CHAPTER 6

The next morning, when we leave the Pokemon Center, I notice that the sky is still dark. It couldn't still be nighttime, though. My clock had said that it was almost noon. Maybe it would rain?

I head over to Route 31 again to train. I had decided that as long as it would help me defeat Falkner, I would trade a Bellsprout to get the Onix. I had caught one last night, but I wanted to train Cilantro a little more.

After a while, I decided that we were ready to go get a Mareep. But first, I needed to get rid of this Bellsprout. I entered the house of the boy who wanted the Bellsprout. The Onix's Pokeball was on the table, the Onix in it already. I picked it up and put the Pokeball with the Bellsprout down. I then left to get a Mareep from Route 32.

It had started to rain a little as I made my way across the city. I could see some Pokemon playing in the rain. I looked around for a bit, and finally I found a Mareep. The rain was making its wool shine and spark, and instantly I knew what I would name her.

"Cilantro, you wanna battle it? Faygo would be defeated instantly." Cilantro made a happy noise and shook his leaf around a little. He walked over to the Mareep and poked it, shocking himself. The Mareep laughed and ran in circles. While it was distracted, I got out a Great Ball I had found. I waited a second, then threw it. It shook once. It shook twice. It shook a third time, and made a clicking noise. I walked over and let the Mareep out of its Pokeball.

"Hi there. I'm Dave, your new Trainer. This is Cilantro." I sent out Faygo, and instantly he hid behind me. "This is Faygo. I don't think he likes electricity." The Mareep mad a noise and stepped a little closer. Faygo clicked the button on his Pokeball, and he was transported back into it. "Let's give him a little time. What do you think about the name Popcorn?" The Mareep wagged its tail and made another noise. "Popcorn it is. Let's train you a little. Do you know any electric moves yet?" Popcorn shook her head. "No? Alright. We need to have you learn one. Let's go." Cilantro and Popcorn followed me into the grass. Most of the Pokemon we found were Rattata, Zubat, and Hoppip. We found a few Bellsprout, but we got rid of them easily. Popcorn refused to battle other Mareep, so I had to have Cilantro battle them.

It was almost seven by time we finished training. The five of us were about to head to the Gym, when I heard someone say something about a ghost.

"Uh... Did you say something about a ghost?" My question was directed toward a middle-aged woman.

"Ghost-types. The Gastly are starting to come out again. They come out every night in Sprout Tower." Really? Maybe I could catch one.

"Oh. Okay, thanks." I headed to the Pokemon Center to have my four Pokemon healed.

When I left the Pokemon Center, it was almost eight. I headed to the Sprout Tower at the back of the city. Maybe I would get lucky and catch a Gastly. It would bring me up to five Pokemon.

As I opened the door to Sprout Tower, a chill went down my spine. First off, it was colder than it should've been. And the fact that the beam in the middle was making odd noises didn't help, either. There was a girl standing in front of the pillar.

"See the pillar shaking? People are training upstairs." She seemed perfectly fine with the shaking pillar. An old lady was standing near her.

"Hey, uh... Is this pillar supposed to be shaking?"

"Yes. A Bellsprout, over one hundred feet tall... People say that it became the middle pillar here."

"Oh, um... Okay." Some other old people were here, too. I didn't feel like talking to them, though. "Hey, Cilantro, do you mind if I train Popcorn some more?" Cilantro shook his head, and I sent him back into his Pokeball. Popcorn came out of hers. "Popcorn, I want to train you some more, okay?" She nodded, and followed me up the ladder to the next floor.

Immediately, I noticed another old man. I didn't feel like battling him, though. I had heard earlier that the people in Sprout Tower battled with Bellsprout. Seeing as how I hated Bellsprout, I didn't want to battle any. All I wanted to do was catch a Gastly, and maybe have Popcorn evolve.

Just then, my Pokegear started to ring. I took it out of my pocket and answered it. "Hello? This is Dave."

"Oh, hello, Dave! So, how's your Pokedex coming along?"

"I, uh..."

"Hmm, let's see... You've seen ten Pokemon, and you've caught four Pokemon! I see! Good. I see you understand how to use Pokeballs. Show me your Pokedex again anytime!" He hung up before I could answer him. How does he know how many Pokemon I have? Stalker...

Popcorn made a noise, and I looked over to where she was facing. "It's... Just a Rattata, Popcorn. But... If you want to battle it... Then go ahead."

Popcorn took off toward the Rattata. Both of them Tackled each until Popcorn knocked out the purple rat.

"Good job. Now let's go. We need to find a Gastly." I started walking, but I heard no footsteps behind me. I turned around. "Popcorn, let's go." Her coat looked like it was a bright white instead of a creamy yellow. Or was it because of the lighting in the tower? Popcorn made a noise, and the rest of her body started to turn white as well. "Popcorn? What are you doing? This is no time for electric attacks."

Popcorn's shape was distorted now. What was happening? She became taller, her tail longer. "Are you... Are you evolving?" Slowly, Popcorn stopped glowing. I was surprised by her appearance.

The new Pokemon was pink and white in color. It was taller, and had less wool. It stood on two legs instead of four. It even had a different name now.

"You're a Flaaffy now!" I quickly scanned it into my Pokedex, then took out Cilantro's Pokeball and let him out. "Cilantro, look who evolved," I teased. I had caught on real early. Even Pokemon had feelings for each other.