So, if you've been wondering why I haven't been able to get chapters out with as much frequency as in the past, I want to let you know why. I'm having some major troubles with my right arm. More specifically in my wrist, shoulder, and forearm. Sometimes, typing on the computer is just plain too painful, so I don't do it as much, or as long. Hopefully it subsides quickly, but I can only wait and see for now. I do have my yearly physical coming up soon, so I'll probably mention it then.
Battles and the City
After the first night she spent with him in their two bed hotel room, Chris started to become upset with himself over the fact that he couldn't let the past go. Dawn was an absolute sweetheart. Even after what he had told her over pizza, she wanted to hold him while he slept to comfort him as he dealt with his emotions. Training with her over the last two days, talking with her over meals, occasionally thinking back to the first night they spent together. A few times, he was about to kiss her. Then he'd remember Danielle, and stop himself.
Maybe all that they'd ever be was friends. Despite that, Chris didn't think that it was such a bad thing. He and Dawn would always be each other's first time, but that didn't have to mean that it was either lovers, or nothing. And as it stands, with how great of a training partner she's been, Chris wouldn't mind if all they'd be in the long run was friends. And between Dawn's personality, and just how pretty she is, it's not like she'd ever run out of options.
Before getting dinner last night at the restaurant Dawn wanted to get dinner from before the fight at the hotel, she and Chris scheduled gym battles for today. Dawn's battle was first, so Chris took a trip down Route 214 to have a look around. Inside a cave at the Route, Chris found a Hippopotas that he was instantly drawn to. He filled another empty Poké Ball with the female Hippopotas that he nicknamed Sandra.
Once Chris rides back into Veilstone, he notices something on a skyscraper in the distance. Whatever was painted on the front of the building, it was enough to make Chris decide to investigate. Knowing he had time before his battle with Maylene at Veilstone Gym, Chris rode over to the building to get a closer look at it. The closer that he got to the building, the clearer the logo became. It was a Team Galactic logo. This building was no less strange than the Galactic building in Eterna City, though this one was a much more grand building. It seemed like the construction was completed, and yet there was still a construction crew working on the building. Whatever further work was planned for the building, there was still plenty of Galactic grunts on the premises. They hadn't noticed Chris yet, and given that he did his observations were completed, he decided to make sure it stayed that way. He turned around, and made his way to the Pokémon gym.
Once Chris pulls up to the gym, he finds Dawn standing outside the gym with a dejected look on her face. He pulls right up to her, and her expression does warm up a bit when she sees him. "Hi Chris." She says weakly.
"Hey. Dawn, what's wrong?" Chris asks her, missing the optimistic girl he knows so well.
"I um..." Dawn shakes her head, and then shrugs her shoulders. "I lost the battle. What's worse than that, my Gyarados didn't listen to me at all. When I sent her out to battle, she just laid down and went to sleep. She wouldn't even participate, she just threw the battle right as it started. You saw her during training, she's been acting like that ever since she lost to you and Hawke."
"What? You're serious?" When Dawn nods to him, Chris goes through his memory of the many famous battlers giving interviews. Then he remembers the story of Alder, the champion from the Unova region, who once spoke of problems he had with disobedient, or lazy Pokémon in his early years. "Wait, Dawn. Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Alder?"
She looks at him as she wipes a tear from her eye. "I don't think so. Why, what about him?"
"He's the champion of the Unova region. He once talked about how he had to rein in rebellious Pokémon. I listened to the whole interview."
"What'd he say?"
"I'll find the interview for you, and send you the link. But if you want, I can paraphrase him for a piece of advice."
"I'm really struggling right now Chris. I'll take any advice I can get."
"Your Gyarados is having confidence issues right now. When you go back to challenge Maylene again, send her out at the end, so she can prove to herself that she's powerful. You win that battle, Gyarados will not only regain her confidence, she'll trust and respect you forever."
Dawn nods her head, and lets out a sigh. "Maybe. I... think I'm going to need to take the day to get ready."
Chris nods at her, then places his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Hey, you got this."
Dawn smiles, then takes his hand off her shoulder to kiss it. "So do you. Go get that badge, Chris."
Chris returns Dawn's smile, then drives his Harley to park up. He shuts off the engine, then walks inside Veilstone Gym. The attendant at the front of the gym says Chris's name, then remarks how he was just in time. The attendant opens up the door to the stadium, beckoning Chris inside. The rows of lights flicker to life as Chris steps inside to his side of the battlefield. Once he has his position taken, the remaining rows of lights illuminate the rest of the room. A girl who looked like she wasn't much older than Chris, if she was older than him at all, stood across from him in the room. She was dressed like she had just been working herself out, and her pink hair was a bit frizzled to back that appearance up.
She looks at Chris with a nervous smile on her face, and Chris swears he can see her blushing as she mumbles under her breath and looks away from him. She then clears her throat, and at least fakes a confident demeanor. "Hello." She starts. "I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Maylene, and I'm the Gym Leader." Maylene then pauses to look down at the ground. She continues, still loud enough for Chris to hear. I don't really know what it means to be strong, or how I got to be the Gym Leader." She then looks back up at Chris, a much more determined expression painting her face now. "But I will do the best I can as the Gym Leader. I take battling very seriously." She activates her first Poké Ball. "Whenever you're ready!" She exclaims.
Chris activates his first Poké Ball as well. He and Maylene throw out their first Pokémon at the same time, Chris starting with his Leafeon Zyra, while Maylene starts with a Meditite. "Alright Zyra, use Razor Leaf!" Chris commands, as his Leafeon fires off sharp-edged leaves at Maylene's Meditite that find their mark. Meditite takes the attack rather well, then awaits Maylene's command.
"Meditite, use Rock Tomb!" On Maylene's command, Meditite launches boulders at Zyra that manage to clip her back right leg. Zyra gets away from the boulders, but the damage has her limping. "Now Meditite, use Drain Punch!" Meditite charges forward, and lands a solid punch on Zyra's cheek. Visible energy can be seen leaving Zyra's body, and coming into Maylene's Meditite.
"Zyra, use Razor Leaf, again!" Zyra fires off more sharp-edged leaves at Meditite, and this time, its right on the money. Meditite goes stumbling backwards, but quickly regains its composure.
"Meditite, Drain Punch, again!"
"Zyra, use Quick Attack!" Zyra goes charging in to meet Meditite's punch head on. Although more energy is taken away from Zyra, her quick attack sends Meditite back to the ground hard, and Zyra is already good for another attack. "Zyra, once more, Quick Attack!" Zyra charges in at full speed on Meditite, and slams into it at full force. Meditite can take no more, and goes down to the ground hard. It cannot continue the battle.
Maylene lets out a hard exhale, as she recalls her Meditite. "Now, Machoke, I choose you!" Maylene throws her next Poké Ball, and out comes a humanoid, musclebound Pokémon to stare down Zyra.
"Zyra, use Razor Leaf!"
"Machoke, Bulk Up!" Right as Zyra's leaves go hurdling towards Maylene's Machoke, it starts to tense up its muscles, and that is apparently enough to make the leaves fall harmlessly to the ground.
"Damn! Zyra, use Quick Attack!"
"Machoke, Karate Chop!" As Zyra charges full speed ahead towards Maylene's Machoke, it in turn prepares to strike with the knife-edge of its hand. Zyra hits her attack, but then gets completely taken out of the battle by the vicious strike. Machoke takes very little damage from Zyra's Quick Attack.
Chris exhales roughly, then recalls his defeated grass-type. "Great job." He goes to grab for his Staravia's Poké Ball, but then remembers that Bulk Up only increases physical defense. He goes to the other side of his belt instead, and activates his Bronzor's Poké Ball. "Alright, Bronzor, your up!" He throws out the Bronze Pokémon, that begins to float around the battlefield.
"Machoke, use Karate Chop again!" Machoke charges in at Bronzor.
"Extrasensory!" Bronzor unleashes an odd, unseeable power at Maylene's Machoke. The strike hits it hard, and it stumbles on the ground, which in turn cancels its attack completely.
Still, Maylene is well aware of just how close to Bronzor her Machoke is. "Get up Machoke, and use Karate Chop!" Machoke rises back to its feet, and hits Bronzor with a clean strike.
But its too little too late for Machoke, and Chris knows it. "Bronzor, Extrasensory again!" the unseen strike hits Machoke once again, and it cannot withstand a second attack that it is so weak to as a Fighting-type. Machoke slowly crumbles to the ground, and cannot continue the battle. Maylene has no choice but to recall her second Pokémon.
Frustration is starting to set in for the battle loving Maylene, and its reflective in her voice as she speaks. "This isn't over, Mr. Harper." She activates her last Poké Ball, and throws it up into the air. "Lucario, its time to turn this around!" Out comes a blue, black, and yellow-furred jackal like Pokémon, which has an unmistakable fierce aura to it. Its roar intensifies the air. as it stares down Chris's Bronzor.
The entire time that this battle has been taking place, Chris has had his Marshtomp and Monferno out of their balls, standing by his sides. And as Caesar, Chris's Monferno, sizes up Maylene's Lucario, he decides that he wants to take it on. Caesar tugs at Chris's clothes to get his attention, and Chris knows that Caesar wants in this battle. "You sure?" Caesar nods his head, and so Chris reactivates Bronzor's Poké Ball. "Thank you, Bronzor." He looks down at Caesar, and nods. "Alright bud. Lets do it."
"Monferno!" Caesar runs onto the battlefield, and takes a fighting stance against Maylene's Lucario.
"Lucario, use Force Palm!" Maylene's Lucario's paw begins to radiate with what looks like electrical energy, as it rushes towards Caesar.
"Caesar, use Mach Punch!" Caesar picks up incredible speed as it launches itself at Lucario. Caesar's fist, and Lucarios paw collide head on, and the sheer power has the dirt of the battlefield spreading around the room.
Without either trainer issuing a command, Caesar and Lucario begin to exchange fisticuffs. Caesar goes in for punches aimed at Lucario's head, which are efficiently blocked by Lucario. Lucario goes for a head kick, but Caesar ducks away from the kick at the right moment. They continue on swiping away each other's strikes for some time, until Lucario creates an opening. "Lucario, Bone Rush!" Lucario uses its power to create a staff in the shape of a long bone, and then begins striking at Caesar. The staff hits a shot on Caesar's midsection, then the next two hit him in the face.
Caesar's body gets dragged through the ground as he slows to a stop a couple of meters in front of Chris. "Hang in there Caesar!" Upon hearing Chris's voice, Caesar gets a glint in his eye as he kips back up to his feet. Caesar's desire to win makes Chris smile. "Use Mach Punch!" Caesar charges right back into Lucario's guard, landing a clean shot to the jaw. Lucario stumbles backwards, but continues trading shots with Caesar once the Fire/Fighting-type is right back on him. It doesn't take long for Lucario to get back into the fight, and soon both Pokémon are successfully blocking each other's strikes once again.
"Lucario, Metal Claw!" Maylene commands, as Lucario's claws begin to brilliantly shimmer as it swipes at Caesar.
Although Lucario's attack hits, it inadvertently creates an opening for Chris and Caesar to exploit. "Caesar, use Ember!" Caesar fires off a burst of fire that nails Lucario right in the back. Lucario goes hurtling down into the ground, badly damaged, and now burned. It lies prone on the ground, completely vulnerable and helpless for what comes next. "Now, finish this with Flame Wheel!" On Chris's command, Caesar curls up into a ball, as fire emerges from his body to surround him in a wheel of fire. That wheel comes spinning down on Lucario at full force, and Maylene's best Pokémon has been defeated. Chris and his team win their fourth gym battle. Caesar lands on his feet in front of Chris, worn down, yet victorious. Chris chuckles as he kneels down next to his dear friend. "Great job, Caesar!" He says, as his fire starter smiles at him.
Chris hears Maylene let out a rough exhale, and then she flashes him a nervous smile. "Well, you certainly earned this one." She starts. The attendant from the front of the gym steps to Maylene's side, and hands her a tray. Maylene then approaches Chris, speaking as she walks up to him. "That was a tough loss. I learned a lot from it. Please, accept this Gym Badge." On the tray in Maylene's hands, sits the Cobble Badge. Chris takes it, and calmly places it in the case.
"Thank you, Maylene." He says. "I had fun in that battle." Chris then looks down to his Monferno. "I think Caesar did, too."
"Monferno!"
After exchanging some pleasantries, Chris steps back outside of the Veilstone Gym. Once he is outside, his phone begins to ring. The caller I.D. indicates that it is Dawn, so Chris accepts the call. "Hey Dawn, is everything alright?"
"Chris, please..."
Chris immediately picks up on Dawn's distraught tone, and he becomes worried. "Woah, hey. What's wrong?"
"Please, can you help me? Some Team Galactic goons took my Pokédex away from me." That statement had Chris's blood quickly starting to boil. "I need your help to get it back. I'll be waiting by the warehouses. Please come!"
Chris has mounted his Harley at this point, and is kickstarting it. "I'm on my way!" He says, before making a beeline towards the warehouses. They were just about right in the area Chris rode into Veilstone from. It's a bit of a long ride made worse by the traffic, but Chris arrives at the warehouse in close to an hour. Once they're in his sights, he spots Dawn staying out of sight of two Galactic Grunts. Not having any fear of these strange men, Chris skirts his bike to a stop right in front of them. Both have Pokémon out of their balls, each of them having a Zubat.
With Chris staring the two grunts down, Dawn emerges from hiding. "Hey you two creeps, give me back my Pokédex!"
The two grunts just snicker at the sight of Chris and Dawn. "Run along children, before you both get hurt."
"She said give her back the Pokédex. I suggest you listen."
"Is that meant to be a threat? Who do you think you are?"
"Someone with very limited patience, and the capability of hospitalizing the both of you."
"You little-" One of the grunts starts to say, before looking at his Zubat. "Use Supersonic!" The Zubat starts to fire off Supersonic waves at Chris, who is protected when his Togepi in the basket puts up some kind of forcefield.
Bewildered, Chris looks down at Togepi, and smiles at the little one. "Great job, Togepi." The little one smiles at Chris.
"I saw that!" One of the grunts says to Chris. "We'll be taking that Pokémon!" The grunt goes to try to snatch Togepi away from Chris, who grabs his wrist, and pie-faces him to send him back. Before the Grunt can react, Chris has sent out his Marshtomp.
"Go, Gallade!" Dawn exclaims, as she calls out her recently evolved Kirlia to battle. Chris is stunned by the sight of the Pokémon with blades for arms, and cracks a half smile at Dawn's progress.
"Fine then, if you want a battle, then Team Galactic will send you packing!" One of the grunts states, before looking at his Zubat. "Bite that Gallade!" He says, as he goes to battle with Dawn.
"Hawke, Water Gun!" Hawke fires off a bullet of water at the other Zubat, as the other grunt has to focus all his attention on battling Chris. His Zubat takes a hard shot as it is completely unprepared, but stays in the battle.
"Don't let him push you around, Zubat. Use Bite!" The Zubat flies forth, and bites Hawke. Hawke shakes the damage off quickly, and sends the Zubat backwards with a toss.
"That the best you got?" Chris taunts the grunt, before issuing another command. "Hawke, Take Down!" Hawke charges forth with reckless abandon, and takes a bit of damage himself as he eliminates the Zubat from the battle.
The grunt lets out a sound of pure frustration. "You insolent..." He says, before activating another Poké Ball. "Go, Croagunk!" The grunt throws out a bipedal frog-like Pokémon, that looks to be a rather poisonous combatant. Despite that, something about the Pokémon's appearance makes Chris crack a smile. He quickly loses it though, as the grunt issues a command. "Croagunk, use Wake-up Slap!" His Croagunk gets right up in Hawke's face, and begins to slap him in the face, back and forth.
This ends up being a fatal mistake on the part of the grunt, and his hopes of defeating Chris however. With no time to retreat, Croagunk has to eat Chris's next command. "Hawke, use Mud Bomb!" Hawke creates a blob of hardened mud, and hits Croagunk point blank with it. Croagunk goes flying back, hitting the grunt right in the chest to knock them both out.
On Dawn's end, Chris looks in time to see a Stunky falling to the ground in defeat, Dawn's Gallade having toppled both of the other Grunt's Pokémon. "Done in by two rookies?! This ain't right!"
Chris puts a look on his face that instills pure terror in the conscious Galactic grunt. "Her Pokédex," He starts, as he walks his way over to the grunt. "Now!"
Completely afraid of Chris, the grunt nervously returns Dawn's Pokédex. As Chris and Dawn turn to walk away from them both, the grunt stammers to wake up his friend, and they both dash inside one of the warehouses. "What is the deal with those people?" Dawn says, having minimal exposure to Team Galactic to this point.
"I'm still trying to figure that one out." Chris admits, knowing that he still doesn't have the answers to that mystery.
"Why are they out in the streets of Veilstone City like they own the place?"
"I don't know. But," Chris pauses, looking just past all the warehouses, where he can see the ominous skyscraper he took a closer look at earlier in the day. "I got a hunch that the answers to that question are in that building."
Dawn pauses to take a look at the building herself, and then shakes her head. "Regardless, thank you Chris. I would've been lost without my Pokédex. I'm really determined to help Professor Rowan with his studies as much as I can."
"It's no problem, Dawn. Not at all."
"So, what's next for you?"
"Pastoria City. Unless you want me to help you train some more."
"No, I won't keep you. I'm gonna head back to the hotel." Dawn unlocks her Jeep with her keys, and climbs up inside. "Be careful, Chris. I'll see you again soon." She blows him a kiss, and Chris smiles at her. He watches her drive off into the distance, when he notices another car arriving right afterwards. None other than Looker steps out of the car, and somehow Chris isn't the least bit surprised.
"Chris Harper." The detective starts. "I should have known."
"Should've known what?"
"I had heard of reports of a Pokémon battle involving Team Galactic thugs. I take it you have beaten them, and chased them off already?"
"More like they retreated." Chris pauses, then points to the warehouse the two grunts ran into. "In there."
"Perhaps. Is it true that they attempted to steal the belongings of a young Pokémon trainer?"
"It is. A... friend of mine, named Dawn. We got it back from them, though."
"The scale of their criminality seems so minuscule, and yet... the triviality of their actions makes them more sinister." Looker then looks over to the warehouse, then back at Chris. "Mr. Harper, their warehouse needs investigation. Would you mind accompanying me inside?"
"Not at all. Lead the way." The two men step inside the warehouse together, and find precious little inside. There seems to be another room inside the warehouse, but it is blocked by a metal door.
"It seems that a key card is necessary for us to go on." Looker says, as he turns around to look at Chris. "For the time being, this investigation is at a standstill. We cannot give chase to those two hooligans."
"Damn." Chris says, as he has now reached a point where he wants answers just as much as Looker.
"Remain calm Chris. We may not learn very much for the time being, but it is of no consequence. I have in fact overheard something peculiar in the Game Corner. Team Galactic has transported a special package to Pastoria City. What they are up to, I do not know, but it is a lead nonetheless."
"Should I meet up with you in Pastoria City then?"
"I shall find you there. I assumed you had already earned the Veilstone Gym Badge, and would be riding to Pastoria next."
"That's the plan." Chris says, as the two men exit the warehouse.
"I have some further matters to attend to in Veilstone. I shall see you soon, Chris." Chris nods at Looker, as he kickstarts his Harley. "Oh, and Chris! The roads to Pastoria can be treacherous at times, depending on the weather. Be cautious." Chris nods his head at Looker, as he buckles the straps of his helmet. He then rides off towards the south exit of Veilstone, glad to finally leave the city once again, but also quietly suspecting that he will have to return in the near future.