"Next stop, Ilex Forest," Lyra said as we left the center. "Are you guys up to it, or should we stop for the day?"
"Well?" James asked.
"I could keep going all night," I said.
"I'm ready," Jay jay said.
Aaron nodded.
James looked up at Lyra and nodded. "Okay then guys! Lets go!" She walked forward, with a little bounce in her step. She was filled with much confidence from wining the gym battle.
We were close to the Ilex Forest entrance, when a red-headed boy, the same age as Lyra, stopped us. "Tell me something..." he started, "Is it true Team Rocket has returned?"
"Yep! And I beat them. Chased them out of this town." Lyra smirked. I had never seen her like this. It was if she was getting competitive with this boy.
"What? You beat them?" The boy burst out laughing. "Quit lying!"
"I'm not lying!" Lyra said with her hands on her hips.
"You're serious? Fine. Lets see how good you actually are." The boy smiled. "Go gastly!"
Lyra smiled too. "Go James!"
Aaron shuddered at the sight of the other gastly. "It's kind of creepy to see a pokemon that looks exactly like you."
"Actually," Jay jay spoke up "You too look nothing alike. That gastly, it seems to have a...well, a more harsh or evil aura surrounding it. I think it has to do with the trainer."
"James! Bite!" James leaped forward and dug his teeth into the gastly. Almost immediately, it was out.
"Pathetic." The red headed boy muttered. "Go bayleef!"
"Go Kenji!" I stepped forward.
The bayleef had an all yellow body, including her short tail. Green buds encircled her neck. Green hair flowed down her back. Leafs were entangled in her hair, almost blending in with it.
"Bayleef, Poison Powder!" One on the buds on its neck opened up. A purple powder was in it. The bayleef scooped some out in its hand, and blew it in my direction. I started coughing and feeling oozy.
"It's okay Kenji, use Ember." I regained my composure enough to launch a fireball. It struck the bayleef. The fire died out almost instantly.
The boy laughed. "You're growlithe's level is way too low, it won't do any damage!"
"Kenji, come back." I held my hands to my head, trying to keep my self steady as I walked back behind Lyra. "Go James!" James stepped forward again.
The boy chuckled. "Are you kidding me? A Grass against a Water? If you keep fighting like this, I am going to win."
Lyra smiled. "Ice Fang." She told James. The boy's smile disappeared.
"Use Reflect!" The boy yelled frantically. A glass like wall appeared in front of the bayleef. James ran straight into it. It shattered like glass. He lunged forward and dug his teeth into the bayleef's neck. It fell backwards, badly hurt, but still moving.
"Scratch!" Lyra yelled. James brought his claws down onto the bayleef's chest.
The boy scoffed. "Bayleef, return! Go zubat!"
"Your turn Jay jay!" Jay jay stepped forward. "Use Stun Spore!"
Jay jay flapped her wings. A fine yellow powder came off of them and landed on the zubat. The zubat instantly stopped moving. Occasionally, a yellow spark with flicker across its body.
"Zubat! Use Wing Attack!" The zubat tried to move, but it couldn't. It was paralyzed.
"Finish it off with Confusion!" Jay jay closed her eyes. The zubat stared with fear. Its eyes grew wide. A violent pulse seemed to flow through out its body. It fell over, finished.
"Tsk! Weak! Return!" The boy looked utterly angry. He sighed. "I hate the week. Pokemon, trainers. It doesn't matter who or what. I hate them for hanging around. That goes for Team Rocket, too. They think they are big and tough as long as they are in a group. But get them alone and they are weak. I hate them all." He looked at Lyra. "You stay out of my way. You won't be an exception!" He pushed past her and continued into the forest.
Lyra sighed. "Come on, lets make another trip to the center."
As we kept walking, I felt worse and worse. It seemed like my life was being drained with each step. I feared we wouldn't make it to the center in time, but we did. I breathed a sigh of relief when it happened.
Sorry, I didn't get a chance to update yesterday. I will try to keep a steady pace of putting up a chapter a day.