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Xxx
Leaf & Saffron!
After three weeks of battling and training, Ash finally reached the Pokémon Center outside Rock Tunnel. "Here we are." He exhaled. "Rock Tunnel." Ash entered the Pokémon center, wanting a day's rest before beginning his training inside the tunnel.
"Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I help you?" Nurse Joy asked Ash brightly. Ash smiled, handing over his pokéball.
"I would like to get my Pokémon a checkup. Also, I would like to book a room for the night." Nurse Joy smiled brightly and, taking his pokéballs and pokedex, registered him.
"Here you go. Your room number is C-5." Ash nodded and walked upstairs, the place rooms were. Ash collapsed on the bed as soon as he entered it, spent from the long travel from Cerulean City to here.
'Tomorrow.' Ash thought. 'Tomorrow we'll start our training.' Ash had a lot of plans for the training. He had been planning them throughout the travel.
His team needed work.
And not just in battling.
Xxx
Cynthia and Gary had reached Saffron after one and a half week. Cynthia had to admit. She had misjudged Gary. Spending time with him was not all that bad.
After a few days, Gary had returned back to his normal state and wasn't as protective of her. That meant his egoistical attitude and smugness had returned. Though it wasn't as overbearing as before.
"I'm more interested in being a Pokémon Researcher." Cynthia told Gary as they passed the city Gate. "Just I don't want to be confined in a Pokémon Lab all my life and instead do field work."
"Me too." Gary told the blonde. "I want to fill in my Grandfather's footsteps but find it boring. That's why I'm focusing more on being a Champion first."
"Same." Cynthia replied. "Just not the Champion part. I'm not that interested in running a whole region. Too much responsibility."
"Being a Champion is not everyone's cup of tea." Gary smirked. "Especially nerds." He teased. Cynthia puffed her cheeks in annoyance. Gary poked her right cheek with his index finger.
Cynthia grabbed his finger and pulled it down. "Yeah well, this nerd defeated you in a one-on-one battle." Cynthia retorted.
"Beginner's Luck my child." He taunted with a sly smile. "You won't win our next fight anyway."
"Whatever helps you sleep." Cynthia shot back. The two reached the Pokémon Center.
"Gary! Cynthia!" The blonde and brunette turned at the familiar voice, and their eyes widened at the sight of their childhood friend Leaf.
"Leaf!" Gary exclaimed. The slender, chestnut haired girl ran forward and hugged him in greeting. She then hugged Cynthia too.
"Pleasant surprise seeing you two here." She commented. "Wait, are you travelling together?" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Nope." Cynthia spoke up before Gary could make a sly remark. "He was accompanying me till Saffron only."
"She was scared alone." Gary added with a sly smirk. "So, I decided to help her."
"Haha, very funny." Leaf said, punching his shoulder playfully. "How about we catch up after grabbing a bite to eat? I'm starving."
"Sure."
Xxx
"So, how many badges you have?" Leaf questioned them. Cynthia held up two fingers in response. She looked at Gary who responded likewise. "Too bad for you! I have three!"
"Oh. The Slowpoke is speeding up." Gary smirked. Cynthia, ignoring his small dig, looked at the brunette.
"What's the third one? The first two must be Boulder and Cascade." Cynthia asked curiously.
"Rainbow. Erika was a piece of cake." Leaf grinned. Cynthia pursed her lips in thought.
"I was planning to challenge her next. Any piece of advice?" She inquired.
"Just make sure to be prepared for status ailments and traps." Leaf shrugged. "She doesn't have much firepower so you can punch through with a Fire Type or Flying Type."
"Ok." Cynthia swallowed that. "Erika seems pretty easy."
"She is." Leaf replied. "She's only Nineteen years old. Lacks the experience her Dad had in gym battling."
"That's one young age for such a responsibility." Gary cut in. "I'm going to challenge Lt. Surge first." The two girls looked at him in surprise. "Erika is easy. I want a challenge."
"Good luck with that confidence." Leaf replied after a moment. "I'm going to challenge him next too. But after some training." She turned to Cynthia again. "What about Ash? Weren't you two travelling together?"
Cynthia froze at the question. They hadn't told Leaf about the incident yet, have they? "I-" Cynthia choked a bit.
"They had a fight." Gary intervened. Cynthia looked at him in surprise. "They decided to split up. He's in Rock Tunnel training while Cynthia decided to come to Saffron."
"Really?" Leaf asked, not believing that. "Ash doesn't seem like the type to argue or fight with someone, especially you." She eyed the blonde.
"Wait. What do you mean by especially me?"
"The argument was over a petty matter." Gary carried on. "Cynthia wanted to come to Saffron, he wanted to go to Rock Tunnel. So they split."
"That simple?" Both nodded. "Well, if you want, I can give him a piece of my mind the next time I see him." Cynthia shook her head.
"Nah, we're cool." The blonde told him. Leaf shrugged and decided to finish her burger. Cynthia shot a grateful look to the spiky haired boy who simply inclined his head.
'Never expected Gary to bail me out on such matters.' Cynthia thought. 'Eh, I should get used to that.'
"I originally wanted to do the same thing." Gary added to Leaf. "Leaving Cynthia alone for his selfish desires." Leaf looked at him. "It doesn't suit him at all. Maybe I will have a talk with him when we next meet about this."
"Whoa big guy." Leaf interrupted. "No need to fight with him. What's done is done."
"It isn't his fault Gary." Cynthia began. "I could've accompanied him to Rock Tunnel instead. We're both at fault here." Cynthia knew what he was saying. Gary blamed Ash a bit for her current condition.
"Moving on," Leaf began. "Have you explored Saffron City?" The two looked at her.
"We just arrived here blabbermouth." Gary replied. Leaf shot him an angry look.
"Wanna explore?" She asked. Cynthia thought about it. They had just arrived and could use some rest. But, she wanted to catch up with Leaf too.
"Sure." Cynthia responded.
"I'll rather rest for a while." Gary said. "I'm tired from Route 5."
"Suit yourself." Leaf got up. "Let's go." Cynthia finished her juice and got up. "See you later Gare-bear."
"Ok Blabbermouth." That promptly earned him a smack on his head.
Xxx
"So, what do we have to explore?" Cynthia asked Leaf. Leaf passed her a grin at that.
"Oh, tons!" She showed her a Tourist Guide. "We can go see the Fighting Dojo, Contest Hall, the famous Kyle's Noodle Shop, and The Pokémon Fan Club etc."
"Whoa. That's a lot of stuff." Cynthia exclaimed. Leaf passed her a cheeky grin.
"That's not all." She boasted. "There's the Magnet Station about to be built. It will get you to Goldenrod in Johto in about two days. But it isn't built yet. And…" She read the Tourist Guide. "There's this Mr. Psychic who can read minds and helps you fight your inner demons something."
'Could use a visit to him.' Cynthia thought.
"And last but not the least, there's the Silph Co Tour. We can go there if you want too." Cynthia chewed her lips in thought. "Where should we go first?"
"Let's go to the Contest Hall first." Cynthia said. "We'll plan from there."
"Okey dokey." Leaf mock saluted her. The two girls made their way to the Contest Hall.
Xxx
"It's dark." Ash commented as he made his way through Rock Tunnel. On his shoulder, Zeus provided some much wanted light. "You should learn Flash Zeus. It's nice to disorient enemies."
Zeus nodded. He'll learn it in Rock Tunnel hopefully. The duo of Pokémon found a proper camping sight after a bit of exploring and Ash called his team out.
"This is a nice place to camp on." Ash stretched. "Guys, warm up. We're going to begin training." His team nodded and spread around. Ash looked around, mentally planning his camp.
It was a place a bit away from the main path. Ash did it that way so no trainer could stumble upon him.
Not everyone loved to play fair.
In fifteen minutes Ash had setup everything crucial. That included his tent, a bonfire with a boundary made of rocks, and some rocks as target practice. His team had warmed up by then too.
"Ok then." He took off his jacket. "Zeus and Bulbasaur, you're sparring. No holding back." The two walked away a bit away from the campsite, enough to be in eyesight but far enough so no stray attacks could hit anyone accidently.
"Mystic, you're practicing Take Down on those rocks." Ash gestured to a few boulders. "I want it down by tonight. Okay?" Mystic nodded and ran off for her training. "Oceanus, start working on Hydro Pump. You've got enough stamina and experience for it. I know it's hard so take your time. Don't overstretch yourself."
Oceanus nodded and set off for his own training. Ash looked at Viper who was waiting for her own command. "Viper, we're going to go look for potential teammates."
Ash had sent Skylar to Professor Oak to make room for new teammates. The Pidgeotto had refused at first, but after a bit of coaxing and promise that he'll call her back soon, she grudgingly agreed.
Skylar had no use in Rock Tunnel anyway. It was dark and way different from her natural habitat. The Pidgeotto needed open air for dexterity and training, something Rock Tunnel lacked.
Viper shrugged and followed him.
Xxx
"It's so beautiful." Cynthia exclaimed in awe. They were standing in front of the entrance and the blonde was entranced. The Contest Hall had beautiful, pristine, long arches that showed the architectural skills.
The gate was made of polished wood with golden outlines and designs. In short, it was pretty elegant. The duo of rookies entered the contest hall, and was surprised by the beauty.
The hall was ornamented by portraits of successful Top Coordinators. "All these are Coordinators who have won the Grand Festival." Leaf told Cynthia. "You can say this is their hall of fame."
"Nice." Cynthia replied. She paused suddenly. "May Maple?" Cynthia's eyes widened reading the name. She looked up and found the brunette's smiling face.
She was dressed in an Arabic-themed pearl-pink veil which had a green gem at the top, pink top with saffron borders and heart on the chest area, lilac-purple skirt, saffron-colored necklace with a red heart-shaped gem, pink fabric in her waist, and brown flip-flop shoes with toe rings. She looked very beautiful.
"You know her?" Leaf asked Cynthia curiously.
"Yeah! I met her in Vermillion Forest. We travelled to Cerulean City together." Cynthia told Leaf. "She never told me she's a Top Coordinator." Cynthia muttered.
"She must be very skilled." Leaf commented. The blonde nodded.
"She helped Ash develop a fighting style for his Pidgeotto." Cynthia replied.
"I'll love to meet her someday." Leaf wished. Cynthia passed her a smile.
"She's participating in Indigo League. You can meet her there. Possibly even battle her." Cynthia added.
"I can't wait!" Leaf exclaimed. The two carried on in the hall, eventually reaching the desk.
"Hello there." The receptionist greeted. "How can I help you?"
"We want to see the Art Library." Leaf replied.
"Give me your Pokedex please." Grabbing Cynthia's black-golden and Leaf's mint green, she typed something and registered them. Handing them their pokedex back, she smiled brightly. "Hope you enjoy your stay."
"We will." The two began to head forwards.
"Why do I get the feeling you have already been here?" Cynthia asked Leaf, a small smile on her face.
"Who said I haven't?" Leaf asked. "I'm in Saffron from the last few days. Of course I have done quite the exploring."
"Tell me about the Fighting Dojo then." Cynthia told the chestnut-haired girl.
"If you complete the challenge they present, then you can select a Fighting Type from their possession." She whispered.
"And why didn't you tell me that before?" Cynthia asked. Leaf shrugged.
"You would've headed straight to there then." Leaf answered.
"I don't have any Pokémon on me at the moment." Cynthia retorted. A sinking feeling introduced itself inside her at that.
No Pokémon…
Please don't hurt me.
"But I have." Leaf grinned cheekily. The sinking feeling lessened at that. "C'mon now!" She grabbed her hand and pulled her faster. Cynthia shook the feeling off her and focused on the Art Gallery.
Yup, she could use the visit to the Psychic.
Xxx
"See anything Viper?" Ash questioned the Grass Snake on his shoulder, able to see courtesy of his flashlight. The Snivy shook her head. She was unable to spot anyone yet.
Did he really have to expand his team further? Viper had a bit of a hard time adjusting to them and only now she was comfortable enough. A new teammate was all sorts of trouble.
But it was her trainer's choice in the end. Who was she to argue? Besides, if she felt hostile or uncomfortable, she could just leave. The option was still open, right?
Would she, though? Would she let a new Pokémon take her position in Ash's team? Viper sighed. Her mind was in mess regarding Ash again.
"Everything okay Viper?" Ash questioned. Viper nodded. They had been exploring for about half an hour now. Where were all the Pokémon? "I think we should return for now." Viper nodded. Now he was talking sensibly.
The duo of trainers returned back to their campsite and sat down. Ash looked at the training his Pokémon were undergoing and smiled. "Well, Viper. You can go practice Mega Drain." Viper nodded and walked off.
Ash sat down comfortably, fishing out his pokedex. He had made a few notes on the device for training in Rock Tunnel and was going through them.
After some consideration, Ash had decided against teaching Viper Iron Tail and instead searched for other moves. He wanted to teach her Leaf Tornado. It was similar to Leaf Storm, only that it didn't reduce attack power. However, its accuracy was less than the former too.
Mystic had almost learned Take Down so he cut that pointer. Only Double Edge remained for the time being. Zeus had yet to master Discharge and Wild Charge. Both were similar in nature, requiring large amounts of energy.
In Discharge, he discharged said energy all over the place while in Wild Charge, he focused it to form a coat. If Zeus could master Wild Charge, he could learn both Discharge, and the infamous Volt Tackle.
Oceanus was learning Hydro Pump. Ash had no way of teaching him Ice Beam at the moment. Cynthia's Buizel could have taught him that, but that bridge had been burnt. The only option right now was TM. Only problem was that they were available in Celadon City.
Bulbasaur was going to learn Power Whip and Stun Spore/Sleep Powder. Ash wanted him to combine the three status afflicting moves for some neat tricks.
Ash knew he was focusing more on training his Pokémon ever since the incident at the Hidden Village. He had begun to ignore them a bit.
That wasn't helpful.
Ash sighed. He'll deal with it the first moment he got. Right now, they were training.
And training they did the entire day.
Xxx
"That was some pretty skillful art." Cynthia told Leaf as they were exiting.
"Yup." Leaf agreed. "Where are we going to go next?"
"Let's go do some Window Shopping." Cynthia suggested. "It's been a while since I've done that."
"You did that in Cerulean with Ash." Leaf reminded.
"How do you know that?" Cynthia asked in surprise.
"You gave his Mom a Water Stone Sculpture as a Birthday gift, remember?" Leaf reminded. "When I delivered my gift too, Professor Oak told me about that."
"Oh." Cynthia said. "What did you give her?" Leaf smiled.
"I gifted her perfume from Celadon City." Cynthia stared at the slender girl at that.
"You were in Celadon City at that time?" She asked in surprise. Leaf shook her head.
"My Mom used to work in Erika's Perfume Brand, remember?" Leaf winked. "I asked her to pull some strings and gifted her perfume from my own money. So, it is my gift."
"Oh." Cynthia exclaimed. "Hey, I meant to ask. Did you get your hair done in Celadon or somewhere? They're different from what I remember them."
"Yup." Leaf winked. "There's this lane known as Scissor Street in Celadon City. A Pokémon Breeder who works part time at a Salon designed my hair because I let her see my Ivysaur. You should go there too. She'll beautify your hair pretty nicely."
"I'll think about it." Cynthia responded idly. The two girls began their window shopping.
45 minutes later…
"Saffron has pretty nice merchandise." The blonde commented. "I'll shop here someday."
"Let's check the Noodle Shop now." Leaf told her. "I can't wait to grab some!"
"Glad to see your foodie side hasn't died yet." Cynthia commented. Leaf shrugged and opened her tourist guide.
"C'mon. It ain't that far!" The slender girl grabbed her wrist and pulled her through some streets. Cynthia shook her head behind her amusedly. Glad to see Leaf hadn't changed.
"Here it is." Leaf exclaimed after a few minutes. Cynthia eyed the entrance. It wasn't anything special, just a simple brown building with a board on the top saying 'Kyle Hamm's Noodle Shop'.
The two entered the shop and were greeted by the Manager. "Table for two?" Leaf nodded. "Follow me please." Moments later, they were sitting on chairs, facing towards each other.
"So, what really happened between you and Ash?" Leaf asked. The blonde felt a bit uncomfortable.
"Just what I told you Leaf." Cynthia replied with a small smile. "It's all chill now."
"If you say so." Leaf replied, shrugging and brushing some hair out of her face. Their order came by then.
"Enjoy." The waiter told them. Leaf nodded.
"We will." She giggled making Cynthia crack a wider smile. The two began eating their food. Cynthia couldn't help but laugh a bit at Leaf's eating habits.
Despite her gentle, ladylike appearance, Leaf was far from that. She was easily more talkative than anyone else in their crew, she was a big foodie, and her speed of eating was outmatched.
Not that Cynthia thought any less of her. She preferred her just as she was. No need to change anyone.
"What are you thinking?" Leaf asked, breaking her out of her train of thoughts. "Eat up! That noodle won't finish itself."
"I know." Cynthia said, tasting her noodles. Her expression lit up at the taste. "They're really delicious." She smiled.
"They're famous for a reason." Leaf replied. Cynthia ate her noodles at a leisure pace, savoring the taste, while Leaf ordered another for herself.
"We should take parcel for Gary too." Cynthia said suddenly. Leaf looked at Cynthia like she had seen an alien. "What?"
"Who are you and what have you done to the Cynthia I know?" Leaf asked amusedly. "I never thought the day Cynthia thought about Gary would come. You hated him with a passion!"
"People change." Cynthia answered. "Besides, I never hated him. I just disliked him." Leaf snorted with laughter.
"Can you parcel one please?" Leaf asked. The waiter nodded and walked away. The two finished their noodles and got up, accepting the parcel.
"I'm paying." Cynthia interjected before Leaf could open her mouth. The duo, after giving the payment, walked out. Cynthia wrinkled her nose at the pollution made it known.
"After so long in the clean air, its suck to be in a city, right?" Leaf questioned. Cynthia nodded. "So, where to next?"
"To the Pokémon Center." Cynthia replied. "I'm tired and would like to rest a bit."
"Okay then." The two made way to the Pokémon Center. "I'll give this to Gary." Leaf told Cynthia on the stairs. The blonde nodded and retired to her room.
She collapsed on her bed. It was evening and she had eaten too. A little bit of extra rest wouldn't hurt.
She just hoped her nightmares won't return.
Xxx
"That's enough for today guys." Ash told his team. They cheered and collapsed on their spots. "Hey guys." Ash began. "I know we have amped the training up quite a bit and haven't spent much time together at all."
"So, I say we don't train tomorrow." His Pokémon looked at him in surprise. "Let's just relax for a day. A good trainer is not who wins the most battles, but one that knows his Pokémon. What do you say? We do that?"
The majority agreed. Only Viper didn't respond to that. "Then it's settled. We're relaxing tomorrow! Take some rest right now, I'm serving food."
Xxx
"You're leaving so soon?" Cynthia asked Gary in surprise. The brunette nodded.
"I need to catch some more Pokémon and train them too. Plus, the Gym Badges need to be collected too." Gary replied. "I'll most probably collect most of them and then take some time to train."
"That makes sense." Cynthia nodded. "Okay then." Gary zipped his bag and got up. "See you next time then blondie."
"Good luck for our next battle." Cynthia teased. "Hopefully it'll be a closer match."
"Ha ha, laugh it up." Gary retorted. "You won't laugh like this the next time we meet that's for sure."
"Dreaming in daylight." Cynthia chuckled. Their friendly banter was interrupted as Leaf entered the room.
"So, Gare Bear decided to make a move." Leaf commented.
"So, blabbermouth decided to show up." Gary taunted. Leaf punched him in return. "I'm leaving for Vermillion. See you two girlies later."
"Where do you get these terms from?" Leaf asked.
"From my brain, something you don't have." Gary replied. Cynthia shook her head at their antics. "See you two later." Gary left the room, leaving only Cynthia and Leaf.
"So, what's your plan?" Leaf asked Cynthia. The blonde shrugged.
"I'm staying in Saffron for a little while." She replied. "Then I'll head for Celadon. You?"
"Leaving for Lavender Town today." Leaf answered. "I need a Ghost Type. Then it's battle against Lt. Surge."
"Good Luck." Cynthia told her. "His monster of a Raichu is tough to beat."
"I have a strategy." Leaf grinned.
"And that is?"
"Restrain him and let Ivysaur pummel him into a pulp."
"You scare me sometimes."
"That's my battle style. Brute force." Leaf shrugged.
"When are you leaving?" The blonde questioned.
"Right now." Cynthia stared at her in surprise. "Route 8 is famous for Ghosts because it connects to Lavender Town. Also, it has a lot of graveyards."
"Due to the Poke-Plague, right?" Leaf nodded.
"Anyway, I'm off now. Enjoy your stay in Saffron." Leaf told her.
"Can't you stay for a few more days?" Cynthia asked in a small voice. Leaf shook her head.
"I'm in Saffron for the past week Cynthia." Leaf replied sadly.
"I understand." Leaf smiled. The blonde hugged her childhood friend goodbye. Leaf took her belongings and left the Pokémon Center. Cynthia sighed once she was alone and contemplated her plans.
Her original plan was to stay in Saffron with Leaf and explore some more. But now that the girl was gone, she had to reconsider it. 'I can give a visit to that Psychic who lives here and then leave for Celadon City.'
A new plan made, Cynthia got up. She could explore later on. Besides, she had to return to Saffron to reach Vermillion anyway. The blonde got up.
'Time to make a move.'
Xxx
"Here we are." Cynthia breathed deeply. She was standing in front of the house, a simple one story home. Pretty basic. Cynthia raised her knuckle and rapped against the door.
She waited for a few moments to no avail. "Maybe he isn't home." She mumbled. As she raised her knuckle again, the door opened. Cynthia stumbled back, startled.
"Cynthia Carolina." The psychic called. "Come inside my child." Cynthia entered the house wearily, looking at the lone person sitting in the room.
The door closed behind her. Cynthia's head whipped behind her. She heard a chuckle and looked at the man. He was an old man with a long, deep beard. He wore a dark cloak which hid most of his body.
Cynthia placed a hand over her heart, breathing deeply to control her fast beating heart. "My child, you have finally come to see me."
"How do you know me?" Cynthia asked, trying to control her shaky voice.
"I've been seeing you ever since you entered Saffron City." He grinned. "The last few days have not been polite on you I assume?" Cynthia thought of a good reply to that. She didn't find any.
"Can you help me?" Cynthia asked the bearded man. The Psychic shook his head.
"Only you and you alone, can properly defeat your demons." He replied. "I can help you accelerate the process a bit but that's all I can do."
Cynthia sighed. That wasn't what she expected at all. "So, there's nothing you can do?"
"I can help bring the problem in front of you." He corrected. "But it's on you how to handle it."
"Then help me do it." She cut to the chase. The Psychic nodded and gestured her towards him. Cynthia walked forward, closing the distance between them. He gestured her to sit, which she did.
"I need you to look into my eyes." Cynthia did as he asked, looking into his surprisingly enchanting eyes. The Psychic grabbed her cheeks and locked gazes.
Cynthia stared for a few moments, and then a myriad of thoughts hit her. Cynthia wanted to pull away, but the Psychic's grip on her stopped her from doing so.
Cynthia's form slumped as the last of the thoughts hit. The Psychic pulled back, giving her some personal space. Cynthia placed her palms on the ground for support.
"That's all I can do." The Psychic smiled. Cynthia nodded, wiping some sweat from her forehead.
"Thanks." Cynthia replied breathily. "How much-" The Psychic held up his hand.
"No need." Cynthia nodded and stayed down for a few more moments before getting up.
"I know my problems properly now," Cynthia told him. "Any piece of advice or wisdom on how I can solve them?"
"Give it time." He replied. "The solution will come running to you if you do so." Cynthia nodded.
"Thanks." Cynthia dipped her head in acknowledgement and walked outside. The blonde walked back to the Pokémon center to fetch her backpack and then leave for Celadon.
No need wasting time.
Xxx
"Enjoying Mystic?" Ash asked his Starter. The Eevee yipped in enjoyment as Ash ran a comb through her fur. The Evolution Pokémon had been offered one by her trainer and boy would she deny!
Ash reached all the places she had difficulty reaching. Plus, she could relax while her fur sorted itself. Plus, she had time to talk to Ash too. Ash didn't talk too much nowadays. He was more focused on training.
That's why it was a good decision to put down training today. They could focus and catch up. Viper and Bulbasaur were off chatting, Zeus was with Oceanus, asking him about past experiences.
While she had Ash all by herself.
"If I didn't know better, I would joke that you'll evolve into an Espeon in the cave." Ash joked. "Or would it be Umbreon? Since we're in a Dark Cave?"
Mystic shrugged. She didn't care either way. She was happy being an Eevee for the time being. "Did you think on what you evolve into?" Ash questioned his starter.
Mystic shook her head. She didn't want to evolve at the moment and made it clear to Ash. "Off course dear, you can evolve whenever you want. No pressure." Ash assured her. "Or not evolve at all if you want to. I don't mind."
Mystic nodded and nuzzled deeper into Ash's lap. Ash chuckled at the ball of fur that was his Eevee and ran his fingers through her fur. That was what he missed after leaving Cerulean. Spending time with his Pokémon.
Ash saw a yellow blur approach him and smiled. Zeus reached him within seconds and scampered up his shoulder, sending stray sparks in the air.
"Hey Zeus." Ash greeted. Zeus squealed and nuzzled him in response. "Where's Oceanus?" Zeus gestured towards the Seadra with his tail. The Dragon Pokémon had just pranked Viper and the Grass Snake was glaring at him.
Mystic lifted her head from Ash's lap to look at the scene and smirked when Oceanus found himself to be at the receiving end of her Vine Whips.
Despite his big, scary appearance, Oceanus was a prankster at heart. Ash liked that part about him. Oceanus could be a prankster as well as a skilled battler when the situation desired for it.
Though Ash could understand Viper's expression. He himself wasn't fond of Oceanus's pranks. Boy did he hate it when that Seadra woke him with Bubble Beam…
Speaking about Viper, it was one of the qualities Ash admired about her. That was holding back. The Grass Snake could easily keep her emotions in check. Though her anger right now was justified.
Oceanus could use a few every now and then.
"What did he do?" Ash asked Zeus with an amused look. The mouse shrugged, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Don't tell me you helped him with the prankster?"
Zeus shrugged innocently. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. "What do you think? Is Viper growing up on us or she'll bail on us mid-way?" Mystic looked at him at that. She yipped her answer. "Nothing's confirmed yet that she'll stay with us. Sometimes I think she's barely tolerating us."
Mystic looked at him chidingly but Zeus replied that she did do that. Mystic yipped sadly. Ash scratched behind her ear soothingly. "What do you say Zeus?"
The Pikachu shrugged. He didn't know, though a small part inside him wished she wouldn't leave. The Electric Type had come to actually like Viper and she had grown on him, not literally though.
"We'll ask her after we reach Lavender Town." Ash told them. "Then it's her choice. Kay?" They nodded. "How long do you say we should stay in Rock Tunnel?"
Mystic yipped her response. Zeus agreed with her. "Three weeks?" They nodded. "Okay then. I think that's enough time to train anyway. Did you find any Aron or Pokémon I told you about Zeus?"
The Electric Type shook his head. Yesterday, he had befriended a wild Sandshrew and chatted with him a bit. When asked that whether he would like to join the team, the Sandshrew had declined, saying it liked its life in the Rock Tunnel.
Zeus had asked him about the whereabouts of wild Aron and Cubone. The Sandshrew had replied that they'll find them in the deeper levels. However, the Pokémon there didn't like humans much and it was a bit risky to venture there.
Ash had made the decision that they would stay at a campsite for a few days and then travel forward. Then, again they'll make camp and repeat the process. They had agreed.
"Guess we'll have to go deeper." The Electric Type nodded. "You want a grooming service too?" Ash asked. Zeus smirked a bit at the name. Mystic jumped off Ash's lap, making space for the Electric Mouse.
Ash began grooming him, ignoring the mild static that ran up his fingers. He'll feel numb for a while but then it'll settle. "I should offer this to the others too. They'll appreciate it."
Mystic yipped that it was a big understatement. "I doubt Viper would appreciate it. Pretty sure about the others though." Mystic shrugged and curled up beside him, feeling drowsy.
And it's a good time to end the chapter!
Xxx
Did you like the chapter? Disliked it? Tell me why in the reviews! Also, how did you like Leaf and Gary? Did I do them justice, or can I do better? We'll delve deeper into their characters in the coming chapter down the road!
No guesses about Cynthia's egg yet. Are you guys sleeping or what? It's so easy! R&R! Bye for now!
Ash's Team:
Eevee (Mystic): Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite, Take Down. (Detect)
Pikachu (Zeus): Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)
Seadra (Oceanus): Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister, Scald.
Snivy (Viper): Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade, Mega Drain. (Grassy Terrain)
Bulbasaur: Tackle, Poison Powder, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Mega Drain, Protect.
In Lab:
Pidgeotto (Skylar): Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)
Cynthia's Team:
Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).
Nidorino:Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.
Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.
Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang, Scald.
Squirtle: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, Protect, Scald.