During a bright morning, Pipi was concerned of her Golbat acting more assertive towards her other pokemon, like she is encouraging them to do something, during an early breakfast. She wondered what happened as she and her mother went to the eastern route that had a small cave. The sound of a river and chirping Pidgeys distracted her as Janine explained what was ahead. "There isn't too much around this route baring a cave that leads to the mountains, but further down is Cheerygrove and New Bark."
That much Pipi understood as she let out her Mareanie and let him perch on her back. "Those two sound nice to visit, but they don't have any gyms... some contest halls... but no gyms." Janine agreed and was excited about something. "But you might find more pokemon to capture... eventually you will have to capture a pokemon to fill a team of six, especially when you go against gym leaders far more challenging than what your father provided."
The daughter expected a long journey and gave her mother a hug. "I know, its going to be a tough journey. Father is going to be lonely while we are gone." The mother giggled at the thought and hugged back. "Oh we will manage once I make it to Fuchsia City. Good luck!" The parent and child released, Pipi watched her mother toss a smoke bomb and vanish into the woods. Leaving her and her partner to search around the route, nothing too special was found, yet all the pokemon frolicking drew the duos attention, nearly distracting them.
The Mareanie asked his trainer on seeing potential friends and Pipi agreed. "We...could try finding a new friend, I know Bellsprouts are in this route." The Mareanie nodded and looked around, finding something rustling in a bush, Pipi went in and saw a large Weedle munching on leaves and giving off an expression that the girl found adorable. "Eeh... I got to catch it!" She tossed a poke ball for a quick capture and thought of how counter productive that had been. She picked the ball up with a frown and asked. "...Did I need to do that?"
The Mareanie thought of it and shook his head, realizing his trainer needs to learn about having more meaningful captures, he jumped off and pointed to the water for an idea.
Pipi held onto the ball and agreed. "I should look for a pokemon that would... strike harder compared to how yours is more lethal at that moment." She took out a fishing pole and waited by the water as she had another thought in mind. "...If not... I need to practice my throwing when that Yo-kai shows up... again."
The Mareanie agreed with that thought and grumbled, he was scratched under his chin by his trainer, who felt her mind drifting into innocence. "After what he did yesterday, I'm going to take it upon myself to capture him! If this is the game he wants to play, then we better win!" Tug!
She pulled and drew out a Qwilfish, she ordered her Mareanie as she got a heal ball ready. "Acanci, use knock off while I practice!" The Mareanie was on it and knocked the Qwilfish back to the lake, exposing it to a fast heal ball capture. With two pokemon captured, Pipi pressed the release button on both, letting the Weedle back out on the road and the Qwilfish back into the water. Both were puzzled by the capture and Pipi apologized. "Sorry about that, I wasn't thinking when I was trying to capture poison types and I needed to practice." She took out some sweets to give to the two pokemon as the Mareanie extended a tentacle to a Qwilfish that was bubbling weird. The girl asked. "No hard feelings?"
The Qwilfish asked something of the equally confused Weedle that was munching away, Pipi blinked and realized something was weird. "...Wait a minute." She took out a pokedex and looked at the habitat listing for Qwilfish, seeing that it is south of Violet City, she raised an eyebrow and had the Dex examine the Qwilfish. "...What are you doing out here in the first-" The Dex beeped and revealed an image of a blue tadpole with a long tail and two legs. "Bleep, bleep. Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokemon. Because it is inept at walking on its newly grown legs, it always swims around in water. The direction of its belly spiral differs by area. The equator is thought to have an effect on this!"
Pipi and her Mareanie were dumbfounded, the trainer focused the Dex on the Weedle and saw the dex show the image of a green caterpillar. "And a Caterpie... what is..." She focused back on the two pokemon and saw a Caterpie and a Poliwag, the worm pokemon accepted the apology as the Poliwag blinked and bubbled. Acanci heard snickering and turned around, finding a Bellsprout laughing with a figure in the shadows. "Mar?!"
Pipi turned around to see a Haunter barely holding his laughter. A blue tongue stuck out and Yo-kai was bursting, Pipi realized that the Haunter was using hypnotic illusions. She took a great ball out of her bag and hurled it at the Haunter.
"Yo-kai!"
The ball whistled and the Haunter flew into a tree, listening to a ball shattering and scaring the Bellsprout away. The ninja growled as the Poliwag chirpped something, the Mareanie agreed and slumped down in defeat as Pipi realized she is out of balls. "I swear I'm going to capture that Yo-kai." She apologized once again. "Sorry for wasting your time." The two pokemon didn't mind wished to chat more, Pipi sighed and let out her Dustox. "Okay."
In a cave that smells of salt water.
A teenager girl, her Slowking and Gothetella have reached to the far end of the tunnel and saw the spec of light leading out, she felt warmed by the sun and looked up to find a train track leading to the far east. She saw the bridge leading underneath it and connecting to the sea as she voiced her plan. "Maybe if we find a place more relaxing and less disruptive..." The Slowking pointed towards a nearby pokemon center and sighed. "Slow!"
The girl blushed at a place she wasn't paying attention to and agreed. "Or... we could just use a pokemon center that is far away from a city... at least for now." The Gothetella found it a wise choice and thanked the Slowking as she took lead. With in a quiet pokemon center, a Nurse Joy with a long scar was nearly asleep when she noticed visitors. She yawned and welcomed the group. "Hello and welcome to the pokemon center, what do you need?" The girl answered as she sensed thoughts of boredom and curiosity. "Just a room for now Miss Joy. Did... we come at an awkward time?"
The Nurse shook her head and knew a psychic type specialist when she sees one. "Not really, just that nothing too important is going on besides that Copper girl from Goldenrod. It gets boring out here in the wilderness." She smiled sweetly. "But that is why I run the center out here, the pokemon out here appreciate the help when I can." She felt the girl looked familiar and watched her take out a Trainer I.D, the girl answered the unspoken question. "I came here from Unova not too long ago and yes."
The nurse read the I.D card and was pleased of what was confirmed. "Hmm, well Miss Yang, what ever you are trying to do in Johto, I wish you luck." She gave the girl a key and guessed from the healthy pokemon. "You came expecting the peace and quiet?" Yang nodded as her pokemon requested to be called back, the girl readied two balls and answered. "Yes, it's... part of something I am working on... at least before I take the train to Saffron." The Nurse wondered what it was and watched the girl call her pokemon back, Yang gave her the two along with four more. She went to a rented room and left the Nurse be to appreciate the smaller things of her work.
At Violet City.
Falkner wasn't pleased as he watched Pipi put more poke balls in her bag. "I swear that Haunter... do you have any plan if he tries a prank like that again?" Pipi had one idea as her Mareanie took out a great ball. "Has Dusati sensed any psychic power like that? He can learn psychic moves as well."
The father approved of the idea and warned his daughter. "It could work, but this Haunter knows a couple things about hypnotism... that power is the reason why wild pokemon like Drowzee and Hypno are incredibly dangerous." Pipi agreed and had doubts on the danger. "But Yo-kai wouldn't try to put me in danger... not from what he tried before." Falkner understood that and asked. "Pipi, I know that Haunter's pranks are pretty mild, but things like that go horribly wrong. Whether his intentions are harmless or not doesn't matter when you get put into danger because of him."
Pipi sighed and agreed as she saw a tree with a yellow apricorn and plucked it for the road. "He can only do so much as a pokemon and who knows if he can fix the game if it gets out of control." She looked disappointed as Falkner patted her on the back and lead her to the southern road leading out of the city. "That is also why you shouldn't try traveling at night, no one is stopping you from sneaking around though."
Pipi felt a little better and saw the road leading to the sea as she took her great ball and let out a Dustox that was looking forward to traveling. "That could help if we meet nothing but weak trainers. We will try to be more careful father." She kissed him on the cheek and was ready to return traveling. "I'll be back once we reach the route from Goldenrod to home!" She took a smoke bomb and was ready to dash into the unknown.
PUFF!
Falkner saw the smoke and smiled, when he saw she and her pokemon disappeared, he returned back to his routine duties as Gym Leader.
Down the road leading to a route that has a train track high above the bridge across the water, Pipi and her Dustox made quick work of a youngster with a purple Nidoran and realized what was said before might be relevant. "Dusati, could you spit a string shot at a tree for me and make something a rope." The blue eyed, blonde youngster looked down the road to find a dark haired lass with a Hoppid and asked puzzled. "You are going to try skipping all of us?"
Pipi watched her Dustox spit a string shot and fluttering down to her reach as she saw the distant trainer and tilted her head in thought. "...Do your friends have anything besides a single pokemon... or nothing but pokemon that can get beaten by a team of poison types? I have a Golbat that's pretty strong along with some... unexpected pokemon."
The youngster cringed and snapped his fingers. "Darn it, there goes our nugget bridge... eh... there might be some tough trainers in Union cave... but they are mostly the hikers who have Geodudes, Onixs... oh and Luo might have evolved his Sandslash... you can't miss him, he is a camper that likes dirt."
Pipi didn't really mind as the Dustox tested the rope and let her know it is ready. "This could give Acanci something to do along with Kumo. Thank you for the battle and the warning." The youngster appreciated the thanks and let the ninja climb up the tree. "No prob, good luck on your journey!"
Pipi felt herself in a familiar environment and stood on a branch, seeing a series of strong trees as she let out a Golbat that looked down and guessed what her trainer was planning. The bat asked with her wings folded. "Golb?" Pipi nodded and asked. "I'm taking a short cut to save us some time. Kumo, these trees look strong and this one feels strong, but in case I fall... could you make sure I don't get hurt?"
The Golbat promised she would and the ninja was ready to time her leap towards a nearby tree branch. Jump! The Golbat and Dustox followed the risky ninja from tree to tree, hearing naught a noise save for a few leaves. In a few minutes, Pipi found her on a tree leading down a cliff, Kumo offered to help her down to a tree bellow and the ninja held onto her back. Reaching to what looked like the end of the road and to a pokemon center, down the road looked like a black haired, teenage girl in vibrant clothes. She had a poke ball at hand and looked like another trainer, the three kept themselves hidden in absolute silence and in the cover of darkness.
The teenage girl walked down with a smile and towards the tree. She looked up and spoke. "I know you are there, little ninja! You can come down."
Pipi refused to move and thought it was a bluff, two of the branches were pushed to the side by an unknown power and the three were given a clear view, the Dustox saw that it was the girls doing and suggested they come down. Pipi and the Golbat knew they been caught and climbed down to confront the mysterious girl. The ninja asked. "H...how were you able to do that?"
The girl showed her teeth in amusement and a voice in Pipi's mind asked. "Does this answer your question?" The ninja felt at unease and answered. "...You are a psychic... and this means you specialize in... psychic types?" The teenager nodded, unaware of the many trees rustling and the forest debris floating. "I also came from Unova and like what you are attempting, I too strengthened myself as a trainer."
She looked eager and felt the Golbat's thoughts to be familiar, more of the surroundings became more out of control as she tried to introduced myself. "My name is Yang and it is a pleasure to-" "REEEEEEP!" The sound of a Mareep caught her attention and she turned around to see one caught in a psychic hold, Yang gasped, closed her eyes and calmed down, causing the many things caught in to fall back down, the Mareep fled into the woods. The girl felt ashamed of herself as Pipi felt what was happening and introduced herself. "I'm Pipi, these are two of my pokemon. Kumo."
The Golbat was having a hard time believing what she saw and gave a greeting of caution. "And Dasuti." The Dustox was more eager to be friends and Yang backed away timid. "...Y...you known each other for a while." Pipi nodded and saw the nearby pokemon center. "Would you like to sit down somewhere? I want to know... what is someone like you doing here in the first place." Yang appreciated it and focused away from the Dustox. "...I just left there... the Nurse is going to be upset about this."
Pipi puffed up her cheeks and the psychic girl sighed, she lead the way to the center to find the Nurse Joy nearly lost in a day dream. She noticed the two and greeted Yang once again. "That was quick for exploring the route... did you make a friend?"
The psychic specialist was hesitate as Pipi answered without hesitation. "Yes she did, but I don't exactly know her." She thought of something and asked Yang. "Could... you help me out with something I been trying to figure out?" The psychic looked at the Golbat and nodded. "I might... Miss Joy, do you mind us staying here for a moment?"
The nurse didn't and requested to Pipi. "I enjoy the company. Pipi, if your Golbat hasn't battled today, then may I take your other pokemon for a check up?" The girl let her Dustox go to the Nurse and took the three remaining balls from her belt. "Acanci is the only one that battled recently, thank you." The Nurse let Dasuti perch on her shoulder as the girls went to a couch to talk it over. Pipi started by asking Yang. "...Do you know what... that is about?" The psychic closed her eyes and answered in a zen. "I... normally keep myself under control, but when I get emotional... I lose control of myself. I came here to do that before I go to Saffron to meet my mother..." Pipi guessed from the top of her mind. "Sabrina? Mother told me about her, a powerful psychic type user who runs the gym there. They don't talk often save for when they go to the World Tournament." Yang forced out a childish desire and answered. "Yes... but if we meet right now a catastrophe would befall all of Saffron... and potentially the neighboring cities as well."
Pipi and Kumo brushed off the possibility, the ninja asked. "Because the two of you would do something dangerous by accident? That's why you are trying to train your emotions like that?" She looked puzzled as Yang agreed. "We... talk, but even mother shows cracks when we do."
She focused on the Golbat stoically and changed the subject. "But she isn't important just now. Kumo recently evolved after a great battle?" Pipi smiled at her Golbat proudly. "After beating Fathers Noctowl, I heard if a Golbat really likes you, they evolve into a Crobat, a pokemon that is even stronger." The Golbat blushed and tried to think of what to say as Yang sighed. "That is kind of a problem Kumo is trying to tell you." The ninja's smile faded in curiosity and saw her Golbat hesitate to say something. "...But why? As a Crobat, she would be even more amazing. She... doesn't want to be Crobat?" The Golbat's eyes widened in astonishment and Yang answered for her. "That isn't what she is trying to tell you. You have three other pokemon that are... nowhere close to becoming stronger and one of those three doesn't know how to evolve."
She looked at the Dustox being petted by the nurse and addressed him. "Along with a Dustox that... you find excellent in utility. Would they... becoming stronger if you just rely one two pokemon for all those battles?" That question caused Pipi to gasp, she looked at her Golbat and asked. "Kumo, was this what you were trying to teach me? That... I shouldn't rely on just you?" The Golbat tried to answer and Yang asked. "What do many successful trainers have in common?"
Pipi knew and felt the puzzle connecting. "Their pokemon team are actually a team." The girl blushed at her Golbat and petted her on the head. "So that's what you were trying to tell me, until the rest of my pokemon can work together better, you are going to try to stay a Golbat." The Golbat grunted yes and Yang understood the thought. "She doesn't want her friends to get left behind. She is like... a more strict mentor in a way?" Pipi agreed and groaned. "She is, as a Zubat she is always the one that reminds me of school and my lessons, she also keeps the others from completely goofing around." Ding ding! The Nurse announced something to break the conversation. "Miss Pipi, your pokemon are back to full health!"
The ninja understood and went to get her pokemon, leaving Yang alone with a Golbat that looked appreciative. "Bat." Yang appreciated the thanks and sensed some memories. "You're welcome, you and your trainer had only recently begun... and you have a few things to be concerned about beyond just a journey?"
The Golbat closed her eyes in annoyance and Yang sensed memories of a specter that made her spine tingle. "...You and Pipi have a... joker on the loose?" The Golbat agreed and heard Pipi coming back with her Dustox, the girl was ready to present her friend with the other three as Yang asked. "...Are you having trouble in your travels? Any at all?" Pipi tried to deny it and realized there is something she wanted to find out. "Yes, a shiny Haunter I call Yo-kai is trying to play this... game with me. He tries to hinder my journey, I throw a ball at him, he flees... and it happens all over again. A year ago when he was a Gastly, he disguised himself as a human boy to try and be my friend... that's why I want to catch him."
Yang is reading more into Pipi's memories and her velvet eyes gave off a glow that showed annoyance. "You won't be able to win if that Haunter is trying... that!" Pipi puffed her cheeks at her friend. "Yang, could you stop reading my mind? It's already hard to explain what Yo-kai is trying to do." Yang puffed her cheeks back. "Regardless of what his intentions are, he IS a ghost pokemon. They are all alike and what they think is fun... isn't what you think of. Sometimes their fun comes at your expense." The Dustox sensed a growing power and hid behind Kumo as Pipi felt intimidated and asked. "...That's why Father was really upset when he heard Yo-kai was using hypnosis to make me see pokemon that were not really there and make me catch pokemon I wouldn't have tried to capture otherwise." Yang's eyes ceased glowing and her lips closed together in response. "Ooh! That old trick, hypnosis... is a complicated procedure that is often misunderstood."
Pipi knew the general idea. "It makes you sleepy and makes you more likely to do as... the hypnotist says. That's why we are told to stay away from wild Drowzees and Hypnos." Yang raised a finger and asked stoically. "Ah, but do you know... how it works? Your Golbat knows the move herself and even uses it."
Pipi shook her head and Yang nearly broke a smile. "Then listen to my voice. Hypnosis is when you are in a state of mind where you are concentrated on one particular thing... and nothing else. You are relaxed and susceptible to any suggestion that comes into your mind." Pipi agreed and looked her friend in the eyes. "Those suggestions is how a hypnotist... controls you?"
Yang giggled and nearly whistled. "It could be... but the hypnotist is not the one who makes your decisions. You follow along with what your mind sees as reality, because that is what you wanted to see... what you wanted to believe. You do what you would do in under any normal circumstances." Pipi broke from the trance in shock at the revelation and felt like a fool as her Golbat and Dustox is seeing what Yang was trying to do. The Ninja asked dumbfounded. "Yo-kai was able to trick me, because I wanted to capture more pokemon?" Yang looked at the two pokemon and assured them she means well as she answered. "And he made you see pokemon you would want to capture. But I think that final spot should have-" She tried not to laugh. "been kept reserved for a more special pokemon... beyond one who's type is similar to what you already have."
The Golbat and Dustox flapped in a unified question that Yang was eager to answer. "If you are ever in a relaxed state and open your mind, you can subject yourself to hypnosis as well. It's beyond just the wave of a pendulum, this is how hypnosis... the move... works. You or your pokemon are brought into a state where the suggestion to fall asleep, is encouraged into your subconscious and just like that-" She snapped her fingers as an example, Pipi is in a more alert state as a result. "You are asleep and for... pokemon that feed on dreams, will also trigger a suggestion for your brain to start dreaming. That is how those pokemon hunt, that is why those like Drowzee and Hypno are more active at night. Does this answer your question?"
Pipi nodded and was ready to take a defensive stance as she asked. "I... let myself open way too much and that is how Yo-kai can mess with me. Like what you did?!" Yang was impressed by the observant ninja and looked her in the blue eyes, they met the violet. "You wanted to know about hypnotism and you wanted to listen to one who knows of it. Did I force you to listen? Were your own discoveries something I forced into your mind?" Pipi and her pokemon were amazed by the question, the girl shook her head. "No, they were my own but to get to that stage, you pushed my mind to that. That was what you counted on happening? You wanted me to find out." Yang answered without taking her eyes off the girls. "Exactly, the state of hypnosis can happen at any moment you are susceptible and you wouldn't even know. You could still be in a whole new trance right now."
Pipi understood and felt herself relaxing to the thought. "...Simply because I want to. So... if I want to avoid that trick from Yo-kai, I need to focus on what I want to where he won't be able to fool me." Yang's smile became more charming. "Or to where his hypnotism would only make things worse for himself rather than deter you into continuing HIS game. But... how can you get the jump on a ghost pokemon like him?"
Pipi thought of it and smiled back. "I don't really know, but that's going to be the fun of it." She asked her new friend. "Are you sure you want to search north? I don't think you would be able to learn how to control your... happy powers by yourself." Yang thought of it as the Nurse readied some tea. "...This would mean that you won't be able to sneak around a route like how you did. You are a ninja that has some training, I'm not." Pipi understood that much and saw what the nurse was doing. "Yeah... and its... kind of weird for me to hang around someone who probably sensed my thoughts and where they were coming from. But traveling alone isn't fun." Yang agreed to that and went to get a ball. "So this means we're traveling together?"
Her plans changed and the nurse placed down some tea, she listened to enough. "After some of the scares that had been going on last year and this Haunter I keep hearing about, it is probably safe to travel with a friend. But Pipi... this still sounds like your journey." The ninja nodded and took her cup. "I know she is much stronger than me and my pokemon need to learn how to battle better. It.. can still be fun."
Yang picked her cup up and agreed. "Indeed. Thank you for allowing us to rest Nurse Joy, I appreciate it." The Nurse felt the pulse of gratitude and warned her. "If your powers go out of control again, just try to relax. Pipi, you know that you are going to Azalea Town for your gym challenge, right?" Pipi agreed and took out a beast ball to let out a Poipole that is amazed to be in a pokemon center. "Bugsy specializes in bug type pokemon and might expect me to bring Kumo the first chance I get." She thought of it and smiled to a net ball. "We... should fight with some tactics, for he is going to do the same."
Yang sipped her tea and agreed to the notion. "He will expect something from your team when he sees them." A poke ball opened up to let out a Slowking that is having a wonder with the Poipole and saying hello. So begins a new friendship.