AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. This is the first half of a big moment for Lyn group. Yang and Neo are on the quests for their next Pokemon partners. With it, I had a lot of fun setting things up, but am excited for the next part. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
See the most recent Save State Chapter for Cover Art details.
Chapter 10 – Gift of a Friend
At the Pokemon Center, Yang sat at a table with her hands on her head. Neo patted her on the back as Leaf walked over with a Pokeball, "I picked up Munchlax from Nurse Joy for you." Leaf said before sitting across the two girls, placing the ball on the table, "Have you ever thought of cutting your hair." She asked Yang, "Or at least dyeing it to something not resembling food."
"No and no," Yang said as she took the Pokeball, "I just need to train him to see the difference between my hair and …noodles." She said before putting the ball away, then taking out the badge, "Still, we worked together to win the Rainbow Badge."
"Nice," Leaf commented, "That's one of four badges needed to participate in the league." She said as Yang put the badge away, "Now since you got one Kanto, all other gyms are off-limits for you in this region."
Yang then turned to Neo, "Which means, you're next." She said with the mute girl smirking.
"Yes, but not yet." Leaf spoke up, causing both girls to turn towards her, "The two of you need more Pokemon before we can challenge more Gyms." She said before looking to Yang, "While Munchlax was enough for the first badge, your next gym battle will need more teammates." She then looked to Neo, "And I think you will need more than Hatenna before we figure out who you should battle first."
"Okay, that makes sense." Yang said with Neo nodding, "What's the best way for us to get more Pokemon here? I didn't see any of those yellow trees."
"Well, I could lone you some of mine, but that's against the rules." Leaf said, "We could go the old fashion method of throwing a ball at the first thing we see on a route." The shrewd trainer said before smirking, "However, I know a place where we could get each of you a gift Pokemon." She said while taking out a map, "In the next town over, Saffron City, a dojo will give you a Pokemon if you complete the battle challenge." She said before turning back to the mute girl, "And since the dojo has fighting types, your psychic type should have no problem." She then turned to Yang, "Munchlax will have a bit more trouble, but I think you can muscle through it together." Leaf then put away the map, "Any questions?"
"…" Neo raised her hand before taking out her whiteboard, then scribbled a message before turning it Leaf, "What's the difference between a dojo and gym?"
"No badge at the end, that's it." Leaf said before adjusting her hat, "Come on, let's have dinner then call it a day." She said before getting up from her seat, "We have a lot of walking tomorrow."
A few hours later.
Night had fallen over the city as trio slept in a guest room of the Pokemon Center. Leaf was already asleep, her hat on the bedpost. Munchlax yawn on one of Yang pillows she put on the other end of the bed. While Hatenna slept on one of Neo's pillows.
Yang and Neo looked out the window, seeing the moon in the stary night. "Would you look at that, not broken." The blond brawler commented, then sighed, "Still, it's not the moon I'm used to seeing each night." She then looked over to Neo, who nodded, "It's only been a couple of days, but it feels like we still just got here." She said with Neo smiling. The blond brawler had a look of slight anger in her eyes, "Still, I need to head back to Remnant. Everyone's waiting for me." She said as the image of her friends and family filled her mind.
"…" Neo did not say a word as she took out her whiteboard, writing her message, "I need to get back to Roman." The message read.
"That guy," Yang said in slight disgust, "He's just a crook."
"…!" Neo's eyes flared with anger as she was about to stand up. However, the mute girl saw Hatenna flinch in her sleep. She then calmed herself before writing a new message on the whiteboard, "To everyone else, he's just a crook." The message read, "To me, he is the One Thing I cared about back in our world."
Yang looked on as she remembered the moment at the mountain. She saw Neo sacrifice herself to save Roman. The blond brawler let out a sigh, "I don't know Roman like you do." She said before laying back in her bed, looking up at the ceiling, "I can't relate to having just 'One Thing' as you say," She said before closing her eyes, "But at that moment, if that thing had attacked anyone of my teammate first ….I would have done the same thing you did for him." She said with Neo slightly smiling, "Now, it's time to sleep." She said before closing her eyes.
"…" Neo nodded before laying back in her bed, closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep as well.
The next day.
With an early start to their day, the trio quickly made their way from Celadon to Saffron City. As they walked, Neo and Yang looked up at the massive tower, "That's Silph Co." Leaf informed, "It's a pretty high-tech place, but we don't need to go there."
"Oh, okay," Yang said before they arrived at their destination. They reached two buildings with brown roofs. However, the one they did not stand in front of was familiar to the blond brawler, "That's another gym, right?"
"Yes, but we might not want to challenge Sabrina." Leaf responded, "Even as a first gym leader, she is very powerful." She said before shrugging, "Unless you can make her laugh."
"What? You should have said so sooner." Yang responded, gaining a confident smirk, "With my material, I would have her rolling on the floor in seconds."
"Sure," Leaf sarcastically said before turning away and walking to the dojo, "Let's just get you two a new poke-" She said while walking inside. However, the shrewd trainer saw a nearly empty establishment. All that was inside was a female custodian with short brown hair, who paused in the middle of sweeping, "Um, hello?"
After a few minutes, the custodian brought over some tea for the guests, "Here, this is only what was left in the cupboards." She spoke in a sincere voice as they sat on the floor.
"Thank you," Leaf responded, "They all left?"
"Yes," the custodian said with a nod, "They all went to the Isle of Armor in the Galar Region." She said before blowing on her tea, "It was a merging deal with another dojo and all the students here were excited to go."
"I would imagen," Leaf responded, "That is a fantastic place for trainers to get stronger."
"Why don't we go there?" Yang asked with Neo nodding.
"To go to that place, you need a special pass." Leaf informed, "And they are rather pricy, even though my channels." She said before smiling, "However, if you two keep doing well in the gym challenges, we might get invited by the master martial artist."
"Oh, you're trainers in the worldwide league?" the custodian asked, but had a look of sorrow, "You two must have come here to challenge the dojo to earn one of his Pokemon."
"Yeah," Yang responded, "He didn't leave them with you, did he?"
"Sadly, no." the custodian said before reaching behind her back, "However, I did find this." She said while offering a Pokeball, "It was with a note that read, 'I don't want this one.' Most likely from one of the students."
"What a jerk!" Yang said in anger, Leaf and Neo matching in aggression, "Why would someone do that?"
The custodian then tossed the Pokeball, causing it to open. Emerging was small, pink humanoid Pokemon with a bulbous head. His body also had what looked like brown shorts and shoes, as well as white bandages on his waist and stomach, "Tyrogue!" the Pokemon said before he began tackling forward, "Tyrogue! Tyrogue!" he said while continuously tackling.
"Oh, a Tyrogue." Leaf said as she took out her Pokedex, scanning this Pokemon, "Tyrogue, the scuffle Pokemon. Tyrogue becomes stressed out if it does not get to train every day. When raising this Pokémon, the Trainer must establish and uphold various training methods."
"Sounds like that student didn't want to commit," Yang said as Leaf then closed Pokedex.
"Tyrogue!" the scuffle Pokemon said as he continued to practice tackling.
"He seems to only know how to tackle," Leaf commented, "Not exactly going to be that helpful for a gym."
"Please, if one of you can take him with on your journey." The custodian pleaded, "I am not cut out to be a trainer, but one of you could-"
"I'll take him," Yang spoke up, "I can train the little guy." She said before looking to Neo, "Sorry, I know you need a new Pokemon too. And he does have your colors, but…" Yang spoke, but Neo gave her a nod and soft smile, "Thanks." The blond brawler said before standing up, walking over to Tyrogue.
"…" Neo sighed as Leaf patted her on the back.
"Tyrogue! Tyrogue! Tyrogue!" the scuffle Pokemon still tackled into nothingness, a seat on his face, "Tyr-" Suddenly, he stopped as Yang knelt in front of him.
"Not bad, but you could use a little work on your form," Yang said with a smile.
"Tyrogue," the scuffle Pokemon said before tackling towards the blond brawler.
However, Yang simply held out her right stop him, "That is all you know." She said before lowering her hand, looking Tyrogue in the eyes, "If you want, I can help you get stronger. What do you say?"
"Tyrogue," the scuffle Pokemon said before tackling towards the blond brawler again.
"You're stubborn," Yang responded as she blocked this one as well, "But so am I. Which is why I think we would make a good team." She said while standing up, "So, what do you say?"
"Ty…" Tyrogue was about to tackle again but stopped himself. He looked up at Yang's focused gaze, but a warm smile still on her face, "…Tyrogue." The scuffle Pokemon said with a nod.
"I'll take that as a yes," Yang said with a slight giggle, causing the other girls in the dojo to smile at her new partner.
The trio waved goodbye to the custodian as they left the establishment. Leaf then took out her map, "Okay, a slight change of plan." She said before looking to Yang, "Since you have Tyrogue now, he needs to evolve before your next gym battle." The shrewd trainer spoke.
"Evolve?" Yang said with Neo also having a look of confusion.
"Yeah, it's a type of transformation a Pokemon goes through, the next stage in their life." Leaf informed, "Tyrogue, is a special case, evolving into different fighting styles based on how he trained." She said before pointing to the map, "Now, if you want him to evolve fast, take him to the daycare on this route."
"Okay," Yang said before sighing, "I still don't get why we can't train in that empty dojo. We can just help that girl clean up afterward."
"I would rather not get her in trouble if you broke something." Leaf said with Neo giggling, "If you talk with the owner of the daycare, he will let you train Tyrogue in a safe area."
"You two aren't coming again?" Yang asked.
"Remember, Neo still needs another Pokemon as well," Leaf said as she put away the map, "We are going to meet an old friend of mine in Lavender Town. He might have a Pokemon that Neo can take under her wing as well."
"If you say so," Yang said before turning to Neo, "Good luck." She said with a wave while walking away.
"…" Neo did not say a word but did wave back before she and Leaf walked the other direction. The two walked through the town before reaching the exit to a route. Upon exiting, the mute girl saw a large building in the distance.
"That's the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town," Leaf informed the mute girl, "It's a graveyard for Pokemon, said to be the place where they can rest in peace." She said with Neo remaining focused on the sight. However, the mute girl heard a rustling in the grass. She turned her head to see a similar image to the other day, a white and brown creature, "Hm, did you see anything?" Leaf asked with Neo turning back, having lost sight of what she saw before.
"…" Neo did not say a word but did here a motor of some kind. Suddenly, her eyes widened as a group of three motorcyclists were heading right towards them, "…!" Neo panicked as she tackles herself and Leaf out of the way. The two landings in the grass as the motorcyclist paced them by.
"Hey Jerks!" Leaf called out in anger, "Slow down!" She said with the motorcyclist not abiding. She sighed before looking back to Neo, "Thanks, I own you one." The shrewd trainer said with Neo smirking, "Let's just head to the town." She said with the getting up and resuming their walk.
Meanwhile.
Yang walked up the route towards a small house in the middle of the road. While there were small bumps in her path, the blond brawler simply walked over them, "Uh, hello?" Yang said as she walked into the house, "Is this the Pokemon Daycare?"
"Yes," an elderly man in a suit spoke, "Would you like to leave one of your Pokemon with me for training?" He said with the tip of his hat, "I promise, they will be in safe hands."
"Uh, not exactly." Yang responded, "I want to train my Pokemon, I was just wondering if you know any good spots for me to do so."
"I do," He said before crossing his arms, "But I cannot divulge my training secrets that easily."
Yang sighed, but then glanced to her right. On the table, a large green egg was seen. It was the size of her head and inside a glass container, "What made that!?" She asked.
"Oh, that's a Pokemon Egg." The daycare man said with a sigh, "I am not sure where it came from, but I found it after a client from Johto wanted their Pokemon back." he then crossed his arms, "I don't work with Pokemon Eggs, but the client will not take the it with them."
"Why are so many people from this world jerks," Yang said under her breath.
"The thing is, it won't ever hatch if it doesn't travel around with a trainer." The daycare man spoke, "What am I to do?"
"I think I know a perfect solution," Yang spoke up with a smile, "I'll take the egg, if you tell me a spot to train?"
"Hmm," the daycare man responded, "You seem to benefit more from this trade than I do."
"Well, what you're not considering is this." the blond brawler said while cracking her knuckles, "If you say no, causing that egg to be without someone to look after it. That's going to make me very upset." She said before hitting her fist together, "And you would not like me when I am upset." Yang spoke the daycare man swallowing his saliva. A few seconds later, Yang walked out of the daycare while holding the egg in a glass case. A smile was on the blond brawler's face as she walked into the woods.
After a bit of traveling, Yang found a clearing with a stump in the middle. She walked over to the stump, placing the Egg on it, then took out her pokeballs, "Munchlax and Tyrogue, it's time to train!"
"Munchlax!" the big eater Pokemon said as he came out.
"Tyrogue!" the scuffle Pokemon said as he emerged already in the motion of tackling, "Tyrogue! Tyrogue! Tyrogue!"
"I like the energy," Yang said as she stood in front of Tyrogue, "But let me show you something cool." She then turned to the big eater Pokemon, "Munchlax, show him Fire Punch."
"Munch," Munchlax said before reeling his right hand back, causing it to catch fire, "Lax!" he said before punching the area in front of him.
"Ty," Tyrogue said as his eyes lift, mystified by the flames, "Tyrogue!" he said before trying to copy the punch.
"Pretty cool right," Yang said with a smile, "Now, let's train so you can do the same thing." She said before hitting her fist together.
"Tyrogue!" the scuffle Pokemon responded while hitting his fist together as well.
"Munchlax," the big eater Pokemon cheered before noticing something, "Munch?" he said while looking at the green egg, "Lax!" he screamed while leaping for the egg, his mouth wide open.
"MUNCHLAX, NO!" Yang screamed right before Munchlax's mouth caught on the glass. The blond brawler and Tyrogue ran over, trying to pull away Munchlax before his teeth could break the glass case.
Meanwhile.
Leaf and Neo made it to Lavender Town and walked towards a small house. Upon knocking, they were greeted by an elderly man with large white eyebrows, "Hello," he said before looking to the shrewd trainer, "Oh Leaf! It's been a while." She said before noting her companion, "Who is your friend?"
"Hello Mr. Fuji," Leaf spoke with a smile while mute girl waved, "This is Neo, I was wondering if you had a Pokemon she could adopt for our journey." She asked before noticing a look of sorrow on his face, "What's going on?"
"I'm sorry, but you have come at a bad time." Mr. Fuji informed, "You see, I have been looking for a Cubone that ran away."
"A Cubone?" Leaf said before her eyes widen, "Oh no, don't tell me that-"
"I'm afraid so," Mr. Fuji said in a mournful voice, "This Cubone's mother had died."
"…!" Neo gasped as Leaf gritted her teeth.
"Team Rocket can't be the culprits again, are they?" Leaf asked, but Mr. Fuji shook his head.
"The police said it was a small group of bikers who have been causing trouble as of late." He said as Neo and Leaf gasped, knowing it must have been the same trio they saw on their way to the Lavender down.
"…!" Neo then had a realization, taking out her whiteboard. She quickly wrote a message and showed it to Mr. Fuji. "Is this Pokemon white and brown?"
"Yes, it is," Mr. Fuji said with Leaf taking out her Pokedex, pulling up an image of a Cubone. Neo saw the small, bipedal creature that wore a skull and wielded a bone club. In the mute girl's mind, she remembered the brown and while creature she saw, now knowing what it was, "The poor guy is all alone. Have you seen him before-?" Mr. Fuji said with Neo running off.
"Neo, wait!" Leaf called out before putting her Pokedex away. She then turned to Mr. Fuji, "Don't worry, we have this handled." She said before running after the mute girl, "Wait up!" upon catching up, Leaf saw the look of panic in the mute girl's eyes, "You saw that Pokemon before, and now you think the bikers are going after him." She said with Neo nodding, "Okay, let's go rescue." Leaf said with a smile, "They might be faster, but we can track them. Quick, send out Hatenna."
"…?" Neo had a look of confusion but still tossed out her Pokeball. The calm Pokemon emerged into Neo's arms.
"Hatenna can sense emotions, so see if she can focus in on a lonely natured Pokemon." Leaf said, "That is our best bet to find Cubone before the bikers do." Neo nodded before looking down at her opening. Hatenna looked up and nodded before her body glowed in pink like. The top of her head glowed a light blue before she looked to their right. Neo turned back to Leaf as the two knew where they needed to go. The ran off into the distance with the mute girl gritting her teeth.
AN: There you go, Yang and Neo have a little bonding moment at the start. While they make it to the Saffron Dojo, it is not as crowded as it used to be. Despite that, Yang still manages to get an abandoned Tyrogue, which gives her some option for evolutions. As well, she gets a mysterious green egg as a potential third member down the line, (If Munchlax does not eat it before hatching). On Neo's side, the identity of the Pokemon from before is revealed. While some may say Cubone would work better for Yang or Ruby, due to the motherly ties. I feel Neo's connection losing that One Thing and feeling alone in the world is reason enough for her to have one. However, she must save Cubone first. Will she be able to? You will have to wait and see. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.