Jaret King belongs to Aggies2015

Viola Almach belongs to Ariesbird

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon and everything that's owned by it. I own the plot and Virgil Mathison.


A familiar beep rang through the center. The operation had ended. The intercom found its way all throughout the building.

"Mathison to the counter! Mathison to the counter!" Virgil shot up from his seat, wiping his mouth. He had unintentionally fallen asleep.

"Wonder how long I've kept them…" Jaret had disappeared. He was more than likely still feeling bad about the situation. Virgil made his way to the counter and Nurse Joy gave him a warm smile.

"There's nothing to worry about. We did the best we could and your Dewott had turned out fine." There was an exhale of relief then.

"Any real lingering affects?" She shook her head once.

"Your Pokemon is back to perfect health." Virgil nodded once and turned away to scan over throughout the center. There was not the slightest trace of the boy anywhere. Virgil murmured to himself. What did he care? He still hardly knew the guy and he had punched him for simply being who he was.

He stopped himself as he begrudgingly took into account that Jaret had become his friend. In a mere couple of hours, Virgil had considered him as someone he could stand. It wasn't quite trust, but it was close enough. He sighed. Dewott had known what he was getting himself into and so did Virgil. Virgil made some incoherent murmur. He would never understand unnecessary compassion. He stood there for a few moments as the intercom went off again, watching from the corner of his eyes as another trainer moved there to retrieve their Pokemon. Virgil turned away and was out from the center.

Virgil took a deep breath and sighed slowly. The air was always that much better when he wasn't heaving f for air. His eyes looked through the city as far as he could see. In the distance, he could see a large tower that reached impossibly high. He sighed again, this time irritably and he started toward the structure. Memory tugged at him as he ran. For a skilled trainer, Jaret was awfully stupid.


"It was a Pokemon battle and anything goes in a Pokemon battle!" The battle flashed in his mind.

Dewott had opened his eyes, had bestowed new vigor into him. Arcanine stood across from them, standing with the same majesty as he had only a year before. Virgil felt fear quiver in him then, but reaffirmed his will. Each Pokemon and their trainer sat there and awaited their opponents move. Virgil blinked, and Arcanine was gone. There was the familiar feeling of panic settling in and narrowly managed to keep from panicking. He watched closely as Dewott suddenly turned to his left. Virgil followed with him to find their opponent charging for them.

"Dewott, Aqua Jet!" The currents swirled under Dewott as he aimed for Arcanine head-on; Jaret proved to be far too fast and another Bulldoze wall appeared instantaneously between the two. This time, Virgil had foreseen it and Dewott rebounded from the wall. There was the sound of a locking poke-ball from behind the wall and Virgil waited for the Pokemon that would emerge from behind the wall. Instead, the two remained at a standstill. Dewott looked back to him and Virgil nodded, sending the otter up to the top of the wall. Dewott came to the top of the wall and at almost the very next second, bladed wings had glided past the Pokemon. Virgil cursed under his breath.

"Pidgeot, come back around!" What had been near invisible moments ago had now revealed itself. Virgil's eyes strained as he struggled to keep up with it. He turned his expression to Jaret, whose expression was something else entirely. Jaret, who was a little on the dense side, the one who had gone out of his way to deal with him was fighting to win. Virgil looked back up to the wall as he heard the clash between shell and talon. Each of the trainers watched from below as the two Pokemon fought. Pidgeot would glide away while Dewott would remain in place and ready himself for his opponent.

It had continued that way for a while. Pidgeot had slowed down, Virgil cringed. If Pidgeot slowed, then Dewott was inevitably slower. It had been in some mix of desire to win and Virgil's own foolishness that had led him into his next move.

"Aqua Jet!" From below, both trainers saw the burst of water, and both trainers watched as Dewott sped toward his opponent. The attack had been quick enough to catch even his Pidgeot off-guard and the bird spiraled toward the ground. There was some look of worry that across Jaret's face, but he stayed put. Pidgeot was tougher than he looked. Pidgeot stood, at first shakily, to his feet. The Aqua Jet had been a well-placed strike. Pidgeot spread his wings then in defiance, almost as though it were trying to scare the otter, who only remained in place as stone faced and determined as before. The two shared something in common.

Pidgeot lunged, first forward then off from the ground. Dewott's shell-blade hummed to life.

"Pidgeot, Steel Wing! Mach-1!" The bird accelerated, its body flattening a little as the air swept over it. The command had caught the attention of Virgil, who had spoken first before he thought accordingly.

"Aqua Jet!" More currents formed under Dewott, whose shell-blade extended from the coat of water. Each Pokemon made their pass as they swept by. Dewott landed expertly as Pidgeot perched itself into a tree. Jaret looked to Virgil with the same rush of battle, his grin wide and Virgil felt something like it pull at the corners of his mouth. It hadn't been until Pidgeot landed next to Jaret that both trainer heard a slight thud. They each turned to Dewott. The Pokemon had fallen to one knee, his paw clutching his eye desparately.

Virgil's eyes had traced back to the clash site, only to find small drops of blood there. Pidgeot had gotten out unscathed, even after a full-contact Aqua Jet. The Pokemon, like Arcanine, was simply too fast. Virgil turned to Jaret, who had seen the blood as well, and he turned away.


Virgil cringed at the memory. The battle had gone wrong, but that was a part of being a trainer. He had to have been staring daggers for Jaret to fold and disappear. Virgil's pace skidded to a halt as he approached the ponds outlying the tower. The damn thing looked higher than it possibly could. Virgil scratched his head and bolted inside.

Virgil bolted in and up the first set of stairs. He kept about his pace until he nearly went headfirst over the railing of the second floor. He stood to catch his breath for a moment. His feet slid across the wooden planks. He went one way at first and then the other. He even lost his footing and went down.

"Damn fun house!" Virgil stood to his feet and the building swayed the opposite way. Virgil's hands nearly crushed the wooden railing as he gripped it for support. The pattering of Dewott's feet grew distant from him. The Pokemon's hot-blooded nature was getting the better of him. Virgil steadied himself and let the tower sway again before he followed after Dewott.

Virgil slid to a halt behind Dewott. An elderly man dressed in traditional monk wear was standing between two statues of Bellsprout, his back turned to the entrance. Virgil attempted to peer around him as the man seemed to be speaking with someone.

"Hey Jaret!" The man seemed to stiffen., He turned to Virgil, a shadow of frustration passing over him that seemed to suggest he had dealt with Virgil's like before. The man eyed Virgil who deliberately looked past him to see that it was indeed Jaret who had been obscured. Virgil took a step forward, aware of the older man beaming at him. "What the hell are you doing here? Come on, why don't we get going back to the gym?" Jaret said nothing.

"May I ask what has brought you unceremoniously to the Bellsprout Tower?" Virgil didn't answer the man and instead kept his focus on Jaret.

"Come on muscleface. Let's go." No response. If Jaret had punched him for something so stupid, then he knew he could get under his skin. He should've twitched at that, should've shown some form of discontent with his snide commentary like everyone else did. But he didn't; Jaret sat there without ever really being so. His eyes stared forward in transfixion.

"What did you do to him?" Virgil's voice had fallen to a hush. He was looking into the monk's eyes now, his own burning with a certain kind of rage that he was unaware of. The man's eyes flicked to Jaret and then back again. "Start talking bones!"

"I am addressed as the Sage Elder Li-"

"I could care less about your damn name! What the hell did you do to him!?" Li kept about his calm, staring back at Virgil's imposing glare.

"Your friend came to me, seeking guidance from his own dark light." Virgil raised a brow quizzically, but his anger refused to wane.

"That's no explanation!" And Virgil was there before the old man, his fist already pushing toward Li's jaw. In the next second, his wrist locked up and he felt one of his kness give out and he crumpled to the ground pitifully. From the corner of his eye, he could see Li's arms moving back to his sides.

"Please refrain from violence in such a sacred place."

"To hell with your 'sacred' crap!" He struggled to stand and his leg buckled in response, sending him to the ground again. Li stepped over to Jaret, placing a hand onto his forehead.

"Youth, have you attained what you've sought after?" There was a slight nod from Jaret. "Good." The elder's hands tightened a bit. Virgil strained in effort to get to his feet. He remembered Dewott then, and he turned to look for the otter. The Pokemon was sitting off a little in the distance. Dewott looked to him, his face distant. He turned away.

"So I'm on my own this time huh? Vengeful little rodent…" There was a familiar feeling that struck Virgil as he turned his attention back to the man. Something was off about Li. "What's wrong with him?" He watched as the man's face twitched as though the words hurt but he turned coolly to Virgil. A smug, almost vicious grin was uncharacteristically written across his face.

"As I've told you, this is a sacred tower. No fighting is to be allowed." Li's hand twitched and his griup tightened. Virgil felt the same synonymous pang. He looked back to Dewott. The Pokemon watched still, an expression of awe and fear mixed into him. And still, he did not move. He got the point. The damn thing refused to help him because he let them slip. Dewott's discipline was nearly unbearable at times. Virgil went again in vain to stand but was met halfway up. Li's eyes were knives as they dug into him.

"There is to be no. Fighting." Virgil blinked, as though he were trying to whisk Li's voice away. But the problem was that he hadn't heard Li.

He had heard Marus. Virgil focused on Li, who was no longer that same elderly man, but instead, was the young and muscled Marus. The malicious grin seemed to imposing to actually have suited him. His medium-length hair was wild and tangled, sloppily reaching just short of his shoulders. Virgil felt his face drain.

"Y-you can't-"

"Surprised to see me?" Virgil remained there in shock and his mouth agape. He couldn't figure out as to why his dream was personified, how he had taken form. Marus chuckled, completely identical with how he had laughed at Mira. "You can't speak now?"

"W-What did you-"

"What did I do to your friend there? Relax, I just did him a favor that's all. He's not dead or anything." And Marus chuckled at that.

"Shut up!" It had been a moment of rashness, of foolish desire and impermanence. Virgil lunged for Marus. Cold hands wrapped around Virgil's throat before he had even realized that Marus relinquished Jaret.

"What…did you…do…? Ex..plai-" Marus held a hand up.

"He's not dead. I've only… opened his mind to his… 'Inner self' as these so-called 'monks' would say." Virgil felt Marus's hand pushed tighter down onto his throat.

"I've got to do something!" Marus laughed.

"Oh, well, I hate to tell you, but you won't be doing much. From the looks of it, your own Pokemon doesn't even want to help."

"You…" Marus's grin was antagonistic now.

"Why don't I explain that later?" Virgil kicked for Marus, who in response simply stepped his entire into his leg. "Now, come on, Virgil. There's no reason to get so te-" Marus felt something strike his body. His grip slackened as he stumbled forward. Turning behind him, he spotted next to a coughing Virgil, a hairless yellow and white sheep. The orb at the end of its tail was flickering furiously as it narrowed its eyes at Marus.

"Ampharos?" The sheep stomped once in confirmation. He looked over to Dewott, who had been glaring at the scene. Ampharos did the same;only Dewott could be so heartless. Ampharos turned back to Marus, whose smirk had never left. Virgil stood up next to the Pokemon. "Ampharos, since Dewott won't battle, why don't we give him a shot?" The petulance was clear in his tone.

"Well, then, I suppose I'll have to make do with what I've got."

"Make do?" A poke-ball was speeding toward Virgil then, clicking open to reveal a Hoothoot. Virgil went low as Ampharos avoided it completely. Marus was out for blood.


Pidgeot fell to the ground in defeat. Falkner's eyes moved from the bird to find his opponent. With being so small and all, Falkner had expected her to break under Pidgeot's pressure.

"I have to give you credits, your Pokemon aren't too bad…" He pulled a small object from his robe. "I will have to present you with this: the Zephyr Badge." He held the badge toward her but instead she smiled warmly.

"I have no reason to take this from you. You had asked me for a battle." Falkner chuckled.

"I may have, but you've beaten me, fair and square." Falkner placed the badge in her hands, forming her hand around it. "Please take it. It's the least that I can do for assuming." The word stuck out to her.

"Assuming?" Falkner looked away nervously. Viola felt the accusation in her tone.

"Well, I had figured that maybe you'd..."

"Lose the battle?"

"No no no! Don't get me wrong! I just kind of thought maybe I could take you out sometime?" Before she knew it, Viola was laughing. She meant no disrespect but the sheer fact that a gym leader of all people would do something so modest had in a way astounded her. She had noted that Falkner was a bit of a looker, but was never anything she'd pursue. She had better things to worry about.

"Well, I'm flattered, but-" The doors to the gym slammed open then. Falkner looked past her to the doors and her gaze followed, turning to see an anxious monk rushing in.

"Leader Falkner, please forgive me for the sudden intrusion, but I have something to ask of you!" His voice was pleading. The monk was beyond desperation. His tone was something born out of fear. Viola had never seen someone look so frightened. She looked over the man garb.

"A man from the Sprout Tower is here…"

"There is something happening in the tower!"

"What?"

"There is some foreboding, vengeful force that has taken refuge on the tower's top floor! We fear for the Elder Li!" Viola observed Falkner, whose face was wild with alarm. Even then, his voice had not the slightest quiver of panic.

"I see…I will accompany you back to your tower!" He turned to Viola. "I will hope that we will meet under circumstances sometime in the future. I enjoyed having you as an opponent. Farewell!" With that, he had disappeared. She rested her chin in between her fingers as she thought a quirk of hers. Johto was a region full immersed in its history. Perhaps the Sprout Tower was a place of severe importance. She stepped outside the gym, spotting the tower off in the distance. There was a slight hesitance then. She had told Falkner that she had no idea why she was on her journey when in truth it was to expand her knowledge and improve upon her natural talents. She had a desire to learn all she could. Moments later, she was standing near the pond at the foot of the tower.


"Damn it Jaret, come on!" There was no response. Instead, he just stared forward. He was hopelessly entranced. Virgil felt something warm trickle down his arm. He already had a feeling it was blood. Virgil turned back toward Marus. The man's smile never lost its edge. It was always there.

"Hoothoot, skewer him!" Virgil heard his opponents wings flutter before a shade of brown rushed by him. The owl arced back around for a second attack. Virgil sneered and napped his fingers. Ampharos gave a cry. An electric pulse surfed through the air, stopping Hoothoot completely. At the same time, by some miracle, he had felt Jaret stir at that. He wanted to glance over to him, but kept his focus about the fight. The bird struggled to snap free but Ampharaos was already there as Virgil ordered.

"Thunder Punch!" It was speedily done and without giving it a moment to charge, Ampharos's fist slammed into the small bird, rendering it unconscious. The bird dropped lifelessly and Ampharos landed, his gaze directing back at Dewott, whose own was now overwritten with vehemently stifled adulation. Dewott looked away.

"Ampharos!" at the call of his name, Ampharos was struck by something sharp. Tehe Pokemon whipped around, a bit irate. Virgil took his spot next to Ampharos. A Bellsprout was standing in front of an ever-grinning Marus. Bellsprout danced daintily, seeming flimsy in all of its movement.

"I'm impressed."

"What the hell are you laughing at!?"

"Language, language." Marus gave a smug shrug. Virgil's face curled in disgust. He was nothing like who he had seen in his dreams. They were undoubtedly the same person. His dream counterpart shared the looks but this version of him was smugly at ease. Marus had been a broken avenger, nothing more than a slave to his rage.

"What are you going to do with a Bellsprout. In case you haven't noticed, Ampharos is way too strong for whatever moron you're going to throw at me." Marus laughed.

"Wow, it's funny how alike we are."

"What's that mean?"

"Oh, shut up. We don't have any need for your impetuous commentary. Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" Limbs snaked out from under Bellsprout's leaves and lashed after Ampharos. Virgil only nodded and Ampaharos narrowed his eyes in concentration. The vines cut toward him. In a flash of movement, Ampharos's paws were around both whips.

"Think you can be so smug now?"

"Do go on." Marus raised a brow. His tone was all the more mocking.

"Fine by me! Take him down! Electro Ball!" From Ampharos's center, a massive ball of electricity built up; the cackling of the ball made Virgil cringe inwardly.

"This will be enough to take care of him." Ampharos let go of the ball. Bellsprout was flung carelessly across the floor, scooting to a halt before Marus's feet. Virgil grinned. "I'm insulted that you thought that'd be worth my time!" Marus knelt to Bellsprout, tapping its head only once. The Pokemon stood again, re-energized and prepped for battle. Virgil grunted. "That thing's gonna get hurt at this rate." Ampharos gave a growl then. Marus shook his head in mock disappointment.

"A presumptuous attitude gets you into trouble, Take it from me, I know." A white sheen wrapped itself around Bellsprout. The light began to warp its shape. It became fuller, more round and its leaves had become one hanging over its head.

"That thing is nowhere near strong! How is it evolving!?" The light dispersed, revealing a Weepinbell standing before them. Pokemon and trainer stood their ground.

"I see your etiquette has changed." There was another smug grin. Virgil didn't respond, but gritted his teeth in frustration.

"How were you able to get it to evolve…?"

"That is something you'll have to find out on your own." The Weepinbell hopped beside Marus.

"He shouldn't be able to control that Pokemon… the only he had was…" his opponent's voice filled in the blank.

"Bitey. Rattata. The one who was among my best of friends." Marus's voice was sharpened and anger pressed into his features but alleviated into yet another grin.

"You're awfully smiley for someone who's angry all the time." Marus 'sshoulders rose and fell nonchalantly and instead of responding, Weepinbell lunged after Virgil. Ampharos had suddenly appeared between them and took the plant into its paws. There was a sigh of relief from Virgil. He was supposed to be going to the gym. When he was through with this, this would be the last time he would find himself inside of a tower.

"Pay attention." Virgil refocused on the battle, finding that Weepinbell had been culminating a sphere of green. Marus snapped his fingers, almost like Virgil did. Weepinbell let the ball fly, hitting Ampharos at point-blank range. The pressure had sent Ampharos sliding back a bit. He regained his footing. He gave one last look to Dewott. The otter was now instead harboring some look of distress. He was torn between helping and leaving them both on their own. Ampharos knew, and he figured that Virgil knew why Dewott wouldn't help as well.

"I'm stuck…" Virgil looked back to Jaret. One of his Pokemon -Arcanine especially- would have helped a great deal. "Jaret…"

"Worried about your friend?" Virgil cringed inwardly at the word.

"He isn't my 'friend'."

"Don't be so stubborn." The recurrent smirk appeared again; Virgil's temper flared at that. "You don't know what you have until you lose it."

"I don't need anything." Virgil's voice was unintentionally small. Marus stared at him. The smirk had gone, and his face was now unreadable.

"Suits yourself. Weepinbell," The Pokemon appeared at his side again. "Power Vine." A beacon of thought shined on Virgil then. It was actually more desperation than it was thought. Briar-ridden vines lashed from Weepinbell.

"Ampharos, get away from it!" Ampharos went to the air. The vines tore a whole into the wooden floor before arcing up sharply in an attempt to follow Ampharos. The vines narrowly missed Ampharos, both of them scything under his arm. They made another sharp turn downward and Ampharos spun. The whips missed again and stabbed into the wooden floor. Ampharos landed as the building gave a creaking and teetering protest.

"Vine Whip." The briars lost their width and rigidity, giving way to the sleek appendages commonly seen. Weepinbell gave a tug and they tore free, through the wooden boards again and back to Weepinbell. The whips struck home as they retracted. Ampharos caught himself and rebounded upright.

"Strike him now!" Ampharos was in the air against his will before he was able to do anything. The limbs had slunked by Virgil and had been coiling themselves around Ampharos.

"Slam it into the ground. Then the trainer will be next." Weepinbell heaved and picked Ampharos up from his feet. An arrogant grin was etched on Weepinbell's face. The likeness was almost on par with Marus. Weepinbell went to bring Ampharos down.

"There has to be something…" The epiphany struck him. "Thunder Wave!" Another electric pulse swept through the tower. The same feeling regarding Jaret returned and again Virgil resisted the urge to look his way. Weepinbell froze with Ampharos just inches from the ground. Like Hoothoot before it, Weepinbell attempted to wriggle loose but to no avail. Ampharos wasted no time and his paws latched onto Weepinbell, letting loose the same jolt. Only this time, the Pokemon dropped him and Ampharos stumbled to his feet sloppily.

Virgil looked to Marus; his face was still unreadable. His arrogance was gone and instead was replaced with a brutal sense of efficiency. He was really playing for blood now. He neared Weepinbell, giving it another tap to its forehead. The familiar light began to grow around it.

"I'll never win at this rate..." As Weepinbell completed its evolution into its final stage, both trainers felt a presence enter into the scene.

"You vagabond! Just what do you think you're doing bringing violence into the sacred Sprout Tower?" Both turned to the stairs and Virgil's face gave a light twitch of surprise. Entering the fight was a young blue haired trainer, his bangs reaching over one eye; it was Falkner, Violet City gym leader.