1.1 Chapter 2
"It's good to be home," Amber sighed as they stepped off the train in Goldenrod City. She breathed in the sweet smell of the air, and saw a few kids run by, playing with their Hoppip.
"If you say so," the mysterious man added.
"Haunter, haunt haunter, haunt," Boo added, and Amber nodded.
"What'd he say?" the man questioned her.
"He wants to know why all the secret testing and watching me? Just tell us why you're making a big deal over us, Jason," she told him. Jason sighed and scratched his head.
"Come with me, both of you. The time has come to reveal our secret to you," he finally answered. He flipped open a pokeball and out popped a Pidgeot. "Flap, to the tower," he commanded, sitting on his back. The giant bird pokemon nodded, flapped his wings, and took off for the north.
"Great, and we're supposed to sit around and wait? I don't think so." Amber took out one of her pokeballs and opened it. Another giant bird, this one a bit more spiky-looking, appeared. "Spike, follow that Pidgeot," Amber commanded her Fearow, who screeched and took off in hot pursuit of the man who had been instructing Amber for the past two years.
* * *
They soon landed at the base of a large stone tower. Vines were beginning to creep up the side of it, but the tower itself gave off a feeling of withstanding the test of time. Amber knew the place all too well. "There is where I began," she whispered, recalling Spike to his pokeball.
"Haunt, haunt haunter," Boo said to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Amber placed her hand on top of his, sighing once.
"Well come on, we don't have all day," Jason said to her, starting up the steps. Amber and Boo nodded and followed him. Upon reaching the top, they saw that the room was kept in a bit better use than the outside. A table with four chairs was pushed against one wall, and candles lit the room with a soft glow. Curtains hung over the only window, and shelves of books lined the other walls. "Welcome to the Moon Tower," Jason told them.
"This is where I first made my claim to the Moon League two years ago," Amber remembered. "But why have we come back?"
"Because the time has come for your final test. The rules of the Moon League state that someone may only become a Gym Leader by defeating a Gym Leader who is ready to retire. That way, we still maintain our edge, because in order to beat the best, you have to be the best," Jason explained.
"So there's a Gym Leader who's ready to retire in Johto?" Amber asked, trying to grasp what was happening. Jason nodded and smiled.
"You guessed it. And like you've been told, there aren't really set badges and names for the Gym Leaders. Each individual chooses their own badge, except the leader of the Moon League."
"Who's the current leader?" Jason smiled and shook his head.
"Sorry girl, you know the rules. You only get to know the other Gym Leaders when you become one." Boo snorted and started laughing. Jason and Amber turned to face him, each a little puzzled by his reaction.
"And just what are you laughing at?" Amber wanted to know.
"Haunter haunt haunt haunter, haunt," he replied as his face suddenly became serious again. Jason watched the pokemon and trainer carefully.
"You really think it'll be that easy?" Amber questioned Boo.
"Haunter. Haunt haunter haunt," he quipped, shrugging as best he could. Now Jason was very curious. He'd never seen this kind of interaction between anyone and a ghost pokemon. Usually they were untrainable, and very difficult to catch. But he'd seen the Haunter with Amber for as long as he could remember, and the ghost had always obeyed her commands.
"Amber, two questions: What the heck is he saying, and just where did you catch that Haunter, anyway?" She appeared startled for a moment, but then blushed. She crouched on the floor, like many of the cat-type pokemon did before they pounced on something.
"He said that it won't be a problem for me to beat the retiring Gym Leader. As long as I use him, I'm guaranteed a victory."
"Egotistical little thing, isn't he?" Amber smiled and stood up from her crouch, stretching her arms over her head.
"Boo is allowed to be egotistical. He's never lost a match since he's been a ghost."
"And how do you know that?" Jason wondered.
"Do you swear by the sacred trainer oath that you won't tell another soul how I got Boo?" she asked seriously, all the smiles gone from her face. Jason nodded and clasped his hands in front of him, waiting for her to talk. Amber sighed heavily before patting Boo on his head. "My parents were pokemon trainers, as you know. But my father had a special gift when dealing with his pokemon. He said that no matter the type, he could always understand what they were thinking, as if by some telepathic connection. He said that it might have been because of his Alakazam, who he'd trained as a boy. But my father's ultimate favorite pokemon was Inferno, his Typhlosion. When Inferno passed away, my father was heartbroken. That Typhlosion had been his very first pokemon."
"I assume this story has a point?" Jason asked, a little bored.
"Haunt!" Boo yelled at him, getting in his face.
"Woah, back off there, smiley."
"Boo, it's all right. Jason's just impatient," Amber told the Haunter.
"Haunter haunt," Boo huffed, floating back over to Amber.
"Please, continue," Jason said, a little leery of the Haunter now. Most Pokemon did not have enough attitude to get up in another trainer's face like that. Then again, it looked like the ghost wasn't exactly a normal pokemon.
"As I was saying, Inferno passed away years ago. But then a strange thing happened. The night after the funeral, I woke up to see a strange light glowing at the edge of my bed. When I turned on the lights, I saw a Ghastly floating there. I screamed for my parents, who came running. But when the Ghastly saw my father, it started smiling and bouncing up and down. We didn't understand what it meant, until my father suddenly realized what it was saying. Apparently, after Inferno died, he became a ghost pokemon." Jason was absolutely floored.
"But how did it remember your father? Ghost pokemon usually don't have any recollection of their previous life," he pointed out. Amber and Boo both shrugged at the same time. The move was a little eerie.
"No one knows how Boo remembered what he once was. But he also remembered his agility move from when he was a Typhlosion."
"You do realize that if anyone else knew, scientists from all over the place would be beating down a path to your door to study him."
"I know. That's why I need you to keep this between us. If the world found out, they might take Boo away, and neither of us would be happy." Boo nodded and stuck his tongue out at Jason.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But I do have one more question. Why didn't he stay with your father, instead of becoming your pokemon?"
"Boo said that the time for being with my father had passed, just like his life as Inferno. Because he was like a second-generation pokemon, it seemed only fitting that he should be with a second-generation trainer."
"Haunter haunter haunt," Boo added.
"Translation?" Jason asked.
"He said enough talk, let's battle." Jason smiled and nodded at them.
"As you wish. Follow me." He led the way back down the stairs and through a forest that Amber recognized as the woods near Violet City. Finally they came to a cliff, and Jason went through a tunnel that had been carved into the cliff side. Amber and Boo followed him until they reached an open area, which had a pokemon battlefield in it. Six torches lined the walls, shedding their light onto the field. A masked person stood on one side of the field as if waiting for someone. A hood covered the back of the metallic-looking mask, which was all black except for a green star on the left cheek made of a single stone. "This is your final test, Amber," Jason told her, standing in the center of the battlefield. "In order to enter and become a Gym Leader of the Moon League, you must fight a retiring Gym Leader. I give you your opponent, the bearer of the Stardust Badge." The masked person bowed to Amber, then to Jason. Amber bowed back out of respect for her opponent's age and experience, and Jason smiled.
"What are the rules of this battle?" she asked, serious once again.
"One pokemon per person. If you can't win with only one, then you really aren't that good a trainer," Jason stated.
"I choose Sprout," the trainer said in a deep voice, casually tossing out a pokeball. It opened to reveal a pokemon that looked like a cross between a four-footed lizard and a flower!
"A Meganium, from the starter pokemon Chikorita. How… Cute," Amber said, staring at the small pokemon.
"Now is not the time to sound like a pokedex, young lady. I suggest you choose your pokemon," the masked man stated.
"Boo, you're up," Amber told him, as the Haunter smiled and floated onto the field, confidence shining in his eyes.
"It's Meganium verses Haunter. The last pokemon standing, or floating in this case, wins the match," Jason explained, his voice echoing off the solid rock walls.
"Sprout, razor leaf," the other trainer ordered as his pokemon released a storm of razor-sharp leaves at Boo.
"Agility, then counter with nightshade," Amber told her pokemon. Boo went into action, dodging the leaves with ease. He then let loose a wave of dark energy, but Sprout leapt out of the way.
"Tackle," the masked man said as Sprout charged at Boo.
"See-through, then confusion," Amber countered. Boo became ethereal, and Sprout charged right through him. The confused pokemon paused for a moment, and that was when Boo let loose a ray of confusion. The Meganium staggered, but held on to the fight.
"Vine whip!" its trainer called. Sprout whipped out its vines, and Boo tried to dodge, but one caught him across the back.
"Boo, shake it off! Counter with hypnosis!" Boo responded quickly, sending out his wave of hypnosis. But Sprout leapt out of the way and sent another barrage of razor leaf at the ghost.
"That's it, Sprout. Now, solar beam!" The Meganium suddenly stopped moving, then began to glow with a strange light.
"But there's no sun for it to feed off of," Amber argued.
"Sprout has learned how to store sunlight in its body for later use. That means it doesn't have to wait as long to build up the solar beam.
"Boo, avoid that beam!" Amber warned him, though she could see that the fight was beginning to take its toll on the Haunter. He wasn't moving as fast, and he had no smile on his face. "If he can't avoid that solar beam, we'll lose. I should've picked a pokemon to have a type advantage," she whispered to herself. Just then, Sprout unleashed his solar beam. It hurled towards Boo, who was waiting for Amber's command.
"Use nightshade to try and swallow up that sunlight!" she thought fast. Boo braced himself before sending up a wall of dark energy. The solar beam and nightshade met, and there was a small explosion. Sprout was hurled backwards, and Jason and the masked man covered their eyes. Amber paid no attention to the blinding light and strong wind as she searched for Boo among the dust. "Boo, are you all right?" she called. Suddenly, through the haze, she saw a glowing form. It was Boo, and he was…
"He's evolving," the other trainer said in awe. Boo's form changed to become that of a dark-purple pokemon standing on two legs. He smiled and stuck his tongue out at first Sprout, then at the retiring Gym Leader.
"Gengar, gar gengar," Boo said proudly, winking at Amber.
"Sprout, back on your feet and finish off this ghost." The Meganium stood and shook off the last effects of the mini explosion, but Amber and Boo were ready.
"Boo, agility, then tackle." The Gengar was off and moving before Amber could even blink. Sprout didn't have time to even move before Boo slammed into him with a force that knocked the other pokemon clear across the field. "Great, now nightshade!" The dark energy swirled towards the grass pokemon, who tried to counter with vine whip, but to no avail. As the attack settled over Sprout like a dark mist, the ghost walked into the cloud. "Hypnosis Boo!" When the nightshade cleared, all three humans saw Boo standing over a sleeping Sprout.
"Sprout, wake up! Don't fall asleep now!" its trainer begged. But Amber smiled devilishly.
"Boo, a nightmare should finish this battle." Boo laughed as he touched the sleeping Meganium. The poor pokemon began twitching in its sleep, and a few moment later, was drained of all its energy.
"The match goes to Amber and her Hau- her Gengar," Jason shouted.
"Sprout, return," the trainer said, holding up the pokeball. Sprout became red energy as it was taken back into its pokeball. "I think we have an appointment with Nurse Joy now. Jason, I leave her to you. Very nicely done, Amber. I have never seen a nightshade counter a solar beam before."
"Neither have I," she replied honestly, bowing to the older man. He bowed back and removed his mask. Amber stared in wonder as his gray hair settled around his shoulders in a thick sheet. Eyes of dark-blue glittered with the knowledge of many years, and his smiling mouth was just beginning to show some wrinkles at the corners. Bowing to Jason and handing him the mask, the man quickly exited the battlefield. Jason turned to Amber, who was hugging Boo. "You did a great job. I'm so proud of you."
"Amber, my congratulations to you. You are now a Moon League Gym Leader," he told her, handing her the mask. Amber took it and cocked her head to one side, staring at Jason.
"What's this for?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, so just put it on," he playfully commanded. She smiled and placed the mask over her face. Suddenly she felt a surge of… Power, was the only way to describe it. The energy coursed through her system, but it didn't hurt. When the surge stopped, she took off the mask and was shocked to see that it had changed! Though made of wood, the mask seemed to shine like black metal in the light of the torches. Three red slash marks ran down the left cheek, but the star was still of the same single, green stone. The eye and mouth slits were too small to give away her identity once she was wearing the mask. Amber held it reverently in front of her for a moment. "You like it?"
"It's beautiful, Jason. But how-" He held up a hand to silence her.
"The masks of the Moon League are crafted with a magical stone. It is the stone that allows the masks to change their form, and also give their wearer new strengths. The stone finds the innermost thoughts of a person and matches the mask to fit them. Go on, put it on again." She did, and when she stood facing him, he pulled a silver mask out of his bag. He placed it on his face, and Amber saw that it had a moon on the left cheek made entirely of pearls, and on the right cheek was a star made of a single blue stone.
"You're the Moon League leader, aren't you?" she asked softly. Jason nodded, then grasped her arm with his.
"The Moon League was one of the original leagues, and today it is still recognized. We of the Moon League value diversity and strength over type advantage and power levels. Train your pokemon well, and carry this mask with you, to always know you are one of us. What name will you give your badge, Amber?" She thought about it for less than a moment.
"The Cat's Eye Badge. For a trainer must have agility and reflexes in order to help their pokemon succeed."
"Gengar! Gengar gar," Boo spoke up.
"What did he say?" Jason wondered, pulling off his mask.
"He said that I look good as a Moon League Gym Leader. And that he wants to get some rest," Amber replied, pulling her mask off as well. Jason nodded, and the two trainers walked out of the cave into the cool night air.
"You going home?" the young man asked.
"Might as well, though I suppose we're sworn to secrecy about the Moon League?" Amber wondered.
"You can't tell anyone unless I allow it. We're a select group, and we can't have just anyone challenging us, now can we?" Both trainers smiled.
"Of course not. That would be simply horrible," Amber teased. Jason took out a pokeball and tossed it into the air. A moment later Flap appeared.
"Let's go, Flap," he ordered, sitting astride his Pidgeot. Amber released Spike, and climbed onto his back.
"Going home?" she wondered. Jason turned around and looked at her with a knowing smile.
"I don't have a home. I live where it suits me, and only if it suits me. Not the kind of lifestyle that most trainers or Gym Leaders want."
"But it's the kind you want. I'll see you around?"
"Count on it. I don't make it a habit of leaving my friends by themselves for too long. You take care of yourself, Amber." Then he turned to Boo, and smiled slightly. "And you, take care of her."
"Gengar," Boo replied solemnly, bowing to Jason. Then the two trainers went their separate ways. Amber turned to Boo, who was sitting next to her on Spike's back.
"Do you think I did the right thing with telling him about you?"
"Gengar gar gengar gengar," Boo answered.
"Thanks. I trust him too. Though I wonder where he's off to? But I suppose that if the Moon League is this mysterious, its leader must be equally so." Amber fingered the mask in her bag, thinking back on her first time venturing up the stone tower and meeting Jason. "It's been quite a trip, and I don't think our adventure is over just yet, my friend."
"Gengar." Amber giggled, and even Spike began chuckling.
"You said it, Boo. You said it."
"It's good to be home," Amber sighed as they stepped off the train in Goldenrod City. She breathed in the sweet smell of the air, and saw a few kids run by, playing with their Hoppip.
"If you say so," the mysterious man added.
"Haunter, haunt haunter, haunt," Boo added, and Amber nodded.
"What'd he say?" the man questioned her.
"He wants to know why all the secret testing and watching me? Just tell us why you're making a big deal over us, Jason," she told him. Jason sighed and scratched his head.
"Come with me, both of you. The time has come to reveal our secret to you," he finally answered. He flipped open a pokeball and out popped a Pidgeot. "Flap, to the tower," he commanded, sitting on his back. The giant bird pokemon nodded, flapped his wings, and took off for the north.
"Great, and we're supposed to sit around and wait? I don't think so." Amber took out one of her pokeballs and opened it. Another giant bird, this one a bit more spiky-looking, appeared. "Spike, follow that Pidgeot," Amber commanded her Fearow, who screeched and took off in hot pursuit of the man who had been instructing Amber for the past two years.
* * *
They soon landed at the base of a large stone tower. Vines were beginning to creep up the side of it, but the tower itself gave off a feeling of withstanding the test of time. Amber knew the place all too well. "There is where I began," she whispered, recalling Spike to his pokeball.
"Haunt, haunt haunter," Boo said to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Amber placed her hand on top of his, sighing once.
"Well come on, we don't have all day," Jason said to her, starting up the steps. Amber and Boo nodded and followed him. Upon reaching the top, they saw that the room was kept in a bit better use than the outside. A table with four chairs was pushed against one wall, and candles lit the room with a soft glow. Curtains hung over the only window, and shelves of books lined the other walls. "Welcome to the Moon Tower," Jason told them.
"This is where I first made my claim to the Moon League two years ago," Amber remembered. "But why have we come back?"
"Because the time has come for your final test. The rules of the Moon League state that someone may only become a Gym Leader by defeating a Gym Leader who is ready to retire. That way, we still maintain our edge, because in order to beat the best, you have to be the best," Jason explained.
"So there's a Gym Leader who's ready to retire in Johto?" Amber asked, trying to grasp what was happening. Jason nodded and smiled.
"You guessed it. And like you've been told, there aren't really set badges and names for the Gym Leaders. Each individual chooses their own badge, except the leader of the Moon League."
"Who's the current leader?" Jason smiled and shook his head.
"Sorry girl, you know the rules. You only get to know the other Gym Leaders when you become one." Boo snorted and started laughing. Jason and Amber turned to face him, each a little puzzled by his reaction.
"And just what are you laughing at?" Amber wanted to know.
"Haunter haunt haunt haunter, haunt," he replied as his face suddenly became serious again. Jason watched the pokemon and trainer carefully.
"You really think it'll be that easy?" Amber questioned Boo.
"Haunter. Haunt haunter haunt," he quipped, shrugging as best he could. Now Jason was very curious. He'd never seen this kind of interaction between anyone and a ghost pokemon. Usually they were untrainable, and very difficult to catch. But he'd seen the Haunter with Amber for as long as he could remember, and the ghost had always obeyed her commands.
"Amber, two questions: What the heck is he saying, and just where did you catch that Haunter, anyway?" She appeared startled for a moment, but then blushed. She crouched on the floor, like many of the cat-type pokemon did before they pounced on something.
"He said that it won't be a problem for me to beat the retiring Gym Leader. As long as I use him, I'm guaranteed a victory."
"Egotistical little thing, isn't he?" Amber smiled and stood up from her crouch, stretching her arms over her head.
"Boo is allowed to be egotistical. He's never lost a match since he's been a ghost."
"And how do you know that?" Jason wondered.
"Do you swear by the sacred trainer oath that you won't tell another soul how I got Boo?" she asked seriously, all the smiles gone from her face. Jason nodded and clasped his hands in front of him, waiting for her to talk. Amber sighed heavily before patting Boo on his head. "My parents were pokemon trainers, as you know. But my father had a special gift when dealing with his pokemon. He said that no matter the type, he could always understand what they were thinking, as if by some telepathic connection. He said that it might have been because of his Alakazam, who he'd trained as a boy. But my father's ultimate favorite pokemon was Inferno, his Typhlosion. When Inferno passed away, my father was heartbroken. That Typhlosion had been his very first pokemon."
"I assume this story has a point?" Jason asked, a little bored.
"Haunt!" Boo yelled at him, getting in his face.
"Woah, back off there, smiley."
"Boo, it's all right. Jason's just impatient," Amber told the Haunter.
"Haunter haunt," Boo huffed, floating back over to Amber.
"Please, continue," Jason said, a little leery of the Haunter now. Most Pokemon did not have enough attitude to get up in another trainer's face like that. Then again, it looked like the ghost wasn't exactly a normal pokemon.
"As I was saying, Inferno passed away years ago. But then a strange thing happened. The night after the funeral, I woke up to see a strange light glowing at the edge of my bed. When I turned on the lights, I saw a Ghastly floating there. I screamed for my parents, who came running. But when the Ghastly saw my father, it started smiling and bouncing up and down. We didn't understand what it meant, until my father suddenly realized what it was saying. Apparently, after Inferno died, he became a ghost pokemon." Jason was absolutely floored.
"But how did it remember your father? Ghost pokemon usually don't have any recollection of their previous life," he pointed out. Amber and Boo both shrugged at the same time. The move was a little eerie.
"No one knows how Boo remembered what he once was. But he also remembered his agility move from when he was a Typhlosion."
"You do realize that if anyone else knew, scientists from all over the place would be beating down a path to your door to study him."
"I know. That's why I need you to keep this between us. If the world found out, they might take Boo away, and neither of us would be happy." Boo nodded and stuck his tongue out at Jason.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But I do have one more question. Why didn't he stay with your father, instead of becoming your pokemon?"
"Boo said that the time for being with my father had passed, just like his life as Inferno. Because he was like a second-generation pokemon, it seemed only fitting that he should be with a second-generation trainer."
"Haunter haunter haunt," Boo added.
"Translation?" Jason asked.
"He said enough talk, let's battle." Jason smiled and nodded at them.
"As you wish. Follow me." He led the way back down the stairs and through a forest that Amber recognized as the woods near Violet City. Finally they came to a cliff, and Jason went through a tunnel that had been carved into the cliff side. Amber and Boo followed him until they reached an open area, which had a pokemon battlefield in it. Six torches lined the walls, shedding their light onto the field. A masked person stood on one side of the field as if waiting for someone. A hood covered the back of the metallic-looking mask, which was all black except for a green star on the left cheek made of a single stone. "This is your final test, Amber," Jason told her, standing in the center of the battlefield. "In order to enter and become a Gym Leader of the Moon League, you must fight a retiring Gym Leader. I give you your opponent, the bearer of the Stardust Badge." The masked person bowed to Amber, then to Jason. Amber bowed back out of respect for her opponent's age and experience, and Jason smiled.
"What are the rules of this battle?" she asked, serious once again.
"One pokemon per person. If you can't win with only one, then you really aren't that good a trainer," Jason stated.
"I choose Sprout," the trainer said in a deep voice, casually tossing out a pokeball. It opened to reveal a pokemon that looked like a cross between a four-footed lizard and a flower!
"A Meganium, from the starter pokemon Chikorita. How… Cute," Amber said, staring at the small pokemon.
"Now is not the time to sound like a pokedex, young lady. I suggest you choose your pokemon," the masked man stated.
"Boo, you're up," Amber told him, as the Haunter smiled and floated onto the field, confidence shining in his eyes.
"It's Meganium verses Haunter. The last pokemon standing, or floating in this case, wins the match," Jason explained, his voice echoing off the solid rock walls.
"Sprout, razor leaf," the other trainer ordered as his pokemon released a storm of razor-sharp leaves at Boo.
"Agility, then counter with nightshade," Amber told her pokemon. Boo went into action, dodging the leaves with ease. He then let loose a wave of dark energy, but Sprout leapt out of the way.
"Tackle," the masked man said as Sprout charged at Boo.
"See-through, then confusion," Amber countered. Boo became ethereal, and Sprout charged right through him. The confused pokemon paused for a moment, and that was when Boo let loose a ray of confusion. The Meganium staggered, but held on to the fight.
"Vine whip!" its trainer called. Sprout whipped out its vines, and Boo tried to dodge, but one caught him across the back.
"Boo, shake it off! Counter with hypnosis!" Boo responded quickly, sending out his wave of hypnosis. But Sprout leapt out of the way and sent another barrage of razor leaf at the ghost.
"That's it, Sprout. Now, solar beam!" The Meganium suddenly stopped moving, then began to glow with a strange light.
"But there's no sun for it to feed off of," Amber argued.
"Sprout has learned how to store sunlight in its body for later use. That means it doesn't have to wait as long to build up the solar beam.
"Boo, avoid that beam!" Amber warned him, though she could see that the fight was beginning to take its toll on the Haunter. He wasn't moving as fast, and he had no smile on his face. "If he can't avoid that solar beam, we'll lose. I should've picked a pokemon to have a type advantage," she whispered to herself. Just then, Sprout unleashed his solar beam. It hurled towards Boo, who was waiting for Amber's command.
"Use nightshade to try and swallow up that sunlight!" she thought fast. Boo braced himself before sending up a wall of dark energy. The solar beam and nightshade met, and there was a small explosion. Sprout was hurled backwards, and Jason and the masked man covered their eyes. Amber paid no attention to the blinding light and strong wind as she searched for Boo among the dust. "Boo, are you all right?" she called. Suddenly, through the haze, she saw a glowing form. It was Boo, and he was…
"He's evolving," the other trainer said in awe. Boo's form changed to become that of a dark-purple pokemon standing on two legs. He smiled and stuck his tongue out at first Sprout, then at the retiring Gym Leader.
"Gengar, gar gengar," Boo said proudly, winking at Amber.
"Sprout, back on your feet and finish off this ghost." The Meganium stood and shook off the last effects of the mini explosion, but Amber and Boo were ready.
"Boo, agility, then tackle." The Gengar was off and moving before Amber could even blink. Sprout didn't have time to even move before Boo slammed into him with a force that knocked the other pokemon clear across the field. "Great, now nightshade!" The dark energy swirled towards the grass pokemon, who tried to counter with vine whip, but to no avail. As the attack settled over Sprout like a dark mist, the ghost walked into the cloud. "Hypnosis Boo!" When the nightshade cleared, all three humans saw Boo standing over a sleeping Sprout.
"Sprout, wake up! Don't fall asleep now!" its trainer begged. But Amber smiled devilishly.
"Boo, a nightmare should finish this battle." Boo laughed as he touched the sleeping Meganium. The poor pokemon began twitching in its sleep, and a few moment later, was drained of all its energy.
"The match goes to Amber and her Hau- her Gengar," Jason shouted.
"Sprout, return," the trainer said, holding up the pokeball. Sprout became red energy as it was taken back into its pokeball. "I think we have an appointment with Nurse Joy now. Jason, I leave her to you. Very nicely done, Amber. I have never seen a nightshade counter a solar beam before."
"Neither have I," she replied honestly, bowing to the older man. He bowed back and removed his mask. Amber stared in wonder as his gray hair settled around his shoulders in a thick sheet. Eyes of dark-blue glittered with the knowledge of many years, and his smiling mouth was just beginning to show some wrinkles at the corners. Bowing to Jason and handing him the mask, the man quickly exited the battlefield. Jason turned to Amber, who was hugging Boo. "You did a great job. I'm so proud of you."
"Amber, my congratulations to you. You are now a Moon League Gym Leader," he told her, handing her the mask. Amber took it and cocked her head to one side, staring at Jason.
"What's this for?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, so just put it on," he playfully commanded. She smiled and placed the mask over her face. Suddenly she felt a surge of… Power, was the only way to describe it. The energy coursed through her system, but it didn't hurt. When the surge stopped, she took off the mask and was shocked to see that it had changed! Though made of wood, the mask seemed to shine like black metal in the light of the torches. Three red slash marks ran down the left cheek, but the star was still of the same single, green stone. The eye and mouth slits were too small to give away her identity once she was wearing the mask. Amber held it reverently in front of her for a moment. "You like it?"
"It's beautiful, Jason. But how-" He held up a hand to silence her.
"The masks of the Moon League are crafted with a magical stone. It is the stone that allows the masks to change their form, and also give their wearer new strengths. The stone finds the innermost thoughts of a person and matches the mask to fit them. Go on, put it on again." She did, and when she stood facing him, he pulled a silver mask out of his bag. He placed it on his face, and Amber saw that it had a moon on the left cheek made entirely of pearls, and on the right cheek was a star made of a single blue stone.
"You're the Moon League leader, aren't you?" she asked softly. Jason nodded, then grasped her arm with his.
"The Moon League was one of the original leagues, and today it is still recognized. We of the Moon League value diversity and strength over type advantage and power levels. Train your pokemon well, and carry this mask with you, to always know you are one of us. What name will you give your badge, Amber?" She thought about it for less than a moment.
"The Cat's Eye Badge. For a trainer must have agility and reflexes in order to help their pokemon succeed."
"Gengar! Gengar gar," Boo spoke up.
"What did he say?" Jason wondered, pulling off his mask.
"He said that I look good as a Moon League Gym Leader. And that he wants to get some rest," Amber replied, pulling her mask off as well. Jason nodded, and the two trainers walked out of the cave into the cool night air.
"You going home?" the young man asked.
"Might as well, though I suppose we're sworn to secrecy about the Moon League?" Amber wondered.
"You can't tell anyone unless I allow it. We're a select group, and we can't have just anyone challenging us, now can we?" Both trainers smiled.
"Of course not. That would be simply horrible," Amber teased. Jason took out a pokeball and tossed it into the air. A moment later Flap appeared.
"Let's go, Flap," he ordered, sitting astride his Pidgeot. Amber released Spike, and climbed onto his back.
"Going home?" she wondered. Jason turned around and looked at her with a knowing smile.
"I don't have a home. I live where it suits me, and only if it suits me. Not the kind of lifestyle that most trainers or Gym Leaders want."
"But it's the kind you want. I'll see you around?"
"Count on it. I don't make it a habit of leaving my friends by themselves for too long. You take care of yourself, Amber." Then he turned to Boo, and smiled slightly. "And you, take care of her."
"Gengar," Boo replied solemnly, bowing to Jason. Then the two trainers went their separate ways. Amber turned to Boo, who was sitting next to her on Spike's back.
"Do you think I did the right thing with telling him about you?"
"Gengar gar gengar gengar," Boo answered.
"Thanks. I trust him too. Though I wonder where he's off to? But I suppose that if the Moon League is this mysterious, its leader must be equally so." Amber fingered the mask in her bag, thinking back on her first time venturing up the stone tower and meeting Jason. "It's been quite a trip, and I don't think our adventure is over just yet, my friend."
"Gengar." Amber giggled, and even Spike began chuckling.
"You said it, Boo. You said it."