- Ecruteak Gym -
Alexa returned to the pokemon center on four legs with flowers down her back. "I'm going to need another trainer card," she declared happily as she entered.
"Alexa?" William asked with clear confusion from just inside. "Why are you a quadruped?"
"Latest form, Florabedtor," she specified. "It is a bit awkward for moving around, but if the League wants people to be openly pokemon they have to deal with that kind too." It was a nice form, and while sticking that to the League wasn't the biggest reason for staying with it she still had to be honest about it.
"Can you at least use your forelimbs as arms?" William questioned with a sigh as he followed her to the desk and the uneasy looking Joy at it.
"Can't move while doing that, but can use them like that," Alexa admitted and smiled at the Joy to try and reassure the Nurse. It did not work for some reason.
"Too many teeth, Alexa," William sighed again, and for good reason. Alexa had in fact forgotten, or perhaps even not realized in the first place, that a crocodilian's teeth weren't exactly the kind of friendly smile humans wanted up close. At least ones that weren't on that human's team.
"Assistant Larch, are you planning on making more of these alternate forms during your visit?" Nurse Joy asked uneasily. "Because I would like to know ahead of time if I should be asking every unknown pokemon that comes in if they are you."
"I think we are probably done with making new ones for this visit," Alexa admitted, and cringed at how that also wasn't the best thing if she wanted to hide that she was Legendary.
"Professor's kids," the Joy muttered quietly, which was a bit reassuring actually, and then led her to the photo location again.
"So, success?" William asked a few minutes later as she inspected the new card and fumbled a bit to put it away.
"Hanako's Eeveelution is trying out a new Floreon form," Alexa confirmed. "I think we will check after our Gym battle to see if they want to keep it, and what we can do for that."
"Well, I was able to schedule some training areas next to the city we could use for the next three days," William informed her. "That was the most I wanted to go for since we don't know what Gym time slots are available yet. Suicune said something about how her father's team could help, but I think she didn't get that we already have basically League level teams."
"Mine probably isn't actual League level," Alexa admitted. "Well, maybe if we got really lucky with good type change tricks, but most of my pokemon are still new types." She thought for a moment about how much work they would need for a fifth Badge fight. "Let's see about what times we could try tomorrow."
The night wasn't bad to sleep through, Alexa considered, but the unique parts of being on all fours were much harder to miss after a night's sleep. Her team was put away for the moment to more easily get around, but it turned out to be much harder to get around without Charizard or the others to get doors for her. She had to shuffle into a spot that both would let her stand up to reach the door, but also wouldn't have her bulk in the way of the door when she did get it open, or lose her stance in the case of a door that opened outwards.
"Alexa?" William asked, and took a moment to look down at her. "Ah, so, you're sticking with that one today too?" he asked as she looked up at him. Everything but the floor itself seemed to be up from her new perspective, and everyone else was looking down a lot to see her face.
"Going to try," Alexa admitted, a bit more unsure but also more determined to see this perspective. "At a minimum I will get to tell someone how things work for trainers shaped like this."
The Center had the space to keep them there for the duration of their visit, which should be only a week or two. Alexa didn't think she would get to leave without talking to the other Legendary pokemon again. She had to get up on her hind legs to talk to the Nurse at the counter, and not all pokemon on all four legs could manage that.
The main door was much better, automatic with a wide entrance that was clearly made for pokemon to enter. It seemed to Alexa that it was just the trainer areas that were made with the assumption that any pokemon would have a human with them.
Suicune was just outside with a smug look that briefly vanished as the Water type noticed Alexa. "Alexa? Is that you?" the Legendary Beast questioned. "That is... well that is an impressive form."
Alexa had to look up at Suicune's head, and Suicune had to look down at Alexa's. "It is a new one. Bulky like a Lobasalt, but not as fluid as one of them," Alexa specified and started out towards the Gym.
"Is bulky good or bad?" William asked curiously, and Suicune looked down with interest too.
Which was hard to react to. "Um, why would that matter?" she asked, completely uncertain what they meant. Bulky did mean Alexa needed to watch out how she moved more, but it didn't feel any better or worse than thin like a Spectslurry. "Bulky is just bulky. I'm bigger so I need to be careful about that."
"That is a very shapeshifter attitude," Suicune commented thoughtfully.
"How about your day? Did your dad's team react well to Lugia?" Alexa tried to change topic.
"Oh it went interesting all right," Suicune said with a smug laugh. "They weren't too happy to meet Ash Ketchum, but I'll let Lugia tell you the rest himself."
"Alexa, this one is one I know of but does not exist yet," Morty noted as they arrived at the Gym the next morning, with her still in a Florabedtor form. "Although this might mean you just created it yourself."
"We're fairly sure I did," Alexa admitted, with a glance at Suicune. The Water typed Legendary had been smug since they met again at the pokemon center from how the meeting between Ho-Oh's team and Lugia had been so amusing. "The only record we've heard about so far is from the future, and apparently Bellossom's lizard form is just a kind of pokemon then too."
"Right, so you two are here to see about Gym battles?" Morty asked instead of continuing that topic. Alexa and William nodded in response. "Whitney called me and let me know that your Charizard also needs a team-less placement test, the higher end one. Does he want to do that before or after your battle?"
Charizard let himself out to answer. "What do I need to do for that? If it isn't too bad I'd like it done as soon as possible," he complained.
"More questions, this time with me asking you instead of having the time to write it down and think about it, and then you get another battle, but with eighth Badge level pokemon to see how you handle those," Morty answered. "I have time for that today if you think you're ready. Proper Gym matches will need to wait at least two days, but I should be able to book two slots anytime after that. Ecruteak doesn't get many trainers around this point in the League. Most skip it because Ghost types are worrying."
"Also because most trainers need to be reminded we have a Gym," Suicune added. "I think that new Fairy typed Gym between Olivine City and the National Park can claim that issue more easily, the one that's trying to get a route through there."
"Enough people go that way now to add one," Morty pointed out. "But back on topic, we have plenty of open slots here."
Alexa considered things while she waited for Charizard to decide on his Gym stuff. Her team wasn't doing too badly given the changes, but she still wanted to work on the new option they had worked on since the last Gym first. Ground and Grass type changes, if able to be used as moves, should give them some more advantages in some fights. Although she wasn't sure how their current Ground type Contagion worked for pokemon other than Spectslurry as a move.
"Today, this kind of test doesn't sound like the kind of thing you should get time to prepare for if it is that kind of trial," Charizard answered. "Might as well see what kind of trainer I am sooner than later."
"You are at least four Badge," Morty said immediately. "Because that was the first part of the test. I could have knocked you back down to three if you didn't realize that. The rest of the test would still happen, but you probably wouldn't get six and definitely not a special mention for higher."
"Great, that's just what I wanted," Charizard sighed. "Alright, apparently obvious stuff is part of the test."
"How does four days from now look?" William asked. "My team is solid enough, and I think I can get Wooper up for this one." Alexa and Charizard both looked at the Zoroark with a bit of confusion. "Just because I don't want to train her around your stuff doesn't mean I haven't been working with her. A lot lately to make up for the clay stuff not working on her. I'm a little worried she's closer to evolving than I would like, that can give a bit of a mental shift and she's still a bit young for that. I hope to wait for at least another Gym."
"Ok, so I'm entirely open for the next two weeks. I have nothing except for walk in battles until some planned early seventh Badge matches that might cancel," Morty clarified. "The next two days are technically my downtime, and the recent Legendary bird issue is probably going to take those up. We have nothing scheduled right now."
Alexa stared at him. "Okay, now I'm wondering what would happen if I did end up a Gym Leader," she said thoughtfully. "Because everyone has seemed really worried about the stuff I'm working with, despite the fact that I'm trying to be as safe as possible with it. I mean, there are a whole lot of permanent changes my dad has been looking into that I haven't even attempted."
"Alexa, I will say this as nicely as I can, but if you worry a Ghost type Gym Leader like you just did, then you are too worrying to be a Gym Leader," Morty said a step farther away from her.
"It isn't that scary, is it?" William asked slowly. "Because I kind of hope that I can still tell if it is that scary."
"I will admit the permanent stuff is scary," Alexa allowed, not upset with the reaction, but she shuffled a bit as she considered how it looked. She was admittedly in a brand new apparently Legendary form, a minor Legendary they had made themselves in just a couple of days of work. In fact when she considered it like that it kind of said everything about how major she was, as that was the kind of thing most Mew weren't supposed to be able to do.
"I think that kind of topic might worry a Ghost type Gym Leader more than other Leaders," Suicune argued with a long look at Alexa's current form. "Although I am curious why you didn't simply suggest one of the Grass type permanent ones, assuming that there are some for that type?"
"Just because Espeon thought she would like the Grass type more didn't mean she knew that she liked it better," Alexa specified and stood up. It was still a bit awkward, and she realized from her earlier conversations that Morty was quite a bit less massive than she currently was, but at least he wouldn't be looking as far down at her head. "Those can't be easily reversed, if they can be reversed at all. Until I can let someone take back that kind of change, or I know they would like the outcome, I am not going to change them like that."
"I'm going to be honest here, that is a bit scary too," Morty admitted. "That's more of a Professor thing." Which Alexa understood actually meant 'a Legendary thing' in this particular context.
"Can we stick around for Charizard's thing this time?" William asked. "I'm curious what this sort of placement testing is actually like. A few relatives have asked me questions over the phone about doing that instead of a proper League."
"If they have teams then they can just do the more typical placement tests instead," Morty noted, but with a nod as he led their group into the Gym. "Charizard here is a pokemon so that changes things a little. Getting a small team as a human is easier than even just identification as a pokemon."
"Oh, right you don't know I'm a Zoroark yet," William said after they all looked at the Gym Leader with confusion for a moment. "I am talking about my pokemon relatives."
"Right, okay. In that case this might be the better option, I'm going to need to ask around a bit more," the Ghost type Gym Leader sighed. "You can watch, but it probably isn't going to be interesting until the match."
The trip to the stands above an arena was easier than the trip from the trainer section of the pokemon center, but mostly because William went first. The path itself was fine, but help with doors was needed, and once they were up there the issue of how to sit arrived. There was a railing that Alexa could possibly lean against, and she doubted that a Gym wouldn't have one that supported her, but otherwise she would be practically against the floor. The chairs were made for at best smaller pokemon and humans, and while there were some open spaces she could fit the issue was just about anything in front of her would block her sight.
"Right, so to start things off," Morty said to her Starter. "There is a fire going on in a town you are at with a Grass type Gym. You have been lent two pure Grass type pokemon to help with the disaster. What do you have them do?"
"Do either of them know any Water or Ground typed moves?" Charizard asked to clarify.
"Normally I'd say you'd need to tell me how you would work that out, but in this case I guess you could just ask them that question," Morty replied after a moment of thought. "Neither of them know any moves of those types."
"Is the fire big enough that they need help putting it out, or do they just need rescue work?" her Starter asked next.
"It isn't that big yet, but you don't see many Water types present," the Gym Leader answered more quickly.
"In that case I use Soak on all three of us and give them a crash course in Water Gun," Charizard answered the original problem.
Morty was silent for a long time after that. "It seems I am going to need the Legendary variant on these questions after all," he finally admitted and left for a moment.
"So, how do pokemon shaped like this normally use these places?" Alexa decided to ask William while they waited. He had been a trainer for a long time.
"Honestly? Bigger pokemon usually don't get to go places smaller ones can," the Zoroark admitted. "I mean, are you planning on shopping like that?"
"Now I am," Alexa said as she considered that. "In fact I think I know just the pokemon to help me with this."
Charizard wasn't sure what the pokemon challenge would be after the questions were done. Some had been about supplies, others emergency situations like the fire they started with, and even a few about how he would use his Legendary abilities that were a bit too vague for his liking. The implication of being loaned Gym pokemon was that this would be a normal battle, but given the rest of this test he did not want to assume.
"This is Gengar and Dusknoir," Morty said and allowed two large Ghost pokemon to float over. "I want to see you work with them on a training match up, and then have a short battle afterwards between one of them and another of my eight Badge team."
Charizard took in the two pokemon. Gengar was a familiar purple ball of gas with arms and legs, and this example looked strong and felt capable. Dusknoir was a large black and gold pokemon with human like arms and a single eye. Dusknoir was also clearly the stronger of the two, but lacked something in their stance.
"Okay then, good to meet the both of you," Charizard said to them. "Let's start off with a bit of a move showcase." It took only a moment to set up a target in the arena, and to work out that Dusknoir was better at direct attacks. The issue was that Charizard didn't think Dusknoir had the skill for an actual fight. He just couldn't afford to test these two against each other to be sure with the way Ghosts were good against themselves.
"Are either of you interested in trying another type for a bit?" he asked them, interested himself in their response.
Dusknoir immediately shook their head in a clear 'no', and Gengar spent a moment to consider before giving a look to Morty. "An extra type, or a replacement?" the Ghost/Poison pokemon asked slowly, and Charizard smiled.
"I'm thinking the Fire type instead of Ghost. You'll probably end up a magma ball." Charizard had some of all the Contagions on hand, and that seemed the safest for the pokemon. "Up to you."
"I want to fight," Gengar declared strongly, which was again the right answer for Charizard.
"Another time maybe," Charizard agreed, while Dusknoir just seemed confused. "So, can I ask who I will be fighting?"
"Are you ready for the battle now?" Morty asked seriously, and Charizard nodded. There honestly wasn't much training he could do with two pokemon he would have for only a day, and these were supposedly eighth Badge pokemon. Any work he tried would be different than what they were used to, and only throw them off. "Well then, usually it is whoever was tired out more for you, and whoever wasn't for me, but you kind of worked them the same."
Charizard was willing to bet that if he had deliberately worked Gengar only a little bit harder then it would be the other way around. "You're the Gym Leader," he said aloud.
"You get Dusknoir then," Morty said, and Charizard expected that too so he just nodded again.
"Shadow Ball where I point," Charizard specified. It was Dusknoir's best for accuracy and speed, and with enough power that a few solid hits would be enough. Anything else the pokemon had been willing to show off was too slow for this sort of targeting, or too slow for what Gengar had shown.
He listened only partially to Morty's own orders to Gengar, just enough to have an idea on where to point, and quickly was able to get three of four attempts to hit the other pokemon. Not fast enough to stop Gengar from hitting Dusknoir with a half dozen smaller but better aimed attacks.
"I yield," Charizard declared after the sixth hit on his temporary pokemon. Dusknoir could probably handle more, but Gengar wouldn't be down in time.
"I've had a former top sixteen League trainer that didn't handle that as well," Morty seemed to complain. "Admittedly not a great one, and they were a few years out of practice. I'd have liked to see more work before the battle, and some of the questions didn't go great, but sixth with comment that you are probably over that limit is what I am going to put down for you. Personally I'd say seven Badge equivalent, but with some work needed to handle eight."
"Can I admit a part of me wanted less than that?" Charizard grumbled. "Still, not going to fake being worse. Anything special I need to know about this?"
"Not the first time I've had someone with the skill who didn't want to use it," Morty agreed. "As for requirements, just make sure you tell the Center wherever you go that you're there. An extra trainer can be important in an emergency." The Gym Leader then sighed. "Also I'd rather not find out what a Fire/Poison typed Gengar looks like, so I'm going to try to talk her out of that one."
"Had to see which of them would consider it, and how they both reacted. I made the offer so if she wants to try later I will let her, but it was my own little test of the situation," Charizard explained in case Morty had missed that.
"Alright," Morty sighed. "Actually, on that topic, do you guys have any use for some Spectral Mementos?" The question was partially directed to Alexa, who looked like she was a bit bored overall.
"Huh, I held off on those because they are a bit tricky to reverse, but we can solve that for ourselves," his trainer noted. "We could probably do something with them."
"Any particular reason you want to get rid of some?" Charizard questioned, although he would need to ask Alexa what they were later.
"An old house in Mahogany Town turned out to be haunted for a while, and they were found everywhere," Morty sighed. "Spectral Mementos are made when items get hit by enough Ghost typed energy that they could have come to life, but didn't manage it. We think that it was a group of Banette trying to make them deliberately. The old owner was from Hoenn and had a few of those living toy Ghosts there for a while. Normally my Gym would be a good containment place for that kind of thing, but I'm a bit nervous about these in particular since they arrived at the same time you did."
"I see," Charizard sighed, because if they were type change items then that timing might actually mean a whole lot.
[Author's Note]
Spectral Memento is from draconas on SV, and get some more use later. Ghost type is one of the better ones to face with other Ghost types after all.