During a late evening, Gladion adjusted his team and entered the building located in the south western corner of Ecruteak City. Tammy followed and was guided to the audience, the puzzle itself seems similar to the one in Lavender Town except it is a complex bridge guided by candles. Gladion had a Zoroark ready and encountered his first foe, a median that sent out a legion of Haunters that were quick to fall. One ordering the last night daze, the gym became that, of absolute darkness save for the platform ahead. Zoroark smelled the path and growled to his master in which way to go. Gladion followed his pokemon's scent and with each foe defeated, it resulted in a growing darkness, until he made it to an arena that had a blonde man with a black shirt, white jeans and wearing a purple scarf. He looked relaxed and at peace, like he had known of Gladion. "It is good that you have come. Here in Ecruteak, pokemon have long been revered. I have heard that you have encountered one of Ho-oh's beasts as well as the Guardian of the Sea!"

Gladion posed and felt disappointed at who he didn't bring. "I captured Raikou and Lugia was released a long time ago. It is a shame I didn't have Raikou ready for my trip here, your a fan of the legends?"

Morty readied a poke ball and confessed. "I am, I trained here all my life in hope of meeting one personally, lets see if your truly deserving of meeting them!"

Vs Gym Leader Morty

Morty sent out a Froslass as Gladion let Zoroark enter the battle, Morty pointed for his first move. "Froslass, use ice beam!"

The Froslass shot a frigid beam at the Zoroark as Gladion gave his first move. "Use night daze and finish her off with foul play!"

The Zoroark glowed black and knocked the Froslass back, she held on with a focus sash and had problems seeing through the blackness in her eyes, Morty watched the Zoroark leap to pounce and ordered. "Take him down with you with destiny bond!"

The Froslass glowed a super natural bond with the the Zoroark and resigned herself for a knock out as both pokemon and trainer realized too late what happened. POW! Froslass was knocked out and Zoroark fell limp for a mutual k.o. Gladion called his partner back and saw a tricksters plan. "Hmm! You done well as a lead Zoroark, Tyranitar, lets do the rest!" Morty saw the Tyranitar and sent out a Mismagius with an order in knowing what is to come. "Use perish song!"

The Mismagius sang a grim song as Gladion twitched, activated his key stone and raised it into the air. "Tyranitar, mega evolve and use dragon dance, then crunch until I say stop!"

Tyranitar nodded as energy poured into him, his back split open and he danced for speed as he charged at Mismagius and crunched him with his fierce jaws. Morty took a deep breath and sent out a Gengar with a mega stone as he counted to one, he flashed a key stone on his wrist and raised it into the air. "Mega evolve and use hypnosis!"

The Gengar twisted in energy and became a menacing figure that fades in and out of the shadows, Tyranitar felt the yellow eye hinder his escape as Gladion knew what was coming. "Use one more crunch and we will have three pokemon remaining before you go down to that song!"

Tyranitar readied his jaw and charged at the Gengar that was about to glare with a hypnotic daze. CRUNCH! Gengar felt the full force of the jaws and reverted back limp, giggling as the Tyranitar reverted back to his basic form and fall limp with the Gengar. Thud!

Gladion and Morty called their pokemon back and sent out the next two. "Porygon-Z, its been too long!" Out of a ball came a twitching Porygon-Z with a life orb as Morty sent out a Dusknoir with left overs, Gladion ordered like he was about to let loose a wave. "Use dark pulse!"

The Porygon-Z glowed with the orb and let loose an aura of bad thoughts that caused the Dusknoir to flinch and was exposed to another pulse for a k.o. Morty felt himself backed against a wall and sent out a Chandelure with a life orb that was quickly knocked out, followed by a Banette that sensed the thought of being left out made manifest. SWOOSH!

Banette was knocked out and left Morty speechless for a moment. "How is a come back like that-" He smiled in respect and gave a badge shaped like a dark purple, wispy ghost. "That potential... it is expected for someone who has defeated the Kanto region, it was more than fate that lead you to Raikou," Gladion placed his hand over his the hair blocking his right eye and tried to hold a laugh as he called Porygon-Z back. "Your right, a Hoopa and his schemes was the initial reason I first visited Johto several years ago. You mind if we talk?"

Morty didn't and called for a break, lighting the gym back to normal and Tammy left the audience seat. On the way out, he asked. "What transpired that time?"

Gladion remembered and decided on his next route. "It started when me and a few people I know came to Johto to help a Lugia get back home, during our trip to the Whirl Islands, we... or Elio's Alomomola, sensed a strange egg in need and took it with us."

He let out a Manaphy that was fast asleep and whispered. "That was when Manaphy was born, during our time raising him in this region, was when we encountered a Raikou that was roaming around, being very careless with where he is going. Much like a storm, he is what is and eventually, we all agreed to challenge him to a chase."

Morty's foresight was scrambled, but he knew where the story was going. "That is how the legendary Beasts challenge those wishing to capture them, few are lucky to see them!"

Gladion rolled his eyes, it was certainly luck, how ill it was. "But what of a newborn water type meeting Raikou? A pokemon that causes thunder when he moves, noise that is too much for a baby to cope with? It was a repeated case that if left unchecked can be traumatizing... even if Raikou explained himself," His frown became worse as he remembered more that he admired about Raikou. "Despite that, when the land is in danger, he WILL protect it and those who live among the land. That was when he encountered a threat not of this world and tried to fight it back, only for that threat to intoxicate him to his most extreme form, it stopped being a fun challenge and it became a capture that meant life or death. That was before the trip in this region came to a close and we let Manaphy go back to the sea. When I visited Kanto a week ago, I got invited by Lugia to a place where a mythical pokemon would resign in, while Ho-oh invited someone that... you may have met. This outlaw in a blue jacket that is married to an orange hair woman?"

Morty flinched for a moment at the description of the two people. "Wes and Rui? They visited this region a couple years ago to pay respects to Ho-oh, they are in the region once more?"

Gladion found himself at the exit of the gym and was ready to leave. "They are at Kanto at the moment and will... should show up soon, thank you for the battle, I'll travel east by tomorrow and save the eastern coast for last... I find it fitting."

Morty wished Gladion the best of luck on his journey. "If they are at Kanto right now, they will come to this region soon. I will see you later!" Gladion waved a parting and Tammy followed out.

At the Pokemon Center.

Tammy was impressed by the badges Gladion won. "Wow, three of them in a single day? You don't mess around!"

The man sat on a couch as he waited for his pokemon to heal, with the sleeping Manaphy, Gladion smiled at ideas for a pass time. "If I go east, it will ultimately lead me back here and there are more contests scheduled in the south east."

Tammy hummed and took out a Poke Gear to show the towns. "Blackthorn City has a cool contest and south of that city lives a pokemon I want to catch that is called Teddiursa. The contest after that is at New Bark Town and it is different in that I am not limited to a category. It will be open by the end of the week. While you take care of the Gym, I'll manage the contests, that way I won't get in your way."

Gladion heard the word and rested up. "I wouldn't say that... at all, you planned ahead and know what your goal in this region is. I am done with the league and I want to explore a particular place before I even think about going back to Alola, Mount Silver. If you can make it to the Grand Festival... you would be succeeding where Elio and Lillie have always been late to."

The girl gave a dorky smile and cheered. "Goldenrod City houses a contest hall and is the place to go to with the Cute Contest." She brain stormed an idea and sent out a Butterfree. "In fact, I need to catch something pretty soon. Whitney has a point with most of the normal types, they are cute and some of them are stronger than you think!"

Gladion wasn't getting in the girl's way. "Go do it while you have time, because if the pokemon you want isn't down the road to Mahogany town tomorrow... then you missed out!"

Tammy agreed and ran out for a goal in mind. "The pokemon are to the west, I'll be right back!"

With the girl gone, the Nurse Joy dinged that she has finished healing Gladion's pokemon, the man went to the rented room and settled down for a nap with Manaphy.

He found himself in a forest by a lake with Selene taking care of her children, the woman smiled at her husband and hummed. "I think I know what she is catching and she... must have not thought about the cute contest as of late. The two pokemon are going to be good!"

Gladion sat to the left side of his wife and carried one of the babies as he discovered which ones. "It is better she found out now than so close to the event, they might take a while to train, but both pokemon have that potential."

Selene nodded as she felt her son rested in her arms. "If Wes and Rui show up, it would be the first time Tammy would meet them, they are good people... but I don't think Tammy would want to visit Orre... ever."

Gladion agreed and felt the baby in his arms is an angelic daughter. "They will give her a warning in just how dangerous it is to live in that region, telling her that Gough came from that region should be enough for her to figure it out on her own."

Selene laughed at the list of horrible people that she met in that region. "He is a rare example of those types of people cleaning up his act and he STILL has problems that I think he is trying to fix by himself, I last saw him giving goodbyes to that friend of his and leaving on a boat somewhere, I don't think he is going back to Orre," She went back to her son and whispered to him. "Pieno, Orre has a few good memories, but it is mostly bad ones, if we ever have to take a trip to that region again, we are keeping you safe!"

Gladion agreed as his daughter squirmed for a moment. "We will, your mother has toughen out a lot." Selene blushed and kissed her husband on the cheek, looking up to find a shining sun giving the lake a golden shine.

In Route 38

Tammy was astonished by a large pack of Snubbull that were all eager for her to catch them, they tackled her and played with her until she had to tell them ill news. "As much as I want to catch you all, I only need one of you for contests. Any of you that think you have what it takes to make it big in that? If not, I'm sure trainers would catch you sweat hearts soon!"

The Snubbull horde barked at each other and grumbled, one is to come with the human, but who? "Snub!" A runt like Snubbull pushed herself out of the pack and barked her request, the largest of the Snubbull pack asked her something and was answered by a stubborn sniff. "Bull!"

She glared at the shiny Butterfree in an intimidating manner, Tammy knew a battle was initiated and ordered. "Use sleep powder and... I think I know what ball to use!" Butterfree fluttered and blew green powder, the rest of the Snubbull backed away as the runty Snubbull smelled the powder and fell asleep, she laid on the street as Tammy tossed a friend ball to get her in. Shake...shake...shake...click!

She felt proud at a successful capture as the Snubbull pack were waving goodbye to the pokemon inside, the trainer opened the ball to let the sleeping Snubbull out and sprayed her with a awakening, jolting her awake and causing her to growl in a moody whine as Tammy let a dusk ball fade into the P.C. "A friend ball makes it pretty easy to make friends, this is something you all do at this time to get captured? It is a pretty big deal being with a trainer."

She had memories of one particular that used a Granbull to her fullest as the large Snubbull barked a yes, a collected cry of cute squeals was heard, the pack turned to the east and found young lasses, poke fans and a brown hair girl in a burgundy t-shirt, brown eyes and black shorts that were ready for capture, the leader Snubbull had her hands at her hips and assured Tammy that all will be fine. The brown hair woman was in awe at the runt Tammy had and asked. "Oh, congratulations, we been wanting to catch a Snubbull ever since the news gave us a report on them. The name is Rachael by the way!"

Tammy shook Rachael's hand and was willing to leave her be for another pokemon she desired. "Tammy Lari! These Snubbull tend to travel in a family in hope that they run into a crowd of trainers that will catch then and take good care of them. They, Azumarril and this one other that isn't found here are pretty special among fairy types."

Rachael smiled at the knowledge. "I'm just happy to have my first capture!"

Pop!

A Glaceon exit the ball, ready for battle as Tammy was ready to go to the ranch. "No sense for me to stop you, see ya!"

She waved goodbye and her two pokemon followed, Snubbull smiled that her kin is getting what they always wanted as Tammy went south and found the sun setting even more, she and Butterfree fought through Ratattas and Meowths as Snubbull barked of what she is looking for, Tammy answered in frustration. "We are looking for a Miltank! They are pretty rare but those things are so cute, as well as being fast and powerful!"

Snubbull scratched herself and ran in between the trees alone, Tammy was about to follow in trying to keep the pokemon under control when she heard a moo.

Coming out was a large blue Miltank laughing with Snubbull, like she was a friend of hers, signs of battle were seen as the girl was initially intimidated. "Wha...Miltank, do you mind if I try to capture you?"

The Miltank didn't as she stomped the ground, ready for battle, Tammy ordered her Butterfree. "She has a story to tell, lets catch ourselves a new friend!" Butterfree fluttered as the Miltank gave a cute moo to lower her guard down.

SLAP!

The Butterfree flinch from the move and was exposed to a brutal body slam. She struggled to fly as Tammy ordered. "Hit her with sleep powder and then use quiver dance to boost dream eater!"

The Butterfree tossed green powder at the Miltank and caused her to sit down fast asleep, she danced elegantly and glowed to find a rather stunning dream of wanting to make others happy.

Tammy saw her Butterfree puzzled at the taste and tried another dream, Miltank woke up and flipped at the butterfly for another body slam. "Butterfree, dodge and use sleep powder again!" The Butterfree flew out of the way and tossed the green powder, Miltank rolled out of the way and asked her opponent something, catching her off guard and punching her again. Tammy took a great ball and tossed it at the shiny Miltank. "Go great ball!"

The ball whistled in the air and took the milk cow into it, the ball gave a long single roll and clicked. The girl picked the ball up and raised it to the setting sun. "Woot! Thank you for guiding us to her Snubbull," Her adrenaline lowered as she asked. "I have a friend that might want to listen to what happened, like you, he looks tough, but is a very good person!" Snubbull felt a little outraged that her trainer would compare her to someone like that, but found the adventure very much worth exploring.

At the Pokemon Center

Gladion was awake from a good dream and decided to call home, with Manaphy and Silvally watching, they hoped for a particular person to call, to Silvally's relief, Lillie picked up with a Togekiss nesting behind her, a Blissey, Audino and Magearna were moving supplies around, the sister whistled in song. "Hello brother, how is your Johto journeys?"

Gladion showed three badges and had better news. "I found Tammy and now she is tempting me to go through with my plan of trying a contest out!"

Lillie giggled as the Magearna gave her watmel juice. "Thank you Aigis, Gladion, are you and Tammy going to be traveling together for a while?"

Gladion found no harm in it. "She has quite a few goals and is preparing for what lies ahead. If she is looking for the pokemon I think she is looking for!"

PFWWWTH!

Gladion turned around to find Tammy with a small Snubbull in her arms, exactly as expected, the girl went to the nurse for a heal as the man continued. "And she has, I seen Mina use Granbull enough times to know the potential of this one."

Lillie was excited to hear of the girls progress as Tammy approached to wave hello. "Hi Mom, there was a huge pack of Snubbull at the route, every single one of them were looking to get captured by a trainer and I picked one that wants to do the Contests with me! The rest met a pack of women that wanted to capture them."

She lifted the Snubbull that waved hello, Gladion didn't find it a surprised and rolled his eyes as Manaphy stated what happened. "Lots of people like Snubbull and they seem nice despite the face!"

Snubbull agreed as Silvally found the rush ridiculous,Tammy sent out another pokemon. "She also lead me to this strange pokemon, I thought Butterfree showing up not too long after I caught Cutlass was strange."

Out of the great ball came a jolly blue Miltank, Gladion and Lillie were impressed by the find as Tammy asked. "She uses her cuteness as a form of attack, when their guard is gone, she hits them brutally, what sort of move is that?"

Lillie quickly separated the moves and was astonished. "That is heart stamp, a physical psychic move normally exclusive to Swoobat's evolutionary line... the problem is that there is only two regions that have that pokemon. Kalos and Unova... could that one be the result of someone breeding? If so... why is she out in the wild?"

Tammy shrugged as to why as the Miltank scratched herself ignorant, the happy mood looked and felt genuine and Gladion imagined one possible out come. "Someone wasn't breeding for the sake of a competitive pokemon, I think this Miltank having heart stamp was for a reason. I might have someone look into this soon."

Lillie hoped someone does. "A psychic move like this that is rather accurate and once it is in the gene pool, even as an all female species, will be passed down. This would mean those who hoped to weaken her with a fighting type would realize they made a mistake. Still, congratulations on the Miltank Tammy, I hope you two and Snubbull win those contest together."

Tammy hopped so. "I got a lot of training for them after the beauty contest, I'll be hitting it for the night. Good night Mom!"

She and her newly caught pokemon went to the room as Gladion tapped at something he should remember, he realized a faint one and was ready to text someone. "I'll see what exactly is different about the Miltank besides the move and color, I'm going to let some of my enforcers investigate, tomorrow should be a fun day. Have things been settled with Dialga."

Lillie hoped so as she heard a door open and heard a cheerful Mimikyu along with a man feeling excited. "This was a good day. I got something to experiment with for dinner since we have that left over claw meat!"

Lillie smiled to a comforting presence. "Dialga is doing fine and mother told us everything. Elio, my brother has another job for you," Elio went to the screen and ask. "Something else happened that might involve Aether?"

Gladion think so. "I want you to look at any reports on workers, scientist and anything that may have been sent to another region, a Miltank Tammy caught has an egg move of a pokemon not found in the region and her behavior is a bit off."

Elio was whispered the move and was impressed. "A physical psychic move like heart stamp? If the population had problems defending themselves against poachers with fighting types, that move combined with her good speed would give those scum bags a wake up call to leave. It would be like the Aether Foundation to do something out there to protect a wild pokemon, but this would be the first time I heard of this."

Gladion posed for a moment as Manaphy asked. "This...bad?" Gladion petted Manaphy with a confused frown. "Not if this IS for the benefit of pokemon. But it is pretty extreme and can alter the ecosystem due to the changes being that subtle, I'm going to call it early tonight. Report if you find anything, Lillie, try to stop Elio from going too far in what ever he is making."

Elio saluted. "Sure thing boss!"

Lillie had a craving for sea food and didn't mind what her husband is cooking. "My babies need a wide pallet, good night brother!"

Gladion wished the duo good night and disconnected, he voiced what is to happen tomorrow. "With Lucario, Tyranitar and you Silvally, the next gym should be another easy one."

He let out a friendly Charmeleon that was eager for more training and asked. "At Blackthorn City, they have something very special for those related to dragon types, would you like to visit this Dragon's Den to continue your training? A trip through Ice Path should guarantee your evolution."

Charmeleon raised his claws in the air and roared. "Meleon!"

Silvally roared back assertively as Manaphy listened. "Charmeleon really likes battling. I hope Tammy helps out with finding out the strange Miltank."

In a room.

Tammy finished feeding her pokemon and was resting with a Pikachu Belle and Snubbull in her arms, Butterfree slept by a potted plant and Miltank was going fast asleep without a care in the world. The trainer imagined the moves that would work with her. "Return can be much stronger than body slam and I know a move that works well with milk drink, Snubbull, while you get stronger, we need to work on a technique. Being part of a cute contest means you have to do cute things... maybe we should see the move tutor and find what can work."

Snubbull felt a future as Pikachu's ears twitch to a good idea. "Pika?"

Tammy listened and gasped at brilliance. "It isn't the most original and it is pretty situational, but using items against the... Pikachu, your a genius!" Pikachu blushed as Snubbull dozed asleep, the girl closed her eyes and had dreams of a tropical island and a spot light, people cheered at her for an accomplishment she knows nothing about.