Critical Hit: Johto Journey
Part 2: Finding True Power
Ethan did what any sensible person would do when they were lost in an unfamiliar town – wander around until he found what he was looking for. Cianwood was nowhere near the size of Goldenrod City, which, to him, meant his searching wouldn't take long. His Bayleef seemed rather uncomfortable, unfamiliar with the salty air and sand but tolerated it to help his trainer. To their surprise, the pharmacy was right next to the Pokémon Center. He should have had Lyra stick with him since they were going to end up going to the same place. The pharmacy looked a little nicer than the other buildings, probably recently renovated. The blue tiled roof looked fairly new, too. Above the door was a large sign that read, "Cianwood Pharmacy: 500 Years of Tradition".
He opened the wooden door, stepping into a room with cabinets and shelves filled with natural remedies and medicines. A brown-haired man in glasses was leaning against the counter, his back facing Ethan as he watched the popular program "Cops of Celadon". Ethan watched as a man on the run was tackled to the ground by three officers.
"Mom never let me watch these shows," he thought, quietly observing the program.
"Ha, what an idiot," laughed the store-owner, watching the man get hand-cuffed. "That'll teach him to commit crimes and resist against a policeman! It's damn hilarious to watch what those criminals do when the police come for them."
He looked over his shoulder, only to jump in fright at seeing Ethan and his Bayleef standing in front of the counter.
"Shit, kid! You trying to give me a heart attack," he yelled, clutching at his shirt. "I didn't even hear you walk in."
"You should put a bell or something," suggested Ethan, trying not to laugh from unintentionally scaring the man. "Don't most shops have those?"
"Eh, it's kind of hard to come by certain materials, like ores and metals. I mean, our island doesn't get many tourists, except for the occasional trainer, but they're only here to challenge Chuck. But, recently, there's been construction going on for a Safari Zone, so I think we should start seeing more visitors."
"Yeah, I've heard of that. Anyway, I'm here on an errand. I need some medicine to cure a sick Pokémon."
"Medicine," asked the shop-owner, looking over at the healthy Bayleef. "Your Pokémon looks fine to me."
"It's not for my Pokémon, but for a sick Ampharos at the Olivine Lighthouse. If it isn't treated soon, it might die."
The shop-owner stared at Ethan for a moment, as if analyzing him for any trace of dishonesty. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Well, I had heard a rumor about a sick Pokémon across the sea. I didn't think it was the lighthouse Pokémon. All right, I know the right medicine to give you."
He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket, opening up the locked cabinet that was next to the television. He rummaged around, glancing at bottles and containers. Eventually, he held up a small, yellow pouch, tied securely with a black string. The owner shut and locked the cabinet, then looked back at Ethan.
"This is a special medicine passed along my family," he explained, handing Ethan the pouch. "It's on the strong side, so only use it for emergencies."
"Okay, how much is it," asked Ethan, taking out his wallet.
"It's on the house. Besides, why should I charge money to help someone or save them?"
"So, does that mean the rest of the stuff here is free, too?"
"Don't misunderstand! I still have to run a business, otherwise I'd be bankrupt. I'm just doing this favor because I'm an excellent judge of character. I can tell that you're an honest kid, especially when it's obvious that your Pokémon really like you. Now, the last kid that was here, he had this bad vibe to him. I didn't keep my eyes off him because I had a feeling he'd steal something if I looked away."
"Did you see his Pokémon?"
"He had a Golbat with him, but the poor thing looked like it's been through some tough times. It wasn't absolutely miserable, it just… looked determined and yet scared at the same time."
"How can you know that just by looking at a Pokémon?"
"When you've seen as many sick people as I have – people that fight for their lives against their disease – you pick it up easily."
"I see. Thanks for giving me this medicine. It'll really help out Amphy," said Ethan, walking toward the door.
"No problem, kid. Stop by any time you need to."
Ethan stepped outside, sighing a bit at what the shop-owner said. Really, someone had to knock some sense into that Silver guy. He shrugged, hoping that he'd be the one to do that. He had only taken a few steps toward the Pokémon Center when he noticed someone leaning against the wall of the pharmacy. It was a blonde man, who looked to be a few years older than Ethan, staring at a pokéball in his hand. Normally, this wouldn't concern Ethan much, but that wasn't the case when he saw the despair in the guy's eyes.
"Uh, are you okay," asked Ethan, approaching the man.
"No… And neither is my Pokémon," he replied in a low voice.
"Is it sick or something?"
"It was stolen."
"Stolen? By who?"
"I don't know his name, but he threatened me into giving him my rare Pokémon! I-I've already reported to the police, but they couldn't find him anywhere. That can only mean he left Cianwood."
"What did he look like?"
"He was about your age, red hair, and had gray eyes. I'm worried if he'll come back and steal my other Pokémon."
Just from hearing that, Ethan already knew who that was. It was too obvious. And it sure ticked him off more that he stole not one, but two Pokémon now. First Elm, and now some guy from Cianwood? That Silver was really getting on his nerves. The blonde man stared at the pokéball in his hand for a moment before looking to Ethan.
"Hey, you look strong," he began, catching Ethan off-guard. "If it's not too much to ask, can you take care of my last Pokémon? He'd be a lot safer in your hands than mine."
"Um… Yeah, why not? It wouldn't hurt to help out."
"Thank you! Please, take good care of it!"
The man handed him the pokéball and walked away, looking awfully cheerful. He was probably incredibly relieved that his remaining Pokémon was in safe hands. It was like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. Ethan stared at the pokéball, his Bayleef watching with curiosity. With a small shrug, he released the Pokémon inside to see what it was. What they saw wasn't something they were expecting. It was probably one of the strangest Pokémon Ethan's ever seen. It looked like a yellow worm living in a red shell, which had a couple holes for its limbs. As much as he hated it, he took out his Pokédex to see what, exactly, this Pokémon was.
"Ah, what a rare specimen," said his Pokédex upon seeing the strange Pokémon. "I say, it has the unique typing of bug and rock! This is none other than the wondrous Shuckle! But, how did a chap like you obtain such a Pokémon?"
"It was a gift," replied Ethan, keeping his patience. "Can you tell me a little more about it? I don't want to send it out in a battle if it's going to have the tar beaten out of it."
"That's highly unadvisable! Though Shuckle have extraordinary defensive qualities, attacking isn't in its blood! It's quite tragic that it also doesn't have much attack power, either."
"Well, now I know why Silver didn't want it, knowing how he is. Eh, thanks for telling me."
"Did you actually thank me," gasped his Pokédex in shock. "Today is an exquisite day for me! If only I had a body so you and I can have a spot of tea together."
"That sounds kind of boring."
"Egad! You uncultured child, you!"
Ethan put away his Pokédex, refusing to continue the argument any further. Now that he had the medicine for Amphy, it was time to head back to Olivine City. All he had to do was meet up with Lyra so they get across the sea again. This time, it'll be much smoother since the swimmers weren't going to challenge them again. Good thing, too, because Amphy urgently needed the medicine. Ethan walked a couple of steps until he entered the Pokémon Center nearby. As expected, Lyra was already there, sitting on a chair with her Quilava on her lap. She looked up from petting Cynder, waving at Ethan. She carefully set down Cynder, who seemed a little annoyed that he wasn't being petted anymore, and skipped over to Ethan.
"Did you get the medicine," she asked, a hopeful look in her brown eyes.
"Yeah, and I also have to take care of a Shuckle because that jerk Silver stole a Pokémon from Shuckle's owner," replied Ethan, fixing his cap.
"Silver did what?"
Lyra was obviously shocked, unable to comprehend that Silver stole yet another Pokémon. However, at the same time, she wasn't all that surprised given from how he is and the way he treats Pokémon.
"He stole a Pokémon," repeated Ethan. "Johto's police force really sucks if they can't catch one teenager."
"Next time I see him, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! How dare he steal someone's Pokémon! Who the heck does he think he is? I've had it up to here with him!"
"You tell him, Lyra! C'mon, we should start leaving now. I don't know how long Amphy can wait for the medicine."
"Oh, right. The poor thing needs it right away."
They both walked out of the Pokémon Center, heading for the shoreline of the city. They withdrew their Pokémon and sent out a Gyarados and Lapras, both Pokémon ready to make the trip across the sea again. Ethan and Lyra climbed onto their respective Pokémon, and they set out to Olivine City. Strangely, the waters were a little choppy this time around, making the trip a little rough. As they passed by the Whirl Islands, Lyra wondered if the sea was like this because of the whirlpools. She doubted that's what it was, thinking instead that it was merely coincidence. Still, she made a mental note of exploring the Whirl Islands when she had the chance.
Aside from the rough ocean waters and the occasional Tentacool, it was a smooth trip back to Route 40. It didn't take them very long either, getting to the shore of the route in about fifteen minutes. Lyra and Ethan quickly returned Gyarados and Rain to their pokéballs, sprinting to the lighthouse to give the medicine to Amphy. Now that they knew that the elevator actually worked, they ran straight for it, out of breath as Ethan pressed the button repeatedly to get the elevator to open. When the doors opened, they were quick to get inside, Ethan pushing the button inside so fast that it looked like he would break it. The next thirty seconds felt too long as they felt the elevator shift and move to the top floor.
The doors opened again, the top floor of the lighthouse accessible for them. Ethan ran to where Amphy, Jasmine, and Leaf were, surprising them with the way he suddenly charged in. Lyra arrived soon after, panting from all the running.
"Here's the medicine," he said breathlessly, taking out the pouch of medicine from his backpack and handing it to Leaf.
Leaf opened it and observed one of the round pellets within, Jasmine looking up hopefully.
"Will that medicine cure Amphy," she asked Leaf, glancing over at the sick Ampharos that laid on the ground.
"I'm pretty sure it will," replied Leaf, putting the pellet back in the pouch.
"Um, I don't want to offend you but Amphy won't take anything from anyone but me."
"Oh, okay then."
Leaf handed her the pouch, watching as Jasmine took out a pellet and feed it to Amphy. It was probably a little bitter since the Ampharos made grunting noises, voicing its displeasure at the taste.
"Amphy, how are you feeling," asked Jasmine, a little worried by the noises he was making.
Amphy tiredly opened his eyes, giving a small reassuring nod.
"I think he'll be feeling much better after some rest," explained Leaf. "If that medicine is as good as they say it is, he should be cured in no time."
"I'm so relieved," sighed Jasmine, a small smile on her face. "This is just wonderful."
She looked over at Ethan and Lyra and added, "Thank you so very, very much. Once Amphy is all better, I'll return to my gym. I hope that I will see you both there soon."
The sound of a Pokégear rang out, startling everyone. Ethan quickly grabbed his Pokégear and answered the call, not bothering on checking the caller ID.
"Hello," he answered, turning around so he wouldn't be too distracted by the others.
"Hi, Ethan! It's Warden Baoba," said the cheery voice on the other line. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, but the Safari Zone is finally open! You know where it is, right?"
"Didn't you say it was next to Cianwood?"
"Yes, but to get here, you have to go in a cavern to the east of Cianwood. It serves as the Safari Zone's gate. After walking a bit, you should soon see the Safari Zone! I know it's out of the way, but please come visit! You won't regret it!"
"We'll be sure to visit."
He hung up the Pokégear, turning around to look at Lyra.
"That was Baoba," he told her, hoping she remembered him. "The Safari Zone is open, and he really wants us to go see it."
"Wait, that was the warden," asked Leaf, a surprised look on her face. "H-how did you get his number?"
"We met him on the way to Olivine from Ecruteak," replied Lyra. "Do you know him, Leaf?"
"Yeah! I found his dentures once in the Safari Zone back in Kanto. He gave up his position as warden to his son and suddenly left Fuchsia City about a year or so ago. It's a relief to know that he's safe. And he's opened another Safari Zone. Ah, that really brings back memories."
"Then let's go to the Safari Zone! I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again, Leaf."
Leaf nodded, an eager look in her eyes to meet up with an old friend.
"I suppose this means you'll be leaving now," asked Jasmine curiously.
"Yeah, but we'll be back to challenge you later," replied Ethan, already looking forward to the future battle.
"Bye, Jasmine," said Lyra, waving at her. "I hope Amphy will be all better by the time we get back."
The group headed for the elevator, taking a few moments to reach the bottom floor of the lighthouse. Once the elevator reached the bottom, they stepped out and went outside, back in the salty air of Olivine. Leaf took a moment to stretch her arms over her head, preparing herself for the trip to Cianwood.
"You two came back pretty quick, especially when you had to cross the sea instead of flying," commented Leaf.
"Wait a minute," began Ethan, bringing a hand to his chin. "How come you didn't fly to Cianwood to get the medicine? I mean, I'm sure you knew that was a lot faster instead of sending me and Lyra."
"I could have, but you guys already seemed set on going there yourselves. I thought it was really admirable."
Lyra quietly blushed at the comment, honored that her senior had a good impression of her so far.
"Senpai has noticed me," she muttered blissfully, walking ahead of Ethan and Leaf.
"Another Magikarp," hissed a fisherman nearby, staring with annoyance at the caught Magikarp at the end of his fishing line. "Are there just Magikarp here?"
"What's wrong with catching Magikarp," asked Lyra, watching the fisherman release the Magikarp.
"Well, nothing really, but I was told that the fishing rod I'm using can catch different kinds of water Pokémon. That's why I bought two extra ones to catch more but I'm not catching anything besides Magikarp."
The fisherman pointed to two spare rods leaning against the rail, their lines not stirring one bit.
"Sounds like you got ripped off," remarked Ethan, joining in. Leaf smiled, her eyes looking away as if she was keeping some kind of secret.
"What if Ethan and I try to help you catch a different kind of Pokémon? We could use more fishing practice, anyway," suggested Lyra.
"You'd do that for me," asked the fisherman, looking quite moved by Lyra's compassion. "All right then! I'll accept your offer."
Ethan sighed but went along with Lyra's plan as they grabbed a fishing rod and waited for a bite. Leaf watched with amusement, coming up with possible predictions of what her juniors may catch. Though she didn't explore all of Johto a few years ago, she was aware of the common Pokémon that could be caught in certain areas. After a few minutes, Lyra's line tugged, signaling a bite from a Pokémon below the water's surface.
As Lyra began to reel in the Pokémon, Ethan's fishing rod also had a bite, the fisherman watching intently to see what kind of Pokémon they'd reel in. To everyone's surprise, except Leaf's, both had reeled in Krabby, their pincers snapping in displeasure.
"Quick! Put them in this basket," ordered the fisherman, quickly grabbing a large woven basket and opening it for Lyra and Ethan. The two put their catch in the basket, the fisherman looking ecstatic.
"So Krabby can be caught here," he mused happily. "I should try some other fishing spots to try to get more. You know what? For helping me out, you two can keep those fishing rods. It's the least I can do."
"Oh, thanks," beamed Lyra, putting the fishing rod away in her bag. "I'm just glad that we were able to help out."
"Not only that, but these fishing rods look way better than the ones that other guy gave us," added Ethan, noticing the quality of the new fishing rod.
"Thanks again, kids. I'll let you guys go on with whatever you were doing. As for me, I have a whole lot more fishing to do!"
Lyra giggled a little as she and Ethan joined Leaf to continue on to Cianwood. In a few minutes, they had made it out of Olivine and were walking on the shoreline of Route 40. Now near the water, Leaf and Ethan sent out Lapras and Gyarados respectively. Lyra joined Leaf on her Lapras, and the group headed to Cianwood.
"Leaf, do you know what kind of Pokémon can be caught in the Safari Zone," asked Lyra, hoping that there will be cute Pokémon to catch.
"I'm actually not sure," answered Leaf. "I mean, it might have different Pokémon from the Safari Zone I used to go to. So, it's probably going to be a surprise for all of us."
"What was the best Pokémon you caught in the old Safari Zone?"
"Oh, that's an easy one. It took a lot of time but I managed to catch a Dratini, who's a permanent part of my team."
"What does a Dratini look like?"
"Um… I didn't bring my Pokédex so I can't show you. But Dratini are dragon-type Pokémon that grow to become really strong. They're light blue, have no legs or arms, and they're pretty cute, too."
"They're cute? Ah, I'm definitely going to try to get a Dratini then! I hope the Safari Zone has some I can catch!"
With that, Lyra was intent on getting a Dratini eventually. She hoped that it would be soon because she was very curious on how cute it looked and what it'll grow up to be. There was also the idea that she would have the same kind of Pokémon as Leaf, which made getting a Dratini all the more important.
Within a couple of minutes, they arrived in Cianwood once again. Rain and Ethan's Gyarados seemed a little annoyed by the trips between the cities and were more than happy to be returned to their pokéballs. It didn't take long to find the entrance to the Safari Zone, which was on the eastern part of Cianwood. Though, technically, it wasn't an entrance to the Safari Zone itself, but more of a gateway to the next route that led to the Safari Zone. Whatever the case was, the Safari Zone was still a bit further away. To prepare for the new route, Lyra sent out Cynder, the fire Pokémon delighted to be outside again. Ethan sent out his Bayleef while Leaf sent out her Pidgeot. The trio walked through the small cave of the gate, walking up a large set of stairs and following the path.
Once outside, both Bayleef and Cynder were surprised to see that they were right at the edge of a cliff, sticking close to their trainers out of anxiety. Breeze the Pidgeot was understandably not bothered by the great height.
"This is the first time I've ever seen these cliffs," stated Leaf in awe. "You two won't mind if I wander off for a bit, right? Sorry, but I'm getting a huge urge to explore around."
"I don't see how that'd be a problem," replied Ethan, shrugging his shoulders. "We'll meet up at the Safari Zone, then?"
"Of course. Besides, I don't want to miss out on seeing Baoba again after so long."
Leaf gave them a brief wave before running off ahead of them, Breeze flying close behind her. Lyra looked on with a little disappointment for she was hoping that Leaf would watch her battle again. She sighed but Cynder unintentionally distracted her by snuggling against her legs, scared of the dangerous environment they were in. Lyra picked up Cynder, petting him to try to calm him down.
"Lyra, we should try to get to the Safari Zone soon because it's obvious that our Pokémon don't like being here," stated Ethan, his Bayleef pushing him to get him away from the edge of the cliff.
"Yeah, we should. I guess Cynder really doesn't like heights."
Ethan noticed a cave nearby, hoping that a change of scenery, however temporary, would ease their Pokémon's fears. He led the others to it, which had two ladders within. After some debating with Lyra, they ended up going up the first ladder, entering another small cave. This one already led back outside, which meant they'd have to be back on the cliffs again. This time, however, they ran the rest of the way, being as careful as possible, to get through the area quickly. Bayleef and Cynder didn't like the running part of the plan, but were glad that they, along with their trainers, were away from the steep cliffs. Luckily, the rest of the route was on solid ground, which put them at ease. They followed the long path, the Pokémon now calm and enjoying the soothing sound of the river close by.
"Are we there yet," asked Lyra, wondering just how far away the Safari Zone was.
"Well, I can see it now, so I'd say we're really close," replied Ethan with a chuckle. Just right around the bend was the Safari Zone, two large torches and a conspicuous sign right at the entrance. They ran up to it, welcomed by little shops selling a small variety of items. However, Lyra and Ethan weren't distracted by the rather rare items. Instead, they kept walking onward to the main building ahead, almost sure that Baoba would be there. As they stepped through the doorway of the building, they came into a well-furnished room. A long beige carpet with a simple design was on the wooden floor, a couple potted plants along the walls, and large table and matching chairs completed the room. Baoba, who was sitting at the table, turned to look at them, delighted to see them again.
"I've been waiting for you," he chimed, standing up from his seat to greet the duo. "What do you think of the brand-new Safari Zone?"
"It looks good so far, but isn't it kind of early for an opinion," asked Ethan, looking around the room.
"I suppose that's true. How about I make it worth your while by offering to give you two an Owner Aptitude Test?"
"Y-you mean that we have an opportunity to become the new owners of the Safari Zone," asked Lyra with a small gasp.
"Yes, and it's a really easy test. So, are you up for it?"
"Yeah," answered Lyra and Ethan at the same time.
"All right! The first part of the test is simple – all you have to do is catch on Geodude at the safari and show it to me. They should be in the grass closest to the entrance, so I doubt it'll take long to catch one. Good luck!"
Both Ethan and Lyra dashed to the man on the other side of the room, very eager to get into the Safari Zone. The man looked taken back but regained his composure quickly.
"One at a time," he explained to them. "It's $500 to get in. You can take as much time as you need and catch whatever you like."
"Here," yelled the two trainers, slamming their money on the counter after a quick count.
The man didn't waste any time to collect the money and hand them the Safari Balls and bait they needed to catch Pokémon. They squeezed through the small doorway to get outside, running to the patch of grass just ahead.
"Lyra, you stay on your patch of grass," yelled Ethan, searching through the tall grass for Geodude.
"You stay on yours," she yelled back, walking through the grass that neighbored the area Ethan was searching.
The two were suddenly competing, doing their best to find a Geodude before the other. After all, who could resist the chance of owning a Safari Zone? Well, maybe a handful of people, but Ethan and Lyra were not one of them. Lyra tried not to focus too much on what Ethan was doing, putting all her energy into finding and catching a Geodude. It took a few minutes – after some encounters with Graveler and a few Magneton – for her to find a Geodude. Upon seeing the rock-type Pokémon, her first reaction was to throw a Safari Ball at it. The Geodude was pulled into the ball and began to shake back and forth. Once, twice – the Pokémon broke free from the ball, Lyra feeling a little nervous about it possibly fleeing.
To keep it from running away, she threw some bait to keep it distracted. Fortunately, the plan worked, the Geodude now interested in eating the small snack it was given. Lyra quickly threw another Safari Ball at the distracted Geodude, the ball shaking at Geodude's resistance. After three shakes, the ball finally clicked, the Pokémon officially caught. She ran up to the ball and picked it up, stashing it in her bag and looking for Ethan. It looked like he had just caught his own Geodude, too, the Safari Ball clicking loud enough for Lyra to hear. For a few seconds, the two friends stared at each other before taking off to the main building. They pushed and shoved each other to get through the doorway, doing whatever it took to be the first one to reach Baoba.
"I caught a Geodude," they yelled at the same time, taking out the pokéballs with their Geodude in it.
"Wonderful! This means you've passed the first test," rejoiced Baoba, receiving confused expressions from Ethan and Lyra. "Huh? Didn't I tell you that there are two tests? Well, there are. Becoming an owner isn't going to be that easy."
"Of course it isn't," sighed Ethan, putting away the Safari Ball with his Geodude.
"Now, as for the second test, I'm still preparing it. I'll let you know through the Pokégear whenever it's ready. For the time being, why don't you try catching more Pokémon in the Safari Zone? You'd be surprised with what you can find there."
"Oh! Now I can catch as many cute Pokémon as I can find there," said Lyra excitedly. "And maybe find and catch a Dratini like Leaf."
"That reminds me," began Ethan, a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I should go find Leaf, wherever she is. She's been gone for a long while. Lyra, you don't mind staying here for a while, right?"
"I'll be fine. Besides, I'm going to be busy catching new Pokémon, so I'm not going anywhere."
Ethan nodded before turning away and walking out the door, leaving Lyra and Cynder alone. Cynder was already a little exhausted from all the running around earlier, and that was counting the running along the cliffs and the frantic search for a Geodude. He followed Lyra back to the man behind the countertop, hoping that his trainer would take things slowly this time around. He was, however, curious of what kind of Pokémon she would encounter in the Safari Zone. Though, the Pokémon there were rather odd – odd in that they didn't attack Lyra, unlike other wild Pokémon they had encountered. Not that he minded that they didn't attack – it certainly made protecting her a little easier – but it made him feel a little uneasy of their tentative nature.
Lyra paid the man at the counter to enter the Safari Zone again, receiving the items she needed for her next trial. Cynder stayed close to her as she walked to the north-eastern corner of the area, an area that looked mountainous. There weren't any impressive Pokémon hiding in the grass, but that long-tongued pink Pokémon definitely weirded him out. He felt relieved that his trainer didn't think that it was cute enough to catch, but she did try to catch it for the sake of filling up the Pokédex a bit. When it seemed like she was going to give up and move on to the next area, that's when it appeared. A small, pale green Pokémon ran into them as they walked through the tall grass, a small gasp coming from Lyra.
"Oh, my gosh! That one is adorable," she exclaimed, her brown eyes wide in admiration. "I have to catch it!"
She quickly took out some bait, throwing it in front of the green Pokémon. It was startled at first, cautiously looking over the snack before picking it up. Lyra watched it carefully, hoping that it would take the bait and leave it vulnerable for capture. Unfortunately, the green Pokémon didn't seem too interested in the bait, tossing it to the side and walking away. Lyra was quick to react, throwing one of the Safari Balls at it before it could get away. Cynder watched the ball move around, wondering if this Pokémon would soon join them or not. He wasn't sure if the Pokémon was male or not, though he hoped that it wasn't male. Another male in the team could mean another rival for the affections of the lovely Ampharos… Or it could be another rival if Cynder was getting any attention from Voltage to begin with. That thought alone was enough to make him feel a little sick in the stomach, making him wonder what he could do to earn Voltage's affections. The sound of a click made him look up, surprised to see the ball no longer moving.
"All right! I caught it," yelled an excited Lyra, running over to pick up the ball. "I wonder what it's called?"
She took out her Pokédex, checking the new information on the green Pokémon.
"Larvitar, eh," began the Pokédex, sounding slightly amused. "Not a bad catch there. Didn't think someone as stupid as you would ever find – much less catch – a rare Pokémon like this. So, you going to nickname it or what?"
"Of course I'm going to nickname it," replied Lyra, a little annoyed by the insult. "Hm, it likes to eat dirt and is both a rock-type and ground-type. That explains why it didn't take the bait… Well, I think I'm going to name him Dusty."
"Dusty? That name is just as stupid as all the other ones I've heard so far. It's like you love showing me what little brain cells you have!"
Lyra just closed the Pokédex since she was in no mood to argue with it at the moment. She sighed, putting the ball in her bag before looking down at Cynder.
"Well, Cynder, we have a new team member now," she explained to the Quilava. "We're going to make him feel right at home with us, and since he doesn't have as much experience as the others, I'm counting on you, Voltage, Cascade, and Zephyr to help him out when he needs it, okay? But I guess this means you'll have to share your harem now."
Cynder gave a small nod despite that the rest of his body was tense from the "he" and "him" pronouns she used. It seemed that fate had different plans for him. Well, surely the newcomer wouldn't have an interest in Voltage, right? Cynder hoped not. For another fifteen minutes, he followed Lyra around the Safari Zone to catch more Pokémon. When she ran out of Safari Balls, they headed back inside, a little tired from all the searching through the grass. In the lobby, Leaf and Ethan sat at the table with Baoba, catching up on the past few years.
"Ah, Lyra, you're back," smiled Leaf, watching Lyra and her Quilava approach. "How was the Safari Zone?"
"I caught lots of Pokémon, but I couldn't find a Dratini anywhere," sighed Lyra. "But I did find this cute little Pokémon called Larvitar. I nicknamed him Dusty."
"Which is a stupid name," commented her Pokédex from her bag.
"A Larvitar," asked Leaf with surprise. "It's not a Dratini, but it's a really good Pokémon to have around. Just take care of him and he'll grow up to be very strong."
"Okay! I'll take the best care of him. In fact, I'll start training him right now!"
Lyra ran out the lobby, leaving Leaf and Ethan alone with Baoba.
"So, Leaf, what were you doing while Lyra and I were over here," asked Ethan, curious to hear if she had discovered anything.
"I was checking out this strange tower at the top of a cliffside," replied Leaf, happy to tell him of her exploration. "There were really odd markings on the floor and walls – nothing I've ever seen before. I couldn't find anything except for a few rare stones that were embedded in some rocks. You can have this one."
Leaf searched through her bag and took out a white stone with a light inside it, handing the stone to Ethan. He stared at it with intrigue, having never seen a stone like this before.
"I'm not sure what it's for, but it might be an evolutionary stone. I'll have to call Professor Oak later to identify the stones I found today."
"Lassie, you've sure grown up a lot since I last saw you years ago," chuckled Baoba. "You were just a trainer then, but now you're apprenticing under Professor Oak. I take it the trainer in you doesn't like staying cooped up in a room all day?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Besides, I think it's better to see things for yourself – it makes researching all the more special when you witness amazing moments."
"While you guys catch up," began Ethan, getting up from the table. "I'm going to head out to train my Pokémon, too. Lyra and I will meet you at the Pokémon Center at dusk, Leaf."
Leaf nodded, content to stay with Baoba and tell him of all the things she's seen. Ethan walked out of the building, heading to Route 48. There, he saw a Quagsire, Noctowl, Ampharos, and Quilava sitting together at the edge of the large patch of grass, watching Lyra train the new Larvitar. The Ampharos seemed very annoyed at the Larvitar's lack of power, so annoyed that she completely ignored the Quilava sitting beside her. The Quagsire was looking at anything that caught her attention, ranging from the Larvitar's battles to the grass she was sitting on. The Noctowl, however, stared at Lyra, never taking her eyes off her. She had to make sure that Lyra would be unharmed.
"Hey, Lyra," called out Ethan, approaching the tall grass. "How's training Dusty so far?"
"Kind of difficult, but Zephyr, Voltage, Cascade, and Cynder are making it a little easier. It's going to be a long while before he can fight completely on his own."
"Try not to overdo it, okay? Pokémon need some rest once in a while. I'll meet up with you and Leaf at the PokéCenter around dusk."
Lyra watched him walk down the path before focusing back on her current battle, which was against a wild Gloom. She called for Cynder, who eagerly jumped into the fight. After all, this could be his chance to impress Voltage. He effortlessly performed a Flame Wheel, rolling into the Gloom with all of his strength. The attack knocked out the Gloom, and Cynder looked over to see what Voltage's expression was. She wasn't amused in the slightest, still having that annoyed look on her face. It seemed that she wanted to be the one to battle. Cynder sighed, unsure what else he could do for Voltage.
"Use Rock Slide," ordered Lyra, watching her Larvitar avoid a Will-o-Wisp from a Vulpix. Dusty countered with Rock Slide, knocking out the attacking Vulpix effortlessly. With the Vulpix now unconscious, Dusty relaxed a little, and yet he panted heavily.
"I think I can guess what's going to happen now," said Lyra's Pokédex, surprising its owner.
"Um, Dusty? Are you okay," asked Lyra, confused to what was going on.
With that, a familiar glow surrounded the Larvitar's body, his body changing into something completely unrecognizable. It took a few seconds for Lyra to realize that the new Pokémon – a pale blue Pokémon without any limbs – was still Dusty.
"Congratulations, your Dusty evolved into Pupitar," commented the Pokédex in a bored tone.
"You kinda look like a spiky Metapod," giggled Lyra, earning a puzzled look from Dusty.
"I'm glad that he doesn't know what a Metapod is yet because that was a really bad joke. You should be ashamed."
"Well, I guess this means we should head back to the Pokémon Center now. We're going to need some rest before we do a little more training tomorrow," continued Lyra, ignoring her Pokédex.
Dusty dutifully followed Lyra back to the Safari Gate, now aware of how much stronger he was getting thanks to her.
"Okay, listen up, you two," began Leaf, pacing back and forth in front of Lyra and Ethan. "Because what I'm going to tell you is going to be really important for future challenges. I'm sure you guys understand that every Pokémon type has its weaknesses, right?"
"Yeah," replied both Ethan and Lyra. The three of them stood on the bridge in front of the Safari Gate, the two juniors unsure why their senior wanted to give a lecture at this location.
"So, the ideal strategy is just to have those Pokémon avoid their type disadvantages, correct?"
"That's right," replied Lyra enthusiastically.
"Actually, it isn't," corrected Leaf, watching Lyra's expression fall a little. "You can't always avoid the type disadvantages. What you should do instead is have those Pokémon learn attacks that can counter them. For example, Lyra, your Quagsire is a water/ground-type, which gives her a big weakness against grass-types. To counter it, it'd be easier for her to learn an ice-type or poison-type attack. Do you understand what I mean?"
"But what if the attacks you want to teach your Pokémon are moves they can't learn," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow.
"Unfortunately, there are Pokémon who have very limited moves. There isn't much you can do there but try to adapt to it or come up with a different strategy for them. It won't always be easy, but that's part of being a trainer. What matters most is that you can overcome the hardships and obstacles with your Pokémon."
"So, can we get to training now?"
"Sure thing! Oh, hold on! Ethan, before I forget, there's something I have to tell you about that stone I gave you yesterday."
"Okay, and that would be…?"
"It turns out that that stone is a Shiny Stone, and that's the stone you need to evolve your Togetic. Of course, that's only if you want to evolve him."
"Not yet. He still needs some training before taking on Chuck."
"Hey, is that the gym leader of Cianwood," asked Lyra, new to the name.
"Yep, and he uses fighting-type Pokémon. I think that's why Leaf was giving us that little lecture."
"Fighting-types are nothing to sneeze at," commented Leaf, walking ahead of them. "While you guys train, I'm going to investigate a bit around these routes and Cianwood City for any signs of Team Rocket."
The pair watched Leaf leave, heading back to Cianwood. Ethan let out a sigh, stretching his arms out.
"As a heads-up, Lyra," began Ethan, turning to his friend. "Fighting-types are weak against psychic and flying-types. If I were you, I'd give Zephyr some extra training."
Lyra brought a hand to her chin in thought, her free hand grabbing Zephyr's pokéball. She stared at it for a moment before sending out the Noctowl.
"Zephyr, do you think you're ready for some gym battles," she asked the Noctowl. Zephyr hooted in reply, looking quite confident and eager.
"Well, if Zephyr thinks she's ready, then we'll take the challenge now," announced Lyra, already leading the way to Cianwood.
"Whoa, are you serious," asked Ethan, causing Lyra to stop. "Normally, you'd take some extra time to train and prepare yourself. What gives?"
"To tell you the truth, I am pretty nervous about it," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "But Zephyr is confident about the challenge, so it might turn out well."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Then we'll train some more!"
Ethan couldn't help but smile as he watched his childhood friend walk away. It seemed that she was getting the hang of being a trainer. As for him, he knew very well that he needed a little more training before challenging Chuck. He walked into the large field of tall grass, hoping that he'd see Lyra with a new badge soon.
Lyra herself was in an upbeat mood, despite the butterflies in her stomach from the idea of challenging a gym leader before Ethan. There was still some doubt about challenging Chuck, but maybe winning that fifth badge will impress Leaf. Lyra really wanted to stay on her senior's good side and hoped that her best was enough. She snapped out of her thoughts, focusing on the road to Cianwood. Zephyr enjoyed flying above the cliffs near the town, and yet she was rather nervous about her trainer being so close to the dangerous heights. Eventually, they were back in Cianwood, heading straight for the gym. It didn't take long for Lyra to find the somewhat familiar building, the sign outside reading "Chuck: His Roaring Fists Do the Talking!"
She gulped as she and Zephyr walked through the glass doors of the gym, entering an odd room filled with water. Right in front of her was a large man standing under a waterfall. He was wearing only a pair of red, martial arts pants with a black belt, and he seemed to be meditating under the waterfall. The crashing of the waterfall echoed through the room, giving Lyra the doubt that Chuck would be able to hear her. Zephyr hooted to get Lyra's attention, looking over at the mechanism that controlled the waterfall.
"So if we interrupt his meditation, he'll probably accept our challenge," asked Lyra, checking the rocky stairs that lead up to the mechanism. "It's worth a shot."
Zephyr hooted, following Lyra to the first set of stairs on the left side. There, a Black Belt challenged Lyra to a battle, sending out a Hitmonlee to fight against Zephyr. The Noctowl began, and ended, the battle with a single Air Slash, knocking out the Hitmonlee before he even knew what hit him. Lyra could only stare in surprise, now understanding why Zephyr was confident to take on the gym challenge.
"Good job, Zephyr! At this rate, I think we'll beat this gym in no time," cheered Lyra, heading up the stairs.
"Words are useless," yelled another Black Belt, running up to Lyra. "Let your fists do the talking!"
"I hope that's a challenge to a Pokémon battle and not a fight with me!"
Zephyr flew in front of Lyra, watching the Black Belt send out a Machop. The Noctowl relaxed her body, focusing on unleashing Confusion on the Machop. Within seconds, the Machop was hit by the psychic attack, knocking it out. The Black Belt then sent out a Machoke, who was eager to battle against Zephyr. Zephyr was unfazed, flapping her wings to perform another Air Slash. The Machoke fell to the ground, unable to battle any further after that attack.
"Wow, Zephyr, I guess I did well in training you, huh," asked Lyra, collecting her winning money from the Black Belt. Zephyr nodded in reply, and she followed Lyra back to the bottom floor being that the defeated Black Belt wasn't allowing Lyra to pass through to reach the waterfall machine. With one path blocked, they had no choice but to take the stairs on the right side. However, yet another Black Belt challenged Lyra to a battle, sending out a Hitmonchan. The Hitmonchan was quicker than the other Pokémon, hitting Zephyr with a Mach Punch as she attacked with Confusion. She quickly followed up with Air Slash before Hitmonchan could counterattack. The attack was more than enough to defeat the Hitmonchan, allowing Lyra to continue on. It was only a short way before Lyra finally reached the winch controlling the waterfall. She quickly turned it, the machine shifting upward to stop the water from falling.
Lyra took a deep breath before walking back down to where Chuck stood. She couldn't stop the feeling of intimidation she received from him as she approached, her legs getting heavier with every step. Somehow, she found herself standing a couple feet away from him, Zephyr prepared for the upcoming battle.
"Why'd you stop the waterfall from pouring on me," demanded Chuck, his voice echoing loudly. "You just spoiled my training!"
"Sorry, but I did that so I can challenge you," replied Lyra, doing her best to not show nervousness.
"Is that so? I have to warn you that I'm a strong trainer who trains every day under this waterfall!"
"Okay, but what does that have to do with Pokémon battles?"
"Hmmm… Nothing really. All right! We shall do battle!"
The pacing threw Lyra off for a moment, but she quickly regained her focus when Chuck sent out a Primeape.
"Zephyr, Air Slash," ordered Lyra, her voice loud and clear.
The Noctowl swooped in close to the Primeape, flapping her powerful wings to unleash an Air Slash. At that moment, the Primeape used Double Team to try to evade the attack, though luck was Lyra's side as Air Slash successfully hit. Both trainers withdrew their Pokémon, Lyra only doing so to give Zephyr some rest. She sent out Voltage just as Chuck sent out a Poliwrath.
"Okay, Voltage, it's up to you," began Lyra, watching the Ampharos prepare herself. "Use Discharge! Then follow up with Thunder Punch!"
The Poliwrath began to tighten its focus, probably preparing for a later attack. Voltage smirked slightly as she released electricity from her body, disturbing the Poliwrath's move. However, it sent out a powerful wave of water, undoubtedly Surf, which crashed against Voltage. She was knocked back considerably, almost falling on her back as she did her best to shield herself. Now more than annoyed, she regained her stance and charged straight at the Poliwrath, her right flipper sparking with electricity. The Poliwrath tried to use Surf to knock her back again, but Voltage beat him to it, upper cutting him with Thunder Punch. Poliwrath fell back, Voltage eyeing him carefully to make sure he wouldn't be getting back up. With Poliwrath unable to battle any further, the battle was over.
"I lost," asked a shocked Chuck, returning his faint Poliwrath to its pokéball. "Well, how about that! All right. You're worthy of the Storm Badge!"
He unpinned a badge from his black belt, walking up to Lyra and handing her the badge.
"I-I got my fifth badge," trembled Lyra, shaking from excitement. "Yeah! We did it! Zephyr, Voltage – you did a great job!"
Voltage huffed in pride, smiling lightly in happiness for her trainer.
"The Storm Badge will let your Pokémon fly to any city or town you've been to," explained Chuck, handing out a cd as well. "You should take this, too. It's Focus Punch. It doesn't land if the foe you're attacking hits you first, but it's very powerful if it manages to hit!"
"Thanks, Chuck! I'll save it for later."
Lyra put away the cd, wonder where he was keeping the cd in the first place. It was best that she didn't think too much of it.
"I definitely enjoyed battling you," laughed Chuck, crossing his arms over his chest. "But a loss is a loss! I'll have to start training 24 hours a day!"
"Um, good luck with that," remarked Lyra, waving goodbye to him. She and Voltage headed outside, feeling very accomplished that they won the Storm Badge. Lyra admired it for a moment longer as she held it in her hand, her other hand searching her bag for her pouch that held her badges.
"That's Cianwood's badge," called out someone, causing Lyra to look up from the badge.
An older woman approached her, taking something out of her apron.
"You should take this HM," she added, giving Lyra the cd case.
"Okay… What brought this on all of a sudden?"
"People who manage to defeat my husband in a Pokémon battle earn an HM, I believe. Besides, wouldn't this make traveling a lot easier for you?"
Lyra nodded in response, but she suddenly gasped, realizing something very important.
"This means I can visit my mom now," grinned Lyra, Voltage staring at her curiously. "I have to tell Ethan about this. I can visit her while he's training for now."
Lyra ran off to the cave that led to Route 47, her Ampharos doing her best to keep up. With three more badges to earn, Lyra thought it was time to visit her mother again after so long. Besides, she had to show her mom the new Pokémon she's met since leaving New Bark Town.
A/N: Dear Arceus, it's been far too long since I last updated. Please forgive me and the hiatus, readers. I've been trying to get my life together, and what do you know - I actually got a job and know how to drive now. Having a job really puts my time management skills to the test, and it turns out I'm bad at that. Anyway, if this chapter felt a little lacking, it's because I really wanted to update as soon as I can. Just remember that I don't plan to discontinue the story anytime soon. I'll try to update when I can. Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you keep enjoying the story.
