Chapter 36: To the Mountain

Summary:

The group pays a brief visit to Oak's lab, and then, heads for Mt. Silver. Then, they start training for the League, with some help from a surprise addition.


When I opened my eyes, my vision flickered as though it was glitching. I covered my eyes for a moment, and blinked several times until it cleared up. Mewtwo was still snuggled up against me, sound asleep. Don't know why my vision glitched, but, I have a guess. Maybe it's just a leftover from Arceus breaking the System to bring me back.

I still haven't seen anything from it since then. But, at the very least, my portals n such still work. If I had to guess, Arceus breaking things has caused a critical error of some sort. I still have my powers and all, but the link is damaged. I'm not sure if a monitor is going to contact us, but that'll probably happen. Assuming anyone is paying attention to it, that is.

I gently slipped out of Mewtwo's arms, giving him a kiss on the forehead as I did, then I started on my morning stuff. Lights were on downstairs, so I know Lexie's up. She has likely gone out, already, which is just fine. Following the usual morning stuff, I went to the living room couch to sit down. I decided to turn the TV on, only to find that there wasn't really anything interesting. Well, apart from the news about what happened in Viridian City, yesterday.

I felt a pair of heavy, scaly arms wrap around me, then Kaorah's head settled on top of mine.

"So…did you have fun?" She asked.

"Last night? Yes, we did." I see no reason to try and hide it. Not that I really can, anyway. She can smell Mewtwo on me, easily. Despite the fact I'd just had a shower, a few minutes ago.

"Hah, I knew it. You owe me, ya know?" She wasn't mad, at all. In fact, she actually sounded happy. "I knew it was gonna happen eventually, question was when. Glad that you finally went for it, at least. Still, remember what I said about it, before."

"I know." I reached up and rubbed the top of her head. "Well, you'll get your show, one day. Even if I just have to do a memory share." I said.

"Oh, memory sharing is fine. Not like you haven't done it, before."

"Well, in that case, here." I channeled a little bit of magic for a memory share, then touched her head again. Kaorah's gaze became unfocused for a moment, then she sniffed, hard.

"Oh, that's…that's hot. Mmm~" She wiped her snout with an arm. "I'm gonna…need to take care of that."

"What? Nosebleed?" I didn't even know Pokemon could get one. Guess I was wrong on that, or it happened before and I don't remember.

"Uh-huh." I heard her walk away, at a quick pace. The others had slowly started to head into the room, not long after she returned. I felt the air shift from a teleport, then found Mewtwo's arms around me. He then kissed my right cheek, softly.

"You two must've had a good night." Melanie said.

"We did. Best night of my life, so far." Mewtwo said.

"It definitely seems like it. I don't believe you've ever been this happy." Solais commented. She'd hopped up onto the couch in order to lay next to me. Her head was in my lap, but she'd lifted it up when Mewtwo appeared. It didn't take much longer until Lexie returned from her run.

"Hey everyone, I don't believe we got to celebrate our win yesterday, like we normally do." I said. "Anyone wanna go out for breakfast?" Everyone agreed. We waited for Lexie to have a shower, then we headed out. Ash and the others caught up with us as we started to leave. He'd managed to win his own gym battle, which clears us both for the league.

They decided to get in on my idea of going out for breakfast. One of the Viridian restaurants was open early, so that's where we went to. The staff was surprised by how large the group was, but they still managed to accommodate all of us.

"So, kiddo, any plans for the League?" I asked Ash.

"Well, leading up to it, I'm gonna do what you plan to- train. Because, if things go well for us, we're gonna be finalists." He adjusted his hat, as Pikachu had accidentally knocked it aside with his tail as he hopped down to speak with the members of my team. Ash even let out his Pidgeotto, having caught on to how she and Evan seem to click. Granted, I may have also brought his attention to them, in the first place. I'm not sure he would've noticed, if I didn't say anything.

Normally, she doesn't evolve until the Orange Islands, if I remember right. But maybe, we can give her a push, and help her evolve early. Especially since it'll put her on…relatively even ground with Evan. She didn't have the same weight training as he did, after all.

"Good. My team and I are also gonna train. However, you and I, are not going to train together. Ruins any sort of surprise for the actual battle, after all." I said. "My team and I, we're going up Mt. Silver. We've just gotta check in with the Professor, first."

"Isn't Mt. Silver supposed to be really dangerous?" Misty asked.

"It is, so only the strongest trainers can go up the actual mountain. Of course, I'm sure that Zeryph is more than strong enough. He's definitely proven it." Brock said.

"If he's going up the mountain to train, his team is gonna be really tough for the tournament. I kinda feel bad for anyone he's facing." Ash said.

"If you do things right, your team is gonna be just as hard to deal with." I said. "Make sure you train as much as you can over the next couple months or so."

"Oh, I will, don't worry. I guess we'll see you for the tournament, then." Ash said.

"Better believe it, kiddo. Hope you'll put everything I've taught you to good use, too." Our conversation faded as breakfast was served. Following breakfast, we went our separate ways. For the next couple months, anyway. My team and I got together, then, Mewtwo teleported us to Pallet Town. We'd arrived just as Samuel was opening up the door to his lab.

"Good morning, Professor." I greeted him.

"Ah, Zeryph, good morning. I heard about the battle, yesterday. It was on the news, your team destroying a gym." He said.

"Well, it was mostly the leader's team that did the damage. A gym isn't meant to withstand three simultaneous uses of Earthquake, after all. I'm surprised other buildings didn't get damaged." I decided to not reveal Giovanni's name.

"Well, that's true, I suppose. It's fortunate, then, that Kaorah didn't take part. Else, it likely would've been more than the gym." Kaorah snorted when she heard that, and nodded. "So, what do you need today?" Samuel asked.

"Well, since we've got all the badges, we're going to start training for the League. Which brings me to what I'm here for. A pass for Mt. Silver." I said.

"Mt. Silver? Ah, I see. Normally, I wouldn't give away such a thing to just anyone. However, I can make an exception for certain individuals. Wait here, for a moment." Samuel unlocked his lab and headed inside. While we were waiting, Dialga appeared, in his human form.

"Zeryph, everyone, good morning." He greeted us.

"Hey Dialga. What do you need?" I asked.

"Just so you know, Giovanni has disbanded Team Rocket, as of last night." I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to hear that, but I still am. I didn't think he was going to, at all. "This, as you could guess, did not originally happen. To be honest, I didn't think it would, and neither did Celebi. However, this brings me to my next thing. The group; Jessie, James, and Meowth, have been asked to continue to challenge your team on occasion. I want them to be something for your team to properly test themselves against." Dialga said.

"Huh…all right, then. I guess, if it helps us get stronger going forward, then I see no reason why we can't go along with it." I said.

"I just ask that you not send them half-way across the world anymore." Dialga said to Mewtwo.

"No promises. They always seem to come back in a short time, anyway." Mewtwo said back.

"That is true. Even my brothers have been unable to figure out how. Our best guess is that they've gone and caught an Abra." Dialga said.

"Or, Hoopa is playing tricks." I said. Although, I'd think that if Hoopa is involved, then they'd know about it. Jessie, James, and Meowth would, I mean. As would everyone else who knows about Hoopa. Since, Hoopa's powers can get real dangerous.

"Hoopa hasn't been seen in quite some time, so I highly doubt it." Dialga said. He greeted Samuel with a brief handshake, when the professor returned with the mountain pass. "I must be going now. Sorry that I can't stay to talk, Samuel."

"No worries. I know how busy the Legendaries often are, especially you and your brothers. Have a nice day, Dialga." Samuel said.

"I can have a nice day whenever I'd like. Not that days really mean anything to me, anyway. I perceive time differently to how you do, after all. Zeryph, I'll see you on tournament day. I'll be looking forward to that battle." Dialga and I shook hands, then he disappeared the same way he arrived.

"You've certainly made an impression, haven't you?" Samuel asked, as he handed me the Silver pass.

"Seems like I'm not the only one. How often does he visit?" I asked.

"When he's able. Celebi recently started visiting again, too. I guess Dialga reminded her about my younger days. It's always nice, seeing an old friend again." Samuel said. "Well, good luck with your training, everyone. And, stay safe, Mt. Silver is known to be dangerous."

"Yeah, that's why we're going there to train. Hey, maybe we'll run into Lance." Not likely, since he's busy. Being Grand Champion, after all. Champion of two regions at once, Johto and Kanto. Just goes to show how well the two regions are connected. If the Maglev wasn't already proof enough.

"Maybe you will. Get going, and I'll see you on tournament day." Samuel said. "Be sure to visit your aunt, too. She'll want to know where you're going."

"We will. Take care, Professor." We headed for home, afterwards. I didn't even have to knock, as the door swung open before we got near it.

"Hey Zeryph." Delia said, without looking up from the stove. She was fixing her own breakfast. A bit late by now, but that's fine. All it means is that she woke up late.

"Hey auntie." I slipped my boots off at the door, and walked to the sofa to sit down. The others filed in behind me.

"Goodness, your team has really grown. Feels like just yesterday, you and Kaorah left with Ash to start your journey." Delia said. She stepped away from the stove, and Mr. Mime took over for her.

"Yeah, and in two months, he and I are gonna be opponents, for the first time ever." I said. "We're at eight badges now, so, we're gonna train for the league. Dunno what the kid's gonna do, but my team has figured out our strategy. We're going up to Mt. Silver." I said.

"Mt. Silver? Well, you'd better be careful, then." Delia said.

"We will. We can handle it, after all. I think Fuchsia is a good example of what my team can do, together." I said.

"Yes, well, still, Mt. Silver is much worse than disaster relief." Her eyes flicked over to Mr. Mime for a moment. Likely having a mental conversation. "It seems my breakfast is ready. Go on upstairs, and grab some of your winter stuff. You'll want it for the mountain." My aunt stood, and walked towards the kitchen in order to get her breakfast.

"Good idea. I'm gonna go get some climbing gear, too, just in case we need it." I'll pick it up at a Poke-mart on the way up to the mountain. "We're gonna get going, I'll see you for the tournament." I headed upstairs for what I needed to grab. Not much really, since I still have the gear from my team's endurance training. At the very least, Mt. Silver is going to be good preparation for Sinnoh, later on.

After we all said our farewells, Mewtwo teleported us again. We made a brief stop in Viridian City, so I could get the climbing gear. Then, we set out through the west gate. We were going to have to go through the Indigo Plaza to reach the path to the mountain.

Even from here, we can all see it. Looks smaller from further away, yet, bigger than it is in any of the games. And, at least, my team and I won't have to worry about Red, I think. If the System turns Mt. Silver into a dungeon area, it absolutely could pull him as a boss spawn. Not that I'd mind, anyway, since it gives us a proper challenge. And even if it doesn't, the Mountain is still gonna be tough for us.

Especially without other trainers challenging us as we traveled. Which, I never said anything about, but it's true. My team really hasn't been in quite as many battles as I'd thought we would. I'd say something about it being the way we travel, but honestly, I don't think that's it. Maybe it is, because I have so many heavy hitters. Not to mention the fact they're almost always out.

We got a few hours into our trip. It's almost noon, now. We got a little bit further, then, Mewtwo's eyes suddenly widened.

"Contacts, three, closing in very fast. They're coming straight at us. I'm not sure who, but they feel really, really strong." Mewtwo's warning was just barely before they appeared. Three of them, large Pokemon. I could feel the raw power they were putting off. The last time I felt anything this powerful, outside the Creation Trio and Arceus, was the Swords in Unova.

"Human!" The leader called. She stopped, just in front of me, her long purple mane and ribbon tails waving in a gentle breeze that never seemed to stop. Her brothers stopped behind her. "Finally, we've been waiting. Waiting for the day your team finally passed through that gate."

"Indeed. News has gotten around between all of the Legendaries, that there's been a change of plans. To meet the Chosen in person, it's truly an honor." Raikou said.

"Yes. Normally, we wouldn't leave Johto to seek someone out, but this is an exception. We wanted to meet you, ourselves." Entei said, and Suicune nodded, confirming what her brothers said.

"Alrighty. Well, we've got plenty of time to talk. Hey, everyone, settle down for a bit, take a rest." I said. "Lexie, would you please fix us some lunch?" I asked.

"Sure. Would you three like anything?" When the Beasts shook their heads, she set to work. "Well, lemme know if you change your minds." They might, actually, once their noses catch the scent.

I found a spot to sit down, and the Beasts sat across from me.

"So, you sought me out. Now what?" I asked.

"Hm, now that we've found you, I think it's only fair that we get a feel for your strength. For ourselves." Raikou said.

"Agreed. If it's not too much trouble, we would like to see what you can do." Suicune said.

"Sure. Maybe we can while we wait for lunch. I'll have Lexie make some extra food, cause we're gonna need it." The others agreed, as well. It's not every day some Legendaries personally challenge you, after all.

"This will be a three-on-three battle. You have a choice as to who you'll send." Suicune said. She and her brothers stood, backing away as I also got to my feet.

"Would it bother you if they fought at full power for this?" I asked.

"Not at all." Suicune's brothers agreed with her. My choice for this was a simple one. Kaorah, Mewtwo, and Melanie. They all shifted into a formation that would put Melanie in the back, since she's on support. Kaorah and Melanie each took an Empowerment Seed, then chomped them. At once, they both powered up into their Mega forms.

Then, Mewtwo channeled his own power and let it loose, powering up with a much larger burst of energy. His burst of power cracked the ground where he was standing.

"Showoff." Kaorah commented. We all shared a brief laugh, then focused. Cerise offered to act as a referee for the battle, since we didn't have anyone else to do it.

[BGM Suggestion]

[GlitchxCity]

[Legendary Beasts ]

Upon Cerise's signal to begin, Kaorah and Mewtwo dropped weights. Kaorah hit the ground, using Earthquake to kick up a dust cloud. Since Mewtwo could sense the Beasts, he didn't have to worry about being unable to see. There was another set of thumps, as Melanie also dropped weights. The first thing through the cloud was a huge burst of fire. Kaorah took the Sacred Fire head-on. She grunted, and her scales were singed, but she was otherwise unharmed.

Mewtwo and Melanie had both avoided it. Melanie then had to block an attack from Raikou, her Force Cloak nearly shattering under the impact, despite the boost from her Mega form. She blasted him back, and moved to put Mewtwo and Kaorah between them, once more.

As for Mewtwo, he intercepted one of Suicune's attacks with his arms, using his Psychic strength to reinforce them. He then shoved her back, following it up with a close-range Psystrike. Suicune slid backwards, then she and Entei switched spots. She then caught one of Kaorah's arms in her jaws, her fangs glowing an icy blue.

Kaorah winced, and shook her off with some help from Melanie. Suicune spat a small drop of blood from her mouth, her tongue had likely been injured by Kaorah's scales. Kaorah and Melanie switched spots, just before a powerful Thunder would've hit Melanie. Kaorah took the attack head on, charging through it unfazed. She brought her arms up in a large overhead swing, only for Raikou to avoid it.

Melanie seemed to do much better against Suicune, facing her from range rather than allowing her to get close. It wasn't easy, though, since the Beasts are, at least, on par with my team. Speed-wise, at the very least. They're definitely fast enough to keep up, and much more experienced. Their strategy always shifted to perfectly counter ours. And much like ourselves, they didn't need to speak out loud.

But they had another advantage, too. They're all Legendaries, and outnumber mine three to one. As a result, they were gaining ground from the moment the fight started. Their strategy shifted when they realized why Melanie was staying in the back. Suicune's brothers broke off from their engagements, and circled around her. Then at once, the three attacked her. Sacred Fire, Hydro Pump, and Zap Cannon.

Though Kaorah was fast enough to catch the Zap Cannon, there wasn't much Mewtwo could do to stop the other two attacks. Instead, he and Melanie swapped places, and he took both of them head on. He dropped to a knee afterwards, winded, and singed, but still able to fight on.

Suicune's tails began to wave, and icy blue light began to glow from her mouth. I felt the temperature begin to plummet. Kaorah decided to rush her, in order to stop her from getting it off. She wouldn't be fast enough, and took a full power Sheer Cold at point blank. She was thrown backwards, tumbling to a stop in her base form. The blast had knocked her out in a single hit.

Melanie's focus was taken off the battle, and her defenses faltered. This left her open to Zap Cannon, which she took the full force of. Her barrier shattered like glass, and she was also knocked out. Her nose began to bleed slightly from the backlash. I'll have to make sure she's OK, after this.

That leaves Mewtwo to face all three at once. He did the smart thing, shifting back to his base form and raising his hands in surrender.

"I yield. I might be strong, but I can't handle all of you at once." Mewtwo lowered his hands as soon as Cerise declared the battle had ended.

"You're all very strong, and you have excellent teamwork. However, you all could use much more, in the way of training." Suicune said. Her brothers gently shook Melanie and Kaorah until they woke up. Melanie's hands lit up with golden light, and she placed them against her head. Once she'd taken care of herself, she took care of everyone else.

"We were heading up to Mt. Silver to train, actually." I said.

"Ah, excellent. If it isn't too much trouble, I would like to join you for that." Suicune said.

"Sister? Are you sure?" Raikou asked.

"Yes, brother. However, Chosen, you will have to earn the right to have me on your team. I shall help you train, and if your team improves enough to beat me, then I shall join you. How long will you be training for?" Suicune walked up to me, then sat down. Even if she was, she and I were at eye level.

"Two months, for the Indigo League." I said.

"Perfect. That's more than enough time, then." Suicune said.

"We'll need to return to Johto and inform father of this." Entei said. "But for now, let's have lunch. I can smell it now. Seems like it's almost ready."

"Agreed. It smells delicious, whatever it is." Raikou said.

"Ah, you're all in for a treat, then. C'mon, I'll set us up a place to sit." Cerise helped me set the folded tables I kept in the cabin basement, in the base dimension. The Beasts were surprised when I pulled the portal open, and they watched as we brought the things we needed through. Once lunch was ready, I helped Lexie serve everyone.

Suicune and her brothers complemented her on her cooking, finding the food to be delicious. They enjoyed their lunch, and Suicune even helped to clean up, afterwards. She explained that if she was going along with us, she might as well help. I even offered to set her up a guest room in the base portal, for the time she was with us.

She accepted, though, stated that we didn't have to. After she and her brothers said their farewells, her brothers departed, heading back to Johto.

"Going to miss them, this will be the longest we've been separated, in a while anyway." Suicune said.

"Yeah, but Mt. Silver isn't far for them to travel to, either." I said.

"That's true. They can come and visit when they have time, then." Suicune stood and stretched her hind legs. "Hey, before we go, you and some of your team smell…very similar."

"I guess we would." We started to move on as I was talking. "Your guess is correct." I showed her the bite scar from Kaorah, and the claw scars from when Solais had a nightmare. "I'm mated with most of the ones you've met."

"I can tell. No worries, I've lived long enough to see plenty. And have heard of even more. You'll find that all of the other Legends will think similarly to myself. However, there haven't been any cases of a Legendary developing feelings for a human." Suicune said. "Well, save for one." She tapped Mewtwo's right arm with one of her tails. "This one, given enough time, will earn the right to be called a Legendary. He's not there yet, but, give it a few months, and he will be."

"He has a twin, too. We haven't seen her since our last encounter. No idea what she's up to." I said.

"She's probably exiled herself. I wonder if that Dragonite decided to stay with her, too." Mewtwo said.

"Maybe, if she wasn't controlling him." And if he did stay with her, maybe the two might end up together. Who knows? Well, other than those who can see the timelines.

As we walked, Suicune seemed quite interested in listening to what we all had to say. She was glad to listen to our story, so far. Even voicing her approval of our actions in Fuchsia. She wasn't as happy about our engagements with the Rockets, but ultimately understood why we did it. She was horrified by the shadow incident, yet, was glad to hear that Dialga had personally stepped in to help us.

The fusion encounter was what really caught her interest, as she'd never heard of such a thing before. I told her that we hadn't seen him since then, either. But, at the very least, had set him free. I do wonder how he's doing, on occasion. If he wants to stay in exile, then that's his choice.

As we kept walking, she continued to talk with the others. Mainly getting an idea for what training we've already done. She liked the idea of weight training, and even asked if I could get some for her and her brothers. I made a note to get some for the boys, the next time they visit. And I'll get Suicune her own, soon as I'm able to.

It was getting into the mid-afternoon as we reached what was the gate to Victory Road. The staff was momentarily stunned when they saw my team. I handed them the pass that Professor Oak gave me. Once they had checked it over and confirmed it, they opened the western gate, and wished us luck as we took our first steps onto Route 28, the road to the mountain.

The gate rolled shut behind us, cutting us off from the building. The terrain had gotten rough here, and the pathway was clearly neglected. A good indication that people rarely travel this path. Grass had begun to grow, up through the path, along with other plants. The local Pokemon didn't bother us any, likely because of how big our group was.

The route began to go uphill, the terrain getting rougher as we went. We could hear the wind, a breeze blowing down from the mountain, carrying a chill with it. Kaorah shuddered, growling lowly at the feeling of the cold air. The light in the sky began to grow dimmer as we continued. Our pace slowed by the terrain.

Eventually, we found some stairs, cut into the mountain. The light from the sun was almost gone by now, making it much harder for us to see as night fell upon us. Fortunately, we had one thing to help us. In the distance, although, not too far, the light from the sign for a Pokemon Center. This one was much smaller than the ones in the cities down below, but that's due to the low number of Trainers they get up here.

As we approached, the door slid open. The local Joy looked up from a book she was reading, and I saw her eyes light up.

"Visitors…thank goodness! You guys and gals have no idea how lonely it gets up here. Even with the Pokemon who help out." She slipped a bookmark into the pages, then closed what she was reading. I didn't get a look at the cover, so I can't say what it was. "I'll get you all rooms set up, right away. Two beds each, right?" She asked.

"Sure, works for me. Mind if we use the kitchen here? Saves me from having to unpack stuff." I said.

"Go right ahead. Normally, we can't do that, but…nobody really ever comes up here anyway, outside of occasional supply runs." Lexie went to find the kitchen, which…not exactly hard to do. The others went to find the rooms, taking the keys that Nurse Joy supplied us with. "How do you keep track of so many at once?" She asked me, when the others were out of earshot.

"We all live together. It's not just a thing where it's me on my own, with everyone else kept in a ball. In fact, nobody ever goes into one, outside certain situations." I said.

"Ah, right. Wait, I remember now. Yeah…that's right. Wasn't your team was the group in Fuchsia that took charge of the relief efforts?" She asked.

"We are. We came up to the mountain to train for the League, in two months." I said.

"So for two months, I don't have to be lonely. That's great, actually." Unlike the other nurses, she wasn't in uniform. Wearing a black long-sleeve and jeans, but I guess, that's really because she so rarely gets anyone, she doesn't really have to follow protocol. She also looks younger than the others we had met, too.

About an hour later, the scent of supper began to drift through the building. It wasn't long before the team had gathered for supper. Joy even decided to join us, since it smelled delicious. It's the first case of me learning one of the Joys' first names. Elizabeth, in this case, although, she'd said that she preferred Liz. I guess it's mainly because I'm the first human contact she's had in a while.

Liz found her food to be just as good as it smelled. Lexie had decided to make a meatloaf, and some mac and cheese to go along with it. Something more on the simple side of things, for her, but it was still good. Following supper, we all headed for the rooms we were given. Suicune had asked for the second bed in mine, since there were enough beds for everyone to have one.

Since it was her night, Solais got to snuggle up with me. Liz caught on pretty quick that I was closer with some of my team than normal trainers would be. However, she didn't seem to care, and was actually happy for us. Her reasoning for why she didn't see any issues, was that she'd moved from Unova once she was able to start working as a nurse. Getting assigned to Mt. Silver wasn't the luckiest thing, but she didn't mind.

In fact, she actually started to appreciate the peace and quiet. As opposed to the noisy city life she'd grown up with. When she got the offer to be reassigned, she chose to decline it. She said that she'd rather stay here instead, despite how lonely it gets.

When we all started to head to bed, she wished us all a good night, before going to close up. Since my team was the only one up here right now, she didn't have to keep the door unlocked, or be on standby in case of emergency. Unlike staying in the cities, the night here was totally silent.

Suicune was surprised about being allowed to use a bed, and found it to be much more comfortable, than however she'd usually sleep. Normally, I'd take everyone through a base portal, but we're fine to all use rooms here, due to the lack of visitors. Honestly, I'd be surprised if there was more than what seems to be a skeleton crew here.

Solais snuggled up against me, and nuzzled my left cheek, before laying her head on my chest. She was the first to fall asleep. It didn't take me long to doze off, either.


[Break]


I woke up to a soft knock on the door. I gently pushed Solais aside, and got up before stretching. I then walked to the door and unlocked it, before opening it.

"Hey. Sorry if I'm bothering you." Liz said softly.

"Nah, it's fine. You're only a couple minutes off of when Lexie normally wakes me up for morning exercise." I said. I stepped into the hall and closed the door. It wasn't long before Lexie also stepped out into the hallway.

"Hey Zeryph. Hey Liz." Lexie said. We all started to walk towards the foyer. "Is she an early riser?" I translated what Lexie said.

"I am, yeah. I'm also a light sleeper. In this line of work, though, you have to be." She said. When we got to the foyer, she sat down at the front desk. She was still in her sleep wear, pajama pants and a t-shirt. Hardly the sort of attire for nurse work, but I've already said why she's out of uniform. "Still, I'm real glad to have someone else here."

"I'm sure that you are." I said, then Lexie and I started our stretches.

"Mind if I join you for this?" Liz asked us.

"Go right ahead. If you feel like you can't keep up, you're free to drop out. Our workout generally gets intense, so it's harder on someone trying it for the first few times." I told her.

"That's fine. Nothing better to do than sit here and read all day, really." Liz got up, then joined us for our stretches. Then, she unlocked the door so we could go outside to run. The air was colder here, being a mountain, but not enough to really be a problem. I'd say low to mid sixties. Which is just fine for us.

Since we weren't going up the mountain in the base portal, the run wasn't as hard on myself or Lexie, but it was still hard on Liz. She started to slow down after the first twenty minutes, and stopped. Breathing hard and legs aching, she chose to sit down outside the center and watch us.

I gave her a bottle of water, of course. She thanked me, then took a long drink from the bottle. It took Lexie and I another ninety minutes before we were done. Liz was stunned into silence for a moment when I'd said we were both carrying several tons of weight from the bands. Even though they didn't look like it.

We all went for showers when we were done with the workout, then Lexie and I went to start on breakfast. I asked Liz to wake everyone up, which she didn't mind doing.

"Ya know, Zeryph? I think she likes you." Lexie said.

"Huh? What makes you say that?" I asked her.

"Ah, just the way she acts. Probably just from the fact that she rarely sees anyone up here." Lexie started to turn on the heat for the stove, and began preparing to make some omelets. I would be taking care of helping her with what she needed while she was busy, as always.

"Well, wouldn't it be the biggest surprise if I got a human girlfriend?" I asked.

"Heh, yeah, I guess it kinda would. You seem like you're more into Pokemon, anyway. Like me." Lexie gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Now then, let's make some breakfast." We got to work, fixing each plate to match everyone's preferences. I had to ask Suicune and Liz what they'd want, as we didn't know theirs.

The Pokemon who staffed this place along with Liz, even joined in to help us out. They were just her personal team, rather than the usual Pokemon who staff these places. Lexie decided to make some extra for all of them, too.

"I'll keep the lights on, in case a storm rolls in or you're all out late." Liz told us, after breakfast, as we were on the way out. "Just be careful, the cave closer to the center is on the safer side, but it gets real dangerous as you head up. Pay attention to the signs, and stay out of the avalanche zones." She gave us a map for the mountain area, which is going to really help out. "If you and your team get trapped up there, hit this. It'll let us know so we can come get you." She'd also given us a small signal button.

"Thanks, Liz. We'll see you later, probably toward sunset." I said, as we headed out. Suicune took the lead as we walked to the cavern entrance, and we all stepped through. The first thing to do was to help her get fitted with weights, one band for each of her legs. Then, much like the others, I steadily turned them up until it was hard for her to move, but not impossible, or unpleasant.

"We're just going to do weight exercises for the first few days, with some light sparring, then we'll get into the proper battle training." I said. Once we all stretched, I went around to everyone, turning up their weights much more than the usual adjustment. We were all weighted down by this, slowing us all down, greatly. Since Lexie and I had our morning stuff as well, we were already warmed up. More than the rest were, anyway.

"Alrighty, guys n gals, here's what we're gonna do. We're starting with a light jog around this section of the cave first, then we'll do some different exercises, before we do another jog. We'll stop for lunch, then repeat until it's time to call it a day." I said. When you're all ready, let's get going.

Suicune actually fell behind early on, not used to the weights like the rest of us, but it didn't take her long to catch up. Since he preferred to fly rather than run, Evan was allowed to use his wings. He was also allowed to take a different path from the rest of us, to maximize his flight area.

Because we had such a large group, the local Pokemon didn't dare to bother us. It also helps that everyone is very strong by now. Not to mention the fact that Mewtwo and Suicune are here. Eventually, we stopped for a lunch break. Nobody on the team was winded, though we did work up a sweat. Suicune's breathing had gotten heavier, but she didn't seem tired. Her typing probably helps her keep cool, which is a major advantage.

Lexie and I made some light sandwiches. Good enough for lunch, but not heavy enough to be a problem once we continue our workout. The pools here would make for good resistance training too, if we weren't already doing weights. The water's also too cold to really swim in. Lexie said as much when she and I started to clean up after lunch.

With lunch out of the way, it was back to the workout. Stopping for a break was necessary, and it definitely helped. Our workout continued through the rest of the day, into the early evening. Suicune had been the first to slow down, and eventually stop. She flopped over on her side, exhausted. That's when I decided to call an end for the day.

"How do you all do it, so easily?" She asked me as I walked over, to make sure she was OK.

"We've been doing stuff like this pretty much every day, even if it's not as intense. We wear these weights at all times, save for in bed at night, or in battle." I said. "We carry several tons, each, every single day."

"My goodness. Well, when we're done in a couple months, you're all gonna be monsters." I helped her to stand up, and let her lean on me for support. "I need some rest. It feels like my legs are on fire. Ironic, considering the fact that I'm a Water-Type."

"All right, everyone, back to the Center we go. Get cleaned up, then meet in the dining room for supper." We all started to head back. My team and I were tired, but not nearly as exhausted as Suicune was.

"Hey, you should give her one of your massages." Kaorah spoke up. "Suicune, I mean. She looks like she could use one."

"That's up to her if she wants one." I said.

"Massage? I…can't say I've ever had one." Suicune seemed interested. I'm not surprised she hasn't, either, since she and her brothers haven't been part of a team with a trainer before. That I know of, anyway.

"You should get one, then. They feel amazing." Melanie said.

"I have to agree with them. Zeryph really knows how to use his hands." Lexie said.

"Oh…yes he does." That was Kaorah. "And those fingers, too. Absolutely wonderful."

"Hm…all right. I'll get a massage then. I trust that you'll mind where your hands go." Suicune said.

"I won't touch anywhere you don't want me to." I said.

"Girl, you're in for a treat. I'll still start on supper, and we'll run it up to you if you're not done by the time it's ready." Lexie said. When we got back to the Pokemon Center, Liz welcomed us back. She was a little concerned for Suicune, but understood it was just fatigue and soreness.

After we all cleaned up, I stepped into my room. I was already back into my sleep clothes, since there wasn't anymore to do for today. Suicune had made herself comfortable, laying so that she could stretch her legs out. She rolled onto her belly when I stepped out of the bathroom.

I went for my bag, and grabbed the bottle I use for massages. I popped it open and squeezed some of the oil onto my hands, then rubbed them together as I walked toward the bed where Suicune was.

"Ready?"

"I suppose. Just remember to mind where your hands go." Suicune said. I got onto the bed and sat on my knees, then I put my hands on her front shoulders, at the base of her neck. I set to work, with more pressure than I would normally use, because of how tough her muscles are. Her response was a low, quiet moan, and she leaned up against my hands.

I went around the sides of her neck, focusing more on her legs as they were the main target. Her fur is incredibly soft, maybe softer than what Lexie and Solais have. And her muscles feel tougher than what Kaorah has. It makes sense, considering how powerful she is, but still.

"Feels nice, doesn't it?" I asked quietly. I felt her shift so that I could work on her front legs, properly.

"Ohh…yes, it does. This is wonderful…and you just started, too. I don't know how I've gone so long without such an experience." I felt her tails wrap around my wrists, and move my hands to her sides, just behind her shoulders. "If this is what I can expect after training, you might just earn your reward, earlier."

"I feel like it's better if we get you on the team, by winning that right in battle. People wouldn't really believe me if I said I got you because of a massage, instead of winning a battle." I said.

"Hm, yes, you're right." I shifted up from her sides to her back, and began to work down the length of her body. "I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to do a side job as a masseuse. If you're this good, you could make a fair bit off of it."

"Maybe, but I think it's better to keep it as a thing specially for my team." I hit a spot along her sides that caused her to gasp. Must be sensitive along her sides, going off of that reaction. She didn't pull away, at least, so it's clear she doesn't mind it. It's when my fingers began to brush against her hind legs, that she actually moved in any way.

"Keep your hands on the outside of my thighs, please, and to the front. And, I'd better not catch you peeking, either." I wasn't bothered by the light teasing.

"Ah, no worries. I know how to keep things professional." It didn't take me too long to finish with her hind legs, then I shifted back up to her front legs, in order to finish what I hadn't gotten earlier. Once I was done with that, I got off the bed to go and wash my hands, while Suicune stood and stretched.

"I feel much better, thank you." I heard the thump from her hopping down. "Now, I believe we should go and get something to eat." Two growls met our ears, and we shared a short laugh.

"Yeah, let's go get some food." I cut the water off and dried my hands, then we went to walk to the dining area. Following supper, we all turned in for the night. Tomorrow- another day of training.