A/N:I never get seasons/times when it comes to Pokémon, so we'll go with summer because the nights are shorter so dawn comes quickly. And the chapter's a little longer to make up for the shorter ones I've been posting lately.

One more chappie left. :) Hopefully next .

The Marion City Gym

Chapter 4 – A Nap in the Future

Dinner was, like all of Brock's cooking, delicious. Pokémon had their own meals; like all Gyms, the Marion City Gym had specialised food for its inhabitants…but of course that was not tailored for visitors. But Brock brought his own, and the more mischievous Pokémon had a blast switching bites to get the foreign taste.

After dinner, Ash was ready for his battle. The Gym leader was not. Neither was the judge.

'You need a moon out for a moonlight battle,' Ryuu said, somewhat disapprovingly. 'And a dark sky.'

The sun had barely set outside.

'So how long will we have to wait?'

'Midnight,' Koji replied, staring at his brother who was still working through his plate. Apparently, the elder twin was a slow eater.

'You might want to get some sleep before that,' Koichi added. 'Depending on how long the battle takes, you might not get back to sleep again till dawn. Summer times.'

'You're one to talk Koichi.'

'I know. I'm going to bed now.' He paused as he finished the last of his meal. 'After the dish-'

'I do the dishes, whenever you have a late battle,' Ryuu interrupted.

'I forgot,' the other responded sheepishly.

There was another pause.

'You could at least pretend to argue Koichi,' Koji commented.

'It's hopeless.' The Gym Leader stifled a yawn.

'Anyone else going to bed?'

There were five (human) headshakes.

'Night then.'

'Isn't it a bit early for bed?' Brock asked, warm cup of tea in his hands. It wasn't steaming; the weather was a little inappropriate for that, but tea was welcomed in any setting.

'My grandson has unusual sleeping habits,' Ryuu replied. 'Indeed, he is unusual in many ways; when he was growing up, there didn't seem to be a Pokémon in the world incapable of warming up to him and yet he was hopeless with people. Ironic since my daughter used to run this place as an entertainment hall.'

'Entertainment?' Misty replied. 'Pokémon performances?'

The old man nodded, a hint of disapproval in the tone. 'Before that,' he explained. 'I ran the Gym, but then the city became stuck in a slump of sorts. People wanted a radical change, and I was getting too old to battle my way through things. I can still walk, but it has been many years since I've run.

'Entertainment areas, particularly the sorts in traditional temples, were considered to be "new", or "radical",' he continued. 'So my daughter saved this place from being destroyed…but I had hoped she would one day, when things changed again, take up my mantle of Gym Leader. She was, though, too soft-hearted to bear those sorts of battles. She never battled hard; with contexts, it was more the appeal and the points for dodging attacks, and when these twins were born, I could see straight away Koichi had picked up his mother's kindness.'

'Thanks Grandpa,' Koji said sarcastically.

'And that Koji here was as hard-headed as their father,' Ryuu continued, without missing a beat. Misty elbowed Ash, but the sight went unnoticed by the rest.

'But I was wrong about many things. I thought my daughter would stay with her husband, even as they fell out of love. I did not think she would chose the fate that would split her children. Nor did I expect my grand-children to grow up without each other. It took years before they met again, and that battle…it is not one I ever wish to see again.'

Koji frowned at that, even as the listeners sat on their seats. 'It was harmless,' he said, a little more loosely than his normal speech. 'He only clean-swept me out of the Johto League.'

'The Johto League?' Ash asked, before complaining out loud at a second elbow to the stomach.

The younger twin pointed to a trophy on the shelf. Ash and Pikachu went over to look at is as Ryuu continued his explanation.

'You may already know that Psychic Pokémon are rather different from other Pokémon, and their trainers can develop certain powers while working with them. The most common is a special psychic connection – like Sabrina from the Saffron Gym. I assume you've been there, if you participated in the Indigo League.'

Ash hadn't been listening, even though the last part was directed at him.

Misty sighed. 'Ash Ketchum, get back here this minute.'

The boy came sheepishly, knowing full well he had gotten caught up in the moment.

'Where were we?' Brock asked.

Koji closed his eyes and scowled. 'Sabrina.'

Misty shuddered. Despite the personality change, that particular Gym Leader still crept her out. Not to mention the whole doll fiasco.

'She might have been rather…' Ryuu left the sentence hanging. 'However, she exhibits quite clearly the bond between a Psychic Pokémon and trainer with that inherent power. Children especially find that, when they truly connect with a Psychic Pokémon, there is little better in terms of company and understanding that any human can offer. Even the kindest hearts become cold from a sense of loneliness; even if surrounded by the world, they can live within their own bubble with the ones that truly understand them.' The old man closed his eyes. 'But bonds like that are so strong, that should the trainer lose control of their emotions, then the Pokémon's reasoning is incapacitated as well.'

'Oh.' Ash nodded at this. 'Like how Kadabra had that laughing fit because Sabrina couldn't stop giggling.'

'Sabrina laugh?' Koji said incredulously. 'All she does is play with people. Thank god Kirlia evolved.'

'Or your friend Takuya and yourself would have been stuck in Sabrina's toy-box?' There was a hint of amusement in the tone

'I'm glad you find that funny Grandpa.'

'Well, I was a Gym Leader the same time her father was,' Ryuu shrugged. 'I did hear all about his daughter's antics…which I must say rather worried me. When Koichi first stumbled upon that hurt Ralts in the garden –'

'Ralts is Kirlia's pre-evolved form?' Brock asked, jotting the information down.

'Yes,' the old man nodded. 'And they evolve into Gardevior naturally, but male Kirlia also have the option of evolving into Gallade with the Dawn Stone.'

'Gallade?'

Ryuu looked at his younger grandson, who sighed before pulling a Poke-ball from his belt and releasing it. A tall warrior-like Pokémon, evident at first glance as a male counterpart of the graceful Psychic they'd previously encountered, appeared.

'This is Gallade,' Koji said, jerking a thumb at him.

'Wow,' Ash commented. 'That's a neat Pokémon.' He amended thereafter: 'Of course, all Pokémon are cool.'

'In any case,' Ryuu continued with his previous story. 'Koichi normally has a mild temperament, but there are few things he truly loves and would thus cause him pain. All other things are a part of the world, a garden of sorts that needs tending from time to time, but is mostly independent. And he was rather upset when he learnt of his father and brother. Unlike Koji. An entirely unexpected situation from most points of view.'

'Because I'm normally the temperamental one.' Koji crossed his hands and leaned back. 'But, as embarrassing as it was to admit at the time, I loved the idea of having a brother. But for Koichi, whose mother had passed away in the same year with not a word from Dad, it was like he'd been shunned from that part of the family.' He opened his eyes. 'See, Dad had come to watch my matches, and he was there, watching every second of it. But I was glad in a way, to lose like that, because I got to experience the full extent of my brother's power. He always holds back. Gardevior can predict the future; he sees it as an unfair advantage over any opponent. A lot of things he can do, but he doesn't to give people an equal footing and everyone works harder as a result.' He shrugged. 'That's my brother for you. At times, he can be a walking contradiction, but you get used to it.'

He stifled a yawn of his own and glanced at the clock. 'Time for bed; I don't want to miss this match.'

'You normally don't worry for your brother's Gym Battles.'

Koji shrugged. 'Most of the Challengers are ametaurs, but this kid's interesting. I might even see him in the league this year.' He opened his eyes. 'Maybe.'

That didn't bother Ash though. He was getting more excited by the minute. 'Man, I'll never be able to sleep now.'

'Oh yes you will young man,' the old man said sternly. 'If you're truly desperate, I'll have the Weepinbell use their Stunspore on you.'

'No thanks,' the other said hurriedly. The right dosage might knock him out, but he had no intention of sleeping through his match.

The moon really was pretty at midnight, especially with the stars to compliment it. On top of that, as clear as the skies were, the lamps lining the edges of the outdoor field were barely necessary. They had still been lit though as a precaution…although the trio had their doubts as to whether that would last through an intense battle.

Surprisingly, getting up at the odd hour hadn't been as difficult as expected. Ash had, despite the excitement, fallen asleep quite quickly, and was all geared for the battle. Misty was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, unused to being interrupted as such. Brock looked rather fresh; no doubt he was used to odd hours of sleep with all his little brothers and sisters and their individual needs.

Koji, funnily enough, looked somewhat tired as well…but then, he wasn't the one battling. The two Kimuras looked perfectly fine; Koichi looked like he was quite enjoying the moonlight. He was also the only one who'd changed clothes, out of the shirt and jeans he'd travelled in and into his semi-shikifuku.

'Ready to battle?' he asked lightly. Like a silent ghost, Gardevior appeared beside him. 'Same rules as before.'

'Right,' Ash agreed.

'Then I'll start with – ' The Gym leader lightly tossed a Pokémon into the sky. 'Natu.'

''tu,' the little bird chirped, looking more enthusiastic than it had when Koji was handling it.

'Pikachu?'

'Pika,' the electric mouse agreed, jumping into the middle.

Ryuu raised both hands. 'Natu verses Pikachu. Begin!'

'Pikachu, Thunderbolt!' Their first match had ended in a victory, so Ash was confident his partner could pull it off again.

He was however surprised when Natu didn't teleport. Instead, it dodged…quite barely, seeing as the electric rodent was quite fast. Small and lithe though, the little bird escaped. As narrow as it was though, one would think a teleportation would have been easier.

The declared counterattack was more unexpected.

'Thunder wave.'

Thunder wave?

'But that's a thunder type move,' Misty said. 'Flying types are weak to it.'

Brock looked closely at the small bird, sharp eyes drawn to the miniscule beats. 'I think it's fanning the air slightly, moving the electrical current away from its body.'

'It shouldn't affect Pikachu though, should it?'

'It depends,' Brock replied. 'Thunder Wave can cause temporary paralysis, however Pikachu just charged the air with his Thunderbolt, so it all depends on how skilled that Natu is at altering air currents.'

Very skilled it appeared as the electric rodent attempted a quick attack, as per Ash's request, with little results.

'Night Shade Natu,' Koichi ordered, and the black stream knocked the opponent back.

'Pikachu!' Ash shouted. 'Come on, shrug it off.'

'Chuu,' Pikachu agreed, shaking its head as he got back to his feet. Evidently, he had taken a little damage…but that wasn't going to stop him from battling.

'What I don't get though,' Brock murmured from the sidelines. 'Is how Natu is able to use those attacks when we saw from the last battle…' He paused, before face-palming. 'Of course. They were twins.'

Ash seemed to have come to the same conclusion…and it threw his strategy off a little. 'Pikachu, you up for an agility?'

The electric rodent answered by going into the attack, jumping from side to side and making its moves impossible to predict.

Of course, psychic Pokémon were a little different in that regard –

'Night shade.'

So by the time Pikachu was close enough for a tackle, he had taken a little more damage.

'Quick Attack!'

'Protect,' Koichi countered, and Pikachu crashed into the shield before dropping, breathing rapidly.

'Ash,' Misty yelled. 'Call Pikachu back!'

'Chuu,' Pikachu disagreed, standing up again.

Ash thought for a moment. It was obvious that this Natu was trained quite differently from the one he had previously battled; the combination of size and strength made it very difficult to battle upon a two-dimensional plane.

'I'll need you later buddy,' he said. 'Return.'

Pikachu came back to his side as he selected another Poke-ball.

'Noctowl, go!'

The judge raised his hand to continue the battle.

'Use – ' Ash stopped himself. Perhaps peck wasn't a good idea with Thunder Wave. Then, as Noctowl rotated his head, an idea occurred to him. 'Hypnosis!'

'Hypnosis?' Koji repeated, before stifling a laugh. 'This should be good.A psychic attack against a psychic trainer.'

'Night shade,' was the other twin's response, and Natu's eyes were, once again, temporarily blinded as it fired its attack. The sightlessness was more a help than a hindrance in that case, as visual illusions are only good if one can see them. As for the purpose of the attack – while Noctowl took to the air without direction to avoid a hit, the ground began billowing gently with dust.

'Great,' Ash murmured, trying to see through the low layer. 'Natu's small enough to completely vanish in dust.' He paused. 'But it probably can't see either. Noctowl, Gust!'

'Psychic,' Koichi countered, and Natu's blue eyes were briefly seen before Noctowl's body was turned skyward, reaiming the attack.

'C'mon Noctowl,' the trainer from Pallet urged as the wind died. 'Try a peck attack.'

'Thunder wave,' Koichi, predictably, countered.

'Use Gust,' Ash said in response.

'That was clever,' Brock commented off-hand. 'I wonder if Ash realised pushing the gust upwards created a thin air film closer to ground level.'

'Knowing Ash, it was just a lucky combination,' Misty replied.

'Not a lucky combination.' Koji crossed his hands with a pleased smirk. 'My brother's not quite that predictable.'

'Huh?' The other two looked at the battlefield…where Noctowl was caught in a thunder-web. 'How did that happen?'

'Protect,' the long-haired boy replied. He waited until the thunder-wave returned before triggering that shield, so the power became trapped. Therefore, when Noctowl hit the shield with its peck attack, it got electrocuted. All that light must have made it difficult to see – or Noctowl was confident in its ability to break that Protect.'

And he might have been able to, if it hadn't been for the electricity.

'Finish with Night Shade!'

The shield came down, but there was no time for a counter-strike before the Night Shade hit, sending it flying. The combination of thunder (to which Noctowl was equally weak) and the dark type move was indeed enough to finish the match.

'Noctowl is unable to battle. Natu wins!'

'You know,' Misty muttered. 'That Natu is so cute and small, it's almost funny to hink it knocked Pikachu around and beat Noctowl.'

'Certainly not without damage,' Brock replied. 'It looks like it can only take one more hit.'

'That depends on the hit,' Koji corrected. 'It would need to be a good one, and it's highly unlikely.'

'Why?' There was a little bite in the red-head's tone. 'You think Ash's Pokémon aren't good enough.'

'It's just not like Koichi to let his Pokémon take an attack without purpose. And Natu's still got some good dodges in him.'

Back on the field, Ash thought deeply. He hadn't expected Noctowl to be beaten, and Pikachu still hadn't recovered. Those Nightshades were causing quite a problem; he needed a Pokemon who was powerful and speedy enough to dodge around them…and avoid that thunder-wave.

'Cyndaquil, go!'

'Cynda,' he chirped, before lighting his flame.

'Cyndaquil verses Natu. Begin!'

'Flame Thrower!' Ash tried.

'Night shade,' came the counter, and the two attacks collided in the air. When the flame thrower pushed the other back, Koichi called for his Pokémon to dodge out of the way.

'Agility,' Ash followed up.

'Protect!'

'Headbutt!' Ash quickly switched, and the orb trembled as the fire Pokémon hit it full on.

'Flame Thrower!'

'Night Shade!'

'Night Shade?' Koji repeated, before taking a closer look at a tired Natu. 'Oh, I see.'

'Why?' Brock asked as the attacks collided.

'Natu's Psychic, after that much battling, isn't strong enough to divert a strong Flamethrower like Cyndaquil's.' The lips twisted slightly in amusement. 'Looks like Natu's out.'

And it was true, as Koichi was recalling his defeated Pokémon and Ryuuwas declaring the challenger's first victory.

'I wonder what Pokémon he's going to use next,' Misty mused. 'Cloyster would be a good choice.' She paused. 'You know, most Gym Leaders use the same Pokémon for their Gym battles, and in the same order. Ash probably hadn't been expecting the other Natu.'

'Who would?' Brock asked. 'Seriously, how many challengers would even know there are two of them.'

'And twins at that.' Apparently, when Koji wasn't the Gym Leader, he was far more talkative. 'That's part of what Koichi looks for in rematches; it's a Gym Leader's job to test challengers in new ways and Koichi battles mostly based on strategy.'

'Very interesting strategy at that,' the Pewter Gym Leader mused. 'There's an almost cold calculative feel to it, despite how warm and kind he appeared earlier.'

'Yes.' Koji nodded at that. 'As I said, Koichi's difficult to really understand. He's quiet, but not shy nor meek. He generally goes with the flow as far as decision-making is concerned, but if something is important to him, there's no stopping him.' He paused, watching his brother select a new Poke-ball. 'And he won't select Cloyster.'

Misty was somewhat sad; she was looking forward to seeing the Water Pokemon again, but the appearance of the majestic Ninetales made more or less made up for the disappointment. 'Oh wow. That's gorgeous.'

'You say that now,' Koji muttered. 'But that Pokémon's trouble.'

'How?'

'Long story.'The younger twin refused to elaborate. In any case, the new battle had started.

Ash and Cyndaquil quickly learnt that Ninetales was more, far more, than a pretty face. In fact, they learnt that this Ninetales was just as powerful as the one Squirtle had battled at Cinnabar Island. Enough to take out Cyndaquil with a single Fire Spin.

Of course, that was after the unwise Smoke Screen to counter a Hypnosis.

But the result left him with two choices. Either send Pikachu back in, or select his fourth and final Pokémon.

In the end, he went with Totodile, hoping the water Pokémon would provide an advantage against the fox. Koichi however didn't look surprised, although an expression of amusement graced his face as the reptile began to hop on one foot.

Ninetales on the other hand simply fixated a cold stare upon the other.

'Be nice Ninetales,' the Gym Leader warned.

The female relaxed her stare.

Ryuu raised his arms. 'Begin!'

Ash was rather surprised when Koichi immediately took the offensive. Most attacks he'd used so far were a form of defence, countering his moves and his strategies.

'Flame Thrower.'

The guy was impossible to figure out.

'Dodge it Totodile.'

The reptile danced to the side.

'Now, Water Gun!'

'Flame Thrower,' Koichi repeated, and the heat hit the water full on, creating a veil of mist.

'You know what to do.'

That was…unnerving, Ash thought to himself. Koichi must have expected the field to be covered again; neither Pokemon could see, nor could their trainers.

'Ash is really in a tight spot,' Brock frowned. 'This guy's style really is unpredictable.'

'He adapts the style according to the Pokémon,' Koji replied, focused on the field. 'Like humans, they're all different, therefore so are their relationships.'

'You seem to know a lot about him,' Misty commented.

Koji shrugged. 'He's my brother.' A small frown played upon his lips. 'Even if we really barely know each other. It's only been a year since we…met.'

Luckily, the battle chose that moment to take a turn. Or a spray as water started blasting all over the place.

'Watch it Totodile!' Ash yelled, getting soaked as Koichi ducked another spray. 'What's gotten into you?'

'Hypnosis,' Koichi explained as the field began to clear.

'Oh.'

That was a problem. Totodile looked…out of control. Biting and scratching at thin air. Firing every other second.

'Flame thrower Ninetales,' the Gym Leader said after a moment.

'Water Gun!'

The blast hit elsewhere, causing the fire attack to hit its mark. Mercifully, it appeared to break the Hypnosis.

Ninetales readied herself for another fire attack.

'Use Bite!' Ash tried, knowing water attacks simply weren't going to cut it.

'Bite?' both twins repeated, neither able to see the sense in the statement for a moment. Then Koichi's eyes widened in surprise. 'Ninetales, stay!'

But instinct wasn't easy to override in such a small instance of time, and Totodile's teeth sunk into the other's tail.

Ninetales roared, flames bursting from her body and causing the air itself to melt from the heat.

'What's going on?' Ash pulled out his Poke-dex, activating it.

'Ninetales are very smart and very vengeful,' the Poke-dex intoned. 'Grabbing one of its many tails could result in a 1000-year curse.'

'Oh,' Ash said faintly, before a Fire Spin incinerated the field. 'Whoops.'

'They can seriously do that?' Misty asked, equally faintly.

Brock shrugged. 'It may be rumour, but –'

'Rumour or not, Ninetales are certainly vengeful,' Koji responded. 'And they get rather out-of-control when someone grabs their tails…or bites them.'

'Surely the trainer can control-'

'You see many trainers controlling Blaze?' came the rhetorical question, before sighing. 'Yeah, Koichi can handle it, but it's not an easy thing to accomplish. But Ninetales trusts him.'

'Ninetales!' Koichi yelled over the flame, sounding slightly…well, panicked was not an appropriate term, but it was something akin to it. 'Aim a fire spin at the sky and keep at it.'

As odd as the order was, Ninetales followed it. Apparently, even with her eyes blazing with anger and her body with unharnessed heat, she was not so far gone as to refuse a command from her trainer.

And Totodile was in no condition to continue battling either. In fact, it had fainted near the heat, his cheeks slowly turning pink.

Ash returned him, but refrained from sending out Pikachu. A wise decision it seemed as Ninetales was still burning its energy.

'Enough,' Koichi said softly as beads of sweat gleamed in the gentle moonlight. 'Return Ninetales.'

She howled as the red light enveloped her, but her own body was starting to cool. Hopefully, the next Pokémon to battle would have enough sense not to pull a stunt like that.

'Totodile is unable to battle. Ninetales has been withdrawn from the match,' Ryuu surmised. 'The challenger has one Pokémon remaining. The Gym Leader has two.'

'You ready Pikachu?'

'Pika,' Pikachu nodded, pumping a fist.

Koichi fingered the two Poke-balls he had remaining, thinking for a brief moment. Feeling his brother's gaze, he lifted his head to meet the near identical gaze, before smiling and selecting one.