Writer here! Sorry for the delay, but it has come to my attention that readers of this story from it's previous incarnation have not been able to post reviews on these new chapters because the site sees that they have already technically posted a review from before I restarted the story. I didn't foresee that particular issue, but that's what I get for wanting to make sure that everyone who had subscribed to the old story still knew that it was going on in this fashion. Oh well.

If you are a returning reader that cannot post new reviews, just PM me directly until we pass that mark. I care more about hearing from you all than how many reviews are marked next to the title on the website.

Many thanks go out to Great Joy U for bringing this up to me. Thanks a Magneton, friend-o. I sincerely appreciate it. Now, back to the story.

"It's too dark in Dark Cave." Forgive me if that sounds redundant. "You won't be able to see a thing, and you'll end up getting hurt before you have the chance to catch anything!"

"We won't have to go far from the entrance. We can walk around in the dark until something catches us, and lead it out." Jakey and I have been arguing this point for a while now. "I've only got two Pokémon on me right now, and my best defense against flying types is Lyric. I have to put my hopes on the back of a Jigglypuff! Do you have any idea how nervous that makes me?"

After leaving Cherrygrove, Jakey and I made through Route 30 with nary a hitch in the plan to set us off, but now that we've gotten to Route 31 me and the curly top have reached what is technically called an impasse, but really we're just arguing until one of us caves or something fun happens.

"You're nervous? You expect me to stay still when you walk into a pitch black cave with nothing to guide you but your better sense?" Your better sense is suspect if you think that this can end up any way but badly. "It's needlessly risky."

"Being anywhere within sight of you is a risk. This? This is my best shot to catch a Geodude without going back to the 29/46." Jakey had a point. The Violet City Gym does specialize in Flying Pokémon. "I realize the risk, and I'm willing to accept a few scratches."

"Jakey, I get that you're desperate, but the chances of you catching anything in Dark Cave are slim, and you've never been the luckiest kid around." I actually find Jakey's willingness to go that extra mile refreshing. It's just really troubling that he's become so adamant about going blind into a Dark Cave, of all things. "It's not worth the risk."

"The worse luck I have is when I'm around you!" Jakey turned around stomped five feet, and pointed to a tall patch of grass. "Let's make a deal, if I can catch the next Pokémon I see on without damaging it, I get to go into Dark Cave without listening to you fuss. Capiche?"

"Jakey, you're betting everything on your luck?" I guess luck is Jakey's only asset when nothing else goes right... Actually, no. That doesn't make a lick of sense, does it?

"I'll bet on a straightening iron if it get's you off my case!" Jakey, you take that back! Don't you ever joke about straightening your hair! "Now, where's the nearest Pokémon?"

Jakey ran headlong into the tall grass to just to make his point. Under the grass, hidden from clear sight, little silhouettes scampered across the ground. Jakey looked among the shadows that fled through the grass, until finally...

"I've got you!" I don't think Jakey even looked to see what the Pokémon he was aiming to capture was before throwing his Pokéball, but I saw enough of its form from my vantage point to identify the creature.

Its head was yellow and in the shape of a bell. It's neck and torso were a single root that forked into two thin, rooty legs. In place of arms were two spade shaped leaves.

"Bellsprout." Yes, it was a Bellsprout. They're not terribly uncute, so I've no computations against bringing one with us.

Jakey's Pokéball bonked the wild Bellsprout on the bell before opening and bathing the little plant monster with the same light show as our other Pokémon. Dematerializing in the red light, the Bellsprout vanished into Jakey's Pokéball. The ball closed, locking into it the wild Pokémon. It shook once, twice, thrice..., and then locked... Well I'll be damned.

Jakey slapped his hands together above his head. "I can't believe that actually worked for me." He admitted.

I clapped slowly for him, surprised that things actually went his way. "Well, Jakey, you did it... So what are you going to name him?"

"Is it a him?" Jakey asked. "I'd call it 'Pepper' if it were a girl... Oh well, I'll think about it later." Jakey wasn't about to let me distract him.

"Well, I guess I can't keep you from Dark Cave now, can I?" Even though I didn't really to the terms of Jakey's little wager... "Just promise me you won't get hurt, okay?"

"I'll be fine. And you used to say I worried too much." Jakey retrieved his Pokéball containing his newly captured Bellsprout, (To Be Named Later) and contemplated while glancing at the entrance to Dark Cave. "Now, what's the best way to approach this?"

…

Boys and girls, in Pokémon Versions Gold, Silver, and Crystal—and maybe also the remakes of them that I never played—venturing into a pitch black Dark Cave with nothing but your wits about you to illuminate your way is manageable. Difficult, but still manageable. It's dark, but there's no man of the wilds type hardcore survival mode that demands you tend to your own wounds if you bump around or trip over a rock in the dark. Even when you find yourself under seige by wild Pokémon, your game will kindly take you to a little, well-lit pocket dimension (a Pokémension, if you will) that allows your Pokémon to fight on the same footing as the Pokémon who would normally prey on any schmuck fool enough to go in the dark...

So anyway, we're at the Violet City Pokémon Center because all Jakey's Pokémon were rendered unable to battle under circumstances that I am sure have nothing to do with my piece earlier. I can only guess as to what happened because Jakey didn't say a word to me after running break neck out of Dark Cave with an unconscious Tooth clutched in his arms. Actually, no. That's not entirely true. After regaining his composure, he did say to me, "Not a word from you." in his warningest tone.

"Thank you for waiting. Your Pokémon are fully healed." Said the nurse who manned the healing machine. "We hope to see you again."

"But not too soon, I hope." I joked, hoping to see her smile. "Thank you, Nurse. We very much appreciate your patience."

"Thank you very much." Said Jakey.

The two of us bowed our heads to the nurse, apologizing for allowing Jakey's entire party to faint as they did. After humbling ourselves, Jakey and I went to the center's modest waiting area. I sat down on a mat next to a glass coffee table, and Jakey sat across from me.

"I know what you're going to say, so don't bother." Jakey began, even though I wasn't really thinking about anything in particular. "I knew the risks, but I over estimated myself, and my Pokémon got hurt... I'm sorry." It must really pain Jakey something fierce to apologize like this.

"It's really your Pokémon who deserve an apology, Kiddo." I am happy that Jakey knows when to admit he's wrong, but I'd rather he not endanger himself or his Pokémon.

"You're righ..." I can actually hear the pain in his voice with that one. "I'm... gonna go walk around town with my party." Jakey left the center, I'm guessing to think about his upcoming Gym Battle.

"Poor Jakey..."

A Water-type, a Normal/Fairy-type, and a Grass-type. Jakey could have had a better party to take with him to his first Gym Battle. Out of the three, Lyric the Jigglypuff is his best shot, and the Bellsprout to be Named Later is the weakest link. It'd be great if Lyric could handle the whole fight, but I don't think that'll be the case against Falkner...

"Alright! That settles it!" I shouted, leaping to my feet, and startling all the other people in the Pokémon Center. "I'll come up with winning strategy to help Jakey against Falkner!"

I race out from Pokémon Center to Route 32 as fast as I can. My mission is to help Jakey in his upcoming battle against Violet City's Falkner. That's all the motivation I need, really. I tease Jakey a lot, but I wouldn't be out here with the kid if I didn't want to help him out as much as I could. Since the Violet City Gym is all about the Flying-types, I catch myself a Flying-type Pokémon and use it to help Jakey train! Haha! Sometimes the quickest path to victory is also the simplest!

...

The walk to Route 32 ain't all that terribly far, but it isn't the shortest run either. Violet City is a big city, and an old one, too. Old fashioned houses are all over with paper walls and curved tiles made of clay on the roofs, and then there's the ancient Sprout Tower looming over the town from the north, casting a shadow over my path. As old as Violet City is, there are still some bits of modernity that standout against the old. In Cherrygrove, the roads were just paths of beaten earth, and when days became nights, the dirt roads were lit up by old school paper lanterns that are hung up from the outside of houses, shops, and the Pokémon Center. Here in Violet City, the roads are paved with concrete sidewalks, and streetlights powered by electricity turn on when the day gets dark. Even in the shadow of the old Sprout Tower, there is at least one building that stands against the rustic feel of Johto with its metal frame, tall build, and walls of mirrored glass. It was a tower, though not as tall as the Sprout Tower to the North. This modern building stands now where I remember the Violet City Gym once stood back when I first came here some five years ago. It was just a dojo back then...

Paved roads and street lamps became trees and a beaten path as I reached the Northern mouth of Route 32. To my left is a lake, bridged over with fishermen all across the bridge and around the waterside. The Alph Ruins aren't so far from here, but I don't have luxury of sightseeing right this moment. I'm looking for a Flying-type Pokémon.

"Alright! Cheerlette, take the stage, my love!" I hurled Cheerlette's Pokéball into the air.

The Poké Ball opened to a display of strobing lights from which my little blue ball of happiness and joy bounced forth.

"Azuuu~!" She sang.

"Cheerlette, my sweet, we're going on a hunt!" I announced.

"Zu?" Cheerlette seemed perplexed, but I supposed it's my turn of phrase that is at fault.

"Cheerlette, we're going to find a Flying-type Pokémon to capture so that Jakey can know what to expect for his Gym Battle. Jakey's going to have to work hard to win, so we need to do whatever we can to help him, okay?"

The look on Cheerlette's face told me that she still didn't quite get it, but I guess that much is natural. She's still such a little thing.

"Cheerlette, a Flying-type is what we need, so keep a sharp eye out for Pokémon like Pidgey, or Spearow, or Hoot-Hoot."

"Zu~!"

…

"Cheerlette, Body Slam it!" I commanded her.

Cheerlette hurled her weight onto an ornery Rattata. "Zu!"

"Rattaaaaa!" Hissing at us, the Rattata made a beeline away from Cheerlette and I.

"That's right! Run away, you little blighter!" Just another waste of time. We've been at this for hours now, but we've not once seen a flying Pokémon. "Cheerlette, are you alright?"

"Zuu..." Tired from facing all these wild brutes, Cheerlette's little squeaks are sounding raspier and raspier after every battle.

"Well, I guess we can at least say that we tried, yes?" Right then, when I was ready to give in for the day, I found myself dazzled by a soothing, nostalgic green light. "Cheerlette?"

Where did this light come from, and where was Cheerlette? She was gone from my sight... Oh, yes. Now, now I remember this. I've seen this light before. How many times? I've lost count, but even with as many times as I've seen this warm lovely light, to see it again after so long, it feels like the first time I watched my little Cyndaquil, Apollo, evolve for the first time. Yes, evolve. This was the light of evolution, and it was my Cheerlette from whom that light emanated.

"Cheerlette?" This was real. My little Cheerlette was evolving already.

The light faded, and my Cheerlette reemerged from the light of evolution, though in a different form.

Cheerlette's head had grown to twice its previous size, and really I should say it's her body now that she's got two tiny little stubs of arms jutting from the rest of her tiny body where once there were only feet. She was as round as a Jigglypuff, and every bit as plump. Her ears were bigger, that was for sure, and her ball shaped tail looked smaller in comparison to her larger body, but I don't think it actually shrunk.

"Maaaarill~!" Cheerlette is a Maril now. My goodness.

"Cheerlette, you've grown! It wasn't so long ago that you hatched, you little scamp. Give me back my cute little Azuril back!" I was joking of course, taking Cheerlette into my hands. "Oh wow! Oh wow, oh wow! I wanted keep my little Cheerlette a cute little baby for as long as I could, but to know that you love me enough to evolve like this, oooh, you've made me so happy!"

I spin on my toes and dance around in the tall grass of Route 32 with Cheerlette in my hands.

"Marill~! Rill~!" Cheerlette's own exhaustion seems to have disappeared with the introduction of her evolved state.

"Well, my friend, it looks like we've breathed new life into our quest yet!" That's right! I just said that and I still almost forgot about my goal here. We're here to help Jakey. "We've got energy to spare, so let's find a Pidgey, or a Spearow, or whatever we find that flies and make it our friend!"

"Hoppip~!" And then a Hoppip bounced in on us... Hoppip is a Flying-type, well... Grass/Flying. Grass being the primary type, but a Grass/Flying-type is still a Flying-type!

"Cheerlette, let's make a friend!" I told her.

"Marill!" Cheerlette was every bit as determined as I.

…

The sun was setting over Violet City, and the moon and stars began to appear in the steadily darkening, orange sky. I returned to the Pokémon Center with Cheerlette on my arm, where I suspected Jakey to be, and my suspicions were correct, Jakey sat by the glass coffee table like we had earlier, his face buried in an airport novel that he must have taken from the Pokémon Center's modest book collection.

"Jakey!" I ran up to him. "We've got great news!"

"Marill!" Cheerlette bounces off my arm and eagerly approaches Jakey.

"I was wondering where you were, and is that Cheerlette?" Jakey asked, reasonably surprised. "How she evolve? There's no way you could have maxed her friendship levels so fast!"

Well, Jakey, I have with me an evolved Cheerlette that tells me that you're absolutely wrong on that one. Ha! "It was a surprise to me, too, but that's not what we wanted to tell you about." I display to him the Pokéball of my newly captured Hoppip. "We caught a Hoppip! I know it's not the first Pokémon you think of when you think 'Flying-type,' but this way you can have a little experience against a Flying Pokémon before you take on Falkner!"

"Hmm?" Jakey looked at me with an unmistakeable curiousness about him, but then he realized just what I was on about. "Oh, you were worried about me taking that Bellsprout into battle, right?"

"Jakey, you make it sound like it's not your Pokémon."

"Yeah, about that..." Jakey's words slid out his mouth. "I managed to find a dude willing to trade an Onix for my Bellsprout. The chance was too good to pass up."

"Wait... Wait, what?" I don't get it. Jakey seems to be talking in code. I know he couldn't have just traded his Bellsprout away. "You found an Onix?"

"Yeah, through a trade. Don't like his nickname much. He called his Onix 'Rocky.' The guy was a regular Shakespearean."

"Sounds more like Ben Johnson to me, Jakey, but did you really trade off your Bellsprout?" I'm not sure why, but I'm just having some trouble believing that. Jakey's got to be pulling my leg.

"Yeah. I did. Are you feeling alright?" Jakey ran his eyes up and about me. "You're acting weird. Even for you."

"I... I can't believe this..."

"What's there to believe?" Jakey swept away my mental rejections. "Anyway, I'm going to turn in before dark and see if I can find a free cot in the room upstairs. I want to wake up early to train, and maybe I can take Falkner on in the afternoon. Oh, and congratulations on Cheerlette's evolution. See you both in the morning!" Jakey said his good nights, and headed up stairs for a snooze. Just like that, both me and Cheerlette were left to stew in our thoughts.

"Rill..." Cheerlette sighed heavily as it turned out that all our work was for so much of nothing.

"It's alright, my sweet. As long as Jakey's happy, it's fine." I am dead from my heart up.

Well, it seems Jakey's all sorted for his match against Falkner. It's gonna be his first ever Gym Battle! Let's all be sure to Cheer our hearts out for him, alright?

If you're liking how things are going on, then be sure to tell me in the review section, or via Private Message if you're among the ones who can't post reviews for this story. I really appreciate it either way. Thanks for reading. Love y'all..., unless that creeps you out... Bye!