The sunlight was strong, streaming over Johto. The many patches of lakes, rivers and sea sparkled, twinkling like jewels. Many trainers were up already, training their pokemon against others and strays.

Kelsie was sat downstairs in the pokemon centre, tucking into her breakfast. Mareep was sat beside her, eating apple slices and dry weetabix. She seemed to like it. James and his pokemon were nowhere in sight, probably still fast asleep. Kelsie chuckled, earning a few strange looks.

Half an hour later, James still wasn't present. The centre was almost empty and a few chansey were packing away the breakfast things. Breakfast clearly didn't last long. However, Kelsie had snaffled James some toast and his pokemon some fruit, so that they wouldn't go hungry. She had the feeling, though, that Rex would probably prefer meat. Too late now.

"Wh- what time is it?" James had finally surfaced, yawning. His eyes still had flakes of sleepy dust and his hair was sticking up at the back. Though, with the style he usually went for, all he had to do was ruffle his hair up a little and it would look fine. Messy hair suited him.

"Time to leave. C'mon! I don't want to waste all day, seeing as you're forcing me to explore." Kelsie tugged at his arm, pulling him out of the door. He didn't look ready, but he was dressed, that was good enough.

"I haven't even eaten…" He mumbled, grumbling to his pokemon as he let them out. Something unintelligible slipped out whilst muttering, Kelsie caught the words; time and month.

She rolled her eyes. What was it with the male species blaming everything on the one thing they feared the most- periods? "Where to first?" She cut across him, making him shut up abruptly.

"Somewhere for food?" He hinted. Kelsie stuffed the toast in his hands and bent down to feed Rex and the spearow. Rex looked almost as disgusted as James at his chosen food. "Where's the marmalade?"

"Excuse me for not knowing your preferences. Maybe next time you could be up on time and get your own?"

"I think I preferred it when you didn't speak." James uttered, mocking Kelsie from the day before when she had muttered something similar.

"A simple thank you would suffice."

Kelsie flounced away, deciding where she should go next. The pokegear didn't enlighten as to what sights each town or city had, so she had to resort to James' travel guide. When he decided to get it out, that was.

However, he had seated himself on the damp grass, chewing his toast. He took satisfaction in making Kelsie wait, especially as she was so impatient to go. Her typhlosion had survived this long alone, it could wait a while longer… Right?

He forced his toast down, his throat sticking. He hadn't thought that Kelsie's pokemon could be in trouble, hurt or worse. He now understood her urgency. "Stupid jerk…"

"What?" Kelsie stared at him, slightly perplexed.

James shook his head. "Doesn't matter." He brought out his travel guide. "Right, there's Sprout Tower, the gym, a pokemon academy…"

"What's that?"

"It says; 'a school where students and trainers can learn about pokemon and various status conditions.' Sounds interesting."

"Sounds necessary."

They set off up to where Earl's pokemon academy was situated. It was just up past the pokemon centre. It was a rather large building placed in front of some trees. A sign was placed on the grass just to the left of the building; 'Earl's Pokemon Academy.'

"Do we just go straight in?" Kelsie asked, James shrugged. He knocked on the oak door and waited for an answer. Nothing. He then pushed the door handle down and the door creaked open.

"Come in then!" One of the students snapped. He and another boy had been copying the notes on the blackboard. Another two students, the ones nearest the door, were busy making a trade. There was no teacher in sight.

Kelsie made her way to the front of the room, where the blackboard stood. There were squiggles of writing indicating how to catch pokemon and a list of status problems that may occur in battle. Each one came with a brief explanation and the cure;

'Confusion- may attack itself in battle. Clears up during battle or immediately after.

Poison- health is steadily lost, remains after battle. Use an antidote or full heal to cure.

Sleep- only certain moves, such as snore, etc, can be made, remains after battle. Use awakening or full heal to cure.

Frozen- cannot attack or move, remains after battle. Use ice heal or full heal to cure.

Paralysis- reduces speed and can prevent movement, remains after battle. Use parlyz heal or full heal to cure.

Burn- steadily consumes health and reduces attack power, remains after battle. Use burn heal or full heal to cure.'

"Is that it?" James was stood behind her, reading over her shoulder. "Waste of time." He turned and walked back out. The boy who had snapped earlier glared at Kelsie for being interrupted yet again. Kelsie scurried out too.

James wasn't at the front of the building when she arrived outside. He had wandered alone to Sprout Tower, which was just round the corner and across the lake. Kelsie hurried over to him. "Could have waited." She muttered.

There were a lot of people inside. A few elderly men and women clustered around a pillar in the middle, a pillar that was moving, swaying back and forth. A fair few trainers were stood around by the stairs, looking rather nervous.

"What's up?" James strode over to them, hoping to find out what was wrong. Most of the trainers had their pokemon out, starter pokemon.

"T-there's ghosts in this tower…" One of the closer ones, a little girl with brown hair, tied back in a plait, stuttered. "…My chikorita's grass attacks won't do much damage." Her pokemon- a small and green pokemon with a big leaf sticking out of its head and darker green shoots placed around its neck like a necklace- was covering beside its trainer. Most of the other rookie trainers were doing the same, with the small exception at the back. They were discussing tactics with their pokemon.

"Why did you visit the tower then?" Kelsie asked, kindly. Her mareep plodded over to the chikorita and they started to converse too.

"B-because I wanted to fight the Sage Elder and get a hidden machine." The others murmured in agreement. Kelsie was nonplussed, hidden machine? "I-I didn't know about the ghosts…" The girl carried on. "…Until they told me." She jerked her head in the direction of the elderly people. Some of them were trying to hide grins, looking away. Others merely looked outraged at being accused.

"And you're all scared of the ghosts?" James asked, the group of rookie nodded. The other trainers, who looked older, scoffed and went up the stairs. "Ok, we'll help." Kelsie beamed at his attitude. "Lets us do some training too…" He lowered his voice so only Kelsie could hear, whilst the cluster of trainers cheered. "…We'll fight off the ghosts so they can get their hidden machine."

"Naww, so sweet." James flushed scarlet.

There were a few trainers on the way to the Sage Elder, who, obviously, rested at the top. A few other Sages were dotted about, each had a team of bellsprout and a one had a hoothoot too. The other trainers could be seen here or there, but none decided to bother with the group of rookies, James and Kelsie, convinced that they were too weak for them.

Other than the Sages, there were only purple and cream rats, known as rattata, running about. No ghosts at all. By the time they had all reached the Elder, the rookies were looking quite embarrassed. They had acted scared for no reason. Kelsie and James didn't mind; Kelsie's mareep had leveled up a lot. She was now level eight. Rex had leveled up too, due to chasing the rattatas around and attacking them and torching the bellsprouts with his ember. He was now level eight too. James' spearow had also leveled up. His peck was super effective against the bellsprout, so he and Rex made a fantastic team against them. Not that Rex was willing to share, but he didn't have much choice. Spearow was now level five and had also learnt a new move- leer.

"Ah…" The Elder had spotted them. "…Are you all wishing to challenge me?" He looked at each of the trainers in turn, first the four rookies then Kelsie and James.

The rookies all nodded. "Sure." James nodded too. The Elder smiled at Kelsie, waiting. Eventually she agreed.

"Then let's begin." He released his first pokemon- another bellsprout. One by one the rookies stepped forward. Out of the four, only two succeeded. The other two's pokemon had suffered greatly from the earlier battles. Next was James. Before he had even given a command, Rex had leaped forward and shot a burst of flames out of his mouth, which instantly knocked the bellsprout out.

Next was a hoothoot. James decided to keep Rex out and after more embers, the hoothoot hit the floor too. James was looking smug. "Piece of cake."

Another bellsprout. Rex was called back and spearow flew forward. "Peck!" James ordered. Spearow launched at the bellsprout, his beak colliding with the bellsprout's head. Another one hit k.o.

"Well done, you are a very strong trainer." The Elder bowed, smiling, and then offered James the hidden machine. It contained flash. James hugged his pokemon, still celebrating his victory. Kelsie congratulated him and stepped forward, anxious. The only offensive move her mareep knew was tackle. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." The first bellsprout was brought out yet again, after being revived and fully healed. Kelsie felt sorry for the poor thing, this would be its sixth battle. The Elder allowed Kelsie to go first.

She instructed mareep to use growl. "Reep!" A shrill noise escaped mareep's mouth. The bellsprout wasn't fazed, it flung a vine out, smacking mareep on the head.

"Tackle!" Eventually mareep won out, causing another level up. Kelsie cheered, but they were nowhere near finished. Hoothoot was a lot tougher. One of the rookies had used their pokedex on it and its level was revealed. Level ten.

"Tackle."

"Growl."

"Foresight."

"Tackle."

This continued for sometime. Twice Kelsie had to use a potion. Eventually, the hoothoot fainted and mareep was challenged by the final bellsprout. After a few tackles, mareep's wool began to crackle, glowing yellow from the static. A jolt of electricity hit the bellsprout, causing it to faint. The mareep made a squeal of joy and jumped into her trainer's arms, giving Kelsie mild electric shocks.

"Whoa." Kelsie grinned, her eyes filled with happiness. "Well done, I'm so proud of you!"

"As am I." The Elder pressed the hidden machine into her hands. "Congratulations."

*

"That was good experience." James sounded pretty pleased, as they descended the stairs to the bottom of Sprout Tower. The elderly looked aghast. The group of rookies thanked them and sped off, ready to continue their journey or do some more training. "Training and a hidden machine."

"I know. Mareep learnt thundershock too!" Kelsie's voice was filled with pride. "Oh, James, what's a hidden machine?"

He chuckled. "It's a disc that allows you to teach pokemon a new move." He explained. "You can use it over and over again, whereas with a technical machine you can only use each disc once."

"Oh." Kelsie looked embarrassed at her lack of knowledge. James grinned at her. "Thanks." They made their way past the elderly people, who narrowed their eyes at the two trainers, and exited Sprout Tower. "So, what next?"