium. A few more stood off to the sides. Sam recognized Edgar in the spot representing third, and a fourth trainer next to him on the ground. Franklin, having lost to Sam, climbed a small staircase to enter the spot labeled for second place. The trio of announcers were there alongside the head referee, speaking proudly about Franklin as he stepped up.

    Sam quietly watched until he heard his name be called.

    It was his turn to go up.

    He emerged for the final time to the cheers of the audience. People shouted his name. His Pok¨¦mon¡¯s names. They cheered for both him and his team as he stepped out of the lower tunnel and moved towards where the ending ceremony was taking place.

    He felt as though he was in a daze.

    Sam walked slowly and robotically. He waved, trying to hide his disbelief at what was going on. A little voice whispered in his ear that a win like this shouldn¡¯t have happened, but he fought it. His team deserved to win. They¡¯d spent months honing moves and strategies and spent an entire week and a half going through intensive training just for this tournament. Sure, some of their strategies wouldn''t work against a more experienced opponent, but this was a mid-level tournament. Why wouldn¡¯t they be able to place first?

    Sam was welcomed to the stage by all of the announcers at once. They clapped for him alongside the rest of the competitors and the audience itself.

    ¡°And our first place winner, Samuel Greyson of Dewford Town!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon shouted, his voice echoing throughout the arena.

    Sam numbly moved forward to the center of the stage. Each person he approached turned off their mic to whisper congratulations as he shook their hands.

    ¡°Good work. Your battles were impressive, but perhaps you should strive to be on time more often, hm?¡± the head referee said.

    ¡°I can tell you and your Pok¨¦mon truly care about one another. Your bond with your team warms my heart,¡± Nurse Joy said with a genuine smile.

    ¡°If my father was here, he''d say something about wanting to battle you,¡± Falkner added. ¡°I do as well. It''s rare to see someone at your level fight with such a strong plan behind them.¡±

    And finally, Sam reached Mr. Pok¨¦mon, whose smile caused the edges of his mustache to curl. He shook Sam''s hand rather heartily.

    ¡°Sam, my boy, that was an incredible series of battles, and what an incredible showcase of strategy by you and your team!¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And what an interesting team you have, as well!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon continued, leaning in. ¡°I say, it is rather curious that you have a Quilava and a Primeape on a Ghost Type team, of all things. Do you know? I¡¯m not sure how much I can help you, but I''ve heard rumors of, well¡ª¡±

    He paused and chuckled.

    ¡°Now''s not the time. Go, stand and collect your prize!¡±

    Sam slowly pulled back his hand, openly gaping at the man as he walked towards the podium. Mr. Pok¨¦mon had asked if Sam knew without going into details, but now Sam was curious.

    Does Mr. Pok¨¦mon know? About my team¡¯s final evolutions?

    Hisuian Typhlosion was a species from hundreds of years ago. Annihilape was apparently common to a foreign region, but Sam had no way of knowing if that was presently true. He wanted to talk more, but the man was right. Now wasn¡¯t the time¡ªthey¡¯d be able to chat once the tournament was over.

    A set of stairs brought him up to the highest stand on the platform, and the crowd once more cheered his and his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s names. For now, Sam put his thoughts on hold as his heart swelled with pride.

    They¡¯d done it.

    They¡¯d actually won.

    As he waved to the crowd, a close-up of himself appearing on the screen above the field, a few officials moved onto the field. As one final piece of the show, the prizes began to be handed out.

    One by one, the competitors received trophies. Sam wasn''t sure why, but he hadn''t expected any to be involved. The trainers in third and fourth received small bronze cups, Franklin received a slightly larger silver one, and Sam received a golden cup the size of his head.

    I can¡¯t travel with this. I¡¯ll need to send it home.

    It wasn¡¯t real gold, but it was still pure metal. The plaque on its base listed his name and ¡°Violet City Tournament Champion.¡± It was material proof that he had won, but the prizes didn¡¯t stop there.

    Of course, Sam was also allowed to choose from four TMs. These had weighed heavily in his mind across the entire tournament, as he wanted to make sure Redi got something for herself, too. He chose the Hyper Beam TM, a move that Ursaring would be able to put to great use. Meanwhile, Franklin chose Thunder. Edgar, having placed third, was able to choose Blizzard. The final trainer was left with just Fire Blast, but they seemed satisfied with it, at least.

    The last prize was money. Sam held back a laugh upon seeing what was brought out. Two Xatu flashed onto the field with a Teleport, and between their wings was a comically oversized check. The number written on it wasn¡¯t a mind-blowing amount, but it was enough to support both Sam and Redi¡¯s team for at least the entire next month.

    ¡°And to all of you that are still here and to all of you tuning in at home, thank you for watching! With these prizes handed out, the Violet City Tournament has finally concluded. Won¡¯t you all give one last round of applause for every one of our incredible competitors?¡±

    The audience cheered, and thus, the Violet City Tournament ended. Sam and the rest no longer needed to stay, but he was quickly approached by local business owners and journalists, all rushing on the field and trying to grab his attention.

    Trapped, Sam was stuck warding off interviews and offers from people trying to use his and his team¡¯s likenesses to advertise their businesses. Edgar and Franklin both left rather quickly, but the fourth place trainer stuck around to chat with what seemed to be their parents.

    Unfortunately, Mr. Pok¨¦mon was busy. By the time Sam managed to escape¡ªhe answered a few quick questions, but none of the deals were worth taking¡ªthe man had already left. Sam didn¡¯t get the chance to ask for more information.

    But, before he could go himself, there was one last thing to take care of¡ªa picture for the local newspaper. Releasing everyone, he had his entire team pose around him. Misdreavus tried to flee, but he grabbed her. He held her in his arms in the center of the group, alongside everyone else.

    She smiled.

    Sam fled as soon as that was done with, not willing to use his own image to support a business he wasn¡¯t familiar with, payment or not. He returned his team and rushed into the lower hallways. His plan was to collect his stuff and meet up with Redi before exiting the arena building.

    He ended up skipping a step, as Sam found her in that private dressing room. She practically ambushed him, jumping out right as he opened the door.

    ¡°You did it!¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t expect to be suddenly wrapped up in a hug.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I should have realized Franklin was pushing for an Alakazam. Ugh, if I¡¯d realized he was going for an evolution like that, I could have warned you earlier! But Quilava was amazing! And then how Primeape fainted that Mr. Mime! And that jerk of a Hypno with Hypnosis! I want you to know I¡¯ll punch that Natu for mocking Primeape if I¡¯m ever given the chance, too. And Misdreavus was wonderful.¡±

    Head spinning, Sam had to fight to parse her words. Redi spoke so quickly it was like she had said everything within a single second.

    She pulled back, smiling brilliantly at him, and Sam was left blinking. After spending a moment to recover, he laughed, holding his chin up high.

    ¡°Yeah, my team did do it, didn¡¯t they? They managed to defeat Franklin without even using that many Ghost Type moves! You should have never doubted me, and now that I have this Hyper Beam TM¡ª¡±

    ¡°I never doubted you,¡± Redi interrupted.

    Sam chuckled awkwardly and looked away.

    ¡°I know. Thank you.¡±

    He grabbed his backpack from the corner of the room, depositing his prizes and rolling up that comically large check. It wasn¡¯t real, only existing just for the show. He had actually been given a reasonable size check alongside it. He didn¡¯t have to keep the large one, but he planned to send it home to his mother alongside his first place trophy.

    It gleamed in the light as he carefully aligned everything just right so it fit snugly in his backpack. He stared at it for several long seconds, just thinking about everything his team had done to get here.

    But we still have the Conference to get through. I¡¯d call that our next step if we didn''t have all those Gym Battles left, first.

    His backpack was zipped closed, and Sam stood up, adjusting the bag¡¯s straps. With this win, he felt like a real Pok¨¦mon trainer, now.

    ¡°So, someone said something weird to me when I was in the middle of that crowd,¡± Sam said, moving back over to Redi and closing the door of the room behind him.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Something in Redi¡¯s voice told Sam she was ready to punch whoever might have insulted him.

    ¡°...It was Mr. Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said. ¡°Wait, hold on, I mean¡ª He didn¡¯t do anything bad, he just pointed out how weird it was that I had a Quilava and Primeape on a Ghost Type team. I think he knows about their evolutions, so I want to see if I can talk to him about that.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Redi blinked. ¡°You think he knows about Ursaluna as well?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sam said with a hum, walking alongside her down the hallway. ¡°Other than that recommendation from Dr. Hale, the Ruins of Alph were kind of a bust. I¡¯m thinking that instead of heading straight to Blackthorn, we swing towards Cherrygrove. Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s place should be along the way, and following that path should give us a nice break.¡±

    Redi easily nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯m down for an easier trip for once. There¡¯s no Gyms in that direction, but we have time to explore,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s kind of why I¡¯m not too against a detour. This part of Johto isn¡¯t known for its strong Pok¨¦mon. We might have to worry about not having any tough trainers to fight and make bets with, but the tournament winnings should mean we¡¯re good for a while. None of our Pok¨¦mon are set to evolve and need more food, and even with Misdreavus joining, her species still hardly eats.¡±

    Sam might have been discussing money, but when he mentioned his winnings, Redi¡¯s eyes flashed with excitement. For once, Sam had a feeling she wasn¡¯t thinking about cash.

    He let out an amused sigh, shaking his head.

    ¡°So...¡± she started.

    ¡°You wanna go buy a bunch of junk food then teach Hyper Beam to Ursaring?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi could hardly stay still.

    ¡°Absolutely!¡±

    Both of them ran down the hall, bursting into an impromptu race. Sam might have been tired, but he was willing to push himself for this. Spending the night watching Ursaring explode stuff felt like the perfect way to celebrate, at least until tomorrow when his team would be more rested. He had a Gym Battle against Walker coming up, made easier with his high placement allowing him to skip the Trial. At least for the next while, Sam expected his journey to be smooth sailing. He could look forward to being able to take it easy for once. After this win, it felt as though nothing could stand in his way.

    <hr><hr>

    Jackson stabbed his fork into the steak and shoved a piece of meat into his mouth. When he chewed, he scowled.

    It¡¯s overcooked. Too dry.

    He¡¯d have spat it out if purchasing a real steak hadn''t cost him so much. A security guard¡¯s wage was a pittance. Heading to this restaurant was supposed to be a treat for himself, but now he was pretty sure he had just wasted his money.

    He had been scammed. Meat wasn¡¯t what it used to be when he was a kid, just a handful of decades ago. The great farms of northwestern Johto could hardly be called great anymore. A slab of beef cost at least ten times as much, with its true price varying depending on how it was sourced.

    In Jackson¡¯s opinion, too many groups had pushed for ¡°humane¡± treatment of Pok¨¦mon. Now, if someone wanted real meat, it could only be sourced from Pok¨¦mon that passed away from natural causes. It didn''t matter that wild Pok¨¦mon ate each other all the time. Humans? No, they had to hold themselves to a ¡°higher¡± standard.

    That meant lab-grown meat. Soy meats. Meats that could be regrown after being harvested. None of that tasted as good as meat from a Pok¨¦mon in its prime. Everything nowadays was too worn and tough. It lacked the tenderness it should have had.

    Jackson took another bite, grinding his jaw together to force the food into something swallowable. As he ate, he did his best to ignore the sounds of a party from just a few tables away. He wasn''t facing them, but he could still hear their shouts and cheers to celebrate a tournament that had gone so well.

    For some reason, that head referee was popular. He was at the end of a long table, surrounded by the arena¡¯s staff. What Jackson didn¡¯t get was that if that head referee was so popular, why wasn¡¯t Jackson invited? Why hadn¡¯t Jackson been encouraged to come?

    For a moment, he considered going over and butting in, reminding them of who he was and forcing them into an uncomfortable awkwardness. Then, he stopped that train of thought. He instead decided to not do that and distracted himself by considering ketchup for his meal. It¡¯d make the meat more palatable in theory, but the idea of putting ketchup on a steak made Jackson sick to his stomach.

    Someone at the other table called for a toast. Jackson ignored it and took a swig of his drink before slamming it down on the table.

    The impact caused his utensils to clatter. He let out a breath and stared at the empty glass.

    He really wished he had more.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± a voice said.

    Jackson dragged his head up to stare at the unexpected newcomer. The man wasn''t familiar. He was at least a full decade younger.

    ¡°Mind if I sit here? I brought you a new drink as a bribe!¡±

    Jackson was tempted to turn him down, but the younger man shook the glass of bubbling liquid a few inches away from his face. Trying not to smack his lips, Jackson debated shooing him away. But, when he heard a series of laughs at the other table, a single word slipped out before he fully realized what he was agreeing to.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Jackson snatched the filled glass from the other man¡¯s hands and chugged most of it down. As his newfound companion sat, he could at least appreciate that the drink had washed the horrid taste of that steak out of his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m Pete,¡± the other man said.

    Jackson rubbed his temples. He really hated today.

    ¡°Jackson,¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Any reason you¡¯re off on your own? I¡¯d have thought someone like you would have celebrated with the rest of them. Didn''t want to join?¡±

    ¡°Wasn''t invited,¡± Jackson said sourly. ¡°Apparently a security guard for hire isn''t ¡®good enough¡¯ to celebrate with the likes of them.¡±

    Pete glanced over Jackson¡¯s shoulder, and Jackson took another swig of his drink. There wasn''t any question about it; Pete was definitely looking at the other men and women wearing uniforms identical to Jackson¡¯s.

    ¡°Well,¡± Pete said, turning back and tapping his fingers on the table¡¯s wood, ¡°would have been annoying to be around that many people.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡±

    Jackson finished off his drink.

    A voice from above briefly caught his attention. A television on the wall of the room displayed an attractive young woman in the middle of an interview. She talked to a certain boy with piercing grey eyes. Normally, eyes that dull were easily glanced over, but there was something about the shadows of his hood that made his gaze stand out that much more.

    Jackson scowled when he recognized who it was.

    Pete, for some reason, smiled.

    ¡°Don''t like him?¡± the guy asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Jackson said with a growl. ¡°Bad experience today. Kid doesn¡¯t know his place.¡±

    ¡°Really? Tell me more.¡±

    Pete leaned in, and Jackson hesitated. However, that hesitation evaporated when Pete waved over a waitress to bring him yet another drink.

    He took a sip of it before he started.

    ¡°Didn''t think much of it at first,¡± Jackson said, staring into the amber liquid. ¡°He snuck into a locked room. Went where he wasn¡¯t supposed to. Noticed that on the cameras and sent someone his way. No, the real issue happened when his friend got involved.¡±

    Another long sip.

    ¡°The friend attacked us. Had a Pok¨¦mon go after a fellow guard without even blinking an eye. Tried to spin some lie about not technically ordering the move, but my coworker was still knocked out in an instant. And then after...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Pete said, the man¡¯s full attention on Jackson.

    ¡°Had some kind of freak of a Pok¨¦mon,¡± Jackson said slowly. ¡°Looked like a bird if a bird was made out of rigid plastic. Did something with our systems before running away. Had to give chase and only barely caught up when we reached a dead end.¡±

    Usually security guards had Pok¨¦mon to help them, but that wasn''t always the case. Jackson had a partner when he first took on the job years ago, but they were separated when people started to complain that Houndour was too ¡®vicious.¡¯

    He missed that little beast.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny you described her Pok¨¦mon like that. I had a Pok¨¦mon that looked just like that, once,¡± Pete said.

    Jackson raised an eyebrow. Before he even noticed it, another drink slid towards him on the table. He hadn¡¯t even finished what he received previously.

    ¡°Problem was,¡± Pete continued, ¡°it was stolen from me. Taken from right under a friend''s nose. Sure, I hadn''t expected to get it back in the first place, but it''s the act itself that''s offensive. People should know better than to take from responsible adults like us.¡±

    Something rang in Jackson¡¯s ears, and he felt himself briefly have trouble focusing. The sound was quickly drowned out by the continued noises of the party behind him, and he rubbed his eyes and tried to get a better look at the man seated across from him.

    Pete had neatly cropped hair and a suit like some sort of businessman. His appearance almost seemed purposefully generic. Jackson doubted he''d be able to point Pete out from a crowd.

    ¡°Where did this happen?¡± Jackson said slowly, doing his best to pronounce each word before drinking from the newest glass.

    ¡°Goldenrod,¡± Pete answered easily enough. ¡°Been trying to catch up for a while, but they¡¯ve been speedy. Thankfully, there''re only so many routes they can follow, y¡¯know?¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯ve been following them?¡±

    Pete merely smiled.

    Alarm bells started to blare in Jackson''s mind. Something about this conversation felt off. It was almost too leading¡ªtoo goading. It wasn''t just that Pete had approached him randomly, it was the targeted nature of his questions and the cruel smirk the other man kept failing to keep down.

    Jackson knew he wasn¡¯t the nicest person in the world, but Pete shouldn¡¯t have looked that bloodthirsty. They were talking about kids, for goodness¡¯ sake!

    ¡°Is your name really Pete?¡± Jackson asked, forcing his question out through slurred words.

    ¡°No, but does that matter? You won''t remember me in the morning.¡±

    Jackson had a baton on his belt, a tool that replaced his Houndour when his friend had been taken away. An answer like that would have seen him immediately stand up, but his legs buckled underneath him. He crumpled into his seat instead of moving, and his head fell back.

    He could see it now. There was something hidden in the rafters of the ceiling. He wouldn¡¯t have noticed it if he hadn¡¯t fallen. It was dark, winged, and had a massive, fanged mouth that was wide open. He now realized there¡¯d been a high-pitched noise ringing in his ears, and though Jackson rubbed them, the noise refused to fade.

    ¡°That¡¯s Supersonic, by the way,¡± ¡®Pete¡¯ said. ¡°It took forever to train the move to be so targeted. Went through a lot of Golbat before finding one that could make the attack work. It was worth it, in the end. No one else can hear it. And don¡¯t bother trying to get help. I doubt you¡¯ll be standing anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°You...¡±

    Jackson slammed an arm onto the table, the only thing he could really do. Once more, his utensils clattered. A few of the other restaurant patrons looked his way¡ªnone of the partygoers, of course¡ªbut no one who glanced over seemed to be bothered. After all, their eyes lingered on the countless empty glasses on the table. From their perspective, why wouldn¡¯t someone like Jackson be this clumsy?

    ¡°Here. For your time,¡± the man claiming to be ¡®Pete¡¯ said, tossing a clip of bills onto the table. ¡°And that¡¯s payment for your information as well. It¡¯s nice to actually have confirmation for once.¡±

    ¡°W-what are you¡ª¡±

    Another ringing noise stabbed through his head, interrupting him before he could say anything else. Jackson grit his teeth, the world spinning. The bat Pok¨¦mon on the ceiling continued to silently scream his way, and everyone else continued to ignore the man who was clearly far too deep into his drinks.

    ¡°Thanks again,¡± ¡®Pete¡¯ said.

    The world turned black around Jackson as the bat¡¯s eyes locked with his own.

    Hours later, he woke up to a waitress nudging him awake. His food and drinks had already been taken away, and the party behind him had vanished. He was dazed, and he could have sworn he had a conversation with someone. However, for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t remember who it was with or what it was about.

 Chapter 64 - Redi Interlude

    Redi hadn¡¯t taught any of her Pok¨¦mon a TM move before, but she had seen Sam do it, and it was just as easy as she had seen. All it took was returning Ursaring to his Pok¨¦ball, slotting him into a Pok¨¦mon Center machine, and then after inserting the TM disc, the machine read its contents to teach him the brand new move.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it implanted memories, taught him the feeling, or did something equivalent to showing him a video several times over, but the TM-teaching process definitely worked. While Sam and his team sat nearby and relaxed after a successful tournament, she had Ursaring practice his new attack.

    When a single use caused an entire tree to explode, Redi laughed and laughed and laughed.

    With Hyper Beam, Redi was pretty sure the Gym Trial was now rigged in her favor. Hyper Beam might not increase Ursaring¡¯s speed¡ªif anything, the move¡¯s need for a recovery period did the opposite¡ªbut the sheer, raw power it prescribed all but sealed her victory. Even just the basic idea of using the move against an opponent sent Redi into a fit of giggles.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t get how Hyper Beam is going to win you the Gym Trial,¡± Sam said. ¡°How does Hyper Beam do anything in a race?¡±

    Redi merely grinned and turned to face her friend. She patted him on the shoulder, much to his frustration.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t on its own, but you and I have a different understanding of how battles work, Sam,¡± Redi said. ¡°I don¡¯t need some kind of clever strategy for this. I just need to show off our power.¡±

    He frowned at her, but she turned around and kept watching Ursaring practice. She¡¯d sign up for the Violet City Gym Trial as soon as she could the next day.

    ...And after a night¡¯s rest and an early morning dash to the Gym, Redi was properly registered and ready to compete in the mid-tier race, set to take place at noon.

    ¡°I knew there were three races a day, but I didn¡¯t realize they were split by level,¡± Sam said as they walked over. ¡°It¡¯s kind of in a reverse order, too. Five to six star teams in the morning, three to four star teams around midday, and up to two star teams in the afternoon. You know that means if you mess this up, you won¡¯t be able to try this again until tomorrow, right?¡±

    ¡°Psh. I won¡¯t mess this up. Have a little faith in us, Sam! We had faith in you during the tournament!¡± Redi said.

    Sam went silent. The tall buildings of central Violet City were behind them, now.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll believe in you, Redi,¡± Sam said. ¡°You haven¡¯t messed up so far. I doubt you¡¯ll start messing up now.¡±

    You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve messed up before. I wasn¡¯t able to figure out a way to defeat Ecruteak Gym.

    She didn¡¯t let that thought show on her face. Redi kept walking, and at least for this Gym Trial, she knew for a fact that she¡¯d win.

    The Violet City Gym Trial wasn¡¯t located within the city, rather, the race would take place around its edge. Route 36 had a large section of rolling hills and grassy plains, and the city itself didn¡¯t have many trees close to its sides. Depending on the tier of the race, trainers had to ride on or run alongside their Pok¨¦mon set distances around the city. The race would last a quarter of the way around at the lowest level, half the way around at Redi¡¯s level, or all the way around at the highest level.

    Truth be told, Redi was a little sour at her team being rated at a ¡°mere¡± four stars even though her Pok¨¦mon were individually comparable to the Pok¨¦mon on Sam¡¯s five star team. Her current rating meant she would be among the strongest participants in the mid-tier Gym Trial, but part of her would have rather had her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength be recognized, even if it meant facing a more difficult challenge.

    She needed another Pok¨¦mon, and she was starting to think she was acting a little too picky about it.

    Redi didn¡¯t dwell on those feelings, however. She had a race to win.

    It didn¡¯t take long to reach their destination, as the start was located at the very edge of the city. A line had been dug into the ground just off the side of the main road. There, a few other trainers loitered around, and that one Gym Trainer who had served as an announcer in the tournament, Falkner, stood off to the side with a clipboard.

    Redi immediately went up to him to mark herself present, and she took a step back to scan through the other competitors.

    There were just over a dozen people here. A few of them had a depressed air to them, as if they knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to win. Those trainers were probably in similar straits to Redi; they had team members that were good in battle but not necessarily good in a race.

    She didn¡¯t pay attention to them for now.

    Instead, her eyes snapped to three specific trainers and their Pok¨¦mon. She could tell that those pairs would be the competitors to worry about.

    The first was a teen wearing a set of goggles and a fluffy jacket, honestly looking like some sort of old-fashioned aviator despite competitors being required to stick close to the ground. He had a Doduo next to his side, a long-necked, two-headed bird with a body just large enough to support a rider.

    Not too far away from him was a different trainer, one wearing shorts with a white shirt that made her look like a marathon runner. Redi knew of unofficial marathons that regularly took place north of Goldenrod, and this trainer looked like a competitor straight out of them. A large feline, a Persian, stretched alongside her. If Redi had to guess, those two planned to run side-by-side, and the human actually looked athletic enough to be able to keep up.

    Finally, there was the real threat of the competition. While this trainer didn¡¯t look that special, her Pok¨¦mon was a different story. She brushed through its short, white hair. On the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s back, flames moved in the wind, the heat of them not affecting her by even a single degree.

    A Rapidash.

    Its presence was problematic.

    Rapidash were equines known for their speed, and they were regularly ridden in races, as well. If that trainer was participating, the winning odds of everyone else might have been zero. However, Redi didn¡¯t feel despair. If her plan worked, she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about any of those three threats.

    She started to grin.

    Sam stayed behind, standing near where a few other friends of the competitors had come to watch. He didn¡¯t notice it, but a gap formed in the small crowd as people stepped away from where he stood. They kept sending nervous glances to his shadow, where not one but two sets of eyes flashed in its shade. It wasn¡¯t just Haunter being carried alongside him, now. Misdreavus had joined the other Ghost Type in the darkness beneath Sam¡¯s feet.

    With there still being time until the race itself, Redi chose to wait, positioning herself next to Falkner. He sent her a curious glance but didn¡¯t say anything. Too distracted with his own work, he never noticed Redi using her position to peer at his watch whenever he checked it. A few more trainers showed up¡ªone with a Rhyhorn that she subtly nodded at¡ªand soon enough, it was time to start.

    But she didn¡¯t just mean the race.

    When there was just under a minute left on the clock, Redi released Ursaring. The bear Pok¨¦mon appeared in a flash of light and swung his massive arms back and forth to stretch. Each swipe made a swishing noise, and he did what Redi had asked, maintaining a scowl on his face.

    He looked ticked off, acting annoyed as if someone had just woken him up from a nice nap.

    ¡°Ready, Ursaring?¡± Redi whispered.

    He gave her the smallest of nods, hiding his acknowledgement. Nearby, Falkner glanced over his clipboard one last time before looking up and cupping his mouth to let loose a yell.

    ¡°Alright¡ª¡±

    ¡°Listen up!¡± Redi shouted, interrupting him.

    Falkner looked startled, head snapping Redi¡¯s way. Ursaring unleashed a roar that pierced through the air, and he and Redi now had the attention of every single human and Pok¨¦mon present.

    ¡°Before we start, I want to make something exceptionally clear,¡± Redi yelled. ¡°None of you are winning this race!¡±

    She was met with scowls. The competitors clearly didn¡¯t like that.

    Ursaring lowered a claw, and Redi stepped on it. He raised her up to deposit her on his shoulder, where she used the added height to tower above everyone else.

    ¡°You move ahead of us? Expect to be attacked,¡± Redi continued. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean with claw swipes or bites or anything like that. I checked the rules; this race allows trainers to fire off attacks as long as they don¡¯t aim at any especially vulnerable parts. But we won¡¯t need to aim at you like that, right buddy?¡±

    She patted Ursaring on the head and looked at Falkner.

    He was frowning.

    ¡°I was going to go over the rules, but she¡¯s right, in a way¡ª¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Told you!¡± Redi interrupted again. ¡°So how about a demonstration, hm? See what move we¡¯ll be using against you?¡±

    She still had everyone¡¯s attention, so she leaned down to whisper ¡°Hyper Beam¡± at Ursaring, keeping her voice just barely loud enough to let the other trainers hear.

    Shock rippled through the crowd.

    Redi stood tall and proud on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder as he faced the planned route of the race. Light glowed from within his throat, and a ball of pure energy formed in front of his mouth. It was as if the air itself was being sucked into the forming sphere, with it growing in both size and power. Before too long, the shape could no longer be sustained, busting outwards in a beam of light that left many people rubbing their eyes.

    Where it impacted, the ground exploded upwards. The Hyper Beam blew a small crater into the side of a hillside just down the way, sending chunks of dirt and grass high into the air.

    ¡°That¡¯s going to be you,¡± Redi said.

    The declaration was met with silence.

    ¡°...Are you done?¡±

    Falkner¡¯s lips were pressed into a thin line as he all but glared at Redi. Redi met his frown with a cheeky smile and hopped down into a seated position on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Yup!¡± she said cheerfully.

    Falkner pinched the bridge of his nose.

    ¡°Line up, everyone. Find a place to stand while I go over the rules.¡±

    He started to explain exactly how this race would work, but Redi barely paid attention. She had Sam read them to her beforehand to make sure she wouldn¡¯t accidentally get herself disqualified. As long as she never directly harmed a human, she¡¯d be fine.

    Competitors were allowed to try to disrupt the other racers as part of the Gym Trial, and Falkner¡¯s confirmation of that caused several of the registered competitors to turn pale. Many fearful glances were sent Redi¡¯s way, and instead of bringing themselves to the starting line, at least half seemed to decide it¡¯d be better to not bother this time around. Included among them was the runner with the Persian. She took one look at her cat and one look at Redi before nodding to herself and walking off.

    Half of those that left, Redi could respect. Those people were the ones who decided to leave upon recognizing their low chances. A key skill for trainers was to know when you needed to retreat. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with thinking a situation was too dangerous and deciding to tackle it differently.

    The other trainers, however, left out of fear. In Redi¡¯s opinion, those trainers would need to take a hard look at themselves if they were so easily cowed by such a minor threat.

    A real trainer wouldn¡¯t back down just because they were afraid.

    Redi stayed silent, though. She didn¡¯t make any insulting comments towards the people who left. She did want to taunt them¡ªtaunting people was half the fun of Pok¨¦mon battles¡ªbut she didn¡¯t want to spur a desire for revenge in a race she so desperately wanted to win.

    Off to the side, Falkner released a large Fearow. For some reason, there was a faint bit of hesitation before he got on the bird¡¯s back, but the Flying Type Pok¨¦mon still accepted him as its rider.

    The clipboard was deposited into a backpack as he took a whistle out from around his neck.

    ¡°Remember the rules I¡¯ve told you for when the race starts. If there aren¡¯t any questions...¡±

    The remaining competitors stared straight ahead. Falkner briefly sent one last glare towards Redi.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re ready to go!¡± he said. ¡°Trainers! The race will begin shortly! On your marks... Get set... And... Go!¡±

    His Fearow shot into the sky, giving him a view of the entire race at once, allowing him to see both the winners as well as anyone who broke the rules. As for the line of racers themselves, one trainer with a Jynx, of all Pok¨¦mon, suddenly disappeared.

    ¡°No Teleportation! Disqualified!¡± Falkner¡¯s voice echoed.

    Must have spent a lot of money on a Teleport TM just for it to go to waste here.

    As Redi hummed to herself, no one else behind the starting line bothered to move ahead.

    ¡°What? Too scared?¡± she asked.

    People kept trying to hide the subtle glances sent her way.

    Redi didn¡¯t move, herself. Ursaring maintained his angry look while staying in the same place. It helped disguise his heavy breaths and his need to recover after that use of Hyper Beam. If anything, he looked even angrier than before.

    Silence continued. A pressure seemed to settle over everyone still here. Redi guessed they were waiting to see what would happen to whoever moved ahead of her first. No one wanted to be the one to risk a retaliatory strike from Redi¡¯s Ursaring.

    ¡°Screw it! You can¡¯t get all of us at once!¡±

    Despite his words, no one else seemed to want to support that Rhyhorn trainer¡¯s declaration. He hopped onto the back of his armored Pok¨¦mon as it began to charge over the starting line. His Rhyhorn moved at a decent speed, but it wasn¡¯t anything fast enough that¡¯d actually win the race.

    ¡°Go ahead, Ursaring,¡± Redi said, massaging the back of her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s neck.

    From her position still seated on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder, she got the perfect view of her bear Pok¨¦mon lining up a Hyper Beam and releasing it at the only trainer running ahead. The Rhyhorn¡¯s rider let loose a shout and dived to hide behind his Pok¨¦mon as it skidded to a halt.

    The Hyper Beam exploded just before it. An explosion of dirt covered the Rhyhorn, and it moved no further.

    Above, Falkner was silent. There was no shout of disqualification that the other competitors clearly hoped for.

    Did it work?

    Redi hid the way she checked over everyone else by sending them all a leer.

    Truth be told, everything so far had been a bluff. She couldn¡¯t actually attack the other competitors. At most, she could have Ursaring use Hyper Beam to create craters in the field.

    That Rhyhorn trainer? Bribed beforehand. She needed to show that she wasn¡¯t afraid of letting loose an attack, and his Rock Type Rhyhorn could resist Normal Type moves. It could easily fake a fall after being ¡°targeted,¡± as well.

    A Rhyhorn was bulky enough for a human to hide behind, and the move itself had landed a little too short to deal much damage. The important part of the scene was that it looked like Hyper Beam had struck it. This was what most of the practice last night had been about, after all.

    Thankfully, everyone was too busy staring at Redi to inspect where the other trainer had taken a fall.

    After a few seconds of confirming no one else had the courage to move, Redi tapped her Pok¨¦mon, and Ursaring took a heavy step forward.

    Then another.

    And another.

    The Rapidash whinnied and stomped its hooves into the dirt. The trainer with the Doduo scowled as his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s talons dug into the field.

    ¡°Keep going,¡± Redi whispered.

    Ursaring continued to be the only Pok¨¦mon moving forward as he casually walked down the race¡¯s planned route.

    ¡°Whatever! If she¡¯s going to attack us, that just means we have to dodge! Come on, Rapidash!¡±

    ¡°You too, Doduo!¡±

    Redi let loose a curse. Somehow, the only two people still motivated to stay in the race were the two people that she absolutely needed to stay behind.

    ¡°On all fours! Push yourself, Ursaring!¡±

    Her bear Pok¨¦mon let loose an earth-shaking roar before dropping down, and Redi slid to end up seated on his back. She leaned forward and grabbed his fur as he took off running. His species might have been fine with traveling on two legs, but if he really wanted to convert his brute strength into speed, he needed to use all four of his limbs.

    They managed to maintain their lead longer than Redi would''ve expected. Ursaring quite literally tore over the ground with every step. His claws sent grass flying into the air.

    It was like he was attacking the ground to run, but he still wasn''t built for speed. It was only about a third of the way through the race¡ªa sixth of the way around the city¡ªthat those two other competitors passed them. The Rapidash and the Doduo pushed into first, running neck-and-neck.

    ¡°Hyper Beam, in front!¡± Redi shouted.

    A beam of piercing white light shot past the competitors to explode the ground before them. The Doduo was agile enough to move around the crater, and the Rapidash easily jumped above.

    ¡°Oh, you¡ª!¡±

    Redi cursed under her breath.

    She wasn¡¯t able to do anything more direct than that, and she wasn¡¯t able to call for any other moves so soon after the last. Hyper Beam was Ursaring¡¯s only ranged attack, and it required time to recover as it used a significant chunk of his reserved energy.

    Ursaring was able to adjust his course to avoid the crater without a loss of speed, but if Redi wasn¡¯t able to figure anything else out, she¡¯d lose the race for sure.

    Grumbling under her breath, she held herself tight against Ursaring¡¯s back as she watched the Rapidash¡¯s trainer call for a retaliation. The Fire Type horse Pok¨¦mon turned its head to aim at the Doduo, shouting its name while it called for flames to spin around it. A tornado of fire formed and was launched at its opponent, which unfortunately easily jumped away. The Fire Spin scarred the grass black and left smoldering embers in its wake. Patches of fire remained on the ground, which would force Ursaring to change directions unless he wanted to get burned.

    Wait, but don¡¯t we want that?

    Redi wasn¡¯t the best trainer around when it came to clever strategies, but if there was one thing she knew, it was the capabilities of her team.

    ¡°Into the flames, Ursaring! We¡¯re relying on Sam¡¯s book! Think you can handle it?¡±

    He let out a proud roar in response.

    Rapidash¡¯s Fire Spin had mostly faded away, but Ursaring could still use the lingering fire to win them the race. Rather than avoid the heat, he charged right through and even brought down his head to let the flames lick at his face.

    Redi coughed up a bit of ash from the attack''s smoke cloud, and she did her best to wipe it off her face while rubbing Ursaring¡¯s back. His breathing started to get heavier, and there was now a subtle wince every time a paw hit the ground.

    Charging right through the fire had left him burned, which was exactly what Redi wanted.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± she whispered, still doing her best to comfort her Pok¨¦mon during his run.

    Ursaring started to pick up speed. His adrenaline built, fueling his movements. It wasn¡¯t just his ability, Guts, fueling his strength, but he was also relying on something Redi only knew of thanks to Sam¡¯s New Pok¨¦dex.

    Turns out, Ursaring had a second ability he could train: Quick Feet. It wasn¡¯t anything his final evolution would support, but they could at least try to make use of it now. In addition to the adrenaline-fueled strength that Guts could provide, that same adrenaline could let him move more panickedly and with a greater speed. All of that combined, and Ursaring was catching up. Off to the side, buildings flew past them as they raced across the plains.

    But it still wasn¡¯t enough. While they were moving faster, there wasn¡¯t enough of the race left to give them a chance to pull ahead.

    It¡¯s going to be about timing, isn¡¯t it?

    She frowned. This wasn¡¯t something she could expect Ursaring to do on his own.

    With how much energy Hyper Beam required, Ursaring could pull off the attack once, maybe twice more. After that, he''d be too exhausted to reuse the move, especially with how his burn was eating away at his health. Redi had only a single chance to bring this race into their favor. They were barely running faster than the two in the front, but there was no way that speed would last forever.

    Her eyes narrowed as she watched the two Pok¨¦mon in the lead. After that Fire Spin, they had all but discounted her, only bothering to focus on each other, thinking the other racer was the only threat left.

    One of the Doduo¡¯s heads struck with a Peck towards the Rapidash while the other head faced ahead to pay attention to the direction of the race. The horse Pok¨¦mon had to pull to the side to avoid those jabs, but it responded with a slight turn of the head and an exhale of Embers that forced the Doduo away.

    The two trainers yelled commands to repeat the process, and Redi, to her surprise, recognized what was going on.

    ¡°It¡¯s a cycle,¡± she whispered.

    The two Pok¨¦mon would move close, attack, and then be forced apart once again. With both trainers trying to give themselves some kind of advantage, neither side was content with relying solely on their speed.

    Redi leaned forward to better focus. Ursaring kept running, throwing everything he had into just trying to catch up. Ever so slowly, the distance between them and the Pok¨¦mon in the lead shrunk, but not enough to matter. However, it let Redi grow more and more familiar with how her opponents attacked.

    It was right when the finish line came into view, Falkner on his Fearow circling above, that Redi called for a final attack.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    A Hyper Beam tore out of Ursaring¡¯s throat. He unleashed it with a fury not seen before, likely fueled by the desperation of both of his abilities and the need to place first. It was timed just right to perfectly shoot between the two Pok¨¦mon when they clashed. Both let out noises of alarm and pulled far back as the literal laser beam sliced the air apart.

    This time, when the crater was formed, it was much too close for either Rapidash or Doduo to be prepared. The Rapidash had to undergo a sharp turn and stop to avoid falling in, and the Doduo stumbled before clumsily running around.

    Ursaring had no such problem, as he continued to tear forward and leaped into the air. His momentum was just enough to let him land on the other side, his speed unaffected.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Redi laughed as Ursaring charged into the lead. The trainer on the Rapidash, having come to a complete stop, snapped her fingers out of frustration. She seemed to recognize there wasn¡¯t enough distance left to let her reach the front once again.

    The other trainer, however, adjusted his goggles and glared at Redi through their lenses. His Doduo resumed its charge, refusing to stop here.

    ¡°Doduo, we¡¯ve been through so much! We can¡¯t give up now!¡±

    His voice was just barely audible over the sound of the rushing wind.

    ¡°We can do this! I believe in you! We. Can. Win. This. Race!¡±

    The final word carried, and a flash surprised Redi. She snapped her head around, jaw practically dropping to the ground.

    The Doduo was glowing. Its body increased in size. Its legs became more powerful, and a third head popped out of its chest.

    The freshly evolved Dodrio suddenly began to effortlessly sail towards Ursaring. The speed of its evolution combined with subsequent surge of energy meant it had more than doubled its pace.

    Redi was worried for only the briefest of moments. She¡¯d talked to Sam about the Normal Type a lot. She knew of one issue that a member of Dodrio¡¯s species tended to have.

    ¡°Hey! If you have three heads now, which one of you is in charge?¡±

    Three sets of avian eyes blinked at her. Still running, each of them pulled back to leer at one another before getting into a furious, squawking argument. That argument almost immediately devolved into a battle of furious pecks, with strikes from each head aimed at the others¡¯ necks.

    Unfortunately for it, the Dodrio couldn¡¯t maintain the same pace with all three heads fighting at once. It fell behind, its goggled trainer shouting desperately to get it to stop, all while Ursaring completed the final dash over the finish line.

    Redi cackled the entire way, placing first in the Gym Trial and earning her team the well-deserved right to challenge Walker.

 Chapter 65

    Sam¡¯s alarm woke him up exactly at midnight. It was a compromise from when he had woken up a few hours later the last time he had done something like this. While slightly earlier, it was still deep enough into the night that the moon was at its peak, but this way, he wouldn¡¯t need to sleep in as late the next morning. He''d still have most of the day to do as he wished.

    He rolled out of the Pok¨¦mon Center bed, stretching to regain wakefulness and grabbing the clothes he¡¯d laid out a few hours before. Tossed over the back of a chair were pants, a shirt, and his usual jacket. They fit him a lot better than the oversized outfit he had worn during the tournament.

    As Sam threw on his clothes and let out a yawn, truthfully, he was a little disappointed. It¡¯d been a few days since his team¡¯s victory, and he hadn¡¯t been recognized anywhere near as much as he wanted. He had packed away his tournament outfit and had gone back to wearing his normal clothes while out and about Violet City. Despite placing first in the tournament, that was apparently enough for people to not know who he was. The Violet City Tournament was still just a local tournament. Important battles took place all the time, and given the one he won took place several times a year, it didn¡¯t have the same relative importance as what an annual tournament might have had.

    A few people had pointed him out to friends, but they never approached. The rest didn¡¯t even send a glance his way.

    I might not be a famous trainer yet, but I guess I¡¯ll be able to enjoy anonymity for a bit longer, I suppose.

    Sam didn¡¯t know anyone who didn¡¯t want to be famous. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with having that fantasy for himself.

    Despite that relative lack of interest, his light practice with his team garnered a different kind of reaction whenever he went out behind the Pok¨¦mon Center to train. Given they¡¯d spent a week throwing themselves into training, he was only having his Pok¨¦mon practice their moves and keep in shape with daily exercises. However, while going through their more relaxed routine, Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon tended to gather a few observers.

    Outside of Hex, he had nothing to hide. Without a tournament over his head¡ªonly an upcoming Gym Battle¡ªSam didn¡¯t feel the need to hide his team¡¯s capabilities on the nearby route. The space behind the Pok¨¦mon Center was good enough. A courtyard battlefield hidden by the other buildings of the city block gave them plenty of room to practice.

    But other trainers practiced there, and a few of them actually recognized him. Specifically, they realized who he was when he sent out the Pok¨¦mon on his team. Most stood off to the side and tried to hide the glances they sent his way, but a few had actually asked him to battle. However, when it came to those matches...

    Well, they had won the Violet City tournament for a reason. His Pok¨¦mon won every match.

    Smiling to himself, Sam zipped up his jacket. He could still feel the warmth that stemmed from the pride of victory. His team had utterly crushed the Violet City Tournament. They were unbeatable! They¡¯d defeat anyone who came their way!

    He coughed into a hand.

    At least, that¡¯s true for trainers of our current level. We might be taking it easy for now, but we can¡¯t slack on practice for too long. Everyone else is still getting stronger, and there¡¯s still just under half the season to go.

    Sam remained staring ahead at the real goal: Johto¡¯s Silver Conference. It¡¯d be embarrassing if he failed to become strong enough to at least make it past the preliminaries.

    His quiet musings filling the silence as he slowly woke up, Sam waited to put on his shoes. He needed to make sure his Pok¨¦mon were all awake as well. A street lamp outside the room¡¯s window might have provided a soft glow, but the only source of light came from a lamp that he clicked on.

    Haunter had been lazily floating in the corner, and the flash of the light caused him to snap his eyes open. He immediately recognized what was going on and started to zip back and forth through the air rather excitedly. Sam had of course informed him of their plans for tonight, and Haunter had been impatiently waiting in a trance that wasn¡¯t quite sleep.

    Torpor, maybe?

    The rest of the team wasn¡¯t anywhere near as prepared as him.

    Quilava was still passed out on the bed. Her paws were stretched out to her front and her back. Unconscious, she smushed her face down into her legs, causing her skin to bunch up to make her look completely different.

    Next to her was Misdreavus, who had woken up when Sam had woken up, but she hadn¡¯t left the bed. When Sam rolled away, she moved away from where she had rested on a pillow of her own to lean against Quilava, who had been sleeping pressed parallel to Sam¡¯s legs.

    Misdreavus blearily blinked open her eyes, and she started to slowly nudge Quilava awake. He left them there for now, going to Primeape, who had claimed a high-backed chair for himself. Sam poked the Fighting Type, but Primeape responded by flopping a hand up in an attempt to wave him away. A harder poke saw a grumble. Primeape tried to tell Sam to leave him alone.

    ¡°You know this is the perfect time to practice, right?¡±

    And Primeape hopped off the chair in the very next moment.

    He stretched, bringing his arms out and punching the air to wake himself up. He had a smirk on his face, already thinking about the ways he could get stronger. Behind, Quilava let out a soft mumble as Misdreavus finally managed to wake her up.

    She raised her head, tiredly trying to open her eyes before snapping them the rest of the way open in sudden remembrance. Sam lunged foward and wrapped a hand around her mouth as excited eyes stared his way. Misdreavus entered the air to look at both of them, more than just confused, but he stopped Quilava from saying anything by holding a finger to his mouth to shush her.

    ¡°Not today, alright? I¡¯m getting too old for that.¡±

    Quilava despondently nodded her head, clearly disappointed.

    Thankfully, the only other Pok¨¦mon who had heard Sam speak was Misdreavus, who glanced between both him and Quilava. He pretended that nothing had happened as he helped Quilava onto his shoulders. She let herself hang around his neck as Misdreavus positioned herself in the air to his side, where she¡¯d be able to stay close and whisper to Quilava whenever she wanted.

    Primeape was still shadowboxing to make sure he was awake, and Haunter continued to zip through the air in excitement.

    ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Sam asked, getting several short, excited cries in response. ¡°Stay quiet to not wake anyone up. We¡¯ll be heading out right now.¡±

    After slipping on his shoes, Sam and his entire team crept out of the Pok¨¦mon Center hallway to head out into Violet City¡¯s streets. He pulled his jacket tighter around him as Quilava warmed herself up to help ward off the cold. Once again, this was a moment to explore a city at night. It¡¯d be less exciting to do so this ¡°early,¡± but it was a nice way to start off today of all days.

    Violet City wasn¡¯t the same as Azalea Town. The last time they had gone for a middle-of-the-night walk, they had done it in a sleepy little settlement. People were still up, mostly those who had gotten lost trying to find the bottom of a bottle. The usual Pok¨¦mon of the witching hour weren¡¯t all present, but there were still a few species that made themselves known now that there were less people about.

    Walking through the streets with his team, Sam kept his eyes out. Rattata continued to be ubiquitous. Similarly, Sentret were a species specific to Johto that were almost as common. This time around, there weren¡¯t any Spinarak, and this city wasn¡¯t big enough to sustain maybe more than a handful of wild Houndour, but he did see them occasionally stalking through a wide alley. What he didn¡¯t see, however, were Pidgey, or even Murkrow.

    Sure, he saw one or two, but there was a strange lack of Flying Types in a town so dedicated to the Flying Type. The skies were empty save for the occasional Noctowl, but those kept to set paths over the streets. Likely, they were on some sort of nighttime patrol for the local Gym.

    There was one flock of Pidgey that slept within the dense branches of a street-side tree, but any more seemed to be absent. Sam found that to be weirdly confusing until he stumbled on something else soon enough.

    ¡°Bellsprout. Escorted by Gastly!¡±

    He and his team stepped to the side of the street to watch a parade of Pok¨¦mon that had suddenly appeared.

    Spindly Grass Types that were more root than leaf walked down the road and picked up the rare piece of refuse that had failed to be thrown away. Gastly drifted above and around them, the Ghost Types behaving as if on protection duty.

    Watching them, Sam engraved what he was seeing into his mind. His books never once mentioned anything like this. Haunter and Misdreavus waved to the Ghost Types, receiving wary but respectful nods in return. One Bellsprout split off from the rest to try to grab at Sam¡¯s shoelace, but he took a step back and apologized.

    He¡¯d never received a dirty look from a Grass Type before. He almost felt guilty he hadn¡¯t let it steal part of his shoes.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Almost.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t trained, but they¡¯ve definitely received some kind of instruction,¡± Sam whispered as about two dozen Pok¨¦mon walked down the road. ¡°They aren¡¯t behaving like a trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but there¡¯s definitely an order to them you don¡¯t really see in the wild.¡±

    Flying Types would have likely gone after the Bellsprout if it weren¡¯t for the Gastly. Meanwhile, while a few following Gastly were obvious, the Bellsprout themselves were enough of a distraction that the more clever Gastly among them could get off a few scares.

    Sam could put the clues together and know that these Pok¨¦mon were from Violet City¡¯s famous Sprout Tower. It was as much of a historical site as it was a religious site. The place also occasionally saw low-level Pok¨¦mon battles take place in it.

    Except it was closed the moment the sun went down. Sam wouldn¡¯t be able to head there and ask about the parade.

    Knowing that witnessing something like this could only ever happen in Violet City, Sam watched the train of Pok¨¦mon continue on their path through their city. It was only after they were gone and once Sam returned to quiet meandering that he started to see a few Murkrow, Flying Types, start to return.

    ¡°My best guess is that this lets the Pok¨¦mon of Sprout Tower get some exercise while also helping clean Violet City¡¯s streets,¡± he whispered to the team.

    There was still so much to learn about the Ghost Type. He really wanted to figure out how the monks of the tower set all of this up.

    From there, Sam resumed walking with his team, wandering through the city. He quickly ran out of city blocks that contained more office-like buildings, and he started to reach more residential districts containing rows of complexes and houses with people sleeping inside.

    He didn¡¯t see much more, but he enjoyed being able to spend this quiet time with his team. Misdreavus stayed by his side. Quilava remained on his neck. Primeape was following along with his eyes closed. He wasn¡¯t sleeping, but he was trying to meditate.

    For his last team member, Haunter was off... somewhere, but he was definitely sticking nearby. Getting the feeling he wouldn¡¯t be seeing much else tonight, Sam spoke up, keeping his voice quiet to not disturb the sanctity of the night.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been watching the recordings of our battles and taking notes,¡± he said, recognizing how their time out was reaching its end. ¡°I think I have some pretty solid ideas for our next goals. Do you want to hear my thoughts?¡±

    Misdreavus bumped into Sam¡¯s arm, smiling at him to encourage him to speak. A noise from above told Sam that Haunter was somewhere above their heads, and both Primeape and Quilava made soft noises to say they were interested.

    ¡°Weaker moves,¡± Sam said. ¡°That¡¯s my biggest takeaway from the tournament. As an overall lesson, I mean. It sounds strange, but I actually think practicing low-level attacks could help you out in a pinch.¡±

    He didn¡¯t plan to incorporate any truly weak attacks in their strategies. No, he wanted his team to have something they could use quickly that didn¡¯t take much effort.

    ¡°We used them once or twice across all of our recorded battles, but from what I¡¯ve seen, they can come out fast. At your level, there¡¯s almost no need for a build-up, and they require so little energy that you can use them back-to-back. Sure, something like an Incinerate or Hex might be better for damage, but a surprise Ember? It could make a charging opponent back off.¡±

    Quilava made a noise on Sam¡¯s neck. She¡¯d practiced Ember before she had evolved, but even then, Incinerate, Will-O-Wisp, and Curse were her bread and butter at this point. Similarly, Primeape had moved on from attacks like Karate Chop and Low Kick in favor of his elemental punches and his newly acquired Brick Break and Rock Smash. As for Haunter¡¯s Lick, it had been ignored since day one.

    However...

    ¡°Lick can cause paralysis,¡± Sam pointed out, glancing upwards.

    Haunter¡¯s eyes widened. He suddenly looked much more ready to practice the move.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been taking it easy these past few days, as per Nurse Joy¡¯s orders, but I think we can start picking up the pace. Working on weaker moves can be a decent transition before moving onto individual training.¡± Sam smiled to himself. ¡°And boy do I have plans for that.¡±

    He asked Quilava to step down for a moment, and he crouched to take out his personal journal from his backpack. He had brought it along specifically for this moment.

    ¡°Right now, all of you are strong. We¡¯ve spent months making sure you have a solid baseline, which means we should be fine coasting on passive growth for a bit. The most important thing we can work on is improving what moves you know and continuing to improve our strategies.¡±

    Sam stood up, making sure Quilava could return to his shoulders as he did. He flipped through his journal, reading its pages thanks to a small, rechargeable book light. It was something he had brought from home, and he had many fond memories of using it to secretly read when he should have been asleep in bed.

    He looked around before continuing, eyes locking onto a small bench at the side of the road. Sitting, Quilava shifted to lay across his lap, and he used her side to prop up his journal. Everyone else gathered around him.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go in order of capture. That means we¡¯re starting with you, Quilava,¡± Sam said. ¡°For you, your training will be pretty simple: just Flamethrower and maybe Double Team. Flamethrower is a more targeted Fire Type attack than Incinerate, but it¡¯s way stronger. Double Team will help you dodge without needing Detect, and it¡¯d pair well with Haunter and Misdreavus¡¯s Confuse Ray.¡±

    Quilava nodded. She didn¡¯t need to do anything more than that for Sam to know she¡¯d have no trouble learning those moves.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said next. ¡°You have a much longer list: Rage. Bulk-Up. Shadow Claw, maybe. Power-Up Punch, an even bigger maybe. You know our true goal is for you to figure out Rage Fist, but I want to set everything else up to make doing so easier.¡±

    Sam had already discussed Shadow Claw in the past; while it was nice if Primeape figured it out, he already was familiar with Ghost Type energy thanks to Curse, and Rage Fist would ultimately replace it. It wasn¡¯t necessarily needed. No, that attack would be a bonus to everything else. The only new goal was the last move he shared: Power-Up Punch.

    Like Hex, Sam only knew of it thanks to the New Pok¨¦dex.

    Power-Up Punch was somewhat like Haunter¡¯s Acid Spray in that successive uses let it hit harder. Something about how the move worked meant it temporarily increased the user¡¯s strength whenever it landed, but outside of how it was unknown, it was also a TM move. Not only would it require extra effort to train, Sam wasn¡¯t sure how it worked either. Still, if Primeape could figure out a move like that out, he could probably also figure out Rage Fist in his sleep.

    Sam wanted Primeape to figure out Power-Up Punch for that reason, and he hoped that it would be a good, default attack to rely on before Primeape eventually managed to evolve.

    ¡°Think you¡¯ll be able to figure it out?¡± Sam asked, glancing at Primeape after sharing his thoughts.

    Primeape¡¯s determined expression was answer enough; he would do it. His previous goals might have already been difficult enough, and this was yet another goal on top of that, but Primeape wasn¡¯t one to give up in the face of a challenge.

    He nodded once, saying his name as he did. Sam knew he could trust his Pok¨¦mon to learn it.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said before glancing up at the pair of Pok¨¦mon hovering in the air. ¡°Now for you two¡ªthis is what I¡¯m really excited about.¡±

    Two Ghost Types stared back down at him, both Misdreavus and Haunter looked on curiously. Sam didn¡¯t even need his notes for this. He knew the plans for his Ghost Types by heart.

    ¡°Haunter, our end goal for you is to make you the ultimate status-setter. We¡¯ll make use of your speed and all of your utility moves to make you an absolute nightmare to fight,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°And speaking of nightmares, that¡¯s the exact move I want you to learn: Nightmare. That, and Dream Eater. They pair perfectly with how you can put opponents to sleep.¡±

    Haunter grinned, exposing his teeth in an expression befitting a malicious specter. Dream Eater would let him eat the dreams of opposing Pok¨¦mon to damage them while simultaneously recovering his stamina. Nightmare, meanwhile, was a passive condition he could inflict on a sleeping opponent. As long as his target remained asleep outside of their Pok¨¦ball, the condition would wear away at their health and eventually cause them to faint.

    ¡°But Shadow Ball has the priority, first,¡± Sam said, rubbing his neck.

    Haunter deflated. Hex was better for his place in their team¡¯s strategy, but Shadow Ball was needed for their other battles and for when opponents weren¡¯t affected by status conditions.

    ¡°And finally, you, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said, glancing to where she had lowered herself beside him. ¡°Are you excited?¡±

    Her eyes curved up alongside part of a smile as she trilled her name, floating higher in the air. Her voice came out light, almost melodic. The tension that she used to have before joining the team had completely vanished.

    ¡°Nasty Plot,¡± Sam started, locking eyes with her. ¡°Then Will-O-Wisp. Hex. Psybeam.¡±

    Misdreavus cocked her head to the side.

    ¡°Psychic. Power Gem. Pain Split. Payback,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Misdreavus, you¡¯re strong, but we have a lot we need to work on. I have a good idea where you stand, and you¡¯re definitely in pace with the rest of the team. However, what you have in power, you lack in technique. That, and the variety of moves you know. I plan to fix that.¡±

    He cleared his throat before jumping into an explanation.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp pairs well with Hex, and it can devastate a physical attacker. Pain Split and Payback aren¡¯t moves to rely on often, but they¡¯re great at punishing anyone who actually manages to land a hit. Everything else I listed are all attacking moves that would help you with coverage. All of them except for one: Nasty Plot.¡±

    Sam gave that a dramatic pause.

    ¡°Do you want to guess my plans for your place on the team?¡±

    Misdreavus looked at him curiously but shook her head. She didn¡¯t have any guesses, and Sam stared straight ahead with a small smile on his face. He could already picture how all of their strategies would slot together.

    ¡°Quilava wears down our opponents as a special attacker. Haunter inflicts conditions and tires out everyone he fights. Primeape handles anyone they can¡¯t handle with his powerful, melee attacks. But for you? Nasty Plot helps you think of all the little ways you can cause your opponent the most pain with your special moves. It buffs your damage, which means we can combine it with all your other attacks. In other words, I can send you out once our opponents are too exhausted to fight back. With that kind of power, you¡¯ll be able to ¡®sweep them up¡¯ and finish off anyone that¡¯s left.¡±

    There were stars in Misdreavus¡¯s eyes. She said her name softly and in awe. She looked at Sam, hesitating for only a single second before rushing forward to press into his chest.

    He laughed and easily hugged her back.

    After a few seconds, she pulled away, and Sam looked over his team once more. Everyone looked more determined than ever, Sam¡¯s plans for them giving them clear roles to chase after. Their win in the Violet City Tournament wasn¡¯t anything to grow arrogant about. They still had so many more battles they¡¯d face in the future.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fighting Walker soon, but there¡¯s no rush for that. We¡¯ll be able to train as much as we need before signing up. Just continue to trust me, and continue to train. While you work on your skills in battle, I¡¯ll work on my skills as a trainer, and I¡¯ll create a strategy that¡¯ll carry us straight into an easy win.¡±

    <hr>

    When Sam woke up late the next morning, he didn''t bother going through his usual routine. He threw on a shirt, put on some pants, and after waking up Quilava, he went for a jog through Violet City''s streets.

    This wasn''t something he did often, but it was something his mother heavily encouraged. While it tended to initially tire him out, going for a run usually woke him up and gave him the energy he¡¯d need for the rest of the day. Outside, he took in the differences between the night¡¯s empty streets and late morning¡¯s lively crowds. He watched people go about their business, and he watched the numerous Flying Types going in and out of the top of Violet City''s Gym.

    When he got back, he showered before going outside to lightly train his Pok¨¦mon. Quilava worked on Ember once again, Haunter tried to harass Primeape with Lick, and Misdreavus practiced one-on-one with Sam. With ease, she fell into the routine of practicing her moves, understanding more about Sam¡¯s strategies, and figuring out the first steps she¡¯d need to take to learn new moves. While neither of them wanted to train Hex while being watched, Sam did try to help her figure out Will-O-Wisp. He also considered asking Redi for help with converting Psywave into Psybeam, as Porygon was an absolute master with that move.

    But they didn''t train for too long, mostly just getting in a bit of practice and warming up. When that was done with, Sam headed back into the Pok¨¦mon Center and found Redi in its lobby, chatting animatedly with another trainer. She waved at him as he moved to stand in line, as it was the norm to give Pok¨¦mon a brief check-up after training. He wanted to make sure they were in perfect health, as he did have a few different plans for today.

    I''ll need to call Mom first, but I definitely want to head back to the library. I''ve already been using its computers to watch archived battles, but I¡¯ll be able to hopefully find a good book, too. I have a bunch of funds from winning the tournament. I bet there''s a bookstore I can find. It''d be a pain to carry a few extra books and the New Pok¨¦dex, but it''d be nice to be able to get some light reading done while on a route.

    He¡¯d only buy one short series. Maybe two. Though, if he bought too many, he''d need to buy an extra bag. Something he could hold in hand, separate from his back.

    Or I can buy a larger backpack?

    He considered it as his place in line crept closer to the front counter.

    No. Actually, I should buy a crowbar. I don''t want to experience something like the Ruins of Alph ever again.

    Considering his plans, he eventually reached the nurse on duty in the mornings. He smiled and greeted her, recognizing her as the one who had healed his team at the tournament. As per usual, four Pok¨¦balls were passed over alongside his trainer ID.

    Except, he thought of it too late. The moment he realized his mistake, the nurse had already read through a certain set of numbers displayed on the card. She looked up at him and smiled.

    ¡°Oh!¡± she said much too loudly for his liking. ¡°Happy birthday!¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t able to stop his wince as a gasp rang out from behind. Turning around, he saw Redi marching right at him. The chilling expression on her face told him he had messed up, big time.

 Chapter 66

    ¡°Why didn''t you tell me it was your birthday?!¡±

    Sam winced as he turned away from Redi, choosing to look at the nurse instead. The woman silently nodded to confirm that his Pok¨¦mon would be healed, but she didn¡¯t fully meet his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t want to turn back and face Redi¡¯s pleading expression, but given the topic of the conversation, he knew he had no choice but to do so.

    ¡°Celebrating birthdays is more of a thing for kids,¡± Sam said, moving to stand at the edge of the front lobby. ¡°I didn''t want to hog the spotlight, and I figured since I was turning fifteen¡ª¡±

    He was interrupted by a snort of disbelief.

    ¡°Everyone deserves to have a birthday party,¡± Redi declared. ¡°Back in Vermillion, my mom, my dad, all of our Pok¨¦mon, and even Teddi¡ªI mean, Ursaring¡ªgot to have parties! What¡¯s the point if you don¡¯t get to dedicate the day to yourself? I mean, what did you even do when it was your birthday back home?¡±

    Sam knew the answer. Birthdays were quiet. Either he or his mom would bake (or try to bake) a cake, and they¡¯d eat it in the living room while watching a movie on the TV. They always got food ordered in too, so the only actual effort they needed to expend was with the cake in the kitchen. Quilava and Delcatty celebrated their own birthdays as well, and his mother was great at preparing Pok¨¦mon-friendly desserts.

    ¡°We mostly just sat around and watched movies,¡± Sam said with a shrug.

    Redi looked utterly aghast at Sam¡¯s nonchalance.

    ¡°Nu-uh. I refuse. Since you''re traveling with me, you need to have a proper birthday party, with cake and decorations and music and¡ª¡±

    Her eyes widened as she came to a realization. Her mouth hung open as she stared at Sam.

    ¡°Gifts,¡± Redi whispered.

    Immediately, her gaze snapped to the Center¡¯s door before snapping back to Sam. She looked like she wanted to run, but she froze in place while gears obviously turned in her head.

    ¡°You won¡¯t mind if I throw you a party, right?¡± she asked.

    While he had his own plans, he trusted his friend. Sam let out a short laugh.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Redi immediately began to grin. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back! I gotta get everything set up! Meet back here in... two hours! No, a single hour! Wait, give me an hour and a half!¡±

    Before Sam could say anything else, Redi dashed to the front counter, slipping in to ask the nurse a question without waiting in line. She got a glare from the person who was supposed to be up next, but her exchange lasted a total of only three seconds.

    The nurse nodded, and Sam heard Redi thank the woman behind the counter. Within the next second, Redi was out of the building. A few trainers off to the sides laughed to themselves after witnessing all of... that.

    ¡°Okay?¡± Sam said.

    Personally, he wouldn''t have minded an easy day, which was what he had been working towards setting up. However, he wasn¡¯t going to object to Redi throwing a party for him. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he kind of liked the idea of having today only be about himself.

    But the last time I had a proper birthday party...

    Sam moved to sit on a waiting room couch.

    The last time I had a proper celebration with cake, balloons, other people, and actual festivities, I was a lot younger.

    It was back when his grandfather was still alive.

    Sam rubbed his eyes and let himself shift deeper into the couch''s cushioned seat. He chose not to think about anything, leaning back to relax while he waited for his Pok¨¦mon to be healed.

    When his name was called up and after he had grabbed his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls, he didn¡¯t leave the Pok¨¦mon Center as planned. Instead of heading out for the day, he stepped out back. The moment he stepped to the side of the door to the courtyard, light flashed from his waist, and his entire team appeared around him without personal action needed.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Primeape huffed and pointed at Sam accusingly, holding up a gloved hand to mimic pointing a finger. Misdreavus hummed in agreement, and Haunter crossed his ¡°arms¡± as if to make a point.

    Sam avoided their glares, turning towards Quilava instead, but she was looking at the floor. He could tell she was a little guilty; she had gone along with his plan to hide his birthday.

    ¡°So you all heard that too?¡±

    Sam received confirmations from each of the Pok¨¦mon before him.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not like I was planning to leave you guys out of it, I just didn¡¯t want to make it a big deal,¡± he said. ¡°And we did already celebrate together, remember? I set things up so we were out on a nighttime walk the moment today started.¡±

    Haunter made a noise as if he just now realized why Sam decided to leave at midnight instead of anytime later. Misdreavus sent Haunter a look as if she couldn''t believe that realization took him so long.

    ¡°Redi¡¯s already setting things up, so we¡¯ll be doing something for my birthday no matter what,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯ll have a party. We¡¯ll celebrate. And I trust her to keep it small. She understands people like that, y¡¯know?¡±

    Quilava looked a bit less guilty after his words.

    ¡°But... I don¡¯t know. What about you all? Sure, it''s my birthday, but you know we¡¯ve never celebrated any of yours, either.¡±

    The three Pok¨¦mon blinked in unison. Primeape grunted to himself in realization, and the two Ghost Types in the air suddenly looked rather sheepish.

    ¡°...Wait, do you not know your birthdays?¡± Sam asked.

    All three of them replied with the negative. Birthdays weren¡¯t something wild Pok¨¦mon tended to do, and after being caught, it was simply never brought up.

    There was also the problem that none of them actually knew the exact day they were born. While the concept of four seasons to a year was pretty universal, months and actual dates were more of a human thing. Pok¨¦mon, at most, recognized when a certain season had passed and understood that they had become older.

    ¡°Alright. We¡¯re fixing that,¡± Sam announced. ¡°To celebrate my birthday, we¡¯re determining yours as well.¡±

    Primeape was still cagey about his background, and so was Misdreavus. Unfortunately, there would be little clues for any of their specific dates of birth. Primeape grew up in the wild, and then both Misdreavus and Haunter likely coalesced into being rather than being hatched from an egg. A birthday for any of them was less about figuring out when they first came to and was more about choosing a specific date.

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    ¡°Quilava, can you¡ª¡±

    She was already on it, rushing forward over to help the three Pok¨¦mon figure out when they would want to celebrate. She squeaked her name and started to talk quite animatedly. Recognizing this would take a while, Sam moved over to lean against the wall and relax.

    I can¡¯t believe that worked.

    They weren¡¯t discussing his birthday anymore. They were instead discussing theirs. He was happy they had a chance to figure this out, but he was also more than happy to take the focus off of himself. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked the attention¡ªhe had plans to become wildly famous, after all¡ªit was just that it felt childish. As a real Pok¨¦mon trainer, he needed to approach the idea of a birthday with the appropriate amount of maturity.

    Although...

    He was still plenty excited to see what Redi would come up with. Unfortunately, there was still a while left before she said she¡¯d be back. In the meantime, he could still go through with his previous plans and browse for new books, but there was something else that was starting to appeal to him even more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy gifts,¡± Sam said, interrupting his team¡¯s conversation. ¡°Not just for me, but for all of you, yeah? It might be my birthday, but it¡¯s my first birthday as a Pok¨¦mon trainer. I think it would be fun to get everyone something, especially since we¡¯ll be making up for lost time.¡±

    All of them agreed in an instant, and they rushed to gather around him. His Ghosts dived into his shadow, Quilava let herself be picked up and deposited around his neck, and Primeape purposefully positioned himself to be ready to walk by Sam¡¯s side.

    Sam laughed. He really liked his Pok¨¦mon. Smiling, he started to head out.

    <hr><hr>

    Redi didn¡¯t want to say anything, but she was honestly a little frustrated. Who did Sam think he was? To not tell her, his friend, about his birthday like that? Everyone should celebrate their birthday! Redi personally looked forward to her birthday every day of the year.

    ...Except Sam did say he wasn¡¯t a fan of big parties. She could recognize that people had different preferences, so she made sure to keep her plans small.

    It still took a lot of stuff to get a party started. Streamers and decorations would have been a little much, but she could at least buy a handful of balloons to keep around their table. She planned to use part of the small eating area inside of the Pok¨¦mon Center for the setting of the party¡ªshe had even asked Nurse Joy for permission¡ªand getting a cake took hardly any effort. One stop at a bakery, and there was an ice cream cake out on its way for delivery.

    But, really? Birthdays are only for kids?

    Redi scoffed for what felt like the hundredth time as she ran through Violet City¡¯s streets. She wanted to make this birthday perfect, but hadn¡¯t yet managed to do the most important part:

    Finding the right gift.

    Sam would probably get annoyed at her if she got him more than one thing, and Redi was fine with choosing a single item instead of a bunch of little ones. She felt the best gifts were gifts that came from the heart, and buying too many items would mean lugging all of them down routes while traveling. The gifts would become more like a curse than anything else.

    No, her gift for Sam needed to be small, special, and something he would really like. Basically, Redi had to follow the advice her mother had given her:

    ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts, and it''s the count that... thoughts?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± she grumbled to herself.

    She ran between all the people walking through Violet City and did her best to search for the right kind of store. She finally found one right at the edge of the central district: a bookshop. It was built into the base of a taller complex that stretched a few stories above it.

    Stepping inside, Redi could immediately understand why Sam liked his mother¡¯s bookstore so much, especially if it was anything like the place she had just entered. Rows and rows of shelves displayed books of all ages and sizes, and there was a cozy feeling to the air that made it seem as though she could get away with sitting down for a while just to read.

    She wasn¡¯t going to do that. She still didn¡¯t really enjoy reading, and she didn¡¯t have even a minute to waste.

    Redi hurriedly went to search through the shelves, looking at the titles and covers of all the thick tomes to see what Sam might like. She saw textbooks and adventure books and encyclopedias and even old copies of the Pok¨¦dex, but she couldn¡¯t find anything to buy. The big problem was that she wasn¡¯t sure what Sam had already read, and she wasn¡¯t sure what he would read.

    Her first instinct was to buy him another Pok¨¦dex, but what would be the point of that? He had the New Pok¨¦dex, which would probably be better until whatever future it had come from eventually passed. She was then tempted to buy an encyclopedia on ghosts¡ªreal ones¡ªbut as she picked it up, she realized it was just a work of fiction that had no truth to it. Books were definitely not her strong suit, and after spending an entire ten minutes inside, she ended up marching right out.

    There was a park nearby with a wide pond in its center. Children ran across its shores, playing with tame, wild Poliwag. A bridge across the water connected a path to an old-fashioned, wooden tower. Robed monks led crowds of tourists around its base through its wooden doors.

    My family could build a tower better than that one.

    Redi collapsed onto a bench, covering her eyes with an arm. Not too far away, she could hear the sounds of the children as well as the groups of excited tourists.

    Really, she only stopped here because she was annoyed at herself for jumping into this without much prior thought. Sure, she got Sam¡¯s permission to throw a party, but she wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d consider to be the perfect gift.

    A TM, maybe? But what TM?

    Sulking in the park was just wasting her time, but it helped her feel a little better. It gave her a bit of time to think, too. She had gone fast enough that she could pretend to afford a few minutes here, but what she really needed was a. Single. Good. Idea!

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Redi snapped her eyes open, head turning towards a man suddenly standing before her. Normally, being approached by a middle-aged man while alone in the park would raise a red flag in her mind, but he wasn¡¯t just anyone. He was one of those monks from the tower.

    His head was shaved, and a blue kimono hung loose on his arms. Around his neck was a series of large beads, and he had a perfectly amiable smile on his face that also spoke of concern. Monks, also known as sages, were supposed to be above most material matters. They dedicated their lives to service, and with that service came wisdom.

    If there was anyone who could give her advice, it would be someone like him.

    ¡°What could bring you to mope so sullenly on a day as fine as this?¡± the monk asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not moping. I¡¯m thinking.¡±

    Redi crossed her arms in a huff, much to the man¡¯s amusement.

    ¡°Oh? And what is it that you¡¯re thinking about?¡±

    She hesitated for only a second.

    ¡°A... gift. For a friend,¡± she said. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    The monk nodded in understanding. He took a brief step forward before a pause.

    ¡°Do you mind if I sit down?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. It¡¯s a public bench.¡±

    He sat a foot away.

    ¡°My apologies if I¡¯m disturbing you, but I didn¡¯t expect to see someone looking so upset while out on one of my walks. I help maintain Sprout Tower. You can see it just over there.¡±

    Redi glanced back over to the weird building on the other side of the lake.

    That¡¯s Sprout Tower?

    The man chuckled, seeing the disbelief in her eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sprout Tower,¡± he said, somehow answering her unspoken question. ¡°I imagine it must not look that impressive to you, given what it is. Construction techniques have vastly improved over the years. Sprout Tower is but a shadow to the skyscrapers of the modern age.¡±

    Redi¡¯s mind flashed to what she¡¯d seen in Goldenrod as well as all of the apartment complexes her family had helped build in the past.

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± she mumbled.

    Amused, he shook his head.

    ¡°Think of it like this,¡± he started, pointing up with a finger. ¡°Sprout Tower was built over a hundred years ago. It¡¯s impressive to have stayed standing for that long, is it not?¡±

    She hummed, considering his words. There was some inkling of truth to the idea.

    Sprout Tower was old. Worn. Ancient. But somehow, it was still standing even today, even though it was probably built without modern methods.

    ¡°So you were considering a gift? For a friend?¡± the man asked, bringing Redi back to the problem she had been stuck on since she first sat down.

    ¡°Yeah. I am,¡± she said unhappily.

    ¡°Wel, I can¡¯t help you much, but... Does this gift need to be an object? Or perhaps you could offer him something more... eventful?¡±

    Redi eyed the robed man sitting next to her. He was staring at her with a knowing smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re offering to give us a tour,¡± she stated.

    The slow and controlled way he nodded his head made it almost seem like he just bowed. He had a certain gleam to his eyes, apparently satisfied that Redi had caught on.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always found that exploring historic locations can be enlightening. Perhaps your friend would enjoy learning more about our storied past?¡±

    For the briefest of moments, Redi could have sworn he smirked, but the man was only maintaining his friendly smile.

    I probably missed some kind of inside joke.

    ¡°So how late do the tours go? And how much do they cost?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°They are free, but we appreciate donations. As for the time...¡± He rubbed his chin. ¡°Normally we run tours every hour until sunset, but if this is a gift, I can offer you something more private. Would you be interested in a tour that¡¯s later in the night?¡±

    Redi¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Hold on, hold on!¡± she said. ¡°If it¡¯s a night tour... Doesn¡¯t Sprout Tower have ghosts in it?¡±

    He paused for a moment.

    ¡°...Yes?¡± he said, almost sounding unsure.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Sam would love a tour like that!¡±

    Redi hopped off the bench, beginning to pace, thinking about how perfect this was in her head. Sam would not only have a chance to explore an environment full of Ghost Types, but Sprout Tower was old. Maybe someone there knew something to help him out with Quilava?

    ¡°How do we set this up?¡± Redi asked, excitedly turning back to the man.

    He stood up as well, hands straightening out his robe. He turned towards Sprout Tower, staring at it and the crowds surrounding it while spending a moment in deep thought.

    ¡°Three hours after sunset,¡± he said. ¡°That is when I¡¯ll be able to guide you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s awfully late. Isn¡¯t it supposed to be closed?¡±

    ¡°It has to be that late, otherwise we risk disturbing the other sages,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t something I can offer often, but if it¡¯s to cheer up someone who looked as crestfallen as you... Well, I¡¯m just happy to see you¡¯ve regained your smile.¡±

    Redi stood up a bit taller.

    Genuinely thankful, she brought herself into the deepest bow she could manage without falling over. She profusely thanked the man for dropping the perfect solution in her lap. It might not have been anything physical, but with how often Sam wrote in his notebook, she knew he would remember a private tour like this for a very long time.

    She was just about to run off to gather everything else she needed for the party when a thought suddenly hit her.

    ¡°Wait, so how would this actually work?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Show up on time, and I¡¯ll be there. If you can¡¯t find me, you simply need to ask. But, if there¡¯s no one else around, just call my name.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s your name?¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°You can call me Pete,¡± he said, smiling a rather unmonk-like smile.

 Chapter 67

    There was a simple fun that came with shopping. Having money to spend, a willingness to splurge, and friends to choose gifts for made the act of going out and buying items way more interesting than doing so for errands.

    Sam didn''t search for a specific store; he went out and stopped by anywhere that caught his eye. As he shopped, his team followed him. There were technically rules in place that prevented trainers from releasing their entire team on a city street, but as long as Quilava stayed on his neck, she was too cute for people to complain, and Haunter and Misdreavus couldn¡¯t be discovered as long as they stayed in his shadow.

    Primeape eagerly followed along at Sam¡¯s side, which earned them a few concerned looks given a Primeape¡¯s penchant to explode with anger. However, anger was something they''d be working on. Instead of allowing it to consume him, it was something that was always simmering, able to be carefully called up at any time.

    Sam made sure the first gift he bought went to Primeape, mostly because he was the easiest. For Primeape¡¯s gift, Sam made a reservation at an all-you-can-eat restaurant that specifically catered to trainers and their Pok¨¦mon. Of course, it was much more expensive than a normal restaurant, and to save money, the place served lower quality meals. The important part, however, was that it¡¯d let Primeape eat as much as he wanted.

    After Sam informed his Pok¨¦mon of the reservation, Primeape cried and hugged his legs.

    Out of everyone, that gift was the most transient, as it was effectively a one time event. But Sam knew Primeape would prefer the chance to pig out over any material gift.

    Haunter received a small, handheld mirror that¡¯d let him practice his disappearing act while also making adjusting his appearance on a Route an ease. Quilava got a tiny little sun hat. It was supposed to be fireproof, but it lasted only thirty minutes before a sneeze turned it to ash.

    Sam apologized and quickly bought her new gifts: scarves she could wear instead. She already had one to hold her piece of Charcoal, but she only put it on when needed. Instead, these scarves were more about fashion, and while she did shy away from the coos she got from passersby, Quilava clearly enjoyed the compliments. The scarves fit her quite well.

    Finally, there was the last member of the party, Misdreavus. Sam knew the least about her. If anything, she seemed nervous. He could tell she was excited to find out what he¡¯d buy.

    In the end, her gift ended up being more practical, consisting of a small satchel that could hang around her neck. Until she evolved, Misdreavus wouldn¡¯t have hands. The satchel gave her a way to carry items without needing to use telekinesis or her mouth.

    Gifting it to her, Sam brought it over her head with a smile. The satchel was child-sized, so it perfectly fit around her neck.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± he asked.

    Tears welled up in her eyes, and she flung herself at his chest.

    It might have been his birthday, but Sam didn''t buy anything for himself. Instead, he created a list. He wrote down every book series that seemed popular. His plan was to see what the trends were in other towns before buying anything specific. If something stood out, he¡¯d get it. Otherwise, he¡¯d just record what was popular.

    Is it wrong that I''m looking forward to the research more than the books?

    There was something about being a trainer that was changing his mindset. All throughout his childhood, he had been so excited to learn about other trainer¡¯s strategies, but now that he was a trainer himself, he preferred to research and develop his own.

    He was smiling when he came back to the Pok¨¦mon Center, arriving exactly an hour-and-a-half on the dot. He strode in with a skip to his step, searching the room for Redi.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the back,¡± the front counter¡¯s nurse said with a light laugh.

    Sam bowed his head in thanks before rushing into the Center¡¯s small cafeteria. There, he found Redi facing away and standing at a table while fiddling with something. Porygon floated by her side, and Ursaring was struggling to blow up balloons a foot away.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Sam said, walking closer to greet her.

    She turned around, wide-eyed, before hurrying to throw out her arms.

    ¡°Surprise!¡±

    Behind her, Ursaring tried to cheer as well, but he accidentally sucked in the balloon. He pounded his chest and coughed up a piece of soggy plastic that splattered onto the ground.

    Sam stared at the wet balloon. Redi also stared at the piece of plastic on the ground. After several seconds of silence, both of them burst into laughter.

    ¡°You bought me a cake?¡± Sam said, breathing to calm down looking at the table.

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s your birthday! And because it''s your birthday... I got you a gift, too!¡±

    Sam waited to see if she¡¯d hand anything over. Instead, she just puffed up her chest.

    ¡°I scheduled a tour of Sprout Tower!¡± she said, pointing at herself proudly. ¡°It¡¯s completely private, and it¡¯s way late at night!¡±

    Sam had wanted to visit Sprout Tower, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to with how crowded it was with tourists. After learning about the parades last night, he wanted to see how the tower¡¯s monks took care of the Gastly, but he doubted the Ghost Types would appear in the day and around such dense crowds.

    But now he would have the chance. Redi saw his surprise and smiled.

    ¡°I thought that since the place is so old, you might be able to find a hint about Quilava, too,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of that,¡± Sam said softly.

    ¡°But I did!¡±

    Redi looked exceedingly smug.

    However, that smugness quickly faded. While she had bought a cake, she had forgotten to buy utensils.

    Or even plates.

    She had to awkwardly ask a nearby Chansey if the Pok¨¦mon Center had any spares, and thankfully, they did.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam said over a bite of ice-cream rich dessert, ¡°how¡¯d you manage to swing a late night tour? I thought Sprout Tower was only open to the public during the day.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy,¡± Redi said with her mouth full, waving her fork in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s not a public tour. While sitting in the park, one of the monks there approached me and offered the tour to cheer me up. He was nice! I thought it would be a perfect gift, so of course, I accepted.¡±

    ¡°A random guy approached you in a park, offered you a private tour, and you accepted?¡± Sam asked.

    She huffed.

    ¡°If you put it like that, then of course it sounds weird! Come on, Sam. I thought you¡¯d like it.¡±

    ¡°I do. I just think how you got it in the first place is funny.¡±

    Redi forced her food down and stuck her tongue out. Sam snickered at her reaction.

    Around them, their Pok¨¦mon ate. Primeape smashed his face down to inhale his food, and Quilava went at it with much smaller, almost dainty bites. Everyone else ate more normally, except for Porygon, who didn¡¯t have a mouth, and Haunter, who picked apart his cake layer by layer before swiping everything up with his tongue.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how they take care of all of their Bellsprout and Gastly. They come out at night, so I¡¯m hoping we can catch Sprout Tower sending them off or seeing them back,¡± Sam said. ¡°Thank you, Redi. I really meant it.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah. It¡¯s no problem.¡±

    Sam laughed again when her face turned bright red.

    They spent a while just chatting. Minutes turned to hours, and both them and their Pok¨¦mon devoured the entire cake. Primeape¡¯s messy eating habits meant he got frosting all over his face, and the Pok¨¦mon had to briefly step away to wash up.

    Quilava somehow ended up sleeping in Sam¡¯s lap, and Misdreavus lingered near his head. Haunter phased through the wall but kept nearby, hiding himself as he watched other trainers practice outside.

    Overall, while Sam never went out to do anything he had planned at the start of the day, he genuinely had a good time. He might not have spent much time by himself, but being around friends was better.

    <hr>

    When the time came to take part in the private tour, Sam couldn¡¯t explain why he felt so nervous upon entering the park. This late at night, it made sense for the place to be utterly empty, but there was something about its unnatural stillness that felt... off.

    He¡¯d explored towns at night. He knew the effects of Ghost Types on their immediate areas. He¡¯d even experienced a real ghost first hand as well as the silence that came with it. Yet, as he walked down the path towards Sprout Tower, he just couldn¡¯t put his finger on what he was feeling.

    There were no Pok¨¦mon. There were no humans. There was no sound. All of that made sense, but shouldn¡¯t there have been at least something?

    ¡°Are you sure we have a tour scheduled?¡± Sam whispered. Even though he kept his voice low, the lack of ambient noise made him feel as though he had just yelled.

    ¡°Yeah! I mean, probably. The guy¡¯s a monk or whatever they call the people who work at Sprout Tower. Sage, maybe?¡± Redi shook her head. ¡°Whatever he is, he approached me to help, and the park was packed. If he wasn¡¯t trustworthy, someone would have definitely called him out.¡±

    Redi had a point. Not just that, but monks were just about universally respected. There wasn¡¯t any ground to distrust the guy, but the current state of the park just felt so wrong to Sam.

    If there was a chill to the air, he could have chalked up the feeling to a nearby Ghost Type. But it was warm outside. Johto¡¯s League season started at the beginning of the year, and since it was halfway through the season, the temperature wasn¡¯t out of place for the current, early summer month.

    It¡¯s like everything is waiting. Or all the Pok¨¦mon are... hiding?

    It was like something had scared the Pok¨¦mon off, but Redi seemed unconcerned. They were in the middle of a city, after all. If there was a problem, she would have faith that her Pok¨¦mon and Sam could handle it.

    Sam chose to have that same faith in Redi and his team as well.

    Redi continued toward Sprout Tower as Sam followed along. A wooden bridge brought them over water lightly pushed by a small breeze, and Sam looked down to whisper to his Pok¨¦mon just in case.

    ¡°Be on guard just in case, alright?¡±

    Both Haunter and Misdreavus were in his shadow. They brushed against his feet to silently acknowledge his words.

    Sam and Redi reached the entrance a moment later. Seeing no one, Redi cupped a hand to her mouth and breathed in.

    ¡°Pete!¡± she shouted.

    The name echoed throughout the park.

    Only a few seconds later, they got a response. From around the side of the tower, a man came walking out.

    He... looked normal. Almost perfectly average. He was essentially the most generic monk Sam had ever seen. The man had a bald head, blue robes, and a nondescript face. He wiped his hands together to knock away a few traces of dirt.

    ¡°Ah, apologies for that. I was getting everything set up so we¡¯d remain undisturbed. It unfortunately required taking care of some light taskwork. Gardening and the like. Did you know mushrooms respond best when tended to at night?¡±

    ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t,¡± Sam said.

    Redi grinned and held her arm out towards the man.

    ¡°Sam, this is Pete, the monk who helped me out! Pete, this is Sam, my friend I was talking about!¡±

    Pete gained a small smile on his face and slightly tilted his head in greetings. Sam respectfully bowed back. Thankfully, unlike the rest of the park, the monk actually seemed normal.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally be in your company, oh grand winner of the Violet City Tournament.¡±

    Redi snickered as Sam felt the heat rush to his face. He stuttered briefly as Pete looked on, amused.

    ¡°Come, come. Follow me, and we can start this properly. I¡¯ll ask you to remain as quiet as possible as we move up to the third floor. I¡¯ve always found tours work the best when we start at the top and work our way down. It removes the need to rush. A tour like this is best done slowly, yes?¡±

    Pete moved to the front doors of Sprout Tower, grabbing its large, bronze handles and pulling them open. Somewhat dramatically, he held out an arm to beckon them in.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Redi said.

    ¡°Thank you for doing this,¡± Sam said, following her inside.

    Pete closed the door behind them and nodded his head. He held up a finger to his mouth as the lock clicked. Now that they were in the tower, they needed to stay quiet.

    This lowest floor reminded Sam of the Burned Tower, except the building wasn¡¯t collapsed and scorched black. The walls and floors were constructed in a similar way, and there were old, hanging pieces of artwork and seals still intact on the walls. Silvery moonlight peeked through wooden slats of windows, providing just enough illumination to see. In the center, there was a pillar. It stretched into the floor and up through the next floor as if it should have been critical to the building¡¯s structure, but it swayed. It slowly moved back and forth as if it were unconnected and free.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Sam and Redi both stared as Pete waited behind them. The way the massive wooden beam constantly moved was almost mesmerizing.

    ¡°Is that¡ª¡±

    Sam cut himself off as Pete brought up a finger to remind him to stay quiet. Sam sent the monk an apologetic look, and the man started to walk to a point nearby.

    Through the dim room, Pete led them past human-sized statues of Bellsprout and over to an old, wooden ladder near that central pillar. Climbing it brought them to the second floor, a different ladder brought them back down to a closed-off section back on the first floor, and then two more sets of ladders served as the path to the uppermost floor.

    It was needlessly confusing. Everyone remained silent the whole time.

    Sam would have expected this place to contain other monks and wild Pok¨¦mon. The monks¡¯ love for Bellsprout was one of the reasons the tower was so famous, but Sam also knew Gastly could be found here. Except, no other living thing showed up¡ªor even any ghosts. From a few silent gestures from Pete, the man explained that all the other monks here were asleep, and the wild Pok¨¦mon were apparently already out on their parade through the town.

    I mean, I guess it makes sense for this tour to take place right now, but it¡¯s kind of disappointing to know the tower is empty except for us. Maybe the reason we¡¯re here right now is specifically to make sure no one else is disturbed?

    Sprout Tower closes itself off at sunset, after all.

    Eventually, once they reached the third floor, their group emerged into a room that could only be called a shrine. The floor didn¡¯t quite cover every square inch of the space, but low, wooden walls blocked off the sections that only consisted of the exposed rafters of that second floor.

    That central, swaying beam stretched through the room as well. Sam couldn¡¯t see how or if it was even attached. The ceiling above them was completely obscured by darkness, the only light coming from a few slatted windows behind them and against the far wall.

    ¡°Can we talk now?¡± Sam whispered.

    Pete chuckled at his question.

    ¡°Go ahead. No one will hear us here.¡±

    ¡°So the Bellsprout statues,¡± Sam said, looking over the ones set up at the edge of the walkable floor. ¡°Are they important?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that if you pray before them, you¡¯ll be blessed with a year¡¯s worth of luck. It would be a fun way to start the tour, no?¡±

    Pete brought up a hand to wave them forward, much in the same way a parent might encourage a timid child to have fun at a park. When Sam glanced over to Redi, she seemed to be honestly considering the idea.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a superstition. Come on, you don¡¯t really believe that, do you?¡± Sam groaned as he took in his friend.

    She shrugged.

    ¡°I mean, if ghosts are real...¡±

    ¡°I...¡±

    Huh.

    Sam had to admit Redi had a point. It didn¡¯t make sense to outright dismiss a superstition.

    Pete stayed behind as Sam moved up to one of the back wall¡¯s statues, a massive wooden composition of a Bellsprout curved into a wiggling pose. The lopsided head of the Pok¨¦mon juxtaposed with its thin, root-like body made it seem as though the statue should have collapsed long ago. Though the wood was worn, the statue was still standing. If Sam had to guess, he¡¯d say it was as old as Sprout Tower itself.

    Doing as suggested, Sam and Redi both clapped their hands together. Despite his love for the Ghost Type, Sam wasn¡¯t one to visit shrines frequently, so he wasn¡¯t super familiar with what to do.

    Following Redi¡¯s example, he bowed his head and considered it. He needed to ask for a specific fortune, maybe?

    Please let us make it to the Conference, and please give us the strength we need to win!

    He waited for a few seconds, but nothing happened. Sam just awkwardly stood there with his hands pressed together.

    Next to him, Redi stood in deep thought. She kept her eyes closed with her lips moving ever so slightly as she whispered some sort of prayer. Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from smiling at that. She always threw herself into everything, even something as simple as this.

    Not really having a reason to linger, Sam turned around to start moving back to Pete, but he froze. Pete wasn¡¯t at the ladder. No, the man was right behind them, an arm outstretched and reaching towards where Redi had her team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls clipped to her belt.

    The single instant of eye contact felt like it lasted forever. Sam¡¯s mind ground to a halt as he tried to rationalize what was going on. He hadn¡¯t heard the monk approach¡ªany footsteps had been utterly silent. Pete seemed to be surprised that Sam had turned around so soon, but after that brief moment, he moved.

    Pete threw his whole body behind his motion, trying to snap his hand forward to grab a certain Pok¨¦ball before Sam could do anything. Sam¡¯s shadow was already moving, and a purple claw burst out of it to swipe across Pete¡¯s extended arm.

    ¡°Agh! You freaking¡ª¡±

    The shout shocked Redi out of her focus, and Pete pushed off the ground to take many quick jumps away from them. He moved with surprising agility, situating himself at the ladder to the room. He was framed by the low wall of the edge of the floor and that large, central beam of the tower. There were too many alarm bells ringing in Sam¡¯s head for him to excuse that behavior.

    Sam never once let his focus break away from Pete. Haunter entered the air to glare at the man.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Redi asked, looking between everyone.

    Pete nursed his arm through the torn sleeve of his robe.

    ¡°Pete was... trying to take Porygon?¡± Sam said, disbelieving his own words.

    Yet, as he said it, the statement felt like acid in his mouth.

    Redi at first seemed to not believe him. She rapidly glanced between Sam and Pete, taking in the way the supposed monk''s entire body language had changed. Her eyes narrowed as Pete held up his arms. He chuckled, somehow still maintaining his friendly demeanor.

    ¡°Man. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be willing to forget all of that? Start over and give us another chance?¡± Pete asked.

    For some reason, his voice didn¡¯t sound as deep as before. If Sam had to describe it, it was a touch more nasally.

    ¡°Not a chance,¡± both Sam and Redi said.

    Pete let out a breath, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand. As he did, the skin on his face stretched and squashed unnaturally. Something broke away at the top of his neck, curling and sticking out like a small strip of paper.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Pete said. ¡°Then I guess this is where I come clean. Yeah, turns out I lied to you. There¡¯s no tour. I¡¯m not a monk. My name¡¯s not even Pete.¡±

    As if to prove his own words, he grabbed at the tag on his neck, yanking and pulling it away. The skin on his face went taught and stretched into a horrific visage that didn¡¯t match anything alive. Eyes briefly hidden in shadow, Pete groaned as he tore off his entire face. A bit of make-up fell off his rubbery mask. A wig was pulled off his head.

    With him distracted by the reveal, Sam quickly used the moment to wave a hand behind his back. Part of his shadow split off and left. Pete didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    The mask was tossed to the floor, and the completely unfamiliar man put on a pair of white gloves. He touched his eyes to take out a pair of brown contacts and shook his hands to flick them away.

    ¡°Hello! Nice to finally meet you face to face. Let¡¯s do this properly,¡± he said, wiping his hands together. ¡°Call me Petrel. You have something of mine. I wanted to take it back.¡±

    The look in his eyes was sharper, and his head was less rounded now that the mask was off. He was young¡ªgaunt¡ªand he fell into a slouch that was likely his natural stance.

    Petrel ran a hand through purple hair sticking up on his head. He smiled a weaselly smile. It was obvious that he was still trying to act friendly, but any friendliness that remained in Redi¡¯s eyes had utterly faded away.

    As the truth of this situation settled in¡ªthis man had lured them here specifically to ensure they¡¯d be alone¡ªan honest-to-goodness growl left Redi¡¯s throat.

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to take Porygon,¡± she stated.

    Petrel laughed, and Sam frowned as he considered the man¡¯s words.

    He spoke in past tense, not present.

    ¡°Kind of,¡± Petrel replied. ¡°Definitely not going to deny trying to pickpocket you. No, since you figured me out, how about this: would you kids be interested in a job?¡±

    Redi glared at him. Her hand twitched at her side. Sam could tell that she was itching to send out Ursaring, but she didn¡¯t.

    Instead of jumping into a fight, she was waiting for a signal, first. He could tell that she was trying to give him time to come up with a plan.

    Well, I¡¯ve already done one thing, at least.

    ¡°We¡¯re listening,¡± Sam said slowly. Right now, he just wanted to delay.

    ¡°Great!¡± Petrel clapped his hands. ¡°See, I¡¯m not really supposed to be here. Yeah, I was told to get Porygon back, but you two are mostly a side-goal while I¡¯m taking care of some other stuff.¡±

    He wiggled his fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯m part of a larger organization, one trying to expand. We care a lot about Pok¨¦mon, but we care more about people with the right kind of skills. See, you two are the exact kind of person we¡¯re looking for!¡±

    ¡°...You¡¯re really giving us a recruitment pitch?¡± Sam asked flatly.

    Petrel snapped his fingers to lazily fire off finger guns at Sam.

    ¡°You got it! Look, I know we might have started off on the wrong foot, but you gotta admit you have a lot of potential.¡±

    Redi let out another growl.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± he continued. ¡°You have a few Gym Badges. You¡¯ve won a decent-sized tournament. Your Pok¨¦mon are mid-level but skilled, and the best part about you is that you were able to snatch up that Porygon in the first place!¡±

    He never once let up his smile.

    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re trying to expand, and people with skills capable of something like that would be perfect for our organization. Want payment? You got it. Want some training? We have teachers. And if you want to add some rare Pok¨¦mon to your team? Prove me right, and we¡¯ll be sure to accommodate you. It¡¯s a pretty good deal, yeah?¡±

    Even in the slim amount of moonlight getting through the windows¡¯ slats, Sam could see Redi¡¯s knuckles whiten on her fists. She was dying to do something, likely wanting to attack Petrel outright, but she was being patient.

    She utterly trusted Sam.

    Pretending to carefully weigh Petrel¡¯s words, Sam ignored a patch of shadows that was darker from the rest, currently creeping towards Petrel on the wall. As it moved towards the man, Sam said nothing. He pursed his lips as if in thought.

    ¡°How much?¡± he asked.

    ¡°How much what?¡±

    ¡°How much money, how many Pok¨¦mon, and what connections can you provide? Tell us that, and then tell us if we need to drop out of the Pok¨¦mon League, too.¡±

    Petrel pinched at a small goatee on his chin. He seemed to be honestly considering Sam¡¯s questions.

    ¡°Rewards vary on the role you take on. For all three of your first requests, I mean. And for dropping out of the Pok¨¦mon League, you don¡¯t have to, but it¡¯d be preferred. It¡¯s not too big of a deal to stay in since you don¡¯t really have a name for yourself, but if you drop out right now, no one would blink if you stepped back at the same level most other trainers do.¡±

    Sam nodded along, gears furiously spinning in his head.

    ¡°And what would you have us do?¡±

    ¡°Just a bit of group work,¡± Petrel said. ¡°You know, scouting. Battling. Maybe steal a Pok¨¦mon or two?¡±

    Sam bristled at the statement. Redi seemed to inflate with rage.

    ¡°You¡¯re a poacher,¡± she said, her voice becoming far too calm for their current situation.

    To that, Petrel grinned. The shadows of the night emphasized the whiteness of his teeth. His eyes glowed within the darkness.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Only amateurs poach. I¡¯m better than that. See, I¡¯m a Pok¨¦mon thief!¡±

    His words oozed with pride.

    Petrel brought up a thumb to his chin, smiling at them like a madman. Redi was shaking, but Sam recognized that they didn¡¯t need to wait anymore.

    Sam¡¯s eyes flicked to a certain point above Petrel¡¯s head. Petrel¡¯s eyes flicked to a spot on the walls behind them.

    A few things happened very quickly. Several Pok¨¦mon attacked at once.

    Misdreavus revealed herself to be above and to the side of Petrel, unleashing a Psywave right at the man. Redi, meanwhile, took that as the signal to act and tossed forward her Pok¨¦ball. Ursaring appeared and let out a furious roar.

    However, from behind them, a darkened shape leapt out from the shadows. Revealed by the pink light of Misdreavus¡¯s attack, a Raticate, having sneaked around, jumped right at Redi with its claws held out and jaw open wide.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam shouted, desperately calling for help.

    ¡°Bite!¡± Petrel called out as he jumped back to avoid Misdreavus¡¯s attack.

    Haunter shot through the air, interposing himself between Redi and the lunging Pok¨¦mon. Despite being a usually phantasmal Ghost Type, the Raticate latched onto him with its massive teeth and tore a chunk right out of his purple flesh.

    He wailed in pain. While the injury wasn¡¯t debilitating thanks to his amorphous and smoke-like body, using Bite to tear part of him away was far crueler than anything allowed in a Pok¨¦mon battle.

    The Raticate¡¯s eyes were beady and feral. It tried to chew on the purple flesh in its mouth, but putting pressure on that piece of Haunter caused it to dissolve away into deep purple smoke.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡± Redi yelled.

    She wasn¡¯t turning around. Sam understood that she trusted him to deal with the Raticate while she handled Petrel.

    Except, can we really do that?

    Despite the charging bear, Petrel looked utterly unconcerned.

    ¡°This is going about as expected,¡± he quipped.

    He made no effort to dodge Ursaring¡¯s impending attack, merely watching the Pok¨¦mon rush closer and closer to him. Right before Ursaring became in range, a sudden, high-pitch whine sent the bear to the ground. Ursaring clutched his ears and groaned.

    Behind them, the Raticate snarled at the wheezing Haunter, but it didn¡¯t make any moves to attack. In front of Petrel, the largest Golbat Sam had ever seen dropped from the ceiling with its mouth held open, still in the process of screeching a Supersonic.

    A brief lull fell across the room. Sam and Redi were outmatched, and both sides of the battle seemed to recognize that.

    Smug, Petrel kicked up his legs as he walked, ambling back over to position himself next to the sole ladder in and out of the room.

    ¡°Poison Fang,¡± he ordered. ¡°And, uh, Raticate? Keep an eye on them. Make sure they don¡¯t get away.¡±

    Haunter was in no condition to fight, but the Raticate wasn¡¯t moving, waiting in place as an implied threat. Instead, the only battle going on was around the swaying pillar in the center of the room.

    From the ground, Golbat lunged. Misdreavus, still involved, tried to use Confusion to stop it. Even though her move should have been super effective against the Poison Type, the Golbat merely swung its wings to break free of the telekinesis and send out a gust that knocked Misdreavus back.

    ¡°You know¡ª¡± Petrel paused when Ursaring howled in pain as the Golbat latched onto his shoulder. ¡°It isn¡¯t often I get to battle like this. It¡¯s honestly rather refreshing.¡±

    Sam wanted to send out Quilava, but relying on a Fire Type in a wooden building would be a fool¡¯s mistake. Primeape was his next best option, yet when he grabbed his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball on his belt, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull it away.

    Primeape doesn¡¯t have a malleable body like Haunter. If he messes up even once, that Raticate could seriously wound him.

    This wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon battle. This was a fight against a dangerous criminal.

    Unable to act, Sam grit his teeth. Haunter was having trouble breathing but forced himself to stay in the air. Sam would have liked to return his Pok¨¦mon, but he was worried that the Raticate would strike if there was nothing defending them.

    And Petrel was blocking their exit, too. While the Golbat was keeping both Misdreavus and Ursaring occupied, the man was standing right next to the ladder. It was the only way in and out, and even if they rushed him, there was no telling what other tricks the thief had prepared.

    ¡°Thunder Punch!¡± Redi roared.

    Ursaring brought up a fist that crackled with electricity. He threw a punch at his own shoulder, but Golbat dropped down to let the attack swish right over its head.

    ¡°Air Cutter,¡± Petrel said with a yawn.

    Golbat jumped back, entered the air, and sent out dozens of blades of wind, only needing a few flaps of its wings.

    Misdreavus had to unleash her growing Shadow Ball early to dodge, her attack going wide. Ursaring, meanwhile, took the damage in full. The previous Poison Fang meant he was now poisoned, and the pain meant he was struggling to move.

    ¡°Idiot. You¡¯ve fallen for my trap!¡± Redi said, grinning ferally.

    Petrel snapped his fingers.

    ¡°Ah, you mean Ursaring¡¯s Guts, right?¡±

    She hesitated.

    ¡°You kids need more experience. You really think this is the first time I¡¯ve fought Pok¨¦mon like yours?¡±

    When Ursaring tried to jump towards Golbat, he didn¡¯t jump far enough. In fact, he wasn¡¯t able to jump off the ground at all. A single foot was lifted up before the massive Pok¨¦mon fell on his face. Petrel just laughed as Ursaring pushed up and limply tried to slash a claw into the air.

    The Supersonic, Sam realized.

    While the move didn¡¯t layer illusions like Confuse Ray, its high-pitched noise messed with a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s inner ear to throw off their sense of balance.

    Sam hated this. He hated having been tricked, and he hated being trapped. Most of all, he hated the way he was just standing around, watching everyone else battle while he stared like a slack-jawed fool.

    Redi had at least taken action. She was the one to try to battle once everything properly started. But what had Sam done? He had Misdreavus sneak off to the side. He delayed the fight to try to set things up in their favor. Except, his gambit had failed, and he still wasn¡¯t giving any orders. He was freezing up in the face of a real life, extremely dangerous fight.

    He didn¡¯t want his Pok¨¦mon to get hurt. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want his friends to be taken away. The only benefit to his indecision was that the only being in the room paying attention to him was the Raticate, and that was only because it was paying attention to their entire group at once.

    ...All of that combined meant that, somehow, Sam had placed himself in the perfect position to think.

    Ursaring and Misdreavus battled it out, struggling and failing to do anything to Petrel¡¯s Golbat. Sam furiously searched the room, trying to find something they could use to their advantage. He looked at Petrel, the Golbat, Ursaring, Misdreavus, Raticate, those Bellsprout statues, the central pillar, the windows¡ª

    The windows!

    Petrel wasn¡¯t just a random person. He was a career criminal sent after them, likely also a master of disguise. While Ursaring and Misdreavus were both strong, neither of them had the strategy or the experience needed to turn this fight into a win. Except, while they were trapped in this room, Petrel had trapped himself in a box of his own making.

    He thought he was blocking the only exit, but there was another way out. The downside was that it involved doing something only an insane person would do.

    Sam bit his cheek, not sure if his plan was worth it, but Petrel unfortunately forced the decision for him, the man leaning back against the ladder.

    ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯ve had enough of this,¡± Petrel said, bringing his arms into his sleeves. ¡°Time to end this, kids.¡±

    He pulled out two sets of Pok¨¦balls. He held three in each hand before tossing them into the air.

    ¡°Poison Gas,¡± he ordered. ¡°Slowly! Fill the space.¡±

    Six different, bulbous Koffing left their Pok¨¦balls and opened their mouths to groan and exhale. Sickly, purple gas poured out like a waterfall, massing together and creeping over the floor to pin everyone else in.

    Golbat moved back to land in front of Petrel. Ursaring fell to a knee, and Misdreavus floated up higher to avoid the slow-moving wave of smoke.

    Petrel then tossed up another six Pok¨¦balls. Then another two. A total of fourteen Koffing floated in the air and vomited up purple fog. Sam wasn¡¯t surprised a criminal didn¡¯t follow the legal carry limits, but this many Koffing felt... excessive.

    Unless they¡¯re expendable.

    He¡¯d looked up Poison Types before. He knew Koffing could explode with Self-Destruct. If there was anything to reaffirm his absolutely insane plan, it was the knowledge that Petrel could blow up this place at any time.

    Sam snapped his gaze to Redi.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And how are you going to manage that?¡± Petrel asked.

    He made a show of rolling his back against the ladder as Redi hurriedly returned Ursaring to his Pok¨¦ball.

    Sam recalled the heavily injured Haunter as well, just as quickly sending out Primeape. With the newcomer¡¯s appearance, Raticate hissed and immediately lunged.

    ¡°Rock Smash!¡± Sam yelled.

    Primeape ducked and brought a fist into an uppercut placed right into Raticate¡¯s stomach.

    While the rat Pok¨¦mon was strong enough to withstand the super effective attack, it didn¡¯t have the weight to not be launched. The power carried in the punch sent it into the air, where it sailed over a wall and landed on the exposed rafters of the second floor.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Petrel said. His Raticate scrambled to get up and began to scurry after Redi and Sam.

    He didn¡¯t wait. Sam charged towards one of the room¡¯s windows, shouting ¡°This way!¡± to get Redi to follow.

    A hum came from behind them, and Petrel snapped his fingers. Gas began to coil around their feet. The rate at which the main mass of smoke moved drastically increased.

    A quick order of Brick Break saw Primeape smash through the window¡¯s old, wooden slats. Redi pulled the splintered wood to the side as Sam peeked his head out and returned Primeape.

    They were three stories up. It was a long way down. Still, they didn¡¯t have much of a choice.

    ¡°We have to jump,¡± Sam said.

    Redi squeaked in surprise. Meanwhile, Petrel just laughed.

    ¡°I love it! You kids are insane! Are you sure you don¡¯t want to work for us?¡±

    Misdreavus rushed to Sam¡¯s side, and Redi got the hint to send out Porygon. With the Koffing¡¯s growing gas coming out like a tidal wave behind them, Sam grabbed Redi¡¯s hand. She grabbed his hand back and squeezed.

    Their Pok¨¦mon moved under their shoulders, and then together, they jumped.

    Neither of them had any Pok¨¦mon that could use Fly, a move generally required if a Pok¨¦mon wanted to carry a human through the air. Without it, a Pok¨¦mon needed the inherent strength and size to be able to support a person.

    However, Misdreavus could levitate. Same for Porygon. The problem was that neither of them had the strength to lift up an entire human, let alone two.

    They were falling at a slower rate, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The speed at which they plummeted would mean catastrophic results when they hit the ground.

    Their savior came in the form of a flash. As the grassy soil raced towards them, Sam felt something pull on his neck.

    Haunter, still injured, had released himself. His hands grabbed onto the back of both of their shirts to give the Ghost Type a handle to pull up as hard as he could.

    It was enough. When they hit the ground, it still hurt, but outside of the immediate moment of shock, Sam didn¡¯t feel anything break. Redi somehow managed to stay straight up as Sam stumbled forward. He waved for her to follow, and they both took off running.

    Redi winced with every step.

    ¡°You kids are really going to make this harder than it has to be, aren¡¯t you?¡± Petrel said as he peered out the broken window, his Golbat blowing away any lingering smoke. Sam glanced behind him as he ran, only hearing the man thanks to the unnatural silence of the park.

    All the wild Pok¨¦mon were hiding from him, weren¡¯t they? I should have recognized the signs.

    ¡°It won¡¯t matter!¡± Petrel shouted as Sam and Redi ran as fast as they could. ¡°We have people everywhere! And we¡¯re going to find you! No matter where you go, no matter where you hide, Team Rocket is going to know exactly where you are!¡±

 Chapter 68

    Sam didn¡¯t let himself drop his guard. He actively scanned his surroundings as hurried footsteps carried him forward. He knew what he had seen; Petrel¡¯s Golbat was large enough to ride. It would be no trouble for the thief to fly above them and position himself in their path. There was that, and there was also a worry about Petrel¡¯s skills with disguise. His appearance as ¡®Pete¡¯ involved a completely different facial structure. Petrel could appear as anyone he wanted.

    Running, it took Sam and Redi less than a minute to exit the park, and Sam did his best to direct them towards the densest part of Violet City. While the buildings around them didn¡¯t quite reach the same heights as other cities Sam had visited, they at least served as some sort of protection from above.

    Or walls trapping us in.

    Nervous, Sam led from the front, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be Petrel. He also desperately prayed that someone would appear so they would no longer be alone. He saw a woman in a blue uniform, a police officer, lit up by a street light on a distant block, but Sam didn¡¯t approach. It felt too obvious and too easy to ask her for help. It was the exact sort of trap Petrel might set up for a pair of dumb kids.

    Redi was panting behind him, her footsteps uneven but still rushed. She had Porygon under one shoulder, the floating Pok¨¦mon remaining next to her to help her keep up. Haunter was in his Pok¨¦ball, as Sam had returned him as soon as he could. While he was the Pok¨¦mon on the team that could most easily withstand severe injuries, Sam didn¡¯t want him to stay out while missing a chunk of himself, thanks to that Raticate¡¯s bite.

    Their lone defender was Misdreavus. The Ghost Type flitted about above their heads, constantly looking every which way. She didn¡¯t enter a shadow, choosing instead to stay out to serve a visible guard. Even if it meant she wouldn¡¯t be able to ambush any would-be ambushers, her presence would at least ward off anyone else who would target a pair of kids outside in the middle of the night.

    She was worried, Sam could tell, but there was also a certain hardness to her expression that told Sam she was prepared to fight if needed. Back in Sprout Tower, she hadn¡¯t blinked when Sam directed her to ambush Petrel, and she had even stayed at the front to fight alongside Ursaring, assisting the bear without Sam¡¯s direct orders.

    He looked up at her. She continued to look around.

    ¡°Misdreavus,¡± he said, just needing to do something other than run. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    As if surprised to hear his voice, Misdreavus snapped her gaze his way. Sam was genuinely thankful, and upon seeing his smile, her expression lightened up. She said her name with pride and resumed her watch. She seemed much more confident about it than she was before.

    Their group¡¯s saving grace eventually came in the form of a businessman passed out on the side of the street. His suit was disheveled, and his face was bright red due to what was likely too many drinks. Most importantly, dozens of water bottles sat around him on the ground, likely left by passersby who found the scene funny. Above him, a pair of Murkrow sat on the overhang of a storefront, cawing their names and cackling when the man didn¡¯t even hint at an answer.

    The businessman might have been unconscious, but he was at least another person. Given that it would have taken hours to build up that many water bottles, there was no way he was Petrel, too. That, and those two Murkrow were awake and nearby. Sam could let himself relax for at least a little bit now that he and everyone else were no longer alone.

    Just a moment to breathe. Then we can keep going.

    He slowed a light jog before slowing even further to enter a hurried walk, trying to give himself a chance to catch his breath without completely coming to a stop. Behind him, the second he let up, the sounds of Redi¡¯s footsteps ceased. She exhaled, and there was the rustling of cloth as she leaned against a building¡¯s wall. Redi let out a hiss of pain as she did.

    ¡°Sam,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Can we stop? Please.¡±

    Sam stopped walking. Misdreavus turned around alongside him.

    Redi¡¯s expression was tense, and each breath came to her labored. She raised one foot off the ground and put her entire weight on her other leg. She clutched Porygon against her chest, treating the Pok¨¦mon like her sole lifeline. Sam could tell she was trying to look confident, but she was clearly in a lot of pain.

    He ran over, eyes flicking about for any signs of injury.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay? Did one of Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon get you?¡±

    If she breathed in the Koffing smoke, I can¡¯t exactly return her to a Pok¨¦ball. We have berries and antidotes that might help, but if she has a physical injury, our treatment options are pretty limited. We need a doctor, or a professional, or a Pok¨¦mon can that heal injuries, or a¡ª

    ¡°My ankle,¡± Redi said reluctantly, physically wincing as she did. ¡°It hurts when I step on it. Just give me a few seconds to give it a break and then we can go. I¡¯ll be fine, alright?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t believe her. She was usually better at lying than this.

    He kneeled and tried to lightly support the foot she was holding up. A full-body wince went through her, and rather than prod at it, Sam looked to Misdreauvs.

    ¡°Can you help?¡± he asked.

    Misdreavus grimaced, not wanting to let down her guard, but with those two noisy Murkrow nearby, they¡¯d at least have some sort of prior warning if anyone came and attacked. She floated down next to where Sam was kneeling, her eyes glowing blue in a soft light.

    Her Confusion-based telekinesis required more fine control than using it as an attack, but it let Misdreavus hold Redi¡¯s foot with less pressure than a set of hands. Blue light gently rolled up the leg of Redi¡¯s pants.

    Redi swallowed. The skin around her ankle had turned shades of purple and red. The ankle was swollen. It looked inflamed.

    ¡°You were running on this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a flesh wound. I can get better,¡± Redi said as fast as she could.

    Sam saw the look in her eyes and recognized she¡¯d refuse to give up even with this pain.

    Sighing, Sam stood and moved closer, positioning himself to the side of Redi with her injured ankle.

    ¡°Come here,¡± he said, bringing her arm around his shoulders. Redi leaned in as he helped her stand, assisting her as a living crutch that¡¯d help her walk.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It¡¯s my fault,¡± Sam said, frowning. ¡°If I had just thought of a different plan than jumping out of a window...¡±

    They got lucky, and Sam hated that.

    There was no lying about what happened; Petrel completely outclassed them. His Golbat flew circles around both Misdreavus and Ursaring, and they hadn¡¯t even seen the full capabilities of Petrel¡¯s Raticate in the fight. Haunter had taken a critical injury, and while Primeape had managed to punch Petrel¡¯s Raticate away, it had easily stood back up after taking that super effective hit.

    If Petrel hadn¡¯t been so casual about this situation, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. The man was playing with his food. He could have finished them off whenever he wanted.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, either,¡± Redi said with a grimace as they moved down the sidewalk. They were no longer running, but Sam stayed on alert. ¡°It¡¯s my fault we went to Sprout Tower in the first place. I should have never trusted his offer!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault for being lied to,¡± Sam countered. ¡°No one is going to blame you for trusting a monk. They¡¯re supposed to be reliable and wise. He took advantage of their reputation.¡±

    Redi hung her head, not replying to Sam¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t know what else to say, so he kept walking forward, supporting her with every tense step. Shuttered shops and locked doors passed them as they trudged down the street. Still following the sidewalk, they turned and kept heading deeper into the city.

    No one bothered them. Petrel didn¡¯t attack.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Redi asked after a few minutes of walking.

    ¡°I thought about leaving town¡ª¡±

    ¡°What, so he could pick us off?¡±

    Sam held back a laugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we¡¯re not doing that,¡± Sam said. ¡°He¡¯d win. I don¡¯t want to lose. We¡¯re... We¡¯re not strong. We can¡¯t do this on our own. That¡¯s why we need help, so we¡¯re going to the Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    Also, Sam was worried about all of the injuries their team had sustained.

    Haunter.

    Ursaring.

    Those two had taken the brunt of the damage in their ¡°fight,¡± if that losing battle could even be called a fight. They needed to be treated, and Pok¨¦mon Centers could also treat trainers, though not as well as a dedicated human doctor. But Pok¨¦mon Centers also tended to be well-defended. Sam would be able to get help while also allowing everyone to be treated in a safe location.

    As they walked, a Noctowl silently flew above their heads. Sam only saw it thanks to Misdreavus pointing it out. He¡¯d seen Noctowl on patrol the previous night when he went for a walk with his entire team. The bird Pok¨¦mon likely belonged to Violet City¡¯s Gym, and instead of moving to another block, it began to circle above Sam and Redi. While it didn¡¯t say anything and never flew close, it helped to know they¡¯d gained a silent protector.

    No one was waiting for them outside the Pok¨¦mon Center. While their destination was obvious, there was no Petrel or Petrel in disguise standing outside for an ambush. It made sense, as ambushing them here would have been a fool¡¯s mistake. Petrel would be attacking a pair of kids outside a Pok¨¦mon Center and a Pok¨¦mon League Gym.

    Sam hoped the thief would decide to cut his losses and flee, but after remembering what Petrel shouted at the end, Sam felt as though someone was watching them from every nook and cranny they passed.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Sam said.

    Redi brought up her head as the glass doors of the Pok¨¦mon Center slid open before her. Sam helped her in.

    They were immediately met with warm air and a brightly lit room. There were no shadows that¡¯d let anyone with poor intentions hide. There was no one around who might have been Petrel. There was a single unconscious trainer sprawled across a couch, and a familiar face from the tournament¡ªNurse Joy herself¡ªsat behind the front counter, reading a book.

    As Sam and Redi finally allowed themselves to breathe, the head nurse looked up and smiled, a reaction as automatic as the sliding doors. However, her smile fell, replaced with worry when she saw their haggard group.

    Nurse Joy dropped her book onto the counter, not even bothering to mark her page as she rushed towards Redi.

    ¡°Chansey! Get a stretcher!¡± the nurse shouted.

    A Pok¨¦mon cheerfully replied with its name from behind the door behind the front counter.

    ¡°What happened? Who did this?¡± Nurse Joy asked, helping Sam bring Redi over to a chair.

    ¡°It was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Team Rocket,¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°He said it at the end. Someone from Team Rocket ambushed us after luring us into a fake tour of Sprout Tower.¡±

    Nurse Joy¡¯s face was unreadable. Her demeanor was one of utter professionalism. She brought up Redi¡¯s leg and inspected her injured ankle more tenderly than even Misdreavus¡¯s telekinesis.

    ¡°Team Rocket?¡± Sam asked.

    He didn''t get a response. Nurse Joy was more focused on Redi¡¯s injury, and Redi was more focused on Nurse Joy. The nurse didn¡¯t poke or prod at the wound; she merely looked it over. She pursed her lips, clearly unhappy, and the light squeak of the back doors marked one of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s Chansey coming out, pushing a stretcher as requested.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Normally, we¡¯d use a wheelchair for this, but what few we have are already in use due to how rarely we get human patients.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wouldn¡¯t mind lying down,¡± Redi said lazily with a smile.

    Sam could tell that while she presented that as a joke, Redi would appreciate being able to rest.

    Both Nurse Joy and the Chansey helped Redi onto the stretcher. Thankfully, she only had a sprained ankle, which was ¡°minor¡± enough to be treated here. If her foot was broken, a human doctor would have needed to be brought in. However, if her foot was broken, Redi wouldn¡¯t have been able to run on it in the first place.

    The Chansey pushed Redi towards the doors in the back, and Nurse Joy glanced at Sam.

    ¡°Come with us,¡± she said.

    It was a weird mix of an order and a request¡ªshe wanted Sam to come with her and help explain, but Sam could also tell that she wouldn¡¯t blame him if he just wanted to rest.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, moving to follow.

    She nodded once, leading him through the paired, back doors.

    Glass windows lined the interior hallway, providing views into treatment rooms set off to the side. Most of those rooms were empty, but a few injured Pok¨¦mon were visible, sleeping on differently-sized beds. Outside of one room was a passed-out trainer in a chair. He had fallen asleep while waiting for his Pok¨¦mon to get better.

    ¡°Normally, I ask for friends of patients to wait outside, but given the situation, I need to talk to you two about what happened,¡± Nurse Joy said, striding forward alongside Redi¡¯s stretcher. Upon reaching one partially open door, the nurse raised a hand to ask her Pok¨¦mon to stop. She plucked a piece of paper from a nearby slot and scribbled something on its back.

    ¡°Please send this message to the Gym,¡± Nurse Joy said.

    The Chansey happily nodded, took the paper, and waddled down the hall.

    Sam followed Nurse Joy in as she brought Redi into the side room and easily helped her onto an examination table. The room wasn¡¯t anything built for overnight stays, it was just a room for quick check-ups and simple treatments. The examination table was larger than normal to support as many different sizes of Pok¨¦mon as possible. It made Redi look small.

    There was a chair for healthy guests¡ªlikely intended for the trainers of the Pok¨¦mon¡ªset off to the side, but Sam couldn¡¯t bring himself to sit down right away. Nurse Joy sent him a pointed stare that he almost refused, but he forced himself to listen to the trained medical professional and quickly collapsed into it.

    While the seat was only lightly cushioned wood, after everything that happened tonight, being able to relax for once made the chair feel heavenly.

    ¡°Are your Pok¨¦mon injured?¡± Nurse Joy asked.

    Sam and Redi both nodded. The nurse sat on a wheeled stool and pressed a button on a large, computer-like device built into a counter attached to a wall. She then opened a drawer to pull out supplies and pushed herself back over to start working on Redi¡¯s leg.

    As she did her job, a Chansey collected everyone¡¯s Pok¨¦balls. Redi had dropped Porygon when Nurse Joy escorted her to a chair in the lobby, and she used this chance to return her following Pok¨¦mon. Misdreavus was still floating over Sam¡¯s head, and she looked ready to fight against the order if Sam tried to return her right here.

    ¡°You were fighting that Golbat,¡± Sam said softly. ¡°Please let me return you. I need to know that you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Her lips quivered, and after a short second of consideration, she reluctantly relented, letting Sam return her to her Friend Ball. He passed her over alongside the Pok¨¦balls containing Primeape and Haunter. While he didn¡¯t plan to send Quilava out, she hadn¡¯t been involved in the fight. He kept her on his belt, as he couldn¡¯t bring himself to go without any Pok¨¦mon.

    Nurse Joy applied ointment, wrapped Redi¡¯s ankle, and gave her an ice pack after raising her foot. The whole process took only a few minutes. Compared to most injuries the nurse had seen, this was probably nothing.

    ¡°Now,¡± Nurse Joy said, pulling herself back once satisfied with Redi¡¯s treatment, ¡°tell me everything about what happened. Don¡¯t leave anything out.¡±

    Sam and Redi both spoke at once, the explanation becoming jumbled between them.

    ¡°So it was my birthday¡ª¡±

    ¡°I wanted to get him a gift¡ª¡±

    ¡°This monk named Pete¡ª¡±

    ¡°A private tour of Sprout Tower¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it was an ambush¡ª

    ¡°A bunch of Pok¨¦mon, way too many Koffing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Blocked the ladder¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Third story window...¡±

    Nurse Joy looked incredulous.

    Despite both Sam and Redi constantly talking over one another, she still didn¡¯t have any problems understanding them. By the end of it, both of them were huffing and puffing. They¡¯d done everything she said and left nothing out.

    ¡°Okay. Thank you. Please give me a moment,¡± Nurse Joy said. She didn¡¯t look worried, and that was something that gave Sam comfort.

    She turned back to her computer and began to furiously type into it. Loud key clicks and the whirring of the machine¡¯s fans were the only noises in the room for several long minutes.

    ¡°May I have your trainer IDs?¡± she eventually asked.

    Sam and Redi passed them over.

    She glanced down at them and continued to enter information into her system. For a moment, Sam realized that he never checked if Nurse Joy was truly who she said she was, but then again, only a true nurse would have been able to give orders to those Chansey and have the Pok¨¦mon listen to her.

    Plus, she treated Redi¡¯s ankle. There¡¯s no way a disguised Petrel could fake that level of skill.

    Finally, silence. Mostly. The computer was still making the occasional noise.

    Nurse Joy turned on her stool, looking at both Sam and Redi. Her firm gaze passed over them as if she was only now properly taking them in.

    ¡°Redi, there¡¯s a note in our system about your Pok¨¦mon. You added Porygon to your team back in Goldenrod, correct?¡±

    Redi¡¯s response was a wince. This time, it wasn¡¯t sourced from pain.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she replied meekly.

    Her voice came out more like a squeak than anything else.

    ¡°When it comes to rescuing stolen and poached Pok¨¦mon, Pok¨¦mon Centers work closely with the League to ensure each victim is either released or paired with a trainer or family we know will treat them well. Sometimes it¡¯s a long process to find a viable candidate. Other times, it¡¯s done in less than a day. For you, the nurse in Goldenrod judged you as a fine candidate to take care of Porygon, and that¡¯s why they¡¯ve been allowed to stay on your team.¡±

    ¡°...Allowed?¡±

    Redi didn¡¯t sound happy, but Nurse Joy¡¯s stern look demanded that neither of them should speak.

    ¡°Yes, allowed. What you two did was very foolish. Breaking into the heart of a gambling operation? Stealing a Pok¨¦mon from a den of poachers? You risked more than just your health. You risked the health of your Pok¨¦mon. What did you think would happen to them if you were caught inside?¡±

    Silence. It was a rhetorical question.

    ¡°But...¡± Nurse Joy let out a sigh. Her expression softened if only a little bit. ¡°You helped those Pok¨¦mon. You helped stop a lot more from getting hurt. For that reason, you were never punished. Usually, a feat like that warrants a reward from the League to promote that kind of good behavior, but in this case, you risked too much. Your reward was silence; no one would mention your involvement, but you wouldn¡¯t find yourself in legal trouble in exchange.¡±

    Sam could see Redi visibly pale.

    ¡°Normally, that would be where things are left,¡± Nurse Joy continued. ¡°A poaching ring was broken up, the kids who discovered it got to go free none the wiser, and the poached Pok¨¦mon hopefully get the chance to live better lives. Unfortunately, this is becoming a bigger problem than anyone would have thought. Team Rocket is involved.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t resist speaking up.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure who Team Rocket is,¡± he said.

    Redi looked at Sam. Nurse Joy blinked before opening her mouth in realization.

    ¡°You¡¯re from Hoenn, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you¡¯re so confused,¡± she said, a hand placed on her cheek. ¡°What do you currently know about Team Rocket?¡±

    ¡°A bit?¡± Sam answered. ¡°I know they¡¯re criminals, and I think I might have heard Redi talk about them, and I¡¯ve heard of other teams like Team Magma and Team Aqua, but I¡¯m pretty sure those two are just political movements. I¡¯m getting the sense that Team Rocket wasn¡¯t formed for environmental concerns, and it¡¯s a lot more than just a few petty criminals, huh?¡±

    For some reason, Nurse Joy frowned at his words.

    ¡°Teams are generally formed by people wanting to push for political change, yes, but in the case of Team Rocket, they¡¯re more of¡ª¡±

    ¡°A mafia. An entire organization of criminals,¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no other way to describe them. They¡¯re popping up more and more in Kanto. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that they¡¯re over here.¡±

    Redi was outright scowling, her familiarity with them obvious to Sam. Sam sent her a confused look, asking an unspoken question.

    ¡°They¡¯re the ones who tried to take Mama in the first place,¡± she explained.

    Oh. Team Rocket is the group that stole her family¡¯s Kangaskhan from the Safari Zone.

    Nurse Joy stayed quiet, missing a bit of context about who Redi was talking about. She let the silence continue, giving Sam and Redi a moment to process before she resumed her explanation.

    ¡°Thankfully, as far as we can tell, Team Rocket is still mostly contained in Kanto,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°I very much doubt Petrel has the resources and surveillance he claimed. No, he ambushed you alone and mentioned that his organization is still expanding. He tried to recruit you, for goodness¡¯s sake! That¡¯s... not good news for the long run, but for now, you needn¡¯t worry about him bringing in any grunts.¡±

    Except Petrel¡¯s strong enough to beat us on his own.

    Sam didn¡¯t say that part out loud.

    ¡°Now, if Petrel is truly a member of Team Rocket, he¡¯ll likely be motivated to continue after you. I can¡¯t call myself an expert on criminal organizations, but with a Pok¨¦mon as rare as Porygon with you, I can¡¯t see a future in which he completely lets you go. No, for this matter, I see a few possible solutions.¡±

    Sam sat up a bit straighter. Redi tried to sit up as much as her position on the examination table would let her.

    Seeing they were listening, Nurse Joy held up a hand, raising fingers to number each of her points.

    ¡°First, you can hand Porygon over to a much stronger¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Redi immediately interrupted.

    Nurse Joy nodded approvingly and raised a second finger.

    ¡°Second, you can find shelter. Go to a Gym. Find a stronger trainer. Work under them in exchange for protection, and Petrel will be forced to cut his losses or risk getting himself caught.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t even need to see Redi¡¯s reaction to that one. Both of them were already in agreement.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to happen,¡± he said.

    Nurse Joy nodded once again and continued.

    ¡°Third, you can find a sponsor and make yourselves big names in the trainer community. Make your Porygon well-known enough, and Petrel won¡¯t be able to risk going after you without making a big scene. The consequence is that with the risks you pose, the contracts you sign will likely be limiting. Expect a lot of obligations¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting the sense that none of these are going to be good options except for whatever you plan to say last,¡± Redi said.

    Nurse Joy brought down her hand, placing it over the other one in her lap.

    ¡°There¡¯s two options, actually,¡± Nurse Joy replied, eyeing Redi carefully. ¡°The first would be to rope in someone stronger to travel with you for your protection. The second would be to ensure Petrel¡¯s capture before he can capture you.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression hardened. He knew what that second one would entail.

    ¡°We need to get stronger,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes. No matter what you do, an experienced criminal like Petrel will be able to defeat you as you are now.¡±

    Sam had won the tournament in the city, but that wasn¡¯t enough. If he wanted his friends to ever be safe again, he needed to train his team until they could no longer be beaten.

    ¡°So we get help now so we can capture Petrel once we¡¯re stronger,¡± Sam said.

    The nurse looked at Sam. Her expression was stern.

    ¡°No. I apologize. That¡¯s not what I meant. Yes, you need to become stronger to help you stay safe, but it won¡¯t be you capturing Petrel, but us. We know he¡¯s in the city, and we know that he¡¯ll be after you. The Pok¨¦mon League handles all crimes related to Pok¨¦mon. It has trainers experienced with this kind of work, and you can put your faith in them as the rest of us keep you safe.¡±

    Redi¡¯s expression was flat. Sam was now frowning.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t keep us safe the first time around,¡± Redi mumbled.

    Nurse Joy¡¯s lips twitched downwards.

    ¡°Walker is... out of the city,¡± she said, her voice purposefully level. ¡°While he might not be here, we¡¯ve still known that Team Rocket has been trying to push into Johto for quite some time. You might have witnessed a few increased security measures while you were out. I imagine one of those might have ensured your safety while you returned to the Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    The Noctowl.

    ¡°Now, while Violet Gym has been sending out more of its Pok¨¦mon on regular patrols, we haven¡¯t had much information to work with. We unfortunately had no way of knowing that Team Rocket possessed people as skilled in disguise as Petrel, but thanks to you, we do know now.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to create plans that ensure his capture,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you. It was smart of you to come back here and inform me instead of running off on your own.¡±

    ¡°But then that¡¯s it?¡± Redi asked. ¡°You want us to sit back while the ¡®adults¡¯ take charge and try to capture Petrel for themselves?¡±

    Sam could taste the bitterness in his mouth.

    ¡°Yes. That is exactly what we want you to do. Take a break for a few days. Rest in the Pok¨¦mon Center. Heal up, train, and stay here and relax where you¡¯ll be safe. You two didn¡¯t deserve to be attacked by that... scum.¡±

    Judging from the expression on Nurse Joy¡¯s face, Sam could tell that while she was thankful for the information, she was not happy about what it took to learn it. Taking care of people and their Pok¨¦mon was her job. A criminal freely attacking a pair of young trainers was essentially the antithesis of everything she worked toward.

    ¡°Can I suggest something?¡± Sam said.

    He hated it, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to help as he was now. However, he wasn¡¯t useless. He could at least try to bring someone else here.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Flying Types won¡¯t be enough. Yeah, they can scan through a city pretty quickly, but can they check in buildings? In alleys? Flying Type specialists aren¡¯t the kind of trainers who know how to find hidden things. There are better kinds of trainers out there.¡±

    ¡°...And who, exactly, are you proposing for this?¡± Nurse Joy asked carefully.

    ¡°Morty,¡± Sam replied. ¡°The Gym Leader. He¡¯s a Ghost Type specialist with the exact skillset you need to root out someone so skilled with disguise.¡±

    Nurse Joy pressed her lips together, but she seemed to at least give his suggestion genuine thought. She¡¯d already mentioned that the local Gym Leader was out of the city, but she hadn¡¯t commented about contacting him, either.

    ¡°It would be good to get someone as skilled as him in this case...¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Send him a message. Use my name. We¡¯re friends¡ªI think. Please. I¡¯m sure he can help out.¡±

    Nurse Joy took in Sam once more. She briefly flicked her gaze over to Redi¡¯s ankle. As she stared at Sam, he tried to pour as much genuineness into his expression as possible. He tried to express that while he wanted to personally help, bringing someone like Morty in would mean that he stayed satisfied. More importantly, if Sam¡¯s suggestion did something, he wouldn¡¯t be as opposed to staying back.

    Redi joined in, recognizing Sam¡¯s attempts and sending Nurse Joy the best puppy-dog eyes she could muster. Nurse Joy¡¯s expression quivered until she finally breathed out.

    She leaned back in her chair, placing her hand on her forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s a well-reasoned idea, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Nurse Joy said reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯ll fax Ecruteak Gym as soon as I can. But you two have to promise me that you¡¯ll rest and not do anything shortsighted until we talk again. Yes?¡±

    ¡°...Alright.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°We promise,¡± Sam and Redi said in unison.

    ¡°Good!¡± Nurse Joy clapped her hands. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll help you up to your rooms and make sure your Pok¨¦mon are healed. And don¡¯t worry, there isn¡¯t a more well-defended place in Violet City than inside this Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam wasn¡¯t able to sleep until his Pok¨¦mon were returned to him. Haunter was given something to help him regrow his missing flesh, and the rest of Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon lacked injuries that would need special treatment.

    His rest wasn¡¯t much, unfortunately. It came to him short and fitful. He couldn¡¯t get over his nerves, and thoughts about Petrel sneaking in or exploding parts of the building kept him up until he was too exhausted to stay awake.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to do the next morning. The rest of the Pok¨¦mon Center was as active as ever, seemingly unaware of what had transpired last night. Nurse Joy told them to wait inside until the League decided on a plan, so Sam lingered. Thankfully, the back courtyard was isolated enough that they could go out there and train.

    His Pok¨¦mon were furious. Dedicated. Determined. They threw themselves into practice. Following Sam¡¯s lead, they sparred and used their moves so ferociously that other trainers stopped to watch in surprise.

    No one on Sam¡¯s team wanted to lose like that again. The encounter in Sprout Tower wasn¡¯t just a blow to their spirits¡ªit was a blow to their pride. Having a criminal outsmart and dance around their every move was infuriating.

    Sam might have had strategies prepared, but he didn¡¯t have anything in place to help mitigate such a vast difference in strength.

    He and Redi watched their teams, keeping an eye on everything going on. Sam wished he could go to the local library and watch more archived battles. He wanted to observe high-level matches and figure out counters to how more experienced trainers fight.

    It felt like they trained for minutes, but the session lasted a full hour. They only stopped when interrupted by a tired-looking Nurse Joy calling them back inside.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been discussing what to do,¡± she explained in a back room, yawning as she spoke to Sam and Redi in a place where no one could listen. ¡°Morty agreed to help. Given the threat of Team Rocket, he¡¯ll be coming to Violet City to take care of this problem in person. However, for your protection, you¡¯ve been asked to remain in the Pok¨¦mon Center¡ª¡±

    Both Sam and Redi scowled.

    ¡°¡ªBut,¡± she continued. ¡°Morty doesn¡¯t plan to have you sit around and do nothing. He¡¯s sending one of his personal Pok¨¦mon to help defend the Center¡ªwhich you may politely ask to help you train¡ªand he asked me for one last thing.¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°A favor,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°He asked me to reassign our resident Ghost Types to help defend you. For a matter like this, I, of course, accepted.¡±

 Chapter 69

    ¡°So you¡¯re just giving us Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam asked.

    Nurse Joy looked tired. Not tired at Sam¡¯s question, but tired from staying up all night. He usually only saw her when she was working the night shift, and Sam and Redi hadn¡¯t exactly given her news she could ignore.

    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°You¡¯re probably aware of this, but all Pok¨¦mon Centers are haunted. Ghost Types are purposefully kept inside to dissuade similar creatures from claiming the place as their own. Injured Pok¨¦mon, sleeping trainers, and anyone else who¡¯s weakened are all easy targets. Having a place already be claimed helps, especially when the Ghost Types in question are trained to stop that exact circumstance.¡±

    She briefly yawned before continuing.

    ¡°For the current situation, I''m reassigning our pair of Ghost Types to protect you instead of our Pok¨¦mon Center. Their skills and experience lay more in detecting and dissuading rather than combat, but that should still be enough to help keep you two safe.¡±

    Sam wanted to say something, but he saw Nurse Joy¡¯s expression. It spoke of determination but also quiet resignation. She cared about the Pok¨¦mon she was reassigning but also recognized that Sam and Redi needed to protect their teams.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of them,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I know you will. I saw how you and your Pok¨¦mon fought together in the tournament, remember?¡± she said with a wink.

    Not needing to explain anything else, Nurse Joy walked over to a counter attached to the wall to pick up a pair of Pok¨¦balls. The room was the same room Redi was treated in last night, and the Pok¨¦balls were set up next to the computer. There was a moment of hesitation as her hands lingered on the Pok¨¦balls, but while Sam couldn¡¯t see her face, she still turned around with one ball in each hand.

    ¡°So, are they considered part of our teams? For carry limit reasons?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Think of them more as... auxiliary Pok¨¦mon,¡± Nurse Joy said, frowning. ¡°Carrying capacity rules are already a mess enough when it comes to the Ghost Types. These two won¡¯t count against any carry limits¡ªthey¡¯ve been officially assigned. Just remember that they aren¡¯t fighters. They detect and warn. You¡¯ll see what I mean shortly.¡±

    Nurse Joy didn¡¯t release any Pok¨¦mon. Instead, she handed one Pok¨¦ball to Sam and the other to Redi. Sam could immediately tell by the weight in his hand that the ball was empty. Its Pok¨¦mon was already out.

    That realization was marked by the lights in the room flickering. Shadows in the corner of the walls seemed to deepen. Nurse Joy chuckled to herself as mist drifted up from the floor. Despite the suddenly spooky atmosphere, she seemed more amused than anything else.

    ¡°They¡¯re a little dramatic,¡± she said, hand on her cheek.

    Seeing the environmental effects, Sam¡¯s thoughts flashed through all the Pok¨¦mon these two could be. He could think of so many powerful species that might be assigned to protect a Pok¨¦mon Center.

    Gengar or Mismagius would be really cool, but these might be something from out of Johto like Dusclops or Banette. Oh! This city is full of Flying Types. I bet the two Pok¨¦mon are a pair of Drifblim!

    He turned around, half-expecting to see the Pok¨¦mon behind him in an attempt at a scare, but when he looked, there was nothing there. Only when he turned back around¡ªRedi having done the same¡ªdid Sam see two, smaller Pok¨¦mon floating before Nurse Joy.

    ¡°Oh. A pair of Gastly?¡± he said.

    They looked almost identical, resembling each other and almost every other Gastly Sam had ever seen. Gastly were skilled at hiding, but if these two were being assigned to protect them, he expected something... stronger.

    He didn¡¯t blink at their attempt to scare him, and the two Gastly looked at each other before the gas around their shadowed bodies fell in what was the equivalent of a slump. They frowned at him, huffing as they did so. Before anything else, however, Nurse Joy spoke up.

    ¡°These two boys are brothers, first found at an abandoned aviary at the edge of town,¡± she explained. ¡°They don¡¯t want to be split up, and most trainers aren¡¯t willing to train identical Pok¨¦mon like that. They ended up working here after receiving advice from a passing Ace Trainer. They¡¯re trustworthy, and more importantly, very good at their jobs.¡±

    Nurse Joy smiled fondly at the two Gastly, and the pair of Pok¨¦mon perked up at the praise. Showing themselves off, they rose into the air, spiraling around one another and making it hard to tell them apart.

    ¡°Who¡¯s who?¡± Redi asked.

    Nurse Joy awkwardly cleared her throat.

    ¡°I, uh, may have given them nicknames,¡± she said as her face turned red.

    Bringing up a finger to point, Nurse Joy easily picked apart the two Gastly. As she said their nicknames, she pointed to one and then the other with surprising confidence.

    ¡°He¡¯s Tibia, and he¡¯s Fibula,¡± she said, naming two Pok¨¦mon.

    The Ghosts Types looked annoyed that Nurse Joy had told them apart with such ease.

    ¡°Nice to meet you two,¡± Sam said, bowing his head.

    Redi did the same, and both Pok¨¦mon tilted up ever so slightly, grinning at the respect they were being given.

    It didn¡¯t last long. Redi asked the question Sam was holding back.

    ¡°But how are a pair of Gastly going to protect us?¡±

    She received a set of glares, but she had a point. Two first-stage Pok¨¦mon would be useless against Pok¨¦mon as strong as the ones in Petrel¡¯s team.

    ¡°Like I said, these two are detection specialists whose expertise doubles when hiding. Ghost Types attract Ghost Types, and they can lean into that spiritual sense to detect both living and unliving presences around them.¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes flicked to the wall behind Nurse Joy. Neither she nor the Gastly seemed aware of a pair of red eyes creeping up the dim shadows formed by the edges of the cabinets attached to the walls.

    ¡°With how close the Pok¨¦mon Center is to the local Gym, Tibia and Fibula¡¯s roles are more based on detecting threats and getting help if their presence alone doesn¡¯t dissuade the invader. All it takes is a light push from a Noctowl to scare anything off, but that¡¯s only happened once. An abandoned Duskull was trying to make its way in, and we were able to recapture and rehome the Pok¨¦mon after it was found out.¡±

    The red eyes on the wall reached a point near the ceiling, and Haunter peeled himself out like a sticker or a tag. He silently floated closer and closer to try to scare the two Gastly that were now in the room.

    But, at the very last moment, they snapped around to blow far-too-wet raspberries at him. His expression fell at the failure, and the two Ghost Types cackled.

    ¡°Alright. You¡¯ve sold me,¡± Sam said, watching as Haunter re-entered the shadows to drip back towards the floor like a splotch of wet, depressed paint.

    ¡°If they could detect Haunter, I guess this can work,¡± Redi said, scratching at her chin. ¡°So it¡¯s less about them fighting alongside us, and more of giving them a heads up if someone like Petrel tries to ambush and catch us in a fight? Except...¡±

    She hesitated.

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    ¡°This is gonna sound mean, but if we need protection, I would¡¯ve expected the Pok¨¦mon to, y¡¯know, actually protect us?¡±

    To add to her point, she lifted her leg with the sprained ankle and lightly shook it. The injury came from them trying to escape. If Petrel had won, he would have been able to do a lot worse than that.

    ¡°The idea is more that you don¡¯t get into those fights,¡± Nurse Joy answered. ¡°With these two¡¯s help, you¡¯d run away or know to contact the League, instead. But there¡¯s always the possibility that he or someone else reaches you regardless. With the rate you two are developing, losing battles will only be an immediate worry. You¡¯ll be able to defend yourself soon enough, and my boys will be able to help you more than if they got in your way during a fight.¡±

    She paused briefly.

    ¡°Also, I was able to argue on your behalf, and the Pok¨¦mon League will provide you a Pok¨¦Gear to use in emergencies.¡±

    ¡°A free Pok¨¦Gear? Sweet,¡± Redi said, grinning.

    But Sam wasn¡¯t smiling. While Nurse Joy had expressed great confidence in their potential, the threat of Petrel was short-term. They didn¡¯t have the strength to ward him away right now.

    Sam¡¯s team was rated at five stars. Redi¡¯s was rated at four. However, her Pok¨¦mon had a strength comparable to Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, it was just that her team¡¯s lack of numbers was a blow when it came to grading her overall strength.

    Star ratings implied that the rated team would be able to win a basic Gym Battle worth the equivalent level of badges. A five-star team was nothing to scoff at, especially since most trainers dropped out at around four.

    If Sam had to guess the strength of Petrel¡¯s team, he¡¯d say it was at a high seven stars. The man hadn¡¯t sent out many direct combatants, but the sheer number of Koffing at his disposal could fill in the gaps between his other strong Pok¨¦mon.

    Petrel would be able to defeat them, and even with the two Gastly, he would win if he caught Sam and Redi alone. The gap in strength was just too big. The lack of defense almost felt...

    Purposeful.

    ¡°We¡¯re bait,¡± Sam said the moment he had the realization.

    Based on the wince that came across Nurse Joy¡¯s face, Sam could tell he was right.

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Nurse Joy answered reluctantly. ¡°I tried to fight against the plan, but from what little he was able to explain over call, he was insistent that you two would be able to handle it.¡±

    She then sent Sam a sharp look that passed just as quickly as it came.

    ¡°I was going to explain it to you, but I haven''t had the chance to speak yet.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam mumbled.

    ¡°...It''s okay,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s intentional that we aren''t providing you with a stronger Pok¨¦mon protector. We could have just as easily had Morty''s Pok¨¦mon protect you instead of primarily the Pok¨¦mon Center. The issue is that the Champion himself has stepped in and put capturing Petrel as the highest priority. Given you two are targets¡ª¡±

    ¡°If we''re too defended, that might scare Petrel away,¡± Redi pointed out.

    Nurse Joy frowned, but she kept talking.

    ¡°The one benefit of this situation is that we know Petrel is still in the city. That means he¡¯s locatable and able to be captured. Having him slip through our grasp means more than just putting you at risk, it means risking opening up the entire region to Team Rocket¡¯s expansion. As such, we¡¯re asking you to remain here.¡±

    ¡°...In Violet City?¡± Sam asked carefully.

    ¡°In the Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± she answered. ¡°In a place full of other trainers. In a building protected by Morty¡¯s team member. Somewhere that¡¯s safe.¡±

    Redi bristled at Nurse Joy''s words.

    ¡°We have errands to do! And the Gym is right across the street!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t let you do that. If Petrel gets desperate enough, even just stepping outside might see him attack. We don¡¯t know what he can do, and this Pok¨¦mon Center is extremely well-guarded. Even if he manages to slip through our defenses, Tibia and Fibula would be able to detect him and give you a heads-up so you can escape.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t like this. He appreciated the League¡¯s efforts to keep them safe, but he didn¡¯t like that they had to effectively sit around and wait for someone else to solve the problem. He couldn¡¯t exactly blame Nurse Joy, though. The League was doing its best to fight against Team Rocket. This situation was about more than just them. Sitting around the Pok¨¦mon Center would unfortunately help with that.

    ¡°This is annoying,¡± Redi said with a huff. ¡°But fine. I guess I¡¯ll be fine with waiting here if it means I can punch him in the face.¡±

    ¡°...Maybe,¡± Nurse Joy said, humming. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can arrange that.¡±

    Sam blinked at her.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    The head nurse completely ignored Sam¡¯s bewildered look.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have access to the courtyard out back, and I recommend spending your time here training to fight a difficult opponent. I dislike the current circumstances as well, but Morty has been placed in charge for a reason. Please, trust us. The League is doing its best.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah, I know,¡± Sam said reluctantly. ¡°I guess we can do that, but you said Morty is sending a stronger Pok¨¦mon here? And we¡¯ll be able to train against it?¡±

    Nurse Joy sat up a bit straighter, smiling to herself at Sam¡¯s eagerness.

    ¡°I did say that,¡± she answered. ¡°The Pok¨¦mon is from Morty¡¯s personal team. If you want to battle it...¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°Tonight,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to meet with them tonight.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam practically lived in the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s courtyard over the rest of the day. When he wasn¡¯t practicing with his team, he was reading, going through the New Pok¨¦dex, and committing as much information as he could to heart. He may have spent a little extra time on species like Golbat, Koffing, and Raticate, but he also searched around for other species that Petrel might have on his team.

    Would Petrel have a Ditto? That species can transform.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if a Ditto would pair well with a master of disguise.

    Sam had his Pok¨¦mon train. Everyone had their own goals. Quilava needed more powerful moves, Primeape had Rage to start with, Haunter was doing his best to figure out Shadow Ball, and Misdreavus...

    Misdreavus flitted between everyone else, bringing them into quick spars to let her learn their strengths. She had a lot of moves to work on, and she still had catch-up to get through. While her natural power was impressive, she hadn¡¯t been with the team for very long. She still needed to familiarize herself with everyone¡¯s capabilities and the team¡¯s overall strategies.

    Redi was, unfortunately, unable to have Ursaring practice Hyper Beam in such a confined courtyard, but she could still have her team practice other moves. That meant Thrash for Ursaring. The recently-learned Tri-Attack for Porygon. And between her two team members, moves that could buff them up¡ªSwords Dance and Agility respectively.

    Sam didn¡¯t want to admit that he was jealous, but he was a little jealous. Redi knew by heart how to make the most out of brute strength. Ursaring could take out even the toughest of Pok¨¦mon if he combined everything, chaining a Guts-boosted, Swords Dance-boosted, raw strength-fueled Slash.

    That doesn¡¯t even include the things she hasn¡¯t started working on yet. Once Ursaring figures out Facade, and once Porygon becomes familiar enough with the Psychic Type to use Trick Room...

    He was thankful Ghost Types were immune to Normal Types. Not even Primeape would be able to withstand a combination like that.

    The important part of this training was learning new, more powerful attacks and improving moves they were only just figuring out into something more battle-ready. It was less about increasing inherent strength and more about improving their skills. Considering the ferocity with which everyone threw themselves into training, Sam knew there would definitely be new developments in the coming days.

    Hours passed, and around dinner time, everyone pulled back to rest. They''d have a new training partner soon enough. Sam patiently waited for Morty''s Ghost Type to find time to appear.

    It eventually became late at night. Lights above the courtyard lit up the otherwise empty space. A few stars could be seen in the sky as only a handful of windows in the buildings surrounding them sent a warm glow inwards.

    Sam stood in the training field¡¯s center, and Redi and her injured foot were forced to sit on a nearby bench.

    ¡°What do you think it''s going to be?¡± she asked.

    Sam knew of a few of Morty''s team members, but he wouldn''t be surprised if the Gym Leader chose to send something more uncommon.

    ¡°It could be anything. Well, almost anything. Think of any species found in Indigo, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, and he probably has at least one training in his Gym.¡±

    Redi hummed for a while, wiggling her head out of boredom.

    ¡°Spiritomb,¡± she named.

    Sam sent her a look. That species was practically unheard of. Only Cynthia was known to have one, and she was the Champion of Sinnoh.

    ¡°Something more common,¡± Sam shot back.

    ¡°Gengar. Mismagius. Drifblim. Dusknoir,¡± she listed off.

    Credit to her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to name all those species just a few months ago. While he didn¡¯t have a response to that, Sam did feel a bit of pride.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nothing. Just smug.¡±

    ¡°About that list?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°You''re bragging about your teaching skills in your head, aren''t you?¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    She opened her mouth as if to prime a snarky response before choosing to close it instead. In deep thought, Redi looked down at the compacted dirt beneath her feet.

    A second passed before she next spoke. When she did, her voice was quiet and less boastful. There was thought behind every word. This wasn¡¯t anything she wanted to joke about.

    ¡°I...¡± she started hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying, recently. I want to learn more¡ªneed to learn more. It¡¯s becoming more and more obvious that pure strength isn''t enough. I¡¯m going to figure out more and better strategies for my team. If I don¡¯t, I won¡¯t be able to win against Walker¡¯s Gym. And if I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d be able to continue from there.¡±

    Sam went quiet as well, recognizing Redi¡¯s resolve. He was prepared to work with her at any cost.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± he declared.

    Redi looked up at him with a soft smile.

    ¡°Thanks, Sam.¡±

    He smiled back.

    More minutes passed, and Sam and Redi remained the only trainers within this outside field. Only two Ghost Types were out of their Pok¨¦balls¡ªthe two Gastly assigned to them by Nurse Joy earlier today.

    Those two tended to stick in shadow, and they preferred to stay hidden and not fall for any of Haunter¡¯s attempts to lure them out. They had a job and they liked their job. They might not be combatants, but they were experts at detection.

    But, eventually, a light flickered over the field. Mist on the glass made it hard to see into the Pok¨¦mon Center. While the chill wasn¡¯t as intense as he¡¯d felt it before, Sam did still notice something to the air around them.

    Redi seemed utterly unaware.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Sam said.

    She followed his gaze to the door of the Pok¨¦mon Center, and Sam found himself holding his breath as he waited for Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon to make an appearance. He expected billowing fog, clouds of darkness, and anything else to mark its entrance.

    This was the Pok¨¦mon that they¡¯d be training with. He¡¯d ask whatever it was to help them train and become stronger than Petrel. He doubted that his team would go through the same, drastic growth they¡¯d experienced before the tournament. Instead, the Pok¨¦mon would be a whetstone to sharpen his team¡¯s skills.

    And then, the doors opened up. Sam held his breath as he waited to see what it was. Bracing himself for whatever it¡¯d do, the Pok¨¦mon walked out.

    Well, it was more like it waddled out.

    A stocky Dusclops, a bipedal Pok¨¦mon of dusky, wrapped bandages, idly ambled out and passively glanced around with its single eye. Outside the mist on the windows, there was no special entrance to its appearance.

    Though a Ghost Type, its appearance was as casual as anyone else. Sam knew it was Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at how it seemed utterly mundane.

 Chapter 70

    The Dusclops shuffled more than it walked. Its feet dragged against the ground, each push forward corresponding with a shake. Its body was stiff, and it twisted to the side when it lifted its legs. A Pok¨¦mon on Morty¡¯s team had to be strong, but as Sam watched Dusclops move, all he could think was that the Pok¨¦mon looked... goofy.

    He heard a snort behind him. Redi covered her mouth. Likely, the only reason she didn¡¯t outright laugh was out of respect for a member of Morty¡¯s personal team. Gym Leaders had to be able to provide the appropriate challenges for trainers, which usually meant viable Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t outpace an eight-star challenge. Dusclops represented a step above that, as Morty¡¯s team was publicly graded at nine.

    This Dusclops was likely one of the strongest Ghost Types in Johto, but nothing about it was that spooky to Sam. Yes, its appearance was creepy enough, and the way its singular eye seemed to both stare forward and stare right at him was unsettling, but there wasn¡¯t the usual deep chill in the air, and the lights above their heads were as bright and stable as always.

    It was just a Pok¨¦mon. It didn¡¯t carry the expected Ghost Type effects. Once it reached the center of the courtyard¡¯s battlefield, it stopped and shuffled a bit more to face the opposite end.

    ¡°Are you Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam called out to ask.

    He took a step forward to get closer. With her injured ankle, Redi stayed on the bench behind him.

    The Dusclops didn¡¯t verbalize any answer. It had two large hands, paler than the rest of its body, that unconsciously clenched and unclenched as it stared towards the other side of the battlefield. It didn¡¯t do anything other than stand still and wait there.

    ¡°Nurse Joy said we could ask you to help us train,¡± Sam said slowly. ¡°So... Would you be willing to help us train?¡±

    Nothing.

    It was like talking to a brick wall.

    Annoyed, Sam sent a glance toward Redi, but she just shrugged instead of giving any advice. Beneath her bench, a Gastly hovered above its shadow and watched the much stronger Ghost Type curiously. Sam couldn¡¯t tell if the Gastly was Tibia or Fibula.

    Though the Dusclops never reacted to Sam or Redi, its position hinted at its intentions. It very deliberately stood in the center of the battlefield, and though it was no longer looking at Sam, it was looking at the trainer box opposite to it. Sam couldn¡¯t exactly say it was staring expectantly with how unemotional its face was, but it clearly wanted something to happen.

    ¡°So we are battling you,¡± he said.

    If Primeape was out, the ape Pok¨¦mon would have lost his head over how the Dusclops refused to do anything but stand there.

    Sam moved back closer to Redi, wanting a quick chat before either of them came to a decision.

    ¡°This thing is getting on my nerves,¡± she grumbled, peeling her eyes away from Dusclops as Sam approached.

    ¡°If I was Morty... maybe this is a test? He could have told his Pok¨¦mon to help us train, and a spar is a good way to determine a baseline.¡±

    Redi frowned, glancing between Sam and the Dusclops. Something unhappy flashed across her face.

    ¡°So, what, we fight it one at a time?¡± she asked.

    ¡°We could do a double battle?¡± Sam offered. ¡°I don¡¯t think it has strong opinions about how we do this.¡±

    Redi grunted and leaned back against the bench. Even with them barely bothering to lower their voices, the Dusclops made no effort to react to their conversation about it.

    ¡°Yeah, I want to fight it,¡± Redi said after several long seconds, ¡°but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the right choice. At least not right now. I... can¡¯t let myself jump into battles without thinking. Can you fight it? I think I¡¯m gonna stay here and do my best to think up a counter strategy. We¡¯ll turn this into practice for both of us.¡±

    Sam took in her look, seeing the hardness in her eyes. Her goal was to improve her skill at strategy. From experience, he knew observing could help.

    ¡°Alright. Then I expect a breakdown of both sides when I get back.¡±

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t give me homework!¡±

    He smirked at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Sam snickered as he walked off, knowing that Redi would try to go overboard now, just to tick him off.

    As he moved over to the empty trainer box, Sam took in Dusclops. He knew Morty had a few Gengar he personally trained, and the Gym Leader¡¯s Mismagius had made them tea back in Ecruteak. Dusclops wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon commonly found in Johto, but it was common to Sam¡¯s home in the nearby Hoenn. It wasn¡¯t unfounded for one to be present in the region, and it had likely trained for a long time if it was a part of Morty¡¯s public team.

    Except, Sam had spent years looking into the Ghost Type. He had no memory of actually seeing a Dusclops in any of Morty¡¯s battles posted online.

    So what do I know about Dusclops? They¡¯re pure Ghost Types. Low stamina but high defenses. The species is entirely hollow, capable of hypnosis, and it¡¯s said that anyone who looks into a Dusclops¡¯s body gets their soul sucked away.

    He almost missed his next step.

    But they also say that about Shedinja and a lot of other Ghost Types. I haven¡¯t really heard of anyone dying to them, so that¡¯s probably not relevant.

    Upon reaching the trainer box, Sam¡¯s hand lingered above the Pok¨¦balls on his belt. His team had been returned earlier just in case of a battle like this. Now, Dusclops was staring at Sam. It passively clenched its hands once more.

    Sam could almost call the movement a stretch to warm up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sending out my Pok¨¦mon to try to defeat you. We need practice against stronger opponents. I¡¯m hoping that you can help us with that,¡± he said.

    The Dusclops¡¯s red eye looked as though it was burning. The shadows under its feet began to darken, and Sam felt his heart skip a few beats in his chest.

    It was ready to fight. Sam was more excited than he was afraid.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be the strongest Ghost Type we¡¯ve ever faced, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going to win!¡± he called out. ¡°We¡¯re starting! Quilava! Will-O-Wisp!¡±

    There was no referee to guide their battle, and Redi was busy trying to figure out a counter strategy for Dusclops. Sam would be the one to determine how the battle progressed, and given how strong the Dusclops likely was, he didn¡¯t think it was too out of place for him to start the battle on his own.

    He tossed a Pok¨¦ball into the air, and a red light burst onto the field. Quilava appeared and exploded forward, motes of flame sparking up to float around her.

    She immediately dashed to the side, circling Dusclops with incredible speed. Her fur glowed with embers¡ªQuick Attack let her move with that initial burst, and then Flame Charge gave her the momentum to keep going.

    The Dusclops didn¡¯t move as she kept a distance away but also never once let her eyes look away. She built up the number of flames floating around her while tracking the motionless Dusclops on the field. It didn¡¯t react to her presence, and it didn¡¯t even turn its head. Though she was using Will-O-Wisp, she didn¡¯t unleash it just yet. She was trying to gauge her foe to figure out the best way to send out her attack.

    ¡°When you can!¡± Sam yelled.

    Quilava skidded to a halt and let her flames sail forward with the same momentum. They started to curve in their path, but before they could get anywhere close, Sam felt all the air leave his throat.

    He started to choke, unable to breathe. It was like someone had taken millions of needles made of ice and stabbed them into every inch of his bones at once.

    Quilava¡¯s fur stood up all across her body, and her eyes were wide with fear. The space around Dusclops was hazy.

    Even Redi looked pale.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s P-Pressure,¡± Sam gritted out.

    He was shivering. The Dusclops was glowering. Pressure wasn¡¯t a move, it was an ability. Most books described it as an effect that made it hard for Pok¨¦mon to use moves.

    In this case, it was like the entire power of the Ghost Type on the field was bearing down on him and his Pok¨¦mon. Every single Will-O-Wisp winked out. Quilava¡¯s pupils were as wide as they could go. The Dusclops didn¡¯t even bother to look their way, but if Sam had to describe the emotion that had finally overcome its previously expressionless face, the Dusclops looked annoyed.

    ¡°It¡¯s just Pressure!¡± Sam repeated, clenching his fists to give himself the courage to shout. ¡°Just an ability! It can¡¯t prevent you from doing anything, just make it harder to use moves!¡±

    Quilava took a shaky step back, hackles raised. However, even though she was so stiff, that one step was enough to inform her that there wasn¡¯t anything physical keeping her down, and she was able to slowly regain a semblance of her speed as she resumed her circle around Dusclops.

    While nothing had changed about the Ghost Type, Sam swore that its red eye wavered synchronized with the flickering of flames. It didn¡¯t look at Quilava¡ªit looked at Sam. There was a silent question about its expression.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Did you think that would be enough?¡±

    Sam snarled. Having Quilava use Will-O-Wisp wasn¡¯t them holding back. Leading with Quilava was the basis of their strategy. She used her speed and flames to test and prod her opponents, gauging their strength to inform Sam about the rest of the fight.

    But if the Dusclops wanted to face something more, then Sam was willing to oblige.

    ¡°Return!¡± Sam shouted.

    He could have ordered a Smokescreen, but he had a strong gut feeling that losing sight of Dusclops would be a horrible mistake.

    Replacing Quilava was Misdreavus. Her usual soft smile fell the moment she was subjected to Dusclops¡¯s Pressure. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t freeze up and even seemed more ready than normal to fight in this battle. Her eyes met Dusclops¡¯s eye, and the Ghost Type¡¯s gaze finally flicked away from Sam to look at her¡ªif only for the briefest moments.

    ¡°We might not have those utility moves mastered, but you still have your attacks, Misdreavus!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Shadow Ball! Harry it! Focus on your speed!¡±

    Misdreavus cried her name, the sound of her voice transitioning into a haunting cry. Shadows gathered ahead of her mouth to form a Shadow Ball that rocketed forward.

    Dusclops responded by merely holding its hands out, its fingers outstretched to let it present its palms. Instead of the Shadow Ball bursting against its body, the move was stopped in its tracks.

    The attack utterly froze in the air, being held in place via Dusclops¡¯s two hands. All of the move¡¯s momentum vanished, and without any movement to it, the Shadow Ball was less willing to stay together. It fell apart, dissipating. Dusclops looked unaffected.

    ¡°What was that, Sam?¡± Redi shouted. There was worry in her voice.

    Misdreavus didn¡¯t move. She stared at Dusclops in shock.

    ¡°That was... nothing. It was nothing. Dusclops didn¡¯t use a move. It wasn¡¯t a technique. It just used its... inherent tankiness.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t stop the nervous laugh that left his throat.

    Shadow Ball might not have carried the guaranteed effects of Acid Spray, but it had a small chance of weakening its target''s defenses. That was what Sam had been hoping for by having Misdreavus use Shadow Ball; she could force Dusclops to take a bit of damage while fishing for the shadows to seep into it and make it more vulnerable to further special moves.

    That obviously hadn¡¯t happened.

    Misdreavus, after taking a moment to recover, narrowed her eyes, and she rushed to the side to fly around Dusclops in a circle, not unlike Quilava before her. This time, when she used Shadow Ball, she didn¡¯t take as long to build it up and kept the attack small but quick. In a regular barrage, she unleashed her shadowy spheres many times over. The Dusclops never once turned to face her, and unlike that large, initial Shadow Ball, each one of these attacks hit with ease.

    They weren¡¯t large enough to carry the effect Sam wanted, but they were at least damaging to the high-level Dusclops. Sam pushed through the feeling of Pressure around him to smile. While Misdreavus had to fight to attack, she was attacking. Even if she wasn¡¯t able to do anything else, she was at least dealing a bit of damage that the rest of his team could capitalize on.

    Her barrage continued, but Dusclops never once winced. The super effective moves left marks, yet the Pok¨¦mon never reacted to the pain. It remained in place as Misdreavus continued her assault. By the end of it, she was left panting. Using so many attacks under Pressure had taken its toll.

    It was then that Dusclops finally moved. It shuffled in place, turning towards Misdreavus. Darkened spots marred its body, and its dusky bandages had bent inwards where it had been hit.

    Weirdly enough, Sam would have said it almost looked close to fainting. However, that thought didn¡¯t last. Misdreavus began to scream.

    Dusclops¡¯s eye didn¡¯t glow with any specific move, but the space around its red pupil became covered in a haze. The darkened marks on Dusclops¡¯s body faded away only to start reappearing on Misdreavus herself.

    ¡°...Pain Split,¡± Sam mumbled. He rubbed his temples, frustrated.

    Pain Split took the pain of both Pok¨¦mon and ¡®equalized¡¯ it between the two of them. Given that Misdreavus was in perfect health, Dusclops was healing its injuries by transferring them to her.

    ¡°Return,¡± Sam said.

    While he desperately wanted to win this, he also recognized that there was no point in leaving Misdreavus out. Pressure meant she was already exhausted, and while the equalizing effect of Pain Split meant it could never faint her, it could still prime her to be knocked out with only a single further blow.

    ¡°Primeape!¡± Sam yelled.

    Like Quilava, the angry Fighting Type hit the field running. Primeape didn¡¯t bother to listen to Sam¡¯s command¡ªhe had likely been paying attention from inside his Pok¨¦ball and wanted to show off what he could do.

    Too angry to be stopped by Dusclops¡¯s Pressure, Primeape bounded forward, hand over foot, to reach where Dusclops stood. Along the way, the Ghost Type¡¯s eye flashed blue, but nothing came of it. Primeape was able to land a single, solid Ice Punch to the middle of Dusclops¡¯s face.

    ¡°There you go! Try for a Fire Punch next! See if you can burn it!¡± Sam yelled.

    The impact of the Ice Punch didn¡¯t send Dusclops flying away, but the Pok¨¦mon was still pushed an inch back along the ground. It wasn¡¯t that Dusclops moved, it was that the dirt itself couldn¡¯t resist the force of the punch.

    It was still something, and Primeape¡¯s eyes twitched upwards to hint at a bloodthirsty smirk. With Dusclops making no moves to defend itself, Primeape unleashed attacks to furiously wail on his foe.

    ¡°Mix it up! Swap between Ice Punch and Fire Punch!¡± Sam yelled.

    Primeape couldn¡¯t maintain both at once, but each fist flashed between the appropriate Type of energy. Steam entered the air above them. Sam hoped that these attacks could inflict some kind of status condition, or that the rapid temperature change would help to wear down Primeape¡¯s opponent.

    With every punch, Dusclops took the attack, but at several points, it was like the impact never happened. Sometimes Primeape¡¯s punches would deal damage, and sometimes they wouldn¡¯t.

    It knows Protect, doesn¡¯t it?

    The occasional lack of effect told Sam he was right.

    Getting annoyed at the lack of anything, really, Primeape paused to glare at the Ghost Type. Both he and Sam noticed something about Dusclops¡¯s body.

    Embers lingered at the edges of several bandages on its chest.

    Fire Punch had somehow managed to inflict a burn, and Primeape was ready to finish the battle. He drew back an arm, gloved hand turning Dark for an Assurance that¡¯d take advantage of the lingering status effect.

    Except, the punch was never thrown. Dusclops¡¯s eye flashed for a sudden Pain Split, and out of nowhere, a blue flash of light suddenly slammed Primeape into the ground.

    ¡°...And what was that, Sam?¡± Redi asked.

    For some reason, she sounded tired.

    ¡°Future Sight.¡± Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°That¡¯s why Dusclops¡¯s eye flashed blue at the start.¡±

    Primeape wasn¡¯t fainted, but he was struggling to push himself up. Dusclops wasn''t the strongest attacker around, so the super-effective Future Sight meant Primeape was like Misdreavus¡ªa light breeze away from fainting.

    Sam returned him, stewing where he stood. On his team, there was only a single Pok¨¦mon yet to battle, but he hesitated instead of immediately grabbing the Pok¨¦ball.

    I doubt Hypnosis will work. I¡¯m pretty sure Dusclops can learn Disable.

    He was about to call it here until he remembered something important¡ªembers were actively flaking off of Dusclops¡¯s body.

    ¡°Tibia! Fibula!¡± Sam shouted.

    One Pok¨¦mon left Sam¡¯s shadow and the other pulled out from under Redi¡¯s bench. Two Ghost Types looked at Sam curiously. He glanced between them to make sure they were able to act.

    ¡°Are we being watched?¡± he asked.

    Both of them faded away before reappearing a second later. They shook their heads in unison.

    ¡°Good,¡± Sam replied. ¡°So anyone who might have been watching is asleep. We¡¯re safe.¡±

    Grinning, Sam tossed Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball high into the air and gave the first command he truly felt confident about.

    ¡°Hex!¡±

    Haunter didn¡¯t hesitate. The second he emerged, he cackled, finally having the chance to use this move against such a powerful foe.

    From around Haunter, deep purple flames spiraled out, forming a twister in the air around him. They left his body to float upwards before stabbing down at Dusclops like needles aimed at its skin.

    Dusclops didn¡¯t use an attack, and it didn¡¯t use Protect. At every point in which the burn ate at it, the flames of Hex merged with them and turned horrifyingly caustic. A concoction of both flame and darkness seeped into Dusclops¡¯s body. Hex was weaker than Shadow Ball in its base form, but when attacking a Pok¨¦mon subjected to a status condition, it dealt damage with twice the effectiveness.

    For once, for once, Sam saw an actual reaction.

    Dusclops took a step back from the pain, and it furrowed its single eye.

    Haunter was still cackling. He held up his floating hands, taking a pose that would have worked better with lightning flashing behind him. More darkened fire entered the air, a swarm of Hex¡¯s fire swirling under his control.

    Two identical names were whispered as Tibia and Fibula watched in awe. They were unable to look away, completely enraptured by Haunter¡¯s show.

    ¡°Keep it up,¡± Sam said. He was happy to brag for once. He wasn¡¯t worried that Tibia and Fibula would learn about Hex¡ªthey weren¡¯t battlers, and they technically belonged to a nurse. As for Dusclops, Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon already knew about Hex, as that was what let Sam connect to the Gym Leader in the first place.

    Except, when the Dusclops began to use a move, Sam realized he had missed something.

    Between its Pressure, its defenses, its protective moves, and the reactionary Future Sight, Dusclops had never unleashed a direct attack.

    Until now.

    Its singular eye locked onto Haunter, inspecting him to prepare. Less than a second later, the wispy strands on Dusclops¡¯s back shot out and stretched towards Haunter like tendrils of sentient fabric.

    They grabbed onto him, and his cackles were cut off by a sudden yelp. Haunter was torn out of the air to be pulled towards the ground, brought to be wrapped up right in front of Dusclops.

    ¡°It used Foresight to identify him,¡± Sam groaned, identifying the moves. ¡°And now it¡¯s using Bind.¡±

    Haunter looked like a mummy with how much Dusclops had wrapped him up. Foresight let Normal Type moves like Bind affect Ghost Types, as the move gave its user a way to detect where the targeted Ghost was the most solid.

    With Bind, Haunter was trapped, and Dusclops squeezed. This attack combined with Pressure made Haunter cry out his name in pain. Even though Acid Spray might have been able to eat away at the bands, this wasn¡¯t everything Dusclops could do. Even if Haunter could escape, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do so without invoking some other cost.

    ¡°We forfeit,¡± Sam said reluctantly. Dusclops immediately released Haunter to be returned.

    While the rest of Sam¡¯s team could still fight, he saw no reason to send them out. Winning wasn¡¯t the point of this spar. It was to test themselves against a stronger Pok¨¦mon and see how they all compared.

    His thoughts: they had a long way to go.

    From off to the side, Redi looked between Sam and Dusclops.

    ¡°I¡¯d come over to talk about what just happened, but, y¡¯know,¡± she said, gesturing to her ankle.

    Sam walked over to her. So did Dusclops. As they regrouped, Sam took out a spray to heal Dusclops of both its injuries and burn.

    ¡°We can¡¯t even compare to Morty¡¯s personal team,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Everyone I sent out was met with a counter, and Dusclops is only one Pok¨¦mon. I can¡¯t imagine all the strategies his other Pok¨¦mon have. How many tricks does Morty have? How many different ways can he have his team fight?¡±

    Sam shook his head, pulling back when he was pretty sure Dusclops was healed.

    ¡°And even when Dusclops took damage, that was just to set up Pain Split. The only moment of success we had was when we inflicted a status condition. So I guess that might be something to look more into? Trying harder to weaken tougher opponents to bring them down to our level?¡± he said.

    Rubbing her chin, Redi studied the Ghost Type next to them.

    ¡°Maybe. If Haunter was prepared for that Bind, I¡¯d say you might have been able to win. Another Hex and you probably could have won, but you weren¡¯t bothering to dodge in this fight, were you Dusclops?¡± she asked.

    It shook its head, an almost humorous motion given that it had to twist its body around. Now that the match was over, it was back to how it behaved at the start, looking as mundane as ever.

    But behind that mundanity, there was power. And knowing what lurked underneath its goofy appearance made Dusclops that much more intimidating.

    ¡°If I had to describe your strategy...¡± Sam said slowly, looking the Pok¨¦mon up and down. ¡°With your low stamina, one Pain Split can bring you to near-full, and then you could re-use the move again and again whenever you¡¯re hit. Even if you¡¯re wounded, you can turn around any battle thanks to that one move. That¡¯s the basis of all of your strategies, isn¡¯t it? When Morty fights, you¡¯re constantly bouncing between wounded and full health, right?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon nodded its head, and Redi let out a snort.

    ¡°Yeah, okay. Then I got nothing. I was gonna say that we could probably bum-rush it and try to overwhelm it even through Pain Split, but it¡¯s probably prepared for that. Maybe if Ursaring knew Shadow Claw, we¡¯d have a chance, but he doesn¡¯t know it.¡± She paused. ¡°What if Porygon used a slow build-up of Charge Beam from range?¡±

    ¡°Disable,¡± Sam pointed out.

    ¡°Great,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Yeah, that wouldn¡¯t work. We need Ghost Type moves. You¡¯ve been holding back on us, Sam.¡±

    He winced at being called out. It¡¯d been a while and he still hadn¡¯t helped her team learn those new moves.

    ¡°A lot has been going on recently,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°Not anymore. We¡¯re stuck here.¡±

    Redi sent him a pointed stare.

    Sam looked down at the Dusclops, and it looked back up at him.

    He knew they could gain a lot from throwing themselves at it, but the main reason Dusclops was here was to protect the Pok¨¦mon Center. While it would help them train, they couldn¡¯t risk making it too injured.

    There was that, and there was that strength wasn¡¯t what they needed to gain. A good strategy could make all the difference in the world, and Sam needed to figure something out if he wanted them to make any headway against Petrel.

    Dusclops was a sparring partner at most, and Sam went through the possibilities in his head.

    Sure, it could help with teaching Ghost Type moves, but there was something else it possessed that they could use to improve.

    ¡°Ever heard of training weights?¡± Sam asked Redi.

    ¡°...I¡¯m the one who told you about them in the first place,¡± she flatly replied.

    Training weights were held items that slowed a Pok¨¦mon but encouraged certain forms of growth¡ªusually coming in the form of a Macho Brace or a Power Item. Sam and Redi never bothered with them due to how expensive they were, and the actual benefits of them varied from species to species and individual to individual.

    For the average trainer, they simply weren¡¯t worth the investment.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking... I can use Dusclops to test out new strategies,¡± Sam said. ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for you to occasionally spar against us and try to dismantle any new ideas we send your way, yeah?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon nodded.

    ¡°I see. Thank you. So then...¡± He paused to weigh the idea a bit more. It felt a little ridiculous. ¡°What if, between those moments, you put your Pressure on our Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°As a training weight?¡± Redi interjected.

    ¡°Exactly! We aren¡¯t catching up to Petrel¡¯s strength anytime soon, but we can potentially bridge that gap with skill. He isn¡¯t training. Morty¡¯s going to force him to be on the run. Using Pressure as a training weight means our Pok¨¦mon would need to learn to use moves with greater control and efficiency. So, if we try to build up that habit...¡±

    ¡°I like that idea,¡± Redi said, exposing her teeth in a smile.

    Happy with his plan, Sam faced Dusclops once more.

    ¡°What do you say? Are you willing to help us with that?¡±

    When it silently agreed, Sam couldn¡¯t help but to grin.

 Chapter 71 - Morty Interlude

    Morty first heard the story soon after he became Ecruteak¡¯s Gym Leader. The average person was more focused on the story¡¯s conclusion, but his position allowed him to learn of the events that transpired along the way.

    Red was a household name back then. Less so now, but it used to be that every aspiring trainer kept that name on the forefront of their minds. He was a boy, barely a teen, who somehow managed to sweep through every Gym of Kanto and utterly demolish the standing Elite Four, becoming the strongest trainer around within a single season.

    A prodigy, he was called. A master, he was declared. Given that Red achieved this while testing Professor Oak¡¯s Pok¨¦dex, demand for the device skyrocketed soon afterward.

    Lorelei was never the same after a single Pikachu swept her team. Bruno began to strive to get even stronger, and Agatha simply harrumphed and carried on like nothing had happened. Lance, however, took Red as a sign for change. There¡¯d been no Indigo Champion until then. The previous Champion stepped down without a successor, wishing for Johto and Kanto to heal without a single individual dictating their fates. The Elite Four had served as a guiding council for decades, and that kept true until Red made his grand appearance.

    Though there were grumblings in Johto, Lance hailed from the region, and he was the one to push for the boy to ascend into that role. People questioned why someone as young as Red was being given a position of such responsibility, and Lance answered that Red would grow into his duties. He didn¡¯t need to do everything right away.

    Support from every member of the Elite Four alongside every Gym Leader across both regions quieted down the criticism. One of the first things Morty had done as Gym Leader was help in that regard.

    It wasn¡¯t until after Red disappeared into seclusion that details about the boy¡¯s journey spread. With only his team of six by his side, Red had swept through the burgeoning Team Rocket and prevented the criminal organization from expanding further.

    No one was sure how he managed to do it, but given Team Rocket effectively fell apart after his journey, the events were believed. Conspiracy nuts threw out so many wild theories about Red¡¯s disappearance that the news was impossible to follow for weeks, but Lance was so genuinely distraught, that Morty believed his claims that Red left on his own discretion.

    But with that sudden gap, Lance was forced to take up the role of Champion¡ªa reluctant transition, surprisingly enough¡ªand the chaos slowly died down. Without a peep from the League about Red¡¯s whereabouts, people stopped thinking about the young prodigy. It all happened so quickly that the story seemed to have faded from public memory. The sole fact that remained was that Lance was Champion now, and he was likely here to stay.

    Currently? Team Rocket was back. Out of nowhere, the criminal organization reappeared, and it was rapidly growing in both power and influence. For years, it had been nothing but a rumor, existing only as whispers of remnants popping up here and there. No one had realized that Red only sent the organization into hiding. Team Rocket hid, reorganized, and came back stronger.

    As for Lance, he refused to let Team Rocket win. He was simultaneously a member of the Elite Four and the Champion of Indigo, and that came with expectations. Though he had the strength, he needed to prove he could live up to the precedent set by Red before him.

    Lance¡¯s goal was to utterly tear apart Team Rocket. Ascending to the role of Champion due to Red¡¯s disappearance meant his authority had tenuous backing. He strove to prove his critics wrong, assisting on the front lines of assaults while also doing his best to organize counter-operations and investigations across the rest of the region. Lance needed that win, but more importantly, he needed to keep Indigo safe.

    And now, with someone like Petrel showing up in Johto, of all places, Lance was utterly infuriated. As Morty¡¯s assistance had already been requested, the Champion had gone ahead to personally order Morty to capture Petrel at all costs.

    ¡°Oh, Walker,¡± Morty sighed, adjusting the goggles on his head. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have been around for this? Did you really need to be out of the city while we know Team Rocket is around?¡±

    Morty¡¯s scooter zoomed towards Violet City. Drifblim had taken him most of the way, but his entrance would be far less assuming on the back of a scooter rather than inside a basket attached to a foreign Pok¨¦mon. In his current outfit, no one would recognize him. He wore a leather jacket, a proper helmet, goggles, and a thick scarf that covered his lower face.

    (His usual, far more recognizable scarf had been left at home.)

    Morty was heading to Violet City a full day after being contacted, unfortunately needing the delay to ensure nothing would be disturbed by his sudden departure. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too uncommon for a Gym Leader to become ¡°inspired¡± and schedule a surprise trip for training purposes, especially since Morty had been training his team far more often this season. No one blinked an eye when he said he planned to leave for a few days, and heading out like this was a good excuse to give his Gym Trainers practice running the Gym on their own.

    But Morty wasn¡¯t here to train. He was here on a job, one critical to the fate of Johto. The responsibility was weighing on his shoulders, the Champion was breathing down his neck, and he was dealing with the stress that came from leading a major operation away from his hometown for the first time in... well, ever.

    In the past, Morty had only ever left Ecruteak for a quick trip or to help deal with an aggressive, wild ghost. Ecruteak City was easy. While large, its people were tied closely to the going-ons of the city. Outside of Azalea Town, it had the lowest amount of crime per capita¡ªhelped by the large Ghost Type presence, if he had to be honest. While Morty couldn¡¯t begrudge being brought onto this task, he couldn¡¯t lie and say he didn¡¯t want to be home training with his team right now.

    Zooming into the city, Morty soon found himself stuck behind a large truck. The heavy vehicle slowed him to a crawl with how it trudged down the road.

    Thankfully, this was an opportunity, and with his mouth hidden by his scarf, he began to whisper short commands.

    ¡°Start heading out,¡± he said quietly, his voice drowned out by the engine of the truck for anyone not nearby. ¡°Each of you start claiming city blocks, and double up if you run out of available room. Listen to Gengar, Gengar, and Sableye. Those three are in charge for now.¡±

    On the road, a car passed him, going the other way. As it did, shadows peeled off from under Morty¡¯s scooter to slip under the other moving vehicle. Carrying capacity for Ghost Types was... complicated, to say the least. Morty intended to bring only the five remaining members of his core team with him, but it wasn¡¯t like he could stop anyone else from tagging along if they so wanted.

    Riding his scooter, Morty took a circuitous route through Violet City, not heading straight to the Gym, but going from street to street and moving out from behind that annoying truck. He covered as much land as possible as more and more Ghost Types split off to follow through with their job.

    Eventually, Morty was left with only two Pok¨¦mon¡ªDrifblim, resting in his Pok¨¦ball after traveling such a long way, and Mismagius, who preferred to keep near Morty just in case. While the rest of his team searched the city and directed the weaker Ghost Types that had come along, those two would serve as his support as well as his main battlers if he ever found himself caught in a fight.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said quietly, turning left on the road into a garage.

    A low purr came out alongside the humming of his scooter¡¯s engine. Mismagius had been one of the first Pok¨¦mon to join him, and Morty appreciated her willingness to stay.

    His team was currently at nine-stars, up from their peak eight-stars at the end of the previous season. Star ratings for high-level trainers were a bit different, as they tended to be both more rigid and more flexible at the same time. Strength was strength; it became harder and harder to overwhelm opponents of a higher level. However, as Pok¨¦mon developed, they gained more options in battle, which meant more ways to win and more ways to ¡°punch upwards,¡± so to speak.

    As he parked his scooter in a spot reserved for League employees, Morty mused on a certain challenge coming up at the end of the season.

    Overcoming a multi-star difference isn¡¯t common, but it is possible. Lance¡¯s team is rated to be at almost thirteen stars, but the right moves and the right strategy can let us cross that difference. Beating him would be definite proof of my skill as a trainer. And then if I prove myself to be truly powerful...

    He shook his head to refocus himself, and he used his ID to unlock the electronic lock of the door leading into the building.

    Morty wasn¡¯t in the Gym just yet, but he was in a complex located on the same block, which was entirely owned by the League. This place offered cheap yet quality housing for Pok¨¦mon League employees and their families. After all, there were more than just trainers who worked for the region-wide organization.

    He walked through the complex¡¯s lower hallway, and he walked through a small, park-like courtyard behind it. A few Flying Types nested in trees watched him pass, and a pair of sliding glass doors allowed him to enter the Gym itself through a less public entrance.

    A trainer in this private, back lobby immediately stood up when Morty entered. Morty probably had several years on the boy, who wiped blue hair out of his eyes and approached him, bowing deeply in respect once he neared.

    ¡°Morty. Welcome!¡± the trainer said, bringing himself back up with a smile. ¡°My name is Falkner. Walker is my father. He¡¯s put me in charge of the Gym while he¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°...Pleasure to meet you,¡± Morty said, politely tilting his head back. ¡°So Walker really hasn¡¯t returned? I thought he¡¯d try to be here for something as important as this.¡±

    Falkner wasn¡¯t able to hide his wince, and he tried to avoid Morty¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s... out,¡± Falkner said, tense. ¡°Walker¡¯s on the trail of a rare Flying Type, and he assured me that we¡¯d be able to handle this, especially since you¡¯ll be involved. He seemed to think he wouldn¡¯t be needed.¡±

    Morty frowned, but he held back any improper comments. He held the correct opinion that Gym Leaders should be the trainers that led the protection of their cities. Walker might have been strong, but strength shouldn¡¯t have been the only factor. Gym Leaders needed to be responsible. If anything, Morty believed that trait was preferred.

    Walker¡¯s gotten worse. He¡¯s always left on trips before, but being out during a critical period like this is really something else.

    ¡°He¡¯s rather flighty, isn¡¯t he?¡± Morty quipped, attempting a light-hearted joke.

    Falkner didn¡¯t laugh. He merely turned and motioned for Morty to follow.

    ¡°This way,¡± he said flatly.

    Morty grimaced.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Maybe now¡¯s not the time.

    This back entrance was a lobby and reception of its own. It wasn¡¯t here to let trainers register for the Gym, but the sheer size of the Gym building itself meant it doubled as an office for the League¡¯s non-battling staff. Silver Town and Indigo Plateau weren¡¯t the only places the Pok¨¦mon League handled its business. It had offices throughout Johto, as it was responsible for every trainer and Pok¨¦mon in the region at once.

    Though, Morty didn¡¯t see any other people around. Even the receptionist¡¯s desk was empty, but there were a few wooden stands upon which Hoothoot perched and watched Falkner and Morty pass.

    ¡°They¡¯re... observant,¡± Falkner said, pausing to choose the right word. ¡°They¡¯re trained to inspect and remember anyone who enters the building. The Hoothoot are a security measure.¡±

    Morty purposefully stayed quiet, recognizing the seriousness of their current situation.

    An elevator brought them up to the appropriate floor. This back part of the building had its floors in the shape of large ¡°U¡±s, with the battling portion of the Gym existing in a tall, open-sky shaft placed towards the building¡¯s front. To Morty¡¯s understanding, there was a battlefield platform that could be raised up and down within it, but most of the local Flying Type trainers preferred the open air when training with their teams.

    A ding signaled the opening of the elevator doors, and they walked through an empty office space. Morty took a moment to reflect on how much more modern this place was compared to Ecruteak¡¯s Gym.

    ¡°In here,¡± Falkner said.

    The boy knocked on a closed door and waited. A trainer in a red vest¡ªan Ace Trainer¡ªopened it up to let them inside. A long table with a glass top stretched out before them. Five other Ace Trainers alongside the city¡¯s head nurse, Nurse Joy herself, stood around its sides.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Morty said, receiving a smattering of tense greetings in return.

    Falkner led him to the end of the table before very purposefully standing at Morty¡¯s side. Everyone else had papers before them, and an extra packet was passed along to Morty.

    As Morty started to skim through, Falkner cleared his throat, speaking up while Morty familiarized himself with what the League currently knew.

    ¡°Team Rocket is in the city,¡± Falkner announced, cutting to the chase. ¡°We¡¯ve been informed that a man strong enough to be one of the organization¡¯s lieutenants is present, and he¡¯s already attacked a pair of kids. Champion Lance has ordered us to capture him and prevent Team Rocket¡¯s expansion into Johto. Morty is here to assist. He¡¯ll be serving as the lead for this operation.¡±

    There was a small keyboard built into the table, and Morty stepped aside to let Falkner type. To Morty¡¯s surprise, the glass top of the table lit up. It wasn¡¯t just a screen; the light passed right through to align itself into images that floated in the air.

    And we¡¯re still using projectors in Ecruteak.

    Morty kept his expression serious as he finished skimming through.

    ¡°The lieutenant called himself Petrel,¡± Falkner continued. ¡°He has a Golbat, a Raticate, and an unknown number of Koffing under his command. According to our estimates, expect a seven-star level of strength, but there¡¯s no way of knowing that for sure given he¡¯s also been reported to be extremely skilled at disguise.¡±

    Pictures flashed through to show a few different people from all around Johto. None seemed to have anything in common outside of being male and having been seen near scenes of crimes. They stood at differing heights and had differing haircuts and even several different colors of eyes. Knowing about Petrel had let the League¡¯s analysts put the clues together, but Morty had trouble believing that these were all photos of the same guy.

    My Pok¨¦mon can tell if someone is disguised, but they aren¡¯t able to find out until they try a more... direct approach. This is going to be difficult.

    He put down the papers and turned to Falkner, who went quiet when he saw Morty was prepared to talk.

    ¡°Before I begin, I need to know, how much leeway is Lance giving us for this task?¡± Morty asked.

    Falkner frowned, pressing his lips together into a thin line.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t state any limitations,¡± the younger trainer said slowly. ¡°He said he¡¯d take responsibility for any trouble we make. He¡¯s refusing to let Team Rocket get a start in Johto. As far as I could tell, he cited Goldenrod as a mistake not to be repeated.¡±

    ¡°Still sour about that, huh?¡± Morty mumbled.

    The Goldenrod Game Corner hadn¡¯t been Team Rocket-owned, but it had been Team Rocket-affiliated. While the League knew poachers had been involved, they hadn¡¯t known who those poachers were involved with until now. Petrel¡¯s attack allowed an unfortunate number of puzzle pieces to fit together far too well.

    ¡°In the past, my Pok¨¦mon and I have searched cities for hidden actors,¡± Morty said, keeping the details vague. ¡°Since we have the experience, I¡¯m asking you all to rely on our skills. I¡¯ve already begun setting up a web to lock down parts of the city, and my Pok¨¦mon will be sweeping through obvious areas sector by sector. What steps has Violet Gym put in place so far?¡±

    One Ace Trainer locked eyes with Morty, and Morty tilted his head slightly to permit them to speak.

    ¡°We have Noctowl on rotation guarding our streets. We¡¯ve increased the number active and randomized their schedule to prevent prediction. They¡¯re supported by a few other species on less regular patrols¡ªPidgeotto, Fearow¡ªbut Noctowl¡¯s Foresight specifically should allow them to pierce through any disguises.¡±

    ¡°And how many Noctowl do you have trained?¡± Morty asked.

    ¡°Thirteen,¡± came the answer.

    That''s not enough. No wonder they need support.

    Thankfully, with carefully plotted patrols, thirteen Flying Types would be enough to tell if anyone tried to leave the city while in disguise.

    There¡¯d been no such person so far.

    ¡°Do we have any protections against teleportation?¡± Morty asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re pretty sure that Petrel is traveling on foot or via his Golbat, but we still have a few safeguards in place just in case. Nothing to outright stop teleportation, but our Xatu will be able to detect anyone teleporting in and out.¡±

    As far as Morty knew, there was no such thing as a dual Dark and Psychic Type in Johto, so they didn¡¯t need to worry about any use of Teleport going unnoticed. The number of species that could use Teleport was higher than one would think, but only Psychic Type Pok¨¦mon had the skill to bring themselves and their partners more than a few hundred feet at a time. Even then, such use involved enough energy that the League would know if someone tried to move cross-region.

    ¡°Anything else I should know?¡± Morty asked for a final question.

    ¡°The leader of Kanto¡¯s Ace Trainer forces, Giovanni, has thankfully stepped in and provided us with a few places to keep an eye on,¡± the same Ace Trainer answered. ¡°Throughout Johto, the League has people watching ports, radio towers, and the under-construction bullet train that¡¯ll connect Goldenrod and Saffron. However, there¡¯s nothing inside Violet City. As far as we can tell, Petrel doesn¡¯t have many reasons to be here.¡±

    That meant the criminal had two main goals¡ªexpanding Team Rocket and recapturing a certain rare Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be changing your strategy just yet,¡± Morty started. ¡°You know your city better than me, and I trust that you know what defenses need to be in place. What we need to worry about is our lack of information¡ªwe simply don¡¯t know enough about Petrel to make any other moves. My Pok¨¦mon should be able to finish discovering any key hiding places or gaps in your patrols by the end of today. We¡¯ll wait until tonight to adjust our strategies.¡±

    He got a round of confirmations in response. It was nice to see that even if Walker was gone, the trainers stationed in the city all seemed to be capable.

    Morty shared a bit more about how his Ghost Types would act. Primarily, Ghost Types instinctually liked to hide, which meant they were exceptional when it came to discovering ways others were trying to stay unknown. After searching through Violet City, they¡¯d report to Morty and tell him all of the best places they¡¯d found. That, and they¡¯d also be able to detect any flaws with the defenses currently in place. Morty doubted they¡¯d find Petrel outright, but they¡¯d help set up everything just right to force the man in the direction they needed him to go.

    ¡°This will be a long process. Until we capture Petrel or confirm he¡¯s left the city, we¡¯ll stay on high alert. Are there any questions?¡± he asked.

    Everyone seemed to understand what they needed to do. Morty nodded once, satisfied.

    ¡°Then, for now, report to Falkner to continue managing your Flying Types. Falkner, you¡¯ll report to me if anything seems off.¡±

    The younger trainer stiffened at being singled out, but he stood at attention and saluted Morty, which made Morty chuckle. He proceeded to dismiss everyone here¡ªit didn¡¯t make sense to keep them in a meeting when they could be searching. As they left, he tiredly leaned back where he stood.

    Everyone else exited the room to return to their usual tasks with Falkner leading from the front. However, one person stayed behind¡ªNurse Joy. She didn¡¯t say anything, but Morty could tell she wanted to speak to him. He smiled, having a feeling why, and turned to her way to talk.

    ¡°How are they?¡± He asked. ¡°I hope Dusclops has been behaving well.¡±

    Nurse Joy replied with a small smile of her own and laughed lightly, amused.

    ¡°They''re not too happy about being stuck in the Pok¨¦mon Center, but I''ve assigned my boys to protect them, as requested. Those two will be able to keep an eye out for them, I¡¯m sure. As for what they''ve been getting up to...¡±

    She moved over to where Falkner had managed the table''s display and typed a quick command. The few pictures they had of Petrel changed. With her authority as the head nurse, she brought up a recording of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s courtyard.

    On it, it was dark, but the first traces of light were beginning to peek through from above. Likely, this had been recorded early this morning, and the trainers and Pok¨¦mon on it looked tired enough to have stayed up all night.

    There was no sound, but Morty recognized who was being displayed. He could see Sam throwing his arm out, doing his best to keep himself awake as he ordered his Pok¨¦mon to go through with a move. His Primeape raised both hands and Sam¡¯s friend, Redi, had her Ursaring do the same as well. Both Pok¨¦mon slammed their arms down, and a shower of tiny pebbles followed in the limbs¡¯ wake.

    There was a stunned pause before the elated trainers threw themselves at their Pok¨¦mon. Despite their exhaustion, they looked overjoyed to see a successful attempt, even if the attack wasn¡¯t anywhere good enough to use in battle just yet.

    ¡°Rock Slide?¡± Morty asked.

    Nurse Joy nodded to confirm.

    ¡°They spent all night working on that move. Rock Type energy is rather stubborn. If they hadn¡¯t spent so much time dedicating themselves to their practice, I doubt their Pok¨¦mon would have been able to figure out the move so quickly.¡±

    Undoubtedly, Rock Slide would be crucial for Violet City¡¯s Gym. However, Morty was a Ghost Type trainer at heart, and as the recording stopped once it reached its end, he searched the frozen screen for where the rest of the Pok¨¦mon were.

    Quilava and Porygon were obvious, as both kept near their trainers¡¯ sides. Sam¡¯s Misdreavus was less obvious, as it appeared as a thick, floating shadow next to the boy¡¯s head. The one Pok¨¦mon on Sam¡¯s team that Morty was most familiar with, Haunter, was hardly visible at all. He had to search for it, and he only saw it thanks to his familiarity with the Ghost Type.

    Haunter appeared as a wispy blur not too far away from everyone else. If Morty hadn¡¯t known what to look for, he could have easily mistaken Haunter as nothing more than a glitch in the recording.

    ¡°And Dusclops?¡± Morty asked.

    ¡°Inside, keeping guard, but he was splitting his focus to help them train.¡±

    Morty snapped his gaze over to Nurse Joy, who now had an amused look on her face.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me. Play the clip again?¡±

    This time, he watched more closely, and he took careful note of the two Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strain.

    Reminds me of the stress from a Macho Brace or a Power Item. Wait, are they really¡ª

    ¡°They¡¯re using Dusclops¡¯s Pressure as a training aid?¡± he asked, laughing.

    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re having him maintain his ability while their Pok¨¦mon practice their moves.¡±

    Morty never had his personal team go through that kind of training in their practice, but a high-level Pok¨¦mon using Pressure was a great way to familiarize weaker Pok¨¦mon with fighting at a disadvantage.

    ¡°I can see the benefits of it. This is something they¡¯ll only be able to do at their current level. High-level Pok¨¦mon can resist Pressure too easily¡ªit¡¯s only an ability. But if they want to make their Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks stronger, that¡¯s a great way to do it.¡±

    He had heard of other trainers doing something similar with Gravity in the past, but that tended to have varied effects depending on the species. For this form of training, he imagined it¡¯d work better with Ghost and Psychic Type moves over other moves, but he wasn¡¯t surprised it had helped with the stubborn Rock Type.

    He smiled as the scene paused once again, the recording coming to an end to show the group¡¯s celebration. He had received a phone call about Sam recently; a reporter had tried to ask questions about his ¡®apprentice.¡¯ Of course, he¡¯d quickly corrected that notion as he and Sam didn¡¯t have such a relationship, but it was still a funny thought. Something about how the reporter believed that spoke a lot about Sam¡¯s current level of strength.

    But, as he turned to Nurse Joy to comment, Morty froze. Even as a Gym Leader, he had no resistance to a nurse¡¯s withering glare.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t missed how you assigned my Pok¨¦mon to protect them,¡± she said tersely. ¡°While I can relent that my boys will benefit from being able to explore the region, you know they won¡¯t be enough to protect that group.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a safeguard,¡± Morty said quickly. ¡°They¡¯re just there to detect ambushes so they can¡ª¡±

    He winced as Nurse Joy glared even harder.

    ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯m sorry. Yes, I could have assigned one of the Gym¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Petrel,¡± Nurse Joy finished for him.

    Morty reluctantly nodded his head.

    ¡°I imagine they figured me out already, huh?¡± When she confirmed that, he sighed. ¡°Yeah. I figured. I didn¡¯t have a choice. You know how determined Lance is to stop Team Rocket. Assigning a stronger Pok¨¦mon would have risked Petrel deciding that sticking around wasn¡¯t worth it and running away. A different Pok¨¦mon could protect them, but you¡¯ve seen how well they fight. It¡¯s not those two that we¡¯re worried about. Petrel¡¯s potential to expand Team Rocket is a threat to the entire region.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Nurse Joy said, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re risking such young trainers¡ª¡±

    ¡°But they aren¡¯t inexperienced trainers,¡± Morty pointed out. ¡°They''re decidedly above average and are ahead of others at their level. Sam won that recent tournament, and he¡¯s even managed to help a true ghost enter its final rest¡ªan achievement few ever have, or are even capable of achieving. As for Redi, well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m too familiar with her, but given a certain assumption...¡±

    He chuckled to himself.

    ¡°When facing Petrel, I doubt she was able to have her Pok¨¦mon use Hyper Beam inside Sprout Tower.¡±

    Nurse Joy responded with a reluctant huff.

    ¡°I trust them,¡± Morty continued. ¡°They¡¯re stronger than you think. Petrel has a seven-star team, but those two work well together. I have no doubts Sam and Redi will be able to find a way to make up the difference.¡±

    And the gap between five and seven stars is a lot smaller than nine and thirteen, too.

    Though Morty was confident, Nurse Joy still ended up shaking her head. She was a woman who dedicated her life to helping Pok¨¦mon. No matter how much Morty tried to reassure her, she¡¯d always be worried about something like this.

    ¡°Can you at least tell me what you plan to have them do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°They have three days. That¡¯s how long it¡¯ll take my team to do a full search of the city and put a proper capturing strategy in place,¡± Morty answered. ¡°If we can¡¯t find Petrel by then, we¡¯ll be forced to lure him out¡ªwhich will probably include a few different possible ambushes, but Sam and Redi will likely be involved with at least one. In that case, we¡¯d inform them, have them leave the city, encourage them to look as vulnerable as possible, and follow them from a short distance away.¡±

    Morty brought his gaze back towards the screen. He took in Sam, Redi, and all of their Pok¨¦mon. In that motionless scene, they looked exhausted, but they were also proud.

    ¡°They¡¯ll need to hold off Petrel for only a few minutes,¡± he said softly. ¡°They won¡¯t need to win, they¡¯ll only need to delay. Petrel won¡¯t be able to risk letting them escape his clutches. Not when they suddenly go off on their own and leave the rest of us behind. I can admit that nothing is ever guaranteed, but if we want to capture that Team Rocket lieutenant, we¡¯ll need to rely on them to prevent the organization from spreading any further.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Sam couldn''t take credit for Primeape''s latest attack. Rock Slide was Redi''s idea, as she suggested it to deal with flying Pok¨¦mon at a range. For her team, Porygon could accurately track even the speediest of Pok¨¦mon with its beam attacks, but Ursaring might as well have been a sitting duck. Hyper Beam was one thing, but he didn¡¯t have Porygon¡¯s accuracy nor did he have a way to bypass the need for a recharge. Rock Slide, however, was a quick-to-use rain of stones that was painful to experience, and that rain was heavy enough to make its targets flinch.

    It took a single night for both Primeape and Ursaring to learn Rock Slide, but it wasn¡¯t due to Sam¡¯s assistance or even Redi¡¯s. The real reason those two Pok¨¦mon were able to figure it out was each other. Primeape and Ursaring still had their rivalry, and it had been growing for some time. However, ever since the Ruins of Alph, their rivalry had evolved into something less hostile but still extremely competitive.

    When trying to learn Rock Slide, if Primeape ever figured something out, Ursaring would try even harder to surpass the Fighting Type next to him. Then, when Primeape noticed Ursaring succeeding where he wasn¡¯t, he was forced to adapt his strategy to not fall behind. All of this was aided by the Pressure of Morty''s Dusclops, which provided benefits that couldn¡¯t be understated. A Gym Leader¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was a veteran of hundreds, if not, thousands of battles. Dusclops manipulated its Pressure with scalpel-like accuracy, forcing its target to constantly work through the resistance if they didn¡¯t want to be rendered helpless.

    Undeniably, that extra effort was what let Primeape and Ursaring learn Rock Slide so quickly, but their natural stubbornness probably helped with figuring out base Rock Type energy, too. As for everyone else, Dusclops¡¯s Pressure led to other developments.

    Inspired by her experience with Will-O-Wisp and Incinerate, Quilava could press the motes of her Ember together to form a beginner''s Flamethrower. Not dissimilarly, Haunter could gather up ¡°loose¡± shadows and compress them into the start of a Shadow Ball. Misdreavus, the Pok¨¦mon who needed to learn the most, only figured out one thing, but it was a doozy:

    Nasty Plot.

    She didn¡¯t practice her attacks. She didn¡¯t practice fighting against Pressure¡¯s weight. She instead forced herself to use Dark Type energy to fuel her thoughts, coming up with cruel plans that guided her special moves with improved effectiveness.

    Apparently, she had been inspired by watching Sam.

    There were a few other new moves, as the few days'' training provided a steady progression of growth spread throughout the team. However, the attacks were only technically battle-ready, as while they could deal damage, they''d only just been learned and still came out slow.

    But Sam wasn¡¯t worried. With their current pace, they weren¡¯t in a rush. It wasn''t like they could go anywhere with Redi''s ankle still healing. With modern medicine, it''d still be a few days until she could walk without needing to wear a boot. So, since they were stuck in the Pok¨¦mon Center anyway, Sam finally got around to something he¡¯d been promising Redi for a long time.

    ¡°The thing about Ghost Type moves is that unless they involve an esoteric effect, they¡¯re probably going to involve the manipulation of shadows,¡± Sam said to the seated Redi, speaking as he marched back and forth. ¡°Ghost Types can directly interact with shadows despite shadows being an absence of light rather than a material object. That influence lets them dive into darkness or gather it up into an attack. In Ursaring''s case, that would mean gathering shadows around his claws, and in Porygon''s case, it means taking them and compressing them into a sphere.¡±

    Sam briefly stopped marching to see if Redi was listening. She was, and she had an open journal in her lap, but she wasn¡¯t actively taking notes.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how the moves work, but then how do we do that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Easy. It¡¯s the same way Electric Types manipulate electricity, or how Water Types manipulate water. You have your Pok¨¦mon use Ghost Type energy,¡± Sam said. ¡°If you can get your Pok¨¦mon to figure that out, you¡¯ll be able to get them to interact with shadows. The problem is that it¡¯s slippery, or at least my Pok¨¦mon tell me it is. All of this boils down to practice, practice, practice.¡±

    Sam had a lot of insights into Ghost Type energy, obtained mostly from observing his team and talking to them as they worked on their attacks. It took a lot of charades to figure out how Ghost Type energy worked for them, but he was getting a handle on the intricacies of the Type.

    Haunter could only manipulate shadows that already existed, whereas Misdreavus could create patches of darkness. In the case of Quilava and Primeape¡¯s Curse, they weren¡¯t doing anything with shadows. They were instead causing pure Ghost Type energy to course through them and fuel further attacks.

    Sam wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon. He didn¡¯t personally understand how they could manipulate energy to form their moves. It was something instinctual to Pok¨¦mon in general, but for what he understood about Curse, it was somewhat similar to how water moved through the filter of a fish tank.

    Lost in his thoughts, Sam idly glanced to the side to watch his team practice. Quilava worked on building up flames for Flamethrower, Primeape bounced on his toes as he carefully breathed in and out, Misdreavus paid close attention to how Porygon repeatedly used Psybeam to train its stamina, and Haunter was...

    Sam looked down.

    Haunter was in his shadow, actively resting after working on Shadow Ball for so long.

    ¡°Any questions so far?¡± Sam asked, turning back around.

    Redi looked up at him. She still hadn¡¯t been doing anything in her journal, but she had pulled out the recently delivered Pok¨¦gear and was playing around with its functions.

    ¡°Oh! Uh, sorry. I just got curious. This didn¡¯t come with any of its expansion cards, so all it can do is show our position on a map and make calls. I was trying to see if there was something more hidden to it. You weren¡¯t talking anymore, so...¡±

    Sam sent her a flat look. He might have drifted off, but part of his reasoning was to give Redi a chance to think about what he said. He¡¯d wanted her to take notes, but she wasn¡¯t. Recognizing his bemusement, Redi started to hurriedly write as much as she could down.

    He waited a few seconds before walking over and flopping down on the bench, next to her. It¡¯d been a few days since his team¡¯s fight against Dusclops, and Sam was still trying his best to catch up. His Pok¨¦mon had been training, he¡¯d been developing his strategies, and Redi had gone out of her way to ask him to teach her more about, well, as much as possible. She couldn¡¯t create new plans if she lacked information.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while since you asked me to help you with a Ghost Type move, but I don''t think I could have helped you until now,¡± Sam mused, leaning back to stare up at the pocket of open sky between the buildings that surrounded them.

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I hadn''t met Misdreavus. Really met her, I mean. The only actual Ghost Type I could learn from was Haunter, so I didn¡¯t know much about it except what I could glean from him.¡±

    Personality and physical differences aside, there were so many differences just between those two. A big part of that stemmed from their Type; Haunter was dual Ghost and Poison, whereas Misdreavus was only Ghost.

    ¡°If I had to describe them...¡± Sam hummed. ¡°I¡¯d say Haunter is like a gas given form, but Misdreavus is more like a spirit who likes to stay solid. That¡¯s reflected in their different Types, but it''s also in their mindset and their skills.¡±

    ¡°You wanna give me an example?¡±

    Redi still held a pencil.

    ¡°Haunter likes to drift around and dive in my shadow to rest. Misdreavus doesn¡¯t head into shadows as often and likes to more directly interact with any Pok¨¦mon she¡¯s speaking to. And when Haunter battles, he¡¯s more sneaky¡ªalmost insidious¡ªabout how he uses his moves. Misdreavus is more obsessive in that she always chases a hit.¡±

    ¡°...Haunter? Insidious? Really?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam kicked up his feet, demonstrating that the Ghost Type had left his shadow without her noticing. Haunter had already crept over to where Ursaring was failing to learn Shadow Claw, and he was keeping himself quiet so he could scare him before jumping back into his practice.

    ¡°And, y''know, his Hypnosis,¡± Sam pointed out.

    ¡°Alright, maybe you have a point,¡± Redi said with a huff.

    Sam didn¡¯t consider himself a perfect expert on the Ghost Type just yet, but he was definitely more educated on it than most other trainers. His experience was limited to Haunter and Misdreavus, but he¡¯d gain two more species to observe once Quilava and Primeape evolved.

    He also had a lot of questions about what they¡¯d be like in their final forms. Evolution usually came with changes, and they weren''t always physical. Sam had heard horror stories of evolved Pok¨¦mon suddenly disobeying their trainers, and he¡¯d even technically seen something similar in person, with Ursaring becoming more arrogant after he evolved.

    Yet, in a way, Ursaring had always been like that, and when Quilava, Haunter, and Primeape evolved, the only thing that happened was that they became more... them.

    But none of them changed Types. Teddiursa to Ursaring was the only evolution that came with a significant difference with his change in size. But when it comes to what¡¯s next, both Quilava and Primeape won¡¯t be the same. They¡¯re going to gain entirely new Types.

    Both of them were aware and knew they¡¯d become part Ghost and were aware of how that might affect them, but Sam wouldn¡¯t know how they¡¯d change until he witnessed their evolutions for himself.

    Lost in thought, Sam hummed, not really following any tune but just making random noises. Next to him, Redi furiously scribbled, but any semblance of notetaking had given way to a doodle of a giant Ursaring slashing Sprout Tower in half.

    Unpleasant.

    Sam tried to not think about it, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. Petrel was still out there, and they were still stuck in the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    How much longer are we going to be trapped here? I have errands I want to run.

    Currently, there was a lull in their training¡ªwhile high level, Dusclops couldn¡¯t keep up Pressure forever. Sam was incredibly thankful for its help, but he wasn¡¯t going to strain the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s primary defender just to train his team.

    He was tempted to pull out his journal and write down a few thoughts to reflect on later, but he stopped when the doors to the Pok¨¦mon Center opened up. Nurse Joy¡¯s shifts usually saw her on duty in the late afternoon or night, so he was surprised to see her awake this early, walking out and heading straight their way.

    Nurse Joy was frowning. She was trying to hide it, of course, but she failed to suppress the slight furrow of her brow or how the corners of her mouth pulled down. There was a sense of purpose to her steps as she walked over. Sam found himself sitting up straighter, and a few other trainers turned their way.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    A nurse leaving the Pok¨¦mon Center looking like that never meant good news.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Nurse Joy said, bowing her head for a polite greeting. ¡°How has your training been going?¡±

    Sam and Redi exchanged a suspicious look.

    ¡°...Is something wrong?¡± Sam asked.

    Nurse Joy bit her lip and shifted her weight between her feet. Hesitating, when she finally spoke, she kept her voice quiet enough to prevent anyone else from listening in.

    ¡°How much do you want to see Petrel captured?¡± Nurse Joy asked.

    Sam leaned forward, but it was Redi who had a growl leave her throat.

    ¡°Very,¡± she said.

    Nurse Joy finally let the frown cross her face. Her gaze flicked between Sam and Redi, seeming to appraise the two of them, as if she needed to still come to a decision. However, she had come here for a purpose, and she didn¡¯t look to change her mind.

    Nurse Joy rubbed her head. ¡°We might need your help tomorrow,¡± she said slowly. ¡°The Pok¨¦mon League needs your help, specifically. The search has not found him yet. Morty wants to use you two as bait.¡±

    Sam leaned back, relaxing.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it? I can do that,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°What''s the plan?¡± Sam asked.

    Nurse Joy stuttered before catching herself, wiping her uniform free of wrinkles in an unconscious reaction.

    ¡°You two aren''t supposed to accept so easily!¡± she huffed. ¡°This is dangerous! You shouldn''t have to be involved.¡±

    ¡°So, what, did you want us to say no so you can tell Morty to change his plans?¡± Sam asked.

    The silence was telling.

    ¡°I broke my ankle ¡®cause of him,¡± Redi said quietly. ¡°Petrel¡¯s a thief. A poacher. Who cares if we¡¯re in danger? Every second he¡¯s not in jail is another second he could steal someone else¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Nurse Joy¡¯s grimace deepened, and it was like Redi¡¯s words were the last blow to her hope. That same reluctant acceptance from when she first handed over Tibia and Fibula overtook her once more.

    ¡°Morty wants you to leave the city tomorrow,¡± she said. ¡°On your own¡ªjust you two and my Gastly. He¡¯s going to try to force Petrel into an ambush, and timing your exit on the same day might see him go after you two, giving us an obvious location to catch him when he shows up.¡±

    Sam frowned.

    ¡°I mean, we¡¯ll do it, but I thought we¡¯d have more time in Violet City? Winning a tournament was one thing, but we haven''t finished training all of our moves before taking on the Gym. Redi has it worse than me, since she has a huge list of goals she wants to¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sam,¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°I can head out. The only thing holding me back is my foot, but I can ride Ursaring if the pain starts back up again.¡±

    Nurse Joy really didn''t like that. She had been the one to tell Redi to not put pressure on her injured foot while it was still healing. It had definitely gotten better, and she could walk on it if needed, but there were still a few more days to go until she was back in perfect health.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nurse Joy said, briefly pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Young trainers like you shouldn¡¯t be caught up in the League¡¯s business. This is a job for Ace Trainers, but we don¡¯t have a choice. It¡¯s our only way to lure Petrel out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Petrel. I have plans for him. It¡¯s more like...¡±

    He hesitated before turning Redi¡¯s way.

    ¡°I¡¯m not challenging the Gym,¡± she answered before he could ask. ¡°I will, but I don¡¯t plan to just yet.¡±

    Sam wanted to ask why, but Redi sat up straighter, eyes locking onto Nurse Joy¡¯s own. Her posture spoke not of defeat but of sharp confidence.

    ¡°What¡¯s our compensation?¡± Redi suddenly asked.

    Sam blinked at Redi. Nurse Joy took a moment to recover from the surprise question.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re being rushed out of a city when we thought we could stay. We¡¯re being used to capture a dangerous criminal even though we have no training for that. We¡¯re going to be participating, duh, but if the League wants our help, we need something to make up for our sudden change in plans.¡±

    Nurse Joy looked as though she had just eaten something sour, but she kept quiet instead. Sam rapidly looked between the nurse and Redi. Redi looked like a predator who had just caught its prey.

    ¡°I want a TM,¡± Redi stated. ¡°And I want to be able to schedule a single ride to and from Violet City.¡±

    ¡°You want to be able to come back?¡± Nurse Joy asked.

    Redi briefly closed her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to come back to challenge the Gym, but I don''t want to have to backtrack a bunch because some jerk decided to go after us. We were supposed to follow an easy loop. If I had a few more days, I would earn my next Gym Badge, but I can''t do that now, can I?¡±

    This wasn''t like Ecruteak, Sam realized. Redi wasn''t putting off the Gym due to a lack of confidence, she was recognizing that she needed a bit more time to prepare and was trying to organize the short delay.

    At that realization, Sam couldn''t stop the feeling of pride that swelled up in his chest. Instead of jumping right into something, Redi was stepping back and making a plan.

    ¡°I... I can make that work,¡± Nurse Joy said hesitantly. ¡°The League already knows that I don''t want you two involved, and I can use that to argue for payment. As for your TM¡ª¡±

    ¡°Teleport,¡± Redi interrupted.

    ¡°TMs for Teleport are expensive,¡± Nurse Joy countered.

    ¡°Which would the League rather have, help with capturing a criminal, or a single TM they can easily afford?¡±

    Redi once more locked eyes with the nurse, not giving the older woman a single inch. Sam was pretty sure that in negotiation, you were supposed to name a high price before working down to what you actually wanted, but Redi was effectively declaring that she wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get you your TM. But while a decent number of Pok¨¦mon can learn Teleport via TM, you should know that if you want to cross long distances, only a Psychic Type will be able to bring you that far.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be an issue. I already have a Psychic Type on my team.¡±

    Nurse Joy looked befuddled. Redi sat back, not worried for even a second.

    I see.

    Sam understood her plan.

    Porygon could learn Teleport, but in most situations, it wouldn¡¯t be able to move around more than a few feet. However, with how Conversion could allow it to change Type, Porygon could temporarily gain the boost needed to jump across the region.

    Teleport needed its user to picture the place its user wanted to return to. However, with Porygon¡¯s computer-like mind, this one TM would allow Redi to return anywhere she¡¯d been.

    Sam sat back and stared at her in awe.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Redi snapped, glancing at Sam out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°No reason. Just happy you¡¯re using your brain for once.¡±

    ¡°You calling me dumb?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Sam said cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s just nice to see all of our tutoring sessions have been paying off.¡±

    He laughed when she punched him in the arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll also be requesting that the League provides a tutor for the use of Teleport,¡± Nurse Joy continued. ¡°Even if you have a solution for the Psychic Type issue, it¡¯s better if you receive the training you need to travel long distances safely.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Redi said quietly.

    ¡°And you know, this is a good thing, too,¡± Sam said, speaking up. ¡°If the League tries to push back on this, you can argue that teaching Porygon Teleport means they¡¯d be able to flash away if they¡¯re ever captured.¡±

    Nurse Joy hummed consideringly, and Redi unconsciously adjusted her position. Sam smirked at her shifty reaction.

    She didn¡¯t even think of that, did she?

    After giving it a moment, Nurse Joy nodded once to confirm.

    ¡°And you, Sam?¡±

    ¡°...What do you mean, ¡®and me?¡¯¡± he asked.

    ¡°Redi told me what she wants in compensation. What do you want for yourself?¡±

    He opened and closed his mouth. In his mind, Redi¡¯s request would benefit them both, especially with how much region-wide mobility Teleport would offer. He thought Nurse Joy had been hesitating because they were asking a lot for the entire team.

    No.

    Turns out, Nurse Joy thought Redi wanted all of that for herself.

    ¡°I...¡± Sam struggled. Nothing came to mind. ¡°Can I ask for a favor to cash in at a later date?¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°You want a favor from the Pok¨¦mon League,¡± Nurse Joy said flatly.

    ¡°...Yes,¡± Sam said slowly, giving it a few seconds of thought. ¡°Yeah! I don¡¯t have anything else I want. An open favor would be nice if I want something else down the line.¡±

    He could have asked to visit the Sinjoh Ruins early, but he already had Dr. Hale¡¯s recommendation in the works. Going there was a matter of time¡ªthere was no ¡°if¡± about it. It didn¡¯t make sense to ask to be allowed to visit when he and Quilava were already going to be visiting soon enough.

    No, an open favor worked better for him, and Nurse Joy went quiet, staying like that for a long time. She stared at Sam and only Sam. The silence was more than just a quick consideration, she was clearly giving this an extreme level of thought.

    Isn¡¯t this a little much of a reaction? All I¡¯m asking for is to get paid later instead of right now.

    ¡°I might be able to do that,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Morty likes you. If he helps me argue on your behalf, you might be able to get that favor you¡¯re asking for.¡±

    Sam sent Redi a subtle glance to see if she understood why Nurse Joy took so long, but she just lightly shrugged and shook her head. The nurse let out one final sigh before looking between the two of them for the last time.

    ¡°I called earlier. There are multiple openings in today¡¯s schedule for the Gym¡¯s battles,¡± she said. ¡°You should have no problems walking in. Just in case, I¡¯ll tell them you¡¯re coming, but if you want to earn your Gym Badge before leaving town, I highly recommend going sooner rather than later.¡±

    Sam bowed his head.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Redi added.

    Nurse Joy silently turned around.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t thank me for this. Just keep training and stay on high alert. Be prepared for tomorrow. You¡¯ll get more details before you leave.¡±

    She walked back to the Pok¨¦mon Center, disappearing through its back doors. As Redi had said she planned to delay her challenge, Sam shifted his focus towards his team.

    Their schedule had suddenly been pushed up. They didn¡¯t have time to perfect their moves within Violet City. With a Gym Battle imminent, if they wanted to win, Sam needed to work with his team to narrow down which strategy they wanted to use.

    <hr>

    Sam entered the Gym less than two hours later. He made sure his Pok¨¦mon got a vitamin-rich lunch and plenty of time to rest. The Gym¡¯s front lobby was much thinner than he expected, but it was empty of other trainers, giving him the chance to talk to the receptionist right away. The trainer had him wait only a single minute to give the Gym time to prepare before encouraging him inside.

    He climbed a staircase to reach the battlefield of the Gym.

    There was no dedicated room for the main battlefield. Rather, the interior of the Gym stretched the entire height of the tower. The entire central column was a massive, empty shaft open to the sky. Bird Pok¨¦mon flew in and out from above, and center-facing balconies lined the higher sections of the walls, likely letting Gym Trainers train their teams in what was effectively open air.

    This was by far the largest space Sam had ever seen inside a Gym, and he paused as he stepped inside. He genuinely needed a moment to take it all in, but he was quickly interrupted by a shout from not too far away.

    ¡°Over here!¡±

    The Gym Trainer smiled at him. A coverall-wearing man stood at the other end of the field, and a referee in a sky-blue sweatshirt stood on a metal plate off to the side.

    ¡°Sam, right?¡± the Gym Trainer said. ¡°I''m Rod. I''ll be your opponent for this match.¡±

    Rod¡¯s trainer box was a foot away from the field rather than directly connected to it. It, as well as the challenger¡¯s trainer box, were also metal plates. A thin gap surrounded them and the treated wood field. There was no compacted dirt to be seen.

    ¡°Hi. Sorry. This place is huge,¡± Sam said, walking over.

    Rod laughed.

    ¡°Yeah. We get that a lot. And you know what they say about size¡ª¡±

    A dirty look from the referee cut him off.

    Sam carefully walked over to the challenger¡¯s trainer box. His footsteps echoed as if the ground was hollow underneath the metal.

    ¡°Please grab the railings once they¡¯re properly extended, and remain holding on until the platform stops moving,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°...Moving?¡±

    Openings appeared in the ground, and metal bars extended upwards. Once fully out, more bars stretched out of their sides to form a railing not unlike a metal fence. Nervous, Sam immediately grabbed onto the part that looked the most stable, and Rod looked over to the corner of the room to give what was likely a camera a big thumbs up.

    The world shook. Sam felt dizzy. There was a lurch and the noisy whirring of an engine, and the entire battlefield as well the metal plates started to rise.

    All three humans were brought into the air, rising higher and higher into the tower alongside the battlefield. For a full minute, they increased in elevation, until one final jerk marked their stop.

    ¡°You know, when Walker fights, this platform goes all the way to the top,¡± Rod said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yup! You can see the entire city around you. The view stretches for miles and miles. If you look closely, I¡¯m pretty sure you can see Goldenrod!¡±

    Sam chose not to picture it. Just the basic idea of that made him nauseous.

    The referee gave him a moment to stabilize himself before lifting her hands.

    ¡°Trainers! Are you ready?¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    She cleared her throat before going over the rules. Sam paid careful attention¡ªthis was going to be his fifth Gym Badge, after all. A win here would mark him as above average. He¡¯d even match his mother¡¯s record, too.

    ¡°This match will be a single battle between Challenger Samuel and Gym Trainer Rod,¡± the referee called out, her voice echoing around Sam. ¡°Each trainer will use five Pok¨¦mon, with no limits on switches. The standard rules apply, and¡ª¡±

    She continued, going over the general rules and the expectations for the match. However, Sam immediately caught onto a specific point.

    ¡°Hold on, how many switches did you say we have?¡± he asked, interrupting her.

    The referee turned his way, curiously raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°As many as you want. There is no limit on switching,¡± she said. ¡°Walker insists on this rule¡ªor lack of one¡ªto promote both freedom and mobility in these fights.¡±

    Sam could barely hold back his laughter. He knew his team was prepared for a Gym Battle, but he had never expected something like this. Restrictions on switching were prevalent in official matches, as otherwise, battles turned into competitions where trainers focused less on their Pok¨¦mon¡¯s skill and more on maintaining a favorable matchup. While Sam didn¡¯t plan to rely on a strategy like that, he and his entire team had trained around the idea of synergy and setting one another up.

    He genuinely couldn¡¯t think of a more ¡°fair¡± way to rig this Gym Battle in his favor.

    As the referee called for the two trainers to send out their Pok¨¦mon, Sam quickly forced a serious expression back onto his face and grabbed Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. His opponent sent out a mid-stage Pidgeotto, and he sent out his starter. Sam did his best to look focused, but he already knew how this was going to end.

    No limits on switching, huh? Walker really is something else. With a lack of a restriction like that, we don¡¯t even need to worry about losing.

    We¡¯ve already won this match. What matters right now is determining how we¡¯re going to win.

 Chapter 73

    Sam knew he could crush this battle. He could constantly switch his team members in and out to overwhelm whoever they faced with status conditions. A Will-O-Wisp could lead into Hex, which didn¡¯t need to be hidden in a private battle like this one. A Hypnosis could cause a flying Pok¨¦mon to plummet to the floor, opening it to attacks from Primeape. And if Sam didn¡¯t want to rely on the more non-volatile conditions, he could instead subject opponents to moves like Spite, Mean Look, and the always-wonderful Confuse Ray.

    But for this battle, Sam had the chance to do whatever he wanted, and he wanted to use that freedom to test something. Instead of playing it Pok¨¦mon-by-Pok¨¦mon, he had a goal. He would play exactly how he needed to set up for a strong, singular finish.

    Quilava was already out of her Pok¨¦ball, as she was Sam¡¯s preferred lead by far. Sam was most familiar with her fighting style out of all the others on his team, but most importantly, she was reliable. She had incredible mobility and knew exactly how much to push herself. With her moveset, she excelled at setting up opponents for whoever Sam sent out next, and once returned, she could come back out to easily finish off anyone else later, helped by the Charcoal kept in place by the bandana on her neck.

    Readying herself on the field, the flames on her head and lower back flared to life. She kept the front of her body close to the ground, positioning herself to dart off in any direction she needed. Across from her was a Pidgeotto. It was only a mid-stage Flying Type, but the bird¡¯s keen eyes would make dodging difficult as its moves would come out with incredible accuracy.

    Yet, Sam trusted Quilava to avoid her opponent¡¯s attacks. He looked at the referee, who checked everyone was prepared to start.

    ¡°Ready?¡± the referee called out.

    Both Sam and his opponent, Rod, replied with the positive.

    ¡°Then... Begin!¡±

    Quilava was already off. She didn¡¯t need Sam to give her any instructions for the immediate start of the battle. The sides of the field lacked the normal psychic barrier, but her incredible agility meant she could follow the edges of the field without falling off.

    Flame Charge increased her speed as she wreathed herself in flame. Rod threw an arm forward, aiming at Quilava, and calmly called for his Pok¨¦mon to use an attack.

    ¡°Gust,¡± he said. His smile spoke of appreciation for Quilava¡¯s prompt action.

    In the air, Pidgeotto furiously flapped its wings to conjure a pair of great, gusts of wind that it sent spiraling toward Quilava. Each one looked like a miniature tornado.

    ¡°Quick Attack last second. Flamethrower, harass!¡±

    The two thin tornados bore down on Quilava. She kept her pace at the edge of the field until they were right on top of her. Before they could collide with her, she used Quick Attack to dart right between them. The attacks crashed together, dissipating and giving Quilava the perfect moment to use her latest move.

    Flamethrower.

    Embers left her mouth and quickly grew in ferocity and power. What started as glowing motes turned into a streaming inferno that chased after the Pidgeotto in the air.

    Unfortunately, as she had just learned Flamethrower, Quilava¡¯s stream of flames lacked the density of an experienced Fire Type''s attack. However, the flames in the air were still thick enough to threaten the Pidgeotto¡¯s flight.

    ¡°Now, Swift. As usual.¡±

    Her flames petered out, and Pidgeotto turned to unleash another Gust. Two more spirals of wind came rushing out, but she ran away. She aimed her Swift to the side rather than her front. Her attack curved around the attack as she ran, and the spinning stars of Swift homed in after the Pidgeotto, the bird unable to run as she had.

    ¡°Wing Attack! Beat them back!¡±

    Unable to fly away, the Pidgeotto was forced to defend itself by batting the stars back. One by one, the stars burst on impact, but Pidgeotto only reduced the damage instead of utterly negating it.

    Except, more than that, the Swift guided and directed motes of flame that followed in its wake. A Will-O-Wisp followed up Quilava¡¯s attack to leave Pidgeotto with a burn.

    There we go.

    ¡°Return!¡± Sam quickly shouted, Quilava disappearing right as she dashed between the two Gusts once more.

    ¡°You too, Pidgeotto! Return!¡±

    Sam clicked his tongue. Swift might have been the perfect way to disguise a Will-O-Wisp, but Rod didn¡¯t seem interested in letting his Pok¨¦mon suffer from the condition.

    ¡°Ah, I should have expected that trick. I caught a few of your battles in the tournament. You''re a fan of that combination, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Sam just replied with a cheeky smirk. Rod shook his head, amused.

    Can''t forget that even if I can switch freely, then so can my opponent. But that¡¯s fine. Every bit of damage we inflict now is damage we won¡¯t need to bother with later.

    Even though Sam had been the one to return his Pok¨¦mon first, Rod didn¡¯t wait to make his next choice.

    ¡°Fearow!¡±

    A bird with a brilliant red crest and a narrow beak perfect for stabbing took to the air. Wings as large as a full-grown man beat back the air as it took to the sky. It was enormous, likely large enough that Rod regularly rode on its back. However, even with its sudden appearance, Sam didn¡¯t bother changing his strategy. He already knew which of his Pok¨¦mon could take it on.

    Or, he knew which of his Pok¨¦mon could use it to set up.

    ¡°Haunter!¡±

    His Ghost Type was released from a Pok¨¦ball and twisted around in the air. He held up his claws and cackled, a chill covering the field.

    ¡°Ominous Wind,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Fly!¡±

    Fearow forcibly flapped its wings and rocketed so high over the field that Haunter¡¯s chilling breeze never got close.

    Except, Ominous Wind was a Ghost Type move. Fearow was part Normal Type. Ominous Wind would have never dealt damage, but Sam had been hoping to see it boost Haunter.

    Maybe next time.

    ¡°Dive for a Drill Peck!¡± Rod shouted.

    ¡°Shadow Ball. Take it! Your choice of follow-up.¡±

    Fearow¡¯s already long beak began to expand, Flying Type energy condensing around it and curving into a cruel spin. Drill Peck was a piercing move. It planned to enhance the attack with the momentum of a sky-high dive.

    Pulling its wings in, it dropped like a missile toward where Haunter levitated above the field. Rather than dodge, he brought his hands out to the side and gathered shadows to his front.

    Haunter¡¯s Shadow Ball came too slowly to be launched. Fearow took advantage of its immunity to pierce right through. However, Shadow Ball didn¡¯t need to be launched, all it needed to do was to distract Fearow. The Drill Peck impaled Haunter, but he had already shifted around his body so that it pierced a point on his chest that he had made thinner than the rest of him.

    He then grabbed on and stared into Fearow¡¯s eyes. The momentum of the dive meant they were now being pushed across the field, but as the Hypnosis took effect, Fearow crashed to the ground.

    Rod returned his Pok¨¦mon and let out a laugh.

    ¡°Never seen a Pok¨¦mon let itself get stabbed like that.¡±

    ¡°Haunter wasn¡¯t going to be able to dodge. It makes more sense to control the damage he takes, instead.¡±

    Admittedly, Haunter wasn¡¯t doing good. While his amorphous body let him reshape himself to minimize the damage, Drill Peck was still a drill, and it had twisted part of his body around himself. Faint gas bled off of him where purple had been pulled into a swirl.

    Both trainers returned their Pok¨¦mon¡ªSam, because Haunter was injured, and Rod, because his Fearow was asleep.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Pidgeot!¡±

    Rod saw what Pok¨¦mon Sam sent out and grinned.

    ¡°A Fighting Type, you sure? Might not be the best idea in a Flying Type Gym like ours.¡±

    Sam shrugged, and Rod laughed. The Gym Trainer looked like he was having the time of his life.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s not end this too quickly. Go for a Razor Wind!¡±

    His Pidgeot took to the skies as slicing wind blades swirled around its wings.

    Pidgeot was the evolved form of Pidgeotto, so Sam wasn¡¯t too surprised to see it given this was a fight for his fifth Gym badge overall. Third stage Pok¨¦mon were more common this far into Sam¡¯s journey, so facing one here was expected.

    Rod¡¯s Pidgeot wasn¡¯t as large as his Fearow but was certainly larger than his Pidgeotto. Long red-and-yellow plumage hung off its head, and sharp eyes made it look meaner than the pre-evolved Pok¨¦mon at the start. The move it used, Razor Wind, wasn¡¯t a Flying Type move, but it was still an attack that could be used at range. Pidgeotto whipped up a whirlwind as it gathered the energy around itself.

    All the while, Primeape stayed utterly still.

    ¡°Now!¡± Rod shouted.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Primeape didn¡¯t move. He watched the attack come right at him. The storm of blades threatened to slice right through him, but it wasn¡¯t until the very last moment that he finally reacted.

    His gaze snapped into focus, and the coarse hair on his body puffed up to stand on its ends. The muscles on his arms tensed as his skin turned bright red.

    A punch from Primeape helped him mitigate the damage of the Razor Wind. He didn¡¯t have a way to resist special moves, but once he got his blood pumping, it was hard to make him stop.

    ¡°That¡¯s Bulk Up, by the way,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯d recommend telling your Pidgeot to run.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Pidgeot will fly, instead,¡± Rod said with a smirk.

    Sam kept his focus on Primeape. He kept a careful eye on how his Pok¨¦mon reacted.

    Primeape knew how to increase his physical power thanks to Curse, and his mastery over the Fighting Type had come a long way. Learning Bulk Up combined those two areas, influenced by the focus granted by his recent practice with anger management and meditation. Now, Primeape could use Bulk Up, but he didn¡¯t yet have the skill to stack it too many times.

    He was still drastically empowered¡ªphysically, at least. Razor Wind might have hurt him, but he was still ready to go and brought his arms up behind his head.

    ¡°Throw!¡± Sam shouted.

    Primeape swung his hands downwards, almost going through a tearing motion through the air. The power brought on by Bulk Up let him pour all of his strength into it, and the movement allowed him to condense and throw dozens of sharpened pebbles from within his hands.

    Rock Slide was a work in progress, but it still let him throw dozens of sharpened stones like bullets toward the flying Pidgeot. A shout from Rod saw it use Agility to maneuver through the air and improve its speed, but Primeape brought his hands back to throw more stones again, and again, and again.

    The sprays of bullets didn¡¯t come out consistently, but they pressured Pidgeot. Allowing Primeape to use Bulk Up while it prepared a Razor Wind had been a mistake. Though it dodged most of his attacks, it was still frequently clipped by every one Primeape sent out.

    ¡°Screw it, Whirlwind!¡± Rod shouted.

    His words might have sounded annoyed, but there was still a smile on his face.

    Rather than getting close, Pidgeot pulled to the side and halted, which caused it to take several more fragments of that super effective move. It didn¡¯t flinch, however, and it furiously flapped its wings.

    Primeape tried to grab onto the floor to prevent being thrown off, but given the field was made out of treated wood rather than compacted dirt, there was nowhere he could get a handhold. He was blown right off the side.

    ¡°No! Primeape!¡± Sam yelled.

    He ran to the edge of his raised platform, desperately trying to peer off its side to see if his Pok¨¦mon was falling. From this height, a drop like that wouldn¡¯t be safe. Sam had known the lack of barriers gave flying Pok¨¦mon more freedom, but he hadn¡¯t put two-and-two together to realize his Pok¨¦mon could be knocked off its side.

    A fall was dangerous. He had thought a Gym wouldn¡¯t be allowed to risk its challengers¡¯ Pok¨¦mon like that.

    Thankfully, no thud marked Primeape hitting the ground. Instead, his expression grew into one of absolute rage. A blue glow floated back up to the field.

    Specifically, a telekinetic grip dragged Primeape back to the field. Sam couldn¡¯t see them from where he stood, but he knew there were balconies off to the sides that faced the inside of the Gym¡¯s shaft. He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if there was a Xatu or two standing there, ready to catch and save any Pok¨¦mon that fell.

    ¡°As Primeape has left the bounds of the field and was unable to recover on his own, he has been disqualified from the fight,¡± the referee announced.

    Sam sent Rod a stink-eye. Primeape dropped onto the ground and shouted what were likely curse words at where Pidgeot lazily glided through the air.

    ¡°I¡¯m permitted to do that a few times each match,¡± Rod said, idly waving a hand. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not the one who makes the rules.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who chooses how to fight,¡± Sam countered.

    Rod swiped his nose and laughed while Sam returned Primeape. The only bright side of this situation was that Rod returned his Pidgeot now that it had taken so many of Primeape¡¯s Rock Type attacks.

    Still, that was a dumb mistake on my part. I should have been prepared.

    The first full elimination was on Sam¡¯s team, but he wasn¡¯t worried. Everything was still proceeding according to his strategy. He was just upset at his mistake, but he wouldn¡¯t fall for that trick more than once.

    ¡°Quilava,¡± Sam said, returning his starter to the field.

    ¡°Xatu,¡± Rod said, releasing a member of the same species that had saved Primeape.

    His choice here almost felt like a taunt, but Xatu was still a part of Rod¡¯s team. Sam had a decent idea of what a Xatu was capable of, especially due to their key role in the setup of Violet City¡¯s official battles.

    ¡°Circle it. Will-O-Wisp to harass.¡±

    ¡°Set up a Light Screen. Future Sight to prepare for a knock-out.¡±

    Flame Charge and Quick Attack combined to let Quilava move with increasing bursts of speed. She had to run onto the other side of the field, but Xatu was released inwards enough that she still had a decent amount of room to run.

    It didn¡¯t watch her. The totem-like Pok¨¦mon never turned her way, choosing to stare straight up instead. Its eyes were closed, but it faced the sky.

    Then, it flung its wings out with a flash. When Will-O-Wisp neared, a screen popped up to stop the move from ever reaching its body.

    ¡°Continue. Keep building speed,¡± Sam said.

    Xatu¡¯s eyes were now open. They glowed blue but no move was used. Instead, Future Sight prepared an attack in the imminent future.

    Will-O-Wisp continued to be blocked as Quilava continued to fail to burn it. Rod seemed to be waiting for the Future Sight to appear, but Sam went ahead and gave a surprise command.

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡±

    While Quilava was a special attacker, her Fire Type moves were incredibly strong, especially when helped by her Charcoal. She used her momentum to pull herself in and roll like an escaped tire right toward Xatu.

    Will-O-Wisp was closer to a special move than a physical move, so its use built up an expectation for Light Screen. However, Flame Wheel was a physical attack, so Quilava easily crashed through the barrier and slammed into Xatu.

    The move bashed it backward, and Quilava used the counterforce of the impact to leap into the air. More Will-O-Wisps were sent forward. If she had more practice, a Flamethrower would have been better. This was good enough for now.

    ¡°There!¡±

    Blue light glowed above her head as she fell back toward the ground.

    Quilava looked up too late. The Psychic Type force of Future Sight smashed down into her. Though Xatu was still physically recovering, it maintained the mental acuity to unleash a Psychic that squeezed her alongside the previously prepared attack.

    It was quick, and Quilava had no way to defend herself. If it wasn¡¯t for that Future Sight, she could have maybe used Detect, but Xatu timed everything too well.

    ¡°So, your next Pok¨¦mon?¡± Rod said, his curiosity audible.

    Sam returned his fainted starter and clipped her Pok¨¦ball back to his belt.

    ¡°Haunter,¡± Sam named, tossing a Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Nu-uh. I¡¯m not dumb enough for that.¡±

    Instead of leaving a burned Psychic Type out against a Ghost Type, Rod quickly recalled Xatu and replaced it with something entirely else.

    Sam would have expected a Noctowl here, as he knew the Gym frequently relied on that Pok¨¦mon for patrols. Given that Rod was specifically countering a Ghost Type, Sam would have assumed Noctowl was the correct choice.

    Instead, he was caught off guard by the species Rod released. Deep brown feathers, a white face and chest, and a curve to its head that came to a point. The avian Pok¨¦mon sent out was nothing native to Johto. Rather, it was a species from a different region.

    ¡°Staravia!¡± Rod named, grinning. ¡°Got her in a trade. Pretty neat, right?¡±

    Sam remembered a comment he had been told by Morty at one point. Johto Gym Battles generally needed to consist of locally caught Pok¨¦mon, but the higher tiers of play had more flexibility in their options.

    ¡°When Fearow attacked your Haunter...¡± Rod hummed. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re going for Aerial Ace. It won¡¯t be able to dodge.¡±

    Sam looked at Rod¡¯s Pok¨¦mon and knew it was time to enter the final stage of his team¡¯s strategy.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fainting here, Haunter. Deal as much damage as you can, alright?¡±

    As Staravia pulled itself up into a momentum-building loop, Haunter was more than ready. Cackling, he grinned as if Sam had just given him a second birthday gift.

    Staravia dived. Aerial Ace built a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s speed to make the move unavoidable. Fearow had damaged Haunter, and the outcome was set in stone. But Haunter wasn¡¯t going to go down uselessly. He built up poison within his mouth and pushed it out between his teeth for a mist of Acid Spray that filled the air before him.

    Staravia¡¯s speed meant it shot right through. Glowing Flying Type energy on its wings sliced right through Haunter. His laughter was cut off¡ªthough he dealt some damage, he ultimately fainted.

    Sam returned his Pok¨¦mon. With the rest of his team out of the picture, he only had Misdreavus left.

    I can¡¯t believe how perfect this is.

    Sam wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest. Everything had been building for this moment.

    Staravia had taken the Acid Spray, and while it wasn¡¯t a direct hit, the mist it had flown through ate away at it as it tried to shake in its flight to get the lingering effect off.

    ¡°Misdreavus, you know what to do.¡±

    When she appeared, she didn¡¯t bother with any dramatic entrance. She simply flashed out of her Friend Ball and remained floating where the light had released her.

    Analyzing her opposing Pok¨¦mon, a cruel glint appeared in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t breathing¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to¡ªand a malicious smirk spread across her face.

    ¡°Spooky,¡± Rod said, but the Gym Trainer seemed unconcerned. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this, yeah? Staravia! Go for another Aerial Ace!¡±

    It pulled high up into the same move, and Misdreavus stayed perfectly still on the field. It hurtled down at her, and the attack struck without a problem.

    The strike sent her several feet back in the air, but she recovered. A single attack like that wasn¡¯t going to faint her. If anything, the pain it caused would only motivate her to win even more.

    ¡°Again!¡± Rod shouted.

    Sam could tell Misdreavus was ready at this point.

    ¡°Psywave,¡± he ordered.

    Right as Staravia reached the peak of its loop, Misdreavus unleashed her attack. Rather than a pulsated Psywave, it came out smooth and consistent. The improved attack¡ªa Psybeam¡ªstruck Staravia right when it least expected, the move striking its neck.

    Rod gave a whole-body flinch at that, and the ref unconsciously sucked in air through her teeth. The hit was cruel in its aim, and Staravia never completed its Aerial Ace. It began to fall before ultimately closing its eyes.

    ¡°...Return,¡± Rod said.

    Sam spoke up as the Gym Trainer took a moment to consider his next steps.

    ¡°Do you have a counter to Nasty Plot?¡± he asked.

    As Sam named the buffing move, Rod¡¯s shoulders slumped as he groaned. He unhappily rubbed the side of his head.

    ¡°Ugh. Is that what you were using? That¡¯s not a super obvious move. I thought you were preparing a Mirror Coat, or a Confuse Ray, or even a Destiny Bond. Some kind of counter like that.¡±

    Pidgeot made a repeat appearance, and Rod called for Gust, likely hoping for the weaker Flying Type move to come out before the empowered Misdreavus could faint it. However, Misdreavus dived into the floor, using Shadow Sneak to reposition herself. Being guided by her Dark-aligned thoughts thanks to Nasty Plot, she shot herself right underneath the evolved Pok¨¦mon to shoot up from underneath it.

    Her Psybeam clipped it in the wing, disrupting its flight.

    When Pidgeot fell, its wing was too damaged to support further attacks. It could not stop the second Psybeam that slammed into its chest and finished it off.

    ¡°If Pidgeot hadn¡¯t taken so many pebbles earlier...¡± Rod mumbled.

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point. I don¡¯t think your Pok¨¦mon are healthy enough to fight back.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Or maybe we are!¡±

    Rod drew back his arm to toss out a new Pok¨¦ball. Replacing the fainted Pidgeot was its pre-evolved form, Pidgeotto.

    As Pidgeotto appeared for the second time in the match, it pulled up high in the sky before adjusting, diving down, and picking up speed.

    ¡°Quick Attack! We need speed if we want to win!¡± Rod yelled.

    The Normal Type move wouldn¡¯t deal damage, but it could give Pidgeotto the speed for a follow-up Wing Attack to deal damage. Misdreavus wasn¡¯t the sturdiest Pok¨¦mon in the world, so it was a potentially viable strategy.

    However, the speed meant little in the face of Night Shade. The sudden pulse of darkness meant Pidgeotto¡¯s accuracy was off. Even with its Keen Eye, it couldn¡¯t pierce through Misdreavus¡¯s pitch-black darkness.

    Its speed carried it through Misdreavus¡¯s move, and, facing away, it couldn¡¯t stop her attack from striking it in the back. Burned and injured from Quilava, Pidgeotto hit the floor. Rod returned his Pok¨¦mon and stared at Sam.

    ¡°So, what, I have a burned Psychic Type Xatu and a sleeping Fearow left against your Ghost Type?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    He threw back his head and laughed.

    ¡°Yeah, alright. I forfeit! It¡¯s pretty obvious you¡¯ve won this match at this point.¡±

    The referee brought up a hand to signal the final announcement.

    ¡°Gym Trainer Rod has forfeited the match! Challenger Samuel wins!¡± she yelled.

    Sam''s grin matched Misdreavus''s grin. Having unrestricted access to switching had meant he had the chance to test this strategy, and he felt the battle had been a pretty good proof of concept so far.

    ¡°Great job,¡± Sam said, speaking to his Pok¨¦mon.

    Misdreavus blinked away the malicious gleam to her eyes, dropping the effects of Nasty Plot, and didn¡¯t hesitate to rush over and nuzzle against Sam¡¯s chest. She was injured, but only just. She¡¯d taken an Aerial Ace from Staravia but nothing else.

    Proudly, Sam rubbed her back.

    ¡°Wanna stay out for now?¡±

    Misdreavus eagerly nodded and floated over to drift near his head.

    Both Sam and Rod grabbed their platform¡¯s railing when the referee warned them that they were about to move. A lurch shook their metal plates, and the field and the trainer boxes around it were slowly returned to the ground level.

    ¡°Great battle.¡±

    Sam and Rod met in the center once the motion stopped and the railings retracted.

    ¡°I''m impressed by your strategy, especially for a trainer at your level. Even though I pulled one over you here and there, I can see that you were in control the entire time,¡± Rod said.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s pretty great, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sam shook his head, unable to stop smiling. ¡°Everything was a set-up for Misdreavus. I wasn¡¯t worried about getting knock-outs, just wearing out your team so she could finish you off at the end.¡±

    Rod laughed, beginning to reach into the pocket on the chest of his overalls.

    ¡°Just keep in mind that it¡¯s still a risky strategy. If Pidgeotto managed to get that Wing Attack off, I wouldn¡¯t have pulled back my Pok¨¦mon. Misdreavus would have been injured enough for Xatu or Fearow to finish her off¡ªif Fearow managed to wake up, I mean.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam sighed. ¡°I know.¡±

    At higher levels of play, opponents had more answers to different strategies. Sam would keep that in mind for the future, but, for now, he planned to enjoy how Misdreavus managed to pull off the sweep.

    ¡°That strategy would work better with one or two faints,¡± Rod continued. ¡°Needing to finish off an entire team can be risky, but you¡¯re a smart kid. You¡¯ll figure it out in the future.¡±

    With the advice done with and out of the way, Rod finally handed over the Gym¡¯s badge. It was silver and shaped like a blocky, upside-down U, designed to resemble a simple pair of wings.

    ¡°This is the Zephyr Badge. Owning it marks your victory over our Gym. You deserve it, but keep in mind my advice if you want to get further, yeah? It¡¯ll only get tougher from here.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Congratulations, then!¡± Rod slapped Sam on the shoulder. ¡°Looking forward to seeing you take part in the Conference!¡±

    The Gym Trainer walked off toward a door deeper in the Gym, likely intending to heal his Pok¨¦mon. The referee directed Sam back out the way he came, and Sam returned to the empty lobby.

    Sam wanted to heal his Pok¨¦mon but stopped at the entrance and stared through the glass into the street. Misdreavus lingered in the air next to him, and the Pok¨¦mon Center was right there, but...

    ¡°Is there anyone around we need to worry about?¡±

    A Gastly popped out of Sam¡¯s shadow, briefly looked around, then shook its head and phased back down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sam said.

    He didn¡¯t want to let his guard down for even a moment. He knew what was set to happen, and with most of his team fainted, he didn¡¯t want to give Petrel an early opening. Thankfully, as the criminal wasn¡¯t nearby, Sam had the confidence to return to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    There would be no illusion of safety tomorrow. No matter what, it would be a much more eventful day. Sam had earned his fifth Gym Badge here, but that was only a checkpoint. His real test of skill would be seeing whether or not he could handle Petrel after losing so badly to the man before.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what exactly would take place, but no matter what, Sam planned to do everything he could to guarantee Petrel¡¯s deserved arrest.

 Chapter 74

    Sam didn¡¯t sleep well that night. It didn¡¯t help that he¡¯d been staying up later and later. He found himself tossing and turning, waking up at even the smallest of noises. The sheets on the bed were too heavy, Quilava was a bonfire at his side, and Primeape¡¯s snores were screams to Sam¡¯s ears.

    He wouldn¡¯t call himself stressed or worried, it was more that there was an expectation for the next day. The knowledge that everything involving Petrel would come to its head was settling in. Sam was half tempted to try to have Haunter use Dream Eater on him, but the Pok¨¦mon still hadn''t learned the move, and asking for help in that way felt a bit too extreme for something this ¡°minor.¡±

    But Sam¡¯s thoughts still lingered on what was soon to happen. No other impending battle had ever felt like this. Even against real ghosts, there had been fear, but there had also been the sense of underlying excitement that came from encountering something incomprehensible.

    Petrel was just a man.

    He was a common criminal, and there was nothing mystical about him. Yet, with how grounded of a threat he represented, the knowledge of an impending encounter made the situation feel that much more real.

    Alright, Sam was a little worried.

    Thankfully, when he eventually got out of bed the next morning, his team was well-rested and ready to go. Quilava puffed out any lingering ash from her fur, Primeape boxed the air to try to prove he was awake, and Haunter kept trying to lure out the Gastly in Sam¡¯s shadow. While Tibia was annoyed, Haunter treated it as a game.

    ¡°And good morning to you, too, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said.

    The Ghost Type pushed against his shoulder and smiled when he rubbed her head.

    ¡°Today... is a big day,¡± Sam said, his Pok¨¦mon slowing down to listen to his words. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to go into details about what might happen. What¡¯s going to happen. Fighting Petrel won¡¯t mean a normal battle. It¡¯s an actual fight. And if we can¡¯t do it, and if the worst comes true¡ª¡±

    Quilava squeaked to interrupt. Before he could vocalize anything else, the rest of his team yelled their names at Sam, all in agreement that they¡¯d never let something so awful occur.

    Seeing everyone¡¯s determined expressions, Sam knew there was no point in bringing up those awful thoughts. Speaking of a loss was the same as preparing for a loss. All it would do was make them feel worse. Instead, what Sam needed to do was understand that they were going to win.

    He smiled as he took in his team, nodding once to agree with their shouts.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. We can do this. We¡¯ve been preparing for this exact battle. I¡¯ll believe in you all, and we can celebrate after.¡±

    Haunter and Misdreavus dived into Sam¡¯s shadow as he helped Quilava onto his shoulders. As for Primeape, while the Fighting Type was trying to act awake, Sam recognized the need to return him to his Pok¨¦ball. There, Primeape would be able to get more sleep.

    Redi was already in the lobby when Sam finally managed to leave his room. He¡¯d needed to take an extra few minutes to make sure all of his belongings were packed up. Sam found her idly leaning back in one of the few single-person chairs, kicking up her legs out of boredom and to lazily pass the time as she waited for Sam to show.

    As he entered, they locked eyes, and Redi jumped to her feet.

    ¡°Ready to punch a dude in the face?¡± she asked. ¡°Nurse Joy promised.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t promise. She just said she¡¯d try to set something up. And punching someone in the face is a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kicking someone, however, is a lot easier and can be way more painful if you aim it correctly.¡±

    She snickered and patted Sam¡¯s arms, exposing her teeth in a bloodthirsty grin. He snickered right back and moved into line to check out of the Pok¨¦mon Center alongside her.

    Thankfully, leaving took no effort whatsoever. Nurse Joy tended to stick to night shifts, and she wasn¡¯t working this early in the morning. However, the nurse on duty immediately recognized Sam and Redi and wished them luck on their journey out of town. She spoke of them leaving before either of them mentioned wanting to head out.

    When their IDs were passed back after providing them to the nurse, those two plastic cards didn¡¯t come back on their own. Subtly, the nurse also slid over a paper packet that went unmentioned. Sam picked it up as if it were supposed to be there.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    Redi also thanked her, doing so cheerfully.

    Sam carried the packet outside, slipping it into his backpack while moving out alongside Redi. He scratched Quilava¡¯s neck as they exited through the front doors.

    The sidewalks outside were dense with people, and slipping into the crowds, he and Redi quickly found their way to a certain restaurant. A few days ago, Sam had scheduled a reservation at an all-you-can-eat buffet as a gift for Primeape. It took a call last night to reschedule their reservation, but that reservation was more about warning the restaurant rather than guaranteeing a seat. Primeape would be able to enjoy his gift while letting Sam and Redi eat a hearty breakfast before leaving town.

    They sat at a booth, scooting onto the cushioned seats and bringing plate-covered trays with them. Primeape¡¯s mouth was drooling as he sat next to them. His tray was covered by a veritable mountain of food.

    Alongside him, Quilava was out and nibbling on a small piece of fruit. Ursaring wasn¡¯t as much of a glutton, but he wasn¡¯t out. He was still in his Pok¨¦ball. As for Sam and Redi, Tibia and Fibula stayed in their shadows, ready to warn them if anyone got too close during the important conversation they were about to have.

    ¡°So what¡¯s in the packet?¡± Redi asked, using her teeth to tear off a full third of a piece of toast.

    Sam glanced up from where he was reading. Redi looked at him expectantly.

    ¡°Oh, you know, stuff,¡± he idly replied. ¡°It¡¯s actually really interesting. Wanna read it yourself?¡±

    Rather than taking the offered papers, Redi leaned back, scratching at her ear with casual disinterest.

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    ¡°Nah. It¡¯s alright. You can keep it,¡± she said.

    Sam¡¯s flat look didn¡¯t cause her expression to change. She absolutely could read it¡ªand would read it if he wasn¡¯t around¡ªbut at this point, having Sam read everything for her had turned into a bit that he could tell she thought was hilarious to keep up.

    ¡°The packet¡¯s a basic overview of Morty¡¯s plans,¡± Sam explained, pushing past Redi¡¯s lack of reaction. ¡°There isn¡¯t enough in it to reveal everything to us, but there¡¯s enough here to give us a rough idea of what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s... Hm.¡±

    Redi looked thoughtful. She at least seemed to recognize that now wasn¡¯t the time for further jokes.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t bait,¡± Sam continued. ¡°I mean, we are, but only technically. Morty has basically locked down the city with his Ghost Types and made it impossible for anyone to hide outside of a few intentional locations. Gaps in patrols and a few other openings are going to pick up today as he pretends to ¡®change plans.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing explicitly stated for his goals, but from what I can tell, it looks like he¡¯s trying to control how ¡®Pete¡¯ tries to leave Violet City.¡±

    Redi frowned.

    ¡°But won¡¯t Petrel notice that? And try to do something else?¡±

    ¡°If he stays behind, Morty¡¯ll catch him. Since there¡¯s gonna be so much pressure today, Petrel is going to be forced to leave. Morty¡¯s even managed to get Ace Trainers to set up ambushes for when Petrel tries to head out.¡±

    Morty was preparing five obvious exits from Violet City, and Sam and Redi were technically part of one. They weren¡¯t bait in that they weren¡¯t purposefully being used to draw him out, but they were still ¡°tasty¡± targets for Petrel to try to take out before entirely running away.

    Their presence was a delay for the worst-case scenario.

    As Sam continued to explain his understanding of Morty¡¯s plans, Redi hummed and played with a fork on the table. She pressed down on the prongs of its head and watched as its handle bounced off the wood.

    ¡°So he¡¯s not going to go after us?¡± she asked doubtfully. ¡°There¡¯s only gonna be a twenty percent chance he actually shows up?¡±

    ¡°About, but Morty thinks it¡¯s a bit higher than that,¡± Sam said. ¡°There might be other ways for ¡®Pete¡¯ to leave the city, but if he heads towards us, he¡¯d be able to knock out two Pok¨¦mon with one stone¡ªthe recapture of Porygon and escape.¡±

    Redi snarled the moment Sam finished talking. A fist pressed down on the middle of the fork, making it go utterly still.

    ¡°He¡¯s not ¡®recapturing¡¯ Porygon. Recapturing means he captured Porygon in the first place! As far as I care, he was never Porygon¡¯s trainer. All he does is see Pok¨¦mon as tools. Petrel¡¯s scum. A poacher. Nothing more than that.¡±

    Sam pulled back in his seat at Redi¡¯s surprising show of vitriol. The movement seemed to shock her out of her rant as she blinked at him and recovered.

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s not you, I just...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get him. We just need to make sure we¡¯re working inside Morty¡¯s plans.¡±

    ¡°...Yeah.¡±

    There were a few more details in the packet, but there was nothing too pertinent to them. The trap for Petrel thankfully made room for their own planned path, where they¡¯d head east along Route 31 with the intent of visiting Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s home at the entrance of Route 30. Sam wanted to talk to the man, as during the tournament, Mr. Pok¨¦mon had dropped hints about a certain few evolutions on Sam¡¯s team.

    Redi shared a similar objective, as Mr. Pok¨¦mon was connected enough that he might be able to help her obtain the right kind of peat block for Ursaring¡¯s evolution into Ursaluna. If they couldn¡¯t secure his help, they¡¯d need to instead set up an international job when they returned to Olivine¡¯s port. Doing so had no guarantees, and there¡¯d be no way to ensure it¡¯d be completed quickly. As of right now, Mr. Pok¨¦mon was their best option. If it was easy to obtain an Ursaluna, someone else would have already done so.

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°We just need to be sure to use that Pok¨¦gear the moment we learn Petrel is nearby. There are going to be Ace Trainers waiting at points along Route 31 to jump in when needed. Unfortunately, they¡¯re kind of limited, because if there¡¯s too many, they might scare Petrel away. There¡¯ll still be enough that any of them can come quickly once called, though.

    ¡°Also, the Gym is apparently using Xatu to try to learn Petrel¡¯s movements,¡± Sam added. ¡°Psychic Types can¡¯t exactly predict the future, but they can predict probabilities. That¡¯ll help narrow down plans once it gets closer to Petrel¡¯s capture.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Redi said. She chewed on a piece of food. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Dark Types mess with that?¡±

    ¡°Probably?¡± Sam said, not knowing himself. ¡°But I don¡¯t think Petrel has any Dark Types, just a bunch of Poison Types.¡±

    She idly nodded her head.

    Sam finished listing off the last few minor details, but there wasn¡¯t anything specific to their current plans. They would buy a few supplies¡ªberries kept fresher for longer when bought at the last minute¡ªbefore heading out. Once on Route 31, they¡¯d stay on high alert until Petrel attacked or until they got the all-clear message via Pok¨¦Gear.

    They sat in silence once Sam was done, quietly continuing their meals, lost in thought. Primeape utterly devoured his pounds and pounds of food, and he leaned back with his hands on his stomach, looking utterly satisfied.

    Redi drank soda. Sam had a cup of tea. Quilava sipped at a saucerful of berry juice. They sat and quietly processed the day¡¯s impending plans.

    ¡°Man,¡± Redi eventually said with a sigh. ¡°So Morty just wants us to stall more than anything else, huh?¡±

    ¡°I mean, Petrel has a seven-star team. Our Pok¨¦mon are at five. Even with a good strategy, it¡¯s too risky to throw ourselves into a direct fight. Morty¡¯s Dusclops is one Pok¨¦mon, but it could crush us entirely on its own.¡±

    A sour look passed over Redi¡¯s face.

    ¡°Too bad we can¡¯t ambush Petrel right back,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Like, when Tibia and Fibula detect him, we jump out when he thinks he managed to sneak up on us and scare him instead.¡±

    Sam stopped eating to look up at his friend.

    ¡°I mean, we could?¡± he said slowly. ¡°We could ambush him with some sort of jumpscare. Haunter¡¯s gotten good at that.¡±

    Redi met Sam¡¯s eyes. He could tell what she was thinking. Something like that could work, but it came with a lot of risks. Notably, they wouldn¡¯t be able to control how Petrel might react, but it could stop him from attacking them directly.

    And that was enough for Sam to be convinced.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Ghost Type specialist between us,¡± Redi said, casually pointing her fork at Sam. ¡°You¡¯d be the one to know how to make things really spooky. I guess you could scare Petrel so he¡¯s too afraid to fight, or maybe trick him into needing to hunt us down. Anything like that might throw him off. And he really seems like someone who¡¯d think it¡¯s fun to give chase. At least, he seemed like that kind of guy based on how he acted in Sprout Tower.¡±

    Redi¡¯s smile fell, and she stretched down to unhappily rub her still-injured ankle. She could walk¡ªthe sprain was almost healed¡ªbut she was forced to wear a boot that limited how much she could move.

    ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t work,¡± Redi grumbled. ¡°He¡¯d be ready for us to attack.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked. ¡°You really think he¡¯d be ready for us to try to scare him?¡±

    ¡°He would detect us.¡±

    ¡°Misdreavus is an expert at hiding, and Haunter¡¯s been training how well he can stay hidden. And your Pok¨¦mon can be scary, too. Imagine Ursaring jumping out at Petrel from behind a tree.¡±

    ¡°...Hm.¡±

    The plan was a bit opposite to how she usually battled, but Redi wiggled in her seat, visibly considering it. She let her hands rest against the table, arms pressing into its edge.

    ¡°So... what?¡± she asked. ¡°You use Will-O-Wisp as actual Will-O-Wisps? Set the mood and lure him somewhere so you jump out and injure his team?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Or I find a way to distract him and burn his Pok¨¦mon. And I really doubt Petrel would be expecting a Hex. That, and if we find the right place, Haunter could sneak up with a paralyzing Lick or two, and then Misdreavus could escort him away before Petrel retaliates.¡±

    ¡°...Porygon has great aim,¡± Redi added. ¡°Any Koffing can be sniped out of the air with a single Psybeam.¡±

    ¡°And Misdreavus also knows Psybeam, now. Her aim isn¡¯t as good, but she¡¯s better at attacking while hidden.¡±

    Redi tapped her fingers on the table. Sam knew he needed just one more push before she was convinced.

    ¡°We¡¯d use the cover of the night?¡±

    ¡°Or the darkness of a forest.¡±

    ¡°I guess we could really amp up the spooky environment,¡± she said ¡°Deep woods are always kind of creepy.¡±

    Sam shrugged.

    ¡°Ghost Types lurk there.¡±

    ¡°Would you have Haunter sing?¡±

    When Sam looked at Redi questioningly, she blinked at him, confused.

    ¡°What? Never heard him late at night?¡± she asked. ¡°He goes out and practices spooky noises away from where we camp. It wakes up Ursaring, sometimes.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re doing this, right? Trying to scare Petrel instead of just sitting there and letting him attack.¡±

    Redi shook her head, amused, and by the end of it, she¡¯d gained a feral smile.

    ¡°Yeah, you sold me. Just imagining seeing that guy afraid...¡±

    She laughed to herself and grinned. Sam agreed he wouldn¡¯t mind seeing Petrel make that kind of face.

    As they were currently, Sam knew they¡¯d never be able to beat Petrel. Fighting him conventionally meant an inevitable defeat. Three days of practice wasn¡¯t enough to catch up with years of skill, and as a criminal, Petrel fought dirty. Going against him on his terms meant he¡¯d absolutely win.

    But if they were prepared for Petrel¡¯s appearance, and if they had a plan to wear him down...

    And if they made sure he was always moving and kept him on the back foot...

    ¡°Huh,¡± Sam said. ¡°We might actually be able to do this.¡±

    ¡°I know!¡± Redi said. ¡°Neat, right?¡±

    As Sam looked at her, she cracked her knuckles over the table. At the sight of her eagerness, he couldn¡¯t help but let loose a short laugh.

    It felt stupid. Trying to scare Petrel felt so, so dumb. They¡¯d still call for help, of course, but if they set up everything just right, then Petrel would be forced to live through a real-life ghost story if he tried to pull off an attack.

 Chapter 75

    Petrel wouldn''t call the last few days the worst few days of his life, but they were definitely up there. Between the constant running, relocating, and hiding, it reminded him of his younger days, before he began his stride towards improvement.

    His paper cup crinkled in his hand. The bitter taste of coffee tasted so much worse in his mouth.

    If it wasn¡¯t for that awful phone call back in Olivine, he¡¯d still just be a scout¡ªsomeone supposed to probe, not actually work. He would have been able to take his time and enjoy himself, but no!

    He¡¯d been assigned to a greater job.

    Petrel idly looked around the Violet City street, confirming that no one was paying him any mind. A lone businessman sipping at a drink wasn¡¯t out of place this late in the day. With the sun halfway hidden in a sunset, there was the perfect amount of people milling about. Most were heading home, but some were lingering with friends and hanging out alongside Pok¨¦mon.

    Unfortunately, Petrel couldn¡¯t exactly relax in that same manner, and he held back a scowl as he thought about everything that¡¯d been going on. Since Olivine, he¡¯d been forced to sneak around and take care of various ¡°mistakes.¡± He plugged a few leaks in Goldenrod, he cleaned up a mess in Azalea, and now, here in Violet City? Sure, he might have gotten sloppy and let those kids go, but who¡¯d have thought they¡¯d actually go and get help?

    Trainers like them were supposed to be cocky. Being so young and winning a tournament should have caused their ¡°strength¡± to go to their heads. Luring them to a private space worked well enough¡ªnaivety was always easy to take advantage of¡ªbut that escape? Jumping out of a window?

    Nah. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Even if they ran away, they were supposed to look into ways to deal with him themselves, not bring the entire freakin¡¯ League into it!

    ¡°Freaks,¡± he grumbled.

    Every time he found a place he thought was safe, Flying Types suddenly started to snoop around. Every time he changed disguises, one of those dumb birds always managed to sniff out the exact place he¡¯d tossed his trash. He barely had a clue as to how those Pok¨¦mon were finding traces of him in dark alleys when their species generally stuck to open skies. They hadn¡¯t yet found him, as he was constantly changing locations, but there was something going on, and he didn¡¯t like it.

    The worst part of all of this was that Petrel was stuck here. The Boss didn¡¯t tolerate failure, and he was getting pretty close to mucking everything up.

    Honestly, he chalked up his pains to the Gym¡¯s Xatu. That fool Walker probably had a bunch of them predicting Petrel¡¯s movements. While he couldn¡¯t figure out how those Psychic Type Pok¨¦mon had been so accurate as of late, he at least managed to get a single clue as to how they did it:

    When doubling back to avoid a patrol, he¡¯d seen a Gym Trainer digging through a trash can in which he had tossed out an old disguise.

    It was the trash he was leaving behind rather than anything specific to him. He¡¯d got himself more freedom to act when he started putting in more effort into not leaving a trail. Rather than disposable prosthetics and stolen make-up, he relied on his classic: a simple suit with his hair darkened and slicked back with oil. To hide his eyes, all it took was a set of colored contacts, and those were always cheap or easy to nick from a shelf. It wasn¡¯t like his face was known, and even if it was, it took only a few out-of-place details to make himself almost entirely unrecognizable.

    Now, he could linger on a street. He could watch all the people going home, and he could more importantly keep an eye on a certain group that was all dressed in black.

    They glanced around rather suspiciously¡ªthey were amateurs, of course. It still let him easily follow them as he crushed his cup and tossed it into a nearby bin.

    Unlike him, these people hadn¡¯t mastered a key skill critical to getting anything worthwhile done. It honestly hadn¡¯t taken him too long to figure out, but Petrel considered himself rather adept at it, and he even thought it more important than his skill with disguise.

    It all boiled down to timing, in the end.

    Timing his words, timing his appearances, timing the patrol routes and figuring out when people wouldn''t be around. Most importantly, Petrel knew how to time his plans to be exactly when everyone else was too tired and too slow to act after a long day of work.

    Walker must have thought himself especially clever with how he left purposeful gaps in patrols. Petrel wasn''t a complete fool. He could see how he was being herded in a certain direction.

    Territory he thought safe became unsafe, and territory he thought unsafe mysteriously became safe. It was a constant push towards the city¡¯s edge. Really, it was like they wanted him to escape.

    But the thing about an arachnid''s web was that most people thought it was inescapable once stuck.

    It wasn¡¯t.

    The tricks needed to weave a perfect web was something only a master could do, and Walker was not that master. All it took was a teeny, tiny snip to make a web worthless. That, or it took several much larger snips to cause the structure supporting it to come crashing down.

    Petrel slowed where he was walking, and the group in dark clothing stopped before a certain store. It advertised herbs and incense¡ªin this city, the items were all mass produced and nothing too special, but even with their short shelf-life, the medicine had a quick turn-around if you could find the right buyer.

    One of the men pulled out a familiar Pok¨¦ball, and he whispered something to the other people around him. Above, a trainer on a Fearow¡¯s back came to a halt, keeping a close eye on the highly suspicious group of people right as one of its members checked a watch.

    Petrel walked right past them, allowing himself to hear a sentence whispered between them.

    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s time.¡±

    On cue, he heard light thunder in the distance, and everyone else on the street froze¡ªeveryone but Petrel and the men. The man carrying the Pok¨¦ball tossed it forward, releasing a Koffing, and a single command pierced the air.

    ¡°Self-Destruct!¡±

    Chaos.

    Glass shattered everywhere. The front of the shop burst inward. The rest of the group rushed inside and started to scoop everything they could into bags.

    From above, the trainer on the Fearow swooped downwards, and all the civilians around began to scream and run. Petrel held back his laughter and joined them in their fearful rush away. He made sure to pay attention to the several other booms that echoed throughout the city.

    Nice try, Walker. You¡¯re better off sticking to the skies. Present me with a rigged game, and I¡¯ll just flip the table. A bird¡¯s eye view only hides what lurks below.

    It wasn¡¯t very surprising how motivated people could be when it came to free Pok¨¦mon. Petrel tended to keep a bit over two-dozen Koffing on him, and all it took was handing over a single one to motivate groups of ¡°helpers¡± to pull a job or two for him.

    None of the people currently involved in the specifically timed robberies were actual grunts¡ªnot yet, at least. Most were just gullible fools, down on their luck, easily manipulated by the idea of cold, hard cash or a better future. They were all likely going to get arrested, but if anyone managed to avoid capture, he¡¯d make sure to send a proper recruiter their way.

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    But, regardless of their fates, they were doing their job. Whatever carefully planned ambushes the League had in wait for him, Petrel would be able to slip through. They¡¯d need to pull defenders away to take care of the sudden spree of crime.

    As Petrel moved between the terrified people running down the street, a pair of Pidgeotto raced towards where the fight was taking place behind him. Coming from outside the bounds of the city, they paid no attention to the lone businessman as he slipped into an alley and began to move block to block. He slowed down, pretended to be panicked without quite running, and everyone else was too worried to think about one more person trying to get home to make sure his ¡°family¡± was okay.

    Empathetic fools.

    There were still Flying Types in the sky at the edge of town, but the growing night meant the eyes of those trainers and their Pok¨¦mon hadn¡¯t adjusted just yet. They also hadn¡¯t yet switched over to the species that better operated in darkness. They all were tired after a long day¡¯s work, and with so many having left to try to stop the robberies, his trained eyes could see the newly formed gaps in their patrols.

    He waited for the perfect moment to send out his Golbat and hop on its back. A use of Fly let Petrel easily hang on as it rushed out of the city, keeping low to the ground and moving with such speed that no one noticed it vanish into the forest at the edge of Route 31.

    ¡°Hah haha haha ha! Did you see those dumb looks on their faces! Didn¡¯t even realize they¡¯d been set up from the start!¡±

    Petrel wiped an eye and leaned back. This Golbat had been trained well enough to know how to zigzag through the many trees rushing them by.

    ¡°The Zubat I released earlier reported that those kids went this way. Catch up to them quickly, and I¡¯ll make sure you get some extra treats later tonight.¡±

    As far as Petrel was concerned, Pok¨¦mon performed best when they fully understood the concept of the carrot and the stick. Teach them the punishment for failure, and Pok¨¦mon would become desperate to obtain the right kind of rewards.

    The beating of the bat¡¯s wings picked up its pace, and Petrel¡¯s grin deepened as the wind blew through his hair. Golbat was no Crobat¡ªthat evolution was practically impossible to obtain¡ªbut it was still fast enough that they made good time.

    His escape was all but guaranteed at this point. The defenders of Violet City would be busy dealing with all those mooks robbing the city¡¯s stores. He didn¡¯t want to have to push himself¡ªPetrel was a big fan of taking it slow¡ªbut he needed to move quickly if he wanted to nab back that Pok¨¦mon and head out.

    That Porygon was as good as his.

    As Golbat flew forward, a few Zubat released the previous night flitted in the air above the forest¡¯s trees. The Pok¨¦mon were eyeless, but their unhearable echolocation meant they could cover a large area to search and tell Golbat where to go. At this point, the sun had fully set, and it was dark out. Petrel knew better than to pull out a flashlight. The growing light of the moon would be enough to see as the night¡¯s darkness hid his exact position.

    His Golbat rapidly changed directions, following where the Zubat directed. Petrel eventually saw their destination¡ªa campfire in the distance, a tiny pinprick of light just barely visible between the trees.

    ¡°Bring me down,¡± he ordered.

    The Golbat pulled in its wings and immediately landed, not slowing down but bringing them to the earth in an abrupt halt that jerked Petrel forward.

    ¡°Urgh! You¡ª¡±

    He stopped, breathed in, and shook himself as he hopped off to land on the forest floor.

    Careful, Petrel. Don¡¯t want to make too much noise. No sense in alerting them just yet.

    He found himself grinning, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise. While it hadn¡¯t been his full intention, half the reason he hadn¡¯t bothered to chase down those kids just yet was so he could experience the thrill of the chase. He only somewhat regretted the mess that formed in their wake.

    I¡¯ll be able to enjoy this, at least. A nice beat down is always worth the time. Just gotta be quick before Walker gets too wise. Don¡¯t want any pigs bearing down on me too soon.

    As Petrel neared, he sent out quiet signals. Golbat moved to hide itself in the forest¡¯s canopy, and he released that Raticate to stalk alongside him, unseen. The trees¡¯ thick trunks hid the other flashes, and Petrel released most of his Koffing one-by-one. They moved to create a wide perimeter around the campsite, ready to blow the moment any of those kids made the foolish decision to flee while also preparing to search for them if needed.

    Finally, for his last bit of set-up, Petrel took off his shirt and wiped the slick out of his hair, feeling much more comfortable now that the black of his real outfit was visible. He took great pride in the tall, red R displayed prominently on his chest. It was nice to have a uniform. It spoke of being a part of something more.

    Normally, Petrel would have put on a different disguise and gone through a whole big thing, but given his current rush, he needed to keep this quick before anyone else approached.

    Striding forward, he could make out more details the closer he got. There were two tents. The flames of a fire. A pair of chairs set up to enjoy the heat.

    Except¡ª

    There wasn¡¯t anything more than that.

    The more he saw missing, the more Petrel began to frown.

    ¡°Stay on guard. Attack anyone who gets close. Not gonna bother monologuing today, so no sense in bothering to wait.¡±

    The fire clearly lit up the campsite, but other than the flickering flames, there was no obvious movement within. Walking right into it, he saw no one else. There weren''t any Pok¨¦mon. No kids. There weren¡¯t even bags that¡¯d mark them as having wandered off somewhere nearby.

    They go to bed or something?

    He whistled, and Raticate slashed through the fabric of the tents. As the store-bought shelters collapsed to the forest floor, all Petrel saw were a pair of empty sleeping bags.

    ¡°Huh. So you knew I was coming. Whatever. Just makes it more fun for me.¡±

    He licked his lips and flicked his gaze towards the surrounding woods. Normally, he preferred tricks, but if he was already resorting to brute force, a hunt would work just fine, too.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said?¡± he called out. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where you hide. Where you go. No matter what, Team Rocket¡¯s gonna find you! I¡¯m going to find you!¡±

    He took a step forward and paused when he breathed out. A bit of mist came from his mouth, which was weird. Neither of those kids had Ice Types on their teams.

    He rubbed his arms, feeling the bumps forming on his skin. Even with the fire so close, he didn¡¯t feel any warmth coming from its flames.

    ¡°...Hm.¡±

    As he redoubled his efforts to look around, he started to notice something a bit unsettling, too.

    It was silent. Uncomfortably so.

    There wasn¡¯t any wind, and the ambient noises of wild Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t be heard from a distance, either.

    Probably just scared off again. This many Koffing out on search tends to send wild Pok¨¦mon scurrying away to hide.

    He forced himself to smile, reminding himself that he was dealing with nothing more than some dumb kids. They were mid-level trainers at best and weren¡¯t capable of anything special. Sure, one dealt with Ghost Types, but that brat only had two of them. With Golbat, there wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. Echolocation meant it¡¯d detect anyone who tried for an ambush.

    But this chill...

    ¡°See anything?¡± he asked.

    Above, Golbat shook for the negative, and Raticate gnawed on a stick. Petrel sent the rat a glare¡ªgnawing helped stop its teeth from growing too long, but Petrel wanted it to have long teeth. The more jagged they were, the more painful Raticate¡¯s bites.

    It dropped the wood and looked around to search. Petrel huffed and returned to waiting, but he still didn¡¯t hear anything from the Zubat, and none of the Koffing burst, either.

    ¡°Golbat. Come down,¡± he ordered.

    Petrel whistled again, and a thump saw Golbat land at his side.

    ¡°We¡¯re taking too long here. We can find those kids later. No, it¡¯s time to go, so we¡¯ll start heading north to where we¡¯re setting up¡ª¡±

    When he heard something crack, Petrel snapped around. He was forced to bring up a hand to cover his face as a dark wind blew through the campsite and snuffed out the fire.

    ¡°There!¡±

    Through the darkness, Raticate jumped at where the move came out from behind a tree. Petrel rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the sudden change in illumination, but he didn¡¯t hear the Bite land or any cries of pain.

    There was nothing, not even ambient noise. Only the chill in the air lingered. Petrel crossed his arms to cover his hands and warm them up in his armpits.

    He stood tall.

    Nervous?

    Nah, he never got scared.

    ¡°Oh? Guerilla tactics?¡± he called out, sneering. ¡°Nice trick, but that¡¯s not enough. We¡¯re gonna find you, and then you¡¯re gonna learn why it was a bad idea to cross me!¡±

    The forest remained utterly silent, and he stood there, waiting for a Koffing or those kids to stumble into each other. He didn¡¯t have Golbat or Raticate leave his side, just in case, and he paid close attention to where an emergency Pok¨¦ball hid in a secret pocket within the nape of his collar.

    He expected another attack, but nothing ever came. He strained his eyes to try to see where the Koffing were moving through the woods, but even in the growing moonlight, he couldn¡¯t see where any of them were supposed to be floating not too far away. He supposed he could start searching himself, but with this many Pok¨¦mon belonging to him, why bother?

    He had formed his own web. Those kids wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. Even if one Koffing fell, the others would notice. The only way the kids were managing to avoid him was if something else had¡ª

    ¡°No, no. They¡¯re here. The Zubat would have warned me about something else,¡± he said, absolutely believing his own words and absolutely not becoming scared. ¡°They¡¯re out here. In the woods. At night. Cold. Dark. And alone.¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°And that attack definitely came from them. They¡¯re definitely not being stalked by anything other than me.¡±

    He kicked at the remains of the darkened fire, and a few embers came up only to fade away before reaching the ground.

    Petrel rocked on his feet. The pressure was starting to get to him. He needed his Pok¨¦mon to find those kids now, otherwise the League was going to notice his absence and use their infuriating Psychic Types to send a trainer his way.

    Next to him, that Golbat tried to step closer to him, but Petrel shot it a glare that forced it away. He huffed, continuing to look around.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re nearby. What if we have a battle? A real one? No tricks, promise!¡±

    Even though he was smiling, he didn¡¯t feel amused. It wasn¡¯t supposed to take this long, and as he narrowed his eyes, he realized he could no longer see the movement of the Koffing in the woods around him.

    ¡°...Raticate, on me. Golbat, we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    Petrel knew when something was off, and he in no way wanted to stay here any longer.

    Sure, he¡¯d be leaving those kids behind, but he could deal with them later. He could handle The Boss¡¯s fury as long as he wasn¡¯t captured. Lingering in one place was just a way to get caught. He absolutely had to leave.

    Am I scared?

    Course not.

    People like me don¡¯t get scared.

    It was too silent. Too empty. Nothing had been happening, yet his instincts were screaming at him to go. He moved to hop onto the back of Golbat, intending to get the heck out of dodge.

    But there was another crack. This time, it wasn¡¯t anything small. An entire branch of a tree broke out of nowhere and crashed to the ground, shattering the quiet of the night with its piercing clatter.

    Petrel craned his neck up to see what had caused that break, and upon doing so, he immediately froze.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Perfect darkness floated within the canopy above, and Petrel could tell it wasn¡¯t anything natural. He stared straight up, straight into it, and too many red eyes to count stared right back down directly at him.

 Chapter 76

    Before Petrel ever began his attacks, Sam and Redi blew through town, rushing to gather materials before heading out. They still had money left from the tournament and Sam¡¯s most recent Gym battle winnings, so they doubled up on restocking healing items and bought a few extra items¡ªspecifically, they bought a spare set of tents, sleeping bags, and foldable chairs.

    They also got a crowbar, neatly attaching it to the side of Sam¡¯s backpack. It wasn¡¯t relevant to their plans for Petrel, but purchasing it meant nothing like what happened in the Ruins of Alph would ever happen again.

    They left town just after midday, heading onto the eastern Route 31 and its path toward Cherrygrove. The middle of the route¡ªthe safer area most people followed¡ªconsisted of clear-cut forest and a smoothed road that could facilitate vehicles. The edges of the route¡ªthe sections less patrolled by Rangers¡ªcarried the risk of stronger wild Pok¨¦mon and still had their forests, yet that was where Sam and Redi went.

    Tall trees stretched above their heads, and they purposefully pushed as far to the side as possible to create a camp where they wouldn¡¯t be disturbed. They were out of the city, but only by an hour or two of travel. Neither wanted to get too far away, but camping closer would have been suspicious. This was the closest they could get without raising any red flags.

    They set up their tents and chairs and worked with their teams to gather firewood. Tibia and Fibula remained on high alert, but even with those two on guard, Sam found himself jumping at small noises. The only other creatures that came near their campsite were random Pidgey and Zubat that flew overhead. He had no clue where, when, or even if Petrel would attack. But he still felt his worry was rightfully justified.

    The campsite they built was just a decoy, a staging ground for their eventual trap. They didn¡¯t intend to use it, but Sam still collapsed and leaned back into one of the chairs.

    He breathed out and felt the warmth of the summer sun through the gaps of the trees. He¡¯d have preferred the cool of the night, personally, as its chill tended to help calm his nerves. Though it¡¯d been hours, there¡¯d been no sign of Petrel. Tibia and Fibula had only detected other Pok¨¦mon, and Morty hadn¡¯t contacted them via Pok¨¦gear to warn them of an attack.

    Sam had spent hours clueless, away from anywhere public, and doing nothing other than biding his time. While there was a burgeoning excitement in his gut that came from wanting to see the plan work, he couldn¡¯t ignore the anxiety that had built alongside it.

    We¡¯re planning to weaken Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but what if his Raticate manages to land another full-power attack? It ripped a chunk out of Haunter. I don¡¯t even want to consider the same injury happening to Quilava or Primeape, but I can¡¯t ignore that possibility.

    He knew their plan could work, but he couldn¡¯t let himself become arrogant about it, either. He needed to be prepared for all outcomes¡ªand if that meant he¡¯d be stressed, then so be it.

    Sam sat in that chair, stewing in place, for several long minutes. He only looked up once Redi plopped down in the free seat across from him.

    When she saw him looking, she smirked, amused.

    ¡°So... moping?¡±

    Sam replied with a glare. Redi snickered and casually leaned back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so worried, Sam. Either we win or we lose, and even if Petrel beats us, it¡¯s not like he can do that much. Sure, his Pok¨¦mon might be strong, but his victory won¡¯t be instantaneous. We¡¯ll stall. Help will show up. Honestly, my win condition is punching him in the face.¡±

    ¡°Did you finish your work with Ursaring?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi rolled her eyes at his attempt to change the topic.

    ¡°You mean pre-breaking a bunch of branches? Yeah. Haunter or Misdreavus should be able to send any of them crashing down with just a slight nudge.¡±

    Sam nodded and tried to focus back on the task at hand. Everything was already in place, but it needed to be perfect if Petrel was to be on edge and more liable to make mistakes.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi said, pushing herself back up. ¡°You gonna say anything else? You just asked me if I got work done then went back to brooding.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not brooding! I¡¯m just... stressed.¡± Sam rubbed his eyes. ¡° We¡¯re dealing with a seven-star criminal. What if he finds us without anything else working? I know we¡¯re trying to ambush him, but what if he counter-ambushes our counter-ambush anyway?¡±

    Redi sent him a flat look that he turned away from. The entire day had been a constant discussion about how to make their planned strategy just right. They¡¯d agreed on one thing across all of it¡ªthere would be risks, but any plan would involve a risk given who Petrel was.

    ¡°I remember when we first met, you used to be way more confident. Recently, it¡¯s like you¡¯ve been getting caught up in your head way more. What¡¯s going on, Sam?¡±

    ¡°We lost to Petrel.¡±

    ¡°I know that. I mean like...¡± She hummed. ¡°You¡¯re a Ghost Type specialist. We¡¯re about to scare someone. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be more confident about these things?¡±

    Sam sat back in his seat and sighed. He struggled to find the right words.

    ¡°The more I learn, the more I learn how much I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°The New Pok¨¦dex helps, but its information is generic. I have to figure out everything else on my own or rely on more experienced people for advice.

    ¡°And for this...¡± Sam continued, his voice becoming quiet as he spoke. ¡°Petrel has to think our fake haunting is a real haunting. He can¡¯t just think it''s two kids trying to scare him, and we only have two Ghost Types with us¡ªcombat-ready Ghost Types. Not Tibia and Fibula. I mean, Haunter and Misdreavus are skilled enough, and we¡¯ve spent the past few days training for this exact thing, but Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon are so strong, and he has so many Koffing under his control, and he has so much experience¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright. Stop talking.¡±

    Sam shut up.

    ¡°Instead of focusing on what might happen, let¡¯s focus on what will happen and what we can do to stay confident. Personally, I¡¯m feeling good because I trust my Pok¨¦mon. You¡¯ve seen how strong Ursaring is.¡±

    Sam slumped in his chair, trying to match Redi¡¯s casual demeanor. There were a few subtle signs of nervousness¡ªher head was a bit too still and she was forcing herself to not actively look around¡ªbut Sam focused on the relaxed image she was trying to project.

    ¡°I know a lot about Ghost Types,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°And you¡¯re good at scaring people?¡±

    ¡°...Not yet,¡± he grumbled.

    Again, he wasn¡¯t brooding. He was just thinking. Thankfully, sitting around the campsite and doing nothing helped their goals, as their mere presence made the place look more lived in.

    He silently considered what he knew and how past experiences could potentially help him. If he was stressed, that meant he wasn¡¯t confident, and Redi had a point that he could do something to fix it instead of sitting around and¡ª

    I¡¯m thinking! Not moping. Thinking!

    Sam fidgeted with his fingers as Redi idly watched the forest around him. It took a few minutes, but he eventually spoke up.

    ¡°Hey. Do you remember Sprout Tower?¡±

    Redi turned to him. Her flat stare was an answer enough.

    ¡°Okay, sure, you remember it, but I don¡¯t mean our fight there. I¡¯m talking about the Pok¨¦mon that lived there. Do you remember that parade of Gastly and Bellsprout? The one that went through Violet City¡¯s streets?¡±

    ¡°There was a parade of Gastly and Bellsprout?¡± Redi asked with a blink.

    ¡°Um, no. I mean, yes.¡± Sam adjusted his posture in his seat. ¡°Ugh, the parade wasn¡¯t at the tower, it was through the town at night, which... I suppose it makes sense if you didn''t see.¡±

    Redi stuck out her tongue.

    ¡°It was symbiotic, in a way,¡± Sam continued, sitting up straighter. ¡°The Bellsprout distracted observers from the Gastly, and the Gastly protected the Bellsprout while also using that distraction to sneak around. Like, the Gastly went out of their way to join that parade because it benefited them. They enjoyed it. For us, I think we might be able to...¡±

    He hummed, trying to put his thoughts into words. He was supposed to be a Ghost Type specialist. That meant there was another resource they could rely on.

    ¡°Tibia, Fibula?¡± he asked, turning toward the pair of Gastly lingering in nearby shadows. ¡°Are there any other Ghost Types nearby?¡±

    Redi sent Sam a curious look as the two unevolved Pok¨¦mon peeled out of the shade of a tree. In sync, they closed their eyes and focused for a few seconds before briefly nodding. Answering the unspoken question, Tibia and Fibula snapped to face in opposite directions, with each Gastly pointing away.

    ¡°There¡¯s two of them? Alright. Good. What species? How strong? And are they Gastly, too?¡± Sam asked.

    The pair looked annoyed at Sam¡¯s barrage of questions but still bobbed in the equivalent of a shrug. They could detect if something was approaching or a creature carrying hostile intent, but actual specifics weren''t their specialty.

    ¡°Okay, okay. That''s fine. Which one seems less likely to attack?¡± Sam asked quickly.

    Tibia¡ªor Fibula, as Sam couldn''t tell the difference¡ªchanged directions to point the same way as his brother. With both looking in the same direction, Sam stood up and began to march the way the Pok¨¦mon faced.

    ¡°Wait, Sam? What''re you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Recruitment,¡± he answered, not slowing as he walked. ¡°I¡¯m right that Haunter and Misdreavus aren¡¯t enough, but our plan to scare Petrel should still work. Except, we need help. Ghost Types can create environmental effects, especially when found in great numbers. For this, specifically, we need to recognize that Ghost Types attract Ghost Types. If we can gather up a few, we can quickly gather a lot more after that.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Redi frowned but bit her tongue. Instead of saying what she wanted to say, she silently hung back and watched Sam go through this plan.

    Guided by their guards, Sam recited everything he knew about Ghost Types in his head. Their tendencies, their abilities, their behaviors¡ªhe could assume that the individual he was heading toward was also a Gastly, as it was the only Ghost Type species commonly found in these parts, and Route 31 was known to primarily house weak, unevolved species.

    But what motivates a Gastly? Ghost Types are inherently mischievous, but is that enough? I''m not trying for a capture, I just need their help. Whatever request I present it with, I can¡¯t risk it betraying or trying to scare us right back.

    Tibia and Fibula followed along, sticking to where the light was the dimmest under the trees. Sunset was rapidly approaching. It wasn''t exactly dusk, but the forest became awash in red and orange hues as the day neared its end.

    Sam found his target quickly enough. He¡¯d never seen a wild Gastly in rest before, but this one was in its species¡¯s equivalent of torpor. The Pok¨¦mon sat in the crook of a tree, right where branches split out from a thick trunk. Its spherical body had become mostly transparent, and the movement of its smoke around its sides made it resemble nothing more than a faint patch of mist mostly obscured by wood.

    If Sam hadn¡¯t known the Gastly was there, he¡¯d have likely walked right past it. He whispered a quick thanks to Tibia and Fibula before glancing beneath his feet.

    ¡°Can you wake it up for me? Peacefully, please. I need to ask it for help.¡±

    Haunter exited the floor to sweep over and poke the wild Gastly in its side. The act wasn''t as peaceful as Sam had wanted, as the Gastly was suddenly jerked awake. Thankfully, something about Haunter¡¯s subsequent cackling put it at ease, as that recognition of a prank caused the wild Gastly to cackle alongside him.

    ¡°Gastly,¡± Sam called out. ¡°I¡¯m recruiting you.¡±

    Sharp eyes snapped his way.

    Redi was usually confident, but her step forward to assist was far more cautious than normal. She tended to be the one to lead negotiations, but for this, Sam held out a hand to ask her to stay back.

    When dealing with wild Ghost Types, it¡¯s best to look confident but not authoritative. Ghost Types respond best when treated as an equal. Specifically, I can¡¯t display fear¡ªfear makes me look like prey. And I can¡¯t make it think I¡¯m going to ¡°prey¡± on it, either.

    He paused for a second.

    And I need to smile because Ghost Types like to have fun.

    ¡°I¡¯m recruiting you,¡± Sam repeated, the confident smile on his face somehow feeling genuine. ¡°I¡¯m recruiting you and as many other Ghost Types as possible. I have a plan that involves a great cloud of you. See, there¡¯s this man¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself. The Gastly was already looking bored.

    Got it. Short attention span. Let¡¯s cut to the chase.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to create the biggest scare this Route has ever seen. Are you in or not?¡±

    Redi looked incredulous¡ªSam hadn¡¯t bothered with negotiation at all. He knew she was great at haggling and making deals, yet he hadn¡¯t even attempted to be convincing. The greater explanation had been stopped before it could be said. He had never even mentioned payment or offered anything in return.

    However, the Gastly was a Ghost Type. What would it even want? It wasn¡¯t greedy like a Mukrow, so it wouldn¡¯t want to collect shiny things. It wasn¡¯t a hunter like a Houndour, so food was meaningless. Material ¡®things¡¯ rarely motivated a Ghost Type outside of situations with extraneous circumstances. No, Ghost Types were far more motivated by ideas. Concepts. Feelings. Goals.

    Ghost Types were ephemeral beings, often defined by one emotion or another. Desire most often guided Ghost Types more than almost every other Type, and in the case of Gastly, that species desired to scare other creatures.

    Haunter lives for setting up scares and playing pranks. At least part of that comes from his species¡¯s instincts. If the idea of ¡®the biggest scare this Route has ever seen¡¯ isn¡¯t enough to motivate this Gastly, then I clearly have no clue how Ghost Types work.

    But, Sam was right. The Gastly eagerly said its name in agreement and happily bobbed its head.

    It¡¯d help them. Sam¡¯s basic pitch had been successful enough.

    ¡°Good,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯ll need more help with this, too. Gather up as many other Ghost Types as you can and tell them to come here. I don''t know when our target is approaching, but it can be any time between now and the end of the day. We need a lot, so get a lot, you hear me?¡±

    It grinned.

    As the Gastly took off to locate more Ghost Types, Sam turned toward Redi, now smug. Once more, she rolled her eyes, but there was obvious approval in the look she sent his way.

    ¡°Yeah, this is definitely going to work,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Glad you¡¯re feeling confident, but that¡¯s like the third time you¡¯ve said that today.¡±

    Sam turned to Tibia and Fibula and asked them to direct him to the next wild Ghost Type. Far more motivated than before, they readily led him toward the next willing recruit.

    <hr>

    An entire cloud of Gastly lingered in the trees above the campsite. Working together, the Ghost Types formed an indistinguishable cloud. Each one could help the others blend into their surroundings. Not only that, but with so many Ghosts, the pervasive cold that came with a Ghost Type¡¯s influence wasn¡¯t as subtle. It was everywhere, and even Sam could feel a primal fear building up even though he wasn¡¯t the source of the many Gastly¡¯s ire.

    Petrel stepped back, and a low chuckling emanated from the cloud to echo around the forest. The man was clearly forcing himself to stand tall despite the haunting noise. To fight back against his fear, he was putting on an arrogant expression. Sam could guess the psychology of it: why take off running when Petrel could instead pretend nothing was wrong and maybe make that true?

    ¡°Y-Yeah? You really think you¡¯re anything? Come on! I¡¯ve faced worse and in greater numbers! You won¡¯t be able to do anything to me!¡±

    The mass of Gastly accepted that offered challenge and dropped from the tree, rushing through the decoy campsite Petrel had placed himself in. The site was purposefully positioned within a gap in the forest, and the trunks of the large trees around it became the boundary of a forming, spectral storm.

    Deep purple gas churned. Darkened, spherical bodies became unrecognizable spirits writhing within a cloud. The Gastly didn¡¯t attack; they rushed past Petrel and circled the camp¡¯s sides. As a hurricane, they spiraled around the campsite, a tornado of mist and shadow that laughed at every one of Petrel¡¯s slightest twitches.

    From behind a tree, Sam quickly looked over to Redi. She was watching everything unfold with awe.

    ¡°You sent the message, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°...A while ago,¡± she said. ¡°I sent it as soon as T & F picked him up. I¡¯d say we only need maybe a minute or two more.¡±

    Sam grimaced.

    ¡°Then we do need to head in. Before his Golbat gets off attacks, I mean,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of the Gastly getting hurt.¡±

    Redi nodded at Sam, and they stepped over a fainted Koffing to rush over and join in. They hadn¡¯t been doing anything special to hide; all it took was standing a distance away and a large enough tree.

    No, they had gone undetected because people always underestimated the impact of status moves, which held true when weak Pok¨¦mon like Petrel¡¯s Koffing were involved. Petrel had treated those Pok¨¦mon as disposable, thus, they¡¯d barely been trained. Haunter¡¯s Hypnosis could set up one Koffing for an easy knock-out, and then a few quick applications of Misdreavus¡¯s Confuse Ray prevented others from noticing.

    Sam¡¯s two Ghost Types had eliminated every Pok¨¦mon sent out to search. Petrel hadn¡¯t noticed due to the inherent silence of the pair of Ghost Types, and the darkness deepened by so many nearby Gastly prevented him from seeing more than a few yards away from the campsite.

    And, as Sam and Redi ran forward, the swirl of Gastly hid their movement. Misdreavus appeared beside Sam and brought up a weak Night Shade to ensure their approach wouldn¡¯t be detected. She kept the move on a low intensity to not injure and blind them, but it still served as a sphere of Ghost Type influence that occasionally made Sam feel something unspeakable brush against him.

    Misdreavus guided them. Haunter assisted by placing guiding hands onto their backs. While they arrived at the storm quickly, several wild Gastly had already peeled away. Petrel was shouting for his Golbat to attack, and blades of wind caused temporary gaps in the storm.

    Anger bubbled up inside of him, but Sam breathed out to keep cool. He sent out Quilava, and Redi released Porygon at her side to have the artificial Pok¨¦mon serve as an extra line of defense.

    ¡°Go in and out, aim for status conditions. You two know what to do,¡± Sam whispered to both Quilava and Haunter.

    Haunter dropped down as if plunging into a pool, and he entered a shadow that let him slip right underneath the wall of Gastly. As for Quilava, she rushed right into it, acting uncharacteristically confident despite the many ghosts. She moved to run in the same direction as the swirl, and though she made no noise or requests, the wild Pok¨¦mon seemed to understand she needed a space made to let her enter.

    ¡°Come on. Come on...!¡±

    Behind one of the camp¡¯s boundary trees, Sam clutched a Pok¨¦ball in his hands, and Redi did the same next to him.

    He could see nothing but silhouettes. It was nerve-wracking; this was the most crucial moment. This one simultaneous strike would determine if they¡¯d be able to fight against Petrel¡¯s team. The criminal was scared, overwhelmed, and trapped, and they needed to take advantage of that before he found a way out. Yet, there was still that difference in power. Haunter and Quilava had to succeed in their first attempt if they didn¡¯t want to be immediately overwhelmed.

    But, though Redi stayed quiet and unsure, Sam was able to make out what was happening inside. Within the storm itself, motes of flame sparked up, hidden by the revolving shadows. The Will-O-Wisp shot toward the spiral¡¯s center, and a flash of darkness from Haunter erupted underneath their targets.

    Petrel¡¯s mad laughter suddenly stopped, and Sam swore he heard the man click his tongue. A second later, the laughter resumed. It came out even madder than before.

    ¡°So it is you two! You kids really stepped up your game, huh?¡± Petrel yelled as Quilava and Haunter popped out of the storm near where Sam stood. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know this isn¡¯t anywhere near enough! You should recognize by now that I¡¯m still going to win!¡±

    Neither Sam nor Redi fell for the taunts and attacked. Instead, Sam returned Quilava to keep her safe, and both he and Redi released team members for the next stage of their plan.

    Haunter made low, moaning noises to hide their voices. It joined with the echoing snickers of the Gastly to create a haunting tune that drifted through the woods. Yet, the Golbat¡¯s attacks had been threatening enough to force several of the Gastly away. A gap in the storm let Sam catch a glimpse of Petrel¡¯s face. He was grinning, and the teeth exposed by his smile seemed far, far too white.

    ¡°Swords Dance,¡± Redi ordered.

    ¡°Bulk Up,¡± Sam said, heart pounding in his chest.

    Through the storm, Petrel turned to where Ursaring and Primeape were preparing themselves. Notably, he didn¡¯t immediately go on the offensive. Haunter and Quilava¡¯s attacks had landed, after all.

    ¡°Not gonna work!¡± he taunted, eyes flicking about the wall of Gastly before him. ¡°Just... Whatever! Come on, after them! It¡¯s just a bunch of piddly Ghost Types! Push through, there¡¯s no reason to be afraid!¡±

    The delay was long enough for Primeape and Ursaring to finish preparing themselves, but the storm was still disrupted in the end. Two Pok¨¦mon burst through the churning walls: the feral-looking Raticate and the blood-hungry Golbat. Each Pok¨¦mon held their jaws open wide, with vicious teeth that threatened to dig into their target¡¯s flesh. Though the storm collapsed as the Gastly fled, many stuck to the shadows and stayed nearby to watch how the rest of this encounter would progress.

    The Golbat aimed a Poison Fang toward Primeape. The Raticate aimed a Super Fang toward Ursaring. The match-ups were unideal, but it was more than just Primeape and Ursaring currently out. Dual Psybeams launched from Misdreavus and Porygon struck Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. The targets were swapped; Raticate was knocked toward Primeape, and Golbat was redirected toward Ursaring.

    These match-ups were much more in Sam and Redi¡¯s favor.

    Primeape took the Super Fang, suffering a horrible bite into his side. However, embers from a burn flecked off of Raticate¡¯s fur, and he grinned as an extra-powerful Assurance smashed the rat Pok¨¦mon away.

    As for Ursaring, he let the Golbat¡¯s Poison Fang land, toxins being pumped into an outstretched arm. It couldn¡¯t pull away fast enough¡ªthe hair on Golbat¡¯s back was wet, and it shivered from the chilling paralysis inflicted by Haunter¡¯s Lick. Though Ursaring lurched from the pain, something pulsed through him as the move sent poison into his body. Red eyes glowed on the bear Pok¨¦mon¡¯s face as the adrenaline from Guts and Quick Feet fueled a Slash to Golbat¡¯s stomach, throwing the bat Pok¨¦mon away.

    Yet, even with those devastating openers, Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon quickly recovered. Raticate scrambled to its feet, breathing heavily but pushing through the pain. Golbat could not resume its flight, but it was able to maneuver around and still land on its feet.

    ¡°Hah! As if you two can win,¡± Petrel said with a sneer. ¡°How about this to speed things up? Koffing¡ª¡±

    Two Psybeams from Misdreavus and Porygon saw the Poison Type be struck the second it appeared. The attacks slammed it back, and it drifted toward the ground, where it lay deflated and unconscious.

    Petrel clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Really? Not even going to fight fair?¡±

    His Pok¨¦mon attacked without him. Raticate lunged, but Will-O-Wisp¡¯s burn meant its movements were strained. Similarly, Golbat had to fight Lick¡¯s paralysis just to fly closer to Ursaring. Thunder Punches warded the bat Pok¨¦mon away, and Primeape broke through Raticate¡¯s defense with a powerful Rock Smash. The threat of Brick Break forced it to circle him instead. Sam and Redi shouted commands, but Petrel stayed silent, his gaze desperately flicking around as he stood unusually still.

    Sam and Redi were winning, but only barely. The difference in strength remained, but their strategy let them fight on almost even terms. The status conditions weakened Petrel¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, and the self-buffing moves from earlier meant Primeape and Ursaring could better stand on their own. And then for Petrel, he was still distracted. He never acted as a trainer¡ªno commands were ever sent his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s way.

    Redi glared at Petrel, her hands clenched into fists, but she didn¡¯t run up and punch him¡ªat least not yet. Sam gritted his teeth as the battle continued, distinctly aware of every passing second.

    Haunter¡¯s still hidden. But we need to keep Petrel here for just a bit longer. If we stall for more time, and if Haunter can prepare a strike, and if we can give Ursaring a chance to use Hyper Beam¡ª

    ¡°Fine, whatever! This isn¡¯t the end of it!¡± Petrel suddenly shouted, reaching into the collar of his dark shirt and retrieving not a red Pok¨¦ball, but a blue Great Ball. ¡°You kids think you¡¯re so clever, huh? With these Gastly and that ambush and the fake campsite and everything else, oh, I bet you think you¡¯re the smartest people in the world!¡±

    He barked out a single laugh.

    ¡°No! You¡¯re just a couple of dumb kids who managed to get lucky! You had to use surprise and fear to try to get one up on me!¡±

    He was screaming. Raging. Sam had never seen someone so frustrated in his life.

    But in an instant, Petrel¡¯s gaze narrowed, and the man immediately calmed down. Something about the rapid change in demeanor caused a sinking feeling in Sam¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You won¡¯t win.¡± Petrel said that as a fact, not as a taunt. ¡°I still have one more Pok¨¦mon left. Want to test me? I¡¯ll push back. Come on out¡ª¡±

    Petrel choked on his next word.

    Sam felt it before he saw it; the hair on the back of his neck stood on its ends. The color drained from Petrel¡¯s face, and a true cold, not a cold inflicted by any weak Gastly, settled around them in an instant.

    The battles stopped. Every Pok¨¦mon went completely and utterly still. Petrel slowly turned around with his Great Ball still clutched in one hand.

    Something slithered toward him. It was impossibly slow yet faster than Sam could run. Mist built until a fog too thick to see through pulled itself together, towering above Petrel.

    Perfect silence. A stillness stretched out into infinity all within a single second. Petrel craned his neck for the second time tonight, and indents formed within the fog itself to create crescent-shaped eyes and a cheshire grin that stretched from tree to tree.

    ¡°Ghosts attract Ghosts,¡± Sam whispered.

    Except this creature was being careful about it. Whatever it was, with whatever immense power it wielded, it kept itself far too constrained to be anything wild.

    ¡°You... I¡ª!¡±

    Petrel wasn¡¯t able to speak. He and everyone else watched the mouth within the fog open up and come crashing down upon him like a tidal wave.

    It consumed him, blanketing his position with its thick obscuration. Mist splashed and flooded out to linger in the campsite like the knee-high mud of a swamp.

    But it hadn¡¯t been a finishing blow. It had been setting Petrel up, and Petrel still had that Great Ball in hand. From within that fog, a single, muffled word pierced the air.

    ¡°Explosion!¡±

    The mound of fog flashed red. A bulbous, pockmarked shape became visible from within.

    As Petrel¡¯s Golbat lunged toward where its master disappeared, a brilliant light sparked up within the ghostly creature. Its crescent eyes made a reappearance just to turn to full moons, and within a second, the world became an inferno of roaring flames.

 Chapter 77

    The Explosion blasted back the fog and consumed the decoy campsite. Primeape and Ursaring disappeared as the sea of flames rushed Sam and Redi. Misdreavus and Porygon acted simultaneously, unleashing a dual Psybeam that sliced through the edge of the dissipating explosion. They carved out a gap that let their small group go unaffected.

    Sam felt the heat flow past his sides. The air was briefly too hot to breathe. He was left blinking, recoiling, and a few wild Gastly peeked out of the canopy above.

    Primeape was unconscious. Ursaring was unconscious. Those two were out of the fight, but so were Petrel¡¯s Raticate and the Weezing that had just blown up. However, Petrel¡¯s shout of Explosion was more than just a command. It was also a keyword that saw Golbat lunge backward to snatch him up, using its feet to latch around Petrel¡¯s shoulders and take him away.

    ¡°H-Haunter!¡±

    Sam¡¯s shout was hoarse. He didn¡¯t miss that if Misdreavus and Porygon hadn¡¯t been close, that Explosion would have left him and Redi in no state to give orders. Yet, he could see Petrel¡¯s Golbat bringing the man away through the trees. Sam pulled himself away from the thoughts of ¡°what-if¡± to run over the scorched forest floor that was once a fake campsite. Redi stayed behind.

    Primeape and Ursaring were returned. Haunter left Sam¡¯s shadow to enter the air. Sam did his best to run after the fleeing Petrel, who honestly wasn¡¯t moving with much speed. The criminal¡¯s Pok¨¦mon could barely flap its wings thanks to the Lick-inflicted paralysis Haunter had applied at the start of the battle.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi called out. She didn¡¯t move from where she stood. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother. We¡¯re about to win.¡±

    Sam¡¯s adrenaline had spiked alongside that Explosion, so, weirdly, it was both impossible and extremely easy for Sam to focus. Anything he looked at, he was able to see with full intensity, but everything else around it faded away.

    The Weezing¡¯s move had been blinding, but the forest¡¯s remnant moonlight let Sam see. Petrel¡¯s Golbat rushed past the trunks of an open path of trees, desperately trying to bring its owner out and away from danger.

    Except, it wasn¡¯t succeeding with that plan. Petrel and his Golbat weren¡¯t alone. As Petrel shouted at his Pok¨¦mon to go faster, beneath them, a pair of red eyes opened up in their shared shadow.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said.

    He slowed down to watch what was about to happen. He took this opportunity to breathe.

    That fog creature from earlier wasn¡¯t actually the fog itself. It was a Pok¨¦mon that had controlled the fog to hide its presence and appear more intimidating.

    Its cheshire grin was familiar. That smile was far too toothy, and the Pok¨¦mon was far too enthusiastic in general. Like a zombie pulling itself free from the earth, a Gengar surfaced from the ground, Petrel and Golbat¡¯s shadow dragging it along without any need for it to catch up by itself.

    Golbat dangled Petrel beneath him, and that meant the man¡¯s legs hung loosely just above the forest floor. Petrel was scowling¡ªor at least Sam assumed so. The criminal was mostly staying quiet, likely to try to hide his escape, but he seemed unable to resist giving orders to his Golbat in an attempt to have it move quicker than a slow running speed.

    He gave one last, angry order to his Pok¨¦mon, but his command never finished. Halfway through an insult, Petrel cut himself off with a sudden yelp.

    Casually bringing up a single hand, the Gengar was able to yank Petrel free from Golbat¡¯s grip and send the Team Rocket lieutenant crashing to the ground. He bounced, the impact leaving a groove in the dirt, but he wasn¡¯t out of it just yet. He laid on his back and groaned while the Gengar floated into the air, silently holding its stomach in noiseless laughter and bouncing around the injured man with glee.

    ¡°Make sure these two don¡¯t wake up, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said, glancing at the fainted Raticate and Weezing on the ground. ¡°Haunter, come with me.¡±

    ¡°Follow, Porygon,¡± Redi added.

    They left the campsite together, leaving behind Petrel¡¯s abandoned Pok¨¦mon and heading to the man himself. Gengar continued to merrily float around the fallen man, keeping itself to the edge of Petrel¡¯s vision. He had yet to notice the Ghost Type was there. However, as neither Sam nor Redi made any attempts to hide themselves, the sound of their footsteps caused Petrel to force himself to recover and snap his gaze their way.

    For some reason, Gengar disappeared instead of bringing Petrel down once again. Petrel shook his head, unaware of the red eyes behind him, and glowered at Sam and Redi, narrowing his eyes.

    His face was red with both rage and exhaustion.

    ¡°You,¡± he hissed.

    He shakily pushed to his feet. His black Team Rocket uniform was marred with dirt.

    ¡°Everything comes back to you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± he shouted. ¡°Goldenrod. Azalea. Violet City. And now this?¡±

    Petrel laughed.

    ¡°Come at me, then! Try me! I¡¯m not done just yet!¡±

    He reached to his side as if to grab a Pok¨¦ball, but there was nothing there, and he was left blinking. Petrel looked down, completely bewildered at his empty side. The Gengar silently reappeared right behind his head and held up a certain spherical object. It mimicked snickering, but it still didn¡¯t make any noise.

    Sam suddenly felt so, so tired. He just wanted this to be over.

    ¡°Take him out with Hypnosis, Haunter,¡± he said. ¡°Make sure Petrel doesn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Redi interrupted him by dashing forward.

    Unexpectedly confronted by an angry, teenage girl, Petrel took a hurried step back and glanced to his side as if to search for an escape route. He looked back to gauge how much distance remained between them, but Redi was fit and had the momentum. Her speed carried her forward faster than Petrel expected.

    She jumped.

    Sam exhaled.

    A fist impacted Petrel¡¯s face, and the man was sent crumpling to the ground. To add insult to injury, Haunter chose that moment to use Hypnosis on him. Petrel never got a chance to respond, being sent into a deep, deep slumber.

    ¡°Alright. Now we¡¯ve won,¡± Redi said.

    She rubbed her fist and winced. There were red marks on her knuckles.

    But it was over.

    Less than a minute later, a thump marked a large Pidgeot landing back at the destroyed campsite. A goggles-wearing woman in a red vest looked around, alert. Behind her, a man jumped onto the forest floor and stared at Sam and Redi as they dragged Petrel back to everyone else.

    Morty had his mouth open, but he seemed to be at a loss for words. He had jumped off that Pidgeot clearly expecting to battle. He held a Pok¨¦ball in one hand, and shadows churned under his feet.

    However, the clearing was silent outside of Petrel¡¯s unconscious groans. Morty locked his eyes onto the unconscious man wearing a Team Rocket uniform, and, disbelieving, rubbed his head to take a moment to process it.

    He held a palm up in the air, and Gengar faded into being underneath it. Morty absentmindedly rubbed his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head.

    ¡°...So you found them?¡± Morty asked the Pok¨¦mon.

    Gengar excitedly pointed around at all the Gastly still in the trees. Morty nodded quietly, still needing a moment to process.

    ¡°You went to where all the Ghost Types were. I see.¡± He paused. ¡°...I think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Petrel¡¯s Weezing and Raticate,¡± Sam said as he pointed to the fainted Pok¨¦mon. ¡°And there are unconscious Koffing spread out nearby, too.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°We¡¯ll collect them,¡± Morty said. He sent a few gestured commands to the Ace Trainer with him, and she replied with a thumbs up before jumping off to tie up the sleeping Petrel, first.

    ¡°And his Golbat?¡± Morty asked.

    Redi pointed to a tree back where they¡¯d just brought Petrel. Several branches were broken, and an unconscious Golbat lay dangling between its leaves. Since it was providing a counterforce to keep Petrel in the air, when the Gengar snatched its passenger away, it suddenly found itself slamming into the tree, which ultimately knocked it out.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he missed that.

    Adrenaline, probably.

    He could still feel his heart pounding in his chest.

    Morty took a long moment to stare at the bat Pok¨¦mon. He stared at Petrel, the fallen Pok¨¦mon, and the ruins of the campsite around them. He opened his mouth to comment, but all that came out was a short laugh.

    ¡°Wow,¡± he said. ¡°Lance can¡¯t get upset about this.¡±

    ¡°We captured Petrel!¡± Redi said proudly.

    ¡°You did. You really did.¡±

    He licked his lips, still needing to process what had gone on, and he held up a hand to silently ask Sam and Redi to stay there while he brought up a Pok¨¦Gear.

    As he stepped away to begin making several calls, Sam and Redi released Primeape and Ursaring to begin treating their wounds. Thankfully, due to all the spare healing supplies they¡¯d brought, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to make sure they were in good health.

    Sam knelt before his unconscious Pok¨¦mon. Like Ursaring, Primeape had bald patches and areas of burned hair, but he was otherwise fine¡ªExplosion was a battle-legal move, after all. A few liberal uses of Super Potions meant he came to soon enough, and a vein throbbed on his head in anger. Primeape grunted, annoyed at how ¡°easily¡± he had fainted, but schadenfreude passed across his face as he noticed the unconscious Petrel off to the side.

    ¡°Good job, Primeape. You managed to hold Petrel off just long enough for us to win.¡±

    Sam hugged his Pok¨¦mon, and Primeape proudly replied with his name. Petrel almost got away in the end, but they didn''t need to win directly. The whole purpose of this was to delay until they got help, and Morty¡¯s Gengar had finished the job for them.

    Though the way it held back at the end¡ªwas it purposefully giving Redi a chance to punch Petrel in the face? Did Morty tell it to do that?

    For some reason, Sam thought back to Nurse Joy¡¯s promise from back when they were first discussing the problem of Petrel.

    ¡°...Alright. I suppose I need to give you two a rundown about what happened,¡± Morty said, heading over once a few other Ace Trainers had arrived and began the clean-up process within these woods.

    ¡°Petrel provided Koffing to several groups and had them rob stores throughout Violet City,¡± Morty said. ¡°He timed it so they all attacked at the same time, and that forced members of our patrols away, giving him gaps in which to escape. But even with that, he should have never been able to go after you here. You were meant to be a backup plan for a backup plan. I can¡¯t apologize enough for risking¡ª¡±

    Sam hurriedly brought up his hands to stop Morty before he could bow in apology. He pushed back to his feet and glanced over to Redi. She was still rubbing her hurt fist, but she did so proudly.

    ¡°You¡¯re making this a bigger deal than it has to be,¡± she said. ¡°Everything worked out. And I got to punch Petrel in the face!¡±

    ¡°And I got to watch Petrel be punched in the face,¡± Sam added.

    ¡°You know you¡¯re admitting to a¡ª¡± Morty shook his head. ¡°Nevermind. Though, I might have words with a certain someone later.¡±

    His Gengar drifted off into the darkness of the woods, snickering as it did.

    ¡°So, like, how many Koffing did that guy have, anyway?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Cause, like, he had way more than six.¡±

    ¡°As of our last count, thirty-three.¡±

    A shout came from behind Morty.

    ¡°Thirty-four!¡±

    Sam blanched at the idea of one man having so many explosive Pok¨¦mon hidden on him. Koffing were common to cities that struggled with pollution and were generally considered pests, so it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for someone like Petrel to gather up so many with ease. Heck, with the right support, Sam was pretty sure anyone could build up a ¡°disposable¡± team if they so wanted.

    ...He tried not to think about it.

    ¡°Regardless, Petrel risked finishing off a job and was captured as a result. This is where I¡¯d normally send you back to the Pok¨¦mon Center to rest, but I¡¯m not comfortable returning you to a city in which a criminal organized so many violent crimes at once. If he created a backup plan, I don¡¯t want to risk it. No, please tell me where you want to head next.¡±

    Sam exchanged a look with Redi. She chewed on her cheek, considering Morty¡¯s offer.

    ¡°Our basic plan was to circle through Johto...¡± Sam started.

    ¡°Can you send us to Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s house?¡± Redi suddenly asked. ¡°That¡¯s not rude, is it? I heard he was always accepting guests.¡±

    Morty considered her words before nodding his head.

    ¡°I can do that. Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s house has effectively turned into a rest stop for people traveling between Cherrygrove and Violet City. It might sound a bit weird, but it¡¯s nothing too unusual.¡± He paused for a second. ¡°But Sam. I apologize for rushing through this, but we do need to talk once you return to Ecruteak City. There are rules about carrying capacity for Ghost Types that I have a feeling you¡¯ll need to know.¡±

    Morty¡¯s gaze briefly flicked up to where a few Gastly were still lingering in the trees.

    ¡°I will,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°And I still need to battle you! Wait for me!¡± Redi said, grinning at Morty and holding one of her Pok¨¦balls forward.

    The Gym Leader chuckled.

    ¡°Of course. But it might be a while before I head back. I still have... paperwork to get through.¡±

    He shuddered.

    Morty brought up a Pok¨¦ball, and a Pok¨¦mon Sam had only ever seen in the New Pok¨¦dex appeared before him. It floated in the air, taller than Morty, and it inflated and deflated every so slightly while letting out a trill.

    A Drifblim.

    It looked like a hot air balloon without a basket, and a pair of tiny, red eyes on its body curved up in a smile to greet everyone here.

    ¡°Drifblim, can you take these two to Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s house to the east? His home should be large enough to be visible from above,¡± Morty said.

    The Drifblim said its name and a yellow cross on its face vibrated alongside the sound. Morty used another Pok¨¦ball¡ªone intended for item storage¡ªto send out a half-assembled metal basket. With ease, Drifblim floated over and used its tendrils to rapidly assemble the basket and latch onto a large, metal handle.

    ¡°Feel free to climb in,¡± Morty said.

    Sam and Redi climbed over the edge to stand inside, and Sam felt a little jealous. Between Dusclops, Gengar, and now Drifblim, Morty had frequently sent out his Pok¨¦mon to take care of tasks, and each one had been strong enough to not be threatened by anything they faced.

    He desperately wanted to become a strong enough trainer to go through the same. Silently, he vowed that one day his Pok¨¦mon would match Morty¡¯s team and even surpass them, too.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your compensation for this soon enough. The League won¡¯t be able to delay for long after tonight¡¯s success. I¡¯ll also call Mr. Pok¨¦mon to give him a heads-up about your arrival. Please, get some rest, and don¡¯t worry about Petrel any longer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said.

    Redi sent Morty her thanks as well.

    Morty shook his head as Drifblim inflated and started to bring them into the air.

    ¡°No,¡± Morty said. ¡°You two didn¡¯t need to help, but you did. Without you... Genuinely, thank you for everything.¡±

    And they were brought into the sky, being carried towards the end of Route 31. Sam wanted to stay up to memorize every detail of what it was like to be carried by an honest-to-goodness Ghost Type, but he hit a wall of exhaustion, and he also realized he hated being so far above the ground, too.

    It honestly didn¡¯t take long to reach the end of the Route. There, they were deposited outside of an old, Johtonian-styled compound, where a man dressed like a butler led them to a pair of available guest rooms.

    The second he was in this safe space, Sam felt all his adrenaline fade away. He released his Pok¨¦mon, walked over to the bed, and let his exhaustion consume him.

    Finally, the stress of having to deal with Petrel faded from his mind.

    <hr><hr>

    When he woke up, Petrel''s head was pounding and there was an ache in his nose. He felt no injuries, but there was a lingering warmth as if he¡¯d been recently healed. He could feel metal beneath him, and his hands were locked together behind his back. The walls and floor shook.

    He was in a truck.

    An armored one, most likely.

    A small, metal grate separated him from the driver, who was too busy focusing on the road to notice he was awake. Petrel kept himself as still as possible to disguise his regained consciousness. He focused on what he still had on him and found little. As far as he could tell, all of his hidden Pok¨¦balls had been removed, and he was no longer wearing his Team Rocket uniform.

    Yet, when he felt something within his closed hand, he barely managed to suppress his smile.

    Something small and round had been pressed into his palm while he had been asleep. With it, there was the obvious feeling of something rough and flat¡ªa folded piece of paper. Likely, a note had been slipped to him as well.

    He waited until the perfect moment, bouncing ever so slightly when the truck hit a large enough bump. His hands might have been bound behind his back, but he was still able to toss over the paper to make it visible on the bench to his side.

    The message was simple, but it was clearly intended for him. As soon as he realized who it was from, he did his best to not shake.

    ¡°You have made a mess. Yet, that mess is in our favor. Trust has been established, but not without cost. Focus on recruitment for now. Do not take my leniency for granted.

    ¡°You will not fail me again.¡±

    A cold, primal fear lingered inside Petrel, but that fear wasn¡¯t sourced from the unconscious reaction of his hindbrain. When it came to ghosts, he feared what might happen, but when presented with this note, he now feared what would happen.

    Petrel could feel the sweat on his face as he sat up on the cold, hard bench. He scooted over to sit on the note to hide it, doing his best to keep his breathing calm and controlled. He no longer bothered to hide that he was awake. He leaned back and stared at the featureless ceiling of the truck above him in an attempt to calm down.

    ¡°A mess, huh?¡± he mumbled.

    His insides churned, but he recognized that not everyone got a second chance. For all the trouble he caused in Violet City, the Boss was still able to fix that mess and further Team Rocket¡¯s goals.

    How he had managed to do that, Petrel wasn¡¯t sure. No one knew the true identity of the Boss, but given the mention of ¡®trust,¡¯ he could guess that the shadowy mastermind was somehow involved with the League.

    And if the Boss is trusting me with that information...

    Petrel breathed out when he realized that the Boss was probably in a good mood. He didn¡¯t need to panic¡ªat least not fully, and at least not yet.

    ¡°Already awake? And smiling? No reason for you to look like that, right now.¡±

    Petrel met the eyes of the driver through the vehicle¡¯s rearview mirror. His expression was mostly a disguise to hide his true feelings, and to maintain that, he sent the uniformed man a wink.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Petrel said. ¡°Just thinking about... cleaning.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling about cleaning,¡± the driver replied flatly.

    Petrel shook his head and said nothing more, bringing his gaze back up to the smooth metal roof. His hands were still locked behind him, but not in a way that would make it impossible to escape if needed. Even more, he could feel that minimized Pok¨¦ball in his palm. What Pok¨¦mon it was, he had no clue, but whatever it was, it would surely be able to help him inside wherever he was going.

    If the Boss is giving me a second chance, I can¡¯t mess up again. I might have a Pok¨¦mon with me, but I doubt it¡¯d let me escape without making a scene. If he wants me to build contacts...

    Petrel gulped.

    I guess my capture is going to put me in contact with a whole bunch of people like us, won¡¯t it?

    He was going to have to flounder in prison for a while. It didn¡¯t matter if he was left on his own¡ªhe could absolutely keep everything he knew secret, regardless of whoever the Pok¨¦mon League sent his way. The Boss liked to punish people for their mistakes, and it seemed that punishment wouldn¡¯t skip over him.

    He would be forced to stay in a Pok¨¦mon League prison. Ordered to, more specifically, and that made Petrel chafe. Yet, though he had really screwed things up, not all hope was lost. He was still useful. Petrel hadn¡¯t been tossed to the side just yet.

    The low hum of the truck¡¯s engine continued as the vehicle rumbled over a bumpy road. Petrel forced his reactions to be under his control as he listened to his surroundings, trying to piece together exactly where they were.

    He didn¡¯t know where he was going, but he knew he¡¯d find out soon enough. Now wasn¡¯t the time to escape. He needed to make a plan and wait a while longer.

    When Petrel eventually managed to find a way out, it¡¯d likely be on the Boss¡¯s orders, however long it took to receive them. And, with the orders he¡¯d just been given, he likely wouldn¡¯t be alone, either. Except, he¡¯d need to be careful about it, but he wasn¡¯t too worried about getting out of a restricted space. He wasn¡¯t just anyone¡ªhe was Petrel, a professional thief.

    And more than that, Petrel was a master. Not of disguise, but of something more important. He could definitely be patient to achieve a task like this. Just like what he¡¯d done back in Violet City, everything boiled down to getting the right timing, in the end.

    He just hoped that would come sooner rather than later.

 Chapter 78

    A familiar roar shocked Sam awake, and he rushed to search his surroundings. The bed he laid on was thinner than he was used to, and its position meant rays from the late morning sun were shining onto his eye from between the wooden slats of a high window.

    This room was a strange mix of modern and antique, with its furniture matching modern amenities while also being styled like something straight out of an older Johto. The place was set up like a Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s hotel-like accommodations, but it was still clearly someone¡¯s guest room.

    Blearily, Sam came to remember that he was inside Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s compound. The memories of last night pulsed through his head, and he could picture them like a scarily clear dream.

    He forced those thoughts away. Petrel was handled and didn¡¯t deserve any further attention.

    As Sam tried to sit up, the pressure on his chest lifted her head, and Quilava rolled over to land at his side with a yawn. Primeape and Haunter weren¡¯t present, but Misdreavus cheerfully greeted him from where she was half-phased through the wall and peering outside.

    He heard the roar again. It wasn¡¯t anything aggressive. If anything, it sounded like Ursaring was going for a...

    A taunt?

    The roar reminded him of the roars given during spars with Primeape. This one was significantly less ferocious than any thrown out in a real battle.

    Still waking up, Quilava groomed the bedhead out of her fur as Sam quickly got dressed. He picked her up to position her like a scarf across the back of his neck, and Misdreavus moved to follow him out at his side.

    His room¡¯s door connected to a wooden hallway that led into a courtyard. Guest rooms were set up off to its side, and there was an extra, open door to a kitchen that let out the strong scent of spice.

    Sam walked along a cobblestone pathway that took him to a gate built into this compound¡¯s walls. He made sure to send a polite nod to an older teen practicing with a Pidgeotto. Outside, Sam saw the source of the roars¡ªa battle taking place over the surrounding grass field.

    However, as Sam looked closer, it quickly became clear that it was less of a battle and more of a sort of practice game.

    Three boys, two with a Rattata and one with a Sentret, furiously shouted commands to their Pok¨¦mon. The pair of purple rats raced across the grass, and the Sentret climbed back to its feet after bouncing away with a Tackle.

    They faced two Pok¨¦mon, Primeape and Ursaring, who were trying to appear as intimidating as possible. They were failing to do so in Sam¡¯s opinion, as he could see amusement peeking through their ¡°playful¡± scowls.

    ¡°Get ¡®em with your Quick Attack again!¡± one of the boys shouted.

    His Rattata lunged toward Ursaring, but the heavy Pok¨¦mon raised an arm for a casual swing. Even with hardly any effort behind it, the swipe easily knocked the Rattata away and sent it sliding over the grass. However, that swing carried no real power behind it, so the rodent easily hopped back to its feet, completely uninjured.

    ¡°You really think that¡¯s going to be enough? Hah! Route 31 is ours! You¡¯ll never be able to win!¡±

    Redi cackled, holding out her arms. The three boys looked more determined to beat her after that taunt.

    The Sentret leaped at Primeape, but a slow-motion jab was enough to force it back. The other Rattata used that as an opening to circle around and jump, where it gnawed on the top of his head. Annoyance flashed across Primeape¡¯s face, and he yanked it off of him and chucked it away. While his throw was more forceful than Ursaring¡¯s swing, the Rattata still scrambled to its feet, uninjured just the same.

    Sam knew he could join in and help with the Pok¨¦mon ¡°fight,¡± but he honestly didn¡¯t want to. There was something to say about his team¡¯s current display of power. He was content with just watching; he felt nothing but pride.

    At the start of their journey, Primeape wouldn¡¯t have been able to dominate a fight so overwhelmingly. The sheer strength and control he was displaying right now let Sam truly understand they were on the right path.

    So, Sam instead sat down on the short stone steps that led to the compound¡¯s front gate. He maneuvered Quilava into his lap and began to run his hands through her fur. He tried to smooth out the places in which her hair still seemed a bit wild.

    When Misdreavus saw that, she made a noise and hurried back inside.

    Quickly, she came back out wearing her small satchel, the same one Sam had bought her as a gift. She opened it with a careful application of telekinesis and brought over a brush for Sam.

    ¡°Oh. Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    She said her name excitedly and glanced behind Sam. The only reason he didn¡¯t jump when he saw an old butler standing behind him was due to how frequently Haunter tried to scare him by sneaking up in a similar way.

    ¡°I provided it upon request,¡± the butler answered on behalf of Misdreavus. ¡°Mr. Pok¨¦mon keeps spare supplies on hand to provide to trainers in need. You are welcome to keep it. I imagine your Pok¨¦mon might benefit from more frequent grooming. I¡¯ve found Pok¨¦mon tend to enjoy it, as well.¡±

    The butler looked over a silver tray to glance down at where Sam sat on the steps. Sam turned away and tried his hardest not to blush.

    It wasn''t like he didn''t groom his Pok¨¦mon¡ªhe did try to make sure his Pok¨¦mon looked good. However, his attempts were generally passive and nothing he ever went out of his way to do. Haunter preferred to manage his appearances on his own, Misdreavus never asked, and Primeape just got annoyed whenever Sam attempted to fix his hair. Yet, when he ran the brush through Quilava¡¯s fur, she purred in contentment, and Misdreavus looked on enviously. The Ghost Type had her own ragged mane of hair, and Sam couldn¡¯t hide how Primeape¡¯s fur made him look like some kind of spherical bird nest.

    ¡°...I will write you a list of grooming supplies that will greatly assist with taking care of your Pok¨¦mon,¡± the butler commented after facing several seconds of silence from Sam.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he mumbled.

    Amused, the butler chuffed, and he turned his gaze back to the outside field. Sam looked at what the man was carrying in his hands¡ªa silver tray full of paper-wrapped sandwiches and piles of berries.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± the man asked, lowering the tray for it to be accessible to Sam. ¡°It is currently seven minutes before noon. Please, take what you need.¡±

    Sam grabbed a sandwich for himself, and Quilava and Misdreavus took a few berries for breakfast.

    The three boys were still fighting Redi, but the butler didn¡¯t approach. The food might have been for everyone, but he seemed content to wait for them to either finish or notice. He even had a small smile half-hidden by his mustache as he watched them all train.

    ¡°So... You work for Mr. Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam asked. The silence felt too awkward to let continue.

    ¡°Indeed. I have been in his service for quite some time. Alas, I am but one of two that work under him. I assist him in mundane matters while he deals with private affairs.¡±

    ¡°So he gets visitors often?¡±

    Sam chewed on his sandwich. It was pretty basic but surprisingly good.

    ¡°He does,¡± the butler answered. ¡°It didn¡¯t start that way, but his open-door policy has seen more and more trainers coming here to rest. I can¡¯t explain it, but the families of Cherrygrove have somehow acquired the idea that this is a safe destination for their children to practice traveling on a journey. I¡¯d try to correct that notion if it wasn¡¯t for the safety of Route 30. The wild Pok¨¦mon in these parts are some of the tamest in Johto, and the route¡¯s high Ranger presence ensures that trait remains.¡±

    Huh. I wouldn¡¯t have minded doing something like that when I was a kid. If we¡¯d gotten that practice in, maybe Quilava and I would have left earlier.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ...But then we wouldn¡¯t have met everyone else. I¡¯m happy with how our journey has turned out.

    Mostly.

    Sam suppressed a grimace when last night¡¯s events flashed through his mind.

    The battle continued, and Sam ate his brunch. Primeape and Ursaring¡¯s dominance lasted until their opponents started to flag. Tired, one of the boys glanced around and saw the butler waiting with food in hand.

    Everything immediately fell apart when the trainers and their Pok¨¦mon raced toward the offered tray. While they did nab food to enjoy right now, they also pocketed a few wrapped sandwiches to keep on their person and eat later when they returned south.

    As they furiously amassed everything they could, Redi finally saw Sam, and her expression immediately lit up. She jogged over with Ursaring and Primeape hot on her heels. The two Pok¨¦mon said their names at each other, exchanging a round of ¡°friendly¡± taunts.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Redi said excitedly. ¡°Man, you passed out fast last night. I tried to wake you up earlier, but only Primeape and Haunter woke up. I invited them out here to practice, and, well...¡±

    She sent a grin toward the three younger boys, exposing her teeth in a nasty-looking smile. The prospective trainers were all either eight or nine, and they shivered in unison before running off. They moved to a nearby overhang on the wall to eat in the shade, sitting somewhere far away from that ¡°crazy¡± girl.

    Redi plopped down next to Sam.

    ¡°Petrel¡¯s in prison,¡± she whispered. ¡°Morty sent us a message on the Pok¨¦gear. He¡¯s awaiting trial, and they didn¡¯t have any trouble bringing him in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... good.¡±

    Sam breathed out. He never wanted to deal with that stress again.

    ¡°Good? That¡¯s great!¡± Redi said, her voice reaching its usual volume. ¡°Porygon¡¯s safe. No one is after us. And now we can just focus on the rest of our journey!¡±

    The butler came back out with another fresh tray of food. Sam never noticed him leaving in the first place. Redi helped herself, and Primeape and Ursaring got sandwiches to stuff in their mouths as well.

    Their group ate in silence. Sam didn¡¯t want to talk. After everything, he just wanted to enjoy how peaceful their surroundings were. He wanted a break after the past... all of that.

    With the practice battle having ended, there wasn¡¯t much going on, though there was still something to watch. Haunter had finally baited out Tibia and Fibula, and he seemed to be lecturing them hidden in the shadows of the front gate¡¯s open entrance. Sam couldn¡¯t tell what Haunter was talking about, but the two Gastly were paying rapt attention.

    Sam soon finished his food, and Redi devoured her meal in less than a minute. Everyone else ate quickly and hungrily, finishing almost immediately after. With nothing distracting them, the butler used that moment to speak up.

    ¡°Mr. Pok¨¦mon should be done with his morning meetings. If you two are still interested in speaking with him, he will be available shortly.¡±

    Redi hopped up and stretched.

    ¡°We are!¡± she said.

    Sam nodded and stood up as well.

    The butler bowed his head, beckoning them back inside. As they followed, Sam returned everyone but Misdreavus, and Haunter stayed behind to keep talking.

    The trainer with the Pidgeotto had vanished, either flying off or returning to his guest room. The only point of interest left was the building at the far end of the courtyard. It was taller than all the others and was likely where Mr. Pok¨¦mon lived on his own.

    Sam saw its doors open up. A suited man carrying a briefcase stepped outside. He didn¡¯t spare any of them even a single glance, instead releasing an Abra and disappearing via a quick use of Teleport.

    Approaching, the butler raised his hand to knock on the cracked-open double doors, but a voice called out from inside before anything else.

    ¡°Come in, come in! My meeting with the Silph Co. representative has finished. Managing investments might be boring, but it is quite important, yes?¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon laughed.

    The door was opened by the butler, and Sam and Redi walked in. Misdreavus followed, but Haunter continued to lecture¡ª

    Sam paused.

    There were now three Gastly. He wasn¡¯t sure where that third one had come from.

    The room Sam entered was a personal office, one filled with items from all across the world. White, blue, and yellow draconic scales were proudly displayed in open cabinets. Mannequins in glass displays wore ancient uniforms and armor. Sam could see swords of the thin, Johto-make as well as swords of the broader, foreign-make. Hand-sized totems painted yellow, pink, orange, and blue sat on a shelf and stared ahead with animalistic expressions.

    There was also a silver feather pressed flat by a glass frame. It was split toward its end, with each of its soft barbs appearing thick, almost like fur.

    ¡°Please, sit!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said happily. ¡°I was told you wished to speak with me?¡±

    The man sat in a far-too-cushioned chair behind a thick, oak desk.

    Redi sat on a chair that was just as large, and Sam quickly seated himself in the other one before the desk. He knew Misdreavus was somewhere nearby, but she had disappeared from her usual spot when they¡¯d entered.

    Suddenly confronted by the prospect of speaking to Mr. Pok¨¦mon, Sam wasn¡¯t sure where to start, and Redi didn¡¯t seem to either. Mr. Pok¨¦mon smiled at them from under his mustache.

    Nervously, Sam shifted in his chair.

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to begin just yet, how about I start first?¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to be so nervous! This isn¡¯t economic business, or a professional meeting, or you getting into trouble. I¡¯ve been told I might resemble a school principal, but any such resemblance is simply a coincidence!¡±

    He laughed merrily, and Sam felt some of the tension leave his body. Mr. Pok¨¦mon both looked and acted rather jolly. The man leaned back in his chair, fiddling with his mustache as he hummed.

    ¡°Hm. How to start? They call me Mr. Pok¨¦mon, of course. It¡¯s a nickname, not my actual name. I come from a long line of merchants, with my family having roots all throughout Johto. My most notable ancestor was a wealthy man¡ªone who primarily dealt in trade. When growing his fortune, he sought to work under an old clan of Johto but was turned away due to his ¡®common¡¯ heritage.¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon chuckled, shaking his head.

    ¡°My ancestor was so offended that he declared he¡¯d only ever work with the ¡®commonfolk¡¯ from then on,¡± he continued. ¡°I bring this up not to say I share the same viewpoint, but to provide context to my core belief.

    ¡°There is no such thing as noble blood. There is no such thing as hereditary strength,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°No, there are only people and Pok¨¦mon. Even those considered weak can become fierce competitors with the right mindset. My entire life, I¡¯ve invested according to that belief. I¡¯m both a businessman and a researcher¡ªbut not a Professor, mind you. My aim is to make knowledge of Pok¨¦mon more common. What about you?¡±

    Silence fell between them, and it lasted for several long seconds until Redi broke it with a snort.

    ¡°Man, we just sat down, and you dumped your entire life story on us?¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon blinked at her before bursting into laughter.

    ¡°Hah! Oh, yes, I admit that was probably a bit much. I apologize for coming off a little strong. See, Morty told me you two wished for my advice, and I wanted to share my qualifications, hm?¡±

    Sam sent a subtle glance to Redi, who looked a bit more comfortable, now. They were here for an important reason, but they didn¡¯t need to treat this as some life-changing event.

    They just wanted advice.

    ¡°You have a lot of trophies. How much do you know about species from other regions?¡± Sam asked, needing to take a moment to build his confidence.

    ¡°Quite a bit. I have connections across the globe,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°Although, they¡¯re mostly just business connections. Nothing more than a few small investments and friendships with other researchers. However, I¡¯ve done quite a bit of traveling in my younger days, too.¡±

    Sam took a breath to prepare himself. Mr. Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t untrustworthy, but Sam didn¡¯t often share his plans with anyone else.

    ¡°...How much do you know about ancient Sinnoh?¡± he asked carefully.

    ¡°Hisui, do you mean?¡±

    Something sparkled in Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Ah, I knew you were up to something! You¡¯re trying to evolve your Quilava into a Hisuian Typhlosion, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Sam winced, not realizing how transparent he¡¯d been.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he admitted. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying for that. A lot of Ghost Type practice and research. We only really have Curse to work with when it comes to her practice with that energy, so I want to get as much information as we can before we push for her to finally evolve.¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon eagerly nodded along, and Redi sent Sam a look before speaking up.

    ¡°And I¡¯m trying to evolve Ursaring into an Ursaluna,¡± she said. ¡°I need a Peat Block for that, but I don¡¯t really have a way to get one from Sinnoh.¡±

    The two of them had discussed this before. While Sam was the one with the New Pok¨¦dex, Redi was the one with the Ursaring trying to evolve. She was the one to decide whether or not she¡¯d share her plans with other people. Sam might have wanted to maintain his informational advantage, but that didn¡¯t mean he got to control who Redi talked to.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon glanced between them curiously, and Sam found himself gripping his hands together. The man took a moment to speak, needing to consider their words.

    ¡°Well! You two have certainly created quite the set of goals for yourselves, hm? Hisuian species and their alternative evolutions were originally found in Sinnoh, though most of them are now considered to be extinct,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°They involve such Pok¨¦mon as Samurott, Decidueye, and Typhlosion, and there are other, unique species such as Sneasler and Overqwil that can no longer be found in the wild.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s possible to obtain them,¡± Sam said. ¡°Hisuian Typhlosion, at least.¡±

    He met Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sharp eyes, and the man¡¯s smile turned serious.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± Sam answered, doing his best to project as much confidence as he could.

    Hearing that, Mr. Pok¨¦mon chuckled and leaned into his chair once more. He rubbed his mustache again¡ªit was either a nervous tic or an unconscious habit for when he was in deep thought.

    ¡°Hisuian forms are... complicated,¡± the man said, rocking his head. ¡°Alternative, regional forms are phenomena we¡¯re yet to fully understand. Kanto has close ties to Alola, and Samson Oak¡ªcousin to Samuel Oak¡ªhas been leading the regions¡¯ research into their shared but different species.

    ¡°Kantonian Rattata versus Alolan Rattata. Ice Type Vulpix and Fire Type Vulpix. There¡¯s a similar situation for Grimer and Sandshrew, but for regional variants lost to time?¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon audibly hummed.

    ¡°It all boils down to environmental factors, in my estimation,¡± he said. ¡°We believe those historic evolutions and species have vanished due to reasons out of our control. Something about Ancient Hisui allowed such Pok¨¦mon to exist, and that quality has vanished¡ªat least, according to most researchers¡¯ best guess.¡±

    ¡°But there has to be at least something we can use, right?¡± Sam asked desperately.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon wiggled a hand.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°There are those who say Hisui¡¯s alternate evolutions stemmed from the attention of Sinnoh¡¯s creator god. Others say they were possible only due to trace minerals that ran out when humans moved further into the region. I can see that as a potential explanation for the lack of Ursaluna if there have been changes in Pastoria¡¯s swamps. But Hisuian Typhlosion?¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done much study into its existence, but as far as I can tell, it simply existed for a set period before inexplicably vanishing.¡±

    ¡°...Oh,¡± Sam said.

    Redi seemed to be stuck on what Mr. Pok¨¦mon had said about Pastoria¡¯s swamps.

    ¡°But!¡± the man said, shifting in his seat to properly sit up. ¡° While I can¡¯t directly help you with your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s evolutions, I¡¯ll admit that you two have caught my interest. When it comes to discovering lost species, you seem more educated than most, and that¡¯s... interesting.¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon leaned forward and interlaced his fingers. Sam sat up a little straighter.

    ¡°I might not be able to help you obtain the information you need, but I can provide a more... material assistance. Samples of peat, spiritual items, and even perhaps a useful TM move or two? I¡¯ve specifically invested my wealth to assist with discoveries like the ones you two have proposed, and thus you¡¯ve presented me with a possibility I¡¯d be thrilled to support.¡±

    He wiggled in place, smiling at them. He seemed genuinely unable to hold back his excitement.

    ¡°So!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon exclaimed, glancing between them once more. ¡°With all of that said, what do you need? If you¡¯re willing to come to an agreement, I believe it might be worth discussing a minor sort of... sponsorship. Yes?¡±

 Chapter 79

    Sam sucked in a breath as Redi leaned forward in her chair, setting her hands on the table. He watched as she interlaced her fingers like Mr. Pok¨¦mon had done seconds before. This was no longer just a casual conversation. This was now a discussion of an actual deal.

    ¡°A sponsorship,¡± Redi repeated. ¡°You¡¯re offering us a sponsorship?¡±

    She tapped her fingers in a wave. Despite Mr. Pok¨¦mon being the businessman within the room, Sam could tell Redi was trying to wrest control of the conversation.

    ¡°Yes, a sponsorship!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said again. ¡°A minor one, however. How much do you know about how they work?¡±

    ¡°Not much. A little bit,¡± Sam answered. ¡°I know businesses and Professors can sponsor a trainer and send them money for their teams.¡±

    He adjusted how he was sitting in his chair to try to sit up a bit taller. He suddenly felt as though he was seated next to a pair of giants in the form of Redi and Mr. Pok¨¦mon.

    Thankfully, the businessman leaned back, reentering a casual position. Mr. Pok¨¦mon rubbed his mustache consideringly. He hummed as if trying to find the best words to speak.

    ¡°The way I see it, there are three main types of sponsorships. Business, research, and one-way sponsorships that merely exist for support. That third version is basic enough. A private citizen or someone else gives money to a trainer without anything expected in return. Quite regularly, Pok¨¦mon Gyms and the League itself will grant these to support impressive local trainers and those they eventually want to hire. However, in those cases, the money is generally expected to be primarily used to train a team.¡±

    ¡°...Is that what you want to give us?¡± Sam asked hopefully.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m considering one closer to how businesses and Professors sponsor trainers. Those sponsorships have expectations, but I¡¯d keep any light.

    ¡°For business sponsorships, companies and wealthy investors will pay trainers and generally provide services such as Pok¨¦mon stabling, tutoring, and free or discounted supplies. In exchange, trainers are expected to help advertise the business sponsor. That means multiple, required appearances in public tournaments around the year, rights for their image to be used in advertising, and if the trainer is popular enough, a business sponsorship could even lead into merchandising¡ª¡±

    Redi scoffed.

    ¡°Being a sell-out, you mean.¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon chortled and shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯d be going for,¡± he said. ¡°No, while I am a private investor, the sponsorship I¡¯d like to provide is one more dedicated to research.

    ¡°Essentially, research sponsorships are usually given out by Professors, with lesser ones provided by general researchers, too. For these sponsorships, the same funding and services are provided, but trainers are expected to help their sponsor¡¯s studies in one way or another. The most famous example of these are the sponsorships provided by a region¡¯s primary Pok¨¦mon Professor. Whoever is leading research in a region will provide rare Starter Pok¨¦mon, monthly funding, and unlimited stabling in exchange for the scanning data obtained via the latest version of the Pok¨¦dex.¡±

    Sam balked at that idea, though he ignored the part about the Pok¨¦dex. Something else had caught his attention when Mr. Pok¨¦mon explained his point.

    ¡°Unlimited stabling? How many Pok¨¦mon does one person need?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well, my understanding might be influenced by the discussions I¡¯ve had with Professor Oak. He provides unlimited stabling, yes, but I know Elm is much more limited, and I doubt others have the same level of influence or wealth.¡±

    Of course he knows Professor Oak.

    Sam wanted to ask if the man knew his grandfather, too, but based on how he¡¯d been treating them, he had a feeling Mr. Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t.

    ¡°So what are you going for?¡± Redi spoke up to ask. ¡°A sponsorship is easy enough to understand. You want to give us money to support our teams. But why? What do you get out of this? Other than general research?¡±

    At this point, Mr. Pok¨¦mon seemed to be finished with his base explanations, and he leaned forward once more to emphasize his focus. His mustache-hidden smile was replaced with a much more serious expression. Now was the time for business.

    ¡°I''ll remind you of my goal,¡± he started. ¡°I desire to spread the knowledge of Pok¨¦mon, and by that, I mean making previously unknown or limited information much more commonly known. I have my investments. I have my connections. What I''m looking for are ways to push the modern understanding of Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Sam fidgeted in his seat.

    ¡°Indigo is...¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon hesitated. ¡°Not necessarily isolationist, but it''s definitely set in its ways. While there has been a concerted effort to reach out, not everyone is enthused about the League¡¯s growing ties with other regions. I want to remind people that there¡¯s more to be found than just what¡¯s in their immediate surroundings. I want them to understand that there¡¯s so much more to the world than just their local towns!¡±

    ¡°So you want us to show off our Pok¨¦mon''s evolutions, if they¡¯re successful,¡± Sam stated. ¡°But they¡¯re still local species¡ªat least to Johto. How does that help your goal at all?¡±

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes seemed to sparkle as Sam asked his question.

    ¡°Truthfully, what species they are doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is the feeling that seeing a previously unknown species invokes. I admit, the researcher in me wants to know if rediscovering those two lost evolutions is at all possible, but I also want to spark that drive for discovery in as many people as I can. I want to challenge what people think they know and show that there¡¯s so much more we still have yet to discover.¡±

    He chuckled to himself slightly.

    ¡°And for your two Pok¨¦mon, yes, I want you to succeed in their evolutions and brag about them to the entire world come the Silver Conference,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°But most importantly, after that Conference, I don¡¯t want you to hide the methods you used to achieve those evolutions. Thus, my sole requirement for this sponsorship is that you publicly share the steps you took to evolve your Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Right away, Sam couldn''t stop his frown. Yes, Hisuian Typhlosion and Ursuluna would likely shock Indigo exactly as Mr. Pok¨¦mon intended. Yet, Sam didn''t want to share his information.

    The New Pok¨¦dex was never going to be secret forever. People were eventually going to figure out how to obtain all of its unknown species. However, Sam didn¡¯t want to sell off anything found within. He could admit that he was being a little possessive, but it was his book, and the idea of effectively selling bits of it to the highest bidder didn¡¯t sit right with him.

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    His grandfather might have never opened the package that contained the book, but the man had placed it inside a chest alongside what seemed to be his treasured possessions. To include its information in a deal, directly or not, simply felt wrong.

    It was like Mr. Pok¨¦mon was trying to convince him to trade a bit of his grandfather away.

    I''m going to decline it.

    Screw the money. We¡¯re fine on our own. We can earn what we need from battles and tournaments and Gym fights, and with the visit to the Sinjoh Ruins coming up¡ª

    Sam breathed out.

    But what about Redi¡¯s Peat Block?

    They had no way of knowing if any bit of peat from Sinnoh¡¯s swamps would be enough to evolve Ursaring. Mr. Pok¨¦mon had brought up the point that the environment itself might have changed, and that carried the possibility of Ursaring¡¯s next evolution being impossible without dedicated assistance.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon could help Redi with that. If peat from the swamp didn¡¯t work, he could potentially get her the needed mud from elsewhere or even pay people to try to figure out the right mineral composition.

    Sam sent a side-eye to Redi, trying to hide his stare. She didn¡¯t notice and was still looking directly at Mr. Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam then had a second thought.

    Could Mr. Pok¨¦mon help us get an Upgrade for Porygon, too?

    ¡°So then, what are you specifically offering us? Cause I can''t help but notice you''ve talked about your hopes and dreams and whatever, but you haven''t actually shared any numbers,¡± Redi said.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon smiled at her brazenness. He hadn¡¯t once stopped looking amused.

    ¡°I''d provide you with one thousand dollars, each, twice a month. It¡¯s not much, especially once you fill out your teams and obtain more Pok¨¦mon, but it should take away some of the pressure on your shoulders and let you try for evolution a bit more freely. No, the real benefit I¡¯ll provide is serving as a source of items you wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain normally. As part of our agreement, if you provide me with a written request for a specific item that details why it¡¯d be needed for an evolution, I¡¯d do my best to obtain it for you at no additional cost.¡±

    Sam suddenly felt as though he was choking on blood. Between his and Redi¡¯s teams, they only had two held items: the Cleanse Tag, which was a special case, and Quilava¡¯s piece of Charcoal, which they¡¯d essentially been given for free. The Cleanse Tag was hand-made, technically cheap to make but unable to be priced. As for the Charcoal, items like it that were rated for battles were worth literal thousands. More than that, even with its ridiculous price, a Charcoal itself was considered to be one of the ¡°weaker¡± kinds of held items out there.

    For Mr. Pok¨¦mon to say he¡¯d acquire any item for them just like that...

    Of course, the items would have to be for the purpose of discovering new evolutions, but Sam could already think of a few arguments he could use to stretch that.

    ¡°...And how many items would you be willing to provide?¡± Redi asked cautiously.

    ¡°Hopefully not too many. I may be wealthy, but not unimaginably so. I can provide what you need within reason as long as they support the pursuit of your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s evolutions.¡±

    She paused, hesitant. For once in this conversation, her confidence seemed to wane.

    ¡°Just for Quilava and Ursaring¡¯s evolutions?¡± she asked.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s gaze sharpened, recognizing the double meaning behind her words.

    ¡°That''s quite an interesting question. I suppose you could be referencing the rest of your teams¡¯ evolutions, but I do need to ask: Are you striving for any other unknown evolutions I should know about?¡±

    Redi smirked ever so slightly, but she also looked away as if caught in a lie.

    ¡°No?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if she had really accidentally hinted at other evolutions or if she purposefully dangled that thought before Mr. Pok¨¦mon to try to get more out of him.

    Right away, the man reached into a drawer of his desk and pulled out a thin notebook. He flipped through, mumbling under his breath as he did. Sam could hear him quietly say the names of various Pok¨¦mon on their teams.

    ¡°An alternate Gengar? No, unlikely. Mismagius is a known quantity, so perhaps there¡¯s an evolution past that? Porygon is still a relatively unknown species, but everyone is trying to see if it can evolve, so that¡¯s nothing too special. And young Samuel¡¯s Primeape has reached its final form, unless¡ª!¡±

    His eyes snapped to Sam.

    Sam wasn''t a negotiator, so he said nothing. He kept his expression perfectly level and emotionlessly stared back.

    ¡°I do know of your Porygon, young Redi,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said, slowly bringing his gaze over to her. ¡°It¡¯s an exceptionally rare species, first designed intentionally, now appearing as a consequence of systems that contain too much intelligence.¡±

    That wasn''t in the New Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Really?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Indeed. I''ve heard stories of Bill himself complaining when weeks of work were wiped after one of his programs accidentally developed into a Porygon.¡±

    Redi seemed to be at a loss for words. Sam definitely was. Bill was almost as well known as Oak for his development of modern computer systems. This was the second time Mr. Pok¨¦mon had casually name-dropped someone so extremely famous.

    But he doesn¡¯t know my grandfather. He never acted like he recognized me or mentioned that connection in this discussion.

    Sam briefly closed his eyes to try to stay focused, and Redi shifted in place in an attempt to maintain her serious demeanor.

    ¡°I... see,¡± she said carefully.

    ¡°Bill and a few others have theorized that a Porygon can evolve. I can''t say I know him as more than a casual acquaintance, but I still should be able to send you his way, given you¡¯ve acquired an incredibly rare Pok¨¦mon for yourself, hm?¡±

    Redi nodded, dazed. Mr. Pok¨¦mon glanced back at Sam and chuckled, his thick mustache bouncing with each exhale.

    ¡°And if you happen to stumble on any other rare evolution, I''ll assist you with them too, yes?¡±

    ¡°...Okay,¡± Sam said.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon clapped his hands.

    ¡°But I think that¡¯s enough excitement for one conversation. None of us will be signing or agreeing to anything official today. I¡¯ll draft up a contract and see it sent your way, and you two have the more important role of considering my offer and contacting your parents.¡±

    There was a brief yet noticeable pause after Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s declaration.

    ¡°Parents?¡± Redi repeated.

    ¡°Or equivalent legal guardian,¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon said. ¡°I understand that as Pok¨¦mon trainers, you have the legal right to make decisions for you and your teams, but I cannot in good faith make deals with trainers under the legal age of maturity without informing their parents first.¡±

    Sam wanted to talk to his mother, regardless. He hated the idea of selling off information from the New Pok¨¦dex, yet he couldn¡¯t deny that Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s help would be invaluable. Being able to request specific items could make evolving Quilava and Primeape so much easier. His mother would be able to help him weigh the pros and cons of this agreement, and she¡¯d be able to walk him through the legal jargon of the deal itself. She also had enough business acumen to know if it was worth taking in the first place.

    Also, he just wanted to talk about the situation. Sam¡¯s grandfather was her father, and it didn¡¯t feel right to make a deal involving something that belonged to him without her input.

    ¡°I can do that,¡± Sam said, though he didn¡¯t hear Redi say anything in agreement. He turned her way only to see her mouth had closed into a frown, and her shoulders had slumped without her even noticing.

    She saw him staring, and her posture entirely shifted. A smirk returned, and she barked out a single laugh.

    ¡°Yeah! That''s no problem! I''ll give ¡®em a call!¡± she said.

    Sam had known Redi for long enough to tell when she was lying.

    ...I don''t remember Redi ever calling her family before.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t catch on to her lie, and he happily nodded along. Sam spoke up for the final time, sensing the end of their discussion.

    ¡°We''re going to head out pretty soon, but it¡¯s no problem if we don¡¯t contact you until after we reach a city and have time to think, right?¡±

    ¡°By all means!¡± Mr. Pok¨¦mon merrily held out his arms. ¡°Take all the time you need. I don''t expect you to or want you to rush your Pok¨¦mon''s evolutions. And, even if they never happen, that''s no problem at all. Something like this is worth a shot, no matter how impossible it seems.¡±

    Sam bowed his head gratefully and stood up, thanking Mr. Pok¨¦mon for his time. Redi did the same before stiffly leading their walk out of the room.

    ¡°Do you want to take the deal?¡± Sam said as soon as they were out of earshot. That butler wasn¡¯t anywhere nearby.

    ¡°I want to,¡± Redi said. ¡°I mean, if people are going to figure all of this out eventually, the cost is nothing. We''d reveal their evolution methods no matter what, right? And even if we do keep them secret, someone would figure them out. It makes sense to take it.¡±

    Sam hesitantly nodded his head.

    The logical reasoning was sound, but the emotional reasoning wasn¡¯t quite there for Sam. He wasn''t sure if he wanted to take the deal or not, but thankfully, Redi didn''t push.

    They went back to their guest rooms and gathered their stuff to pack. Sam tried to think about the offer, but he decided to put it off until he saw the exact terms of the deal. Instead, he tried to distract himself with the future developments he wanted for his team.

    Dream Eater. Nightmare. Destiny Bond? More coverage moves for sure. Maybe Agility or Double Team for Quilava, too. ...Misdreavus needs a Dusk Stone if she wants to evolve.

    He met Redi outside the room, where she had been waiting for him in the hallway. Haunter was lingering toward the entrance gate, and Misdreavus reappeared to lazily drift near Sam''s side.

    ¡°So I''ve been thinking,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°You can do that?¡± Sam asked, feigning amazement.

    She stuck her tongue out at him as Sam laughed at her reaction.

    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± she replied flatly. ¡°And what I¡¯ve been thinking about is...¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°What if we don''t visit Cherrygrove City?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean that, yeah, we¡¯re looping around the region, but this part of Johto is known for only really having weak Pok¨¦mon. We can relax and take it easy for a while, but after everything that¡¯s happened to us recently, I want to go somewhere without other people.

    ¡°Sam,¡± she continued, ¡°our Pok¨¦mon are strong. We still have extra medical supplies from after Petrel. And we have a Pok¨¦gear for emergencies. So let¡¯s head north to Blackthorn City.¡±

    ¡°You want to go through Dark Cave?¡± he asked.

    Redi shook her head.

    ¡°No. Not that. I think we should try a different sort of challenge. Let¡¯s skip toward Blackthorn City by traveling off-route. We¡¯ll go through areas where Ranger patrols are less common, see what the wild Pok¨¦mon are like, and maybe... maybe I can catch a new Pok¨¦mon for my team. We¡¯re at that level. I think it would be worth it.¡±

    Sam thought about it for less than a second before he readily agreed.

 Chapter 80

    The most dangerous part of traveling off-route was its inconsistency. Since Pok¨¦mon Rangers did not regularly patrol the wilderness to keep everything peaceful, it was possible to exit an area filled with weak, wild Pok¨¦mon and stumble right into the territory of a fully evolved beast.

    The Pok¨¦mon League recommended that trainers intending to travel off-route should possess five Gym Badges. It was a slightly different recommendation than saying a trainer¡¯s team should be rated at five stars. Earning Gym Badges required a level of familiarity with handling Pok¨¦mon, as anyone could technically be the trainer of a five-star-plus team if the Pok¨¦mon had been gifted. Inexperienced trainers didn¡¯t have the knowledge or know-how to face impossibly strong foes.

    Out here, while weaker individual Pok¨¦mon were the most prevalent non-plant forms of life around, there were also those Pok¨¦mon that stood at the top of their class. The strongest individuals tended to either claim territory or dominate the other species around them, and they were generally the victors of hundreds of fights. With the power needed to live out here and thrive, these Pok¨¦mon posed a unique threat. They sought to not be hindered by injury, so every fight was won with overwhelming power or a cleverness most wild Pok¨¦mon failed to achieve.

    Thankfully, those tougher Pok¨¦mon stuck to their claimed territories. Avoiding them was as simple as staying away and making sure the only obvious intention was to pass through. Without easy healing at a Pok¨¦mon Center, wild Pok¨¦mon were reluctant to participate in unnecessary fights. Yet, it was still easy to accidentally aggress one of them, so trainers needed to stay aware of their surroundings to avoid attacks and ambushes.

    Sam and Redi weren¡¯t going into this unprepared. They had the skill. They had the extra supplies. They had a way to detect hostile intent. They had a way to call for help. And, most important of all, they were traveling in a group. A numbers advantage was one of the best ways to dissuade difficult fights.

    Except, they were new at this. Mistakes still cropped up here and there.

    ¡°Before I left home, my mom made sure to drill a few facts about off-route travel into my mind.¡± Sam ducked behind a boulder alongside Redi. A screech pierced through the air above them. ¡°Real fights aren¡¯t common since Pok¨¦mon can¡¯t risk injury without a way to heal. But if a Pok¨¦mon does have a way to heal, they¡¯ll be far more aggressive and actively seek out battles. Grass Types can be pretty dangerous, but they at least tend to be passive. The big worry is if a Pok¨¦mon has a berry tree in their territory.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s why Porygon¡¯s Charge Beam didn¡¯t scare this one off?¡±

    ¡°Probably. If it can heal, a super effective attack isn¡¯t going to worry it as much.¡±

    Another screech echoed above them, and a rough-sounding caw punctuated Sam¡¯s statement. The shout came tinged by the sound of ringing metal. In the sky, metal feathers sliced through the air. An angry-looking Skarmory snapped its head around to look for the pair of ¡°invaders¡± within its territory.

    Though this Pok¨¦mon was clearly one of those stronger wild Pok¨¦mon, Sam wasn¡¯t worried, and neither was Redi. However, they needed to choose their plan carefully if they wanted to get out of this safely.

    ¡°So...¡± Redi started. ¡°Hyper Beam time?¡±

    ¡°Hyper Beam time,¡± Sam solemnly replied.

    A bloodthirsty grin passed over Redi¡¯s face as she tossed Ursaring¡¯s Pok¨¦ball high into the air. As the bear appeared in a flash of light, the Skarmory¡¯s red eyes locked onto his position.

    It dived at him, but Ursaring acted at the same moment. A glow formed inside his throat, and the Skarmory could not pull away fast enough.

    Briefly, the world turned white.

    Skarmory might have been a Steel Type and resisted Normal Type energy, but Hyper Beam was still a powerful move rarely seen in the wild. The impact of Ursaring¡¯s laser beam struck it in the wing to turn its dive into a careening, downward spiral. The Skarmory tried to turn the momentum of the spin into the start of a Drill Peck, but Sam had an answer to that.

    Primeape appeared before the recharging Ursaring and drew his fist back.

    Unbothered by the potentially super effective Flying Type attack, Primeape threw his whole body into motion to unleash a perfectly timed punch. His Rock Smash slammed into the incoming beak, throwing Skarmory into the ground. The impact of the Pok¨¦mon into the rocky earth caused a clanging, clattering noise. When Sam looked up, he could only respond with a wince.

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    Beneath its body, stones were turned to pebbles, and the Skarmory scrambled to its feet. Angrily, it brought its head up and froze.

    There was a visible dent in its beak.

    Rock Smash was a move designed to break through a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense, and while Skarmory wasn¡¯t weak to Fighting Type moves, Primeape knew how to land devastating attacks. The steel-armored Flying Type had no choice but to fly away. It tried to part with a final, warning caw, but the noise from its mouth came out garbled and unintimidating.

    ¡°At least it¡¯s a Steel Type?¡± Sam said. ¡°With the right berry, that dent should definitely smooth out.¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°Definitely. Probably. Eventually.¡±

    Due to its injured wing, the Skarmory¡¯s flight wobbled.

    ¡°Yeah. Eventually,¡± Sam repeated, trying to keep his voice even.

    From behind the boulder, Sam stood, and so did Redi. Though the Skarmory was gone, neither of them let down their guard. Sam looked around for any other Pok¨¦mon who might have thought it was clever to take advantage of the ¡°injured¡± winners of this fight.

    None came.

    Sam would have tried to do something like that if he was a wild Pok¨¦mon. Thankfully, any hidden Pok¨¦mon watching seemed to recognize it¡¯d be a dumb idea to try to take any of their stuff.

    ¡°...Yeah, I think we need to make our Pok¨¦mon more obvious. Haunter and Misdreavus can scare away anything that tries to go after us from the ground, but even with Tibia and Fibula¡¯s warning, they can¡¯t stop anything from the sky.¡±

    ¡°At least they haven¡¯t been Dragon Types,¡± Redi said. ¡°We¡¯re heading right toward Blackthorn City. Imagine being hunted down by one of their dragons.¡±

    Redi shivered.

    Off to the side, Primeape shook his hand with a hiss. No matter how strong he was, punching metal that dense still hurt. However, he seemed more annoyed than in pain. The Fighting Type was supposed to be strong against Steel, and suffering recoil from an otherwise recoil-less move meant he still had a lot of room to improve.

    Without anything else going after them, Sam took this moment to look around. A flock of Spearow flew over a rocky landscape in the distance. There weren¡¯t many trees around, but there were plenty of cliffs and canyons. On the horizon, the sun wasn¡¯t yet beginning to set, but there wasn¡¯t much light left before dark.

    They were only a single day into their northward trip off-route, and Sam recognized they needed to camp.

    ¡°Just wanna check, do you sense anything?¡± Sam asked his shadow.

    Neither Tibia nor Fibula gave him a response, which meant the two Gastly detected nothing. The six sets of eyes in Sam¡¯s shadow stayed quiet¡ªthere were obviously other Pok¨¦mon nearby but none seemed aggressive.

    ¡°I think we should set up camp right here. I know we¡¯re in that Skarmory¡¯s territory, but I doubt it¡¯ll attack us again, especially once it gets too dark. Haunter and Misdreavus are stronger at night and can scare it off if it does attack, but I think we should take advantage of how we¡¯re inside somewhere ¡®protected¡¯ by a known threat.¡±

    ¡°That Skarmory¡¯s gonna get upset, but I don¡¯t really care about how a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s already attacked us feels.¡± Redi let out a yawn. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s camp here. I want to sit down.¡±

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    ¡°Me too,¡± Sam agreed.

    Haunter split off to gather firewood. Quilava set it alight once he was back. Primeape and Ursaring stayed out as visible guards until it was dark, when they were returned to their Pok¨¦balls to rest, and Misdreavus helped guide Porygon with helping Sam and Redi assemble their tents.

    Sam felt physically exhausted even though they¡¯d only been traveling off-route for a single day. As expected of the wilderness, it lacked official roads for them to follow. No, this area was just a series of rocky hillsides that stretched above Dark Cave, and unlike the paths above the southern Union Cave, there were no obvious trails worn by hikers.

    Travel through these parts was a hike that involved far too much climbing and maneuvering around unexpected obstacles. Enough Pok¨¦mon lived out here that they were generally always able to find some way north, but it was never an easy walk. And Sam knew it would only get more rocky and mountainous as they continued further north.

    He really appreciated his Pok¨¦mon. They had more energy and strength than a pair of squishy humans. He would have turned around if it wasn¡¯t for their help.

    Once their campsite was all set up, complete with a roaring fire in the center, Sam collapsed into one of their foldable chairs. Redi immediately did the same across from him, and Quilava jumped into his lap.

    ¡°A nice thing about training Ghost Types is that we don''t need to organize shifts for a night watch,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon aren¡¯t going to sleep?¡±

    ¡°Maybe for a little bit, but neither Haunter nor Misdreavus really need to. They¡¯ll use Night Shade to hide us if something dangerous comes close or flies overhead.¡±

    Redi replied with a nod, letting out another yawn, and they sat there for a while, doing nothing but trying to recover. Once he felt he had recovered enough energy, Sam reached into his backpack to take out that brush and bring it through Quilava¡¯s fur.

    ¡°So,¡± he started. ¡°We¡¯ve been off-route for a full day at this point. What are your thoughts so far?¡±

    ¡° ¡®Bout what? Traveling?¡±

    ¡°That and other things,¡± Sam said, shrugging.

    Redi rocked her head back and forth, leaning back in her chair. She stared up at the sky and at the countless stars above them. So far away from any settlements, there was hardly any light pollution. The night sky was far more visible than on any official Route. Sam could see so much more than usual.

    ¡°I haven''t seen that many Normal Types,¡± Redi said. ¡°Mostly just the ones that are part Flying Type, which I don¡¯t really want to catch. I know I¡¯ve been way too picky, but...¡±

    She ran her tongue over her teeth.

    ¡°What does the New Pok¨¦dex say is out here?¡±

    Sam stopped brushing Quilava to take out the New Pok¨¦dex and use her side to keep it up. She let out a complaint when he stopped brushing her, but she was already falling asleep, so her complaint was half-hearted at best.

    ¡°What kind of species are you looking for?¡± Sam said, flipping through its pages.

    ¡°Something strong but capable of tricks.¡±

    ¡°Tricks that support itself or tricks that support the team?¡±

    ¡°Either or,¡± Redi answered.

    With how much he¡¯d read through the New Pok¨¦dex, Sam felt more confident about finding species within it at this point. For this request, he only needed to browse through the earliest entries of the book, but he knew enough about its later entries that he had a feeling few people knew about as many Pok¨¦mon as him.

    ¡°To be upfront, the New Pok¨¦dex doesn¡¯t contain information about what can be found off-route. All of the listed habitats are official Routes or nearby caves. I can¡¯t give you specifics, but I can try to guess what species might be around. Just remember that a lot of Pok¨¦mon are migratory, and a species can be pushed away if any single, territorial Pok¨¦mon gets too strong.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just want to know my options,¡± Redi said. ¡°Hit me. I wanna figure it out.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t shorten the list to meet her requirements¡ªthere were too few nearby species for him to narrow down the options. Instead, he just read off all the Normal Types he was pretty sure could be found somewhere nearby.

    ¡°Dunsparce. Aipom. Lickitung,¡± he said.

    Redi waited for him to continue, but when he didn¡¯t, she glanced down from the sky to stare at him blankly.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I mean, there¡¯s also the usual mountainous Pok¨¦mon and the usual common species, but unless you want to catch another Ursaring or, like, a Sentret¡ª¡±

    Redi let out a groan.

    ¡°Ugh. If I could afford it, I¡¯d try to hunt down a Snorlax, but even taking Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sponsorship, I would barely be able to afford enough food for a single day!¡±

    She slumped in her seat, sliding down so half her body was hanging off her chair. Sam frowned and resumed looking through the book, trying to search for more potential species.

    He took the chance to bring up another topic while he did.

    ¡°Are you going to take it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A Snorlax?¡±

    ¡°No, Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sponsorship,¡± he said flatly.

    Redi wiggled in her seat and stared into their campfire. Sam glanced up at her to see a frown.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. She sounded unhappy he had brought this up at all. ¡°I feel like if I take it, I¡¯m betraying my goal of only supporting my family, but I really need his help. Getting the right Peat Block for Ursaring will be impossible without Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s connections. And I¡¯m hoping that Porygon¡¯s Upgrade will actually be that¡ªan upgrade. I don¡¯t want them to be stuck as some kind of a tool all their life. If all it takes to get Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s help is to tell people how I evolved my Pok¨¦mon...¡±

    Porygon was floating next to her, and she raised a hand to rest it on the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s back. The artificial species behaved as emotionlessly as always even as Redi patted it affectionately. The only reaction was a slight shift downward that came with the application of force.

    ¡°What about you, Sam? You gonna take it?¡± Redi said, turning back up to the stars.

    ¡°I need to talk to my mother, first,¡± he said.

    Redi nodded, and Sam watched as she relaxed in her chair. He closed the New Pok¨¦dex, having found what he was looking for.

    However, there was a topic he wanted to bring up before moving on. He breathed in and took a moment to choose his words carefully.

    ¡°You know you need your family¡¯s approval if you want to take Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sponsorship,¡± Sam said. ¡°And that means calling them.¡±

    Redi responded with a long, drawn-out sigh.

    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°And I will contact them. It¡¯s just... I don¡¯t want to hear them get upset. I didn¡¯t exactly leave after telling them first. And before you say anything, you should know I have been sending them messages!¡±

    Sam blinked at her.

    ¡°You have?¡±

    ¡°Kind of. I¡¯ve been sending letters to my aunt and she¡¯s probably passing them over. At least, I hope she is.¡±

    Sam stared at Redi as she continued to stare into the night sky. He didn¡¯t say anything until she glanced down at him and saw his amused look.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just... nothing.¡±

    ¡°No, tell me,¡± she said, sitting up.

    Sam chuckled slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I thought you were allergic to reading and writing.¡±

    If Redi had something in her hands, she would have thrown it at him. Instead, she angrily stuck her tongue out at him as he laughed.

    He put the New Pok¨¦dex back into his pack and would have taken out that brush once more, but at this point, Quilava was already fast asleep in his lap.

    ¡°I found two more potential Pok¨¦mon, but we might have to go out of our way to find them,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°What are they?¡± Redi asked, more than willing to go along with the change in topic.

    ¡°Since you want a species that¡¯s capable of support, I¡¯m looking at two that are technically part Psychic Type.¡±

    She hummed consideringly, and Sam repeated their habitats in his head to make sure he was remembering them correctly.

    ¡°The first potential Pok¨¦mon is Stantler, which can evolve into the half-Psychic Type Wyrdeer, and it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to find at least one Stantler in the mountains. The problem is they tend to travel in herds and use illusions to defend themselves, so if we act too aggressively, we¡¯ll become lost and confused and easy targets for them to trample us under their hooves.¡±

    Sam¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem to dissuade Redi. She rubbed her chin in thought.

    ¡°Illusions might be good for my team, though,¡± Redi said. ¡°And the second?¡±

    ¡°Girafarig,¡± Sam answered, ¡°but I doubt we¡¯ll find any. That species is a bit further away since it''s native to the Lake of Rage rather than anywhere nearby. I just wanted to bring it up since the New Pok¨¦dex says it can evolve into something called a Farigiraf. That evolution is definitely foreign since it''s not listed until several hundred entries deeper in.¡±

    Redi didn¡¯t respond right away, clearly thinking about her potential options. Back in Goldenrod, when Sam listed off Normal Types for her, she¡¯d initially turned down Stantler. However, she never turned down Girafarig, but these two species effectively filled the same role.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said. ¡°The problem is I want to find at least something before Blackthorn, but I don¡¯t want to risk staying off-route for too long. That, and when it comes to catching Pok¨¦mon so far away from other humans¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± Sam said. ¡°Pok¨¦mon on Routes generally accept the chance of being caught, but that¡¯s not true out here. And there¡¯s something to be said about meeting new team members naturally instead of going out of your way to catch a specific species.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Redi said, smiling at the idea. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like Misdreavus. She found us instead of us finding her.¡±

    The Ghost Type peeked out of Sam¡¯s shadow and looked at him. Quilava woke up, raising her head at the mention with a frown.

    ¡°It was a bit more complicated than that,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Semantics,¡± Redi replied, waving a hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know what that word means.¡±

    For the second time that night, Redi stuck her tongue out at him, and both of them snickered at their exchange.

    Out here, without civilization anywhere close by, the stars were their only other company, and the night was quieter than anywhere else they had been. In the silence of the mountains, they cooked dinner, fed their Pok¨¦mon, and proceeded to fall into a deep rest.

    The next morning, Sam and Redi continued on, trying to leave the Skarmory¡¯s territory as soon as they could. They pushed through the rugged terrain, doing their best to avoid getting caught up in any other fights.

    A few other Pok¨¦mon still attacked them, but those Pok¨¦mon tended to be the already-aggressive flocks of Spearow and Fearow. When it came to the species that couldn¡¯t fly, most ran away the moment either Ursaring or Primeape came into view. Their species were mountainous and seemed to have a reputation in these parts. The local Pok¨¦mon knew better than to mess with one of them.

    Traveling through the untamed wilderness was exhausting, but Sam adapted, and his Pok¨¦mon helped. While each hour seemed to take forever, the days themselves felt short. They kept their focus on traveling and searching for a new Pok¨¦mon for Redi, so periods of energy were kept slim. This kind of travel was a form of practice, and it was better to not spread themselves thin.

    They adjusted their northward direction to begin heading slightly northwest, choosing to travel around Blackthorn instead of heading directly to it. They zig-zagged through the terrain, following the most viable path through uneven hills. Thankfully, as Ursaring¡¯s species marked territory via deep gouges in trees, he instinctively recognized other territorial marks. Direct attacks became infrequent as they learned the signs of danger in this difficult terrain.

    A few days passed. Sam missed the comfort of the Pok¨¦mon Center, but he appreciated being able to experience a new part of the world. There were fewer wild Ghost Types than he expected, and he only ever caught glimpses of wild Gastly, but he kept an eye out for anything just in case. Unfortunately, he doubted they were traveling deep enough off-route to encounter a truly rare species.

    Eventually, by following subtle signs Misdreavus pointed out to Sam, their group found the first hints they were on the right path. A wide, well-tread trail brought them through a series of canyons closer to Blackthorn City than Sam would have ever thought. It opened into a narrow valley at the base of two short mountains. Within it, Stantler. Two dozen of them grazed beneath a thin forest of trees.

    The herd was on high alert, keeping their eyes on the sky. A small ledge let Sam and Redi hide behind a boulder and spy on the Pok¨¦mon from off to the side.

    At this point, Redi was willing to take any Pok¨¦mon she could get, but Stantler were high on her list. With a herd of them so close, she had the chance to capture at least one.

    Quietly, Sam and Redi began to whisper out a plan.

 Chapter 81

    The Stantler were already on high alert. About two dozen of the deer Pok¨¦mon made up the valley¡¯s herd. This area was only a hundred feet apart at most, but it was still wide enough to support enough Stantler that they could threaten anything that threatened them back. They grazed among the foliage, foraging for food beneath the trees. Most stayed close to the trunks, where the canopy best hid them, but others positioned themselves off to the side and stared at the sky with a watchful gaze.

    It was only thanks to the boulder Sam and Redi crouched behind that the guarding Stantler didn¡¯t find them. It was unfortunately midday, just past noon, so it was too bright for any of Sam¡¯s Ghost Types to hide them in darkness without standing out.

    ¡°I think our biggest issue is figuring out how to catch one,¡± Sam said, whispering to Redi.

    ¡°Well, duh, that¡¯s the whole reason we¡¯re here, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that bad,¡± she said, sending Sam a flat look. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can just walk down there, make myself obvious, and then challenge and catch any of them that get too close.¡±

    Sam hesitated. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex, flipping to Stantler¡¯s entry and handing it to Redi. Seeing his expression, she actually read through the small blurb he pointed out.

    ¡°...Oh,¡± she said.

    ¡°Their horns are prized, and we aren¡¯t on an official Route. Approaching like that might make them think you¡¯re a poacher,¡± Sam said.

    He didn¡¯t need to voice his real concern¡ªdoing anything to panic the Stantler would mean Redi herself would be attacked.

    While Sam had seen off-route groups of Skiploom and Spearow numbering in the hundreds, these Stantler were members of a much larger species. Their herd consisted of fewer numbers, but each one could probably defend itself much better in exchange. Yet, there was still strength in numbers, and if Redi was attacked, she wouldn¡¯t be dealing with just one. With how many Stantler there were, if she made them think she was hostile, then even with both Ursaring and Porygon by her side, she¡¯d likely be trapped in illusions and immediately trampled.

    Even more, this place wasn¡¯t part of any claimed forest. Stantler tended to choose densely wooded areas to protect themselves from intruders via a generous use of Confuse Ray. This herd looked migratory given the sparse foliage of this section of Johto. The valley was the lushest area Sam had seen in several days. Since these Pok¨¦mon had likely traveled to get here, they were likely more wary of unknown threats, too.

    As Sam mused on the best methods to go about this, Redi grumbled and rubbed her head. She handed the New Pok¨¦dex back once done reading, and Sam skimmed through the list of Stantler¡¯s known moves.

    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°My first thought is to try to lure one away, but that¡¯d probably just cause it to panic. Trying to talk to it alone would be a way to scare it but not really negotiate,¡± he said. ¡°If you want one of these Stantler to become your Pok¨¦mon, you can¡¯t afford to not be upfront about it. Capturing means becoming partners. We can¡¯t just randomly throw a Pok¨¦ball and hope everything works out.¡±

    And even if they did, the Stantler would likely just break out on its own or run away the second it had the chance.

    Frowning, Redi stared below her and watched the Stantler graze. One of the herd¡¯s Pok¨¦mon seemed to finish eating, moving to the side. It replaced a Stantler standing on guard to give that Pok¨¦mon a break and a chance to eat its fill.

    The valley¡¯s tall cliffsides helped protect the herd from being easily seen. Given the shape of its walls, the valley¡¯s two opposite entrances were narrow and could serve as chokepoints if needed. However, anything standing in those chokepoints would just make itself a target. They¡¯d be too obvious and easily hit by every single Stantler¡¯s Confuse Ray.

    Sam tried to look for anything else they could use, but the only things that stood out to him were a few stony areas. Those sections had thick claw marks on the walls and floors, but they were old. Likely, they were remnants of a battle that took place some time ago.

    Not like my idea to lure any Stantler away would have worked in the first place. This valley is basically just a wide hallway. Where would we even bring them?

    Eventually, Redi sighed and pushed away from the boulder.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for the warning, Sam, but I think I need to challenge them head-on.¡±

    She stood up before Sam could stop her, but he could understand her reasoning. While she¡¯d been slowly adding more and more tricks into her strategies, Redi¡¯s primary way of battling was still facing her opponents head-on. Presenting herself in any other way would mislead the Pok¨¦mon she wanted to join her team.

    So, she stood, and the moment she did, the herd¡¯s guards immediately snapped her way. The horns on their heads were split and curved, forming shapes that resembled eyes. In the crooks of those horns were brown spheres that mimicked pupils, and in front of those faux pupils, space itself vibrated as they prepared defensive moves.

    ¡°Yo!¡± Redi said. She stretched out her arms to show her hands were empty, silently stating she came in peace while also attempting to appear relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m a Pok¨¦mon trainer. I have two Pok¨¦mon on my team. Any of you want to join me? I¡¯m really desperate for a third catch!¡±

    Sam wanted to drop his head into his palms. Redi saw his crestfallen expression and grinned, though she took care not to accidentally expose her teeth.

    Below, her bold declaration caused the warbling of space to slacken. Some stayed on high alert, but the vast majority of the Stantler looked among themselves, as if confused or in disbelief.

    If Sam had to describe it, it was like a question was being silently exchanged throughout the entire herd at once:

    ¡®There''s no way someone would be this stupid, right?¡¯

    Redi had just revealed herself to an entire herd of wary Pok¨¦mon and effectively placed herself at their mercy.

    Beginning to move along the narrow ledge of the cliff, Redi kicked up her legs as she walked, acting casual with her arms continuing to be raised. She moved over to where the ledge connected to a dirt slope, which she stepped on to slide down to the valley¡¯s floor.

    ¡°So... Any of you want to fight? I¡¯ll show off my team! I¡¯ve got some really great Pok¨¦mon with me. They¡¯re both really cool!¡±

    She grinned, and another wave of disbelief passed through the herd. None of the Stantler moved, but they didn¡¯t attack, either. Sam looked on with slowly growing awe.

    There was a difference between being bold and being stupid. Redi was presenting herself like this as a way to sell herself. She wanted¡ªneeded¡ªto find a Pok¨¦mon that would resonate with her in a fight. Alongside Porygon and Ursaring, catching a Stantler would form a strong core for her team, but she needed her next catch to be a Pok¨¦mon that worked with her well.

    The Stantler would obviously attack the second Redi made the wrong move, but she didn¡¯t, and none unleashed their prepared moves outright. Somehow, by making herself so vulnerable, Redi gave a lot of credence to her claims.

    ¡°Can you two get ready to save her?¡± Sam whispered. ¡°Just in case. Please?¡±

    Haunter poked his head out of Sam''s shadow, and Misdreavus entered the air to float at his side.

    Sam watched the Stantler continue to glance among themselves. If anything, they seemed to be calming down. Their conversation was silent, occurring through body language alone. At one point, a slightly smaller Stantler¡ªa young one, most likely¡ªspoke its name only to get shot down by an older Stantler whose facial fur had whitened with age.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Gas-tly.¡±

    As Sam watched the ongoing exchange, he felt something nudge his leg. Glancing down at the Gastly in his shadow¡ªTibia, he was pretty sure¡ªhe was met with red eyes looking up at him in worry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sam asked. ¡°...They¡¯re not becoming aggressive, are they?¡±

    Tibia shook his head and nudged Sam again, leaving the floor to float at his side and stare up into the distance. Sam followed the direction of the Ghost Type¡¯s gaze to peer into the sky.

    He had to squint to see it, but he could make out the smallest of orange dots slowly coming their way.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you detected something that far off,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°How did you even notice it was there?¡±

    Tibia nervously shifted side-to-side. He nudged Sam¡¯s leg again.

    In the valley, that pale-faced Stantler stepped forward. It clearly didn¡¯t intend to get caught, but it was the oldest of the bunch and apparently most willing to risk itself. If anything, Sam guessed it was going to test Redi. A Pok¨¦mon battle was a good way to gain a better understanding of whoever you fought.

    Seeing it approach, Redi grinned and picked up a Pok¨¦ball.

    Sam glanced back to the sky.

    He was starting to understand that this encounter was a distraction. No one else had noticed that orange dot, and it was rapidly growing larger by the second.

    If that¡¯s just a Pok¨¦mon passing by, we don¡¯t have anything to worry about. But then if it was just passing by, Tibia wouldn¡¯t have alerted me. He can detect hostile intent.

    Sam swallowed.

    I¡¯m right that he can¡¯t detect something from that far away in most situations. He¡¯d only be able to detect something like that if the Pok¨¦mon is extremely strong, extremely angry, or in a large enough group.

    Something clicked in Sam¡¯s mind as he remembered exactly where they were. Yes, they were off-route, searching for a Pok¨¦mon for Redi to catch, but they had also been traveling to Blackthorn City, and this valley was located rather close by.

    He remembered the clues he¡¯d seen. The Stantler had been paying more attention to the sky than their surroundings, and the claw marks in the canyon around them were evidence of past fights. Blackthorn City was known for its Dragon Types, and that dot was an awfully distinct orange.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Sam felt the blood drain from his face as he immediately stood up. Redi hadn¡¯t sent out any of her Pok¨¦mon just yet, and his sudden presence interrupted the imminent battle. He didn¡¯t bother to hide himself, and almost every Stantler turned his way out of surprise.

    ¡°Redi! Fibula!¡± Sam shouted. He pointed toward the dot in the sky.

    Fibula wasn¡¯t hiding in Redi¡¯s shadow. The Gastly phased out of a nearby stone to look to where Sam was directing. Upon seeing the orange circle, Fibula reacted with an expression that Sam had never seen on a Ghost Type before.

    The Gastly visibly paled out of fear.

    To make matters worse, that circle was no longer on its own. Not only was it coming right at them, but two serpentine streaks of blue were following in its wake.

    ¡°Get out of here!¡± Sam shouted, panicked. ¡°All of you! And, Haunter, Misdreavus, please help!¡±

    Fibula raced over and pushed against Redi¡¯s chest, desperately trying to get her to move. Confused, she stayed where she was, staring at the sky with a squint to make out whatever was coming closer. Meanwhile, that older Stantler about to face her turned around only to freeze in place.

    It recovered quickly. A loud, bellowing cry left its throat and echoed between the other members of its herd. Names were shouted in alarm, and the rest of the Stantler stopped watching to turn and run.

    The earth shook under the impact of their hooves. Almost two dozen Pok¨¦mon raced toward the canyon¡¯s exit, where Redi was standing right in their way.

    ¡°Protect her!¡± Sam yelled. Both Misdreavus and Haunter were already moving down the cliff.

    The noise snapped Redi out of her stupor. She hurriedly released Porygon as Sam¡¯s team members rushed to reach her.

    The stampede of Stantler was already almost upon her, but a Shadow Sneak saw Misdreavus move faster than anyone else. Haunter wasn¡¯t as fast, but he could still float, and his direct path meant he reached Redi less than a second behind.

    Together, a dual Night Shade popped up to obscure her, hiding her behind a threatening sphere of perfect darkness. A full section of this valley was made impossible to make out, and rather than blind themselves and face whatever was within, the Stantler began to swerve to avoid that hazard.

    Sam could see Redi bracing herself behind his Ghost Types¡¯ sphere. Porygon floated in front of her as she turned around, recognizing she was trapped. The Stantler might have been running around her, but their narrow charge toward the valley¡¯s exit meant they encircled her. She would be unable to escape until all of the Stantler were gone.

    Sam ran along the cliffside ledge. He could see the slope of dirt Redi had slid down only a minute before. However, at this point, he heard it¡ªan ear-piercing roar shook the air. It was so loud that pebbles dislodged from the valley¡¯s walls and fell to the ledge around him.

    At the same moment, a gale-like wind. Sam had to stop running to brace himself, and he swore several trees bent from the force.

    ¡°I hate it! I hate being right!¡± he yelled.

    Something rumbled above.

    In the dead-center of the sky above the valley, a Pok¨¦mon flapped its wings with a scowl on its face. Its body was protected by orange scales that gleamed under the midday sun, and the antennae on its head waved in its created wind.

    Dragonite were known to look a little goofy. The general pudginess of their bodies alongside their soft eyes and kind demeanor made most people underestimate the Dragon Type that they were. This one, however, could not be described as goofy at all. Its eyes were sharp and focused, and it flexed the claws on its hands. Sam could see that they fit the shape of the marks in the stone that he¡¯d noticed before.

    The Pok¨¦mon strong enough to be compared to legends briefly looked at Sam and Redi before gaining a smirk. It raised its arms and breathed in while a white light glowed in its mouth. Smiling, it turned toward the still-running Stantler herd as the move continued to grow. Singled out, one member looked up at the Dragonite in both terror and awe.

    Thankfully for the Stantler, the Dragonite¡¯s Hyper Beam was never sent out. A blue blur slammed into the Dragon Pok¨¦mon to wrap it up and send it careening to the forest floor.

    At the same moment, that lingering Stantler panicked. Turning away from the falling pair of dragons, it ran with a newfound vigor. More determined than ever to escape, it chose to head right to the ongoing Night Shade, attempting to save time by taking the most direct path out.

    The charge threatened to send it crashing into Redi, and Sam jumped onto the dirt slope to slide down while yelling a command.

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡±

    Alongside his shout, a flash of light marked the release of Ursaring right as the Stantler leaped into the air.

    The ground shook when the Dragonite hit the earth. Sam almost fell when he reached the forest¡¯s floor. Terrified, that young Stantler was too panicked to think to close its eyes. Haunter burst out of the Night Shade with his own eyes glowing blue, and the Stantler immediately went limp.

    But it had momentum. Still in its leap, It passed right through him and entered the Night Shade.

    There was a pause in the clearing, though the nearby Dragonite continued to roar out of frustration. Sam raced to the other side of Misdreavus¡¯s move only to see Ursaring standing there and looking around awkwardly.

    He held the unconscious Stantler in his arms, having caught it before it could slam into Redi. He didn¡¯t seem to know what to do with it. He couldn¡¯t exactly attack with it here, but he couldn¡¯t exactly let it go and leave it behind to the mercy of the Dragon Type.

    An answer came in the form of a shout, though it was neither Sam nor Redi who called out. A voice echoed out from above them, and Sam glanced up to see a blue-haired woman standing on the back of a large Dragonair that floated impossibly still in the sky.

    ¡°What do you two think you¡¯re doing?! This is Blackthorn territory! No one is supposed to be here!¡±

    Her expression was cross, and she placed her hands on her arms while staring down rather imperiously. Her Dragonair didn¡¯t spare them a glance, but a tiny wing on its head flicked to the side and betrayed its annoyance.

    ¡°How were we supposed to know this was Blackthorn Territory? We were just trying to find a Pok¨¦mon to catch!¡± Redi snapped.

    ¡°Yeah? Well, you got one! Go!¡± the woman yelled. ¡°This is my mistake, so I¡¯ll fix it! Dragonite¡¯s actively seeking people out!¡±

    Behind her, that blue blur from before, a second Dragonair, used Wrap to keep the Dragonite restrained on the ground. The fully evolved Dragon Type roared as a white light lit up the sky. A Hyper Beam sliced through the clouds, and the most terrifying part about it was that the Dragonite didn¡¯t seem to need to recover.

    The Pok¨¦mon pushed against the binding serpent, bending sections of the blue-scaled Dragonair in a failure to escape. The woman on the Dragonair clicked her tongue, and her Pok¨¦mon moved down just low enough for her to jump off safely.

    ¡°Dragon Rage,¡± she ordered calmly once she landed.

    Indigo flame licked at her Dragonair¡¯s mouth, but Sam never saw the attack land. Having already dawdled for long enough, he dashed towards the canyon¡¯s exit while Redi raced out at his side.

    Thankfully, a nearby, partially crumbled cliff base provided them a good enough spot to hide. It obscured them, forming a crook in the wall that meant the darkness of any future Night Shade wouldn¡¯t seem too out of place.

    Redi, however, wasn¡¯t as motivated as Sam to hide. She did hide behind the pile of rocks, but she peeked out to try to see what was going on.

    ¡°That was... Clair,¡± Redi said. Sam breathed heavily as he tried to recover from their mad dash out. ¡°She¡¯s Blackthorn¡¯s Gym Leader. What¡¯s she doing out here?¡±

    ¡°Handling a rogue Dragonite, looks like,¡± Sam said, annoyed.

    He figured that a Pok¨¦mon as aggressive as that Dragonite had probably been going after the herd of Stantler. Sam and Redi had the unfortunate luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Feeling safer, he breathed out and leaned against the cliff to rest. Honestly, traveling off-route was always dangerous, and being subjected to an attack by a Pok¨¦mon that strong wasn¡¯t too uncommon. Annoyed, he hit his head.

    I really should have expected to encounter a Dragon Type so close to Blackthorn City. Except, aren¡¯t they known for being Dragon tamers? Shouldn¡¯t it have been more... trained?

    The more Sam thought about it, the more he frowned. Something had gone seriously wrong if a Dragonite was behaving as aggressively as this.

    Sounds of the raging battle continued to echo out from the valley. Occasionally, a flash of light¡ªa Flamethrower, a Dragon Rage, or another Hyper Beam¡ªshot out of its open top.

    Redi looked as though she wanted to sneak closer and see more than just a motionless entrance, but Sam grabbed her wrist before she could run off.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said sheepishly.

    Sam replied by rolling his eyes.

    Minutes passed. The battle continued. More roars and horrible noises continued to pierce through the air. Sam was just happy they had a place to hide instead of being caught in the open while trying to flee. Unfortunately, that herd of Stantler was gone, but Ursaring still carried the one that jumped into his arms.

    It almost woke up at this point, but Sam had Haunter use Hypnosis to ensure it remained asleep.

    Eventually, the noises of the fight faded, and the roars of the Dragonite vanished. Sam and Redi poked their heads out to see if it was safe to leave, but they locked eyes with Clair.

    She stood at the entrance to the valley, looking around with her Dragonair floating above her. Upon noticing Sam and Redi, a frown crossed her face. Her hands clenched into fists as she began to march directly their way.

 Chapter 82

    Sam didn¡¯t move out from behind the fallen pile of stones. Though he had been seen, hiding behind something helped settle the churning in his stomach that built as Clair approached.

    She was like a storm, though that storm was constrained to the even march of an accomplished Gym Leader. Above her head, a sleek Dragonair followed, looking down at Sam¡¯s small group with a gaze that felt unimpressed.

    Ursaring¡¯s hackles were raised, and he walked over to stand ahead of everyone else. He positioned himself at the front of the stones, letting loose a growl and flexing his claws. The Stantler was left behind, placed on the ground with Misdreavus floating above it. Haunter lingered in the deer Pok¨¦mon¡¯s shadow, using the occasional Hypnosis to ensure it remained asleep.

    Sam didn¡¯t move, only watched, but Redi stepped out alongside her bear. Clair arrived, and she glanced over everyone here. She looked almost bored, in a way.

    ¡°I will not apologize, but I accept the blame for the attack. Dragonite evolved seconds before he split off, and I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    A flash of light came from her wrist.

    Whatever she had in mind, she clearly hadn¡¯t accounted for one of her Pok¨¦mon suddenly releasing itself. From a Pok¨¦ball hidden within a thick wristband, a second Dragonair appeared, this one smaller and moving with far less control than the one above it. It squealed its name excitedly and tried to jump at Redi, but Clair¡¯s personal Dragonair flicked its tail to send the smaller Pok¨¦mon flopping backward with a sudden gust of wind.

    The new Dragonair looked up at Clair and whined. Its goofy eagerness stood at odds with her attempt at a professional demeanor.

    She pinched her nose, but it was Redi who spoke up in understanding.

    ¡°No way,¡± she breathed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you two,¡± Clair sighed.

    The Dragonair pushed itself off the ground to move towards Redi once again. This time, it didn¡¯t jump, but its movements still came out quick and excited. Its lack of aggression was obvious, and Ursaring was only willing to step aside when Redi put a hand on his arm.

    The Dragonair brought up its head in front of her, and Redi slowly brought up a hand to place on its snout. The Dragonair¡¯s eyes curved up alongside a cheerful smile.

    ¡°Sam. Sam! It is! You know! It¡¯s the one¡ª! Back from¡ª!¡±

    Redi squished the Dragonair¡¯s cheeks.

    Any sense of seriousness dropped from Clair. Now, the Gym Leader just looked exhausted after that display.

    ¡°So Dragonite recognized you. That¡¯s why he came this way,¡± she said, rubbing her temples.

    Sam looked at the Dragonair in front of Redi, gaining the courage to step out. A single glance confirmed the truth of the matter:

    This Pok¨¦mon was familiar.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯re one of the Dratini from Goldenrod¡¯s Game Corner.¡±

    Dragonair winced when the location was named, but it still happily squeaked to affirm Sam¡¯s statement. Clair looked annoyed, but she didn¡¯t stop either it or Redi. Redi continued to pet and play with its face for several more seconds before it drew back. It squeaked a secondary greeting to Sam as it did, and he waved.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain its history if you two were there,¡± Clair said, not hiding her annoyance. ¡°The three rescued Dratini were passed over to the Blackthorn Clan once recovered, as we are Johto¡¯s foremost experts on the Dragon Type. They were originally captured from¡ª¡±

    Clair hesitated.

    ¡°Kanto¡¯s Safari Zone?¡± Sam finished, though that statement earned him a glare from the Gym Leader. He stuttered as he tried to explain himself, struggling to find the right words for a believable excuse. ¡°I, uh, heard a rumor that was a thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Clair hissed, ¡°but never tell anyone you know that. The three Dratini were poached from the Safari Zone, rescued from Goldenrod, and then given the choice of what to do. One was returned to its mother, but the other two wanted the strength to prevent anything similar from happening again. We negotiated with the Safari Zone, and I¡¯ve been personally training them ever since.¡±

    The smaller Dragonair brought up its head and coiled its body, going through what Sam had to guess was the equivalent of a flex for a serpent. Clair¡¯s personal Dragonair sighed and covered its face with the tip of its tail. The smaller one sheepishly said its name and uncoiled.

    It was clearly young, but Sam couldn¡¯t get that image of it wrapping around the Dragonite out of its head. It might have been somewhat naive, but it still carried the strength that fit its Type.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me this Dragonair and that Dragonite were Dratini only a few months ago?¡± Sam asked. ¡°You managed to evolve two Dragon Types in that short of a time?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Clair easily answered. ¡°Both Dratini evolved within a week. You¡¯re correct to think Dragon Types take longer to evolve than the average Pok¨¦mon, but that just means more effort is required to maintain an equivalent pace. However, a Dragon Type¡¯s final evolution can be... overwhelming. Neither was supposed to evolve into a Dragonite for a long, long time.

    Clair¡¯s hand twitched, and she rubbed her wrist. There were the start of bags under her eyes. If Sam had to guess, that Dragonite¡¯s evolution would cause her more problems than just this attack.

    She looked over to Sam and Redi, glancing between them and taking them in. Her eyes narrowed as she seemed to analyze them. Her mouth curved back into a frown.

    ¡°He knew this just as well as I did, and he should have had no reason to push himself to evolve,¡± Clair said. ¡°But a Dragon Type¡¯s eyesight is better than even a Flying Type¡¯s, and we¡¯ve been training in these parts for the past several days. This immediate off-route area contains the weakest wild Pok¨¦mon near Blackthorn City, and If he saw and recognized you two¡ª¡±

    ¡°He was going after us and not the Stantler?¡± Redi exclaimed.

    ¡°He might have been trying to prove himself against you in a fight,¡± Clair reluctantly admitted. ¡°You were the ones to signal the start of his rescue, after all.¡±

    Redi opened her mouth but nothing came out. A Dragon Type had technically acknowledged her team¡¯s strength.

    Sam, meanwhile, was still stuck on Clair¡¯s previous point:

    Adding everything up, she had managed to bring a Dratini to a Dragonite in a matter of months.

    Evolving a Pok¨¦mon was supposed to take a long time. In the wild, Pok¨¦mon could take years before they evolved even once. Being constantly trained and pushed in battles tended to cut down that time, but it still generally took most of a season for a trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon to evolve twice.

    But a Dratini was a Dragon Type. They took much, much longer to evolve even a single time. Yet, Clair had done so in a single week, and one had become a Dragonite only a few months later. Such a feat felt impossible to Sam.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    It was something only a true specialist could do.

    He felt his hands clench. He couldn¡¯t help it¡ªhe was jealous. He wanted that same level of expertise for himself. Not with the Dragon Type, of course, but he wanted to achieve the same results with the Ghost Type.

    He¡¯d make it happen, but he had more pressing evolutions to ensure, first.

    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the right motivation,¡± Clair said, suddenly looking at Sam and recognizing the emotions crossing his face. ¡°These two went through something awful that they never want to let happen again. They¡¯ve thrown themselves into training with a ferocity not every Pok¨¦mon could match.¡±

    The Dragonair on the ground held its head high, proud of its achievements. Redi silently stared in deep thought.

    ¡°So that''s why they were given to you, a Gym Leader?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I was the best choice out of everyone in Blackthorn,¡± Clair said with a proud smile. ¡°I¡¯m an expert when it comes to Dragonair. My starter chose to stay at her mid-stage, as evolving into a Dragonite would see her lose her powerful weather control.¡±

    The Dragonair above her head smirked, and the gemstones on its chest and tail glowed. A breeze picked up, and Sam braced himself to stay in one place. There was a certain bite to the wind that didn¡¯t come from just the cold.

    Redi rubbed her shoulder and moved a step closer to Ursaring. She glanced down at Clair¡¯s wrist, looking at where the Gym Leader kept her Pok¨¦balls.

    ¡°So then where is he going to go?¡± she asked. ¡°The Dragonite?¡±

    ¡°To my cousin, most likely,¡± Clair answered. ¡°He¡¯s always looking for more help against Team Rocket, and fighting criminals like them would give Dragonite ample targets while working to get his Dragon¡¯s rage under control.¡±

    Clair then crossed her arms and sent pointed looks to both Sam and Redi. She didn¡¯t need to say it, but that information was secret. They were only told this information due to Dragonite¡¯s history with them.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Redi went quiet for a long while. ¡°So they¡¯re not letting you keep him, then.¡±

    One of Clair¡¯s eyes twitched. Sam barely resisted covering his face with his hands.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Your family. You¡¯re not being allowed to train a Dragonite, I mean,¡± Redi said. ¡°You were training them as Dragonair, but now that one¡¯s evolved and you lost control, they want you to rely on your cousin, right?¡±

    Redi had a thoughtful look on her face, and Sam understood that she didn¡¯t mean offense at all. She was genuinely curious and even seemed sad to hear that Clair was being forced to give up a Pok¨¦mon.

    It didn¡¯t matter. Clair didn¡¯t know Redi as well as Sam did. She was barely suppressing the scowl that threatened to appear on her face, and her hands tightened against her forearms from where they were crossed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯ve trained plenty of Dragonite in the past,¡± Clair snapped. ¡°This is simply an extenuating circumstance. If it wasn¡¯t for Team Rocket¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Redi said. ¡°He wants to fight.¡±

    Something about being interrupted made Clair go utterly still. Sam had researched Ghost Types for long enough to recognize the sudden ¡°danger¡± they were in.

    ¡°And what about you, hm?¡± Clair said sharply. ¡°Trying to catch a mere Stantler? I imagine you were going to challenge my Gym. At what level? Sixth Badge? Seventh?¡±

    ¡°Fourth.¡±

    ¡°Fourth!?¡± Clair all but yelled.

    ¡°Uh, yeah?¡± Redi replied, speaking as if it were obvious. ¡°I passed over Morty¡¯s Gym ¡®cause I wasn¡¯t ready, and then Team Rocket pushed us out of Violet City earlier than we wanted. We helped capture that guy, but we haven¡¯t gone back yet. I still need to fight Walker or whoever they send in their place, but I figured I could take on your Gym in the meantime.¡±

    Clair¡¯s jaw dropped. Above, her Dragonair wasn¡¯t just offended¡ªno, it was experiencing sheer and utter disbelief. Dragon Types were known to be proud, and Redi was talking about facing them as if it were just a casual matter.

    Sam finally let himself smack his face. Clair ignored him, sneering. Any friendliness from before had vanished.

    ¡°Blackthorn Gym only accepts challengers with five Gym Badges or higher. We don¡¯t even offer a Trial for lower-ranking trainers. Our Gym is no different from how Kanto¡¯s Viridian Gym only accepts challengers for their seventh Gym Badge or above. It¡¯s for experienced trainers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯d just take on your Gym at a higher level of challenge,¡± Redi answered.

    A pause stretched out between them.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°I said badges, not stars,¡± Clair said. ¡°I expect experience, not untamed strength. Who are you to think you¡¯re ready to take on the Dragon Gym at your level? Who are you to think you can travel off-route at your level?¡±

    Sam slowly brought his hand down, a cold calm creeping throughout him. Redi growled and stomped a foot. The larger Dragonair slithered down to leer at her from behind Clair¡¯s shoulder, and Clair cupped the chin of her Dragon Type as she glared at Redi just as much as Redi glared at her.

    Ursaring growled to support Redi in this ongoing standoff. The smaller Dragonair on the ground looked between them and whined. As for Sam...

    He took a step forward.

    ¡°You accept challengers with five badges or more, yeah?¡± he asked, carefully controlling how he spoke his words.

    Clair¡¯s eyes snapped to him. Redi smirked as if the fact the Gym Leader looked away meant she won.

    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Clair said.

    Sam smiled. If he had glasses, he would have pushed them back to let them reflect sunlight in just the right way.

    ¡°I have five Gym Badges. My Pok¨¦mon won a tournament. We helped take down a wanted criminal, and Redi¡¯s team is just as strong as mine,¡± he said. ¡°Fight us. Let us prove it.¡±

    Clair frowned at his offer, but Sam did note that she no longer seemed as annoyed.

    ¡°Set up a challenge at my Gym¡ª¡±

    ¡°Would you accept Redi¡¯s challenge? You said it yourself that she doesn¡¯t have enough badges,¡± he said.

    Clair¡¯s frown deepened, and Redi spoke up.

    ¡°I can take you on any day, any time!¡± she shouted. ¡°Who cares about how many Gym Badges I have? I have plenty of experience from other things! I¡¯m as good as any other trainer, and I can beat a five-star team, easy! Hey, my Pok¨¦mon could even beat a sixth-star team!¡±

    ¡°How about a seventh?¡± Clair asked.

    ¡°Yeah! A seven-star team, no prob!¡± Redi replied with a grin.

    Wait, hold on.

    ¡°Redi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Clair barked out. ¡°You really think your three-badge team is capable of something like that? You wouldn¡¯t even be able to beat a freshly hatched Dratini with a day¡¯s training! You know nothing about how Pok¨¦mon battles really work.¡±

    ¡°I know plenty,¡± Redi growled out.

    Sam wanted to groan, but he could at least step in before things got worse.

    ¡°A seventh-badge challenge,¡± he said, trying to settle the matter, ¡°for our Gym Battle. You get to use a stronger team, but we take you on in our way in exchange.¡±

    Redi pulled back, looking at Sam, visibly impressed at his attempt to negotiate. Clair actually seemed to consider the offer, too. She rubbed her chin in thought.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°A double battle, Redi and I versus your seven-star team,¡± Sam answered. ¡°Winning one of those requires more than just individual strength. No matter how strong a single trainer might be, double battles only work if both sides pull their weight and know how to apply strategy. I¡¯d say it¡¯d be more than enough proof of our strength, and this way, you¡¯re at least battling one five-Gym Badge trainer while giving Redi the chance to fight you at the same time.¡±

    Clair¡¯s gaze was appraising, and Sam hoped she accepted his offer. He admitted that his plan was a little off-the-cuff, but it was based on what he¡¯d seen in Hoenn. Double battles weren¡¯t as common in Johto, but facing Clair in one would hopefully make her more willing to face Redi.

    He also got the sense that she might have been a bit embarrassed. Her proud stature was taller than before, but it also seemed more forced¡ªClair probably recognized she¡¯d just fallen for the taunts of a teenage girl.

    But, more importantly, the Gym Leader had a greedy look behind her eyes. She had on that same, battle-hungry expression that Sam had seen dozens of dedicated trainers¡ªRedi especially¡ªgain many times before.

    ¡°I accept,¡± Clair said. ¡°As Blackthorn City¡¯s chosen Gym Leader, I have the right to create special challenges for trainers I deem worthy. For you two, you¡¯ll face me in a double battle against a team of Pok¨¦mon I hand select. Does that work for you?¡±

    ¡°Easily,¡± Redi answered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset when you lose,¡± Sam said.

    Clair smirked, and her Dragonair pushed itself beneath her feet. It lifted her up, bringing her high into the air as she stood on its back.

    ¡°When you arrive in Blackthorn City, head to the Gym and schedule a date!¡± Clair called out. ¡°Any time will work for me, but take as long as you need to prepare!¡±

    ¡°Yeah? It¡¯ll be less than you think!¡± Redi shouted.

    Sam sent her a look.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡± Clair grinned. ¡°And given your successes so far... I won¡¯t need to hold back!¡±

    Clair flashed her teeth in a predatory smile and patted the back of her Dragonair¡¯s neck. The Pok¨¦mon called out its name and zipped off into the blue of the sky.

    The Dragonair still on the ground sent Sam and Redi an apologetic look before taking off after her.

    ¡°...Wait, isn¡¯t this where she offers us a ride to town?¡± Redi asked.

    An audible smack rang out as Sam brought his palm to his face for the second time today.

    ¡°A seven-star team is going to be difficult, especially since she¡¯ll have a dedicated strategy¡ªunlike Petrel¡¯s team,¡± Sam mused, bringing his hand back down. ¡°I definitely think a double-battle is in our favor¡ªwhich is why I proposed it¡ªbut she probably has some familiarity with them. They¡¯re just not as common here as in Hoenn.¡±

    As Sam talked, Redi paced back and forth, kicking up her feet as she did.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll make a plan,¡± she said.

    Sam looked at her. He realized she hadn¡¯t caught onto the extra requirement he¡¯d accidentally forced on her.

    ¡°Redi,¡± Sam said slowly. ¡°You do know that double battles involve six Pok¨¦mon per side, right?¡±

    ¡°Duh,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Then you should realize that since we¡¯ll be fighting together, neither of us will be supplying those six Pok¨¦mon. We¡¯ll be expected to use three Pok¨¦mon each.¡±

    Redi froze mid-stride, and her mouth dropped into a tall ¡°O¡± shape. She robotically turned her head toward Sam.

    ¡°I see,¡± she said.

    She seemed to have trouble processing that idea.

    Fighting in and planning for a double battle was one thing. Catching a new Pok¨¦mon and training it enough to keep up with the rest was another. Sam proposed this battle because he knew they could win, but Redi needed to catch the Stantler. It was no longer an idle desire, but a mandated task for if she wanted to face Clair.

    Slowly, Redi turned to look at a point behind Sam, and Sam followed her gaze, staring at the space behind the pile of stones against the cliff. Red eyes opened in Sam¡¯s shadow as Haunter looked the same way.

    There was nothing keeping the Stantler asleep. Haunter had left alongside Sam. On the ground, the Pok¨¦mon stirred, and their real purpose behind traveling off-route began to wake.

 Chapter 83

    The Stantler''s eyes fluttered open. Without Haunter nearby to use Hypnosis, there was nothing to keep it asleep. It quickly forced itself awake and scrambled up to its hooves. Glancing around, it stared at the sky in a mixture of both excitement and fear. However, Clair had already left. No Dragon Types lingered nearby.

    An exhale saw the tension leave its body, but Sam couldn¡¯t tell if it was disappointed or relieved.

    ¡°Stantler!¡± Redi wasted no time when it came to stepping forward and calling out to the wild Pok¨¦mon. ¡°The Dragonite is gone, but so is your herd! It''s just you and me¡ªand Sam¡ªright now. I saw you were interested earlier, thus, I challenge you to a battle! If you lose, you¡¯ll be caught! And if you win...¡±

    She grinned and held out a Pok¨¦ball. As Ursaring and Porygon were still next to her, she didn''t have anyone to release, but her unfinished declaration was still clear:

    It didn¡¯t matter if she stated what Stantler would get if it won. There wasn¡¯t any other outcome than her victory.

    As Redi locked eyes with the wild Pok¨¦mon, the Stantler snorted and trotted in place, loosening its muscles. Unbothered by its sudden isolation away from the herd, it stomped its front hooves and lowered its head to prepare a ramming attack with its horns.

    Redi smiled.

    Sam took in the Pok¨¦mon; it was a young Stantler, skinny but with a pudgy face. The brown of its fur was strong unlike the faded colors of that one, elder Stantler who had seen it sent back. He hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to the herd when Dragonite appeared, so he hadn¡¯t seen exactly why it stayed behind. Yet, he had a pretty good guess when he thought of how it had stared at the Dragon Type in awe.

    ¡°Porygon. I¡¯ll need your assistance for this one,¡± Redi said.

    Ursaring huffed in disappointment but still stepped back to allow the floating Normal Type to move forward. Moving ahead of Redi, Porygon crackled with sparks. Though there was no expression on Porygon¡¯s face, Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was just as ready to begin the battle as the Stantler before it.

    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± Sam spoke up, interrupting. ¡°Am I the only one that sees a problem with this?¡±

    Redi and the Stantler faltered.

    ¡°What do you mean, Sam? What''s the problem?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam ignored the tinge of annoyance in her voice and sent a pointed stare to the Stantler. He then made the purposeful gesture of bringing his gaze around to the empty space behind it.

    Like Redi had said, the Stantler¡¯s herd wasn''t there.

    ¡°I get that a Pok¨¦mon might want to be captured. I get that a Pok¨¦mon would want to join a trainer¡¯s team and become really strong. Heck, I even get the trainer¡¯s perspective of going through with that capture, but not telling your family first when you have the chance? I almost did something similar to that once, and that could have been the worst mistake of my life.¡±

    Sam shook his head.

    ¡°Stantler,¡± he continued, ¡°your herd is your family, and I really gotta ask: are you going to leave them like this? That older Stantler seemed like it wanted to test Redi before letting anyone else risk themselves, like it was ready to sacrifice itself for the rest of its herd if she had bad intentions. That kind of sacrifice...¡±

    Sam had trouble finding his next words.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to beat her. If you take part in this battle, you¡¯re going to get caught. I¡¯m just trying to say that you shouldn''t jump into this,¡± he said. ¡°You never know when a simple goodbye might turn into a permanent one. Don¡¯t... don¡¯t part so carelessly.¡±

    He realized he was gripping his fists, and he forced his hands to relax. He brought his gaze back up from the ground to see both Redi and the Stantler staring right at him.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon looked unmoved. The Stantler snorted as if to brush off Sam¡¯s concerns. Redi, however, didn¡¯t look away from Sam. That grin from before was gone.

    ¡°Porygon. Come back.¡±

    Porygon returned to Redi¡¯s side, much to Stantler¡¯s annoyance.

    ¡°Kind of a morbid way to think about this. What, don¡¯t let yourself get caught ¡®cause your family might die while you¡¯re away?¡± Redi said with a laugh.

    ¡°It just makes more sense to acknowledge that might happen. I mean, that Stantler looked old. I don¡¯t... I don¡¯t want anyone to have to go through that,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Redi rubbed her head, and the Stantler rolled its eyes as it relaxed its stance. It was young, and while Sam would have thought its eagerness made it a good match for Redi, the way it ignored what he said stood at odds with what he understood about his friend. Redi might have been hung up about calling her parents, but with how often she brought them up, Sam knew she did love her family.

    ¡°I think we need to find your herd before we do anything long-lasting,¡± Sam said to the Stantler. ¡°Do you know where the other Stantler might have gone?¡±

    Annoyed, the Stantler turned around, but it did so to try to answer Sam¡¯s question. Its eyes scanned the horizon, and Sam followed its gaze. Cliffs, rocky hills, and sections of flat land covered in cracks stretched out into the distance. A few Spearow flocked across the sky.

    There wasn¡¯t anything as obvious as an entire herd of Stantler within line of sight.

    Eventually, the Stantler turned to face to its right, and it sent a side-eye to the group as if to say to head the way it was facing. However, Sam felt a Gastly nudge his foot. Tibia wasn¡¯t agreeing with the Normal Type¡ªhe was expressing his doubts.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sam asked pointedly.

    The Stantler hesitated then turned to its left. After taking a moment, it tried to adjust directions. It looked around before hanging its head.

    It didn¡¯t know where they needed to go.

    ¡°Just... leave it to me,¡± Sam said, sighing. ¡°It was my idea to meet back up with your herd. I¡¯ll be the one to find them.¡±

    He looked between the Stantler and Redi and felt shadows churn beneath his feet.

    ¡°And it¡¯s fine, anyway,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been putting it off for long enough, but there¡¯s something I want to try out.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam tried to ignore how Redi and the Stantler peered at him from behind the edge of the thin ravine he¡¯d found. They were really a lot alike, but he was having his doubts that they were a good fit.

    He had asked for privacy, but he couldn¡¯t exactly fight against curiosity. Sending them away might just make them try harder to peek in. At least, knowing where they were meant knowing they weren¡¯t anywhere closer. Sam was a growing expert when it came to the Ghost Type¡ªPok¨¦mon of that Type preferred privacy more often than not.

    ¡°Come out,¡± Sam said. ¡°I know there are more of you in there than just Tibia, Fibula, and my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Staring at and speaking to a shadow-covered wall probably made him look insane, but Sam didn¡¯t care. He knew what he was doing, and though he had split off from the group, he wasn¡¯t exactly alone. One section of the shadows before him was darker than the rest.

    He waited, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. The temperature in the air seemed to fluctuate as if it didn¡¯t understand how cold it was supposed to be. Eventually, red eyes reluctantly opened out before him, and Haunter pressed against the wall to push himself out. Behind him, Tibia and Fibula. The two Gastly brothers casually drifted out.

    Nothing else moved, and Sam¡¯s gaze hardened. The shadows wavered, and he opened his mouth to talk.

    ¡°I know there are more of you. You haven¡¯t exactly gone out of your way to hide. I just haven¡¯t been acknowledging you so I wouldn¡¯t have to lie about the number of Pok¨¦mon with me if asked. I¡¯m not really supposed to have more than six Pok¨¦mon traveling alongside me, but I suppose it¡¯s fine if none of you are caught.¡±

    He paused for a second.

    ¡°And, besides, Morty wasn¡¯t subtle in his hints that there¡¯s something more to it. Again, come out. We need to talk.¡±

    Finally, more creatures left the shadow. Two more Gastly inched out, both of them avoiding Sam¡¯s gaze. He nodded to them to acknowledge them before turning back to the wall.

    Sheepishly, a third and final Gastly exited. That was the last one inside.

    At least, Sam was pretty sure that was the last one inside.

    ¡°How many of you were a part of that storm on Route 31?¡± Sam asked.

    Two of the wild Gastly bobbed in place, doing their species¡¯s equivalent of raising a hand.

    ¡°And you?¡± Sam asked, turning to the other one.

    It shrugged. Apparently, that Gastly had noticed the group and joined in somewhere along the way north.

    ¡°Alright. So you three are tagging along, and I guess more might have tagged along for a bit sometimes, too. Since there¡¯s only three of you, should I just call you the first wave?¡±

    All of the Ghost Types before Sam nodded, non-wild Pok¨¦mon included. Somehow, Misdreavus had found her way to hover behind Sam, taking his side. She seemed to be trying to distance herself from the current proceedings. She was trying to make it clear that she had nothing to do with the three tag-alongs.

    ¡°So, I don¡¯t actually have anything against you. I actually think having a bunch of ghosts in my shadow is pretty cool, and hanging out with us is probably more fun than wandering about in the wild, yeah?¡±

    They nodded.

    ¡°Cool! But I¡¯m not too interested in letting that happen,¡± Sam said. ¡°For free, I mean. If you want to stick around, I¡¯m going to need to set some ground rules for your behavior.¡±

    Immediately, sour expressions crossed the faces of the three Gastly. One of them visibly gagged at the idea of being subjected to rules. Sam, however, quickly spoke up, bringing up his hands as he rushed to ameliorate their concerns.

    ¡°Hold on, hold on!¡± he said. ¡°No, it¡¯s... It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to demand you do anything. Don¡¯t scare us and we won¡¯t bother you, yeah? But more specifically, I was just going to ask for your help sometimes. Two of you remember Route 31. More Ghost Types are better than no Ghost Types. Sounds fun, right?¡±

    Sam smiled at them, hoping he was convincing enough. The wild Gastly still looked a little concerned, but he had at least managed to keep their interest.

    What he planned to do today wasn¡¯t an original idea. From the packet provided the morning of the final Petrel encounter, Sam had learned Morty had sent Ghost Types all throughout Violet City, and with the numbers needed to cover such a large area, he had a feeling not every one of those Ghost Types were trained.

    He wanted to have just as many Ghost Types under his command to achieve something similar.

    ¡°Gimme a moment.¡±

    Sam held up a hand to ask for the Gastly to wait as he opened up a Pok¨¦ball. With a flash, Quilava appeared on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to order you around, but I am going to sometimes request your help,¡± Sam said to the watching Ghost Types. ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯ll need your assistance to keep things exciting. Beats me sitting around and doing nothing, right?¡±

    The Gastly nodded curiously. Unlike his recruitment pitch from last time, they seemed to be waiting for more details.

    Sam brought up a hand.

    ¡°Follow what she tells you, what she tells you, and what he tells you,¡± Sam said, pointing to Quilava, Misdreavus, and Haunter respectively. ¡°I guess you can follow what Primeape tells you too, but he¡¯s probably going to tell you to fight him and stay still so he can punch you in the face.¡±

    One of the wild Gastly perked up at that.

    ¡°But we¡¯ll do a test run before going into any specifics,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to find that herd of Stantler, so let¡¯s see if this idea is worth pursuing in the first place. Instead of me and Redi going out and wandering for a few days, you wanna help us find them? Instead of wasting that time on boring travel, let¡¯s see if we can move onto the next step quickly.¡±

    A trio of names rang out as the wild Gastly agreed in a mixture of both interest and cautiousness. Haunter spoke up at this moment to try to encourage them on.

    If Sam had to describe it, Haunter was like the ringleader of their gang. With him tossing his support behind Sam, they suddenly seemed way more willing to go along with what he said.

    ¡°Wanna lead this search?¡± Sam asked Haunter.

    Haunter nodded so fiercely he bounced. Sam laughed and gestured to the open entrance of the ravine.

    ¡°Head out whenever you want.¡±

    Immediately, Haunter vanished into a shadow, and the three Gastly plunged down after him. Inconsistent shapes swept through the darkened sections of the ravine, rushing from hiding spot to hiding spot as Haunter led the charge.

    Misdreavus and Quilava stayed behind, almost like a pair of home commanders. Tibia and Fibula stayed here as well, as they were still assigned to keep an eye out and protect Sam and Redi. Petrel might not have been a threat any longer, but Porygon was still a rare Pok¨¦mon. Those two would be staying around for quite some time, at least until the League judged Sam and Redi to be strong enough that their own teams provided ample protection.

    As Sam watched the group of Ghost Types disappear, Quilava looked up at Sam and squeaked at him flatly. Misdreavus let out a high-pitched laugh in response.

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Quilava sent him a doubting look. Misdreavus tried to hide the way she floated down, but Sam was pretty sure those two were beginning to hash out a bet.

    With his potential plan having started, Sam left the ravine. Redi immediately backed off when she saw him coming, and the wild Stantler pulled far back. It was pretending to graze when he emerged, though there weren¡¯t any living plants nearby for it to eat.

    ¡°So... What¡¯s going on, exactly?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sending out Ghost Types to search for us,¡± Sam said. ¡°Haunter¡¯s organizing the group.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Redi blinked. ¡°So some of those Gastly stuck around?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I was just clearing up for them tagging along, and if this works out, they¡¯ll pass along the message to any other Ghost Types that join,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s really cool. Any Ghost Types that hide in my shadow should now understand that if they want to secretly watch us, they¡¯ll need to help out sometimes. It¡¯s like my own personal army of ghosts!¡±

    Though Sam felt giddy, Redi shivered.

    The actual search itself didn¡¯t need Sam¡¯s help at all, and he trusted Haunter to guide the small group of wild Gastly. If any of them got into trouble, their presence would be familiar enough that Tibia and Fibula could detect their distress.

    So, for now, without anything else to do but wait, Sam sat on a nearby boulder to rest.

    The nearby Stantler stopped pretending to graze and looked up. It hadn¡¯t been involved with their conversation and looked confused about what was going on.

    Nothing happened right away, as the scouting Ghost Types needed time to find the herd they were looking for. Sam sat back and pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex. He reread the entry on Gastly for what felt like the thousandth time.

    However, Redi was unable to sit still, and she started to train with Ursaring and Porygon. Both Pok¨¦mon had moves to develop, and she wasn¡¯t one to slack.

    Ursaring¡¯s Swords Dance wasn¡¯t anything special, though his fight with Petrel allowed him to get more practice in. Using the move, he swiped claws across one another, increasing their sharpness while stomping his feet in an almost rhythmic dance. Unfortunately, it took a while for a proper boost to take effect¡ªone of the reasons they had to stall before jumping in against Petrel. This self-buffing move wasn¡¯t exactly battle-ready, and he wasn¡¯t at the point where he could maintain multiple uses of its effects.

    As for Porygon, that Pok¨¦mon worked on Thunder Wave to give Redi¡¯s team a highly-needed way to paralyze foes. Though Porygon¡¯s artificial nature meant it excelled at manipulating energy and aiming at targets, it seemed unable to reduce the power of its attack to guarantee a status condition instead of dealing damage. Porygon was trying, however, and it went through systematic attempts at reducing the amount of energy provided. Misdreavus moved to its side to work on her own big list of attacking moves, as several of them weren¡¯t dissimilar from Porygon¡¯s rays and beams.

    While the practice continued, Quilava laid across Sam¡¯s feet, and Primeape stayed in his ball. Still confused, the Stantler looked around. As everyone had settled into a familiar training routine, it tried its best to not look envious, failing horribly to do so.

    Trotting over to one empty space, the wild Pok¨¦mon started to practice on its own, and Sam subtly glanced up from his book to watch it. The Stantler pretended to charge and buck at the air around it, but it didn¡¯t seem sure of what it was doing, and it wasn¡¯t exactly using any attacks. It would run a few yards before swiping up with the horns on its head, and then it would turn around and lift up its body to stomp on the ground with its hooves. Sam supposed that movement could be called a Stomp, but it wasn¡¯t very targeted and was more like a leg-based slam.

    Notably, there was no use of Hypnosis or any other illusion-based move. Though those effects were one of the primary capabilities its species was known for, this Stantler must have been younger than Sam first thought, as it seemed utterly incapable of those attacks.

    It never noticed Sam watching, and he caught every time it sent a glance to Redi. It tried to see if she was impressed with its movements, but she never looked its way. She was too focused on helping Ursaring and Porygon.

    Sam supposed she¡¯d already made up her mind. It might have seemed cruel, but she likely recognized the gap between their beliefs wasn¡¯t anything easily fixed. That, and the Stantler was young. The best thing they could do for it was to return it to its family.

    It took half an hour before any of the Gastly returned. A lone shape scurried into the shadows of the stones surrounding their impromptu campsite, and a single Gastly floated up out of the ground.

    ¡°Found them?¡± Sam asked.

    The Stantler jumped. It hadn¡¯t noticed the Ghost Type return.

    To respond to Sam¡¯s question, the wild Gastly opened its mouth to speak but hesitated. It glanced at the direction it came before speaking a single noise.

    ¡°...¡¯astly.¡±

    Quilava brought up her head. Misdreavus turned around to lock eyes with the Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Mis?¡±

    ¡°Gas.¡±

    ¡°Quil!¡±

    All three of them looked at Sam, waiting for instructions on what to do.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡± he asked, standing up and putting the New Pok¨¦dex away.

    The Gastly repeated what it said and turned around to stare into the distance. It then sent purposeful glances to both the Stantler and Misdreavus.

    ¡°You...¡±

    Clues snapped together. Sam could hardly resist covering his face.

    ¡°So, what I¡¯m getting is that Haunter found the Stantler, but...¡± Sam groaned. ¡°He¡¯s trying to scare them, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    The Gastly happily nodded, telling Sam that he was exactly correct.

 Chapter 84

    Sam followed the wild Gastly over rocky hills and through crag-like canyons. The foliage in these parts was sparse, but there were plenty of shadows from overhangs that let it float forward without being disrupted by light. Sam had to frequently run to catch up. Since the Gastly could float, it merely moved past any obstacles without any issues.

    It almost left him at several points, but once it was too far away, either Misdreavus or Quilava would call out, and then it would stop and wait for everyone to catch up.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s leading us to Haunter?¡± Redi asked as the Pok¨¦mon dipped into a crack in the wall half-hidden by a boulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Look at Quilava and Misdreavus. You think they¡¯d be acting like this if it was lying to us?¡±

    Quilava leaped from stone to stone, putting her trained agility to use. Sometimes, she wouldn¡¯t account for a jump properly, leaving her back legs hanging off as she scrambled for a foothold, but a slight push from Misdreavus helped her when Sam couldn¡¯t reach. Misdreavus herself simply floated after the Gastly and even phased through obstacles instead of floating around them. Neither of them seemed to doubt this Gastly¡¯s guidance.

    As for Sam, he had a feeling this Pok¨¦mon was actually leading them Haunter¡¯s way. It never once sent a subtle glance back to check their reactions, and it never looked around in either curiosity or boredom. It simply floated forward to lead them to their destination. With a purpose so obvious, Sam was confident that it had a specific location in mind. He doubted it was tricking them. If it was, it was an exceptionally good liar for an unevolved Ghost Type.

    They continued after it, following it into a thin tunnel where the tops of the cliff sides pressed together to form a sort of cave. It sloped down, worn away into a bent path by a small trickle of water. Sam had to use the wall to brace himself, and Quilava had to walk at an angle to not slide down. Ursaring couldn¡¯t have fit in here, but Redi had returned her team members when they first left to follow the Gastly. As for the wild Stantler with them, it followed, but it had to move slowly to keep its hooves stable, and, due to its wide antlers, it had to turn its head to the side.

    But they arrived soon enough.

    Right away, Sam could tell they had been led through the back entrance, as a far portion of the roof of this cavern had collapsed to form a pile of stones agile enough Pok¨¦mon could hop down. Light peeked through cracks from above to provide just enough illumination to see. That trickle of water between their feet joined several others to form a pond, and between this entrance and that fallen rubble was a long-branched tree that had somehow grown within this underground cave.

    And the Stantler were here. They stood positioned in the center, standing in the shape of a spiral, horns glowing with a light that caused Sam¡¯s head to hurt when he stared.

    ¡°They¡¯re... protecting them?¡±

    At the center of the herd, in the very middle of the spiral, were what seemed to be a few other Stantler ever so slightly smaller than the rest. Those Pok¨¦mon matched the size of the Stantler with Sam and Redi, and Sam realized that those were the herd¡¯s young.

    His eyes were immediately drawn to a patch of shadow set to the side. The moment he saw it, he wanted to groan, annoyed.

    That pale-faced Stantler stood separate from the rest, staring at the darkness with its horns alight. Within the darkness itself, an indistinguishable blur with a pair of bright, curved eyes peeking through.

    Though Haunter¡¯s mouth was hidden by his disguise, his eyes betrayed his smile. He allowed himself to drift to the side, a motionless breeze chilling Sam as he did. That elder Stantler watched Haunter warily. Sam knew the moment he made any wrong move, the Pok¨¦mon would attack.

    Except, Haunter wasn¡¯t attacking. His presence was terrifying enough, and he was taking great pleasure in taking in the reaction of the Stantler.

    ¡°Really, Haunter?¡± Sam grumbled.

    In the end, Redi was the one to shout.

    ¡°Hey! Stop that!¡±

    Alongside her, the young Stantler let out a bellow that finally alerted the rest of the herd to their presence.

    The combined noise echoed through the cavern, and the elder Stantler turned around in surprise. The glow surrounding the herd seemed to deepen, and the Stantler under the tree began to become indistinguishable within a blur.

    Haunter¡¯s eyes momentarily widened, and recognizing Sam was here, he lunged.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Sam yelled.

    It didn¡¯t matter. Haunter unleashed his attack, and a deep purple wind blew out from inside his shadows.

    Except, while the Stantler¡¯s fur stood on its ends, nothing happened. Ominous Wind was a Ghost Type move and had no effect on the Normal Types here.

    Sam slapped a palm to his face.

    ¡°Haun, Haunter!¡±

    The only reason the elder Stantler didn¡¯t attack was due to how Haunter left his shadow. He was cackling madly, so absorbed by his own laughter that he no longer had any defenses up. He clutched his stomach with one hand, pointing at the Stantler facing him with the other.

    It stared at him, the glow lowering alongside the appearance of a flat look. The Gastly that had led Sam here burst into laughter as well, and the snicker of two other Gastly came from the shadows above everyone¡¯s heads.

    ¡°Really?¡± Redi sighed.

    Sam dragged his hand down his face.

    ¡°You gotta admit that it¡¯s a little funny,¡± he said with a sigh.

    The wild Stantler glared at Haunter as he floated over to Sam¡¯s side and slipped into his shadow.

    Note to self: don¡¯t send Ghost Types out on a search unless there¡¯s someone more responsible with them. Like Misdreavus.

    With Haunter gone, the glowing of the elder Stantler¡¯s horns ceased. Haunter had been lingering nearby, acting as a threatening presence for a while, but the wild Pok¨¦mon seemed to at least recognize that Haunter and the rest of Sam¡¯s group meant no harm.

    They were just dumb.

    No, it instead brought its gaze over, not paying attention to either Sam or Redi in the slightest. It locked eyes with a certain Pok¨¦mon, and that young Stantler from before took a cautious step forward.

    It said its name and was met with silence from the other one. However, the elder Stantler seemed to visibly relax as its eyes sparkled with relief and now-fading worry.

    A single word came from its mouth. The Pok¨¦mon said its name to beckon the younger one to approach him. It reluctantly walked forward.

    The Stantler didn¡¯t speak, but they pressed their sides into one another in a sign of familial affection.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Redi called out.

    The young Stantler turned her way. The older one looked at her with both subdued gratitude and caution.

    ¡°I want you to know I still stand by what I said earlier. I¡¯m going to catch one of you.¡±

    The older Stantler grunted, trotting in place. Reacting to the simple command, the young one reluctantly joined the rest of the Stantler. The mass under the tree opened up to allow it to move in.

    Redi watched the proceedings with a careful eye. Sam gauged her reaction as well as the reaction of the older Stantler before her.

    Weirdly, he felt as though Haunter¡¯s scare had actually helped. That period of fright followed by dumbstruck relief helped the Stantler understand there was no hostile intent behind Sam and Redi¡¯s presence.

    Again, they were just stupid.

    ¡°Back in that valley grove, you were going to test me,¡± Redi said, loud enough for the entire herd to hear. ¡°I could tell. It was pretty obvious. You were going to fight me as if to see if I¡¯m worthy of catching one of you.¡±

    That older Stantler bowed its head in acknowledgement, and when it brought itself back up, its eyes were shimmering.

    For some reason, Sam could only call that reaction excitement.

    Redi took a step forward, and the old, pale-faced Stantler began to move to circle around her. She walked to the center of the room while the rest of the herd watched in silence. Once it found a good place, the old Stantler dug a hoof into the ground.

    Redi¡¯s hand moved to her belt, and she turned to glance around at all the wild Stantler here.

    ¡°I want you to know that I don¡¯t just want any Pok¨¦mon,¡± she announced. ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯m searching for a partner. I want a team member I can trust and rely on as we take on the toughest challenges of the Pok¨¦mon League. I want us to get stronger together and not just mindlessly pursue strength.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see what I mean when my Pok¨¦mon and I win this battle,¡± Redi continued, a grin growing onto her face. ¡°My team and I won¡¯t be fighting like any wild Pok¨¦mon you¡¯ve encountered before.¡±

    Her grin exposed her teeth, and she brought a certain Pok¨¦ball up in her hand. She sent the smallest of glances to the rest of the Stantler before drawing her arm back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get scared. He¡¯s pretty big.¡±

    With a flash, Ursaring came out and roared. Sam could hear the many, nervous hoofsteps coming from the herd, but three larger Stantler that stood at the front sent confident stares to the rest that managed to calm them down.

    That elder Stantler seemed not to care. Its head moved up and down as it casually looked over Ursaring, unimpressed. Ursaring¡¯s species wasn¡¯t too uncommon in the mountains, and Teddiursa were frequently found in the route south of Blackthorn itself. Given the nearby location, Sam was pretty sure this Stantler had encountered several Ursaring before.

    Heck, given both its age and confidence, he was pretty sure it had defeated several Ursaring before.

    The old, wild Pok¨¦mon dug its hoof into the ground to prepare itself, moving in a way that didn¡¯t betray its age. It might have looked old, but it was still a Pok¨¦mon. Age didn¡¯t have the same impact on a Pok¨¦mon as on a human. Yes, a younger individual might have been more physically fit, but this was a wild Pok¨¦mon that managed to become elderly. There was no saying how much experience it actually had.

    But there was at least a clue to the outcome of this battle. The Stantler¡¯s species was usually pretty unemotive, but there was a small smile on its face.

    ¡°...Be careful, Redi,¡± Sam said. He was starting to think this Stantler would be a more difficult fight than either of them would have thought.

    If anything, its next action confirmed its experience to Sam; instead of attacking, it confidently bowed its head to give Ursaring the first move. That made Redi¡¯s grin deepen, and she nodded to Ursaring as he began to sharpen his claws. His rhythmic Swords Dance started up, the only sound in this cavern now being the faint trickle of water and the regular clash of his claws.

    The smile on the Stantler¡¯s face grew as well. With how obvious it was, Sam had a feeling it wasn¡¯t casually smiling. No, when it saw Ursaring use Swords Dance, the wild Stantler had grown elated.

    ¡°Thought Pok¨¦mon like you were supposed to be wise,¡± Redi mumbled. ¡°But you¡¯re still a Pok¨¦mon. You like to fight.¡±

    Finally, Ursaring¡¯s Swords Dance concluded, and the Stantler lowered its head. It bent its knees to prepare to run, and Ursaring brought his claws up to defend himself.

    The deer Pok¨¦mon exploded forward into a dash.

    ¡°Here we go! Grab it, Ursaring!¡± Redi yelled.

    The smirk on her face told Sam she planned to end this battle quickly.

    However, the elder Stantler never reached Ursaring. At the very last moment of its charge, it veered to the side, and the bear Pok¨¦mon¡¯s lunge saw its Slash do nothing but swipe through the air.

    Stantler ran past him and curved around to come at him from another angle. Rather than having Ursaring try the same move again, Redi shouted for a different attack.

    ¡°Rock Slide!¡±

    Claws were swiped through the air, and mimicking the motions of throwing a boulder, Ursaring sent many, sharpened stones tumbling after the Stantler. The old Pok¨¦mon showed off its experience by nimbly moving out of the way. Despite the weight of its species, its hooves brought it forward as if it weighed nothing at all.

    Something glinted in the Stantler¡¯s eyes as it maneuvered for another Take Down. Ursaring braced himself for a hit, but for the second time, the Stantler changed directions at the last second to not get close to the bear Pok¨¦mon at all.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Fool me once...¡± Redi grumbled. ¡°Focus Energy! Time your attack. Watch it carefully before you strike and don¡¯t let it tire you out.¡±

    Once more, the Stantler¡¯s run curved to allow it to turn its charge around. Its movements were identical to its charge from before. While watching the Stantler, Sam also saw Redi unconsciously hunker down not unlike Ursaring, putting her entire focus into the battle.

    However, he also noticed that she was paying far too close attention to Stantler¡¯s charge. She was missing something, but it was subtle. The air in front of the Stantler¡¯s horns tinted to become a light grey.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Sam yelled.

    Redi snapped her gaze up, but she wasn¡¯t able to order Ursaring back fast enough. Focus Energy required a certain amount of commitment, and he was already preparing himself to strike.

    A claw swipe went wide.

    As the Stantler ran past Ursaring for the third time in a row, it didn¡¯t just run past without doing anything else. Taking advantage of the expectation, it was able to send the beam of a Confuse Ray to strike right between Ursaring¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°That was a little different than Haunter¡¯s, but it definitely worked,¡± Sam mumbled.

    The Stantler kept running until it slowed to a halt several yards away. Redi stood up straight, met the Pok¨¦mon in the eye, and looked annoyed at herself for falling for that simple trick.

    ¡°Man. You fooled us. Made it seem like you were all about physical strength then used a status move like this.¡± She rubbed her head and brought a hand over her face.

    When she brought it down, she had a wide smile on her face.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It doesn''t matter. We can use that.¡±

    Sam could imagine the illusions Stantler had subjected Ursaring to. A dark forest. A spinning grove. Shadows around him that hid its exact movements. Something that had placed a dazed look in Ursaring¡¯s eyes.

    A shout from Redi could have saved him, as Sam knew that practice with Haunter had seen Ursaring become confused many times before. However, she didn¡¯t bother.

    ¡°How about I change things up?¡± she called out. ¡°Want a more interesting fight, Stantler?¡±

    Its horns were outright glowing, and the space around them waved. The elder Stantler looked to Redi and tilted its head. It continued to smile.

    A flash of light saw Ursaring disappear. A second flash of light saw a Pok¨¦mon replace him.

    ¡°Porygon. Let¡¯s make this quick.¡±

    The elder Stantler cocked its head to the side as Redi released Porygon. The artificial Pok¨¦mon crackled with static, and pixel-like squares overturned themselves in a wave to tint it yellow.

    ¡°Charge and Conversion,¡± Sam identified.

    Charge was a new move¡ªat least to Sam. He knew that Redi hadn¡¯t been slacking on developing her team. She just didn¡¯t always share newly learned moves with him.

    ¡°Try charging again, Stantler! You won¡¯t like the outcome,¡± she yelled.

    Redi hunkered down once again. This time, she didn¡¯t allow herself to get too focused, and she clenched a fist as if ready to strike.

    The Stantler took that challenge for what it was and lowered its head and began to charge. Genuinely, Sam was unsure if it was actually planning to strike or if it was going to swerve at the last minute.

    ¡°Charge Beam!¡± Redi yelled.

    Porygon crackled, and pure electricity gathered up into a ball before shooting out.

    Stantler¡¯s charge was never finished. It was forced to pull away before it could even think of getting close.

    More Charge Beams came out, and the Stantler was forced to keep running. However, this movement revealed a second trick of this battle¡ªthe Stantler hadn¡¯t been moving at full speed until now.

    Porygon continued to track it. The Charge Beams were aimed at its feet, and each one sent scorch marks into the ground. Redi watched and waited silently until Porygon exhausted itself of energy.

    The Stantler turned and charged right at Porygon.

    This time, it didn¡¯t change directions. A single rush forward saw the Pok¨¦mon slamming its horns right into Porygon. Porygon closed its eyes and suffered the head-on blow.

    Yet, Redi had her own trick up her sleeves. Before Porygon could be bashed away, she had her Pok¨¦mon unleash its strongest move.

    ¡°Discharge!¡±

    Charge built up electricity, Conversion gave Porygon the Electric Type to better handle it, and then Charge Beam helped build even more energy past that, too.

    With Discharge, Redi threw her fist forward, and everything Porygon had gathered was released.

    This was a simple trick, but it was one that was extremely effective against a wild Pok¨¦mon like Stantler. For as much power and experience as it had, it never once had the benefit of a trainer or that human mindset that sought new ways for it to apply its power.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°Now, back up, Porygon. That wasn¡¯t too bad of a hit, right?¡±

    There was a scuff mark on Porygon, but otherwise, the Pok¨¦mon looked fine.

    The Stantler, however, stumbled back from Porygon and wobbled on its feet. There was a keenness to its eyes as it took Redi in. Though it was old, this was a veteran of many battles.

    Its horns glowed for a new attack.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    But Porygon¡¯s Psybeam was faster.

    As the old Stantler fell to the ground, shouts rang out. A few members of the herd yelled their names in worry. The three largest Stantler, the trio that looked the most powerful among them, stayed quiet, choosing to observe what Redi did next in absolute silence.

    She approached the fallen Pok¨¦mon.

    The trio of large Stantler narrowed their eyes.

    Their horns were valued, and Redi was a human. Who was to say she wouldn¡¯t take them from an unconscious Pok¨¦mon when she had the chance?

    However, as the noises of hoof-stomps filled the room, Redi continued forward, unbothered. The herd grew agitated as she moved closer and closer until everything seemed to stop all at once.

    Rather than anything aggressive, Redi reached into her backpack to take out a single berry. She placed it on the ground in front of the unconscious Stantler¡¯s face, and she kneeled at its side to treat its wounds, carefully healing it under the watchful gaze of two dozen Stantler at once.

    <hr><hr>

    Redi had to admit she was a little nervous, but she didn¡¯t let that show on her face. These weren¡¯t Pok¨¦mon familiar with human interaction. They lived off-route, where both battles and their results could become devastating without a way to heal.

    She moved slowly and carefully, trying to mimic the way she¡¯d seen her father treat Pok¨¦mon in the past. Whenever a Pok¨¦mon too wild or aggressive for the average trainer was sent her family¡¯s way, her father was always the one to help them. He treated them kindly, carefully, and cautiously, giving the Pok¨¦mon the respect it deserved.

    She even copied one of his tricks. Placing that berry on the ground was a way to minimize the chance that Stantler would lash out once it woke up. She knew the old Pok¨¦mon had enjoyed the battle, but the bleariness that came from exiting unconsciousness could see it instinctually attack someone unfamiliar it viewed as a threat.

    But having food right there would trigger a different instinct; battles took a lot of energy, and smelling that berry would see it eat instead of attack.

    Although, she would have likely gone with a different strategy if Stantler wasn¡¯t as large. Small Pok¨¦mon tended to be vicious when there was food in front of them. They carried some sort of instinctual need to try to defend their meals from anyone they thought might take their food away.

    From her backpack, Redi retrieved a Super Potion and sprayed the side of the Stantler. Anywhere where Porygon¡¯s Electric Type attacks had left fractal-like burns, the healing medicine caused the discolorations to fade.

    As the pain of the attack faded away, the Stantler¡¯s eyes opened up, and thick teeth snapped down onto the berry before it realized what was going on. Redi used that moment to hurry away as the Pok¨¦mon pushed to its feet.

    With its age, its movements came out a little shaky, but it only looked so old due to the wear of living off-route. There was an obvious, learned control behind its movements, and once standing, the same grace from before returned.

    It stared down at her. Redi didn¡¯t quite meet its height. Stantler was a big Pok¨¦mon, and as she looked up at it, she felt as though the horns on its head were a crown.

    Regal.

    That was the one word that passed through her head.

    The lines on its face were more evident up close, but there was a satisfaction in its eyes that saw it tilt its head in a respectful bow.

    Redi bowed back.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure what she was thanking it for, but saying that after their battle felt right.

    ¡°Thank you for the battle,¡± she then clarified. ¡°We learned a lot. I¡¯ve been trying to build my team around powerful attacks, but I shouldn¡¯t let myself get distracted by that idea when facing someone doing the same.¡±

    She brought herself back up and grinned, lazily rubbing the back of her head. The Stantler looked at her before snorting, amused, and it shook its head as it walked away.

    Turning around, it was making itself vulnerable to her. By doing that, its message was clear:

    Redi had its approval.

    The dizzying glow that protected the rest of the herd faded as the other Stantler dropped their illusions. All of the deer Pok¨¦mon were staring at her, but when she stared back, they began to quickly look around at themselves, instead.

    They communicated more with body language than spoken words, and she had a feeling these Stantler were going through a discussion. She¡¯d made sure her objective was clear.

    One of these Stantler was going to be caught, and now they were trying to figure out if any of them were actually going to take up her offer.

    ¡°Redi?¡±

    Sam joined her at her side. Redi looked at her friend as he moved next to her.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve probably motivated at least one of them,¡± he said. ¡°Calling for Discharge was a good choice. Out here, I doubt they see many Electric Types. An unknown move like that will definitely make them interested.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Redi said. ¡°I wasn''t trying to do anything that clever in our battle. I wasn¡¯t trying to show off something new. I just want one of them to be inspired by the power Porygon showed off. A single move isn¡¯t that important.¡±

    She grinned, but she hurried to push her lips back together. Showing her teeth could be seen as a bad thing, especially when it came to deer Pok¨¦mon like Stantler.

    The Stantler¡¯s discussion continued, and Redi heard plenty of huffs, snorts, and stomping of hooves. If she had to guess, most seemed uninterested, but a few did seem to have some curiosity.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a common reaction to her, and most of the discussion seemed to be the other Stantler warning the interested ones off. There was safety to be found in a herd, and Redi¡¯s group wasn''t large. She was effectively asking them to leave their family and join her, instead. Just because she had given them an offer didn¡¯t mean any of them would take her up.

    But as the discussion went on, Redi panned her gaze around the room and saw something she didn¡¯t expect. That elder Stantler had completely removed itself from the ongoing talks. It stood off to the side and looked on, its gaze lingering on the three Stantler that looked taller than the rest. Those ones were moderating the discussions, and one even sent a sharp look to a familiar, young Stantler who tried to push to the front without talking about it with anyone else.

    She found herself staring at the old Stantler. The expression on its face was... mixed.

    Happiness to see a member of its family get this chance. Sadness to know that a member of its herd might be leaving. Satisfaction to see everyone get along so well without its input.

    And then reluctance.

    A strange reluctance.

    The more Redi stared, the more she realized that it was trying its hardest to never turn her way.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Redi called out to get its attention, and the cavern plunged into silence. Her voice echoed around, and that elder Stantler¡¯s eyes finally flicked to her.

    ¡°Why was it you that challenged me and not one of them? I get that I needed to get your approval, but those three Stantler over there look strong. I could have probably fought one of them and been a safe way to give a younger herd member experience in a fight.¡±

    The old Stantler visibly winced and turned around in the faint hope she was talking to someone else. But Redi kept staring right at it, and it awkwardly trotted in place, unsure how to actually respond.

    It said its name.

    The response was meaningless to Redi.

    What did help her understand better was the concerned look it sent to the rest of its herd, which were all younger Pok¨¦mon from its perspective.

    ¡°I get it. It¡¯s a cost-benefit scenario,¡± Sam said next to Redi. ¡°Since you¡¯re the oldest, no one else in the herd would be at risk of getting injured. If you got seriously hurt, everyone else would still be able to run away and live on.¡±

    It looked away, almost guilty at the accusation. Redi felt like Sam was right, but she felt there was something else to it, too.

    ¡°You¡¯re selfish,¡± she ended up saying. ¡°I bet those three tougher-looking Stantler probably fight the most, yeah? But you could argue for yourself to take me on here. It was one of the only ways you could get in a meaningful fight.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s face was expressionless, and it was keeping its body purposefully still.

    Sam was staring at Redi, now. Apparently, he had missed that.

    ¡°You¡¯re old, but you like fighting,¡± Redi continued. ¡°You¡¯ve separated yourself from your herd because you think it¡¯s time for the younger generation to get a chance. You''ve already given up on the idea of a better future for yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Redi shook her head, and with the way the older Stantler stared at the floor, she knew she was right.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°I figured it out. I¡¯ve made my decision, and I know who I¡¯m going to catch.¡±

    Several of the younger Stantler looked up hopefully, but she didn¡¯t look their way.

    ¡°You,¡± Redi said.

    The entire cavern was plunged into disbelieving silence as Redi pointed to that oldest Stantler here.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re old. So what? You¡¯re good in battle. And you know what actually matters. You heard me earlier; I¡¯m looking for a partner, not just a Pok¨¦mon that wants to mindlessly pursue strength. And don¡¯t bother arguing with me¡ªI¡¯m already convinced. By the end of today, you¡¯ll be joining my team.¡±

    Right away, the older Stantler brought its head back up and bellowed its name. It sounded angry¡ªit was trying to refuse.

    ¡°Nah. I don¡¯t care. I already beat you in battle, so I¡¯m going to capture you and take you with me. What would you even do, otherwise? Just stay on the edge of your herd and waste away?¡±

    Redi had seen the look in the Stantler¡¯s eyes. It had never once betrayed its eyes. If anything, that light that appeared during the battle had made it appear sharper than the rest of the herd.

    ¡°But... I get it,¡± Redi said, rubbing her head. ¡°This herd is your family, and I¡¯m kind of just... snatching you away. You feel like you have a duty here, and even though others have already taken your role, you don¡¯t want to leave. But I see that fire in you. With how much you enjoyed our battle, why not take this opportunity when you can?¡±

    Its reluctance wavered, and Redi immediately pounced.

    ¡°I¡¯m offering you a chance. Take it. Come with me, and you¡¯ll experience battle after battle, get the support of a trainer, and gain information about moves that you''ve never even dreamed of.

    ¡°So?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Want to join me? Let¡¯s take on the world and prove you still got it in you.¡±

    The Stantler still hesitated, but her words had struck it in the heart. They had battled, and she knew it understood the truth behind her words.

    And when she was finished speaking, a mixture of shouts came from its herd, with almost all of those Stantler shouting to try to convince it one way or another. Some of them clearly didn¡¯t trust Redi at all and were telling it to hold back. At the same time, others were trying to encourage it, trying to tell it to take this opportunity.

    The three leading Stantler stayed silent. They were giving the old Stantler a chance to choose for itself. But then, one shout was louder than the rest¡ªthat young one from before. It bellowed its name in an attempt to convince it to take what it wouldn¡¯t be able to get itself.

    That single, outpouring of emotion seemed to snap the old Stantler out of its stupor and make it come to a decision. Redi felt a bit of guilt¡ªshe wasn¡¯t catching the Stantler that desperately wanted to be caught¡ªbut she was thankful to it. She knew that with just a bit of time, it could go to a main route and find a more suitable trainer than her.

    The older Stantler said its name. It had come to a decision, and it wanted Redi to approach.

    Once more, she moved closer to it. It looked just as regal as before.

    The Stantler stared down at her, and Redi looked up and met it in the eye. It tilted its head to the side to encourage them to face away, and the second they did, it slumped.

    ¡°I... I get it,¡± she said with a sigh, speaking just quiet enough to prevent others from listening in. ¡°You love battling and want to head out, but you don¡¯t want to leave your family behind, either. It doesn¡¯t matter how supportive they are. It doesn¡¯t matter how much they care about you. That kind of attention is... overwhelming. You want to do this for yourself, but not at a cost to them. You don¡¯t want them to be worse off just because you want to do something for you.¡±

    The Stantler blinked at Redi, and she breathed out, shaking her head. She¡¯d like to think her analysis of Stantler¡¯s situation was accurate, but deep down, she knew she was talking about more than just the Pok¨¦mon before her.

    ¡°Leaving out of the blue without even a note...¡± she mumbled. ¡°Yeah, I can imagine that¡¯s kind of a jerk thing to do. Like, you want to leave, but they¡¯re still your family. They deserve a proper goodbye.¡±

    The Stantler cautiously nodded its head. Redi had read the situation right. Locking eyes with the Pok¨¦mon, she quickly came to a decision.

    Fine. I¡¯ll call my family.

    But she also refused to leave without making sure that Stantler joined her team.

    ¡°You want time,¡± she said. ¡°How long?¡±

    It was going to be her Pok¨¦mon¡ªwas already her Pok¨¦mon¡ªbut this Stantler couldn¡¯t just up and leave its family on only a moment¡¯s notice.

    The ensuing discussion took a bit of charades to get through. Redi didn¡¯t like the answer Stantler gave her, but she understood its reasoning. The asked-for period was way longer than she¡¯d like, but she had no plans to be so heartless as to try to negotiate that time down.

    ¡°Alright. I can accept that. It''s going to make things tight, but I promise we¡¯ll make it work,¡± she said. ¡°However, while I might be promising to come back, you have to promise me something in exchange.

    ¡°While I¡¯m gone, don¡¯t just sit here and keep doing what you were doing,¡± Redi said. ¡°While we¡¯re gone, I want you to train. Get stronger. We¡¯ll come up with a few strategies together, and I want you to practice them as much as you can before I¡¯m back.¡±

    It nodded, agreeing to Redi¡¯s statement, and she smiled, happy to have met a Pok¨¦mon already so in line with her own heart.

    ¡°However!¡± she continued. ¡°You cannot be caught. And you have to stay healthy and not suffer any injuries, either. Not just that, but let¡¯s throw on an extra goal. By the time I¡¯m back, I want you to be able to beat those three Stantler in a fight without suffering any hits in return. You know which three Stantler I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon before her made a noise. It seemed to be weighing the viability of Redi¡¯s objectives. Stantler glanced at the rest of its herd, and it gained an expression of determination before accepting with a firm nod.

    ¡°Great!¡± Redi said. ¡°If you can do that, then I have no problem leaving you here. But one last thing...¡±

    She leaned in.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a move called Psyshield Bash? It might have an interesting result if you figure out how to use it super fast...¡±

    <hr>

    When she left the Stantler¡¯s grotto several hours later, Redi was smiling. That smile remained on her face as they changed directions and began to head north-east directly to Blackthorn.

    She felt¡ªno, knew¡ªshe had done a good thing. Capturing a Pok¨¦mon off-route was always going to be a difficult ask as she didn¡¯t want to yank an unsuspecting Pok¨¦mon away from its family and home.

    Here, things had worked out. She had met a kindred spirit and had, more importantly, made a friend. Even if Stantler wouldn¡¯t be traveling with her right now, she knew she could put her faith in him and trust that he¡¯d be stronger when they next met up.

    And there were no doubts in her mind that they¡¯d meet up once again.

    For miles, Redi fantasized about the steps she¡¯d take once Stantler properly joined her team. The training goals and strategies they¡¯d create together filled her mind. However, with every step further away, the corners of her mouth twitched down. Eventually, she was barely trudging forward, a full-blown grimace having overtaken her face.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi said outright, blankly staring ahead. ¡°Why did we come out here?¡±

    ¡°Off-route?¡± he asked. ¡°To test ourselves, mostly.¡±

    She stayed quiet.

    ¡°And to get you another Pok¨¦mon,¡± he added.

    The second Sam spoke, he glanced her way out of the corner of his eye. He had on a knowing smirk as if he had come to this conclusion some time ago.

    ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot!¡± Redi dropped her head into her hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that at all!¡±

    ¡°I mean, you promised to return?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but if we¡¯re going to fight Clair, I need a third Pok¨¦mon now!¡±

    Sam laughed, and Redi felt him pat her on the back. The gesture should have been comforting, but it just made her feel that much worse.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Stantler will make a great team member once you return here in a few months.¡±

    And Redi could no longer hold back what she was feeling. Her self-deprecating groan was loud enough to be heard from miles away.

 Chapter 85

    There was an audible thunk when Redi¡¯s head hit the table. For the tenth time today, she let out a long, annoyed groan. A passing trainer sent her an amused look as he carried out a tray of breakfast. Sam continued to eat his own meal at their table in the cafeteria of the Blackthorn Pok¨¦mon Center.

    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid,¡± Redi said.

    Sam chewed on his bite before swallowing.

    ¡°You¡¯re not stupid. Eat your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°I am stupid. And I dun¡¯ wanna.¡±

    Sam sent her a flat look, and they locked eyes until Redi sighed. She didn¡¯t lift her head, but she scooped up a bite of oatmeal and shoved it in her mouth.

    They had only been in Blackthorn since late last night. The Stantler herd hadn¡¯t been too far away from the city itself¡ªwhich was half the reason Clair and her Dragon Types had seen them in the first place. Everything involving the wild Pok¨¦mon had taken place yesterday. Redi still hadn¡¯t gotten over her decision to wait to add that elder Stantler to her team.

    Yet, her current attitude was still somehow an improvement from her depression last night.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t think this is the end of the world,¡± Sam said. ¡°You technically have a third Pok¨¦mon waiting for you. You just have to figure out how to get a fourth Pok¨¦mon somewhere in town.¡±

    ¡°But there aren¡¯t going to be any interesting Normal Types here, and we gotta fight Clair! How am I supposed to catch something?¡± Redi groaned.

    Sam lazily pointed a spoon at her.

    ¡°You could trade?¡± he offered.

    Redi glared at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up any of my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I mean talk to someone and make a deal where you go out and catch something for a Pok¨¦mon of theirs in return.¡±

    She did seem to consider it, breathing out and pushing back in her seat. Redi brought up her arms to stretch before reluctantly continuing her meal. Quilava sat on the table next to them, munching on a berry, and Primeape and Ursaring had already finished eating.

    The Fighting Type had eaten breakfast in their room, mostly to avoid making a public spectacle out of the ensuing mess.

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Redi grumbled. The food looked to be helping. ¡°But we still have a bunch of other stuff to do. Signing up for the Gym battle in the first place is one. I also gotta tell the League where I am so they can send me that TM for Porygon. And then for Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s deal...¡±

    She grimaced.

    ¡°You have to call your family,¡± Sam said, practically ordering it.

    ¡°...I have to call my family,¡± Redi repeated before sticking a spoon in her mouth.

    Sam could tell she wasn¡¯t looking forward to that, but he also knew she loved her parents. She spoke about them and their Pok¨¦mon so often that he was certain they were always on her mind. That, and her main goal was to become famous and help support them with her earnings. Most of the reason she became a trainer was to help them advertise. Even if she was avoiding talking to them, she still obviously cared.

    ¡°I need to call my mom, too,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t need Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s help, but I should probably get her opinion on what I¡¯m doing with that book. I also think the Pok¨¦mon League might owe me a favor? Nurse Joy never told me if I got that as payment or not, but they didn¡¯t tell me I didn¡¯t, so I could probably ask them for a Pok¨¦mon if you really¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already going to get that Teleport TM! Use the favor for yourself!¡± Redi interrupted.

    Sam shrugged and scraped his bowl for the last dredges of his meal.

    The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, and Redi stared at her bowl, deep in thought. She rested her head on one hand as she absentmindedly spooned food into her mouth.

    Eventually, when her meal was mostly gone, she pushed away from the table and stood up.

    ¡°Screw it!¡± she yelled. ¡°I have time today! Before I do anything else, I¡¯m gonna find a place to train with my team and get my mind off everything!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re still going to call your family.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m still gonna call my family,¡± Redi repeated again. ¡°Just... I¡¯ll do it later.¡±

    They returned their bowls to the counter. Rather than a Chansey in a hairnet, a volunteer was working the cafeteria today. Quilava finished off her own food, and they headed outside, where Redi arched her back to stretch.

    ¡°Are you going to train at the Pok¨¦mon Center?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m probably going to find a spot at the edge of the city.¡±

    ¡°Watch out for Dragon Types, then.¡±

    Redi snickered.

    ¡°If I¡¯m attacked by a Dragonite again, I¡¯m gonna blackmail the Blackthorn Clan for everything that it¡¯s worth.¡±

    Redi might have been heading out, but with their awaiting double battle against Clair, individual training wasn¡¯t as valuable as usual. Double battles were uncommon in Indigo, but Sam was familiar enough with them given their popularity in Hoenn. He and Redi needed to come up with strategies together to figure out how they wanted to fight as a team. As a child, when Sam visited his Grandfather, they¡¯d often watch televised tournaments together. He had seen trainers who should have done well instead get quickly eliminated when paired with another trainer they were unable to work with.

    However, while they needed to practice, Sam didn¡¯t want to jump back into training right away. After traveling so long off-route, he wanted to take it easy for a bit, first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you later. I want to explore the city.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Looking for more lame books?¡±

    Redi smirked at Sam, but he smiled back without an ounce of shame.

    ¡°Yup!¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any in Violet City, so I wanna see if I can find at least one interesting one to take with me.¡±

    Redi started to walk backward, waving as she left.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll catch you later! We¡¯ll split up for the start of today!¡±

    She ended up jogging off, leaving Sam behind. Quilava looked up from where she stood on her hind legs next to him, and she dropped to all fours.

    She wanted to stretch her paws instead of riding on his neck.

    ¡°I need to find a bookstore, so keep an eye out,¡± he told her.

    Blackthorn¡¯s sidewalks were tiled, and its streets were hardened stone. Blackthorn City might have been called a ¡°city,¡± but it lacked tall buildings like those of Goldenrod and Violet¡¯s Gym.

    Sam walked from block to block, not really having a specific goal, but just wandering around in his search. Nothing here was taller than three or four stories, and many contained decorations that celebrated the Dragon Type. He¡¯d pass by one place with what were either claws or fangs carved into its windowsills. He¡¯d then pass by another that incorporated the snarling faces of Dragon Types into its facade.

    Few places were built with wood, and the city seemed to rely on an overabundance of stone. It made sense to Sam, at least. The place was under control and named after the Blackthorn Clan, a family of Dragon Type tamers that were one of the few remaining clans of old Johto. They didn¡¯t want to risk such a storied city to any Dragon Type-caused fires.

    Though Primeape stayed in his Pok¨¦ball to digest his breakfast, Sam didn¡¯t just have Quilava at his side. His Ghost Types remained under his feet¡ªwild Pok¨¦mon included. Their presence caused a slight chill that helped him better resist the heat of the summer. He would have thought that so high up in the mountains, Blackthorn City would stay cool, but it seemed that this time of year¡¯s heat was unavoidable no matter what.

    As part of his exploration, he skipped over a popular bookstore that seemed to be a part of a chain and instead searched for an independently owned business. Sam found what he was looking for in a side street. The place had a small entrance at the end of a short staircase down.

    Stepping inside, his presence was announced with a chime, and Sam took a deep breath in.

    He smelled the familiar smell of paper. The store was cozy and quiet. It almost reminded him of home.

    However, it had its differences. The shop¡¯s wooden bookshelves looked older, and there was no counter right next to the door. A flat table had been set up at the store¡¯s back, and an old man reclined behind it while reading a thick book.

    Not only that, but the place smelled different, which Sam was surprised to notice. Since his mother¡¯s bookstore was in the seaside Dewford, she went to great lengths to keep the corrosive salty sea air from getting in. She didn¡¯t do it perfectly, so there was always the hint of the scent of the ocean, but the smell of books tended to be far more prevalent back home. Here, the place had an almost smokey smell to it. The old man had an unlit, though previously used, candle sitting next to him.

    Sam took one step in and paused. The old man looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Sam said.

    He glanced down at Quilava, a Fire Type walking into the bookstore, before glancing back up at the store owner with a wince.

    ¡°Uh, if you don¡¯t allow Pok¨¦mon to be out¡ª¡±

    The old man snorted.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. You look responsible. But if you burn it, you buy it.¡±

    Sam nodded and tried to ignore the memories of Quilava¡¯s ¡°accidents¡± that had happened when she first came home with him.

    A few shadows split off as he started to wander through the store. Haunter, guiding a few Gastly, seemed interested in checking out a place so similar to what was Sam¡¯s home. Misdreavus left as well, likely going off to browse.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if she could read. Most Pok¨¦mon under trainers figured out common words and phrases, but the vast, vast majority of Pok¨¦mon had zero interest when it came to written text.

    He browsed the available books, fingers trailing over their spines and coming back up with a layer of dust. There were sections filled with older, less popular novels and tomes, but there was a shelf right at the front dedicated to the entries of the most popular recent series. Based on how there were gaps in that shelf but none of the others, Sam had a feeling this place operated differently than his mom¡¯s store back home. Instead of needing to place orders for new books from the mainland, the shop owner seemed to have bought whatever seemed popular and hoped for the best.

    Sam did at least glance through the most popular series. They were all fantasy or adventure, and magic was a common theme. By far, the most numerous book was one about a boy going to a magic school. The third book in that series had recently been released, and it was almost sold out.

    Sam also saw a few physical Pok¨¦dexes, but they weren¡¯t present in the numbers his mother had acquired for Dewford Gym. They sat in a corner, slowly gathering dust. Like his mother¡¯s shop, this place was having trouble selling them as well.

    However, there was some sort of irony in that Sam wasn¡¯t planning on buying any physical Pok¨¦dex. Even though he hated how the electronic Pok¨¦dex was doing away with that form of profitable sale, he wasn¡¯t going out of his way to do anything about it.

    Shapes in shadows continued to dart from shelf to shelf as Sam continued to browse. Nothing really grabbed his interest until he had a sudden thought.

    Sam spoke up.

    ¡°Excuse me, but do you have any older books? Like, really old books?¡±

    Blackthorn City was as old as the Blackthorn Clan itself. With that kind of history to it, Sam hoped that he could maybe find a clue or two to help Quilava evolve.

    Without looking up, the old man pointed to a corner of the room with an isolated bookshelf. He didn¡¯t notice Misdreavus floating before it, nor did he notice any of the shadows of Ghost Types moving about.

    Sam joined Misdreavus¡¯s side, and she smiled and said her name. He smiled back before looking through the bookshelf. What he found was... a lot.

    These books were definitely older. He recognized a few as ones he¡¯d read in the past. One section of the shelf seemed to be reserved for outdated textbooks and encyclopedias, too. There wasn¡¯t much organization past that, however. Rather, it seemed that anything too old for the rest of the store had been left here and forgotten. Hardback, paperback, and even some books bound in leather sat before him. Pages had turned yellow, and others were grey from a thick layer of dust.

    ¡°We put books there when they don¡¯t fit anywhere else,¡± the old man said, still not bothering to look up from his book. ¡°Most often, when someone¡¯s relative passes away and they got a lot of stuff, families will ¡®donate¡¯ their books here when they don¡¯t want to throw them out. I¡¯m not sure what to do ¡®em half the time, so feel free to take what you want.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re free?¡±

    The old man barked out a laugh.

    ¡°Ha! No. You still gotta pay. I mean that they aren¡¯t reserved or anything. Barely anyone is interested in what we got over there.¡±

    He returned to reading in silence, and Sam returned to his search. He had trouble figuring out exactly what was here. Most of these older books lacked titles on their spines.

    Opening a few up, he found a mix of various things. Empty journals. Stories way out of date. A few unpublished manuscripts. And one collection of notes¡ª

    Sam blinked and reread the title he saw on the first, interior page.

    ¡°Legends of Hisui,¡± he whispered under his breath.

    The book was a collection of research on the Diamond and Pearl clans of Hisui. Pages were missing, and it wasn¡¯t any official textbook, but someone had written down and copied text that concerned the two groups¡¯ history.

    Just skimming through it, Sam could see that this was primarily meant as a form of cultural documentation. A few decades ago¡ªat least, Sam was pretty sure this was from a few decades ago¡ªsomeone had tried to record the history of the Diamond and Pearl clans before they were lost forever. The notes were mostly about tall tales and myths from the region itself. It mentioned something called ¡°noble¡± Pok¨¦mon. It referenced some sort of ancient hero. It told stories and legends from around the region.

    Unfortunately, specifics of any long-lost evolutions and species were sparse, and there were even some inaccuracies¡ªlike how it mentioned a Scyther evolving after being struck by lightning. The only thing Sam could find that might have been relevant to him was a brief mention of Liligant. Hisui had its own variant of that Grass Type species, but the book never differentiated it from the Lilligant commonly found in the rest of the world.

    Yet, even though he doubted it had anything that¡¯d be directly helpful for him, it was nice to learn more about the region where Quilava¡¯s hoped-for evolution had once existed. Sam was still skimming it over as he walked up to the counter. He half-hoped he could find a clue that might help them achieve it.

    When he set the book down on the counter, shadows rushed to rejoin him under his feet. The old man then looked up at Sam with a cocked eyebrow, never once having noticed all the Pok¨¦mon that had been moving through his store.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re really interested in that old thing and not something more exciting? Wouldn¡¯t that series about that magic kid be more your speed?¡±

    Sam replied with a simple shrug.

    ¡°I like Hisui,¡± he said.

    The man put his book down and began to ring Sam up.

    ¡°Fine with me. Always happy to make a sale. I¡¯m just surprised to see that one go. We got it from the family of some researcher after he passed a while back.¡±

    Sam paused.

    ¡°Do you have anything else from him?¡±

    He locked eyes with the old man, who paused where he was working the cash register.

    Unfortunately, he replied with a shake of his head and a single laugh.

    ¡°Nope!¡± Sam disliked how amused the man looked. ¡°The Sinjoh Ruins aren¡¯t too far north of here, so we occasionally get other researchers passing through. Anything old and rare about Johto or Sinnoh¡¯s shared history tends to get snapped up pretty quickly. Did you know that the first settlers of Sinnoh were from Johto?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Sam said with a sigh. ¡°But not all of them. The Galaxy Expedition Team had members from a bunch of different regions.¡±

    He walked out of the store with the book in hand. Its incomplete nature was probably why it had been skipped over. He doubted it had any information that wasn¡¯t already known, but Sam felt that it would at least be useful to him.

    Quilava and Misdreavus made sure no Ghost Types were left behind, and the little Fire Type chased after Sam as he headed back through the city¡¯s streets. He skimmed the book as he walked, deciding to read it more thoroughly once he had a chance to, later.

    The journey toward Redi was mostly uneventful, as he simply traveled the way he saw her run. He looked down to ask the Ghost Types in his shadow for help to find her, but none needed to leave. Fibula was able to direct him toward where she was on his own.

    Along the way back, traffic on one street all but stopped as people turned and stared at the sky. A lone Dragonair flew over the city, and several people pointed in excitement. Sam would have thought that the appearance of a Dragon Type was a common event, but it seemed that locals treated the rare Dragon Type sighting as a sign of good luck.

    Sam found Redi shortly after, just slightly further down the same road. She wasn¡¯t out of the city¡¯s bounds, rather, there were dedicated training fields set up at the city¡¯s edge. Clearings that weren¡¯t quite parks but were still open to the public had been created to help control where trainers went. If Dragon Types tended to leave the city to train¡ªlike what he and Redi had seen with Clair¡ªthen Blackthorn City was likely trying to provide alternative training spaces to minimize how many risked themselves to an attack.

    Redi stood in the middle of one of those fields. Her Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t out, but just like everyone in the street leading to this place, she stared up at the sky. Sam noticed that she almost looked melancholic as he approached. She didn¡¯t notice him until he called out.

    ¡°Redi!¡±

    She blinked at him as he waved. She seemed surprised to see that he was there at all.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi greeted. Slowly, she ran her tongue over her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve been... thinking.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been doing that a lot, recently.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°I have.¡±

    Sam frowned and looked at Redi again. He¡¯d only been gone for just over an hour. She wasn¡¯t as depressed as she was before or as energetic as she usually acted.

    Instead, she brought her gaze back to the sky. When Sam checked, there was nothing there at all.

    ¡°I might have a solution for getting a new Pok¨¦mon,¡± she said.

    ¡°Already? I haven¡¯t been gone for that long at all.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, choosing instead to keep staring.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just...¡± Redi briefly let her volume drop and her words fade away. ¡°Hey, Sam?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What are your thoughts on helping me steal a Dragon Type? I think that¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll be happy to get a new member of my team.¡±

 Chapter 86 + Break Announcement (Updated 8/16)

    ¡°What.¡±

    Sam stared at Redi, and his flat response brought her gaze back down to earth. When her eyes met his, she paled, now recognizing what she had just said out loud.

    ¡°You want to steal a Dragon Type,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°You. Redi. Someone who¡¯s ranted about how much she hates poaching in the past. While in the middle of Blackthorn City! The literal hometown of the Blackthorn Clan! You know, the one full of elite Dragon Tamers?¡±

    His words snapped her out of her trance, and she waved her hands in a panic, rushing to emphasize that she didn¡¯t mean anything like that at all.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! I didn¡¯t mean it like that, I just¡ª I¡ª Y-you... Shh!¡± She looked around for anyone else here, but she breathed out once she confirmed they were alone. ¡°Yeah, I know what I said, but I don¡¯t want to literally steal a Dragon Type. It¡¯s more like...¡±

    Redi bit her lip and clenched her hands at her side.

    ¡°You wanna sit down?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°...Yeah. I need a moment,¡± Redi said with a sigh.

    A metal bench had been set up at the edge of the training ground. On it, Redi plopped down next to Sam.

    She didn¡¯t speak right away, which gave Quilava plenty of time to hop up and rest her head on Sam¡¯s leg. She stared at Redi, unblinking, and Redi wasn¡¯t able to meet her in the eye.

    ¡°So... Alright,¡± Sam said when Redi didn¡¯t speak up. ¡°What I¡¯m getting is that you want to steal a Pok¨¦mon without stealing it. Like what happened with Porygon?¡±

    Redi winced.

    ¡°N-not exactly. Dragonair doesn¡¯t need rescuing. I just want her to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dragonair?¡± Sam interrupted.

    Redi sent a wistful look into the sky.

    ¡°Yeah. Dragonair,¡± she said softly. ¡°Y¡¯know. One of the Dratini we helped rescue¡ªthe one we saw the other day. She... she came here. We fought¡ªsparred, I mean. I think at the start she just wanted to show off, but...¡±

    <hr><hr>

    That morning, when Redi parted with Sam, she desperately wanted to get her mind off of things. She could spend hours stressing about calling her family, but she didn¡¯t want to deal with that stomach-churning stress until it was time to actually make the call.

    For now, she would focus on training her team.

    Usually, trainers followed an obvious path when teaching their team new moves. Pok¨¦mon frequently learned weaker attacks before moving on to stronger ones. For something like the Electric Type, Thunder Shock was a good lead into Thunderbolt, and then Thunderbolt was a good lead into Thunder. Each successive, more powerful attack required a better understanding of the Type.

    But Redi liked to skip ahead.

    Sure, it would take a bit longer to figure out those high-powered moves first, but why bother learning weak attacks when you could just gain the same level of mastery by practicing strong attacks instead? When Ursaring was still a Teddiursa, she had him jump into learning all the elemental punches with that mindset, and she hadn¡¯t even blinked at how that TM for Hyper Beam technically taught him a move above his level.

    For his expected Normal Type attack progression, Thrash was supposed to be the next major move he learned. They¡¯d already been working on it for a bit, but since she really didn¡¯t want to think about anything else, Redi decided to take things one step further¡ªGiga Impact. That move was a slam that carried the same strength as a Hyper Beam, just in physical form.

    She solidified her decision for the day on her way out of the city, and when she saw signs directing trainers to practice fields at the city¡¯s edge, she practically skipped the rest of the way there.

    She sent Ursaring out, front and center, and had him try breathing in to hold the energies of his Hyper Beam. She also made sure that Porygon floated beside her, and she had them watch carefully. Porygon could pick up new moves quickly if they understood the related Type, and she hoped the Normal Type Hyper Beam would be such a case.

    ¡°What we need to focus on is the draw of the move!¡± Redi called out to her Pok¨¦mon. ¡°You already know Hyper Beam, Ursaring! You just need to build up that energy and direct it somewhere else!¡±

    The glow in his throat was visible through his fur, and when he next used Hyper Beam, he brought his head back as if trying to breathe in. Yet, no matter how forcibly he tried to shut his jaw, Hyper Beam was simply too powerful.

    He released it, having no choice, and a section of this dirt training field was scorched black.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Redi brought a fist to her chin and knocked on her cheek as she carefully looked over Ursaring. She took in how his shoulders heaved up and down, and she took in how such a powerful move forced him to stay still and recharge.

    That Dragonite from the other day never got stuck recharging. Its Hyper Beams weren¡¯t back to back, but it didn¡¯t need to take such a big break between uses.

    She knew Ursaring could push himself to keep moving in a fight, but his attacks didn¡¯t often come out after a Hyper Beam, and even if they did, they were always weaker and had to be forced.

    ¡°...I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve figured it out yet, Porygon?¡± she said to her side.

    She glanced down to her Pok¨¦mon. Porygon did nothing.

    ¡°Use Hyper Beam?¡± she ordered.

    Even when prodded for a reaction, nothing happened. Redi frowned and collapsed to the floor. She bought up a hand to rub her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s back.

    Porygon didn¡¯t nod, but they did keep staring as Ursaring built up and failed to hold a Hyper Beam back once again. Redi only paid attention to him out of the corner of her eye, as she was staring at Porygon as the Pok¨¦mon watched.

    It pained her to see how they still lacked visible emotions. She prayed they¡¯d be able to evolve soon. Her deepest desire was that, as a Porygon2, Porygon would gain the ability to act more independently.

    It hurt to know how easily someone could turn them into a tool.

    Ursaring¡¯s practice continued. He made sure to take long breaks between each use of the move. Hyper Beam was incredibly draining, and it was unreasonable to ask for a Pok¨¦mon to use it more than five or so times in battles. However, this wasn¡¯t a battle. This was just practice. With such a heavy focus on developing his control over the move, he was able to use it more carefully than in the stressful environment of a direct fight.

    But it was when he was recovering from his seventh use that a hiss came out from nearby.

    ¡°Gas.¡±

    Redi immediately hopped to her feet and snapped her gaze to a nearby shadow. From there, she followed Fibula¡¯s gaze into the sky.

    ¡°Back!¡± Redi shouted.

    Ursaring jumped back, but the incoming bolt of lightning struck nowhere nearby. Over a dozen feet away, static electricity burst out in a cloud, and a blue, serpentine Pok¨¦mon raised its head high.

    ¡°Draaaaa-gon!¡± it cried.

    Dark eyes glimmered with excitement. The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s body whipped out only to coil around itself in the opposite direction. The Dragon Type then lowered its eyes in challenge, never once looking away from Redi for even a second.

    ¡°...Dragonair?¡± Redi asked.

    This wasn¡¯t anything like the Dragonite¡¯s attack. This Dragonair had showed up and was waiting for Redi to make the first move.

    As she called out its name, wings on the side of Dragonair¡¯s head flapped in excitement. Redi quickly recognized the Pok¨¦mon as the smaller Dragon Type that had been with Clair.

    ¡°Wait, does Clair want something, or¡ª¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon huffed.

    It brought its head around, electricity crackling over its scales. A thin bolt, the same that had just helped it make its dramatic entrance, jumped off its body to enter the ground several feet away.

    From there, the Dragonair lowered its head and hissed, but it was no longer looking at Redi. It used a Leer that Redi could admit was decent, though she could tell it wasn¡¯t as effective as Quilava¡¯s. After, it coiled itself tight, and when it released that tension, powerful winds whipped up to demonstrate a Twister that picked up leaves from the edges of the field.

    Dragonair zipped forward, using two simultaneous attacks toward the imaginary target ahead of it. It showed off that same Wrap that restrained the Dragonite from the other day, and its tail hit the ground in a heavy thud that could only have been a Slam.

    It called out for a final time, and the Dragonair brought its head back up. It was breathing a bit heavily, but the way the wings at the side of its head stood straight up told Redi it was excited.

    ¡°Hm. Those were all your moves?¡± Redi asked. ¡°That Twister was pretty strong.¡±

    The Dragonair cried out happily. Its voice was melodic and reminded Redi of Lapras.

    But, Dragonair didn¡¯t pull itself away, and it didn¡¯t move itself back, either. It stared directly into Redi¡¯s eyes with a small smile on its face.

    Honestly, Redi felt stupid for missing the point until now.

    ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re challenging us, are you?¡±

    She grinned.

    She had no idea why this Dragonair had been sent here in the first place, but if it wanted to battle, she wasn¡¯t going to pass up a chance for a fight.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Redi called out. The Dragonair began to race forward. ¡°Ursaring¡ªRock Slide harass, right into Ice Punch!¡±

    Ursaring threw down his arms, throwing out a rain of stones that hurtled toward Dragonair. The Pok¨¦mon responded by ducking and weaving between each projectile, showing off the agility that came with its flight and serpentine form.

    But, it chose to focus on its movements. It laughed as it completely avoided Ursaring¡¯s attack. It glanced up with a smirk on its face only to see a heavy bear Pok¨¦mon rushing right its way.

    With a yelp, electricity crackled across its scales, but Ursaring didn¡¯t bother to defend himself. He was hit by the Thunder Wave, and though pulsing electricity stiffened his muscles and subjected him to paralysis, the condition only made him grin.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    His Ice Punch came out regardless of the effect Dragonair had inflicted on him. Ice coated his paw as a fist smashed into Dragonair¡¯s face. Not only was it super effective, but Thunder Wave meant Ursaring¡¯s Guts had been activated. The adrenaline boosted the power of his attack, and his second ability, Quick Feet, meant there was little effect on his speed thanks to that same adrenaline.

    Dragonair hit the ground several feet away, and Redi couldn¡¯t help but wince when the Dragon Type cried out. Yet, it didn¡¯t linger on the ground. It quickly lifted its head.

    Despite that punch, it was smiling, enjoying itself. Only one attack might have landed, but it was quite a satisfying attack.

    Redi was smiling, too.

    ¡°Again!¡± she shouted.

    The wings on Dragonair¡¯s head pulled out, becoming a glider that let it control its movements even greater than before. As Ursaring raced toward it with an increased speed, it dipped beneath the successive punch and used the extended limb as an opening to coil around him, using Wrap.

    When it squeezed, Ursaring roared in pain, but Redi already had a counter in mind.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡±

    He might not be able to escape, but he could at least punish Dragonair for restraining him. Claw swipes left grooves in its scales, and he even continued the attack through a Slam to his stomach that knocked the air right out of him.

    Eventually, the Dragonair was forced to let go or risk fainting. Both Pok¨¦mon were panting. Ursaring grinned, wiping a claw across his face. Dragonair chose to mimic his action, using its gemstone-lined tail to swipe across its snout in a nearly identical action.

    ¡°We¡¯re finishing this! Hyper Beam!¡± Redi yelled.

    The Dragonair pulled itself high into the air, and it pulled itself into a spiral to prepare its sole Dragon Type move.

    Ursaring breathed in, and the same move he had just been practicing glowed within his throat. Next to Redi, Porygon¡¯s treads spun at a greater speed, and the Dragonair let itself snap out of its coil.

    It sent its Twister forward, but a Twister simply did not carry the power to stop a Hyper Beam.

    The attack was pierced through and disrupted, and then Dragonair was struck.

    ¡°Oh, shoot.¡±

    We went too far.

    Redi raced to where the battle was taking place, and Dragonair hit the ground, unconscious, from where it had been hit in the sky. Ursaring wobbled on his feet and grinned at Redi. She made sure to congratulate him as she ran past, but she also returned him to his Pok¨¦ball.

    He could be put into stasis to prevent his injuries from getting worse, but the same wasn''t true for Dragonair.

    Quickly, Redi kneeled down and placed a berry in front of Dragonair''s face before hurrying to pull out a potion from her backpack. She searched for where Dragonair was the most wounded¡ªscrape marks from Fury Swipes as well as a few burns from Hyper Beam¡ªand quickly began to shuffle up and down Dragonair¡¯s body to spray where she could.

    Thankfully, the potion was effective. The Dragonair¡¯s eyes fluttered open as it snapped awake.

    Its bite onto the berry was sudden and violent. Redi froze, now realizing she had placed herself inches away from a Dragon Type that had just lost a battle.

    She knew how prideful Pok¨¦mon of its Type tended to be, and she remembered just how much of an effort it went through to show off its moves. Still kneeling on the ground where she had been treating it, she had no choice but to watch as Dragonair raised its head to tower over her.

    It looked down at her.

    Redi stayed perfectly still.

    Then, after what felt like forever, the Dragon Type lunged.

    ¡°Ah! Wait¡ª¡±

    But before Redi could jump back, Dragonair had already pressed its head into her stomach, and the Pok¨¦mon made a trilling noise that wasn¡¯t unlike a purr. It was like the rest of the world no longer mattered. Redi was overwhelmed by surprise.

    Her hands were up, and she wasn¡¯t even sure what to do with them. She thought she had been about to be attacked, yet this Dragonair was affectionately rubbing its cheek against her. And it looked so happy as it did.

    Do I...?

    Redi couldn''t stop the giggle that left her.

    Slowly, she lowered her hands to bring them across the scales on Dragonair¡¯s head.

    They felt weird. Redi knew Dragon Types were supposed to be tough, but Dragonair¡¯s scales were smooth. They felt as though they had a natural polish to them. When she pushed her hand down, the scales didn¡¯t bend, but there was a give. Honestly, with how closely Dragonair were tied to weather, she half expected the scales to be wet.

    But they were just comfortably cool.

    ¡°That was a good battle,¡± Redi said.

    The Dragonair opened up its¡ªher¡ªeyes to look up at Redi, and she smiled.

    This whole encounter had been really confusing. Dragon Types weren¡¯t Pok¨¦mon to be so happy after a loss. Yet, Dragonair looked at Redi with such affection.

    ¡°Did you really just want to fight?¡± Redi asked, almost whispering.

    It was hard to see Dragonair¡¯s mouth from here, but Redi could somehow tell she had on a smile.

    Slowly, the Pok¨¦mon brought her head back to stare Redi in the eye. Unlike last time, this wasn¡¯t a challenge. It was more like she was trying to get Redi¡¯s measure.

    Redi knew there was something about staring a Dragon Type in the eye, but she couldn¡¯t remember if she was supposed to look away or meet it. Either way, she chose to stare back. In the moment, it simply felt right.

    ¡°Nair,¡± the Pok¨¦mon said.

    Slowly, she moved forward until she was inches away. After a moment¡¯s pause, Dragonair pressed herself against Redi¡¯s cheek.

    Then, in an instant, Redi was completely bowled over. Dragonair cried out her name and happily rubbed against Redi, squirming and cheering her name.

    ¡°That tickles!¡± Redi laughed. ¡°Come on, quit it!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon was heavy, but she never once let herself crush Redi. She certainly kept her against the ground as they both laughed, and eventually, Redi¡¯s protests were enough for Dragonair to pull back with a huff.

    But she was smiling, and so was Redi. Redi had to wipe her eyes from how hard she¡¯d been laughing.

    ¡°But you¡¯re Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Did you sneak away just for me?¡±

    Dragonair looked away. A purple blush crossed the Pok¨¦mon''s face.

    ¡°Hah! I knew it,¡± Redi said with a grin. ¡°But I... I kind of get it, too. Clair has a bunch of other Dragon Types, doesn''t she? How often do you get the chance to battle someone one-on-one?¡±

    The sigh that left the Dragonair¡¯s throat told Redi she was right, and Redi let herself fall back with her arms crossed, nodding her head.

    ¡°Yup. I get why that might be a bit smothering. Or limiting, I guess? Clair has a bunch of Pok¨¦mon she¡¯s responsible for as a Gym Leader. If I was you, I¡¯d take the opportunity, too.¡±

    Redi paused and then looked at the ground.

    ¡°I guess I did take this opportunity once before, huh?¡±

    Dragonair wiggled, and once more, she pressed her head against Redi¡¯s stomach. Redi leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Dragonair¡¯s head, and then they sat there for a while. Just sitting like that.

    And Redi... thought. She thought about why Dragonair was here, with her.

    To this Pok¨¦mon, Redi wasn¡¯t just anyone. She was Redi. She had helped Dragonair escape Goldenrod. It knew who she was, and all this time, she had a feeling part of its training had been to impress her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure why she said that.

    Dragonair pushed deeper into her stomach, and Redi hugged her a bit tighter.

    ¡°Hey, Dragonair?¡± Redi started. ¡°I know that you¡¯re technically already Clair¡¯s, but she has such a big team. If you really want to, would you be interested in joining¡ª¡±

    She didn¡¯t get to finish.

    Redi felt Dragonair¡¯s wings snap to attention, and the Pok¨¦mon yanked back to stare at the sky, eyes wide. Redi couldn''t hear anything, but Dragonair could. Her expression almost immediately fell.

    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t have to leave just yet!¡±

    Redi never expected to see a Dragon Type look so guilty.

    Dragonair had heard something that was calling her back, and she launched herself into the sky. Redi tried to run after it, returning Porygon to let herself gather speed, but a flick of Dragonair¡¯s tail conjured a gust that caused Redi to stumble.

    The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s expression was downcast as Redi slowed to catch herself, and Redi could only watch it go as it disappeared into the blue of the sky.

    Standing alone on that empty battlefield, Redi wasn¡¯t sure how long she stared.

    <hr><hr>

    Redi shook her head before turning back toward Sam. Her expression was hard. Determined.

    ¡°She¡¯s joining my team,¡± Redi declared. ¡°I don¡¯t care that she¡¯s being trained by Clair. I don¡¯t care how the Blackthorn Clan might react. Dragonair deserves more. She¡¯s too limited here. Dragon Types are supposed to be big and strong and stand all the way above everyone else, but how is she supposed to do that here? She¡¯s just another Dragon Type on a Gym Leader¡¯s team. She¡¯s being taken for granted, and I want to give her the chance to see the world and have us conquer the League together.¡±

    Sam met Redi¡¯s gaze. Her mind was made up. Dragonair had been so eager to greet her the other day only to be pulled back by Clair¡¯s Dragonair. It had taken this chance to meet with Redi uninterrupted. Yet, the outcome of this...

    Redi wasn¡¯t going to let them leave it here. Just as much as Dragonair liked Redi, Redi liked Dragonair.

    But we were both in that warehouse the day Dragonair was freed. Why does Dragonair want to be with Redi more than me?

    He ignored the thought that passed through his head and pushed away the pang of jealousy in his heart. Sure, Dragonair was a super strong and rare Pok¨¦mon, but the species wasn¡¯t a Ghost Type. To make up for it, he would just need to find something of a similar strength in exchange.

    But he¡¯d take what he could get.

    Sighing, Sam rubbed his temples.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you want to steal a Dragon Type,¡± he said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not stealing, I¡¯m gonna find a way to convince Clair to let Dragonair join my team,¡± Redi countered. ¡°She didn¡¯t even seem that attached. Not in the same way as her starter Dragonair, I mean. I kind of feel like she was just... going through the motions? Dragonair is getting her help to be stronger after being kidnapped, but Clair¡¯s just fulfilling a task. She¡¯s not actually that bonded¡ªlook at how she reacted to Dragonite. She was upset he was leaving, but not about him, specifically. She didn''t like that he was leaving in general.¡±

    ¡°I feel like that¡¯s different,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Gym Leaders train and pass over Pok¨¦mon all the time.¡±

    Several people in Dewford had started their journeys after receiving Fighting Types trained personally by the Gym Leader before Brawly.

    ¡°But if she can send a Pok¨¦mon to Lance, why can¡¯t she send Dragonair to me?¡± Redi asked.

    Maybe because Lance is the Champion? And you¡¯re just an average trainer?

    Not to mention Dragonite¡¯s a Pseudo-Legend. I can¡¯t imagine how the average person might react to you having that, especially once we start figuring out those extra evolutions for our teams.

    Dragonair, as a species, was special. Not every Dragon Type species carried as much potential power. Its evolution, Dragonite, was said to have strength comparable to weaker Legendary Pok¨¦mon. A Dragonite could fight a Legendary Pok¨¦mon like Latios or Latias and have decent odds of coming out on top. And because of that strength, people referred to it and several comparable species with a specific term¡ª¡°pseudo-legendary,¡± as Sam had called it himself.

    That term might not have been a scientific term or even anything official, but so many people had used it to describe species like Metagross, Garchomp, and Dragonite that it might have well been those species¡¯ true classification. Pseudo-Legendary Pok¨¦mon were insanely rare, insanely powerful, and insanely in demand. The Pok¨¦mon League was forced to go to great lengths to make sure wild Pok¨¦mon of their lines were safe from being poached. Actually getting one was nearly impossible, especially true for Dragonair as this one already belonged to the secretive Blackthorn Clan.

    Sam wanted to rant at Redi. He wanted to go into detail about how absolutely insane her desire was. Except, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to. All he could think about was what he¡¯d do if this was his team.

    What if Misdreavus belonged to someone else but snuck out to train with me? What if Quilava belonged to her ranch, but we still grew up together?

    He knew what he¡¯d do. He¡¯d fight to travel with them¡ªthey were his friends, after all. And if he wasn¡¯t able to do that diplomatically, then he¡¯d do so through other means.

    ¡°But, uh, I kind of need to ask...¡± Sam started. ¡°I thought you wanted to be a Normal Type trainer? And keep your team small with cheaper Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Redi looked away to hide her blush.

    ¡°I do!¡± she said hurriedly. ¡°Dragonair can¡¯t be too much more expensive than Ursaring, especially once he evolves. And, I mean, I do like the Normal Type, and I do plan to try to catch only Normal Types, but I can¡¯t say I¡¯m wholly dedicated to it. Not like you and the Ghost Type.

    ¡°And then when it comes to the Pok¨¦mon on a specialist¡¯s team...¡± She paused, pursing her lips. ¡°Well, whatever! They have exceptions all the time! Just look at Lance! He¡¯s supposed to be a Dragon Type Master, but his team is full of Flying Types.¡±

    Redi smirked at Sam, smug that she figured out such a strong example, but Sam replied to her with a flat look of his own.

    ¡°Sure, but you realize all of Lance¡¯s Pok¨¦mon at least resemble Dragons, right?¡±

    Redi threw her hands into the air.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s just say I specialize in strong Pok¨¦mon! Ursaring. Porygon. And now Dragonair. I¡¯ll specialize in Pok¨¦mon I think are cool, just with a preference for the Normal Type.¡±

    Then, after crossing her arms, Redi mumbled under her breath. ¡°It¡¯s not like a trainer¡¯s specialty is mandated by the League, either.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Sam glared at her. ¡°Stop being so convincing.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Redi stuck her tongue out at him.

    I can¡¯t really argue against an exception, either. Even if I never found out about Hisuian Typhlosion, Quilava was always going to be on my team.

    But this is... It¡¯s just such an uphill battle. She¡¯s trying to ask for a Dragon Type from the Blackthorn Clan, and even if they aren¡¯t really talked about in Hoenn, Drake¡¯s gone on record to discuss how he hates how secretive they are.

    He took a while to consider it. Sam ran his hand through Quilava¡¯s fur.

    ¡°I¡¯m just hesitant,¡± Sam eventually said. ¡°Porygon was one thing. But Dragonair is...¡±

    He breathed out.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ll help me?¡± Redi asked, sitting up.

    He glanced at her.

    ¡°Yeah? Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯ve been way more serious recently,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say it was impossible and that I¡¯d need to do something else.¡±

    Sam scoffed.

    ¡°Redi, I¡¯m fifteen. I¡¯m basically an adult, and that means I have to be more serious. That, and think about everything that¡¯s happened recently. The Violet City Tournament, all of our Gym battles, traveling off-route, challenging Clair, and then Petrel?¡±

    Redi laughed a little awkwardly.

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s... a good point,¡± she said. ¡°But I appreciate it. Thanks, Sam.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± he said, trying to hide his smile.

    Redi hopped up off of the bench and began to pace. Her usual, slight smirk had finally returned to her face, and he could tell that thoughts and plans were racing through her mind at a mile a minute.

    ¡°So how are we going to do this, anyway?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam paused.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a plan?¡±

    ¡°Why would I have a plan? You¡¯re the one with all the strategies!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me! I¡¯m not trying to steal a Dragon Type!¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not either!¡± she shouted. ¡°You¡¯re the one with all the experience! You have a way bigger team!¡±

    Sam blinked when he found he was pointing at her, and Redi was pointing right back at him. Silence hung in the air between them as they both looked down. They then both burst into laughter.

    We¡¯re stupid.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Sam wiped his eyes. ¡°So now that we¡¯ve established that we¡¯re both dumb, we need to figure out a way to do this.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Redi whined.

    Sam ignored her.

    ¡°I think on the bright side, we have an obvious first step,¡± he said, leaning back on the bench. ¡°Since we don¡¯t know what to do, that means we need to gather information.¡±

    Redi replied with a thoughtful hum, audibly thinking about how they¡¯d tackle this.

    ¡°I might be able to ask around to see how locals usually obtain their Dragon Types,¡± Redi said. ¡°At least someone will know something, and then you can do whatever lame stuff you do in libraries.¡±

    ¡°You mean go through records? I guess the League archives might have something,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Redi shrugged, unsure. He didn¡¯t think she ever went out of her way to browse anything online.

    ¡°But the most important thing we can do is not let the Blackthorn Clan find out about our plans,¡± Sam said, picking up Quilava as he stood up. ¡°I can¡¯t say I know that much about them, but everything I have heard about them makes them seem... stuck up. They¡¯ll probably shut us down hard if they find out what we¡¯re doing.¡±

    Redi nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. Definitely,¡± she said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m not going to let them stop us! Dragonair¡¯s absolutely going to join my team!¡±

    She hopped forward to put her foot on the bench and strike a dramatic pose. Sam snickered, and, in his arms, Quilava let out a snort as she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Your motivation¡¯s great, but you¡¯re forgetting something,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You still need to call your family,¡± he pointed out.

    Redi opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Her pose fell, and she dropped onto the bench, defeated and in a slump.

 Chapter 87

    The vague ¡°U¡±-shape of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s main floor provided plenty of privacy for Sam and Redi to make their calls. The few other trainers here waited for their Pok¨¦mon in the sitting areas toward the front. If any of them needed to head upstairs, they used the staircase on the opposite side, away from Sam and Redi. This late in the day, no one needed to enter the cafeteria, walking past the line of video phone booths attached to the side of this back wing.

    Plastic dividers protected neighboring callers from seeing and hearing their next-door booths. Flaps on hinges could close to provide even more privacy from the back. Yet, while both Sam and Redi wanted their phone calls to be private, neither closed the flaps behind them. In a way, doing so would let the other person keep an ear out. Exact words wouldn¡¯t be heard, but noise from each other would help ensure they both knew they weren¡¯t doing this alone.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Sam asked.

    He leaned on the divider¡¯s side at the entrance to the small booth. Redi squirmed on her stool, not looking away from the phone¡¯s darkened screen.

    ¡°Psh. I was born ready,¡± she said. ¡°Well, I was technically born Meredi¡ªa different name¡ªbut I¡¯ve been Redi for years at this point.¡±

    She made eye contact with Sam through the reflection of the waiting video phone. After a shared, concerned look, she closed her eyes, letting out a short breath through her nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Sam. After so long, I think I¡¯ve finally hyped myself enough to make this call.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, stepping back to give Redi space. ¡°Then... good luck, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Redi repeated, her attention returning to the phone.

    Quilava was already waiting for him in the neighboring booth, and he picked her up to sit as Redi began to make her call. Holding Quilava in his lap, Sam heard Redi go through the motions¡ªshe sighed, shuffled around in her seat, and then pressed the buttons to enter the number for her family¡¯s phone.

    Unfortunately, Sam¡¯s mother didn¡¯t own a landline to let him call her directly. Thankfully, he could call the Dewford Pok¨¦mon Center, and they¡¯d pass along a message to tell his mom she had a call waiting for her within.

    She already knew he was intending to call today. He made sure to send her that message before he passed out last night. He really thought that their first day in Blackthorn would have been way less eventful, but between finding that book full of notes on Hisui, everything that happened with Redi and Dragonair, and now this much-needed phone call home?

    It might have only been mid-afternoon, but Sam felt like he¡¯d been here for at least a few weeks.

    ¡°...Hello?¡±

    Redi¡¯s voice was quiet, but the area around her was silent enough to let Sam hear.

    ¡°Hi, Mom,¡± she said after a long, drawn-out pause.

    And to that, Sam heard a reaction from the phone itself. Not only did a loud and excited ¡°MEREDITH!¡± echo out from the booth, but a bonafide roar exploded out of the phone¡¯s speakers. Two squeaks came in reply to the outpouring of noise¡ªone squeak from Redi herself, and another from her stool as she pushed herself back.

    Loud voices began to talk indistinguishably, and Sam heard Redi laugh. The noise from the other booth quieted down as she adjusted her call¡¯s volume.

    ¡°Hi, Mama Bear,¡± Redi continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be here. Ursaring¡¯s doing well. Do you think you can get Da¡ª¡±

    Another roar, one much quieter, came out in response to her saying Ursaring¡¯s evolved name.

    From there, Redi¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t as distinct, but Sam could hear the eagerness to her tone. Her words came out quick and light. After spending so much time building up this call in her head, she¡¯d been visibly nervous. But now that she had begun to talk to her family, he could tell she was already feeling a lot better.

    Sam smiled and adjusted how he held Quilava in his arms. He knew his friend would be all right.

    On his end, it took a few minutes for the call to go through. Eventually, the video phone¡¯s screen flashed to display a pair of prominent, gemstone eyes and a grin so filled with teeth that even a Carvanha would have been scared.

    ¡°Hello, Sableye,¡± Sam said, holding back a laugh.

    Sableye pulled away from the camera and grumbled. The gremlin Pok¨¦mon clicked his tongue, disappointed, then hopped to the side of the phone booth¡¯s table to sit with his legs dangling off the edge.

    Sam¡¯s mother became visible as Sableye moved away. Her smile was infectious, and she held a hand to her side, resting it on Delcatty¡¯s head.

    ¡°Samuel!¡± his mother said.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Sam greeted, already finding himself relaxed.

    Quilava mewed out a greeting, and Delcatty briefly put her paws on the counter to greet them in return. Sam¡¯s Ghost Types were in his shadow¡ªor at least they were supposed to be. He saw his mom chuckle as her eyes flicked to a spot behind him on the screen. He wasn¡¯t sure who was out or what they were doing, but he purposefully pretended they weren¡¯t there to let them keep up their game.

    ¡°How are you? Last time you called me, you¡¯d just won the Violet City tournament!¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I hope everything has still been going well for you, hm?¡±

    ¡°Ah, uh, well....¡±

    He scratched his cheek awkwardly. His mother narrowed her eyes.

    Just to get through it, Sam rushed through a description of his time in Violet City and everything that happened after. He wasn¡¯t sure how much he was allowed to reveal, so he focused on his Gym Battle and his training with ¡°a¡± Dusclops. He also made sure to thank his mom for all the advice she gave him for traveling off-route.

    But for Petrel...

    ¡°Just some lame criminal,¡± Sam said hurriedly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t a big deal. We fought him off. Something about Porygon, I guess?¡±

    His mother crossed her arms.

    ¡°How awful,¡± she said flatly.

    She stayed silent to try to urge him to continue. Recognizing that, he spoke up quickly, not comfortable with the silence.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not what I wanted to call you about!¡± he said as soon as he could. ¡°The League stepped in to take care of that guy, so he¡¯s in jail, but... I kind of need your help? About something else, I mean!¡±

    She blinked at him, and Sam cleared his throat.

    ¡°I got offered a sponsorship.¡±

    ¡°Oh, congratulations! Who is it? And what¡¯s it about?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t have specific details; they were yet to receive the explicit offer from Mr. Pok¨¦mon given they hadn¡¯t contacted him. They¡¯d been in Blackthorn for less than twenty-four hours at this point. He didn¡¯t know they were available to receive the proposed contract.

    ¡°It¡¯s from Mr. Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said. ¡°He¡¯s offering us weekly funds. And then he¡¯d give us held items based on requests as long as those items are needed to evolve our Pok¨¦mon. There was also the implication that he might use his connections to help us, too. The offer involved all of that in exchange for... making-unknown-evolutions-public.¡±

    He breathed out after rushing through those final words.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, yeah?¡± Sam asked nervously.

    He turned away from the screen, and Quilava squeaked something to admonish him. He waited a moment before peeking back, seeing his mother¡¯s only reaction of looking thoughtful and rubbing her chin.

    ¡°Hm. Depending on how many items you can get out of this deal, this might be more valuable than you think,¡± she said. ¡°If he¡¯s lenient with your requests, you can skip past the trouble that comes from both finding and actually obtaining evolutionary items. As for getting money, even a small amount of weekly funds can be extraordinarily valuable. Getting your ¡®bills¡¯ paid for free means everything else you earn turns into pure income.¡±

    Sam cautiously nodded along. His mother closed her eyes.

    ¡°But... You have to make unknown evolutions public?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam scratched Quilava¡¯s head. ¡°Mr. Pok¨¦mon wants to spread information about new Pok¨¦mon to motivate people, and he knows Redi and I are trying to achieve unknown evolutions¡ªwhich is why we approached him for help in the first place. I wouldn¡¯t have to give up everything in the New Pok¨¦dex, just the stuff I have related to my team. But while I want all the stuff he¡¯d give in return, it¡¯s...¡±

    He took a deep breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s still information from the New Pok¨¦dex,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Redi¡¯s stuff is an exception, but I just don¡¯t like the idea of giving up something that came from... yeah.¡±

    His mother was quiet, and she watched from her side of the screen as Sam fidgeted in his seat. She didn¡¯t look disapproving, but that was mostly because of how deep in thought she was.

    Sam couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking. She had a great, neutral, ¡°business¡± face. She might not have spent the money to install a phone in her shop, but that had given her the excuse to make almost all of her deals in person.

    And he knew she excelled at making tough deals.

    ¡°If you¡¯re wary about giving away information from the New Pok¨¦dex, I can give you good news¡ªI don¡¯t think this offer is worth taking in the first place.¡±

    Sam blinked at her.

    ¡°Wait, why?¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°This offer was only about a thousand every two weeks?¡± Sam nodded. ¡°And he didn¡¯t offer to stable your extra Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Just free rare items,¡± Sam added.

    ¡°Yup,¡± she said, closing her eyes again. ¡°But you have to share your team¡¯s evolution methods, and those free rare items are required to be for evolution. But that¡¯s not needed for your team. Yes, Misdreavus needs a single, easily acquirable evolution stone, but other than that, he wouldn¡¯t be required to give you anything else. You simply don¡¯t get enough out of this¡ªand this offer isn¡¯t one based on your potential. You¡¯d be selling yourself for too little, Sam.¡±

    He watched her adjust how she was sitting on her seat. His mom straightened her back and held her head up high. The look on her face told him everything.

    She had gone straight from ¡°business mode¡± right into ¡°lecture mode.¡±

    ¡°When considering a deal, you can¡¯t just consider what you stand to gain,¡± she said, holding up a finger. ¡°An important part of these decisions is to consider what you stand to lose, as in, what¡¯s the opportunity cost of accepting this deal? I¡¯ll quickly note that I do think you should share your teams¡¯ evolution methods eventually, but you should do so in a way that¡¯s comfortable to you rather than anything forced through a deal.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said as he cautiously followed along.

    ¡°But what I¡¯m trying to say about this sponsorship...¡± His mother hummed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s simply not worth it. You¡¯d lose out on too much if you decided to take it.

    ¡°Many sponsors seek to be the sole sponsor of a trainer,¡± she continued. ¡°It¡¯s a simple cost-benefit ratio. Unless the trainer is exceedingly famous, why bother sponsoring someone when their limited time would need to be shared with someone else?

    ¡°While there are those that salivate over the idea of influencing a Professor-sponsored trainer or the like, you don¡¯t have that immediate quality, and you haven¡¯t had the chance to show off a fully trained team, either. The best offers are given to the best trainers, and you don¡¯t count for that¡ªyet. Yes, Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s offer might be beneficial right now, but you¡¯ll want to attract better deals if you want to make a profession out of this. He¡¯s giving you pocket change when you could be taking his whole wallet from him once you show off what your team is really capable of.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    She chuckled, and Delcatty hopped up once she reached that pause in her speech. The big cat didn¡¯t exactly fit in her lap, but his mother helped her into a comfortable position.

    And, as she ran her hand down Delcatty¡¯s back, she made sure to reach out to pat Sableye on his head, too. The smaller Pok¨¦mon pulled back, but it felt to Sam that it was less that Sableye was recoiling from the touch and more like the Pok¨¦mon was embarrassed at the show of affection.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is...¡± His mother shook her head. ¡°Sam. You¡¯re amazing, and I¡¯m not just saying that because I¡¯m your mother. You¡¯ve placed first in a mid-level tournament, but there are dozens of mid-level tournament winners within a region every season. You haven¡¯t had to prove your team within a Conference, and accepting Mr. Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sponsorship will only benefit you in the short term. For the long term, it¡¯s better to put off accepting anything until later.¡±

    ¡°What about Redi?¡± Sam interrupted.

    ¡°How hard will it be for her to evolve the members of her team?¡±

    Sam winced as he thought of both Ursaring and Porygon.

    ¡°Then she would get a much larger benefit out of this deal than you would,¡± his mother said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she accepts, but I still don¡¯t think you should.¡±

    Sam looked away, feeling better, yet it still felt awful to pass up so much ¡°free¡± cash on the table.

    ¡°But getting some of that money¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need it. How often have you been unable to afford what you need?¡±

    ¡°Almost never,¡± Sam grumbled. For income, his team was strong enough that he could easily fight other trainers and earn money through bets. Otherwise, taking on jobs posted in Pok¨¦mon Center was easy enough. It helped that the only big eater on his team was Primeape, and even then, Primeape was a somewhat small Pok¨¦mon in the grand scheme of things.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± his mother said. ¡°You¡¯re a competent trainer, so don¡¯t sell yourself too soon for too little. And when it comes to Dad¡¯s book, well, it¡¯s yours. Trust me when I say he¡¯d want you to have it. Whatever you decide to do with it is your decision. Even if you choose to sell it to the highest bidder, I know he¡¯d be proud of what you¡¯ve accomplished so far.¡±

    Sam felt a bittersweet smile cross his face. He chuckled, wiping his eyes, and his mother looked around at her immediate surroundings before leaning closer to her computer with a hand cupped around her mouth.

    ¡°Besides, if you do sell it, just don¡¯t mention I made a copy.¡±

    He burst into laughter. She leaned back, satisfied.

    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± he said.

    ¡°Anything for you,¡± she said, chuckling. ¡°I love you, Sam.¡±

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    He could still hear the sound of Redi¡¯s voice in the booth next to him, and with how animatedly she spoke, he could tell she was weaving tales about their journey so far. The booth¡¯s plastic doors behind her were open, but she had released Ursaring while Sam had been distracted, and the bear¡¯s massive body served as a blocker to prevent much more sound from getting out.

    ¡°Is there anything else I can help you with?¡± his mother asked.

    He considered the question. Redi was likely going to talk for a while longer, and they did have another, immediate problem they needed to handle.

    ¡°Actually, yeah,¡± Sam said slowly, turning back to the screen. ¡°We challenged Clair to a double battle, and now there¡¯s this Pok¨¦mon Redi¡¯s trying to get...¡±

    <hr>

    At the end of their calls, Sam and Redi stood up and faced each other just outside of their booths. They took a moment to size one another up before taking a deep breath and blurting out their decisions.

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking the deal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking the deal.¡±

    Sam and Redi both blinked.

    ¡°You go first,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I talked to my family. They weren''t angry. They were happy I called. Relieved, actually. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have waited for so long? Mama Bear¡ªUrsaring¡¯s mom¡ªwas annoyed I hadn''t been sending more details through my aunt. She wanted me to give her more stories so she could brag to all the other Pok¨¦mon about her son.¡±

    Sam laughed.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Redi said, grinning. ¡°I don''t know why I was so worried. They¡¯re my family. They love me. They were just happy that I was okay. But for the sponsorship...¡±

    She tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°You aren''t taking it?¡±

    ¡°The money and items are nice, but I can get more if I wait,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°But I need the items he can provide, so I¡¯m probably going to take it,¡± Redi replied, nodding her head. ¡°But I also talked about it with my parents, and no matter what he sends to us, I won¡¯t be signing it as is. It doesn¡¯t matter how much money he offers; I¡¯m going to ask for more¡ªnegotiation, y¡¯know? With everything I want to do with my team, even a thousand every two weeks won¡¯t be enough, especially when you consider the Pok¨¦mon I¡¯m going to catch.¡±

    There was a shine behind her eyes. Redi was already planning ahead, eager for the future. Sam glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening in before walking with Redi deeper back, just in case.

    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t have that same need, so it doesn¡¯t make sense for me to take that offer,¡± Sam said slowly. ¡°But I talked to my mom about something else¡ªDragonair. How to tackle getting you Dragonair, I mean.¡±

    Redi froze.

    ¡°And she... and she gave me some advice,¡± he sighed. ¡°She said we need to talk to Clair. Dragonair is her Pok¨¦mon. We can¡¯t just steal her away. But Clair is also a Gym Leader, and she has a responsibility to new trainers. My mom made it pretty clear that if we want to get you Dragonair, opening a line of communication is our number one priority.¡±

    Redi opened her mouth then closed it. She visibly struggled to find her words.

    ¡°But... you were the one to talk about how I need to be clever about things,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to work on strategy. Isn¡¯t this something we need to be smart about?¡±

    ¡°I... Ugh. Yeah.¡± He rubbed his head. ¡°I wanted to go around town and eavesdrop on conversations, and I do think we could find something in the library. But, my mom made a good point. Dragonair might like you, but we can¡¯t exactly take her from the Dragon Type Gym Leader without talking, first.¡±

    Redi stared at Sam for several seconds before crossing her arms in a huff.

    ¡°My parents said the same thing,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I wanted to pretend I didn¡¯t hear it, but I guess we really have to do this. I just was hoping we wouldn¡¯t need to talk to her.¡±

    Clair and Redi might not have started off on the right foot, but judging Clair on her first impression wasn¡¯t the right thing to do. In a way, he¡¯d already made that mistake with how he treated Misdreavus in Ilex forest. Sam never wanted to do the same thing again.

    He couldn¡¯t ignore how Clair approached them to take responsibility for what happened with Dragonite. And then she had not only been open about the fates of those Dratini¡ªsomething few others would share so easily¡ªbut she had also willingly agreed to that double-battle challenge when she didn¡¯t need to.

    Clair might have been a proud Dragon Type trainer, but she was also a Gym Leader. It was part of her job to search for the best future for her Gym¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. If Dragonair had formed an emotional bond with Redi, outright denying a hand-over would be genuinely unreasonable for Clair to do.

    It was just that talking to her felt so... risky. Indigo¡¯s Dragon Types were extremely rare and extremely powerful. The idea that a member of the Blackthorn Clan would willingly hand one over to someone outside the clan didn¡¯t sound like something that would ever come true.

    But both Mom and Redi¡¯s family came to the same conclusion. We have to talk to Clair. Dragonair is her Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam and Redi quickly discussed how, exactly, they¡¯d pursue this idea, and they decided to sleep on it through the night.

    The next morning, once everyone had eaten and once Haunter finished merrily dissecting an Oran Berry, Redi made it clear she didn¡¯t want to wait.

    They left the Pok¨¦mon Center to head to the Gym. It didn¡¯t take long to reach the building.

    Blackthorn¡¯s Gym was located just north of the city. A path out of town led to it, with its building being situated at the edge of a large, crater lake. An enormous, rocky bowl had been blasted into the surrounding mountains to create an idyllic valley. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if this place had been created by something like a meteor or an insanely powerful Dragon Type, but it definitely wasn¡¯t something naturally formed over time.

    Mount Silver isn¡¯t too far to the northwest. The wild Pok¨¦mon there are some of the toughest in the region.

    The Gym building itself was pretty generic, but it carried many of those same, dragon-inspired carvings that Sam had seen around town. Opening up a carved, wooden door, they entered a rather undecorated lobby. A single banner hung on the wall that displayed a symbol representing the Dragon Type. A door behind a front counter connected to the building¡¯s interior. There were a few foldable chairs set up for people to wait, but there were no other living beings within this small, front room other than Sam, Redi, and all the Ghost Types in Sam¡¯s shadow.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Redi yelled.

    A few seconds passed.

    ¡°...Is this place even open?¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°One moment!¡± a voice soon echoed out from the back.

    Shortly after, a trainer stepped out of the sole other door here. He didn¡¯t exactly fit the image of a Dragon Type tamer, wearing a flannel shirt half-covered by overalls with a thin layer of dust on his head and shoulders.

    ¡°Sorry about that. This place is undergoing a few renovations,¡± he said, taking up a spot behind the front counter. ¡°Here to challenge the Gym?¡±

    Redi cleared her throat.

    ¡°We¡¯re here for Clair.¡±

    ¡°We need to talk to her,¡± Sam clarified.

    The man looked them up and down, mouth twitching into a frown. Keeping his eyes on them, he leaned to the side to open a drawer and pull out a clipboard containing a written schedule.

    He skimmed through.

    ¡°Clair isn¡¯t expecting anyone today, but if you want to meet her in battle¡ª¡±

    ¡°Again, we just want to talk,¡± Sam said. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell her that we¡¯re the ones with the double battle? Sam and Redi?¡±

    The frown deepened, and the Gym Trainer glanced at the schedule in his hands. He put it back in the drawer before returning to that same door.

    ¡°Excuse me for a second,¡± he said.

    Redi crossed her arms as he left the room.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t look that dragon-y to me,¡± she sniffed. ¡°You sure we have the right place?¡±

    Sam shrugged.

    Maybe they put their pride in their Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength rather than anything material?

    They waited in the Gym¡¯s lobby, but that Gym Trainer never came back out, not even after a full ten minutes. Sam found his way into one of the seats, but Redi paced, frequently letting out annoyed huffs as if the sound would make a difference.

    With how long the man¡¯s ¡°second¡± was taking, Sam was thankful Primeape was still in his Pok¨¦ball. Given how long they were being forced to wait, the monkey Pok¨¦mon would have lost his mind by now.

    So ten minutes passed by without interruption.

    Redi called out to ask for the guy to return, but she received no response.

    Those ten minutes stretched into fifteen.

    Redi shouted again to try to get him to come back.

    And then fifteen turned into twenty.

    Eventually, Redi¡¯s knuckles turned white at her side. Sam could practically see steam coming off her head.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the melodic cry that suddenly came from outside, Sam was sure she would have burst through the back door into the Gym itself.

    Instead, she practically raced out the front door to see what made that noise. Sam had to jump out of his seat to keep up, and he stumbled to a stop next to Redi as a blue shadow passed over them in the sky.

    Before either of them could react, Redi disappeared from Sam¡¯s side, yanked away with nothing more than a yelp. Except, she didn¡¯t cry out in panic or rage. Redi started to laugh, instead.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you¡¯d see me so soon, did you?¡± she said, rubbing the face of the Pok¨¦mon pressed into her. ¡°It¡¯s only been a day! But I¡¯m happy to see you too, Dragonair.¡±

    The blue Dragon Type coiled around her, happily rubbing its face into hers. She hugged it back, smiling, but Sam was unable to pay attention to her for long.

    As another shadow grew above them, he craned his neck up to take in the second Dragonair that was now floating above their heads.

    Clair¡¯s expression was confused yet imperious; it was an unreadable mix of hope, pride, and utter bewilderment. Her starter Pok¨¦mon, however, looked unimpressed. They both hung in the air as Redi and her Dragonair spent a full minute greeting each other before either realized the Gym Leader was there.

    Dragonair looked up, blinked, and then pulled away just as fast as it had first slammed into Redi. It hung its head low as it realized its horrible, horrible mistake.

    ¡°I see,¡± Clair said.

    Redi scrambled to her feet.

    The larger, older Dragonair brought itself close to the ground, giving Clair a safe height to jump off its back and land in front of the both of them. The Gym Leader crossed her arms as she looked them over.

    ¡°I suppose you aren¡¯t here to challenge me to that double-battle, hm?¡±

    Why does she sound so genuinely disappointed?

    Hurrying, Redi moved over to return to Sam¡¯s side, forcing herself to stand up straight and meet Clair¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I.. I have a request. A... A demand!¡± Redi shouted.

    Clair¡¯s eyes flicked her way.

    ¡°D-Dragonair!¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to train her!¡±

    The Dragonair in the sky sniffed dismissively and tilted its chin up at Redi. Redi seemed to make a point of ignoring that, choosing to deal with Clair and only Clair right now.

    But that smaller Dragonair on the ground? It snapped its head up to look at Redi in shock, and its downcast expression quickly melted to give way to wide eyes and an open mouth.

    ¡°I see,¡± Clair said for the second time.

    Again, Sam forced himself to not react to the audible sound of disappointment in the Gym Leader¡¯s voice.

    ¡°If you want to convince a Dragon Type to do something, it¡¯s good you understand you need to look them in the eye, and I respect your attempts to show no sign of weakness,¡± Clair said, crossing her arms. ¡°However, if you plan to deal with a Dragon Type, you need to understand that you must be at least an equal to make a demand.¡±

    The Gym Leader took a step forward. She towered over Sam and Redi.

    ¡°So, I have to ask, are you claiming to be an equal to me?¡±

    Redi stiffened, but she refused to flinch. Defiantly, she never once looked away from Clair¡¯s gaze, which seemed to award her some sort of approval.

    ¡°When Pok¨¦mon are rescued, they¡¯re rarely given to their rescuers,¡± Clair began to explain after several tense seconds. ¡°It¡¯s an issue of attachment. After being mistreated for so long, it¡¯s easy for them to latch onto the kindness of the first trainer they meet regardless of whether they¡¯re a good match. It¡¯s rare for that kind of partnership to lead to a healthy Pok¨¦mon-trainer relationship.¡±

    ¡°But Dragonair¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dragonair was rescued by you,¡± Clair interrupted. ¡°You were the one to show up before she was released, so of course she¡¯d idolize you. She¡¯s thrown herself into training, dedicating herself so that such a thing will never be repeated, but yet...¡±

    Clair eyed Redi, bringing up a hand to rest her head on a closed fist.

    ¡°But yet you¡¯re here for her. And you aren¡¯t exactly a trainer to take her trust for granted. Even after all this time, all of her work, she still went out of her way to hunt you down, and then you respond to that by showing up here, responding by claiming her for yourself,¡± Clair said. ¡°I suppose this explains where she disappeared to yesterday, but what makes you think you¡¯re worthy of training my Dragon Type?¡±

    And to that, Redi let out an audible snarl.

    ¡°Worthy of training her? Your Dragon Type? Dragonair can do what she wants!¡± she growled. ¡°Pok¨¦mon are Pok¨¦mon. Just because they¡¯re one Type or another doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re automatically more ¡®special¡¯ than everyone else. No, Dragonair is special because of who she is, not what she is, and she deserves someone who cares about her, not just the rarity of her species. She needs someone that¡¯ll train her because they want to, not someone who¡¯s training her because of some dumb clan¡¯s orders!¡±

    Clair frowned.

    ¡°You might be the Dragon Type Gym Leader, but as far as I¡¯m concerned, Dragonair is already my friend. I just haven¡¯t had the chance to tell her that yet,¡± Redi said.

    Finally, she turned away from Clair, an act utterly dismissive of the rank of the League official standing before her. She looked Dragonair in the eyes, sending forth an absolute promise.

    Redi would train Dragonair.

    Tears welling up. Dragonair looked like she was about to cry. Her body tensed for a lunge toward Redi, but a flick of the tail from Clair¡¯s Dragon Type saw a gale of wind that sent her flopping back.

    ¡°I... see,¡± Clair said yet again. ¡°And you expect me to ignore that insult you¡¯ve just given me, too.¡±

    Redi suddenly stiffened. Sam resisted running a hand down his face.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Redi said.

    Sam didn¡¯t hold back his smack.

    After several long, infinitely-stretching seconds, Clair let out a snort and walked toward the Gym¡¯s entrance. She said only two words.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Redi blinked.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Clair rested her hand on the front door¡¯s handle and stopped, staring ahead at the finely carved wood.

    ¡°When we first met, you talked about wanting to prove yourselves, but that was just for your Gym Badge. I can respect that level of determination, even if you two don¡¯t...¡±

    Her hand gripped the handle.

    ¡°But,¡± Clair continued, ¡°this isn¡¯t the same. You¡¯re talking about raising a Dragon Type, and as Blackthorn¡¯s chosen Gym Leader, partnering Pok¨¦mon with the right trainer is part of my duty. You¡¯re right that Dragonair is a Pok¨¦mon. She¡¯s not inherently special due to her Type. Valuing that and that alone is not how trainers should act.¡±

    She turned around.

    ¡°But Type still informs a trainer how Pok¨¦mon behave. Specialists exist for a reason. Learning how to train a specific Type makes it easier to understand the quirks of a species as a whole rather than the traits of a specific individual.

    ¡°In the case of Dragonair, she respects you, but only right now. All Dragon Types and Dragon-like species instinctually respect strength. What do you plan to do if you aren¡¯t able to keep up with her expectations? What do you do when you fail to meet her goals? Do you really think she¡¯d carry the same respect for you then?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Redi replied. ¡°I¡¯m all about strength. Letting her down isn¡¯t possible.¡±

    Clair made eye contact with Redi, taking in her determined expression before turning back around, hiding whatever look she was making on her face.

    ¡°Not every trainer is capable of training such a difficult Pok¨¦mon, and not every member of the Blackthorn Clan is suitable no matter how much the Clan tries to push that message,¡± Clair said quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t give you my approval, but I can¡¯t outright deny you, either. As the Blackthorn City Gym Leader, instead, I can offer you a chance.¡±

    Sam and Redi raced after Clair as she stepped inside the Gym, and she rubbed the bands on her wrists to bring out a pair of Pok¨¦balls. Both Dragonair were returned. Clair spoke up as they disappeared.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Gym might not operate Gym Trials for challengers, but the Blackthorn Clan itself organizes regular, ¡®public¡¯ Dragon Type Trials set at the Dragon¡¯s Den,¡± Clair said. ¡°If you want Dragonair to join your team, you have only a single way forward. Take part in those trials and prove yourself worthy of adding her to your team. Do you think you can do that?¡±

    ¡°We can,¡± Redi said.

    Clair nodded once.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    And the door to the Blackthorn Gym closed behind them.

 Chapter 88

    Redi sent frequent, subtle glances to the bands around Clair''s wrists, and Sam never once missed one of her looks. Dragonair¡®s Pok¨¦ball was inside one of them, and Redi desperately wanted to claim that ball for herself.

    But she couldn¡¯t right now. They needed to follow Clair and hear the explanation for the ¡°Dragon Type Trials,¡± first.

    ¡°In here.¡± Clair said.

    A gloved hand pushed open a featureless door, and Sam and Redi stepped in as Clair marched inside.

    It was a messy office.

    Boxes and stacks of papers littered the floor, filing cabinets lined the walls, and a thick, oak desk had been placed at the back with a blocky computer sitting on top.

    Clair strode to that desk, sitting behind it and pressing a button that started the noisy boot process to turn the computer on. As fans whirred to life, Sam and Redi hurried to Clair¡¯s sides to watch the computer¡¯s screen.

    The next minute was awkward, as the computer wasn¡¯t fast by any means. It took a painful period of silence between them for the computer to become functional enough to let Clair navigate to the website she wanted to show off.

    ¡°The League¡¯s archives contain interviews alongside its Pok¨¦mon battles. There¡¯s a short conversation I want you two to see before you make any decisions,¡± Clair said. ¡°As you watch, pay attention to what he says.¡±

    He?

    Sam kept his suspicions quiet as Clair maneuvered through the League¡¯s online archives. The site lacked any special decorations, only containing a series of text-based links divided by name, date, and region.

    Clair clicked on one folder labeled ¡°Champion Lance.¡±

    ¡°This interview is from a few years ago,¡± Clair said, scrolling down and selecting a specific video link. ¡°Back then, Lance was still adjusting to his role as Champion. The behavior expected of one is different from that of a member of Indigo¡¯s Elite Four. He hadn¡¯t fully adapted yet.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why does that¡ª¡±

    Redi quickly went quiet as Clair finished clicking through the progress bar to start the video roughly two-thirds of the way through.

    ...

    ¡°...took him thirty minutes to calm down!¡± a young-looking Lance said with a smile.

    He chuckled, and the interviewer burst into laughter. The newly ordained Champion leaned back in his chair, calmly lacing his fingers together to enter a relaxed posture.

    ¡°How funny! It isn¡¯t often we get such a look into an Elite¡¯s past like that,¡± the interviewer, a pudgy man, said. ¡°But our viewers are dying to know, how did you get your starter Pok¨¦mon? A Dragonite is extremely rare. I can¡¯t imagine training such a strong Pok¨¦mon like that since the start!¡±

    Lance casually shook his head. The red of his hair almost seemed to be brighter back then compared to now. The smile on his face didn¡¯t match his usual, serious expression or the almost imperial demeanor he usually displayed.

    Instead, in response to the interviewer¡¯s question, Lance¡¯s expression turned to one of fond remembrance. A moment of silence was spent in recollection as Lance visibly experienced happier memories of the past.

    ¡°Dragonite was... my starter, yes,¡± Lance said. ¡°I imagine that most would expect a wild story of me climbing a mountain or going through some extremely dangerous trial to partner with him, but the truth is, it was nothing as dangerous as that. As a Dratini, he was simply... Well, he was simply my friend. I grew up in Blackthorn City, and the Blackthorn Clan protects and possesses quite the number of Dragon Type nests. They actively seek to pair trainers with the young Pok¨¦mon within.¡±

    Lance smoothed the edge of his cloak, and the interviewer leaned in. He seemed to miss the flash of obvious greed in the interviewer¡¯s eyes.

    It wasn¡¯t every day someone talked about rare Dragon Types being handed out for ¡°free.¡±

    ¡°Truly? Your clan provided you with a Dratini? Just like that?¡± the man asked, the corners of his mustache twitching into a smile.

    ¡°It was much more complicated than just a simple handover. I met Dratini by accident while exploring, and we became fast friends. For the clan to approve our partnership...¡± He laughed again. ¡°It was more like we forced the elders¡¯ hands.¡±

    There was a brief pause, as if Lance was debating something.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of their Dragon Type Trials?¡± Lance asked.

    ¡°...I can¡¯t say I have,¡± the interviewer said.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan holds them every so often, with the purpose of finding new trainers to support. To begin my journey alongside Dratini, I had to prove myself to the elders of the clan,¡± Lance said. ¡°They, of course, weren¡¯t happy, so even though they failed me, I constantly threw myself at the trials. They¡¯re arbitrary. Inconsistent. But as rigid and unbending my clan¡¯s elders are, they still care about Pok¨¦mon. They eventually relented, and Dratini and I were able to head out together.¡±

    Lance shook his head.

    ¡°I was one of the lucky ones. It took me five attempts for me to acquire that ¡®aid¡¯ from my clan.¡±

    ...

    Clair stopped the video there, pausing it before the interviewer could provide a response.

    ¡°That¡¯s the most anyone has ever publicly shared about the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s trials,¡± she said. ¡°Lance¡¯s disagreements with the clan elders definitely colored his statements on it, but his description is still accurate.

    ¡°The Trials are biased. Progress is made through whim more than strength. Yet, if you prove yourself worthy, if you¡¯re determined enough, they will have to accept your potential. That¡¯s your way forward.¡±

    Redi was frowning, and she hadn¡¯t looked away from the computer just yet. Even with how many looks she had been sending to Clair¡¯s wrists, her eyes were locked to the Champion¡¯s image on the screen.

    ¡°How come I haven¡¯t heard of these before?¡± she whispered.

    Clair frowned, pulling her head to the side to stretch.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan doesn¡¯t want their trials to be public knowledge,¡± she said. ¡°They used their influence to make sure this interview was never aired more than once.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Sam stood up and straightened his back as he pulled away from the computer. There wasn¡¯t much room to stand with how close the desk was to the room¡¯s wall.

    ¡°I need you to understand that training a Dragon Type is a difficult thing,¡± Clair said. ¡°More often than not, they only react positively if you have their respect. The actual steps and techniques to train Dragon Type moves and prove your worthiness are secrets that belong to the clan. The Dragon Type Trials were originally meant to be a private event that passed that knowledge onto the next generation, but...¡±

    ¡°The League didn¡¯t want that,¡± Sam concluded, filling in the statement as Clair let her words drift off. ¡°I¡¯ve caught a news report or two. They passed rules saying those Trials couldn¡¯t be exclusive anymore, didn¡¯t they?¡±

    She nodded her head.

    ¡°It was controversial for many reasons, but more than anything else, Dragon Tamers respect strength. The law might have been purposefully designed to take power away from clans, but no one in Blackthorn desired to go against Champion Oak.¡±

    She leaned back in her chair, taking on a posture not unlike Lance¡¯s in the video. Sam would have thought Clair was actually relaxed, but this seemed more like a motion she underwent to keep herself calm.

    ¡°Since the Trials are now public, anyone who shows up has the potential to join,¡± she said. ¡°However, the Blackthorn Clan still has the right to determine how far competitors can go, and they also have the right to determine when and where the Trials take place.

    ¡°Now that the Trials can no longer be limited to Blackthorn Clan members, their purpose has been changed to be about networking more than anything else. Promising trainers are invited via informing them about the next Trial¡¯s date, and if those trainers do well, they¡¯ll receive the clan¡¯s support.¡±

    ¡°Like a sponsorship,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°More like quid-pro-quo,¡± Clair corrected. ¡°The clan provides resources to promising trainers in the hope that when those trainers take on positions of importance in the League, they¡¯ll be more open to supporting the clan¡¯s wishes in the future.¡±

    Sam tried to act casual by resting an arm against a filing cabinet. He almost pushed it over, but he caught it before it fell.

    ¡°Is that why the Blackthorn Clan still has so much influence?¡± Sam asked. ¡°These trials help keep the people in power on their side?¡±

    ¡°Part of the reason,¡± Clair answered.

    She didn¡¯t explain more than that.

    Obviously deep in thought, Redi frowned, and she finally looked away from the frozen screen.

    ¡°So when you¡¯re talking about support, you mean they give out Pok¨¦mon. Like what they did with Lance and his Dragonite¡ªDratini, I mean?¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°Kind of,¡± Clair answered. ¡°Pok¨¦mon are only handed out in extreme circumstances, which is why this is going to be difficult for you. The Trials nowadays mostly reward training techniques, hard-to-find information, TMs for rare moves, and even pieces of deceased Dragon Types to promote certain forms of evolution. Just keep in mind that it varies from trainer to trainer, and how much you receive is based on how impressed the clan is with you.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Both Sam and Redi went quiet for a while.

    ¡°Rare information,¡± Sam repeated after a bit. ¡°Like historical records?¡±

    ¡°I suppose?¡± Clair said.

    ¡°How do we compete?¡± Sam asked, leaning in.

    ¡°The Trial ¡®publicly¡¯ takes place at the Dragon¡¯s Den, but as I said, the exact time varies to prevent the participation of unwanted trainers. Except, anyone who shows up is allowed to take part, and the League¡¯s rules mandate that the clan can¡¯t immediately disqualify them. For you two, I can ¡®invite¡¯ you by telling you when the next one takes place, but given the level of preparation involved and how much you¡¯d need to show off, your best option is to wait three weeks¡ª¡±

    ¡°Three weeks?!¡±

    Clair jerked as if she wanted to snap at Redi for interrupting her, but she bit her tongue to stop that immediate, annoyed reaction. Instead, the Gym Leader closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    Sam could tell this kind of situation didn¡¯t happen to her that often.

    ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re ready?¡± Clair asked carefully.

    That question was met with a scoff.

    ¡°Of course we¡¯re ready. That¡¯s my name,¡± Redi said. ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me because I don¡¯t have many Gym Badges, but that¡¯s just because I¡¯m super careful! My Pok¨¦mon are strong, so why couldn¡¯t we take it on?¡±

    Clair glanced at Sam for confirmation, and he nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Lance said it took him several attempts to get his Dratini, so it shouldn¡¯t matter if we fail. Even if we don¡¯t succeed on our first attempt, we¡¯d be able to try again later, right?¡±

    After looking between Sam and Redi for the final time, Clair sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She seemed like she didn¡¯t want to accept this, but she did at least acquiesce.

    ¡°Fine. I think it¡¯s too soon, but you¡¯re right that you can try again,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s one in two nights. Just... know that you won¡¯t get through it. Don¡¯t complain to me when you lose.¡±

    <hr>

    With how packed the previous day had been, they didn¡¯t outright train so much as they practiced and took time to rest. Redi used this time to send a message to Mr. Pok¨¦mon and request a copy of the sponsorship contract. He replied with the exact terms, and she passed them along to her family.

    Negotiation would take a while, but from what Sam knew about Redi, he doubted the entire process would take longer than a week.

    Needing to wait, Sam spent the next two days practicing with his team, exploring the city, and trying to find out what he could about the Blackthorn Clan¡ªnot much. His efforts were curtailed by the clan¡¯s secretive nature as well as the perfect distraction he had in his possession.

    The vast, vast majority of his time was spent reading. He poured over the notes contained within that old journal he¡¯d purchased. The information within didn¡¯t have an explicit through-line or even that much organization in general. Rather, they simply contained everything the author could obtain when it came to Hisui¡¯s culture and lore.

    It contained folktales and legends. Sketches of environments and descriptions of locations. Species were mentioned too, but none that were explicitly variants. Unfortunately, almost everything in this book had been obtained secondhand. Specifics were sparse, but Sam at least appreciated the overview that it gave him.

    Hisui was a different time, one where technology wasn¡¯t as prevalent. Pok¨¦balls were only just beginning to spread, and even then, they were crafted by hand more often than not. The stories that described the region¡¯s culture were all passed down through word alone, with the clans of the period defined by oral tradition. The Diamond Clan, the Pearl Clan, and all the other, smaller groups all existed back then.

    But between all of the vague descriptions and flat summaries, Sam was at least able to identify a few parables that stood out to him. He took note of them and carefully read them through. Truthfully, most of his time was spent trying to derive any hidden meaning from their words.

    The first story he found warned of the dangers of letting too many hostile spirits group together. The outcome was described as a ¡°great curse,¡± but Sam was pretty confident the story was likely about Spiritomb.

    Another story was aimed more at children, discussing the tale of a fish and a snail and their ongoing relationship. Every time the snail drank from a river, the fish approached to attack the other creature from invading its home. Yet, the snail never retaliated, and the fish only ever hurt itself with its attack. However, in the end, the fish¡¯s struggles somehow saw both of them evolve, and then they parted as friends.

    That¡¯s dumb.

    Sam took that story as one that praised the benefits of friendly rivalries, as it was a proven fact Pok¨¦mon and people grew most in battle. It was trying to convince children that fights weren¡¯t anything to make enemies over. It was better to stay friends than needlessly attack someone for a pointless reason.

    Other than those two tales, there were more stories about things like funeral rites and area guardians called ¡°nobles,¡± but Hisui didn¡¯t exactly have a unified culture back then, as far as Sam could tell. He just wished the journal contained more specifics than the vague summaries it did. No matter how much he read through it, he couldn¡¯t find anything directly helpful to Quilava.

    But it at least gave him a better understanding of the time period. Primarily, Pok¨¦mon were the ones to manage the natural order of things. Humans generally kept to themselves.

    When the time came for the Trial to start, he made sure the journal was tucked away in his pack, right next to the New Pok¨¦dex, then left with Redi. They had a ways to go if they wanted to reach the Trial¡¯s location on time.

    It was set at the Dragon¡¯s Den, which was located on the other side of the Gym¡¯s crater lake. Its entrance was within a small opening of a cave, lit up by a pair of fiery torches that were visible from the opposite shore. Unfortunately, that cave was the Dragon¡¯s Den''s only entrance, and there were no paths around the lake to guide trainers its way.

    To reach the trial grounds, Sam and Redi were forced to hike through the steep, evergreen forest that grew around the lake¡¯s sides, traveling through the dimness of early night. But even with the darkness along the way, Sam didn¡¯t fail to notice how often nearby trees were splintered with large grooves from a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks.

    Given where he and Redi were, Sam had little doubt in his mind about the identity of the species that left those marks.

    Thankfully, they reached the cave¡¯s entrance without seeing or being attacked by any wild Pok¨¦mon. Redi had been impatient to go, and because of that, they made it to the Dragon¡¯s Den earlier than expected. A small path from this side¡¯s beach connected to a flat, dirt area just outside the cave. Three people were already present, with two of them other competitors and the last a Blackthorn Clan elder.

    As they approached, Redi nudged Sam¡¯s arm and tried to subtly point at the two trainers.

    ¡°Look,¡± she whispered. ¡°Both of them are our age.¡±

    The two present competitors were opposites. A boy with messy black hair wore a red jacket covered with an unnecessary amount of spikes, zippers, and chains. He stood with his arms crossed, scowling at the Blackthorn Clan elder. As for the other trainer, she was a girl, and she was overwhelmingly pink.

    Her dress was covered in bows. It puffed out way more than was needed. She had a patient smile on her face that seemed to make a point of ignoring how the boy looked so ready to fight. She simply stood silently and politely whereas the boy visibly glared and clenched his fists.

    As for the Elder himself, he wasn¡¯t wrinkled and old, but he was a stern middle-age with neatly cut, salt-and-pepper hair.

    The man silently watched Sam and Redi approach, his hands hidden within his sleeves. His outfit was uncomfortably close to that of a Sprout Tower Sage, but Sam did his best to not immediately distrust the man. He tried to greet the elder with a slight tilt of his head.

    Surprisingly, that nod was met with a smile and a similar, polite greeting back.

    Uncomfortable, Sam looked away, and the elder returned to staring ahead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a scene. If you need me, I¡¯ll be on that stone,¡± Sam whispered.

    He gestured to a flat boulder set at the edge of the clearing, where it was almost perfectly obscured by the shadows of a tree.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll just be here. Waiting,¡± Redi said.

    She crossed her arms and looked around. Given the reason she was here, Sam couldn¡¯t imagine the amount of stress she was under.

    He sat on the stone, and Redi started to pace. Thankfully, no one really paid attention to him. The boy was too busy glaring at the elder, the girl was too busy staring out over the lake, and the elder himself only sent the occasional, casual glance both Sam and Redi¡¯s way.

    Even with so little attention on him, Sam still made sure to act casual when he pulled out that journal from before.

    ¡°...Hm,¡± Sam mumbled.

    No one was talking. The tension was palpable. There were still several minutes before the Trial was set to begin. So, he opened up his book and flipped through it, moving to the most boring section he could find. The words on its pages were only barely visible thanks to the flickering flames of the torchlight.

    From there, he mumbled. If anyone tried to listen in, all they¡¯d hear was the sound of a flat description of a meadow. Sure, Floaroma Town might have been interesting to some, but the description in the book was so boring and literal that even the most curious would have been turned away.

    Sam¡¯s deception worked.

    The girl in the dress briefly glanced at him but just as quickly turned away. Her eyes twitched for the short second she paid attention to what he was saying, his words only barely audible in the silence of the night. No one else bothered to try to listen in, and Sam became confident that he was speaking without any eavesdroppers.

    His mumbling changed. Instead of reading from the book, he whispered a quiet command to his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t paying attention. You should be able to get close enough to sense what¡¯s in their Pok¨¦balls,¡± he said quietly. ¡°See if you can find out anything about their teams, and then pass what you discover back to me.¡±

    Redi continued to pace, that boy continued to glare, and the girl continued to stare at the water of the lake, all of them unaware of what Sam just said. No one noticed the dark shapes leaving his feet to join the shadows of the woods.

    Tibia and Fibula stayed with Sam and Redi respectively. Haunter was the leader of the group that left¡ªjust as much as he had been tutoring those two Ghost Types in new moves, those two Ghost Types were tutoring him back when it came to sensing the world around him. Sam had no clue what his Pok¨¦mon would discover, but he at least hoped to obtain some insight into why these other trainers were invited, or at least what preparations they had gone through.

    A minute passed. Silence continued. The time to start rapidly approached. The boy in the jacket eventually snarled, never once looking away from the elder¡¯s face.

    ¡°What? Not going to say anything?¡± he growled.

    The Blackthorn Clan elder didn¡¯t even bother to look his way.

    ¡°We have two more we are waiting for. The Trials will begin once everyone has arrived.¡±

    As if to punctuate the middle-aged man¡¯s statement, a dark shadow passed over the camp, only visible thanks to how its body obscured the night sky¡¯s stars. When it touched down in the dirt clearing, the Pidgeot demonstrated such control over the Flying Type that not even the slightest breeze disturbed the ground under its feet.

    From its back, a man in his early twenties wearing a red vest jumped off to land next to it. Sam sucked in a breath when he saw him.

    An Ace Trainer? The Blackthorn Clan invited an Ace Trainer here?

    He was starting to understand why Clair said they weren¡¯t prepared.

    Now within this dirt clearing, the Ace Trainer bowed his head to the Blackthorn Elder, receiving the same respectful greeting back. He placed a hand on his Pidgeot¡¯s side to quietly say thanks before returning the Pok¨¦mon to its ball.

    And then silence.

    Mostly.

    The sound of shuffling fabric came from that one girl¡¯s dress as she twisted back and forth, and Redi¡¯s feet caused the dirt to crunch underneath them as she continued to pace.

    Sam tracked his Ghost Types as they silently moved around the clearing. The torches¡¯ flickering flames helped disguise their presence, but Sam was able to follow how patches of darkness moved from tree to tree.

    He knew that Tibia and Fibula¡¯s sensing rarely returned anything specific, and that Haunter was much worse at detection than them. However, he still hoped Haunter would be able to find something. At least, he¡¯d be able to gauge the strength of everyone else here.

    However, as Sam stopped reading to follow his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s movements, he froze when he saw the Ace Trainer watching him. The man smiled, chuckling to himself, and turned away.

    Sam shoved his head back into his book and returned to reading.

    He pretended not to feel the heat that had rushed to his face.

    The time for the Trials to start came and passed, yet the elder did not announce that they were set to begin. The last person was yet to show up, and it took some time before any sign of them appeared.

    Out on the lake itself, a second dark shape slowly came into view. As it got close, someone shouted from its back.

    ¡°Wait for me! I¡¯m almost there!¡±

    Sam blinked when he realized he recognized the voice, but he couldn¡¯t exactly place it. The torches illuminated the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s silhouette and revealed the shape of a rare Lapras. Once it reached the shore, a girl a few years older than him jumped off its back, thanked it, then returned her Pok¨¦mon and raced up the path to the Dragon¡¯s Den entrance.

    Getting close, she somehow locked eyes with Sam, even though he was sitting in the shadows under a tree.

    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re... that boy!¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± he said. ¡°And you¡¯re... Eliza?¡±

    Eliza smiled at him, looking a lot more confident than the last time they met. She had competed in the Beginner¡¯s Tournament with her Slowpoke, and then she had faced him with her Scyther immediately after Goldenrod¡¯s Gym Trial.

    Eliza jogged over, welcoming the friendly face. She didn¡¯t seem to recognize Redi, however. Redi stopped pacing to watch with a frown.

    ¡°Hey! Are you trying to get TMs, too?¡±

    ¡°TMs?¡± Sam asked.

    Eliza shook her head.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what¡¯s going on. I came to Blackthorn to get a few Dragon Type moves for my team, and then after asking around, a member of the Blackthorn Clan directed me here.¡±

    Sam licked his lips.

    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s... interesting.¡±

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Eliza asked.

    ¡°Support, mostly. But I¡¯m also hoping to get access to the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s historical records, too.¡±

    Redi wanted to prove herself to obtain Dragonair, but Sam also had a feeling that the Clan was old enough to help him with his goal. He wanted either something to help him with Quilava¡¯s evolution or something to help him find more Ghost Types. Given only the Misdreavus and Gastly lines were common to this region, he hoped the Clan knew where other Ghost Types could be found off-route.

    The New Pok¨¦dex didn¡¯t have that information, after all.

    Eliza smiled at him, and she started to talk, but Sam turned his attention to the ground. Haunter didn¡¯t exactly exit a shadow, but he brought a claw out to scratch at the dirt, where he began to draw out shapes.

    Via symbols and arrows, Haunter was able to share what he had found.

    Primarily, he drew pictures that represented specific Types. For that jacketed boy, he drew both a fist and sharpened teeth. The girl in the dress got what looked to be a butterfly. Eliza got both a water droplet and something that resembled a metal beam, but when Haunter tried to draw something for the Ace Trainer, he instead stopped and shivered.

    Couldn¡¯t find out anything about him, but I can¡¯t blame you for that. Ace Trainers are supposed to have some kind of defense from Ghosts, I¡¯m pretty sure.

    But then for everyone else, that boy... The Fighting Type? And Dark Type? Or Dragon Type? That girl is definitely the Fairy Type¡ªugh. And then Eliza... Water and Steel. So then did her Scyther evolve?

    ¡°...And I hope you can find what you¡¯re looking for, too!¡± Eliza finished.

    Sam blinked, realizing she just had an entire conversation with him without him paying attention. He opened his mouth to try to find some way to salvage this, but the Blackthorn Clan elder finally spoke up at that point.

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    Sam looked up.

    The boy in the jacket clenched his fists, grinding his jaw, and the elder¡¯s eyes passed over the crowd.

    ¡°You, you, and you.¡± The Blackthorn Clan elder made eye contact with the Ace Trainer, the girl in the dress, and Sam himself. ¡°You three will be moving on. Follow me.¡±

    He turned around to step toward the entrance of the cave. Sam heard a sigh next to him, and Eliza slumped where she stood.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°What about the rest of us?!¡± Redi called out.

    ¡°Unfortunately, it has been determined that you are not ready to take part in tonight¡¯s trials,¡± the elder said, turning back around. ¡°The Blackthorn Clan appreciates your participation, but you will not be progressing further. You may try again at a later date, if you are invited.¡±

 Chapter 89

    ¡°At a later date? If we¡¯re invited?¡± the boy in the jacket repeated. ¡°Yeah, right. And you want us to respect you. Well how about you do something worthy of our respect instead of just demanding it for no reason at all!¡±

    He spat on the ground and marched into the woods. The Blackthorn Clan elder impassively watched him leave. The middle-aged man¡¯s gaze flicked over the rest of the small crowd before he resumed his walk into the cave.

    Sam felt sick. This wasn¡¯t how this was supposed to go. He had no clue how everything had turned on its head so, so fast.

    Why me and not Redi?

    Redi was the one who had an explicit goal. Redi was the one who needed this Trial to be in her favor. Sam was only here for a casual desire and as a show of support. She was trying to get approval to add Dragonair to her team, but him?

    He only wanted information¡ªinformation he could probably find if he went out and tried hard enough to find it.

    As he stood up from the stone, Eliza yelped when shadows rejoined the one under Sam¡¯s feet. The flames of the torches at the sides of the cave¡¯s entrance flickered as Sam looked around. The Blackthorn Clan elder stood just past the entrance, waiting for the three chosen trainers to join him before moving on.

    But Sam turned toward Redi, instead.

    ¡°Redi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just... go,¡± she said, looking away. Sam was unable to see her face. ¡°Clair was right. If I can¡¯t even recognize why I wasn¡¯t allowed to move on, there¡¯s no way I can do anything for...¡±

    Redi shook her head.

    ¡°Not now, at least,¡± she mumbled.

    She tilted back to stare at the stars of the night sky, and Sam heard the two other trainers begin to approach the awaiting elder. The girl in the puffy dress practically skipped toward the entrance, whereas the Ace Trainer walked with confident and even strides.

    Sam hesitated. He didn¡¯t immediately move. He lifted up a leg to step closer to Redi, but she snapped around, throwing an arm out to her side.

    ¡°Go!¡± she shouted. ¡°I can try again, but don¡¯t lose this chance for yourself!¡±

    It took only a single look at her red eyes for Sam to make up his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find out everything I can. Everything and anything that will make sure you move on next time.¡±

    ¡°...You don¡¯t need to do that,¡± Redi mumbled, facing away once more.

    Sam hurried after everyone else who was already heading in. Jogging, he was only a second behind once they all reached the elder. The middle-aged man nodded once before moving to the front and leading the group further into the cave.

    A dark tunnel sloped down, heading beneath the earth. The occasional torch attached to the wall provided just enough light to see.

    Sam wanted to get upset. He wanted to rage and snap at the elder for not letting Redi continue. But he forced himself to stay quiet.

    What would be the point?

    He was upset. Redi should have been moving on, not him. Yet, acting out here would only be a mistake. Just as much as he wanted to learn what the Blackthorn Clan knew, he also wanted to learn what he could on her behalf.

    So, Sam breathed in and out, centering himself to focus. Annoyance bubbled up inside him, but he pushed that feeling to the side and did his best to ignore it.

    As their smaller group neared the bottom of the tunnel, the first thing Sam noticed was the sound of dripping water. A regular drip, drip, drip from many different stalactites echoed out before Sam ever stepped into the depths of the cave. But pretty soon, he emerged into an underground cavern. A pool of water¡ªa lake smaller than the one on the surface¡ªstretched across the entire space, filled up by the droplets falling from the ceiling. At the back, more torches flickered. Just as some illuminated this side of the shore, others illuminated the far side.

    ¡°The next stage will take place there,¡± the Blackthorn elder said. He withdrew a hand from his robe to point at a hard-to-make-out building.

    Squinting his eyes, he could make out a few details past its silhouette. A shingled roof. A dark, wood exterior. The classic shape of a shrine¡¯s building, one of many that had been constructed in Johto in the past.

    The entrance faced the back wall, where the building connected to a stone shore via a thin peninsula. With an entire underground lake between them and their destination, Sam couldn¡¯t see any obvious way across.

    No boat. No bridge. And there was no walkable path around the lake¡¯s side.

    ¡°So we need to figure out a way to cross the water?¡± Sam mumbled.

    The next stage takes place there? No. We¡¯re in the next stage right now, aren¡¯t we?

    The Ace Trainer took only a second to look around the room before moving to the lake¡¯s edge. He retrieved a blue Great Ball from his waist before releasing a Pok¨¦mon in the water before him.

    ¡°Seadra!¡±

    The blue Pok¨¦mon floated at the water¡¯s surface. Shaped like a seahorse, an open snout vibrated alongside a call of the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s name. Fins on its head flapped, resembling wings, as it patiently awaited further commands.

    ¡°Come on, buddy. We¡¯ll get you that Dragon Scale,¡± the Ace Trainer said.

    The Seadra was somewhat large, being about just under four feet tall. There was just enough room for the Ace Trainer to step on its back, crouching and balancing on it like it was some kind of surfboard.

    And then, the pair took off. The Seadra shot over the water¡¯s surface with a speed that left mist in its wake. With no source of light over the lake itself, they disappeared into the darkness. The steady drip of water from the ceiling meant the noise of their swimming faded away, mixing into the other echoes that filled the air of the cave.

    ¡°Phooey. You¡¯d think that as an Ace Trainer, he¡¯d try to help us out.¡±

    Sam glanced at the girl standing next to him. That was the first thing she¡¯d said all night.

    ¡°Cassandra!¡± she said, identifying herself when she saw him glance at her. She twisted to face him, and the sudden movement caused her puffy dress to bounce side-to-side. ¡°Mind if I get your name?¡±

    ¡°...Sam,¡± Sam replied.

    He glanced back to the entrance of the cave to look for the Clan elder, but the middle-aged man was gone.

    So this is part of the Trial.

    ¡°You know,¡± the girl giggled, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to tell me your name, but I asked to get your name. I guess this means I can go by ¡®Sam¡¯ now, right?¡±

    She smiled at him. Sam just let out a sigh.

    He stepped away to approach the sharp edge of the stone shore to stick his hand into the lake¡¯s water.

    He just as quickly drew it back.

    That¡¯s way too cold to swim!

    He grimaced as he felt his options narrow.

    ¡°I just want to point out that I never actually agreed to any deal like that,¡± Sam said, standing up. ¡°All I said was ¡®Sam.¡¯ I never said I was handing my name over, and I didn¡¯t say if that was really my name, either.¡±

    The girl stuck her tongue out at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± she said. ¡°But that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fun enough for everyone here!¡±

    He ignored her. He was too busy trying to solve this puzzle.

    My Pok¨¦mon can¡¯t swim, and they aren¡¯t the type to carry me over the lake. With no path around the sides, there has to be something else here we can use to move across.

    ¡°So... He mentioned a Dragon Scale. Do you think that Ace Trainer guy is trying to evolve his Seadra?¡± Cassandra asked.

    ¡°Probably.¡± Sam stood in place and looked at their immediate surroundings¡ªnothing but stalagmites and a sloped shore that stretched wall-to-wall. ¡°The Blackthorn Clan definitely has an easy supply of Dragon Scales. He¡¯d need one if he wants a Kingdra.¡±

    Cassandra whistled before hurrying to catch up to Sam as he started to walk towards one end. She kept her hands behind her back as she skipped along.

    ¡°Wow!¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s pretty rare knowledge you have. You know you¡¯re more well-informed than you look!¡±

    Sam paused, turned to her, and was met with a smug smile. The compliment felt like it was half an insult on purpose.

    He didn¡¯t know if she was purposefully taunting him or was just trying to tease him.

    Either way, he didn¡¯t want to deal with this right now.

    Moving to the water again, he crouched again to let himself speak to his team. Cassandra stayed back to watch silently.

    He whispered, hoping that she wouldn¡¯t hear his words.

    ¡°Do you guys mind helping me out again?¡± he asked. ¡°Just search around to see if you can find a boat or anything like that.¡±

    Shadows split off, though he saw only two leave. Likely, the wild Gastly weren¡¯t interested in assisting for such a boring task like that. Only Haunter and Misdreavus bothered to head out and search the hidden locations of this side of the shore.

    ¡°You train Ghosts?¡±

    He held back a curse when he saw Cassandra tilting her head at him.

    ¡°I do,¡± he admitted. ¡°But they can¡¯t really help me across. None of them are species someone can ride.¡±

    Cassandra giggled.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°I have an Arbok and a Graveler on my team, but neither are good in water.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Wait, Arbok and Graveler? Aren¡¯t you a Fairy Type trainer?¡±

    ¡°I am!¡± She almost sounded offended. ¡°I have a Jigglypuff and Clefairy, too! I just felt like it¡¯s a good idea to have options in battle. It¡¯s nice to see my opponents get scared.¡±

    Returning to his search, Sam walked along the shoreline, and Cassandra followed. He desperately wanted to find a way across. It would really suck if this portion of the trial was some kind of dumb test of swimming ability or something like that.

    ¡°Everyone here is trying to get something,¡± Cassandra commented, idly speaking as she followed along. ¡°That Ace Trainer is searching for a Dragon Scale. I¡¯m trying to get a pair of Moon Stones. What are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°Information,¡± Sam replied.

    ¡°Oh! On Ghost Types?¡±

    ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll go with that.¡±

    He knew he was being terse. But he also knew he was annoyed. He was actively trying to find a solution, whereas this girl seemed more interested in talking and doing nothing herself.

    Cassandra continued to ramble at him, now talking about her team. Apparently, she had been the winner of a local tournament in Mahogany Town, a settlement located to the west of Blackthorn itself. The size of the tournament was smaller than the one in Violet City, but the competitors seemed to be just as strong.

    Also, the trainers there were just as vulnerable to sleep as Sam¡¯s opponents were. Between her Jigglypuff and Clefairy, Cassandra was able to wipe the floor with anyone whose team couldn¡¯t withstand her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sleep-inducing Sing.

    ¡°Drea!¡±

    Finally, Sam had a reason to turn away, as Misdreavus called out her name from behind a nearby column of rock. Cassandra, unfortunately, heard Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon as well and continued to follow after him, jogging over as Sam ran Misdreavus¡¯s way.

    It was hidden by a fence-like wall of stalagmites, but there was a small cove a few feet down from the stone. If it wasn¡¯t for Misdreavus, Sam would have moved around this place without noticing.

    An old, rickety boat floated in the hidden pool of water. Unfortunately, with how it was shaped, anyone that wanted to use it would need to row.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll get one side, you get the other?¡± Cassandra offered weakly.

    Sam grimaced once he was done thanking Misdreavus.

    Well, if she¡¯s finally willing to help out now, it doesn¡¯t make sense to disagree.

    Haunter and Misdreavus dragged out the boat so it could be accessible from the shore, moving it to a place where there would be less of a drop to get inside. It rocked back and forth as Sam stepped into it, and Cassandra moved after him to sit on the same interior bench, placing herself a foot to his side.

    Haunter hid in the shadows that coated the boat¡¯s floor. Misdreavus settled at the back to ride along.

    As they dived into the darkness, Cassandra¡¯s gaze flicked toward both of them, and, for an obvious reason, the smile on her face started to look much more forced.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said.

    Sam released his Pok¨¦mon at the front of the boat. It tilted up, but it didn¡¯t capsize with how everyone was arranged to balance it out.

    ¡°I¡¯m expecting this to not be that easy. Defend us from anything that attacks, okay?¡±

    The Fighting Type rolled his shoulders, eagerly nodding at this chance to help. Sam grabbed the oar that had been laid across the bottom of the boat, and he messed with a slot to the side to get it properly secured within a hole.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sam had never rowed a boat before, and it was clear that Cassandra hadn¡¯t either. It took them a few attempts to get everything timed correctly so they moved in a straight line instead of a circle.

    Eventually, they managed to begin traveling across the lake.

    Cassandra tried to talk, but the act of rowing was more intensive than either of them expected. She went quiet quickly, putting all of her effort into just moving the oar through the water.

    Travel was slow¡ªor at least it felt slow. Rowing across this underground lake meant traveling through darkness. There weren¡¯t exactly any visible landmarks for Sam to use to gauge their speed. There was the torchlight toward where they came in, and there was the torchlight at the shrine on the other shore. Sam wanted to glance over his shoulder to see how much farther they had to go, but he had a feeling that if they lost their momentum, they¡¯d struggle to get going at the same pace again.

    Primeape stretched to warm himself up as they moved, and several pairs of red eyes stared up at them from within the base of the boat.

    When one of the Gastly moved, Sam heard a short squeak. He tried not to smirk when he caught the faintest of frowns on Cassandra¡¯s face.

    After who knows how long of traveling over the water, the first sound other than splashing came from Primeape.

    He grunted.

    Their pace slowed as Primeape leaned over the side to stare into the water. With a hard breath out, Cassandra stopped rowing.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, breathing heavily.

    Sam recognized the movements of Primeape¡¯s silhouette. The Fighting Type started to prepare himself with a Bulk Up.

    ¡°...We¡¯re in the Dragon¡¯s Den,¡± Sam said. ¡°I guess they aren¡¯t going to make this easy. Given where we are, I bet we¡¯re about to be attacked by a dragon.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure why he was so calm. Maybe it was because he already experienced something similar, or maybe it was because he still only really felt that annoyance that had started up when he first joined with the Blackthorn elder in the tunnel leading down into the cavern. Sam hadn¡¯t seen or heard anything happen to the Ace Trainer during that man¡¯s trip over.

    But the Ace Trainer was an Ace Trainer. He didn¡¯t exactly need to prove his strength, but Sam and Cassandra likely did.

    Something to their side caused the water to bend upwards. Even in this extremely dim light, Sam could still make out the shape of something dark and massive pass underneath them.

    Cassandra¡¯s grip tightened on her oar. Primeape¡¯s use of Bulk Up picked up the pace.

    Sam whispered a quick word of advice to Primeape¡ªIce Type moves were super effective against Dragon Types¡ªand then he cautiously turned around.

    Though Cassandra held a Pok¨¦ball in her hand, she wasn¡¯t able to release her team member before the aquatic species broke through the surface of the water. A massive head left the depths of the lake to stare down at them.

    Its jaw was large enough to swallow either of them whole.

    A pair of whiskers hung off the bottom of its face, and its eyes were locked into a permanent glare of rage. The fins on its head and spine stuck out to aid its intimidation.

    It didn¡¯t roar. It didn¡¯t need to.

    The sheer presence of the Gyarados alone was intimidating enough.

    ¡°Now!¡± Sam yelled.

    He grabbed the side of the boat as Primeape¡¯s leap saw it teeter back and forth. A red flash of light and something pink saw Cassandra glow blue as whatever Pok¨¦mon she released made sure she didn¡¯t fall out.

    Primeape soared through the air.

    An ice-covered fist smashed into the sea serpent¡¯s face.

    ¡°PRIME!¡± the Pok¨¦mon shouted. He bounced off only to grab the Gyarados¡¯s whisker and pull himself back in for a second punch. ¡°APE!¡±

    An echoing roar came from the Gyarados as it reeled backward. Primeape landed at the front of the boat, and Misdreavus quickly used Confusion to prevent water from getting in.

    Reflecting light from the far shore, a chunk of the Gyarados¡¯s head was now covered in ice. Quickly, the massive Pok¨¦mon dived back into the water.

    They sat there, tense, waiting for it to show back up, but the Gyarados never returned.

    ¡°Good job, Primeape.¡±

    The ape Pok¨¦mon hooted at him happily.

    ¡°Alright. Now that that¡¯s taken care of, let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Sam said.

    As he grabbed his oar and placed it into the water, Cassandra stared at him. It took her a few seconds for her to ready herself. A Clefairy sat in her lap.

    ¡°That was...¡±

    She pursed her lips together and shook her head. Grabbing her oar, she returned to rowing, and both of them continued to bring themselves across the lake.

    <hr>

    This underground lake was definitely lake-sized, but it wasn¡¯t as large as the one on the surface, and it didn¡¯t take too long for them to reach the other side. Honestly, given that this was the third underground water feature Sam had seen this year, he was starting to think that locations like this existed under every major body of water.

    They were either natural, or Pok¨¦mon went out of their way to carve places like these.

    Once they reached the opposite shore, two members of the Blackthorn Clan were already waiting for them. Sam felt exhausted after all of that rowing, but the awaiting pair thankfully helped them out of the boat.

    Sam returned Primeape with another quiet thanks, and Cassandra¡¯s Clefairy disappeared into a white Premier Ball. Right as Sam turned around, however, he heard a voice speak up.

    ¡°Trainer Cassandra.¡±

    A third member of the Blackthorn Clan, one bald and somewhat pudgy, waited a few feet away. Sam could tell that the two that had helped them out of the boat were likely just general members. This man was clearly another elder.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan is willing to provide you with the Moonstones you seek, but we wish to come to a deal, first,¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh, I love deals! Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Wonderful. Please, follow me.¡±

    The Clan elder dipped his head before turning to walk along a brick path built into the ground. Cassandra skipped along to follow him, but she stopped before she got too far away.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I almost forgot. Thanks for the date, Sammy!¡± she called out. ¡°We should do this again sometime!¡±

    She giggled. Sam ignored her. There was a certain point where teasing was teasing, but there was also a point where teasing was just saying something inappropriate to someone you hardly knew.

    If this is how a Fairy Type trainer acts, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m a fan.

    ¡°This way.¡±

    One of the two people who had helped him out of the boat beckoned for him to follow them toward the opposite direction. Sam approached the entrance of the shrine itself, whereas Cassandra was led through an opening in the cave wall against the back.

    A pair of finely carved, wooden doors stood between Sam and the inside of the building. They were styled like a pair of dragon heads glaring down at anyone who dared to make their way inside.

    Sam didn¡¯t immediately enter. Placing his hand on the door¡¯s bronze handle, he paused to reflect on how he was the last one left.

    The Ace Trainer had vanished. If Cassandra was in the middle of making a deal, she was effectively out. And then everyone else outside never got to continue in the first place.

    Redi is probably back at the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    It was just Sam and whatever was past this entrance.

    Pulling the doors open and stepping inside, the interior of the shrine reminded him of Sprout Tower. It had the same, exposed interior structure that many buildings built in the past tended to possess. The wood in here was just as obvious as it was outside. Paper dividers lined its sides. A pair of flaming, metal braziers in the back illuminated the space.

    With that light, Sam could see the faint silhouette of someone kneeling behind one of the many paper walls. With how often Sam found himself needing to carefully analyze shadows, it was pretty obvious to him that the silhouette was that of the Ace Trainer from before.

    But that man wasn¡¯t the only person in this room. In the back, between the braziers on a raised section of the floor, was yet another Blackthorn Clan elder. Unlike the others, this old man¡¯s face was absolutely covered in wrinkles. He was by far the oldest person Sam had ever seen, but he didn¡¯t seem to possess the frailty that came with old age.

    ¡°Sit.¡±

    This elder¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    Carefully, Sam made his way over to a cushion in front of the man and kneeled down.

    As he sat, the elder peeked open an eye to look over Sam. Sam had no clue how many times this man had done something like this before. It was a discerning look¡ªone that was likely trying to figure out more than just his appearance.

    He waited patiently for what felt like forever. Eventually, the elder closed his eyes once more and smiled.

    ¡°What are Pok¨¦mon to you?¡± the elder asked.

    Sam blinked.

    A test? Or some kind of quiz.

    On the shore, he¡¯d been told the next stage of the Trial was to take place here, but crossing the lake had been a stage in itself. He couldn¡¯t exactly take the elder¡¯s question at face value. They were definitely trying to imbue a sense of mystery and intrigue into this whole process.

    He needed to figure out the exact answer the elder wanted.

    Upon hearing the question, Sam¡¯s immediate thought was still to answer it literally. It¡¯d be easy to define ¡°Pok¨¦mon¡± and explain what one could do. However, he doubted that would bring him further. The elder probably wanted something from the heart.

    Sam took a few seconds to consider his words, and he spoke carefully in reply.

    ¡°Friends. Partners,¡± came his answer.

    He paused.

    ¡°Beings capable of channeling specialized energy to conjure effects humans are unable to reproduce,¡± he added quickly, unable to resist.

    The old man nodded along to his first two words, but he cocked his head to the side as Sam followed up with the textbook description.

    ¡°Correct, I suppose,¡± the old man said, chuckling. He had no facial hair, but he rubbed his chin as if it had once supported a thin beard. ¡°Now then, what is most important when it comes to winning battles?¡±

    ¡°Knowledge.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t hesitate to speak this answer. He knew in his heart that knowledge was the number one way to succeed as a Pok¨¦mon trainer.

    Although, he knew knowledge wasn¡¯t everything. Training was key. Practice was key. Honing instincts to understand how to react to unexpected circumstances was also necessary if a trainer wanted to do well in high-level battles. However, without knowledge backing a trainer up, they wouldn¡¯t know how to achieve any of that or even what goals they needed to chase in the first place.

    Knowledge had guided Sam through his journey so far. He¡¯d even started out thanks to the knowledge contained within the New Pok¨¦dex. All of his training was fueled by what he knew about the Ghost Type or the desire to find out more. He had even decided to travel with Redi since the two of them had gaps in their knowledge the other filled.

    And now I¡¯m here to find out what the Blackthorn Clan knows about the Ghost Type. That, and...

    He still needed to find out how Quilava was meant to evolve.

    As Sam grew more and more confident about his answer in his head, the elder slowly nodded, humming as Sam clenched a fist in victory.

    A moment passed as the old man shuffled on top of his cushion. He slowly weighed Sam¡¯s words, tilting his head back to stare down at Sam with a pair of half-lidded eyes.

    ¡°There are five tests within our Trials,¡± the elder croaked out. ¡°As it stands, you are on stage three. The first test is a simple test of respect. Show courtesy to us, and we will show courtesy to you.¡±

    ...You¡¯re kidding.

    The elder spoke as if that was just a casual comment, but the words made Sam reel. He gripped the fabric of his pants in his kneeling posture and took a deep breath.

    When he first arrived here, he had nodded at the elder on guard, and so had the Ace Trainer. Cassandra had probably done the same as well.

    But Redi hadn¡¯t.

    So she wasn¡¯t able to move on.

    That can¡¯t be it. He¡¯s joking, right?

    Sam looked at the elder.

    No. He¡¯s completely serious. It really was just a test of respect.

    They held her back for something as dumb as a nod. He said trainers needed to show courtesy, but that goes both ways! They need to respect their challengers, too!

    He fumed, but he fought to not show that on his face. He wasn¡¯t sure how well he was succeeding given the churning he felt inside.

    People are allowed to be nervous, ever thought about that! Heck, I¡¯m sure even Eliza would have nodded, but she got distracted by a friendly face!

    Clair was right. This Trial is biased.

    It didn¡¯t feel fair at all.

    ¡°The second test is a test of capability,¡± the elder continued, unaware of Sam¡¯s reactions. ¡°When faced with an unexpected challenge, how does a trainer react? Not everyone takes the boat. Our Pok¨¦mon do not always block a trainer¡¯s way. Your Primeape is impressive, especially for an exception on a specialist¡¯s team. It¡¯s good to see that you rely on your Pok¨¦mon and to see them rely on you in return.¡±

    A pause. The old man seemed to try to gauge Sam¡¯s expression, but Sam was forcing his face to be unreadable and flat.

    ¡°What is most important when training a Dragon Type?¡± the old man asked.

    ¡°Strength,¡± Sam answered. He didn''t care to put in more thought than that at this point.

    ¡°Wrong,¡± the old man said. ¡°The answer is heart. A dragon must respect its trainer, but they cannot be distant. There must be a sense of trust between them. Dragon Types are the Type by far most bound by emotion. It is up to the trainer to know how to properly react.¡±

    Sam chose to say nothing. He had a feeling most specialists thought their Type was the Type most bound by emotion.

    He was pretty sure that was just a trait of Pok¨¦mon in general.

    ¡°Samuel Greyson. Of Dewford Town, Hoenn. Aspiring Ghost Type specialist with a team that half-lacks the Type,¡± the old man declared. ¡°What are you searching for?¡±

    ¡°Information,¡± Sam said, forcing his anger back down. ¡°I want anything and everything the Blackthorn Clan has on the Ghost Type. If I have to be more specific, I want access to your historical records of Ghost Types sightings across the region¡ªnot just the ones seen on routes.¡±

    And maybe you have records of Hisuian Typhlosion, too.

    The old man tilted his head to the side, considering the request, before replying with a single nod.

    ¡°We can assist. Providing you with that information is well within the Blackthorn Clan''s power. The next stage of these trials would have seen you face the other participants, but I can see this is where your participation will end,¡± the old man said. ¡°You did well, but this third stage is not a test of knowledge, but a test of heart. I cannot speak to your experiences so far, but your perspective is far too literal. If we were to continue this, all we would learn are logical answers rather than the emotional truths we seek.¡±

    Yeah? Whatever.

    If the Blackthorn Clan was trying to impress him with their ¡°generosity,¡± they weren¡¯t doing a good job of it. They were trying to present themselves as some great organization, but it felt like they were just having people scramble for their table scraps.

    Still, he wasn¡¯t going to object to getting more information¡ªthey¡¯d already outright said they¡¯d provide him with what he wanted to know. As for Redi, Lance had only obtained his Dratini after several attempts at these trials. Redi would try again, and Sam would provide her with the expected format the Trial followed.

    ¡°However,¡± the old man continued, ¡°before we arrange anything between us, I would like to request an answer to one final question. It¡¯s a personal question from me, not one asked on behalf of the clan. You are a Ghost Type specialist not of our region, so I wish to know something.¡±

    Sam sat up straighter.

    ¡°The Trial has concluded, so please speak honestly. Given your favored Type, tell me, what are your thoughts on Elite Four Agatha?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    What?

    The elder stared down at him impassively, waiting for a reply.

 Chapter 90

    Elite Four Agatha?

    Sam had been annoyed, but the unexpected question briefly made him forget his annoyance. It wasn¡¯t that it presented him with any new idea, it was just that what the elder asked felt so... random.

    ¡°Elite Four Agatha is an expert with the Ghost Type,¡± the Blackthorn elder said. ¡°Some would even call her a Master. Her command over her Gengar is peerless, and she¡¯s not one to avoid branching out to other Pok¨¦mon such as Golbat and Arbok.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. He scratched at his cheek, pretending to be thinking about it while buying himself time to recover.

    ¡°A... Golbat?¡± he asked. ¡°And not a Crobat?¡±

    ¡°She famously went on air to present her Golbat with an Everstone in front of all of Indigo. She declared she had no need of a Johtonian Pok¨¦mon such as its evolved form, ignoring how Zubat and Golbat can be found throughout all of Kanto.¡±

    The Blackthorn elder kept a pleasant smile on his face, but the subsequent, slow blink spoke of both frustration and annoyance. Sam wasn¡¯t one to pay attention to Indigo¡¯s politics, but even he knew that Agatha was outspoken in the rare few times someone managed to get her to speak. A common way to describe her was ¡°crotchety,¡± but it wasn¡¯t like she wasn¡¯t respected. She might have been old, but with that age came decades of experience. No one would say she didn¡¯t deserve to be a part of the Elite Four.

    But she was still someone from another time. Her journey had taken place back when Kanto and Johto had a much more tense relationship.

    Then again, the same¡¯s true for this elder, isn¡¯t it?

    The old man''s half-lidded eyes were appraising, and Sam did his best to sit at attention under that sharp gaze. He wanted to leave and put everything about this Trial behind him, yet Sam would be lying if he said the question hadn¡¯t sparked his curiosity.

    He didn¡¯t know much about Agatha. She might have been a Ghost Type specialist, but he much preferred learning about the Type via his own research rather than just copying someone else. He was also from Hoenn, so he couldn¡¯t speak much on Indigo¡¯s politics and its people of note. The most he could do along those lines was repeat opinions he heard on things like how Steven Stone¡¯s connection to the Devon Corp was technically a conflict of interest.

    He sat there in thought. Sam honestly spent more time on this answer than any questions from before.

    When he eventually spoke, his words came slowly, as he was still in the process of putting everything together.

    ¡°Agatha is... strong,¡± Sam said carefully. ¡°I respect her skill with the Ghost Type, but I think I dislike how single-minded she is about its nature. I haven¡¯t done much research into her in the past, but it really seems like she focuses way too much on their surface-level appearance. Ghost Types might like to stalk and scare their targets, but they¡¯re still Pok¨¦mon. Type isn¡¯t everything. I don¡¯t think any Pok¨¦mon is as mean as she tries to present.¡±

    Sam frowned when he finished, thinking back to how he¡¯d acted in the Violet City Tournament.

    But how much of her outward appearance is just a deception? Does she really think of the Ghost Type like that, or does she just lean into that image so no one ever knows what she¡¯s really thinking?

    He didn¡¯t say anything else. He didn¡¯t want to. On his cushion, the elder nodded along, but nothing about the old man¡¯s expression betrayed his thoughts.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Sam felt an eyebrow twitch. He¡¯d expected a bigger reaction than just ¡°I see." Then again, he¡¯d hardly gone in depth. His description was similar to the answers he¡¯d given before; it only touched on surface-level details and did not include comments on Agatha¡¯s political beliefs or behavior.

    Please don¡¯t tell me this was just a lead-up to presenting a political opinion of your own.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask why you asked that question?¡± Sam said.

    The old man chuckled. He shook his head, moving it with amusement rather than denial.

    ¡°It was just an idle curiosity,¡± he said in his hoarse voice. ¡°Nothing more, nothing less. Agatha is certainly a character. I have my own opinions of her, and the same is true of the Blackthorn Clan, but those opinions aren¡¯t anything to speak in polite company. Elite Four Agatha only came into prominence after my generation, and I wished to know the perspective of an outsider¡ªan outsider that shares the favored Type of someone as young and hot-blooded as her.¡±

    How old is this guy?!

    Sam wisely kept his mouth shut.

    ¡°But this is enough for now,¡± the elder said. ¡°As an aside, I¡¯d like to request you to remember that both Johto and Kanto make up Indigo. Neither is inherently better than the other.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°We¡¯ve put the years of cold war behind us for a reason. The future is in the hands of the young, and they will achieve great things together. I can confidently say that the Blackthorn Clan disagrees with Kanto¡¯s projected exceptionalism; all trainers are capable of great things. We can see you are capable of great things as well, so please, if you require any other assistance, do not hesitate to contact us, and we will be willing to help you.¡±

    But you didn¡¯t help Redi.

    Sam made sure to keep that thought in his mind.

    <hr>

    When he left the Dragon¡¯s Den, Sam was alone. To leave, he was directed toward a back tunnel that curved around and led to the surface. Cassandra didn¡¯t show up. Redi had already left. The Ace Trainer who had been sitting behind those paper screens had vanished when it was determined that Sam would not progress.

    Sam wanted to talk to Redi, but she was neither at the lake nor in the lobby of the Pok¨¦mon Center. The nurse on duty confirmed she had gone upstairs, but rather than bothering her, Sam decided to give her space and collapsed onto his bed, falling asleep quickly after such an incredibly long night.

    Waking up the next morning, he ate breakfast and checked in with the nurse before heading out. What he didn¡¯t expect was a packet of papers waiting for him.

    The Blackthorn Clan had moved quickly to provide him with the information he desired.

    ¡°Look at this! Photocopies of everything relevant to me. The Blackthorn Clan might have its issues, but I can¡¯t say they aren¡¯t on top of things.¡±

    On the couch next to him, Quilava lifted her head to sniff at the packet of papers Sam held in his hands. He flicked through, not reading it just yet but trying to get a sense of things.

    He could already tell it was filled with information on the Ghost Type, and Sam leaned in to hunker down and start reading within this Pok¨¦mon Center lobby.

    Quilava watched his eyes scan through the pages, but she eventually rested her head to relax and digest her food from breakfast. In Sam¡¯s shadow, a few eyes opened up to see what he was doing, but they just as quickly closed and pulled back, bored. Misdreavus made a short appearance next to Sam, chatting with Quilava for a minute or two. However, Sam didn¡¯t move from his place, so she entered his shadow again.

    Sam had a lot to get through, but he didn¡¯t mind all the reading. He enjoyed this kind of research, and by staying in the Pok¨¦mon Center lobby, he was giving Redi space to meet up with him when she was ready.

    ¡°This is...¡± Unfortunately, even with all of Sam¡¯s excited energy, the more he read through the packet, the more he slowed down. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I expected.¡±

    Disappointed, he leaned back in his seat and let out a sigh. Quilava pushed against him in an attempt to cheer him up.

    ¡°It¡¯s full of handwritten summaries and photocopied pages. The Blackthorn Clan definitely has an enormous archive, but they didn¡¯t give me their original documents. Just copies bound together,¡± he said to his Pok¨¦mon. ¡°There are a few firsthand accounts listed within, and it heavily focuses on sightings of Ghost Types around the region¡ªexactly what I requested. But... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He sighed again.

    ¡°I was just hoping there would have been more than what¡¯s listed.¡±

    It started with a collection of sightings of the most common species, included mostly for completion¡¯s sake. The packet made the incredible confirmation that, yes, Gastly and Misdreavus could be found within the region. Weirdly, though, the two species tended to avoid coastlines, being found inland more often than not. As for Misdreavus, the species was rarer than Gastly, but it could be found in great numbers in the caves around Mount Silver.

    Past that section, thankfully, were clippings of newspaper articles discussing the presence of Shuppet and Duskull. Mostly, the articles discussed how certain, foreign species were becoming more prevalent, using Shuppet and Duskull as examples. Those two species occasionally formed naturally when the environment was exactly right, but in this case, individuals from the nearby regions had snuck along with trainers to form breeding populations in a few places across Johto.

    That was news to Sam, as the New Pok¨¦dex didn¡¯t exactly list either of them as species present in Johto. However, once he moved past those two species, nothing included afterward seemed to be counted as among Johto¡¯s ¡°common¡± Ghost Type species.

    ¡°I am kind of surprised Sableye and Snorunt aren''t included in this,¡± Sam commented. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no way for Sableye to travel across regions when they live in caves, but the lack of Snorunt is unexpected. I could have sworn they would be able to be found in the Ice Path to our west.¡±

    The rest of the packet included a few species that were technically native, but they were only ever found as individuals rather than as members of any species-based group. These came into existence via uncommon phenomena rather than anything involving reproduction. Sam technically had a chance to find them, but to do so, he would have to go out of his way to search for them or just be lucky enough to encounter one while traveling.

    He read over the pages that described the rare sightings once again.

    A hand-written passage contained a Pok¨¦mon Ranger¡¯s report of a ¡°moving tree¡± deep within Ilex. Given the passage¡¯s presence in the packet, Sam took that to be either a Phantump or a Trevenant.

    A few complaints from auction houses discussed ¡°anomalous teapots.¡± Those were likely one of two convergent species¡ªeither Polteageist or Sinistcha.

    Sam had high hopes for Honedge, but that species was rarer now than it had ever been in the past. Honedge only took form when a spirit possessed a sword that was at least a hundred years old. The sword had to be both in good shape and go untouched for some time, a combination that rarely ever lined up. Most ancient buildings and battlefields had already been picked over by archaeologists, and modern developments had meant collectors were much better at protecting their collections from possession.

    Weirdly, Sam had read a passage in one of the books loaned from Morty about that.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The last of the potential species were listed via a few handwritten notes that seemed to be summaries of other sources. Whoever had compiled these pages had written down a quick list of Ghost Types whose presence were either extraordinarily rare or not backed by any specific source.

    The jellyfish Pok¨¦mon, Frillish, occasionally drifted in from the ocean only to get caught in the rapids of the Whirl Islands. There were no comments about the same happening to wild Basculin, and there was nothing written about Basculegion.

    Drifloon, too, would sometimes float into the region, but that Pok¨¦mon came here via the sky. While common to Sinnoh, the balloon Pok¨¦mon''s appearances could be counted on one hand, and the same was true for other Ghost Types that rarely stowed away on international ships.

    Yamask, Litwick, Golett, and Rotom had all appeared in one of Johto¡¯s port cities. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t noted to have shown up more than once, and each one was either caught quickly or was captured and returned home by the authorities.

    ¡°I thought there¡¯d be more,¡± Sam grumbled, closing the packet once more. ¡°It feels like if I want to hunt down another Ghost Type, I¡¯m going to be limited to something like a Shuppet or Duskull.¡±

    Quilava looked up at him and tilted her head to the side in a question. Sam saw that and blushed, looking away from her almost accusing stare.

    ¡°Y-yeah, I mean, it¡¯s not like I dislike those species, but I can find and befriend either of them if I just head back to Hoenn,¡± Sam said. ¡°I just wanted to meet a rarer Ghost Type, I guess. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do for our fifth team member, but I¡¯m thankful all of you were willing to travel with me. We¡¯ve already made incredible progress, so I¡¯m kind of okay with whatever comes our way. I¡¯m not picky¡ªI¡¯ll catch any Pok¨¦mon that fits.¡±

    Quilava said her name, and Sam hugged her. He went back to skimming through as she plopped down to lean against his side.

    Even though nothing was immediately useful to him, Sam appreciated the information, his distaste for the Blackthorn Clan aside. If he didn¡¯t have the New Pok¨¦dex¡ªor even access to the Ghost Type forums in general¡ªhe imagined that this information would have determined how he tackled the rest of Johto from here.

    For now, he just leaned back in his seat to consider his next steps. He felt like he was juggling several mountains at once.

    There¡¯s Quilava¡¯s evolution. Primeape¡¯s evolution. Heck, Haunter¡¯s and Misdreavus¡¯s evolutions might pose some problems, too. I have to make sure everyone is trained. I have to keep an eye out for new members of our team. I have to worry about making money, earning the rest of Johto¡¯s Gym Badges, our upcoming double battle against Clair, and now the Blackthorn Clan¡ª

    Sam rubbed his temples.

    The Blackthorn Clan.

    It was almost noon, and Redi still hadn¡¯t made an appearance. Sam was worried for a lot of reasons, but mainly, he was just annoyed at the entirety of the Blackthorn Clan.

    He didn¡¯t like them. Clair had warned him and Redi that the Clan¡¯s Trials were biased, but Sam hadn¡¯t expected trainers to be eliminated for a reason as dumb as a nod. Sure, Dragon Types were more amiable when you had their respect, but it felt as though the Blackthorn Clan wasn¡¯t respecting anyone who didn¡¯t immediately respect them right back.

    To Sam, it felt as though the Clan was leaning into its reputation rather than doing anything that¡¯d be worthy of it. Sure, the Blackthorn Clan was giving away useful items to trainers with potential, but they were also being picky about who those trainers were, going as far as to obscure the Trial¡¯s location to include only those they wanted to invite.

    He supposed he might have had a more positive opinion of them if he¡¯d grown up in Indigo around stories of Blackthorn¡¯s influence and prestige, but Sam was from Hoenn. Instead, he couldn¡¯t get over how quickly they¡¯d kicked out Redi. And the way they told him he wasn¡¯t continuing felt a bit dismissive, too.

    All the Trial did was make them seem arrogant. And that last question about Agatha was the worst of it. That guy said he was just curious, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was trying to make her seem unreasonable and the Clan reasonable in exchange.

    Sam brought his hand back down to reach into his backpack. He started to take out that journal on Hisui. However, he paused as he did so; a flash of pink caught his attention.

    Cassandra skipped away from the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s front counter, moving to head outside.

    The girl wasn¡¯t as dressed up as she was last night, but her shirt and skirt were still shades of pink. There was a bright smile on her face and a hop that came alongside every step. Unlike Sam, she seemed satisfied with how her Trial had ended.

    He stood up before he realized what he was doing. Driven by curiosity, Sam chased after her. Quilava perched on the back of the couch to watch him run over, and right as Cassandra put her hand on the door outside, Sam called out.

    ¡°Cassandra!¡±

    She stopped and turned his way.

    Unfortunately, as he approached, Sam realized this was a mistake. Cassandra¡¯s mouth opened in delighted surprise, and she made a show of batting her eyelashes at him.

    ¡°Oh, Sammy! You really came to see¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no,¡± Sam interrupted. ¡° I just wanted to ask about what happened last night. Did you make a deal with the Blackthorn Clan?¡±

    Rather than be upset with that abrupt dismissal, Cassandra perked up. A bright smile crossed her face.

    ¡°Yes! We did make a deal!¡± she said, in almost a sing-song voice. ¡°They figured since I''m a Normal Type trainer¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fairy Type trainer. What? You¡¯re a Fairy Type trainer,¡± Sam said.

    Cassandra burst into a fit of giggles. It took a full minute for her to recover.

    Sam crossed his arms.

    ¡°No, no. A Fairy Type trainer? One of them? Please.¡± Cassandra wiped an eye. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have anything to do with something like that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re training a Clefairy and Jigglypuff,¡± Sam said, voice emotionless.

    ¡°Not anymore! They¡¯re both the Normal Type Clefable and Wigglytuff, courtesy of the Moon Stones provided by the Blackthorn Clan!¡±

    Her expression seemed to sparkle with joy as she smiled at Sam.

    Sam blankly stared back.

    ¡°But they¡¯re Fairy Types?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Nu-uh. I¡¯m a hundred percent sure that they¡¯re Normal Types. The Blackthorn Clan made that extraordinarily clear last night. And now that my Pok¨¦mon have evolved, I¡¯ll make sure that anyone I talk to also understands that my Pok¨¦mon are Normal Types and not anything else!¡±

    Her smile persisted. The way she kept emphasizing every other word was getting exhausting.

    But it still took Sam an embarrassingly long time to figure out her hidden meaning.

    ¡°This is part of your deal with the Blackthorn Clan,¡± he said, realization dawning on him. ¡°You can¡¯t say your team members are Fairy Types, but you get those Moon Stones in exchange.¡±

    ¡°What deal?¡± Cassandra cocked her head to the side. ¡°I didn¡¯t make any deal. They simply generously provided me with a pair of Moon Stones, and I¡¯m making sure there are no misunderstandings about how half my team is the Normal Type.¡±

    ¡°But if you keep explaining it like that, no one¡¯s going to believe you.¡±

    Cassandra blinked at him.

    ¡°Oh, no. Why would I ever want something like that,¡± she said flatly.

    Cassandra stepped to the side when the door opened behind her. A man wearing a black domino mask paused briefly to smile at them before moving to the front counter and the on-duty nurse.

    ¡°Now, is that all?¡± Cassandra asked. ¡°Unless your questions were just a pretense, and you actually wanted to ask me out on a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, Cassandra,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Bye, Sammy! See you at the Conference!¡±

    He stepped back for a decisive end to the conversation, giving Cassandra the chance to skip outside. Before she got too far away, she turned and wiggled her fingers at him to wave goodbye, but Sam was already moving back to the couch.

    I don¡¯t understand the Fairy Type.

    He heard the nurse laugh as he plopped down on the cushion, and Quilava slid down the couch¡¯s back to return to her place next to him. At the front counter, the man in the mask leaned against its edge. He made no effort to hide his attempts at flirting, and the nurse made no effort to push back.

    Sam decided to focus on his research and only his research. Using that journal on Hisui, he tried to compare notes. There had been no mention of Hisuian Typhlosion within the documents provided by the Blackthorn Clan. Sinnoh and Johto were different regions, but Sam hoped he could find some sort of pattern to give him some kind of deeper clue into the Ghost Type.

    Unfortunately, though he took his time, he was unable to find anything. The most he could make out was a general sense that people used to be a lot more afraid of Pok¨¦mon in the past. Before Pok¨¦balls became ubiquitous, few people ever bonded with Pok¨¦mon to have those individuals be considered part of their team.

    However, without a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s assistance, how were aggressive ghosts handled back then? Wild Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon like to play pranks, and when it comes to actual ghosts...

    There¡¯d always been channellers, shamans, and mediums, but Sam felt as though there was a missing niche.

    So focused on reading, he didn¡¯t notice he had company until a heavy thump into the couch caused Quilava to bounce beside him. Looking up, he saw Redi, who leaned against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Heya,¡± Redi replied.

    A second passed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got three weeks before I can try again,¡± she said.

    Sam frowned. Redi didn¡¯t look as upset as he expected. Three weeks before trying again was a while, but there was time left in the season, and training was cumulative. As long as they used their time wisely, spending more time in Blackthorn just meant spending less time in later cities. It helped that wait times for Gym Battles didn¡¯t pick up until the end of the season, but even then, trainers nearing eight Gym Badges tended to get priority.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Frustrated, though. I thought I could get Dragonair and start training with her, but instead...¡±

    Redi clenched a hand.

    ¡°Three weeks,¡± she repeated. ¡°Three weeks to prepare so that next time, we do win.¡±

    Though she had been eliminated, Sam could tell that Redi had no plays for this to keep her down. Unfortunately, even with that thought, Sam still couldn¡¯t suppress his snort.

    ¡°But is doing the Trial again even worth it?¡±

    Redi snapped her head up to glare at him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Hold on¡ªI don¡¯t mean you should give up on Dragonair, I¡¯m saying that I don¡¯t think the Trial is going to help,¡± Sam said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just... It¡¯s just not worth it! It¡¯s rigged. Biased. You were eliminated before the first test even began. Do you think that was for a good reason?¡±

    Sam shook his head.

    ¡°No. It was arbitrary. And stupid. The only reason you didn¡¯t move on was because you didn¡¯t nod to greet the elder!¡±

    Sam realized he was raising his voice and forced himself to quiet down. Redi was staring, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to stop.

    Words poured out of him like a waterfall.

    ¡°That whole Trial was just so dumb and meaningless,¡± he hissed, trying to stay quiet. ¡°At any point, the clan could have decided that they didn¡¯t like us and say we weren¡¯t fit to move on. It¡¯s like a popularity contest, except we¡¯re trainers from outside the clan. If we show off in the way they approve, then, great! We get free stuff! If we just happen to say or do something they don¡¯t like...¡± Sam scowled. ¡°Then we¡¯re out and get nothing in return.¡±

    ¡°They gave me what I asked for, but I didn¡¯t get that far. If you want Dragonair, you¡¯re probably going to have to make it to the end. I¡¯m pretty sure the quality of the stuff they give correlates to how well someone does. I know I¡¯m acting all annoyed at this chance to get support from them, but everything about these trials feels... gross. I mean, they even bribed someone to try to hide the existence of the Fairy Type even though she has two Fairy Types on her team.¡±

    Redi didn¡¯t immediately comment at the end of his rant, but she did carefully look Sam up and down as he breathed and turned to face the floor. Her head rocked from side-to-side as she considered what he said.

    Then, she suddenly narrowed her eyes in suspicious realization.

    ¡°So... How far did you really get?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Third stage out of five,¡± Sam sniffed.

    A smirk appeared on Redi¡¯s face.

    ¡°I get it. You¡¯re upset you didn¡¯t make it to the end.¡±

    Sam wanted to reply, but nothing came out. He tried to glare at Redi, feeling the heat rush to his face, but she just grinned at him, smug.

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡ª!¡± He cleared his throat when his voice cracked. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just don¡¯t see a point in playing along. Who¡¯s to say anyone outside their clan ever gets a Dragon Type? The Trial isn¡¯t fair.¡±

    Redi hummed.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine if they¡¯re a little unfair,¡± she said.

    As Sam frowned, Redi adjusted her posture to bring herself back up. She rolled her jaw in thought, taking a bit to figure out her explanation for that outrageous sentence.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯ve had time to think. And, yeah, I was pretty upset. But that was last night, and this is now. All of that is behind us so we just have to move on,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve basically come to the conclusion that while I don¡¯t like it, I''m kind of okay with needing to try again. Even if the Blackthorn Clan is a bit biased, that just means I need to try harder. What¡¯s really stopping me from getting angry is that they¡¯re at least partially motivated by what¡¯s best for Dragonair.

    ¡°And,¡± Redi added, ¡°Clair¡¯s the one who told us about these Trials in the first place. She¡¯s a Gym Leader. I figure if the Blackthorn Clan does try to stop me, she has at least some influence she could use to help us out.¡±

    ¡°But she didn¡¯t have that kind of influence to keep her Dragonite around,¡± Sam grumbled.

    ¡°You mean the Dragonite being sent to Lance? The aggressive Dragonite being sent to the guy who¡¯s going on an aggressive campaign against Team Rocket?¡±

    Sam looked away.

    ¡°Fine. Maybe you have a point,¡± he mumbled.

    Redi simply sat back on the couch, looking as smug as ever to have gotten one-up over Sam.

    ¡°I just thought... I guess I just thought we could take advantage of what we know,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust the Blackthorn Clan to actually help you with Dragonair, so I thought that instead of doing the Trials, we could spread some unwanted information around?¡±

    Sam wiggled a hand.

    ¡°We¡¯d tell other people about the Trial,¡± he said. ¡°Reveal how they set up all their stages. Basically, we do what Lance did: annoy the Blackthorn Clan so much they give us Dragonair just so we go away.¡±

    Redi tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°What, like blackmail?¡± she asked. ¡°Man, why¡¯d you go and say something like that, Sam? Now I¡¯m regretting trying to be mature about this. Blackmailing an entire clan would¡¯ve been fun.¡±

    Sam laughed, but he jumped when a pair of hands thumped onto the back of the couch. A voice spoke up from behind, a cheerful tone behind every word.

    ¡°What a marvelous idea!¡± the voice said. ¡°But I don¡¯t believe antagonizing the Blackthorn Clan in their own city would ever be a good plan.¡±

    Sam turned around to see whoever had just butted in, but he stilled when he saw that masked man from before. Sam would have tried to reply with a few biting words, but he was too distracted to think of any.

    The man¡¯s outfit was ridiculous. His waistcoat sparkled in the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s lights, looking like something that wouldn¡¯t have been out of place on a circus performer on a stage.

    ¡°My, my! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet the both of you!¡± the man continued, giving the two of them a full second to use to recover. ¡°You must be Redi, and you must be Sam, yes? And a fine greeting to you too, my dear Quilava.¡±

    Confused, she squeaked in reply.

    ¡°Now then, a certain Nurse Joy submitted a request for a tutor, and thus, I am here! I believe she wanted you to be tutored in the ways of Teleport, which you will find is my expertise.¡±

    The man smiled a genuine smile. A white mesh on the domino mask prevented Sam from seeing the man¡¯s eyes, but they somehow seemed to be sparkling in the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s lights.

    ¡°However, while waiting for a good time to introduce myself, I couldn¡¯t help but to overhear your conversation.¡±

    He rubbed his chin with a grin on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve trained all around the world, and after hearing you two speak, I feel as though there¡¯s a way I can help you even more.¡±

 Chapter 91

    The domino-mask-wearing man didn¡¯t bother to lead them anywhere private. Given the topic of conversation, Sam would have wanted to talk where they wouldn¡¯t be overheard, but they were simply brought outside.

    With the existence of the training fields at the edge of town, the dedicated open space behind the Pok¨¦mon Center was small. It consisted of nothing more than a small length of grass surrounded by slopes that obscured it from nearby buildings. A few trainers lingered off to the side, but none were actively practicing with their Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Greetings!¡± the man said once they found a place outside. He spun on a heel to face Sam and Redi, clapping his hands together. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet all of you! I am Will, Ace Trainer extraordinaire and Psychic Type master!¡±

    ¡°Wait, you''re a Psychic Type Master?¡± Redi asked, eyes widening.

    Will clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Ah, unfortunately not. See, I am a master, not yet a Master. Do you hear the difference in that lowercase ¡®m''?¡±

    He proceeded to make noises with his mouth, humming to emphasize a distinction between ¡°mmm¡± and ¡°MMM.¡± There was a slight smile on his face as he did, as if he was aware of just how eccentric he was acting. His domino mask certainly didn¡¯t help him in that regard, and he was also wearing a black and maroon waistcoat that made him look like a stage performer.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling the world for quite some time, training and developing my team,¡± Will said, snapping out his arms with a flourish to enter a dramatic pose. ¡°I may be an Ace Trainer, but I work under no commander¡ªonly the League itself! As a result, I am frequently called to assist with odd jobs here and there. You two will be the fourth set of trainers I¡¯ve helped this year alone.¡±

    He brought his arms back down, crossing them but resting a hand on his cheek. His eyes weren¡¯t visible¡ªhis mask obscured them with pure white fabric where openings would normally be¡ªbut his gaze was somehow just as piercing as any other elite.

    ¡°But yet,¡± Will continued, ¡°it seems that assisting you two will be more eventful than all my other jobs so far. You wish to, ah, blackmail the Blackthorn Clan?¡±

    Sam hated the smirk that appeared on Will¡¯s face.

    ¡°What else was I supposed to think of?¡± Sam grumbled. ¡°Their ¡®trials¡¯ are a sham, and they only really cared about making political connections! I want to help Redi, but they¡¯re just coasting off of their reputation. Messing with them like that was the best strategy I could¡ª¡±

    ¡°No wonder you train the Ghost Type,¡± Will interrupted.

    Sam felt his eye twitch as Will turned toward Redi.

    ¡°You,¡± Will said. ¡°Tell me your desire.¡±

    ¡°To... to have you tutor me in Teleport?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°No, no!¡± He laughed. ¡°That¡¯s a given. I mean your desires concerning the Blackthorn Clan.¡±

    At once, Redi¡¯s expression hardened. She met Will¡¯s discerning gaze head-on.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to add Dragonair to my team,¡± she declared.

    ¡°Ah, but the Blackthorn Clan is in your way. How will you achieve your desires if they block your path?¡± Will asked.

    He shifted his arms around to change which hand was resting on his cheek.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care,¡± Redi answered. ¡°I just need to convince them that I can train Dragonair. I don¡¯t need to play their games more than that. They might be Dragon Tamers, but I¡¯m a Pok¨¦mon Trainer! Dragonair wants more than to be stuck here. She deserves a trainer that¡¯ll let her see the world, and that¡¯s going to be me!¡±

    She grinned, bringing a thumb up to point at her chin. Will raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Careful. Depending on your delivery, statements like that might cause you to come across like a petulant child.¡±

    ¡°What.¡±

    Her face turned red. Sam scowled at Will.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°You say you want these things, and I can tell you care deeply about that Dragonair,¡± Will said, pushing past Sam and Redi¡¯s growing reactions. ¡°Yet, when I hear you speak, I have to ask: what is your actual argument for your claim over that Pok¨¦mon? You wish to add a rare Dragon Type to your team, one that is already training under a proven trainer. The Blackthorn Clan will only approve such a handover if you prove yourself worthy, but what are you going to do to prove that? What overwhelming evidence will you provide to prove you are worth the investment?¡±

    ¡°We care about each other,¡± Redi said, glaring at Will.

    ¡°Meaningless. Dragonair can grow to care about someone else,¡± he said.

    ¡°My team is strong,¡± she tried next.

    ¡°Many trainers have strong teams. Why not give Dragonair to someone stronger, then?¡±

    ¡°I have a small team and can give her the focus she deserves?¡± she offered.

    Will simply replied with a look that made it clear that wouldn¡¯t matter.

    Unable to speak, Redi clenched her hands, and her knuckles turned white. Her gaze bore into the white eyes of Will¡¯s domino mask, but then she slumped. All of the tension in her body vanished as she faced the ground.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t have anything,¡± Redi said, defeated. ¡°I don¡¯t have an argument. I don¡¯t have a way to prove myself.¡±

    ¡°But couldn¡¯t you talk about your sponsorship with Mr. Pok¨¦mon?¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°And then, if you really want to, you could go into more detail about, um, Ursaring...?¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to say anything more specific in such a public place, but Redi just shook her head.

    ¡°Some secret evolution won¡¯t mean anything,¡± she said. ¡°Tell me if I¡¯m wrong: anyone could do it if they knew.¡±

    Sam looked away.

    Will watched in silence, his masked expression emotionless. Redi brought her head up to stare at him. She chose to say nothing as well.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Several appraising seconds passed by. It wasn¡¯t exactly a silent conversation, it was more like the two of them were trying to gauge one another¡¯s worth. Sam stayed quiet, too; with Nurse Joy¡¯s request, Will was primarily here for Redi, not him. It wasn¡¯t his place to speak up. Redi was his friend, but Dragonair was a Pok¨¦mon she was trying to get.

    Eventually, Will spoke.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan has never once provided a Dragon Type to a trainer outside of their clan,¡± Will said, confirming Sam¡¯s suspicions. ¡°They provide assistance, yes, some of which I''ve obtained myself, but never a full-fledged Dragon Type. How do you plan to change that?¡±

    Redi ground her teeth together. She didn¡¯t have anything.

    But she never once looked away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Redi said. ¡°We talked to Clair. We went to their Trial. We went to their Trial too early, but I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve done anything anyway with how Sam described it. I want... I want Dragonair to be happy. She¡¯s fine here, but she doesn¡¯t have enough room to grow. I know I¡¯m supposed to be some sort of Normal Type trainer, but look at me!¡±

    She let out a self-defeating laugh.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting all beat up over a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s not even a Normal Type.¡±

    She wiped her nose, and Sam tried to take a step closer, but Redi seemed to gather herself with a shake of her head.

    ¡°And I keep thinking I¡¯m just selfish, too. I know I need a third Pok¨¦mon for our Gym Battle, and Dragonair showed up at the perfect time. Some part of me is telling me that I only care because I can use her, but that¡¯s not it. If I was really that desperate, I could just grab Stantler and bring him here once Porygon learns Teleport. But this isn¡¯t connected to that. I don¡¯t care about our next Gym Battle right now. I want Dragonair to be more than just one of Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. I want her to be my friend.¡±

    Redi wiped her eyes with her shirt, and she glanced at Sam once her face was dry. She seemed to suddenly realize he was staring, and a blush overtook her cheeks.

    ¡°You don''t know what you¡¯re doing yet, do you?¡± Will asked, pressing the back of his thumb to his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re still a novice. You¡¯re still figuring things out.¡±

    ¡°No. I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m trying my best,¡± Redi said, brow furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t become a trainer with a goal bigger than making money. But that¡¯s changed. I want to be strong. I want my Pok¨¦mon to be strong. And I want all of us to be happy.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Yeah, so then I guess I am still figuring out how all of this is going to work. Not all of us can have such a solid plan from the beginning, huh?¡±

    She turned to Sam and smiled, and Sam, for some reason, felt a need to look away. To him, she was giving him more credit than he deserved. At the start, all he knew was that he wanted to train the Ghost Type. It took Morty¡¯s help and a whole lot of thinking to come to the conclusion he wanted to build his team around status moves.

    ¡°I have a lot of book smarts, but not a lot of street smarts,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to compliment me like that.¡±

    Finally, Will spoke up once more. He smiled, clapping his hands.

    ¡°Ah, to be young, and to still be figuring out your teams! You¡¯re both thirteen, so growth is to be expected.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fourteen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen!¡±

    Will ignored both of them.

    ¡°Yes! As I am present to assist your Pok¨¦mon with the knowledge of teleportation, I will also assist with this as well! Providing young trainers with guidance is the core duty of members of the Pok¨¦mon League, thus, I must step in!¡± Will said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about me. I already planned to be here¡ªthis dedication does nothing to affect my schedule, yes. But your future? Even the smallest of decisions can create a cascading effect. I know better than most just how malleable what is yet to come can be.¡±

    He smiled at the two of them, and Redi sniffed, forcing herself to calm down as she met Will in the eyes.

    ¡°So you¡¯ll help us make a plan for the Blackthorn Clan?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll offer myself as a sounding board rather than any sort of conductor. You must come up with plans yourself, as my role in the Pok¨¦mon League prevents me from doing anything more. Thankfully, all Ace Trainers receive specialized training before coming into their roles, and as such, I have relevant expertise I can provide,¡± Will answered. ¡°But, for now¡ª¡±

    He flicked his wrists out to his side, and two items slipped out of his sleeves to be caught in his hands. One was a pink-tinted disc¡ªlikely the promised TM for Teleport¡ªand the other was a thin envelope.

    Will walked to Sam and Redi and presented the two items with a bow.

    ¡°The disc, for Redi. The envelope, for Sam,¡± he said.

    They took the items.

    ¡°I may be a trainer of the Psychic Type, but I am an Ace Trainer as well. Do not forget we are all Pok¨¦mon Trainers here. Our dedication to Pok¨¦mon is something we share.¡±

    Will brought himself back up and clasped his hands behind his back. Redi stared at her reflection in the TM. Sam only watched her for a few seconds, turning back to the envelope he was given soon after.

    He hadn¡¯t expected to receive anything, especially not from a trainer that wasn¡¯t even here for him.

    So Sam opened it up.

    There was a letter, of course.

    Printed on League-standard stationery with an official seal stamped at its top was the exact message he¡¯d been waiting for.

    It finally happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been approved,¡± Sam said, looking up. ¡°I can go to the Sinjoh Ruins.¡±

    Redi¡¯s eyes snapped to him. Her expression was filled with shock.

    ¡°Wait, right now?¡±

    ¡°According to this, I can go whenever I want, but...¡± He sucked in air through his teeth. ¡°I need to go as soon as possible. I need all the information we can get before Quilava evolves.¡±

    Sam turned to Will.

    ¡°Hey, so, if you¡¯re a teleportation expert...¡±

    Will chuckled.

    ¡°My Pok¨¦mon can take you,¡± he said, nodding his head.

    Sam looked back at Redi only to find she was once more staring at the ground.

    He wanted to stay and support his friend. He wanted to help her achieve her goals. His own plans for his team were already set. In terms of new moves and strategies, he knew exactly what he wanted to try to train and develop, but he couldn¡¯t exactly risk putting the trip off.

    Quilava wasn¡¯t showing any signs of an impending evolution, but if she found herself in a position in which she needed to struggle, there was a chance that effort would see her evolve regardless.

    They had only so much information about how her evolution would work. Hisuian Typhlosion was a Ghost Type, and it was connected to Hisui, somehow.

    The Sinjoh Ruins and its connection to both Johto and Sinnoh was their best lead at finding an answer.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    Redi brought her head up. She looked Sam in the eye.

    ¡°Go, Sam. I¡¯ll stay here and train my team.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Clair said the next Blackthorn Trial is in three weeks, if we even want to take it on again. And our battle against her happens when we choose. There isn¡¯t a time limit we need to follow.¡±

    Sam chuckled.

    ¡°I mean, there kind of is?¡±

    Redi actually laughed.

    ¡°The end of the season is still months away! We¡¯re fine!¡± she said.

    Sam laughed as well and glanced between her and Will. He brought Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball into his hand to stare at it.

    They¡¯d been traveling together for a long time.

    Sam knew his trip to the Sinjoh Ruins would last longer than just a day.

    ¡°Ugh, just¡ª Sam, stop being so dumb about this!¡± Redi yelled. ¡°We split up every time we enter a city! We made a promise to travel together, but that doesn¡¯t mean we always have to be in the same place! I¡¯ll figure out a way to get Dragonair, and Will will help me with Teleport! Trust me on this! I¡¯ve been getting way better at being a trainer!¡±

    She grinned at him.

    ¡°And, the next time we meet, I¡¯ll have an extra Gym Badge, too! I¡¯ll head over to Violet Gym, beat up Walker, and come back stronger for our battle against Clair!¡±

    Her smile was bright, but Sam could see the corners of her mouth wavering. Even with this sudden news, she was trying to stay strong. She was just as torn up about this sudden split as he was, but she was refusing to let that hold either of them back.

    Sam took a deep breath in.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°Just... promise to come back,¡± Redi said.

    He nodded at her and held out his hand.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    But instead of grabbing his hand to shake, Redi grabbed it and pulled him into a hug.

    <hr>

    Sam returned to his Pok¨¦mon Center bedroom, gathered his stuff, and informed his team where they were about to go. A few of the wild Gastly in his shadow peeled off. They weren¡¯t too interested in being teleported somewhere else, but some others chose to stay.

    Tibia and Fibula would have to split as well, unfortunately. One would stay with Sam, and one would stay with Redi. Their assignment to keep an eye over them would likely last the rest of the season, and they couldn¡¯t exactly choose to stay with one over the other.

    The two Gastly had a tearful goodbye, but at the end of it, they swirled around one another. When they came to a stop, they had done something to their faces that all of the progress Sam had made when it came to telling them apart was now pointless.

    They looked completely identical.

    ¡°I have everything I need in my backpack, and my Pok¨¦mon know what we¡¯re about to do,¡± Sam said, returning downstairs to meet back with Redi and Will. ¡°Since there¡¯s no sense in putting it off, we can head out right now. Just, uh, since we¡¯re being teleported, you¡¯ll help us come back too, right?

    Will nodded at Sam, and a Pok¨¦ball rolled out of his sleeve to let him release a Xatu on the grass. Every time in the past when Sam had seen members of its species, those Xatu were staring at the sky. However, right now, Will¡¯s Xatu was staring directly at Sam.

    ¡°If something really bad happens, the Sinjoh Ruins are located to the north of Blackthorn City,¡± Sam said to Redi. ¡°You should be able to head over if needed, or I could head south.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s past Mount Silver,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°I think... It would still be worth the try,¡± he mumbled.

    She silently stepped close to hand him the Pok¨¦Gear. If she was staying in a city, it made more sense for Sam to have it while he was at some distant ruins.

    He took it, nodding to thank her, and looked back at Will. The man in the mask gestured at the green Pok¨¦mon standing by his side.

    ¡°Simply place your hand on Xatu¡¯s head when you¡¯re ready. You¡¯ll be instantaneously brought to the ruin¡¯s base camp.¡±

    Hesitantly, Sam walked over to the Pok¨¦mon and raised his hand. He didn¡¯t quite place it down just yet, keeping it in the air above Xatu.

    Instead, for the last time in a while, he glanced over his shoulder to look at Redi.

    ¡°Later,¡± he said.

    ¡°Later,¡± Redi sniffed.

    Sam set his hand down on Xatu¡¯s head, and then, he was gone.

 Chapter 92

    Sam was hit with howling winds and a biting gale. The world turned white from ice and snow. The freezing temperature saw him pull his jacket tight around himself as he turned to Will¡¯s Xatu in shock.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    There were no obvious ruins in sight, and the green Pok¨¦mon next to him remained silent, tilting its head back to stare up at something ahead. Sam followed its gaze toward a snow-covered slope that disappeared into mist that obscured the sky.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Sam shivered and tried to pull his jacket tighter. ¡°You¡¯re telling me we have to climb?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t see how tall the mountain was, and there was no obvious trail leading up. The ongoing snowstorm wasn¡¯t a blizzard, but the constant powdering and the surrounding mist didn¡¯t help him see too far ahead.

    He wasn¡¯t dressed for this. Yes, Johto could be colder than Hoenn, but his jacket lacked the thickness needed to resist this weather, and jeans weren¡¯t good enough for a mountain climb. He needed boots. An actual thick jacket. Probably thermal underwear.

    Or I could actually be teleported.

    But when he glanced back at Xatu, the Psychic Type was gone.

    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Sam hurried to pull out his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls. He didn¡¯t even have gloves. ¡°Quilava, Primeape. We need heat. Please.¡±

    Upon appearing on the ground, Quilava didn¡¯t hesitate to ignite her flames. Primeape bashed his hands together to cause them to spark with fire, but Fire Punch only lasted so long.

    At least, Primeape belonged to a mountainous species covered in fur. He wasn¡¯t bothered by the cold anywhere near as much as Sam.

    ¡°We need to¡ª¡± Sam looked around to double check but found no one else. ¡°We need to climb this mountain.¡±

    He knew there was an easy way out. Redi was staying in a city, safe, so she had refused to let him head here without bringing the Pok¨¦Gear for himself. A single phone call would see help arrive and his quick rescue.

    But...

    Sam knew the Sinjoh Ruins were at the top of this mountain. Will¡¯s Xatu wouldn¡¯t have taken him anywhere else. Sure, he had already received permission to come here, but, in a way, climbing up would be as though he was proving the worthiness of himself and his team.

    He was here to give Quilava the chance to evolve. He didn¡¯t want to turn back now.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Sam said, forcing himself to not grumble. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    So, he climbed.

    Each footstep sunk into the snow, the freezing material covering his shoes and moistening his socks. Quilava was quick to move close, and her months of training meant her control over the heat saw Sam stay warm and his clothes quickly dry. Primeape, however, seemed almost solemn to be back on a mountain. There was a faint bit of joy that came from being so high up once more, but rather than anything celebratory he stayed focused.

    It was as if traveling next to Sam was letting him prepare.

    Thankfully, travel didn¡¯t include the need to find footholds or handholds. Sam was able to keep his hands under his armpits, his hood on his head, and Primeape served as a guide while Quilava acted as a mobile campfire just strong enough to let Sam resist these temperatures.

    Haunter and Misdreavus came out at one point. This wasn¡¯t just a short hike, and Sam didn¡¯t want to keep them in their Pok¨¦balls all day. Xatu had placed Sam somewhere where he¡¯d need to work hard to reach the Sinjoh Ruins, but at least it still felt possible. It would just take concerted effort and time.

    Upon appearing, Haunter shivered and dived into Sam¡¯s shadow, whereas Misdreavus stayed out next to him to serve as moral support.

    They helped. Climbing became a full team effort. Haunter¡¯s position in the floor let him warn Sam of unsteady or slippery terrain ahead of time, and Misdreavus would occasionally split off to float high, high into the sky to move past the clouds. When she came back, she always confirmed they were going the right way, and she could confirm there weren¡¯t any aggressive, wild Pok¨¦mon ahead, too.

    They made sure to take breaks. Without a source of wood nearby, Quilava helped heat up their food, and once it was warm, she was able to drop her fire to take a break and let the warm meal heat everyone up instead. Sitting behind large boulders helped block the wind and snow, and Sam found himself being pushed harder than he had ever been pushed before.

    Thankfully, wherever he had been dropped saw all of his time being spent hiking up snowy slopes rather than any more exertive climb. Unfortunately, he did not reach the top in a single day. A shallow cave provided shelter for the night, and Haunter and Misdreavus piled up snow at its front to help insulate the area and prevent warmth from being lost.

    But they also made sure to leave a small gap at the top to allow for circulation and prevent suffocation.

    ¡°Did Will plan this?¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Or did his Xatu go behind his back to put us at the bottom of the mountain?¡±

    Quilava wiggled in his arms. He held her close, as even without her fire running, she was still quite warm. She said her name to respond to Sam, and Misdreavus nodded in agreement.

    ¡°So you think he was aware of the possibility, then, but he just didn''t do anything to stop his Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Misdreavus nodded grimly, and Sam scowled.

    Will was a Psychic Type specialist. When Sam got the chance, he was going to show that jerk why Psychic Types were weak to Ghosts.

    But as he plotted his revenge, Quilava squeaked and looked up at him with a grin. Haunter came out to smirk alongside her, and even Primeape, who was staring at the snow blocking the mouth of the cave, grunted in agreement.

    Inside here, surrounded by his Pok¨¦mon, Sam let out a laugh and shook his head.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± he said. ¡°At least we¡¯re doing this together. And we¡¯ll get our revenge against Will together, too!¡±

    His entire team cheered.

    Sam spent the night there, emerging the next morning. In a somewhat better mood, he swore the weather had improved, but it still felt just as bad as it had been the day before.

    His group wasn¡¯t the only group of creatures on this mountain. No other humans appeared, but Sam caught sight of other Pok¨¦mon living here. Sneasel, with their sharp claws, scaled up and down in groups that were only warded off due to the threat posed by Quilava¡¯s flames. Geodude, half iced over, would shift out of the way to avoid Primeape when the Fighting Type climbed rocky areas by punching his fists into the stone. At one point, Sam hiked past a lone Jynx standing on an outcrop and staring into the mist-shrouded horizon.

    She was singing, but the lone Ice Type Pok¨¦mon did keep her eye on him as they passed.

    And there were other shapes. Large, indistinguishable ones that did not approach. Their bulky silhouettes were only barely visible in the snow storm, and given Sam only ever saw sketches of species in the New Pok¨¦dex, he was not familiar enough with how they looked in real life to identify them.

    (But he never once wished to have the scanning ability of an electronic Pok¨¦dex. Not even a single time¡ªabsolutely never. Sure, it would have been helpful to identify a species with the push of a button, but Sam didn¡¯t need that. He just needed to hone his skills and become more familiar with the Pok¨¦mon species of the world.)

    His legs were burning from the constant climb, and he was thankful that he had been teleported here from Blackthorn City, which was already high up in the mountains. It made adapting to the thin air a bit easier. Quilava¡¯s bubble of heat was also one of the only reasons this was possible, too. Humans weren¡¯t as sturdy as Pok¨¦mon, but he knew from both Hoenn¡¯s Drake and Indigo¡¯s Bruno that they were still capable of great things if they pushed themselves.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He didn¡¯t give up. He only ever slowed to take breaks. And just before the second day of climbing came to its end, Sam realized he was already at the top.

    All at once, the mist disappeared. It was like he had just broken through the surface of a pool of water. At his side, Quilava let out a breath, and Misdreavus turned and stared behind them with visible awe.

    Sam had never been a fan of heights. He hadn¡¯t fully realized it until he had been taken into the sky by Morty¡¯s Drifblim. Falling was the real worry that came from being so high up, but when he turned around here, his breath caught in his throat.

    A sea of white stretched out into the distance. Rocky peaks poked through the clouds to form a sky-high archipelago. He could not see the cliffs or the slopes he had just moved through. No, stepping this high onto the mountain was like he had entered a fantasy world. A view this grand didn¡¯t seem like it should exist.

    ¡°...Come on. We¡¯re so close.¡±

    Misdreavus made a disappointed noise when Sam turned away, and he purposely slowed down to let her continue to stare out over the clouds. As the ground beneath his feet flattened out and created an obvious path through a crack in a rocky, stone wall, Misdreavus floated backwards and moved close to him. She let herself press against his arm, silently thanking him for bringing her with him and allowing her to see a view like that.

    The sky was perfectly clear, and the lack of snow made it warmer, though a persistent chill remained. Moving into that gap between the natural stone walls saw a bit of the cold leave. Quilava let her flames die down given they were no longer as necessary.

    Only a bit longer, and they pushed through the snaking pass to emerge into an area surrounded by cliffs. It wasn¡¯t exactly a valley, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a crater. An extraordinarily flat space stretched out before them, otherwise hidden unless someone wanted to scale the last, remaining bit of rock.

    A single, stone structure sat in its back. It was some sort of temple based on how six, crumbling pillars lined a path of grey bricks before it. It honestly reminded Sam of the buildings he¡¯d seen within the Ruins of Alph, but it wasn¡¯t alone in this space. However, it was the only thing that was obviously ancient; a series of log cabins had been built not too far away.

    Some had lights on inside, but others had their frosted glass darkened by the lack of anyone inside. There were researchers here. Sam and his team weren¡¯t alone. He longed to enter the warmth of a building¡¯s interior, but the Sinjoh Ruins were right there.

    Hope for Quilava¡¯s evolution burned in his chest as Sam took the final steps forward.

    ¡°Hold it, mister.¡±

    Sam winced as he heard a door creak open and a woman¡¯s voice call out.

    So close to his destination, he didn¡¯t want to turn around. Yet, the only reason he was here was thanks to a recommendation by Spencer Hale¡ªhe couldn¡¯t exactly ignore the shout of any researcher here. Tensing, Sam shuffled on his feet to see who had called out to him. Annoyed, Primeape snorted.

    They had come all this way only to be stopped at the last minute.

    Approaching Sam¡¯s group was an older woman wearing a thick, furry coat, hugging herself while taking Sam in. Her clothes were actually designed to resist the cold weather, too. She had the start of wrinkles on her face as well as a greying, dirty-blonde bob cut, but her eyes were sharp. She had the same, experienced look that most experienced trainers had, but she wasn¡¯t a trainer. She had no Pok¨¦balls on her belt or anywhere on her body.

    ¡°Who are you to walk around dressed like that? It¡¯s freezing out here! You shouldn¡¯t be outside without wearing something thicker.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I have,¡± Sam grunted. ¡°Quilava helps.¡±

    She supported his statement by briefly bringing her flames to full blast. Sam felt like he was standing next to a furnace for that short moment, but she let them die down to the same, low smolder that she¡¯d been maintaining before.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes flicked to the Fire Type. ¡°She looks just as exhausted as you do. How did you get here?¡±

    ¡°We climbed.¡±

    ¡°You climbed?¡±

    She opened her mouth as if to further express her disbelief, but she ended up just shaking her head instead.

    ¡°No, no. This won¡¯t do. Come with me. I¡¯ll give you a way to warm up.¡±

    In unison, Sam and every member of his team glanced over their shoulders to stare at the sole building of the Sinjoh Ruins naught but a dozen yards away. If there was anything that¡¯d reveal the secrets behind Quilava¡¯s alternate evolution, it would be inside, yet¡ª

    ¡°Are you coming? You¡¯ll have plenty of chances to do what you need to do later,¡± the woman called out. ¡°Let yourself warm up before you get sick! And ask around for a better coat! At least someone here has something you can wear. Now stop dawdling and follow me.¡±

    Sam slumped, recognizing the tone used as one used by his mother in the past¡ªit was one that left no room for arguments. It was better to follow along and visit the ruins later, but he had to admit he wasn¡¯t too against the idea.

    He and his team were exhausted. They absolutely needed a warm, safe place to rest and take a break.

    ¡°Coming,¡± Sam sighed.

    He chased after the woman as she made her way back into the cozy interior of one of the cabins set to the side.

    <hr>

    ¡°I¡¯m Carolina. A Professor, but not a Pok¨¦mon Professor. I¡¯m here on behalf of the Celestic Town Historical Research Center, Sinnoh¡¯s second most knowledgeable organization on the region¡¯s space-time legends.¡±

    Professor Carolina placed a series of bowls and cups in front of where his team sat at a low table. Quilava immediately began to lap at her bowl of Pok¨¦mon-safe cocoa, whereas Primeape immediately tried to chug his down. However, the second the steaming liquid hit his mouth, he yelped from how hot it was.

    As a Fire Type, Quilava had no such problem with her scalding drink.

    ¡°The second most knowledgeable organization? Who¡¯s the first?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The Galaxy Organization,¡± Professor Carolina said, sitting across from Sam at the same table while holding a cup of cocoa of her own. ¡°Named after the original settlers of Sinnoh, it¡¯s led by Cyrus¡ªa rather wealthy businessman. He can be a bit stubborn at times, but he¡¯s poured his wealth into furthering our knowledge of Sinnoh¡¯s history and legends. Without him, we wouldn¡¯t know anywhere near as much as we do. I¡¯m lucky to call him a family friend.¡±

    She chuckled.

    ¡°Among other things,¡± she mumbled, sipping at her cocoa.

    As Professor Carolina drank, Sam tried to sip at his cocoa too, but he winced the second its flavor hit his tongue. It was so overwhelmingly sweet that he couldn¡¯t taste the chocolate in the slightest. Yet, Quilava was drinking hers without any problem. Sam did like sweet things, except this was barely palatable.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t need to know my personal history,¡± the Professor continued. ¡°I¡¯m just another researcher among so many others here. Who are you? And what brings a trainer as young as yourself to the Sinjoh Ruins?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m... Sam. A Ghost Type specialist. And I¡¯m here to figure out... We¡¯re here to figure out how to evolve my Quilava into a Hisuian Typhlosion.¡±

    When Sam mentioned his preferred Type, Professor Carolina¡¯s eyes flicked to both Primeape and Quilava, and she replied with a simple ¡°Mhm¡± while taking another sip of her drink.

    Misdreavus and Haunter were out as well, but Misdreavus wasn¡¯t interested in hot cocoa. She floated between Sam and Quilava, waiting for Quilava to be finished. Haunter was... elsewhere. Sam purposefully ignored how one patch of shadows on top of the cabin¡¯s cabinets seemed darker than the rest.

    ¡°Evolving into a Hisuian Typhlosion is a big goal. You aren¡¯t forcing your Pok¨¦mon into anything, are you?¡± the Professor asked.

    She got her answer when Quilava outright growled at her for that implication.

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± The old woman chuckled. ¡°But what makes you think you need to be here of all places to achieve that evolution, anyway?¡±

    ¡°We¡ªQuilava and I¡ªhave been working on her final evolution since we first found out about it,¡± Sam said, staring into the dark liquid within his cup. ¡°We¡¯ve been training together since the start of this Johto¡¯s League season, trying whatever we can to guarantee it. Quilava knows Curse, and she¡¯s an expert at using its Ghost Type energy. I¡¯ve talked to Morty and have been doing a lot of research into Hisui, ghosts, and Ghost Types, too.¡±

    Carolina hummed.

    ¡°Interesting. And how did you learn about Hisuian Typhlosion in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Research,¡± Sam said all too quickly.

    She cocked a brow but didn¡¯t comment on his immediate reply.

    Instead, after a few seconds of considering his words, she sighed and put her cup down, leaning back on her cushion and placing her hands under her arms for warmth. This log cabin was cozy, only consisting of a main room, a bathroom, and a small bedroom, but even with the slight chill that remained, it was still much, much warmer here than it was outside.

    ¡°Truthfully, I knew who you were when I first saw you,¡± Professor Carolina admitted. ¡°Everyone here received a notice that a trainer like you intended to visit. Something about that fool Spencer providing a recommendation?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Really, you should have waited.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sam asked, suspicious.

    ¡°Because there¡¯s simply nothing for you here,¡± she said.

    Professor Carolina adjusted her posture to sit upright.

    ¡°The Sinjoh Ruins has its temple, yes, but it only deals with legends that affect both regions as a whole. It predates all of the events of the Hisui Crisis, which is the short period in which Hisuian Typhlosion only ever appeared. I doubt that you¡¯ll get information about Quilava¡¯s evolution here. This might be a sacred place with close ties to Johto and Sinnoh, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°All I know is that a Quilava evolves into a Hisuian Typhlosion when evolved in ancient Hisui. That¡¯s what I read, at least. Even if this place was built earlier¡ªeven if there isn¡¯t any obvious information here¡ªwe should be able to find something, even if it''s just a carving, or a mural, or just some sort of feeling in the air!¡±

    He huffed, annoyed.

    ¡°What else are we supposed to do?¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°There isn¡¯t anywhere else we can go.¡±

    Quilava whined, and Sam leaned over to rub her head. Professor Carolina blinked at Sam, caught off guard by his impassioned argument.

    And, as Sam comforted Quilava, she looked up at the Professor. She adjusted her expression to send the woman the biggest puppy-dog eyes she could muster.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± Professor Carolina mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. She followed that with a chuckle, somehow sounding both defeated and amused at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re lucky begging like that reminds me of my granddaughter. She can really be so single-minded at times.¡±

    Professor Carolina brought her hands back into her lap, and she stared at Sam and Quilava, taking both of them in. Sam could see her jaw move back and forth while she chewed on her thoughts. It took several seconds for her to speak up next.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have many ways to help you. You¡¯re treading new ground, even if evolving into a Hisuian Typhlosion was possible in the past. Only two species have ever been brought to the Sinjoh Ruins to evolve¡ªNosepass and Magneton. Unfortunately, both times it was due to a misunderstanding. Those species evolve into Probopass and Magnezone when trained within Sinnoh¡¯s Mount Coronet, but their evolutions stem from the mountain¡¯s electromagnetic field rather than the presence of the mountain itself. They¡¯re more likely to evolve in a power plant than somewhere like here.¡±

    ¡°But what about us?¡± Sam asked.

    Professor Carolina rubbed her chin.

    ¡°Well, there is one species...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam asked, leaning forward.

    ¡°In such a high-up, snowy location like this, I believe we have the perfect conditions to evolve one of Alola¡¯s Crabrawler into a Crabominable, yes?¡±

    Sam¡¯s head hit the table as Professor Carolina laughed to herself. He could hear Quilava sigh in her seat next to him, and Misdreavus tried to nudge both of them to cheer them up.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing in the temple? Can¡¯t I head in and look around?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. Unless you¡¯re being escorted by a specifically-trained Psychic Type that can reduce the impact of your feet, you won¡¯t be allowed inside due to how fragile the carvings in the floor are.¡±

    ¡°So I need a Psychic Type.¡± Sam brought his head back up. ¡°Can I borrow one of yours?¡±

    She laughed again.

    ¡°Oh, you''re a cheeky brat, aren¡¯t you? No, I don¡¯t train Pok¨¦mon, and I doubt the other researchers here would be willing to loan out one of their partners so easily.¡±

    Sam groaned. After so long of waiting, it felt like a punch to the gut to be told it was all for nothing.

    ¡°But...¡± Professor Carolina continued. ¡°Tell you what¡ªgive me a few days. I doubt I¡¯ll be able to find anything explicit, but I¡¯ll ask around to see what information I can gather for you. The Sinjoh Ruins might not have anything directly helpful for Quilava¡¯s evolutions, but we¡¯re surrounded by some of the foremost researchers of Johto and Sinnoh¡¯s shared history. I¡¯ll see if I can find a way to at least bring you through the temple¡¯s front, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said genuinely.

    She waved him off.

    ¡°Us older folk have a duty to support the younger generation, and, besides, your problem is interesting enough to gather some of these old fogeys'' interest. For now, feel free to claim one of the empty cabins for yourself and be patient. When you see me next, I¡¯ll be giving you good news.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Four days later, Sam was back at the mountain¡¯s edge. Every day so far, he¡¯d returned to where mist and snow turned the world white to give his team a challenging environment in which to train. To withstand the mountain¡¯s harsh conditions, he hadn¡¯t exactly been loaned a new outfit so much as he had been outright given clothes from the settlement¡¯s lost-and-found. A puffy jacket covered in far too many neon stripes kept his upper body insulated, and he wore a second layer of pants over his jeans to keep his legs warm.

    The clothes were a bit oversized, as both were intended for someone older than him. He also still didn¡¯t have boots. His running shoes were designed to handle the wear and tear that came from the constant travel of a trainer¡¯s lifestyle, but they weren¡¯t exactly suited for a snowy mountain.

    At least I was able to put in an order for a pair of boots. They should arrive the next time this camp gets its supplies delivered.

    Whenever that¡¯ll be.

    ¡°Does everyone know what they¡¯re doing?¡± Sam called out, standing beside a stone outcrop that protected him from the wind.

    Quilava replied with her name from where she stood next to Primeape, who also responded with a grunt. Both Misdreavus and Haunter faced them, the two Ghost Types floating in the air and appearing almost blurry due to the mist.

    They replied with acknowledgements as well.

    The ground beneath them wasn¡¯t flat, but this section of the mountain was only a gentle incline. The powdery snow helped coat the stone to prevent any slippery patches of ice. If someone fell, there was no risk of them tumbling down the entire mountain. However, this was just meant to be a practice bout. Sam and his team still had their double battle with Redi coming up, and even though she wasn¡¯t around, they still needed to train and prepare.

    ¡°Present Ghost Types versus future Ghost Types,¡± Sam announced. ¡°Quilava and Primeape versus Haunter and Misdreavus. I want you all to treat this like a serious battle, but also listen for my voice and pull back if things get too intense. For you, Haunter, I know you¡¯ve been practicing your new moves, but no Nightmare in this fight. Stick to Dream Eater. It¡¯s a bit too cruel otherwise, okay?¡±

    Haunter voiced his complaints, and Sam crossed his arms. The Ghost Type did relent, if only due to the glare Misdreavus sent.

    Both of Haunter¡¯s new sleep-based moves were still a work in progress, and Sam didn¡¯t want him to cause any long-lasting harm from an improper use of Nightmare. While a Pok¨¦mon like Chansey could treat that, the settlement at the Sinjoh Ruins only had a first aid station rather than a dedicated Pok¨¦mon Center.

    One last look around at his team, and Sam nodded once. This would be a test of strategy as much as it was a test of battle instincts for his Pok¨¦mon. He¡¯d only be stepping in to stop the worst.

    ¡°On my count!¡± he shouted. ¡°The battle will begin in three¡ª¡±

    Haunter took off, and Sam felt an eye twitch.

    That¡¯s on me for saying ¡°begin¡± while I¡¯m muffled by the snow.

    ¡°Go! Start the battle!¡± he yelled right after. With that shout, the rest of his team lurched into action.

    Haunter had already used that slight moment of advantage to disappear into the mist. He didn¡¯t know Shadow Sneak, so he couldn¡¯t control a shadow to move around, but he could at least leap from shadow to shadow to move unseen. With the current lack of light caused by the weather, he had ample room to approach Quilava and Primeape.

    Probably.

    Sam couldn¡¯t exactly tell where Haunter was.

    Misdreavus, however, didn¡¯t bother to hide herself. She stayed in the air and charged a Shadow Ball only for the attack to fail when a Flamethrower forced her back. But even though Quilava¡¯s attack missed, the little Fire Type didn¡¯t give up. Her second Flamethrower came out to harry her opponent more than to damage, and Misdreavus was forced to focus entirely on dodging rather than any further attacks.

    Sam hummed.

    I know I¡¯ve talked about Double Team with Quilava, but maybe Misdreavus would benefit from that move, too. It would give her a way to avoid attacks while giving her room to prepare her own.

    On Quilava¡¯s side of the field, as she continued to harass Misdreavus, Primeape hopped between his feet and punched at the air. A Bulk Up passed through his body to boost him up.

    And, once Quilava had stalled for long enough to give him time to finish that self-enhancement, she took off to get closer to Misdreavus. Reducing the distance between them meant less travel time for her attacks and a greater chance of her moves actually landing. She smirked as her Quick Attack brought her forward. Sam knew she and Misdreavus were friends, but even friends could have a bit of a rivalry between them.

    Another Flamethrower tore through the air, but Misdreavus avoided it by diving into the floor to turn into a splotch of darkness. Shadow Sneak brought her away with a speed similar to Quick Attack, but Quilava was still faster.

    She was slowly catching up.

    Their chase snaked around the battlefield, the two speedy Pok¨¦mon darting around with the momentum of their moves. So pushed, Misdreavus was never able to retaliate with an attack, but Quilava was also too focused on running to unleash a move of her own.

    Eventually, Misdreavus was forced to the edge of the ¡°field,¡± the corners of which were marked with purposefully placed stones. Being knocked out of bounds would see her eliminated from the match, and she was forced to come out of the floor as the chase finally came to a halt.

    Quilava¡¯s flames blazed. She squeaked out some kind of taunt. Misdreavus looked nervous¡ªbut only for a second.

    She smirked.

    When Quilava looked down, a black splotch remained on the floor where Misdreavus had left her Shadow Sneak, and Haunter lunged out of it.

    Quilava was immediately caught utterly off-guard. Before she could think about closing her eyes or looking away, the jump-scare Hypnosis had already landed, and she slumped to the ground.

    Haunter cackled, causing Misdreavus to roll her eyes, but there was a slight smile on her face at the sight of a successful strategy. Shadow Sneak had created the shadow, and Haunter had been carried along.

    Without Quilava conscious enough to be a threat, Haunter was able to move in, his hands glowing blue. He carefully brought forward the energy required for Dream Eater so that he could damage Quilava while reinvigorating himself. Unfortunately, the move was still in practice, and it wasn¡¯t used that quickly.

    So just like how Quilava had forgotten about Haunter during that chase, the two Ghost Types forgot about the other Pok¨¦mon on the field.

    Jumping out from the mist covering the snow, an ice-coated fist smashed into Haunter¡¯s face. Misdreavus cried out, an in-progress Nasty Plot interrupted by the surprise, and Haunter was sent spinning out of the field. He didn¡¯t faint, but by leaving, he was eliminated from the match.

    ¡°Ape.¡±

    Primeape huffed and placed himself right in front of Quilava¡¯s sleeping body. A vein throbbed on his head out of annoyance at being forgotten, but at least he seemed smug to have taken advantage of that opening.

    ¡°Great job!¡± Sam yelled. ¡°To all of you! But just don¡¯t forget to keep track of your opponent!¡±

    Out of the battle, Haunter quite literally dripped with disappointment and slunk back to Sam¡¯s side. Sam chuckled and made sure to treat him with a Potion while continuing to watch the ongoing match.

    ¡°Try to more carefully listen to others in the future,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°I know getting a head start at the beginning of this battle didn¡¯t really matter, but I want to know I can trust you, okay?¡±

    Haunter avoided Sam¡¯s eyes and slumped apologetically. Sam could tell that Haunter genuinely felt guilty about it¡ªthe Ghost Type wasn¡¯t one to hide his emotions.

    Back on the field, Misdreavus stayed in the air, far above Primeape¡¯s reach, and she was doing her best to pepper him with Psybeams. However, Primeape¡¯s boxing-like movements meant he was nimble on his feet. Her attacks were never more than glancing blows.

    Unfortunately, his own moves weren¡¯t much better. Misdreavus had enough control over the way she floated that Primeape¡¯s tossed Rock Slides only ever sailed past her. The outcome was quickly becoming clear; Primeape was taking damage. Misdreavus was not.

    But Quilava woke up.

    The noise of the battle let her snap her eyes open, and she locked her gaze onto the Ghost Type above her. Before she¡¯d even adapted to her surroundings, she¡¯d already unleashed a reflexive Ember, the move coming out faster than Flamethrower.

    Misdreavus was struck, but only by the initial barrage. Her eyes reflexively glowed blue to let a telekinetic Confusion grab the sparks. In a not-quite-a, but still effective mimicry of Will-O-Wisp, those same flames were reshaped and redirected to hit Primeape, inflicting a burn.

    With Primeape so weakened, his Rock Slides would be even worse than before, and he didn¡¯t have any other ranged moves that might be able to hit his opponent. However, Quilava would still be able to attack, but Misdreavus would be able to do the same.

    Sam shook his head. Quilava hopped to her feet and breathed in to prepare a Flamethrower. A sphere of darkness appeared before Misdreavus¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°We¡¯re stopping the battle here!¡± Sam shouted.

    Groans of disappointment echoed out. Quilava¡¯s flames died down, and Misdreavus dropped her Shadow Ball. Sam could tell the Ghost Type especially was tired. She¡¯d put in a lot of effort to effectively carry the match and avoid most of the damage.

    ¡°First off, that was a great battle,¡± Sam said as the members of his team approached. ¡°You all had a great show of teamwork at the beginning. Quilava, Primeape, that was a perfect stall to let him get in a Bulk Up. And Misdreavus, that was an inspired use of Shadow Sneak to set up an opening for Haunter.¡±

    Gathering around him, his Pok¨¦mon cheered their names at the compliments. Misdreavus wiggled happily with a blush, and Quilava squeaked out praise of her own.

    But then Haunter spoke his name.

    Hiding in the shadow like that was his idea. Misdreavus glared at him for ruining the moment¡ªtaking credit wasn¡¯t the point.

    ¡°Teamwork is based on both Pok¨¦mon contributing,¡± Sam interrupted. ¡°Haunter, Misdreavus, you were both key to pulling off your plan.¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Misdreavus smiled proudly, and Haunter gained one of his classic grins. Unfortunately, before Sam could continue, a cold wind blew through the gathered group. He couldn¡¯t stop his shiver.

    ¡°Do you all mind if I give the breakdown back at the ruins? I¡¯ve got more feedback to talk about.¡±

    His team didn¡¯t object, and Sam looked over all of them. Misdreavus was injured, Primeape was burned, but Quilava had only been subjected to a Hypnosis, and Haunter had already been healed. Still, that was half that needed to be treated, and Sam didn¡¯t want any of them to get worse in the cold weather.

    Slowly, he began moving up the mountain. Misdreavus and Primeape were returned, and Haunter dived into the floor to be carried along in Sam¡¯s shadow. Quilava moved to Sam¡¯s side, but she didn¡¯t pick up her flames. She needed a break after all that running, and so close to the mountain¡¯s top, they didn¡¯t need to warm up given the ruins¡¯s settlement was so close.

    And, as they hiked back up, Sam went over the battle in his head.

    For a double battle, working together was key, but he felt his Pok¨¦mon had split up too easily after the first few moments. Quilava had run away from Primeape too willingly, which forced the Fighting Type to give chase and effectively do nothing but follow while she ran around with Quick Attack. Misdreavus and Haunter had worked well together, but they focused on Quilava far too much and outright forgot Primeape was there.

    Even more, Sam¡¯s team had a level of status immunity they could have abused but failed to acknowledge. Primeape¡¯s Vital Spirit meant he was too angry to be put to sleep via Hypnosis, and Quilava¡¯s Fire Type meant she was immune to being burned. If those two had stayed together, neither Misdreavus nor Haunter would have been able to inflict conditions. All it would take is a single lunge for Primeape and Quilava to take ineffective attacks on one another¡¯s behalf.

    But Quilava had only just woken up when Misdreavus tried her makeshift Will-O-Wisp, so she wasn¡¯t prepared to block it in the first place. Yet, if Primeape had gone out of his way to wake her up, they could have outnumbered Misdreavus right away and finished her off.

    But then Misdreavus also did nothing when Quilava was unconscious. A single, well-aimed Psybeam could have forced Primeape to choose between taking a super effective attack or letting his vulnerable team member be hit. That could have won her the battle if she had been clever enough. Instead, Quilava woke up and effectively had her pinned.

    Sam found it much easier to pick out mistakes when he wasn¡¯t directly involved, which was why he¡¯d been having his team focus on spars so much the past few days. It was nice to have a team of Pok¨¦mon that could work together, and they were improving in leaps and bounds when it came to their skills in double battles.

    But, he couldn¡¯t forget something else that was becoming more and more prevalent in his mind: the potential for every Pok¨¦mon on his team to evolve.

    Primeape ¡°only¡± needed to learn and master Rage Fist. Misdreavus ¡°only¡± needed to be exposed to a Dusk Stone. Haunter could be traded, but Sam wanted to push him and bait out an evolution into Gengar, instead.

    And then there was Quilava. Her evolution was why they were here in the Sinjoh Ruins in the first place.

    Sam¡¯s thoughts briefly paused as he broke through the mist to emerge at the peak of the mountain once more. He returned to that vista over the sea of clouds, where Quilava paused to stare out over it. Sam couldn¡¯t resist, as well.

    It really is an incredible view.

    But he quickly turned around to pass through the narrow opening in the stone. Quilava chased after him as they moved to return to the ruins¡¯s camp.

    <hr>

    ¡°Aha! I knew you¡¯d be coming this way soon. Come on, kid. I told you it¡¯d only be a few days.¡±

    After passing back into the Sinjoh Ruin¡¯s settlement, Sam looked up to see the smiling face of Professor Carolina only a few feet ahead. Her hood was up, but today was warmer. Her jacket wasn¡¯t as thick as before.

    ¡°It might be a bit longer before I can give my feedback,¡± he whispered to the Pok¨¦balls at his waist.

    ¡°Walk with me,¡± the Professor said. ¡°I got us an opening to head into the ruins. I''ll also share what I found out about your Quilava¡¯s evolution, but I want to start with a general overview, first.¡±

    She turned on a heel to walk toward the stone temple, and Sam¡¯s heartbeat picked up in his chest. Hurried on by the brisk, outside temperature, Sam fell behind her, and Quilava raced after him to walk at his side.

    ¡°How much do you know about variant evolutions?¡± Professor Carolina asked.

    ¡°Like branched paths?¡±

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon that can evolve into more than one species? Sure,¡± she said. ¡°Think of species like Slowpoke or Clamperl¡ªspecies that generally require items, not ones that branch due to an inherent quality, like Burmy or Wurmple.¡±

    Sam had to think about it for a moment. Slowpoke¡¯s evolution he was greatly familiar with.

    Unfortunately.

    As for Clamperl, he knew a bit about it but not much. The information he did know came from his skim-throughs of the New Pok¨¦dex and the talks Wallace would give to advertise Water Types on television.

    ¡°Slowpoke evolves via training or a King¡¯s Rock, and then Clamperl evolves with Deep Sea items,¡± Sam said.

    Professor Carolina smiled.

    ¡°Incorrect,¡± she said.

    ¡°What? How!? I¡¯m right!¡±

    ¡°Mostly,¡± she said. ¡°In most cases, a Slowpoke can evolve into a Slowbro with enough training. Using a King¡¯s Rock means one can evolve into a Slowking, too. As for Clamperl, it evolves into a Huntail when exposed to a Deep Sea Tooth, and a Gorebyss when exposed to a Deep Sea Scale.

    ¡°However.¡± Professor Carolina stopped walking to face Sam. ¡°Those are not the only ways these species evolve. In fact, the same is true for the vast majority of item-based evolutions, as many can be achieved via environment, instead. Outside of the obvious connection with Shellder, individual Slowpoke occasionally evolve into Slowking when they take on a leadership role within a large enough herd. And Clamperl don¡¯t always need Deep Sea items. Spend enough time in the deep ocean, and a Clamperl will eventually evolve into one of its later forms.¡±

    She cleared her throat, clicking her heels together to stand at attention. Sam felt as though that was her normal stance for lectures.

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon don¡¯t need items,¡± she declared. ¡°Items only speed up the process. Primarily, Pok¨¦mon need the energy contained within those items, and sometimes an environment is a suitable replacement.

    ¡°But in your case... This information isn¡¯t actually helpful. Only ancient Hisui contains the correct environmental energy for an evolution into a Hisuian Typhlosion. Except Hisui is now Sinnoh. That environment doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°So what was the point of all that?¡± Sam asked flatly.

    The Professor grinned.

    ¡°The point was to introduce the concept of evolving a Pok¨¦mon through alternative means. You won¡¯t be able to evolve Quilava through anything obvious,¡± she said. ¡°But that was just the lead-up to the point I want to make. Before we get any further, however, do you want to head inside?¡±

    Sam blinked and turned to his right. The entrance to the Sinjoh Ruins¡¯s temple was right before him.

    He didn¡¯t say anything to answer Professor Carolina. Instead, he took an almost reverent step forward, and Professor Carolina chuckled before stopping him with a hand in front of his chest.

    ¡°I managed to arrange some Pok¨¦mon support, so we can move inside, but not more than a few feet. There are carvings on the floor that risk being damaged. All of the restrictions here are to make sure this place stays as intact as possible.¡±

    Sam eagerly nodded, wanting nothing more than to head inside. Professor Carolina led the way, and Sam followed with Quilava trailing behind.

    Immediately, Sam understood the need to limit visitors. Almost the entirety of the floor was taken up by an intricate carving detailing a triangle he couldn¡¯t quite understand. It was filled with geometric symbols and tiny engravings that almost looked like sentences¡ªmathematical ones. He would have expected this place to be filled with Unown script, but there was nothing.

    Just those carvings.

    He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out at least part of them, but everything was far too interconnected for him to understand anything specific.

    ¡°And the walls, too,¡± Professor Carolina pointed out.

    Bringing his gaze up, he took in how the walls were almost as detailed as the floor.

    While the very back of the room was too faded to make anything out, the side walls had what used to be paintings once upon a time. They were difficult to decipher with how aged they¡¯d become over the centuries, but Sam could at least see countless figures representing both people and Pok¨¦mon. On them, those geometric shapes were less common, replaced by images that seemed to tell a story. Yet, it was inconsistent. Impossible to follow. But common between each ¡°stage¡± of the drawings were strange, yellow limbs that came from nowhere.

    For some reason, Sam knew in his gut that there were exactly a thousand.

    Other than that, the only repeated imagery was a pair of centaur-like Pok¨¦mon and a trio of red gems. It was only after he¡¯d been staring at the walls for a while that he noticed another piece to the images¡ªwhat seemed to be a spiked, black serpent that lurked behind everything else.

    ¡°If you look closely, we can map out the corners of the floor¡¯s triangle to Sinnoh¡¯s great lakes¡ªVerity, Valor, and Acuity,¡± Professor Carolina said, speaking up. ¡°However, I¡¯ll admit that each corner can also be mapped to Sinnoh¡¯s three Pok¨¦mon of Myth rather than the Lake Guardians themselves. If you look at the walls, too, you can see depictions of the Legendary Dialga and Palkia, though they aren¡¯t in their most commonly sighted forms. The appearances depicted here have only a single witness account from across all of recorded history. They only took on these forms during their descent at the end of the Hisui Crisis.¡±

    ¡°The Hisui Crisis?¡± Sam asked, taking in the faded paintings. ¡°Hold on, wait. You only mentioned two Pok¨¦mon. What about the serpent?¡±

    ¡°The Serpent?¡± Professor Carolina blinked then shook her head. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s probably for the best that I don¡¯t mention that third one. As for the Hisui Crisis itself, that¡¯s a detail for an entirely different story.¡±

    As Sam looked around, he realized that something about this place felt off. It took him a few moments, but he soon came to understand why this place was so utterly disconnected.

    The chill of the mountaintop was gone.

    No wind passed through the open doorway.

    The faint whistling that came from around the mountain was silent, as well. He could only hear the sounds of his breath and the faint heartbeat in his chest.

    Despite feeling warm, Sam shivered. Quilava moved close enough that she leaned against his leg. He tried to pull his jacket tighter around him, but no matter how he moved his arms, its bright colors were still visible underneath. He felt exposed, standing just past the open entrance to this large room.

    ¡°Do you feel anything here?¡± Professor Carolina suddenly asked.

    ¡°Uncomfortable, mostly,¡± Sam grumbled.

    Quilava responded the same way next to him¡ªdisappointedly.

    ¡°Well, I suppose a sudden evolution here was too much to hope for,¡± the Professor said, chuckling. ¡°If it were that easy, someone would have already managed to evolve a Hisuian within this temple.¡±

    Her gaze flicked away from Sam and Quilava, returning to scan over the room. There were a series of grey pillars near the entrance that were at one point carvings or statues, but they retained no obvious shape to them after wear over the years.

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t given you my conclusion yet,¡± she said quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot of good work so far, but everything I¡¯ve discussed and gathered from other researchers seems to come together into a single idea.¡±

    ¡°And what idea is that?¡± Sam asked in a whisper.

    ¡°You need to work backward.¡±

    Sam let himself digest the words before glancing back at the Professor. She didn¡¯t turn to face him, choosing instead to continue staring out into the room.

    ¡°So far, when training up your Quilava, you¡¯ve taken the idea of a Hisuian Typhlosion and tried to build her up to that. It¡¯s a Ghost Type, so you¡¯ve been training her mastery of Ghost Type moves. It¡¯s a Hisuian Pok¨¦mon, so you¡¯ve been learning everything you can about Hisui¡¯s history. And, of course, since it''s an evolution, you¡¯ve been making sure Quilava becomes stronger.¡±

    Professor Carolina shook her head.

    ¡°While those are good steps, there has to be something more to it. Tell me about Hisuian Typhlosion. Other than being an extinct Pok¨¦mon, what does that species do?¡±

    Sam had to think. The New Pok¨¦dex was sparse with its details, describing the species with only two sentences. On the other hand, the ¡°base¡± Typhlosion received a full page of information, the same amount as any other species common to Johto and Kanto.

    However, Sam had done his research. The gaps were easy to fill in. All of the details he¡¯d picked up from research, his theory about a missing niche, the strange, occasional behavior Quilava had exhibited in the past, and the sole purpose the New Pok¨¦dex seemed to describe.

    ¡°Hisuian Typhlosion is...¡± Sam licked his lips. ¡°The species is a sort of guide. Without Pok¨¦mon partners being common, humans didn¡¯t often act as spiritual mediums, and the species isn¡¯t really a ghostly ghost, more of a Pok¨¦mon that influences the Ghost Type, if that makes sense.¡±

    Professor Carolina was looking at Sam, now. He kept talking. He knew in his gut he was close.

    ¡°When Hisuian Typhlosion were around, I think they tried to direct lost spirits. Either as a way to lead spirits into the afterlife or as a way to consume them and grant them a sort of rest," he said. "As a species, while they were around, Hisuian Typhlosion served as spirit guides.¡±

    He waited to hear the Professor¡¯s response, but the Professor seemed to be weighing his words, taking a moment of consideration as if she had needed that last clue for herself. Slowly, she brought her gaze back away from him and resumed looking around the room.

    Briefly, Sam wondered how often she¡¯d entered the temple, herself.

    ¡°If you want to evolve your Quilava, you need to work backward,¡± she said again. ¡°Rather than fulfill some unknown quality, find some rare item, or bathe Quilava in specific environmental energies, you need to make it so she¡¯s acting as a Hisuian Typhlosion before she¡¯s even evolved.

    ¡°By piling together as many small details as you can, you have her fulfill the role of her evolved form. If you¡¯re successful, then maybe, maybe, you might be able to trick her body into thinking she¡¯s already a Hisuian Typhlosion. In essence, doing that might force through an evolution into the variant you seek.¡±

    Sam glanced down at Quilava, who stared out into the temple with just as much focus as Professor Carolina herself. However, her ears were pointed up, and she was listening with rapt attention.

    She was still considering the idea. Chewing on Professor Carolina¡¯s words.

    But Sam had already come to a conclusion. He knew exactly what they needed to do.

    ¡°Quilava needs to guide a ghost into its final rest,¡± he said. ¡°Everything else is already fulfilled. To evolve into a Hisuian Typhlosion, she needs to fill the role of a Hisuian Typhlosion. That¡¯s the solution to our problems and how she¡¯ll be able to evolve.¡±

    To Sam¡¯s comments, the Professor just shrugged. The tense moment seemed to break at her show of forced casualness.

    ¡°Or something similar,¡± she offered. ¡°Most importantly, I think she needs to do something like that by herself. As in, if you step in to assist, she¡¯s not exactly fulfilling her evolution¡¯s role. That¡¯s where the challenge will be.¡±

    Sam stayed quiet. The idea had merit, and they had already done something similar in the past.

    He remembered that ghost of a Slowbro. He remembered how they had worked together to help it. And he remembered its final moments. Even now, just recalling those events, he had to fight to keep his expression neutral.

    He didn¡¯t exactly want to cry.

    To make Quilava go through that again, and on her own, too...

    He glanced down at her.

    Her expression was serious.

    He had a feeling she felt the same way he was feeling right now. In his heart, Professor Carolina¡¯s idea rang true.

    ¡°But that¡¯s just a theory. An evolution theory,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Specifically, it¡¯s my hypothesis. We haven¡¯t actually tested it yet!¡±

    She laughed to herself and took a step back toward the door. Even with the mysteries of the temple around him, Sam watched her go.

    ¡°In the meantime, don¡¯t leave the Ruins just because you got an answer. Stay here! Rest a few days! You¡¯re surrounded by some of the foremost researchers of Johto, Sinnoh, and Hisui¡¯s history. Hang out, talk to them, and learn everything you can,¡± Professor Carolina said. ¡°Very few trainers at your level get the chance to come here. Take advantage of the opportunity you were given and use it to fuel your team¡¯s growth.¡±

    Sam nodded. She was right. Even if he didn¡¯t talk to any of the resident researchers, the mountain¡¯s environment was still great for training. It was even better now that he had clothes to resist the cold.

    But they now had a plan. They had an answer. They had a specific goal they could work toward instead of flailing around and hoping for the best.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Sam said. ¡°Thank you. Really.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it was no problem. It¡¯s always nice to use my knowledge for something practical,¡± Professor Carolina said with a shrug. ¡°Feel free to linger in the temple as long as you like¡ªthere¡¯s a Kadabra monitoring us somewhere around here¡ªbut if you do choose to stay at camp, check the cafeteria. You¡¯ll be put on chore duty soon. Everyone has to do their share.¡±

    She laughed again as she stepped outside. The noise of her footsteps vanished the second she passed through the entrance.

    Sam crouched down to pick up Quilava, still watching the Professor go.

    ¡°Your evolution, huh?¡± he mumbled.

    Quilava wiggled in his arms.

    Now, they knew what they were doing.

    Now, they could evolve her into a Hisuian Typhlosion.

    But how are we supposed to find another ghost, let alone help one enter its final rest?

 Chapter 94 - Redi Interlude

    Redi trudged over the dirt of one of Blackthorn¡¯s training fields, dragging a leg behind her. Her foot left a visible groove as she traced the border, stopping at regular intervals to leave perpendicular marks.

    ¡°The way I¡¯m thinking about it, if Porygon needs a specific target for Teleport, then I just need a way to call out locations better,¡± she said.

    Off to the side, Will cocked an eyebrow under his mask, mimicking a lean against some sort of cane. His act was ruined by his Exeggutor, which used its many heads to concentrate on an invisible barrier that he was obviously using to support his stance.

    As for Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, only Porygon was out right now. They floated over the dead center of the field. This whole process was about training and perfecting their Teleport under Will¡¯s watchful eye, and for this problem in particular, it had taken Redi a while to figure out a solution, but she was confident she had the perfect idea.

    ¡°There,¡± Redi said, breathing out as she finished drawing her marks on the field. ¡°It¡¯s all divided up into a grid, now. We¡¯ll treat the corner to the left of my trainer box as the origin: ''zero, zero.¡¯ Moving away from it, every line will increase the numbers by one, so going down the diagonal means it¡¯s ¡®one, one¡¯ to ¡®two, two¡¯ and so on and whatever.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Will mused. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a mathematical approach to this.¡±

    ¡°That a dig?¡± Redi snapped.

    In reply, Will innocently held up a hand.

    ¡°Oh, no. ¡®Twas just an observation.¡±

    She rolled her eyes at his word choice before moving back to the marked trainer box she¡¯d chosen to be hers. Porygon¡¯s treads were spinning ever-so-slightly faster than usual, a sign she¡¯d come to recognize as the Pok¨¦mon thinking.

    She waited until the motion had slowed before she called out the first of her commands.

    ¡°Psychic Type,¡± she ordered.

    Porygon faced the ground, used Psybeam, and when they next underwent their Conversion, the wave of pixels that crossed their body turned them a Psychic Type pink.

    ¡°Great!¡± she shouted. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if this works. Porygon, Teleport over to the origin¡ªzero, zero! I believe in you, you can do it!¡±

    The TM she¡¯d been provided meant Porygon now knew Teleport. However, the move required its user to have a clear image of their destination in mind, something Porygon struggled to do. The move only worked if Redi followed up her order with a specific location. Simply calling for a Teleport wasn¡¯t enough; she had to tell Porygon exactly where they needed to go.

    As battlefields tended to lack any obvious points of interest, that requirement meant Redi struggled to call for a Teleport across a featureless field. This implied grid was her attempt at finding a way to communicate specific points. She desperately hoped it would allow her to call for the move without needing detailed specifics.

    Holding her breath, Redi watched Porygon begin to channel the requisite energy. Teleport was by no means a fast move, especially when used by a ¡°weak,¡± unevolved Pok¨¦mon. It wasn¡¯t exactly something Porygon could learn naturally, either, which meant it came out even slower than average. It didn¡¯t help that when Will had his Pok¨¦mon demonstrate it, those elite Psychic Types appeared in a new location almost instantaneously.

    Conversion helped somewhat to bridge that gap, as it allowed Porygon to temporarily gain the Psychic Type and more easily control the aligned energy of the move. Right now, as Porygon¡¯s pink-tinted treads spun faster and faster, the Teleport activated after only a short delay.

    A white flash.

    Porygon disappeared.

    They existed in no place at all during the move¡¯s required ¡°travel time¡± before appearing exactly where Redi had stated: right at ¡®zero, zero,¡¯ the bottom left corner of the field.

    ¡°Yes! You did it!¡±

    Redi raced over to her Pok¨¦mon for a hug, scooping Porygon out of the air and into her arms. As she squeezed, Will chuckled and quietly applauded. He stopped pretending to lean on a cane and began to walk over. He passed right through the spot Redi had thought a psychic barrier had been, revealing there had never been anything there in the first place.

    Redi blinked.

    Why bother having Exeggutor focus like that? ...I don¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Will said. ¡°Porygon has struggled to picture an exact location in the past, but it seems your grid solution worked. They just needed a more specific goal, hm?¡±

    ¡°Mhm!¡± Redi nodded happily, doing her best to not think about Will¡¯s eccentricities. ¡°Training Porygon is all about definitions and being really clear about commands. I just need to make sure this idea of a grid is expandable enough for future battles, and then I also need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Debug your command?¡± Will offered with a laugh.

    Redi breathed out through her nose and moved back to the trainer box, placing Porygon back down in the air above the field. With this first step proving the viability of this strategy, she began to go through the process of testing every possible order she could think of.

    She started with the diagonals, and Porygon demonstrated the ability to teleport to points with equal numbers. The same was true for when the numbers were different, and it also worked with ¡°partial¡± steps. Porygon had no problem processing decimals and fractions.

    ¡°Now for the hard part!¡± Redi called out. ¡°Off the field! Teleport to ¡®negative one, negative one!¡¯¡±

    As commanded, Porygon disappeared and reappeared outside the bounds of the field, just past the corner defined to be the origin.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Redi stared at her Pok¨¦mon. ¡°I guess that¡¯s good? I didn¡¯t exactly set any limits to the field in the first place.¡±

    Will joined Redi at her side. Her tutor from the past few days had a slight smile on his face. She couldn¡¯t think of a single time he didn¡¯t look amused.

    ¡°Now, answer me this,¡± he said, ¡°what happens if you tell Porygon to teleport to a pair of non-number points? Something like using letters instead of numbers for a location?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... Hm.¡± Redi¡¯s eyes flicked over to Porygon. ¡°I guess we can do that. Porygon, teleport to... ¡®A, A?¡¯¡±

    She wasn¡¯t exactly sure where Will was going with this, but Porygon certainly seemed to try to follow her orders. From where the Pok¨¦mon floated, Porygon¡¯s treads began to spin at an excessive speed. Right away, it was clear they weren¡¯t able to process that location, or even what Redi meant.

    If their confusion wasn¡¯t obvious with how fast their treads spun, it quickly became obvious when Porygon¡¯s eyes began to spin just as much.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Stop!¡± Redi yelled. ¡°Stop!¡±

    She waved her arms and raced toward her Pok¨¦mon, but her shout came too late. An audible whir came from Porygon, and less than a second later, all movement came to an abrupt stop.

    Porygon fell to the ground in a daze.

    ¡°Seems as though they crashed,¡± Will quipped.

    Redi sent him a dirty look as she carefully picked up her Pok¨¦mon. She held Porygon in her arms, looking them over to make sure they were alright.

    Thankfully, the Teleport never went off. This ¡°crash¡± was caused by confusion and exhaustion rather than any more serious problem.

    ¡°To speak on Porygon¡¯s Teleport, your idea to have Porygon change their Type is inspired, but it won¡¯t be enough to get the speed you seek,¡± Will said, still in the trainer box. ¡°While not often included in its description, you may consider Teleport as a move akin to Night Shade. In many ways, its effects are intrinsically linked to a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s control and power.¡±

    He began to walk over. His shoes had a slight heel to them, and if they weren¡¯t standing on compacted dirt, they would have clicked over the ground. As he approached, Redi retrieved her calculator to order Porygon inside. Consuming the programs found within would allow her tired Pok¨¦mon to regain some energy.

    ¡°As it stands, Porygon will be unable to travel over long distances until they increase their strength,¡± Will continued. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see the move be used faster until their expertise is improved, as well. Porygon needs specific, well-defined locations to use for distant locations. Without a clear, corresponding image, Teleport will fail to bring you anywhere. Thankfully, there¡¯s a reason why most Pok¨¦mon Center lobbies are so normalized. That should make the use of Teleport a slight bit easier on Porygon.¡±

    Redi sighed and pressed on her lower back to stretch as she stood. She didn¡¯t have an immediate purpose to limber up, but going through the movement helped her feel a bit better.

    Over the past few days, she¡¯d learned a lot about how Teleport functioned, and Will frequently repeated himself to hammer in specific points. Mainly, he wanted her to truly understand Teleport¡¯s requirements. It was an extremely useful, but difficult, move.

    Thankfully, Teleport carried almost no risks save for exhaustion. It was safe to be used even by novices¡ªalmost weirdly so. For a Teleport, a Pok¨¦mon pictured themselves in a new location, and then if the image was clear enough, they would suddenly find themselves there.

    Teleport didn¡¯t open a portal or a wormhole or anything special like that. The movement was facilitated by some kind of psychic, extra-dimensional travel, but that weird, sub-dimension users were sent through didn¡¯t actually exist. Since the dimension was only the concept of a dimension, there was no getting ¡°trapped¡± if the move failed.

    The horror movies were wrong; when Teleport failed, the user would simply remain wherever they began. No abominations were ever formed, and no one had ever spent centuries floating in a void.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Gah. It¡¯s all too much. Psychic Types are weird.

    Holding Porygon within the advanced calculator, Redi looked up at Will, who was watching the device carefully.

    ¡°How far do you think Porygon could bring us right now?¡± she asked.

    ¡°If you were between cities, Porygon could bring you back to the one you left, but I doubt they currently have the power to bring you any further than that.¡±

    She sighed, aware that, while useful, Teleport wouldn¡¯t speed up their journey. Porygon wouldn¡¯t be able to bring them anywhere that they hadn''t already been, either. With how Porygon¡¯s mind worked, Teleport could only bring them to locations they visited after Porygon learned the move.

    Still, after the success with the grid, Redi did feel like they were making good progress. Will wasn¡¯t speaking, so she let herself collapse onto the ground and stare at the sky. It wasn¡¯t like she had anything else to do; they needed to wait for Porygon to recover to continue practice.

    Resting, her thoughts drifted back to everything that¡¯d been going on.

    It¡¯d been almost a week since Sam had left.

    The next Dragon Type Trial was still a while away.

    And the final version of the contract with Mr. Pok¨¦mon had been sent through. She really hoped he would accept it.

    Given the Pok¨¦mon Redi was already training and would be training, the amount of cash she¡¯d receive from the contract¡¯s base offer was simply not enough. Her parents had been a great help when it came to figuring out how much was appropriate to ask for, but when she¡¯d hinted at wanting to send some of it their way, she¡¯d been immediately rebuffed.

    Well, whatever. We¡¯re still going to have an excess. Guess I¡¯ll have to buy them gifts instead and mail stuff over. Just can¡¯t send liquid cash.

    She snickered. Her parents couldn¡¯t exactly tell her to not send them gifts, especially if those gifts were genuinely heartfelt.

    Still waiting for Porygon to recover, she watched the few clouds pass over the blue of the sky. Even though Dragonair wasn¡¯t here, she still felt the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s absence.

    Will patiently stood above her, and pretty soon, he glanced over to the side.

    Briefly, Redi hoped that Clair had brought Dragonair over, but it was neither the Gym Leader nor the Dragon Type. Instead, a boy in a red jacket glanced at them on the field before moving on. He looked as if he was trying to find an empty place to train.

    ¡°Wait. I know him,¡± Redi said to herself.

    Will watched silently as she stood up.

    ¡°Gimme a moment,¡± she said.

    She ran over to the boy.

    ¡°Hey! Aren¡¯t you that guy from the Dragon Type Trial? Y¡¯know, the one who spent the entire time glaring at the elder then ranted and stormed off at the end?¡±

    Immediately, to her comments, angry eyes snapped her way.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Redi skidded to a halt when the boy replied with a snarl.

    ¡°Ah, shoot. That was rude. Sorry! I¡¯m working on it, promise!¡± She bowed her head. ¡°I just wanted to talk! Again, sorry for being rude!¡±

    She peeked up from her lowered position, expecting the boy to still be glaring at her. However, that expression had vanished. The sullen look on his face didn¡¯t match the bright red and numerous spikes that covered his outfit.

    ¡°Ugh. It¡¯s fine, I guess,¡± he said, looking away. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have snapped at you, either.¡±

    He pinched his brow, closing his eyes. Redi brought herself up and tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°I just wanted to ask how you learned about the Dragon Type Trial and what you wanted to get from it,¡± Redi said. ¡°For me, I talked to Clair to learn about it, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± he asked. The question came out almost like a bark, interrupting her explanation. ¡°I was never invited. I have to show up on my own. My Pok¨¦mon and I stake out the location every night so we know when we need to head over next.¡±

    He grinned, almost proud, but there were bags under his eyes that hurt his attempt at a predatory expression. The moment was also ruined by a sudden yawn.

    He forced himself to scowl to stop it, but Redi could tell it was just an attempt to keep up the intimidating appearance he was going for.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Redi asked.

    He stared at her for an uncomfortably long time.

    ¡°So you really want to know why I take on that Trial?¡±

    ¡°...Yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I train Fighting Types. Mostly,¡± he continued. ¡°My team and I had a pretty good run in our first attempt¡ªgot six badges over in Sinnoh. I¡¯d say we¡¯re pretty well above average. Even got complimented by a Gym Leader, the dude in charge of Veilstone Gym.¡±

    He grinned at the end of the statement, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t get all eight badges, though,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°We spent too long trying to find new team members¡ªthe right kind of team members. Pok¨¦mon that¡¯d fit on the team, y¡¯know? The problem is, none of us expected my uncle to send me a Pok¨¦mon, and now I¡¯m...¡±

    He grumbled under his breath.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just worried.¡±

    The boy looked away from Redi to stare off into the distance. His scowl returned.

    ¡°What Pok¨¦mon did your uncle send?¡± Redi asked carefully.

    ¡°A Gible. A Dragon Type. But even after training him since last year, he still hasn¡¯t...¡± The boy clenched his hands. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t evolved.¡±

    There was a bench at the side of the field, the same one Redi had sat on when she told Sam about Dragonair. Getting the sense this conversation was going to be more than just a simple question and answer, Redi gestured to it. The boy blinked and looked toward where she pointed her arm.

    ¡°Wanna sit?¡± she asked.

    A second passed.

    ¡°I¡¯m Redi, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Terry,¡± the boy said. ¡°Short for Terrance. And, yeah, I guess I can sit down.¡±

    He followed her to the bench, where he plopped down and leaned against its back. As Redi sat next to him, she glanced over to Will. The Ace Trainer still hadn¡¯t moved away from where he stood at the center of the field.

    He¡¯s seriously just going to stand there and silently watch us?

    Ugh. He¡¯s worse than a Xatu.

    ¡°So your Gible hasn¡¯t evolved?¡± Redi asked, turning away and forcing herself to ignore Will. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re taking on that Trial? To try to get help with your Dragon Type?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Terry responded, raising his voice as a frown crossed his face. ¡°And I know what you¡¯re going to say. ¡®That makes sense! Dragon Types take a while to train!¡¯ But that¡¯s not how it works.

    ¡°It¡¯s been months,¡± he said. ¡°With all of our training, with all of our practice, Gible should have evolved by now. I¡¯ve talked to him¡ªhe wants to evolve. Bringing him from a Gabite into a Garchomp should be the stage that takes the most time. But he¡¯s not there yet. Should be there yet. I just wanted help from the Blackthorn Clan to understand what I¡¯m doing wrong, but they took one look at me...¡±

    He grit his teeth.

    ¡°They took one look at me...¡±

    His hands shook.

    ¡°They took one look at us and turned us down! Us! A worried trainer and a struggling Dragon Type! They saw us and sent us away!¡±

    Redi had seen drawings of Gible in Sam¡¯s New Pok¨¦dex. The way Terry gnashed his teeth alongside his shout made her think of the species¡¯s toothy maw.

    Next to her, Terry started to rage in a way not unlike Primeape. He hopped up from the bench and stomped around, pacing, working off the energy he¡¯d built up while telling his story to Redi.

    You know what, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him talking to anyone else in the city. And if he¡¯s from Sinnoh, he probably doesn¡¯t have any friends here.

    She paused.

    Whew. Yeah. No wonder he¡¯s venting to a stranger like this. When¡¯s the last time he talked to someone about his problems?

    ¡°So... How many times have you taken on their Trials?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Seven.¡± He barked out a laugh. ¡°And I¡¯ve only made it past the first round once. Got right up to the start of the third, where they turned me away right at the door.¡±

    He shook his head, and Redi looked at him. She took him in.

    Truth be told, his story was dumb. If he got through the first round, he knew how to do the same again in the future. Plus, if Sam¡¯s experience was common, this guy had probably been offered something, but it was probably something that didn¡¯t help him out in the way he needed.

    Honestly, Redi couldn¡¯t call herself a Pok¨¦mon Master or was even that familiar with the Dragon Type, but she still felt the solution to Terry¡¯s problem was obvious:

    Just spend more time training.

    Gible would evolve eventually. If not, it probably ate an Everstone and needed to get rid of that blockage somehow.

    Yet, even with those thoughts, she completely understood why Terry was raging. If her Pok¨¦mon were struggling and the foremost experts in the world refused to give any advice, then, yeah, she¡¯d get annoyed.

    There was also a pretty obvious parallel between Terry¡¯s story and her own. Mainly, Terry wanted help with a Dragon Type, and he just wanted advice. However, if he hadn¡¯t been able to get the help he needed, what was the Blackthorn Clan going to do when she tells them she wants to train Dragonair?

    ¡°Y¡¯know, my friend had an idea a while back,¡± Redi said, leaning back and trying to speak casually. ¡°He had this big plan to gather a bunch of trainers up and blackmail the Blackthorn Clan into giving us what we want.¡±

    Terry snapped his gaze to her. His eyes shined with greed. However, from across the battlefield, Will very deliberately cleared his throat.

    Ugh.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t mean we do that, I just mean we do something like that!¡± Redi said, quickly correcting herself. ¡°What if we... What if we copy Lance? Yeah. Did you know he took on the Trial, like, five times before being given what he wanted?¡±

    Terry stopped walking around to take a moment to digest Redi''s comment.

    ¡°Lance,¡± he repeated. ¡°Indigo¡¯s Champion?¡±

    ¡°Yup! Apparently, he had this Dratini he befriended, and it took him a bunch of times to wear the Blackthorn Clan down before they let that partnership happen,¡± Redi said. ¡°But he didn¡¯t give up. And he annoyed them until they let them leave together. Of course, he did have the advantage of actually being a part of the Blackthorn Clan, but we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t members,¡± Terry said, hanging his head.

    Redi frowned at the interruption, forcing a worse reaction away. She knew she could be rude sometimes, but this was important! She was going to try to recruit him, not scare him away.

    ¡°No, but we¡¯re better than that,¡± Redi said carefully. ¡°We might not be Lance, but we¡¯re more than one person. All we have to do is get a few others, show up at the Trial, and then we work together to pool our skills!

    ¡°Instead of taking on the Trial five times individually, we take it on five times at once! Faced with an entire group working together, we¡¯ll either win as a team or annoy the Blackthorn Clan into helping us!¡±

    The Blackthorn Clan¡¯s Trials were all about testing trainers on an individual level, but Redi¡¯s plan threw that concept on its head. Instead of trainers occasionally working together, she¡¯d assemble a group and have everyone fill in for one another¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. The idea was that such an upset would be a unique situation. They¡¯d definitely be annoyed, but they¡¯d also be paying closer attention.

    She¡¯d have to use that to really prove herself. Stand out among the group. If she could demonstrate all the traits a Dragon Type trainer needed¡ªpower, leadership, and whatever else¡ªthen she¡¯d have a much higher chance of being allowed to leave with Dragonair than if she took on the Trials on her own.

    But I can¡¯t just use whoever I recruit for my own means. No, the point of taking on the Trials as a group is to succeed as a group. Whoever I get, I have to make sure they succeed, too. What¡¯s the point in getting permission to train Dragonair if I have to be a jerk to do that?

    No. This is the way forward. This is the best way we can do this.

    Redi smiled to herself, already picturing the outcome to this plan in her mind. Sure, it was a little off-the-cuff and needed to be fleshed out more, but there was a kernel of something there. She just needed to develop the plan, and then she¡¯d be able to bring Dragonair with her, for sure!

    Sitting back, Redi watched Terry chew on her idea, and she mentally patted herself on the back. However, as she relaxed on the bench, a shadow passed over her.

    Redi looked up.

    Will looked right back at her.

    ¡°Ah, to team up and take on a challenge as a group! To find like-minded individuals and to gather strength into a greater whole! Our society is built on the foundations of working together and forming teams! It¡¯s the core of who we are! It¡¯s the definition of what makes a Pok¨¦mon Trainer a trainer!¡±

    ¡°And your point?¡± Redi interrupted.

    Will smiled, his hidden eyes somehow gleaming.

    ¡°I certainly believe this plan is much more admirable than your first.¡±

    Redi wasn¡¯t sure what to think of that.

    ¡°So, then, what? We find more people?¡± Terry asked, close to coming to a decision.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Redi answered. ¡°Anyone and everyone interested in taking on the Trial.¡±

    He stood without moving. His knuckles turned white. Eventually, all of the tension left his body.

    A single nod told Redi he¡¯d be joining her in this plan.

    ¡°So who do we invite?¡± Terry asked. ¡°That girl was there last time. You know, the one who talked to that creepy guy?¡±

    The mention of Eliza caused Redi¡¯s eye to twitch, but she still accepted it.

    ¡°Her? Sure. And hopefully a few others. But before then...¡±

    Even with this skeleton of a plan, Redi knew she still needed to train. Even if she tried to create a group to go through the Trials, she still also needed to prove to the Blackthorn Clan that she could ¡°handle¡± Dragonair.

    That meant more training. More practice with Teleport. Taking on an awaiting challenge that¡¯d definitely push both her and her team.

    Sam might have been away, but Redi still had her Pok¨¦mon. She didn¡¯t have his knowledge to guide her, but she still had her own ideas on how she wanted her team to grow.

    So, she hashed out a few more details with Terry and agreed to meet him at the Pok¨¦mon Center later. They¡¯d talk about the specific details of their plan¡ªgathering allies was only a start. They also needed to figure out what they¡¯d actually do as a team.

    Soon after, Terry left to resume his search for an open practice field, promising to see Redi later. The moment he was gone, Redi didn¡¯t hesitate to look over to Will. She smirked, already knowing what she wanted to do next.

    ¡°So...¡± she started.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Part of this tutoring deal was a free trip to Violet City and back,¡± she said. ¡°I told Sam I was going to get my next Gym Badge while he was gone, and I don¡¯t plan to lie about that. However...¡±

    Redi smiled, a plan coming together in her head.

    ¡°If you¡¯re already going to take me to that other Gym, what if we make an extra stop?¡± she asked. ¡°How opposed would you be to stopping off-route and picking up a certain Pok¨¦mon along the way?¡±

 Chapter 95

    Sam stood above the sea of clouds once more. An expanse of white stretched out before him, with the peaks of the other mountains poking out like islands in an archipelago.

    He rolled his shoulders, feeling the weight of his backpack and everything he¡¯d fit within. He had the New Pok¨¦dex, the journal on Hisui, the Ghost Type packet from the Blackthorn Clan, and his personal notebook he used to track the progress of his team.

    Climbing this mountain had been difficult, but he¡¯d stayed here long enough. It was time to make his descent, no matter how hard it would be. There were no Psychic Types around to Teleport him, but he wasn¡¯t alone. Professor Carolina stood nearby, looking on to see him off while hugging herself to ward off the cold.

    ¡°It¡¯s freezing out here. Everyone else leaves through Teleport. You sure you don¡¯t want an easier way back?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Sam said. ¡°My team needs this. I need this. I¡¯m not a researcher, so I can¡¯t be happy sitting around and staring at the same two carvings over and over again. I¡¯m a Pok¨¦mon Trainer¡ªthrough-and-through. A Ghost Type Specialist, y¡¯know? Training is all about knowing how and when to push your team, and right now...¡±

    Sam stared into the clouds.

    ¡°Right now, we need to climb down this mountain.¡±

    Unlike last time, when Sam was unceremoniously dropped halfway up, he was actually prepared to face this mountain¡¯s icy slopes. He had days to mentally ready himself for this trip, and he was packed with the items needed to support a multi-day hike down.

    There had been so many forgotten and leftover supplies in the storage building of the research camp that no one had objected to Sam claiming some for his own.

    He¡¯d restocked on healing items and made sure he could handle the cold. He wore that warm, neon jacket, a pair of thick pants, and he¡¯d been able to request a pair of proper boots to be delivered. He could now walk without occasionally feeling his socks get wet from small amounts of snow. A rope hung off his backpack with a crowbar attached next to it. The tent he had purchased long ago was rated to withstand all sorts of weather. However, given how often wild Pok¨¦mon liked to dig, he was confident he¡¯d be able to find caves to safely rest within along the way down.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading to the Pok¨¦mon Center at the base of the mountain,¡± Sam said. ¡°You said there¡¯s one for emergencies, right?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± Professor Carolina said, her lips twitching down. ¡°People stay there occasionally, and it¡¯s where deliveries from Silver Town and Blackthorn are sent before they¡¯re teleported over.¡±

    Sam nodded.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s where I¡¯m meeting Will,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯ll teleport my team and I back to Blackthorn, but not before we climb down this mountain.¡±

    He glanced over his shoulder to see the old woman watching him with a discerning eye. Professor Carolina met his stare and breathed out, pushing aside her worry to now just look amused.

    ¡°I could never be a Pok¨¦mon Trainer,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°All of you can be so... determined at times.¡±

    Sam just laughed and turned back around. He knew what was waiting for him: ice, stone, and then more ice.

    But he had his team. He had all the days of training they¡¯d spent up here. At his side, Quilava stood at the ready as well. Her back was already ablaze.

    (And this time around, she had on little booties to protect her feet. Even as a Fire Type, the cold could get to her, and that set of tiny shoes would let her better handle the snow.)

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you another time, then,¡± Sam said, adjusting his pack. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±

    ¡°It was no problem. And good luck. It¡¯s a long way down.¡±

    Sam sent Professor Carolina one last thankful look and took a deep breath in. Even though the air was thinner up here, he hadn¡¯t had much trouble breathing. The chill was crisp, but it felt welcoming. There was just the right amount of coolness to it with Quilava at his side.

    But he could no longer linger. He¡¯d already gathered the information he needed and spent plenty of time making the most of the small, Sinjoh Ruins settlement. Steadying himself, Sam took a single step forward, and he began the slow hike down.

    <hr>

    Descending the mountain, Sam made sure to take his time. Instead of trying to rush to his destination, he treated this trip as if he were traveling down a route. His path meandered, and he never walked for the entire day.

    He frequently stopped to train. He set up camp early whenever he found a safe place to rest. He challenged wild Pok¨¦mon to battles whenever they were willing.

    With the difficulties of the climate up here, not every wild Pok¨¦mon accepted, but a few did take up his offer.

    An Abomasnow blasted Primeape with freezing winds in exchange for berries for its Snover children. A Graveler rolled around while Haunter chased it, desperately trying to position himself to put it to sleep. Quilava and Misdreavus worked together, the team¡¯s practice for their upcoming double battle not being set to the side. Those two fought off an entire gang of Sneasel. Quilava supplied the fire, and Misdreavus took command over it to practice her developing Will-O-Wisp and Psychic.

    Sam could have stayed longer within the mountaintop camp, but it was getting boring up there. Unlike all the times he¡¯d stayed in a larger settlement, there hadn¡¯t been anything he was waiting for or any jobs to do. Sure, leaving early might not have made the upcoming Trial come sooner or even his battle against Clair start earlier, but it made him feel like he was doing something.

    And the mountain¡¯s harsh environment was great at pushing his team. The chance to search for new ghosts and Ghost Types didn¡¯t hurt, either.

    Unfortunately, he found none.

    There were no Snorunt. No Froslass. No Banette, Dusclops, Sableye, or any other Ghost Type species on this mountain. In his heart, Sam prayed that the Ruins of Sinjoh meant the incredibly rare Hisuian Zorua might show up, but that species was considered to be extinct for a reason.

    Despite wanting to expand his team, he never had the opportunity. Despite wanting to find a ghost for Quilava¡¯s evolution, none ever appeared. He did have a small question about whether Ghost Types were enough to trigger her evolution, but even though he was pretty sure Hisuian Typhlosion was a spirit guide, she couldn¡¯t act as one if there were no spirits around.

    When resting, he looked to the future. They needed to find at least one ghost for Quilava¡¯s evolution. The only ghost Sam could immediately think of was the spirit of a woman in that Ecruteak alley. Upon remembering her, his first thought was that they should head over as soon as possible, but it took him only three seconds to recognize why doing so would be a bad idea.

    That woman was a ghost within the city that had the Ghost Type Gym. If Morty was unable to help her, how would they?

    No, she wouldn¡¯t work. Sam needed to find someone else for Quilava. He hoped to get a start on that once he was back in town. He would have thought such a freezing mountain like this would have had at least one fallen hiker or the like, but that amounted to only a single, morbid desire in the end. The descent down was great for training, but they made no further progress on Quilava¡¯s evolution.

    Since we¡¯re trying to search for one to send off, ghosts might attract ghosts, so maybe they¡¯re avoiding us when they sense our intentions?

    Though reaching the bottom took days¡ªlonger than it took to ascend¡ªit was much easier to move down than it was to move up. The supplies he picked up in camp helped make the trip easier as well, but by the time he reached the bottom, his supplies were almost empty. The Pok¨¦mon Center was a welcome site, and he rushed through the sparse, evergreen woods to enter the Center¡¯s singular, log cabin.

    ¡°A room, please!¡±

    Bursting inside, he practically dumped his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls on the front counter. The man on duty laughed, took his Pok¨¦mon for healing, and directed Sam to the shared bunk room in the back. Thankfully, while this place was small, its visitors were so rare that Sam had the entire space to himself.

    Mostly.

    He realized he had a visitor as he placed his stuff to claim a mattress. A lone Xatu¡ªan unfortunately familiar one¡ªstared directly at Sam in the uncomfortable way its species always did.

    ¡°...So.¡± Sam turned around to stare right at it. ¡°Does Will know you only brought me halfway up, or did he tell you to not bring me to the Sinjoh Ruins directly?¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s silent gaze lasted only a second longer. Out of nowhere, it snapped out its wings, a quick ¡°Kwee-Kwah!¡± squawked out of its throat, and it disappeared with a panicked flash of Teleport.

    The next day, after his team was healed and they had time to rest, Sam found the exact person he knew would already be waiting for him in the lobby.

    Will tilted his head, politely greeting Sam as he walked in.

    ¡°Hello, Sam. Was your stay pleasant?¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯d say it was fine outside all of the climbing I had to do at the start,¡± Sam replied.

    He crossed his arms, watching Will closely and searching for any smallest reaction. Unfortunately, Will was clearly a performer at heart; nothing about his expression displayed even the slightest hint of whether or not he¡¯d been aware of Xatu¡¯s incomplete teleport.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it went well for you! Informative, I hope,¡± Will said, brushing past the mention of climbing. ¡°As for me, this past while has been quite informative as well. Redi has excelled during her training, and I¡¯ve learned a significant bit about both of you during the process.¡±

    ¡°Redi?¡± Sam perked up. ¡°Is she here?¡±

    Will shook his head.

    ¡°Alas, unfortunately not. You see, I¡¯ve found myself in an unexpected break between jobs. I¡¯d expected our time together to last longer, but after a quick trip out of the city, she specifically requested to be dropped off off-route. Something about wanting to train on her own with a friend?¡±

    Stantler, then.

    If Porygon was learning Teleport, Sam understood why Redi would want to visit Stantler while she was nearby. What better way to practice Teleport than jump between its herd and Blackthorn City?

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Sam said. ¡°But you¡¯ll still be bringing me back to Blackthorn, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Will nodded his head.

    But he made no movements to release any of the Psychic Types on his team.

    ¡°Are we... going to go?¡± Sam asked, awkwardly adjusting the straps on his backpack while waiting for Will to do something.

    ¡°I suppose we are, but after learning so much from Redi, I was wondering if you were willing to have a conversation with me before we leave.¡±

    He waited for Will to continue¡ªfor him to actually explain what he wanted to talk about¡ªbut no further words left the man¡¯s throat.

    Sam crossed his arms.

    ¡°Well?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, what?¡±

    ¡°If you want to have a conversation, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±

    Annoyingly, Will didn¡¯t speak¡ªhe just chuckled.

    The man looked at Sam with an infuriating smile on his face, and the staring contest lasted a full minute before Sam finally understood.

    ¡°Ugh. We''re Pok¨¦mon trainers.¡± Sam covered his face with a hand. ¡°You don¡¯t mean an actual conversation. You want a battle.¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Will gained a wide smile and clapped his hands together. ¡°There is no better way to learn about another trainer than to face them in a battle, yes?¡±

    Sam knew Will was a Psychic Type specialist¡ªa Psychic Type specialist powerful enough to work as an Ace Trainer. He was also skilled enough to take up the task of tutoring Redi¡¯s Porygon in a skill as esoteric as Teleport.

    And now here he was, challenging Sam to a match.

    ¡°So you just want to... learn more about me?¡±

    ¡°I wish to have a conversation in the shared language of Pok¨¦mon Trainers, yes.¡±

    Sam paused.

    ¡°How strong is your team?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I''d like to say you''ll see in battle, but that would be disingenuous given the difference in strength,¡± Will said. ¡°No, I''ve been traveling for some time, and my Pok¨¦mon have picked up many tricks. If I had to describe their level of strength, well, I¡¯d claim they¡¯d been rated at eight stars in the past.¡±

    Sam''s team was at five stars. They were rapidly approaching six¡ªwere practically at six¡ªbut that was still a two star difference in power.

    He knew just how much of a difference even a single star advantage could make, but this wasn¡¯t going to be a life-threatening match. There wasn¡¯t anything riding on this battle; Will would still give him a Teleport back to Blackthorn City even if Sam lost.

    It would be casual. But faced with such a strong opponent, this would be a learning experience more than a conversation.

    ¡°Alright. You¡¯re on,¡± Sam said.

    With the battle confirmed, Will bowed his head and followed Sam outside to the dirt road in front of the Pok¨¦mon Center. This place was too small and too infrequently visited to have a dedicated battlefield, but the road would work well enough to facilitate a match, especially since vehicles were rare enough that the battle would go uninterrupted.

    ¡°For this battle, I''ll be using a scant two Pok¨¦mon,¡± Will said. ¡°You, meanwhile, will be allowed to use your full team.¡±

    ¡°A handicap? Makes sense. What about the number of switches?¡±

    ¡°No need for any limits, as far as I''m concerned,¡± Will said.

    To that, Sam grinned.

    Will was stronger, but status conditions were all about weakening and wearing down an opponent, no matter how much stronger that opponent might have been. If Sam was clever, his Pok¨¦mon had a chance at pulling off a victory¡ªbut it was still only a chance. Yet, Sam had no plans to lose this even if it was going to be an uphill battle. This match would let his team consolidate everything they¡¯d learned while training on the mountain, and it would let Sam potentially pick up a few tricks from a Psychic Type specialist. Those trainers were known to have many clever strategies up their sleeves.

    ¡°Jynx!¡± Will called out. He threw forward a Pok¨¦ball before Sam could decide which team member would lead.

    With a flash, a short, humanoid Pok¨¦mon wearing a dress appeared on the field. Will¡¯s Jynx ran a hand through her blonde hair to push it back. She huffed at Sam, already impatient for the battle to begin.

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°You recognize her?¡± Will asked.

    Sam carefully looked over the Ice Type Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°...I think I do. She was on the mountain, I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± he said. ¡°When we were climbing up, she was... singing? On a stone outcrop, I think.¡±

    He only noticed the Jynx via a brief glance on the way up, but Sam was still certain he¡¯d seen this Pok¨¦mon before.

    And, to confirm his statement, Will¡¯s Jynx turned around to send her trainer a look. Based on her expression, she was admonishing him for ever thinking that she was forgettable.

    ¡°Hah. Yes. That was her. And I¡¯ll take this moment to briefly apologize to you, too,¡± Will said, sheepish, much to Sam¡¯s surprise. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention for Xatu to bring you only part of the way up. Xatu are a species closely attuned to fate, and mine seems to have taken this matter into his own hands¡ªor wings, I suppose.

    ¡°Of course, as a member of the Pok¨¦mon League, I could not allow you to be put into danger unaccompanied,¡± Will continued. ¡°With the freezing temperatures of the mountain, Jynx was my best option to keep you safe. She kept an eye out, was prepared to rescue you if needed, and ensured no dangerous Pok¨¦mon attacked you while you made your way up.¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon placed a hand on her lips to blow a kiss at Sam. She winked at him as he forced back a shudder at her far-too-friendly smile.

    ¡°...Thanks,¡± he said.

    Will bowed his head in apology, and Sam frowned ever so slightly.

    I already promised my team we¡¯d get revenge together.

    Well, I guess if he apologized, we can go a bit easier on him than what we had planned.

    With his apology completed, Will brought his head back up and smiled.

    ¡°Marvelous. Now, for our battle?¡±

    Sam¡¯s gaze returned to the Jynx on the field. There was a difference between gauging an opponent¡¯s strength and judging a book by its cover. Even though Sam knew that Will¡¯s team was rated at least eight stars, he wasn¡¯t able to tell just how strong this Jynx was.

    Truthfully, the Pok¨¦mon looked like any other Jynx to him.

    A Psychic Type¡¯s power was almost entirely within its mind. They were special attackers more often than not, which made them hard to visibly gauge. In this case, Sam had to consider Jynx¡¯s theoretical power over anything he could see outright. He carefully considered his options before going with a somewhat unconventional choice.

    Jynx might have been an Ice Type, suggesting his usual lead of the Fire Type Quilava would grant him an advantage, but he had a gut feeling that Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon would turn Quilava¡¯s flames against her¡ªsomething Misdreavus had already demonstrated during her practice to turn Confusion into Psychic.

    So, he went with a slightly different choice than usual, releasing Misdreavus onto the field. As the pure Ghost Type appeared in the air over the dirt, Sam knew her familiarity with the Psychic Type would let her better deal with Jynx¡¯s offense.

    It helped that her Ghost Type moves would be super effective, too.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Will mumbled.

    Sam caught Misdreavus¡¯s Friend Ball as it bounced back and clipped it to his belt. He sent a reassuring nod to her before looking at Will.

    ¡°Ready!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready as well,¡± Will said. ¡°But, as the challenger, I believe it¡¯s only polite to give you the first move.¡±

    Sam grinned.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret that. Misdreavus! Let¡¯s start with a Confuse Ray!¡±

    Though Misdreavus was training to be a set-up sweeper more than anything else, Sam wanted everyone on his team to be capable of at least one form of status move. They helped bridge gaps in strength, after all¡ªsomething critical for this battle.

    Without missing even a single beat, Misdreavus¡¯s eyes flashed to send out a greyish beam. It raced through the air toward where Jynx stood on the field.

    But the move didn¡¯t work; Sam noticed something strange. Before Misdreavus even started to look at her target with her eyes, Jynx was already moving out of the way.

    Confuse Ray utterly missed.

    ¡°Ah, you may have the second move, as well,¡± Will said.

    Sam¡¯s first instinct was to try again, but he fought against that, pausing and trying to figure out what traps Will might have set.

    ¡°...Try Night Shade, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said carefully. ¡°Time Confuse Ray to attack without Jynx knowing where you are.¡±

    Will hummed as Misdreavus dived into the floor. She used Shadow Sneak, but she didn¡¯t use that move on its own. Already in control of a shadow, her influence expanded out so that several feet of darkness surrounded her in every direction.

    And within that darkness, she unleashed another Confuse Ray. However, yet again, Jynx was able to move out of the way before the move ever appeared.

    ¡°I see,¡± Will commented. ¡°I¡¯m already developing an understanding, helped along by a few of Redi¡¯s comments. Are you aware of the flaw in your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strategy?¡±

    ¡°A flaw?¡± Sam asked, feeling a twitch in his eye.

    ¡°Night Shade is a sphere. And while it hides the entirety of your Pok¨¦mon, all spheres have a central point of origin. If we want to hit, all it would take is a single, well-timed move, and¡ª¡±

    Will pointed with his finger, and his Jynx brought her hands together. A small, freezing ball of energy formed between her palms, and it burst with an Ice Beam so fast it looked as though blue lightning struck the field.

    The crackling bolt of Ice Type energy pierced Misdreavus¡¯s Night Shade. Though she was hidden, her cry of pain told Sam she¡¯d been struck head-on.

    ¡°Back!¡± Sam shouted.

    She dropped the Night Shade, leaving the ground to move back in the air. Though she was still able to fight, she was shivering, and half her face was now covered in ice.

    ¡°Redi brags about you quite often, but I¡¯m beginning to reach the same conclusion now that I reached then,¡± Will said.

    He paused, looking over Sam.

    ¡°You¡¯re selfish,¡± Will declared.

    ¡°I do not mean it as an insult¡ªnot necessarily, at least. Your strategy is all about taking command, claiming the battlefield in its entirety to use to your whims. You¡¯re selfish in that you expect your opponents to always be taken in by your plans. You expect opposing Pok¨¦mon to fall for the traps your Pok¨¦mon set, and you expect opposing trainers to fall to the beat of your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s moves.

    ¡°So, you try to steal the entire match for yourself. Thus, Samuel, you are selfish.¡±

    Will rested a hand on his cheek while slightly tilting his head to the side. Misdreavus glowered at him, but Will watched Sam and only Sam while maintaining a pleasant smile.

    ¡°Again, being selfish is not inherently bad,¡± he continued as Sam didn¡¯t speak. ¡°It is simply my perspective on how you battle¡ªand my perspective may change depending on the rest of our fight. If you are trying to win, it is reasonable to seek control over the field. But your use of status moves means you do so in a rather domineering way. Yet, you are a Ghost Type specialist, and like many of them, you¡¯re quite fueled by desire.¡±

    Sam stilled.

    Something about Will¡¯s words rang true in his heart.

    His last point.

    The final thing he said.

    A single word had been spoken:

    Desire.

    To Sam, the idea was almost prescient. It summed up quite a number of his growing beliefs about the Ghost Type into a single word.

    However, he didn¡¯t have the chance to dwell on it. Will clapped his hands, effectively calling for the battle to resume.

    ¡°Now then, you¡¯ve tried your strategy, so let¡¯s try mine. Jynx, go ahead. Let¡¯s put that new trick of ours to good use, hm?¡±

    Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon focused, her hair raising up as if subjected to static. Around the field, a glow sparked into being. Sam could have called for Misdreavus to respond, but he didn¡¯t.

    He¡¯d never seen this move before¡ªnot in any battle, on T.V., or even within the League¡¯s online archives. Its utter unfamiliarity conjured a strange feeling that this was the first time it was being used within Indigo.

    Translucent squares of deep blue and violet formed into existence and slotted together in the shape of a box. It was slow going, but the reality-warping effect was the epitome of Psychic Type skill. The entire space chosen to be their field slowly became sealed within a shining box.

    ¡°There we go. Took a bit, but we managed it. Incredible job, Jynx!¡±

    Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon breathed in to catch its breath then smiled.

    ¡°You see, Sam, we¡¯ve traveled the world for quite some time, and this is something we picked up over in Sinnoh,¡± Will said. ¡°Not many trainers have put it into practice, but I feel it¡¯s the perfect move for our purposes right now.¡±

    The Ace Trainer smiled, but it wasn¡¯t the usual polite smile he kept on his face. It was a grin¡ªan almost ecstatic one, and Sam was suddenly distinctly aware that he was facing a trainer with years of experience and potentially thousands of battles more than him.

    The handicap was minor, all things considering.

    ¡°Sam. In this match, I want you to show me. Show me how you¡¯ll react. Show me how you¡¯ll adapt. Show me the depths of how clever you can be.¡±

    Will threw his arms out to the side.

    ¡°In this battle, show me your limits! Against my beautiful Jynx, show me how you plan to handle our glorious Trick Room!"

 Chapter 96

    The blue light of the encapsulating Trick Room didn¡¯t quite reach the field. The glow of its plaid-like tiles waxed and waned in a mesmerizing pattern. Both Will and Sam were inside the bounds of the surrounding box, but when Sam brought up his hand, he had no trouble moving it, and the Trick Room inflicted no obvious glow, either.

    However, when he tried to snap his fingers, he could see the motion come in slow motion, as it took a full second for his index finger to reach his palm. It felt like he was trying to force his way through molasses, but that feeling faded when the motion ended, his fingers returning to a normal speed.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Will commented, watching Sam¡¯s test. ¡°Have you figured out Trick Room¡¯s effects this quickly? Or, perhaps you were already aware of the move before our demonstration?¡±

    Will pressed a hand to the side of his face, staring at Sam¡¯s open palm. Sam quickly clenched his fist, feeling the resistance in the air, and turned back to the field where Misdreavus stared at Jynx, a layer of frost coating half of her face.

    The Ice Beam had only been a glancing blow, yet its ice had already crept that far across Misdreavus¡¯s body.

    ¡°Ice Punch,¡± Will ordered.

    As the command echoed out, Misdreavus¡¯s eyes widened, and she tried to move back. She wasn¡¯t the fastest of Pok¨¦mon¡ªher speed came from her frequent and easy use of Shadow Sneak. When she moved now, her sudden jerk caused her to fall into an uncontrolled spin. The unexpected speed interfered with her movements, but Jynx had no problem taking a single, confident step forward.

    The Ice Type lurched across the field.

    ¡°Speed is inverted!¡± Sam yelled. ¡°Fast things move slow! Slow things move fast!¡±

    Sam¡¯s head hurt from watching Jynx. She moved forward as if on a casual walk, yet she slid across the ground as if dashing at a breakneck pace. The disconnect between her actions and their outcome was disconcerting¡ªsomething was wrong with reality.

    That was the ¡°trick¡± of Trick Room. The effects of speed changed. The Psychic Type was all about manipulating reality, and this effect did so on a grand scale.

    A single, light hop sent Jynx far into the air, and the Pok¨¦mon rocketed straight toward Misdreavus. Misdreavus tried to pull away, but even if she was generally slower than Jynx, her movement under these conditions was unpracticed.

    It was through sheer chance alone that her jerk backward meant Jynx¡¯s Ice Punch swiped through the air, an inch away from Misdreavus¡¯s face.

    ¡°Return!¡± Sam shouted.

    He could feel the resistance as he yanked up Misdreavus¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. Thankfully, he called her back before any further moves could be exchanged.

    With Misdreavus¡¯s disappearance, Jynx gracefully landed on the ground. Her dress fluttered beneath her, and she looked at Sam and huffed.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite an interesting move,¡± Will said to Sam. ¡°Surprisingly, Trick Room isn''t the only one of its kind, either. I¡¯ve heard stories of a ¡®Wonder Room¡¯ being set up within Hoenn¡¯s Mossdeep Gym. In that very same region, a man simply referred to as the ¡®Trick Master¡¯ has utilized another referred to as a ¡®Magic Room.¡¯ And, in Alola, I believe they are quite familiar with a field effect named Psychic Terrain. Alas, I have yet to see any of those moves for myself.¡±

    Will smiled at the end of his statement, his eyes flicking to the Pok¨¦balls on Sam¡¯s belt.

    ¡°But your shout was correct; Trick Room inverts the effects of speed,¡± he continued. ¡°So what will you do now? I¡¯ll warn you that it goes further than just speed¡ªyou¡¯ll find that its conditions are difficult enough that your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s base actions might fail.¡±

    Sam grit his teeth. He knew he was facing an uphill battle, but he hadn¡¯t expected something like this.

    Really, he was grateful to Redi that he was able to recognize this much in the first place. He only remembered the effects of Trick Room thanks to the conversation they had in Goldenrod. Ursaring wasn¡¯t a fast species in most situations, but she planned for Porygon to eventually pick up the move to turn him into a greater threat.

    He just didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever see it used before she figured it out.

    So then how are we supposed to deal with this?

    He had his strategy, but he wasn¡¯t sure how inflicting conditions might help him deal with a modification to reality itself. Still, his team hadn¡¯t been slacking off in their training. Along with the usual growth, all of his Pok¨¦mon had picked up new moves. He could try to take advantage of the change in speed¡ªsomething he doubted would work given Will¡¯s familiarity with the move¡ªor he could try a combination involving one of those new moves.

    As it stood, it was the best answer he got.

    ¡°Come out, Quilava! Go for Curse¡ªthere¡¯s a Trick Room up!¡±

    His starter and closest friend appeared on the field. The flames on her back blazed to life, almost immediately tinting purple. It took little effort for her to channel the energy needed for Curse, but she stumbled.

    Curse lowered her speed. She hadn¡¯t expected her concentration would allow her to move faster.

    ¡°Speed is inverted,¡± Sam explained quickly. ¡°You¡¯ll want to build Curse up so you can move at normal¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ice Beam,¡± Will interrupted.

    Quilava awkwardly dodged to the side, going further than she expected but still avoiding the attack. Jynx maintained a sphere of icy energy between her hands, and she released a second one that Quilava was only able to avoid thanks to a reflexive use of Detect.

    ¡°It might be acceptable to do such a thing at lower tiers of play, but you should know better than to lecture your Pok¨¦mon while a battle is in progress,¡± Will quipped.

    Despite talking, his Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t stop to listen to him. That blue sphere remained, and Jynx never let up her sky-colored lightning that threatened to freeze Quilava where she stood.

    But with the movement-restricting effects of Curse inverted, Sam hoped Quilava could use that speed to succeed with a new move.

    ¡°Double Team!¡± he shouted.

    Double Team generally required a Pok¨¦mon to move fast enough to leave illusory duplicates behind. On paper, Trick Room would prevent that, but the boost from Curse and the Normal Type energy contained within would hopefully let Quilava push past that.

    I think we might be able to use ¡®priority¡¯ moves like Quick Attack or Shadow Sneak, too. A Pok¨¦mon move is fueled by energy which should let them brute force Trick Room¡¯s effects.

    Quilava tried to follow Sam¡¯s orders, but Will¡¯s earlier words proved prophetic. She attempted a sharp hop to the side, infusing her movement with the appropriate amount of Normal Type energy, but Double Team was still a work in progress. She wasn¡¯t able to find the right pace, especially under these conditions.

    ¡°Quick Attack!¡± Sam yelled instead, seeing the glow between Jynx¡¯s hands light up once more.

    Quilava¡¯s base action might have failed, but Quick Attack allowed her to briefly run forward as if the Trick Room wasn¡¯t there.

    I was right. Quick Attack does work, but it takes more out of her.

    ¡°Freeze her. Powder Snow,¡± Will said.

    ¡°Go for your Swift combo!¡±

    Quilava used Quick Attack one more time to reposition herself without resistance. She stumbled a bit when the move wore off, but Curse was still in effect. It gave her just enough control to leap into the air and spin, shining stars coming out and homing toward Jynx.

    They were slow.

    Quilava might have used Swift, but Swift came out at a walking pace. The Will-O-Wisp she tried to hide behind it usually trailed the homing stars, but it instead sped up and collided with that guiding move.

    The combination utterly failed, eliminating itself, and Quilava¡¯s expression fell.

    She landed on the ground, stumbled from the unfamiliar speed yet again, and Jynx dropped her sphere to send out a wave of freezing snow that coated Quilava¡¯s side.

    ¡°Hm.¡± Will tapped his cheek. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next Pok¨¦mon. Jynx, finish her with Psychic.¡±

    Before Quilava could do anything else, Jynx brought a hand into the air, holding it open-palmed like a direction provided by a conductor. Shivering, Quilava was plucked off the ground, surrounded by a blue glow and summarily squeezed tight.

    Sam could tell Quilava was about to faint, and Quilava could tell as well. Stuck in Jynx¡¯s constricting Psychic, he couldn¡¯t exactly return her while an attacking move was in effect, so he instead called out a command to have her succeed with something and set up for the next Pok¨¦mon on her team.

    ¡°Smoke Screen!¡±

    She coughed, using how her body was being squeezed to support this move. The cough that came out was weak with hardly any force behind it, but the inverting effects of Trick Room allowed her attack to sail over a dramatic distance.

    A dark, inky sphere hit the ground next to Jynx and burst like a bomb. Smoke Screen sent acrid smoke in every direction, covering that side of the field and blocking Jynx¡¯s vision.

    Quilava was then unceremoniously slammed into the ground. Sam returned his Pok¨¦mon and held her ball in front of him.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered. ¡°This should be enough for Haunter.¡±

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    He grabbed for Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, controlling his speed to reach down slowly, which in turn made him move fast.

    My head hurts.

    Tossing the ball forward, the moment Haunter appeared, the tiles of the Trick Room flashed.

    Alright. So Jynx just refreshed Trick Room, but if we can put her to sleep...

    ¡°Haunter, into the cloud!¡± Sam yelled.

    He didn¡¯t need to specify more than that; Haunter knew the exact role he was sent out for. With the speed-inversing effect active, his movement came out jittery, but he slowed down to speed up to an ¡°acceptable¡± speed that sent him into the smoke-filled darkness.

    Inside, silence lingered as Haunter stalked his opponent. Sam only caught the occasional glimpse of a silhouette within. Haunter couldn¡¯t exactly attack right away¡ªthat¡¯d be too obvious¡ªbut he needed to find the right angle.

    To win this matchup, all it would take is a single Hypnosis, and Haunter could take out Jynx. Dream Eater and Nightmare could do an extreme amount of damage to a sleeping foe, and preventing Jynx from using Trick Room again would mean the effect would wear off and the world would turn back to normal.

    ¡°Funny,¡± Will quipped, ¡°but not enough.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression fell.

    Like Sam, Will didn¡¯t bother to give an explicit command. The smoke in the center of the field was blown back as Jynx released an omnidirectional Powder Snow. The attack¡¯s strong breeze cleared the field, which revealed Haunter in the field¡¯s dead center with her right behind him.

    Shocked, he tried to turn around, but he instinctively tried to turn around quickly. Jynx¡¯s eyes flashed blue, a glow surrounding him, and the super effective Psychic saw parts of him crumple.

    The difference in power was enough for him to fall to that single attack.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get disappointed, Sam,¡± Will said with a sigh. ¡°Redi spoke of you so highly. I imagined your masterful use of conditions would have seen my beautiful Jynx be cut down.¡±

    He then paused, weighing his next words.

    ¡°Although, this outcome is reasonable. My Jynx does have her Forewarn ability trained.¡±

    Sam was familiar with the effects of Forewarn. No personal experience, but it was the primary ability of Hypno, and Hypno frequently appeared as the villain in ghost stories online. Primarily, the ability alerted the Pok¨¦mon of the first move that¡¯d be used in a match¡ªor at least, one of them. It offered a brief glimpse into the future to warn the Pok¨¦mon of what to look out for.

    No wonder Jynx was able to avoid Misdreavus¡¯s Confuse Rays so easily. And that¡¯s why she was able to ambush Haunter like that¡ªshe was forewarned of his Hypnosis.

    The only reason Smoke Screen had ¡®worked¡¯ was because Forewarn only worked with a single move at a time. Sam had been so used to facing Pok¨¦mon without their abilities trained that he hadn¡¯t pieced together how Jynx avoided his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks so well.

    Frustrated, he returned Haunter. He was two and a half Pok¨¦mon down. Not just that, Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t even injured. The fight wasn¡¯t looking good.

    What did Will say, again? That his team had been rated at eight stars in the past?

    Sam stopped as the thought passed through his head. He narrowed his eyes at the sudden realization.

    ¡°So, Will,¡± Sam called out, speaking casually while palming a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°How strong is your team, actually?¡±

    A slight smirk appeared on the Ace Trainer¡¯s face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I ever outright said that,¡± Will replied.

    I knew it! He said eight stars in the past! That doesn¡¯t mean Will has an eight-star team right now! He¡¯s way stronger¡ªhe¡¯s been leading us on!

    ¡°Primeape!¡± Sam shouted, throwing forward a ball. ¡°Slow walk! Bulk Up! Right into¡ª Ugh, just use Fire Punch!¡±

    The difference in strength wasn¡¯t just large. It was massive. Extraordinary. Sam never had a chance to win in the first place.

    But if Sam couldn¡¯t successfully use status to weaken Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, he could at least test a different strategy on this much stronger opponent.

    No more games. Against Will¡¯s Psychic Types, there¡¯s no point in doing something special. Jynx is awful in physical combat. Primeape just needs to get in close, and we can take advantage of that.

    Immediately upon appearing on the field, Primeape lumbered forward. He stomped slowly, moving as if trying to merely intimidate, but the presence of the Trick Room saw each step launching him forward.

    ¡°Psychic,¡± Will ordered.

    Primeape swung his arms, building himself up with Bulk Up to prevent Forewarn from taking effect. However, just because Forewarn wouldn¡¯t work here didn¡¯t mean Jynx was helpless.

    She swiped a hand out, not grabbing Primeape but telekinetically grabbing his leg. The blue glow tripped him, but he didn¡¯t exactly stop.

    Surprising everyone¡ªWill, Jynx, and Sam¡ªPrimeape used the momentum of his fall to tuck himself into a furious roll.

    ¡°Go!¡± Sam yelled.

    Jynx blinked and tried to form an Ice Beam, but Primeape was trying to keep himself slow. He looked like a toddler first learning how to walk, therefore he was moving fast.

    I hate this.

    His rounded body allowed him to keep that momentum going, and when he got close to Jynx, he was able to carefully outstretch his arm as if grabbing something fragile.

    His fist smashed into Jynx¡¯s stomach with an incredible amount of force.

    Flames licked at the edge of the point of impact, the Fire Punch leaving a scorch mark on Jynx¡¯s dress. The power contained in the attack was both boosted by Bulk Up and was a super effective, Fire Type move.

    Jynx should have been launched back. Instead, the Pok¨¦mon bent inwards and started to float through the air in slow motion.

    ¡°This is just...¡±

    Sam had no words. Primeape hopped away, bouncing on his feet. It took several seconds for Jynx to land on her back a few feet away.

    ¡°Good,¡± Will said. ¡°Not every technique will be effective against every opponent. When one strategy fails, sometimes it¡¯s better to follow the simple answer of taking advantage of the most obvious weakness.¡±

    ¡°How strong is your team?¡± Sam asked outright.

    Will just smiled. Though the super effective punch would have fainted a weaker Jynx, Will''s Pok¨¦mon used a Psychic to lift herself to correct her position and gracefully land on her feet.

    She hardly looked damaged, and she wiped lingering soot off of her dress.

    ¡°Last I checked... Hm.¡± Will rubbed his chin. ¡°We¡¯d just reached ten stars, I believe.¡±

    ¡°...When did you last check?¡±

    ¡°Right before I met up with you two,¡± Will said with a smirk.

    Jynx disappeared with a flash, being returned to her ball. Will quickly replaced her with his next Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam was starting to doubt his chances of victory.

    This next Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t one too uncommon on a Psychic Type team, but Sam had never seen one in person before. It resembled a short bush with spiky leaves and two heavy legs that kept it upright. Notably, just under its spiked fronds were three, seed-shaped heads.

    Upon being sent out, Will¡¯s Exeggutor passively marched in place.

    ¡°Do you wish to continue this battle? Jynx is still able to fight, and with the current state of your team, the outcome is already determined,¡± Will said.

    Sam¡¯s eyes flicked between Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon and Primeape.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m learning a lot.¡±

    There was a power discrepancy here, but that difference in strength just meant he needed to find a way to be more clever.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Will said. ¡°Reflect. Into Barrage.¡±

    Two of Exeggutor¡¯s heads flashed, and the one in the middle cried out its name. A translucent barrier appeared before it right as heavy seeds shot out from its very top.

    ¡°Rage!¡± Sam yelled. ¡°Take it!¡±

    Sam had avoided calling for Rage before now. It was a component of Rage Fist, but Rage was also an attack that saw Primeape be consumed by his anger. They wanted to have him master his emotions rather than have his emotions master him, but Primeape still needed to get a handle on using the anger-based moves if he wanted to figure out Rage Fist in the future.

    But it also helped that Rage was the perfect counter to Exeggutor¡¯s attack.

    The seeds launched by Barrage arched toward Primeape, and rather than fight against it, he hunkered down and braced himself to take every single one.

    Each impact of the heavy seeds was hard enough to leave welts on Primeape¡¯s body. But, bruised and battered, he pushed through. Rage grew in power every time he was struck, and with a multi-hit move like Barrage¡ª

    ¡°Psychic.¡±

    Reflect stopped Primeape¡¯s charge. A concussive, telekinetic pulse blasted him back.

    The fading yet lingering Trick Room would have made his slow-motion flight over the field comical. Instead, Sam just followed Primeape¡¯s movements, feeling disappointed.

    I could have given a different order to get a different outcome.

    Sam returned Primeape, as the Fighting Type did not get up. Strapped for options, Sam released Misdreavus.

    But he knew the battle was over.

    She stalled for time, using Shadow Sneak to wait out the lingering Trick Room and using Nasty Plot when Exeggutor was busy aiming its next attack. When the Trick Room faded, she tried for a Will-O-Wisp, something she was learning with Quilava¡¯s help, but a Seed Bomb passed right through the move to dissipate it, and that attack hit her right in the face.

    The battle was over.

    ¡°Now then, can you tell me why you think I wanted to have this battle?¡± Will asked, walking over after returning his Exeggutor.

    ¡°You wanted to show me how much farther I have to go,¡± Sam said. He stared at the Friend Ball containing Misdreavus in his hand.

    A single moment passed, and Will laughed. He covered his mouth in an attempt to be polite.

    ¡°Oh, no! I can see why you¡¯d think that, but I wanted to have this battle for an entirely different purpose. Mainly, I wished to highlight something about your chosen strategy,¡± he said.

    Will moved to Sam¡¯s side, where he released two Pok¨¦mon: his Xatu and his Jynx. The Xatu was already staring up at the sky, and Sam felt an eye twitch as that infuriating Pok¨¦mon made a reappearance. Will¡¯s Jynx, however, looked mostly fine. There was a scuff mark on the stomach of her dress, but she didn¡¯t look too hindered by it at all.

    Man. Will must have really been holding back.

    ¡°Redi has spoken of your chosen strategy, but I¡¯d like to hear your own description,¡± Will said.

    ¡°I have my team apply status conditions to weaken our opponents. We then capitalize on the openings those conditions make to win our fights,¡± Sam said.

    Will nodded along, expecting the answer.

    ¡°Redi described a similar idea, but I want to know: do you have anything more than that?¡±

    Sam frowned. Will continued.

    ¡°The reason I challenged you to this battle is to elucidate a point I wished to make. I said I would help you out, and this is me applying my experience,¡± Will said. ¡°You have a solid core strategy, but you need to expand your team¡¯s capabilities. As it stands, you are shut down too easily when a Pok¨¦mon is unable to be weakened.¡±

    ¡°So then you chose Jynx here on purpose,¡± Sam said, considering Will¡¯s words. ¡°Forewarn prevented my Pok¨¦mon from inflicting status conditions right away, and then Trick Room ensured that my Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t go first.¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Will clapped his hands. ¡°Status conditions are the great equalizers of the world¡ªa burn cuts physical power in half, paralysis devastates speed, poison wears down even the toughest of foes, and sleep can open up even the most evasive of Pok¨¦mon to further moves.

    ¡°However,¡± Will continued, ¡°relying on those strategies means you are almost always fighting at an advantage. Even if you face an opponent stronger than you, a single, properly inflicted condition could see them become easy prey. You need more experience fighting at a disadvantage. You need to create strategies for opponents you aren¡¯t able to weaken in the first place.¡±

    Will proceeded to pause.

    ¡°Tell me, between these two, which of my Pok¨¦mon would be a greater counter to your team?¡±

    Sam glanced at Jynx and almost opened his mouth, but he stopped himself. He¡¯d been studying more than just Ghost Types in the New Pok¨¦dex for this very reason.

    ¡°Xatu,¡± Sam said in an answer. ¡°Its ability is Magic Bounce. It would be immune to any of my team¡¯s status moves.¡±

    When Sam looked at Will to check if he was right, he was met with an incredibly sharp gaze. The look was appraising, and Sam paled in realization.

    ¡°Magic Bounce? ...No. Xatu has trained both the Early Bird and Synchronize abilities, and he¡¯s capable of using both Psycho Shift and Refresh to cure himself of conditions.¡±

    Sam kept quiet. He¡¯d messed up. He¡¯d really messed up.

    Magic Bounce was Xatu¡¯s hidden ability.

    Most Pok¨¦mon¡¯s base abilities were still being discovered.

    Thankfully, Will didn¡¯t comment on that, choosing instead to pace around his team, continuing to lecture. Sam made sure to keep standing tall, pretending he hadn¡¯t revealed any previously unknown information.

    ¡°Xatu is an example of a Pok¨¦mon that can shut down any condition-based strategy. If I were to send him out against you, you would be forced to defeat him on power alone, lest you find yourself hindering your Pok¨¦mon. Meanwhile, Jynx is capable of something similar to a lesser degree, as you¡¯ve seen. I wanted to give you a chance, but a four-star difference is simply too much in most situations.¡±

    ¡°I think I also messed up at the end,¡± Sam added, looking over Will¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. ¡°When you switched to Exeggutor, it didn¡¯t have any defenses against status conditions outside of maybe its screens. I could have switched to Misdreavus and burned it instead of leaving Primeape out. Then, if we stalled and attacked from range, we might have been able to wear it down.¡±

    But I was too focused on using raw force after our small victory against Jynx.

    Still, Will smiled when Sam finished his explanation.

    ¡°Good. You can¡¯t let yourself get trapped in a singular mindset, either,¡± he said.

    He stopped pacing to stand next to Xatu, returning his Jynx with a simple flick of his wrist. He stared at Sam for several seconds, taking him in, before sending Sam one last nod that spoke of respect.

    ¡°Loss is not always loss, as more often than not, it¡¯s also a lesson,¡± he said. ¡°For now, the only other thing I can say is that you should lean less hard into your desires. You are allowed to want what you want, but you shouldn¡¯t be so harsh on those you think get in your way.¡±

    Sam winced.

    Will chuckled and rubbed his Xatu¡¯s head before stepping to the side, standing at attention with his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Xatu will return you to Blackthorn, but this shall be my goodbye. I¡¯ve completed my lessons with Redi and have taught her the basis of what she needs to know. She has a plan for your upcoming trials, and her team is quite excellent. You two have great potential. Keep up your hard work, and don¡¯t let it go to waste.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. ¡°For everything.¡±

    He brought himself into a deep bow, and Will laughed.

    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again. You plan to enter this year¡¯s Silver Conference, yes? I may not be entering myself, but I will see you on the stage. I always make sure to watch. You have decent odds of seeing me there.¡±

    Sam brought himself back up and stared at Will. The Ace Trainer was parting sooner than he¡¯d expected, and Sam was genuinely thankful for most of the man¡¯s help.

    Although...

    He quickly sent a few silent hand signs to his shadow, hiding the motions as he stepped closer to Xatu. Sam paused before touching the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head, not wanting to be teleported away just yet.

    ¡°Before I go...¡± Sam looked toward Will. ¡°Wait! What¡¯s that behind you?¡±

    Will huffed.

    ¡°Please. As if I¡¯d fall for such a basic¡ª¡±

    A swipe.

    Will gagged and entered a full-body shudder.

    While not a direct member of Sam¡¯s team, one of the two Gastly brothers¡ªSam could no longer tell¡ªswiped a tongue across Will¡¯s back. The Ace Trainer shivered at the spine-chilling residue left behind, and Xatu squawked in alarm as Sam¡¯s shadow vibrated with laughter.

    ¡°Oh, why, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You teleported us to the middle of a freezing cold mountain and forced us to climb up,¡± Sam said flatly.

    Will paused, gathering himself up.

    ¡°...I suppose I deserved that, in a way.¡±

    Once Sam and his ghosts finished laughing, he thanked Will one last time before finally being brought away. With just a single teleport, he was successfully returned to Blackthorn City and everything awaiting him there.

 Chapter 97

    Sam let the stack of books thump onto a library table as he collapsed into a free chair. Quilava hopped up next to him and sent him a look¡ªthat was a lot of books. She was silently asking if he was sure he wanted to go through all of that.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Quilava,¡± Sam said, shifting in his seat to sit up. ¡°You push yourself to get stronger in battles, and I push myself to support you as your trainer. If I didn¡¯t do at least half of this, how could I call myself your friend?¡±

    She huffed and let her head fall onto the table. With how many books were there, they would probably be here for several hours.

    But Sam just chuckled and leaned over to scratch behind her ear. He took out his journal and set it up to take notes.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be worth it. I like reading, anyway,¡± Sam said. ¡°Besides, we just went through a lot of training on that mountain, and Redi¡¯s out of town so we can¡¯t meet up with her yet. The least I can do is figure out a way for you to evolve.¡±

    Each and every one of these books claimed to talk about ghosts¡ªreal ghosts. They claimed to detail matters like wild spirits, long-passed Pok¨¦mon, and even historical yokai, but there was also a decent chance that most of these were just fiction.

    Thankfully, Sam had learned enough from the books borrowed from Morty to let him tell fact from fiction. It¡¯d take time, but it was time he was willing to spend.

    As it stood, the next Blackthorn Trial was set to begin in less than a week, and both Sam and Redi would compete. Sam wouldn¡¯t be seeking any rewards, and he was only technically allowed to participate since he hadn¡¯t reached the final, fifth stage, himself. Redi, however, needed to prove herself to bring Dragonair onto her team, and Sam planned to support her every step of the way.

    Before then, he had his own goals. Right now, the Trial didn¡¯t matter. The next Gym battle didn¡¯t matter. Heck, this year¡¯s Silver Conference didn¡¯t matter. The only thing he currently cared about was Quilava¡¯s impending evolution.

    One by one, Sam skimmed through the books. Some were quickly set aside when he recognized they were just fictional guidebooks. Others contained tall tales and folklore, some of which likely possessed kernels of truth, but Sam wanted books that contained more obvious explicit facts.

    That wish unfortunately limited him to a small handful containing dry recountings of history.

    But they¡¯ll do.

    His sole purpose here was to find evidence of real ghosts. Anything and everything that might provide a clue to a spirit¡¯s location so that Quilava could help it enter its final rest and evolve. If they wanted her to evolve into a Hisuian Typhlosion, Sam wouldn¡¯t be able to step in and help her with the process. However, as her trainer, what he could do was find her the location of a real ghost in the first place.

    So did what he did best; he read. He parsed through what he could, wincing in apology when a stern-faced librarian walked by, glaring at him for his noisy mumbling. Quilava rolled around in her seat, bored, but Sam continued to check through book after book after book after book.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been showing any signs of evolution, but I don¡¯t think we should risk putting it off,¡± he whispered to her after deciding yet another book didn¡¯t have what they needed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be surprised by anything, so I think we might want to request an Everstone from the Pok¨¦mon Center. But that means you¡¯d need to wear your scarf 24-7. You wouldn¡¯t be allowed to hold that and your Charcoal at the same time, too.¡±

    Quilava breathed out, frustrated, but she still reluctantly agreed. While she liked wearing her scarf¡ªit looked good on her¡ªthe problem was that wearing it too often messed with her fur and sometimes got in the way of the fire that came off her head.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said. ¡°But you are at the point where Starter Pok¨¦mon reach their final stage. Past it, really. But it''s kind of funny, too. Most people would say our team is basically in its final stage right now. Haunter¡¯s evolution is nearly impossible to trigger without trade¡ªhis species and other trade-evolution species aren¡¯t uncommon in the Conference. For Misdreavus, Dusk Stones aren¡¯t common in Johto, so her evolved form almost never shows up. And Primeape?¡±

    Sam held back a laugh, and Quilava snorted in amusement.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, he¡¯s definitely in his final stage,¡± Sam said, sarcastic.

    Truthfully, the only thing separating their progress from other teams¡¯ progress was that most trainers tended to have a fifth Pok¨¦mon by now. Instead, Quilava¡¯s evolution was likely going to be the next big change to the team.

    Sam went back to reading, making sure to consider the veracity of the text while writing down any locations that felt significant. There was a heavy focus on historical buildings¡ªSprout Tower, the Burned Tower, and a few places around Ecruteak, but Sam wasn¡¯t sure if any of those ¡°obvious¡± places would still have wild ghosts.

    He managed to get through about half the stack of books he¡¯d pulled out, studying them until a buzz came from the floor.

    The Pok¨¦Gear in his backpack rang.

    ¡°Shoot.¡± He fumbled around to dig through his backpack. The same librarian from before turned the corner to glare at him, tapping a ruler against her palm in threat.

    ¡°...Hello?¡±

    Sam¡¯s voice came out as a hiss. He cupped his mouth to try to muffle the noise as he whispered into the phone.

    ¡°Sam?¡± a voice said through the device. ¡°This is Morty. I got your message on the forums. Is everything alright? What do you need help with?¡±

    Morty¡¯s voice had a breathiness to it, as if he had run to make this call as soon as he noticed Sam¡¯s message. To that, Sam grimaced. The Gym Leader had probably been too busy with his job to check the Ghost Type forums, and seeing an hours-old direct message that only said, ¡°I need help. Call me,¡± probably didn¡¯t help to stop any worries.

    And after everything with Petrel...

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said, cringing. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. I just wanted to ask a question that I wasn¡¯t allowed to put into text.¡±

    A pause.

    Morty breathed out in relief on the other side of the call, and Sam briefly pulled the phone away from his ear. He tried to mouth an apology and tell the watching librarian there was a Gym Leader on the other side. Thankfully, all she did was narrow her eyes before walking away, but that constant threat still lurked nearby.

    ¡°I hope everything¡¯s fine with you, too,¡± Sam continued, hurrying to close the book in front of him as he pulled his journal forward.

    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s fine with me,¡± Morty said, chuckling after a bit. ¡°I¡¯m finally back from Violet. If anyone tells you that a Gym Leader¡¯s primary job is to take on challengers, they¡¯re lying. The real answer is paperwork. ...So, so much paperwork.¡±

    Morty finished that statement with a long sigh, sounding as if he was in the process of physically deflating. Sam had to wonder if this call was more than just a check in. A phone call with a trainer asking for help could serve as the perfect excuse to take a break from all of the work he needed to do.

    ¡°So, what do you need? Tips on a Ghost Type? Some help figuring out a move? Something else?¡±

    Morty sounded a lot more cheerful than before.

    ¡°Information,¡± Sam answered immediately. ¡°I¡¯m doing something important, and I need to know where we can find real ghosts. Ones we can take care of. We¡¯re already approved for work like this and helped one out in the past, so... Please. We can handle it, and we really need this. It¡¯s extremely important.¡±

    Silence.

    For almost a full minute.

    Sam could hear the sound of Morty¡¯s breath, so he knew the Gym Leader hadn¡¯t stepped away, but the fact Morty hadn¡¯t immediately continued the conversation was a bit worrying.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Morty said carefully when he finally spoke up again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but unless someone reaches out to you with a job, I can¡¯t provide you with specific locations. I know you¡¯re eager to be more familiar with the Ghost Type, but real ghosts are dangerous. The Pok¨¦mon League has its restrictions for a reason¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m using my favor,¡± Sam interrupted.

    Once more, the call fell into silence.

    Honestly, Sam still wasn¡¯t sure if his request for a favor had been approved or not. For helping out against Petrel, Redi had already received the Teleport TM and tutoring she¡¯d asked for, but Sam was still yet to receive anything in return. Back then, he had asked for a favor to put off the decision, but now felt as good a time as any to use it.

    Sure, a favor could mean anything, but this was the request that carried the most meaning for Sam. If he could bypass the League¡¯s restrictions, he wouldn¡¯t need to waste time on research. He could immediately head out and bring Quilava to the ghost she needed.

    But Morty didn¡¯t answer. For the second time in this conversation, the Gym Leader fell into deep thought. He was still clearly on the line, but he wasn¡¯t speaking up.

    Sam glanced over to his friend in the meantime. Quilava sat in her seat, resting her head on the table, but her ears were pointed up in rapt attention.

    He scratched her head.

    ¡°Where are you right now?¡± Morty suddenly asked.

    ¡°Blackthorn Public Library?¡± Sam offered. ¡°Why?¡±

    No words¡ªonly a noise.

    A single click came from the phone.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The droning tone that came from the other side told Sam that the line was now dead.

    ¡°Is he... really avoiding us like that?¡± Sam grumbled out loud¡ªunfortunately, too loud.

    Something sharp stung the back of his neck.

    Wincing, he proceeded to gather up the books he¡¯d been reading through and returned them to their proper positions in the shelves. All the while, that librarian from before silently watched him put them back.

    Sam hadn¡¯t been kicked out¡ªjust scolded¡ªbut he¡¯d done enough research for today. He made sure to note which books had been useful and which ones had been nonsense, and his journal was now filled with notes. The titles of the books he had yet to get to were written down so he could get back to them later.

    He wasn¡¯t done here. He still had plenty of avenues of approach.

    Once he was outside, Sam stretched, feeling the late afternoon sun hit his face.

    ¡°If Morty doesn¡¯t want to help us, then maybe we can ask the Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± Sam said to Quilava. ¡°That, or we put in a job, maybe? Have others collect information on ghosts? Can we even do that? Should we do that?¡±

    He glanced down to check Quilava¡¯s thoughts, but she didn¡¯t respond. She was too busy staring at the man standing at the base of the library¡¯s staircase, looking up at them with a smile and a wave.

    ¡°Yo!¡± Morty said, greeting them in person. ¡°Sorry for taking so long¡ªhad to arrange a Teleport. Anyway, come with me! You want a real ghost, right? Well, let¡¯s walk and talk. We need to have an important conversation.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam didn¡¯t have to run, but he had to keep a quick pace to stay at Morty¡¯s side as the man traveled down a Blackthorn street. The Gym Leader wasn¡¯t running, but he had long, determined strides. Thankfully, after traveling for so long, Sam found it much easier to keep up compared to the time he followed Morty in Ecruteak.

    ¡°To be upfront about this visit¡ªpretend it''s not happening. I still plan to have a conversation with you about the Ghost Type once you return to Ecruteak, but we need to talk about your favor.¡±

    Morty rolled his jaw around, trying to find the right words. Sam made sure to stay exactly at the Gym Leader¡¯s side.

    He cleared his throat when Morty became too lost in thought to continue his statement.

    ¡°So, about that favor...¡± Sam started, a little nervous. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for it to be a big deal, but when I first asked for it, Nurse Joy seemed really hesitant to accept. I just wanted to put off deciding on a payment until later. What¡¯s so important that you came here yourself?¡±

    Morty rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly.

    ¡°Think about it like this: while the Indigo League manages both Johto and Kanto, the Pok¨¦mon League helps to manage dozens of regions across the globe. If you have an unspecified favor with that organization...¡±

    Morty let his words trail off, and Sam felt the blood drain from his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just say that it really helps you went to me to cash that favor in,¡± Morty continued. ¡°Nurse Joy and I had to argue to get your payment approved, and it also helped that Lance was desperate to capture Petrel. Since that Team Rocket lieutenant was actually captured¡ªand is still in prison, mind you¡ªthe request was approved. You also aren¡¯t someone who¡¯d abuse a privilege like this, so the League wasn¡¯t too motivated to try to deny us.¡±

    Sam just nodded quietly. Something in his stomach churned.

    I just wanted to give myself time to think. I know it might have been a blank check, but I didn''t mean one this big!

    Yet, even knowing how valuable this single favor was, Sam still stood by his decision to use it here. His number one priority was to help Quilava evolve, and now that they knew the method, it made sense to do everything to ensure the right evolution.

    Morty turned a corner, and Sam easily kept up. The only Pok¨¦mon out with him right now were in his shadow; Quilava had been returned to let him move quickly.

    ¡°Before I start explaining anything, do you mind if I ask why you want this information so badly you¡¯re willing to use your favor on it?¡± Morty said.

    Sam stared straight ahead. He chewed on the inside of his cheek.

    ¡°It¡¯s for an evolution,¡± he admitted, trying to keep the truth vague.

    Unfortunately, Morty suddenly came to a halt, and Sam had to fight to not accidentally run into the man.

    ¡°An evolution,¡± Morty repeated. He tasted the word. ¡°Ah. I see. For Quilava, then?¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    Morty waved Sam off.

    ¡°It''s fine. Really,¡± Morty said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to steal the idea or try to get a Hisuian Typhlosion¡ªI know trainers can be secretive about things like that. Just know you were a bit suspicious when you first visited Ecruteak, and I might have looked a few things up afterward...¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°Well, think about it like this,¡± Morty continued. ¡°Haunter evolves through trade or other means, and evolving Misdreavus into a Mismagius only requires a Dusk Stone. Primeape can¡¯t evolve. So trying to obtain one of those old Ghost Type Typhlosions is the only answer that makes sense.¡±

    Sam gulped. With how excited Morty reacted to Hex, Sam hadn''t wanted to reveal any further knowledge on the Ghost Type to another specialist. After all, this advantage was supposed to be his.

    But it helped that Morty seemed genuine in his non-interest. Sam¡¯s desire to evolve Quilava into the first Hisuian Typhlosion of the modern era would go unchallenged.

    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Sam said, sighing tiredly. ¡°We¡¯re trying to evolve Quilava into a Hisuian Typhlosion. And we think handling a real ghost will be key.¡±

    Morty raised an eyebrow but said nothing else, turning around to resume traveling with the same long strides as before. Sam hurried to catch up before falling into pace, and they moved further down the street.

    Neither of them had anything else that needed to be said right away.

    A full minute passed before either of them spoke again.

    ¡°If it helps, her evolution isn¡¯t super obvious. I was only able to guess since I know you and was able to look through a few of the Gym¡¯s old books. Primeape is honestly a great addition to your team to help hide your goal¡ªyou claim to be a Ghost Type specialist, but half your team aren¡¯t Ghost Types. Perfect, right?¡±

    ¡°Haha. Yeah,¡± Sam breathed. ¡°Definitely. Right.¡±

    He looked down to count the stones that passed beneath his feet. Morty thankfully stared straight ahead.

    ¡°But Quilava¡¯s evolution is still going to be difficult,¡± Morty said. ¡°People have tried, and none of them have been successful. Better trainers than me have attempted to recreate lost evolutions in the past.¡±

    Sam clenched his fists. He brought his head up to meet Morty in the eye.

    ¡°But we will,¡± he declared.

    Morty nodded.

    ¡°Yeah. You probably will.¡±

    Sam barely managed to catch himself after that nonchalant response. Morty didn¡¯t even notice, and he didn¡¯t even blink as Sam stared in disbelief.

    ¡°But back to the actual reason I¡¯m here¡ªyou want to know where to find real ghosts, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sam answered.

    A hum. Morty tilted his head to the side and somewhat slowed. It took him a few seconds to speak up again.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a complicated topic. Forgive me if it takes a bit. There are a lot of different perspectives when it comes to handling ghosts,¡± Morty said. ¡°Generally speaking, they¡¯re only dealt with once they become a problem. Jobs are given out as somewhat mandatory requests rather than anything trainers can optionally come up and choose to take.

    ¡°The League¡¯s leadership decides how to tackle most ghosts,¡± he continued. ¡°For Johto, those decisions are passed to me, and I personally believe it¡¯s best to take on a more passive role. Real ghosts are natural phenomena. I don¡¯t think people should hunt them down, only step in when they become truly dangerous. My approach works well, but I do have to admit that ghosts in Johto tend to be more peaceful than anywhere else.

    ¡°In Kanto, Agatha takes on that role, and she¡¯s much more proactive than me. Like all Ghost Type trainers, I can admit she handles her role with the respect and competence it deserves, but she also has a certain level of... fervor. When taking on ghosts, I mean.¡±

    Morty awkwardly laughed. They continued down the road.

    ¡°In Hoenn, Phoebe has a similar perspective to Agatha, but she¡¯s more eccentric about it. She goes out of her way to help ghosts rather than remove them as threats, like Agatha. Those two aren¡¯t really on speaking terms. You¡¯d be surprised how often they fall into arguments during the rare conversation between them.¡±

    Sam wished he had his notebook out, but they were moving too quickly for him to reach into his pack. The information Morty was sharing wasn¡¯t anything he could find on his own. While the lecture had been person-specific so far, it felt as though, at any moment, the Gym Leader would drop some insane revelation about the world. Sam wanted to be able to remember Morty¡¯s exact words when needed.

    Guess I¡¯m still haunted by what he dropped on me in Ecruteak.

    Sam let out a snort.

    Ha ha. ¡®Haunted.¡¯

    He glanced up at Morty, who seemed to have paused with a purposeful break. Sam had the chance to ask any questions if needed.

    ¡°Is there anyone else who takes on a more passive stance like yours?¡± Sam asked.

    Morty wobbled his head as he considered the question.

    ¡°I suppose Sinnoh¡¯s Fantina can fall into that category. As a Ghost Type specialist, she also helps with ghosts, but it¡¯s Bertha of Sinnoh¡¯s Elite Four who makes the decision on real ghosts. Fantina¡¯s far more focused on her Gym, her Pok¨¦mon, and Contests¡ªthough not necessarily in that order,¡± Morty said.

    ¡°But, I¡¯ll quickly add that there¡¯s nothing wrong with caring more about Pok¨¦mon than dealing with ghosts,¡± Morty continued. ¡°Ghost Type trainers are still Pok¨¦mon trainers, and there are already plenty of people out there dedicated to making sure lost spirits can be put to rest. Fantina can do what she wants, I only told you about ghosts in the first place as a warning. You don¡¯t have to go out of your way to try to help. Ghosts attract ghosts, and I just wanted to make sure you were prepared, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam said. ¡°But we need this information.¡±

    ¡°But you need this information,¡± Morty solemnly repeated.

    ¡°But I¡¯m also thankful that you¡¯re helping us,¡± Sam said. ¡°This is a lot more useful than anything I got from the Blackthorn Clan.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t stop the successive scowl.

    The moment Sam finished his thought, Morty came to a sudden stop once more, and Sam scrambled to stop his pace and come to a rest at Morty¡¯s side.

    ¡°Wait, the Blackthorn Clan?¡± Morty blinked at Sam¡¯s expression. ¡°I know that they can be difficult at times, but what happened with the Blackthorn Clan?¡±

    ¡°What didn¡¯t happen with the Blackthorn Clan?¡±

    Sam paused and frowned at his own words.

    ¡°Actually, not much happened with the Blackthorn Clan,¡± Sam admitted. ¡°Redi and I took on their Dragon Type Trial, and she...¡±

    He felt his hands clench.

    ¡°They stopped her from moving on just because she didn¡¯t nod.¡±

    Morty¡¯s face was unreadable as he stared at Sam. His eyes flicked up and down, as if taking him in, but Sam didn¡¯t care. He was allowed to be unhappy with someone else.

    ¡°...I¡¯m not going to tell you that your feelings are wrong, but I will warn you of something else,¡± Morty said carefully. ¡°Training Ghost Types requires a... certain way of thinking, and Ghost Type energy tends to have its own effects, too. Be careful that you don¡¯t find yourself falling into the wrong patterns. Actually¡ª¡±

    He hummed.

    ¡°Think about it like this. How would you describe a Dragon Type trainer to me?¡±

    ¡°Arrogant. Imperious. Believes they¡¯re better than everyone else,¡± Sam answered.

    Morty nodded in agreement, much to Sam¡¯s surprise.

    ¡°Can you think of any exceptions?¡±

    ¡°Clair¡¯s alright, I guess,¡± Sam huffed.

    ¡°When it comes to training Dragon Types, those Pok¨¦mon respond best to a certain mindset.¡± Morty held up a finger, entering some sort of ¡®lecture¡¯ mode. ¡°Acting ¡®imperious¡¯ around your Pok¨¦mon means they¡¯re more likely to respect you, but acting like that often can mean you fall into habit and begin to act that way normally.

    ¡°However, Ghost Type energy is a bit more insidious than that. While Ghost Types don¡¯t do it intentionally, it is common for trainers to become...¡±

    Morty bit his lip. He looked to be struggling at finding the right words.

    ¡°Look, all I¡¯m saying is that I¡¯ve seen too many trainers fall into a mindset that aligns with the Ghost Type too well. If you find yourself becoming a bit too vindictive, it might be worth taking a step back. Look at things from another angle, yeah?¡±

    Sam bit his tongue to not lash out¡ªand recognizing that his immediate thought was to lash out haunted him. He knew he was mad about Blackthorn, and Will had given him a similar warning before, but Morty¡¯s words had some truth to them.

    Except they still kicked out Redi so easily! It didn¡¯t feel like they gave their challengers any respect at all!

    Yet, the Blackthorn Clan was essentially giving away free stuff to anyone who showed the slightest bit of competence. They were allowed to be a little nitpicky about gifting others their things.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re here. We don¡¯t need to walk any further,¡± Morty said, looking up.

    Sam followed the Gym Leader¡¯s gaze to see a house in line with all the others at the side of the road. It was a normal one with a blocky shape, divided from the rest of the city with a small brick-and-iron fence that gave it a tiny, concrete yard walkway around its front.

    It was unassuming.

    Nothing special.

    He would have never given it a second glance if not for Morty pointing it out.

    ¡°You said you wanted to call in your favor with the League, and there¡¯s no need to doubt¡ªI will give you everything you want,¡± Morty said. ¡°But it¡¯s going to take a bit of time to assemble all of that, so before I hand anything over, how about a short test? An impromptu Trial, in a way. A check-in for how far you¡¯ve progressed.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°This is the closest, most haunted place we have recorded,¡± Morty said, staring at the seemingly normal house. ¡°In Blackthorn, at least. For this, forget about trying to evolve Quilava. Use your entire team to help you. Your challenge is to handle the ghost inside.¡±

    Sam stared at the abandoned building. Small details began to stick out.

    Its inside was dark without any hints of light. The section just past its fence had patches of brown, decaying leaves. Spiderwebs had been woven under the edge of the roof, and the gate itself had a thick lock that had been rusted shut, having gone unused for years.

    ¡°I can¡¯t have Quilava do this on her own?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°It¡¯d be too dangerous. You need practice, so you and your entire team are going to take this on,¡± Morty replied.

    Sam stepped forward.

    ¡°...Anything else you can tell me? Anything about the house or ghosts in general?¡±

    Morty hummed as he considered it.

    ¡°I suppose I could give you a hint, but it¡¯d be a better test if I didn¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°I will say that you don¡¯t need to worry. This ghost hasn¡¯t left its house, so it shouldn¡¯t be too aggressive. Just keep in mind that when you''re done, you¡¯ll learn everything you want to know!¡±

    Sam nodded, feeling his throat become a little dry as he moved to the front gate. In a way, Morty had told him the exact location of a ghost, but the Gym Leader was right.

    They didn¡¯t exactly have the experience needed for Quilava to handle this on her own.

    With how rusted the lock was, it broke open with little effort. Morty sent him a thumbs up as Sam looked behind.

    Swallowing his nerves, he proceeded to grab the gate¡¯s metal bars to pull it open. He sent out his Pok¨¦mon as he stepped closer to its closed front door.

 Chapter 98

    There was only a short walkway around the house, divided off from the street by a wall. A few patches of fallen leaves lingered here and there, gathered up by either wild Pok¨¦mon or neighbors trying to be kind. Even though this place was abandoned, it looked completely normal. Sam had trouble believing a real ghost was inside, but given how unassuming this place was, that lack of anything noteworthy was probably why the ghost had gone undisturbed.

    He glanced around to make sure nothing suspicious was going on before sending out all of his Pok¨¦mon. Primeape and Quilava appeared at his sides, and Misdreavus entered the air while Haunter passed into a nearby shadow.

    ¡°We have a job,¡± Sam announced slowly, watching the house before him. ¡°A test, specifically. Morty is going to give us information on where ghosts are for Quilava, but there¡¯s also a ghost here. He wants to take care of it before he shares any information.¡±

    Primeape grunted and raised a hand. His question was clear¡ªwhy not just have Quilava evolve here?

    ¡°Because we need practice,¡± Sam answered. ¡°She has to help a ghost move on on her own without any of us helping her. Even if we weren¡¯t being tested, it¡¯d probably be for the best to do something like this. We¡¯ve only seen one other ghost, and it was a Pok¨¦mon. This is just... us preparing her for her evolution.¡±

    Primeape nodded, lowering his hand, and Sam brought his gaze back to the house.

    He didn¡¯t know what type of ghost lurked inside or even how strong it was. He could ask Morty for more information, but asking would defeat their purpose here.

    ¡°Can someone get the door?¡± Sam looked over the locked handle sealing the house.

    Misdreavus phased through the door to open it from the other side, but before she could undo any lock, Primeape punched to bash it inward and send the door swinging open.

    She sent him a frustrated look to which he replied with a cheeky snort.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. A little bit of damage is expected.¡± Sam paused. ¡°Probably?¡± he offered.

    When he checked on Morty watching him from the street, the Gym Leader just waved.

    Sam walked in through the open door, stepping into a dim room with his Pok¨¦mon around him. The curtains in here weren¡¯t thick enough to block out all of the midday light, but they didn¡¯t allow enough illumination to see that far in.

    Quilava let her back glow with embers, and Misdreavus focused. A weak Will-O-Wisp hung around her, but as a Ghost Type, her wisps were closer to a purple than the usual Fire Type red.

    ¡°So far, it¡¯s just a living room. Some shelves. Furniture covered by tarps.¡± Sam looked around. ¡°An opening to the kitchen in the back. A staircase up. Overall, a bit dusty, but not too bad.¡±

    As he took in the place, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was a bit nostalgic, all things considered.

    ¡°Honestly, with how the furniture is covered, I¡¯m kind of reminded of that mansion we explored in Dewford. Right, Quilava?¡±

    Her sniff told Sam that she didn¡¯t have the same fondness for those memories. He could give her that; getting screamed at by a Whismur definitely wasn¡¯t pleasant.

    Sam laughed, and the noise helped push away some of the tension lingering in the room.

    The light from his Pok¨¦mon helped him see a bit further, and he was able to make out a few loose items left on the shelves. Some sections had discolorations to mark books and other items that were once on them, but hardly anything remained.

    Either forgotten or too worthless to steal were a series of photos, many of which were of the ocean. There was a framed certificate with faded words saying ¡°...ycove City Fan Club¡± as well as a pair of open and empty Pok¨¦balls that had half-turned grey from dust.

    ¡°Haunter. Misdreavus. Can you two stay on guard? And Primeape, be ready to use any Dark Type moves. I don¡¯t want us to be ambushed or¡ª¡±

    He stopped when he heard a noise from upstairs. It sounded like a scuff against the floor¡ªeither a footstep or a door closing. It could have been a human, but there was far too much undisturbed dust for anything living to be still here.

    The only explanation he could think of was that their target was upstairs.

    After checking over his team, Sam received several nods of support. No one looked obviously nervous, though there was still some uncomfortable shuffling, and Quilava purposefully stepped closer to Sam. As Ghost Types, Haunter and Misdreavus faded into the shadows without a problem, and Primeape stayed at the back, looking ready to throw himself into a fight.

    With Misdreavus hidden, her Will-O-Wisp disappeared, and the nearby staircase now only had Quilava¡¯s light to allow Sam to see up it.

    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± he whispered, starting to walk over. ¡°Keep an ear out, just in case.¡±

    Something brushed against his leg, but it was just Quilava. For some reason, he swore his shadow looked visibly empty.

    Did all of the wild Ghost Type choose to stay behind? Or did Morty do something?

    He didn¡¯t have an answer, but Sam had a feeling he could only rely on his team right now.

    ¡°...No point in waiting,¡± he mumbled.

    The interior staircase was built into the wall of the living room, and it curved upward and disappeared into a hallway on the upper floor. Trying to steady himself, Sam placed a foot on the first step only to go utterly still.

    The hair on the back of his neck stood straight up.

    When he breathed out, he saw mist.

    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± he whispered.

    There had been nothing earlier. This chill had only begun the moment he intentionally put his foot on the stairs.

    There were many different types of ghosts, but not all of them caused the air to go so cold. Poltergeists tended to possess objects, and their presence could only be sensed within those objects. If the air was cold like this, the options for what this was were drastically reduced.

    One: a Ghost Type. Lingering Ghost Type energy could make the air possess a spiritual chill like the one Sam currently felt.

    Two: an environmental effect. Unlike extruded Ghost Type energy, tragedies and lingering regrets could create pockets of temperature-less chills. Those were the environments in which Ghost Types formed naturally, but Sam doubted that was the case.

    He would have been jumped by a wild Pok¨¦mon if that was true.

    No. He doubled it was just passive, Ghost Type energy, and he doubted the cold was just an environmental effect. It came too suddenly, too targeted, for it to be anything else.

    There was now no doubt in Sam¡¯s mind that they were dealing with a legitimate ghost.

    Slowly, he took another step, and the chill seemed to spike and suddenly increase. When he reached the third step, it felt as though someone was scraping ice cubes against his bones.

    ¡°This is nothing. If I can¡¯t do this¡ª¡± Sam forced himself to breathe. ¡°If I can¡¯t do this, what¡¯s the point of calling myself a Ghost Type specialist? I should be able to handle the feeling caused by some random ghost.¡±

    His words were a fire in his chest that let him move to the fourth step up. He knew that his Pok¨¦mon had subjected themselves to a similar feeling in the past¡ªDusclops¡¯s Pressure was somewhat the same.

    Sam might have been a human with little resistance to this type of energy, but he pushed onward, regardless. While a real ghost could inflict a feeling similar to Pressure, he had to admit this wasn¡¯t as directed. Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon had purposely trained its ability to use in battles, whereas this feeling seemed more like something trying to keep him away.

    Besides, Morty had sent us in here for a reason. He¡¯s outside; if this gets dangerous, we¡¯ll be pulled right out.

    Sam took another step, feeling as if there was now a glacier pressing against his back. Thankfully, after the next, the pressure didn¡¯t get worse than that. Whatever was causing this seemed to be at its limit as it tried to force him back down.

    But he refused.

    Sam could ignore it. He lied and told himself that everything was just in his head.

    So, he reached the next step. Then the next. And the one after that.

    Slowly, Sam continued to climb, even as mist left his throat.

    At one point, a shadow appeared on the wall beside him, but instead of an attack, Misdreavus revealed herself to support him by leaning against his side. Haunter joined in opposite to Misdreavus, bracing Sam with his hands as he moved up.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Sam smiled, determined, as he rounded the staircase¡¯s corner and stomped upstairs. Even with the freezing chill around him, each footfall came easier, and he moved higher, and higher, and higher, until¡ª

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    The cold vanished. Mostly. Rather than be directed onto him, it was now like a passive chill. Darkness stretched out in two directions with a hallway that crossed the interior of the house.

    His Pok¨¦mon stayed at his side as he narrowed his eyes to try to see if anything was around. He held his breath, searching carefully.

    At the hallway¡¯s end, he swore he saw something shift.

    ¡°Quilava, Swift! Primeape, Dark Type!¡±

    There were a few different ways to handle an aggressive spirit, and Sam chose to take the easiest. It took focus and determination to linger on this plane after passing. A battle, while angering, could exhaust a spirit and cause it to lose its focus.

    It was either that or help it with its lingering regrets¡ªassisting it with its desires¡ªbut that kind of action took time and dedicated research.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    At his side, Quilava followed his orders, and her back blazed to life. She hopped forward, twisting in the air to sent shining stars spiraling down the hallway.

    Behind them, Primeape charged. A Normal Type move like Swift wouldn¡¯t deal damage, but it could still home and help aim attacks. He and the move rushed through the darkness, reaching the end of the hall, where there was a sudden crash.

    ¡°¡ª¡¯ape!¡±

    Primeape bounced off the wall and clutched the forming bump on his head. The swift tore through the curtains and shattered the glass of the window.

    On the other side, a lone Pidgey flew away from its perch, disturbed by the commotion behind it.

    ¡°...Right.¡± Sam cleared his throat. ¡°Window¡¯s open. The darkness is gone. We can see now, at least.¡±

    Misdreavus stared.

    Since Sam could now see, he could better make out what was in this hallway. Overall, the house wasn¡¯t very large, with only a couple upstairs rooms. He could see an open, empty closet, a darkened, unused bathroom, and the closed door to what was probably the bedroom to the side of a far end.

    ¡°Are we all in agreement we¡¯re heading to the bedroom? We heard that door close, and since I can see into the closet and bathroom, it¡¯s pretty obvious nothing¡¯s there.¡±

    Primeape grumbled, rubbing his head where he ran into the wall, and moved over to the door. Before Sam could stop him, he had already opened it up.

    Nothing jumped out at him, and there was no ghost on the other side.

    This bedroom was empty, lacking any furniture. Sam could make out a door to a wall closet, a pair of closed windows, and marks on the floor leftover from where the bed used to be.

    But there was something else left right at the heart of the missing bed. Laying face down on the ground was a framed photograph, sitting in a pile of shattered glass from where it had likely broken when falling to the floor.

    ¡°Okay, okay. Sure. I¡¯m not dumb. This is a trap, right?¡± Sam looked around to receive a series of nods from his team. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve read a lot of ghost stories to know how this works. We look at the picture, get some kind of hint as to who this ghost is, and then it¡¯s going to attack us the second we let our guard down.¡±

    He looked to his Pok¨¦mon for feedback. Misdreavus looked unsure, but Haunter eagerly nodded his head.

    The kind of setup Sam described was exactly what he¡¯d do when trying to scare someone with a prank.

    Primeape looked as though he just wanted this situation to be over, but Quilava was turned around.

    She stared into the hallway behind them, nervous that something would suddenly approach. However, nothing was there.

    ¡°...Alright. Keep an eye out. Guess we¡¯re getting jumpscared.¡±

    Sam walked over, knelt down, and picked up the photo.

    Nothing happened.

    He blinked, checked the hallway once more, and looked around for a ghost that never appeared.

    Confused, Sam glanced down at the frame he held in his hands. Its protective glass cover had shattered, exposing the photo underneath. It displayed an old man with a white, neatly trimmed beard and mustache. He was smiling, and he was leaning forward against something. It looked like both hands were pressed down on two different objects, people, or creatures, but the bottom was torn in a way to make it impossible to figure out.

    ¡°An old man.¡± Sam frowned. ¡°It¡¯s sad, but this is probably who we¡¯re dealing with.¡±

    He looked away, not enjoying the reminder that most ghosts used to be living people.

    Nothing had jumped out at them yet, but that same chill remained. There had been no change in any way to its feeling, but given what was still in the house, Sam¡¯s eyes flicked to the closed wall closet in the room.

    It was the only place they were yet to glance into.

    ¡°Haunter. Misdreavus,¡± he whispered.

    Sam tilted his head to the side to gesture to the next place to search.

    While he had been wrong about the photo, there was a second option here. Now that this first setup had failed, the next possible one would be that he¡¯d open the closet¡¯s doors, see darkness, and then the ghost would jump out.

    It was another pretty basic scenario, all things considered.

    ¡°Guess there¡¯s no ghost after all!¡± Sam made sure to raise his voice. ¡°Looks like this place is just an empty house! Nothing to be afraid of!¡±

    He looked around.

    It didn¡¯t take the bait.

    I¡¯m really going to have to open that closet, aren¡¯t I? We¡¯re going to fight a ghost. It¡¯s going to be difficult. Depending on what it wants, it might seriously seek to hurt us.

    A ghost¡¯s final desires could usually boil down to revenge, the defense of an object or location, or the wish to pass on a message to a loved one. That last option was unfortunately common, but it was the first two that made Sam worried.

    Still, even with all the information from Morty¡¯s book, Sam couldn¡¯t explain why the chill had lessened once he reached the second floor. As he approached the closet, he tried to wrap his mind around why it would try to stop him from moving up the staircase.

    It didn¡¯t make sense.

    Unless it was trying to protect something.

    Cautiously, Sam waved his Pok¨¦mon over, and put his hand on the indent of the door. After taking a deep breath, he threw it wide open.

    Two cries immediately echoed out, but they weren¡¯t from Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Pet!¡±

    ¡°Skull!¡±

    Before Sam could respond, hands landed on his shoulders as Haunter tore him backward. At his side, Primeape was surrounded by the blue glow of Misdreavus¡¯s Psychic to be yanked back, where he rolled across the floor to smack into the far wall.

    That left Sam stumbling backwards on his own, recovering from Haunter¡¯s sudden pull.

    Laughter started up before it. It didn¡¯t come from a real ghost.

    Two creatures cackled madly to themselves, mistaking Sam¡¯s stumble backwards as something he did due to being scared. The first resembled a cloth doll, floating thanks to a nail pierced through the inside of its body. The other resembled a skull mask covering a body of dark flesh. Inside of it, a red orb floated back and forth like some kind of wisp-like eye.

    Sam¡¯s two Ghost Types hadn¡¯t pulled him and Primeape away to stop any incoming attack. No, it was to stop them from attacking.

    These two were young and wild Ghost Types trying to get a scare.

    ¡°Shuppet-et-et-et!¡±

    ¡°Duskull-ull-ull!¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon said their names and laughed.

    Sam kept his face blank and emotionless as he stared at the Shuppet and Duskull floating in the air.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Sam said.

    Haunter started to laugh.

    Simultaneously, the two Ghost Types seemed to realize what had just happened and how many other creatures were with them in the room. The merry expressions vanished, replaced by the crushing realization that they were now surrounded.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    They started to move back, but it was Misdreavus¡¯s voice that caused them to stay.

    ¡°Drea!¡±

    Before they could panic and run away, Misdreavus rushed to greet them. She shouted her name once more, coming to a stop with a smile.

    ¡°Drea,¡± she said again.

    Both the wild Shuppet and Duskull stopped, tilting their heads to the side out of curiosity.

    They proceeded to ask her a question, and Misdreavus nodded, beginning to talk to the two unexpected Pok¨¦mon here.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± Sam whispered, stepping back to speak with Quilava. ¡°These two are species from Hoenn. We¡¯re in Johto. What are they doing here?¡±

    She squeaked with a similar question, but she continued to stare out the room¡¯s hallway door. Sam frowned as he watched Misdreavus lead the Shuppet and Duskull around. She introduced them to Haunter. Then Primeape. Quilava. And then Sam.

    Sam politely nodded back.

    ¡°Hello, again. So... Did you two... I mean...¡±

    He let out a sigh.

    ¡°Did you two belong to the person who owned this house?¡± he asked.

    He very much doubted these two were their target. That chill in the staircase wasn¡¯t anything unevolved Ghost Types could cause.

    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t receive an answer to his question. Shuppet blinked at him. The Duskull looked toward the ground. Misdreavus rushed over to glare at Sam, chiding him even though he couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, wincing.

    He could at least get the gist of it.

    Ghost Types come into existence either through hatching or forming in areas filled with lingering regrets. If they aren¡¯t hatched, forming out of negative emotions can¡¯t be pleasant.

    These two are connected to the ghost that¡¯s here. It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.

    The problem was, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if they had directly belonged to that old man or if they had formed out of whatever had been left behind. The worst part about that unknown was that Sam knew he¡¯d never get an answer. Based on Misdreavus¡¯s response, the question was too close to some kind of taboo.

    Taking charge once more, Misdreavus talked to her fellow Ghost Types, moving them away from Sam, and Haunter joined in. He floated behind her and pushed his face around to shift into horrifying expressions. Anyone else would have been sickened, but the Shuppet and Duskull laughed.

    These two...

    Sam watched the Shuppet and Duskull closely. Neither seemed to be on guard, and the casual way they were behaving told him they wouldn¡¯t be ready for a surprise fight.

    They aren¡¯t battlers.

    The realization made Sam blink.

    They¡¯re domestic, but they¡¯re leaning into Misdreavus¡¯s conversation too much. If I have to guess, I think they¡¯ve been living here for a while. I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ve met another Pok¨¦mon before, or at least, not for a very long time.

    As Sam observed all of the Ghost Types interact, he realized Quilava was silent.

    Something warm pressed into his hand.

    He looked down to see her nudging him to try to get his attention. She tried to gesture to the hallway, directing him to look past the door.

    Only she had noticed. Haunter and Misdreavus were busy, and Primeape was sitting on the floor with his arms crossed. Quilava was the only one still on guard to see the hazy silhouette watching them from the hallway.

    Sam stiffened on his feet.

    The figure didn¡¯t move.

    He could only make out the basic shape of some kind of person, but rather than looking at Sam, the figure seemed to only care about the two wild Pok¨¦mon in the room.

    ¡°I...¡± Sam¡¯s throat felt hoarse. His heart raced in his chest.

    He thought back to everything he¡¯d seen before quickly coming to a conclusion.

    ¡°Alright. I think I understand.¡± Choosing to ignore the ghost, he strode right up to the Shuppet and Duskull. ¡°How do you two feel about leaving this place? Leaving and going somewhere where you wouldn¡¯t be so alone?¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his gambit start to work¡ªthe silhouette turned his way.

    Both the Shuppet and Duskull stared.

    ¡°I train Ghost Types, but you aren¡¯t battlers. I can tell you aren¡¯t interested in being trained like that. How about, instead, I bring you somewhere where you can be taken care of? Somewhere where you¡¯ll be safe. Somewhere where you¡¯ll be more comfortable than here.¡±

    After spending a moment to process Sam¡¯s words, the pair of Ghost Types turned and darted away. They weren¡¯t moving to escape. Instead, they paired up to have a rushed, hurried discussion about Sam¡¯s offer.

    Though they were different species, Sam could see similarities between the pair of Pok¨¦mon and Tibia and Fibula. These two had lived here for quite some time. If he had to put a label on them, Sam would call the Shuppet and Duskull siblings.

    After half a minute of discussion, they turned back around, both of them briefly glancing at Misdreavus and Haunter.

    They locked eyes with Sam.

    ¡°Shuppet.¡±

    ¡°Duskull.¡±

    They nodded, accepting the offer.

    ¡°Great!¡± Sam said. ¡°I promise that I¡¯ll bring you somewhere you¡¯ll be happy.¡±

    For a moment, he swore he saw an old man¡¯s smiling, but then it vanished. The silhouette disappeared.

    The ghost in this house was now gone.

    <hr>

    ¡°He was protecting them,¡± Sam said once he was outside, staring down at the dusty Pok¨¦balls in his hand. ¡°I think these two were either his Pok¨¦mon or what formed out of his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s regrets. Either way, the ghost here wanted them to be safe.¡±

    Morty had a sad smile on his face as he listened to Sam¡¯s story. When Sam was done speaking, the Ghost Type Gym Leader closed and massaged his eyes before breathing out.

    Sam had to wonder how often Morty heard stories like this.

    ¡°We received reports of something moving around in this house at night,¡± he said. ¡°Officers came to check it out, but the only thing they confirmed was a vague chill, and neither went upstairs. The report was then passed to me, and I made the mistake of choosing to wait. I should have recognized that the ghost wasn¡¯t aggressive and that it was staying in its home. But since it wasn¡¯t hurting others, I thought it best to leave it alone.¡±

    He let out another sigh. Morty looked tired. He made the best choice he could with incomplete information, but he wasn¡¯t perfect. He clearly didn¡¯t intend to leave Shuppet and Duskull alone for so long.

    ¡°If I had known the ghost was just protecting those two Pok¨¦mon, I would have sent someone to collect them sooner. I thought the ghost was just territorial. I¡¯m sorry you had to go through a sad story like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... fine. I¡¯m just glad to help,¡± Sam said.

    Morty nodded, rubbed his head, and then he looked up.

    ¡°The thing about ghosts...¡± The Gym Leader rolled his jaw. ¡°Most people overestimate their maliciousness. It takes a strong desire to stick around after your demise. There''s something almost admirable about that, as sad as it is, but it means that non-Pok¨¦mon ghosts tend to possess a single purpose. Not every ghost wants to hurt someone else.

    ¡°The vast majority of spirits stay near a specific location or are bound to a meaningful object,¡± he continued. ¡°There''s a reason I take a more passive stance when it comes to handling ghosts. They just want to keep things safe. I don¡¯t believe most of them deserve to be forced to move on when we can find ways to help, instead.¡±

    He turned toward Sam, who silently listened. In his hands, Sam clutched the pair of Pok¨¦balls containing the Shuppet and Duskull.

    ¡°This wasn''t so much of a test as much as it was a lesson,¡± Morty said. ¡°You said you want to know where you can find a real ghost, but I want you to understand this, first.

    ¡°Not every ghost deserves to be suddenly forced into its final rest. Some of them have desires that deserve to be fulfilled.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sam said.

    Morty nodded, satisfied.

    ¡°Just... make sure you find a way to help whatever ghost you go after. Promise me that, okay?¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Morty smiled a bittersweet smile. He turned to stare at the abandoned house.

    ¡°You did a good job, Sam. Maybe a bit less property damage next time, but for your second time handling a ghost, you did well. I had Gengar follow you to make sure you stayed safe, and he didn¡¯t report back with any complaints.

    ¡°As for those two Pok¨¦mon, while they¡¯re a surprise to me, I can make sure they¡¯re brought somewhere comfortable. The Ecruteak Gym has plenty of¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said.

    Morty blinked.

    ¡°No?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I... We promised to bring these two to somewhere they can be taken care of,¡± Sam said. ¡°Shuppet and Duskull.. They aren¡¯t battlers. They just want to be happy. If it¡¯s alright with you, I have somewhere else in mind.¡±

    <hr><hr>

    Amanda was confused when she entered Dewford¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center. It wasn''t like Sam to send a message to her so suddenly, especially not without scheduling a call, first.

    She entered with Delcatty following along, the feline holding her head high. As usual, Delcatty behaved as if the Pok¨¦mon Center was blessed to have her around, a behavior becoming more and more common after all of their recent training.

    However, the trainers here only seemed to care about Sableye. Even though his species could be found in the nearby Granite Cave, wild Sableye were still rare and hard to find. His mostly unique Typing made him a strong choice to take on the local Gym. A few relaxing trainers, those taking on the current Hoenn season, watched him follow her. She could see the interest in their eyes.

    Sableye wasn¡¯t interested in the slightest, however. He grabbed the bottom of Amanda¡¯s pants and made a point to ignore everyone else here.

    ¡°Hello!¡± Amanda said, greeting the nurse once she reached the counter. ¡°I received a runner saying something was waiting for me..?¡±

    The man behind the counter looked up at her and smiled.

    ¡°Yes! Nice to see you again, Amanda. Here. These are for you.¡±

    He reached under the counter to take out a tray, sliding forward a pair of Pok¨¦balls alongside a note. Curious, Amanda unfolded the piece of paper to read the message left for her by her son.

    She smiled.

    ¡°I can do that,¡± she said, chuckling to herself once she was done. ¡°It seems that even though my Samuel¡¯s still out on his journey, he¡¯s making sure our little bookstore will never feel empty with him gone.¡±

 Chapter 99

    Sam could barely move fast enough as he raced through the steep forest. The lake behind the Blackthorn Gym was to his side, and his Pok¨¦mon chased after him. Quilava and Primeape bounded through the woods, panting but keeping pace. Haunter and Misdreavus had a much easier time, as both could float and phase through any trees that got in the way.

    ¡°Can¡¯t... believe... I almost... forgot!¡±

    Sam had asked for a list of all known ghosts. Morty had gone above and beyond and provided Sam with a list of all suspected ghosts, as even previously known locations could change. There weren¡¯t enough Ghost Type specialists around to confirm every location, so even though there was a bit of uncertainty to it, Sam now had dozens of places to check within almost every city across Johto.

    The problem was, it didn¡¯t make sense to visit these locations during the day, and many of these supposedly haunted were still only probable locations of ghosts. Sam had spent the past several days, today included, checking every place he could. Unfortunately, the vast majority contained wild Pok¨¦mon, several of which were wild Ghost Types trying to set up pranks, and only a few contained actual, spiritual phenomena.

    However, the spiritual phenomena he did encounter were only weak, environmental effects that stemmed from lingering regrets.

    In other words, Sam had found areas where Ghost Types would eventually form. Haunter could use those areas to evolve, but only if he hung around for around a year. They had yet to encounter an actual ghost, but with all the information Sam now wielded, they were close.

    It was only a matter of time. One of these locations had to have a ghost.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡±

    Right now, he was out of breath, and he was almost late. Specifically, he was late to being early. If he arrived on time as otherwise expected, he¡¯d ruin the plans of their entire group.

    As he raced forward, twigs and branches snapped under his feet. The light of the moon glimmered off the lake, and, in the distance, he could see the lit braziers flickering between the trees, lighting up the space just outside of the Dragon¡¯s Den.

    With his destination rapidly approaching, Sam quickly returned his Pok¨¦mon and slowed down so he could fix up his appearance. It was nice to be out of that blinding snow jacket, but given how chilly it was this late at night, he still made sure to wear thick pants.

    Once he had slowed enough to properly catch his breath, he finally broke through the trees to reach that open space. He smiled at the group of trainers waiting there.

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Redi¡¯s eyes immediately lit up as she pulled away from her conversation with the rest of the group. She held her arms out as if she was about to hug him, but she just as quickly snapped them down to her sides.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± she said.

    ¡°You already knew I was back.¡±

    ¡°So you got my note?¡± she whispered, leaning in.

    Sam looked at her with a flat expression before snickering at her expression.

    ¡°Redi, we might not have seen each other in person, but we¡¯ve been in town. Our only communication recently has been through notes. Why wouldn¡¯t I have got it?

    She brought herself up, holding a finger in the air.

    ¡°Well, I was doing some reading for Porygon, and there¡¯s this thing called the Two Generals Prob¡ª¡±

    ¡°You were reading?¡±

    Sam gaped at her, and she puffed up indignantly.

    ¡°Whatever. Whatever!¡± she said. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ve already been organizing everyone else here. If you got my note, you know the plan. And, no one here has less than four Gym Badges! The Blackthorn Clan won¡¯t know what hit it!¡±

    She grinned at him, flashing a wing-shaped badge from her pocket before dragging Sam over to the rest of the trainers. These four were the rest of the people present, and they looked on with a mix of both annoyance and amusement after being interrupted by Sam¡¯s sudden reintroduction.

    Eliza sent Sam a polite nod, a much more reserved reaction from when she¡¯d approached him at the last Trial. The angry boy who¡¯d shown up at the last one was here as well, but he didn¡¯t look anywhere near as grouchy.

    (Although, he still looked like he¡¯d just tasted a lemon.)

    The other two trainers seemed like people plucked directly out of a Pok¨¦mon Center. Honestly, Sam wouldn¡¯t have been able to identify them from a crowd. He would have spoken up to introduce himself and learn everyone¡¯s names, but Redi was already on the case.

    ¡°This is Sam, my friend. He got through three of the five tests last time, so he¡¯ll also be competing with us now.¡±

    ¡°Is he allowed to do that?¡± one of the two unfamiliar trainers said, looking Sam up and down.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly reach the fifth round last time, so I can still technically try again,¡± Sam answered. ¡°But since I already received a ¡®reward,¡¯ I don¡¯t think I can get anything else. It¡¯s kind of like how some people go back to take on the core team of a Gym. It¡¯s for the experience, not for anything I can get.¡±

    The two trainers looked a little confused but still nodded. The sour-faced boy¡ªwhose name was Terry, apparently¡ªnodded approvingly, but he seemed otherwise unimpressed.

    ¡°So you¡¯re helping?¡± he asked flatly.

    ¡°I¡¯m supporting you with my Pok¨¦mon, but I don¡¯t think I can give explicit spoilers,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine!¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he can do. You all know the plan, so as long as we work together¡ª¡±

    She cut herself off when the sound of footsteps came from inside the cave. They had come here early before any elder came out to stand guard. For this first step, they planned to start with a strong first impression, which was the entire purpose they came before the usual time.

    From within the Dragon¡¯s Den entrance, a face became visible, half-lit up by the nearby torches. A middle-aged man in a robe exited the cave. He stopped and looked at everyone here, confused.

    ¡°WE GREET THE ELDER!¡±

    Six voices echoed in unison, shouting as they lined up for a synchronized bow.

    ¡°...M-my greetings to you?¡±

    He coughed, adjusting his sleeves before glancing behind him. He looked around as if searching for something, but the only people here were Sam, Redi, and the four other trainers. They all brought themselves back up to watch the elder¡¯s reaction.

    Huh. I wonder if he thinks this is a prank.

    The man tugged at the neck of his robes before quickly using his hands to smooth out any wrinkles. Normally, the elder on duty was meant to be outside before any trainers arrived. Terry apparently stalked this place each night to know when he needed to head over, and an elder¡¯s appearance was generally his sign for when the Trials were set to start.

    So everyone stood there. At attention. Not moving but politely waiting for everything to begin.

    Sam did catch a few eyes open up in his shadow¡ªa couple of the wild Ghost Types, probably. With how awkward the Blackthorn Clan member looked, they were probably taking great joy in seeing such a stuffy person look so uncomfortable.

    ¡°Well then,¡± the elder said after some time had passed. ¡°Since you¡¯re all here and so prepared already, no one else is set to arrive. So, if you¡¯re ready to take part in our Trials, please, follow me.¡±

    He cleared his throat once more and turned around. Unlike last time, he didn¡¯t point anyone out. No one would be left behind.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The two unfamiliar trainers whispered a cheer and pumped their fists. Sam could see Eliza smile.

    ¡°Great job, Redi,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°Now where do we go from here?¡±

    Her response was just a shrug, and she moved to follow behind. Sam didn¡¯t see a reason to not move in alongside her. As a group, everyone followed in a single-file line behind the elder.

    For these trials, the Blackthorn Clan wanted respect. With this, they were receiving respect. But even then, Sam still had to hold back his laughter at the situation.

    While he could admit he might have been unfairly upset with how the Blackthorn Clan was deciding to give away their items, he couldn¡¯t say he disliked seeing how caught off-guard this member of the clan was.

    After a short trip downward, they were brought down to the stone shore of the Dragon¡¯s Den¡¯s underground lake. The middle-aged Blackthorn elder pointed to the shrine on the other side.

    ¡°Find a way across.¡±

    He then moved back to the entrance of the tunnel to silently observe.

    ¡°So... What are we doing here?¡±

    Everyone looked among themselves as one of the two unfamiliar trainers asked that question.

    Sam cleared his throat to gather everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°I got it. Give me a second,¡± he said.

    He proceeded to look at the shadow beneath his feet. In the dim light of the cave, it was the only shadow among their group that had remained.

    For some reason, Redi looked excited, but everyone else started to pale.

    Eliza yelped.

    Shapes raced out.

    Following them along were Misdreavus and Haunter, moving to guide and manage the Ghost Types leaving to search.

    ¡°...Are you allowed to have that many Pok¨¦mon with you?¡± Eliza asked.

    She flinched when Sam looked at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Most aren¡¯t my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    She went silent for a while.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The voice was so quiet Sam wasn¡¯t sure it was Eliza who eventually replied.

    Twisting shapes moved between the pillars of rock within this cave. Gastly, slithering inside shadows, searched every nook and cranny of this nearby shore.

    At one point, one of the shadows tried to move behind a conspicuous stalagmite next to the entrance.

    ¡°Off limits.¡±

    But the ghost was cowed away by the sternness of the elder.

    Although that secret tunnel was not a viable way forward, it didn¡¯t take long for Haunter to rise out of the floor to communicate what he did find.

    Nearby, someone shivered.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Haunter had a sullen look on his face as he shook his head.

    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s no boat?¡±

    An unhappy nod.

    ¡°What about a hidden bridge? Or a walkway? Or another secret tunnel?¡±

    Two shakes denied Sam¡¯s question, and after a quick glance back at the watching elder, a third told Sam there was no such thing.

    Sam frowned, but Redi stepped forward. She looked around at everyone here with a grin on her face. Though her practice under Will meant she¡¯d been using Porygon¡¯s Teleport to let her train her team off-route, she had still set aside time to talk with the other trainers here and come up with a plan.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We already know what to do, remember?¡± she said.

    She then looked at Eliza, who met her gaze with a smile.

    ¡°Come on out, Lapras!¡±

    At the edge of the water, a red flash from a Pok¨¦ball grew until it towered above their heads, and when it broke, Eliza¡¯s order was punctuated by a melodic cry.

    Her Pok¨¦mon, a Lapras, was practically designed for transportation. Its four, finned limbs let it glide through water with ease, and the hard shell on its back gave people plenty of room to ride.

    However, Lapras was only one Pok¨¦mon, and there were six total people here. Not everyone would fit.

    Eliza walked forward and cupped the cheeks of her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s face as it lowered its head to meet her approach.

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, can you...¡±

    She finished her command by whispering something into her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s curved ears.

    In the flickering torchlight, Lapras''s eyes glimmered. It brought its head up, opened its mouth, and began to sing. Right in front of its lips, a sphere formed. From that sphere, a beam of freezing lightning hit the surface of the lake to form a flat, solid ice floe.

    ¡°Amazing! Perfect, Lapras!¡± Eliza turned and faced everyone with a clap. ¡°Everyone on! Should last long enough to bring us to the other side, but be careful. Ice is heavy, and Lapras doesn¡¯t have a way to drag it. We¡¯ll need help bringing it along.¡±

    The end result was a strange yet functional boat¡ªof sorts. Sam, Redi, Terry, and the two other trainers sat on the ice floe, and Eliza rode on her Lapras¡¯s back. A Weepinbell and Tangela were released and held in their respective trainer¡¯s laps. The two Grass Types used Vine Whip to extend vines like ropes, which Eliza tied onto the rough spikes coming out of the shell on Lapras¡¯s back.

    ¡°And for pushing¡ª¡±

    ¡°We got it.¡±

    Terry released a Pok¨¦mon of his own, sending out a Pok¨¦mon with a smooth body and long legs thick with compressed muscles. The Hitmonlee didn¡¯t wait to jump into the water, not bothering to need a command. Though Sam could see no mouth, Hitmonlee''s eyes curved up in a smile to show it was ready.

    ¡°Hitmonlee has the strongest kicks among Fighting Types. He¡¯ll be able to help push the ice as long as Lapras can drag most of it forward.¡±

    Eliza nodded.

    ¡°That should be enough. Lapras is a pretty strong swimmer, right Lapras?¡±

    Her Pok¨¦mon cried out in agreement.

    To finish everything off, Redi looked around to make sure everyone was properly situated.

    ¡°Everyone ready?¡±

    ¡°I thought that was your name!¡±

    Her eye twitched at Eliza¡¯s joke, but she still forced a smile and pointed forward.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡±

    Lapras took off with a surprising amount of speed. Hitmonlee vibrated in the water as it shouted its name, and the fury of its kicks made it sound like a motor.

    They were fast. At least, for a ¡°boat¡± of their size. They weren¡¯t moving as fast as the Ace Trainer on his Seadra, but travel was going much quicker than when he¡¯d been forced to row a boat alongside Cassandra.

    Sam¡¯s thick pants helped let him resist the cold of the ice he sat on, and the two trainers with their Grass Types clutched their Pok¨¦mon to make sure to keep them warm with body heat. This was unfortunately not the perfect solution, as water splashed onto the ice floe and spread around, getting everyone wet. However, it was still thick enough to float, and Hitmonlee in the back was putting enough force into it so it was tilted up ever so slightly and not at risk of plunging everyone into the lake.

    It was cold, but it was impressive.

    He saw Redi smile to herself as they skipped over the water.

    But it won¡¯t be this easy. Last time, Cassandra and I were attacked by a Gyarados. What are they going to send after a bigger group?

    Trying to hide his look, Sam glanced over at the lake¡¯s murky depths, trying to search for anything that might jump out at them. His Ghost Types were back in his shadow, so he knew his Pok¨¦mon could help, but still.

    The prospect of being attacked by something greater than a Gyarados was intimidating.

    He stayed silent as he watched the water, and soon, a quiet voice whispered something not too far away from his side.

    ¡°...Porygon.¡±

    Redi sent out her Pok¨¦mon into her arms. She looked away from where she was watching Sam to start whispering quiet commands.

    But in the end, it seemed that with the speed their group was moving, the Blackthorn Clan wasn¡¯t going to wait to start this test. Less than a few seconds later, dark shapes started to grow. They didn¡¯t exactly swim under the icy platform so much as they exploded out of the water¡¯s surface.

    Not one, not two, not three, but four different Gyarados rose out of the lake. Of course, four Gyarados were worse than one Gyarados, and Eliza¡¯s Lapras cried out in alarm. Terry just groaned.

    But Redi was ready. In her arms, Porygon was now tinted yellow thanks to Conversion and an ongoing Charge.

    ¡°Zero, ten!¡± Redi ordered. ¡°Discharge!¡±

    As Porygon flashed away to Teleport in front of Lapras, Eliza was quick on the uptake and called out a command of her own.

    ¡°Protect!¡±

    Sam was blinded by the successive flash. All of Porygon¡¯s stored Electric Type energy, enhanced with a shared Type thanks to Conversion, was released in a single, enormous burst.

    The Gyarados, vulnerable to the energy twice over, roared in pain before submerging just as quickly as they appeared in an attempt to escape.

    And then, silence.

    Sam rubbed his eyes to regain his vision.

    He heard Redi give a command next to him.

    ¡°Back.¡±

    Something not too dissimilar from the sound of vibrating metal wire rang out. Porygon reappeared in her arms, and she hugged her Pok¨¦mon while grinning at the rest of the group.

    ¡°What? Never seen a Discharge before?¡±

    Eliza gagged, but she patted her Lapras¡¯s neck. Immune to the damage thanks to Protect, their makeshift boat continued to be pulled ahead.

    <hr>

    ¡°You know, when I did this, Primeape one-shot a Gyarados, too.¡±

    Redi hummed as she returned Porygon.

    ¡°Sure, but that was a Gyarados. Did he take out four at once?¡±

    Redi just laughed as Sam grumbled. One of the other trainers clasped his hand to help him off of the boat, and Sam did the same to help Redi behind him.

    Now on the opposite shore, everyone did their best to clean up and dry off. Pok¨¦mon were returned as people squeezed their clothes to try to get some of the freezing water off. Eliza approached her Lapras and hugged its head before returning her Pok¨¦mon, and Terry hit his Hitmonlee on the arm in a proud thanks.

    The Fighting Type was a bit charred. Porygon¡¯s attack had hit it through the water, but it had managed to push through the damage and continue to bring them to the other shore.

    But there weren¡¯t any awaiting members of the Blackthorn Clan here. Last time, two members¡ªnot elders¡ªhad helped Sam and Cassandra out of their boat.

    It took a few minutes for anyone to arrive. Eventually, the same, somewhat pudgy elder who had led Cassandra away exited from a lit-up opening on the cavern¡¯s back wall. Behind him, three other elders followed.

    All of them moved with a distinct purpose, and none looked happy.

    ¡°Did you plan this?¡± he asked.

    The corners of his lips twitched down into a frown.

    ¡°Nevermind. It¡¯s not important. What you did is fine. But if you wish to proceed so badly, then follow me to reach the next stage.¡±

    He turned on a heel to walk toward the shrine. The elders behind him¡ªtwo men, one woman¡ªfollowed with narrowed eyes. None bothered to look over at their group to see if they were coming along.

    All of the trainers here chose to look to Redi instead.

    ¡°We following?¡± Terry asked.

    Redi pursed her lips for a moment before nodding. She took a step, and then everyone hurried to catch up.

    When the group reached the entrance of the nearby shrine, that first elder moved to stand next to its front doors. The other three Blackthorn Clan members positioned themselves off to the side to observe as the first elder spoke.

    ¡°Inside, you will answer a series of questions,¡± the first elder announced. ¡°These questions are intended to test you as individuals, not as a group. For this test, I will ask one of you to enter, and the rest of you will stay¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thanks. We¡¯re going in,¡± Sam interrupted.

    The elder sputtered. Sam ignored him and stepped to the front of the group, pushing open the doors before anything else could be said.

    Yes, he was being rude¡ªbut that was honestly the point. He didn¡¯t have anything he wanted. His only goal was to help everyone else. These test questions were meant to be asked to one person at a time, but by pushing to the front and opening the doors like this, he was giving everyone else an excuse to enter together, and by being the sole individual to interrupt, only he would be at blame.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡±

    The first elder was left so utterly flabbergasted that he had no words to stop them.

    Redi waited a moment before taking a step forward, but before she could pass through the doors, a short chuckle came from inside the shrine.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine!¡± an aged voice called out. ¡°Please, come in! The occasional change-up helps to keep us on our toes. You have my permission to take on this stage together!¡±

    Huh.

    The first elder next to Sam turned red as Redi strode inside. She sent a thankful bow to the elderly man on a cushion in the back, sending Sam a thankful look while her face was hidden.

    Once everyone else stepped inside, Sam moved to enter, but a finger jabbed into his chest.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°You as well! I said ¡®everyone,¡¯ didn¡¯t I?¡±

    The aged elder¡¯s comments interrupted the lecture the first elder had been about to give.

    Smirking, Sam entered the room at the back of the group, joining everyone else as they kneeled on the floor in a line. Sitting down, he immediately recognized the ancient-looking man from last time. The elder had a smile on his wrinkled face, and though his eyes were half-closed, there was still an amused glimmer to what Sam could see.

    He nodded to Sam, and Sam adjusted how he was sitting to make sure he was sitting at attention. Everyone stayed silent as the doors closed behind them, and the four other, younger-but-still-old elders moved in to observe from the back.

    ¡°These trials were always meant to test interesting new trainers¡ªthough, they are usually challenged one at a time. It¡¯s been quite some time since someone had the idea to attempt this as a group.¡± The old man stroked his hairless chin. ¡°About twenty years, by my estimation.¡±

    He breathed out in the semblance of a laugh, shaking his head while hiding a grin with the sleeve of his robe.

    Behind, a floorboard creaked from the slight movement of an observing elder. The reaction wasn¡¯t much, but it did speak of a lot.

    Someone isn¡¯t happy.

    Sam made sure his expression stayed blank.

    ¡°This test involves questions, yes, so let¡¯s start with a simple one,¡± the old man said. ¡°To each of you, answer me this: What are Pok¨¦mon to you?¡±

    Sam blinked.

    The question was identical.

    There was no change to what he heard last time.

    After a moment of silent consideration, Redi shuffled around to wave everyone in. Sam and everyone else quickly joined her in a huddle.

    ¡°I mean, the answer¡¯s pretty obvious. Of course it¡¯s going to be ¡®friends.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I think ¡®partners¡¯ could work as an answer, too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a better one. ¡®Partners¡¯ has a more positive historical context, right?¡±

    ¡°But ¡®friends¡¯ implies a closer relationship.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. But what if he wants us to give a literal definition?¡±

    ¡°What, and treat this like a test of knowledge?¡±

    A pause.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m allowed to help. But I¡¯ll say that I don¡¯t recommend being too literal here.¡±

    Sam heard the soft sounds of the old man¡¯s chuckles, and after a small amount of further discussion, the huddle broke. Everyone pulled themselves back to where they were kneeling before.

    ¡°Friends,¡± Redi announced. ¡°Yup. For our answer, we¡¯re going to go with ¡®Friends.¡¯¡±

    A moment passed. Through the silence, someone ground their teeth together with such ferocity it was almost audible. Curious, Sam glanced behind him to see a series of red and frowning faces.

    That first elder from before stepped forward.

    ¡°You have to be kid¡ª¡±

    ¡°Good answer!¡± the old man interrupted. He then clapped his hands. ¡°Now then. How about a more interesting one? Hm... Yes, I have it!¡±

    Sam braced himself.

    ¡°What is... your favorite color?¡± the elder asked with a delighted grin.

    ¡°You... You. Simply. Cannot. Be serious!¡± that first elder yelled. ¡°Are you truly going to go along with this farce!? These trials are sacred! And you¡¯re allowing these children to... to... to cheat! The Trials test individuals! Not groups! They should not have been allowed in here in the first place!¡±

    To that cry of outrage, the elder on the cushion simply smiled and held up a finger.

    ¡°Ah, but has that ever been established? Tell me, where is it written that trainers are not allowed to work together?¡±

    The first elder gave no response.

    ¡°Taking our trials on as a group is the opposite of cheating. It¡¯s cheeky, yes, but I recognize it as a worthwhile strategy. They knew of our tests and chose to prepare much in the way a true Pok¨¦mon trainer would. Is it not a trainer¡¯s duty to assemble a viable team? And would it not be hypocritical of us, the Blackthorn Clan, to criticize others for working together?¡±

    When Sam glanced behind him, he was met with the reddest shade of red he¡¯d ever seen. He was sure he was about to see someone¡¯s head explode.

    But all that happened was the first elder tilting his body forward.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°I bow to your wisdom.¡±

    If the man had been a Fire Type, the shrine would have burned down by now.

    ¡°My, my. You all are causing quite a stir, aren¡¯t you?¡± The old elder turned back to the group, fanning his face with a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll say that you¡¯ve already demonstrated more than enough to get through this stage of the trial, but what is your plan for the next? Most often, in it, the proceeding challengers are narrowed down through a series of battles set against one another.¡±

    A beat passed.

    Redi smiled.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s an even number of us, right?¡± she asked. ¡°All we have to do is end every match in a draw. You¡¯d either have to move all of us on or kick every single one of us out. And if you kick us out, we¡¯d just be back to do the same again next time.¡±

    For the first time tonight, the old man burst into laughter. He¡¯d been chuckling, but this was a genuine, belly-deep laugh.

    ¡°The cleverness of children truly has no bounds!¡± He wiped an eye. ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve been thoroughly bested, and through such simple means too, hm?¡±

    He shook his head, still somewhat laughing to himself. Honestly, the elder was right in his comments. Working together to move through each round was a basic idea in retrospect, but then again, in Indigo, trainers tended to be more individualistic. Even the basic concept of a double battle wasn¡¯t as common here as it was in Hoenn.

    ¡°You¡¯ve completed the third test. And with the threat you¡¯ve so boldly presented, I say there¡¯s no point in bothering with the fourth stage, either,¡± the elder announced. ¡°All that leaves is the final challenge: a simple test of worth and power. There, you will be facing core members of our clan in battle, but...¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°I have a feeling that your opponents will be more than willing to show you the true depths of their annoyance.¡±

    When Sam checked behind him, he caught flashes of red and white within the sleeves of the observing elders. Each retrieved Pok¨¦balls from where they¡¯d been hidden in sleeves.

    Of course, they¡¯re trainers. This is the Blackthorn Clan. Everyone here trains Dragons.

    Wait, but there¡¯s only four of them for the six of us. How is that going to work out?

    The old elder spoke up once more.

    ¡°As for your desires...¡±

    He waved his hand to bid everyone to share their requests.

    The two trainers Sam wasn¡¯t familiar with spoke up right away. One wanted a Leaf Stone, and the other just wanted help. He felt he wasn¡¯t ready enough to take on the other Gyms of the League, and he wanted the assistance of a more experienced trainer to point out mistakes he wasn¡¯t aware of.

    When Eliza spoke, she brought up the idea of initially wanting rare TMs, but she seemed to change her mind while explaining her desires. Instead, she stated that she wanted insights. Specifically, she wanted hints on how to better teach rare moves to her Pok¨¦mon.

    For Sam, he just shrugged when the elder¡¯s gaze moved onto him. He was only here to support Redi. He¡¯d already been given something. There wasn¡¯t any way he felt the Blackthorn Clan could help.

    Then, when the elder¡¯s gaze reached Terry, the boy chose to stand. He spoke up, gripping his hands into fists at his sides.

    ¡°I... I already told you I wanted help with my Gible. But your clan refused to help me unless I promised to take on one of you as a mentor. I... I can¡¯t accept that! It goes against everything my Pok¨¦mon and I stand for! All I wanted was a bit of help, but yet...¡± He laughed. ¡°You spat in my face. I¡¯ll spit in yours.¡±

    The old elder¡¯s face was unreadable.

    ¡°So I want nothing,¡± Terry continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from your clan but a battle! You want a test of worth? I¡¯ll give you a test of worth! I¡¯ll show you just why it was a mistake to try to force your way in charge of my team!¡±

    The elder didn¡¯t respond. His expression was dead serious. His eyes almost looked grim as Terry finished his declaration.

    ¡°Very well,¡± the old man said calmly, not betraying even the slightest hint of his thoughts. ¡°And as for you?¡±

    He looked directly at Redi, and Redi nodded once.

    Like Terry, Redi pushed up to stand. She turned to make eye contact with everyone here¡ªthe watching elders and the other trainers alike¡ªbefore locking her gaze onto the old elder¡¯s face.

    ¡°There¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon you have,¡± she said. ¡°A Pok¨¦mon who¡¯s... She and I are already friends. I don¡¯t care that Clair was told to take care of her. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m not a part of your clan. I¡¯m going to be the one to train Dragonair. I¡¯m going to be the one that takes her out of this city.¡±

    When Redi finished, the room fell into such tense silence that Sam could hear the wood of the building creak. On his cushion, the old elder frowned.

    ¡°Oh? A demand and not a request?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a statement,¡± Redi corrected. ¡°I¡¯m here to prove to you that letting Dragonair leave with me is in everyone¡¯s best interests.¡±

    She then cracked her knuckles.

    Why, Redi?! Why phrase it like that?!

    When facing the Blackthorn Clan, there couldn¡¯t have been a worse way for Redi to present her desires. Sam knew she wasn¡¯t actually stating a threat, she was just trying to firmly and confidently state what she wanted. Yet, everything about her words and body language screamed that she was willing to get violent to get what she wanted.

    But even just cracking her knuckles wasn¡¯t anything intended to be aggressive. She was trying to loosen up in preparation for the fifth stage¡¯s battle.

    After a long period of tense, tense silence, the old man on the cushion let out a hum. He seemed to recognize Red¡¯s declaration¡ªmost importantly, he recognized she was just trying to state her desires¡ªand his eyes flicked to the sole two Pok¨¦balls at her belt.

    He stroked his chin once more.

    ¡°You truly wish to train one of our Dragon Types?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your Dragon Types. I only care about Dragonair.¡±

    For the briefest of moments, the corner of the elder¡¯s mouth twitched, and Sam swore the old man had been about to smile. But, instead, the old man kept his expression level.

    He looked up, staring at a point behind their group and even behind the observing elders as well.

    ¡°You can corroborate this?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± a voice said in the entranceway of the room.

    Credit to her, Sam hadn¡¯t heard Clair enter, and apparently none of the four younger elders had heard her, either. All practically jumped as the Gym Leader¡¯s voice echoed out from behind them. They quickly moved to the side, revealing Clair. She stood there with her arms crossed, taking in the entire room at once.

    The light from nearby braziers caused shadows to flicker over her face.

    ¡°This one approached me and asked for a way to let her train Dragonair,¡± she said, nodding to Redi. ¡°At first, I refused, as she was the one to rescue Dragonair from Goldenrod, but after seeing her dedication, I chose to tell her about these Trials as a solution.¡±

    Three of the four other elders glared at Clair. One of them stepped forward to speak up.

    ¡°You should not be here.¡±

    Everyone ignored him.

    ¡°And your thoughts on her request?¡± the old man asked.

    To that, Clair let out a single, barking laugh.

    ¡°Well,¡± she started, ¡°before she ever asked me about Dragonair, she and her little friend here had already met me off-route. There, something very interesting happened.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°They challenged me to a two-on-one match.¡±

    The old man chuckled once again, shaking his head in disbelief. Clair flicked a hand out to retrieve a Pok¨¦ball from her wristband. She looked it over before tossing it to Redi. Redi only barely managed to catch it, almost being caught by surprise.

    ¡°There. This¡¯ll be a temporary measure since I noticed you only have two members on your team,¡± Clair said. ¡°It¡¯ll make sure we have an even match, but if you want to keep her...¡±

    A draconic grin spread across the Gym Leader¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s time. You¡¯ve made me wait for far too long. For the fifth stage of your trial tonight, we¡¯ll finally be getting to our double battle. Let¡¯s settle everything here.¡±

 Chapter 100

    Sam watched Redi, and she in turn watched the Pok¨¦ball she now held. The Clair-granted item failed to move and failed to look different from any other Pok¨¦ball, but it contained the Pok¨¦mon Redi had been working toward for weeks.

    She would be allowed to use Dragonair in this upcoming match, but Dragonair wouldn¡¯t be allowed to fully join her team just yet. Her friend was in reach, yet she was still so far away. They still had to get through the final round of the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s Dragon Type trials and still had to go through a double battle against Clair.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Sam said, looking up toward their guide, ¡°will our double battle also count as our Gym Battle?¡±

    Clair paused for only a second, stopping leading them through these underground tunnels to send Sam a flat look.

    The Gym Leader didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t need to.

    With an expression that dry, it was clear she thought Sam¡¯s question was stupid. Of course their battle would count as a Gym Battle. Why did Sam even bother to ask?

    The walls down here were rough and almost seemed natural, but they were the hallways of an entire underground complex managed by the Blackthorn Clan. This was where most of their secrets were kept, and this was where the final stage of their trials would be held. Torches lined their path, providing light and making the place seem more ancient than it was, but that imagery was occasionally interrupted by modern, metal vents that pumped fresh air in from the surface.

    Without speaking, Clair strode through the maze of tunnels, leading them forward with a mixture of purpose and excitement. At each intersection, she turned on a dime. The path they followed would have seen Sam lost ages ago, but Clair knew exactly where to head.

    Soon, they reached their destination. A battlefield, located in an underground cavern, existing as a League-standard rectangle of compacted dirt built in the room¡¯s center. Smoothed, carved stone made up the floor around it, and built into the ceiling were bright, buzzing lights that tinted everything white. Around the sides were benches and chairs set up for observers, but no one else was here.

    It was just Sam, Redi, and Clair.

    As they took in the room, Redi clutched Dragonair¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in both of her hands.

    ¡°The Dragon¡¯s Den used to contain Blackthorn¡¯s Gym,¡± Clair said as she spoke up for the first time since first arriving in the Dragon¡¯s Den¡¯s shrine. ¡°However, that didn¡¯t last. It was a conflict of interest, so the Gym was moved up to the surface.¡±

    She turned, the piercing blue eyes of Blackthorn¡¯s Gym Leader now staring at the two of them. Clair looked them up and down, gauging their readiness, before turning and marching toward the opposite trainer box on the field.

    ¡°With so many trainers having reached the Trial¡¯s final test, it may be a bit before a referee is sent to our room,¡± Clair called out. ¡°If you need to strategize, you have until our referee arrives. And the acoustics of this room are designed to carry your voice to the field rather than to your opponent. As long as you whisper, I won¡¯t hear your voice.¡±

    Once she reached her trainer box, she crossed her arms and turned to stare out over the field. Both impassive and imposing, Clair stood there, as prepared as ever, waiting patiently to give Sam and Redi time to speak.

    Sam didn¡¯t hesitate for even a moment, and he hurriedly glanced at his friend. They¡¯d only just reunited after weeks apart. Not only was this Gym Battle completely unexpected, the amount of shared double-battle practice they¡¯d had together was effectively null.

    ¡°How much have you trained for this?¡± Sam asked.

    His words finally broke Redi out of her trance. She tore her gaze away from Dragonair¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done combination practice with Ursaring and Porygon, so they know how to fight alongside another Pok¨¦mon, but a lot of what we planned for can¡¯t happen until he evolves,¡± she said quickly. ¡°It was mostly just situational awareness¡ªkeeping track of what was going on around them while using their moves. I couldn¡¯t do anything more than that since we were waiting for you to come back.¡±

    ¡°But that should be enough,¡± Sam said. ¡°My team also worked on combinations, but we focused more on how one Pok¨¦mon can support another. I know we haven¡¯t had the chance to practice in person, but our Pok¨¦mon should be prepared to work together. All we need to do is figure out a basic strategy first.¡±

    They talked.

    Redi would go on the offensive; her Pok¨¦mon would unleash slow, heavy attacks that¡¯d make Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon always under threat. Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, meanwhile, would be more flexible and serve as a support. They¡¯d harry and harass, and when their opponents¡¯ guard was down, they¡¯d use status moves as traps or they would fire powerful attacks of their own once their opponents got used to them not relying on direct offense.

    ¡°What about inflicting a burn?¡±

    Redi paused at Sam¡¯s questions.

    ¡°To activate Ursaring¡¯s abilities? That might work, but...¡±

    A burn would allow Ursaring to build his adrenaline, causing two abilities to kick in. Guts would dramatically boost his physical power, and Quick Feet would boost his speed. Together, a single burn would allow Ursaring to become an absolute menace, but it came with a devastating downside.

    The adrenaline from a burn half was partially sourced from the damage the status effect caused. Ursaring¡¯s effectiveness in battle would drastically increase, but the ongoing effect would put on a timer that would grow shorter each and every time he was hit.

    ¡°How many switches do we get?¡± Sam called out, raising his voice to speak to Clair.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get three¡ªchallengers only. However, those three switches are to be shared between the two of you as one team.¡±

    He nodded.

    So Redi and I draw from the same limit on switching, but Clair won¡¯t be allowed to switch at all.

    With how Dragon Types fight, her rules made sense. Challengers would still be allowed some flexibility, but Pok¨¦mon like hers were all about being strong individually. Each Pok¨¦mon on Clair¡¯s team would be a wall to overcome in a fight.

    ¡°Alright. I think I have a plan,¡± Sam said. ¡°Almost as a rule, Gym Leaders tend to use their weakest Pok¨¦mon first. We¡¯ll have Ursaring set up right away to try to eliminate everyone he can, and then once he gets too hurt, we¡¯ll call him back and save him for a final, powerful attack against whoever Clair sends out last.¡±

    Satisfied, Sam nodded to himself. Redi¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    ¡°Ooh,¡± she breathed. ¡°Have you been spying on us? If we just need a single attack, there¡¯s this certain move we¡¯ve been training...¡±

    As a Ghost Type specialist, Sam should have been the creepy one between them. However, Redi¡¯s giggles sent shivers down his spine.

    There was only a bit to discuss after that, mostly to determine what would happen in the middle of the match. Ursaring would effectively be a ¡°nuke¡± button to be called out at any time, but for the Pok¨¦mon that didn¡¯t bookend the match, Sam and Redi would need to take it more slowly and adapt their strategy for Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon on an individual basis.

    But they had plenty of options with how much they¡¯d been training their teams.

    ¡°Okay. So Porygon¡¯s been doing really well recently and will be fine to attack, but what should I do with Dragonair?¡± Redi asked.

    Sam blinked and glanced down to the Pok¨¦ball she still had in hand.

    ¡°Shoot. Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Redi spent a second to think before nodding once.

    ¡°I won¡¯t need to change anything about our plans to use Dragonair. Just leave her to me. I¡¯m the one going to be her trainer, so I¡¯m the one that needs to show I can handle her. Just treat her like any other Pok¨¦mon on my team, and fight like you normally would. That fine?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Great! Then, since she¡¯s right here... Dragonair! Come out!¡±

    Redi tossed the Pok¨¦ball into the air, and a flash of light saw it release the Pok¨¦mon that had been inside. A red glow coalesced into a long, slender Pok¨¦mon that opened its mouth to yawn, but it blinked in surprise when it recognized where it was.

    ¡°...Dragonair?¡± Redi said softly.

    The Pok¨¦mon glanced down at her before suddenly lunging forward.

    Redi laughed. Dragonair cried out her name and pressed her head into Redi¡¯s stomach. She made sure to hug the Pok¨¦mon back.

    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you, too! But this isn¡¯t just a meeting, and you aren¡¯t my Pok¨¦mon just yet.¡± Redi brought up Dragonair¡¯s head with her hands, meeting the Pok¨¦mon in her eyes while cupping her cheeks. ¡°We¡¯re about to face Clair in a double battle, but I only had two Pok¨¦mon on me, so she¡¯s loaning you to me for this fight. I want to prove we can work together, so we need to win. Stay here and watch how we fight, and I¡¯ll call you in once we¡¯re ready for you, alright?¡±

    Dragonair said her name, a melodic voice leaving her throat to share her agreement. As for her expression, Sam had never seen one that looked so so simultaneously goofy and serious. The Dragon Type serpent proceeded to use the tip of her tail to give Redi a salute, and then Redi pulled Dragonair in for a hug for a final time before turning to get ready for the start of the match.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Redi? That¡¯s my name!¡±

    She giggled, and Sam rolled his eyes.

    A quick glance to Clair let him realize she¡¯d been staring at the entrance to the room, and Sam followed her gaze to notice someone waiting in the hallway leading in.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just making sure you all have the time you need.¡±

    That old man, the ancient elder from the shrine, stood at the entrance while bracing himself against a cane with a hunch.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long the man had been watching.

    ¡°So are you coming in or not? Or should I call for someone younger to be our referee?¡± Clair shouted.

    Even at that blatant show of disrespect, the old elder just chuckled and slowly stepped into the room. As old as he was, his pace was slow and deliberate. Along the way, he sent a purposeful glance to a metal chair pressed against the wall.

    Clair just rolled her eyes, and in the time it took for him to reach the side of the field, she had already retrieved the chair and set it up to give him a place to sit.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, nodding to her as she turned to return to her side of the field.

    Now that he was sitting, he smacked his lips and looked over everyone here. His hands still rested on his cane, leaving them sitting at a point equal to about the center of his chest.

    ¡°Now then,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve decided I¡¯ll be serving as your referee. However, I¡¯m old. I could go over the rules, but I¡¯d rather make this quick so we can all go to bed. You three know how this battle will work, yes?¡±

    Clair sighed.

    ¡°This will be a six on six match, with three Pok¨¦mon supplied by each of the two of you,¡± she said, raising her voice loud enough for Sam and Redi to hear. ¡°Standard League rules apply. Three switches shared between your teams. As agreed, I¡¯ll primarily be using Pok¨¦mon from my seven-star team.¡±

    Sam frowned.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Primarily? Does that mean she¡¯ll include a few stronger Pok¨¦mon, or is she going to be weaker Pok¨¦mon, too?

    Or, worse, is she using ¡®seven-stars¡¯ as an average and will be using Pok¨¦mon that are even stronger?

    While considering that, he went ahead and pulled a Pok¨¦ball off of his belt.

    ¡°Quilava,¡± he named.

    With a short toss, his friend and starter appeared at his side.

    ¡°We¡¯re limited to three Pok¨¦mon, and most of your moves are resisted by the Dragon Type. I know it sucks, and I know you could still use a few support moves, but I don¡¯t think this is a good matchup for you, and I don¡¯t want to risk an evolution or anything¡ª¡±

    She interrupted him with a cry of her name.

    Quilava might have wanted to fight, but she trusted Sam as her trainer to make the right decision. And, from the confident nod she sent him, Sam could tell she was willing to provide her own form of support by cheering from the side.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    As Sam smiled, Quilava tried to return that with one of her own, but she jumped when a happy cry came from behind her. She slowly looked up, and up, and up, and she made eye contact with the much larger Dragonair now staring down at her.

    She squeaked in a way that was reminiscent of her time as a Cyndaquil.

    Dragonair replied with a trill of friendly greetings.

    ¡°Very well. I believe that¡¯s everything out of the way,¡± the old elder said at the side of the field. ¡°Trainers! Send out your Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Four Pok¨¦balls entered the air. Four flashes saw their occupants appear on the field.

    Then, with a much stronger shout than expected, the old man yelled a single word.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    The battle started.

    ¡°Misdreavus, fan your flames, stop them from getting close!¡±

    ¡°Ursaring, Swords Dance and get ready for a sweep!¡± Redi yelled.

    Contrary to Sam and Redi¡¯s almost fevered shouts, Clair¡¯s orders were calm.

    Collected.

    Authoritative.

    And completely prepared.

    ¡°Charmeleon, Dragonair,¡± she named. ¡°Overwhelm and eliminate.¡±

    Sam got his answer to the strength of Clair''s team with her choice of leading Pok¨¦mon. Charmeleon, while a rare starter Pok¨¦mon, was not fully evolved, and the Dragonair she released was not one that belonged to her core team.

    No, these two Pok¨¦mon were still in training¡ªbelow seven stars, most likely. Still, they were Pok¨¦mon that had developed under a Gym Leader, and they rushed ahead, Charmeleon raising its claws, and Dragonair swimming through the air with a mean look on its face.

    They raced toward the most obvious target on the field, Ursaring, who hunkered down and swung his arms in a strength-enhancing dance. He was the biggest threat, and these two sought to eliminate him quickly two-on-one. However, Misdreavus was ready to intervene from where she floated off to the side.

    The attack she released was hardly effective; Misdreavus shouted her name and conjured deep purple wisps capable of a burn but nothing more than that. The Will-O-Wisp was sent right into the path of Clair''s two Pok¨¦mon, and Charmeleon used its immunity to charge right through with Dragonair through the gap behind.

    But that was expected. Using the flames as a distraction, Misdreavus had already placed herself directly in their path.

    Though Charmeleon¡¯s claw glowed for some kind of swiping attack, Misdreavus unleashed a grey beam from her eyes, and Charmeleon found itself turning at a sharp angle to slice through the air. The Dragonair twisted around to bash an ineffective Slam attack right through her, but that Normal Type move was just a feint to buy time for a follow-up Dragon Breath.

    Misdreavus disappeared, consumed by yellow flames tinted with black. But, when that exhaled fire disappeared, she was nowhere to be found.

    The weaker Dragonair looked around, confused, trying to find her.

    ¡°Behind you!¡±

    Shocked, it turned around to see that Misdreavus had avoided the Dragon Breath by hiding within the shadow of its tail.

    ¡°There we go, Ursaring! Charge right into the flames!¡± Redi yelled.

    Charmeleon, subject to confusion, attacked at nothing once more, and Clair¡¯s Dragonair coiled itself for a Twister. Sam heard a scoff from behind him¡ªclearly one Dragon Type was unimpressed¡ªbut as winds whipped up, Ursaring charged regardless of any danger.

    He ran right toward the Charmeleon.

    Right toward the Dragonair.

    Right toward where a few, sparse wisps from Misdreavus¡¯s flames still lingered in the air.

    He roared, and his claws lit up with pure white energy. Slash, two of them at once, came slicing down from above. Not only did his use of Swords Dance boost his attack, but the leftover wisps inflicted a burn that granted him the adrenaline needed to have his Guts boost him.

    Both Slashes hit.

    Charmeleon was thrown back. Dragonair flailed in the air.

    The mid-stage Starter failed to withstand the boosted move and fainted, but the lone Dragon Type was able to stay conscious. When it hit the ground, it tried to lift its head.

    Unfortunately for it, this was a double battle, and Misdreavus was prepared to attack.

    The last thing it saw before falling unconscious was a Psybeam that struck it between the eyes.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Clair returned her Pok¨¦mon as Sam and Redi slapped their hands together for a celebratory high-five.

    ¡°Hoh ho ho. Seems you¡¯ve underestimated them, haven¡¯t you?¡± the old elder said.

    His eyes were glinting with amusement. Clair sent him an annoyed look before focusing back on the field.

    ¡°Clearly, Pok¨¦mon still in training won¡¯t be enough,¡± she commented. ¡°You two might have had a point to come here even with your lack of Gym Badges. But Charmeleon and Dragonair belong to a team rated at only five stars. Believe me, every other Pok¨¦mon I¡¯ve brought with me is much stronger.¡±

    As she slotted her Pok¨¦balls back into her wristbands, Sam sent Redi a smirk.

    Two Pok¨¦mon down!

    But if Clair was willing to ¡°waste¡± her first two Pok¨¦mon on a test like this, all of her remaining Pok¨¦mon were likely significantly more powerful.

    Taking a short moment to take in Sam and Redi¡¯s chosen Pok¨¦mon, Clair reached behind her¡ªnot into her thick wristbands, but into what were likely pockets hidden in her cape¡ªand retrieved two Pok¨¦balls, one Great and one Ultra. Silently, she tossed both onto the field, where she proceeded to utter only a single command.

    ¡°Rain Dance.¡±

    By now, Sam¡¯s trips through the Dragon¡¯s Den¡¯s lake meant he was familiar enough with Gyarados. The Pok¨¦mon that appeared next to Clair¡¯s Gyarados was different, however.

    Clair¡¯s second Pok¨¦mon was a Dragon Type, but as Sam saw it, his mind briefly flashed to that Ace Trainer he¡¯d seen on his first trip here. That man had released a Seadra, intending to collect a Dragon Scale to allow it to evolve.

    And here, balancing on this battlefield, was its evolved form.

    A Kingdra.

    Clair¡¯s Kingdra resembled the seahorse-like Seadra, but its body was taller, its scales were denser, and its snout was both thinner and longer to allow for more powerful moves. Being an aquatic Pok¨¦mon, it didn¡¯t have any legs to stand on, but Kingdra bent its coiled tail to the side to let it serve as a base on which it could balance.

    The match was continuing as Clair had already given her Pok¨¦mon a command. Upright, Kingdra brought its head back and cried out its name. Blue Water Type energy surrounded its body, and in the air above the field, dark storm clouds coalesced to begin crying out a rain.

    ¡°Kingdra¡¯s a fully evolved Dragon Type,¡± Sam hurried to explain to Redi. ¡°Incredibly accurate. Incredibly speedy. Expect special attacks, and In this weather, its Swift Swim ability will¡ª¡±

    Kingdra pushed off the ground to launch itself forward. With the falling water, it had enough control to float, literally swimming through the air.

    ¡°...Let it move at double speed,¡± Sam finished cautiously.

    ¡°Gyarados, Bite,¡± Clair ordered. ¡°Open them up.¡±

    Kingdra used its speed to circle around, but Gyarados lunged itself forward. It bashed its muscled tail against the ground to gain an initial momentum, and the fins on its body extended out to allow it to glide through the air.

    With its open jaws, it aimed itself at Misdreavus. She was the easier target, as while Ursaring posed a bigger threat, Misdreavus was a Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon vulnerable to Dark Type moves. However, Gyarados¡¯s mouth was as large as Sam was tall. This wasn¡¯t going to be just a Bite; it was going to be a much more powerful attack.

    A Crunch.

    ¡°Misdreavus, get back! Use Shadow Sneak to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Grab it!¡± Redi shouted.

    Ursaring wasn¡¯t far away; he¡¯d just rushed forward to faint Clair¡¯s first two Pok¨¦mon. Steam hissed off his body as rain dripped onto his burn, but even with that ongoing pain, his Quick Feet brought him to the front of Misdreavus with incredible speed.

    Sam could hear the resulting collision. With the force of a train, Gyarados smashed into Ursaring.

    But this wasn¡¯t him taking the move on behalf of Misdreavus.

    No, the impact saw him slide back across the ground, his feet digging grooves into the earth. A roar left his throat as sharpened claws locked onto the top and bottom of Gyarados¡¯s mouth to wrench it open.

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Sam breathed out.

    ¡°Incredible? Absolutely.¡±

    Redi looked on with a grin.

    Ursaring tensed and fought to hold the Gyarados in place. The thick, serpentine sea monster tried to wriggle around and smash its tail into Ursaring¡¯s side. However, Ursaring was operating at the peak of his strength, and he crouched to gain the solid stance needed to turn and prevent Gyarados from doing anything at all.

    This is the strength Redi¡¯s been training for. This is the level of power she¡¯s been trying to achieve all this time.

    Misdreavus¡¯s eyes were just as wide as Sam¡¯s, but before either of them could move to take advantage of the current situation, Clair had her own order prepared.

    ¡°Perfect, Gyarados. Kingdra, use Hydro Pump.¡±

    Redi almost choked when she heard the command.

    ¡°Get back!¡±

    ¡°Psychic, Misdreavus!¡± Sam yelled.

    Though Gyarados was held in place, Ursaring was only capable of slow turns while holding onto such a large foe. Kingdra¡¯s Swift Swim let it swim through the falling rain as if it were underwater, and it reached Ursaring¡¯s side in less than a second.

    There, like a hose suddenly being turned to full blast, a pressured shot of water left the opening of its snout. Misdreavus¡¯s eyes flashed for a Psychic that attempted to slow down the Hydro Pump, but most of the blast still weakened Ursaring, and he was blasted away.

    Gyarados was released. Its jaws were finally able to snap down around nothing.

    ¡°Ursaring...¡± Redi said through gritted teeth.

    Her Pok¨¦mon tried to push himself up and stand tall, but he winced and pressed a paw against his side.

    ¡°It¡¯s time, Sam,¡± Redi said quickly. ¡°I¡¯m returning Ursaring!¡±

    ¡°Come back, Misdreavus!¡± Sam called out, following Redi¡¯s lead.

    As one side of the battle left the field, Kingdra refreshed the Rain Dance, and Clair silently looked on.

    ¡°How easily can you take out her Gyarados?¡± Sam whispered.

    ¡°Depends on if Porygon can hit with a Charge Beam. Discharge would be easier, but it isn¡¯t directed. It¡¯d hit your Pok¨¦mon, too.¡±

    Sam grunted. The Water and Flying Type Gyarados was four times weak to Electric Type moves, so even with a difference in strength, a well-timed attack from Porygon would see the Pok¨¦mon faint. The problem was that Kingdra was around, and with its impressive speed, it could imitate what Ursaring had done and move in front of Porygon¡¯s attacks to protect its ally.

    Since Dragon Types resisted electricity, Kingdra would only take neutral damage from an Electric Type move. Sam¡¯s team didn¡¯t know any Electric Type attacks to overwhelm Clair¡¯s team from two angles, but Type advantage wasn¡¯t everything. He still had other strategies to fall back on.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the Gyarados,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°At least until it¡¯s open to Porygon,¡± Redi finished. ¡°Wanna do two one-on-one battles?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but can you protect Haunter?¡±

    ¡°Can do.¡±

    At Sam¡¯s side, Quilava let out a breath and shook to try to get some of the falling water that had splashed onto her from the field. With these opponents and the pouring rain, she was more than thankful to sit out of this match.

    The elder at the field¡¯s side raised his eyebrow to signal they needed to release their Pok¨¦mon. So, Haunter and Porygon appeared on the field, and both of them looked small compared to Clair¡¯s team members.

    ¡°...Are you taking me seriously?" Clair asked.

    ¡°Hey! You already know not to underestimate our Pok¨¦mon!¡± Reid shouted.

    Clair shrugged.

    ¡°Fair¡¯s fair.¡±

    The match continued right after.

    ¡°Ominous Wind,¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Pressure and reposition.¡±

    ¡°Psychic Type,¡± Redi ordered.

    Clair said nothing; her Pok¨¦mon seemed to know what to do.

    They didn¡¯t focus on one target, and they didn¡¯t try to rush a floating Ghost Type. Instead, Gyarados opened its jaws and pushed off the ground to sail at Porygon, and Kingdra brought itself up to give itself a clear shot at Haunter.

    Please don¡¯t have your Sniper ability trained.

    Sam looked on, gripping his hands.

    Thankfully, Haunter wasn¡¯t a slow Pok¨¦mon, and Kingdra delayed its attack to give itself time to line up its shot. He had plenty of time to hold out his claws and send forth a chilling wind from an unseen space behind him.

    Shadows that resembled a purple gas blew through the air, spreading out in a gale that covered the entire field. Ominous Wind hit Kingdra, Gyarados, and Porygon, but Porygon¡¯s Conversion hadn¡¯t finished. A Psybeam hit the ground, its Normal Type rendered it immune, and then pixels flipped across its body to settle into a Psychic Type pink.

    Thankfully, with the force of the wind, Gyarados¡¯s gliding charge through the air was somewhat delayed, but Sam still unhappily pursed his lips.

    ¡°Tch.¡±

    No omni-boost.

    But that was fine; Ominous Wind had still provided Haunter with the opening they wanted.

    He couldn¡¯t use Shadow Sneak. He couldn¡¯t create impossible shadows and move around within them as he willed. However, he could enter existing shadows, and what was Ominous Wind but shadows in gaseous form?

    Kingdra was never able to finish aiming its attack, as Haunter disappeared into the mist he made. Gyarados neared Porygon, but all Redi had to do was shout, ¡°Five, five!¡± to have Porygon teleport away and completely avoid the attack.

    Gyarados landed, coiling itself up, and Kingdra used its height to search for Haunter. However, Haunter¡¯s disappearance granted him the freedom to freely choose where he¡¯d reappear.

    The dim light created by Rain Dance¡¯s clouds helped with that, too.

    ¡°Psybeam!¡±

    Porygon¡¯s attack forced Kingdra to drop to avoid it. Gyarados leered at Porygon to try to chase with another attack, but it ended up jerking back when a pair of eyes appeared in front of its face.

    ¡°Hypnosis! Into Nightmare and Hex!¡±

    This was Haunter¡¯s specialty, and the status move was pulled off in an instant. Gyarados¡¯s head lulled back only to hit the ground with an earth-shaking thunk.

    ¡°Interrupt and wake,¡± Clair said.

    Kingdra galloped through the air toward Gyarados, releasing a ringed Water Pulse from its snout. It was forced away when Porygon used Teleport to interpose itself between them, and a Psybeam slashed the incoming Water Pulse in two. Haunter lowered himself to let his claws settle around the sides of Gyarados¡¯s head, and Kingdra actively tried to reposition itself.

    Redi yelled, going over a series of commands as fast as she could.

    ¡°Prioritize disruption! Target Kingdra, Gastly pattern! If waiting, focus Gyarados! Load up Type chart to determine moves!¡±

    Sam looked at Redi out of the corner of his eye. She noticed, a furious blush overtaking her face.

    ¡°What?¡± she mumbled. ¡°I had to set up Porygon¡¯s strategies. Not my fault I had to give them cool names.¡±

    Another Water Pulse left Kingdra¡¯s snout, and another Psybeam sliced it through.

    On Sam¡¯s side of the field, the Gyarados squirmed as shadowy mist left Haunter¡¯s hands to begin circling its head.

    When Haunter used Nightmare, he inflicted sleeping Pok¨¦mon with nightmares that hurt them over time. Dream Eater was also an option, but the effectiveness of the move was cut when a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s dreams were unpleasant. However, Hex was always an option, and that attack dealt extra damage against a Pok¨¦mon suffering from a status condition like forced rest.

    But Clair spoke up.

    ¡°Enough of this,¡± she said. ¡°Kingdra, Surf, and sweep them away.¡±

    Though Haunter had begun to conjure his Ghost Type flames, water was drawn from the air, the field, and the sky to begin forming behind Kingdra in a massive wave.

    Porygon failed to attack. They didn¡¯t have the prepared orders to respond.

    With the size of the growing Surf, Sam came to a sudden conclusion.

    ¡°That¡¯s going to hit everyone.¡±

    Haunter and Porygon would take damage, and the heavy splash would wake Gyarados.

    The move was less than a second away from being unleashed, and Sam knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to land another Hypnosis trick. They needed to take out the Gyarados while it was still vulnerable, otherwise this match would become too difficult to finish.

    ¡°Screw it. Do it, Redi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Use Discharge!¡± he shouted, just as Kingdra sent its Surf rumbling forward.

    Redi screamed her order, her shout coming out panicked in the face of the incoming flood. Porygon was swept up, consumed by the attack, but then a bright light appeared within the incoming move.

    Electricity shot out in every direction. Porygon released all of its stored energy in a massive Discharge.

    With the falling rain and flooding water, Kingdra was struck. Gyarados was struck. And Haunter suffered the full force of two simultaneous moves.

    Sam didn¡¯t see Haunter get hit due to the rushing water consuming him before the Dischage¡¯s release. Around the sides of the field, a flash of a Psychic Type barrier prevented the water from escaping, and it soon soaked into the dirt to leave thick muddy puddles across all of the ground.

    Having suffered both the Surf and Discharge, Haunter laid face down, hands unmoving from where he came to a stop a foot away from Sam. However, not too far away, Gyarados¡¯s eyes were spinning. Though Haunter had fainted, they¡¯d still managed to bring Clair¡¯s remaining Pok¨¦mon down to only three.

    ¡°Return.¡±

    Sam and Clair spoke in unison. Sam looked at his Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Thank you, Haunter. I¡¯m sorry you got hit. But if it wasn¡¯t for you, Gyarados wouldn¡¯t have been so vulnerable. You did a great job, and I¡¯ll make sure you get a reward later tonight.¡±

    He clipped the ball to his belt, glancing over to Redi.

    ¡°Haunter fainted second, so we¡¯ll have time to strategize. Depending on how long it takes Clair to choose her next Pok¨¦mon, we can talk until¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dragonite,¡± the Gym Leader announced.

    Sam¡¯s heart sank in his chest when a very familiar Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field.

    The psuedo-Legendary roared, and its gaze immediately locked onto both Redi and Sami. Despite this was Redi¡¯s fifth Gym badge battle and Sam¡¯s sixth, Clair had chosen to bring out an impossibly strong Pok¨¦mon here.

    A Dragonite should not have been seen in this battle. A Dragonite should not have made an appearance anywhere outside the highest tiers of play.

    But one had appeared on this field, for this match.

    And, to make matters worse, it looked just as angry as the last time Sam saw it before.

 Chapter 101

    ¡°You¡¯re using Dragonite here?¡± Redi exclaimed.

    Sam remembered this Dragonite, and images of it flashed through his head. The fright of being forewarned that something dangerous was coming, followed by the pseudo-legendary¡¯s appearance over the Stantler herd in the valley. While they found out later that Dragonite just wanted to prove its strength, that meant little in that moment, where encountering a fully evolved dragon with that level of potential strength had caused Sam¡¯s hindbrain to scream the entire time.

    Currently, Redi had four Gym Badges. Sam had five. A Dragonite was beyond the level of anything expected here, yet it was still a Dragonite. And Clair had promised to use a tougher team.

    ¡°...I thought you sent Dragonite to Lance,¡± Sam managed to get out.

    Behind him, he heard a soft cry. Dragonair seemed to question Dragonite for being here, and the fully evolved Dragon Type on the field snorted in response.

    ¡°Dragonite is currently Lance¡¯s Pok¨¦mon,¡± Clair answered, ¡°but I specifically requested him back for this battle. It only felt right to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sure, but you recognize how ridiculous this is, right? You said you were using seven-star Pok¨¦mon! How is something like a Dragonite fair?¡± Redi asked.

    Clair narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. Despite her annoyance at the question, Redi and Sam weren¡¯t the only ones curious about Clair¡¯s motivation.

    ¡°Yes, actually,¡± the elder Blackthorn Clan member said, smacking his lips and looking to Clair. ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in why you decided to bring Dragonite back here, as well.¡±

    As Clair let out a sigh, her Pok¨¦mon seemed to recognize that this disruption in the match would last longer than they thought. Clair¡¯s Kingdra used Rain Dance one more time to ensure the falling water would continue to allow it to stay in the air. Dragonite himself brought himself back to thump onto the ground, sitting with his arms crossed, impatiently waiting.

    Quietly, Dragonair whined from behind Sam and Redi. Dragonair and Dragonite had been training together, but Sam wasn¡¯t sure if they were related or not.

    ¡°Alright, so... yes, I¡¯m treating this battle as the equivalent of a sixth Gym Badge challenge, albeit with a slightly stronger team than usual,¡± Clair replied. ¡°None of the Pok¨¦mon I chose for this battle would be out of place on a seven-star team¡ªsave for the two at the beginning. On paper, a Dragonite would be an unfair challenge, but remember who this Dragonite is. He¡¯s not only weaker than most Dragonite, but he evolved unprepared and is still picking up the pieces on how to fight like a true dragon after slacking in his training.¡±

    An antennae twitched, and Dragonite turned around with a growl to snap at Clair. She easily met the apex predator¡¯s gaze without flinching. In fact, the Pok¨¦mon almost looked cowed, but only for the briefest of seconds.

    ¡°Do you really think Lance was holding you back for no reason? Do you really think he was keeping you out of battles just to be mean?¡± Clair asked. ¡°I¡¯ve talked to him, and I stand by his decisions. You¡¯re untested. Unwilling to work with others. This is a double battle¡ªdo well in this fight, and I¡¯ll make sure my cousin dedicates more of his time into training you up.¡±

    To that, a sharp grin flashed across Dragonite¡¯s face. Exposing its teeth, the Dragon Type turned around, bringing itself up into a crouch and preparing a lunge.

    Clair¡¯s Kingdra briefly glanced at Clair, who answered its unspoken question with a single nod. It brought its focus back to Sam and Redi¡¯s side of the field, but an eye twitched when Dragonite didn¡¯t return its attempt to greet it.

    ¡°...Now that Haunter¡¯s fainted, who are you going to send out?¡± Redi whispered to Sam.

    ¡°Misdreavus, probably,¡± Sam said, taking in the two opposing Dragon Types. ¡°I think I want to set up for Primeape.¡±

    On the side, the elder serving as the referee cleared his throat while waving toward Sam and Redi.

    ¡°Very well, then. Consider this a test for both sides, now. Young one, this battle will resume once you send out your Pok¨¦mon,¡± he said to Sam. ¡°Please, make your choice.¡±

    Sam nodded and sent Redi an attempt at a reassurance glance. Dragonair was motionless behind her, refusing to look away from the field for even a second.

    ¡°Misdreavus!¡± Sam called out, tossing up a Pok¨¦ball.

    Like a gunshot, Dragonite took off the second Misdreavus appeared, and the battle resumed.

    ¡°Support him,¡± Clair told her Kingdra.

    ¡°Porygon, use Recover!¡±

    ¡°Misdreavus, Will-O-Wisp spread!¡±

    It was telling that Dragonite needed no commands, and it was telling when Dragonite¡¯s predatory eyes narrowed to focus on Porygon, aiming itself toward the injured Pok¨¦mon, first. Its tiny wings let it zoom through the air a foot above the field. Porygon¡¯s treads slowed to an almost imperceptible level as it focused on healing previously sustained damage, but Dragonite was rapidly closing in on it. In an attempt to help, Misdreavus did her best to spread out a threatening wall of flames to warn away the pseudo-legendary Dragon Type.

    However, Dragonite didn¡¯t even blink at the burning motes. It pulled up, and the wind that followed in its wake continued its momentum forward. From the side, Quilava cried out to support her friend, who continued to try to build her wall of wisps even through the gale.

    But the gust¡ªnot even a full move, just the passive result of Dragonite¡¯s speed¡ªslammed into her makeshift defense to utterly blow away. With most of it extinguished, Dragonite dived, pulling up at the last movement to swipe a glowing claw across Porygon¡¯s side.

    ¡°Psychic!¡±

    Dragonite curved in the air to face Misdreavus, chasing her down for a second Dragon Claw. However, though Sam had been relying on her status moves recently, Misdreavus was still primarily being trained as a special sweeper. Her attacks could come out faster, but even with the blue glow that surrounded Dragonite, it was still able to break through the force of the Psychic to land another Dragon Claw that smashed her right into the ground.

    ¡°Reposition!¡± Sam yelled.

    With that single hit, Misdreavus was critically injured. The only reason she didn¡¯t faint was because she had taken no damage the first time she was sent out. Being sent into the ground allowed her to dive into the floor, and she did her best to zip away in a splotch of Shadow Sneak.

    ¡°Kingdra,¡± Clair said, ¡°finish off Porygon.¡±

    It had been floating high above the field, simply watching the other Dragon Type until now. With Dragonite¡¯s initial assault having finished, Kingdra raced downward, moving like a galloping Rapidash. Its snout began to inflate with water as it prepared a final move.

    But that order revealed someone Sam had missed: Dragon Claw hadn¡¯t finished off Porygon. Recover was just enough to allow Porygon to stay conscious, and Redi didn¡¯t hesitate to yell out a single command.

    ¡°Zap!¡± she cried.

    Porygon¡¯s body was stuttering. Its movement was no longer smooth, and its head jerked back and forth like the gears of a ticking clock. Yet, Porygon could act, and electricity crackled across its body.

    The call for a ¡°zap¡± was not a Thunder Shock, a Charge Beam, or even a Discharge. Instead, it was a much weaker move, and with Dragonite¡¯s focus on the fleeing Misdreavus, the pseudo-legend didn¡¯t recognize it needed to avoid the incoming Thunder Wave.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Redi pumped a fist when her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s move hit. ¡°Like that, Dragonair? I wouldn¡¯t have thought of this move if it wasn¡¯t for you!¡±

    She laughed when the Dragon Type behind her cried out to rub against her face. She patted the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s cheek before bringing her gaze back to the field.

    Thunder Wave did no damage, but it did something better; Dragonite was now paralyzed. Static electricity coursed through its body, intermittently locking up its muscles to prevent its fight and preventing it from moving at its full speed.

    Unfortunately, Thunder Wave came at a cost. Porygon abandoned all defense to use it, and Kingdra¡¯s Hydro Pump struck Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon unimpeded.

    The bounce sounded like the clattering of metal, and Porygon skidded across the battlefield ground. At the same moment, Misdreavus left her shadow, using the delay of Dragonite¡¯s paralysis to try to pull off a new attack before Redi would be forced to switch.

    ¡°Hex!¡±

    Needless to say, this was the perfect combination. Porygon¡¯s Thunder Wave inflicted a status condition, and Hex made the most of that effect. Hex wasn¡¯t exactly a move Sam had gone out of his way to teach her, but it was one of the many she was in the process of picking up from the other members of his team.

    Honestly, it didn¡¯t take much to combine Will-O-Wisp and Ghost Type energy to create a Hex, and Haunter had been giving so many miscellaneous lessons to wild Ghost Types that it was easy for Misdreavus to slip in and request lessons for herself as well.

    So, barely hanging on, Misdreavus released an attack that was not too dissimilar from the Will-O-Wisp from before. Dark flames flickered into existence, coming to be already sailing forward at her opponent. Dragonite, unfamiliar with the move, didn¡¯t realize the importance of needing to dodge. When it hit him, the flames jabbed into him like needles that pierced through his entire body, crackling alongside the electricity of paralysis.

    He screamed.

    Hex was twice as effective when used against a Pok¨¦mon with a status condition, so it was that much more painful for him. Through that pain, however, Dragonite pulled his head back, and he channeled its anger until a new move.

    From his mouth, blue flames were exhaled, coming out shaped like the head of a dragon. After that Dragon Claw and her use of the brand new Hex, Misdreavus did not have the energy to dodge, and the fire of Dragon Rage utterly consumed her.

    ¡°Neither Porygon nor Misdreavus are able to battle,¡± the elder said placidly off to the side. ¡°Both of you, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon. I recommend being quick, as otherwise Dragonite might have time to recover.¡±

    Sam blinked.

    A single Hex wasn¡¯t enough; Dragonite was still up.

    The pseudo-legend was still suffering from paralysis while gritting its teeth, but it didn¡¯t look like it was going to faint anytime soon.

    And then, alongside it, Kingdra had hardly taken damage. Poryon had disrupted its attacks, but it hadn¡¯t suffered any direct hits. Not only that, but the one move it had been struck by wasn¡¯t necessarily too effective. Like most multi-target moves, Discharge wasn¡¯t as strong in a double battle as it was in a single battle, as the energy of the attack had to be split between opponents.

    The damage Porygon inflicted was less as a result.

    ¡°I just have Primeape left,¡± Sam breathed in realization.

    Haunter had fainted. Misdreavus had fainted. As this was a partnered double battle, he could supply only three Pok¨¦mon, so Quilava wouldn¡¯t be stepping onto the field.

    As for Redi, she had her extremely injured Ursaring, and then the untrained Dragonair behind her.

    Meanwhile, Clair had both of these seven-star Dragon Types still in fighting state as well as whatever she had in her pocket for her sixth.

    ¡°Can we even do this?¡± Sam mumbled.

    He hesitated to send out Primeape. Next to him, Redi was silent for longer than he¡¯d have liked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said eventually. ¡°We still have a chance. Think about who our next two Pok¨¦mon are. Kingdra¡¯s injured. Dragonite¡¯s hurt and paralyzed. Perfect condition to send out Primeape, and Ursaring¡¯s primed for a final blow, yeah?¡±

    Sam breathed out. Redi was right. Dragon Types were Dragon Types, but Sam trained something better.

    Ghosts.

    Although Primeape currently lacked Sam¡¯s favored Type, the ape Pok¨¦mon hit the field with a howl befitting one. From inside his Pok¨¦ball, Primeape had at least some awareness of what was going on outside, and seeing how far Clair had pushed Sam¡¯s team meant that he entered the field already mad.

    ¡°Can I hold my Pok¨¦mon back? Give Primeape a chance to fight two-on-one?¡± Redi called out.

    The elder-slash-referee hummed curiously.

    ¡°What an interesting question. Normally such an act wouldn¡¯t be allowed...¡± He looked over both Primeape and Dragonite, both of whom were itching to resume this fight. ¡°But I¡¯ll allow it. Continue the battle!¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t stop his smirk when Primeape immediately bounded forward. Dragonite tried to do the same thing it had done when it had first started to fight, but its wings tensed as lingering electricity coursed through its body, paralysis stopping a flying charge forward.

    But those two still met one another on the field.

    Primeape tried for a Low Kick, but even with his strength, he wasn¡¯t able to hit hard enough for his leg to sweep Dragonite¡¯s balance out from under it. The heavy Dragon Type tried to reply with a swipe of a Dragon Claw, but the muscle spasms from Porygon¡¯s paralysis meant it moved at a reduced speed, and Primeape jumped to the side.

    ¡°Kingdra,¡± Clair said.

    Her Pok¨¦mon moved behind Primeape, flanking him with the other Dragon Type. It breathed in to prepare its next attack¡ª

    Primeape rolled to the side, to circle his grounded opponent. Dragonite was interposed between him and Clair¡¯s ranged, special attacker.

    ¡°Hah. I see why you wished to hold back your next Pok¨¦mon. But for fairness¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll give you only thirty seconds more to fight two-on-one,¡± the elder said.

    Sam¡¯s heart thundered in his chest. They only had so many advantages they could make use of here.

    ¡°Rage! Take glancing blows!¡±

    A vein throbbed on Primeape¡¯s head as he allowed his passive anger to flow through him, building with every attack.

    In the ensuing exchange, Primeape¡¯s swipes were hardly effective. Rage wasn¡¯t the strongest move in the world, and it was only a Normal Type attack, too. Dragonite, being met head-on, carried a pride that saw it reply with only melee strikes of its own. Dragon Claw after Dragon Claw came out, but an important fact remained:

    It¡¯d only been a Dragonite for about a month. It hadn¡¯t fully mastered having arms just yet.

    The difference in experience was clear almost right away. Primeape allowed Dragonite¡¯s moves to hit him as a scratch, but they never carved across his face or took out more than just the edge of his fur. Whenever Kingdra tried to attack him, he just rotated around to attack Dragonite from the other side. This situation almost perfectly aligned with his practice, too. With all of his spars against Ursaring, Primeape was uniquely familiar with fighting a much larger foe that over-relied on its claws.

    ¡°Ten seconds,¡± the elder said.

    Primeape continued to take small nicks here and there, but the damage he was sustaining was adding up.

    ¡°Just a bit more!¡± Sam called out.

    Clair bit her lip out of frustration.

    ¡°Kingdra, get ready to snipe. Once she releases her next Pok¨¦mon, use¡ª¡±

    ¡°Giga Impact!¡±

    Redi¡¯s voice came out three seconds early, before their limited time ran out. With a flash, Ursaring was already glowing on the field. The same energy for a Hyper Beam now surrounded him to enhance his charge.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    He was burned, too, the status condition from the start of the fight still lingering even now. His muscles bulged from the coursing adrenaline, and the pain allowed him to charge with a greater speed than before. Dragonite looked over, surprised, and Kingdra started to unleash its attack.

    ¡°Grab it!¡± Sam yelled.

    Primeape jumped past Dragonite to latch onto Kingdra.

    His weight dragged it down, and once on the floor, a yank threw off its aim.

    A Hydro Pump hit the ceiling as Kingdra¡¯s head was pulled back, and as for Dragonite¡ª

    ¡°Dodge!¡± Clair yelled.

    It ignored her, bracing itself to grab Ursaring like Ursaring had grabbed Gyarados from before.

    However, Giga Impact wasn¡¯t just any move. It was as strong as Hyper Beam in the form of a physical bash.

    Ursaring slammed into it right when Primeape tore Kingdra toward the ground. Rain still fell as both of Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were subjected to grabbing moves.

    Dragonite¡¯s stomach bent inwards from the impact, and Ursaring carried himself forward to bring his entire weight into the Dragon¡¯s Types chest.

    Kingdra once more tried to use a move, but a smash to its stomach saw it cough out a splash rather than any dedicated attack.

    ¡°Between a bear and a Dragon Type, my money would have been on the Dragon Type, but I guess I was wrong,¡± Sam said.

    From beside him, he heard a whisper.

    ¡°Wow. I can¡¯t believe Giga Impact worked.¡±

    One of Sam¡¯s eyes twitched.

    Dragonite had taken a status-boosted Hex. Now, it had taken a Guts-boosted, same-type-enhanced, strongest Normal Type move around, Giga Impact. No Pok¨¦mon should have been able to withstand not one but both of those moves.

    But Dragonite wasn¡¯t just a pseudo-legend. It was also trained by a Gym Leader.

    Though it was on the verge of fainting, it was still up.

    And after that Giga Impact, Ursaring now needed to recover.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam breathed.

    ¡°Finish it,¡± Clair ordered.

    Primeape still had Kingdra locked down, but he was stuck in place to keep it pinned, whereas Dragonite had the freedom to do whatever it wanted.

    Sam clenched his fists.

    I hate this.

    Everything about this battle was frustrating¡ªmore than that. It was infuriating.

    They¡¯d spent weeks training.

    Faced so many challenges outside of main routes.

    Experienced things no other trainer would ever experience.

    Yet in the face of raw power, what they had wasn¡¯t enough.

    Sam grit his teeth so hard he felt one was liable to crack. And, at that moment, he hated the Blackthorn Clan. He hated how stuck-up they were. He hated their pride. But, most of all, he hated how they had the strength to back up their boasts, and he hated how his team didn¡¯t have the strength to match.

    He could do nothing but stare as Dragonite lifted a claw for a final slash. The world seemed to move in slow motion as it raised its arms. With Ursaring about to be knocked out, all of their heavy hitters would be eliminated.

    They were about to lose this match.

    However, it wasn¡¯t just Ursaring on the field.

    Sam wasn¡¯t the only one feeling the burn in his chest.

    Off to the side, Primeape had gone quiet. The Fighting Type had glanced over his shoulder to check on Ursaring only to witness Dragonite¡¯s raised claw. Anger coursed through him much in the same way Dragon Type energy coursed through Dragonite. His hair stood on its ends as everything seemed to come to a point.

    And then he looked calm.

    So terrifyingly calm.

    The sudden moment of relaxation granted Kingdra the freedom to move. On the ground, it brought up its head to try one of its faster attacks¡ªa Water Pulse, which wouldn¡¯t require the same build-up of a Hydro Pump.

    However, the moment it breathed in to prepare the Water Type energy, a gloved hand snapped out faster than it could move. Primeape clenched its snout, preventing the water from leaving, and Kingdra¡¯s cheeks inflated as the attack built without anywhere to go.

    Something coalesced around Primeape as he used Curse. All of that Ghost Type energy was then released in a punch to Kingdra¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°That was¡ª¡±

    The water left Kingdra¡¯s mouth in a burst. The Pok¨¦mon deflated like a popped balloon.

    Behind, Dragonite completed its swipe to finish off Ursaring. Two Pok¨¦mon remained on the field, but Sam couldn¡¯t look away from his own.

    Primeape¡¯s attack hadn¡¯t been a Normal Type move.

    It hadn¡¯t been a Fighting Type move.

    It hadn¡¯t been any elemental punch, either.

    No, the attack Primeape used was a Ghost Type move.

    ¡°Rage Fist,¡± Sam breathed.

    His Pok¨¦mon turned around.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if Primeape was conscious. His anger had built to a point it had never reached before. Right now, his eyes had turned white, and Sam had to question how much deliberate thought was behind his actions.

    But Primeape had finally managed to combine everything into Rage Fist. It had just taken getting into a losing situation for everything to finally fit together.

    ¡°Is Primeape going to evolve now?¡± Redi whispered.

    ¡°No. He only just picked up the move. He needs to master it if he wants to reach his next stage,¡± Sam replied quietly.

    Both Clair and the Blackthorn Clan elder stayed dead silent, watching Primeape with narrowed eyes. With Kingdra fainted, Primeape began to cross the field, but he didn¡¯t jog, leap, run, or do anything to move faster than a slow, determined walk.

    Dragonite saw him coming, and the Pok¨¦mon held out its arms to welcome the challenge. It was still paralyzed, but the energy from the Thunder Wave had mostly worn off. The worst of the condition had come and passed.

    So, it walked forward, moving to meet Primeape with a feral grin on its face. Before, it hadn¡¯t managed to land any melee attacks, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was going to fall for the same limitation right now.

    Before Primeape got too close, it breathed in, the blue flames of Dragon Rage licking up the sides of its mouth. Dragonite smiled as it prepared its move¡ª

    But then it stopped.

    Dragonair snorted in amusement behind Redi.

    On the field, Dragonite turned its head down to face where Primeape¡¯s fist was now lodged in its stomach.

    Scales bent. Muscles crumpled. Dragonite lost its grin to gain an expression of pain. No skin broke, but Dragonite¡¯s stomach bent inwards as if Primeape had just punched a bean bag.

    Rage Fist was a powerful attack. For every direct hit its user sustained, Rage Fist increased in base power, and Primeape had taken many hits earlier in the match.

    ¡°We win,¡± Sam said.

    Now aware of what just happened, Dragonite was no longer able to resist. The air was knocked out of it, and its stomach righted itself. Scales shattered against its stomach, the pressure saw it explode backward over the field, with the air itself bursting in every direction as it flew across the field¡¯s painted lines to slam into the wall, which cracked and caused the room to shake.

    ¡°YES!¡±

    Sam¡¯s voice was a roar through the ensuing silence.

    ¡°PRIMEAPE! THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED!¡±

    Primeape blinked and looked down at his fist. Whatever state he was in vanished. He cocked his head to the side, unsure of what he just did.

    In such a short time, two Dragon Types¡ªalbeit, one heavily wounded¡ªhad fainted in the face of Primeape¡¯s power. Rage Fist might not have shared a Type with Primeape (yet), but it was an attack that had the potential to carry more power than even a Hyper Beam.

    With Rage Fist, even if Dragonite had been healthier, Primeape would still have knocked it out. Rage Fist was truly his ultimate attack, and now they just needed to figure out how to repeat this situation if they wanted Primeape to evolve.

    Sam grinned as Primeape stood in the center of the field. To his side, Quilava screamed her name, and Primeape stood taller for it.

    Wait.

    He paused, listening more closely to Quilava¡¯s shouts.

    Huh. Those don¡¯t sound that encouraging, do they?

    Quilava wasn¡¯t yelling out her support.

    She was yelling out a warning.

    ¡°Dragonair,¡± Clair named, casually tossing up a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Use Extreme Speed.¡±

    Sam blinked, and he missed the subsequent attack.

    In an instant, Primeape was sent flying back the same way Dragonite had before him. The move¡¯s single impact came with such force that he was sent over the lines of the field, where he skidded to a halt past Sam¡¯s side.

    He did not get up.

    Before now, Clair had already sent out one Dragonair in this battle, but that Pok¨¦mon had fallen quickly thanks to the combined efforts of Misdreavus and Ursaring. Now, the Dragonair she¡¯d sent out next wasn¡¯t just any other Dragon Type.

    It was her ace.

    Her strongest Pok¨¦mon.

    One so powerful it should not have appeared in this battle¡ªeven more so than the Dragonite before it.

    The imperious gaze of her primary Dragonair flicked over Sam and Redi before turning away, unimpressed. It glanced back to Clair as if to ask if its presence was even necessary, but Clair just silently stared ahead.

    ¡°...I¡¯m out,¡± Sam said.

    The realization hit him almost as hard as Primeape had hit Dragonite.

    Haunter had fainted. Misdreavus had fainted. And now, his last of three Pok¨¦mon had fainted as well.

    He could feel the lump growing in his throat; he didn¡¯t have any Pok¨¦mon left to release. They even had a single switch left, but what was the point if they had no remaining Pok¨¦mon to use?

    ¡°Ursaring and Porygon are both out too,¡± Redi said, following up her statement with a self-defeating laugh. ¡°But that¡¯s fine. We aren¡¯t eliminated just yet, yeah?¡±

    Slowly, she turned around to look at Dragonair behind her. This whole time, the Pok¨¦mon had been watching with such excitement on its face, but now its blue scales had drained of color. Its eyes were as wide as they could go, and the wings on the sides of its head were down, pressed tight against its skin.

    A Dragon Type like her should never have looked so afraid.

    ¡°Dragonair,¡± Redi said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can still do this.¡±

    With how confident her tone was, Sam almost believed her words.

    Dragonair didn¡¯t react right away, but Redi stared right into the Pok¨¦mon''s eyes. Eventually, she brought her gaze down to meet Redi¡¯s, and in the face of such unyielding confidence, she smiled and nodded once.

    Color returned to her face.

    ¡°You know what? Yeah! Who cares? We aren¡¯t out just yet!¡± Sam shouted.

    Next to him, Quilava did her best to cry out in support, but he could tell she had to fight to sound brave.

    ¡°You got this, Dragonair,¡± Redi said, patting the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s like Sam said; we haven¡¯t lost just yet.¡±

    Dragonair slithered onto the field, eyes sparkling with determination as she did. She proudly faced Clair¡¯s Dragonair, who floated in the air with its body moving back and forth like a snake in water.

    Above, the clouds of Kingdra¡¯s Rain Dance finally parted, allowing the room¡¯s humming lights to peek out from behind.

    ¡°Hm. Though you challenged me to a double battle, it finishes as a one-on-one match,¡± Clair said. ¡°And, what, nothing to say? Not going to complain about Dragonair as you did Dragonite?¡±

    But to those taunts, Redi just smiled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t need to,¡± she said. ¡°Dragonair might be your ace, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t still win.¡±

    Clair replied with a snort, and off to the side, the elder called out a single command.

    ¡°Continue.¡±

    Redi pointed at Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon in the air.

    ¡°Dragonair!¡± she shouted. ¡°Start with a Thunder Wave! Follow it up with a Leer into Wrap!¡±

    Faced with an impossible opponent, Dragonair didn¡¯t give up. She grinned, exposing her teeth with a determined snarl. Her body crackled with electricity that jumped off of her and onto her foe.

    ¡°Great!¡± Redi shouted as the Thunder Wave hit Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Keep it up!¡±

    Following the command, Dragonair dived forward.

    She brought her head close to the floor, glaring at her opponent, and raced to reach a point underneath it. There, she jumped up to wrap herself around it like a string twisting around a rope.

    She proceeded to squeeze with all her might, trying to lean into any openings that might have been caused by her Leer. A few scales bent on the larger Dragonair¡¯s body, but it didn¡¯t seem to react, even with the paralysis Thunder Wave had caused it earlier.

    In the back, Clair sighed. Her Pok¨¦mon looked just as tired as her.

    ¡°Dragonair¡¯s ability is Shed Skin. Thunder Wave was pointless.¡±

    ¡°But Shed Skin still takes a moment to activate!¡± Redi yelled. ¡°So now that you have it all wrapped up, spin it around with Twister, Dragonair!¡±

    The eyes of Redi¡¯s Dragon Type lit up with inspiration, and she raced to move herself around her opponent¡¯s body. Twister was all about coiling up and releasing that tension to create a draconic tornado to trap its foes, but here, Dragonair was trying to use her already coiled body to create a Twister with Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon inside.

    She moved, squirming and wiggling without releasing her Wrap, doing her best to conjure her sole Dragon Type attack. Wings flapped on the sides of her head as she poured everything she had into this combination move.

    A few winds whipped up, but nothing else happened.

    Still in the air, Clair¡¯s Dragonair looked utterly unimpressed.

    ¡°...Outrage,¡± Clair said.

    Nothing Dragonair did affected Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Instead, the very surface layer of the opposing Dragonair¡¯s scales¡ªa skin-thick wrap¡ªpeeled away to dispose of the lingering energy from Thunder Wave. Dragonair tried to prevent that by squeezing even tighter with Wrap, but she was forced off and away as yellow-purple fire lit up around the body of her foe.

    As commanded, an Outrage built.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± the elder said off to the side.

    As the smaller Dragonair landed on the ground, Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon reared its head back before rocketing right into the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s neck.

    A cough.

    Then a thump.

    Dragonair was smashed into the ground.

    Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon brought itself high into the sky in an ever-growing rage, but before it could dive down again, Clair returned her final team member.

    And the room became completely and utterly still.

    ¡°The challengers are out of usable Pok¨¦mon,¡± the elder commented casually.

    ¡°This battle is finished,¡± Clair declared.

    Thus, the match was over.

    Sam stared at the fallen Dragonair on the ground. Next to him, Redi was perfectly silent. Disbelievingly, she returned Dragonair to her loaned Pok¨¦ball. As the light was absorbed inside, her grip tightened.

    She didn¡¯t want to let it go.

    Even after all of our training. Even after all of our new moves. We went through that entire battle, managed to faint so many Pok¨¦mon, and we still¡ª

    ¡°Pft.¡±

    The elder snorted.

    As Sam and Redi snapped their heads toward him for a glare, he covered his mouth with a raised hand, allowing his cane to come to a rest against his knee.

    ¡°Sorry. Sorry! Please, ignore me. I¡¯m just a tired old man whose presence isn¡¯t important. Look to Clair, instead.¡±

    Sam frowned. Redi shifted her gaze. However, her furrowed brow told him her frustration had given way to deep consideration.

    ¡°Wait, why did you use your Dragonair here?¡± Redi said to Clair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t belong on a seven-star team. I hate to say it, but none of your other Pok¨¦mon were too unreasonable, even Dragonite. How did you expect us to beat the strongest Pok¨¦mon you have, anyway?¡±

    Clair didn¡¯t respond for several long seconds.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she eventually answered. ¡°Are you upset?¡±

    Redi pursed her lips before shaking her head.

    ¡°Not anymore. You¡¯re tricking us somehow, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Confused, Sam glanced between the grinning elder and the expressionless Clair. Once he came to the same realization, he pinched his nose, letting out a sigh.

    ¡°Oh, you really¡ª¡± He breathed in. ¡°You really did only use a seven star team against us, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± Redi asked.

    Clair let out a breath, and her expression changed. Instead of being unreadable, she now looked faintly amused.

    She still held the same Pok¨¦ball that contained her ace Dragonair, and she held it out to release her Pok¨¦mon next to her. The incredibly strong Dragonair quickly shook its head to break out of the effects of Outrage. While Outrage was a powerful Dragon Type attack, it also inflicted its user with Confusion.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to win, but I had to at least keep the battle fair,¡± Clair answered. ¡°Yes, most of the Pok¨¦mon I brought with me were above your level, but that¡¯s part of the reason I led with Charmeleon and my in-training Dragonair. Those two are still training themselves up, and their presence let me gauge your strength. I had hoped to give them a chance to get some experience in this battle, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°They fainted pretty quickly,¡± Redi said, now grinning.

    ¡°...Yes. At least they know to not underestimate their foes,¡± Clair said tiredly. ¡° Personally, I¡¯d rate your teams to be at around a six-star level. As for the Pok¨¦mon you faced, Gyarados, Kingdra, and Dragonite wouldn¡¯t be out of place on a seven-star team, but they each have their flaws.¡±

    Sam spoke up.

    ¡°Gyarados is extremely weak to Electric Type moves. Kingdra is physically fast but has to spend time building up its strongest attacks. And Dragonite has too much pride¡ªhe isn¡¯t great at working with others on a team,¡± he answered.

    Clair nodded.

    ¡°Strong Pok¨¦mon with abusable flaws¡ªthe perfect Pok¨¦mon to use in a mid-stage Gym Battle. If this was a seventh or eighth Gym Badge match, I would have relied on strategies that minimize those negative traits, but I had to make sure this battle was somewhat in line with the Pok¨¦mon League¡¯s rules.¡±

    ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t explain your Dragonair,¡± Redi said.

    Clair chuckled.

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t explain my Dragonair,¡± the Gym Leader repeated. ¡°Yes. To get to the short of it, this battle was over the moment Dragonite was knocked out.¡±

    Redi¡¯s eyes widened, and Sam¡¯s did too the moment Clair confirmed it.

    ¡°Wait, so your Dragonair really was¡ª¡±

    ¡°A test,¡± Clair finished. ¡°Would you give up in the face of impossible adversity? Or would you flee and back off like a coward unworthy of training Dragonair?¡±

    Sam could hear Redi sniff next to him. She was doing her best to keep a straight face.

    Meanwhile, he chose to bite his tongue.

    He heavily disagreed with what Clair just said.

    Genuinely, there was nothing wrong with running away. Faced with an incredible challenge, fleeing was not a coward¡¯s choice; it was strategically wise to avoid impossible enemies and search for alternative angles of attack. Throwing yourself and your Pok¨¦mon at something they weren¡¯t able to defeat was the height of flawed thinking.

    But there was more to it than that. The test wasn¡¯t completely wrong.

    This wasn¡¯t a life or death situation¡ªit was just a Pok¨¦mon battle. Not necessarily a casual one, but it wasn¡¯t anything dangerous. Redi had little to lose by facing Clair¡¯s Dragonair since she could technically try again. I¡¯d say this was less of a test of will and more of a test of making the correct decision.

    But it would have been a mistake to continue if we were in the wild.

    Clair was unaware of Sam¡¯s thoughts, and she looked over both of them before turning toward the elder.

    ¡°Your thoughts?¡± she asked.

    His eyes were closed, and once against, he pulled at his chin as if his bare skin once supported a thin beard.

    ¡°It was interesting. Very, very interesting,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s always a surprise to see something new at my age. I didn¡¯t expect to see a previously unknown Pok¨¦mon, and I didn¡¯t expect to witness not just one but two brand new moves.¡±

    He chuckled, and Sam¡¯s heart skipped in his chest.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan likes to present itself as a unified entity, but the truth is, like most organizations, it is divided from within,¡± the old man continued. ¡°There are those who stick to tradition, and there are those who seek to move forward. Both sides have their costs and benefits, and I tend to lean toward tradition more often than not.

    ¡°But this... This is a unique situation,¡± he said. ¡°You clearly care for Dragonair, and I doubt she would have faced Clair with such confidence if she had been paired with anyone else. The Blackthorn Clan has never handed a Pok¨¦mon to a trainer outside of our Clan. However...¡±

    He opened an eye to look at Redi.

    ¡°Dragonair was never ¡®our¡¯ Pok¨¦mon in the first place, was she?¡±

    Redi clutched Dragonair¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in her hand and grinned.

    ¡°Very well, then.¡± The elder grunted and used his cane to lift himself out of his chair. Clair took a step closer as if intending to help, but before she could move further, he shook his head to wave her off. ¡°You two have given me quite a bit to think about. And I¡¯ve learned more than I expected, too. Some say that you can¡¯t teach an old dog new tricks, but perhaps that saying is simply rooted in stubbornness. There¡¯s always more to learn in this vast world of ours, and that is a fact I find myself understanding more and more every day.¡±

    He chuckled and started to slowly walk to the entrance of the room, his cane supporting him with every step. As he passed where Sam and Redi stood, Sam heard the old man mumbling under his breath.

    ¡°Was I wrong to hold him back?¡± he said quietly. ¡°No, no. Still the issue of improper mindset.¡±

    And then he was gone, having disappeared into the underground hallways, the clicks coming from his cane slowly fading away. Once he was well and truly gone, Clair walked over. Her large Dragonair followed in the air.

    ¡°You defeated the five Pok¨¦mon I prepared for this battle, but you would not have won if I used a full team of six,¡± she said, looking over the two of them. ¡°Celebrate this as a victory, but also take it as a lesson. Don¡¯t get cocky. If you challenge someone to a battle so confidently, you better be sure you can win.¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°Or, I suppose you could purposefully enter a losing battle as a training opportunity, but that¡¯s beside the point.¡±

    She shook her head, pulling her cloak to reach into a pocket hidden underneath. Next to Sam, Redi was practically bouncing. She didn¡¯t let go of Dragonair¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in her hands.

    ¡°Here,¡± Clair said, holding out a pair of metal pins in the shape of a dragon¡¯s head. ¡°These are Rising Badges, named to reference how all trainers who overcome Blackthorn Gym are rising stars. It¡¯s rare for someone to claim a victory here and not make it to the Conference. You¡¯ll do well if you keep the lessons you learned in this battle in mind.

    ¡°As for Dragonair...¡± Clair breathed out, shaking her head with a slight smile. ¡°Take care of her, alright?¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Redi exclaimed.

    Clair moved to walk away, but Redi spoke up to stop her before she left.

    ¡°Wait, hold on! What about everyone else?¡± she shouted after her. ¡°We came here in a group. Are they getting a chance like this, too?¡±

    Facing away, Sam could see the Gym Leader rolling her jaw in thought.

    ¡°Yes and no. It¡¯s complicated. Their situation is different than yours, as they didn¡¯t make the foolish mistake of challenging a Gym Leader to a bout off-route,¡± Clair said with a smirk. ¡°While you came here as a group, the fifth test¡¯s challenge can only be done paired or as individuals, as its battles are about proving yourself against members of the Blackthorn Clan. If your friends truly care about Pok¨¦mon, they will be fine, even if they lose. But if they don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°What about Terry and his Gible?¡± Redi interrupted.

    Clair huffed.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s an idiot.¡± Sam had to take a moment to recover after she said that. ¡°His Gible is young¡ªlikely freshly hatched when he first received it. Dragon Types don¡¯t evolve through power alone. Age is also important. It¡¯ll evolve into a Gabite in time. He just needs to be more patient.¡±

    Redi went silent, and Clair crossed her arms to wait for any further questions.

    ¡°Then why not tell him that?¡± Sam asked.

    Clair rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Did he ask?¡± she said. ¡°He went to the Blackthorn Clan for help, but he didn¡¯t come to me. I can only assist a trainer as much as they¡¯re willing to ask for help. Some lessons must be learned the hard way, and if he wants to focus on only one avenue of support and worry about something not worth worrying about, then I say let him.¡±

    Clair then breathed out, recognizing she was getting a little heated.

    ¡°But,¡± Clair continued, ¡°the point of these Trials is to support upcoming trainers¡ªthe Blackthorn Clan¡¯s political motivations aside. No matter what, he¡¯ll get what he seeks today and likely a bit more past that. Not just anyone has the determination to stay in one place for months on end just to make sure his Pok¨¦mon will be okay. Rude or not, he¡¯s earned something from us. He¡¯s a strong trainer, and I¡¯d be surprised if he doesn¡¯t make it to the Conference, too.¡±

    Redi nodded slowly, and Clair breathed again. She finally turned to resume her exit from this room.

    ¡°This was certainly an experience for me, I¡¯ll say that. Once more, feel proud for earning my badge.¡± She stopped at the door. ¡°But with the Gyms you have left, be careful from here. While none possess the strength of a true Dragon, Gym Leaders are Gym Leaders for a reason. Don¡¯t let yourself become arrogant. Don¡¯t forget how close you were to a loss.¡±

    And then she left.

    Sam and Redi stayed in the room.

    After taking a moment to let Clair¡¯s words settle in, Sam looked to his friend, and Redi returned that look with a smile.

    It was about time that they left, too.

 Chapter 102

    When Sam raced to the edge of town to meet back up with Redi, all it took was a single glance for her to double over in laughter.

    ¡°W-what are you wearing? You look like a neon clown!¡±

    He crossed his arms, pressing them against his chest in a not-so-subtle attempt to adjust how the striped snow jacket sat on his body. He could feel the heat rush to his face as Redi¡¯s laughter echoed around them.

    It didn¡¯t help that she wasn¡¯t alone. At her side, a bit above her head, a few held-back snorts came from another Pok¨¦mon. Dragonair looked as graceful as ever, but that meant nothing next to the goofy face she made while trying to stop her laughter.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Laugh all you want, but when we go through Ice Path, see which one of us stays warm,¡± Sam said.

    Redi breathed in to try to gather herself, and Sam stared her down until the only thing she let out was the occasional snort. No other people were around, and this part of Blackthorn City lacked buildings. The only thing here was a well-worn road that led into the open tunnel of Ice Path and the trail that connected to Route 44 near Mahogany Town.

    Since Redi had calmed down, Sam proceeded to release Quilava, wanting her to be nearby in case one of Ice Path¡¯s wild Pok¨¦mon jumped out at them.

    However, the moment Quilava appeared, Redi and Dragonair went completely still.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked.

    That innocent question did it.

    Redi and Dragonair collapsed to the ground, absolutely howling with laughter.

    To their raucous noises, Quilava growled her name as her fur stood on its ends out of sheer annoyance. She held up a paw indignantly, but that just served to make those two laugh even harder.

    ¡°L-Little... little booties!¡± Redi yelled.

    Tired of this, Quilava put her boot-covered foot down, but Redi continued to laugh alongside Dragonair.

    Sam and Quilava walked away, leaving those two idiots behind.

    With the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s trials complete, Clair ¡°defeated¡± in a Gym Battle, and Dragonair finally retrieved, there wasn¡¯t much left for them within Blackthorn City. The place had been generous with its many open training fields, but with each one located so far away from the Pok¨¦mon Center, going back and forth to keep their teams healed wasted time that could otherwise be spent training.

    They needed to move on to their next destination¡ªMahogany Town. Within it was Pryce¡¯s Ice Type Gym. There, Sam would earn his seventh Gym Badge and Redi would earn her sixth. This time around, their battles would be separate instead of involving a two-on-one fight against the Gym Leader.

    But they still had to actually reach their destination before they could make any explicit plans. With how the routes around the mountainous Blackthorn were set up, Ice Path was their only way forward unless they wanted to travel off-route, and neither one of them wanted to risk something like Dragonite again.

    It¡¯d take only a day or two to get through, with Ice Path stretching through Blackthorn¡¯s northern mountains and over to the city¡¯s west. Sam already had his share of freezing temperatures back at the Sinjoh Ruins, so he wanted to get through this place quickly and be able to take his time once they reached the next route.

    ¡°Sam! Wait up!¡±

    Having finally recovered from her laughing fit, Redi ran to catch up to Sam with Dragonair following along at her side. Quilava very purposefully ignored the both of them, choosing to stare straight ahead no matter how pitiful Dragonair¡¯s apologetic whines sounded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Redi said, placing a hand on Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I just thought that as a Ghost Type specialist, you were familiar with curses, and that jacket is such an obvious cur¡ª¡±

    She snapped her mouth shut at his annoyed glare.

    ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯m sorry. Shouldn¡¯t have laughed, no matter how bad your jacket is. But think about it from my perspective! Neon colors don¡¯t suit you, Sam.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see which of us will be laughing when you enter an ice-covered cave without a thick enough jacket,¡± Sam countered.

    Redi gasped, but she started to snicker, and Sam joined in with snickers of his own. To the side, Dragonair lowered her head to try to apologize to Quilava even harder, but she just pointed her nose in the air and continued to ignore the Dragon Type.

    Her booties might have looked silly, but it meant she wouldn¡¯t have to walk over ice with her bare paws.

    Passing through the wide cave, they continued forward even as the road sloped up. The core sections of Ice Path had a secondary entrance they¡¯d need to reach located about a third of the way up the mountain.

    This cave they were in was technically part of a cave system, but a path had been smoothed to better support travelers. It curved up and around this northern patch of mountains, with hanging lanterns connected by wires to provide light at the tunnel¡¯s side. This place was big enough to support a truck¡ªand had likely supported trucks in the past. Since they were only at its start, Ice Path wasn¡¯t freezing cold just yet. Its icy nature wouldn¡¯t become present until they entered into its caves.

    ¡°So... Ice Path,¡± Redi said, moving to Sam¡¯s side as Dragonair whined at Quilava. ¡°I heard about this place before ever coming to Johto. Some researcher found out pollution was causing its ice to melt, and there was a big push for alternate sources of power. My parents talked about taking in another displaced Pok¨¦mon when that drama was going on, but in the end...¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t the right kind of people to help that type of Pok¨¦mon. We take in Pok¨¦mon in need, but not Pok¨¦mon that need freezing conditions.¡±

    They stepped around a conspicuous boulder that was likely a Graveler trying to bait travelers into attacking it for blocking the path. A few other stones¡ªGeodude¡ªoccasionally dotted the road¡¯s side, and an occasional crack in the wall revealed eyes that tracked them as they walked past.

    Primarily, those eyes followed Dragonair, as goofy as she was, since she was visibly a full-fledged Dragon Type. In human-maintained areas like these, some wild Pok¨¦mon went after obvious trainers in hopes of being caught, but that risk wasn¡¯t worth getting involved with something as threatening as a dragon.

    ¡°Taking in Pok¨¦mon in need,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°I thought your parents built buildings?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We do both, but we also do construction. It¡¯s kind of the same business?¡± Redi said. ¡°Not all Pok¨¦mon like to battle, but Pok¨¦mon still tend to want to do something that involves their bodies. So my family works with Pok¨¦mon that want to work but don¡¯t want to fight, and they help us build buildings. Some live with us, whereas others already have partners and just stop by every so often to help out. It¡¯s a good setup. We get the help we need, and then the Pok¨¦mon get a way to expend their energy without hurting themselves in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Sam said. ¡°Helps explain why your family has a Pok¨¦mon as rare as Kangaskhan around.¡±

    In a way, his mother was doing the same with Sableye as well as Shuppet and Duskull.

    ¡°Over in Hoenn...¡± Sam paused when they entered a section of the cave in which one of the lights had gone out. He felt the air churn around him as Ghost Types left his shadow to take this chance to stretch, but by the time he re-entered the light, they all dived back into his shadow to continue to be passively carried along. ¡°Over in Hoenn¡ªand Alola, I guess¡ªthere¡¯s this group trying to do something similar to what your family¡¯s doing, but on a way bigger scale. They¡¯re based in Alola, but they¡¯re all about helping threatened species of Pok¨¦mon. I think I heard something about them introducing foreign Pok¨¦mon to specific routes?¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Redi said. ¡°So then if you traveled through Hoenn, would you have had the chance to catch a bunch of foreign Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in Johto,¡± Sam replied flatly. ¡°I¡¯m already catching foreign Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Redi laughed at that.

    ¡°But the Foundation or whatever it¡¯s called hasn''t done that much yet,¡± Sam continued. ¡°All I¡¯ve heard about was some kind of flower Pok¨¦mon, probably a Grass Type, being tested out near Verdanturf. And then I think Glacia¡¯s trying to make them do something? Something about new Ice Types in Mossdeep¡¯s Shoal Cave?¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Ahead, part of the cave opened up due to a collapsed wall that revealed an expansive view. They weren¡¯t too high into the mountains just yet, but even this far up, Sam was able to see the entire city of Blackthorn below.

    Redi ran up to a short safety railing and breathed out in amazement. Dragonair followed, wrapping the end of her tail around the railing to be prepared to catch Redi in an emergency.

    Both of them, however, stared out with their eyes wide, taking in the incredible view. Sam stayed back, with Quilava remaining at his side.

    ¡°When you fly up, is this what you see?¡± Redi asked her Pok¨¦mon.

    Dragonair¡¯s eyes were sparkling, and she nodded.

    ¡°...Can you take me one day?¡± Redi asked, following up her last question with a whisper.

    Immediately, Redi burst into laughter as Dragonair threw herself into Redi¡¯s chest. The Dragon Type rubbed her head against her with enthusiastic agreement.

    Unfortunately, any such flight would only happen in the far future. Unlike Clair¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, Dragonair didn¡¯t yet have the strength to fly with a rider on her back.

    They both lingered for a few minutes, but Sam had to turn around once he wasn¡¯t able to resist his nausea. He liked the sight near the Sinjoh Ruins a lot better since the clouds blocked the view of the ground. Here, sure, it was neat to see an entire city at once, but they were so far above the ground. All he could think about was the distance he¡¯d have to fall to hit the earth if he accidentally lost his balance.

    ¡°So since Hoenn¡¯s getting new Pok¨¦mon and there was that push for environmental stuff, you think Ice Path has anything new? What rare species does it have in it, anyway?¡± Redi asked once she skipped over to Sam.

    ¡°Not much. Few Ice Types. Not many. Zubat and Geodude, of course, but after that¡ª¡±

    ¡°New Pok¨¦dex doesn¡¯t say anything else?¡±

    He froze, looking up at Dragonair, and Redi just rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Come on, Sam. We¡¯re out of the city. Dragonair¡¯s with us, and there¡¯s no one nearby! She¡¯s part of our group now! She should know, too!¡±

    Sam frowned, but Redi kept talking. Before he could stop her, she was already looking up at her Pok¨¦mon and starting to explain.

    ¡°Sam has a magic book from the future that contains a whole bunch of secret information about Pok¨¦mon, moves, and evolutions. Did you know that Ursaring can evolve? Same for Primeape? And then he knows all about abilities and hidden abilities and foreign species and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Sam shouted.

    Redi clasped her hands together.

    ¡°Look at her face! You¡¯d really try to stop her from learning the truth?¡±

    She proceeded to push out her bottom lip while mustering the biggest puppy dog eyes she could. She held out both of her hands, and Dragonair plopped her head onto them to stare at Sam with a nearly identical look.

    They both whined, staring at him with just the most pitiful expressions. Sam found himself unable to reply, and he turned away to march off so that Redi couldn¡¯t see his face.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°What? That I want my friend to know, too?¡± Redi replied.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam answered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that there¡¯s now two of you.¡±

    A full ten seconds of silence passed. It was interrupted when Quilava snickered. Redi¡¯s eyes finally widened then, and her jaw fell open at the indignity.

    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    Trotting away to join Sam, Quilava pointed her nose in the air while refusing to look at Redi.

    Redi just as quickly caught up, and after a bit of humored yelling, she settled in to tell Dragonair about all of her plans¡ªSam was never going to stop Redi from revealing the New Pok¨¦dex in the first place. Dragonair, amazed, listened as all of her potential moves, the method of her evolution, and both of her abilities were described. Redi went as far as to reveal Dragonair¡¯s hidden ability, too:

    Marvel Scale.

    Once trained, Marvel Scale would increase Dragonair¡¯s defense whenever she suffered from a status condition. She¡¯d lose that benefit when her scales changed upon evolution, but as a Dragon Type, Dragonair was a long way away from becoming a Dragonite¡ªunless she went out of her way to push for it.

    Hm. But Marvel Scale...

    Sam listened as Redi talked excitedly to her Pok¨¦mon.

    Should I be worried that her team will have yet another counter to my team¡¯s main strategy?

    Ice Path continued up in a relatively short path. Side tunnels opened up at the sides, practically inviting further exploration, but Sam just wanted to move on from this place. For now, it was better to push forward and stick to the main path.

    Along the way, no Pok¨¦mon attacked, and the further up they went, the colder the air became. Some sections of their hike moved across cliffsides with breathtaking views, and other sections dove deep into the mountain itself to pierce through solid rock and curve around.

    Eventually, however, the temperature plummeted. Though no clouds drifted by overhead, wind blew in from both the open side and further down the path. Patches of white became more and more frequent against the stone, with areas of natural ice having frozen over to form natural crystals.

    One last, exposed edge ended in a harsh turn directly into the mountain. They reached the second entrance, located about a third of the way up.

    ¡°This is where it¡¯s going to get difficult,¡± Sam announced to the group. ¡°Ice Path is maintained by both its relatively sealed environment and the Ice Type Pok¨¦mon inside, so we¡¯ll need to watch where we step if we don¡¯t want to be attacked or slide across the ground. And since we¡¯re trainers, Pok¨¦mon might attack us regardless. Expect species like Jynx, Swinub, Delibird¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself when a freezing wind blew out of the opening ahead. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the wind had been caused by a temperature differential or a faraway Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attack.

    Dragonair shivered.

    ¡°Quilava, would you be willing to heat us up?¡±

    She said her name in agreement and let her flames flare to life. Dragonair breathed a bit more comfortably, but Redi still turned to her friend with a worried look.

    For some reason, both of them looked like they were about to cry.

    ¡°Dragonair,¡± Redi said softly. ¡°I know you want to hang out with us, but you¡¯re a Dragon Type. You¡¯re really weak to ice. It¡¯s not going to be safe or comfortable for you in there, so you¡¯ll be happier in your Pok¨¦ball. I¡¯ll send you out once we¡¯re on the other side.¡±

    Dragonair whined again, but her eyes flicked to the cave itself. The line of lanterns stopped a few feet in front of the opening, but the cavernous interior contained enough white snow and clear ice to reflect the small amount of light coming in from the entrance to illuminate most of the cave.

    ¡°...Nair,¡± Dragonair said reluctantly.

    She bowed her head, and Redi tapped a Pok¨¦ball to Dragonair¡¯s forehead. The serpentine Dragon Type was sucked up in a flash of red light.

    Despite being forced to recall her friend, Redi still smiled. She stared at the Pok¨¦ball in her hand as if it hadn¡¯t settled until now that Dragonair was a member of her team that she could send out and recall at any time.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make this quick,¡± Redi said, bringing her head up with a determined look to her eyes.

    This place was still a tunnel, but from the many branches in the path, it was clear there was an entire network of frozen caverns through the mountain. Ice formed against the walls like patches of crystal, and they had to avoid glass-like puddles that would have otherwise seen them slide forward.

    Like the climb up, Sam didn¡¯t see any Pok¨¦mon, but he had a feeling that was due to Quilava and her flames that kept the area around them warm. Like how the wild Pok¨¦mon indigenous to Blackthorn City¡¯s mountains weren¡¯t willing to be involved with a scary Dragon Type like Dragonair, the Ice Types here did not want to subject themselves to Quilava¡¯s fire.

    ¡°I know I just returned Dragonair, but should we stop here and train?¡± Redi asked. ¡°It¡¯s Ice Path. It¡¯s full of Ice Types. If we could encourage some wild Pok¨¦mon to battle us, it¡¯d be the perfect place to train for Mahogany¡¯s Ice Type Gym.¡±

    But Sam shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re too far away from a Pok¨¦mon Center. Besides, the main path through isn¡¯t actually that big, and there are snowy areas near Mahogany Town to visit if we really want to.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Redi said with a sniff. ¡°I just wanted to make sure we were ready. Since my team¡¯s up to three, I was thinking of taking on Pryce as soon as we get¡ª¡±

    She stopped herself when Sam frowned.

    ¡°...We lost against Clair,¡± Sam said quietly.

    ¡°We won against Clair!¡± Redi countered loudly.

    ¡°We almost lost against Clair,¡± Sam said to correct himself. ¡°Think about it. If she started with a pair of stronger Pok¨¦mon, or if Dragonite was more willing to follow her strategy, or if she had just used a full team of six instead of five plus her ace...¡±

    Redi stayed quiet.

    ¡°Taking on Pryce is a bad idea. Not until we have more time to train, I mean,¡± Sam said, continuing. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about our battle and going over it in my head. I don¡¯t think we should have won. The only explanation is that she went easy on us. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re ready to win in our next Gym.¡±

    ¡°But Clair is a Gym Leader!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°Look, she knows how to test people. You¡¯re being too negative. It just felt easy because we¡¯re getting stronger, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sam said as he continued to slowly march forward, ¡°but I want to make sure we¡¯re prepared for the Conference. That match was close¡ªtoo close. And then I also lost to Will beforehand, so...¡±

    He sighed.

    ¡°With how strong your Pok¨¦mon are, you might be able to pull off a win, but Mahogany Town is going to be my team¡¯s seventh Gym,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t see us winning without some serious developments.¡±

    He glanced over to Quilava to see her staring. She understood what he meant.

    A fully evolved Fire Type would be a great boon for taking on the Ice Type Gym.

    ¡°So how is Quilava going to evolve, anyway?¡± Redi asked, quickly catching on.

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°Practice!¡± he said happily. ¡°And by practice, I mean hunting! We have a big list of haunted locations, and we¡¯re going to go through them one by one until we finally get a ghost suitable for Quilava!¡±

    Also, Sam was on what was effectively a ¡®priority¡¯ list. If Morty learned of a suitable ghost near Sam¡¯s location, Sam would be the first to know. Using a League favor for Morty¡¯s assistance meant more than just a one-and-done deal.

    But it also made him dislike what the Blackthorn Clan had provided him even more. He understood that they had fulfilled his request for free, but he had to force himself to not outright disagree with their... everything.

    ¡°I see,¡± Redi mumbled.

    ¡°I also called ahead to request an Everstone for Quilava, so we¡¯ll be picking one up once we reach Mahogany Town,¡± Sam said. ¡°For the other evolutions on my team, Primeape just needs to master Rage Fist, and I need to find a Dusk Stone for Misdreavus. Even just one evolution would do a lot to help with my confidence, but after everything, I¡¯d prefer if it was Quilava.¡±

    Redi nodded, and Sam caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. He could see a wild Sneasel watching them, but the way it kept its ears back, he could tell it was only watching to make sure they were moving on.

    ¡°Mm. I guess I should teach Dragonair better moves. And everyone else can always get stronger, too,¡± Redi mused. ¡°Mr. Pok¨¦mon told me he¡¯s hiring people to gather soil samples for us, but we won¡¯t be able to test them on Ursaring until the next full moon. He also agreed to help with Porygon, but he¡¯s being cagey about what that means.¡±

    She grunted unhappily.

    ¡°I really should have added some kind of clause to get information in return, but whatever,¡± Redi said.

    After a few more moments of walking over snow and ice, Redi started to grin.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine if he wants to be a bit cagey. Sam, he¡¯s giving me money. So, so much money.¡±

    With that statement, she walked with a kick to her step, and Sam laughed as he followed along. They had to spend a minute grabbing the wall to move around a patch of ice. If they hadn¡¯t, they would have had to angle the direction they slipped to hit rocks and bounced around.

    Something like that was viable, but it also would be painful.

    ¡°And Stantler?¡± Sam asked once they were on the other side.

    Redi looked at Sam.

    ¡°What about Stantler?¡± she replied with a cheeky smile.

    With that tone of voice, it was pretty obvious to Sam that they wouldn¡¯t be getting a more specific answer, so he chose to just continue through the ice-covered cave.

    ¡°Then, I guess we both have a lot to work on,¡± he said. ¡°But I hope our time in Mahogany Town will be easy. No criminals. No big tests. No tournaments or events or trials or any sort of emergency that¡¯ll take up our time. Just us, our Pok¨¦mon, a whole bunch of practice, and¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked, hearing Redi¡¯s groan.

    ¡°Why would you ever say that, Sam? You¡¯ve jinxed it! Now, Mahogany Town¡¯s going to be horrible!¡±

    Sam stopped walking to stare at her, his mouth open but with no words coming out. Seeing the look on his face, Redi cackled and kept heading forward.

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not how it works! I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist! You said I know about curses!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s the rule. You say something like that, and then something bad happens!¡±

    He shouted as he ran after her, and both of them alongside Quilava passed through the rest of Ice Path.

 [Extra] Chapter 102.5 - ??? Interlude

    You were small when you first came to me. You flitted in from the shadows to hide yourself under my boughs. The tragic nature of your existence saw you frightful, and you couldn¡¯t stop looking around.

    But when you reached my roots, you came to rest, nestled beneath. Embraced, you dreamt of safety, and when you awoke, your panic was gone, replaced with a curious expression that let me know you¡¯d found a home.

    Your laughter was the forest¡¯s music. Your presence, a balm. When you raced through the foliage, the breeze hugged your back. When you slept, the sun moved to keep you warm.

    You were happy. That was all that was needed. You were no longer a lost child. You were warm. Comfortable. Loved.

    You grew.

    When a fledgling, wing broken, sought the aid of my gifts, you hid. I nudged you. You went out. Nervously, you helped, and after seeing the smile on their face, you declared all others welcome.

    They came.

    Your timidness vanished, replaced with confidence and open arms. You were my helper. My child. The one to tend to the creatures of these woods.

    Unique among your kind, you welcomed them and they welcomed you back. You brought my healing to those in need, and you returned with new friends made along the way.

    Every smile, a blessing. Every moment, a treasure.

    When it rained, I sheltered you.

    When it did not, I still fed you.

    Together, we did more than just live. We thrived. I could not ask for a greater life than with you in it.

    But it did not last. Their entrance still haunts my mind.

    Boots stomped down the duff. Seedlings broke under their feet. The vegetation, crumbled. The peace of our forest, shattered by a cacophony of noise.

    You hid¡ªI could not blame you. They were unknown to us both, and as they spoke, we listened.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°¡®Bout here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yup. We¡¯re deep enough in. Seems as good a place as any.¡±

    ¡°Not sure why the Boss wants such an obscure location, but hey, off-route is off-route. No one¡¯s gonna disturb us here.¡±

    Liquid splashed, and metal clicked. Soon enough, the woods were plunged into a brilliant blaze. The fire¡¯s smoldering tongue raked at my bark, and through the deafness of the roars, I could hear your screams of horror.

    You were young.

    You did not deserve to witness this. I refused to let you be hurt on my behalf.

    As the inferno consumed our world, I saw you off. You ran at my encouragement, racing to find others that could still be saved.

    I cannot lie. The flames hurt. I could feel every ember that dried and scorched my body. My leaves burned, turning to ash. And the heat that raged within was worse than anything outside.

    Three days and three nights, the fires raged through our home. Smoke veiled the world, but I knew that, somehow, it was being contained.

    When the flames slumbered, their feast finished, you came to return. I wish you did not, but, at least, you were not alone. Those you saved, past and present, offered their support. They followed you, offering their aid to see if there was one more you could save.

    There was not.

    It was too late.

    I was blackened, coated with ash.

    Nothing more than a charred husk clinging to life out of hope for a proper farewell.

    Do not weep for me. Move on and live your life. I can see how many friends you have made. There is no reason to feel so bound.

    There is no reason to scream as loud as you do. No reason to tear at the ashen dirt, and no reason to lash out at those who try to comfort you.

    But you can¡¯t hear me.

    You can only hear the wails of your own grief.

    You scream, and cry, and I watch you grow. Larger than ever before, I behold what you become.

    <hr>

    SPLINTERED CLAWS FOR RENDING FLESH. A MAW THAT GNASHES WITH BRAMBLED TEETH. A MALICED EYE SO FILLED WITH HATE THAT ITS DESIRE FOR PAIN SEES ITS EDGES BURN.

    YOUR RAGE SHALL BE THE FIRE THAT CLEANSES THESE ONCE-CLEAN WOODS. YOUR PAIN SHALL BECOME THEIR PAIN, A HARBINGER OF A DARKER END.

    PAST¡¯S AID BECOMES FUTURE¡¯S HURT.

    THE FOREST FALLS TO YOUR COMMAND.

    YOU SHALL MAKE THEM SUFFER FOR WHAT THEY DID.

    YOUR MADNESS WILL BECOME THE FOREST¡¯S CURSE.

    <hr>

    As I fade into ash, I beg you, do not fall down this path. Do not seek revenge for me.

    Do not conjure those of the deep woods. Do not conjure those wrapped in night that would see your dark desires come true.

    Regrow!

    Rebirth!

    Return to peace!

    Fire is not destruction. It is renewal. The forest and all those lost will return once more.

    Please. You do not need to do this.

    Please. Hear my voice.

    Please, turn around and listen to my last request.

    But you do not. Can not. Your path is already set. Creatures once joined by friendship are now joined by the promise of revenge.

    I can feel my body crumble as you march away. The breeze is my only witness as I speak my final words.

    I love you.

    And I am sorry.

    But nothing lasts forever.

    We part for the final time. You leave, seeking revenge that need not be sought.

 Chapter 103

    The end of Ice Path saw the start of Route 44, and the end of Route 44 saw Mahogany Town itself. Dense forests surrounded this deep-mountain settlement, with icy peaks dotting that forest and stretching into the sky. A gap in the terrain to the north led to Route 43 and the Lake of Rage just past it. Though this place wasn¡¯t as high up as Blackthorn City, it was chillier, and the town itself was less centralized, with houses spread throughout a flat, lightly forested space between the mountains.

    The people here were hardier and more independent. Most of them were woodsmen, foragers, and other forms of craftsmen and harvesters. Despite being a full-fledged town, it almost felt like a collection of homesteads, but it still had a centralized main street with shops, a Pok¨¦mon Center, a ramshackle radio station, and, of course, the Pok¨¦mon Gym itself.

    Most important to Sam, however, was that Mahogany Town was old. Like so many cities in Johto, it had a storied history, and a storied history meant ghosts.

    ¡°Just up ahead. I can see something already. You ready, Quilava?¡±

    She nodded her head at Sam¡¯s side, staying silent while trying to peek into the next room. The wood of the worn hallway was decaying around them, and the musty scent that lingered in the air could have only come from a home long unkempt.

    The building they were creeping through was located right at the edge of town, pressed against the base of one of the many rocky mountains that surrounded Mahogany. However, a few decades ago, a landslide had rumbled down, and this home had seen its back half be covered by rock. Through some miracle, the building had stayed standing, with only its rear window shattering and collapsing inward. Its inhabitants had gone unharmed, but its back room was now filled with dirt and rocks, and the home itself was declared too unsafe to have anyone live inside.

    Years later, the owner of the home passed away, and then more years after that, people started to notice a figure moving around inside. Given there was never any evidence of a break-in, no one thought much of it. That is, until a note about this location was passed on to Morty, and now that same note had been passed to Sam.

    A few wild Gastly floated behind Sam and Quilava, watching carefully after being corralled by the efforts of Haunter and Misdreavus. There were only a handful of them, formed by the lingering regrets that filled this abandoned home. More than that, despite existing here for a while, these local, wild Gastly had never once entered the far room.

    So, after a careful application of Misdreavus¡¯s Psychic to push a cracked door open all the way, Sam and Quilava finally laid their eyes on their target.

    A figure.

    Standing still.

    Something scraped at the ground near its feet, as if it was trying to sweep up the many stones in the room but was constantly failing.

    ¡°I believe in you. You can do this, Quilava,¡± Sam whispered.

    He knelt to take off her scarf. Pulling it back, he removed the Everstone they had picked up from the local Pok¨¦mon Center away from her body. Taking a deep breath, Quilava then stepped forward.

    She entered the room containing the very obvious and very active, real-life ghost.

    Sam stayed silent, hanging back in the hallway to make sure he wouldn¡¯t accidentally assist Quilava in any way, as her helping the ghost on her own was their objective for being here. However, she stopped after only a few steps. Fur standing on its ends, Quilava stood just past the entrance, and, ahead, the ghost stopped sweeping.

    Cautiously, she lowered her head to pick up a stone in her mouth. Once it was secured she walked to the broken back window and did her best to throw it outside. She never once let her eyes drop from the ghost¡¯s unmoving form, and once that stone was solidly outside, she then bent down to pick up another one and toss it out as well.

    As Quilava began her efforts to empty the room, the figure resumed its attempts to sweep, and Quilava got rid of more and more stone. With the decades-old landslide having brought the earth to rest just underneath the window, she soon started to need to jump out to deposit her refuse carried outside.

    Slowly, the floor became visible, and slowly, the room lost its piles of stone and sediment. Sam had to rub his eyes at several points, as the image of the room would become hazy. Yet, each time, it felt as though major chunks of the pile vanished¡ªmore than just what Quilava carried disappeared after a trip.

    Throughout this process, the hazy silhouette became more clear, as well. It started as just a mist that resembled a person, to the shape of a woman trying to sweep up the floor, until finally, Sam could make out specific details.

    At the end of it, he was looking at the figure of an old woman holding a broom. She used it to push dirt against the wall, where it disappeared, and she stopped to stand up and look around.

    The room was perfectly clear of debris.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Her words reverberated through the air, and she smiled at Quilava.

    Then, in an instant, she was gone.

    With her sole, lingering regret having been solved, the ghost was able to move on.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sam whispered.

    But even with this success, Sam waited. After all, Quilava had finally been able to help out a ghost all on her own.

    He stayed silent, crouching in the hallway, patiently waiting to see an evolution¡¯s glow.

    But nothing happened.

    After a few seconds of bracing herself, Quilava breathed out, letting herself collapse from exhaustion and disappointment. Sam sighed and stood up, shaking his legs from having crouched for so long.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move outside,¡± he whispered to everyone. Behind him, Misdreavus hung her head and Haunter genuinely frowned.

    They met back up with Primeape, who had been standing outside the door to keep guard. Sam shook his head to share the bad news, and a minute later, Quilava trudged out to join them.

    After so much manual labor, she was tired. Mainly, she looked depressed.

    ¡°So you helped a ghost,¡± Sam said.

    Quilava nodded.

    ¡°And then the ghost moved on.¡±

    Quilava nodded again.

    ¡°But... You didn¡¯t evolve,¡± Sam finished. ¡°Something¡¯s missing. I thought it would be this simple, but it¡¯s like... It¡¯s like there wasn¡¯t enough meaning to it. Or the ghost was too weak. There¡¯s another level to this that we¡¯re missing.¡±

    Quilava collapsed to the ground once more, and Sam let out a breath as he leaned down to scoop her up and deposit her around his shoulders. Misdreavus floated up next to her, smiling and trying to cheer her up. She nudged Quilava, saying something that sounded hopeful.

    Quilava did smile in response, but there wasn¡¯t much energy behind her expression. Sam could tell she was just trying to act okay so her friend wouldn¡¯t be worried.

    ¡°At least think of it like this: no matter what, we¡¯re still one step closer to your evolution!¡± Sam said, trying to keep his voice cheery. ¡°Sure, turns out, we can¡¯t just help any ghost, but helping ghosts should still count for something, right? You¡¯re being exposed to the right kind of energy, so if we help enough of them, you¡¯ll eventually evolve no matter what! But like using an evolution stone, if we wanted to speed up the process, we should probably try to find a ghost that carries a heavier... metaphorical weight?¡±

    He frowned when he heard Quilava sigh and deflate next to his ear. He scratched Quilava¡¯s chin, trying to comfort her, and he soon moved off to return to Mahogany¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center.

    Not everyone immediately moved to leave with Sam. Primeape followed at his side, Misdreavus stayed next to Quilava to keep her company, but Haunter, however, stayed at the cottage. He turned around to speak with the Gastly that lived there. Without a ghost sustaining comfortable conditions, Haunter provided them with an alternative.

    Using his hands, he gestured to the rest of the team.

    A moment of silence passed, and the group of Gastly gathered up to mumble among themselves and come to a decision.

    It was unanimous.

    From behind, they all dove into Sam¡¯s shadow, entering it and causing him to stumble from the sudden chill.

    ¡°All aboard the Samuel Express,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°Choo choo, I suppose?¡±

    And to that, a snicker. Misdreavus¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Quilava¡¯s smile. Quilava tried her best to pretend she hadn¡¯t laughed at Sam¡¯s joke, but Misdreavus egged her on, and Quilava wasn¡¯t able to stop her next few laughs.

    She was in a much more cheerful mood once they reached the center of the town, and Sam felt more hopeful now that he could properly recognize their success. This round of ghost-seeking exploration hadn¡¯t resulted in evolution, but with this experience, Quilava would be more ready to handle stronger ghosts when the proper time finally came.

    Together, they all walked past the other buildings and down a cracked road. Moving down Mahogany¡¯s main street, their little group made their way to the town¡¯s sole Pok¨¦mon Center. There, rather than going inside, Sam noticed a small crowd formed at its back. Having a feeling about what was going on, he moved around to join all the other trainers. He also knew Quilava wanted to stay out with everyone a bit longer before being passed over for healing, and this served as the perfect excuse.

    ¡°..¡¯saring!¡±

    ¡°Naaiir!¡±

    A pair of shouts were followed by a clang that shook the air. Heavy claws smashed into a scaled tail¡¯s bash, and two Pok¨¦mon were knocked back.

    ¡°Again!¡± Redi ordered.

    At that, a similarly powerful exchange of moves.

    She stood off to the side, smiling to herself. At the edges of this training field, trainers gathered to watch her two rare and powerful Pok¨¦mon spar with attacks strong enough to conjure winds.

    Dragonair wasn¡¯t fully evolved, but she was a full-fledged Dragon Type capable of evolving into a pseudo-Legendary Pok¨¦mon. As for Ursaring, his species was known for its power, but the way Redi fought and trained had seen his strength be pushed past even that.

    He was preparing for evolution, after all.

    Between the two of them, Dragonair was certainly rarer, but they were each also demonstrating a level of pure, raw power that most other trainers failed to reach. Redi¡¯s team might not have been anywhere near Ace Trainer levels just yet, but not every trainer here had as many Gym Badges as her or had dedicated themselves to such a single-minded pursuit of physical power.

    ¡°Hey, Redi,¡± Sam said.

    People mumbled as he pushed past the crowd to approach his friend. Behind him, wide eyes stared at the strange trainer so willing to approach this insane person training her insane Pok¨¦mon on one of the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s fields.

    Yeah, sure, you all might think Redi¡¯s scary, but just wait until you see Ursaring and Dragonair argue over who gets to finish a pot of soup.

    ...The answer is Primeape.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    As Sam approached, Redi¡¯s gaze flicked over him and to Quilava on his shoulders.

    ¡°Dang,¡± she said. ¡°That sucks. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll evolve next time!¡±

    Quilava deflated a bit at the reminder, but she still sent Redi a thankful smile at the show of support.

    ¡°So, wanna spar, too?¡± Redi offered. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make sure Dragonair¡¯s caught up with the rest of the team. The right kind of power, the right kind of skill, y¡¯know? We¡¯ll be working on moves like Agility and Extreme Speed before moving on to the harder stuff.¡±

    More mumbles from the crowd¡ªmany Pok¨¦mon could learn Agility, but how many could actually learn Extreme Speed, and how many more would treat learning that move so casually?

    But Sam knew Redi¡¯s goals went past that. She wasn¡¯t going to reveal everything here. Dragonair was capable of attacks like Aqua Tail. Dragon Rush. And the best one for Redi¡ªDragon Dance.

    Honestly, at this point, he was more motivated than her to guide Dragonair¡¯s training with information from the New Pok¨¦dex. Redi of course wanted to see her Pok¨¦mon get stronger, but Sam wanted to see what a near pseudo-Legend like Dragonair could really do.

    ¡°I think...¡± Sam hummed as he looked around at his team. Around so many other people, Misdreavus and Haunter were hiding, but Quilava and Primeape were still out. ¡°I think for now, we¡¯ll turn down the offer. Thanks, though. Since we didn¡¯t get our success, I want us to get at least something by taking on a job.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Low on funds?¡± she said with a smirk.

    Sam rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Not all of us have some big, fancy sponsorship.¡±

    Redi¡¯s smirk deepened as she turned away to look over her team.

    ¡°Yup. We have a bunch of money coming in,¡± she said, raising her voice. ¡°And I¡¯m willing to bet a lot of it against anyone brave enough to challenge my team!¡±

    Sam tried to hold back his laughter as she immediately went and made eye contact with every trainer here. Some of them turned away under her piercing gaze, but a handful stared back, meeting her challenge with determined interest.

    He doubted Redi would make much in battle, but facing as many trainers as possible was a great way to get experience, and for her challengers, facing a stronger trainer was also a great way to learn new tricks.

    It had certainly been a learning experience for him when he lost against Will and basically lost against Clair.

    ¡°Good.¡± Redi began to walk toward the trainers that met her gaze, briefly turning around to grin at Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Make sure to cheer us on, Quilava! We¡¯ll be dedicating our victories to you!¡±

    She sent Quilava a wink before setting up the matches. Though Quilava didn¡¯t participate in the fights, they still cheered her up.

    While not happy about her lack of evolution, sometimes, it was just fun to watch what were effectively one-sided stomps.

    <hr>

    The purpose of taking on this job wasn¡¯t money, it was to give his team something to do. They always needed more funds, yes, but earning cash wasn¡¯t a pressing concern, just something to keep in mind so they never ran out. Mainly, taking on a job would let them gather experience while also serving as a distraction. They had plenty more places in Mahogany Town to search for ghosts, but Sam just wanted to give Quilava some sort of win.

    The job he selected saw them leave town to the north, heading onto Route 43 to help a forager living in a cabin near the edge of the Route. Thankfully, with the Lake of Rage being so close to Mahogany Town, Route 43 wasn¡¯t that large. It would still take a bit to reach their temporary employer¡¯s home, so Sam took this opportunity to speak to his team as they walked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to think of ways that¡¯d let us catch up to our future opponents,¡± he said.

    The path they followed led through the trees, bringing them deeper into the forest.

    ¡°The thing is, we¡¯re falling behind. Not against trainers at our level, just¡ª¡± He sighed. ¡°When we compare ourselves to everyone else, I mean. Ace Trainers. Gym Leaders. It¡¯s been two-thirds of a season, but how are we ever supposed to reach their level if we¡¯re still so far behind?¡±

    Off to the side, Primeape let out a grunt. He kept his eyes locked onto the woods around them to stay on guard, but he was still able to provide a firm response.

    Primeape was proud. In his opinion, they were strong enough for where they were, and they¡¯d continue getting stronger because that was what they could be doing. With a flex of his shoulders and a jab to the air, Primeape¡¯s movements harkened back to his training and practice against Ursaring. With his strength, facing an opponent with the same number of Gym Badges would mean a victory more often than not.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean raw strength,¡± Sam quickly clarified. ¡°I don¡¯t mean our moves or our battling power or anything like that. Yeah, that¡¯s all going to improve with practice, but what I really mean is...¡±

    He ran his tongue over his teeth as he tried to gather the right words.

    ¡°We need to improve our strategies, but not our strategies, strategies. More like, I¡¯m too rigid in how I give orders? And I think we need more flexibility in our moves?¡±

    To that, Haunter left a nearby shadow to dart to the front of the group, where he floated backward. He proceeded to press his hands against the sides of his face to bend himself inward as if he were a ghostly book.

    Their entire group stopped walking for a second.

    Sam struggled to respond.

    To the side, Misdreavus spoke up quietly as if to say that, even as a Ghost Type, she wasn¡¯t aware Haunter could bend himself to such an extreme degree.

    ¡°...You¡¯re just proving my point,¡± Sam grumbled, resuming their walk forward. ¡°I¡¯m too literal, and that¡¯s rubbing off on you.

    ¡°We need more options,¡± Sam continued, the words of that elderly Blackthorn Clan member running through his head. ¡°A wider range of things we can do in battle with what we already have. Like, speed is important and helps with accuracy and dodging, but that''s all we use it for. Even just a basic Double Team could stop us from using speed to our advantage. We don¡¯t have enough options and can be countered too easily.¡±

    Sam looked over to one of his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Misdreavus, would you be able to use Shadow Sneak to escape a Flamethrower aimed at the floor?¡±

    As she floated at Quilava¡¯s side, Sam watched Misdreavus¡¯s expression. He could see her picture the scenario¡ªhidden in a shadow, she becomes surrounded by a wave of flames that coats the ground. Shadow Sneak offers speed and positioning rather than any form of direct defense. The fire would spread out and hit whatever shadow she was in, and then she would take the full damage of the attack, especially if it cut off any other routes of escape.

    ¡°And even then, you could avoid it by floating directly up, but that just exposes you to further moves. Using only the moves you currently know, how would you try to defend yourself if you enter the air?¡±

    Her next few gestures managed to communicate the idea of a Confuse Ray or a Night Shade, but¡ª

    ¡°Confuse Ray would need you to stay focused enough to hit your target and that strategy relies on your opponent not being ready for you to come out. As for Night Shade, if the Flamethrower can spread out across the ground, couldn¡¯t it just consume the entire darkness sphere even if it didn¡¯t know exactly where you are?¡±

    She went quiet, and Sam looked around at everyone else. His Pok¨¦mon were listening. They were recognizing the same problems he did.

    ¡°Haunter¡¯s fast but vulnerable to physical moves. Primeape is hard-countered by any special attacker that stays at range. Quilava only has Swift to deal with Water Types, and that¡¯s not even mentioning how she only has Will-O-Wisp to deal with Rocks!¡±

    He took a moment to breathe.

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that we need variety. Things to mix up battles¡ªand I don¡¯t mean new moves. I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that we need to... experiment? See new ways your attacks and abilities can be used, and then we figure out how to apply that to battles so we have more options.¡±

    He could admit he was being a little unfair. The point of a Pok¨¦mon team was that each team member could fill in for one another¡¯s gaps. However, sometimes it wasn¡¯t possible to switch out or adjust a match-up. He wanted his team members to be specialized, but he didn¡¯t want them to be specialized at the cost of everything else.

    ¡°...We¡¯ll be working on that, soon,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°My current focus is still to get your evolutions going. We have our previous training goals, but we need to expand what we¡¯re doing if we want to make it to the higher tiers and win.¡±

    With the end of his speech, Sam focused on moving down the thin forest path. In response to his words, his team was left in silence. They drifted off into thought, each thinking on their own, until Haunter floated down to begin to have a whispered discussion with Primeape. Misdreavus frowned and asked Sam to return her. She wanted a quiet place where she could think without being disturbed.

    As for Quilava, her eyes flashed when Misdreavus disappeared. A single mote of Will-O-Wisp appeared just ahead of her nose, and she focused on it to maintain the move while causing it to shift positions and follow at her side.

    Just a bit further down the road, they soon reached their destination¡ªa small, wooden cabin built under the branches of several larger trees.

    Misdreavus had already been returned, and Primeape asked to be recalled, too. Haunter entered Sam¡¯s shadow to chat with the however-many Gastly were in there right now, but Quilava stayed out.

    She maintained that same, singular Will-O-Wisp as before.

    Sam knocked on the entrance to the cabin, and he heard a muffled voice followed by shuffling from inside. After a few seconds, a man in his mid-twenties or so opened it up. He wore a thick, square cap that covered his ears and a long shirt with loose, hanging sleeves.

    ¡°Hello?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Woah, woah! Put it out, put it out! We just had a big fire in these woods, and we don¡¯t want another one!¡±

    Quilava blinked, and her move blinked out alongside that. The man in the doorway breathed out before regaining a friendly smile.

    ¡°Sorry about that. Pryce spent enough effort keeping the fire controlled, and he can get pretty grouchy,¡± the man said. ¡°Anyway, you can call me Shin! You here for the mushroom job?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Sam said, adjusting his backpack. ¡°You put up a notice for protection? Something about a trainer escorting you deeper into the woods. I should be able to help you with that, and I have a few Pok¨¦mon great at detecting others¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hah! I knew I recognized you! Your name is Samuel, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sam stopped talking. He looked up at Shin as the man gained a wider smile.

    ¡°...Y-yes?¡± Sam answered carefully.

    Shin clapped his hands.

    ¡°Hah! Wow, I knew it! Oh man, this is so lucky! I knew a trainer would be coming out here, but I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be getting a tournament winner to protect us!¡±

    Before he could go into any more detail, Shin turned around to wave something forward. Sam could hear some scuttling, and then a second later, a mushroom the size of a toddler approached Shin, a basket with hanging straps being dragged behind it.

    ¡°Thanks, Parasect.¡±

    Shin patted his Pok¨¦mon on its top before scooping up the basket and swinging it around so it hung off his back.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s pretty late in the day, and I want to get back before it gets dark.¡±

    He marched out of his home, his crab-like Pok¨¦mon closing the door behind him. The Parasect was bright red with two large claws on its front. Its eyes were a clouded white, and it moved almost robotically as it walked across the forest floor.

    Sam hurried to catch up.

    ¡°So, uh, how do you know me, exactly?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I saw you on T.V.!¡± Shin merrily replied. ¡°We watched the finals of the Violet City Tournament. Your fight against that Psychic Type guy was great!¡±

    Shin smiled at Sam from over his shoulder, and Sam nodded, feeling a bit dazed. At this point, that tournament felt like it had taken place months ago.

    Probably because it had taken place months ago.

    Still, Sam hadn¡¯t expected to ever be recognized outside of Violet City.

    ¡°Are your other Pok¨¦mon with us?¡± Shin asked. ¡°That Haunter of yours, and then... Misdreavus?¡±

    ¡°Haunter is in my shadow, but Primeape and Misdreavus are resting in their Pok¨¦balls.¡±

    Shin nodded again, smiling. He briefly looked beneath Sam¡¯s feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s cool. I didn¡¯t know Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon could ride in a shadow like that.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Sam cleared his throat and did his best to ignore the heat he could feel in his face. ¡°I know a lot about Ghost Types. Half my team is the Ghost Type. I like the Ghost Type.¡±

    He could feel vibrations under his feet as all of the Pok¨¦mon in his shadow laughed at his embarrassment.

    ¡°Well, just from me, thanks for competing. Not many trainers out there are willing to work with the creepy and the crawly,¡± Shin said. ¡°Certainly makes Parasect more stomachable for most. Trainers like you are why it¡¯s been getting easier to sell my finds over in town.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Sam said, continuing to follow Shin as he walked down a second path that stretched away from his cabin. As they walked, the branches of the trees became denser, and more and more light was blocked from above. ¡°So... Does your Parasect battle? How dangerous does it get out here, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Shin rolled his shoulders to adjust the basket hanging on his back. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s fine in a match. Mostly just uses Spore to put anything that attacks us to sleep. I¡¯m just planning on pushing in a bit deeper today, which is why I put up that job¡ªjust in case. You don¡¯t need to worry, so close to a Route, Pok¨¦mon don¡¯t really attack if we¡¯re not going after them. I¡¯d say maybe... one in ten times we get caught in a match?¡±

    He hummed to himself, some kind of tune leaving his throat. Sam quietly wondered how much Shin talked to other people out here.

    ¡°Parasect, though, she¡¯s more of my partner for this than anything else,¡± Shin continued. ¡°Her species has a strong affinity for mushrooms, so she¡¯s one of the rare Grass Types that can encourage that kind of growth.¡±

    He went on to explain that he made his living off of gathering mushrooms, and Parasect made his life easier. He took care of her, and in exchange, she helped him find valuable species while also encouraging regrowth for future harvests.

    As they continued deeper into the woods, where the canopy overhead became thicker and thicker, Shin licked his lips while looking around carefully. He held a finger up to his mouth to signal they needed to be quieter than before, and he had Sam wait a moment to let Parasect move to the front of the group to lead the search for where rare mushrooms might be.

    ¡°How long have you been partnered?¡± Sam asked quietly. Quilava walked along his side, keeping watch, and he knew Haunter in his shadow was helping, too.

    ¡°I met her a few years ago,¡± Shin whispered. ¡°She was just a Paras back then. I made the mistake of trying to pull off her mushrooms while she was hibernating underground. Gave her some berries as an apology, and I encountered her a few times in similar situations after that. Eventually, we decided to team up, and we¡¯ve been partners ever since.¡±

    He smiled, but for some reason, it felt heavy. Like there was more to the story than Sam was hearing.

    ¡°But she¡¯s a Parasect, now. There¡¯s some obvious difficulties with that,¡± Shin said.

    Given he was here on a job, Sam was actively watching the woods. However, when he checked on Shin, he could see the man¡¯s frown.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s fine now. It¡¯s just that her species has it rough,¡± Shin said. ¡°They¡¯re called Parasect for a reason¡ªa portmanteau of ¡®parasite¡¯ and ¡®insect.¡¯ The mushroom on her back isn¡¯t exactly sentient, but it definitely has some sort of will. It draws nutrients out of her and can even force her to seek more out. In the wild, some Parasect lose themselves to their mushrooms, effectively living as nutrient zombies under their control.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... dark,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Even with most Ghost Type species, he could only think of a single other species that went through something that was maybe similar to that.

    ¡°Sure, but all a Parasect needs is just a bit of will to resist. And as long as she¡¯s eating for two, her mushroom won¡¯t be making any demands,¡± Shin said. ¡°That, and once a Parasect gets strong enough, it¡¯s basically mutualism. She feeds the mushroom, and the mushroom gives her access to Grass Type moves in exchange.¡±

    ¡°But it could still forcibly control her,¡± Sam pointed out.

    Shin shrugged.

    ¡°We do our best.¡±

    They stopped as Parasect reached the base of a tree, dug with her claws, and Shin walked over to pluck a few mushrooms out.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what species they were. Each one was small, probably about half the size of his palm, and they had orangish-red tops with splotches of yellow.

    Honestly, they looked poisonous.

    But Shin merrily tossed them into his basket and fondly patted Parasect. The insect Pok¨¦mon chittered before moving toward the next spot to harvest.

    ¡°Tiny Mushrooms,¡± Shin whispered. ¡°That¡¯s not their species, just the classification for mushrooms of that size. See, out here, there are a few different types we¡¯re looking for...¡±

    He kept talking, and Sam kept an eye out.

    Shin and Parasect stopped at a few more patches. Mushrooms grew between tree roots, in patches of dirt, and sometimes even on the trees themselves. Shin didn¡¯t often collect mushrooms this deep in the forest, and each mushroom was worth a pretty sum. He would need to find the right buyer, which was another job and a half, but this one trip was already proving valuable enough to fund his lifestyle for the next month.

    However, as they continued through the forest, Sam was familiar enough with the Ghost Type to notice the shadow that moved through the branches above.

    He stayed quiet and sent a signal to Quilava, but she had already noticed it, too. Shin didn¡¯t react in any way and kept talking about mushrooms, unaware they were being watched.

    It was a Murkrow.

    A single, black-feathered Pok¨¦mon watched them from the trees.

    Pretending to stop to check the ground, Sam pressed his hand into his shadow to get Haunter¡¯s attention.

    ¡°...but the really valuable ones are the bigger ones¡ªthey¡¯re called Big Mushrooms. I know. Clever name. A single Big Mushroom is insanely valuable to collectors and gourmets, worth up to a few...¡±

    He kept going, continuing his search.

    Above, another Murkrow moved through the trees to join the first, and Sam quietly watched another land. And then another.

    Soon, as they moved through the forest, they were surrounded by an entire flock. No matter where they went, there were at least a dozen Murkrow watching them from within the trees.

    ¡°Over there!¡±

    The sound of Shin¡¯s excited shout snapped Sam¡¯s focus away.

    ¡°Awesome! I knew a tournament winner would be a good luck charm! That¡¯s one of those Big Mushrooms I was talking about! Parasect, come help me!¡±

    Shin ran toward where a head-sized mushroom grew at the base of a tree, but above it, more shadows shifted. Something much larger than just a simple Murkrow prepared itself for Shin¡¯s approach.

    ¡°Quilava!¡± Sam shouted hurriedly. He grabbed a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Primeape, stop him!¡±

    Will-O-Wisps filled the clearing, providing enough light to let them see into the trees. Primeape appeared in a flash and leaped forward to tackle Shin into the ground.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Groaning, Shin grumbled but froze when he looked up from where he had fallen onto the ground. Sam followed the man¡¯s gaze. Directly above the Big Mushroom was a wild Ariados, the spider Pok¨¦mon hanging from a thread and staring down. Poison dripped from its fanged maw, a trap prepared for anything that foolishly moved to stand directly beneath it.

    Gasping, Shin scrambled backward to rejoin Sam and everyone else. He searched through the now lit-up trees above them, staring at all of the Murkrow that were staring right back.

    ¡°When we get back to town, I¡¯m giving you five stars.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get reviews for this.¡±

    ¡°A bonus, then.¡± Shin paused. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. Murkrow and Ariados don¡¯t work together. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Sam grimaced as the many Murkrow smirked, and one flung out its wings.

    ¡°Get ready,¡± Sam told his team.

    Less than a second later, the many Pok¨¦mon dived. The Murkrow unleashed over a dozen attacks, and the reflection of Quilava¡¯s fires burned within their eyes.

 Chapter 104

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam yelled. ¡°Darkness!¡±

    As the flock of Murkrow dived down, Sam hit the floor and covered his head with his hands. A reverberating cry came from his shadow, and the area was plunged into the pitch-black of Haunter''s Night Shade.

    Small pinpricks of light hinted at Quilava''s Will-O-Wisp, and a few of those glowing stars were snuffed out as the wild Murkrow unleashed their attacks. The cries from the flying Pok¨¦mon were muffled, and Sam could feel air currents shift above his head as Ghost Types began to float up out of the floor.

    ¡°Primeape, defend! Build up Bulk-Up! Quilava, reposition and harass for Haunter to¡ª¡±

    A sharp exhale left Sam as something latched around his gut to yank him away. Blindly, he tumbled onto his side as claws unwrapped from around him. Several thunks hit the ground where he¡¯d just been shouting.

    His stomach churned.

    We need to leave.

    ¡°Got her!¡± a voice yelled out. ¡°I managed to return Parasect to her Pok¨¦ball!¡±

    Shin¡¯s shout was followed by a surprised yelp and an annoyed grunt as Primeape pulled him back, saving him the same way Haunter had saved Sam seconds before. Caws filled the air as the angry Murkrow began to yell taunts and directions to their allies.

    Beneath it all, Sam crawled.

    Laughter echoed through the air. Adding to the chaos was the noise of Haunter¡¯s cackles coming from everywhere at once. Behind it, other, more muffled laughs joined in as Gastly from Sam¡¯s shadow chose to join Haunter¡¯s call. They served as a distraction, focusing on dodging and weaving through all the moves to lure the blind Murkrow away. Sam wriggled and moved forward, as since Night Shade was a sphere, as long as he was moving somewhere, he¡¯d eventually find his way out.

    And then, light.

    Compared to the darkness of the Night Shade, the dim light of the incoming dusk was almost blinding.

    More wild Murkrow circled Haunter¡¯s move, their angry gazes trying and failing to pierce through black marble. Sam was only halfway out of the darkness, so he stayed there to not reveal more of himself. As he tried to stay quiet, he looked around to search his surroundings, he made eye contact with a very unfortunate target.

    The dark eyes of an enormous arachnid met his own.

    ¡°Ariaa¡ª!¡±

    ¡°¡ªlava!¡±

    As the pincers of the wild Araidos¡¯s maw peeled open to make way for a barrage of dripping needles, Quilava darted over to stand in front of Sam and unleash a Flamethrower. Her move seared the Poison Sting out of the air.

    Quilava had a few scuff marks on her; some of the Murkrow¡¯s attacks had hit. Yet, in a dangerous situation like this, her flames still burned bright. The fire forced the Ariados back, and she managed to breathe in to pull her move away from the trees to prevent them from becoming alight.

    She looked back at Sam, waiting for further instructions.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Where¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Over here!¡±

    From the shadows, Shin emerged. He was being carried by Primeape, who had a vein throbbing on his head. Like how he was being carried in Primeape¡¯s arms, Shin was carrying that basket of mushrooms in his own. Within it, a Pok¨¦ball that likely contained his Parasect balanced on top.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get why this is happening, but I have to say y¡¯all are at the top of your game!¡±

    He yelped again when Primeape dropped him, and he rubbed his bruised backside. Above, a Murkrow¡¯s cry alerted the rest that Sam and everyone else had managed to escape.

    They¡¯d been dawdling for too long.

    Rushing, Sam scrambled to his feet, and Shin did the same not too far away.

    ¡°Haunter, stalk!¡± Sam yelled.

    And then they took off, racing away from the site of the ambush. Behind, Haunter dropped his Night Shade to reveal that all Ghost Types had already vanished. Blinded once more by the sudden presence of light, the Murkrow that were once lost inside the move now flew out chaotically, bumping into others and interrupting the attacks that would have otherwise been aimed at Sam and the rest.

    The flock soon steadied itself to give chase, but everyone else still had a momentary head start.

    Sam ran. Quilava easily kept up to his side. Shin and Primeape followed, with Primeape punching in the air to follow Sam¡¯s previous order of setting up with Bulk-Up.

    None of them were that fast, especially Shin, who was already out of breath. However, Quilava was able to use Quick Attack¡ªshe was yet to pick up Agility or Double Team¡ªto run ahead, breathe in for a move, and unleash clouds of smoke that helped to cover their path.

    ¡°Focus on escape! Haunter¡¯s following on defense! Primeape is our last line, and Quilava can¡ª¡±

    Sam was forced to stop speaking as he tried to catch his breath. It was hard to give orders while also running away.

    Since he¡¯d already told his Pok¨¦mon what they needed to do, he chose to run straight ahead with his whole focus on getting away. He followed paths worn by gatherers and wild Pok¨¦mon. The trails gave him a somewhat clear way forward.

    However, the Murkrow weren¡¯t giving up. They never stopped their chase. Sam knew that each of his Pok¨¦mon were stronger individually, but with so many in the flock, there was no point in trying to win a battle.

    He could feel the heat from a Fire Type move being used behind him. Quilava controlled her attack to prevent it from spreading, but that meant all it could do was serve as a warning for any Murkrow trying to rush their way. She traded damage for area, trying to lean into the fact that, out here, wild Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t have any reliable methods of healing. Faced with the potential of burns and damage, the flying Pok¨¦mon should have backed off.

    But they didn¡¯t.

    The Murkrow flew right through the flames, the scorch marks of the Flamethrower blending in with their black feathers. A cruel gleam passed over Murkrow¡¯s eyes as if the fire had done nothing but motivate them to chase even harder.

    No, they weren¡¯t going to turn around.

    They¡¯d keep chasing Sam and everyone else forever.

    He forced himself to breathe, still running, but he couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment at just how determined their attackers were.

    These are wild Pok¨¦mon! They aren¡¯t supposed to take moves so willingly? What way do they have to heal? What¡¯s even motivating them to attack us?

    Unsure what else to do, Sam kept running, and Quilava shook herself to break out of a similar surprise. One brave Murkrow pulled ahead of the flock, zipping forward toward where they ran, but Primeape spun on a heel to step to the middle of the path and take that attack head-on.

    Briefly, Sam got a flashback to Primeape¡¯s preliminary battle as a Mankey back in Olivine. However, instead of smashing a Karate Chop to the Murkrow¡¯s throat, he used the enhanced defenses of Bulk-Up to withstand the attack before rearing back to aim his fist right into its exposed stomach.

    ¡°Rage Fist!¡± Sam called out.

    The move used wasn¡¯t a Rage Fist. Primeape was yet to master that attack, so even as a vein throbbed on his head, the punch that came out ended up as just a basic Rage.

    Still, the damage was enhanced by his growing level of anger, and the Murkrow fell back after suffering from the move.

    As Primeape turned to keep running, the Murkrow tried to bring itself back into the air despite its injuries, but purple hands shot out of a nearby bush to yank it into shadow.

    Horrific, slurping noises rang out, and over his shoulder, Sam could see the chasing flock slow down.

    Haunter wasn¡¯t alone wherever he had brought the Murkrow. Whatever Gastly that were tagging along had managed to eliminate that Murkrow from this fight via a generous application of Lick.

    Thanks, Haunter.

    Unfortunately, even with one of their allies taken out of the battle, the flock of Murkrow weren¡¯t scared off. Instead, they seemed emboldened by the act, as if the threat of violence confirmed their assault was justified. Their eyes burned with malicious determination as they adjusted their path to avoid any outstretched branches or bushes. Quilava¡¯s frequent use of Smoke Screen made that difficult, and the occasional Murkrow was plucked out of the swarm by Haunter, but it still wasn¡¯t enough.

    He was only one Pok¨¦mon. Quilava could only conjure Smoke Screens every so often. There were too many Murkrow for their combined efforts to make anything other than a slight dent.

    No group of wild Pok¨¦mon should have ever acted like this.

    ¡°Over here!¡± Shin shouted. ¡°My cabin is¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sam tried to control his breathing as they continued their mad dash through the woods. ¡°It¡¯s not safe! We need to get to town!¡±

    In response, Shin readjusted his grip on his basket and nodded.

    ¡°This way, then!¡±

    He took a hard left turn through the woods, and Sam had to skid to a halt before being able to follow after him.

    With that sudden change in direction, a Smoke Screen blocked line of sight to their adjusted path, and a few of the Murkrow kept going, unaware their quarry wasn¡¯t running the same way anymore.

    The rest still followed.

    Briefly, Sam debated calling for Primeape to use Rock Slide, but that move wasn¡¯t one he was too skilled with, and it took time to use. The resulting attack might have hit one or two Murkrow, but it would have been at the cost of Primeape falling behind.

    At this point, the short passage that connected Route 43 to Mahogany Town wasn¡¯t too far ahead. However, Sam had never run so far for so long in his life, and Shin was basically unresponsive. The man could focus on running and only running as he struggled to catch his breath.

    Yet, despite how tired they were, Sam knew he still had one card up his sleeve:

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Misdreavus.

    Three out of the four members of his team had been working to hinder their attackers, but she was still in her Pok¨¦ball from when he¡¯d returned her to let her think. Sam swore he could feel just how eager she was to help out, but couldn¡¯t afford to release her just yet. Having a rested Pok¨¦mon would be key to getting through any further emergencies.

    And, that decision proved to be prescient when a dark blur dived at them from above, piercing through the canopy of the forest itself.

    Primeape shouted, lunging to the front of the group, where he pushed both Sam and Shin back.

    He stopped their run, but he also stopped them from being hit by the blur. Whatever Pok¨¦mon it was, it crashed into him, and he was sent tumbling to the side where he came to a halt against the trunk of a nearby tree.

    ¡°...Primeape?¡± Sam asked.

    He groaned, trying to steady himself. In front, a cawing laugh entered the air. From its source¡¯s body, a long, black wing stretched out to adjust plumage in the shape of a hat on the wild Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head. It puffed out its chest with a great mass of feathers, a white section of them resembling a scarf around the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s neck.

    ¡°A Honchkrow,¡± Sam said, breathing out.

    Facing them was the evolution of Murkrow.

    In Johto, Murkrow rarely ever evolved. This Pok¨¦mon had either found a Dusk Stone, or someone had evolved then released it. Alternatively¡ªthe most likely answer¡ªwas that given how wild it looked, this Pok¨¦mon was old and experienced enough to spend nights upon nights training under the moonlight. If Sam had to guess, it had spent years absorbing the right kind of energy before eventually evolving, where it had then taken control of this flock.

    ¡°...Misdreavus,¡± Sam said, releasing his final Pok¨¦mon.

    As his Ghost Type appeared in the air, Quilava turned around to face the remaining Murkrow with a newfound determination. Haunter left the shadows to join her, and a few Gastly showed up to help, too.

    The Honchkrow chuckled and gestured dismissively with its wings. With a single flap, it entered the air, demonstrating both the power and control it possessed. A commanding caw echoed out, and Sam felt the heat coming off of Quilava behind him. She and Haunter prepared themselves to defend against the coming flock.

    Sam had no doubt in his mind that this was the Murkrow¡¯s boss.

    Except, this Honchkrow might explain why the Murkrow are so organized, but it doesn¡¯t explain why they¡¯re so determined. It doesn¡¯t explain why an Ariados was helping them, either.

    It can¡¯t just be this Honchkrow. There¡¯s something else going on.

    As Sam struggled to figure out why this was happening, Honchkrow maintained its smirk and confidently snapped out its wings. Staying in the air, a strong wind blew, but Misdreavus focused, her eyes gaining a glow.

    Motes of flame, a Will-O-Wisp, sparked up around her. Darker than Quilava¡¯s, this late in the day, it cast the area under the forest¡¯s canopy into deep purple hues.

    In response to her move, Honchkrow¡¯s wings turned as black as a midnight sky, and then it dived for what would likely be an instant knock-out Night Slash. The move was strong enough to break apart the Will-O-Wisp without any burn affecting it, but Misdreavus was just barely able to let herself fall out of the air to avoid the move.

    Injured, Primeape scrambled to stand in front of Sam and Shin. The Honchkrow was forced to adjust its dive to not slam into the angry Fighting Type intent on not repeating the previous crash.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp again!¡± Sam shouted.

    Shouts came from behind him. Quilava, Haunter, and the Gastly faced the many Murkrow in an ongoing fight.

    Ahead, Misdreavus conjured even more motes of fire, which reflected off of the Honchkrow¡¯s eyes and made them gleam.

    In the face of so much heat, the Honchkrow¡¯s smirk faded. It tilted its head to lower its hat and hide its stare.

    Its scowl was one of anger.

    No, Sam realized.

    The Honchkrow¡¯s expression was one of hate.

    Once more, the Honchkrow dived through the Will-O-Wisp, not even blinking as its wings disrupted the move. The super-effective attack, aided by the move¡¯s high chance to crit, would likely see Misdreavus faint in an instant. Her expression was panicked.

    Until the Honchkrow got close.

    Then, she smirked.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    So used to Will-O-Wisp, the wild Honchkrow wasn¡¯t prepared for her to suddenly switch strategies. Her eyes flashed, and a Confuse Ray struck the Honchkrow right under its hat, piercing the center of its forehead.

    It squawked in surprise, its attack missing and carrying it into a tree. A painful thud rang out, and it hit the ground, looking around in a daze after that impact.

    ¡°We can go,¡± Sam said quickly. With the Honchkrow fainted, he could finally tell his team to abandon their losing battle and continue to flee.

    ¡°Wait! But we¡¯re in the perfect position!¡±

    Shin then dug through his mushrooms to pull out Parasect¡¯s Pok¨¦ball and release his Pok¨¦mon in front of him.

    ¡°Spore!¡± Shin yelled.

    ¡°They have Insomnia,¡± Sam quickly informed him.

    ¡°Stun Spore, I mean!¡± Shin shouted in an attempt to change Parasect¡¯s move.

    Thankfully, Parasect was able to adjust her attack. Her mushroom vibrated, and from within and underneath, yellow spores puffed out. Floating through the air, they coated the confused Honchkrow and made it hack.

    Spore was more powerful and would have lasted longer, but given this wild Pok¨¦mon had evolved, they couldn''t risk the chance it had managed to train its Insomnia, an ability that made it immune to sleep.

    Stun Spore, instead, caused a Pok¨¦mon to lock up in the equivalent of paralysis. Unlike the chill of Lick or the lingering electricity of Thunder Wave, Stun Spore¡¯s paralysis was inflicted via an allergenic effect.

    Still suffering from Misdreavus¡¯s confusion, Honchkrow sneezed, and it struggled to do much else as its body became locked up with the spore-inflicted reaction. A few more shouts later, and the battle against the rest of the flock died down as another cloud of spores caused the remaining Murkrow to lock up.

    ¡°Told you Parasect was good at using spores,¡± Shin said, smiling.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have done this at the beginning?¡± Sam asked flatly.

    He laughed.

    ¡°Ha ha! Um... maybe? I panicked!¡± Shin said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.

    Sam sent the man a flat look before returning what injured Pok¨¦mon he could. Misdreavus was the only one still out as he took off running, and as he left the bounds of the forest, he could feel the hateful stares of the many paralyzed Dark Types burning into his back.

    <hr>

    Shin stopped at a Pok¨¦mon Ranger outpost located at the edge of town. He stayed there to give the local Rangers a rundown of what was going on, and Sam continued to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    When he arrived, it was crowded. Specifically, the place was absolutely packed.

    As far as he could tell, just about every trainer that was in or near the city was here. Questions and requests for healing were repeatedly shouted at the sole nurse on duty.

    ¡°Please, if you have any large Pok¨¦mon out, return them unless you can hold them in your arms!¡± she yelled.

    Sam could hear the distinctive sound of Pok¨¦balls being used, but the place was so packed that it hardly made any difference.

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Redi managed to push through the crowd to reach him. People were more willing to let someone move away from the counter than to let someone move closer.

    ¡°Are you alright? A bunch of people were attacked!¡±

    She had to yell just to let him hear her voice above the crowd.

    ¡°They were Murkrow!¡± Sam responded. ¡°A flock of Murkrow chased after us! Other than just general exhaustion, Primeape was hurt by a Honchkrow, but Misdreavus managed to ward it off!¡±

    Redi sighed in relief. After a bit of awkward shuffling and maneuvering through the crowd, they managed to reach the corner of the room, where they were a bit more isolated and able to talk.

    ¡°I was out back when the first person came in,¡± Redi said. ¡°Apparently, a group of Spinarak tried to web up him and his Pok¨¦mon. Right after, another person said they were attacked by a swarm of Ekans, another said they were attacked by Pidgey and Pidgeotto, and then someone else was attacked by a single, very angry Girafarig?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Something is going on. Not everyone here had wild Pok¨¦mon going after them, but things like this just don¡¯t happen. People are freaking out.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°There aren''t any land routes on Dewford. Has stuff like this happened before?¡±

    Redi frowned.

    ¡°I mean, Pok¨¦mon can get aggressive after natural disasters, but that¡¯s usually just stress? Except when that happens, wild Pok¨¦mon still only attack when they feel trapped. I¡¯ve never heard about so many wild Pok¨¦mon going after people like this. There¡¯s something else causing this.¡±

    Sam recalled Shin mentioning a forest fire, but there was a Gym right here in town. Pryce specialized in Ice Types and wouldn¡¯t have let it spread far. At most, the forest fire would have been intense but otherwise contained.

    But then why are so many Pok¨¦mon attacking like this? That still shouldn¡¯t be enough to make them this aggressive.

    Shouts continued to ring out and, somehow, more people squeezed in. The nurse was assaulted by countless requests for healing, questions, or just desires for advice. Some people stopped trying to get a response through the chaos, and as the noise died down somewhat, Sam looked around.

    Most of the faces here were worried. Others were seriously concerned. This ¡°late¡± in the season, trainers on their journeys were generally more experienced, but having an entire route turn this aggressive was unprecedented.

    ¡°Hold on.¡± Sam paused when he saw someone he recognized. ¡°Xavier¡¯s here.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t seen the other boy since Azalea Town. Sam stared at Xavier, who was having a hushed conversation with two other people.

    The last time we met, we faced a ghost together. Well, it was more that we fought a ghost, and Xavier was only there because I was rude and made a bet that forced him to come along.

    Sam felt his stomach churn again. There was too much going on.

    ¡°Should I go over? Should I talk to him? Or should I just¡ª¡±

    A voice pierced the air.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡±

    Nurse Joy¡¯s shout silenced the room. In just two words, she gathered the attention of every single trainer here.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She sighed out, relieved.

    Her head then poked above the crowd as she stepped onto a stool and quietly thanked a Chansey beside her.

    ¡°From the reports I''ve been given, I can confirm a trend of unusually aggressive Pok¨¦mon on Route 43 and around the Lake of Rage. We have several Pok¨¦mon in care suffering injuries from those attacks, but I can gladly say none are in critical condition. However, with so many people in the Pok¨¦mon Center, I will ask for you to wait and only hand over Pok¨¦mon if they need to be treated.¡±

    Primeape had suffered an attack from the Honchkrow, but it wasn¡¯t anything more serious than the damage from a strong move. Sam could treat him with a Potion and hand him over once things had calmed down.

    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if other trainers went through worse.

    ¡°...Yes. Thank you. Please, give me one moment to take Pok¨¦mon in need before I get to the rest of the announcements,¡± Nurse Joy said.

    A few trainers were able to move to the front counter now that a semblance of calm filled the room. However, an unmistakable tension lingered in the air.

    ¡°...So a Honchkrow, huh?¡± Redi whispered.

    ¡°It led the flock, but it was still a wild Pok¨¦mon. Misdreavus tricked it pretty well.¡±

    Redi smirked, but her expression quickly schooled itself as she looked around the room.

    She and Sam waited in silence until Nurse Joy finished taking in the Pok¨¦mon that required healing.

    ¡°Okay.¡± The nurse returned to her elevated position on her stool. ¡°Now that the Pok¨¦mon that need to be treated are being treated, I have a few more announcements to make. Primarily, I will say that there is no need to worry. The League is sending its best Pok¨¦mon Rangers to assist, and Gym Leader Pryce is keeping a close eye on the situation to see if he needs to step in.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he helping now!?¡± someone shouted.

    Others grumbled in agreement.

    ¡°Problems primarily involving wild Pok¨¦mon are handled by Pok¨¦mon Rangers,¡± Nurse Joy said. ¡°But be assured, Pryce will step in if his expertise is needed.¡±

    People murmured among themselves at that, and Nurse Joy took a second to breathe. Her pink hair stuck out here and there, and she looked to be among the younger head nurses Sam had seen.

    The Nurse Joy in Violet City had at least a decade of experience over her.

    ¡°Additionally,¡± Nurse Joy continued, ¡°due to the ongoing mission, Route 43 and the Lake of Rage are too dangerous for any unapproved trainers. Those routes will be closed off, and any listed jobs taking place north of the city will be suspended until further¡ª¡±

    Yells.

    Her announcement was cut off by a fury of shouts.

    Jobs were the primary source of income for most trainers without sponsors. With so many suddenly being taken down at once, it¡¯d suddenly become much harder for most of the trainers here to get the funds they needed¡ªespecially with such a large number of trainers having been unexpectedly forced to return to town.

    As the shouts went on, more and more people joined the cacophony of anger. Sam glanced over to Xavier to see the other boy was now standing at the room¡¯s edge with his arms crossed. Still standing on the front counter, Nurse Joy stumbled over her words, trying and failing to get the crowd in order. Her voice grew more and more panicked until a single word pierced through the air.

    ¡°CHANSEY!¡±

    The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s cry made Sam shiver.

    As the room fell deathly silent, a pink blob huffed next to the nurse. Nurse Joy breathed out, patted her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head, and looked around the crowd once more.

    ¡°Have some shame,¡± she said, making eye contact with almost every trainer here. ¡°As a Pok¨¦mon Center nurse, it is my sworn duty to ensure the health of both Pok¨¦mon and trainer. As it stands, the sheer number of aggressive Pok¨¦mon means that Route 43 is far too dangerous for anyone without explicit League approval to visit. Before you get upset at the lack of jobs, take a moment to think about what heading there would mean. Is a little bit of money really worth risking your Pok¨¦mon? Do you want to see your friends get injured just to make some cash, or worse, do you really want them to witness you getting injured on their behalf?¡±

    People stayed quiet for the most part, but a few mumbled soft apologies. Hearing that, Nurse Joy nodded with a satisfied huff.

    She then smoothed out her hair now that the crowd had been sufficiently cowed.

    ¡°Good. Now then. Until the Pok¨¦mon have calmed down, please stay in Mahogany Town or limit your work to the eastern Route 44. With my authority as this Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s head nurse, I¡¯ll also be putting up a few supplementary jobs to help out around town and spread the message¡ª¡±

    People started to rush the counter again, but this time, their movement was far more constrained. Seeing so many people approach her, ready to help out, Nurse Joy quickly finished by promising it would be over soon before settling down to talk to the people willing to take her proposed tasks.

    Sam watched Xavier join them, and the older boy took a stack of paper and moved to walk out. He grabbed the Pok¨¦ball that likely contained his Noctowl, stopping briefly when he made eye contact with Sam.

    Xavier paused, blinked, and then sent Sam a respectful nod before stepping outside.

    Redi nudged Sam¡¯s elbow.

    ¡°I told you that you jinxed it back in Ice Path,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Oh, come on! This isn¡¯t my fault!¡± Sam shoved his arms into a cross. ¡°There¡¯s always something happening somewhere. I bet if you ask around, there¡¯s at least a few other people who have been through as much trouble as us!¡±

    Redi snickered at Sam¡¯s annoyance, and as he glared at her, she stuck her tongue out. However, with the ongoing threat of overly aggressive Pok¨¦mon on the northern routes, her amused expression soon fell.

    There was little to laugh about given what was going on.

    The reduced number of jobs is going to make earning money a bit harder, and people are probably going to be less willing to bet on battles without the chance to earn more later. This might put a strain on our budget, but we should be fine with how much I have saved up.

    As long as this doesn¡¯t last too long.

    It helped that Redi was willing to assist with funds, as she was receiving money from Mr. Pok¨¦mon every week. Also, only half of Sam¡¯s team needed to eat. Haunter and Misdreavus only consumed the occasional berry as a light snack.

    But with all of this going on, Pryce might get caught up dealing with whatever¡¯s going on. Are we going to be able to take on the Gym?

    It was a selfish thought he pushed away. Really, he scolded himself for thinking it.

    As he and Redi continued to linger off to the side, trainers ran in and out of the Pok¨¦mon Center, carrying packages and delivering messages. Others joined together on the couches to talk or moved to the field out back. At one point, a woman in a teal snow coat entered the room, looked around, and moved straight toward the nurse. Sam was pretty sure she was a trainer who worked for the Gym.

    At this point, Sam had only been in Mahogany Town for a few days, but he already felt exhausted. He and his team seriously needed to rest.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hang out here until there¡¯s a lull that¡¯d let my Pok¨¦mon get healed,¡± Sam said. ¡°What about you? Any other plans tonight?¡±

    ¡°I might train some more. Maybe people want to battle to work off the stress. But... we¡¯ve also already battled a bunch today. I might just sit.¡±

    Redi shrugged. Sam watched as the crowd slowly filtered out. People were stressed, but they were willing to wait. A strange and tense calmness entered the air.

    ¡°Helping wild Pok¨¦mon is a Pok¨¦mon Ranger¡¯s job. And Pryce will step in if that¡¯s not enough,¡± Sam said. ¡°Even if they don¡¯t take care of things right away, it should be calmer tomorrow morning. I guess all we can do is sit back and wait.¡±

 Chapter 105

    There was no news in the morning. Rather, a tense but sullen air followed the Pok¨¦mon trainers that loitered in town. Hushed whispers spread among them, consisting of questions that asked how and why this all sparked up.

    No one had answers.

    Sam at least had hints.

    The flock of Murkrow that had chased him had been way too motivated in their attacks. The Honchkrow that led those Pok¨¦mon had far too intense of a hatred in its eyes. Something had to have happened to encourage all those wild Pok¨¦mon to attack, and something was out there that actively guided that shared anger.

    There was no way that the Honchkrow had organized all of this on its own. That felt especially true when Sam thought about how more than just Murkrow were involved.

    Of course, the hints he possessed didn¡¯t provide any answers outside of the idea that there was maybe something behind all these attacks. The local Pok¨¦mon Rangers were yet to solve the problem, as a problem this widespread meant they needed to take their time. With so many different Pok¨¦mon going after so many different travelers, the Rangers had to stay cautious to stay safe. That need for cautiousness doubled when considering how Pokemon from off-route¡ªmore than just that Honchkrow¡ªhad been involved in the attacks.

    Trying to get past the lingering nerves in the air, most trainers here resorted to their namesake¡ªtraining. When at odds with what to do, Pok¨¦mon trainers most often tended to train. When Sam left the Pok¨¦mon Center to do exactly that, he found that the rear, exterior field was almost entirely packed.

    Trainers and their Pokemon covered the field, so group exercise was out of the question. Thankfully, Sam was at least able to find one spot that allowed him to work one-on-one.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± he said, and Primeape grunted to reply. ¡°Try using it again. I don''t want us falling back on Rage when we need a stronger move.¡±

    The memory of a certain moment in the forest yesterday visibly stung at Primeape. Sam had called for a Rage Fist, but all Primeape had managed to do was unleash a basic Rage.

    He tried to bring that frustration to the forefront of his mind. A thick vein throbbed on Primeape¡¯s head, and he drew back an arm while narrowing his eyes.

    Unfortunately, something was missing. Primeape¡¯s attack was strong, but it lacked the requisite Ghost Type energy. His fist struck empty air, the move containing a powerful force and the default Normal Type energy but nothing else past that.

    Primeape slumped, then he roared and swung for another punch. This time, however, he let his move carry him forward, where the momentum saw him collapse onto the ground with his anger turning to disappointment.

    ¡°We know you can use it after setting up with Curse, but we need a way for you to gather that energy on your own,¡± Sam said, kneeling next to his Pokemon to try to comfort him. When speaking, he made sure to keep his words unspecific to not reveal Rage Fist to anyone listening in. ¡°I can also tell that you''re definitely getting angry enough, but maybe it''s the wrong kind of anger? We want you to use Ghost Type energy alongside it. Maybe we need a change of mindset¡ªhow are you sourcing your anger when you use your move?¡±

    To Sam¡¯s question, a dark expression flashed over Primeape¡¯s face.

    Not anything happy, then. But probably not anything that relies on his species¡¯s passive anger, either.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯ll just keep working on your control until you get it. Your species is all about utilizing your inherent rage, so we just have to figure out how to tap into it in just the right way. We can''t have you lost in it either; you need to be in complete control.¡±

    Sam patted his Pokemon on the head and sent Primeape a smile. The Fighting Type huffed and pushed up to his feet, leaning back to stare at the sky.

    Primeape knew how to use Rage Fist. He had the skill and familiarity needed for the attack¡¯s technique. However, he could only manage to gather the needed Ghost Type energy after a use of Curse. That¡¯d change once he evolved, but he needed to master Rage Fist, not just know it, if he wanted to reach his next form.

    ¡°Maybe Redi¡¯s up for some sparring. We can ask her once she¡¯s back,¡± Sam mumbled.

    Unfortunately, she was out right now. She left a while ago to do laps around Mahogany Town, sprinting with her Pokemon to build both speed and stamina.

    ¡°Sam.¡±

    Continuing his exercises, Primeape paused mid-punch, his hair suddenly standing on its ends as he glared at the uncomfortably familiar voice that came from behind Sam. Sam cautiously turned around, and he blinked when he was met with an outstretched arm and a plastic card held in hand.

    Xavier pushed his trainer ID forward once more, emphasizing how he was presenting it to Sam.

    ¡°Xavier?¡± Sam was too confused for a proper greeting. ¡°You¡¯re giving me your trainer ID?¡±

    The other boy scoffed.

    ¡°No,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Look at it. I want you to look at it.¡±

    The plastic card was about as expected, stating Xavier''s name, ID number, and a few other bits of personal information. It included his region of origin¡ªJohto¡ªas well as the date on which he first registered as a trainer.

    But, more importantly, a certain mark on the card¡¯s upper right corner caught Sam''s attention. It was the same mark that was on his own, the one that had been applied after he had won in Morty¡¯s Gym.

    ¡°You''re approved to take on ghosts,¡± Sam stated.

    His eyes lingered on the ghost-shaped mark on Xavier¡¯s ID.

    Nodding, Xavier pulled his card back, taking out a metal badge case to slide his ID card back in. The whole time, Primeape glowered at him next to Sam. They hadn¡¯t exactly got off on the right foot, and Primeape¡¯s species was known to hold a grudge.

    ¡°I am,¡± Xavier said once he put his badge case back away.

    ¡°How?¡± Sam breathed.

    ¡°I did my research. I looked up historical encounters. I trained Noctowl, I applied, and after that...¡±

    He didn''t need to finish his statement. He might not have been a Ghost Type specialist, but he apparently had both the skill and experience to pick up the gaps. With whatever he had, Xavier had been approved for the same kind of work expected of Sam as a Ghost Type specialist¡ªhe had the League¡¯s approval to assist with real ghosts.

    ¡°But surely there¡¯s no way you were approved with just one Pok¨¦mon, right? Right?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Yeah, sure, Noctowl can reveal ghosts, but is that really enough? Poliwhirl, Yanma, Donphan... What other Pok¨¦mon do you have that can help out?¡±

    Xavier frowned as Sam stood up. He turned away to stare out at the crowd of other trainers here.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It''s not just Noctowl.¡± It sounded as if Xavier had to fight just to admit that. ¡°Noctowl can reveal ghosts, and my team can fight them. But when it comes to locating them...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Ghosts are dense with negative emotions,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I have a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s capable of sensing them. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±

    Sam awkwardly shuffled from side to side. Xavier¡¯s stare made it clear he didn¡¯t want to elaborate. But, more than that, Xavier was both taller and at least a year older than him. Both of them had grown since the last time they¡¯d met, but just being next to Xavier made Sam feel small.

    Young, specifically.

    Sam cleared his throat, stepping back from the field to give the other trainers here more space to train. For a while, he and Xavier silently watched all of the other trainers practice with their Pok¨¦mon. Whenever Sam checked to his side, Xavier¡¯s expression was utterly unreadable.

    ¡°H-How¡¯s your journey going?¡± Sam eventually asked, voice cracking at the start.

    I want to punch myself in the face.

    Thankfully, Xavier smirked at the question.

    ¡°I have seven badges, with my victory over Pryce being my most recent. We have only Clair left to defeat, and once we clear our final Gym, we¡¯ll be spending the rest of the season training.¡± Xavier paused. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°We have six!¡± Sam stood taller despite the lower number. ¡°But that¡¯s just because we haven¡¯t taken on Pryce yet. We already defeated Clair. My Pok¨¦mon and I managed to take her on in a double battle and win!¡±

    Dragon Types were strong, and Clair rarely, if ever, accepted challengers with five or fewer Gym Badges. Xavier raised an eyebrow, almost impressed, and Sam felt as though he¡¯d just won in a Gym right here and now.

    ¡°So Chuck will be your last Gym Leader,¡± Xavier stated.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how it turned out. We¡¯re looping around so Redi can face Ecruteak Gym again, and then we¡¯ll continue back to Olivine to take a boat to Cianwood from there.¡±

    Xavier¡¯s route through the region had been slightly different, as trainers¡¯ paths tended to branch out around Ecruteak and Violet City. Xavier and Sam had followed the same path to Violet City, but after taking on Walker¡¯s Gym, Xavier had traveled west instead of east to return to Goldenrod and get on a boat that took him to Cianwood.

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said, listening to Xavier explain the path of his journey so far. ¡°So even after all of that, you only have five Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± and Xavier sounded somewhat annoyed about that. ¡°I¡¯m still looking for my sixth, which I hope to catch before taking on Clair. But since I¡¯m so ahead of the schedule, I¡¯ll have plenty of time to catch up anyone who joins.¡±

    Sam nodded. A few more seconds of uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

    ¡°Clair¡¯s difficult,¡± he eventually said. ¡°Dragon Types aren¡¯t to be underestimated.¡±

    ¡°Same goes for Chuck¡¯s Fighting Types and Pryce¡¯s Ice Types. Type advantage isn¡¯t everything.¡±

    Sam nodded again, unsure how to respond.

    He and Xavier stood there for a few more minutes, neither of them speaking any words. Eventually, Xavier snorted. The smirk on his face made him look as amused as Sam felt awkward.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯re both on track to earn all of our badges. I¡¯ll see you in the Conference. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah!¡± Sam said. ¡°You too!¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    But to that, Xavier just shook his head and walked off. Once he was gone, Sam fought to not collapse on the ground.

    ¡°...Ape,¡± Primeape grunted, barely holding back his amusement.

    ¡°Oh, shut up, you. I¡¯m not awkward! I¡¯m just... better with Pok¨¦mon. And books! Am I really supposed to carry every conversation perfectly? That was fine! I¡¯m fine!¡±

    Primeape started to laugh, and his mocking smirk was visible even through his fur. Sam just rolled his eyes with a groan as he returned his Pok¨¦mon. Then, he marched back inside.

    <hr>

    ¡°Ah, Samuel? You have a message waiting for you.¡±

    Sam blinked at the nurse behind the Pok¨¦mon Center counter. While this place was packed, there wasn¡¯t anywhere near the same level of rush to heal Pok¨¦mon as there had been the night before. Everyone in need had already been treated, and the local Pok¨¦mon Rangers hadn¡¯t made a large-scale push yet. Plus, with the current feeling in the air, the trainers still here wanted to keep things simple to not risk any major injuries.

    So as Sam passed over his team to let them be checked over, Nurse Joy slid him a printed note retrieved from a slot in her desk.

    ¡°This is the message?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, this is just the notice of it. Someone left you a recording on our video phones. Just go up to an empty one, hit the pound button, and enter the code written on the paper,¡± she explained. ¡°Now then, thank you for visiting the Pok¨¦mon Center! We hope to see you again!¡±

    She bowed her head before looking over Sam¡¯s shoulder at the next person in line. Sam tilted his head back and stepped away. Reading over the printed card, he was able to check its information. It contained both the time the call came in¡ªonly a short while ago¡ªas well as the original phone number.

    His breath caught in his throat when he realized the message was from Morty.

    Moving quicker, he jogged over to the back section containing the Center¡¯s video phones and quickly located a free one for him to use. Around him, plastic dividers isolated him from the noise of other trainers making calls, and he followed the nurse¡¯s instructions to enter the code to see the message left from the call.

    A flash.

    The screen turned on, and Sam was met with the image of Morty¡¯s familiar face.

    The Gym Leader held a wired phone up to his ear, and he smiled at a camera in a very forcibly polite way.

    Not good or bad news, then. Just passing on information?

    The recorded video began to play, and Sam paid close attention to Morty¡¯s words.

    ¡°Hello, Sam. This call is mostly a formality. I¡¯m leaving you this message as part of the deal we made in exchange for your favor. I don¡¯t have any new, explicit locations of ghosts, but I do have news of one that might be found near you.¡±

    There was a pause on the screen as Morty rocked his jaw back and forth. He looked visibly uncomfortable as he took a moment to consider his next words.

    Sam felt his heartbeat speed up in his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the Pok¨¦mon attacks going on north of Mahogany. The Rangers there are still gathering information, which is being passed along to League analysts and trainers like me. These kinds of attacks are somewhat common after natural disasters, but they¡¯re never on such a grand scale. The leading explanation is that there¡¯s something organizing all of this. Primarily, they¡¯re trying to assess the possibility that these attacks are being caused by something like a ghost, and...¡±

    Morty sighed. As the Gym Leader rubbed his head, Sam finally noticed the dark bags under the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a strong possibility,¡± Morty said, speaking with an obvious reluctance in his voice, ¡°that the one organizing all of these attacks is a ghost¡ªa Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon, I mean. This might be the opportunity you''re looking for, but¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself, going quiet again.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a real ghost, then it¡¯s exactly what you need, but I have a gut feeling that it¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon,¡± Morty said quietly. ¡°Given what I know you¡¯re searching for, I¡¯d wager there¡¯s a decent chance that helping it will also help Quilava, but... it¡¯s risky.

    ¡°What I mean by that is, you haven¡¯t yet encountered a truly aggressive ghost.¡± Frowning, he leaned back in his seat. ¡°Well, there was that one back in Ecruteak, but you had my protection, so you didn¡¯t need to fight it. This? It¡¯s dangerous. Ghosts and Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon lash out when enraged. This one won¡¯t have anything it¡¯s protecting. It won¡¯t have any reason to hold back. If I had to describe it¡ªand I¡¯m an expert with this kind of stuff, remember¡ªI¡¯d say these attacks match the pattern of something seeking out vengeance.¡±

    Sam stayed silent. There was no point in responding; this was a recorded message. But more than that, he¡¯d only seen Morty look this serious only a handful of times before.

    ¡°I hate to say it,¡± Morty said, eventually continuing, ¡°but I also think this is your best chance at an evolution if nothing else has worked. Except I know you. You¡¯re going to want to take it on, and there¡¯s very little I can do to stop you without going against the favor you cashed in. And even if I did do something to stop you, you¡¯d just find a way around it, so...¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°Be careful. Keep in mind that whatever this is dangerous. If a single Pokemon is behind all these attacks, there¡¯ll be a reason it¡¯s so angry, and there¡¯ll be a reason so many Pokemon are willing to obey its commands. This is a Pokemon that wants to hurt people, and I don¡¯t want you to get hurt chasing an evolution. Whatever you do, stay cautious, but also remember that it doesn¡¯t have to be you. It¡¯d be painful to pass this opportunity up, but the League has its people searching for ways to help. You can always let them handle this Pokemon themselves, but you¡¯re also...¡±

    Morty smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re also you, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    From there, Morty sent his well-wishes to both Sam and his Pokemon before quickly leaning forward and hanging up the call. The screen paused on an image of the Gym Leader stretching an arm toward the camera to turn everything off before the screen went back.

    The phone booth was plunged into silence.

    Sam was left with a lot to think about.

    ¡°Sounds like this is going to be difficult,¡± a voice suddenly said behind his head.

    And to that, Sam jumped in his seat, causing Redi to burst into laughter.

    ¡°Sorry! Came back right when I saw you walking to the phones. Dragonair and Ursaring are getting healed. I managed to catch almost that entire thing.¡±

    He glared at her before sighing, turning back to the screen.

    ¡°Yeah. Just.... ugh. What Morty said fits into what I was thinking. There¡¯s definitely something behind this. I just didn¡¯t think it might have been a Ghost Type, but this level of retaliation fits, I guess.¡±

    Redi hummed, and when she next spoke, she lowered her voice so that only Sam could hear.

    ¡°So then do you think helping this Ghost Type will be enough?¡±

    ¡°Calming it down? Maybe,¡± Sam said. ¡°But Morty¡¯s right. If he thinks this might carry the chance, then I do too. It¡¯s going to be dangerous, but we can¡¯t afford to pass this up.¡±

    She nodded, crossing her arms and leaning back, using one of the booth¡¯s dividers to keep herself upright.

    ¡°You have my help,¡± Redi said.

    Sam weighed his options.

    ¡°How good is Porygon¡¯s Teleport?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Getting better.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± he replied. ¡°If we can use that to escape, then I think... I think we¡¯ll be able to gather information before coming to any decision, first.¡±

    <hr>

    Of course, gathering information meant doing something really stupid. Sam recognized it was stupid. Redi recognized it was stupid. Their Pok¨¦mon recognized it was stupid.

    But they were going to do it anyway.

    The only reason Sam could even entertain this thought was because Porygon knew Teleport. If they got into danger, they wouldn¡¯t need to fight. They¡¯d just need to last a single second, and then Porygon could bring them away to let them escape.

    The plan Sam and Redi hashed out was simple; under the cover of dusk, they¡¯d leave town and enter the closed-off northern routes. From there, Sam would search. Not for the Ghost Type responsible, but for whatever had caused it to turn so aggressive.

    But he didn¡¯t plan to step onto that dangerous Route completely blind. When he had the chance, he left the Pok¨¦mon Center that afternoon to talk to Shin. The mushroom collector was staying at an inn on the northern side of town. He and his Parasect had decided to treat this forced time away from home as some kind of vacation.

    ¡°Changes on the Route? Hm. I already told the Pok¨¦mon Rangers everything I knew, but let¡¯s see...¡± The man hummed as he nursed a drink. ¡°It¡¯s really just that forest fire from a bit ago. Can¡¯t think of anything else that¡¯s happened in the past few weeks.¡±

    ¡°Can you show me where it was on this map?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Sure. Wasn¡¯t even too far away,¡± Shin replied.

    When it was dark, Sam and Redi left the Pok¨¦mon Center as if nothing was wrong before running to reach the north side of town. There, instead of passing through the gap that led to Route 43, they moved off to its side, and Dragonair picked up Porygon in her mouth and flew over the surrounding, steep hills.

    Under the cover of the falling night, no one noticed her, and after a few minutes, she came back still carrying Porygon. Redi hugged Dragonair in thanks before whispering an order to Porygon that saw them disappear and then reappear on the hills¡¯ northern side.

    Then, they ran.

    Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were Ghost Types, which were perfect for hiding them at night. Night Shade could turn the area around them pitch-black, but instead, Sam had Misdreavus and Haunter maintain an area of dim light. The move helped disguise their group while also serving to muffle any noise. It was hard to see at times, but making this area hard to see went in both directions. It¡¯d take a concerted effort for anyone to notice their group through the visual noise of the forest.

    Tibia and Fibula helped out, guiding them through a winding path northward that let them stay clear of any danger. Even the most mundane of Pok¨¦mon was avoided. There was no sense in risking any fight, no matter how ¡°easy¡± it might have been.

    Neither Sam nor Redi talked as they ran. The two of them pushed aside any of their usual banter in favor of staying perfectly silent. They weren¡¯t supposed to be here, and for a good reason at that.

    Still, they were much more prepared this time around than the last time they went somewhere they weren¡¯t supposed to be.

    Over several hours, they ran through the woods, eventually slowing to a determined hike. With how careful they moved and with how twisting their path was, it was slow-going, but they eventually reached where Shin had mentioned that fire.

    To Sam, no other location made sense. If this was the only place there¡¯d been a major event recently, this had to be what caused the Ghost Type¡¯s need for vengeance. Even if they found nothing here, searching this place would at least tell Sam that they needed to figure out a different approach.

    No matter what, Sam promised himself he¡¯d make sure Quilava could evolve. He was prepared to take even greater risks if it meant a guaranteed evolution into Hisuian Typhlosion.

    So, searching around, eventually, he could see it; the location of the fire Shin mentioned. Between the trees, the canopy vanished, and a harsh divide saw the forest turn into a series of blackened, ashen pillars.

    A graveyard.

    Like spikes stabbing out of the ground, the charred remains of trees stretched toward the clear night sky above them. Bare branches reached out, grasping at the stars like empty, skeletal hands.

    There were no bushes. No foliage. No fallen branches or anything else littering the ground. This part of the forest was motionless and still.

    Even within concrete buildings, Sam had never been anywhere that contained such a lack of life.

    ¡°It¡¯s... dead,¡± Redi whispered.

    Though her voice was quiet, it felt like a scream within the silence of these burned woods.

    ¡°Forest fires do that,¡± Sam said. ¡°This place is just... gone.¡±

    Except¡ª

    Is one forest fire really enough to cause Pok¨¦mon to be so aggressive?

    Sam continued forward, moving to the front of their group. Misdreavus ended up leaving his shadow to float beside him. Her own expression turned grim with shadows that passed over her eyes. As she looked around, her face was more than just unhappy. She looked at the dead trees with disgust, as if the sight stirred up bad memories.

    Soon, they reached another divide, one that was more than just a sudden lack of green between trees. The scattered, darkened trunks opened up into a wide space that must have once been a grove.

    Here, the earth was still. Silence so deep filled the air with an intensity that made Sam feel it in his bones. When he breathed in, it was warm, as if the memory of the past fire remained.

    As he looked around, Redi nudged his arm to gather his attention. He almost missed it because of the darkness, but in the middle of the clearing was a stump.

    It wasn¡¯t a small one with a smooth surface, created from the efforts of a felling axe. No, this stump was wide enough to have once been a grand tree, but that tree had collapsed in on itself and turned to ash, leaving behind a broken, jagged stump that barely went past their heads.

    This is...

    Sam could picture it. A terrible heat that consumed a tree that stood above the rest. The forest, alight, burned in the wake of its death. It might have just been a tree, but with how empty this space was, it must have been massive. Its absence here helped explain to him just how much of a tragedy its death had been.

    But if it was so large, how big was it? Could Pok¨¦mon have lived in it? How many, then?

    An entire home, turned to ash. With a single fire, it vanished from the forest forevermore.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi whispered again. ¡°I think... I think we¡¯re in the center of the fire. The dead trees go out about equally in every direction. I think it started here.¡±

    He stayed quiet. It felt wrong to speak right now.

    Staring at the dead, blackened stump, Sam took a step forward, but Misdreavus suddenly turned around and hissed her name.

    ¡°Drea.¡±

    She stared out into the woods. Her slowly waving hair now stood straight on its ends.

    Sam grabbed Quilava¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, and Redi grabbed one of her own. However, though she initially reached for Ursaring¡¯s, her grip quickly switched over to grab Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball instead.

    ¡°Something¡¯s here,¡± Sam said.

    He began to cautiously step away, moving back from the line of trees and toward the stump in the middle. Redi followed, and Misdreavus stayed out. A few of the wild Gastly that had wandered away from Sam now returned, hurriedly diving into his shadow as if in panic.

    Through the silence of the night, branches creaked around them. Shadows unknown to Sam shifted between the trees.

    The dead forest came alive. Hot and cold mixed together in a swirl that made Sam sweat.

    Then, he saw it.

    A red eye.

    Singular.

    Malicious.

    Burning.

    Once he noticed it, it noticed him. The eye stared back with what was unquestionably hate.

    It had appeared in the center of a tree in which it had been slumbering, and the entire tree moved as it forced itself awake. Withered bark and dried branches cracked to take on a new form. Bits of its body shook off ash as it pulled parts of itself in and down toward the ground.

    The tree was no longer just a tree. A brambled scowl broke open, tearing across its face.

    A howl was carried in the wind, though no breeze blew. In the distance, a flock of Pok¨¦mon cawed and left the trees. Shapes from the surrounding forest began to race their way.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Redi whispered.

    The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s sole eye smoldered. The only reason it wasn¡¯t attacking was because it had just woken up. Allies were coming to assist it. It didn¡¯t need to commit just yet.

    It glared, and Sam felt as though its gaze pierced through his chest.

    Redi might not have known what species this Pokemon was, but Sam certainly did. He had spent way too long memorizing all possible Ghost Types to not be able to identify them by heart. More than that, the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s notes had already confirmed this species¡¯s presence in the region, and its entry in the New Pok¨¦dex had been interesting enough.

    Sam knew what Pokemon it was.

    He spoke its name for Redi to hear.

    ¡°Trevenant.¡±

    A Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon, part Grass, known for protecting the forests they lived in while being unforgiving to those that did them harm.

    As Sam said its name, a hissing noise left the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s throat. A grin crept onto the wild Trevenant¡¯s face, with wood snapping to take on that cruel, hateful shape.

    Sam understood why Morty had warned him. This was a Ghost Type, but this was a Ghost Type that wanted to inflict pain. There wasn¡¯t the same joy in its eye that he could see in Haunter¡¯s. There wasn¡¯t the same desire to make friends that Misdreavus possessed.

    It wanted to harm. It wanted to hurt. The Trevenant wanted nothing more than to make sure they would never escape.

    Sam forced himself to breathe, realizing he had stopped upon feeling a burning in his chest. At the same time, he was able to put together the clues. With a gaze that hateful, he knew what had caused the Trevenant to act like this.

    ¡°Humans caused this fire,¡± Sam said.

    All the world fell still, and Redi snapped her gaze toward him.

    In the distance, the sound of incoming Pok¨¦mon grew louder. The Trevenant flexed its claws, sending splinters to the ground. It lifted up a rooted leg to step forward, and Sam spoke up as fast as he could.

    ¡°Everyone in. We need to leave,¡± he said quickly.

    Before the countless wild Pok¨¦mon could reach them, Misdreavus returned to hide within his shadow. The red glow of Trevenant¡¯s eye narrowed.

    It screamed.

    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°Porygon, use Teleport! Bring us to Mahogany Town¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Center!¡±

    With Redi¡¯s shout and the flash of a Pok¨¦ball¡¯s red light, they disappeared the same moment the Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon lunged. The forest was filled by a cacophony of anger, and the Trevenant roared.

    It would not be getting its revenge that night.

    But it would get more opportunities so very soon.

 Chapter 106

    That night, Sam¡¯s sleep was plagued by nightmares. He dreamed of his home burning. He dreamed of his mother¡¯s bookstore on fire. He dreamed of finding his grandfather.

    On the floor.

    Clutching his chest.

    His Typhlosion desperately trying to get him to move.

    But the dreams soon vanished, consumed by a darkened yet welcoming maw. His slumber became one of pure nothingness, and when he awoke the next morning, Haunter backed away and burped.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said.

    The morning was slow, and the same tenseness from the day before lingered in the air. People were nervous about what was taking place on the northern routes. They wanted to see the attacks stop. Likely, some less prepared trainers were already panicking about the lack of jobs.

    Sam ate breakfast with his team in the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s cafeteria before stepping outside.

    While the other trainers used the field to practice with their teams, Sam decided to read. Trying to take it easy, he found a shadowed spot in the corner and opened the New Pok¨¦dex.

    He wanted to learn everything about Trevenant that he could.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Ghost-Grass Type¡ªwhich we knew. But it¡¯s a Ghost Type before it¡¯s a Grass Type, so it¡¯ll act like a ghost before it acts like a plant. As for its moves, they¡¯re... expected. Mostly. It¡¯s more of a physical attacker than anything else, but it learns several status moves that can really make fighting it a struggle.¡±

    Quilava rested her head on Sam¡¯s leg to stare at the open pages. Misdreavus and Haunter hid in nearby shadows and listened to his words. Primeape, however, stayed in his Pok¨¦ball. He was still resting, and he trusted Sam to give him the necessary orders based on whatever plan the team created.

    Unfortunately, making a plan wouldn¡¯t be easy; Trevenant was going to be a threat no matter how prepared they were. The combination of Growth and Ingrain could turn it into an immobile but powerful attacker. Then, it could combine Will-O-Wisp with other two damage-over-time moves¡ªLeech Seed and Curse. Just those two moves alone formed a potent combination; the health drain of Leech Seed could offset the self-damage taken from the initial use of Curse.

    Reading through, Sam also found a move specific to Trevenant, Forest¡¯s Curse, which caused no damage but cursed its target to gain the Grass Type. While gaining the Grass Type would only serve to prevent something like Leech Seed in the first place, a Forest¡¯s Curse could open up Trevenant¡¯s target to super effective moves from its Flying and Bug Type allies.

    ¡°So it¡¯s a tank,¡± Sam mumbled. Trevenant didn¡¯t have the best defensive stats, but its species was impressively skilled at debilitating foes and sustaining damage.

    Frowning, Sam continued reading through the entry, devouring even the smallest of details and groaning when he checked its abilities. Its first ability, Frisk, was meaningless, but if Trevenant had Natural Cure trained, it could easily counter Sam¡¯s team. All it would need to do was find some way to hide for just a moment¡ªan act in which Ghost Types were skilled¡ªand its passive recovery would allow it to cure itself of any status conditions Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon had inflicted.

    That was half their strategies down the drain, just like that.

    ¡°...I know you need to evolve, but the more I think about you going up against this thing, the more it feels like it¡¯s a bad idea. Trevenant is already aggressive, but how are you supposed to calm it down on your own?¡±

    Quilava¡¯s chuff told him that she was willing to try regardless of the danger, but Sam couldn¡¯t get past their lack of an answer for how.

    Quilava was a Fire Type. Trevenant was a Grass Type. That should have meant she had the advantage, but how was she supposed to help Trevenant when a forest fire was what enraged it in the first place?

    As Sam tried and failed to find an answer to that question, Quilava never once looked away from the sketch of a Trevenant on the New Pok¨¦dex¡¯s page. It displayed the same figure that had pulled itself out of that tree last night¡ªsplintered claws, brambled teeth, and a red eye that looked as though it was burning inside a darkened crack on its face.

    Eventually, Sam just let out a sigh. They didn¡¯t have all the time in the world to decide on what to do, but they would at least have the rest of the day. The continued lack of news made it pretty clear that the local Rangers were taking their time. Sam wasn¡¯t alone in his need to make a plan.

    ...However, before Sam could call it and take a break, a single word caught his attention. Only one of Trevenant¡¯s abilities had the potential to pose an issue, but its hidden ability would turn it into even more of a nightmare to fight.

    And Sam had a sinking feeling that this Trevenant had its hidden ability trained.

    Though extraordinarily rare, extraordinary Pok¨¦mon could sometimes have inherent mastery over their hidden abilities. In the case of Harvest, Trevenant¡¯s hidden ability, it played into the fact that a Trevenant was basically just a haunted tree. Harvest allowed a Pok¨¦mon to regrow berries with an infusion of Grass Type energy after consuming the relevant berry seeds.

    Having Harvest trained would explain a lot about these attacks. If Trevenant can quickly reproduce healing berries, then that¡¯s why the Pok¨¦mon working under it aren¡¯t worried about being hurt. More than that, it even helps to explain why it¡¯s sitting in the grove and not fighting travelers, itself. Fighting would waste too much energy it could use to regrow berries and support the Pok¨¦mon that it sends out on attacks.

    A single Trevenant with Harvest could support an army¡ªalbeit, a small one, but one large enough to ¡°take over¡± a Route like this one had. While growing so many berries would be exhausting work, it would be the exact kind of work a Trevenant so fueled by revenge would be willing to take on.

    So it¡¯s going to be well-rested no matter what. If it¡¯s purposefully staying in its well-defended grove, there¡¯s going to be no chance of contacting it in ¡°neutral¡± territory if it¡¯s so focused on using Harvest.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to have the advantage!¡± Sam threw his hands into the air, letting the New Pok¨¦dex fall into his lap. ¡°Ghost is super effective against Ghost! Fire is super effective against Grass! What are we supposed to do if it has a counter to anything we throw at it?!¡±

    As a fight, Sam knew for a fact his Pok¨¦mon would win. Eventually, at least, depending on how much effort Trevenant put into healing. The problem with any plans that involved a fight was that Trevenant had countless allies, and Quilava would have to fight it on her own. They weren¡¯t even sure if a fight was how they needed to go about this, but at least a fight might exhaust it into a state in which it would be forced to talk?

    Even going as far as to check the notes from the Blackthorn Clan didn¡¯t help Sam make a plan. Unfortunately, while those copied documents confirmed the existence of Trevenant in the deepest parts of Johto¡¯s forests, they did nothing to discuss a Trevenant¡¯s actual skills in battle.

    ¡°Why does this have to be so difficult?¡± Sam groaned.

    He pressed his face into his hands, just wanting all of this to be over.

    Ahead, trainers continued to practice with their Pok¨¦mon, and a few of them sent sympathetic looks to Sam after his shout. He¡¯d made sure to not name Trevenant at all up until this point, and the most he¡¯d done was mumble facts to his Pok¨¦mon.

    He was still the only one who had this information.

    Which meant he was the only one who could help Quilava make a plan to scale that impossible wall they currently faced.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk,¡± Sam said.

    He slipped his books back into his pack and his pack over his shoulders. Shadows melded with his own as he stepped out from that shadowed corner. Though she wasn¡¯t comfortable being around so many people, Misdreavus stayed out to float near Quilava in support, and Sam picked up his Fire Type friend to let her rest across the back of his neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you two have any ideas?¡± he asked.

    Quilava¡¯s snort told him that she didn¡¯t, and Misdreavus refused to make eye contact.

    ¡°So you¡¯re as stuck as I am,¡± he said with a single, self-defeating laugh.

    He left, walking not with a purpose, but just to feel like he was doing something. He knew he could potentially go out and tell the local Rangers or even Mahogany¡¯s Gym what he¡¯d found, but then what? How would that help Quilava?

    No, the only thing that would happen is that they¡¯d thank him and tell him to stay behind. They would call him foolish for entering a dangerous forest on his own, and they¡¯d tell him to leave the revenge-seeking Trevenant to the professionals.

    Sharing this information would only force him and Quilava to stay behind. They couldn¡¯t let that happen, as they¡¯d already learned that helping random ghosts wouldn¡¯t be enough for her to evolve before the Conference. Calming Trevenant down would be their best bet to gain the specific surge of energy Quilava needed to reach her correct, final stage.

    Besides...

    Briefly, an image of Trevenant¡¯s face flashed to the forefront of Sam¡¯s mind.

    He remembered its glowing eye.

    He remembered its angry scowl.

    He felt his insides roil at how there was a Pok¨¦mon out there so consumed by revenge.

    Trevenant deserved to be helped.

    As Sam strode past the Pok¨¦mon Center, trying to stop his meaningless thoughts, he passed by a set of back windows open to the Center¡¯s cafeteria. Within, Redi slowly ate, scooping a bowl of cold porridge into her mouth one spoonful at a time.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The bags under her eyes were so deep that she could hardly keep her head up, even resting on her arm as it was.

    She probably slept just as well as I did, and she didn¡¯t have Haunter to eat her dreams.

    Sam changed directions, heading inside, and with Quilava still on his neck and Misdreavus still floating behind him, he joined Redi and her half-eaten, pre-noontime breakfast.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said. Redi looked up at him with a grunt. ¡°You had nightmares too?¡±

    He kept his voice low just in case, and Redi replied with a slow nod and a yawn that proceeded into a stretch.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah. That Treeven¡ª Trentveh¡ª Threnve¡ª¡±

    ¡°Trevenant,¡± Sam completed quietly.

    ¡°That Trevenant hates us,¡± she said. ¡°It hates everything we stand for and do as Pok¨¦mon trainers.¡±

    She stared at her bowl of food. This late in the morning, it contained nothing more than the cooled slop of leftovers. Still, she wasn¡¯t one to pass up a free meal. She shoved another scoop straight into her mouth.

    ¡°But it does make you think what it had to go through to get like that,¡± Redi said while chewing, pointing her spoon at Sam. ¡°Not every Ghost Type starts off that evil, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not evil. Ghost Types aren¡¯t evil,¡± Sam replied quickly. ¡°They¡¯re just... motivated by desire. And this one¡¯s desire is¡ª¡±

    He stopped.

    ¡°It¡¯s just motivated by revenge,¡± he said, rubbing his temples.

    Redi continued to eat her breakfast. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she did hum.

    When Sam closed his eyes to breathe for just a moment, that same image of Trevenant¡¯s glare flashed in his head once again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s change the topic,¡± Sam said, opening his eyes and trying to think of anything else. ¡°We have time. A bit of it, at least. I might want to try something tonight, but right now... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I want to at least stop by the local Gym. I don¡¯t think my team is strong enough to win right now, but I want to see if we can arrange a match for the future.¡±

    Redi nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come with.¡±

    Over the next few minutes, she shoveled the rest of her food into her mouth and deposited her bowl on the return counter in the room¡¯s back.

    They then left the Pok¨¦mon Center, walking in silence down the road toward Pryce¡¯s Gym. It wasn¡¯t located outside of town, but it wasn¡¯t exactly within it, either. They had to walk down a few separate streets, moving past touched-up log cabins made to fit a more modern era and evergreens growing along the side of the road.

    When they arrived, Sam was unimpressed. The building honestly looked pretty generic, as if someone had taken the default, brown-roofed building of a Gym and decided that was good enough.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t bother with any personal touches, huh?¡± Sam mumbled to Redi.

    ¡°Even Clair¡¯s Gym was more interesting than this,¡± she whispered back.

    While the inside was just as bland as the outside, it still contained the same general lobby most Gyms had. Most importantly, this place was packed.

    It wasn¡¯t as packed as the Pok¨¦mon Center was the other day. Instead of trainers filling every available space, it was more just that every waiting room chair was filled. No Pok¨¦mon were out, and a few other trainers also loitered at its sides.

    People were chatting, but no one was talking to the Gym Trainer behind the counter¡ªthey didn¡¯t need to given how little time it took to get registered. As Sam and Redi approached the Gym Trainer, a woman in a teal snow coat working reception, she looked up from a computer to greet them.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re here to sign up for a battle, but why is it so...¡±

    ¡°Crowded?¡± Redi finished for him.

    While Gyms tended to get a second rush at the very end of the season due to last-minute challenges, that period was still weeks away. Even with the number of trainers stuck in town, there shouldn¡¯t have been a reason for so many trainers to be here.

    ¡°Ah,¡± the Gym Trainer said, nodding her head as if the question was expected. ¡°Pryce only accepts so many challengers per day, mostly depending on his mood. Recently, he¡¯s been accepting two daily on average¡ªbetter than usual. His Gym is a pretty major chokepoint when it comes to earning badges.¡±

    ¡°Wait, his Gym? Not our Gym?¡¯¡± Redi suddenly asked. ¡°I thought Gym Trainers were supposed to help with Gym Battles. How do lower-level trainers ever get a chance to fight?¡±

    Her expression made it pretty obvious she thought this place was barely functional.

    Yet, to Redi¡¯s questions, the Gym Trainer just chuckled. Her casual reaction made Sam think she¡¯d received a similar question many times before.

    ¡°We Gym Trainers handle challengers with four Gym Badges or less. Pryce says he doesn¡¯t want any challengers that ¡®aren¡¯t worth his time,¡¯¡± she said, imitating a gruff voice at the end. ¡°As for your first question, I would say the answer is complicated, but it really isn¡¯t. Pryce isn¡¯t the one who hires Gym Trainers. We¡¯re placed here by the Pok¨¦mon League, instead.¡±

    ¡°...So he¡¯s barely even a Leader,¡± Sam mumbled.

    The woman heard his comment but shook her head.

    ¡°Pryce might not go out of his way to lead, but you can¡¯t question his strength or how dedicated he is to Mahogany Town. Most Ice-leaning Ace Trainers volunteer to come here, if not to try to pry tips out of him, then to join the largest gathering of Ice Type specialists on this side of Indigo.¡±

    She then sat up with a smile on her face, proud of her position.

    ¡°Elite Four Lorelei trained here. There¡¯s a reason Pryce is as respected as he is. He might be a bit, well, he¡¯s as stubborn as a glacier, but we aren¡¯t here to change his mind, just to do as he says and improve ourselves in the meantime. If you have any Ice Types on your team, it might be worth seeing if you can stop by to watch one of his training sessions out back. Even just a few minutes of observation is an incredible learning opportunity. Pryce is considered to be an Ice Type Master for a reason.¡±

    However, Sam knew Pryce wasn¡¯t officially an Ice Type Master¡ªthe knowledge coming courtesy of Redi¡¯s chats with other trainers back in Blackthorn. Being as old as he was, Pryce didn¡¯t bother to hide how he wasn¡¯t a fan of the current state of the League, so he had never bothered to go out and prove himself worthy of his Ice Type Master title.

    No, Pryce just did everything his job needed him to do, which was to make sure the area around Mahogany Town was safe. While whatever was causing these attacks had slipped under his radar, it was his work that prevented the forest fire from spreading. He did his job because he very publicly believed no one else was as good as him¡ªwhich was honestly probably true.

    So Pryce was still around thanks to his competence, and because he was far too ingrained within Mahogany Town for the League to even think of replacing him.

    ¡°But let¡¯s get to your registration!¡± The Gym Trainer shuffled a pile of paperwork before laying some sheets out. ¡°How many Gym badges do you have so far?¡±

    ¡°Six,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Five,¡± Redi added for herself.

    Unfortunately, the Gym Trainer winced.

    ¡°To earn a sixth badge, we might be able to arrange a battle against a Gym Trainer,¡± she said to Redi, ¡°but for you to earn your seventh, that requires enough of a challenge that Pryce will want to face you. If you want, you can join the rest of the trainers here waiting for an early opening. If anyone fails to show up or if Pryce decides to take on an extra challenger today, we run a lottery between all the present trainers to choose who his next challenger will be.¡±

    Sam turned his head to scan over the room. Dozens of eyes stared back, daring him to even think about joining this already full crowd.

    ¡°...And if I just want to schedule a date for a future match?¡± Sam said, looking back to the Gym Trainer.

    She hummed and tapped a pen to her lips.

    ¡°For a seventh Gym Badge battle, I can pen you in for a challenge in just over two weeks. For you,¡± she said, pointing her pen at Redi, ¡°give us your information, and we¡¯ll pass on a note to the Pok¨¦mon Center if we can manage to arrange your battle to be against a Gym Trainer. Otherwise, you¡¯ll need to wait longer, unfortunately.¡±

    Redi looked frustrated but still provided the information. She and Sam left the waiting room once everything was set up.

    ¡°I might skip this Gym, too,¡± Redi grumbled.

    ¡°Wait, what? And not take on another Gym?¡±

    ¡°No, I definitely want to take it on, but if you get to battle Pryce, I want to battle Pryce,¡± she said with a huff. ¡°Porygon knows Teleport. We just need to build up their strength so they can teleport further and bring me back here later.¡±

    After a short discussion, Redi went back inside, wanting to talk to some of the other trainers waiting for a potential challenge, and Sam chose to stay nearby, finding a tree to place himself directly under. The shadows cast by its leaves meant there was less light to see the text, but he was getting used to reading in the dark thanks to all of his frequent practice with the Ghost Type.

    This time around, he tried to look up information on the other Pok¨¦mon working with Trevenant, checking on entries like Murkrow, Ariados, Girafarig (weirdly enough), and even Honchkrow.

    If Trevenant¡¯s so tanky, we might have a chance if we hold off its allies. If everyone else can create a space for Quilava to interact with Trevenant, then maybe...

    Then maybe they had a chance.

    Sam did his best to gather the relevant information, going as far as to write notes in the margins of his journal and utilizing its rapidly dwindling space. He had hushed discussions with his team while keeping an eye on the Gym, seeing if Pryce called up any extra trainers for Gym Battles.

    Noon came and passed, and Sam felt he was starting to get the semblance of a plan. However, talking and writing was becoming more and more difficult as he didn¡¯t want to be overheard by the ever-growing number of trainers passing by outside.

    ...Yet, no one was leaving the Gym.

    ¡°This is getting ridiculous,¡± Sam said, closing his books. ¡°Is Pryce really not taking anyone today? Are all of these trainers really here for a fight?¡±

    He put the New Pok¨¦dex away so no one would see it and stood up to check with Redi. However, as he started to head to the Gym, what he didn¡¯t expect was to see Xavier, of all people, actively approaching from the center of town.

    ¡°Xavier!¡± Sam called out. ¡°I thought you already earned your seventh badge. Why are you here?¡±

    Xavier stopped walking to glance at where Sam stood in the shadows of that nearby tree.

    ¡°A Gym Trainer posted a notice in the Pok¨¦mon Center,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Pryce will be making an announcement.¡±

    He then continued on to enter the Gym like everyone else, unaware of the sudden tension Sam felt in his chest.

    Hurrying inside, Sam had to push through the crowd to find Redi. He felt awkward and a bit out of place given that all the trainers crowding around this small room seemed to be older or at least on the more experienced side.

    That¡¯s not good news.

    The crowd somehow managed to arrange itself into a U-shape, giving everyone a clear view of the Gym¡¯s front counter. Redi was frowning when Sam reached her, and she looked over with her arms crossed as he approached.

    ¡°Know what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked.

    ¡°An announcement,¡± Sam replied grimly.

    ¡°Duh. I know that. About what, I mean?¡±

    Sam stayed silent. The gut feeling he carried about this announcement¡¯s purpose was anything but pleasant.

    It took half an hour for something to happen. No trainers were called up before that time. In fact, at one point, the Gym Trainer behind the front counter stood up to announce no further Gym Battles would be happening that day.

    Only a small handful of people bothered to leave.

    Eventually, the time came, and a door to the rest of the Gym opened up. A balding man stepped through. White wisps of hair crept up the sides of his head and into a defiant point at its top. Pryce frowned, his eyes narrowed, but he held his head high. His passive scowl made it seem as though he was annoyed at his own old age.

    ¡°Good. Enough of you are here for this to matter,¡± Pryce said, holding his hands behind his back and doing his best to stand at attention despite his slight slouch. ¡°My announcement is simple: I¡¯m sick of this. Those Rangers had plenty of time to get a handle on this situation, but all they¡¯ve done is spent the last two days letting dangerous Pok¨¦mon run amok!¡±

    A light growl left his throat, and no one in the room moved even an inch.

    ¡°It¡¯s downright irresponsible to let these attacks continue for as long as they have! So, I¡¯m calling it. I¡¯m taking the matter into my own hands.¡±

    As his eyes flicked through the crowd, he somehow made eye contact with every trainer here while simultaneously dismissing each and every one of them. With the strength of the old man¡¯s gaze, Sam could understand why the Gym Trainer had held so much respect for Pryce. He carried the confidence of someone who knew he would win.

    Although, he didn¡¯t need to be so dismissive about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m recruiting,¡± Pryce said flatly. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting to the heart of this problem and taking out whatever¡¯s causing this mess. To do that, I need more than just the League¡¯s trainers working under me. That¡¯s where you come in.

    ¡°Four trainers will be assigned to each Gym Trainer, with generous payment granted according to the level of your contribution. Trainers with six badges or more, only. Five or less need not bother.¡±

    He nodded once to finish his statement, and the room was utterly silent. With that lack of reaction, Pryce¡¯s frown somehow deepened.

    ¡°Well? I¡¯m finished. Form the groups. Get to it.¡±

    He then turned around and disappeared inside of the Gym, and the room burst into action the second he was gone. The Gym Trainer behind the front counter stood up to yell out commands as everyone hurried to figure out how they¡¯d be dividing themselves into groups.

    But the other Gym Trainers weren¡¯t even here yet. No one knew how many people would be allowed to take on this task.

    ¡°There are too many people here. But there aren¡¯t enough trainers working for the Gym.¡±

    Sam almost jumped when he heard Xavier speak up behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if there were more than a dozen Gym Trainers. They¡¯ll only accept the best of the best onto their teams. For you two, you could join, but...¡± He looked at Redi. ¡°It won¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t have enough Gym Badges.¡±

    She bristled.

    ¡°Woah, woah! Hold on, he¡¯s just stating that! That wasn¡¯t supposed to be an insult!¡± Sam said.

    Without confirming or denying what Sam said, Xavier scoffed and turned around. His eyes locked onto a group of unfamiliar trainers before striding directly their way.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t need to say it like that,¡± Redi said, shoving her arms together. ¡°I hate that guy.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°Is he?¡± she hissed.

    Sam wasn¡¯t able to answer outside of a wince.

    With the chaos unfolding within the small lobby, Sam and Redi were effectively forced outside. Redi was already prevented from joining due to her lack of Gym Badges, and Sam knew that he wasn¡¯t interested himself.

    ¡°...What are we going to do?¡± Redi whispered, looking through the glass doors at the slowly forming teams.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sam said. ¡°The Pok¨¦mon Rangers were already working on this problem, so this was always going to be a race against time. But now that Pryce is stepping in...¡±

    The stubborn Gym Leader would never change his mind no matter what Sam or anyone else said. Pryce would head north the moment these groups formed. And, he wasn¡¯t bothering to waste time with a more detailed plan like the Pok¨¦mon Rangers were still making.

    Any chance Sam had to work out a solution was vanishing before his eyes. At most, they only had a few hours before Pryce faced Trevenant himself.

    And Sam knew for a fact that Pryce would win.

 Chapter 107

    Pryce''s march through town saw a crowd form behind him. Gym Trainers led Trainers, and Pryce led those Gym Trainers. Behind them were the people of Mahogany Town, who had fallen along to look on curiously. Pryce was heading north with a purpose, and it seemed like half of this town wanted to witness what was about to happen.

    Whispers and hushed discussions filled the air. None raised their voice loud enough to cause any potential disturbance. Sam purposefully joined the crowd to follow along as well. He wanted to learn what Pryce was planning just as much as everyone else.

    With so many people here, he blended in perfectly. No one thought it strange he was there.

    So Sam watched, and he listened. He paid attention to everything going in front of him. Gym Trainers walked backward and gave explanations to the groups of trainers working under them. Pryce stayed at the front and walked with his hands behind his back. At one point, a Pok¨¦mon Ranger swooped down on the back of a massive Pidgeot to talk to Pryce, but the Ranger left after only a short discussion.

    Neither looked happy, but there had been a sense of agreement there. Sam took that to mean they had reached some sort of compromise. Any hope he had of Pryce¡¯s plan being stopped was squashed. If the Pok¨¦mon Rangers couldn¡¯t hold back Pryce, then not even Morty could do anything; he and Pryce carried the same rank, and this was Pryce¡¯s town, not Morty¡¯s.

    All of the newer trainers joining Pryce¡¯s operation were excited, with most of those participating tending toward the older and more experienced. Taking part in Pryce¡¯s march meant more than just payment; it meant taking part in real, verifiable work that would look great on any application. Given the end goal of so many high-level trainers was to work in an organization that would let them stay with their Pok¨¦mon, just helping out here was a major step closer to that dream.

    But they were nervous. This task didn¡¯t mean taking part in regulated battles like those of a Gym. Wild Pok¨¦mon were attacking anyone who entered Route 43, and they were apparently going to stop that. Recruiting so many trainers for a single operation wasn¡¯t exactly normal. Still, it gave them numbers.

    So through those nerves, the trainers were hopeful. Unfortunately, Sam didn¡¯t share any similar feelings save for worry.

    ¡°Sam. What are we going to do?¡± Redi whispered at Sam¡¯s side. The number of people joining to watch Pryce¡¯s march ahead grew by the second, and staying next to his friend was becoming harder and harder.

    Except, Sam didn¡¯t have an answer in the first place. He said nothing. He was too busy watching everyone he could¡ªPryce, his Gym Trainers, the other trainers, and even Xavier.

    Despite this being Pryce¡¯s solution for Route 43, Sam felt as though everything was falling apart.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    With that single word from Pryce, the march through Mahogany Town came to a sudden halt just at the entrance to that northern Route.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be arranging ourselves into a line slanted away from Route 43¡¯s western border,¡± Pryce ordered, his voice firm and commanding. ¡°I will take the furthest, most northern point at the line¡¯s east. Our goal is to defeat any and all aggressive Pok¨¦mon to push them out of the Route.¡±

    He scanned the mass of trainers before him. Pryce looked through them all with what was barely present approval.

    ¡°We are covering all of Route 43 today. These Pok¨¦mon have chosen to attack us, so we will show them no kindness in return. As per the request of the local Ranger captain, this operation will stop once we reach Lake of Rage. There, the Rangers will work to make sure no hostile Pok¨¦mon will return, but at that point, what they do won¡¯t matter. All of the largest threats will have been dealt with by us. Those Pok¨¦mon will be forced off-route, where they¡¯ll be unable to threaten travelers any further.¡±

    From there, he went on to explain miscellaneous details¡ªmostly just hierarchy matters and what to do in an emergency. He brought on so many trainers to prevent any Pok¨¦mon from slipping through the line. With an average of four Pok¨¦mon to each trainer in the dozen or so groups, through sheer numbers alone, Pryce would be covering an incredible amount of ground¡ªand he¡¯d ensured that everyone involved was skilled enough to stand on their own, too.

    ¡°Sam.¡± Redi tugged at Sam¡¯s arm more desperately. ¡°You aren¡¯t talking. What are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re marching north,¡± he mumbled under his breath. ¡°And when they reach the end of the Route, they¡¯ll find where that forest fire was. Trevenant will be there. Pryce will be at the front. They¡¯ll fight and he¡¯ll beat it and he¡¯ll force it out of its home.¡±

    Sam stared at Pryce. The man wore a passive scowl.

    ¡°This plan doesn¡¯t help it. Trevenant is lashing out because it¡¯s in pain. Pryce is going through with a plan that helps Mahogany Town and only Mahogany Town.¡±

    This would stop the attacks. The aggressive wild Pok¨¦mon would be forced off-route, and the local Rangers wouldn¡¯t let the Pok¨¦mon return until they calmed down. However, this aggressive reaction from humans would do nothing but help confirm Trevenant¡¯s thoughts about humans.

    Its home had been burned down by humans. When it lashed out in response, it would be beaten back by humans. It would be forced out of its home by humans, and Trevenant would find itself trapped by its own hate forever.

    It¡¯s not right to attack travelers, but Trevenant doesn¡¯t deserve this. It doesn¡¯t deserve to be crushed under its desire for revenge.

    This wasn¡¯t fair.

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Redi¡¯s shout brought him out of his spiraling thoughts. Ahead, Pryce finished his speech, and the Gym Leader turned to march onto the route with the groups of trainers following him one by one.

    ¡°What. Are. We. Doing?¡± she hissed. ¡°Come on! You have to have a plan!¡±

    People looked at them curiously, and Sam hurriedly grabbed Redi¡¯s hand to drag her away and find somewhere they wouldn¡¯t be overheard. He ignored the crowd¡¯s amused chuckles as he moved them behind a thick enough tree.

    Redi met his gaze, waiting for him to come up with a plan, but he had nothing.

    Are we just supposed to rush ahead to reach that burned forest first?

    ¡°They aren''t helping Trevenant,¡± Sam ended up saying.

    He didn¡¯t know what else to say. He didn¡¯t have a plan.

    ¡°Um, duh?¡± Redi replied. ¡°You need to help Trevenant. Quilava needs to help Trevenant. I¡¯ve been trying to get your attention for ages, but you¡¯ve been too busy sending death glares to Pryce to notice me shout!¡±

    ¡°I was?¡±

    Sam looked away sheepishly, scratching his cheek as he stared past the trees. At the entrance of the northern route, two Gym Trainers stood on guard. Sam and Redi wouldn¡¯t be able to walk onto Route 43 until Pryce¡¯s plan ended.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    There are guards blocking us, and it¡¯s midday. Shadows are going to be too obvious, so we can¡¯t rely on Ghost Types to sneak us through.

    So we Teleport, then? But then what?

    It was hard to think with the storm roiling in his gut.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Sam knew he was just wasting time. He slapped both of his hands onto his face, the sharp sting properly waking him up. ¡°No overthinking this! We get to Trevenant, and then we fight it! We don¡¯t kick it out of its home, but we fight it until it can¡¯t attack and is forced to listen to us, and from there we... help it. We help it.¡±

    That part he¡¯d need to figure out along the way.

    ¡°Redi,¡± Sam said. ¡°Can Porygon bring us directly there?¡±

    Unfortunately, though Redi¡¯s face lit up when Sam started to speak, her expression dropped the second she heard him mention Porygon.

    ¡°Um, yeah, about that...¡± She chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head. ¡°Porygon only memorizes locations for Teleport when I tell them to. Since we were so rushed to escape Trevenant last night, I didn¡¯t think of telling them to memorize the area. Porygon can''t Teleport us over.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she replied with a small voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sam sighed. He rubbed his chin as he forced himself to think of a better plan. ¡°Then, where else can we go? We can¡¯t pass through the route¡¯s entrance with the guards, and the more time we waste here, the further north Pryce gets.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy!¡± Redi said, smiling once more. ¡°Porygon still has the Teleport location memorized from last time. They can bring us to the other side of the hills, but we¡¯ll only be at the very start of the route.¡±

    Sam took that news in stride, understanding what that¡¯d mean.

    ¡°We¡¯d need to run,¡± he groaned. ¡°It¡¯s going to be so much running.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Yeah,¡± Redi grumbled. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    When it came to Trevenant, this situation went beyond just helping Quilava evolve. Trevenant deserved more than to be pushed out of its home. It was lashing out after a traumatic past, and it wasn¡¯t right to punish it for that.

    But Pryce would never listen no matter who Sam tried to call. The only way Trevenant could find a peaceful solution was if they calmed it down.

    ¡°So should we go?¡± Sam asked.

    As she grabbed Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball, Redi sent Sam an apologetic look before sending out her Pok¨¦mon. After giving it a set of whispered orders, Porygon glowed, the world flashed, and the two of them appeared at the very start of Route 43, where they began to run north.

    <hr>

    Once Porygon brought them into the forest, moving through this time around was less about hiding and more about managing the proper speed. They couldn¡¯t move too fast since that would risk exhaustion. They couldn¡¯t move too slow since Pryce¡¯s line of trainers was somewhere out here, steadily moving north.

    Unfortunately, Sam¡¯s Ghost Types were unable to help with their travels. Though the thick canopies of the forest let them use some shadows in the dim light, all of this was taking place mid-afternoon. Beams of lights peeked through the trees, stopping Ghost Types from conjuring any obscuring Night Shade. The most they could do was to keep an eye out for threats.

    But they never once sensed any hostile intent.

    ¡°Sam.¡±

    After only a short while of running, Redi slowed her pace, and Sam came to a halt at the sound of her voice. At his side, Quilava stopped using Quick Attack to come to a rest next to him as well. She was wearing her scarf, but her piece of Charcoal wasn''t in it¡ªonly the Everstone. She needed to be out of her ball just in case they found Trevenant early, but with how many potential battles lurked between them and their destination, they couldn¡¯t risk getting into a fight and triggering the wrong evolution.

    ¡°Over here,¡± Redi said. ¡°What do those look like to you?¡±

    In a small patch of mud were a variety of stomped imprints. Right away, Sam knew that wasn¡¯t good news.

    ¡°Footsteps,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°A bunch of them,¡± Redi clarified. ¡°And they''re recent. Probably from one of Pryce''s groups.¡±

    Sam wanted to scream.

    ¡°How did they get ahead of us?¡± he hissed.

    Given Pryce¡¯s trainers had to walk through the gap to Route 43, Sam had thought that Porygon¡¯s Teleport would have given him and Redi a head start. However, he spent too long coming up with a plan. The lack of aggressive Pok¨¦mon should have been clue enough; none were nearby since all of the nearby would-be attackers had already been fought and pushed out of the route.

    ¡°How do we tackle this?¡± Redi asked.

    Simply running wasn¡¯t going to work; there was a line of expert trainers blocking their way.

    Biting his nail in thought, Sam tried his best to find a different solution.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to go around. If we run as fast as we can, we should be able to get ahead. Pryce has too many trainers with him to be able to move that quickly, so we might make it. But maybe...¡±

    He glanced around before bringing his gaze west. He hadn¡¯t been in this part of the forest before, but there was somewhere else he¡¯d been.

    ¡°If we head directly west, we should be able to find Shin¡¯s cabin, and he has a pretty easy path we can follow to bring us toward the edge of the route. It¡¯ll be faster than running through bushes or being forced to move around a slope. It¡¯s either that or trying to force our way through, which, well, it¡¯d be a fight.¡±

    Redi nodded, agreeing.

    Sam sent Quilava a signal and she sniffed the air. Looking around, she managed to pick up a familiar scent and point with her nose toward a direction that was somewhat to their southeast. It was grating to have to backtrack, but once they found the trail to Shin¡¯s house, they were able to move quickly with a smoother path to guide their way.

    But every moment they spent heading east instead of north was another moment Pryce was building his lead. The Gym Leader didn¡¯t even know he was in a race, but he was already winning.

    ¡°House up ahead,¡± Redi said, keeping a steady jog at Sam¡¯s side.

    Sam looked up to see Shin¡¯s cabin, as expected. The path he wanted to take to get to the edge of the route was right behind it. Moving that far west would let him slip past Pryce¡¯s marching line. However, from there they¡¯d need to move even faster, as they would have an entire town¡¯s worth of Pok¨¦mon trainers attempting to catch up.

    His mind lingered on those thoughts until the turning gears screeched to a halt.

    ¡°Why are its lights on?¡± Redi mumbled, confused.

    Sam flicked his gaze to the cabin¡¯s windows and the dim light coming out from behind them. He almost lost his balance when he saw an eye peeking out from behind.

    There was a similar reaction from inside, and the curtains suddenly flew open. The window squeaked open, and Shin poked out his head.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Shin called out. ¡°Why are you here? Wait, did someone send you to find me?¡±

    ¡°Why are you home, Shin? Route 43 is supposed to be blocked off!¡±

    ¡°I snuck out! This is my house! Dangerous Pok¨¦mon or not, I wanted¡ª Where are you going?¡±

    Shin watched them run up to his house and then past it, the pair of them dashing toward the trail behind.

    As he and Redi reached the trail, Sam heard the front door of the cabin open. Alongside it, the electronic noise of a Pok¨¦mon being returned to a Pok¨¦ball echoed out followed by the noise of a slam and Shin¡¯s heavy breath as he hurried to catch up.

    ¡°Wait up! What¡¯s going on? Where are you going, and... You aren¡¯t angry at me for coming out here?¡±

    ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t supposed to be out here either!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°We¡¯re trying to help the Pok¨¦mon responsible for all of this¡ªbefore Pryce defeats it and kicks it out of its home!¡±

    As Sam yelled the explanation over his shoulder, Shin slowed to take in the news. The mushroom collector slowed to a halt and stared at the ground before snapping his head up to stare Sam¡¯s way.

    ¡°Let me help,¡± Shin said.

    Though he was no longer yelling, his voice came out perfectly clear.

    Slowly, Sam came to a halt, and Redi stopped at his side, crossing her arms out of annoyance. Quilava squeaked to try to encourage them to keep moving, but Sam just stared at Shin.

    Shin stared back with a determined gleam in his eyes.

    ¡°Why do you want to help us?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Well, it was the forest fire, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Shin asked. ¡°Sam, you didn¡¯t exactly hide why you asked me about that. If you¡¯re out here trying to help whatever Pok¨¦mon¡¯s got angry because of it, and if you think Pryce is just gonna fight it without actually working to calm it down...¡±

    He breathed out before adjusting his shoulders to stand up straight.

    ¡°Then let me help. You helped me get through that attack, so I¡¯ll help you with whatever it is that you¡¯re doing!¡±

    ¡°Sam. We need to leave,¡± Redi urged.

    He turned to his friend. Quilava looked just as desperate on the ground. He knew that not running meant giving Pryce an even bigger lead, yet he recognized Shin¡¯s offer as the chance it was.

    ¡°If we go around, we¡¯ll reach Trevenant, but we won¡¯t have enough time to do much given how long the delay would be. Parasect doesn¡¯t fight, but it knows Spore. You¡¯ve seen my battles. You know just how effective putting a target to sleep can be.¡±

    Redi was quiet. Shin nervously shuffled side to side.

    ¡°...It doesn¡¯t bother you that we¡¯re trying to help the Pok¨¦mon responsible for the attack in the first place?¡± Redi asked.

    Shin shook his head.

    ¡°A Pok¨¦mon¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon. Everything deserves a second chance. Heck, it¡¯d be hypocritical of me to not try to help after training Parasect.¡±

    Sam looked back at Redi, and she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Quilava also huffed to agree.

    ¡°Thank you, you two.¡± Sam looked back at Shin. ¡°We¡¯re going after a Ghost Type. Trevenant. It¡¯s in the burned section of the woods.¡±

    ¡°A Ghost Type?¡± Shin chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. Works better if you¡¯re the one handling it, especially after¡ª¡±

    He shuddered for some reason.

    Sam crossed his arms and shut his eyes as he went on to try to adjust the plan even more.

    So Redi was right in that we barely have enough time as is, but how do we get past Pryce¡¯s line? Sneak through? That won¡¯t work when the purpose of bringing so many trainers was to prevent gaps we could have used.

    No. We can¡¯t sneak, but we don¡¯t need to fight, either. All we need is some kind of opening. One just large enough to get by without them noticing or chasing us. Spore can be a big help, but it won¡¯t be enough. We would need some kind of distraction, which means¡ª

    Something tugged on Sam¡¯s arm.

    Sam snapped open his eyes to see Haunter staring at him. The Ghost Type wore just the biggest of grins on his face. Behind Haunter, several more Gastly floated in the air. All of them looked eager to help out.

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯re sure about this, Haunter?¡±

    Haunter and all of the Gastly happily nodded their heads.

    Looking around, Sam took in everyone here and let out a sigh of relief. It was nice to have so many friends.

    ¡°Thank you. Because of you, we¡¯ll have a way through Pryce¡¯s line. Hey Shin!¡± Sam turned to face the man waiting for instructions. ¡°How would you feel if you and Parasect were ¡®randomly¡¯ attacked by a bunch of wild Ghost Types? That kind of distraction might be the exact thing we need.¡±

    As Shin cautiously nodded his head, Sam smiled.

    If this worked out and they managed to get through, just running north would give them plenty of time to spare.

 Chapter 108

    As a trainer brought along for Pryce¡¯s operation through Route 43, Lois made sure to stay on high alert as she and her Pok¨¦mon marched through the forest. She held her head high and kept her gaze sharp as her Jumpluff bounced along, as her Ninetales¡¯s tales swished, and as her Flaaffy trotted ahead with his head-fluff flopping up and down.

    Yet, even seeing how seriously her Pok¨¦mon were taking this, she couldn¡¯t allow herself to smile. No, she had to treat this mission with the utmost dedication. Her presence here represented more than just a single trainer¡¯s assistance with Pryce¡¯s plans. No, performing well here could ensure a bright future for her and her Pok¨¦mon.

    Truthfully, Lois knew she had only earned her sixth badge through a fluke. Her first season in Johto had been focused far too much on exploring and seeing what the world had to offer. She only managed to earn three badges by the time it ended. But yet, she didn¡¯t want it to end. This year, she tackled the Gyms with a determination to win.

    But it had all become so much harder than she expected.

    After re-earning her first few Gym Badges, she could no longer train solely to keep her Pok¨¦mon in shape. Every day, she had to push to increase the power of her Pok¨¦mon, and every day felt more exhausting than the last. Jumpluff managed to at least reach her final form, and a lucky bazaar-found Fire Stone meant Ninetales had evolved, too. However, their increase in power meant little in the face of strategy. They had to win battles based on more than just super effective moves.

    Against the Ice Type Gym Trainer she faced for her sixth badge, Jumpluff¡¯s extreme weakness to cold meant she couldn¡¯t help, and Lois¡¯s fourth Pok¨¦mon, Shuckle, had no offensive power to be of any use. The only reason she managed to get as many knock-outs as she did was thanks to Ninetales¡¯s Flamethrower. However, in the end, it was Flaaffy who won the match. Through sheer chance alone, the opposing Sneasel had found itself locking up after landing a jab into his static-y wool.

    That victory had been an accident.

    She knew she¡¯d never earn her seventh.

    However!

    At the back of this line of trainers stood Diana, a Gym Trainer leading the squad with the authority of Pryce. If Lois could just maybe, maybe impress her, then she could ask for a recommendation that¡¯d make her a shoo-in to any job that¡¯d let her keep working with her Pok¨¦mon.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine settling down into the boring life of an office worker. Not after spending so much time on a journey with her Pok¨¦mon.

    As she continued to walk forward, she was brought out of her thoughts by a movement out of the corner of her eye. She threw out a hand to point, aiming at exactly what she saw.

    ¡°There!¡± she shouted.

    A hiss came from within the branches of a nearby tree. Flaaffy, as determined as ever, managed to react with a mighty Thunderbolt that sliced right through the wild Spinarak¡¯s web.

    Burned, the threads of its web fell apart, and the wild Spinarak jumped in fright. Now cowed, it scurried off, having learned why an ambush here would have been a bad idea.

    ¡°Good, Lois,¡± a voice came from the back.

    Lois stood a bit taller, feeling the heat rush to her face.

    Diana remembered my name!

    She resumed marching north with a newfound determination. The three other boys in her group kept at her sides, lined with their teams of Pok¨¦mon about a dozen feet away to each of Lois¡¯s sides.

    With this setup, any Pok¨¦mon that tried to attack was defeated in seconds and sent running. At the same time, every other Pok¨¦mon living peacefully in these woods was left alone. Pryce¡¯s line was a disturbance, but that disturbance had a purpose. The Pok¨¦mon that chose to needlessly attack humans were being sent off-route. The Pok¨¦mon Rangers would allow them back once they calmed down.

    Once we get our recommendation, we won¡¯t have the power to work as an Ace Trainer, but maybe we could learn how to be a Pok¨¦mon Ranger? That would be nice. Or maybe the League has lower-level jobs that need to be filled too? I wouldn¡¯t mind something easier. Ooh! What if they need someone to help guard a park? I¡¯d love that. That¡¯d be perfect for us. Goldenrod had a place north of it like that, right?

    Lois couldn¡¯t stop her smile this time around. She would wring this opportunity for all it was worth, earning a future for herself alongside her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Eyes up. Keep moving,¡± Diana¡¯s voice called out from behind. ¡°We¡¯re on the right path. No need to change our direction just yet.¡±

    Lois felt herself blush at the Gym Trainer¡¯s reminder. She might have been getting a little too caught up in her thoughts.

    Still, she had a duty out here. She kept walking, unceasingly marching north to reach the Lake of Rage and trying her best to ignore the growing burn in her legs.

    (Unfortunately, she was pretty sure they had a few hours of hiking left.)

    It was only soon after that, however, that Lois realized this wasn¡¯t going to be as easy as she thought. Like how she had noticed that Spinarak, she saw a shadow move beneath a tree to her side.

    ¡°...¡¯stly,¡± it whispered.

    Lois froze and whipped her head around. There had been something unnerving about that noise, but no matter how hard she searched, she wasn¡¯t able to make out what had spoken.

    ¡°Lois.¡± Diana raised her hand to call for their group to halt. ¡°Why did you stop?¡±

    ¡°I swore I just heard something,¡± Lois said, but even though it was midday, she couldn¡¯t make out any wild Pok¨¦mon through the forest¡¯s dim light.

    ¡°Maybe... Maybe it was nothing,¡± she mumbled. ¡°What if it was just the wind? Yeah. It was just the wind!¡±

    Sounded like the wind, anyway.

    The three other trainers in her group sent her flat looks. One boy in the back had such a disbelieving look in his eyes that Lois actually flinched, and she had to push the thought that he had actually earned his sixth badge out of her head.

    However, even with those glares, Diana didn¡¯t tell their group to keep going.

    ¡°No. You were right that something¡¯s here,¡± the Gym Trainer said. ¡°Listen. Isn¡¯t it a little too quiet out here?¡±

    It had always been quiet. With so many trainers and their Pok¨¦mon marching north, most if not all of the wild Pok¨¦mon had been choosing to hide. Only the most aggressive Pok¨¦mon bothered to attack. But even without wild Pok¨¦mon around, Lois had been hearing the occasional bird chirp or the distant rustling of underbrush.

    Right now, there was nothing.

    No one in their group moved, and Lois saw Diana narrow her eyes. The Gym Trainer cautiously brought up a Pok¨¦Gear, but Lois saw her wait when one of the boys talked.

    ¡°Kingler?¡± the other trained asked.

    His question was followed by the sound of a sudden thump. His large, crustacean Pok¨¦mon fell to the floor, no longer scuttling but letting out chittering sounds that resembled snores.

    ¡°From behind?¡± Lois heard Diana ask.

    The moment the Gym Trainer finished her question, the forest exploded behind them. Lois thought they were about to be under attack, but the only thing that appeared was a man wearing a basket on his back, running forward with a Parasect at his side.

    ¡°Forsooth!¡± the strange man yelled. ¡°Alas! I hath been attacked-eth by Pok¨¦mon... eth!¡±

    Lois knew she probably should have acted, but she found herself unable to think due to sheer bewilderment.

    Why is he yelling like that? He sounds like he¡¯s some kind of mid-century robot.

    He continued to shout nonsense in that same attempt at an accent, and Diana deposited her Pok¨¦Gear to grab a Pok¨¦ball. Behind, Lois heard Ninetales scoff at the man¡¯s voice. She and Ninetales often watched period dramas together, and it was clear that Ninetales did not appreciate the man¡¯s failure to imitate the way people used to speak.

    ¡°Really, what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, half-annoyed.

    When Lois turned back around, she immediately froze out of fright. Ninetales had yet to notice, but a haze phased out of a nearby trunk to linger next to her head. Red eyes opened up within it, and Ninetales checked behind her at just the wrong time.

    A flash.

    Lois¡¯s Pok¨¦mon hit the ground, completely and utterly asleep, and Lois finally managed to understand what was going on.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She was the first trainer to react.

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± she yelled.

    The sound of her warning shocked the two other trainers into action. The third boy, the serious-looking one, had disappeared, but she was more worried about her Pok¨¦mon than the other trainer¡¯s whereabouts.

    The forest turned to chaos.

    The other trainers began to shout as if their own Pok¨¦mon were also being forced to sleep. They called for moves as whispers filled the air, almost resembling the chanting of a cult.

    Alongside that noise, pockets of darkness erupted throughout the forest. It was as if someone had dropped a series of night-conjuring grenades, and those spheres of darkness would consume a Pok¨¦mon before disappearing, whatever Pok¨¦mon caught inside immediately being forced asleep.

    ¡°Gas!¡± ¡°Gas!¡± ¡°Haunt!¡± ¡°Gas!¡±

    Cackles rang out, but Lois couldn¡¯t find their source. She tried to give her Pok¨¦mon orders, but all she spoke were stutters.

    ¡°Stop! Get out of my way! I can¡¯t send anyone out if you¡¯re right there!¡± Diana yelled at the back of the group.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± that strange man shouted, his accent dropped. ¡°But Parasect can help! If she just uses Spore¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Two simultaneous thumps echoed out as a powdery mist consumed where the Gym Trainer once was.

    ¡°Pluff!¡±

    Jumpluff raced to Lois¡¯s side, jumping over a bush to land in front of her feet. Behind, electricity crackled over Flaaffy¡¯s fur as he ran to stand by her side.

    Lois managed to do the only thing she could do¡ªshe returned Ninetales. Her Pok¨¦mon might have a harder time waking up inside a comfortable Pok¨¦ball, but at least she wouldn¡¯t be at risk of being attacked if left on the ground.

    ¡°J-Jumpluff, get a M-Mega Drain ready. Flaaffy, try to use another Thunderbolt,¡± Lois said.

    Her two Pok¨¦mon said their names as they prepared their moves, and as their trainer, Lois did her best to stay confident because she had to.

    She was her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s trainer. She had to appear confident, no matter how her teeth clattered or how her heart raced in her chest. She couldn¡¯t tell how many Ghost Types surrounded her with how they phased through the trees and disappeared into one another''s shadows. If Diana was awake, the Gym Trainer could have stopped all of this.

    But she wasn''t.

    Lois and her team had to get through this alone.

    The sounds of voices and shouts continued to come from the forest. The two other, remaining trainers had larger teams, but she could only hear the voices of the boys and not their Pok¨¦mon. The sounds of them giving commands echoed out, and she did hear the occasional move.

    However, one by one, the noise faded away. Soon enough, the same silence that had alerted them in the first place was all that remained.

    Lois felt cold. Colder than she ever thought she could be in this forest.

    She could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand on its ends.

    The world became dimmer around her, with patches of shadows preventing her from seeing any further into the woods. She would have thought herself surrounded, but she honestly couldn¡¯t tell. All she could see were empty shadows filling the gaps between the trees.

    ¡°S-should I send out Shuckle, or...¡±

    She let her voice drift off when she heard her words echo.

    It was now dark enough to be night. She only knew her Jumpluff and Flaaffy were there because they were touching her legs.

    ¡°S-Still!¡± she shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t fall here! All we have to do is stay conscious and awake enough to wake everyone else or get help or¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sleep,¡± a voice said.

    Gastly lunged. So many, horrible, horrible Gastly. Every Pok¨¦mon within the swarm of Ghost Types wore a wide grin that stretched across their face. To Lois, the Pok¨¦mon almost looked withered, as if their flesh had dried out and gone taut from resting within a grave.

    Of course, she screamed.

    Her Pok¨¦mon attacked.

    Jumpluff brought up her puffball arms to try to draw energy out from their attackers with a Mega Drain, and Flaaffy unleashed a bolt of lightning that shot out in a line toward the back.

    But Gastly were known to be fast Pok¨¦mon, and in their panic, Lois¡¯s team members hadn¡¯t given themselves time to aim. Jumpluff fell first when a completely unseen Gastly lunged at her from her side, and Flaaffy fell a second later when three Gastly surrounded him at once.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this. I really am,¡± that same voice said from within the shadows.

    Lois tried to look for whoever had spoken only to see a madly grinning Haunter staring right at her from behind her back.

    Its eyes flashed, and she fell.

    The last thing she heard before falling into a deep slumber was the sound of two sets of footsteps hurriedly rushing north.

    <hr><hr>

    Sam sent an apologetic look to the group of trainers that had just been knocked out. Haunter and most of the Gastly were going to stay behind but planned to catch up soon. They couldn¡¯t afford to let any of those trainers wake up too early, and working together, all of those Ghost Types could delay anyone who attempted to chase after Sam and Redi.

    Three normal trainers and one Gym Trainer had fallen to the mass use of Hypnosis. Really, Sam had been able to fight at an advantage since his victory condition was just pulling off a single move against every foe. However, all of the trainers there needed to fight back to knock out their opponents. That goal was made vastly more difficult given the dozen-or-so Gastly involved.

    It also helped Sam that the group of trainers had been purposefully keeping their eyes open to stay alert during their march. If even one person had decided to close their eyes, this whole strategy would have failed. It was too close to comfort, especially with the attacks a few of those Pok¨¦mon had pulled off.

    Thankfully, their plan was made easier with Shin¡¯s help. He did the hard part; by simply acting like a fool, he managed to put both himself and the Gym Trainer to sleep before she could act.

    Sam really hoped that Shin wouldn¡¯t get in trouble for this.

    ¡°We have to move faster,¡± Sam said, running north. ¡°Haunter and his Gastly will make sure they won¡¯t get up, and they¡¯ll hide our tracks before catching up.¡±

    ¡°But that Gym Trainer¡ª¡±

    ¡°I saw,¡± Sam said, grimacing at Redi¡¯s comment.

    The Gym Trainer had been holding a Pok¨¦Gear. If she had been regularly checking in, then Sam and Redi wouldn¡¯t have long before the other groups noticed this group had gone silent.

    They needed to get north. They needed to reach Trevenant before Pryce. Sam still wasn¡¯t even sure what he¡¯d do once he reached there. Battle it, most likely, since that was the ¡°easiest¡± solution. But he hoped to have the chance to talk, first. To warn it and try to convince it to run before Pryce could push it away.

    But that would be Quilava¡¯s job. He couldn¡¯t directly help. At least, he directly couldn¡¯t help if he wanted Quilava to evolve at any cost.

    Morty¡¯s words echoed in his head. Pok¨¦mon, ghost or not, deserved to be treated fairly. If not evolving Quilava meant helping Trevenant, then maybe, maybe, he wouldn¡¯t have Quilava...

    The thought trailed off.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Out of nowhere, Redi suddenly jammed her feet into the ground and practically slammed into Sam to get him to stop. They¡¯d barely managed to get that far north before suddenly having someone block their path.

    Sam wanted to lash out after that painful interruption, but any words failed to leave his throat. Ahead of them was a single person, standing with his arms crossed and a Donphan at his side.

    ¡°Xavier,¡± Sam said.

    Redi glared at the other trainer as if she were looking at trash.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s you,¡± she hissed. ¡°I told you, Sam. I told you that this guy was no good.¡±

    Xavier didn¡¯t respond, choosing to simply stay silent and stare back. At his side, his Donphan dragged a foot across the ground. At any moment, the Pok¨¦mon could launch itself into a powerful Rollout. It wouldn¡¯t matter how well Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon fought here; if they were delayed for too long, the other trainers might catch up, and then they¡¯d be in a world of trouble for interfering with Pryce¡¯s plans.

    ¡°Commanding Pok¨¦mon to use their moves on humans is a serious crime when not done solely for self-defense,¡± Xavier said. ¡°If you¡¯re discovered here, Pryce has a strong argument to lock both of you away for a long time.¡±

    The other boy waited. He stared at Sam, expecting a reply.

    ¡°...How did you know it was us?¡± Sam asked. At his side, Quilava¡¯s flames blazed. They crackled around her scarf, still holding that borrowed Everstone.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t at first,¡± Xavier admitted. ¡°But the use of Hypnosis was far too similar to what I¡¯d seen in recordings of your battles. I confirmed it when Donphan noticed a certain Haunter, so I moved ahead to prepare.¡±

    He watched recordings of my battles?

    This was a strange place to feel so oddly flattered. It took a few seconds for Sam to recover and push past that surprise.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Sam eventually said. ¡°Sorry, but we do need you to move. It¡¯s really important that you get out of our way.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Xavier asked.

    He didn¡¯t shift even a step.

    While Xavier didn¡¯t go into any details, his intentions were clear enough. By just staying there, he was preventing Sam and Redi from leaving and further interfering with Pryce¡¯s plans.

    ¡°Because...¡±

    Sam grit his teeth. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say.

    Next to him, Redi subtly grabbed a Pok¨¦ball. She¡¯d be ready to battle if needed, but she was waiting for Sam to decide how they¡¯d do this.

    ¡°Because...¡± Sam said again. He still wasn¡¯t sure what he needed to say. He knew Misdreavus was in his shadow. He knew he had a few Gastly with him that hadn¡¯t wanted to fight. They could face Xavier here and force their way past him.

    But what would be the point?

    ¡°Because we¡¯re trying to help someone,¡± Sam declared, staring Xavier right in the eye. ¡°Pryce is planning to fight every Pok¨¦mon on this Route and push them out. But that¡¯s wrong! It¡¯s... It¡¯s not right.

    ¡°Except, I know. I get it,¡± Sam continued, loosening his clenched fists. ¡°Having aggressive Pok¨¦mon on a Route isn¡¯t safe. These places exist for a reason¡ªthey make sure humans and Pok¨¦mon can live in peace. But have you stopped to consider why these attacks are happening? How Pryce¡¯s plan does nothing to address that, just deal with its effects?¡±

    ¡°Explain,¡± Xavier ordered.

    Sam scowled at Xavier¡¯s unreadable face.

    ¡°Fine. You want to know what¡¯s behind all of this, then? It¡¯s a Trevenant. An angry one. A rare Ghost and Grass Type species known to protect forests, and it''s angry because its home was burned down, and I¡¯m pretty sure that it was humans responsible for that destruction.

    ¡°I mean, just think about it!¡± Sam almost laughed. ¡°Why would a forest fire ever cause this kind of reaction? Natural disasters are known to stress Pok¨¦mon and cause them to attack, but that¡¯s only when threatened. Here? Now? Trevenant is attacking for more than just defense. It¡¯s angry. It¡¯s mad. It wants revenge on those who did it wrong, and we need to help it. We need to stop it. If Pryce pushes it out of its home, then yeah, sure, the route will be safe, but at what cost? What about Trevenant?¡±

    Sam realized he was pacing, and he stopped himself. He cleared his throat to stop his rambling.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that... Pryce¡¯s plan isn¡¯t a solution. It¡¯s an answer, but it¡¯s not a solution,¡± he said. ¡°Forcing Trevenant out of its home would only reinforce its beliefs, which is why Quilava and I are trying to reach it first. Pryce is too stubborn to see its side of the story. He just wants it gone.¡±

    As Xavier carefully observed Sam, Sam breathed in and reached to his waist. No further words needed to be exchanged as he plucked Primeape¡¯s Pok¨¦ball from his belt.

    Bringing it up, he held it forward in a threat, his unspoken meaning clear.

    If Xavier stood in their way, Sam would fight. He would use his Pok¨¦mon to force open a path regardless of how hard such an act would be.

    But Xavier didn¡¯t react. He just stood there and silently stared at Sam.

    ¡°...Do you know how many ghosts my team and I have fought?¡± the older boy eventually asked.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Two,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°And both times, they were... difficult fights. The ghosts weren¡¯t happy to have their homes invaded. They weren¡¯t happy to be forced to attack.¡±

    He then sighed, running a hand through his hair. He frowned as if conflicted.

    Seeing that reaction, Sam had to wonder where Xavier¡¯s journey had brought him. The areas Sam had passed through had been relatively peaceful, where ghosts had lingered undisturbed, away from the hubbub of modern life that might have seen them more willing to lash out dangerously.

    ¡°Both times my team fought those ghosts, we had to fight those ghosts,¡± Xavier said softly. ¡°They didn¡¯t take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer. We had to fight them until they were exhausted and forced to move on.¡±

    He looked up, staring into the trees and away from Sam and Redi. It took a full second before Xavier spoke again, and when he did, his voice was quiet, but it grew more determined with every word.

    ¡°I... hate that,¡± he said. ¡°I hate the idea of forcing them to leave. To take your own desires and place them above those of someone else. To say, in a way, you are more important than them.¡±

    He closed his eyes, still facing the trees. Though the branches were thick enough to block any view upwards, Sam could imagine Xavier staring into that grand, vast blue.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Xavier eventually said, bringing his head back down.

    ¡°Okay?¡± Sam repeated.

    Xavier just sighed.

    ¡°I joined this... operation, but I don¡¯t know why I joined it. Experience, maybe? Because everyone else was doing it, maybe? I certainly don¡¯t need payment. My family¡¯s made sure of that.¡±

    He laughed.

    Xavier then looked down at his Donphan, to whom he sent a firm nod. With a single movement, his Pok¨¦mon was returned, and he plucked a second ball from his waist to release someone else.

    ¡°Noctowl can keep watch while we run north. She¡¯s not great at hiding when it¡¯s not night, but she flies silently and can pick out ambushes before they take place.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± Redi said, repeating that word. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Xavier said right back. ¡°If you¡¯re racing Pryce to reach that Trevenant, you won¡¯t be able to do it on your own. With the number of Pok¨¦mon that stand between you and your destination, you¡¯re going to need all the help you can get. So, I¡¯m coming with.¡±

 Chapter 109

    ¡°Group five was attacked? Hmph. Put asleep, you say? Well, wake them up! Have groups four and six send members to help, and then tell them to pick up the pace! We aren¡¯t stopping here.¡±

    <hr><hr>

    Sam couldn¡¯t stop glancing over to Xavier. Having a third member of their group out here was... weird. Xavier had his Noctowl out, which flew above them on guard. It constantly scanned the woods and occasionally locked onto something, but each time Haunter would reveal himself with a sheepish grin and move off to find a better hiding spot for traveling unnoticed.

    ¡°You''re saying the Pok¨¦mon have backed off?¡± Redi asked as they jogged northward.

    ¡°I''m sure,¡± Xavier replied. ¡°A group of Raticate and a few others attacked at the start of the march but quickly ran away. We''ve only been dealing with the occasional straggler since.¡±

    Xavier¡¯s information was a mixed bag. It was good to know that no large groups would stand in their way, which meant they could run north and maximize their lead on Pryce. However, bad news came in the form of simple logic; if the Pok¨¦mon were backing off, they were backing off to somewhere. They were likely preparing for a final fight, and Sam had a gut feeling where that''d take place.

    ¡°The burned woods,¡± he said. Both Redi and Xavier looked his way. ¡°Not to give that section of the forest a special name, but I¡¯m confident that''s where all the wild Pok¨¦mon will be. It¡¯s their base of operations. It¡¯s Trevenant¡¯s home. If they think they¡¯re being attacked, they¡¯re probably setting up a defense over there.¡±

    It was easier to talk now that they were no longer in a mad dash north. Pryce¡¯s speed was limited by the large number of trainers working with him. Sam and everyone else needed to move quickly, but not too quickly. Given the threat of a difficult battle ahead, it was best to conserve their energy.

    ¡°Then the Pok¨¦mon will be grouping there,¡± Xavier agreed. ¡°If you¡¯re right about Trevenant, I can¡¯t think of a different place for them to make their stand.¡±

    Sam nodded, but he stared at the forest floor, watching the roots and shrubs they passed. Just thinking about the Murkrow swarm made a mass battle feel unfeasible, and that was only one species. So many other Pok¨¦mon had been attacking travelers on behalf of Trevenant. They¡¯d be there, too.

    ¡°We can do this, Sam,¡± Redi said.

    He looked up.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just... We need a better plan,¡± he said with a sigh.

    Going into this blindly would do nothing but force them to run away and escape.

    Sam slowed his pace to a walk, looking around at everyone here. Briefly, he made eye contact with Xavier, sending the other boy a curious look. After so long of traveling together, Sam was familiar with Redi¡¯s team, but Xavier¡¯s team was still almost a complete unknown.

    ¡°Donphan, Yanma, Noctowl, and Poliwrath,¡± Xavier named, answering the unspoken question as he slowed down as well. ¡°I have one more team member, but they''re... They don¡¯t fight.¡±

    He turned his head so Sam couldn''t see his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve trained my team around offense,¡± Xavier continued quietly. ¡°Our strategy is simple; we win because we¡¯re strong. While my Pok¨¦mon know their share of moves, we focus our efforts on only a few of them. Our victories come from having stronger and more skillful attacks than those of our opponents.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you win because you¡¯re better than everyone else, huh?¡± Redi grumbled.

    Xavier didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Do you have a specific role for each member of your team? Or are they all just general attackers?¡± Sam asked. ¡°And why haven¡¯t you evolved your Yanma yet?¡±

    ¡°My team members have different fighting styles that let them handle different opponents, but everyone focuses on offense,¡± Xavier replied flatly. ¡°As for Yanma, yes, I am aware of Yanmega, but I haven¡¯t been able to find¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just teach them Ancient Power,¡± Sam mumbled as he rubbed his chin, trying to piece together a plan.

    For Sam¡¯s team, his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s primary strategy was based around status effects, though they¡¯d recently been branching out to increase their general power, too. Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, meanwhile, were all about flat offense, and Xavier was somewhat similar, except it sounded like he focused on mastery over raw power.

    Unfortunately, this combination didn¡¯t fill Sam with confidence. Given the sheer number of Pok¨¦mon they were poised to face, Xavier would have mentioned any moves that possessed a strong area of effect. No, the attacks his team knew likely focused on single targets. After all, in such a controlled environment like a League-standard Pok¨¦mon field, why would he ever need to attack anything more than two targets at once?

    But it wasn¡¯t like Sam had too many wide-area options with his team, either.

    Quilava knows Flamethrower, but she needs to save her energy for Trevenant and not exhaust herself against Pok¨¦mon working under it. Haunter knows Ominous Wind, and I guess Primeape can technically use Rock Slide? But that¡¯s not enough. We can trade power for area, but there¡¯ll be dozens upon dozens of wild Pok¨¦mon.

    He groaned.

    So what else can we do? Redi might have something. I know Porygon has Discharge, Dragonair has Twister, and then Ursaring has¡ª

    Sam stopped pacing to look up at Redi.

    ¡°While fighting, do we need to bother to ensure we have a way out?¡± he asked. ¡°Or can Porygon bring us away once we¡¯re finished?¡±

    ¡°Ehhh... Maybe?¡± Redi said. ¡°Probably, I mean? Porygon can teleport the two of us just fine. They can probably teleport three if they¡¯re given time to prepare, but that means they¡¯ll need to save their energy and not get into any fights.¡±

    Sam nodded.

    ¡°Makes sense. I¡¯d rather have a guaranteed way to escape than guarantee a way to Trevenant, as selfish as that sounds.¡±

    Then Discharge is out of the picture, but Ursaring just might be able to create a path for us. If we can create even the slightest of openings, the rest of our Pok¨¦mon are strong enough to tear apart any defenses and make a way through.

    So we pierce, we don¡¯t crush. We only need to reach Trevenant and escape. Fainting all of the Pok¨¦mon would be too much effort. Holding them back should be enough.

    Still, Sam didn¡¯t forget Xavier¡¯s warning. If he had been right that all the Pok¨¦mon had fallen back, there¡¯d be almost an entire forest¡¯s worth of Pok¨¦mon waiting for them when they neared. However, Sam doubted that all the wild Pok¨¦mon would be in one place, as they¡¯d likely spread out in a circle to defend that burnt section of woods from every angle.

    That was still only an assumption, but given nothing except for the rare, lone Spearow or a Spinarak had attacked them so far, Sam could believe Xavier¡¯s words. He was confident that when the final fight began, they wouldn¡¯t have an entire forest to face immediately. Instead, they¡¯d have only a single group, and the rest of the Pok¨¦mon would slowly join in as the awareness of the fight spread.

    But it¡¯ll give us just enough time to make this fight possible.

    As everything began to piece together in Sam¡¯s mind, Xavier looked over to Redi.

    ¡°One of your Pok¨¦mon knows Teleport?¡± he asked, eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Tch. Don¡¯t look so impressed. We learned it from a TM, not from any specific training.¡±

    ¡°Still.¡± Xavier shrugged.

    And then the forest went quiet¡ªquiet save for the sounds of Sam¡¯s continued, back-and-forth pacing.

    ¡°We might actually be able to do this,¡± Sam eventually said slowly, looking up around at everyone here. ¡°We¡¯ll need to position ourselves carefully, but we have enough firepower to break through any defenses and enough skill to make some of our own.¡±

    If they had a way to escape, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about saving their strength to make a path out. It meant they could completely dedicate themselves to fighting and reaching Trevenant. They didn¡¯t even need to faint their opponents, just prevent the wild Pok¨¦mon from stopping them.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ...And since Quilava is the one most prepared to help Trevenant, we don¡¯t need everyone to get through.

    Just her.

    Sam resumed his jog north and began to go into details, and both Xavier and Redi listened along. This would be the most difficult fight of their lives so far, but they just needed to make and defend a single opening.

    Then, Quilava will be able to do what she needs to do.

    <hr>

    Sam felt a strange mixture of worry and relief when he saw Xavier was right. Anywhere else, the wild Pok¨¦mon would have fled from Pryce¡¯s march, but the Pok¨¦mon currently ahead of them were clearly working together for a shared goal.

    Not too far away, beneath the trees, the Pok¨¦mon of the forest had formed ranks around the patch of burned woods¡ªor at least, they had formed ranks in a way only wild Pok¨¦mon understood.

    Raticate hid within pockets of dense foliage, their eyes glinting off the light of the late afternoon sun. That same light exposed the sheen of the webs woven by Spinarak in the trees and the rare, exposed thread from an underground trap dug by Ariados. The occasional Murkrow flew beneath the canopy, acting as a flying patrol for the wild Pok¨¦mon. Between them all, there were other species in lesser numbers, too. Sam could already see a few Venonat and Furret preparing themselves for a fight. He even saw a single Exeggutor and a pair of Girafarig.

    As far as Sam could tell, almost the entire forest was here, ready to fight to protect their home. Specifically, they were all working for that Trevenant. It had earned their loyalty, and now it was using that loyalty to fuel its revenge.

    However¡ªand this was an important ¡®however¡¯¡ªthese Pok¨¦mon might have had numbers, but they were still wild Pok¨¦mon. No matter how determined they were to help Trevenant, they didn¡¯t have the training and experience to stand their ground against such seemingly threatening foes.

    ¡°Redi. You¡¯re up first,¡± Sam whispered, waving her forward.

    She nodded and leaned over to rest a hand on Ursaring¡¯s shoulder. On all fours, he moved to the front of their hidden group and opened his mouth. His brown fur helped him hide, surrounded by the trunks of the trees.

    He breathed in.

    Sam felt the hair on his neck stand up.

    The air pulsed with a sharp energy that seeped into their released Pok¨¦mon.

    Ahead, the result was almost immediate. Like the shine of a star, a glow emanated from Ursaring¡¯s mouth. A lone Venonat squeaked in alarm, but none of the wild Pok¨¦mon were fast enough to do anything.

    Ursaring¡¯s attack screeched through the air.

    The Hyper Beam darkened the world around it due to the sheer amount of light it gave off. Pok¨¦mon shouted and jumped out of the way as the laser stabbed into the woods. A flash of heat radiated off of it, and many weaker Pok¨¦mon already began to flee. The move hit a tree in the distance, and with a thunderous boom, its trunk cracked.

    Shouts echoed around them. The start of a path had already been formed by that single attack.

    ¡°Now!¡± Sam shouted, standing up.

    Their Pok¨¦mon charged out from behind him.

    Caws, hisses, and hacking noises echoed in response as the remaining wild Pok¨¦mon prepared to meet them head-on.

    Two of Xavier¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were quick to take the lead. Yanma were known for their immense speed and acceleration, and Donphan rolled itself up into a tire that left a track through the woods. A lightly scorched Exeggutor moved to the front of the defense to try to stop them, but even with its multiple heads, it was unable to conjure a Psychic that grabbed either of them.

    Sonic Booms formed a cloud of dust that consumed it. Donphan curved, hitting a tree, but instead of coming to a halt, it bounced into the canopy and tore away the Spinarak¡¯s webs. That made room for Yanma, which then copied itself a dozen times over. Its Double Team prevented the subsequent attacks from hitting anything more than illusory duplicates as it unleashed even more Sonic Booms.

    Under that shared assault, the wild Pok¨¦mon were too focused on the immediate pair to stop the rest of the charge. Dragonair dived in, spiraling through leave to conjure quick Twisters that blasted hiding Raticate out of their hiding spots in the bushes. Primeape and Xavier¡¯s Poliwrath followed, unleashing Fighting Type punches at the Pok¨¦mon that tried to retaliate from the ground.

    A Foresight from Noctowl prevented a scattered handful of wild Gastly from moving to the back of the group, and then the Gastly in Sam¡¯s shadow decided to meet them in the shade. A single, lone Girafarig made the unfortunate decision to try to move to the front, but Ursaring had finished recharging from his Hyper Beam, and he didn¡¯t even need to use a move to bowl it over.

    ¡°Keep going!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not that far away!¡±

    He, Redi, and Xavier weren¡¯t as fast as their Pok¨¦mon, but they still quickly reached the area of the fight.

    A Water Gun from Poliwrath disrupted a Gust sent from a Murkrow. Primeape jumped into the air and used Bulk Up to withstand the damage of a Poison Sting barrage sent from a Spinarak. One Ariados tried to poke its head out of a trapped hole for a surprise attack, but it was yanked back into that darkened, underground pit by Haunter sneaking in behind it.

    It was chaos, and despite the danger surrounding them, Sam kept his faith in his team. Attacks were intercepted and taken, and he and everyone else used the commotion to run through the woods.

    And Quilava was out, too. She ran at Sam¡¯s side. Though they wanted her to save her energy for Trevenant, it made no sense to completely prevent her from using her super effective moves if her fire was needed.

    In the distance, Sam could already see the edge of the burned woods. The afternoon light peeked through the dead forest¡¯s lack of branches, and the sun¡¯s red glow almost made it seem as though it was still on fire.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon had set their defenses close to that section of forest¡ªthere was only about a hundred feet between them and their destination. Honestly, Sam was reminded of the battlefield that had been the Azalea Gym Trial.

    But he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d be using that mass combat experience somewhere like here.

    However, while their initial charge surprised and disrupted what the wild Pok¨¦mon had set up, not every Pok¨¦mon was freaking out. Above their heads, Sam heard a sharp caw.

    A screech pierced the air, and the few Murkrow that were already around began to pull away.

    The black-feathered Pok¨¦mon followed the command of that cry to form into a flock beneath the canopy. From above, a black blur broke through the branches to dive into the middle of the group. The gleam in the incoming Honchkrow¡¯s eyes told Sam it wasn¡¯t just here to defend the Trevenant¡¯s home.

    Sam had managed to escape it once. After that previous, embarrassing showing, it was back for revenge.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp!¡± Sam shouted.

    Quilava jumped, her flames blazing to life, and she cried out her name while using her attack. Fiery motes formed in the air around her, but off to her side, a giggle, and a flash.

    Her Will-O-Wisps sputtered out as something flashed across her. Her eyes widened as she fell, and the Honchkrow came barrelling down.

    ¡°Poli! Wrath!¡±

    Thankfully, they had a savior in the form of one of Xavier¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, as Primeape was too busy fighting off a pair of Venonat to block the incoming Honchkrow¡¯s attack. The heavy Water-and-Fighting Type lunged forward, jumping to snatch the Honchkrow right out of its dive and smash it into the forest floor, head first, landing a devastating Submission.

    Once on the ground, Poliwrath pulled back to let the Honchkrow dizzily push to its feet and shake its head to recover. The flock of Murkrow above cawed out taunts, and a few other wild Pok¨¦mon began to move back to watch one of the forest¡¯s heaviest hitters ready itself for a fight.

    ¡°...Keep moving, you two,¡± Xavier unexpectedly said, sliding to a halt and turning around. ¡°I¡¯m stopping here.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Redi yelled. ¡°As soon as that Honchkrow¡¯s down, everything else is going to attack!¡±

    But to her question, Xavier just smirked, staring at the Honchkrow as Sam and Redi continued to run ahead. He reached into his pocket to pull out a shrunken Pok¨¦ball, which then he pointed at its opponent.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xavier said, and his voice betrayed not a single ounce of fear. ¡°We¡¯re good enough to serve as the first line of defense. Besides, I think I just found the sixth member of my team.¡±

    The Honchkrow sneered, and it flung out its wings to call for its flock of Murkrow to dive. Xavier¡¯s Yanma and Noctowl were quick to intercept them as Donphon threw rocks from the ground, but Sam wasn¡¯t able to watch.

    He ran, moving too quickly to see anything. The trees blocked his vision, and Xavier was left behind.

    ¡°If he¡¯s staying...¡± Redi mumbled.

    Sam could tell she was getting ready to turn and serve as the second layer of defense to let everyone else keep moving forward. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to run that much farther ahead, as she¡¯d need to gather Xavier, his Pok¨¦mon, and everyone else before also grabbing Sam and allowing them to Teleport away.

    ¡°I understand. Good luck, Re¡ª¡±

    Sam stopped himself and came to a halt when he heard that same giggle from before.

    His eyes narrowed as he scanned the surrounding woods. A roar from Ursaring was enough to stop a pack of Rattata from getting any closer, and Dragonair¡¯s sheer presence warned many more away.

    ¡°There!¡±

    A movement within the shadows caught Sam¡¯s attention. He was too familiar with that kind of hiding to think it was anything simply dashing between the trees.

    There had been a reason Quilava¡¯s Will-O-Wisp failed earlier, and Sam doubted it was a failure on her part alone.

    An Imprison, most likely.

    ¡°I got it!¡± Redi called for Dragonair to prepare an attack, but wild Spearow dived through the canopy and stopped the Dragon Type from using any moves.

    Unabated, purple wisps popped up in the forest, illuminating a haze that blocked their path forward. Though it was not night, a Ghost Type moved before them.

    Then, Misdreavus shouted out a cry.

    Splitting from Sam¡¯s shadow, she burst from the floor, the momentum of Shadow Sneak carrying her forward. Wrapped in darkness, she slammed into the center of that haze, disrupting the would-be attacker¡¯s move and sending it careening to the forest floor.

    It scowled at her, the Pok¨¦mon adjusting its witch¡¯s hat and moving back into the air. Having been hit with a super effective move, the Ghost Type was revealed as a wild Mismagius, Misdreavus¡¯s evolved form, that was now facing Sam¡¯s friend and Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Misdreavus, if this Pok¨¦mon managed to evolve on its own, it¡¯s as tough as that Honchkrow from before. You have to avoid its attacks. Focus on using¡ª¡±

    But she shouted and jerked forward, another Shadow Sneak slamming into the Mismagius¡¯s chest. The wild Ghost Type was too unfamiliar with the attack to know how to move out of the way. Misdreavus shoved it to the side of the road, making one last opening for them to keep moving forward.

    She locked eyes with both Sam and Quilava, nodding. Then, she began to conjure a Shadow Ball as her opponent did the same, the two of them splitting off to continue their battle where they wouldn¡¯t be disturbed.

    ¡°What are you doing, Sam?! Keep running! Don¡¯t get distracted! We¡¯ll hold them off here!¡±

    Redi¡¯s shout snapped Sam out of his daze as he watched Misdreavus take on such a massive threat on her own. Behind, Redi¡¯s team was in the middle of a furious fight, and Quilava finally tore her gaze away from where her friend had just disappeared.

    ¡°We will,¡± Sam said, slowly building up speed once more. ¡°Just... Be careful, alright?¡±

    ¡°Duh. Of course we will!¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t get too focused on a single target!¡± he yelled over his shoulder. ¡°Switch targets if you ever feel you¡¯re facing a wall! Haunter, Primeape! You two help out, too!¡±

    With everyone furiously fighting to stop anything from giving chase, Sam turned, and now it was just him and Quilava dashing through the woods.

    The sounds of battle faded behind them, and the noise completely disappeared as they burst into the burned section of woods.

    Trees, blackened and cracking, stood as pillars that marked their own graves. The ground was still stained grey from ash. Even now, Sam smelt smoke.

    Here, it was silent. Utterly so. The passive heat of this section of the forest made Sam sweat. This area contained more than just lingering regrets¡ªit was as if the memory of the fire still remained.

    And Trevenant¡¯s been staying here this entire time? It¡¯s been feeling and experiencing a forest fire that already passed.

    It didn¡¯t deserve this.

    At Sam¡¯s side, Quilava stared ahead, almost enthralled by something at the burned grove¡¯s center. She was unable to tear her gaze away until Sam¡¯s voice brought her focus back to him.

    ¡°Quilava. It¡¯s just us now. We need to convince Trevenant to stop,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Either by talking to it or by battling it if we have to. We just need to do something before Pryce forces it away.¡±

    The Trevenant was stubborn, but so was Pryce to an even greater degree. Sam couldn¡¯t picture any future where an encounter between those two ended well.

    Quilava nodded as she looked up at him, and Sam smiled and knelt down.

    ¡°I believe in you,¡± he said. ¡°You can do this.¡±

    He reached over to take the scarf holding her Everstone, but then Quilava¡¯s eyes went as wide as they could go.

    Screaming her name, Quilava jumped and slammed into Sam¡¯s chest with the force of a full-fledged Quick Attack. Sam felt the air get knocked out of him from that thud, and he was left gasping on the ground, looking up.

    However, right where he had just been kneeling, a gnarled branch pulled away after finishing a swipe. A knot opened up in a nearby tree¡¯s charred trunk, revealing a single, still-burning eye.

    Slowly, dried and ashen wood cracked and crumbled as something pulled itself out from within. The dead tree broke apart and splintered as the Trevenant peeled itself away, falling to the ground with a heavy thump.

    It glared at them, its eye alight with the same fire that had once burned these woods. It was large, angry, and towered over Quilava.

    A negotiation wouldn¡¯t happen.

    It was too mad¡ªtoo enraged.

    As Sam struggled to pick himself off the forest floor, one thing became abundantly clear:

    They¡¯d need to fight the Trevenant.

    Yet, even with that looming threat, Quilava stood her ground. She would not back down here.

 Chapter 110

    Trevenant howled as it lunged, its voice echoing through the skeletal woods. Quilava leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the swipe of its claws. Its red eye left a streak behind it, locking onto Sam. He was forced to scramble away to make sure the hostile Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t get close.

    ¡°Trevenant, wait!¡± he yelled.

    But the wild Pok¨¦mon just snarled and jumped after Quilava. Each slash of its jagged hands forced her to hop, and when it adjusted its pattern, she had to spin to avoid a solid hit to her side.

    ¡°Quil!¡± she shouted, squeaking. ¡°Lava!¡±

    ¡°Quilava¡¯s right!¡± Sam yelled as he pushed to his feet. ¡°There¡¯s no point in fighting! Mahogany¡¯s Gym Leader, Pryce, is coming this way! He¡¯s going to try to force you out of your home if you don¡¯t stop these attacks!¡±

    But Sam¡¯s shout did nothing. Trevenant continued to chase after Quilava, who gained a grim expression on her face.

    A backward Quick Attack saw her avoid a dual-handed swipe, but the ongoing assault made it clear she couldn¡¯t keep up a pure defense forever.

    The sight confirmed Sam¡¯s first thought that negotiation was impossible. All his shouts had mustered in Trevenant was an increased need to win; if someone else was coming here to attack it, then the wild Pok¨¦mon needed to eliminate them before further company arrived.

    Swipe after swipe, Trevenant swung its claws at Quilava, pushing her toward the forest while Sam stumbled backward in an effort to keep up. She was currently interposed between him and the hostile Ghost Type, and if there was ever a moment where she wasn¡¯t in the way, Sam was sure the Trevenant would change targets and attack.

    Another swipe barely missed Quilava, and Sam bit the inside of his cheek. They had come to help Trevenant just as much as they had come to help Quilava, but though Sam didn¡¯t want to fight, he could at least recognize that not doing anything would be a mistake. He might have once said he¡¯d do anything to ensure Quilava would evolve, but in the face of such a furious Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks, he¡¯d rather his friend be safe.

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Sam shouted.

    They would have to do this the hard way¡ªexhausting Trevenant and forcing it into a position where it had no choice but to talk. So, in accordance with Sam''s shout, Quilava¡¯s flames blazed to life. In the middle of one of her jumps, she twisted in the air and opened her mouth. Shooting out, a wave of fire raced forward and spread across the ground.

    Trevenant froze.

    Its reaction wasn¡¯t one Sam expected. For a moment, that burning in its eye stopped, and its singular, red iris shrunk out of fear. It leaped back, leaving the ground and letting Quilava¡¯s move flow under it. It then failed to land on its many legs, hitting the ground on its side, and its scowl vanished, replaced by an open-mouthed look of fear.

    For a second, it almost looked young.

    Haunted.

    Quilava¡¯s Flamethrower might not have hit, but it had brought Trevenant to the same moment that had likely started all of this in the first place.

    Finishing her attack, Quilava landed on the ground as well. She didn¡¯t continue her assault, and these ashen woods became silent. Silent, specifically, save for the sound of Trevenant¡¯s heavy breathing.

    But just as quick as that moment came, it passed, and that same, hateful expression crossed the Trevenant¡¯s face. Still, on its side, its gaze burned with the same intensity as Quilava¡¯s move, and the Pok¨¦mon jabbed its hands into the ground like stakes entering someone¡¯s heart.

    With its influence came a brand new move, one that saw roots break through the forest floor. Ash was thrown into the air as they churned the ground and rushed toward where Quilava still stood in place.

    ¡°Run!¡± Sam yelled.

    She scrambled backward and jumped, allowing flames to wreathe her body. Her Flame Wheel allowed her to pick up speed as she did her best to roll away.

    But even with that fiery move, Trevenant continued to control its roots with ease. This entire, dead forest was its domain. In her attempt to flee, a root burst out of the ground directly in her path, and it lashed out and wrapped around her to pin her to the floor and prevent any further movement.

    Escape was pointless. Like bands, the roots whipped out and latched onto Quilava. She cried out in alarm. They squeezed her, pressing her fur against her body, and when they finally retracted, they left patches of moss and ash that left marks across her body.

    ¡°Forest¡¯s Curse,¡± Sam whispered.

    It was Trevenant¡¯s signature move, one that made its target a Grass Type.

    Its effect in this battle hadn¡¯t been what Sam was expecting. It wouldn¡¯t hinder Quilava or open her up to super effective attacks. Rather, the activation of the move pinned her down. It stopped her escape just long enough for her to look up and see Trevenant¡¯s eye gleaming above her.

    She tried to jump, but Trevenant had grown used to her tricks. A claw carved into her side, sending fur into the air and slicing through her scarf, which dropped its contents and floated to the ground.

    Trevenant¡¯s fingers dug into her, and Sam could see Quilava weaken. Whatever attack it had done drained her and reinvigorated it, but after only a single taste, Trevenant continued the attack¡¯s movements. The swipe sent Quilava flying, where she slammed against the trunk of a nearby dead tree.

    Her body went limp. Quilava fell to the ground in a puff of ash.

    ¡°Quilava!¡± Sam yelled.

    He tore across the ashen field to reach where she laid. He breathed in heated air as he cupped her body.

    Quilava was breathing, but softly. A creaking noise filled the air as the tree she slammed into broke and hit the ground.

    Except, that noise continued even after the withered trunk came to a rest. Sam looked up with a hateful gaze of his own, staring right at the Trevenant.

    The sound hadn¡¯t just been the dead tree breaking. It was also the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s splintering laugh.

    ¡°Quilava...¡± Sam whispered, clutching his friend. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was too desperate for your evolution. I should have known we needed to ask for help.¡±

    Pryce might have been marching toward this place at that very moment, but the man was too stubborn. He would have never listened. No, there were others Sam could have turned to. The local Ranger force would have at least heard Sam out, and even if they had turned him down, he could have maybe used Morty¡¯s name to get them to assist.

    And with them, this situation would have never happened. They would have never approached Trevenant on their own. They would have never left everyone else behind. Quilava wouldn¡¯t have faced an opponent above her level. Trevenant wasn¡¯t the Pok¨¦mon of a trainer. It was a wild Pok¨¦mon, and when it fought, it fought seeking a finish.

    Quilava whimpered Sam¡¯s arms, whining under her breath from the pain of slamming into that tree. Slowly, Sam reached into his pack to pull out an emergency ration¡ªa healing Sitrus berry. He held it to her mouth and squeezed. Its juices trickled into her throat.

    As the berry¡¯s healing effect did its work, her breathing quieted down as she slowly got better. Sam turned to face the Trevenant, standing up.

    It was watching them. It wore a blank expression on its face, no longer laughing.

    ¡°You did this,¡± Sam said. ¡°But this is my fault. So I¡¯m not going to let you hurt her.¡±

    He stood up, positioning himself between her and Trevenant. The wild Pok¨¦mon only stared as Sam clenched his fists and tried to take up the best stance he could.

    ¡°Quilava was here on my behalf. She was here to try to help you. We wanted to warn you about Pryce. To tell you that you needed to run and not attack! But now... You hurt her.¡± Sam grit his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fight, but if you get any closer, I¡¯ll do so to make sure you won¡¯t hurt my best friend.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    He glared.

    Also, he felt really stupid.

    But what else could he do here? All of his friends and other Pok¨¦mon were elsewhere. They were defending them, expecting to win, but after only a single move, she¡ª

    Ugh.

    If Sam ran, Trevenant would catch up.

    If Sam hid, Trevenant would find him.

    The only answer he had to rely on was to go against all common sense and defend his Pok¨¦mon, himself. But he didn¡¯t need to win. He didn¡¯t need to last. He just needed to delay long enough for Xavier, Redi, or any of his team members to get here, and then they¡¯d be able to work together to escape.

    Porygon¡¯s Teleport would be a miracle, really. He just needed to wait.

    But as Sam stood there, knees pointed in and fists wrapped around his thumbs, Trevenant stopped paying attention to look at a point behind him, staring at where Quilava laid on the forest floor.

    Her eyes were closed, but her nose twitched. Still unconscious, her ears flicked up as if listening to something.

    Then, her head snapped up, she opened her eyes, and she took off running.

    The rest of the forest where everyone was still fighting was to the south, but Quilava began to dash to the north, charging directly toward the center of the grove. Neither Sam nor Trevenant were able to immediately respond, as both of them needed to process the sudden and complete turnaround in Quilava¡¯s state.

    And then, Trevenant¡¯s single eye widened. The truth hit it all at once.

    Quilava, a Fire Type, was running to the dead center of these burned woods. She was running right toward that blackened stump that served as the heart of this lost grove.

    It roared, its voice a mix of both panic and anger. Completely ignoring Sam, Trevenant took off running. Six leg-like roots, arranged like the legs of a bug, stomped through the ash to carry it after her in a mad charge north.

    Panicking, Sam gave chase. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. Quilava had been seriously injured, and her scarf laid behind them. Still, she was running as if she hadn¡¯t been injured at all, ignoring the Trevenant that was furiously chasing after her.

    In its race, the Trevenant had no method to attack from range. Clawing at the leafy bits on its arms, it tore away chunks of wood that resembled seeds that it tried to throw. However, Quilava wasn¡¯t just running. She regularly gained bursts of speed with frequent uses of Quick Attack. The Leech Seed Trevenant threw didn¡¯t even reach her, but it did force Sam to hop to the side when whipping vines exploded out of where the seeds landed on the ground.

    Ahead, Quilava soon burst from the border of the dead woods, that central stump now within sight. She ran through the open space between the barren trees into the grove. Trevenant shouted once more, but it didn¡¯t shout out of anger. This time, it shouted out of plain desperation to get her to stop.

    Sam had to stop running when he reached the edge of the trees, leaning against a leafless trunk to catch his breath. There, all he could do was watch Quilava come to a sudden stop. Trevenant almost immediately caught up.

    Quilava did nothing but throw back her head, closing her eyes in focus. Motes of Will-O-Wisp popped up around her and began to spread out, but as Trevenant approached her, none hit it.

    It grinned, recognizing Quilava wasn¡¯t going to bother with any defense.

    More and more flaming wisps spread around the empty grove. Trevenant raised both arms at once to finish Quilava off with a final slash.

    Sam yelled, but Quilava didn¡¯t listen. She just sat there and continued to spread her move.

    But right when Trevenant was ready to end this all, she opened her eyes and looked at the Pok¨¦mon with a smile.

    Trevenant, eye widening, jumped back.

    The entire clearing had changed with Quilava¡¯s Will-O-Wisp. Except, Sam could see the flames were tinted black. They hadn¡¯t just been created with Fire Type energy. So used to combining it with other moves, she had used the energy of Curse to fuel them as well.

    Now, instead of conjuring light, they cast shadows, illuminating the grove like purple fireflies and making it seem like they were in the middle of the night sky.

    But more than that, they revealed something else was here.

    Stretching out of the stump in the center of this clearing, a massive shape reached up and covered the grove with its branches.

    It was a ghost, but specifically, it was a spirit. A silhouette of an enormous tree covered the entire sky. It was transparent, allowing Sam to see right through it. Yet, its enormous leaves still cast a shade, and he could pick out countless berries growing off its branches.

    This tree might have failed to match the sheer grandeur of the trees of the Ilex forest, but it still towered over the rest of the trees in this forest. So much larger than anything else, Sam had to wonder just how old it had been. How far had its influence stretched in these woods?

    But it had been burned down.

    Sam looked around the clearing. Without its presence, this place was empty. Perfectly flat.

    You know, with it gone, this would be the perfect place for some kind of construction.

    It was a morbid thought, but it helped him understand why humans might have started this fire in the first place.

    Pure selfishness.

    But for the Trevenant, the loss of the tree hadn¡¯t just been the loss of its home. Sam recognized the look on its face. He hated how familiar it was, but he¡¯d seen this expression in the mirror so many times before.

    It was an expression of mourning, the kind of face someone would make upon losing a loved one.

    ¡°This battle is over,¡± a voice said.

    Sam almost jumped when he heard Xavier speak up beside him. The other boy stood at his side, silently staring ahead.

    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Sam asked, clearing his throat in an attempt to gather himself.

    ¡°Back in the woods, the Pok¨¦mon stopped attacking,¡± Xavier said. ¡°All at once, they stopped coming after us and began to move this way.¡±

    The crunch of footsteps over ash told Sam that Redi had come to a stop at his other side. And, now that Xavier pointed it out to him, he could see Ariados. Murkrow. Furret. Venonat. Pok¨¦mon of all forms and types that had gathered to witness this moment.

    ¡°Quilava.¡±

    Quilava said her name, slowly walking over to Trevenant and sitting down next to it. At the sound, it flinched, as if expecting the battle to continue, but all it found was her calmly sitting by her side. She too, was now staring up at the spirit of the tree.

    ¡°Quilava,¡± she said again, this time more softly.

    She used her nose to nudge Trevenant, trying to get it to move ahead.

    At her prodding, slowly, the Trevenant stood up, wobbling on its many legs. It was no longer able to stare at the tree. It wrung its hands as its sole eye, minuscule, focused on the ground and on the ash.

    It cautiously approached the base of the tree, where it stood there in front of the origin of the spirit¡¯s shadow. It paused in front of the bark of that blackened stump. Compared to even just these remains, the Trevenant looked small. It was larger than any member of Sam¡¯s team, but next to such a massive trunk, it almost looked like a child.

    When Sam closed his eyes, he could picture it.

    A Trevenant¡ª

    No.

    A Phantump, its pre-evolved form, flitting through these woods, carrying a harvest from this very tree. It would bring those healing berries and its own genuine well-wishes to take care of every sick and injured Pok¨¦mon it could find.

    The Pok¨¦mon that now surrounded this grove hadn¡¯t worked under Trevenant with the intent of revenge. The forest fire had hurt them. The forest fire had caused them to mourn. But they wouldn¡¯t have gone after travelers.

    No, they had agreed to follow its orders only out of thanks.

    Beneath the tree, the Trevenant shuddered, its eye wavering. Something akin to sap began to drip from a crack on its face.

    ¡°It''s crying,¡± Redi whispered.

    Ursaring let out a mournful growl behind her.

    The Trevenant slowly brought its gaze up only to collapse. Its claws fell forward, dragging down the blackened bark, as tears¡ªreal tears¡ªpoured from its face.

    It was sorry.

    Sam didn¡¯t need to understand Pok¨¦mon to understand what Trevenant was going through.

    It was sorry that it had let this happen. It was sorry that it went against everything it had once stood for. It was sorry that it had never said goodbye.

    It was sorry that¡ª

    Trevenant froze, and the same claws that had just run down the bark now furiously dug at the ground. Almost possessed, it tore away at the ash, then fallen wood, and then dirt.

    The Trevenant stopped moving.

    Peeking out from the exposed forest floor was the barest hint of green.

    This section of the woods would not remain dead forever. It would regrow.

    To that revelation, the Pok¨¦mon of the forest began to cry out. They shouted their names, sending their regards, and one by one, they began to leave.

    An Ariados chittered its name before scurrying off, an uncountable number of Spinarak following it.

    A pair of Girafarig bowed their heads before leaving side-by-side.

    Furret called out their names and ran off. An Exeggutor¡¯s heads called out before it turned around to leave.

    And, within the trees themselves, that Honchkrow from before, the one Xavier seemed to have failed to catch, tipped its feathery hat before flying away. Its flock of Murkrow flew off behind it, and Xavier watched them go, memorizing the direction they left.

    Sam had to turn away. At his side, Redi covered her eyes with an arm. Above his head, he could hear the noise of Haunter openly weeping.

    As more and more Pok¨¦mon left these woods, a giggle cropped up nearby, and that wild Mismagius appeared once more just to bow her head and disappear into the shadows. From behind her, Misdreavus joined Sam by his side, smiling despite the injuries that were obvious on her body.

    She looked up at him. Faced with the scene in the grove before her, happy tears entered her eyes.

    Eventually, the forest was clear of all other Pok¨¦mon, likely moving off to avoid the ire of Pryce¡¯s march. All that was left was Trevenant, still kneeling, and Quilava¡¯s Will-O-Wisps, which were beginning to fade away one at a time.

    With each one gone, the image of the tree became a little weaker. The massive spirit started to disappear, beginning to move on and fade away.

    Although, as its absence grew, even though Sam had no way to confirm, he swore he heard a phrase whispered in the wind.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    And to the Trevenant,

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±

    With that final message, the grove was finally empty. Only Trevenant remained, its tears fueling the new growth it had exposed beneath it.

    Then and only then did Quilava look satisfied. From where she had been seated, she stood up, turning from the Trevenant, and began to walk away. The tree had moved on, and Trevenant had calmed down. It no longer possessed the same maliciousness from before. Now, it could mourn, having the proper chance to say goodbye.

    However, as she moved back to Sam, with each step she took, a glow intensified around her form.

    The Trevenant tore off her scarf, Sam realized. And she just helped that tree move on.

    Her body shifted as the light around her became blinding. Sam could hear Xavier mumble under his breath at his side.

    ¡°A Typhlosion?¡± Xavier whispered. ¡°No. It¡¯s not right.¡±

    Quilava¡¯s body lengthed. Her fur became darker. The flames that came from her head and lower back now came from around her neck, burning off of her like her now-lost scarf.

    Though Sam could not see any further differences with the obscuring glow of her evolution, he knew they¡¯d succeeded when he saw a single, specific detail.

    Her ears.

    It was dumb, but the two variants of Typhlosion possessed different ears. A basic Typhlosion from Johto tended to have ears that pointed up, but Quilava¡¯s new form saw ears that flopped to her sides.

    By the time she reached Sam, the light had broke, and she stood on her hind legs, smiling down at him with a height that was slightly above his own.

    ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t be able to ride on my shoulders anymore,¡± he said, barely able to speak.

    To that, Typhlosion laughed. Then, she drew back her head to cry out her name.

    That night, all around the world, those attuned to spiritual matters felt something. Ghost Types and Ghost Specialists and Channelers and real ghosts all stopped whatever they were doing to look up at the sky.

    Something was different. Something was there that hadn¡¯t been there before.

    Quilava hadn¡¯t just evolved into any Typhlosion. After months of hard work and so many weeks of dedicated training and research, she had finally done it. She had evolved into the variant she and Sam both sought.

    Here, in this slowly returning grove, the long-lost Hisuian Typhlosion finally made its appearance in Johto.

 Chapter 111

    With the spirit¡¯s passing, the aggressive Pok¨¦mon dispersed, and Trevenant no longer had a reason to attack. Even if Pryce¡¯s march passed near this place, neither Trevenant nor the Gym Leader would need to go after one another.

    So, Sam and everyone else left.

    Porygon flashed to bring them away.

    And Sam was hit with intense nausea when they landed in the Pok¨¦mon Center. Yes, landed, as something about Porygon¡¯s use of Teleport was off with transporting three people.

    Xavier also stumbled, but Redi looked completely fine. Sam knew Porygon still struggled to make decisions on its own, but it seemed to have no problem prioritizing Redi¡¯s comfort over that of everyone else.

    ¡°Eurgh...¡±

    He pushed up from his hands and knees, sitting on his feet as he did his best to will that dizzying feeling away. Thankfully, they had managed to gather up all of their Pok¨¦mon before they left, and the Gastly in Sam¡¯s shadow had gathered and been counted.

    (Okay, sure, Sam¡¯s shadow might have now contained a few extra heads, but the Gastly that desired to stay had stayed. A sparse few had left to explore and live in Route 42¡¯s forest, but even more had decided to tag along because what else was Sam if not public transportation for Ghost Types?)

    ¡°...yes, a note on my page. If you look at what¡¯s written under Porygon...¡±

    Redi, able to move, did her best to explain the need for discretion to the local nurse. New species weren¡¯t discovered every day, and she was trying to set up a similar situation to what had happened with Porygon back in Goldenrod City.

    Right now, however, as Sam knelt on the Pok¨¦ball-patterned tiles of the Pok¨¦mon Center floor, the other trainers around the room watched him nervously. Likely, they had been waiting for news from Pryce¡¯s expedition. Three trainers landing on the Pok¨¦mon Center floor should have meant something, but Sam just shook his head, disappointing them, while Xavier stood completely still next to him.

    Yet, for some reason, the dismissal didn¡¯t cause the other trainers to look away.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Xavier said cautiously.

    Xavier spoke with an unexpected level of control and concern. Turning his head, Sam glanced over to where Xavier was looking, finding a Gengar leaning over him to inspect Quil¡ª Typhlosion¡¯s Pok¨¦ball at his waist.

    ¡°Oh, go away,¡± Sam grumbled. ¡°Get back to haunting the Pok¨¦mon Center.¡±

    He waved a hand at it, and the Gengar let out an echoing laugh. It bounced back into the air to fade away into nothing, and several of the other trainers in the room became extraordinarily pale.

    ¡°Samuel?¡± the nurse finally said, her voice a mixture of uncomfortable and confused. ¡°We¡¯re ready to take your Pok¨¦mon. So, if you¡¯ll just follow me...¡±

    Sam pushed to his feet, stumbling as his balance failed to return to him. He sent a questioning look to Xavier, but Xavier declined.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside.¡±

    And then the other boy left through the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s entrance, moving to its side to stop, stand, and stare up at the growing black of the night sky.

    It took a few seconds for Sam to reach the nurse as he had to fight to maintain his balance before he was able to walk normally again. Once he reached the counter, she directed him to move around its side to follow her into the hallway with the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s treatment rooms.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming too!¡± Redi said.

    Both of them chased after Nurse Joy inside.

    Moving ahead of them, this younger nurse held her head high, but she sent frequent glances back to Sam and Redi. Her arms were held stiff at her sides.

    ¡°This room should be available,¡± she said.

    On the way in, they passed a Chansey carrying a roll of paper that would cover an examination table. Once it had left, Nurse Joy let them step inside first, where she closed the door behind them and took a moment to breathe.

    ¡°Alright. Ignoring everything else that¡¯s going on, you said you have a new Pok¨¦mon? Something undiscovered? Now, of all times?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s technically been discovered, it just used to be extinct,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s a variant of Typhlosion from Hisui. She managed to evolve into it after months of effort!¡±

    The nurse slowly nodded and gestured to an empty space on the floor.

    ¡°Send her out,¡± she said.

    Sam paused.

    ¡°But she¡¯s injured?¡±

    The nurse took several seconds to process Sam¡¯s words before sighing and rubbing her brow.

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s been a stressful few days. Please, hand me her Pok¨¦ball so I can scan her into our system.¡±

    Sam passed over Typhlosion¡¯s Pok¨¦ball to let the nurse slot it into the nearby computer. Redi let herself fall into a metal chair pressed against the wall. She looked exhausted after today¡¯s constant running and battling, but Sam didn¡¯t feel the same need to sit as her. He was still high off of that second wind that had come from witnessing Typhlosion¡¯s successful evolution.

    The computer whirred and sent a beam of light passing over Typhlosion¡¯s Pok¨¦ball. Above it, a monitor on the wall flashed to ready its display. As the nurse typed, the device finished scanning, and Sam almost laughed at the banner that passed over the screen.

    NEW POKEMON.

    It was almost like a congratulations or an announcement. The nurse went completely still.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding,¡± she mumbled.

    After wiping her forehead, the nurse began to type even more so than before. Sam looked at Redi, who returned his smile with an even brighter one, and they both waited for the nurse to finish her preparations.

    ¡°A few of Typhlosion¡¯s ribs are cracked¡ªbut that¡¯s nothing serious for a Pok¨¦mon. It¡¯ll take a week or two for them to heal naturally, but we¡¯ll get her right as rain in the next few days,¡± the nurse said, still focusing on her computer. ¡°Everything else seems to be in order, but...¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s a new species,¡± the nurse replied, turning around on her stool. ¡°We can compare her readings to that of a normal Typhlosion¡ªer, a Johtonian Typhlosion¡ªbut she¡¯s... some kind of Ghost Type now?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°That was the plan.¡±

    The nurse bit her lip and returned her gaze to the computer¡¯s monitor, reading through the data and its many, many nearly unparseable lines.

    ¡°...If you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment, I think I need to make a call,¡± the nurse mumbled.

    ¡°Okay?¡± Sam said.

    The nurse briskly stood up from her stool to walk out of the room, but once she opened the door, she paused to lean against its edge.

    ¡°You can send out your Pok¨¦mon if you want to talk to her,¡± she said, only half-paying attention while looking back at Sam. ¡°Just make sure to not put pressure on her side and try to avoid having her do anything too intensive.¡±

    She left after that, closing the door to give them some privacy. Alone, Sam and Redi exchanged a single look before Sam hurriedly snatched Typhlosion¡¯s Pok¨¦ball away from the machine and released his friend and starter into the center of the room.

    Typhlosion was big.

    She was no longer the small, little ferret-like Pok¨¦mon she had been as a Cyndaquil and a Quilava. Now, standing on her hind legs, the top of her head reached above Sam¡¯s own when she didn¡¯t fall into a slouch.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Sam looked her over, almost having trouble believing what he was seeing, and Typhlosion shook herself awake as if just coming out of a nap. Her ears weren¡¯t the largest ears among Pok¨¦mon, but they still slapped the sides of her head when she shook.

    She only realized Sam was there after taking a moment to rub her eyes. Noticing him, Typhlosion greeted him with a proud smile.

    ¡°You did it,¡± Sam said again.

    Grinning, Typhlosion brought back her head to cry out her name, once more declaring her victory to the world.

    A Johtonian member of her species possessed light-colored stomach fur with dark, heat-proof fur on its back. For Typhlosion, a Hisuian Typhlosion, her dark fur stretched around the front of her neck, almost resembling a collar or some sort of plated necklace. At regular intervals in a circle just above her shoulders were dark purple divots. Each of those holes could ignite with fire, and from what Sam had seen in the grove, he knew they could burn with a red-purple flame unique to her variant species, making it seem as though she wore some sort of grand, flowing scarf.

    Seeing just what Typhlosion had become, Sam had to rub the blurriness out of his eyes. It had taken months to reach this point, and they never once had a guarantee. Typhlosion was an impossible Pok¨¦mon, yet here she was. She stood before him, staring back with just the biggest smile on her face.

    She really evolved.

    Before he realized it, Sam had already thrown himself forward for a hug. Typhlosion¡¯s fur was coarse on his arms but became soft as soon as he pressed past that exterior layer. Temperature-wise, the immediate surface of her body was cold, but she was comfortably warm like a heated blanket directly underneath.

    As Sam squeezed, Typhlosion said her name, her voice deeper and lacking the squeak it used to carry. She hugged him back, able to do so now that she was around his height. He shoved his face into her fur, his entire being filled with both relief and joy. However, he had to pull back pretty quickly when he felt Typhlosion wince.

    ¡°S-sorry,¡± Sam said while wiping his eyes. ¡°Your ribs are cracked. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I just... I¡¯m so happy, y¡¯know? You¡¯re amazing. You really know that, right?¡±

    Typhlosion replied with a chuff, sticking her chin into the air out of pride.

    The squeak of rubber on tile brought Sam¡¯s attention away, and he looked over to Redi who leaned back and watched this all take place.

    ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡± she asked.

    Sam grinned as he once again took in the fully evolved form of Typhlosion.

    ¡°I have to call my mom. She needs to know everything that happened! Morty, too, but he already knew we were going to succeed. I¡¯m not really sure who else¡ªViolet City¡¯s Nurse Joy? Oh, Quilava¡¯s, er, Typhlosion¡¯s grandfather! And maybe I should also¡ª¡±

    He stopped.

    Redi sent Sam a flat stare, and he knew that hadn¡¯t been the answer she was looking for. Specifically, Redi wanted to know what Sam had planned for his team.

    And to that, his grin only deepened.

    ¡°Ghost Type moves,¡± Sam said. ¡°So, so many Ghost Type moves. Evolution always means a dramatic increase in strength, and after all of Typhlosion¡¯s practice with Curse and Will-O-Wisp, learning more moves to match her new Type should come super fast.¡±

    Sam swung his backpack around to his front and reached in. Typhlosion was able to watch him dig through from a completely different angle than before. She tilted her head to the side as he retrieved the New Pok¨¦dex and flipped to a certain, extremely familiar entry that they had never directly used before.

    Never directly used until now.

    ¡°There we go. Typhlosion. Hisuian Typhlosion.¡± Sam laughed to himself as he saw the familiar sketch that started this all. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we pick up everything. Your new moves don¡¯t even seem that difficult for you, Typhlosion. You can get Confuse Ray. Hex. Shadow Ball. Night Shade. Maybe even a physical attack like Shadow Claw?¡±

    He paused to let Typhlosion consider her options.

    ¡°I mean, from here, the possibilities might as well be endless. I can¡¯t even imagine what you¡¯ll be capable of now! Well, I absolutely can, but what I¡¯m trying to say is that you¡¯re going to be even more amazing! There¡¯s so much we can do, but before then¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself before he got distracted. There was something else he wanted Typhlosion to try, first.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said, slowing down before he could fall into a lecture. ¡°That move you used to illuminate the tree. It wasn¡¯t just a Will-O-Wisp, was it? I bet it was something more¡ªInfernal Parade, Hisuian Typhlosion¡¯s signature move. That was it, right?¡±

    As Sam named the brand new move, Typhlosion furrowed her brow in thought. The New Pok¨¦dex said her species instinctively understood how to use Infernal Parade, but it seemed she hadn¡¯t even realized that possibility until now.

    Slowly, as if to test the idea, Typhlosion held up a paw and cupped the air in front of her chest. Carefully pulling it away from her, a single, flaming wisp sparked up above her palm. The move resembled a Will-O-Wisp, but it didn¡¯t carry the usual shade of red Sam had come to expect. Instead, it was made of that same, flickering purple that could burn around Typhlosion¡¯s neck.

    Sam realized he recognized it. Partially, at least. Whenever Quilava had used Will-O-Wisp while under the effects of Curse, the edges of her motes had been tinted with hints of that same purple.

    ¡°Infernal Parade is similar to Hex but slightly weaker,¡± he said quietly, staring at the flames of Typhlosion¡¯s new attack. ¡°Its damage potential is ever so slightly lower, but like Hex, it doubles in power when damaging a target with a status condition. However, its real strength comes from a combination with that trait. What I mean is, Infernal Parade can inflict a burn all on its own.¡±

    Typhlosion suddenly breathed out of her nose, causing the flames to vibrate from the rush of air. Lowering her paw, she controlled the wisp to keep it hovering in place. All it took was the slightest bit of her focus to have it move around the room.

    Sam watched her control it with ease before continuing his explanation.

    ¡°Even though Infernal Parade deals less damage than Hex, it¡¯s a better move all around,¡± Sam continued, whispering as he watched Typhlosion practice. ¡°Instead of needing to use Will-O-Wisp and then an attack to take advantage of that, you can just use Infernal Parade twice to deal more damage overall.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Sam winced at Redi¡¯s question, breaking out of his trance. Redi was still watching the moving flame, looking almost enthralled by the fire.

    ¡°Kind of,¡± Sam said, shrugging, nonchalant. ¡°Infernal Parade is a Ghost Type attack, so its fires aren¡¯t as strong as Will-O-Wisps. Burns are common but not guaranteed. Still, I think the damage more than makes up for that.¡±

    Typhlosion¡¯s ears stood straight up as she focused on moving around the single mote. It built up speed as she grew in confidence, and it zipped back and forth, side to side, and eventually, up and down.

    That was a mistake.

    As soon as her mote neared the ceiling, a blaring, beeping noise shook the very air. The smoke detected blasted out its warning, and Typhlosion had only seconds to put out her attack before the sprinkler system activated.

    She did so, but she didn¡¯t snuff it out the way Sam expected.

    Rather than dropping the control of her move and letting it dissipate, Typhlosion acted on some unknown instinct, snapping out at the mote with her mouth. She chomped down on the fire, consuming her attack.

    The beeping stopped. Everyone in the room froze.

    Typhlosion burped, smoke coming out of her mouth.

    ¡°Gross!¡± Redi said, waving her hand in front of her face and bursting into laughter.

    Sam couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter, and he teased Typhlosion until a Chansey carrying a fire extinguisher rushed into the room. The next few minutes were spent frantically apologizing and assuring the nurse Pok¨¦mon that everything was okay.

    ¡°So how long ¡®til you¡¯re able to take on Pryce?¡± Redi asked, sliding back onto her metal chair once the Chansey had calmed and left.

    ¡°Hm. As soon as we can? Typhlosion¡¯s super strong now, and she¡¯s already so familiar with Ghost Type energy that she¡¯ll pick up new moves in no time at all,¡± Sam said, walking around his newly evolved friend while she wiggled under the attention. ¡°We¡¯ll need to spend a few days healing and then a few more days after that just getting her used to her new body. Past that, practice. This is going to be a great time to spar with the rest of the team, so I see us winning against Pryce in, let¡¯s say, two weeks?¡±

    He stopped walking to smirk at Redi, who replied with a roll of her eyes. Two weeks was the exact amount of time until Sam¡¯s scheduled Gym Battle would take place.

    ¡°You know,¡± Redi started, ¡°Pryce is still out there, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s hunting for Trevenant with the rest of the trainers under him. Trevenant¡¯s not going to attack¡ªnot now¡ªso Pryce isn¡¯t going to do anything, but what¡¯s going to happen to it after everything else?¡±

    When Sam didn¡¯t immediately respond, Redi dropped her gaze to the floor, and the mood fell into a solemn silence. Sam had no reason to believe Pryce would do anything to Trevenant after everything that happened, but he was worried. Primarily, even though Trevenant had calmed down, he just hoped the wild Pok¨¦mon would be okay.

    Lost to his thoughts, Sam only looked up when he felt something hit his shoulder. Glancing over, he saw Typhlosion staring at him with a paw on his arm. With her new evolution and new body, she did her best to send him the best approximation of a thumbs-up she could.

    She looked goofy, especially since her paws didn¡¯t quite match the digits of a human hand and because of the way her sharp teeth messed with her smile. Sam laughed, despite everything that had gone on.

    For the first time in a while, he felt as though everything would be okay.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you could help it,¡± he said.

    She nodded and let herself drop to the ground. While Typhlosion could walk on their hind legs, they were faster when running on all fours. She hadn¡¯t yet had much time to get used to her new size, so Typhlosion went through a few stretches¡ªbasic ones, given the status of her ribs¡ªand tried to familiarize herself with her longer limbs.

    With her on the ground, Sam could see a clear resemblance to how she looked as a Quilava. He¡¯d been worried about changes that¡¯d come from a change in Type, but Typhlosion was still herself.

    She was just... bigger.

    ¡°Nurse Joy¡¯s been gone for a while, but Xavier¡¯s still outside,¡± Sam leaned against the room¡¯s examination table. ¡°I know she¡¯s probably going to be back soon, but I don¡¯t want to make him wait. I¡¯ll check on him once the nurse returns and Typhlosion starts getting healed.¡±

    Redi nodded, and they waited.

    Minutes passed. Their room continued to go undisturbed. Typhlosion went through all the stretches she could without disturbing her ribs.

    Click.

    A single noise came from the hallway.

    ¡°...Did you hear that?¡±

    Redi sat up in her chair, and Typhlosion jumped to her feet. Her eyes locked onto the room¡¯s door, the sole entrance and exit to this enclosed space.

    Click, the noise rang out.

    Click, the noise came again.

    Click, and the room was dead silent save for the regular sound of something hard hitting the Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s floor.

    ¡°W-What is that?¡±

    Every time the noise repeated, Sam¡¯s heart skipped in his chest. A cold sweat formed on the back of his neck, but he felt none of the chill that would have signaled this as coming from a Ghost Type.

    Click.

    Redi was out of her chair. She positioned herself under a small, box-sized window at the top of the wall. She looked ready to climb out the moment anything went wrong.

    Click.

    And Typhlosion joined her, fur standing on its ends. As thin tendrils of smoke began to trickle out from her neck, she was just as ready to scramble out even with her current injuries.

    Click.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Sam whispered.

    Click.

    The noise continued at a constant, regular pace.

    Each tap was louder. Each tap was closer. Each time the tap came, Sam was ready to jump.

    His instincts screamed that he needed to leave.

    Click.

    ¡°R-Redi,¡± Sam stammered. ¡°S-send out Porygon. Now. Please. Before it gets here. We can¡¯t let it get to us. We can¡¯t let it get in here. We can¡¯t let it get to us before we¡ª¡±

    CLICK.

    The noise stopped.

    Whatever had been causing it was now right outside their door.

    The room fell into an impossible silence as everyone refused to breathe. No one let themselves twitch even an inch or make the slightest of sounds. Redi¡¯s hand was frozen halfway to Porygon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball at her belt, and Sam¡¯s shadow looked completely normal. It was as if every Ghost Type inside had drawn itself back to hide from whatever was out there.

    An eternity passed.

    A metallic squeak pierced the air.

    As the door¡¯s handle slowly turned, whatever it was began making its way in. Sam had never been so sure of something in his life; whenever the source of that noise stepped inside, his entire existence would end.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s enough out of you,¡± a voice said, and the feeling drew itself back. Sam suddenly found himself able to breathe. ¡°There we go. Is that a dramatic enough entrance for you? I¡¯ve seen your battles and assumed you might find something like this amusing.¡±

    There, as the door opened up, Sam was met with the sight of a short woman resting her hands on a wooden cane that had likely been the source of those clicks. The woman wore an almost frumpy, lavender dress that had a short apron tied to its front, and her hair had greyed into an impossibly light blonde. Her eyes, however, were still sharp and full of energy despite the wrinkles that decorated her face.

    Redi gulped as she attempted to gather herself now that that terrifying aura had disappeared.

    ¡°W-who¡¯s this old¡ª¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t finish that sentence if you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± the woman said, and Redi snapped her mouth shut.

    Sam finally let himself exhale as he realized who, exactly, he was staring at.

    ¡°Agatha,¡± he said, naming the woman standing before him. ¡°You¡¯re Agatha, Ghost Type Master and the longest-standing member of Indigo¡¯s Elite Four.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I am she,¡± Agatha said, stepping into the room as the door closed itself behind her. ¡°Now then. I was told my presence was required, and I can already see why.¡±

    She hummed, looking over Typhlosion. Typhlosion tried to avoid the old woman¡¯s stare, but no matter how much she shrunk in on herself, she was unable to hide from the Elite trainer¡¯s discerning gaze.

    ¡°Oh ho, a new species? No, a variant. That¡¯s it? Hmph. How droll.¡±

    The strongest Ghost Type trainer in the world shook her head.

    ¡°Amusing, but disappointing. I understand why I was contacted, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be over something so utterly mundane.¡±

 Chapter 112

    ¡°Mundane. Mundane?¡± Sam threw his hands into the air while Agatha watched him with an even expression. ¡°We spent months trying to achieve her evolution! We traveled all over the region to figure out how it worked! We went to researchers! Climbed a mountain! Faced real ghosts and so many battles just for you come here and call her¡ª¡±

    BONK.

    ¡°Quiet.¡±

    Sam fell into a crouch, rubbing at the bump forming on his head. Satisfied, Agatha pulled her cane back to wait for him to calm down.

    ¡°And to think, I came here to assist you and you haven¡¯t given me even a word of thanks in return. Do you think I arrived due to some mere, idle curiosity? Just so I could see some ¡®unknown,¡¯ new Pok¨¦mon? No, my presence was requested. Not just anyone can ascertain the status of a Ghost Type with a single glance.¡±

    Agatha clicked her tongue as Sam leered at her, but he soon brought his gaze to the floor.

    ¡°In the future, you should know better than to let yourself be so influenced by the Ghost Type. How often are you struck by hypocritical views? How often do you feel a desire for revenge?¡± She hummed. ¡°Mhm. That hateful glare of yours is an answer enough. Word of advice, boy, create a core set of beliefs and stick to them no matter what. Then, when you feel at risk of losing control, you have something to fall back on.¡±

    The member of Indigo¡¯s Elite Four then walked past Sam, her cane clicking against the floor with every step. Typhlosion pressed herself against the wall as Agatha approached. That terrifying aura from before was gone, but each sharp ting of Agatha¡¯s cane still caused Typhlosion¡¯s fur to stand on its ends.

    Uncharacteristically, Typhlosion looked ready to lash out, but all Agatha had to do was narrow her eyes, and Typhlosion was immediately cowed.

    ¡°Why do you think Typhlosion is mundane?¡± Sam grumbled. He stood up, still rubbing his forehead, but he had no plans to give thanks or apologize.

    Agatha didn¡¯t seem to, either.

    ¡°Hmph. Why wouldn¡¯t she be?¡± she replied.

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched at Agatha¡¯s non-answer. He watched her grab Typhlosion¡¯s wrist to lift her arm, and Typhlosion shivered as Agatha inspected her fur.

    While she was distracted, Sam tried to search Agatha¡¯s shadow, but he couldn¡¯t tell if she had Ghost Types with her or not. It looked as basic as the shadow under Redi¡¯s feet, but he knew it couldn¡¯t be empty. How could she cause that terrifying aura, otherwise?

    ¡°At this point, all new discoveries are mundane,¡± Agatha eventually said, letting Typhlosion¡¯s arm drop as she pulled back to look over all of Typhlosion at once. ¡°Do you realize how many new species are discovered each week? You have that fool Oak to thank for that. Pok¨¦mon are for fighting, yet he wastes his time in that excuse of a ranch of his. I would even say that he...¡±

    Her words drifted off as she paced to the other side of Typhlosion. Doing so let her catch sight of Sam¡¯s face, and her expression changed to something that wasn¡¯t passive disdain:

    Mild surprise.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Agatha cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Not a fan?¡±

    Sam looked at Redi for help, but all she did was furiously shake her head. She wanted nothing more than for Sam to not bring her into this conversation. Agatha was considered the most intimidating member of Indigo¡¯s Elite Four for a reason.

    ¡°Fine. Yeah. I don¡¯t like Oak,¡± Sam said. His words almost came out like a hiss, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was in reaction to Agatha or to the topic of conversation. ¡°We already had perfectly fine Pok¨¦dexes. Written ones. And now he¡¯s spreading the electronic Pok¨¦dex all over the world without even blinking an eye.¡±

    Sam crossed his arms with a huff.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t even blink at how that would step on others¡¯ businesses. Didn¡¯t even matter that bookstores relied on that kind of income to stay afloat. Did he ever think about that? I doubt it. I bet, in his eyes, he thinks that any kind of progress is worth the sacrifice. I bet he¡¯s just fine with the money that¡¯s lining his pockets, too.¡±

    But he was friends with my grandfather.

    Sam tried not to frown and failed. He believed the words he said¡ªat least, he was pretty sure did¡ªbut he still didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to think.

    Professor Oak hadn¡¯t been there when his grandfather passed. Professor Oak hadn¡¯t been there when his mother struggled to make ends meet. He hadn¡¯t been there to see Sam¡¯s mom sitting at the kitchen table late at night, scattered papers before her, furiously trying to juggle what income they had left now that both Sam¡¯s father and grandfather had passed away.

    There were nights when Sam would go downstairs for a glass of water after staying up to read. He¡¯d see his mother at the table, and she¡¯d look up in surprise. Yet, no matter how many times he asked, she¡¯d just smile and say everything was okay.

    But it never felt like the truth.

    And he hated that.

    ...The only time he didn¡¯t see his mother stress was at the beginning of the year. The new version of the Pok¨¦dex sold enough copies to keep them above board for months. Running a bookstore was never meant to be profitable, but it was his mother¡¯s dream. It was just that she didn¡¯t expect to suddenly lose almost her entire immediate family and be forced to take care of a boy and two Pok¨¦mon all by herself.

    ¡°Oho. I see.¡±

    No longer paying attention to Typhlosion, Agatha¡¯s cane clicked across as she moved to stop in front of Sam. The old woman looked up at him, her head only coming up to a height that was slightly under his chin.

    She was silent. She did nothing but stare.

    Not sure what else to do, Sam stared right back.

    Eventually, Agatha exhaled with a slight chuckle and shook her head. Sam wasn¡¯t able to figure out the expression that crossed her face, especially since she now looked so amused.

    ¡°Hm. Annoyance sourced from a time before catching a Ghost Type. Something that has festered, rather than grown on its own. Does he truly carry that hate in his heart, or is it just a cover for something else?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°A Ghost Type trainer, indeed,¡± Agatha said with a laugh. ¡°What better person to train ghosts than someone haunted by his past?¡±

    She walked past him to reach the door of the room. There, she turned on her heel to face everyone here. Typhlosion drew back and Redi tried to pretend that she didn¡¯t exist, but Sam met Agatha¡¯s stare, ignoring the continued smirk on the Elite¡¯s face.

    ¡°Typhlosion is indeed a Ghost Type, but it¡¯s her secondary Type rather than her first. Expect her behavior to be that of a normal Typhlosion, just influenced by a partial Ghost Type mindset,¡± Agatha explained. ¡°If her primary Type was Ghost, there would be more to worry about, but as she is now, she¡¯s just a slightly more ethereal yet completely physical Pok¨¦mon. Expect no changes to any treatment. She¡¯s still herself¡ªa Typhlosion. Be thankful for that.¡±

    Despite her words, Sam didn¡¯t like the implication that evolution could cause those changes. Primeape was still due to evolve, but his evolution was also a secondary Ghost Type. Given what Agatha had said, nothing should happen with that.

    But Primeape¡¯s evolution requires a certain mindset. How worried do we need to be?

    Unaware of his thoughts, Agatha kept speaking.

    ¡°As for some personal advice, I recommend keeping this evolution quiet until you¡¯re in a better spot. You don¡¯t need to commit yourself to secrecy, but don¡¯t spread the news around. People are used to new discoveries, just not from random trainers. You can never be sure how the wrong people might react, hm?

    ¡°So I say it¡¯s best to wait until the Conference,¡± she continued, thumping her cane against the ground. ¡°There, publicity will be your safety. At your level of strength, a bold, region-wide reveal will serve perfectly to ward the wrong kind of folk off.¡±

    She nodded at her own words before staring at Sam, unerringly meeting his eyes. There was a seriousness to her gaze; this wasn¡¯t just an idle suggestion. She genuinely believed it was in his best interest to not spread news of Typhlosion¡¯s evolution too far around.

    ¡°...Okay, sure, but isn¡¯t this just you trying to hurt Johto?¡± Redi suddenly blurted out. ¡°Typhlosion¡¯s one of Johto¡¯s starters. Learning that her species can become a variant would bring a lot of money and investments to her region.¡±

    Agatha glared at Redi, and Redi shrunk in on herself. She squeaked something about hearing similar thoughts from Mr. Pok¨¦mon, but Agatha just closed her eyes and turned away.

    ¡°As if I need to concern myself with the beliefs of others. Yes, I do not care for Johto, but I will never act to harm this region. My advice is advice for you alone, and it¡¯d do you best to listen to it.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    She looked over her shoulder for one last glance through the room before chuckling to herself and exiting into the hallway. She mumbled something about ¡°kids these days¡± as the door shut behind her.

    Sam realized he¡¯d never once seen her put her hand on the handle of the door. It had opened and closed all on its own.

    ...And now she¡¯s gone? Just like that? She¡¯s really not a person to waste her time, is she?

    Man. She and Pryce would get along if it wasn¡¯t for everything about Johto and Kanto¡¯s issues.

    Sam waited to see if that terrifying presence would return or if Agatha would come and say anything else. However, the clicks of her cane lacked the pressure from before, and the sounds faded away until she was gone.

    Then, and only then, Sam could begin to hear the hustle and bustle of the rest of the Pok¨¦mon Center. However, despite the presence of so many others here, he had a feeling in his stomach that only he, Redi, and Nurse Joy knew that Agatha had been here at all.

    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s over? She¡¯s gone?¡± Redi asked hopefully.

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s gone,¡± Sam answered.

    Redi let herself collapse back into her chair. The bags under her eyes were somehow even deeper before.

    Similarly, Sam¡¯s shadow darkened once again as all the ghosts inside finally let themselves breathe. Haunter¡¯s eyes opened up to look around before he hid himself once again, just in case.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Sam grumbled. He sat on the nurse¡¯s stool as Typhlosion slid down the wall to come to a rest on the floor.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like anyone who¡¯s not immediately nice to you,¡± Redi said.

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t like anyone who goes out of their way to be rude, and Agatha¡ª¡±

    ¡°You like Xavier.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t do it intentionally.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? You sure about that?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Sam rubbed his head, and Redi laughed, but the two of them were too exhausted to do anything more than that.

    For a while, the room was silent. They were still waiting on whatever Nurse Joy was doing to prepare Typhlosion¡¯s treatment. Sam wasn¡¯t sure why it was Agatha who came here instead of Morty. The importance of a new evolution, maybe? But they were in Johto, not Kanto, and Agatha was decidedly not a fan of the region.

    ¡°You know...¡± Redi started. She went quiet as she bit her lip, unsure.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t get,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Agatha came here for Typhlosion, right? Nurse Joy called the League for help, except...¡±

    Sam looked up at Redi. He could tell she was struggling to find her words.

    ¡°Except, how did Agatha know to bother with that pressure at the beginning? Sam, she said she watched your battles. She said you¡¯d think it¡¯d be amusing.¡±

    ¡°So? I fought in the Violet City tournament. The League¡¯s archives have recordings of every match,¡± he huffed. ¡°It was your idea to make me seem so edgy back then. Why wouldn¡¯t she think I¡¯d like something like that?¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure, but, well...¡±

    Redi grimaced and sat up to better focus. Leaning forward, she looked Sam in the eye.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is... When did Agatha watch your battles? Nurse Joy hasn¡¯t been gone for longer than half a match. Between being called and showing up, Agatha couldn¡¯t have had time to watch anything.¡±

    And Sam went silent.

    To Redi¡¯s question, he didn¡¯t have an answer.

    <hr>

    Pryce never discovered what had happened. The expedition returned late, late in the night, with many of its participants practically collapsing once they reached the Pok¨¦mon Center lobby.

    There was no mention of Trevenant. There were only a handful of comments about a few, sporadic attacks. At most, one group had been knocked out (Sam did his best to keep a straight face when he heard that), but after a certain point, no further Pok¨¦mon bothered the group.

    Pryce¡¯s line of trainers never encountered who or what was responsible. It was as if all of the aggression had vanished out of nowhere, and Pryce was somehow both annoyed and satisfied with that result.

    Sam stayed up just long enough to make sure nothing would go wrong, and then he promptly went to bed and slept until early afternoon. He stayed in his and Redi¡¯s rooms for most of the next day, just hanging out and relaxing to give everyone plenty of privacy and rest.

    But once night fell again, everyone went downstairs to make a pair of calls and send the messages that needed to be sent.

    Morty was delighted to find out about Typhlosion¡¯s successful evolution. He spoke loudly when he offered his congratulations, forcing Redi and Ursaring to lift a blanket even higher to keep Typhlosion¡¯s new form unseen. However, when Morty spoke, he also had a strange look in his eyes. It was as if he had somehow known they¡¯d already succeeded.

    Unfortunately, though he had the time for a short chat, Morty couldn¡¯t come to visit as he had already spent too much time away from his Gym thanks to the events in Violet City and the favor Sam had cashed in within Blackthorn. Since Sam and Redi already planned to return to Ecruteak as their next stop, Morty promised he would celebrate Typhlosion¡¯s evolution when they arrived.

    He also mentioned he had a ¡°surprise¡± for Sam, but he didn¡¯t give any hints as to what that would be.

    Sam called his mother for the second of the two calls since he knew that one would last significantly longer than the first. When the screen flashed on to show her face, her eyes immediately lit up with excitement, and even Sableye didn¡¯t bother to try for a scare when he saw the newly evolved Typhlosion on the screen.

    It was nice to catch up, and it was pretty funny, too. Typhlosion wiggled and squirmed as Sam¡¯s mom gushed over how pretty her purple flames were. She tried to slink away out of embarrassment, but Sam wrestled her to keep her nearby. There, Typhlosion was subjected to minutes upon minutes of genuine compliments. Honestly, listening to Sam¡¯s mother spend so long heaping on praise was harder on Typhlosion than most battles. Her face was completely flush through her fur by the end of it.

    After that call, Sam also sent quick messages informing Doctor Hale and Professor Carolina about Typhlosion¡¯s evolution as a thank you. He wasn¡¯t close enough to those two to call them, but he knew that without them, Typhlosion would have never reached her current form.

    Thankfully, neither seemed like the type of person to spread the discovery around.

    Finally, Shin was informed as well, though they weren¡¯t able to visit him until the next day. The mushroom forager had managed to escape thanks to Parasect waking him up, and the pair had escaped before any other trainer arrived. He had enough plausible deniability that he wouldn¡¯t get in trouble, but he was staying out of town for a few days just in case he¡¯d get recognized.

    Still, he was amazed at Typhlosion¡¯s evolution¡ªa complete surprise to him¡ªand he was filled with relief when he heard that his actions had helped them make sure Trevenant could find peace. When Sam left Shin¡¯s home after their chat, Shin promised to root for him and everyone else when the time for the Conference finally arrived.

    ...But that comment brought up another question.

    What am I supposed to do about the news of Typhlosion¡¯s evolution and this technical ¡°discovery?¡±

    In the Pok¨¦mon Center, Agatha had been rather dismissive, but she had a point that these kinds of discoveries rarely came from ¡°random¡± trainers. Usually, they only came after years of dedicated research, not months, and Sam didn¡¯t even have a sponsor backing him as Redi had with Mr. Pok¨¦mon.

    Typhlosion¡¯s evolution was a big deal, as ¡°mundane¡± as it was. She was proof of a long-lost evolution, and this success implied that other long-lost evolutions might be possible, too.

    For now, Sam wanted to talk to Morty in person before coming to a decision. While he planned to keep things quiet in Mahogany Town, he didn¡¯t plan on hiding Typhlosion once they left, but he didn¡¯t plan on showing her off, either. Their journey would continue as is, and those who would be surprised by her existence would be surprised. Rumors would spread, but nothing would be confirmed.

    Nothing would be confirmed until the Conference, that is.

    There, Typhlosion would make her worldwide debut alongside Primeape¡¯s evolved form¡ªhopefully. By the time that came around, Sam¡¯s team would be strong enough to defend themselves no matter their opponent, and since everyone would know it was Sam who had these otherwise ¡°unique¡± Pok¨¦mon, thievery wouldn¡¯t be possible unless they wanted to make an enemy out of the entire region.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mon would have loved to hear about this earlier than that, however, but Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he liked the idea of encouraging other trainers to go out and hunt dangerous ghosts by themselves.

    But with Morty and his mother called, messages sent, Shin visited, and a decision made, there was only one other person Sam hadn¡¯t talked to.

    Xavier.

    Except, he had talked to him, but it was only during the same night they had just returned.

    Their conversation had taken place after Typhlosion had been taken for healing but before the other trainers had come back. Sam stepped outside to meet with Xavier, and their chat had mostly just been a discussion about what happened that day and how Xavier would deal with the consequences of splitting off from Pryce¡¯s line.

    There, Xavier said something at the very end that stuck with Sam. He could remember that moment clearly, even now.

    ...

    ¡°You... know more about Pok¨¦mon than me,¡± the older boy had said, still staring up at the stars.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Not really. I¡¯ve just been lucky with my sources, and I¡¯ve spent a lot of time on research.¡±

    Xavier went silent. It took a full minute for him to speak up next. It looked as though he wanted to say something else, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t ask about Hisuian Typhlosion or how Sam knew Yanma could evolve or why Sam had been so willing to bypass Pryce¡¯s plan.

    No, Xavier had said only one thing.

    ¡°I will defeat you in the Conference.¡±

    And Sam didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. He had always seen Xavier as some impossible wall to overcome¡ªsomeone to defeat¡ªbut somehow, after today, it was as if those roles had been reversed.

    ...

    Unfortunately, Xavier vanished before morning came, leaving in search of that Honchkrow. He disappeared before everyone had truly settled down, and when a Gym Trainer entered the Pok¨¦mon Center in search of him, she left a message containing harsh words about his ¡°desertion¡± but did nothing else. He just wouldn¡¯t receive any payment or a recommendation for his ¡°help¡± during these events.

    The only other thing Sam had to take care of was to pay a fee for losing the borrowed Everstone, and then there was nothing keeping him in town. Once everyone was properly rested and Typhlosion healed, Sam left. Not to permanently leave Mahogany Town and move on to the next town, but he left with just himself and his team to find a spot on the eastern Route 44 and camp out for a while.

    There, his goals were simple:

    Train Typhlosion.

    Make her stronger.

    Have her learn the Ghost Type moves she¡¯d need.

    And prepare the rest of the team to take on Pryce¡¯s Ice Type Gym.

    Within only a few days, Typhlosion picked up every move Sam had mentioned before. She learned Confuse Ray. Hex. Shadow Ball. Night Shade. Even Shadow Claw was added to her expanded repertoire. She¡¯d spent so long working with Curse that her familiarity with the Ghost Type made learning these new attacks an ease.

    But Curse itself was different. Its energies enhanced the capabilities of non-Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon, but when a Ghost Type used it, it traded vitality for damage over time. Typhlosion struggled to master its sudden change in effect, and Sam didn¡¯t want to risk her getting hurt. So, they decided to put the move to the side for now and practice something else.

    They trained, and they sparred, and they stayed hidden in the forested hills of Route 44. Their campsite was far enough to the side that no travelers found them, and Redi occasionally visited just to check in and bring supplies.

    However, it was during a period when Redi wasn¡¯t there, a few days into their practice, that Sam started to notice something strange. When focusing on his team, out of the corner of his eye, it was as if the forest moved. Shadows watched them from within nearby trees.

    Sam had no intention of repeating the same mistake he made in the past. He did not want a repeat of what happened with Misdreavus, where a Ghost Type was forced to unfairly stalk them for far too long.

    So Sam turned.

    He stared into the shadows.

    ¡°Come on out!¡± he shouted.

    And a soft, red glow sparked up within the shade. Hidden from the midday sun, a certain Ghost Type became visible at the edge of these shrouded woods.

    The last Sam had seen Trevenant, the Pok¨¦mon had been kneeling in its burned grove. Its tears watered a sprout poking through the ash, and the tree that had once been both its home and its parent had disappeared, moving on after seeing Trevenant had accepted that it didn¡¯t need to seek out revenge.

    However, when Trevenant appeared before Sam right now, it still looked angry. It clenched its claws, balling them into fists, and the pressed-together lips of its wooden maw cracked from the pressure.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be protecting your grove,¡± Sam said.

    Trevenant did nothing but stare. Yet, Sam did not feel the same malice as before.

    The more he looked at it, the more he saw the clues. It was angry, but its anger lacked that same hatred it used to possess. It was as if it were angry because it was confused. It was angry at the world, it was angry at its situation, and, specifically, it was angry at itself.

    ¡°...I see. You don¡¯t need to protect your grove, do you?¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°Just as other Pok¨¦mon came to your call, other Pok¨¦mon came to the final call of that tree. They¡¯re already tied to that area. They can protect it for you. So you aren¡¯t needed¡ªnot necessarily. You want to help, but...¡±

    Briefly, Sam closed his eyes.

    ¡°In a way, by leaving, this is you trying to move on.¡±

    The Trevenant took a step closer, exiting the shade of the forest. It shook, small bits of ash falling from the leaves that grew on its body, leaving it a perfectly clean combination of black, brown, and green.

    Seeing Sam stare, it scowled, but its singular, red eye lacked the burning edge that had once been so prevalent.

    ¡°Typhlosion,¡± Sam said.

    She had already been at his side, but she now stepped forward.

    She and Trevenant faced each other once again. She rolled her shoulder as Trevenant flexed its claws, both of them ready for a fight.

    A beat passed.

    Trevenant lunged.

    A wave of purple flames encompassed its form.

    ¡°Here we go!¡± Sam yelled.

    With practiced ease, he reached into his pack, tossing forward the first object he could find¡ªa Moon Ball. It was one of the several Redi had obtained in Azalea Town, and it was one of the only empty Pok¨¦balls on his person.

    Though the Moon Ball¡¯s properties weren¡¯t relevant here, it was still a Pok¨¦ball, and it flew through the air, chasing Typhlosion¡¯s Infernal Parade and hitting Trevenant in the forehead.

    The move dissipated, and Trevenant began to fall backward before being sucked up in a flash of light. The tossed object hit the ground, where it shook. It rocked back and forth before a click pierced through the air.

    Then, silence.

    The ball laid still.

    Nothing burst out.

    With that single toss, Trevenant was caught.

 Chapter 113 - Team Interlude

    At times, Typhlosion had trouble believing she was no longer a Quilava. It wasn¡¯t that nothing had changed, it was just her sheer amazement at how her evolution had happened at all.

    Evolving from a Cyndaquil had been a change in form, but the difference between a Cyndaquil and a Quilava had been minor at best. Looking back at it, she had stayed small. Both forms had been weak. As a Cyndaquil, she had been more liable to produce smoke than flame, and her attacks as a Quilava had only seemed impressive due to fire¡¯s tendency to spread.

    But now that she was a Typhlosion?

    As she stood in the field of tall, swaying grass, she could feel the fire burning inside her. A furnace of energy swirled with heat and shadows, all of it completely under her control. Before, she had to focus to use her moves, but now, when she held up a paw, it took only the barest application of will to conjure a wisp within it. From there, darkness coiled around her held-out limb, shaping itself into a nasty-looking Shadow Claw.

    Flames wrapped around her neck like a warm hug, enhanced to a greater temperature by the Charcoal she kept hidden within her fur. With a mere thought, her blaze increased, and she knew she could conjure a swarm of wisps through sheer instinct alone.

    Sam had warned her that other Typhlosion could move faster and better sustain hits, but those were only marginal differences at best. As a Hisuian Typhlosion, she was capable of more powerful special attacks. She had also gained an improved understanding of a second Type¡ªthe Ghost Type, the same Type to be shared by every member of the team.

    But she was still growing. She needed to get used to her new senses if she wanted to maximize her strength.

    ¡°Mis.¡±

    Case in point, she hadn''t expected a haunting voice to speak up beside her, and she looked over to see Misdreavus sitting in the air. Typhlosion grinned at her friend, smiling and exposing her sharper teeth in what was a light taunt.

    Misdreavus just rolled her eyes. She didn¡¯t quite care that Typhlosion was so much larger than her now. Still, Typhlosion snickered as Misdreavus drifted out to wait roughly a dozen feet ahead. Her quick comment hadn¡¯t been a simple hello. No, Misdreavus had been reminding Typhlosion that they were out here for a reason.

    To spar.

    To practice.

    To battle.

    To get stronger.

    There was no sense in waiting, so as soon as the two of them were ready, they began.

    Typhlosion¡¯s feet blurred across the grassy earth, launching her forward with the energy of a Quick Attack. Misdreavus, used to her tricks, replied with an angry Mean Look that challenged Typhlosion to not escape.

    She was forced to skid to a halt, and Typhlosion''s plans to circle around were now blocked before they could even start. She swerved to change her approach and rushed directly at Misdreavus with that same Normal Type energy converted into something else.

    Quickly, Typhlosion¡¯s Double Team became a false squadron of herself that faced Misdreavus in an intimidating line.

    Misdreavus just laughed. Though surrounded, she wasn¡¯t one to be trapped.

    Rather than attack from range, Misdreavus went on to surprise Typhlosion by flying forth to meet that mass charge. Her Shadow Sneak allowed her to dive down and race right beneath those false shadows, disrupting them one by one like stars winking out in the night sky.

    Typhlosion knew Misdreavus was about to find her within her line of copies, so she stopped bothering to hide and lunged. She dug a Shadow Claw through the ground to wind up her attack, catching and peeling away Misdreavus¡¯s Shadow Sneak like removing an out-of-place sticker from the cover of a book.

    Misdreavus tried to reply with a Psybeam.

    Typhlosion didn¡¯t dodge; she took the attack head-on.

    Unlike how she had been as a Quilava, Typhlosion now had the power of a fully evolved Pok¨¦mon at her side. She felt the Psybeam smash into her stomach, but she kept running, and she jumped right through Misdreavus without using any move in particular.

    She didn¡¯t unleash an attack because she didn¡¯t need to. This was only a spar, after all. That fake, final hit was victory enough, and as Typhlosion landed and turned to face her friend, Misdreavus breathed out in a sigh to accept her defeat.

    Typhlosion snorted again, grinning at her friend after a match well fought. Misdreavus rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, too. The exchange had been quick, but they were both ready to spar one another several times more.

    They¡¯d get stronger. They¡¯d keep training. Typhlosion felt as though she could run for miles.

    But she also knew it was better to pace herself. They hadn¡¯t been out here for long. They still had plenty of time to battle throughout the coming days.

    Still, it was fun to let loose. It was even better to try out her new power against a friend.

    <hr><hr>

    Later, when they¡¯d both battled themselves out and had practiced all their moves, Misdreavus let herself settle onto the ground as Typhlosion fell back next to her.

    Truthfully, Misdreavus knew she¡¯d lose their battles before any spar had started. She¡¯d been familiar with Ghost Type energy for much, much longer than Typhlosion, but she hadn¡¯t dedicated herself to reaching that same mastery like Typhlosion had.

    There were times that Misdreavus thought she was falling behind, but she knew in her heart that she wasn¡¯t. She was still expanding her moveset, and Typhlosion had the benefit of evolution. The gap between them was only temporary; she¡¯d catch up with enough effort, and it¡¯d be sooner rather than later that Sam would procure her a Dusk Stone to give her the chance to evolve.

    But right now, she was tired. She could feel the movement of her body slow. Misdreavus didn¡¯t have the stamina of Primeape or the boisterous energy of Haunter. She was a single Pok¨¦mon, one more used to hiding and searching rather than battling, but it was nice to have the chance to do whatever she wanted now that she had joined up.

    Above, the sun hadn¡¯t quite set, but the sky was already turning shades of red and orange. Similar colors came from the lingering embers on Typhlosion¡¯s neck, yet her flames never once spread to the grass thanks to her exceptional control.

    ¡°Mis,¡± Misdreavus said.

    She told Typhlosion that they had a good battle.

    Typhlosion chuffed in response, almost self-defeating. She might have won, but she hadn¡¯t won enough to her liking. As timid as she could be sometimes, that girl always sought to outdo herself. She would have fought more if it wasn¡¯t for where they were.

    If there was anything that Sam had ensured they understood, it was that they should always find time to rest. Although, Misdreavus was pretty sure he just said that as an excuse to read his books.

    She chuckled to herself and floated a bit higher, drifting closer to her friend. Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t always get to experience warmth, but Typhlosion¡¯s flames were different. They made the air around them comfortable in a different way from the cool comfort of darkness. It was nice to linger and relax, feeling the heated breeze pass through her ethereal flesh.

    She closed her eyes.

    ...It was times like these that Misdreavus remembered some of her fondest moments. Her first and most important scare. Her time spent traveling between and through enormous trees. A night spent at a campsite set at the edge of a lake so impossibly clear that she could see thousands of sunken stones just beneath its surface.

    ¡°Come on, I know you can do it! Just one more try! You already know Astonish, so Shadow Claw shouldn¡¯t be that hard, right?¡± a cry echoed out.

    Misdreavus opened her eyes at the sound of Sam¡¯s voice, and Typhlosion lifted her head. Sam¡¯s words were encouraging, but in a way, each one also carried concern.

    Misdreavus and Typhlosion both glanced over to where Sam was desperately gesturing with his arms. Trevenant sat before him, root-like legs stabbed into the earth, otherwise not giving a response.

    The tree Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t attacking, and he wasn¡¯t leaving, either. However, he wasn¡¯t listening to Sam. He rarely did. At best, he used a handful of moves to practice before calling it for the day.

    ¡°...Typhlosion,¡± Typhlosion whispered.

    ¡°Misdrea,¡± Misdreavus replied.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Misdreavus would have thought Typhlosion would be more annoyed, but she sounded just as concerned as Sam. Even after everything that happened, she was worried for Trevenant. She was worried for Sam. She was worried about what the two of them must be feeling and how neither had yet to properly get along.

    But if Misdreavus knew anything, she knew Sam. It was easy for her to place her faith in him, even if he was dealing with quite the obstinate Pok¨¦mon. She did her best to reassure Typhlosion; Misdreavus knew in her heart that Sam would figure something out.

    Trevenant just needed time to adapt. He¡¯d come around once he realized how nice it was to have friends.

    Typhlosion voiced her concerns, but Misdreavus closed her eyes once more. She didn¡¯t feel a need to worry, as it was Trevenant who came here on his own. If he hadn¡¯t wanted to be captured, he wouldn¡¯t have left his ball. He just needed to get used to the change, as obviously, he wanted to stick around.

    Misdreavus was glad that she did.

    <hr><hr>

    From a nearby shadow, something else watched the same situation with narrowed eyes. Haunter pressed himself deeper into his pool of darkness, staring out as Sam released a frustrated sigh and walked away.

    Haunter¡¯s trainer ended up setting up a pot above the campfire as yet another day of training came to a close. Typhlosion and Primeape needed to eat, but Misdreavus and Haunter only needed snacks at most. Trevenant would get his sustenance through his roots sucking up nutrients and other stuff from the earth.

    ¡°Gas.¡±

    ¡°Gas!¡±

    ¡°Gastly!¡±

    As Haunter sat and observed, many voices whispered out from all around him. Each one encouraged him, sharing the plans they thought he should follow.

    Honestly, Haunter cackled at a few of them. These guys were really great.

    With his careful tutoring, he knew they¡¯d become even more cleverer! But for this, Haunter already had a plan of his own.

    When he was confident no one but the Gastly were watching, Haunter slipped out of the shadow to move through the darkness, phasing into etherealness to the point of becoming nearly invisible. He was a mist, one easily mistakeable for a real ghost. However, he knew no one would make that mistake here, so he stayed to the side at the edge of the forest where he¡¯d certainly go unnoticed.

    Unfortunately, as he slunk past and through the nearby trees, one of Typhlosion¡¯s ears flicked his way. He ignored the stare she sent at him, only responding with a single wink. He slipped deeper into the shadows from there, carefully staying silent as he slunk toward their shared campsite from the other side.

    His target, Trevenant, didn¡¯t move and didn¡¯t react. The glow in the tree Pok¨¦mon¡¯s red eye had vanished in the equivalent of being closed. Trevenant wasn¡¯t paying attention to any potential approach, and he certainly paid no attention to the shadows reaching out like fingers poised to grab.

    Those shadows were Haunter¡¯s red carpet. They were his unseen path that guided him to his target. He moved slowly, and all the while, the campsite went unchanging. Trevenant rested, Primeape trained, Misdreavus relaxed next to her friend, and Sam cooked. Only Typhlosion and the mass of Gastly watched him leave the floor, unseen.

    Haunter¡¯s plan was simple; Trevenant needed a chance to lighten up. If their newest potential friend was going to be so stubborn, then Haunter needed to show him he could relax!

    Carefully, he floated a hand up and out to tap on Trevenant¡¯s shoulder before immediately dropping into the floor and zipping away. Trevenant''s eye slowly regained its glow in the equivalent of it opening up, and the Pok¨¦mon looked behind him.

    No one was there.

    It was only when Trevenant turned back around that Haunter let himself be seen. Using his speed, he could pass through the shadows just fast enough to get to the other side of Trevenant, where he jumped out with a wide grin and hands splayed out to his sides.

    ¡°HAUNTER!¡± he shouted.

    His voice shook Trevenant¡¯s leaves. The entire clearing went still. Haunter could already picture all of the Gastly laughing in the shadow.

    A good scare like this always provoked a reaction! Once Trevenant got over his shock, he¡¯d realize it was okay to laugh, and then the Pok¨¦mon would feel way more comfortable with everyone here. Haunter was sure of it.

    But there was nothing.

    Not even a peep.

    Trevenant just stared at where Haunter maintained his dramatic pose before letting his eye fizzle out to return to his torpor.

    Grumbling, Haunter slumped. From a nearby shadow, a few Gastly called out their names, telling Haunter that he¡¯d get him next time.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Haunter,¡± Sam said. ¡°Trevenant just needs space. He was willing to work on a few of his moves today, so please let him rest.¡±

    Haunter met Sam¡¯s gaze. The boy tried to smile.

    Unfortunately, Haunter wasn¡¯t able to return that cheerful look and quickly turned away.

    ¡°Misdreavus.¡±

    Haunter responded to that quip with a far-too-wet raspberry and slunk off into a shadow before his reaction could be seen. Several Gastly joined him to start chatting rather excitedly, giving him so many ideas on how he could go about it next time, which did help¡ªsomewhat.

    This scare might have failed, but he just needed to be patient. All the Gastly speaking to him right now were right. This attempt might not have succeeded, but eventually, Trevenant would lighten up. There, Haunter would be waiting, absolutely prepared to make the Pok¨¦mon laugh.

    <hr><hr>

    But between all of the Ghost Types and all of the concern and all of the attempts to get Trevenant to do something, one Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t bother. He didn¡¯t see the point.

    Primeape threw a punch. And then another. And another. His fur became dampened by the sweat built from the attacks thrown into the air.

    A heat grew in his chest with every subsequent fist. He watched each motion carefully to search for ways he could still improve.

    That one punch could have been stronger.

    The next could have been faster.

    Primeape¡¯s imaginary opponent moved limberly, and Primeape knew he needed to work on his aim.

    Honestly, at times, Primeape was almost jealous of Ursaring. Redi pushed the bear more than Sam pushed him, but Primeape would never accept a trade of trainers. Sam might not have had the physical expertise needed to train a Fighting Type, but Primeape didn¡¯t care. Sam had given him the support he needed, and Sam had a dedication that few trainers ever had.

    No, if Primeape failed to get stronger, it would be his fault, not Sam¡¯s. It would be Primeape¡¯s fault if he fell behind. It would be Primeape¡¯s fault if he failed to stay in line with the rest of the team.

    He was weak.

    He knew that he was weak.

    Primeape knew that he¡¯d always been weak.

    If there had been one thing that had reminded him of that fact, it had been witnessing Typhlosion¡¯s drastic increase in power that came from her evolution. That Infernal Parade of hers was a move he¡¯d never be able to avoid. Even Rage Fist, his ultimate attack, was nothing in the face of those overwhelming flames.

    Feeling the pressure rise in his chest, Primeape threw even more punches, trying to get that feeling out of his head. He could feel the heat building inside him. He could feel his anger growing. It burned and it burned, knowing that no matter how clever he¡¯d been, knowing that no matter how many Mankey had looked up to him, that all of it had been taken away the moment he failed to defeat¡ª

    ¡°PRIMEAPE!¡±

    He roared as an image of a certain Pok¨¦mon flashed before his eyes. It looked too much like his own visage for him to ever feel comfortable with the sight of that face. His glove smashed through the illusion and carried him forward. He fell, huffing and puffing as he landed in the dirt.

    He felt eyes on him. Judging eyes.

    Concerned eyes as Sam glanced up from the campfire, but Primeape just shook his head.

    Not now.

    Not yet.

    Primeape knew they needed to talk, but he had no plans to talk until they were closer.

    So Sam went back to preparing their meal, quietly acknowledging Primeape¡¯s wishes. Primeape stood up to shake the dirt and sweat off his body. Practically all of his training so far had been to let him master his anger, but he couldn¡¯t do that right now with all these infuriating thoughts swarming his head.

    He recognized he could have kept practicing. He recognized he could have kept trying to ignore the pain in his chest.

    But he wasn¡¯t going to bother. There was no point. He was getting too caught up in his thoughts, and he knew Sam wouldn¡¯t approve.

    Primeape marched away from his groove in the earth to deposit himself on a short, nearby hillside. He breathed, attempting to calm down, but an ember of rage lingered in his chest.

    That smoldering anger would never go away. For his species, it would always be there. Primeape could still try to get it under control, which he¡¯d been doing every night and day since Sam first showed him that sketch in his book.

    Closing his eyes, Primeape focused on feeling the cool grass press against his legs. The setting sun warmed his fur and evaporated the lingering moisture. He used the lazy wind as a tool to find his center, and he let the smell of a good dinner give him something to look forward to.

    It was easy to distract himself and to stop thinking, but it was harder to acknowledge his thoughts without being consumed by his rage.

    ¡°...Typhlosion.¡±

    The voice that came toward Primeape was barely a whisper, carried to him by the same breeze he was using to relax. He peeked open an eye to see Typhlosion staring at him, but faced with her commanding gaze, Primeape looked away.

    Typhlosion didn¡¯t.

    Her stare seared into his back, its burn almost as strong as one of her Fire Type moves. Not once did she let up, even through a whisper from Misdreavus next to her, and it eventually became too much. Annoyed, Primeape grunted and stood up.

    Doing that let him see what she had been trying to point out¡ªTrevenant was also staring.

    Ever since Sam had caught that tree Pok¨¦mon, Trevenant barely listened. At best, he¡¯d train a few moves for a short period but withdraw almost immediately after. Trevenant¡¯s capture hadn¡¯t been like any other team member¡¯s capture. There had been no heartfelt moment. No proper battle to earn the right to train him.

    Well, there had, but fighting Typhlosion didn¡¯t count. Not as a Grass Type against those flames. No, Trevenant had come here on his own and had decided to stick around on his own, but to Primeape, it was likely Trevenant was only here because he was confused.

    It was pretty obvious that the tree Pok¨¦mon came because he felt a need to follow, to move on and grow stronger by leaving his home, but it was also pretty obvious that the Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t understand why it felt that way in the first place.

    When Primeape looked back to the other Pok¨¦mon, Trevenant looked away as fast as he could. Though he had only a single eye, Trevenant¡¯s expression was more than familiar enough to Primeape.

    They both wanted revenge, but there was a difference between them. In a way, Trevenant was here for guidance, but he didn¡¯t even know the questions he needed to seek.

    Did he need to know what that difference was? Did he need to know what his actions had meant? Or was it that Trevenant wanted to know why he had fallen into such a dark place¡ªmeanwhile, Primeape hadn¡¯t. They wanted the same thing, but Primeape wasn¡¯t letting his desires control him.

    Not yet.

    Rolling his eyes, Primeape grumbled as he understood why Typhlosion had been nagging him so much. She¡¯d already helped out other Pok¨¦mon in the past, but she didn¡¯t quite yet have the confidence to fully take on the role of a guide. Recognizing she wanted him to help Trevenant, Primeape stood up.

    Really, some Pok¨¦mon were just too dumb. The answers Trevenant wanted were pretty obvious as far as he was concerned.

    Grunting, Primeape stomped over to where Trevenant sat, moving over to deposit himself at the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s side. They tried to hide it, but everyone here watched him walk over and sit down. It wasn¡¯t until he snorted that they were told off and hurriedly turned away.

    A silence fell over the clearing. A few tense moments passed.

    Annoyed, Primeape kept his arms crossed. He didn¡¯t want to help until Trevenant asked for help, but the stupid Pok¨¦mon was instead trying to pretend to not care. He was fine with that, and Primeape let the ¡°nothing¡± pass between them for several minutes longer. Mostly.

    Eventually, he had enough of this. This situation was exhausting.

    He looked up at Trevenant and spoke his thought:

    Trevenant was braver than him, but Trevenant was also very dumb.

    And he brought his gaze back down to earth, trying to re-enter his meditative state regardless of the surprised stare coming from the single, red eye above his head. There were layers to Primeape¡¯s statement¡ªthat Trevenant actually dared to stand up for himself instead of running away, that Trevenant had the right to do what he had done but not in such an aggressive manner, and that the reason Trevenant came here was because he needed support. Having Pok¨¦mon listen to him was one thing, but having friends help him find a better path was something entirely else.

    Really, Primeape was the wise one between all of these ignoramuses, and he sniffed while peeking an eye open toward Typhlosion, asking if that was enough.

    She looked annoyed with him for some reason, but she didn¡¯t have anything to say. She did, in fact, look away, finally giving Primeape the chance to rest.

    He let himself linger there even though he could feel Trevenant tensing next to him, waiting for more. But Primeape said nothing, and in the end, Trevenant settled down into that same torpor from before.

    However, for some reason, it felt different, as if Trevenant did understand at least one part of what Primeape had tried to imply.

    ¡°Food¡¯s ready!¡±

    When Sam¡¯s voice eventually echoed out around the campsite, Gastly crowded around to try to steal away cut pieces from a plate ¡°forgotten¡± at Sam¡¯s side. Typhlosion and Misdreavus both got up to walk over, and Haunter left his hiding spot to snag a spoon from Sam¡¯s personal plate.

    Primeape waited for everyone else to gather before rolling forward to stand up.

    Trevenant watched him go.

    When Primeape finished inhaling the soup from his bowl, he noticed that Trevenant had joined their group for the first time. Silently, Sam handed the quiet Pok¨¦mon a fresh berry with a hopeful smile on his face.

 Chapter 114

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Redi called out. ¡°And I brought sandwiches!¡±

    Appearing in a flash of light, Redi popped into existence alongside Porygon in the middle of Sam¡¯s campsite. Seeing her there, he immediately knew that any further attempts at training would be pointless.

    Typhlosion almost immediately snapped her head toward Redi. Her nose twitched with excitement as she sniffed at the scents coming from a plastic bag Redi held. Haunter zipped out of a shadow, and even Primeape looked over with interest.

    All practice effectively ceased as almost everyone gathered to eat the offered meal.

    ¡°You¡¯re really bringing food every time you come here, huh?¡± Sam said as he walked over as well.

    ¡°Yup!¡± Redi patted Porygon¡¯s head and dug through the bag to hand sandwiches to everyone asking for them. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I have the money and you¡¯ve basically been living in the woods these past two weeks. Don¡¯t you miss the luxuries of civilization? Don¡¯t you miss eating something not made over a campfire?¡±

    She tauntingly held a sandwich toward Sam, and he leered at it before snatching it away, tearing its paper and ripping off a bite in the same way he had done every other time Redi came bearing gifts.

    She laughed as he fumed and enjoyed the unfortunately delicious food. Once everyone had a meal of their own, she went ahead and released her own Pok¨¦mon, too.

    Ursaring chomped down and ate half a sandwich in a single bite, and Dragonair brought her head high into the air, proudly holding it up before her ¡°super-special¡± hoard of two.

    ¡°So how¡¯s your training been?¡± Sam asked as he slid down into a chair next to his camp¡¯s unlit fire.

    Redi shrugged as she found her own seat next to him. At this point, she¡¯d been showing up via Porygon¡¯s Teleport often enough that he had a chair permanently reserved for her.

    ¡°It¡¯s been going alright,¡± Redi said as she bit into a sandwich of her own. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make as many different plans as possible for Porygon since I¡¯m hoping that will help them get better at making decisions. For everyone else, Dragonair¡¯s already picked up a bunch of new moves, and Ursaring is a brick, same as always.¡±

    ¡°A brick,¡± Sam repeated.

    ¡°Yup! A brick!¡± Redi said with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s hard to damage but extremely effective on impact! We¡¯ll be ready for our Gym Battle soon enough, cause, well, I think I am just going to fight a Gym Trainer.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow questioningly as he made his way through the rest of his sandwich. Redi shifted around in her chair before setting her sandwich in her lap. She tried to shrug again, but Sam could tell her nonchalance was forced.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like Pryce,¡± Redi outright admitted. ¡°I mean, I was thinking I¡¯d just come back later with Teleport and challenge him another time, but screw that guy! I don¡¯t care about fighting him! Word around town is that he doesn¡¯t even think people and Pok¨¦mon can be friends. So I¡¯m just battling a Gym Trainer and getting out of here. We¡¯ll be taking on Morty next, and that¡¯s a match I¡¯m actually looking forward to.¡±

    Sam laughed, easily agreeing.

    ¡°Nothing you said is wrong,¡± he replied. ¡°For us, we only have a few days left until our match, but I have to face Pryce since I don¡¯t really have a choice. Honestly, I¡¯m a bit nervous about him recognizing us, because when it comes to Haunter¡¯s Hypnosis¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°Pryce wasn¡¯t there. How¡¯s he supposed to know it was your Haunter that put all those trainers to sleep? You¡¯ll be fine, Sam. Him recognizing Haunter is so unlikely that I promise that I¡¯ll eat a shoe if he does. That way it¡¯s a win for you no matter what!¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ll get to watch you eat a shoe.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯ll get to watch me eat a shoe,¡± she replied cheekily.

    Sam rolled his eyes as Redi smirked at him, and the conversation briefly went on pause and they both tore bites away from their sandwiches. Off to the side, Misdreavus floated next to Typhlosion and chewed on a treat Redi brought just for her. Rather than a full-fledged sandwich, Misdreavus had a thin, pastry-like bread covered in strong-smelling spreads that let her enjoy a variety of flavors without the need for sustenance like with everyone else¡¯s meals.

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t think Pryce deserves more focus than that. How¡¯s your own training going?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°Fine. Same answer as to every other time you¡¯ve asked this question,¡± Sam said. Redi stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°Typhlosion¡¯s better than ever. Misdreavus has picked up a few new tricks. Primeape¡¯s still working on mastering Rage Fist, but we¡¯re really just trying to expand everyone''s current moves into new ideas and strategies.¡±

    ¡°I see. I see.¡± Redi nodded along. ¡°And Trevenant?¡±

    Sam paused mid-bite, staring into the layers of veggies and substitute meat. Trevenant hadn¡¯t joined with the rest of the group to get food, having chosen to stay back and sit with his roots stabbed into the earth. Though a Ghost Type, he wasn¡¯t as ethereal as the others and still needed some form of sustenance. However, he could feed himself by absorbing nutrients from the soil and the sun, but there was still a small container of chopped berries for him sitting in the bag at Redi¡¯s side.

    ¡°He¡¯s... improving,¡± Sam said quietly. He put his sandwich down, not wanting to eat.

    Redi silently watched Sam, continuing to chew her food. She glanced over to where Trevenant sat under a tree with his eye having vanished in a state of torpor.

    When Sam didn¡¯t speak, someone eventually interrupted. Grunting out of annoyance, Primeape stood up from where he¡¯d been eating next to Ursaring. Grumbling to himself, he walked over to snatch the bag at Redi¡¯s side and march up to Trevenant. The tree Pok¨¦mon¡¯s single eye appeared once more as he looked down at Primeape, and Primeaple plopped down next to him while holding up the bag.

    After a moment of silence, Trevenant did take out the container, and he began to slowly place the chopped berries into his mouth.

    ¡°See? Improvement,¡± Sam said weakly.

    Redi stared at him until he let out a sigh.

    ¡°The best way I can put it is that Trevenant is still healing,¡± he said, keeping his voice quiet in almost a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he came here because he didn¡¯t know where else to go. After seeing that tree¡¯s spirit pass, he seems to want to move on, but even though I¡¯m trying to help him, it¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t want to be helped. He doesn¡¯t have any desires. It¡¯s like he¡¯s just...¡±

    He¡¯s just going through the motions. He¡¯s sad.

    Sam could see the subtle signs on Trevenant¡¯s face. Though a visage of pure wood and shadows was hard to read, the occasional slow glances and the general listlessness was far too familiar for Sam to not recognize. Trevenant was in mourning, and he didn¡¯t know what to do about that. It was as if Trevenant recognized he needed to move on, but his very nature meant doing so was impossible.

    ¡°I also think Trevenant is young,¡± Sam added, though he still spoke quietly. ¡°I think he evolved in response to a traumatic experience before he would have otherwise. Don¡¯t get me wrong, he¡¯s strong, but he doesn¡¯t have the battle experience most Pok¨¦mon would have at his level.¡±

    Sam had prepared for a fight against a skilled Trevenant, but against Quilava, Trevenant had really only really attacked with Horn Leech. He used no strategy other than straight offense, save for a single Forest¡¯s Curse born of rage as well as a failed attempt at a Leech Seed during a chase.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The battle had been nothing more than a mix of him lashing out and a desperate attempt to defend his home. Now that he was here, Sam had been trying to help him get used to a wider variety of strategies, but all Trevenant was working with was raw, unpolished strength.

    ¡°Pft.¡±

    A sudden snort from Redi saw Sam look up from his sandwich to glare at her.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what I expected,¡± she said, not bothering to lower her voice. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things again. Just talk to him. Have a proper discussion with him now that he¡¯s on your team.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure, I know that I should, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No excuses! He let himself be caught by you and then stuck around, yeah? Trevenant¡¯s on your team which means he¡¯s your friend! If you, my friend, were in a funk, I¡¯d try to snap you out of it¡ªwhich is what I¡¯m doing right now!¡±

    Redi proudly thumped her chest. Sam groaned.

    Why does she always have to be right?

    If any of his other Pok¨¦mon had been feeling as down as Trevenant, he would have gone out of his way to cheer them up, but he hadn¡¯t helped Trevenant.

    Not yet, at least.

    He might have been trying to train Trevenant, but Sam was yet to have a proper conversation with him. He would have liked to lie to himself and say he didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d been putting it off, but he knew exactly why no such talk had happened.

    It¡¯s because Trevenant reminds me too much of myself. I don¡¯t want to have to go through all of that again.

    But he needed to, and Sam unfortunately recognized that.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± He pinched his nose. ¡°I¡¯ve been a bad trainer.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t. You¡¯re just dumb,¡± Redi replied.

    Off to the side, Typhlosion looked up to voice her disagreement to both of them¡ªshe didn¡¯t think Sam was a bad trainer, and she didn¡¯t think he was dumb, either.

    ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°...We¡¯ve been in this campsite for long enough, and our Gym Battle is pretty soon,¡± Sam said. ¡°Ugh. Yeah, Trevenant and I need to talk. No sense in waiting, so please excuse me. I need to have a proper discussion with him, you know?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Redi replied to Sam¡¯s cautious look with an encouraging nod, and then she bit into her sandwich and waved him off. He took a deep breath before standing up, and while everyone else ate¡ªand while Haunter darted over to steal Sam¡¯s remaining food¡ªSam cautiously walked over to meet with Trevenant.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said to greet the resting Pok¨¦mon once he arrived. Trevenant held a half-full container of berry chunks in one hand, and Primeape looked between both of them before walking away with a grumble. ¡°Can we talk?¡±

    Trevenant¡¯s red eye bore into Sam. The average person would have balked with a stare that strong, but at this point, Sam was just glad to see that the eye¡¯s burning edges and mad hatred had faded away.

    ¡°We¡¯re planning to leave this campsite soon,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to Mahogany Town to take on the Gym Leader there and earn our seventh Gym Badge. All of our training so far has been for that purpose¡ªearning Gym Badges, I mean. We¡¯re traveling the region to face each and every Gym to earn the right to battle in the Conference and demonstrate our strength to the world.

    ¡°...But a lot of that is just details. We¡¯re training to become strong. Long story short is, do you actually want to leave with us? Or do you want to stay here? I know that you let me catch you, but I don''t want to bring you away without making sure you understand, first.¡±

    Trevenant¡¯s eye flickered in surprise. Since Trevenant had been captured and wasn¡¯t leaving, most trainers would have simply left with him. But Sam couldn¡¯t do that. He wanted Trevenant to be happy and fully understand the implications of his choice.

    ¡°We¡¯d be traveling far, far away from this forest, but this is supposed to be your home,¡± Sam continued. ¡°You deserve to have the choice instead of just being carried away because you don¡¯t know what else to do.¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°You know, making sure you have the choice instead of being forced away was actually a big part of why my team searched you out in the first place. The rest of the forest is still here, and you should know that Redi¡¯s already talked to the local Rangers for you. We might not be doing anything ourselves, but they know someone burned part of it down. If you want to stay, I can pull some strings to give you the chance to help out.¡±

    Trevenant froze.

    Sam had asked Redi to pass a note to the local Rangers, and they now knew that humans were responsible for that destruction, though they weren¡¯t aware of who sent them that information in the first place. Although, Sam would have to admit to what he had done to get through Pryce¡¯s line of trainers if he wanted to give Trevenant the chance he¡¯d offered. He¡¯d need to explain how he¡¯d captured Trevenant, and Sam would personally get in deep trouble, but he could lean on Morty to give Trevenant the chance to hunt down those who had caused all of these problems in the first place.

    He breathed in, bracing himself for Trevenant¡¯s reply. He couldn¡¯t blame the Pok¨¦mon if he jumped at this option, and Trevenant genuinely looked like he was considering it. However, no such response came, and Trevenant¡¯s eye seemed to unfocus in thought.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you time. You don''t have to come to a decision right away. We won¡¯t be leaving for a few days, so until then, I¡¯ll just be over¡ª¡±

    ¡°Trevenant,¡± the Pok¨¦mon interrupted. He looked up to meet Sam¡¯s gaze with a firm look of his own.

    His voice, a mixture of a rumble and cracking wood, was resolute. Though Sam had trouble reading Trevenant, he still understood the message.

    Trevenant would stay with Sam.

    He already had time to think. He already made the decision to be caught. At this point, there was no going back now. As much as it pained him to leave the opportunity behind, he would leave the search for the arsonists to the experts, and he¡¯d travel with Sam with that shared dream to become strong.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sam asked.

    Trevenant huffed¡ªa strange noise to come from a tree¡ªand the Pok¨¦mon glared at Sam as if annoyed he needed to ask.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Thank you, Trevenant. You didn¡¯t need to trust me, but you did anyway. I promise to you that you won¡¯t regret it, and I promise to you that we¡¯ll get strong together,¡± Sam said.

    Trevenant nodded again, and this time around, Sam could see the slightest of smiles at the corner of the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s mouth. Trevenant flicked his eye over to Primeape, who grunted as if annoyed it had taken Trevenant this long to make the decision in the first place.

    I¡¯m not going to say anything about it just yet, but if we can keep our current ¡°lead¡± on this season, there¡¯s something else I want to do at the end of the season. Visiting Ilex Forest again should help a few different members of the team.

    I want to learn more about Misdreavus¡¯s old home. I want to see if we can set everything up to get an evolution out of Haunter. And for Trevenant, if we go deep enough in, we might be able to find other members of his species. Doing so might help him learn more about himself and what being a Trevenant means.

    Sam breathed out and smiled at his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Oh, and by the way, you should know that I have a book filled with information on Pok¨¦mon far more detailed than anything else, so sticking with me also means you have an advantage no other Trevenant has.¡±

    Trevenant blinked.

    Sam glanced back to where everyone else was still eating. They chatted happily and munched on the last few bites of their food. Haunter tore off pieces of Sam¡¯s abandoned sandwich to toss into shadows, where many Gastly jumped out to snap up the chunks like a school of hungry Carvanha.

    When Sam started to move return to his team¡¯s side, he heard Trevenant pull his roots out of the earth. The Pok¨¦mon took a step closer to follow.

    ¡°So... Trevenant,¡± Sam said, recognizing the opportunity for what it was. ¡°We¡¯re facing an Ice Type Gym Leader pretty soon, which means that you¡¯ll be fighting at a pretty extreme disadvantage. However, you have the strength and are incredible at recovery, but those won¡¯t be important just yet. Instead of a direct flight, I have this idea for a strategy you might like. In fact, if you¡¯re willing, there¡¯s this certain move you know...¡±

    <hr>

    When Sam re-entered Pryce¡¯s Gym, the room was just as crowded as before. This time around, however, he knew what to expect thanks to Redi filling him in with the information she¡¯d gathered around town.

    For a seventh Gym Badge battle, Pryce always used five Pok¨¦mon, as that was the minimum required by the League¡¯s standards for a trainer¡¯s first year Gym Challenge. Of course, Gym Leaders were always allowed to make personal exceptions, but Pryce wasn¡¯t the kind of person to do anything but the bare requirements. He might have been a Gym Leader, but he wasn¡¯t fond of the League.

    Thankfully, since the match would only follow the most generic of rules, Sam would have four switches for the match, the standard number that was one less than the size of the competing teams. He didn¡¯t plan to ¡°just¡± battle Pryce, he planned to put everything his team had been recently working on to use.

    In the past, their strategy had been all about inflicting status conditions. Now, based on the advice of a few more experienced trainers, they¡¯d be relying on a far more aggressive strategy that utilized moves in new ways.

    Talking to the trainer behind the front desk, Sam confirmed his battle and was brought through a door into a long hallway. The air slowly became colder the deeper he moved within. It eventually reached the point where metal sections of the walls had a layer of frost over them, but Sam had spent weeks at the top of a freezing mountain. This wasn¡¯t as bad as anything he had felt up there.

    Passing through one last door, he entered the Gym¡¯s interior battlefield, stepping into a room that was basically a giant refrigerator. Enormous vents on the walls pumped in freezing air, and the field itself was covered in a thin layer of ice that¡¯d make ground-based movement difficult¡ªdifficult, unless the Pok¨¦mon in question was an Ice Type.

    Pryce was already in position on his side of the field, and he didn¡¯t bother to greet Sam as Sam moved to the challenger¡¯s trainer box. No, the Gym Leader merely stood in silence and looked vaguely annoyed that he was there at all.

    ¡°Good. You¡¯re on time. Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± Pryce said with a grunt.

    He wore a coat but no gloves, something that felt insane to Sam. Sam had brought his ugly-yet-warm jacket for this, and even the Gym Trainer off to the side that¡¯d serve as the referee was all bundled up.

    ¡°Trainers!¡± she called out, speaking after going over all of the expected rules. ¡°Please, send out your first Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Pryce stiffly tossed forward a white Pok¨¦ball, releasing a large, horned, seal-like Pok¨¦mon. Seeing the Dewgong released onto the field, Sam smiled.

    Pryce used the same Pok¨¦mon as his lead for every match, which was perfect for Sam¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Trevenant,¡± Sam named.

    His latest capture and newest friend appeared on the field. As a Grass Type, Trevenant was vulnerable to the cold, and his leaves immediately wilted in the freezing temperatures. However, he fought through it, stabbing his sharp legs into the field as he glowered at the serious-looking Dewgong leaning before him.

    And just to check...

    Pryce didn¡¯t react. The Gym Leader was totally and utterly unaware that the target of his ¡°failed¡± march north was now standing before him.

    The two Pok¨¦mon faced off, ready to begin their fight. The referee in her thick, icy-blue sweatshirt glanced between them before nodding to herself and throwing her arms into the air.

    ¡°Begin!¡± she shouted.

    Pryce gave no commands. He merely nodded to his Pok¨¦mon, and a wall of water grew behind his Dewgong as it prepared a Surf.

    Yet, unfortunately for Pryce, Sam expected that very start. Pryce always started this way, calling for a Water Type move to spread water across the field and make it even more treacherous for ground-based Pok¨¦mon. Though Trevenant resisted the incoming attack, moving around would be impossible.

    If Pryce had bothered to open up with an Ice Type move, Trevenant would have been a bad choice. However, Pryce started his matches the same way every time. To him, Gym Battles were more of an obligation than a privilege, and he rarely ever changed his usual plans.

    Thanks, Redi. The information you gathered means we¡¯ll win.

    As the wall of water grew and grew, Sam remained unworried. Trevenant only needed to land a single attack to secure their victory. Recognizing that and not wanting to delay by even a moment, Sam pointed forward to call out the move that was the first step of his plan.

    ¡°Forest¡¯s Curse!¡±

 Chapter 115

    Pryce was an Ice Type Master who knew how to best test trainers in his Gym Battle. His Pok¨¦mon¡¯s overwhelming moves would force opponents to fight in freezing conditions and on top of treacherous terrain. However, the man had been doing this for years and had settled into habit. Either out of carelessness or as an intended opening, certain facts about Pryce¡¯s chosen team always remained the same.

    He always led with a Water Type. He never brought more than two Water Types. He rarely bothered to use weather conditions. At least half of his team were local species. His final Pok¨¦mon was always a surprise.

    Redi frequently chatted with other trainers to exchange information, and she had given Sam a list of Pryce¡¯s potential team members. The man could draw from only so many species, and Sam knew his team¡¯s priority was to take out the Water Types. Sam didn¡¯t plan to just win this battle, he planned to sweep through this battle, and the Pok¨¦mon he wanted to use to do so needed to not be at risk of such wide-ranging attacks.

    Although, technically, Blizzard would always be a threat, but after training on the Sinjoh Ruins¡¯s mountain, Sam was confident his planned Pok¨¦mon could withstand at least one such attack and retaliate with a stronger move of her own.

    ¡°Forest¡¯s Curse!¡±

    Dewgong and its Surf were the threats Sam was most worried about. Pryce¡¯s other Water Type would be either a Cloyster or a Lapras, and Sam really hoped it¡¯d be a Cloyster. He still had plans for either of them, but to start this battle, Trevenant¡¯s Forest Curse would create the perfect opening for a different member of his team.

    Across from Trevenant, Pryce¡¯s Dewgong brought up its fins, and its seal-like body was carried along in a chilling tidal wave that rushed over the field from behind it. As a Water Type move, Surf didn¡¯t pose much of a threat to the Grass Type Trevenant, but it would cover the already slippery field of ice with water, leaving dangerous puddles and an even smoother surface than before.

    But, with Sam¡¯s shouted order, Trevenant ignored that incoming wave. His red eye bore into Dewgong and only Dewgong, and he stabbed his claws into the ground to send forth a line of roots that churned up the ice-covered floor.

    They burst from the field, piercing through the wave to lash out and wrap around Dewgong. But the Surf was not interrupted; in fact, it slammed into Trevenant and continued until it hit the Psychic barrier that surrounded the field. However, Trevenant¡¯s move squeezed Dewgong, inflicting it with a bandolier of stabbing roots that cursed it into gaining a temporary, additional Grass Type.

    ¡°Return,¡± Sam said, bringing back Trevenant in a flash of light. Dewgong slid to a halt where the Grass Type once stood, wincing from the thorns that now jabbed into its chest. ¡°Perfect job for your first battle, Trevenant. Thank you. For the rest of this, watch closely to see what your new friends can do, alright?¡±

    Pryce rocked his jaw back and forth while narrowing his eyes. Forest¡¯s Curse didn¡¯t deal damage, but it was a constant presence that would remind Dewgong of that ongoing effect. Recalling Trevenant so early probably put a pin in Pryce¡¯s plans to get this over with quickly, too. After all, Sam had no plans to leave out a Grass Type weak to Ice Type moves.

    ...But he did plan to send out someone weak to Water Type moves.

    ¡°Typhlosion!¡± Sam called out next, and his starter announced herself with a roar.

    Flashing onto the field, Typhlosion appeared only a few feet away from Sam, almost on top of where Dewgong had come to a rest after its Surf. The dual Water and Ice Type should have been all but guaranteed a victory here given that it was a Water Type with no special weakness to Fire, but Trevenant¡¯s curse gave Typhlosion the perfect opportunity to take it out as fast as she could.

    We can¡¯t underestimate even one of Pryce¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. I don¡¯t want to deal with Surf. It covers too much area. Haunter and Misdreavus won¡¯t be able to avoid it with how it can flood and drown out any shadows on the ground.

    Sam was ready to have Typhlosion resume the match, but the battle didn¡¯t continue as expected.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª What?¡±

    Typhlosion¡¯s flames burned around her neck, causing the freezing air to turn to mist in a cloud drifting up around her. Purple light flickered slightly as she glanced over to the referee, and the referee stared agog right back.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Typhlosion. A variant. Clearly,¡± Pryce said. ¡°Now stop gawking and continue the match!¡±

    Blushing slightly, the referee laughed awkwardly while rubbing her head. Momentarily, Sam realized that he somehow hadn¡¯t expected this. He¡¯d spent so long worrying about Trevenant and trying to plan for this match that he¡¯d almost forgotten that Typhlosion¡¯s appearance would be a surprise for most people.

    Two weeks can go by fast, huh?

    ¡°Yes, yes. Of course.¡± The referee uncomfortably adjusted her thick, icy blue sweatshirt before bringing up her arms. ¡°Apologies for the interruption. Resume the match!¡±

    ¡°Icy Wind!¡±

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡±

    Dewgong reared its head back at the same moment that Typhlosion¡¯s flames grew even brighter than before.

    When it came to the current state of the field, Double Team and Quick Attack weren¡¯t viable as sudden movements would only see a Pok¨¦mon trip. Pryce¡¯s shout for Icy Wind told Sam that the Gym Leader planned to win this battle by restricting movement alone. He didn¡¯t care about damage if he was using an Ice Type move against a Fire Type, but he clearly cared about the speed-lowering effect of Icy Wind.

    If Typhlosion¡¯s movement became so limited, then she¡¯d be easy pickings for any move of Dewgong¡¯s choice.

    For this exchange, Dewgong showed its experience by releasing its attack first. Even through Typhlosion¡¯s fire, the subsequent Icy Wind hit and left frost on her body, chilling her, weighing her down, and reducing her speed.

    Still, Typhlosion easily exhaled her Flamethrower, and the licking flames chased Dewgong as it used the ice to slip and slide around Typhlosion in a tight circle, a perfect dodge.

    ¡°Mines!¡± Sam shouted.

    Typhlosion sucked in a breath to stop her Flamethrower and change her onslaught. Quickly, many purple wisps sparked up in the air and spread out similar to how Typhlosion had once revealed a certain tree¡¯s spirit.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Pryce ordered, his voice clear and calm.

    Despite the lack of friction, Dewgong came to an immediate halt, stopping a mere inch away from where a few flaming motes floated in the air.

    As Sam had ordered, her move created a minefield. Since Dewgong was using the slippery ice to its advantage, Typhlosion instead used that speed to her advantage. If it had chosen to keep circling her, it would have crashed right through most of her attack without her needing to aim. The Infernal Parade mines forced the Dewgong to stop, but more importantly, without the chance to slide, Dewgong could no longer dodge.

    And Pryce has never seen an Infernal Parade before. He can¡¯t order his Pok¨¦mon to do anything if he doesn¡¯t know what Typhlosion¡¯s move can do.

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Sam shouted again. Typhlosion had created the perfect situation, and Sam planned to take advantage of it.

    Pryce frowned¡ªslightly more than usual as he was always frowning¡ªand tilted his head before giving another command.

    ¡°Ice Beam. Cut through.¡±

    Pinned by Typhlosion¡¯s floating field of fire, Dewgong¡¯s short horn glowed before unleashing cracking blue energy that froze the air around it. Typhlosion unleashed her Flamethrower, but just like Icy Wind before it, the Ice Beam pierced right through as if not bothered by the super-effective energy.

    Typhlosion was struck, and Sam had to wonder why Pryce would call for a resisted move here instead of one of Dewgong¡¯s super effective Water Type attacks. However, his answer came in the form of the hardened ice spreading across Typhlosion¡¯s arms.

    Pryce planned to freeze her. Damage didn¡¯t matter if he had his own way of eliminating her from this match.

    ¡°Ignore it! Keep going!¡± Sam yelled.

    He had faith in his Pok¨¦mon, even as the Ice Beam¡¯s freezing effect caused more and more of Typhlosion¡¯s body to become locked up. Dewgong didn¡¯t bother to dodge because it didn¡¯t need to; not only did its Water Type negate its Ice Type weakness to Fire, but its ability was also Thick Fat, which reduced the damage of Typhlosion¡¯s move even further.

    Forest Curse technically helped offset that, but like Pryce, Sam wasn¡¯t going for damage here. Typhlosion¡¯s attacks all only carried a chance to burn, but if her targets just happened to be wrapped in dry, flammable wood...

    ¡°Now!¡±

    Trevenant¡¯s Grass Type curse ignited. The stabbing roots caught aflame and burnt Dewgong¡¯s side, causing it to jolt from the unexpected and unfamiliar pain.

    Immediately, Typhlosion changed her attack. Though half her body was now frozen, she still had a single paw free, and she brought it up and clenched it to finish Dewgong with a previous move.

    Every mote of her Infernal Parade minefield collapsed inward at once. Surrounding Dewgong, they joined with the fires to sear into the Pok¨¦mon, doubling their potency when combined with the burn and causing Pryce¡¯s first team member to finally collapse.

    ¡°Phew,¡± Sam breathed.

    The flames turned to smoke as Dewgong fell unconscious, the Forest¡¯s Curse withering away.

    ¡°Dewgong is unable to battle,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°I can see that.¡± Pryce grunted and returned his Pok¨¦mon.

    With Dewgong disappearing into red light, Typhlosion closed her eyes as she smiled, though a shiver passed through her from the ice that kept half of her body completely still. Dewgong was by far the largest threat in this match, and as ¡°predictable¡± as Pryce was, Sam didn¡¯t want to underestimate him. Forest¡¯s Curse was necessary to inflict a burn, as Will-O-Wisp would have been too easily snuffed out by practically any Water Type move. The Ghost Type Infernal Parade was their best solution, but Sam had needed Pryce to not figure out that move if he wanted to create the lead they needed.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen a strategy like that in a few years,¡± Pryce commented. ¡°Better than the pure-heat strategy most Fire Types try.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. Typhlosion¡¯s flames seemed to burn brighter out of pride.

    ¡°Hmph. I wasn¡¯t complimenting you.¡±

    One of Sam¡¯s eyes twitched as Pryce threw his next Pok¨¦ball forward.

    When the second Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field, Sam had to fight against pumping a fist. Forming out of the Pok¨¦ball¡¯s light was a small, spherical Pok¨¦mon protected by a massive, spiked shell. Sam''s biggest worry had been Pryce¡¯s Lapras, but if Cloyster was coming out as Pryce¡¯s second Water Type, he no longer had worries about the rest of the match.

    He had won.

    ¡°Return, Typhlosion!¡± Sam shouted.

    Pryce pressed his lips together. Sam struggled to not smile.

    ¡°Come on out, Haunter!¡±

    As Haunter appeared, he stretched a grin with his fingers to blow a wet raspberry toward Cloyster before glancing back at Sam.

    ¡°You know the move you¡¯ve been helping Misdreavus with?¡± Sam whispered.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Haunter paused for a second before nodding excitedly.

    Yeah, he knows the plan.

    The referee called for the battle to continue immediately after.

    ¡°Withdraw. Rapid Spin. Icicle Spear.¡± Pryce listed off moves as if detailing a grocery list. There was no lack of confidence in his voice that his Pok¨¦mon would follow.

    ¡°You already know what to do, Haunter,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to nitpick.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to; Haunter was trained. And, for this match, since Haunter levitated, he didn¡¯t walk. The slippery field beneath him meant nothing as he shot forward right through the air.

    Cloyster tracked Haunter and slammed its shell closed to protect itself with a Withdraw before Haunter could even get that far. To meet him in the center, it then fell onto its side and exploded into a Rapid Spin that sent it skipping across the field.

    The two Pok¨¦mon met in the exact middle, where Cloyster peeked open its shell to fire out a spear made out of pure ice. This move was its specialty with some Cloyster being known for consistently landing every single icicle they ever fired. However, though skilled with Icicle Spears, it clearly didn¡¯t expect Haunter to rush in. Haunter were supposed to be special attackers, and they were rather frail, too.

    It was genuine insanity for Haunter to dash right up to its face.

    It was even greater insanity for him to slip in when Cloyster attempted to slam its shell shut for protection once more.

    ¡°Attack, you fool!¡± Pryce shouted.

    Cloyster didn¡¯t open up. In an attempt to defend itself, all it had done was seal Haunter within.

    The field fell silent, and Cloyster didn¡¯t move. Neither Pok¨¦mon were visible inside of its shell.

    ¡°Fine, then,¡± Pryce said, scowling. ¡°Return.¡±

    Unfortunately for Pryce, the light of Cloyster¡¯s Pok¨¦ball failed to bring back his Pok¨¦mon. The red glow broke, and Cloyster was left unmoving on the ice.

    Sorry Pryce, but Haunter¡¯s Mean Looks isn¡¯t going to let your Pok¨¦mon escape that easily.

    Silence lingered for a bit longer until a knocking sound echoed out. Cloyster¡¯s shell slowly creaked open, allowing Haunter to squeeze through and slip out. He was wet, dripping with salt water, and even as a Ghost Type, he rubbed himself to warm up in an attempt to fight off shivers.

    Beneath him, however, Cloyster wasn¡¯t moving¡ªbut it hadn¡¯t fainted. Now open, it was pretty obvious that Cloyster was sound asleep.

    ¡°...Sleeping,¡± Pryce grumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t plan to finish the job?¡±

    ¡°This works better for us,¡± Sam replied. As quick as he could, he recalled Haunter while whispering praise, sending out his next Pok¨¦mon without even a moment¡¯s delay.

    Misdreavus needed only a single glance to recognize the situation and subject Pryce¡¯s Pok¨¦mon to one more Mean Look. Though Cloyster was currently too unconscious to see her glare, her move still contained enough energy to prevent it from escaping.

    From there, Misdreavus proceeded to use the very move that would let her fulfill her role as the ¡°sweeper¡± on Sam¡¯s team. Since Cloyster was asleep, it couldn¡¯t attack, which meant she was free to use Nasty Plot as much as she wanted before her opponent woke up.

    ¡°Pryce,¡± Sam said as Misdreavus empowered herself with her move. ¡°My Pok¨¦mon is using Nasty Plot. All of her attacks are going to do maximum damage. I¡¯m telling you now, this battle is over. It doesn¡¯t make sense to hurt your Pok¨¦mon if they don¡¯t need to be hurt. We should end the match here.¡±

    Sam spoke genuinely. He wasn¡¯t a fan of Pryce, but Pryce¡¯s Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t deserve to get hurt if they didn¡¯t need to. Nasty Plot filled Misdreavus with Dark Type energy that maximized her special attack. Every special move she used with it in effect would be perfectly aimed to cause the most harm, multiplying her damage and turning her into a dangerous combatant that could easily ¡°punch upwards.¡±

    Also, Pryce¡¯s main strategy was to limit the movement of grounded Pok¨¦mon, and Misdreavus was immune to that given she could float. Currently, nothing about the field did anything to slow her down.

    But Pryce seemed unbothered by Sam¡¯s current plan.

    ¡°That softheartedness will get you nowhere in life!¡± Pryce shouted, immediately dismissing Sam¡¯s concerns. ¡°You think too highly of your strategy and your Pok¨¦mon. You really think my team has no counter?¡±

    Misdreavus managed to finish setting up with Nasty Plot by the time Cloyster woke. The shelled Pok¨¦mon attempted a surprise attack by suddenly snapping itself open, but the cruel, cleverness imbued in Misdreavus meant its Icicle Spear never hit.

    A single, quickly made Shadow Ball shot out from in front of Misdreavus¡¯s mouth. Cloyster¡¯s frozen projectiles shattered from the attack¡¯s force, and the move slammed right into its now-exposed face to take it out.

    ¡°Cloyster is unable to battle!¡± the referee shouted.

    She looked to Pryce expectantly, but he was already reaching for his next Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Sneasel,¡± he named once Cloyster had been returned, ¡°use Feint Attack.¡±

    Pryce¡¯s Sneasel appeared in the middle of a dash, and its clawed feet let it charge across the ice without slipping even once.

    Feint Attack cloaks its user in darkness to allow it to land a near-guaranteed hit. Misdreavus is already charging a Shadow Ball to take it out before it reaches her, so even though Sneasel can probably faint her in one hit, I don¡¯t see why he thinks this is a counter.

    Sam paused.

    Unless...!

    ¡°Stop, Misdreavus!¡± Sam shouted, yelling as fast as he could. ¡°Use Confusion! Hurry!¡±

    Her eyes widened as she snapped her mouth shut, the Shadow Ball fading to smoke right in front of her face. Pryce¡¯s Sneasel carried a cloud of dark mist around it, the shadows hiding the exact origin of its impending Feint Attack.

    However, it wasn¡¯t Feint Attack that it was using. Sneasel jumped into the air to reach Misdreavus, and her eyes glowed blue at the same moment it tried for a jab.

    Sucker Punch would always land before any attacking move hit. That strong, Dark Type attack took advantage of a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s need to build and aim damaging moves.

    Thankfully, Misdreavus wasn¡¯t using a damaging move here.

    Just like how the shout for a Feint Attack had been a misdirection, the same was true for Sam¡¯s command. Misdreavus might have known Confusion, but the Psychic Type move would have been useless against a Dark Type Pok¨¦mon¡ªand she had correctly recognized that. Instead, she used a status move, pulling back without the same wind-up a direct attack would entail.

    The Sucker Punch failed when Sneasel struck nothing at all, and as it fell back to the earth, Misdreavus used Confuse Ray, inflicting confusion instead of using an attack called Confusion, leaving Sneasel trapped within a confounding world of illusions.

    Pryce grumbled to himself as Sneasel landed and slid forward. Unable to find Misdreavus, it tried to look around, but it couldn¡¯t find where Misdreavus was hiding directly above it. A single Shadow Ball was all that was needed to send it crumpling to the ground.

    ¡°...I see,¡± Pryce grumbled.

    Sneasel was even more fragile than Misdreavus. It was no longer able to battle.

    Seeing the fallen body of her opponent, Misdreavus cackled as she took in the fainted Sneasel with obvious glee.

    Nasty Plot is affecting her more than I thought. Man, she¡¯s going to be so embarrassed about this later.

    Pryce unhappily returned his Pok¨¦mon, unceremoniously releasing the next member of his team right after.

    ¡°Jynx,¡± the Gym Leader said.

    ¡°Shadow Ball,¡± Sam replied.

    Thanks to Will, Sam¡¯s team already knew how a Jynx might fight.

    Pryce returned that fainted Pok¨¦mon, too.

    ¡°If you sent out a Psychic Type against us, I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have a better answer,¡± Sam quipped.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. This battle isn¡¯t over,¡± Pryce growled. ¡°Glalie! Double Team.¡±

    A flash of light saw a horned ball of ice appear in the air.

    Pryce¡¯s fifth and final Pok¨¦mon was one not native to the region; Glalie was Pryce¡¯s ¡°surprise¡± final team member like Sam expected. Morty had mentioned Gym Trainers were allowed to branch out to different species in high-level matches, and Pryce frequently rotated between Ice Types foreign to Johto for the final member of his team.

    As Glalie appeared, it scowled with an expression that wasn¡¯t unlike the one on Pryce¡¯s face. Following his command, it shook in the air, a dozen illusory duplicates spreading out to its sides.

    ¡°Blizzard,¡± Pryce ordered next. ¡°Then, pin and Crunch.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t able to tell which Glalie was the real one, and when it used Blizzard, it looked as though every duplicate was sending out that freezing wind at once.

    ¡°Misdreavus, catch it out with Psychic!¡±

    The gale of ice and snow almost immediately consumed Misdreavus, pushing her back in the air to ice her over. She bent to try to resist the wind, but the chill was worse than even what they had experienced back when trying to reach the Sinjoh Ruins.

    Her eyes glowed for a proper Psychic Type move this time around, and her telekinetic grip did manage to disrupt a few of the illusions charging her way. Unfortunately, six Glalie at once managed to reach her, and their large mouths opened up in preparation for a devastating bite.

    ¡°On the left!¡± Sam yelled.

    Only one Glalie was using a real move; its smooth and solid teeth flickered with visible Dark Type energy.

    Misdreavus turned, but she was covered in ice. Even with the benefit of Nasty Plot, her Psychic wasn¡¯t able to come out before Glalie tore her right out of the air with its Crunch.

    ¡°...Return,¡± Sam grumbled.

    The super effective move was too much for her to handle. Sam returned her, hating how smug Pryce currently looked.

    ¡°Challenger Samuel, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon,¡± the referee called out.

    ¡°I know, I know. Just need a few seconds,¡± he said.

    Sam had his whole team remaining, but Typhlosion was half-frozen and no one else was a great counter to Glalie. Trevenant was weak to Ice Type moves. Haunter could get caught out by Double Team and Crunch just like Misdreavus had. Primeape might have been healthy, but he could be countered solely by Glalie harassing him at range.

    The whole point of setting up with Misdreavus was to take out Pryce¡¯s team members before they could take her out. Ice Types weren¡¯t known to be the sturdiest Pok¨¦mon around, but they were great at dishing out strong attacks. Many trainers taught their Pok¨¦mon Ice Type moves for that very purpose.

    ¡°Well? Are you going to send out your next Pok¨¦mon, or are you going to surrender here because you don¡¯t want your Pok¨¦mon to be hurt?¡± Pryce said, almost mockingly. ¡°Pok¨¦mon battle. They take hits. Combat is where they thrive. Telling your opponent to give up early is nothing more than an insult to their pride!¡±

    Sam forced his expression to stay level as he grabbed his next Pok¨¦ball. Out of all of his team members, one had the greatest chance to win¡ªbut it¡¯d be a risk no matter what.

    Appearing for the second time in this match, Typhlosion returned to the field.

    ¡°Predictable,¡± Pryce said with the expected frown on his face.

    Above Typhlosion, images of Pryce¡¯s Glalie spread through the air as it used Double Team several times over.

    ¡°Typhlosion. You just need one solid hit. Glalie might be strong, but you¡¯re fully evolved now. A single Fire Type move should be¡ªwill be enough.¡± Sam heard Pryce scoff across from him. ¡°But you¡¯re already hurt. You can''t let yourself get hit even once, either. I know you deserve to rest, but you¡¯re also our best chance to win.¡±

    Ignoring the ice that covered part of her chest and one of her arms, she nodded firmly. She brought her eyes up to the sky, taking in the dozens of Glalie that filled the air. The fire on her back burned; she had at least one advantage when it came to her injuries in this fight.

    Her ability was still Blaze, unchanged from her previous forms. Her Fire Type moves were stronger than ever thanks to the adrenaline coursing through her.

    Sam¡¯s speech might have given Glalie a chance to repeatedly use Double Team, but he knew Typhlosion could do it. Somewhat similarly, Pryce looked confident, though that confidence came from experience rather than anything ¡°simple¡± like mere faith in his Pok¨¦mon.

    Between Glalie''s dark horns, lightning crackled, and both Sam and Typhlosion knew it was readying an Ice Beam.

    ¡°Darkness!¡± Sam shouted.

    Pitch-black shadows erupted in a circle around Typhlosion, her Night Shade sealing her off from the battlefield¡¯s light. All around her, Glalie and its duplicates fired off their Ice Beams. When they struck, the impact saw the smoke from a hidden Smokescreen be pushed out all over the field.

    ¡°Blizzard. Blow it away,¡± Pryce ordered.

    Glalie shouted, its voice echoing in a cracking rumble.

    From Glalie¡¯s body, a freezing wind blew, but more and more smoke left Typhlosion¡¯s Night Shade to spread even further around the field. Even though the psychic barriers sealed the battlefield away, Sam still shivered. He couldn¡¯t imagine how cold it must have been within the battle space, but he also knew that Typhlosion was completely prepared to use her fires to keep her warm.

    ¡°There!¡± Sam shouted.

    Since Blizzard pushed around the Smokescreen, the air was filled with smoke. Double Team conjured illusory duplicates and not physical duplicates, so it became blatantly obvious which Glalie was the real one given the gap that formed beneath it.

    The Night Shade fell. Purple embers glowed from within the Smokescreen. Leaping out was a spinning wheel encased in red-purple flame.

    ¡°Adjust,¡± Pryce ordered calmly.

    The sole real Glalie changed the direction its Blizzard blew. Unexpectedly, Typhlosion¡¯s Flame Wheel served as an unintentional counter.

    She couldn''t run across the floor; no, too much ice weighed her down, and the slippery ground would just cause her to fall. Jumping with Flame Wheel avoided that risky form of movement, but it carried the downside of exposing her in the air to Glalie¡¯s powerful Ice Type attack.

    But Flame Wheel wasn¡¯t just a mad charge forward. It was a fast-paced spin of heat and flame that churned up the air around it. Instead of the Blizzard striking Typhlosion and sending her flying back, her Flame Wheel almost grabbed Glalie¡¯s move, spinning it around her and giving her an open path to bounce her attack right off of Glalie¡¯s face.

    It cried out, allowing Typhlosion the chance to uncurl herself in the air. Both Pok¨¦mon readied their moves, but Typhlosion was faster.

    It was a simple Ember that took Glalie out in the end.

    When Typhlosion landed, she was breathing heavily. The amount of damage she¡¯d taken was nothing she could have withstood as a Quilava. Her evolution had seen a drastic increase in power that had been on display for practically this entire match.

    As she leaned back to take a deep breath, Glalie crashed into the ice just ahead of her.

    The field became silent. The only noise was that of Typhlosion¡¯s breathing. Before the referee said anything, Typhlosion reared back to roar out her name to declare her victory.

    The referee finally spoke in the second after.

    ¡°Gym Leader Pryce has no more usable Pok¨¦mon. Challenger Samuel wins!¡±

    Sam let out a breath he didn''t know he was holding.

    While he was pretty sure his team would have eventually worn down Pryce¡¯s last Pok¨¦mon, that final strike with Flame Wheel had all come down to luck.

    Misdreavus took out almost all of Pryce¡¯s team thanks to Nasty Plot. But she didn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t fast enough with my commands, and we only won at the end thanks to how Blizzard and Flame Wheel interacted.

    At this point, the Smokescreen had all but dissipated thanks to Blizzard spreading it out to become so thin. Typhlosion looked back at Sam, and she sent him a thumbs up.

    He laughed.

    Yeah, okay, sure, the end was up to chance in the end, but Typhlosion still managed to take out the two biggest threats on Pryce¡¯s team. She¡¯s even stronger than I thought. Flame Wheel canceling Blizzard might not have been intentional, but I can¡¯t ignore just how much effort she put in for this win.

    Nor could he ignore Haunter¡¯s efforts or Misdreavus¡¯s efforts or even Trevenant¡¯s key use of Forest¡¯s Curse. Even Primeape had been important, as having a perfectly healthy Pok¨¦mon in pocket let him more confidently take risks.

    Smiling at his Pok¨¦mon, Sam returned Typhlosion to her Pok¨¦ball and whispered a thanks. He looked down at his belt, where he knew all of his team was listening, and felt himself be filled with relief.

    ¡°Thank you. Everyone. You all did an incredible job,¡± he said quietly. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have won without working together. Even you, Primeape. You might not have directly fought, but just knowing you were there let me call for risks I wouldn¡¯t have otherwise taken.¡±

    On the opposite side of the field, Pryce just shook his head and returned his Pok¨¦mon. He put the ball in his pocket without even a word and began walking over, crossing the ice-covered floor without losing his balance in the slightest.

    ¡°Here. The Glacier Badge.¡± Once Pryce reached Sam, he pulled out a small, cloth-covered item from a different coat pocket.

    Within the cloth, Sam found a metal pin shaped like a hexagonal snowflake. It shone in the battlefield¡¯s bright lights, and he moved to pluck it out and put it away, but¡ª

    ¡°Are you daft? Leave it in its cloth! Don¡¯t touch freezing metal in the middle of a refrigerated room!¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right. Sorry.¡±

    Pryce just scoffed.

    Sam pocketed the badge, cloth and all, claiming the physical proof that his team had bested Pryce in his Gym.

    He waited to see if Pryce had anything else to say, but all the man did was look him up and down. Usually, Gym Leaders traded words of advice or compliments after a battle, but Pryce didn¡¯t seem to be one to do such a thing.

    So, Sam just turned around and began walking away. Pryce stayed where he stood, and Sam got halfway to the door before he heard Pryce¡¯s voice call out behind him.

    ¡°Boy.¡±

    Sam froze. The sudden, icy tone shook him to the core.

    I knew it. I shouldn¡¯t have had Haunter put Cloyster to sleep. Pryce knows what we did. He probably recognized Trevenant, too. He¡¯s put two-and-two together to figure out it was us who messed with his plans, and now he¡¯s going to¡ª

    ¡°Your Typhlosion. How long have you had her?¡± Pryce asked.

    Cautiously, Sam checked over his shoulder to see that Pryce was staring at him. The Gym Leader was frowning, like usual, but it felt different for some strange reason.

    ¡°Years,¡± Sam said after taking a second to recover. ¡°We¡¯ve been together since she was a Cyndaquil, but she only evolved recently.¡±

    Sam stood with his back straight and at attention as Pryce refused to look anywhere but his way. The old Gym Leader¡¯s gaze was sharp, but there was also something else there.

    ...For a single instant, Sam could have sworn he saw Pryce¡¯s expression soften.

    ¡°So you evolved her yourself, did you? Impressive, but be careful with new evolutions. There are those out there who¡¯d do anything to claim a rare Pok¨¦mon for themselves. You never know how the wrong person might react if they find out.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes sir!¡± Sam said. He wasn¡¯t sure why he saluted.

    ¡°And... No, forget it.¡± Pryce turned and shook his head, but he stopped before stepping away, speaking just above a whisper. ¡°But... a final word of advice. Try not to get too attached. All it takes is a single loss for a Pok¨¦mon to think they¡¯ll be better off elsewhere.¡±

    Sam frowned. He couldn¡¯t see the Gym Leader¡¯s face. Even the Gym Trainer referee looked away as if she recognized that Pryce didn¡¯t want anyone seeing him right now.

    Typhlosion would never leave. What?

    ...Wait, is that why he¡¯s so surly? Because a Pok¨¦mon ran out on him?

    But Sam knew now wasn¡¯t the time to ask further questions. He just nodded once, pretended to heed Pryce¡¯s ¡°advice,¡± and he quickly left the room.

    He stayed silent as he parted from the Gym, but he brought his thoughts to the future. Once Redi won her match here, they could finally leave Mahogany Town and leave the entire place behind them.

    There was nothing for them here, but there was everything for them still ahead. There was the Conference. Learning more about the New Pok¨¦dex. A new team member, probably. And, in the near future, Morty was waiting for them in Ecruteak City.

    Alongside the promise of a Ghost Type-related talk, the Gym Leader had outright said he was preparing a surprise.

 Chapter 115.5 - Pryce Interlude

    Pryce watched the kid leave the room. It wasn''t every day that so many of his Pok¨¦mon were swept like that, but after experiencing as many battles as he had, there were hardly any surprises left.

    There was always some newcomer who knew how to order their Pok¨¦mon in just the right way. Always someone who knew when to call out the necessary commands and how to chain together the correct knock-outs to secure a victory. Not every outcome was as ¡°clean¡± as that no-knock-out match, but sometimes, knowing when to trade one faint for another was all that was needed to eke out a win.

    But a new Typhlosion, hm?

    It was another new discovery by another new trainer. One more species in the ongoing flood of new ones coming from, well, everywhere. Things were so different from how they used to be. Clans no longer had the influence to hoard their knowledge. Johto and Kanto were no longer at one another¡¯s throats. There was no cold war going on that pushed its combatants to be as strong as they could be.

    No, information was being shared. Trainers no longer started with nothing. They didn¡¯t have to scrape together every scrap of knowledge just to maybe be considered competent. They stood on the shoulders of every Pok¨¦mon and trainer that came before them. They could strive for new developments instead of struggling to figure out what others had already learned.

    The world was growing larger and larger by the day, yet¡ª

    ¡°Bah.¡±

    Everything Pryce needed was already in this Gym.

    He turned from the door, scowling. Trainers might have been flush with opportunity nowadays, but they didn¡¯t have the same determination or the necessary drive. Pryce was yet to see someone with the desperation that came from fighting tooth and nail to bring even the slightest of wins their way.

    ¡°P-Pryce. That was your second ch-challenger for today. You still have your afternoon free, so if you¡¯re willing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Keep my schedule clear,¡± he grunted, shutting down the Gym Trainer¡¯s request before she could even finish.

    In return, the assigned member of Pryce¡¯s Gym bowed her head as he marched out of the room. He strode through the Gym¡¯s air-conditioned hallways and back to his office. The cold temperature helped keep his senses sharp along the way.

    His office itself was a bit warmer once he reached it on the second floor. Out of everywhere in the building, this was the one place he was willing to put in effort to claim as his.

    He walked past the trophies that lined the walls. The medals and ribbons that marked him as the victor of tournaments across Johto. Next to them were pictures of people and Pok¨¦mon he¡¯d met along the way, and in each and every one, Pryce wore the same scowl he wore on his face right now.

    Any photo that might have shown something different wasn¡¯t on the wall. He didn¡¯t need a reminder of how he used to be. He didn¡¯t need to remember just how foolish he was back then.

    Once he reached his desk, Pryce let himself fall into his high-backed chair, its thick cushions and padded armrests giving his aching body a rest. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t exactly rest right now. He had reports to get through and messages to write. He also had plenty of letters passed to him by the League that each ¡°politely¡± discussed why he should have never begun that Route 43 operation in the first place.

    None of them get it. They never do. They don¡¯t see how humans and Pok¨¦mon can¡¯t be friends.

    As he fell into the repetitive cycle of drivel that was his work, Pryce grew distracted. His focus slipped, and in an instant, he was right back to that night.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    The memory was all too clear in his head. He sat in his home, a small log cabin located on a mountain with a freezing blizzard blowing outside. Next to him, something he thought had been his friend tried to rest. Tournaments didn¡¯t have the same regulations back then, and the two of them had been burned by a Magmar¡¯s attack that had been launched a little too wide.

    He had promised the thing next to him that they¡¯d get through it, and he had spoken of finding healing herbs for them once the blizzard died down.

    But when he woke the next morning, the snow had disappeared, and with it, his Pok¨¦mon had vanished, too.

    Pryce knew why it had left him; it had left him because it was disappointed. After all, it was a Pok¨¦mon. Pok¨¦mon thrived in battle. Why would a Pok¨¦mon ever want to stay with a trainer that had lost and let it get hurt?

    ¡°Bah.¡±

    Pryce pushed away the document he¡¯d been working on. It was some kind of request for approval, something about wanting to support a perceptive kid from the forest march. However, Pryce couldn¡¯t care less about who his Gym Trainers chose to support. They were allowed to do what they wanted. It was only through a false sense of duty demanded onto them by the League that they bothered to stick around.

    Briskly standing up, Pryce left his comfortable chair and walked over to his office¡¯s window. Its tilted blinds let him peer outside, unseen, to where many trainers practiced out back.

    There, almost every member of his Gym was actively training their Pok¨¦mon. They behaved far too fondly with one another, unaware of how quickly loyalties could turn the second something went wrong.

    ...Also, they kept making mistakes. Some Ice Type moves went too undirected, and other Ice Type moves weren¡¯t undirected enough. The whole point of the Type was that its freezing conditions made dealing with Ice Type Pok¨¦mon nearly impossible. These fools were treating their Pok¨¦mon like any other Pok¨¦mon, but Ice Types carried so many weaknesses that they only ever truly shined if their trainer leaned into their bone-chilling frost.

    ¡°I¡¯ll slip in a few words of advice tomorrow,¡± Pryce mumbled to himself. ¡°Make them pick out tips from between everything else I say.¡±

    All it would take is a few short grumbles. A few sharp insults. The foolish among them would back away. The smart among them would recognize his advice for what it was.

    If these trainers planned to pry away his knowledge, Pryce planned to make them earn every iota of wisdom. They wouldn¡¯t become strong merely by reading books. No, trainers needed to constantly fight if they were to ever gain power.

    Such was a fact that had held true for Pryce¡¯s entire life, and he had no plans to change his mindset now.

    Yet, the more he watched the field, the more he felt the edges of his lips tug down on his face. Beneath him, there was too much laughter. And far too much praise.

    Still scowling, Pryce slammed the shutters closed and stormed away, falling back into his chair at his desk.

    ¡°I know what¡¯s going on. It¡¯s that Typhlosion! Its appearance is making me think.¡±

    Surprises were rare to him nowadays, but seeing a species otherwise thought to be extinct was almost making him hope.

    He¡¯d heard rumors of long-lost Pok¨¦mon being discovered. Not rumors involving Typhlosion, but rumors involving a certain, ancient evolution. Apparently, a Pok¨¦mon from ancient times had been thawed out from impossibly thick ice, and it was somehow still alive. Through the power of a specific Rock Type move, it had managed to evolve and survive.

    Some said that any Ice Type Pok¨¦mon could enter a form of stasis when encased in ice. The rumors of that evolution seemed to support the claim, but Pryce had never given those theories any thought.

    Until now, at least.

    Seeing a previously thought-to-be-extinct Hisuian Typhlosion with his own eyes was making him reconsider. He could honestly believe that those rumors might have been true.

    ¡°But what would that even mean?¡± he grumbled to himself. ¡°Mamoswine exist. So what? He still left, Pryce. There¡¯s no need to get emotional in your old age.¡±

    He sat there, rotating a pen in a hand, a practice that kept him fit for throwing Pok¨¦balls without his arthritis acting up.

    But the more he sat, the more he thought.

    Maybe...

    Maybe his friend hadn¡¯t left him.

    Maybe the snow had been too strong that night. Maybe they had gotten stuck somewhere and had been frozen over. And then, only then, maybe that meant they hadn¡¯t actually¡ª

    ¡°Bah!¡± Pryce threw his pen onto his desk. It bounced onto the surface with a clatter. ¡°But why would they leave in the first place? They abandoned you. They left you. But it¡¯s not their fault. It¡¯s on you for trusting a Pok¨¦mon in the first place.¡±

    Pryce was comfortable where he was. He was the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town. A master Ice Type specialist. One of the foremost experts on the Type. He would never see any of that change, but...

    He did, at least, chuckle.

    If the mere sight of a Hisuian Typhlosion was making him think this much, then he couldn¡¯t even imagine the reaction from the rest of Johto once that variant was revealed. There were always new species and evolutions, but each one tended to have been recorded or hinted at in the past. Hisuian Typhlosion were so extinct that few even knew they existed. To have a brand new Pok¨¦mon, a variant of one of Johto¡¯s Starters, suddenly show up out of nowhere?

    He chuckled once again.

    ¡°Well,¡± Pryce said to himself. ¡°The reactions will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.¡±

    He didn¡¯t think about the topic again until a few months later, when Johto¡¯s Silver Conference finally began.

 Chapter 116

    Redi took two attempts to win her Gym Battle, not because she was outpowered, but because a single, luckily-placed Ice Beam saw Ursaring freeze over. An entire side of his body became encased in a block of ice, and with him being her heaviest hitter, she wasn¡¯t able to get farther from there, especially with Dragonair being so vulnerable to the cold.

    While frustrating, the loss didn¡¯t bother Redi as much as her other losses in the past. She spent hours working on a counter that night before taking on another Gym Trainer the very next day.

    She utterly crushed her opponent that time around.

    ¡°Turns out, Hyper Beam is pretty great at de-icing its user,¡± Redi later told Sam. ¡°And Dragonair might get hit pretty hard by even just an Icy Wind, but a single smack of her tail is enough to take out anything set up for her.¡±

    With their Gym Badges won, Sam and Redi had no reason to stick around. They left the same morning that Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon became fully healed.

    To the west of Mahogany Town were Route 42 and Mount Mortar, two locations defined by their difficult and hilly terrain. A large lake at the mountain¡¯s base forced most trainers to brave Mount Mortar if they wanted to pass through, but the only people who came this way for the sake of training were Fighting Type specialists, the crazed trainers who constantly sought harder and harder conditions to push their teams.

    Mount Mortar was full of them, and Sam knew that if he and Redi braved the mountain¡¯s tunnels, they¡¯d quickly become bogged down by battle after battle.

    No, Sam wanted to reach Ecruteak City as fast as possible, if not to figure out Morty¡¯s surprise, then to have a talk with the Gym Leader about Typhlosion¡¯s evolution. Not wanting to waste any time, he opted for the fastest path forward¡ªa boat.

    The only time they wasted was the time it took to purchase a ticket and board the daily ferry before it left.

    ¡°I''ve been thinking about my sixth Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said as the boat cruised over the lake. He stared out at the water, churned into foam, rushing by underneath them.

    ¡°Really? I''d have thought you¡¯d want to wait longer. Trevenant just joined you,¡± Redi said as she moved up next to Sam, leaning on the railing.

    ¡°Yes and no. Kind of.¡± Sam wiggled a hand, unsure how to phrase it. ¡°Trevenant¡¯s joined up and is improving, but there¡¯s only one Gym left between us and the Conference. I need time to train whoever we add, and there are some really hard fights coming up. At least I know I¡¯m not behind yet, since I¡¯m basically in line with Xavier who¡¯s also trying to capture a sixth¡ª¡±

    ¡°A fifth, actually,¡± Redi interrupted.

    Sam blinked.

    ¡°He mentioned it in the woods? One of his Pok¨¦mon doesn¡¯t battle,¡± Redi offered. ¡°I guess he technically has a team of five, but he beat Pryce with only four fighting Pok¨¦mon, which means he¡¯s heading out to catch whatever¡¯s going to be his fifth.¡±

    Sam went quiet. He couldn¡¯t believe he had missed that. In a way, Xavier¡¯s team structure was similar to both Sam¡¯s and Redi¡¯s, but Sam couldn¡¯t help but worry that the difference meant Xavier¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were stronger individually.

    Wait, but we also beat Pryce with only four Pok¨¦mon! Primeape didn¡¯t need to take on any Ice Types, himself.

    All this means is that Xavier has slightly more of an edge than I thought. We just need to train even harder if we¡¯re going to win.

    Sam paused.

    ...Also, I really need to catch a sixth team member as soon as I can so they have enough time to be caught up.

    ¡°Well, whatever I catch, I¡¯ve been thinking that I need a team member that can help with transportation,¡± Sam said after mulling it over for a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t mind walking, but we can¡¯t really cross water without a boat. Something that can fly or swim is probably the best, or maybe we can get a Pok¨¦mon that can teleport?¡±

    ¡°You have a specific species in mind?¡± Redi asked.

    He shrugged.

    ¡°Not really. I can think of a few species, but we¡¯re pretty limited. Ghost Types aren¡¯t known to carry passengers. Not like Dragonair, or Ursaring, or Stantler once you meet back up...¡± Sam paused. ¡°Wow. Since Porygon can teleport, every member of your team can help with transportation, huh?¡±

    Redi sent him a cheeky smile.

    When it came to potential new team members, Drifblim was Sam¡¯s first and ¡°easiest¡± thought. They were incredibly rare in Johto, but a few occasionally blew in from northern Sinnoh. The problem was, if Sam were to encounter one, he would have already seen one of those balloon Pok¨¦mon somewhere between Mahogany and Blackthorn.

    Alternatively, there was also Golurk for flight¡ªat least, according to the New Pok¨¦dex¡ªbut Golurk were constrained to ruins only found in foreign regions. The likelihood of seeing one on this side of the globe was basically naught. It wasn¡¯t just an option for Sam right now.

    ¡°Well, there is one last species that can fly, but...¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Redi asked.

    ¡°...The amount of effort I¡¯d have to go through to get one would put you getting Dragonair to shame,¡± Sam said.

    There was one Ghost Type species that was also part Dragon. However, like how most Dragon Types were fiercely territorial, the same was true for it. Where Indigo was Dragonite¡¯s territory, Hoenn Salamence¡¯s, and Sinnoh Garchomp¡¯s, the foreign region of Galar was the territory of the dual Ghost and Dragon Type, Dragapult.

    Dragapult were pseudo-legendaries in their own right, so not only would members of its species only ever partner with the strongest of the strong, but they also weren''t exactly single, individual Pok¨¦mon, either. Each Dragapult fought alongside two other Dreepy, its unevolved form, who served as its projectiles in battle. So enthralled by the concept of being launched out at high speeds, it took a rare Dreepy to actually be willing to evolve into a Dragapult. Even then, that meant Sam would need to catch not just one Pok¨¦mon but three if he desired to add a powerhouse like Dragapult to his team.

    Yeah, Dragapult is impossible to get in Johto, no matter how much I want to train one. Even if a single Dreepy showed up, there¡¯d be a bunch of trouble with the Blackthorn Clan going insane. I probably have a higher chance of finding a Hisuian Zorua, and at this point, I¡¯m practically confident that the species is completely extinct.

    ¡°I think...¡± Sam let himself fall forward, crossing his arms atop the railing. ¡°I think my best bet is to trade for a new team member. Anything I¡¯d want is super rare, and there¡¯s not anything new I can find in Johto.¡±

    ¡°Give up one of your friends?!¡± Redi asked, aghast.

    Sam shook his head with a laugh.

    ¡°Sorry, I meant more like I need to make a deal where I go out and catch something for another trainer,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Hunt down a rare or specific Pok¨¦mon, give it a rundown of what¡¯s going on, and then convince it to come with me so I can trade it for either a Drifloon or a Ghost Type that could use Surf.¡±

    Honestly, while flight would be nice, Sam¡¯s focus was on the Conference, but he could also recognize that he was also only in his first region, too. He could catch a flying Pok¨¦mon later if he really had to, and if he met any other Ghost Type that wanted to permanently stick around, he was willing to forgo his need for transportation to bring along a new friend.

    His journey was only just starting. He would have plenty of other chances to catch a Pok¨¦mon for transportation in the future.

    ...But he was still pretty sure he¡¯d need to trade for his last team member. Since he already planned to return to Olivine City to catch a boat to Cianwood, it made sense to look around there for a traveler interested in a trade. Sailors were probably his best bet given at least one likely had a Surf-capable Ghost Type they were willing to trade.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam sighed, standing and pushing away from the railing. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to figure out a trade in Olivine. But that works out. I want to see if I can rematch Jasmine while I¡¯m there, too.¡±

    He still remembered the sight of her Steel Types at the start of the Beginner¡¯s Tournament. After training for so long, he was itching to see how his team held up to her own.

    ¡°...Olivine City, huh?¡± Redi mumbled.

    She cast her gaze out over the lake and spoke no more.

    The rest of the boat ride went smoothly, and they reached the other side of the lake easily enough. Completely bypassing Mount Mortar, they had no trouble heading down the rest of the Route to reach Ecruteak itself.

    <hr>

    By the time Sam had walked past several city blocks in Ecruteak, he realized he had missed just how cold it was here the last time he visited.

    Except, the late summer air shouldn¡¯t have had that chill. The day lacked fog or mist or wind. No, a presence seemed to linger around him, one whose occasional, whispering tendrils threatened to make him shiver.

    It took no effort to conclude that the chill wasn¡¯t anything natural, but it wasn¡¯t anything important, either. It was likely a reminder, one that was both of the city¡¯s storied past and of the Ghost Types that lurked nearby.

    ¡°There it is again,¡± Sam said quietly as he and Redi walked down a Ecruteak street. ¡°On our left, this time. Another shadow. I¡¯m confident at this point¡ªsomething¡¯s been following us.¡±

    Out of the corners of his eyes, he kept seeing things flicker between the buildings. They weren¡¯t Haunter or Misdreavus¡ªboth of those Pok¨¦mon were in their Pok¨¦balls¡ªbut something else was definitely keeping pace with them.

    And, the growing number of unseen eyes Sam felt on his back was making him feel as though he were leading a procession.

    ¡°Should we be worried?¡± Redi asked. Trying to feign nonchalance, she leaned back with her hands behind her head as they walked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Sam waited a moment. ¡°I think they might just be following us. And nothing else, weirdly enough.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Weird,¡± Redi repeated.

    The growing number of presences didn¡¯t chase after them into the Pok¨¦mon Center, but when the local nurse warned them that the local Gym was closed for the day, Sam felt Morty¡¯s invitation had become obvious enough.

    After a quick check-up¡ªeveryone was fine, save for perhaps the nurse who sent Sam a curious look after handing back Typhlosion¡¯s Pok¨¦ball¡ªSam and Redi left the Pok¨¦mon Center to rush to Ecruteak¡¯s Gym. There was no sense in waiting, after all, but they both did make sure to claim rooms for the period they planned to stay within the city.

    ¡°Look. There¡¯s a notice on its doors.¡± Redi pointed at a note taped to the front doors at the top of the staircase leading into Morty¡¯s Gym.

    The place was the same as before, a dojo-like building styled after something right out of old Johto, positioned on top of a large raised platform of cobbled stone.

    ¡°Closed due to festivities,¡± Sam read out loud. He looked over to Redi. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there isn¡¯t a festival scheduled today.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unlocked,¡± Redi then added once she tested the handle of the door.

    Carefully, the two of them pushed open the entrance to step into an empty lobby. The lights were off, and no one sat in its darkened chairs. The same chill Sam had noticed outside seemed to double in intensity here. An open door in the back revealed a just-as-empty hallway, and at the end of that, a thin line of light shined out from beneath a set of double doors that Sam knew led to the Gym¡¯s battlefield.

    ¡°...Typhlosion,¡± he said, naming his Pok¨¦mon as he held up her ball.

    Red light gave way to a cool, purple glow from a wisp Typhlosion conjured near her neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s just messing with us, but let¡¯s be careful just in case, yeah?¡±

    Typhlosion snorted to agree.

    Stepping inside, Sam found that the floors were somehow dusty. A single spiderweb hung loosely on a nearby wall. Sam and Redi made sure the front door closed behind them, and with a click, they became sealed off from the outside world.

    Step by step, their small group moved through the lobby and into that empty hallway that led to the pair of lit-up doors.

    Slowly, cautiously, tensely, Sam took the lead. The closer he got to that interior entrance, the clearer he could hear some kind of beat echoing from the other side.

    Ba-dump.

    Ba-dump.

    It almost sounded like a heart¡ªto the point that the noise was on the nose. Something unnatural was going on, and the very moment Sam placed his hand on the door¡¯s handle, he took a deep breath and flung it open.

    He flinched.

    ¡°Surprise!¡±

    Bright light, falling ribbons, and torn paper that mimicked confetti assaulted Sam with his entrance. Typhlosion went completely still next to him as cheers from a swarm of Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon exploded through the room.

    Toward the front of that purplish mass, Morty clapped his hands and laughed.

    ¡°Congratulations!¡± He said. ¡°Sam, Typhlosion. Amazing job with your evolution.¡±

    Typhlosion sniffed as she tried to keep her expression level. Surprised as she was, she was still a bit shy about praise. More than that, while the idea of a surprise party might have felt a bit silly, the view before them represented something else, too.

    Recognition of her efforts.

    ¡°You know, when you said you had a surprise prepared, I didn¡¯t think you meant a literal surprise,¡± Sam said to Morty as he brought a hand through Typhlosion¡¯s fur.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! It was their idea. They wanted to greet the newest member of their Type, and what better way to do that than with a party?¡± Morty said, chuckling.

    The Gym¡¯s battlefield had been turned into the most generic party room possible to the utmost degree. Looking around, Sam could see that if a stereotype about parties existed, it rang true right here, right now.

    Balloons floated close to the ceiling. A banner with a dripping ¡°Congratulations!¡± hung across a wall. Pok¨¦mon-safe foods and even a punch bowl had been laid out on top of a long table. And, between it all, Ghost Types filled the space.

    Gastly were present in by far the greatest numbers, forming clouds and cliques of chattering heads. A few Misdreavus zipped between them, and a pair of Gengar were already bouncing around Typhlosion¡¯s head.

    Sam could see others, too, hidden here and there. A Banette¡¯s yellow eyes peered out from the shadows beneath a tablecloth, and a Drifblim blended into grey and purple balloons pressed against a wall.

    Seeing just how much effort had been put in here today, Typhlosion muttered something under her breath, and one group of Gastly took that as an invitation. They rushed her, immediately pelting her with what were likely inane questions. Typhlosion was overwhelmed by the extreme amount of attention so suddenly flung her way. A flash at Sam¡¯s side saw a pair of his Pok¨¦mon releasing themselves; both Haunter and Misdreavus came to the rescue.

    Where Misdreavus came out just to offer her support, Haunter took a more active role, immediately falling into the role of a bodyguard to keep all of the curious Ghost Types at bay.

    She deserves this, Sam thought as he watched his friend react.

    ¡°So, uh...¡± Redi cleared her throat after a few seconds. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to be here too, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Morty replied. ¡°Any and all of Sam¡¯s friends are welcome. Really, these ones just wanted to celebrate Typhlosion, and they...¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to explain it further than that. The sheer ridiculousness of this room was already a statement enough.

    Snorting, Redi released her Pok¨¦mon into the swarm of Ghost Types, and one more member of Sam¡¯s team came out as well. Seeing so many excitable Gastly, Ursaring and Primeape began trying to show off, attempting to outdo one another by demonstrating just how hard they could flex. Dragonair herself waited for only a second before rushing toward that spread of food the very instant Redi gave her permission.

    Porygon lingered at Redi¡¯s side, and Trevenant only came out when Sam forcibly released him from his Moon Ball. He appeared with a grumble as if to say being sent out somewhere like this was beneath him. However, his attempt to stay off to the side was met with failure, as a shadow suddenly stretched out to catch him in its inky depths.

    He popped up in a corner of the room, barely regaining his balance in time. Before he could even think about escaping, Morty¡¯s Mismagius had launched into a speech about the glory of tea ceremonies. Trevenant became trapped by her demonstration of a proper pour, and the way the Pok¨¦mon looked at him made it clear she would permit no attempts to escape.

    ¡°This is... a lot,¡± Sam said, and he could finally identify the source of that beating from earlier. A grainy gramophone in the corner played old-fashioned music, and, occasionally, the record skipped in regular intervals to create that strange noise he had heard outside.

    ¡°Really, I just wanted to talk to you about a few things related to the Ghost Type, but my Pok¨¦mon begged to throw a party for Typhlosion,¡± Morty said, laughing. ¡°And now that I¡¯m seeing her... Man. You two really did it. Just thinking back to how she was as a Cyndaquil, I can clearly see just how much effort you¡¯ve put into your training.¡±

    Sam felt the heat rush to his face.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, looking away.

    As his Pok¨¦mon began to spread throughout the room to enjoy the festivities, Redi nudged his arm to say goodbye. She quickly slipped away to join Dragonair, who was in the process of devouring most of the food herself.

    Shadows left Sam¡¯s feet, and as the Gastly with him filtered away as well, Morty pushed through the crowd of Ghost Types to reach the star of the party. Typhlosion turned to him, a bit sheepish at the attention, but a supportive smile from Misdreavus kept her upright.

    ¡°I hope you enjoy this party. They put a lot of thought into it. Just for now, do you mind if I borrow your trainer? Sam and I need to have a quick, Ghost Type specialist to Ghost Type specialist talk.¡±

    Typhlosion glanced over to Sam, almost as if trying to search for help, but she had plenty of support with both Misdreavus and Haunter staying nearby. Breathing out, she finally let herself relax, and with a smile, she permitted Morty to take Sam away.

    ¡°Thanks! I promise he won¡¯t get too hurt!¡±

    She gasped, but she was unable to ask any further questions due to all of the swarming Gastly that filled the gap Morty left behind.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± and Morty began leading Sam toward a separate door out of the room.

    ¡°What do we need to talk about?¡± Sam asked as he fell in pace with Morty.

    ¡°Nothing just yet¡ªnot here, at least. The topics aren¡¯t serious, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re unimportant. I¡¯ll start once we get somewhere quieter to make sure you can focus.¡±

    Morty brought Sam through the battlefield¡¯s back door, leading him into the depths of Ecruteak¡¯s Gym. These hallways were usually only ever passed through by official League staff, and their old, wooden architecture made Sam feel as if he were treading somewhere he shouldn¡¯t be.

    Just like the lobby, this section of the building felt unnaturally dark and empty. That chill re-entered the air.

    ¡°Your Gym Trainers didn¡¯t come?¡± Sam asked in an attempt to break through the silence that had cropped up.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been fair to you and Typhlosion,¡± Morty answered calmly as he continued to stride forth. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to force you to reveal her evolution if you didn''t want to. So, I gave them the day off. Only a few of their Pok¨¦mon bothered to stick around, anyway.¡±

    Sam sent Morty a curious look. The Gym Leader shrugged with a slight laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll admit, trainers talk. It¡¯s kind of what they do other than, you know, train. I couldn¡¯t promise they¡¯d keep her evolution secret, as the more people who know, the easier it is for something to slip out. What I can promise you, however, is that their Ghost Types won¡¯t talk. These Pok¨¦mon are far too excited by the idea of having my permission to not share any details, and Typhlosion carries far too much respect between them for them to ever betray that trust.¡±

    ¡°Wait, respect?¡± Sam repeated.

    ¡°Yes. Almost inherently,¡± Morty said solemnly. ¡°Typhlosion became a Ghost Type through dedicated effort, and Ghost Types don¡¯t tend to be that popular. It¡¯s rare for a Pok¨¦mon to be so willing to undergo that kind of change. So they respect that, and then there¡¯s also the weight of her species''s role.¡±

    Sam nodded in silence, though Morty¡¯s words caused a question to appear in his head.

    Are Hisuian Typhlosion Ghost Types because they help guide ghosts, or do they help guide ghosts because they¡¯re Ghost Types?

    At the end of the hallway, Morty opened the door of what Sam would have thought was a maintenance closet, instead exposing a metal staircase that plunged into the depths of the Gym. This section was newer than everything else, and it went down, down, down into the black until emerging into a small room that overlooked an interior space filled with interlocking walls and open, twisting corridors.

    Redi mentioned her Gym Trial here involved some kind of pitch-black maze. This is probably where it took place.

    ¡°My Gym Trainers watch challengers from this room,¡± Morty said once he noticed Sam staring. ¡°We have Ghost Types reveal trainers from above using illusions they can¡¯t see.¡±

    ¡°And the entire Trial is managed from here?¡± Sam asked, staring out a tinted window and into the enormous room.

    ¡°We might not have any fancy cameras or a modern PA system, but Ghost Types can pass through walls. We give them directions on how to interact with challengers, and they conjure obstacles or shift the maze around once trainers are far enough away.¡±

    Sam nodded as he took in the complexity of the room. He could imagine what it¡¯d be like to be down there¡ªtwisting, bewildering, and confusing. Inexperienced trainers would struggle with just the darkness alone, but stronger trainers would have to deal with Ghost Types harassing them, too.

    Also, the walls of the maze were thick and lacked a ceiling, so Sam could see some high-level trials taking place on top. Instead of being inside a maze, trainers would be subjected to a precarious, winding pathway they¡¯d need to follow to reach the end.

    ¡°Ah! Almost forgot. Before we begin... Here.¡±

    Morty pulled something out of his pocket, and Sam¡¯s breath caught in his throat when he saw what it was.

    ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t! You¡¯re a Gym Leader! You can¡¯t just give that much away without asking for anything in¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Morty said, interrupting Sam with a laugh. ¡°Think of it as part of your reward for discovering a new species, hm? Like the party, my Pok¨¦mon came up with this idea. Mismagius insisted I give you this opportunity, or, well, she insisted that I give this opportunity to Misdreavus.¡±

    Held in Morty¡¯s hand was a sliver of a deep purple crystal so dark that it resembled the night sky. Its edges lacked color, but they managed to shimmer regardless, and its center almost seemed to suck in all light.

    ¡°A Dusk Stone,¡± Sam said quietly, naming the evolution stone Morty currently held. ¡°But what about your other Pok¨¦mon? I know I saw other Misdreavus upstairs.¡±

    Morty just shrugged.

    ¡°Dusk Stones are honestly pretty common in Olivine thanks to all of the foreign ships that pass through. I¡¯m just saving you a trip through its market stalls and a bit of cash, at that. You¡¯re getting this because this is the stone that Mismagius used to evolve, so it¡¯s up to her to decide what to do with it. So, she decided your Misdreavus would get it. You¡¯ll be able to use it to evolve the Misdreavus on your team.¡±

    Evolutionary stones only formed in areas that perfectly aligned with certain Types. For Dusk Stones, that meant areas that hadn¡¯t seen light in at least a decade. Touching this shard of crystal would fill Misdreavus with a surge of energy that¡¯d initiate her evolution. She could become a Mismagius right now.

    Sam felt just as overwhelmed as Typhlosion had; this was already so much more than he ever expected.

    ¡°Ah, but unfortunately, this stone has already helped a few other Pok¨¦mon evolve, so Misdreavus¡¯s evolution will probably be its last use,¡± Morty said after a bit. ¡°Whenever you decide to evolve her, make sure you trade whatever remains of it to a Pok¨¦Mart. They¡¯ll know what to do with what¡¯s left¡ªdepleted shards make great seeds for creating the next generation of evolution stones. It¡¯s essentially a form of recycling.¡±

    ¡°...And you¡¯re really just giving this to us?¡± Sam asked again.

    Morty laughed once more.

    ¡°Yes! I already told you I am! Just, make sure to listen to what I¡¯m about to say, and also... Don¡¯t evolve Misdreavus just yet. Certainly before your last Gym, but let her train a bit more before bringing her into final form, yeah?¡±

    Sam slowly nodded, gingerly taking the offered stone from Morty¡¯s palm. In the past, he¡¯d seen images of evolutionary stones, and all of them had looked much thicker. However, those were images of the highest quality stones that were absolutely brimming with energy. Some people thought the higher grades of stone allowed for ¡°stronger¡± evolutions, but energy was energy. As long as something sparked the process, the Pok¨¦mon would evolve. The quality of their new form depended on the effort the newly evolved Pok¨¦mon was willing to expend in training rather than anything money could buy.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Morty said once Sam finished carefully wrapping the stone and placing it into his backpack. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    He grabbed a chair from a stack in the corner and swung a leg over it to sit with its back faced around.

    Sam groaned.

    ¡°Grab one for yourself,¡± Morty said, gesturing toward the stack. ¡°This might take a bit.¡±

    Sam also grabbed a chair, but he made sure to sit like a normal person instead of a school teacher trying to look cool.

    ¡°To start things off, let me quickly congratulate you once again. Not just on Typhlosion¡¯s evolution, but also on everything else. You¡¯ve earned seven of eight badges, won a major tournament, and you¡¯ve been handling real ghosts for me, as well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said.

    Morty chuckled.

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± he replied. ¡°But for this, we have a few topics to cover. Mainly, a few rules about Ghost Type carrying capacity, a quick discussion on managing the influences on your psyche, and a talk about what you¡¯ll be doing with that swarm of Gastly following you, hm? You also mentioned wanting help with handling the knowledge of Typhlosion¡¯s evolution method, and I can help you with that, but there¡¯s also one thing I want to add in just for me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sam asked.

    Morty smiled.

    ¡°Did you know that Ghost Type trainers have a specific move that lets them win practically any battle? With the barest advantage, and with just it alone, you can guarantee yourself an overall victory no matter the fight.¡±

    Sam scooted closer, staring Morty in the eyes. There was a glimmer of amusement in them as Morty stared back and met Sam¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Morty said, looking almost as excited as Sam had ever seen, ¡°there are a few caveats to its use, and I won¡¯t deny its risks. However, if you want to make it to the big leagues, I highly recommend learning how to properly use Destiny Bond.¡±

 Chapter 117

    Sam realized he must have been making a face because Morty chuckled at his reaction.

    ¡°Yeah, Destiny Bond,¡± Morty said. ¡°I guess you don''t need a description?¡±

    ¡°Destiny Bond causes its target to faint if they knock out its user,¡± Sam said. ¡°It''s like a trade¡ªone knock-out for another.¡±

    Sam hadn''t bothered to teach Destiny Bond to any member of his team just yet. Their strategy was about weakening their opponents, but the cost of Destiny Bond felt too high. Yes, it could allow for a quick takedown of a very tough foe, but it just wasn¡¯t worth the consequence most of the time. Sam would rather his Pok¨¦mon stay conscious than guarantee the knock-out of another.

    Then again, that''s only true in most situations. I''ve traded faints before. We took out Clair¡¯s Gyarados when Porygon used Discharge and fainted Haunter at the same time.

    Sam glanced up at Morty to see the Gym Leader smiling at him, amused.

    ¡°We can get into it later. With how well you''ve been doing, I figure it''s time I introduce you to a few advanced strategies. However, we should probably talk about expectations and responsibilities, first.¡±

    Sam grumbled, and Morty chuckled again, leaning forward against the back of his chair. He rested his head on his crossed arms as he looked over Sam. Noticeably, his eyes lingered on Sam¡¯s shadow, which Sam was pretty sure was empty at this point.

    ¡°How many Gastly do you have with you?¡± Morty suddenly asked.

    ¡°None, I think? They all should be¡ª¡±

    ¡°The number of Gastly that have been following you,¡± Morty said, interrupting Sam by raising a hand. ¡°How many are traveling with you without being a part of your team?¡±

    Sam hummed.

    ¡°I want to say... A bit under two dozen? I started with just a couple after Violet City because of...¡± Sam didn¡¯t finish the thought. ¡°And then more have been joining up since then, but they come and go pretty frequently so I can''t really count.¡±

    ¡°I can tell. I saw a lot of different reactions when they came out for the party,¡± Morty said, nodding. ¡°Most of them seemed excited about my Pok¨¦mon and even seemed to expect them¡ªso those were the ones that have stuck around the longest? Others seemed a bit more surprised and cautious¡ªnew joiners, most likely.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Sam said.

    Morty closed his eyes, rubbing his chin as he considered the situation.

    ¡°But you do understand what having so many Gastly with you means, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist?¡± Sam replied hopefully.

    Morty sent Sam a look.

    ¡°It means that since you¡¯re the one bringing them around, you¡¯re the one responsible for them. But also, that¡¯s a lot more than six Pok¨¦mon. You should know the rules on team limits by now, Sam.¡±

    Sam immediately felt the blood drain from his face. He had never gone out of his way to recruit Gastly¡ªexcept for the few times he did¡ªbut he hadn''t ever caught any of them. He hadn''t ever tried to amass a swarm outside of that first encounter with Petrel, either.

    ¡°I...¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± This time, Morty interrupted him right away. ¡°You aren''t in trouble. I¡¯m not trying to call you out. This is a big part of what I wanted to discuss; you can''t just ignore those Gastly. Since you¡¯re bringing them around, you¡¯re also responsible for them, so they need to be trained. But really, I¡¯m bringing this up because...¡±

    He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

    ¡°Well, you should know that Ghost Type specialists aren¡¯t really limited by team size restrictions, anyway,¡± Morty said.

    Sam paused as he looked over the Gym Leader for any sign of this being a joke. Team size limits were hard limits set by the League; even the Champion himself never brought more than six Pok¨¦mon with him. There were countless reasons for the League to limit the number to six, both for safety, practicality, and tradition.

    For Morty to say Ghost Type specialists weren¡¯t restricted by team size was ridiculous. To that, Sam responded with the only word he could.

    ¡°What.¡±

    He stared at Morty and waited for the Gym Leader¡¯s reply.

    ¡°No, really!¡± Morty chuckled with a small, awkward smile on his face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not common knowledge, and it¡¯s only that we aren¡¯t technically limited. Obviously, trainers can¡¯t use more than six Pok¨¦mon at a time, but it¡¯s not like we can stop Ghost Types from doing what they want, either? The result is that Ghost Type trainers like you and me tend to have more than six Pok¨¦mon with them at once.¡±

    ¡°...Can¡¯t stop Ghost Types from doing what they want,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your whole job?¡±

    Morty looked away, scratching his cheek.

    ¡°Think of it like this: Ghosts attract Ghosts. If we scare some off now, is that a permanent solution? Or, given your team, are more just going to show up later? And even then, you¡¯ve been carrying a Cleanse Tag with you. Tell me how much that¡¯s been keeping all of those extra Gastly away.¡±

    Sam stayed silent.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Morty nodded. ¡°Between the ease with which Ghost Types can avoid detection and their ability to phase through most physical effects, they can¡¯t be captured or forced away unwillingly. So, you need to make sure that the Pok¨¦mon with you are trained. Not necessarily for battling, but just so they don¡¯t cause unwarranted chaos.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s still against the League¡¯s rules,¡± Sam said.

    Morty shrugged far too casually.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. This exception isn¡¯t anything explicit, but it¡¯s still a commonly accepted, unspoken rule among higher-level trainers. We aren¡¯t really supposed to spread that fact around, but you aren¡¯t going to be harassed by Pok¨¦mon Rangers or Ace Trainers for having so many Pok¨¦mon with you. Well, as long as you keep those Gastly under control,¡± Morty said, emphasizing the need for Sam to train those ¡®extra¡¯ members of his team.

    As it stood, Haunter had already been making sure that the Gastly didn¡¯t get up to too much trouble, and Misdreavus had been helping him with that. However, if the difference in numbers ever got too large or if the Gastly decided they didn¡¯t like the setup anymore, Sam would no longer be followed. He¡¯d be actively haunted.

    Thinking about it, I¡¯m thankful I already started talking to them on the way to Blackthorn. If I¡¯d been ignoring them...

    He shook his head.

    Ugh. I need to give them more attention soon. I never thought I¡¯d need to train a swarm of Gastly when I first left home.

    As Sam tried his best to think of a plan to handle the growing number of Ghost Types, Morty suddenly stood up, swinging a leg back over his chair. The Gym Leader paused briefly to stretch before walking over to the room¡¯s back wall. There, he pulled open a previously hidden panel and exposed an old-fashioned breaker box with a radio hooked next to it.

    He grabbed the radio to speak a message into its crackling static.

    ¡°Can Gengar and Dusclops come down here? Over.¡±

    It clicked off with a final burst, and Morty walked back over to lean against his chair.

    ¡°Usually when I have this talk with up-and-coming Ghost Type specialists, I tend to give a demonstration to show off just how hard it is to pin down a Ghost Type. Really get into their head just how difficult it is to pin down even just one Ghost Pok¨¦mon, which is why specialists are so crucial. Enough Gastly can do whatever they want, so we have to instill at least a little bit of order. But you already know that. I can at least show off a few more advanced ideas before we continue, hm?¡±

    Morty¡¯s eyes flicked over to the window, and the shine in his eyes made him look genuinely excited. The maze-filled room below was large enough to support quite the fight.

    As he walked over to stand before the window and stare out into the room, Sam got up to join Morty, momentarily blinking when the Gym Leader glanced behind him with a smirk.

    When he checked where Morty was looking, he was met with a floating grin and red eyes hovering in the darkness. He didn¡¯t flinch¡ªmaybe only a little bit¡ªand a Gengar pulled itself away, snickering to itself, to float over to Morty. There, Morty patted it fondly and whispered something into its ear.

    ¡°Now, off you go,¡± Morty said once he was done whispering. ¡°Dusclops should already be waiting for you out there.¡±

    The Gengar phased right through the windows with a mid-air jump, plunging into that darkened room. Immediately, its body seemed to lose all coherence, appearing as nothing more than a purple-grey mist.

    As it moved into position, Morty walked back to the breaker box to flick on a switch, and something akin to UV lights turned on. Their glow revealed Gengar¡¯s true form rather than just the ghostly haze it mimicked.

    And, beneath the window itself, a pool of inky blackness spread out to allow a certain Dusclops to rise onto the top of one of the walls. Given how strong this Dusclops had been when Sam trained against it in Violet City, he knew he was about to witness a high-level fight.

    ¡°Alright, Gengar, Dusclops. This is a demonstration for Sam here, so make sure to strut your stuff,¡± Morty said into the radio, his voice echoing out into the room. ¡°Gengar, your goal is to come back here and reach us in this room. Dusclops, you¡¯ll do everything in your power to stop Gengar from succeeding.¡±

    Gengar saluted to the window, whereas Dusclops didn¡¯t react at all. Morty glanced out to make sure his Pok¨¦mon were ready before slotting the radio back onto its hook and returning to Sam¡¯s side.

    ¡°Our system¡¯s a bit dated, but it¡¯s good enough for what we use it for. If you¡¯ve noticed the lights, they help expose Ghost Types, but otherwise, the room is in total darkness,¡± Morty said. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed it before, I¡¯ll point it out now¡ªwhen a Ghost Type stands completely still, they¡¯re generally indistinguishable from a shadow.

    ¡°It¡¯s only when they move that they become more obvious,¡± Morty continued. ¡°It¡¯s why Ghost Types are seen as flickering shadows in the corner of your eye more often than not. After all, it¡¯s only when they¡¯re moving from hiding spot to hiding spot that people tend to notice. Even the best Ghost Type specialists struggle to notice them when they¡¯re standing still. ¡±

    Sam could already think of several times in the past he¡¯d noticed that kind of movement. He also remembered what had happened to his shadow when Agatha ¡°visited¡± him in Mahogany.

    There, all the Ghost Types with him had done the equivalent of ¡°holding their breath.¡± Staying completely still, his shadow had appeared completely normal. It was only when they resumed moving around again that he could tell he had more than just darkness beneath him.

    But it does make me wonder. How many times have I had Ghost Types watching me without me noticing?

    ¡°They¡¯re starting,¡± Morty suddenly said. ¡°Watch closely.¡±

    The demonstration began.

    Right away, Gengar seemed intent on moving forward, zipping through the air to try to use its impressive speed to slip past Dusclops. Dusclops, however, acted at that same moment. It might have been slow in general, but it had no intention to let Gengar win.

    For this, all it needed to do was draw back a hand and punch.

    With that basic attack, a hand left the side of its body to fly out in a Shadow Punch. However, it didn¡¯t stay as a simple ¡°missile¡± like the Shadow Punches Sam had seen Haunter use. No, the Ghost Type attack engorged itself on the room¡¯s darkness, quickly scaling up to become a massive wall of a fist to block Gengar¡¯s path.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Gengar¡¯s expression flickered with surprise, and it immediately pulled away from the incoming fist. Shadow Punch tracked its target, however, and Gengar was forced into a hasty use of Shadow Ball to impact and disrupt the move.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Dusclops, Gengar could have phased right through the window to return to us, as you¡¯ve already seen,¡± Morty said. ¡°Ghost Types are exceptional at corralling Ghost Types, but pay attention. Ghosts can¡¯t be pinned down.¡±

    As if reacting to Morty¡¯s words, Dusclops¡¯s singular, burning eye suddenly increased in ferocity. Gengar was immediately consumed by a red glow that momentarily seemed to stick.

    ¡°Mean Look?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Correct! Normally, it prevents its target from fleeing or switching out, but it¡¯s unfortunately useless here.¡±

    In the air, Gengar merely shivered to shake that red glow off of it as if the move had been nothing more than dyed water. It then responded to Dusclops¡¯s attempt by sticking out its tongue with a teasing laugh.

    ¡°Keep this in mind; Ghost Types can never truly be trapped. Mean Look prevents most Pok¨¦mon from escaping, but that¡¯s only true for untrained and unaware Ghost Types. Once they figure out the true strength of their Type, all Ghosts can easily shrug off any trapping effect.¡±

    Unimpacted by that Mean Look, Gengar proceeded to fire off a Confuse Ray, but Dusclops ignored the illusions. Its successive, repeated Shadow Punches tracked Gengar regardless of whatever Dusclops saw.

    From there, the battle became one of two different defenses. Dusclops¡¯s attacks forced Gengar away, and Gengar had to spend all of its energy disrupting those moves without managing to continue forward.

    ¡°Man,¡± Sam said, seeing just how oppressive Dusclops was against this Gengar. ¡°Dusclops was holding back against us, wasn¡¯t he?¡±

    Morty just smiled. In the room below, the Gengar grew more and more annoyed at its lack of progress.

    Disliking its situation and its lack of a trainer to help it strategize, Gengar glared at Dusclops and seemed to decide that it had enough. It reached into the air, a hand disappearing into a shadow torn into nothing at all. From within that darkness, it then pulled out a cruel, jagged nail, cloaked from all forms of light.

    Gengar proceeded to use that nail to stab itself in the stomach.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Sam asked, rubbing his eyes to make sure he hadn¡¯t been subjected to a Confuse Ray.

    ¡°Easy. That was Curse,¡± Morty answered with what felt like a completely incorrect amount of confidence. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting choice on Gengar¡¯s part. He¡¯s sacrificing his health to lay a damage-over-time effect on Dusclops, which I suppose makes sense given Dusclops¡¯s otherwise impenetrable defense.¡±

    Sam looked on closely. This Curse had been so different from every other time Typhlosion and Primeape had used the move in the past. Non-Ghost Types benefitted from how the energy of Curse boosted their physical power, but the same technique hadn¡¯t worked when Typhlosion used it after she evolved.

    The move was supposed to change when used by a true Ghost Type, so maybe...

    Typhlosion needs to take that same energy and use it to hurt herself, Sam realizes. Curse has always been internal, but maybe she needs a target to trigger a sympathetic effect? We need more practice, but this is a good hint.

    Though Gengar winced under the pain of the nail, its Curse had succeeded. Dusclops¡¯s wrappings seemed to wither, and Gengar took advantage of the hesitation that came with it to conjure one last Shadow Ball.

    ¡°There we go,¡± Morty suddenly said. ¡°Dusclops wins.¡±

    Gengar released its attack, and at the same moment, a shadow snapped out of Dusclops¡¯s shadow to merge with Gengar¡¯s own. When Gengar¡¯s move hit Dusclops, it put up absolutely no defense and fell back, fainted.

    Yet, as it fell, Gengar went completely still. It then fell out of the air like a stone, its unconscious body falling from the sky.

    ¡°...Destiny Bond,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°A guaranteed win, like you said.¡±

    Morty¡¯s expression was unreadable as he stared out at his two Pok¨¦mon with a surprising amount of intensity.

    ¡°I told Dusclops he had to stop Gengar from reaching us, but I didn¡¯t limit him in any way. Gengar resorted to Curse quickly enough, so why wouldn¡¯t he take advantage of that to secure himself a win?¡±

    Below, nothing stirred for several long seconds, but Gengar did soon wake up. Destiny Bond might have fainted the Pok¨¦mon, but rather than falling unconscious due to direct damage, the move had caused some sort of system shock that overwhelmed it with a sudden, drastic drain.

    Gengar looked annoyed, but it shook its head to cause a neutral-ish expression to return. Sluggishly, it floated over to Dusclops, where it grabbed one of those strips of fabric coming out of Dusclops¡¯s back, shaking with a wince.

    Something about touching that fabric allowed Dusclops to unconsciously use Pain Split. The remaining vitality between the two Pok¨¦mon was equalized, allowing Dusclops to wake up.

    ¡°Thank you, you two. Feel free to get yourselves some Sitrus berries out of storage,¡± Morty said into the radio.

    Gengar¡¯s smile returned and it waited no time to dive into the floor. Dusclops had no visible reaction, but Sam felt as though it sank back into its puddle of darkness faster than it would have otherwise.

    ¡°The thing about Destiny Bond is that it¡¯s a victory at a cost,¡± Morty said now that the demonstration was over. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be used here, but it lets me make a point.¡±

    He cleared his throat.

    ¡°The cost of Destiny Bond isn¡¯t that your Pok¨¦mon faints. Destiny Bond comes at the cost of the entire battle before it. Any moves that were exchanged become pointless, and the battlefield is effectively reset¡ªboth sides lose any present advantage.

    ¡°It¡¯s great at maintaining a lead or allowing you to take out a troublesome opponent. However, all it does is trade knock-outs. It does nothing to progress the status of either side of the battlefield, it only removes options from play.¡±

    Sam went quiet as he sat on the idea. There¡¯d been a lot of wisdom in Morty¡¯s words¡ªmore than just his thoughts on Destiny Bond.

    He talked about Destiny Bond¡¯s use in battle in reference to the state of the battle as a whole. When considering it as a move in a one-on-one fight, the obvious answer was that it guaranteed a trade of knock-outs, but how did it affect the chances of victory overall?

    Any buffing moves would vanish. Any debuffs would no longer apply. Of course, that was true because both Pok¨¦mon fainted, but Sam knew that knocking out an opponent wasn¡¯t always the correct answer. In his battle against Pryce, he had won when Misdreavus swept most of the Gym Leader¡¯s team after Haunter put Pryce¡¯s Cloyster to sleep.

    It¡¯s not like an attacking move. It¡¯s not something to rely on all the time. So, Morty is trying to say there are specific situations where Destiny Bond is best. Otherwise, since it faints its user, using it would only hurt your team¡¯s chances to win the fight.

    ¡°Hold on. Earlier, you said that Destiny Bond could let you win a battle without fail as long as you had even the slightest of advantages,¡± Sam said. ¡°So, then, if you have even one more conscious Pok¨¦mon than your opponent, you could use Destiny Bond to win you the rest of the match, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Morty said, though his proud smile seemed to carry mixed feelings behind it. ¡°That¡¯s definitely a strategy you could use to win an official fight, but only official fights. Destiny Bond can faint any Pok¨¦mon, but as you saw with Gengar, it¡¯s not the same as wearing them down in a battle. Pok¨¦mon recover quickly after fainting from Destiny Bond, so it¡¯s not as useful in the wild.

    ¡°Also...¡± Morty sighed, and the man looked somewhat pained. ¡°As much as I enjoy that kind of strategy, it¡¯s not something we can use often. It¡¯s just not respected. Over-relying on Destiny Bond is against the spirit of a Pok¨¦mon battle, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sam asked.

    Gathering his thoughts, Morty rocked his chair.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say every Pok¨¦mon on your team knows Destiny Bond. You use switches to make sure everyone stays conscious before the first of your opponent¡¯s Pok¨¦mon faints. From there, your Pok¨¦mon purposefully take hits to trade knock-outs with every single Pok¨¦mon they face. At the end of the match, you¡¯ll have one Pok¨¦mon left, allowing you to win, but tell me... How much of that was an actual battle?¡±

    ¡°All of it,¡± Sam answered confidently. ¡°There¡¯s no way Destiny Bond can be used that much, that easily. It takes skill and careful planning to pull it off successfully five times over, especially since your team members are constantly fainting. You have to carefully choose who you send out to make sure you don¡¯t lose, instead.¡±

    Morty smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re smart, Sam, but you¡¯re overthinking it,¡± he said. ¡°The battle isn¡¯t a battle because your Pok¨¦mon won¡¯t be fighting to cause a faint. Every knock-out would only come from a trade caused by Destiny Bond, effectively making your victory come from solely tricks.

    ¡°We might recognize how much skill that strategy would take, but over-relying on Destiny Bond turns the match into a puzzle rather than a true fight. While it requires a skilled trainer, it isn¡¯t something that proves a team¡¯s strength. Destiny Bond can ¡®punch upwards,¡¯ so to say, but without any direct knock-outs, you¡¯re only showing off your skills to give commands instead of anything you and your Pok¨¦mon have developed together.¡±

    ¡°...So it¡¯s not popular,¡± Sam grumbled.

    ¡°If you use that strategy in a Gym battle, most Gym Leaders would refuse to give you your badge. If you use it in a major tournament or the Conference...¡± Morty laughed. ¡°It¡¯s happened before. People were not pleased.¡±

    Sam went quiet, dwelling on the state of the move. It was useful, but it wasn¡¯t something to use too often in a match.

    ¡°So it¡¯s best kept to limited scenarios. Instead of basing a strategy around it, it¡¯s better to use Destiny Bond to turn a loss into a tie or take out a tough Pok¨¦mon on your opponent¡¯s team,¡± Sam said.

    Morty nodded.

    ¡°You got it. Destiny Bond is probably the most powerful tool in a Ghost Type specialist¡¯s playbook, but we have to use it carefully. Not more than once or twice a battle, I¡¯d say. Of course, I¡¯ve mostly just discussed outside perception and reaction to the move, but also keep in mind that it becomes exponentially more difficult to pull off once your opponent is aware of it.¡±

    Sam could see why Morty was both enthralled and disappointed by Destiny Bond. It was definitely key to ¡°advanced¡± strategies, but there were too many small details that limited its usefulness.

    In a critical battle, Sam could trade his entire team to guarantee a win¡ªbut then his entire team would be down, and there was no telling what the reaction would be to that kind of a match. However, using it to guarantee a knock-out against a specific opponent could make an entire battle easier.

    Though, even if a low-level Gastly used Destiny Bond to knock out a fully evolved foe, it¡¯s not like anyone would suddenly think that Gastly is stronger. They would just think it¡¯s capable of a neat trick it can use to win.

    ¡°So, the purpose of that demonstration...¡± Sam started.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, sorry. I let myself be distracted. I really like Destiny Bond, but it¡¯s risky. The point of the match was just to show off how hard it was to stop a Ghost Type, but I didn¡¯t expect Dusclops to use Destiny Bond like that.¡±

    Morty finally sat back in his chair. Thankfully, he sat like a normal person this time around.

    Sam sat down, too.

    ¡°Gengar was only stopped when Dusclops took a risk, but Gengar is only one Pok¨¦mon. Imagine trying to stop an entire swarm of Gastly!¡± Morty said with a laugh. ¡°Even outside of battle, Ghost Types can simply phase right through traps nine times out of ten. That¡¯s why you need to train those Gastly at least a little bit, Sam. Better to make sure they¡¯ll listen to you now instead of waiting too long and having them create a mess.¡±

    Sam nodded as he leaned back in his chair. For some reason, all the talk about Destiny Bond had felt heavy.

    ¡°So,¡± Morty continued. ¡°You also wanted help with Typhlosion¡¯s evolution, right? My advice on what to do about the knowledge of it and showing her off in general?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I know I need to share how she evolved eventually, but I don¡¯t want to put her at risk. I know we should and could share it, but there was already that trouble with Porygon, and... I just don¡¯t want to encourage low-level trainers to head out to fight real ghosts.¡±

    Morty hummed as he nodded along. Sam wrung his hands together while staring at the floor.

    ¡°We spent a lot of time trying to make sure we were successful,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°I like the idea of this evolution being ours and I want to use it as a surprise in the Conference, but I¡¯m just not sure if that¡¯s right. Back in Mahogany Town, Agatha said that we should¡ª¡±

    Morty shot up in his chair.

    ¡°Agatha?¡± he repeated, eyes wide. ¡°Elite Four, Agatha?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes?¡± Sam said, blinking. ¡°It was right after Typhlosion evolved. The nurse there didn¡¯t know how to treat her, so she sent a message that saw Agatha come in and talk to us.¡±

    After looking Sam up and down and coming to the conclusion that he wasn¡¯t lying, Morty fell back into his chair, breathing out in what was likely reluctant acceptance.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed of that,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Come to think of it, I wasn¡¯t told Typhlosion had evolved from anyone other than you, either.¡±

    ¡°Were you supposed to?¡±

    Morty shrugged, but there was a slight hesitance to the motion.

    ¡°Most new evolutions aren¡¯t shared unwillingly. They¡¯re left to the discoverer to decide on how to handle that knowledge. Ghost Types can cause problems, however, so I have to be informed just to make sure nothing related to Ghosts goes wrong. The Dragon and Poison Types have similar situations, but it¡¯s never the method that¡¯s shared, just the fact there¡¯s a new species of a Type that can cause problems.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t get a report on Typhlosion?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Morty answered, ¡°which is strange. Someone in the League should have told me, even though I... Even though we felt... Hm.¡±

    He hummed.

    ¡°What did Agatha say to you, anyway?¡± Morty asked.

    Sam went on to walk him through Agatha¡¯s visit, speaking about her terrifying introduction and successive inspection of Typhlosion. He spoke of the advice she gave, bringing up how she mentioned handling Ghost Type energy as an aside as well as her short speech at the end, where she had advised him to not advertise Typhlosion just yet.

    ¡°...I see.¡± Morty didn¡¯t look away from Sam for even a second as he talked. ¡°Then, if all of that¡¯s true, I can¡¯t help you. Well, I can¡¯t give you advice that¡¯s better than hers.¡±

    Sam said nothing. Morty attempted to re-enter a comfortable position in his chair.

    ¡°For all of her faults, Agatha is still a Ghost Type Master. If she thinks you should follow that path of action, then I¡¯m going to have to agree. Do what she said; keep Typhlosion¡¯s evolution quiet. Don¡¯t advertise it until the Conference. You¡¯ll be safe as long as word of her doesn¡¯t spread, and then once you show her off in such a widely watched public tournament, you can use that sudden popularity to keep you two safe.¡±

    ¡°But what about until then?¡± Sam asked. ¡°We can¡¯t guarantee she stays unseen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re... Ugh. You¡¯re safe,¡± Morty pinched his brow. ¡°I can¡¯t explain why, but if I didn¡¯t get information on Typhlosion¡¯s evolution, no one else will, either. Just don¡¯t go out of your way to tell a bunch of people about her, and you¡¯ll have no problems in the months until then.¡±

    Sam breathed out in relief.

    ¡°And her advice on handling Ghost Type energy?¡±

    Morty blinked as if surprised he had completely skipped over that.

    ¡°Oh. I suppose her advice works, but dealing with Ghost Type energy is something managed on a personal basis. I¡¯ve never had a problem with it since I grew up surrounded by it. But... Agatha¡¯s advice is at least a starting point. If you make a set of rules for yourself, I¡¯ll just add that it¡¯s worth remembering that you¡¯ll always be surrounded by friends.¡±

    With that, Morty stood up, stretching once more. Sam followed his lead and left his chair.

    ¡°For now, we should probably stop here. I could spend hours and hours talking about the Ghost Type, but it¡¯s better for you to learn as much as you can on your own. Teaching your Pok¨¦mon Destiny Bond will give you a good trump card, but it¡¯ll also do you good to remember that every move can be useful. Until then...¡±

    Morty smiled.

    ¡°How about we return to the party? I¡¯ve been keeping you away from Typhlosion for long enough.¡±

    <hr>

    When Sam and Morty returned upstairs, Typhlosion didn¡¯t wait to rush Sam, breaking away from a pair of the Gym¡¯s Haunter and looking utterly relieved. She sniffed him over to make sure he was okay, and he laughed at the ticklish feeling before falling forward to bring her into a hug.

    ¡°Sorry about that. Ghost Type specialist stuff, yeah? Neither of us thought it would take so long. You¡¯ve been enjoying the party, right?¡±

    He pulled back to look her over, and Typhlosion grinned, exposing her now much sharper teeth.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Sam said. He scratched behind her ears, causing her to shake with a happy noise at the touch.

    The music was still playing from the gramophone in the corner, and the Ghost Types around the room were just as enthusiastic as before. The ceiling almost resembled the night sky with how many shadows from Gastly flickered about, and Sam¡¯s team had split apart to mingle.

    Misdreavus now had a certain Mismagius lecturing her¡ªfor a reason Sam had a feeling he knew¡ªand Primeape was passed out from a food coma right in front of that long table. Even Trevenant seemed to be at ease in this room, though he was back to trying to hide in the corner. However, he was no longer alone. Morty¡¯s Dusclops had appeared at his side, and the two Pok¨¦mon stood in silence while watching the rest of the Pok¨¦mon celebrate.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Haunter?¡± Sam asked.

    Typhlosion pointed down to her shadow, where Haunter peeked out from within. He waved to Sam before sinking back inside. Apparently, he was enjoying being on bodyguard duty for her.

    Sam laughed, and Typhlosion chuffed in amusement. She blushed somewhat when Sam sent her a smirk. She didn¡¯t often get big parties being thrown on her behalf, and as embarrassing as all this praise was, she did appreciate the recognition being sent her way.

    After a few more seconds of leaning against one another, she pulled back to give Sam a chance to stand on his own. From there, he looked around, but he quickly realized what was missing.

    Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were absent.

    The girl herself, however, was still here. Redi stood in the dead center of the room, staring directly at Morty without looking away.

    For some reason, Typhlosion looked excited.

    ¡°Morty! Ecruteak¡¯s Gym Leader,¡± Redi called out, and her voice was a knife that cut through the noises of the ghostly festivities.

    Morty glanced over. The party seemed to stop. Redi puffed up her chest, doing her best to appear brave despite all the shadowy eyes staring her way.

    ¡°I lost the last time I challenged your Gym, but I¡¯ve been training myself and my team ever since. Sam has seven badges. I have six. But that¡¯s not due to a difference in strength! We¡¯re just as strong, and now, we¡¯re going to prove that!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Morty turned away from a shadow he¡¯d been whispering into to take a step closer.

    Redi began to grin.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to wait! My team and I have trained long enough! So... Morty!¡± she shouted. ¡°We challenge you to a Gym Battle! Right here and now, let us prove ourselves! We¡¯re going to show everyone that we¡¯ll always win!¡±

    At the end of her declaration, the room fell into a perfect silence as all of the Ghost Types, Typhlosion included, looked at Morty to see how he¡¯d react.

    There was a pause, but a smile of his own appeared on his face.

    ¡°I accept,¡± he said, earning him the cheers of every Ghost Type in the room. ¡°At least, if that¡¯s okay with you, Typhlosion.¡±

    She huffed in response. Of course, it was okay with her¡ªshe and Redi had already talked while Sam and Morty were out of the room.

    ¡°Huh. So it seems we¡¯ll be having a battle today,¡± Morty said, properly facing Redi. ¡°That¡¯s great. A party and entertainment. What better way to celebrate Typhlosion¡¯s evolution if not this?¡±

 Chapter 118

    The room became a flurry of activity when Morty stepped out to prepare for the fight. The various Ghost Types worked together to move everything out of the way, pushing the table to the side, adjusting the balloons so they wouldn¡¯t drift onto the field, and even switching which wall the banner was on. Sam didn¡¯t understand why they had done that, but they seemed to find it funny.

    The battlefield itself was swept clean of the torn-paper confetti, and Redi took up her spot within her trainer box on the challenger¡¯s side of the field. She stared at the door from which Morty had left with a look of pure determination on her face.

    Soon, the Ghost Pok¨¦mon retreated into shadows or lingered at the side to watch. Sam stood next to Typhlosion and rubbed her back as she watched at the door just as intently as Redi.

    ¡°She¡¯s trained hard for this,¡± Sam said quietly.

    Typhlosion softly chuffed in reply.

    Moments later, a click marked the door opening up, and Redi mumbled, ¡°Here we go,¡± to the sight of the Gym Leader himself striding into the room.

    ¡°So,¡± Morty said in greeting, adjusting the purple headband holding back his blonde hair. ¡°I¡¯ve managed to gather up the Pok¨¦mon I need for a challenge of this level. You said you have a team of three?¡±

    Redi firmly nodded.

    ¡°I do. I also have a fourth, but they aren¡¯t with me right now.¡±

    She¡¯d be gathering her fourth and likely final Pok¨¦mon closer to the end of the season. Redi had told Sam that she planned to go back for Stantler as soon as Porygon became strong enough to teleport greater distances.

    ¡°Great!¡± Morty stepped into his trainer box and swiped a thumb under his nose. He looked around, taking in the adjustments made to the room while he was gone. ¡°I¡¯ll be using a team of five, the standard for a seventh badge challenge. I¡¯ll also be using a few more ¡®unique¡¯ strategies you may or may not be familiar with. I can¡¯t exactly test them out against anyone else.¡±

    He sent a look to Sam, making his unspoken plans pretty obvious. Morty wanted to use Hex, a move he¡¯d been keeping secret much in the same way Sam had been keeping the New Pok¨¦dex secret. However, Redi already knew about Hex, so she was the perfect opponent to test it out against, albeit at a slightly lower level.

    It¡¯d be difficult for him, though. Hex was a Ghost Type move, and two-thirds of Redi¡¯s team was the Normal Type.

    Next to Sam, Typhlosion shook out of excitement for the battle. The noise she made seemed to remind both Morty and Redi that they had an audience.

    ¡°Oh, shoot. Hold on. We need a referee,¡± Morty suddenly said.

    When he locked eyes with Sam, Sam froze in place.

    ¡°Me?¡± Sam gaped at Morty. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any kind of training or certification or¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine!¡± Morty interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re familiar enough with our Pok¨¦mon to know when to call if they¡¯ve fainted. Redi and I won¡¯t break any rules, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Just make sure the match keeps flowing properly, yeah?¡±

    Sam glanced over to Redi, who gestured with her head to encourage him onto the field. Morty¡¯s core Pok¨¦mon, the ones too strong to use in this match, piled on more supporting shouts¡ªalthough it was mostly just his Mismagius.

    What really did him in were the snickers from Typhlosion. She was enjoying that she was no longer the only one receiving that kind of attention. With a paw on his back, she pushed him forward, sending Sam stumbling closer to the field.

    ¡°F-fine then. Just gimme a moment to get into the right mindset.¡± He cleared his throat while walking up to the battlefield¡¯s side. Adjusting his posture, he looked between Redi and Morty before finally raising his voice. ¡°Trainers! ... And Ghost Types! We¡¯re about to witness Redi take on Morty¡¯s Gym! For this fight, it¡¯ll be a three-on-five challenge, where Trainers will be permitted up to five Pok¨¦mon, and they¡¯ll have...¡±

    ¡°Four,¡± Morty said, recognizing where Sam got stuck.

    ¡°Four switches each!¡± Sam finished. ¡°We¡¯ll be battling under the League¡¯s standard rules, which everyone already knows. And, since I don¡¯t have anything else to say... Send out your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Morty chuckled and flicked his wrist to toss a basic Pok¨¦ball into the air. Appearing above the field was a Misdreavus, one trained by Morty instead of Sam.

    Its appearance stirred a reaction off to the side. Morty¡¯s Mismagius shook Sam¡¯s Misdreavus excitedly and pointed to try to get her to pay attention regardless of how she would have done so anyway.

    Redi took only a single moment to look over the Pok¨¦mon floating above the field. This Misdreavus was clearly one fit for a seven-star challenge, and the even ripples through its hair and cloth-like body hinted at its exceptional control of Ghost Type energy.

    ¡°Last time we were here, we lost. I had to put off our challenge for later,¡± Redi said, looking down at a Pok¨¦ball she held in her hands. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but we didn¡¯t let that time go to waste. We spent all of it practicing and training and preparing ourselves...¡±

    She chuckled to herself.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve realized that pure power isn¡¯t that great. At least, it¡¯s not that great without a strategy to support it!¡±

    With a shout, Redi thrust her Pok¨¦ball into the air, a beam of light striking the earth and coalescing into the shape of her latest team member. A few of the weaker Ghost Types off to the side oohed and awed at the mid-stage Dragon Type that took form above the field.

    ¡°Dragonair!¡± Redi yelled, her voice a roar to start the match. ¡°Get ready for your Twister-slam strategy!¡±

    ¡°Misdreavus,¡± Morty said in reply. ¡°You know the plan. I don¡¯t need to tell you what to do.¡±

    With both Pok¨¦mon an instant away from throwing themselves into battle, Sam sliced through the air with an arm, waving an imaginary flag to start everything off.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    Dragonair lunged, her form blurring with an Agility that accelerated her to incredible speeds. Morty¡¯s Misdreavus had no choice but to brace itself as Dragonair almost immediately reached it and pulled up to loom before it.

    ¡°Trap-n¡¯-spin!¡± Redi yelled.

    As Dragonair reared back her head, Sam flicked his eyes over to Morty, memories of their previous conversation still fresh in his mind. He watched closely as Dragonair used her move, no longer needing to coil up, only needing to call out her name to conjure whipping winds that caught Misdreavus inside.

    Twister was technically a trapping move, but it did not trap foes in the same manner as Fire Spin or Whirlpool. It captured its target within a harsh, windy spiral, and Morty¡¯s Misdreavus was forced to hunker down to stop the buffeting gale from making it flinch.

    Imprisoned in Twister¡¯s center, the Misdreavus would be in no place to avoid the incoming blue glow of Dragonair¡¯s Aqua Tail. Yet, Sam and Morty both knew that Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t Pok¨¦mon to be trapped. Despite the powerful combo, Morty looked unconcerned and uttered only a single, casual word.

    ¡°Now.¡±

    Dark shadows overtook a full half of the field.

    Ominous Wind might not have been a Flying Type move, but the strength of its gusts was still able to disrupt Dragonair¡¯s attack. She still managed to snap out her tail to complete her Aqua Tail, but Misdreavus faded away into a hazy pair of red eyes that dissipated when the move swiped through them.

    Bewildered, Dragonair hurriedly searched around her to find where her opponent had gone. She turned a second too late, coming face to face with Morty¡¯s Misdreavus, who had ridden its own breeze to reposition itself behind Dragonair¡¯s head.

    The successive Shadow Ball slammed into Dragonair¡¯s chin, sending her careening back. However, Redi hadn¡¯t been slacking on her team¡¯s training, and Dragonair was able to catch herself before she fell out of the sky. Since she lacked any proper limbs, she didn¡¯t exactly need to orient herself ¡°normally,¡± either.

    ¡°Thunder Wave!¡± Redi shouted.

    The impact of the Shadow Ball might have sent Dragonair recoiling back until she was upside-down, but she was still able to unleash her attack without any issues. Electricity crackled off her scales to jump onto Morty¡¯s Misdreavus. It simply wasn¡¯t ready for such an incredibly fast retaliation.

    Sam hummed to himself as Dragonair used the delay caused by her inflicted paralysis to recover.

    So Morty used Ominous Wind as a way to both hide and move around. It¡¯s no Shadow Sneak, but it¡¯s definitely less obvious. It¡¯s also not as blatant as a sphere of darkness from Night Shade.

    Morty called for a Psychic, his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes glowing a blue similar to Dragonair¡¯s scales. However, as already demonstrated, Dragonair was no longer a Pok¨¦mon that needed to physically wind up her attacks. Another shout, and another Twister tore into the Misdreavus. The shock disrupted the Psychic before it could fully take hold, and Dragonair proceeded to use Agility to dive right at the Ghost Type.

    It couldn¡¯t dodge due to its paralysis, but without the use of a directly offensive move, Dragonair phased right through the Misdreavus¡¯s ethereal body. However, when the tip of her tail was due to enter, a deep blue glow from Aqua Tail slammed right into and through the Misdreavus¡¯s face.

    That was more than enough to take out Morty¡¯s first team member.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Redi pumped a fist. ¡°Whoo! There we go! That¡¯s the kind of power we need!¡±

    Dragonair looked a bit worse for wear, but her species carried the potential to become a pseudo-legendary for a reason. She brought up her head to cry out her name, pushing past all the damage she¡¯d taken so far. Practically radiating pride at her victory, she cast her gaze down at Morty as if challenging him for more.

    ¡°I see. A quick knock-out on your part, and you have an Agility set up to increase your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s speed.¡± Morty looked over Dragonair. ¡°Well, that¡¯s on me for sending out a species you were so familiar with. Have you sparred with Misdreavus before? Or have you just watched Sam train?¡±

    ¡°Ursaring and Porygon have sparred with Misdreavus a few times, but Dragonair only got a handful of fights. Sam spent, like, two weeks camping outside a city pretty soon after she joined me.¡± Redi shrugged. ¡°But honestly, after traveling with Misdreavus for so long, it¡¯s pretty easy to figure out what her species can do. Any Ghost Type on Sam¡¯s team, we have a strategy! And the last time I checked, there aren¡¯t too many more Ghost Types from Johto you can choose from, right?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Her smile exposed her teeth, and Morty chuckled at her cheeky expression. He plucked a Pok¨¦ball from his waist, still maintaining a confident smile.

    ¡°I better get this one out of the way, then,¡± he said as he tossed the Pok¨¦ball forward.

    His second Pok¨¦mon was another species from Sam¡¯s team¡ªa Haunter. Off to the side, Sam¡¯s Haunter cheered.

    Redi might have looked amused at the familiarity, but Sam couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    I¡¯ve trained Haunter to focus on speed and Hypnosis more than anything else. His species is fast, but Haunter can be better special attackers than even Misdreavus. Does Redi have a counter-strategy for a more offensive Haunter? Or is she going to expect this one to fight like my Pok¨¦mon?

    He watched the field closely, only briefly flushing red when he realized everyone was waiting for him to call for the match to continue.

    ¡°...Keep going,¡± Sam mumbled as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

    This time around, Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was the one to attack first.

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡±

    With a look much unlike one from Sam¡¯s Haunter, Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon carried an extremely serious expression as it punched with its two floating hands. Both fists left the sides of its body to rocket toward Dragonair, chasing it like missiles she¡¯d be forced to dodge.

    Dragonair tried to escape through the speed granted by Agility, but the persistence of the dual Shadow Punch meant that the fists chased her across the field no matter what. They might not have increased in size like what Sam had seen for Dusclops¡¯s attacks. No, instead of being an unavoidable wall, they were unavoidable in that they never let up.

    ¡°Lick,¡± Morty ordered.

    ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this. Take everything, Dragonair!¡± Redi shouted.

    Dragonair twisted in the air to rush Morty¡¯s Haunter. The Pok¨¦mon took advantage of that, charging right back at her before peeling to the side to swipe its tongue across her side.

    The attack left a silver sheen on her scales, and she shivered, undoubtedly affected by Lick¡¯s paralysis. Immediately after, both Shadow Punches then smashed into her from behind, bouncing off her body with a pair of solid impacts before rejoining the Haunter at its side.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Morty said. Briefly, his gaze sharpened. Surprising Sam, Morty¡¯s grin became one that could have fit Redi¡¯s face.

    Well, I guess anyone who becomes a Gym Leader has to be someone who loves Pok¨¦mon battles.

    ¡°Here we go!¡± Morty shouted. ¡°Haunter! USE HEX!¡±

    Clapping its hands and then pulling them apart, Morty¡¯s Haunter formed a chain of flames that solidified and reshaped themselves into burning needles.

    The difference in form of Hex shocked Sam, but Redi looked unbothered. When the needles stabbed forward through the few feet needed to reach Dragonair¡¯s body, that same, silvery sheen glinted off of her from the ceiling¡¯s lights.

    It was then that Sam realized that while Lick had paralyzed Dragonair, it had only done so for a single instant. The silvery sheen was not from Lick¡¯s residue but from the very surface layer of Dragonair¡¯s scales peeling away thanks to Shed Skin.

    As she was no longer paralyzed, Hex didn¡¯t carry its additional effect. It landed weaker than a Shadow Ball, and Dragonair was in the perfect position to retaliate with a move of her own.

    ¡°DRAGON RUSH!¡± Redi all but screamed, her volume matching Morty¡¯s own.

    In an attack straight out of the New Pok¨¦dex, Dragonair reared back to completely surprise Haunter. It had not expected this move nor had it expected its Hex to fail to pierce Dragonair¡¯s scaly hide.

    Blue, Dragon Type flames wreathed Dragonair¡¯s head, and she wasted no time to dive down and smash through the Haunter before her.

    To that, Morty breathed out, his energy from before disappearing as he calmed down.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°You can go now, Haunter.¡±

    The Dragon Type crash sent Haunter slamming into the floor. In the same instant, Dragonair¡¯s eyes rolled up into her head as she fell from the sky.

    ¡°When I mentioned Destiny Bond earlier, Sam, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get to show it off so soon. In a proper battle, I mean, not a demonstration. Like I said, it¡¯s not worth relying on too frequently, but in a situation like this where both Pok¨¦mon gave it their all, it¡¯s a good way to force a tie.¡±

    Redi¡¯s mouth hung open from where she had stopped herself mid-shout. Whatever follow-up plan she had for Dragonair was now pointless given that the Haunter¡¯s Destiny Bond meant both Pok¨¦mon had been taken out.

    ¡°...Dragonair and Haunter are unable to battle.¡± It took Sam a full second to announce the tie. ¡°Sorry, Redi. If Haunter was a bit further away, you might have been able to see their shadows connect. That close, all it had to do was send its move out about a foot ahead to make Dragonair faint, too.¡±

    Redi huffed as she returned her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she lied. ¡°Dragonair got two knock-outs. I mean, I wanted three, but there¡¯s no fighting against... that.¡±

    Morty frowned.

    ¡°Wait, wait. Hold on. No, there¡¯s absolutely a counter,¡± he immediately interjected. ¡°Destiny Bond only triggers on direct damage, so a status condition or lingering effect warrants a safe knock-out. Also, Destiny Bond only lasts so long. You can ignore most uses of it by just waiting it out.¡±

    Redi hummed. Sam did his best not to glare.

    Why teach her the counter to the move you just taught me!?

    But when he recognized he was getting angry over something pointless, Sam breathed in.

    It was today that Morty told him to listen to Agatha¡¯s advice. And she hadn¡¯t been the only one to warn him of the effects of Ghost Type energy in the past. As a Gym Leader, it was Morty¡¯s job to both protect and teach newer trainers. There was nothing wrong with telling Redi how to handle Destiny Bond. It just meant Sam would need to be more clever when his team eventually picked up the move.

    So, he breathed out.

    ¡°Next Pok¨¦mon,¡± he said. ¡°Both of you.¡±

    Morty plucked a Pok¨¦ball from his waist and smiled at Redi. She tried to wait for him to release his team member first, but when it became clear he intended to have them both release their next Pok¨¦mon at the same time, she growled and snapped up a Pok¨¦ball of her own.

    ¡°Porygon!¡± Redi called out.

    Morty let his Pok¨¦mon remain nameless, unwilling to ruin its entrance. Appearing from the ball¡¯s light, his next team member collapsed into a heap of unmoving cloth and did nothing more.

    While waiting for it to do something, Sam looked over to Redi.

    ¡°Do you always save Ursaring for last?¡± he asked.

    ¡°...Shut up. Ursaring¡¯s just not the best against Ghost Types. I thought Morty was going to send out a Gengar or something like that. Psybeam is pretty good against Poison Types, y¡¯know?¡±

    Sam shrugged. He didn¡¯t call for the battle to resume since Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was yet to stand up.

    Five, then ten seconds passed without it moving. The Pok¨¦mon possessed such a lack of life that it seemed to resemble nothing more than a lump of fabric or an old, dusty doll. Yet, the features of its species were still recognizable enough, and right before Sam¡¯s patience reached its limits, the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes sparked to life as it unzipped its mouth to let out a cackle.

    ¡°Banette,¡± Morty named as his third team member finally pushed to its feet.

    Sam hadn¡¯t expected to see a Pok¨¦mon from Hoenn in the match, yet it had been Morty himself who had warned Sam that Johto¡¯s Gym Leaders began to use out-of-region Pok¨¦mon in high-level matches. The Banette looked like a grey doll of aged cloth, but it was hard to tell if that age came from being well-loved or being left to rot.

    ¡°Continue,¡± Sam called out.

    This was his first time seeing a Banette fight in person, so he kept a close eye on Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    But, just like it had done when first released, Banette did nothing but stand there, motionless.

    On Redi¡¯s side of the field, Porygon''s body twitched with a constant, clockwork-like motion, and Banette stood and tilted its head to the side while silently observing its opponent.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to attack?¡± Morty asked.

    ¡°You first,¡± Redi said.

    The Gym Leader just chuckled, and when nothing else happened, Sam let out a groan.

    ¡°I¡¯m the ref, right? I can set the rules. Let¡¯s say that one of you has to do something in the next... ten seconds. I¡¯ll count down.¡±

    He held up his hands, pulling down his fingers to emphasize each second of the time limit. Morty smiled at Redi as the numbers grew smaller, and her frown grew deeper and deeper with each one that passed. With only three seconds left, someone finally did something, and Redi clenched her fists out of annoyance.

    ¡°Fine!¡± she shouted, stomping a foot. ¡°Magnet Rise! Go up twenty-four feet!¡±

    Electricity crackled around Porygon as it rocketed off the ground.

    It was true that Redi had made a lot of developments on her own, and Sam had helped by providing information. He didn¡¯t know every new move her team had learned, but he knew many of them were straight out of the new Pok¨¦dex.

    Normally, Porygon couldn¡¯t levitate. It could hover above the ground, but its ¡°flight¡± was limited to a few feet at best. With Magnet Rise, however, it could break through that limit. Far above the battlefield, the occasional zap toward the earth from Porygon¡¯s body told Sam that a strange form of magnetism was actively being maintained.

    Importantly, there was now a vast divide between where Porygon floated and where Banette stood beneath it. Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was two dozen feet off the ground, far above anywhere Banette could reach.

    ¡°Take this! Redi¡¯s Orbital Porygon Space Cannon!¡± Redi shouted.

    Sam snorted.

    Redi¡¯s face turned bright red.

    Still, calling out the name of her strategy had Porygon shift in place. Its entire body rotated and aimed itself like a hovering cannon pointed Banette¡¯s way.

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Morty watched as Porygon analytically adjusted its aim. ¡°That high up, most Pok¨¦mon wouldn¡¯t be able to reach your Porygon.¡±

    At the very end of his statement, Porygon finished building itself up to release a Charge Beam, and Sam saw something unexpected¡ªthe very bottom of Banette¡¯s feet sunk into the floor, allowing it to lurch backward in a dodge that mimicked the smooth motion of a pair of roller skates.

    ¡°However...¡± Morty continued. ¡°You should know better than to create distances like this when fighting Ghost Types. Magnet Rise is meaningless to us.¡±

    Banette seemed to get the hint as it suddenly took off toward Porygon¡¯s projected position over the field. Redi seemed to choke on her next breath at the sudden, unnatural way Banette slid across the floor.

    ¡°Feint Attack,¡± Morty then ordered. ¡°Shame Porygon is a Normal Type, but Type advantage isn¡¯t everything.¡±

    The very instant Banette reached a point directly beneath Porygon, it sank into the floor, disappearing into the small, faint shadow from Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. Porygon repeatedly used Charge Beam all along the way, each attack missing but still allowing it to gather up a charge with every use.

    Yet... This isn¡¯t a good match-up for Redi. Even though Conversion can make Porygon an Electric Type, Redi can¡¯t call for it. Being a Normal Type is too great of a defense for this battle. Right now, Porygon is immune to all of Banette¡¯s Ghost Type attacks, but that means they can¡¯t change Porygon to the Electric Type to get that same-Type damage boost.

    Sam and Redi both waited to see where Banette would emerge, and Sam had to control his reaction when he saw eyes open up on the bottom of Porygon¡¯s body.

    Morty had been telling the truth when he said that distance was meaningless, and Sam felt like a fool for never making this connection. All things cast shadows. Specifically, if a shadow was on the floor, it had to have been sourced from somewhere.

    Having used the strange dimensions of that shadow to reach Porygon, Banette peeled out of Porygon¡¯s shrouded underside. With an arm cloaked in darkness, Feint Attack disguised the origin of its move to allow it to hit without fail.

    ¡°Back up and wait it out! Stall with Recover!¡± Redi shouted as the smash left a nasty, scuffed dent on Porygon¡¯s side.

    ¡°Oh, so Porygon is that kind of Pok¨¦mon?¡± Morty clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re unlucky. Banette is exactly the wrong opponent for you in this fight.¡±

    Banette cackled and threw out its arms, lingering in the air where it appeared. Porgyon, under the effects of Magnet Rise, slid away from it while completely ignoring the effects of friction.

    The same moment Porygon glowed for a Recover, Banette reached into the air to pull out a jagged nail that it then stabbed into its chest.

    ¡°Curse,¡± Sam whispered, and even through the pain, Banette smirked.

    ¡°It¡¯s injured! Perfect for you, Porygon! Get ready to finish it off with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Spite.¡±

    ¡°Lock-On!¡±

    Banette was faster, and Porygon¡¯s most recent move hadn¡¯t been Redi¡¯s called-for attack. With a flash in Banette¡¯s eyes, all of the energy reserved for Recover was drained away.

    Still, Porygon¡¯s endlessly clicking head stopped its jerking rotation to begin perfectly tracking Banette. However, Recover wasn¡¯t exactly a move that could be used frequently, and Spite eliminated the few potential uses Porygon had available.

    Porygon no longer had a way to heal, which meant the ongoing effect of Curse now dealt unrecoverable damage.

    ¡°If she has three Pok¨¦mon... Banette, I don¡¯t want to deal with Electric Type moves,¡± Morty said.

    His Pok¨¦mon nodded and kept its arms held out to its sides. While drifting downwards, it floated side-to-side to dodge, but any such movement was pointless in the face of Porygon¡¯s Lock-On.

    ¡°Zap Cannon!¡± Redi roared.

    Sam wanted to laugh. It was so like Redi to have gone out of her way to teach Porygon the strongest Electric Type move before it ever learned Thunderbolt.

    From Porygon¡¯s polygonal beak, electricity crackled and coiled, and all of the energy gathered from the previous Charge Beam gathered into this one attack. A sphere not unlike a Shadow Ball formed, but closer to a Hyper Beam, Sam had to squint to avoid being blinded by its light.

    Banette stopped moving. It could see that this attack was coming and that nothing it¡¯d do would let it dodge.

    So it did just that¡ªnothing. As the attack built, Banette scowled. Something about its expression changed to that of pure malice. The Pok¨¦mon built up a Grudge.

    When the Zap Cannon hit, it exploded. The orb slowly floated through the air to burst into a flash that briefly blinded Sam and made the world sound as though it had been consumed by thousands of chittering beetles.

    When Sam¡¯s vision returned, it quickly became clear that the single Zap Cannon had taken out Banette. While it had remained standing, its unmoving body was covered in far too many latticed scorch marks for it to be faking its unconsciousness. With how even the earth around it was charred beneath its feet, it was pretty clear that no Pok¨¦mon save for a Ground Type could have withstood that attack.

    Yet, though Banette had fainted, it continued to stand up.

    Slowly, shakily, and with eyes unfocused, Banette lifted an arm to point at Porygon. The action was completely unconscious and came out as if the Pok¨¦mon was possessed. It was only after a strange silence filled the room that Banette finally collapsed.

    Sam raised a hand to announce the outcome of this part of the match.

    ¡°Banette is unable to battle. Morty, please send out your next¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Redi interrupted. ¡°What was that attack?¡±

    Sam looked over to Morty for permission to break his referee¡¯s neutrality, and the Gym Leader sent him a quiet nod.

    It took him a few seconds to work out everything in his head, but the move became pretty obvious in retrospect once he identified what it was.

    ¡°Grudge,¡± Sam answered. ¡°The move was Grudge. Porygon won¡¯t be able to use Zap Cannon anymore because of it.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because, well, Grudge creates a Grudge. It¡¯s like Spite, except instead of just removing some energy reserved for a move, it completely eliminates any leftover energy for the attack used to knock out that Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Redi clenched her fists. Sam could tell her strategy for Porygon had hinged on this setup.

    Magnet Rise to leave the ground and gain a field-wide angle. Charge Beam to empower Porygon while maintaining an offense. Then, Recover would keep Porygon healthy, and Zap Cannon and Lock-On together would allow them to eliminate any foe with an impossible-to-dodge attack.

    Yet, with Banette¡¯s actions, the two most important pieces of that strategy were gone.

    Subjected to Curse, Porygon only had a limited amount of time until it fainted, and it couldn¡¯t exactly use Recover to extend that period. Also, thanks to Grudge, Zap Cannon was no longer possible, leaving Porygon with only Charge Beam and Discharge at best.

    When Morty sent out a Drifblim¡ªnot his personal Drifblim, thankfully enough¡ªSam knew Redi had an upward battle from here. Porygon could only do so much before Curse took it out, and then it would just be Ursaring left against that flying Pok¨¦mon as well as whatever final team member Morty still had in his pocket.

 Chapter 119

    Curse had always been a ¡°buffing¡± move on Sam¡¯s team. Its energy required its user to focus, slowing them down, but it otherwise increased a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical capabilities.

    Typhlosion, as a Quilava, had made great use of it when paired with her Flame Wheel. Similarly, its energy was what let Primeape figure out Rage Fist in the first place.

    Yet, Curse¡¯s effects changed when used by a Ghost Type, no longer serving as an enhancement and changing into a targeted, damage-over-time effect. Though Porygon continued to look as emotionless as always, Curse had inflicted a sort of lethargy to its clockwork-like movements. Its clicks would stall here and there, and an occasional wince would crop up and cause it to pause.

    Pain, Sam realized. Curse inflicts pain.

    He could see no other visible effects or injuries. Though Banette had fainted, its Curse remained. Porygon would only grow more and more exhausted until it eventually faints.

    ¡°Get ready,¡± Redi said, though Sam wasn¡¯t sure how much Porygon would benefit from that assurance.

    As Morty maintained a polite smile, Banette¡¯s replacement, Drifblim, lazily drifted over the field.

    Each side had two Pok¨¦mon left at this point, but Redi was at a severe disadvantage due to Porygon¡¯s injuries and Ursaring¡¯s likely poor match-ups. Sam could at least recognize Porygon¡¯s limited time left conscious, so he quickly fulfilled his role as referee to call for the battle to continue.

    ¡°Resume!¡± he called out.

    Redi wasted no time, as well.

    ¡°Charge Beam!¡±

    Around Porygon, motes of Electric Type energy sparked up only to be sucked in and absorbed by the artificial Pok¨¦mon. Charge Beam built up Porygon¡¯s power before being released, and Porygon¡¯s impeccable aim meant it was due to hit.

    But Morty was prepared. He had no plans to let Porygon do anything but suffer from its Curse.

    ¡°Minimize,¡± he said calmly, and that command let Drifblim easily dodge.

    As a balloon-like Pok¨¦mon, Drifblim didn¡¯t exactly have set dimensions. Charge Beam tore through the air toward the dead center of its body, but it suddenly pulled into itself, shrinking and cutting its size in half. Doing so saw its center of mass be pulled down, and the top of its head moved to be just barely under the launched beam.

    Charge Beam completely missed, sailing past Drifblim to strike an invisible barrier that was being maintained by the various Ghost Types in the room.

    ¡°You...¡± Redi grumbled to herself. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Porygon, return.¡±

    Before Porygon fell to the Curse, she withdrew her Pok¨¦mon back into its ball. Curse didn¡¯t linger after a switch, but it was far more effective than a burn or base poison when it came to dealing damage. If Curse couldn¡¯t faint a Pok¨¦mon, it could at least force a switch.

    Unfortunately, it had done its job, and Porygon was a hair¡¯s breadth away from falling unconscious. At least, because Redi switched here, if Ursaring tied to Morty¡¯s final Pok¨¦mon, Redi would win thanks to still having Porygon left.

    But she needed to faint Drifblim first if she wanted to even think about Morty¡¯s final Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how your team handles Drifblim,¡± Morty commented.

    ¡°Yeah? I didn¡¯t expect you to be so excited about losing,¡± Redi replied with a smirk.

    Morty laughed as Redi tossed forward a Pok¨¦ball, bringing her expected Ursaring onto the field.

    I don¡¯t understand how she can be so confident here. Ursaring only has Rock Slide and Hyper Beam to deal with flying opponents. Except, Drifblim is immune to Hyper Beam, and Rock Slide can¡¯t do much with Minimize letting Drifblim dodge. But she¡¯s not bothered. Why?

    Sam quickly realized that, yet again, both Redi and Morty were waiting on him.

    ¡°Continue!¡± he shouted.

    Weirdly, Drifblim suddenly expanded back to its normal size. Minimize was dropped as if maintaining it required an exertion similar to constantly flexing an arm.

    ¡°Ominous Wind,¡± Morty ordered. ¡°Focus on reacting with Minimize.¡±

    ¡°Swords Dance!¡± Redi yelled. She said nothing more than that, smiling as if her victory was now assured.

    Rather than immediately dealing with Drifblim, Ursaring reared back to stand on his hind legs, beginning to regularly stomp back and forth. His claws clashed against one another in the air, echoing with ringing clangs that sent his fur standing on its ends.

    The pressure conjured by the move caused him to visibly bulk up. Swords Dance increased his physical power.

    Morty tilted his head to the side.

    ¡°Hm. I think I get it. Your strategy is something similar to... the Law of Large Numbers?¡± he asked. ¡°Even if Drifblim avoids most of your attacks, something will eventually hit, and with Swords Dance, you¡¯re making sure it¡¯ll hit hard enough to knock him out with just that.¡±

    Redi maintained her grin.

    ¡°Am I really that obvious? Well, you got it in one,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes, you don¡¯t need a complicated strategy when brute strength is good enough!¡±

    Morty seemed to enjoy her answer, as he chuckled at her response. He didn¡¯t adjust the orders he had given to his Pok¨¦mon, and both sides of the field built themselves up.

    Sure, Ominous Wind was an attack, but the Ghost Type move could never affect the Normal Type Ursaring, anyway. No, as Drifblim¡¯s tendrils vibrated from the force of the ghostly wind it generated around it, the effect served to enhance its every capability thanks to the move¡¯s energy priming Drifblim for a fight.

    Both Pok¨¦mon had the same core strategy¡ªto build themselves up so that their opponent would be unable to withstand any attack. Sam would have said Drifblim had the advantage since Ominous Wind boosted every capability including defense, but Ominous Wind¡¯s boost only occurred rarely. Morty was already fortunate enough that it had happened once.

    However, Redi seemed to recognize Ominous Wind¡¯s limitation. Rather than waiting for Ursaring to completely maximize his strength, she called out for Ursaring to attack now, before Drifblim managed to enhance itself a second time.

    ¡°Rock Slide!¡±

    As an attack learned solely to take on Walker¡¯s Flying Type Gym, Ursaring knew how to use this move to target a Pok¨¦mon in the air. He stabbed his claws into the ground and tore up the floor, using Rock Type energy to send an absolute barrage of stones hurtling toward Drifblim.

    But while Drifblim was in the air, it was no bird. Most importantly, it could shrink. Using Minimize combined with the speed gained from its Ominous Wind boost, it was able to maneuver through even the smallest of gaps, and as a balloon Pok¨¦mon, it was able to perfectly move up and down unlike any Pok¨¦mon with wings.

    ¡°Alright, Drifblim,¡± Morty called out. ¡°We¡¯ll be finishing off Ursaring here.¡±

    He might not have given an explicit order, but his Drifblim seemed to understand the Gym Leader¡¯s command. It replied with a voice that reminded Sam of some kind of kazoo¡ªa very excited kazoo, which made the response that much more worrying.

    Continuing its nimble movements, it slipped right through the onslaught of Rock Slide to rush Ursaring, which caused Ursaring to grin. Rather than stay in the air, where it was hard to hit, Drifblim was moving right into his melee range.

    Unfortunately, even as Redi yelled out a command, Drifblim¡¯s ribbons lashed out. Something akin to darkness sparked up around Ursaring¡¯s claws in reaction, but before he could unleash any move, Drifblim had already managed to tie him up with a Constrict that limited his movements.

    The strength granted by Swords Dance should have been enough to let Ursaring break free. Drifblim countered that by giving Ursaring just the slightest amount of leeway¡ªhe could flail about, but he couldn¡¯t exactly reach back to swipe where it maintained its Constrict behind him.

    Gritting her teeth, Redi momentarily looked overcome with annoyance before she suddenly blinked and slapped herself on the head.

    ¡°Wait. I¡¯m stupid,¡± she said. ¡°Just use Ice Punch.¡±

    ¡°Not going to work,¡± Morty countered.

    They were both partially right.

    Yes, Ursaring wasn¡¯t able to land the Ice Punch, but as freezing energies crackled up his arms, they left a sharp frost on the tendrils actively wrapping him up. As a Flying Type, Drifblim was especially vulnerable to the Ice Type energy and reflexively pulled back. Doing so freed Ursaring from its grip.

    ¡°There we go! Take it out!¡± Redi yelled.

    Morty let out a sigh.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re doing this sooner rather than expected. Explosion, Drifblim. End this match now.¡±

    Redi¡¯s smile fell from her face as Drifblim cheered its name and glowed a bright orange. Ursaring had already dedicated himself to his attack and was stuck mid-Ice Punch when all of that energy was released.

    Smoke, dirt, and heat exploded outwards, completely covering the field and warping the air with a thick obscuration. Sam narrowed his eyes without saying anything¡ªthough Drifblim was guaranteed to faint from a sacrificial move like Explosion, the fate of Ursaring was still left unknown.

    Morty spoke up in the meantime.

    ¡°Our strategy usually involves Payback. Each time Drifblim is damaged, the move lets him return it two-fold. But in the case of your Ursaring, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible to use it more than once. You saw how Swords Dance would cause even a single hit to knock Drifblim out?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°...Yeah?¡± Redi said. She seemed more focused on trying to see through the smoke than listening to Morty¡¯s words.

    ¡°The answer to that, of course, would be Aftermath. Drifblim¡¯s ability means that he doesn¡¯t need to use Explosion to deal damage when he faints. But since Explosion is more powerful, and since you have only one Pok¨¦mon left, it made more sense to take Ursaring out here.¡± Morty shrugged. ¡°Like I said at the start of the battle, I had no plans to hold back.¡±

    Redi nodded along, and her eyes lit up when she noticed something in the smoke. Her smile returned to her face as she replied, staring at a shadow on her side of the field.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s no problem. I totally get why you called for that,¡± Redi said far too casually. ¡°You¡¯re missing something, though.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way Ursaring would fall to a single move like that!¡±

    Her shout was punctuated by a roar in the center of the field, and the sheer ferocity of the noise pushed all the smoke away. The suddenly clear field revealed an unconscious Drifblim on the floor. However, Ursaring, blackened and breathing heavily, stood tall on his hind legs. He was more injured than he¡¯d ever been before, but Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were strong. He was far too determined to allow himself to faint just like that.

    ¡°Good.¡± Morty smiled. ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon are doing well, even with the disadvantage you¡¯re at.¡±

    ¡°You really thought we¡¯d fight three-on-five if we couldn¡¯t withstand something as simple as an Explosion? Please. We¡¯ve been fighting at a disadvantage since the start. Every Gym Battle, my Pok¨¦mon are always outnumbered.¡±

    As Redi bragged to Morty, Sam considered the match so far. All of Redi¡¯s previous team members had only been defeated by proportional effects. Destiny Bond had knocked out Dragonair, but Destiny Bond was a move that took out any foe regardless of a difference in strength. Similarly, the pain caused by Curse ¡°scaled¡± with a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s health.

    So far, Morty had only managed knock-outs when not relying on direct attacks.

    However, Sam was still confused. Calling for Drifblim to faint here felt like a waste.

    I don¡¯t get why he called for an Explosion. Did he really think Redi¡¯s Rock Slide strategy was that much of a threat? His command is the reason Drifblim fainted, but then again...

    Payback isn¡¯t the strongest move in the world, and Drifblim probably doesn¡¯t have too many other options against Normal Types. Morty probably figured that the sheer damage potential of Explosion was worth the trade-off.

    ...Which means this is him setting up Ursaring for the final Pok¨¦mon on his team.

    ¡°I appreciate your confidence, Redi, but like you said, this is still a three-on-five match!¡± Morty called out as he returned his fainted Drifblim. ¡°I still have one Pok¨¦mon left, and Ursaring is in no state to take them out!¡±

    ¡°Bring it on,¡± Redi growled without even an ounce of fear.

    Morty regained that same grin from before, looking over the field with the expression of a trainer enthralled by a match. Tossing up the last Pok¨¦ball he had brought for this battle, his final team member appeared on the field.

    It was as threatening as it seemed. Morty released a fully evolved Gengar.

    Seeing that Pok¨¦mon, Redi frowned. Not necessarily because it represented a threat, but because she¡¯d commented about wanting to save Porygon¡¯s Psybeam for a Poison Type. She had expected this Pok¨¦mon, just not necessarily in this order.

    ¡°Ursaring. Be careful,¡± she said slowly. ¡°We don¡¯t know how it fights.¡±

    This Gengar wasn¡¯t one Sam had seen before, but it looked just as mischievous as the Gengar that had fought Dusclops, staring a Ursaring with a wide, gleaming smile.

    ¡°Resume the battle,¡± Sam said.

    Both trainers pointed forward.

    ¡°Shadow Claw!¡± Redi shouted.

    ¡°Agatha!¡± Morty ordered.

    Sam blinked at the Gym Leader¡¯s strange command.

    Agatha? As in Elite Four Agatha?

    Despite it being the weirdest order Sam had ever heard, Morty¡¯s command seemed to carry a meaning to the Gengar. Its grin grew wide enough to almost split its head in half. Ursaring roared and charged, and the Gengar zipped over to meet him on the field.

    They would reach one another in the center, and both Pok¨¦mon looked excited for the clash.

    Ursaring let his front claws hang. They gathered shadows that stretched from his paws and left grooves in the dirt floor. While it was heartening to see that Redi had taken Sam¡¯s Ghost Type lessons to heart, Sam still couldn¡¯t help but be worried when the Gengar got close. Thanks to Swords Dance and Gengar¡¯s frail body, Ursaring¡¯s Shadow Claw would undoubtedly faint his foe, but the same was true for Gengar¡¯s attacks thanks to the sheer amount of damage Ursaring had taken from that Explosion.

    He remained standing through sheer willpower alone, something Redi¡¯s team possessed in spades. Without any worry, Ursaring met Gengar in the middle of the field and reared up to try to use the motion to cleave right through his foe. The energy of his Shadow Claw left reverberations behind it, but the Gengar carried enough speed to pull back and dodge, bouncing away as the shadowy attack tore through the air an inch away.

    Ursaring clearly expected Gengar to respond with an attack of its own. He followed up his swipe by pulling that same attack down, intending to cleave Gengar from above instead of from below.

    He made a mistake here. So focused on attacking, he met Gengar¡¯s gaze as he brought his claws down. Gengar didn¡¯t move to dodge¡ªit didn¡¯t need to.

    Instead, Ursaring utterly froze.

    ¡°Close your eyes!¡± Redi shouted desperately.

    While her call could have been helpful, it was already too late.

    Trapped by the sudden Hypnosis, Ursaring collapsed. The thud of his heavy body shook the floor, and his snores shook the air.

    ¡°Ugh! How did we fall for that? That¡¯s, like, Sam¡¯s every battle,¡± Redi grumbled.

    Morty got you used to fighting with direct attacks against Drifblim. He put you in a certain mindset that he then took advantage of with Gengar.

    Sam was in awe of the Gym Leader¡¯s subtle manipulations. Morty, far too focused on the battle to notice Sam¡¯s reaction, went ahead to share some of his thoughts with Redi.

    ¡°Gengar are powerful and speedy special attackers. Most trainers use them solely for offense,¡± he explained. ¡°However, there¡¯s one trainer that uses the Gengar line differently¡ªand I¡¯m not talking about Sam. Agatha¡¯s primary strategy almost singularly relies on sleep. Her Pok¨¦mon are so incredible at sending opponents to sleep that few ever can counter.

    ¡°Of course, we took inspiration here.¡±

    As Morty spoke, his Gengar floated down with a movement that mimicked a cocky strut through the air. Each step brought it lower as it approached the sleeping Ursaring¡¯s head.

    ¡°My call for ¡®Agatha¡¯ wasn¡¯t a call for a specific attack, but it was a call to direct Gengar toward a specific strategy, even if that¡¯s not how my team usually fights. At this level, trainers are expected to have a counter for status effects, but not usually when they¡¯re such a surprise. Honestly, with your travels with Sam, I¡¯m surprised that you had Ursaring go in so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Redi¡¯s sudden groan interrupted Morty. ¡°Are you really going to make us do this? I mean, come on! That¡¯s not fair.¡±

    Morty paused. Gengar stopped preparing its next move to look up.

    ¡°Sorry, what?¡± Morty said.

    ¡°Do you mean taking on the Gym again?¡± Sam asked.

    Redi shot Sam a glare before looking over to Morty. The Gym Leader frowned as he tried to think of what Redi was referring to.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that!¡± Redi shouted. ¡°We¡¯re not losing here. No, it¡¯s just... This sucks. Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡±

    ¡°No?¡± Morty offered.

    At this point, Ursaring was far too soundly asleep to do anything. Even though Gengar was watching Redi¡ªits species far too curious to do anything else¡ªit wasn¡¯t exactly concerned about its opponent right now.

    ¡°This was supposed to be our trump card! Our secret strategy! Our surprise against Sam when we eventually fight in the Conference!¡± she whined.

    She stomped a foot against the ground and let out a huff. Her vague words had captured the attention of every single watcher in this room as everyone tried to figure out her plan.

    ¡°Can¡¯t really ask you to turn around if you¡¯re the referee,¡± she grumbled to Sam. ¡°Whatever.¡±

    There was no pause after that word, but it sure felt like there was one.

    ¡°Ursaring,¡± Redi said, ¡°use Sleep Talk.¡±

    Redi¡¯s command came out frustrated, but Morty¡¯s eyes immediately went as wide as they could go. For once in this battle, he seemed to be genuinely caught off-foot. This move wasn¡¯t anything that relied on a strategy of brute strength. Except, in a strange way, it absolutely was.

    Still completely asleep, Ursaring stirred. He didn¡¯t wake up or unleash a direct attack, but he did grumble and flip around. He seemed to be in some sort of hibernation-like state¡ªwhich helped to explain why Redi didn¡¯t bother to call out for him to wake up.

    No, rolling to his side, he threw out an arm as if tossing and turning in his sleep. With how sudden and unexpected that movement came, Gengar was in no position to dodge when the attack hit.

    A Shadow Claw tore right through it, disrupting its body and launching it far back. Ursaring remained asleep, but he had also remained under the effects of Swords Dance. Gengar¡¯s cockiness and Redi¡¯s distraction had given him plenty of room for this final blow.

    ¡°Gengar is...¡± Sam had to swallow once he realized what Redi had done. ¡°Gengar is unable to battle. Redi wins?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to act so surprised!¡± Redi snapped. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to develop my own tricks!¡±

    At the end of her shout, the reality of that knock-out seemed to settle in. Redi looked to the unmoving Gengar and then dragged her stare over to the motionless Gym Leader. Morty was still in the process of taking her strategy in.

    Several long seconds passed before he finally reacted. Morty slapped a hand to his forehead and drew himself back for a laugh.

    ¡°Of course! It all makes sense!¡± he practically shouted. ¡°Guts activates under any status condition! Sleep Talk is even better¡ªwhile asleep, every attack is enhanced!¡±

    There was a slight pause.

    ¡°Oh. Yeah. Absolutely. I definitely thought of that,¡± Redi lied.

    Still standing at the side of the field, Sam stared at Redi, who seemed to purposefully not look his way. She returned Ursaring before immediately releasing him at her side, and she pushed her shoulder against him to try to wake up.

    She taught Ursaring that move just for me? Just so she could counter my team? She¡¯s been preparing for a battle in the Conference all this time, which means...

    Which means...

    Sam breathed out.

    Which means Redi is more prepared to defeat us than we¡¯re prepared to defeat her.

    At this point, her entire team had some sort of counter against status effects, and when Sam had been training his team, he¡¯d been training for general opponents rather than anyone specific. He thought he¡¯d be able to pick up the gaps once he earned his eighth Gym Badge, but now he could only worry about how many more strategies Redi had prepared¡ªand there was more to that. Xavier had also told Sam he planned to win, and how many specific counters would Xavier have once they faced one another in the Conference?

    As Ursaring slowly came to, he smacked his lips before glancing over to Redi. She sent him a look, causing him to shoot up, and she used the opportunity to fall forward into his stomach, pressing herself into his fur for a hug.

    ¡°We did it,¡± she said quietly.

    Still waking up, Ursaring drowsily grinned and let his arms fall around her to hug back.

    As the moment passed, Morty finally returned his Pok¨¦mon and walked over to join her. She looked up at him, and he smiled. He reached into his pocket to take out a certain ghost-shaped badge and place it into her palm.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said. ¡°I can tell you and your team worked hard for this.¡±

    Redi¡¯s grin was as bright as the sun. She¡¯d been training for this ever since her loss to Ecruteak¡¯s Gym Trial, and this badge was proof of more than just a victory¡ªit was proof of her genuine growth as a trainer.

    ¡°One left,¡± she whispered, staring at the pin in her hand. ¡°Only one Badge left for us to obtain before we take on the Conference.¡±

    Ursaring let out a roar to express his confidence.

    ¡°I also want to thank you for this match, by the way,¡± Morty said, and Redi looked up at him as Sam walked over. ¡°Given what you already know, I had the freedom to try out a few new strategies, though your Normal Types made the lack of Hex a pain. Still, your Pok¨¦mon are independently strong enough that you fight similarly enough. You were the perfect opponent to help me practice for my challenge against Lance.¡±

    Redi¡¯s jaw dropped open. Sam stumbled where he was walking over.

    ¡°Lance,¡± Sam repeated as he arrived, keeping his voice low. ¡°Champion Lance, you mean? You¡¯re training for a match against him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Morty¡¯s voice contained nothing but the truth. ¡°Hex¡¯s power contains the edge we need. Honestly, my team could win on Destiny Bond alone, but I already told you that kind of fight isn¡¯t really a fight. No, my Pok¨¦mon and I have been training for a proper battle for quite some time. While we have our tricks, we plan to win with our own strength no matter how powerful our opponent might be.¡±

    At Morty¡¯s side, a haze caused the air to waver, and he brought up a hand to pat his Mismagius as she appeared next to him.

    ¡°Moves like Spite, Curse, and even Minimize and Ominous Wind are going to be key. I won¡¯t be surprised if Lance has something like Sleep Talk in his pocket, which is one of the reasons I appreciate this battle so much. Unfortunately, we won¡¯t be able to use moves like Grudge and Destiny Bond or even Explosion. I can¡¯t let any of my Pok¨¦mon faint too early against someone like the Champion¡ªbut I also have to admit that I might have pushed against the limits of what I¡¯m allowed to do in a Gym Battle.¡±

    He chuckled, scratching a cheek.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°...We still won,¡± Redi mumbled.

    ¡°Regardless, my match against Lance is scheduled to take place between seasons in a public showing. Demand will probably make tickets hard to get, but as long as you two promise to cheer me on, I can make sure some are passed your way, yeah?¡±

    He grinned, and his expression was once again one that wouldn¡¯t have been out of place on Redi¡¯s face.

    Sam was only able to slowly nod due to his shock. As a Gym Leader, Morty had the right to challenge Lance every so often, but people just didn¡¯t do something like that right out of the blue.

    ¡°But why?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Why challenge Lance?¡±

    ¡°To prove myself,¡± Morty answered, a strange look entering his eyes. ¡°Fighting the Champion is more than just a battle for me. There¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon I have to meet. But the only way I can ever do that is if I prove myself a worthy enough trainer for it to accept me.¡±

    Silence lingered after his declaration, and Morty shook his head to snap himself out of the strange mood that had overtaken him.

    ¡°But that¡¯s for the future! Right now, you two are rapidly becoming amazing trainers in your own right!¡± he said excitedly.

    ¡°Yeah, Redi¡¯s pretty great,¡± Sam said.

    Redi¡¯s face turned bright red as she looked away.

    ¡°Well, in the meantime, I highly encourage you two to take some time to relax. Your journeys have been going on for a while, and you still have over a full month and a half to earn your final Gym Badge!¡± Morty said. ¡°Stick around for a bit. Hang out in Ecruteak! Sam, I noticed you two tend to leave cities immediately after earning the local Gym Badge. The Kimono Girls are hosting a festival within the next few days. At least wait to experience that, yeah?¡±

    Sam breathed out, getting over his shock to nod once again. He didn¡¯t plan to battle Morty himself, but he was fine with lingering in the city especially if it meant he could watch some of the strong Ghost Type trainers here fight.

    The festival was a bonus, too.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± Sam said. ¡°We have time until the Conference, and it shouldn¡¯t take too long to get to Cianwood. I want to rematch Jasmine in Olivine and get a sixth Pok¨¦mon first, but we need to catch a boat in Olivine to reach Cianwood, anyway. I¡¯m fine with staying in Ecruteak for a few more days, at least, if it¡¯s okay with you, Re¡ª¡±

    He stopped himself when he saw Redi had frozen where she stood. She had gone utterly still upon mention of Olivine, and her happy expression had vanished from her face.

    Almost hurriedly, she looked between Sam and Morty before taking a step back.

    ¡°S-sure,¡± she said quickly. ¡°We can do that. I just... I just need to heal my Pok¨¦mon. Excuse me!¡±

    Very uncharacteristically, she threw herself into a bow before running out of the room, briefly turning around to return Ursaring when she remembered. As she vanished through the battlefield¡¯s doors, Sam turned to Morty to see if the Gym Leader knew why that had happened, but Morty was just as confused as him.

    The Ghost Types in the room murmured among themselves, and Typhlosion walked over to stand at Sam¡¯s side. They stared at the entrance, watching the swinging doors that marked Redi¡¯s sudden exit.

    Neither of them understood what just happened, but they could tell it had been important. It had happened so suddenly that it caught them off guard, but it was still blatantly obvious that something was going on with their friend.

 Chapter 120

    No matter how many times Sam tried to approach Redi, she always found some excuse to slip away.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, Ursaring got one of his claws chipped, so I have to go fix that!¡±

    ¡°Dragonair got a little dirty, so I have to go polish her scales!¡±

    ¡°Porygon was super interested in... something else, so I¡¯m definitely going to go do that right now!¡±

    She ran off every time, avoiding Sam, not answering his questions, and, quite frequently, she¡¯d be gone from the Pok¨¦mon Center before the sun was even up.

    Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were just as concerned as he was, and they tried several times to approach Redi and ask her what was wrong. However, she¡¯d been traveling with them for a while. She knew their tricks and knew when to run away. They never had a proper chance to have a real conversation since Redi always knew how to avoid everything.

    There was only one solution to this problem, and that solution came in the form of an opportunity Morty presented to them a few days ago. Though Redi might have been avoiding Sam, he knew there¡¯d be one place she was guaranteed to be:

    The upcoming festival.

    Specifically, she¡¯d be at the entire reason they agreed to stay in town. If Sam couldn¡¯t reach Redi anywhere else, he would reach her there. If not, then, well...

    No. He would reach Redi.

    He just needed a proper plan.

    The festival itself was hosted by the Kimono Girls, a group of skilled performers named after the clothes they always wore. Their performances were always in the style of old Johto, and they performed with such authenticity that they were known region-wide.

    ...Although, they weren¡¯t technically an independent group but a cross-section of the Ecruteak Theatre Company and the Johtonian Historical Society. However, they carried enough influence and renown to be known separately from those two. Even Mr. Pok¨¦mon had connections to them, and they were so well regarded that festivals tended to spring up whenever they had a major performance schedule. That was the story behind today, and that was the story of this festival that occurred every few months.

    Booths and stalls were constructed along the road as several city blocks became closed to anyone but pedestrians. Bright lanterns with text painted onto their sides were thrown onto strings that crisscrossed the growing night sky. Though the festival was yet to fully enter its most populated time, it had already started. From where he stood in the shadows, Sam could already smell the spice in the air and hear the music begin to play. People laughed and pointed as they took in the sights, and in front of the Kimono Girls¡¯ very own theatre, an Espeon draped in rainbow fabric and an Umbreon dressed in whirlpool-themed robes sat on a pair of cushions placed at the sides of the door. The two Pok¨¦mon welcomed everyone who stepped inside.

    Though a crowd was building, people had only just started to show up. There were enough gaps in the throng that Sam could still see down the road, but there were also enough people that no one paid him any mind.

    They didn¡¯t notice the boy leaning against the wall, nor did they notice how his old-fashioned robes let him blend in with the outfits of so many others here. They didn¡¯t hear his sandals scuff against the ground, and they certainly didn¡¯t hear the many Ghost Types floating above them in the night sky.

    While most of the floating Pok¨¦mon were curious, wild individuals, many more belonged to the Gym. Sam¡¯s team had their own positions, however, with Misdreavus lingering in the shadows beneath his feet, Haunter sending him a thumbs up from a gap between two stalls, and various Gastly positioning themselves to form a grid to keep watch.

    ¡°Sorry for not sending you all out, too,¡± Sam whispered to the three full Pok¨¦balls still at his waist. ¡°I know you¡¯d want to explore this place yourselves, but it¡¯d cause too much trouble. Still, this gives us plenty of reasons to come back here again in the future. I promise you all that we¡¯ll return to Ecruteak to experience this properly once we get the chance.¡±

    Typhlosion was stuck in her Pok¨¦ball due to her species¡ªher unique evolution meant she¡¯d attract far too much attention if Sam sent her out in a public place like this. He could feel her Pok¨¦ball shake as she expressed her agreement, but the other two Pok¨¦mon, Primeape and Trevenant, didn¡¯t bother to respond.

    Those two had been kept back because they weren¡¯t sneaky when it came to subtly moving around a human city. A big, angry monkey and a spooky, haunted tree were pretty obvious even in the middle of a crowd. Thankfully, the festival hadn¡¯t appealed to them that much anyway, so they were content to use this time to rest, instead.

    Sam fell back into silence as his eyes scanned the crowd, and no one sent him a second glance as they passed by. Children ran to and fro, men and women took in all of the sights, and Sam finally found his target cautiously entering this closed-off city street.

    Though he and so many others had dressed up in the style of old Johto, Redi hadn¡¯t bothered to dress up¡ªshe¡¯d rather jump off a cliff than put on something like a kimono. Still, even in modern clothes, she wasn¡¯t out of place. She fit in right with the crowd as she took in the sights and looked for somewhere spacious enough for her to send out her team.

    But there was more than that. Her gaze seemed to possess a barely suppressed edge as if she had some gut feeling about what was yet to happen.

    It was when she stopped in front of a booth containing a pond full of Magikarp that Sam made his move. Too occupied with watching a child use an enormous spoon made of rice paper to fish out a Magikarp, she didn¡¯t see Sam push off from the wall.

    She didn¡¯t notice the shadows move in behind her either, but with an almost unnatural perception, she did notice when Sam took a single step forward.

    Without any delay whatsoever, Redi turned on a dime and immediately ran. She¡¯d been traveling with Sam for long enough to detect when even the smallest details were off, and it seemed his barely-started approach had been far too targeted for her to not notice what he¡¯d done.

    Sam cursed under his breath before quickly taking off after her. He was not wearing the right outfit for a run, but he kicked off his sandals to have them be caught by a Ghost Type lingering in the wall. The only thing he had on were socks as he ran across the ground, but he didn¡¯t care because he knew this was his chance to finally reach Redi and get her to talk.

    ¡°Not yet!¡± Redi shouted as Sam ran after her. ¡°Not now!¡±

    Desperately, she zig-zagged through the crowded street, weaving through groups, between couples, and even unintentionally pushing several people to the side. For Sam, a certain shadow helped to guide his path¡ªMisdreavus left a dark circle on the ground that most people avoided, and she was fast enough to direct him to easy gaps he could use to slip through.

    ¡°Look, everyone! It¡¯s the Gym Leader! Wow, Morty¡¯s here!¡± Redi shouted in an outright lie.

    She looked over her shoulder to send Sam a smirk as she withdrew her hands from where she had cupped her mouth. All around her, people gasped and looked around for that famous man who wasn¡¯t actually there. The crowd¡¯s movements slowed, and in her shadow, Misdreavus pulled back.

    The gaps in the crowd had all but disappeared, and she didn¡¯t exactly want to get trampled by strangers.

    Though Misdreavus wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with the sudden change in the crowd, Sam pushed through. He started to squeeze through whatever gap he could find to get past the clamor and not lose Redi.

    Fine. If you want to play it like that, then we have plans, too.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± Sam shouted.

    Like what he had done with his sandals, Sam withdrew a sack of coins from his pocket and tossed them into a shadow on the wall. They sank into the darkness like disappearing into a puddle of water. Ahead, a tired-looking vendor jerked awake when the large sum was dumped onto his table, and then Haunter and a few Gastly burst out from behind to spill several baskets of fruits and berries onto the street.

    People gasped and pulled away, but Redi didn¡¯t even slow. Though the variety of fruits should have blocked her path, she just took a deep breath and picked up speed.

    A single push off the ground. She leaped across.

    Completely clearing the obstruction, she landed on the other side and stuck her tongue out at Sam. Her smug grin made it seem as though she planned to walk away from here, but when Sam prepared himself to jump as well, she gasped and turned to keep running away as fast as she could.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Sam shouted as his feet entered the air, and a sea of heads turned to track his leap through the air.

    He didn¡¯t make it.

    A large Grepa berry burst when one of his feet came down hard. Thankfully, as he flailed and began to topple backward, a hand left a shadow to grab his robes and help stabilize him before he collapsed.

    ¡°Thanks, Haunter,¡± Sam mumbled before continuing his mad dash forward. He did his best to ignore his now-soaked socks.

    Sam finally saw Redi try for one last thing as grabbed a certain Pok¨¦ball with an almost guilty expression. Whispering to it as fast as she could, she then tossed it into the air with a single, final yell.

    ¡°Check out how cool my Pok¨¦mon is!¡± she shouted.

    And that sealed the fate of this chase.

    There, in the direct middle of the road, Dragonair appeared with a loud, melodic cry. The crowd of people taking in the festival fell into a hush before crying out in amazement at the incredibly rare species.

    Dragonair preened under the attention, and people started to gather around her. Some of Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon dipped down from above the lanterns to maintain a perimeter around the potentially dangerous Dragon Type, but that only added to the show. They might have been ¡°scary¡± Ghost Types, but they also clearly belonged to the local Gym. The scene was far too attractive to the average festivalgoer to do anything but stare.

    Sam was forced to come to a stop. There was no way forward. Dragonair¡¯s regal presence was far too effective.

    Redi got away.

    ...And then, almost as an insult on top of that, a hand was placed on Sam''s shoulder. Cringing, he looked up to see an Ace Trainer staring right back at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re cleaning up all of that fruit,¡± the woman said, her voice leaving no room for arguments.

    Sam hung his head, knowing he had no choice but to agree.

    <hr>

    Though Sam had been defeated, it was only Sam who hadn¡¯t been able to follow. He might have been stuck in the festival for a bit longer, but he didn¡¯t miss Misdreavus¡¯s shadow leaving the safety of his own to chase after Redi even as she ran further and further away.

    So he cleaned up the fruit, and Dragonair eventually flew off. The festival went back to normal, save for the short period he had to walk around and apologize to everyone he bothered while causing such a massive disturbance.

    But, the Ace Trainer eventually determined he¡¯d been ¡°punished¡± enough, and he was able to leave with a promise to not do anything similar again. He immediately left the festival to meet up with a Gastly waiting for him, and the Pok¨¦mon led him to others in a trail that followed Misdreavus and Redi all the way out of town.

    He also made sure to put on his shoes.

    Sam soon found his friend on a grassy hillside that overlooked all of Ecruteak. The night was deep at this point, and the bright lights of the city were distinct from the few visible stars in the sky.

    Dragonair coiled behind Redi, who had her arms crossed on top of her knees. Misdreavus floated over to Sam, looking pleased with herself, and Sam patted her head in thanks before bringing her back into her Friend Ball.

    Finally, he reached his friend.

    ¡°I only realized Misdreavus was following me when I was halfway here,¡± Redi said quietly as she stared out over the city. In the distance, the sounds of the festival were faint, but they were audible from even this far away. ¡°I didn¡¯t really have a way to escape, so I figured I¡¯d just wait for you, instead.¡±

    Sam nodded, saying nothing, and sat down next to her. Dragonair briefly brought her head up to check on the two of them before letting it fall back down so she could return to her rest.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me,¡± Sam said after sitting there for a while. ¡°Why? Is there something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?¡±

    He didn''t expect it, but to his question, Redi let out a short laugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. You¡¯re already helping me too much!¡±

    He sent her a questioning look, but she looked away from him, rubbing her eyes out of something that was only partially frustration. After taking a moment to get herself back in order, Redi breathed out and returned to staring out over the town.

    ¡°You¡¯re always helping. Constantly. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not grateful, it¡¯s just that... How am I supposed to pay you back? You helped me learn about Pok¨¦mon. You got me that Hyper Beam TM. You¡¯re the reason I knew I could seek out Porygon, and then there¡¯s everything with the New Pok¨¦dex! Without that, I would have never got my sponsorship, and then I would have never got as far as I did without you, either.¡±

    ¡°But you sold your Beginner¡¯s Tournament medal to get Typhlosion her Curse TM,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Without that, she would have never gotten so familiar with the Ghost Type and she would have never evolved.¡±

    Redi shook her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s just one thing. What else have I done?¡±

    ¡°You helped me figure out how to actually train my team. You gave Primeape the perfect sparring partner in the form of Ursaring. You¡¯re constantly breaking me out of dumb ideas and downward spirals. And you¡¯re always there to support my plans, no matter how stupid I might be.¡±

    She went quiet. It took her a long time to reply.

    ¡°That¡¯s all stuff anyone would have done anyway. It still doesn¡¯t match everything you¡¯ve done for me,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sam said, immediately countering her words. ¡°Because it definitely feels like it¡¯s enough, but that doesn¡¯t even matter. Redi, I don¡¯t help you because I want to be repaid. I help you because we¡¯re friends.¡±

    There was a pause, an almost infinitesimally small pause. Sam didn''t know what was going on with Redi, but he wanted his friend to be okay.

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to change,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s not going to change, right?¡±

    ¡°...Right,¡± Redi answered, but her voice was kept uncomfortably low.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s going on? Wanting to help more can¡¯t be why you¡¯ve been avoiding me so much,¡± Sam said as he turned to face her.

    Redi slumped. She took a deep breath.

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not why,¡± she said reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s just... It¡¯s just that... Ugh!¡±

    She furiously scratched the sides of her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t want to say goodbye.¡±

    For an instant, Sam felt the world grind to a halt. Redi didn¡¯t look away from the city, and he didn¡¯t look away from his friend. Yet, no matter how hard he stared, he couldn''t find any hint that¡¯d reveal her words to be a lie.

    ¡°Say goodbye?¡± he repeated.

    ¡°Where are you going next?¡± Redi asked, her voice flat as she turned to look at him. ¡°I know your plans, but I want to hear them. What city do you want to head to next?¡±

    ¡°Olivine,¡± Sam answered carefully. ¡°I want to rematch Jasmine, and I want to see if the sailors there can help me get a sixth Pok¨¦mon, too.¡±

    To that, Redi just sighed, leaning back and stretching out her legs. The sudden seriousness that had overtaken her vanished. She stared up at the night sky.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± she said, almost in a whisper. ¡°Not because I¡¯m banned from Olivine or anything like that, but just because there¡¯s somewhere else I need to go.

    ¡°Mr. Pok¨¦mon called me,¡± she continued, still leaning back. ¡°He gives me updates a lot, and I talk about my team. Right before we left Mahogany Town, he called me about Porygon. There, he told me he managed to get me a meeting with Bill about Porygon¡¯s evolution.¡±

    Sam froze.

    ¡°Bill? The Bill? That¡¯s great! He''s an expert with computers! He can help Porygon evolve, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe,¡± Redi said solemnly, but a slight smile did appear on her face. ¡°The thing is, we don¡¯t know for sure. Everything he¡¯s going to do is experimental, and we¡¯re volunteering to help him just as much as he¡¯s volunteering to help us. But...¡±

    She breathed out again, her faint smile fading alongside the mist formed by her breath.

    ¡°But Bill lives in Goldenrod. Not Olivine. We won¡¯t be able to go to two places at once.¡±

    Sam immediately found fault in that. He didn¡¯t hesitate to counter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that means a goodbye,¡± he said. ¡°We just go to Goldenrod first, and then we catch a boat to reach Cianwood. Once we both earn our eighth badge, we can then swing back around to Olivine so I can face Jasmine¡¯s core team and then we¡¯ll still have time before the Conference to do what we want!¡±

    Redi glanced over at Sam out of the corner of her eye. The expression on her face said everything.

    It wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°I need to catch Stantler before going to Cianwood if I want to earn my eighth badge. And I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll have to stay in Goldenrod to get Porygon to evolve so we can teleport further. And there are also a few people Mr. Pok¨¦mon wants me to visit to maybe help with Ursaring¡¯s evolution, so when I account for all of that...¡±

    Sam fell back down. The plans he had for his team didn''t line up with any of that.

    ¡°...We really have to split up here, don''t we?¡± he said quietly.

    Redi unhappily nodded her head.

    For a while, they said nothing, choosing to just sit there and stare out over the city. At one point, fireworks were launched from the rooftops surrounding the festival, and Dragonair¡¯s eyes sparkled as she took in the show.

    Sam didn¡¯t enjoy it. He couldn''t enjoy it. He felt like he¡¯d just been punched. He never considered that he and Redi might need to split up before the Conference. They¡¯d been taking on the entire Gym Challenge together every moment before now.

    We would have gone to Olivine, then Cianwood, and then taken a boat back down to Goldenrod before going to Ilex Forest. It could have worked out so well, but that¡¯s only if we prioritized what I want.

    Redi is right. For her team, she has to go to Goldenrod as soon as possible if she wants them to succeed. And the same is true for me when it comes to Olivine and my team.

    When it came to Porygon, Redi desperately wanted them to evolve. Sam knew she prayed that an evolution would help them become more independent. And then when it came to Sam¡¯s journey, re-battling Jasmine was only a loose desire, but he had promised himself he¡¯d do it. Also, Typhlosion deserved to visit her grandfather again, who lived along the way, and Sam had a gut feeling that traveling back toward Olivine was something Primeape needed to do.

    It felt as though they could have made it work if anything was ever so slightly different. But it wasn¡¯t. And that meant they couldn¡¯t keep traveling together once they left Ecruteak.

    ¡°Well...¡± Sam started, but he stopped himself as he made his expression serious. ¡°Well, whatever! Who cares if we won¡¯t be traveling together for the last bit of the season? The Conference is coming up no matter what! We¡¯re absolutely going to earn our last badges, and we¡¯re absolutely going to compete! So! We just need to promise to meet back up in Silver Town, and we¡¯ll both be there when the time comes!¡±

    Sam pushed to his face, now properly facing Redi. Dragonair watched him as he stood up, and he could feel the eyes of a few of his Ghost Types staring at his back.

    ¡°Agatha, and then Morty, both told me that I need to get better at managing how Ghost Type energy affects me,¡± he said, talking quickly. ¡°I know I can get angry or annoyed or bothered easily, but to stop that, they said I should make some kind of rules for myself so I always have something to fall back to. I might have been avoiding it because I didn¡¯t want to think about it, but let me make my first rule here right here and now!¡±

    He held out his hand.

    ¡°I will never betray my friends, and I will never break my promises,¡± he declared. ¡°And I promise to you that we¡¯ll meet back up in the Conference. You¡¯ll promise me that too, right?¡±

    Redi stared at his offered palm before finally letting out a snort. A sharp grin of her own appeared across her face.

    ¡°Of course! Gah, why am I acting like this? It¡¯s like I¡¯m becoming you or something!¡±

    She clasped his hand, and Sam yanked her to her feet. Their eyes then met in what could only be a challenge between trainers.

    Their eyes met in a challenge between friends.

    ¡°We¡¯ll face each other in the Conference,¡± Redi promised.

    ¡°We¡¯ll face each other in the Conference,¡± Sam promised right back.

    Some trainers would have a battle to say goodbye or even exchange gifts. Sometimes, in rare scenarios, trainers would even trade a Pok¨¦mon to encourage one another to meet back up in the future.

    But Sam didn¡¯t need to say or do anything else, and the same was true for Redi. Both were only one badge away from their goals with future schedules that saw little potential for an overlap. They both had the same goals, but they both had different paths. Yet, eventually, they¡¯d be in the same place no matter what.

    The Silver League Conference was a mere month and a half away, so for now, they¡¯d be parting.

    However, they both knew they¡¯d meet back up soon enough.

 Chapter 121

    Redi said she was leaving, but she wasn¡¯t leaving right away. She would only leave for Goldenrod once she and Sam agreed to head out of town. They had plenty of time left together, as neither were too keen on immediately splitting off. This was made extra true since leaving meant they wouldn¡¯t see one another for over a full extra month.

    Instead, they tried to relax, walking around town in an attempt to explore with their teams. They visited a few gardens, a Bell Tower viewing site, a daytime Burned Tower, and a handful of shops that sold custom-made goods.

    It was boring.

    Sure, Sam appreciated the historical weight these places carried, and sure, they could have spent a while just taking everything in, but the thing about going out on a journey was that they were always sightseeing. Trying to do that specifically wasn¡¯t anything special because they saw new places regardless of where they went. So it was boring, and staying in a town like this only caused a growing itch to go out and do something exciting. Exploring did little to help them develop their teams, and it did even less for what could be considered ¡°entertainment.¡±

    No, it took little time for them to come to a unanimous agreement¡ªacting like tourists wasn¡¯t worth the effort. They were trainers. They¡¯d rather be battling. So, if they wanted something to do, they¡¯d do exactly that.

    After a day of trying to explore the town and wasting their time, Sam and Redi went out behind the Pok¨¦mon Center to claim a battlefield early the next morning. There, they placed down a simple, painted sign and a large glass jar. The setup was simple: pay a small fee, and anyone could challenge them to a one-Pok¨¦mon-each battle. If their challengers won the match, then the challengers would earn every dollar that¡¯d been placed into the jar.

    The challenge was open to anyone who approached and paid a small fee. The catch was that the battle was a double battle¡ªevery trainer would use a single Pok¨¦mon, but two trainers were required to take Sam and Redi on at the same time. In Indigo, the main form of battling was still single battles. Almost no one ever practiced anything else, so challengers would need a partner to take them on in a match.

    Most people seemed wary of that idea, especially once they saw Redi¡¯s towering team members and Sam¡¯s scary-looking Ghost Types. However, a few curious pairs eventually decided to take them on.

    In every case, Sam and Redi won.

    The challenge started with only a sparse few trainers and a rather slow morning. Double battles were still new in theory, and not everyone wanted to bother with finding a partner. However, while it started slow, each fight added money to the jar. As its contents grew in both size and value, more and more passing eyes lingered on that prize.

    Whispers sparked up, not ones that talked about Sam and Redi, but ones shared between strangers trying to find the right partner to team up and earn that sum. Unfamiliar trainers would pair up and give the challenge a shot. Unfortunately for everyone who tried, Sam and Redi were prepared. The lack of switches made each battle fast, and Sam and Redi rotated their team members to ensure everyone had time to rest.

    By far, they had the advantage, as they were some of the few trainers here who had practiced for double battles in the past. Their challenge against Clair meant they were more experienced than most, and their Pok¨¦mon had been training together for months at this point so they knew how one another fought.

    Haphazardly thrown-together strategies weren¡¯t enough, and their Pok¨¦mon knew how to dismantle any attempts at overwhelming force. The Normal Type Ursaring could pin Pok¨¦mon and not need to worry about being clipped by Ghost Type moves. Similarly, Sam¡¯s Ghost Types could trap Pok¨¦mon without worrying about being incinerated by Ursaring¡¯s Hyper Beam. Dragonair could charge right through fields of Will-O-Wisp thanks to Shed Skin allowing her to ¡°discard¡± status conditions, and Porygon could hide within thick banks of Ominous Wind to serve as an impossible-to-find turret with perfect aim.

    But trainers watched, and they developed new strategies. When their opponents started becoming too clever, that was when Sam and Redi mixed things up.

    Instead of powerful combinations, they resorted to overwhelming force. Redi¡¯s Pok¨¦mon would stall to allow Misdreavus to set up with Nasty Plot, and Primeape was a surprise for anyone who expected another fragile Ghost Type. Ursaring and Primeape together was a vicious combination. Sam and Redi had far too many pre-planned strategies for most trainers to win, and victories rolled in. The jar became flush with cash.

    Unfortunately, not every Pok¨¦mon could participate in these matches. While Porygon wasn¡¯t known to the vast majority of challengers and Trevenant was rare enough to be a surprise, Typhlosion had to completely sit out.

    Rather quickly, this challenge became quite the public spectacle, so showing off the unknown Hisuian Typhlosion in battle was not worth the risk. Although, even though she couldn¡¯t fight, she could still attempt a different type of challenge instead.

    Rather than directly participating in a match, Typhlosion pushed herself to make use of her new Type. While she couldn¡¯t exactly sink into a shadow like the more ethereal members of Sam¡¯s team, she could still cloak herself in darkness. Underneath a set of nearby bleachers, she practiced her control of Ghost Type energy while trying to stay hidden. Barely anyone noticed her, and the ones who did quickly looked away when they saw her glowing purple eyes and the many more sets of eyes of all of the Gastly floating around to assist.

    Sam and Redi¡¯s battles stretched deep into the afternoon, but they didn¡¯t last forever. Though they built a good streak, it ended suddenly. As was expected, they eventually lost.

    The ¡°event¡± ended with a pair of challengers who were in the midst of their second season taking on the League. Though neither trainer had known the other beforehand, both had earned all eight of their Gym badges in their League attempt this year. They waited until a tough battle had come and passed before approaching Sam and Redi. There, an elite Arcanine identified Sam¡¯s Ghost Type with an Odor Sleuth, and the resulting lack of immunity to Normal Type moves allowed an Electrode¡¯s Explosion to take out both Porygon and Haunter at once.

    With that loss, the jar of money was passed over¡ªbut Sam and Redi weren¡¯t complete fools. Not every bill had been placed into the container, and they walked away with a decent sum.

    The next day, they didn¡¯t bother to do anything, choosing to simply sit back and take the time to rest. It was quiet, slow, and sleepy. They didn¡¯t do anything or even speak that much, but that was fine.

    They both knew what was soon to occur.

    Finally, after a bit longer in town, which they mostly used to watch people take on Morty¡¯s Gym, the moment arrived. Sam and Redi stood on a road that led out of the city. It split in a fork that had one path leading west toward Olivine and the other path leading south toward Goldenrod.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam said as the wind blew. The quiet city of Ecruteak slept behind them.

    ¡°So,¡± Redi repeated. She stared off in the directions they were yet to travel.

    Not sure what to say, Sam thumbed the strap of his backpack. Both he and Redi had already said their goodbyes to Morty at this point, and their Pok¨¦mon had already shared their well-wishes¡ªespecially Primeape and Ursaring. Those two seemed to have left one another with a promise: by the next time they met, both would have evolved.

    Sam and Redi planned to make that promise come true, but they were yet to say goodbye.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    But they stood there awkwardly, not really sure what to do or say. Eventually, enough time passed that Sam felt forced to speak up.

    ¡°So this is it,¡± he said, unable to turn toward Redi. ¡°We¡¯re splitting up here. This is the last time we¡¯ll be together until the Conference.¡±

    Redi just nodded, struggling to find her words, and she cast her gaze down the path that¡¯d guide her away.

    ¡°Sure. But it¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said. ¡°A month isn¡¯t even that long. We¡¯re still going to meet back up, and we¡¯re still going to earn all our Gym Badges. We¡¯ll be in Silver Town in no time at all, and when that happens, I¡¯m going to beat you and win the Conference!¡±

    She did her best to grin at him, attempting to send him a challenging smirk.

    ¡°Oh yeah? Beat me?¡± Sam said, grinning right back. ¡°Maybe in your dreams! And even then, that¡¯s not going to happen, ¡®cause Haunter is going to eat those dreams right up!¡±

    A pause.

    Despite Sam¡¯s challenge, Redi let out a snort. After a second, she threw her head back and guffawed, wiping an eye, and Sam had to look away due to the heat in his face.

    ¡°That was so dumb! Maybe work on your trash-talking before we meet back up, yeah?¡±

    Sam snorted, and then he laughed too. He couldn¡¯t help it. Redi was right; what he said did sound stupid, but it wasn¡¯t like he could have said anything else.

    ...They stood still. It was like their feet no longer worked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± Sam asked after a few seconds longer. ¡°Tibia and Fibula will be going with you to make sure Porygon stays safe, but you¡¯re still not going to have everyone else around. I¡¯ll at least have Haunter and the Gastly and everyone else, but you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Redi scoffed. ¡°You know my team can fight off anyone who comes our way. We don¡¯t need a horde of sensors to stay safe. I¡¯m more concerned about you and Typhlosion¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, the same is true for us. We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sam said.

    Once more, their conversation drifted off, but this time around, Sam could tell that this was it. There was no sense in stalling any longer.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± he said, turning toward Olivine.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back, too,¡± Redi said as she turned toward Goldenrod.

    They could have said a more explicit goodbye, but they both knew they needn¡¯t bother. This was only a temporary parting. As they each took a step forward, they knew they would be meeting up again.

    In Silver Town.

    In the Conference.

    At the very end of the season.

    <hr>

    ¡°No, no. This is not us betraying Redi. There¡¯s nothing wrong with making a plan!¡± Sam said to his team. ¡°She¡¯s the same as us¡ªI mean, she¡¯s doing the same as us. We¡¯re just planning for a fight against one another. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that!¡±

    Typhlosion sent Sam a look from where she was sitting during the team¡¯s break. They¡¯d already traveled down Route 39 once before, so Sam knew the best locations to rest and wait. Around them were wide, hilly plains that¡¯d eventually give way to ranches and farms. To the far north, a range of mountains lined the horizon, and directly to their south, a small slope connected to a river that followed the main road.

    Technically, they had stopped somewhere where passersby could see Typhlosion, but her evolution wasn¡¯t exactly going to stay secret forever. It was just that the news of her evolution wasn¡¯t something to be passed around just yet. She didn¡¯t need to hide if they weren¡¯t anywhere so public.

    From a distance, she looked like a normal Typhlosion, she just had darker fur and purple flames. All Pok¨¦mon could have slight differences in fur style and color, and some stores even sold specialty dust that could temporarily change the appearance of a Fire Type¡¯s flames.

    So it wasn¡¯t that suspicious to have her out here. It wasn¡¯t like there were any travelers nearby, anyway. Anyone who passed by would just think she was just a strange-looking Typhlosion until they got close, and even then, the rest of Sam¡¯s team could move around to block that view.

    But since they were traveling, Sam couldn¡¯t exactly not take breaks to train, and forcing Typhlosion to constantly stay hidden was just plain cruel. There were no problems with her being out right now, and she needed to be out right now. After all, they were planning! What better time to make a plan to defeat Redi if not during a time when Redi wasn¡¯t around?

    ¡°Just think about it,¡± Sam said, looking around to meet almost everyone¡¯s concerned gaze (except for Trevenant, as he didn¡¯t seem to mind), ¡°we already know Redi has a plan to defeat us, so we need to make one to defeat her. But not just her, we also need to be ready for Xavier. More than him, there¡¯s also everyone else we¡¯ve met¡ªEliza and Edgar and Cassandra and anyone else who might show up at the Conference! We need plans! We have to be able to take them on!¡±

    It was simply common sense to prepare strategies for any trainer they might face, and it was simply common sense to include Redi in that group of potential opponents. Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon might have grumbled to themselves, but they did relent in the end.

    He took the opportunity to pull out a certain book, and for once, it wasn¡¯t the New Pok¨¦dex. No, for their upcoming training sessions, he had a journal full of notes prepared specifically for developing the team.

    ¡°Morty helped a lot. We know where we can improve because of him. Yeah, we can¡¯t forgo offense again, but we¡¯ve been letting some of our status moves fall to the side.¡± Sam flipped through his journal¡¯s pages. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the weirder moves¡ªSpite, Grudge, and even Curse. Typhlosion, you saw how that move actually works, so you should be able to figure it out now. And for the rest of you, there¡¯s also Destiny Bond. And then we can¡¯t forget about using known moves in new situations, either.¡±

    He glanced up from his journal to see that his team was paying rapt attention. For his impending plans, he had no intention to let anything Morty had said go to waste. The man was Ecruteak¡¯s Gym Leader. Everything he had said came from a place of extreme, recognized skill, and Morty was also Johto¡¯s foremost expert on the Ghost Type for a reason.

    ¡°Also, there¡¯s something else. I¡¯m not going to focus on just you five. For our training, there are a few other Pok¨¦mon that deserve our attention, so...¡±

    Sam glanced between his feet at the dark shadow beneath them.

    After a second of staring, the mass of hiding Pok¨¦mon the hint, and a Gastly pulled itself out. After that one came another, and then another, and another. There were enough Gastly beneath him that it wasn¡¯t a quick process, but soon enough, an entire swarm of Ghost Types had entered the air¡ªalthough Haunter did have to dive in and grab two more that hadn''t wanted to come out.

    ¡°So far, all of you have been traveling with me, and I can see that I¡¯ve been neglecting you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sam bowed his head to the Ghost Type swarm, earning him over a dozen looks of surprise. ¡°For all of you, unless you¡¯re very interested, I¡¯m not going to train you to battle, but I do think working together to plan out a few tricks might be fun. I want to take a more active approach instead of just leaving you as observers. What do you think about that?¡±

    In addition to training his core team, Sam couldn¡¯t forget all of the Gastly that¡¯d been following him across the region. He had a responsibility to make sure they didn¡¯t fall into chaos¡ªand to do that, this moment had been carefully planned.

    The phrasing of his offer had been specifically chosen to imply that the training was something the Gastly would get to do instead of something they had to do. Forcing them to train under him would only see most of them run away.

    Thankfully, this moment was planned to minimize risks, and Sam already had a quiet conversation with Haunter. Haunter had gone ahead to pick out the most amenable Gastly to inform them of this offer ahead of time.

    So, as the swarm weighed Sam¡¯s words, a few, specific individuals were quick to nod. Already aware, they were downright eager to work with Sam. That initial display of willingness opened the floodgates, and as to not part with the rest of the group, the rest of the Gastly easily jumped in to agree.

    ¡°Great! I know it¡¯ll be fun. I have a lot of ideas you¡¯ll enjoy,¡± Sam said.

    He hid his sigh of relief as the Gastly began to chat among themselves. Morty wasn¡¯t wrong about his duty to these Pok¨¦mon, and it helped to know he wouldn¡¯t have to wrangle them into submission.

    That confirmation marked the end of everything Sam had to do to start his team¡¯s practice. Everyone here was ready to help him craft new strategies. The mass Gastly were all ready to train together as well, but even then, to Sam, something felt missing.

    So this is it. I¡¯ll be training everyone on my own, huh? It feels... I don¡¯t know. It feels quiet.

    There was a missing energy in their group. A certain presence was absent. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t like that¡¯d change anytime soon. This was how things would be until the Conference.

    ¡°I just want to say that while I might be a bit hard on everyone, it comes from a place of recognition. A place of desire,¡± Sam said, taking the time to look all of the Pok¨¦mon in the eye. ¡°All of you have your own wants and needs, and my job is to make sure they come true. But we can¡¯t forget that we only have so much time left in the season¡ªonly so much time left to train. One Gym is all that stands between us and the Conference, but you know what?¡±

    Many of them said their names, asking ¡°What?¡± in reply.

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°No matter what, we¡¯re going to win!¡±

    His declaration was met with a cheer by the majority of the Pok¨¦mon. While the Gastly were still in agreement, a few were only cautiously optimistic, and Primeape and Trevenant were quiet when they nodded their heads.

    Sam knew that all of his Pok¨¦mon carried their own desires, but all of those desires came from the same place. They wanted to be happy. They wanted the freedom to do what they wished. But to do that, they all needed the same thing:

    They needed to become strong.

    Together, they¡¯d train. Redi might not have been there, but Sam and his team still had each other. He had a duty as their trainer to make sure everyone was prepared. He had a duty to make sure they became as strong as they could possibly be.

    So as they traveled west, they trained, practiced, and created new plans. His team worked on specific developments, and to make sure everyone was working toward the right goals, Sam began to meet with everyone one by one.

 Chapter 122

    Even without Redi, travel was a cycle that involved frequent breaks. Sam would spend a while walking down the route, and once he found a decently clear area, he¡¯d settle down for a rest. There, his team would practice their moves and test out potential strategies while he took a break. His Pok¨¦mon would then relax in their Pok¨¦balls while he traveled west, and the process would begin anew.

    Nothing about this schedule changed from how they had traveled alongside Redi. Right now, however, everyone was throwing themselves into it with a greater sense of determination than before. Practice was less relaxed and more intense than usual thanks to the knowledge that Cianwood was coming up. There, they¡¯d strive to earn their eighth Gym Badge as fast as possible, and then they¡¯d leave via a boat to Goldenrod. Their real goal was to finish the season in Ilex Forest, the premier environment for a team of Ghost Types to train for the Conference.

    But they needed to actually get there first.

    So they went through harsh training sessions for now, with everything themselves to be as strong as possible to defeat their final Gym. Thankfully, Sam was great at making plans, and instead of ¡°merely¡± taking a break while his Pok¨¦mon trained, he made sure to chat with them and make sure they knew the direction they needed to take their training.

    <hr>

    Typhlosion had her offensive moves down. Her evolution had brought a massive increase in strength, and she had spent the weeks before their seventh Gym battle practicing and learning all of her damaging Ghost Type moves. When fighting, she primarily relied on Infernal Parade and Flamethrower for damage, which meant she truly only needed to worry about Pok¨¦mon that resisted those moves¡¯ Types. But even then, Misdreavus and Primeape could take out those difficult opponents for her in those cases, and inflicting a burn could also turn a tough fight into a win. Alternatively, since she now knew both Smoke Screen and Double Team, Typhlosion could easily stall out any foe, but they¡¯d already learned in the past that pure evasion wasn¡¯t enough to win.

    She was in a good place power-wise, but that didn¡¯t mean she was done with her training. Strength could always be increased, and Sam still had a few ideas for new developments. She was the first he approached for a chat, moving to her side as she practiced creating spheres of Night Shade around her.

    ¡°Agility and Curse,¡± Sam said outright.

    Typhlosion glanced over, dropping her sphere of darkness.

    ¡°Quick Attack is fine, but it¡¯s only a quick burst of speed. It doesn¡¯t provide any ongoing increase in how fast you move. Flame Charge can give you that, but that move requires locking you into an attack,¡± Sam explained, listing off his points while pulling at his fingers. ¡°Agility doesn¡¯t have that limit, and we¡¯ve already done some practice with it before. So I think you should start trying to work on Agility to replace Quick Attack, and then there¡¯s also...¡±

    Curse.

    Sam let his words trail off. He could tell Typhlosion understood why he was reluctant. Back in Ecruteak, she had seen Morty¡¯s Pok¨¦mon use that very move, and it hadn¡¯t exactly been an innocuous, self-boost.

    They both knew how Curse had to be used. The energy responded differently to Ghost Types and non-Ghost Types. It was no longer about solely boosting her physical energy. She needed to take that energy and harm herself with it, and then she¡¯d be able to carry that pain into a damaging Curse that could be laid onto any foe.

    She would have to effectively relearn the move, but Sam knew she would pick it up fast. The problem he had was with the pain the new version required¡ªhe couldn¡¯t say he was the biggest fan of having Typhlosin stab herself in the chest.

    ¡°If you were more ethereal, like Haunter or Misdreavus, I wouldn¡¯t be so worried. They can take serious damage and then reform missing parts of themselves. But using Curse is violent. Seeing Gengar slam its energy into itself was a lot. The sheer amount of damage you¡¯d take¡ª¡±

    Typhlosion huffed. She was touched by Sam¡¯s worry, but she also clearly thought that his worry was misplaced.

    Before he could ask or inquire about her reaction, Typhlosion was already moving. She held out a paw, and shadows curled around it in something that was neither a Shadow Claw nor an Infernal Parade. They formed into a flickering, jagged edge, and Sam jumped when she slammed it straight into her chest.

    However, when she pulled her paw back, there was no injury. Typhlosion had winced and parts of her fur had blackened, but there was no other physical mark or injury from the work-in-progress Curse being used.

    ¡°Good.¡± Sam breathed out in relief. ¡°So it¡¯s more of a spiritual wound instead of a physical one. That¡¯s why it hurt Morty¡¯s Gengar so visibly; Gengar don¡¯t exactly have physical bodies.¡±

    Typhlosion nodded happily¡ªshe had been practicing, and she¡¯d found that the injury caused by Curse was minor, all things considered. It hurt in the moment and would affect her in battle, but its pain was closer to something inflicted by Destiny Bond. She wouldn¡¯t need to be rushed to the Pok¨¦mon Center after using it, but it would certainly make her closer to fainting in the match.

    ¡°Thanks for showing me that, Typhlosion. I¡¯m happy you¡¯ve been practicing, but, uh, well...¡± Sam chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t want you practicing those kinds of moves without me? I spent all this time worrying about Curse, and if it was any different, you could have got seriously injured, so I¡¯m glad it''s not worse, but¡ª¡±

    Sam was interrupted by Typhlosion placing a paw on his head.

    It took him a second to process what just happened, and he flailed his arms to get her paw off. She snickered as she pulled it away, her laughter coming as a throaty rumble as she took in his embarrassed reaction.

    ¡°Fine then. Maybe I won¡¯t tell you the good news,¡± Sam huffed, and Typhlosion immediately stopped her laugh. ¡°...But I¡¯ve been thinking. Since we¡¯re on our way back to Olivine, Carl¡¯s ranch is going to be right there. Since it¡¯s not really a detour, I figured we could visit your grandfather sometime in the coming days.¡±

    And then in just a surprise as before, Sam suddenly found himself scooped up into a hug. He fought against it for only a second before letting himself lean into Typhlosions arms.

    She was excited. Her grandfather was a Typhlosion of great power, and she didn¡¯t get to see him that often. Not only would she have a chance to show off once they arrived, but she¡¯d also have the chance to learn a few tricks from a Typhlosion far older than her.

    <hr>

    When Sam approached Misdreavus, she was leading a group of Gastly. While the Gastly did tend to listen to Haunter most of the time, not every one of them followed his advice. Some preferred a more steady head, and when it came to learning more from Sam¡¯s group, these Gastly wished to hear from a reliable commander rather than a mischievous friend.

    So for them, Misdreavus demonstrated Hex¡ªnot necessarily to teach it, but just to show off the move. She¡¯d already gone through both her Shadow Ball and her Night Shade, so it only made sense to demonstrate this attack next. Though fewer in number and with less control than Typhlosion¡¯s Infernal Parade, the wisps of her Hex were still quite impressive as she arranged them into burning, geometric shapes in the air.

    ¡°Hey, Misdreavus,¡± Sam called out. His voice seemed to stun some of the Gastly; a good portion of them had looked absolutely enthralled by Misdreavus¡¯s moves. ¡°Wanna talk about training?¡±

    The response was instant; every dark flame winked out. Without bothering to say goodbye, Misdreavus immediately ended her show and split away from the Gastly to reach Sam. She then affectionately nudged his side.

    He laughed.

    ¡°Sorry. I need to borrow her for a bit. Just a short break! She¡¯ll be back to it soon!¡± Sam called out.

    The Gastly tried to look on with pleading eyes, but Sam was used to their antics and knew when to move on. Stepping to the side, he found a quiet spot for a chat with Misdreavus. Some of the other Gastly drifted away, but most remained behind to patiently wait for Misdreavus to continue her demonstration.

    ¡°Alright, Misdreavus,¡± Sam said, looking his Pok¨¦mon up and down. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about training. I already gave you a big list of attacking moves in the past, but right now, I want you to focus on just two: Power Gem and Pain Split.¡±

    Misdreavus eagerly listened in, and Sam went on to explain.

    Power Gem was one of the few, special-attacking Rock Type moves, and it used the power of gemstones to fire out laser beams, somehow. His thought was that it would be unleashed from the pearl necklace around her neck, and it¡¯d be a useful move for her to pick up.

    As a Pok¨¦mon so based around special attacks, coverage was more important for Misdreavus than the rest of the team. She already had Ghost and Psychic Type moves, but a new Rock Type attack could help her take out Types otherwise difficult for Sam¡¯s team. Rock was super effective against both Fire and Flying, and it was a viable option against Dark. Conceptually, Sam couldn¡¯t claim to understand how it worked, but the New Pok¨¦dex said it came naturally to Misdreavus¡¯s species, and it was a strong companion for her Nasty Plot.

    ¡°I know I¡¯ve already talked about Power Gem in the past, but I think now¡¯s the best time to learn it. It¡¯s more accurate than most other Rock Type attacks, and it should pack enough of a punch to be a strong surprise,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ve also been considering Pain Split, but that move is a bit more... strange.¡±

    There were many other moves Misdreavus could still learn, but he didn¡¯t want to have her split her focus too much.

    ¡°Pain Split takes your and your opponent¡¯s remaining health and divides it equally between the two of you,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to ¡®split your pain,¡¯ but since you have less vitality than most Pok¨¦mon, it should generally result in a heal. The big reason I want you to learn it is so that you have a way to stay up while sweeping. All of that sounds good on paper, but...¡±

    He breathed out, distinctly aware of the analysis he wrote on it in his journal.

    ¡°The same lack of vitality that makes it good for you also makes it bad,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Pain Split might be amazing against a Pok¨¦mon like Ursaring, but that¡¯s not a great match-up in the first place. One Shadow Claw would see you faint, and the same is true for any of his other non-Normal Type attacks. It¡¯s more of a niche pick-up to use in emergencies rather than something to base your strategy around.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Misdreavus hummed as Sam explained his plans, and then she spoke; she had her own thoughts to add. Primarily, she gestured to her body and a certain conspicuous lack of arms, something that¡¯d change once she evolved into a Mismagius.

    Her evolution would bring an increase to both her power and her defense. While she currently wasn¡¯t the best at taking hits, that would improve once she evolved. As a Mismagius, it¡¯d let her take more risks in fights.

    ¡°Yeah, but¡ª¡±

    She interrupted again, sharing even more of her thoughts.

    Pain Split was a good move, they¡¯d just need to use it carefully. If Sam really wanted to give her a way to punish foes for hurting her, then he¡¯d have her learn Destiny Bond. In a way, Pain Split was safer.

    Once she was done gesturing to share her thoughts, Sam looked at his Pok¨¦mon before letting out a sigh. Misdreavus giggled and affectionately rubbed against his side again.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re definitely right,¡± he said as Midreavus smiled to herself, smug. ¡°Pain Split is better, and while I do want you to learn Destiny Bond eventually, a way to heal gives you more opportunities in battle overall. Still, it¡¯s not as pressing as coverage, so focus on Power Gem first, alright?¡±

    She eagerly nodded her head. Her central gemstone flashed as if in practice, but since she hadn¡¯t really attempted the move before, no attack came out.

    ¡°Alright. So other than that, I¡¯ve been thinking about your evolution. I think I finally know when we¡¯ll be using that Dusk Stone.¡±

    Cianwood.

    Specifically, Sam thought it made the most sense to evolve Misdreavus right before their final Gym Battle. He wanted to give her time to make sure she had as solid of a baseline as possible, and he wanted to make sure she had time to learn her new moves before needing to distract herself with getting used to a new form.

    However, there was an argument to evolve Misdreavus earlier than that. Once a Mismagius, she¡¯d need to spend time adapting to her new form before she could properly fight in a battle. However, Sam was more worried about the Conference than maximizing their chances in their final Gym battle. Since Misdreavus focused more on special attacks than physical attacks, the biggest change her evolution would bring would be the power behind her moves, something that would only need a slight amount of work to get used to in time for their fight.

    ¡°Does that sound good?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Do you have any thoughts or comments on my plans for you?¡±

    Misdreavus tilted to the side before nodding and saying her name excitedly. She agreed with his plans, and she had trusted him to make the right decision before he¡¯d even caught her. The fact that he was talking to her at all about this instead of just demanding she train or evolve in a certain way just made her agree even more.

    So their plans were set, but even though Sam had nothing else to say, Misdreavus had more thoughts to share. Unrelated to any new moves, she¡¯d been given thought to something Sam had brought up in the past.

    Her species might not have been the Psychic Type, but she was capable of plenty of Psychic Type moves. When it came to using old moves in new situations, she had plenty of ideas she wanted to try.

    <hr>

    The conversations with Haunter and Primeape were easy. Haunter only needed to practice his moves¡ªeverything but Hypnosis, since he¡¯d been relying on it too much lately. He was already more than willing to learn Destiny Bond as well because the idea of making his opponents faint at the same time as him made him cackle.

    As for Primeape, he had the singular and overwhelming goal of complete mastery over Rage Fist, something absolutely necessary for him to evolve. He could have alternatively tried to develop other useful attacks like Power-Up Punch and Drain Punch, but evolving into an Annihilape was a hill he needed to climb before splitting his focus on anything else.

    However, while Haunter and Primeape¡¯s goals were easy, Sam still had one more Pok¨¦mon to speak to. He passed by where Haunter sparred with Primeape, who was practicing close-ranged dodges while Primeape practiced his aim.

    A cloud of Gastly floated in the air above them, watching Haunter and Primeape give it their all. Haunter would use Spite to drain Primeape¡¯s reserved energy, but Primeape would push through, trying to figure out how to unleash his attacks with the maximum possible efficiency.

    Sam didn¡¯t say anything as he moved next to Trevenant. It was almost night, as their schedule had shifted. He¡¯d chosen to travel closer to night to give his Pok¨¦mon more comfortable conditions outside of the light. As a Grass Type, however, Trevenant couldn¡¯t exactly relax during these periods and photosynthesize, but he was still partially a Ghost Type and was right at home under the moon as he was under the sun.

    Ahead, Haunter and Primeape continued their exchange. Trevenant¡¯s singular eye flicked over to Sam, but Sam didn¡¯t say anything, and his gaze went back to the match for the while it took for Sam to finally speak.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he eventually said.

    A slight scoff escaped Trevenant¡¯s throat¡ªSam had stood there for all that time just to start with such a basic greeting. Yet, Sam could only smile at the reaction. It might have come from a place of annoyance, but it was casual. It was an unconscious demonstration of trust that Trevenant was so relaxed at Sam¡¯s side.

    ¡°Do you mind if we talk?¡± Sam asked. ¡°I wanted to discuss plans I have for you on the team.¡±

    Trevenant replied with a soft grunt of his name. He had already said he was willing to train back in Mahogany Town, and that was still true right now.

    So, Trevenant turned to properly look at him, using his root-like legs to twist his entire body so all of him was facing Sam. It was a purposeful movement to show that Sam had his entire focus, even with the spar going on not too far away.

    He loomed, but Sam felt no worry. Trevenant was his Pok¨¦mon, and more importantly, Trevenant was a proper member of the team¡ªa friend.

    ¡°Back then, when we were preparing to meet you, I tried really hard to figure out how a Trevenant might fight in a battle,¡± Sam started. ¡°I looked into all of your potential moves and readied everyone to fight a regenerating wall, but in the end, all you did was use Horn Leech?¡±

    Trevenant scoffed.

    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t get me wrong. Your attacks are strong. Horn Leech is a great, default move to rely on with its damage and self-healing, but we¡¯ve been building up your battle instincts since then, and we¡¯ve even been working on turning your Astonish into Shadow Claw. That¡¯s been going well, but...¡±

    Sam trailed off when he noticed a few shreds of darkness begin curling around Trevenant¡¯s claws. It was different, as when Typhlosion would use this attack, she controlled Ghost Type energy to conjure lengthened, sharpened claws that stretched from her paws. But when Trevenant used it here, however, his hands were already claws of gnarled, sharpened wood. His Shadow Claw was not constructed out of Ghost Type energy, rather, it came to form like a Ghost Type, enhanced Slash.

    ¡°You got it! See? I knew you could do it!¡± Sam looked at Trevenant with a smile. ¡°But what I think we should really do is lean into the Grass Type. With all of that research I talked about, I can make you an absolute menace to face on the field.¡±

    Trevenant might have been trying to keep his expression level, but his gaze sharpened with a greater sense of focus in reaction to Sam¡¯s words.

    Sam breathed in; he had a lot of ideas.

    ¡°Ingrain might make you immobile, but it gives you a guaranteed way to heal yourself by pulling energy from the battlefield floor. Leech Seed adds more healing on top of that while damaging your opponents in return. Now stack that healing with Horn Leech¡ªwhich I already talked about¡ªand then combine it with your Harvest ability, too. Think about it. If I give you a Sitrus Berry, you can constantly heal yourself up. Other Pok¨¦mon might be better at taking attacks than you, but with all of that applied, you could heal yourself from any move sent your way!¡±

    Trevenant quirked his brow¡ªan action that looked a little silly given he only had a single pupil. Sam stared back until he had to clear his throat in an attempt to not laugh.

    ¡°The big part, though, is using your Harvest ability. That¡¯s what I think we should work on mastering,¡± Sam said. ¡°Regrowing healing berries can make sure you stay up in battle. I mean, I haven¡¯t really seen you use it this way, but you don¡¯t have to give away what you grow. Taking the seeds of a single Sitrus berry to make dozens more can give you a lot of extra health in a fight.¡±

    Trevenant stared back until suddenly looking away in what was almost a mimicry of how Sam had just cleared his throat. When he brought up a fist to cough into it, the Pok¨¦mon looked embarrassed.

    It was like Trevenant had never thought of using berries to heal himself in battle, before.

    Sam felt smug, and Trevenant was receptive. Stacking forms of healing was just the start of the ideas he had in mind. The sheer amount of potential Trevenant held was genuinely ridiculous.

    ¡°I have a lot more thoughts on how to make you strong, especially when we throw in other effects, like Confuse Ray or Will-O-Wisp. And then there¡¯s also your attacks! Did you know you can learn Wood Hammer? That¡¯s crazy! Instead of just your claws, you could swing your entire arm for a single, devastating blow!¡±

    Trevenant would be a powerhouse, he just needed to put the practice in. Sam was already more than excited to see Trevenant¡¯s future as a fully realized Ghost-Grass Type.

    Trevenant, too, seemed to like the plans. He always tried to keep his expression level, but there was a certain glint to his eye that told Sam he was looking forward to those ideas.

    For Sam, that was nice to see.

    ¡°Also... I didn¡¯t come here to just talk about moves. There¡¯s something else I want your help with,¡± Sam said quietly as he turned back to watch Haunter and Primeape¡¯s spar. ¡°You¡¯ve been with us for a few weeks at this point, but everyone else has been with me for months. In Typhlosion¡¯s case, we grew up together. So I¡¯m very familiar with everyone else here. Everyone except you.¡±

    Trevenant blinked at Sam, almost hiding an awkward shuffle alongside that move. Sam saw the reaction and quickly spoke up¡ªhe hadn¡¯t been trying to make Trevenant feel out of place, he was just trying to point something out.

    ¡°No, no, no. Not like that. What I mean is...¡± Sam groaned. ¡°Sorry. This is hard. Specifically, I want to see if I can trade for a new Pok¨¦mon in Olivine City to get a sixth to add to our team. When that happens, we¡¯ll be getting a new friend, and that new friend is probably a Pok¨¦mon that¡¯s been trained separately from the team. So, I was thinking, well...¡±

    Sam looked up at Trevenant.

    ¡°Would you be willing to help me when that happens? Help me introduce them to everyone. I want your experience to help them fit in.¡±

    Trevenant stared back at Sam, looking like he didn¡¯t know how to respond. Generally, the most experienced Pok¨¦mon was the one to greet a new capture, but in this case, Sam was going with the inverse.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can really explain my logic. I just think you¡¯d be a good fit. There¡¯s just something about you...¡± He held back a chuckle. ¡°You just seem like a good leader.¡±

    Trevenant looked away silently. Out of the corner of his eye, though the Pok¨¦mon lacked blood, Sam got the sense that there was almost a blush on Trevenant¡¯s face.

    A moment passed between them, and Haunter somehow landed a solid punch to Primeape¡¯s face. The clearing fell into silence before the Gastly broke out in cheers, and then Primeape sent him a nod of respect before lunging. The spar devolved into a panicked chase.

    As that nonsense played out before them, Trevenant finally came to a decision. He nodded, and Sam broke into a smile.

    ¡°Great! Thanks, Trevenant. I know you¡¯ll be perfect for the job!¡±

    Trevenant cleared his throat again in an attempt to keep acting act cool. Sam used the opportunity to swing his backpack around, pulling out his journal and a certain set of notes he wrote back in Mahogany Town.

    He ignored the shouts of the Gastly coming from around him. This kind of chase was good for his Pok¨¦mon. It wasn¡¯t mean-spirited, and Haunter was practicing how well he could hide while giving Primeape the chance to develop how well he could search.

    ¡°I still have my old notes I wrote when preparing for you,¡± Sam said to Trevenant. ¡°So I already have a bunch of different ideas on how a Trevenant can fight. If you¡¯re interested in hearing them...¡±

    Trevenant nodded again, and Sam didn¡¯t wait to read from the page.

    Training continued, and the team became stronger. Sam continued to head west.

    Their destination was soon in reach.

    <hr>

    Finally, as Sam and everyone else traveled closer and closer to Olivine City, training breaks became more frequent. It wasn¡¯t that they were stalling, it was just that they were spending a longer time getting stronger each day.

    Sam made sure to take advantage of those periods, using them to furiously scribble into his journal. Each night at dusk, he would find time for himself by the campfire, and he¡¯d go over his notes while tending to a stew.

    Truthfully, he had completely filled up his first journal at this point and was already well into his second. Though there was no narrative or coherent plot, he was proud of that fact.

    In a way, filling it up meant he¡¯d written an entire book.

    While he appreciated the relative quiet he used to work, it did feel empty without Redi, even after all these days spent away. The campsite was missing something without her presence, and Sam missed her regular, casual taunts.

    When it comes to facing her, though, I still need more ideas. We might have a few counters for Redi¡¯s team, but they all need more work.

    If Haunter picks up Destiny Bond, he can take out any of her Pok¨¦mon, but that only works once. Unfortunately, after Morty, she¡¯ll be expecting something like that. No, Misdreavus¡¯s Pain Split is probably unexpected enough to be key.

    Though he was helping his team get stronger, Sam had another duty of his own. As his team¡¯s trainer, they trusted him to come up with strategies and to know exactly what to do to have them win.

    When we arrive in Olivine, I should use a computer to check the League¡¯s archives or maybe some forum posts. That should let me find recordings of Xavier and other trainers from past tournaments. It won¡¯t give me a look into their current teams, it¡¯ll let me see where their current teams are coming from.

    Ugh. The Conference is so soon. I know we have over a month left, but it feels like we¡¯re running out of time.

    The noises of the campfire¡¯s crackling flames, the bubbling food, and the furious scribbling of his pen filled the air. Typhlosion dozed next to him, and various Ghost Types floated around and enjoyed the chill of the approaching night.

    The sun was actively setting, casting the sky into a rainbow of reds and oranges. The first half of the moon was already visible to the east. Half of the sky was already dark with pinpricks of stars.

    Everyone was relaxing after their long day, and though Sam was focusing on his work and the stew he occasionally stirred, he quickly realized a silence had fallen over the camp. All movement had ceased in favor of everyone focusing on one Pok¨¦mon¡¯s form.

    They were close to Olivine. Close to the mountains. Close to where Sam had captured one member of his team at the very start.

    He felt as though he was being watched, and as he brought up his head, he was met with Primeape¡¯s gaze.

    He carefully closed his journal.

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    Primeape walked over to stand in front of the fire, casting his gaze into the flames. He stared for several moments before turning, looking directly at the mountain range to the north.

    Then, with a grunt, he communicated his desire:

    It was time.

    They were close enough.

    Primeape had been waiting and practicing and training for all this time, and now that they were here, he was finally ready to talk.

 Chapter 123

    Primeape was a Mankey when he first hatched from an egg, and Mankey¡¯s memories of back then were blurry. However, he knew he had a mother even though he couldn¡¯t remember anything about what she was like. Primarily, he knew that he hatched into a ¡°tribe¡± of wild Mankey, and just as much as his mother was family, the tribe was his family. But more so than anything else, his family was his brother, and that made everything that happened to him so much worse.

    Mankey¡¯s tribe lived off-route, which came with its costs and benefits. No one in the tribe would be captured and they had the freedom to do and take what they wanted, but they didn¡¯t have the protection or relative safety of an area regularly patrolled by humans. The tribe existed because there was safety in numbers, but they had no singular leader. Everyone was unevolved and on their own, but they traveled and stuck together because that was what let them succeed.

    They lived in the mountains, in which they roamed through a few specific valleys. When individual Mankey set off to wander, they made sure to never wander too far away from everyone else. There was no set pattern or schedule they followed, they simply moved according to the tribe¡¯s whims. Often, they would be motivated by discoveries found by wandering members, bathing in and drinking from discovered hot springs and briefly settling into caves that were unoccupied enough for them to temporarily claim.

    But the biggest reason they wandered, however, was to find food. Mankey were omnivorous, which meant they ate nuts, berries, and bugs¡ªspecifically, the small ones that could be found under rocks, not the much larger and more dangerous Bug Types.

    Chestnuts were by far the tribe¡¯s favorite food due to the nutty flavour perfectly appealing to a Mankey¡¯s palette. Unfortunately, chestnuts were never easy to eat due to the nut¡¯s spiked exterior. The most common way a member of the tribe would open the nut was to give it to someone else. That Mankey would try to peel it, get pricked, and then undoubtedly thrash about in anger, breaking the nut open in the resulting rampage and allowing the ¡°gifter¡± to eat it.

    Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t always work because sometimes the target Mankey were able to peel nut with minimal pain and consume it themselves. The problem was that while the tribe was a tribe with many Mankey part of it, the Mankey didn¡¯t exactly help each other. Everyone was on their own, but they were at least on their own together.

    That was why Mankey himself lived so well at the start of it all. He and his brother stuck together, and having someone to rely on was critical to all of their success.

    Two Mankey working together were more powerful than two Mankey working on their own. Relying on one another, they were able to do things other Mankey couldn¡¯t do. They could go out and forage while watching one another¡¯s back. They could rely on one another¡¯s eyes while searching for areas to claim for a rest. Other tribe members were more reluctant to try to steal their stuff when the two of them shared and protected their belongings. They could take turns sleeping without needing to worry about anyone eating their food.

    Between the two of them, it was Mankey¡¯s brother who was stronger. He was the one to fight, and Mankey was the one to come up with their plans. While the tribe often traveled, they didn¡¯t lack food due to the sheer number of chestnut trees that existed in the mountain range. While difficult to open, the only other Pok¨¦mon that ate those chestnuts were Flying Types, who could painlessly pick them up with their beaks and drop them from a great height to break them open and easily peel away the spikes.

    Yet, also extremely common in the mountains were Rock Types, and as Fighting Type Pok¨¦mon, Mankey and his brother had little to worry about thanks to their inherent sturdiness and Type advantage. So, it was Mankey who came up with a foolproof plan to use those Rock Types to let them eat as many chestnuts as they desired.

    Instead of tricking another Mankey into peeling the nuts for them, they simply went out and found a Rock Type Pok¨¦mon. Mankey¡¯s brother would distract it, usually by taking it on in a fight, and then Mankey would go up and take advantage of the chaos by tossing in chestnuts to be broken open by the Rock Type attacks.

    His fondest memory was of when they found an Onix. Looking back on it, it had been a foolish plan, but it had earned them so much. The large Pok¨¦mon had been coiled, deep asleep, and Mankey had found a leaf large enough to carry many chestnuts at once. His brother enraged the Onix by waking it up, and while his brother fled and ran away, Mankey tossed the bundle of chestnuts into a gap between the Onix¡¯s ever-churning stones. The grinding motion meant that every nut within broke enough to be easily peeled.

    They feasted that night.

    Because they worked so well together, Mankey and his brother started to gain more and more respect in their group. They ate more food, so they were healthier and had more energy than the average member of the tribe. His brother fought in more battles too, so his energy was used to increase his strength. Mankey himself, meanwhile, used his energy to scout and make plans. As he was the brains between them, he had to always make sure he had a plan.

    Soon enough, it became the case that when a problem started up in the tribe, the other Mankey would go to them for a resolution. And, if one of them had something to say, more often than not, the other Pok¨¦mon would stop and listen.

    But that didn¡¯t last forever. The turning point came when Mankey went out to scout and found something incredibly valuable¡ªa lone berry tree. It was one just undefended enough that the tribe had a good chance to claim it for themselves.

    See, Primeape¡¯s experiences were so focused on food because food was the motivating factor out in the wild. The tribe might have had many sources of it, but accessing those sources required frequent travel. Staying in one place tended to exhaust the local area of meals while also carrying the risk of angering any strong, singular Pok¨¦mon that had ¡°ownership¡± over the area they were in.

    But berry trees were special. Not only did they grow food, but berries were inherently more nutritious than anything else. It took only a handful of berries to feel absolutely stuffed, and berry trees tended to grow more fast.

    Claiming a tree would allow the tribe to settle permanently, with them no longer needing to worry about obtaining their next meal. By claiming the one Mankey had found, the tribe would be set for¡ªwell, they¡¯d essentially be set forever.

    Immediately upon his discovery, Mankey clamored back over the valley¡¯s rocks to return to his brother, sharing the discovery and then telling the entire tribe exactly what he had found. The berry tree was owned by a flock of Spearow, and the Flying Type Pok¨¦mon hadn¡¯t exactly looked that wary. Most likely, he guessed, they were a subset of a larger flock, and that larger flock had so many trees that they wouldn¡¯t get too ticked off by the loss of just one.

    The Spearow could be fought back. The Spearow could be scared off. With a single battle, the Spearow could be pushed away so that the tribe could take over the berry tree.

    However, the tree wasn¡¯t exactly something just Mankey and his brother could take alone. No, Spearow were Flying Types, and every Mankey here knew just how difficult it was to punch a bird. They needed a plan, but Mankey already had the perfect solution:

    Their chestnuts. They didn¡¯t need their usual attacks. They could throw those spike-covered balls at the birds, and the birds would undoubtedly be pushed back.

    (When Primeape described his plan through a series of grunts and gestures, Sam stayed silent¡ªmore silent than he¡¯d been so far. Somehow, before ever being captured, his Pok¨¦mon had already figured out the basics of Fling. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t thought to bring Dark Type energy into it, so it had remained a simple technique rather than a full-fledged attacking move.)

    With that plan made, the resulting battle was epic, but Primeape didn¡¯t exactly describe it. The initial assault was overwhelming, but more Spearow flew in to make it more difficult than they had ever thought. Yet, they still won in the end, and that was because of one reason:

    So hindered by the onslaught of spiked projectiles, the Spearow fled, deciding that a single tree wasn¡¯t worth the effort once Mankey¡¯s brother unexpectedly evolved.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Evolution in the wild was different than evolution with a trainer. It was never a guarantee, and only Pok¨¦mon that truly pushed themselves could reach their evolved form. Sure, it¡¯d eventually happen over time, but Mankey¡¯s brother was young. Evolving in that battle demonstrated just how tough he was, and no Spearow wanted to risk taking him on.

    Their victory after the fight was supposed to be a celebration. The tribe claimed a berry tree for themselves, and for the first time, the tribe truly worked together to earn something that belonged to them instead of just individuals.

    That wasn¡¯t what happened.

    Something about that evolution changed Mankey¡¯s brother. Despite everything they worked for, despite everything they had done together, that tree did not belong to the tribe¡ªthe tree belonged to Mankey¡¯s brother.

    If someone wanted a berry, they couldn¡¯t just go up and grab one. No, if they wanted a fruit, they had to convince that Primeape to allow them to get it.

    He enjoyed the attention. Practically relished in the attention. There was something about having the power of an evolved Pok¨¦mon that immediately went to his head.

    To get their food, the tribe had to do as he wished. They had to put on shows, gather neat items as gifts, and generally do as he bid. The thing was, however, none of the other Mankey saw anything wrong with that. Mankey¡¯s brother was the strongest among them, so of course he was their leader. Why wouldn¡¯t they do what he said if it meant they got to keep a reliable source of food?

    But for Mankey himself? But for who Primeape was back then? Nothing that he had done mattered. After that horrible evolution, his brother treated him as if he were any other member of the tribe, nothing more than a lesser being required to do his bidding.

    Their shared history meant nothing. The shared efforts of the tribe meant nothing. Mankey believed that the tree should belong to everyone, not just the single strongest Pok¨¦mon among them. The fact that he was the one to find the tree and the fact that he was one to make the plan to capture it meant absolutely nothing in the face of the sheer, overwhelming might of his species¡¯s evolved form.

    That Primeape was a Primeape, and Mankey was just a Mankey. There was a gap between them that was impossible to cross as mere wild Pok¨¦mon. They might have worked together in the past, but so what? That Primeape now had everything he ever wanted.

    And Mankey had nothing. More than that¡ªsince his brother had been the one to do all the fighting, he had less battle experience than anyone else in the tribe.

    He.

    Was.

    Weak.

    No matter what Mankey did, he was brushed off. No matter what fellow tribe member he approached, he was ignored. The small advantage he had gained from better nutrition disappeared with everyone having access to what little berries that Primeape let them gather. Mankey couldn¡¯t exactly stand up for himself, which meant he was an easy target to be bullied and laughed at.

    He went to his brother for help, of course, begging the Pok¨¦mon for assistance. Since they had done so much together, he felt he deserved at least some sympathy. Yet, when that Primeape looked down at him, when the two of them locked eyes...

    There was nothing.

    That Primeape did nothing.

    There was a reason he grew so angry that he challenged his brother to a fight.

    Of course, while Mankey was ¡°great¡± at coming up with plans, all of his plans had been simple. He wasn¡¯t educated and he lacked the focus a Pok¨¦mon trainer could bring. Everything he came up with was based on things he¡¯d already seen. The plan with the chestnuts? That was based on how he¡¯d seen Flying Types drop the nuts out of the sky. The plan with the Rock Types? That was based on how he¡¯d seen them accidentally crush fallen chestnuts while traveling.

    So, when he threw himself at that Primeape, he truly expected to win. That Primeape had the strength, but Mankey was clever. He could use Low Kick to win, because the bigger they were, the harder they fell, right?

    ...Right?

    That Primeape beat him in a show of force to remind the rest of the tribe just why he was in charge. He had more than enough strength to protect their tree and keep their primary food source safe. He, of course, showed just how ¡°kind¡± he was by tossing a half-eaten berry to the defeated Mankey. The fact that the berry was stolen later didn¡¯t mean anything¡ªafter all, it was another tribe member who stole it, not that Primeape.

    Mankey was the only one who saw a problem with how everything was set up. But no one listened to him. His brother might not have told him to leave, but he could tell he was no longer welcome.

    Once he recovered, cold and bruised, he simply got up and left.

    He left the mountains, trudged through a forest, and walked south through the vast plains of Route 39.

    When he stumbled onto a strange, rumbling box filled to the brim with berries, he was far too hungry to question why it was undefended or why it was making that noise. Too busy stuffing his face, he missed how the delivery truck started to move. It brought him to Olivine City, where he then found a place to hunker down as well as an easy source from which to gather food.

    <hr><hr>

    Primeape finished his story by gesturing toward Sam, as Sam knew how things concluded from there. Mankey¡¯s source had been a berry vendor, and Sam went after Mankey, caught him, and then promised the Pok¨¦mon that he could become strong.

    It was deep into the night when Primeape stopped speaking. Above him, the stars were pinpricks of light next to the moon¡¯s bright glow. Everyone in the camp had gone silent, watching Primeape as he stared into the fire. The flickering flames before him cast shadows onto his face.

    He had said everything that he needed to say.

    Truthfully, understanding the story hadn¡¯t been easy for Sam. Primeape didn¡¯t exactly speak a human language, but his grunts and gestures carried enough meaning and his expressions helped display how he was feeling. Also, Sam always had the option to glance over to Typhlosion for a translation. He couldn¡¯t say he understood every detail, but he understood more than enough.

    So with the story ended, he stared at his Pok¨¦mon who was unable to do anything but stare back into the fire.

    ¡°Primeape...¡± Sam said softly.

    The Pok¨¦mon grunted, rolling his shoulders, and tried to break out of his self-inflicted trance. He stretched out his hands to his sides, and Sam could see the muscles flex in his arms.

    ¡°So all this time, you¡¯ve been down because you¡¯ve been waiting for this. You¡¯ve been so focused on getting stronger because you want to beat your brother in a fight?¡±

    Primeape¡¯s fists clenched. His arms went tense with his hard-earned strength.

    Speaking that goal had been a reminder of Primeape¡¯s purpose. He would defeat his brother. He would prove his strength.

    Just like how a flame burned in the center of their campsite, a flame burned in Primeape¡¯s chest. Sam couldn¡¯t tell if it was hatred or rage or just a deep-seated grudge, but everything he¡¯d been doing was for the sole purpose of this upcoming fight.

    Primeape couldn¡¯t focus his thoughts if his mind always fell back to his past. He needed to work through what had happened to him, and to do that, he needed to defeat his brother in a proper match.

    Sam could remember how he first found him. Primeape¡ªMankey at the time¡ªhad been living alone in an abandoned house¡¯s attic. He¡¯d been surviving off of stolen fruit, living in a dirty nest of scavenged cloth. But rotting food and gathered scraps wasn¡¯t everything up there. Mankey might have been on his own, but also collected in the room was something else:

    Scattered Pok¨¦dolls.

    Even back then, Primeape had just wanted friends.

    But even though Sam had caught Mankey, it was only when he had told him of Annihilape that he¡¯d truly become motivated. He¡¯d laughed and trained alongside all of them, but there was always that desire to become something more than just a Primeape.

    He knew Rage Fist, but he was yet to master it. His species was one that could never give up a grudge, and he was far too consumed by it to ever evolve as he was now.

    In a way, he needed to overcome this to reach his next form, but this wasn¡¯t something he needed to do just to become strong. With how much this had been affecting him all this time, Sam knew that Primeape needed to do this if he ever wanted to be happy.

    So Sam breathed out, still trying to gather his thoughts about everything he had just heard, and another noise finally echoed out. Haunter let out an echoing sob, and all the Gastly around him began to wail and cry Primeape¡¯s story.

    They empathized with Primeape. His story was sad. Even though their reaction was one of tears, it was kind of ridiculous. Sam could have sworn he saw Primeape smile, as small as that reaction was.

    But in the end, it wasn¡¯t anyone Sam expected who approached Primeape. It wasn¡¯t Typhlosion or Misdreavus or even Sam himself. No, from where he had been listening in the back of their group, Trevenant stepped closer to the fire. He moved up the very thing that had once destroyed his home despite the tense wariness he still felt toward it.

    Trevenant¡¯s red eye met Primeape¡¯s expression. After a long period of silence, Trevenant nodded once.

    Though he said nothing, the action was a promise. Just like how everyone had once helped him, Trevenant promised they¡¯d help Primeape.

    Sam smiled at that, but it was Misdreavus who pointed out that Trevenant had just spoken on behalf of their entire group.

    In response, Trevenant almost immediately looked away and awkwardly coughed into his hand. His embarrassment came out like the sound of two pieces of bark rubbing against one another.

    But he was right. Everyone here was willing to help Primeape. Misdreavus just thought it was funny that Trevenant had been the one to speak what was on all of their minds. She promised, too, that she¡¯d help Primeape. After her, Typhlosion promised. And then Haunter. And then all of the Gastly here as well.

    Sam was the last to speak. He met his Pok¨¦mon in the eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll help you,¡± he said.

    Primeape had to rub away the rain that had mysteriously fallen onto his face from the clear, night sky.

    As cheers and cries of support filled the camp, Sam stood up and looked around. The moon was high above their heads, and the stars somehow felt even brighter than before.

    But more than anything, that night, each and every Pok¨¦mon here were up and raring to go.

    ¡°Change of plans!¡± Sam shouted, the start of his announcement echoing over their campsite. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking a detour! Instead of continuing west, we¡¯re heading north into the mountains! We¡¯ll be going off-route to find Primeape¡¯s old tribe, and there...¡±

    Primeape looked up at Sam.

    ¡°And there...¡± Sam continued. ¡°You¡¯ll be defeating your brother. Primeape, I promise you that you will win.¡±

 Chapter 124

    It took two days to reach the mountains. With how large they had been on the horizon, it made sense in retrospect that they were closer than Sam had thought. Route 39¡¯s hilly plains quickly gave way to a short forest at the very north of Route 38, and then that forest gave way to rocky cliffs and shrub-covered slopes. No Pok¨¦mon attacked even as they moved off-route. The wild Pok¨¦mon seemed less willing to approach now that the Gastly were more readily leaving Sam¡¯s shadow to follow along from behind.

    Unfortunately, though they entered the mountains in search of his old tribe, Primeape wasn¡¯t able to help with much more than traversal. The environment was rocky and consisted of valleys interspersed with sharp climbs. The only plants were shrubs and the occasional, almost barren chestnut tree. Despite this being his old home, only the basic sense of the area was familiar to him¡ªwhatever Pok¨¦mon lived out here seemed to regularly reshape the terrain.

    Large grooves on mountainsides marked where Graveler would roll down slopes to race. Plants were almost always new growth, popping up from seeds dropped from Flying Types and then grown due to the influence of the rare Grass Type. Paths were formed through chance rather than anything else. It was difficult to find ways to travel forward at all.

    And then there were other, even larger roadblocks.

    A few days in, Sam found himself staring at a mountain of flesh that rumbled as it snored. Pok¨¦mon that lived in these mountains had to be strong to survive, and there was no way that the Pok¨¦mon before him was anything his team could easily handle.

    ¡°Redi would hate me right now,¡± Sam mumbled as he looked over the massive Pok¨¦mon.

    Sleeping so soundly, that... thing in the road didn¡¯t react to his words. Though it was probably in its equivalent of a simple nap, it¡¯d likely be in its hibernation-like state for the next few days or until violently disturbed. However, so thick with fat, it had plenty of padding to be comfortable no matter what it felt. Its position lodged between two cliffsides probably made it feel as though it was sleeping in a hammock.

    If Redi was here, she would have considered catching this Snorlax. They were as rare as they were strong, but they inhaled food almost as much as a person inhaled air. Part of the reason Redi kept her team small was to keep costs down, but given her current sponsorship with Mr. Pok¨¦mon, the sight of this sleeping monster would have caused her to debate if its sheer strength made it worth the catch.

    But she wasn¡¯t here. Only Sam and his team were. Snorlax might have been considered nuisances for how much they ate and for the way they blocked roads, but no one ever denied just how strong they were. It took muscle to walk around with all that fat, and then that fat also protected them from even the strongest of moves. Their reputation was earned, and it didn¡¯t help that they became very grumpy when improperly woken up.

    ...So despite how his team had found a rare, even path to keep moving forward, Sam could tell that having Haunter mess with the Snorlax¡¯s dreams to wake it up was not worth the risk.

    ¡°We¡¯re climbing,¡± he said with a sigh.

    Traversal out here was as difficult as it was annoying. Off-route, there wasn¡¯t anyone around to make paths for humans, and all the local wild Pok¨¦mon tended to climb.

    Above him, Primeape easily dug his hands into the stony cliffside to pull himself higher and higher. His species was adept at finding handholds, or at least they were adept at making new ones. He excelled out here¡ªbut that made sense given the mountains were where the Mankey line tended to live. He didn¡¯t need help like Sam did, who benefitted from Haunter¡¯s disembodied hands pushing from behind to provide additional lift.

    Of course, Primeape reached the top of the cliff first, stepping onto a sloped ledge that was just flat enough to support a precarious hike. He was silent as he stared out over the canyon and the wide valley past it. Below, the Snorlax let out a snore, and Sam gasped as he barely managed to reach the top.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find them,¡± Sam said, promising his Pok¨¦mon as he moved up to Primeape¡¯s side. He put a hand on his head, but Primeape just grunted and started to walk ahead.

    Primeape was as quiet as he was now as he had been over the past few days. Not at a single point had Sam returned him to his Pok¨¦ball. He knew he should have, just to let Primeape rest, but he could also tell that his Pok¨¦mon wanted to stay out. Primeape wanted to experience every step that brought him closer to his goal. Closer to his brother.

    ¡°I know we said we¡¯d help him, but I can¡¯t help but be worried. He wants his revenge, and I¡¯ll help him with that, but it almost feels wrong. I don¡¯t want it to consume him, either.¡±

    A rustle at Sam¡¯s side brought his attention to Trevenant. There wasn¡¯t exactly enough room for Typhlosion¡ªthese paths were narrow and she wasn¡¯t great at climbing stone¡ªbut weirdly, Trevenant had plenty of space to walk. He might not have been traveling along the ground like Sam and Primeape, but he had a better way of getting around: he could stab his sharp roots into the cliffsides, and that allowed him to walk across the rocky walls almost like a Spinarak.

    ¡°Trevenant, what do you think?¡± Sam asked quietly. ¡°About Primeape, I mean.¡±

    Trevenant watched Primeape continue ahead, but he remained silent without answering Sam¡¯s question. Soon, he chose to keep moving as well, and he maneuvered himself onto the wall, where he walked as if ignoring gravity.

    Sam sighed.

    ¡°At least I can tell Primeape needs this. Facing his brother should help him with his confidence. I think his anger¡¯s been too directed toward his past. In a way, this has been holding him back. A fight should let him break free.¡±

    Finally, Sam actually got a response. Misdreavus brought herself out of the shadows to voice a quiet agreement with Sam¡¯s words. Pulling her worried gaze away from Primeape, she looked at Sam for assurance. He did his best to send her a confident nod that¡¯d tell her that everything would be okay.

    All of this was to support Primeape. All of this was to make sure Primeape would be in a better spot from here.

    She nodded back, and Sam continued after the rest of his team. He made sure to give a few orders to the nearby Gastly as he did.

    ¡°Alright. Now that we¡¯ve managed to get somewhere out here, I think we¡¯re deep enough in to start searching in earnest,¡± Sam said, and his shadow came to life. ¡°Split off into groups of three to search for Primeape¡¯s old tribe. Look for what he described¡ªa berry tree surrounded by a big group of Mankey. Don¡¯t go farther than line of sight. You can hide, but Haunter has to be able to see at least one of you. Also, please don¡¯t anger anything, and keep in mind that running away is always okay if you feel unsafe.¡±

    As he finished his orders, he watched as groups of shadows split off from his own, traveling over the landscape like splotches of darkness cast by a Pok¨¦mon flying through the air. However, where a flying Pok¨¦mon¡¯s shadow would carry a blurry yet distinct shape, the shadows of the Gastly were far more ambiguous and vague.

    He lost sight of them pretty quickly, but he was able to keep track of where all the groups were thanks to flickers in the corner of his eyes. While he wasn¡¯t able to see them when they dipped behind boulders or hid in a cliff¡¯s shade, Morty¡¯s advice rang true once more¡ªGhost Types were pretty obvious when they were moving. He could follow where the Gastly went by keeping an eye out for the shadows that jumped from hiding space to hiding space.

    And just like that, days passed. The Gastly searched the area while everyone else followed what viable paths they could. The terrain was treacherous enough that it was hard to locate safe paths for hiking and areas for camping, but Primeape was able to point out signs. Despite the shape of the environment being unfamiliar, he was able to find viable, Pok¨¦mon-trodden paths and flat sections in which they could sleep through the night. All the while, the Gastly found points of interest and tribes of Mankey, but none were that berry tree or the exact group of Mankey they were looking for.

    Not right away, at least.

    Time passed. Soon, there were only thirty-seven days left in the season¡ªthirty-seven days left for Sam to earn his final Gym Badge. Thankfully, they had a slight bit of wiggle room when it came to the Conference. The end-of-season tournament wouldn¡¯t start right away. There was a day¡¯s break and then a week-long ¡°festival¡± in Silver Town beforehand. Smaller tournaments and events would take place over that period, giving trainers with fewer Gym Badges a place to compete. Most trainers who intended to take part in the Conference itself used that period to arrive.

    Sam¡¯s plan was to show up then, but that was still a while away.

    Thankfully, before too many days went by, one of the Gastly found something important, something that wasn¡¯t just a false lead this time around. From where they had been traveling so high up in the mountains, they followed the Gastly along a steep cliff and up to a sudden drop. And there, not too far below them, was the exact tribe of Mankey they¡¯d been looking for all this time.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    <hr>

    There was a fight going on beneath Sam. At least, there was the prelude of a fight. Hoots and shouts were met with the sounds of sharp hisses as two groups of Pok¨¦mon faced one another, posturing and trying to make themselves appear as a threat.

    There might have been no large stone or boulder to hide behind, but Sam was able to kneel and use the lip of a narrow path as cover to let him watch. Below, at the very end of a ravine that overlooked a valley, a group of Mankey surrounded what could only have once been Primeape¡¯s home.

    Trees out here weren¡¯t too impressive, and the one in the center of the Mankey¡¯s boulder-protected ¡°campsite¡± wasn¡¯t that special, either. However, it was greener than any chestnut tree they¡¯d walked past, and it towered over everything else, its roots grasping a large stone and growing out with a gnarled curve. Between its thick leaves was another dash of color; bright blue Oran berries grew from its branches.

    Hm. But there doesn¡¯t seem to be too many Oran Berry left right now. Can¡¯t say they look that ripe, either.

    The tree might have looked nearly picked clean, but it was still obviously a berry tree.

    ...Which was probably why a group of Gligar was trying to approach the Mankey¡¯s camp.

    Clawed Gligar with sharp fangs and even sharper, stinging tails clung to the ravine¡¯s cliffsides and hissed at the Mankey that shouted back at them. They would occasionally unlatch to threaten the Fighting Types with sweeping glides before returning to the wall, but the Gligar never risked getting too close.

    Both sides were testing one another¡ªthe Gligar would glide past, and the Mankey would swipe at the air. Neither wanted to fight, but they both wanted something. The Mankey wanted to protect their home, and the Glilgar wanted to claim those delicious berries for themselves.

    Behind Sam, Trevenant rustled in annoyance. He didn¡¯t bother to hide. If anything, his displeasure was making him stand taller than usual. In his eyes, the Mankey were ¡°selfishly¡± protecting their tree instead of sharing, but Sam could only disagree.

    ¡°The Mankey are only able to live out here because of their tree,¡± he whispered. ¡°They have an entire tribe to feed¡ªwhich looks to be about two dozen Pok¨¦mon right now. If they give away their food to the Gligar, then even more Pok¨¦mon would come to ask for food. Their tree isn¡¯t that large and they aren¡¯t Grass Types. They only have enough berries to support themselves, so a meal given away is a meal their tribe can¡¯t eat.¡±

    Trevenant grumbled but relented, quickly quieting down. Sam glanced around to see where everyone else was, finding that his Ghost Types were watching from the nearby shadows and that Primeape was now watching at his side.

    Everyone was completely silent. Primeape stared at the Mankey with an intensity that told Sam this group was exactly right.

    ¡°Do you see your brother?¡± Sam whispered.

    Primeape slowly shook his head, but his eyes lingered on the base of the tree. Beneath the boulder and the tree¡¯s roots, a dug-out hole formed a den beneath the earth. Given the lack of a certain individual, Primeape seemed convinced that someone was inside.

    So Sam and everyone else stayed hidden above the clearing, watching and waiting as the stand-off progressed. Each time the Gligar unlatched for a dive, they seemed to glide closer, and each time they came near, the Mankey¡¯s shouts became even more furious.

    Eventually, one Gligar got far too close.

    With a hiss, a single Gligar unlatched from the cliffside and dived in the same way so many others had done before. However, its fanged mouth curled up into a nasty grin that seemed far too targeted for this dive to be a mere test. It moved surprisingly fast, and one of the shouting Mankey off to the side wasn¡¯t prepared.

    The Gligar hurtled downward, pulling up at the very last second to swipe right across the vulnerable Fighting Type¡¯s face.

    The slashing attack might not have been too serious, but it still knocked the Fighting Type off the boulder it had been perched on. It hit the ground with a grunt, rolling back to clutch its head in pain. The hooting and hollering stopped, and Sam expected the entire tribe to fall into a rage.

    But that didn¡¯t happen.

    Instead of that hot, furious anger Mankey were known for, a far more cold rage seemed to settle into the tribe. The clearing below fell into pure silence, and the many Mankey perched on the camp¡¯s surrounding boulders all pulled back at once.

    ¡°Is that normal?¡± Sam whispered.

    Primeape stayed quiet. He only watched.

    As the Mankey left their spots on the stones, they moved back to surround the tree. Two of them peeled off to the side to help their injured tribe member, who they escorted to sit in the shade under the tree¡¯s trunk.

    The Gligar took that as a victory, hissing in laughter and jumping down to take up positions on the very boulders the Mankey had just abandoned. The largest of the Gligar, the same one who had landed that attack, jumped into the clearing almost in challenge.

    Instead of attacking group-to-group, this one Gligar seemed to be challenging the Mankey¡¯s leader. Doing so would minimize the injuries on both sides, but Sam had a feeling it was doing this out of ego more than anything else.

    After a further moment of silence, Sam felt just how still Primeape suddenly went next to him. From the darkness of that den beneath the tree, an arm shot out. A gloved hand grabbed the rock, which cracked under its grip.

    At first, Sam thought it was his Pok¨¦mon down there. All Pok¨¦mon of the same species usually looked somewhat alike, but the resemblance here was genuinely uncanny. However, where his Primeape was thick with muscle, this Primeape was far more lean. More than that, too. They had similar faces but different fur. Sam¡¯s Primeape had the benefit of semi-regular grooming sessions. This Primeape had coarse, dirt-covered fur and matted patches that betrayed the locations where it had been injured in the past.

    Also...

    It¡¯s tired.

    Once Sam got over his shock at the clear family resemblance, he realized that the wild Primeape had bags under its eyes. It moved with a controlled confidence, yet part of that control came from an ongoing feeling of exhaustion.

    Seeing the state of its foe, the lead Gligar grinned. It cackled, cockily raising its head and acting as though this would be an easy win.

    Letting the wild Primeape approach it, the lead Gligar bragged to the rest of its group, causing a few of the other Gligar to laugh. However, the evolved Fighting Type continued to walk forward unabated, never letting up and never slowing for even an instant.

    Some of the Gligar in the back started to look nervous¡ªthe Primeape¡¯s confidence was far too persistent. Sure, it looked tired, injured, and overall exhausted, but those were signs of previous battles. It was experienced. It was tough.

    But that lead Gligar, though? It wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest. If anything, it looked excited to win here. Before the Primeape could ever reach it, it launched itself forward, gliding through the air and twisting its body around to stab with its tail in an attempt to immediately end the fight.

    It failed.

    An inch away from the wild Primeape¡¯s face, its stinger came to an abrupt halt. The Gligar¡¯s eyes widened as it stared at the hand that had snapped up to grab its incoming tail. The Gligar tried to flap its wings in an attempt to escape, but it simply wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    The wild Primeape had it pinned, and, in a single movement, the Gligar was then unceremoniously slammed into the ground.

    Dust entered the air. The Gligar behind it all shouted at once.

    ¡°So that¡¯s...¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t finish his thought. Below, gasps from the Gligar echoed out in pain.

    Rather than attacking again or encouraging the other Pok¨¦mon forward, the lead Gligar began to furiously scramble away. Hurt and terrified, it clambered up one of the surrounding boulders to jump off, using the height to glide away as fast as possible. The rest of its group followed.

    The lone Pok¨¦mon that had to be Primeape¡¯s brother watched as the Gligar fled, and it was only when they had completely vanished that he finally let himself breathe out in relief. One of the Mankey watching in the back hurriedly climbed up the tree to pluck a berry. It then rushed down, running up to the Primeape and offering the healing fruit to him.

    Without missing a beat and without slowing down, he took it. Except, he didn¡¯t eat it right away. Instead, he strode toward the rest of the tribe, marching right up to where a certain Mankey sat.

    In the shade, the Mankey was still too busy rubbing its head to notice its leader standing before it. It was only when it noticed a slight shift in the tree¡¯s shadow that it looked up, seeing a pair of red eyes staring back down at it.

    It froze, not sure what to do. The Primeape thrust its hand forward, and Sam braced himself for what was about to happen, but he didn¡¯t need to.

    This wasn¡¯t an attack. The Primeape was offering the injured Mankey the berry.

    After taking a second to process what just happened, the Mankey smiled and easily grabbed the berry so it could eat and heal. It showed no sign of caution or restraint as it did so, and the Primeape grunted as if amused before walking back over to the tree, where it sat in the shade to rest.

    ¡°That was...¡±

    As Sam frowned, Misdreavus said something. He had failed to notice the sudden absence at his side.

    For all his training with the Ghost Type, Primeape might not have been the Type just yet, but he certainly knew how to sneak.

    ¡°PRIME!¡± he roared, jumping to slide down the cliffside right toward the berry tree campsite. ¡°APE!¡±

    The entire tribe of Mankey went on high alert. The cliffside was steep, but Primeape didn¡¯t care. So consumed by his anger, he was more focused on reaching his brother than anything else and perfectly maintained his balance while pebbles rolled down the hill around him.

    ¡°Wait, Primeape!¡± Sam shouted at his Pok¨¦mon. ¡°We need to talk about this, first!¡±

    Something about this situation felt off. The action he¡¯d just witnessed was not one of the cruel despot Primeape had once described.

    The cliffside beneath Sam might have been sloped, but it was far too steep for him to risk sliding like Primeape. His Pok¨¦mon was already nearing the bottom, and he looked around in panic before taking off toward where the slope was more reasonable. He shouted for Haunter to help him out.

    Right after, he also ordered the Gastly to surround the campsite, just in case, but even with his shouts, none of the Pok¨¦mon below looked up.

    No, their hackles were raised. Their fur stood on its ends. An unfamiliar intruder was rushing their leader¡ªand why wouldn¡¯t Primeape be unfamiliar? He¡¯d been gone for months. He had evolved in the meantime, as well.

    Primeape¡¯s brother met his aggressor¡¯s eyes and carefully stood up. Primeape punched for a Rock Smash that shattered one of the boulders and made his way in. The Mankey shouted in an attempt to ward him off, but he didn¡¯t stop. The two evolved Fighting Types were already moving to meet one another in an unavoidable fight.

    Primeape ran, arm over leg. His brother calmly walked. Where Primeape was completely consumed by rage and anger, his brother seemed to be consumed by nothing but weariness instead.

    However, halfway there, when the two Pok¨¦mon were seconds away from their clash, the wild Primeape seemed to freeze, going through what must have been the shock of its life.

    Eyes as wide as they could go, the Primeape whispered something under its breath. It was a question, one filled with far too many emotions at once. Shock. Surprise. Shock. Guilt. Curiosity.

    And also, hope.

    Something twisted in Sam¡¯s chest. He knew Primeape wanted revenge, but too much time had passed. Everything about this felt off. Haunter¡¯s help let him reach the base of the cliff without falling, but Trevenant stayed behind.

    The Pok¨¦mon remained at the top of the cliff and watched in silence.

    Primeape¡¯s brother completely dropped his guard, overwhelmed as he stared at Primeape in disbelief. A cloud of dust filled the air as Primeape tore forward, his eyes bright red and locked on his singular goal.

    To the sounds of the Mankey¡¯s fervent cries and Sam¡¯s panicked shouts, Primeape struck first.

    His fist impacted his brother¡¯s face.

    His brother rocketed back.

    The Pok¨¦mon bounced across the ground and came to a rest against the boulder under the tree.

    It had only been a single attack.

    Yet, Primeape¡¯s brother did not get up.

 Chapter 125

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Primeape. His body heaved up and down with every breath. His arm was still extended from where it had smashed right into his brother¡¯s face.

    His brother wasn''t moving, but he was alive. As it stood, he was just unconscious. A single hit had knocked him out.

    Slowly, Sam took a step forward. The clearing was practically silent.

    ¡°Primeape...¡± he said softly, trying to call for his Pok¨¦mon to step back.

    Unfortunately, all his voice seemed to do was snap Primeape out of his shock. The Fighting Type blinked and looked around as if he had just now realized what he had done.

    His eyes flicked to his brother, to the Mankey, and then to Sam¡¯s team behind him. He said nothing, and neither did anyone else. Primeape proceeded to do the only thing he could do:

    He ran.

    Faced with the weight of everything that had just happened, Primeape turned and dashed right out of the clearing. Arm over leg, he scrambled to escape, quickly disappearing into the curved ravines of the nearby cliffs.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Sam¡¯s shout saw no response, only his voice¡¯s echoes returning to him. Primeape was already gone, too busy running away to do anything else.

    Sam cursed, breathed out, and readied himself to chase after his Pok¨¦mon, but he froze when he realized the current state of the clearing. All of the Mankey crouched by the boulders in the back, watching his group warily. Despite this being their home, they all looked ready to flee.

    As for Primeape¡¯s brother, he groaned in his unconsciousness, but he wasn¡¯t in a state to stand up. A few of the Mankey looked like they wanted to run up and protect him, but none wanted to get closer to Sam¡¯s group after that demonstration.

    ¡°Ugh. Alright.¡± Sam rubbed the side of his head. ¡°Typhlosion, come out. We need your help!¡±

    Upon the appearance of such a large and fully evolved Pok¨¦mon, a ripple of greater nervousness passed through the entire Mankey tribe. However, it turned to curiosity when Sam placed two items into Typhlosion¡¯s paws.

    ¡°Here. A Sitrus Berry and a Super Potion. Heal the Primeape, okay?¡±

    Typhlosion nodded her head. Sam looked over everyone else.

    ¡°Misdreavus, help her. Haunter? Stay on guard with the Gastly.¡±

    Those two gave their acknowledgments, and Sam took off. Behind him, Typhlosion turned toward the wild Primeape as Misdreavus drifted over to float beside her, but both of them just looked down at the human-made Super Potion spray bottle in confusion.

    Sam didn¡¯t see what they did next as the cliffs soon obscured the campsite from view. However, he trusted his Pok¨¦mon to manage the situation, and even in the worst case, it wasn¡¯t like a bunch of Fighting Types could hurt Ghost Types, anyway.

    Primeape had charged right through this ravine path, traveling in the same direction as those Gligar but sticking to the ground. Sam didn¡¯t see any of those gliding Pok¨¦mon, but he did see the trail Primeape left behind. Primeape hadn¡¯t bothered to cover his tracks, so there were obvious footprints, disturbed dirt, and the occasional trampled shrub that guided Sam in the direction of his friend.

    Weaving between the stones, Sam hurried after him. He found it slightly ironic that Primeape had found such a ¡°followable¡± path only after his old tribe had been located.

    Still, he was more worried about his Pok¨¦mon than anything else, and he soon slowed as he reached the end of the trail. Ahead of him, the ravine opened up to a short ledge. Primeape sat on a stone at its edge, staring out over the entire valley at once.

    In the distance, clouds of flying Pok¨¦mon traveled in flocks, and the occasional movement in the dry foliage below hinted at other Pok¨¦mon scavenging for food along the ground. The sparse few patches of trees and shrubs tended to lack leaves, but they still added a splash of green to this otherwise dirt-brown view.

    But it was still a valley. And it was full of life. This was where so many Pok¨¦mon fought and struggled and thrived while living off-route.

    Primeape remained seated. He stayed on his stone and watched it all. Sam hung back for now, giving Primeape the chance to calm down while trying to see how he was doing. Though he was facing away, he did look slightly better. At least, that heavy breathing from before was gone. He was tense, but his body was no longer heaving with every breath like before.

    After waiting a few seconds longer, Sam moved to step forward but stopped himself when a pebble fell from above. Rocks cracked as roots pierced into the stone, and rather than Sam walking up to talk to Primeape, Trevenant left his position at the top of the cliffs to approach, instead.

    <hr><hr>

    Primeape heard the crunch of stone behind him. The regular cracking of the earth betrayed sharp spikes being stabbed into a wall. He did his best to ignore it, but he knew he couldn¡¯t ignore it forever. Soon enough, the noise changed from a Pok¨¦mon defying gravity to that of the rapid taps of multiple legs moving closer to him along the ground.

    He knew who it was. There was only one Pok¨¦mon on the team who could move in that manner¡ªthere was only one member of the team that had more than two legs. But he didn¡¯t want to greet them. Pulling himself in, he continued to sit on his boulder and stare out at the valley that used to be his home.

    When Trevenant eventually reached his side, neither of them said anything. He just stood there next to Primeape in silence. Primeape expected some kind of speech or a condemnation or any attempt to say something.

    But Trevenant stayed quiet.

    He only offered his presence, and that was enough.

    ...Mostly.

    Primeape was already starting to feel a bit ticked off. He got the sense that Trevenant had something to say, but he was choosing to wait to say it. He just stood there, looming with that same quiet to him as always. It was awful, as the lack of anything was starting to make Primeape feel as though someone was beating him with a shovel. A familiar heat came from his chest, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He couldn¡¯t hold back forever. Silence existed to be broken.

    So Primeape talked, unable to resist blurting everything out. His rant started simple and summed up his feelings as succinctly as he could.

    For Primeape, none of this was fair.

    All this time, Primeape had been fighting to get stronger. All this time, Primeape had been fighting to stop being weak. And when he finally got a chance to prove to everyone that he wasn¡¯t that same, pathetic Mankey?

    It hadn¡¯t mattered.

    His brother, the same brother who had all but thrown him away when his usefulness ran out, didn¡¯t even want to fight. It was like that thing had been happy to see that he was back.

    It should have been afraid. It should have been furious. The Pok¨¦mon that had once been family should have reacted in any way but exactly like that. But he hadn¡¯t. When Primeape¡¯s fist sailed right toward his brother¡¯s face, his brother almost looked like he was full of regret.

    And the more Primeape remembered that expression, the more extreme a twisting in his chest became. Fed up, he smashed a fist into the boulder he sat on. Dust fell from his hand when he pulled it out of the resulting crack, and he wrapped his arms around his legs.

    Primeape breathed out, grumbling as he did. He tried to calm himself in the same way he¡¯d practiced so many times before.

    He hated this.

    He hated his brother.

    He hated everything that had just happened.

    He hated how his brother didn''t fight back. He hated how easily his brother had been knocked out. He hated how the entire tribe had been there for support. He hated how getting his revenge had felt wrong even though it was everything he''d sought.

    Above it all, there was one thing Primeape hated the most¡ªhe hated how his brother had acted as though everything would finally be alright now that Primeape had returned.

    With that statement, he went quiet, a heaviness returning to his breathing even though he had nothing else to say. His rage continued to smolder in his chest, but at this point, he didn¡¯t care. He felt far too exhausted to give it anything other than the briefest of acknowledgments.

    Unfortunately and infuriatingly, Trevenant continued to choose to not speak. At least, Primeape appreciated that he was listening. If nothing else, having another Pok¨¦mon there was nice. It meant he wouldn¡¯t be alone.

    For a while, they lingered at the top of the cliffside, and life in the valley beneath them continued on, unaware of everything that took place. Time passed, and after just a minute longer, a new set of footsteps echoed out as Sam moved up to join Primeape as well.

    ¡°You know,¡± Sam said, ¡°you are allowed to be upset.¡±

    Primeape grunted in annoyance. He was not upset. He was angry! Yeah, he was definitely still angry, it was just that he was... angry in the opposite direction.

    He let his head fall onto his knees, and Trevenant chuffed as if something Primeape had said caused him to laugh. Primeape grumbled in response and ignored how that was the first time Trevenant made a noise in this conversation. He didn¡¯t want to get angry about it right now, and he didn¡¯t want to think about how he¡¯d done nothing but rant.

    ¡°But this sucks,¡± Sam continued.

    Primeape snorted. He could only agree.

    ¡°I get this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. It really wasn¡¯t what either of us planned. Instead of him being a raging jerk, we got here and he was a leader. An actual one. And that means we can¡¯t just take the easy way out.¡±

    Sam rubbed his temples.

    ¡°If he had been nothing more than a tyrant, we could have been leaving by now. You could have strolled up, punched him in the face, and left right after. Didn¡¯t need to be more complicated than that. I mean, imagine what that could have looked like¡ªyour fist smoking, your brother recoiling, and all of the Mankey looking up at you in awe.¡±

    Primeape actually let out a short laugh before quickly schooling his expression.

    ¡°Except...¡± Sam said, his voice becoming soft, and Primeape went silent to listen to his trainer¡¯s words. ¡°He was tired. Injured. All this time, he¡¯s been fighting to defend the tribe, and he even proved his change when he gave that berry away. Your brother¡ªif you even want to call him your brother, I mean. That Pok¨¦mon changed, but that doesn¡¯t mean what happened to you changed. Just because he has the tribe¡¯s support doesn¡¯t mean you have to forgive him for what he did.¡±

    Primeape looked up at Sam to see him staring back.

    ¡°The past still happened. You¡¯re allowed to be upset about how you were treated. He¡¯s done nothing to make up for that. Guilt isn¡¯t enough to make everything okay.¡±

    To the side, Trevenant rustled his leaves to express his agreement. Like usual, he shared no words, but his meaning was clear enough.

    Just like Primeape, Trevenant was yet to forgive. Honestly, Trevenant would never forgive the people who burned down his family and his home. However, for the sake of his own well-being, he had to move on. He had to recognize just how pointless a constant search for revenge would have been. It wasn¡¯t worth letting himself be controlled by nothing but rage.

    And, as Trevenant looked back to Primeape, Primeape could understand why Trevenant had come. Their backgrounds were similar enough, and Primeape had already given him advice in the past. So just like how Primeape had once supported Trevenant, Trevenant was now supporting Primeape¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t an exchange. Trevenant was here because they were friends.

    ¡°...But, also, like, I don¡¯t mean you should never forgive him. Or that you need to. It¡¯s complicated, you know? Morally and ethically and, I guess everything else, too?¡±

    One of Primeape¡¯s ears flicked to the side. He hadn¡¯t realized Sam was still talking¡ªor that he had started rambling, more like.

    ¡°I mean, that Pok¨¦mon¡¯s been fighting for the tribe for a while, so it makes sense why he fell into a leadership position. He had to, or, well, he already was in a leadership position, so he was forced to take on the responsibility no matter what. So then does that mean you need to forgive him? Because he¡¯s changed and understands responsibility now? Or is that too much leniency, and you should wait until you actually feel better about the situation? Like, family doesn¡¯t get a free pass to be rude just because they¡¯re family, so does that mean he needs to do something for you, or is it enough that he¡¯s changed? Or maybe because he changed he will be better from now so you should just forgive him regardless or is there a better moral outcome here that¡¯s still an outcome that makes you happy so we should spend time finding a different solution that¡ª¡±

    Sam stopped to breathe in, and he seemed to notice that Primeape and Trevenant were staring blankly. Awkwardly, he turned away from the pair and cleared his throat, coughing into his hand in an attempt to regain control of the situation.

    ¡°Sorry. I got caught up in my thoughts. Read too many books, y¡¯know?¡±

    Primeape snorted. He appreciated the effort, nonetheless.

    ¡°But I guess if I have to summarize everything I was trying to say, I think it¡¯s worth talking to him no matter what, Primeape,¡± Sam said softly. ¡°Not to forgive him outright, but at least just to talk. Even after everything else, he was still your brother. That doesn¡¯t mean you two have to make up, it¡¯s just... I just don¡¯t want you to pass up a chance to say goodbye.¡±

    And Sam went silent, his gaze gaining a certain quality Primeape couldn¡¯t put into words. What he did understand, however, was Sam¡¯s point, and he disliked that he agreed.

    Primeape had no way of knowing where he¡¯d be in the future. The same was true for his brother. Leaving everything like this would only foster regret. If he wanted to move on, they needed to talk. He needed a way to move past this for the sake of his own well-being, just like Trevenant had said.

    So, there was no sense in waiting. Primeape scooted back on the rock and hopped down to the floor. Trevenant and Sam both silently watched him begin to head back toward the ravine, and Primeape had to stop walking to shoot them a look to say that, yes, he was trying to return.

    ¡°Ah! Good. I just¡ª I just want you to be happy, Primeape.¡±

    Trevenant was already moving up to catch up. Sam had to jog to reach Primeape¡¯s side.

    ¡°But you know...¡± Sam said, speaking as they began walking back to the Mankey¡¯s campsite. ¡°Your brother kind of got what he wished for. He¡¯s the strongest in the tribe, so he¡¯s their leader, but that also means he¡¯s the one fighting on the Mankey¡¯s behalf¡ªEvery. Single. Time.¡±

    Primeape grunted¡ªso what?

    Sam just smiled.

    ¡°So you know what that means? He¡¯s caught in a trap of his own making. Instead of falling behind, he¡¯s stuck in his position at the top. If I had to call it something...¡± Sam let out a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯d almost say that he made a wish on a Mankey¡¯s paw, yeah?¡±

    He shot Primeape a smirk, and Primeape had to stop walking just to stare back.

    That was awful.

    That was genuinely the worst joke Primeape had ever heard, and he increased his speed to march far, far ahead.

    ¡°Wait! Hold on, don¡¯t run off without us!¡± Sam called out. ¡°We¡¯re off-route! Don¡¯t go all the way back to camp on your own!¡±

    But Primeape tread onward, his fast pace allowing him to keep a decent lead on Sam and Trevenant¡ªyet never out of sight. They raced to catch up but failed to reach him. Primeape didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that awful pun, but really, he didn¡¯t want them to see the small smile that had crept onto his face.

 Chapter 126

    By the time they¡¯d returned to the campsite, the situation had changed. No longer were the Gastly on a neat patrol around the boulders to keep an eye out for attackers. No, the task at hand had been pushed to the side, their presence replaced by several older-looking Mankey and an annoyed-looking Misdreavus herself. Any attempt at staying hidden had gone out the window, and every single Gastly was now involved with something else:

    Fraternization.

    Their shadowy hiding spots had been abandoned even with the hanging threat of the mid-afternoon sun. They¡¯d exposed themselves to the light, a discomfort apparently worth experiencing if it meant taking this opportunity at hand. Here, in the wilds of off-route, few species of Pok¨¦mon ever truly had a chance at a pleasant exchange with others. To the Mankey, Sam¡¯s team might have once represented a potential threat, but the ¡°mere¡± act of healing their leader served as proof they came in peace. Now, the Mankey were more than willing to be awed by the wonders of the Ghost Type.

    Gastly bounced through the air and zipped between groups of wide-eyed Pok¨¦mon. Hoots and hollers echoed around as the wild Mankey took in the sight and abilities of the many ethereal Ghost Types. Instead of stalking through the night or messing with their dreams, these Gastly were showing off everything they could do. They phased through rocks, did flips in the sky, and a few of them even demonstrated their Type immunity by letting the Mankey attack them to no avail.

    One Gastly contorted its face, its gaseous form letting it make exaggerated expressions. Another regaled a trio of the Fighting Types with all the wonders it had seen. Others played tricks, shocking lone Mankey with unexpected scares. Yet, while the victim always became angry, the others laughed, and it¡¯d calm down as soon as it saw another Pok¨¦mon become a victim of that same joke.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t need to worry about any more fights?¡± Sam said quietly as he watched one Gastly gain a grin so wide that it seemed to almost split its body in two. ¡°I can¡¯t say I expected any of this.¡±

    At his side, Trevenant rustled his leaves as if to agree.

    Meanwhile, Primeape just stared¡ªbecause what else could he do? He had come here and attacked their leader, yet, at this point, none of the Mankey bothered to pay him any mind.

    Almost jealously, his eyes seemed to linger on a few of the Gastly and at how much positive attention they were receiving. He didn¡¯t let it show on his face for long, however, and soon looked over to Haunter¡ªwho wasn¡¯t exactly taking part for once. He seemed far too preoccupied with flitting about to make sure nothing was too mean-spirited while also ensuring no interaction devolved into something that wasn¡¯t just a show.

    As Sam and Primeape took all of this in, pausing where they had just stepped past a gap in the boulders to enter the Mankey¡¯s camp, Trevenant¡¯s brief glance seemed to be enough for him and he strolled straight in. Almost immediately getting over his initial moment of shock, he used the opportunity to approach the berry tree at the camp¡¯s center. No Mankey stopped him, though some did stiffen when they noticed his directed march.

    However, Trevenant was visibly a Grass Type. Grass Type Pok¨¦mon were rare out here. These Mankey would act foolishly at times, but they weren¡¯t actually fools. They had no reason to stop him as he placed a clawed hand on their berry tree¡¯s trunk. Closing his eyes, he seemed to be checking its health while also ensuring proper growth.

    Trevenant¡¯s march also served as a distraction, as his presence let Sam break his gaze away from everything else. Misdreavus was on guard, Haunter was managing the Ghost Types, and Typhlosion sat at the dead center of this area. She looked exasperated at how everything had developed, but, notably, the healing items Sam had passed her were gone. The berry was absent, having been consumed, and the Potion bottle now laid empty, broken in half at her side.

    However, while she visibly relaxed when she saw Primeape return, Primeape had the opposite reaction when he saw who she was with. It wasn¡¯t that he had a problem with Typhlosion herself, but he definitely wasn¡¯t pleased with the Pok¨¦mon at her side.

    In the shade beneath the tree and in the comfortable presence of Typhlosion¡¯s cool flames, Primeape¡¯s brother leaned back, his eyes closed while he attempted to recover and rest.

    The other Pok¨¦mon hadn¡¯t stirred when Trevenant had walked next to him, but he seemed completely relaxed. At the same time, Sam could feel just how still Primeape became upon laying his eyes on his closest blood relative. His hair stood on its ends, yet Sam wasn¡¯t able to tell if it was out of anger or something else entirely. For a moment, to Primeape, it was as if the only living creatures here were him and his brother.

    A leg twitched. Primeape brought up a foot. But rather than placing it down to move closer, he took a step back.

    ¡°Primeape. You promised.¡±

    Sam bumped his Pok¨¦mon on the back, and the sudden touch surprised Primeape enough to send him stumbling forward. Annoyed, a vein throbbed on his head as he shot a glare Sam a glare, but his angry look vanished when he realized the noise of his stumble had caused his brother to wake up.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon was tired. Healthy, but tired. With the dense nutrients of a farm-grown berry and the healing effects of a human-made potion, his injuries had mostly faded away, and he had finally gotten rid of that stress. Of course, he still had a few patches of matted fur that likely marked spots he¡¯d been attacked in the past. A simple potion wasn¡¯t enough to treat those lingering injuries, but a nurse could have fixed those overnight.

    But while those remnant injuries marked a further need to rest, they also marked the wild Primeape¡¯s experience in battle. This Pok¨¦mon had been fighting on behalf of his tribe for all this time. He had been alone and without his brother¡ªand he had no one to blame but himself.

    Yet.

    Yet.

    Now, his brother was back. However, Primeape just stayed there, staring forward from where he was kneeling after stumbling into the camp.

    Slowly, both Pok¨¦mon pushed to their feet, and both of them took a single step forward. For very different reasons, those small acts seemed to cost the Pok¨¦mon a great effort.

    They moved forward, walking straight at one another and the general sense of celebration in the camp slowly died down. The Gastly were the first to notice, followed by the Mankey. Tension and expectation alike filled the air as the two evolved Fighting Types finally met.

    This time around, Primeape didn¡¯t look angry. All members of his species were angry, but he didn¡¯t look that way right now. Mankey tended to be quick to rage, and a Primeape always had a certain heat burning in their chest. However, those Pok¨¦mon¡¯s anger varied from individual to individual. While it was always there, its target often changed¡ªmostly.

    (Primeape were known to hold a grudge.)

    But in this case, Sam could see the family resemblance between the two Pok¨¦mon. The physical similarities were blatantly obvious now that they were next to each other, but so was the resemblance in how they both felt. They were angry, maybe a little bit at each other, but really, the two Primeape were angry at themselves.

    Primeape hated himself for being so weak that he¡¯d been abandoned, and his brother hated himself for neglecting, ignoring, and betraying his brother.

    They clenched their fists, eyes looking one another up and down. Sam could tell from the tension in Primeape¡¯s arm that he was ready to throw a punch, but as his brother breathed in, he didn¡¯t throw it. He was waiting to see what he¡¯d say first.

    A breath out¡ªhis brother exhaled.

    Everyone in the camp seemed to breathe in out of nerves.

    The wild Primeape looked over Primeape himself before finally allowing that tension to leave his body.

    He spoke his mind, blurting it out:

    He was sorry.

    And then Primeape punched him in the face for the second time today.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The attack was basically unconscious. Nothing his brother said could have stopped that result. This time around, it wasn¡¯t fueled by months and months of resentment, so he wasn¡¯t launched back. He did grunt in pain and grab his face, and a wince passed through the entire camp.

    Sam let out a groan.

    This isn¡¯t going to be good.

    But, save for a single moment of rage that passed across his face, Primeape¡¯s brother chose not to react. The impact saw him slide a few inches back, but he didn¡¯t get further away. He simply breathed out to recover and looked up.

    His expression said everything¡ªhe was tired, and he recognized that he deserved that.

    ¡°You know what? Yeah, he kind of betrayed the Pok¨¦mon that let him evolve in the first place. He¡¯s getting off easy,¡± Sam mumbled.

    But no one paid attention to what he said; they were too busy watching the two Primeape interact.

    Even though Primeape hadn¡¯t intended to punch, he still huffed and crossed his arms as if the attack had been intentional. His brother rubbed a nasty welt forming over his eye and grunted to acknowledge the strength of the attack. He seemed to wait, as if hoping Primeape would say anything else, but the two Pok¨¦mon just stared at one another before finally turning away.

    The meeting hadn¡¯t exactly been a reconciliation, but it had at least been an acknowledgment. Sam couldn¡¯t exactly call himself an expert on inter-Pok¨¦mon relationships, but for Fighting Types, violence was apparently a form of respect?

    However the two Pok¨¦mon felt about one another, for now, they chose to let things rest. Slowly, Primeape¡¯s brother walked away to disappear into the hole beneath the tree, and Primeape walked away, finding a free spot to sit in this camp.

    The end of that meeting allowed the rest of the tribe to finally breathe out¡ªthe encounter was over. Practically every Mankey here then exploded back into that same excitement as before. They chatted animatedly among themselves, and a good number of the Gastly joined in. Primeape himself looked as though he just wanted to leave, but he never got the chance; he was quickly swarmed.

    Whatever lingering tension he felt vanished, immediately replaced by sheer bewilderment at the mass of Pok¨¦mon that surrounded him. Mankey jumped, cheered, and practically assaulted him with questions. Not every Pok¨¦mon here had been a member of the tribe when he left. Some were hatched and others had joined up, but they were all overwhelmed by curiosity¡ªhe was their leader¡¯s brother. They wanted to learn everything they could.

    Primeape looked to Sam for help, but Sam deliberately looked away. Avoiding Primeape¡¯s pleading gaze, he moved to join Typhlosion at her side.

    ¡°Have fun, Primeape,¡± Sam said as he walked past his Pok¨¦mon, patting him on the back. ¡°I know how much you like showing off, so what better place to do that than right here, right now?¡±

    <hr>

    The only way Sam could describe the rest of the day was that it became a sort of party. The wild Mankey laughed along at all of the nonsense the Gastly got up to, and even the Mankey that chose to stay on watch seemed to get along with the few Gastly that were less interested in social events.

    A few of the Mankey dove into that dug-out tunnel to retrieve a handful of berries¡ªrather conspicuous ones. They were few in number, but those berries were old and had been stored in darkness. If Sam had to describe them, rather than rotting, it was more like the old berries had fermented.

    Gross.

    The actions of the Mankey and the Gastly that took bites from the aged berries weren¡¯t worth paying attention to, but Haunter certainly had his hands full for the rest of the day and night. Misdreavus seemed to take great pleasure in his exasperated expressions¡ªfor once, he had to experience what it was like to be on the other side of his pranks.

    Misdreavus stayed back on watch with the others, occasionally drifting over to hang out with Sam and Typhlosion. At a few points during this ¡°event,¡± Typhlosion used her wisps to put on shows that described her best battles to the curious Mankey. Trevenant didn¡¯t exactly interact with any of the wild Pok¨¦mon, but he did stay next to the tree. As was his expertise, he did something to cause new berries to grow and ripen in almost no time at all, and Sam even managed to catch sight of Trevenant smiling to himself as he watched the Mankey pick the newly grown fruits and toss them to their friends.

    As for Primeape, Sam¡¯s gut feeling had been right¡ªthis party was good for him. The attention of the crowd prevented him from slipping away, and it prevented him from slipping into a more sullen mood. While many of these Mankey had treated him poorly once, that was not true for every Pok¨¦mon here, and he had been gone for months. There¡¯d been plenty of time for the tribe to obtain new members, and there¡¯d been plenty of time for the Mankey to grow regretful of what they¡¯d done.

    That meant plenty of Pok¨¦mon came over to offer their apologies, and plenty more practically begged him to show off his strength. He was surrounded by all of the youngest members of the tribe, and they shouted their names over and over again before he finally gave in and demonstrated his power by punching straight through a nearby stone.

    A cheer echoed out. It was just a Rock Smash, but the variety of moves wasn¡¯t as intense out here. Primeape looked around sheepishly, but practically every single Mankey looked back at him with awe.

    From there, a completely different type of event started. No longer as enthralled by the Gastly, the various Mankey started to scramble off. A young Mankey brought Primeape a pebble, which he then crushed in his palm. A second one brought a slightly larger pebble, which he also easily turned to dust. A third then brought him a slightly larger stone that he punched through, and then another lined up behind that one with a rock of their own, and behind that Mankey, another Mankey with a rock, and then another, and another.

    The items got bigger, tougher, and even more rugged, but Primeape broke through them all. The sheer excitement shared by the Mankey was infectious¡ªeven the Gastly brought stones over to help out. Save for a single Geodude that woke up and rolled away, annoyed at being disturbed in its nap, Primeape shattered everything placed before him. At the very end of the event, over a dozen Gastly and Mankey worked together to roll a boulder to his position.

    Of course, Primeape broke through that, too.

    There was plenty of time to chat, plenty of food to eat, and plenty of ways to be entertained. Out here, where life was defined by constant fights, these Pok¨¦mon jumped at this chance to celebrate. If Sam had to describe it, it was like they experienced higher highs and lower lows.

    The party lasted the rest of the day and a decent way into dusk. The air was filled with laughter. The goofy Mankey and Gastly made oddly good pairs.

    But though these Fighting Types seemed like furry balls of boundless energy, they didn¡¯t exactly have infinite stamina. Day gave way to night, and as the sun fell, the Mankey eventually exhausted themselves and fell into a deep sleep.

    Dozens of snores echoed out, the rumbling so prevalent it felt as though it came from the earth itself. Haunter was already in Sam¡¯s shadow, using the familiar darkness as a comfortable spot to rest. Other Gastly had joined him, slipping into a restful torpor now that the Mankey had burned out, and a few remained in shadows around the camp, watching over the slumbering forms of their new friends.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t say I expected any of this,¡± Sam said to Typhlosion. He sat against a boulder at the very edge of the camp. Her head was in his lap, and he scratched behind her ear. ¡°A party is not what I thought bringing Primeape here would become, but he needed this. This was good for him. He needed to see that he¡¯s more than just his past. He looks a lot better, too.¡±

    Typhlosion chuffed to herself and glanced over to where the campsite gave way to a cliff¡¯s edge. Much like Sam had found him earlier, Primeape was sitting on a rock and overlooking the valley. But instead of being filled with nerves and tension, it was clear that he had finally been able to relax.

    ¡°And it¡¯s crazy. Primeape only used Rock Smash. I would have expected him to use Bulk Up to cheat, but he didn¡¯t. He¡¯s really become that strong.

    ¡°He needed this,¡± Sam said again. ¡°He needed this chance to move on. I think he¡¯s finally recognizing just how powerful he actually is. And his brother...¡±

    Sam sighed. That was a more complicated thought.

    It wasn¡¯t like the two Pok¨¦mon had forgiven each other. Well, it wasn¡¯t like Primeape¡¯s brother was in a state to be forgiven. Saying sorry was a start, but back then, he had essentially taken everything Primeape had done for him and thrown it in the trash. That kind of betrayal was painful, and it wasn¡¯t exactly something words alone could fix.

    But this was still a step forward, and Sam knew that seeing his brother¡¯s regret had helped Primeape, even if it had caused him far too many mixed emotions at the start.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll ever have the same relationship. But I¡¯m not sure how much they¡¯ll interact from here. Do you think Primeape will want to come back here, or do you think this was a happy enough event that he feels as though he can now properly say goodbye? It¡¯s... Ugh. It¡¯s a family matter. It always feels like this stuff gets more complicated than it should be.¡±

    Sam sighed, pressing his back against that boulder. Typhlosion scooted around to press her head closer to his stomach, and he made sure to keep scratching behind her ear as he stared up at the countless stars visible in the night sky.

    ¡°If Redi was here, she¡¯d know what to say, but I can¡¯t rely on her for everything. I have to learn to take care of this kind of stuff by myself, too. I know it sucks, but it¡¯s probably for the best of both of us that we¡¯re taking the time to be on our own.¡±

    The situation was complicated, but Sam was just happy that Primeape looked better. When he had walked over to sit on the boulder, it was like his steps were lighter. His movements didn¡¯t carry that same weight to them as before.

    It made Sam wonder how Primeape was feeling. Not how he was feeling about his brother, but how he was feeling in general. As a Primeape, he was supposed to be constantly angry, but how was that anger being directed? After all of their training, Sam knew Primeape should have had great control of it, but he couldn¡¯t exactly see into his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s head.

    ...But did he even need to? Primeape wasn¡¯t consumed by a need for revenge, and that was enough. All that mattered was that he was finally better off.

    So for a while, Sam and Typhlosion just sat there, taking in the cool night air and the clear view of the stars that came from the lack of light pollution off-route. It was hard to put into words just how peaceful it was, but it was nice. He might not have had a book in hand, but it reminded him of all the times they read together in the windowsill above his mother¡¯s shop.

    After a while, however, Sam breathed out. The moment couldn¡¯t last forever.

    Typhlosion snapped her head up and began to let her flames lick around her neck as Sam pushed to his feet. Shadows writhed beneath her. Sam stared up at the cliffs.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said quietly, ¡°I see them too.¡±

    Above, creatures stalked about, but they were no Ghost Types. Though they stuck to the shadows, their purple bodies were far too obvious against the light-colored stone of the rock walls. Faint clattering came from their claws breaking the stone and sending pebbles to the stone floors.

    The cliffs looked as though they were moving. The Gligar did their best to hide their midnight approach, but Sam was far too used to searching for hidden Pok¨¦mon for that strategy to work against him.

    ¡°Looks like they got help this time around,¡± Sam said as he took in the incoming horde. ¡°They didn¡¯t exactly change their plan, but they definitely got help.¡±

    The number of Gligar from earlier had more than tripled¡ªwhatever had happened in the past few hours, the previous Gligar attackers had somehow gathered others for help. Berry trees were invaluable out here, not just for food but also for the healing they represented. Even split several ways, a berry tree meant not just power but safe growth for any Pok¨¦mon with access.

    From around the campsite, shadows of Ghost Types peeled away to meld with Sam¡¯s own. Trevenant left where he¡¯d been resting against the berry tree to join Sam at his side.

    The muffled hissing of the Gligar sharing their plan stood in the silent night. They intended to make use of the darkness to attack, swooping down and ambushing the sleeping Mankey to force them all to flee.

    If this were any other day, the Gligar¡¯s plan might have worked. Unfortunately for the wild Pok¨¦mon, Sam was here, and he had his entire team with him.

    ¡°Looks like we really can¡¯t go anywhere without something going on,¡± Sam said with a sigh, ¡°but at least this isn¡¯t too much. A Gligar swarm isn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    He quickly took in the sheer size of the crawling mass. His team had to be outnumbered by at least three to one.

    ¡°Still, we¡¯ve had such gracious hosts. I think we can at least take this on for them.¡±

    His Pok¨¦mon readied themselves for a fight, and the many Gligar turned their heads. Yellow eyes glowed in the darkness of the night, and they unlatched from the walls to dive at them in a wave.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do this carefully,¡± Sam said as he calmly watched the incoming horde. ¡°No sense in waking up the Mankey, so let¡¯s win as quietly as possible, yeah?¡±

 Chapter 127

    Groups of wild Pok¨¦mon had a limit to how large they could be. Pok¨¦mon with a guaranteed source of food tended to stay in larger groups, and flocks of flying Pok¨¦mon tended to get even larger thanks to sourcing meals over vast distances and picking out targets from the sky.

    Gligar weren¡¯t a species that traveled in large groups, and though they could glide, they couldn¡¯t exactly get too high into the air. They were as limited as any grounded group of Pok¨¦mon, but right now, it was like that limit on group size had disappeared.

    They were a tide, a flood of creatures from many different groups joining together for a mass assault. Berries trees were invaluable out here, and the mere chance to claim one from the Mankey tribe was worth putting aside their differences for this singular plan.

    It would have worked in any other situation, but these Gligar had unfortunate timing. Though a mass, midnight ambush would have worked even just one day ago, Sam¡¯s group was right here, and they had no plans to let the Gligar win.

    Unlike usual, Misdreavus was the first Pok¨¦mon to act, as Haunter intentionally waited for her to begin. She had been practicing new ways to use old moves, and she showed off her practice with a Psybeam that tore up the ground.

    Rather than just leaving a groove, the Psychic Type energy sent dirt and debris into the air. In a cloud that wasn¡¯t quite a Smoke Screen but didn¡¯t need to be actively maintained, her attack churned up the earth to create quite the obscuration that Haunter and everyone else could take advantage of.

    He dived right into it, with most of the Gastly following behind. The lower half of the Gligar swarm disappeared into the dust cloud, and muffled yelps began to echo out, quickly fading into nothing more than whispers thanks to the blankets of Night Shade the Gastly popped up and maintained.

    Claws left the cloud to grab the necks of isolated Gligart and yank them back in. Several Gastly lingered off to the side to flash their eyes at incoming attackers, and sleeping Gligar fell right out of the sky toward the other, eager Ghost Types waiting below.

    At Sam¡¯s side, Typhlosion took a step forward and brought up her head to conjure her best attack. Deep purple flames burned from her neck, their unnatural energy casting shadows instead of light.

    Her Infernal Parade winked into existence multiple wisps at a time. She formed a wall that she sent right toward the incoming swarm, and Gligar desperately moved out of the way in an attempt to avoid the unfamiliar move.

    But the Infernal Parade did not light up the area, and the combination of the dust cloud below and Gastly at the sides meant it had become the darkest of nights. In an attempt to dodge, blind Gligar slammed into other blind Gligar. Their charge fell apart in seconds, which created openings for even more attacks.

    Every Gligar that dodged was another Gligar that got hurt somehow. Either by being bumped into, grabbed by a Ghost Type, or just hit by Typhlosion¡¯s attack, the assault force quickly became the ones under assault.

    Trevenant took advantage of that to slip forward, becoming a surprisingly stealthy tree that sent up roots to lash around. Gligar were either pinned or inflicted with the Grass Type thanks to Forest¡¯s Curse. Those ones became easy targets for Typhlosion to get quick knock-outs.

    Trevenant¡¯s Shadow Claw also let him finish off any stragglers, and the Gastly did their work in support. The overall combination had come together in only a few short moments, and already, the swarm was falling apart.

    Out here, an attack force of this size was practically unheard of, but even more unheard of was this many Ghost Types working together. They were off-route, where every day was a fight in its own way. Even in the rare scenarios in which a trainer showed up, they never brought a team of this size.

    ¡°This attack was doomed before it even had a chance,¡± Sam said quietly, keeping his voice low to not wake up any slumbering Mankey in the camp.

    At his side, Typhlosion snickered, but even though his chest swelled in pride as he watched how easily his Pok¨¦mon dismantled the swarm, he still found himself growing nervous.

    Everyone might have been demonstrating the strength they¡¯d been chasing all this time, but something about this mass battle was missing. It wasn¡¯t Primeape, as he had moved up to stand next to Sam and serve as a last line of defense just in case, and it wasn¡¯t the Mankey, since they were all still asleep behind them.

    The more Sam watched, the more he realized what he was feeling. The swarm almost felt too undirected. Honestly, it was almost as if it was uncontrolled.

    Primeape grunted to express his suspicions, and Sam had to agree with his comment; this was too easy.

    ¡°Wait. I get it,¡± Sam said, looking at how easily the Gligar were falling into a panic. ¡°This was supposed to overwhelm us with numbers, but they¡¯re falling apart too quickly. No one was leading the charge. Even out here, isn¡¯t every group out here supposed to have a leader?¡±

    That Gligar from yesterday, the one that had challenged Primeape¡¯s brother only to lose, was nowhere to be found. This might have been a swarm, but it was like each Pok¨¦mon was fighting individually rather than as a group under a single Pok¨¦mon¡¯s command.

    Even when Trevenant had taken over Route 43, his groups of Pok¨¦mon had leaders. Sam had a clear memory of that Honchkrow leading its group of Murkrow. Not every Pok¨¦mon had a trainer, but many still tended to follow something that gave them commands.

    This was wrong. While the sheer amount of numbers had been a surprise, the assault was far too simple. Sam quickly looked around, trying to see if the lead Gligar was hiding anywhere or attempting to sneak around from the back.

    But he couldn¡¯t find it. It wasn¡¯t that the Pok¨¦mon was sneaky, it simply wasn¡¯t there.

    Alarm bells went off in Sam¡¯s head, even as the swarm of Pok¨¦mon slowly started to flee. He got his first clue that something was going wrong when he looked down and saw a pebble rattle against the ground. It bounced as if subjected to distant, heavy thumps.

    And those thumps grew by the second.

    Sam began to feel vibrations under his feet, and he finally realized exactly what he¡¯d missed.

    ¡°Drop the dust cloud! Push it down!¡± he shouted.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Misdrevus had been firing off weak Power Gems, using this opportunity to practice that super-effective move. But with Sam¡¯s command, she quickly switched to using Psychic, and the dust slammed to the earth like a blanket hitting the floor.

    The noise picked up; right away, behind them, many of the Mankey woke up in alarm. Shouts rang out when they saw the fight going on ahead of them, but Sam didn¡¯t care. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be quiet anymore.

    His eyes locked onto the lead Gligar almost right away. It was desperately gliding forward in the back of the swarm. The dust cloud had hidden its presence, but it hadn¡¯t been hiding. It was as if it hadn¡¯t shown up until right now.

    It rushed out from around a curve in the ravine, face locked into panicked desperation. It was intent on moving as fast as possible, and those same thumps grew louder behind it.

    Something growled, but the noise was nothing that could come from a mouth. Followed by a constant rumble, it was pretty clear that Gligar was being chased. Panic started to erupt in the Mankey tribe as they put the clues together before it was revealed. They pushed aside any weariness just to flee, scrambling toward the back boulders while fueled by nothing but adrenaline.

    Sam finally saw it¡ªthe real core of the Gligar¡¯s plan. Heft¡ªfat, plain and simple¡ªappeared around the corner, jiggling with every step.

    Unfortunately, he had been right in the worst way possible; the Gligar¡¯s mass assault hadn¡¯t been the entire plan. Their leader had been doing something else. They knew they wouldn¡¯t win against Primeape¡¯s brother, so this had all been just a distraction to lure something else in.

    A Snorlax.

    Almost like a Primeape, Sam could have sworn he felt a vein throb on his head.

    ¡°That idiot! Doesn¡¯t it know that a Snorlax is just going to eat the entire tree?!¡±

    Wild Snorlax stood above every other wild species out here, not just due to how much it ate, but due to its thick layers of fat that let it shrug off practically any attack. That weight made them strong, not just defensively, but also because they needed the muscle to lug all that mass around.

    So impossibly heavy, as the Snorlax turned the corner, each of its footsteps shook the earth, and the Mankey cried out in pure panic. On the Snorlax¡¯s stomach, Sam could see a nasty, discolored welt that showed off just how the Gligar had attacked it to get it to wake up.

    But waking up a Snorlax was not a simple matter, and Sam would in no way call this Pok¨¦mon fully awake. Its eyes were closed, and it was half asleep. There was a purpose to its footsteps, but it wasn¡¯t being guided by anything conscious.

    If Sam had to guess, the reason the Snorlax was chasing the Gligar was two-fold; it was lashing out in its sleep, and it was following what movement it could see out of hopes it¡¯d eventually be led to food.

    ¡°Hypnosis won¡¯t work. Snorlax is still practically asleep. I could have Haunter use Dream Eater or Nightmare, but those would just enrage it even more. The worst case is if messing with its dreams wakes it up. Then it¡¯d see that the berry tree is right there and would go up to it for an easy meal.¡±

    Sam muttered his thoughts, speaking as quickly as possible to share anything he could think of with his Pok¨¦mon around him. Snorlax had a reputation for a reason. This one might not have been a trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, but the sheer level of strength it possessed meant it was a major threat.

    ¡°Can¡¯t have Typhlosion help,¡± he continued, speaking anything that came to mind. ¡°Thick Fact means Fire Type moves are nothing against it, and the same is probably true for a burn. Worse, it¡¯s a Normal Type and immune to Ghost Type moves. And then the same reason Hypnosis is ineffective makes Confuse Ray ineffective, too.¡±

    If Sam had taught his Pok¨¦mon Destiny Bond by now, Haunter could have purposefully fainted to buy the team an opening for an attack. Trevenant could have then used his roots to lash Snorlax to the ground, which would have worked because breaking free was too much work for a lazy Pok¨¦mon like it.

    But Haunter didn¡¯t know Destiny Bond. None of Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon did.

    And Sam had even told Misdreavus to work on Power Gem before Pain Split. If she had known that move, Pain Split would have been perfect here.

    They had nothing. Well, they did have a few options, but those were based around wearing the Snorlax down. Despite its bulk, Sam knew his team could eventually win, but that was only if they spent a while taking it out. Meanwhile, as they fought, the Snorlax would still have free reign to continue its half-asleep movements. Eventually, it¡¯d find the berry tree, and then that would be it.

    There was also the issue that if they focused on it too much, the Gligar would come back. Then, it didn¡¯t matter if the berry tree was protected. The Mankey would be forced away, anyway.

    This is bad. They¡¯ve pinned us. Fighting a wild Snorlax is just as dangerous as fighting a wild Dragonite, and only fools fight wild Dragonite.

    The difference between the two Pok¨¦mon was that Snorlax rarely gave chase if its opponents fled, but if a Pok¨¦mon was deliberately trying to guide it somewhere...

    Sam growled at how the lead Gligar grinned when it saw its goal was now in sight.

    ¡°Primeape,¡± Sam said, though he wasn¡¯t happy with this plan. ¡°You¡¯re our only solution. You¡¯re a Fighting Type, so you¡¯re our best answer to big targets like these.¡±

    Primeape had already stepped forward. He knew his role. When it came to the opponents the rest of the team struggled to defeat, his job was to take them out. For as immune to Normal Type moves as the team was, they didn¡¯t exactly have a viable way to defeat Normal Types. That was where Primeape came in, as his strong, super effective Fighting Type moves could defeat those kinds of foes.

    He knew how to fight a bigger target. He¡¯d fought Ursaring countless times in the past. While Ursaring wasn¡¯t as big as a Snorlax, he was more skilled than one, so Primeape looked unbothered as he marched ahead.

    No matter how strong the Snorlax was, it was still a Normal Type, and it was an untrained one, at that. It was powerful, but Primeape had something even more powerful prepared for it.

    A strategy.

    And that strategy involved landing just a single, solid punch.

    <hr><hr>

    As Primeape walked forward, he had to ask himself a question: was he afraid? He would never admit that he was, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the way his body shook as he approached such an enormous threat.

    It wasn¡¯t that the Snorlax was intimidating. It wasn¡¯t that the Pok¨¦mon was some impossible-to-defeat foe. It was that Primeape was familiar with the species. He had grown up in this valley, and Snorlax had always felt more like a force of nature than any individual Pok¨¦mon.

    One of his earliest memories was of him fleeing alongside the rest of the tribe. While traveling, they had turned a cliff corner only to come face-to-face with a wandering Snorlax. That shouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but it had seen the chestnuts carried by a few members of the tribe and lunged.

    The way it drooled in hunger had been terrifying. It cared nothing for the Mankey before it, only for the food they held. The only reason the tribe managed to escape was because the older members called for everyone to drop what they carried and run. The Snorlax had shaken the earth when it sat to eat, and that was the first time Primeape remembered ever truly being scared.

    So his reaction was more instinctual than it was logical. Coming back here had stirred up far too many memories. If they had been facing the Snorlax in an official battle, he wouldn¡¯t have been nervous. But out here, it was a threat, and he was the one to take care of threats. Yet even though the Snorlax was tough, so was he.

    Primeape had beaten his brother.

    Primeape had been strong.

    He had finally managed to prove his strength.

    Because of course he had, hadn¡¯t he?

    Gligar fought in the air above him as he picked up speed. All around him, Gastly pushed the wild Pok¨¦mon back to open up a path for his charge. A Psychic from Misdreavus grabbed a Gligar and yanked it to the side. Nearby, Trevenant slashed with a Shadow Claw to prevent a pair of aggressive Gligar from reaching where he ran.

    Primeape¡¯s nerves hardened. These Pok¨¦mon were his team. His friends. His family. As big as the Snorlax was, he¡¯d be bigger. This was his role. His job. His target to defeat.

    The space between him and the approaching Snorlax shrunk. It only walked, but it was so big it felt as though every step brought it forward a mile. In front of it, that one lead Gligar looked at Primeape with a smug, punchable face, but Primeape just grabbed its lashing tail and swung it away. It didn¡¯t deserve anything more than that right now.

    And then, he was at the Snorlax. It towered over him with its jiggling, impossibly heavy bulk. It barely responded to him with anything other than a half-conscious growl. He was likely nothing more than a blur to the half-asleep creature, but he was a blur that was in the Snorlax¡¯s way.

    It lifted its arms, but Primeape was faster. Raising his fists like the boxers Redi once told Ursaring about, he dived forward to slip beneath the Snorlax¡¯s guard and jabbed to unleash the strongest move he could.

    Brick Break. The attack was like Rock Smash, but it broke through most forms of defense. Sam had mentioned that some Psychic Types liked to set up translucent screens, and Brick Break was powerful enough to shatter them to pieces. It might not have been a Rock Smash, which could destroy a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense and make them vulnerable to further attacks, but Primeape didn¡¯t want to take that chance. Rock Smash wasn¡¯t as strong as Brick Break, and he needed a strong attack.

    So, his fist hit the Snorlax¡¯s stomach, and the Pok¨¦mon stopped where it had been walking forward. This first super effective move should have been enough to seal the fight.

    But there was no impact.

    Though he had landed his punch, his fist had harmlessly sunk into the Snorlax¡¯s gut.

    So incredibly fat, the Snorlax only had to breathe in to send Primeape bouncing back. He stumbled on his feet and looked up. An arm was already swinging his way.

    It wasn¡¯t a move. It was just a swipe. The Snorlax was too unconscious to do anything more than a simple bash. No matter how much Primeape tried to resist, the difference in strength and size was too much, and he flew.

    Soaring over the battlefield, the next thing Primeape knew was the pain of an impact into a rock wall. Everything blurred, and his consciousness slipped.

    In the distance, the Snorlax continued forward.

 Chapter 128

    The world returned to Primeape in hazy shades of black. Shadows swam in his vision as he grabbed his aching head. In the distance, he could hear a shout, but it was almost muffled to his ears. It sounded familiar as if it was some sort of command?

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡±

    He couldn¡¯t understand it. It didn¡¯t make sense. He wasn¡¯t able to use Flamethrower. Why was he being told to use that attack?

    That was when Primeape put the pieces together. He wasn¡¯t the one being given a command. Another Pok¨¦mon was fighting.

    And it wasn¡¯t him.

    Sam¡¯s voice repeated the order, that same shout coming almost desperately. It was farther away than before, a distant call to the Pok¨¦mon that took Primeape¡¯s place after he was knocked out in a single blow.

    Ahead of him, blurry shapes took form as his vision returned to him, and he could see the shattered remains of boulders that had once surrounded the camp. The Snorlax, still half-asleep, somehow looked annoyed. It swiped at images of a weasel-like Pok¨¦mon, crashing through them and breaking everything in its path.

    Typhlosion could avoid its attacks thanks to Double Team, and her Agility was letting her keep her distance. She was running circles around the Snorlax but shouldn¡¯t have needed to. She shouldn¡¯t have been the one fighting. It should have been Primeape.

    But he had already failed.

    The worst part of it was that the Snorlax hadn¡¯t even used a real move. It had only bothered to casually swing its arm. However, that base slam into Primeape had hurt. Not only did the swipe carry all of the Snorlax¡¯s weight behind it, but the Pok¨¦mon was also inherently strong.

    While Primeape might have been able to withstand that swipe, being knocked straight into a rock wall was enough to take him out. And now Typhlosion was being forced to fight on his behalf, but she wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon meant for close-ranged fights. She might have been a Ghost Type, but she couldn¡¯t phase through attacks. While Fighting and Normal Type moves carried no effect, she would still feel the force behind those powerful blows.

    So she was avoiding the Snorlax''s attacks, but she was only successful because so much of her focus was being spent on defense. The few Flamethrowers she released scorched the surface of the Snorlax, but they only burned its body without doing much else thanks to its insulating layers of Thick Fat.

    And Sam was there too, standing in the back of the clearing. He crouched next to the boulders and helped Mankey climb over. They were doing the only thing they could do¡ªescape. Primeape could tell Typhlosion would eventually win, but her victory would not come fast enough.

    Painfully, Primeape peeled himself out of the crater, but that pain was nothing compared to the burning in his chest. The entire team had relied on him, and all he had done was fail. The sole reason the rampaging Snorlax hadn¡¯t reached the berry tree was that it had yet to notice the tree¡¯s presence. More than that, a handful of Gligar remained, flinging a few, last-ditch moves. Most had already gathered their injured and made their escape. But it wasn¡¯t like the threat had vanished; a good chunk of them hid at the top of the cliffs and watched the ongoing fight.

    Clearly, their strategy wasn¡¯t over. They were thinking they could swoop in at the end of the battle, but there wouldn¡¯t be an end. The second the Snorlax woke up enough to notice it, any life in the berry tree would be gone.

    Primeape wasn¡¯t sure what to do. He felt angry, but he felt hopeless. He walked forward, almost in a daze. The quiet of the night was gone at this point since all of the remaining battles were now loud and desperate.

    Haunter fought. Gastly fought. Trevenant fought, too. Misdreavus helped Sam with Psychic, catching any Mankey that fell and bringing them up the boulders so they could escape the heavy Pok¨¦mon¡¯s rampage.

    And Primeape just watched. Because what else could he do? He was useless. He watched Typhlosion fend off the Snorlax while also watching the Mankey escape.

    But when his gaze lingered on Sam¡¯s group, he saw it: a Pok¨¦mon. A familiar Pok¨¦mon stood right at Sam¡¯s side even though it shouldn¡¯t have been there. Serving as the final line of defense¡ªtaking the one role that should have been his¡ªwas the only Pok¨¦mon that could do it. Primeape¡¯s brother stood at the ready, prepared to fight a losing battle if pushed.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon was in his place. The wild Pok¨¦mon stood where Primeape should have stood.

    Anger growing, Primeape stared forward, trying to refuse but being forced to accept the reality of the situation.

    He was doing nothing.

    He was being useless.

    Even after everything else, he had done nothing but prove himself weak.

    No matter how much training he had gone through, he hadn¡¯t been able to withstand the simple physics of Snorlax¡¯s swing. But despite that feeling, despite all the hopelessness he felt, something else grew in Primeape¡¯s chest.

    That thought was making him rage.

    Immediately, Primeape stopped kidding himself. He wasn''t winning this fight¡ªnot as he was now. The boost of Bulk Up could help bridge the gap, but even that wouldn¡¯t be enough. As strong as Bulk Up could make him, there was still the problem of mass. Snorlax was just far too heavy for him to withstand its attacks.

    But he had a solution. If he wanted to win this fight, he needed power. And if he wanted power, he needed to evolve.

    This was not the time for a sudden epiphany or realization. This was the time for a final push to complete all his efforts.

    So, even as hurt as he was, he threw himself forward, diving right into the fray where the last few Gligar were still being fought. He roared in challenge, and his fist swung out to smash an unsuspecting Pok¨¦mon in the face.

    Above his head, a pair of Gligar dived through the air and opened their mouths. Needles came out for a Poison Sting that peppered Primeape, but he blocked it with his arms and ignored the lingering, biting pain.

    Jumping, he kicked off the cliff to meet the two Pok¨¦mon in the air, his gloved hands grabbing the top of the two Gligar¡¯s heads. He used the movement to slam them into the ground, the impact finishing them off and taking them out of the fight.

    But it wasn''t enough.

    Primeape roared again, furiously shouting for more to attack him while simultaneously challenging every Pok¨¦mon here. There were practically no Gligar left, and at this point, the ones that remained were in no condition to face a Pok¨¦mon at his level of strange.

    But Primeape didn¡¯t give up, and he jerked around, searching for a target. His heart pounded in his chest. His body heaved with every breath.

    ...Above him, a certain Ghost Type looked down.

    Responding to the call, a grin stretched across Haunter¡¯s face as he pointed, more than willing to help out. Though there was a moment¡¯s pause, his commands were followed. Gastly rushed Primeape, just as he demanded.

    A punch. A hiss. A Rage Fist smashed right through an incoming Gastly. The attack caused it to fly far back right as something else seared Primeape from behind.

    His fist snapped out before he even saw what had done that, and a different Gastly hit the wall. More swarmed him, and the world became a tornado of swirling shadows that consumed every ounce of light.

    He fought.

    A Lick swiped his side.

    Primeape lashed out with a Rage Fist.

    A Spite came forth in an attempt to drain him.

    Primeape lashed out with a Rage Fist.

    A pair of eyes flashed in the darkness, opening up in an attempt to put him to sleep. Unfortunately for the poor Gastly, Primeape had a Vital Spirit. He was far too angry to fall unconscious that easily.

    Primeape lashed out with a Rage Fist.

    More and more Gastly swarmed him, and Primeape laid into them all. All fainted Pok¨¦mon were pulled back as even more Pok¨¦mon zipped in to fill the gaps.

    Primeape was attacked from all angles by the Pok¨¦mon that should have been his allies. Yet, he called for this, he demanded this, and for every Rage Fist he used, he grew more and more enraged.

    But it didn¡¯t last forever. There were only so many Gastly capable of using attacks. As he roared, their numbers died down, and even through the gap, Primeape struck at one, final face.

    Haunter bounced across the ground, being forced to disappear into a shadow to recover. For Primeape, the world turned into a blur. The only thing that mattered to him right now was finding his next target to fight.

    He could feel the energy pulsing through the gloves. He could feel the heat filling his chest. A voice called out to him in the distance, but Primeape did not respond.

    Something else spoke, and Primeape turned to lay his eyes on something green that towered over his head.

    Lunging forward, he was stopped by latching roots.

    He used Rage Fist; he smashed right through. He charged at the Pok¨¦mon trying to hit him.

    Something swiped at his side, draining his energy, and a second claw of shadowy energy tore into his fur.

    He used Rage Fist; he hit the Pok¨¦mon in its chest, and the energy pierced into it for super effective damage.

    In response to his move, Primeape heard the crunch of a berry and the cracking of the ground. Despite the punch¡¯s power, his target hadn¡¯t been moved. It was ingrained. It was not going to be knocked out of this fight so easily.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Thus, Rage Fist; Primeape struck again.

    Then, Rage Fist; Primeape broke through his target¡¯s bark.

    And a Rage Fist; no matter how many times he thought he was about to win, it seemed as though his target was able to restore to full health.

    In the distance, another shout came. Words? They didn¡¯t matter. All Primeape cared about right now was getting through this infuriating foe.

    He punched again, and again, and again, his rage the only thing keeping him conscious. Something thundered in his chest. With a final swing, his target was finally torn from the floor.

    ...There was that shout again. Why did it sound so concerned?

    But Primeape paid it no mind as a different noise rang out. A sound akin to a shattering stone entered his ears.

    He knew then that there were more targets.

    There were more things that needed to be punched.

    He turned toward a new blur, one that was even larger. It had blue-tan fur and a width that seemed to obscure most of his sight.

    He marched.

    Right now, the only thing Primeape could hear was the sound of his breathing and the beating of his heart in his chest. It was pounding at a thousand beats per minute. He felt as though he could hardly breathe, but he didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was that right now, he was still alive.

    Another noise echoed out. This one was different. It was not an unrecognizable shout or the sound of a stone breaking. Something was hit, flesh on flesh. A pained cry left a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s throat and then spoke no more.

    That massive thing lumbered away from him.

    Primeape¡¯s rage grew out of frustration.

    The earth shook as the blur sat down and started to make the noise of chewing on a tree.

    Primeape was inexorable; he did not stop in his march forward. The world became nothing but him and his target, and he understood.

    It was that Snorlax.

    It was eating.

    It was eating the berry tree, and it was paying him no mind.

    Everything felt so simple at that moment. He had been angry. Angry at himself. Angry at the world. Angry at that thing for having the gall to beat him.

    But did that matter? He couldn¡¯t say he was angry about that anymore. He was simply angry at anything and everything.

    He was his rage.

    The Snorlax didn¡¯t care that he was approaching. The Snorlax only cared about its meal. Primeape was mad, but he was also calm. He was completely and totally focused on his singular goal.

    This time, when something shouted, it was a brand new voice. One that cried out a name that was so similar to his own. From the side, a shape ran his way, and Primeape drew back an arm to take it out before he could be stopped.

    And there, right before him, Primeape was hit with a shock. The shape wasn¡¯t an opponent. It wasn¡¯t the Snorlax. He was being approached by his own face.

    His brother¡¯s face.

    But the sight did nothing to stop his rage, and his arm had already been drawn back. He released that tension, the punch flying forward.

    But he failed to land his move.

    Just like that, before he could fully unleash his Rage Fist, the beating in his chest stopped. All around him, the pounding blur that had been the entire world vanished.

    His heart gave out, and Primeape could do nothing but fall.

    <hr><hr>

    Sam pressed his back against the boulders. The Snorlax was ignoring him as well as everyone else. In a way, Typhlosion had won; she had woken it up. But instead of coming to reason and turning around, it had laid its eyes on the berry tree and moved toward that instead.

    She had tried to stop it, but she had already exhausted herself trying to fight it off earlier, and a single attack had taken her out. Now, she was in her Pok¨¦ball. Same as Haunter. Same as Trevenant. Between his Ghost Types, only Misdreavus was out, and she was carefully pulling away all the fainted Gastly to bring them to the Mankey tribe for treatment.

    Yet, the Snorlax was still there, casually ripping off entire branches from the tree as if they were mere skewers that contained snacks. With a single bite, everything on them would vanish, both the berries and leaves and all.

    Sam would have been more angry at the situation, but he simply couldn¡¯t muster anything more than despair. He couldn¡¯t care less about the Snorlax right now. The only thing he could pay attention to was Primeape.

    Who was on the ground.

    Laying silently.

    Doing nothing at all.

    Sam could not explain it. He could not explain what possessed Primeape to do what he¡¯d done. He¡¯d noticed it too late, and it was only after Primeape began attacking the Gastly that he had seen what was going on. The only good thing about that show of force was that it completely scared off any remaining Gligar. Unfortunately, that was made pointless when Primeape then tore through Sam¡¯s team, taking out the Gastly, then Haunter, and then Trevenant one by one.

    And then...

    And then he had approached the Snorlax. His eyes had turned white, and veins throbbed on his face. He had been utterly consumed by his anger, so berserk he had turned impossibly calm.

    When Typhlosion had been taken out, Primeape didn¡¯t respond. He acted like nothing had happened. He had simply turned and walked toward the Snorlax. That was when everything went wrong.

    His brother tried to stop him. Primeape tried to throw one last Rage Fist.

    It hadn¡¯t worked. He had just collapsed, instead.

    Sam could say nothing. He could do nothing. Primeape¡¯s brother looked horrified. The noise that left the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s throat wasn¡¯t anything Sam would ever be able to describe.

    In front of the fallen Primeape, his brother collapsed. The Pok¨¦mon¡¯s face twisted to one of both grief and rage.

    The Mankey tribe hadn¡¯t fled. They stood on the boulders, quietly watching the scene with an intensity that didn¡¯t quite fit them.

    Sam would have liked to pretend the sky was cloudy, or that it was raining, but it was perfectly clear right now. The stars were shining, the moon was high, and his Pok¨¦mon was silent on the ground.

    Compared to how he looked before, Primeape was peaceful. Despite all of the anger that had consumed him less than even single a minute ago, he was almost smiling. As if, despite everything, he had achieved his final goal.

    But he hadn¡¯t. And Sam knew this was his fault. He said he would never betray his friends, but what had he done? He had led Primeape to this moment, bringing him here and causing all of this just so he could¡ª

    ¡°UGH!¡±

    It hurt when he slammed his fist into a boulder. He was no Pok¨¦mon. Shock traveled up his arm. He was weak. Pitiful. A sorry excuse for a trainer.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have... Why did I...¡±

    Sam was having trouble breathing. Misdreavus rushed to his side in worry.

    The only sound that came from the clearing was the sound of Primeape¡¯s brother and the noise of the Snorlax¡¯s continued eating.

    I shouldn¡¯t have left home.

    If he had just stayed behind, none of this would have happened.

    Misdreavus nudged Sam again, and he almost pushed her away. However, he stopped when he realized she wasn¡¯t trying to comfort him. She was trying to get his attention, instead.

    There, where Primeape laid on the ground, something drifted off his back. It almost resembled one of Typhlosion¡¯s wisps, but where her wisps were dark, this was light. It looked like a mote of pure energy that peeled off of Primeape¡¯s fur.

    Though he was unmoving, more and more of those motes flecked off his back. For a second, Sam thought Primeape was falling apart, but that wasn¡¯t it.

    He was giving off a glow.

    A far too familiar glow.

    A glow of a Pok¨¦mon about to evolve.

    Primeape¡¯s brother looked up in utter shock, and in front of him, an arm snapped up to press against the ground. Something broke on Primeape¡¯s wrists¡ªbracelets, like manacles, snapped open one by one, and one outright turned to dust to completely free his right arm.

    With steady movement, Primeape pushed to his feet, turning completely white under the evolutionary glow. Standing tall, his fur lengthed and became a mane of flowing hair that drifted off his head and constantly waved with dissipating, ephemeral energy.

    When the light broke, Sam could not say his Pok¨¦mon looked the same. The tan color of Primeape¡¯s fur had been replaced by a grey that looked as though it came from decay. However, his snout was still bright pink with life, and there were deep bags under his eyes¡ªred eyes. Angry eyes. Eyes that were consumed by rage.

    He looked awful. He looked great. He looked angry. He looked impossibly calm.

    But more than anything else, he looked alive and ready to continue this fight.

    When he took a step forward, his brother took a step back. When he moved toward the Snorlax, it did nothing but send him a nonchalant glance.

    By far, the Snorlax was more concerned with eating than anything about the evolution behind it. Typhlosion¡¯s few successful attacks had taken their toll, and it wanted to eat and heal more than anything else. An angry Pok¨¦mon might have been approaching it, but it didn¡¯t care. It just wanted to continue its meal.

    It didn¡¯t respond when a fist was drawn back, and it didn¡¯t respond when that fist slammed right into its side.

    ¡°Wait. No. That did do something,¡± Sam breathed. ¡°The Snorlax stopped eating.¡±

    Pulling a bare branch out of its mouth, the Snorlax looked behind it once again only for a shockwave to ripple through its fat.

    And after that shockwave came another, and then another, and then another. The assault laying into its body picked up speed, and with every fist that bounced off of it, the momentum was used to build a new attack.

    Slowly, the Snorlax¡¯s face contorted into an expression that was more and more pained, and it tried to swing an arm for an attack, but its opponent just ducked under the move.

    It roared, taking the super effective damage, trying to properly turn around but being too slow to do anything but open itself up to even more of the move.

    This was no Rage Fist. No, the attack was a Fighting Type move that forsook all defense.

    The move being used against the Snorlax was a Close Combat, instead.

    Despite all of its bulk, the Snorlax couldn¡¯t resist the damage move. The clearing started to be filled with not the noise of a fight, but the noise of all of the Mankey cheering the attacker on.

    The Snorlax tried to lift its arms¡ªtried to. It was currently being subjected to a constant, super-effective assault. Growing angrier by the second, it finally managed to position itself for some kind of attack¡ª

    But that was pointless. For all the anger it felt, the Snorlax could not match the rage of a fully realized Annihilape.

    With one final swing, the evolved Fighting Type drew back its right arm, and that arm changed. Unbound and influenced by the Ghost Type, it grew, and grew, and grew, until the fist was so large that it could almost reach the Snorlax¡¯s size.

    The attack snapped out.

    Snorlax was hit.

    And all several thousand pounds of it were sent flying off, smashing right through the trunk of the berry tree and down into the valley below.

    <hr>

    Trevenant checked over the shattered trunk the next morning. His expression was grim; there was nothing he could do. As a Grass Type, he could use his energy to cause plants to grow and heal, but in this case, the berry tree was gone, stripped clean by the Snorlax, and then finished off when it was smashed through by that Pok¨¦mon.

    The Gligar were gone as well, but in a way, they had won. Though they did not get the tree for themselves, the Mankey certainly didn¡¯t have access to it, either.

    Some of them looked despondent at the loss of their food source, but many of them didn¡¯t seem to care. The wonder of Annihilape¡¯s new form served as a decent distraction in that moment, as most of the tribe was far too busy staring at him in awe.

    As awful as he looked, Annihilape was still Primeape as he was before. A vein constantly throbbed on his now-grey head, but all of his practice and all of his effort meant he was in full control of his rage. It had become a part of him as much as Typhlosion¡¯s flames were a part of her. It was a fuel that he could use to direct as he wished.

    And right now, his body heaved up and down and he stared at the shattered trunk of the tree. Once more, he was angry at himself, but he wasn¡¯t angry at his weakness. He seemed to be far more angry that he had failed to realize which direction the Snorlax would fly.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Prime¡ªAnnihilape. The Snorlax ate most of it before you showed up. What matters is you evolved. I¡¯m proud of you. You finally reached your goal.¡±

    Despite Sam¡¯s words, Annihilape just grunted, breathing out to blow away a few strands of hair that had fallen onto his face. Grooming was going to be a problem, especially with the way his hair constantly flowed above him and gave off energy that dissipated in the wind.

    ¡°And also...¡± Sam continued, biting his lip. ¡°I just want to say I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry you had to go through all of that. Never did I think... No, if I had stopped for a moment, I probably would have realized what your evolution entailed. If I had just put two and two together¡ª¡±

    But before he could get any further, Annihilape stopped him with another grunt. Sam¡¯s comments were ticking him off, but more than that, he was communicating that he would have never been satisfied unless he had achieved this, anyway.

    ¡°I know, I just...¡± Sam stopped himself, shaking his head. ¡°No matter what, thank you. No one else could have done what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    And even despite all of Annihilape¡¯s ongoing anger, he still smiled. He would always feel a simmering rage, but it would always be under control. No matter what, he was still himself, just with massively increased strength and flowing grey hair.

    ¡°So now there¡¯s just the question of what to do with the rest of you,¡± Sam said.

    Turning from the remains of the tree, he looked around at the rest of the Pok¨¦mon here. His team was battered and injured after Primeape¡¯s fight, but they were healing. Trevenant had made sure of that, because as soon as he was conscious he had grown Sitrus berries to feed to everyone to make sure they¡¯d heal.

    Most of the Gastly were resting in Sam¡¯s shadow, and the Mankey had gotten off scot-free.

    Mostly.

    That was the source of Sam¡¯s question¡ªthey weren¡¯t injured, but they had lost their tree. At the same time, they had also learned of their species¡¯s ¡°secret¡± final evolution that Sam was honestly pretty worried they¡¯d try to repeat.

    It was almost a good thing that Annihilape¡¯s brother seemed to be in a daze. That Primeape looked completely unsure of how to react to any of this. He seemed incapable of suddenly gaining a desire to try to evolve.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your tree. If I¡¯d known the Gligar would lure a Snorlax here, I would have made a better plan,¡± Sam said to the tribe. ¡°But we¡¯ll help you find a new home. Trevenant, I know you¡¯ve already done a lot, but would you be able to help them find a new tree or grow a new one, instead?¡±

    Trevenant was still staring at the ruined trunk, and Sam winced. This situation probably hit close to home for him, but he was still able to reply to Sam with a serious nod of his head.

    ¡°Thank you. And once they¡¯re healed, the Gastly will be able to help, too. I promise you all that we¡¯ll find you somewhere you can be comfortable, and...¡±

    He let his words drift off. Sam couldn¡¯t say he was a fan of this situation. Even with the efforts of a Grass Type, growing a new tree would take a while. And ¡°capturing¡± an existing tree would mean they¡¯d just be doing the same thing the Gligar had done to them.

    As he stared over the group, unsure how to tackle this issue, one of the Gastly drifted up from between Sam¡¯s feet. He looked over to it only to see its expression and begin to sputter.

    ¡°No. No way,¡± Sam said, his voice firm.

    But it just continued to look at him with pleading eyes. And then another joined it. And another, and another, and pretty soon practically every Gastly was begging Sam. Even Haunter had joined in, and even¡ª

    ¡°You too, Typhlosion?¡±

    Her resulting whine was pathetic.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just... I can¡¯t just do that! A bunch of extra Ghost Types are one thing, but Mankey? Where are they supposed to hide?¡±

    Everyone was involved at this point, even responsible Pok¨¦mon like Misdreavus and Trevenant. Sam felt like he was under assault, and he was forced to turn around, unable to look at anyone here.

    ¡°We¡¯re not. We¡¯re not!¡± he responded, doing his best to put his foot down. ¡°No matter how much you beg, no matter how much you plead, there is no way I¡¯m taking an entire tribe of Mankey with¡ª¡±

    <hr><hr>

    A few days later, after a long day of work tending to the Cyndaquil and Tauros on his ranch, Carl opened the door to his home to see a familiar face and at least two dozen Mankey outside, all looking up at him with pleading eyes.

    ¡°Carl, please,¡± Sam begged. ¡°We really need your help.¡±

 Chapter 129

    Carl¡¯s couch was comfortable. Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to think of that. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure how he got here in the first place.

    No, he had a clear memory of spending the past few days traveling. What he really felt confused about was what had possessed him to come here with an entire tribe of Mankey¡ªor how he had even managed to come here without being stopped by a Pok¨¦mon Ranger in the first place.

    I¡¯m on Carl¡¯s ranch. A breeder¡¯s ranch. That¡¯s probably how I managed to get away with two dozen Pok¨¦mon following me from behind. I bet a Pok¨¦mon Ranger did notice me. They just didn¡¯t approach, because why would they need to? There are a bunch of different ranches and breeders on this route. I probably just looked like a trainer helping one of them with their Mankey.

    He heard the low cry of a Tauros come from outside. The stress in its voice probably signified that the Mankey were harassing it. Well, it probably wasn¡¯t being harassed, but it was probably being surrounded and bombarded with questions. After living off-route for so long, the Mankey were all overwhelmingly curious about every little thing.

    It didn¡¯t help that the Gastly actively encouraged them on, too.

    After a short while of sitting in that cozy living room, a noise came from the nearby kitchen, and Sam looked over to see Carl stepping out with a pair of steaming drinks. He placed one in front of Sam while keeping the other for himself.

    ¡°There you go. One cup of cocoa for the young¡¯un. Just be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    Sam gladly took the cup and blew on it before taking a sip. It was sweet, maybe a little too sweet. Carl had gone as far as to slip in a few marshmallows, but Sam wasn¡¯t going to complain. Something about having access to a sweet treat was nice. For once, Sam felt as though he could totally relax even with everything that had been lingering in his mind.

    Carl let Sam enjoy that for a few minutes as he moved over to a cushioned armchair and sat down. The rancher settled into its thick cushions and enjoyed his drink before he finally started with his questions.

    ¡°So,¡± Carl said. His eyes flicked over Sam, who didn¡¯t exactly have any of his Pok¨¦mon with him right now. Everyone was outside watching the Mankey tribe interact with Carl¡¯s Tauros, but Typhlosion herself had slipped around to the back to go and greet her grandfather.

    Sam couldn¡¯t exactly blame her for that decision.

    ¡°So...¡± Carl said again. ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    ¡°The Mankey,¡± Sam finished, but Carl just shook his head.

    ¡°We can get to them later. I might be getting a bit nosy, but I can¡¯t say I recognize half your team?¡±

    Sam just blinked, and Carl set down his drink to awkwardly rub the back of his neck.

    ¡°Now, I can¡¯t say I personally know most of your Pok¨¦mon, but that ain¡¯t what I¡¯m talking about. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m unfamiliar with new species in general, either, but your Typhlosion? The one that used to be that sweet lil¡¯ Cyndaquil? Can¡¯t say her looks are familiar. Same with your Primeape¡ªif he can even be called a Primeape anymore.¡±

    Like Carl, Sam slowly put his cup of cocoa down. Half of its contents were already gone. Breathing out, he steadied his breath, and then he put his face in his hands and groaned.

    It wasn¡¯t like he forgot to keep his team¡¯s evolutions secret, it was just that he didn¡¯t think he needed to¡ªTyphlosion had constantly been out of her Pok¨¦ball for the past several days, and Carl was trustworthy! The man was taking care of his grandfather¡¯s personal Typhlosion, for goodness¡¯s sake!

    But the fact that he¡¯d need to explain two entire evolutions had slipped Sam¡¯s mind. He knew he could trust Carl, he had just thought the big swarm of Mankey behind him would have taken precedence.

    Sam spoke quickly.

    ¡°Typhlosion is a Hisuian Typhlosion, an old variant that¡¯s part Ghost Type. We spent most of the season meeting people and visiting new locations just to make sure she¡¯d be able to evolve,¡± he said.

    Carl nodded along. His words were carefully selected.

    ¡°I thought so,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d be a poor excuse for a Cyndaquil breeder if I didn¡¯t recognize her variant. But to see one in person¡ªto see that one of the Cyndaquil from my ranch was able to evolve into an extinct species?¡±

    He chuckled, shaking his head.

    ¡°Well, it ain¡¯t extinct any longer,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯d be proud of myself if I had anything to do with it, but I didn¡¯t. The achievement¡¯s all yours. Certainly one heck of a surprise, and you two deserve all the praise you get for that. Incredible job.¡±

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.

    ¡°But your other one? The Primeape?¡± Carl''s expression suddenly shifted to bewilderment. ¡°Is that a Ghost Type? Is he a Ghost Type? Was he that same Mankey from before? So then that means he managed to evolve twice! And into something completely unknown! And then¡ª Wait. So is that why you caught him? Because you knew all of this would happen? That¡¯s why you had a Fighting Type even though you said you wanted to train a team of Ghost Types?¡±

    Faced with so many questions, Sam opened his mouth but failed to think of an easy reply. Delaying it, he chose to grab his mug and take a long, long sip to finish off his drink.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± He coughed and then wiped away the liquid that had given him a foamy mustache on his upper lip. ¡°Yes to everything?¡±

    Carl looked as though he didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    For a long while, Carl just leaned back into his chair and sipped at his drink much more slowly than Sam. For some reason, Sam got the sense that it wasn¡¯t entirely coffee in there. From outside, the Mankey continued to launch their questions at the nearby Tauros. When its cries became rather terse, a sharp noise from Annihilape echoed out, immediately silencing and calming them. Annihilape¡¯s brother might have technically been the leader of the tribe, but at this point, he carried so much respect among the Mankey that the tribe would do anything he said.

    ¡°...I¡¯ve met a lot of people. Seen a lot of wild things,¡± Carl said, starting slowly once a full minute passed. ¡°I¡¯ve even shook hands with the Champion once. That was pretty great.¡±

    ¡°I saw the picture,¡± Sam responded quietly.

    ¡°I work on a ranch that has a contract with this region¡¯s Professor. I¡¯m responsible for raising almost all of the Cyndaquil handed away as starter Pok¨¦mon in Johto. But your Primeape... Or your Pok¨¦mon that was once a Primeape. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever encountered a completely new species.¡± Carl then blinked. ¡°Hold on, who else knows about it? Heck, who else knows about Typhlosion, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Morty knows about Typhlosion. Agatha does, too. As for Annihilape¡ªthat¡¯s the name for Primeape¡¯s evolution¡ªno one knows about him,¡± Sam said. ¡°Annihilape evolved in the mountains to the north when we were with the Mankey tribe. It¡¯s part of the reason we came directly here.¡±

    Carl finally put down his mug. Sam could see it was empty. The man sighed as if he was still having trouble processing everything he just heard.

    ¡°Whew. So no one else knows that a Primeape can evolve. Except for you. And me, as of just now. I could believe a variant Typhlosion¡ªthey were thought to be extinct, but most people know from Alola that variants are a thing. But Annihilape? An Annihilape. That¡¯s... That¡¯s a completely unknown evolution! Man, the response. Oh, the response! Hah! The sheer amount of chaos he¡¯s going to stir¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯d like to wait?¡± Sam interrupted.

    Carl glanced back down at Sam. For a second, he had started to stare off, but Sam¡¯s comment snapped him out of his growing daze.

    Thankfully, Carl seemed to have got ahold of himself, and he easily nodded along to Sam¡¯s request.

    ¡°Of course. Of course!¡± he said, merrily enough. ¡°The Conference¡¯s in just about a month. So you¡¯re planning on debuting your two evolutions there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve already been given advice to do that, too. The hope is that we make a big enough splash, and then we use that fame to make it so criminals won¡¯t want to mess with up.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense, makes sense,¡± Carl said, humming as he leaned back his chair. ¡°Then, you¡¯re in for the long run, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°We are,¡± Sam answered decidedly. ¡°We¡¯re going to become the strongest Ghost Type team there is.¡±

    For a while, Carl just continued to hum. His face went through a number of different expressions. He started appreciative, and then that shifted into amusement. From there, he looked curious, then confused, and then almost giddy, and then he took on a look of contemplative, deep thought.

    ¡°Hm. Back to the start of it: you said you didn¡¯t come here to show off your Pok¨¦mon. You came here because you needed my help.¡±

    Sam winced.

    ¡°I do. Sorry. I didn¡¯t know what else to do¡ªwhere else to bring the Mankey. They kind of had a berry tree, but that got destroyed, and then they had nowhere else to go, but then you were nearby, and then I could take them with me but I can¡¯t say no because my team was begging but it¡¯s okay since the Mankey are honestly really fun and then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Carl said, holding up a hand. ¡°Gimme a moment to think.¡±

    It took him only a few seconds to confidently nod and firmly lock his gaze on Sam.

    ¡°Alright. Before I say anything else, I want you to know that I don¡¯t got much free funds. Most earnings get cycled back into costs. High gross, low net, understand?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sam said, sitting straight up.

    ¡°Now, I might not have too much money to spend, but I have enough to make an allowance, if only for a bit. Since I have this ranch of mine, and since the Conference is coming up anyway, I can tell you outright that I can temporarily take on your Mankey¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Sam was halfway into standing up for bow when he was abruptly stopped by Carl holding up his hand once again.

    ¡°Temporarily,¡± Carl emphasized. ¡°This ain¡¯t something I can do long-term. Technically, it¡¯s a matter of contracting. Despite all the secrecy, we sometimes get the wrong kinda¡¯ folk snooping around. A bunch of Mankey staying here will help muddy the waters a bit. No one needs to learn about the Cyndaquil, so I can take them on for a while in exchange for room and board.¡±

    Sam eagerly nodded, already more than willing to agree, but Carl had more things he needed to say.

    ¡°However, like I said, it can¡¯t be something long-term. I can only have them here until a bit after the Conference. That means you need to find somewhere else for them to stay. But, with your Pok¨¦mon? Your Typhlosion and Annihilape? You¡¯ll definitely get yourself a sponsorship. Just make sure to negotiate ranching options when discussing the contract.¡±

    Although Carl was doing him a big favor, Sam still grimaced slightly. Two brand new Pok¨¦mon would absolutely attract a big fish sponsor wanting to latch onto his name, but now he¡¯d also need to make sure that sponsor could provide a place for his Pok¨¦mon to stay.

    An entire tribe of Mankey was not a feasible option to send home, unfortunately. He¡¯d been able to do so with Shuppet and Duskull because, as Ghost Types, those two didn¡¯t really need to eat. He hadn¡¯t been worried about sending them to his mom, but two dozen Fighting Types would simply be far too much even with a Fighting Type Gym in the same town.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Sam promised. ¡°Whatever sponsor I get probably won¡¯t pay as much in return, but ranching benefits would probably save me more money overall, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, that being said...¡± Carl hummed again. ¡°You mentioned a few people know about Typhlosion, but I¡¯ve heard nothing, myself. I¡¯m taking that means she¡¯s staying secret for now. But with Annihilape, well, you came directly here?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Sam answered cautiously.

    ¡°No visit to the Pok¨¦mon Center just yet?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Sam answered. ¡°Which means you¡¯re the first to find out, other than me. But probably not for too long. I want to call my mom, and then Agatha and Morty will probably learn about him automatically since he¡¯s a new Ghost Type and their system¡ª¡±

    Sam stopped himself when he saw Carl frowning. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had ever seen Carl frown.

    ¡°Ah. That rule,¡± Carl said. ¡°The one that says all new discoveries for ¡®dangerous¡¯ Types need to be shared to keep people safe.¡±

    He breathed out, temporarily taking off his hat to wipe his otherwise hidden, bald head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Carl said outright, speaking with almost a scowl. ¡°It¡¯s a holdover from older times. No such thing as a dangerous Type, just harder-to-train ones. All that rule does is create a system where trainers have to give up their secrets to empower the strong.¡±

    Sam blinked at the man.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Carl seemed to realize the sour expression he was wearing and laughed to get it off of his face.

    ¡°Ah, sorry. Sorry! Don¡¯t get me wrong, I understand why it exists and I do carry the belief that new discoveries should be shared¡ªeventually at least. Trainers should be allowed to keep some tricks in their pocket as long as they aren¡¯t hoarding ¡®em for too long. My problem is that their system is automatic¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter how hard you worked, if someone thinks your Pok¨¦mon might be dangerous, you don¡¯t get to keep any tricks about it.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s necessary,¡± Sam immediately countered. ¡°Some Ghost Types can be genuinely dangerous.¡±

    Real ghosts existed, and real ghosts were capable of dangerous spiritual effects. A powerful Ghost Type was capable of inflicting spiritual problems, and even outside of various hauntings and curses, spiritual possession was a real, genuine thing.

    ¡°No, no. I understand that, and the same is true for the Poison Type. New Poison Types need to be sampled so that the proper antidotes can be made,¡± Carl explained. ¡°But the Dragon Type? And the Dark Type? Certainly not those two. Dragon Types might be a bit egotistical and strong, but dangerous? Any powerful Pok¨¦mon can be dangerous. Is a Dragonite really that much more threatening than a fully enraged Steelix?¡±

    Sam took a moment to try to picture the type of damage those two Pok¨¦mon could cause. A Dragonite could fly around and fire off Hyper Beams, but it¡¯d fall pretty quickly to a decent Ice Type. Steelix, however, were incredibly defensive and could also dig. Instead of being visible, if a Steelix was clever, it could destroy an entire city by causing earthquakes underground.

    And even then, it didn¡¯t take a Steelix to be that destructive. Even a low-level Fire Type could cause a fire to spread over an entire town.

    ¡°Yeah. You see what I mean,¡± Carl said. ¡°This might just be my bias talking, but let me do you one more favor. I can offer you something else and let us pull a little trick on the League.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is your Annihilape dangerous?¡± Carl interrupted.

    ¡°In a fight? Yes.¡±

    ¡°But is he at threat of losing control of his anger and going on a rampage?¡±

    Sam thought of all of their training, all of their efforts to have Primeape control his rage. They¡¯d spent ages on meditation and weeks and weeks practicing Rage Fist itself. In his evolution, anger was less something that affected him and more something that was a part of him. He was so in control that he had even lost access to his Anger Point ability¡ªhe simply could no longer lose himself to his rage even after taking an infuriatingly direct critical hit.

    ¡°No. He¡¯s not,¡± Sam answered slowly.

    An Annihilape could only truly fall into a rage if it really wanted to.

    ¡°Then let me offer you this: as one of the League¡¯s officially contracted breeders, I have a few avenues I can approach when it comes to submitting new discoveries. I can pass on the news of Annihilape myself to stop him from tripping any flags and preventing his data from automatically being sent to everyone in their systems.¡±

    Sam stayed quiet. Carl was offering him a way to bypass Morty¡ªbut it was more than that. Carl was offering him a way to bypass even Agatha. With how he managed his ranch, this wasn¡¯t something he was offering just to steal credit for himself. He wasn¡¯t the type of person that would backstab him for recognition. With the secrecy of his Cyndaquil, Carl wouldn¡¯t want any recognition.

    No, this was just a loophole that Carl was in a unique position to abuse, and it was something that would let Annihilape stay secret. More secret than he¡¯d otherwise be. Annihilape¡¯s evolution would be revealed at the Conference no matter what, but this offer meant Sam wouldn¡¯t need to worry about a Primeape trying to evolve incorrectly and getting an unfortunate result before more information could be shared.

    ...Also, the look on Morty¡¯s face when he sees Annihilape come out during the Conference would be amazing to see.

    ¡°Let me think about it,¡± Sam said, even though he was pretty sure he¡¯d take Carl up on his offer.

    For this, Annihilape wasn¡¯t a dangerous Ghost Type¡ªand Sam had no doubts about that. He wasn¡¯t a Ghost Type at risk of causing horrible curses, and he wasn¡¯t a Ghost Type to go out and cause more issues that were more than just base destruction. If he was a special attacker tied closely to esoteric uses of Ghost Type energy, then Sam would have probably turned Carl down and let the League¡¯s systems automatically share Annihilape¡¯s information just in case.

    But Annihilape was the most physical of physical Pok¨¦mon. If Sam was wrong and the worst came true, even if Annihilape lost himself to a rampage, a single Thunder Wave would be enough to lock him down.

    ¡°Regardless of what you decide, keep in mind that you just have Chuck left, if my understanding of your journey so far is right. Won¡¯t be long until you reach him, and he¡¯d be a good judge of Annihilape once you¡¯re there. He¡¯s a Fighting Type specialist and would probably love to know how you evolved a Primeape, but...¡± Carl chuckled to himself. ¡°Can¡¯t say I know that man too well, but he¡¯s not the sort to cause you any trouble. Not in any way that matters, at least.¡±

    There was definitely something more to what he was saying, but it didn¡¯t seem like anything harmful. As far as Sam could tell, Carl had simply made a connection that he hadn¡¯t.

    Cianwood Gym was certainly going to be interesting.

    But before then, he still needed to get through Olivine, get another Pok¨¦mon, and then actually reach that final city. Yet, even with all of that waiting before him, Carl¡¯s offers had left Sam with a single, burning question on his mind.

    ¡°But... Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Why are you offering this? Why are you doing all of this for me? Taking on the Mankey. Keeping Annihilape secret. You¡¯d be doing all of this in exchange for... nothing. You¡¯re just handing it over. Why?¡±

    Sam half expected to hear some kind of grand plan, some kind of enormous benefit Carl wanted to obtain. Maybe he wanted to use Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon to subtly advertise his ranch, or maybe he wanted to get a Ghost Type or two to help protect the Cyndaquil. Some of the Gastly could be convinced to stay. Or maybe offering to keep Primeape secret was more than just a small protest on his part to call out the League.

    But as much as Sam wanted to know the grand reason Carl was doing all of this for him, in the end, Carl just gained a small smile.

    ¡°Because I can,¡± he answered easily, and Sam knew he was telling the truth. ¡°I¡¯m in a position to help someone else, so why not do just that?¡±

    Sam waited to see if Carl would offer a further explanation, but he didn¡¯t. He had already shared all of his thoughts. Even though there was a level of secrecy involved with his job, Carl wasn¡¯t the type of person to lie. His expressions had been far too revealing for this entire conversation.

    He truly meant what he said.

    So, as Sam stared at the man, Carl went on to chuckle. His soft smile turned to something much mischievous as he leaned back to stare ahead.

    ¡°If you really want a reason, I already told you I¡¯m not getting nothing out of this deal. The Mankey will act like a Cyndaquil¡¯s Smokescreen to make sure they aren¡¯t found. And keeping Annihilape unknown enough helps me call out something I don¡¯t like with the League,¡± Carl said. ¡°But if there¡¯s a single reason, then think of this as a thank you. You showed me that there¡¯s more than just a single future for all the Cyndaquil I take care of. Having a choice matters, and I know that quite a few of them are going to strive for that new possibility you and Typhlosion brought here together.¡±

    At Carl¡¯s words, Sam felt something warm in his chest. It wasn¡¯t just pride about their achievements, it was pride that their achievements mattered. Typhlosion wasn¡¯t just a single Pok¨¦mon that managed to evolve. She was an example that would inspire an entire new generation of Cyndaquil on their journey. And the same was true for Annihilape¡ªhe would show the Primeape of the world that there was more to them than just their rage.

    Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon weren¡¯t just his team. They were Pok¨¦mon that would become the shining examples of what Ghost Types could be.

    ¡°I think I get it,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°All throughout my journey, so many people have helped me basically for free. There¡¯s been Morty. Spencer Hale. Professor Carolina. Agatha, technically. And now you. They all helped because they wanted to. They all helped because of that look of gratitude on someone¡¯s face... it¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Carl continued to chuckle to himself, looking rather amused.

    ¡°Yup. It¡¯s pretty nice,¡± he said as he looked over Sam. ¡°But, let¡¯s call it here. It¡¯s pretty late, and I have a free guest room. After traveling for so long, you must be tired. My home is always open to a family friend.¡±

    Sam readily nodded, the stress practically melting out of him. Right now, after spending so long off-route, a real bed sounded great.

    So, he went out to talk to his Pok¨¦mon, informing them of his plans for now. Once he made sure they were all settled, he went to lie down and promptly fell asleep.

    <hr>

    Sam found Annihilape¡¯s old tribe with thirty-seven days left in the season. Annihilape evolved that same night, and then they all left the next morning when it was confirmed there was nothing they could do to fix the berry tree.

    Returning from the mountains didn¡¯t take long as there was no need to search for a hidden, wandering tribe. Now that they were on Carl¡¯s ranch, they stayed for a couple of days just to make sure everything was properly settled and to give all the Pok¨¦mon a chance to relax.

    Sam did take up Carl¡¯s offer, watching the man call a Noctowl that¡¯d deliver a few letters for him about the discovery of Annihilape. No drama was stirred, only the absolute minimum number of people were informed. And, instead of pushing his team even more and having them train, Sam used this visit to take a break, and he spent his time relaxing and helping Carl go through his daily tasks.

    For two days, Sam and all of his Pok¨¦mon stayed, relaxed, played with the ranch¡¯s Pok¨¦mon, and also maybe worked in a small amount of training. The Gastly got to hang out with the Mankey for a bit longer, and Typhlosion got to hang out with her grandfather.

    After the break and all of their traveling, only thirty-one days remained in the season. Summer was beginning to give way to fall, and the final city tournaments of the season were taking place, though Sam had no plans to compete.

    When it finally became time to head out and continue their journey, everyone stood at the edge of the ranch. They said their goodbyes, and Carl assured Sam that everything was already handled.

    The Gastly sobbed when they parted with the Mankey, even the ones that were quieter than the others. Much to Sam¡¯s surprise, none of the Gastly chose to stay behind, either. All of them returned to Sam¡¯s shadow to continue their journey with him.

    But for the Gastly that would decide to stick with Sam for even longer, this was not a final meeting. Technically, the Mankey were now all Sam¡¯s even if he never formally caught them. He was responsible for their wellbeing, and with Carl¡¯s offer, he was officially their trainer. He made sure to tell all of them that he¡¯d live up to that and find them a proper home as soon as they could.

    As for one member of the tribe¡ªtheir leader, that no-longer-wild Primeape¡ªhe shared a final, long look with his brother. Their parting wasn¡¯t that sad or even emotional, but he and Annihilape shared a firm handshake.

    They¡¯d leave on that for now.

    Finally, Typhlosion said goodbye to her grandfather. Sam had barely seen her throughout their stay as she¡¯d been sequestered away in the deepest sections of the half-burned Cyndaquil grove. There, she trained, which Sam knew for sure. The roar of her flames had been far too regular for her to have been doing anything else.

    She and her grandfather could not have looked different enough, but they were still so very similar. The two of them stared one another in the eyes before falling forward for a hug.

    ¡°Typhlo!¡±

    Her grandfather, through his tears, expressed just how proud of her he was.

    ¡°¡®Phlosion!¡±

    Typhlosion, in response, expressed her love and her genuine thanks for all of his help.

    When they pulled out of their hug, Typhlosion¡¯s grandfather let his flames burn. She did the same, and a red-purple glow came from around them, their flames so different yet still so alike.

    And then, Sam stepped back.

    And then, he and his team left Carl¡¯s ranch and so many memories behind.

    They began to head down Route 39, to where Olivine City was waiting for them not too far to the south.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have that long left in the season,¡± Sam said to everyone as they walked away.

    He got a mix of cries and jeers in response¡ªthey knew. Of course, they knew. At this point, he was bringing up that fact practically three times a day.

    ¡°Hah. Sorry. I just want to make sure we¡¯re prepared, y¡¯know?¡± he said with a slight laugh. ¡°But really, I¡¯m excited. It feels like everything is finally coming together.¡±

    Typhlosion had evolved. Annihilape had evolved. They had a Dusk Stone in pocket for Misdreavus to become a Mismagius, and Trevenant was already in his final form.

    That just left Haunter¡¯s evolution, but Sam planned to take care of that when they visited the Ilex Forest. The darkness of the deep woods would hopefully carry the perfect conditions for him to become a Gengar.

    ¡°I guess I could make a big speech, but I¡¯ve already done that a bunch before,¡± Sam said as they traveled down the route. ¡°So I¡¯ll just say this: we¡¯re heading to Olivine! To see just how strong we¡¯ve become in a rematch against Jasmine, to catch a boat to Cianwood and reach our final Gym, and to also...¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°And to also finally add a sixth member to our team.¡±

 Chapter 130

    The first thing Sam did in Olivine was find a Pok¨¦mon Center, but he didn¡¯t want to risk revealing either Typhlosion or Annihilape. Rather than heading to the city¡¯s main Pok¨¦mon Center, he went to a small, lesser-used one set at the edge of a residential area. The lobby was empty save for him and the nurse when he passed over his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls.

    ¡°One of my Pok¨¦mon evolved recently, but his evolution is pretty rare. You can make sure he stays secret, right?¡± Sam asked the nurse on duty.

    ¡°Of course! We get plenty of trainers who want to keep some aspect of their team quiet. Alongside doctor-patient confidentiality, Pok¨¦mon Centers also offer private check-up rooms. However, keep in mind that the health of your Pok¨¦mon takes priority over keeping secrets. We will share information if it¡¯s needed to properly heal a patient, and we won¡¯t bother to hide your team members if an emergency sees us run out of space.¡±

    Sam easily nodded.

    ¡°But the end-of-season crush hasn¡¯t started just yet, so I don¡¯t expect any problems with your request,¡± the nurse said with a smile. ¡°Just give me a second to look up your Pok¨¦mon in our system, and¡ª¡±

    The moment she finished entering Sam¡¯s trainer ID number into her blocky computer, she went completely still. Her eye flicked between the displayed information, Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦balls on the counter, and Sam himself, and then a tense smile forced its way onto her face.

    ¡°We will keep your Pok¨¦mon secret,¡± she said, her voice a forced calm.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll give Annihil¡ª Sorry, my Pok¨¦mon a checkover just in case? I, uh, also have some Gastly that have been ¡®following¡¯ me that would probably benefit from a check-up, too.¡±

    They had a process for healing unofficial team members, surprisingly, as while part of a Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s duty was to make sure trainers followed the League¡¯s rules, their priority was making sure Pok¨¦mon were healthy no matter what. Thankfully, Morty had been correct in that there wasn¡¯t much they could do about Ghost Types followers. The nurse simply took Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦balls before directing him into a side room. There, the Center¡¯s resident Ghost Type, a Haunter, gave instructions to the Gastly to have them split off two at a time to be checked over by a Chansey.

    Everyone was fine, although there was a bit of a snag with Annihilape. Unlike Typhlosion, he didn¡¯t have a local variant of his species to compare his results to. They could only compare him to Primeape, but Primeape weren¡¯t Ghost Types. In fact, the only known Ghost Type species that evolved from non-Ghost Types were Shedinja and Froslass, and both were far too different from the Primeape line for their data to be useful.

    The nurse was unable to tell if he had no heartbeat or an extremely fast but light heartbeat, so she requested that he stay for observation overnight. This process was to make sure he could be treated correctly in the future as Carl had managed to do exactly what he promised; no alert was sent out when Annihilape was scanned. He was already in their system.

    The Gastly took over an hour to be checked, and Annihilape would be stuck in the Pok¨¦mon Center until tomorrow. Forced to wait, Sam chose to step out to take care of some ¡°boring¡± errands that Annihilape wouldn¡¯t care about. It was late afternoon when he left.

    Weirdly, stepping out meant their group split up.

    Upon getting only a block away from the Pok¨¦mon Center, Typhlosion suddenly released herself from her ball and sniffed the air. She gained a look in her eye that told Sam there was something¡ªsomeone¡ªshe needed to guide, and Misdreavus left alongside her to provide both support and company.

    Sam didn¡¯t want to crowd her task, and he trusted her to be successful. With the few team members he had left (and with the large number of Gastly), he made his way to a nearby Pok¨¦Mart to restock on supplies.

    Shopping stunk.

    In this case, literally.

    As much as Sam wanted to get a move on, while browsing through the Pok¨¦Mart¡¯s shelves full of healing supplies, he wasn¡¯t necessarily attacked so much as he was ¡°glomped.¡± The same Muk that he and Redi had once fought out of a pond now lived nearby, and it brought Sam into a nasty hug out of thanks for allowing it to find its new partner.

    While it was nice to be appreciated, Sam couldn¡¯t say he enjoyed being covered in the sludge left by the Muk. While helping him clean up, the sole clerk working at the Pok¨¦Mart apologized profusely and assured him that they¡¯d get a shower installed eventually, but Sam couldn¡¯t say that helped him right now.

    At least, the clerk gave him a nice discount on everything he bought, and he even threw in a free, bulging bag of Pok¨¦Blocks. The Pok¨¦Blocks were presented as a rare treat not usually found in Johto, but due to their source being Hoenn, they were a nice reminder of home.

    So by the time Sam left, it was dark out, and while he walked, he tossed those candies made of crushed berries into the shadows for his Pok¨¦mon. Gastly ate them like hungry Carvanha, and so many Pok¨¦Blocks had been stuffed into the sack that there would still be plenty left for the rest of his team to enjoy in the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    ¡°So that¡¯s errands done with. No need to shop anymore until right before we head out. Then again, Berries will be cheaper here than in Cianwood, so we might want to stock up on fresh ones right before we leave.¡± As he walked down the road, Sam continued to toss Pok¨¦Blocks into the shadows for Haunter and the Gastly to snap up. ¡°But no matter what, we just have the exciting stuff left to do: finding a boat to take us to Cianwood, visiting the Gym, and then also finding someone willing to let us trade for a new Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    He slowed slightly as he considered what his plans meant.

    ¡°Man. We have to find a sixth Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°Not sure if that¡¯s going to be worse or easier than scheduling a fight at the Gym.¡±

    Even with the need for a sixth team member hanging over his head, Sam considered a battle with Jasmine to be the most complicated task he had planned. He wanted¡ªneeded¡ªto fight her core team after seeing just how strong her Steel Types were at the start of the Beginner¡¯s Tournament.

    However, with how the timing was working out, he was a little worried that Jasmine wouldn¡¯t be free for a proper battle. With only a month left in the season, trainers were going to start pushing for their last few Gym Badges. It would soon become almost as busy as the season¡¯s start, but trainers with seven Gym Badges usually took priority when it came to scheduling a match.

    ¡°Except, that priority is only for trainers trying to earn a Gym Badge,¡± Sam continued, just thinking out loud. ¡°I want us to fight her core team, which is an optional fight from her perspective since we¡¯ve already beaten her Gym.¡±

    But he needed to see where his Pok¨¦mon stood. He knew his team had grown, but he wanted to see how much. When he had first seen it in the arena, Jasmine¡¯s Steelix seemed like an impossible wall to climb. Now, after everything they¡¯d been through, it felt like his team actually had a chance.

    It¡¯d be tough, but they could do it. Also, he just wanted to fight some actual Steel Types instead of the miscellaneous Rock Types that had appeared in his first Gym.

    ¡°So then we just need to figure out how we¡¯re scheduling all of this,¡± Sam said as a thrown Pok¨¦Block sank into a shadow. He made a hard left turn to slip into an alley for a shortcut. ¡°Do we want to search for a sixth team member first, or do we want to face Jasmine as soon as possible? Getting a sixth team member first would give us more time for training and maybe let us use another member in the match, but with the end of the season so soon, we probably want to battle her before things get too busy.¡±

    Even though he was just speaking to work through his thoughts, he still paused to wait for a response. The Gastly and Haunter were too focused on snapping up what Pok¨¦Blocks they could, and Misdreavus or Typhlosion weren¡¯t anywhere nearby. Sam sighed, planning to have a better discussion once everyone was back in the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    It was then that he heard a growl suddenly echo out from behind.

    Turning around, Sam glanced over to see the source of the threat sent his way. There, at the front of the alley and half-illuminated by the street lamps, was a dark blue-grey Pok¨¦mon with rough, scaled skin and a bright red chest. Fins stuck out from its arms to resemble wings, and another fin on its back made it seem as though it was almost aquatic. It stood on two legs, however, and it exposed its sharp teeth with a snarl.

    The clearly wild Pok¨¦mon took a step forward, and Sam could only stare at it in confusion. The way it kept glancing at his bag of Pok¨¦Blocks made it pretty obvious what it wanted. However, even with its threat, Sam was more confused than concerned, and he struggled to understand why a Gabite, of all things, would be threatening him from one end of an Olivine alley.

    The Gastly, too, seemed just as bewildered as their shadows spread to the alley walls around him. Within that curtain of darkness, a pair of red eyes opened up, and then another, and another. And immediately after that, Trevenant released himself from his Pok¨¦ball to loom behind Sam just in case.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    That was all Sam got to say. Before anything else could happen, the Gabite let out a sudden yelp and turned in a panic. It ran, escaping in a furious scramble out of the alley that saw its claws scrape against the stones of the ground.

    And then it was gone.

    And Sam was left blinking.

    He looked around at all of the Gastly, and all of the Gastly looked back.

    ¡°So, that was definitely a Gabite, right? Like, I didn¡¯t just imagine a mid-stage pseudo-legend standing there?¡± Sam asked. ¡°A Dragon Type. From Sinnoh. Here in Johto. It wasn¡¯t an illusion or a Ditto or anything like that?¡±

    The Gastly left their shadows to bob in the equivalent of a shrug, and Haunter dipped out as well to confirm that, yes, he saw it too. Sam checked on Trevenant, but Trevenant no longer cared. He just flicked his eye down to the Moon Ball at Sam¡¯s belt in a silent request to be returned.

    Sam sighed as he brought him back.

    ¡°Is it still nearby, Haunter?¡±

    Haunter shook his head¡ªit wasn¡¯t. At least, he couldn¡¯t sense any of its intent nearby. The weirdest part, too, was that the Gabite couldn¡¯t possibly have had truly malicious intentions. Otherwise, Sam¡¯s team would have detected it far sooner and alerted him ahead of time.

    ¡°...Okay. Well, Typhlosion and Misdreavus are waiting for us, and I don¡¯t want to leave Annihilape alone in the Pok¨¦mon Center for too long. We¡¯ll check to see if anyone is missing a Gabite when the jobs are posted tomorrow morning.¡±

    Haunter and the Gastly recollected themselves in his shadow, and Sam continued heading back.

    As he returned, Typhlosion and Misdreavus met Sam outside the Pok¨¦mon Center, stepping out from where they had been hiding in the darkness. They got their fair share of the treats, and Sam only got a slight talking-to when he had Haunter phase through the walls to sneak Pok¨¦Blocks to Annihilape.

    And, when Sam returned Annihilape the next morning¡ªthe nurse found nothing wrong with him¡ªthe happy (less angry) look on his face almost made getting coated by Muk worth it.

    <hr>

    No post on the job board mentioned the Gabite, but there was a single, far too suspicious listing that might have been mentioning it.

    MISSING POKEMON: 100,000 REWARD.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    And that was it. The job didn''t list the species, but it included a phone number to call for when a trainer had something to present. It was also an open offer with no set date, which meant any trainer could take it at any time without any issue. Its sheer lack of detail raised alarm bells in Sam¡¯s head, but the weirdest thing was that there was no way it could be a scam. Every job posted on a job board had to be vetted by the city¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Centers first, so this vague posting had somehow been approved despite the sheer number of details it lacked.

    ¡°...We might want to take a different job or two in the meantime, but maybe another day,¡± Sam mumbled to his team.

    He hadn''t taken any jobs in Ecruteak, and Redi was no longer around to help pay for food. Their little battle event jar earned them enough to last, but he knew he would need a lot of cash to buy the supplies needed to finish off the season in Ilex.

    Sam chose not to think about that strange job. While it seemed to be about that Gabite, dwelling on the idea of missing out on that much cash would only serve to make him sick.

    He had other goals to achieve, and he¡¯d already reached a conclusion with his team; before anything else, he would get a sixth Pok¨¦mon. Maximizing the time available for training was imperative, and having a sixth team member on hand for a battle against Jasmine could help the new Pok¨¦mon get used to everyone else.

    But it wouldn''t be easy. Sam would need to find someone willing to trade away their Ghost Type, and that Ghost Type needed to be a species capable of helping with transportation. Given Olivine¡¯s status as a port city, someone had to be willing to trade a viable Pok¨¦mon somewhere, and Sam¡¯s planned offer was likely to open up doors. Unlike most trainers searching for a trade, he had no intention of trading away a team member, but he would offer his services. While an open-ended proposal wouldn¡¯t normally be worth that much, Sam¡¯s team was nearing eight stars. They excelled at searching, too, and could go out to capture any requested species in return.

    Unfortunately, while his team could find wild Pok¨¦mon, they couldn¡¯t exactly find someone willing to trade. Sam wasn¡¯t social like Redi, either. It was completely out of his skillset to approach a random trainer, strike up a conversation, and then leave with pertinent information.

    He knew one person in the city, at least, and she wasn¡¯t Redi¡¯s aunt. No, Redi¡¯s aunt would just guilt him into staying at her place, but the person he had in mind seemed social enough to at least give him a starting point for his search.

    Following that plan, Sam left the Pok¨¦mon Center and traveled toward a certain location situated close to the docks. When he arrived, that same, imitation Kalosian restaurant was still in business. More than that; it was thriving. Through its front glass windows, he could see it had significantly more customers than the nearly empty building he and his team had eaten at before.

    Last time I was here, I learned that rarer Pok¨¦mon could be found off-route. I also promised to show off any Kalosian species I could, which Trevenant technically fulfills.

    Only slightly nervous, Sam stepped inside, and a chime rang to announce his entrance. The place still had the same faux-fancy vibes as last time, but instead of being greeted by Matilda, the waitress here, Sam was greeted by an entire room full of burly sailors who all fell into perfect silence to send him their glares.

    ¡°I, um...¡±

    His throat suddenly felt parched. He heard the squeak of a fork being bent as if in threat.

    Rescue came in the form of a door to the kitchen opening up in the back. The moment she saw him, Matilda¡¯s face lit up with excitement.

    ¡°It''s you! One of our first customers! It¡¯s¡ª It¡¯s, uh... Ss... Seth, right?¡±

    She snapped her fingers, as if proud of her memory, but Sam just shook his head.

    Her expression fell.

    ¡°Mm... Matt?¡± she offered.

    ¡°It''s Sam.¡±

    ¡°Sam!¡± Matilda happily replied.

    The waitress practically bounced over to the podium set in front of the door.

    ¡°I''m so glad you showed up! It¡¯s way better here than last time, right? Oh, is that cute lil¡¯ Mankey still with you? And your Cyndaquil? Ah! And did you manage to catch any of those rare Pok¨¦mon we talked about?¡±

    Sam glanced around the room. The sailors had all gone back to eating. Many of them had Pok¨¦mon out, where they tossed food to species like Krabby, Wingull, and one especially mean-looking Poliwrath.

    ¡°Is your restaurant popular now?¡± Sam asked weakly.

    The sheer number of those hateful glares spurred a completely different type of fear than that caused by the Ghost Type.

    ¡°Yes! I mean, kind of?¡± Matilda said. ¡°Apparently, we¡¯re the only place around that can make a decent Kalosian dish. So, we''ve become pretty popular with sailors who enjoyed that kind of food while traveling out of Johto.¡±

    Sam managed to peel his eyes away from the rest of the room to look back at Matilda. She was eagerly waiting for him to keep talking, probably wanting him to request a free table.

    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t here for lunch. He pushed aside the slight bit of guilt he felt for letting her down.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually here for your help,¡± Sam said. ¡°I wanted to know if you knew anything that could help me search for a Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Silence. Once again, the entire restaurant immediately fell into perfect silence. In front of him, Matilda went completely still. Every single single sailor resumed staring daggers at him, and Sam felt as though the shared gaze burned even more than before.

    ¡°Everything alright, Maddie?¡± one of the sailors called out.

    ¡°Y-yeah!¡± she said, laughing nervously. ¡°You need help finding a... a Pok¨¦mon? Just, um, what kind of Pok¨¦mon? What do you mean, um, specifically?¡±

    She didn''t look away from Sam, and neither did any of the sailors. Even with his Ghost Types, a battle against an entire ship¡¯s worth of men and women strong enough to face the high seas was not something he¡¯d win.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to find a Ghost Type!¡± Sam blurted out. ¡°I just wanted to know if you knew someone willing to trade!¡±

    And just like that, the room went back to normal. Matilda breathed out in relief without bothering to hide it.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I can totally help! Just, hm. Well...¡±

    ¡°I caught a Trevenant, by the way,¡± Sam added.

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely figure something out!¡±

    Compared to before, all of her nerves had vanished. She took a moment to glance around and check that her customers didn''t need anything before waving Sam over to the side.

    ¡°Your Trevenant¡ªCan you send them out?¡± she asked excitedly.

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough space in here for him, but I¡¯ll show you Trevenant no matter what. I already said I would. But we really do need your help. We¡¯re trying to find a Pok¨¦mon that can help with transportation, and Ghost Types that can do that aren¡¯t very common.¡±

    ¡°So you came to me?¡±

    She looked flattered.

    ¡°You seemed connected,¡± Sam said, speaking as if he knew anyone else. ¡°I thought that maybe you knew someone already looking for a trade or that you knew someone else who might know. I¡¯m not trading away any of my Pok¨¦mon, but I¡¯m willing to go out and catch anything in exchange for something like a Frillish, or a Drifloon, or even...¡±

    He bit his tongue. He didn''t think he¡¯d find a white-striped Basculin here.

    ¡°Those are specific,¡± Matilda commented.

    ¡°Ghost Types don''t really have many options for transportation,¡± he said. ¡°But, uh, do any of the... Do any of these sailors have one of those Pok¨¦mon they''re willing to trade?¡±

    Matilda winced as she checked behind her. Sam got the sense that one or two of the sailors here might have had those Pok¨¦mon, but they certainly wouldn''t be willing to trade.

    Then, he started to think about it¡ªreally think about it. The more he did, the more he realized how difficult his goal would be to achieve. Some of these sailors might have had the Pok¨¦mon he was looking for, but those Pok¨¦mon would have been traveling the world with them for all this time.

    Matilda didn¡¯t say that, however. Instead of giving up, she hummed with her brow furrowed, trying to think of something that could help Sam. Either out of kindness or only out of a desire to see Trevenant, it was clear she had no plans to speak until she had something helpful to say.

    She was quiet for a while.

    ...But as she stayed quiet, and as Sam desperately waited for her reply, the door to the kitchen opened in the back. It was strange; Matilda was the only waitress that worked here. No person walked out. Instead, a gurgling hum came from the floor, and Sam looked down.

    He blinked.

    He rubbed his eyes.

    He then double-checked to make sure he was seeing the Pok¨¦mon correctly.

    ¡°Is that a Goomy?¡± Sam asked.

    Shocked, Matilda turned around, and she also laid her eyes on a round, purple slug that looked around the room with awe and a merry expression on its face.

    Matilda finally made a noise¡ªshe gasped¡ªand she ran over to the Pok¨¦mon. Scooping it up, she started to send the Goomy chiding whispers while facing away as if trying to hide it from Sam.

    ¡°Nope!¡± she called out over her shoulder. ¡°Definitely no Goomy here!¡±

    The sailors didn''t stop eating this time around, but they did return to glaring at Sam, almost daring him to try anything over that Pok¨¦mon. A Poliwrath hopped off a chair to roll its shoulders in what could only be a threat.

    At this point, too many weird things were going on. Even with the implied threat, Sam was too fed up to not ask.

    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re acting like you need to hide that Pok¨¦mon, and that''s the second random Dragon Type I¡¯ve seen in the past day!¡±

    Matilda stopped whispering to the Goomy to go silent for several long seconds.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen another?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°Wait, and you know what a Goomy is?¡±

    ¡°Yes to both,¡± Sam said, doing his best to ignore the sailors. ¡°A Gabite tried to attack¡ªwell, rob me last night. Tried to, because my Pok¨¦mon scared it off.¡±

    He then paused before remembering another detail he¡¯d forgotten.

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean, ¡®another?¡¯ Are there more than that Gabite? Hold on, and does all of this have to do with that job in the Pok¨¦mon Center?¡±

    Matilda bit her lip and looked like she desperately didn''t want to say anything, but she eventually sighed and turned back around to reveal the Goomy once more. The small Dragon Type happily purred and wiggled in her arms. Wherever it touched, it left a slimy film behind.

    ¡°So you don''t know,¡± Matilda said.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t,¡± Sam answered.

    ¡°Huh. Alright, follow me. I need to wash up now, anyway,¡± she said.

    She used her shoulder to push through the door to the kitchen, and Sam easily followed her through, more than willing to leave all of those harsh glares behind.

    ¡°Tch. So he slipped out again? I¡¯m telling you, we should just turn him in for the money,¡± a voice grumbled.

    ¡°We¡¯re not giving up Goomy, Dad.¡±

    Matilda placed the small Pok¨¦mon on a stool next to a stocky chef who had to be her father. While she was busy washing her arms and replacing her apron, the man quickly dumped an entire plate of food into the Goomy¡¯s open mouth when he thought no one was looking.

    ¡°It all started a few weeks ago. A bunch of poachers got busted at the docks,¡± Matilda said as she re-tied a clean apron on her back. ¡°From what the news said, they were arrested for bringing in a ship full of illegally caught Pok¨¦mon from other regions. The story was everywhere for, like, an hour before it stopped pretty quickly and was never talked about again."

    Sam found an empty stool to sit on. Matilda leaned against the counter while her dad continued to cook.

    ¡°So Goomy is from that ship?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°We think so. The theory going around is that a bunch of the poached Pok¨¦mon escaped in the chaos. Goomy was lured here by the familiar smells, so we fed him. And he¡¯s far too cute to give up now!¡±

    The Goomy let out another gurgling purr, and Matilda put on a glove to pet his head. Her touch pushed down a pair of antennae, but the antenna bounced right back the second Matilda removed her hand.

    ¡°There are a bunch of Dragon Types running around town, we think. Wild, effectively, because otherwise there¡¯d be more of a stir. If those Pok¨¦mon were stolen from trainers, someone would have tried to get their Pok¨¦mon back¡ª¡±

    ¡°And poachers don''t use Pok¨¦balls,¡± Sam growled. ¡°They purposefully mistreat them so the Pok¨¦mon better bond with whoever gets them next.¡±

    Sam knew the details from everything that happened with Porygon and Dragonair. Poached Pok¨¦mon were taken from the wild and then purposefully kept in poor conditions to make sales easier.

    It was sick, and Dragon Types were the premier Type of Pok¨¦mon poachers went after. Between their rarity and their strength, almost every trainer wanted a Dragon Type to add to their team.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you were so nervous when I came here,¡± Sam said. ¡°You thought I was after Goomy, and that job I saw¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for the Dragon Types that escaped from the boat, yeah,¡± Matilda answered. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s probably such a big offer to try to convince trainers to not keep them. Whoever it''s from, they want the Pok¨¦mon for themselves instead of letting a bunch of random trainers add Dragon Types to their team.¡±

    So that¡¯s probably why the job is so vague. They don¡¯t want the information to spread. The only trainers going out to catch Dragon Types will be trainers aware of the Dragon Types. And then for most people, that much money is far more attractive than a new team member this late in the season.

    It was a bit worrying that no one was talking about a bunch of potentially dangerous Dragon Types running around, especially since that Gabite had tried to go after Sam last night. Yet, it wasn¡¯t like their presence changed the status quo. They were only a handful of Pok¨¦mon in a city that vastly outnumbered them. As long as none of the Dragon Types were fully evolved, at worst, they wouldn¡¯t be worse than something like a Houndoom trying to take food from someone¡ªand that kind of interaction wasn¡¯t even that uncommon.

    ...But in those cases, more explicit jobs would be posted to stop that threat, and Gym Trainers usually stepped in to capture dangerous Pok¨¦mon in cities. These Dragon Types were still inherently strong, and they could easily lash out if cornered in an unfamiliar city.

    ¡°Do you know who put the job up?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Or why the poachers brought all these Pok¨¦mon here?¡±

    Both Matilda and her father shook their heads, but Sam had his theories. However, while only so many groups had the money and influence to suppress a news story so quickly, he didn¡¯t think the Blackthorn Clan would willingly purchase a ship full of poached Pok¨¦mon. They also seemed far too proud to ever branch away from the Dragonite line.

    Probably.

    But there were still plenty of other rich people more than willing to fork over that much cash just for the off-chance of having such rare Dragon Types, too.

    ¡°So then Goomy and Gabite,¡± Sam said after giving it some thought. ¡°What other Pok¨¦mon escaped the ship?¡±

    Matilda casually waved a hand.

    ¡°I heard something about the authorities catching a Shelgon pretty quickly. And then I think there were sightings of something called a Druddigon last week? Oh wait, hold on! I think there was also a trainer going around and bragging about catching an Arctibax?¡±

    She looked over for confirmation, but her father shrugged.

    Matilda had spoken casually, but her words stuck with Sam. Shelgon were native to Hoenn. Gabite were native to Sinnoh. Goomy were native to Kalos, and Druddigon were somewhat familiar, but he was pretty sure they were from Unova, which was a region he couldn¡¯t say he knew that well.

    But Arctibax weren¡¯t familiar at all. Given the situation, Sam decided to risk it and took out the new Pok¨¦dex.

    Matilda cocked her head at the sight of the book but said nothing as he began to read. She left to pass out some finished dishes and came back carrying empty plates by the time Sam found the entry that described Arctibax.

    ¡°Here,¡± Sam said as she returned. ¡°Arctibax. That''s... a Dragon Type from Paldea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Paldea! That''s close to Kalos, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?¡± Sam answered. ¡°I don''t know where the region is, just that it exists.¡±

    Matilda shrugged in the same way her father had done before. She looked mostly unconcerned.

    ¡°So then... the boat had a Goomy. And a Shelgon. And a Druddigon. And even an Arctibax," Sam repeated, listing them off. ¡°Those are all Dragon Types from across the world. There''s... there''s no way there would be more. Right?¡±

    His words hung in the air.

    ¡°...Right?¡±

    Instead of looking over to Matilda, Sam looked at Goomy. The Pok¨¦mon was busy humming to itself while chewing on even more food that had been slipped to it when no one was looking.

    But when it saw Sam staring, it stopped chewing to swallow. Sam gulped as well when a certain question came to mind.

    ¡°When you were on that ship, did you see it?¡± he asked slowly. ¡°A Pok¨¦mon. A floating one. Green and lizard-like. One with a tail that becomes transparent toward its end.¡±

    The seconds seemed to stretch out into an impossible length. Sam stared at the Goomy and waited for its answer. The little Pok¨¦mon bobbed up and down as it considered the question. After a moment, it shivered and looked away from Sam, intimidated by the intensity of his stare.

    Eventually, however, it responded.

    Slowly, the Goomy sent Sam a nod.

    It had seen that Pok¨¦mon there.

    And to that, Sam went quiet, not sure what to do or even what to think.

    Because if the Goomy was remembering correctly, then somewhere out there, somewhere out in the depths of Olivine, there was the impossibly rare Dragon-Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon Dreepy that Sam could go out and catch.

 Chapter 131

    Sam¡¯s heart raced as the realization sunk in. He was making an assumption, but it was an assumption with all signs pointing to it being true.

    He¡¯d come to Olivine to catch a sixth Pok¨¦mon, and this was a chance¡ªa chance¡ªto do exactly that. He wouldn¡¯t need to find someone to trade. He wouldn¡¯t need to go out to catch whatever species they specified. He would not have to struggle to convince a wild Pok¨¦mon to be trained by someone it didn¡¯t know.

    Somehow, impossibly, miraculously, he could go out and catch an incredibly rare Pok¨¦mon within the very city he was in.

    But he would need to find it first.

    ¡°You alright?¡±

    Sam blinked, realizing he¡¯d been silently staring at the Goomy for the entire last minute. The little Dragon Type had shrunk back from his gaze, and Matilda was now watching both of them in worry.

    ¡°I¡¯m... fine. Thank you. Sorry. I¡¯ve just realized there¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon I really want to catch.¡±

    ¡°The one you were describing?¡±

    Sam nodded.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t expect it to be easy,¡± Matilda said. ¡°Just about you and everyone will be out hunting for it.¡±

    ¡°To catch it?¡±

    ¡°Or for the cash,¡± she said with a shrug.

    Matilda went on to explain her nerves¡ªa lot of trainers were out looking for those Dragon Types. Sam had missed most of them since they were likely staying at the city¡¯s more populated Pok¨¦mon Centers, but according to Matilda, those trainers were actively scouring the city for any sign of the escaped Dragon Types.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had to keep the back door locked because Goomy likes to explore,¡± she continued. ¡°Before, he would slip out, and now that¡¯s too much of a risk. We used to get the occasional person slipping through the back alley just for a shortcut, but ever since news of those Dragon Types spread, we¡¯ve been getting trainers walking past about three or four times a day.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you freaked out when I asked for help,¡± Sam said. ¡°You thought I was here for Goomy.¡±

    ¡°...Was I that obvious?¡±

    Matilda winced, and her father laughed.

    ¡°Maddie, you couldn¡¯t act even if your life depended on it! I¡¯m surprised we haven¡¯t had anyone else here!¡±

    Annoyed, she sent her father a withering glare as he let loose a belly-deep laugh, but when she seemed to remember Sam was still watching, she chose to drop it, saying nothing and simply scooping up Goomy for a hug, instead.

    ¡°Goomy is with us, now. We don¡¯t have a Pok¨¦ball for him yet, but we¡¯ll be getting one soon! I¡¯ve already been doing research into figuring out what to do if he ever evolves¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you, now?¡±

    She ignored her father¡¯s question.

    ¡°The problem is that there¡¯s a lot of money up for his capture. With that much, I¡¯m worried that someone might come and take him away.¡±

    Sam doubted anyone would be successful. Those sailors out there had glared at him for a reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the search will die down eventually,¡± he said. ¡°And if Goomy ever evolves, being a Sliggoo won¡¯t be a problem. They¡¯re pretty much the same size, and I¡¯m pretty sure a Sliggoo only becomes a Goodra when battling in the rain.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Matilda blinked. ¡°Goomy hasn¡¯t expressed any interest in battling, anyway.¡±

    The little Dragon Type shook in her arms as if to express his disinterest, and then a bit of drool dripped from his mouth when he glanced back at the cooking food.

    Matilda did send Sam a curious look after realizing the level of information he¡¯d just shared, but Sam had already told her he knew about foreign Pok¨¦mon in the past. However, slipping the New Pok¨¦dex back into his pack probably didn¡¯t help him stay subtle. Matilda thankfully shrugged once again. She seemed to understand that they both had their secrets.

    But Sam now had the knowledge that there was a Dreepy somewhere out there, and he began to struggle with continuing the conversation. He kept drifting off into thought, getting distracted by ideas and plans, so they ended up moving their chat outside.

    There, Sam released Trevenant, and Matilda¡¯s eyes shone. Surprisingly, Trevenant was willing to slowly answer the onslaught of questions she threw his way.

    ¡°Oh, how deep off-route did you live?¡±

    ¡°Wow! And how were your interactions with other species?¡±

    ¡°Your leaves¡ªdo you photosynthesize or eat real food?¡±

    ¡°Wait, I have this list here... Have you tried to learn any of the following moves¡ª¡±

    Though Trevenant tried to hide it, he honestly seemed to be complimented to have someone gush over him so much. However, he started to become uncomfortable pretty quickly, and Sam cleared his throat once it was clear his Pok¨¦mon would soon be overwhelmed.

    Matilda blushed.

    ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re so cool, Trevenant. Just, uh, hold on! I know you need to go, but do you mind waiting out here just for a few more minutes?¡±

    She dashed back inside, likely to catch up on serving the sailors cleaning up plates. From the subsequent, uproarious laughter Sam heard echo out, they seemed more than amused by the delay.

    And just a handful of minutes later, Matilda came back out with a journal. Silently, she hopped onto a crate and sat down while furiously scribbling in it with a pencil. Trevenant watched without making a noise until she suddenly looked up and tore out the sheet.

    Matilda presented Trevenant with a surprisingly accurate sketch of himself.

    ¡°Here. Thank you. I really appreciate you answering my questions,¡± she said to the Pok¨¦mon.

    Carefully accepting it so his sharp claws wouldn¡¯t pierce the paper, Trevenant stared at the sketch, his eye never leaving the page. Matilda sent him a small smile before thanking Sam as well, and then she turned around to head back inside.

    ¡°Thanks for the information, Matilda. If you want to see him fight, we¡¯ll be fighting in the Conference!¡± Sam called out.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be rooting for you!¡± she said happily.

    She disappeared through the back door, scooping up the little Dragon Type who had been in the process of absentmindedly wandering out. Trevenant was in a daze until Sam nudged his arm to remind them they were about to walk away.

    ¡°Nice, huh? To have a fan?¡±

    Trevenant nodded a little slowly. He held his head a little higher than usual, too, when they walked back to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    <hr>

    In the end, Sam knew he had to search for the Dreepy sooner rather than later. The reward for turning in a Dragon Type was simply too much. Other trainers would be lured by that excessive sum, so if he wanted to find and add a Dreepy to his team, he needed to be the one to find it first.

    He still had other tasks to take care of, however, so he quickly stopped at the docks to inquire about boats to Cianwood and checked in with the Gym about a match against Jasmine. Boats to Cianwood left about thrice a week, so he¡¯d be able to buy a ticket the day before or the day of. As for a match against Jasmine, her schedule varied from day to day. The Gym Trainer working at the front desk told Sam to check back whenever he could, but trainers with a Gym Badge challenge took priority.

    His best bet would be to ask each morning to see if she¡¯d be free, and Sam knew he could do that easily enough. For now, with those two important tasks taken care of, he left to join the scores of trainers searching out Dragon Types.

    But unlike everyone else, he had an advantage.

    Unfortunately for everyone else, Sam was likely the most prepared trainer for a Dragon Type hunt on this side of Johto. Not only did he have the New Pok¨¦dex, which allowed him to actually know information about the Dragon Types, but he also had an unreasonable amount of Pok¨¦mon with him. After all, he had over two dozen Gastly that could phase through walls, which meant his team could cover significantly more ground than ¡°just¡± a team of six could.

    Not to mention, too, that these Gastlys had been trained to search. Ever since Sam and Redi first hunted down that Stantler herd, they¡¯d frequently left under his command to search other Pok¨¦mon out.

    So, his Pok¨¦mon split off into groups of three, and then those groups joined together into squads under either Haunter or Misdreavus. Most of Olivine City was already divided up into neat, city blocks, so Sam would choose a road, and Misdreavus¡¯s team would search the block to his left while Haunter¡¯s team searched the block to his right. By the time he reached the next intersection, his Pok¨¦mon would be finished and able to report anything they¡¯d found.

    By far, Normal, Dark, and Flying Types were the most common species (like usual). Rattata and Pidgey were the number one Pok¨¦mon found, as they were everywhere in Johto. The usual suspects for city Pok¨¦mon were also here¡ªthe occasional Zubat hanging in shadowed corners, hound Pok¨¦mon like Houndoom and Growlithe roaming the streets, and the out-of-the-way Spinarak making a nest somewhere unseen. Honestly, it was surprising to learn just how many Pok¨¦mon lived near humans now that his team was searching for them.

    Once in a while, a Ghost Type would come back to report a lone Pok¨¦mon from another region, or they¡¯d report another that had snuck here via boat from another city. His Pok¨¦mon also found a missing Snubbull at one point, who was then returned to her inconsolable owner, earning Sam a surprising sum.

    But there were also the Dragon Types. The ones that remained, at least. A handful had already been caught, but Sam¡¯s team was skilled. Several were found almost right away.

    An evolved Sliggoo lived in an alleyway behind an old hotel, enjoying the moisture that dripped from the condensation of cooling units and improperly sealed pipes. Elsewhere, a Fraxure practically lived behind a warehouse, using scrap left over from the interior machine shop to sharpen its tusks. Then, on the far side of the city, a lone Druddigon had carved a home into the dump.

    And finally, there was that Gabite, the very same Pok¨¦mon that had attacked Sam just last night. The Gastly reported seeing it in the backyard of an abandoned home. Sneaking around, Sam was able to lay eyes on it as well as the stolen take-out meal it carried. It tore open the bag to spill the food onto the ground, and a trio of young Gible rushed to gobble the meal up.

    So what did Sam do with all of this? These Pok¨¦mon had time to settle. All of the Dragon Types that hadn¡¯t been able to find a place had already been caught. Likely, no one else knew about these species, and between his team¡¯s stealth, hypnosis, and general strength, capturing any of them would have been an ease.

    But he did nothing.

    He knew about the Dragon Types, and he knew just how much cash he stood to make. His team was competent enough to earn him a solid half a million in a single afternoon, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do such a thing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It feels wrong. Like, it¡¯s so much money that it¡¯s raising red flags in my mind.¡±

    It was dusk by this point, and it was still the same day that he had talked to Matilda. From late morning to right now, his team had already managed to find that many Dragon Types.

    ¡°I know we stand to profit, and I know this city isn¡¯t really suitable for them, but the idea of capturing them just to hand them over to some mysterious rich person doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯d be different if they were on a Route because Pok¨¦mon on a Route at least expect to be captured. But these Pok¨¦mon were stolen from their homes and then brought here.¡±

    He sighed.

    ¡°Did they live on a route? Or did they live elsewhere? And then we¡¯d be handing them over to someone we don¡¯t know. How are we supposed to trust a complete stranger like that?¡±

    Honestly, if less money was being offered, Sam would have had fewer doubts. But given that each Dragon Type was worth a hundred thousand dollars, it was suspicious. What kind of person had that much cash to throw around?This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Next to Sam, Typhlosion used the cover of darkness to walk at his side. The shadows obscured her so that from a distance, she looked like nothing more than a darkened, Johtonian Typhlosion.

    Not too many people were out on this side of town right now, so she didn¡¯t bother to keep quiet when she made a noise to respond to Sam¡¯s question, speaking her name to express her agreement¡ªbut also to express her doubts.

    She wasn¡¯t the one to fully understand the value of money, but she did know that more money brought better things. Even just catching one of those Dragon Types would let Sam do a lot more with the team.

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± he said with another sigh. ¡°We could do a lot with that kind of cash, but do we even need it? The Conference is only a month away.¡±

    That much money would make things easier in the short term, but Sam had a gut feeling his team would get a lot of sponsorship offers. The money would help them now, but they stood to earn more in the future. Waiting just a single month was all that was needed to get the funding to keep training his team, and between Typhlosion, Annihilape, and everyone else, Sam had no doubts that at least one rich person or corporation would want to use them for advertisements.

    ¡°Besides, what would we even do with that much money? Buy some better food, probably. Send some home to Mom, definitely. But other than that? All I can think of is earlier ranching for the Mankey or held items, at least.¡±

    Typhlosion sent Sam a look and dug into her fur to pull out her Charcoal, which she no longer needed a scarf to carry. She didn¡¯t always use it in fights, but it did passively increase the strength of her Fire Type moves when she bothered.

    ¡°That¡¯s yours. There¡¯s still everyone else,¡± Sam countered.

    She chuffed and put her Charcoal back. Technically, Trevenant also had a held item, but his were just the berries he could regrow with Harvest.

    As they walked, from the side, a pair of Gastly phased out of a wall. Sam opened up the New Pok¨¦dex to let them search for the entry of the Pok¨¦mon they found.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll talk to the nurse tomorrow,¡± he said as the pair stopped on a sketch of a Raticate. ¡°She had to vet the job, so she might be able to tell us who put it up.¡±

    In that case, I¡¯ll decide if it¡¯s worth catching these Dragon Types. We might know where they are, but they¡¯re better off staying here in the city if they¡¯d just end up sitting in some rich guy¡¯s collection.

    The sun eventually fully set, and the street lights flickered on. They were close to the edge of the town at this point, and Haunter and Misdreavus kept showing up with their teams.

    This search was technically hard work, but all the Ghost Types were downright eager to help. Not necessarily because they wanted to find a Dreepy, but because they were treating it like a game¡ªand Typhlosion was keeping score.

    Haunter¡¯s team had found more overall Pok¨¦mon, but Misdreavus¡¯s team had found more Dragon Types. Either way, even after searching for so long, both teams were still fighting hard to ¡°win.¡±

    Sam only planned to stay out here for a bit longer, however. A Ghost Type Dreepy would probably be more active at night, but as late as it was, his team deserved to rest after a long day.

    ¡°Hm. So it took less than a day to reach Olivine from Carl¡¯s place, and then we stayed in the Pok¨¦mon Center to let Annihilape be checked over. And our conversation with Matilda was also today, so that means... there¡¯s twenty-nine days until the Conference. We¡¯ll head out when there¡¯s around twenty-five left.¡±

    As much as Sam wanted a Dreepy, he had to acknowledge this was only a chance at catching one. The Conference took priority. If he really had to, he could find a sixth member of his team somewhere else.

    But that hurt. He didn¡¯t want to give up this star-aligned chance. He had to accept the reality of the situation, however, because a Dreepy would be hard to find no matter what.

    ...Unless his Pok¨¦mon suddenly found a hint.

    From a block over, Haunter shouted excitedly, and Sam made eye contact with Typhlosion before taking off.

    ¡°Already? Do you think he found it?¡± he whispered excitedly.

    Typhlosion said her name¡ªthere was no way of knowing, but they had found a bunch of Dragon Types today.

    Charging to where Haunter had yelled, Sam cut through an alley, trying to reach him as fast as possible. He could hear his Pok¨¦mon speaking excitedly from the other side, so he didn¡¯t hesitate as he ran through.

    But as he burst onto the other street, someone else yelped in surprise.

    ¡°Watch it!¡±

    A blur of white suddenly jumped in front of Sam to pull its trainer out of the way. A black blade shone threateningly under the moonlight, and separately from it, Sam felt blue pinpricks of energy surround his body as a quick Psychic from Misdreavus pulled him back.

    ¡°Ab,¡± the Pok¨¦mon before him growled. ¡°Sol.¡±

    Its threat was made clear.

    Sam blinked at the Absol, and then at its trainer. He then looked up to the night sky, where a pair of Haunter were excitedly bouncing around one another in the air.

    ¡°...Oh. You caught your Haunter at the Burned Tower too, didn¡¯t you?¡± the other trainer asked.

    Sam breathed out in disappointment.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°Looks like these two knew each other from back then.¡±

    There was enough of a general sense of confusion between the two Ghost Types for Sam to tell that they¡¯d only been acquaintances. Still, Haunter and Haunter knew one another. That shout might have been one of excitement, but it was from Haunter finding someone he knew instead of a Dreepy. The two Ghost Types were too busy rapidly talking over one and sharing stories of their journeys to do anything else.

    And then a groan came out. The other trainer slumped.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re searching for those Dragons, too,¡± he whined.

    ¡°I am. Sorry?¡± Sam offered.

    The other boy groaned and moved to sit on the curb.

    ¡°Preston,¡± he said, introducing himself.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Sam said to do the same.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way you¡¯d run through an alley that excitedly just because you heard your Pok¨¦mon shout.¡±

    Checking to the side, Preston¡¯s Absol stared at the alley, its white hair practically standing on its ends. Absol were known for their disaster sense, and Preston was probably trying to use that to help with his search. Right now, however, the Absol was preoccupied with staring at all of those red eyes. Preston might not have noticed, but his Pok¨¦mon certainly seemed bothered by the many, many Ghost Types watching their group.

    Preston just seemed bemused by the two Pok¨¦mon in the air. He let his head fall onto his fist, annoyed but willing to wait instead of calling for his Pok¨¦mon to come back.

    ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to be stuck here for a while, we might as well chat.¡±

    Preston looked up at him expectantly, and Sam cautiously joined him on the curb.

    Preston was dressed in what was honestly a pretty generic trainer¡¯s outfit¡ªa red vest, a cap, a pair of travel-ready blue jeans, and running shoes on his feet. Sam could tell his Absol and Haunter were strong, but they weren¡¯t necessarily strong enough to beat his team in a fight.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around. You aren¡¯t part of that ¡®dragon hunter¡¯s club,¡¯ are you?¡± Preston asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Over in the central Pok¨¦mon Center?¡± Preston blinked at Sam¡¯s confusion. ¡°Ah, no. You¡¯re probably staying at another one, then.¡±

    Neither of them had anything else to do with their Pok¨¦mon occupied, and neither wanted to leave and tear their Pok¨¦mon out of such a merry conversation. Both Haunter chatted on and on, and while Sam couldn¡¯t say he was as social as Redi, he could at least recognize what this was¡ªa chance to obtain more information.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been searching every night,¡± Preston explained, speaking easily enough. ¡°We made the mistake of waiting to take on Jasmine, but this is our chance to turn things around! Her Steel Types are crazy defensive, but catching one of these Dragon Types is exactly what we need for a chance to turn things around.¡±

    ¡°With a new member of your team?¡± Sam asked, speaking the question before Preston could ask about his own plans.

    Preston replied with a blink.

    ¡°What? Nah. Only insane people plan to keep whatever they catch. This late in the season? No, Dragon Types take too long to train¡ªbut a hundred K? No way I¡¯m passing that up.¡±

    Tutors. Trainers. People he could hire for tips. Held items made a surprising amount of difference, but when talking about what he¡¯d do with the cash, there was one idea he seemed to be enthralled with.

    ¡°Vitamins,¡± Preston said, almost dreamily. ¡°Incredibly expensive, incredibly valuable. With just a single week of mixing them into your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s food, you can already start to see the difference. They¡¯re completely legal and completely natural¡ªthey¡¯re all about proper development and amount of energy, you see? If Absol was just a little stronger, or if Haunter was just a little faster...¡±

    Doesn¡¯t that mean you should train instead of wasting your time on a search, then?

    But Sam didn¡¯t say that out loud.

    ¡°So then have you found any Dragon Types yet?¡± Sam asked.

    Preston groaned.

    ¡°No. Only know of one, the same as everyone else. We lost, but have you tried your luck with the beast of the dump yet?¡±

    ¡°The Druddigon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That.¡±

    Apparently, everyone knew about Druddigon, and everyone kept trying to catch it. Trainers frequently challenged it to battles only to lose, which meant that experience was making it stronger by the day. The dumps didn¡¯t have much space for maneuverability, which meant special attackers would get caught, and every physical attacker would just be torn up when they got close¡ªeither through the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks or its strangely rough scales.

    ¡°I just need one. I just need to catch one Dragon Type, and everything will finally work out. That kind of money... It¡¯s all we need. We could finally beat Jasmine, earn our seventh Gym Badge, and move on to our final Gym.¡±

    Honestly, Sam could see where Preston was coming from, but in his mind, it was a matter of strategy more than anything else. Preston had six badges. He had a month to earn his seventh and eighth. If he was already trying to earn his seventh, he had more than enough time to focus on training and make his way to the Conference.

    But as Sam listened to him talk, avoiding needing to speak for himself by asking Preston leading questions, he got a strange insight into the type of trainer out on this hunt. He doubted that everyone involved had the same mindset, but catching a Dragon Type here represented more than just the money or a new member of the team. These Pok¨¦mon were seen as a trainer¡¯s big break. The benefits they could get from catching a Dragon Type meant they¡¯d be able to finish their Gym Challenge in time for the Conference.

    The end-of-season rush always happened for a reason. Trainers saw the dwindling amount of time left and began to beat themselves against a Gym Leader¡¯s team just to try to earn one. More. Gym Badge.

    ¡°What about you? Have you found any?¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t distract Preston with questions for long enough. The other trainer looked over to him with a surprising amount of hope.

    But as Sam opened his mouth to say something, he just shook his head.

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t. Sorry,¡± Sam lied.

    For a moment, Preston looked genuinely crushed.

    ¡°Guess we have to keep searching, then,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Come on, Haunter! Let¡¯s head out.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam ended the first night of searching pretty soon after that. When he got back, he made sure to ask the nurse at the Pok¨¦mon Center if she knew who had put up the job.

    Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t been the one to vet it¡ªthat had been a different nurse in the city. Every Pok¨¦mon Center had the same job posted on their board, so she couldn¡¯t answer. What she could do, however, was promise Sam that she¡¯d make a few calls and tell him once she found out.

    Sam checked the Gym the next morning, found that Jasmine wasn¡¯t available, and then did some odd jobs for cash. Afterward, once it became later in the day, his Pok¨¦mon resumed their search. They were effective, but there was only so much of the city they could cover before needing to take a break.

    To Sam¡¯s surprise, they did find a few more Dragon Types, but he also encountered other trainers searching, and one of them shared a story of a Dragon Type that¡¯d already been found.

    That Fraxure hadn¡¯t been wild. It had been caught by the owners of the machine shop. Apparently, even though it was a Dragon Type now working a ¡°menial¡± job, it was completely on board, practically in awe whenever it watched its humans reshape steel.

    The amount of other trainers searching was worrying, but Sam¡¯s team didn¡¯t give up. Haunter and Misdreavus continued their competition, Typhlosion continued to keep score, and they continued to push on. Yet, even with all their effort, he could soon tell that any further work wouldn¡¯t help.

    But that was because they found what they were looking for.

    On the third day of searching, early into the night, a Gastly suddenly zipped over to Sam rather excitedly because of course his team found the Dreepy. Not only were they uniquely suited for this task, but Ghosts attracted Ghosts. The sheer number of Ghost Types with Sam meant one of them would have eventually stumbled upon their target no matter what.

    Heart pounding, Sam hurried after the Gastly, running down a cobbled side street located near the docks. As stereotypical as it was, the Gastly led him to a dark warehouse. He went up to its door just to find it was locked, but after a click, Misdreavus opened it from the other side to reveal herself inside. Smug, she sent a cocky look to Haunter, who had joined Sam from behind.

    ¡°...Hello?¡± his voice echoed after he sent a quiet thanks to Misdreavus.

    Sam stepped into the building and looked around. Technically, he was trespassing, but it wasn¡¯t like anyone was going to find out. Before him, boxes and crates filled with various shipments filled the space. This place wasn¡¯t abandoned, but it didn¡¯t look to be actively guarded by people, either.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Sam repeated, though he could see no obvious Ghost Type in the room. ¡°My name is Sam. I¡¯m a Ghost Type specialist. If there¡¯s a Dreepy in here...¡±

    He let his voice trail off.

    Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure what to say¡ªwas he to catch it? To help it? Or to make things alright?

    ¡°I... train Ghost Types,¡± Sam ended up saying. ¡°But I guess you already knew that since I said I was a specialist. What I really mean is that I know a lot about the Ghost Type, and I also have some experience with Dragon Types, too. So I know how to make Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon strong. And I know what Dragon Type Pok¨¦mon are like. I can help you get stronger, if you want. Or, if you have a different desire, I can help you with that instead, or maybe just... Ugh.¡±

    He sighed.

    This didn¡¯t feel right.

    ¡°Alright, look, I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s actually a Dreepy in here, but I don¡¯t want to lie. I want to catch you. I¡¯m selfish. You¡¯re a rare species. I think you¡¯re cool, so you have my interest, except¡ª

    ¡°Except you¡¯re still your own Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said, his voice echoing around. ¡°No matter how much I want to train you, I have a responsibility to all Ghost Types. You weren¡¯t brought here by choice, but I can help. I want you to come with me, but even if you don¡¯t, I promise you that I can find a way to bring you home, instead.¡±

    It¡¯d be complicated, but Sam was pretty sure he could pull it off. He¡¯d have to rely on Morty, and he¡¯d probably have to invest some of his own funds to purchase cross-region boat tickets, too. However, all it¡¯d take was a little work, and he could pull it off. He wasn¡¯t lying when he said he could find a way to bring a Dreepy home¡ªeven if he really just wanted to catch it.

    Well, this only matters if there¡¯s even a Dreepy here, at least.

    He looked around once more, searching the warehouse for any sign of the Pok¨¦mon. Moonlight trickled in from short windows at the top of the walls, but he wasn¡¯t able to make out much even with that dim light.

    For now, he let his statement hang as he waited for some kind of response, but silence was the only reply. For a moment, he almost began to think this was a prank played on him by the Gastly, but that was when he saw a gleam out of the corner of his eye.

    From behind a barrel, a pair of small, yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. Curious, they stared at Sam, looking at him as though they weren¡¯t sure what to do.

    Sam slowly turned his head to demonstrate he had seen the Pok¨¦mon, and it pulled back slightly but no more than that when he didn¡¯t take a step forward. After taking a moment to recognize Sam wasn¡¯t doing anything, it finally made a noise.

    ¡°...Dreep?¡±

    And that confirmed it. The Pok¨¦mon was a Dreepy. Its voice was higher-pitched than Sam expected, but a member of its species was definitely there.

    He could see the flat shape of its head and the dark green of its body. The edges of its flattened horns were tipped with a red that was barely visible in the moonlight.

    The Dreepy then spoke again, repeating its question, and rather than its lower jaw moving down like most Pok¨¦mon, the entire upper half of its head moved up. The way it talked made it almost seem like a puppet, but it was clearly a living Pok¨¦mon.

    Well, it was a living Pok¨¦mon much as a Ghost Type could be.

    ¡°I meant what I said, even though I¡¯m not a fan. I want to catch you, but I can bring you home¡ªor I can even leave you here if that¡¯s what you choose.¡±

    Something in Sam¡¯s words seemed to cause its curiosity to grow. Warily, it floated up from where it¡¯d been hiding behind that barrel, and Sam was able to see the tail that made up the rest of the Dreepy¡¯s form.

    Slowly, it crept closer through the air, and Sam stayed in the entrance, not taking any steps forward in an attempt to not scare it. When it was just a few feet away, Sam slowly knelt, and it paused at the movement before inching closer.

    ¡°...Hey,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°May I?¡±

    It stared at his hand before nodding, and Sam ran two fingers down its head.

    Scaled, but surprisingly smooth. Everything about its shape is probably to minimize drag.

    Dreepy weren¡¯t capable of much when it came to fighting, but their species excelled at being used as missiles by their evolved forms.

    With this Dreepy not fleeing and not making any aggressive moves, Sam stayed there for a while, just dragging his fingers across the Dreepy¡¯s head. For a Dragon and Ghost Type, it was surprisingly friendly, but Sam¡¯s truthfulness had probably caught its interest. He also knew not to challenge it, and it relaxed to the point where it closed its eyes and let out a low purr.

    Sam still had a small handful of Pok¨¦Blocks left over, so he began to reach into his pack to pull one out and see if the Dreepy would eat.

    But that was when everything was flipped onto its head. A sharp hiss pierced through the quiet of the night, interrupting Sam¡¯s actions.

    The Dreepy¡¯s eyes snapped open, and it darted through the air to stare into the shadows. Gesturing wildly, it started to furiously say its name, speaking fast like a child that had just been caught doing something wrong.

    But where it spoke into the darkness, something stared back, and the Dreepy let out a long, tired sigh. It moved forward, latching onto a scaled body and scrambling upward. Once it reached the top, it lowered itself into position on another Pok¨¦mon¡¯s forehead.

    And Sam made sure he was completely still. He made no movements whatsoever when he realized the other Pok¨¦mon in the room. Much like how the Dreepy¡¯s yellow eyes glowed in the darkness, this one''s eyes were apparent under the moonlight. However, they were much, much sharper, and they clearly carried an anger that came from the surprise of Sam¡¯s presence.

    Another hiss, and another threat came Sam¡¯s way. He tried to bring up his hands to show he meant no harm, but all that did was encourage the wild Pok¨¦mon to attack.

    ¡°Drakloak!¡±

    Before he could even realize what it had done, a blast of blue-purple fire left the Pok¨¦mon¡¯s mouth to rocket right toward Sam. He almost flinched¡ªalmost¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t come here alone.

    A flash, and Typhlosion released herself before him. She easily withstood the move, and the Dragon Pulse became nothing more than smoke that fizzled off her body.

    ¡°We really mean no harm,¡± Sam said, standing up from the floor.

    The Drakloak took one look at Typhlosion and scoffed as if the very act of defending him had somehow proved his guilt.

    Typhlosion growled when it became clear that the Drakloak had no intention of dropping its threat, and the wild Pok¨¦mon lowered itself in the air. Sam turned to properly face the Dragon Type as Typhlosion¡¯s back became alit with light.

    The Drakloak didn¡¯t appreciate how it had returned to its hideout just to find Sam there. And from how it began to rear back, it also became clear that it had no intention of letting him leave without a fight.

 Chapter 132

    Drakloak was fast¡ªfaster than Sam expected, but Typhlosion was already prepared for a battle when it lunged. She had withstood its Dragon Pulse, but it wasn¡¯t attempting to use a special attack. No, it was trying to make use of its prodigious speed to get close.

    Bringing down its head, Drakloak shot off to the side like an arrow and slipped into the shadows of the warehouse¡¯s boxes to cloak itself. Its body became phantasmal, shrouded in pitch-black darkness. Even through that, however, its eyes locked with Typhlosion¡¯s own.

    ¡°Mines!¡± Sam shouted.

    Typhlosion roared her name, and wisps of Infernal Parade sparked up around her. They were a minefield to prevent Drakloak¡¯s approach, but it continued unbothered, the presence of the deep purple flames not worrying it in the slightest. The Pok¨¦mon clearly expected to phase right through, using the effects of its move to completely ignore the floating fire. However, Infernal Parade was not a mundane attack, and Drakloak was caught unprepared. It ran head-first right into the fire and jerked away. For a split second, a sizzling noise rang out as the flames seared its scales.

    ¡°Not burned,¡± Sam said as he checked over the wild Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Not sure if that''s good or bad.¡±

    He had conflicting feelings about battling Drakloak, but if it was going to fight them, then of course he was going to fight back. A burn just felt a little too mean. He wanted to catch this Drakloak, and catching a Pok¨¦mon often involved weakening it in battle and convincing it afterward. He just wished they could have convinced it first.

    ¡°Typhlosion, that was Phantom Force,¡± Sam warned as Drakloak pulled back. Shadows dripped from its body as it eyed Typhlosion warily. ¡°Think of it as a stronger Shadow Sneak that¡¯s much slower. Rather than use shadows to move around, it uses shadows as protection to let it slip past most moves.¡±

    Sam was only somewhat familiar with Phantom Force thanks to the New Pok¨¦dex. Only one member of his team had bothered to try to figure it out so far. However, it seemed the attack came naturally to Drakloak. Phantom Force wasn¡¯t any move commonly found in Johto, and its use here almost seemed to emphasize just how out of place this species was.

    Yet, it was almost like Drakloak knew that, as it had used Phantom Force with the intent of finishing this match quickly. As Sam had warned Typhlosion, Drakloak shot him a glare. Its look actually surprised him¡ªDrakloak¡¯s glower was full of genuine hate.

    ¡°What have you been through to react like that?¡± Sam mumbled.

    Typhlosion took the initiative and charged. Though she was better at range, she¡¯d already proven her Infernal Parade could disrupt her opponent¡¯s movements. While her control was great, it was faster to conjure her wisps in the area immediately around her than from afar. She wanted to lock down this Pok¨¦mon to restrict its speedy movements, so she ran with her neck already blazing and a swarm of wisps following her.

    However, Drakloak was faster, and the moment she started to run, it shouted out a command. The Dreepy on Drakloak¡¯s head whined about getting involved in this fight, but there was still an eagerness to its eyes that came with the request to be a part of a move.

    It jumped, grabbing Drakloak¡¯s forehead to throw itself forward, and it was immediately hit by a Dragon Pulse from behind. Except, rather than take damage, the move seemed to form around it. Like a missile, the combined attack saw the Dreep rocket forward.

    The Dreepy-Pulse slammed into Typhlosion¡¯s chest right as she tried to rear back in an attempt to dodge. Unlike the last Dragon Pulse she withstood, the physical aspect of the combination that came from the Dreepy caused her to recoil.

    ¡°We can¡¯t forget this will evolve into a Pseudo-Legend! It¡¯s strong¡ªthink of Dragonair!¡± Sam shouted.

    Typhlosion growled as she rubbed where the move had slammed into her chest. She briefly checked on Sam before watching the Dreepy return to Drakloak. The impact had caused it to bounce off of her, and it used that momentum to quickly fly back.

    While the Drakloak was preoccupied with catching the Dreepy, Sam sent Typhlosion a nod, causing her to grin.

    ¡°Double Team,¡± he ordered.

    Faster than ever before, an image of Typhlosion split off to her right, and then both copies of herself split again. Drakloak let out a threatening hiss from where it floated, but that did nothing to stop the illusory duplicates from surrounding it throughout the room.

    Typhlosion smirked at it from the floor, from atop the storage boxes, and even from atop the metal catwalk above. While this wasn¡¯t as strong a trap as her Infernal Parade, she was still able to threaten Drakloak from every angle simply because it didn¡¯t know where she was.

    ¡°Great! Now¡ª¡±

    Yet, Drakloak was more angered than it was intimidated. Before Sam could give any further commands, it took off to slam right through one of the illusions surrounding it. Its Take Down did nothing¡ªnot like it could have done much to the Ghost Type Typhlosion, anyway¡ªbut the move did let it continue right through that copy to escape the circle and charge at someone else.

    It charged at Sam.

    His next order caught in his throat when he saw Drakloak rocket toward him. The Dreepy on its head looked just as surprised, and it attempted to grab Drakloak¡¯s eyelids and pull, desperately trying to get it to turn or move back.

    But its panicked attempts did nothing, as all Drakloak did was continue to rush Sam like a missile. However, while Sam had been caught off guard by the sudden change in targets, it wasn¡¯t like he was unprepared.

    As vulnerable as he seemed, Sam had other Pok¨¦mon hiding around him. Haunter rose up from the floor, and Misdreavus phased into existence behind him. Two hands, slightly enlarged thanks to the gathered shadows of Shadow Punch, opened up to serve as a flat, defensive wall. Misdreavus¡¯s eyes then glowed for a Psychic as she prepared herself to grab Drakloak when it got too close.

    A growl.

    Briefly, Drakloak looked genuinely frustrated, and the Dreepy on its head breathed out in relief. At the very last moment, instead of slamming into Haunter¡¯s awaiting palms, it pulled to the side to scrape against them in a move that reminded Sam of a fly-by attack performed by a bug¡ªa U-Turn.

    Though Haunter resisted the Bug Type U-Turn twice over, his lack of reaction didn¡¯t interfere with Drakloak¡¯s plan. The U-Turn let it maintain its momentum even as it twisted into that sharp angle. Before anyone knew it, it was traveling perpendicular to them toward a wall. And at the very last second, it turned translucent to phase right through, escaping the fight alongside Dreepy all in the blink of an eye.

    It was gone.

    Tension leftover from the fight hung in the air for a single second longer, but that quickly vanished once it set in that Drakloak had fled rather than leave to reposition. The glow around Misdreavus¡¯s eyes faded, and Haunter lowered his hands. From on top of the crates, Typhlosion let out a sad whine while letting her many Double Team duplicates disappear.

    ¡°Mis?¡± Misdreavus asked.

    Sam let out a groan and rubbed his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we can give chase. It¡¯s passing through buildings, has turned half-invisible, and is moving faster than any of us can run.¡±

    Typhlosion spoke up¡ªshe could keep up if she used Agility, but Sam just sent her a look.

    ¡°You can¡¯t exactly phase through walls,¡± he said.

    Haunter snickered at the flat reaction, and Typhlosion huffed in reply. A few Gastly pulled themselves out from where they¡¯d been watching from the shadows.

    ¡°I hate to say it, but we don¡¯t have a choice. We¡¯ll call it here for the night. We¡¯ve at least sensed the Dreepy and Drakloak, so we shouldn¡¯t have too much difficulty finding them again. We can pick up again tomorrow, but...¡± Sam sighed. He couldn¡¯t say he enjoyed how he saw the Drakloak react. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I know we came here to catch them, but I need some time to think.¡±

    <hr>

    Sam missed when solutions were easy. Oh, Team Rocket is chasing you? Just beat them in a fight. Oh, some Dratini were illegally captured? Just break into the game corner and call the cops.

    But three times now, Sam had encountered a Pok¨¦mon with an ¡°unhappy¡± past. Annihilape was technically the first, but everything with his brother hadn¡¯t happened until later in their journey. Trevenant was the big one, with him taking control of a whole route and causing a retaliation from the local Gym. And now? There was a Drakloak out there that was still reeling from whatever had happened to it when it was poached.Stolen story; please report.

    It was a morbid thought, but Sam almost considered that ¡°unhappiness¡± to be a part of the nature of Ghost Types. They were driven by their emotions and desires, which could be both good and bad. While most Ghost Types could act almost whimsical with their pranks and scares, it was easy for them to fall into darker thoughts. Primeape and Trevenant had both nearly been consumed by revenge, and now there was this Drakloak. While the Dreepy seemed okay at a surface level, the Drakloak certainly wasn¡¯t. There was true hatred in its eyes when it had attacked Sam¡ªand there was also the fact it had attacked Sam in the first place.

    As Sam walked Olivine¡¯s midnight streets to return to the Pok¨¦mon Center, Misdreavus made a noise from behind him¡ªshe was worried. Both about him and about everything involving that Drakloak.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said with what felt like the hundredth sigh tonight. ¡°But they were poached. I can¡¯t exactly blame them for that kind of reaction.¡±

    He glanced over his shoulder to check on Misdreavus, and the ferocity of her glare almost made him stumble. She didn¡¯t just look angry, she looked downright apoplectic. Either due to Sam being attacked or due to recognizing what Drakloak had been through, there was nothing about this situation she enjoyed.

    I wonder if she¡¯s being reminded about something that happened to her in the past.

    But as Sam looked at her, Misdreavus realized he was staring, and she forced a smile to calm down. She wasn¡¯t okay¡ªthis situation was still clearly affecting her¡ªbut she at least seemed better at the reminder she was surrounded by friends.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do something,¡± Sam promised. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what right now. As much as I just want to sit around and gnash my teeth, that¡¯s just the Ghost Type energy talking.¡±

    He turned back around.

    ¡°Agatha gave good advice¡ªit¡¯s nice to have a set of rules to fall back on. The poachers might already be captured so we can¡¯t get revenge on them, but there are Pok¨¦mon that need help. We¡¯ll do something to help them, instead.¡±

    However, when it came to helping Drakloak, the big question was how. As much as Sam wanted to catch it, he doubted that would make it happy.

    I need time to plan.

    When he arrived back at the Pok¨¦mon Center, it was empty like usual. Not only were most people asleep at this time of night, but he was pretty sure only three or four other trainers were staying there. Set at the edge of a residential district, there was little reason for any traveling trainer to choose this Center as a place to stay. The grand, hotel-like Pok¨¦mon Center in Olivine¡¯s downtown was likely more stuffed. There were probably a bunch of trainers hanging out there, awake and talking about ways to catch those Dragon Types even right now.

    ¡°Samuel!¡±

    But there was an advantage to staying at a smaller Pok¨¦mon Center. With fewer people around, it was easier to be remembered. The second he stepped into the building, the nurse at the counter looked up and recognized him, putting her book down to beckon him over.

    ¡°I finally have an answer,¡± she said, and she looked rather proud about it, too.

    ¡°To what?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°...To what? Oh, ¡®to what,¡¯ he says.¡± The nurse shook her head. ¡°I finally managed to get an answer to your question. After a bit of asking around, I now know who put up that job you were so curious about.¡±

    And just like that, she immediately captured every ounce of Sam¡¯s attention. When she saw just how alert he¡¯d become, she gained a satisfied smile.

    ¡°At first, I thought the job was posted by an independent agent because there was only one name listed in its files,¡± she began to explain. ¡°However, I wasn¡¯t satisfied with that answer and did some more digging. Turns out, that man puts up a lot of jobs, and he actually works on behalf of a larger organization, which is where all of that reward money is coming from.¡±

    ¡°And that organization is...?¡± Sam asked. The mention of a ¡°larger organization¡± suddenly made him feel sick.

    But thankfully, his gut feeling was wrong. The nurse gained a warm smile and answered quite merrily.

    ¡°The Blackthorn Clan!¡± the nurse said happily. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who put up that job. The individual I mentioned is essentially a broker for them¡ªhe¡¯s the one that administrates the jobs put up on their behalf all across the region.¡±

    Sam was relieved that Team Rocket wasn¡¯t involved, but he still couldn¡¯t stop his grumble.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s the Blackthorn Clan.¡±

    Because when Dragon Types were involved, who else could it be?

    Rich people and collectors always had money to spend, but spending such an extreme amount of cash just to obtain Dragon Types was something only the Blackthorn Clan would do. To them, these Dragon Types represented more than just new Pok¨¦mon. They represented a way to grow their strength, increase their power, and help them maintain their otherwise dwindling influence.

    As much as the Clan wanted to stick to tradition, they probably had to recognize the changing situation of the world. Everyone else was moving on and forming connections to other regions. Being known for a single species of Dragon Type wouldn¡¯t be enough to stay relevant moving forward.

    So then if the Blackthorn Clan put up that job, then I bet they¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve been keeping everything quiet, too. They kept their listing far too purposefully vague to not cause people to make connections. No one else would have the influence to shut down that news story so quickly, either.

    ...I need to thank Matilda again for telling me that.

    To the Blackthorn Clan, even a single new species of Dragon Type was genuinely worth that ridiculous amount they were offering as a reward. And paying such a sum would also scare other offers away. After all, why bother putting up a reward if someone else was paying even more? If the Blackthorn Clan had truly put up that job, then they were more in control of the entire situation than Sam would have thought.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the nurse suddenly asked.

    Sam realized he¡¯d been scowling.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just not a fan,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It just feels messed up.¡±

    From what he¡¯d heard, a Shelgon had already been captured and turned in for that reward, so the Blackthorn Clan likely already had at least one new species. The only positive thing, in his opinion, is that there was no way the Shelgon wouldn¡¯t live a good life.

    But it still left a bad taste in Sam¡¯s mouth. Honestly, part of it was probably just because the Blackthorn Clan hadn¡¯t shared much information on the Ghost Type Dreepy when they had likely known far more.

    ¡°How so?¡± the nurse asked.

    Sam looked up.

    ¡°How is this messed up?¡± the nurse asked again.

    ¡°It¡¯s like... I don¡¯t know. It feels like they¡¯re just trying to capture these Pok¨¦mon to increase their power. The Blackthorn Clan doesn¡¯t care. These Pok¨¦mon were poached, and now they just want them for their personal benefit. And... And¡ª!¡± He stopped himself. He couldn¡¯t say he hadn¡¯t been doing the same thing.

    But even as his grumbling continued, Sam suddenly had a thought.

    ¡°Wait. Hold on,¡± he said, interrupting himself. ¡°Where did these Dragon Types come from in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Dragon Types?¡±

    The nurse blinked at him. Sam blinked back. He quickly realized that her Pok¨¦mon Center was likely out of the way enough that she didn¡¯t have the full story.

    He went on to hand over Typhlosion and Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦balls to have them be checked over just in case, and a Chansey brought them to the back. While they were being treated, he shared everything he knew about the situation with the Dragon Types.

    Turns out, the nurse already knew about the poachers¡ªthat event had been big enough for all the nurses in the city to hear. She also knew that some Pok¨¦mon had escaped, but according to her, not every Pok¨¦mon had. Apparently, the Pok¨¦mon League had recovered plenty of poached Pok¨¦mon from the ship itself, and many had already come and gone from the city¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Centers after being treated.

    But the detail she lacked was that most of the missing Pok¨¦mon were Dragon Types, and upon hearing that, she pressed her lips together for a frown. She was also able to intuit that trainers were out there trying to capture those Dragon Types, but she grew visibly suspicious about why the League wasn¡¯t doing more.

    ¡°Because they don¡¯t need to,¡± Sam answered. ¡°Dragon Types are Dragon Types, sure, but these ones are only mid-stage Pok¨¦mon at best. Even if they were trained, they can''t be more dangerous than something like an evolved Dark Type. There are only so many of them in Olivine, which is an entire city, so making sure there are jobs up for trainers to handle them is the League doing something. Team Rocket is out there. There are bigger threats.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± the nurse said. ¡°But you do seem rather bothered by the Blackthorn Clan¡¯s involvement.¡±

    Sam frowned again.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just... Ugh.¡± He rubbed his temples. ¡°The Blackthorn Clan is fine. Clair is fine. Lance is probably fine, too. But I know a few of their members are complete jerks, so I can¡¯t say I¡¯m a big fan of them getting a bunch of scared Pok¨¦mon under their control.¡±

    And a little voice whispered in the back of his head¡ªwhy was there a boat of poached Dragon Types in Johto? There had to be a reason that those Pok¨¦mon were brought here, and given who stood to profit from them the most...

    ¡°But I might be focusing on the Blackthorn Clan a little too much,¡± Sam said, letting the feeling drop before it could consume him. ¡°There¡¯s no way Clair, Lance, or this one really old elder I met would ever let the Blackthorn Clan even think about interacting with poachers.¡±

    If he had to guess, even if the Blackthorn Clan had been involved, they were either tricked, or the poachers had been grossly misinformed.

    Probably the second option, to be honest. After all, the poachers were captured pretty much the second they docked in Olivine. Someone had to have learned about them almost immediately for something like that to have happened.

    He let out a sigh as the Center¡¯s Chansey brought his Pok¨¦mon back. Typhlosion and Haunter were fine. They might have been somewhat injured in battle, but those injuries were surface-level at worst. At most, their treatment was the same as usual¡ªa minuscule amount of medicine, but they mainly needed a good night¡¯s rest.

    For now, Sam planned to head up to his room to think of a plan on how to deal with the Drakloak, but the nurse suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°You know,¡± she said, tapping her cheek, ¡°if you really don¡¯t trust the Blackthorn Clan, there is one thing you can do.¡±

    He looked up at her, and a corner of her mouth quirked up for an amused smirk.

    ¡°While I can¡¯t say it¡¯ll be anywhere as much, the League reserves a part of its budget solely for rewards. Trainers that perform great services on the League¡¯s behalf are paid to encourage that kind of behavior.¡±

    Sam stood up a bit straighter.

    ¡°Oh. I know about that. My friend and I captured one of Team Rocket¡¯s lieutenants so she got a TM for Teleport while I got a favor.¡±

    The nurse opened her mouth but failed to speak. Doubt crossed her face and she had to briefly close her eyes, but she had just seen two impossible Pok¨¦mon on Sam¡¯s team. A Hisuian Typhlosion and Annihilape weren¡¯t exactly common.

    But when she opened her eyes again, that doubt had vanished. She might have believed him, but she also seemed intent on pretending she hadn¡¯t heard what Sam just said.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that if you feel so strongly about helping these Pok¨¦mon, and if you don¡¯t trust the Blackthorn Clan, there¡¯s always another option. The League¡¯s Pok¨¦mon Rangers are responsible for helping wild Pok¨¦mon¡ª¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°So if I bring those Pok¨¦mon to you, you could bring them to the Pok¨¦mon Rangers, and then the Pok¨¦mon Rangers make sure they¡¯d be returned to their home regions,¡± he finished.

    ¡°You¡¯ll also still get a reward, just not as much,¡± the nurse added.

    Sam stepped away from the counter to begin to pace, trying to weigh everything in his head. On one hand, it would be selfish of him to capture those Pok¨¦mon before any other trainers could, but on the other hand, who cared about those other trainers? These were Pok¨¦mon stuck in a region far away from home, and the other trainers would just turn them in for the reward or do what he had planned to do¡ªkeep them for their team.

    But Pok¨¦mon Rangers were famously nonpolitical, at least when it came to their duty to wild Pok¨¦mon. This wasn¡¯t a situation where Sam would turn in the Dragon Types and just see them be sent to the Blackthorn Clan anyway. No, Pok¨¦mon Rangers solved Pok¨¦mon problems. Ace Trainers also solved Pok¨¦mon problems, but they solved Pok¨¦mon problems that involved people. Rangers wouldn¡¯t be influenced by the Blackthorn Clan to hand over any species.

    Sam had no doubt in his mind that relying on Pok¨¦mon Rangers would see the Dragon Types sent home. The poached Pok¨¦mon wouldn¡¯t need to be stuck in a foreign-to-them region or be handed over to the secretive Blackthorn Clan.

    But he was then struck with a thought.

    What about Drakloak?

    Sam stopped walking.

    I... I don¡¯t know.

    However, he knew he could do at least something for the rest of the wild Dragon Types in Olivine. With his team, he would have no problem going around and capturing them. He could make sure all of those missing Pok¨¦mon were properly returned while also screwing over the more selfish members of the Blackthorn Clan.

    Yeah, he thought to himself, coming to a decision, I think I like this plan.

 Chapter 133

    The next morning, Sam left the Pok¨¦mon Center carrying a sack of empty Pok¨¦balls. None of them were his even though he had a few left from Azalea Town. However, those were Apricorn Balls, so they were too rare to use for this task. Although, it wasn¡¯t like he had paid for these balls, either. If he had, all of his money would have disappeared.

    The Pok¨¦balls in the bag were all an unpainted grey, designed for temporary use rather than anything as permanent like for a member of a trainer¡¯s team. They were primarily used for computer-based transfers of Pok¨¦mon since not every Pok¨¦mon at a Pok¨¦mon Center possessed a personal Pok¨¦ball. Normally, these grey Pok¨¦balls wouldn''t be offered for captures, but the nurse knew Sam''s plan and handed over half of the spares she had in storage. Once Sam was done with them, most, if not all, would be returned filled.

    ¡°And a handful more, just in case,¡± Sam told his team as they stepped out.

    After a stop at a Pok¨¦Mart, he bought a single, extremely expensive Ultra Ball instead of a few Great Balls like he had first planned. Thankfully, the clerk there recognized him from before and was just as apologetic, so the offered discount made this purchase less of a ¡°splurge¡± than it would have been otherwise.

    An Ultra Ball was more powerful than a Great Ball, and Sam needed to be as prepared as possible. After all, his plans for the next few days involved checking in with the Gym each morning and then catching as many Dragon Types as he could.

    ¡°All across the city, poached Dragon Types are hiding and waiting to be caught. They¡¯ve been taken from their homes, and now trainers are trying to find them to capture them or just to earn some cash,¡± Sam said to his team as they walked through the city. ¡°I don¡¯t like that. I know I¡¯m being hypocritical, but I¡¯d rather help these Pok¨¦mon than not. So this is going to serve two purposes¡ªtraining for us, since some of these Dragon Types will fight before being captured, and then assistance for them since we want to make sure they get the chance to go home.¡±

    His team had already found many of the Dragon Types currently loose in Olivine. Unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t found all of them because some were adept hiders or had already been caught. However, Sam couldn¡¯t just not do this. He was in a position to help, so he would help. The thought of leaving them behind instead of actually doing something didn¡¯t sit right in his gut.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try to capture that Sliggoo, first,¡± Sam continued. ¡°Based on the New Pok¨¦dex and Matilda¡¯s Goomy, a Sliggoo seems friendly enough, so hopefully trying to capture it will tell us whether or not our plan will work.¡±

    He followed the Gastly back to that same alley behind a hotel where they had found a wild Sliggoo the other day. Upon arrival, Haunter focused and nodded to Sam that the Sliggoo was still there. The space ahead of them was dark, dank, and uncomfortably humid. It was blatantly obvious why no trainer had checked this place¡ªwhy would a Dragon Type ever live somewhere so uncomfortable?

    But unlike all of the other trainers in this city, Sam actually knew what species he was looking for. Few others knew about hundreds upon hundreds of foreign Pok¨¦mon, and they didn¡¯t know Sliggoo existed let alone that there was a Dragon Type that liked uncomfortably warm swamps.

    As Sam stepped into the space, the squelch that came from beneath his foot sent a shiver of disgust up his spine. The humming air condition units dripped, and the pipes rattled. Slime coated practically everything, and then there was another layer of moss on top of that.

    (Well, it was more like an occasional patch of something mildly gross every here and there, but that was already too much. Sam could tell this old hotel rarely bothered with maintenance.)

    The Gastly, as Poison Types, had no issues with the status of the place and eagerly rushed ahead. Within only a few seconds, splotches of darkness had already searched the entire alley and were now coalesced above one, singular dumpster.

    Sam approached the obvious signal and lifted the dumpster¡¯s lid.

    ¡°Goo?¡±

    The Sliggoo¡¯s expression was curious, with its head cocked to the side. Where an unevolved Goomy resembled a purple mound, this Pok¨¦mon¡¯s back was curved almost like a shell and its head was held up by a long, thin neck.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said softly. It was a little weird to speak into a dumpster like this. ¡°I''m going around Olivine and trying to catch as many Dragon Types as I can. I¡¯m not trying to add you to my team, but I want to give you the chance to be sent home if you¡¯d like.¡±

    Sam knew from Redi¡¯s experience with Dragonair that making eye contact with Dragon Types was special. Doing so was simultaneously a challenge and a show of confidence. In this case, when he looked at the Sliggoo, he made eye contact to do just that. He wanted it to understand that he was serious about his offer¡ªbut the problem was that a Sliggoo¡¯s eyes devolved upon evolution and were unable to see. Still, the pair of antennae on its head let it detect its surroundings, and it could tell Sam was giving it the utmost focus. Though as slug-like as the Sliggoo was, it was definitely still a Dragon Type.

    So, after a single moment of Sam refusing to back off, its expression grew serious.

    The Sliggoo would agree to Sam¡¯s plan but only if he beat it in a fight.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The Sliggoo hopped out of its moist, dumpster shelter once Sam moved back, and Sam nodded to the wall to call Haunter out. As his Ghost Type left the shadows to hover in the air, the Sliggoo scooted over the wet earth to face him, unaware of the excited Gastly swarming behind it that were looking forward to a good match.

    This wasn¡¯t an official battle, so the Sliggoo began the second Haunter looked prepared enough. Rearing its head back, yellow flames crackled around its mouth for what was likely a Dragon Breath.

    But Sam just pointed forward.

    ¡°Hypnosis.¡±

    And that was that.

    Once the sleeping Sliggoo was soundly captured in one of those unpainted Pok¨¦balls, Sam could finally let himself breathe out in relief.

    ¡°Alright. So we¡¯re not dealing with Pok¨¦mon on the level of Dragonair. They¡¯ll be wild, but they¡¯re pretty much untrained. Capture won¡¯t be the hard part; the hard part will be finding them and convincing them to be caught.¡±

    Upset, one of the Gastly blew a raspberry at Sam for tricking them into watching such an unsatisfying match, but another purposely bumped into it to get it under control. As excited as they¡¯d been to watch the fight, there¡¯d be plenty of other battles today.

    For now, Sam left, carrying the Sliggoo in his pocket, but he wasn¡¯t done just yet. There were so many other Pok¨¦mon in the city all but waiting to be caught. This battle was easy. He couldn¡¯t say the others would be the same. If he truly wanted to capture so many Dragon Types, it would be a test of skill as much as it would be a test of his team¡¯s endurance.

    <hr>

    Sam found that fighting these Dragon Types would have been an even fight for most six-star trainers, and then as an added point of difficulty on top of that, actually finding the Pok¨¦mon would make the task even harder. Trainers still tried, however, but this late in the season, most high-level trainers had already gathered all of the Pok¨¦mon they wanted for their teams. There were always those open to catching more, but not everyone had ranching options, and there were plenty of others who were too suspicious about that insanely large sum to bother getting involved.

    That being said, the ¡°easy¡± Dragon Types had all already been caught, either by the League¡¯s initial sweeping efforts or by other trainers early on. The Dragon Types that were left were the ones people overlooked or the ones that had found decent places to hide. In other words, if Sam wasn¡¯t catching them, the only way they would have been found was through chance encounters at best.

    After the Sliggoo, the Gastly led Sam to a two-headed Zweilous, a stocky Pok¨¦mon whose two heads were at war over who could lay claim to an entire park. It looked as though the argument had lasted for weeks, and the Pok¨¦mon had nested into a darkened exit of a storm drain for quite some time. It looked as though the only time the Zweilous stopped fighting itself was for food, water, and rest.

    As the Zweilous was an aggressive Dark Type, Sam was able to make use of its constant, self-inflicted war. Instead of going up and trying to convince it to be caught, he simply sent both Haunter and Misdreavus forward, and the Zweilous was unable to agree on who and when to attack. The resulting knock-out was a walk in the park.

    Literally, given the park Sam had to pass through to reach its nest.

    The few Bagon that had escaped the boat had already been mostly captured, but that didn¡¯t mean none were left in the city. Other than the two Sam found standing at the edge of a tall balcony, he found another pinned behind a grocery store. A nasty-looking Houndour was actively bullying it in an attempt to steal its meager meal.

    One easy fight later, and that Bagon was sobbing to Haunter about just wanting to go home. Sam¡¯s heart hurt for it. He made sure it was in the nurse¡¯s hands as soon as possible.

    And even more Dragon Types were caught over the next few days. A pair of Deino were captured during a territorial fight. A Vibrava was taken from a cave on the beach before it could finish building itself a hive. Sam also caught one species with a name he struggled to remember¡ªit was either a Jangmo-o, a Hakamo-o, or a Kommo-o. Whatever it was, it was a mid-stage Fighting Type, and that let Misdreavus¡¯s super effective attacks easily carry the fight.

    But it wasn¡¯t all easy. The Vibrava was a challenge¡ªthat Pok¨¦mon only revealed itself after the Gastly harassed it into leaving the tunnels it had dug into the floor. Another snag came when Sam captured a few Swablu, as the nurse had to inform him that those Swablu hadn¡¯t actually been poached. Though they weren¡¯t a species native to Johto and had the potential to evolve into the Dragon Type Altaria, Swablu weren¡¯t exactly rare. Foreign Flying Types were often found in port cities simply because some of them liked hitching rides on boats to visit new places.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    So the Swablu were released, and Sam went on to search for what few Dragon Types were left, but he quickly found that he was rapidly running out. There had never been that many Dragon Types in the first place, so the rate of captures quickly slowed down. Dragon Types were rare¡ªbarely anyone ever managed to catch one. Honestly, the poachers likely went through a lot of trouble as well as what was likely a massive investment to gather the numbers they did. It was disgusting, but Sam could at least take comfort in how the poachers¡¯ arrest probably caused them to go bankrupt.

    He continued to hunt. Half a week came and passed. After only a few more catches, Sam¡¯s Gastly began to report back with a distinct lack of Dragon Types. No matter how much they scoured the city, all of the stragglers had been caught. The only ones left were the big ones: the Dreepy, the Drakloak, a Druddigon, and then one group he saved for last.

    With no other options left, Sam finally made his way to the back of a specific, abandoned house. It was one of the many buildings the city left purposefully empty to provide a safe place for wild Pok¨¦mon to rest. However, instead of the usual Normal or Bug Type living inside, its small backyard had been claimed. Inside of its walled, enclosed space, four Dragon Types had made a temporary home.

    The tiles out here had been dug up to expose the cool dirt underneath. The yard¡¯s few plants were in poor shape, having been gnawed on over the past few weeks. Containers of stolen food were torn up and littered the floor.

    And, the very second Sam stepped out back, the wild Gabite snapped up its head and growled only for its eyes to widen in fear in recognition of who he was.

    ¡°Wait. You might have tried to attack me once, but I¡¯m not here for revenge.¡± Sam held up his hands to show he meant no harm. ¡°I¡¯m not here to scare you, or to terrify you, or to do anything mean. I¡¯m also not here to take those Gible away¡ªI¡¯m just here to offer you help.¡±

    The Gabite¡¯s mouth curled up for a silent snarl, but it made no noise. Beneath it, three young Gible dozed with their large, toothy maws hanging open and dripping with drool.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been going around and capturing all of the Dragon Types in Olivine,¡± Sam explained, speaking slowly and quietly. ¡°At this point, almost all of them have been brought to the Pok¨¦mon Center to let them choose where they go. I¡¯m not taking you for my team or trying to trade you in for money. I¡¯m just trying to make sure you have a choice. I can bring you to a nurse who can send all of you home.¡±

    Unlike the so many other times Sam had encountered a Dragon Type, he purposefully broke eye contact with the Gabite here. Their encounter in the alley had already intimidated it. He didn¡¯t need to prove his team¡¯s strength or face it in battle. With the Gible here, there was no point in making it go on guard.

    But there was a risk to that; often, a wild Pok¨¦mon would use that kind of moment to attack, especially when backed into a corner like the Gabite currently was. However, even as wary as it was, the Gabite didn¡¯t move. With the Gible sound asleep, pressed against it, it didn¡¯t want to disturb them. What it did do, however, was keep an eye on every shadow, just in case.

    ¡°Here. Check this Pok¨¦ball.¡± Sam reached into his pocket to slowly take out one of those unpainted, Pok¨¦mon Center Pok¨¦balls before rolling it across the floor. ¡°This isn¡¯t the ball of a trainer. This is the ball of a Pok¨¦mon temporarily caught to be transferred. Cross-region transportation isn''t that developed, but Sinnoh isn¡¯t far away. It wouldn¡¯t take long at all to send you back to where you were taken from.¡±

    Hoenn, Johto, Kanto, and Sinnoh were all linked, but they didn¡¯t technically have direct transfers between every Pok¨¦mon Center just yet. Instead, when the system brought a Pok¨¦ball across regions, the Pok¨¦ball was transferred between the regions¡¯ largest and most central Pok¨¦mon Centers before being sent to the target Center in question.

    From the New Pok¨¦dex, Sam knew the Gible line lived in a cave system on Sinnoh¡¯s Route 206. He¡¯d checked the maps; it wouldn¡¯t be immediate, but these Pok¨¦mon could be transferred to Eterna City and then brought home by a Ranger within only a few days.

    ¡°But even if you don¡¯t want that, I can still bring you to the Pok¨¦mon Center, anyway,¡± he quickly added. ¡°The Chansey there are nice. You can tell them what you want, and they¡¯ll make sure it comes true.¡±

    If the Gabite didn¡¯t want to be sent back to a Route, others would be willing to care for these Pok¨¦mon, and the Pok¨¦mon Center would make sure they obtained the right partners. If not that, then there were specialized ranches in Sinnoh¡ªplaces better for them than just the Blackthorn Clan in Johto.

    So, with that final piece said, Sam had nothing more to say. He stayed silent for a short while, giving the Gabite time to weigh the offer before giving it a final push.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked softly.

    The reply came in the form of a glare.

    It hurt to be looked at like that. The Gabite¡¯s glare was almost identical to the one Drakloak had sent him during their battle a few days ago.

    I can¡¯t blame either of them for looking at me like that. These Pok¨¦mon were ripped away from their homes. At least in Drakloak¡¯s case, I almost did the same thing. I broke into its hiding space and then tried to leave with its friend.

    If someone broke into Mom¡¯s bookstore and then tried to lure Cyndaquil away, I would have been just as mad. Whoever did that wouldn¡¯t have cared if I was there. They would have just cared that Cyndaquil belonged to a rare species.

    Which is basically what I did with Dreepy.

    He was at least thankful he had tried to be respectful when attempting to capture the Dreepy, but his presence had still been an unwelcome intrusion. Those two Dragon Types were still out there. Though his Gastly were yet to find them, in that moment, Sam promised himself that he¡¯d apologize the second he got the chance.

    And, as Sam silently came to that decision, something must have shown on his face because the Gabite¡¯s harsh gaze broke. Then, from beneath it, a small noise came out, and one of the Gible looked up with a groggy yawn.

    The unevolved Dragon Type briefly looked around before freezing when it noticed Sam, a human, standing right there. As young as it was, Sam doubted any of the Gible were related to the Gabite, but they had likely hatched after the Dragon Types escaped from the boat, and the Gabite dedicated itself to their care.

    That meant there was no fear in its eyes when it looked at Sam. It didn¡¯t have that past experience. Seeing that, the Gabite let out a sigh. While it personally didn¡¯t seem happy about this, it chose to accept his offer solely for the Gible¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. ¡°I promise that they¡¯ll get a good future.¡±

    The Gabite just wanted the Gible to be happy, and Sam would absolutely make sure that came true.

    It only took a slight bit of further effort to coax the Dragon Types into those grey Pok¨¦balls, but food was a surprisingly effective motivator for the trio of hungry Gible. Afterward, Sam left that small backyard with all four wild Pok¨¦mon on his person.

    ¡°That just leaves three. And they¡¯re the hardest ones,¡± Sam said to his team. ¡°We need to find the Dreepy and Drakloak, but before that, we also need to deal with that Druddigon in the dump.¡±

    <hr><hr>

    Shadows.

    She crouched on a towering pile, looking down at the crowd below.

    She''d been following the boy for a while. Why? She didn¡¯t know. She tried her best to keep track of all of the hunters in the city, and that boy had seemed the most dangerous out of them all.

    Alternatively, a better explanation was that she was following him due to her brother¡¯s foolish insistence, but she¡¯d never admit to that. No, the boy commanded far too many Pok¨¦mon for her to ignore. She simply needed to track the threat that he posed.

    ¡°To the side¡ªConfuse Ray!¡± the voice of that very same boy rang out.

    The thing was, he was hard to understand. He was clearly doing all of this for his own selfish motivations, but why did he look so genuine whenever he told a fellow Dragon Type that he just was there to help out?

    The massive pile of trash let her stay hidden as she watched a battle take place below. An audience gathered around the fight¡ªmore than just her. Other trainers looked on with a mix of annoyance and envy as that boy took on the same, great Dragon that so many others had fought and failed. His Misdreavus fought with a surprising amount of grace for a Pok¨¦mon that looked so infuriatingly smug.

    ¡°Great!¡± the boy shouted. ¡°Now, Night Shade! Lure it around!¡±

    But she couldn¡¯t ignore that the Ghost was skilled¡ªdoing so would have been a mistake. Within the midst of the match, a flash of darkness was met by a mighty roar. The field became cloaked in night. The Druddigon, blinded, tried to chase the Misdreavus, but it was only led around by the nose and tricked into crashing through several smaller trash piles nearby.

    The Misdreavus would win, she was sure of it, but as she watched the two Pok¨¦mon battle it out, a short whine came from her side, and she recognized that mixture of awe and hope.

    As Drakloak checked on her brother, she could see that Dreepy was fine. However, his whine had spoken of his continuing naivety, one that persisted no matter what she said. Though he hid behind a discarded paper bag to hide just like her, it was almost as if he wanted to rush out. He wanted to grant that boy his trust even though the boy had done nothing to earn her own.

    Drakloak knew her brother didn¡¯t understand the truth of the world even though they had both experienced the same things. It was like he had forgotten just how easily they¡¯d been taken away from their homes.

    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant memory. Even now, she could remember it clearly. The mere thought of what happened caused bile to build in her throat, but she re-lived it all the same.

    ...On a foggy day in the rolling hills of their old home, they were lured by the prospect of a bountiful source of food. It was a trap in the end, and they soon found themselves covered by a net. Normally, that would have been easy to escape, but the net was wrapped with strange papers that left them feeling drained.

    Those same papers were attached to the cage they were thrown into, and those same papers prevented them from phasing through its metal bars. Trapped and shoved into darkness, they were tossed into an open hull filled with Pok¨¦mon. Hopeless shouts rang out from all around them, but the noises were almost muffled. Dreepy and Drakloak had been placed up front, where their captors stored their ¡°precious¡± Dragon Types.

    It was ages before they managed to escape, and they were only able to do so thanks to a burst of panic that came from the ship¡¯s main deck. Drakloak couldn¡¯t say she was an expert at understanding the human language, but emotions were always easy to convey.

    Something had happened. A misunderstanding, or a call had gone wrong. The poachers had contacted the wrong people, and now, the authorities were rushing their way.

    With the cruel men and women so preoccupied with thoughts of escape, none bothered to check the lower decks. There, Dreepy came to the rescue. He forced his way through their cage¡¯s bars, using his small size to squeeze through and a focused will to ignore the lethargy that came with being drained.

    Escaping, he had just enough energy left to destroy the locks keeping them in. Once he was safe back on her head, Drakloak went on to use that granted freedom to release everyone she could in turn.

    Unfortunately, she was only able to free the Pok¨¦mon in her immediate vicinity¡ªthe Dragon Types¡ªbefore she was forced to escape. The authorities boarded the boat, and then all of the Pok¨¦mon were saved.

    Except¡ª

    Hah.

    Drakloak sneered.

    Saved? As if she¡¯d fall for that trap.

    No. She¡¯d never let anyone take her or her brother¡¯s freedom again. Drakloak swore to herself that she¡¯d never again make that mistake.

    The battle continued beneath her, with the Misdreavus¡¯s opponent now both burned and confused. Its roars were angry, but its swipes were unguided. The Psybeams the Ghost Type unleashed would certainly wear the Druddigon down.

    Watching carefully, Drakloak supposed she could swoop down and mess with the battle¡¯s inevitable outcome, but she knew the boy had plenty of other Pok¨¦mon waiting in turn. For now, she just watched, waited, and looked on carefully. She needed to learn every potential weakness she could use against him¡ªand maybe she could finally understand his strange nature, too.

    But she had to split her focus to do that. Not only was she trying to watch carefully, but she had to keep her presence to a minimum. One mistake, and she¡¯d be at risk of detection by the boy¡¯s infuriatingly tight patrols of Ghost Types¡ªbut that was where she messed up, instead.

    Drakloak split her focus on the wrong areas. She focused on the battle and herself but not her brother. Suddenly shocked away from her observation, she turned at the sound of a yelp to see her brother halfway down the trash mound, facing a Haunter floating before him.

    She almost, almost felt relief when she saw the Haunter. She¡¯d been spying on one for a while, and she knew the Haunter she¡¯d been watching wouldn¡¯t cause her brother any true harm.

    But this wasn¡¯t that Haunter. It was a different Pok¨¦mon that only looked the same. Her relief lasted only a single instant, and the unfamiliar Pok¨¦mon¡¯s eyes flashed with a hypnotizing glare.

    Dreepy fell.

    Drakloak was too shocked to do anything, too caught off-guard by this sudden change. That delay was her second mistake, as something then flew through the air, and a red light sucked up Dreepy¡¯s sleeping form.

    ¡°Wait, we actually found one? Wow, Haunter! You¡¯re incredible!¡± an unknown voice called out. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there was another Dragon Type here! Finally! A hundred K, here we come!¡±

    Desperately, Drakloak wanted to rush forward. She wanted to attack, to assault, to tear them apart for daring to steal her family¡¯s freedom once again.

    But she couldn¡¯t. She was too overcome by surprise and shame and fear. As fast as she was, she could already see the losing battle for what it was. She wouldn¡¯t be able to beat the white-furred Dark Type that walked by the unfamiliar trainer¡¯s side, and attacking right now would only see herself be captured as well.

    ¡°Okay, okay. Breathe out, Preston. Think about what you need to do next,¡± the stranger said to himself. ¡°Calm down, head out, don¡¯t let anyone know, and... You go to the Pok¨¦mon Center to collect your reward!¡±

    He grinned a cruel grin. Drakloak couldn¡¯t do anything¡ªthe stranger¡¯s Pok¨¦mon had too many advantages over her. As she watched, from behind, grumbles from other trainers echoed out as a second ball clicked.

    That fight ended. That boy had captured the Druddigon.

    Yet, as two different celebrations for two different captures rang out, Drakloak felt just as stuck as Dreepy. The unknown trainer turned to leave, but all she could do was continue to hide like a fool and watch her unconscious brother be carried away.

 Chapter 134

    Misdreavus made fighting the Druddigon look a lot easier than it was. She avoided all of its attacks because she was forced to avoid all of its attacks. If even one of its powerful strikes hit her, she would have fainted, and then another trainer would have stepped up to challenge it, and then that would have been that.

    But now, Sam held the Ultra Ball that contained the Druddigon. The other trainers had already all left, grumbling to themselves about needing to find other Dragon Types. However, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. His team had already caught and turned in every Dragon Type they could find, and if there were any left, they were either adept hiders or belonged to someone else. The vast, vast majority had been captured, meaning the ongoing search would soon end.

    ¡°You know,¡± Sam said as he and Misdreavus carefully made their way into the Druddigon¡¯s carved-out trash lair. ¡°With this win, it¡¯s gotten pretty clear you''ve become strong. You¡¯re at the baseline we¡¯ve been looking for. I know we¡¯re not in Cianwood just yet, but if you really want to...¡±

    He glanced over to his Pok¨¦mon, but Misdreavus shook her head.

    Sam could tell she did want to evolve, but she didn¡¯t want to evolve just yet. They were yet to fight Jasmine, and until that battle took place, Misdreavus would stay in her current form. Taking part in that battle as she was now and then facing the Cianwood Gym as a Mismagius later would give her a better sense of how her evolution affected her capabilities.

    After all, their true goal was the Conference. Just as much as Sam, Misdreavus wanted to be as prepared as possible to make sure they¡¯d win.

    ¡°That¡¯s well planned,¡± Sam commented, continuing deeper into the den.

    Misdreavus huffed in reply, annoyed at the implication that anything she did wasn¡¯t well planned.

    ¡°That¡¯s fair, but I guess there was that time you stalked us when we first met. I think, if you just came up and asked to be caught¡ª¡±

    Sam immediately shut up when he saw Misdreavus¡¯s withering glare.

    His statement was wrong; she did ask to be caught. However, miscommunication on both their parts turned it into a mess. Haunter had attacked her when she wasn¡¯t actually attacking, and after that disastrous encounter, she hadn¡¯t known what to do with herself.

    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sam said quietly, feeling the guilt surge in his chest. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I should have recognized your excitement. I should have known your rush didn¡¯t mean we needed to fight you. I didn¡¯t realize how desperate for a trainer you actually were.¡±

    Something sad flicked across Misdreavus¡¯s face, and she was forced to look away. There was more to it, but she didn¡¯t speak. Sam didn¡¯t push either since there was no reason to make his Pok¨¦mon share something she didn¡¯t want to share.

    Instead, he simply resumed his search through the Druddigon¡¯s den. This place had been carved out with heavy claws, and its refuse-made walls had been pressed flat by a heavy body. Sam could see the few items the Druddigon had managed to scavenge in between fights. Soft plastics and papers formed a bed-like nest. In the corner, mostly empty Potion bottles lay in a pile of shattered glass. Likely, the Druddigon would smash them open to heal up as much as possible between each of its fights.

    For a dump, this place didn¡¯t reek anywhere near as bad as Sam expected. Dumps like these primarily existed to provide ¡°safe¡± areas for pollution-based Poison Types to gather. Those species were an unfortunate consequence of modern development, so as unsatisfying as a massive, exposed area filled with trash was, it was better for it to exist than it was to let Pok¨¦mon like Grimer and Koffing wander through city streets on their own.

    The Druddigon was strong enough to claim a portion of the dump for itself, and it had experienced plenty of challenges before Sam finally managed to capture the tired Pok¨¦mon. With it soon to be sent home, this den would no longer be maintained, and it would likely eventually collapse.

    But the den was still here right now, and Sam gave the place one last look-through. Primarily, he wanted to make sure the Druddigon wasn¡¯t protecting any eggs. However, while there were no eggs here, a gleam in the corner caught his eye, and Misdreavus¡¯s scowl reflected his own darkened expression.

    ¡°Chains,¡± he said solemnly.

    A set of metal manacles sat on the ground, bit through and torn apart thanks to the flexibility that came alongside the Druddigon¡¯s freedom. Wherever the Druddigon had come from, the poachers had not treated it kindly. It was too strong to keep in a cage. The poachers chose to keep it bound until it somehow escaped.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the nurse about these when we get back,¡± Sam said, his voice low. ¡°The poachers might have already been arrested, but maybe we can provide a bit more evidence to make sure they get the punishment they deserve.¡±

    ¡°Mis.¡±

    Misdreavus was just as disgusted now as she was when she looked over Trevenant¡¯s burned grove. There was a history there, but again, Sam chose not to push and ask.

    For now, with this final check through the den, Sam confirmed that the Druddigon didn¡¯t have any other Pok¨¦mon it was protecting.

    That meant with this capture, there were truly no more Dragon Types that he could easily catch. The only ones left were the same ones he had wanted to catch for himself in the first place, but neither the Dreepy nor Drakloak were anywhere to be found.

    ...At least, until Sam turned back toward the entrance.

    It wasn¡¯t the Drakloak that appeared in the opening to the Druddigon¡¯s den, but Haunter floated there with a grim look on his face. Sam knew it was serious the moment he saw that Haunter wasn¡¯t smiling. To make matters worse, when Sam locked eyes with him, Haunter nodded once to confirm that Sam¡¯s suspicions were true.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Sam said.

    He went on high alert. Misdreavus¡¯s wavy hair stood on its ends.

    However, Haunter¡¯s expression didn¡¯t denote an attack or anything like that. Instead, he waved to a set of Gastly behind him to have them part and make way.

    Through that gap, a certain Pok¨¦mon slowly inched into the carved-out room. The wild Drakloak floated closer, moving incredibly slow for its otherwise fast species. A Dragon Type like it should have been proud and met Sam¡¯s gaze head-on. However, the Drakloak hung its head, and its body slumped in the air. Everything about its body language screamed submission.

    There was not a single ounce of challenge to it, and Sam only felt bewilderment. He knew this was the same Pok¨¦mon, but nothing about the Drakloak resembled the Dragon Type that had attacked him only a few days ago.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    The Drakloak said something, and then Haunter hurried to fill in the translation gap. Pointing at the Dragon Type¡¯s bare head, Sam finally recognized what was missing.

    ¡°The Dreepy¡¯s gone.¡±

    A slight nod. The Drakloak looked up to glance at Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦balls before letting its head fall back down.

    ¡°You... Ugh. Someone captured your Dreepy,¡± Sam concluded, rubbing his brow. ¡°But they didn¡¯t capture you. So since you weren¡¯t able to help, you came to me instead.¡±

    The Drakloak looked as though Sam¡¯s words caused it physical pain. Guilt and shame overtook its expression, and it took everything it had left for it to stay in the air.

    It didn¡¯t want to go to him. It didn¡¯t want to ask for help. However, in this case, the Drakloak simply didn¡¯t have a choice.

    After a long period of silence, the Drakloak finally looked up at Sam. Its expression was one of utter defeat. He could understand what that look was saying¡ªit begging for his help, and it was offering the only thing it could in exchange.

    If he could get the Dreepy back for it, the Drakloak would join his team.

    Huh.

    Sam hated that.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I refuse.¡±

    Immediately, the Drakloak looked outraged. Whatever guilt had overtaken it was now replaced by steaming anger as it snapped up its head to glare into his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re missing my point. I¡¯m not going to catch you just because you need our help. That¡¯s not right. We¡¯ll help you get Dreepy back¡ªI promise you that¡ªbut I¡¯m not going to force you onto my team just because you didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    Sam wanted to catch Drakloak, though. He desperately wanted to have a Drakloak join him, but that was just his selfish side speaking. This was a rare Dragon and Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon, so of course he wanted to train it, but bringing it on like this wouldn¡¯t be the same as a regular capture. If he accepted, Drakloak would only be joining him because it had nothing else it could do¡ªits willingness was only coming from a place of desperation.

    ¡°Haunter,¡± Sam said, turning to his Pok¨¦mon, and the Drakloak stared at Sam with wide, disbelieving eyes. ¡°Take the Ultra Ball. Bring Druddigon to the Pok¨¦mon Center. The Chansey there will make sure he doesn¡¯t misbehave, and then meet back up with us at in the city¡¯s center.¡±

    A little-known fact about Chansey was that they were incredibly strong¡ªat least outside of battle. Even their pre-evolved form was capable of great feats of strength, which let them deal with difficult Pok¨¦mon. However, in matches, few Chansey were ever able to bring that strength to bear. It was against their nature to put much effort into hurting another Pok¨¦mon.

    Even if the Druddigon protested, the Chansey would be able to treat it. It would receive the care it needed, but Haunter would be handling that. Sam and his team would be going to Olivine¡¯s Central Pok¨¦mon Center because if there was anywhere the Dreepy would be brought, it would be there.

    But they had to leave now. Bringing the Druddigon in by himself would risk too long of a delay. If Sam wanted to rescue that Dreepy before it was handed over, he needed to arrive at the central Pok¨¦mon Center before whatever trainer had captured it showed up.

    Time was of the essence.

    ¡°Alright, we need to move quickly. Before anything else, we¡¯re going to convince whoever caught Dreepy to release him before he splits from you for good. There¡¯s only one place this Dragon Type hunt has been happening¡ªOlivine¡¯s central Pok¨¦mon Center. Gastly, I want all of you to head out and search for the trainer just in case, but we...¡± Sam looked over to Drakloak. ¡°Come with me. Can you give me more information on the way, if that¡¯s alright?¡±

    He waited for a response, but Drakloak seemed to be stuck in disbelief. Sam¡¯s response seemed to have stunned it with his simultaneous denial and acceptance of its request. To see him suddenly jump into action without wanting to capture it in return wasn¡¯t a situation it expected.

    But it quickly recognized he was waiting for it to answer his question, and the Drakloak shook to snap itself back into focus. It locked eyes with him, but rather than any sort of challenge, its stare was one of respect¡ªand of acceptance.

    <hr>

    Sam strode down the road as fast as he could, walking quickly but not running to properly pace himself while maintaining speed. Drakloak floated along at his side, having no problem with keeping up. While Sam was moving fast for a human, this was practically nothing for her.

    Drakloak¡¯s body language betrayed her nervousness. Sam¡¯s willingness to help had sparked her hope, but it was clear she was still wrought with nerves. So focused on making sure Dreepy, her brother, would be released, that she didn¡¯t bother to hide. Passersby sent the unfamiliar Pok¨¦mon surprised and curious looks, but Drakloak paid no attention to them. Instead, she did her best to share as much as she could along the way.

    So Sam learned of her past. With Misdreavus and a few helpful Gastly, he learned of everything that happened to her. He learned of how she and her brother were captured in Galar, he learned of how the poachers treated them, and he learned that she and her brother were responsible for all of the Dragon Types¡¯ escape.

    He was also surprised to find out that Team Rocket wasn¡¯t involved, but he didn¡¯t doubt that Team Rocket was one of the organizations the poachers had called.

    No wonder I haven¡¯t seen any Gym Trainers working on this. I bet Lance tasked them with making sure Olivine City stays safe.

    But Sam was more focused on what needed to be done rather than the wider implications of these recent events. A certain trainer had captured Drakloak¡¯s brother, and with her story, Sam knew for a fact that Dreepy would be found at the city¡¯s central Pok¨¦mon Center.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Except¡ª

    Except she doesn¡¯t need to be so self-flagellating. It¡¯s not her fault her brother was captured. He was going to try to slip away no matter what. She had no way of knowing when he¡¯d try that, and she had no way of knowing that Preston would just happen to be nearby.

    ¡°I get it,¡± Sam eventually said, speaking once his Pok¨¦mon finished their translation. ¡°It¡¯s easy to fall into inaction. My grandfather used to say it was like a ¡®Deerling in the headlights,¡¯ but I didn¡¯t know what a Deerling was, and I wasn¡¯t sure what he meant by headlights. At least, the meaning was clear enough¡ªit¡¯s easy to be overtaken by surprise.

    ¡°But! Thanks to you, I know which trainer captured him. An Absol and a Haunter makes it easy enough. You should also know that you wouldn¡¯t have been able to win. Coming to me was the right choice. We will get your brother back.¡±

    Despite Sam¡¯s comforting words, Drakloak hissed, trying to deny her lack of strength. She was a Pok¨¦mon that managed to evolve in the wild and a Pok¨¦mon that had been in her second stage for quite some time, but she was also a Pok¨¦mon that had only fought in the wild. Out there, battles were always fought with the idea of escape in mind. Pok¨¦mon almost always held back, and they often lacked the same level of strategy a trainer could provide.

    ¡°No. Trust me when I say you couldn¡¯t have won. Preston has earned six badges. He¡¯s not someone you¡¯d be able to beat. However!¡± Sam said, and he sent a glance to the Dragon Type. ¡°You have nothing to blame yourself for, either. All it takes is a single moment, a single second when you¡¯re not paying attention. As a wild Pok¨¦mon, you have to constantly avoid trainers if you don¡¯t want to be caught, but trainers only need a single opening if they want to catch you.¡±

    He then sighed, recognizing his own words. He felt just as responsible for this as Preston was.

    ¡°There are dozens of trainers in Olivine trying to capture a Dragon Type for themselves,¡± Sam said softly. ¡°I was one of them. Eventually, one of them would have snuck up on you no matter what, and then...¡±

    His words trailed off. Drakloak¡¯s silence was deafening. Every second she didn¡¯t speak was like a jab to his chest.

    Again, he missed when things weren¡¯t so complicated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sam said, and Drakloak looked up at him. ¡°I should have known. Dreepy don¡¯t often travel on their own. I should have checked to see if there was any sign you or something else was nearby. Honestly, I might be helping you right now, but I¡¯m just a hypocrite. Even though we¡¯re getting your brother back, I tried to do the same thing as Preston. Yet¡ª¡±

    There was no sense in backing down just because of a mistake he made in the past. He had done the best he could in the moment, so there was no sense in letting that hold him down. Sam was a Pok¨¦mon trainer, and he had an entire team behind his back.

    He held his head high as he turned to Drakloak. With his full confidence, he met the Dragon Type in the eye.

    ¡°I promise you, you will get Dreepy back,¡± Sam declared. ¡°And if you choose it, I¡¯ll bring you to someone who can return you to Galar. Or, even if you don¡¯t want that, I can make sure you¡¯re left alone so you can keep living here.¡±

    He turned back to the street to keep an eye on the rapidly approaching Pok¨¦mon Center.

    ¡°No matter what, you have the choice,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯re allowed to do whatever makes you the happiest.¡±

    Drakloak¡¯s gaze flicked over him to search for any sign that he was lying. Sam wasn¡¯t, and he truly meant what he said. No matter what, he would do his best for these Pok¨¦mon because his best was what they deserved.

    Besides, while what he had in mind couldn¡¯t help with transportation, he technically already had a sixth member of his team. He had plenty of Gastly that would love to help out in fights. While they wouldn¡¯t be much help in the later rounds of the Conference, he could at least use one or two of them when it came to the earlier or preliminary matches.

    But he didn¡¯t bring that up, and he had nothing else to say. From then on, for the rest of the way to the Pok¨¦mon Center, Drakloak remained silent. She had already shared everything she could share and didn¡¯t have anything left. Sam chose to stay quiet since attempting to comfort her now would be pointless until she got her brother back.

    Once they reached the towering skyscraper that contained Olivine¡¯s primary Pok¨¦mon Center, Sam found a spot to wait next to its main entrance so he could reach Preston before Dreepy was handed in.

    The last time Sam was here, the Beginner¡¯s Tournament was still yet to take place. Annihilape, as a Mankey, helped him win their qualifying match after Sam over-relied on Cyndaquil. If anything, his experience there taught him the importance of using his team as a whole and was probably one of the defining moments that helped him create his team¡¯s strategy.

    For now, he stayed silent and leaned against the Center¡¯s front wall, going over the memories in his head while trying to make a plan to convince Preston to hand over that rare Dragon Type. A few trainers entered and exited the Pok¨¦mon Center while taking jobs and healing their Pok¨¦mon. Most didn¡¯t bother to hide their jealousy when they saw Drakloak. They might not have recognized her species, but she was visibly a Dragon Type. Likely, they thought Sam had captured her for himself.

    Waiting didn¡¯t last long. Sam managed to come here just fast enough. Barely any time passed before Sam saw his target walking down the road. Preston, the same trainer Sam encountered once before thanks to their Haunter¡¯s shared history, approached with a skip to his step. His smile was so wide that he almost didn¡¯t notice Sam waiting there.

    Upon seeing Preston, Sam took a deep breath. He knew how difficult his request would be.

    ¡°Preston,¡± Sam called out, and the other trainer finally slowed down.

    ¡°...Sam? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    Preston finally noticed him waiting there, and his eyes flicked over Drakloak. His smile faded as an understanding entered his gaze. Likely, he could see the clear family resemblance between her and Dreepy.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Preston said with a reluctant sigh. ¡°There should be a quiet place inside for us to talk.¡±

    He looked as though he also missed when things weren¡¯t so complicated. Sam just appreciated that Preston didn¡¯t need to be convinced to wait.

    Stepping inside, Preston took the lead, bringing Sam and Drakloak into the Pok¨¦mon Center and up a stairwell in the back. Along the way, unfamiliar red eyes opened up in Sam¡¯s shadow as the Center¡¯s local Gengar checked in to make sure none of Sam¡¯s Ghost Types would bring trouble. Haunter wasn¡¯t back yet, but Misdreavus was able to clear things up, and the evolved Pok¨¦mon slipped away to go back to its job haunting the rest of the building and preventing hostile Ghost Types from slipping in.

    ¡°Here. This place has a bunch of unused battlefields. We won¡¯t be disturbed inside,¡± Preston said.

    This interior room contained a pretty standard field, although the walls were close to its bounds. Likely, the reason this Pok¨¦mon Center was so expansive was to allow for rooms like these. Sam doubted Olivine City wanted a bunch of trainers practicing in the streets.

    Preston walked to the center of the field before turning around. His arms were crossed, and behind him, his Haunter revealed itself by floating into the air.

    ¡°Talk,¡± Preston ordered.

    Sam did exactly that.

    ¡°The Dreepy you caught wasn¡¯t on its own. It¡¯s Drakloak¡¯s brother. The species is almost like a Dugtrio or Magneton, except where they can technically live on their own, they bond and partner up.¡±

    He paused, about to add a comment about it being more similar to Mantine and Remoraid, but Preston was already shaking his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I get it, but I have to be selfish here. Turning in Dreepy means too much for me and my team. I¡¯d be giving him to the Blackthorn Clan, anyway. You really think he wouldn¡¯t have a happy life with them?¡±

    So he knows.

    Honestly, with how Preston had mentioned everyone talking about Dragon Types in this Pok¨¦mon Center, Sam wasn¡¯t too surprised that others had figured out the job¡¯s mysterious sponsors.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± Sam immediately countered. ¡°Sure, Lance and Clair wouldn¡¯t allow him to be mistreated, but you¡¯re still taking him away from his family. They¡¯d treat him well, but his sister¡ª¡±

    ¡°So come with me,¡± Preston said, immediately turning toward Drakloak. ¡°The Blackthorn Clan specializes in taking care of Dragon Types. You won¡¯t have to be separated from your brother, and I can still get the reward. You¡¯d get to live a happy life and my team would be able to fulfill our dream. It¡¯s a win-win situation no matter what.¡±

    To Sam¡¯s surprise, Drakloak didn¡¯t even consider it. She immediately hissed at Preston, her voice practically dripping with venom. Her response carried no doubt whatsoever; she refused to be handed over as if she was just some... thing. She valued her freedom over almost anything else, but she valued her brother¡¯s freedom even more than her own. Going to the Blackthorn Clan wasn¡¯t a choice either of them would be making. It would be a choice practically forced onto them by Preston¡¯s surprise capture.

    (And, in that moment, Sam was struck by her offer to let him capture them. It hit him just how much she was willing to give up to prevent this outcome for her brother.)

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Preston pinched his nose. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have a choice¡ªI have to turn Dreepy in. You¡¯re asking me to give him up for what might be a slightly better future when he¡¯d be just fine being taken care of by people who specialize in raising Dragon Types.¡±

    Preston was obviously not a fan of the current situation, but he also had to think of his team. He was convinced of the opportunities the reward money would give him. Handing over Dreepy wasn¡¯t an option. He needed the money, and in his mind, he wasn¡¯t even doing anything that bad in the first place.

    But he would still be taking Dreepy away from his sister. Sam couldn¡¯t think highly of him for that decision.

    ¡°You¡¯d really split them up?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°You¡¯d really have my team give up our dreams?¡± Preston immediately countered. ¡°You already know just how much the money would do. My team and I would actually have a chance. We wouldn¡¯t be stopped three-quarters of the way there. With the help we could get...¡±

    Preston clenched his fists.

    ¡°We would get somewhere. We wouldn¡¯t be failures. We wouldn¡¯t be forced to go home early.¡±

    Sam grimaced. He knew Preston wouldn¡¯t be convinced. Dreepy didn¡¯t deserve to be torn from his sister, yet Preston was desperate to keep chasing the Conference. If this job hadn¡¯t been posted by the Blackthorn Clan, if it had been posted by anyone with even slightly less respect, there might have been more wiggle room¡ªbut there wasn¡¯t. Preston at least had a small point: the Blackthorn Clan would treat Dreepy well, and that was enough for him to latch onto this outcome and refuse to believe anything else.

    So I can¡¯t change his mind. He¡¯s always going to try to turn Dreepy in.

    Unless¡ª

    Sam¡¯s chest twisted as he came to his realization.

    Unless I offer Preston something worth just as much.

    It hurt to come to this conclusion, but he had promised Drakloak he¡¯d help. To not do this here...

    He made a promise. He wouldn¡¯t go back on his word.

    ¡°Preston,¡± Sam said, and there was something to his voice that managed to capture Preston¡¯s attention. ¡°What if I offer you something more valuable than the Dragon Type reward?¡±

    ¡°Pft. What, you just have a hundred-thousand in your pockets? ¡®Cause that¡¯s the only way I¡¯m giving Dreepy up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Sam said, ¡°but I have something better. If you¡¯re just trying to earn your next badge, you don¡¯t need the money. You need a way to get stronger. You need to know exactly what your team needs to learn to get past Jasmine¡¯s Steel Types.¡±

    Preston cocked an eyebrow as Sam¡¯s voice shook. Sam really didn¡¯t want to say this out loud, but at this point, he didn¡¯t have a choice.

    ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t reveal anything I¡¯m about to share with anyone else. No, promise me on your team that you¡¯ll keep what I¡¯m about to say secret.¡±

    Preston was silent for a moment.

    ¡°Fine. I promise on my team that I won¡¯t reveal your secrets.¡±

    And Sam nodded once. He did his best to speak as normally as he could as he finally spoke his offer.

    ¡°I challenge you to a battle over the fate of Dreepy,¡± Sam said. ¡°While it seems like a big risk for you, I¡¯ll be betting this in exchange¡ªa book. A Pok¨¦dex. One that contains impossible and otherwise unknown information on Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    Immediately, Drakloak sent Sam a hateful glare over determining the fate of her brother on a simple bet. Preston crossed his arms.

    Though Preston was unconvinced, Drakloak¡¯s glare seemed to lessen when she saw the pain that crossed Sam¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Preston scoffed. ¡°You want me to battle you just for some book? I¡¯m supposed to believe it¡¯s special enough to risk that much money?¡±

    Shakily, Sam breathed in and reached into his backpack. He pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex, flipped to a specific entry, and began to read out loud.

    ¡°Dreepy. The Lingering Pok¨¦mon. Dreepy are reborn ghosts of a primordial species. Moves common to their evolution line are Astonish. Infestation. Quick Attack¡ª¡±

    ¡°That means nothing,¡± Preston interrupted.

    Sam flipped to another page.

    ¡°Absol. The Disaster Pok¨¦mon. Its ability to predict misfortune tends to see it mistaken as the misfortune¡¯s source. Moves common to it are Quick Attack. Leer. Double Team. Knock Off¡ª¡±

    ¡°Again, you could just be making that up.¡±

    Sam paused on the entry before him. His throat felt dry, but he knew Preston wouldn¡¯t truly believe the book¡¯s contents unless he saw genuine proof.

    That meant¡ª

    ¡°Annihilape,¡± Sam said, and Preston narrowed his eyes. ¡°The Rage Monkey Pok¨¦mon. Primeape that fail to evolve into Annihilape tend to pass on.¡±

    He ad-libbed the actual description of the species. He didn¡¯t want to risk Preston trying for an Annihilape and only causing a Primeape to get hurt.

    ¡°A-again, you¡¯re just making this up,¡± Preston repeated, but his words didn¡¯t carry the same confidence to them as before.

    Slowly, Sam turned the book around, exposing its aged, yellowed pages as well as the sketch of an Annihilape contained within. He then went on to grab a certain Pok¨¦ball and released the exact species the entry described.

    The very second that Annihilape appeared, Preston¡¯s breath hitched. His eyes flicked between Sam, Annihilape, Drakloak, and then to the New Pok¨¦dex itself.

    Finally, Sam saw the opening he¡¯d been waiting for. A glint entered Preston¡¯s eyes. It was a mix of what was unmistakably hope, but also unmistakenly greed.

    ¡°Alright. So you have a special book. It has some neat information, but just knowing that won¡¯t help me fast enough.¡± Preston said, turning around so Sam couldn¡¯t see his face. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean much. I already have Dreepy. You¡¯re asking me to fight a battle rigged in your favor to make me give up the reward.¡±

    ¡°This book is worth significantly more than Dreepy,¡± Sam countered.

    A pause. Preston seemed to weigh how he wanted to approach this.

    ¡°Counter offer,¡± he said, turning back around. ¡°We battle, but I get to decide the rules. Your team is stronger than mine, so there needs to be a handicap. So! For the fight, I get to use three Pok¨¦mon, but you¡¯re only allowed to use one.¡±

    Sam almost interjected¡ªthe match wouldn¡¯t be fair. Even with the difference in strength, Preston¡¯s team was six stars, and Sam¡¯s was rated at seven. While each successive star represented a greater difference in power, six and seven star teams were still rather close. Three Pok¨¦mon against one was not a winnable match, especially since Preston could pick his next Pok¨¦mon based on the best match-ups after losing the first.

    But as much as Sam wanted to argue, he could tell that Preston would refuse to budge. The other trainer knew he had the advantage, and that was the only reason he was agreeing to this fight. Between the two of them, Sam was far more desperate to obtain the Dreepy than Preston was to obtain Sam¡¯s book. After all, even if Sam refused, Preston would be able to turn in Dreepy, anyway. He¡¯d get the reward money no matter what, and he was only presenting this counter-proposal because he was convinced he would win.

    There¡¯s no room for negotiation. Preston is never going to change his mind.

    The reveal of the New Pok¨¦dex had opened up this slight opportunity, but Preston was leaving no room for Sam to modify the deal.

    Hah. If Redi was here, she¡¯d just punch him and steal Dreepy back, but I can¡¯t do that. Not in the middle of a city. I guess if he was sleeping, we might have been able to try something, but it¡¯s currently the middle of the day. It¡¯s not the right time.

    ...But even then, he¡¯d just call the cops since he¡¯d know who took Dreepy. The Pok¨¦mon Center¡¯s Gengar would also be on us in seconds. I don¡¯t want to risk my team. That kind of act would get the League on our back. We¡¯ve already taken too many chances in the past. I refuse to have any of my friends be taken away.

    Sam wanted to curse out Preston. He wanted to call the other trainer names. The suddenness of Dreepy¡¯s capture meant this was the only way out, and as it stood, a battle was the only way this could be resolved.

    They were Pok¨¦mon trainers, after all. Battles were the go-to way to settle disagreements.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sam said.

    Preston grinned and immediately started to stroll over to the trainer box opposite Sam. Given that he had led them here, it was as though he had known a battle would be happening since the start.

    ¡°Looking forward to this match! Excited to see what Pok¨¦mon you¡¯ll choose,¡± he said.

    Sam grumbled and looked around. As much as he wanted to get upset, he knew his energy was better spent trying to think of a plan.

    As he weighed what Pok¨¦mon to choose, Annihilape let out a grunt while looking extremely ticked off. He was offering to take part in the fight, but Sam knew that wouldn¡¯t work. Annihilape was far too weak at range to win such an uneven match.

    Then, a noise came from Sam¡¯s side. Drakloak moved ahead to offer to fight, herself. However, Sam just shook his head to decline. She wasn¡¯t trained. She was strong, but there was no way she could beat three of another trainer¡¯s Pok¨¦mon in a fight.

    No, as Sam reached to his waist, he knew he already made his decision. Typhlosion had been with him the longest. She was also the Pok¨¦mon he knew best. It would be hard, but she could dodge with both Smokescreen and Double Team. With her skill with Infernal Parade as well, she carried the best chance to win, so Sam reached for her Pok¨¦ball.

    But it wasn¡¯t Typhlosion who came out.

    Rather than sending out a Pok¨¦mon himself, a flash of light saw a completely different member of the team appear. Looming before Sam, Trevenant stared down at him with a knowing look.

    He had the best chance to win. He would be the one to fight. He would be the one to make sure Drakloak¡¯s family would never be split.

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    The severity of Trevenant¡¯s gaze interrupted him. Trevenant had made up his mind. Back on Route 38, Sam had already asked for this. There, they had a conversation, and Sam asked for Trevenant¡¯s help to introduce the next capture to the team.

    This was not the same situation, but Trevenant planned to live up to his promise, anyway. This was a fight he knew he could win, and he wanted Sam to understand the same.

    Thus, as Trevenant stared at Sam with his red, unblinking eye, Sam finally let himself breathe.

    ¡°Alright Trevenant, let¡¯s do this,¡± he said.

    And Trevenant nodded once, turning back to the field to walk to its center. Because Trevenant had a point. He would win. Between every possible option, he was Sam¡¯s best chance. A three-on-one fight was not a fair fight, but it was a fight that played into Trevenant¡¯s strengths.

    After all, no other Pok¨¦mon was as capable of enduring damage as him. No other Pok¨¦mon could heal as much as he could.

    For this battle, Trevenant was Sam¡¯s best chance at winning, but it was still only a chance. They would have to apply everything they¡¯d practiced if they were to win.

 Chapter 135

    Drakloak writhed at Sam¡¯s side. Her nerves were practically overtaking her¡ªshe did not like the stakes of this fight.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sam said as quietly as he could as he walked toward the field. ¡°Trust in Trevenant. He¡¯s been training to outlast his opponents for a long time.¡±

    Except, when Sam spoke, it was to reassure her as much as it was to reassure himself. They could not afford to lose, not with both Dreepy and the New Pok¨¦dex at stake.

    Honestly, he was inwardly berating himself for making this bet in the first place. He already knew Preston wasn¡¯t just any six-star trainer, but Preston was a six-star trainer actively trying to earn his seventh Gym badge. While there was a difference in strength, it wasn¡¯t too large, and that meant a numbers disadvantage was a major hurdle to overcome.

    He just had to believe that Trevenant could pull through, and he did his best to push any worries to the side. It helped that, as selfish as Preston was, Sam knew the other boy wouldn¡¯t go back on his promise to keep the New Pok¨¦dex secret. It sounded dumb, but Preston¡¯s Pok¨¦mon liked him. Trainers willing to go back on their word rarely had that same level of connection with their Pok¨¦mon.

    But the stakes of this battle were still impossibly high, and it didn¡¯t help that Preston carried nothing but confidence.

    ¡°Do we need a ref?¡± Preston called out. His tone was far too casual for the sheer amount of money he stood to lose.

    He was grinning, too. After all, he was the one to propose this lopsided match. Sam might have challenged Preston to battle, but Preston had rigged that battle in his favor.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re both competent trainers. We don¡¯t need a ref,¡± Sam answered. ¡°We have enough experience to know how to handle this, but if something goes wrong...¡±

    Sam sent a glance to where Annihilape crouched at the side of the battlefield. He had the strength to interrupt the match if anything truly went wrong. More importantly, bringing up that intimidating Pok¨¦mon caused Preston to lose his grin.

    Drakloak let out a bit of hissing laughter at Preston¡¯s faltering reaction. Almost mollified by that, she darted over to wait in the air by Annihilape¡¯s side.

    ¡°Three-on-one. No switches,¡± Sam said in the trainer box on his side of the field. ¡°You release Dreepy if I win. And if you win¡ª¡±

    ¡°You give me that neat book of yours,¡± Preston finished.

    Sam sent Preston a grim nod and glanced over at Trevenant, who was waiting in the center of the field. However, Trevenant wasn¡¯t looking at him. He was only looking at his would-be foe.

    ...Unfortunately, as nice as Trevenant¡¯s declaration of intent had been, it carried the problem of revealing Sam¡¯s choice right away. Preston eyed the tree Pok¨¦mon up and down as he palmed a few Pok¨¦balls, likely going over potential strategies in his head and choosing his team members with the best chance to win.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Preston said. ¡°We¡¯ll start three seconds after I release my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Sam replied.

    Preston tossed a ball high into the air, and a certain Haunter was released. This Haunter was the same Haunter that Sam had seen only a few days ago, and it was the same Haunter that had lured Dreepy over to use Hypnosis on him and put him to sleep.

    With its appearance, Drakloak let out a venomous hiss once more. Silently, the seconds counted down. Both trainers looked out over the field with the battle soon to begin.

    Three.

    Three Pok¨¦mon Trevenant would have to defeat.

    Two.

    Two Dragon Types relying on the outcome of this match.

    One.

    Only a single Pok¨¦mon at Sam¡¯s disposal. Yet, no matter what, Sam knew Trevenant would give it his all to make sure they¡¯d win.

    ¡°Now, Haunter!¡± Preston shouted. ¡°Start off with Sludge Bomb¡ªand then focus on escape!¡±

    Preston¡¯s Haunter reared back to inhale and inflate itself with the use of its move. Trevenant snapped out an arm to fling seeds through the air. His Leech Seed was his best way to start this match, as it inflicted an ongoing, damaging effect while also letting him heal.

    The Sludge Bomb, however, was a move common to Hoenn that Preston likely had to research to discover. Honestly, it was slightly unfortunate for him because all that time spent teaching it to his Haunter meant nothing against Jasmine¡¯s otherwise immune Steel Types. Here, however, it was a decent choice against Trevenant, whose Grass and Ghost Type combined to make it a neutral move. More importantly, as it crashed through several of the tossed seeds to knock them to the side, Trevenant was only able to block most of its damage by slicing it with his claws, and it still burst to splatter him with sludge.

    ¡°Perfect. Now flee!¡± Preston yelled.

    His Haunter darted away.

    So his plan is to poison us and stall. He¡¯s stealing our strategy! At least while poison isn¡¯t great, it could be worse. Leech Seed should negate the damage, and the sludge isn¡¯t sinking in like a Toxic to become worse over time.

    While Leech Seed could counteract the damage caused by poison, being poisoned would sicken Trevenant and make him more prone to exhaustion. Preston didn¡¯t need to rely on the status¡¯s ongoing damage. He just needed Trevenant to grow weary and become more prone to making mistakes.

    He was already playing the long game. Sam wasn¡¯t a fan of that.

    ¡°Be quick, Trevenant. Different strategy than usual: Heal, but don¡¯t stall,¡± Sam ordered quickly.

    Ingrain could lock Trevenant in place and give him another form of ongoing healing alongside Leech Seed, but he couldn¡¯t afford to limit his mobility right now.

    So instead, Trevenant hurried forward.

    Travenant wasn¡¯t the fastest Pok¨¦mon, but his roots still brought him over the battlefield¡¯s dirt floor faster than Sam could run. He was slower than Preston¡¯s Haunter, but he had a presence to him that made it feel as though he occupied more space than he actually did. Preston¡¯s command saw his Haunter dart away, and Trevenant¡¯s dash saw the poison course through him and already begin to exhaust.

    But if there was one thing Trevenant excelled at, it was watching. So many times in the past, he had observed Haunter and the Gastly¡¯s training, and through that experience, he knew exactly how a member of this Ghost Type line would move.

    Preston¡¯s Haunter fled, but the field was only so large. Although Trevenant could not keep up, he could stay toward the center of the field, minimizing the distance he¡¯d need to lunge for when his opponent inevitably tried to slip by. Soon enough, Preston¡¯s Ghost Type backed itself into the corner, and Preston tried his best to give it a command.

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    But Sam had a counter.

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡±

    Confuse Ray required a form of eye contact, and neither Pok¨¦mon could risk allowing themselves to be trapped by illusions.

    Both battlers stopped their attempt to look away.

    Preston¡¯s Haunter then tried to use that split-second delay to dart around Trevenant¡¯s side while he wasn¡¯t paying attention. It clearly intended to race to the other side of the field, but Trevenant had already placed himself carefully.

    When it lunged, so did Trevenant. Yet, Trevenant¡¯s claws were just barely out of reach.

    But it was enough. Shadowy energy extended out of his fingers to pierce into the Haunter¡¯s side. The lengthened Shadow Claw stabbed into the Haunter¡¯s body, and Trevenant used that grip to slam it to the floor.

    ¡°Hmph. Return.¡± Preston didn¡¯t sound happy about how quickly his Pok¨¦mon fainted, but a Haunter was in no way a physically defensive Pok¨¦mon. A super effective attack from Trevenant was going to faint it no matter what. However, it had at least poisoned him in exchange¡ªand it had achieved something else, too.

    ¡°Good. You¡¯re on my side of the field now,¡± Preston taunted.

    Instead of waiting to send out his next Pok¨¦mon like Sam would have expected, Preston was quick to jump onto the sluggishness that came from Trevenant¡¯s poison. Trevenant was practically right in front of him with how he had chased the Haunter, and when Preston sent out his next team member, it appeared behind Trevenant. He was now as cornered as the Haunter had been before him.

    ¡°Houndoom! Flamethrower!¡±

    Preston¡¯s bone-striped hound didn¡¯t wait to exhale its flames, and it had no hesitation to attack even with its trainer so close to its move. There was no overseer for this match, so there was no protective psychic screen. The waves of wind created by the heat caused Preston¡¯s clothes to ripple from its effects.

    As the flames raced toward Trevenant, his single red eye shrunk. The size of the expanding fire likely stirred up bad memories.

    ¡°Trevenant! Remember the plan! Don¡¯t forget you aren¡¯t alone or why you¡¯re here¡ªthe flames are just a move!¡±

    But Flamethrower was fast, and Sam¡¯s speech wasn¡¯t quick. Before he could react to Sam¡¯s words, Trevenant was already consumed by the flames. The super-effective Fire Type move drowned him in its glow and hid him from any prying eyes.

    Worse, the Houndoom¡¯s Flamethrower lasted a long time. With Trevenant cornered, the Fire Type didn¡¯t exactly need to move or dodge. It only needed to exhale. Sam knew the super-effective flames were likely eating away at Trevenant¡¯s Grass Type body. He was extremely vulnerable to the attack, especially since fire ate away at the air around him.

    But the Houndoom had to breathe in eventually. When it finally stopped its attack, a slight yelp left its throat. A seed bonked off its forehead, and vines wrapped around it.

    As fire faded away, Trevenant became visible once more. Ash coated his body, and it was clear he¡¯d been burned on top of his poison. Yet, though scorched, he stayed standing. Several of his leaves had been utterly burned away, but a crunch still managed to echo through the air.

    Trevenant¡¯s wooden jaw tore through a Sitrus Berry, his bite allowing him to swallow the fruit, seeds and all. The berry¡¯s healing juices dribbled down his bark, and his leaves already began to regain a bright green.

    ¡°Burn off the Leech Seed, quick! Before it can heal!¡± Preston shouted.

    Houndoom began to heat up, its body gaining a slight glow, but Sam already had a counter prepared for exactly this. Typhlosion had removed a Leech Seed in a similar way before, and thus, Sam knew how to minimize this effect.

    ¡°Forest¡¯s Curse! Protect it!¡±

    Trevenant didn¡¯t lunge so much as he plunged his hands into the ground. As the vines from Leech Seed began to wither from the heat, roots suddenly left the field to latch around Houndoom and squeeze. Sure, the flames barely affected Houndoom, but the Forest¡¯s Curse meant it wasn¡¯t the Leech Seed being burned. The roots were lit aflame, but they served as a protection to make sure the draining move remained untouched beneath.

    ¡°Ingrain! Into Growth!¡± Sam shouted.

    ¡°Fine! Ignore the damage! Just do as much as you can!¡± Preston yelled.

    Trevenant willingly immobilized himself just to gain that extra healing. Mobility wasn¡¯t important anyway; he needed that extra health when it came to dealing with Fire Type moves.

    Any energy left over after treating his burns was then recycled into new leaves. Each leaf was a bright green, containing plenty of energy from Growth that could be used to fuel future attacks.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    But with his lack of mobility, the fire hit again, and Trevenant was consumed once more. Thanks to his Harvest ability allowing him to grow more fruit, another crunch from another Sitrus Berry let him withstand the heat, and he looked almost as healthy as he had before the move was used.

    ¡°If flames won¡¯t work... Whatever! Get in close, stun it with Bite, and do whatever it takes to stop it from healing!¡±

    Crunch would have been a better choice, in Sam¡¯s opinion. Crunch could quite literally ¡°crunch¡± through a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense to open it up to further attacks in the future. Bite, however, carried a low chance of causing a flinch if it landed in just the right way. Preston seemed to want to rely on that to stop Trevenant from healing via berries.

    Except, eating a Sitrus Berry wasn¡¯t a move. It was an ability. A held item, technically. And Trevenant was also maintaining his health through the passive restoration of both Leech Seed and Ingrain. Continued uses of Flamethrower would have been the best choice overall since Trevenant was losing more than he was regaining, but Preston didn¡¯t seem to fully understand Harvest. He just wanted to stop whatever it was that was letting Trevenant last and wanted to ensure his final Pok¨¦mon could finish the match.

    Honestly, he probably thought Trevenant was using Recycle to regain his held item, which made his call for Bite make more sense in retrospect.

    But he¡¯s being impatient. As much as Preston is trying to stall, he¡¯s also trying to end this match quickly. That¡¯s... well, yeah. That¡¯s probably why he can¡¯t get through Jasmine¡¯s Gym. He just doesn¡¯t have the patience to wear her Steel Types down.

    ¡°Strike,¡± Sam said.

    He suddenly felt a lot more confident about his match.

    Unlike when Trevenant used Shadow Claw previously, he didn¡¯t solely rely on the shaped energy of his attack. He put his entire arm into it, swinging at Houndoom with the force of a heavy tree branch. Preston¡¯s Pok¨¦mon ran up and chomped down on his other arm, failing to get through the bark, and then a claw came swinging down from above to smash into its vulnerable head.

    ¡°Again!¡± Preston shouted.

    Despite it not being the best choice, Bite was still a super effective Dark Type move. It wasn¡¯t a Flamethrower, but it was still perfectly effective at wearing down Trevenant to eventually end the battle.

    ¡°Slash it.¡±

    However, while Houndoom resisted Trevenant¡¯s attacks, it was also taking damage. It tried to squeeze even tighter with its Bite, and though Trevenant did wince from the pain, he didn¡¯t flinch. He had withstood much worse in the past. If he could last as long as he did against Annihilape when Annihilape had been trying to evolve, then he could easily handle the much weaker Houndoom here.

    His Shadow Claw hit again.

    In the end, it was the Leech Seed that took the Houndoom out. There was no big, final hit. Houndoom simply ran out of energy.

    But it had done its job, and it had lasted for several attacks past those two swings. Honestly, Preston never intended to win with it, anyway. Trevenant, as he stood, was now burned, poisoned, and incredibly tired. While the match had honestly not lasted that long at all, Trevenant had already spent so much of his reserves on healing.

    He swayed in place.

    Trevenant might have had his health, but he was severely low on energy. This was the side effect of over-relying on Harvest¡ªfocus too much on it, and the constant regrowth of berries would leave him feeling drained.

    ¡°Imagine,¡± Preston said as he pulled out a third Pok¨¦ball. ¡°If I could combine that book¡¯s information with all that reward money...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Send out your last Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam snapped.

    Preston just laughed. He might have let his previous two Pok¨¦mon faint easily enough, but he was more than just confident. He was absolutely sure he¡¯d win.

    Drakloak didn¡¯t like that. Her glare was downright hostile. Sam could tell that even if he lost, she planned to do something. It also didn¡¯t seem that Annihilape planned to stop her even though he was crouched less than a foot away.

    But it won¡¯t come to that. We still have a final trick. We just need to hope that Preston doesn¡¯t send out a Pok¨¦mon that can float or relies on special attacks.

    Still smiling, Preston released his final Pok¨¦mon. Like the Houndoom, it appeared close to the center of the field to make sure Trevenant remained trapped.

    He obviously planned to make use of Trevenant¡¯s Ingrain and his current lack of mobility.

    ¡°Absol, keep your distance,¡± Preston ordered. ¡°Focus on pure defense. You don¡¯t need to do anything¡ªjust let its poison and burn finish it off, and then we¡¯ll win.¡±

    The white-furred Pok¨¦mon hopped far back, moving with grace and agility. It landed silently right in front of Sam, the positions of the two trainers¡¯ Pok¨¦mon having been effectively reversed.

    From this range, Trevenant didn¡¯t have many attacks. They¡¯d been working on using Ghost Type energy, but he hadn¡¯t managed to create anything resembling a Shadow Ball yet.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he was helpless.

    In fact, Preston had made a critical mistake.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost,¡± Sam announced.

    ¡°What?¡± Preston looked bewildered. It was less that he believed Sam¡¯s words and more that he could not understand how Sam reached that conclusion. ¡°We... haven¡¯t? Your Trevenant is about to faint. Even with whatever that berry-making move is, it¡¯s not going to take out Absol.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Sam countered. ¡°One of the very first things I learned about being a trainer was that status moves aren¡¯t enough, and that¡¯s your mistake. You can¡¯t only rely on them to win a fight. You always need to use other moves in support.¡±

    Preston shrugged. Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was stuck in place due to Ingrain. He looked unconvinced as the two Pok¨¦mon faced each other on the field.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re just stalling, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Trevenant can¡¯t attack. Its Ingrain is preventing it from using its claw moves.¡±

    For any other Pok¨¦mon, Preston might have been right, but just because Trevenant couldn¡¯t use Shadow Ball, it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t use a different Ghost Type move.

    Sam stayed quiet for just a moment longer to finally let Trevenant finish growing his last berry. He didn¡¯t quite have the energy to continue relying on Harvest past that, but it was enough to give him the last bit of fuel to finish this fight.

    One final crunch echoed out, and Trevenant¡¯s fiery eye dimmed as he fought through the pain.

    ¡°You¡¯re still wrong,¡± Sam said, the confidence in his voice growing. ¡°Ingrain locks a Pok¨¦mon in place, but that¡¯s only true for most Pok¨¦mon. You¡¯re forgetting a crucial fact about the Ghost Type.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Ghost Types can¡¯t be trapped,¡± Sam replied, his grin matching Preston¡¯s own. ¡°In fact, you should know that they can¡¯t even be trapped by their own moves.¡±

    He quietly thanked Morty for the information once again, and Trevenant disappeared from where he stood.

    Shadows consumed him, and then those shadows disappeared. Despite his roots having been firmly plunged into the ground, only six, thick holes remained.

    Preston¡¯s eyes immediately went as wide as they could go, and he desperately searched the field but failed to find Trevenant. What he didn¡¯t realize was that this was less of a trip through shadows as it was a step into somewhere else. Honestly, with how much Haunter and the Gastly relied on a similar technique, it was no surprise to Sam that Trevenant had managed to figure out this attack while traveling through the previous routes.

    ¡°Phantom Force,¡± Sam ordered.

    The Absol at least detected Trevenant before he could reappear, as the Absol¡¯s species was adept at sensing would-be sources of danger. Behind it, Trevenant returned to being from a shadow that rose out of the ground. Unfortunately, Trevenant wasn¡¯t in a place to dodge its attack.

    A sharp horn dug into his side, but Trevenant lunged toward his opponent regardless of the damage. His movement was more like the felling of a tree in a forest more than anything else. Using the momentum, he grabbed the Absol¡¯s body with his claws before it could jump away, and it squirmed within his grip as he began to drain its energy through a continued use of Horn Leech.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Sam said.

    As much as Absol struggled in defiance, it could not escape Trevenant¡¯s wooden grasp. It used what Dark Type moves it could, and a Knock Off even removed some half-grown berries, but Sam¡¯s earlier call for Growth had been purposeful.

    Enhancing Trevenant¡¯s attack also meant enhancing his healing. Every bit of damage Trevenant inflicted also saw him heal. Throughout all of that, he was still under the effects of his Ingrain, as well. Phantom Force had simply moved him instead of stopping any beneficial effects. With Horn Leech, the Absol withered just as much as Trevenant had under Houndoom¡¯s flames.

    With everything combined, there wasn¡¯t much the Absol could do. With this single surprise, before too long, that was it.

    The battle ended.

    ¡°Told you,¡± Sam said with almost a sing-song voice.

    Overall, the match was short. Trevenant was utterly exhausted, but he had won. On the side of the field, Drakloak looked as though she wanted to rush Preston now before he did anything else, but Annihilape stopped her by holding out an arm. She sent him an indignant look, but she accepted the threat for what it was and chose to stay back.

    But it wasn¡¯t like she needed to move forward, anyway. Preston wasn¡¯t in a state to do anything currently. He looked dizzy. He glanced around the room as if he couldn¡¯t process what he just witnessed. For some reason, his face suddenly became extremely pale.

    ¡°I... What?¡± His voice was quiet. ¡°We lost? I lost? No, no we didn¡¯t. We still... We can still get that reward, right?¡±

    This was someone who was hit with more than just the loss of a single battle. This was someone who had just had his entire plan for the future pulled out from under him.

    He wouldn¡¯t be getting the New Pok¨¦dex. He wouldn¡¯t be getting the reward for Dreepy. He would be getting nothing, and all his plans to keep going until the Conference had disappeared in an instant.

    ¡°The deal?¡± Sam asked.

    Preston blinked and looked at him. His mouth opened and closed like someone trying to recover from a punch to the stomach.

    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Preston said.

    He returned his Absol first. Sam couldn¡¯t blame him.

    But he did release Dreepy. Even with the immense reward that would have come from turning in that Dragon Type, Preston kept his word. He didn¡¯t try to run. He sent out Dreepy, as promised, and the Pok¨¦mon appeared on the floor.

    Finally, Drakloak could wait no longer. She pushed past Annihilape¡¯s arm to rush her sleeping brother, who was softly snoring on the floor. If it wasn¡¯t for the Haunter¡¯s Hypnosis, Dreepy would have been able to escape. He was a Ghost Type, after all, but it wasn¡¯t like he could have done anything while unconscious and asleep.

    The second Drakloak reached him, she slowed to bring her head down to her brother. She inspected him before nudging him softly, carefully waking him up.

    Dreepy was slow to come to, but as if he was simply waking up from a late afternoon nap, he yawned and then groggily climbed back to his proper position on top of Drakloak¡¯s head.

    ¡°I... This is for the best,¡± Preston mumbled, still mildly dazed. ¡°Yeah. I was staking my team¡¯s entire future on the fate of another Pok¨¦mon. It wouldn¡¯t have been right.¡±

    Drakloak sent him a disdainful look. On her head, Dreepy smacked his lips, and then he fell back asleep now he was in his rightful place.

    Surprisingly, Preston laughed. Despite everything, a small smile forced his way onto his face.

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah! What else should I have expected? Us, winning? There wasn¡¯t any other outcome. This was for the best,¡± he said, though his ¡®cheery¡¯ emotions were clearly fake. ¡°I think... Once the high of that much money set in, the reality of what we did would have hit me. Yeah. I would have been guilty for the rest of my life.¡±

    He stared at the floor.

    ¡°I would have been guilty for the rest of my life,¡± he repeated, speaking as if trying to convince himself.

    ¡°What Gyms do you have left? Other than just Jasmine?¡± Sam asked.

    Preston looked up, surprised at suddenly being acknowledged.

    ¡°Clair,¡± he answered, ¡°and her Dragon Types.¡±

    Preston didn¡¯t even blink at Sam¡¯s wince.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know.¡± Preston let out a sigh. ¡°I have to get past the wall that is Jasmine¡¯s Gym, and then I have to get through a bunch of fully evolved Dragon Types, too. I guess it might have been better for me to face Clair first, but she¡¯s just so far out of the way that it didn¡¯t make sense at the time. And... it¡¯s not like my odds of getting through Jasmine¡¯s eighth-badge team would have been any better if I can¡¯t even get past her seventh.¡±

    With that conclusion, he let his head fall back and stared at the ceiling.

    While Preston was having his moment, Sam finally returned Trevenant. The tree Pok¨¦mon had been staring at him, patiently waiting for Sam to bring him back. The stasis-like function of the Pok¨¦ball would put his conditions on hold, but Sam knew he¡¯d want to have Trevenant be healed here instead of the more distant Pok¨¦mon Center. With his level of exhaustion, it would be cruel to wait.

    ¡°Okay, look,¡± Sam said, ¡°I know this wasn¡¯t part of the bet, but if you really want some helpful information¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. Keep it,¡± Preston interrupted. He shook his head in a rather self-deprecating way. ¡°I don¡¯t want something I didn¡¯t earn. I was just trying to take the easy way out and look for a shortcut, but if I really want to win...¡±

    A strange look entered his eye.

    ¡°Then I guess I just have to keep training. With a month left, we might be able to do it with hard work.¡±

    Despite whatever newfound confidence he seemed to gain after this loss, there was still a sway to Preston¡¯s steps when he finally left his trainer box. He hadn¡¯t expected to lose, and missing out on such a ridiculous sum was not something anyone could recover from this quickly. All of this was just him trying to force a more positive reaction, but at least his words felt right.

    He still shook Sam¡¯s hand, and then he was out of the room. Sam had a feeling that Preston needed to be anywhere but here.

    And his sudden absence left Sam alone. The only Pok¨¦mon still out were the two Dragon Types and Annihilape to the side.

    ¡°...I know he was trying to catch Dreepy, but I tried to do the same thing. He¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon trainer. It¡¯s what Pok¨¦mon trainers do. I just... I guess I hope he can find a way to win on his own.¡±

    Drakloak replied with a scoff. She couldn¡¯t care less about what happened to Preston.

    With Dreepy still dozing on her head, she took this chance to begin to leave, slowly drifting towards the room¡¯s side to not wake her brother by moving faster. However, before she could phase through the wall, Sam hurried to call out.

    She actually stopped to listen to what he had to say.

    ¡°Wait! Hold on!¡± he said, and Drakloak paused, still facing the wall. ¡°Look, I really meant what I said earlier. If you want, I can bring you to a nurse who will make sure you¡¯re brought home.¡±

    For a while, Drakloak did nothing. Sam couldn¡¯t see her face or any of her reactions with how she was facing away. Her tail, however, flicked back and forth in annoyance, and then a squeak came from atop her head.

    Actually, many squeaks came from atop her head. Sam¡¯s shout woke up Dreepy.

    Having heard Sam¡¯s offer, Dreepy wasn¡¯t going to let things be. He ranted and ranted at his sister and pounded on her head to try to draw out a response. Hisses left his threat; he was annoyed. And, despite the difference in evolutionary stage, Drakloak did listen.

    Finally, she had enough, and a sharp sound from Drakloak¡¯s throat saw Dreepy go quiet. Turning around, she looked annoyed but did her best to share her thoughts. While she wasn¡¯t accepting his offer to be brought back Galar, from what Sam could tell, she did come to a decision:

    If her brother was going to be so obstinate, the least Drakloak could do was tag along for a bit, she supposed.

    <hr>

    Dragon Types were proud Pok¨¦mon. They were fiercely independent, too. Not every Dragon Type was as goofy as Redi¡¯s Dragonair. It was rare for a Dragon Type to have the willingness to go up to a trainer and outright ask to be caught.

    But, if they just happen to be around someone for a while, and if they just happen to stop by once or twice for a bit of training, then maybe they could also help out in a battle or two. And then at that point, it might just be easier for everyone involved for them to be carried along in a Pok¨¦ball. And then at that point, they might as well listen to the trainer¡¯s commands.

    When Haunter returned from passing over the Druddigon, he also returned carrying the empty Ultra Ball, which Sam made sure to keep in his pack¡ªjust in case. He also made sure to heal Trevenant at the central Pok¨¦mon Center, and then he left to return to that side Pok¨¦mon Center to give the nurse his final report.

    All along the way, Drakloak and Dreepy were nowhere to be found. However, Haunter informed Sam that, yes, those two were nearby, but, no, they weren¡¯t interested in returning to Galar. For now, at least, they planned to stick around. They might not be approaching right away, but Drakloak promised her brother she¡¯d tag along for a little bit, so they¡¯d be following and keeping watch from a distance.

    Likely, for longer than just the period Sam was in Olivine.

    Probably, for more than his stop in the next town.

    Honestly, Drakloak and Dreepy would be nearby for at least the rest of the season.

    And Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to think about that, so he just focused on his visit back to the Pok¨¦mon Center, instead.

    ¡°So, you have more Dragon Types to pass on?¡± the nurse asked when Sam finally returned to her counter.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think there are any Dragon Types left to catch,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯ve scoured the city as much as possible. If there are any still around, they¡¯ve already been caught or are far too good at hiding for my Pok¨¦mon to find.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°I understand. You¡¯ve done a great service. I¡¯ve talked with the local ranger force, too. They¡¯ve already managed to secure boats to their home regions to send all of them back.¡±

    He breathed out in relief.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±

    ¡°I am too!¡± the nurse replied. ¡°But¡ªwith all this work, you deserve a reward, hm?¡±

    She looked happy to be giving Sam something in return, but the idea of profiting off of poached Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t feel right. It left a sour feeling in his mouth; he had gone out to help them instead of going out to benefit from them. Even though whatever the nurse gave him wouldn¡¯t be anywhere near as much as what the Blackthorn Clan offered, he couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of taking a payment for this.

    He cursed himself, but he had to go with his gut.

    ¡°Sorry. I have to turn that down. I didn¡¯t do this to get paid.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why you deserve at least something!¡± the nurse said. ¡°The League requires us to give out a reward due to this exact kind of reaction!¡±

    Sam just grimaced, but the nurse looked so hopeful in exchange.

    It wasn¡¯t like receiving a reward here would reduce the rewards others could potentially get. The League had an entire percentage of its budget reserved just to ¡°pay¡± for actions like this. They wanted to encourage trainers to go out and do good deeds, so rewards were practically mandated whenever a trainer ¡°performed a great deed.¡± And getting paid here would make Sam¡¯s life a lot easier over the rest of the month, too.

    But he just. Couldn¡¯t. Not with everything that had gone on. Not when his actions had prevented so many other trainers from being paid, as well.

    But the League demanded that he receive something, and he genuinely wasn¡¯t allowed to say no. He just didn¡¯t want it to be something so material¡ªbut at least he already knew from his past experiences that rewards didn¡¯t explicitly need a monetary value.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± he started. ¡°How about this? I do want something, but it might be a difficult reward.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m sure I can help,¡± the nurse said.

    Sam breathed in.

    ¡°There¡¯s still one more thing I want to do in Olivine, but my schedule is pretty tight,¡± he said, and the nurse raised her brow curiously. ¡°I don''t suppose you could call Olivine¡¯s Gym for me? See, Jasmine¡¯s been busy recently, but there''s this match I want to have...¡±

 Chapter 136

    ¡°Mighty weird Primeape you got there.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s sick.¡±

    ¡°Sick? Looks like he got run over by a truck, spent a few days on the pavement, then got up and punched that truck in the face.¡±

    Sam stopped pushing the crate into the warehouse¡ªthe same warehouse he had first found Drakloak, funnily enough. He stared at the heavy man who had just spoken, and the heavy man stared right back at him with a flat expression on his face.

    The owner of the warehouse had clearly meant what he said, and Annihilape didn¡¯t exactly look pleased. He continued to carry his stack of towering crates regardless of that burgeoning annoyance, but he did shoot the man a death glare before heading inside.

    Grumbles followed him the whole way.

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine,¡± the man said after a pause. ¡°He¡¯s just a sick Primeape.¡±

    ¡°Yup. Just a sick Primeape,¡± Sam repeated before going back to work, himself.

    When it came to all the jobs Sam¡¯s team had been handling today, Haunter and his half of the Gastly were the ones to take most of them on. After all, their side had lost the Dragon-hunt game to Misdreavus. For this job at least, Sam asked for Annihilape¡¯s help simply due to how much Annihilape¡¯s strength could speed up physical labor.

    If wasn¡¯t for how Sam planned to leave town tomorrow, he wouldn¡¯t have risked sending out Annihilape here. He already possessed a ticket for a speedy boat ride to Cianwood, so no one would be able to hunt him down and ask questions once tomorrow morning passed. At most, maybe a few whispers would bounce around town, but Annihilape¡¯s evolution would only truly be revealed in the Conference. A single sighting or two was fine for now. As long as Sam didn¡¯t act like it was a big deal, most people wouldn¡¯t think it was a big deal. If someone wasn¡¯t a trainer, a new species was just an idle curiosity at best.

    However, Sam really needed money, and having Annihilape¡¯s help let him speed up this job to squeeze in as many tasks as possible today. A little part of him whispered its regret for not taking a monetary reward for catching all the Dragon Types, but he knew in his gut it¡¯d been the right choice. There was no telling how long he¡¯d need to spend in Olivine, otherwise.

    His plans hadn¡¯t changed. He would still face Jasmine, rush through Cianwood, and then finish the season in Ilex. Except, he needed supplies to actually last in that dark forest, and those supplies necessitated cash. Honestly, he would have preferred to bet on battles, but finding willing opponents became harder the stronger a trainer was.

    ¡°...There we go,¡± the man said as the last crate was placed in the warehouse. ¡°That¡¯s last of ¡®em. So here: your payment.¡±

    Sam gladly took the wad of cash and thanked his ¡°employer¡± before immediately heading off. Annihilape followed. They barely got a building away before he looked over to request to be returned.

    Sure, lifting crates had been a nice stretch for him, but Annihilape wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of menial tasks. He wanted to be in perfect shape for their battle tonight, so he planned to sleep as much as possible until then.

    And that was why Sam had bought a boat ticket for tomorrow instead of today. Sam¡¯s ¡°reward¡± for catching all those Dragon Types might not have been monetary or even that material, but he and his team were running out of time. There were only twenty-three days left for training before the Conference¡ªtwenty-two days left if he accounted for tomorrow¡¯s full-day boat ride. That meant they only had three weeks to earn their final Gym Badge and then return to Ilex. To make sure everyone was ready for the toughest challenge yet, their schedule was going to be tight.

    On the bright side, catching those Dragon Types helped somewhat. Searching them out was a form of practice, and it let Sam earn the right to skip the line. His reward meant he could fight Jasmine tonight instead of needing to wait. He didn¡¯t need to worry about checking in to see if she was free, instead, he could just have his battle, test his Pok¨¦mon against her team, and then finally move on.

    ¡°I guess the big question is why we¡¯re doing this,¡± Sam said, speaking out loud as he walked down the street. ¡°Why we want to have this match. Why we¡¯re bothering to fight someone so much stronger than us.¡±

    He slowed, turning his gaze to the cloudless sky, and he subtly checked on a pair of shadows out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°It¡¯s a test as much as it is a learning opportunity,¡± Sam said once he was sure the two Pok¨¦mon were listening in. ¡°We¡¯ll be at a strength disadvantage, but we can learn a lot by pushing ourselves like this¡ªespecially when fighting a Gym Leader. No matter the outcome, we¡¯ll see exactly where we stand, and by paying attention to Jasmine¡¯s actions, we can figure out where our biggest weaknesses lie.¡±

    This match would help to determine his final training goals for the team, at least, if his eighth Gym Badge battle didn¡¯t reveal anything else. He wasn¡¯t too worried about that final Gym match, though. Ghost Types were immune to Fighting Type moves and his Pok¨¦mon were great at avoiding physical attacks.

    Jasmine was a different story. Technically, status conditions let his team ¡°punch up¡± when it came to most battles, but there was an immense gap in both strength and experience. Facing her core team would be harder than even a Conference match¡ªand all trainers that fought in the Conference were incredibly skilled.

    ¡°Ten stars,¡± Sam continued. ¡°That¡¯s the star rating of Jasmine¡¯s team, with each star representing the strength needed to earn that many Gym Badges. Anything above eight gets a bit fuzzy since trainers only need eight badges to compete in the Conference. However!¡±

    He stopped walking.

    ¡°A ten-star trainer is stronger than a nine-star trainer, but the difference between ten and nine is greater than nine and eight. We¡¯re almost at eight, but we¡¯re really at the very top end of seven. Crossing that divide seems impossible on paper, but I know that if we¡¯re clever...¡± Sam gained a small smile. ¡°If we¡¯re clever and use our moves just right, we might just barely be able to pull off a win.¡±

    Sam had a few points in his favor that¡¯d make this battle less difficult than the average person would have thought. Just at a base level, most people still believed that the Steel Type resisted Dark and Ghost Type moves, but that wasn¡¯t true, even with what some outdated Pok¨¦dexes tried to claim. Simply put, Steel Types were innately defensive. It only appeared that they resisted those Types because they rarely reacted to any move.

    In addition to that, status conditions generally ignored a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense. One burn, or one burn and a Curse, would eventually see its target fall. Combining those effects with an ongoing drain like Leech Seed meant any Pok¨¦mon would faint in no time at all.

    It didn¡¯t matter how defensive they were; Jasmine¡¯s Steel Types were no different. Sam¡¯s main strategy countered her own.

    He truly meant it when he said his team had a small chance. They wouldn¡¯t¡ªcouldn¡¯t¡ªwin if they solely relied on raw strength, but that wasn¡¯t how his team fought. Status conditions affected opponents regardless of power, so Sam spoke with a purposeful confidence to his words, and he also carried that confidence when he finally turned his head to look at the pair of shadows hiding on a nearby roof.

    Upon meeting his eyes, Drakloak immediately ducked down to hide herself behind the roof¡¯s edge. Dreepy looked on with awe until his sister jumped out to grab him and push him down. Honestly, they weren¡¯t great hiders, but Haunter had managed to find out just why everyone failed to notice them for so long:

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    They often chose to hide above their targets, and few people and Pok¨¦mon ever bothered to look up.

    ¡°Between everything we can inflict and all our status moves, we can completely bypass Jasmine¡¯s greatest strength and defeat her team!¡± Sam declared. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t win, watch us! We¡¯ll knock out at least half her Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    Alongside his declaration, Sam dramatically pointed at the sky. Slowly, both Dragon Types peeked out, and Sam sent them a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting to hear your cheers,¡± he said.

    Dreepy¡¯s eyes sparkled. Drakloak just huffed next to him.

    Sam then moved on, continuing with the jobs he had planned for the day.

    Even as he and his team continued to work, Drakloak and Dreepy followed. Those two Dragon Types never left line of sight even though they were clearly trying to stay hidden. They never moved closer than so many yards away, but they never moved farther than that, either. For Sam at least, all Drakloak had to do was ask, and he would immediately add both of them to his team.

    However, Drakloak had her pride, and that pride conflicted with her desire. While Sam doubted anything would change right this moment, he did make sure to keep that one, empty Ultra Ball in his pocket just in case.

    Taking on so many jobs helped pass the time until the battle, and those jobs filled his pockets with a bit of extra cash. The amount he earned wasn¡¯t enough on its own, of course, but it was enough to help, and his eventual reward for beating Cianwood Gym would earn him just enough to pay for the rest¡ªas long as he made sure to win.

    Then again, that would only be true if he was careful with his purchases, so he had finally asked Trevenant for help with berry supply. Thanks to Harvest, Trevenant could supply plenty of berries to the entire team, but Sam had been wary of bringing it up. He didn¡¯t want to be one of those trainers who only used their Pok¨¦mon for material gain.

    Thankfully, Trevenant was more than glad to help out even if he tried to act like he didn¡¯t care. After all, Trevenant grew up delivering berries to Pok¨¦mon throughout his forest. Providing a few to the team was easy for him, and it was something he¡¯d always be willing to do.

    He¡¯s following in his parent¡¯s footsteps. Or rootsteps? Or, er, vine... steps?

    But that was a thought for the future, and when dusk finally fell, Sam and his team finished resting up after completing their last job for the day. After returning everyone, he began heading toward Olivine Gym even though the place was soon to close. Jasmine¡¯s schedule was packed so she only had so many free moments, but she was still a Pok¨¦mon trainer and all Pok¨¦mon trainers loved to battle. This might have been an official ¡°request,¡± but based on what Sam heard from the Pok¨¦mon Center nurse, it was really just an excuse for Jasmine to take a welcome break.

    Traveling from that side Pok¨¦mon Center, Sam joined the crowds of people leaving their workplaces for the day, and he entered the downtown district of Olivine. He walked beneath the city¡¯s towering buildings, past its many buses, and by its open stores and restaurants that were beginning to fill with people.

    Along the way, Drakloak and Dreepy rushed over to join his side instead of continuing to stalk him from a distance. Drakloak tried to pretend she just happened to show up by coincidence alone, but her presence was purposeful. This deep into civilization, there were too many nearby people for them to stay hidden, and technically, the hunt for Dragon Types was still going on.

    Searching trainers would catch a glimpse of her and push through the crowds to try to catch up. Instead of having a battle with a wild Pok¨¦mon, they¡¯d see Sam next to her and think that she¡¯d already been caught.

    He was her disguise as much as he was the person she was stalking, but Drakloak looked smug to be able to pull off this trick. They went unbothered as they approached the Gym, only really encountering a few crushed stares.

    Finally, Sam arrived. He walked up to that same massive, slanted building and the small park that surrounded it. Sam took a deep breath before reaching its front, and a pair of automatic doors slid open to let him inside.

    ¡°...There you are.¡±

    A pair of light brown eyes flicked his way.

    Whispers started up the second Sam entered the lobby. He froze as a short woman in a pastel blue dress walked right toward him.

    ¡°M-me?¡± Sam stuttered.

    ¡°You¡¯re... Samuel. Right?¡± the woman asked.

    He found himself frozen at the sudden appearance of Jasmine herself right before him. The Steel Type Gym Leader herself cocked her head to the side as she took him in.

    ¡°When I got the call from the Pok¨¦mon Center... I could hardly believe it. It¡¯s... impressive you caught so many Dragon Types. You... saved us a lot of trouble.¡±

    Her voice was soft, and there were times she paused as if she needed to think of her next word. For a Gym Leader who specialized in such a sturdy and difficult-to-defeat Type, she almost seemed to lack the confidence that came with being a trainer in her role.

    But although she seemed shy at a surface level, Sam realized that it was more that she was just quiet and careful. As her eyes flicked over him, they were as sharp and appraising as any other elite trainer. He also couldn¡¯t forget just how strong her Pok¨¦mon had been¡ªthe memory of their appearance at the start of the Beginner¡¯s Tournament was still clear in his mind.

    It was just him, Jasmine, and the rest of the trainers in the room. At this point, Drakloak was gone. Sam guessed that she and Dreepy split off the second he stepped inside. Likely, she was trying to find a more subtle way of following him inside so that she and Dreepy could avoid the other trainers and still watch the upcoming match.

    ¡°...This way,¡± Jasmine said.

    She turned and headed toward a door in the back, and murmurs echoed around the room. Even as late in the day as it was, the Gym¡¯s lobby had its share of waiting trainers, but there weren¡¯t quite as many as there had been at the start of the season, and there were even fewer than there¡¯d been at the chokepoint that was Pryce¡¯s Gym.

    ¡°...Unfair.¡±

    ¡°What did she mean by ¡®Dragon Types?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hold on, how come he didn¡¯t have to wait?!¡±

    ¡°I wish that was me.¡±

    Sam ignored all the comments as he followed Jasmine through the lobby¡¯s back doors. As he passed through them, she leaned against their metal surface to seal them off from the rest of the room.

    ¡°You... helped us a lot,¡± Jasmine said quietly, meeting Sam in the eye. ¡°I¡¯d been trying to have my trainers help those poor Pok¨¦mon, but Steel Types... aren¡¯t known for their perception or speed.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have just requested Ace Trainers with different Pok¨¦mon to help?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°We did, but...¡± She shook her head with a small frown. ¡°They were busy. I also had my duties as a Gym Leader, and we¡¯re already as spread thin as it is.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Jasmine pushed off the doors to keep walking ahead. Sam hurried along.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy working on behalf of the city, overseeing a construction site to the west,¡± Jasmine explained quietly. ¡°It¡¯s for an... entrepreneur from Hoenn. He has a lot of money to spend. Everyone else was either out assisting Lance or... was out on patrol. On defense.¡±

    Her words trailed off for a moment. They passed a set of doors where Sam remembered fighting his first Gym match. He could hear the sounds of a battle coming from the other side¡ªlikely, Jasmine¡¯s Gym Trainers were finishing up their last scheduled match for the day.

    ¡°With that many Dragon Types running around... we had to make sure the wrong people didn¡¯t catch them,¡± Jasmine said as they walked deeper and deeper in. ¡°We have a duty to help all Pok¨¦mon, not just Steel Types. In this case, we relied on you and the other trainers to catch those Dragons, and we worked to make sure no other poachers interfered. Most importantly... we also made sure Team Rocket didn¡¯t sneak in. Everyone else was busy, after all. ¡±

    She glanced over her shoulder to send Sam a reassuring smile, but Sam only grimaced.

    ¡°Team Rocket,¡± he repeated. ¡°Did they try something?¡±

    When he spoke, his voice was emotionless and cold.

    Jasmine took a few seconds to respond.

    ¡°No. Thankfully not. We noticed some strange people, but...¡± She briefly stopped walking, shaking her head. ¡°The League deals with threats. Team Rocket is just the biggest. As far as we can tell, they have no major presence in Johto. They might have their individual agents, but they don¡¯t have a base. For now, Champion Lance has ensured their organization cannot spread out of Kanto.¡±

    By now, her almost shy demeanor was practically gone. The pace at which she spoke sped up ever so slightly. There was a seriousness to her expression that she didn¡¯t have before. While Sam wouldn¡¯t have initially spared her a second glance if she was part of a crowd, he couldn¡¯t forget that Jasmine was a Gym Leader. There was a reason she was in her role.

    ¡°But! You requested a fight, yes?¡± Jasmine turned around and clapped her hands with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since my Pok¨¦mon have had a proper chance to stretch, and it¡¯s been even longer since we¡¯ve fought a team of Ghost Types!¡±

    She resumed bringing Sam through a series of several long hallways, leading him further into the building than he expected with a skip to her step. Outside of the doors, almost everything here was made out of concrete. Likely, despite this place being the Steel Type Gym, they had to minimize their use of exposed metals to not tempt certain Steel Type Pok¨¦mon with delicious-looking meals.

    Eventually, Jasmine opened a new set of doors to expose a large, central room. Sam could tell that he was in the dead center of the building with how a few decorative structures towered over a central skylight that revealed the darkening colors of the late dusk sky. The sole field here was larger than the usual League standard, too. Also, there was plenty of seating here. Bleachers had been built against the walls.

    ¡°This room is usually reserved for major events, but it¡¯s also where I train my team,¡± Jasmine said while letting Sam take in the room. ¡°With what my Pok¨¦mon are capable of, we¡¯re limited to training and fighting in places rated to withstand their attacks.¡±

    Sam had to spend a moment just processing the implication of her statement, but Jasmine was already moving ahead, practically skipping up to her trainer box. Once there, she sent a respectful nod to a referee in a grey sweatshirt already waiting off to the side. At the same time, Sam also caught sight of a pair of flickering shadows and noticed Dreepy and Drakloak attempting to hide at the very back of the stands.

    ¡°As official as this request for a match was, I¡¯m unfortunately still pressed for time,¡± Jasmine said as Sam took up position in the trainer box across from her. ¡°I¡¯d like to get through this match as fast as possible, so let¡¯s agree to use the usual League rules for the battle.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Five Pok¨¦mon each. Do whatever you can within the rules to win. As for switching...¡± She tapped her cheek. ¡°No limits. That¡¯s usually how I prefer to fight.¡±

    Sam wanted to grin, but he was wary. He knew that free-switching gave him a lot of leeway when it came to his team¡¯s favored strategy. However, he couldn¡¯t assume that it meant he¡¯d be fighting with an advantage. Jasmine likely specified that lack of a limit for a reason.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Sam said seriously, and Jasmine stood straight with her hands held behind her back.

    The referee lifted two flags. Off to the side, though he was meant to be hiding, Dreepy let out a cheer.

    Drakloak then rushed to push his head down once more to make sure they could watch in peace, and both Sam and Jasmine tossed their first Pok¨¦balls into the air. Sam released Typhlosion, his usual lead and oldest member of the team, but when Jasmine sent out her Pok¨¦mon¡ª

    The earth shook.

    Going against all usual conventions for a Gym Leader, Jasmine did not save her best for last. Instead, she released her Steelix, her ace Pok¨¦mon and outright strongest member of her team, a behemoth of earth and steel that towered over Typhlosion, now set to face her in battle to start off the match.

 Chapter 137

    The real problem with Jasmine¡¯s Pok¨¦mon wasn¡¯t their offensive power but how they could all but ignore most attacks. Her Steelix, for example, was only so much stronger than an Onix, but its super-hardened body let it shrug off any physical move. Though a Steelix had the same limitations as an Onix in that it primarily attacked via weight instead of muscle, it weighed more, had a nastier bite, and in this case, it was only really vulnerable to the Fire Type damage on Sam¡¯s team.

    But like all good specialists, Jasmine likely had a counter. Sam knew he could maybe make something work, but he¡¯d rather stick to a strategy that he knew would completely invalidate her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defense.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp!¡±

    Damage over time effects didn¡¯t care about a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s resistance. The pain they caused drained a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s stamina, making them eventually fall out of the fight. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the insane number of Type resistances the Steel Type offered. To win this match-up, all he had to do was out-stall her stall. It was his best answer to sheer defense, and it was his best answer to making up for such a severe gap in strength.

    So, with his command, Typhlosion started the battle by taking off in a dash. Immediately, energies wrapped around her for an Agility that drastically boosted her speed. She used that momentum to circle her towering opponent, and Steelix did nothing but follow her with its gaze.

    Jasmine did not give an order to her Pok¨¦mon. Her Steelix remained where it was released, and she cocked her head to the side.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting Pok¨¦mon you have there,¡± Jasmine commented.

    ¡°Hisuian Typhlosion. A variant evolution. Soon to debut in the Conference, but we¡¯re testing her out against you,¡± Sam said.

    She nodded as if that answered all her questions.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you specified a private match. You have secrets you don¡¯t want to get out.¡±

    Typhlosion was already sending her wisps forward, and Jasmine¡¯s Steelix still wasn¡¯t moving. With such a defensive team, Jasmine seemed to want to wait to better understand Sam¡¯s strategy before anything else.

    Except, all she was doing was giving Sam plenty of openings. Right as Typhlosion¡¯s Will-O-Wisp reached halfway to its target, Sam gave a second command that¡¯d seal this fight.

    ¡°Typhlosion, chase!¡±

    Much like how Typhlosion could have her Will-O-Wisp chase Swift, with Sam¡¯s shout, she now sent her Infernal Parade chasing after her Will-O-Wisp. This concept built off of a technique she¡¯d used so many times before, but with these two moves used back-to-back, Will-O-Wisps¡¯s burn would allow for Infernal Parade to hit with guaranteed extra damage, and Infernal Parade also carried a chance to burn if Steelix somehow managed to block the Will-O-Wisp.

    It was a flood of fire. Flames, both spectral and real, rushed Steelix through the air.

    ¡°So that¡¯s your strategy,¡± Jasmine said with a hum. ¡°But enough of a head start. Steelix, Dig.¡±

    Her order came out calm and precise, and as slow as a Steelix was, it moved with a surprising amount of speed. Its body was large enough that it wasn¡¯t the quickest when it came to whipping around, but when it came to digging, that was what its entire being was designed to do.

    Where an Onix¡¯s body was just a chain of boulders, a Steelix¡¯s body was covered in rugged spikes. It slammed its head into the ground, breaking through the earth, and each of its segments spun in a drilling motion that let it burrow and churn through the field.

    The diving motion of its head let it avoid Typhlosion¡¯s attack, but that was only because it was no longer occupying the space it once did. Her wisps didn¡¯t initially miss; with a minor flex of her will, they all dove after Steelix.

    Unfortunately, the second it entered the earth, it moved like a fish in water. The Steelix disappeared, its tunnel collapsed behind it, and the flaming barrage was snuffed out when it hit the ground.

    We¡¯ll need a better strategy. If Steelix is Jasmine¡¯s ace, then we need to pull out the big guns.

    ¡°Typhlosion,¡± Sam called out. ¡°Keep an eye on the earth around and under you. Get ready to react with Curse.¡±

    He preemptively grabbed her Pok¨¦ball for his next step of the plan. Halting her Agility, Typhlosion slid to a halt while pulling a shadowy dagger out of the air with her paw.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a defensive Curse. So she¡¯s a Ghost Type after all...¡± Jasmine looked on curiously. ¡°Useful. Steelix, use Crunch when you can.¡±

    Her Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t immediately attack, and Typhlosion tensed as she prepared. The dagger she held in her paw almost seemed to sink into her flesh, causing her a slight amount of pain even though her move hadn¡¯t fully been used.

    But soon, a mound of dirt began to bulge out of the earth behind her, and as something pushed pebbles out of the field with a rumble, she snapped around, ready to unleash her Curse the Steelix appeared.

    When steel flashed before her, Typhlosion didn¡¯t wait to stab her dagger into her chest. Upon seeing her target, Curse did take effect, but it wasn¡¯t Steelix¡¯s head that burst out.

    No, its tail suddenly stabbed out of the earth, revealing that mound to have been nothing more than a distraction. Instead, from right underneath her, Steelix¡¯s head exploded from the floor, knocking Typhlosion into the air dealing the full, super-effective damage of Dig.

    Alongside the self-inflicted injury from Curse, Typhlosion was ready to faint. Yet, shadows writhed around her opponent. Sam quickly brought up her Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Return!¡±

    The Steelix¡¯s metal jaw snapped down on the empty air where she had just been falling. The sheer power of its Crunch caused a horrible noise to ring out.

    If that hit...

    A Steelix literally ate boulders and metal for lunch. Given Typhlosion¡¯s Ghost Type making her vulnerable to the Dark Type, Sam doubted she would have walked away even at full health.

    But our plan worked. Steelix is under the effects of Curse, and Typhlosion doesn¡¯t need to risk herself any longer. We just need to make sure that Jasmine doesn¡¯t return her Pok¨¦mon, and we need to stall for long enough to have Steelix faint.

    ¡°Misdreavus, quick! Mean Look!¡±

    The very second the battle resumed, Misdreavus sent a withering glare at her opponent. Now, if Steelix tried to leave the battle, Jasmine would find her Pok¨¦mon unable to be returned.

    But Jasmine just giggled.

    ¡°This is why I like Ghost Type teams. They¡¯re always fun to fight.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t find the same casual joy¡ªhe was fighting at a disadvantage. He needed every trick in the book if he wanted to take a ten-star Pok¨¦mon out.

    ¡°Will-O-Wisp! Burn it, but your priority is on dodging! Hex whenever you get room to attack!¡±

    Curse was a cruel, cruel move. The sheer amount of pain it caused saw Pok¨¦mon faint in almost no time at all. It was more effective than a burn, and it was more effective than even Toxic. The downside was that it required its user to take a significant amount of damage, and its victim would no longer be under Curse¡¯s effects if the victim switched out.

    But if a Pok¨¦mon was switched to replace Curse¡¯s user, and if Curse¡¯s target remained trapped, then it didn¡¯t matter how healthy a Pok¨¦mon was. They would inevitably faint no matter what.

    Hence, this strategy.

    ¡°Interesting. Protect,¡± Jasmine said.

    Steelix lowered itself, and its body gained a greenish sheen. Misdreavus¡¯s Will-O-Wisp hit but failed to make purchase. Despite being a Steel Type, the flames slipped off of it as if it were water.

    Then, Steelix flicked its tail without Jasmine even giving it a command. Dirt, hardened by Rock Type energy, flew right at Misdreavus. With Sam¡¯s shout to focus on dodging, she was forced to pull back. Any follow-up was dropped in favor of avoidance, and Misdreavus even had to use Shadow Sneak to slide under a boulder launched her way.

    ¡°Keep it up,¡± Jasmine said.

    Misdreavus was faster, but that meant nothing when she was forced to constantly dodge. Steelix unleashed Rock Throw after Rock Throw, destroying the earth, tearing up the field, and leaving large boulders wherever its move landed. The Curse might have been draining its energy, but it was only being drained by Curse. It was losing stamina, but without being affected by Will-O-Wisp, nothing reduced its attack.

    Misdreavus couldn¡¯t unleash any damaging move.

    A ten-star Pok¨¦mon. I knew there¡¯d be a difference in strength, but this is insane.

    Even though Misdreavus was faster, she still had to contend with the constant assault of Steelix¡¯s moves.

    Shadow Sneak let her dodge the Rock Throws, which was good for her since the size of Steelix¡¯s boulders would have seen her faint in one hit. She wasn¡¯t a defensive Pok¨¦mon, but that focus on evasion was Jasmine¡¯s plan.

    So focused on avoiding all moves, Misdreavus was never able to use any of her own. Soon enough, Jasmine¡¯s strategy finished.

    The effects of Mean Look faded away, and Steelix disappeared from the field.

    ¡°Phew.¡± For some reason, Jasmine looked genuinely relieved. ¡°That was close. I didn¡¯t expect to see Steelix almost faint there.¡±

    ¡°Almost faint? Even with Curse, it was still at full health!¡±

    Jasmine blinked at Sam.

    ¡°Was he?¡± she asked, and then she shook her head. ¡°Oh, I see your mistake. Steelix is made of steel. He doesn¡¯t show the same signs of injuries as most organic Pok¨¦mon. No, your Pok¨¦mon¡¯s Curse was effective. Just a few seconds longer, and that would have been it.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so if you hadn¡¯t used Protect...¡±

    Jasmine said nothing and simply smiled.

    Merrily, she tossed a new Pok¨¦ball forward, and Misdreavus left her Shadow Sneak on the floor to properly meet her next opponent. Across from her, a red-carapaced Scizor faced her. The Bug Type Pok¨¦mon snapped its heavy claws while letting its short wings buzz on its back.

    ¡°Continue,¡± the referee said.

    Jasmine gave a single word for her order.

    ¡°Priority.¡±

    Sam tried to tell Misdreavus about the need for Will-O-Wisp since Scizor was one of the few Steel Types in Johto with seriously powerful physical attacks. Yet, barely even a single word had left his mouth before he blinked, and then the Scizor was suddenly right there.

    Its claw shone with Steel Type energy. Arm outstretched, it had shot across the field in an instant. The single punch it unleashed saw its move land directly into Misdreavus¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Bullet Punch is already a speedy move, and then when you combine it with Scizor¡¯s Technician ability...¡±

    Misdreavus simply didn¡¯t have the defense to withstand a strike that strong. Even if there hadn¡¯t been a difference in strength, that one strike would have been enough to take her out.

    The force of Scizor¡¯s move saw her bounce across the ground. Sam quickly took out her Friend Ball to bring her back before she could get too much more hurt while unconscious.

    ¡°Challenger Samuel, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon,¡± the referee said.

    ¡°I know, I know. I just need a second to think.¡±

    Curse had almost worked, but Steelix had been returned anyway. Scizor was a big enough threat that he knew most Pok¨¦mon on his team wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. He wanted to rely on status conditions, but Scizor¡¯s speed meant it could catch anyone he sent out.

    Unless I want it to catch us, Sam realized.

    If the rest of Sam¡¯s team couldn¡¯t beat Scizor, then he had one Pok¨¦mon whose sole role would be to take it out.

    ¡°Annihilape.¡±

    With this Pok¨¦mon¡¯s appearance, Jasmine gained a look of genuine shock. The referee struggled to keep a straight face at the Pok¨¦mon that appeared on the field.

    Somewhat used to this reaction, Annihilape just grumbled and scratched at the dirt with his hand. Wisps of grey energy trailed off his head. The only human here who recognized him was Sam.

    Blearily, Jasmine rubbed her eyes.

    ¡°So you had more than just Typhlosion...¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Annihilape. Evolution of Primeape. Also set to debut in the Conference,¡± Sam quickly explained.

    ¡°And this species is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Already known,¡± Sam half-lied.

    He was pretty sure Morty and Agatha weren¡¯t aware, but Carl did say he would pass the information around.

    Jasmine slowly nodded at that, mumbling something to herself about watching the upcoming Conference. She sent a look to the referee to signal that the battle should continue, and the referee just barely managed to tear away her stare to give the command.

    ¡°Continue!¡±

    ¡°Bullet Punch,¡± Jasmine ordered. ¡°Overwhelm and assault!¡±

    ¡°Bulk Up!¡± Sam countered. ¡°Everything into defense!¡±

    Against this kind of foe, Annihilape knew exactly what he needed to do, and Sam didn¡¯t need to give any other order. Annihilape brought up his arms, breathed in to steady himself, and then a punch with the force of solid steel behind it slammed into his block.

    Sam could see what Jasmine was trying to do; Annihilape was an unknown factor, and Primeape were known for their rage. While her team¡¯s defense helped to resist physical moves, the Steel Type made them vulnerable to Fighting Type attacks, and she wanted to overwhelm and harass Annihilape so that he¡¯d give in to his rage.

    Except, she was operating under limited information. Overwhelming a Primeape to prevent it from attacking was a good way to annoy it into making a mistake. In the case of Annihilape, however, he knew exactly how to control himself. All of his effort was spent breathing carefully, slowly enhancing all aspects of his physical power with Bulk Up, and doing his best to withstand Scizor¡¯s strike.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Each Bullet Punch was a lightning-fast jab that saw Annihilape wince. Yet, despite the difference in strength, only the first two attacks saw him step back. As Bulk Up grew, so did his power. Eventually, he became able to resist more and more damage.

    But it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t taking damage. Each strike still brought Annihilape closer to a faint. If they mistimed their move here, this battle would be over.

    ¡°Careful... Careful...¡± Sam mumbled.

    Jasmine narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°Scizor, this strategy isn¡¯t working. Switch to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now!¡±

    For a Steel Type, Scizor was fast, and it certainly would have been able to dodge a normal attack. Using its wings to assist its movements, it jerked back to move just out of reach of Annihilape¡¯s arms.

    However, Annihilape was a Ghost Type, and though he was still firmly rooted in the physical, certain aspects of his body could change. Every hit he took was for the single purpose of enhancing this one move, and pouring his rage forward, his fist grew, and grew, and grew.

    ¡°Farther!¡± Jasmine yelled.

    Her Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t react; Scizor was far too overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the attack heading its way. Though the move took less than a second to hit, the moment seemed to stretch into infinity as Scizor froze at the truck-sized fist heading its way.

    Rage Fist struck, and for every strike the Scizor had inflicted on Annihilape, Rage Fist¡¯s attack power increased. That, combined with the boost of Bulk Up, saw Scizor fly back.

    Far, far back.

    Jasmine had been correct when she said this room was rated to withstand her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s moves. When Scizor slammed against the wall, utterly knocked out, even that level of force didn¡¯t leave a dent.

    ¡°Scizor is... unable to battle,¡± the referee said quietly.

    As she and Jasmine stared in disbelief, Sam was unable to hold back his excitement. His voice was a roar.

    ¡°YES!¡±

    This was a ten-star team versus a near-eight-star team, and one of his Pok¨¦mon had somehow managed to win. Of course, Annihilape had to take an extreme amount of damage to build himself up to where this was possible, but he had done it¡ªmore than just done it.

    He had taken out one of Jasmine¡¯s core team members in just a single hit.

    ¡°You...¡± Jasmine breathed out. ¡°You two clearly put in a lot of effort for this.¡±

    Sam grinned at her. Annihilape wobbled from the sheer amount of damage he¡¯d taken, but he still managed to remain on his feet.

    ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you so far,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°I¡¯ve given you too much room to do as you please. We¡¯re ending this. Expect the battle to not last much longer from here.¡±

    Nodding to herself as if to reaffirm her own words, Jasmine returned her fainted Scizor to release a new Pok¨¦mon.

    Above the field, a Magneton appeared. Three individual Magnemite, locked together, buzzed with electricity. This Pok¨¦mon was just as defensive as any other Steel Type, but most threateningly, it was a powerful special attacker.

    ¡°Annihilape, return,¡± Sam said.

    At this point, even the slightest of shocks could finish off Annihilape, but Sam felt it was all worth it just for that one knock-out against Scizor.

    ¡°Haunter, enter this battle carefully. Put it to sleep. Don¡¯t take damage, yourself,¡± Sam told his next Pok¨¦mon.

    Jasmine looked over the grinning Ghost Type that appeared on Sam¡¯s side of the field and chose to respond with a command of her own.

    ¡°Ringing.¡±

    As Magneton had three eyes, Haunter clearly thought he could quickly cause it to fall asleep with Hypnosis, but metal lids slid over the Steel Type¡¯s unfocused gaze to prevent the move from working.

    Following that up, the Magneton then pulled itself apart¡ªtemporarily. Each Magnemite that made up its body attempted to separate only for a sharp, metallic ring to echo throughout the room when each Pok¨¦mon clanged back together.

    Sam couldn¡¯t tell if this attack was a Metal Sound or a Supersonic, but Haunter was certainly disrupted. The vibrations caused his body to shudder, and he let out a groaning whine while pressing his hands to his ears.

    ¡°Thunderbolt.¡±

    Magneton¡¯s magnets spun and crackled, and Haunter purposefully dropped, unable to do anything else. His speed helped him here; if he was just a split second slower, the lightning wouldn¡¯t have sailed over his head.

    ¡°Shadow Ball!¡± Sam shouted.

    He would have liked to call for a Hex, but without a status condition, Shadow Ball was stronger.

    Gritting his teeth, Haunter looked up at his opponent, but his aim was off. Still affected by the ringing noise, the move went a little too wide.

    Do we risk getting close? Magneton¡¯s eyes are still closed, but it doesn¡¯t seem to have any problems sensing where Haunter is.

    Sam didn¡¯t know much about the Electric Type, but he guessed the Magneton was detecting electromagnetic waves or something like that.

    Another Thunderbolt came out, and Haunter zipped to the side to avoid that one as well. The problem right now was that Sam needed a way to deal damage, and the rest of the team was either too injured or too vulnerable at range to take on the Magneton. Acid Spray would have been decent if Magneton wasn¡¯t immune, so there was only a single other move left.

    ¡°Ominous Wind!¡±

    Thankfully, Haunter didn¡¯t need to aim his attack since Ominous Wind¡¯s unearthly breeze spread across the entire room. As the chilling Ghost Type move reached his opponent, the Magneton took the attack and shuddered.

    Jasmine then gave a command that made Sam¡¯s stomach twist.

    ¡°Charge.¡±

    Easily withstanding the damage, the Magneton¡¯s magnets spun even more to generate electricity. Charge let it build up energy that it could use for future attacks. Even if Ominous Wind provided Haunter a boost, Charge would see the Magneton become too strong for anyone on Sam¡¯s team.

    ¡°...We have to risk it. Haunter, wrench open its eyes!¡±

    Haunter immediately understood the purpose behind Sam¡¯s command, and he darted through the air, going as fast as he could. He reached Magneton in less than a second, and latent, crackling static made him wince.

    Yet, he still snapped his hands forward, half-phasing through the Magneton¡¯s metal body just to grab one of its eyelids. In a genuinely awful action, he managed to just barely crack it open.

    He pulled off Hypnosis.

    But it wasn¡¯t enough.

    While this part of the Magneton did fall asleep, it was only one Magnemite. Though slightly disrupted by a third of it being unable to fight, the other two-thirds of its body could still attack. And, with Haunter right there, it didn¡¯t even need to aim. The Magneton simply burst for a Discharge that utterly consumed him.

    As if to add insult to injury, using the move woke up the third Magnemite.

    ¡°...Discharge isn¡¯t common in Johto,¡± Sam grumbled. ¡°So if you know about it, you also have to know about Magnezone.¡±

    Sam returned Haunter, but as he spoke, Jasmine gained a furious blush.

    ¡°I, um, I-I do. I just... haven¡¯t had a chance to visit Sinnoh just yet?¡±

    She twisted her hair around a finger, suddenly intently looking at the ground to not meet Sam¡¯s judging gaze. Over the field, her Magneton buzzed as if sighing. With that kind of reaction, Sam had a feeling this happened often.

    But Sam had to focus on considering his next Pok¨¦mon. He didn¡¯t like his odds.

    Misdreavus and Haunter had fainted. Typhlosion and Annihilape were extremely injured. That just left Trevenant, but a Grass Type wasn¡¯t a great match-up against Steel Type Pok¨¦mon.

    Still, Trevenant knew Leech Seed, and even with the difference in strength, he would be able to withstand most attacks. Sam was sure Trevenant could heal through at least some of Magneton¡¯s damage, and Leech Seed¡¯s drain bypassed its defense. Like with the Steelix, they could potentially put a timer on this fight.

    ¡°Trevenant,¡± Sam said.

    He didn¡¯t expect Jasmine¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a rare Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    ¡°...As compared to Typhlosion and Annihilape?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but those are special evolutions! You can actually catch Trevenant in Johto!¡±

    ¡°You can also catch a Typhlosion?¡±

    This time around, Jasmine¡¯s blush came from embarrassment.

    ¡°So if you¡¯re using that Pok¨¦mon... Alright, Magneton, come back.¡±

    Honestly, Sam had to question why she replaced a strong, ranged attacker with the ball of metal that took its place.

    Forretress wasn¡¯t the most impressive Pok¨¦mon, but Sam knew it was almost as sturdy as a Steelix. Its defenses weren¡¯t comparable, but its hardened shell made the Bug Type incredibly difficult to defeat.

    ¡°Trevenant, Forretress can¡¯t do much to hurt you. It may be a Bug Type, but it doesn¡¯t have any strong attacks. Set up, first. Once you¡¯re ready, prioritize landing a Leech Seed to deal damage.¡±

    Quietly, Jasmine waited to give any commands until Sam finished giving his orders. When he was done, she smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re making this too easy. Before you have your Pok¨¦mon trap itself with Ingrain, do you know what a Forretress is known for?¡±

    ¡°Its defense?¡± Sam offered. He also wasn¡¯t worried about her comment on Ingrain. He already knew Trevenant could switch no matter what.

    ¡°No,¡± Jasmine replied with a giggle. ¡°Remember, I allowed for free switching for a reason. I could let you use that as you will, or with Forretress, I could¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s known for its spikes,¡± Sam said with a dawning realization. ¡°Return, quick! And Typhlosion, hurry!¡±

    As healthy as Trevenant was, Sam simply couldn¡¯t afford to keep him out there. Typhlosion was on the verge of fainting, but she needed to knock out Forretress now before it could use its move.

    Yet, Jasmine just giggled again, and as Typhlosion breathed in, she once more gave her Pok¨¦mon a single command.

    ¡°Spikes,¡± she ordered.

    Forretress closed its shell to become a tight ball and spun. Glowing spikes grew out of its body to scatter in every direction, and then flames consumed it. Possessing two Types vulnerable to Fire Type moves as well as a mediocre special defense meant that was it. It didn¡¯t matter how sturdy Forretress was; with enough fire, it would faint, but Jasmine had let it faint.

    All because she wanted it to pull off this one move.

    ¡°Your team has a fine strategy for modern conceptions of battling, but there are a few tricks from Sinnoh you should be aware of,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°Many trainers from Sinnoh heavily rely on entry hazards. Forretress is known for its Spikes, so now if you try to send out any Pok¨¦mon, they¡¯ll take damage the moment they hit the ground.¡±

    The spikes were spread out thinly enough that Typhlosion would have no problem moving around them. Unfortunately, a newly sent-out Pok¨¦mon wouldn¡¯t know where they were and would land on them, taking damage in the process.

    If he had kept Typhlosion in her Pok¨¦ball, that would have been it for the battle. The small amount of chip damage from the Spikes would have been enough to see her faint. The same was true for Annihilape and the extreme number of injuries he¡¯d sustained.

    ¡°With one move, you almost took out two of my Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam mumbled in disbelief.

    Jasmine hadn¡¯t let up her smile.

    ¡°But you managed to recognize that and send out your Typhlosion early! That was a good choice on your part!¡±

    She looked over to Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon and at how Typhlosion was breathing heavily. The fur on her chest was discolored from where she¡¯d hurt herself with Curse. Honestly, she should have fainted. If Steelix¡¯s Dig had been more focused on damage instead of disruption, that would have been it.

    Right now, she was so hurt that it would take only a single hit to knock her out.

    Recognizing what Jasmine still had left, Sam braced himself for the return of her Magneton. However, Magneton wasn¡¯t the Pok¨¦mon Jasmine chose to send out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°Steelix, use Earthquake.¡±

    As if resuming the match-up that started the battle, Jasmine released her ace Pok¨¦mon¡ªher Steelix. That towering Pok¨¦mon reared back to shake the earth, but Typhlosion was quick.

    ¡°Jump!¡±

    Steelix¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t a usual attack. In the case of Earthquake, its attack was the field. A crack formed in the dirt and stretched to where Typhlosion stood. She likely only managed to jump in time to avoid the damage thanks to Detect.

    But there was a problem with that; Typhlosion couldn¡¯t fly. She had entered the air, so she was due to fall. Though she had managed to use this single attack, all she had bought herself was a second.

    Yet, to finish off Steelix, she also only needed to land a single attack.

    ¡°Fire! Whatever you can! Even Ember could work!¡±

    Curse had done its job earlier. Steelix barely had any stamina left. Anything would be enough.

    So, Typhlosion breathed in. Deeper than ever before, her flames turned a near-black purple. Both shadow and light were cast across the field in a brightness that made Sam squint. Wisps then formed in the air around her, but they didn¡¯t spread out. The various motes appeared and rushed her, and Typhlosion sucked all of them right in.

    What is she...

    Fire glowed within her neck. She hit the earth, but she pushed off of it to lunge to the side, somehow narrowly avoiding a second Earthquake. Her entire purpose was being spent just to finish charging this attack.

    It wasn¡¯t an Ember. It wasn¡¯t a Flamethrower. It was a Fire Type move, but one more powerful than Sam had ever seen before.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be Eruption. She¡¯s too injured,¡± Sam said in a whisper. ¡°Eruption¡¯s power is tied to a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s health. I thought she¡¯d eventually pick it up, but here¡ª¡±

    Sam stopped himself. He could remember their time on Carl¡¯s ranch. Typhlosion had vanished for several days straight all for the sole purpose of training under her grandfather. They¡¯d been practicing. That aged Typhlosion had been teaching her. Sam hadn¡¯t been aware of what move it was, but...

    I always knew my grandfather had experience as a trainer, but this?

    Across from Sam, Jasmine let out a soft chuckle.

    ¡°If there was any way for Steelix to faint, a Blast Burn would do it,¡± she said.

    The flames that ultimately left Typhlosion¡¯s throat turned the room a deep red. The dirt churned up by so many attacks almost seemed to melt under her heat. This was an eruption, but an eruption so different from that similarly-named move. Only so many species could learn this, and even then, it took a special Pok¨¦mon to pull it off.

    But Typhlosion had figured out Blast Burn with only a handful of days under her grandfather. And now she was using that ultimate move here.

    The Steelix tried to dodge, of course, but Jasmine saw the move was coming and recognized there was no way to avoid it. The Pok¨¦mon dove, trying to dive beneath the incoming attack, but the flames were a meteor that consumed both it and the earth, and when the heat finally died down, the Steelix was glowing. Consumed by heat, it fell over.

    Steelix fainted.

    Then, exhausted, Typhlosion fell over, too.

    <hr>

    The battle was sealed from there. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t sealed in Sam¡¯s favor. Trevenant just didn¡¯t have a way to deal enough damage to Magneton from range. He could heal through its initial attacks, and Leech Seed almost seemed to give him a chance. But he didn¡¯t have a way to heal from status conditions, and once the electricity paralyzed him, the rate at which he healed was cut in half. Magneton¡¯s Charge then let it build into a threat he couldn¡¯t beat.

    After that, Sam only had Annihilape left, but Forrretress had already effectively taken him out of the fight. Sam chose to at least try to see if Annihilape could withstand being released, but the Spikes had somehow persisted even through everything else, and the moment he landed on the ground, that little bit of damage was just enough to take him out.

    Then, it was over.

    Sam could only breathe out to acknowledge what had happened.

    ¡°We lost.¡±

    And that was that.

    He had mixed feelings about the battle. Losing was painful, but he couldn¡¯t ignore his team¡¯s achievements. Not only had Typhlosion done the impossible and defeated Jasmine¡¯s Steelix, but Annihilape had fainted her Scizor in a single punch. Even Forretress, who Jasmine chose to let faint, was a victory just because Jasmine was in a position to make that choice in the first place.

    Yet, she had only used four Pok¨¦mon¡ªSteelix, Scizor, Magneton, and Forretress. As great as an achievement that taking out three of four was, Jasmine also still had her fifth. She¡¯d been poised to win from the start.

    But there was no sense in arguing over the outcome of the match. Sam had lost, but that was a given considering the level of opponent he faced with his team. He still won in small ways. How many trainers, even at an elite level, could say they knocked out Jasmine¡¯s ace Steelix in a match?

    To shake Jasmine¡¯s hand, Sam had to walk around the side of the field. The field itself was so churned up and covered in both spikes and stones that there was no way either of them could safely walk over it. The referee sent out a Pok¨¦mon¡ªnot a Steel Type, to Sam¡¯s surprise, but a Ground Type Sandslash. It looked around before excitedly diving into the dirt, using its sharp claws to break up the debris and smooth the field out.

    ¡°Good fight,¡± Jasmine said.

    ¡°...Good fight,¡± Sam said, and he meant it even though he didn¡¯t win. ¡°I know we lost, but when it comes to ways we can improve, do you have any tips that could help my team?¡±

    He had his ideas. Ranged Pok¨¦mon were by far his team¡¯s biggest weakness. Though Typhlosion, Misdreavus, and Haunter could attack them back, they didn¡¯t have a great team member to withstand special attacks. Giving Annihilape or Trevenant a ranged move could help, but at least against Jasmine, between her Steelix¡¯s Earthquake and her Magneton¡¯s everything, they simply didn¡¯t have a way to handle that.

    Humming, Jasmine considered Sam¡¯s question, but when she spoke, she didn¡¯t bring up anything similar.

    ¡°At a base level, you and I have similar strategies. I use my Pok¨¦mon¡¯s defenses to my advantage, and you use your team¡¯s status conditions and evasion. My Pok¨¦mon were a bit more aggressive than usual in this fight just because we could afford that, but even with how you tried to limit us, we had a surprising amount of freedom.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±.

    ¡°Status conditions can weaken opponents, but you''re not restricting your opponents enough to truly make them work,¡± Jasmine said. ¡°Status conditions shine the most when your opponents don¡¯t have a viable way to fight back, and when they have no choice but to be worn down over time. Except, in our match, my Pok¨¦mon and I always had ways to counter your team. Your best moment was when your Misdreavus used Mean Look. It was what let your Typhlosion finish off Steelix! But for the rest of it¡ª¡±

    ¡°I focused too much on offense,¡± Sam grumbled, rubbing his head.

    ¡°More than that. You only have a few Pok¨¦mon that actually inflicted useful status conditions. Teaching more of them Will-O-Wisp can help, but I also think you should look into moves like Mean Look to help in your fights.

    ¡°But really, Pok¨¦mon battles are all about finding or creating advantages you can use,¡± Jasmine continued. ¡°You either want to limit your opponent¡¯s options or make as many opportunities as possible for your team. You focus on limiting your opponents like I do, but you don¡¯t do that enough. Power is power, and power is always good, but you need to find a better balance between power and status moves to make the most out of your team.¡±

    Sam nodded along, committing Jasmine¡¯s words to memory. He could already recognize one opportunity he missed. With Haunter, at least, he focused too much on Hypnosis. When Jasmine called for Charge, he missed out on a perfectly viable Spite.

    His team did have those kinds of moves Jasmine was talking about, he just wasn¡¯t using them enough. His Pok¨¦mon also had options they were in the process of learning¡ªlike Pain Split and Destiny Bond¡ªbut for most of his team, those two moves weren¡¯t in a ready enough state to have used them in this match.

    ¡°Thank you. That really helps,¡± Sam said.

    Jasmine sent him a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad. I¡¯d offer more, but I¡¯m not a Ghost Type specialist. I¡¯m not sure I can say anything more than that. Still, thank you for the battle! It was a nice distraction from all the work...¡± Her eyes suddenly widened in realization. ¡°...All the work I still have to finish.¡±

    She let out a defeated sigh.

    <hr>

    Sam left the Gym feeling strongly about the Conference. In every way, this had been a learning experience, and he felt more prepared than ever to continue to train his team.

    As he left, he was once again joined by Dreepy and Drakloak. Those two continued to stay next to him so that no one would try to catch them, and all the way, Dreepy gushed on and on about everything he¡¯d seen.

    It was hard to parse such energetic squeaks, but he gestured enough to let Sam understand the gist of what he was trying to refer to. Dreepy liked Annihilape¡¯s attacks. He really liked Haunter¡¯s speed. He was also enamored with Typhlosion¡¯s Blast Burn, and it seemed like he wanted to be the heart of a move that strong.

    At times, he would tap his sister¡¯s head to try to get her to chime in, but Drakloak would just grunt, roll her eyes, or give one-syllable responses. However, there was one moment brought up that caused her to go silent, look at the ground, and almost seem to blush.

    If there was anything she got out of watching that match, it was that she wanted to become as tough as Jasmine.

    The night was spent letting everyone rest, and Sam spent a while just considering Jasmine¡¯s advice. As effective as his strategy was, he could tell he had made mistakes and had plenty of gaps to fill in.

    But they would fix that. So far, his most effective periods of practice had been before his seventh Gym match and when he¡¯d been on his own after his return to Ecruteak. He was slowly becoming more and more attuned to the best ways to train his team. With his increase in both knowledge and experience, he could see all the little ways to help his Pok¨¦mon become strong.

    He knew that once they spent some time training in Ilex, his Pok¨¦mon would see a drastic increase in strength. Before that, they needed to get through Cianwood and earn their eighth Gym Badge.

    The next morning, they left. A curious pair of shadows slipped onto the boat after Sam. As much as Drakloak tried to stay hidden, she wasn¡¯t good at it with how Dreepy came out to stay at Sam¡¯s side.

    The ticket for this boat had been a bit more expensive than Sam would have liked, but that was just because the boat wasn¡¯t a ferry. Rather, someone had a small speeder primarily used for medicine deliveries that they also sold tickets for as a way to earn extra cash on the side.

    Because of Sam¡¯s choice of ride, the trip to Cianwood only took most of a day instead of the two-and-a-half days it¡¯d take otherwise. It might have been faster if not for the Whirl Islands in the way, but the shape of those islands saw so many whirlpools form that even thinking of getting close was not worth the risk.

    Sam arrived in Cianwood only a bit past dusk, and he breathed in its salty sea air. The city¡¯s similarities to his home didn¡¯t miss him. Like Dewford, Cianwood was a coastal island city separate from the region¡¯s mainland, and it also had its own Fighting Type Gym.

    It was so similar, in fact, that upon entering it, he didn¡¯t regret his choice to spend as little time here as possible. This place was too much like Dewford. He just wanted to earn his final Gym Badge and then move on.

    But of course, this was the place Misdreavus was set to evolve, but that was something they planned for tomorrow. After such a tough fight against Jasmine, when a nurse tells you that your team needs to rest, you have them rest instead of doing something insane like presenting one with an evolutionary stone.

    The night of their arrival in Cianwood was meant to be a rest until the next morning, but upon checking into the Pok¨¦mon Center, the nurse froze when she entered Sam¡¯s ID. It wasn¡¯t the usual freeze¡ªshe was too early in the process to see the members of his team. Instead, she looked up and hesitantly asked for him to confirm his name.

    ¡°Yes? I¡¯m Samuel Greyson?¡± he answered.

    Her brow furrowed.

    ¡°Can you wait here for a moment?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t going to ignore a nurse¡¯s request.

    Though Sam was a bit worried about what that reaction could mean, he still nodded, and the nurse stepped into the Center¡¯s back. There weren¡¯t too many other trainers around since it was pretty much night. Cianwood also wasn¡¯t the largest city in the region, so he imagined Gym challengers here were processed pretty fast.

    Sam found a chair. His Pok¨¦mon rested in their Pok¨¦balls or his shadow. The nurse hadn¡¯t asked for him to hand them over for treatment.

    For now, not sure what else to do, he closed his eyes to try to relax as well. That lasted only a few minutes. Before no time at all, he heard the ding of the Center¡¯s automatic front doors, and after a second of catching their breath, someone shouted out with a booming voice.

    ¡°THERE YOU ARE!¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes snapped open. The sheer volume of that voice practically shook the building. He tried to look around to see if the burly man in the doorway was speaking to anyone else, but Sam was the only person in the room.

    ¡°...Me?¡±

    ¡°YOU DON¡¯T EVEN REALIZE HOW LONG YOU¡¯VE KEPT ME WAITING, DO YOU? AN ENTIRE SEASON! MONTHS OF NOTHING! I HONESTLY THOUGHT YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO SHOW UP!¡±

    The heavy man huffed.

    ¡°WHAT, YOU GET COLD FEET?¡±

    Even though it had to be true, Sam prayed that this man was talking to literally anyone else, but the man¡¯s eyes were firmly locked onto him. Grinning, the stranger practically stormed over.

    Sam knew this wasn¡¯t someone he could beat in a fight¡ªany kind of fight, actually.

    The man stopped marching forward when he reached a spot right in front of Sam. He had a presence to him that made him feel bigger than he truly was, and he was made that much more intimidating by the fact he wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt.

    ¡°You really think Brawly recommended Johto for no reason?¡± the man said, now speaking at a still loud but more reasonable volume. ¡°You should have known better than that. Now, come on! We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sam squeaked.

    ¡°Because you¡¯ll be staying with me! I¡¯m Chuck!¡± Chuck let out a deep, chortling laugh. ¡°Now get up, Sam! This is an opportunity for you! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s an honor to be invited to a Gym Leader¡¯s home?¡±

 Chapter 137.5

    Redi was aware of just how much information Sam had given her. She knew just how valuable every little ounce was. That¡¯s why she tried so hard to help Sam in return. While they were friends and while friends always helped each other, she didn¡¯t want to only take. So she always kept an eye out for ways she could pay him back, doing things like staying up to date on local events, talking to other trainers on his behalf, and helping his team train their physical might as often as she could.

    But she wanted to do more. He¡¯d done so much for her and her team, and everything she¡¯d done were things she would have done anyway because, again, they were friends. While the needs of their teams meant they had to split up until the Conference, she could at least gather as many surprises for him as possible for when they reunited in Silver Town.

    That meant Redi was doing the impossible: she was getting better at research. She¡¯d already been reading a bunch of books to better understand Porygon and Dragonair, but now she was trying to learn information Sam wouldn¡¯t otherwise get the chance to learn about his team.

    The biggest one was sensory abilities¡ªa more general understanding of them, that is. She had Tibia and Fibula with her to help protect Porygon, and those two Gastly had been trained to sense hostile intent. While Redi knew Sam was training his Ghost Types to do the same, he hadn¡¯t yet looked into how that worked. And, thanks to all the opportunities Mr. Pok¨¦mon provided, she had plenty of chances to ask researchers exactly why and how Pok¨¦mon could sense others.

    Each time she met someone for Ursaring¡¯s evolution¡ªusually a Pok¨¦mon scientist or a geologist, weirdly enough¡ªshe posed the same set of questions to learn what they knew. Their experiences would give her pieces of the answer, or they would direct her to some kind of useful book. All of that together let her combine what she knew into a basic summary of sensing; from what she concluded, she learned that four primary Types carried general sensory abilities, and anything else was more specific or was only developed by certain species.

    The first of those four Types capable of wide-ranged sensing was the Ghost Type, of course, but the list of things the Ghost Type could sense was actually pretty limited. Really, Ghost Types could only detect spirits and hostile intent, but they didn¡¯t actually sense intent. Ghost Types were drawn toward negative feelings capable of priming an area to spawn more Ghost Types, and then that instinctual draw was what could be trained into a more general feeling.

    Next on the list were Psychic Types, but their capabilities were pretty obvious. Some could ¡°sense¡± in that they got glimpses of possible futures, and others could more explicitly detect others¡¯ minds. However, out of all of the Types that could sense things, the Psychic Type was the least directed. They cast a wide net, so small things tended to slip through. Bug Types especially were often ignored simply because they disrupted Psychic Types due to their nearly alien, almost hive-like mindset.

    Lastly, the final two Types that came up seemed to have some way to sense others, but they were a bit more general, and the researchers¡¯ comments often disagreed. Some brought up the Fighting Type as a possibility, and the occasional, weathered book would reference something called ¡°aura¡± or ¡°fighting spirit.¡± Apparently, some exceptionally trained Fighting Types could outright see life energy.

    Meanwhile¡ªand this was the one that caused the most arguments¡ªsome claimed that the Fairy Type could sense emotions. However, that one was the vaguest with the least coherent arguments, and the few researchers from Indigo that did accept the Fairy Type¡¯s existence weren¡¯t sure if its emotion-sensing capabilities were tied to the Type itself or just a few specific species.

    Other than that, there were other forms of highly specific sensory abilities, like how some Ground Types could detect seismic waves or how some Electric Types could detect magnetic fields. However, those capabilities varied from species to species, so it was really just those four Types that could be used for widespread detection of people and Pok¨¦mon.

    ...But all of that was just a distraction. As she stood at the side of the road, Redi silently went over everything she had learned just because she didn¡¯t want to think about what came next. She needed to focus, yet it felt as though she had an impossible task.

    Because before her was a house. A simple one. Two stories tall with a small staircase leading up to its door, it looked exactly like every other nearby square building that had been pressed into a line to form this Goldenrod City block.

    This place looked so unassuming, but something dangerous lurked inside. It took Redi several minutes to gather the confidence that she needed to knock on its front door.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Her voice almost seemed to echo through the building as her knuckles banged against the door¡¯s wood.

    If she had her Pok¨¦mon out with her, she would have felt better, but Mr. Pok¨¦mon had made it clear that she was to keep them in their Pok¨¦balls for now. Their presence would have made this a scene, and the man she was about to meet valued privacy over all things.

    Forcing herself to keep her head high, she knocked until she noticed a doorbell off to her side. The second she pressed the button, loud clattering came from within. The ring echoed out, and then a man¡¯s voice yelped in surprise.

    ¡°One minute!¡± that same voice shouted once he seemed to gather himself back up.

    Waiting, Redi took a deep breath and held it. She only allowed herself to breathe again once the door opened ten seconds later.

    ¡°Yes?¡± The man looked slightly out of breath and honestly rather surprised.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Redi said, speaking as professionally as she could. ¡°My name is Redi. Mr. Pok¨¦mon contacted you on my behalf. I... I have a Porygon on my team that needs your help. Please. You¡¯re Bill, right?¡±

    Staring down at her, the richest man in all of Indigo blinked his eyes. Just like the house he was in, he looked completely unassuming. She wouldn¡¯t have sent him a second glance if she passed him on the street.

    But he was important. Impossibly so. Bill developed the Pok¨¦mon transfer system completely on his own and was in the process of ensuring that critical technology was spread across the globe.

    Yet he was also tired. While his eyes were bright, they carried deep bags, and it was pretty obvious that he¡¯d been wearing his purple polo shirt for at least a full day. His curly brown hair was a mess on his head, but his expression still lit up when Redi said her name.

    ¡°Yes! Of course! Oh man, that was today? Sorry! I should really get my electronic planner set up, but, uh... I¡¯ve been busy?¡± He laughed, awkwardly scratching the back of his head while fully pulling open the door. ¡°Come in¡ªand forgive the mess! I have everything set up upstairs.¡±

    He spun on a heel to stride deeper into the house, and Redi had to be the one to close the door behind them.

    (Tibia and Fibula shot inside right after her by darting from shadow to shadow. They didn¡¯t stay in her own shadow under her feet as Redi couldn¡¯t handle that freezing feeling that came from Ghost Types being in there. She had no idea how Sam was so capable of withstanding that, especially since the feeling grew for every extra Ghost Type. For now, Tibia and Fibula stuck around to keep an eye out for her team, but they¡¯d likely be returned to Violet City once the Conference was over.)

    ¡°Porygon is really quite an interesting species,¡± Bill began as he strode further inside. ¡°Originally¨Cand currently¨CPorygon were used solely for research. Their origin was actually a mistake; if you make a computer advanced enough, inevitably, something resembling a Porygon will spawn. It then tends to develop from there.¡±

    Bill weaved through stacks and stacks of papers that filled his house. He knew exactly where to step, but Redi could barely find a path through that maze.

    To her side, a couch filled with take-out containers sat in a messy living room, and a television on the wall blasted the local news.

    Huh. Goldenrod just had its major tournament. I missed that.

    She frowned at the familiar trainer holding up a gold trophy. Xavier¡¯s expression was just as neutral as ever, but she also felt as though that just made him seem even more smug than usual.

    When Bill reached the entrance to a staircase leading up, he paused with his hand on the wall, looking over his shoulder as Redi struggled to follow after him.

    ¡°Most researchers are still in the process of trying to discover the specific conditions needed for a Porygon to spawn,¡± he said. ¡°Practically all of them have found nothing, but a few Porygon have been created mostly through a fluke. Even more, there are plenty of others trying to obtain a Porygon for themselves, but that¡¯s really just due to wanting to make use of the species¡¯s skill with electronic management. But you...¡± His words briefly trailed off. ¡°But you obtained a Porygon completely outside any of that.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Redi asked, finally managing to catch up to him.

    ¡°So what?¡± Bill repeated as he blinked in confusion. ¡°So that means you¡¯re the only person that¡¯s actually been using a Porygon to battle!¡±

    Excitedly, he climbed the staircase two steps at a time, and Redi hurried after him. The mess wasn¡¯t as bad in this stairwell, but there were plenty of dirty coffee mugs that had been pushed to the stairs¡¯ sides.

    ¡°I have a computer up here. It¡¯s one of my first, so it¡¯s a little outdated even though I try as hard as I can to keep it in line with others. It might not be as fast as other devices, but it has basically all of my files. It should give us plenty of chances to see how a Porygon interacts with filesystems, but I have a few personal curiosities I want to check out first.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re here?¡± Redi asked. ¡°I wanted help with Porygon, and Mr. Pok¨¦mon told me you¡¯d give us that in exchange for their help in return.¡±

    Bill sent her a curious look.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he said, ¡°but it¡¯s all tied together! I don¡¯t know what Mr. Pok¨¦mon told you, but your research is my research! Well, I mean, I¡¯m actually researching a lot of stuff, but Porygon is really interesting. Just like you¡¯re the only one to put a Porygon into battle, you¡¯re also the only one to posit that the species can evolve!¡±

    He looked excited, and Redi realized that she couldn¡¯t forget one of Bill¡¯s other titles. As important as he was to so many regions¡¯ transfer architecture, he was also famously referred to as a ¡°Pok¨¦maniac.¡±

    The staircase didn¡¯t lead them to the usual kind of second floor. Instead, it opened up into a massive room so big that Bill had likely bought the neighboring houses just to knock out their walls.

    ¡°There. In the center. I affectionately call it ¡®The Machine,¡¯¡± he said.

    Redi scrunched up her nose.

    It was just a tube of metal covered in wires. It had a big keyboard and monitor, but they looked even more outdated than some of the PCs found in Pok¨¦mon Centers. The monitor didn¡¯t even have any graphics on it. It only displayed lines of text.

    The rest of the room was similarly unimpressive.

    All around this massive space, computer and machine parts littered the floor, and piles upon piles of paper lay scattered in seemingly random stacks. There were plenty of cardboard boxes as well, with a decent amount piled up next to that central computer. A few of them were open, and inside them, Redi could see rows of neatly organized cards covered in punched holes.

    ¡°Now where was...¡±

    After taking a moment to lovingly stare at his invention, Bill tore his gaze away and marched to the side of the room. A mound of loose papers sat before him, and he shoved in an arm to dig through them before yanking something out.

    He held the back of a shirt in his hand. A young girl about half of Redi¡¯s age dangled in his grip.

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    The girl yawned and rubbed her eyes as if she had just been woken up from a nap. Bill carefully placed her on the floor before giving her a sharp look with his hands on his hips.

    ¡°What did I tell you about using my notes as a blanket?¡±

    ¡°Just grab a real blanket if I can, or only use your notes from college?¡±

    He narrowed his eyes. The girl suddenly wilted.

    ¡°Oh no. You said to not use your notes from college. I¡¯m sorry. I forgot.¡±

    Bemused, Bill sighed and then regained a slight smile.

    ¡°Sister,¡± he said, very intentionally not using her actual name, ¡°we have a guest. This is Redi. Redi, this is my sister.¡±

    Bill was rich, and while he carried a lot of influence, he also tried his best to make sure his family could continue living a normal life. While it was a show of trust to allow Redi in here, it was also clear he didn¡¯t want to risk leaking more pertinent details about his family¡¯s identities.

    ¡°Nice to meet you?¡± Redi offered.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Bill¡¯s sister said.

    She yawned again and then turned around to dig through the pile as well. Like Bill had, she pulled something out, but she kept it in her arms instead of placing it back on the ground.

    ¡°And this is Eevee,¡± the girl said.

    The brown-furred Pok¨¦mon remained asleep in her arms.

    Bill spoke up once the introductions were done.

    ¡°I grew up in Goldenrod, but my main place of residence is over in Cerulean,¡± he said. ¡°This building isn¡¯t my home, it¡¯s just a place I stay while visiting my family. Of course, that means my family can also visit me, but we can make use of that!¡±

    Behind him, Bill¡¯s sister stuck out her tongue at him, but she hastily withdrew it before he turned back around. She kept quiet as Bill crouched before her, and then he sent her a soft look.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Redi came here for my help. I want to help her, but I also want to know if you¡¯d be willing to help us.¡±

    The girl frowned, but then her eyes widened in realization a second later.

    ¡°Oh. You need Eevee?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yup. I need Eevee,¡± Bill replied.

    She smiled ever so slightly and then looked around. Her eyes lingered on the center of the room, and she skipped over to its conspicuously open space.

    Behind her, Bill clapped his hands once. He walked up to Redi while asking a question.

    ¡°So! Redi, what can you tell me about Porygon?¡±

    ¡°Um, they eat programs, and¡­¡±

    She went on to explain everything she¡¯d observed about Porygon¡¯s species. Their eating habits, their training issues, as well as every move and skill they¡¯d learned.

    ¡°But I think¡­ out of everything, I¡¯m most worried about who they are,¡± Redi said at the end. ¡°There are times I think I almost see something, but it''s like they can''t form original thoughts or act by themself. Porygon follows commands, and I can have them memorize pre-set orders, but when it comes to making decisions...¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Bill said. ¡°How about you show me all of that in a battle?¡±

    Redi sent him a questioning look, and he simply smiled and gestured to his sister. The young girl had placed her Eevee on the floor and was now in the process of trying to nudge it awake.

    ¡°My sister and Eevee have been training together. They want to go on a journey once they¡¯re both more grown up. I¡¯d love to see how your Porygon battles, and they¡¯re the perfect opponents for this. They¡¯d also appreciate the chance to have a practice battle, too.¡±

    Redi eyed her would-be opponent. Bill¡¯s sister was young, and her Eevee was clearly unpracticed.

    But there was something there. They weren¡¯t totally inexperienced. And letting Bill see her and Porygon fight in a match could be important, especially since he was smart enough to piece together anything she might have missed.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Redi said. ¡°So do I just stay here, or...¡±

    ¡°I think over there will be good. I keep the center of this room open so my sister can train, but there should be enough space to support a short battle like this.¡±

    Redi found an open spot and faced Bill¡¯s sister. The floor was mostly clean, but a handful of loose papers remained scattered around.

    ¡°Rely on half power for this battle, Porygon,¡± Redi whispered to her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s Pok¨¦ball.

    Bill¡¯s expression lit up when he saw Porygon appear. His sister¡¯s Eevee suddenly looked more alert, now properly waking up when it recognized it was about to take part in a match.

    ¡°You can go first!¡± Bill¡¯s sister called out.

    Redi raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Cocky, huh?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us because we¡¯re young!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not underestimating you! I can just tell how strong you and your Pok¨¦mon are.¡±

    The girl snorted. Redi eyed both her and the Eevee.

    I¡¯ll start easy. We can¡¯t be seen as weak, but we can¡¯t exactly bully Bill¡¯s sister, either.

    The younger girl stood on her side of the ¡°field,¡± rocking on her feet with her arms held behind her back. She looked impatient for the battle to begin, and Redi wasn¡¯t one to tackle things slowly. So, Redi went ahead and gave the first command.

    ¡°Jab!¡± she shouted.

    It wasn¡¯t a fancy code name like her other chain commands, but it wasn¡¯t like this was a fancy strategy, either. Porygon simply enhanced themself with a Sharpen, and then they lunged for a simple, enhanced Tackle.

    ¡°Like developing sharper polygons in a three-dimensional graphic...¡± Bill mumbled quietly. ¡°Appears almost computer-generated. I bet I could make an identical model easily enough.¡±

    As interested as he was at the sight of Sharpen, his sister almost looked insulted.

    ¡°Just that? Really?¡± she asked with a scoff. ¡°Eevee! Barrage them with Swift!¡±

    Her Eevee backflipped to jump over Porygon¡ªan excessive way to move but something they had clearly trained¡ªand then it swung its tail through the air. Stars were left in the fluffy swish¡¯s wake that then rushed where Porygon floated.

    But it was just a low-level Swift. Those stars had nothing on how Sam¡¯s Typhlosion could use the move.

    ¡°Take them,¡± Redi ordered. ¡°Use Recover into Lock-On.¡±

    ¡°Lock-On?¡± Bill said to himself. ¡°And Recover?¡±

    The stars hit, and though scuff marks were left on Porygon¡¯s side, they shone with a light that then caused them to disappear. Bill¡¯s sister called for her Eevee to use Quick Attack, attempting to have her Pok¨¦mon circle around, but Porygon rotated in place to track it, unerringly locking their eyes onto Eevee¡¯s own.

    ¡°Charge Beam,¡± Redi ordered.

    ¡°Sand-Attack!¡± Bill¡¯s sister called out.

    Another backflip, and another swish of its tail. This time around, Ground Type energy let Eevee conjure and toss out sand, but Porygon¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t disrupted. Lock-On ensured that Porygon¡¯s Charge Beam would always hit.

    Mid-air, Eevee attempted to twist around to try to minimize the damage it was about to take, but it was still struck. Though the damage was significant for a Pok¨¦mon at its level, it stayed conscious thanks to Porygon lowering the output of their move. However, the force of the Electric Type attack still saw Eevee be knocked back, but credit to it, Eevee managed to spin in the air to land on its paws.

    But it had still taken plenty of damage from that one attack.

    Regardless, it pushed on.

    It¡¯s nice to see that it¡¯s trained, but we¡¯re way stronger. No sense in letting this go for too long. We should finish the match before we disappoint Bill.

    Redi grinned to herself as the energies of Charge Beam suffused Porygon to boost their special attack. She pointed forward the same moment Bill¡¯s sister called out, but she let the younger girl speak first.

    ¡°Fine! If you¡¯re going to attack from range, then we¡¯ll get in close! Use Take Down, Eevee!¡±

    Even though the recoil from Take Down would just see Eevee faint¡ªBill¡¯s sister clearly lacked battle experience¡ªRedi still wanted to show off one final move.

    ¡°Tri-Attack!¡± Redi yelled.

    Bill sucked in a breath. His sister, annoyed as she recognized what was about to happen, kicked at the floor.

    Three motes of energy formed in front of Porygon. Fire, ice, and electricity energy combined into a neutral sum. Those three points then connected to form a triangle, and they spun and spun and spun and were launched out at their opponent.

    Eevee tried to flip away once more, but its movement only looked impressive. Flips weren¡¯t the fastest or most efficient way to dodge, and the Pok¨¦mon was struck, the move bursting in a chaotic mass of energy against its fur.

    The Tri-Attack inflicted its full damage and launched Eevee back. The Pok¨¦mon hit the floor, bouncing once. It was clear that it had fainted.

    ¡°Eevee!¡±

    Bill¡¯s sister ran to where Eevee had landed. She scooped her unconscious Pok¨¦mon into her arms and sent Redi a glare.

    Redi smiled back.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t really get to show it off, but I have other commands we could have used. Orbital Porygon Space Cannon is my favorite¡ªit¡¯s Magnet Rise, Lock-On, and Zap Cannon to give them the height needed to unleash their strongest attack with perfect aim.¡±

    She then froze, feeling like the dumbest trainer in the world.

    ¡°Wait, what did I do?! I didn¡¯t show off Conversion! Ugh, that¡¯s like their best thing! Porygon can change their Type based on their last move!¡±

    With her shout of ¡°Conversion,¡± Porygon immediately followed that command. On the field, pixels rippled across their body, but nothing changed. Their last used move was the Normal Type Tri-Attack, so they maintained their current Type.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve seen Conversion before. You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Bill said. ¡°Most researchers just think of it as a curiosity rather than anything useful for battle, though.¡±

    ¡°...Huh. Why?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Conversion¡¯s pretty quick and can be super useful. If you time it well, you can change Porygon¡¯s Type for defense¡ªor even better! It¡¯s great at enhancing their attacks!¡±

    Bill rubbed his chin.

    ¡°Fond of strong moves?¡± he asked.

    Redi met his look with a cheeky grin.

    ¡°Only the strongest for my team!¡± she said with a good amount of cheer.

    Behind them, Bill¡¯s sister carried her Eevee to one of the boxes at the side of the room and dug through to pull out a diamond-shaped capsule of a Revive. Cracking it open, she scattered the healing dust over her Pok¨¦mon, and her Eevee slowly came to as the exceptionally strong medicine rapidly cured its wounds.

    She then shot Redi another glare.

    ¡°You''re mean.¡±

    Redi''s eye twitched.

    ¡°Yeah? Well, you''re annoying.¡±

    Bill was too busy staring at Porygon to notice that exchange. Both Redi and Bill¡¯s sister stuck out their tongues at one another, and their taunts lasted until Bill finally spoke.

    ¡°You''re programming them.¡±

    Surprised, Redi stopped what she was doing to look up.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Your Porygon,¡± he said. ¡°Based on what you described with that ¡®Cannon¡¯ strategy and your demonstration of ¡®Jab,¡¯ it¡¯s pretty obvious that you''re training them as if they''re a program. So let me ask you a question: how complex of a command can you input?¡±

    ¡°...Input? I wouldn''t call it that,¡± Redi grumbled, but she did go on to speak normally. ¡°I guess it''s just been some basic but specific stuff. I have commands that represent chains of moves, and then I also have a system that lets me call out positions on the field.¡±

    Bill nodded.

    ¡°I see. I see! Functions and variables, then. So for food, based on what you said earlier, what kind of programs do you feed them?¡±

    Redi brought out her graphing calculator. She would regularly restock it with downloadable programs each time they visited a Pok¨¦mon Center. Sending him a nervous glance, she handed it to Bill. He went on to hit its buttons to scroll through the device¡¯s current entries, and as he did, he gained a strange look in his eyes while taking them all in.

    ¡°Have Porygon enter my computer,¡± he said suddenly.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°I have a theory,¡± Bill answered, looking back up. ¡°Don''t worry about my stuff¡ªI have backups. I just need you to send Porygon directly in.¡±

    Cautiously, Redi looked over to her Pok¨¦mon and nodded. Rather than gesture for any signal, she simply repeated Bill¡¯s request as a command.

    ¡°Enter the machine in the center,¡± she ordered.

    Porygon floated over and passed through the towering device¡¯s screen.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Bill said quietly. ¡°Look. They¡¯ve appeared as a sprite in the corner. The Machine shouldn¡¯t have that kind of display functionality. Porygon even has their colors!¡±

    Porygon stood out from the lines of text on the green-black screen. They waited in the bottom-right corner, resembling a sort of pop-up that seemed poised to ask Bill if he needed assistance.

    ¡°Tell them to eat something,¡± Bill then prodded.

    ¡°What kind of program?¡± Redi asked.

    She didn¡¯t receive a response right away.

    Instead, Bill paused, silently staring at his computer¡¯s screen and Porygon on it. A strange look entered his eyes as the corner of his mouth curved up for a smile. The room felt utterly silent for a single moment before he finally gave his one-word answer.

    ¡°Everything.¡±

    To that, Redi nodded once.

    ¡°Alright. Got it! So you hear that, Porygon?¡± Redi called out. ¡°Feel free to do what you want! Feast as much as you can!¡±

    Immediately, text began to scroll through the screen. Filenames and commands were entered one at a time before turning into more complicated strings. Redi was somewhat familiar with the process from the times she had Porygon clean out the calculator as a reward. This time around, however, was something else, and the rate at which Porygon was ¡°eating¡± began to rapidly speed up.

    ¡°It''s fast.¡± The comment came from Bill''s sister, who moved up to them while carrying the now-conscious Eevee in her arms. ¡°And it''s getting faster.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Bill answered. ¡°And I think¡­ This confirms my theory. Redi, I believe Porygon is a datavore.¡±

    ¡°I already knew that,¡± she said flatly.

    Bill just shook his head.

    ¡°No. You thought Porygon ate data for sustenance, and while I do think there''s some truth in that, there''s also something else to it. Eating programs like this isn''t just fueling them. It¡¯s also giving them information they use to learn.¡±

    ¡°So, what, they¡¯re only improving because they¡¯ve been eating?¡± Redi asked. ¡°Training Porygon didn¡¯t matter? The only reason they got stronger at all was just because they were feeding on programs?¡±

    She tasted something sour in her mouth, but Bill shook his head again.

    ¡°No, both were important. For this, Porygon needed the experience. When it comes to true understanding... That''s a more complicated subject. Porygon could have never gained what was needed through consuming data alone.¡±

    On the screen, command lines changed from long, complicated strings to full-on functions and then pages of code. Words upon words appeared and then flashed away as Porygon continued their feast and ate Bill¡¯s filesystem from the inside out.

    Bill looked enthralled. His sister watched with interest at his side. Redi remained silent. She¡¯d never seen Porygon act like this before.

    ¡°Right now, Porygon are considered to be oddities. They''re a data-based Pok¨¦mon, yes, but there''s not much else known about them other than that,¡± Bill said softly. ¡°They''re primarily used as research assistants and organizational managers. Most people don''t want to risk having their data disappear, so they simply never let their Porygon eat too frequently. After all, why would they ever want to risk losing their hard-earned data?¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t care about that,¡± Redi replied. ¡°And I had Porygon eat all the time.¡±

    ¡°So you did, and that let your Porygon adapt to the process,¡± Bill continued. ¡°All of that is coming together before us right now. The strength that came from training. The programming that came from your command-like moves. All the snippets they picked up from the graphing calculator. All of that combined means that when presented with enough information, supported by the experience they¡¯ve earned, then, like an evolutionary stone¡ª¡±

    Bill went utterly silent when a brilliant light emanated from the screen of his machine.

    Redi couldn¡¯t see what was going on. The white completely overtook the text of the computer as well as Porygon¡¯s sprite in the corner. The monitor had a black background, but that became completely replaced with white. The light grew and grew and grew, until¡ª

    CLICK.

    The power shut off.

    The room went dark before the whir of generators echoed out, and the computer began going through the slow process of its reboot.

    ¡°Is Porygon¡ª¡±

    Redi didn¡¯t finish her sentence. From the monitor, something pink and blue burst out, and that blur slammed into her chest.

    Whatever it was hummed, and then that same sound turned into a whine. She could feel something smooth pressing against her, and she looked down to see Porygon¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t Porygon. They had the same basic shape, but it was like their body had been made sleeker and far more smoothed out.

    ¡°...Porygon?¡± Redi asked in disbelief.

    The Pok¨¦mon brought up its head, and its eyes curved up for a smile.

    To Redi, that smile meant everything. It was everything. The reaction wasn¡¯t Porygon following a command, and it wasn¡¯t Porygon simply mimicking a smile. It was a demonstration of true, genuine emotion, an expression of both thanks and affection for everything Redi had done.

    She couldn¡¯t do anything else; Redi collapsed to her knees, and Porygon followed. Breathing in a shaky breath, she threw her arms around the floating Pok¨¦mon, and then she let it all out.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried! I thought this wouldn¡¯t work and you¡¯d be stuck as a machine forever! When the power went out¡ª When the computer turned off¡ª I thought... I thought¡ª!¡±

    She sobbed and hugged her Pok¨¦mon.

    Porygon, in a sign of independence so unlike their pre-evolved form, rested their head on her shoulder, and that just made Redi cry even harder. To her side, Bill looked on with a soft smile, and even his sister, who had never waited to express her annoyance, also huffed in amusement.

    ¡°Amazing. I didn¡¯t expect this to work, but that surge of data was really what Porygon needed. But I also don¡¯t think this could have worked on its own. Porygon needed practice learning and adapting to figure out how to develop further, and that means...¡±

    Suddenly looking up, he rushed over to his computer.

    ¡°If there¡¯s any data left, this is an opportunity! I might be able to record what happened and tie that development to a disk!¡±

    He began to type furiously as Redi continued to hug her Pok¨¦mon. She knew that Porygon was no longer a base Porygon but a Porygon2, except saying that out loud was annoying so she was just going to keep calling them ¡®Porygon¡¯ regardless of their species¡¯s real name.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,¡± she said.

    Her heart melted when Porygon¡¯s eyes curved up for a smile once again.

    When she finally let them go, they excitedly circled around her. She laughed at their reaction, and it took several minutes before Bill spoke again.

    ¡°There are opportunities here if you¡¯re interested,¡± he said as he hurried through his work. At this point, his sister walked back to sit on a nearby box, already looking bored. ¡°Hoenn¡¯s Mossdeep Space Center has been looking for a Pok¨¦mon to help with rocket launches, and your Porygon is sleek enough and has the needed traits to likely be it. Similarly, the Galactic Corporation over in Sinnoh has been undergoing related space-based research, and they¡¯d be very interested in acquiring this kind of data.¡±

    ¡°So... you''re selling this?¡± Redi asked as she walked over.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Bill answered easily enough.

    Redi wanted to protest the idea of Bill just getting richer off of her and her Pok¨¦mon¡¯s hard work, but she wasn¡¯t in a position to object. Part of her contract with Mr. Pok¨¦mon was to share information about new discoveries, and when it came to Porygon¡¯s evolution, Bill had the right to decide how it was spread thanks to how he had effectively enabled it.

    She could still grumble, though.

    ¡°So you''re just getting even richer off of this.¡±

    But when she said that, Bill stopped typing to look at her.

    ¡°Hold on, is that what you thought I meant? No, no, no! As far as I¡¯m concerned, this discovery belongs to you. All I did was the equivalent of giving you a rare stone¡ªit''s like your Growlithe that evolved into the newly discovered Arcanine. It¡¯s your Porygon that evolved into a greater version of Porygon!¡±

    ¡°Wait, so when you brought up those companies¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don''t get me wrong. I want a share so I can put the funds into future research and development. Mr. Pok¨¦mon can take his ten percent, but for us, I¡¯m thinking... twenty-seventy?¡±

    ¡°Thirty-sixty,¡± Redi countered, trying to increase her split.

    ¡°Generous! But I¡¯d think I¡¯m already rich enough, so I¡¯d be more than happy with just twenty percent. But let¡¯s meet halfway. How about I just get twenty-five, and then you can have the other sixty-five percent?¡±

    Redi opened her mouth, unable to find the right words. Much like his sister, Bill stuck his tongue out at her before returning to his work.

    (No, the thought of that much money did not make Redi drool. Sure, selling data on Porygon¡¯s information would be an enormous sum, but there was no way she¡¯d drool over the simple idea of earning a lot of cash. Nu-uh. No way. It was just that she happened to get distracted while thinking of food and definitely nothing else.)

    But this really might be a lot.

    ¡°How much?¡± she asked cautiously.

    Bill gained a small smirk.

    ¡°Well, the Mossdeep Space Center and its researchers won¡¯t be able to offer much, but the Galactic Corporation? They¡¯ll pay a lot for specifics.¡±

    She went silent again. Her head felt like it was spinning. As per her contract with Mr. Pok¨¦mon, Bill had the right to decide what to do with this as long as the information was shared. Redi would have thought that meant it¡¯d be spread around for free, not that she¡¯d suddenly be getting so much potential cash shoved into her pocket.

    Yet, she was having trouble focusing on that. After all, Porygon had evolved. Given everything else that happened with Bill¡¯s machine...

    Gah! Who cares about that cash? This can¡¯t just be my money. Sam¡¯s the whole reason I knew how to get here. So I¡¯ll take the same twenty-five as Bill. It hurts, but I¡¯ll leave the rest to him.

    Raw cash wasn¡¯t as thoughtful of a gift as a good present or information about a new discovery, but she could at least picture Sam¡¯s shocked face when she informed him of it once they met back up in the Conference.

    She could also picture all the ways he¡¯d try to turn it down, but that just meant she had plenty of time to come up with counterarguments in her head.

    ¡°How long will that kind of discussion take?¡± she asked. ¡°And, uh, what¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the discussions. I can handle that. I¡¯ll make sure you get the sum you deserve. As for what¡¯s next...¡± Bill awkwardly laughed to himself. ¡°Well, if Porygon evolved, their capabilities have certainly improved. I don¡¯t suppose I could get your help organizing and digitizing my files?¡±

    His eyes flicked to the countless stacks of paper in the room, and Redi let out a nervous chuckle. Yet, at her side, Porygon seemed down for it. If anything, they seemed excited at the test of what they could do.

    And that mere sign of independent thought alone made Redi¡¯s heart melt even more. If Porygon wanted to do it, then she would work as hard as she could without complaint.

    So over the next while, Redi helped Bill, continued to visit other researchers on Ursaring¡¯s behalf, and even tested out what a Porygon2 could do in battle. Her team grew leaps and bounds, and once it was clear that Porygon could teleport farther than ever before, she finally picked up someone else who¡¯d been waiting for far too long.

    Finally, after retrieving a larger sum of cash than she expected, she earned her eighth badge with only days left in the season, and then she went to Silver Town.

    To reach the Conference.

    To compete in its battles.

    To meet up with Sam and so many others.

    And to finally finish the season by proving herself and her team against the strongest trainers in all of Indigo.

 Chapter 138

    Chuck knelt on his knees, hands pressed against his legs. He kept his back perfectly straight as if at attention but hung his head as low as it could go.

    ¡°I¡¯M SORRY!¡±

    His voice wasn¡¯t sad, desperate, or anything that apologetic. Sam honestly thought it sounded more like a shout from a drill instructor. It was something that had been demanded to be repeated, so his voice carried volume more than it did emotion.

    The opposite was true of the response. A brown haired woman stared down at Chuck with a raised, twitching eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re sorry?¡± came her reply. ¡°You really think a simple sorry is going to cut it? Think about this from my perspective: I¡¯m cooking dinner, you get a call, then you yell something about bringing a guest over, and now you¡¯re suddenly back here without any notice.¡±

    The woman before him crossed her arms, glaring at him while waiting for a reply. The entrance to Chuck¡¯s home had a lowered wooden floor, which meant she stood a full foot above him. The elevation difference gave her a towering presence that made her seem all the more imposing.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Chuck. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re getting away with this with just a few sweet words. You¡¯re sleeping on the couch tonight.¡±

    The shirtless man slumped.

    ¡°And no second helpings at dinner.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he mumbled, somehow even more depressed than before.

    From there, the woman turned her gaze away from the Gym Leader to where Sam stood behind Chuck. Sam froze the second her attention landed on him, but her expression immediately turned soft.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about my poor husband¡¯s impulsive actions. He tends to act without much thought. Quick to think, quick to act. There¡¯s a reason he¡¯s so fond of that Primeape of his.¡±

    She chuckled to herself as Sam hurriedly nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re required to stay just because my husband asked, but his invitation does hold. You¡¯re welcome to rest as long as you need. We have plenty of food to spare for both you and your team, and as for your clothes...¡± A hint of disapproval flickered over her face. ¡°If you stay, leave them out and I¡¯ll wash them for you. They¡¯ll be nice and clean by the morning.¡±

    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine, really. I bring soap with me when I travel so that when we pass by any water¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re staying here tonight. Your clothes will be clean by the morning,¡± she said.

    Sam gulped.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    She sent him a sweet smile before turning around and marching back to the kitchen, where a pair of Primeape were helping her cook dinner. As the strong scent of fresh food drifted out, Chuck finally let himself breathe, and a cheeky smile crossed his face as he scratched at his beard.

    ¡°I love that woman,¡± he said.

    Sam proceeded to have the most awkward dinner he¡¯d ever had in his life. He, Chuck, and Chuck¡¯s wife sat around a table and ate a protein-rich meal. Nearby, a massive pot simmered on the stove, but it didn¡¯t stay there for long. Those two Primeape helpers grabbed it and left through the front door, likely bringing it to wherever Chuck¡¯s team members were staying.

    But since Sam was a guest, they fed him first, and they offered to feed his team, too. Except, even though he knew his team would appreciate the food, most of them didn¡¯t eat, and there was also the problem of the ¡°reveal¡± that releasing his team members would entail.

    So he ate in silence. Alone. (Mostly.) Chuck¡¯s wife glared daggers at her husband, and her husband sent googly eyes right back. Sam knew Chuck¡¯s name, of course, but Chuck¡¯s wife never introduced herself. At this point, he¡¯d been in their house for too long to ask, so he just sat in awkward silence and refused to reveal that he still didn¡¯t know.

    At least the food was good. And Chuck ate fast enough that the meal ended quickly. As soon as that happened, the Gym Leader practically ran outside. He shouted to his wife that he¡¯d get the dishes later, and she sent him a thin-lipped stare before disappearing somewhere deeper inside.

    Sam followed the Gym Leader out back.

    ¡°Whew. Alright. Didn¡¯t mean to strong-arm you there. Sorry about that¡ªdidn¡¯t think you wouldn¡¯t want to come!¡±

    Chuck¡¯s house wasn¡¯t located within Cianwood but a bit off to its side. It connected to a rocky, cliffside beach and a path that led into the forest. Sam didn¡¯t see any Pok¨¦mon out here, but there was a weight bench on the sand. Chuck immediately approached it, picked up a weight, and then put it down so he could grab a bag of sweets hidden beside it. He popped one into his mouth before holding it toward Sam.

    ¡°Want one?¡± Chuck asked.

    ¡°...Sure.¡±

    Sam cautiously took the dried, sugar-coated piece of fruit and almost grimaced when he bit down¡ªit was far too sweet. Chuck happily chewed on his and then took one more before putting the bag back down.

    ¡°So! You were told to check out Johto by Brawly himself, and then you never questioned why a Hoenn Gym Leader told you to visit a different region, hm?¡±

    ¡°Well, there was the Beginner¡¯s Tournament¡ª¡±

    ¡°I trained him!¡± Chuck boasted. ¡°I made Brawly into the powerful Gym Leader he is today!¡±

    Chuck bent down to grab that same weight he¡¯d moved over and began doing curls. Honestly, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the man was in shape or not. He was somehow both covered in muscle and filled out with fat.

    ¡°A while back, Brawly called to explain all of the nasty details. He felt bad about how a trainer supposed to be his treated you so improperly¡ªbut honestly, that man was just a holdover from the last Gym Leader¡¯s Gym! But Brawly wanted to do something but has his limits due to being new to the job. He called me up to ask for a favor¡ªsent you here to make sure Chuck would treat you right!¡±

    The heavy man let out a boisterous laugh before changing which arm was curling the weight. He grunted while working up a slight sweat, and Sam shifted awkwardly on his feet.

    ¡°So, um, training? Do you... want me to lift weights?¡±

    Chuck laughed again.

    ¡°No, of course not! Brawly was impressed with that Cyndaquil of yours. Or, I suppose it¡¯d be a Quilava by this point. The plan was that when you came here for your first or second badge, I¡¯d give you a few tips and tricks. You¡¯d then move on with a much stronger team, ready to complete Johto¡¯s Gym Circuit and reach the Conference!¡±

    Chuck grinned before leaning back. He placed the weight down and started to bench press a heavy bar¡ªwithout a spotter.

    ¡°But why did you think I¡¯d come here first?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Well, Cianwood is right next to Olivine, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Except that path doesn¡¯t make sense. Think about it; I¡¯d have to go back through the same city I just left if I did that. Or I¡¯d have to take a boat to Goldenrod and skip Ecruteak¡¯s Gym.¡±

    After a few more reps, Chuck grunted and put the bar back on the bench.

    ¡°But you could have just taken on Ecruteak last?¡± he countered, sitting up as he spoke.

    ¡°I wanted to see its Ghost Types, and Johto¡¯s shaped like a circle. The path I took made sense, even if I almost messed up when it came to the strength requirements for Clair¡¯s Gym.¡±

    The moment Sam mentioned Clair, Chuck groaned and smacked his forehead.

    ¡°Ah, Clair!¡± he shouted, just now making the connection. ¡°Our plan would have never worked! With her limits on challengers¡ª¡±

    He paused.

    ¡°Wait, hold on. You beat her?¡±

    Sam nodded and quickly explained what happened with Redi and Clair. He went over the quick story of their double battle, purposefully leaving out details on Dragonair and his brief trip to the Sinjoh Ruins.

    As Sam finished, Chuck hummed approvingly.

    ¡°How many badges do you have?¡± the Gym Leader asked.

    ¡°Seven.¡±

    ¡°Huh. That makes sense. I just don¡¯t know whether to be insulted or complimented that you saved me for last.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Chuck rubbed his chin, and Sam awkwardly continued to wait where he stood. While he was thankful that Brawly tried to set this up, if the two men wanted him to come here for extra training, they could have at least told him to head to Cianwood first.

    But I ended up making a connection with Morty instead, and I learned about ghosts¡ªreal ghosts. Every choice I made led up to Typhlosion¡¯s evolution, and I wouldn¡¯t have met most of my team if I had taken a different path.

    He was happy about his journey. He had no reason to dwell on what-ifs. As far as he was concerned, he made no mistake when choosing to head to Ecruteak for his second badge. He might have missed out on some early training, but Chuck specialized in the Fighting Type. While help with Mankey might have been nice, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to provide much else when it came to Sam¡¯s desire to train Ghost Types.

    ¡°I do have to ask,¡± Chuck said, still somewhat humming to himself in thought. ¡°Would you still want that? My assistance with training your team?¡±

    ¡°Maybe? It¡¯s complicated.¡± Sam rubbed his arm. ¡°I mean, it might be helpful for at least one or two of my team members, but I¡¯m trying to be a Ghost Type specialist. For basically my entire team, what we really need is...¡±

    Shadows. Darkness. An area attuned to their ghostly nature that¡¯d allow them to truly master their Type. I can¡¯t deny a Gym Leader¡¯s expertise is invaluable, but Chuck could only really help Typhlosion, Annihilape, and maybe Trevenant. But we need to focus on everyone¡¯s shared Type instead of just physical moves. Our strength will lie in techniques only Ghost Types can master. If we can get deep enough in, the Ilex Forest is the perfect place for that.

    Sam knew that returning to the Ilex Forest was critical for the future strength of his team. Everything about it practically screamed that it was the perfect place to train: it was where he had caught Misdreavus, it was a location ripe with Gastly, its darkened depths could maybe help Haunter evolve, and if there was ever an area more Trevenant could be found, it would be somewhere like within those ancient woods.

    Nodding to himself, Sam reaffirmed his decision to leave Cianwood as fast as possible.

    Chuck looked over him and let out a sigh.

    ¡°Ah. Ol¡¯ Chuck got to you too late. You already know how to fight with your team. There¡¯s not much I can do to help. You¡¯ve already been through almost an entire journey all on your own.¡±

    ¡°Not on my own. With my team,¡± Sam corrected, and Chuck gained an approving smile. ¡°But don¡¯t get me wrong! I appreciate the offer. It¡¯s just... Like I said, I train the Ghost Type.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Chuck understands,¡± Chuck said. ¡°I might be a Gym Leader, but my Pok¨¦mon are all about their physical power. We could try to show you the wonders of physical conditioning, but that... doesn¡¯t apply.

    ¡°A trainer needs to be strong, but Ghost Types and special attackers need to be clever more than anything else,¡± he said.

    Chuck then stood up and stretched, swinging his arms. Sam didn¡¯t miss the implication that Chuck thought himself not clever enough to help out with that.

    ...But Chuck was a Gym Leader. If he thought he wasn¡¯t clever, then his team¡¯s strength laid somewhere else. Likely, given everything else, his team¡¯s physical power was incredibly high.

    ¡°Alright. I can at least offer a few of my thoughts. A handful of tips and tricks based on your team!¡± Chuck practically roared. ¡°Send out your Pok¨¦mon! I can tell you what I¡¯ve seen other trainers do and fulfill Brawly¡¯s request in a different way, hm?¡±

    His eyes bore into Sam. Sam nervously bit his lip.

    He didn¡¯t reach for his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls.

    Once more, he awkwardly rocked on his feet.

    ¡°My team is... special,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Every trainer¡¯s team is special. Everyone has their own secrets. Trust me when I say that I won¡¯t reveal anything. I have plenty of other secrets I won¡¯t be sharing with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s just...¡±

    How do I phrase this?

    ¡°I... used to have a Primeape on my team,¡± he ended up going with.

    ¡°Oh? You traded it?¡± Chuck asked, his voice curious.

    ¡°N-no.¡± Sam couldn¡¯t meet Chuck¡¯s eyes. ¡°My Primeape. He, uh, evolved?¡±

    He looked up after speaking that final word to find Chuck staring at him with unblinking eyes. The Gym Leader didn¡¯t move in the slightest for several long seconds before he clutched his stomach and laughed.

    But Sam wasn¡¯t laughing.

    Chuck just as quickly schooled his expression.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡±

    ¡°Why would I joke about this?¡±

    ¡°You evolved a Primeape. You¡¯re saying a Primeape can evolve. And now you don¡¯t want to show it to me, the Gym Leader known for training Primeape?¡±

    Chuck was a Fighting Type specialist, but he was pretty unique among Gym Leaders. Most Gym Leaders specialized in a single Type and had an Ace Pok¨¦mon, but Chuck actually had two Ace Pok¨¦mon¡ªhis Poliwrath and his Primeape.

    Honestly, Chuck was even someone Sam could ask for advice when it came to ranching all of those Mankey back at Carl¡¯s, but Sam didn¡¯t see the point. If he wanted a Gym Leader to take care of his Pok¨¦mon, he¡¯d just talk to Brawly. In that case, the Fighting Type Gym would be closer to home.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said. He wasn¡¯t sure what else to say.

    Chuck was frowning as he looked over Sam, but then an excited glint entered his eyes.

    ¡°Hold on. If you have seven badges... I need to know: you were the one to challenge Jasmine, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Sam paused as well.

    ¡°A lot of people challenge Jasmine,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°If you mean her core team¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, that little... No wonder she was so vague!¡± Chuck couldn¡¯t stop his laughter. ¡°It all makes sense! Everything! You are the surprise she was talking about!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Chuck saw Sam¡¯s bewildered expression and quickly explained how he knew¡ªapparently, Olivine shipped a lot of goods to Cianwood, and Cianwood provided medicine in return. Certain healing plants only grew on this island, and due to that connection, Olivine and Cianwood Gyms were in contact more often than any other two Gyms in the region.

    ¡°You might not have beat her, but I did hear about the battle. She refused to speak much about her ¡®mysterious challenger¡¯s¡¯ team, but she did say she encountered a few surprises I¡¯d enjoy.¡±

    ¡°So what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t lie, your team would beat mine at your level,¡± Chuck answered. ¡°Maybe not my core team, but definitely my eight-star one. After all, most of your Pok¨¦mon could just phase through everything. It wouldn¡¯t be a challenge, especially if you managed to defeat Jasmine¡¯s Steelix! So I might as well just give you the Storm Badge¡ª¡±

    ¡°What? No. I refuse. Our Gym Challenge is not ending like this,¡± Sam immediately interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to accept getting my final Gym badge like this just because we can technically beat you.¡±

    And Chuck grinned.

    ¡°Good. You have fighting spirit. If you had accepted my offer there, I wouldn¡¯t have given you the badge!¡± Chuck laughed once more at Sam¡¯s flat expression. ¡°No. I¡¯m allowed to change around my challenges as I will, so with your kind of team... Hm. If you have an evolved Primeape, I don¡¯t want to see it anywhere else but in battle, so let¡¯s do this differently:

    ¡°We won¡¯t have a full team match. I¡¯ll test your Pok¨¦mon one by one. We¡¯ll have a series of independent matches whenever you¡¯re ready. You¡¯ll be allowed to use as many Pok¨¦mon as you want as long as you include no repeats, and you¡¯ll earn my Storm Badge once you defeat three of my own.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The catch? There is no catch,¡± Chuck answered with a small smile. ¡°Well, there might be one: these are one-on-one matches. So they don¡¯t have to all take place at once. But like I said, you won¡¯t be allowed to use the same Pok¨¦mon more than once.¡±

    Chuck maintained a feral smile, and Sam could tell he was looking forward to this challenge. However, Sam didn¡¯t accept it right away. There was only so much time in the season. Taking on an extended fight like that would reduce the time spent training in the depths of Ilex Forest.

    ¡°Can I have time to think?¡±

    Sam would come to the decision in the morning. He hadn¡¯t planned to take Chuck on until tomorrow, anyway.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Chuck slapped his legs and stood up. ¡°Works for me¡ªsleep on it! For now, I have Pok¨¦mon to feed! And just so we don¡¯t have to do any too-early reveals, I¡¯ll bring some food out here for yours, too!

    ¡°Take as long as you want, and don¡¯t feel like you have to accept this offer,¡± Chuck continued. ¡°Even if you choose not to accept this, a normal Gym Battle is perfectly fine, too¡ªjust know that I won¡¯t go easy on you!¡±

    The man exposed his teeth with a wide grin before slapping Sam on the back, causing Sam to stumble forward. Chuck was too busy laughing to notice Sam¡¯s near-fall, and then he marched back inside to gather the food¡ªand likely to clean the dishes, just as he promised.

    <hr>

    Sam trained with his team to the north of Chuck''s home the day after, practicing where the island¡¯s deciduous woods gave way to a short, rock-covered beach. It almost, almost reminded him of the time he went out exploring with Cyndaquil before they started their journey, but back then, he only rarely ventured out into the woods in search of Ghost Types, and he frequently preferred indoor research over anything outdoor or practical.

    Out here, he wouldn¡¯t be bothered. Most trainers in Cianwood practiced to its west, deeper into the island. Many often trained within a nearby cave¡ªagain, not unlike Dewford. Route 47 was technically to the west as well, but it didn¡¯t lead anywhere. Some big construction had been taking place at its end, but that construction hadn¡¯t been finished for years, and most people weren¡¯t even sure what it was supposed to be.

    But that still meant the vast majority of trainers were elsewhere, giving Sam a quiet to think¡ªas quiet a moment as training could be. In front of him, Annihilape wailed against Trevenant¡¯s bark, the two of them practicing melee offense and defense respectively, and Typhlosion and Misdreavus played a game where they sent wisps at one another in geometric patterns. The other Pok¨¦mon was meant to match the pattern with their wisps to negate it or risk getting hit.

    As for Haunter, he was involved with one other Pok¨¦mon, laughing alongside many of the Gastly, ignorant of the withering glare being sent at him from the shadows. Using his floating hands, he would scoop up Dreepy, bring him back, then chuck him forward as fast as possible only for Dreepy to zip back and squeak out a sound that could only be, ¡°Again! Again!¡±

    All the while, Sam watched, silently going over Chuck¡¯s offer as well as his plans for his team. He did want to head out as fast as possible, but he didn¡¯t want to pass up the growth that¡¯d come from a more difficult Gym challenge.

    With time running out, he had a hard balance to strike, but he eventually made his decision.

    ¡°Misdreavus,¡± he said. He looked over to the Pok¨¦mon in question while calling out her name.

    With his shout, Annihilape froze mid-punch. Haunter paused right after chucking Dreepy one last time. In the shadows, Drakloak turned her gaze to look on curiously, and Typhlosion let her wisps fade to give Misdreavus the freedom to leave.

    ¡°Mis.¡±

    Misdreavus knew why Sam had called her over, and the team went silent as she approached. Sam reached into his pack to retrieve a certain item, and then he looked over every Pok¨¦mon here.

    ¡°Chuck presented us with a challenge,¡± he said, his voice slow and serious. ¡°A series of battles. Six one-on-one matches. All to see if we can get three, individual wins and earn our final badge.¡±

    His eyes met those of every Pok¨¦mon on his team. Drakloak tried to pretend she wasn¡¯t involved, but Dreepy was listening as seriously as he could, so she drifted out of the forest while trying to pretend as if she was still staying behind.

    ¡°However, the problem with this challenge is that a full team match would be faster,¡± Sam continued. ¡°And if we have a normal match, we could leave Cianwood as soon as tomorrow if we win. And we would win. Chuck already admitted that. The point of this modified challenge would be to push us even harder, but it would also take up more of our time.

    ¡°Every moment we spend here is one less moment we¡¯d be spending in the Ilex forest. It¡¯s one less moment we¡¯d be mastering the Ghost Type, and it¡¯s one less moment we¡¯d be trying to get Haunter to evolve¡ªwhich we know will take a long time.¡±

    Sam clutched the Dusk Stone in his hands. Misdreavus patiently waited at his side.

    He wanted his team to come to a decision, and he wanted everyone to have time to think. In the meantime, however, there was something else that needed to be done, and Sam held out the Dusk Stone. Misdreavus¡¯s eyes gleamed as she beheld the item presented to her in the air.

    For a second, it looked as though she was hesitating, but she was just taking the moment in. Once she was satisfied, she rushed forward and pressed her forehead to the darkened shard¡¯s jagged tip.

    The very instant she touched the Dusk Stone, it was like the night contained within rushed out to join with her. It left behind a fragile, dull grey stone that reminded Sam of quartz, and he had to reposition his grip to not shatter it in his hands.

    Misdreavus, however, changed with that infusion of energy. Under the light of a brilliant glow, she grew taller, and her hair shifted around to reshape itself into a witch¡¯s hat. She gained a proper body instead of a short dress that flowed beneath her, but more importantly, when her evolutionary light broke, she now had a proper set of arms.

    ¡°Mis, mis!¡± she said cheerfully. Her voice almost resembled a cackle. ¡°Mismagius!¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, Mismagius,¡± Sam said. ¡°You''ve finally evolved.¡±

    Mismagius grinned at him, and the gemstones embedded in her chest seemed to sparkle alongside her emotions. Typhlosion let out a celebratory roar, and the rest of the team shared congratulations of their own.

    If anything, Mismagius¡¯s evolution seemed to affirm their shared decision. She and Typhlosion shared a look¡ªreaching the Ilex Forest was important¡ªbut none of them wanted to pass up the chance at taking part in a tougher fight.

    ¡°Alright, but we also have to recognize this will be against the Fighting Type. All of you would be immune to most of what they can do.¡±

    Sam paused for dramatic effect.

    ¡°So I¡¯ll be making a request to fix that,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ll want Chuck to use Foresight. Plenty of Fighting Type Pok¨¦mon can learn that move, which outright causes Ghost Types to lose their immunity.¡±

    Without asking for that added challenge, his team would just be able to phase through most of Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon¡¯s attacks. Even if Chuck¡¯s team members used something like Dark Type moves, they wouldn¡¯t be as effective as if the Pok¨¦mon stuck to their favored, Fighting Type attacks.

    But now, his team would actually need to worry. They wouldn¡¯t be able to glide to an easy win by just bouncing around in melee. There¡¯d need to be more of a strategy involved to maintain a win.

    Fighting in a tough battle with that handicap would make the delay worth it.

    ¡°Our goal isn¡¯t earning us the Storm Badge. It¡¯s to fight in the Conference. Most of the trainers there will have defeated Chuck, so we¡¯re not trying to just beat him; we¡¯re trying to beat everyone who already earned this badge.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a challenge, but we will win. It¡¯s only a matter of having the proper plan,¡± Sam continued. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Chuck that we¡¯ll be accepting his once, albeit with that caveat, once we reach his Gym, however...¡±

    Drakloak froze when Sam met her gaze.

    ¡°Drakloak, do you want to fight with us?¡± he asked.

    Everyone turned her way.

    Momentarily, she was surprised to be called out like that, but Dreepy didn¡¯t hesitate to shout his encouragement. She turned away with a purple blush that crossed over her face, but she still nodded in the end.

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°Thank you. Then, we¡¯ll be facing Chuck soon, and I¡¯ll want to call on you for your help once we¡¯re more fights in. However, it¡¯s still morning. Let¡¯s get some last-minute training in before we head to our final Gym Badge battle.¡±

 Chapter 139

    Before anything could be done about Chuck, Sam needed to familiarize himself with the changes to his team¡ªspecifically, with what Mismagius, Drakloak, and Dreepy were capable of in battle.

    Mismagius was still Misdreavus, but her evolution had increased her speed and special capabilities. She was faster, stronger, and more capable of taking ranged hits, but most importantly, she had more control.

    Besides the general energy-efficiency benefits, her control brought a qualitative difference to her use of Shadow Sneak. Where Haunter and the Gastly needed to dive into existing shadows to mimic that move, Mismagius could create new shadows from anywhere.

    Except, that¡¯d always been true. It was why she was the only one on the team considered to know the move in the first place. No, the real change came from how Mismagius created her shadows:

    She could now create shadows within the air itself.

    That meant she wasn¡¯t limited to shadows cast onto objects. She didn¡¯t need to dive into something to move around. When Sam shouted for her to use Shadow Sneak, she would turn dark and transparent, and then she would shift toward her target destination through the air.

    ¡°This will change things. It opens up a lot of opportunities for evasion, but I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s capable of being used defensively now,¡± Sam said after a few rounds of testing. ¡°A better way to withstand attacks would let you last a lot longer. But even if that part of Shadow Sneak hasn¡¯t changed, I really just have to say how incredible you are, Mismagius.¡±

    Mismagius gained a wicked grin that she tried to hide by lifting an arm. Loose shadows hung off that new limb, making it seem as though she was draped in purple robes. The natural hat on her head added to that, casting her eyes into a shroud of darkness.

    Overall, she looked like an evil witch.

    Sam thought that was amazing. It suited her perfectly.

    But Mismagius needed help to test her new Shadow Sneak, so Sam called Drakloak over since he needed to learn more about her as well. When he called out her name, she eagerly zipped over. However, she seemed more excited about the idea of showing off her moves than she was about helping out.

    (Dreepy looked almost ecstatic to be here with how he vibrated on her head.)

    ¡°Alright.¡± Sam looked between the two sides of this would-be test, making sure both Mismagius and Drakloak were getting prepared. ¡°Drakloak, attack Mismagius once. Use whatever ranged move you prefer best.¡±

    Mismagius sent Drakloak a taunting smirk, and one of Drakloak¡¯s eyes twitched in annoyance. Earlier, when everyone raced to test out Mismagius¡¯s speed, Drakloak had made the unfortunate discovery that Mismagius could now almost match her pace¡ªat least, when Drakloak wasn¡¯t using Agility.

    However, Drakloak had her strengths, as Sam was coming to learn. For battles, she primarily knew attacks or moves that assisted her attacking moves, such as the few attacks a Dreepy could learn.

    She knew the same moves as her brother¡ªAstonish, Quick Attack, and Bite¡ªbut both of them also knew something called ¡°Infestation,¡± a strange Bug Type attack Sam had never seen before in Johto.

    He felt as though he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that Dreepy and Drakloak were familiar with another Bug Type attack given how easily their line picked up U-Turn. U-Turn itself had some interesting quirks, but when it came to Infestation, the more he read about it, the more he understood just how well it fit with his team.

    On paper, Infestation was simply another damage-over-time effect. While it did do some initial damage, it wasn¡¯t much, and its damaging effect was altogether small. However, when combined with other effects like burns, Curses, and Leech Seeds, Infestation could see a Pok¨¦mon faint without much need for direct offense.

    But Infestation carried a second, more important aspect. Specifically, it prevented a Pok¨¦mon from switching out while under its effects.

    Sam already knew Mean Look was valuable, and Infestation was a Mean Look that dealt ongoing damage. Drakloak didn¡¯t even realize the power she possessed in battle. To her, Infestation was just a ¡°weak¡± attack that her pre-evolved form could learn, and it was clear she never once thought about relying on what it could do.

    However, that was just due to her mindset being different. She¡¯d spent so long fighting on her own alongside her brother that she never put thought into how well Infestation let her fight on a team.

    Sam could see it now: Drakloak would be sent in, she would use Infestation to keep her opponent present, and then she¡¯d be free to use her best attacks like Dragon Pulse and Phantom Force as she pleased. Sam could send her out at any time to trap opponents and maintain an advantage. Infestation could be used to make sure weakened opponents fell to their conditions, and then those weakened opponents would also be forced to contend with a Pok¨¦mon capable of evolving into a pseudo-Legend at the same time.

    She would be a menace, and there was a second level to her current potential as well. While Infestation could trap an opponent, Drakloak couldn¡¯t be trapped herself. Her Ghost Type let her switch freely, but she also had U-Turn.

    After all, U-Turn allowed its user to recall themselves whenever they wanted. Under the League¡¯s current rules, using U-Turn didn¡¯t count against a trainer¡¯s otherwise limited switches.

    Any time Drakloak appeared on the field, she could trap her opponent with Infestation, deal some damage, and then return herself with a single U-Turn. If it turned out she was in a bad match-up, she could give Sam a free switch into a more suitable team member. She wasn¡¯t just a special attacker. Those base two moves would let her define and control the entire flow of the match.

    She could be a constant threat. A persistent harasser. When combined with a few other moves she could potentially learn¡ªspecifically, Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp¡ªshe fit perfectly into the team¡¯s strategy.

    But Sam didn¡¯t say anything. Not now, at least. Even with how much he wanted to gush about Drakloak, he didn¡¯t want to pressure her into being caught. Dreepy would probably cry tears of joy if Sam brought up that option, but Drakloak was proud. She was sticking around because while she was definitely interested, she didn¡¯t want to broach the topic of being caught.

    Not yet.

    For now, Sam kept that spare Ultra Ball in his backpack for whenever she finally decided to truly join. He wouldn¡¯t begrudge her if she chose to move on¡ªbut he¡¯d seen how she watched his team practice. There was a deep desire to participate, even as much as she tried to hide it.

    Just being willing to fight Chuck alongside him was already a massive first step. He would be patient if it meant Drakloak would be the most comfortable in the end.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    Sam realized his Pok¨¦mon had been waiting for him. So caught up in his thoughts about Drakloak¡¯s potential, both Drakloak and Mismagius had been stuck facing each other while using a few preparatory moves. But they were finished, now. Both of them had completely set up. With locked eyes, they faced one another, and Drakloak let out a small growl.

    There was no sense in making them wait any longer.

    ¡°Go!¡± Sam shouted.

    Right away, Drakloak pulled back to let Dreepy fall in front of her face, and shadows already began to shroud Mismagius¡¯s form. There was a glint in Drakloak¡¯s eyes that made Sam realize that she wouldn¡¯t be holding back. She¡¯d be putting everything into this move to test it against Mismagius.

    And Mismagius won¡¯t be able to dodge. Drakloak used Lock-On. No matter what, Dreepy is going to hit.

    The move Drakloak unleashed was her and her brother¡¯s favored attack: Dragon Pulse. Draconic flames surrounded Dreepy and sent him rushing forward like a missile. The squeal of delight that left his throat merged with the roar of the fiery energy, and he rocketed directly toward where Mismagius floated in the air.

    Quickly, she used Shadow Sneak in an attempt to dodge to the side. Avoiding the move would have defeated the point of this test, but with Drakloak¡¯s Lock-On, the shift wasn¡¯t enough.

    Like with Redi¡¯s Porygon, Drakloak could give herself perfect aim. However, Dragon Pulse had a longer travel time than Porygon¡¯s quick beam attacks. But Dreepy was a part of the move, and Drakloak had aimed her attack to give him the most freedom to adjust. Using the aerodynamics of his head, a slight tilt to the side caused the Dragon Pulse to curve, and he adjusted his path to slam right into Mismagius¡¯s chest.

    If this attack had been solely mundane, the Shadow Sneak¡¯s etherealness might have worked as a defense. Unfortunately, this was a Pok¨¦mon move. While Dreepy¡¯s presence gave Dragon Pulse a physical aspect, the attack still carried energy that aligned with its Type.

    As a result, Dreepy phased right through, but given Mismagius¡¯s half-present form, so did the Dragon Type energy. It followed him in before spreading out, piercing into her chest and dealing more damage than it otherwise would have dealt.

    A haunting wail left Mismagius¡¯s throat. Across from her, Drakloak smirked.

    ¡°Are you okay?! Sorry, Mismagius. I know we tried this with your old version of Shadow Sneak, but I really thought it would work here.¡± Sam was already pulling a Potion out of his pack. ¡°I should have realized it¡¯d be the same. It seems that using Shadow Sneak this way gives you a lot more room to maneuver in the air, but if it also makes you more vulnerable, we need to practice with it to make sure we don¡¯t...¡±

    He let his words drift off when he saw that Mismagius was glaring at Drakloak. As Dreepy returned to Drakloak¡¯s head in what Sam recognized to be a Quick Attack, Mismagius suddenly brought up her arms.

    She wouldn¡¯t be backing off. Not after that attack. Not after that taunt. There was no way she¡¯d let that go unanswered after Drakloak¡¯s smirk.

    Drakloak saw Mismagius¡¯s challenge and easily met it head-on. Letting out another growl, she lowered herself to prepare even as Sam shouted for them to wait.

    Mismagius conjured a Shadow Ball.

    Drakloak tensed her body in the air.

    When the Shadow Ball was released, Drakloak took off, and Dreepy squeaked in enjoyment at the speed in which they were brought forth.

    The second the Shadow Ball collided with them, Drakloak used Take Down to let her break through thanks to its insulating Normal Type energy. She still took her share of damage, and Take Down¡¯s recoil added to that. However, it let her maintain velocity as she passed through, giving her a chance to rocket right up to Mismagius¡¯s face.

    A flash¡ªa gemstone embedded in Mismagius¡¯s chest saw her fire out a beam.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Shadows¡ªDrakloak used her speed to twist around the Power Gem attack, and then those same shadows cloaked her for the start of a Phantom Force.

    However, whatever exchange this was set to become never properly concluded. Typhlosion let out an annoyed roar, and with a dual use of Agility and Quick Attack, she was suddenly right there, looking more than just displeased, using Detect to predict both combatants¡¯ movements and interrupting their clash.

    Shadow Claw allowed her to grab Drakloak before Drakloak fully faded away for Phantom Force. As for Mismagius, the start of a Psychic was disrupted when Typhlosion smashed a paw into her chin and pushed her head up.

    ¡°...Really?¡± Sam said.

    Mismagius blinked away the cruel machinations brought on by her previous, preparatory uses of Nasty Plot. She sent Sam a cheeky-yet-apologetic grin, blushing with embarrassment at having lost herself like that.

    Meanwhile, Drakloak looked much more unrepentant. After all, she was a Dragon Type. Facing others in challenge is what her Type did best.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop any rivalries if you two want to have one, but I do have to give you a warning,¡± Sam said, his tone serious. ¡°Ghost Type energy isn¡¯t meaningless. It carries side effects that aren¡¯t just risks for humans. So, don¡¯t form grudges. Don¡¯t fall into the trap of overly negative thoughts. You¡¯re Ghost Types, so being consumed by that kind of stuff is easy for you. Please, keep in mind that we¡¯re friends here. I¡¯ve been lucky enough to be warned in the past, so I¡¯m sharing that same warning with you.¡±

    Mismagius had already heard all of this before, and she tugged down the rim of her hat to cover her eyes. She bowed her head lower than before, looking even more embarrassed than she did earlier.

    But Drakloak just looked annoyed. She had wanted to fight, to prove her strength in battle as well as to show off the power of her moves.

    Except, when she sent Sam a single glance, she froze when she saw he wasn¡¯t kidding. He would allow fights, but not fights that carried true hostilities underneath.

    Dreepy let out a whine from atop her head, apologizing for being so caught up in the speed of it all. For a second, it seemed as though Drakloak was about to brush him off, but she didn¡¯t.

    She lowered her head in apology as well.

    For an evolved Dragon Type to do that, she demonstrated a true respect for Sam¡¯s authority.

    ¡°I... Um. Mhm. Thank you, Drakloak,¡± Sam said, clearing his throat and trying his best to not look away with a blush. ¡°I know backing down isn¡¯t easy, and I really appreciate your understanding. Just trust me when I say you¡¯ll get a chance to battle¡ªand you¡¯ll see yourself start to truly master Ghost Type energy once you get a bit more practice with everyone else.¡±

    He sent Drakloak a smile, and she nodded while facing the ground, still listening but unable to meet his eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be facing Chuck soon, so know that you¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to prove your strength. But for now, watch the first few fights to see how our strategy works. Drakloak, I¡¯ll be saving you for the end to give you the most time to prepare, but be careful.

    ¡°This is our last Gym. We need to be ready. Nothing about facing Chuck will be easy when it comes to earning our final Gym Badge.¡±

    <hr>

    One of the reasons Sam was willing to accept Chuck¡¯s challenge was that it was a test of his skill as a trainer just as much as it was a test of the individual power of his team. Though it was a Gym Challenge, it was practice. Its general set-up mimicked the Conference.

    There, trainers would be assigned opponents they would have to face the following day. Trainers would have less than twenty-four hours for prep time, not the week-or-so to which Sam was accustomed.

    For that reason, he approached the Gym as soon as it was midday. He planned to tackle this as fast as possible both as a test for himself and to make sure he could reach Ilex Forest as soon as he could. He also wanted to catch at least one of Chuck¡¯s matches so he could have some information to work with. He was aware of the man¡¯s strength as a Fighting Type specialist, but he couldn¡¯t say he truly knew how Chuck would fight.

    As he arrived, he saw that Chuck¡¯s Gym building was unique. Gym Leaders tended to have a lot of leeway for their Gym¡¯s form and function. Sam had seen it many times before from the traditional style of Morty''s Ecruteak Gym, to the box-like refrigerator that was Pryce''s Mahogany Gym, and then to the various hive-like greenhouses that were the Gym of Azalea Town.

    Here, the main Gym building resembled a sort of dojo, but its true interior was outside. Carved into the cliffs behind the Gym building, Chuck''s main battlefield and practice area was located in a short, rocky-yet-idyllic canyon that had waterfalls pouring down its sides.

    This part of the Gym was open to the public¡ªmostly. While not just any trainer could practice out here, anyone could come in to watch Gym battles and observe the various Fighting Types in training. When Sam joined the few people from around town that were already watching Chuck¡¯s latest ongoing challenge, he sat on one of the benches carved into a hillside and looked down at the battle taking place below.

    He didn¡¯t expect to see a Hoenn-native species down there.

    ¡°Breloom, Mach Punch!¡± a trainer shouted.

    ¡°Detect, Hitmonchan,¡± Chuck countered with an authoritative voice.

    Chuck stood tall, broad-shouldered, and confident, posing with his arms crossed while standing on a stone platform that¡¯d been carved out of the floor. His challenger was beneath him¡ªliterally¡ªbut also because his Pok¨¦mon was winning the fight with ease.

    No matter how strong this Breloom was, it was going against the master of the punch in melee. Chuck¡¯s Hitmonchan ducked, weaved, and bobbed out of the way of each strike. With every slight movement, it avoided one of the Breloom¡¯s clawed attacks, and then it would slip in to retaliate with a sharp jab of its own.

    Hm. Breloom is part Grass Type, but why isn¡¯t its trainer calling for a status move? Spore or Sleep Powder would be incredible here. I don¡¯t get how they¡¯re fighting a Pok¨¦mon at my team¡¯s level if they¡¯re only sticking to basic attacks.

    Unfortunately, Sam didn¡¯t get the chance to see much more of the battle or even start to understand the challenger¡¯s reasoning. Breloom was their last Pok¨¦mon. This match was already at its end.

    ¡°Finish it,¡± Chuck said.

    Ice crackled around the Hitmonchan¡¯s fist. As angry as the Breloom looked, it couldn¡¯t block the next hit. An Ice Punch slammed into its chest, and the impact saw the Pok¨¦mon fly far back.

    When the referee called out that Breloom fainted, the audience clapped. Sam did as well.

    The challenger returned his Pok¨¦mon, and that same buff man in a sweatshirt thrown over a gi announced the end of the match.

    As if the battle was only a warmup, the Hitmonchan started to shadowbox in place, looking no worse for wear. Chuck laughed at the sight and hopped off his rock, approaching his challenger to shake hands and whisper a few advising words.

    ¡°Okay. That Hitmonchan is at the level we¡¯ll be dealing with,¡± Sam whispered to his shadow, speaking to his team. ¡°Expect all of Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon to dominate in melee. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure if Annihilape could handle that. With how familiar Chuck is with the Primeape line, he¡¯ll probably see through all of our tricks.¡±

    Sam tried to share as much advice as he could by going over everything he could think of that might be related to Chuck. Chuck¡¯s Primeape and Poliwrath were obvious future opponents, but with a Hitmonchan currently down there, Sam had no doubts that Chuck would employ the other members of the ¡°Hitmon¡± line.

    But as he leaned in and tried his best to share everything he could, Chuck finally parted ways with the trainer he¡¯d just defeated. Though he had never acknowledged Sam''s entrance, the second he was free, the Gym Leader turned to lock eyes with him.

    ¡°...And that¡¯s all the time we¡¯re going to get,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°We¡¯re already being summoned to fight.¡±

    He left his seat to walk down to the field. This was already far less time than he expected to prepare.

    ¡°So!¡± Chuck spoke in a gruff voice, swinging his arms to stretch as Sam approached. ¡°Accepting my offer? Want to get your first match in? We have a bit of time between scheduled battles, and practice is practice, no matter what form it takes!¡±

    Sam sent Chuck a curious look.

    ¡°If you have a match coming up, shouldn''t you use this period to rest?¡±

    ¡°What can I say?¡± Chuck said, replying with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ve been told I have great stamina!¡±

    He laughed more heartily than Sam had ever heard him laugh. Sam didn¡¯t find the joke funny.

    ¡°But you are right,¡± Chuck continued. ¡°My team and I should take a break. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll limit us to just one match for now. That, and... hm. Hitmonchan?¡±

    He looked over to his Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You¡¯re on deck! One more battle, and then you¡¯ll be on break for the rest of the day!¡±

    His Hitmonchan nodded back to him, a fire entering its eyes at the thought of another match. The gi-wearing referee dashed over from the side to begin applying a Potion to the Hitmonchan¡¯s small number of wounds.

    ¡°So! Our battle. You are accepting, right?¡± Chuck asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± Sam said, ¡°but I also have a request.¡±

    Chuck raised an eyebrow at that and waved a hand, beckoning for Sam to continue.

    ¡°I train Ghost Types, but I don¡¯t want to have my Pok¨¦mon just phase through all of your team¡¯s attacks. Since we¡¯ll be fighting in a bunch of one-on-one battles, is it possible for you to bring in another Pok¨¦mon for them? One that just maintains a Foresight from off to the side?¡±

    ¡°A Foresight?¡± Chuck rubbed his chin before grinning in delight. ¡°I see. You want to eliminate your Ghost Types¡¯ immunity! Now, that¡¯s a challenge. I wholeheartedly agree!¡±

    He was about to call for that same referee to do something, but they had already heard Sam¡¯s request. The ref quickly finished treating the Hitmonchan before running back to the side and releasing a Machoke.

    ¡°On it, boss!¡±

    And then, with just a few whispered commands, that Machoke gained a certain glint to its eyes.

    ¡°There. Machoke will make sure your Pok¨¦mon can be hit,¡± Chuck said. ¡°You¡¯re good for our match now, right?¡±

    He sounded like a kid told he¡¯d be getting candy.

    ¡°I am, but just so you know, I¡¯m not going to use any of my special Pok¨¦mon just yet. No evolutions¡ªat least not while we have an audience,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Aw.¡± Chuck slumped as Sam moved off. However, right after he began walking away, the Gym Leader suddenly shot up. ¡°Wait, any of your special Pok¨¦mon? You have more than just¡ª¡±

    But Sam was already in the challenger¡¯s box, and Chuck couldn¡¯t do anything but laugh. The noise echoed out over the field as he moved back to his platform and faced Sam with his arms crossed.

    ¡°Remember! Your challenge is special¡ªany Pok¨¦mon sent out here can only show up once! Victory or defeat, you only have one shot to win with each member of your team!¡± he shouted. ¡°You must obtain three wins to claim my Storm Badge, so, Samuel, I ask you this: Are! You! Ready?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Sam said, easily meeting the challenge in Chuck¡¯s eyes.

    For this battle, Sam planned to use Haunter. He was saving Typhlosion and Annihilape for later, and Mismagius could use more time to get used to her new form. Trevenant was a decent option, but that Ice Punch from earlier worried him. It was less about the super-effective damage it represented and more about how an unlucky freeze would see Trevenant¡¯s self-healing cut in half.

    Since Drakloak wouldn¡¯t be competing until the later rounds, that left just Haunter. With his tricks and status moves, he was the perfect scout to test Chuck¡¯s strategy.

    ¡°The rules?¡± Sam asked.

    Though the referee stood at the side, Chuck was the one to explain.

    ¡°One Pok¨¦mon each. No switching. Standard League rules apply¡ªmostly. Machoke will maintain a Foresight. Don¡¯t disrupt him during our fight.¡±

    Sam nodded once before tossing a Pok¨¦ball into the air.

    ¡°Haunter,¡± he said.

    Disappointment briefly flashed over Chuck¡¯s face.

    ¡°A common Ghost Type? Hm. Could be worse.¡± Chuck scratched at his beard. ¡°But it¡¯s a mistake to use a Haunter here. You¡¯re underestimating us if you think an unevolved Pok¨¦mon will win!¡±

    There was no sense in sharing any further taunts. The referee called for the start of the match, and Chuck and Sam yelled their commands.

    ¡°Mach Punch!¡±

    ¡°Curse!¡±

    As the Foresight took effect, Haunter seemed to lose a bit of his amorphousness, but he was otherwise fine to fight. He had already picked up Curse thanks to his evolutionary line¡¯s ease with the move as well as help from Typhlosion¡¯s expertise.

    Thus, he was able to act first, especially since the Hitmonchan seemed to be giving him the first move. But, instead of forming any sort of dagger, Haunter coalesced shadows around his thumb and stabbed that into his chest.

    It was a much faster version of Curse since anything else would have been theatrics. Honestly, when Morty¡¯s Gengar first demonstrated it to Sam, it was probably just showing off.

    The self-inflicted pain from Curse caused a sympathetic effect in Hitmonchan.

    It lurched.

    Yet, it was only a bit of pain. Hitmonchan was still able to draw its arm back.

    Despite the damage caused by the ongoing effect, it brought forth an incredible amount of momentum in a single punch. Mach Punch saw it shoot across the field, and Haunter was forced to wrench himself up. By moving higher into the air, he was just barely able to avoid that lightning-fast strike.

    ¡°Jump,¡± Chuck said quickly before Haunter got too far off the ground. ¡°Another Mach Punch! Smack it out of the air!¡±

    ¡°Spite!¡±

    Sam¡¯s shout came out as fast as he could. While Will-O-Wisp or Confuse Ray would have been a fine option here, Haunter would faint to any strike, and Spite could eliminate Hitmonchan¡¯s main form of movement as well as its strongest attack.

    Still, Chuck¡¯s Hitmonchan used its entire body to throw its punches, which meant it had in no way slacked off in training its legs. With a single leap, it got surprisingly high up, matching Haunter¡¯s height, and a Mach Punch saw itself be launched right at him.

    Kind of.

    Haunter¡¯s Spite didn¡¯t outright eliminate Hitmonchan¡¯s energy for Mach Punch, but it did disrupt Hitmonchan¡¯s channeling of the move. It was still able to use Mach Punch, but there was just the barest of delays to allow Haunter to move out of the way.

    Since Hitmonchan couldn¡¯t fly, the miss saw it land back on the ground, though the momentum of its Mach Punch saw it land with a slide. Already, it wobbled on its feet due to the ongoing pain caused by Curse. Out of all damaging effects, Curse was the strongest. Haunter just needed to last, and Curse would seal the fight.

    We need to keep up Spite, but we can¡¯t ignore dealing damage. Mach Punch is the only move that threatens us. We need to get rid of its use, especially since Hitmonchan doesn¡¯t seem to know any ranged attacks.

    ¡°Priority on Spite to delay it. Night Shade when you dodge¡ªuse it to hide and deal damage when it gets close,¡± Sam ordered. ¡°If you think you have a chance to pull it off, use Hex when you can.¡±

    As long as Haunter stayed in the air and prevented Mach Punch from landing, Chuck would have no way to win. Yet, Chuck didn¡¯t seem worried. He only looked thoughtful as he stared out over the field.

    ¡°I see,¡± the heavy man said slowly. ¡°Clever strategy. My Pok¨¦mon are best in melee, so your plan to get rid of Mach Punch while staying in the air isn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    Chuck then smiled, and it was the horrible smile of someone who had the upper hand.

    ¡°But you see, I can¡¯t say I enjoy those kinds of battles. They don¡¯t prove a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s strength. So! I make sure all of my Pok¨¦mon know a counter! We might not be great at range, but we always know how to shift things into a fight up close!¡±

    Hitmonchan stuck out an arm, but this time around, it wasn¡¯t for a punch. Instead, the back of its boxing glove-like hand faced Haunter, and then it brought its fingers forward-to-back in challenge.

    It might have looked like a mundane ¡°come at me¡± gesture, but the move¡¯s effects on Haunter were immediate and obvious. His usual, cheerful smile disappeared, replaced with a look of pure annoyance. Any thought of using Spite vanished from his mind as he raced toward his opponent instead.

    ¡°So how do we ensure that?¡± Chuck called out. ¡°The answer is Taunt! Under its effects, your Pok¨¦mon won¡¯t be using any status moves in this battle, Sam!¡±

    No matter what Sam shouted, Haunter didn¡¯t listen. He was too focused on using attacking moves, which was exactly the Taunt¡¯s demands.

    Taunt used Dark Type energy to enforce a challenge. As it was called, Taunt taunted its target into only ever using attacks.

    Therefore, a Hex formed around Haunter as he raced ahead to meet his foe. Then, simply and easily, Hitmonchan brought an arm back for a solid punch to Haunter¡¯s face.

    This clash ended it.

    Haunter¡¯s Hex was meaningless.

    Hitmonchan¡¯s punch was not.

    Haunter was not a physically defensive Pok¨¦mon and had already taken plenty of self-inflicted damage from his use of Curse. Chuck¡¯s powerful Fighting Type only needed this single attack to finish Haunter off.

    As Haunter hit the ground, Sam came to a sudden, horrible realization:

    If Taunt forced a Pok¨¦mon to only ever use attacks, then the vast majority of his team¡¯s strategy could be countered by this single move.

 Chapter 140

    Relying on status moves in battle required a careful balance, especially since status moves were a core part of Sam¡¯s strategies. Most trainers would have their Pok¨¦mon pick up a handful, but only to use in support of their attacks. For Sam, the application of conditions and esoteric statuses was what brought his team to victory. However, he couldn¡¯t only rely on status moves since that wasn¡¯t enough to win, and only relying on attacks made it so fights were decided by individual power alone at best.

    All of this taken into account, Sam thought he had a strong understanding of how status moves and attacks played off one another. Status moves allowed attacks to land more effectively, and attacks pressured opponents to allow for statuses to take the most effect.

    His understanding had been growing. His strategy evolved. Even when he made mistakes, he learned, like how facing Will had taught him that he needed to rely more on offense and how facing Jasmine had taught him he had relied on offense too much.

    But against Chuck, he was now learning something else: how his strategy could be countered.

    He was also learning about the impact of a little move called ¡°Taunt.¡±

    Sam had thought about Taunt before, of course. He was always aware that it could prevent the use of status moves. However, he hadn¡¯t paid it much mind because it had its own counters, like switching or just relying on his team¡¯s still-potent attacks. It was a threat, but one in the background. Before, he had yet to truly face it. Except now, he fully understood just how much its use shut down his team.

    He had called for Haunter to use Spite to shut down Hitmonchan¡¯s Mach Punch. Sam wanted to prevent the close-ranged Fighting Type from reaching where Haunter floated in the air. He¡¯d called for a mix of status moves and attacks, as a balance was his preferred strategy, but Taunt eliminated half of that. Haunter was suddenly unable to disable his foe, and then there was also Taunt¡¯s aggression-inducing aspect.

    Taunt used Dark Type energy to literally ¡°taunt¡± its target. That meant it challenged Pok¨¦mon to fight head-on, seeing them give up the use of any status move and only rely on attacks. Under its effects, there was no room for latent Hypnosis or Will-O-Wisp or Spite or anything else. Taunt was simply a challenge in its purest form. Sam couldn¡¯t even call for his Pok¨¦mon to stall. Since Taunt taunted them into attacking, they would attack.

    It shut down Haunter. It would shut down Misdreavus. It would be great at limiting Typhlosion, and it could remove many ways Trevenant could heal.

    Sam now truly understood why Chuck taught his Pok¨¦mon this move. It wasn¡¯t even to disrupt his opponents¡¯ teams. It was just to make sure he could shift battles into being close-ranged melees in which his Pok¨¦mon performed at their best.

    ¡°Earlier, when you fought your last opponent...¡± Sam looked up from Haunter¡¯s Pok¨¦ball in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s why the Breloom wasn¡¯t doing anything. It was only using basic attacks because your Hitmonchan had used Taunt.¡±

    Chuck paused where he was patting his Hitmonchan on the back, looking over to Sam as he rubbed his chin and tried to remember what happened in the previous match.

    ¡°The Breloom? Oh. Yes. Yes, I did! I always have my Pok¨¦mon use Taunt whenever our opponent is too annoying. Makes battles more interesting, I¡¯d say!¡±

    He let out a booming laugh, and he bounced from the noise. It wasn¡¯t even that he was mocking anyone or bragging about his strategy. He was just a rather jolly man.

    And next to him, his Hitmonchan didn¡¯t seem to be bragging, either. It looked a little worse for wear after Haunter¡¯s Curse, but that pain was fading away now that the adrenaline of battle was gone. Slowly, the Fighting Type rolled its shoulders to try to break away from that tension.

    While Curse caused pain, it didn¡¯t inflict true damage. It would see a Pok¨¦mon faint, but it didn¡¯t actually take much for a victim to recover from it after a fight.

    ¡°Alright, Sam. We¡¯ll leave it here for now,¡± Chuck called out even as Sam was lost in thought. ¡°We do need to take a short break¡ªas that¡¯s an important part of training Pok¨¦mon, after all! Make sure you rest up yourself, and then make sure you¡¯re ready for our next match! You still have plenty of Pok¨¦mon left! I¡¯m expecting tough fights out of all of them!¡±

    Grimly, Sam replied with a nod.

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    Chuck shot Sam a wild grin as they both moved off the field.

    For now, neither of them shook hands. They didn¡¯t need to. They had plenty of one-on-one fights left. Sam had yet to earn his Gym Badge, and Chuck had yet to see all of Sam¡¯s team.

    As it stood, their battle wasn¡¯t at its end.

    <hr>

    Over the next few matches, Sam carefully observed how Chuck commanded his team. Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon might have been brutes, but they were trained brutes. Also, he didn¡¯t even use Taunt that much. Only certain opponents saw him order that move. He liked having his opponents come at him with options, but like he said, he used it whenever he thought fighting that way would become too annoying.

    Each time a battle ended, Chuck would speak with his opponent and then send Sam a look to invite him back down. Each time Chuck did that, Sam simply shook his head to decline. After how quickly Haunter fainted, he knew he needed to better understand how Chuck fought. He¡¯d underestimated him earlier. A bunch of floating Ghost Types might have had the advantage over a bunch of grounded Fighting Types, but that didn¡¯t mean they were guaranteed to win every fight.

    In the Conference, Sam did not doubt that other trainers would appear to have similar weaknesses. Not just that, but he was pretty sure he could find recordings of opponents¡¯ past battles and find signs of their weaknesses there. But the more experience an opponent had, the higher the likelihood that they would be aware of their team¡¯s gaps. And just like Chuck, they would have counters prepared to stop anyone from taking advantage of that in a match.

    In a way, that thought caused Sam¡¯s intended goal for these matches to shift. It was less about trying to prepare in a limited time and it was more about trying to find ways to fight against a team¡¯s counter-strategies.

    Piece by piece, Sam was able to put together facts about Chuck¡¯s team. Primarily, he began to understand just how monstrous Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon were. The man was a Fighting Type specialist, so his entire strategy revolved around making full use of his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical strength. Punches would always hit. Opponents would always find themselves chased down. Everything was decided to ensure the match would become a test of strength.

    Even with his Pok¨¦mon, Sam doubted his Ghost Type would be able to run away. With Chuck¡¯s expertise, no matter what, the match would end up in melee.

    ¡°He¡¯s like... a more agile Redi,¡± Sam whispered to his team while watching Chuck dismantle a team of Ground Types. ¡°Devastating moves, but faster Pok¨¦mon. Fighting Types aren¡¯t known for being quick, and I can¡¯t say Chuck¡¯s are, either. But they¡¯re determined. Persistent. Inevitable. We might be able to run, but we''ll never be able to escape.¡±

    Shadows churned under his feet.

    Another thing Sam noticed about Chuck was that for all the trainers he faced, he never sent out a single Poliwrath or Primeape. Sam knew the Gym Leader excelled with those two species, so not seeing either felt suspicious. It reminded him of how some trainers would hold back tricks for the later rounds of the Conference¡ªeveryone always wanted to save at least one trump card for a future, difficult match.

    At least, observing so many fights let Sam piece together a few obvious counters for Taunt. The biggest one was to rely on attacking moves that inflicted status conditions instead of relying on status moves themselves.

    Also, there was the obvious counter: don¡¯t get hit by Taunt in the first place.

    He could see openings, but he needed to test them out. As simple as Chuck seemed, there were a surprising amount of layers to the way he fought.

    So Sam watched more battles, left to get food with his team, and then came back feeling more prepared. However, he still waited longer than he first planned before accepting his next match. Doing so meant his schedule would be stretched one more day out, but he wanted to shift around the order in which his team fought, and he was learning a significant amount.

    When he finally approached Chuck for a battle, it was dusk. The Gym was effectively closed; Chuck had finished his last scheduled match.

    The audience was gone, but some Gym Trainers were still around. Not many, and the ones that remained were only finishing off with a few stretches alongside their Pok¨¦mon.

    Sam knew that some would see the Pok¨¦mon he planned to send out, but it wasn¡¯t like they could spread rumors that far before the Conference, anyway. A few weeks was a lot of time, but he¡¯d be spending most of that time away from where he could be contacted¡ªdeep within the Ilex Forest.

    ¡°Aha!¡± Chuck sent Sam a grin as he approached the Gym Leader on the field. Above their heads, the first few stars were just beginning to appear in the night sky. ¡°Done with your observations? Finally challenging ol¡¯ Chuck once again?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Sam replied. ¡°And I think I finally figured you out.¡±

    The Gym Leader said nothing else. He simply exposed his teeth with a smile. As a Fighting Type specialist, he practically lived and breathed tough fights.

    After a quick few words with a nearby Gym Trainer, Machoke came running out of the Gym, carrying tiki torches that they set up at the sides of the field. The flames provided light for this match, but they provided an inconsistent amount. They flickered and sent shadows writhing across the flat dirt floor. Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon would be able to see, but it also made it feel as though the match would be a ritual.

    Some Gym Trainers moved inside. One moved to the side of the field. They released a single Hitmonlee that gained a glint to its eye.

    Sam¡¯s request still stood; a Foresight would be maintained for this fight.

    ¡°Last time around, you knew I¡¯d use Hitmonchan,¡± Chuck said. ¡°This time, I won¡¯t reveal my Pok¨¦mon until the match itself, but I want your prediction: what do you think I¡¯ll send out?¡±

    His deep voice echoed across the field. He held a worn, scratched Pok¨¦ball in one hand.

    Sam held back a scoff¡ªhe thought it was obvious.

    ¡°Poliwrath or Primeape.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°Could be either,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll win anyway.¡±

    Chuck¡¯s laughter was a soft confirmation of Sam¡¯s guess, and the Gym Leader tossed up that Pok¨¦ball. Sam hurried to toss up the one he chose as well. He didn¡¯t want to give himself time to pick a counter, as all of his observations should have given him enough to decide beforehand.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Unfortunately, out of the two Pok¨¦mon this could have been, Chuck had chosen the one that¡¯d be the most difficult. Typhlosion herself had plenty of ways to fight and counter Taunt, and as much as Sam had sent her out here to see if his ideas worked, he now recognized they would have to deal with a Poliwrath¡¯s Water Type at the same time.

    But as long we¡¯re careful, we should be fine. Type advantage isn¡¯t anything. Typhlosion managed to last against Jasmine¡¯s Steelix. She can last against Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon here.

    Except, Sam remembered just how aged Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦ball had appeared.

    This wasn¡¯t just any Poliwrath.

    This was his ace Poliwrath.

    Despite his comments that this would be an eight-star fight, the Gym Leader didn¡¯t seem to be holding back.

    ¡°Ooh. Now that¡¯s a Pok¨¦mon!¡± Chuck¡¯s eyebrows practically shot to the top of his head when he saw Typhlosion appear. ¡°I¡¯ve fought plenty of Typhlosion before, and their burns are always a problem, but one that looks like that?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°A brand new variant,¡± he said, breathing out almost in disbelief. ¡°Based on her coloring... A Dark Type?¡±

    ¡°Ghost Type,¡± Sam corrected. ¡°Hisuian Variant. She¡¯s still a Typhlosion, but she¡¯s now also a guide for lost spirits.¡±

    Chuck let out an impressed whistle and glanced over to the Gym Trainer serving as the referee at the side. Typhlosion¡¯s flames lost a bit of their unearthly glow when the Hitmonlee¡¯s Foresight took effect, but she was used to being physical. She wasn¡¯t as ethereal as most other Pok¨¦mon on Sam¡¯s team and had plenty of experience fighting like this from back when she was a Quilava.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Chuck called out.

    ¡°Ready to kick your butt,¡± Sam shot back.

    Yet again, Chuck laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy this! That¡¯s exactly the kind of fighting spirit I want to see! But I hope you have a good strategy prepared because Poliwrath¡¯s starting with Water Gun!¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t expect to see a special move be used here, but Typhlosion was quick. As Chuck¡¯s Poliwrath clenched its fists at its side and thrust out its chest, she took off running with a quick use of Agility to outpace the Water Type¡¯s pressurized blast.

    ¡°Circle!¡± Sam shouted. ¡°Infernal Parade! Prepare what we talked about¡ªuse that strategy for this fight!¡±

    They needed to use what status moves they could before Chuck lured her in with Taunt. Sam didn¡¯t dare outright name any of them out of fear of baiting out Taunt too early.

    As Typhlosion immediately began to race around the Poliwrath, her gaze never once left her foe. Poliwrath maintained its Water Gun to chase her down, but even though Poliwrath was a Water Type, the move wasn¡¯t great. Chuck hadn¡¯t bothered its special attack.

    However, Sam quickly noticed that damage wasn¡¯t the purpose of the move. The threat of the water was enough; by having the stream follow her, Poliwrath was slowly guiding Typhlosion closer in.

    But for every foot Typhlosion ran, a dozen wisps entered the air. Infernal Parade followed its namesake¡ªthey chased after her as if in a parade.

    She sent those wisps at Poliwrath before too much time had passed. Yet, despite the attack hurtling toward his Pok¨¦mon, Chuck didn¡¯t call for a dodge or even for it to defend. He likely thought this attack would be a Fire Type move that Poliwrath could resist, but Infernal Parade was solidly a Ghost Type move.

    The ghostly flames were more ghostly than they were flames, and Poliwrath took full damage.

    More than that, the heat cut through its damp exterior to leave scorch marks:

    Poliwrath was now burned.

    ¡°Tch. Shoulda expected that,¡± Chuck said. ¡°But we¡¯re fine. Poliwrath, use Taunt!¡±

    If Water Gun wasn¡¯t bringing Typhlosion closer, then Taunt was his next best bet. Typhlosion could run all day, and Chuck wanted to finish this fight fast.

    But this was why Sam had sent Typhlosion out here. Haunter had scouted out Chuck¡¯s Taunt, and now Typhlosion would test out a counter to that move.

    ¡°Detect!¡± Sam shouted, dramatically thrusting an arm forward.

    With a flash of insight, Detect gave Typhlosion the know-how to avoid the effects of Taunt. She didn¡¯t exactly look away from Poliwrath, but she was able to completely ignore its Dark Type ¡°come-at-me¡± gesture despite keeping it in view.

    Perfect! Now we just need to keep up Infernal Parade while staying away with Agility, and we should pull this off!

    As strong as Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was, Infernal Parade was inordinately powerful once a condition was inflicted. He had already seen how powerful attacks could bridge a strength gap from when he had fought Jasmine. Infernal Parade might not have inflicted a faint-timer like Curse, but it would carry the same results.

    He also didn¡¯t want to risk cutting Typhlosion¡¯s health by calling for that move.

    So her Detect made Taunt fail, and Typhlosion kept running. She sent more wisps at the Poliwrath, and it grunted as they stabbed into its burns to deal double damage.

    But Chuck looked unbothered.

    He simply nodded once.

    ¡°I see, I see,¡± Chuck said without an ounce of worry on his face. ¡°Good counter, but it has a big flaw¡ªwatch this! Poliwrath, use Taunt twice!¡±

    Detect was similar to Protect in that it carried a chance to fail when used repeatedly. Protect required its expended energy to recharge, and Detect had a similar requirement before bringing out its heightened insight for a second time. However, there was always a chance to pull something off from what was leftover, so Typhlosion attempted Detect again.

    She ignored the first Taunt.

    Poliwrath kept it up.

    When it waggled its fingers for a second time, her face contorted with rage.

    With Detect failing to be used repeatedly, Taunt took effect. Typhlosion¡¯s Agility hadn¡¯t been completely eliminated, but she could no longer use it to maintain her speed or continue circling.

    She looked annoyed. Poliwrath had challenged her strength, and she would prove it wrong. The Dark Type energy that coursed through her wasn¡¯t her own, but she didn¡¯t pay that any mind.

    Suddenly skidding across the field to change directions, she charged right at Poliwrath, her parade of wisps growing behind her.

    Fine! It doesn¡¯t matter, Poliwrath is still burned! If Chuck is going to force us to attack, we just need to keep up the pressure!

    ¡°Hex!¡± Sam yelled.

    Poliwrath was already burned. Infernal Parade was no longer needed. Hex was ever so slightly stronger, and it only took a slight pulse of will for Typhlosion to change the nature of her move.

    Typhlosion¡¯s wisps stiffened and changed, becoming a deeper purple and less flame-like than they were before. They followed her even as she slammed into Poliwrath.

    But it withstood her attack. Poliwrath just barely remained standing even as purple needles jabbed into its wounds. Grunting, it was able to slam its gloved hands into Typhlosion¡¯s shoulders and stop her charge in place.

    Chuck didn¡¯t even blink.

    ¡°Waterfall!¡± he shouted.

    As Typhlosion snarled and snapped at her opponent, Poliwrath simply drew back an arm and slammed it into her face.

    Cloaked in water, the punch dealt super effective damage but wasn¡¯t enough to take her out. Poliwrath¡¯s burn limited its physical attack, but the impact still sent Typhlosion recoiling back.

    Sam shouted for her to use a move, but his yells didn¡¯t matter. Waterfall might not have fainted her, but it certainly did something else:

    Waterfall caused Typhlosion to flinch.

    Unable to react, it only took a single punch more for Typhlosion to fall. In the end, Sam lost to a few chances gone wrong: Chuck had sent out Poliwrath instead of Primeape, Detect had failed to work twice, and then Waterfall had managed to land in just the right way to lock Typhlosion in place.

    ¡°That¡¯s... unfortunate,¡± Sam grumbled.

    Unfortunate wasn¡¯t the most apt description, but the battle¡¯s outcome still favored him. These might have been one-on-one fights, but he couldn¡¯t forget that the purpose of these was to chase a victory as a whole.

    It hurt to see Typhlosion faint, but he couldn¡¯t ignore what he had gained. Where Haunter had scouted out the threat of Taunt, Typhlosion had proved his team could counter it.

    She had also helped to demonstrate just how strong Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon could be.

    As Chuck let out a roar to celebrate such a great match, Sam actually felt confident, which was strange to feel after a loss. Typhlosion was one of his best Pok¨¦mon, but that didn¡¯t mean the other members of his team were weak. With her help, he had everything he needed to make sure he won the rest of his fights.

    ¡°So how¡¯s that, Sam?¡± Chuck called out. ¡°Great battle, right? So since no one is around right now, and if you have that one Pok¨¦mon of yours¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Sam said, meeting Chuck in the eye. ¡°You¡¯ll see them in our next matches tomorrow, and there...¡±

    And there, Sam would be able to use everything he¡¯d learned to make his team win.

    <hr><hr>

    Mismagius did not hide in Sam¡¯s shadow, where so many other Ghost Types saw its darkness crowded. She kept herself to the side, within the torches¡¯s flickering shadows and next to the field, listening to the fat one¡¯s jolly laughter as the man shouted words of encouragement.

    The heavy man sent a friendly bump to her trainer¡¯s shoulder, and Sam stumbled forward. Briefly, an annoyed look crossed over his face, but the fat one didn¡¯t notice.

    They chatted, not shaking hands but just sharing a few comments. There was an apology¡ªthe fat one had gone a little overboard in his choices, but he didn¡¯t regret it. He knew Sam¡¯s team could handle it.

    He then expressed his disappointment that he wouldn¡¯t be facing Sam anymore today. After Typhlosion, he wanted to see what else Sam had in store, but Sam simply told him that he wanted more time to think.

    That was a lie, Mismagius could tell. Sam already had a plan, he just needed time to share it with the team.

    As Sam returned to Chuck¡¯s home, staying in the building that belonged to the very man who had defeated two team members that day, Mismagius followed. She would have been fine with staying in her Pok¨¦ball, but right now, she just wanted to observe. Her evolution had brought power, but it had also brought a slight shift in perspective. She could recognize the change thanks to how her trainer prepared her, but she also welcomed it.

    Being sneaky was fun.

    It took a bit, but Sam gathered the team. Mismagius left her shadow to listen in as he shared his thoughts with a surprising amount of confidence.

    She respected him. When push came to shove, he would gain a decisiveness that came no matter the loss.

    ...Although, he was still growing into it. Yet, at this point, she knew it was only a matter of time.

    She knew that Typhlosion knew that as well.

    Sam shared all of his observations and theories. He had a solid plan on how to counter that move. Protect and Detect were great at preventing its effects and creating openings. When Typhlosion¡¯s Detect prevented its effects the first time, he had failed to capitalize on the opening. After all, if a Pok¨¦mon was using Taunt, it wasn¡¯t using any other move.

    Also, he had noticed one other detail: Chuck would never use Taunt right away. For the Gym Leader, Taunt was a card he pulled only when he needed it. Chuck¡¯s strategy was based around close-ranged fights, but Taunt was just one tool out of many. No matter how ¡°straight-forward¡± Chuck¡¯s strategy seemed, it was still a strategy, and all strategies could be countered.

    Every Pok¨¦mon here listened with rapt attention. Mismagius kept to the back, watching and listening from the shadows as Sam spoke. She learned of his plans as well as what she would need to do. After all, if Chuck waited to use Taunt, that meant she had plenty of time to use Nasty Plot right off the bat.

    Afterwards, Shadow Sneak. She could rush her foe to surprise them, defeating the whole purpose of using Taunt if she were to attack regardless. Nasty Plot could boost her moves to make her a credible threat, and her past practice with Annihilape meant she had decent odds of avoiding Chuck¡¯s melee strikes.

    The goal was for her to be overwhelming, but she¡¯d need Sam¡¯s help for that. Up close, it was easy for attacks to come from out of view. A trainer¡¯s ability to observe the entire battle from afar gave them the position to know exactly what moves to use.

    Nodding, Mismagius barely held back her cackle as she took in that plan, and Sam went on to share plans with the rest of the rest.

    Once he was finished, they practiced for a bit longer before calling it for the night. Mismagius kept herself hidden as she watched him slow down, eat a meal, and then finally get ready for bed.

    And then he was asleep.

    And then, his Pok¨¦mon could go free.

    Light snores echoed out to give everyone leave to go through their usual midnight activities.

    Typhlosion didn¡¯t need to sleep as much ever since she gained the Ghost Type. She stood guard, and like her, Annihilape stayed awake to practice developing his strength nearby. As a tree, Trevenant preferred to stay rooted in place, but he left Chuck¡¯s home to step out back and absorb the moonlight.

    That just left the more ethereal members of the team. Mismagius and Haunter nodded at one another and then floated up to split off for now.

    When he left for the night, Haunter pretended to grin as he said goodbye, but Mismagius could tell his smile was more hollow than usual. For all of his improvements, for all of the techniques he had figured out first, he clearly thought he was falling behind. Everyone else had evolved, and then he had also lost his fight.

    Haunter took several of the Gastly with him, likely to have them help with pushing him to his limits. She¡¯d seen his practice before. He¡¯d work on everything at once. He¡¯d try to dodge their attacks, withstand their group presence, and then also respond by attempting to perfect his own moves¡¯ aim.

    He usually kept these midnight practice sessions quiet, but it was also obvious he just wanted to leave right now. But as upset as he seemed, he had a determination to him.

    Mismagius knew he would make great gains tonight.

    As for herself, she split off for a far more casual reason. She planned to not go too far away, but she was fast enough to return quickly if anything went wrong.

    Out here, she had an entire town to stalk, and she had only just evolved today. She wanted to explore and really see what her new form could do, but when she phased through the wall, she realized she wasn¡¯t the only Pok¨¦mon there.

    From atop the building her trainer was in, a quiet voice echoed out, and Drakloak looked down at Mismagius. The Dragon Type had an annoyed glare to her eyes even as she zipped down from the building to join Mismagius¡¯s side.

    Mismagius made a comment¡ªwhere was Dreepy?

    Drakloak looked even more annoyed. Just like usual, he had snuck in to snuggle against Sam. He was always gone before Sam woke up in the morning, but Dreepy claimed it was a comfortable nap.

    But his sister? Mismagius had never once seen Drakloak sleep.

    The Dragon Type glared up at her, and Mismagius simply looked back down at the now-smaller-than-her Pok¨¦mon and smirked.

    Drakloak scowled.

    Yet, even as annoyed as Mismagius made Drakloak, the Dragon Type Pok¨¦mon grit her teeth and still barked out her request.

    She wanted to get stronger¡ªneeded to be stronger.

    She knew she wasn¡¯t as strong as the members of Sam¡¯s team.

    It had been grating to watch Sam lose¡ªtwice, at that! Especially since she knew even she couldn¡¯t have won those fights.

    Mismagius quirked an eyebrow as Drakloak spoke, wanting to interject, but Drakloak kept up her rant. Now that she had bothered to communicate, her feelings didn¡¯t stop pouring out.

    She wasn¡¯t just upset. She was angry that Chuck had won. She was furious to see the Gym Leader treat their matches so casually and still come out on top. She also didn¡¯t understand why she was feeling like this. She clearly wasn¡¯t a real member of Sam¡¯s team, so why was she so unable to divide herself from the outcome of the match?

    It was like... it was like she was blaming herself for not being able to help, she admitted. Drakloak knew that Sam wanted to rely on her for tomorrow, but she wasn¡¯t confident she¡¯d be able to win.

    When she finally finished, Drakloak breathed out and looked up at Mismagius only to freeze.

    Mismagius, of course, was still smirking.

    The poor girl didn¡¯t realize just how much she was attached to the team.

    More annoyed than ever, Drakloak turned away, grumbling to herself about this being a waste of time, but Mismagius just cackled and finally presented Drakloak with her offer.

    She didn¡¯t say anything; she didn¡¯t need to. She simply gestured to the nearby forest, and Drakloak silently glanced back and looked toward the trees.

    For all of their differences, for all of Drakloak¡¯s distaste for Mismagius, they both stood to benefit from shared practice. That was what Mismagius was offering Drakloak, and that was what Mismagius was fine with doing tonight.

    She just needed Drakloak to accept, and much to her delight, Drakloak squirmed.

    Unable to help herself, the Dragon Type snapped out an insult, but Mismagius just easily took it in. She could tell that Drakloak¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t let her do anything else.

    But with a final huff, Drakloak gave the response Mismagius had been waiting for:

    Fine.

    She¡¯d accept the offer. She would train with Mismagius. She needed to be stronger, so she would do it¡ªbut she demanded that Mismagius would help.

    And Mismagius laughed. Of course, she¡¯d help.

    After all, she¡¯d do anything for a fellow member of Sam¡¯s team.

 Chapter 141

    When Sam reached the Gym¡¯s field the next morning, Chuck was already in another Gym battle. This time around, a trainer¡¯s Golbat was harassing his Machoke with air-based blades, and no matter how hard the Machoke tried to resist, it wasn¡¯t able to do anything about the Flying Type¡¯s attacks.

    Chuck tried to call for a Rock Throw, but shouting for that move caused his Pok¨¦mon to drop its guard. Though his Machoke grabbed a chunk of earth that could have knocked the Golbat out of the air, doing so opened it up to a blade of wind that slashed across its chest, and the Machoke fell back.

    From there, Sam sat and watched the rest of the exchange. The Machoke fainted, and the Golbat was able to take out one more Pok¨¦mon before ultimately falling to a Hitmonchan. The battle was eventually sealed by a Hypno, which, even though it became subjected to a Taunt, could still unleash its Psychic Type moves to finish off the last member of Chuck¡¯s team.

    The Gym Leader¡¯s laughter was explosive even in defeat. Chuck wasn¡¯t the kind of person to get upset with a loss as long as he enjoyed the match. Once his last Pok¨¦mon was returned, he handed his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls to an awaiting Gym Trainer for healing before moving up to his opponent and shaking their hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of mindset,¡± Sam whispered, speaking to his churning shadow while Chuck was too busy chatting with his latest challenger. ¡°We¡¯re worried about Taunt. I¡¯m worried about Taunt. But to Chuck, Taunt is just a tool. It¡¯s only a single answer he keeps prepared. It¡¯s useful, but it¡¯s also only one part of his strategy. We¡¯ll have the rest of the battle, too.¡±

    Chuck was all about battles that were up close and personal. Lean into that, and Taunt wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. It also had its counters, such as just about any move that messed with a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s move selection (which meant Taunt countered Taunt, funnily enough), but Sam was limited to what his team currently knew. A single night wasn¡¯t enough to teach his team new moves.

    So with what his team was currently capable of, he saw two big answers to the problem of Taunt: either make sure it didn¡¯t hit, or outright ignore it whenever it was used.

    Taunt would only be an issue if he overplayed his hand and forced Chuck to use it to reshape the state of the fight. But since Sam was aware of that, he could use Chuck¡¯s preferences to his favor.

    Chuck wants simple fights? I¡¯ll give him simple fights. If we want to win, we just need to make sure we have a straightforward counter for Taunt.

    After, he could rely on his Pok¨¦mon to handle the rest.

    Sam was ready for this. His plans favored him and his team. Sitting in the stands, he watched and waited, expecting Chuck to know he was there. His gut feeling was proven right when the previous trainer eventually left, and Chuck looked up at the stands to make eye contact with Sam.

    The challenge was clear enough. Their battle would be happening right then.

    Standing up, Sam left his seat to stride down from the field, taking advantage of this short break between scheduled matches for this short, one-on-one battle.

    Behind him, from above, a shout rang out; Dreepy cheered.

    Sam almost stumbled when he heard another, somewhat softer voice come right after. Though quiet, Drakloak also sent Sam her own words of encouragement.

    ¡°So! Ready for our battle? I hope you¡¯ll push us just as much this time around!¡±

    Chuck¡¯s shout was friendly, but it still reminded Sam of the outcome of his last two matches. He might have lost twice, but he still had the rest of his team.

    (He also now had enough information to let him win.)

    Pulling out a certain Friend Ball, Sam held it up and pointed it at Chuck to represent his acceptance of the challenge.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Sam said. ¡°Ready to finally beat you and earn my badge.¡±

    Chuck responded with a hearty laugh.

    The second Sam was in the trainer¡¯s box, Chuck didn¡¯t wait to toss his own Pok¨¦ball forward. As for Sam, he just clipped the Friend Ball back to his belt and gestured to the ground under the feet.

    As a flash of light overtook Chuck¡¯s side of the field, Sam¡¯s shadow stretched out to overtake the opposing side. From within that darkness, Mismagius rose out of the floor, and Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon¡ªa Hitmonlee¡ªraised a knee while balancing on a coiled leg.

    ¡°Spooky,¡± Chuck commented. Subconsciously, his muscles flexed.

    Sam very purposefully ignored that physical reaction while the referee went over the rules, but he only half-paid attention. He already knew how this battle would work, and he was going over the plan in his head.

    ¡°Trainers!¡± the referee shouted. ¡° Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready!¡± Sam yelled.

    Chuck roared to express the same.

    The very start of the match ended up being simple; where a Hitmonchan excelled in punches, a Hitmonlee excelled in its kicks. Mismagius stayed in place as it charged forward, but rather than fully running up to her, it stopped yards away to lean to the side and extend its leg to unleash a powerful kick.

    Like a spring subjected to a tremendous force, the Hitmonlee¡¯s leg stretched out to threaten Mismagius from even that far away. And, due to the Foresight being maintained by a nearby Machoke, Hitmonlee¡¯s attack hit. Mismagius did nothing to dodge and took that powerful strike to her side.

    But that just meant Phase 1 was already complete.

    ¡°Now!¡± Sam shouted.

    Mismagius brought up her arms, a hissing cackle leaving her throat even through the pain, and the opposing Hitmonlee suddenly lurched when its leg snapped back.

    Her use of Pain Split was in no way perfect, but she was at least able to divide the pain of that kick between her and her target.

    Honestly, the only reason she could use this incomplete move was thanks to her Nasty Plot¡ªand preparing herself with it was why she didn¡¯t move at the beginning. There shouldn¡¯t have been any interaction between Nasty Plot and Pain Split, but yet, there was a hidden synergy between them.

    Nasty Plot functioned by using Dark Type energy to help make plans for the best ways to inflict pain, and what was Pain Split but a move that did exactly that?

    However, the only thing Mismagius¡¯s in-progress Pain Split truly offered here was an opening. It barely healed her, and it barely drained Hitmonlee¡¯s health. But the surprise jolt of pain sent through Hitmonlee gave her the perfect amount of time to act, and she clapped her arms together before pulling them apart. Between her hands, motes of purple fire sparked up to hover in the air.

    Purposefully, the motes she conjured looked like they were from Will-O-Wisp.

    But they were not from Will-O-Wisp.

    To a Fighting Type specialist, however, a Will-O-Wisp was trouble since a burn could outright cut a Pok¨¦mon¡¯s physical power in half. Chuck couldn¡¯t risk letting Mismagius keep that up, and he called out the expected move.

    ¡°Taunt!¡±

    Got you.

    Mismagius fell for the Taunt hook, line, and sinker, but Chuck fell for her trap at the same time.

    Though she would be using no further status moves, Mismagius was already in the mindset of a Pok¨¦mon prepared for an attack. Also, the Hitmonlee was in the process of using Taunt, which meant it was occupied by that move.

    She had complete freedom¡ªand plenty of willingness¡ªto send her Hex forward, surprising both Chuck and his Pok¨¦mon. Hitmonlee tried to respond by showing off the sheer flexibility of its legs, bending its body a full ninety-degree angle back, but that didn¡¯t matter.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Mismagius was suddenly right there.

    The flames of Hex consumed the air above it, obscuring its vision, and then there was no more room between them.

    Already on the back foot, Hitmonlee didn¡¯t have the chance to respond. It used Detect for a flash of insight to avoid how the Hex suddenly redirected itself to stab down, but that just meant it wasn¡¯t able to do the same to avoid her next attack.

    It was caught by her Psychic.

    She squeezed.

    Consumed by a super-effective, Nasty Plot-boosted attack, Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon fainted right there and then.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Chuck said.

    Briefly, the Gym Leader rubbed his eyes.

    The small number of people watching from the seats clapped for the outcome of the match, and this time around, without a loss, the noise didn¡¯t eat at Sam.

    ¡°That was fast,¡± Chuck said. ¡°Faster than I expected! Hm. You really came up with a strategy like that overnight?¡±

    Sam realized he¡¯d been staring at the field in silence and let out an embarrassed chuckle. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head as Mismagius shook herself to push away the effects of her Nasty Plot.

    ¡°Kind of. I had the pieces. Mismagius had the rest. We were worried about your Taunt, so we had to develop a bunch of strategies to get around it. I figured something simple was for the best¡ªand you probably won¡¯t fall for a quick rush more than once. Better to rely on this now instead of later.¡±

    Extremely pleased, Chuck laughed.

    While going over strategies with his team, Sam hadn¡¯t known that Mismagius could use Pain Split, but she had brought up the theory of its synergy with Nasty Plot. And after watching this match, he now fully realized just how fast she could move without Shadow Sneak¡ªunless Typhlosion or Drakloak used Agility, Mismagius could beat any of them in a race. Sam hadn¡¯t even called for a Shadow Sneak here because he needed to give Misdreavus the chance to prepare other moves.

    While Mismagius didn¡¯t have the same in-built aerodynamics as a Pok¨¦mon like Drakloak, her speed was more of a consequence of what she was. She was a spiritual being adept at moving spiritual energies, which included the energies that made up herself, and she could also ignore air resistance thanks to her Ghost Type ability to phase through obstacles.

    That meant she didn¡¯t need to worry about building up momentum. It also let her use moves quickly, allowing her to wholly focus on offense to end a match fast. Here, arguably, she had even been a bit slower than usual due to the Foresight making her more physical, but she had moved as if she expected the Hitmonlee to react quicker.

    It was almost as if the way she had trained to fight saw her be naturally prepared for faster opponents¡ªwhich was likely true thanks to all of her spars with Typhlosion.

    Or, maybe it was from her spars with someone else?

    For a brief second, Sam looked over to the stands, but Drakloak didn¡¯t look back. She was too busy staring at Mismagius, a complicated expression on her face. Sam couldn¡¯t tell if she was jealous or if she wanted to see how she matched up, herself.

    Next to her, Dreepy saw Sam¡¯s glance and waved.

    ¡°So, your next Pok¨¦mon¡ª¡±

    ¡°In a bit,¡± Sam said. He wasn¡¯t fully paying attention again. He was already going over his next set of plans.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting!¡± Chuck shouted as Sam left the field.

    After, another battle passed.

    This time around, Sam didn¡¯t wait like yesterday, moving up to face Chuck for a second battle as soon as they were both ready.

    Previously, Sam led with Mismagius to set the expectation of a heavy offense. But here, he sent out a Pok¨¦mon that could have not fought more differently.

    Trevenant appeared on the field, ready to slowly wear down whatever Pok¨¦mon Chuck chose.

    ¡°Triple Kick!¡± Chuck yelled once the match started.

    For this battle, Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon was a Hitmontop, another evolution of Tyrogue, but a Hitmontop was far more balanced than either of Tyrogue¡¯s other two evolutions. Weirdly, a Hitmontop primarily fought by spinning on its head, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t good at kicking and punching. In truth, the momentum brought on by its spins meant its moves could land with even greater power.

    So, spinning over the field to where Trevenant awaited it, Hitmontop struck him with a leg, then a tail, and then a second leg to his bark.

    The triple hit caused his body to crack as all three strikes perfectly targeted the same spot. However, the very moment the final kick hit, Trevenant lashed out to grab the offered limb.

    ¡°Horn Leech!¡±

    A wooden hand latched around the Hitmontop¡¯s leg, claws digging into its flesh. Forced to stop spinning, it suddenly grimaced as it was drained of its energy.

    Though Trevenant started this match by dealing damage, Sam didn¡¯t plan for this battle to be as quick. It would be a slow, well-placed weathering of Trevenant¡¯s opponent until they pulled off a win.

    But Chuck recognized that quickly. He was a Gym Leader with plenty of experience. Instead of waiting to let Sam do as he pleased, he called for a Taunt.

    Trevenant was already prepared.

    The second Trevenant heard Chuck¡¯s shout, he acted. Before Hitmontop could even think about using Taunt, he was already gone.

    With Trevenant having suddenly disappeared, Hitmontop was let go, where it fell to the floor.

    This move was no Protect, but Phantom Force allowed Trevenant to disappear for a few seconds. That meant he could temporarily remove himself from the match without needing to officially retreat from the battle.

    Phantom Force meant he wouldn¡¯t be around to be targeted, so a Taunt here would always fail.

    Expecting his return, Hitmontop brought up its arms for a defense, and it was quick to turn around when Trevenant appeared out of a shadow behind it. It attempted to kick again, but Trevenant slashed.

    For this, his attack wasn¡¯t an attack. He simply took that kick to plant a Leech Seed on Hitmonchan¡¯s chest.

    And just like that, the battle was sealed. Phantom Force simultaneously allowed him to stall while also letting him focus on attacks. Hitmontop was able to get a Taunt off once it became more familiar with Trevenant¡¯s pattern, but at that point, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Phantom Force was an attack. It gave Trevenant a way to aggressively dodge while also stalling to allow Leech Seed to drain as much health as possible between moves.

    Given that the only other move Sam bothered to call for was Horn Leech, Hitmontop eventually dealt more damage overall, but Trevenant healed through all of that. Even when Chuck called for a series of powerful strikes that all landed, he was still able to use Harvest. It was an ability, not a move, and to save time, he could eat his fresh Sitrus berries whenever he was preparing his next attack while not present in the mundane conceptions of reality.

    Trevenant won.

    When Hitmontop collapsed to the floor, unable to stay standing after losing all of its energy, Sam felt confident. He felt satisfied. This was why he¡¯d chosen to wait until another day. It was so, so easy to fall into the trap of a defeatist mindset, and it helped to know that even when given such a short amount of time, he was still capable of making effective plans.

    With this match finished, Sam was ready to move into his next, but Chuck just returned his Hitmontop and unexpectedly sat on his stone platform. Crossing his legs, he let his head fall onto a hand in rest, and then he looked Sam in the eye and beckoned for him to come over.

    Curious, Sam returned Trevenant and did exactly that.

    ¡°One night, and you¡¯ve turned it around. One night, and you made a strategy to counter my entire team, didn''t you?¡± Chuck asked.

    ¡°I wanted to treat your challenge like a challenge in the Conference,¡± Sam explained. ¡°I started out thinking that meant I needed to prepare strategies in just a few minutes, but that¡¯s not how the Conference works. Battles in the Conference happen fast, but they¡¯re still usually only day-to-day. You don¡¯t get much time, but you still have at least some time to make a strategy, and you¡¯re also able to watch your opponent¡¯s battles or even watch recordings of them online.¡±

    Which is what Sam had done here by sitting in the audience.

    When he finished explaining his thought process, Sam looked up to where Chuck was still seated. The Gym Leader glanced over him before quietly laughing to himself and lightly shaking his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s not always going to work,¡± Chuck said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sam asked, suspicious.

    ¡°All trainers you face will have a unique way they fight, and you can always try to find a counter to that, sure. But from my perspective, there are only two real strategies: a trainer either fights with a plan, or they fight with their instincts.

    ¡°So in your case, you¡¯re a planner. I¡¯d expect pre-made strategies out of you. But for others like me, well, they¡¯re more instinctual.¡±

    Sam frowned. He couldn¡¯t say he agreed with the idea of an ¡°instinctual¡± fighter. He refused to believe that anyone was instinctually better at training Pok¨¦mon than someone else.

    Then again, Redi was better at training Pok¨¦mon than me¡ªbut only at the start! We both put in a lot of work to excel where the other excelled. She¡¯s more specialized in the physical, but my Pok¨¦mon are now growing just fine on their own.

    Sam knew he and Redi had both put in an insane amount of effort. At this point, he had personally spent hundreds of hours researching, memorizing, and understanding Pok¨¦mon through the use of the New Pok¨¦dex and other sources of info. He¡¯d spent even longer just training with his team and discussing his ideas with them. Talking to his Pok¨¦mon about their capabilities was great at transferring theoretical knowledge into something more practical.

    But that wasn¡¯t what Chuck had meant.

    The Gym Leader looked at Sam and frowned, visibly sensing that Sam had taken the wrong meaning from what he¡¯d said.

    ¡°Trainers don¡¯t always need things like information, logic, or even strategy to win battles,¡± Chuck said as he casually waved a hand. ¡°Most trainers just do whatever feels right for their team at that moment. That¡¯s why I called them instinctual¡ªthey¡¯re not instinctually better. It¡¯s that they fight with their instincts rather than anything prepared beforehand.¡±

    ¡°I... see,¡± Sam said slowly.

    Chuck¡¯s expression was serious.

    ¡°Sam,¡± he said. ¡°Do you know why I wanted to have this kind of modified challenge against your team?¡±

    ¡°...To push me and my Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    Chuck replied with a light nod. He looked over Sam before speaking next.

    ¡°You¡¯re mostly right. I still owe you training from what Brawly asked of me, and this is the best way I can provide that within the short amount of time we have. But, Sam,¡± Chuck pointed a finger at Sam¡¯s chest, ¡°really, I did all of this to see how you would fight. I saw how you would fight when faced with an unknown team. I saw how you would fight when given just the barest amount of prep time. Honestly, I¡¯m more than satisfied enough to give you your Gym Badge right now...¡±

    He paused when he saw Sam frown.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not going to do that. That¡¯s not what we agreed on. See, if I can¡¯t help you pick up the basics, then I can at least help you understand something more advanced.¡±

    Chuck leaned back to sit up straight.

    ¡°Know this,¡± he said, ¡°the best trainers are the trainers that fight with both plans and instincts.¡±

    ¡°But you...¡± Sam frowned. ¡°You described yourself as an instinctual battler?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Chuck said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s why Brawly has his own Gym instead of staying here. He¡¯s already far surpassed me.¡±

    From there, Chuck properly stood up to tower over Sam. His gaze shifted; he stared down with the full presence of a Gym Leader.

    ¡°Samuel Greyson!¡± Gym Leader Chuck bellowed. ¡°I have one last challenge! One last match left against you! You are still yet to truly earn your final Gym Badge, and you are still yet to truly show off that one species you promised to show me!¡±

    Sam tried to hide his wince. He had been planning to use Drakloak next. He¡¯d forgotten about his promise to use Annihilape in a fight.

    Chuck seemed to sense that, and he gained an amused smile. Glancing over to the side, he gestured for a Gym Trainer to come closer, and a muscled woman in a tank top ran over to receive his commands.

    He told her to take over his next few scheduled matches.

    He then looked back.

    ¡°Sam, you and I will be moving off to have our final match for your challenge,¡± Chuck said in a quieter voice. ¡°This will decide whether or not you¡¯ve passed the makeshift crash course I¡¯ve inflicted on you. This battle is going to be very important because we¡¯re going to do it now, before you have too much time to prepare. Also...¡±

    He chuckled to himself.

    ¡°Also, you¡¯re from Hoenn. So it¡¯ll be a double battle. To decide whether or not you earn my Storm Badge, you¡¯ll need to win in a double battle match against the strongest two Pok¨¦mon on my team.¡±

 Chapter 142

    Drakloak. Annihilape.

    Chuck didn¡¯t even realize what he had done, Sam could tell. He had challenged Sam to a battle on short notice, but he had also challenged Sam to a battle in which Sam had no choice for the Pok¨¦mon on his team.

    It wasn¡¯t just that he was caught off-guard, it was also that he was utterly unprepared.

    Sam had his strategies. He had taken part in plenty of double battles before. He had his planned team-ups and strategies¡ªlike with many things involving Typhlosion. She was a great partner for any Ghost Type thanks to how she could provide smoke and shadows to help them hide.

    But this wasn¡¯t a standalone battle. It was a battle that was part of an ongoing challenge. Sam wasn¡¯t allowed to use a Pok¨¦mon more than once, and Typhlosion had already fought. Same as Mismagius. Same as Haunter. And also, same as Trevenant.

    That meant he only had two reasonable choices left: Drakloak and Annihilape. Drakloak would have done well in a single battle, but she had also only just agreed to help Sam fight. Competing in a double battle would be more complex than anything they had planned, and it wasn¡¯t like Annihilape could be much help. While the combination of a strong physical attacker and a speedy special attacker seemed good on paper, Annihilape wouldn¡¯t know which of her moves to look out for, and Drakloak had never practiced preventing another Pok¨¦mon from ganging up on her ally.

    While there was the potential for synergy, these two had never practiced together. Chuck wanted this match to happen now to prevent Sam from having time to plan, and he¡¯d truly achieved that, just not at the level he realized.

    I¡¯m screwed.

    Clearing his throat, Sam spoke up, trying to speak with as much confidence as he could.

    ¡°Do you mind if I send out my Pok¨¦mon? Not to strategize, but just to fill them in on what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Hm... Hm!¡± Chuck didn¡¯t turn to look at Sam. ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    Sam waited for Chuck to explain further than that, but the heavy man did nothing but continue down the path through the forest that¡¯d bring them back to his home.

    He wasn¡¯t going to say anything else. Sam wouldn¡¯t be given time.

    Gah. He¡¯ll want us to start the second we get there, but then again, we have to get there, first.

    Hurriedly, Sam dropped a few feet back, beckoning something over from between the trees. Drakloak had been following along in the sparse shadows of the thin canopy, and the moment Sam gestured to her, she sent Chuck a nervous glance and darted over to float at his side.

    ¡°Okay. Okay! Okay.¡± Sam took a deep breath in, but it barely helped him get his thoughts in order. ¡°Okay, Drakloak. We¡¯ll be fighting in a double battle. That means I¡¯ll be sending out you alongside someone else, and then Chuck will be sending out two Pok¨¦mon in exchange.¡±

    Dreepy let out an excited squeak on her head, but Drakloak looked unconvinced.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, but I trust you. For the battle, I need you to fight alongside Annihilape, who will try to give you as many openings as possible. You have to focus on damage. He¡¯ll only be able to hold off Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon for so long, so take advantage of every slight opportunity and try to faint at least one of them as soon as you can.¡±

    Annihilape would be an easy target to overwhelm in melee, especially since he''d likely be targeted by both of Chuck''s ground-based Pok¨¦mon. Focusing him down could give Chuck the numbers advantage to turn the match in his favor.

    That was why Sam wanted Drakloak to knock out Chuck''s Pok¨¦mon as fast as possible. He wanted the numbers advantage for his team, and he didn¡¯t want them to gang up on her.

    This plan was barely a strategy, but it was still a guide to get through the math. Annihilape on defense, and Drakloak on attack. She¡¯d try to use her powerful special moves to take them out, and Sam would hope for the best.

    Thankfully, that little bit of talking, as basic as it was, assuaged Drakloak¡¯s nerves. As new of a concept as a double battle was, she was used to them. After all, she¡¯d been fighting alongside Dreepy for all those years on her own.

    (It also helped that Drakloak tolerated Annihilape more than any other member of the team¡ªsave for Trevenant, who had been unintentionally bribing her with berries. Mismagius and Typhlosion were the ones to find and fight her during the hunt in Olivine, so she held a grudge. As for Haunter, she was ¡°fine¡± with him, but he could get a bit too goofy for her liking.)

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry. I know you wanted a one-on-one match to prove yourself, but I promise that this will work, too. Chuck will be using his strongest Pok¨¦mon, and I¡¯ll be relying on you for damage, so this will be the chance I promised.¡±

    Both Drakloak and Dreepy responded with identical nods that all but proved their family connection, and then Drakloak moved back to the trees to follow along.

    Not long after that, everyone stepped out of the woods, having returned to that sandy area behind Chuck¡¯s home.

    Chuck didn¡¯t slow in the slightest, striding right toward the clear area behind his house. At this point in the day, the building was empty. His wife ran a medicine shop in town, so she was currently out managing that.

    Sam wanted to slow down, but showing weakness here would just cost him momentum. He continued on to find a place across from Chuck, positioning himself so that they were approximately a field¡¯s length apart.

    ¡°THERE WE GO!¡± Chuck¡¯s voice boomed. As he spoke, he released a pair of Machoke that would facilitate the Foresight on Sam¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. ¡°PLENTY OF ROOM FOR A BATTLE! THIS IS THE MATCH WE¡¯VE BEEN WAITING FOR!¡±

    His teeth almost seemed to shine in the midday sun, and he retrieved a pair of weathered Pok¨¦balls from his baggy pants. He held them in hand, waiting for Sam to make his choice, but Sam had already been forced to make his choice.

    It wasn¡¯t like he was able to use anyone else.

    ¡°Any special rules?¡± Sam asked.

    Chuck shook his head.

    ¡°Double battle. No switching, of course. We¡¯ll both use two Pok¨¦mon until one side is defeated.¡±

    Sam nodded once, keeping his gaze even. He sent a glance to where Drakloak was now hiding in the shadows beneath the deck of Chuck¡¯s house. Her yellow eyes glowed in the dark.

    For this fight, they were at a disadvantage, not necessarily in strength, but definitely in experience. Yet, there was still the potential to earn their eighth Gym Badge. Sam might have had little time to plan, but he had already spent hours observing Chuck¡¯s team.

    Drakloak might not have been in any official battles before, but she was undeniably strong. Annihilape¡¯s countless practice sessions and spars against Ursaring meant he was Sam¡¯s best bet at handling physical attackers.

    We haven¡¯t lost yet.

    There was no sense in falling to nerves.

    Finally managing to calm down and feel a bit confident, Sam tossed forward a ball at the same moment Chuck threw two. Drakloak zipped out of her hiding space to join Annihilape''s side, and Chuck¡¯s strongest two Pok¨¦mon appeared on the field next to each other.

    Immediately, Poliwrath and Primeape posed, flexing in unison the moment they landed.

    But Chuck''s eyes were not on them.

    ¡°There! That¡¯s it! That¡¯s really it! You weren''t kidding! An evolution of Primeape!¡± Chuck danced on his feet. ¡°He''s big! He¡¯s strong! And he looks mean!¡±

    Chuck pressed his hands to his chin and leaned forward. Sam was having trouble picturing him as a Gym Leader right now.

    ¡°He¡¯s called Annihilape,¡± Sam said, making sure to control his reaction. ¡°He¡¯s a Ghost-Fighting Type. Stronger than any Primeape. You¡¯ll see what I mean during our match.¡±

    Chuck blinked when he realized what he was doing, and then the man leaned back to right himself as he cleared his throat.

    ¡°Of course!¡± he said, pretending he hadn¡¯t just done that. ¡°The best way to learn about a Pok¨¦mon is to face it in a fight!¡±

    His body bounced alongside his laughter, but when he brought his gaze back down, he no longer looked as jolly as before.

    Chuck stared at the field with a wide, predatory smile.

    Here we go.

    The two Machoke used their Foresight, simultaneously serving as the referee for this match. In a synchronized shout, they shouted their names to mark the start of the match. Sam pointed forward, and Chuck took up a wide fighting stance while letting out a roar.

    ¡°HIT! THAT! POKEMON!¡±

    Each word was punctuated by a punch.

    Immediately, his Poliwrath and Primeape charged. Chuck¡¯s Primeape charged arm over leg, and his Poliwrath maintained a consistent pace with its fists clenched at its sides. They moved as a pair, their years of shared experience coming into play, and Sam did his best to give his own orders as fast as he could.

    ¡°Annihilape, Bulk Up! As much as you can! Focus on defense, and Drakloak¡ªuse Dragon Pulse whenever there¡¯s an opening!¡±

    Annihilape didn¡¯t run to meet Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon. He watched them calmly while breathing out, his adrenaline spiking under his control. His body went tense under the effects of Bulk Up as all aspects of his physical strength increased.

    Nearby, Drakloak slid through the air to position herself off to the back and off the side.

    Then, the Fighting Types met. Two sets of fists were thrown forward. Annihilape snapped up his hands, blocking them with his palms.

    The field was frozen as Annihilape¡¯s eyes met their own.

    And then Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon both gained what could only be a malicious grin.

    The Primeape was explosive. It was a menace, fighting as if trying to tear Annihilape apart. For as much control and technique Chuck provided, this Primeape was furious. It used Fury Swipes and Karate Chops, weak moves, to attack as fast as possible to lay claim to all of his attention.

    Meanwhile, the Poliwrath tried to take advantage of that. Whenever Annihilape seemed too focused on the Primeape, it would punch, generally being blocked by a snapped-out arm or a palm. However, where the Primeape was quick and ¡°weak,¡± this Poliwrath was slow and strong.

    Together, they were a perfect storm of overwhelming chaos and slow, deliberate power. They ganged up on Annihilape¡ªwhich was what Sam wanted¡ªbut they were also simply too much. He was forced to focus on defense even more than expected, and neither Primeape nor Poliwrath were ever opened up to further attacks.

    Drakloak did try to launch a few testing moves, using Dragon Pulse once or twice with Dragon Type energy alone just to see how these Pok¨¦mon would react. She was hesitant to send Dreepy close¡ªand she was right to be. Whenever her attacks neared, one of the two Pok¨¦mon would take over the assault on Annihilape, and then the other would snap out a punch that never failed to disrupt her attack.

    She did not want to send Dreepy to them.

    Sam could see that Annihilape was already being pushed back. With Bulk-Up, his strength matched theirs, but he simply lacked the trained skill to handle two opponents at once.

    ¡°IS THIS ALL YOU¡¯RE OFFERING ME, SAM? THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DOUBLE BATTLE! I EXPECTED MORE FROM YOU! YOU¡¯RE MAKING ME FEEL LIKE I¡¯M BULLYING YOUR POK¨¦MON INSTEAD OF COMPETING IN A FIGHT!¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    A vein throbbed on Annihilape¡¯s head at the taunt, but he had long since mastered his rage. Gracefully, he continued to block and defend against these attacks, but it was also blatantly obvious that each impact was wearing him out.

    We¡¯re running out of time, Sam realized.

    Drakloak looked frustrated. Dreepy was impatient. They wanted to unleash their moves, but Chuck simply wasn¡¯t giving them any way to fight.

    Annihilape was becoming more and more injured, and eventually, Sam just had to call for it.

    ¡°Rage Fist!¡±

    He had to use this move now before Annihilape became too damaged and risked fainting.

    Right away, Annihilape drew back an arm, and the Primeape jumped to the front, preparing itself for this attack. However, when Annihilape¡¯s fist grew, and grew, and grew, the Poliwrath snapped out a hand to grab Primeape¡¯s fur and yank it far back.

    The two Pok¨¦mon jumped away, and Annihilape¡¯s fist smashed into the ground with a cataclysmic effect. Cracks were left in the earth¡ªwhich was impressive. Sam wasn¡¯t sure how Annihilape managed that given the field was mostly sand.

    ¡°Whew! Almost lost, there! Primeape is used to relying on Counter, but Counter can¡¯t work if you faint before it goes off!¡±

    With that single attack, Annihilape had somehow forced the match to enter a lull. That continued even as he pulled his arm back with neither opposing Pok¨¦mon risking getting close.

    The tension in his body lingered. The threat he carried was clear; though Rage Fist seemed like a finisher, it was just a move.

    Annihilape could use it again any time he wanted.

    For now, both of Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon stayed back, far too wary of getting close. Annihilape huffed and puffed out of anger and exhaustion. He had taken a massive amount of damage, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t a threat.

    With both sides unwilling to get close, the silence continued even though there was one Pok¨¦mon that should have acted.

    This was the perfect time for Drakloak to attack. Annihilape¡¯s Rage Fist represented a threat that Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon would need to avoid, but she did nothing to take advantage of that. The only thing she did was grimace. As much as she wanted to attack, she just didn¡¯t want to risk Dreepy.

    Mm. I can¡¯t forget that this is Drakloak¡¯s first real battle with us. I¡¯ve been trying to give her the chance to attack when it feels right based on her instincts, but I have to remember she doesn¡¯t have the same battle experience as the rest of the Pok¨¦mon on my team.

    She wants to be strong and is strong, but she¡¯s only halfway there. When her moves hit, they really hit, but if she never uses them¡ª

    Chuck used this moment to give another command.

    ¡°Water Gun! Rock Slide!¡±

    If his Pok¨¦mon couldn¡¯t get close, they could instead attack from range.

    The Poliwrath pulled its arms in to fire out a stream of water from the center of its belly. Next to it, the Primeape dug its hands into the earth to tear it up, throwing out hardened chunks of the ¡°field¡± that hurtled toward Annihilape.

    ¡°Dodge!¡±

    Annihilape leaped to the side, using his enlarged arm to support a full-body flip. Chuck¡¯s Pok¨¦mon prepared for another combo, and Sam realized he had to make a decision.

    We don¡¯t have a plan. We don''t have time to make one. I can only call for what we already know right now.

    He recognized that this was what Chuck was talking about; he¡¯d been over-reliant on making places. When faced with the unexpected, all he would do was freeze up.

    To be a great trainer, he needed to fix that.

    I have to trust my gut. We got this far for a reason.

    A new pair of attacks hurtled toward Annihilape. He was just barely able to dodge a second time, but he wouldn''t be able to do so again.

    So what¡¯s my gut telling me? Poliwrath is an unknown factor, but Primeape isn¡¯t. That means...

    For all Chuck has done to train his Primeape, I know how it might respond because I¡¯ve trained one myself.

    He knew the species¡¯s weaknesses.

    He recognized that if they were to win, they needed to eliminate Poliwrath from the equation.

    ¡°Annihilape! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Sam called out. ¡°Remember Typhlosion, and target Poliwrath! Use Curse!¡±

    They¡¯d never practiced this before. Annihilape only had so much experience with the Ghost Type. However, he had trained Curse in the past, although he¡¯d only ever trained it as an enhancing move.

    But Sam had a gut feeling about this; Annihilape would be able to pull this off. Typhlosion had demonstrated it plenty of times before, and he at least had some understanding of the Ghost Type given he was now that Type as well as his familiarity with Rage Fist.

    There was certainly a pause¡ªa brief one. Annihilape wasn¡¯t sure how to properly use this move. He didn¡¯t know Shadow Ball, Hex, or any other attack that could conjure external energy, but what he could do was cycle it through himself.

    So, in between dodging attacks, the same arm he used for Rage Fist suddenly became wreathed in black. Chuck shouted something, but Sam didn¡¯t hear it.

    He watched as Annihilape took his fingers and dragged them across his chest.

    Chuck¡¯s two Pok¨¦mon attempted to race forward to stop him, but they both failed. When Annihilape¡¯s hand dug into his flesh, shadowy flames sparked out and seemed to burn his fur. His expression immediately contorted into a grimace as he fell to one knee.

    He did not have the energy to stay up, but he was at least able to send all of his anger to Poliwrath in a glare.

    Ultimately, he fainted. The self-damage of Curse was simply too much. But he had been successful.

    Poliwrath was now cursed.

    ¡°Now, Drakloak!¡± Sam shouted as the Poliwrath stumbled. ¡°Take to the skies!¡±

    She blinked at first as if just realizing she wasn¡¯t just an observer in the match.

    Looking around and realizing everyone¡¯s attention was on her, she hesitated¡ªbut only for a single second. A knowing glint entered her eyes as she took to the sky, and she stared down with a predatory grin when it became clear that neither Primeape nor Poliwrath could reach her with their best moves.

    ¡°Good,¡± Sam sighed. ¡°It worked. Now Poliwrath is on a timer, and we only have to worry about one Pok¨¦mon¡ªa Pok¨¦mon that I trained for months.¡±

    Yet, despite this sudden twist, it came at a cost.

    Sam only had one Pok¨¦mon on his side of the field. Chuck still had two.

    ¡°BUT THEY¡¯RE NOT FAINTED JUST YET!¡± Chuck roared. ¡°KEEP UP THE SAME MOVES! PREPARE YOURSELVES! AND USE TAUNT TO BRING THAT DRAGON RIGHT OUT OF THE SKY!¡±

    Hurriedly, Sam shouted his best counter-command.

    ¡°Damage only, Drakloak! Stay in the sky and only worry about using Dragon Pulse!¡±

    The Primeape hopped between its feet, shouting insults, and the Poliwrath glared with perfect eye contact. Drakloak had definitely fallen to their Taunts with how annoyed she looked, but she didn¡¯t zip down.

    With her decision-making affected by Taunt, Dreepy served as her messenger, instead.

    Suddenly cloaked in Dragon Type energy, Dreepy screamed in delight as he hurtled toward the earth. He aimed himself at Poliwrath, who brought up its arms to defend. It blocked the move, minimizing the damage, but thanks to Curse, it didn¡¯t quite have the energy to attack back, and Dreepy was able to return.

    Quickly, Chuck changed gears. The smile faded from his face.

    ¡°Water Gun. Rock Slide,¡± he ordered.

    His two Pok¨¦mon unleashed their attacks, but it didn¡¯t exactly work.

    Drakloak was fast. Not necessarily as fast as she could be with Agility, but enough that she could move out of the way of these moves. There was a travel time before these attacks could reach her, so she could see their paths to know where she needed to move to dodge.

    Counter to that, when it came to her own moves, she didn¡¯t need to worry about accuracy. Even though she was unable to use Lock-On, Dreepy had enough influence to chase down her foes when launched from her head.

    Rocks were thrown. Water was launched. Drakloak shot around through the air.

    The Primeape grew in anger, and the Poliwrath¡¯s moves became less accurate over time.

    With how painful Curse could become, Poliwrath tried its best to push through but eventually took a knee. Its body was tense, and its lack of offense lessened the pressure on Drakloak. Taunt was supposed to bring her out of the air, but it wasn¡¯t enough given how she could simply send Dreepy down instead.

    Once more, she used Dragon Pulse, staying in the air and grinning to herself at the ease at which she used the move.

    The Poliwrath looked up and saw the knock-out blow coming. Proudly, it took the strike right to its chest.

    And then Chuck shouted for one final command.

    ¡°Grab it!¡±

    It was the Primeape that acted, causing Drakloak¡¯s eyes to widen. Though her brother was her projectile, she really didn¡¯t want him to get hurt, either.

    Poliwrath fainted, but Primeape was conscious and was still right there. With a single lunge, it easily clapped its hands together around Dreepy, and he disappeared.

    Silence echoed out.

    Dreepy was unable to fly back.

    With a cheeky grin, the Primeape hopped between its feet, and Chuck looked extremely smug.

    ¡°If you want him back, you¡¯ll have to get him,¡± the Gym Leader taunted.

    The Primeape taunted too, letting out a hollering laugh, but then it froze when Dreepy stuck his head out.

    He phased through its hand, looked around, and then flew back up into the sky.

    In almost a perfect mimicry of Poliwrath before him, Chuck fell to his knees.

    ¡°Two Machoke. Two Pok¨¦mon. Foresight was used on Annihilape and Drakloak, but your Dreepy...¡±

    His voice sounded drained.

    ¡°Dreepy isn¡¯t fighting in this match,¡± Sam said, unable to suppress his grin. ¡°He¡¯s a projectile, not a combatant. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for Foresight to affect something like a Shadow Ball. Why would he become physical just to hurt Drakloak¡¯s attacks?¡±

    Back in place, Dreepy nodded, simply agreeing with all of Sam¡¯s words.

    After spending a moment to take that in, Chuck laughed, and laughed, and laughed. His Primeape was certainly stronger than Drakloak, but some Pok¨¦mon were vulnerable to perfect counters.

    Sam had Drakloak fly that high for a reason. She had no chance to defeat her opponent on the ground. But up there, she could avoid Primeape¡¯s weak ranged attack with ease and retaliate with moves that were impossible to dodge thanks to Dreepy¡¯s influence on her aim.

    Maybe if Poliwrath had stuck around, it might have had a special move to make dodging harder. Except, Annihilape¡¯s Curse meant it fainted. There was a reason Sam called for that¡ªhe knew his Pok¨¦mon¡¯s weaknesses, therefore he knew this Primeape¡¯s weaknesses as well.

    This wasn¡¯t exactly the test of strength Chuck had wanted, but he seemed to acknowledge that he¡¯d lost and returned his Pok¨¦mon there. Drakloak was genuinely in an unbeatable position. There was nothing his Primeape could do to her while she was up there.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡± Chuck said as he returned to his feet. ¡°Poliwrath is better at handling airborne enemies. If he aims his Water Gun, he can take them out, but Primeape can¡¯t do the same with Rock Slide.¡±

    Sam nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I made the snap decision to have Annihilape use Curse. I knew he¡¯d faint if he was successful, but we needed to take out Poliwrath early. I¡¯ve trained a Primeape. I¡¯ve evolved a Primeape. I¡¯ve seen how that line can¡¯t do much against Pok¨¦mon that can fly.¡±

    Annihilape also knew Rock Slide, but he¡¯d lose to Drakloak just the same.

    With the match having ended, Drakloak finally left the sky to return to the earth. She looked exhausted, but she also simultaneously looked proud. Upon laying her eyes on the Gym Leader, she puffed up her chest. Her eyes sparkled in delight at her victory. It was more than just her being a victorious Dragon Type. With her flight ¡°trick,¡± she¡¯d also won like a Ghost.

    Chuck just laughed to himself. Despite his defeat, he¡¯d enjoyed the match.

    ¡°Ah, well. Can¡¯t win them all. Here!¡±

    He reached into his pocket to throw something shiny Sam¡¯s way.

    Sam saw the object hurtle toward him too far to catch, but then Dreepy pushed off of Drakloak¡¯s head to fling himself right at it. He snapped the item out of the air and proceeded to glide. He deposited into Sam¡¯s hand, and then he let out a pur when Sam rubbed his head in thanks.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Storm Badge. You earned it a while ago. This was a good match¡ªa good series of matches! But I imagine that Jasmine was more difficult for you.¡± Chuck let out a sigh as he walked closer. Sam hadn¡¯t seen him look that disappointed before. ¡°I do have my strengths, but my team is only nine stars at best. Together, Primeape and Poliwrath might be considered ten, but they also have too many easy weaknesses for them to truly be at that level of strength.¡±

    When he and Chuck met off to the side of the field to shake hands, Chuck¡¯s grip was firm. It honestly hurt somewhat, but Sam wanted to appear confident and didn¡¯t let that show.

    ¡°Now then¡ªbusiness! So, are you willing to teach me how to evolve a Primeape?¡±

    Excitedly, Chuck leaned in.

    But Sam didn¡¯t speak.

    He knew this could be a bargain. He knew he stood to make quite a bit. But when he thought back to Annihilape¡¯s evolution, he grimaced.

    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to share that information.

    Not yet.

    ¡°I... can¡¯t,¡± Sam said with a reluctant sigh. ¡°Annihilape is a Ghost Type. His evolution can be dangerous. What we almost went through... I don¡¯t want others to risk the same.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m asking a lot, but are you willing to wait? I¡¯ll show him off in the Conference, and I will share more about his evolution, but only after once we have a better understanding of how it worked.¡±

    Sam knew there was a lot he stood to learn. There were so many more Ghost Types still out there. And, despite the countless answers he had in his pack, he knew he didn¡¯t have all of them.

    Primeape had evolved into Annihilape by using Rage Fist¡ªso what? There was a risk involved, a risk he didn¡¯t fully understand, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to live with himself if he gave Chuck information that caused him to fail.

    ¡°We need more time to think,¡± Sam ended up saying.

    Once the season was over, he would be able to put more thought into Annihilape¡¯s evolution method.

    He would also be able to put thought into everything else he knew and figure out what to do about that.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Chuck said, his voice surprisingly serious. ¡°If it¡¯s that dangerous, then it¡¯s right to not rush it. Your Annihilape might look healthy, but that¡¯s not much.

    ¡°So we¡¯ll wait,¡± he continued. ¡°After all, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m too familiar with the Ghost Type, myself. I¡¯d rather us stay safe, but until then...¡± He regained his smile. ¡°Call us whenever you¡¯re ready. Once you''re willing, we can make a deal.¡±

    <hr>

    Later, when Sam was set to leave, he found himself suddenly whisked away by Chuck¡¯s wife. She brought him to her kitchen table, where she unrolled a map and sent him a firm yet amiable look that told him they were to have a discussion.

    ¡°My husband tells me you¡¯re leaving tomorrow.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame. You only just arrived. You¡¯ve barely spent two days in our little town.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said, ¡°but we really need to train for the Conference. Mastering the Ghost Type is our priority, and the Ilex Forest is the best place to do that.¡±

    She hummed to herself and glanced down at the map. Sam went on to fully explain his plan. He would take a boat to Goldenrod, travel south, and then enter the Ilex Forest from Route 34.

    ¡°Except,¡± the woman interrupted, her finger tracing the route Sam had just described, ¡°that will take a while. Adding up the time spent on the boat ride, traveling down the route, and then getting through the forest, your potential training time will be cut in half.¡±

    Sam grimaced. He had a bit over two weeks left until the Conference. He needed to spend as much time as possible in training. He needed to be ready for more than just the newbie trainers competing there.

    But as much as she had a point about how long travel would take, it wasn¡¯t like he had anything else he could do. Cutting back on the number of times he stopped to practice would drastically increase his speed, but the Ilex Forest was still a distance away from Cianwood City.

    ¡°Ah. You¡¯re forgetting something,¡± she said, gaining a slight smirk. ¡°Look closer. Most maps don¡¯t make this obvious, but there¡¯s more to a region than just cities connected by Routes.¡±

    Checking the map again, Sam inspected it more closely and tried to pick out all the little details. The mountain ranges were labeled. Small patches of forests were included. It named caves he¡¯d never seen. He could trace the exact shape of all of Johto¡¯s Routes as well as the vehicle paths people used to travel safely between cities.

    But there was more to it than just that. Outside of the main roads and Routes, there were also smaller trails and paths.

    ...Except, no, that wasn''t right. That wasn''t what she wanted him to see.

    Sam eyed a blue line that marked a river that almost divided the Ilex Forest in half.

    ¡°Closer,¡± she said.

    Sam squinted his eyes.

    Finally, he found it. He wasn¡¯t sure how he had failed to notice them, but there was a scattering of small, black dots that each represented a small village or settlement not built along the main paths.

    ¡°Hold on, but I traveled off-route? I never saw any of these smaller towns,¡± Sam said.

    Chuck¡¯s wife huffed out of annoyance.

    ¡°Where did you travel?¡±

    ¡°From Violet to Blackthorn.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you didn¡¯t find any towns in the Blackthorn mountains, where the Blackthorn Clan trains and manages a bunch of wild Dragon Types?¡±

    ¡°...Good point.¡±

    Thankfully, she just let out a short laugh at Sam¡¯s mistake before tapping Cianwood City¡¯s location on the western side of the map.

    ¡°So! What I was trying to say is that you have better options to follow. You understand that Cianwood has quite an extensive port, yes?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Then, instead of taking a boat directly to Goldenrod, consider heading somewhere else,¡± she said.

    She went on to use her finger to trace a route through the ocean that headed south instead of east toward Johto¡¯s mainland. She proposed a plan that passed by several islands and came to its end right where the Ilex Forest¡¯s river connected to the coast.

    ¡°There,¡± she said, tapping it once. ¡°The town here, the one just past Alto Mare. The Ilex Forest isn¡¯t just a massive section of untamed wilderness. Plenty of people live within. This town here serves to ship out many of its collected resources, so if you want to cut down on your travel time¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can take a boat directly there,¡± Sam concluded, eyes going wide.

    She brought her chin up proudly, sending Sam a slight smile. She then went on to trace the proposed route even further, bringing it all the way up the river to the very center of the forest.

    ¡°You won¡¯t find villages in the forest unless you look for them, but plenty exist along this river, and they need ways to travel, too,¡± she said. ¡°If you go to that port town I mentioned, you should be able to get a ferry ticket that''ll take you where you need.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I can take a boat to not just the edge of Ilex, but to its deepest parts?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°At least, as deep as wherever Arborville is,¡± she finished, referencing a town that existed just past the river¡¯s end.

    Breathing in, Sam stared at the map. He needed to spend as much time as possible to prepare for the Conference, and travel had been a big worry of his. Now, although the deadline continued to creep closer by the day, he had the chance to take a massive shortcut and effectively double the time he had left.

    This is amazing. We¡¯ll be able to get there so much quicker. With how fast a boat can travel, we might actually get a full two weeks. This is going to help us save so much time.

 Chapter 143

    ¡°This boat will take you to the edge of the Ilex Forest, but you¡¯ll need to purchase a ferry ticket on your own. The important part is not to lose track of time once you¡¯re there. When the season ends, you¡¯ll only have a week to reach Silver Town. If you fail to register in time, you won¡¯t be able to compete in the Conference,¡± Chuck¡¯s wife said.

    ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± Sam bowed his head low in thanks. The Gym Leader himself wasn¡¯t there to see him off since Chuck was satisfied with parting ways after a good match. He was already back to taking on challengers. ¡°I think, once the season is over, I should have plenty of time to get back to Azalea town. There are teleports offered to trainers, right?¡±

    ¡°Only certain ones, and they¡¯re expensive.¡±

    ¡°But I should be able to afford at least one,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯d take everything I have left, and even if it¡¯s more than that, I¡¯m sure I can find at least one other person to help pay.¡±

    The woman laughed quietly.

    ¡°Yes, that would work. You¡¯ll be pretty lucky, too. Even if you spend all your money, most restaurants in Silver Town will let competitors eat for free.¡±

    Redi will enjoy that.

    Sam thanked her one last time before boarding the boat, and with a final goodbye, he was off. The ship was much bigger than the speeder he took last time, but it was still fast, and it left the oh-so-similar-to-Dewford Cianwood City behind.

    Overall, the trip on this boat wouldn¡¯t be quick, but it would be faster than his original plan. This boat was one of several that helped with delivering Cianwood¡¯s specialty medicines, but instead of going to the mainland, it visited islands and a handful of cities along Johto¡¯s coast.

    There were many stops, but each stop was quick given the importance of the ship¡¯s cargo, and Sam was able to tag along since he promised to help out. There was no question at this point that people were taking notice of Annihilape when he and Sam helped carry the crates, but so close to the Conference, spreading a few rumors would actually help. It obscured their exact position while also building legitimacy so that more people would recognize them once Annihilape was officially revealed.

    Sam only felt excitement, and over the few days he spent on the ship, that feeling grew. It got to the point that he started to struggle to fall asleep at night, so he frequently chose to sleep on the ship¡¯s deck. His Ghost Type team members helped him get away with that, making sure he went unbothered but also making sure he wouldn¡¯t fall off.

    Being able to see the countless stars in the sky let him relax, and the many pinpricks of light almost served as reminders of how far his journey had taken him.

    ¡°Typhlosion,¡± Sam said quietly one night. She¡¯d been much more affectionate recently and hadn¡¯t left his side. ¡°Do you remember how we used to be? How much time we would spend inside? Sure, we¡¯d head out to search for Ghost Types¡ªsometimes¡ªbut I¡¯d usually be reading, checking the forums, or helping Mom around the shop.

    ¡°Back then, I... I don¡¯t know. It felt like I was almost in a haze. I wanted to go on a journey, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to. I guess, after Grandpa, I just...¡±

    His words got caught in his throat. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything else. A mist started to cloud the sky, but he wiped it away as Typhlosion pressed herself against his side.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said. ¡°For everything. Thank you for everything you¡¯ve ever done. You¡¯ve never stopped supporting me, and we¡¯re almost there! The Conference is so close! And I can never forget how you managed to evolve!¡±

    Typhlosion sent him a sharp grin as she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with pride. Although, Sam could have sworn he saw a guilty expression briefly flash over her face, but he didn¡¯t press. He didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment.

    ¡°There¡¯ll be more than just Redi and Xavier waiting for us there,¡± he said quietly as he stared up at the stars. ¡°We beat every Gym Leader in Johto, but so has everyone else who¡¯ll be competing. So many people there won¡¯t just be beginners. We¡¯ll be facing people with seasons of experience, but you know what?

    ¡°We¡¯ll be ready,¡± Sam promised. ¡°As long as we¡¯re clever, I know we¡¯ll find a way to win.¡±

    More than anything else, he wanted to stand with his team at the top.

    Sam continued to share his plans with Typhlosion that night, eventually falling asleep with his Ghost Types surrounding him. He woke up in a proper bed the next morning and resumed helping out over the trip. As they traveled, Mismagius, Haunter, and Typhlosion all worked to make sure the various Gastly stayed on board and didn¡¯t get too stir-crazy to think about floating off.

    When the ship finally docked in the river town at the edge of the Ilex Forest, Sam thanked the captain and helped unload the last few deliveries before dashing off. Shadows swarmed him as his various Ghost Types ¡°stretched their legs.¡± Just barely, he managed to reach a ferry right before it left. The people who managed it were a little annoyed at the last-minute boarding, but paying for a ticket helped.

    Wind blew past him. Leaning against the boat¡¯s back railing let him watch the water pass them by while Typhlosion stared into the woods, nervous yet alert. A few other trainers were also on board, but most of them were just returning home after a hard-fought season.

    Truthfully, Sam was the only person here insane enough to head into the deepest parts of Ilex Forest to train.

    Being so close to his goal, Sam could truly recognize just how far he and his team had come. Over the past few months, his understanding of not just his team but battling in general had grown by leaps and bounds.

    He had so much that he¡¯d drawn from.

    In Blackthorn, Will taught Sam about the importance of not forgetting to use strong attacks. In Ecruteak, Morty taught Sam about the many advanced strategies Ghost Types could use to win. Jasmine taught Sam that he should use status moves even more, and then Chuck¡¯s help was the most general yet most helpful¡ªwhen it came to relying on strategies in fights, Sam learned that he would not be able to reach the heights he desired through pre-made plans alone.

    The way he pictured the mindset of battling was now like a big tree. A trainer¡¯s main strategy¡ªthe goal they needed to achieve to win¡ªwas the trunk, but that strategy was only the ¡®default.¡¯ Each branch that grew off the trunk was a modification that came based on circumstance and situation. Different opponents required different perspectives, and even then, those branches split off even further into specific moves and counters¡ªthe tree¡¯s leaves and twigs.

    For Sam¡¯s team, their main strategy wasn¡¯t the use of status moves but the concept of always having their opponent be worse off. Status moves played into that, but they had plenty of other tricks, like hiding in shadows to lower accuracy or just keeping distance to mess with their opponent¡¯s plans.

    ¡°We have the same goals as before; the same status moves I¡¯d like everyone to learn,¡± Sam said to Typhlosion as the ferry carried them along. ¡°Stuff like Destiny Bond, Pain Split, Curse, Will-o-Wisp...¡± He let out a breath. ¡°And then I want to add new stuff, too. Thunder Wave, for example, since it¡¯s all about speed control and move prevention. There¡¯s also the idea of teaching more than just Haunter those disruptive moves like Grudge and Spite.¡±

    Strategy-wise, Sam had the basics, but he¡¯d need to spend this time creating more advanced strategies. Chuck¡¯s advice, as well as everything else he¡¯d learned, was at the forefront of his mind, and Sam had to train himself to give commands that were instinctual reactions instead of just previously thought-up shouts.

    His thoughts were occupied by that topic all the way up the river, even as the ferry stopped in a variety of small towns. Although, he was momentarily struck by the thought that, out here, the tiny contingents of Rangers and Ace Trainers that protected these towns had teams weaker than his own.

    The vast majority of trainers never got higher than five or six-star teams, and Sam was currently at eight.

    Somehow, he and his Pok¨¦mon had managed to reach a height that only a small percentage of teams ever reached.

    But they could go higher.

    Now wasn¡¯t the time to relax.

    This period was for training, for building themselves to bridge the gap between them and the most experienced competitors.

    When the boat eventually reached its final stop, Sam returned Typhlosion and practically hopped off to reach the forest¡¯s floor. There, he raced down the singular dirt path that took him past Arborville, through the trees, and towards Ilex¡¯s deepest woods.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    <hr>

    ¡°Hey! Be careful!¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t get anywhere near as far as he expected while heading down that well-tread road. The path seemed to have been flattened by Pok¨¦mon more than people, but clearly, the nearby village of Arborville frequently relied on it as well.

    Out here, the trees were tall, but they weren¡¯t tall enough yet. Light still managed to pierce through their leaves. Sam was looking for a place where the truly ancient trunks blotted out the skies, but the only hint to what he searched for was the skyscraper-sized trunk laying on its side ahead of him.

    The path followed a tunnel that had been carved straight through its bark.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me the first time? Don¡¯t just keep walking! I told you to be careful!¡±

    From atop that massive, fallen log, a young woman ran down its sloped side and hopped to the forest floor. Landing with grace, she sent Sam an annoyed look, running a hand through her tied-back green hair.

    ¡°Look, kid, if you don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for you past there, you shouldn¡¯t go further in than here. This tree is here for a reason¡ªit¡¯s a marker. The Pok¨¦mon on the other side are all wild. Other things lurk in the woods, too.¡±

    But Sam just smiled.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly why we¡¯re here! My team and I need that, and it¡¯s not like we aren¡¯t prepared. We¡¯re out here to train, but we¡¯re also a team of Ghost Types! Any ghost, spirit, or anything else that tries to disturb us won¡¯t be a problem at all!¡±

    His grin was met with a flat look, and the woman replied with a groan.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re one of them, huh? The crazies. The battle-hungry. Those weird trainers that are way too confident. Just another person heading somewhere dangerous to risk themselves for the sole sake of pushing their team.¡±

    ¡°...I just wanted to practice in the shadows,¡± Sam mumbled.

    The woman waved her hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s basically the same thing,¡± she said.

    She took another moment to look over Sam, and he did his best to stand tall and confident instead of shuffling around his feet. Once she seemed to be finished, she sighed, and she reached a satchel at her waist to take out a cloth-wrapped loaf.

    ¡°Alright, so it might not actually be that dangerous, but I needed to warn you anyway,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯re so motivated to head in no matter what, the least you can do is take this.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Berry-loaf! Bread with berries baked into it. Keeping it on you is for the best. It should help to keep the Voice of the Forest at bay.¡±

    She sent him a slight smile, and a pause stretched out between them.

    Then, she let out another groan when the ominous-sounding name only seemed to widen Sam¡¯s grin.

    ¡°...You have Ghost Types. So you have creepy interests. Right, of course. Who else would ever come here?¡± She grumbled and pressed a hand to her forehead. ¡°Then, let me give you this warning: if you hear a voice cry out for help, ignore it. Stay exactly where you are, don¡¯t move a muscle, and absolutely do not leave the main path.¡±

    Sam wanted to ask more questions, but the woman just turned around in a huff. She began to head back to wherever Arborville was, not even bothering to check on Sam even as she walked away.

    He shouted to ask for her name. He didn¡¯t want a repeat of what happened in Cianwood.

    ¡°Diana!¡± she yelled.

    And then she was gone, disappearing between the trees, and Sam turned back to that massive, fallen trunk. Shoving the bread into his jacket pocket, he breathed in and passed underneath to finally reach the place he¡¯d been trying to get to all this time.

    Mostly. Again, the trees weren¡¯t tall enough yet.

    ¡°So the Voice of the Forest, huh? Sounds like a spirit, or maybe a ghost.¡± Sam sent a glance to his side. ¡°What do you think, Typhlosion?¡±

    She shrugged, having released herself the second Diana was gone and after they had passed through.

    Although, testing Sam¡¯s question, Typhlosion tried close her eyes to focus, but all she did was slow down and shake her head. She didn¡¯t have any feeling or instinctual draw toward a nearby ghost, so if that ¡®Voice of the Forest¡¯ was a ghost, it wasn¡¯t anywhere close by.

    ¡°Hm. Thanks, anyway. But Diana¡¯s warning was weird. She sounded serious. I don¡¯t think it was a prank. It kind of reminds me of a few ghost stories I''ve read online¡ªthe ones about people entering a dark forest one day only to come out dazed and confused years later, acting as if no time had passed at all.¡±

    Sam paused.

    Typhlosion was quiet.

    She kept her gaze locked straight ahead.

    As seconds of silence stretched out between them, Sam finally made a noise by letting out a short laugh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we aren¡¯t going to miss the Conference! Whatever it is, we¡¯ll be fine! Just remember, we have each other and everyone else to rely on. We also already have a bunch of experience with real spirits, too!¡±

    But as confident as he was, Sam wasn¡¯t stupid¡ªmostly. He wasn¡¯t going to ignore Diana¡¯s warning. He knew those weird stories could actually be true.

    Given that he and his team had personally encountered real ghosts several times over, he wasn¡¯t going to dismiss a local legend. Those kinds of tall-tales were always rooted in some kind of truth, so he promised himself to not do something dumb and walk toward any spooky voices. If he heard anything suspicious, he was going to do exactly what she said and stand completely still.

    Diana¡¯s warning represented a legitimate threat.

    ...But he was curious.

    I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve read something about Ghost Types that lure travelers off the road. Maybe it¡¯s one of them? I¡¯ll check the New Pok¨¦dex once we find a place to take a break.

    Thoughts of training plans and now that mystery lingered even as the path thinned and gave way to untamed woods. Out here, the trees were large but yet to be at the size he wanted, and wild Pok¨¦mon were abundant around him.

    A family of Marill and Azumarill played in a stream, and he even passed a meadow filled with Oddish, Gloom, and Bellossom. He didn¡¯t want to bother them, so he gave everything a wide berth, at one point pausing momentarily to let a lone Stantler cross through the trees ahead of him.

    It¡¯d be a while until he reached the truly spooky parts of the forest, so he found a place to rest pretty soon in. Once he located a clear space beneath the trees where a nice, exposed root could serve as a bench, he released everyone on his team to have them go through some basic warm-ups.

    Annihilape and Trevenant moved off to exchange a series of slow-motion blows, practicing and predicting where one another would attack in an attempt to master their melee skills.

    Drakloak left where she was hiding behind a nearby tree to float at the edge of the clearing. She didn¡¯t initially act as though she would do anything, but eager squeaks from Dreepy saw her begin practicing her moves and launching him forward, much to his delight.

    Above, the Gastly swarmed beneath the thin canopy, casting shadows that swallowed the sun. Meanwhile, Typhlosion stayed at Sam¡¯s side, maintaining a low burn around her neck, and Mismagius kept to a nearby spot in the shade while repeatedly using Nasty Plot to practice keeping the move¡¯s energy under her control.

    The sole Pok¨¦mon that didn¡¯t reveal itself was Haunter, who was the only Ghost left in Sam¡¯s shadow. Haunter would be training eventually¡ªhalf the reason they were out here was to help him evolve¡ªbut he was still unhappy about his loss to Chuck. He was staying at rest for now so that he would have the energy to truly throw himself into training once they properly reached the deepest parts of the woods.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare lunch in just a moment. My pack¡¯s stuffed with supplies, so it¡¯ll be nice to get some of that out. But since we have a bit of time...¡±

    Sam sent Typhlosion a cheeky smirk and pulled out the New Pok¨¦dex. Sitting on that root, he plopped his backpack down next to him and began skimming through the book.

    No matter how hard he searched, he found nothing on the supposed ¡®Voice of the Forest.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t find anything native to the Ilex Forest that was relevant, but, again, the New Pok¨¦dex only really had information on Pok¨¦mon locations within a region¡¯s main routes.

    Nothing stood out to him, save for a single Ghost Type species¡ªLitwick. That Pok¨¦mon used its candlelight to lure travelers off of roads, but they would use light, not voice.

    (Litwick were also only native to Unova and a few other regions. They weren¡¯t really present in Johto.)

    ¡°Hm. I¡¯m not sure what it is.¡± Sam tried to look through the book again but found nothing. A warm breeze passed through their temporary camp. ¡°Maybe it is a real ghost? I¡¯ve looked through all the Ghost Types and found nothing. Can¡¯t even find any Psychic, Dark, or¡ªcan¡¯t believe I bothered¡ªGrass Type species it might be.¡±

    He went back to Litwick¡¯s entry and stared at it. That same, warm breeze blew again. He tried reading through the page before freezing where he sat.

    ...That warmth was unsuitable for late Fall.

    Frowning, Sam then realized something else: the camp was silent, and everyone had gone still.

    There¡¯d been no shout. There¡¯d been no spine-tingling wind. There had simply been nothing.

    All of his Pok¨¦mon had stopped in place to stare at a point a short distance away.

    Slowly, Sam brought up his head to follow their gaze. Everyone, Typhlosion and Mismagius especially, stared right at the... thing no one had noticed until now.

    It wasn''t the Voice of the Forest. It wasn¡¯t a Pok¨¦mon. Honestly, it wasn''t anything truly conscious. No, right there at the very edge of the clearing was a strange archway made of woven roots and leaves.

    The curious arch looked as though it had grown out of the ground. It was worn enough to have been there for quite some time, but Sam swore it hadn¡¯t been there before.

    He tried to deny its presence in his mind, but he had a clear memory of it being there when he had set up camp. The memory of it had always been there, but why hadn¡¯t it stood out? It¡¯d been there when he first stopped to set up camp. It¡¯d been there when he let everyone out. And it¡¯d been there when he first started to read through the New Pok¨¦dex.

    But no one had been able to acknowledge it until now.

    He listened carefully¡ªthe forest was silent¡ªand then he placed the New Pok¨¦dex on the root and stood up to approach. Typhlosion rose next to him, and they both cautiously approached the archway to try to figure out how it had appeared without ever appearing.

    However, it was utterly mundane.

    As strange as the archway seemed, it felt and looked as though it was nothing special. As far as he and Typhlosion could tell, it was just a normal arch that lacked any chill or presence to it that¡¯d denote it as being from a ghost.

    ¡°Trevenant,¡± Sam called out slowly. ¡°Did you make this?¡±

    No. Trevenant had been too busy sparring with Annihilape.

    ¡°Gastly, did any of you see this form?¡±

    They looked among themselves. Their floating, ghostly spheres all shook their heads for ¡®no.¡¯

    Uncomfortable, Sam licked his lips. He glanced over to ask another team member, but Mismagius was already right there. He remembered that she was familiar with this forest¡ªit was where she had lived. If anyone would know anything about this, it would have to be her.

    ¡°What about you, Mismagius?¡± Sam asked as he glanced between her and the archway. ¡°Do you... know what this is?¡±

    She stared at it. Her expression was empty. There was not a single hint of any emotion on her face.

    She didn¡¯t respond to Sam¡¯s question, but ever so slowly, she sent Typhlosion a look. The two of them made eye contact, and as Typhlosion pressed her ears down, Mismagius replied with an almost imperceptible nod of her head.

    Typhlosion froze. Sam saw that same guilty look that¡¯d been more and more common these days once more rear its ugly head. She turned toward Sam and lowered her head.

    She nudged his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls at his waist.

    ¡°Hold on. What are you doing?¡±

    She went still when there was a shout.

    The yell didn¡¯t come from the forest, but it came from behind them. Out of everyone on the team, Drakloak realized it first, and a horrible cry came from her throat.

    Immediately, Annihilape tore through the grove to try to stop them, but Mismagius was prepared. Before he could get close, a blue glow wrapped around his form to throw him back with a Psychic.

    Then, Typhlosion lunged, reaching at Sam to grab his belt and tear it away, stealing the Pok¨¦balls of every member of his team. He looked up at her, but she didn¡¯t see him. Her eyes were squinted shut, and a grimace had overtaken her face.

    She didn¡¯t want to do this, but she had to.

    So what came next was simple:

    A single shove.

    Suddenly, Sam found himself stumbling through that archway, and the forest floor gave way beneath him.

    Typhlosion and Mismagius stared down at him as Sam fell, and fell, and fell. Both of them looked awful, but they both carried an expression of knowing this had to be done.

    And then they were gone. Sam was surrounded by darkness.

    Around him, Fall gave way to Summer. Summer gave way to Spring. Spring gave way to Winter.

    The cycle repeated.

    In the distance, he heard a voice cry out for help.

 Chapter 144

    The forest floor was cold beneath Sam. He felt his hand press into damp detritus and long-fallen leaves. The sun had vanished in the sky, plunging the world firmly into night. A few faint beams peaked through, but a heavy canopy otherwise blocked the moon''s light.

    At least the trees are tall.

    He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he laughed. After everything, he found it ridiculous that his first thought was to celebrate that he was in the deepest parts of Ilex Forest.

    Sam pushed up into a seated position, somehow feeling both lucid and dazed at the same time. He had a clear memory of falling, but he wasn¡¯t sure where or what he had fallen through. He had passed through that arch, certainly, but it was like the blurry world that rushed past him had existed without existing at all.

    The only thing he knew was that he had gone somewhere and that right now, he was here.

    They pushed me. Why did they push me?

    That single question repeated over and over again in his mind as he sat on the forest floor.

    Why?

    Why did Mismagius trick him? Why did Typhlosion push him through the portal? Why did they rip his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls away?

    Why did no one else know?

    His stomach churned. He trusted his Pok¨¦mon. It shouldn¡¯t have happened. It felt like a betrayal, but when he pictured their expressions...

    Typhlosion looked like she was in just as much pain as I am right now. She didn¡¯t want to do it, but neither did Mismagius. Except, both of them did it anyway.

    They weren¡¯t happy. But they looked as though they thought they needed to do it no matter what. Did Mismagius know something? She lived in this forest. That has to be related to why she organized all of this in the first place.

    Sam knew his Pok¨¦mon. He knew that Mismagius had come up with the plan. Typhlosion would have never done something like this on her own without telling him first. It wasn¡¯t a prank, nor was it a trick. He¡¯d been sent to a completely different part of the forest, alone, without anyone on his team, and without any form of supplies.

    Quickly, the thought made Sam check what he still had on him. As far as he could tell, he only had his clothes. His Pok¨¦mon were on the other side of that portal. His backpack was still where he¡¯d placed it when he sat. The New Pok¨¦dex was likely where he¡¯d left it on the root when he stood up. And Typhlosion now possessed all of his team¡¯s Pok¨¦balls.

    That just left him¡ª

    He couldn¡¯t help it. He laughed again.

    ¡°The berry bread.¡±

    The loaf was still in his pocket.

    Weirdly, it was comforting to know he still had food.

    ¡°Alright, Sam,¡± Sam whispered to himself. ¡°You¡¯re alone in a forest with only a loaf of bread on your person. You have no water, shelter, or Pok¨¦mon to keep you safe. You have no devices to call for help, and since your team is responsible for pushing you in, no one is going to know they need to go out and search for you in the first place.¡±

    He was trying to go over his situation to feel better, but he had to stop when he realized that nothing he said helped.

    He sat in silence, and then the faint cry of a wild Pok¨¦mon echoed in the distance. The sound reminded Sam of just how deep he was in the Ilex Forest¡ªdangerous Pok¨¦mon could be wandering out here. Without any Pok¨¦mon with him, he didn¡¯t have any good ways to defend himself.

    As bad as his situation was, it would have been easy to allow himself to fall into negative thoughts, but at this point, he had more than enough practice pushing past those. Instead, Sam simply took a deep breath and schooled his mind.

    If no one is around to help, then I have to help myself. My priorities are water and shelter. I also need to find a way to get to a town or a Ranger station so I can call for help.

    If he had his full team with him or if people knew he was stuck out here, he would be better off staying in one place. However, all of the people who would worry about him thought he¡¯d be out here for several weeks. They would only know he needed help if he didn¡¯t show up at the Conference, and the Conference was weeks away.

    Strapped for options, he recognized that only he could do anything to save himself. Thus, he chose a direction and began walking, searching for anything that could help him find a way back to his team.

    There wasn¡¯t much light out here given it was the middle of the night. He didn¡¯t remember passing out while falling, but he had experienced a sudden change in the time of day. It had been just about noon when he stopped to rest with everyone else. The strange time difference was a little weird, but right now, the important part was getting back.

    In the distance, another faint cry echoed out, and Sam was once more reminded of how wild Pok¨¦mon filled these woods.

    It also reminded him of the warning he¡¯d been given:

    The Voice of the Forest.

    Is it responsible for this? Did it work with Mismagius?

    He wanted to get to the bottom of whatever happened, but again, his priority was returning to his team.

    So Sam walked, alone, hiking through the woods. Though it was dark, he didn¡¯t have much trouble seeing ahead of him. He was a bit worried about injuring himself by tripping on a root or the like, but the trees here were so large that any root was essentially building-sized.

    His path weaved. He had no clue what direction he was traveling, only that he was traveling somewhere. No matter what, he knew he¡¯d find something eventually. He just needed to keep going forward, no matter how much his solitude caused his heart to hurt in his chest.

    But it wasn¡¯t too long into his trek that he saw a shadowy figure suddenly shift to his right.

    Instead of panicking, Sam felt nothing but relief.

    ¡°Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I¡¯m not alone. We¡¯re not alone! So they got you too, huh?¡±

    The shadow attempted to dart behind a tree, and then sharp eyes peeked out from behind. They were trying their best to hide their appearance and maybe resemble something unique, but Sam could recognize that mischievous grin from anywhere.

    ¡°Haunter?¡± Sam called out. ¡°Are you coming out?¡±

    He heard a huff from his Pok¨¦mon, annoyed at how his scare had failed.

    Haunter left his shadowy hiding spot, and Sam had never felt as relieved as he did in that moment. Haunter didn¡¯t even look upset at his failure to scare him. If anything, he looked guilty for trying to do that to Sam right now, of all times.

    ¡°Are you alone? Alone other than me,¡± Sam clarified when Haunter looked at him and giggled.

    He was hopeful as he waited for a response, but after a quick look around, Haunter just replied with an unfortunate shrug.

    ¡°So there aren¡¯t any Gastly nearby, and there¡¯s no one else from our team. It was only you out there? And I bet they didn¡¯t even mean to shove you through. You just... happened to be in my shadow when I fell.¡±

    After a few more quick questions, Sam was able to decipher the situation¡ªTyphlosion and Mismagius had intended to send only Sam through, but they hadn¡¯t noticed Haunter. Everything had happened so fast that he¡¯d never left his torpor.

    The only thing Haunter remembered was the last bit of falling, and then he and Sam were alone. While Sam was getting his bearings, Haunter had scampered off into another shadow when he recognized this perfect opportunity for a scare.

    ¡°Mismagius and Typhlosion pushed me through this... weird archway thing,¡± Sam explained. ¡°I fell, and then I think I woke up here? Anyway, as far as I can tell, we¡¯re still in Ilex Forest, but we¡¯re much deeper in. Everyone else should still be back at our campsite from before, so we need to find a way to return to the team.¡±

    Raising an eyebrow, Haunter glanced around again. Sam did as well.

    They had certainly reached their target destination of the darkest parts of the forest, but right now wasn¡¯t exactly the time for training.

    ¡°Sorry, Haunter. I know you want to evolve, but this is an emergency situation. We can¡¯t just abandon everyone else.¡±

    Despite Sam¡¯s words, Haunter didn¡¯t seem to think this was an emergency. He just snickered, basically seeing Mismagius and Typhlosion¡¯s actions as nothing more than a prank.

    He was a Ghost Type, after all.

    Meanwhile, Sam¡¯s feelings were more complicated than that. Haunter¡¯s reaction was more positive since those two possessed his absolute trust. While Sam logically knew that both would never do anything to hurt him, it was still painful to experience them planning something like this behind his back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Ghost Type, so I¡¯ll need your help. I have food, but I don¡¯t have water or a place to stay,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯ll be safer to move when it''s not night, so can you help me out? Search for anywhere I can rest or work to keep aggressive Pok¨¦mon away. Please, Haunter. I¡¯m placing my safety in your hands.¡±

    Immediately, Sam¡¯s request hit Haunter, and Haunter¡¯s expression turned serious. With the stiff demeanor of a professional, he sent Sam a salute to promise he¡¯d get that done.

    And then he cackled at that action and slipped off, entering the nearby shadows to maintain a careful perimeter around Sam. Haunter would do exactly what Sam asked and search for a temporary shelter while also making sure any hostile wild Pok¨¦mon wouldn¡¯t approach. He was honestly one of the best Pok¨¦mon Sam could ask to have with him out here. Between Haunter¡¯s growing sensory abilities and his expertise with Hypnosis, he could detect and ward away any attackers with ease.

    But there were downsides, too.

    Sam had no Pok¨¦balls on him, not even Haunter¡¯s. If Haunter became critically injured, Sam had no way to put him in stasis or use a Potion for treatment. That meant Destiny Bond, while great at delaying a tough foe, was otherwise unusable. Same for any move that caused him to hurt himself like the timer-inducing Curse.

    The only way Haunter would be able to heal was if they were lucky enough to find an unguarded berry tree. Except, Sam knew just how rare something like that was. The berry bread could maybe provide a slight amount of healing, but Sam needed that bread for food, which meant Haunter could only really heal if given plenty of time to rest.

    But we¡¯ll be traveling. Staying in one place is just asking for a wild Pok¨¦mon to attack us. Haunter could rest in my shadow if he needs to, but if he ever gets knocked out, he won¡¯t be conscious enough to be able to dive in.

    With them being so far off-Route, avoiding threats was more important than fighting them off.

    Still, Sam felt much more confident knowing he had at least one Pok¨¦mon at his side.

    He resumed his hike with renewed energy, trekking over the uneven floor of dead leaves and scattered roots. This deep in the Ilex Forest, it honestly felt as though he was walking through a city¡¯s downtown district. The trees out here were so old that they matched the heights of skyscrapers. Grass Type energy could cause plants to grow into impressive things, and these trees had literal centuries to age while passively feeding on that.

    This place was ancient. It almost felt primordial, but it wasn¡¯t quite that.

    Eventually, Sam heard the sounds of uneven footsteps walking across the leaves¡ªan attempt by Haunter to creep him out while also sending him a sign. However, it was hard to not notice the Ghost Type¡¯s suppressed giggles, and Sam followed the signal to move around one of the massive trees.

    Haunter led him to a stream.

    ¡°Oh, good.¡± Sam knelt at the water¡¯s edge in an attempt to look it over. He could see the barest shape of its banks while also hearing the constant movement of its flow. ¡°This stream might be good? I have no fire or any way to boil it, but if I can¡¯t find anything else...¡±

    He was a bit thirsty, but he could at least wait until morning to see how clear the liquid was. If there were signs of Water Types nearby, he would know it¡¯d be safe to drink. If they weren¡¯t, he would just have to keep moving. But the stream also represented something important¡ªif it went on for long enough, there was a chance that following it could bring him to a river, and then following that river would give him decent odds of finding civilization.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°We¡¯ll look for a safe place to stay nearby, and then we¡¯ll follow the water once it¡¯s day. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s safe to drink or not right now, but some more light will let me know how clear it is. The berry bread might let me bribe some Water Types into making some drinking water instead, but if we don¡¯t find any or if they¡¯re hostile, we¡¯ll just need to keep going until we¡¯re back.¡±

    He heard something shift behind him, and an exhale sent cold air running across his neck. Taking that as yet another form of acknowledgement by Haunter, Sam stood up, still trying and failing to make out the water in the stream.

    ¡°No matter what, we need to return to everyone else. They¡¯ll be waiting for us, even if they¡¯re the reason we¡¯re...¡± Sam shook his head. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t bribe any Pok¨¦mon, that berry bread is dense enough to last for a few days. The important part is to conserve energy. But as long as we aren¡¯t too far away, we should last long enough to make it back.¡±

    Sam was incredibly thankful to his mother. Before leaving on his journey, she had him go through a ¡°training camp¡± for a few weeks. Without that, he wouldn¡¯t have known what to do or all the little tricks for surviving out here. His own experience on his journey helped as well. Without all of that knowledge and experience in his mind, he¡¯d probably have been more freaked out.

    Finally feeling confident about their next steps, Sam turned back around to check on the source of the breathing, expecting to see Haunter.

    It wasn¡¯t Haunter.

    Eyes stared back.

    Eyes that were so incredibly familiar.

    For a second, it felt as though his heart had stopped.

    Sam had never been more terrified in his life.

    Before him, the floating Pok¨¦mon saw his fear and smiled, and it wasn¡¯t the expression of Haunter or any of the Gastly. Red eyes, rimmed with yellow, curved up with glee, and the Ghost Type let out a haunting giggle that echoed throughout the woods around them.

    With Sam frozen, the Pok¨¦mon bobbed in place, happy to have succeeded in its scare. The short dress of its body bounced alongside it, and the strands of hair on its head waved in an unseen wind.

    ¡°...Misdreavus?¡± Sam whispered, his throat dry.

    The Pok¨¦mon saw his expression and suddenly rushed his face.

    She giggled in delight when Sam fell back.

    Misdreavus was celebrating, laughing, cackling at a scare well done. She was a Ghost Type. A real Ghost Type. Nothing about her was fake; the world was far too cold right now for this to be an illusion.

    ¡°How?¡± Sam breathed.

    The wild Pok¨¦mon, unaware of the depths of his question, simply stuck out her tongue in a cheeky taunt.

    Sam¡¯s brain wasn¡¯t working.

    His eyes felt like they weren¡¯t working.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t ignore reality. What he was seeing was completely, undeniably, undoubtedly, true.

    That¡¯s Misdreavus. My Misdreavus. But.. she evolved. She¡¯s a Mismagius. And she¡¯s traveled with me. She would know how to scare someone better than this!

    But it¡¯s her! I know it¡¯s her! It¡¯s not her sister or another Misdreavus or any different Pok¨¦mon that just happens to look the same. It¡¯s... her, and she scared me, and she...

    Sam swallowed a shaky breath.

    And she doesn¡¯t recognize me.

    His concept of reality was falling apart.

    Misdreavus¡¯s smile was far too familiar. The way her eyes glimmered in delight was far too telling. He¡¯d seen this exact expression plenty of times when they journeyed together.

    She was undeniably his Pok¨¦mon.

    But she also wasn¡¯t.

    Misdreavus wasn¡¯t his Pok¨¦mon yet.

    ¡°How?¡± Sam repeated.

    He didn¡¯t want to face the truth.

    Misdreavus, his Misdreavus, turned his way and cocked her head to the side in the equivalent of a shrug. She clearly thought he was asking how she scared him, but his question carried so much more meaning than that.

    Her appearance answered too many questions, and Sam finally had to admit to himself what had happened.

    That archway wasn¡¯t a portal.

    It hadn¡¯t just brought him deeper into the forest.

    The unexpected presence of night was too much of a gap. He had never actually fallen unconscious and had seen the seasons change around him. The presence of the unevolved Misdreavus was too much of an impossibility. So all of that together combined into a single, undeniable fact:

    By being pushed through the archway, somehow, Sam had been sent backwards in time.

    <hr>

    He wasn¡¯t sure why Misdreavus agreed to it. She didn¡¯t know him. She hadn¡¯t traveled with him. And Sam didn¡¯t actually know her.

    Yet, she had easily agreed when he asked for help.

    Misdreavus spent only a single moment to consider it before moving up and down with an eager laugh. She almost immediately turned away to zip through the forest, but she stopped and turned toward him, impatiently waiting for him to catch up.

    She has so much energy. She¡¯s so young.

    She didn¡¯t have that passive sense of melancholy that Sam had seen her sometimes enter. This was a Misdreavus that was new to life, one that was excited to experience new things. Honestly, Sam wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if she had come into being within the past year.

    He followed Misdreavus¡ªhis Misdreavus¡ªand Haunter followed by his side. The much stronger, much more stealthy Ghost Type stuck to shadows but made sure to stay nearby.

    He was just as quiet as Sam. This... past version of their friend didn¡¯t notice him at all.

    ¡°Do you remember when Misdreavus first came at us in the forest? How she looked so betrayed when we attacked her?¡± Sam kept his voice to a whisper so that Misdreavus didn¡¯t hear, and in the shadows of the great trees, Haunter responded with a tense nod. ¡°Do you think... Do you think she recognized us?¡±

    Silence persisted.

    Haunter thought about it.

    Back then, Misdreavus recognized Sam.

    But now, Misdreavus did not recognize him.

    ¡°Haunter, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re supposed to be here,¡± Sam whispered slowly. ¡°I think... Mismagius did this on purpose. And Typhlosion must have known for a while. They wanted me to be here for a reason, but you... I¡¯m sorry. Can you stay hidden? I don¡¯t think you should reveal yourself to her. Please. Just... I don¡¯t know. Can you stay on guard?¡±

    Haunter looked conflicted. It was the most conflicted Sam had ever seen his Pok¨¦mon look. And even with that expression, Haunter kept sending glances Misdreavus¡¯s way, and Sam knew why.

    She¡¯d slipped past his attention.

    But she had slipped past his attention because he had unconsciously let her. He was too used to ignoring her presence to notice her before she approached Sam.

    Something about that stuck with Haunter, but he still nodded to accept Sam¡¯s request. For now, he faded into the nearby shadows and resumed his perimeter. Right after, Misdreavus glanced behind her to check on Sam. She sent him a curious look.

    He replied with a smile, and Misdreavus smiled back.

    In the end, she didn¡¯t bring him too far away from that steam. Maybe just a few trees over¡ªbut with how large these trees were, it was still quite the distance. She stopped in front of where a root bent upwards to curve out of the earth. Its arcing shape made Sam feel a bit sick at the unfortunate resemblance, but she eagerly dove into the gap made by its hump.

    Following her in, Sam had to crouch to fit under the root, but he could tell she had led him into some kind of short den. A flicker appeared in front of him, and just a foot away from his face, Misdreavus strained with focus to conjure a single, ghostly light.

    Sam looked around.

    There were some neat rocks. A collection of colorful leaves. A pile of shredded-yet-stringy bark that could serve as a nest. And pressed against the wall was a mound of half-rotted berries.

    The smell was sickeningly sweet.

    Not needing food herself, Misdreavus made a noise to offer Sam one of them, but he just forced back his grimace and shook his head.

    ¡°Thank you, but I have food of my own,¡± he said as he pulled out the berry bread.

    Misdreavus saw and eyed it greedily.

    Sam eyed it as well.

    ¡°...Here.¡±

    Though it was his only food, he couldn¡¯t say no to her, and he pulled off a tiny chunk to hand it over.

    Happily, Misdreavus snapped up that small piece and chewed on the new flavor, making satisfied noises. Meanwhile, Sam tried to clear a space on the floor. He ignored how a bunch of creepy crawlies scattered away when he swiped his hand over before sitting down.

    Every ounce of his attention was on the Ghost Type in the room. She was his Pok¨¦mon, but she... wasn¡¯t quite there yet.

    ¡°How long have you lived here?¡±

    Misdreavus shrugged again, unsure. Time-keeping didn¡¯t exactly seem to be her strength, as young as she was. However, Sam could tell this den had been the only place she called home.

    ¡°Do you have any friends? Family? ...A trainer?¡±

    She tilted to the side before shaking her head; Misdreavus was living alone.

    An awkward silence stretched out between them. Misdreavus just seemed happy to be near Sam, excited but unsure how to interact with another being in her home. Meanwhile, Sam was doing his best to ignore his existential crisis, struggling to say anything that might be considered small talk.

    It was awkward. Uncomfortable. Unfortunate.

    Sam remembered just how sad she had looked when he and Haunter had attacked her back then. He couldn¡¯t imagine how long she spent alone¡ªhow long she was yet to spend alone before she properly joined them.

    ¡°I... have a team.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why he was talking about this. He didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°I train Pok¨¦mon. A bunch of them. Ghost Types. I¡¯m, uh, a specialist with that Type.¡±

    Curious, Misdreavus tilted her head.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a trainer?¡± Sam tried to explain. ¡°Of Pok¨¦mon. They aren¡¯t here right now, but I work with them. We try to get strong. And, well, they¡¯re all Ghost Types¡ªlike what you are. A Ghost Type. Pok¨¦mon can be defined by a bunch of different Types of energy, and you¡¯re, uh, a Ghost?¡±

    Misdreavus moved closer, intrigued, and Sam¡¯s chest hurt. This deep in the woods and alone as she was, she didn¡¯t exactly have a way to learn about this.

    Subtly, Sam glanced to her den¡¯s entrance to see eyes watching them.

    Haunter looked in.

    ¡°Ghost Types are... spectral. Ethereal. They exist past the usual bounds of life and death,¡± Sam said. ¡°They can do things like phasing into shadows, conjuring darkness, and then they can also do far more esoteric stuff like laying curses or inflicting illusions.

    ¡°It¡¯s like...¡± He paused. ¡°That wisp you conjured. How much do you know about it?¡±

    Despite her eagerness to listen to his words, she¡¯d also been focusing on maintaining that light.

    Sam looked it over. It was providing a dim, purple glow that let him just barely see the rest of the ¡°room.¡± The wisp wasn¡¯t anything like a Will-O-Wisp or a Hex, but it was still something¡ªthe barest amount of pure Ghost Type energy needed to start conjuring a Shadow Ball.

    ¡°You could probably develop that into a move,¡± Sam ended up saying. ¡°Actually, I bet you already know a few moves, huh?¡±

    Bringing up her chin, she replied with a proud nod. While she didn¡¯t seem familiar with the concept of trainers or the specifics of Types, she still lived in the deep woods. Out here, Pok¨¦mon had to know how to fight.

    ¡°My team knows a lot of moves. Shadow Ball, for starters, kind of like I said. We usually fight by using status moves to weaken our opponents, but my Pok¨¦mon also know a lot of really cool, more unique kinds of moves, like Double Team or Smokescreen or Agility or Shadow...¡±

    Shadow Sneak.

    Sam went quiet.

    He got distracted by talking about his Pok¨¦mon.

    He got the sense he shouldn¡¯t have been telling her about them.

    Yet, even as he went quiet, Misdreavus looked up at him with an extreme amount of awe. He grimaced, but she was excited. The question she then asked him was like being punched in the gut.

    Misdreavus wanted to know if he could teach her all of that, too.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I should have¡ª I think I should sleep.¡±

    Sam looked away, but Misdreavus just nodded, understanding that other beings had to sleep at night. She moved back to give him room, and Sam laid down on the cramped dirt floor.

    I messed up.

    I messed up so bad.

    He wasn¡¯t dumb. He could put the pieces together. After that conversation¡ª

    Where did Mismagius send me?

    Misdreavus wanted him to teach her. She wanted to learn all those cool moves. Her moveset was likely not that expansive right now, but back when they first met, Misdreavus had known more than a wild Pok¨¦mon should have known¡ªsuspiciously so. His theory had been that she had a trainer in her past, but with him being here right now...

    It was me, wasn¡¯t it?

    Sam hated that realization.

    Forcing his eyes closed, Sam tried his best not to think about it. He tried not to consider what the implications would mean.

    It took much, much longer than he wanted, but he finally fell asleep.

    With how his schedule was shaping up, it was more of a nap than it was a night¡¯s rest, but it was at least something that let him briefly ignore everything that was on his mind.

    <hr>

    Eventually, light peeked into the short entrance to Misdreavus¡¯s home, and it woke Sam up.

    The sun was rising.

    There wasn''t much illumination, but a scattering of sunbeams peeked through the canopy¡¯s dense leaves. Between the trees¡¯ branches, the barest hints of color were visible. Sam could just barely tell in which direction the sun was bringing itself through the sky.

    That let him know which way was east.

    Which meant he now knew the compass directions.

    Which meant, based on the map Chuck¡¯s wife had shown him, he had a general idea of which way he¡¯d need to head to be brought back to civilization.

    Following that stream would definitely help, too.

    When I first entered the forest, Diana gave me this berry bread. Did she know something like this would happen? It¡¯s the only food I have. She mentioned it would ward off the Voice of the Forest, but now I¡¯m thinking that wasn¡¯t the real reason. I think she gave it to me so I would have food in case of the worst.

    ...I bet she knows more.

    This situation was too impossible. Sam¡¯s only clue as to how this might have happened was from Diana¡¯s warning about ¡°the Voice of the Forest.¡± Diana likely knew more than she shared, but she currently existed somewhere in the nebulous future.

    Sam had no idea how far back he was in the past. And he was also worried about making waves. He didn¡¯t want to do something like prevent his birth or prevent the capture of any of his team¡¯s Pok¨¦mon.

    But he wasn¡¯t even sure if that was possible. The past was the past. It should have already happened. If he was from the present¡ªor the future¡ªall of this was already set. He was just... living through it. Which maybe meant all of his actions were pre-ordained, and that maybe, just maybe, meant that free will wasn¡¯t actually a thing.

    ¡°Or you know what? Let¡¯s not think about it. Existential crises aren¡¯t worth having so early in the morning.¡±

    There was a bad taste in his mouth that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of by brushing his teeth. He didn¡¯t have any supplies to help him get ready.

    Without anything else to do, Sam climbed out of the hole and did his best to try to find the sun.

    He could tell that Haunter was still nearby. The Ghost Type had stayed on guard all night. Sam could see his Pok¨¦mon dart through a gap between two roots, appearing as a moving shadow that briefly revealed his location.

    Haunter saw that he¡¯d been noticed and sent Sam a thumbs up. Subtly, Sam sent back one of his own in reply.

    Then, behind him, Misdreavus was suddenly right there.

    She yawned as if she had been sleeping as well, but Sam knew that Ghost Types didn¡¯t need to sleep. She was just mimicking something he¡¯d done when he first woke up in her home beneath the tree.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± he said, trying to push back his nerves.

    Misdreavus said her name to repeat the greeting and then looked at him with such hopeful eyes.

    ¡°...You want to know if I¡¯ve given it any thought.¡±

    She nodded eagerly.

    She really wanted his advice.

    Unfortunately, Sam was unable to do anything but bite his lip and turn away. He tried his best to not think about what this meant and how much it hurt.

    But had to do so anyway.

    Misdreavus was doomed. She wasn¡¯t doomed to an early fate, but she was doomed to this time period in the past. After he had caught her in the future, she had never properly answered any questions about her history¡ªbecause why would she need to? After all, Sam would just experience all of it himself.

    He knew that her moveset hadn¡¯t been the moveset of a normal Misdreavus. She had to have been trained. Not just anyone in Johto was aware of Shadow Sneak. She also acted as though she had a trainer that she dearly missed.

    Sam hated it. He knew what that meant.

    The pieces were all there. It was obvious at this point.

    He¡¯d been the one to train her. Or, he would be the one to train her.

    And then he would leave, and then she would spend an unknown amount of time trying to reunite with him.

    In a way, it was bittersweet, having the confirmation that he would find a way back but also the confirmation that he¡¯d leave her behind. Misdreavus was doomed because she would be abandoned. She would be doomed to wander the forest after forming an attachment to him.

    And I can¡¯t stop it. It''s a truth to her species. Misdreavus and Mismagius are known to get caught up in obsessions. Morty¡¯s Mismagius had an obsession with tea parties, and Misdreavus...

    Misdreavus¡¯s obsession will be with me.

    Those hopeful eyes continued to stare up at him. Even if he ran now, it wouldn¡¯t work. He had already caught her interest.

    Worse, he also knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to say no. He couldn¡¯t just leave his Pok¨¦mon behind.

    So, in that moment, Sam made a promise, swearing something to both her and to himself.

    No matter what, he¡¯d search for a way to stop that abandonment. He¡¯d find a way to make sure Misdreavus would never have to spend ages searching for someone who wasn¡¯t there. The past was set in stone? Not while he could do something about it. He would find out who or what was responsible for this¡ªthe supposed Voice of the Forest, most likely¡ªand then he would wring their neck until they agreed to help.

    He¡¯d fix this, but in the meantime, he¡¯d do whatever he could. If Misdreavus was doomed to be miserable, then he¡¯d do everything in his power to make sure she would be happy right now. The past was the past, but the future could change. What happened would still happen, but Sam was in a position to change what tomorrow would bring.

    He would fix this.

    Somehow.

    He would make this all work.

    ¡°I¡¯ll train you,¡± Sam ended up saying.

    And right away, Misdreavus excitedly pulled up in the air, bouncing in place with glee.

    Sam¡¯s basic plan wouldn¡¯t change. He¡¯d follow the stream back to civilization, hopefully reaching Arborville. He was yet to visit the town, but Diana was¡ªwould be¡ªfrom there. She¡¯d known about the Voice of the Forest, which meant other people stood to know as well.

    So he ignored the sour taste in his mouth and the tension he felt in his chest. With the promise he made, Misdreavus would be coming with him. He¡¯d do everything he could to find out more while simultaneously training her. He would make sure she had the time of her life, and then he¡¯d make sure to find a solution.

    He would make things better. Sam swore he would find that cursed Voice of the Forest, and no matter what, he¡¯d force it to help.

 Chapter 145

    The best trainers, as in the peak of the peak, could take an inexperienced Pok¨¦mon and turn them into an elite-level fighter within only a few months.

    Sam could not do that.

    However, he was still someone with almost a full season of experience behind him, and he had a massive pool of knowledge to draw from. Just because he couldn¡¯t bring a Pok¨¦mon to an elite-level in a short time didn¡¯t mean he was clueless about how to help Misdreavus. He was no longer the trainer who struggled to put together a training plan. He knew what exercises she would need to do as well as how to best describe new moves to help her learn them.

    He was a Pok¨¦mon trainer. A proper one.

    He couldn¡¯t call himself weak. He knew for a fact that he¡¯d be able to help.

    ¡°So! Misdreavus.¡± Sam clapped his hands together, facing her that same morning at the edge of the stream. The flow of the water made it obvious in which direction he¡¯d need to travel to find the river¡ªor at least, Sam hoped it did. ¡°I want to see what moves you know. Show me what you¡¯ve picked up on your own.¡±

    Locking eyes with him, Misdreavus did her best to reply with a firm nod before going on to demonstrate her moves.

    She was cute.

    Overall, her selection was pretty basic for a wild Ghost Type, consisting of Growl and Confuse Ray for support, and then Psywave, Astonish, and Confusion for attacks.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Sam rubbed his chin. Misdreavus looked on hopefully.

    All of her attacks are decent, but she doesn¡¯t have anything that strong. At most, they¡¯re functional, but she¡¯s not exactly using them that fast or giving them the power they need to deal damage.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Sam said, ¡°for a lot of these, you spied on other Pok¨¦mon and then copied what they could do, right?¡±

    As he tapped his cheek in thought, Misdreavus gained a slight blush.

    Alright. So that¡¯s how she knows these moves. She just needs to practice and expand her choices, then.

    ¡°In a battle, you need options. You also need to make sure those options actually work,¡± Sam said, bringing his hands behind his back and beginning to pace. ¡°By that, I don¡¯t just mean moves you¡¯ve used once or twice. I mean that to win battles, you need to use the moves that will actually hit. You need to use moves whose effects will actually apply.¡±

    He stopped walking, pushing his feet together as he looked over to where Misdreavus floated in the air. Curiously, she tilted herself to the side, but there was a tinge of disappointment to her.

    Sam realized she¡¯d been hoping for compliments after her demonstration.

    ¡°Okay, yeah, it¡¯s pretty great that you¡¯re already so familiar with the Psychic Type,¡± Sam said, causing Misdreavus to puff up in pride. ¡°We can use that, and I noticed a few ways you get even better. Since we want you to improve...¡±

    He looked around.

    No one else was there.

    This was the first time he¡¯d be training a Pok¨¦mon without any other Pok¨¦mon to help, so he decided to take a risk.

    Throwing his arms out to the sides, Sam made himself into the widest target he could be.

    ¡°Hit me. Use Psywave.¡±

    Immediately, Misdreavus dropped her jaw, aghast.

    Scaring someone was one thing, but directly attacking them was another. In the wild, fights and moves were only really exchanged during moments of actual aggression or to claim territory. Using one on a companion wasn¡¯t uncommon¡ªbut that was for Pok¨¦mon. Humans weren¡¯t known for being able to take the same level of hits.

    ¡°Trust me. I won¡¯t get hurt, but I need you to see this with your own eyes.¡±

    Sam knew that Haunter would help him dodge in the worst case, but he also didn¡¯t have any other targets that Misdreavus could attack.

    She was hesitant at first, shaking her head in an attempt to deny Sam¡¯s request. However, Sam just kept up his expectant stare, and she eventually grimaced before finding her resolution, breathing in, and then closing her eyes to focus.

    Unlike most of the times Sam had seen his Pok¨¦mon attack, he couldn¡¯t see Misdreavus¡¯s move form right away. She was far more inexperienced than he¡¯d thought. Still, soon enough, ripples formed in the air as her control of Psychic Type energy let her manipulate the space ahead of her.

    A few seconds longer, and she then snapped her eyes open. Her Psywave properly took form alongside a shout, creating a blue-pink wave that oscillated through the air to reach Sam.

    He dodged it by taking a single step to the right.

    ¡°Okay. That was pretty good! Like I said, knowing more than just Normal and Ghost Type moves is great for a Pok¨¦mon at your level.¡±

    Misdreavus responded with a huff¡ªthe move came naturally to her. His compliment didn¡¯t mean much right now.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s skip straight to the advice,¡± Sam said. ¡°No compliment sandwich. I¡¯ll keep it straight and to the point¡ªis that okay with you?¡±

    She nodded. Sam once more took up the stance of a proper lecturer or a drill instructor.

    (He might have been enjoying this a bit too much. No matter what, he¡¯d need to travel to find a way back to his team, but practicing with Misdreavus was nostalgic and helped keep unwanted thoughts out of his mind.)

    ¡°First things first¡ªnever close your eyes,¡± Sam started. ¡°Throughout that entire process, I could have walked away while you weren¡¯t paying attention to me, and that would have completely thrown off your aim.¡±

    Briefly, shame passed over Misdreavus¡¯s face, but that disappeared when she realized Sam wasn¡¯t criticizing her, just giving her advice.

    ¡°Secondly, you don¡¯t need to pay that much attention to your form. Moves will be disrupted when they hit no matter what, so at the base level, they only need to be functional enough to be first used. But that just brings me to my third point¡ªyour moves don¡¯t need to be perfect! Just usable. You¡¯re only just starting.

    ¡°That¡¯s how I trained all of my Pok¨¦mon,¡± Sam said, continuing. ¡°We learned the basics of their moves at first, and then we tried to make them better. Build a solid foundation before you perfect it. And if you have a solid foundation, then you can modify it later on, right?¡±

    Misdreavus listened with rapt attention, eagerly nodding her head along every word. Truthfully, Sam didn¡¯t remember her exact moveset from when he caught her. He knew he had it written down in his journal, but his journal was¡ª

    Don¡¯t think about that, Sam. Just think about helping the Pok¨¦mon in front of you.

    ¡°Alright. Try again,¡± he said, voice soft. ¡°Keep in mind my advice and use Psywave one more time.¡±

    Once more, Sam held out his arms, and once more, Misdreavus looked hesitant.

    But Sam had already shown that he could dodge, and she was quicker to focus¡ªthis time, without closing her eyes.

    When she used Psywave here, those same ripples appeared, but only after several long seconds where nothing happened. Closing her eyes had helped her focus before. However, she was still able to form the move, just with a bit more effort.

    Space vibrated, and then her attack took form.

    Briefly, Sam¡¯s eyes widened when he realized this less controlled version of her attack was rushing him faster than he¡¯d be able to dodge.

    ¡°Shoot!¡±

    Haunter saved him¡ªhands left Sam¡¯s shadow to grab his feet and slide him to the left. The Psywave continued past him with an uneven speed before hitting the bark of a tree, landing with a heavy thunk.

    ¡°That would have hurt,¡± Sam whispered, staring at where Misdreavus¡¯s move had just hit.

    Misdreavus, meanwhile, didn¡¯t seem to care. She didn¡¯t even notice that Sam had moved unnaturally; she was just worried that she had almost hurt him.

    Inherently, Psywave varied in its power due to the wave-like structure of the move. When she used it with less preparation, there was less control. They¡¯d just been unlucky enough to see its power overflow and hit its maximum.

    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t get worried! You¡¯re already doing great! Did you see how quickly that formed once you got started? Already, it¡¯s way better to use in a fight!¡±

    Misdreavus froze, hearing what Sam said and now truly realizing what she had done. Slowly, she turned to the bark of the tree to see the impact her move had made.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Already, that slight improvement had seen parts of the bark splinter.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Sam said.

    She smiled at him.

    And then she fell.

    Jumping to reach her, Sam just barely managed to catch Misdreavus before she hit the ground due to exhaustion settling her. As impressive as her move was, it was uncontrolled and saw so much of her energy be drained in its untrained use.

    But it had been effective.

    At least, she was now safe in Sam¡¯s arms. And Sam could carry her to let her rest as he finally began following the stream south.

    <hr>

    Together with Misdreavus, Sam walked alongside that stream. The water flowed and bubbled, and at several points, he had to move far off to the side to hide from the wild Pok¨¦mon that drank from it.

    Haunter always gave Sam a warning, but it was a bit nerve-wracking to see the strong wild Pok¨¦mon out here. If more of his team had been around, he wouldn¡¯t have been as worried as he was, but as skilled as Haunter was, being outnumbered would always pose a risk.

    As Sam had seen previously, a herd of Stantler could use illusions to mislead both him and Haunter. Aipom were menaces in general and great at tricks that could nab what little food Sam had. Additionally, any Bug Types could swarm¡ªand Sam still had nightmares about his challenge in Azalea¡¯s Gym.

    Misdreavus could technically help Sam face anything that attacked, but she was too busy going through cycles of practicing and then slowly following along in rest at Sam¡¯s side.

    But regardless of any threats in the environment, Sam managed to follow the flow of water safely and without any attacks. Misdreavus practiced freely, and Sam did everything he could to help her train her moves.

    Days passed.

    Misdreavus showed a surprising amount of improvement as Sam continued to make his way south.

    Her Psywave quickly became her best attack, turning into a pulse of energy that moved strangely enough to disrupt any foe. Her control over Psywave also bled into her Confusion, which she practiced by telekinetically carrying small stones at her side. As for Growl, that was just a matter of projecting her voice, and her Confuse Ray was a move she used to inflict illusions on Sam whenever he stopped to take a break.

    But the biggest thing he wanted her to learn was more Ghost Type attacks. Thankfully, she was already familiar with the energy due to her Type and her experience with Astonish. With that, Sam was able to guide her through the process of building and releasing her energy in an area around her.

    That meant she knew Night Shade, as weak as it was. It was a simple move, only requiring raw control, but it was also a great way to track just how much she grew.

    Over the few days Sam spent training with her, Misdreavus started with only being able to conjure a faint haze, but she was able to develop that into a shroud that made her appear as nothing more than a silhouette. It wasn¡¯t quite the sphere of darkness Sam was used to, but she was getting there.

    And then there were her next steps.

    ¡°For Shadow Ball,¡± Sam would explain to her, ¡°you basically want to take that same energy and condense it into a singular attack. Instead of having it suffuse the space around you, you bring it into a ball. The best way I¡¯ve seen Pok¨¦mon describe it is that the start doesn¡¯t feel too dissimilar to something like Astonish.¡±

    She would try and fail, but every attempt at least helped her develop her control. Sam also said nothing when she closed her eyes¡ªdoing so would be a mistake in battle, but it helped her focus right now. The importance was getting the basics down first and then improving it from there.

    Though she didn¡¯t pick up Shadow Ball, Sam did notice flickers. Nothing proper ever formed, but the way her Ghost Type energy moved reminded him of wisps.

    Wisps that would be key to the attacks she¡¯d eventually pick up in the future.

    Other than that, the only other move he had her pick up was Mean Look, because of course he did. Why would Sam ever pass up the chance to further his core strategy? When Ghost Type energy was involved, it didn¡¯t take much more than a glare to lock a target in place, especially since Misdreavus already knew how to inflict mental effects with Confuse Ray. It was by no means battle ready, but she could certainly use the move.

    Sam even had her test it out on a few wild Pok¨¦mon that got too close. They would freeze and allow Sam to run away, and then Misdreavus would rush off to catch up right after.

    Frequently, she¡¯d giggle the whole way.

    ¡°You know,¡± Sam said one night as they rested under the stars. ¡°You¡¯re growing strong, Misdreavus, and I can¡¯t even say it¡¯s due to myself. You¡¯re just... a hard worker. You¡¯re determined. Without your enthusiasm, you would have never gotten anywhere as far as you are now.¡±

    Misdreavus would laugh a lot. There was a happiness to her that Sam hadn¡¯t seen before. At times, she would randomly fling herself in the air just to feel the wind rushing past her, and then Sam would scramble to catch her in his arms.

    He didn¡¯t have a Pok¨¦ball. He didn¡¯t have a way to help her rest. Yet, she would let herself become physical enough for him to carry her.

    That was how she¡¯d rest to recover over the course of the day.

    ¡°You¡¯re also...¡± Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase this. His voice drifted off. The thought hurt to think, but it would be worse to not say. ¡°You¡¯re also so much like one of my Pok¨¦mon. Incredibly so. It¡¯s just... I don¡¯t know. She put all this hard work into becoming a powerful special attacker, yet she...¡±

    She never told me.

    ¡°She was more lonely than I realized.¡±

    After letting out a soft noise, Misdreavus pressed herself against Sam¡¯s side. He found himself leaning against her.

    And he wasn¡¯t sure why she was so attached to him even though just a few days had passed.

    Had she really been that alone?

    It made the moment she re-encountered him in the forest feel that much worse, and a certain phrase echoed through his mind:

    Ghosts attracted Ghosts.

    ¡°...Thank you.¡± Sam ended up saying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have come sooner.¡±

    She made a noise as if to say it was fine because he didn¡¯t know, but that wasn¡¯t true. It was Misdreavus who didn¡¯t realize the truth.

    But their travels continued, and their training sessions progressed. The stream slowly grew, never quite becoming a river but definitely becoming a brook.

    Without supplies, Sam did his best to take care of himself in that time, using whatever he could to keep himself fit. Having a source of clean, fresh water helped a lot, and Haunter also assisted by slipping off and returning with berries.

    Eating them made the bread last longer.

    Sam never asked what Haunter had to do to get them.

    Without a proper source of food, Sam did find himself growing tired. He knew this trip wasn¡¯t something he could keep up forever. He needed to find civilization sooner rather than later, not just to find a way to reunite with his team but also to have the chance to eat a good meal.

    And then it happened. The further south they got, the shorter the trees became. When Sam passed by one to exit into an open meadow, he froze out of recognition.

    ¡°I know this place.¡±

    Before him, grasses and flowers spread out in a meadow, and a mass of Pok¨¦mon danced under the sun. It was almost the same as it would be years in the future. He could see so many Bellossom and Oddish living in this place.

    ¡°We... I passed by this place with my team,¡± Sam said to Misdreavus, but also to Haunter. ¡°There should be a road just up ahead. That means if I¡¯m remembering correctly, there¡¯s a stream¡ª¡±

    He stopped what he was doing to desperately look around, and then he took off in a dash.

    Misdreavus shouted out as Sam chased toward where his memories took him.

    Yes! I was right! It changed over time, but that¡¯s definitely where those Marill were playing. That means the road is just up ahead, and if the road really is right there...

    ¡°The campsite.¡±

    My team might be here.

    What if he and Haunter hadn¡¯t been the only ones to fall in?

    A flicker of hope entered his chest.

    Sam charged through the woods, running toward where he had been at rest with his team. He had no clue how time had been passing for both him and them¡ªwas there a difference? Was a day here a day then? Or was no time passing at all, and he¡¯d only return once all of this was over?

    But it wouldn¡¯t matter if at least one of them were here. If a single other Pok¨¦mon had somehow been sent through time, then it wouldn¡¯t just be him and Haunter trying to get back.

    He followed the trail. He followed the memories of his footsteps. There was no sign that he had walked this path, but that made sense.

    He hadn¡¯t technically been here yet.

    The forest exploded before him, opening up into that tiny grove he and his team had once taken a break. The same sparse few beams of light peeked through, and Sam searched for any sign of his friends.

    Except¡ª

    ¡°No,¡± Sam breathed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡±

    It was empty.

    The only thing he recognized was that root he had used as a bench, but it was significantly smaller than it was before.

    It hadn¡¯t grown yet.

    ¡°I hoped... I just thought...¡±

    It was barely big enough to serve as a seat, but Sam sat on it anyway.

    He dropped his head into his hands. He felt a pressure on his knee.

    The presence of Haunter¡¯s hand helped. It was a reminder that he wasn¡¯t alone.

    From behind them, Misdreavus finally caught up, chasing after him into the empty clearing and moving over to Sam. She made a worried noise.

    Sam sighed, brought his head back up, and forced a smile onto his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to run. I just got separated from my team here, and I thought... I don¡¯t know. I thought they¡¯d be here. Even if it didn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    But they weren¡¯t. We¡¯re alone.

    Misdreavus said her name to try to say that she was here, and there was something about that that made Sam feel even worse.

    ¡°B-but it¡¯s fine,¡± he said, wiping his eyes. ¡°I know where we are now. We¡¯ll follow that path to head back to the river. Arborville can¡¯t be that far south.¡±

    Arborville was an old town. He had no doubts it¡¯d be around, even whenever it currently was in the past. If he could just speak to someone knowledgeable about local myths, he could learn more. They¡¯d either have advice, or they¡¯d have information on whatever that cursed ¡°Voice of the Forest¡± was.

    When I find that Voice...

    A dark look overtook his face.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Sam said, taking a deep breath to stabilize himself. ¡°Getting stuck here isn¡¯t going to help. It¡¯s fine to have a few negative thoughts, but they¡¯re not worth getting trapped in.¡±

    Misdreavus nodded slowly. She looked as though she didn¡¯t quite believe him.

    Sam ignored her worried stare as well as the one Haunter sent him from the shadows.

    Standing up from that same root, Sam was prepared to leave. Unfortunately, neither his pack nor the New Pok¨¦dex was where he¡¯d left them¡ªor would leave them, in an unknown amount of time.

    He¡¯d truly need to carry on as he was, with just Misdreavus and Haunter at his side.

    But as he readied himself to head out, he heard something else in the distance:

    Not the cry of the Voice of the Forest, but the cry of two voices from people getting close.

    ¡°Are you sure we couldn¡¯t stay in the meadow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure! We¡¯ve already delayed this long enough!¡±

    ¡°But I wanted a sketch of a Bellossom!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine! You have plenty of sketches of Bellossom! I want to get deeper in¡ªand look! I was right, there¡¯s a clearing ahead!¡±

    Sam went still as a set of nearby bushes shook, and two young boys almost immediately popped out right after. Having shoved their way through the foliage, they fell to the earth when the resistance suddenly disappeared. One clutched a leather-bound journal close to his chest, and the other hit the floor only to laugh and roll onto his back.

    ¡°See? Told ya, Sammy. A clearing! This¡¯ll be a better place to rest before moving on!¡±

    ¡°I guess so. But we could have rested near the Bellossom.¡±

    ¡°Psh. We¡¯re going to see so many more rare Pok¨¦mon if we head deeper in. Plus, you could just sketch...¡±

    The boy¡¯s voice trailed off when he saw Sam standing in front of him.

    Immediately, the boy scrambled to his feet and sent Sam a hostile glare. His gaze was almost murderous, and Sam had no clue what he¡¯d done to deserve that.

    The other one¡ªSammy, weirdly enough¡ªcontinued to clutch his journal while pushing back to his feet, pausing momentarily to brush dirt off of his baggy pants. He froze as well when he saw Sam there, but instead of any hostile gaze, he kept a kind smile on his face and greeted him politely.

    ¡°Oh, hello! Sorry, we didn¡¯t know someone else was already here. Do you mind if we stay for a bit? You can call me Sammy, and this is¡ª¡± He froze when he saw the Pok¨¦mon behind Sam. ¡°You have a Misdreavus!¡±

    ¡°...Yes?¡± Sam said.

    Immediately, the similarly-named Sammy pulled a pencil out of the front pocket of his shirt and began drawing in his journal. Shy, Misdreavus moved to hide behind Sam, but the situation failed to progress from there when the other boy held out an arm to get Sammy to stop.

    ¡°Wait. Look how ragged he is. We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a threat.¡±

    ¡°A... A threat? You¡¯re kidding, right? He¡¯s not ragged, he¡¯s just¡ª Hold on, do you need help?¡±

    The look he sent Sam was one of worry, carrying a promise of help.

    Meanwhile, the look from the other boy was one of hate, seemingly carrying a promise of pain.

    ¡°I...¡±

    Sam¡¯s throat felt sore.

    Honestly, the world seemed as though it was spinning.

    He couldn¡¯t find the courage to talk.

    Why?

    Because Sam recognized them. He had seen the faces of these two boys before.

    ¡°You... You two... You are...¡±

    Memories flashed through his head of a certain photograph he¡¯d once glimpsed in his attic. He hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, but it felt so, so important right now. They might have been older in it, but the resemblance was clear enough.

    When Sam failed to speak, the unnamed boy stormed forward. Ignoring Misdreavus¡¯s yelp of surprise, he grabbed Sam¡¯s arm to drag him to the side.

    His whisper came out more like a hiss.

    ¡°Who are you supposed to be? You aren¡¯t supposed to be here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Leave. I set up too much to fail now. Please. I need to make this work.¡±

    Sam gaped at just how hostile the boy¡¯s voice was, but he still didn¡¯t say anything. However, this time around, it was simply because someone else butted in.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t speak to him like that!¡± Sammy shouted as he charged forward. ¡°What¡¯s with you? I¡¯ve never seen you act like this¡ªyou didn¡¯t even introduce yourself!¡±

    A blink.

    Finally, the other boy backed off.

    Sighing, his hostile gaze dropped, and he brought a hand through his hair in a show of his utmost confidence.

    ¡°Fine. Whatever. I guess I might have been overreacting, but so what?

    ¡°As for my name...¡± He grinned. ¡°Call me Dick. Or Richard. Or just Rich. I¡¯m Richard Greyson! Yeah, I can tell you recognize it¡ªit¡¯s purposeful! And I expect you to remember that!¡±