AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. This one was a lot of fun to make, but I do apologize for taking longer with the chapters now. From the heels of the volcano storyline, we will start with a little Cynthia chat. Afterwards, Neo is on a mission to get her newest team member for her next gym badge. Overall, I really do like this one for how well it fits her personality. 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 38 – Squirrelling Around
At an outside table, Yang, Neo, and Leaf sat across Cynthia as they all ate ice cream, "So, that's your story." The champion of Sinnoh said before taking a lick of her ice cream, "Interesting."
"Is… is just everybody okay with talking with people from different worlds?" Yang commented.
"…?" Neo shrugged.
"Anyway," Leaf spoke up, "These two are in the Pokemon World League in hopes to win and meet a champion that might know more of their situation." She said before turning to Yang and Neo, "Ironically, Cynthia was the one I would have recommended you try to meet. As she has a background as a historian and traveled the world."
"Sweet, I guess we're skipping a bunch of that now." Yang said before looking at Cynthia, "So, can you help us?"
"Hm, I may know what you encountered." Cynthia asked, "Do you have a better description of the creature you meet in your world?"
"…" Neo took out her whiteboard and began to draw, "…" she showed her sketch of the monster.
"Huh, I forgot you can draw," Yang commented on the artistic ability of the mute girl, causing Neo to smile.
"Hm," Cynthia examined the drawing while licking her ice cream, "As I thought, you encountered Giratina in your world." She said while turning to them, "It's a Pokemon known for traveling to our plane of existence from the Distortion World, so it is possible that it found its way towards yours as well."
"Giratina, that's its name." Yang commented, her fist slightly clenching, "That monster ate us and sent us to this world without our powers." She said with her grip tightening, "And it could have eaten our friends as well." Suddenly, she felt Neo's hand touch her own, loosening her grip, "Thanks." Yang smiled at the mute girl.
"…" Neo smiled back.
Cynthia looked on with a smile as well, "I have some experience with this Pokemon and even the distortion world." She said before sighing, "However, I do not have any of my research notes with me." The champion of Sinnoh said before standing up, "But I can go get them, as well gather more information on your situation."
"Really, thank you!" Yang responded with a smile, then saw Cynthia start to walk away, "Wait, how are we going to get in contact with you again?"
"…?" Neo added on.
"You said these two are in the Pokemon World League." Cynthia responded to Leaf before looking to Yang and Neo, "In that case, I am sure we will meet again." She said before pointing to a nearby house, "You can stay in my villa for as long as you are in the area. I don't mind."
"Thank you." Yang said with a bow, then had a look of focus, "We promise, we'll see you again at the league."
"…" Neo added on with a similar gaze in her eyes. Cynthia responded with a smile and nod before continuing her leave.
"Well, that settles that," Leaf said before turning to the others, "So, let's get back to what we came here for."
"Which is getting our badges," Yang responded.
"Correct, and I think we should focus on Neo getting the water-type badge." Leaf responded, "It'll be hard, but I think she can do it with a bit of training and getting a new member."
"…" Neo agreed with a nod, then took out her Sliggoo's Pokeball. She tossed with the gooey Pokemon emerging.
"Goo," Sliggoo spoke up.
"Your newly evolved member will help, but I think you will need something with type advantage for this gym." Leaf responded, "Also, your Sliggoo will need more moves if you want to use her for this gym."
"Leave that to me," Yang responded, looking to Neo, "I can train her while you go catch something for that water gym." Neo smiled with a nod, before looking to Leaf, then pointed to the gateway out of the city. The two took their leave with the blond brawler looking back to Sliggoo, "Okay buddy," she said while taking out two pokeballs, "Time Yang's Super Special Training Montage!" the blond brawler said before tossing out both pokeballs, causing Munchlax and Vibrava to appear.
"Munch!" the big eater Pokemon announced.
"Vi!" the vibration Pokemon added on.
"Goo!" Sliggoo responded in excitement at getting stronger.
Meanwhile.
Neo and Leaf walked through Route 13, stepping through the tall grass. The shrewd trainer read her Pokedex as she moved, "Emolga, the Sky Squirrel Pokémon. This Pokémon absolutely loves sweet berries. Sometimes it stuffs its cheeks full of so much food that it can't fly properly. As Emolga flutters through the air, it crackles with electricity. This Pokémon is cute, but it can cause a lot of trouble." The Pokedex spoke.
"Cute and causes a lot of trouble, I see why you want one." Leaf said as Neo smirked, "According to this, Emolga will appear in a type of shaking grass." She said before looking to Neo, "So keep an eye out for that."
"…" Neo nodded before resuming her search. Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, she saw a rustling patch, "…!" The mute girl's eyes widened before she smirked, tiptoeing towards her target. As she was about to step on the grass to make whatever it appeared, a massive blue bat appeared before her, "…!" Neo gasped before jumping back, avoiding the bat's fangs, "…!" she quickly throughout the Pokeball of the serene Pokemon, who attacked with Expanding Force. The psychic wave blasted the bat Pokemon away, causing it to retreat into the trees.
"Nice reaction time," Leaf commented, "But that was a Golbat, not an Emolga."
"…" Neo recalled her Hattrem, then looked to where the shaking gasses were. However, it was no longer shaking, "…" the mute girl sighed.
"Yeah, this may take a while," Leaf added on.
Hours later.
"…" Neo's eyes were baggy as she walked through the grass, her legs wobbly from all the pacing, waiting for a rustling patch.
"Maybe we should go back and call it a day." Leaf offered.
"…" Neo responded with a scowl before continuing her search, then looked over to a berry bush nearby.
"Fine, suit yourself." Leaf said with a shrug before crossing her arms, then saw a rustling patch of grass nearby, "Hey, maybe one is in this pat-" Suddenly, a Pokemon emerged, hugging the shrewd trainer's face, "MMMM!"
"…!" looked back in panic, then gasped as it was black and white sky squirrel Pokemon that attacked Leaf.
"Em," the Emolga said before it jumped off Leaf, then ascended towards a tree.
"Gah, why are Pokemon doing this to me now!" Leaf said before sighing, "Whatever, at this one didn't scream in my face…huh?" she said before feeling something was off, then felt the top of her head, and discovered nothing was there, "Where's my hat?"
"…" Neo pointed up at the tree with Emolga in it. The shrewd trainer looked up to see that sky squirrel Pokemon had the hat in its mouth, looking back with a smirk.
"That little," Leaf said before taking out a Pokeball, "Nobody steals from me." She said before reeling back her arm, "Especially my hat!"
"…!" Neo reached out at stopped Leaf's throw, "…"
"Oh, right, you should catch it." Leaf said before clearing her throat, "Sorry, lost my composure for a second there." She said before sighing, "It's just, that hat is very special to me… it was a gift from an old friend."
"…" Neo looked back with a soft smile, then nodded as she looked back to Emolga.
"Em?" Emolga spoke with a smirk, "Emolga." It said with a bow.
"…" Neo responded in kind, then took out a Pokeball. Emerging was the lonely Pokemon, who readied its club.
"I guess a ground type is a good match-up here," Leaf commented, "But you can't exactly hit it back with ground-type moves."
"…" Neo smirked back to their friend before the battle began.
"Em," Emolga jumped from its branch before divebombing towards Cubone.
"…" Neo pointed, causing Cubone to jump out of the way, "…!" she then pointed, causing Cubone to wave his club. However, a flurry of dark energy whips emerged to lash the sky squirrel Pokemon.
"Eh?" Leaf commented, "Oh, I get it now." While Emolga did dodge most of the attacks, one hit near its mouth caused it to drop the hat. As Cubone jumped towards it, the illusion was broken, and Zorua caught the hat in her teeth. She then walked over to Leaf, offering the hat, "Thanks little buddy." Leaf said as she got the hat back, putting it on while petting the tricky fox Pokemon.
"Zehehe," Zorua snickered before smirking back at Emolga.
"Em," Emolga glared back before smirking as well, "Emolga." The sky squirrel Pokemon clapped its hands.
"…" Neo grinned before pointing, "…!" she ordered with Zorua returning to the battle, unleashing another Lash Out, "…?" Neo had a look of confusion as Emolga dodged all the attacks, "…!" Neo pointed again, causing Zorua to use Lash Out once more. However, Emolga dodged them all with ease, not even having its eyes open as it evaded all the attacks, "…!?"
"Neo, that Emolga used Encore." Leaf called out, "That locks you into one more for some time." She said before the sky squirrel Pokemon started dashing through the air at high speed, ramming into Zorua repeatedly, "Now, it's using Acrobatics, that's a move that gets stronger when the user does not have an item." She said before Emolga hit the tricky fox Pokemon one last time, sending her into a tree.
"…!" Neo gasped as Zorua was unconscious.
"Emolga," The sky squirrel Pokemon said before landing a branch of the tree with a chuckle in its voice.
"I get it now; it stole the hat to make it seem weaker before locking you into a move that read going in for its strongest attack." Leaf said before crossing her arms, "This Pokemon has a lot of experience fighting trainers."
"…" Neo nodded back before recalling Zorua, then readier her next ball. However, she heard a voice call to her from the gate.
"Hey," Yang said as she ran over, holding Sliggoo in her arms, "Training is done, she's got a full move set now." She said before placing the gooey Pokemon on the ground, "And she is ready to test her skills."
"Goo," Sliggoo said before smiling at Neo.
"Hehe," Neo smiled back before putting her Pokeball away, deciding to let her gooey Pokemon take its place now.
"Goo!" Sliggoo responded before moving towards Emolga.
"Em?" Emolga said in confusion before rolling in laughter on the branch.
"…" Neo scowled before Yang leaned in whispering something into her ear, "…" the mute girl nodded back with a smile returning to her face.
"Good luck," Yang said before walking over to Leaf.
"So, what moves did you teach her Pokemon," Leaf asked the blond brawler.
"You'll see," Yang responded with a smirk.
"…!" Neo pointed, causing Sliggoo to fire out a water pulse. Emolga stopped its chuckling and flew through the ring of water. Its body was engulfed in electricity as it dove toward the gooey Pokemon.
"Watch out, I think that's Volt Switch,"
"…" Neo posed as Sliggoo jumped into the air, evading the attack of the sky squirrel Pokemon.
"Em?" Emolga look back into the air in worry as the gooey Pokemon plummeted, "Em!" The sky squirrel Pokemon barely evaded as Sliggoo crashed into the ground with a plume of dust.
"Body Slam, nice." Leaf commented.
"…!" Neo pointed, causing Sliggoo to unleash a green flame from its mouth.
"And Dragon Breath," Leaf added on.
"Emolga!" the sky squirrel Pokemon body engulfs in electricity again. However, this time it gathered in a ball before tossing it towards the flames. The combination created a massive explosion in midair.
"That's Electro Ball." Leaf spoke, "Those are two powerful electric moves it has."
Emolga let out a sigh of relief but gasped as a purple liquid shot out of the smoke, "Em!" Emolga dodged out of the way before goop hit the ground, melting the grass, and boiling the soil.
"Acid Spray, how did you teach her that one?" Leaf asked, but Yang shrugged, "Regardless, that's a pretty diverse move set she has now." She said before smiling, "You did a good job training her in a short time."
"I can be pretty talented when I try," Yang responded with her arms crossed and head held high, then smiled at Sliggoo, "But, I have to give Neo's Pokemon all the credit, she really wanted to get stronger and took all that I was say very seriously." The blond brawler said with a smile.
"Well, it's up to Neo to help them both of them succeed." Leaf said as the battle continued.
"…!" Neo pointed with Sliggoo launching another Water Pulse.
Emolga dodged like before, then clapped its hands.
"…!" Neo pointed again, allowing Sliggoo to unleash Water Pulse again. However, it was locked into the move from the Encore. Emolga smirked while flying through the aqua rings. At the same time, Neo smirked as she pointed, "…!" Sliggoo released Water Pulse after Water Pulse at the sky squirrel Pokemon. Emolga flew through each of the rings but noticed the size was smaller with each one. Suddenly, the Water Pulse ring was too small to fit through, crashing into Emolga's body.
"Wow, she pulled a fast one on her." Yang commented, "Using that ego of this flying squirrel to get a good hit in." She said before seeing Emolga wobbling on the ground, "What's going on with it now."
"Water Pulse has a chance to confuse the target," Leaf called out, "Neo, that encore should have ended after all your attacks, now's your chance.
"…!" Neo pointed, causing Sliggoo to jump up and Body Slam the Emolga. The dust settled with the sky squirrel Pokemon pinned to the ground under the gooey Pokemon. "…" Neo then threw a Pokeball at Emolga, ensuring it was inside, "…" the mute girl waited as the ball shook a few times.
However, the wild Pokemon broke out of the ball, "Em!" Emolga cried as it was in the air.
"Tsk." Neo scoffed, then saw Sliggoo shutter with electricity "…!?"
"Oh no, it has Static as its ability." Leaf called out, then saw Emolga smirking in the air, "Was it just faking getting confused to make contact with Sliggoo." She said before seeing Emolga flying through the sky at high speed, "Watch out, it's Acrobatics again!" She said as Sliggoo was bombarded by the sky squirrel Pokemon's assault.
"…!" Neo panicked as Sliggoo fired out all its moves, but none of them were fast enough to hit its target. In-between each attack, the gooey Pokemon was struck by Emolga's Acrobatics.
"Darn it, I forgot to teach her any defensive moves." Yang said with her clenched fists, "Sorry Neo." She said before seeing the mute girl with a smirk on her face towards the fight.
"Em!" Emolga said it continued its attacks. However, its body slowly fell out of the sky, "Em?" the sky squirrel Pokemon had a look of confusion, then realized its body was covered in goo, "Em!" Emolga said in disgust, but soon realized it could not take off this sticky substance. It tried to take off but was unable to regain flight again
"Hehe," Neo chuckled as she pointed, causing Sliggoo to unleash a Dragon Breath with all its might.
"Em!" Emolga gritted its teeth before firing an electro ball in response. The two attacks collided, but this time, the dragon-type move overpowered the electric one, "Em?" Emolga gasped before engulfing in the green flames, "EM!" the sky squirrel Pokemon screamed in pain before falling on its back.
"…" Neo tossed out another Pokeball, ensnaring Emolga again. Like before, she waited as the ball shook a few times. However, this time ended with a small clicking sound being heard, "…!" Neo jumped with joy, as did Sliggoo.
Suddenly, Neo ran over and tossed the ball out, causing Emolga to reemerge. "Em…" Emolga said as it sat in the goo, slightly upset at the situation. However, its body was then washed by a sudden water pulse, "EM!" Emolga shocked off its socked fur before glaring back at the Neo and Sliggoo. However, the gooey Pokemon looked on with a smile on her face. While the mute girl offered her new Pokemon a Pecha Berry, "Em?" Emolga was hesitant at first but then took the berry out of her hand. After one, bite, the sky squirrel Pokemon's eyes lit up in glee before eating the rest of it. Emolga then looked back to Neo, who now offered her hand with a smile. "…Em!" Emolga cheered before running up Neo's arm, then nuzzled against her cheek while sitting on her right shoulder.
"Awe, what a cutie." Yang congratulated as she walked over, "Now all I need is to catch my own electric-type."
"I think we have spent enough time on one Emolga here." Leaf said as she walked over as well.
"I more of meant a Raichu like Surge had, that's one I wouldn't mind having around," Yang said before hitting her fist together, "Cute and strong, that's what I like."
"Hehe," Neo giggled before the group headed back to town.
After a quick heal break at the Pokemon center, the trio made their way to a house, seeing a note on the door that Yang took off, "Door is unlocked, the key is inside, lock when you leave. Take what you like, I don't mind. Cynthia." She said aloud before turning to the others, "Can't tell if this was meant for us or in general."
"With her, it's hard to tell." Leaf said before entering, then stretched, "In any case, I need some rest." However, she stopped herself at the sight. The floor was littered with trash and garbage. Multiple sets of clothes were laid out and the sink was overflowed with dirty dishes, "What in the world is this mess!"
Yang looked at the note again, seeing another section on the back, "P.S. Please do not judge me for the mess, I forget to clean up sometimes." The blond brawler said, then sighed, "Still, not what I was expecting from her. Then again, she does take forever to order her ice cream."
"…" Neo nodded.
"Screw this, we're sleeping in the Pokemon Center." Leaf said before walking away, but then noticed she was not followed. In turning around, she saw Neo and Yang had entered and started cleaning, "What are you two doing, this could take all night to clean."
"She did agree to help us without question and saved our lives on that volcano." Yang responded and she picked up some bags, "This is the least we can do for her."
"…" Neo nodded as she began to sweep.
"…Fine." Leaf said with a groan as she walked in, making her way towards a closet, "We can just pile a bunch of her junk in here. Then she can deal with it when she gets-" The shrewd trainer was saying until opening the closet, then was hit by an avalanche of swimsuits. Yang and Neo gasped at the sight, then quickly unearthed Leaf from the pile, "Why does she have so many of these!" Leaf said in disbelief as the others did not have an answer.
The next day.
Walking out of the house were Yang and Neo, who both stretched, "Nothing like a good sleep after some spring cleaning." The blond brawler said with the mute girl nodding.
However, Leaf walked out with baggy eyes, "I wouldn't call three hours of sleep as good." She said before looking to Neo, "You sure you're ready for this badge?"
"…" Neo nodded as looked at her four pokeballs.
"Okay, if you say so," Leaf said before pointing to a blue building nearby, "We can head to the town with the gym through the Marine Tube."
"Sweet, let's get going," Yang said as Neo and Leaf followed.
However, watching from the waters, the ruffian Pokemon waited, "Craw," Crawdaunt spoke with glare, but other hate-filled eyes peered through the deep as well.
AN: There you go, Neo has an Emolga on her team. I never realized how much these two have in common: cute, smug, and permanently pintsized. This Pokemon will defiantly help for the next gym, but she also has Sliggoo who got a full move set. Next chapter is going to be intense, but more may be lurking in the water than our group is prepared for. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.