"Let's take a break; my feet are starting to hurt." Iriana said, sitting down on a rock and rubbing her sore feet. The duo had just walked over the newly fixed bridge that led to Ventus and were now traveling over the breezy hills that surrounded the city.
"Yeah, we've come quite a ways from Terra." Harry agreed, sitting down near the river that wound its way through the hills. "I've got some ration bars, want one?"
"Sure," Iriana took the offered food and the two started eating in silence. "Harry, do you think we can make it to the Naturis League?"
"I know we will…now winning it on the other hand…" Harry trailed off, smirking causing Iriana to laugh. "See? That's better. The only thing we can do is just to try our best, for ourselves and our Pokémon."
"You're right, thanks." Iriana said, finishing up her rations bar. "Let's make some food for our Pokémon, they've done so much for us lately, they deserve it."
Harry grinned, pulling out his Pokeballs, "That's a great idea. Come on out everyone!" Iriana threw hers at the same time. The little clearing was filled with their Pokémon relaxing around them. In no time flat, Harry whipped up food for them all and they were all happily chowing down. "Glad you're enjoying it." He laughed, fixing up a soup for himself and Iriana. While ration bars were okay, nothing beat Harry's cooking.
"They love your food. I can't even understand them and I know that." Iriana laughed with him, accepting a bowl. The next ten minutes were filled with the sounds of happy Pokémon eating, when Absol lifted her head.
"What's wrong Absol?" Harry asked, pausing in his eating, Iriana copying him.
"Something's in the water beside Iriana." She said, watching something behind them. The two humans turned around slowly and saw a blue head with white fins on side of its head with purple colored eyes and a small white circular feature on its head. Seeing the humans looking at it, the Pokémon rose a little out of the water, showing it had a serpentine-like body. Harry's Pokedex said: Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon. Dratini sheds its skin as it grows, often doing so while hidden behind large powerful waterfalls.
"May I have some food?" A shy feminine voice asked.
"She's hungry." Harry translated putting away the Pokedex.
Iriana smiled and gathered some food, "Here you go. Eat up."
The Dratini slowly moved onto land and near to Iriana who had made a pile of food for the new arrival. Hesitantly, she started eating, and then eating faster when she discovered how good the food tasted. After finishing, she started nuzzling Iriana's hand.
"Thank you kind human."
After having Harry translate Iriana replied, "You're welcome."
"You're kind, can I travel with you?" Surprised, the lavender eyed girl replied.
"Of course you can. Do you want to be my Pokémon?" She smiled happily when the Pokémon started nodding rapidly. Iriana touched a Pokeball to Dratini's nose and she was caught. "Sweet, I just got a Dratini, well technically she let me catch her…but you know what I mean." She laughed at her ending.
"That is cool. Well, we better get going; we're pretty close to Ventus." Harry said, recalling his Pokémon.
Iriana nodded, "Yeah, I need to go to the store anyway." She recalled her own Pokémon and the two set off again. After an hour's walk they arrived in the city, the main feature of which was all the electric windmills. "I guess they use the wind and generate their own electricity." The girl stated.
"Good idea of them, well I catch you later; I'll have Nurse Joy tell you where I am if I find the Leader." Harry suggested.
"Sure." And the two separated. Harry just wondered around, enjoying the sights and watching all the flying Pokémon everywhere. Though it did make sense since this was the Windy Town for it to have lots of Flying-Type Pokémon. Harry arrived at a little park though it was empty this time of day. He almost sat down on a bench to enjoy the silence when shouting drew his attention. At the opposite end of the park was a man dressed in a torn karate outfit with blue eyes and short blond hair battling against two familiar thugs, the Pokémon at his side was a steel-looking bird Pokémon that was silver-gray except for its red feathers, yellow eyes, and metallic-blue neck, talons, and tail. Its feet both have three toes on them; two in front and one in back, and its tail had hooked ends. It also had a pointed, triangular crest on its head and several teeth in its lower jaw. Harry brought out his Pokedex while also sending Eevee out and sneaking up on the thugs: Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Because Skarmory nests in briers and is constantly scratched by thorns, its wings become razor sharp. From what Harry and Eevee could see, the thugs had ganged up on the other guy and were winning.
"Let's go Eevee, use Sand-Attack on all four of them!" Harry ordered running behind his Pokémon. Eevee whipped up globs of sand in the faces of the two thugs and their Luxio and Magmar when they turned around at Harry's voice. "You looked like you needed a hand. I'm Harry."
"Thanks kid, name's Ario." The man introduced. "You came just at the right time. Skarmory, use Steel Wing!"
"Skar!" The Pokémon took to the air and its wings began to glow white. It charged straight for the blinded Pokémon, knocking them out with one powerful attack.
"Eevee, use Quick Attack on the thugs!" Harry called, smirking when the wind was knocked out of the other two humans. The first looked up and nearly growled.
"Damn kid…you just keep getting in our way. We'll take care of you soon." He and the other returned their Pokémon and ran off into the woods.
"That takes care of that. Those two kept double-teaming Skarmory, and we couldn't get an attack in edge-wise." Ario said. He turned to Harry after making sure the Steel/Flying type was alright, "You really saved our behinds kid, you too Eevee."
Both human and Pokémon blushed, causing the other two to laugh, "We just wanted to help, it was the right thing to do."
"Nevertheless, thanks…"A thought seemed to strike Ario, who suddenly grinned."I know, here. It may come in handy." He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. In his hand was a small rope the size of a bracelet made of two strings twisted together, hanging from it was little tags Harry recognized as spiritual tags from old anime shows he used to watch as a child, when the Dursleys let him that is.
"What is it?" Harry asked curiously taking it from Ario.
"That my new friend is a Spirit-tag Charm, good for Ghost and Psychic type Pokémon. Not sure what else it can be used for though. A strange blond girl with silver eyes gave it to me awhile ago, said to keep it until the time felt right." Ario said. "She had the oddest way of speaking…" He trailed off with a strange look on his face.
"Cool, what do you think Eevee?" Harry asked, holding out the item for his Pokémon to examine. Eevee started sniffing it curiously and then touched it. Both item and Pokémon started to glow, the first vanishing into an orb of light only to be absorbed by the other. "Eevee?" Harry asked startled.
The two humans watched the glowing Pokémon jump to the ground and started changing shape, becoming large enough for Harry to rest his hand on the Pokémon's head. When the light finally died down, the two stared at the new Pokémon. His sleek fur was a dark purple, almost black color, with silver mist around his paws and on the end of his tail. Pupil-less silver eyes watched them, long cat-like ears flicking back and forth. Around his neck was the charm like a collar. Speechless, Harry brought out his Pokedex: Medieon, the Medium Pokémon. Medieon is the newest discovered evolution of Eevee, being a Ghost and Psychic type. Not much is known about this Pokémon other than its abilities to contact the spiritual world.
"Medieon…""That felt really weird." Medieon said, his voice now had an echo-y quality to it. "I feel stronger now."
"You look a lot stronger Ee-, I mean Medieon." Harry said, laughing. "That'll take a little while to get used to."
"Incredible, I've never seen a Medieon before." Ario stated, walking around the newly evolved Pokémon. "Medieon looks in great shape; you have a fine Pokémon lad."
"Thanks Ario. By the way, do you know where the Gym is? My friend and I are hoping to battle the Gym Leader." Harry said, returning Medieon. Ario smirked.
"Harry, it's your lucky day. I'm the Gym Leader, and I accept your challenge." He started laughing at Harry's shocked look.
"How is it that I always find the Leaders? Some sort of higher power controlling my every move?" Harry mused to himself. "Thanks Ario, though I need to find my friend before we can battle, I said I'd have Nurse Joy tell her."
"Sure kid, you can call the Center from the Gym." Ario said, starting off back towards town. The two soon found themselves in the Ventus Gym, which had no roof, perfect for Ario's Flying Pokémon.
After having the older male show him where the phone was, Harry called the Center. Nurse Joy though, said Iriana hadn't been in there yet but she would be sure to tell her where Harry was. Harry thanked her and hung up. Turning around he was surprised to see Ario in the middle of the Gym practicing his martial arts.
"Hey kid, when's your friend gonna show up?" Ario asked, flipping around.
"Not sure, she must still be wandering around. Nurse Joy said Iriana hasn't been in the Pokémon Center yet." Harry answered, watching Ario now do some impressive kicks.
Ario noticed Harry studying his moves, "Wanna learn? Not that hard once you get the basics down." He grinned when the teen's eyes lit up and he nodded. "Alright, here's the first set of moves…."
"Sorry I'm late!" Iriana said, walking into the Gym. It had taken her much longer than she had thought to pick up all their supplies. She had gotten Harry's message four hours after he had given it. She stopped and just stared at the cute scene in front of her. Ario and Harry were out cold on the floor, Harry snuggled up to the older one with Ario having his arm around Harry in a brotherly way. "That is just too cute. Too bad I don't have a camera; this would have been good blackmail later." She smirked. "Kirlia, come on out, I need you to carry these two to Ario's living area." It took Iriana nearly fifteen minutes to get the two situated on the floor, the only place large enough for the two to continue their brotherly cuddling, while she took the couch beside them.
The next morning found everyone awake and bright-eyed, thanks to a hearty breakfast made by Harry, standing at different ends of the Gym.
"This is a two on two battle; first side to have their Pokémon knocked out will lose!" The referee said. Harry had a random thought, and wondered if the referee was following them, or if he had dozens of family members like Nurse Joy did and that they all looked the same.
"Skarmory and Swellow, let's do this!" Ario said, sending his Pokémon skyward. Skarmory flew around the other bird Pokémon. It had brilliant blue with contrasting red breast feathers and face. There was a crest of blue feathers extending from their head, a vertical stripe of blue extending onto their red-colored chest, and a white coloration on the underside of their belly and wing feathers. It also had sharply shaped wings and red-tipped tail feathers. It also possessed red feet that are armed with talons. Harry's Pokedex said: Swellow, the Swallow Pokémon. Swellow uses its impressive dive-bomber speed and its large talons to capture its prey.
"Dratini, let's go!"
"Medieon, show everyone what you got!" After the two Pokémon appeared, Iriana turned to Harry.
"Is that Eevee?" Nod. "Man! I miss all the good stuff! First the Egg, now this!" Harry just started snickering at her.
"Begin!"
"Medieon, use Shadow Ball!" Opening his mouth, Medieon shot out what looked like a misty black darkness straight at Skarmory, who dodged though the attack did clip its wing.
"Dratini use Thunder Wave, followed by Dragon Rage!" Out of Dratini's mouth were faint waves of electricity which hit Swellow, stunning it in mid-air. Then it was hit by a large red-orange fire ball, singeing its feathers.
"Swellow! Try to shake it off!" Ario called, watching the Pokémon. Swellow though, couldn't get its wings to flap correctly thanks to being paralyzed by Thunder Wave and crashed into the ground, out cold. "Skarmory, it's all up to you. Use Air Slash!" The Steel type started flying around in high speed circles, creating an air-stream. It suddenly changed course, flying straight at Dratini, and suddenly stopped. The stream though it created continued straight at the Dragon type, hitting it dead on.
"Dratini! Are you alright?" Iriana called, worried for her newest Pokémon. Dratini shook her head to clear it, and then nodded at her Trainer.
"Medieon, any thoughts?" Harry murmured to his Pokémon.
"Well, there is this attack I wanna try…" Medieon whispered something to his Trainer, who grinned.
"Let's try it. Medieon, use Spirit Call!" The Pokémon's silver eyes began to glow, the tags on his collar lifting into the air. From them shot four feline-like spirits, red, yellow, blue, and black. They each shot at Skarmory, evaporating into fire, lightning, water, and darkness respectively. Weakened by the onslaught, Skarmory collapsed to the ground.
"The winners are the challengers!" The referee said. Ario smiled at the victory dancing teens, Medieon standing in the middle with an almost smug look on his face.
"Incredible match you two, I've never been trounced so thoroughly before. What was that last attack?"
Harry grinned, thanking Medieon who had told him, "Spirit Call. Depending on how strong a Medieon is, a certain number of cat-like spirits will appear from the tags around its neck, each one a different element every time."
"Fascinating, well, you two deserve this, the Wind Badge." Ario handed the two silver swirl badges. "Keep up your training Harry; it'll help in the long run."
"Thanks Ario." Harry said. The two were seen off by the Gym Leader, happily talking about their newest battle. They didn't notice that they were being watched from the shadows.