Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journeys

by Gusto God of Story

If you were given a chance to go to another world, would you do it? Given the chance by a young trainer from Kanto, the kids of the Cul-De-Sac embark into the world of Pokemon. The Eds have been fans and know their way around battling... or so they think. So much has changed, and so much is unknown to them. But they must deal with the changes, even if it changes them as well...

9. Tsukushi

So, a few updates on things.

First off, we're close to 2,000 views and we've gotten 30 reviews, which makes me very happy. In addition, I seem to be writing more and more for each chapter. Like this one, I'm pretty sure I'm closer to 11,000 words than 10,000. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but hey, I like what I come up with, and considering the amount of interactions, I think you guys do too.

Fair warning, this chapter is a bit of a back-and-forth, and I'll be trying to do a lot with it. We're nearing the 10-chapter mark, so I'm trying to make sure it's as good of a 9th and 10th chapter as I conceivably can. Also, I'm trying to show off the new teams I've made for the Gym Leaders (lemme know what you think, btw), and play around a little more with the Pokemon's personalities. Hope you enjoy it.

Anyway, reviews:

Wickerstein (Ch8): Well, glad to know I'm exceeding expectations. Hope I can keep you interested in future chapters.

Wickerstein (Ch6): Oh yeah. I'm either gonna find a way to fit contests in, or have them try out for the Pokeathlon. I feel like she's just sporty enough to have some fun with that.

Insane Dominator: Always appreciate reviews from you. They're so thorough, and it really helps me out.

Playerhood18: Yeah, I get distracted sometimes. Best I can do is give you guys chapters when I have 'em.

The Afterdreamer: I am going to have a lot of fun with this Koffing, I can guarantee that. Especially since it does open up the door for saving Pokemon from them in the future.

Engineer1869: XD yeah, Beedrill's gonna take some getting used to. I mean, I'm scared of regular hornets, so I can only imagine what would happen if I saw one that's a meter tall with SPEARS FOR HANDS!

And on one last note, I've change the format slightly for the end-of-chapter Party Data, slightly based more off what Insane Dominator did in their fic 'EDventures in Kalos'. I just thought it looked a little better this way.

Anyway, I've rambled on long enough. Here's chapter 9, I hope you enjoy it.

---

The whirring of the platform was the only sound as the Spinarak-shaped device approached the center of the arena. On it stood Rolf, who surveyed the gym during this short ride. The aesthetic was simple, built around plants, with a rectangular pit surrounding the actual battle arena. In a way, it reminded him of the pit he had made for the Duel against Eddy, which summoned feelings of exhilaration.

"This will be a proper place for Rolf's triumph over the master of this establishment!" Rolf exclaimed.

"Well, good to see you're confident, then."

Turning to the source of that voice, Rolf's gaze met his opponent's. For a split second, he wasn't impressed, only seeing what lied upon the surface. Across from him was a young boy, not too much older than he, with longish lavender hair, a drab green shirt and shorts, long socks, loafers, and various accessories befitting of a bug catcher.

At first glance, not much, but the moment Rolf looked into those lavender eyes, it became clear. He was looking at an extremely confident guy.

"Tsukushi, though some people call me 'Bugsy'," he told Rolf, introducing himself in the process. "Leader of the Azalea Gym, and an expert on Bug-Type Pokemon. To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"I am Rolf. Son of a Shepherd and aspiring trainer of these Pocket Monsters."

Tsukushi chuckled. "I take it you're not from around here?"

"Rolf comes from a faraway land, and is now even farther from the home he had made in Peach Creek!"

"I see. Well, I'll be sure to give you a warm 'Azalea Town' welcome."

At this point, the referee entered the ring, standing an equal distance between them, outside of the battle arena. In his hands were two flags, one for each side in the conflict.

"Who is this man?" Rolf questioned.

"That's the referee," Tsukushi stated, as if it were obvious. "Didn't you have one during your encounter with Hayato?"

"No. It was just Rolf and Hayato."

Tsukushi sighed. "Well that just makes sense, I suppose. He's a good trainer, but has certain ideas of how a battle is best enjoyed. Me though, I prefer to have an impartial third party. Speaking of…"

The referee nodded.

"The battle between Rolf of Peach Creek and Bugsy of Azalea Town will now commence! Trainer Rolf, are you ready?"

Rolf nodded.

"Trainer Bugsy! Are you ready?"

Tsukushi nodded as well.

"Very well! Battle begin!"

Without much more needing to be said, both of them threw the balls skyward, and from them came their first Pokemon.

On Tsukushi's side, a Spinarak.

On Rolf's, his Poliwag.

"Ah, I see," the Gym Leader mused. "Hoping to win with speed, then?"

"You know not of Rolf's plans, purple-haired elder one! Rolf and his blue tadpole shall show you our might!"

The bravado oozing from that statement reached both Tsukushi and his Pokemon, but not the one whom it was actually supposed to inspire. In fact, Poliwag was simply looking at Rolf with great confusion, and not for no reason. Part of him was baffled; his master had three Pokemon strong against this Bug, yet he chose the Water Type?

"(I would like to go on record by saying I think this is not a great idea, Master Rolf.)"

"So then, Pocket Monster, do you intend to work with Rolf or not?"

Ire raised in Poliwag, as Rolf called him out in a way. He was cautious, but he was no coward, that was for sure.

"(I will fight alongside you to my dying gasp!)" Poliwag declared, taking up a stance to try and seem intimidating; unfortunately, with such a squishy body and no arms, it looked more silly than threatening.

"Are you ready, Rolf?" Tsukushi asked.

"As it is said in your country… LET HER ROCK! Blue tadpole, use Hypnosis!"

With the order given, Poliwag acted upon it, unleashing a wave of psychic energy from the swirls of his belly. The attack landed perfectly, yet his opponent seemed unreasonably calm in spite of this, only further putting Poliwag on the defensive.

"An excellent opening play," Tsukushi commended. "I couldn't have done it better myself. Now, Spinarak! Awaken!"

Despite that call, the Bug Type didn't wake up, and Rolf took advantage of the opportunity by blasting it with a Water Gun. The attack was minimal, and was only met with more 'snoring' as the spider chittered in bliss.

"Ho-ho! Seems that your arachnid is unable to resist the call of the Sandman," Rolf taunted. "Now tadpole, let us assail them with more of the river's wrath!"

"(As my master commands!)" Poliwag declared with conviction, letting loose another stream of pressurized water right at Spinarak. The attack pushed the Bug-Type backward, nearly sending it falling onto its back as the strike landed.

But this was the opening that Tsukushi was waiting for, as he saw his Spinarak's eyes opening again.

"Not bad, but not good enough," Tsukushi told him. "Spinarak, use U-Turn!"

In a flash, Spinarak got back on its feet and jumped forward, slamming spike-first into Poliwag, before jumping back and being enveloped in red energy. Rolf could only watch as his Poliwag was knocked off his feet, and Tsukushi's Spinarak returned to the Poke Ball. From one of his other Poke Balls burst forth his next Pokemon: a small orange creature akin to a young cicada with mushrooms growing out of its back, showing off its pincers to its opponents.

"(Hello)," Paras chirred. "(Are you my opponent?)"

"(That's me!)" Poliwag declared confidently. "(Now then, shall we?)"

Both trainers gave their commands, Rolf going for a Bubble, and Tsukushi going for a Scratch. Much to Rolf's surprise, Paras powered through his attack, and swiped at his Poliwag, dealing substantial damage to the poor tadpole. After an attack like that, it was a wonder he was still standing.

"(You're stubborn. Like the mushrooms in my back,)" Paras told him, to which Poliwag stood as firm as its weak legs would let it.

"(I am not defeated yet. It'll take more than that to strike me down.)"

In truth, this was all empty bravado. No way would Poliwag be able to withstand another attack, even one as simple as Scratch. But still, he could not show weakness in this moment, lest Rolf think he's not worth training…

"Your Poliwag is resilient," Tsukushi remarked. "Usually they would've switched by now."

"Rolf and his 'Po-lee-wag' shall not run," he told the Gym Leader, the unfamiliar term resting on his tongue for a bit. "Rolf shall create the ultimate defensive army, and his young tadpole shall serve upon that."

"I see."

Tsukushi saw the conviction in his opponents' eyes, both trainer and Pokemon determined in the same way. It seemed that despite not being too familiar with names, something about Rolf's dream had seeped into his Pokemon as well.

'This guy has potential,' he mused. 'I'll have to see what else this 'ultimate defensive team' has to offer.'

"Now, Po-lee-wag, use the Water Gun once more!"

"Counter with Scratch!"

The conclusion was foregone, and this was well-known. The Pokemon knew it, Tsukushi knew it… in fact, the only one who didn't seem to know it was Rolf, who watched on once more as Paras scuttled through his Poliwag's technique, and finally knocked out Poliwag.

"Poliwag is unable to battle," the ref said, raising a flag toward Tsukushi. "Bugsy's Paras wins this battle!"

"Po-lee-wag, get back up," Rolf demanded. "Do not let our training last hour go to waste!"

"Don't push him too far," Tsukushi warned. "He is at a type disadvantage, after all. Can't expect too great of results."

The response was a blank stare, obviously born of confusion. "Type advantage, you say?"

Had he been anywhere else, Tsukushi would have done a double take at that. Did this boy really not know about Type Advantages? He had to be messing with him, surely.

"No need to play coy with me," Tsukushi said, hoping his hunch was wrong. "It's trainer basics to understand Typings."

"Rolf does not joke, I do not know of what you speak."

"… I retract my previous thought about you."

At that, Rolf raised an eyebrow and puffed out his chest. "You dare doubt Rolf!?"

"Well, feel free to prove me wrong."

With renewed confidence, the son of a shepherd recalled Poliwag to his Poke Ball, and reached for the next Pokemon in line. He considered for only a split second which one to go with, and as he threw it high into the sky, the choice was revealed. Out of the ball popped Hoothoot, who looked primed and ready to avenge her defeated teammate.

"You shall not defeat Rolf's bird of prey," declared Rolf confidently. "This one is strong after our joint practice with hotshot Kevin-boy!"

"I… see. Well, either way, Hoothoot is a solid choice. Now Paras, scratch once again!"

"Hoot-Hoot! Peck at the unimpressive insect!"

The battle continued as both Pokemon pushed forward to strike at their opposition. Rolf's was first to act, her sharp beak dealing incredible damage to the Grass/Bug type that assailed his Poliwag previously. It was severely harmed, dealing an obscene amount of damage in a single shot. Paras waivered at that, and its shot was nothing more than a glancing blow, dealing half the damage it would have otherwise.

"(Grr… you're strong)," Paras said.

"(Of course,)" Hoothoot declared. "(My master saw to that.)"

"Once more, with force!"

Rolf didn't even stop to question the grin on Tsukushi's face, only worried about dealing damage to his opponents. And deal damage he and Hoothoot did, another high damage Peck attack landing square on Paras' back.

This time however, as it fell to the ground fainted, a burst of small particles covered Hoothoot, and she felt her muscles tense up, to an almost painful degree. Not even the surge of energy from 'leveling up' was enough to suppress this feeling, and she mentally cursed herself for the circumstance.

Rolf looked on, visibly confused, and ignoring the referee's words. "How did your pitiful insect paralyze Rolf's Hoot-hoot? You did not call a move!"

Tsukushi chuckled. "It's my Pokemon's Ability. When you make contact, it has a chance to release spores."

"And my Pocket Monster has allergies to these spores?"

"Something like that."

This information changed everything, the fledgling trainer mentally slapping himself for forgetting about abilities.

'Come now Rolf, you should have realized this,' he told himself. 'This simply made sense. A bug with fungus on its back? Why would it not release spores?'

Taking in a deep sigh, he shook his head. This was not lost, and they could survive through paralysis, he was sure. He just had to stick to his guns.

"Very well, use Peck once again!"

"U-Turn!"

At first, Rolf had expected his bird to continue its assault on the Bug Type, but to his surprise, Spinarak was actually faster this time around, and managed the same technique from earlier. With finesse not befitting something so small and slow, it jumped off of Hoothoot's body, returning to the Poke Ball to reveal Tsukushi's last Pokemon, his ace in the hole.

Both Pokemon and Trainer felt their knees tremble slightly at the sight of the mighty Bug Type before them. It towered above any bug that Rolf had ever seen, taller than Eddy and almost as tall as Kevin, standing bipedal, most of its body covered in green chitin, with cream colored upper legs, upper arms, waist, and wings. Its three-toed feet were clawed, each digit shimmering white and looking sharp enough to rip into anything, to say nothing of the massive blades that were at the end of each arm.

Yet when Rolf looked at the beast's face, he did not see a bug. He saw a… lizard?

"Wait, Rolf thought you were skilled with insects?"

Tsukushi rolled his eyes. "That is an insect."

"Rolf sees a reptile with wings and blades."

"It's a special genus!" Tsukushi protested. "They evolved from raptor Pokemon from prehistoric times!"

Rolf tilted his head. "So, it is a bug? Very well, we shall peck at it again, Hoot-hoot!"

The Flying Type nodded and flew in to attack Scyther. He attempted to dodge, but Hoothoot was persistent, and finally managed to get a good shot in; a Critical, no less. Scyther was visibly impressed by this.

"(Not bad)," Scyther commended. "(I admire your resolve.)"

"(J-just b-be-cause I am p-par-alyzed doesn't m-mean I'm h-help-less.)" Hoothoot told it defiantly.

Scyther nodded, and took up stance. Hoothoot jumped over to her other leg, still glaring at her opponent despite everything.

"You will not defeat Rolf! Hoot-hoot, use Peck!"

"Quick Attack!"

Before Hoothoot could even hope to deal any damage to his opponent, Scyther rushed in at a speed that exceeded anything she could hope to dodge. Knocked back, she barely managed to land on her foot, and tried her best to push herself forward once again…

But unfortunately, her muscles tensed far too hard, and she was stuck in place, unable to act on her given command.

"Sorry Rolf, but it seems that's all she wrote," Tsukushi taunted. "Once more, but half power."

Scyther nodded, and closed the distance between them, and despite Rolf's cries to dodge the strike, the Flying Type was knocked back once again, this time landing on her back, body going slack, and letting out a weak cry of defeat.

"Two for two, it seems."

Pulling out two Poke Balls, Rolf made a motion to call back Hoothoot and call out his next Pokemon. By this point, it was starting to become a natural habit, and the fluidity by which he recalled and summoned the next was something that even Tsukushi had to respect.

"Come to the fray, small rock with arms!" Rolf commanded, unleashing his Geodude onto the scene with a vengeance in his eyes.

"(You who would challenge Rolf and Geodude)," The Rock Type declared, flexing his mighty arms. "(Geodude shall show you our might!)"

"A Geodude, huh?" Tsukushi chuckled. "Pretty good choice."

"You seem to know much of these creatures. Rolf has yet to master their names."

"I take it that National isn't your native language?"

"Indeed. But Rolf digresses. GEODUCK!"

Geodude looked back at that. "(You mean 'Geodude'?)"

"No! Rolf means-"

"SCYTHER! Quick Attack!"

Their little squabble was cut short by Tsukushi's command, and Rolf was forced to act in the moment. The attack of choice was Rollout, one of the newer moves he had earned, and began using it to try and shatter the Bug Type.

Rolling forward at an impressive speed, Tsukushi's Scyther was hammered right in the chest by a powerful little boulder. It barely managed to keep stance as Geodude rolled back around, trying to keep momentum.

As it turned out, the damage was enough for Scyther to deem it time to use its item. Now, Rolf finally noticed the berry wrapped around his neck via a small lanyard. Piercing it with one of its blades, Scyther brought it up to its mouth, and chomped down on it with great vigor. It wasn't immediately obvious, but Scyther's wounds faded slightly, and the energy returned quickly.

"What was that?" asked Rolf, with great curiosity.

"My Pokemon was holding onto a berry to be used when it was needed. It's actually rather common."

"Hm… Rolf sees. Now then, continue your assault, Geo-duck!"

Turning around, Geodude rolled forward with all the force of a Donphan, with Scyther intercepting the attack before it could go off and countering with a strong U-Turn. Flying backward, it returned to the Sport Ball that housed it, and out popped Spinarak, who was met with the sight of a rolling Geodude.

"(Well… better me than Scyther)," it rationalized. "(I leave the rest to you!)"

In an instant, the Rock Type slammed into Spinarak was all the force he had been building up, and the damage was too much for it to take. It fainted, and was recalled by Tsukushi once again with a sigh.

"Seems I'm down to my final Pokemon," the Gym Leader whispered, pulling out Scyther's Sport Ball once again. "Alright then! Scyther, show this kid why bugs are to be respected!"

Like before, the mighty bug raptor returned to the battlefield, more determined than ever. Meanwhile, Geodude continued to roll around, picking up further speed on the next lap around. It seemed there was only one chance.

"U-Turn!"

And both trainer and Pokemon saw that chance. Not missing a beat, Scyther rushed forward, and jumped headfirst into Geodude, trying to intercept the attack and stop his momentum in its tracks. The clash resulted in a loud CRASH that echoed through the building, as both Pokemon continued to push with everything they have.

"(You're just another rock)," Scyther taunted. "(Easy to cut down like all the others.)"

"(Perhaps)," Geodude admitted, a grin growing on its features. "(But Geodude knows that you are weak to rocks!)"

Abject terror came onto Scyther's face as it realized it was actually being pushed back. Initially it was small, but impossible to ignore as the floor of the arena slid against the bottom of its feet. After a bit, the attack was too much, and both Pokemon were knocked down, Geodude's raw force sending them both to the floor, completely prone.

Geodude managed to get back to a floating position first, followed by Scyther, who looked to the Rock Type in shock.

"(How can this be!?)" Scyther asked, barely able to stand after toughing that attack out. "(I run laps around you, and yet you were still able to land your Rollout!?)"

"(You may be stronger than I…)" answered Geodude, clenching his fists to keep himself from fainting. "(But Rolf and I possess the conviction to withstand anything!)"

"(Your heavy breathing would suggest otherwise.)"

Geodude grunted.

Meanwhile, Tsukushi was awestruck. This little Rock Type had managed to withstand such an incredible attack? Sure it was extremely defensive, but Scyther was one of the strongest Bugs he had access to. The idea of anything being strong enough to withstand it seemed unreal to him.

"You have brought forth everything you have and it still was not enough! Small rock with arms! Use Magnitude!"

"… I'm sorry, did you say Magnitude?" Tsukushi asked, genuinely unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes!"

"… Fine then. Scyther, once more!"

Geodude did as commanded and unleashed a pulse of earth energy that shook the entire arena. While not that versed in Ground Type moves, Tsukushi could guess it to be at least a Magnitude 8. Unfortunately, even with all that power, he knew for a fact that it wouldn't matter, as his Scyther simply hovering over it as it went for another U-Turn right to Geodude's face.

It was too much, and Geodude fainted.

"Well done, Geo… dude." He said, the word feeling wrong on his tongue as he pulled out his Poke Ball. "Return! Go, the last bastion of Rolf's army!"

Out of his final Poke Ball came his first Pokemon, Chimchar. She let out an excited screech as she stretched her arms and legs once again. After a few seconds, she caught a glimpse of her opponent, and grinned.

"(Nice to meetcha)," she told Scyther. "(From what I can gather, I'm the last one. Good for you.)"

Scyther raised its blades threateningly, doing its best to hide how battered it was after that Rollout. Chimchar matched it, taking up a stance akin to the Infernape she knew she would one day be.

"This is it, Rolf. One of us is going to win, either my Scyther or your Chimchar. And I'll tell you right now, I have no intention of losing."

"Rolf could say the same to you, elder one! Rolf and Chimp-char shall prove the might of our resolve!"

Tsukushi grinned. "Well then, let's settle this. Scyther! Quick Attack!"

"Ember!"

In a flash, Scyther vanished, and Chimchar's tail flame burned brightly. She stood strong, feet firmly on the ground and waiting for the moment to arise.

In a split second, Scyther reappeared, and Chimchar grinned, the feeling of flames in the back of her throat exhilarating her further.

"(Now or never)!" Both Pokemon said in unison.

Before either trainer could blink, the exchange was finished, as Scyther slammed into Chimchar with incredible force; force enough to send the Fire Type reeling and knock her out of stance. The flames came not long after, and Scyther was immediately caught in the blast zone, burning debris singing it across the body, and dealing more than enough damage to end it.

Scyther fell to the ground, completely exhausted.

"Scyther is unable to battle! Chimchar wins! Which means this victory goes to Rolf of Peach Creek!"

The feeling of triumph covered them both like a warm blanket, as Rolf let out a cry of victory and Chimchar jumped up in celebration. Despite the rough nature of this battle, somehow they had come out on top in the end.

"Rolf is proud of you, Chimp-char! You have done well to finish what your fellow Pocket Monsters have started!"

"(You'd best believe it, big man!)" Chimchar said happily, feeling something swelling up within her. "(And it looks like I'm finally gonna be rewarded for it…)"

A bright light enveloped the Fire Type and a surge of energy rushed through her entire being. A few seconds later, her newest form was finally unleashed, every muscle filled with strength as she relished in the extra power.

"Monferno!"

That was all that Rolf heard, as he saw the new Pokemon before him, having taken the place of his previous Chimchar. Orange fur covered the bipedal beast, with the exception of tan skin on the hands, feet, chest, and muzzle. On her face was bluish fur that led into a small patch of dark red above the nose, and behind her waved a long tail that ended in a large flame that burned brightly.

She looked to Rolf with a toothy grin and jumped up in triumph. "(Took ya long enough! I'm finally to my next stage!)"

"Rolf finds this form much more impressive. Now you stand above your teammates as the first to evolve! A celebration, I say!"

"I agree one-hundred percent."

Rolf and Monferno looked back in unison, to see the Azalea Gym Leader saunter over happily. In his hands were two different items, one a TM in the case, and the other, a badge resembling a ladybug. He reached forward, presenting both items to Rolf.

"You have impressed me," Tsukushi admitted. "As the battle went on, I wasn't sure what to think, especially since you seemed to lack… certain fundamentals. But you did well with what you did know, and you've earned both the Hive Badge and the TM for U-Turn."

"Rolf shall continue to earn badges and these Tee-Ems," he declared confidently, placing the badge in a case he'd been given by Gold. "But first… Rolf must remember to learn these matchups for typings. Perhaps Ryuji-boy can help."

Tsukushi grinned with a raised eyebrow. "Friend of yours?"

"Indeed. He knows much about these Pocket Monsters. And personally, Rolf thinks he knows more than he lets on."

"Is that right?"

Rolf nodded.

"Well, I hope that he can help. You seem to have a lot of strength, and it would be sad to see you lose because you don't have all you need."

"Rolf agrees. Now then, to the others!"

And without another word, Rolf left the Gym Leader to his own devices, as the man began to ponder on what the rest of the day held.

"A skilled trainer, who knows more than he lets on. Always a fun challenge."

---

"Come on Ryuji, I know you're better than that! Quick Attack!"

The long, badger-like Quilava obeyed, charging at Ryuji's Bellsprout, looking to do it in after a hefty Ember earlier. It looked like the Grass Type would lose, and a flash of disappointment ran through Gold's mind…

"Now!"

And then was quickly thrown to the wayside as he watched the fire return to Ryuji's eyes. In a flash, Bellsprout jumped over where Quilava WOULD be, and unleashed a Sleep Powder as soon as his master called for it. Being so close, the accuracy was greatly increased, and the effects of the powder left his opponent drowsy.

With a slight 'plop', Quilava fell to the ground to snooze.

And with it, Gold picked up his Pokemon to administer an Awakening and smiled. "I think that's enough for now."

"Heh. It's never over until the final move, Gold."

The Johtonian boy chuckled. 'Spoken like a champion.'

"Now then, let's see how the others are doin'."

The two stepped back earlier on the route, near where the cave was, to see the others continuing their training. They had been at it for a short while, with pretty much everyone in the crew having exhausted most of their Pokemon and relaxing after such strenuous competition.

The only ones still fighting were Double D and Eddy.

"Go, dudes! Show how strong you've gotten!" Nazz cheered, her Pokemon doing the same, including her new Hoppip, caught while they were waiting for the others. Despite her hesitance to battle herself, making sure the others were happy was her main goal, and using her old skills from middle school cheerleading, she was able to keep the hype for the fight going. Even Double D's Chikorita and Eddy's Spearow had gotten into the cheering mood and were on the sidelines doing their best.

"(You got this, big guy!)" Spearow cawed.

"(Kick his butt, darling!)" Chikorita cried out.

The two trainers continued to push against each other, Eddy's Cyndaquil unleashing a torrent of Embers at Koffing, who took the attack relatively well. He winced for a second, as a Burn set in deeply, much to the delight of Eddy.

"Nice, you've gotten better, Eddy." Double D commended. "Unfortunately, not enough. Koffing, use Assurance."

"Dodge it, then use Ember!"

Koffing did as said, rushing forward to slam into Cyndaquil, who desperately tried to get out of the way in time. The hit landed and it landed hard, a surefire Critical, that knocked away the rest of Cyndaquil's stamina in a single blow. Despite Eddy's fervent protests, the Fire Type couldn't stand back up, and was simply too weak to try and retaliate…

"Cyndaquil's outta commission!" Kevin declared, acting as a referee for this battle. "Koffing wins, meaning Double D's won!"

Hearing that, Double D approached his newest Pokemon, and outstretched his hand. Upon seeing Koffing flinch in worry, a twinge of pain ran through his heart. Had it really been THIS bad under Proton?

He'd have to rectify that immediately.

"Hey now…" he said soothingly, defying his aversion to the unclean to place his hand on the Pokemon. "It's okay. I want to congratulate you on your exemplary performance out there."

Feeling the warm stroke of Double D's hand, Koffing opened an eye to see the trainer happy. It was… an unfamiliar sight, to say the least.

"(I… di-hid good? But I wa-has so sloppy…)"

"You were wonderful, really," he assured. "I'm very proud of you."

A warm feeling swelled up within Koffing. He had never gotten praise like this, and to be honest, he wasn't really sure how to react to it. The only thing he really knew was that it felt good.

"(You-hou are not like my ol-hold master.)" Koffing mused. "(I think I could get u-hused to this.)"

Meanwhile, Eddy looked to Cyndaquil, slightly disappointed in his starter after that display. He was supposed to be fast, and yet he wasn't able to get out of the way of that thing?

"Welp… guess we're just gonna have to keep practicin', you and me."

"That's the spirit!" Gold said, walking over to where the battle had just ended. "Keep up that kind of attitude, and you'll kick some serious ass."

"I hope so," Eddy said, picking up Cyndaquil. "It would help if we could evolve finally. Seriously, what level do I need to be?"

"Only Level 14. It's one of the quickest second stage evolutions of 'em all."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep. Charmander can eat its heart out!"

"I once tried to eat my heart," Ed chimed in, Rattata resting on his head. "But I couldn't reach it."

Gold and Ryuji chuckled.

"Seriously though. I gotta start getting tougher." Eddy said, recalling Cyndaquil. "I haven't even evolved something that easy to evolve!"

"It happens, dude," Kevin tried to give what little encouragement he could, despite still being generally out of the loop. "I mean, I seriously doubt that Champion guy was mega powerful before his second badge."

"… Did you really have to bring Red up, Shovelchin?"

"Jeez, I'm just tryin' to help."

"And on that note," Gold interjected, "What's your hang-up with Red anyway? You're starting to act like he spat in your face and called ya a bitch."

"Oh cram it, Gold! It's just… ugh, I dunno! Gettin' compared to him earlier got to me, okay!?"

Gold stifled a chuckle. "Really? Because being honest, I can think of worse comparisons."

The aqua-eyed boy raised an eyebrow and Gold knew he'd have to make a point. From what he remembered of their previous conversations, they came from somewhere where Red was barely even known. He couldn't exactly blame him; anyone would get upset at comparisons to people they don't know anything about.

But perhaps he could help make that easier on Eddy in a way.

Pulling out his Pokedex, he went to his image cache, and pulled up a particular picture that he kept ever since he had his old PokeGear, showing it to everyone.

"Take a good look, dudes. That's Rikimaru Kamishiro. Or as he's better known, Red."

A stunned silence went through the group, as they took in the aura that even this little .png exuded. Behind him was a whole team, including the final evolutions of all three Kanto Starters, a mighty Snorlax, a Pikachu on his shoulder and an Espeon by his feet.

And as for the boy himself, well, they couldn't see his eyes, but the way he carried himself, it looked like he was piercing through them all the same. A simple sanguine vest over a black and white shirt, blue jeans and sneakers with a similar red and white design to the cap that covered his eyes.

Even in picture form, he was clearly someone who you'd have to be a fool to challenge, and pretty much everyone in the group could see that.

"Whoa, dude," Nazz said. "He's the one everyone talks about?"

"The one and only," answered Gold. "He's considered by many to be the best trainer in existence. First guy to win a championship with a Pikachu of all things, and to make it even more impressive, he taught his Pikachu Volt Tackle!"

This confused Double D. "I'm sorry, Volt Tackle? I'm afraid we're not familiar."

"It's a physical Electric Type move that the Pikachu line can learn. Normally you need a certain breeding method to get one with V.T., but not Red. He just straight up taught it."

That impressed everyone in the group.

"You can just do that?" Kevin asked.

"Experts can. In fact, some pride themselves on teaching their Pokemon moves they can't normally learn. Like Lance Drakewing and his famous 'Barrier' Dragonite."

"Wow," Double D said. "He truly does sound like a trainer above all others…"

"And would you believe me if I told you he lost to Takeshi three times before claiming the Boulder Badge?"

Eddy lost his awe once he heard that. "So what? That just sounds like business as usual."

"That's the point."

That shut Eddy up for a few seconds, and Gold took full advantage.

"Red was just like you or I. He became a legend because he pushed himself and his Pokemon to new heights. Heights that I myself intend to surpass."

That got a fire burning in Eddy's mind, as he looked to the Johtonian boy with fervor. "Not if I beat you to it! I'll make sure they're comparing HIM to me, not the other way around!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Gold told him, happy the spark was back in the boy's eyes. "But in order to do that, we're gonna need to push forward at our own pace. If you're up for it, battle me and Ryuji. We'll make a Quilava out of your Cyndaquil yet!"

"Two against one?" Eddy asked, slightly amused. "That hardly seems fair."

"Tell ya what, you beat at least one of us, I'll give you one of the eggs. Sound fair?"

"Now you're talkin' my language!"

And with that, Eddy turned around and began to get healing items administered by Double D. While he was doing this, both Gold and Ryuji began to do the same. As the potions and ethers worked their magic, Gold couldn't help but notice the look on Ryuji's face.

"Somethin' wrong?" He asked.

"Oh, my bad," Ryuji told him, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "It's just, well, you sure seem to know a lot about Red, huh?"

Gold shrugged. "Call me a fanboy, I guess. He's the reason I started this journey, so that one day I can stand across from him and beat him in battle."

"Hm…" Ryuji smiled. "I'm sure he'd like that."

"You think?"

"I mean, maybe. I can't imagine what he must be thinking, honestly."

"Probably that it's lonely at the top. That's always been my theory why he up and vanished."

Ryuji nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense. Usually is lonely at the top, or at least, so I've heard."

Gold rolled his eyes. ''So you've heard', or so you say.'

Within only a few minutes, Eddy stood across from both trainers, a Poke Ball in each hand, and Double D standing between them to referee.

"The following battle between…" he began slowly, before realizing he was missing crucial info about the other two trainers.

'Oh dear! This will not do. Oh well, no time to ask them right now. Just… wing it, as Eddy would say.'

"Ryuji Kazama of the Kanto Region, Gold of New Bark Town, and Eddy Sampson of Peach Creek will now commence! Each trainer shall use one Pokemon, with the exception of Eddy, who shall use two, and switch-outs are not allowed! Trainers, are you ready!?"

Each person nodded, and with that, Double D announced for the battle to begin. All three trainers sent their Poke Balls skyward, revealing their Pokemon of choice. As it turns out, the conflict would be between Eddy's Cyndaquil and Krabby, Ryuji's Fennekin, and Gold's Quilava.

"(Seems you've finally shown your face)," Quilava taunted. "(Now, we gonna fight or what!?)"

Cyndaquil shrunk back at that slightly.

"(No need to worry, matey!)" Krabby tried to reassure. "(You're with me! We'll be singin' victory shanties before you know it!)"

"(I sure hope so…)"

And without another word, both sides began to enact their plans, both Cyndaquil and Quilava going for a powerful Quick Attack, Fennekin letting out a Howl, and finally Krabby trying to use Bubble against both enemies. The others watched from the sidelines as they went through the motions of the battle that had become so familiar.

"Do you think Eddy can do it?" Nazz asked, petting her Sentret absentmindedly.

"I dunno," Kevin admitted. "I mean, he's the most stubborn guy I've ever met, but it's Ryuji and Gold we're talkin' about. They're pretty good."

Double D shook his head. "I think you're severely underestimating Eddy here."

"Heh. Force of habit."

"You'll see. He's tough enough to handle it, that much I can guarantee."

---

"Oh come on, Jimmy! You're tough enough to handle it!"

Sarah tapped her foot impatiently, as Jimmy continued to shake like a leaf. He was still extremely hesitant to face the Gym, especially since he was still shaken by the incident with his Beedrill earlier in the day.

"B-but Sarah. This Gym is full of… full of-"

"I know it's full of bugs, but you can handle it. You have a giant wasp on your team!"

"Don't remind me! That guy scares me so much!"

"Come on, you're gonna have to get used to it sooner or later!"

The whirring of the door open took both of their attentions as Rolf stepped out of the gym proudly. He looked to both of them and smiled at the youngest members of the group.

"Hello younger ones," he greeted. "You plan to face the Insect Master? He is extremely talented with the pests who serve him."

"We're SUPPOSED to face him, but Jimmy's too scared. But we're going to have to face them or else we'll fall behind."

Rolf chuckled. "No need to worry, meek like a newborn kitten Jimmy-boy. Just remember your Urban Ranger training, and you shall defeat Bugsy's strange bug raptor!"

Both younger trainers raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm sorry, did you say 'bug raptor'?" questioned Sarah.

Rolf nodded. "His most powerful Pocket Monster looks far less like an insect, and far more like a large reptile."

At that declaration, Rolf left, and Jimmy was left to ruminate on that. That certainly did take a slight weight off his chest, but he couldn't help but feel worried all the same. Bugs were still bugs, and he could barely handle the one on his own team. How could he handle the ones of someone who is an expert?

He didn't get time to think on that, as he felt his feet sliding against the ground as Sarah forced him into the gym with her, only to meet the Gym Leader. Tsukushi looked over, having finished healing his team and currently collecting the extra mushrooms on Paras' back.

"I'll be with you in a moment!" he called back. "If you're here for a battle, then come over to the arena!"

Sarah nodded, and once again brought Jimmy over against his will. After a few minutes, introductions were given and despite his protests, Sarah insisted on Jimmy fighting first. But before the battle began, Sarah grabbed Tsukushi by the collar, and pulled him close.

"Listen up, Bugsy," she said, halfway between sweet and threatening. "Go easy on my buddy, alright? It's taking all he has not to faint just being in here, so don't make him afraid. Got it?"

"I take it he's afraid of bugs?"

Sarah nodded, and Tsukushi sighed.

"I swear, it'll be like Kasumi all over again…" he shook his head. "I'll try not to scare him. I promise."

"Good."

A few seconds later, the referee confirmed their answers, and Jimmy and Tsukushi were ready to battle. From the two sides of the field appeared a Spinarak and a Litten.

"(Alright, this I can work with)," Litten said confidently. "(You're going down, Bug Type.)"

"(We'll see.)"

"Spinarak, use String Shot!"

"L-Litten, use Ember!"

The commands were enacted as soon as they were called on, and Litten's stream of flaming residue burned through Spinarak's String Shot, nullifying the attack before it could land, and hitting the Bug-Type for excellent damage.

"(Damn… should have spread out my shot a bit better…)" lamented Spinarak, as Litten unleashed another stream of Ember, as per his command.

"You're not letting up," Tsukushi mused, as his Spinarak was assailed by the flames once more. Considering his options, he knew that this first Pokemon wouldn't last, especially as a burn kicked in. All he could do was hope that the next one did better…

"Spinarak, use Poison Sting!"

Answering its master's call, Spinarak summoned the last of its strength to stumble forward and jab its horn right into Litten's side. The venom secreted into Litten, dealing a decent amount of damage, and poisoning the Fire Type in the process. The status effects went off in perfect unison, as the burns took out Spinarak, and left Litten reeling by the toxin's effect.

"Not bad. You're fairly good for someone afraid of bugs."

"Y-you could tell?"

"I think it's fairly obvious, if you ask me."

"… Sorry."

"Nothing to apologize about. You'll come around eventually."

Jimmy SERIOUSLY doubted that.

"Now then, Paras! You're up!"

Out of the Poke Ball came the Grass/Bug type, who raised its pincers at Litten in an attempt to look threatening. At this point, the Fire Type could only be amused, despite the searing pain from the venom.

"(Really? You look like you'll burst into flames with a passing glance.)"

The Bug Type huffed at that, and continued to raise its claws to the best of its abilities.

"(Fine then. Let's see what you've got, little bug…)"

Once again, a new round began, and it played out about how either side expected. With a Fire Type dealing STAB damage to a Pokemon that is doubly weak to fire, there is only one way that could realistically end, and everyone involved in the battle was aware of it. Paras was immediately in a world of hurt, and Tsukushi cursed himself mentally for choosing String Shot over U-Turn earlier.

'Okay, no need to panic,' he reminded himself as he recalled Paras. 'You still have Scyther. That ought to make sure this isn't a TOTAL wash.'

Calling forth his ace in the hole, Scyther crosses its arm blades as the toxin worked its magic on Litten once again.

"You're in luck, Jimmy," Tsukushi declared. "It's right down to the wire, and I haven't gotten another Sitrus Berry for my Scyther yet. You may very well beat the Bug Types you're so afraid of."

Jimmy tilted his head as he took in the sight of Scyther. "That's a… bug?" He asked in confusion.

A sigh was his opponent's immediate response. "I am not going through this again. Yes, it's a bug, but it looks like a dinosaur. Savvy?"

"Oh… uh, okay?"

"Now then. Scyther, U-Turn!"

"Use Ember, Litten!"

Before the flames could even leave the cat's mouth, his opponent had closed the distance and slammed the dull side of one of its blade's right into Litten's side. It took every last ounce of willpower to stand back up, and unleashed the built up flames from within. When they finally landed, they did substantial damage, and being followed up by another round of poison damage.

"(Resilient little creature, aren't you?)" Scyther asked.

"(Who are you calling little!?)" Litten growled back, wincing a little as the pain set in. "(You think you're better than me just because you're big!?)"

"(No, I think I'm better than you because you can barely stand. Seems that 'trainer' of yours hasn't been doing too good a job.)"

"(DON'T YOU DARE BADMOUTH MY TRAINER!)"

Jimmy could feel the rage building up in his starter from across the battlefield. He really didn't understand what the Pokemon were saying to one another, but it was palpable even from where he was standing that whatever it was, it got Litten's fires burning bright.

'He's so willing to fight,' he lamented. 'So maybe I should be, too.'

"Litten, one more Ember! I believe in you!"

"Scyther, Quick Attack at half-power. Don't want to hurt it too much."

The Bug Type nodded, and flashed forward to lightly slam into Litten. Jimmy could say nothing, and only watched on in resignation, fully expecting this to be all that he wrote… but to his surprise, Tsukushi's surprise, and even the surprise of Scyther himself, the Fire Type starter got right back up. Limping, in pain, and breathing heavy, but standing up all the same.

"(Whoa…)" Scyther reacted in genuine shock. "(You actually withstood that?)"

Litten dared not say anything, lest he fall to the ground, utterly defeated. Instead he let out a low growl and feeling the fury seep up through his fangs. In a flash, he sunk his teeth right into the carapace on Scyther's shoulder, who could only let out a cry of pain as the flames burned hot.

"What the heck!?" Jimmy asked, stepping back. "Litten, what is that?"

"Seems your Pokemon learned a new move, and you didn't even realize it…" the Gym Leader smiled. "How impressive. Combined with Blaze, that could be enough to take out my Pokemon in a single shot."

"R-really?"

He didn't even need to answer. Before either of them knew it, Scyther fell to the ground, his stamina completely gone. As Litten pulled his still burning fangs out of the Bug Type's hide, he felt an indescribable surge of energy run through him. Enough to convince him he had just jumped up two whole levels from that one fight alone.

It was a good feeling, circumvented by the fact that he could barely stand. And so, he fell to the ground, letting out a heavy breath of exhaustion.

"All of Leader Bugsy's Pokemon have been defeated. Litten wins, which means the victory goes to Jimmy Christensen of Peach Creek!"

And in that moment, a quiet shaky breath escaped the challengers mouth, and he immediately basked in the afterglow of victory. He had won, and thanks to his Litten, it actually wasn't too hard.

Going over to pick up his starter Pokemon, Jimmy was met halfway by the Gym Leader, who held out the badge and TM as were expected.

"You did extremely well," he told the younger boy. "Better than I'll admit I thought you would. Seems I once again underestimated the sheer power of determination."

"Hee hee hee, I guess Litten really was a stubborn one. Weren't you Litten?"

The Fire Type in question groaned a little as Jimmy pet him on the back. "(Please don't. I'm barely standing as is…)"

"Well, you'd best get it to a Pokemon Center as soon as possible. But before you go, take these; the Hive Badge, and the TM for U-Turn. You've earned it."

Gratefully accepting the gifts, Jimmy turned to head out, before being stopped by Tsukushi one more time.

"One last thing," he said. "You have no reason to fear the Bug Types. They're our friends, just the same as any other Pokemon. Remember that, because one day, you might find a Bug that you want to keep on your team."

His thoughts drifted to the Bug Type already on his team for only a split second before he let out a hesitant nod. "I'll think about it."

And with that, he was gone, leaving only Sarah and Tsukushi in the arena. They looked to each other, and it seemed as though there was something unsaid that needed saying.

"So, you took it easy on Jimmy, right?"

Tsukushi sighed. Her question was straightforward, about as blunt as one could possibly be, so it took him by surprise to some degree. And the answer was a little more complicated than just a 'yes' or 'no'. So, he simply decided to tell the truth.

"Being honest, I really did think I'd gauged his Litten correctly," the Gym Leader admitted. "I was worried that a Technician-boosted Quick Attack would end up leaving a severe injury, so I told Scyther to pull back a little. But as it turns out, Jimmy's starter had a little more in it than I initially anticipated."

"Wow…" said Sarah. "So even Gym Leaders get their stuff wrong?"

"I'm only human. Brilliant as I think I am, I can be incorrect."

A light chuckle escaped Sarah's lips. "Well then, this gym'll be easy-peezy for me."

"You're confident. But I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit before I can battle again."

Normally, this would have upset Sarah, but this time, she was actually pretty okay with it. To have her friend succeed would make the wait worth it, and plus, she could go and get some food from the Pokemon Center to celebrate.

"Well, you better be prepared, 'cuz I'm not gonna lose!"

Tsukushi smiled. "Then I await your challenge."

---

The two Fire Types moved in perfect unison, Quilava jumping up to pelt Krabby with an Ember attack, and Ryuji's Fennekin rushing in with a strong Flame Charge.

Seeing this, Eddy grit his teeth at the strength of the attacks. His response was swift, as he gave his commands for the turn.

"Krabby, Vise Grip! Cyndaquil, Ember!"

"Vise Grip, huh?" Gold taunted. "I highly doubt Fennekin would be that easy to hit."

"Who said I was hittin' Fennekin?"

His eyes widened as he looked to his Quilava, descending to the ground quickly and being right in the line of fire to be hit by the attack. Being in midair it was unlikely that he'd be able to easily dodge, despite Quilava's best efforts. He struggled within the Water Type's grip, as the flames struck him right in the back.

"(Nice try!)" boasted Krabby. "(But nothing escapes me big meaty claws!)"

"(Heh… fine by me! Makes this easy!)"

Krabby didn't hear the Ember command being given by Gold, and for this, received a face full of flame. The damage caused Krabby to loosen its grip slightly, giving Quilava enough room to get out and prepare for the next round. Meanwhile, Ryuji finally commanded for Fennekin to do another Flame Charge. She did, dealing a good chunk of damage right into Cyndaquil's side, this time doubling the fox's Speed entirely.

"(Apologies, but you must fall)," Fennekin told Cyndaquil.

To her surprise, Cyndaquil got back up, legs shaking and breathing a bit heavier, but still standing at about half stamina.

"You guys're doing great!" Eddy called out. "We ain't gonna let these losers beat us, right?"

From the sidelines, the others were cheering for Eddy as the trainers considered their next moves.

"Gettin' a bit ahead of yourself, ain'tcha Eddy?" Gold asked. "Your Krabby ain't looking too good, and Cyndaquil's not far off."

"Not like your Quilava's much better off!" countered Eddy. "I won't give up just 'cuz it looks bleak! My team deserves that much at least!"

"And if it proves too much?"

"Then at least I tried, Gold! If I gave up after every time I failed, we wouldn't have been so popular!"

"Sounds like you've got the confidence down."

Both Gold and Eddy looked over to where Ryuji was, looking to Eddy like a proud parent. "Never lose that, Eddy. Never lose that, and you'll be able to beat anyone."

"You'd best believe it! Now let's go! Krabby, Bubble!"

"Quilava, Quick Attack!"

"Fennekin! Howl!"

Krabby unleashed a furious cloud of bubbles right toward the two Fire Types. Quilava, having used Quick Attack, rushed around them to hit Krabby square in the face. The Water Type was thrown back by a combination of force and his own weakened state, landing right in front of Eddy, who recalled it immediately.

"(All that big talk)," Quilava said. "(And nothing to back it up!)"

"(He didn't need to…)"

"Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!"

Before that even registered, a furious pain assaulted Quilava's back, blurring his vision as the stamina drained from his body. The perpetrator was revealed as Quilava looked back, only to be met with the sight of its unevolved counterpart. In a single moment, it clicked.

"(Krabby was the decoy…)" he said slowly, falling to the ground. "(Bold… move…)"

And with that, Gold's Quilava was defeated.

The sheer adrenaline running through Cyndaquil's body burned brightly, feeling like a sudden goal had just been met. And now… it was time to act on it.

Letting out a primal cry from deep within his core, the flames on Cyndaquil's back flared outward. In an instant, a bright light enveloped his body and he felt the transformation overtake him. A few seconds later, his body was longer, his eyes were open, his snout had shrunk a bit, and his flames felt hotter than ever. He knew this form, and knew its name well…

"QUILAVA!"

Euphoria rushed over Eddy at finally seeing his starter reach its second stage. He'd often pondered on what it might feel like to see a real Pokemon evolve due to his efforts, and now that he'd felt it firsthand, he still wasn't prepared. Whatever he'd expected would never compare to this sense of accomplishment, that much was for sure.

"Well look at you!" boasted Eddy. "Lookin' like a million bucks, my man!"

"(Feelin' like more!)"

"(That's good to hear, sweetie. Because I'm feeling the same.)"

Turning back around, he had been expecting Fennekin, but in its place, he found something similar, but completely different at the same time. Same color scheme, but taller, bipedal, and black fur covering her legs up to the hip area. In her tail, he saw a stick, and on her face, he saw a cheeky grin.

"(Well, seems your friend being defeated caused ME to evolve as well)," she said, bowing politely. "(You may call me Braixen.)"

"(You're pretty… and scary…)" Quilava stuttered. It was plainly obvious that he was taken aback by her beauty, and Eddy didn't like that.

"Get your head in the game, Quil!" Eddy demanded. "We got a battle to win!"

"(Oh! Uh, right! You're goin' down, Braixen!)"

Both trainers looked directly into the other's eyes, and made their commands once again. Quick Attack and Flame Charge, respectively. Despite having twice as much Speed as the newly minted Quilava, she couldn't hope to out-speed Priority. And so, she received a pretty impressive bit of damage. But her assault would not be stopped, as she pushed forward and it Quilava with an impressive amount of damage in return.

"(Grr… dammit. I don't like where this is going…)"

"(Sorry darling, but that's what happens when you have two Howls and two Flame Charge boosts. Well, three now, but who's counting?)"

The Johto starter said nothing, simply waited to see what his master wanted to do.

"One more time, Quilava! Even if it looks bad, we're not giving up!"

Quilava nodded, the flames burning massive as Blaze activated, and now both Ryuji and Gold had that 'proud parent' look on their face.

"Well then, let's settle this! Braixen, one more Flame Charge!"

Both of them were fairly certain how this would end, but they saw it through all the same. Once again, Quilava sped through and slammed into Braixen with all of the force his smaller body could muster. It was a fair amount, but at the end of it all, she wasn't even at half stamina. And as a retort, her Flame Charge dealt just enough damage to end the fight, sending Quilava to the ground in defeat.

"Quilava is unable to battle! Braixen is victorious, which means that Gold and Ryuji are the winners!"

Despite losing, Eddy couldn't help but feel happy for a myriad of reasons. As he recalled Quilava, he nodded proudly to his newly evolved partner.

"Ya did good, Quil," he said. "Ya did good."

"That he did. Also, Quil?"

Eddy shrugged. "Figure he's earned a nickname. Plus, that way others don't have to say which Quilava they mean."

"Touché. Now then…"

The basket that Gold wore on his back touched the ground for the first time since they got back out here, and he took off the sheet to reveal the ones that were there.

"I promised you an egg if you could beat one of us, and you DID beat my Quilava. Take your pick."

Eddy rubbed his hands together excitedly. He could have any one he pleased, and they all looked pretty cool. He couldn't tell what was in them, but something about the color scheme of one of the lighter yellow and black one spoke to him. And so, he reached for the capsule, and nodded.

"Ah that one," Gold smiled. "Excellent choice. My Magnum Opus."

"Manus-what now?"

"'Magnum Opus', Eddy." Double D told him. "It effectively means 'masterpiece'."

"Kickass! What's in it?"

Gold chuckled. "I'd tell you, but that'd ruin the surprise."

Eddy rolled his eyes. He'd been expecting that answer, but he did so all the same.

And with as much training as they could get under their belt for now, the group unanimously decided that it was time to return to town. They still had plenty of time in the day, and many chances to battle the Azalea Gym Leader.

And with the new partners and evolutions on their sides, the odds were looking better than ever before.

---

PARTY DATA:

EDDY

Quil (Quilava, Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Blaze

- Quiet Nature, Alert to Sounds

- Moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Smokescreen, Ember

Krabby (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Hyper Cutter

- Jolly Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport, Harden

Spearow (Female)

- Level 12

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Impish Nature, Scatters Things Often

- Moves: Fury Attack, Peck, Leer, Pursuit

Hoppip (Female)

- Level 11

- Ability: Leaf Guard

- Lax Nature, Highly Curious

- Moves: Absorb, Fairy Wind, Synthesis, Tail Whip

ED

Totodile (Male)

- Level 15

- Ability: Torrent

- Jolly Nature, Somewhat of a Clown

- Moves: Scratch, Scary Face, Water Gun, Bite

Rattata (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Guts

- Adamant Nature, A Little Quick Tempered

- Moves: Bite, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

Rocky (Onix, Male)

- Level 15

- Ability: Sturdy

- Hasty Nature, Sturdy Body

- Moves: Tackle, Curse, Bind, Rock Tomb

DOUBLE D

Chikorita (Female)

- Level 15

- Ability: Overgrow

- Gentle Nature, Good Endurance

- Moves: Tackle, Synthesis, Razor Leaf, Poison Powder

Pidgey (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Sassy Nature, Scatters things Often

- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack

Koffing (Male)

- Level 15

- Ability: Levitate

- Impish Nature, Proud of its Power

- Moves: Clear Smog, Poison Gas, Assurance, Smokescreen

KEVIN

Treecko (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Overgrow

- Lax Nature, Thoroughly Cunning

- Moves: Pound, Leer, Mega Drain, Quick Attack

Spinarak (Female)

- Level 11

- Ability: Insomnia

- Naïve Nature, Alert to Sounds

- Moves: Infestation, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

Gastly (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Levitate

- Serious Nature, Likes to Relax

- Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Payback, Mean Look

Ekans (Female)

- Level 11

- Ability: Intimidate

- Bashful Nature, Quick Tempered

- Moves: Leer, Wrap, Poison Sting, Bite

ROLF

Monferno (Female)

- Level 14

- Ability: Blaze

- Naughty Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Scratch, Mach Punch, Ember, Taunt

Geodude (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Sturdy

- Careful Nature, Loves to Eat

- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Magnitude

Poliwag (Male)

- Level 12

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Brave Nature, Good Endurance

- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Hoothoot (Female)

- Level 12

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Gentle Nature, Often lost in Thought

- Moves: Confusion, Peck, Tackle, Hypnosis

NAZZ

Popplio (Female)

- Level 5

- Ability: Torrent

- Calm Nature, Often Lost in Thought

- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret (Male)

- Level 2

- Ability: Run Away

- Bashful Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie (Female)

- Level 4

- Ability: Shield Dust

- Calm Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

Mareep (Female)

- Level 6

- Ability: Static

- Modest Nature, Hates to Lose

- Moves: Growl, Tackle, Thunder Wave

Hoppip (Male)

- Level 6

- Ability: Chlorophyll

- Naughty Nature, Proud of its Power

- Moves: Absorb, Splash, Synthesis, Tail Whip

SARAH

Rowlet (Male)

- Level 12

- Ability: Overgrow

- Brave Nature, Likes to Relax

- Moves: Tackle, Astonish, Leafage, Peck

Mareep (Male)

- Level 12

- Ability: Static

- Quirky Nature, Likes to Thrash About

- Moves: Cotton Spore, Tackle, Thunder Wave, Thunder Shock

Zubat (Female)

- Level 12

- Ability: Inner Focus

- Mild Nature, Somewhat Vain

- Moves: Absorb, Supersonic, Astonish, Bite

JIMMY

Litten (Male)

- Level 16

- Ability: Blaze

- Hardy Nature, Quick Tempered

- Moves: Scratch, Fire Fang, Ember, Double Kick

Horsea (Female)

- Level 10

- Ability: Swift Swim

- Docile Nature, Study Body

- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen, Leer

Beedrill (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Swarm

- Lonely Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Harden, Twineedle

RYUJI

Braixen (Female)

- Level 16

- Ability: Blaze

- Mild Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Scratch, Flame Charge, Ember, Howl

Poliwag (Female)

- Level 14

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Docile Nature, Sturdy Body

- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Bellsprout (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Chlorophyll

- Hasty Nature, Loves to Eat

- Moves: Vine Whip, Growth, Wrap Sleep Powder

Sandshrew (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Sand Rush

- Timid Nature, Quick to Flee

- Moves: Defense Curl, Fury Cutter, Rollout, Rapid Spin

GOLD

Quilava (Male)

- Level 16

- Ability: Blaze

- Rash Nature, Capable of Taking Hits

- Moves: Quick Attack, Leer, Ember, Smokescreen

Pidgey (Female)

- Level 15

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Mild Nature, Nods off a lot

- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack

Wooper (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Bold Nature, Highly Persistent

- Moves: Tail Whip, Water Gun, Mud Sport, Mud Shot