Beginning Arc: Victory- and more Problems to Follow
"Don't let up! We've almost won!" Cheren shouted. "Dodge and then attack with Bite!" As Herdier attacked, Kirlia teleported. "Magical Leaf!" Mari shouted. Kirlia appeared behind Herdier and fired leaves at it. They landed a critical hit on Herdier, which slumped down. "We got it on the ground now! Let's bring it hell! Use Dazzling Gleam!" Kirlia raised its arms and fired multiple beams of light at the normal-type Pokémon. Herdier growled as it got hit. "Finish it off with Confusion!" Her partner teleported above its foe and bashed it with another wave of telekinetic energy. It then hovered down graciously, landing on its feet beside the defeated opponent. "Done!" Mari jumped in the air with joy. "Well done, Kirlia!" Kirlia bowed. Cheren bent down to his Herdier and stroked through its fur. "Looks like we have some learning to do, too. Thanks Herdier, get some rest." He withdrew it and sighed. Mari withdrew Kirlia as well and threw herself around Jacky's neck. "Oh, Jacky! We really did it! My Pokémon and I!",
"Great job, Mari! You should be proud of yourself!",
"Well done." Cheren came over to them. "You beat me, even though we've been training for so long. It's always a great experience seeing the students surpassing their teachers." Mari turned to Cheren and they shook hands. "Thank you for the battle, Cheren. It was very instructive." Cheren pulled out a badge and handed it to Mari. "This is your first gym badge, the Basic Badge. You showed us that we still have a lot to do to win against trainers who are yet to come. I hope I was able to teach you a little more.",
"Yes. I really learned a lot. I want to thank you for that!" Mari accepted the badge overjoyed. Its purple crystals sparkled in the light.
Everyone heard the school bell ring and Cheren jammed the books under his arm again. Mari could see that one was titled 'Behaviors of Pokémon.'
"Just in time for the next lesson. I wish you good luck for your road ahead- What's up?" Cheren looked at Jacky as she moved to stand in front of him. "Cheren, may I challenge you tomorrow? My partner and I have been training for the Aspertia gym, and we want to get our first badge the way Mari did." Cheren thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "I see, then I'm looking forward to tomorrow.",
"Really? Wow!" Jacky smiled delightedly and then firmly said, "My Pokémon and I are giving it everything we've got! See you tomorrow and thanks again!" She waved after the black-haired teacher, who disappeared with the books under his arm.
Mari left the school with Jacky. "I'll be cheering you on tomorrow, of course. But for now, I have to go to the Pokémon Center. The battle took a good toll on my Pokémon." Jacky nodded. "Cheren fought very offensively, so that was tough on you", she said.
"Then you know what to prepare for." Mari patted her on the shoulder. Jacky smiled and looked at the school again. "My strategy will get me an A and the first gym badge.",
"We don't get school grades anymore! And I'm insanely happy about that, too..." They arrived at the Pokémon Center and Mari dropped off her two Pokémon. "You must be excited already.",
"Very much so." They sat down at a round table.
"Cheren's Herdier sure was a tough nut to crack." Jacky tilted her head.
"Yeah, but think about it, Cheren certainly won't use the same Pokémon against you after you've seen their moves and tactics. That would be way too easy otherwise, don't you think?",
"You think?" Jacky sipped on hot cocoa and probably hadn't thought about it at all. She reached for a magazine and flipped it open. "...Then I have to be ready for anything." Mari also took a hearty sip from a hot cocoa. "Yeah, as an gym leader, it would only be natural to have multiple Pokémon so you can be flexible. And different Pokémon means different tactics."
Jacky nodded and propped her head on one hand. "Look, a restaurant here in Unova made it to Restaurant of the Year. Included were restaurants from Kanto, Sinnoh, and Kalos.",
"The restaurants and cafes in Kalos are said to be posh and top class. Especially the famous Café Soleil in Lumiouse City.",
"I want to go there sometime." Jacky smiled and took another sip. "I'm always up for cake and tea",
"Yeah, me too." Mari's gaze wandered to the ceiling. "I want to go to Kalos someday, yeah...",
"I really want to go to Johto when time is right." Jacky leaned back. "The history of that region is very interesting.",
"There are hidden ruins in Sinnoh, did you know that? But Unova also has its charms and secrets, and we'll uncover those first.",
"I want to go to Dragon Spiral Tower." Jacky closed her eyes for a moment. "And we have to take care of all the problems that exist here. Don't you think?" Mari's gaze darkened as her thoughts drifted off towards Hypno.
"Shouldn't Officer Rocky be sorting this out?" Jacky seemed concerned. "After all, we've barely been trainers for three days",
"Well... Dealing with a Pokémon like Hypno comes with its difficulties," Mari said, raising her eyes as a young boy with tousled, chocolate-brown hair walked into the Pokémon Center. He was staring at the floor and had his shoulders hunched. He went straight for the counter of the Pokémon Center, behind which Nurse Joy was currently standing, searching the cabinets for certain medicines. Mari saw the boy pull something out of his pocket. It was a knife. The boy pointed it at the nurse. "Hand over all the Pokémon stationed here, or I'll have to use force..." The boy's voice somehow sounded strangely monotone. Mari's instincts immediately told her that something was wrong. The boy didn't seem older than seven. All the visitors of the Pokémon Center jumped up in panic. The boy gave them a quick glance. His blue eyes were lightless and empty. "Jacky, his eyes!" Mari screamed as the fact hit her in the face like a punch. "Don't they look familiar?!",
"They are..." Memories of the hypnotized Pokémon flashed in her mind. "They look like the eyes of the Pokémon in the forest!",
"Yeah, right! Hypno must have him under control!",
"Your Pokémon are in treatment! I'll take care of it!" Jacky jumped up.
"You can't hurt him, are you crazy?",
"Leave it to me, Mari! I won't hurt him yet!",
"Forget it!" Mari growled. "You're not doing anything alone here, got it? I'll get Zorua and Kirlia out of treatment and then help you! Don't argue!" Mari was already running before Jacky could say anything back. Jacky pulled out a Poké Ball. "We need you, Absol!" Absol appeared in front of Jacky and growled. "Stop that boy with Double Team!" Absol created illusions of herself and they surrounded the boy, who just looked at them as if they were transparent.
Mari, meanwhile, entered the treatment room and looked around. Kirlia was lying on a laybed with its hands pressed to its temples. "Kirlia? What's wrong?" Mari ran to the bed. Kirlia raised its head and Mari noticed its dull and exhausted look. "Kirlia..." Mari knelt down and Kirlia crawled to her. It buried its face in Mari's T-shirt. "Hypno just won't leave us alone... What about Zorua? Where is it?" Mari put her arms protectively around Kirlia and looked around. Zorua was on another daybed in the room, but it seemed to be fully awake. It growled and jumped off the bed, then its claws were surrounded by shadows and it attacked with Shadow Claw. "Huaaah!" Mari stood up and rushed to the door. Zorua's claws hit the metal bars of the daybed. "Zorua is already controlled... What a bummer!" Mari yanked open the door and ran out of the room with Kirlia in her arms. "Kirlia, we have to help Absol and Jacky and save Zorua!"
"Now Razor Wind!" Jacky's command rang through the commotion in the Pokémon Center, and Absol shot out shining blades that deliberately slammed into the ground at the boy's feet, forcing him to retreat more and more. The boy clutched the knife with his right hand. Zorua charged after Mari and Kirlia, snarling. From behind, it snapped its Bite at Mari, who pressed herself against the wall. Zorua growled and bristled its fur, but then, it looked at Jacky. It turned away from Mari and jumped at Jacky with Shadow Claw. Jacky noticed it too late and the Pokémon's claws hit her shoulder. She cried out and pressed a hand on her shoulder. Absol whirled around and tried to run to her, but the boy ran ahead and tried stabbing Absol with his knife, which Absol fended off with his blade. "Jacky!" Mari pushed herself off the wall and saw blood running down Jacky's shoulder. Kirlia wriggled violently and it slipped out of Mari's arms. It landed gracefully on the floor and raised its arms. Then, it stood protectively in front of Mari. "Absol, quick, Zorua is not itself anymore..." Jacky pressed out and gasped. "Grab it with a Bite!" Absol dashed forward angrily and snatched at the fox Pokémon. The fox backed away. Snarling, Absol raised a paw and pressed it to the ground.
Suddenly, leaves hit the ground next to Absol. The Pokémon startled and let go of Zorua. It turned around and looked at Kirlia. It had raised its arms. "It's getting worse...!" Jacky groaned, but Kirlia shook its head. Its eyes were normal. 'Absol! It's all right! Listen, get out of here! Search for Hypno with Jacky, you'll get there faster. I'll stay here with Mari and take care of everything!' it called out to the dark-type Pokémon and its trainer with its telepathy. "But...!" Jacky wanted to disagree, but she saw it was no use and nodded resolutely. She ignored the pain in her shoulder and ran out of the Pokémon Center. Absol followed her. "Watch out!" Mari shouted after them, then she looked at Kirlia. "I know you're not completely healed yet, but we're going to make it through this!" Before Jacky left the Pokémon Center, she stopped for a moment and sent Shinx out of its Poké Ball. "Shinx, stay with Mari and support her!" Then, she and Absol disappeared into the distance. Shinx nodded and jumped over to Mari and Kirlia. Zorua scrambled back onto its feet and went after Jacky and Absol, but Kirlia jumped into its path and hurled leaves at it. Zorua backed away, growling. Shinx jumped forward from behind and rammed Zorua, which went down yelping. Mari grabbed the boy's arm and snatched the knife from him. Kirlia fixed his gaze on the boy and seemed to be talking to him via telepathy, while Zorua attacked Shinx, who kept dodging.