I do not own Pokémon.

And with that, I bid the readers a good hello. I got one review about my question, so Nick isn't travelling with anyone (except his Pokémon).

(RUINS OF ALPH)

Nick arrived when the sun was high, Jerry next to him as they looked around. He took out his Pokegear and nodded.

"Its 12:35, and we're here half and hour earlier than I thought we'd be."

Jerry hooted in agreement, anxiously hopping from foot to foot. Nick glanced at him and sighed.

"If you want, you can scope the place out while the girls and I start on lunch."

Before the last word had left his mouth Jerry was up and away. The Trainer he'd left behind just shook his head and groaned.

"We have got to talk about what happened with Falkner. But for now…"

Nick released Amy and Ellie and told them what he'd be doing until Jerry got back, inviting them to help or relax as they chose. Ellie nodded and wandered off (To find a pre-lunch snack, Nick thought) whilst Amy took up a watching position close by. Satisfied Nick took what he needed from his bag and began making sandwiches, the only food he cared to make at the moment.

"The sandwiches are done," he told Amy once he was finished, but she didn't respond. Shrugging, he took a leisurely bite of his sandwich, intent on savouring the flavor. When he was done he looked up and noticed that Amy was looking at the sky, deep in thought. "Hey, I made you a sandwich. Hurry up or Ellie might eat it."

"Chi?" she asked absentmindedly.

"What's up Amy?" he asked, concerned. In light of the Violet Gym his Pokémon had opted to train that morning, but they hadn't eaten as much as he expected and he was concerned.

She just kept looking at the sky as if searching for something. Nick sighed and put away the utensils.

"I won't stop you from being worried about Jerry. I mean, I'm worried too." Leaving the sandwiches on a plate he knelt down in front of his Starter. "But what he needs now is time to think and a little understanding from us when he gets back."

Frowning Amy nodded and Nick sighed, nodding his head to the plate of sandwiches. "Come on, they're PB and J."

A loud yell alerted the two to Ellie as she dashed towards them with something in her mouth. As she got closer Nick realized that the mystery item was in fact a berry, and quite a large one at that.

"Oh my Mew, Ellie! That's huge," Nick said, beaming from ear to ear. "Are there any more?" When she nodded he stood up. "Amy, can you stay here while I go help Ellie with the berries?"

Amy nodded, the topic of Jerry dropped for now. Making her way to the sandwiches, she took one and began eating as he ran off to help Ellie.

"When we get back you can have a couple, okay?" Nick yelled back at the Chikorita. She just waved at him with her foreleg.

When he and Ellie reached the berry bushes Nick gasped. There were only a few of them, but they were all loaded with such fat, juicy berries that it didn't matter. As he and Ellie chose the one with the best looking berries and began picking them Nick couldn't stop a grin from spreading across his face.

Maybe we can use these to start cheering Jerry up, he thought as he began stacking berries on his arm.

Just then a loud buzz sounded from behind the bush. Nick frowned and motioned for Ellie to follow him. They made it behind one of the bushes just as a Beedrill flew around the bush they'd been picking from. It buzzed, seeming confused by the lack of potential enemies, and walked back around the bush.

Nick watched this happen, waiting until the Beedrill was out of sight before he spoke. "You know, I always thought they flew everywhere."

Ellie looked up at him in surprise, but Nick was already moving, grabbing whatever berries he could before turning to return to Amy. Stunned, Ellie rushed beside him and whined, her gaze turning to the berries they were leaving behind.

Nick sighed and followed her gaze. "I know, I know. But we can't handle a Beedrill right now. They evolve fast, but there are too many stories of fully evolved Pokémon overpowering rookie Trainers. Heck, there are stories of them overpowering experienced Trainers too, so we don't need that now."

Ellie nodded reluctantly, still focused on the berries until they were out of sight. Nick sighed again and broke out in a jog, looking back at Ellie with an encouraging smile. She smiled back and ran after him, but he could see that she hadn't forgotten the berries.

When they got back to Amy she had finished her sandwich and was attacking a nearby rock, constantly running into it and causing little cracks to appear on its surface. When she caught sight of them she ran towards them, concern in her eyes.

Nick groaned and let the berries fall to the ground. "Don't ask, but this was all we could get under the circumstances."

Amy looked skeptical, but accepted the explanation and began herding the berries to Nick's bag. As she did so Ellie snatched up one of the better looking berries and began eating it, her expression thoughtful. At that moment a soft "hoot" sounded above them and Nick looked up to see Jerry circling above him.

Nick could almost see the lightbulb flashing above his head. 'Hey Jerry, get down here."

Jerry stopped his circling and landed on Nick's shoulder, careful not to injure his Trainer with his claws. Nick whispered his plan to the Hoothoot and watched with a small grin as Jerry's face lit up.

This is going to be good.

(10 MINUTES LATER, BACK AT THE BERRY BUSHES)

Nick smiled and crouched, warily watching the bush the Beedrill was behind. "You're clear on the plan?"

Jerry nodded and fluttered to a nearby branch, ready to take off when Nick moved. The plan basically boiled down to Nick sneaking in, taking berries and leaving just as quietly as he'd come. Jerry had been his backup Pokémon only because he was the quietest and made Nick feel safer.

Nick nodded and began moving, slowly but surely making his way to the Beedrill's bush. As much as this plan worried him, Jerry had to admit that his Trainer was doing remarkably well for a human. He'd seen humans try to be quiet before, but all that usually did was alert the Pokémon they were trying to sneak up on. Nick, on the other hand, looked as if he'd snuck around Pokémon before.

When he reached the bush Nick paused and took a moment to steady his nerves. At this Jerry left his perch and flew past Nick and the bushes, perching in the trees above the Beedrill. While he knew he was only needed as a last resort, he also knew that a Hypnosis would be better than a Peck.

Jerry focused on the Beedrill, listening intently as his Trainer picked the berries, each movement slow and precise, making as little noise as possible. When he saw Nick hold up a berry, forefinger and thumb extended, he breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the Beedrill.

Sorry about this, he thought. But I want them too.

With that he flew overhead again, swooping lower when he passed over Nick. His Trainer gasped and whipped around, surprised at Jerry seemingly appearing out of thin air.

"When I figure out how you do that, I will be unstoppable," Nick whispered. "Let's go."

Nick crouched and began moving away from the Beedrill's bush. For the first time Jerry noticed that he'd removed his jacket and was using it as a makeshift sling to carry the berries. His mouth quirked an eyebrow at his Trainer's behavior but flew close behind, looking back every so often to check if they were being followed.

When Nick felt that they were far away enough he stood up and broke into a jog, an elated grin on his face. "And to the victors go the spoils," he said, casually tossing Jerry a berry.

Catching the berry in his beak, Jerry began hopping next to his Trainer. Holding the berry between his wings, he tore into it, the mixture of flavors catching him of guard. It's wonderful, he thought a twinkle in his eye.

"Good, right?" Nick chuckled and bit into his own berry. "Try to save the seeds though."

Jerry nodded and took another chunk out of the berry, the juice staining his wings, though he couldn't care less. In that moment he was simply enjoying the heat of the sun, the thrill of his victory and the feeling of his Trainer walking alongside him.

(BACK AT THE TERMINAL)

Nick had no idea why he was doing this, but he was doing it. While Amy and Ellie battled each other nearby, he and Jerry faced each other, the Hoothoot's head tilted in confusion.

"What is there to understand?" Nick groaned. "We don't have another team member for you to battle against, so what you're going to do is practice your attacks on me for now."

He noted that Jerry still looked confused, but some of that confusion was replaced with worry.

"This is the third time I'm explaining this," Nick muttered. "We need to practice your attacks on a moving target. Amy and Ellie are battling each other." He gestured to himself. "So, I present to you your moving target."

Jerry frowned but nodded anyway, tensing himself to attack. He flew forward and Nick shifted, ready to avoid the Tackle.

"This is either impressive or sad, but I can't tell which."

Startled, Nick turned to face whoever had spoken, his eyes leaving Jerry. This proved to be a mistake, as Jerry was too close to swerve away and ended up barreling into his Trainer. Nick gasped, pain exploding across his abdomen as he fell backwards, the attack knocking him off his feet.

Nick groaned, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he steadied his breathing. He was dimly aware of his a large leaf waving in front of him and focused on it instead of his ribs.

When he felt he could speak again without wheezing Nick looked at his team and grinned. "Okay, I'm seeing some real improvement, but keep at it. Oh, and Jerry," he said, glancing at the Hoothoot, "your Tackle could use a little work."

Jerry nodded and grinned, a look of relief appearing on his face.

Someone scoffed behind him. "Acting tough, Nick? I expected more."

Frowning Nick stood up, ignoring the twinge in his front, and turned to face the speaker. Staring back at him haughtily stood Maya with her hands on her hips. She was wearing the same workout suit he'd seen her in at Sprout Tower and her hair was done up in a braid.

"Not tough, just practical," he said, shrugging. "Anyway, you called me here. Did you want something?"

Maya grinned and removed a Pokéball from her belt. "I want to beat you Nick. One Pokémon each, no switching, winner gets a prize."

Nick cocked his head at her, surprised by her sudden eagerness to battle him. "No switching's a given if it's one-on-one. Let me see if anyone's up for it first though." He turned to regard his team, frowning as he noticed Amy wasn't there. Turning back he saw her standing in front of him, her leaf waving around as she smirked. "Well, there you go," he said, gesturing lamely.

As they two Trainers took their places Ellie and Jerry moved to the sidelines, the Hoothoot watching Maya as his teammate cheered. Nick thought about that for a moment before shrugging and facing their opponent.

"Come on Maya, we don't have all day," he taunted.

Maya simple smirked and removed a Pokéball from her belt. "No, we don't. Go Pikachu." A flick of her wrist and Pikachu stood on the field, cheeks sparking as he dropped to all fours.

Nick breathed in deeply, the tension in the air growing. He could feel Amy's excitement, and it was infectious. "Amy, Razor Leaf."

She wasted no time, her spinning leaf sending a barrage of leaves at Pikachu. Maya's smirk faltered slightly, but she seemed determined. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

With the leaves only a few feet away, Pikachu grinned and moved, his body a yellow blur as he swept around the battlefield. Amy was too stunned to respond and cried out when a blow to her right sent her rolling. Nick cried out in response, the right side of his body aching.

"Quick Attack again!"

Amy had just righted herself when she was once again sent rolling, Pikachu striking her right again. Nick gritted his teeth, his own right side throbbing. He was starting to panic, especially since Pikachu seemed too fast to track and Amy, despite her ability to take a hit, couldn't get an attack in. He heard Maya command Pikachu again and he reacted.

"Amy, use Poison Powder to your right!" he shouted, his stomach tightening.

Amy flung her leaf to the right, a cloud of purple spores enveloping the surprised Pikachu. It spluttered and coughed, the Poison taking effect as the Chikorita took the opportunity to regain her bearings.

"Amy, try not to roll when you dodge," Nick warned. She nodded at him in response, her gaze fixed warily on her opponent.

Maya, however, merely grinned. "Pikachu, Thunder Wave!"

Shaking himself, Pikachu released what looked to be an electrified Hypnosis. Amy tried to dodge but stumbled, her right leg flinch as she put weight on it. She growled when the attack hit, turning to run and gain some distance. Suddenly she froze, toppling over as her muscles locked up. Nick felt his own muscles clench in response and ground his teeth.

"Don't move too fast, that'll only make it worse," Nick warned. Amy nodded and stood back up, her leaf waving in the air.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Maya commanded, her Pokémon moving almost as soon as she'd finished speaking.

"Amy, Razor Leaf!" Nick shouted, struggling to keep calm.

Amy tried to respond, but was knocked back anyway, her body moving too slowly to keep up with Pikachu's speed. Crying out, she flew back but landed on her feet, her body swaying as Pikachu paused to watch her.

Seeing how the battle was going he sighed and raised his hand. "I forfeit."

Maya blinked, surprise blanketing her features. "What?" she asked, sounding surprised.

Nick didn't respond, walking over to Amy and lifting her up. Only then did he look at Maya. "You're stronger than we expected. I'm forfeiting," he said, handing over her prize money.

Surprised, she nodded and pocketed the money. "I asked you here to see if you could help me train."

Nick rolled his eyes at her. "You seem like you've got that covered. Now if you'll excuse me…"

With that he strode to his bag, his team following after him, and gently laid Amy down. When he was satisfied that she was comfortable he began rifling through his bag, sighing as he realized that the money he'd gotten for his poster was the same money he'd just given Maya. Shaking his head he found and removed a Paralyze Heal, turning to spray it onto Amy.

When he was done she raised her head and smiled at him, Ellie lying next to her. He smiled back, running his hand across her flank. "You were great out there." She pouted and he chuckled. "Oh come on, you were amazing. Losing to someone stronger isn't something to be ashamed of." She gave him a look. "Yes, I'm counting Pikachu as superior, at least speed wise. Let's just see this as a learning experience." Standing up, he turned to his bag again and took out a Potion, returning to Amy. "Anyway, you ready to get back on your feet?"

She grinned widely and nodded her head, wincing when her muscles protested. Nick shook his head and sprayed the Potion on her, watching in wonder as she leapt to her feet and began running around him. Ellie squeaked in surprise and began chasing after her, Jerry rolling his eyes at their antics

"Maybe I should try one of these," he joked. Jerry's eyes widened and he shook his head furiously, causing him to chuckle. "I'm just kidding. Mostly."

Nick's smile faded as he took a deep breath, putting the battle out of his mind as he took in where they were. One of the oldest ruins in Johto, and they just let anyone in! On the plus side, it's an amazing sight to behold. He breathed deeply and sighed, taking in the atmosphere. I don't think anyone could ruin this.

"You know, after a loss like that, I thought you'd be angry at your Pokémon," Maya said from behind them.

Except her, Nick amended, ignoring her. "I would be, but we were outmatched. Anger wouldn't change anything. Unless…" he said thoughtfully.

"You're not one of those people who says things like 'Pokémon abuse is wrong' and 'only scum abuse their Pokémon' are you?" she asked dubiously.

"Not really, I prefer to silently judge and tell people stronger than me," Nick noted.

Maya was quiet and Nick almost turned to face her before she spoke. "I'm heading to Azalea Town now. See you around, Nick."

Nick turned to watch her leave, a small frown on his face. He huffed as sat down, wincing when the muscles in his stomach protested. He looked at his team and frowned, noting the looks of anticipation on their faces.

"What is it?"

Jerry didn't answer, instead using his wing to indicate the terminal. Nick sighed and stood up, putting his bag on with a small grin.

"Alright, but anybody who doesn't want to walk stays in their Pokéballs," he said.

None of them took him up on the offer.

(ROUTE 32)

Nick watched as the boy screamed and ran away again, sighing when Amy stepped in and scared the Pokémon off.

"I'm confused, why am I doing this again?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged and kept watching the boy. Jerry was overhead in case they missed anything and Amy, tired of sitting and waiting, had taken the direct approach as the kid's bodyguard. Nick wondered briefly if she was getting bored.

On their way to Azalea they'd been stopped by a strange man wearing grey trousers and a white shirt. Ordinarily Nick would have simply said hello, but the man had called him over and practically begged for his help. He said his name was Earl Dervish and he ran the Pokémon School in Violet City. He'd planned on taking some kids to Route 32 to catch their first Pokémon, but the teachers who were supposed to act as supervision/ protection had come down with the flu that morning.

Of course Nick had no idea why Mr. Dervish would tell him any of that, but the teacher apparently thought that someone with the Violet City Gym Badge would be strong enough to act as supervision for the Route 32 Group. Nick had been about to decline his offer, but the idea of teaching something to some younger kids (and maybe learning something in return) had persuaded him.

Then he'd learned that all of the "kids" were in fact around about his age, and were planning on studying for the next few years rather than going on journeys immediately. They also took one look at him and began questioning whether he'd beaten Falkner, prompting a Tackle from Amy that quickly shut them up. By now most of the studying Trainers had caught a Pokémon. It was just one boy, younger than the rest, who couldn't seem to get it right.

Said boy came hurtling towards them and psyducked behind Nick, quaking as a Rattata followed soon after. Ellie fired a ThunderShock at it and it hissed, turning tail and racing back into the overgrowth. Nick watched it go thoughtfully.

"So, how much longer do you think you'll need?" he asked the kid.

He shrugged and looked at the ground, embarrassed. Nick sighed and focused on Amy and Jerry as they trudged back to him, glancing at the student almost curiously as they passed.

"Nick?"

He turned at the sound of his name, grinning when he recognized the speaker and the Pokémon that followed. "Alex, Growlithe, how are you?"

"We're doing well, thanks. I'm actually out here to catch a Pokémon."

"Maybe you could help Stan," Nick pondered, noting the Pokéball Alex held. The student Trainer was looking between the two, confused and frightened.

"Excuse me sir," Stanley said haltingly, "but, I think I, um, need some more help."

"Clearly." Nick considered his current team of three before he focused on Ellie. "Ellie, think you can back him up while he catches his Starter?"

Ellie chirped her agreement before running around the boy. He tried to turn to look at her, but she was already shoving him away and towards where she knew the Pokémon were. Nick watched them go, trying and failing to hide the amused grin on his face.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Alex asked, trying and failing to hide his own grin.

"You're not?" Nick countered.

Alex shrugged. "Fair point, though I don't know why you didn't start off with lending him a Pokémon."

Nick frowned at the other Trainer's words. "Would you believe me if I said it was advice my mom gave me?"

"Yeah, I can believe that." When Nick gave him a nonplussed look he shrugged. "Kids mimic their parents. I don't care much."

"Whatever," Nick scoffed. "If he's going to be a Trainer he needs to learn to focus under pressure."

Alex frowned at him. "You seem grumpy. How long have you been out here?"

"Two hours," Nick stated.

"And how long have you been out here with him?" Alex tried.

"One and a half hours," Nick groaned. "On the plus side, we've been using this time to help Jerry train."

They both glanced at their Pokémon just as Amy and Growlithe began lightly shoving each other, though from the look on Jerry's face it wasn't anything serious. Alex frowned and Nick glanced at him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't even know what I want yet," Alex admitted. "I just figured we'd come here and catch whatever. Anyway, I'm off. See you later Nick."

With that Alex took off, leaving Nick with his Pokémon and Amy without anything to distract her. He sighed and sat down, watching with interest as she and Jerry started sparring with each other. Just as the fight was starting to get heated they heard the student shout, "I caught one!"

Nick stood up, shocked as the boy ran back to them with an almost manic grin, Ellie running ahead with an excited grin. He couldn't help but chuckle at the looks on their faces, knowing that he'd probably do the same thing in their shoes.

"Good job kid. How'd you do it?" he asked curiously.

The student stopped dancing and said, "Well, we were just walking around and we saw it- sorry, him on the ground. I told your Mareep to attack, but she walked over and started talking to him and then he just let me catch him." Just then he looked almost worried. "I'm just scared that he won't be very strong."

"So what if he's not strong?" Nick asked, shrugging. "Power is a relative term anyway. Having a strong Pokémon isn't nearly as important as knowing how to battle with them."

The student smiled and nodded. "Alright, then come on out, Zubat!"

"What?" Nick blurted, but it was too late for him to run as the Zubat materialized.

Not wasting a second it flew around, screeching into the late afternoon, before landing on his Trainer's head. He giggled and reached up to run his hand along his wing. "Isn't he adorable?"

Nick stifled his natural urge to start moving and nodded uneasily. "Sure. Adorable," he said, giving him a shaky smile.

The student grinned, Zubat giving a cry of agreement from his head. Nick barely kept from jumping, eyes locked onto it.

"Are you going back to town," the student asked and he dragged his eyes of the top of the boy's head to look at him.

"Yeah, I figure I can rest at the Center and head for Azalea tomorrow."

"Okay, goodbye," the boy said, already running back to town.

Nick followed at a more leisurely pace, trying and failing to whistle a tune. He looked back and noticed that, except for Amy, his Pokémon were looking more than a little tired.

"So, anyone want to rest in their Pokeballs for now?" he asked coyly.

Jerry and Ellie nodded immediately and Nick chuckled as he recalled them. As soon as they were gone Amy ran up and began strolling next to him. He looked down at her, a sense of pride welling up in him.

"You were all amazing today," he gushed. "When we get to the Pokémon Center I'm finding you guys some kind of treat." When he noticed Amy looking down at her feet he shook his head. "And I do mean all of you."

She glanced up at him, grinning widely, before bouncing off towards town. Nick was surprised for a brief moment before dashing after her, a small smile on his face.

When they arrived at the Pokémon Center the first thing they noticed was a man in a pink shirt and overalls, head bent as he sat in the waiting room. Nick stared at him for a bit, wondering why he was there, before he saw the man's face and something clicked.

"Mr. Dervish!"

The Pokémon School Principal looked up, his face lighting up when he saw Nick. "Nicholas! Good to see you it is. Wanted to give you reward, Nurse said wait here."

"Sounds great, just give me a second to get my Pokémon checked out," he said, turning to head to the counter. Removing Jerry and Ellie's Pokéballs, he bent to lift Amy up and placed her on the countertop.

"Chiko?" she asked curiously.

"Sorry Amy, but as long as we're here we should get everyone a check-up. At least nothing will attack us here, right?"

She nodded, apparently satisfied as she was recalled and the nurse took them away. Nick watched them go, only turning when the door to the back room closed. Making his way to Mr. Dervish he huffed and sat next to him. "Have you checked in on all the kids? One of the younger ones only caught a Pokémon a little while ago."

"He fine, yes. Went home, didn't barely say hello."

Nick nodded, already losing focus. "Yeah, he had a Zubat." He shuddered. "Hope it goes well for him."

"Go well will it," said the teacher. "I help, teach training." He stood and told Nick, "Your reward with nurse. Ask when ready."

With that he twirled, and kept twirling, all the way out the door. Nick watched as he spun down the road and even around the corner.

"How does he not throw up?" he wondered. Shaking his head he stood and made his way to the nurse's desk. "Excuse me?"

The nurse looked up and smiled at him. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to check on my Pokémon."

"Oh yes." She turned to her computer and looked something up. Nodding, she turned back to him. "Your Pokémon are fine. The Chikorita was a little more hurt than the others, but all they need is a little rest."

"That's good," he said, smiling. "Oh right, a Mr. Dervish said he left something with you?"

The nurse nodded. "Are you here to collect?" When he nodded the nurse said, "Excellent, may I check your Trainer ID?"

Nick handed it over and watched as the nurse scanned the card. When she was satisfied she stood and handed his card over, heading for the back room. Nick watched her leave, confused why she hadn't just handed his reward over.

Wait, why is my reward in a Pokémon Center? he thought, resting his elbows on the countertop. If we're on that topic, why is it being called a reward and not payment?

"Here you go," he heard the nurse say, and turned to watch as she placed four Pokéballs and a key in front of him. "The key is for your room, since I assume you'll be staying the night."

"You assume right," he said absentmindedly. He stared curiously at the four Pokéballs before asking, "If you don't mind my asking, what is that?"

The nurse blinked and gestured to the balls, indicating each one as she spoke. "This one is your Hoothoot, this one is your Chikorita and this one is your Mareep."

Nick fastened the balls to his belt in the order he was used to, the comforting weight putting him at ease. Noticing the way the nurse was looking at him he frowned. "What?"

"Aren't you taking your fourth Pokémon?"

Nick simply stared at her as he released his team. "Jerry, Ellie, Amy," he said, pointing each one out in turn. "My team only has three Pokémon."

"Mr. Dervish said you would be taking care of this one from now on," the nurse said, pushing the fourth Pokéball towards him.

"Mr. Dervish has been spinning too much," Nick stated calmly, lifting the Pokéball and peering at it. "What kind of Pokémon is it?"

"Mr. Dervish didn't say," the nurse said, looking thoughtful. She stepped back and called Chansey over. "Chansey will make sure it doesn't react violently."

Nick sighed and stepped back, turning to release the Pokémon away from the nurse. He looked at his team and said, "I need you guys to back me up on this."

They nodded and heaved out a breath, tightly gripping the ball. Steeling himself, he drew back his arm and threw the Pokéball. He watched as the ball released a white light, shutting his eyes against the glare. He felt the ball shoot back to his hand and caught it reflexively, looking at the new possible teammate as soon as the light faded.

"Clef?"

Nick blinked. "What?"

Standing there, looking lost and confused, was a Cleffa. As soon as it saw Nick and the Pokéball he was holding it dashed towards him and let out a happy squeal. Almost by instinct Amy darted forward and swung her leaf, a purple powder flying into the Cleffa's face. Nick watched in horror as the Pokémon coughed and sputtered, and then…ran towards Amy and hugged her, a small smile on its face. Amy stood shocked, surprised at the happy little Pokémon and its ignorance of her Poison Powder.

"Is that Cleffa okay?" Nick asked the nurse, who frowned back at him.

"I can't be sure, but it doesn't seem like that Poison Powder is affecting it."

Nick puzzled as the Cleffa went around hugging each of his Pokémon, quirking an eyebrow when Ellie nuzzled it affectionately.

He knelt in front of them and, looking at the Cleffa, said, "My name is Nick. In exchange for helping some kids catch their first Pokémon Earl has apparently asked me to train you. If you ask me, this is another favor."

Cleffa responded by letting go of Ellie and running to hug his leg. Nick sighed and stood up to face the nurse, stumbling slightly as Cleffa hung on. "It can tag along if it wants, but I've got no experience with these kinds of Pokémon."

"Not many people do," the nurse assured him. "They have to be specially bred after all."

"Of course they do," Nick groaned. He looked down at Cleffa and it peered up at him, a happy smile on its face. "So, would you like to travel with us?"

It nodded its head feverishly and squealed, running towards Amy again, but Nick reached down and scooped it up, placing it on the nurse's counter.

"Visible affects or no, Amy hit you with a Poison Powder. You're getting checked out."

Cleffa nodded again, seeming calmer, and waited as the nurse sprayed her with an Antidote. Nick sighed as she hopped off the counter and began chatting with Jerry, who looked quite surprised at the sudden addition to the team.

"I'm calling my mom," he said, handing Jerry his Trainer I.D. "Bring this back when you're done eating."

He sat down in one of the waiting room chairs and watched as his Pokémon made a mad dash for the cafeteria. Someone tapped his shoulder and he turned to see a girl wearing a red tracksuit.

"I saw what happened. That Cleffa of yours has the ability Magic Guard." When he just looked puzzled the girl sighed. "Magic Guard is an ability that prevents your Pokémon from getting hurt by weather or status ailments. You have to hurt it to hurt it."

Nick nodded and smiled at her. "Okay, thanks," he said, pulling out his Pokegear as the other Trainer wandered off. This will take some getting used to.

(END CHAPTER 08)

After a year or so, writing again feels weird. And yes, I have spent some of that time researching these things and, while having a Cleffa with Magic Guard may seem unfair, I thought it would be okay for Nick to have one since I'm planning on giving everyone else a seemingly overpowered Pokémon anyway. The reason for this? I want to explore the idea that "powerful" can be a relative term. Also, restricting some of the areas where you can catch Pokémon seems stupid, but that could just be me.