7 - Moon and Tide

Daniel POV

"I hate caves!" I growl as I dodge another panicked Zubat, and another bolt of lightning from an irritated Pikachu. "I swear, when I find whoever set up these lights, I'm gonna sic Abra on them!" Realistically I knew it was Team Rocket, but that'd make me seem suspicious if I said that. Considering I have Misty annoyed at me for some reason or another, she'd jump at the chance to get back at me.

"You're not the only one with Zubats in your hair!" Misty shouted as she waved some Zubats away. Ash, thanks to his shorter stature, was completely unbothered by the hordes of Zubats flying at our faces. Brock was behind me cradling the Zubat he caught, so he wasn't getting swarmed either.

"Okay, that's it!" I cry, releasing Abra. "Abra, shatter all the lights!"

Nothing.

I sigh. "Of course, you just had to be sleeping." I huff. "If you shatter all the lights, you can take my pillow to sleep with tonight."

"Abra?!"

TSH TSH TSH TSH TSH TSH TSH TSH TSH

The sound of breaking glass echoed throughout the whole cave as every single light was shattered. Once everything was pitch black, Abra let out a content cry of her name before going back into her Pokeball.

"Pika…" Pikachu moans from Ash's shoulder. Probably wanted to break the lights himself.

"Great! Now we're practically blind!" Misty whined. I swear I hear something blow up in the distance, but that could just be my head exploding from annoyance.

"Oh would you shut up?" I groan, with Piakchu crying his name in agreement as I let Nova out, her tail's flame instantly illuminating the cave. "You know I have a fire type, right? Besides, my Hyperdex has a flashlight feature! I'm not stupid enough to act without thinking about the consequences!"

Back in Hoenn, Xander and Anabel were making their way through a forest, searching for some Ralts to capture. Suddenly, Xander snorted with immense amusement.

"What's got you so amused?" the lilac haired girl questioned.

Xander chuckled. "I have the sudden feeling Daniel just said something that would amuse me immensely."

"Is this a part of your Psychic abilities?"

He shrugged as they continued their search.

I frowned. Why do I have the feeling someone's laughing at me? Meh, probably just a side effect of being in a cave for so long. "Well, at least the Zubat aren't flying every which way…" I comment, motioning to the now slow flying Zubats and the calmer, resting Zubats. "Let's try not to agitate them though, so try to be quiet…"

"And why should we listen to you?" Misty harrumphed.

"Misty, Daniel is a certified Assistant Professor," Brock sighed, "he probably knows a lot more about how Pokemon act than you."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "He probably knows more about Pokemon habits since he was the one who would go out and catch them for studying!" He whisper-shouted. I smile at the young boy, glad for his support. I also notice he seems somewhat more mature and intelligent than he was in the anime. Perhaps Xander's and my intervention helped him?

"Nova, walk slowly, broken glass will probably be on the floor," I tell my starter. "Brock, Misty, I'll need your help in gathering any glass we come across. We don't want the Pokemon hurting themselves." With that, I bring out some gloves and some heavy duty bags.

"Ash, I want you to keep an eye on the rear. Just in case those Team Rocket bozos try something again."

"Er, alright?"

"Why are you suddenly Mr. Leader?" Misty snarked.

I groan. "Misty, for the love of Arceus, shut up. Please."

"Make me!" she challenged loudly.

"SHHH!" Brock and I hiss, gesturing to the shaking Zubats and their worried cries. I'm very close to losing my temper, and I am considerably more patient than Xander. "Misty, please, just stop. You've done nothing but whine ever since we left Pewter City."

Brock nodded at this. "He has a point. If you can't handle minor discomforts like this, you really shouldn't be traveling."

"W-well…" she gulped, before huffing and regaining her stubborn attitude. "I'm just waiting for Ash to pay me back for the bike he destroyed!"

Ash chuckled nervously at this, while I just facepalm. "This, again? Misty, you're fooling nobody… well scratch that cause you aren't fooling me. You want to travel, but are to scared to do it alone, so you latched on to the nearest person that crossed your path. That just happened to be Ash."

Misty went red, so red in fact, she could probably light the cave better than Nova.

"H-How-?"

I snort, already knowing her question. "I've had to deal with Xander for 8 years. You can't be friends with someone like that and not learn how to read people. Ironically, he sucks at reading others…" I shake my head. "Either way, just quit whining, it gets really annoying, really fast."

"Clefairy!" a soft voice cried happily.

We all blink as a small group of three pinkish star-ish shaped pokemon crossed our path, picking up the glass and tossing it into a bag they're carrying. Huh… didn't know they had their own kind of community service… I blink out of my thoughts and turn quietly to the others, a finger over my mouth in the universal 'shh' gesture. "We don't want to startle it…" I whisper.

Misty, for once, actually listens and we quietly make our way by the Clefairy, picking up any glass they missed. As we make our way by, we come across several more groups of Clefairy, also picking up glass.

"Why are there so many Clefairy here?" Brock asks me once we're away from the said Pokemon. I frown as I think about the question. Clefairy are quite rare Pokemon often found in deep forests, so such a gathering is abnormal.

I almost facepalm as I realize where we are. "This is Mount Moon, where a large Moonstone is said to lie. The Moonstone is not only a rare stone, but it allows the Clefairy to evolve. How, I got no clue, I just know it happens. Ask Xander if you want more information on that."

"You mean like that kind of large Moonstone?" Ash asks, pointing with Pikachu up at a large whitish boulder on a small plateau of rock.

I shrug. "Yeah, like that-"

I freeze and blink.

I look back at the large whitish object.

"Ah. Um. Okay then. Actually… that's the, uh, very Moonstone I was talking about…" I mutter with some embarrassment at not recognizing it.

"You aren't going to steal it, are you?" a voice asks.

We turn to see a scientist walking over to them. "The Moonstone is quite rare, but very precious to the Clefairy, I've already seen some people try to steal it, but when the lights those evil people put up were suddenly broken, the Clefairy all used Metronome-"

"Oh boy…" I breathe. "How many Clefairy?"

"Oh, fifty or so."

I wince. "I kinda pity them."

"What's Metronome?" Ash asks. Misty and Brock nod in wanting to hear an answer to the question, not having heard of the move either.

I sigh. "Metronome is a most peculiar move. Only select few Pokemon can use it, and is essentially an RNG."

"RNG?" the scientist repeated.

"Random Number Generator," I shrug. "Anyways, Metronome essentially becomes any move. And yes, I mean any move. It could do something as harmless Rest, as mediocre as Ember, or as destructive as Hyper Beam. It can supposedly even use a Legendary's signature move, but I'm not sure about that…"

"So why is that so bad?" Ash asked.

I groan. "Ash, the Clefairy had fifty chances to land a pretty powerful move. The chances are quite likely there were several high power attacks. How would you like to be hit by something that felt like ten Hyper Beams?"

The three wince.

"There were actually only four Hyper Beams," the scientist input. "But there was a Fire Blast and two Hydro Pumps… and I think a Zap Cannon…"

The three cringe further.

"Anyways, we should get back on track," I suggest. "The exit shouldn't be much farther."

Big Time Skip to After Ash Gets the Cascade Badge

"Alright! I got… the Cascade Badge!" Ash cheered with Pikachu, posing with the water droplet shaped badge. Brock pats him on the back and Misty gave a minor congrats. I just gave the good ole thumbs up. Once Ash has his moment, I turn to the redhead who keeps infuriating me.

"Once your Pokemon are healed up, you battle me."

Misty smirks. "I had every intention of knocking some sense into you!"

"We'll see…" I shrug. As cruel as it sounds, this battle will be excellent to strengthen Nova's water resistance. "I'll see if I can connect to Xander this time, shame he couldn't see your match this time Ash."

The kid sighs. "Yeah… but he does have things he has to do…"

I seriously think Xander and I may have made him a bit more mature.

As I think this, Misty heals up the water Pokemon and Brock gets to work on fixing some of the gym from Team Rocket's vacuum bot. (which ended up with Pikachu blowing them sky high… embarrassingly, I was in the bathroom at the time and couldn't do anything… Xander would never let me hear the end of it)

After shaking myself from that embarrassing event, I try to video call Xander with my Hyperdex. Ash sits right behind me, watching me use it. "Hey Daniel, you think I'll ever get one one of those?"

I shrug. "I dunno. Maybe, maybe not, it's not really my call."

"Speaking of calls…" a tired voice came through, "mind telling me what you're calling me for? I just got done with a Marathon Analysis."

I wince. A Marathon Analysis was when Xander got way too focused in his research, and would drive himself for several hours straight in connecting dots and coming up with new facts and questions that would drive his research even further. His longest 'Marathon Analysis' was almost 60 hours straight with no sleep and little food and water. It only ended because he passed out.

"Geez, what you find this time?"

Xander shrugs tiredly. "It's a secret… you'll see tomorrow. I'll be flying into Cerulean Airport, unless you guys have already passed that city?"

"Nah, we just got here," Ash chirps up from behind me. He proudly presented his Cascade Badge. "And I got the gym badge already! Surprisingly, it was Misty who was the gym leader!"

"Really? Well congrats!" he thumbs upped, before suddenly coughing.

"Xander? Are you alright?" a female voice comes through, mere moments after Xander's coughing.

"Who is that?" I ask him.

Xander, however was looking off screen and motioning for something. A brief moment later, a pretty lilac haired girl about our age comes onto the screen. "Hello, I'm Anabel," she greeted, "You must be Daniel, Xander's told me a bit about you."

"Aw, I'm touched," I say dramatically, placing a hand on my heart.

"Hm, he seems to be as dramatic as you said he was," Anabel commented, making me frown with indignation and Xander (and Ash and Pikachu) snicker, though he was cut off by his own coughing. "I'm kidding, though it's nice to meet one of the people I'll be traveling with."

"Wait, what/Chu?" Ash, Pikachu, and I question.

"Do you want me to explain it?" Xander asked the girl. She nodded, and Xander turned back to face us. "Well, she's an empath. Meaning she can feel others emotions. Including mine. Well… she insists on trying to help me with some of my emotions, and since I can tell a stubborn person when I see one, I just let her join."

"Heh, when'd you get soft?" I quip.

"It's not being soft, it's called not wasting time arguing with somebody who would follow you anyway… sound familiar?"

"Very…" Ash and I sigh in unison.

"Or that's what he says it is…" Anabel comments. Making me and Pikachu laugh. Ash just tilts his head in confusion. Xander just groans.

"Anyways…" Xander sighed with a slight cough, "why exactly are you calling? I'm a bit sick if you haven't noticed."

"That's what you get for training and analyzing Athena for 42 hours straight in cold weather," Anabel reprimanded him with a frown. To my surprise, Xander actually looked a little guilty.

Wanting to get back on track. I explain that I wondered if they could see my battle. Unfortunately, Anabel insisted that Xander get some rest and, to my immense surprise again, he actually agreed. Then he just shrugged saying he knew I'd win anyways. After that, the two disconnected.

"I'm back and ready to teach you a lesson!" Misty exclaimed, walking into the now only partially ruined gym with anime style timing. Brock and Geodude managed to refill the pool and and get the platforms back up so another battle could be done. I smirk as I quickly plan up a strategy while I walk to my side. I'm not as good as Xander in that regard, but I'd like to say I have some talent.

Misty VS Daniel!

"Let's do this Staryu!"

"Nova, time to shine!"

As the Charmander stands on the floating platform, Misty blinks. "Are you really using a fire type in a water gym?"

"Will-O-Wisp," Daniel grins, ignoring her. Smirking internally as Nova shot the ominous balls of fire.

Misty, of course, laughed as the purple flaming orbs struck her Staryu. "Do you really think a fire move will do anything to Staryu? I mean, look! He didn't even take any damage!"

"Erm… Staryu is genderless, you know…" Daniel frowns. "So technically Staryu would be classified as an 'it'. Grammar wise, of course."

"I can't just call Staryu an 'it'!" Misty exclaimed. "That sounds wrong!"

"Well, 'them' works too," he shrugs. He frowns as a thought struck him. "Then again, Porygon like Java are genderless too… and Xander calls Java a he… most of the time. Maybe it's the nickname?"

"Can we get back to the battle?!" Misty huffs after several minutes of Daniel muttering to himself.

"Sure. Staryu's out anyway," Daniel shrugged. "Should've paid more attention, and should've seen it coming after I used it on Brock."

Sure enough, Staryu was lying on its red core, out of juice from the burn damage. Ah burn damage… a lovely little thing. Daniel thought to himself happily, absently noting to send Professor Oak his thanks for letting him borrow that TM.

"But… how…?"

Daniel smirks. "Will-O-Wisp is a little move that deals no damage, but always inflicts Burn. I just played you on your pride, distracted you, and voila, easy win. You people are so easy to trick…"

Misty growled, as Brock announced Staryu losing the battle, and for Misty to send out another Pokemon.

"Alright then Starmie, show this jerk who's boss!" Misty shouted as she let out the evolved form of Staryu.

Daniel frowned. This might be tricky. Starmie has far more health, and is overall stronger. I could use Abra for an insta-win, but that'd be just like Brock's battle… Ah well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I can keep more aces up my sleeve then anyways.

"Alright Nova," he calls out. "I'm afraid we're beat here… however, let's see how much damage you can cause beforehand!"

"Char!" Nova cheered.

"Not this time!" Misty growled. "Starmie, Confusion!"

Daniel grimaces and tries to keep from panicking as Starmie levitated Nova up and spun her around. He forgot that the Staryu could use Psychic moves. Suddenly, a thought struck him as Nova spun around… Maybe… hmm… worth a shot. "Nova! Use Rapid Fire Ember as you can! Don't bother aiming!"

Brock frowns. What is he doing?

"Hey, Brock, what do you think Daniel's trying to do?" Ash asked the older teen, while watching a spinning Nova did a mini version of Flamethrower (Daniel was still chargined she hadn't learned it yet).

"Sorry Ash, I have nothing on this one," Brock shrugged. "He's almost as unpredictable as you. Though it seems he has a lot of experience in messing with people's head. In both my battle and Misty's first, he used our pride against us and casual tones to distract us. Misty told me earlier she was prepared for that tactic… but apparently she wasn't."

"Wait, what just-" the two exclaim as suddenly a small tornado of fire shot from the Charmander's mouth as her entire body began to glow.

"YEESSS!" Daniel cackled madly. "My goal achieved with a lovely bonus! HAHAHA!"

The Confusion attack ended suddenly with the still glowing, and now growing, Pokemon landing neatly on the floating pad. When Nova finally stopped glowing, she was larger, a deep red, and had a vicious grin on her face. Daniel practically scrambled for his bronze Hyperdex, giggling with glee.

A moment later after looking at it, many people worried for Daniel's sanity as he cackled even louder. "Oh this is excellent! Nova, you ready to blow this Pokemon out of the water!?"

"CHAR!" the now Charmeleon Nova roared in approval.

"Then start with your oldest new move! Fire Spin, now!"

Misty gulped at the sight of Charmeleon. It was clear Nova's evolution had sent her power skyrocketing. Starmie may be a water type, but Misty wasn't so sure that would matter to the giggling Daniel and the empowered Nova.

When the fire tornado raced towards Starmie, Misty did the classic panic move for any water trainer.

"Starmie! Into the water!"

Daniel smirked. Called it.

"Flamethrower all over the water for as long as possible!" Daniel ordered.

The other three blinked, the same question running through their mind: What on Earth is he doing?

Nova, ever the obedient one, started using the powerful fire move all over the liquid field, ignorant of the fact that all she was doing was creating a lot of steam.

"If you think that all this steam is going to stop us from winning, you're wrong!"

"Who said anything about steam!?" Daniel laughed. "A normal Flamethrower reaches around 400 degrees celsius! But thanks to my training and Nova's natural affinity for fire should make that around 600 degrees!" his voice became hard to hear as a loud bubbling noise began to grow, "What you should be thinking about, is if Starmie can handle such hot water!"

Brock gasped in realization as Misty panickedly calls for Starmie to come out of the now boiling water. "Of course… by constantly using such a hot attack on the water, Nova's flame heats it up, thereby heating Starmie up as well, naturally damaging it in the process!"

"Hmm…" Ash hums. He mentally keeps that tactic in his memory. A Pokemon Master should be prepared for any battle situation, and using a fire type to battle a water type in water is certainly a situation to prepare for.

Pikachu, on the other hand, realizes he could use a similar tactic to shock the water, and plans to try and tell Ash about his idea. It was to the stubborn mouse Pokemon's surprise, Ash was quite keen on understanding what he was trying to tell him. It really helped in training, since Ash could tell what each Pokemon wanted to train in.

"Starmie! Are you alright?" Misty cried in panic.

The slightly steaming Starmie weakly cried its name before collapsing, the heat dehydrating quickly once it was out of water. Sighing in defeat, Misty returned Starmie.

"Starmie is unable to battle, the battle goes to Charmeleon!" Brock announced. "With Gym Leader Misty having no remaining Pokemon, the match goes to Challenger Daniel!"

Daniel POV

"Nice try Misty," I comment as Nova (who is totally showing the fruits of our training!) hops over the water and to my side. She glares at me, probably thinking I'm mocking her. Now, I don't like her, but I'm not a sore winner. "You had me panicked with that Confusion, not gonna lie," I admit, clearly surprising her. "In all honesty, I forgot that the Staryu line is capable of Psychic attacks, and was expecting Water attacks instead. To be entirely honest, if Nova didn't evolve in our last ditch attempt to try to trick learn Fire Spin, she would have gotten KO'd."

"Meleon," Nova agreed, nodding her head.

"Well… you weren't bad either…" she admits with a huff. "But don't think this is over! I will beat you!"

I smirk. "Sure… we'll see."

Misty smirks back. "You bet we'll see."

For the people who think Daniel and Misty are getting together… I have one word to say to you: NO.

The two have merely turned their utter loathing of each other into a respectable rivalry… so expect more arguments between the two. Honestly, they're quite fun to write.

Also, this chapter got far longer than I expected. I was expecting less than 2K words… instead, I got 3.4K! So woo!