Happy New Year. :\
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
-Leaf's Conquest--
Leaf
I looked in the mirror. God, was that me?
Misty had taken me out to get me a fashion upgrade, and I have to say, I was not expecting this.
On my feet were a pair of black and white fashion trainers; I wore a pair of matte black shorts edged with white, and a kneepad on my left knee, leaving the rest of my legs completely exposed. A sports bra with a large hole in the collarbone region adorned my upper body, stopping just underneath my chest. On each of my arms were an armband (in the upper arm) and one of Ash's black wristbands in the lower arm. Finally, on my head I wore the black and white visor that Ash had given to me. It exposed the top of my head, where that section of hair was packed in a thick, curly ponytail. The rest of my full hair was left to hang down, also curled up until my waist. A few shorter tendrils were at the front, framing my face. Misty had gotten my new bag dyed dark grey, to match the rest of my outfit. Also around my waist was a silver belt that held all my PokéBalls.
"Ta-da!" Misty stood back and proudly admired her work. "You look so badass, Leaf! Like a true Ace Trainer by blood! What do you think?"
"I… I don't even know what to say. It's amazing, Misty."
"I know, right? Gary would totally flip for you!"
"Ha ha…" I blushed, a sheepish smile inching across my face. Misty frowned.
"That babyish expression has got to go now, Leaf! You're an Ace Trainer! You need to sport that smoldering look of indifference!" I set my face into a judging, 'don't care' face. "That's more like it! And we can't call you Leaf anymore. That's not Ace Trainer like. You need an unruly, willful name now. What are your middle names?"
"Um… Green and Midori."
"Right! So from now on, only I, Ash, Gary, Sabrina, Karen, your mom and people close to you can call you Leaf. To others, you will now be known as Ace Trainer Midori!"
Ace Trainer Midori? I liked the sound of that. (A/N: I got Leaf's middle name Midori from one of splitheart1120's stories, Lighting the Darkness. I figured it would be good for this story. All credits for the name go to him, though. I don't own it.)
"Right!" Misty said. "Let's go show you to your brother."
No POV
Ash was waiting impatiently outside.
"Leaf! Misty! Are you done yet? We need to get going as soon as possible."
Misty hopped outside, a cheeky but ecstatic grin on her face.
Ash raised his eyebrows. "Well?"
Misty, clearing her throat, announced, "Gentlemen and Gentlemen. I present to you…"
Gary glanced up for a moment.
"… soon to be Ace Trainer Midori!"
And that one moment turned into, like, ten. And then a hundred…
And not directly at her face, either.
"Gary. If you would please keep your eyes on my FACE."
"Wha…?" At this, Ash openly glared at Gary, and Misty snickered. They all left the hotel and headed to the Gym.
On the way, Leaf couldn't help but notice that she got a lot of stares from creepy old guys, and started to fidget as she walked.
"Psst. Leaf." Misty whispered to her. "Don't forget, you're 15 now. You're not naïve little Leaf anymore. You're bold, fearless Ace Trainer Midori. Well, almost."
"Right…" Leaf put on an intimidating look, and the creeps seemed to back off.
"There you go!"
They reached the Gym, which was clearly for Grass Types. Leaf hadn't really thought of which Pokemon she would use. On her, she had Flora at level 39, Pidgeotto at level 36, Abby at level 40 and Dratini at level 38.
"Hmm. Flora and Pidgeotto are going to evolve very soon, so it would be a good boost if they evolved in battle. But Flora's gonna be pretty much ineffective. Let me see her moves… Razor Leaf, Mega Drain, Sludge, and Energy Ball. Hold on," she said, turning to Gary. "Poison has an advantage over Grass, right?"
Gary, who was sweating with the effort to keep his eyes on her face, squeezed out, "Yeah."
"So it's Flora, Pidgeotto, and one last Pokemon. Some of her Pokemon may also be part poison, so throwing Abby in there may help, but I also want to see what Dratini can do. So I guess it's Flora, Pidgeotto and Dratini. Let's do this!"
Ash and Misty walked into the Gym, with Leaf staying behind to tie her shoelace… while backing Gary.
Said boy could not resist staring at her full behind, and quickly walked into the Gym before he did something he would regret.
Leaf smirked as she stood up. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. Giggling, she skipped into the Gym.
-Leaf's Conquest-
As soon as Leaf stepped into the Gym, she immediately wished that she'd brought a gas mask. The overwhelming scent of flowers filled every nook and cranny. Ash, Misty and Gary were already in the audience stands, and Leaf decided to battle all the Gym Trainers with her Pidgeotto. One advantage of this was that her Pidgeotto evolved into Pidgeot, and learnt Sky Drop and Aerial Ace, and reached level 39.
So by the time she reached Erica, Pidgeot was pretty worn out.
"Why hello there." Erica smiled at Leaf. "I am Erica, Gym Leader of Celadon, and I am a user of the Grass Type. And you are?"
"My name is Leaf, a contender for the Pokemon championship."
"Well, Leaf, a contender for the Pokemon championship, I really think we should get started don't you?" the screen lit up, and Erica sent out a Bellossom. "Three on three. Send out your first Pokemon."
Leaf released Pidgeot.
"Bellossom, Giga Drain!"
"Gust, Pidgeot!"
Pidgeot released a powerful Gust blowing the green beam back.
"Hm. Pidgeot's a lot more powerful. Alright, Pidgeot, Wing Attack!"
Pidgeot slammed into the Bellossom with great force, and its newfound strength combined with the super effective attack reduced Bellossom's health by half.
"Get in close with Aerial Ace!"
"Vine Whip!"
Vines, thicker than Flora's normal ones, wrapped tightly around Pidgeot.
"Now slam!"
Pidgeot's health went to a quarter.
"Pidgeot!"
"Giga Drain!"
Bellossom sent another Green Ray at Pidgeot, who was too weak to move out of the way, and was knocked out cold.
"Send out your next Pokemon, if you would."
Without thinking, Leaf sent out Dratini.
"Dra!"
"Alright, Dratini, time to see what you can do!" Leaf knew it was risky to fight with a Pokemon she'd never used before, but…
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Bellossom, Razor Leaf!"
"Flamethrower!"
The two attacks met in the middle, and Razor Leaf was easily burnt to a crisp by Flamethrower.
The attack reached Bellossom, who fainted.
"Impressive, Leaf. But you'll have to do better than that to preside over me. Victreebel!"
A Victreebel appeared on the battleground.
"Dratini, Use Ice Beam!"
"Sunny Day!"
The intense heat melted the Ice Beam.
"Thunderbolt!" Leaf said without missing a beat.
A devastating thunderbolt dropped from the sky, scorching the VictreeBel and reducing its health drastically.
"Giga Drain!"
"DragonBreath!"
Dratini was still powering up its attack when half of its health was sapped. It wasn't looking so good. Still, it managed to fire a weak dragonbreath at its opponent. Its health minutely dropped, and yellow electricity coursed painfully through its body.
Just what I was hoping for, Leaf thought. Paralysis.
While Leaf was thinking to herself, a torrent of razor leaves were sent at Dratini, who landed at Leaf's feet.
"Dratini! I'm sorry!"
The dragon Pokemon struggled to get up, but fell to the ground in a heap.
"Sigh. More training for you."
"Well, Leaf? I believe you still have one more Pokemon. Unless you want to forfeit the challenge?"
"Of course not!"
Holding her last Pokemon, Leaf whispered, "It's all up to you now, sugar." She kissed it. Then…
"Go, Flora!"
"I presume this is your starter, Leaf. What an adorable Pokemon."
"Saur!"
"Alrighty then. Victreebel! Toxic!"
"Shield!"
As the purple acid came flying towards Flora, she crafted a shield from her vines.
"Good, Flora! Venoshock!"
A stinky, purple liquid flew at Victreebel.
"Dodge it, Victreebel!"
It tried to do so, but just then, yellow electricity ran through its body. What a time for paralysis to kick in!
The purple acid covered it, leaving it with only a sliver of health. And as it glowed purple, Victreebel fainted.
Erica returned it.
"Seems like we're both down to our last Pokemon, huh?"
"Seems like it."
"Well, let me introduce you to my last and most powerful Pokemon. My trump card, Vileplume!"
Out came a pokemon with a blue body, and what looked like a giant pink flower on its head.
"Vile!" it squealed.
"You good to go, Flora?" Leaf asked her Pokemon. It nodded, leering fiercely at its opponent.
"Vileplume! Vine Whip!"
Vines wrapped around Flora, lifting it high and slamming it into the ground. Leaf looked at the screen, and she was down to just below half, while the Vileplume had full HP.
"Mega Drain, Flora!" Huge green tendrils shot out from Flora's bulb and wrapped around the Vileplume, eating up 3 quarters of its health. Confused, Leaf glanced at her Pokedex.
"Flora? You learned Giga Drain?"
"Saur!" Then the most unexpected thing happened.
Flora was glowing!
She increased until she was about four times her normal size, and the big flower bud on her back had bloomed fully into a large pretty pink flower, heavily scented. She looked a lot more intimidating, and that just boosted my confidence a lot.
"Okay Flora! Way to go!" I jumped up and down, clapping my hands together. "Now use razor leaf!"
"Saur!" She grunted, and exuded an enormous flurry of leaves at Vileplume, whose health bar was now on red.
Huh? That wasn't razor Leaf.
I glanced at the Pokedex. "Amazing, Flora! You learned Leaf Storm as well! Awesome!"
"Oh no, dear me." Erica fanned herself. "Vileplume, use poison powder, if you would."
Before I could call out to dodge, a thick purple powder had been scattered on Venusaur, who coughed violently. When she stopped, she glowed purple and cried out in pain.
"Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
"Counter with your own Vine Whip!"
"Sludge!"
The purple liquid wrapped around Vileplume's Vine Whip, making them fall to the floor, then hit it straight on.
"Finish this with Leaf Storm!"
Erica returned her Pokemon and walked up to me.
"Oh dear me, I seem to have lost," she said, smiling sheepishly. "Very well. Here is the Rainbow Badge."
Proudly, I clipped it to my belt. Halfway through Part 1.
-Leaf's Conquest-
After we exited the Gym and I healed my Pokemon, we were on the way to Saffron.
"Do you think they'll let us in?" Misty asked once we reached the gate.
"Only one way to find out," Ash said, dragging Misty inside.
Rolling my eyes, I started to follow them, until Gary came up to me.
"Funny how they're dating and they still bicker and fight like cat and dog."
"Nah, not really. It's quite normal."
"Oh, and Leafy? There's this low-key tournament that's going to happen in Fuchsia in a few days' time. It's for Ace Trainers, and the top three winners are going to officially be crowned Ace Trainer this or that. Well, not crowned, but…"
"What do you mean? Aren't I an Ace Trainer already?"
"Leafy, just looking the part doesn't mean you're automatically one. You have to do something to prove it. Right now, you're known as Pokemon Trainer Leaf, and only if you win that tournament or do something else, can you be known as Ace Trainer Midori."
I stopped walking. "Huh."
"By the way, love the fashion upgrade. You're completely slaying." He walked ahead, whistling.
My ears turned red as I contemplated what he said, and I jogged to catch up with him, standing in front of him. I also noticed that his pupils were dilated.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It makes your body look nice, and I like it."
I'm sure my whole face was red now. When did he become so direct?"
"Any why would you like it?"
Gary looked at me with an incredulous look, as if wondering why I had asked such a question. Then he inhaled deeply and sighed. He stared me straight in the eye, his golden brown eyes looking the same color as his hair when the sun hit them. And came closer to me, a LOT closer. We were practically sharing the same breath, and my face legit felt hotter than the sun.
The next words knocked me completely off guard.
"Because I am crazy into you, Leafy."
My face was frozen in shock, my mouth hanging open as he refused to break eye contact, a determined look on his face.
"Yeah. I like you, Leafy. I have fallen very hard for you."
I finally regained senses, as my mind slowly pieced together what he said.
He likes me? He LIKES ME?! JESUS, GARY OAK LIKES ME! Was all that was running in my head.
Gradually, a shy smile started to inch across my lips, and I could literally see how red my face was.
I think Gary took this as an invitation, because he moved even closer, if that was possible, and placed his hand on my cheek, his cocky smirk planted on his face. But this time, I knew it held actual, deeper meaning.
I remained silent, waiting anxiously for his next move.
His voice came out husky and lustful, raspy with desire.
"I have waited for this day since forever, Leafy," he whispered.
And then he kissed me. SHIT, he kissed me!
But boy, did he kiss me.
I closed my eyes. His soft rosebud lips were firm, insistent on my closed ones, begging for entrance. I gladly gave in, and his domineering tongue connected with mine, fighting for control. He gladly explored my mouth, short, raspy breaths being exchanged between us, and all I could hear was the soft whispers of our linked mouths as his hungrily and thoroughly ravished mine, the wind speed picking up rapidly and blowing my hair about. His hands, leaving explosions of fire wherever they went, were on my wide hips, and he slowly trailed them up to my minute waist, pulling me to him, crushing me, begging for more, more.
My hands went up to his hair, my fingers lacing themselves in the thick, spiky, golden silken mess. His hair, exactly like spun gold, was also being tickled by the wind, and he pulled me closer, closer, until I couldn't breathe, and it was like the route didn't exist anymore. The cities didn't exist anymore. The world didn't exist anymore, and all that did was just me, Gary, and this ocean in his lips, so sweet that I willingly drowned in it.
This amazing dream, or spell or whatever it was, was instantly broken when I heard the sound of a camera flashing behind me. Gary and I tore apart like water and fire. I mentally cursed the photographer as I turned around to see a squealing Misty and a deviously smirking Ash. Ash came up to Gary while Misty took my arm and dragged me into the gate.
I looked at her sheepishly, her big blue green eyes sparkling in pure joy.
"So… are they letting us through yet?" I tried.
"SHUT UP!"
I rubbed my ears. "Misty—"
"You, missy, are going to tell me exactly what happened out there. Between you and Gary. And no," she said when she saw me trying to speak, "it cannot wait. Right here, right now. Go."
I cleared my throat and wanted to start explaining, when something caught my eye. "What's that?"
"Don't even try to avoid the question."
"No, look. There. In Saffron City." I pointed, and Misty turned around, her eyes widening in shock. "Are those Team Rocket grunts?"
"I think so," she said silently. "Come on, let's get the boys and go in. And this conversation," she lowered her voice, "will continue later. Ash!"
"Coming!" Ash happily walked in, with a dazed looking Gary walking behind him with very tousled hair.
"Ash," Misty eyed Gary. "What did you do to Gary?"
Ash looked at Gary and shrugged. "Oh, I noogied him. And gave him the 'don't mess with my sister talk.'"
I looked at Gary, who hadn't met my eyes yet. Were we dating? Well, I guess, but… I was not expecting this at ALL.
Ash noticed me and came up to me. "Leaf, I won't tell you to calm down with Gary."
"No shit Sherlock," I said, rolling my eyes.
"But… if he should ever hurt you, just let me know, okay? I can't beat him up 'cause he's my best friend too, and my rival, but I can talk sense into him. And I," he took off my cap and ruffled my hair. "…am very happy that you've found your soulmate, Leaf."
I frowned. "Why are you and Misty making it such a big deal? We just started…"
"Right. Anyway, let's be on our way. Misty," he called. Misty came up to him, took his outstretched hand, and skipped into Saffron City. Well, Ash skipped and Misty laughed her way in.
That left me and Gary. The police officer had dozed off.
"Hey…" I said shyly. I walked up to him, slowly, his eyes never leaving my approaching figure. He had this love-struck look in them.
Damn. Did he like me THAT much?
"Hi…" he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Listen, Leaf, I..."
"It's okay," I cut in. "I really like you too."
The smile that erupted on his face kicked out the partying butterflies in my stomach and imported the entire zoo.
"Great. So… um.."
"Gary, what are we now? Are we still best friends?"
"Of course, Leafy. Just that now," he wrapped his arms around my waist again, eliciting a giggle from me, "I can call you my girlfriend as well."
His forehead came down to meet mine. "I'd like that… boyfriend."
He was about to kiss me again, and I was like, 'HELL YEAH!'
"Leaf! Gary! Get your butts out here!" Misty yelled from outside.
Gary and I unwillingly pulled away and gave ourselves 'really, Misty?' looks, before stomping outside.
LOL. Best birthday ever!
Hey guys. Hope you liked this chapter. Happy birthday, Leaf…
I know some of you were probably expecting me to focus more on Leaf and Gary in this story, but be reminded that the primary theme of this story is adventure, and it's all about what happens to Leaf on her journey. It's not about Leaf and Gary getting together with her journey happening in the background, more like the other way round. Sure, there will be lots of snippets of oldrivalshipping, I mean, the secondary genre IS romance after all. But this story, again, is about Leaf's Journey through Kanto. OH, and I tried to make the kiss scene interesting, hope you all liked it!
XOXO – Dinah :) ;) 33333