Pokémon: Life in the future

Chapter 2: People come and go, and then come again.

Ben and Matthew stayed at their Hoen house over night before setting off for Rustboro City where they would hopefully catch up with Ben's old friend Sean. They'd set off straight to Petalburg City so Ben could go and see his Dad, whom he hadn't seen since he was 10.

"Wait here Matthew; I just need to check up on Dad."

"Okay, but be quick, or I'll leave you to go fishing."

Ben entered the gym. He found a plain room decorated with scrolls with written mysteries. He knew that his Dad was in because he saw the scroll that he took with him at all times, he believed it gave him good luck.

"Dad, it's so good to see you again, I have heard what you have become, and just to let you know, I will be challenging you once I have earned the other four badges."

"Great and Ben. A word of warning: A group of people are roaming Hoen, stealing Pokémon and generally causing havoc."

"Team Rocket. I know. That's another reason why I am here. Professor Birch sent for my services, since he heard about them from professor Rowan."

"Okay. Take care Ben. We'll see each other soon."

Ben left the gym. He and Matthew headed towards Petalburg woods. Whilst in the woods, Ben caught a Tailow which he trained up along with the Treecko he received so to maximise his chances of victory. They met a man that went on about a certain Pokémon called Shroomish, but the two brothers ignored him and then exited the woods.

The boys headed quickly up the water bridge and entered the stone cold city of Rustboro. They had a quick rest at the Pokémon centre and then headed off in search of Sean. It didn't take them long to find signs of Sean being there, for instance, they found biscuit crumbs near the gym. Ben immediately knew that Sean would have check it out before doing anything else. They decided to split up to increase their chances of finding him.

"Call me if you find him, I don't want to be wandering about on my own with Team Rocket about." Said Matthew, feeling cautious.

Ben walked around the city checking all the places he thought where Sean would be. He found himself inside the gym, wrong place this time. He then went to the cutters house, knowing Sean would jump at the opportunity to get an HM move. His luck was in. He found Sean, just leaving the house. He looked a bit different, the normal what you would expect, more facial hair, and it sounded as though he had a deeper voice.

"Thanks Mr. Cutter. I appreciate it."

"Sean? Is that you?"

"Ben! So good to see you again. It's been so long."

The two embraced each other as Ben said:

"Have you done what has needed to be done?"

"Yes, and I have been forgiven."

"Anyway. We must get back to the Pokémon centre. My brother is waiting."

"Matthew, he's here? I can't remember the last time I saw him."

"Well you have a chance to catch up with him when we get to the Pokémon centre. So, have you got any Pokémon with you?"

"Yes! I brought Cubone over and I got a Torchic from professor Birch who I met just a while ago, but he's gone now so I didn't get a chance to say a proper thank you to him. Which Pokémon do you have with you?"

"I brought over my trusty Aipom and got a Treecko from Prof. Birch."

"Interesting choice for you, I thought you would have chosen a fire type."

"I fancied a change."

As the boys were catching up with each other, Matthew appeared from behind them and said:

"Did you forget about me or something? I've been looking for you for ages."

"Matthew! Long time no see, how are you doing? Ben has told me so much about you." Said Sean trying to change the subject.

"I'm fine and he has, has he? Hang on, I want to see your fighting style, but I do not wish to battle you myself. Ben, battle Sean for me please.

"Fine, I'll battle Sean for you. Wuss."

"The rules will be a two on two battle with switch outs allowed, but are used way too much." Stated Matthew, acting as the referee. "Sean will have the honour as I already won't to mess up Ben's chances of winning."

"Understood. Torchic, stand by for battle." Exclaimed Sean.

"Treecko, get into it!" Ben, choosing to have the type disadvantage.

The battle begun.

"Torchic use scratch."

"Block with your tail Treecko and swipe Torchic with your arm." Ben turning into tactical man, knowing Torchic had poor balance. Treecko did this making Torchic look like a fool.

"Torchic get up and use ember."

"Jump flip to get away and then use the momentum to use pound." Ben knew how Sean battled as he had done so, so many times. Treecko obeyed Ben as if his life depended on it. Sean was getting annoyed now and could see that Ben had improved as a trainer since they last met.

"Torchic, use ember but make sure they go everywhere." Torchic also did as commanded, now making Treecko look like a fool as it absorbed to move and fainted in one attack.

"Return Treecko, Aipom you're the man I need." Aipom came out with its chest puffed out.

"Torchic use scratch." Torchic hopped over too Aipom but could not match Aipom's speed as…

"Aipom, use focus punch." Aipom upper cut Torchic using its tail fist and Torchic fainted."

"Torchic return, Cubone, stand by for battle."

The rivalry between these to Pokémon could not be more intense, first good friends, then rivals for dominance.

"Aipom, use swift." The star shaped attack headed straight for Cubone's face and hit hard.

"Cubone, prepare for skull bash." Cubone lowered its head to focus itself for the attack.

"Aipom, take advantage and use focus punch onto Cubone's head." Aipom took little time to focus and smashed hard down onto the head of his opponent. Cubone was slightly dazed but then run at Aipom with its head leading the way. "Now Aipom, use double team to escape the attack." Aipom cloned itself but…

"Cubone, charge your head in the circle of Aipoms until you hit the real one." Cubone curved his run, crashing past all of the copied Aipoms until it hit hard onto the real Aipom, Aipom was down, but refused to give up.

"Aipom, one more focus punch." Aipom was tightening its focus until the colour of his tail changed to a reddish green. "What is that move?" Asked Ben, curious to know what Aipom was learning.

"That's drain punch, it his the foe with some power and then uses some of the energy taken to heal itself." Said Matthew, master of Pokémon moves.

"Awesome, use drain punch Aipom." Aipom complied, smashing Cubone into the ground and restoring some of Aipom's health. The question was now if Cubone was unable to battle, the cloud of dust produced from the cold concrete of Rustboro had set once again and, Cubone had fainted.

"Cubone is unable to battle; the winners are Ben and Aipom." Matthew said shocked to what he had just witnessed, Ben coming from one Pokémon down, to win with his trusted Aipom. Sean returned his Pokémon and congratulated Ben on his win.

"There is no question that you have gotten stronger Ben, the real question is: Are you ready to take on the Pokémon gym here?"

"It depends, what type of gym is it?"

"In Rustboro the leader of the gym uses rock type Pokémon, that leader would also happen to be me." Said a stranger emerging from the crowd gathered from the residence of the city.

"That's Roxanne. She often leaves her gym to scout potential challengers to her gym." Matthew once again being a master of something.

"Correct, I was watching your battle with Sean and I can see that you would be a great threat towards me, I remember Sean beating me with some ease, but you've beaten Sean with pretty much one Pokémon, I would be honoured to battle you myself, come by my gym tomorrow and we will see just how strong you really are."

"I would be happy to defeat you, just as I did with Sean and my brother. We will see who the best in this town is." Ben said, sounding like a man of war.

And so our heroes left the battle scene for the Pokémon centre where they rested their Pokémon and Ben prepared for his first gym battle in Hoen, versus Roxanne or Rustboro city.

Again please review and spread the joy of Aipom because as you know, ARO?