While Swampert, Sharpedo and Flygon were getting their check-up, I sat in the lobby with Gardevoir. I was trying to think over a couple of things. Mainly, who our last gym leader should be. While doing so, I subconsciously pulled out my badge case.
"Hey, those are all of our badges right?" Gardevoir asked.
"Yeah, they are. Roxanne, Brawly, Wattson, Falkner, Bugsy, Whitney, and Flannery." I listed.
"So that's seven, and we need eight, right?" She asked.
"Yeah." I replied.
"So what are you doing? Do you know who's next?" She asked.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. We have options here." I told her.
"What are they?" Gardevoir questioned.
"We have May's father who trains normal types. We also have a Flying type leader, a Psychic type duo, and a water leader." I explained.
"Maybe, May's father, Norman, I think it was." Gardevoir replied.
"Yeah normal types could be easier. However we do have to go through Fortree City still either way." I explained.
"What's in Fortree?" She asked.
"The Flying type gym." I said.
"Ah okay." She acknowledged.
"So, are we still sticking with the Petalburg Gym?" I asked.
"Yeah, I think we should." Gardevoir clarified.
"Alright it's decided." I said.
"So who are we going to bring for the battle?" Gardevoir asked.
"Breloom, Mawile, Luxray, and you. So I'll bring the original team." I said.
"Oh okay sounds good." Gardevoir agreed with a huge smile.
"Well you look happy. I said with a smirk.
"Of course I am." She said. I love the gym battles.
"Yeah, I know you do." I said as a put away the badge case.
At that point we heard the ever so familiar ding, so we went to the counter.
"Your Pokemon have made a full recovery. Please take care on your journey." Nurse Joy said.
"Thank you." I said as I took the Pokeballs back from her.
"Your welcome." She replied.
"Oh, by the way, when did you guys change what you say?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand?" Joy said in confusion.
"You used to say: "We hope to see you again."" I said.
"Oh, that. A group of people tried suing us for neglecting pokemon. Hoping to see you all again, while we don't get paid apparently sounds like we want your partners to get hurt." She explained.
"WOW!" I face palmed.
"Yeah, but I'll still continue to do my job. And please, do be safe." She said again.
"Will do and thanks." I replied as I went to the PC.
I made sure I had Swampert, Mawile, Breloom, Delphox and Luxray. Then, we left to be on our way. We headed east from Lava ridge and I went to turn to the south when I was stopped.
"Where are you going?" Gardevoir asked, grabbing my arm.
"To Petalburg?" I replied with curiosity in my voice.
"But, that's the desert. I'm not going through there a third time." She said matter-of-factly.
"This is the quickest way." I pointed out.
"Okay, but let's go the other way. We haven't gone past Falarbor yet." She persuaded.
"Yeah but it's just a cave past there." I argued.
"Oh I've never been in a cave before." She said excitedly.
"Liar." I scoffed.
"Why do you say that?" She asked, tipping her head sideways.
"Union Cave." I replied.
"Where is that?" Gardevoir asked again.
"Between Voilet City and Azalea Town." I said.
"Hmm?" She said.
"The bird gym and the bug gym." I said getting visibly annoyed.
"There was a cave there? She asked.
"Yes!" I said getting louder.
"Oops, guess I forgot." She joked sticking out her tongue.
"I guess we can take that path if you really want to." I sighed defeated.
"Yay, you're the best!" She yelled, jumping onto me.
"Thanks I guess?" I replied.
We started on our way to the town. The trip would be about a week to Rustboro. Probably 10 days to Petalburg as apposed to the 3 from going back through the dessert. But my arms were twisted this time.
"So how long to the next town? Gardevoir asked while we walked.
"Roughly two days." I replied.
"Two days?! That long?" She asked.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"And to Petalburg?" She asked.
"About ten days." I told her.
"I guess it could be worse." She replied.
During the travel north, things were fairly normal. A battle here, a wild Pokemon there. It was honestly kind of nice. Two days went on like this. As the second day was coming to nightfall, we found a small building near the end of the route. I saw a sign on the door. IT read: "Bring me soot, and I'll make it into glass."
"That's neat." I said.
"What is?" Gardevoir asked.
"This person make glass out of the soot on the ground." I explained.
"Oh okay." She replied.
"You interested?" I asked.
"Hmm?" She pondered before replying. "Nah glass is heavy and fragile. It would be a pain to carry."
"Yeah your right, until we get you a bag that is." I replied.
"Yeah, until I get a... What? You'd make me carry it?" She asked.
"Well yeah, You carry your own stuff." I said with a straight face.
"You bully." She pouted as she pushed me aside and walked away.
"Oh come on!" I ran up to her laughing.
"You're too much." She laughed to herself.
As we got to town I noticed nightfall approaching. I was going to head to the Pokemon Center to get a room, however, I swear I saw the nurse Joy staring at us in disbelief. Gardevoir started moving that direction and I stopped her.
"Tony, what's wrong?" She asked.
"Do you not remember this one?" I asked back.
"What do you mean?" She asked back
"Remember after the desert the first time?" I continued.
"I woke up at a Pokemon Center before they took you away... from... me." She slowed as the realization hit her.
"Now you figured it out?" I asked once more.
"Is this why you didn't want to go this way? She considered the thought.
"Part of it." I said.
"And the other part?"
"The distance."
"What about it?"
"It's longer with out an actual place to rest."
"Ah okay." She agreed. "Oh well already started this way though."
"I still don't want to stay in this center though." I told her.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because I'm still worried that they'll try to take you from me again." I replied pulling her hand closer.
"I think we'll be fine. What can they do? What can they try to get us for? All we're doing is trying to get a room to sleep." I listened to all of this, but still, I worried. I agreed though. After the past few days a bed would be nice.
"I guess we can try." I caved in eventually.
We went in, and we were not greeted in the usual way, that's for sure. We were getting glares from not only the Chansey beside the counter and the nurse behind the counter. Also from about 90% of the people in the lobby. Then the nurse broke the unnerving silence.
"So, try to get me fired will you?" The lashed out.
"Well yeah, you got my Pokemon unrightfully taken away." I admitted.
"Unrightfully, yeah right. You lethally poison your Pokemon and think you should get to keep them?" She asked with venom in her voice.
"This again? Didn't you consider that a fairy type would feel extra effected by the poison type attack Toxic?" I asked pinching the bridge of my nose.
"No, not that much of an effect!" She yelled.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Poison doesn't get the bad." She snarled matter-of-factly.
"Toxic does, hence why they created the status of 'Badly Poisoned'. That and Poison Fang." I corrected.
"Maybe so, but even then, it wasn't enough that you had to go and get a new Pokemon too. You probably abuse this one too!" The so called 'nurse' kept insulting.
"Take a deep breath." Gardevoir said to me as she placed a hand on my chest.
She then walked forward, right up to the Nurse. She stopped the the counter with a smile on her face. She tipped her head to the side and spoke telepathically to everyone in the room, evident by them all looking around in shock.
"I'm not the a different Pokemon. I'm the same Pokemon that you ripped away from their best friend. So, I would like to ask for a room for myself, my fiancè, and the other Pokemon you took from him, whom he also has back."
"The nerve, you stole them all back?" She asked.
"Come on Gardevoir, let's go, this place isn't worth our time." I said as I grabbed her hand and started to the door.
"You think you're so untouchable do you?" She shouted at us as we walked out the door.
We walked about an hour before we stopped again.
"Let's set up camp." I said as I let everyone out.
After a few minutes of quiet set up, Gardevoir spoke up. "So I noticed pretty quickly, why you didn't want to go into that Pokemon Center."
"Yep. I expected something very similar." I said
"I'm sorry I didn't want to listen." She apologized.
"Nah, no worries." I told her.
"So, on another note, what's for dinner?" Gardevoir asked.
"Just gonna make something with the berries from my bag." I replied.
"Ohh, okay." Gardevoir answered sounding excited.
"You really like your berries huh?" I asked as I put out the sleeping bags.
"Absolutely! The sweet ones and the sour ones mix together so perfectly!" She exclaimed, her mouth visibly watering.
"Hahahah!" I busted out laughing.
"Hey! Why are you laughing at me?" She asked slightly upset.
"You're drooling." I said pointing to her face.
"Oh..." She replied wiping off her mouth.
After about half an hour of more playful banter between us, I had dinner ready. So I called everyone out. I gave everyone their food. The food was great. The others all chatted amongst themselves. Although, Gardevoir was quiet. I decided that I could just address it later, rather than now while everyone else was having a good time. Didn't want to hurt their good moods.
Once everyone was done, they all spread out and did their own things. I went into the tent to my bag and started putting things away. Then, Gardevoir came in too.
"Tony..." She started.
"What's wrong? You've been looking down since we started eating dinner." I asked her.
"I miss Jigglypuff." She said quietly.
"I know, I do too." I replied.
"Tony, I want an egg." She said flat out.
"You do?" I asked.
"Yes. Can we try tonight?" She asked.
I thought about it for a minute. I remembered the only time we did, was back in Ilex Forest. And to be honest, I want to too.
"Yeah, we can." I answered to which she jumped to me tackling me over.
She held me so tightly. All I could think to do was hug her back. She was radiating happiness. And it made me happy too.
Later that night, I recalled everyone back to their Pokeballs. I didn't need any of them walking in on us. That would be embarrassing. Then, I went back into the tent, zipped it up, and locked it. After that, I turned my gaze too my beautiful Life Mate.
"You know we might not be compatible enough to have an egg, right." I asked.
"Yes, but I still want to try." She replied.
" I do too." I said to her.
With that, we both undressed and got under the covers that we had.
I awoke the next morning feeling very well rested. I immediately thought back to the night before. I thought back to all we did and how long we were at it. I enjoyed every minute of it. I was honestly glad she had brought up the idea, although I would've probably asked her after not too much longer.
But then I also thought back to what i said to her; about how we may not be compatible. This part stuck with me for quite a while. I would love to parent my own blood-related child. But we might not be able too. Even if there is a chance, it would have to be a very low chance. I wouldn't want her to lose hope in that respect. WE would just have to keep trying until it worked.
I turned to look at my life mate. She was snuggled tightly into the sleeping bag. Her sleeping face looked so adorable with her mouth hanging open slightly. I couldn't resist it, I leaned in and kiss her. It seemed that I had woken her. As she sat up to stretch, I noticed her small but perky breasts shift slightly as she sat up.
"Well hello..." She said as she looked down at me after yawning.
I had forgotten that it made no sense to get dressed before going to sleep.
"How did you sleep?" I asked her.
"Amazingly." She replied.
On that note, we both got dressed and ready for the day. I let everyone out of their Pokeballs after breaking down camp. Then we started on our way to Meteor Falls.
The first two days were fairly uneventful. It was almost as if we were being avoided in the area. It wasn't to big an issue but some of the trip started to get a little boring. However we did get attack by a Nuzleaf. Gardevoir tried to talk to it but she couldn't get through. We took it down and I caught the Nuzleaf, sending it to the PC.
The third evening was perfect. Gardevoir and I found a great place to sit, and from that spot watched the sun set. It was beautiful. The weather was a nice 60*F. It was just a perfect night where Gardevoir and I enjoyed ourselves.
The following morning was different. I woke up feeling uneasy. I felt like something was going on ahead. Something I didn't want to be part of. Gardevoir woke up appearing to be uneasy herself. She seemed to be in some kind of pain. She was holding her midsection. I was worried at first but that worry turned to excitement. I thought maybe we had done it. I thought that she was going to have an egg. I was wrong. I was about to say something when i heard a noise that I didn't want to hear. The sound of some very loud flatulence. I immediately opened the tent and stepped outside.
"That feels so much better." I heard from inside the tent.
"You're disgusting!" I called back.
"Hey, you do it all the time." She retorted.
"Ugh!" I groaned.
With what just happened, I still couldn't shake that feeling that something bad was going to happen.
We were just a few yards from the Cave entrance. I grabbed Gardevoir's hand and we walked in. It would take about a day or two to get through depending on if we get lost or not.
A few feet in, I started to hear voices. So we ducked behind a wall and peeked around to look. I saw one very familiar person with people wearing very familiar red outfits. This was the bad feeling I had this morning.
"I can't believe we had the wrong rock. That one kid must've swapped them on us." Maxie complained.
"We just gotta find the meteorite. It wasn't at the guys house, we already checked. It's gotta still be here." One of the Grunts said.
"Right and our metal detector will be ale to find it." Another grunt said.
"Then get too it." Maxie said.
Just then a Zubat made some rocks fall near Gardevoir and I effectively giving away our location.
"Ah, the boy from the volcano. Here to get in my way again?" Maxie asked looking our way.
"Not, really, just trying to pass through." I corrected.
"Come now, do you think I was born yesterday?" He asked as he and his three grunts each held up a Pokeball.
"Just had to come this way; just had to come through the cave." I complained.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen." She apologized gripping my hand tighter.
After a long drawn out battle against the four of them, We finally won. And everyone was wiped. So we set up camp in the cave for the night. The next day while traveling through we got challenged by three other trainers. These battles were nothing compared to the Team Magma battle. We also saw a whole lot of interesting pokemon but they weren't bothering us so we didn't bother them.
We ended up trying to cross over some water and ended up getting lost. We tried going up a waterfall. Deeper in the cave. Across some bridges. Although little did we know, the exit was so close to the entrance. After about four hours, we managed to get back on track. then we found the exit 30 minutes later.
"This cave was trash." Gardevoir said.
"I figured it would be." I said
"Why didn't you say so?" Gardevoir asked.
"I didn't think of it. I tried to avoid it but you seemed to have your heart set on going through it." I said.
"Yeah but still, it's annoy-mphh." She started to complain more so I silenced her.
"I love doing that to you." I said.
"You bully." She replied as she grabbed my arm and we continued walking.
Five and a half days after leaving the Meteor Falls, we finally arrived in Petalburg City. The site of our eight and hopefully final Gym badge. I was psyched. I couldn't wait.
So, it's been about 10 1/2 months... I'm deeply sorry, but I'm doing the best I can to get these out. I thank everyone for your patience and I hope you enjoyed.