Thanks to Paige McCarthy for reviewing the previous chapter
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Chapter Fourteen: A Pure Heart
Lyra's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring up at a white ceiling. Groaning, she shook her head and tried to recall the events of the past few hours. But all she could remember was the sensation of falling to the ground, and a dash of blue. A blue face looked down at her. It had sharp teeth. What on earth?
Panic kicked in. She bolted upright and looked at the creature. "Oh, Toto, it's just you!" she sighed, feeling a wave of relief come over her. She lay back down on her comfortable bed, fondling the bandages on her forehead. Bandages? She sat up again, startled and confused. What had happened in the Burned Towner?
"Ah, you are awake!" She turned to face the speaker. This was a face she did not recognize. He was dressed in a purple suit with a small white cape fastened around his shoulders. "Your loyal companion came running over as soon as he was able. I've never seen a Pokemon respond so strongly before."
Lyra leaned her head against the surface of her bed, gazing at the man in confusion. "Who are you?" she asked, rubbing her head, feeling a wave of pain emanate from the injured spot.
"I am Eusine. I study legendary Pokemon. I heard the sounds of a battle coming from the Burned Tower and I came rushing over, just in time to catch a glimpse of Suicine in action. I thought I saw Suicine running on the waves. Suicine is beautiful and grand. It races through towns and roads at simply awesome speeds. It was truly an honour seeing Suicine up so close." He came towards Lyra's bed, grabbed a chair and sat down besides Croconaw.
"I barely remember…"
"You had fainted. Suicine came rushing over to defend you from the red-haired boy's attacks. Out of all the people in the room, Suicine chose to defend you. Ecruteak's legendary Pokemon are said to come to people only when they recognize their talents." He peered down at her with wonder. "I wonder why Suicine chose you of all the people… what do you have that makes you so special? Perhaps I should be more aggressive towards Suicine…"
"That's enough, Eusine!"
Eusine whipped his head around. Standing at the doorway was Morty…and a kimono girl. This girl looked familiar… but then again, the three kimono girls she had seen all looked identical. "You have returned."
"The boy is sitting in the dance hall with the other four sisters. He will not be able to leave until I grant him permission," Morty answered, striding up to Lyra's bed. He glanced down at her, concerned. "Are you all right? I have never seen anyone experience such a reaction from a Gastly before in broad daylight."
She sniffed. "My head hurts," she said flatly.
Morty's eyes lingered on the bandaid on her head. "When you fell, you hit your head pretty hard. Fortunately, Naoko was able to patch you up again. Your wound will heal itself in a few days time, but for now you'll have to wear the bandaid around your head."
She must've looked ridiculous. Here she was lying down in a bed in a dirty dress with a bandaid on her face. Other trainers were certainly going to be intimidated by her now… Not. "What happened? Eusine said Suicune protected me."
The woman named Naoko came to her side as Morty explained the situation. "Raikou and Entei fled immediately afterwards, but Suicine came rushing towards you. I do not know why though… but whatever attracted Suicine towards you, protected you from any further harm."
"I have never witnessed something so beautiful before in my life," Eusine said.
Naoko glared at the man. "Eusine, leave."
"But-"
"You heard Naoko. You have no reason to stay here anymore, Eusine. The legendary canines have fled." Morty pointed towards the door. "Pack your belongings and leave Ecruteak. Lyra needs to rest. She does not need you harassing her about Suicine." Eusine grumbled and stormed out the door.
Lyra was grateful for Morty's assistance. Eusine gave her the creeps. All that talk about Suicine was a little too much for her to bear right now. She was on a road to becoming the Champion. Now everything seemed far more complex. Why would a legendary be interested in her? She wasn't anything special. She was just another trainer determined to become the best. "Why was Suicine interested in me?"
Morty shrugged. "There's something more to you than what meets the eye – I'm curious to learn more. Drop by the gym when you are feeling better. I'll be waiting for you." He stood up, exchanged looks with Naoko then left the room. Lyra was now alone with the kimono girl.
"I understand this might be overwhelming for you, but what happened just then was a historical moment," Naoko said. She paused then added more. "What Eusine had said earlier was true – legendaries only appear before people they feel are special. For Suicine to defend you in that manner is astonishing. You are a very special trainer, Lyra."
Lyra shook her head. "No way, I'm an ordinary trainer. I lost to Falkner. I almost lost to Bugsy. I lost to Whitney. I almost lost to a group of thieves."
"But you persevered and you won your battles when you could've chosen to give up your dream. What made you decide to continue?"
That was a good question. Why had she decided to continue on her journey when it was far easier to give up? She thought hard, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes rested on Toto. Of course! A smile crossed her face. "I knew I had to keep going on for my friends. My Pokemon… they believe in me. They fight even when they are at a disadvantage. I owe it to my friends to continue. Without my Pokemon, I wouldn't be where I am."
"They are the words I wanted you to say," Naoko replied, smiling. "Your bond with your Pokemon exceeds any other I have witnessed and it continues to grow with each day. Your future is a bright one, Lyra. Never lose hope. Have the courage to follow your convictions. And most importantly, never underestimate the power of love and friendship. Rest well. You will need all your strength to survive the attacks of the ghost-type Pokemon of Ecruteak. Naoko walked away without saying another word.
Lyra wanted to ask more questions, but her mind begged for sleep. She settled back down, closed her eyes, Croconaw's jaw resting on her stomach.
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Eusine had been driven out of the city shortly afterwards visiting Lyra in the Pokemon Centre. Morty stood outside at the entrance gate to make sure the man did leave. "You are not to return to this city." In a way he felt a little disappointed – Eusine had been his best friend since the age of seven, but he had brought this upon himself. For the safety of the townsfolk and travelling trainers, it was best for Eusine to leave.
"You will regret this," Eusine said, shooting a glare in Morty's direction, after slinging his bag over his shoulder. He walked through the city gates. Morty remained in place until he was confident the man would not return. He headed back to the gym to prepare himself for the upcoming battle when his Xtransceiver rang.
"Hello, this is Morty."
"Hey there, Morty! How have you been? Why didn't you call me last night?"
Morty pulled the phone a couple of inches away from his head, as Whitney's shrill voice came through the speaker. Once she had stopped talking, he brought it back. "Something came up, that's all. Sorry Whitney." Morty wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason Whitney had taken a strong liking to him. Once the girl had decided she wanted something, she would never let go until her interest faded.
"Well, I'm sure you have a good reason."
"Why did you call?"
"There's a sweet girl coming to challenge you! She's almost as cute as me! She's quite tough. Don't let her looks deceive you, Morty."
Whitney must've been referring to Lyra. "I've already met her. She seems like a nice girl." But she didn't seem that strong. She had lost to a Gastly and Morty knew better than anyone else in the region, Gastly's weren't difficult to beat.
"She defeated me, but I know you'll beat her for me, right?"
He sighed. "Yes."
"Let me know when you've defeated her! We so need to hang out sometime! It's been what, like four weeks since we last caught up? Anyway, hope to see you soon, Morty!" Whitney hung up. Morty needed to consult with some of the other guys to find a way to get Whitney to stop liking him. Why couldn't the girl chase after someone like Falkner or Bugsy? Falker was patient enough to deal with her and Bugsy was her equal in terms of being an irritation.
He put the Xtransceiver away and sat down cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes to calm the mind. Whenever he felt stressed, he meditated. Morty's meditation sessions often involved entering the Spirit World which was an ability that only skilled ghost-type trainers could use. The realm had its dangers, but Morty knew how to handle it. He was, after all, the best ghost-type trainer Johto had to offer.
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When she woke up, she found someone else standing in her room. Naoko was standing there holding a pink pokeball in her hand. Lyra was feeling a little better now – the sharp pain in her head had long since disappeared. She could still feel some pain though, but it was tolerable and barely noticeable. "Good morning," she chirped.
"Lyra, is it good to see you in better spirits. How are you feeling?"
"Better." She sat up, eyes locking on the pink pokeball. "What is that?"
Naoko smiled. "This is a gift from my sisters and I. I sent one of the girls to pick it up from Goldenrod so you would not have to walk all the way back." She handed the ball to Lyra. "This ball contains an Eevee who has been raised by the Goldenrod day-care couple. Eevee's have the ability to evolve into five different evolutions here In Johto: Vaporean, a water-type. Jolteon, an electric-type. Flareon, the fire-type. Those evolutions can only be obtained by using an elemental evolution stone."
Lyra already had a water-type so she didn't need a Vaporean. She also had Growlithe rendering Flareon as useless. Jolteon sounded interesting though - an electric-type would be useful to have on the team. But Naoko had said there were five in total. "What are the other two?"
"Umbreon, the dark-type or Espeon, the psychic-type. These evolutions are obtained through happiness. Espeon evolves only during the day, while Umbreon evolves during the night when peak happiness is reached. Which evolution will you aim for?"
A psychic-type. A Pokemon of that type would be useful to have. With the exception of her Growlithe, her team was a physical-based one. Another special attacker would benefit her greatly and provide some much needed balance. "Espeon."
The woman smiled. "A wise choice. Morty is waiting for you at the gym now. Go now, and move one step closer to your goal. But before you go, take this attack potion I found lying to the east of here. This is Shadow Claw." Lyra accepted the dark purple liquid and placed it in her bag. "Good luck, Lyra." The woman left the room and once again Lyra found herself alone. She didn't feel at one hundred percent health yet, but she didn't want to delay further.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and immediately headed out to the front to collect the rest of her Pokemon. Before leaving the Pokemon Centre though, she placed her Paras in the storage box of the pc. "Sorry Paras," she said. "But I don't have room for you on my final team." Speaking of the egg, she felt it twitch in her bag.
Putting her bag on the ground, she unzipped it and found the egg rocking back and forth gently. It was getting closer to hatching. It would probably be only a matter of days before it opened. She zipped her bag up again and headed towards Poke Mart to purchase some much need supplies. She grabbed a little bit of everything, before leaving the building. Now she was ready to take on the gym challenge.
"Hey there, trainer! Ready to give it your best shot and claim the Fog Badge from Morty? Here's some advice for you – Ghost Pokemon are immune to normal-types, but normal-types are immune from ghost-type moves. So if you want to win, use a normal-type and teach it a powerful dark or psychic move. All the best, trainer!"
She thanked the advisor and stepped off the red carpet, setting foot on the stony path before her. This gym was rather dark and she suspected that is was purposefully designed that way to make the place feel more authentic. It was like walking into a haunted house. The only source of light came from the candles that were strategically positioned around the gym. It was also somewhat foggy inside - a haze spread throughout the gym, adding more the haunting feel of the place. She kept on expecting a ghost to appear in the haze.
Cautiously, she walked through the purple haze, keeping her hands outstretched before just in case she accidentally walked into someone… or something. The sounds of maddened laughter echoed throughout the gym, causing the hairs on her arms to stand erect. Creepy.
"Is that fear I smell?"
Lyra froze upon hearing a nasally voice. She looked left and right but found no one in this haze. This was getting stranger with each passing second. Where was that voice coming from? She could hear but could not see.
"Gastly, use Mean Look!"
She turned around. Two wide eyes looked down at her through the purple haze. Lyra screamed.
"There is no escape. Fight me!"
Get a grip, Lyra, she scolded herself, reaching down for the pink pokeball. This is not a haunted house, remember? This is a gym, she added. She threw a pokeball into the haze. Eevee appeared. The Pokemon was already on a reasonably high level, almost equal to her first four, but she had no experience at all. Eevee ran back to Lyra, her long ears standing erect.
"Eevee…" the fennec fox Pokemon whimpered.
Normal-types were immune to ghost-types – that's what the advisor and Naoko had said. Eevee was Lyra's best weapon against the horrors of Ecruteak Gym. But how was she going to win a battle with an inexperienced Eevee? "Eevee, use Shadow Claw!" At the mention of the technical move, Eevee jumped into action.
Her body emitted a purple glow. Eevee leapt forward and struck the Gastly in the face. The Gastly's full form revealed itself, and Lyra noticed it was only floating a few feet away, in front of its owner. The trainer was some old lady which surprised Lyra. "Gastly, use Lick!"
A long pink tongue flicked out of the Gastly's mouth, slowly sliding up Eevee's face. Eevee cringed, and shook her body, removing the saliva sticking off her fur coat. Fortunately, the attack did no damage at all to Eevee. "Use Shadow Claw again, Eevee!" Eevee's moveset wasn't exactly a great one – Tackle, Tail Whip and Sand-Attack all of which did nothing against the ghost-type. Shadow Claw was her only weapon.
Eevee lunged forward again, striking the Gastly in the face. An eerie scream left the Gastly's mouth, the gaseous aura around it disappearing as the Pokemon fell to the ground. Another Gastly replaced the fainted one. Lyra repeated her attacks – Shadow Claw after Shadow Claw until all five Gastly's were defeated.
Eevee looked stronger already and more confident, holding her furry tail high up in the air, as the Eevee ventured further into the purple haze. She moved so quietly, that if Lyra hadn't been keeping a good close eye on her, she would've lost the Eevee in the gym. It wasn't long before she encountered the next couple of ghost-type Pokemon.
Two disembodied hands reached out towards her, three pointed fingers attempting to grab her. Lyra jumped out of the way, managing to avoid the attack. She held up her Pokedex towards the floating Pokemon.
Haunter. The second evolution of Gastly. In total darkness, where nothing is visible, Haunter lurks, silently stalking its next victim.
Scary. "Eevee!" she called. "Use Shadow Claw!" Eevee took a running jump and leapt into the air, clawing at the Haunter. The Haunter howled.
"Haunter, use Hypnosis!" Oh no. Not that dreaded attack again. Unfortunately, her Eevee failed to get away from the beam and fell asleep immediately, curled up into a ball, her head resting on her tail.
Lyra dug through her bag as the Haunter drifted closer. "Come on… I know I bought a few Awakenings…" she muttered, digging around her bag, searching for the light blue liquid bottle. There! She grabbed it and rushed over to her sleeping Eevee, kneeling down besides her. Carefully, Lyra opened the Eevee's mouth and poured a bit of the liquid down her throat. Eevee murmured, swallowing the liquid. A few seconds later, the Eevee's eyes opened.
"Haunter, use Hypnosis again!"
"Dodge it, Eevee!" Eevee leapt out of the way this time, throwing her body across the floor. "Use Shadow Claw!" Eevee jumped into the air and swiped the Haunter's underbelly. The gaseous aura disappeared. Another Haunter replaced it. Not again, thought Lyra. She wasn't sure how many more times Eevee could use Shadow Claw before she fainted from exertion.
"Hypnosis!"
"Shadow Claw!"
The same cycle repeated until the Haunter fainted. Eevee was now looking rather tired. She paused every couple of steps to catch her breath. "Just one more battle Eevee then we'll head back to the Pokemon Centre." They continued moving forward through the purple haze when another Haunter appeared.
"Sucker Punch!"
Eevee was sent upwards into the air from a strong punch from the Haunter. "Eevee!" Lyra called, rushing forward to catch her flying Eevee. Eevee cried, wriggling her legs frantically searching for ground. Lyra dove with arms outstretched, managing to catch her Eevee safely. Unfortunately for Lyra though, she sustained an injury in the process. Both her arms had suffered painful grazes, deep enough to cause blood to leak.
Cringing, Lyra forced herself to move forward. This was part of her mental training. She had a feeling Morty would use the natural gases of his ghost-type Pokemon to lower her physical resistance. She had to be strong. "Shadow Claw!" Eevee struck hard, landing a lucky critical blow. The Haunter howled. It fought back with Confuse Ray, but Eevee was not affected. "Use Shadow Claw again!" And so Eevee obeyed once more, launching herself upwards into the sky to attack the Haunter. Haunter was struck hard, just enough to cause it to faint.
Judging from the previous two gyms, Lyra suspected there was at least one more trainer waiting. And she was right. An elderly lady stood by a torch. Three Ghost Pokemon floated behind her. One Haunter and two Gastly's. Triple battle time. To support her Eevee, Lyra brought out Gabite and Bagon, both of which had Bite in their movepool.
"Eevee, Shadow Claw! Bagon, use Bite! Gabite, use Dragon Rage!"
"Haunter, use Night Shade!"
All the lights in the gym suddenly died, leaving Lyra and her team standing in complete darkness. It was unsettling. Just then, her Bagon suddenly let out a pained roar. Whatever had happened Lyra couldn't tell because she couldn't see anything. But it didn't sound good.
"Gastly's, use Night Shade on the Gabite."
Not being able to see what was happening made Lyra nervous. Her Pokemon were still standing – she could hear their breaths – but for how much longer? Lyra issued her next three attacks – Shadow Claw, Bite and Dragon Rage again. The Gastly's must have fainted because she heard the old lady complain, but the Haunter still remained and managed to knock out her Gabite. Eevee didn't look like she had another Shadow Claw in her and Bagon looked ready to collapse.
She withdrew her two Pokemon and brought out Staravia and Growlithe instead. Growlithe also knew Bite so she still had the chance of winning the battle – if the Haunter didn't take her out first. "Use Night Shade, Haunter!" And just like that, her Growlithe was taken out of the battle.
"Wing Attack, Staravia!"
Fortunately, the Haunter had sustained heavy damage from Eevee's Shadow Claw and the Pokemon fainted. Lyra wiped her brow, sighing with relief. That was too close. But now half her team were unfit to battle. She had to go all the way back to the start again otherwise set herself up for a humiliating lost against Morty. She didn't want to appear weak in front of him again – fainting due to Silver's Gastly had been embarrassing enough. She was not going to let that happen again.
So she walked all the way back through complete darkness, relying on her sense of feel to guide her safely through. Eventually, she reached the entrance, feeling a great surge of relief sweep through her. Stepping out of the darkness made her feel happier. Somehow, just being in the sunlight improved her mood vastly. She made her way to the Pokemon Centre again to heal up. Once that was done, she returned to the gym.
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Morty greeted Lyra with a bow. "Our introduction was cut short before so allow me to reintroduce myself again to you. My name is Morty, and I am the gym leader of Ecruteak City. It's said that a rainbow-hued Pokemon will come down to appear before a truly powerful trainer. I believed that tale, so I have secretly trained here all my life with my ghost-type Pokemon. As a result, I can now see what others cannot. I see a shadow of the person who will make the Pokemon appear. I believe that person is me! You're going to help me reach that level, Lyra."
Lyra winced, a sharp pain exploding in her head. She rubbed the sore spot, clenching her jaw. Not now, she thought. Why did the pain have to start just when she was about to face her most difficult opponent yet? She brought out her Eevee to start the battle. Morty brought out a Gastly. Not too bad, Lyra thought. She was quite the expert in battling Gastly's now.
"Use Shadow Claw, Eevee!"
"So you have come prepared… it won't be enough to gain you victory however," Morty replied. "Gastly, use Mean Look!" Gastly glared. Eevee shuddered. "There's no escape for you now, Lyra."
The attack didn't seem to do anything. Eevee struck Gastly and knocked it out with one critical hit. She did not celebrate though – that seemed far too easy. She looked at Morty trying to determine what he was thinking. He did not seem too bothered at all that his Gastly had fainted. He summoned his next Pokemon, a Haunter.
Lyra was beginning to feel this was going to be her easiest battle yet. Eevee could take them all on with ease. All she had to do was ensure that Eevee's moves always hit and the Fog Badge would be hers! "Haunter, use Hypnosis," Morty stated calmly, arms crossed over his chest.
Eevee tried to dodge the beams but failed and was sent to sleep. Lyra dug through her bag searching for another Awakening but found she didn't have any more. She had mistakenly purchased some Antidotes instead. "Eevee, return!" Lyra threw her pokeball to return the sleeping Eevee, but the ball bounced off. "What? I don't understand…"
"Mean Look prevents your Pokemon from escaping during the battle," Morty explained. "Haunter, use Dream Eater!" Haunter swooped down and opened its mouth, looking like it was going to devour her Eevee. Lyra wanted to rush out and protect her Eevee, but there was nothing she could do but watch in horror as the Haunter placed its hands on Eevee's head. Eevee convulsed violently. This was not an evolutionary process but rather the horrific process of a Pokemon having their dreams invaded.
Eevee screamed, thrashing violently in her sleep. "Stop! Stop it now!" Lyra pleaded.
Morty lifted a brow. "Relax, it'll be over soon."
"Please! You're hurting her!" Froth had begun to develop around Eevee's mouth. "No!" she screamed, rushing forward. She dropped down besides her Eevee, throwing her arms over her newest friend protectively. "Stay away!"
"Haunter, pull back," Morty commanded. The Haunter released its grip on Eevee and returned to stand at its master's side. "Welcome to the world of Ghost-type Pokemon battles. Battling against ghosts is unlike anything else – the Pokemon feed on your fear. Fear adds to their power."
Lyra looked up at him through angry eyes, tenderly stroking her Eevee. The poor fox was trembling. "And you think that is what will bring the Pokemon you are waiting for back?"
Morty withdrew his Haunter and summoned another Pokemon she didn't recognize. It was menacing. She shuddered, not from fear, but rather from a sudden chill. She felt so cold she wished she had a jacket on. Wrapping her arms around her body, she stared up at the fearsome creature. Red mischievous eyes stared down on her. Lyra gulped, feeling a bubble of nerves stir in her stomach. It just looked so… evil. Like a creature from her worst nightmare.
Gengar. The final evolution of Gastly. It steals heat from its surroundings. If you feel a sudden chill, it is certain that a Gengar appeared.
"Yes, I believe I have what it takes to bring the rainbow Pokemon back to Ecruteak City."
Lyra refused to move from her Eevee's side. "Then I refuse to continue the battle with you."
That caught him by surprise. "What?"
She stood up, cradling her frightened Eevee. "I won't battle. Not like this. It's obvious I don't stand a chance against you."
"You can't seriously be thinking of quitting in the middle of a battle. You won't get your badge."
"I value the lives of my Pokemon above any badge," Lyra replied. "If I have to forfeit the battle, I will do so if it means my Pokemon get to live to fight another day."
Morty's stance relaxed. "I can see why Suicine chose to protect you. You're different from other trainers. I've never seen anyone protect their Pokemon the way you just did." He recalled his Gengar back to its ball. "Very well, I will allow you to forfeit this match."
"Thank you," she said then turned back to her Eevee. "I'm sorry that I had to forfeit the match… but I couldn't stand by and watch you suffer like that." She bit her bottom lip. "I guess my journey ends here then. I won't be able to go any further without this badge." She sniffed, fighting back tears. Turning around, she headed back towards the entrance.
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Lyra slowly made her way to the entrance gate of Ecruteak City, hanging her head low. Forfeiting the battle seemed like a cowardly way of doing things. It was not the way of a trainer. Her six Pokemon remained in their pokeballs – Lyra couldn't bear to see the disappointment on their faces. She had failed them as a trainer. Failed them as a friend by giving up so easily.
"Lyra? Where are you going?" a voice called out from behind. Lyra turned around to find Naoko walking up towards her, a concerned expression on her face.
"I'm going home," Lyra responded softly, without looking into the woman's eyes. "I forfeited the match. I just couldn't stand by and watch my Pokemon suffer like that. The pain in Eevee's eyes… it was heartbreaking." Now she lifted her head.
"It takes something truly special to make that decision," the Kimono Girl said, the corners of her mouth curving upwards into a smile. "You are very brave, Lyra."
She gave a bitter laugh. "It doesn't matter. My journey is over. I didn't get the badge. I don't deserve the badge. Whoever heard of a trainer giving up in the middle of a battle?"
Naoko opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a local citizen, rushing towards them with a panic-stricken expression. "Naoko! Quickly! There's trouble at the dance hall! Some thief has stolen the Surf potion!"
"Oh my, quickly, Lyra. Come with me to the dance hall. We will need your assistance!"
"But-"
Naoko grabbed her arm and dragged Lyra away towards a colourful pagoda before the girl could continue her protests. Up on the stage floor there was a Team Rocket grunt holding a bottle above his head. "Hah! This was far too easy! I didn't even have to try hard to obtain this move from the old man there in the audience!" he jeered.
"Return the bottle. It is not yours to take," Naoko said.
The grunt turned to face Lyra. His confident smirk faded. "Oh no, it's you again."
Now Lyra recognized him. He was one of the grunts she had battled against back in Azalea Town. The stocky one with the big mouth. Before Lyra could open her mouth, Morty burst in through the doors. He looked to Lyra, then to the grunt then back to Lyra again. "What's going on here? Team Rocket?"
"If you want that bottle, come and fight me for it!" He challenged, throwing a glance in Lyra's direction.
Morty stepped forward to take the battle, but Naoko shook her head. "This is Lyra's battle. Go on, Lyra. Defeat this member of Team Rocket. Show him what it means to be a real trainer." Could she battle again so soon after forfeiting the match with Morty? She didn't feel like it, but Naoko has asked her to. Refusing felt wrong, especially when the kimono girl had placed so much trust in her by giving her an Eevee.
Lyra stepped up to battle. "You will return that bottle to the rightful owner."
"You won't beat me this time – my brothers were holding me back the last time we met." He threw out a pokeball, and Lyra was surprised to notice he only had one this time. Had his bosses been that upset they had taken his Pokemon back? "Get her, Koffing!"
Not a Koffing. Lyra remembered the last time she fought a Koffing. Not a fun experience. Fortunately, this Koffing was rather frail looking. "Toto! Use Ice Fang!" All it took was one powerful strike and the Koffing went down.
The boy dropped to his knees. "Not again!"
"The bottle. Please return it to the old man in the audience," Naoko ordered. A man wearing a brown suit and matching hat, walked up to the stage to collect his bottle. He was obviously of some importance because he was wearing a business tie. Trainers didn't wear ties, not did the average person. The Team Rocket grunt returned the bottle then bolted out of the room.
"Thank you!" the old man said, giving Lyra a handshake. "For your efforts, I would like to give you this bottle containing Surf, but you need to have obtained the Fog Badge."
"Oh," Lyra's face fell, crestfallen. "I have no need for it. I'm returning home. I forfeited."
"If there's anyone that deserves the Fog Badge, it's you, Lyra," said Morty, stepping towards her. He held out his hand revealing the Fog Badge lying on his palm. Lyra lifted her brows, surprised. Was he actually going to give her the badge? "For a long time I thought I was the trainer the legendary Pokemon were looking for… but you've shown me that you are the one. Here, take the Fog Badge."
Lyra shook her head, waving her hands. "I can't take this badge… I didn't earn it."
"Suicine chose to protect you, Lyra."
"But… I forfeited…"
"You put your own safety at risk to protect your Eevee from my Haunter."
"But don't the rules state that a gym leader is to concede the badge when they've been beaten?"
Morty laughed. "Are you trying to convince me not to give you the badge? Suicine chose you – that's good enough reason for me to give you the badge. You're an interesting girl, Lyra. I'd like to get to know you better." He pulled out a pen and a paper, and scribbled down his number. "Here, give me a call before you reach Victory Road. We can settle the score then..."
She took the badge and placed it with her other ones. It didn't feel right taking it – she felt like a fake, but Morty insisted. "All right then…"
"You should rest up. You've got a long road ahead of you. I'm going to head back to the gym and start training for our rematch. See you around, Lyra!" Morty said his goodbyes and left the Dance Hall, leaving Lyra with Naoko. Her dream in becoming the Champion was still well and truly alive.