Chapter 8: Go Far Young Lass!

Nicole, Jack, and Wade are all sitting on a picnic blanket that Winter brought with her. They had just finished a late breakfast after sleeping in at the Pokemon Center. A few yards away, Winter is with Ashly. "Okay, my idea is to make 5 separate holes with dig and then, when you are underground again, use Swift so it comes out of all 5 holes. They should collide to make one big star, then you come out with Quick Attack to make it separate into pretty mini stars."

Ashley raised her paw. "How should I land?"

"Well, maybe… Let's get to that part later." They walk in front of the others. The area they are practicing in is a wide open grassy clearing. "We're ready!"

Nicole barks. "Woo! Do your best!"

Wade claps his flippers. "Yeah!"

Winter and Ashley bow. "Ashley, let's go!" Ashley jumps up and they start doing a little dance with Ashley performing several backflips. "Use Dig!" Ashley does a quadruple back flip and goes underground. Every time she comes up, Ashley does a different kind of flip, like she's in gymnastics. Once five holes are made, Winter commands Swift and immediately, stars shoot out of each hole and form a giant star shape. However, Winter notices that they are all swirling around wildly, but she doesn't respond. "Use Quick Attack!" Ashley shoots out of the ground and collides with the stars, but instead of the pretty mini stars, a massive explosion occurs. Jack, Nicole, and Wade hold on to each other as to not get blown away and the shock waves are strong enough to turn Jack back into a Zorua. Winter lands on the ground and tries to get up, dazed. "Ashley!" She screams as the smoke begins to clear. Ashley is lying on the ground covered in dirt and her fur is messed up. "Ashley!" Winter picks up Ashley and slowly limps back to the others who have their mouths wide open and are holding each other.

"Winter, I'm fine." Ashley says as Winter puts her down and sprays potion on her. "It stings."

"What went wrong? This is the seventh time this has happened."

"Seventh?!" Nicole yells. "Shouldn't something tell you not to do this routine after the first time?"

Winter shakes her head. "No it's not that. It happens whenever Ashley's moves collide with each other. They always cause damage and I don't know why."

"It's her ability." Jack interrupts. Everybody looks at him in wonder. "Ashley has an ability called Adaptability."

Wade scratches his head. "And what does that mean?"

Jack explains. "Usually, whenever a pokemon uses a move of the same type, such as Ashley using Quick Attack, the move's power is stronger because it matches the type. However, Adaptability goes on step further and makes this bonus stronger. I could already tell an explosion was going to occur when the stars were moving around violently in the star shape. Using Quick Attack only made it worse."

"How do you know this?" Wade asked. "Were you some kind of expert trainer?"

Jack hesitates. "Uh… I had a pokemon with this ability. It's a trainer's job to know the different kinds of abilities other pokemon may have."

"Help!" A girlish scream echoes through the nearby forest. "My trainer is hurt!"

Jack perks his ears up. "She sounds familiar."

Winter stands up. "We have to go see who it is! Wade, stay here with Ashley. Nicole, come with me and bring some berries!"

"Right!" Nicole grabs a small sack of berries to heal pokemon. After catching Nicole, Winter put together a small satchel for Nicole to wear so she can hold berries. Nicole always tried to help pokemon in need even before she met Winter.

They don't go too far in until they see a fallen tree. The voice is crying next to her trainer on the other side. "I'll get you out of there!" Winter calls. "Nicole, use Scratch on the tree!"

"I'll use Scratch too!" Jack adds. They are able to slowly cut the tree down so they can be able to move it. They all pull the trunk that is left and see a buneary next to a girl covered in dirt. "I knew it! Hoppi!"

Hoppi hops over to Winter. "Winter! Thank you! Casey got hurt! There was this explosion and it knocked a tree over and she pushed me out of the way and-"

"Calm down Hoppi. We'll help Casey. Don't worry."

Hoppi just stares at Winter. "You understand me?"

Winter ignores the question and goes up to Casey. "Casey! Why are you all the way out here?"

"Ow." Winter stands Casey up. "Ugh. I ran away…" Casey tries to put her left foot down, but she almost falls again. "My foot!"

"We need to find a Pokemon Center fast. There's no human hospital nearby unless we want to backtrack to Quinntown." Jack says looking at the map. "There's one half a mile away to the west!"

Winter leads Casey by giving her a boost with her right shoulder. "Don't worry Casey. We're gonna get you help. Jack, get Wade and Ashley and meet us there."

Nurse Joy brings Casey out into the lobby. Casey has a brace on her left ankle and is using a crutch on her left side. "Casey had a badly sprained ankle. But no worries, all she needs is to ice it every few hours and wear the brace for the next week. Then it's just rehabilitation on the ankle and foot. Shout if you need anything!"

"Thank you Nurse Joy!" Casey says. Casey limps to the couch and sits next to Winter. "Thank you Winter. All I remember was this big boom and the tree fell."

"I'm sorry about that. We were trying to practice for the contest, but… We sorta messed up." Winter frowns.

Casey laughs. "Don't worry about it! I would've paid to see that training. By the way, how did you know I was hurt?"

Winter hesitates. "Well, I heard Hoppi scream help and she screamed that her trainer was hurt." Casey just stared at her. "I can… talk to pokemon now."

Casey gasps. "Seriously?! I heard about you reviving after what happened at Heart Lake! I wanted to visit you, but Grammy said no because I had to resume my elder training. I did sneak out to visit you one day, but Ivory said that you were long gone. I got caught by the Elder Council again too."

"How'd you run away? Why?"

"Because, I saw that you were finally starting your journey, no matter what life throws at you! You've proved that to me today by understanding pokemon!" Winter gestures for Casey to calm down, but she doesn't. "That's why I ran away! I want to be a Top Coordinator and I will do so, by all means necessary!" Casey smiles. "I'm too far from home now, so they won't get me!"

"Is that so?" A figure in a long lavender robe walks over to them from the counter. "You didn't think you could fool me, did you Casey?"

Casey's face went pale. "Grammy…. Great Elder Dremlin… How?"

"I had some of my associates follow you around ever since we got you the first time at Quinntown. They could've apprehended you at any time, but I wanted to see how you would do on your own first and get a taste of how hard traveling is. Seeing that you got injured several times has proven to me that you are incapable of taking care of yourself." Elder Dremlin states. "I am here to take you home for your training."

Casey shakes her head. "No! I don't wanna go home. It's boring just training every day. I want to be a Coordinator like Winter!"

Dremlin sighs. "I see that stubbornness runs in the family. Your mother was the same way, always wanting to travel and do exciting things. However, she quickly learned that a journey isn't all that it's meant to be and ended up back home."

"I promise I'll come back home after I'm done with contests in Rorroh. Please?"

Dremlin thinks for a minute. "I'll only let you go if you can prove to me that you and Hoppi are capable of handling anything that comes your way. Come out Dragonair!" Dremlin sends out her shiny dragonair. "Dragonair and I will test your skills in a battle. If you win, you can leave but if I win, you can come home. Deal?"

"B-but Dragonair is the strongest pokemon in Drem Village. I would never be able to beat her in a million years!" Casey panics a little, and then takes a deep breath. "I'll do it. I'll prove it to you Grammy."

Elder Dremlin and Casey go out to the battlefield behind the Pokemon Center. Winter, Jack, Ashley, Wade, and Nicole are all on the sidelines ready to cheer Casey on. Winter takes out her pokedex to scan the two pokemon on the battlefield.

'Buneary, the Rabbit Pokemon. Type: Normal. Its ears are able to shatter the toughest boulder when rolled up. Its fur is soft and keeps it warm in the cold.'

'Dragonair, the Dragon Pokemon and the evolved form of Dratini. Type: Dragon. Dragonair is able to alter the weather conditions by utilizing the crystal orbs on its neck and tail. It is very gentle.'

"So Dragonair is actually blue." Winter says to herself.

"I have to say, I've never seen a shiny dragonair before but it's very beautiful." Jack claims. "I've battled every single pokemon you could think of when I was a trainer."

"Were you really strong?" Nicole asks, intrigued.

Jack winks. "I guess you could say that."

Elder Dremlin pets Dragonair. "Are you ready Casey?"

Casey stands with a crutch on her side. Hoppi gives Casey a worried look. "It'll be fine Hoppi. Now let's do this!" The battle begins and Casey makes the first move. "Hoppi, use Pound!" Hoppi dashes towards Dragonair and lets loose a flurry of Pound attacks, but Dragonair elegantly dodges all of them without being commanded. "Use Dizzy Punch!" Dragonair still avoids Hoppi's moves. This leaves Hoppi and Casey with a dumbfounded stare.

"Ha!" Dremlin laughs. "You were right to be nervous. Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Dragonair shoots out a blue, flaming ball of Dragon power at Hoppi who is unable to dodge it.

"Hoppi!" Casey jumps and grabs her leg. Her movement made her foot hurt more. Hoppi slowly gets up. "What should we do?"

"Use Wrap!" Dragonair slithers up to Hoppi and wraps its tail around her. Hoppi tries to wiggle out, but Dragonair's tail goes around tighter. "What will you do now?"

Casey watches in fear as Hoppi is slowly getting squeezed by Dragonair. Then she realizes something. "Clap your ears together with Dizzy Punch!" Hoppi does this and the sparks blind Dragonair and cause it to let go of Hoppi. "Awesome!"

"That's was a move from her Contest routine!" Winter exclaims gleefully, reminiscing back to when she met Casey at Heart Lake.

Casey clenches her fist in excitement. "Hoppi, let's show Grammy how a real Coordinator battles!"

"Yeah!" Hoppi yells.

"Dragon Tail!" Dremlin orders.

"Use Baby Doll Eyes!" Hoppi walks up to Dragonair who is ready to attack with Dragon Tail, but stops when Hoppi puts on a cute face. Dragonair does attack and smiles and pats Hoppi on the head with its tail. A blue aura quickly appears around Dragonair then fades.

Winter turns to Jack. "What happened?"

"Baby Doll Eyes lowered Dragonair's attack. Now Dragonair's attack moves won't be as strong." Jack explains.

Hoppi smiles as Casey gives the next order. "Jump Kick!" Hoppi backflips to land on her ears. Her ears launch her high and she lands a direct blow on Dragonair. "Use Pound!"

"Wrap!" Dragonair is to quick for Hoppi and Wraps Hoppi again.

"Dizzy Punch!" Casey tells Hoppi.

Dremlin smiles. "I won't fall for that again. Throw Hoppi up then Dragon tail!" Dragonair flings Hoppi into the sky.

"Jump Kick!" Hoppi falls back down ready to use Jump Kick. Dremlin nods at Dragonair and Dragonair side steps Hoppi's move. Hoppi gets injured by missing and before she can react, Dragonair unleashes a powerful Dragon Tail, launching Hoppi into the wall. "Hoppi!" Hoppi is able to barely stand. "Quick Attack!" Hoppi is able to hit Dragonair multiple times and jumps. "Use Dizzy Punch!" Hoppi headbutts Dragonair then unleashes a multitude of punches and knocks Dragonair back with one last powerful one.

"Dragonair, use Dragon Tail!" Dragonair hits Hoppi into the air.

"Hoppi, use Jump Kick!"

"Dragon Rage!" Dragon uses Dragon Rage it collides with Hoppi in the air.

Hoppi crashes to the ground and faints in front of Casey. "Hoppi…" Casey's voice cracks and she becomes silent. If Casey didn't have her crutch, she would've fell onto the ground too. Tears slowly roll down her face. Her eyes aren't visible because her dark brown, almost black, hair is in front of her face. Her face turns red as a Cheri Berry and her freckles disappear. Winterr and the others stand on the sidelines, unwilling to believe that Casey lost.

Elder Dremlin walks up to Casey. "Now, now." The two assistant elders go up to them. "Wait a minute gentlemen. Casey?" Dremlin puts her boney finger on Casey's chin. Casey lifts her face up, two trails of tears are visible. "I'm surprised at how well you handled yourself out there. You should be proud." Casey nods. "Well, I'm very proud of you, and your mother would be too. You know, your grandfather said something years ago when I was training to be an elder. He said that experience doesn't come from studying and training in one place. Experience and maturity come from everywhere. Everywhere that you go. Do you understand that?" Casey gives Dremlin a look of confusion. Dremlin wipes Casey's eyes. "I knew eventually that this would happen, Casey. It's against the elder guidebook to leave the village for reasons that do not specifically benefit the villagers, however… you've shown me your passion in this battle. A few times, I was caught off guard by your teamwork with Hoppi." Hoppi slowly gets up. Dremlin picks up Hoppi. "I know why you left, Casey. You saw it, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah." Casey stutters. "We were getting berries and I saw… I saw our reflection in Heart Lake." Casey relaxes more and is serious. "That's when I knew—I know—that Hoppi and I are ready to leave home. It's been rough, but… I believe in us. I pray every night for Jewlmast's blessings and for good fate. I understand… I understand if you are indifferent about this matter. I will go home with you to honor my promise. Until I can finally beat you, Grammy, I will stay home and train with Hoppi to be stronger, to further prove my worth, not only as a future Elder but as a person."

Dremlin smiles. "Casey… I don't want you to go home."

"What?" Casey asks.

"Listen dear. I feel that letting you travel is best for the benefit of the village. When do you come home, you will be a proper and mature young woman." Dremlin pets Hoppi. "You've proven that you are capable of handling yourself in our battle. I want you to go…go far young lass! I want you to follow your dreams like your grandfather, like your mother, and become Top Coordinator." Dremlin smiles. "Promise me that. Promise me that you'll make your dreams come true."

Casey's face brightens and her smile goes from ear to ear. "I promise! I won't let you down." Casey takes Hoppi. "Elder…Grammy… I love you."

Dremlin walks away with her assistants in tow. "I love you too, Casey."

It's dinner, sometime after Dremlin has left. Winter, Casey, and Jack are sitting in a booth eating while the other pokemon sit nearby and eat their food. Casey stares at her foot. "I hope this thing gets better before the contest."

Nurse Joy turns the TV on. It's on the Contest News Channel (CNC). There a woman with light brown hair on the screen. "Hiya fellow Coordinators! It's your host with the most, Caroline!" She points to a giant arena. "It's that time of the year again! It's Contest season and the first scheduled contest is Marina City! Next Friday we'll finally see the newest faces in Coordinating perform for the Marine Ribbon! Remember, in Rorroh, Coordinators need four ribbons to compete in the Grand festival. I hope to see all of you here!" A commercial for Kaptain Kingler cereal comes on.

"That's the next town!" Casey squeals with excitement. "Are you entering too Winter?"

Not like I have a choice. "Of course." Winter fakes a happy tone. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Awesome!"

Jack takes a sip of his tea. "What are you going to do now?"

"Hmm." Casey thinks to herself. "Well, Marina City isn't gonna wait much longer. Hoppi and I have to work on a routine and I need to get some pokeballs to catch some pokemon!"

"Do you wanna come with us?" Winter asks. "We can help you with your leg."

"I would, but no… I want to get through this myself… and I don't wanna travel with my new opponent. That would be cheating because I'd know everything you do!" Casey giggles. "But seriously, I'd just slow you down. I'm gonna rest here for another day then head out."

Jack nods. "We're heading out tomorrow. We have to get an early start."

Winter looks at Jack. "Who said?"

"The faster I get back to Nightstar, the faster I can be myself." Jack claims. "Plus, you have a contest to train for."

"Yup."

For the rest of the night, Winter, Jack, and Casey hang around and talk. They watch TV until they go to bed and fall asleep. At dawn, Winter and Jack say goodbye to Casey and Hoppi and continue onwards to Marina City.