A/N: Well, it's a good thing I said, 'in future chapters' and not 'in the next chapter,' because guess what? She doesn't catch the Pokemon in this chapter. Sorry. I really did think she would, but then, well, plans changed. I was going to have her go through Sprout Tower and then catch her new Pokemon, but then writing Sprout Tower actually got longer than I expected, so I thought I should split the chapter into two. But I promise this time, she will catch the Pokemon in either chapter 14 or 15. I say 'either' because I'm still deciding whether the part where she catches a Pokemon will be part of chapter 14 or if I will split the chapter so it would happen in 15. I guess that will depend on how long the events of chapter 14 end up being.

As always, thanks for the reviews. Shadowkat87, those are some interesting guesses, but keep in mind, they're not the only Pokemon nearby. There are plenty of areas nearby that Kris could go to catch a Pokemon. And I will confirm, it is NOT a Gastly. I personally don't like Gastly, but it's also because Silver has one. In the second rival battle in Azalea Town, Silver (or whatever you call your rival in the game) has a Gastly, Zubat, and a second-evolution starter. So, I like to think he caught that Gastly in the Sprout Tower. So, no, don't want Kris to have any of the same Pokemon as him. And Northstar Pokeshipper, do you think you'd be willing to share your idea of what Pokemon it will be? Entirely up to you of course, but maybe after it's revealed, you could tell me whether it's what you thought it was or not?

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.


I felt slightly nervous as I walked into the tower. I remembered reading about it and smiling at the opportunity for a challenge. But now, after losing to Falkner, I don't know if I really want a challenge. Still, I told myself, it can't be all that bad. It's a tourist attraction. In fact, the book said that some people even challenge the sages for fun, even if they're not trainers, so it can't be that hard, can it?

As I looked around, the first thing I noticed was the large pillar, going through a gap in the ceiling and up the tower. It seemed to be swaying back and forth but didn't appear broken. A few tourists were gathered around, some taking photos as they marvelled at the tourist attraction.

Trying to avoid them, I headed for the stairs. I noticed the fence going around the area I was in, indicating that maybe the room was bigger than this area. I nervously look to the man next to the stairs, wondering if I'm supposed to tell him before I go up to challenge people. The man appeared to be one of the monks who run the tower, judging by his clothes.

"I welcome you to the Sprout Tower." He says, when he notices me.

"Thank you. I plan to challenge the sages of the Spout Tower." I told him.

"Good luck," he says, bowing slightly. Okay, I wasn't expecting him to do that. Is that some sort of tradition, these guys always bow to new challengers? After a moment of deliberation, I bowed back, before going up the stairs.

The path through which I would battle the sages was very straightforward and linear. The fences created a simple path on which I couldn't easily get lost, which is good. As I walked along the path, I was attacked by the small purple creature that I recognised as a Rattata. I knew that the Sprout Tower was a place of Pokemon training, but it still surprised me a little to be attacked by a seemingly wind Pokemon here. I guess they just let some wild Pokemon roam free in here. After looking around to make sure it had no trainer, I sent out Chikorita and battled it with the weaker, untrained Pokemon not being too much of a challenge. After beating the Rattata, I continued walking, and when I noticed one of the sages, purposefully made eye contact.

"I am Sage Nico." He bowed. "However hard we battle; the tower will stand strong." He pulled out a Pokeball.

"I am Kris," I bowed back. "And, I only have one Pokemon." I added, seeing three Pokeballs attached to his robes.

"Very well," he chose one, and sent out a Bellsprout. I remembered Bellsprout, I'd battled one on Route 31.

"Go, Chikorita!" Grass-type attacks didn't work so well against the grass-and-poison-type, but I didn't have too much trouble beating it with mostly tackles. Though, since this was supposed to be a challenge for trainers, I wondered if they put their sages in order, getting tougher as they go along. At least, the one that is supposed to be battled last was their leader, Sage Li, so it makes sense that he'd be the toughest. Well, after the battle, he did say, "I fought hard but I'm too weak." I wanted to tell him that he shouldn't think of himself as 'too weak,' but I didn't say anything, and after he sent me the 200P for winning a 1v1, I continued through the Sprout Tower.

Moving along the narrow path, I found a canister that looked similar to that of a potion but was yellow instead of purple. The label told me it was a paralyse heal, which cures a Pokemon of being paralysed. Looking up the term in my Pokedex's glossary, I learned that paralysis was a status effect, like poison, which can be inflicted through certain attacks, such as stun spore. But why was this just left here? Did someone leave it here by accident? Or was it left her on purpose for a trainer who challenges the sages? I decided I'd ask the next sage I saw about it and picked it up for now. I could hear voices talking. Looking at the fence, I was able to find a small gap in the fence to look through and could see that I was back on the ground floor, on the outside of the fence that had surrounded the area where the tourists were. Ignoring the sound of the tourists, I continued along the narrow path, where I was met with another sage.

"Hey, I found this." I told him, showing him the paralyse heal.

"You may have that, trainer. It is our gift to you, our challenger." He said.

"Thank you."

"I am Sage Chow," he bowed.

"I am Kris," I bowed back. This is getting fun. I'm really getting into the spirit of the Sprout Tower challenge now. I don't know why I was nervous going in, this is gonna be fun. "I challenge you. But I only have one Pokemon." He nodded and chose one Pokemon. It was another Bellsprout. Are they all going to have Bellsprouts? Well, it does seem to be their… mascot, of sorts. Their tower seems to be named after Bellsprouts. It was a slightly tougher battle, both because Chow seemed to be a bit more skilled than Nico and because Chikorita was already a bit tired from the previous battle, but she still managed to defeat the Bellsprout. But it was close, and she was tired from two battles in a row. So, I took a break and went to the Pokemon Centre to give her a rest.

While I waited for Chikorita to rest up and heal, I looked through my Pokedex at Chikorita's information. I should really have Chikorita try some new moves that I haven't had her try yet. What's this synthesis? Appears to be a method of healing herself. The name makes sense, like photosynthesis, the way plants feed, and grass-types are related to plants. She's even got a leaf on her head! I wouldn't be surprised if she needs to get plenty of sunlight to survive. The Pokedex did, in fact say, that Chikorita 'loves to bask in the sunlight' and 'uses the leaf on its head to seek out warm places.' I should remember that move. It could come in handy, so I won't have to go back to the Pokemon Centre too much. I also noticed other attacks, like body slam. The name made it seem similar to tackle, but the information listed made it seem more powerful. But now that Chikorita's been trained up quite a bit since I got her, maybe she could try a body slam. I also saw solar beam, which seemed rather powerful, so I opted not to try it for now. Besides, I reasoned, even if I wanted to, the move requires her to take in sunlight, which I can't really do indoors, so I can't try it in the Sprout Tower.

When Chikorita was done resting, we went back to the Sprout Tower. Going past Sage Nico and then Sage Chow, who bowed as I passed. I guess they really respect someone who beats them. Behind Sage Chow were a set of stairs, which led me to the second floor, the floor where Nico had been, except I was on a different side of a fence. As I walked around a corner, I saw a sage who, before noticing me, seemed captivated by the swaying pillar in the middle of the room, which had continued on from the ground floor and went on to the next floor.

"Sway like leaves in the wind…" He said. If he likes leaves, well, he's about to see one. The one on Chikorita's head.

"I am Kris," I said, bowing to him. He seemed to appreciate being bowed to first. "I challenge you to a 1v1 battle."

"I am Sage Edmond." He bowed back. "I accept your challenge, Trainer Kris." He sent out – you guessed it – another Bellsprout. The battle wasn't too much of a challenge. Chikorita was still clearly stronger than his Bellsprout. When it looked like Bellsprout was almost down, I decided to try a body slam.

"Chikorita, try body slam!" She recognised the attack name, but I could tell on her face she was slightly surprised at this command she wasn't used to hearing. But still, she was faster than Bellsprout, and hit it with a body slam that finished the battle. After he bowed and paid the prize money, I continued on past him. Just behind him were stairs, next to one of the statues of Bellsprout that decorated the tower.

On the next floor, I saw that three sages were stood around the room. After the usual bow and introduction, I battled Sage Jin, and then Sage Neal, who both, of course, used a Bellsprout. Finally, after a moment of deliberation, despite Chikorita being tired from multiple battles in a row, I went on to challenge Sage Troy.

As soon as Troy's Bellsprout hit Chikorita with a razor leaf, I realised I should have healed Chikorita. Normally, she's fast enough to avoid a Bellsprout's razor leaf, or create a shield of vines to block it. But she was too tired to dodge. Luckily, the Bellsprout's grass-type attack did hurt Chikorita too much anyway, but she was getting tired. That was when I remembered that items were allowed to be used during battle. I grabbed an Oran Berry from my bag.

"Chiko, here!" I tossed the berry to her and she quickly ate it. Looking like she felt better, she quickly dodged Bellsprout's next attack, and expertly managed to win the battle. She never ceases to amaze me and make me proud. Behind Troy, I could see the where one more sage, who I assumed was their leader, Sage Li, stood at the back of the room. As usual, Troy paid the prize money bowed to me, and I bowed back.

Despite her having eaten the berry, she wasn't fully healed, and I didn't want to take any chances with Sage Li, so I went back to the Pokemon Centre so Chikorita would be truly ready for this battle. As I gave her a few minutes to rest, I took another walk around the Violet City. I noticed a large man walking towards a big building just up the hill from the Pokemon Centre. I guess he could tell I'm a trainer, because he turned to me and said, "Hello! You are trainer? Battle gym leader. Win you did?" Why is he talking like that? Was my first thought.

Now, I could have lied to him. I could have said I hadn't actually battled the gym leader yet. But what if he'd seen me going into the gym earlier? I could have said I'd won. But what if he asks to see the gym badge I would have won? So, I told the truth. "No, I lost."

"Is that so? Then study shall you! Follow me!" He leads me to the building, which I now saw was labelled as being the Pokemon Academy. "Earl I am. Pokemon Academy in this building. Here, teacher I am. Good it is you study here!" He leads me in and takes me to a library. "Library this is. Many books to be found on Pokemon. Topics unknown, learn you shall. Anything you don't know, there is?" Now I understood. This teacher, Earl, likes to find trainers around Violet City and help them out. That's nice of him, I guess.

"I'm not sure. I'll take a look around." He left me, and I wandered around the library for a few minutes, while absentmindedly fumbling through my bag to remind myself of what I have with me. My hand closes around a berry, and I remember that I never did find out the name of that pink berry I picked on Route 31. I looked at the bookshelves and found a book on berries. I flipped through it until I found a picture that matched it. It was a Persim Berry, which cures a Pokemon's confusion. I'll keep that in mind.

After I put the book back, I went back to the Pokemon Centre to pick up Chikorita. As she gave Chikorita back to me, the purple haired woman who worked there asked, "So, how is your training going?"

"Not bad, I suppose. I've almost finished my challenge in the Sprout Tower. Now that Chikorita's all healed, I'm gonna go challenge their leader, Sage Li."

"Well, good luck. I'll be here to heal Chikorita again. You know, after you guys win that battle." She smiled. She barely knows me, and yet she has confidence in me. That's so nice.

"I'll try my best." As I made my way back to the Sprout Tower, I saw that the sun was starting to set. The beautiful pink and orange sunset brought about a feeling of hope. The nice feeling of the cool air around me suddenly disappeared when I once again entered the tower. I made my way back up to the third floor to find Sage Li, still at the end of the room. Only, he wasn't alone now. I've seen that red hair before!