Author's Note: Sphinx, its on my profile page...just click the link that says "e-mail", I look forward to your e-mail, just no viruses XD

NAME: Ohi

AGE: 63

HOME: Violet City

HAIR: bald

EYES: black

CLOTHES: Black uniform with silver hems.

FUN FACT: He is the Master of the Bellsprout Tower in Violet City.

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Master Ohi nodded and pulled out two pokeballs.

"Since you have not yet earned your first badge, this fight shall be limited to two pokemon per side. Both trainers will not know the pokemon used by the other, and we shall release at the same time. Prepare yourself."

Krysta nodded sharply and decided to go with Echo and Dorcy. She pulled Dorcy's pokeball and started a countdown.

"Three!"

Together, she and Master Ohi called out "Two!" and finally, "ONE!"

As the two pokemon emerged, Krysta heard Zell and Dom's gasp of surprise.

"Weeeeepin-bell!"

Dorcy looked at the larger pokemon and started to step back, then she glanced at her trainer. Resolutely, she stepped forward.

Krysta gulped. "Dorcy, use Scary Face and follow up with another Scary Face!"

Dorcy closed her eyes and opened them slowly. The golden glow they emitted was a bright, shiny thing for the Weepinbell to focus on. Predictably, the Weepinbell got hit full force with the Speed reducing move.

Since the grass type was moving slower, Dorcy was able to get her attack in before the other pokemon could move. Again, the less than smart Weepinbell got hit full on with the Scary Face.

The yellow and green pokemon grunted and flung its vine at Dorcy and tried to Wrap her. Without being told, Dorcy executed a beautiful backflip and fired off two Poison Stings.

Krysta was proud of her pokemon and tried to express it to her. "Good job Dorcy, think on your toes like that and we'll be on Indigo Plateau next week!"

The Weepinbell tried to use Vine Whip, sending two vines on either side of Dorcy and curling around behind her. Krysta was sure that the small pokemon would take a devastating hit.

The small Spinarak looked at the vines encroaching on her and fired a Stringshot at the wall behind the Weepinbell. Springing off of it, she dealt the pokemon a strong Tackle attack. Krysta was surprised. Apparently, so were Zell and Dom.

"What? A Spinarak cannot learn tackle!" Dom kept yelling.

Zell just stared at the battle in anticipation of something else new.

The Tackle ended the Weepinbell. Master Ohi replaced it with a serene looking Noctowl.

Krysta recalled Dorcy and sent out Echo. "Supersonic, then Leech Life!"

The Noctowl's eyes started to glow light blue and beams of light circled around Echo. They dissappeared shortly and Echo commenced with his attacks.

The Noctowl was hit with the Supersonic, but managed to dodge the Leech Life. The large bird pokemon regally took to the air. It came screaming down for a Tackle attack.

Echo dodged it and watched as the confused pokemon tried to shift direction and fail. With a loud crunch, the pokemon hit the dirt.

The Noctowl tried to stand up, but fell over. Echo used Leech Life to finish off the pokemon.

Krysta recalled Echo after the battle. She was poumped and ready for anything. Master Ohi bowed to her and motioned her to him. Several of the other Sages stood behind him.

One of them stepped forward and was holding two long, black, and shiny things. Master Ohi took them from the Sage and held it up for everone to see. It was a black silk headband and matching sash. Embroidered on them were the branch and the petals from a Cherry tree.

"Sage Krysta, I present to you the symbols of your trials here. You are now a part of our order. Since you are a traveling trainer, we have decided to honor you with the accutrements of the traveling warrior. Wear them with pride."

With that, he tied the headband on her and draped the sash over her shoulder. He and the other Sages bowed to her.

After the rest of the ceremony was complete, Krysta and Zell left the Tower. Krysta decided to keep the headband on, but tucked the sash away until a special occasion. Finally, after healing their pokemon, the duo headed for the Gym.

Krysta slowly pushed open the doors and stepped into the darkened Gym. The sounds of battle eminated from the arena. Silently, Krysta went towards the open space.

A boy and his Rattata were in a heated battle with Falkner's Pidgeotto. Krysta sank into a meditative sitting position at the edge of the room and watched silently.

The Rattata was fast, but Pidgeotto was faster. The bird pokemon looked slightly winded, but it managed to knock the Rattata into a wall.

The boy left with a sad look on his face. Krysta noted that he was carriying his pokemon in his arms rather than in its pokeball. She decided to wait and watch a little longer.

Falkner dissappeared from his mid-air perch and was on the arena floor seconds later. He hugged his Pidgeotto and whispered to it comfortingly while he used a Potion on its wounds. He fed it an elixer and scratched its head.. He next called out and treated his Pidgey. As Krysta had assumed, it was fainted. He revived it and healed its wounds as well. He patted it on the head as he gave it an ether. Krysta thought on that for a moment.

Apparently, Falkner knew his stuff. The hard-eyed young man she had battled earlier was nowhere to be found. He had been replaced with this gentle trainer who was busy playing with his pokemon.

At that moment, Zell, who had gone up in the spectator part of the Gym, sneezed. All three of the Violet City Gym's guardians looked up at him. Then the Pidgey looked at Krysta.

"Pidgey!"

Falkner looked at her. "Yes?" There was no trace of the Leader who had redressed her not more than two days ago.

Krysta swallowed hard and stood serenely. "Falkner, I am Krysta, and I have come to challenge you for a Zephyr Badge. However, before we begin, may I ask a question of you?"

He arched an eyebrow at her but shrugged. "You have, and you may."

"What are your pokemon's nicknames?"

He blinked hard. "How did you know that they were named?" he asked, more curious now.

Krysta smiled softly. "You seem to love and care for them so much...I can't imnagine that you haven't named them."

Falkner nodded and pointed at the Pidgeotto. "That's Ace, and this," he said, pointing to the Pidgey "is Zephyr. Now, as a return favor, when we battle, you must tell me yours." He smiled at her and recalled both his pokemon. He walked to the opposite edge of the arena.

To Krysta's surprise, he didn't ascend to his usual battle area. He readied his pokemon and called out to her. "Krysta, I accept your challenge as leader of this Gym. The Zephyr Badge is the first step along your journey and is watched by a Judge. After defeating me, you will advance to try and earn the Hive badge. This will be a one on one pokemon battle and will last until either you or I run out of usable pokemon or one of us decides to forfeit. Are you ready?"

Krysta took a deep breath and grasped Aqua's pokeball in her hands. "Yes. Aqua, go!"

"Zephyr, show this greenhorn how it's done!" Falkner seemed to be more relaxed in this battle than in others.

The Pidgey and the Poliwag faced each other again.

Krysta decided to have fun with this battle. She called out to Aqua and struck a pose. Aqua nodded and complied.

The Pidgey was zooming down to tackle Aqua as it had been ordered to do, but in order to hit her, Zephyr had to look at her.

Aqua delt a flawless Hypnosis to Zephyr and was rewarded with the pokemon falling asleep. After that, all it took was two Bubble attacks.

Krysta noted that Zephyr was about to faint. "Falkner, If you want, you can just recall Zephyr and bring out Ace. I know how much you care for them..."

Falkner looked at her with eyes that seemed to pierce into her soul. Krysta's heart fluttered slightly, but she just attributed it to battle nerves.

Falkner said nothing, but he recalled Zephyr and sent out Ace. Krysta kept Aqua out and struck the same pose. Aqua giggled in her bubbly voice and used the same combo again.

Pidgeottos don't like being hit when they're asleep.

Ace awoke after being hit with one Bubble and used Gust on Aqua. The Poliwag jumped up off the floor and toddled back to her position. Krysta changed her stance and held her arms up. "You can do it Aqua!" she yelled.

Aqua did a cute little backflip and blew Bubbles at Ace. Ace dodged them and slapped Aqua with Mud Slap. Aqua stopped her dancing and stared at Ace.

Ace fell for it and was soon deeply asleep. Krysta had Aqua use Bubble again and again until Ace was almost out.

"Falkner, do you forfeit?" she yelled.

Grimly, he shok his head and tossed out a Full Heal. Ace woke up and Tackled Aqua. The force and surprise of the blow sent the Poliwag flying into the far wall. Aqua fainted.

Krysta grimmaced. "Dorcy, go!"

Falkner was using a potion on Ace when she called out Dorcy. He scoffed at her and asked "A bug pokemon? You expect a bug to beat a bird? Well...you have four more pokemon..." He sent Ace back into battle.

"Dorcy," Krysta said calmly, "He doesn't think you can beat his one itsy bitsy Pidgeotto. He doesn't think you're good enough. Show him combo four."

Dorcy's eyes began to glow gold as she used Scary Face on the Pidgeotto. The fast flying bird slowed down drastically as it stared at the little Spinarak.

Dorcy then shot a String Shot into a corner and slingshot herself in the air infront of the surprised Ace. Then Dorcy used String Shot again, right into the surprised Ace's eyes. Both pokemon came back down onto the floor of the arena.

While Ace was trying to clear his eyes, Dorcy hammered him with Poison Stings. The poison got into Ace's system and knocked him out.

Dorcy returned to her pokeball after nuzling Krysta's ankle.

Falkner stared at her silently. He rocked slightly where he stood. Finally, a smile broke his cold mask.

"Congratulations. I see you have taken my advice to heart and trained yourself hard, though it does surprise me that two days could make such a difference. As stated in the rules, you have won. Come receive your reward."

Krysta crossed the arena and stood beside the older trainer. He shook her hand and presented her with the feather shaped badge.

"This is the Zephyr Badge. With it you can use Flash outside of battle if you have it...here, I want you to have this too..." he handed her a small dark blue box that was a lot like the HM that Master Ohi gave her.

"Is this a TM?" she asked.

Falkner nodded. "Yep. TM 31 to be exact. That's Mud Slap. It reduces accuracy as well as damaging, so it's a very useful move indeed. You can only teach it once though, so be careful in choosing which pokemon you teach it to. By the way, you did a great job battling. Good luck, and maybe we shall see each other again."

Krysta was too hyped up to notice the look in Falkner's eyes or the difference in his tone.

Zell noticed.

As they were leaving Violet City, he made a comment on it. "So...It seems Falkner likes you."

Krysta scoffed at him, then actually thought about it. "You think?"

Her reply was Zell looking away. She thought that she saw two patches of pink on his face, but who could tell. She shrugged it off and kept walking.

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Author's note! So...what do you think of the love interests springing up? Apparently, guys like a girl who trains hard and can win. More later...