Chapter 48:

Liepard's Trust Issues

Location: Route 23

"Thanks for the hospitality," I told the owners of a house we stayed in. "Time to hit the road! Okay Hugh, We can make it to Victory Road by sundown!"

Oh yeah that's right, they also gave me the TM for Flamethrower. So that was cool.

Hugh however just sat on the grass, looking at Liepard's Pokéball. "I… don't know if I can," he said. "Liepard still can't remember me."

Hugh's depression was understandable. He had come all that way to retrieve Liepard, and that is what happened to it. "Hugh, I completely understand. But you can't mope all day, so shall I head on?"

"Sure." Hugh said grabbing his backpack and putting it on. "Let's continue onwards."

We crossed a wooden bridge across the fast-flowing water where I came across a Battle Girl.

"I heard you took down Ghetsis! Nice one, but can you take on my Fighting Type?"

Rosa Vs. Battle Girl Brenda

"Okay Flygon, you're up!" I shouted.

"Throh, I choose you!" Brenda replied, sending out her red Fighting Type.

Throh (ナゲキ)

267

Fighting Type

Judo Pokémon

4'03" (1.3 m)

122.4 lbs (55.5 kg)

When they encounter foes bigger than itself, it wants to throw it. It changes belts as it gets stronger.

Throh has no known evolutions.

"Flygon, Earth Power!" Flygon cracked the ground in front of it and sent it towards Throh, who was hit. Its Sp. Defense also fell.

"Use Superpower!" Throh got really strong, then rammed its body into Flygon for lots of damage.

"One more Earth Power!" Flygon made another cracked in the ground that hit Throh, this time knocking it out.

"Well, I guess if you can beat Ghetsis you can beat my Fighting Types to."

"Nice victory!" Hugh said. "Hey, I was wondering if I could take on the next Trainer?"

I put my thumb up. "That might get Liepard to remember you!"

"I hope so," Hugh replied. "Purrloin wasn't a pet; it was my sister's partner. She promised it that they would go on a journey one day."

We walked along the riverbank and came across an Ace Trainer.

"I've got this one," Hugh said. "Or at least, I hope so." He walked in front of his eyes.

"Heard you got Liepard back! Congratulations!"

Hugh Vs. Ace Trainer Grant

"Emolga, you're up!" shouted Grant.

"And I'll use Bouffalant!" replied Hugh, sending out his new Pokémon.

Bouffalant (バッフロン)

269

Normal Type

Bash Buffalo Pokémon

5'03" (1.6 m)

208.6 lbs (94.6 kg)

They are known to charge so wildly that if a train were to enter their territory, they would send it flying.

Bouffalant has no known evolutions.

"Okay Emolga, Discharge!" Emolga sent electricity flying out everywhere and Tauros got caught in it. Thankfully, it was fine.

"Bouffalant, Head Charge!" Bouffalant galloped harshly into Emolga, almost knocking it out. However, Bouffalant also did some recoil damage to itself.

"Another Discharge!" Emolga sent sparks everywhere, but this time Bouffalant was paralyzed. "Now Acrobatics!" Emolga flipped and turned into Bouffalant. It was getting weaker.

"Use Head Charge again!" Bouffalant managed to get in a move, defeating Emolga.

"Well done, but let's see how you do against Jellicent!" He sent out his large-blue Water Type.

Hugh gulped and returned Bouffalant. "I don't know how I feel about this. Liepard, go!" Out came Liepard, who turned around to see Hugh was commanding it yet again. "Liepard, I'm your Trainer for a bit. Obey me, please." Liepard snarled at him in a way no Pokémon would ever do to its Trainer.

"Is everything okay?" Grant asked.

"I don't know… Liepard use Night Slash!" Liepard however just stayed put. "Okay then, Sucker Punch!" Nothing. "Grant, try attacking."

"Okay, we will. Jellicent, Hydro Pump!" Jellicent blasted water at Liepard, propelling it back.

"Good move! Okay Liepard, Night Slash!" Liepard's claws went dark, and it slashed at Jellicent. "Good job, now-"However, Liepard did it again. "Liepard stop!"

"What's going on? It's my turn!" Grant yelled as Liepard continued slashing at Jellicent.

"Stop!" Hugh said, grabbing Liepard. "That's enough! Sorry, I'm going to have to forfeit. I know, there is no running from a Trainer battle, but I don't Liepard realizes that this is one."

Hugh recalled Liepard. "I'm sorry Grant. And Rosa, I'm sorry to." Hugh started walking off.

"WAIT!" I shouted.

"No, I need some time alone," he replied.

"Hugh…" I said sadly.

"What was that all about?" Grant asked me.

"Liepard has been with Team Plasma so long that it will only listen to the Shadow Triad. I was hoping that a battle might have something click with Liepard, but it almost got Jellicent a bit too hurt." I handed him a Max Potion. "Here, use this on Jellicent. It'll be good after this."

Grant did just that. "I'm not angry at Hugh, I just want to make that very clear. He's a great Trainer, and it's not his fault Liepard ended up this way. Could you pass that on to him for me?"

"Yeah," I replied. "But I don't think that will be today."

Along the riverbank I continued walking, thinking about what just went on. The only time when Liepard would listen to Hugh was under immeasurable anger, and even then, it barely listened. Jellicent was just hurt; it might have been worse.

A Hiker noticed me. "Hello! Out for a hike after all the commotion?"

Rosa Vs. Hiker Don

"Mamoswine, go!" shouted Don, sending out a Pokémon that was brown, large and woolly. It had two big-white tusks.

Mamoswine (マンムー)

260

Ice/Ground Type

Twin Tusk Pokémon

8'02" (2.5 m)

641.5 lbs (291 kg)

When the temperature rose at the end of the ice age, most Mamoswine disappeared.

Swinub -Lv 33- Piloswine -Lv up with Ancient Power- Mamoswine

"Cinccino, go!" I replied. "Bullet Seed!" Cinccino fired multiple seeds at Mamoswine, all doing Super Effective damage.

"Use Ice Fang!" Mamoswine's fangs turned cold, and it chomped down on Cinccino.

"Use another Bullet Seed!" Cinccino fired more seeds at Mamoswine. It was working.

"Earthquake!" Mamoswine created shockwaves through the ground that made it shake. Cinccino took a lot of damage from it.

"One more Bullet Seed!" Cinccino shot a final barrage of seeds at Mamoswine, finishing the job.

After Mamoswine, Don sent out Probopass. "See how you can get through this!" he said.

"Flygon, go!" I replied. "Earth Power!" Flygon attacked with its Ground Type move, but Probopass survived.

"Flash Cannon!" Probopass then shot a white beam at Flygon, but nothing was fatal to it.

"One last Earth Power!" Flygon hit Probopass once more, and it was finished.

"Guess this isn't just a hike; you're off to Victory Road!"

"HUGH?!" I shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" I was really starting to get worried. Hugh is brave. Hugh is strong. But Hugh is also quick to panic.

I ran up the tall stairs to the top of the cliff and was greeted by an Ace Trainer.

"I'll tell you if I saw Hugh… if you beat me!"

Rosa Vs. Ace Trainer Juliet

"Go Serperior!" I shouted.

"Swanna, you're up!" Juliet replied. "Brave Bird!" Swanna covered itself in blue energy and flew beak first into Serperior for massive damage.

"Come back with Giga Drain!" I shouted as Serperior sapped some health away from Swanna. Deciding it was too much, I withdrew Serperior for Zoroark. "Night Slash!" Zoroark slashed at Swanna for a Critical Hit, knocking it out.

"Okay then. I choose Galvantula!" The electrified Bug Type was sent out.

Galvantula (デンチュラ)

174

Bug/Electric Type

EleSpider Pokémon

2'07" (0.8 m)

31.5 lbs (14.3 kg)

It creates barriers for electrified silk that stun foes. This works as a weapon as well as defence.

Joltik -Lv 36- Galvantula

"Okay Galvantula, Sucker Punch!" Before Flygon could get in a move, Galvantula punched it. And what was that move? Well, I noticed that Flygon was charging up energy.

"Could that be?" I thought. "I think it is! Well, let's do it. Flygon, use Hyper Beam!" Flygon blasted a powerful beam at Galvantula, almost knocking it out. "Good one!" I told Flygon, who was now breathing heavily. Hyper Beam is such a strong move that the user needs to take a turn off to fully recover.

"Let's take this chance Galvantula. Signal Beam!" Galvantula fired a green and red beam at Flygon, confusing it upon impact.

"That's enough!" I shouted. "Arcanine, go!" Arcanine came out, making Galvantula's Sucker Punch fail.

"Use Electro Ball!" Galvantula made a ball of electricity which it fired at Galvantula.

"Flamethrower!" Arcanine spat fire at Galvantula, knocking it out.

"Yes, I saw Hugh. He ran up towards the Badge gate."

Taking Juliet's advice, I ran towards the Badge Gate. I saw it, the black and white archway with its black and white road.

"Hugh, you must be in there."

Before I could get in though, a Pokémon Ranger stopped me.

"This is your final test before the League… and Victory Road sorry."

Rosa Vs. PKMN Ranger Lena

"Go Floatzel!" shouted Lena.

"And I'm using Cinccino!" I replied. "Bullet Seed!" Cinccino fired lots of seeds at Floatzel, doing Super Effective damage to it.

"Use Aqua Tail!" Floatzel's tails span round and round as water came off of them. It then whacked Cinccino. "Now Aqua Jet!" Floatzel covered itself in water and dashed into Cinccino.

"One more Bullet Seed!" Cinccino fired one more barrage of seeds at Floatzel, finishing it off.

"My final Pokémon. Go Lucario!" Lena sent out a blue and yellow furry Pokémon. It had black paws and some spikes from its body.

Lucario (ルカリオ)

116

Fighting/Steel Type

Aura Pokémon

3'11" (1.2 m)

119 lbs (54 kg)

By reading the auras of all things, it can tell how others are feeling from over half a mile away.

Riolu -Happiness- Lucario

"Thanks, Cinccino. Go Arcanine!" I shouted.

"Close Combat Lucario!" Lucario started punching and kicking Arcanine with all its power.

"Come back with Flare Blitz!" Arcanine set itself ablaze and charged into Lucario. A mix of Fire Type moves being Super Effective and the Defense drop from Close Combat meant that Lucario was down in one.

"You've passed this test, but you have one more before you reach the Pokémon League…"

And right she was. I wasn't just going through for Hugh; I was going through for my destiny.

Location: Badge Check Gates

I saw the black and white road, along with multiple statues on both sides. I was at the Badge check gates. Let me say this; having Gates like this is far more practical than forcing HMs onto someone.

I walked along the road and between the statues. As I walked through each of them, a statue of the corresponding Badge lit up. An electronic voice took me by surprise each time.

Basic Badge: Identified. Team: Snivy, Azurill.

Toxic Badge: Identified. Team: Servine, Growlithe, Azurill.

Insect Badge: Identified. Team: Servine, Growlithe, Azumarill.

Bolt Badge: Identified. Team: Servine, Growlithe, Azumarill, Trapinch, Minccino.

Quake Badge: Identified. Team: Servine, Growlithe, Azumarill, Trapinch, Zorua, Minccino.

Sky Badge: Identified. Team: Servine, Growlithe, Azumarill, Trapinch, Zoroark, Minccino.

Legend Badge: Identified. Team: Serperior, Growlithe, Azumarill, Vibrava, Zoroark, Cinccino.

Wave Badge: Identified. Team: Serperior, Growlithe, Azumarill, Flygon, Zoroark, Cinccino.

Congratulations, Rosalita Bethany Wright of Aspertia City. Please stop by Pokémon Center by Victory Road entrance before ascending.

As I walked to the entrance, I saw what looked to be ruins. Ah, I should mention. I'm taking this Victory Road because the original one was destroyed in the rockfall that blocked Route 10. So, I'm taking this one.

Location: Victory Road Pokémon Center

"Yes, Hugh who you're talking about stopped here briefly," Nurse Joy exclaimed. "But he left as soon as his Pokémon were healed."

"Then I need to go to," I said.

"No," Nurse Joy said. "You've travelled a lot today and it's getting late. We have a free room; I suggest that you take a rest."

As much as I wanted to disagree with her, Nurse Joy was right. I wasn't in the right mind to go through Victory Road, especially after what had happened yesterday. "Okay," I said. "I'll rest."

It begins. I know that might be happening a lot, but really. This time, it begins. My ascent up Victory Road, and hopefully I will find Hugh in the meantime. He has all the reason to be upset though. But I can't have him giving up on his dream when he has already completed the main part of it.

But

That's not the only new beginning…

Soon.

A new beginning…

Of Mega proportions…

Pokémon The Journey: X and Y.

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