Another chapter… and this one is the first chapter that had a Pokémon disturbing me…
Charlie: Hey, what's that suppose to mean, Avegaille?
Me: Hey! I told you not to interrupt me while I'm writing!
Charlie: You always say that whenever I call your real name....

Anyway, back to Chapter 9
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Chapter 9 - Finishing Some Unfinished Business!

May and Avegaille were still at Dewford's outskirts. The early morning sun has just risen a while back as the two trainers wanted their Pokémon to behave. The two of them all send back their Pokémon to their balls as they went off to Dewford. While the two girls trainers are at Dewford, the boys are in the cave, training and catching Pokémon. The two of them seem to be getting along, as much as May and Avegaille.

"Maybe I should look for a Fighting Pokémon," Phil said to himself. He began pacing and looking around the cave.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm surely one of them is around here somewhere," Brendan smirked.

While Phil was walking, he tripped over something soft, which made him land on the ground.

"Are you all right?" Brendan asked, quickly running to him and helping him stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine, except that I think I tripped over a Pokémon," Phil said as he stood up and turned around, seeing a Makuhita staring angrily at him.

"Uh-oh," Brendan said under his breath.

Phil took out a Pokéball and send out Terk. Terk looked at Makuhita, who was really angry at Phil. Brendan stepped back, just to make sure he doesn't get hurt.

"Terk, use Absorb!" Phil ordered.

" Okay, then! " Terk said as he turned around and began to use his paws to absorb the energy of the wild Pokémon.

The wild Makuhita was a bit wobbly when Phil tossed a Pokéball to catch it. The ball shaken a little until the middle part of the ball turned red.

"Why would you want to catch a Pokémon that is mad at you?" Brendan asked Phil after catching the Pokémon.

"Maybe I could apologize to it after that," Phil replied. "And also, I just found my Fighting Type Pokémon."

"Well, let's get out of here then," Brendan said as he ran off the cave.
Phil and Terk followed Brendan until they got out of the cave. When they got outside, they saw that May and Avegaille are no longer near the cave.

"Now, where could have those girls gone off to?" Brendan asked Phil.

"Probably hiding from us," Phil replied and chuckled.

" Is that a good thing? " Terk asked Brendan.

"No, it's not a good thing, and it only means that they don't like us!" Brendan replied quickly.

"Well, they can't go anywhere else, so they probably went to Dewford," Phil said as he and Terk walked off.

"Okay, I'm coming too," Brendan called out as he ran to follow them.
---

At Dewford Town, May and Avegaille were at the Pokémon Center, fully healing their Pokémon first. While they were waiting, the two trainers are sitting at a table, drinking Soda Pops.

"Speaking of which, I almost forgot about the letter that we were suppose to give to Steven," May started as she put down her Soda Pop on the table.

"Oh, yeah, and that package to Slateport," Avegaille continued. "I wonder why they wanted us to deliver the package?"

"Well, you saw how Team Magma and Team Aqua wanted that package," May replied. Then, Nurse Joy approached them as she gave back their Pokémon.

"Well, I hope you two are going to battle the gym leader here," Nurse Joy said to them as she walked back to her counter.

"Don't worry, we will," Avegaille said as she attached all the Pokéballs into her belt.

Then, Brendan and Phil approached May and Avegaille as they spotted them. Both of them were standing right in front of the girls.

"So, how's the training going?" May asked the guys.

"Oh, we're doing just fine," Brendan replied. "So, whose turn is it to battle the gym leader?"

"It's Avegaille's turn," Phil exclaimed.

"May just said that to me earlier," Avegaille said and sweat-dropped.

"Whatever, anyway, this time, the three of us will be watching you battle," Brendan said to Avegaille.

"Okay, then..." Avegaille sighed as she stood up and walked out of the Pokémon Center.
---

At Dewford's Gym, after getting through all the darkness, Avegaille had finally reached the gym leader, which is Brawley, by the way. The other three trainers were behind her, watching and cheering for her.

"So, you're the new rookie trainer here," Brawley started. "If you haven't know yet, I'm Brawley, the gym leader her. Unlike you, I use fighting types to defeat my opponents. So, are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready!" Avegaille exclaimed. She saw the big monitor which tells who is winning. "Gee, I never noticed that big monitor before..."

"Sandra, come here and judge the battle," Brawley said as one of his trainer went near him.

"Let's see how good this Kanto Kid is," Brendan murmured to himself.

"You know the rules, the gym leader uses two Pokémon while the trainers can use any number of Pokémon. The trainer can switch out their Pokémon while the gym leader can't," Sandra stated.

"All right, go, Makuhita!" Brawley exclaimed as he tossed a Pokéball and out came Makuhita.

"Go! Gil!" Avegaille called out as she tossed a Pokéball and send out Gil.

"All right, let's get started!" Brawley exclaimed. "Makuhita, use Bulk Up!"

"Gil, use Wing Attack!" Avegaille ordered.
Gil spread out his wings and whipped up gusty wind, hitting it on Makuhita. Gil's Wing Attack was too strong for Makuhita, which made him faint in one hit.

"That's odd, I thought she would have taught Fly to Gil," May said to herself.

"Maybe it's because Gil isn't compatible with Fly at his stage," Phil explained.

"You did great, come back," Brawley said to Makuhita as he took out his ball and sent him back. He took another ball and send out Machop.

"Machop! Use Seismic Toss!" Brawley commanded.

"Gil, use Wing Attack!" Avegaille exclaimed.
Gil's Wing Attack almost made Machop faint, but he still had some energy left. The Machop used Seismic Toss, which did some damage on Gil.

"Hmm, let's see if you Pokémon can handle this!" Brawley exclaimed. "Machop! Use Revenge!"

"Oh, yeah! Gil! Wing Attack again!" Avegaille exclaimed.

" Here goes! " Gil exclaimed as he spread out his wings , whipping up another gusty wind.

Machop's Revenge somehow had hit Gil first before Gil's Wing Attack could take effect, making Gil faint for the second time.

"Well, who are you going to send out now?" Brawley asked as he saw Avegaille sending Gil back to its ball.

Oh, no, not again, but this time, I can't send out Ziggy, Avegaille thought to herself. She held Charlie's ball and sent him out. "All right, Go Charlie!"

" This is for Gil! " Charlie exclaimed as he used Flamethrower on the Machop before Avegaille could even tell him what to do.

"Hey, wait, Charlie, I haven't told you what to do yet," Avegaille interrupted. She was very shocked at what Charlie did.

" Too late! " Charlie said as he pointed at the fainted Machop.

"And the winner...Avegaille Amethyst!" Sandra announced.

"I thought Pokémon were supposed to obey their trainers," Brendan remarked. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Charlie just wanted to do a friend a favor," Phil protested. "Or maybe he just didn't want to listen to his trainer."

"You have a very feisty Pokémon there," Brawley said to Avegaille as he went near her. "But I'm wondering why he didn't even listen to you."

"I don't know what's gotten into him," Avegaille replied, looking at Charlie.

"Well, anyway, congratulations," Brawley said as he gave to Avegaille the Knuckle Badge. Then, he saw the three trainers who were watching the battle a while ago. "And I think I'll be expecting a better battle from the two of you." He pointed at Phil and May.

"Don't worry, you'll get what you want," Phil said to Brawley.

While Brawley was talking to the other three trainers, Avegaille went near Charlie, who seem to be just standing in the stadium, very quiet.

" I know you didn't like what I just did, " Charlie said to Avegaille as he turned around to face his trainer. " But I don't like to see one of my friends faint, even if I am just inside the ball. "

"Yeah, I noticed," Avegaille agreed. "Anyway, let's get to the Pokémon Center to revive Gil."

" Okay, " Charlie said as Avegaille took out a Pokéball and send back Charlie in it.

"So, I'll see you two then," Brawley said to May and Phil.

"Sure," May said as she walked off out of the gym with Brendan and Phil.

As the other three trainers left, Avegaille had just placed Charlie's ball into her belt when she decided to join in the group.

"Hey, where did everyone go?" Avegaille asked as she turned around.

"They left, and you should be going too," Brawley replied.

Avegaille nodded as she quickly walked off to follow the rest. As she got outside, she saw May waiting for her.

"So, off to the Pokémon Center?" May asked Avegaille. She folded her arms across her chest.

"Um, yeah," Avegaille replied, looking at May in a confused way. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just so that I would know where you are while I'm at the gym," May replied.

"Well, okay, then, I'll see you later," Avegaille said to May as she quickly ran to the Pokémon Center.

Why do I even bother, I don't think I'll even find out what's going on inside her head, May thought to herself. Maybe she's hiding something from the rest of us and she's not telling it to us.
---

A few hours later, May and Phil had defeated the gym leader easily by speed. Both of them are resting their Pokémon at the Pokémon Center. Avegaille and Brendan are also with them. They were all drinking Lemonades this time. Then, May had almost forgotten something.

"Darn it! That letter to Steven!" May exclaimed, making the other three trainers look at her. She crushed the empty lemonade can that she was holding with her two hands.

"Oh, yeah, that!" Avegaille exclaimed. She stood up from her seat. "Come on, we better give it to him before Mr. Briney arrives to take us to Slateport."

"You guys go, we'll stay here," Brendan said to the girls.

"What? Are you just afraid of a dark cave?" May asked, teasing Brendan.

"No, I just want to stay here, that's all," Brendan protested as he started to sweat.

"I think he's afraid," Phil remarked. He looked at Avegaille. "Maybe I should stay with him."

"That's fine with me," Avegaille said as she went near the computer besides their table.

"Come on Avegaille, let's go," May said as she stood up from her seat. Nurse Joy approached her and gave back her Pokémon. She clipped all the balls into her belt.

As the two girls walked off, May tossed the crushed can in her hand to hit Brendan's head.

"Ouch!" the two girls heard Brendan's voice from outside the Pokémon Center. "May! I'll get you for this!"

"Isn't that kind of mean?" Avegaille asked May as they were walking along Dewford.

"Humph, I don't care, anyway, let's just deliver this letter to Steven," May replied as the two of them got out of Dewford and reached the cave that they saw before.

"Did you teach Flash to one of your Pokémon?" May asked Avegaille as she looked at her.

"No, none of my Pokémon can learn it," Avegaille replied. She took out a small box from her jacket pocket and gave it to May. "But maybe your Pokémon can learn it."

"All right, let's see, I think Kathy can learn it," May said as she took a Pokéball and sent out Kathy. She bent down to get closer to Kathy.

" Oh, boy, what are we going to do now? " Kathy asked her trainer excitedly. She jumped up and down.

"Hey, calm down," May said, laughing a little as she tried to calm down Kathy. "Anyway, I'll teach you a move called Flash. Are you ready?"

" Yes, yes! " Kathy exclaimed. She watched her trainer attach a small box into her forehead. Then, data began to spur through her head until she understood what it means. " Yes! I did it! I learned Flash! "

May took off the box attached to Kathy and gave it back to Avegaille. Then, May picked up Kathy from the ground and carried her in her arms. both of them went inside the cave, but they saw that it wasn't dark inside the cave at all.

"Humph, it's not that dark in here," May remarked. Then, she saw a hiker, looking at the rocks somehow.

"Hey there," the hiker greeted the two trainers. "I don't recommend you two going deeper in the cave unless you have Flash."

"Oh, Kathy already knows how and we already got the Dewford Gym Badge," May replied.

"Well, good luck on your adventure," the hiker said to them. "Anyway, just earlier, a guy named Steven just passed by."

"Hey, isn't he the reason why we're here?" Avegaille asked May.

"Yes, now come one," May replied as she walked until she reached a hole with a ladder. She climbed on it until she got under the cave.

"Hey, wait up!" Avegaille exclaimed as she quickly followed May.
---

Under the cave, Avegaille just got down from the ladder as May told Kathy to use Flash. Kathy's Flash was almost blinding, it lit up entirely the cave.

"So, where is that Steven guy anyway?" Avegaille asked as she and May walked, following the path.

"Probably at the end of this cave," May replied. She continued to pet Kathy that was still in her arms. "It's so odd that there isn't much Pokémon here."

"Maybe it's because they're sleeping," Avegaille guessed. She looked around until she saw a ladder.

"Oh, look, a ladder!" May exclaimed as she quickly ran towards it.

"Don't worry, I'll catch up to you," Avegaille called out as she ran to follow
May.

As Avegaille reached the ladder, May already got up of the ladder. Then, Avegaille saw something shining, so she decided to pick it up. It was an Everstone. She placed it in her backpack as May waited for her up the ladder. She finally climbed the ladder and May helped her get off the ladder.

"All right, let's find that Steven guy," May exclaimed as she quickly ran, leaving Kathy and Avegaille behind.

"Hey, come on," Avegaille said to Kathy as she bent down to pick up her up. She stood up and followed May, leading them into another entrance.

"This must be where he is," May said as she entered the hole.

"Okay, this is getting weirder," Avegaille said as she also entered the hole.
Inside the hole, they saw a man examining the walls of the cave, searching for something. He turned around and noticed that they were staring at him.

"Oh, hello, and you are?" the man asked, approaching them.

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End of chapter 9

Charlie (interrupting writer): Well, at least this had some excitement!
Me (shouting): Charlie, what are you doing here?
Charlie: Nothing, just telling our readers just how the story is....
Me (sighing): Oh, whatever....

Oh, yes, I still remember that line… now what? Yeah, the end of chapter 9.