Chương 70

I wasn't sure how this happened, but I was currently sitting in a nice living room with the curtains open and warm sunlight filtering in, as Ghost pokemon danced all around us through the air. Some tried to scare me and Bugsy, and my giggles kept escaping me as Bugsy yelped when Gengar kept jumping out of his tea cup. Seriously, it was hilarious. I wish I had Mimikyu with me. I bet he would love this.

"You're an odd one. Especially for a Kantonian." Morty finally said and I blinked looking away from where one of his Haunters was blowing cold air across Bugsy's neck making him constantly flinch and look around.

"That's kinda rude."

"No, it's not." He finally decided taking a sip.

"You really don't mind them at all."

"Who?" And then I realized what he meant and laughed.

"Why would I? They're Pokemon! I love Pokemon!"

"Ghost types have a reputation, it's rare that kids can stand to be around them without a lot of time or effort. I host classes bi-weekly that lets the trainers and kids in town get used to Ghost Types."

"Heh! Well Agatha is friends with my Grandmother, and even if she wasn't walking around with Gengar in her shadow… Well, her main partner likes Chesto Berries the most." I added, because this was important information. Pretty sure he was Modest natured. Which meant his Special Attacks would be crazy, but his physical ones would be weaker. Morty blinked at this before leaning in a bit.

"You are talking about Agatha, the Ghost Tamer, of the Elite Four?"

"Yep!" Morty shakes his head for a moment.

"That explains a lot."

"I feel like you have the wrong impression, but that's fine." I shrugged it really didn't matter.

"Besides, I have a Ghost type Pokemon too!"

"Really?" Morty asked, sitting up and I nodded.

"My Mimikyu! He's a Ghost and Fairy type! He's the cutest!" I again offered this very important information, and then looked to the side at the Ghastly that had been constantly staring at me over the side of the couch.

"Sorry." I whispered an apology. Gastly is cute, but Mimikyu is the cuter-er-est!

"Mimikyu? That was you! I got the updated report that a new Ghost type was found!" Morty went from being calm and laid back to suddenly sitting up.

"Can I see him?"

"He's back in Kanto right now." I explained and Morty continued to look hoping I would offer to grab him, but I didn't. It would be a bit inconvenient for everyone back home to trade out my pokemon twice just because Morty wanted to see Mimikyu.

"I'll be at the Conference, if you want to meet him then?" Morty nodded then.

"I'll take you up on that. I study Ghost Types, and I'd love to learn everything I can."

"You're a researcher?"

"Eh. I'm not a professor or anything, but I work with Professor Elm on his research when Ghost Types come up." I nod at that. Makes sense.

"Do you help when Bug Types come up?" I asked Bugsy and he flinched a bit, having been focusing on the Haunter that was messing with him that he wasn't listening.

"Ah.. Not really? I'm pretty new to being a Gym Leader, and Bug types are pretty well understood." I nodded at that as I took a sip of the tea, and grimaced.

"That's mean." I told the room, and heard plenty of giggles.

"Did they mess with your drink?" Morty asked and I nodded.

"Salt." I explained and he sighed at that.

"Sorry about them. Do you-""Don't worry about it. I want to continue on anyway. Head to Goldenrod and wait for Whitney."

"I see." Morty said, with a nod.

"Well I won't hold you. Congratulations again on winning your Fog Badge. You earned it."

"Thanks! It was a fun battle! You coming Bugsy?"

"Y-Yes!" The purple haired boy called as he jumped to his feet and raced out of the room actually zooming past me as he did. I took a moment to turn and see Morty give his Haunter a look as the pokemon laughed itself silly.

"Aww, he likes you." I inform the boy who shuddered at my words rather than respond favorably. But then again Haunters show their affection by messing with you, and Bugsy was a bug man at heart. We left the little hom attached to Morty's gym and wandered back onto the streets of Ecruteak.

"Let's fly back and rest at the Pokemon Center. I'd rather not force Dragonite to fly right before a battle if I can help it."

"Oh sure." Bugsy responded, still looking behind him towards the house. I looked back and smirked. The home's formerly warm entrance was dark and sinister, as Ghosts laughed from the shadows, darkening the corners. How cute they were saying goodbye!

"Bye! I love you!" I called out with a big wave towards the shadows and I noticed the shadows ripple and sway back.

"C'mon!" I cheered and hopped onto Dragonites back, Bugsy scrambling to jump on. —--"And that's dinner." I said with a sigh wiping my head. Pokemon centers did have a Kitchen area and I had just finished cleaning up the last of my pots. I walked back out into the lobby room and smiled. We had been the only real trainers staying here tonight, so Nurse Joy hadn't minded Bugsy and I releasing all of our friends. Well, except for Gyarados.

My blue boy was just too big for inside stuff, but he was most comfortable without so many people anyway. I walked over, stepping over Milotic's tail, he didn't take up as much room as he and Dragonite cuddled thankfully. Arcanine was already snoring, laying on her side plate clean, and Lucario was sitting in seiza having finished her own meal. I turned to Bugsy's half of the room and grinned as Butterfree fluttered around happily.

"Those berries you brought were really good."

"Thanks! My Mama went all over on her journey and picked up berry seeds, and opened a berry farm in Viridian." I explained as I settled in to finish off my meal as well that Chansey had been guarding for me.

"Huh, really?" I looked up and Bugsy flushed red a little as he looked away.

"I just thought.. You know since you're so strong, that your parents would be like Gym Leaders or something." He explained and I nodded.

"Nope. Papa never finished his Journey at all, he only got a few badges before stopping. He works with the Police as a Growlithe trainer though. He's the one that brought me Growlithe." I said pointing at Arcanine.

"She was too headstrong for police work. But she's perfect as a battle Pokemon." He smiled at my affection and despite sleeping Arcanines tail started wagging. Which knocked Lucario a bunch until she decided to simply move.

"My parents aren't trainers at all. I mean. Dad has Shuckle, but he isn't really…" Bugsy trailed off and I nodded.

"Shuckle Juice?"

"Yeah."

"That's fun. I've never had fresh Juice before, only the bottled stuff at the stores."

"Oh it's great! Shuckle loves storing Aspear! So his Juice is sorta sour, but it's great." I nodded at that and looked over his team.

"So if your parents aren't trainers, why Gym Leader?"

"Oh… Well, it was sort of an accident? I've always ran off into the woods to play with the Bug Pokemon, and one day a little girl, Kana, got lost in the forest. She's the Grandchild of Hikori-Oba-Sama, and she's her only parent, her… They died in the war." He added quickly, brushing it over. Ouch.

"I sent my friends into the forest and ended up finding her, and Butterfree led her to us while communicating with Beedrill, and so we found her quickly."

"Big dang hero." I said simply and he flushed at that, his ears going red.

"It was nothing! But everyone at the village thought I was impressive, and so they asked me to take over the Gym. The license was old, and the reason there was no Gym Leader was just because no one wanted to do it. So… I did."

"You're a good Gym Leader." I decided right then and there and he shook his slightly shaggy purple hair back and forth hiding his eyes.

"I'm weak."

"So?" I asked back as I took a bit of my food.

"Strength isn't everything. Heart is. You proved you were the Gym Leader when you rescued Kana. That's what people will remember about you. Not how many young trainers you defeat."

"I just want to be strong too." He explained and I nodded. We were both young. Kids basically. Even if Bugsy was fully into Teenager stage.

"Then grow strong. Learn new things, train pokemon. It doesn't have to be tomorrow. Bug Types grow fast." This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't and I frowned, guessing what he was going to reply with.

'They grow fast, but don't end up strong.' Sure stat wise that was sorta true…

"You know… I have a friend who has a Butterfree on her team." I commented, and he looked up towards me confused.

"That's Nice?"

"Mhmm. She's going to absolutely destroy most of the competition at this year's Conference." I added and he blinked.

"You should go to the Conference. See what I mean."

"Ah. Well, it's kinda far." He replied.

"Good thing you know someone that is going that has a Dragonite." I mentioned hiking a thumb back at Dragonite who looked up and waved.

"You don't have to."

"Eh. There is more to Pokemon than just strength… And that's coming from me who trains for that. Skill, combinations, or just experience are all major factors." He nodded slowly and I nodded back at his acceptance. Cool. —--"What!? Again?" I squawked in outrage as I noticed the sign on Whitney's gym again!

"Maybe she forgot to take it off?" Bugsy offered but I shook my head. As I walked up to the door and peeked in. Yep empty. I slumped and then felt my spine stiffen.

"That's it! I'm pulling an anime protagonist. She can't have gone far!"

"Uh, what?" Bugsy questioned behind me as I rushed around the back of the Gym. The Gym was connected to fields. She was definitely back there, and I was going to get my battle!

"C'mon!" I called out as I ran and I heard Bugsy start chasing not long after. Thankfully it didn't take long to find who I was looking for. Whitney was out in the fields surrounded by Miltank and while I approached the fence and climbed up I didn't leap off into the area. There was being brash anime protagonist, and there was being rude. This was a farm, and there was no telling how her Pokemon would react. So I made sure she could see me, and sat on her fence and waited.

"Umm?" Bugsy asked as I settled in.

"She saw me, so I'm going to stay here until she comes over to talk to me. Then I challenge her." I explained and Bugsy nodded slowly. Then we settled in to wait. To no surprise at all, Bugsy grew bored and ended up poking around the grass looking at Bugs. Animal bugs and not Pokemon, although if he had found a Spinarak or something he'd be in love. It took a while, but eventually our continued presence meant the farm girl walked over.

Wiping at her forehead with a towel she had over her shoulders she looked me and Bugsy over before stopping. Bugsy had completely lost track of his surroundings. And had been whispering to himself about the bugs he found for a while now. Whitney instantly crinkled her nose and shivered at Bugsy obviously playing with Bugs.

"Hi!" I greeted distracting her as I rose up.

"I'm Victoria Ferrous! I came by yesterday but you were closed, but I'm looking for a Gym Battle!" I explained loudly and she tilted her head but shrugged.

"Sorry I'm closed down now, and won't open again until the start of the conference."

"What? But it's still within the time frame!"

"Yeah, but I run a farm, and do some work on the side for modeling work! I don't have time to be here constantly. So I closed the Gym for the last month to get things taken care of." She explained calmly.

"But I need your badge! C'mon! Don't you want a fun battle?"

"Not really."

"I'm from Kanto! Grr! Evil Kanto trainer!"

"Oh how nice. Traveling to a different region for your Journey must be hard." She offered, but her tone wasn't entirely honest. She was just fucking with me. Dangit. I needed all of the Star Badges to fuck with Lance! How dare she fuck with me!

"Ah… Miss Whitney? Isn't it against the Gym rules to shut down the gym for any length of time without a clear and direct reason?" Bugsy called out interrupting as he tilted his head.

"Wh-what do you know?" She asked back grumpily and Bugsy just looked confused.

"Um… I'm Bugsy?"

"Yeees?"

"I run the Azalea Town Gym? We met at the Gym Leader meetings?" The girl blinked looking at Bugsy for a moment before a light redness came across her nose.

"Of course! I just didn't recognize you! Nice to me-see you again!" She offered and I just looked at her blankly. She totally didn't remember him. Like at all.

"Well I'm on leave right now too." Bugsy offered, "But my leave is only scheduled for a short time, and I'll be back before the conference in case of any last minute challengers… Also I'm out of the city, but you're right here?"

"I-I was going to head to Goldenrod later today! I'm just taking care of the farm!" Both of us looked at the girl judgingly, me mostly just copying Bugsy and eventually she broke.

"Fine. I'll give you a Gym Battle." She mumbled and I smiled happily. —-- When I had asked for her strongest team Whitney had looked at me weirdly, but then smiled and agreed. Her mistake.

"Tauros! Out!" Bugsy called out as ref and Whitney looked on in shock.

"Arc!" My girl barked happily after basically counter charging Tauros and winning.

"Thats…"

"Yeah Arcanine is like that!" I called out and she growled before returning and throwing out another pokemon.

"Wigglytuff!" It called out and danced a bit before focusing up and looking serious.

"Let them hear!" Whitney called out.

"Go!" I called and Arcanine blasted through Wigglytuff sending the pokemon rolling in the grasslands of Whitney's Gym arena. I smiled and then focused as Wigglytuff rose up and sang. It hadn't been a knock out?"

"Heh! You think she's just a cute face? She's tough!" Whitney called out and I focused as Arcanine turned to strike again but instead slumped into the grass a snot bubble already flowing out of her nose as she fell asleep.

"Alright! Wiggly! Pain Split!" I winced as Wigglytuff weakly nodded and then used its move energy flowed between Arcanine and Wigglytuff. But Wigglytuff definitely got the better of the deal. Pain Split added up the HP of both pokemon and then split it equally. Arcanine was going to be beat up now.

"Return!" I called out before anything else could be done.

"Oh?"

"Dragonite! Punch!" I called and before Whitney could react. My girl blurred across the field with Extreme speed and rammed into Wigglytuff at crazy speeds. Lightning striking at the hit.

"A dragonite! And another speedster!? Are you cheating?" She shouted outraged and I just laughed, because all my pokemon were fast!

"Wigglytuff can no longer battle!" Whitney nodded. It was time.

"Go! Miltank!"

"Dragonite Return! Sorry girl." I whispered to her ball, she had sent me a look for pulling her. Then I swapped to a new pokeball.

"This one is going to be tough. This is her Ace partner, but I think you can handle it though. Go Lucario!"

"Lu! Lu!" Lucario cried out pumping herself up. So far she had struggled in these battles, but this was her perfect match,"Milll!" Miltank roared without Whitney needing to say a thing as she tucked into a ball and started rolling. While I was surprised she used this move right away, I wasn't surprised at seeing it. In the Games Whitney was famous for Rollout.

"Lucario! Slam into Miltank! Use Aura Sphere!" I called out and she nodded, and rushed forward. Lucario reached out both paws and slammed them into Miltank pushing back against the surging Miltank, for a moment there was a grinding noise, before Lucario managed to push. Sending Miltank ramping up over the Aura Sphere. Lucario blinked in surprise for a moment at how little the attack affected her before, shifting and gathering up energy for another Aura sphere.

Whitney frowned as she watched her Miltank land and she just kept spinning back around for another attack. Huh. That Rollout had done more than it should. Rollout took a few turns to really get hitting that hard. I had just a moment and I brought up everything I remember about Rollout… Defense Curl? Had Whitney combined Rollout and Defense Curl? That would boost Rollout's initial damage and make it even more powerful!

"What is that Pokemon?" She demanded and I called back just as Lucario's Aura Sphere finished charging.

"Lucario! A Steel and Fighting Type!" I called out and Whitney flinched just as Aura Sphere was launched. Miltank was amazing though. I could see it shift and dodge quickly in another direction, using the speed of Rollout to just keep going. But despite her skill with the move, I had called out for Aura Sphere for a reason. The Sphere simply shot after Miltank following every rapid fire dodge as Lucario controlled it until it struck.

Lucario didn't need to dodge against Miltank as she worked because Miltank was so busy trying to dodge the sphere. Miltank mooed as she was blown out of her rollout and sent tumbling across the grass. I expected her to continue to Rollout, but instead to my shock Whitney spoke.

"Miltank! Strength!" Whitney called out, and Miltank actually listened. A moment later the ground around the pokemon erupted as if a boulder smashed into the ground. Obscuring Miltank. It was impressive. Not quite as impressive as the Nidoking from Pallet, but it broke up the terrain around her, and Miltank disappeared into the earth in a pseudo Dig. Heh. Not bad. Especially since Rollout wasn't supposed to be a move you could just stop… I guess Whitney had trained Miltank in how to interrupt the move.

"Lucario! Use Detect! Don't let her sneak up on you!" I called and Whitney didn't like that, but in the end shrugged.

"It's too late now! Get ready!" She called taunting and I frowned. A moment later I heard it. A Moo and then as the dust cleared… Miltank was sleeping?

"Sorry! But this is going to be my win, Kanto girl!" Whitney called out, which was a bit much because she was down to one pokemon, but then I saw what came next. Miltank, despite being asleep, curled up and started a rollout!

"Rest and Sleep talk!" I called out instantly pointing at her and her grin flinched shifted into a glare and then a nod.

"That's right! And if you know that, then you should know Miltank is fully healed and ready for battle!" Lucario shifted without a word and dodged the first assault of Rollout. Detect was useful in dodging a move you can't see after all! But…

"Lucario! Aura Sphere!" She nodded and gathered energy even as Miltank spun around and as Miltank was about to strike Lucario pushed forward. Aura Sphere slamming into the rolling pokemon and both attacks sparked off eachother. It only took a moment, but the Type Advantage showed through, Miltank ended up once again ramping up and over Lucario who wasn't injured. Already, she was turning ready for another Aura sphere but I frowned, when Miltank rolled straight into the area she had used her strength on… No way.

"Using Rollout in between other moves, and keeping the benefit!? You want to talk about cheating!" I called out in outrage and Whitney laughed. Somehow while asleep, and Sleep talking Miltank was still getting the power boost of Rollout, while also seemingly healing since two Aura Spheres should have knocked her out. Damn, that was a crazy combo! I felt my face splitting into a grin, this was… Fun! It was so cool to see new moves and combos that you couldn't do in the games. This was fun. Really really fun!

"Lucario! Work Up! We'll have to win in one hit!"

"Hah! You think you can do that? Miltank won't let you!" I saw it then. There was too much dust from Rollout keeping Miltank hidden, but at Whitney's words the dust shifted enough. Miltanks Strength had created a bowl in the earth, and she had been racing around it in circles! While asleep. And keeping Rollout going. Whitney might be annoying, but… She was an expert trainer. This was something that couldn't be done without lots of effort.

"Tank it! Keep the Work up going!" I called and Lucario nodded. She didn't look happy, but she did it. Gathering energy flowed over her, and her mouth split in a growl. And then Rollout slammed into her, the blow so powerful it launched her upwards, sending her pinwheeling into the sky.

"Pfft." Bugsy let out loud enough I heard and I had to stop myself from laughing as well, because it was kinda funny. But more importantly? I didn't like it when people hurt my friends. Lucario landed without too much trouble, and the energy of Work Up was still flowing over her.

"Can you take it again?" I called and Lucario nodded and instantly refocused and the energy grew even larger, and Lucario looked angrier. Her eyes glowing red. Then she turned and was slammed into by Rollout. The hit was so loud it actually caused wind to kick up. Rollout was getting too strong. It was only because Lucario had a double Type Advantage that she wasn't put into the ground.

"NOW!" I called and Lucario turned. Aura Sphere glowing much brighter than before as out of the dust Miltank came through like a wrecking ball. The clash was explosive and Aura sphere was bigger, Rollout was hitting harder. It didn't just scrape off and send Miltank flying off. The energy exploded and I pulled my goggles down just to keep my eyes on the battle.

"Miltank!" Whitney called out in shock first, and then as the dust cleared enough for me to see. Miltank was on her back, eyes dizzy and Lucario was sitting beside her gasping for breath.

"Miltank can no longer battle! The Winner is Challenger Victoria Ferrous!"

"Yes!" I cheered and rushed in and to Lucario's surprise jumped into her laughing all the while as I hugged her tightly.

"You did it!" I cheered and Lucario huffed a little pleased noise.