Welcome back everyone. Last time we had quite a bit go down as Ash caught Charmander, met his dad and James also got Victreebel. But this time we're going away from Ash as we return to the school. Though, this chapter happens at the same time as the previous one.
Ch 18: An Experience
It had been a boring day of class for Gary as the boy leaned against his desk as the papers before him scattered a bit before he gathered them. Their packet of work had little to do with today's class as despite having them review fossil Pokémon, they had learned about the different styles of evolution today. And while he knew this was to review for the upcoming midterms next week he couldn't help but feel bored.
His eyes wandered around the room as he noticed that Ash was missing along with that annoying girl and Brock. Though he also noticed that Thad was gone as well. The guy gave him the creeps as one night he could have sworn he saw him standing outside Ash's room; so him being gone didn't bother Gary. His eyes locked onto the clock as he happily noticed class just about over. A quick glance to his left allowed him to see Leaf still writing notes though he felt it was pointless since they were about to be dismissed. The boy didn't wait to be dismissed however as he started to pack up, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Agatha.
The older woman stopped her lecture on how certain Pokémon evolve based on their friendship with a trainer and instead looked towards Gary, the action causing him to shiver for a moment. She tapped her cane slightly as the temperature in the room dropped even more. Gengar emerged beside the boy as Gary merely sighed at the act, only to be hit by Agatha's cane.
"Mr. Oak, I don't care who you are or who you're related to. In my class you don't start to pack up until I dismiss you. Understand?"
Gary could only nod as he clutched at his head, his teeth grit tightly against each other as he wondered if this was what Ash went through on a daily basis. Though, speaking of the slacker, Gary wondered if perhaps Agatha's foul mood was from so many people skipping today. As it was, a fifth of the class was missing with midterms right around the corner. Amidst his thoughts he hadn't heard the woman dismiss the class or tell what the homework was as the sound of footsteps echoed through his ears.
Once recovered from his hit Gary realized he was all alone as Agatha stood at the front of the room. She erased whatever had been written on the board as Gary finished packing up. She didn't turn around but spoke out to him.
"You seem distracted lately."
"Just focusing on the midterms."
"No. This is a different type of distraction," Agatha responded as she turned to him now. Gary appeared uninterested as he flung his backpack over his shoulder. And yet he decided to humor the older woman and remained in the room. "You're battling has gotten worse as the semester grows older. Something is holding you back."
The boy narrowed his eyes now as he grew annoyed at the woman's words. Across the entire semester he had only lost twice when they ran exercises and only one of them was due to a lack of his usual skills. The other was from luck regardless of what anyone said. "Trust me, granny, I'm perfectly fine."
"There it is again." Gary expected the old hag to whack him once more as she lifted it off the ground. He found himself flinching only to realize she merely walked towards him. Her eyes didn't appear angry, but to Gary's surprise they held concern for him. "You cover your insecurities with fake confidence and insults towards others. No wonder Mr. Ketchum has surpassed you."
The Pallet Town native released a heavy sigh with that statement, Gary feeling his anger rise with that statement as his hands balled into fists. His nails dug into his skin as the boy stared down his teacher. He wanted to say something in response but chose not to, he figured if he responded it would only prove the woman correct. And that was the last thing he wanted. As he remained silent, Agatha continued to talk as she stood right next to him. So close that Gary could smell her much to his annoyance.
"Ketchum listens and works with his Pokémon. You don't. It speaks volumes that you're both equals, yet he has an advantage over you. A Pokémon battle is more than just strength, Mr. Oak. And you've failed to realize that so far."
"So what am I supposed to do?" he asked as he rolled his eyes. At this point he only humored the older woman by staying and listening. As it was, his Pokémon had gone through some of the best training they could manage as shown by his Wartortle, Pidgeot and Nidoqueen all being top of the line battlers. He didn't need to be told he was lacking something, especially when that something was so trivial.
"Pokémon battles are a partnership between both the trainer and Pokémon. If one deems themselves more important, the other struggles," Agatha explained as she smirked towards her student. Gary found the look unsettling as he stepped back from her. She chuckled slightly before walking back towards the front of the room. "Though, I'd be willing to help train you if you're interested. I'm in need of a new pupil."
Gary thought it over for a moment as he weighed the pros and cons of working with Agatha. Though to him the pros easily outweighed any of the annoyances she may have had. Especially since she was a former member of the Elite Four. There was no doubt in his mind that if he at least had her teach him some techniques he would easily surpass Ash in her mind.
"Sure. Not that I've been doing anything lately," Gary finally said. Truthfully, he had been spending most of his spare time at the library as he read up about different species of Pokémon. He secretly held an interest in the way different species of Pokémon evolved and how some species changed depending on their region. As he had learned recently through his studies that while a Vulpix was a Fire-Type in Kanto, it was surprisingly an Ice-Type in Alola. "If it helps me get stronger, I'm all for it."
Agatha shook her head at that comment, the woman visibly disappointed in Gary as she walked over towards the desk at the front of the room. She shuffled a few papers around as the packets were placed within a briefcase, Gary able to recognize them as one of their previous review packets. The woman lifted the briefcase with ease as she approached the door to leave the classroom. She paused for a moment as she looked over her shoulder at Gary.
"Your training will begin tonight. Meet me in the woods east of campus in one hour."
Gary chose to ignore her as he wrote down the information on a piece of paper before he carefully folded it up and left the room as he descended the staircase. A few of the afternoon courses were just getting started now as Gary wondered how late into the night they went, especially since it was already three in the afternoon. As he exited the building he saw a few different events going on as one that caught his eye was a battle.
As he passed by it, he noticed how one of the trainers battling didn't even need to issue a command at times, his partner able to react as if they were in sync. The duo managed to control the entire battle as their opponent struggled to land even a single blow. He rolled his eyes at that, Agatha's words feeling like an annoyance now as he passed by the library. As he figured he had plenty of time, the boy stopped and quietly entered the building as he made his way to his usual section. It was all about Pokémon evolution as he pulled the book he had yet to finish off the shelf before he plopped down in his usual chair.
The book, written by Professor Rowan of the Sinnoh region, had interested him based on the man's different theories regarding evolution. Yet, the most interesting thing he had seen in the book had been that based on his research, Professor Rowan hypothesized that ninety percent of all Pokémon were related through evolution. That really made the boy wonder just how much they didn't know when it came to the hundreds of known Pokémon. He had wanted to ask his grandfather about this information, but between his studies and training he hadn't the time.
The boy quickly dived into the book as he continued where he last left off in regard to Eevee and how the species can evolve into many different forms thanks to a DNA mutation within it. Despite what he felt was a hinderance the species was able to evolve so that it adapted to its current surroundings. It made the boy wonder if perhaps the Espeon, Umbreon and Sylveon evolutions were Eevee's natural evolutions as they didn't require Evolution Stones to evolve.
The boy continued to read on in regard to different theories such as that Aerodactyl actually regressed into Zubat to stave off extinction and another about how the evolution lines of Caterpie and Venonat may be more connected than anyone possibly imagined. It made Gary think for a moment about how if one didn't know better, they would have thought Venonat evolved into Butterfree if they looked just at their eyes and other features.
He quickly found himself losing track of time as he dove deeper into his reading until he eventually stared up at the clock. To his shock more time had passed by than he realized as he jumped from his seat before placing the book back onto the shelf. With a quick fling of his backpack the boy rushed out the door and towards the woods Agatha had instructed him to meet her at. Gary briskly walked across campus as he was careful to not bump into any of the other students until he finally found himself on the edge of the campus' limits.
A small fence blocked his path, but Gary merely jumped over it as his action disturbed a few Pokémon. A small horde of Rattata scurried away while a few Kakuna fell from their nests in a nearby tree to see the commotion. Gary ignored them as he silently hoped a Beedrill nest wasn't nearby. He quickly found himself wandering around the woods, uncertain about the exact location he was meant to meet Agatha since she had been quite vague. The sun was now setting as the boy wondered if perhaps she had left. It didn't help that he was nearly thirty minutes late.
The boy kicked a small rock out of frustration as it bounced against a tree before rolling along the ground. The rock continued on its path until finally resting in front of a log, Gary's eyes peered to it as he saw the older woman sitting there. He blinked for a moment, rubbing his eyes as he made sure he wasn't hallucinating since he knew for a fact she hadn't been there previously. Agatha turned around and faced the boy, an emotionless expression on her face as she stood up.
"You shouldn't make the elderly wait. I could have gotten hypothermia and died." She made her way over to Gary, the boy unsure what to do as he nervously shifted around. He couldn't explain it, but now that they were alone in the woods, he couldn't help but worry that she would try all different things on him. Especially since if he did get injured, she could say there was no proof it was from her training.
"Sorry," he muttered out. He felt so small as she reached him, his whole body now tense. The woman whacked him in the back of his legs as they immediately wanted to give out from the sudden impact. Instead he stood straighter as she smiled at that.
"A trainer must remain confident even in the most trying of times. Remember, a proper posture oozes confidence."
Gary nodded in agreement before silently crying out as the woman motioned for him to take a seat on the ground. Gary was hesitant to do so, especially since it was cold and wet and the last thing he wanted was to ruin his clothes. But one sight of Agatha waving her cane made Gary plop onto the ground without any comment. His rear end shivered for a moment until it was used to the change in temperature, Agatha sitting on a nearby rock.
She didn't say anything to Gary, instead she just sat there and listened to the sounds of nature. Gary wondered just what was happening but when he tried to ask a question she shook her head. He got the message loud and clear: he wasn't allowed to speak. Gary found himself to be wasting time with this training, especially since it appeared to be nothing more than Agatha sitting in the woods. He wondered if maybe Giselle usually did this as a way to get extra points for her grade but now Gary got roped into it with her gone.
"Empty your mind, Gary," Agatha finally said. Gary rolled his eyes as he realized this was the same sort of training he went through with Koga. It didn't work then, and it wasn't going to work now. But he did as he was commanded. The boy tried to stop all his thoughts, but images of Ash and his father continued to reemerge as his anger grew. His body became tense, his fingers strumming against the ground as he struggled with the order.
Agatha noted this as she started to breathe slowly. Gary tried to repeat the action, but it did little to help him. It had been no use as his mind replayed his last battle with Ash, how he lost to one of only two people he never wanted to lose to.
"Tell me, why so much animosity towards Mr. Ketchum?"
Gary blinked in surprise at the question. He wanted to know how she figured out who was keeping him from focusing but he didn't ask the question. Instead he took a deep breath and responded.
"He thinks he's so much better than me."
"Gary, this won't work if you don't speak from the heart. I know more than I show."
"Fine," Gary spat out. A bit of saliva escaped his mouth as he shot it towards the ground. His hands dug at the earth before him as the dirt sprawled all around. His thoughts ran back to how they were kids, how Ash never was compared to anyone while he always had to act correctly. How he had to live up to expectations and keep the family name pristine. It angered him. Even Leaf angered him at times with how carefree she was despite her own mother's reputation, but he would never tell her that.
"Why does he get to live a normal life?"
"I assume you mean Ash?" Agatha asked. Gary nodded his head in agreement as the older woman chuckled out. Her cane tapped a few times against the stone she sat atop as Gary eyed her. He wanted to know just where she was headed with all of this. "Young Mr. Ketchum has lived anything but a normal life. His father left, his best friend grew to resent him, and he always has to prove himself. If anything he should have grown to resent you. And yet he hasn't."
"But he doesn't have a family name like Oak!" Gary hissed out. He could feel a slight annoyance grow within him, how he wished he could have been born a nobody and have less expectations. How he could have done anything in life without being compared to his father or grandfather. "Why couldn't I be like him?"
Agatha shrugged as she stood up. The older woman made her way across the field as she placed a hand on Gary's shoulder. The process calmed Gary, as if it had been a feeling that was missing from his entire life. The woman nodded as she could tell he was starting to relax. His breathing slowed while the tension in his body slowly vanished.
"You sabotaged yourself from living a normal childhood. No one but yourself honestly placed that burden of the Oak family name on you. I know Samuel would never have done that. Not since he himself had a similar experience."
"He did?" Gary asked. His eyes looked up to the woman, an almost innocent look to them as they begged to know more. His emotions felt a mess as they clashed inside of him, anger and sadness fighting for control as he tried to push them down. He needed to know what his grandfather went through, especially since he seemed like such an easy-going guy now.
"Samuel and I were once rivals and very close friends," Agatha began. She removed her hand from Gary's shoulder as she walked back to her rock. A smile was plastered on her face as Gary wondered if she was thinking about the past. She didn't seem anything like she was in class, much softer spoken as she reminisced on it all.
"But he also struggled at one point. Keep in mind, that Pallet Oak had been the first trainer from your town to make the top one thousand trainers.
"When I first met him, he already had three badges while I only had two. You could say we pushed each other to greater heights but then before our first attempt at the League he seemed to crack under the pressure. He worried that if he lost he'd bring shame to his family since unlike him, Pallet Oak never had a chance to compete at a League. He was scared that they would lose everything his ancestors have built up for them if he lost. Oh, how he was a mess."
"So what happened?" Gary leaned forward as he took on the appearance of a little kid. His hands rested in his lap now as he tugged at his pants. He needed to know how his grandfather got out of his own rut.
Agatha chuckled at whatever thought ran through her mind as a smirk crossed her face. She remained silent for a moment before a cough escaped from her mouth. Gary could have sworn he saw a small shade of red cross his teacher's face, but he felt he was mistaken. "Truthfully, I just told him it straight. Sounds a bit simple but I said people weren't friends with him because he was an Oak. They didn't expect anything from him. Instead they liked him for him. Heck, I didn't follow him around because of his last name.
"The man was genuine and always pushed through adversity, you couldn't have found a better person or trainer. I told him he needed to stop worrying about what others thought of him or of his name. Just focus on what was in front of him. I shouldn't have helped him though. That guy knocked me out of the tournament and went on to win."
"So pretty much you're saying to not worry about what people think about me. Cause that's a bit stupid. There's got to be more to it."
"Pretty much. Sounds easier at my age though; they see me and think I'm an old hag," Agatha explained. She stood up once more as she pointed her cane at Gary. No words were spoken as the boy understood what she wanted him to do.
He closed his eyes for a moment as he slowed his breathing. His mind was blank only for an image of his father to enter, but Gary fought back this time. He ignored the presence as he instead tried to focus on the book he had been reading earlier. The thoughts of evolution allowed him to erase any mention of his father or Ash from his mind. And just like he had put the book away, he wiped those thoughts of evolution from his mind.
Things were quiet for once, the boy unaware as Agatha poked one of his pokeballs with his cane. Wartortle emerged beside him as Gary could have sworn he heard his partner speaking out. And yet he knew it couldn't have been the case since the Water-Type was in his pokeball. It was a new sensation to Gary, the boy actually able to understand his Pokémon as he heard the hurt emotions within his voice.
He wondered if the rest of his partners felt the same way, how he had sent them into battle and just pushed onwards instead of working with them. How he never gave them any input into the battle. His eyes slowly opened as he saw Wartortle beside him, Gary realizing that he hadn't just imagined the whole thing.
"Is all of that true?"
"Wartortle, tortle," the Water-Type replied. His head hung low as Gary nodded. And yet despite them being partners he had never considered this before. The boy sighed out as he pushed himself back onto his feet. His hand rubbed Wartortle's head, the action bringing a smile to the Water-Type as Gary stared at him.
"Let's change how things are then."
"I'm glad you said that," Agatha stated. Gary didn't like the tone she said it with, as he felt it would only end badly for himself. The woman motioned for Gary to follow as she led him towards a small clearing. Wartortle stood by his side, the duo looking at the path that extended outwards.
"I want you to head down that trail. There used to be a river that flowed through here, but it's dried up. I want you to work with your Pokémon to fix the situation."
Gary didn't answer as he instead walked forward. He had a feeling it didn't need to be finished tonight but the sooner they got through this stage of the training, the sooner they would move onto the next. Wartortle seemed to agree as the Water-Type followed Gary.
The duo continued in silence, Gary's own thoughts running amuck as he wondered how his dad got over any issues he may have had. If it was true that his grandfather struggled as well, then it was likely his dad would have too. But, then why would he turn down the title of Champion when he had earned it. He shook his head as he pushed the thoughts of his father away. Gary knew it would be best to focus on one thing alone at this point in time. And that one thing to think about was how Agatha told him he had to stop worrying about how others viewed him.
As they continued along, Gary took in the nature around them. Despite the colder weather there were still plenty of wild Pokémon that lived around the area. He couldn't help but wonder if they perhaps migrated here, or if they just lived their entire life in this one forest. He once more reached a clearing as he noticed nests of wild Pokémon were all scattered about here.
It had to have been the spot Agatha meant.
However, there was no sight of water within the vicinity. Heading off in one direction, Gary looked elsewhere only to have failed in his search for water. With a snap of his fingers he figured out a solution. The boy reached down towards his belt as he gripped a pokeball. With a swift toss upwards the capture device exploded outwards as Pidgeot circled around the clearing as it came to a rest atop a tree.
The Flying and Normal-Type cried out happily as Wartortle waved to it. Gary acknowledged it slightly, the boy telling his Pokémon to try to find a source of water. Pidgeot nodded before it took off, its wings spread wide as a huge gust blew through from the first flap. Gary looked impressed by its strength as Pidgeot rocketed off.
With a solution to their water problem, Gary turned towards the clearing as he tried to figure out how to store the water. He figured with the amount of land that was present he could dig a trench of sorts, maybe have the water flow into a pool he could dig. That was when he called upon his two other Pokémon as a Growlithe and Nidoqueen emerged by his side. He had wanted to bring Kadabra out as well, but he figured the Psychic-Type wouldn't have been of much help.
He quickly instructed Nidoqueen and Growlithe to get to work as the duo dug up the outline of the basin to store the water in. The duo moved at a brisk pace, Gary able to see it already be a few inches deep when the duo stopped their excavation.
"Why'd you stop?" Gary asked. Though he received no response. The boy started to grow annoyed with his partners, especially since they didn't even seem tired. So, to try and keep himself calm, the boy jumped into the hole and started to claw away at the dug-up earth. It only lasted for a few seconds however, Wartortle spraying him with water to get him to stop.
Gary wiped the water from his face, a chill now passing over him due to his dampness. The boy stared at Wartortle as the Water-Type rolled down the side and showed Gary just what his other Pokémon had located. Nearly disturbed had been a Sandshrew nest, a group of them huddled together as Gary could just see through the opening. He felt awful for what could have happened. Even without the water he could have caused a cave-in or possibly have struck them himself. The boy stopped what he was doing immediately and rose out of the dug-up area.
He made his way over to a nearby log where he sat upon, his three Pokémon joining him. He had already forgotten the point of this training as he had hoped to just rush through it all. With a sigh he looked to his three present Pokémon.
"I'm sorry, guys," he stated as he leaned his elbows against his knees. Gary felt defeated after just one setback, but it was more due to his mindset. He slapped himself momentarily before he stood back up. His eyes shined with determination once more as he looked to each of his partners.
"Alright, let's try this again. Nidoqueen, Growlithe, try to find an area where we could store a large supply of water. Wartortle, we'll work on making sure it won't disturb any nests in the area."
A chorus of cries rained out from his orders as Growlithe sniffed at the ground. Nidoqueen likewise joined in as she burrowed deep under the earth. The duo were hard at work when Pidgeot returned from its search, its talons were wet as Gary figured it had found some source of water. The Pallet Town native followed the Flying and Normal-Type as Pidgeot took to the air once more.
Wartortle stayed by his side, the Water-Type extra careful to make sure nothing would attack them at this deep in the forest. The duo trekked onward as they crossed over fallen trees and climbed up a small hill until they eventually came to face a river. It was moving faster than Gary had imagined at first, the direction of it having come from at the very least the outskirts of Pewter City. If he had to place an accurate guess however, it broke off from the main river in Pewter City and traversed a section of the Viridian Forest. Thanking Pidgeot, Gary recalled the Normal and Flying-Type into its pokeball before turning towards Wartortle.
"All we need to do is build off of this river and bring it towards the clearing. Any ideas?"
The Water-Type nodded as he tapped the last remaining pokeball attached to Gary's belt. With a flash Kadabra emerged before them, the Psychic-Type confused by the current situation. Thankfully Wartortle caught him up to speed as Kadabra turned towards the forest. Gary watched with confusion as Kadabra's eyes glowed blue for a moment, a few of the trees bending as the glow extended into the forest.
The ground exploded outwards, dirt and grass moved to the sides as a trench immediately formed. Wartortle continued down the newly created path as he sprayed water along it, the earthen material now soaked as Kadabra connected their small trench to the river. Water flowed into it, Gary amazed at how well his Pokémon worked together when he allowed them a small input. Though, he watched as the section that was past their little trench began to dry out.
"Kadabra, think you can figure something out?" Gary asked as his Psychic-Type was already on the move. Kadabra's spoon bent slightly as a blue glow surrounded the river and surrounding land. A split formed along the riverbank, the ripped-up grass and dirt being used to create a divide so that water could pass down both paths.
Gary nodded in approval as he recalled Kadabra before he followed after Wartortle. The Water-Type had moved further down the path, Gary following it as he removed any branches that may have become lodged in it. He noticed a few Pokémon that had ventured towards the newly created stream, the different species also helping as they cleared away any debris.
Gary remained silent as he now saw the water come rolling down the path, the boy feeling the cold water as a few Pokémon drank from it. He looked around the area and wondered if what they were doing was correct. After all, they had ripped up quite a bit of the land; though they had made sure to not destroy any nests or plants that were still alive. It still felt somewhat wrong to him.
After what felt like forever, he had finally made it back to the clearing, the boy quiet at first as several Pokémon he had never seen before were gathered around the new watering hole. He was surprised to see that such a simple change would lead to this. Especially as Pokémon such as Mankey showed up. A small smile passed over his face as he saw a Nidoking and his family approach the water, Gary wondering if perhaps they lived a bit further in the forest near the mountainous area.
He finally sighed out as he took a step forward, his presence putting a few of the wild Pokémon on edge. As if they expected him to try and catch them. Nidoking took a step towards Gary, his horn shining as he stared down the boy. The Pallet Town native wasn't sure what to do, his hands shaking for a moment as he grasped for his pokeballs. Even if they were mostly empty, it had become a subconscious action whenever he found himself in a situation. He would just use a Pokémon to solve his issue.
He shook his head at that thought. He had to remember they weren't just tools to get somewhere or to overcome something. They were his partners. Nidoking took another step towards Gary, as if the action was to tell him to scram. However, he stood his ground, the boy unable to move at the moment. Nidoking continued to grow agitated but thankfully Wartortle stepped in.
"Tortle! Wartortle, tortle!" the Water-Type cried out as he spread his arms wide. He stood between Gary, the boy only able to see the back of his shell as the sight of Nidoking grew before him. The ground shook with each step, Gary able to see the water ripple as a few Pokémon scurried away from the area.
Wartortle wouldn't budge despite the encroaching Nidoking. But what truly surprised Gary was what came next. Both Nidoqueen and Growlithe got between the angered Pokémon as well. It seemed as if they weren't going to allow the Poison and Ground-Type to get any closer. Nidoking also seemed to understand it, as the creature slowly walked back to his own family. Gary fell to his knees for a moment, his thoughts circulating like crazy as he tried to understand everything. Despite how he treated them previously, his Pokémon still wanted to protect him. The act made Gary realize just how much they cared for him, the boy realizing how they were actually a family for the first time.
"Seems like you built a pretty decent water supply," Agatha's voice chimed out. Gary and his partners looked around, their eyes unable to see the older woman. A rustling bush alerted the group in one direction as Agatha emerged from it, her Gengar by her side.
Unlike in class, its presence felt terrifying; the power that radiated from it made even Gary's Pokémon take a step back. The boy started to sweat from its presence, the devilish grin that sat plastered atop the Ghost and Poison-Type unraveled him. He could see the same effect had ensnared his partners, each one of them shaking as Gary recalled them into their pokeballs. He figured that they would be safer within them. Yet Wartortle declined as he emerged right back outside.
"Wartortle, stay in your pokeball. It's safer."
"War!" the Water-Type argued. Gary smirked in response as he patted Wartortle. He understood. They would be in this together.
"It didn't take you much time. I'm impressed," Agatha muttered. Her cane tapped against the ground a few times, the temperature dropping as a few more Ghost-Types emerged from the forest. Gary recognized a Haunter and there was also a Mismagius. He knew the latter wasn't common around these parts thanks to his studies. Though the other Pokémon he had no knowledge of as they floated around the area. One seemed to be a chandelier, but it made no sense to Gary as he finally made out the last Pokémon as a second Gengar. Though this one appeared different than the other as it appeared to be a bit timider than the other.
"How long were you expecting?" Gary asked as he steadied himself. He quickly caught on that these Pokémon meant no harm, Agatha was just letting them out to relax and enjoy the night. Wartortle nodded in agreement to Gary's question as the boy stepped forward. He was only a few feet away from Agatha as a few of her Pokémon blocked his path. The older woman swept her hand to the side, the motion not being missed as the Ghost-Types moved aside.
"But if I'm being honest...I didn't do much. It was all Wartortle's idea. If we did it my way...then...that Sandshrew nest would be underwater right now." Gary hid back his annoyance with a slight chuckle. Tonight only proved one thing to him: he still had a long way to go. One night wouldn't be able to erase everything that he's caused these past few months. He knew he had to remain vigilant with his new training.
Gary felt a light tap land against his head, the boy surprised as Agatha stood before him with a smile. He had never seen the woman smile in a manner that felt so genuine, but he understood what it meant. He was on the right path, even if he still had a ways to go. The wind started to pick up as a shiver ran down Gary's spine. The boy wondered what time it was, the sun having set a while ago now.
"No one overcomes their issues on their first day," Agatha finally stated. The woman made her way over to a fallen tree as she sat atop it. Her hand patted the bark lightly as Gary followed her, the boy sitting next to her as they stared up at the sky. "Believe it or not, I'm still overcoming my own."
"You?" Gary asked. His eyes widened at the thought that someone such as Agatha still had problems. He figured that she had resolved whatever issues she'd encountered by now. Especially at her age.
Agatha chuckled at his surprise as the stars sparkled in her eyes. For a moment Gary saw a resemblance to his father but figured he was just seeing things. Though before he could delve into his thoughts about it, the woman spoke up once more.
"Yes, even me. Though I like to think I'm starting to remedy them."
Silence fell between the two individuals as a few of Agatha's Ghost-Types floated around her. Mismagius landed atop Agatha's shoulder, the older woman petting it as the Ghost-Type cried out happily. Gary could tell she cared deeply for her Pokémon despite her outer appearance as the older woman began to feed them a snack of sorts. A light hum emerged from Agatha's lips, one that Gary recognized from his grandfather; he figured the older man must have taught it to her at one point. It was a peaceful tone, one that had always relaxed him when he was scared. And just like back then, he felt his entire body relax.
Wartortle too took on a relaxed composure as the duo sat there while they awaited Agatha to speak once more. He felt there was still a long road to travel for his training, but with Wartortle and Agatha by his side he would be able to do it.
A tapping noise echoed out once more as the Ghost-Types vanished, Gary surprised to see them all float off to parts unknown. The boy figured they were returning to Agatha's room, but the trust between trainer and Pokémon was one he hoped to emulate one day.
"Now then," Agatha finally spoke up. The words startled Gary at first, the boy nearly falling from the fallen tree only for Wartortle to catch him. "As you know, midterms are coming up next week."
Gary nodded at that statement, he had been studying in all his free time for them. Because of it, he hadn't been able to visit the library as often as he wanted to. Though he still found ways to get some free time each day. Even if it was only thirty minutes.
"I've already set yours up." Agatha reached into her pocket, her outfit ruffling as she dug around for something. To Gary's surprise the woman pulled out an envelope of sorts as it shined in the moonlight. Just by looking at it Gary recognized it as being in relation to flying. And yet he had no clue what she had planned or how it involved him. "Each student is having their own individual exam to focus on their weaknesses. Yours will be different.
"I'm sending you to a new location that knows little about your family. Consider it an extension of your training," Agatha explained as she handed the packet over. Gary opened it slightly as a plane ticket rested on top, the date showing that he was to fly out tomorrow afternoon for a place called Shamouti Island. He had never heard of it, but if Agatha was sending him there it must have been for good reasons.
"Your written test is in there as well, so I'm trusting you won't cheat on it. As for the practical exam you'll be spending the next week on this island. I want you to bond with your partners and fully listen to their hearts. When you return after Spring break, I'll grade you."
"Spring break!?"
Agatha smirked at the boy as she stood up. With one hand she gently wiped her outfit off as dust fell onto the tree. With a simple wave she turned away from Gary and made her way back towards the campus. Gary noticed that a few wild Pokémon had returned now, the creatures no longer afraid of their presence as they drank from the water his Pokémon had provided for the woods.
"Don't you remember? Spring break starts right after the midterms. I figured you'd like a vacation after all this. Enjoy yourself, it's on me."
He could barely hear her words but managed to make them out just fine. A smirk crossed over his own face as he silently thanked the old hag for everything. He didn't understand why she chose to help him, but he was grateful. The boy stared up at the moon, the celestial body looking gigantic tonight as it shined down onto the body of water before him. His hand reached up towards the satellite as his fingers closed around the vision of it.
He had decided that the moon would be his reminder of everything. It would always be watching over him, so it made sense that it managed to remind him of his current situation. It was time for him to finally get serious.
"I'm glad you'll be able to assist," Agatha stated as she hung up the phone. It clicked slightly as the woman placed it back on the receiver. The woman scribbled something into the notebook that sat atop her lap before sipping her tea. It was still too hot as she was forced to blow onto it before taking a second sip. Content with the temperature now she placed it on the table beside her as the television across from her repeated the earlier news. The creation of Johto's own individual League brought a smile to her face though she was surprised to see just how the two teams of Elite Four had been broken up.
Without a word the television went dark, Gengar emerging from the device as it sat beside Agatha on her couch. She had been fortunate to find a nice apartment in the city considering how short of a notice she gave her realtor agent. While it wasn't perfect the place would do until she could find a house that suited her.
"You're right, Gengar, I shouldn't be distracting myself. I still need to finish planning a few more trainers," Agatha muttered. Her pencil tapped against her book as only a few names remained, one of which belonged to Mr. Ketchum. She had been frustrated at him skipping class again, though when she learned the truth (and as to why Giselle and Brock both missed class) she excused it. As it was, they would be returning before midterms began next week so she didn't care. All that they were doing for class until the exams would be reviewing.
Her phone began to ring, the sudden noise causing her to drop her pencil. As she stared at the caller ID a smile crossed her face. Now composed, the older woman reached for the phone and answered.
"Agatha speaking," she stated. The voice on the other end remained silent for a moment before finally speaking up. Agatha recognized it from anywhere, Blue's voice being famous in the Kanto region now. Or at least was famous, though his incident in Vermillion had helped his popularity.
"You tried calling?"
"Yeah, earlier. I hadn't expected the new Viridian Gym Leader to be so busy."
Blue laughed at that, Agatha swearing that he was running a hand through his hair. Though she dashed the thought from her mind as he spoke up. He sounded interested in the offer she had left him, though she wasn't sure if he would take it just yet. Especially since he had been swamped with paperwork when it came to taking over the Gym from Giovanni. Not to mention the former Gym Leader had kept not only Blue but League officials from entering the Gym for a few days. He had explained that it was a mess and he wanted to clean it first, but the older woman felt there had been something suspicious in his mannerisms.
"So tell me straight, what exactly would I be doing?"
"It's nothing too crazy. I've got a couple students I want you to face. They'll be able to use all their Pokémon on hand while both yourself and Charizard will be restrained."
"Agatha, this really makes no sense if I'm being honest," Blue replied. The woman ignored him for a moment as she bent over and grabbed her pencil. She glared at the writing utensil as she noticed the tip had broken, though it would suffice to cross off names. The pencil circled the two names in her notebook as the former Champion continued to speak.
"Isn't this going a bit too far? They're just freshmen and I used to be the Champion of Kanto. Shouldn't you get someone who knows how to hold back?"
"Trust me, you're perfect for these two. I've watched them across the semester and while they haven't noticed it yet, they're the top two in the class when it comes to skills.
"It's funny though, you could argue they're two sides of the same coin with their approaches. I want to see how they'll handle such an overwhelming obstacle. Of course, their grades won't be determined on beating you."
A sigh could be heard on the other end of the line followed by a glass touching down against a surface. Agatha wondered if perhaps the lifestyle of being a Gym Leader was too much for him after being so free for so long. But the words that he spoke out made the woman excited for the coming week.
"Yeah, sure. I'll do it," Blue finally stated. With that Agatha crossed off two more names from her list. She was nearly complete now as Blue continued talking. "Is he one of them?"
"Depends on who you're referring to," Agatha answered. She could see Gengar was now bored, the Ghost and Poison-Type hanging upside down as its hands rested against the carpet. She tapped her cane at the creature to tell it to stop, she didn't need it to float down into the neighbor's apartment again. She already had an earful with them last time it occurred, she was not ready for a second one.
"If you mean your son, well he's off elsewhere starting tomorrow. He's got his own exam to worry about."
"Please," Blue answered, a chuckle erupting over the phone line. Agatha knew the man wasn't interested in facing his own son just yet, especially since he hadn't reached his peak yet. "I want to see how Red's boy is doing. Especially since it's been a few months since I saw him in Vermilion.
"I'm just hoping Red's alright. Ash doesn't know, but it has to be hard on him."
"It's odd we've yet to reach any form of contact with him," Agatha mused. She too had been worried over the lack of news in regard to their search. After Koga had brought forth the information to the League, they had silently sent out a search team for the man. And yet there had been zero leads that could have helped them find Red.
Silence fell between the two once more as the woman wanted to say something. But a beeping noise on her line ended any chance at that. She flashed a look at the caller ID quickly and figured it would be best to answer this. She had been trying to reach the individual for the past few hours to no avail.
"I'll let you know if I hear anything. But when you show up next week don't mention it. And thank you."
Blue didn't answer as Agatha quickly hung up. She continued to let the phone ring for a moment as she pondered what she would ask the individual on the other end. It wasn't exactly like she had her questions lined up for Giovanni in regard to his secrecy. And if she wasn't careful then the entire region could be turned against her due to his popularity. With a glance towards Gengar she could tell that her partner also knew it was a bad idea.
With a gentle placement she left the phone on the couch as she stood back up. Perhaps it would just be better to get an early night's sleep. She had plenty of time to question Giovanni, especially in a manner that he couldn't create answers or an alibi ahead of time. She wanted to know just how much of Team Rocket he knew of when he revealed their Celadon City base to the League.
"He's hiding something, I know it. And we'll get to the bottom of it eventually."
So Gary is finally on the path to redemption. Though he's still got a few things he needs to iron out before he can say he's atoned for his previous mistakes. Regardless, the next chapter will go back to focusing on Ash. There's not much to say really so I'll see you all in the next chapter.
Thank you to everyone who read the chapter and supports this story. Please leave a review letting me know what you enjoyed and how I can improve the story.