Welcome back. I do not own the Pokémon series.
Chikorita- Amy
Hoothoot- Jerry
Mareep- Ellie
Cleffa- Andy
Geodude- Jane
Human- Nick
(*)
Amy darted forward to attack Jane, but swerved away when Ellie got between them. She swung her leaf forward and hit Ellie with Razor Leaf as Jane ducked around her partner to use Rock Throw. Surprised, Amy took the hit and slid backwards as Jerry flew overhead and tried to use Hypnosis. Noticing this, Ellie and Jane dodged the attack, Ellie firing a ThunderShock at Jerry that made him spasm and lose altitude.
"So, are we going to rest anytime soon?" Jane asked sarcastically, her voice soft and gravelly.
At her question they all collapsed, Jane's own arms dropping to her sides. Amy still stood, but that was less because she had energy the energy to and more because she was afraid she wouldn't get up again if she let herself rest. Rather than focus on the urge to rest she turned her head to look at the woods.
"So…when do you think they'll be back?" she asked, wheezing.
"Probably when Nick is done training Andy," Jerry answered once he caught his breath. "His moves are getting weird."
"Says the Flying-type with Hypnosis," Jane countered.
Jerry frowned and Ellie giggled and noted, "Ah, she's got you there."
They were quiet for a few more minutes before Jane announced, "Alright I'm done." Turning to Amy she brought her arms forward. "You ready to get back to training yet?"
"I've just about caught my breath," Amy answered as she started to twirl her leaf.
(*)
Andy used Sing, quickly putting one of the Weedle to sleep. The other one fired a String Shot, either to shut him up or slow him down, and Andy dodged before using Copycat and binding Weedle to part of a bush.
"Not many real attacks, but you're still a little terror," Nick praised. "We should head back soon though."
Andy nodded and Nick recalled him, casually walking over and letting the Weedle loose. It wasted no time in hurrying to its friend sand scurrying away with it. Nick sighed and headed back to the training field, wondering whether or not he was specific in what he wanted. When he arrived he found his team on lying around and panting. Frowning he checked his Pokégear and grimaced.
"I guess I kept you waiting, huh?" he asked shyly. "I'm sorry, we lost track of time."
They all groaned except Amy who reached over and slapped Jane with her leaf. The Geodude growled back and tried to smack the leaf away, but Amy pulled back and snickered before she could. Nick sighed at their antics and reminded himself to spend more time with Jane later. He recalled them but before he could recall Amy her leaf stood straight up and glowed. As he watched she used Synthesis to heal herself, though it stopped before she was fully recovered.
"You couldn't do this earlier?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.
Amy shrugged but didn't reply, gingerly standing up and stretching her body. As soon as she decided she was fine she used Synthesis again to eliminate any remaining aches and pains. He waited until she had finished healing before picking her up and looking her over.
"Nifty trick," he noted, finding no signs of injury. "Still, it's not something we should over rely on."
Amy nodded and he recalled her, mentally going through what he'd seen Andy do. After a quick checkup (and a lunch break that lasted all of 5 minutes) Nick and Jane were out in Azalea on their daily info search. They'd been in town for almost a week now and, while it hadn't exactly been smooth sailing, Nick felt as if their walks helped him form some sort of bond with the Geodude on top of learning what he could about the Gyms. He still couldn't quite figure her out, but she didn't feel nearly as detached and cold when his ability acted up as she typically acted.
"So, do you think you'll be able handle Bugsy tomorrow?" he asked casually, carefully observing her reaction out of the corner of his eye.
Jane nodded and kept walking beside him, barely responding to his question. Nick sighed and almost fell over when he bumped into a Slowpoke. The Water-types were all over the place and from what he could tell less than half of them actually had Trainers. He'd actually considered catching one, and seeing as it was a choice between getting a Slowpoke and being without a Water-type he was still weighing his options.
He sat down as Jane began Tackling a rock and mentally ran through what they knew. The Gym Leader, Bugsy, used Bug-types, which wasn't all that surprising, and he'd use certain Pokémon depending on how many badges his challengers had, but beyond that they barely knew anything about him. A crack echoed and Nick glanced sharply at the rock Jane had been practicing on, now split in two. For her part she seemed proud of her work and was smiling at him, which surprised him a little.
"Wow, you really are strong. Quick, use your Rock Throw," Nick said. Jane nodded and picked up the two halves of the rock before tossing them as hard as she could. Nick heard something yelp and quickly recalled Jane before lying back on the grass and doing his best to look innocent.
"Excuse me?" someone asked. He looked up to see a boy with an angry looking Slowpoke beside him. "Were you the one who threw that rock at Slowpoke?"
"Nope. I've never seen that rock before in my life." He winced as he realized what he'd said. "I mean, uh, I-"
The other boy fumed and declared, "I challenge you to a battle!"
The Slowpoke beside him moved in front of him and Nick stood up and stepped back, pulling out Ellie's Pokéball. He figured she would make quick work of the Water-type and sent her out before remembering her recent problem. He winced as the other Trainer took one look at Ellie and burst out laughing, his Slowpoke seeming confused.
"What's wrong with that Mareep?" he asked, struggling to contain his laughter.
Ellie huffed and fluffed herself up, her cheeks turning pinker. It was still fairly recent, but while they'd been training she'd started losing wool, the empty patches replaced by bright pink skin that stood out further against her still blue head. She hadn't enjoyed the sudden hair loss, but the Nurse at the Pokémon Center assured them she was fine.
"It's a medical condition," Nick defended. He honestly didn't know if it was, but it sounded better than saying he had no idea what was going on.
The other Trainer started another round of laughter, the Slowpoke finally catching on and smiling. In response Ellie ran forward and Tackled Slowpoke, knocking it over and cutting the other Trainer's laughter short.
"Slowpoke!" he exclaimed. Glaring at Ellie he commanded, "Use your Water Gun!"
Slowpoke opened its mouth and blasted Ellie with water, forcing her back slightly. To its surprise she merely smirked and shook herself, her wool crackling with electricity. Nick ran a hand through his hair and smirked, the slight sting from the attack offset by the cool water soaking through Ellie's wool.
"Let me explain what my Mareep is thinking," he said as Ellie dodged another Water Gun. "'He's not as strong as Amy, and his attacks are weaker, but at least this won't last long.' Now Ellie, use ThunderShock!"
Ellie immediately let loose long tendrils of electricity that struck Slowpoke before it could dodge, shocking it and locking it in place. When the attack ended it swayed, its eyes dim and unfocused, and Ellie wasted no time in darting forward and finishing it off with a Tackle.
"You're a lot stronger than I thought you'd be," the other Trainer admitted as he recalled his Pokémon. "So, you were just guessing what your Mareep was thinking right? You didn't really know?"
Nick nodded and Ellie smiled proudly. As she did so however she began glowing and Nick stared as she went from rest standing on all fours to standing on her back legs. When the light faded it revealed not a Mareep, but a Flaaffy, who seemed quite confused. She tried to walk forward but stumbled, forcing Nick to catch her before she fell.
"Hey, congratulations," the other Trainer said as he left. "Good luck with your new Pokémon."
Nick nodded absentmindedly before righting Ellie and helping her keep steady. She thanked him and shivered, looking down and noticing her new lack of wool with a huff.
"I wouldn't try walking just yet," someone said. They looked to their side and saw a young boy watching them from a tree. Smirking, he jumped down and fell, drawing a wince from Ellie. He stood up quickly and smirked again, but whatever air of mystery he'd carried was gone. "Walking will be a chore until you get used to standing on two legs. Anyway, are you here to challenge the Gym?"
Nick nodded as Ellie shifted just enough to face the boy. She stumbled a bit but Nick helped her along.
"Well, if you want I could review your team," the boy offered casually. "I do happen to know the Gym Leader fairly well."
"Really?" Nick asked, intrigued by the offer. "That would be great, thanks."
The other boy nodded and Nick sent out his team, Jane shooting him a glare when she was sent out. Thankfully they were all soon distracted by Ellie, who accepted their attention with nervous laughter. Andy seemed especially happy and stood next to Ellie as Jerry compared their different shades of pink. Amy smirked and began twirling her leaf at the sight of her evolved friend.
"I see that you have two Pokémon ideal for the Azalea Gym," the boy mused after a few minutes. Amy glanced at him but didn't pay him much attention. "If you want my advice you shouldn't lead with your best battler. Start with something that sets up a chance for the others, you know?"
Nick nodded and recalled his team, his hand lingering on Ellie's Pokéball. They'd have to wait a few more days, but it would be worth if he could help Ellie adjust to her new body.
"Thank you for all the help," Nick said with a smile. "If you don't mind my asking, what's with all the green?"
The boy glanced down at his green shorts and shirt and shrugged. "It's easier to blend into the forest, at least with this shade. Blending in is an absolute necessity for catching Bug-types."
"Sure, I guess. Though with hair like that I'd recommend a good hat," Nick suggested.
"A valid point," the other boy admitted with a smile. He turned to leave and as he did he called back, "Of course, now I'll have to tell the Gym Leader to keep an eye out for you."
"We're looking forward to it," he responded before heading to the Pokémon Center. The training ground there would perfect for the next few days.
(*)
Ellie fell, moving her foot forward as she did so and catching herself. She looked up at Nick and he nodded.
"That's good. The Nurse says everything's in shape, so the only real challenge is getting used to walking this way," he told her. "But since your legs aren't exactly shaped like mine I've got someone else who can teach you."
With that Andy stepped out from behind Nick and waved at her. She waved back and smiled.
"Andy, you know what to do. I've got to go make sure the other three don't hurt each other too bad, Jane doesn't seem to be holding back."
Nick headed off and Ellie looked to her teammate, now much smaller than she remembered. "So, what do we do now?"
"We will walk across this battlefield!" Andy declared before turning and doing just that.
"And what are we doing after that?" Ellie asked, struggling to keep up with him. Walking with only two legs felt much more unstable, but mimicking Andy's movements helped her along.
"Then we will run across this field!" he said.
Finally they reached the end of the field and she tried to turn but almost fell over as she did. Andy looked at her and seemed to be considering something.
"First we practice walking and turning some more," he decided. "Then we can start running. Maybe."
They kept at it for a few more hours and Ellie slowly but surely became used to her new body. She wasn't quite used to it just yet, but they had made a lot more progress than she'd expected. As they walked across the field she noticed how Andy was looking towards Amy and asked him what was wrong.
"No, it's just…" Andy gestured vaguely to where the others were training. "Don't you think Amy is starting to look weird?"
She thought about it. "Maybe. We'd need an experienced Trainer to tell."
Andy nodded and they continued with their walking exercise. Growing impatient Ellie tilted forward and slipped into a jog, unintentionally moving past Andy. Surprised, he increased his own speed and Ellie noticed how much effort he was putting into keeping up with her. She kept jogging but quickly tripped and stood as Andy caught up.
"What was that?" Andy said, smiling.
"I thought I could copy Nick," she explained.
Andy nodded thoughtfully. "Now we run!" he declared before breaking into a sprint.
Ellie nodded and tried to run after Andy but stumbled and fell over again. Raising her head she saw Andy coming back to her and quickly stood up.
"What happened? Couldn't keep your balance?" he asked. She nodded and he sighed. "We'll practice running tomorrow." He frowned and pulled a piece of grass off her wool.
They kept up the walking exercises until Nick came to tell them it was dinner time. While Andy hurried ahead Nick walked beside Ellie and helped her when she tripped or stumbled, which happened a fair few times. When they got to the stairs Ellie felt worried, but with Nick acting as support she made it up without any trouble.
That set the tone for the next few days, Ellie trying and failing to speed up the adjustment to her new body. After the second day of having to watch her fall over-and explaining to the others that no, he wasn't punishing her for anything-Nick started regulating what she did, ensuring she wouldn't try to hurry the process along. It was slow going, especially when they started practicing attacks, but it was well worth it a few days later when she had her practice battle with Amy.
"Use ThunderShock!" Nick commanded.
She fired the attack as fast as she could and Amy dodged it before sending a Razor Leaf her way. She shifted out of the way and fired another ThunderShock that Amy dodged. Their training over the past few days had helped her adjust and she moved almost as smoothly as she had before.
"Ellie Thunder Wave!"
She nodded and fired off what looked like a weaker ThunderShock. Amy tried to dodge but the attack caught her and she slowed down significantly, sparks dancing across her skin. Ellie took a chance and ran forward Tackling Amy and sending her sliding back. Amy tried to Tackle her in return but her body froze and she glared, unable to move.
"Stop," Nick ordered and Ellie stepped back. Nick walked to Amy and gave her a Paralyze Heal before sending the rest of the team out. He addressed them all as he said, "We're going to rest for the morning. We'll go after the Gym Leader this afternoon."
(*)
Amy leapt off the platform and took a moment to regain her balance before looking back at Nick, watching as he stepped off the Spinarak shaped platform and crumpled to his knees. Nick gripped the grass and stayed there for a few minutes before he calmed enough to decide that it was okay to stand up, doing so shakily and looking around for the Gym Leader. Finding no one there he groaned and took the chance looked around, taking note of the bushes at the edge of the field and the large tree that stood to the side. Ace had always said it was always a good idea to note the environment.
"Welcome challenger!" someone called out. Nick looked across the field but saw nobody. "Give me a minute."
Nick waited for the speaker to appear and watched as a figure dropped out of the tree. Whoever it was didn't seem that tall, roughly his height, and looked oddly familiar though he couldn't tell from under the tree. He blinked when he saw the boy from the other day step out of the shadow of the tree and grin at him as if he'd been waiting.
"That's better," the boy sighed, ignoring Nick's shocked expression. "It's really hard keeping your balance on those upper branches, you know?"
"Yeah, the upper branches aren't always developed enough to- Wait no, what's going on?" he asked, trying to get his bearings.
The boy smiled and asked, "What do you mean?"
"A few days ago you offered to assess my team for our Gym battle and today I find you where I'm meant to meet the…" Nick's little rant trailed off as he realized who he was speaking to and he facepalmed. "I walked right into that one."
"Yep," the Gym Leader agreed. "Bugsy's the name, and I'm the Gym Leader of Azalea Town."
Amy tensed and moved in front of Nick. "Why did I meet you a few days ago?" he asked while fiddling with the rubber band on his wrist.
Bugsy shrugged. "I was out catching Bug Pokémon. Well, trying to anyway. What, did you think Gym Leaders just sat around waiting for challengers? There's a time sheet in the foyer."
"There wasn't a time sheet, just a list of people you've lost to," Nick told him.
"Of course there wasn't," Bugsy groaned, pulling a Pokéball from his belt. "Putting that aside, would you care to earn your…" Bugsy squinted at him. "I'm sorry I forgot how many badges you had."
"One. I have one badge."
Bugsy blushed before putting the Pokéball back on his belt and pulling out a different one. "Right, sorry, wrong Pokémon." He triumphantly pulled out another Pokéball. "There! Second badge!"
The Scyther that appeared on the field made both Nick and Amy pause as it roared and, when it caught sight of them, brandished its bladed forelimbs in challenge.
"I feel like I should reassure you that yes, you have a fairly good chance of beating her. Well, if you've been training that is," Bugsy assured him.
"We have and we will, thank you," Nick said, brow furrowing as he tried to calm himself.
Scyther was glaring at them with such intensity that Amy instinctively took a step back before gritting her teeth and stepping forward, a challenge to the Bug-type. Nick's eyes were drawn to something odd about Scyther and he noticed a berry dangling around her neck.
"Scyther use U-Turn!" Bugsy commanded.
"Amy use Poison Powder!" Nick commanded, panic flaring in his chest. Whatever that berry was it couldn't be good for them.
Scyther blitzed across the field and sent Amy flying before she could release the powder. She hit the ground and didn't get up, the sudden flash of pain and disconnect from his Pokémon stopping Nick cold. He stumbled and quickly snapped the band on his wrist, the sudden shock helping him focus. It wasn't the ideal method but he doubted anyone minded. He quickly recalled Amy and to his surprise Scyther was quickly returned to her own Pokéball.
Isn't he unable to substitute Pokémon? Nick wondered.
"So, was that you following my advice?" Bugsy asked, tossing a Pokéball up and down.
"Kind of," he admitted as he flourished Jerry's Pokéball. "But I'm starting to get a read on you."
Bugsy grinned and sent out a Metapod which did its best to look threatening. Nick sent out Jerry in response, but he was warier now and Jerry picked up on his unease, switching from foot to foot and looking for what was making Nick nervous. He'd dismissed Metapod immediately and it seemed angry at being ignored.
"Jerry, take out the Metapod fast. Uproar!"
Jerry turned back and gave him a look before sighing and opening his mouth, shrieking the attack into the Metapod's cocoon. The move was relatively new, but every member of his team had learned new tricks in the past few days and Ellie's need to relearn walking had given them even more time to train. There wasn't much Metapod could do to escape the attack so it fired a String Shot to slow Jerry down. In response Jerry jumped up, flew in closer and used Uproar, making it shake in pain.
"Metapod use Tackle!" Bugsy commanded. Metapod lunged forward but Jerry quickly used Peck, knocking it back and sending it sprawling.
"Uproar!" Nick commanded, snapping the band to avoid being caught up in by Jerry's excitement.
Jerry shrieked again and the Metapod stopped moving altogether as it fainted. Grinning, he flew back to Nick, but they didn't have a chance to celebrate as Scyther was sent out again, an icy glare on its face as it raised its blades. Jerry looked back at Nick and, noticing the alarm in his eyes, tensed and fluffed itself up.
"I'm figuring you out" Nick said, his unease returning. "Jerry Hypnosis!"
Bugsy grinned. "Scyther use Quick Attack!"
Scyther shot forward, faster than they could track and slammed into Jerry, knocking him back. Nick winced as pain shot through him, but Bugsy had made a mistake in underestimating Jerry. The Hoothoot's head snapped forward and his Hypnosis skimmed past Scyther, surprising it and making it jump back.
"Jerry, forget getting it to sleep. Use Uproar," Nick said, ignoring the pain in his chest.
The Hoothoot nodded and took to the air before shrieking at Scyther and forcing it to the floor. Bugsy shouted something that Nick couldn't hear, but he got the message when Scyther seemed to disappear from the field. He yelped when he felt the disconnect, looking up to see the Jerry falling to the floor, Scyther grinning as she landed.
Nick groaned and recalled Jerry. "Thanks buddy," he told the Pokéball. "You and Amy have already won this for us."
He placed the Pokéball in his belt but didn't take a new one out. Scyther glared and knocked its bladed arms together but Nick grinned. He'd just remembered what Scyther's secondary type was.
"Ellie, battle stance!"
The Flaaffy gave a battle cry as she appeared on the field. She swayed in place and Nick saw Scyther's eyes light up.
"Ellie be careful, she's fast," Nick warned the Electric-type. She nodded without turning to him, but he could feel enough to know she'd heard him.
Scyther darted forward, but its hastiness gave Ellie the chance she needed and she fired a ThunderShock. Scyther, unable to dodge, took the attack and shrieked, causing Bugsy to start looking worried. The look was gone almost immediately, but it confirmed Scyther's weaknesses.
"Scyther U-Turn!" Bugsy commanded.
Nick tried to tell Ellie to dodge but before he could Scyther had slammed into the Flaaffy and bounced back before returning to her Pokéball. Ellie fell and passed out, the suddenness of the disconnection surprising Nick. He snapped the rubber band and recalled Ellie before staring thoughtfully at Bugsy.
The Gym Leader hadn't worried since they started their battle, and with that Scyther around Nick could see why. He felt stupid for having given Bugsy a preview of his team, but there was no helping it now. If what he thought was true they'd deal with something easier before seeing Scyther again.
"Go, Kakuna!" Bugsy said, confirming his suspicions.
Kakuna didn't try to look intimidating like Metapod had, instead opting for a look of boredom, but the look in its eyes let Nick know exactly how alert it was.
"Andy, battle stance." It wasn't the best strategy, but Jane was their best bet for finishing Scyther, so she'd have to fight last. The Cleffa appeared on the field with a battle cry, startling Bugsy and shocking the Kakuna out of its facade.
Bugsy stared at Andy as if confused before shrugging. "If that's what you want. Kakuna, String Shot!"
Kakuna fired the attack and Andy ducked around it, but as soon as the attack struck the ground Kakuna used the string to yank itself closer. It repeated the action a few more times, Andy dodging each attack, and Nick blinked at the surprising use of the move.
"Andy, Pound!"
Andy waited for the Kakuna to come within striking distance before knocking it back with Pound. When Kakuna showed no response he growled and began using Pound over and over, trying to get a reaction out of the Bug-type.
"Poison Sting!" Bugsy commanded.
One of its arms suddenly glowed purple and it reached forward to jab at Andy. He winced and knocked it back, but by the purple smudge spreading across his stomach told Nick the attack had done what Bugsy needed it to.
"Andy wrap it up! Sing!" They had no time to waste on the Kakuna.
Andy nodded and sang a short tune that quickly put the Kakuna to sleep. As soon as it was out he hit it with repeated Pounds until it woke up long enough to faint. As soon as it did though Andy began to glow and Nick blinked in surprise as Andy evolved into a Clefairy. Looking down at himself the newly evolved Normal-type began throwing Pounds to get a feel for his new body.
"Hey, congratulations on your evolution," Bugsy praised, Andy beaming in response. "I wish I could let you celebrate, but we still have a battle to finish."
With that Bugsy sent out Scyther who glared at Andy as if daring him to step closer. Nick grinned when Andy's excitement filtered through and he took a step forward before gesturing Scyther closer. Though his back was to him Nick could almost see the grin the Clefairy wore.
"Your Pokémon doesn't realize what he's dealing with," Bugsy noted curiously.
"Actually, he knows exactly what he's dealing with," Nick said, shifting in place as Andy's excitement built.
Bugsy shrugged and quickly grew serious. "He still has a Geodude in reserve Scyther! Use Quick Attack!"
Scyther nodded and shot forward, but Andy stood firm and waited for Nicks order.
"Andy Copycat!" he commanded.
As soon as the words left his mouth Andy blurred to the side of the field, diving into the bushes to avoid Scyther. She stopped and looked around, wondering where her opponent had gotten to. Nick smirked when he noticed the sparks dancing across her scales, a parting gift from Ellie that would slow her down.
"Scyther he went into the bushes," Bugsy told his Pokémon.
"Andy use Sing!" Nick commanded. Even if he didn't win Andy could still take out one of the trump cards Bugsy had set up.
Andy began a soft, soothing tune that put Scyther to sleep despite her best efforts. As soon as she fell to the floor Andy jumped from the bushes and began using Pound on the sleeping Bug-type.
"Scyther wake up!" Bugsy called out in a panic.
A tense moment passed where Nick worried that Scyther would wake up before Andy could do enough damage. As soon as she stirred the Clefairy jumped back, stumbling slightly as Scyther's head snapped up and she growled in annoyance. As she got to her feet Scyther tore the berry from around its neck and ate it, her stamina restored even as she proved Nick's theory.
"Andy use Sweet Kiss!" Nick commanded.
Andy hopped up and kissed Scyther between her eyes, Confusing the Bug-type and making her eyes become dim and unfocused. She swung out with what seemed like a Quick Attack, but missed and fell down. Andy, startled by the sudden attack, took a wary step back and watched Scyther from a distance.
"Scyther Quick Attack!"
Scyther made as if to dash forward but instead spun in place, still Confused. Shaking her head she ran forward and ended up hitting the tree on the field. Nick winced as she hit the tree, but Andy apparently saw it as an opportunity and turned back to Nick while pointing excitedly at Scyther.
"Use Magical Leaf," Nick said, a grin forming on his face.
The Clefairy grinned and waved his arms, sending a wave of leaves at Scyther. It couldn't hit as many targets at once as Amy's Razor Leaf, but from what Nick could tell it more than made up for that by never missing its target. As the attack landed Scyther shook her head and turned to glare at Andy, her eyes sharp and focused again.
"Scyther Quick Attack!"
Scyther wasted no time, having finally learned not to underestimate the pink Normal-type. As soon as Scyther dashed forward however Andy did the same, their attacks meeting near the middle of the field. Scyther recoiled but Andy flew back, hitting the ground with a thud. Nick winced at the flash of pain and the disconnect, recalling Andy as Bugsy and Scyther watched him.
The Gym Leader looked more nervous than ever before and Nick grinned. If Jane could last long enough to get a Rock Throw in then Scyther was as good as finished and Bugsy knew it.
"Jane battle stance!" Nick waited for the Pokémon to form on the battlefield before he grinned cockily and pointed to Scyther. "So, how long do you think you'll last?"
"Don't underestimate Scyther! Even though she's my last Pokémon, Bug Pokémon are tough!" Bugsy clenched his fist and punched forward. "Scyther U-Turn!"
Scyther jumped, flying through the air to hit Jane. Before she could land on the Rock-type Nick ordered, "Rock Throw!"
Jane drove her arm into the ground next to her and yanked a rock loose, quickly hurling it at the surprised Bug-type. With no time to dodge Scyther took the hit and dropped to the ground struggling for breath. Bugsy looked on with concern, but Nick couldn't risk Scyther making a comeback.
"Rock Throw!" Nick ordered as determination pulsed through him. Surprised, he looked at Jane and noted that despite the feeling filtering through him she looked much the same as she always did.
Scyther moved faster than he'd expected, but Jane knew exactly where to aim and hurtled the rock at the Bug-type. Nick heard a crunch as Scyther tumbled end over end, her own momentum carrying her forward. When she came to a stop she didn't move and Bugsy sighed, quickly recalling her.
The Gym Leader sighed and ran his hand through his hair before pulling something out of his pocket. Walking to Nick he held it out and said, "Well, I guess I saw that coming. This is the Hive Badge, which I'm sure you'll show off to anyone who wants to listen, and many who don't."
"Thank you, and I will," Nick admitted as he took the badge. "I'll be honest I was asking around a lot, but all anybody would tell me was that you loved Bug-types."
Bugsy smiled and shrugged. "Yeah, a lot of towns can get defensive of their Gym Leaders. Still, I'll have my revenge soon."
"What does that mean?" Nick asked.
Bugsy's smile widened and he said, "You have to go back using the Swaying Spinarak, patent pending. And I've seen how you react to it."
Nick froze and stiffly turned to look at the platform. Turning back to Bugsy he said, "You know, a part of me really dislikes you right now."
Bugsy nodded. "I know."
Nick groaned and walked onto the platform, Andy climbing on behind him. As soon as it started moving he dropped to his knees and held the sides. He couldn't wait to get back to the Center.
(*)
"That's great Nick!" his mom cheered. "You're up to two badges already!"
"Yep, we won." Nick smiled back and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd call Andy, but he's busy…celebrating."
"Celebrating how exactly?"
"Let's just say that a Clefairy eating ice-cream is hilarious, especially if he's got eating buddies." Nick smirked. "Oh, remember that Cleffa I told you about?"
"Yeah, why?"
"It evolved while I was battling Bugsy."
"Congratulations. They don't stay in baby forms for long after all," she told him. "So, which Gym do you think you'll be heading to next?"
"I'm thinking Goldenrod City. It could be fun." An awkward silence fell on their conversation until Nick asked the obvious question. "No offense mom, but what's with the hat?"
She took the hat off and held it in front of the camera. "Do you like it? I've been wearing it more often since Furret cut my hair."
"Because you cut his to make into a hat? The exact hat you now walk around in?" It was easy to hear the sarcasm in his voice.
"Yes." She paused. "I should apologize about that."
"Probably, yes."
"We're just bickering a little more, don't worry about it. You didn't hear this from me, but I think he really misses you." His mom seemed to remember something and put the hat back on. "That reminds me Ace stopped by and asked where you were. He wanted to know if you were interested in running an errand for him."
"An errand? Like what?"
"He said something about a place opening near Goldenrod. Here, I'll give you the address."
Nick wrote down what she told him and nodded. "Okay mom, I've got to go make sure the others haven't celebrated themselves into a stupor. Tell Ace he needs to get out more for me."
"I already have Nick, I already have." With that she hung up and Nick sighed before heading to the cafeteria.
He was met with the sight of his Pokémon lying around and sleeping, the only one left standing being Andy himself. Even as Nick watched however the Clefairy gave up and flopped over, groaning unintelligibly.
"What did I say about restraint?" Nick asked. None of them answered and he sighed and recalled them. He looked at the table they'd been eating at and groaned at the mess.
Deciding that he could make use of their time napping (and avoid the janitor) Nick went looking for a computer he could use for research and was told by the Nurse to head for the library. Leaving Andy with her, he made his way to the library and, once he found what he needed, sat down and began searching. It had been a while since he'd looked up what certain species of Pokémon were good at and he thought it'd be a good idea to check again.
What he found was surprising, but gave him a lot to think about. Things like Jerry's surprising number of naturally learned Psychic-type moves (though honestly he hadn't expected more than one), Ellie's eventual progression to a special powerhouse, and the fact that, if he made Andy a Clefable, his moves would become near impossible to predict by anyone but him and a Ditto. Even Jane would become enormously powerful if he managed to evolve her into a Golem.
The biggest surprise though was Amy, whose final form seemed like it could work with defense or offense. The shocking part was that, if the computer could be trusted, her species was so rare in the wild that the vast majority of them were found in labs or special breeding Centers. Professor Elm might've handed him one of the most valuable Pokémon in the world.
He closed the tab he'd been reading and rubbed his eyes, looking out of the window. He started when someone tapped him on the shoulder and the librarian sternly told him it was closing time. Taking another look outside he noticed how dark it had gotten and thanked the librarian, leaving in a hurry. Not that the day hadn't been interesting, but he was more than ready for a good night's sleep.
(*)
Amy ran forward and Tackled the Beedrill, but as soon as she did it jabbed at her with Poison Sting. Jane, noticing the problem her teammate faced, ripped a rock from the floor and sent the Beedrill flying. Andy and Jerry put some others to sleep and the remaining Beedrill, realizing exactly what would happen if they stuck around, grabbed their sleeping teammates before hurrying back to their nest.
Nick grinned and congratulated his team on their victory before they hurried along, moving further through the Ilex Forest. So far they'd made good progress and the multitude of Bug and Grass-types couldn't hope to compare to Jane and Jerry. Unfortunately that left them with an entirely different problem…
"Amy, soups on," Nick called. The lighting in the forest was dim, but luckily there was a beaten path that they'd been happy to follow.
Amy, who'd been nudging Ellie and seemed to be trying to be a nuisance, was shocked when Ellie stood and ran to Nick as fast as she could. Sighing, the Grass-type walked over and accepted her meal, shooting her teammate a look as she scarfed hers down. Amy seemed frustrated about something and Nick held up a handful of berries, trying to cheer her up.
"You would not believe how many of these are just lying around," he joked. Ellie looked up and casually plucked a berry from his hand before eating it. "Hey! Those are already in your food!"
Amy giggled at their antics and Nick smiled encouragingly. Something landed to his left and Nick sighed, wordlessly handing Jerry his bowl. As soon as he did he heard a something drop to his right and saw Jane putting Andy on the ground, the Clefairy looking thoroughly beaten.
"Do I even want to know?" Nick asked Jane.
She thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"Figures." He handed Jane her food and gave Andy a Potion, waiting until the Normal-type drank it before handing him his meal. "As long as the other guy's hurt just as bad I don't mind."
Jane shrugged and Andy nodded vigorously before diving into his food. When they were all done eating Andy walked to Ellie and asked her something. She thought for a moment and nodded, the two of them heading a little ways off to train. While he wasn't an ideal sparring partner Andy's recent evolution and tricky moves meant he could keep up with Ellie.
Amy noticed them training and muttered something to Jerry and Jane. Soon everyone was training and Nick sat to the side flipping through his old Pokémon book. If ever there was a time for a refresher it was then. As he read through it he felt a little more at ease, the environment they were in relaxing him. Because he'd been 8 when he'd started it there was little to be learned from the book besides a few type combinations he'd forgotten and he sighed, putting it back into his bag to watch his Pokémon train.
Amy was looking a little better now that she was battling, although the same couldn't be said to the Pokémon she was wailing on. She hadn't had much of a chance to battle since they'd entered the forest and she had a lot of energy to burn.
Nick winced as Jerry took a nasty Tackle and tossed the Flying-type a berry. Jerry gave him a grateful look and ate the berry before diving back into the fray, firing Hypnosis at Amy which she easily dodged. Jane took the chance to hide behind a tree as Amy fired a Razor Leaf at her, avoiding the attack and giving her a chance to catch her breath.
Jerry flew in to distract Amy and, as soon as she turned to Tackle him, Jane hopped from behind the tree and hit her with Rock Throw. Amy grunted and raised her leaf, her body starting to glitter green as she healed. Jerry flew towards her to use Peck, but she stopped her Synthesis long enough to Tackle. As she did however she began to glow, the bright light startling her sparring partners and drawing the attention of Ellie and Andy.
Nick squinted as the glow brightened briefly, opening his eyes slowly when the light began fading. When he looked at Amy again she was no longer a Chikorita but a Bayleef and was looking down at her own body in awe. The others hurried over to congratulate her and Nick grinned widely and threw his arms into the air.
"Woohoo! Three evolutions in a single week! Eat my dust Ace!" Amy gave him a puzzled look. "Don't ask it's a personal issue."
Amy nodded and looked curiously at Ellie, who had stepped closer and almost seemed to be trying to breathe the Grass-type in. Amy stepped away and Ellie snapped out if her daze, rubbing the back of her head and laughing nervously. The others did a little better against the new, spicy scent coming off their teammate, although Andy seemed antsy for some reason.
"Alright gang," he said, drawing his team's attention, "I've been told that's it's a two day rip through this forest if we follow the path. Try and hold off on battling each other though."
Jerry gave him a puzzled look, but the Paras that scuttled out of the undergrowth suddenly took up his attention. Nick took a step back as Jerry dealt with the Paras and sent it running before continuing.
"In case you were wondering that's why you shouldn't battle each other. If Amy's scent is drawing you in then it'll attract any nearby Bug-types. You'll have plenty of opportunities to train."
With that they continued their trek through the forest, Amy's new body drawing all kinds of Bug-types to them, none of which lasted very long. Andy seemed to enjoy the change of pace and was more relaxed as he and the others beat back Bug-types while Amy took full advantage of the chance to practice attacks in her new body.
Man, we are leaving a trail of beaten Bug-types, Nick thought, casually sidestepping a fallen Weedle. "Keep up the good work guys. At this rate the Goldenrod Gym Leader will be a peace of cake."
(*)
That's the end of Chapter 11. My apologies if the story seems too slow paced please leave your opinion in the comments below. Or reviews or whatever, I watch too many YouTube videos.
