Blue called back Pidgey. The Pokémon had done his best, but of course all he could really do was weaken the Geodude and distract him with Sand Attack. As he sent out Squirtle, he counted on the Pokémon to hold up to the challenge

-x-

Squirtle rushed forward, dashing under the Geodude's Tackle, really more of a punch, before unleashing a Bubble. The Rock-type gasped, but half-blinded as he was he didn't even have the presence to try and block the blow, and a following Bubble sealed the deal.

Squirtle grinned, raising two of his fingers in victory toward Blue. "Alright, what's next? Another Geodude? One of those fossils things? Or maybe a second Rhyorn?"

The Gym Leader threw the Poké Ball in the field, and when it opened he looked up.

And up.

And up.

Until he realized he was staring at an Onix. The large snake made of boulders looked down toward the Water-type, smiling. "So, ready?" He asked.

Squirtle gulped, then the fight started.

He immediately used Withdraw, the head and paws disappearing inside the shell in time to allow him to block a Rock Throw. The tail of the Onix impacted the ground creating a hail of rocks that showered the Squirtle, but his shell wasn't tough for nothing. The moment the attack stopped, he opened his mouth and unleashed a Bubble. Onix roared at the hit, that was clearly effective, before rushing forward to Tackle him. He had only a second to realize how much a Tackle of that side would hurt, before the attack hit.

"Jump!" Blue shouted.

"Are you insan- Oooooh, I get it." Squirtle jumped at the last second, and made it on the face of the Rock-type. Not quite where he had wanted to go, but close enough. With a grin, he rushed forward, ignoring the Rock Throw that arrived on him the moment the Onix, undoubtably angry for his unwanted presence on his head, hit the ground once more. He tanked the blow and then grinned as he aimed downward with Bubble.

It was a rather simple bet. If he could not be knocked around, Squirtle had a fair chance of hitting such a big target, but to do that he needed to be able to aim at him. So, the best choice was to stand on him. He unleashed Bubble, then grasped the horn of the Onix as another barrage of Rock Throw descended on him. He managed to dodge most, but a few hit on target, before he continued to insist with Bubble, using the horn as support to not be sent flying when the Onix thrashed and coiled to force him away.

Soon enough, his Bubbles had made it. The explosions of water made Onix roar and lose consciousness, and with a wobbly smile, Squirtle raised his thumb.

Success. Yet he felt… strange.

-x-

Blue was about to call back his Pokémon when he noticed a change in Squirtle, who grew ears as the tail was developing and growing light fur. After a few seconds, instead of Squirtle there was a Wartortle, who touched his ears and looked at his tail enthusiastically. Blu smiled, then was interrupted by applause.

"Well, I'd say we can consider it a double win for you." Said Brock, the Gym Leader calling back his Onix as he approached Blue "Not only did you get the victory by overcoming my rock-solid defense, but your Pokémon has evolved right now. Proof of how well you trained him. " He said handing him the Boulder Badge and a MT with 'Bide' written on it. Blue smiled smugly and bowed his head in thanks.

The dumbest would have belittled that victory, as he had used a Water-type Pokémon against Pokémon with a double weakness to it, but Blue was well aware that pro-level specialists like Gym Leaders were skilled enough to stand up to opponents that they intended to use their weaknesses as their only tactic.

"Well, it's getting late. It's time to close, a good trainer must also recognize their limits and allow themselves to rest. " The Gym Leader said, walking away and greeting Blue, so he headed for the exit, but decided to leave Wartortle out of the Ball, he smiled as he came out of the Gym with the Boulder Badge in his hand. He patted Wartortle on the head.

"Two days and two badges. Well, on the other hand we are talking about me. " Then he put away the badge and started thinking about what he should do ... stop at Pewter City and leave tomorrow morning? No. There was a Pokémon Center just before Mt. Moon which was a couple of hours from there "You know ... I think we could also get to the next Pokémon Center within an hour and a half." He said. Assuming that the others would arrive in Pewter City the following day or even the same night, he already had a clear advantage having two badges and the others none given the Viridian Gym was closed "No. I can't slow down now. " He finished and set off.

-x-

July looked at Pewter City. Under the night sky, the city was really beautiful. It looked somewhat more rural than Viridian, but the great Museum was a sight to behold, even at night. Of course it was closed, but it was still impressive.

"What do you think Bulbasaur?" She asked. Bulbasaur scoffed, followed by a long yawn. Clearly, the only thing she was interested in was a long, long beauty sleep, followed by another day of fighting. Ironically, July was starting to get angry at the fact the Bulbasaur was always winning. And more importantly, that she was winning without her.

In the Viridian Forest, she had challenged some Bug experts. And even there, Bulbasaur had shined. She would have said she had absolutely lucked out with her starter: strong, fast, even elegant in her fighting style… but her personality was the WORST. July was slowly going from feeling inadequate as a Trainer to hating Bulbasaur uncontrollably. No matter what she said, Bulbasaur would do only what she wanted, even if it was the opposite of her Trainers order. She probably thought she was doing the best, but in July eyes her natural talent was simply helping her mitigate sloppy and repetitive technique. Multiple times she had seen her use Vine Whip to block an attack, even when dodging was a better choice.

'If she lost once I might get room to improve our relations, but if she keeps winning… I don't know what to do.' She wondered how her Gym challenge would go 'And I am also not sure what losing would do to her self-esteem. I take an overzealous starter over a depressed one.' Still, she needed to form a better relationship between them. Maybe if she could figure out what the Pokémon wanted…

-x-

Gastly observed the Trainer House Raziel was into. Those buildings were common throughout the region, resting places for licensed trainers that offered food, water and a room to sleep in. This one was right at the exit of Viridian Forest. It was hosted by an elderly man that was proudly selling Everstones, although no one seemed particularly thrilled about the prospect of buying one.

His trainer had decided it was a better choice to stop there and proceed the next day to Pewter, rather than walking in the night through a probably largely deserted road. "I don't really see the issue, but I am also a natural born Gastly, of course I don't get what scares humans so much about the dark." If it was the Dark type, at least…

He noticed his trainer watching one of the Everstones. "I wonder if ..." He heard him say. Then he shook his head, put the object away and apologized to the man. Gastly wondered what he was thinking. It clearly wasn't for him. Since they met Raziel has always observed him with interest and treated him in the best way, he had also heard him study the best possible moves once he evolved. He shook his head ... or rather, the whole body, it made no sense to think about it and then fluttered out the window He wondered off outside the window. His trainer had let him out of the Ball at night on the condition he would not cause problems. 'And I won't… where he can find me.' He thought, already hyped for his next trick. 'Should I do the howling in the dark? That one scared the shit out of that stack up of Bulbasaur, even if she would never admit it. Oh, maybe I should do the Pure Ghost? I scared so many people back in the tower…'

Of course, a joke needs a loser to fall for it. And, he noticed happily, he had found exactly the one. Now he just needed some help.

-x-

"So are you really sure I am NOT supposed to peck you to assert my role in the chain of command?" Asked Spearow. "That seems something the leader would not be happy about. I mean, if we don't establish who is higher in command, how do we…"

"There isn't really an higher in command." Charmander explained. Spearow's eyes went wide "We are supposed to work together to win, not give orders to each other."

"But isn't the trainer job to give orders?" Spearow asked, confused.

"Well, it's more complicated. You are following what the trainer says in battle, yes, but you are also supposed to think with your own head and with what you learned in the training before." Charmander explained, proud of his knowledge generated by his seniority of one day over the Spearow "If the trainer tells you to fire an attack, you don't just do that immediately, you wait for the opening. If your trainer tells you to dodge though, you are probably better off just dodging."

"I… see… I think. So, what happens if the order the trainer gives is completely wrong?" Spearow asked.

"Well, you need to have some trust in your trainer. If he gives an order that seems wrong, like using a Ground move on a Flying type, he might still have a plan, don't you think?" Charmander said. "Of course if he screws up you should make him realize that. And if he screws up too much, you can run off. That was something they have always explained us at the daycare. 'A Poké Ball will release a Pokémon after a week they are trapped in there without release, and will consider them released, so even if your trainer wanted to keep you forced inside he would still be just procrastinating the inevitable'. Not that Andrew would do that." He said, mimicking for a while the voice of an older Pokémon, maybe a Charizard.

Spearow nodded, pondering on his own what this notion meant. Trust was understandable, all the Spearow followed Fearow's rule because of not only strength but also trust. The idea of not being just following orders was… weird in a way. Sure, they weren't giving orders to each other all the time in the flock, but they had to always do exactly as told if someone above them gave an order. "This will take some time to get used to. A lot better than a demotion in the flock though."

He wondered what his family was thinking. They probably had noticed what happened and figured out he had been captured at this point. Fearow would probably just move on, and his brothers and sisters maybe miss him a bit, but eventually move on too. He wasn't dead after all, just on a new journey.

'Maybe one day I'll go back too as a Fearow.' He thought 'I bet they will all be envious of my…' In that moment, a weird mist began to form in the forest. Charmander and Andrew stopped walking, and Spearow landed on his right shoulder. It was a surprisingly comfortable position.

"Any idea what's happening guys?" Andrew asked, worried "This mist is a bit too fast to be natural." Charmander shook his head, and after thinking a moment Spearow did the same.

Andrew scanned the area around. Nothing but mist. Spearow noticed it was growing stronger. At this point, Spearow could barely see the closest trees.

Then he heard it. A low howling, like an Houndoom but even scarier. He had only heard the call of an Houndoom once, during a short migration further west, but he could tell that was not it. It felt… wrong.

"Who dares walk the Viridian Forest in the sacred night?" A voice, a faint whisper, asked to his left. He turned to see a pair of yellow eyes disappear in the mist. Charmander and Andrew had done the same.

"You dare enter those forbidden woods, trespasser? What is it you seek?" The whisper asked again, now to their right. They turned. Again, yellow eyes, and then the mist. Andrew was clearly doing his best attempt at looking sure of himself. Charmander was really doing none of that, turning his head left and right, trying to use his tail to see more.

Then there was the sound of some branches snapping. In front of them, behind them, to their side. And a quite laugh rose from all over the forest, like it was in their hears.

"None of you will ever leave. All of you will be devoured by the Spirits of the Woods!" The voice declared, and something touched Spearow. He saw a sticky substance on his wing, that looked like… Drool. He looked up to see gigantic white eyes and the shape of a mouth. The other followed his sight.

And that was it. Andrew called back Charmander and started running north, followed by Spearow, flying at the best of his ability, already outpacing the young Trainer.

-x-

"Well thank you boys, that was fun." Gastly said, smiling. The group of Pikachu, who had been his shining eyes by lighting their cheeks, and his terrifying stomps, smiled in return.

"Don't mention it man, that was a lot of fun. Most Gastly around here are boring, just turning signs or licking people unexpectedly. How did you do the mist trick?"

"I just dispersed most of my gas. Once I do that, the poisonous part is so nebulized it basically turns into fog." The Pokémon said, smiling proud.

"What about the giant eyes and the mouth?" The Caterpie asked. He had been in charge of dragging back up the Pikachu with String Shot before the group's eyes adjusted.

"Just changed the gas density. That way, the light of the moon was enough to make the eyes and the covered area could look like a mouth, with a touch of Hypnosis to make it look scarier in their mind than it was in reality of course. Then to make it more convincing I just drooled a bit." His audience looked enamored, with one of the Pikachu even clapping, and he smiled proud. Working on that trick had taken months, but he was positive anyone would be scared by it.

Laughing and thinking back at the face of the brown-haired boy and his Pokémon, he started to return to Raziel's room in the Trainer House. "Perhaps next time I could use more Hypnosis and less practical effect." He thought, pondering his options. The risk was that using Hypnosis too strongly would cause someone to fall asleep (which was its main use in combat, after all). "Eh, we'll see, I had my fill for tonight."

He did not notice the red eyes following him.

-x-

Andrew sighed entering the Trainer House. "What was that?" He muttered. "Seriously, what was that?" He asked to Spearow, who was perched on his shoulder, huffing for the fastest flight he had ever done. The Flying Pokémon shook his head, as confused as he was.

"Maybe Raziel would know, he sounds like the kind of person that knows everything about Ghosts and spirits." He thought.

He sit down on a chair, and asked the waiter for a cup of tea. He really needed to calm himself. "At least running has taken us here a lot earlier than we expected. Though I'd gladly go back to not getting scared like that."

Thinking logically, it had probably been a Pokémon, but what kind of Pokémon could do something like that? And why. The voices sounded so… real. He assumed some sort of sound illusion was possible, but… had that really been an illusion?

"What am I thinking, of course it was. Am I supposed to believe in the Spirits of the Viridian Forest?" He asked. Ridiculous. It must have been a trick. He let Charmander come out to calm down too.

Half an hour later, his tea finished, he was almost relaxing, when the man behind the counter, an elderly man, moved closer.

"Hello son. I couldn't help but notice you look scared. Something happened?" He asked "You are not the first that comes back all scared from the Forest lately."

"Really?" Andrew asked "Because of… Spirits of the Viridian Forest?"

The man looked surprised for a second, then… nodded "Well, I don't know if they are Spirits, but there is… something out there. The other day someone came back here telling me that there were moving trees. And not like, a Trevenant or a Sudowoodo, a legitimate tree just stalking him. Sure enough, I found a completely eradicated tree on the side of the road. Another had been followed by a swarm of shiny Beedrill, that had all disappeared once he turned to fight them. In their place, he found his own team members, who were running behind him to attack the thief of their Poké Balls" The man shook his head "There is something weird out there. Something that is either making some bad jokes, worse than a Gastly or even a group, or is really malicious."

Andrew felt himself shaking, and noticed Spearow doing his best impression of a brave Pokémon. Charmander was not even trying. The Pokèmon was on the verge of crying. Andrew told the old man his own experience, and he nodded "I see. I'll pass it to the Police, just in case. Though, maybe yours was just a really good Gastly. Nothing you said was out of the norm for one of those, the mist their gas, the eyes and voices some well aimed Hypnosis... Maybe you have just been unlucky."

Andrew nodded, taking a sigh of relief. Even if the old man was lying just to make him feel better, he was grateful for that. He really needed it.

-x-

"Yes, the Gastly saved us some time." Said the Team Rocket member on the phone "The kid is running away and we can move the cargo according to schedule, since there is no one left in the woods."

The boss laughed "Is Gengar ok? Knowing him, he is sad he didn't get to do his show."

The Rocket laughed back "Yeah, he is a bit miffed about it. I think he has some criticism about the performance, but I am just happy we can move. Keeping people away has been quite hard."

"Yes, I can imagine." The boss replied "Well, take everything to the Viridian Gym, and make sure no one sees you. And that no recruits go to the basement. I'm counting on you Kai."

"Yessir!" The Rocket shouted, and then gave an order, as the recruits behind him started moving the boxes. Storing the goods in the Viridian Forest, waiting for a night when no one would notice a group entering the Viridian Gym, had been hard, but Dojin had given them the clear: no one was camping around the Gym to get a challenge, nor there was a patrol car keeping an eye on the building. "Thankfully, I was tired of sitting in here."

And so the Rocket prepared himself for a busy night.

-x-

July was walking to the gym. Since she had woken up, two hours ago, she had been too worried to think about anything else. 'My first Gym battle...' She thought, looking at the building. The Pewter City gym was one of the three located in eastern Kanto, along Viridian and Cinnabar

The Gym Leader was a certain Brock, on the younger side of the Kanto Gym Leader list. An expert fossil hunter, a Rock-Type user… 'Not really much I can do about strategy.' She glared at Bulbasaur. The Pokémon was still acting like she wasn't even there, merely following her around but disregarding any order. If the situation was normal, she wouldn't have been worried. First badge fights are supposed to be a simple 2v2, with the Gym Leader selecting two Pokémon appropriate for the challenger level. In her case, it was probably going to be some unevolved Rock-type. 'Geodude… Those fossils, maybe he will use one?' She thought. 'I mean, he isn't really going to use an Onix against a complete newbie, right?' Anyway, nothing a Grass type should fear.

She was pretty sure earlier in the morning she had seen Andrew, with a Spearow on his shoulder, grab some Potions at the store and then run back to Route 2, but that was normal. After all, he had a Fire-type as starter and now apparently a Flying-type right next to it, it seemed… unlikely that they could stand a chance without extra training. She wondered if he even had a plan.

Then she was there. A great sign in bold letters declared Pewter Gym – Leader: Brock – Challenge the Rock-Solid Pokémon Trainer. Every Gym leader had his own title, something to describe their fighting style or something about their personality. 'I really hope he isn't the kind of guy that does too many rock-based jokes…' She thought. The Gym itself was a very anonymous building, with an entrance for the spectators and one for the challengers. Other signs showed there were other entrances. Everything else not different from any other Pokémon Battle Stadium, Except for the fact of the building being weirdly large. In length, it was about the size of six football fields, and the same in width.

Entering from the challenger door, she read the list of winners of the month. Right at the top was the most recent, B. Oak. "Of course, he is already ahead, why am I even surprised." She asked herself. Apparently she had beaten both Andrew and Raziel though. Or they had lost.

The interior of the Gym was very different from the outside. She found herself staring at a field decorated like a barren landscape with tall rocks and boulders all over the place, obstructing her view. To reach the arena of the Gym Leader, a sign near the entrance explained, she was supposed to just walk through the field to it, although there were trainers hidden behind the rocks. If they met, she was supposed to fight and win. More importantly, there were also other challengers in the field, making their way to the arena. If two challengers with the same amount of experience met, they were supposed to fight each other. A loss meant waiting a day to take the Gym again.

July took one deep breath, and stepped on the field. After her first step, it became very mundane. It was more or less like walking on a normal rock field. The first few boulders had no one behind. Maybe she was going to dodge every…

"Hello miss!" Shouted a voice when she passed another rock. 'Well of course, it can't be that easy.' She turned to see a boy about her age, with red hair and a… tuxedo? Was she seeing that right?

"So, how many badges?" She asked.

The guy frowned "I have currently none. I just graduated two days ago from the Viridian City Academy, and since that one is closed, I made my way here." He then bowed his head "George Allen Ayn, at your service."

July looked at George. He was a bit weird, but didn't seem particularly dangerous. 'Sorry rich boy, this tomboy needs a good thing to happen today.' She thought.

"Well, I am July Touki, just graduated from the Pallet Town Academy. Think we can do a one v one? I only have one Pokémon with me."

There was a slight change in George's look, but it quickly went back to normal. "That's perfect miss, I have no problem with that." He said, taking out a Poké Ball. July just gave a nod to Bulbasaur. The Pokémon yawned and walked forward. She looked around to notice a camera pointed to them. Apparently the Gym was making sure the fight would go according to rules.

George sent out… a Pokémon July didn't really know well. The Doduo chirped twice, while July took out her Pokédex and started reading. "Twin Bird Pokémon, Normal/Flying… Foot speed… 60 mph?" She read, then she turned to Bulbasaur. "Ok Bulbasaur, watch out, that Pokémon his fast and has type advantage. Please, listen to me."

-x-

Bulbasaur scoffed. "Fast? This thing? Looks like an overgrown Spearow."

"Pardon me, missy, but I don't really see any resemblance, how are we like a Spearow?" The left head asked politely.

"It was meant to be a joke you asinine idiot!" The right head angrily replied.

"Now Dod, you are very much not supposed to talk like that in front of a lady."

"I will talk however I want in front of the bit…"

The other head interrupted "DOD! We already discussed language! I am very sorry miss, unfortunately my twin here is kind of a…"

"An incredible douchebag?" She asked, glaring at the right head.

"AH, ok, I take it back, I like her." The right head said.

"Uh, is that normal?" July asked.

"Yes, it seems Doduo don't always cooperate. Dod, Uo, please behave, we have a fight to get to."

'Did he really call a Doduo Dod and Uo?' Bulbasaur asked herself. Then the Pokémon took his stance.

"Oh-oh, ok then, let's…" Before she could even finish the sentence, the double headed bird was sprinting towards her. In fact, it was on her. There was a shout from the trainer and the right head went back.

"Dodge the Peck and use Tackle!" Shouted the tomboy. Bulbasaur scoffed and jumped on the offensive instead, jumping to use Tackle. Before she could even complete the motion, she felt the Peck hit her side, and was sent rolling away.

"Lucky shot birdy." The Bulbasaur said, getting herself back up. And once again, Doduo was already on her, at an eerily speed. Now both heads were darting back.

"Bulbasaur, quick, dodge the Fury and go for Tackle!" The girl shouted from the side.

'Fair enough, I guess, this guy is faster than he looks.' She thought as she jumped to the right side avoiding the hit of the right beak. The left beak came down and she jumped backwards.

"Don't jump back! They are coming from the side, you have to attack then, when they leave an opening!" July shouted.

'Stupid girl, like my problem isn't in front of me. Give her one chance and she immediately…' Her thought was interrupted by a third attack from the left. She jumped back again… and found herself against a rock. "Oh sh…"

"Very sorry miss." The left head said, hitting with Fury.

"Not sorry at all babe." The right head said, as she did the same. The two hits landed simultaneously on the flanks. She felt air fly out of her lung as a follow up Peck hit her… And everything went black.

-x-

July sighed. "Sooner or later it had to happen, I guess." She had tried to warn the Bulbasaur that she was getting cornered, but of course she had jumped back anyway.

"Well, guess that's it. Thanks for…" She was interrupted by the look on George's face, a deep glare.

"What was that?" He asked, calling back the Doduo and moving closer to July.

"W-what do you mean?"

"That… Fight, if we can call it that. I basically watched a Pokémon do whatever they wanted as their trainer shouted orders she had no hope they would listen to. Would you call that a match?"

July went red for the shame, but answered "Well is not my fault! You think I like seeing Bulbasaur lose? She is just… Headstrong."

George scoffed "Headstrong, uh? Well, Doduo is headstrong too, as you noticed, but he will do as he is told. No miss, the problem is that you can't control your Pokémon. And you wanted a Gym Challenge?"

July was now trembling a bit. That was exactly what she had kept in the back of her head all this time. "Well, uh…"

"I am not finished." The young man said, pointing at her pocket "You are a Dexholder…"

"A what now?"

"Is what the Viridian Tribune was calling you guys with a Pokédex. What I mean is, Professor Oak chose you over a hundred candidates!" He said, adding a barely audible "Over me."

"You…"

"A girl that can't even control a Bulbasaur, the easiest starter according to most breeders? You are one of the four best of this year? Maybe it is true Professor Oak just gave it to his grandson and his friends for fun like the Tribune said."

July tried to answer, but she couldn't find anything. It was true she was having a serious problem with Bulbasaur. And she had no control at all.

The girl stuttered to find a reply, then… turned and run off. She felt George's eyes on her before he disappeared from her view. She left the gym in tears and kept running for most of the way back to the Pokémon Center, before hiding in a corner to cry her pain out.

'Professor Oak just gave it to his grandson and his friends…'

'A girl that can't even control a Bulbasaur…'

'A trainer shouting orders she had no hope it would ever listen to…'

George's lines had hit her on the sore spot. She kept crying for a while, then sniffed. With red eyes from the tears, she started walking to the Pokémon Center. "What do I do now?"

-x-

"So a giant spirit just appeared out of the woods and tried to eat you and your Pokémon?" Raziel asked. Andrew noticed the way he was looking at him. If this was a manga, he was fairly sure the Ghost Trainer's eyes would be shining.

"Yes, it went 'Who dares enter the Viridian Forest on the sacred night?' or something like that. Then we started seeing eyes around us, and there were steps, and then it went 'You shall be eaten' and there was the giant face in the sky and…" Andrew sighed "Look, I know it sounds weird, but I'm telling the truth.

Raziel looked puzzled for a second, and then nodded "Fine I believe you."

"You what?"

"Man, do you realize how many Ghost types are out there? Sure in Kanto we only see Gastly and his family, but there are a lot more. Trust me, you have likely been the victim of some Ghost playing a prank. Probably the same for the others you told me about. Must be a strong one."

Andrew looked at him. No fright, not even a hint of disbelief. He had not only bought the story completely, but was clearly already trying to figure out what kind of Pokémon it was.

"So, yellow eyes, and then white… either two or more, or an illusion. Fog… the steps are weird, maybe the Pokémon got some help… or is a very good one with sound based illusions, but I read somewhere that most Ghost types are bad at making step sounds on account of not having feet. Though maybe a Reborn one…" Raziel was deep in his thought. So deep in fact, he almost did not notice the bike coming his way. Thankfully, Andrew dragged him out of the way. The bike grinded to an alt soon after.

"Sorry, sorry!" Raziel shouted "I didn't want to…"

"Didn't want to what? Get run over?" the man on the bike asked angrily. He was a couple years older than both, dressed like a professional cyclist. His face was shaved and, apparently, so was his head, at least on the parts that stuck out of the helmet.

"Now listen sir, I am really sorry…" Raziel tried to say, but he was interrupted again.

"Do you have any idea what you just interrupted? I was this close to beating my record but no, a stupid kid has to be thinking about…"

"Woah there." Andrew said, looking at both the cyclist and Raziel. It was pretty clear his new friend was starting to move from 'very sorry' to 'very angry', and at quite the speed "Listen, we are sorry, but be can't really do anything about it. It's my fault as well, so please, just let it go."

The cyclist glared at both of them, and then just jumped back on his bike and run off, muttering something about "stupid pedestrians".

Andrew turned to Raziel. He was very angry, that much was clear "Even a bit too angry." He thought, looking at his clenched fists and red face. After all, they WERE the ones at fault, so getting that heated over it seemed wrong.

After a minute or so, and after hearing him mutter something that sounded like a 'Let's see if you still dare to talk to me like this after Gastly licked you off twenty years of life or more', Raziel calmed down. "Sorry, I… I don't take insults well." Raziel said.

"Uh, but you didn't get that angry with Blue."

"Of course, he didn't insult me. Did he?"

Andrew processed the thing. 'He never realized Blue wanted to mock him with the fight? Or even before with the way he dresses?' He shook his head 'Well whatever, it's better this way. We should work together after all, and at least one of us won't think that guy is an insufferable prick.'

"No, no, I was just worried something he said might have sounded like an insult. Come on, let's go train some more."

The two proceeded north, calming down as they looked for Pokémon or Trainers to challenge. 'Some more training, and we should be ready to fight in the Gym.' He thought, looking at his belt. They had made it to Pewter that morning together, after finding out they had slept in the same Trainer House. And surprisingly, Raziel had agreed to come and train with him. Considering the Gym was supposed to be a neutral type for him, he had expected the guy to just run into it. 'I bet July and Blue probably already won.' He thought.

After all, his friends were the best. 'July has probably already made it to Mt. Moon, and Blue could very well be in Cerulean knowing him.' He mused. 'I probably have a lot to do to catch up.'