《Into the Unown (Pokemon Fanfiction OC)》 Chapter 1 ¡°Please, you have to save her! My baby!¡± Miles woke up to the hysterical cries of a woman. His vision was blurry and body lethargic. He tried to turn his head towards the source of the commotion, but Miles might as well be encased in lead with how unresponsive his body was. ¡°Am I¡­ dying?¡± He thought. The last thing he remembered was a flash of light and the loud honking of a truck. Then it was just pain, a whole load of excruciating pain until his mind fell into the void. ¡°Chansey!¡± cried an incredibly chipper but determined voice. Followed by the steady voice of another woman. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best, ma¡¯am. But please, you have to leave the room to allow us the space to work.¡± ¡°Chansey? Isn¡¯t that the name of a Pokemon?¡± Miles strained to force his eyes open, his curiosity getting the better of him. His exertion was accompanied by the increasingly distressed beeping of a machine. ¡°The patient¡¯s beginning to wake,¡± said the second woman, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°Hurry, Chansey! Put her back to sleep.¡± The last thing Miles remembered before he lost consciousness again was hurried footsteps, a round, pink silhouette looking over him, and a soothing melody lulling him back to sleep. *** When Miles woke up next, he found himself in a space enclosed by glass. He tried looking around, but found it incredibly hard to move his head. He then pushed down on the soft bed to try and prop himself up, but was lacking in strength. ¡°Why are my hands so small?¡± He wondered, as he raised his hands up towards his face. ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± A loud voice exclaimed to Miles¡¯s side. ¡°Quick, call somebody over!¡± Miles forced himself to turn, and saw a disheveled looking woman on the other side of his glass confinement. The woman¡¯s eyes were puffy and red, looking like she had spent an entire day crying. To her side was a stoic looking man, one arm around her shoulders. But despite his calmer demeanor, Miles could make out the red veins in his eyes. The man was clearly equally as upset, but chose to hold it in for the sake of his partner. ¡°Nina, my baby girl¡­ Thank Arceus for their mercy.¡± Miles was taken aback by the woman praying to a Pokemon of all things. ¡°Did grief scramble her brains or something? Also, who¡¯s Nina?¡± As he opened his mouth to speak, Miles found that he was barely capable of making cooing noises. It also did not help that his throat felt like sandpaper. ¡°Wait¡­ Am I Nina? Did my soul possess a freaking baby or something?!¡± Miles was starting to panic, and that panic translated into the distressed cries of a child. The woman, presumably Nina¡¯s mother, started panicking alongside her child. She urged her husband to go seek help, practically pushing the poor man out the door. ¡°It¡¯s ok, baby girl. Mommy¡¯s right here. You¡¯ll be alright¡­ Everything will be alright. Daddy¡¯ll be back with help soon.¡± assured the woman. She tried to reach out to hold her child but was foiled by the glass case in her way. The woman frowned, and decided to start singing a lullaby instead. The soothing voice of Miles¡¯s apparent mother helped to relieve some of his distress. Somewhere deep inside of him, he recognised the song and her voice. Most likely, residual memories of his new body. ¡°Oh god¡­ Did I kill an infant?¡± Any thoughts about his newfound circumstances were completely overwritten by the realization that he might have potentially displaced the life of another human being. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The cries of the baby stopped as Miles took on a more somber mood. Not long after, a woman with pink hair in a nurse¡¯s attire accompanied by Chansey, the Pokemon, entered the room. ¡°I wasn¡¯t dreaming. That really was a freaking Chansey!¡± Miles stared in wide eyed amazement at the cheerful pink blob bouncing around with its little fins beside the nurse. He was so enamored that he continued staring even as the nurse opened the glass case and began examining his body. ¡°Good news, Mrs Jones. Rest assured that Nina is in good health and will likely make full recovery over the next week or so.¡± The nurse said, at the conclusion of her exam. Overwhelmed by relief, the woman named Mrs Jones, threw herself into her husband¡¯s embrace and began sobbing. In return, her husband held her tight, gently caressing his wife¡¯s back. His eyes also began to water as tears trickled out. Miles was in utter confusion. Somehow he had died and was reincarnated in a world where Pokemon existed. He had no idea what was going on, but it was a relief to know that his new parents were loving people. *** ¡°Pika. Pika Pi!¡± ¡°To think the day would come where I get to interact with an honest to goodness, real life Pikachu!¡± Miles thought, or rather, he should really start identifying as Nina instead. And for that matter, come to terms with his new gender as well. Pikachu was the Pokemon belonging to Nina¡¯s father. The iconic electric mouse wasn¡¯t a trained battler like the anime, but more of a domestic pet who kept Nina¡¯s housewife mother company while her husband was at work. Miles, now Nina, spent the last few days trying to come to terms with his new life. He still hadn¡¯t gotten over the fact that he might have somehow stolen the body of a two year old child, but ultimately decided to set such morbid thoughts aside in favor of trying to learn more about this strange new world. ¡°Pi..kachu!¡± The baby stuttered, much to the amusement of the yellow mouse. Miles actually found it a fair bit difficult to do much in this new body of his. It felt like he was piloting an extremely janky and sophisticated piece of equipment, needing to expend a lot of effort and willpower just to do the simplest of movements and sound out even the simplest of syllables as opposed to just naturally ¡®moving¡¯ and ¡®speaking¡¯. Everything just felt wrong, like his arms weren¡¯t as lithe as he wanted them to be, and his larynx was too underdeveloped than what he was used to. It was like going from driving auto to driving a car with a manual gearbox. Nina¡¯s mother was understandably filled with worry about her daughter¡¯s lack of activity. But the medical team merely chalked it up to being a side effect of Nina¡¯s recovery and stated that her daughter''s condition will pass with time, since there were no issues with their scans and examinations so far. Pikachu leaned close to her trainer¡¯s child and began nuzzling Nina with her cheek, eliciting giggles from the babe due to how tingly she felt. Pikachu was an Electric type after all. ¡°Pikachu, no!¡± scolded Nina¡¯s mother. ¡°No sparkles until Nina gets discharged. We don¡¯t want to risk any complications during her recovery now do we?¡± Pikachu wilted at her admonishment, much to Nina¡¯s disappointment. If there was anything that Nina learned since her awakening, it was that Leanette Jones, her new mother, was incredibly overbearing. There were times where Nurse Joy had to practically drag her out of the hospital because she had overstayed past visiting hours. Not to mention how neurotic she could get with Nina¡¯s care, almost coming to blows with one of the nurses at some point. Nina sighed at her mother¡¯s quirks, desperately hoping that this was just a temporary phase, and that the woman would calm down once her child recovers. Speaking of, Nina still hadn¡¯t learned what happened to her to warrant intensive care. The adults around her were very careful not to discuss any details in her presence. All she knew was that it was some sort of incident related to wild Pokemon. ¡°Knock, knock¡­ It¡¯s feeding time, Nina.¡± A nurse entered the room with a tray in hand. It was time for Nina¡¯s favorite part of her stay in the hospital. Nina was only fed Miltank milk during the first couple of days, which by the way, tasted like regular milk but pinkish in hue. But once the doctors determined that It was safe for Nina to consume solids, they began feeding her Chansey eggs instead to aid in her recovery. Chansey¡¯s eggs were unlike anything that Nina had ever tasted before. She knew from her past life playing the Pokemon games that Chansey¡¯s eggs were high in nutritional value and were beneficial for restoring health. But none of the in-game Pokedex entries mentioned how heavenly it tasted. The eggs had just the right amount of sweetness and savouriness and it was the most delicious thing that Nina had ever eaten in all of her two lives. One of the nurses mentioned at some point that the flavor of Chansey¡¯s egg changes depending on who¡¯s consuming it to perfectly fit their palate. It was pure magic, and had Nina not tasted it herself, she wouldn¡¯t have believed that such a thing even existed. Leanette held her daughter while the nurse sat adjacent to her with a plastic spoon to feed Nina the mashed up eggs. Meanwhile, Nina tried her best to avoid spilling any of the pokemon equivalent of ambrosia, taking her time to savor the delectable flavors dancing on her tongue. ¡°Maybe getting hit by a wayward truck was the best thing to happen to me after all¡­¡± Nina mused. *** Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight beyond the tram carriage. It turns out that she had been reincarnated in Cerulean City, one of the larger cities in the Kanto region, best known as where Misty¡¯s Gym was located. But unlike how it was depicted in the games or the anime, the Cerulean City before her eyes was a bonafide metropolis, with towering skyscrapers and futuristic looking architecture. She knew that the Pokemon world was quite advanced in terms of its development, but never in Nina¡¯s wildest imagination would she picture something like this. Unlike her previous life, where cities were just tightly packed concrete and steel. Buildings in this new world were individually distinct, favoring elegant curves and eccentric shapes. Their unnaturally white and polished material glistened in the sun. Interspersed throughout the urban landscape was an abundance of nature; trees, bushes, waterways, and even rooftop gardens can be seen on most buildings. Overall, the city felt organic, and vibrant with life. ¡°Welcome home!¡± Leanette exclaimed. The Jones family lived in a quaint little apartment near the northern side of the city. The space had a cozy lived-in feel; framed pictures of her family decorated the shelves, and an open partition separated the kitchen from the living room containing a TV and a couple of simple looking sofas. ¡°Pika pi.¡± Pikachu jumped off Patrick Jones¡¯s shoulder and ran off to a worn down looking bean bag by the corner, diving into its embrace and snuggling up to it, looking comfy and content. Nina¡¯s new father had taken the day off from work to pick her up from the hospital. She had only known him for a week, but his calming presence, juxtaposed to Leanette¡¯s anxiety riddled self, served as an invaluable bulwark for Nina. She could not even begin to express how much she appreciated Patrick. If Nina had her way, she would be crawling all around her new home to explore the space, maybe even spend some time playing with Pikachu. But instead, she was helplessly carried into a colorfully decorated baby room and confined behind a crib, much to Nina¡¯s chagrin. ¡°I swear, once I grow up, I¡¯m gonna go on a journey and explore the world with my Pokemon. And there¡¯s nothing that Leanette can do to stop me.¡± After steeling her resolve, Nina succumbed to the drowsiness that is so common among children her age, and drifted off into sleep. *** Author''s note: Welcome to my story. As mentioned in my summary, this was originally a story that I had published on Royal Road. But I''ve been told repeatedly by my peers that I should upload elsewhere as well as a contingency since the mods there can be very fickle when it comes to fanfiction. So for all my returning readers, it''s good to see you again. And for any new readers, thanks for joining me on this journey. You can also get 10 advanced chapters as well as exclusive short stories in my Patreon for those who are so inclined. If not, no worries. It''s just an optional sneak peak since I tend to go back and edit my advanced chapters a fair bit. Chapter 2 ¡°Here in Rainbow Ranch, all prospective trainers are extensively vetted through a series of strict interviews and tests before being allowed to adopt an Eevee. This is to ensure that our darlings are entrusted to individuals with the right mindset and know-how to aid in reaching their full potential, and ensure the happiest of lives.¡± said the rotund, matronly looking woman on the TV. Nina had her eyes glued to the screen, much to her mother¡¯s disapproval. She was currently immersed in a documentary about a specialist Eevee breeder. All the while, her chubby hand held a crayon and was scribbling down notes on a sheet of paper. Writing with crayons was difficult, especially since her hands have yet to develop their full dexterity at five years old. It didn¡¯t help that Leanette refused to give Nina a pencil for fear that her daughter might accidentally impale herself. ¡°One of the biggest mistakes that a trainer could make is adopting an Eevee that is not in tune with their ideals. Just because there are eight Evolution paths available to an Eevee, doesn¡¯t mean that a trainer could just evolve their Eevee into whatever they want. Pokemon have a right to decide on their Evolution too, you know?¡± At this point, it was clear to Nina that this was a topic near and dear to the breeder¡¯s heart, because she became increasingly more animated and the volume of her voice went up a notch. ¡°An Eevee who is unwilling to evolve into a certain form would not do so even if you shove an Evolution Stone down their throat. They simply would refuse to absorb the Type Energy contained within the stone.¡± This was fascinating to Nina because it differed from how evolution stones were depicted in the anime. It was another one of those surprisingly grounded aspects about this new world. Unlike the games or anime where some things were without rhyme or reason, there was actual underlying logic to a lot of the magical phenomena which naturally occur in this world. A scientist from her old world might have an aneurysm from how impossible some of this world¡¯s workings are. But a native born and raised here would find nothing wrong, because they¡¯re already accustomed to the laws which govern this world. Much like how most people in her old world would not think to question the laws of physics. ¡°Evolution anxiety is a very real phenomenon. Why else would you think there are so little Arcanines and Ninetales in the world? Growlithes and Vulpixes are not rare by any means, and if it were as simple as just exposing them to a Fire Stone, then everyone would have done so already.¡± The breeder concluded, just to really hammer home her point. ¡°Pika?¡± Pikachu poked her head over Nina¡¯s chicken scratchings, trying and failing to make sense of what she¡¯s written down. Nina giggled at Pikachu¡¯s confusion, pulling the Pokemon towards her for cuddles. The electric mouse gladly conceded, cozying up to Nina and rubbing her fur against the child. A tingling sensation of static build-up could be felt from where the two made contact, intensifying Nina¡¯s giggles. ¡°How long have you been with dad, Pikachu?¡± ¡°Pika?¡± Pikachu tilted her head, as if pondering the question. ¡°Dad said he got you as a teen, and he¡¯s about thirty years old now.¡± Nina made some quick calculations in her head. ¡°So close to fourteen, fifteen years maybe?¡± ¡°Pika pi¡­¡± Pikachu jiggled her head back and forth. ¡°In all that time, did you not think to evolve? I know dad isn¡¯t a professional trainer or anything, but surely there was a point where you could have?¡± Pikachu tilted her head in contemplation, but ultimately gave a resolute shake to indicate denial. Nina chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re happier as a Pikachu, huh?¡± ¡°Pika!¡± Nina breathed in Pikachu¡¯s fluff. ¡°Yeah, if you were a Raichu, you¡¯d be too big for us to cuddle like this. Or maybe you can, but I¡¯d be the one being cuddled.¡± ¡°Nina, go to sleep. You¡¯ve got school tomorrow,¡± urged her mother. ¡°Kay, mom¡­¡± Nina responded. Her tone was filled with reluctance to part with the TV, but she recognised that she had an early day tomorrow. It was going to be her first day at school, and truthfully, she was feeling too nervous to sleep. A ridiculous notion given that she had already achieved adulthood in her past life. Schooling worked very differently in the Pokemon world. Children skipped kindergarten and started to attend elementary school at five years of age. At ten, Nina would have four choices; general schooling, vocational school, trainer school, or venture out on a journey like Ash Ketchum. Nina had already made up her mind to attend trainer school. The issue was trying to convince her overbearing mother to let her go. Which was why she was studying at such a young age, in hopes of getting a scholarship from a school or a sponsorship from a Pokemon Professor. With those in hand, even if her mother objects to it, her pragmatic father would certainly support her decision. While her mother wasn¡¯t looking, Nina would often sneakily access her Pokegear. But unlike other children who simply did it to play games, she would browse the internet, looking up educational information on Pokemon and this exciting new world she found herself in. ¡°Can I sleep with Pikachu tonight?¡± Nina asked, as she tried to do her best impression of the move Baby-Doll Eyes. Pikachu also joined in on her pleading, the two combined their efforts in an attempt to persuade Leanette. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The woman in question sighed. ¡°Nina, you know how I feel about that.¡± ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep tonight. I¡¯m too nervous about school.¡± Leanette¡¯s expression softened at Nina¡¯s childish anxieties. ¡°Then how about you come sleep with mommy and daddy tonight?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna, daddy snores!¡± Leanette broke out laughing, a rare sight in the Jones household. ¡°Okay, fine. But if you wet yourself because Pikachu shocked you over the night, then I¡¯m making you clean your own sheets.¡± Nina pouted. ¡°Not gonna happen, mom. I haven¡¯t wet myself in ages.¡± In truth, as a former adult, Nina was embarrassed that she had wet herself at all. Being back in a child¡¯s body was inconvenient in more ways than one. Though it did have its perks, a mature mindset combined with the boosted learning capacity of a developing brain was a fearsome combination. In addition, the lack of any real responsibilities was also nice, allowing her to really make the most of her childhood years. ¡°Come on Pikachu, let¡¯s go to bed.¡± ¡°Pika!¡± cried the jovial mouse. Pikachu loved cuddles, it was the reason why she was so attached to that old beanbag of hers. Ever since Patrick got married, there hadn¡¯t been many opportunities for them to cuddle like they used to. Nina turned off the lights in her room and jumped into bed with Pikachu. That night she dreamt of soaring the skies on the back of a giant bird Pokemon, off on an adventure to explore the greater world. *** ¡°Do you have your handkerchief with you?¡± ¡°Yes, mom¡­¡± ¡°What about your water bottle? Do you have it, is it filled up properly?¡± Leanette hounded, as she turned her daughter every which way to check on her. Nina was about to die of embarrassment. ¡°For the infineth time, mom¡­ Yes, I have my water bottle and yes, it''s filled. Even if it isn¡¯t, surely there are water fountains in the school I can use.¡± Leanette frowned. ¡°Melina Anabeth Jones, don¡¯t you dare take that tone with me.¡± Nina groaned. ¡°Look, mom. I¡¯m fine. Can you please just let me go already? Class is about to start,¡± she pleaded. To be fair, Nina¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t unique. There were other helicopter parents hovering around their respective children at the school gates as well. But Nina was indignant all the same. Leanette never really got over the trauma of nearly losing her daughter a few years back. And there were times where Nina felt like her mother¡¯s condition was getting worse. It didn¡¯t help that everyone refused to tell her what had happened, so there was nothing she could do about it. It took some effort, but Leanette finally relented and allowed Nina to enter the confines of her new school. Nina relaxed, letting loose a tense breath she didn¡¯t even know she was holding. Finally, she was allowed to roam free from the influence of her mother. In the three years since she awoke in this world, there had barely been a moment where she was without Leanette hovering nearby. While some kids would have been left alone to mingle when their parents brought them to the park, Leanette Jones would watch over her daughter like a Kangaskhan, not even allowing other children to get anywhere close to Nina for fear that they might be carrying nasty diseases or bully her daughter in some way. It was a good thing that Nina had already developed a full set of social skills in her past life. Otherwise, she could easily see herself growing up as an emotionally stunted individual. The first thing that Nina did was head towards the school¡¯s supply store. All so that she could buy herself some basic stationary. It sounded ridiculous, but Leanette Jones had forbidden her daughter to even own a ruler for fear that she might harm herself with it. Even Patrick Jones was exasperated with this particular bout of paranoia from his wife. Nina refused to suffer the indignation of attending class with only a box full of crayons. Something her father wholeheartedly agreed with. Which was why she was extremely thankful that Patrick had sneakily given her a debit card to his own personal account. There was a monthly limit to how much Nina would be able to spend using the card, which inadvertently served to function as an allowance of sorts. But it was a generous limit to serve as a contingency against whatever delusions her mother might dream up next. This also meant that Nina was now able to save up some money for whatever future spendings she might have. The account was her father¡¯s after all, and it would be a waste not to withdraw the full amount that she was allotted each month. Nina had already prepared an inconspicuous little container for the express purpose of hiding her excess allowance. By the time that she reached her assigned class, she was cutting it extremely close, and all the good seats had already been taken. Leaving only the one seat that was front and center, directly facing the teacher¡¯s podium. Nina groaned and accepted her fate. If she had her way, she would prefer to sit near the middle of the class slightly towards the side. But alas. Her class was a lot smaller than what she was used to back in her past life. She counted only about twenty students including herself. In hindsight, it sort of made sense. Overpopulation was not really a thing here in the Pokemon world, and the school she was admitted into mainly catered to her specific neighborhood. In a way, this was unfortunate. Because it meant that most of the kids in her class already knew each other, having previously mingled in the local park or other community events. Nina was unintentionally ostracized as a result of her sheltered upbringing. It could not be helped, and Nina wasn¡¯t particularly upset. As an adult in a child¡¯s body, she might have even felt a bit weird about mingling with children like this. But she felt a little irked all the same. ¡°Alright everyone, settle down. Class is about to begin,¡± called the auburn haired teacher who arrived shortly after Nina. Chapter 3 In a word, classes at the elementary level were boring. Most of what Nina and her peers learned at this stage in their life were just general knowledge; basic math, language, sciences, wilderness survival, geography, and some history. All in all, the syllabus was far beneath the capabilities of Nina¡¯s adult mind. Though she did enjoy being introduced to the history and geography of this new world. ¡°Ms Roxy, how much of the world¡¯s land mass remains uncharted?¡± Nina asked, after she had raised her hand and was given permission to speak. Ms Roxy was her class¡¯s homeroom teacher who was also in charge of teaching history and geography. Nina¡¯s teacher reciprocated with a warm smile. ¡°A very good question, Nina¡­ It¡¯s hard to quantify, but the archaeological wing of the Pokemon League estimates that about forty percent of our beautiful world remains unknown to them. And that¡¯s not even including some of the more reclusive States not a part of the League¡¯s influence.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the prospect of exploring unknown lands, much to her teacher¡¯s amusement. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you think that¡¯s impressive. Wait till I tell you that we¡¯ve only really explored about twenty percent of our oceans. Which means that the vast majority of our ocean¡¯s depth remains beyond our grasps¡­ One can only wonder what sort of new and interesting Pokemon can still be found out there.¡± As expected of a city housing a Water Type Gym, Ms Roxy¡¯s fun fact elicited oohs and ahhs from the rest of the class. Nina raised her hand again to ask a follow up question. ¡°What¡¯s stopping people from exploring these unexplored places? I understand the difficulties of deep sea exploration, but there¡¯s nothing stopping someone with a powerful team of Pokemon to explore the dark spots above ground.¡± Roxy blinked at the surprisingly eloquent five year old before her. ¡°That¡¯s a very loaded question, Nina. And way beyond the scope of our syllabus, but it¡¯s good to have an inquisitive mind.¡± The elementary school teacher rubbed at her chin in contemplation. ¡°Simply put, politics and Pokemon. Some areas are jealously guarded by certain parties with their own vested interests. While others have Pokemon and environmental hazards so daunting that even a Regional Champion might feel challenged. Not to mention, places like Mirage Island that are shrouded by unknown phenomena which continue to elude our scientists to this day,¡± she finally replied. Nina nodded in acknowledgement, while she scribbled in her notebook. ¡°I understand this is beyond the scope of our class, but are there any additional resources or reading material you can recommend to further delve into the topic?¡± Roxy was briefly stunned by Nina¡¯s academic fervor. After an awkward moment of silence, she cleared her throat and promised Nina that she would do some research and get back to her with more information. Nina thanked Ms Roxy with a bright smile, but deep down, she was bashing herself over the head for standing out too much. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot. She¡¯s an elementary school teacher. Of course she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer a question like that!¡± *** ¡°So how was school?¡± asked Patrick. Nina silently prodded at her plate with a fork, eating all the veggies and berries but setting the meat aside. Even after all this time, she still could not bring herself to eat Pokemon. It just seemed wrong to consume beings with intelligence and self awareness that are equal, and sometimes even surpassing, that of humans. ¡°It was alright. Kind of boring honestly,¡± she replied. Patrick chuckled. ¡°Well you¡¯ve always been smarter than all the other kids your age. Did you make any friends at least?¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Not really, everybody already knew each other. So it feels kind of awkward to insert myself into their clique.¡± Patrick frowned and glared at his wife. ¡°See what you¡¯ve done? I told you to loosen up.¡± But Leanette simply scoffed at her husband¡¯s admonishment. ¡°So what? Better this than let my baby get hurt!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three years, Leanette! Nina is five years old now, she can take care of herself. And how is letting our daughter be ostracized in any way good for her? You need to learn to let go!¡± ¡°The last time I let go, she got hurt!¡± Yelled the hysterical woman. She then proceeded to point an accusatory finger at Patrick. ¡°And don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you did behind my back. You let my daughter get her hands on DANGEROUS WEAPONS!¡± Patrick visibly rolled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s OUR daughter, and they¡¯re just stationery, Leanette. How in Arceus do you expect her to go to school with only a box of crayons?¡± ¡°Pika¡­¡± Nina smiled at Pikachu¡¯s concern and brought her in for cuddles, trying her best to endure the war that was being waged by her two parents. Such arguments have become a semi-regular occurrence in the Jones household at this point. ¡°And don¡¯t even get me started on that monster you let live in our house!¡± Pikachu wilted, and Nina looked up at her mother in shock. Patrick could scarcely believe the words that came out of his wife¡¯s mouth. ¡°Did you just call Pikachu a monster?¡± Silence ensued as Leanette looked back and forth between her husband and daughter with eyes full of mania. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Before Leanette could justify herself, Patrick bent down and swooped up both Nina and Pikachu in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go, you two. I think your mother needs some time to cool down,¡± he whispered gently into Nina¡¯s ears, his voice barely able to contain the hurt he felt from his wife¡¯s outburst. ¡°No, please no¡­ don¡¯t leave. Don¡¯t take my baby¡­¡± Leanette pleaded. But her words fell on deaf ears as neither Patrick nor Nina bothered to even spare her a glance. Right as Patrick stepped out the door with Nina¡¯s shoes in hand, the trio could hear an inhuman shriek coming from within the house, causing each of them to wince involuntarily. *** ¡°I think mom needs therapy. Any chance we can get her to seek professional help?¡± Nina began, as she happily munched down on her mushroom burger. The place that Patrick chose to take shelter in was Munchies, the Pokemon world¡¯s equivalent of a McDonalds, well known for being a fast food joint that caters equally to both humans and Pokemon. The establishment was named after the founder¡¯s Snorlax, which was ironic considering there were very obvious signs in place with the silhouette of a Snorlax crossed out stating: ¡°Pokemon above the medium category not allowed, violators will be asked to leave.¡± It made sense, the restaurant was spacious, but it definitely did not have the capacity to host a Snorlax, or even enough food in stock to feed one for that matter. Nina was quite happy because she almost never got to go to Munchies, her mother was too paranoid about the ¡°chemicals¡± they put into their food. But as far as Nina could tell, the Pokemon world at large was pretty good about maintaining a high bar of food quality. Given how powerful the noses of certain Pokemon were. Any funny business gets shut down pretty quickly. Patrick sighed. ¡°I tried Nina, I really did¡­ But she wouldn¡¯t agree to it. Said that all psychiatrists were Hypnos in disguise and that they would brainwash her into becoming a Pokemon or something.¡± Nina rolled her eyes. ¡°How does that even make sense?¡± ¡°Pika pi.¡± Pikachu echoed, in between noisy slurps of her Aspear smoothie. ¡°It doesn¡¯t, hon¡­ It doesn¡¯t make any sense at all. But your mother is sick, she¡¯s been sick for a long time now¡­¡± Patrick sounded dejected, unsure what he could do to help remedy the situation. The conversation paused. Nina had noted that her father wasn¡¯t touching his food at all, despite having ordered as well. ¡°Can you tell me what happened that day? I have no memories of the incident whatsoever. I only remember waking up in the hospital and Chansey putting me back to sleep again.¡± Patrick gave his daughter a hesitant look. It was clear that he was reluctant to reopen his daughter¡¯s past trauma, completely oblivious to the fact that the child in front of him was not even the same one his wife gave birth to. The current Nina Jones only became self aware after that incident, so there was no trauma to speak of. ¡°Please?¡± Nina pleaded. ¡°I want to help mom. But I can¡¯t do anything if I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s wrong to begin with.¡± Patrick sighed, ultimately relenting to his daughter¡¯s demands. ¡°You need to understand that your mother was never the best when it came to handling Pokemon. It wasn¡¯t a phobia or anything, she was just¡­ timid, I suppose. It was one of the things that we bonded over when we first met.¡± Nina cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Doesn¡¯t grandma run a Pokemon Daycare?¡± By grandma, Nina meant her maternal grandmother. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s just say there¡¯s a reason why she¡¯s here in Cerulean, rather than over at Pewter helping your grandma with her daycare.¡± Patrick chuckled. ¡°Anyways, that day we left the city for a picnic. Your mom had been going a little stir crazy from staying at home taking care of you all day long. So I thought it¡¯d be a good idea.¡± Patrick let out another sigh. ¡°What happened instead, was that when we weren¡¯t looking, you got abducted by a Spearow.¡± A realization dawned on Nina. ¡°So that¡¯s what she meant earlier about letting go...¡± Patrick nodded. ¡°Yeap. Thankfully Pikachu was with us, so she gave chase. But truth be told¡­¡± The distraught man looked at his daughter with guilt riddled eyes. ¡°I failed you Nina. Unlike your Uncle Ali, I was never the most competent Pokemon Trainer. I shied away from battles because I disliked the senseless violence. I should have trained Pikachu better, or given better instructions that day.¡± Nina¡¯s father lowered his head in shame. ¡°We couldn¡¯t knock the Spearow out of the air, for fear of hurting you as well. But during its escape, the Spearow got into a fight with a Pidgeotto. And during the chaos of it all, that deplorable bird dropped you.¡± That last part was spoken with so much venom that Nina was taken aback. ¡°Pikachu tried her best to catch you during your fall¡­ But in the end, she was only able to cushion you towards the very last bit, barely doing much to dissipate the momentum¡­ That said, every little bit counts, and I still like to believe that Pikachu was the reason why there was any hope of reviving you in the first place. To think that your mother would say something so cruel¡­¡± Nina rubbed her cheek against Pikachu. ¡°Thanks for saving my life, Pikachu.¡± ¡°Pika!¡± Responded Pikachu, as she nuzzled Nina back. Nina then left her seat and made her way over to her father, causing the man to look at her in confusion. She proceeded to climb onto Patrick¡¯s lap with Pikachu in her arms and pulled her father into a hug. ¡°You didn¡¯t fail me dad, you did your best. Rather, thank you for protecting me from mom¡¯s insanity over the past couple of years.¡± Patrick held his daughter tight, and Nina could feel a bit of wetness at the top of her head. It took a lot to make Patrick Jones cry, but it seems that the burdens he¡¯d been carrying the past few years has finally toppled over. Chapter 4 After their little heart to heart in a Munchies of all places, Nina explicitly told Patrick that she did not want to return home. ¡°I¡¯m scared of mom. There¡¯ve been times where she feels more dangerous than any wild Pokemon I could ever encounter,¡± she said. Nina did feel a little bad about throwing her mother under the bus like that, but she couldn¡¯t get over Leanette¡¯s manic eyes and that inhuman shriek she made during their last moment together. It was a good thing that her father easily acquiesced to Nina¡¯s demand and rented a hotel room that was near her school. ¡°I¡¯m gonna head back home to pack up some of your things because it looks like we¡¯ll be in this for the long haul. I¡¯ll leave Pikachu here with you for now, feel free to go to bed without me,¡± said Patrick. Nina was worried about her father¡¯s safety and strongly urged him to bring Pikachu along. ¡°The hotel¡¯s relatively safe. You need her more than I do.¡± But Patrick was quite firm in his rejection, saying that Pikachu couldn¡¯t bring herself to hurt Leanette even if he ordered her to. It was an excuse of course. Nina was confident that Pikachu would prioritize her trainer¡¯s safety over his spouse. It was actually Patrick who could not bear to hurt his wife. Therefore, it troubled Nina even more to find that Patrick had returned in the middle of the night with a torn and bloody shirt, and scratch marks all over his body. ¡°This can¡¯t go on, that woman needs to be locked up in an asylum or something,¡± thought Nina. Not that she knew if asylums even exist in this world. Psychic type pokemon have done wonders in managing psychiatric and mental health issues. It might sound heartless, but she had only been living as Nina Jones for three years. Prior to that, she was a thirty year old working adult up til the unfortunate accident. Even an objective observer would agree that Leanette Jones was dealing with some nasty demons and was in need of urgent help. That, and Nina did genuinely like Patrick. He was a good father and devoted husband, and she could not bear to see him suffer through such a toxic relationship. ¡°¡ª Nina, Nina¡­ Melina Jones!¡± Nina was woken up from her stupor by the fervent calling of her teacher. Roxy frowned at Nina¡¯s inattentiveness. ¡°Come see me in the faculty office later on.¡± It was hard to get a read on Ms Roxy¡¯s tone due to how distracted Nina was, so she simply nodded in acknowledgement, unsure if she was in trouble or not. The rest of the class, however, snickered at her predicament. Clearly assuming that Nina was being punished for daydreaming. *** ¡°Here, I reached out to my alma mater and managed to get a list of reading recommendations that you requested,¡± began Roxy. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nina replied, in a half-hearted manner. She then glanced at the sheets of paper she was given and absent-mindedly flipped through them. Roxy sighed. ¡°Are you okay, Nina? I was never a genius so I could not even begin to relate. But I can understand that classes at this level must seem awfully dull for someone of your intellect. Nonetheless, as a student, it is important to show due respect and at least pretend to pay attention in class.¡± Nina snapped her head back up to look at her homeroom teacher. ¡°W-what?! No. That¡¯s not the issue¡­¡± She sputtered, followed by an exasperated sigh. Nina¡¯s eyes glanced around, seeing that the office was mostly empty owing to the fact that it was now lunch break. She considered her words carefully, not wanting to be misunderstood. ¡°I¡­ I need help, Ms Roxy. My mother¡­ She¡¯s not right in the head.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes began to water to really sell the performance. It was all fake of course. She had learned early on in her new life how to effectively appeal to the adults around her. Ms Roxy was none the wiser. Instead, she recognised the severity of Nina¡¯s tone and beckoned her towards a private meeting room at the back. Once they were properly settled, Nina began recollecting her family circumstances, taking care to put things into a perspective that was favorable towards her and Patrick, without demonizing Leanette too much. Instead, her mother was depicted more like a victim struggling with inner demons. ¡°Dad came back to the hotel room last night all bloodied and scratched up. He said he was attacked by a stray Meowth, but it was obvious he was lying. I know for a fact that it was mom who hurt him. But despite everything, he still loves her too much to take any meaningful action against her.¡± Nina took in a shaky breath before continuing. ¡°What he doesn¡¯t seem to realize is that this isn¡¯t something he can fix. He¡¯s a bureaucrat, a paper pusher working for the League, not a medical professional. And mom is only going to keep getting worse if we continue indulging her like this.¡± She concluded. Roxy leaned back against her chair, fingers rubbing on her chin as she was prone to do when she was deep in thought. ¡°Do you mind if I report this to the principal?¡± She responded, after a period of silence. ¡°W-why?¡± asked a seemingly nervous Nina. She was not actually nervous, but right now she was portraying a traumatized five year old and needed to be consistent. Roxy gave the vulnerable girl in front of her a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not in trouble, and neither are you parents. Rather, I agree with what you said about your mom needing help. But in order to help her, we might need to get some social workers involved. And for that, I need approval from the principal. Does that sound okay to you?¡± Nina gave a hesitant nod. ¡°It¡¯s not dad¡¯s fault¡­¡± she repeated. ¡°He¡¯s trying his best. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s all my fault. This is all because of me¡­¡± Nina began choking up, her voice wavering. ¡°Oh sweetie¡­¡± Roxy got up and made her way over to Nina to pull her into an embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say that. It¡¯s not your fault, do you hear me? You¡¯re just a child, and an extremely courageous one at that. You¡¯ve done your part, now let us adults take care of the rest.¡± Nina nodded once more, but deep down she was patting herself on the back for such an Oscar worthy performance. The die has been cast, now she just has to wait and see how competent the school is and take it from there. Everything up to this point was pure improv, Nina did not exactly think her actions through, so she could not help but feel nervous about how her parents would react. Turns out, things progressed faster than she had anticipated. Nina was surprised to find her father waiting for her after school. Apparently, he had gotten a call from the principal and was asked to come in for a meeting. Nina wasn¡¯t allowed to sit in with the adults, which suited her just fine. Instead, Mr Larry, the PE teacher was called in to help distract Nina with an impromptu lesson on Pokemon battles. ¡°Ms Roxy mentioned that you wanted to attend trainer school right?¡± asked Margaret, the heavyset woman who acted as the principal of Nina¡¯s elementary school. Nina nodded enthusiastically in response. Margaret gave her a motherly smile. ¡°Well it just so happens that Mr Larry here used to be quite the Pokemon Trainer back in his day. He even managed to reach the top 128 during his conference run. Why don¡¯t you head out to the courtyard with him and get some pointers while we speak with your father.¡± For context, top 128 in the Indigo Plateau Conference meant that Larry only managed to get past the preliminaries, which isn¡¯t really that impressive. But Nina was happy all the same. After all, beggars can¡¯t be choosers. *** ¡°Right then, kiddo. Pick your Pokemon.¡± Larry instructed, as he presented three identical looking Pokeballs in front of Nina. The Pokeballs were slightly transparent which afforded Nina a glimpse inside its contents. But she could only make out vague silhouettes. It reminded Nina of her past childhood where there was always a ¡°Who¡¯s that Pokemon?¡± segment in each episode of the anime. ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s in each Pokeball?¡± Larry gave a hearty laugh before responding. ¡°Nope, either you figure it out with the clues I gave you or pray to Arceus you get the Pokemon you want.¡± Nina frowned, it was hard to discern anything from just the silhouette. So instead, she turned her gaze towards her PE teacher for some context clues. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ Larry¡¯s sporting a buzzcut and a green tracksuit. In terms of physique, he¡¯s muscular but not overly so. He has a band-aid over the bridge of his nose and¡­ Are those calluses on his knuckles?¡± It wasn¡¯t good to stereotype someone like this. Nina reminded herself that this was real life and not a game, but it wasn¡¯t like she had anything else to work with. ¡°So either Fighting, Rock, or Normal. Maybe even a Ground type specialist.¡± Nina rotated each of the three pokeballs for further inspection. ¡°This one is likely a Geodude with its arms crossed¡­ This one¡¯s tricky, Nidorina/Nidoran maybe? This one is definitely Rattata.¡± After a brief deliberation, Nina went with the one she believed to be a Geodude. She was tempted to grab the one that could be either a Nidorina or Nidoran, since Nidoking was one of her favorite pokemons, but ultimately decided against it. The silhouette was too ambiguous to know for certain. Whilst she was fairly confident with Geodude and its battle capabilities. Larry grinned. ¡°Last chance to change your mind.¡± Nina snorted, as if she would fall for such obvious mind games. ¡°Nope, I¡¯m sticking with my choice.¡± She said, confidently. The two of them then went to opposing sides of the field that Larry had drawn out beforehand using chalk. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready!¡± Larry declared. Nina took in a deep breath and clicked on the tactile button of her borrowed Pokeball to expand it. ¡°First real Pokemon battle of my life. How exciting!¡± She wound up her arm and tossed out the Pokeball with all her might. ¡°Go, I choose you!¡± Larry tossed out his Pokeball at the same time, and what appeared on the field after a flash of light was Geodude on Nina¡¯s side, as she expected, and Nidoran on Larry¡¯s side. ¡°Dammit!¡± Cursed Nina. ¡°I wanted a Nidoran.¡± Larry let out another hearty laugh. ¡°Well too bad, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn ya.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°No point crying over spilled milk.¡± ¡°Battle will start once this rock hits the ground!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Nina yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what moves my Geodude has.¡± Larry scratches his head in embarrassment. ¡°Right, my bad. This particular Geodude knows Tackle and Defense Curl.¡± Nina stifled a groan. ¡°It would have been nice to have Rock Polish at least. Welp, we work with what we¡¯ve got.¡± Larry tossed the rock in his hand¡­ And the moment that it landed, Nina called on Geodude to use Defense Curl. In response, Geodude crossed its arms in an X shape to guard its body. Its levitation also ceased being as wobbly and became more steady, almost like the Rock Pokemon has been fixed to that exact point in space. ¡°Keep your eyes on Nidoran and remain steady, I¡¯ll call out when you need to attack.¡± Nina instructed, her voice just loud enough to be heard by Geodude and no one else. ¡°Well what¡¯re you waiting for?! We ain¡¯t got all day!¡± Larry taunted, but Nina ignored him and just kept waiting for the PE teacher to make the first move. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do then. Nidoran, use Peck!¡± Nidoran charged towards his opponent at maximum speed, a dim glow began emanating from his juvenile horn as it slowly started to accumulate Flying Type Energy. ¡°Steady¡­ steady¡­¡± Nina muttered. And right as Nidoran launched itself from the ground, and soared towards Geodude, Nina called it. ¡°Now! Use Tackle!¡± Geodude rushed forwards to meet its opponent, arms still crossed as the two Pokemon collided in mid-air. The sound of hammer on nails could be heard as Nidoran was sent flying back towards Larry¡¯s side of the field with a pained yelp. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, Geodude remained solid as a rock, and was only pushed slightly back from the recoil. What Nina had done there was effectively time Geodude¡¯s Tackle to be used as a pseudo-Counter. She was aware that Peck, being a Flying type move, would necessitate a bit of air time at the end, leaving Nidoran vulnerable, especially since he did not have actual wings to maneuver away from the attack. Larry hummed. ¡°No wonder Roxy calls you a genius. That¡¯s a really smart use of Tackle and Defense Curl.¡± He commented, as he started shadow boxing on the other end of the field. ¡°The principles of a counter punch in boxing involves using the opponent¡¯s own force against them. A high risk, high reward move where timing is key. Not bad¡­ Not bad at all¡­¡± Despite her reservations, Nina still blushed at her teacher¡¯s compliment. It was good to know that all the time she spent reviewing battle footage was duly rewarded. ¡°But don¡¯t get too cocky just yet,¡± warned Larry. ¡°Come a little closer, Nidoran.¡± He instructed, as he knelt down closer to the poison pin Pokemon. Larry then proceeded to do what Nina did earlier and spoke in a volume that was only audible to his Pokemon. Nina frowned and told Geodude to resume Defense Curl. It was evident that her Geodude did not come off from the previous exchange completely unphased, given how its levitation was noticeably less stable. Its arms also seemed a little shaky as compared to how they were, not too long ago. ¡°Alright Nidoran, class is in session,¡± said Larry, signaling a resumption of the battle. ¡°Go ahead and use Peck again.¡± Nina frowned, ¡°Surely this guy isn¡¯t dumb enough to use the same approach, right?¡± Regardless, there was not much that Nina could do except tell Geodude to hold steady. The Rock Pokemon was simply too slow to compete with Nidoran. Chasing after the purple Poison Type would only serve to cede the flow of the battle. Just like last time, Nidoran charged up his momentum and launched itself off the ground. However, this time around, the moment that Nina yelled for a Tackle, the gaze of the Poison Type took on a sharp glint, causing a momentary sense of discomfort to wash over both Geodude and Nina. That brief interruption was enough to dampen Geodude¡¯s momentum and cause his defensive arms to falter slightly, barely exposing an opening where Nidoran could push through and slam his glowing horn into Geodude¡¯s torso. The Rock Pokemon was sent flying back towards Nina, prompting her to clumsily fall to the ground to avoid being smashed by the sentient boulder. ¡°Geodude was sent out of bounds. Winner of the match is Nidoran!¡± Larry yelled, declaring himself the victor. Nina was absolutely horrified by what she had just experienced. But regardless, she still dusted herself off and went to check on Geodude. She recognised that it wasn¡¯t the Rock Pokemon¡¯s fault she nearly got a concussion, Geodude did not intend to harm her. ¡°Was that Leer?¡± Nina asked, when Larry came over to check on her. ¡°Yeap. Good eyes. Get it? Eyes. Cause Leer?¡± Larry guffawed at his terrible joke, while Nina just groaned. She had always assumed that Leer was one of those nonsensical moves that were only applicable in the games. But turns out, there were some Type Energy shenanigans going on. Because that feeling of discomfort she was subjected to was definitely irregular. ¡°People often look down on ¡®weak moves¡¯ like Leer, Tail Whip and Splash, among others.¡± Larry lectured. ¡°But experienced trainers know that these moves, if used correctly, can often be used to catch your opponent off guard and tip the battle towards your favor.¡± Nina nodded, scribbling Larry¡¯s advice down onto a notebook which she had taken out at some point. ¡°You¡¯re pretty much there already with how well you used Tackle earlier. You just need more experience and in-depth knowledge.¡± The PE teacher advised. ¡°Honestly, if you¡¯re already so good at this age, I can¡¯t wait to see how far you¡¯ll go in another decade or so.¡± Nina thanked Larry for his guidance and returned Geodude. She left school that day feeling a deep sense of fulfillment for finally being able to experience a bonafide Pokemon battle. Chapter 5 Nina grunted as she struggled to untangle the knots in her raven black hair. The most inconvenient thing about becoming a girl was how much more work went into grooming herself. It was no wonder that the girls she dated back in her past life went to salons so frequently. Having someone else deal with all this tediousness must have been quite the indulgence. Oh how she wished she could just cut her hair short. But when she brought this up in the past, her mother was vehemently against it, saying that long hair looked cuter on her. Nina chose to believe that treating their daughters like dress up dolls was just a quirk that all mothers share rather than being part of Leanette''s unhealthy obsession towards her. Speaking of, Nina had no idea what was going on with her mother. It had been a month since Patrick¡¯s meeting with the principal, but her father refused to divulge much information to her, just saying that, ¡°Your mother is fine, she¡¯s getting the help she needs,¡± everytime she asked. As difficult as it was to believe, Nina actually missed Leanette. Her mother usually took extra care in making her daughter look presentable. Without her mother around, Nina didn¡¯t even know which brand of conditioner to use for her hair. Or maybe it was just Stockholm Syndrome, who knows? After spending a bit more time on the futile endeavor, Nina simply decided to tie her hair up in a ponytail and hide the rest underneath a cap, before leaving the hotel room for school. Yes, Nina was still living in a hotel room. Patrick was quite adamant that she not return home for now. Saying that he needed to clean up first. After some subtle prodding from Nina, she found out from Ms Roxy that the initial attempt to convince her mother to visit the hospital''s psychiatric ward went extremely poorly. Apparently, the police were called in to assist, and in the end, she had to be put to sleep. ¡°Ready to go, Pikachu?¡± ¡°Pika!¡± On the bright side, the principal gave special permission for her to bring Pikachu as an emotional support Pokemon to school. The presence of the cute mouse pokemon did wonders in helping her make friends, as evident by all the people who greeted her on her way into school, and who she greeted in return. Of course, none of Nina¡¯s new ¡°friends¡± shared the same lofty ambitions as her, so she mostly kept them at arm¡¯s length, never really developing long lasting bonds. *** ¡°And that was how the ascension of Dragon Master Lance Blackthorn as the dual-Champion of Kanto and Johto put an end to the age-old conflict between the two regions.¡± Ms Roxy was currently giving a lesson on the Kanto-Johto war. The two regions have been bitter enemies for as long as anyone could remember, much like North and South Korea back in Nina¡¯s old world. ¡°But what happens when Lance is no longer Champion?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Surely someone will topple him at some point? And if not, the man isn¡¯t immortal, it''s only a matter of time before the inevitable happens.¡± Roxy sighed. ¡°Nina, what did we discuss last time about your questions?¡± admonished the history teacher, eliciting giggles from the class. By this point, everyone was already used to Nina being an eccentric overachiever. ¡°You can come by the office later for answers if you¡¯re still interested in the topic.¡± Nina nodded and approached Ms Roxy after school, having learned not to take up her teacher¡¯s limited lunch time. Besides, she would be afforded more time after school as opposed to the measly one hour lunch break. ¡°First off, how are you Nina? Is everything okay?¡± Roxy began. ¡°I¡¯m alright, just getting a little sick of staying in a hotel room.¡± Hotel rooms weren¡¯t exactly well suited for long term stay. There was something about them that feels perpetually foreign, making it difficult to really settle down. ¡°I know what you mean,¡± Roxy nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a similar feeling to being on the road, without a permanent place to settle. Something you¡¯ll need to get used to if you really want to be an explorer. But if it becomes unbearable, make sure to speak to Patrick about it, okay?¡± Nina did not miss how Ms Roxy referred to her father as Patrick as opposed to Mr Jones. The two of them had really gotten close over their short acquaintance. Not that it was any of Nina¡¯s concern. ¡°So about your question earlier, what do you think will happen once Champion Lance retires?¡± Nina scoffed. ¡°As if an egomaniac like that would ever retire.¡± Roxy chuckled. ¡°You never know¡­ Just think of it as a thought exercise.¡± Nina pondered. ¡°From what I understand, the political climate of Kanto-Johto is largely split into two camps; the warmongers who can¡¯t seem to get over their grudges, and the pacifists who are trying to make the most of Lance¡¯s tenure to remove any seeds of conflict among the people. That¡¯s why our textbooks are conveniently vague about why the conflict broke out to begin with.¡± In truth, even Nina with all her meta knowledge was unsure why there was beef between the two regions. The games never gave any detail and what she could find on the internet during her past life was just a bunch of fan theories. Roxy nodded in affirmation. ¡°Very good, Nina. It seems you¡¯ve been keeping up with current events,¡± she praised. ¡°You¡¯re correct, the peacemakers among the Kanto-Johto populace have been striving to ensure that the current peace we enjoy will last long into the future, even past Lance¡¯s tenure. ¡°The good news is that they have the full support of the Pokemon League. Lance, for all his flaws, serves as a powerful unifying force. None dare to defy his will. The man is also known to be quite hands off when it comes to League matters, interested only in training his pokemon, which makes things fairly easy for the actual decision makers. ¡°The bad news is that malicious actors still exist. Mostly in the form of older veterans who hold a personal grudge against their former enemies, and certain criminal enterprises who would seek to profit from conflict.¡± ¡°Team Rocket¡­¡± Nina muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± agreed Roxy. ¡°The short answer to your question is that we don¡¯t really know what will happen once Lance is no longer Champion. One can only hope that the people who still remember the war would have all died off by then. But it¡¯s hard to say really, the flames of hatred are strangely persistent and have a tendency of spreading. That¡¯s not even taking into account how external factors like Team Rocket might complicate things.¡± Nina replied in understanding and thanked Roxy for her time. She had wanted to ask why the war broke out to begin with, but her teacher had already made it clear during class that she wouldn¡¯t be willing to answer that question. ¡°Before you go, Nina. Take this.¡± Roxy handed a colorful pamphlet over to her student. ¡°The Cerulean Gym is holding an exhibition?¡± The local gym is known for holding Water Type exhibitions every month, where the Cerulean Sisters will perform all sorts of incredible water acrobatics with their Pokemon to promote their image and the adoption of Water Pokemon. Nina had been to a few herself whenever Patrick was free to take her, much to his wife¡¯s chagrin. ¡°That¡¯s right, but not just any exhibition. They¡¯re also holding a Little League where underaged children can use loaner Pokemon to compete in Pokemon battles.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes immediately lit up at the thought of doing more Pokemon battles. Roxy then leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner and whispered to Nina. ¡°The prize isn¡¯t anything remarkable ¡ª just a pat on the back and a commemorative medal. The real benefit is that any promising children gets put into a list to be considered for a sponsorship with Professor Oak¡¯s laboratory.¡± Nina was already interested before this, but the cherry that was a sponsorship with Professor Oak served to further reinforce her motivation. It was common for regional professors like Oak to sponsor promising children on their journey. But Samuel Oak, being the most renowned academic in the Pokemon world, tends to only sponsor around a dozen children each season. The actual quantity itself would depend on how many good seeds were available during that time. ¡°Remember, this is just a preliminary list. So don¡¯t get your hopes up just yet.¡± Roxy cautioned. ¡°Also, keep in mind that winning isn¡¯t everything, the scouts are more so looking at your aptitude and temperament as a Pokemon Trainer.¡± Nina nodded furiously as she jotted everything down. What Ms Roxy said made sense, there were plenty of incredible battlers out there who were also scumbags that treated their pokemon like dirt. Giovanni, Team Rocket¡¯s boss, was a good example of that. ¡°How do I sign up?¡± Asked an eager Nina. Roxy chuckled. ¡°I already signed you up. Patrick wanted to surprise you, but I figured you¡¯d want a heads up to do your own research.¡± Nina grinned. ¡°Thanks, Ms Roxy. I won¡¯t let you down!¡± *** Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight before her. The Cerulean Gym was a large domed building. The same marble-esque white material ubiquitous throughout the city made up the frame of the dome with clear glass panes in between. The inside was like a water themed amusement park with all sorts of rides and attractions to entertain visitors. If one were to head downstairs, they¡¯ll even find a full fledged aquarium housing all sorts of marine life and Water Pokemon. Meanwhile, the Cerulean Sisters will be performing in the central arena where all the Gym battles take place. The headliner will of course be the Gym Leader, Misty. But unlike the Misty that Nina was familiar with in the anime, the Misty in this world was all grown up. The Gym Leader looked to be in her late 20s, her orange hair allowed to grow out into wavy curls. Her figure had fully developed to rival, and perhaps even surpass, that of her older sisters, curvy and buxom in all the right ways. Had Nina still been a male like in her past life, there was no doubt that she would be drooling all over the orange haired beauty. It was interesting how a change in brain chemistry and hormones could affect a person¡¯s sexual interest. Nina considered her lack of romantic inclinations a blessing really. Makes it easier to focus on more important things. Though it¡¯ll be hard to say how things will go once she hits puberty and her hormones get out of control. One thing she knows for certain is that she was not attracted to men in any way, since she was as straight as a ruler in her past life. Mentally, it just felt wrong to her. The performance opened with Dewgongs jumping through the air, performing various tricks as they went through hoops. Staryus and Starmies flew around the space, their jewels flashing in multicolored lights. In the foreground, the Cerulean Sisters sang and danced with a whole school of Goldeens as their backup vocals. A team of Psyducks led by a Golduck helped levitate the goldfish Pokemon, moving them around in a pattern that perfectly complemented the rhythm of the song, much like a conductor. Misty¡¯s Azumarill shot out an endless stream of Bubble Beams which continued to curve and curve until it formed the likeness of a Gyrados, demonstrating the Pokemon¡¯s perfect control over Water. The audience screamed out in excitement as the faux-Gyarados moved, looming over everyone before bursting out into micro-bubbles which reflected the light in a dazzling way. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And finally, the climax. The part that Nina always looked forward to no matter how many times she¡¯s watched the show; a Dragon Dance between two Milotics. Without fail, Nina would jump out of her seat and start clapping enthusiastically every time she saw the two majestic looking water serpents take the stage. Milotic was probably her favorite Pokemon in the games, alongside Dragonair. There was something about an elegantly designed serpentine form that just really appealed to her. The lights went out, leaving only the dimmest of glows to serve as backlight. The audience were dead silent as the two Milotics began singing, their voices harmonizing perfectly to produce a beautiful, melancholic melody. Then, out of nowhere, the prismatic scales of two of the world¡¯s most beautiful Pokemon started shining as they rose to the sky. The two serpents intertwined, forming complex patterns and beginning a beautiful dance mid-air, leaving behind trails of lights as they went. Nina was absolutely mesmerized. This was one of those moments where she was glad that she came to this world. Because nowhere in her old life could she have encountered such a magical sight. But alas, all good things come to an end. With a single powerful pulse of Dragon Type Energy, the dance ended with both Milotics diving back into the water. Silence remained as the audience members each took their time processing what they had just experienced. Nina could even hear some sobbing here and there from people who had literally been moved to tears. But not long after, the sound of a single clap could be heard, kickstarting a whole avalanche of applause to commend the wonderful performance. Nina was there with them, passionately clapping along as the Cerulean Sisters took the stage once more with all of the performing Pokemon to do a bow. To her side, Patrick smiled warmly at his daughter¡¯s happiness, feeling glad that he had taken Roxy¡¯s advice to bring Nina here. ¡°Before we leave, a quick reminder that the Little League will take place here in this arena in two hours time. All contestants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to check in thirty minutes prior to the scheduled time. Latecomers will be disqualified.¡± Misty announced. ¡°Thank you all once again for coming, and we hope to see you again soon!¡± Chapter 6 ¡°Melina Jones, yes?¡± ¡°Yeap, you can call me Nina,¡± said the five year old to the lady handling registrations. The lady smiled. ¡°Alright, Nina. First off, put this life jacket on,¡± she instructed, while handing Nina a generic orange life vest. ¡°Next, you get to choose one of three Pokemon to be your partner today. Choose wisely, cause there¡¯s no take backs.¡± The three Pokemon were, Marill, Goldeen, and Staryu. Nina was tempted to go for Marill right away since it¡¯s technically a second stage evolution. But considering that the field was going to be on water, and Marill isn¡¯t the best swimmer, she decided to look past it for now. ¡°May I know what moves the Pokemon have?¡± ¡°Why of course, we have a list right here. All the Pokemon you see today are going to be of equal strength, so no worries about any unfairness.¡± ¡°Equal strength, but probably unequal temperament. However, given that this is a tournament for kids, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve taken that into account and removed any problematic characters.¡± Nina mused. The list that the lady provided showed Rollout as one of Marills moves, really making Nina second guess her decision. But ultimately, she decided to go with Goldeen, for one simple reason ¡ª Supersonic. Nina remembered the accuracy of this move being fairly horrible from her past life. But all she needed to do was land a single Confusion to absolutely ruin her opponent. Staryu with its Confuse Ray would have been more ideal, but the list shows that none of the one¡¯s on offer knew it, indicating that it was probably a higher level move. ¡°I got daddy to buy me some Berries for today. Can I feed it to Goldeen at the pool? I want to make friends with her,¡± said Nina, with her best Baby-Doll Eyes impression. She held up a pouch of Berries for the staff to inspect. The lady gave Nina an amused chuckle. ¡°Course you can. Just make sure not to overfeed Goldeen, okay? We don¡¯t want her getting sick in the middle of a battle.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she replied, before scampering off to the pool in order to familiarize herself with her partner for the day. Behind Nina, Patrick Jones gave the check in lady an apologetic look, which she just waved off in good humor. ¡°Nice to meet you, Goldeen. My name¡¯s Nina. Let¡¯s work hard to make a good impression today.¡± Nina greeted. ¡°Deeen~¡± replied the Water type. Goldeen looked just like how Nina remembered in the games; a large white goldfish, patterned with orange specks, and sporting a dangerous looking horn on her forehead. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve got some treats for you today. The lady told me not to overfeed you, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine to reward you after every win.¡± The Berries that Nina had prepared were just basic Oran Berries. It was the safest choice to give to a Pokemon whose taste she was unfamiliar with. Oran Berries were the default, much like vanilla ice cream. It may not be everyone¡¯s favorite, but no one can say that they hate vanilla ice cream. It would also have been nice to cheat a little and have Goldeen ¡°hold¡± an Oran Berry like in the games. But unfortunately, without a dedicated carrying pouch, that would not be possible. Nina held out the Oran Berry in her palm for Goldeen to nibble on. Meanwhile, she gently caressed the goldfish Pokemon, marveling at the slippery texture of her scales. ¡°Pika!¡± ¡°Oh, you want one too, Pikachu? Here you go,¡± said Nina, as she handed an Oran berry to her friend. Goldeen seemed a little wary of Pikachu, shrinking back a bit at her presence. The Water Type was probably intimidated by Pikachu¡¯s Electricity. So Nina did her best to assuage her fears by telling her that Pikachu is friendly and would not even think to harm her. Once everyone got acquainted, Nina spent the rest of her free time asking Goldeen to demonstrate some of her moves, just so that she could get a better idea on how to best direct her. She noticed that most of the children who were present didn¡¯t even bother checking on their selected Pokemon. Preferring instead to run around or hang with their parents. Either they didn¡¯t know they could release their Pokemon, or they simply did not care. Either way, this should be beneficial to her, if there was indeed a scout monitoring the proceedings. Not long after, an announcement blared, asking all participants to assemble. *** The large pool which the Cerulean Sisters were performing on, not too long ago, were now split into four parts, delineated by strings of buoys to mark the border of each field. There were floating platforms on either side where trainers could stand on, but nothing in the middle, meaning the Pokemon were expected to battle in the water. This further vindicated Nina¡¯s decision to go for a Goldeen instead of a Marill. As far as she could tell, there were only forty contestants in total, which seemed oddly low to her. That was, until she found out that one needed a recommendation from their school in order to even register. Nina made a mental note to thank Ms Roxy again later. Since there were only four fields available, only four matches could be held at any given time. Nina was assigned to the fourth round, which suited her just fine. Going first would have been the worst. What was most surprising was how each of the four Cerulean Sisters, Daisy, Lily, Misty, and Violet, personally took up the roles of referees as opposed to simply delegating to the Gym Trainers underneath them. Their dedication to nurturing young trainers was truly commendable. As Nina stepped on top of her assigned platform, she looked up towards the audience and waved at her father and Pikachu, who were both fervently cheering her on. ¡°Tch. This is gonna be easy. No way am I losing to a girl!¡± Nina turned towards the cocky little brat who she was facing and shook her head in exasperation. ¡°This kid does realize that the city¡¯s Gym Leader is a girl right?¡± She then looked towards Daisy, the one who was overseeing the match, and the blonde haired beauty simply shrugged and gave her a knowing look. Not wanting to stoop so low as to get into a childish argument, Nina simply sent out her Goldeen instead of responding. Her indifference must have really triggered the kid, because in return, he yelled out: ¡°Darn it! I¡¯ll show you, no one ignores Jimmy and gets away with it!¡± To her surprise, he sent out a Marill. She would have thought that a cliche like Jimmy would have gone for the cooler looking Staryu. She held back a grin at the thought of how easy this match was going to be. ¡°Trainers! Are you ready?¡± Daisy called. ¡°Ready!¡± responded the two children. ¡°Three¡­ Two¡­ One, begin!¡± ¡°Goldeen, submerge. Don¡¯t let it reach you.¡± Nina commanded, calmly. ¡°Go Marill, use Rollout! Don¡¯t let it get away.¡± Goldeen did as she was told, diving deep into the water. While Marill simply looked at its interim trainer in confusion, before trying and failing to use Rollout on the water. Jimmy clearly hadn¡¯t been paying attention during the matches preceding theirs. This was not the first time that one of the contenders had made the same mistake. Marill was simply unable to get started on the roll necessary to initiate Rollout in the water due to its buoyant tail getting in the way. Everytime that it tried, the spherical tail would be slapped lamely onto the water''s surface, much like a tiny beach ball. The basic principle of Rollout was to build up momentum through constant motion facilitated by the act of rolling. If Marill couldn''t even get a single roll going then there would be no Rollout, simple as that. If Jimmy was more polite to her, then Nina might have been kind enough to point out his mistake. But as he was, she could not be bothered. ¡°Supersonic, and don¡¯t let up. I want to see that Marill spinning around in circles,¡± said Nina. This was mostly for Daisy¡¯s benefit, since Nina had already gone over possible strategies against each of the three Pokemon species with Goldeen. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. High frequency supersonic waves, barely audible to the human ear, were emitted by Goldeen from within the water, directly impacting Marill. The first couple of moves failed to confuse the Marill, but it did not matter, Goldeen would get it right eventually. ¡°Darn it, get down there Marill, go after that fish!¡± The next moment demonstrated why Nina opted not to pick a Marill, as the Pokemon struggled against its tail to dive too deep into the water. It wasn¡¯t like Marills couldn¡¯t dive or anything. Nina was sure that with enough training, it would be doable. But even in spite of that, Marill¡¯s speed when underwater would still be lacking when compared to purely aquatic Pokemon like Goldeen. It did not take long for Marill to float back to the surface again, having been inflicted with Confusion and rendered completely helpless. ¡°It¡¯s time to strike, Goldeen. Use Peck.¡± In response to her trainer, Goldeen rushed towards the surface at full speed, breaking out of the pool and soaring up towards the air. At the apex of her jump, Goldeen¡¯s horn began glowing, as she dove back down, aiming straight at her opponent. The impact dragged Marill into the water with her momentarily, before the blue water mouse floated back up again, still yet to recover from its confusion. At this point, Jimmy scrambled to pull out a sheet of paper, which Nina recognised as the one containing their Pokemon¡¯s moveset. ¡°U-use Water Gun!¡± He yelled. But Marill simply let out a weak stream of water in the direction he was facing at the time, failing to hit anything of note. ¡°Should¡¯ve used Defense Curl instead.¡± Nina thought. ¡°Keep up the momentum, Goldeen. Use Tackle.¡± This time around, Goldeen, made a turn underwater and rushed straight beneath the Marill, tossing the confused Pokemon into the air. ¡°Hang on, she¡¯s cheating!¡± Jimmy exclaimed. He raised up his sheet of paper and started gesturing towards it. ¡°Says here that Goldeen isn¡¯t supposed to know Tackle!¡± Daisy glanced at Nina and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re right, she didn¡¯t originally know Tackle,¡± acknowledged Nina, eliciting a smug grin from her opponent. ¡°I taught her during the free time we had before the assembly,¡± she continued. ¡°I mean, she already knows Peck, so it was just a matter of taking a half step back and redistributing her energy around her body instead of concentrating it all into her horn. Rather, it¡¯s kind of ridiculous for a Pokemon to know Peck, but not Tackle, don¡¯t you think?¡± Indeed, this was real life, and not a game. The moves that a Pokemon was able to learn aren''t hardcoded. So it should be feasible to teach any moves to a Pokemon, so long as it makes sense to their physiology. Daisy blinked in disbelief at the little girl in front of her before laughing out loud. ¡°Oh gosh¡­ I¡¯ve not laughed that hard in ages,¡± said Daisy, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°Nina¡¯s right, it is kind of ridiculous if you think about it¡­ Anyways, no rules were broken. It¡¯d be a different matter if she used a TM, but that¡¯s clearly not the case. Not that I think a TM for Tackle even exists¡­ Or does it?¡± Leaving her ponderings aside, Daisy called for the match to resume, shutting down any protests that Jimmy might have. By this point, Marill had long broken out of its Confusion. But no matter, Goldeen once again confused Marill with another round of Supersonic, and finished it off with a Peck. ¡°Winner of this match is Nina!¡± declared Daisy. Jimmy huffed, angrily stomping off, only to slip and fall into the water. Chapter 7 Since the Little League was an elimination style tournament, half of the contenders would be eliminated at each stage. From forty to twenty to ten and so on. There would be no singular winner, since this was a kid¡¯s tournament after all. Instead, the top five would all receive medals, while the losers would all receive participation prizes in the form of a certificate. By the time that the first stage concluded, there was no shortage of children crying and complaining to their parents about their failure. Some were even reluctant to part with their loaner Pokemon, causing quite the headache among the adults. Meanwhile, Nina was by the edge of the pool, happily feeding Oran Berries to Goldeen and complimenting the Pokemon on her stellar performance. She had just returned from the nurse¡¯s station as well, after a quick check up on the goldfish Pokemon¡¯s condition. Goldeen was technically not damaged during her first match, but it was good to play it safe. Especially since that was Goldeen¡¯s first time using Tackle, a move that she shouldn''t have been able to learn on her own. There was a chance that she might have accidentally damaged herself from recoil or something. Nina¡¯s next match was against another girl who was also using a Goldeen. She seemed like the shy sort, nervously clutching her sundress. So Nina tried to be friendly by waving at her and saying hello, only for the girl to nervously avert her gaze. However, when Lily, the red haired Cerulean Sister, called for the match to begin, it was like Nina¡¯s opponent became a different person. The previously reserved girl glared at her with a determined gaze, and called for her Goldeen to use Supersonic. ¡°Splash and Flail, Goldeen.¡± Nina called, in return. ¡°Just like we discuss, don¡¯t let the other Goldeen catch you.¡± Nina¡¯s Goldeen then proceeded to slap her tail against the water whilst flailing her body to launch herself into the air, repeating the motion over and over again every time she landed. She jumped all around the opposing Goldeen, causing the Supersonic to miss its mark. Nina¡¯s opponent was flabbergasted, looking at her with mouth wide open like she could not believe what was happening. And since her loaner Goldeen wasn¡¯t an experienced battler, it did not know what to do without a trainer¡¯s input, leaving it to float idly in the water, desperately trying to track the movements of its brethren. Nina could see Lily¡¯s shoulders shaking with her mouth covered in her periphery, trying hard not to burst out laughing. After a certain point, Goldeen made her biggest jump yet, positioning herself perfectly above the opponent. Her horns glowed with Type Energy, having remembered what Nina discussed with her beforehand. ¡°Now, Goldeen. Use Peck!¡± At the apex of her jump, Goldeen slammed right down onto her target as instructed, causing her opponent to let out a pained moan. ¡°Don¡¯t let up and go for a Tackle!¡± Not wanting to allow the other Pokemon any breathing room, Goldeen dove deep into the pool to rebuild her momentum, and swam back up again for a follow up Tackle. ¡°Don¡¯t give up, Goldeen! Use Supersonic!¡± The girl yelled, feeling the duress of Nina¡¯s relentless onslaught. Unfortunately, her Goldeen was launched out of the pool from the previous Tackle and was still trying to reorient itself, leaving it open for a Supersonic from Nina¡¯s Goldeen instead. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance, Supersonic that Goldeen before it recovers.¡± Nina ordered. And in a stroke of luck, or perhaps it was because her opponent was already disorientated, Goldeen¡¯s Supersonic managed a Confusion on her first try ¡ª sealing the match in Nina¡¯s favor. ¡°Winner of the match is Nina!¡± Lily declared, after Nina¡¯s Goldeen finished the match with another Tackle. After the match, Lily reassured the dejected girl, who Nina learned was named Susie, and gave her some tips. Then went on to compliment Nina on her performance. ¡°You did great there, Nina. Very creative use of Splash and Flail. Mind telling me where you learned that from?¡± She asked. ¡°I once saw a match where a trainer¡¯s Azumarill used Splash with its tail to bounce around on water and got inspired.¡± Nina responded, while she gently caressed Goldeen by the water. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if Goldeen could pull it off since, physically, she wasn¡¯t as strong as that Azumarill. So I thought to incorporate Flail instead. ¡°We practiced earlier and Goldeen was really struggling. But she managed to pull it off in the end when it counted¡­ I¡¯m super proud of her.¡± She concluded, as she fed an Oran Berry to Goldeen. Lily nodded in approval. ¡°You show a lot of promise Nina. I can tell that you have the makings of a top tier Water Type Master.¡± Nina smiled politely at Lily¡¯s high regard, but deep down she was thinking that there was no way she would specialize in Water Types. She just wasn¡¯t that into swimming and other water sports. Besides, the thought of wearing a string bikini and performing in front of thousands of people made her shudder. Not that that was strictly necessary, Nina was just letting her imagination get the better of her. With that, Nina made it into the top ten, which meant there was one more match remaining. It was kind of awkward, because the last stage was a five versus five. And since there was only room for four matches at any given round, one pair would have to fight separately, under the combined scrutiny of everyone present. Just so happens, that pair included Nina, much to her dismay. The final match was between Nina and an older boy with a very serious look on his face, named Charlie. Unlike Jimmy before him, Charlie was not underestimating Nina in any way. ¡°I saw your previous matches,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re probably one of the stronger trainers here today. But that¡¯s all the more reason why I¡¯m not gonna go easy on you!¡± Outwardly, Nina smiled, saying that she was looking forward to the match too. Inside however, she was wincing. Nina would have much preferred being underestimated and scoring an easy win. ¡°Go, Staryu.¡± The Pokemon that Charlie sent out was a Staryu, which made Nina frown. Nina was actually not sure on how to deal with a Staryu. The strategies Nina went over with Goldeen regarding the starfish Pokemon were mostly just vague suggestions more than anything else. ¡°Careful Goldeen, this one¡¯s gonna be hard to crack,¡± advised Nina. And she meant that literally, since Staryu knew Harden. ¡°Focus on juking it and slowly wear it down.¡± ¡°Deeen~¡± ¡°Alright folks, are you ready for the final match of today?!¡± Misty called, eliciting cheers of excitement from the audience. Misty flung her arm out with a flourish. ¡°To my right, we have Charlie and his hard hitting STAAAARYUUUUU!¡± The audience, both young and old, cheered, chanting Charlie¡¯s name in encouragement. ¡°Hard hitting eh?¡± Misty¡¯s introduction inadvertently gave Nina some hints, since she was ashamed to say that she did not remember what Charlie¡¯s matches were like. ¡°And to my left¡­ We have the cutie Nina and her tricky GOLDEEEEEN!¡± The audience cheered for Nina the same way that they cheered for Charlie, only this time, Nina could clearly hear the voices of Patrick and Pikachu standing out from the rest. Goldeen seemed to revel in the attention as she jumped out of the water and did a flashy sweep of her beautiful tail, much to the audience¡¯s pleasure. ¡°Trainers! Are you ready?!¡± ¡°Ready!¡± ¡°Three¡­ Two¡­ One, and begin!¡± Misty announced, with a swipe of her hand. ¡°Supersonic spam.¡± ¡°Harden!¡± Both contenders called out their instructions at the same time. And as Nina expected, Charlie started off with Harden. Nina wanted to sigh. ¡°This kid knows what he¡¯s doing¡­¡± Unfortunately, Goldeen¡¯s Supersonic could not get to Staryu in time before it hardened, since she needed to swim a little closer. Type Energy suffused Staryu as it took on a metallic gleam. When Goldeen eventually got into position, Charlie called out for evasive maneuvers. ¡°Use Water Gun to get away, keep your distance.¡± To Nina¡¯s surprise, a stream of water was shot out from Staryu¡¯s mouth, which was located on its underside, much like a regular starfish. The Water Gun helped Propel Staryu away from the influence of Goldeen¡¯s Supersonic, dodging the move entirely. The audience cheered at the skillful maneuver. Due to the water¡¯s refraction, it was actually quite hard to see the two Pokemon who were fighting underwater. So there were cameras set up within the pool to display a feed of the action on a giant screen. Nina would occasionally glance at the screen as well, because it was hard to make out much detail with her naked eyes. ¡°Time to start spinning, Staryu.¡± Faithful to its trainer¡¯s order, Staryu began spinning in place like a shuriken. Nina was really starting to sweat, not liking the looks of what Charlie and Staryu were cooking up. ¡°Get close and Supersonic, Goldeen. Use Tackle to boost yourself forward.¡± Goldeen did as she was told, but Staryu dodged out of the way again with a last minute Water Gun, even while it was still spinning. Although the spinning did slow down a bit from that momentary distraction, It was not enough to completely halt Staryu¡¯s actions. Nina clicked her tongue. ¡°Get out of the water with Peck. When you land, Splash and Flail. Keep yourself unpredictable.¡± Charlie narrowed his eyes. ¡°Steady, Staryu¡­ Keep charging up and aim Tackle for when it lands.¡± A tense atmosphere took over the arena as the two Pokemon stood off against each other. Staryu spinning in place until its silhouette began to blur, while Goldeen jumped in and out of the water, trying her best to disorientate her opponent. And just when it felt like everyone¡¯s nerves were about to fray from the tension. Staryu struck, without any input from its trainer. The sentient shuriken shot through the water and blasted out into the air, barely grazing Goldeen¡¯s flank as she flailed out of the way. Nina winced, after seeing that Staryu had sheared a few of Goldeen¡¯s translucent scales from her beautiful form. ¡°Go after it, Goldeen. Don¡¯t let that jerk get away with it. Supersonic when you get close.¡± There was a brief moment where Goldeen struggled to recover from her pain, but she pursed her luscious lips and forced herself to go after Staryu with a Tackle, using the residual momentum to rapidly swim towards the disorientated starfish Pokemon. ¡°Get yourself together Staryu, it''s coming!¡± Charlie yelled, but having just been flung through the air, Staryu was still trying to regain its bearings. That brief moment of pause was enough for Goldeen to reach it and pull off a Supersonic. Thankfully the confusion took hold, causing Staryu to wobble in place. ¡°Harden, Staryu! Keep going until you can¡¯t Harden anymore!¡± ¡°Goldeen, Tackle! Don¡¯t let up, try to force it out of bounds!¡± Staryu was really close to the edge of the field, having flung itself too far from that initial supercharged Tackle. And given that Charlie was smart enough to tell his Pokemon to hunker down and buff up, Nina had little choice but to try and win on a technicality. Goldeen slammed into the Hardened Staryu, the delicate goldfish Pokemon recoiling from having impacted its reinforced surface, sending her reeling backwards while Staryu barely budged, still a few centimeters away from exceeding the buoys which marked the field. ¡°Go in for another Tackle!¡± Nina screamed. But unfortunately for her, Staryu had just been knocked out of its confusion. ¡°Tackle, Staryu! Force it back!¡± Staryu began charging forwards, but this time without the wind-up. Goldeen charged as well, her advantage being that she had a head start in building her momentum, having already guessed that Nina would call for a follow up Tackle. Goldeen reached Staryu before it could get a fully powered Tackle going and the two pokemon impacted against each other, sending clouds of bubbles to burst out from the crash zone. Once everything was settled, a series of gasps ran through the audience. Staryu was out of bounds, but Goldeen was now floating unconscious above the water. Both Nina and Charlie were mouth agape, completely speechless at the outcome. Misty grinned in amusement. ¡°Well would you look at that. Looks like we got ourselves a double knockout folks! ¡°Match is over! I declare the winner to be¡­¡± She raised her hand up to the sky in a dramatic fashion, deliberately holding silent to keep people at the edge of their seats. ¡°Both Charlie and Nina!!!! A round of applause for these two incredible Pokemon Trainers in the making!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Charlie exclaimed. While Nina just stared at the Gym Leader with wide eyes. Misty gave them both a wink before turning off her mic. ¡°Truth be told, the two of you were singled out for this match due to your exceptional performance throughout this entire tournament. We wanted you to demonstrate the right mindset that a trainer should have to the other kids. So even if one of you had lost, I probably would have conjured up some nonsense to declare both of you as winners anyway.¡± The orange haired beauty stuck out her tongue mischievously. ¡°This is actually convenient because it makes my job a lot easier.¡± Nina was flabbergasted. ¡°Rigged! This match was rigged! Is this really okay? Is it fine to teach a bunch of impressionable children such twisted life lessons?!¡± She thought. Nina turned towards Charlie to gauge his reaction, only for the boy to return her sentiment with a helpless shrug. *** ¡°There you go, Goldeen is all healed up now,¡± said the Nurse Joy who was manning the little booth that the Pokemon Center had set up next to the Cerulean Gym¡¯s arena. Nina thanked the nurse and grabbed the Pokeball on the tray, before turning to the staff member who was hovering over her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss, I know that you have a very important job to do, but do you mind if I say my goodbyes to Goldeen before returning her?¡± Nina did not manage to say anything to the loaner Pokemon after their last match on account of the fact that she had fainted. The lady that Nina was addressing gave a troubled smile, but ultimately relented to the pitiful look that Nina was giving her. Nina thanked the staff member and ran back to the pool to release Goldeen. When the goldfish Pokemon reappeared in a flash of light, Nina reached into her Berry Pouch and took out the last few remaining Oran Berries she had on hand. ¡°Here, Goldeen,¡± she said, as she offered the berries to the Pokemon. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for pushing you so hard in that last match. I didn¡¯t mean to get you all banged up like that.¡± Nurse Joy said that Goldeen would have a couple of bruises from hitting Staryu''s hardened body, and that the scales she lost would regrow over the course of a few days. So overall, it was no big deal. Pokemon are quite sturdy after all. ¡°Deeen~¡± responded Goldeen, as she happily munched down on the berries. Not seeming to mind the rough match at all. ¡°Thanks for working so hard for me today. I promise I¡¯ll do my best to keep improving and make sure that my future Pokemon will be able to handle whatever tricks come my way.¡± Nina gave Goldeen a gentle scratch underneath her fin, just the way she liked it. ¡°And who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll get to face you in the Gym circuit one day?¡± ¡°Deeen~¡± Goldeen did a swish in the water before gracefully settling back down, her tail billowing like an elegant dress in the wind. ¡°That was a great match,¡± came a boyish voice from behind Nina. She turned around and found that Charlie had approached her at some point. Nina dusted off her knees and stood up to greet the spiky haired boy. ¡°Likewise, I didn¡¯t know Staryu could charge up its Tackle like that.¡± Charlie gave a sheepish smile. ¡°I have my mom to thank for that, she has a Starmie that¡¯s been with her since the start of her journey. So she knows all the little tricks to use with them.¡± ¡°Oh, Your mom used to be a Pokemon Trainer? That must be nice.¡± Charlie scratched the back of his head. ¡°Both my parents actually. They met during their journey. I heard from your dad that you''re aiming for trainer school as well?¡± Nina looked around and saw that Patrick was speaking with an energetic looking couple nearby, presumably Charlie¡¯s parents. ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s still a few years away. No harm in preparing early though.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Sometimes I wished I had started a bit earlier as well,¡± confessed Charlie, sounding a little downtrodden. ¡°That¡¯s kind of why I joined the Little League today, because I wanted to get a commendation under my belt. You know? Just to pad out my resume as my old man likes to say.¡± Nina giggled, making Charlie blush for some reason. ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean.¡± ¡°So erm¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m aiming for the Vermillion Flame. I only have less than a year left before the start of the enrollment date, but I¡¯ll work hard to get in. And I think someone like you should be able to get in no problem,¡± said Charlie, his eyes briefly blazing with the fires of determination, before he shyly averted from Nina¡¯s gaze again. ¡°So.. I mean¡­ I think you¡¯ll be a good fit for the school. Maybe it''s something you want to consider? By then I¡¯ll already be in my second to last year, so I¡¯ll be able to show you around¡­¡± The Vermillion Flame that Charlie mentioned was renowned for being the number one trainer school in all of Kanto. And like the name suggests, it was located in Vermillion City, the largest and most populous city in the region. Nina had not really considered going that far for school. She always assumed that she would just attend Cerulean Blue, the local trainer school, thinking that Leanette wouldn¡¯t let her ¡°baby¡± stray too far out of sight. ¡°VF has dorms for boarding students right?¡± Asked Nina. ¡°Hmm? Oh yeah, yeah they do. I¡¯m actually gonna try applying for a spot in their dorms as well. They say that each student gets a whole studio to themselves, but availability is limited. If I don¡¯t get a spot in the dorms then no problems, I have relatives in the city¡­ Though I¡¯d rather not, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± That last sentence was punctuated with a heavy sigh. ¡°The Vermillion Flame¡­¡± considered Nina. ¡°Might not be too bad to live independently, get a bit of freedom.¡± But this would be subject to her parents approval as well. Nina knows that her father would be open to a discussion. Her clinically insane mother on the other hand¡­ ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll just have to take this one step at a time.¡± Chapter 8 ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Nina gave a resolute nod to her father¡¯s doubt. It had been a year since her mother was admitted into the psychiatric ward of Cerulean General. Nina had long since moved back to her family home, after Patrick finally decided to ¡°clean up¡± their apartment. Though Nina did note that quite a few of their family paraphernalia were missing and there were some mild changes to their furniture. In particular, Nina¡¯s bed had been replaced outright. The two were currently in the hospital. After a whole year of gentle persuasion, Nina finally convinced Patrick to let her visit Leanette. Or so she would like to think. In reality, it was Nina¡¯s maternal grandmother who served as the lynchpin for today''s events. After learning that her daughter had been sent to the nuthouse, she flew all the way from Pewter City on her Pidgeot, demanding to see her child. Nina just took advantage of the old woman¡¯s fury and begged to tag along. Of course, it need not be said that it was Nina who ¡°accidentally¡± let slip her mother¡¯s condition while on a video call with her grandma. ¡°Hmph!¡± scoffed Melina Ashes. ¡°My granddaughter isn¡¯t a wuss like you! If she says she can handle it then it means she can handle it.¡± Patrick was exasperated at his mother-in-law''s carelessness. ¡°Melina, need I remind you that Nina, despite her apparent maturity, is still a child. No one deserves to see their mother in that sort of¡­ state.¡± The older Melina snorted. ¡°Says the man who forced my daughter into that state to begin with!¡± Patrick frowned at Melina¡¯s overt accusation. ¡°Leanette was sick, and Nina was distressed. Your daughter was in desperate need of medical intervention. My only regret was that I didn¡¯t try harder to persuade her to seek help sooner¡­ I thought she would get better, ease up on her own once Nina grew up¡­¡± He sighed ¡°Maybe all of this could have been avoided had we dealt with it right at the onset.¡± ¡°What she needed¡­¡± said Melina. ¡°Was a smack on the head! You should have called me sooner. I would have knocked the crazy right out of her.¡± ¡°Need I remind you that your heavy handed upbringing was what caused Leanette to develop an aversion towards Pokemon to begin with!¡± Nina could tell that her father¡¯s voice was seething with barely contained anger. Recognising that the conversation was getting out of hand, she coughed and pulled on the pants of the two adults to get their attention. ¡°You two are causing a scene. Can we just go and see mom already before they kick us out?¡± ¡°Of course, dearie.¡± Melina affirmed, with an uncharacteristically affectionate tone. The old woman picked up her granddaughter and sat the girl on her shoulder. Melina Ashes was ridiculously strong and sturdy for a woman her age, owing to her long years of handling Pokemon. ¡°Sometimes you just gotta wrestle the unruly ones into submission.¡± As she was prone to saying. It was a shame that she extended the same philosophy to rearing human children. ¡°For all his smarts, your father has the stubbornness of a Tauros. It was a good thing that you didn¡¯t inherit that from him,¡± said Melina, much to Patrick¡¯s chagrin. *** ¡°The patient¡¯s mental condition is constantly in flux. There are times where she has shown dangerously violent tendencies, and times where she appears sane and fully in control,¡± explained the doctor who was escorting them. ¡°It¡¯s hard to really predict what state she¡¯s in at any given time or what might trigger her. So for the sake of your safety, I must urge that all visitors stay behind the yellow line,¡± he warned. His stern tone made it clear that he would not entertain any exceptions. Nina and her two guardians responded in affirmation as the doctor opened the door to Leanette¡¯s room. The room itself was fairly barebones; white with padded surfaces and no furniture in sight, looking like something straight out of a movie. Leanette herself was in a straitjacket, her eyes widening when she saw Nina walk in. ¡°My baby¡­ My baby¡­¡± she moaned whilst shuffling closer to her beloved daughter. Melina frowned in disapproval at the state of her progeny. ¡°Is this really necessary?! Even livestock are treated better than this.¡± The doctor pushed against the bridge of his glasses and sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Due to her extreme aversion towards Pokemon, we had no choice but to only assign human staff to her care. However, she has already injured a number of our providers to date. Her current circumstances can be considered as a last resort.¡± ¡°Come here, baby girl¡­ Come to mommy. Mommy will protect you. Mommy promises never to let go ever again.¡± Leanette looked at Nina with pleading eyes, desperate for any form of physical contact with her daughter. Nina came a bit closer but made sure to stay behind the bright yellow line as advised by the doctor. ¡°Hey, mom. I hear that you¡¯ve been refusing Hypnosis treatment. Mind telling me why?¡± Leanette rushed towards Nina in a rabid frenzy, but was held back by a cord that connected her straitjacket to a corner of the room. Nina jolted back in surprise at the madwoman in front of her. ¡°They¡¯re LYING!¡± She screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them! They¡¯re trying to turn me into one of them¡­ one of those MONSTERS!¡± But then, in a jarring reversal, she suddenly calmed down and began speaking in a gentle tone again. ¡°Come here, Nina. Mommy will protect you. I¡¯ll make sure the monsters don¡¯t get to you¡­ It¡¯s safe here by mommy¡¯s side.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°I want to help you mom. WE want to help you,¡± she said, gesturing towards her father and grandmother. ¡°But we can¡¯t do anything if you refuse treatment. Don¡¯t you want to come back home? I miss you mom¡­ Who¡¯s gonna comb my hair for me if you aren¡¯t around?¡± Leanette¡¯s eyes seem to gain a bit of clarity at her daughter¡¯s plea. She looked towards her husband, then her mother, before stopping at the doctor who was standing by the door. The sight of the man in his white lab coat seemed to trigger her as she began frantically shaking her head. ¡°No, no¡­ This is a trick. You¡¯re not my Nina. This is all an illusion! They¡¯re trying to TRICK ME!¡± Nina recoiled at the sudden outburst. And her grandmother, who was getting increasingly impatient pulled Nina back and stepped in front of Leanette with her hands on her hips. ¡°Leanette Bellossom Ashes!¡± She called, using her daughter¡¯s full maiden name. The woman in question reeled back in fear. It seems that Leanette still remembers Melina¡¯s years of conditioning from when she was growing up. ¡°Get a hold of yourself! You''re being an embarrassment to your daughter!¡± She scolded. Nina wanted to interject and say that she wasn¡¯t embarrassed, but decided instead to hold back and let Melina take care of things. Melina¡¯s harsh words seemed to be getting through to Leanette as she frantically looked back and forth between Nina and her mother. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± she stuttered, before shaking her head in denial again. Slap. Nina, Patrick, and the doctor all looked towards Melina in abject horror after she just went ahead and assaulted her mentally ill daughter. ¡°Does that feel like an illusion? Is my hand real enough for you?!¡± Leanette, with her watery eyes and swollen cheeks, frantically shook her head in response. ¡°Now you listen to me, girl. You WILL cooperate with your doctors, and you WILL obediently receive treatment. Do you understand?¡± Leanette nodded in response. ¡°Good, and don¡¯t let me hear anything about you assaulting your medical team ever again, do you hear me?! Or I swear to Arceus, I¡¯m handing you over to Vileplume!¡± ¡°Please, no! Anything but Vileplume!¡± She cried. Leanette Jones, whom Nina remembers as being a stern and obsessive parent, had been broken down into a little girl under the oppressiveness of her abusive mother. Melina turned towards Patrick with a smug face. ¡°See, what did I tell you? All she needed was a bit of tough love.¡± She then faced the doctor. ¡°Alright, Doc. I¡¯ll leave it to you to fix up this no-good daughter of mine.¡± The doctor in question cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the legality of such ¡®coercive¡¯ methods.¡± Melina looked like she was about to protest, so Nina grabbed hold of her hand and shook her head to silence the old woman. Nina raised a hand out of politeness. ¡°May I ask, doctor? My mother is clearly mentally unfit to be making her own decisions. Why do we still need her consent to administer any treatment?¡± ¡°A very good question, little Nina.¡± The doctor gave her a sagely nod. ¡°Simply put, your mother did not have any advance directives in place prior to her admission. In order for us to override her fundamental rights as a human being, we need to follow the correct procedures and meet certain standards. ¡°In regards to the standards, your mother does show a sufficient amount of lucidity, which unfortunately, is still above the required thresholds.¡± He then made a quick glance towards Patrick. ¡°And in terms of procedures, your father and I have been hard at work, trying to get all the necessary paperwork completed in order for us to instate him as your mother¡¯s proxy. But alas, as Mr Jones well knows, the wheels of bureaucracy spins at a Slugma¡¯s pace.¡± ¡°So what now then?¡± Patrick asked. ¡°I agree that my mother-in-law¡¯s methods are¡­ unseemly.¡± Melina scoffed. ¡°But my wife did give her consent, surely that counts for something?¡± It was clear that Nina¡¯s father was also impatient to get the ball rolling on her mother¡¯s treatment. The doctor hummed. ¡°Due to the dubiousness of how said consent was procured, I cannot in good conscience authorize any invasive treatment at this moment.¡± He said, much to the disappointment of everyone involved. ¡°However, I would suggest giving Mrs Jones a couple more days to get over today¡¯s¡­ trauma. If she is still willing to accept treatment at that time, then I will make all the necessary arrangements.¡± It wasn¡¯t the best news, but at least it was progress. The trio thanked the doctor for his consideration and said their goodbyes to Leanette before leaving the hospital. *** Nina sat on a swing, idly watching as other kids ran around with each other or played with their parents. Her grandmother had already returned to Pewter City, vowing to return and check on Leanette soon. It took everything Patrick and Nina had to persuade the domineering woman to wait for their call before coming back, for fear that she might complicate Leanette¡¯s treatment. If one were to ask if Nina had any love for her new world mother, the answer would be no. She does feel familial love towards her father, but Leanette had been nothing but vexing to her throughout her time here in this world. The reason why she was so invested in the woman¡¯s wellbeing was because of guilt. She had already displaced the life of the original Nina Jones, she did not want to drive her mother insane as well. Though it¡¯s arguable if Nina Jones would have even survived her accident if Miles had not possessed her body. For all that anyone knew, Leanette would have still gone crazy over the grief of losing her daughter. ¡°You looked like somebody went and kicked your Pikachu,¡± said a familiar voice. Nina turned her head to see Charlie, whom she had become friends with over the past year. ¡°Hey, C,¡± she greeted. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just thinking about life¡± Charlie laughed. ¡°We¡¯re kids, what¡¯s there to think about?¡± Nina chuckled in return. ¡°Not you. You¡¯re about to turn ten. They¡¯ll start calling you a teenager soon. By the way, how¡¯d the interview go? Did you manage to get in?¡± Nina asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation away from her own issues. Charlie responded with a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re looking at a future Vermillion Flame alumni, baby!¡± He declared, with a triumphant gesture. Nina clapped in admiration, she knew how hard Charlie had been working to earn the school¡¯s acceptance. ¡°Congrats! Any plans for a celebration?¡± Charlie scratched his head in the same sheepish manner as when he got embarrassed. By this point, it was pretty clear to Nina that the boy had a crush on her, not that she was planning to reciprocate. However, she did not want to reject him outright either. So she could only hope that her friend would meet new people over the course of his trainer school years and get over his little puppy love for her at some point. ¡°That¡¯s actually kind of why I¡¯m here,¡± answered Charlie. ¡°My parents are planning on a camping trip to the Safari Zone during summer break to celebrate. I was wondering if you wanna come with?¡± Nina¡¯s eyes lit up at the possibility of visiting the Safari Zone, but almost immediately deflated when thoughts of her mother came to mind. ¡°That sounds great and all, but I¡¯ll have to talk to dad about it.¡± Charlie seemed a little confused at his friend¡¯s dejected tone. ¡°Mr Jones is a cool dude. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be ok with it.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not about my dad per se¡­ Regardless, I¡¯ll still need to ask for his permission, so we¡¯ll see.¡± Charlie wanted to ask further, but ultimately opted to keep his nosiness in check. ¡°We¡¯ve still got plenty of time, summer break is over a month away, so no rush. And just so you know, Bobby and Nobita, two of my friends are coming as well. So is my baby sister. You¡¯ve met Tiff right?¡± Nina gave an awkward smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think Tiffany likes me very much.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charlie¡¯s little sister was very attached to her brother. So naturally, she has taken it upon herself to think of Nina as an archnemesis. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± said Charlie, completely dismissing Nina¡¯s concern. ¡°Tiff just needs some time to warm up to people, is all.¡± ¡°Oh Charlie, you sweet innocent boy, if only you knew. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.¡± ¡°Anyways, my mom specially ordered one of those large foldable baskets that you can attach to a Flying Type Pokemon. Said she¡¯ll use that to fly us all the way to Fuchsia City. And dad said that he reached out to an old friend to rent us a lodge in the Safari itself, so we don¡¯t have to sleep in tents.¡± Charlie proceeded to excitedly talk about all of the things that his parents had in store for the trip. And Nina found herself genuinely smiling at the boy¡¯s infectious optimism in spite of all her worries. Chapter 9 ¡°Do you have everything with you?¡± Nina went through her backpack and a checklist. ¡°Yeap, extra underwear, spare clothes, a swimsuit, Repel, water bottle, and more importantly, loads and loads of Berries!¡± Nina¡¯s father chuckled at her enthusiasm. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your Pokegear as well.¡± The little girl excitedly held up a portable device that looked a little old and worn down. To her delight, Patrick had decided to lend Nina an old Pokegear he had lying around just so that his daughter would have a means of communication should anything happen. It was an older model as evident by how chunky and scarred it was, but it did have Pokenet access, which was what Nina was most excited about. She had already downloaded a whole bunch of reading material to keep her occupied during the camping trip. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll manage by yourself?¡± Nina was feeling a little guilty about ditching her father to deal with the mentally ill Leanette and her abusive mother all by his lonesome. Patrick got on his knees and pulled his daughter in for a hug at her concern. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± he chuckled. ¡°My little girl¡¯s all grown up now, but there¡¯s no need to worry about daddy just yet. I¡¯ve still got plenty of hair on my scalp.¡± Nina nodded at the man¡¯s reassurance. ¡°If grandma is giving you trouble, make sure to give me a call okay? I can get her to listen to me¡­ mostly.¡± Patrick gave Nina a series of headpats, ruffling his daughter¡¯s meticulously combed hair, much to her displeasure. ¡°Will do, captain!¡± He replied, with a mock salute. ¡°Pika!¡± ¡°Bye Pikachu, bye dad.¡± Nina gave her dad a peck on the cheek before heading out to rendezvous with Charlie¡¯s family. She would have to take the Sky Tram, given that Charlie lived in a separate neighborhood. Public transport was very developed in the Pokemon world because personal vehicles weren¡¯t very popular. Large transport vehicles still exist for logistical purposes, but cars were mostly luxury goods. Nina felt a little envious, seeing all the Pokemon that everyone had accompanying them. She had gotten used to Pikachu being a constant presence in her life. But unfortunately, her best friend would have to stay in a Pokeball within the Safari Zone. So she opted not to bring the electric mouse with her, knowing how much she hated being confined. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** ¡°Nina! Good to see you again.¡± ¡°Hello, Mrs Rockford.¡± Charlie¡¯s mother pulled her tiny guest in for a hug. ¡°Oh please, we¡¯re not strangers here. Just call me Kumiko.¡± ¡°Ok, Kumiko! Thanks for inviting me today,¡± said Nina, with the brightest smile she could muster. One could see a lot of resemblance between Kumiko Rockford and her son, Charlie. They share the same sharp features and midnight blue hair, though hers were in a bob cut and showed obvious signs of bleaching. That combined with her lean athletic build betrayed the fact that she was a Water Type specialist. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, sweetie.¡± Kumiko then leaned in and whispered into Nina¡¯s ear. ¡°Charlie¡¯s been really excited to spend the week with you.¡± Nina returned with an awkward smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re gonna have lots of fun together with his friends.¡± Kumiko swooned. ¡°How polite, if only Tiffany had half your manners.¡± Behind the woman, Nina could hear a snort, revealing a haughty looking little girl wearing an extremely impractical looking frilly pink balloon dress with matching shoes. This was in stark contrast to Nina¡¯s boots, khaki shorts, tank top and sturdy jacket ¡°Erm¡­ Kumiko, are you sure it¡¯s a good idea for Tiffany to traipse around the Safari Zone in that outfit?¡± Kumiko rolled her eyes. ¡°I tried Nina, I really did. One can only wonder where she got that attitude from. Cause it sure as Arceus isn¡¯t from me or Stephen.¡± Speaking of the devil, Stephen Rockford strutted out of his front door with a massive package over his shoulder. The thing was so massive that it could easily crush Nina. But having been a former Gym Trainer over at the Pewter City Gym, the heavy burden hardly phased the muscular man as he casually waved at Nina with his free hand. ¡°Miki, help me out with this will ya?¡± Kumiko left Nina and headed over to her husband¡¯s side. The couple then proceeded to unfold the package, revealing a bundle of cloth and flimsy looking rods. Nina stood to the side, curiously observing the couple. ¡°Is this supposed to be a tent?¡± She asked. Stephen returned her query with a grin. ¡°You¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll show you a magic trick that¡¯ll knock your socks off.¡± ¡°Sure, just make sure not to get my socks wet.¡± Nina quipped, much to Stephen¡¯s amusement. The couple began slotting the rods into designated compartments on the cloth, much like how one would assemble a tent. Except, the end result wasn¡¯t a solid construct like Nina had expected, but rather, it remained a messy bundle on the ground. ¡°Did they screw up somehow?¡± Just as Nina was about to make a comment about reading manuals, Stephen sent out an Electabuzz in a flash of light. ¡°Wait!¡± yelled a frantic voice. Nina looked behind her to find Charlie running towards them with two other boys in tow. One of them looked like a Munchlax given human form with how tubby he was. While the other one seemed like a meek boy with glasses. ¡°Dammit, dad! I told you not to get started without me.¡± Stephen laughed at his son¡¯s tardiness. ¡°You snooze, you lose, kid. That¡¯s what you get for being such a Slowpoke.¡± Charlie glared at his father in between him panting for breath. ¡°Hey Charlie,¡± greeted Nina, which immediately distracted the boy from his anger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr Rockford was just getting started. You haven¡¯t missed¡­ whatever it is we¡¯re doing just yet.¡± Charlie greeted Nina back with a blush, eliciting a snort from his sister. ¡°Oh you guys haven¡¯t met yet, but this is Bobby,¡± he said, gesturing towards the tubby boy. ¡°And this is Nobita,¡± referring to the nerdy boy with glasses. Once the pleasantries were over with, Stephen clapped his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Alright kiddos! Make sure not to blink, or else you¡¯ll miss the show. Electabuzz, Discharge!¡± The Electabuzz walked up to the mess of fabric on the ground and started discharging a weak stream of electricity. The once flimsy rods began stiffening, pulling the fabric taut and causing the whole thing to rise up from the ground to form a large square basket of sorts. And once the basket has mostly taken form, Electabuzz let out a final, stronger burst of electricity to solidify the whole construct, including the previously soft fabric. Nina unknowingly shuffled closer to the newly formed construct. The girl was absolutely fascinated by what she just witnessed, having no idea as to what the underlying principles are. ¡°¡±Is it safe to touch?¡± She asked, cautiously. Stephen Rockford nodded in response. The most interesting thing about the basket was how solid the fabric was, it almost had a metallic rigidity to it. Nina had assumed that the electricity would only affect the mysterious rods, using them as frames to hold the fabric together. But it seemed that even the beige cloth also shared similar properties. ¡°Do you like it?¡± asked Kumiko. ¡°The Fly Basket is made out of a smart material that changes composition when electricity is applied. It was originally designed so that trainers with smaller Flying Types could still use their Pokemon for travel, but you don¡¯t see ones this big very often. I had to reach out to the company to have one custom made.¡± ¡°How do you turn it back?¡± Nina asked. ¡°If it activates using electricity then wouldn¡¯t this be dangerous during stormy weather or when Electric pokemon are around?¡± ¡°Nah, if that was the case then I doubt they¡¯d even be able to sell a single unit. People aren¡¯t that dumb.¡± Kumiko chuckled. ¡°To answer your question, it automatically reverts after a certain time period has passed. So it¡¯s not permanent. There¡¯s an alarm built in that¡¯ll start making noise when the time limit is near. This also helps to encourage frequent breaks, which is good.¡± Nina nodded. It made sense to her, if such miracle material was capable of permanent change then the potential applications were limitless. As it is, there should also be other flaws that Kumiko did not mention. For example, the permeability of the fabric might be a boon when traveling in rainy weather, but it¡¯d be a nightmare if you try to use it as a tent. ¡°The Basket is impressive and all, but do we have a pokemon that¡¯s strong enough to carry this thing?¡± Kumiko gave Nina a smirk, before taking out a pokeball and unleashing¡­ ¡°A freaking Gyarados!¡± Nina thought. The little girl gazed up at the majestic sea serpent in awe, while both of Charlie¡¯s friends shrunk back in fear. She held up both her hands at the cerulean scaled Pokemon, face full of desire to pet the creature known for sinking ships in bouts of rage-filled tantrums. Kumiko looked up to her Gyarados and gave it a nod, consenting for it to come near the fragile little girl under her care. Gyarados puffed out a bit of steam from its nostrils as it approached, eliciting giggles from Nina. She leaned in a bit closer and began caressing the scales around its face. The first thing she noticed after touching the cerulean scales was how rough they felt. The surface of the scales had a sort of plasticky finish to them. But when she tried to scratch it, Nina was reminded of those decorative geodes that people liked to collect in her past life with how coarse it was. The coarseness added texture to the scales, the uneven surface captured the light in unique ways to create a gleam on its surface. Nina could only imagine how beautiful the Pokemon would look when freshly emerged from water. ¡°He¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Nina whispered. ¡°Indeed he is. I¡¯ve had him since he was a Magikarp. The two of us have been through thick and thin together.¡± Kumiko gave the girl a wide smile, happy that someone was appreciating her friend as opposed to pissing their pants in terror for once. ¡°People often misunderstand Gyarados, saying that they¡¯re all angry, dangerous Pokemon. But what they don¡¯t seem to understand is that a Gyarados¡¯s anger is reflective of how well they were treated during their Magikarp phase.¡± Kumiko explained. ¡°Magikarps might not seem very bright, but they do remember, you know? Their Evolution is an emotional process. Some scientists even hypothesize that a Magikarp will see its life flash before its eyes during Evolution, and those memories go on to form the foundation of its personality as a Gyarados.¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to be nice to every Magikarp I see from now on,¡± joked Nina. ¡°Not that I otherwise wouldn¡¯t have. Gyarados is one of my favorite pokemon.¡± Gyarados, seeming pleased by Nina¡¯s affection, leaned in to rub against the girl, taking care not to accidentally harm her. When Bobby and Nobita saw how friendly the infamous Pokemon was, they found the courage to come closer and touch his scales as well. ¡°Alright kiddos, as much fun as Gary is, we really need to get going if we want to make it to Fuchsia before sundown,¡± announced Stephen. ¡°Charlie, get the boys to help load in the luggage while your mom and I work on Gary¡¯s harness.¡± ¡°Wait, is the Gyarados gonna be the one flying us there?!¡± Bobby exclaimed. Nina looked at the bewildered boy with a deadpan expression. ¡°Gyrados are part Flying Type, didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°But how, though? It doesn¡¯t even have wings!¡± ¡°Guess you¡¯ll just have to find out,¡± teased Charlie. In truth, Nina did not know the specifics of how Gyarados flew either. From what she remembered reading on the topic, it had something to do with their weather manipulation abilities and how it could be used to control the atmospheric pressure around them to enable flight. Eventually all the luggage was loaded in and everyone climbed into the oversized Fly Basket, using a rope ladder that the Rockfords were prescient enough to prepare for the little squirts among them. ¡°Alright, is everyone loaded in? Good. Time for lift off, Gary. To infinity and beyond!¡± The uncanny Flying type let out an enthusiastic roar, dragging the Basket underneath it for a distance before slithering up into the skies. Bobby yelled out in horror, shaking and clutching at Stephen¡¯s thighs. While everyone else let out excited cheers at the thrilling experience. Chapter 10 The view on top of Gyarados¡¯s Fly Basket was breathtaking. Nina stood atop a stool, peeking down at the luscious forests, pristine lakes and off-route villages that they flew by. It was a shame that none of the wild Flying pokemon dared to get near a Gyarados, she would have liked to interact with the friendlier ones. It made sense, nothing short of a territorial Dragon Type would be willing to challenge Kumiko¡¯s Gyarados. The sea serpent was incredibly intimidating. In fact, the only native Dragon species capable of flight in Kanto-Johto were the Dragonite line, and those guys weren¡¯t particularly aggressive as far as Dragon Types go. Preferring to only engage in conflict when their young were threatened. The trip was very leisurely, owing to the fact that Kumiko¡¯s supersized Basket could only last a little over an hour before it fell apart. So their little group had to take frequent breaks, stopping whenever there was a suitable looking clearing to land and recharge. It made sense now why Stephen was so eager to get going in the morning. ¡°These pastries are absolutely exquisite! My compliments to your mom, Bobby. She¡¯s an incredible cook,¡± said Nina, in between mouthfuls of puff pastry stuffed with curried potatoes that Bobby¡¯s chef mother had packed for her son¡¯s trip. It was a shame that Bobby himself could not take part in the meal due to how airsick he was. The pale faced boy in question returned Nina¡¯s compliment with a thumbs up, before immediately running off to the bushes again. Nina frowned. ¡°I feel bad for him, we should leave some food for when he gets better. It¡¯d be a shame if Bobby can¡¯t enjoy his mom¡¯s cooking.¡± Charlie waved off Nina¡¯s concern. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Bobby eats his mom¡¯s cooking practically everyday. He¡¯s probably sick of it at this point.¡± Either Charlie¡¯s nonchalance or his comment must have triggered his mother in some way, because Kumiko shot his son a deathly glare, instantly shutting the boy up. ¡°No need to worry,¡± Nobita added, with a push of his glasses. ¡°Mrs Bratwurst knows that her son is a big eater, so she always packs more than necessary. I doubt we¡¯d be able to finish all this food even if we wanted to. There¡¯ll be plenty left over for that fatso when he gets back.¡± Charlie furiously nodded in support of his friend''s statement. Nina simply hummed in response and poured herself a nice cup of tea, courtesy of Nobita''s thermos. The boy seemed to be very particular about his tea leaves. "So Mr Rockford, I noticed that¡ª" "Please, Nina. If you''re going to call my wife by her given name, then please call me Stephen as well." Nina scratched her cheek sheepishly. "Right, sorry. So Stephen, I noticed that we''ve been avoiding the off-route villages so far. Is there a reason for that?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina was thinking that there should be some interesting interactions to be had in these rural settlements. It was odd that they had deliberately skipped them over when they could have stopped in a couple along the way for their rest stops. Stephen nodded. "You do ask some of the best questions don''t you, Nina? My brick of a son could learn a thing or two from you. Let me put it this way, if you were a xenophobic hick who lived in the boonies all your life, how would you feel if someone suddenly showed up in your little wooden village with a scary looking Gyarados?" Nina nodded in understanding. "I''d probably panic, thinking we were under attack or something." It was odd that such settlements were even a thing in such an advanced world. "But I suppose luddites and hermits exist everywhere." Nina wondered if those people even had access to basic TV or the Pokenet. "Yeap. But make no mistake Nina, you either have to be insanely strong or just plain insane to live off-route like that. So keeping away from those settlements is as much for our own safety as it is for theirs." Nina gave a grave nod to Stephen''s warning, filing it away in her brain to be written down in her notebook later. After a pleasant lunch, where Nina actually got to feed a couple of berries to a curious Caterpie, the group merrily set off. ** It took another four hours or so before they finally arrived in Fuchsia City, right around mid-afternoon. The City itself looked like an eclectic mix of old Edo style architecture and some modern buildings. In fact, from the air, one could clearly see where the older districts of Fuchsia stopped and newer developments began. The newer buildings form a sort of crescent which surrounds the rows of rustic wooden constructs. In a way, it kind of reminded Nina of Kyoto which she has had the pleasure of visiting in her past life. Except without all the obnoxious tourists crowding the place. Gyararados landed in the city outskirts since they did not want to get in trouble with the local law enforcement. There were few better ways to induce mass panic than having a Flying Gyarados land in the middle of a crowded city. After landing, they made their way on foot to the bus terminal, soaking in the city¡¯s unique aesthetics along the way. The bus to the Safari Zone was frequent enough that they did not need to rush. So they stopped by a cafe specializing in tea and traditional Kantonian desserts, much to Nobita and Nina¡¯s delight. Charlie, however, made quite a face when he tasted the bitter tea. Then they went into a Pokemart to pick up ingredients for the barbecue they were planning to have tonight. Nina made sure to keep the boys in line while the two adults were preoccupied, preventing them from overloading their cart with ice cream. She also made sure that they had a good variety of vegetarian options as well, just for her own benefit. The bus trip to the Safari Zone actually took them another hour. It made sense in hindsight, since the Safari was a massive nature preserve, the largest in Kanto-Johto in fact. According to their bus guide, the Safari Zone was about the size of two and a half Vermillion Cities, the largest and most populous city in Kanto. To put it into perspective, Vermilion City itself was about two-thirds the size of Tokyo in terms of real estate. It was a lot of area to cover, and the Pokemon Rangers worked tirelessly to maintain it, making sure that the ecosystem was balanced and that poachers were dealt with. Once Nina and the gang had arrived, they were greeted by an older Ranger. He had a salt and pepper buzzcut, asian features and olive tanned skin from all his time under the sun. ¡°Masa, you old Growlithe! How¡¯s it going?¡± greeted an enthusiastic Stephen, as he pulled his friend in for a manly hug. The man was named Masayuki. Stephen explained to them on the way over that he was an old mentor of his from when he used to work in the Pewter City Gym. The man decided at some point that he wanted to work to preserve Pokemon rather than battle them, so he packed up and became a Pokemon Ranger instead. ¡°Stephen, you twerp!¡± Masa pulled away and took in Stephen¡¯s entourage. ¡°You''re all grown up now, looking more like a man. I hope you¡¯re not being a bad influence on the lil¡¯ uns¡± Stephen chuckled and shook his head helplessly. ¡°You know me, I¡¯ve always been a good boy,¡± he quipped, earning a snort from his former mentor. ¡°Lemme introduce everyone to you. You¡¯ve met my beautiful wife, Kumiko. Next to her is my youngest, Tiffany, and Charlie, my son, and his friends ¡ª Nina, Bobby, and Nobita.¡± Masayuki went to embrace Kumiko next. ¡°Kumiko my dear, it¡¯s been a long time. Since the wedding, I believe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too Masayuki. I trust you¡¯ve been taking good care of yourself?¡± The man laughed. ¡°Oh, these old bones of mine aren¡¯t what they used to be. You know, I¡¯ve always said that you¡¯re too good for that ne''er-do-well and I stand by that statement.¡± The two of them broke out laughing at Stephen¡¯s expense. ¡°And this must be Charlie. Last I saw you, you were just a little blip in an ultrasound.¡± Charlie, a boy completely oblivious to the finer details of reproduction, tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Look at you, all grown up, and about to come of age no less. You look just like your old man when he was around your age. I still remember him barging into the Flint¡¯s Gym every week, begging to be given a Pokemon early. But after we denied him for the nth time, the fool rushed off to Mount Moon by himself to catch a Geodude. He really caused a lot of trouble to the rescue team, lemme tell ya.¡± ¡°Masa!¡± Stephen yelled, not wanting the old man to expose any more of his embarrassing past. The group had a good laugh, trading more pleasantries with the old Ranger before he escorted them to their lodgings in a golf cart. *** ¡°Are you a vegetarian as well?¡± Nina asked Masayuki. Stephen¡¯s old friend had apparently taken some time off to hang out with them tonight. They were currently having a barbecue with Stephen and Hitmonchan manning the grill. The place they were going to stay in was actually a fairly luxurious two storey villa in the Safari¡¯s residential district. Pokemon were allowed to roam free in this area so the adults had all released their companions for some fresh air. Kumiko had brought only Gyarados and Starmie with her, while Stephen brought his starter Golem, Electabuzz, and Hitmonchan. There was a bit of a commotion when Gyarados was let out, but the sea serpent learned quickly to coil his body up to avoid taking up too much space. On the other hand, Masayuki had a Growlithe and Pidgeot which Nina had asked to touch of course. Growlithe was a very good girl, as all Growlithes tend to be, and Masa¡¯s Pidgeot was less haughty than her grandmother¡¯s, so she got to bury her face in his feathers. The old Ranger smiled down at the bright eyed little girl who came up to him. ¡°Yeap! I didn¡¯t used to be, but as you get older, you tend to become a bit more health conscious. Besides¡­ the more I work with Pokemon, the more I lose my appetite for meat.¡± Nina nodded enthusiastically at his statement. ¡°I know what you mean. My dad has a Pikachu, she¡¯s my best friend. Everytime I see meat on the table, I think of Pikachu and I just shudder. It just feels¡­ wrong, somehow. Pokemon are supposed to be intelligent, sentient beings, you know?¡± Masayuki chuckled and reached out to pet Nina¡¯s head. ¡°How old are you, girlie?¡± ¡°I¡¯m six this year.¡± ¡°So young and yet so mature¡­¡± Masayuki mused. ¡°Well, if it makes you feel any better, Pokemon do eat one another, but you¡¯re not alone in your beliefs either. There¡¯s a reason why we have a whole industry dedicated to manufacturing soy meat and other protein substitutes.¡± Masayuki forked one of his vegetarian sausages over to Nina''s plate. ¡°So stay strong little one. There¡¯s nothing wrong with what you¡¯re doing at all.¡± Nina nodded, feeling a bit more assured by her senior¡¯s words. Nina did not really feel bad about her dietary habits or anything, but there was still a part of her that thought she needed to eat Pokemon to properly integrate herself into this new world. It was always good to converse with a like-minded soul. ¡°Can you tell me a bit more about how the Safari Zone deals with poachers? I read that each Pokemon Ranger is accompanied by a canine species and a Psychic Type at any given time, is this true? If so, how do you deal with poachers carrying Psychic Types of their own, or even Dark Types, since those are direct counters to Psychic abilities? In fact, how often do you encounter poachers in the Safari Zone?¡± Masayuki looked overwhelmed as the small girl in front of him began bombarding him with one question after another, until she was stopped by her friend. ¡°Sorry about Nina,¡± said Charlie. ¡°She¡¯s real nerdy when it comes to pokemon.¡± ¡°Nina, stop pestering Masa. He¡¯s on break right now, let him enjoy his food in peace,¡± admonished Kumiko. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Nina meekly mumbled. Masayuki let out a boisterous laugh. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s fine Kumiko, I don¡¯t mind it one bit. It¡¯s good that the little missie cares so much. In fact, I sense a Pokemon Ranger in the making.¡± The man ended that last sentence with a knowing grin. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m aiming to become an explorer. I want to go out, explore unknown lands, and meet new species of Pokemon,¡± said Nina. ¡°But maybe after, when I¡¯ve had enough of the road and want to settle down, being a Pokemon Ranger might not be too bad. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle a life without Pokemon after all.¡± The old Ranger let out another laugh. ¡°An explorer eh? That¡¯s gonna be tough, tougher than being a Pokemon Ranger, think you got what it takes?¡± Nina pouted, puffing up her cheeks at Masayuki. ¡°How would I know if I don¡¯t try? I know what I want to be, and even if I fail, I¡¯ll at least know that I¡¯ve tried and won¡¯t be left with any regrets!¡± Nina stumbled as Masayuki patted her on the back a little too forcefully. ¡°Well said, girlie. If you don¡¯t try, you don¡¯t get. Simple as that. It¡¯s always better to fail trying than do nothing at all¡± The rest of the night proceeded harmoniously with food, drink and merriment. Apart from that one time Charlie tried to sneak a sip of his dad¡¯s beer and got in trouble for it. After a while, the adults commanded the children to go to bed early, while they continued on with their after party. Nina was a little miffed, but it wasn¡¯t like she could drink in her juvenile physique anyway. Chapter 11 ¡°Alright, listen up! Because I don¡¯t like repeating myself.¡± Masayuki was currently giving the group a rundown on the rules of the Safari Zone. First off, there were no personal Pokemon allowed to avoid inflicting harm on the Safari¡¯s Pokemon. After all, abandoning a fainted Pokemon in the wild was very dangerous. It was an unfortunate fact that not all visitors were responsible enough to call in a Ranger when they faint a Pokemon. Nor are there enough Rangers on staff to run around as field medics either. However, Berries and rocks were allowed. Berries to attract Pokemon who were friendly and willing enough to engage humans, and rocks as a distraction to make a quick getaway if you accidentally piss off a Pokemon. It might seem cruel to throw rocks at Pokemon, but it¡¯s important to note that these are sturdy beings that can take a full on laser beam to the face if it comes down to it. Then there were rules regarding capture. Only Safari Balls were allowed within the confines of the Safari Zone. These were specially designed Pokeballs that allow for a Pokemon to easily break out should they wish. Again, this was to protect any Pokemon from being captured against their will. Visitors would be able to swap out the Safari Balls for normal Pokeballs upon their departure. In fact, it was encouraged that they do, since Safari Balls aren¡¯t rated for day to day use. They¡¯re fundamentally flimsier than the norm. However, it was also fine to keep the Safari Balls as souvenirs which people often do. ¡°Another thing, since we¡¯ve got underaged children with us. Any Pokemon that they catch will need to be registered with the adults. League rules and all that.¡± Masayuki added. He began distributing maps to each of his guests. Then with a swoosh, pulled down a larger version of the Safari map that they were given. The next part of the lecture was about the different areas of the nature preserve. He didn¡¯t elaborate much on what Pokemon they can expect to see as ¡°exploring is half the fun,¡± he said. Mostly, the old Ranger spoke about certain danger zones that they were strongly discouraged from approaching. ¡°We¡¯ve had a number of Alpha Pokemon emerge over the years. We have specialists that observe them and keep them in check, but well¡­ it¡¯s impossible to predict everything in life. So just be on guard if you find yourself anywhere near these red zones.¡± Everyone gave a grave nod in response, but Nina¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help twinkling at the mention of Alpha Pokemon. She had thought that it was purely a video game concept, or at the very least, something specific to the Sinnoh region. She wrote a reminder down in her notebook to do some research on the subject. ¡°You¡¯ll also be allowed to rent Pidgeots with Fly Baskets before entering the Safari proper. In fact, I highly recommend you do, if you want to make the most of your time here with us. Just make sure to return them by the end of the day. We¡¯ll provide the feed necessary to sustain them. And don¡¯t worry about going out of bounds or getting lost, the Pokemon are well trained.¡± Masayuki then turned towards Nina. ¡°I know you love feeding Pokemon, little miss. But I must stress that you limit your feeding to only Berries when it comes to the Pidgeot. We don¡¯t want our birds getting sick.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. It made sense, every Pokemon¡¯s constitution was different. And something that she learned after awakening in this world was that Pokemon can have allergies too, as rare as they may be. So no point taking any risks. ¡°And I think that pretty much covers it. Stephen, Kumiko, I¡¯m personally vouching for the two of you, so make sure not to cause any trouble. And keep the little¡¯ uns in check.¡± ¡°Thanks Masa, will do,¡± assured Stephen, as he and Kumiko took over at the front of their little conference room. ¡°Alright, before we set off on our grand adventure, there¡¯s some stuff we want to say as well.¡± The pair then focused their attention on Charlie. ¡°First off, Charlie, congratulations on getting accepted into the Vermillion Flame. Your mother and I are extremely proud of you.¡± Charlie blushed and lowered his head in embarrassment at his parents¡¯ praise. Stephen continued. ¡°Now I know we¡¯ve been very coy about the topic of your starter Pokemon¡­¡± Charlie immediately sat up straight at the mention of the topic. ¡°Miki and I talked, and we decided that it might be a worthwhile experience for you to capture your first Pokemon on your own.¡± This was when Kumiko moved in front of Charlie and set down a pouch full of Safari Balls before him. By this point, Charlie¡¯s eyes were wide enough to compete with a Magikarp. ¡°I agreed with the idea of letting you catch your own starter. My Staryu was given to me when I came of age, but I still vividly remember the moment when I managed to capture a Pokemon on my own ¡ª a Caterpie, which I have since released back into the wild as a Butterfree,¡± said Kumiko. ¡°Now I don¡¯t expect you to run off to Mount Moon on your own like a certain idiot did.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± exclaimed the idiot in question. ¡°But here in the Safari Zone, you¡¯ll be able to safely interact with Pokemon under the company of your friends and our supervision. So feel free to explore and find a partner that you know for certain will stick with you throughout your long journey ahead.¡± Charlie looked up at his mother, eyes glistening. He then looked towards his father, who gave him a cheeky smile in return, and took in a shaky breath, closing his eyes to compose himself. ¡°Mom. Dad. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± He declared, eyes full of determination. ¡°Attaboy!¡± Stephen exclaimed, while Nina and the rest of Charlie¡¯s friends congratulated him. ¡°Man, Stephen and Kumiko really came up with quite a creative Coming of Age gift,¡± thought Nina. She was almost jealous at how amazingly thoughtful Charlie¡¯s parents were. As someone who grew up playing the Pokemon games, Nina had always thought of starters as Pokemon that kids were just given, either through a sponsor or their own parents. It was another reminder that this was the real world, and that other approaches also exist. Like Stephen stupidly running off on his own to Mount Moon. Nina started thinking about her own starter and if she could maybe find a partner in the Safari Zone as well, until her thoughts were interrupted by Stephen clapping his hands once again. ¡°Now then, for the rest of you kids¡­¡± Stephen looked intently at his son¡¯s friends. ¡°Bobby, we talked with your mother beforehand. And she mentioned that she already has a starter in mind for you. So unfortunately, any Pokemon you end up catching will either have to be released back into the wild, or we¡¯ll transfer them over to your family, depending on said Pokemon¡¯s wishes.¡± Said the muscular man, much to Bobby¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Nobita¡­ Well, your dad¡¯s quite an interesting character, isn¡¯t he?¡± Stephen gave Nobita an almost bewildered look, which he simply shrugged off. ¡°Anyways,¡± Stephen placed a singular Safari Ball in front of the boy in glasses. ¡°Your dad said you have one shot to try your luck, and that¡¯s all you¡¯re getting. That said, we¡¯re not unreasonable, so feel free to ask us for more Balls, I¡¯m sure none of us will snitch on you.¡± Everyone nodded in affirmation at Stephen¡¯s assurance. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll try my luck, as that man said.¡± There was a coldness to Nobita¡¯s tone as he picked up the Safari Ball. ¡°And Nina¡­¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were gleaming, Nina¡¯s hopeful gaze was so bright that she might as well be a Pokemon using Flash. In the face of Nina¡¯s assault, Stephen gave a helpless look to his wife. Kumiko knelt down to face Nina. ¡°Look, sweetie¡­¡± Nina practically wilted at their pessimistic treatment. "It''s not what you think!" said Kumiko, trying to correct herself in a fluster. "The thing is, your dad wasn''t very specific on his wishes for you. He just said that ''Nina''s mature enough to make her own decisions.''" The girl in question looked up at the woman in confusion. "Nina, you need to consider the fact that you''re just six years old. You''re very smart of course, more than any kid your age has any right to be. But it''ll still be another four years until you can legally register your starter." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina understood what Kumiko was getting at. It would be irresponsible of her to catch a Pokemon who was battle ready and eager to explore the wider world, only for them to languish and have to wait another four years for their trainer to come of age. "And I know that your family''s had it rough recently. So consider who will need to take care of any Pokemon you capture in the meanwhile. I''m sure you''re a very responsible girl, Nina. However, there''ll be times where you need Patrick''s help but he''ll be busy at work, or dealing with¡­ issues." It seems that the Rockfords were well aware of Nina''s family circumstances, which was surprising because she did not expect her father to share such a sensitive matter with outsiders. Friends or otherwise. Tiffany, Charlie''s sister and Nina''s self-proclaimed love rival, looked like she was about to say something rude, but one look from her mother was enough to shut her up. Just to note, the youngest Rockford was a year younger than Nina, and her parents had already made it clear she wasn''t allowed to capture anything. Nina nodded. "I get it, I''ll think about this some more. In the meantime, may I help Charlie with his starter? I did a whole bunch of research on the Pokemon one can reasonably find here in the Safari Zone," said Nina, as she flipped through her notebook, pretending like she wasn''t bothered. When in fact, her mind was in turmoil. "Of course, sweetie¡­" Kumiko agreed, but Nina did not miss the sad look she gave her husband. "Alright, Charlie. Come on over." Nina beckoned. Charlie was reluctant, feeling guilty at her misfortune. But a single glare from the girl was all it took to make him compliant. Nina spread out her own map and began writing. "Alright, so¡­ Beware that what I''m about to say is purely based on my research of publicly available information online. It may or may not be accurate, but given how vague Mr Masayuki was earlier, it''s better than nothing." The six year old girl then began listing out some of the common Kantonian species of Pokemon that can be found in each biome; Kangaskhan and Growlithes in the plains, Butterfrees and Beedrills in the forests, etcetera. "But what is most interesting," continued Nina. "Is that in recent years, the League has started introducing some Johton Pokemon in the Safari as well." This new fact garnered the attention of everyone in the room. This was actually one of the Pokemon League''s plans to foster long-lasting peace between the two regions. They were using the Safari Zone as a sandbox to observe the ecological effects that introducing large numbers of foreign Pokemon may have before releasing them out into the wider region. By cross integrating the Kanto-Johto exclusive species, the League hopes to remove any friction that may occur due to Pokemon envy. Further removing a potential seed of conflict. Nina pointed to the plains. "For example, Mareep, which are extremely common. But Ampharos, their final evolution, are incredibly powerful and equally rare for whatever reason." Probably because the herbivores are too passive and lack the required evolutionary drive. They''re often kept as livestock afterall. Nina recalled a research paper warning about the possibility of Ampharos'' extinction if Mareep continues to be treated the way that they do. But most dismissed it as fear mongering, and said that Evolution was biologically hardcoded and that it was impossible for a Pokemon to lose an entire stage of Evolution that easily. Though the academic community at large was in agreement that there was a possibility that a weaker variant of Ampharos might occur among the livestock Mareeps. "Also, they can Mega Evolve into a hybrid Dragon Type if you ever get lucky enough to find the species''s Mega Stone," the girl added. The mention of Dragons got all the boys excited. "If you''re looking for something more conventional, there''s Houndour as well. They''ve also recently introduced a herd of Phanpy and Donphan in the forests. And, there should also be Heracross around if you''re interested in bug types." Stephen got really excited about Donphan for some reason. ¡°Now as far as Water Pokemon goes¡­¡± Nina pointed a decisive finger at the image of a lake. It was one of the locations that Nina spent the most time in during her past life playing the games. And while it looked very different, Nina just knew that this was the right spot. ¡°Kanto and Johto share most of the same Water Type species. And whatever exclusives Johto has aren¡¯t particularly worth it in my opinion.¡± Nina¡¯s assessment seemed to have gotten a nod of approval from Kumiko, their resident Water Type specialist. ¡°She¡¯s right. Also most of Johto¡¯s rare Water Types are primarily based in salt water environments. I doubt we¡¯d find any here in the Safari.¡± ¡°However,¡± Nina continued. ¡°I have reason to believe that we might be able to find Dratini here.¡± An awkward silence descended upon the room as everyone gaped at the girl¡¯s claim. Nina recalled her past life as Miles and how his initial encounter with Pokemon was actually an emulator loaded with the original Pokemon Yellow on his cousin¡¯s PC, the one where the cover for the game was a deformed Pikachu. It was the one thing Miles looked forward to the most whenever they visited that relative. And when Miles got his first PC at twelve years old, he immediately went and figured out how to install an emulator of his own. One of the things he would often do during his many playthroughs of Pokemon Yellow was spend hours in that single pond in the Safari Zone, trying to fish for Dratini. It was his favorite Pokemon, and he was very obsessive as a kid. It also did not help that the encounter rate for Dratinis were super low, and their tendency to escape only after a few turns. Relying only on Safari Balls and Berries to catch the elusive baby wyrm was an exercise in patience. ¡°Are you sure, sweetie? Wild Dratinis have not been sighted in years.¡± Kumiko was right, the Dragonite line wasn¡¯t a protected species for nothing. Being some of the friendliest and most aesthetic Dragon Types around, they were naturally heavily exploited by bad actors, leading to a very precarious situation. ¡°I¡¯m not one hundred percent sure, but it¡¯s worth looking around. I mean, I assume we¡¯ll visit all the major landmarks in the Safari at some point, right?¡± Nina replied. There was still some lingering skepticism, but everyone accepted Nina¡¯s reasoning and moved on. She was right in that there was no harm in doing a thorough check. After all, they had four whole days of Safari Zone ahead of them. After a brief discussion, Charlie decided that he wanted to see the Pokemon in action before making any decisions that might affect the rest of his life. In many ways, the choice of a starter was equally as important as a lifelong marriage or the birth of one¡¯s child in the Pokemon world. It was not something to be taken lightly. So after wrapping everything up, the group finally set out on their grand Safari adventure. Chapter 12 ¡°Wow¡­¡± Nina awed in fascination at Rapidash''s warm mane. Despite it being pure flames, the little girl was barely tickled by the heat. It seemed as if the equine Pokemon had full control over its temperature. ¡°Is this pyrokinesis or some sort of rudimentary psychic ability? Their Galarian cousins are part Psychic Type after all.¡± The girl wondered. The Rapidash continued grazing, not bothered at all by the strange girl who had latched on to her. Maybe because humans were rarely a threat in the Safari Zone, the Pokemon here tended to be quite friendly. Nina leaned in, pressing her face against Rapidash¡¯s flank, deriving a sense of pleasure from the horse Pokemon¡¯s rippling muscles. She continued luxuriating in the pleasant sensation, feeling every calm breath flowing through the pokemon when suddenly, as if struck by a terrible revelation, Nina bolted upright. ¡°Shit! Am I a horse girl?!¡± For all that she made fun of horse girls in her past life, Nina refused to believe that she would fall into the same cliche. She shook her head to knock herself out of that stupor, only for her expression to soften again when a Ponyta, Rapidash¡¯s colt, snuggled up to her to beg for more berries. Nina smiled, hugging the child sized pony to kiss his forehead, before holding out a few berries in her hand. She found out earlier that this particular Ponyta liked Leppa berries the best. That specific combination of sweet and spicy seemed to be his favorite. ¡°Maybe being a horse girl isn¡¯t so bad after all¡­¡± She thought, before being interrupted by a call from Charlie. ¡°Nina, Nina! Come quick. I found something really cool!¡± Charlie¡¯s loud voice must have irritated Rapidash because she huffed aggressively at the boy, causing him to pause in his step. Nina gently caressed the irate Pokemon, along with her startled child. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s okay, my friend¡¯s just being an idiot,¡± she said, as she reluctantly walked away from the two horses. Ponyta seemed to have wanted to come along but his mother held him back with a look. ¡°This better be good, Charlie.¡± Nina snapped, the irritation in her voice barely contained. Charlie gulped. ¡°Yeah, I promise. Swear to Arceus you¡¯ll find this interesting.¡± And he was right. Because what they found were Tauros, but not just any Tauros. Because these bulls were jet black, as opposed to the brown coat of Kantonian Tauros. ¡°Paldean Tauros¡­¡± Nina whispered. The two children were currently crouched under the cover of some tall grass above a hill, not wanting to startle the herd and risk a stampede. ¡°You know what they are? I thought those were just shinies or something.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Nah, Shiny Tauros are golden. These guys are a species of Tauros exclusive to Paldea. See those flecks of red and blue some of them have in their mane?¡± She pointed. ¡°The ones with red are Fighting and Fire Type. The ones with blue are part Water.¡± Charlie looked at his friend in disbelief. ¡°Are you sure, how¡¯s that even possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Paldea has its Great Crater which resulted in some odd Pokemon mutations over the years. I wouldn¡¯t think it¡¯d be possible for Kanto to host Paldean Tauros either due to how different the environment is. My best bet is that these Tauros will adapt and turn into regular Tauros after a couple of generations.¡± Charlie nodded, pretending to understand the intricacies of what Nina had just spouted. ¡°They look really cool though,¡± he added. Nina giggled. ¡°Do you plan on catching them?¡± ¡°Er¡­ that depends. Can they evolve?¡± Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°Then probably not.¡± Charlie answered. It was hard to fault Charlie. Pokemon with evolutions tend to have a higher ceiling when it comes to their potential. Whereas Pokemon that don¡¯t evolve are often easier to train, thanks to them not really having a long adolescent phase, but their potential is capped in the long run. ¡°You should call your dad over and see if he¡¯s interested. These guys seem right up his alley.¡± Nina suggested. Charlie seemed a bit unsure but still went and called Stephen over anyway, since he wanted to show off his find. It did not take long for the hulking Machamp of a man to crawl up to them. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Stephen exhaled. ¡°Nina said that these Tauros are Fighting Types.¡± said Charlie, trying to show off his newfound knowledge. Nina held back a laugh and supplemented with information that some of them were part Fire and Water as well. ¡°They¡¯re really cool, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be catching one.¡± Stephen concluded. Nina tilted her head. ¡°Why not? Not a good fit for your team.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± replied the experienced trainer. ¡°Tauros in general need a lot of space to run around in. It¡¯d be irresponsible of me to catch one only to keep it locked up in its Pokeball or our tiny yard.¡± Nina nodded in understanding, she had completely neglected the domestic aspect of owning a Pokemon. Another reminder that this was not a game. ¡°What about Donphan?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°You plan on catching one of those right?¡± Stephen hummed. ¡°Good question. What do you think, Nina?¡± The child prodigy recollected everything she knew about the elephant boar hybrid. ¡°Donphan lives in the forest so space shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Though I do recall reading that their species are fairly aggressive. So long as you battle it on a regular basis, it should be fine. They¡¯re also primarily herbivores and eat just a regular amount so you wouldn¡¯t need to go bankrupt feeding them.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see if I can get one to join our family.¡± Stephen nodded. ¡°Do you want to go right now?¡± Nina suggested. ¡°We¡¯re not really doing much here since Charlie¡¯s being a Psyduck.¡± ¡°Hey! What does being a Psyduck mean?!¡± The indecisive boy yelled, alerting the herd of Tauros and causing them to run away. Stephen laughed at his son¡¯s indignation. ¡°You¡¯re right, he is being a Psyduck. Come on, let¡¯s go get your mother and head over to the forest.¡± *** Since the nearest forest was only an hour¡¯s walk away, The group decided to just forgo flying and head there on foot instead, stopping right on the outskirts of where the trees began to have a little picnic. They were without Pokemon since any personal Pokemon had to be surrendered to the Safari Zone¡¯s Pokemon Center before entering, but at least the two Pidgeots they rented were friendly enough for Nina to play with. And as instructed, she limited her feeding to only Berries that the birds liked. After lunch, the group split up. Having a large group of seven humans moving altogether in the forest would only alarm any wild Pokemon with their clumsy footsteps and rustling. Stephen took charge of Charlie and Nina. He took Charlie, because he wanted to show off his Pokemon Trainer prowess to his son, and Nina because he did actually want to catch a Donphan and thought that the girl might have some useful insight for him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The trio stalked across bushes, shrubs, and luscious elm trees. As they went, Nina could not help but notice the distinct lack of cicada chirps in the middle of summer. Here in the Pokemon world, regular animals were quite rare. There were a myriad of fish species out in the ocean but land animals and insects were practically nonexistent, having been completely displaced by Pokemon. It was almost eerie how quiet it was. There was the rustling of tree leaves, the whispers of the wind, and the occasional cries of Pokemon, but not insects. It was one of those uncanny things that people simply take for granted and don¡¯t really notice until it¡¯s gone, leaving only an unexplainable void in the back of their mind. ¡°Is there anything that we need to look out for, Nina?¡± ¡°Donphans like to curl up like a tire and roll around.¡± Nina said to Stephen. ¡°So look out for tire tracks. I think I also read that some Donphan like to roll against trees for sport, competing with their peers to see how far up they can go. So maybe keep an eye out for any damaged trees as well.¡± Stephen nodded. ¡°And you say they travel in herds right?¡± ¡°Typically yes, which is why we should be careful of a stampede. Even a solo Donphan will be dangerous since they¡¯re prone to rampaging when angered.¡± That really drew a frown from the older man. ¡°Alright, if we have to deal with rampaging Pokemon, then I¡¯ll send out Pidgeot to buy time. I want the two of you to run away in the meantime, alright?¡± The two kids nodded at their guardian¡¯s instruction. And Nina was reminded of the waiver that they had to sign before entering the Safari Zone. Or actually, the paperwork was signed by the adults on behalf of the underaged children. ¡°Oh look, a Scyther.¡± Nina pointed, at some point during their journey across the forest. The trio lowered themselves and slowly snuck forwards to get a closer look. Scythers were cool, they were also among Nina¡¯s favorites. Even their Evolution was cool. She had always been more partial towards Scizor, but there was a rugged appeal to Kleavor as well. Turns out, the Scyther they found was currently in a stand off against a Heracross. Both Bug Pokemon were primed and ready to leap towards each other at a moment¡¯s notice. Probably a territorial dispute of some kind. ¡°You know, Scythers are quite strong. And they evolve as well, though it might be a bit difficult to source the items you need to evolve them.¡± Nina commented, for Charlie¡¯s benefit. ¡°Scyther can evolve?¡± ¡°Yeap, into a Scizor if you use a Metal Coat, which should be easy enough to find with our abundance of Onixes in the region. Or into Kleavor, with a Black Augurite. You quite literally have to dig deep to find Augurite, let alone a black one. So that¡¯ll be quite difficult, though not impossible.¡± Charlie groaned while Stephen just hummed in interest, not knowing about Kleavor before this. Once again, the man was quite impressed by the six year old¡¯s breadth of knowledge. They watched the two Bug Types go at it for a while, before promptly evacuating when the battle got too intense and threatened to expose their location. It took a long time before they came across any signs of Donphan, and when they did, it was through the most ridiculous of circumstances. Charlie had gone off for a bathroom break when, during his euphoria, he noticed that the tree he was peeing on looked a bit scuffed. He racked his brain to think about what drew his attention when he recalled the ramblings of his childhood friend. Something about how Donphan liked to roll against trees. With that epiphany in mind, he hurriedly zipped his pants, the zipper almost snagging his little Charlie in the process, and hurriedly rushed off to find his companions. ¡°Those look like Donphan tracks alright.¡± Nina confirmed. The girl was careful not to get too close to the tree, having known what Charlie was doing there not too long ago. Stephen pumped his arm in triumph and praised his son for a job well done. ¡°Do you think we can track them down?¡± He asked Nina. Since she now knew what to look for. Nina observed the surrounding area, now seeing similar tracks all over. However, everything just looked messy and chaotic to her. ¡°I see tracks, but I have no idea on how to do any tracking.¡± Nina was six years old after all. Sometimes, it felt like the adults overestimated her just because she knew stuff. Stephen gave a smug grin. ¡°Alright, this is a great opportunity. Pay attention kiddos, let this old man teach you how to track Pokemon.¡± There wasn¡¯t really any secret to tracking. What Stephen demonstrated seemed like common sense to Nina. First off, he released his rental Pidgeot and asked if the bird would be willing to do aerial reconnaissance for us. She was hesitant at first since that wasn¡¯t part of her duties, but then conceded after Nina offered up a few of her favorite Berries. Then, Stephen went through some of the more obvious tracks, kneeling down and rubbing the dirt between his fingers. He explained that newer tracks will feel a bit more moist than older ones which had been exposed to air for far longer. The lack of any overgrowth was also a good sign that the tracks were fairly recent. They continued walking, steadily tracing signs of Donphan as they went. Nina even met a friendly Caterpie at one point who was kind enough to point them towards a general direction with its cute little snout. But in the end, it was Pidgeot who pulled through as the bird Pokemon circled above their heads, screeching to get their attention, before leading them towards the herd of Donphan. Chapter 13 For the first time in Nina¡¯s two lives, she felt fear. True fear. There had been times in the past where she had been afraid before; getting jumpscared by a cockroach, being told a scary story, getting into a car accident, Leanette and her crazy eyes¡­ But all of them pale in comparison to the true heart pounding, gut wrenching fear she was experiencing right now. An average sized Donphan usually reached the height of an adult¡¯s waist, a Donphan with the giant¡¯s gene would be the height of an adult male. But the one before them was three meters tall at least, towering over even the likes of Stephen Rockford who was considered above average by human standards. Donphan were often called the Armor Pokemon. And frankly, Nina had always thought that to be mistaken nomenclature. They weren¡¯t exactly armored in the conventional sense, they only had a tough strip of hide that ran from the trunk, all the way to their tail. The rest of their torso, while tough, was relatively exposed in comparison. But the Alpha Donphan that Nina and her companions were hiding from truly lived up to the name. Its thick strip of hide was more rock than leather, letting off an ominous gleam in the light, reminiscent of obsidian. Its tusks might as well have been steel with how sturdy they were, the chips and scratches adorning the two ivory spears told tales of countless struggle. Its monstrous legs were large enough to encompass even the largest of adult humans, capable of squashing them with a single Stomp. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everything was going so well just a few moments ago. They stalked the herd of Donphan, but after noting that there wasn¡¯t much time left in the day, Nina came up with the brilliant idea of using Berries to lure strays away from the pack. They crushed up a few Oran berries, hoping that the sweet scent would lure at least one curious Pokemon over. And it worked, a stray Phanpy wandered away from the safety of its herd in search of the sweet treats. Stephen was in the midst of feeding the gluttonous little runt, telling him all about his home and his family in a bid to convince the adolescent Pokemon to join his family, when the ground shook. Stephen did not hesitate. The moment that the monstrous trunk unveiled itself, felling a tree in its way, the seasoned trainer abandoned the Phanpy where it was, scooped up his two charges and began running. Everything after that was a blur, Nina only remembered Stephen sending out Pidgeot in one smooth motion and telling the bird to pull the Alpha away from them while they escaped. Nina almost felt bad for using the Flying Type as bait, but then she recalled Masayuki telling them that the Pidgeots for rent were the same ones that the Rangers used on the daily. They had the Pokemon on rotation to give them a bit of a break and some variety. As evident by the fact that Pidgeot did not even hesitate to fly towards the intimidating Alpha Pokemon. When it became obvious that the gargantuan Donphan wasn¡¯t the slightest bit bothered by the imposing Pidgeot, Stephen hid the three of them in the crevice of an ancient tree. Hoping that the smell of moss and decay will help mask them. If it were Nina, she might have attempted to smother them in Repel. But after a bit of consideration, she understood why Stephen hadn¡¯t done that; Repel worked well on weaker Pokemon, but the repulsive scent might serve to agitate stronger ones instead. Not to mention, dealing with an Alpha is always full of uncertainties. They stayed there for Arceus knew how long, trying their best to control their breathing as they awaited for signs of the Alpha¡¯s passing. Stephen clamped his hands over Nina and Charlie¡¯s mouth, not wanting to risk the two children making any noise. But nothing could stop Nina¡¯s heart from pounding. Within the dreadful silence of the tree¡¯s confines, her heart was beating so loud that it felt like someone was playing drums in her head. Not long after, a quiet screech snapped the trio from the thralls of fear. Stephen peeked out to find a slightly ruffled Pidgeot, nodding as if to reassure the humans of their safety. They each let out a long sigh of relief as the group exited their hiding spot. Nina rummaged through her pouch for Berries to reward the brave bird, while Charlie was simply too shocked to speak, his eyes still slightly glazed over, and his feet unsteady from the ordeal. ¡°Thanks, Pidgeot,¡± expressed Stephen. ¡°Pretty sure we¡¯d be dead without you.¡± The Pokemon in question puffed out her chest in pride, only to be interrupted by the unfamiliar cries of a different Pokemon. ¡°Phan phan! Phanpy!¡± Four sets of eyes, humans and Pokemon alike, slowly turned their gaze towards the tree¡¯s dark crevice, to find a small, blue skinned baby elephant lightly tapping its feet in excitement at the sight of Berries in Nina¡¯s hands. ¡°Shit!¡± Stephen cursed. A sentiment that Nina deeply concurred with. ¡°Hey, little guy¡­¡± Stephen approached, whilst frantically waving his hand behind his back, signaling for Nina to put her Berries away. ¡°Did you follow us all the way here for treats?¡± The Phanpy tilted her head in confusion, not really understanding what the strange human was saying. ¡°You know, your family¡¯s really worried about you. They¡¯re probably out looking for you right now. That was your daddy wasn¡¯t he? That big scary Donphan? Or is he your grandpa?¡± ¡°Phan!¡± The Phanpy cried, but it did not seem like she understood much of what Stephen said. Instead, she just sat down on her bum, tongue sticking out like a Growlithe waiting for treats. Stephen sighed. ¡°Nina, can you give me more of those Oran berries? I think we need to capture her.¡± Nina was a little reluctant but still handed a couple of berries to her interim guardian. ¡°Would that be ethical? She¡¯s clearly too naive to know any better.¡± ¡°I know, but we don¡¯t have much of a choice. That scary motherf- I mean, that Alpha might come back at any moment. I¡¯ll consult Masa about this, maybe the Rangers can help bring her back to the herd. Besides, I was going to capture her if she agreed to come earlier anyway.¡± Stephen explained. ¡°We could just leave her here¡­¡± Charlie suggested, only to earn looks of disbelief from his companions. Stephen¡¯s in particular, seemed to be tinged with disappointment. ¡°Son, the forest is crawling with dangerous Pokemon. This Phanpy is clearly a newborn. If we leave her here, she¡¯s liable to get hurt if the herd doesn¡¯t end up finding her. So no, we can¡¯t just leave her here.¡± Charlie drooped his head in remorse, and Nina placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you just went through a harrowing experience. It¡¯s hard to think straight after something so extreme.¡± Realizing his mistake, Stephen quickly spoke in support of Nina. ¡°She¡¯s right, it¡¯s just a matter of experience. I remember crapping my pants way back when I first climbed Mount Moon, I was hiding from a pissed off Onix. It¡¯s a good thing that Rock Types aren¡¯t known for their sense of smell, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡± Charlie seemed to cheer up a little at his father¡¯s self-deprecating story. After that, Stephen captured their mischievous little Phanpy. The young Pokemon did not seem to understand much, but after promising more treats for her when they got back, the blue elephant baby willingly booped Stephen¡¯s Safari Ball with her stubby little trunk. ¡°Alright Pidgeot, get us out of here.¡± Stephen requested, with much relief in his voice. *** After Pidgeot had guided them safely out of the forest, they met up with the rest of their group and flew back to the villa right after sunset. To say that Kumiko was not happy with her husband was an understatement. There were times where Nina was worried that the woman might throw Stephen into the maw of her Gyarados just to teach him a lesson. Stephen¡¯s misfortune was further compounded by the reprimand of Masayuki when the old Ranger found out about the events that had transpired. ¡°It¡¯s only day one, Stephen. Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay out of trouble.¡± Masayuki said with a sigh. You knew the man was serious when he didn¡¯t call his former mentee a twerp like he always did. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Masa. I was pretty sure that we weren¡¯t in a red zone. Everything was fine and dandy until that freak of nature showed up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Nina added. ¡°I was checking the map constantly as we went.¡± She pulled out her map and began marking out the forest where they were. ¡°I¡¯m pretty certain that this was the path we took, but even then there shouldn¡¯t have been a red zone anywhere near this section of the forest to begin with anyway. Is it possible that the Alpha Donphan strayed from its designated territory?¡± Nina¡¯s statement elicited a groan from the old Ranger. ¡°I¡¯ll need to have some words with the Ranger in charge of looking over Murphy.¡± Murphy was presumably the Alpha Donphan¡¯s nickname.There was probably a story behind it, but Nina did not care to ask. ¡°For now, let¡¯s see this little troublemaker that you caught.¡± Stephen guided his friend out onto their villa¡¯s backyard where the curious little Phanpy was bouncing around all over the place, yapping at each of the Rockford Pokemon and being pampered in return. The little daredevil was fearless. Where most Pokemon would have cowered in fear of a Gyarados. Phanpy had made a game out of climbing Gyrados¡¯s coiled body, like it was a mountain to be conquered. ¡°Phanpy! Come here! I¡¯ve got treats for you.¡± Stephen called, with some Berries in hand to entice the hyperactive Pokemon. ¡°Phan!¡± she cried, her floppy ears perking up at the mention of treats. Both Kumiko and Nina couldn¡¯t help but swoon over the derpy little baby. Even Tiffany, with all her emo edgelady facade was a little moved. ¡°Well that¡¯s one problem settled,¡± chimed Masayuki. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Stephen asked. ¡°I mean you should keep the little twerp. It¡¯s one thing if she wasn¡¯t fitting in with the rest of your team. But from the looks of things, that won¡¯t be an issue. If we bring her back to the herd as she is, there¡¯s the risk that they might reject her after she¡¯s been contaminated with foreign scents. ¡°Besides, I can tell from her personality that even if you hadn''t found her, she would have run off with the first trainer who fed her anyway. So honestly, I¡¯d rather leave her with you than a stranger.¡± Stephen nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright, I guess¡­ Welcome to the family, Phanpy!¡± Everyone cheered, much to Phanpy¡¯s confusion. The baby elephant, not understanding what had just happened, simply titled its head and continued gorging itself on Berries. Chapter 14 Nina was currently fishing with Phanpy by her side. The baby Pokemon was luxuriating in Nina¡¯s touch. The girl figured out, after much experimentation, where on her belly the little blue elephant liked to be scratched the most. That combined with the fact that Nina was the one most willing to spoil her with Berries, made her Phanpy¡¯s favorite human. After all the excitement from the day before, the group decided they wanted to take the day off and check out the other amenities on offer in the Safari Zone. The pond that Nina was fishing in right now wasn¡¯t THE pond. Rather, it was located outside the bounds of the nature reserve, in an amusement park-like area called Safari Park that tourists can visit for more leisurely activities. Fishing alongside Nina was Nobita, who was currently playing a game on his Pokegear whilst waiting for fish to bite. These were, surprisingly, regular fish and not fish Pokemon, which you can catch and cook at your own time. Or pay an exorbitant fee and have the adjacent cafe cook it for you, likely to middling quality. Tourist traps were a fixture in every world it seems. The other kids were currently at an interactive museum, the centerpiece of Safari Park. That said, the trivia one can learn in the place was rudimentary at best since it mostly caters to children. So Nina was not interested and opted out of it. ¡°So, Nobita. Have you decided on what Pokemon to catch?¡± The boy in glasses paused his game, looked up briefly in contemplation before answering ¡°Nidoran.¡± Nina pretended not to be excited at the boy¡¯s choice. ¡°Oh. Is there a reason for that?¡± ¡°Nidokings are cool,¡± he replied simply, garnering a lot of respect from Nina for his excellent taste. ¡°I know right!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°They just look so badass. People say that spikes are corny, but I beg to differ. Spikes. Are. Cool! And Nidoking has just the right amount of spikes without feeling too extra. Not to mention the purple. Purple is such a regal color don¡¯t you think? Perfectly befitting a King. Nidokings are such well designed Pokemoooon¡­ by Arceus, I mean. Arceus did an incredible job of designing Nidoking.¡± Nina let out an awkward laugh at her minor slip up at the end, only for Nobita to look at her like she was a weirdo. ¡°Anyways,¡± Nina continued, in an attempt to divert the conversation. ¡°Nidoran are fairly common and it shouldn¡¯t be too much trouble to convince one to go with you. Heck we even saw a whole bunch yesterday. Looks like that one Ball limit won¡¯t be an issue after all.¡± Nobita let out a sigh. ¡°Pokemon¡­ don¡¯t really like me.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Aww¡­ Don¡¯t say that.¡± Nina playfully smacked Nobita on the shoulder, causing the shy boy to blush in embarrassment from the physical contact. ¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll help you catch a Nidoran when we get back into the Safari tomorrow. I¡¯m sure we can find at least one that¡¯s willing to become your friend.¡± Nobita nodded in agreement and thanked Nina in a barely audible tone. This was when his fishing rod began shaking, and he hurriedly tried to grab hold of it, nearly dropping his Pokegear into the water. *** The next day, the group split up again. Stephen took Charlie and Bobby off to the sand dunes to verify the validity of some Trapinch sightings that Nina found online. While Kumiko, who did not want to deal with sand in her crevices, opted to go elsewhere. So Nina suggested they go back to the outskirts of a different forest to catch a Nidoran for Nobita. And since Tiffany did not care, as usual, Kumiko agreed with the caveat that they only stayed in the outskirts, not wanting a repeat of Stephen¡¯s misfortune. Finding a Nidoran wasn¡¯t hard at all. However, finding one that was willing to go with Nobita was trickier. The boy was fairly reserved, and purple Nidoran, being an entirely male species, was rather aggressive. Most of them took one look at him and simply turned away. Much to the boy¡¯s dismay. Nina did however get to interact with a lot of purple and blue Nidoran. Were it not for Nobita supplying his own berries, she would have been genuinely worried about her own stock running out. ¡°Cheer up, man. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find one eventually,¡± assuaged Nina. ¡°Or perhaps you could get a blue Nidoran instead? They¡¯re all sweethearts, and there were a few that seemed to be interested.¡± Kumiko chimed, rather insensitively. The woman did not seem to understand the romance of having a Nidoking. A topic that Nina had liberally espoused upon during their time in the forest. Nobita sighed. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right¡­ Nidoqueen share a similar moveset to their counterpart anyway. ¡°No!¡± Nina exclaimed. ¡°I will not let you settle. We will find you a purple Nidoran, no matter the cost.¡± Her surge of enthusiasm seemed to have astonished her companions, except for Tiffany who just rolled her eyes. Nina stomped off into the forest to look for more of the Poison Type Pokemon. It took a lot of Berries, but Nina did eventually find a gossipy Nidorina who tipped her off on one of her rather reclusive kin. From the little bits that Nina managed to understand through her miming and Pokemon speech. This particular purple Nidoran was a bit of a coward and was often bullied by his peers. ¡°Niiii!¡± Nidorina cried, as she flicked her nose towards a tree with a little burrow dug into its roots. They were actually a fair distance into the forest, much to Kumiko¡¯s displeasure. The woman had her hand above Pidgeot¡¯s Pokeball at all times. ¡°Thanks Nidorina, here are the Berries I promised you.¡± Nina rewarded the chatty Nidorina for her efforts and the Pokemon ran off elsewhere to enjoy her spoils, already bored of the humans¡¯ company. ¡°Okay, Nobita. Good luck!¡± Nina pumped her fist in encouragement. The boy looked a little nervous, but he still held out his Berry pouch and steadily approached the little burrow. Judging by the size of the dwelling, this Nidoran must have been really tiny. ¡°You know, I had a cousin who was obsessed with Nidokings as well. I never got the appeal¡­¡± Kumiko said, before shushing Nina when she recognised that the girl was about to start yapping again. ¡°Hmph! This is all stupid and pointless¡­¡± Tiffany whined. Usually Nina would just ignore the five year old, but since they were idly waiting on Nobita anyway, she decided to engage. ¡°Do you not like Pokemon, Tiffany?¡± The haughty girl simply scoffed in response. Nina hummed. ¡°Perhaps Psychic or Ghost Types? I noticed you really like watching Sabrina¡¯s shows.¡± The Psychic Type Gym Leader had quite the TV presence, as do most of the Gym Leaders in fact. Some of her most popular ones are the ones where she threw hapless trainers into creepy environments and attempted to scare them, and another where she just did various forms of fortune telling in a little tent. ¡°That¡¯s MADAME Sabrina to you!¡± The little girl exclaimed. ¡°Madame Sabrina is the coolest, the pinnacle of elegance. A lame Psyduck like you can never compare!¡± Nina had the feeling that Tiffany¡¯s definition of Psyduck and her definition of Psyduck differed. ¡°Tiffany!¡± Kumiko scolded, absolutely appalled by her daughter¡¯s attitude. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kumiko. Psyducks might be lame but they evolved into Golduck, which are anything but lame,¡± said Nina, and she meant that as well because Golduck were among her favorite Water Pokemon. It took a bit longer for Nobita to catch his Nidoran. Most of that time was spent trying to coax the little fella out of his hidey-hole for a conversation. However, once he was out, it was a pretty done deal. The poor little guy was not used to anyone showing him affection, having been ostracized all his life for being a runt. It was actually quite touching to see Nidoran bawling out of happiness and Nobita looking flustered, not sure on how to comfort his new friend. After everything was settled in the forest, the group rendezvoused next to the Safari¡¯s largest body of water for a lakeside picnic. This was also close to the pond where Nina thinks she might be able to encounter Dratini. *** In truth, even if Nina were to encounter a Dratini, she wasn¡¯t sure if she would want to catch one. Back in her past life, Miles would catch boxes full of Dratini, some he kept as they were, while others he evolved into Dragonair. Dragonite were powerful, stat wise, but their design didn¡¯t appeal to him, so he might only evolve one Dragonite for completeness sake. In the very real Pokemon world that Nina now lived in however, such behavior would be extremely irresponsible. Dragon Pokemon have an inherent drive to become stronger and evolve, and one would have to be very eccentric to refuse Evolution and remain in a juvenile form. Preventing a Pokemon from evolving against their will was pretty much a form of abuse, though the laws regarding the subject were murky at best. Not to mention the other practical aspects of owning a Dragon. They weren¡¯t exactly the easiest Pokemon to sustain. Regardless, Nina still wanted to meet a Dratini. It was her favorite Pokemon, and being able to boop their cute little snout would be a dream come true. In fact, she had made it her goal of this trip to interact with them when she found out that she was going to the Safari Zone. Charlie ran off with a determined look in his eyes, Stephen in tow to look after his son. ¡°It seems that Charlie decided on who his starter is going to be. Good for him.¡± Bobby was awkwardly flailing around in the water with a floatie, while Nobita was sitting under a tree, trying to get to know his new partner better. Tiffany was sulking as usual, and Kumiko was sunbathing with a swimsuit on. Nina had also taken off her clothes to unveil her one piece swimsuit underneath. Well actually, it was a two piece, since the bottom half can be removed when she went to the bathroom. Nina never understood how girls peed in a real one piece swimsuit. ¡°Do they just take the whole thing off and sit there fully naked or something?¡± Regardless, she wanted to get into the water for one reason only; make friends with the local Water Type and coax them into telling her the location of the Dratini. Nina reckoned that if the Dragons were around, then the local Pokemon might have some clue as to where they might be. The first group of Pokemon that she aimed for was a small group of Lotad that were just idly floating on the lake. Yes, the Safari had Lotad. As evident by the Paldean Tauros, the nature reserve had quite a selection of Pokemon not of the Kanto-Johto variety. Lotads were amphibious, so there was a stronger likelihood that they might have a broader understanding of the surrounding area. Since not all the bodies of water in the area were connected. There were quite a few isolated ponds here and there that Nina was suspicious of. Chapter 15 ¡°Wag!¡± ¡°Star!¡± Nina was currently floating on the lake and watching a Poliwag and a Staryu argue over who between them were the strongest, while she had a Lotad in her embrace sighing in exasperation. This seemed to be a common occurrence with the trio. The Lotad in her hands was one of the younger ones among the group that Nina had approached earlier. Having gotten attached to the human girl, he introduced Nina to his two other close friends. It was actually really cute how the three different species got along so well with each other. Lotad¡¯s two besties were wary at first, but opened up once Nina climbed a tree at their behest to pluck some apples for them. The trio had a fondness for the fruit, but due to their limited stature, could only wait for the occasional stray apple to drop before scrambling to get hold of it. And even then, they had to compete with the other landbound Pokemon like Pikachu. ¡°Say Lotad, do you happen to know if there are any Dratini in the area?¡± The Lotad looked at Nina with his usual derpy expression. The pokemon wasn¡¯t very expressive so it was a little hard to communicate with him. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Dratinis are blue, just like you and Poliwag. They¡¯re also very long,¡± Nina made a wavy gesture with her arm to symbolize Dratini¡¯s serpentine appearance. ¡°Also, they have these tiny wing-like things on their head,¡± she continued, while pressing the base of her palms against her temple to imitate Dratini¡¯s signature appendage. ¡°Poli wag!¡± Surprisingly it was actually Poliwag who responded to Nina, having overheard their conversation. ¡°You know about the Dratini? Do you mind showing me where they are? I want to make friends with them as well.¡± The swirly tadpole Pokemon gave a confident nod, puffing its belly up, before Staryu pushed him aside and gave a few flashes of his gem. ¡°Staryu star!¡± Poliwag, angry at being pushed, struck back at Staryu and the two were now glaring at each other. Lotad once again sighed. From what Nina could tell, it seemed that Staryu also knew where the Dratini were and wanted to steal Poliwag¡¯s glory. ¡°It¡¯s cute that they¡¯re rivals but this is getting kind of annoying.¡± ¡°Guys, guys!¡± Nina chimed. ¡°Cut it out. Instead of arguing, why don¡¯t we make this into a competition? There¡¯s no guarantee that the places you guys know are the same one. So how about we make it so that the first to lead me to a Dratini will be the winner?¡± Poliwag and Staryu looked at each other, then looked back at Nina, tilting their bodies simultaneously. Nina was a bit bewildered, but she had a faint idea of why the two reacted that way. ¡°So I take it the two of you are thinking of the same place?¡± The two Pokemon nodded. For a pair of rivals who were constantly at each other¡¯s tail, it was surprising how in sync they were. ¡°Alright, how about I go pluck some more apples for you guys and you can show me where?¡± All three Pokemon splashed around in excitement at the mention of apples. The location that Nina was guided to was a secluded pond within the forest. Nina was carrying Staryu in her arms while Lotad was sitting heavy on her head. Meanwhile Poliwag trotted along on its stubby legs, acting as their guide. Before this, Poliwag and Staryu actually got into an argument about which route to take. Poliwag thought the land route was faster while Staryu wanted to go by water since it couldn¡¯t walk. In the end, Nina convinced the starfish Pokemon by offering to carry it. Looking at the pond now, Nina was glad about her choice. Because Staryu¡¯s route likely involved going through convoluted underwater caverns which might be a bit too dangerous for a human. ¡°Okay, hang on a sec guys. Need to do an equipment check.¡± Nina rummaged through her little utility belt and the various pouches attached to it. It was a nifty bit of kit, albeit unfashionable. Tiffany actually scoffed at her when she first laid eyes on it. ¡°Berries, check. Rocks, check. Safari Balls, check. Rebreather, check.¡± The rebreather was something that Nina borrowed from Kumiko beforehand. As a Water Type specialist, she always kept a few handy. ¡°Repel¡­ Maybe not.¡± The substance might agitate stronger Pokemon. Once everything was accounted for, she unclipped her Pokegear and sent a message to her two guardians, simply containing her current coordinates and explaining that she was just exploring a small pond that her new Pokemon friends liked to play at. Promising to ping them every fifteen minutes or so to let them know she was still alive. The Pokegear was naturally waterproof, given that it was originally designed for heavy outdoor use. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina imagined the adults wouldn¡¯t be too happy with her wandering off, but hoped to soften the blow by being a responsible individual. She prayed to Arceus that the two of them wouldn¡¯t suddenly rush over and intrude upon her exploration. ¡°Alright, all good now.¡± Nina declared, as she bit on her rebreather and dove into the water. Staryu was kind enough to allow Nina to hold onto it as they dove, leaving Lotad on the surface since their friend didn¡¯t do well in deep waters. That also explained why the lotus Pokemon had no knowledge of the Dratini. Staryu seemed to enjoy dragging Nina around, intentionally speeding up and doing a whole bunch of underwater acrobatics, much to Nina¡¯s consternation. The starfish was getting a kick out of seeing the cloud of bubbles that its passenger expelled everytime Nina tried to hold back a scream. Eventually though, Nina let go, holding her head to signal to her mischievous companion that she was getting dizzy and couldn¡¯t handle anymore. Thankfully, Staryu had enough decency to stop. Poliwag swooshed its tail around, signaling for his friends to follow. And the little tadpole led them to a whole school of Feebas. ¡°Maybe school is the wrong word to use, there¡¯s only about a handful of them around.¡± But regardless, Nina¡¯s eyes lit up at the ugly looking Pokemon. She was honestly tempted to catch them right then and there, but held herself back. Feebas were hardy bottom feeders, able to survive on gunk and algae that pollute a water source. They were an incredibly useful Pokemon and are often referred to as aquatic janitors by academics. However their evolution, Milotic, was the exact opposite. The world¡¯s most beautiful Pokemon was also equally sensitive. Polluted waters will weaken them rapidly, initially causing their scales to lose their signature luster, before eventually falling sick and withering away. This was the reason why Milotic were so rare despite the abundance of Feebas swimming around. That and the fact that even the lowest quality Prism Scale will cost upwards of six figures. Combine that with the costly upkeep and Nina was liable to bankrupt her entire household with just a single Pokemon. Cerulean Sister she was not. As Nina observed the fish Pokemon, she recalled reading an interesting research thesis on why the dichotomy between Feebas and Milotic¡¯s constitution exists. The author posits that a Feebas¡¯s ability to ¡°clean¡± was part of the evolutionary process. That is to say, a Feebas will only evolve once it has prepared a perfectly suitable environment for its evolved self, by ensuring a pollution free water source. That would also explain why most wild Milotic were often found in secluded bodies of water like the one that Nina was currently in. It was simply easier for a Feebas to clean and maintain. The author also wrote about how the cleanliness of a Feebas¡¯s environment also contributed to the ¡°beauty¡± factor that was a prerequisite for its evolution. But that¡¯s not important right now. ¡°It made sense that Dratini would live near a pond like this. With this many Feebas swimming around, the water here is probably cleaner than anywhere else.¡± It was said that clean water was also important for the healthy growth of the Dragonite line. After Nina fed some Berries to the curious Feebas that approached her, they moved on to a little cavern that was hidden by the darkness. Nina was a little nervous, these types of underwater exploration tend to end quite badly. But she decided to trust the two companions she was with to double back if the path was too difficult. Staryu was also considerate enough to light up its gemstone so that its two friends could see where they were going. Thankfully, the cavern was wide enough for Nina to pass through. In fact, she was quite lucky that she had the opportunity to come here as a child, because she definitely would not have fit as a teenager, or an adult. ¡°This also explains why no one has reported seeing Dratini here. An adult definitely would not be able to access this place, unless they were willing to brute force their way through. But then, why would they? Not unless they know something precious was hidden inside.¡± Nina doubled down on her vow to keep this place secret. The tunnel connected to the cavern was pretty straightforward with no splits. It mostly led deeper inside before steadily sloping upwards to a large cavity somewhere. Stalactites dripped water onto the little pool below as Nina surfaced. The girl swung her head around and pulled her hair back to clear her sight. Taking off her rebreather, she took in a breath of fresh air before checking her surroundings. She turned, slowly taking in the sight of the space she found herself in before pausing, mouth agape as she caught sight of the Pokemon of her dreams. Chapter 16 Nina curtsied, hands splayed by her hips to imitate a dress. This was part of an officially released guide by the Pokemon League on what to do if one were to encounter a Dragon. The document itself was fairly anemic, but it did contain some essential information. Like how to greet a Dragonite without incurring its ire. Dragon Types were inherently regal, and each species had their own distinct cultures and behavior. The Dragonite line in particular were a stickler for good manners and respect. Nina maintained her curtsy, trying hard not to fall over from how slippery her feet were. And desperately praying that the boffins over at the Pokemon League knew what they were talking about. She kept it up until the Dragonair before her made a noise of approval, tacitly permitting the girl to raise her head and meet its gaze. Nina could feel an immense pressure as she looked into the eyes of the majestic being. Seeing sprites on a computer screen could hardly compare to the sheer oppressive aura of a real life Dragon. ¡°My apologies for intruding upon your abode,¡± began Nina. The Dragonair nodded to indicate that she understood human speech. ¡°I came here out of curiosity because I wish to make friends with your children.¡± She explained, gesturing towards the half dozen or so Dratinis bundled around their mother. ¡°Not for any ulterior motives,¡± she added quickly. ¡°I¡¯m too young to be allowed to train any Pokemon, unfortunately. It is simply that I¡¯ve adored your kind from a very young age and have always dreamt about playing with a Dratini.¡± Nina moved to unclip her Berry pouch, being careful to make slow deliberate movements so as not to alarm the Dragon matriarch. The Dragonair tensed, as she observed the strange human girl who had barged into its nest. Only relaxing when she emptied the contents of the pouch on the cavern floor to reveal a colorful array of Berries. Nina carefully stepped back and watched as the Dragonair slithered forwards, sniffing at her offering and sampling a Berry before she cried out in approval. The noise she made was beautifully haunting, like a whale¡¯s song. Dragonair turned around, nodding at her progeny to allow her permission before moving back to her little nesting spot. However, the Dratini all looked wary, too scared to approach the stranger. All except one that was. ¡°Hey little guy¡­¡± Nina gently greeted the curious Dratini who bravely came closer. ¡°Actually, are you a boy or a girl? I can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°Tiin.¡± It cried. ¡°Hmm¡­ How about this?¡± Nina held out her hands. ¡°Right hand for boy and left hand for girl.¡± The Dratini booped her right hand, the first contact with the baby Dragon¡¯s snout nearly making Nina squeal. ¡°Boy it is then. No wonder you¡¯re so handsome. Go on, I brought a whole bunch of Berries with me just for your family. Feel free to pick the ones that you like. ¡°Tiiin!¡± It squealed, before circling around in a happy little dance, lowering its head to sniff at the Berries and sampling a few of them. Nina watched in amusement as Dratini made different faces at different Berries. He looked intrigued when tasting an Oran, crinkling his face when biting into an Aspear, gagging at Lum, before eyes widening and making a happy little noise at Bluk Berries. ¡°Seems like my guy here has a bit of a sweet tooth.¡± Upon seeing that their sibling was unharmed, the rest of the Dratini also approached, each fighting to try out the colorful little fruits that the tiny human girl brought in. Nina chuckled. ¡°No need to fight. I¡¯ve got more where that came from,¡± she said as she unclipped another Berry pouch and emptied its contents. That was the last of Nina¡¯s berries. Not that it mattered, she had accomplished her ultimate goal of coming to the Safari Zone. There was literally nothing else she would rather use the Berries on. If anything, she regretted giving out so much over the past few days when she should have saved most of them for this moment. Nina giggled while watching the curious little Dratinis sample the myriad of flavors in fascination. Their giddiness reminded Nina of children in a candy store, wide eyes gleaming at the dizzyingly colorful selection on offer. ¡°Star.¡± ¡°Poli.¡± Upon hearing the familiar cries, Nina was reminded of her companions who got her here in the first place. ¡°Oh, sorry guys. I got too excited. Come here, feel free to share with Dratinis.¡± Nina reached into the water and brought Staryu close to the Berries. Poliwag could walk on his own. ¡°Tiin¡­¡± The first Dratini that approached Nina nuzzled against her. His mouth was holding a Bluk Berry which he offered to Nina. ¡°Aww¡­ aren¡¯t you a sweet little prince.¡± Nina gracefully accepted the gift and reached out with her other hand to scritch the back of Dratini¡¯s head wing/fin/ear thing. Dratini purred in delight as Nina took in the unique sensation of the little Dragon Pokemon. Dratini reminded Nina of eels. Not just in terms of appearance, but also in terms of feel. Nina could see tiny scales covering their skin upon close inspection, but they could hardly be felt as her fingers simply slid across the little Dragon from how slippery he was. There seemed to be a thin layer of mucous membrane covering the Pokemon to help with its movement and keeping its body moist. Nina lost herself in the ecstasy of finally being able to interact with her favorite Pokemon when a buzzing sensation on her hip knocked her out of her stupor. ¡°Oh shoot!¡± Nina exclaimed. ¡°Sorry, buddy. I¡¯ll be right back with you.¡± The buzz was actually the timer on her Pokegear going off. She had set it as a reminder to check in with her guardians. Nina grabbed her device to do just that, only to realize that she forgot to reply to her messages from earlier. In response to her notice, Stephen simply replied: ¡°Okay,¡± with a thumbs up emoji. Meanwhile, Kumiko wrote a whole essay on how dangerous it was to stray away from the group, along with a whole bunch of safety precautions and ending with; ¡°Make sure to use the SOS function on your Pokegear if anything were to happen at all. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re being paranoid or not. It¡¯s always better to be safe than sorry.¡± The first thing Nina did was send out a ping on her location to indicate that she was still alive. Then she drafted a simple reply to assure Kumiko that she would be careful. It was actually kind of impressive that the Pokegear was still connected even deep in an enclosed space like this cavern. As Nina was typing, she noticed a little white fin obstructing part of her vision. She turned her head to find that Dratini number one had snuggled up to her and was looking curiously at her Pokegear. ¡°Hey there, handsome. This nifty little device is a Pokegear. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Tin tin?¡± Nina smiled at the curious little Pokemon and rubbed her nose against his, much to Dratini¡¯s delight as he giggled at the contact. ¡°I can die happy now!¡± Nina thought. She wouldn¡¯t even mind if Arceus took her soul back right this instance. Her lifelong goal has now been achieved. All the pain and suffering of existence had been worth it for this one moment. ¡°A Pokegear is a human invention. We¡¯re not powerful like Pokemon, so we use devices like these to keep in touch with other humans through the Pokenet. Here, let me show you something cool.¡± Nina pulled up a video she had downloaded on her Pokegear introducing the Safari Zone and its different biomes. Dratini¡¯s eyes practically glistened at the moving pictures and catchy tune coming out of the strange contraption, having never seen anything like it before. ¡°This here is a video about the Safari Zone. Do you know what the Safari Zone is?¡± ¡°Tin?¡± ¡°The Safari Zone is your home, you silly.¡± Nina giggled. ¡°That¡¯s the name of the area where you¡¯re living in right now. See this lake? That¡¯s just a short walk from here. Though I¡¯m sure you can find a way to swim there as well. Or at least Staryu seems to think so.¡± Dratini number one dazzled at the strange new sights. ¡°Either this one is recently born, or his mother has been holding him back from venturing out.¡± It was hard to blame the Dragonair for being overprotective. Nina did not even want to imagine the frenzy that a wild Dratini would cause. Eventually, some of the other Dratini also got curious and slithered beside their sibling to check on what was so interesting, prompting the others to pile in as well. For a brief moment in time, Nina was covered in cute little Dragon eels and she was the happiest little girl in the world. The moment did not last, however, as some of the other Dratini¡¯s got bored and wandered away. At some point, Staryu and Poliwag, being the competitive little brats that they were, challenged the Dratini to a race around the cavern pool. A couple of the Dratini actually took up the challenge, Nina and the rest staying on the shore to cheer each of them on. Once that was done, Nina was guided further into the nest where the Dratinis showed off some of their prized possessions, mostly consisting of pretty looking rocks and crystals that they must have picked up in the nearby tunnels. Nina swooned at how cute the little babies were. However, she also found skeletal remains of Pokemon among the pile. One of the Dratini had a habit of collecting Pidgey skulls judging by how neatly arranged they were. And Nina dared not ask which of them it was. Nina spent over an hour with the Dragon family, completely forgetting the time until she received a lengthy, anxiety-riddled message from Kumiko. After sending another ping and reassuring Kumiko that she was on her way back, Nina sighed. ¡°Sorry guys, I have to go now.¡± The Pokemon all moaned in despair. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll try to come back tomorrow if I can. In the meantime, my guardian¡­ That is, my Dragonair is worried and wants me to go back.¡± Nina then turned to her original two companions. ¡°Sorry guys, can you help me get back to the forest? You can come right back if you want to continue playing. I can find my own way back to the lake.¡± As Nina began stepping away from the nest, she felt a force constricting one of her legs. Looking down, she saw Dratini number one wrapped around her ankle, staring up at her with teary eyes. Nina bent down and booped Dratini on his nose. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, buddy. I really have to go now. I promise I¡¯ll try to come back tomorrow.¡± Dratini fervently shook his head. ¡°Tini tin tin.¡± He pleaded. The little guy must have said something outrageous because Dragonair called out with a stern ¡°Drag!¡± Dratini turned around to face his mother. ¡°Tin! Tin tin tin. Tini tin tin!¡± Dragonair growled, before closing her eyes briefly then opening up to focus an intense stare at Nina. Nina could feel the blood drain from her face instantly, cold sweat permeating her skin. She struggled to breath as an oppressive aura invaded deep into her core. For the first time in her life, she knew what it felt like to be a mouse cornered by a cat. After what felt like an eternity, Dragonair let out a snort and gave a curt nod to Nina. ¡°What¡­ What just happened?!¡± Nina thought. Her mind still reeling from the harrowing experience. Whatever happened, it seemed to have made Dratini happy as it let out a cry and looked at Nina with a cheerful expression. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand Dratini. I already said I can¡¯t stay here.¡± Dratini shook his head. ¡°Tini tin tin.¡± He then reached out and touched his nose against Nina¡¯s Pokegear. Nina¡¯s head spun, trying to make sense of what the little Dragon was trying to tell her. ¡°Are you saying¡­ You want to come with me?¡± ¡°Dra!¡± He cried, bobbing his head up and down. ¡°I¡­¡± Nina¡¯s legs turned jelly, succumbing to gravity as she sat down on the floor trying to compose herself. A million thoughts raced through her head, but the most pressing ones were matters of practical concern. Rearing a Dragon was difficult work. Would Dratini be happy in their little apartment, or would her father need to spend money to rent space in a specialist ranch. Then there was the matter of clean water. Nina lived in Cerulean City, the Water City, so that shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to obtain. But would it be fair to Dratini to constrain him in his Pokeball until Nina deemed it safe to release him? And given how rare Dragon Types were, Pokemon feed specific to Dragons were sold at a premium, another financial burden she would be forcing upon Patrick. With Leanette undergoing rehab, Nina had been the one handling the groceries and other household expenses over the past year, she knew better than anyone their family¡¯s budgetary constraints. Evolving him into a Dragonite was a matter of course. Nina¡¯s silly preferences weren¡¯t grounded on any rationale anyway. However, that left the matter of her age. It wouldn''t be fair to hold Dratini back for another four years when clearly the little guy was eager to go out and explore the world. ¡°I don¡¯t think you fully understand, Dratini¡­¡± ¡°Tin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too young to train Pokemon. If you go with me, you¡¯ll have to wait another four years before we can properly train. That means another four years before you can evolve. Are you really okay with that?¡± Dratini tilted his head, still staring at Nina with those naive, innocent eyes. Nina turned to Dragonair. ¡°You understand right? I don¡¯t want to hold Dratini back. I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to treat him right.¡± Dragonair huffed and jerked her head, simply responding with an indifferent cry. Nina looked at the Dragonair in disbelief. It seemed the elder Dragon was recusing herself from the situation, leaving the future of her son entirely in his own metaphorical hands. Nina looked back at Dratini and lowered her head in guilt. She couldn¡¯t do it. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but she was simply too much of a coward to take it. As if reading her thoughts, Dratini let out a sad moan, lowering his head in disappointment. Then, to reassure Nina, he reached out and booped her in the nose. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina¡¯s lips formed a weak smile in spite of herself. She reciprocated the affection with a boop of her own. Dratini giggled, immediately retaliating with another boop before receiving another one in return. They went back and forth like that for a little bit until Nina burst out laughing like a crazy person. Her voice reverberated throughout the entire cavern. The girl shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. ¡°Fuck it!¡± If this was what fate had in store for her then she would simply grab it by the neck and take it one step at a time. Nina opened her eyes, and looked into Dratini¡¯s with a determined gaze. ¡°Dratini. I still don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to do right by you. But what I can promise you is my maximum effort. No matter what happens, no matter the hardship, I will do my best to make you happy. And if one day you find me lacking, say the word and I will personally break your Pokeball and escort you back to your family.¡± A tense silence descended upon the cave. ¡°So, Dratini¡­ Would you be willing to be my partner and explore the world with me?¡± ¡°Dra!¡± replied the happy little Dragon. Chapter 17 Nina hardly needed to explain what a Pokeball was to Dratini. Her new partner was a fast learner and had already grasped the concept during the viewing of the Safari Zone video. The moment that Nina expanded her Safari Ball, Dratini booped his nose on the button, disappearing in a flash. The Ball didn¡¯t even shake as the button lit up once, making a satisfying noise to indicate a successful capture. Nina simply sat in a daze, reveling in her long awaited moment. She was now a Pokemon Trainer in all but name. However, the moment did not last as her Pokegear once again buzzed angrily at her to get moving. ¡°Dammit Kumiko¡­¡± Nina released Dratini from the green camo patterned Pokeball as she replied to the frantic woman. ¡°Dratini, go ahead and say goodbye to your family first. We need to be leaving soon.¡± ¡°Sorry, got held up by sad Pokemon. Give me five minutes to say my goodbyes and I¡¯ll be on my way. Please don¡¯t be too upset.¡± Nina replied. Dratini was now being swarmed by his siblings in a group cuddle. It seemed the little ones finally caught up on what was happening. Dragonair nuzzled her head against the departing Dratini, then began singing a hauntingly beautiful melody. Everyone went silent as they became entranced by the Dragon¡¯s song, feeling a peculiar mix of sadness and delight at the same time. It was a song of departure and new beginnings, sounding both melancholic and hopeful at the same time. By the time it ended, Nina felt a trickle of tears running down her cheeks. A sentiment shared by Dratini as he was bawling his eyes out, nuzzling fervently against his mother. Dragonair hummed sounds of assurance to her child before gently pushing him away, signaling that it was time to go. Dratini slithered away reluctantly, slowly going towards his new partner at a deliberate pace. ¡°Are you sure about this, buddy? It¡¯s still not too late to change your mind,¡± asked Nina. But Dratini simply shook his head and gave her a resolute nod. ¡°Alright, let''s go then.¡± Dratini took one last look at his family before returning to his Ball. And Nina performed another curtsy. ¡°Thank you for entrusting me with your child. I will do my best to ensure he reaches his full potential. And I swear I won¡¯t divulge the location of your nest to any outsiders.¡± The girl vowed. Dragonair let out a satisfactory cry and Nina dove back into the water where she came from. *** To say that Kumiko was unhappy with Nina when she returned to the lake was an understatement. The woman was fuming so hard that she could see smoke coming out of her ears. ¡°I sense a lecture coming¡­¡± ¡°Before we start, Kumiko. May I return Lotad to the lake first? Please, I owe him that much at least.¡± Kumiko nodded, albeit reluctantly. Nina felt quite guilty that she had left her new friend alone in the pond for such an extended period of time. They were having such a good time in Dragonair¡¯s nest that they had completely forgotten about the Lotad. So she offered to carry him back to the lake, while his other two friends dove back down to play with the Dratini some more. Nina was assured that Poliwag and Staryu could make their own way back. Likely using Staryu¡¯s underwater route that they skipped over just now. ¡°Thanks Lotad, I wouldn¡¯t have found my new partner without you. I don¡¯t have any more Berries to share but I¡¯ll make sure to grab you some apples before I leave.¡± Nina winked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the other two, okay? It¡¯ll be our secret.¡± Lotad quacked in response then steadily drifted away from shore. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t keep the little guy. I bet he¡¯d be willing to come along.¡± Nina looked up to see Stephen approaching her. From the looks of his face, it seemed that the man was trying to rescue Nina from his wife¡¯s wrath. Something that Nina greatly appreciated. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be willing if I asked, but Lotad is part Grass Type and I have¡­ What¡¯s the opposite of a green thumb? A black thumb?¡± Stephen laughed at the girl¡¯s confusion. ¡°Yeah I get what you mean. I¡¯m really bad with plants as well.¡± In her past life, Nina had always been team green. Miles always went for the Grass starter because he thought they looked cooler and/or cuter. However, in the actual Pokemon world, rearing a Grass Type requires a trainer to also be a competent botanist. Which was something that she simply did not have the drive for. ¡°Nina!¡± Kumiko yelled. But before she could continue, Charlie excitedly ran up to his friend and interrupted his mother¡¯s flow. ¡°Nina, Nina! Guess what?¡± Nina happily played along of course, if it meant delaying the inevitable. ¡°Did you catch your starter, Charlie?¡± She answered while giving the boy a cheeky grin. ¡°You bet I did!¡± He exclaimed, before throwing out a Safari Ball. ¡°Come on out, Poliwag!¡± A flash of light, and what came out was indeed the swirly tadpole Pokemon. It wasn¡¯t the same one that Nina had befriended. In fact, this one was clearly female, based on the direction of its belly swirl. ¡°Great choice,¡± Nina praised. ¡°Poliwrath will be a Fighting and Water Type, so you can take advantage of both your parent¡¯s knowledge to train her up properly. And if you ever decided you wanted to specialize, you could always pivot to Politoed instead.¡± However, Charlie¡¯s shoulders slumped at the girl¡¯s praise much to her bewilderment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlie. Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°You were supposed to ask me why I chose Poliwag¡­¡± He muttered, eliciting a laugh from Nina. It seemed the boy had intended to show off by explaining his rationale to the girl he liked, only for said girl to steal his thunder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, buddy. We all know how smart you are. Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have gotten into the Vermillion Flame right?¡± That seemed to cheer him up a little. ¡°Just make sure not to over rely on your parents, okay? It¡¯s always better to form your own methodology.¡± Nina added. ¡°She¡¯s right, son. Your mom and I want to see you become a trainer good enough to surpass the both of us. You can¡¯t do that if you¡¯re hanging by our thighs your whole life.¡± Charlie gave a determined nod at his father¡¯s advice. Then it was finally time for Nina to face the music as Kumiko loomed over her, growling like an Arcanine. ¡°Nina¡­¡± Nina turned around sheepishly and cranked up her charm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry, Kumiko. I swear I have an explanation.¡± ¡°Oh? And what would that be?¡± asked Kumiko, a clear edge in her voice. ¡°I¡­ Well, it¡¯d be easier if I just show you. Do you mind giving me a bit of space?¡± Everyone backed away a few steps at Nina¡¯s request. The girl did not want to overwhelm her sheltered Pokemon with the presence of too many people in one go. Taking in a deep breath, Nina took out a Safari Ball. Everyone watched with bated breath as the girl summoned a long, noodly, eel-like creature. Kumiko was the first to gasp. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Nina, that¡¯s a Dratini!¡± ¡°Tini!¡± Dratini cried, as he excitedly looked around at his new environment then went up to the blue haired lady who called his name. ¡°Tin tin Dratini!¡± The little Dragon greeted as she nuzzled against Kumiko¡¯s hand Nina chuckled at her partner¡¯s friendliness, making a mental note to educate Dratini about stranger danger. ¡°I think he¡¯s trying to introduce himself, Kumiko.¡± Nina lightly clapped her hands to get the Pokemon¡¯s attention. ¡°Hey buddy, I¡¯m right here.¡± Dratini snapped his head at the familiar voice of his partner, cheerfully rushing into Nina¡¯s embrace. ¡°Tiiin!¡± ¡°There¡¯s my handsome prince. Do you like it here? It¡¯s nice to get some sun, huh?¡± Dratini purred against Nina, but just as quickly got distracted when he laid eyes on Charlie and his Poliwag, slithering over to say hi. This repeated itself multiple times with each member of the group as Dratini marveled in fascination at all the different looking humans. ¡°I know you said there might be some of them here. But how in Arceus did you manage to actually capture a Dratini?¡± Stephen asked, bewildered. Nina hesitated. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t say. Rather, can I trouble you to request a private meeting with Mr Masayuki when we get back. I need his advice.¡± Stephen recognised the severity of her tone and gave her a serious nod in return. ¡°Will do. In the meantime, you might want to keep Dratini in his Ball until Masa gives the okay. No point attracting any unwanted attention.¡± Nina felt a little bad because she had wanted to show Dratini around the area where he had unknowingly lived in his whole life. But she understood Stephen¡¯s reasoning and readily complied. *** ¡°You¡¯ve really gone and done it huh, girlie? Can¡¯t believe Victoria actually let you get away with taking one of hers.¡± ¡°Victoria is the Dragonair?¡± Nina asked in return. She and Masayuki were currently alone in a conference room. ¡°Yeap, no idea who named her but she does kinda seem like a Victoria doesn¡¯t she?¡± Nina recalled the regal matriarch of the Dratinis and giggled. ¡°She kinda does.¡± Nina looked towards Dratini who was in the midst of curiously examining a projector, giving himself a fright every time he saw his distorted reflection in the projector lens. The reserved demeanor of the mother Dragon was quite a stark contrast to her son¡¯s unbound enthusiasm for all things new and interesting. ¡°This is okay¡­ right?¡± The girl asked, feeling timid all of a sudden. Masayuki raised an eyebrow at the question. ¡°I mean for me to take Dratini away like this.¡± Masayuki hummed. ¡°Little girl, the Safari Balls are designed the way they are for a reason. If Noodles over there was unwilling, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to contain him. Besides, you captured him in the presence of his mother, a full grown Dragonair. If she took issue with it then you¡¯d be a stain on her nest right now, not talking to me.¡± assured the Ranger. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to take good care of him. All the publicly available information that I managed to find regarding Dratini¡¯s species indicate that they¡¯re very sensitive creatures, requiring clean water and the right environment to grow up right. My family and I live in a two bedroom apartment in Cerulean City. I doubt that¡¯s the ideal environment for a fledgling Dragon.¡± Masayuki chuckled and ruffled Nina¡¯s hair, much to her annoyance. ¡°Well girlie, I can tell you care and that¡¯s already the most important part.¡± ¡°Care and affection can only do so much when your Pokemon is sick and starving.¡± Nina interrupted. ¡°However,¡± Masayuki continued. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here. Have you ever thought that all the information you found on Dragon Types feel a bit iffy?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Dragon Tamers are a secretive bunch and they often jealously guard their secrets.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± affirmed the older man. ¡°But what about the League? It¡¯s easy enough to find official records on the lifestyle and habitats of Growlithe for example. They even willingly released information on the fact that Arcanine, a previously Legendary Pokemon, evolved from using a Fire Stone on Growlithe. But what about Dragons?¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina ruminated on the question, trying to recall any available information for the Dragonite line in the public database. Getting access to Pokedex-like information without an actual Pokedex wasn¡¯t impossible, but it was a bit of a challenge. However, before she managed to think up anything of note, Masayuki provided the answer. ¡°Dragon Types are dangerous, even among Pokemon. You¡¯re right that those egotistical Dragon Tamers aren¡¯t big on sharing, but that¡¯s only part of the story. The League is also intentionally holding back on giving out information related to Dragons as well.¡± Nina sat up in attention at the revelation, trying to work out the underlying rationale behind such a decision. ¡°Not only that, but they also intentionally muddy the waters by throwing in some filth from time to time.¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t want bad actors to easily get their hands on Dragon Pokemon¡­¡± Nina realized. Knowledge was power, and if villains like Team Rocket had a complete understanding of Dragon Types; where to find them, how to cow and manipulate them. They would be a nightmare to deal with. ¡°Ne¡¯er-do-wells are a fact of life.¡± Masayuki stated. ¡°And you gotta understand that a single rogue Dragonite can destroy an entire town if you get them angry enough. The world is already struggling enough with rampaging Gyarados as it is. We don¡¯t need to add Dragons to the pile.¡± Dragons also had an innate sense that enabled them to discern the character of a human. Hence why Giovanni isn¡¯t flying around with a Dragonite. But a Dratini hatched and raised in captivity wouldn¡¯t know any better. ¡°It all makes sense now¡­¡± Nina mumbled. ¡°But it still doesn¡¯t solve the problem. Rather, it makes it worse! How am I supposed to take proper care of Dratini if I can¡¯t even get basic information about his diet?¡± ¡°Tiin?¡± Sensing his partner¡¯s distress, Dratini climbed up to Nina¡¯s lap and booped her on the nose. The girl giggled. ¡°Thanks buddy, you always know how to cheer me up.¡± Nina said as she reciprocated the boop. Masayuki chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry girlie, we¡¯ve been looking after Victoria and her brood for years now. While we try to be as hands off as possible, there have been times where we needed to step in every once in a while. I can compile some basic information for you on how to care for Noodles over there. It won¡¯t be anything too extensive though, else I¡¯ll get in trouble with the League.¡± Nina thanked the senior Ranger profusely for his kindness. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. When I say basic, I do mean basic ¡ª you¡¯ll know what to feed him and how to avoid accidentally killing him and stuff. But don¡¯t expect anything advanced like movesets and training regimes.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s all I need. I¡¯ll figure out the rest on my own. Training a Pokemon wouldn¡¯t be fun if you have a cheat sheet to look at.¡± Masayuki let out a boisterous laugh, mildly startling Dratini¡¯s sensitive ears. ¡°Attagirl, that¡¯s what I like to see in a trainer. Oh, and don¡¯t worry about that clean water stuff. It¡¯s all nonsense. Your boy is a proud Dragon, not some fragile Milotic. He can handle tap water just fine. I mean I dunno if you¡¯ve heard, but there¡¯s a whole island of Dragonite somewhere out there and sea water is anything but clean.¡± ¡°Huh, that actually does make sense¡­¡± It had been a long time since Nina watched the Pokemon anime, not since Miles¡¯s childhood. But she did kind of remember the Dragonite island that Masayuki mentioned. ¡°Maybe we can go visit once Dratini is fully evolved¡± Chapter 18 Nina was soaking in a bathtub with her Dratini, whom she decided to name Tini, while looking at her Pokegear. The little blue noodle had actually never encountered hot water before since there were no hot springs in the Safari Zone. It was kind of cute the way that the baby Dragon shivered like an old man when he went into the hot tub for the first time. ¡°This is great. Right, Tini?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± he moaned. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get dad to buy us one of those small portable tubs that can fold up flat. We only have a shower at home and I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll want a little pool to soak in just to keep your body moist.¡± The cost of said tub would be another thing to add to Nina¡¯s growing pile of expenses. She was actually looking through Patrick¡¯s bank statements to see how much leeway they have. ¡°At the moment we¡¯re feeding you Gyarados¡¯s high density Pokechow, thanks to Kumiko¡¯s generosity.¡± Nina mused. ¡°Mr Masa said that it¡¯d be fine for the short term, but once we get back we¡¯ll have to get your own stuff since you can¡¯t exactly eat Pikachu¡¯s brand of Pokechow. That stuff is mostly for domestic Pokemon who don¡¯t really battle¡­¡± That said, it wasn¡¯t like Tini could battle either, given that Nina was underaged. But she was planning to train the Dratini¡¯s moves and that does take up quite a lot of energy and calories. ¡°Mr Masa gave us a list of recommended brands, but even the lower end options will pretty much cost me my entire savings for just a single packet. And if we supplement it with Berries and other foodstuff, we can maybe stretch it out for a couple of weeks.¡± Nina groaned, prompting Tini to go in for a boop. Except, Nina pranked her little partner earlier by forming a soap afro on the Dragon¡¯s head, and now that same cloud of soap was shoved right into her eyes. ¡°Hey, stop that buddy¡­ It stings!¡± Nina yelped as she frantically splashed water onto her face. Tini giggled then moved in to nuzzle against her some more. Nina nuzzled her cute little Dragon back. ¡°Who am I kidding, you have no notion of money huh?¡± ¡°Tiin?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t have money then we won¡¯t have any food, Tini. So I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll just have to figure out some way to make money when we get back.¡± Finding a source of income was not going to be easy as a six year old. Since no one was legally allowed to work until they were ten at least. Which in Nina¡¯s old world standards, would still be considered child labour. But Pokemon world values were different, so no point questioning it. *** Tini¡¯s first experience with flying was absolutely precious. The same goes with all the other new captures. The four new additions to their group were small enough that it wouldn¡¯t strain Gyarados¡¯s Fly Basket, so Kumiko had allowed them to join in on the flight. ¡°You can¡¯t really see it cause it¡¯s quite far away, but that¡¯s where you came from, Tini.¡± Nina pointed towards the direction of the Safari Zone for Dratini¡¯s benefit. Nina had actually tried to ask if Masayuki would be willing to give just the two of them a personal flyby of the Safari Zone on their last day of stay, just so that Dratini could have a better look at his home, but her request was denied due to safety concerns. ¡°Come back when you¡¯re an accomplished trainer and when that little noodle is strong enough to protect himself, then I¡¯ll bend a few rules for you,¡± said the rugged old man. This was fine for Nina, it beats a straight out rejection. Tini¡¯s eyes glistened at the never before seen landscapes, yipping and yapping at every new thing he saw. There were a couple of times where the overenthusiastic Dragon extended too far and nearly fell off. Good thing he had his tail wrapped around Nina¡¯s torso, not that it was easy to secure a solid hold of his slippery scales. The return trip back to Cerulean was much the same as how it was the first time around, with frequent stops in between to redo the charge on the Fly Basket. Nina had kept Tini out the entire time until they were above Cerulean City. Though there were times she regretted that decision with how hyperactive he was, chasing after every Caterpie and running off into every wild Berry bush he found. Good thing his new best buddy, Phanpy, was in much the same boat, so she and Stephen alternated looking after the two troublemakers. ¡°Tini!¡± Nina giggled, pointing down at the Cerulean cityscape. ¡°That¡¯s going to be your new home, Tini. You¡¯ve never seen buildings that tall before have you?¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± The Dratini¡¯s beady black eyes were like two sparkling opals. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get you back into your Pokeball before we land. But the next time you¡¯re out, I¡¯ll introduce you to Pikachu and my dad. They¡¯re my family, just like Dragonair and the other Dratinis are your family.¡± Patrick had technically already met Tini. After their little talk, Masayuki advised Nina to hurriedly change the Dratini¡¯s Pokeball. Then they made a video call to Patrick together, getting his permission to register her new partner with him. There was also the option to transfer him back to Cerulean right away, but Nina did not want that. ¡°I¡¯ve seen greed blind even the best of men, girlie. Best not to take any chances with Noodles here.¡± Masayuki did not name any names, but Nina knew he was worried about the Rockfords getting any twisted ideas. Not that she thought they would. But as Masayuki likes to say, ¡°Life¡¯s unpredictable, kiddo.¡± *** ¡°We need to go fishing, Tini!¡± Nina declared one day. ¡°Tiin?¡± The Dragon responded absentmindedly. Tini was currently engaged with his new favorite thing ¡ª Television. The little blue noodle had pretty much spent most of his spare time with his eyes glued to the screen, watching anything and everything that came up, be it trashy reality TV or even documentaries. Though travel shows were his favorite. Tini, Nina noticed, had a bit of an obsessive personality. It was difficult to pry him away from the TV at times. ¡°For your food, Tini! For your food! We¡¯re taking you hunting for fish, and while we¡¯re at it, we can even practice some of your moves. You can already ¡ª sorta ¡ª use Twister, I want to see you channeling that Dragon Type Energy into learning Dragon Breath and maybe Dragon Tail. We can practice on the fishies. It¡¯ll be two Pidgeys with one Geodude.¡± It had been a week since Nina returned home from the Safari Zone. They spent the first few days back acclimating her Dratini to the new environment; observing him around the apartment to see if there was anything he needed and occasionally going out with Patrick and Pikachu to walk around the City. It took some light electric shocks from Pikachu and a few blunders on her end , but Nina managed to warn Tini off of being too friendly to strangers. However, the little Dragon still liked waving at people and their Pokemon with his stubby little tail. Which Nina thought was the cutest thing, so she overlooked it. She spent the past couple of days commuting back and forth to the Cerulean Public Library to do research on the Dragonite line, hoping that old written documents would be more reliable information than unverifiable hearsay on Pokenet forums. Her latest epiphany came from a collection of old folklore from people who lived near the mysterious Dragonite island. It told tales of Dragonites rescuing sailors and fishermen from violent storms. But more importantly, it also had some tales about how fishermen would sometimes accidentally catch a Dratini in their net, which they would then promptly release, but not before despairing at the fact that the Dratini had chomped on half their catch. ¡°Of course, Nina! Dratinis eat fish. No duh! Why else would they live near water?¡± Nina then researched some of the components that go into Dratini specific Pokechow. A lot of the brands are quite protective of their recipes as one would expect, but the higher end ¡°organic¡± ones were fairly transparent. One thing she did notice was how all of them involved some form of fish protein in their blend. With this they¡¯ll be able to further supplement Dratini¡¯s meals with fresh fish and Berries, maybe with some other sources of Vitamins and Iron as well, and that¡¯ll save the cost of purely relying on Pokechow. The next day, Nina took Pikachu and Tini to look for Kumiko over at the Rockford residence to see if she would be able to realize her idea. ¡°A spot where Dratini can go to catch fish?¡± The woman repeated, bewildered. ¡°Yeap! You work for the Sea Rangers right, Kumiko? Surely you have some idea on what the coastlines of Cerulean are like.¡± Kumiko did indeed work for the Cerulean branch of Sea Rangers. Not as a Ranger herself, since she never underwent the training. But her job was of a similar scope, just more confined to be within the immediate vicinity of the City. In truth, Nina did not know what the distinction was either. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can think of a couple spots off the top of my head. But Nina, going out to sea all by yourself is extremely dangerous.¡± Despite Kumiko¡¯s caution, the bit of sea that¡¯s connected to Cerulean City was more of an inlet than anything. It was extremely safe and well patrolled. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not trying to do anything reckless. Just release Tini and have him catch enough fish to supplement his meals. It¡¯ll go a long way in helping to ease our finances.¡± This was partially a lie since Nina needed to be able to see Tini to oversee his move training. ¡°Does Patrick know you¡¯re doing this?¡± Nina frowned. ¡°Dad is¡­ a little distracted lately. I think the weekly joint therapy sessions he¡¯s having to attend with mom are taking their toll on him. I keep telling him that I can come and help out as well but he won¡¯t let me. Says it¡¯s for my own good and that he can manage.¡± Nina used Pity, it was super effective. ¡°Oh sweetie¡­¡± Kumiko pulled Nina in for a hug. Kumiko always had a soft spot for Nina. The girl, despite only being a year older than her Tiffany, was mature beyond her age. Hearing about her family circumstances only made her want to love Nina more. Kumiko thought that the girl was clearly pushing herself too far to make it easier on her father. ¡°Alright, but if you¡¯re doing this then you have to promise me that you¡¯ll stay safe, okay? Think about how devastated your dad will be when he learns that something bad happened to you. Are you really going to let him deal with your mom all by himself?¡± Nina gave a solemn nod. ¡°Good. Now if you¡¯re going to stay safe then you¡¯ll need some basic equipment.¡± Kumiko then pulled Nina with her into her bedroom. The woman rummaged around a few drawers before finally pulling out an older looking rebreather. It looked chunkier than the one that Nina borrowed back in the Safari Zone, but it seemed functional enough. Kumiko then took one look at the rebreather, frowned, and continued rummaging. ¡°I swear I have a spare somewhere¡­ Aha!¡± She then twisted off the worn down mouthpiece of the chunky rebreather and replaced it with the spare one she had just found. ¡°This here¡¯s an old companion of mine. It¡¯s what I kept for personal use outside of work. That said, I¡¯ve since upgraded to a better one,¡± explained Kumiko. ¡°That¡¯s not to say this one isn¡¯t usable though, I specifically bought this model because it was known for its durability, and I was being frugal at the time.¡± Nina took hold of the device that was handed to her, noting that the oxygen charge on it was almost depleted. ¡°Where can I refill it?¡± ¡°Good question. You can head on over to any dive joint, though that¡¯ll cost ya. But between you and me, you can also head over to the Sea Ranger outpost and have them refill it. They¡¯re usually quite willing to do it for free. If not, just tell them I sent you. I doubt they¡¯ll be able to resist those cute Growlithe eyes of yours.¡± ¡°Thanks, Kumiko!¡± Nina exclaimed, with the same puppy dog eyes that she was praised for. Kumiko sighed. ¡°You¡¯re very good at that, huh? But don¡¯t thank me just yet. We still need to get you a wetsuit and an inflatable life jacket.¡± She beckoned at Nina. ¡°Come on, I bought a set for that bratty daughter of mine, hoping for some mother-daughter bonding, but she never even bothered to put them on. They should fit you just fine and I¡¯d hate to see them go to waste when Tiff eventually outgrows them.¡± Nina giddily went along. She had not expected to receive so many freebies when she decided to come by today. ¡°Tiff, sweetie¡­ Do you remember where you put the diving equipment I bought you last time.¡± Kumiko did a quick knock on her daughter¡¯s door then promptly opened it before the girl even had a chance to respond. ¡°I told you to knock before coming in, mom!¡± yelled a childish voice from the other side. ¡°I already did sweetie, did you not hear me? Now where did you put that wetsuit¡­¡± ¡°Dammit, mom! Stop going through my stuff without permission! Why do you care where that junk is anyway?¡± ¡°First off, mind your language young lady! And to answer the question, I want to give it away to Nina. She needs it more than you do.¡± Tiffany glared at Nina who she just noticed was standing a couple steps away from the door, having known that this disaster would ensue. ¡°Is it a common thing among mothers to be inconsiderate like this?¡± Nina recalled that Leanette, and Miles¡¯s mother were the same way. ¡°It¡¯s mine, mom! You can¡¯t just give my stuff away without permission!¡± ¡°Oh shush, you never use it anyway. Besides, if you ever want to take me up on diving then I¡¯ll just buy you a new set. You¡¯re going to outgrow this old one soon enough anyway.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Tiffany yelled. ¡°Sea water is all icky and sticky, and sand is coarse and rough and it gets everywhere!¡± ¡°Well there you have it then,¡± Kumiko concluded as she finally found what she was looking for. ¡°Since you¡¯re never going to use this anyway, I don¡¯t want it to go to waste,¡± she said before promptly exiting the room with her spoils. Nina could hear a muffled yell from inside Tiffany¡¯s room as they were stepping away. ¡°Patrick is so lucky to have a daughter like you, Nina¡­¡± Kumiko sighed and Nina kept silent, not wanting to comment too much on the train wreck she just witnessed. Chapter 19 Tini had already known how to fish. This was not a surprise, he was a wild Pokemon not too long ago after all. And he was pretty good at it too. Nina watched as the little blue eel snuck up on a group of fish. Then in a flash of movement, began circling around his prey, conjuring a whirlpool of purple Dragon Type Energy. This was the move Twister, and Dratini used it to trap large groups of fish in its vortex before killing them within. Nina gave her partner a thumbs up, bubbles gurgling out of her rebreather in excitement. She swooped in with a net in hand and secured her Dratini¡¯s latest catch. Meanwhile, the Dragon treated himself with a little snack, swallowing one of the fish whole, bones and all. The two swam up to shore on a gravel beach. Pikachu, with her goofy star shaped sunglasses, was waiting for them while sunbathing on a cooler that Nina bought with her own money. Much to Pikachu¡¯s annoyance, Nina trudged up to her impromptu tanning bed and shooed her off in order for the girl to deposit Dratini¡¯s catch, the cooler itself looking like it was almost full. The trio were actually near Bill¡¯s famous Sea Cottage, past route 25 and Nugget Bridge. Though the place was less of a cottage and more like a gated estate where Bill ran his own ranch. Sea Cottage was simply what he named it. In fact, Nina couldn¡¯t even see anything resembling a building nearby, only a long stretch of metal fences. It was one of the spots that Kumiko recommended to Nina, something about this being where the inlet met the sea and how there was a healthy accumulation of plankton, attracting both fish and Pokemon. But mainly, Nina chose this spot because there was a bus that ran here periodically. The Sea cottage was quite the tourist attraction, with Bill allowing daily tours. And even on the days that they weren¡¯t, the buses still ran for the benefit of the employees working in the man¡¯s lab. ¡°Okay Tini, I think we¡¯ve got enough fish to last you for a couple of days. How about we practice your Twister next. You¡¯re still pretty bad at using it on land.¡± Nina had intended to use Twister as the foundation to teach Tini some other moves. But unfortunately, maybe because of the environment he lived in, her partner wasn¡¯t really adept at using it on land. He always just ended up doing an awkward simile of Wrap with Dragon Type Energy instead. ¡°Remember that video I showed you last night? That Dragonair simply twisted his tail to direct the energy and released it with a swipe. Then the Twister gradually built up in size when it left Dragonair. You don¡¯t actually have to use your entire body to prime it, just maintain a connection to the Twister and feed it with more energy once it gets going.¡± ¡°Dra!¡± Tini noded. The baby Dragon was a fairly adept visual learner. So instead of reinventing the wheel, Nina decided to just look up footage of other people¡¯s battles online and showed it to him. Tini did as he was told, tensing his tail muscles and twisting it. It was really cute how the little blue Dragon furrows his brows when he concentrates. It would be a dead giveaway of his intentions in an actual battle, but for now it didn¡¯t matter. Tini swiped out his tail, looking nowhere as graceful as the Dragonair in the video. But he did manage to conjure up a small ball of purple wind which barely lasted more than a couple of seconds before dissipating. ¡°Great job, I can tell you¡¯re almost there. It already seemed stronger than your last attempt. You just gotta focus on maintaining that connection. Treat the Twister as a part of your body rather than just a ball of energy you¡¯re releasing.¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± cried the despondent Dragon. Seeing that, Nina went in for a boop and a kiss to her partner¡¯s forehead, eliciting giggles from him. ¡°No need to rush, we¡¯re just getting started. Besides, you¡¯re now good enough at it to use Dragon Tail so that¡¯s still a win. Do you wanna continue with Twister or take a break and then try out Dragon Rush?¡± Dratini booped her right hand. ¡°Break and then Dragon Rush it is.¡± Nina confirmed. Dragon Rush in the games was an advanced move that Dratini wasn¡¯t supposed to learn yet. But after seeing how adept Dratini¡¯s movement was in water, and how he had a tendency to saturate his entire body with Dragon Energy to prime Twister, she figured there was a good chance he might be able to learn Dragon Rush if he tried doing it underwater. Tini agreed as well after she showed him a video and explained her logic. Nina unzipped the upper half of her wetsuit and sat down on the little camping chair she bought. The first time they came here to fish, she was wholly unprepared. They ended up just having a seaside barbecue with the fish that Tini caught because she couldn¡¯t bring them back. It actually had been a while since she had meat and forgotten how good it tasted. ¡°So does that make me a pescetarian now? Even though I refuse to eat fish Pokemon?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini curled up in her lap, demanding cuddles. Nina giggled and gladly obliged, smothering the tiny noodle with her whole being. She looked out at the sparkling seas, thinking she could probably afford to get herself a pair of sunglasses as well. A rush of wind rustled her hair, cooling her body down from the stuffy wetsuit. ¡°This new life ain¡¯t bad¡­ not bad at all.¡± *** The next day, Nina walked down Cerulean Quay in the morning. Her Dratini wrapped around her as usual, and Pikachu stood her legs on the girl¡¯s backpack while resting her head on top of Nina¡¯s. The girl was quite the spectacle, and not just because of the rare Dragon she was carrying around with her. But by this point she was fairly used to all the staring. Despite being a City renowned for its Water Type Gym, Cerulean didn¡¯t really have any beaches. In fact, it didn¡¯t even really count as a coastal city since all they had was an inlet. Instead, the city¡¯s signature was its interconnected waterways running throughout the city and the seemingly infinite amount of fountains, each a distinctly unique work of art. Combined with the white architecture, the city almost seemed Greecian in its aesthetic. There were of course little sandbanks dotted throughout the length of the Cerulean Inlet, but it was nothing in comparison to the wide sandy beaches of Cinnabar Island. The Cerulean Quay was where all the boats were docked in the City. Mostly a whole bunch of luxury yachts and sailboats. It was also where the Sea Rangers were headquartered, in an unassuming boxy building by the end of the Quay. ¡°Welcome¡­ Oh gosh, look at you. Aren¡¯t you the cutest little girl, walking around with all your Pokemon friends.¡± The person who greeted Nina was the receptionist of the Sea Rangers; a tanned woman a bit on the shorter, stockier side. ¡°Good morning, Shizu. Can I trouble you to refill my rebreather¡± Nina held out her device with both her hands and assaulted the woman with her usual timid Baby-Doll Eyes combo. ¡°Aww¡­ Of course you can, sweetie. Let me grab that from you and I¡¯ll be right back,¡± said the receptionist as she turned around and went out of sight. Nina just stood there shuffling her feet as she waited for the woman to come back, feeling awkward for the lack of seating. At which point, the doors slid open and a familiar looking blonde woman walked into the building. ¡°Shizu~ I¡¯m here! Where you at, bitch?¡± Nina was a little startled by the bombastic entrance as she stepped aside and gave the woman a small bow. ¡°Good morning, Ms Daisy. Shizu has stepped away for the moment and will be back soon.¡± Daisy swooned at the sight of the cute little girl covered in Pokemon. ¡°Oh Arceus, aren¡¯t you just totes adorbs. And is that a Dratini I see?!¡± Daisy crouched down to meet Nina at eye level, then she held out a hand to Dratini. She waited for the baby Dragon to sniff at her and boop her hand before moving in to touch him. ¡°Pika!¡± cried Pikachu, eager for some attention as well. ¡°And don¡¯t think I forgot about you as well, Pikachu.¡± Daisy moved her free hand to Pikachu¡¯s cheeks and began lightly kneading them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you three just the cutest? You know this Pikachu reminds me of that one guy Misty used to date. Bit of an airhead, that one. Always walking around with his Pikachu. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t that slu- I mean, sister of mine date a Dragon Tamer at some point? Don¡¯t remember him pulling out a Dratini though.¡± Nina was speechless, a little overwhelmed by the carefree woman in front of her. ¡°Was she just about to call Misty a slut? The guy with the Pikachu should be Ash. But it seems like this world¡¯s equivalent of the anime characters are a bit¡­ twisted?¡± Thankfully, Nina did not really have to think of a response because Shizu came back shortly after with her rebreather. ¡°Oh hey, Daisy. What brings you in today.¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Daisy stood up, hands on her hips in faux anger. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys call in asking for help with the Tentacruel? Misty¡¯s hungover so I¡¯m here instead.¡± Shizu sighed. ¡°Of course she is¡­ Anyways, Nina, sweetie, I got your rebreather right here. Even took the liberty of adjusting the seal cause I noticed the pressure dropped a little. Make sure to check on that every once in a while, okay?¡± Nina was about to thank Shizu when the rebreather was intercepted on its way to her. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± exclaimed Daisy. ¡°What a cute little antique. I remember using this¡­ What? Ten years ago?¡± The typhoon of a woman then went right up in Nina¡¯s face. ¡°Do you like to go swimming, little girl?¡± Nina felt overwhelmed, but thankfully Shizu told her off. ¡°Leave her alone, Daisy. Nina here is a hard worker. She takes her Dratini out fishing every day to help her daddy save money.¡± ¡°What does fishing have anything to do with saving money?¡± asked the blonde. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough money to afford enough Dragon Type Pokechow, so I¡¯m trying to supplement Tini¡¯s diet with some other sources of protein.¡± Nina answered. ¡°Wait, this little girl¡¯s family can afford a Dratini, but can¡¯t afford to feed it? How does that make sense?¡± Shizu sighed. ¡°Daisy, dear, Nina caught the Dratini herself. And not everyone¡¯s family runs a Gym and can afford to sustain a Dragon.¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes sparkled and then went right up to Nina again. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! How old are you? Wait, one sec¡­ Nina, Nina¡­ Now where have I heard that name before? Right, you¡¯re that girl with the splashy Goldeen from last year!¡± ¡°You remember me?¡± asked the bewildered Nina. She had not attended the Little League this year because her school wanted to make sure everyone got a shot, so she was surprised the airheaded Gym Trainer still remembered her. Daisy gave her a pompous nod. ¡°Of course I do. We at the Cerulean Gym have a duty to nurture any and all promising trainers under our purview. My sisters and I keep a list of all the interesting little fishies that come our way to keep an eye out for promising apprentices.¡± ¡°I heard of something similar,¡± said Nina. ¡°But that was about a potential sponsorship with Professor Oak.¡± ¡°Pfeh!¡± spat the blonde bombshell. ¡°That old lecher isn¡¯t the only one doing sponsorships. All the major Gyms do it as well. In fact, we might even be one of the more generous ones.¡± She gloated. Nina did in fact know about Gym Sponsorships, but she did not know that she was being considered for one. Daisy made an exaggerated tap of her temple then lit up with a bright idea. ¡°Say, Nina¡­ You said you needed money right? Would you consider renting out your Dratini?¡± Nina embraced her partner and looked at the woman warily. ¡°Tini is my friend¡­ Not just ¡®stuff¡¯ that I can lend out.¡± Daisy laughed in amusement. ¡°Of course, honey. I didn¡¯t mean it that way. You should¡¯ve seen our monthly shows before, right?¡± The little girl nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yeap! I always love it at the end when the Milotics come out to dance. Their scales are so pretty.¡± Daisy had a smug look on her face. ¡°Yeap, we take pride in all our Pokemon! So hear me out, I just had an idea to work Dratini into our monthly performance. Obviously, this little cutie pie here would need a bit of training first, but we can manage. We¡¯ll pay you for each show, and we¡¯ll feed him when he¡¯s training at the Gym. How about it?¡± Nina¡¯s adult mind began working frantically. This was an incredible opportunity, but she needed to make sure that Dratini was okay with it and that the two of them wouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of. Nina looked up at Daisy with sparkling eyes. ¡°Will you train Dratini to use cool moves like Water Pulse and Dragon Dance?¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°That and so much more. Dragons are versatile like you wouldn¡¯t believe. Well¡­ all except Dragon Dance maybe. That one is a bit more complicated, unless you want your little boy here to evolve prematurely.¡± She explained that Dragon Dance was usually a coming of age thing for Dragons and mastering it almost always guarantees an Evolution. This was something that Nina had not known about before. ¡°We can show him the basics, so that he has a good idea of it when he feels ready. But probably not the best idea to have him practice it before he¡¯s ready,¡± she continued. Nina nodded in agreement. ¡°Tini¡¯s mom is a great singer. I got to hear her sing when they were saying goodbye. It made me cry.¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be able to sing like his mom as well?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. So long as your friend here is willing to put in the work, anything is possible.¡± Daisy answered, with a bright smile. Nina went on to explain Daisy¡¯s proposal to Tini. It took a bit of effort to simplify everything in a way that the young Dragon could understand, but he almost jumped at Daisy in excitement when Nina pulled up a fan recording of the Cerulean Sister¡¯s shows. The two trainers then negotiated the details with Shizu as a witness to make sure Daisy didn¡¯t accidentally screw over Nina. The blonde beauty can be quite insensitive at times. ¡°Despite her flaws, there¡¯s a reason why the youngest Misty is the Gym Leader,¡± whispered Shizu. ¡°She tends to be the more level headed one of the four.¡± In the end, it was decided that Nina would bring her Dratini over for two days during the weekends so that he could be trained. This was due to the fact that Nina¡¯s summer break was ending and she needed to return to school. ¡°You know Nina, since we¡¯re already doing so much anyway. Do you wanna just come over and do a part time apprenticeship? We only have our cousin apprenticing right now, I think she¡¯d appreciate your help in doing all the grun- I mean, great work we do with all our Pokemon.¡± Nina eyed the woman suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m underage, also I have school. And don¡¯t you have other Gym Trainers to help out?¡± Daisy gave Nina a sly wink, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth from the side even though she was speaking at a normal volume. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone I said this, but apprenticeships are a bit of a loophole. You can technically apprentice people of any age. But most tend to only take in apprentices below ten if they¡¯re family. That¡¯s not a hard rule though, just tradition. ¡°And school won¡¯t be an issue. Our cousin Beverly is underaged as well, she just comes by once school lets out. Also, all our Gym Trainers have their own work, plus getting them to clean the Dewgong exhibit is like trying to get a Charmander into water.¡± She said, ending the last part with a shiver. Shizu yelled at Daisy. ¡°Enough, Daisy! You¡¯re just trying to take advantage of the poor girl.¡± Nina was well aware of the situation, but she was also cognizant of what an opportunity this was. In this world and her last, connections were very important, and having an apprenticeship with the Cerulean Gym on record might open up other opportunities for her in the future. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll end up specializing in Water Types in the future though. Is that okay?" said Nina, after some consideration. Daisy waved her hand. ¡°Oh that won¡¯t be an issue. Not all of the people we sponsor are as obsessed with Water Types as we are. It¡¯s just that we don¡¯t have much space to house non-Water Types, but you¡¯re too little to be having this discussion anyway.¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s no guarantee that I might even want a sponsorship with the Cerulean Sisters.¡± Nina thought. Shizu went down to Nina with a look of concern. ¡°Nina¡­ Are you sure about this?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Not really, But I think I can learn a lot from working at a Gym. Besides, you¡¯ll promise to feed Tini on the days that I¡¯m apprenticing as well right? Which by the way, can¡¯t be every day. I need to be around for my dad as well.¡± The last question was directed towards Daisy and she gave a thumbs up in response. In the end, it was decided that Nina will go to the Cerulean Gym for two days of her choosing during the week in addition to the weekends. Chapter 20 The typical Gym season in Kanto runs from February to October; February to coincide with the start of the school year, and October because the preliminaries of the Indigo Conference commences in November, running all throughout the month, culminating in the quarter finals, semi finals, and finals in the first half of December. All before the commencement of winter break and Golden Week. So naturally, there was going to be quite a number of procrastinating trainers who would rush towards the various Gyms in October to get a last minute badge. Truthfully, there was no need to rush, since a badge would be valid for two years. One could not expect a good showing from a newbie trainer who barely had eight months to train their Pokemon afterall. However, there was this silly belief that trainers who managed to get into the conference in their first year were bound for success, so most people try to do so. Completely ignoring the fact that they would still have to go through the qualifiers anyway, unless they manage to secure at least three Star Badges. It was during this October period that Nina started to regret joining the Cerulean Gym as an apprentice. On most days, the Cerulean Gym would typically stop receiving challengers at around 3PM, closing their doors so that all the Pokemon and Trainers under their employ would have time to rest and train for their own benefit. This was in addition to the weekends where the Gym had its days off. However, in order to cope with the sudden influx of people during the month, the Cerulean Sisters were forced to operate well into the evening and take one less day of break just to get through all the challenges thrown their way. Even their monthly exhibits had to be canceled for the month of October. In fact, the Gym and all its trainers were so busy that they needed all hands on deck. So much so that they even called into Nina¡¯s school and pressured them to allow Nina to take leave during those final two weeks just to have her help out. Nina was honestly inclined to refuse, as is her right as a minor. The preceding few weeks where she only had to help out in the afternoon was hectic enough. She was afraid of how much worse it would be if she had to work the full day. That was, if the Gym didn¡¯t offer to pay her a full wage for her time. So in the end, she succumbed to her base greed and was now paying the price in sweat, tears and the occasional blood. ¡°Nina! Ashley¡¯s about to wrap up in Arena 6. Ready up with refreshments and a replacement Starmie!¡± Nina jumped towards the rack where they kept all the spare Pokemon in their respective Pokeballs and picked up the last Starmie they had. All the others were either in use or sent to the Pokemon Center. In order to challenge a Gym Leader, a challenger needed to first go through a battle with a Gym Trainer and win. This was to ensure that anyone challenging a Gym had a minimal level of competency to not waste the Leader¡¯s time. Because believe it or not, there were ¡°tourists¡± who would go and challenge a Gym with untrained Pokemon just for ¡°fun¡±. Naturally, Gyms would cater to the challengers with different sets of teams to provide a suitable level of difficulty. This was another role that the preliminary Gym Trainers played, which was to assess the capabilities of the trainers they faced and gauge the difficulty level that their Gym Leader needed to set to ensure a fair challenge. In the case of the Cerulean Gym, they employed about a dozen Gym Trainers at any given time. Usually these trainers would take turns, with no more than half a dozen actively battling under normal circumstances while the rest took on supporting roles. But in the hellish month of October, all dozen had to be enlisted to handle the immense surge they were facing. This left only the Gym¡¯s two apprentices available to handle the transfer of Pokemon, since general staff weren¡¯t allowed to. It was one of those dumb technicalities that made no sense, because the longtime staff of the Gym were probably more qualified to handle Pokemon than two underaged apprentices. ¡°Careful, Nina. Ashley likes her coffee blazing hot. And tell her that we¡¯ve run out of Nanab bread, so she¡¯ll just have to deal with carrot cake instead,¡± instructed one of the staff. Nina nodded and slotted the Pokeball in a little divot on the tray. The coffee was sealed tight, but she still gingerly picked up the tray of snacks and power walked her way over to Arena 6. The loud humming of pumps and the clanking of pipes could be heard as she took the staff corridor to her destination, her rubber boots squeaking with every step she took. It took a couple of falls for her to wise up and pull the trigger on the ugly looking footwear, much to the consternation of Beverly, her fellow apprentice. ¡°Eww¡­ Why are they so¡­ yellow?¡± critiqued the eight year old girl. As a relative of the Cerulean Sisters, Beverly was very fashion conscious. After she reached the break room attached to Arena 6, Nina used one hand to prop the tray against her chest and the other hand to push the doorknob. She arrived just in time for a sweaty looking Ashley to walk in with a stretch of her arms. ¡°Hey Ashley, I brought snacks for you.¡± The break room that Nina stepped into was quite impressive with an array of healing items lined up at the back for the quick restoration of Pokemon who were only mildly worn from battle. Ashley¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of coffee. ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re a lifesaver Nina,¡± she said as she swiped the styrofoam cup from the tray and began rubbing her palms against its warmth. ¡°Fuck those bitches for deciding we need to wear bikinis to battle.¡± She then made a bunch of whiny noises to mock her four bosses. Nina simply laughed along awkwardly. ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve run out of Nanab bread. So Nanami got carrot cake for you instead.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Ashley groaned. ¡°As if today couldn¡¯t get any worse.¡± But the attractive looking Gym Trainer got over her irritation quickly enough and handed over a couple of Pokeballs to Nina. ¡°Sorry babe, I know that I only asked for a Starmie but Seaking is looking a little rough too. That Toxic really did a number on him. Could you grab me a replacement as well?¡± Nina took in a sharp breath. ¡°I¡¯ll have a look but I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re out of Seaking. If so, can I grab you a veteran Goldeen instead? Who knows, maybe they might evolve mid battle? That¡¯s always exciting.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ashley sighed. ¡°Exciting for the normies maybe. Newly evolved Pokemon are always a bit awkward.¡± She paused, thinking through her options. ¡°See if there¡¯s any Seadra available, if not then yeah, an experienced Goldeen will do.¡± Nina replied in affirmative then headed back to the logistics room where they were monitoring a feed of all the ongoing battles. The first thing Nina did when she walked in was to head over to the transfer station where she deposited the two Pokeballs onto the empty slots and had them transferred directly to the Pokemon Centre where they would undergo emergency treatment. Then she went on over to a supervising staff to report Ashley¡¯s request for an additional Pokemon, enduring the rant of the irritated woman, before grabbing a newly recovered Seaking and headed back out. Only to come back shortly after and for the whole cycle to repeat itself all over again, much to her detriment. *** ¡°Nins, you should go eat. I¡¯ll sub you for now.¡± Beverly said, as she placed a bento box in front of Nina who was slumped on a chair. Beverly was a spitting image of her cousins in terms of looks and style; she had lightly tanned but well maintained skin, hair dyed a strawberry blonde, and seemed to largely have inherited the ¡°bimbo genes¡± that run in the family. But despite everything, she was a really nice girl. When Nina had first started working as a glorified Pokemon janitor in the Cerulean Gym, she had thought that Beverly would look down on her. But instead, the eight year old girl was just happy to have someone younger than her around for once. And since then, Beverly has become almost like an older sister to Nina, despite her adult brain. ¡°What about you Bev, have you eaten yet?¡± The older girl nodded. ¡°Yeah I just ate with Nanami. You should go eat with Tini and maybe feed Milotic too. I think everyone¡¯s brains are too scrambled to care about that wuss.¡± The second Milotic that the Gym used in their shows was apparently a non-battler that was entrusted to them by a friend. So that pampered little prince was completely idle during this busy period. ¡°Do you want me to feed Luna while I¡¯m at it?¡± Luna was the name of Beverly¡¯s Horsea, because she apparently found her on a full moon. ¡°Aww¡­¡± Beverly pulled her junior in for a hug. ¡°Will you, babe? I was gonna do it a bit later, but if you could that¡¯d be great!¡± ¡°Yeah, no worries.¡± Nina stood up while grabbing her bento, stopping in the pantry along the way to fill up three bowls with Pokechow and topped it off with some Berries; Aspear for Milotic, the usual Bluk for Tini, and Sitrus and Oran for Beverly¡¯s Horsea who liked her food zesty. The three species of Pokemon shared similar dietary requirements so they ate the same blend of Pokechow. Nina even called Masayuki just to make sure that it was fine for her Dratini. In fact, during this busy period where the Cerulean Sisters were too busy to train her partner, Dratini was kept in the exhibit where the Kingdra line and the Milotics reside. Nina never got over the novelty of walking into one of the Aquarium¡¯s exhibits; there were lamps high above to regulate the temperature and imitate sunlight, and on the far side of the room was a one way mirror for guests of the aquarium to look in without disturbing the Pokemon. Some Pokemon with narcissistic tendencies will often come close to the mirror and look at their own reflection, making it seem as if they were interacting with the humans on the other side. ¡°Hey Milotic, I got lunch for you,¡± greeted Nina. The lazy eel was lounging on the artificial stone floor and simply greeted Nina with a melodic tune without stirring. The girl gave a hapless smile and placed Milotic¡¯s bowl of food right in front of him for his convenience. Next, she struck a tuning fork and placed it in the water to summon the other Pokemon. ¡°Tini! Luna! Lunchtime!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for a whole bunch of Feebas and Horseas to surface alongside her partner. ¡°Sorry everyone, I only brought enough food for Tini and Luna. Someone else will be coming by with your food later.¡± The Water Pokemon let out disappointed whines and dove back down to continue with what they were doing. ¡°Tiin!!!¡± Nina¡¯s little blue eel leapt out of the water with a splash to come at his partner. Nina giggled as her partner wrapped himself around her and gave her a little boop on the nose. ¡°Tini¡­ You¡¯re going to get me all wet.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± ¡°Hey Luna, Bev¡¯s busy right now so I brought over your food instead. If I remember correctly, you like Oran and Sitrus right?¡± ¡°Seaa!¡± responded the cheerful seahorse. Nina sat down with the three Pokemon and enjoyed a brief moment of reprieve, completely oblivious to the fact that there were tourists on the other side of the glass who were swooning at the wholesome interaction between the petite little girl and all the cute Pokemon, cameras flashing relentlessly to capture the moment. Chapter 21 One of the benefits of apprenticing in a Gym was that Nina got to spectate any of the higher level battles that occur within its domain. Such was the case with the Star battle she was witnessing right now. Unfortunately, she joined in midway through the battle, having only finished her assigned work and hurrying over to pick up Tini. Nina was well aware her partner would be interested in a Star battle, it would also help to give him an idea of what high level battles were like to aid in his training. ¡°Your Walrein is quite powerful, very sturdy too. Shame you didn¡¯t bother training his movements underwater¡­ You do realize your Pokemon can swim right?¡± Misty taunted haughtily. The challenger that Misty was facing was apparently a native Kantonian who returned from Hoenn this season to challenge his home Conference. What was interesting was that he was also a Water Type specialist, indicating that the guy was out here with something to prove rather than trying to score a strategic Star badge as most people do. The challenger watched with gritted teeth as Misty¡¯s Kingdra deftly danced around his Walrein¡¯s Sword Dance empowered Crunch. A faint purple aura could be seen enshrouding the draconic seahorse, indicating to Nina that Misty had somehow trained her Pokemon to use Dragon Dance as an evasive maneuver, empowering her Kingdra as he dodged. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Nina muttered. Beverly, who was watching next to her junior, snorted. ¡°Yeah, this guy is fucked. Coming into our Gym and thinking he can beat Misty¡¯s main team with Water Pokemon that can¡¯t swim for shit.¡± The Cerulean Gym¡¯s main arena was mostly water, with a single round platform in the middle for Pokemon to stand on. It was part and parcel of the challenge that any trainer, regardless of skill level, had to overcome if they wanted to earn Misty¡¯s Cascade Badge. Naturally, the difficulty was further compounded when dealing with the Gym Leader¡¯s ace team on their home turf. ¡°Isn¡¯t this guy a Water specialist? How¡¯s he doing so poorly?¡± Nina asked. She noticed that the guy was down to only three Pokemon, including the currently active Walrein, while Misty still had four. Beverly let out scoff. ¡°Dumbass sent in a Ludicolo with Sunny Day to start, probably thinking he could cheat with a Grass Type. Seaking ended up just dancing all over him. Afterwards, he sent out some creepy electric eel thing with hands and that thing did quite a number on Misty¡¯s Pokemon until she took it out with Kingdra.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°That makes sense. Eelektross are commonly found in the ocean, but they¡¯re actually pure Electric Type. Quite rare as well. So it could be that Misty just didn¡¯t recognise what it was.¡± The Gym Trainers around Nina made disbelieving noises at her statement. ¡°Motherfucker!¡± Lily cursed. ¡°And this twink has the audacity to come into our turf and claim to be a Water Type specialist?! Kick his ass Misty!¡± Lily¡¯s outburst triggered a whole series of jeers towards the challenger and cheers towards Misty. This was clearly unprofessional behavior that they could get in trouble for, but none of them seem to care in the heat of the moment. Even Tini joined in on the commotion, yelling ¡°Tin! Tin!¡± Even though Nina was pretty sure he had no idea what¡¯s going on. A flash of bright light lit up the water as Misty made a pose and clicked her fingers. At his trainer¡¯s signal, Kingdra leapt out of the water with a flourish to show off its triumph. Meanwhile, Walrein floated limply onto the water¡¯s surface after eating a full on Hyper Beam to the face. ¡°Challenger Mizutani¡¯s Walrein is unable to battle, the winner of this round is Leader Misty¡¯s Kingdra.¡± The referee announced. Mizutani slammed his hand on his railing in frustration after he recalled his fainted Pokemon, knuckles white from how hard he was clenching them. He seemed to consider his options for the moment before adopting a manic grin on his face. His expression combined with the strands of wavy long hair over his face made him seem like something straight out of a horror movie. He then aggressively pulled a Pokeball from his belt and threw it out with all his might, releasing an angry looking Gyarados onto the Arena. The blue serpentine Pokemon let out an earth shattering Roar upon its entry, prompting everyone present to cover their ears in pain. Normally at this point, an average Pokemon would be scrambling to get back into their Pokeball from fear, but Misty¡¯s Kingdra remained steadfast, only flinching slightly before sharpening his gaze against the opponent over ten times his size. This was a flaw that all low level utility moves seem to share. After a certain point, they just stop working on higher level battles, because most Pokemon that fight at such lofty heights would have trained to resist them to a certain degree. Which was why there was a misunderstanding among ignorant trainers that utility moves were unimportant. ¡°Yeah, this guy is fucked.¡± Beverly declared once more, earning her a look of confusion from Nina. ¡°Misty hates Gyarados with a passion,¡± explained Beverly. ¡°And all her Pokemon are trained to handle rampaging Gyarados. She¡¯s usually the one that the Sea Rangers call to deal with Gyarados hordes when they get out of hand.¡± With that new knowledge in hand, Nina turned her attention back to Misty whose eyes were now glazed over with chilling disdain. ¡°You know what to do.¡± She said to her Kingdra, her tone equally chilly. ¡°Huh, I remember Misty getting over her beef with Gyarados in the anime. Maybe not.¡± ¡°Bring this whole place down Gyarados! Let¡¯s show the world who''s the strongest Water Type Master around!!!¡± The moment that the referee signaled for the match to begin, Gyarados howled, forming twisting air currents all around its body as he used Hurricane. Meanwhile, Kingdra just silently submerged into the water. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get away! Destroy everything if you have to!¡± Mizutani yelled. ¡°For all his melodrama, this guy isn¡¯t exactly a pushover either¡­¡± Nina mused, after noticing how the Gyarados was somehow able to maintain Hurricane even after it used Thrash. The entire arena began shaking as Gyarados mindlessly thrashed its body around, even prompting the referee to dive behind cover to avoid getting implicated in the indiscriminate destruction. Meanwhile, Nina could feel Tini¡¯s grip on her tightening. Her little guardian Dragon moved his head in front of hers, ready to jump to her defense at a moment¡¯s notice. Nina giggled, leaning slightly to kiss her partner for how cute he was being. A water spout began forming as the Hurricane sucked up all the pool¡¯s water into its vortex, trapping Kingdra inside and hurtling him towards the thrashing Gyarados like a blender. ¡°Seems this guy isn¡¯t entirely an idiot after all,¡± said Lily. However, Misty was unphased ¡ª standing there cooly in her high heels and bikini even while her hair was being whipped around by the fierce winds. ¡°Blizzard,¡± she commanded. Ice crystals and chilly winds began forming around the waterspout, merging with the hurricane. Blizzard was already a fairly potent Ice Type move, but combined with the fierce momentum of the fast spinning Hurricane, its effectiveness was compounded and caused the water spout to freeze in place almost instantaneously. Peace descended upon the arena after Gyarados ceased its thrashing, having been partially frozen in place by the ice-y pillar that now took up the center. Mizutani looked on in disbelief, yelling at his Gyarados to break free while Misty simply commanded her Kingdra to ¡°Finish the job.¡± With the ice in the way, there was no way for Nina to look inside. The only signs of activity coming from the arena were flashes of light showing Kingdra¡¯s silhouette as the draconic seahorse skated around the interior of the frozen vortex, relentlessly assaulting the helpless Gyarados. Until eventually, the ice cracked and came shattering down from the force of a powerful Hyper Beam, unveiling a worn down Kingdra and an unconscious Gyarados, half frozen in ice. Seeing his strongest Pokemon being defeated without even downing a single opponent must have shattered Mizutani¡¯s spirit, because he listlessly returned Gyarados and declared his surrender. Not even attempting to give his final Pokemon a chance to turn the tide. ¡°W-winner of this match i-is Gym Leader Misty!¡± The referee announced, teeth clattering from cold and residual adrenaline. The Gym Leader in question simply turned her back and left, without acknowledging her opponent or giving out any advice in commiseration. ¡°Welp, that guy¡¯s getting a black mark on his record after today,¡± said Lily, before clapping her hands to get the attention of her subordinates. ¡°Alright everyone, get to work. We need to get this place restored by tomorrow.¡± She declared, eliciting a wave of groans from her surroundings. ¡°And someone kick that loser out of here. But make sure he gets fined for the damage and pay the penalty first.¡± It was customary for Gyms to reward winners with a cash prize based on their challenge level. But conversely, it was also expected for losers to pay a penalty. Fines for damages to an arena are enforceable but most Gyms tend not to, barring extreme circumstances. Nina suspected that the fine in Mizutani¡¯s case was more pettiness than anything since there wasn''t any long lasting structural damage to the building. Lily then turned towards Nina. ¡°Nina, babe. Could you grab some hot cocoa and go cheer up Misty for me please.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re cute and Misty needs a dose of cuteness to distract her. Maybe bring your Dratini along as well. She¡¯s always grinning like a pervert everytime she sees the two of you.¡± Nina chose to ignore the disturbing new fact she learned about her boss and nodded her head. Being used as a human plushie by an attractive woman was much more preferable than cleaning up the mess that was the arena. On her way out, she actually heard Beverly complaining about being excluded only for Lily to make fun of her for being ¡°an annoying little brat¡±. *** Nina gingerly knocked on the door of Misty¡¯s dressing room with a tray containing two mugs of hot cocoa and a variety of snacks in hand. ¡°Hey Misty, it¡¯s Nina. I brought you some snacks. Do you mind if I come in?¡± ¡°One sec!¡± responded a muffled voice. Followed by a crash and the clinking of glass. The door opened to the sight of a slightly disheveled looking Misty in a Mudkip onesie, looking very different from her usual salacious self. ¡°Sorry, was I bothering you? I was told to bring some snacks for you, so I won¡¯t be long.¡± ¡°Tiin. Ti tin!¡± Nina giggled. ¡°I think Tini wants to say that he thinks you looked really cool just now.¡± ¡°Why thank you, Tini. I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it,¡± Misty smiled at the compliment, responding with a kiss on Dratini¡¯s snout. She then gave Nina an affectionate pat on the head before grabbing the tray of food from her. ¡°And please come in, the both of you. You¡¯re no bother at all.¡± Nina took the Gym Leader up on her invitation but couldn¡¯t help noticing the smell of alcohol in her breath. ¡°Is Kingdra okay? Do you need me to bring him over to the transfer station?¡± Nina offered. Worried that Misty might have neglected the wellbeing of her Pokemon in her distressed state Misty chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nina. First thing I did was send them over to the Pokemon Center. As Pokemon Trainers, our main priority should always be the wellbeing of our Pokemon.¡± The last part was said in a lecturing tone but it was hard to take the inebriated woman seriously. Nina sat down on the chair that was offered to her and took a sip of the hot cocoa. ¡°That¡¯s good. It was really cool how Kingdra used Dragon Dance to evade that Walrein¡¯s attack! It must have taken a lot of work to be so smooth.¡± Misty gave a gentle smile at the little girl¡¯s enthusiasm, feeling all the dark emotions within her slowly being washed away. ¡°It¡¯s all just practice. I¡¯m sure Tini will be able to do it himself one day. Especially with a wonderful trainer like you supporting him.¡± At this point, Nina was fully in puppy dog mode. She was entrusted with the task of cheering Misty up, and fully intended to do so. ¡°Really? You think I can be as cool and beautiful as you, one day?¡± She fawned. That must have been a critical hit to the Gym Leader, because she squealed out in delight and moved over to pull Nina into a tight hug. Both the girl and her Dragon could feel their life fading away under the suffocating embrace of Misty¡¯s mountains. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re just the cwutest! Do you wanna be my daughter, Nina? I¡¯ll make sure to love you forever and ever.¡± ¡°But, I already have a mommy¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll steal you from her! No one can get between me and my Nina!¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Tini cried weakly. Realizing that she was smothering her two guests, Misty finally let go. ¡°Sorry, I got a little too ahead of myself there,¡± she said, clearing her throat. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tini was just being a baby.¡± ¡°Tini!¡± cried the indignant Dragon. Nina booped her partner in the snout to silence him, and Dratini retaliated with more boops. Back and forth they went, causing Misty to laugh out at their antics. ¡°Haha¡­ you two are just the cutest. One of my sisters must have sent you here to cheer me up right? I feel much better now, thank you.¡± Nina held back her surprise at how perceptive Misty was and secretly revised her opinion of the orange haired woman. ¡°Shizu was right, Misty is the Gym Leader for a reason.¡± Nina wondered what happened to cause her to deviate from the Misty she knew from the anime to being a woman of such¡­ loose reputation. Nina tilted her head in faux confusion. ¡°Were you sad because of Gyarados? Beverly said you hated Gyarados with a passion, but the only Gyarados I know is the one owned by my friend Charlie¡¯s mom. And Gary is a big old sweetheart who lets me play on him.¡± Misty chuckled, and took a drink of her hot cocoa, only to make a face when she realized there was no alcohol in it. ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate Gyarados. I used to own one, you know? It¡¯s just¡­ I hate the circumstances surrounding them.¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Circumstances?¡± The woman nodded, her eyes taking on a thousand yard stare. ¡°Gyarados are a victim of their circumstance. But they in turn cause a lot of pain and sadness that just perpetuate the cycle. I guess¡­ It¡¯s hard to put it into words that you¡¯ll understand Nina. But let me ask you this, the Gyarados you saw today, do you think he¡¯s the same as the one belonging to your friend¡¯s family?¡± Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mizuwhatshisname¡¯s Gyarados was angry. He was suffering the entire time that he was out of his Pokeball. Do you think he¡¯s that way by choice?¡± ¡°Circumstances¡­¡± Nina echoed. ¡°That¡¯s right, his trainer was a dickhead. You can tell by the fact that he ordered his Gyarados to cause indiscriminate destruction just for a win. Imagine what will happen when that Pokemon gets released into the wild? ¡°And mark my words, he WILL release him at some point. Gyarados are among the most resource intensive Pokemon to rear. The fact that your friend¡¯s family kept theirs so happy for so long is a testament to their character and worth as Pokemon trainers.¡± Nina frowned at the implications that Misty laid out. If and when Mizutani gives up on being a professional trainer, the destruction she just witnessed in the arena today might be unleashed elsewhere. And that somewhere might lack a Gym Leader to restrain it. ¡°So what do we do about it?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Surely we can¡¯t just leave them be?¡± Misty returned her question with a warm smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie, one of the perks as a Gym Leader is that we get carte blanche when it comes to assessing Pokemon-Trainer relations. I¡¯ve already put a note on the guy¡¯s record. The next time he visits a Pokemon Center, the resident Nurse Joy will confiscate his Gyarados and put the trainer under arrest to do a full evaluation of his Pokemon¡¯s wellbeing.¡± She explained with a somewhat sinister grin. Nina made a mental note to write this down later. She had not known about this facet of Gyms at all. ¡°But enough about that!¡± Misty declared, putting an end to the depressing topic. ¡°Here, open your mouth and let mommy feed you. Ahhh¡­¡­¡± Misty took a cookie and popped it into Nina¡¯s mouth, swooning at the girl who was struggling with her mouth full like a Pachirisu. ¡°Oh. And don¡¯t think I forgot about you, Tini. You adorable little noodle~ Ahhh¡­¡­¡± The pair spent their time getting doted on by the overbearing Gym Leader until it was time for Nina to leave, citing lateness and not wanting her dad to worry. Misty was sad to see them go, smothering the two with hugs and sniffing them to her satisfaction before finally relenting. Chapter 22 ¡°¡ª Nina, Nina¡­ Melina Jones!¡± Nina woke up with a jolt from something impacting against her desk. She looked up to see the angry face of her teacher, Ms Roxy, glaring down at her. ¡°After school. Faculty Office.¡± said the teacher. While the rest of the class burst into laughter at Nina¡¯s plight. ¡°You¡¯ve been having trouble focusing recently.¡± Roxy said, the moment Nina sat down in front of her desk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for falling asleep in your class, Ms Roxy.¡± It was always best to start out with an apology, soften the blow. However, by this point, Roxy was very familiar with Nina¡¯s tactics and wasn''t as susceptible to them as she used to. Roxy frowned. ¡°When Patrick told me that you¡¯ve been apprenticed at the Cerulean Gym, I was quite against it. There¡¯s a reason why we coddle children who have yet to come of age. These sorts of responsibilities are simply too much for a young child to manage. And your recent behavior is a testament to that.¡± Nina rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve been talking to dad¡­¡± Roxy flinched at Nina¡¯s insinuation. ¡°Might I point out that my grades haven¡¯t suffered in any way.¡± Nina continued. ¡°If anything, as a teacher shouldn¡¯t you be supportive that one of your students managed to land such an opportunity. After all, I have you to thank for it since the Gym only found me through the Little League.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Nina. I AM happy for you,¡± said Roxy, her tone noticeably softer than it was before. ¡°But I¡¯m worried you¡¯re overworking yourself. When was the last time you took a break?¡± Nina scoffed. ¡°Have you forgotten that we¡¯re just about to enter into winter break and Golden Week?¡± Golden week referred to the first week of the New Year where multiple public holidays overlapped to effectively form a week of break for most people. ¡°Yes, but you won¡¯t be resting during that time, will you?¡± Roxy rebuked. ¡°No. No, I won¡¯t.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°The Gym has all sorts of events and festivities going on and I was asked to help out.¡± In fact, Tini was even cast as a leading role in this year''s Cerulean on Ice and has been working hard in rehearsals. ¡°Then you see my point¡­ Actually, one moment. Let me make us some tea. Ms Hiromi went to Cinnabar Island and came back with lots of souvenirs.¡± Roxy stood up to go to the kitchen while Nina took the time to rest her eyes a little, only to be shaken awake not too long after. ¡°Here, I got us some magma senbei and candied pineapple.¡± Nina took a sip of the tea and a few bites of the snacks, and immediately felt more invigorated. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± She muttered. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Roxy smiled. ¡°You know, Mrs Tanaka was asking about you recently. You should stop by the library some time.¡± Mrs Tanaka was the old lady who looked after the school¡¯s library. During the first year that Leanette was hospitalized, the library was practically Nina¡¯s second home with how frequently she went there. So much so that the old librarian even learned what Nina¡¯s favorite snacks were. Nina promised to stop by later on. It¡¯s been a while since she got any reading done anyway. Maybe she¡¯ll go to her usual spot and just read for a bit. ¡°Are you still fishing near Bill¡¯s place?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Not over the past month or so, because the Gym was busy with the October surge. We¡¯ll be stopping soon regardless, Tini can¡¯t stand the cold and temperature¡¯s been on a steady decline.¡± ¡°Do you still plan on going once the weather gets warmer?¡± Roxy asked. ¡°You should be earning enough to afford food for him right? And he¡¯s eating in the Gym four days out of the week usually.¡± ¡°Technically, he¡¯s only getting a single free meal during the school days that I go. But yes, I rather enjoy going fishing with Tini. It¡¯s fun to swim with my Pokemon, and sitting there while looking out at the sea really helps relax me.¡± Roxy smirked. ¡°Sounds to me like it''s only a matter of time before I see you performing in the Monthly Exhibit. Don¡¯t forget good old Roxy when you become Gym Leader Nina, yeah?¡± Nina snorted. ¡°You¡¯re joking. No way that¡¯s happening.¡± It would take extreme circumstances for a Gym to be inherited by someone outside the family managing it. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t plan on specializing in Water Types. I want to be an explorer. So whatever Pokemon I catch would ultimately contribute to that goal.¡± Roxy nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you haven¡¯t lost yourself. It¡¯s easy to scramble your brain when you get immersed in a singular environment for too long.¡± The teacher paused to take a sip of her tea. ¡°So I want you to promise me Nina, to take a day off each week to rest. Not for my sake, because I know you can keep up with your studies, but for your own wellbeing. Take the time to do things for yourself. Not for Dratini, and certainly not for the Cerulean Gym. I don¡¯t care if you just read or spend the time lazing about. It¡¯s important for people to rest to avoid burnout.¡± Nina was very familiar with burnout. There was a period of time in her past life where Miles was unemployed for a few months because he had a mental breakdown. He ended up moving back with his parents to recover during that time. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina still remembered how hard it was to pick up all the broken pieces of Miles¡¯s mind and put them back together again. So she conceded to Roxy¡¯s point. ¡°Once every two weeks,¡± she said. ¡°Every two weeks, I¡¯ll take a day where I was supposed to go fishing with Tini and rest instead.¡± Roxy didn¡¯t seem entirely happy but ultimately nodded at the compromise. ¡°Very well. And to serve as motivation, if you can keep it up, I might have an opportunity for you in the coming year.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes lit up. But despite her incessant prodding, her teacher refused to divulge anymore details. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just have to find out then.¡± *** Despite her promise with Ms Roxy, Nina still took a bus to the Sea Cottage that very same day. After she had gone to say hi to Mrs Tanaka of course, to assuage the old librarian¡¯s concerns. ¡°Alright Tini, today¡¯s gonna be our last fishing day for some time.¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± The Dragon cheered. Tini was reluctant enough as it was to leave his Pokeball these days. Even though winter hasn¡¯t completely set in yet. The area near the Sea Cottage wasn¡¯t too bad actually. The mountains to the north held back the worst of the winds. But it won¡¯t be long until the frost from Mount Silver begins to set in from the west. In fact, according to her last call with her grandma, Nina learned that there was already a light dusting of snow in Pewter and Viridian City. ¡°Okay Tini, before we get into the water. Let¡¯s run through some of the moves that you learned from the Gym first. Go ahead and use that boulder over there as a target.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± The little blue Dragon turned his head towards where Nina was pointing and let out a circular pulse of water at the target, shaking the boulder but not breaking it. Nina nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Awesome work, Tini. I can tell your Water Pulse is already way stronger than it was before. Next, can you try a Water Gun?¡± The Dratini did as he was told and let out a weak stream of water in the same direction. The weakness of the move wasn¡¯t his fault, but rather an inherent flaw of the move itself. It was frustrating, but Nina knew that Tini needed to learn Water Gun to eventually develop it into Hydro Pump. ¡°Great work Tini. We just gotta work on slowly ramping up your volume and pressure. I know it¡¯s hard on you this early on, Hydro Pump has a lot to do with how mature your body is. But let¡¯s do our best, okay?¡± Tini huffed, looking a little worn down, but cried out in affirmation regardless. ¡°Alright, enough with the Water moves for now. Your capacity for Water Type Energy will only steadily grow from now on. Let¡¯s work on your Electric moves next. Remember what Pikachu taught you?¡± Pikachu perked up at hearing her name. Crying ¡°Pika!¡± in a show of solidarity. Tini gave his mousey friend a look and a determined nod. Meanwhile, Nina took a few steps back as her Dratini let out a tingling burst of electricity. ¡°Awesome! Now try to concentrate that same Electric Energy and let it out in a concentrated blast.¡± Tini shut his eyes in concentration, forming a small ball of electricity in front of his mouth with much effort before releasing it towards the boulder he was facing. The ball of Electric Type Energy impacted against the hard surface and burst apart in a crackling surge. Nina and Pikachu both jumped up in celebration. After months of work, Dratini had finally learned Thunderbolt. Nina rushed forwards to hug her unsteady partner, gently carrying him over to her camping chair for some rest. ¡°You did well, Tini,¡± she praised, while feeding Dratini with some of his favorite Bluk Berries. ¡°Rest up for a bit, then we¡¯ll try out your Dragon Type moves on the fishies.¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Tini nuzzled against Nina lethargically. His round beady eyes looked a little droopy. A lot of the moves that Nina was pushing for her partner to learn were well beyond the scope of a Dratini at his stage of growth. So it was expected that it would put a lot of strain on him until he gets strong enough to handle it. On the bright side, Tini¡¯s endurance has been steadily increasing since he began training with the Cerulean Gym. By the time that Nina comes of age, her Dratini would become an unstoppable battler. ¡°If you¡¯re really not feeling up for it, we can just sit here for a bit until you feel better and head back okay?¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± Tini cried, with a bit more enthusiasm. Nina giggled and booped her partner¡¯s snout. ¡°You¡¯re a lazy little noodle boy aren¡¯t you? Here, I bought some heat packs from the school store. These things are really cool, you just open them up and give it a shake in the air, and they¡¯ll start producing heat.¡± The girl demonstrated the usage of a disposable heat pack and placed the item right on where Tini was coiled up on her lap. ¡°Tiin!¡± The little blue Dragon cried out in amazement after feeling the heat, having never seen anything so miraculous before. ¡°Tin Tiin!¡± ¡°Yeap, nice and warm right? So let¡¯s rest up a bit before trying out your Dragon and Aqua Tail combo. Then I think we¡¯ll call it a day.¡± Chapter 23 A cloud of white mist expelled from Nina¡¯s mouth as she poured her entire body weight into scrubbing the stubborn stain on the floor. Seel and Dewgong, despite their innocent appearance, are very promiscuous. Whatever horror stories Nina heard about seals and dolphins in her past life can pretty much all be applied to the Pokemon. The girl had no idea what resulted in the stain she was currently cleaning, nor was she interested to find out. ¡°Sup, Nins. Sorry I¡¯m late. Mrs Bitchface wouldn¡¯t let me go until I finished all my homework. I mean it¡¯s just Maths anyway, who cares how many Oran Berries Jimmy can fit into his basket?!¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s ramblings. ¡°Hey Bev, no worries. I already fed your Horsea for you.¡± Beverly jumped towards her junior apprentice for an affectionate hug. ¡°Thanks, girl~ You¡¯re the best.¡± Nina nearly fell over, but she somehow managed to prop herself up using the handle of her scrub and just giggled in response. ¡°Nins, we gotta do something about your hair. It¡¯s an absolute wreck!¡± said Beverly as she ran her fingers through Nina¡¯s frayed and bleached hair. This was the result of prolonged exposure to seawater from her and Tini¡¯s frequent fishing trips. Which has resulted in her previously raven black hair to fade slightly and take on a subtle shade of brown. Her hair has also become more fragile and harder to brush as of late due to the drying from the salt water. ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t really know what to do about it. Nor do I have the time really.¡± Nina¡¯s schedule has been quite dense as of late. ¡°This weekend!¡± Beverly announced. ¡°The two of us can go to Saphira¡¯s for a shopping spree! And I¡¯ll teach you all you need to know.¡± ¡°But my Dratini¡­¡± ¡°Tini¡¯ll be fine,¡± assured the older girl. ¡°He¡¯s been at it for months already. If you stay with him then those bitches will just rope you into being their lackey. Come on, it¡¯ll be fun ¡ª nothing beats shopping with your bestie.¡± Nina was feeling anxious about being away from Tini. The two of them had been inseparable ever since she caught him. She even carried Tini¡¯s Pokeball with her whenever she went to class. She gave a weak smile to her friend. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it and get back to you before the weekend. I promise.¡± Nina replied. However, Beverly seemed to have gotten ahead of herself and was already yapping about all the fun places she was going to bring her. ¡°Actually, Bev, I nearly forgot. Do you mind if I leave a bit early today? I need to go visit my mom before visiting hours are over.¡± Nina promised her father that she would go in his stead today. Beverly made an unhappy face. ¡°Is she still freaking out everytime she sees you?¡± Nina sighed and touched her hair. ¡°She¡¯s getting better¡­ at least she didn¡¯t totally freak out the last time I went.¡± At some point during the past few months, right when her hair was starting to change and her skin was getting a healthy tan, Nina had gone to visit her mother. Both Leanette¡¯s doctors and Patrick had deemed that she was stable enough to interact with her daughter ¡ª the source of her trauma. Needless to say, Nina¡¯s mother did not take well to the slight changes in her daughter¡¯s appearance. Something that her doctor¡¯s did not anticipate. The woman was convinced that they had somehow swapped out her baby for an imposter. Beverly pulled her in for another hug. ¡°You know that¡¯s all the more reason why we should fix up your looks right?¡± Nina frowned. ¡°I dunno Bev¡­ There¡¯s nothing I can do about the melanin. Though, I did think about dying my hair after the initial freakout. But the doctors said to leave it. They thought this might be a good opportunity for my mom to learn that her daughter is going to continue to change and grow up, and that she¡¯ll just need to cope.¡± Nina shrugged. ¡°Not sure if they¡¯re just making shit up and posturing though.¡± Beverly wrinkled her nose. ¡°Sounds like a whole bunch of Tauros poo to me.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Nina laughed. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it? But she has been getting better so no point triggering her with more changes. You are right that my hair is icky though. It¡¯s such a pain to brush it these days.¡± ¡°So does that mean you¡¯ll go shopping with me?!¡± asked the sparkly eyed girl. Nina chuckled. ¡°Sure. Yes, Beverly. I¡¯ll go shopping with you.¡± *** Nina shivered as she stepped out of the Cerulean Gym. They were well into December, and while there wasn¡¯t any snowfall, it was common to find a layer of thin ice on the City¡¯s numerous waterways. Pikachu was at home today and Tini refused to leave his Pokeball in this weather. Dragon Types were weak to Ice after all. So naturally, her little blue noodle did not handle winter very well. Nina pulled her scarf up a little to cover the lower half of her face, then psyched herself up with a little hop before heading to the tram station. The route from Cerulean Gym to the hospital was quite familiar to her by this point; two stops and a transit. Then walk 5 minutes to reach the white sterile building. Hospitals all seem to have the same scent to them, no matter which world Nina was in. That of latex, disinfectant and plastic. She walked up to the tired looking receptionist to register herself then proceeded to head towards her mother¡¯s room. Leanette had long since been moved out of the padded cell that Nina first saw her in, having been deemed stable enough by the psychiatrist that she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself. Her new room was a private suite with a simple bed, sofa and kitchenette for beverages. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Pokemon League offered excellent insurance to their employees and immediate family, which meant Patrick had no issues affording a certain standard of care for his wife. Nina walked into the room and saw her mother and grandmother peeling oranges while watching some sort of farming show on TV. Note oranges and not Oran Berries. While they may look similar, they weren¡¯t the same. ¡°Hey mom, hey grandma. How¡¯s it going?¡± Nina greeted. ¡°Nina! My favorite granddaughter!¡± Melina Ashes rose from where she was sitting and went over to give her granddaughter a passionate hug, lifting her up into the air and spinning her around a few times. Leanette sighed. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re making her dizzy¡­ Come here, Nina. Let me have a good look at you.¡± Nina¡¯s mother patted the side of her bed to beckon her daughter. As Nina¡¯s grandmother let her down, she gave a look to the elderly woman, to which she responded with a small nod. ¡°It seems mom is stable today. That¡¯s good.¡± It took a lot of work, but Melina finally learned to take it easy when in the presence of her mentally unstable daughter. That said, she still couldn¡¯t help but butt heads with Patrick whenever he was around, which was why the man was absent today. ¡°Hey mom, you look good today. Have you eaten yet?¡± Nina said, as she went to sit next to her mother. Leanette nodded. ¡°Your grandma bought me some food. How about you, you¡¯re looking a little skinny.¡± She said, as she examined Nina¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Not yet, mom. I just came straight from the Gym. I¡¯ll grab something on the way back home.¡± Leanette frowned. ¡°Nina¡­ have you been eating junk food again? I told you, eating Munchies everyday isn¡¯t good for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Munchies, mom¡­¡± Nina whined. ¡°There¡¯s a new Paldean place that opened up recently and they make the best mushroom pizza.¡± ¡°And pray tell, how is pizza not junk food?¡± Leanette questioned. Nina sputtered. ¡°Well¡­ erm¡­¡± The pizza place was really convenient to her because not only is it on the way, but Nina¡¯s six ¡ª nearly seven ¡ª year old body couldn¡¯t finish a large pizza by herself. So she would have plenty of leftovers remaining which she could have for dinner the subsequent nights. It was budget friendly as well since it¡¯s cost efficient. Not that her mother needed to know any of this. ¡°I mean I don¡¯t just eat the pizza, I also supplement with some Berries for all the nutrients I need in a day,¡± said Nina, in an attempt to assuage Leanette¡¯s worries. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been eating fish recently for some extra protein whenever my Dratini catches extra. I know you¡¯ve bugged me a lot in the past about eating some meat.¡± Nina did not miss the twitch in her mother¡¯s eyes when Dratini was mentioned. This was intentional on her part. Leanette was still a little sensitive towards the presence of Pokemon. But the doctors thought that she might benefit from people bringing up Pokemon in casual conversation to, for a lack of a better term, humanize the creatures in her cognition and slowly ease her into becoming more tolerant of their presence. ¡°That¡¯s great, honey¡­ You should eat meat more often.¡± Leanette¡¯s eyes glazed over briefly as she reached out to pat her daughter on the head. ¡°She¡¯s right you know,¡± chimed Melina. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat more meat, you can¡¯t grow up strong like grandma.¡± To illustrate her point, Nina¡¯s grandmother rolled up her sleeves and flexed the incredible mountains she calls her biceps. ¡°Won¡¯t have enough energy to wrangle a Dragon if you aren¡¯t big and strong like me!¡± Nina poked and prod at Melina¡¯s muscles, mouth gaping in awe. ¡°Don¡¯t they get in the way, grandma? Like, you know, after you¡¯ve gone to the bathroom and stuff. Wouldn¡¯t it be hard to reach behind you?¡± Melina laughed out loud at her granddaughter''s crude question. ¡°Then you just gotta wipe from the front, you silly!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Leanette exclaimed. ¡°Stop teaching Nina weird things. And Nina, dear¡­ Some things shouldn¡¯t be said out loud.¡± Nina simply giggled in response and Melina joined in with her laughter. From the looks of things, it won¡¯t take much longer for Leanette to be discharged. Chapter 24 ¡°Remember, Tini. If they make you do something you don¡¯t like, just zap em. Remember all the things you learned from Pikachu? Well, Water Types are weak to Electric. So a good old Thunder Bolt should teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± responded the Pokemon. ¡°Hey, I resent that! I would never mistreat cute lil Tini.¡± Nina glared at Daisy, thinking about that one time her cute noodle was almost turned into a popsicle. ¡°That was just an accident!¡± Daisy exclaimed. ¡°Sometimes, we get hit by a stray Ice Beam or two. No big deal. Besides, Tini¡¯s a big strong boy, he can take it.¡± Nina ignored Daisy and simply looked at Misty with pleading eyes. Nina had always been around to accompany Tini during his training with the Sisters, and she was finding it extremely difficult to let go of him for a day. Misty gave her a reassuring pat on the head. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, we have a direct transfer line to the Pokemon Center. If Daisy fucks up your little boy, we can get him priority treatment. And I¡¯ll even personally spank the bitch for you.¡± She said, earning a yell of indignation from her sister. ¡°You¡¯re such a worrywart Nins. Come on, let''s just go already,¡± said Beverly as she grabbed hold of Nina¡¯s arm and dragged her towards the exit. Nina looked behind her reluctantly, waving at her partner with concerned eyes. Tini did a little swirl and a cry, also looking a little reluctant to be without Nina for the day. The place that Nina and Beverly were going to was a long stretch of street colloquially known as the Cerulean Stretch. The Stretch was flanked on both sides by a dizzying variety of boutique shops and cafes. And during this time, there were also a myriad of temporary stalls set up along the road to take advantage of the upcoming holidays and Indigo Conference. Unfortunately, there were no department stores in Cerulean City. Nina noticed that the people here had a bit of a hipster mentality. ¡°Oh! That guy¡¯s selling cotton candy.¡± Beverly¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of sweets and ran over to buy some with Nina in tow. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can finish that, Bev¡­¡± Nina said, referring to the rainbow monstrosity that Beverly was holding in her hands. ¡°Aww¡­ don¡¯t be such a downer. We¡¯ll be fine.¡± They continued going down the Stretch, wanting to browse the various stalls before heading into any of the shops. Nina noticed there was quite a lot of Conference related merch on sale, mostly pertaining to some of the more popular trainers and their respective pokemon from this season. ¡°Oh look, they¡¯re selling recordings of Star battles from this season.¡± Nina had not been following the season closely this year, so she was quite eager to catch up on some of the highlights. ¡°Urgh. You¡¯re such a nerd, Nina. I guarantee you it¡¯s a rip off.¡± Beverly was right. ¡°TWO HUNDRED Pokedollars for a single match?! This is ridiculous!¡± Nina exclaimed. She was referring to the video disc contained within an obviously bootleg packaging of Blaine and his Magmortar. Because of course the former Champion of Kanto would have the evolved version of Magmar ¡ª it just made sense. It was also the reason why Nina was drawn to it since she had never seen Blaine in action before. ¡°Look, girlie. This here is a Star battle between an Ace Trainer from Hoenn and Blaine. Do you know how much trouble I went through to get this? That old fart doesn¡¯t like it when people record in his not-so-secret volcano arena. If anything, 200 bucks is a steal!¡± Nina scoffed, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that not only is this video illegally recorded, but it¡¯s also unwatchable because it¡¯s probably all pixelated.¡± ¡°Hey now, watch your mouth there, girlie. Ricky only sells discs of the highest fidelity.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Prove it, show me a sample of the battle,¡± dared Nina. ¡°I don¡¯t got nothing to prove to a squirt like you. If you ain¡¯t buying then screw off!¡± ¡°Told you so,¡± said Beverly, with a smug grin as they were being unceremoniously chased away. Nina was fuming. ¡°That has to be illegal! I¡¯m going to report this to the nearby Jenny.¡± She began storming off to the blue haired police officer who was patrolling with her Growlithe but was held back by Beverly. ¡°Hey¡­ Relax, girl. No need to get your panties twisted for an asshole like that. Here, have some sugar, that¡¯ll help cool you down.¡± Beverly pulled off a tuft of her cotton candy and fed it to her friend. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve seen enough. Most of these are junk anyway. Let¡¯s go to Saphira¡¯s so that we can get some stuff for your hair. And your skin too. Holding you is like touching a Sandshrew.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡­¡± Nina whined. The first thing that Nina noticed after she walked into the midnight blue storefront was not the beautiful attendant who greeted them, nor was it the colorful array of cosmetic products on offer, but rather the Gardevoir and Lopunny duo behind the register. ¡°Bev, look.¡± Nina pulled on her friend¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Those two aren¡¯t Pokemon native to Kanto, it''s so rare to see them around here. Especially Lopunny.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Oh yeah. They belong to Saphira, the owner of the place.¡± Beverly responded, in a disinterested tone. ¡°She¡¯s a globe trotting supermodel who likes to collect beautiful Pokemon. The other Milotic that performs in the Gym is actually hers. She pays us to take care of him and use him in the shows to show him off. Misty¡¯s Milotic is his mate, not that we needed more Feebas.¡± She explained, while picking up various products to inspect. ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t know that. I wonder why your cousins don¡¯t evolve more of the Feebas, they should be able to afford it right.¡± ¡°Here, try this.¡± Beverly squirted some sort of lotion in Nina¡¯s hand and made a motion for her to rub it on the back of her other hand. ¡°Nah, Milotics are divas, they¡¯re a real pain in the ass. Two is more than enough. Though I think I overheard them talking about wanting to convince you to breed Tini with Milotic when he evolves into Dragonair.¡± Midway through applying the lotion, Nina paused and stared at Beverly with bulging eyes. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Beverly giggled and pulled her indignant friend in for a hug, gently caressing the back of Nina¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, those bitches can¡¯t force you or Tini into doing anything you don¡¯t want. ¡®Sides, by the time he evolves, you¡¯ll be able to put up a good enough fight if it comes down to it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, why even bother when they already have a mate for Milotic?¡± Egg moves were a thing of course, but it wasn¡¯t as important as it was in a game where everything was hard coded. As Nina was talking, Beverly was busy loading a selection of liquids and lotions into their basket. ¡°You¡¯re going to need this for your hair. Put it on before you go swimming. Helps protect against chlorine and salt damage,¡± she explained. ¡°And I don¡¯t really know, honestly. Something about Dragon genes and Type Energy and stuff. People can be real fussy, especially those hoity-toity collectors. That¡¯s why Ditto mutts are cheaper than the pure breeds.¡± Nina winced when she checked the price tag of some of the things that Beverly selected for her. ¡°40 Pokedollars for a single lotion?! You gotta be freaking kidding me! And it¡¯s tiny!¡± ¡°These are really good for your skin,¡± Beverly continued, completely oblivious to Nina¡¯s distress. ¡°I line them up next to my bed and use them every night before I sleep. You just go boop ¡ª one, two, three. Mix em all together and smother your face with it.¡± Nina did some calculations in her head of her available budget. ¡°Bev¡­ I don¡¯t think I can afford most of these¡­¡± She pleaded. Beverly, after finally realizing her blunder, gave an apologetic look to her friend. ¡°Aww¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, babe. I didn¡¯t mean to be a bitch to you.¡± She pulled Nina in for another hug and then returned some of the items she picked up, completely ignoring the condescending look that the attendant had subtly given her. In the end, they decided to keep the hair protection substance and chose some of the cheaper facial products. The numbers still stung, but not as much. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t cheap out on the money maker, Nins.¡± Beverly said. ¡°We should head to a Pokemart later to get something for your body as well ¡ª moisturizer, sunscreen, and I know there¡¯s a pretty decent conditioner they sell. Not as good as Saphira¡¯s but it¡¯s good enough. You gotta look good in a bikini if you wanna be a mermaid.¡± Mermaids referred to people like the Cerulean Sisters who perform live shows with Water Pokemon. They didn¡¯t wear a tail of course, because it¡¯s impossible to swim in. But Nina knew that to become a mermaid was Beverly¡¯s dream, just like how she wanted to become an explorer. Nina chuckled. ¡°Maybe. If I wanted to become a mermaid. But I don¡¯t. My dream is to go out there and explore the world. Do you know that almost forty percent of the world¡¯s landmass is still unknown to us?¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡± Beverly whined. ¡°And here I was thinking we could team up and conquer the world! Imagine the two of us walking down the red carpet, with a whole bunch of hunks drooling after us like Growlithes¡­¡± She went on to describe her fantasies in vivid and, at times, explicit detail while Nina just nodded along without taking her friend too seriously. After Beverly picked out some make-up for herself, the two left Saphira¡¯s and moved on to some of the other shops in the area. Stopping at some point in a cafe to rest their weary feet. As someone who spent thirty years as a male in her past life, Nina found the entire experience to be quite novel, if tiring. Window shopping was a term she was familiar with, but she never cared for it. Unlike Beverly, who went through several different clothing stores, trying out a myriad of outfits before leaving without buying anything. Nina almost felt bad for the store attendants who had to cater to Beverly¡¯s fickle whims while they were browsing. ¡°Well, at least Bev¡¯s not a Karen. That¡¯s something to be thankful for.¡± Their final stop was the neighborhood Pokemart because Beverly claimed that the store was ¡°basic and boring¡±. If Nina was in charge then she would¡¯ve chosen to come here first, since she could buy most day to day goods there. Nina probably wouldn¡¯t have needed to spend so much money in Saphira¡¯s if she had bought the cheaper alternatives in Pokemart beforehand. The first thing that Nina always did whenever she went into the Pokemart was go gawk at the Pokeballs on display. She couldn¡¯t afford most of them of course, but it was fun to look at. And this particular Pokemart they were in was the second largest in the City, so they had quite the selection. Even Beverly was enamored with the multicolored Pokeballs, being an aspiring trainer herself. ¡°You ever thought about changing Tini¡¯s basic ass Pokeball, Nins?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Yeap, Premier Balls are pretty. But at the end of the day they¡¯re just recolored Pokeballs at ten times the price. If I have the money then definitely a Luxury Ball, I think Tini would enjoy that.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Similar to the games, the different variations of Pokeballs weren¡¯t just for looks. They each possess different functions as well. However, Nina¡¯s eyes began to water when she saw the 1,000 Pokedollar price tag on a Luxury Ball. Beverly laughed. ¡°Good luck trying to afford that as an explorer. Maybe if you find a hidden Gimmighoul hoard or something. I think Love Balls are cute and it¡¯s only a bit more expensive than a Pokeball.¡± Love Balls were 150 Pokedollars while standard Pokeballs were 100. ¡°Then you can just go ahead and buy one right now, and change Luna¡¯s Pokeball, no?¡± Nina¡¯s fellow apprentice shook her head. ¡°Nah, I decorated her Pokeball with a bunch of stickers. Luna got to chip in and picked the ones she liked so she¡¯s quite attached to it. It¡¯s¡­ What¡¯s the word? Nostalgic, you know?¡± Nina smiled. ¡°I think you mean ¡®sentimental¡¯. But that¡¯s a great idea actually. Since I don¡¯t have any money, I can just go and buy some stickers to decorate Tini¡¯s ball.¡± It would also serve the practical purpose of differentiating her Dratini¡¯s Pokeball for when she inevitably catches more Pokemon. In fact, Nina distinctly remembered a character in the anime doing the same thing. ¡°Ooh¡­ Let¡¯s go buy some later. I¡¯ll show you the arts and crafts store I always go to,¡¯ said the excited Beverly. On the way to the human section of the Mart, they also stopped by the section selling grooming kits. ¡°This stuff is expensive. I don¡¯t need to bother with Tini yet since he¡¯s still growing. Whatever scales he has will shed every month or so anyway. But once he evolves¡­¡± Nina sighed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky the Kingdra line doesn¡¯t need any grooming.¡± Beverly tutted at her junior. ¡°Nina, Nina, Nina¡­ Shows you¡¯ve still got lots more to learn about Water Pokemon. Let big sis teach you...¡± She went on to explain that a trainer of the Kingdra line needed to diligently clean their Pokemon¡¯s back fins, since they can¡¯t clean it themselves. Otherwise they get all sorts of nasty algae and barnacles that latch on, leading to bacterial infections and diseases. ¡°In nature, Horseas, Seadras and Kingdras will clean each other. But in the hands of a trainer without an equivalent support system, said trainer will need to do it themselves with the proper equipment and appropriate solution.¡± For all of Beverly¡¯s flippantness, she was still a legacy Pokemon Trainer descended from a very prestigious family. It was honestly impressive how the girl¡¯s personality can shift so dramatically when it comes to Pokemon she had an expertise in. ¡°Also, you know that you can sell Dratini sheddings, right?¡± Beverly added at the end. ¡°Wait, what? No way¡­¡± Beverly nodded. ¡°Yes way. Remember that cute lil place we went to just now that sells artisanal purses and shoes? I betcha they¡¯d pay top Pokedollar for some Dratini shedding. You didn¡¯t throw them away right?¡± Nina shook her head in denial. She did keep Tini¡¯s sheddings, partly for sentimental reasons and partly because, at the time, she thought that the pastel blue membrane of skin and scales was quite pretty. It never occurred to her that it might have its use in fashion. The girl made a mental note to look into the fair market price of Dratini sheddings. That night, Nina laid out a whole bunch of stickers in front of Dratini and had him direct her on how to decorate his Pokeball. Her little Dragon noodle was ecstatic, and Nina had to hold him back from overcrowding the palm sized sphere, lest the Pokeball gets sealed shut. He ended up going with a Dragon Type icon placed in the center, probably because it reminded Tini of his mother, and a whole bunch of glitter-y star stickers surrounding it. It was actually uncanny how the stickers would shrink alongside the Pokeball when she minimized it. Indicating that there was some sort of spatial manipulation going on around the device. Probably the same sort of tech that allows a Wailord to be stuffed into such a small space. Chapter 25 Unfortunately, Nina¡¯s little outing with Beverly was going to be the last break day she¡¯ll have in quite some time. Because the Cerulean Gym was going to be busy again for the holidays. Every year, the Gym would celebrate the consecutive two week holiday period around the new year with all sorts of events and festivities. The highlight of which was the annual Cerulean on Ice performance that would be held during the last few days of Golden Week. It was a very popular event that attracted loads of visitors to the City. Tickets sold out almost as soon as they went on sale, with scalpers reselling copies for over ten times the price sometimes. Another problem that the Pokemon world had in common with Miles¡¯s world. Naturally, since Nina was off school during this period, she was expected to help out, with pay of course. But yet again, she felt immense regret at her greed, because Nina was currently trotting around with her face frowned like a Snubbull. One of the Gym Trainers had gone on vacation to Alola this year and thought it¡¯d be a bright idea to dress her up like a Popplio because of how cute they were. ¡°Cute just like our Nina,¡± she said. The result was that Nina was now dressed in the equivalent of a hybrid clown and ballerina costume. Complete with the silly red nose and everything. Needless to say, she was quite indignant. Though Tini had quite the fun time booping Nina¡¯s big red nose, enamored by the squishy noises it made everytime it was compressed. Meanwhile, Beverly, who fought to be in a cool looking Buizel costume instead, was laughing her ass off at Nina¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Hahaha¡­ Oh Arceus, I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± She wheezed. ¡°Cheer up Nina, you look adorable. I¡¯m sure Tini agrees. Right, Tini?¡± The older girl¡¯s assurance would have sounded much more convincing had she not been struggling to hold back her laughter. While Nina¡¯s partner just kept booping her nose with a ¡°Tiin~¡± As it stands, they were just in winter break and Golden Week hasn¡¯t started yet. Most of the guests coming to the Cerulean Gym at this time were mostly kids on break who were visiting with their parents or as part of a school trip. So Nina and Beverly¡¯s job would be quite simple. While their Pokemon were training hard for their respective performances, the two apprentices will be acting as staff in the aquarium; assisting the adults during their lectures and demonstrations, answering questions for wayward guests, and entertaining the children that came to visit. ¡°Urgh, just what I need. Dealing with unruly kids. I know I¡¯m technically a kid right now but I have an adult mind dammit!¡± ¡°Hey, Nina! What¡¯s up?¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina¡¯s self loathing was interrupted by the call of a familiar voice, making her want to bury her head in sand. The girl tried her best to muster up a smile to maintain her professionalism. ¡°Hey Charlie. Hey Bobby. And how¡¯s it going, Nobita? Fancy seeing the three of you here.¡± She greeted the three boys who came up to her. ¡°Yeah, I joined the beginner¡¯s tournament. We came a bit early so I thought I¡¯d come by to say hi,¡± replied Charlie. ¡°Right, that was a thing that was happening.¡± Nina recalled. The Gym was hosting a tournament today for new trainers that just got their own Pokemon. So unlike the Little League, no loaners would be provided. And the whole thing was overall less formal due to the large number of people involved. Every kid that just got their starter would be eager to test them out after all. Nina sighed. ¡°So this motherfucker knew I was working here today and wanted to come and humiliate me.¡± As if sensing the girl¡¯s displeasure at her current appearance, Nobita spoke up next. ¡°I think you look really cute today, Nina. That dress looks pretty on you.¡± He said, with an awkward smile. Nina recognised the shy boy¡¯s attempt to cheer her up and returned it with a smile of her own. As was the case in her old world, introverts tend to be the most perceptive of people. Charlie glared at his friend and tried to follow up with an awkward compliment of his own, making Nina giggle at the absurdity of the situation. ¡°I can see now why some girls were so toxic in my past life. It''s easy to get a big head with all this attention.¡± Nina felt a jab to her side and turned to see Beverly who was wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. Nina couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Anyways, let me introduce my friends,¡± Nina chimed, desperate to divert the conversation. ¡°This here is Beverly. She¡¯s a senior apprentice in the Gym. Beverly, this is Bobby, Charlie and Nobita.¡± The two sides greeted each other and moved on to more superficial topics. ¡°So Bobby,¡± began Nina. ¡°Did you get your starter yet? Your mom said she¡¯d get you one right?¡± At the mention of his starter, Bobby¡¯s two friends began snickering. While the boy himself just sighed and slumped his shoulder in sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I say something wrong?¡± asked the confused Nina. Charlie, barely containing his laughter, chimed in. ¡°Nope, you didn¡¯t say anything wrong Nina¡­ Go on Bobby, why don¡¯t you tell Nina what your mom got you.¡± The chubby boy glared at his friends and let out another long sigh. ¡°My mom got me a¡­ Shuckle.¡± The two boys finally broke out into laughter, as if hearing the funniest punchline of their life. Joining them was Beverly who was also keeled over in laughter. The inclusion of the pretty looking girl in his teasing must have really demoralized him, because Bobby''s eyes began to water as he looked at the floor. ¡°It¡¯s okay, B,¡± assured Nina. ¡°Shuckles might not be the most combative Pokemon, but they¡¯re actually some of the more valuable domestic Pokemon. Shuckle eggs are so rare that a single one can cost up to six figures. An older, well seasoned Shuckle might even cost more than a Dragonite. Your mom must have loved you very much to go through so much effort to obtain one for you.¡± And Nina¡¯s words weren¡¯t platitudes either. Shuckle¡¯s were highly valued for their ability to store and ferment Berries in their cavities. The Shuckle juice industry was a big deal in the Pokemon world. It was basically their equivalent of wine, complete with their own brand of snooty connoisseurs and vintage collectors. Nina had a feeling that Bobby would become a very rich man if he made good use of his Shuckle. Even more so if he manages to get his hands on a Ditto. Bobby¡¯s expression seemed to brighten up a little as he looked at Nina with bright Growlithe eyes. Meanwhile the other three kids were mouth agape at the mention of how expensive Shuckles were. ¡°I¡¯m sure your mom probably has her own plans. But I¡¯d suggest you get started on brewing with your Shuckle soon.¡± Nina advised. ¡°There¡¯s actually a niche market out there for small batch Shuckle juices, something about the taste being more intimate or some nonsense. So feel free to experiment, knowing that you¡¯ll always be able to make money.¡± Nina had researched Shuckles in the past when she was still dreaming about what Pokemon to catch. Shuckles naturally came up for their earning potential, though she swiftly gave up on them once she learned how rare they were. Bobby¡¯s eyes lit up like a Charizard¡¯s tail. Nina could practically feel the passion that he had just ignited in the boy. The master brewer in the making grabbed hold of Nina¡¯s hand and shook it profusely. ¡°Thanks, Nina.¡± He said. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down. Once I nail my own formula, the first bottle of my Shuckle juice is going to you.¡± Nina was about to say that the first tribute should go towards Bobby¡¯s mom when she was interrupted by another excited voice. ¡°Look, it¡¯s the Aquarium Girl!¡± Nina turned her head towards the commotion only to see a little girl pointing her finger at her. Nina looked behind her to see if there was anything interesting, only to see the wall. And when she turned around again, she found all of her friends were looking at her. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna go greet your fan?¡± Beverly asked in return. Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°My fan? Since when do Gym Apprentices get fans?¡± This time it was Charlie¡¯s turn to be confused. ¡°Wait, are you telling me you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°You went viral, Nins,¡± said Beverly. ¡°Remember when you went and had lunch with Luna, Tini and Milotic? People saw you and took pictures. You looked so cute that it went all over the Pokenet. Thanks to you, our aquarium ticket sales have blown up, Violet was drooling over how much money we made.¡± Violet was the most notorious gold digger among the Cerulean Sisters. She was also the one who usually handled the commercial side of the Gym. At this point Nina was eyes wide in shock. But Beverly just kept going. ¡°And those ugly rubber boots of yours? We started selling them in the gift shop.¡± That was the final push to send Nina¡¯s mind spiraling in despair. ¡°Wait¡­ Is that why the adults kept trying to encourage me to eat with Tini?¡± Nina had thought that they just wanted her out of the way so they could talk amongst themselves without the need to censor their words. ¡°Yeap, it¡¯s a good thing that you said no sometimes. Makes it seem more legit, like it''s just a thing that the cute little girl likes to do and not something we staged on purpose. People would buy tickets and come in during lunchtime just so they can get a chance to eat with you on the other side of the glass. We even had to install benches there for them.¡± ¡°Yeap,¡± chimed Bobby. ¡°Charlie here got in trouble with Kumiko cause he spent all his allowance on aquarium tickets¡ª¡± Before the chubby boy could continue talking, his friend jumped at him and began shaking him back and forth to shut him up. But despite the rough treatment, Bobby had a smirk on his face, likely feeling satisfied for being able to exact revenge for his bullying earlier. Nina laughed, but froze once she noticed the gaggle of children that have now gathered nearby to stare at her. ¡°Calm down, Nina. Gotta remain professional here.¡± She held back a sigh and put on the brightest smile she could before turning towards her audience. ¡°Hello everyone!¡± Nina chirped. ¡°Welcome to the Cerulean Aquarium, does anyone here have any questions to ask?¡± The girl who was the first to call her out raised her hand. ¡°Can I get a picture with you?¡± She asked. Nina¡¯s eyes twitched, but she ultimately conceded. And that was how the little reception booth that was set up in the apprentices¡¯ corner of the aquarium became an impromptu photo booth instead. What was even more vexing was how quickly the adults around Nina adapted once they identified another great money making opportunity. The next day, they relocated Nina to a more convenient spot with a green screen and a new booth to begin charging money for pictures with their newest mascot. Nina was grumbling the whole time, but ultimately sucked it up and played along when Violet agreed to share a cut of the profits, once more succumbing to her greed. ¡°Also, why is Patrick there standing in line?! I¡¯m his daughter, he can get a picture with me any time he wants!¡± Chapter 26 Patrick Jones lowered himself to adjust his daughter¡¯s scarf. The outer ring of the Cerulean Gym, where their Water Park was, had been converted into a frozen wonderland for the holidays. Impressively intricate ice statues now adorned the space, lit by the phosphorous lighting of the various attractions to give off an almost ethereal glow. However, in order to maintain the delicate works of art, the interior temperature was cooler even than the biting winds outside. Nina pouted at Patrick for his fussiness. And not being able to help himself, the man ruffled his daughter¡¯s silky hair before standing back up, causing his daughter¡¯s pout to become even poutier. He had to hold back his laughter to avoid being told off by his precious little child, whose mouth was protruding like a Magmar. Patrick recalled how he got chewed out for taking part in her little photo booth in the aquarium. ¡°If you wanted a picture, you could get it for free at home. Why¡¯d you have to waste money on those gold diggers?!¡± She yelled. Patrick simply laughed it off, knowing that Nina wouldn¡¯t understand. Not until she grew up and became a parent herself that is. Just the thought of his precious little girl outgrowing her daddy made him feel a little depressed. In fact, he had asked to hold his daughter¡¯s hand just now but was sharply denied, probably because she didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself in front of her co-workers. Speaking of, Patrick had intentionally taken the day off to spend some quality time with his daughter. Because Nina mentioned that she had managed to ¡°blackmail¡± her superiors to let her off for the day to watch her Dratini¡¯s first performance as a leading role. He did not know what said blackmail entailed, nor did he ask. Trying to understand the workings of Nina¡¯s mind was a futile effort, especially given how fiercely intelligent she was at her age. Patrick did have his concerns regarding his daughter¡¯s rapid development at one point. He remembered discretely consulting her doctor about the matter, worried that there might be residual damage from the ¡°incident¡±. ¡°All your daughter¡¯s scans came up normal,¡± assured the doc. ¡°It isn¡¯t unusual for some patients who had experienced head trauma to exhibit signs of excellence. Though you aren¡¯t wrong to worry, so do keep an eye out and follow up with us if you observe anything truly concerning. Otherwise, just consider it a blessing from Arceus to make up for the unfortunate incident.¡± ¡°Look dad, that guy has a Snorunt!¡± Nina exclaimed, knocking Patrick out of his musings. He knelt down to his daughter¡¯s eyeline and looked towards the cone shaped Pokemon that she was so excited about. ¡°That¡¯s an odd looking Pokemon, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen that species before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not native to Kanto.¡± Nina explained. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯ll let me touch it?¡± Before Patrick could hold his daughter back, she was already running towards the Snorunt''s trainer and striking up a conversation. Patrick sighed and followed suit, giving an apologetic look to the well dressed man that his daughter was now pestering. The man returned his look with an amused smile, not seeming to mind the cute little girl at all. He was tempted to scold Nina about being careful when approaching strangers. But then, he was reminded that it was this type of bold proactiveness that allowed her to capture a Dratini and land her the much coveted position of a Gym Apprentice. So perhaps, a more subtle reminder would suffice. ¡°So is this cutie a male or female?¡± Nina asked as she was gently stroking the Pokemon¡¯s¡­ ¡°Shell? Or is that fur? Kind of looks like it has the texture of straw.¡± ¡°Snowy here is a little girl, just like you. I got her from my recent travels to Sinnoh. I¡¯m still considering whether or not to gift her to my niece for her coming of age, though that¡¯s still a few years away.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes practically sparkled at the mention of a foreign region. Much like her Uncle Ali, Nina dreamed of one day going out to explore the wider world. Patrick considered it baffling how his family managed to give birth to a wimp like him. He still remembers the strained smile that his parents would give him everytime he shied away from a Pokemon battle. The same strained smile that his daughter would give whenever she had to endure another bout of her mother¡¯s insanity. Full of pain and tolerance. ¡°I¡¯m a failure as a son and a father¡­¡± It was a good thing that his parents had his older brother to hold up their lofty expectations. But Nina had no one else but him to rely on. So he swore, years back, to be strong for her sake. Even if it meant condemning his beloved wife. ¡°If it''s a girl, that means Snorunt could evolve into Froslass. That¡¯s a super pretty Pokemon. I¡¯m sure your niece would love it once she sees a picture of her future partner.¡± Nina suggested. Patrick had no idea where his daughter gets her encyclopedic knowledge of Pokemon from. ¡°Probably from the library or some Pokenet thread.¡± He concluded, making a mental note to set up some parental controls on their home network. ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable aren¡¯t you, little girl? Unfortunately, Froslass needs a Dawn Stone to evolve. And those are about as rare as they get. I¡¯ll still take your advice into consideration though. You''re right that it should be my niece who gets to decide.¡± Nina tilted her head up. It was an unconscious habit she had whenever she tried to think. ¡°Dawn Stone¡­ Yeah, it might be hard to source here in Kanto. What a shame¡­ Froslass are really pretty. And they can be incredible battlers.¡± After inundating the friendly trainer with more questions about his travels, Patrick stepped in to pull his daughter away once he felt like the poor man was getting a little too overwhelmed by Nina¡¯s curiosity. He also couldn¡¯t help noticing that Nina had pulled out her Pokegear at some point and started recording the conversation. ¡°When in Distortion did she install a recording attachment on that old thing?¡± Patrick bent down and swooped his daughter up into his arms, much to the girl¡¯s indignation. ¡°Come on Nina, we should get going now. Say your thanks to the nice man.¡± Nina pouted but still did as she was told. ¡°Thanks mister. And bye Snorunt, hope you get to grow up nice and strong one day!¡± The adults chuckled at the cheerful girl and went about their own separate ways. ¡°You can put me down now, dad,¡± said Nina. But Patrick just pretended like he did not hear his daughter¡¯s request. It was precisely because children grow up so fast that he wanted to hold his daughter for as long as he could. ¡°By the way, Nina. I noticed you had a voice recorder attached to your Pokegear. When did that happen?¡± His daughter frowned at his not-so-subtle attempt to divert her attention. Then looked down sheepishly at the question. ¡°Cause I don¡¯t always have my notebook with me, and I¡¯ve been earning a fair bit helping out at the Gym. So I thought it¡¯d be cool to be able to do voice memos. I know the Pokegear belongs to you. I¡¯m sorry for not asking first.¡± There it was, his daughter¡¯s signature Growlithe eyes, as Roxy liked to call them. Patrick knew it was a deliberate ploy by his daughter to get her way, but he couldn¡¯t help but fall for it every single damned time. Patrick responded by going in for a nuzzle of his daughter¡¯s nose. Doing the same thing that she always did with her Dratini. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I was just curious. Rather, I feel bad that you¡¯re still using that old hand-me-down.¡± ¡°Might be time for an upgrade, she deserves as much. Plus, who knows when that old thing will fail on her.¡± Nina seemed to have read her father¡¯s mind because her eyes lit up in joy at the possibility of getting a Pokegear of her own. *** Nina cheered and clapped alongside the audience at the emergence of Misty, Violet, and Lily gliding through the ice to the tune of dramatic music and flashy lights. This year¡¯s Cerulean on Ice was a musical about the three Legendary Disaster Birds and Lugia, Guardian of the Sea. Each of the three Cerulean Sisters on display were dressed in leotards customary for ice skaters, only each of them were also adorned in intricate headpieces and costumes themed after their respective legendary bird. Misty was Moltres with a flowing skirt of fiery red feathers trailing behind her. It was honestly impressive how the woman was able to dance across the ice so gracefully without tripping herself or her co-stars. Violet was Articuno, her costume made out of transparent material and intricate laces to give off an ethereal aura. It was as if she was enshrouded in ice and aurora as she did a masterful double axel in the air. And Lily was Zapdos. Her costume stood out in how aggressively spiky it was. Unlike the elegance of her sisters, she looked like a member of a heavy metal band had stepped onto the ice with all her face paint. Each of them sang as they danced, supported by their usual orchestra of Pokemon. Misty¡¯s Moltres sang of life and fire. How ashes beget life and so the world must burn for life to thrive. Lily¡¯s Zapdos sang of conflict and destruction. ¡°War tempers the weak. Only the strongest may survive!¡± She espoused. While Violet sang solemnly about death and frost. She lamented the sadness of existence and sought to end it all as a form of salvation. The trio squared off in a dramatic fashion. As they fought, fire trailed the billows of Misty¡¯s dress, courtesy of a Ninetails they hired just for the occasion. Lily screeched in anger and a team of Pikachu let loose a series of Thunderbolts behind her. Violet gave an elegant wave of her sleeves and Dewgongs shot Aurora Beams into the sky. Throughout it all, familiar faces of the other Cerulean Gym Trainers took to the ice, singing of despair and sorrow, begging the three mystical birds for their forgiveness. Yet their pleas remained unheard amidst the cries of the world¡¯s end. The music reached a crescendo as the legendary battle came to a climax¡­ Only for the lights to dim and everything to go quiet once more. The Maiden of the Sea, played by an uncharacteristically demure Daisy appeared, dressed in a simple white toga. The maiden took in a sharp breath and began singing acapella under the singular spotlight. She sang to the legendary Guardian of the Sea, the Keeper of Life, and Envoy of the Moon. The maiden sang with her voice full of sorrow, imploring for her god¡¯s assistance in quelling its kin. The Maiden sang and sang¡­ she sang until her voice became hoarse with exertion, tears dripping down her face. But just when she had thought all hope was lost, another melody joined in her chorus. This one hauntingly beautiful in its melancholy. To Nina, it was very reminiscent of Dragonair''s whale song she heard way back when. Except this voice sounded higher pitched, more juvenile in its impression. But it was beautiful nonetheless as the melody sang of sorrow and mourning for all the lives lost in disaster. Nina sat at the edge of her seat, waiting for the reveal. When suddenly, the orchestra restarted. This time, the music steadily built up to the grand reveal of a Dratini dressed up in a Lugia costume swooping through the air, singing and dancing with the Maiden of the Sea. Nina jumped up and began clapping enthusiastically, fervently yelling Tini¡¯s name. Her little blue noodle had made his dramatic entrance. The Dragon wasn¡¯t flying of course, Tini hadn¡¯t gained that ability yet. His flight and the movement of his ¡°wings¡± were thanks to a team of Psychic Types manipulating his movements with Psychokinesis. That said, he was still dancing in the air through his own efforts. Psychokinesis wasn¡¯t advanced enough to fully puppet Nina¡¯s partner. Tini sang and danced alongside his chosen Maiden, occasionally releasing purple flames of Dragon Energy and Water Pulses to ¡°repel¡± the legendary birds. Nina couldn¡¯t help but snicker a bit at Tini¡¯s appearance. The little Dragon looked quite goofy with his snout sticking out of ¡°Lugia¡¯s¡± beak. The wings on the other hand, was just an especially designed backpack with moving parts. The rest was body paint, which Nina desperately prayed was easy to wash off. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The battle waged on as the three Legendary Birds now joined forces to combat their oppressor. And just when it looked like the three Disasters had Lugia beat, Tini let out a mighty roar. Or at least it was supposed to be mighty, what came out instead was just a cute little squeal. Tini flew to the sky and unfurled his wings, giving the signal for attacks of all types to descend from the ceiling and overwhelm the three aggressors. A Water Gun landed near Misty¡¯s feet, washing her away. An Ice Beam surrounded Lily, encasing her in a barrier of ice. While a Flamethrower chased after Violet, all the way out of the arena. And so peace was achieved as the three Legendary Birds were put back to sleep. Lugia, now spent of all his power, did one last lethargic song with the Maiden of the Sea, before bowing out of the arena. At the dimming of the spotlights to signal the end of the show, the entire audience stood up in cheers and applause. Not even stopping for when the entire cast reassembled to give a final bow. Nina spotted her little Tini wrapped around Daisy¡¯s arm craning his neck here and there in an attempt to spot her. Which prompted Nina to beg Patrick for uppies just so that her partner could see her better, much to her father¡¯s delight. Chapter 27 ¡°Make sure to eat your fill, dear.¡± Nina nodded, mouth full of delectable egg sandwich made using Chansey¡¯s egg. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could even buy Chansey¡¯s egg.¡± Nina never forgot the heavenly taste of the Pokemon ambrosia of her childhood and she made sure to look into it once she had developed enough motor skills to do so. Mrs Bratwurst chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because you can¡¯t, dear. Not unless you have connections that is. One of my regulars is a Joy. I helped save her wedding after her caterer bailed at the last minute, and she¡¯s been in my debt ever since.¡± Nancy Bratwurst was unlike her son. The woman had luscious blonde hair and an inordinately tall figure, owing to her Kalosian heritage. She had married into Kanto after falling in love with Bobby¡¯s chef father, who was constantly on tour to manage his numerous restaurants. The woman now ran a simple looking cafe right by the Quay, the interior of which was tastefully decorated with various assortment of houseplants and art pieces. But otherwise, it was quite unassuming. One wouldn¡¯t think that this was a place that requires a month long wait just to get a reservation for brunch. The second floor of the cafe was closed today, specifically to host a party celebrating the coming of age of his son and his two friends. It also served as a farewell party of sorts for Charlie and Nobita who will both be leaving Cerulean City soon. A huge spread of food was laid out for both humans and Pokemon alike, all of which was delicious beyond reproach. Bobby was one lucky boy. ¡°Thanks for the incredible feast, Mrs Bratwurst.¡± Nina said. ¡°You have no idea how long it''s been since I¡¯ve had Chansey¡¯s egg. Sometimes I even dream about it when I sleep.¡± The affable woman smiled at the little girl stuffing her face with food. ¡°Oh, no worries dear. If anything, I should be thanking you for making that stubborn son of mine see the light. He¡¯s been diligently experimenting with Berries as of late.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°I just laid out some facts about Shuckle for him. I¡¯m sure Bobby already knew what a treasure he received. He just needed someone to validate him.¡± ¡°And that someone was you. So make sure to eat up and let me know if there¡¯s anything specific you want me to cook up, okay? And if you ever want to stop by, just give me a call and I¡¯ll get you a table. Our doors will always be open to you.¡± Nina thanked the woman for the offer but was otherwise content with just gorging on an egg salad sandwich made using Chansey¡¯s egg. The miraculous ingredient was every bit as good as she remembered. Better even. Due to all her pent up nostalgia serving as extra seasoning for the magical eggs. Nina looked around and saw her father chatting with the Rockfords while Tini was having a get together with his best buddy Phanpy. Fortunately, the two troublemakers had mellowed out a lot since their introduction to civilization, so there was no need to constantly keep an eye on them. ¡°So Charlie, are you excited for Vermillion?¡± Nina asked. The boy gave her a big grin, though she could sense some unease in his eyes. ¡°Yeap, still a little bummed out that I didn¡¯t manage to score a spot in the dorms. But I did apply late so that¡¯s on me I guess.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with family, right? Can¡¯t be too bad.¡± Charlie groaned. ¡°Aunt Vanessa is fine, I guess¡­ It¡¯s just that her children are a bit uppity, you know?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Come to think of it, I never asked him why he was so dead set on enrolling in the Vermillion Flame.¡± But before she could ask, Charlie got into an argument with Bobby who was sneaking food away from his plate, so Nina turned to speak with Nobita instead. ¡°You¡¯re headed to Celadon right, Nobita?¡± The bespectacled boy nodded. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal there? Your mom is in Cerulean but your dad is in Celadon. So will it just be you going or is your mom coming along as well?¡± ¡°Mom will be staying behind.¡± Nobita replied, not even looking up from his food. Nina tried to ask about his father as well but the boy was quite curt and wasn¡¯t willing to say much about the topic so she took the hint and moved on to discussing his Nidoran. The little runt seems to be doing quite well, having gained a fair bit of weight from Nobita¡¯s care, so that was good. Aside from that, the rest of the event was pretty pleasant. Everyone had a good time with great food and familiar company. *** Nina was now seven years old and well into her new school year. The new year had been uneventful so far with the only notable thing being Charlie and Nobita¡¯s farewell party. Her hectic schedule had pretty much stabilized into a routine at this point; Mondays were when she went fishing with Tini, Tuesdays she spent in the library or visiting Leanette in the hospital, Wednesdays and Thursdays were when she worked in the Gym, Fridays were her Roxy mandated break days, with the woman still being coy about her so-called opportunity. And of course, Tini still rehearsed for shows during the weekends. Her little noodly boy had developed quite a following ever since his stellar performance during Golden Week. The one thing that did change was that both Nina and Tini got a bit more comfortable being apart from each other, so she would often hang out with Beverly or some of the other Gym Trainers during the weekends as well. Nina could afford to take it a bit easier on herself. Her income was supplemented by an unexpected windfall in the form of Dratini sheddings, not to mention the increased revenue from Tini¡¯s shows where he played a leading role. Who knew that a bunch of old scales and dead skin cells could sell for so much? The Luxury Ball which she was balking at not too long ago was now squarely within the realms of possibility, not that Nina would ever be so frivolous in her spending. Tini was perfectly happy with his sticker-bombed Pokeball and she would rather spend the money on getting better feed for her Pokemon and saving up the rest for an emergency. ¡°Your mom¡¯s discharging next week,¡± said Patrick, while Nina was in the kitchen cooking dinner for them. Ever since Leanette was admitted, the two of them had pretty much lived a bachelor¡¯s lifestyle, what¡¯s with how busy each of their schedules were. At some point during this period, they came to an unspoken agreement to do a bit of home cooking at least once a week. And whenever they got take out, they would always order extra so that the other could have something in the fridge for when they wanted it. ¡°The doctors finally gave their okay?¡± It¡¯s been over two years since Nina¡¯s mother was hospitalized. Progress had been slow but she seemed a lot better during the recent times when Nina went to see her, so this wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Patrick nodded. ¡°Yeap, they said she¡¯s pretty much as stable as she can be now. No more sporadic episodes. But they wanted to keep her for an extra week just to be doubly sure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome! I¡¯ll call grandma after dinner and let her know.¡± Nina knew first hand how impatient the old woman had been as of late. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her father responded with a reluctant smile. ¡°Sure, just¡­ tell her not to come on the day of the discharge. I¡¯d prefer it if it was just the three of us. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d understand, probably.¡± That last part was said with a fair bit of uncertainty but Nina got the message loud and clear. Patrick wanted her to convince her grandmother to hold back. A tall task, but not impossible. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to tell her that.¡± She replied. ¡°So what day is she discharging?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping for Thursday. Do you think you could get the day off?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Should be fine. I¡¯ll inform the Gym and talk to Ms Roxy. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be okay with me skipping school for the day.¡± Patrick frowned at his daughter¡¯s mention of truancy. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll talk to Roxy and send an email to the school for you. Worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll get your mom¡¯s doctor to write up some nonsense saying that she needs her daughter with her for emotional support or something.¡± Nina laughed at her father¡¯s audacity and ladled some curry onto their plates. *** The Jones family stepped out of the hospital with Nina holding Leanette¡¯s hands. The woman seemed almost overwhelmed by the large space that suddenly opened up in front of her. ¡°Are you alright, mom?¡± Nina asked. Leanette gave a weak nod in response but Nina could see how pale she looked. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re up for taking the Tram? If not, I¡¯m sure dad could get us a taxi for the ride home.¡± Leanette opened her mouth hesitantly, looking like she was about to reject the offer before nodding her head once again. ¡°I think¡­ Yes, a taxi would be lovely. Thank you, Nina.¡± Nina shot a concerned look at Patrick who smiled at his daughter to reassure her before pulling his Pokegear out to make a call. ¡°Come on, mom. We can sit over there while dad calls for a ride.¡± urged Nina as she pointed towards some benches set out in front of the hospital. Leanette seemed a little aloof and distant, but that¡¯s par for the course. Nina hadn¡¯t failed to notice her mother¡¯s unusual state recently. ¡°The Hypnosis treatment really did quite a number on her.¡± According to Leanette¡¯s doctors, the woman¡¯s aversion towards Pokemon was deeply rooted in her childhood. The therapists had to go deeper than they usually did just to help undo some of the damage that Melina had unknowingly inflicted on her daughter over the years. In fact, there were multiple times where they had to get Patrick¡¯s consent due to how invasive some of the treatments were. Nina was personally a bit iffy about them needing to be so thorough. But unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t included in the discussion. Patrick himself was ambivalent and Melina was quite extreme in wanting her daughter to be thoroughly ¡°fixed¡±, so they went ahead with it. ¡°Welcome home, mom!¡± Nina exclaimed. Leanette stepped back into her home, but looked around like she had just walked into a spaceship. ¡°Are you hungry, mom? I got Mrs Bratwurst to cook up some stuff to celebrate your return. You don¡¯t know her but she¡¯s Bobby¡¯s mom¡­¡± Nina dragged her mother over to the dining table and began talking about her friends and school life. Pikachu and Tini were notably absent as the two Pokemon were currently in their Pokeballs. Nina and the adults all agreed to slowly ease the woman back into regular life. So they were holding back to avoid overwhelming her. Patrick chimed in as well, talking about his work and all the drama that was going on there. Meanwhile, Leanette just nodded along and replied absent mindedly. ¡°That¡¯s nice, sweetie¡­ and I¡¯m glad your boss got transferred, honey.¡± After lunch, Patrick proposed that they all go out for a walk. It wouldn¡¯t do Leanette any good to have her cooped up in the apartment. And hopefully the more familiar surroundings of the neighborhood would be easier on her. When they had stepped out of their apartment building, they finally released their Pokemon. Because if Leanette couldn''t handle her own household¡¯s Pokemon, then it was doubtful she¡¯d be able to handle the ones roaming around outside. ¡°Pika!¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°Hey Tini, you¡¯ve not met her before, but this is my mom,¡± introduced Nina. ¡°And mom, this is Tini, my partner. We met over at the Safari Zone.¡± ¡°Tini Tin!¡± Tini greeted, but the little Dragon refrained from getting close to touch her like he normally would. Nina had already discussed proper precautions with him beforehand. ¡°Pika!¡± cried Pikachu, with a wave. Nina had a sneaking suspicion that the electric mouse was happier without Leanette around since she could cuddle with Patrick at night, but she was being a good sport in welcoming her back regardless. Leanette simply smiled, not having a particularly strong reaction towards the Pokemon in any way. But she also did not greet them back which was a little concerning. Tini took up his usual spot by wrapping himself around Nina, while Pikachu climbed onto Patrick¡¯s shoulder, and the entire Jones family set off to their neighborhood park for a stroll. Along the way they were greeted by a few neighbors. Some of them even went up to Leanette to catch up with her. She interacted with them normally enough, even if she was being a little distant. It was a good thing that everyone seemed to be somewhat aware of her condition. There was a point where a neighbor''s Growlithe got too friendly and attempted to sniff her. But she remained passive throughout that interaction so Nina and Patrick¡¯s concern was unwarranted. One of the more common topics of conversation was Nina. The neighborhood housewives loved gushing about what an accomplished little girl she was whenever they encountered any of her parents. Often lamenting their own children¡¯s ineptitude in the same breath. ¡°What a wonderful daughter you have. I saw her Dratini¡¯s performance the other day. To be such a good Pokemon Trainer at her age, and even managing to become a Gym Apprentice. Sigh¡­ If only my son/daughter had her head on their shoulders.¡± Nina just smiled politely whenever this occurred, not bothering to mention that making comparisons between children was not conducive to a healthy upbringing. Nina remembers resenting Miles¡¯s parents in her past life for the longest time because of it. But overall, it was a fairly pleasant stroll and the rest of the day proceeded uneventfully with Leanette being able to tolerate the presence of Pokemon in her home just fine. The next day, however, Patrick made sure to leave Pikachu in the house before he left for work. Just to make sure that there was a set of eyes on Leanette in their absence. Nina agreed, and even sneakily instructed Pikachu to Paralyze Leanette and call for help if she sensed that something was wrong, knowing that Patrick wouldn¡¯t have the heart to do so. Chapter 28 Nina watched as purple Draconic Energy suffused Tini¡¯s body, making him look like he was engulfed in purple flames even though they were underwater. Tini gave a determined look before rushing forwards to crash into the wild Krabby who had challenged them prior. Upon impact, the Krabby expelled a cloud of bubbles as it was sent hurtling towards the distance. Nina pumped her fist up in triumph while Tini did a little twirl in the water. That was the first time that the Dratini had used Dragon Rush on a proper opponent and it was every bit as impactful as they had imagined. The little blue eel swam closer to Nina and booped his trainer on the nose, causing her to giggle and let out a bunch of bubbles. Nina made a jerking motion with her thumb to signal for them to surface. ¡°That was incredible, Tini!¡± Nina praised, after she took off her rebreather. ¡°Tiiin~¡± ¡°Now we gotta work on your Dragon Rush on land.¡± To be fair, Tini was capable of using Dragon Rush out of water, but he was fairly slow and predictable. Nina had a couple of ideas on how to address this, but her Dratini isn¡¯t entirely up to par yet. Not being able to battle really limits a Pokemon¡¯s growth, since they do best under pressure. And neither of them counted bullying wild Pokemon as battles, more like live target practice. An untrained wild Pokemon simply can¡¯t compare to a Dratini who had undergone training at the Cerulean Gym. The two then went back up to shore for a break. ¡°Thanks Pikachu.¡± The electric mouse got up to hand a towel over to Nina. Before this, she had a bad habit of crashing onto her camping chair right after surfacing. Turns out, salt water wasn¡¯t very good for hinges and it took an embarrassing fall onto her butt to make her realize that. ¡°Tiin!¡± Tini cried, still riding the high of his recent victory. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve still got a lot of energy left in you. Why don¡¯t you try to use your special Dragon Tail on the usual boulder.¡± Upon Nina¡¯s instruction, Tini slithered over to the scarred and cracked boulder that they normally use as a dummy. With a loud ¡°Tin!¡± Tini''s tail began glowing purple as swirls of water coalesced around the tip, forming an Aqua/Dragon Tail Hybrid. Tini swung his tail down with as much force as he could muster, causing bits of the boulder to break off and new cracks to form. ¡°Awesome!¡± Nina cheered. It took a long time, but Tini finally learned how to combine the moves without compromising on strength. So that one attack was the equivalent of both Tail attacks rolled into one, providing double the damage in one go. ¡°Tini!¡± Tini cheered along with the girl, but Nina could tell that her partner¡¯s breathing was a little rough. Using a double move like that was equally as taxing on his endurance. ¡°C¡¯mere Tini, I¡¯m really proud of you! Just a month ago that move would¡¯ve completely exhausted you. Now, look! Dragon Rush and special Tini Tail back to back!¡± Nina nuzzled against the little Dragon¡¯s snout and smothered him in kisses. ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini squirmed against his partner¡¯s assault, much to Nina¡¯s amusement. ¡°Let¡¯s rest up and then catch some fish. I want you to try only using Dragon Pulse, but maintain control over it so that it doesn''t pulverize the fish.¡± This was Nina¡¯s way of training Tini¡¯s finesse. As he was at the moment, he tends to just go all out on his moves which isn¡¯t good for longer battles. Nina did not want her Dragon to become a one pump chump. *** Nina thanked the kind bus driver who helped her heft her cooler down the steps. Her frequent trips to the Sea Cottage and her friendly demeanor meant that the two of them were very well acquainted by now. ¡°Pika!¡± Right as the bus drove off, Pikachu jumped down from Nina¡¯s backpack and ran towards a familiar figure across the street. ¡°Dad? What are you doing down here?¡± Patrick Jones settled Pikachu on his shoulder and walked over to help carry his daughter¡¯s baggage. ¡°Hey Nina¡­ Wow, you got quite the catch huh?¡± He said as he lifted the cooler. Nina made sure to buy a cooler with wheels and a handle, but it was still quite a burden to drag around, especially when it was full of fish. ¡°Thanks dad. Yeah, Tini got a bit too enthusiastic today so we have plenty for dinner tonight as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, your mom¡¯s already cooked dinner, so maybe tomorrow night.¡± Nina nodded and just followed along as they made their way back to the apartment. An awkward silence settled between the two of them. ¡°So erm¡­ Is this about mom?¡± She asked, trying to initiate a conversation. Patrick sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­ I was just thinking¡­ if you¡¯d be up to spending a weekend over at your grandma¡¯s?¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about the one in Pewter City right?¡± Nina naturally had two grandmas. Her paternal grandparents were often out and about, rarely settling in one place. So Nina, or at least this version of Nina, had never met them in person before. ¡°Yeah. I know Melina¡¯s been pestering you to visit for ages now. And I think this might be a good time. What do you think?¡± Melina Ashes has indeed been keen on her favorite granddaughter coming to visit, and Nina was quite willing as well since she¡¯ll get to play with lots of different Pokemon over at the woman¡¯s daycare. But their plans kept getting delayed for one reason or another. ¡°Will you guys be coming as well or is it just me?¡± Patrick nodded hesitantly. ¡°Just you¡­ If you don¡¯t mind?¡± Nina was tempted to make a joke about finally getting younger siblings. But judging by her father¡¯s face and tone, this might not be a ¡°Let¡¯s get the kid out of the way so that we can get kinky¡± type situation. It has been two months since Leanette Jones was discharged from the hospital. Any improvements that Nina had noticed in her mother during this period were marginal. She¡¯s definitely gotten a bit more expressive, more human. But according to Pikachu, the times where the woman wasn¡¯t doing chores and eating, she just spent it sitting on the couch or laying in bed. It was concerning to say the least. Nina agreed readily, assuming that Patrick had his own plans to rectify the situation. ¡°When do you think I should make the trip? We¡¯ll have to talk to grandma about it as well and check her availability. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re gonna ask her to come pick me up?¡± Patrick hummed. ¡°Maybe sometime next month? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll need to get things sorted with the Gym. I¡¯ll leave it up to you to decide. Just so long as you let me know beforehand. And yeah, I know for a fact that your grandma will want to pick you up on her own.¡± In truth, Tini was so used to performing now that he only required minimal practice for the monthly shows. But it was still good for him to interact with the Gym Pokemon and practice his moves. He had also gotten more in tune with moving his body from practicing all the dance choreography. Nina turned to her partner and scratched him behind his ear fins. ¡°What do you think Tini? Shall we make a visit to grandma and check out her daycare? Maybe if we ask nicely enough, she¡¯ll take us up Mount Moon.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Patrick frowned at the mention of Mount Moon. ¡°Nina, no. No going up Mount Moon. That place is crawling with dangerous Pokemon, or have you not been paying attention to Stephen¡¯s stories?¡± Nina giggled. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re talking about a guy who stupidly ran into the mountain back when he was a kid without any Pokemon. And relax, I was just joking.¡± She was not. Nina was serious, but that¡¯s also subject to her grandmother¡¯s approval. Nina wasn¡¯t dumb enough to go up Mount Moon with just an inexperienced Dratini with her. Patrick sighed. ¡°I hope so, but I¡¯ll make sure to put a word in with Melina to avoid indulging your recklessness.¡± Nina held back her laughter. ¡°Knowing Melina, she might just deliberately defy her son-in-law purely to piss him off.¡± Not that Nina was going to say anything. *** Turns out, Nina¡¯s grandmother was more sensible than she gave her credit for. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not gonna take my precious granddaughter up Mount Moon! I knew you were a fool, but not this much of a fool!¡± ¡°Welp, there goes that idea I guess.¡± Patrick sighed. ¡°I was just being cautious, Melina,¡± he then turned towards Nina. ¡°Do you have everything with you?¡± Nina patted her backpack. ¡°Yeap, all here. Grandma, do I have to put Pikachu and Tini in their Pokeballs?¡± ¡°Nope. Ol¡¯ Pidgeot can carry a bit of luggage just fine. My Pokemon ain¡¯t that weak!¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Chuuu¡­¡± Pikachu seemed to have taken offense at being called luggage, while Tini just seemed excited to go on another flight as the little Dragon kept staring at their Pokemon ride with sparkly eyes. ¡°Come to think of it, this will be both our first times riding bareback on a Pokemon huh, Tini? Last time we were on a Fly Basket.¡± ¡°Dra. Tini tin tin!¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°I know you¡¯re excited buddy, but make sure to hold on so you don¡¯t fall off, okay?¡± ¡°That reminds me,¡± Melina chimed as she pulled out a set of goggles and a muffler. ¡°Here Nina, put this on. I don¡¯t want my granddaughter¡¯s beautiful face to be all scratched up.¡± Nina took the offered items and put them on as instructed. ¡°What about Tini and Pikachu?¡± ¡°Your Dragon will be fine. He¡¯ll need to learn to fly on his own at some point anyway. As for the Rattata, I didn¡¯t bring anything for that one.¡± ¡°Pika!¡± cried the incensed Pokemon, more offended at being called a Rattata than being neglected. ¡°It¡¯s okay Pikachu, why don¡¯t you come inside my hoodie? If the wind becomes too much then just hide your head, okay?¡± ¡°Pika chu~¡± the electric mouse nuzzled her cheek against Nina¡¯s in affection. ¡°All set?¡± Melina reached down to grab hold of her granddaughter and the two Pokemon who were all tangled up with the girl in some way or another. She plopped the little girl onto the back of her Pidgeot and sat herself behind Nina. ¡°Hold onto the feathers but don¡¯t pull too hard, he¡¯s a real pansy.¡± Nina nodded and braced herself. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just get a saddle, grandma?¡± Melina scoffed. ¡°I did. But birdbrain here starts making a fuss every time I try to use it.¡± The Pidgeot screeched out in protest only to earn a slap on the back from his trainer. ¡°Alright, enough dallying. Let¡¯s Fly!¡± Pidgeot let out another screech. And with one powerful flap of his wings, shot straight up towards the sky at a face melting speed. The little girl and her two Pokemon companions riding on its back all screamed out in excitement at the adventures ahead. Chapter 29 Given that Kanto and Johto of the Pokemon world was based on Japan¡¯s Kanto and Kansai region. It stands to reason then that Mount Silver would look like Mount Fuji. Nina looked out at the aesthetically symmetrical mountain with its snow frosted tip in awe. The view was further enhanced by the sea of luscious green trees adorned with the occasional pink of fading cherry blossoms. ¡°I can see why they call it Mount Silver,¡± said Nina. And indeed, the dull silver colouration of the mountain¡¯s body did seem like Arceus went and plopped down a titanic piece of silver to serve as a mountainous divide between the oft warring Kanto and Johto. ¡°It¡¯s all granite,¡± explained Melina. ¡°That¡¯s why it looks like that. Though my own grandma often told me stories about how the mountain used to be full of silver until it was all mined away by the people. And that was how the war between Kanto and Johto started ¡ª greedy fools fighting over the scraps of silver that was leftover.¡± Nina nodded, thinking there was some sense in that. ¡°But in all the material I read about Mount Silver, nothing mentions the discovery of silver. If the metal did exist in the mountain¡¯s bowels at some point, surely someone would have found small nuggets of it from time to time.¡± It''s impossible to fully mine out every vein of ore afterall. The old woman and her granddaughter were now having a pleasant picnic on top of a riverside hill overlooking an absolutely premium view of Mount Silver. The flight from Cerulean to Pewter City only took a little over an hour, but Melina Ashes wanted to spend some quality time with her granddaughter and deliberately took a more scenic route, stopping by a few choice spots for some sightseeing. ¡°Did you serve in the war, grandma?¡± If there was one thing that Nina knew about old people, it was that they all loved telling war stories. Melina snorted. ¡°That I did, child. That I did. In fact, I used to be a drill sergeant back when Pewter was just a military complex. Back then, our parents would kick us out of the house at ten years old and we would have to go on our journey. Anyone who failed to complete the Gym circuit was considered too weak and would be sent off to Pewter to be whipped into shape.¡± The old woman chuckled. ¡°I still remember the look of fear those snot nosed brats used to give me. They called me the Gyarados lady for how terrifying I was.¡± Melina cackled. ¡°Even thought about actually getting myself a Gyarados just to live up to the name. Haha!¡± ¡°Did you? Get a Gyarados I mean.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Melina scoffed. ¡°Gyarados were treated as weapons of mass destruction, child. For all that both sides hated each other there were some lines that must not be crossed. The moment that it was found out that a soldier from the Kantonian side owned a Gyarados, Johto would follow suit with their own. Imagine fighting in a war where there was a non-stop rain of those damnable monsters.¡± Nina imagined Flying Type Pokemon dropping Pokeballs containing angry Gyarados onto her city and shivered. It was indeed not a pleasant thought. The sea serpents might as well be the equivalent of nuclear bombs with how indiscriminately destructive they can be. *** Pewter City was completely unlike Cerulean City. The architecture was all blocky and rustic, and there were no high rises in sight. The tallest buildings were probably only around two to three storeys tall. This was due to the city being established so close to the mountain. Nina imagined the residents suffered their fair share of earthquakes and rockslides on the regular. The most prominent building that Nina could spot was the Pewter City Gym. It was the largest building in the city and had a very airport hangar aesthetic in its boxy simplicity. The entire city felt haphazard, like the residents decided to just build wherever they wanted without any regard for proper zoning and city planning. As a result, Nina would often see buildings that were completely cut off from any alleys or main roads due to being surrounded on all sides by other constructs. It was a civil engineer¡¯s nightmare. But there was a sort of organic beauty to the place. Nina can kind of pinpoint where the Pewter Military Complex used to be from the semblance of order that she could find in the city. Everything else looked like it just grew out from that one central point, like a tree¡¯s roots. Melina¡¯s Pokemon daycare was located in the outskirts, besides a plot of forest land that had been cleared out for her use. Her Pidgeot landed with a squawk and a billowing gust of wind and dust, declaring their arrival. Nina had set off shortly after she left school on a Friday. So after accounting for all of their meandering, the Pewter City skyline was now stained by the fiery glow of twilight. They were greeted by an unassuming middle aged lady in a green apron, one of Melina¡¯s employees whom she entrusted to look after her daycare in her absence. ¡°Welcome back, Melina,¡± she greeted. ¡°And this cutie here must be the Nina I¡¯ve heard so much about.¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nina,¡± the girl echoed. ¡°Thanks for taking care of grandma¡¯s daycare while she was away.¡± Nina said, with a bow. ¡°Oh my, so polite. Must have gotten it from her father¡¯s side,¡± said the woman with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m Sekimori, but you can just call me Aunt Seki like everyone else.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Aunt Seki! I¡¯ll be in your care over the weekend.¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°Pika!¡± ¡°And these are my friends, Pikachu and Tini. They said hi as well.¡± Nina added. Sekimori swooned. ¡°How sweet! You¡¯re definitely your father¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s hard to believe that old grump could pass down anything but salt and vinegar.¡± Melina cleared her throat. ¡°Enough! Seki, go settle Pidgeot. I want to show Nina to her room,¡± she instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t let that bag of raisins fool you, child. She¡¯s as devious as they come,¡± warned Melina, once they were out of earshot from her employee. ¡°If she¡¯s so bad then why did you hire her?¡± Melina clicked her tongue. ¡°Cause she has the shrewdness of a Meowth, and sometimes that¡¯s what you need in a business.¡± According to her grandmother, the room that Nina will be staying in used to belong to her mother. The interior was cozy if a bit spartan, containing only a bed, desk, and a wardrobe. Nina was unsure if the place was cleaned out after its previous occupant left or if this was just how Leanette Ashes was raised. ¡°Go ahead and settle in,¡± said Melina. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go and get the ingredients ready for tonight¡¯s barbecue.¡± ¡°Okay~ Can I go out and play with the Pokemon?¡± Melina hummed. ¡°Sure, but just so you know, most of our customers have been picked up already. So all that¡¯s left is our own Pokemon and the few who¡¯s trainers have gone on vacation. Besides, you¡¯ll end up seeing most of them during dinner anyway.¡± That was fine with Nina, some Pokemon were better than no Pokemon. But she did want to settle down a bit after riding bareback on a Pidgeot for so long. *** ¡°Nina, dinner time!¡± Nina moved away from the Oddish and Bellsprout she was playing with. She had tried to trim the Pokemons¡¯ leaves but wasn¡¯t very good at it. Luckily the Grass Types weren¡¯t too offended. ¡°Sorry guys, wanna come have dinner with us?¡± Nina asked. But the wild Pokemon in question did not respond and simply buried themselves in the ground, content to just absorb nutrients from the soil. Nina shrugged and went over to the outdoor dining area that Melina had set up, smelling the delectable smell of smoke and barbecue as she came close. To her surprise, the food she saw were all things she could eat. There was a colorful assortment of vegetables, either grilled or in a salad, as well as various fish dishes as the main. Seeing her granddaughter¡¯s sparkling eyes, Melina gave a smug smile. ¡°Heh. I had Ol¡¯ Tanky go and catch fish for you in the river this morning.¡± She said, referring to her late husband¡¯s Blastoise. Nina cheered and ran over to the old Blastoise who was just laying there on the ground. ¡°Thanks, Tanky!¡± said the girl as she gently rubbed against the old turtle¡¯s callused head. ¡°Blassst¡­¡± moaned the lethargic Pokemon. The Blastoise was really getting up there in age. Nina could tell from his moss covered shell and the Pokemon¡¯s scarred and weathered complexion, so she knew how straining it was to have him do anything. Their species tends to slow down with age. In addition, Nina knew that her grandfather¡¯s Blastoise also suffered from a bad knee that killed the duo¡¯s battling career. ¡°Grandma, is it okay to leave Tanky¡¯s shell like that? I think I see a sapling growing on it.¡± Plants were ridiculously tenacious and Nina was worried that the roots of any seeds that had taken growth would burrow their way through the tough carapace and harm Tanky¡¯s internals. Melina just shrugged. ¡°So long as the moss doesn¡¯t get into any of the crevices, it should be fine. Besides, if that old turtle senses anything wrong, he¡¯ll come crying for help or just rub himself against a boulder.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I help clean Tanky¡¯s shell tomorrow?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I want to thank him for the fish.¡± Nina¡¯s grandmother scratched her chin. ¡°Sure, if you do it early in the morning. I¡¯ll get the tools out for you later. Now enough about that lazy old thing, c¡¯mere and have a taste of grandma¡¯s cooking.¡± Nina did as she was told and dug into the food, making sure to heap tons of compliments onto Melina. The old woman was being uncharacteristically considerate by catering to Nina¡¯s dietary preferences and Nina wanted to ensure that she felt recognised for her efforts. ¡°This fish is delicious. The skin is crispy and salted to perfection while maintaining a soft and succulent flesh. Right, Tini?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± echoed the Dragon as he too gorged himself on Melina¡¯s cooking. ¡°It¡¯s nice to eat freshwater fish for a change.¡± Nina and Tini were used to the brininess of saltwater fish, so the earthy undertones of what they were eating was a nice change of pace. Melina laughed. ¡°Well make sure to eat up cause I¡¯ve still got plenty left over and the coals are still hot.¡± ¡°So what sort of plans do we have tomorrow?¡± Nina asked, in between bites of her food. ¡°Well¡­ after you''re done cleaning Tanky, you can come help out in the daycare. See what it¡¯s like if you ever want to come work for your beloved grandma. After that, we can go out for lunch in the city. And who knows, I might even have a surprise for you.¡± Melina said the last part with a smirk. But Nina instantly lit up at the mention of a surprise. ¡°Are we going to the Gym tomorrow?¡± She exclaimed. Nina did ask beforehand if it was possible to get a tour of the Pewter City Gym, but her grandmother didn¡¯t give her any definitive answers. In truth, if Nina wanted to, she could easily get a message through to Brock. Not only was Misty the man¡¯s former travel companion, Nina was also acquainted with Stephen who used to be one of the City¡¯s Gym Trainers. In fact, she had already planned on making a couple of calls if her grandmother failed to pull through. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Melina clicked her tongue, annoyed that her surprise was ruined. ¡°Of course. As if that brat could refuse a request from me.¡± Turns out, Nina¡¯s grandmother was more well connected than she realized. It made sense given her past history in the military. She probably commanded a lot of respect and trauma from the high population of veterans in the city. Chapter 30 Beedrills were actually ridiculously fuzzy. Nina never knew because in the games, the poison bee Pokemon was depicted as smooth and shiny. But in real life, there was a thin layer of fuzz that coats a Beedrill¡¯s body. ¡°Alright Beedrill, see that fence over there? You¡¯re not allowed to wander beyond that point.¡± Nina warned. The girl was currently settling the newest occupant of the Lunar Mountain Daycare. ¡°There are flower fields around for you to suckle on if you¡¯re feeling peckish, and feel free to claim any of the surrounding trees. Just make sure they¡¯re not already occupied, okay?¡± The Beedrill made a low buzzing and clicking noise in affirmation. Beedrills that were trainer-raised from infancy as a Weedle, like the one that Nina was dealing with, were friendly around humans. But wild Beedril were not as tame. There were often advisories against approaching known Beedrill hives in the area, so the fully evolved Pokemon weren¡¯t very popular capture targets. And in fact, their population needed to be frequently culled by the local Rangers to prevent any accidents. ¡°Oh, and just be careful around the flower fields,¡± Nina added. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure grandma¡¯s Vileplume is lurking in there somewhere, and that guy is definitely not friendly.¡± Beedrill tilted her head in confusion, but ultimately nodded. Nina was unsure if the bee Pokemon understood the severity of the warning. So just in case, she beckoned over a nearby Butterfree. ¡°Hey Butterfree, this is Beedrill¡¯s first time in the daycare. Do you mind looking after her for a bit?¡± Butterfree did a twirl in the sky, her wings briefly flashing a multitude of colors to signal her agreement. Then she cried out to Beedrill and fluttered to tell her junior to follow along. After seeing the two Bug Pokemon off, Nina headed over to the next item on her to-do list which was to feed the Water Pokemon. The life of a daycare worker was actually quite agreeable to Nina. She could see herself doing this in her later years, once she¡¯s had enough of adventure. It was a slow and simple routine completely dedicated to the care of various Pokemon. After a visit to the pantry, Nina pushed a trolley full of Pokechow and Berries to the daycare¡¯s pond where all the Water Types hung out. ¡°Alright everyone, time for breakfast! Not you, Tanky. I fed you already. Nurse Joy set you on a diet, remember?¡± The elderly Blastoise gave a sad moan and laid back down, while the other amphibious Water Pokemon came close to Nina. The girl flicked a switch on the trolley¡¯s handle and stepped on a pedal to unfurl a trough at the bottom of the trolley. Nina then began scooping Pokechow from a container into the trough mixed in with the appropriate amount of Berries in accordance with the instructions she was given. ¡°Alright everyone, don¡¯t just eat the Berries, okay? Make sure to eat your fill of Pokechow as well, otherwise you¡¯re gonna get hungry real quick.¡± The next step was feeding the water bound Pokemon who have trouble getting on land. Nina unfastened a special cage with two holes on one side for the entry and exit of any Pokemon. Then proceeded to fill the cage with the same mix of Pokechow and Berries before tossing them into the water. She watched as a couple of Goldeens, a Seaking, and a Horsea swam into the cage to feed. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± Nina took out a clipboard and began taking the attendance of all the Pokemon present. ¡°Squirtle, Wooper, Seel, Marill, other Marill¡­ Wait, we¡¯re missing another Marill, and Azumarill. Does anyone know where they are?¡± ¡°Woop woop~¡± cried the Wooper, before wiggling his tail to lead Nina. ¡°Man, Woopers are so dang cute. Maybe I should catch one in the future. Question is, Quagsire or Clodsire? Which derpy blob is the superior blob?¡± The place that Wooper led Nina to was a little nest built into the hollow of a tree that was half sunken into the pond due to the mud bank having partially collapsed. When Nina attempted to approach, a fairly aggravated Azumarill stepped out and confronted her, huffing his chest out as a form of intimidation. ¡°Hey, hey¡­ Easy there, buddy. I¡¯m just here to feed you guys. Are you not hungry? Why don¡¯t you come and join the others?¡± Nina lowered her body and carefully approached the Azumarill with Wooper by her side. ¡°Woop~¡± echoed Nina¡¯s escort. ¡°Azu azumarill. Rill.¡± responded the aquatic rabbit. ¡°Wooper woop woop~¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you sick?¡± Nina asked, unable to comprehend the two Pokemon¡¯s conversation. Azumarill sighed, then with an authoritative ¡°Azu!¡± he stepped aside and allowed Nina to peek into the hollow. Nina craned her neck, and what she saw was a Marill, the other missing Pokemon she was searching for. And that Marill was eyeing Nina warily while hugging what appears to be an egg with blue polka dot patterns. ¡°Oh. Oh¡­ I see now. You guys just had a baby¡­¡± Nina swooned, holding back a screech from how cute the two Pokemon were. ¡°Oh my gosh. I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t know. Wait one moment, I know you guys don¡¯t wanna leave the egg undefended so I¡¯m going to bring food over to you. Is that okay?¡± Azumarill looked back at his mate who nodded her head in return. After receiving the couple¡¯s approval, Nina hurried back to her trolley and filled out two bowls of Pokechow with an extra large helping of Berries. Nina handed the bowls over to Azumarill, who tried to balance the load with his two stubby hands, before gingerly taking the food back into the nest. Meanwhile, Nina just squatted outside the hollow¡¯s entrance and watched as the two Pokemon ate. Azumarill, being the ever dutiful husband, moved some berries away from his bowl into Marill¡¯s bowl. Only for Marill to swat at him for being so fussy. Nina¡¯s face practically melted at the cute scene. ¡°Oh Arceus, being hit by a truck might be the best thing to have ever happened to me. Thank you.¡± *** ¡°An egg eh? What a headache,¡± said Melina. Nina had naturally reported her discovery of the egg to her grandmother, only to receive an unexpected response. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it a happy occasion? I¡¯m sure their trainers would be delighted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± chimed Aunt Seki. ¡°It¡¯s trainers. Plural. That Azumarill and Marill each belong to different people. So there¡¯ll likely be some debate on the custody of the egg.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nina had not thought of that issue. ¡°But surely, you guys would have dealt with situations like this in the past, right? How does it normally go?¡± ¡°It depends,¡± said Sekimori. ¡°In most cases, there¡¯ll be at least one party who can¡¯t be bothered with raising a hatchling, so they¡¯ll give up their claim. This is the best case scenario.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. It made sense, raising a baby Pokemon requires a lot of care and attention, which not everyone can provide. There were also laws in place to protect domestically raised Pokemon, preventing trainers from releasing them willy-nilly since they won¡¯t be equipped with the necessary survival instincts to survive in the wild. This was why Eeevees in the wild were so rare. After generations of captive breeding, most of them were no longer equipped to survive without human intervention, they simply don¡¯t have those instincts anymore. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What happens if both parties want the egg?¡± Sekimori shrugged ¡°Then either they talk it out like civilized people or they go for arbitration. Sometimes you have the more muscle headed sorts that settle it through a battle.¡± Nina frowned. ¡°But what about the parents? Surely they should have a say on what to do with their child.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why this is a headache,¡± said Melina. ¡°From what you¡¯re telling me, those two rabbits are really attached to their egg. No way they¡¯ll let their trainers separate the family. Worst case scenario, both Pokemons will be released and we¡¯ll be left to deal with the mess!¡± Nina¡¯s grandmother explained that in those sorts of situations, it¡¯s usually up to the daycare to act as an interim guardian for the Pokemon involved until the Rangers can figure out a solution. Resettling wasn¡¯t always feasible if one or both of the parents were domesticated from eggs. Nina hummed. ¡°I never thought that a simple egg would cause so many issues. So what¡¯s next, I¡¯m assuming we¡¯ll need to contact the trainers?¡± ¡°Yeah, Seki will handle it,¡± said Melina, swiftly kicking the ball over to her employee''s court. Earning her an exasperated sigh from the poor woman. ¡°In the meantime, you and I have plans out in the city. Come on, I booked us a table over at a friend¡¯s place.¡± Nina shot Aunt Seki a guilty look, but the middle-aged woman just gave her a reassuring smile and waved her off, seeming already used to her employer¡¯s unreasonable whims. *** Pewter City was a maze full of winding paths and twisting turns. Were it not for her grandmother guiding her, Nina would have gotten lost ten times over. The girl walked behind Melina¡¯s reassuring back, eyes wandering about to take in the sights of the city. Most of the buildings they went past were simple brick constructions, their paint weathered away over time to reveal the raw material hidden beneath. Clothes lines could be seen tied between buildings with the residents'' laundry left hanging out in the sun, uncaring for thieves and sheltered from any harsh winds by the neighboring mountain. The streets sloped up and down, rustic looking shops and stalls lined the ground level. The whole place felt very intimate, like the sort of small town where everyone knew each other even though it was a large city. One thing that Nina noticed as well was that most of the older generation had scars or were injured in some way. And pretty much all of these veterans, when they caught sight of her grandmother, would give her a nod or a greeting. Some even nervously saluted the former drill sergeant. The place that they ended up going for lunch was run by one of Melina¡¯s old army buddies. He introduced himself as Zeff and was a peg legged man with a ridiculously long and twirly mustache. ¡°How do you maintain a mustache like that?¡± Nina asked. If there was one thing she remembered from her past life as a man, it was that men with facial hair loved talking about their facial hair, especially those with mustaches. Sure enough, Zeff let out a boisterous laugh and started going off about waxes and trimmers, much to Melina¡¯s annoyance. ¡°Enough, Zeff!¡± exclaimed the old woman. ¡°We¡¯re here to eat, not talk about your Rattata whiskers.¡± ¡°Bahaha!¡± The old man laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, Mels. This is a work of art styled after a Dragonite¡¯s antennae, not some crude Rattata whisker. Not that I expect someone as boorish as you would understand.¡± Zeff then gave Nina a gentle pat on the head. ¡°Your granddaughter on the other hand, what a remarkably cultured young lady. As expected of someone raised in the City of Water and Arts. Your mother did right by raising you away from this brute.¡± Nina simply giggled at the compliment while Melina scoffed before demanding to be served. Zeff¡¯s restaurant was a seafood restaurant, surprisingly enough. The man had his ingredients flown in fresh from Pallet Town every single day. And needless to say, his skills were top notch, an absolute hidden gem in a rough and tumble city like Pewter. His lobster thermidor in particular was to die for. When Nina asked why he chose to set up in this place. Zeff simply laughed and said: ¡°Well, someone has to keep the youngsters in line.¡± It was a non-answer, but the girl chose not to pry any further. In this city full of history and spirit, everyone had their own story. Chapter 31 The Pewter City Gym was decidedly less impressive than Cerulean City¡¯s. Where the entrepreneurial Cerulean Sisters had transformed their Gym into a Water themed wonderland, the Rock Type Gym was much more utilitarian. The only semblance of decor that Nina could see were the statues of a Golem and a Rhyperior flanking the entrance. After that, it was just a simple looking, run down reception desk with a waiting area for challengers. ¡°Hello Melina, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡± A solid looking man with tanned skin, spiky hair and slit for eyes came out to greet them. Brock looked mostly like what Nina remembered, except he was a bit more rugged, had a few more wrinkles, and the man was wearing a tank top as opposed to being topless like his sprite. ¡°And this must be your dearest granddaughter. I heard you¡¯re one of Misty¡¯s apprentices, is that so?¡± ¡°Yeap,¡± Nina answered. ¡°My name is Melina Jones, but everyone just calls me Nina. And this is my partner, Tini.¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°I heard that you used to travel with Misty?¡± She continued Brock¡¯s face bloomed with a nostalgic smile. ¡°I did, yes. Man, that felt like ages ago¡­ Those were good times. Melina snorted at the Gym Leader. ¡°You¡¯re fifty years too early to be waxing nostalgic, boy.¡± Brock laughed in response to the grumpy elder. ¡°I¡¯m only 34 this year, dear Melina. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re not even past 60 yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t see me going on and on about my past youth! Buckle up boy, there¡¯s still plenty of life left in you yet. If you have time to be thinking about the past then whip the future into shape instead. I heard that new apprentice of yours has been running amok recently.¡± Brock winced ever so slightly at the mention of his Gym Apprentice. ¡°Cole is¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Nevermind, shall we move on to the tour? Though you¡¯ll find that our Gym is quite lacking compared to what Misty and her sisters have done to theirs.¡± Melina scoffed in disdain but chose not to comment any further. The first area that they were led to was just past a door from the reception. ¡°Is this where you do the screening battles?¡± Nina asked. The space that unveiled itself in front of the girl was a hazardous terrain filled with boulders and rocks. The ground itself was uneven and consisted of a mixture of gravel, sand, dirt and mud. It felt to Nina like they had just carved out a slice of the rocky biome surrounding Mount Moon and grafted it into the Gym. ¡°Where are the lines?¡± Nina did not see the usual chalk lines that would delineate an arena. And the space they were in looked like it might be big enough to fit ten of them at once. In fact, from where Nina was standing, she couldn¡¯t even see the other side where her opponent would stand due to all the obstructions in the way. Brock chuckled. ¡°There are none. This is part of the challenge of battling in our Gym,¡± he made a sweeping gesture towards the supposed arena. ¡°This space was originally designed to train soldiers and their Pokemon, so it was made to be as realistic to the field as possible. We frequently hold screening battles simultaneously and there are times where trainers will even receive some crossfire from their neighbors.¡± ¡°Kids these days are too pampered,¡± chimed Melina. ¡°What¡¯s the point of battling in a pretty looking flat arena?! There are no rules out there on the battlefield!¡± Brock gave the old woman a helpless smile. ¡°Times are different now, Melina. Though we do try to maintain the spirit of our predecessors.¡± He then continued addressing Nina. ¡°Most of the time, we don¡¯t even clean up after a battle and leave the wrecked arena as it is. Challengers who come at us repeatedly will find that the terrain changes every time.¡± ¡°What if a Water Pokemon floods the place?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just end up disadvantaging your own trainers?¡± ¡°The foundation of the space is made from a special mix of permeable concrete, so most bodies of water will drain over a short period of time. Besides, our Pokemon aren¡¯t weak enough to be hindered by a bit of water. It¡¯s only when there¡¯s enough water around to form a lake that we activate the drainage system.¡± To be specific, Rock Types were weak to Water Type Energy and not water itself. Throw a rock into a river and it¡¯s not like it¡¯ll disintegrate or anything. But there was just something about the two Type Energies that oppose one another. Observations from scientists seem to suggest that Water Type Energy has the tendency to displace Rock, which is lethal to Rock Types who have to circulate the Energy within their inorganic bodies like blood in order to function. Nina nodded in interest. It was quite eye opening to see the differences in Gyms. In a way, Misty¡¯s Gym was similar with their exclusive use of water arenas but much less extreme. At least there were still considerations being made to ensure that landbound Pokemon were able to battle in the Cerulean Gym. Here in the Pewter Gym, Water Types will need to be trained in ¡®Air Swimming¡¯ if they want to even stand a chance. ¡°I imagine it''s quite chaotic here during Crunchtober.¡± She chimed. Brock laughed out at Nina''s comment. ¡°Haha. I forgot you were a Gym Apprentice, of course you¡¯d know about Crunchtober. It tends to be quite hectic, yes. Though most people like coming to us as their first Gym so it''s not too bad. Sometimes we even enlist the help of some of the older folks to help out, there¡¯s plenty of space outside to battle after all. So we can process challenges relatively quickly.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened at the laissez faire approach to screening battles. ¡°I suppose it makes sense for a former military complex to take a much more pragmatic approach to problem solving. I doubt the League even dares to admonish them anyway.¡± ¡°And this here is our main arena,¡± said Brock, after they ascended a flight of stairs. The main arena was much like the one in Cerulean, in that there were balconies on two sides for audiences to be seated, and two raised platforms on either end of the arena for Trainers to stand on. But unlike the screening arena, a trainer could actually have a complete view of the main arena from their elevated position. However, the one difference between the Pewter Gym and the Cerulean Gym was how much larger Brock¡¯s main arena was at around twice the real estate. Probably to accommodate the larger size of the more advanced Rock Types. It is said that an elder Onix can reach up to dozens of meters afterall. ¡°Were you expecting a challenger, Brock?¡± Nina pointed towards a figure who was standing on top of one of the trainer platforms. Brock frowned and narrowed his already narrow eyes at the silhouette, then proceeded to walk closer to the platform. ¡°Cole! What are you doing over there? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be training with Forrest?¡± Now that she had a closer look, Nina could clearly see that the figure was just a boy around her age, with some clear family resemblance to the Pewter City Gym Leader. ¡°I heard there was another Gym Apprentice coming to visit,¡± said the boy with a sneer. ¡°I¡¯m here to challenge them to a battle!¡± Brock palmed his face and let out an exasperated groan. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Cole. You¡¯re underaged, you¡¯re not supposed to be battling with your own Pokemon.¡± ¡°Screw the rules!¡± Exclaimed Cole. ¡°You¡¯re just a pussy. Dad wouldn¡¯t stop me from battling. That¡¯s why he gave me Onix in the first place!¡± The boy looked around and seemed to have finally noticed Nina. ¡°You! You¡¯re one of those sluts from Cerulean, right? Battle me! I¡¯ll prove to this wimp once and for all that I¡¯m the one who should be Gym Leader!¡± ¡°Cole! Language! That is not how we speak to guests!¡± Brock roared. ¡°Anyone who steps through the door of our Gym is a challenger! Dad said so!¡± Nina turned to her grandmother in confusion. ¡°Is that kid¡¯s dad, Flint?¡± Melina scoffed. ¡°Yeah, as if that drunkard wasn¡¯t enough of a disgrace. He went and filled that boy¡¯s head with all of his crazy nonsense.¡± She then turned towards Brock with a disapproving glare. ¡°You need to get a handle on your brother before someone else does it for you.¡± ¡°Shut up, you old hag!¡± exclaimed the angsty child. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try and get past my Onix!¡± ¡°Just to be sure, that kid¡¯s Onix isn¡¯t a legacy Pokemon from Flint right?¡± Nina asked Brock. The Gym Leader shook his head. ¡°No, Flint lost his trainers license ages ago. The Onix is one he caught sneakily. Usually I¡¯d intercept them, but this one fell through the cracks and I didn¡¯t have the heart to take it away from Cole¡­ This is all my fault.¡± ¡°Right¡­ If that¡¯s the case then there¡¯s no harm in taking the challenge,¡± said Nina, earning her a wide eyed look from Brock. ¡°Huh? So he does have eyes.¡± The girl mused. ¡°You¡¯re a Gym Leader. You have enough legal authority to preside over a match between two minors. And it¡¯s like grandma said, if you can¡¯t do it yourself then you need someone else to step in and teach your brother a lesson for you. In this case, it¡¯d be me and Tini. Right, Tini?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Brock looked like he was about to protest but before he could, they were interrupted by a cackle from Melina. ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s my granddaughter! Just let it happen, boy. You¡¯re a failure of a Gym Leader for not being able to rein in your apprentice, one that shares blood with you no less. Nina will show that brat how a proper Gym Apprentice should act.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d lose to a worm like that!¡± Cole screeched. But Nina and Tini paid him no mind and just continued staring at Brock, until the man eventually caved and gave a helpless nod of approval. *** ¡°This match will be a one on one between Nina of Cerulean and Cole of Pewter.¡± Declared Brock. ¡°First Pokemon to be rendered unconscious or unable to battle will be declared the loser. Trainers, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Three. Two. One, and begin.¡± Right as Brock swiped his hand down, both children tossed out their Pokeballs from their respective platforms. ¡°Go Onix! Crush them!¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Tini, you know what to do. Hold steady and charge up your tail.¡± Purple Dragon Type Energy and swirls of Water began infusing the Dratini¡¯s tail. While Cole was on the other end, furiously gesturing at Nina and running his mouth. Unfortunately, the boy was too far away and forgot to press the button to activate his mic before talking, so Nina could barely make out anything he said. All she knew was that Brock was currently telling him off so it was probably something vulgar. ¡°Dammit! Onix, Tackle! Smash that blue worm into pieces!¡± yelled Cole on the other end. In response, Onix began charging towards Tini like a freight train, smashing apart all the obstacles in his way. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Steady, Tini¡­¡± Nina and Tini just waited, undaunted by the 200 kilogram of rock snake coming their way. ¡°Steady¡­¡± And right before Onix was about to be in striking range of Tini¡¯s tail, the little blue Dragon Leered at his opponent. A feeling of discomfort washed over Onix as the Rock Type briefly faltered in his charge, allowing Tini to do a full swing of his tail and slammed the empowered Double Tail attack to the side of Onix¡¯s temple. The massive Rock Pokemon was sent careening to the side, with the full weight of his own momentum behind him, and crashed face first into the arena wall. But Newton¡¯s third law could not be denied as Tini did not escape that exchange unscathed either. The little Dragon who was less than a fifth of his opponent¡¯s size was sent flying sideways through the air and crashed into a neighboring bolder. ¡°Are you okay, Tini?!¡± Nina cried out in a panic. A weak ¡°Tiin¡­¡± could be heard in response to the little girl¡¯s distress as a slightly damaged Dratini shakily forced himself up and sharpened his gaze towards the direction of his opponent. The little Dragon cried out in defiance, challenging his opponent to come at him again. However, even after the dust had settled, Onix remained unmoving on the ground. ¡°Get up, Onix! We can¡¯t lose here. Dad said you¡¯re the strongest! We¡¯re going to take over this lousy joint and make our way up to Champion! GET UP!¡± Cole had remembered to activate his mic this time so Nina could hear his fervent calls. But even after Brock finished his countdown, the Onix remained as just a heap of inactive rocks. ¡°Onix is unable to battle,¡± declared Brock. ¡°Winner of this match is Nina of Cerulean!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± Cole slammed his fist against the metal railing and ran off without bothering to recall his injured Pokemon, something that really irked Nina to no end. ¡°He¡¯s too immature to own Pokemon,¡± said a seething Nina, once she had gathered up with Brock and her grandmother near the unconscious Onix. Melina scoffed. ¡°Is that how an apprentice is supposed to act? Flint might be a degenerate fool now. But back in his prime, he would never have allowed one of his trainers to treat their Pokemon like this.¡± Brock sighed as he went over Cole¡¯s Onix with a Super Potion. Nina could see a nasty crater on the side of Onix¡¯s head where Tini¡¯s tail impacted. Her partner had really packed a lot of power into that one strike. Nina gave her little noodle a boop and a kiss for a job well done and turned towards Brock to ask if Onix was okay. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± assured the Gym Leader. ¡°Rock Pokemon are tough so he¡¯ll just come away from this with a concussion. Though I am somewhat worried about his vision ¡ª that hit also impacted his eye socket. So it¡¯s best if I have him checked out in a Pokemon Center.¡± ¡°How though?¡± Asked Nina. ¡°Cole ran off with his Pokeball.¡± Brock simply sighed and looked towards the direction that his brother ran off to. Chapter 32 ¡°Are you sure you want to hand this Onix over to the Rangers?¡± Nurse Joy asked. Brock had earlier summoned an irate Nurse Joy over to look at Onix, since it was too inconvenient to move the Pokemon without his Ball. The pink haired nurse ended up using her authority to break Onix¡¯s psychic imprint to Cole¡¯s Pokeball and captured him in a new one. The Gym Leader gave a sad nod in response to the question. ¡°Yes, but tell Honoka that if she¡¯s having trouble resettling him, feel free to come back and I¡¯ll take over his care.¡± Brock explained that he didn¡¯t want to keep the Onix around if possible because he did not want to upset Cole if the boy ever caught sight of his former partner. The man had decided to take his brother¡¯s Pokemon privilege away after a joint scolding from Melina and Nurse Joy. And since he was such a pushover when it came to women, he caved almost instantly. ¡°Will do. I won¡¯t put a mark on Cole¡¯s record since he¡¯s still underaged, but I¡¯ll be making a report to the League about you and the Gym if I ever hear about anything like this happening again. Do you understand?¡± Brock nodded weakly with his shoulders slumped. The woman¡¯s warning was especially potent since it was rare to see the usually gentle Nurse Joy be this incensed. It was like disappointing a maternal figure, only ten times worse. Nina also got Tini checked out while the professionals were around and got a clean bill of health from Chansey. ¡°Chance!¡± The Pokemon cried, with a happy wave of her flippers. ¡°Just make sure that Dratini gets some rest and he should be fully recovered by tomorrow.¡± Nurse Joy added, after a quick spritz of Potion on the little Dragon. ¡°Will do. Thanks Nurse Joy!¡± Nina returned the service with a brilliant smile. ¡°Tini tin!¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m not too sure if taking Cole¡¯s Pokemon away from him at this point is necessarily the best idea¡­¡± said Nina, after the nurse had left. ¡°Nonsense!¡± exclaimed Melina. ¡°That boy needs to be whipped into shape before he can even think about touching a Pokeball.¡± She then shot another intense glare towards Brock. ¡°Make sure he stays out of trouble or I¡¯m getting the elders involved¡­¡± Brock visibly tensed at the threat and nodded stiffly. Nina had more to say, but seeing her grandmother just turn around and walk towards the exit, she opted to silently follow suit after giving the Gym Leader a sympathetic look. *** ¡°I do feel a little bad¡­¡± said Nina. The girl was currently behind the reception counter of the daycare chatting with Aunt Seki. The woman was a much more reasonable and understanding person than her grandmother. ¡°I mean, I know the kid¡¯s in the wrong and it still pisses me off that he just abandoned his fainted Pokemon. But is taking Onix away from him really the right move to make here? If anything, I feel like this is just going to exacerbate the issue and turn him down a darker path.¡± The older woman hummed in consideration. ¡°So what would you have done then?¡± ¡°Maybe have the Gym take temporary custody of Onix? And have Cole undergo some corrective measures just to educate him on some of his misconceptions. Probably separate him from Flint as well since the guy¡¯s being such a bad influence on his child.¡± ¡°All very reasonable suggestions,¡± affirmed Sekimori. ¡°I have to say Nina, you are a very mature girl for your age.¡± Nina smiled at the compliment, one that she had heard a million times before due to her secretly adult brain. ¡°But in this case, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s necessarily a right or wrong answer. Flint¡¯s youngest is a well known troublemaker around these parts, but we¡¯ve always treated him as just another rambunctious child. After he got his Onix, however, things changed. His usually harmless stunts risk causing real damage to his surroundings.¡± She then went on to briefly list out some of Coles misadventures; challenging older kids to a Pokemon battle in the middle of the city, attempting to ride his Onix up Mount Moon, threatening the kids who were being mean to him, and even pulling his Pokeball out in class when a teacher had admonished him for not paying attention. ¡°From what you¡¯re telling me, it seems that Nurse Joy supported Melina¡¯s push to have Onix separated from the boy because she considered the fact that Cole had only been with the Pokemon for a couple of months. This is still within an acceptable range for easy resettlement.¡± Sekimori explained. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Leaving Onix with the Gym would also be an option, but whether or not they decided to incorporate him among the Gym¡¯s existing roster of Pokemon or return him to Cole eventually would determine the level of care Onix would receive. And knowing what a softie Brock is, it¡¯s likely that he would just keep hold of Onix until his brother matured a bit more.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Which means Onix will probably be neglected or only receive minimal training until then.¡± The girl stretched out her arms and let out a groan. ¡°This is so annoying. I didn¡¯t expect to be caught up in so much drama just from a simple guided tour.¡± Sekimori chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s just life Nina. There¡¯s no escaping politics and drama when we¡¯re living amongst people.¡± Nina sighed, fully sympathizing with all the hermits living off route and away from civilization. ¡°Speaking of drama, what¡¯s going on with the egg?¡± ¡°Azumarill¡¯s trainer is a kind person and one of our regulars, so she¡¯s willing to make arrangements with the other party. We even agreed to house Azumarill for a few more days since he¡¯s reluctant to leave his mate and their new egg,¡± said Sekimori ¡°Marill¡¯s trainer, on the other hand, is away from the city, in addition to being a student. We talked to his parents and they seemed inclined to relinquish their custody over the egg. Problem is, Marill might not want to separate from her new family, so we¡¯ll have to wait for them to come back and see.¡± ¡°Well at least things aren¡¯t entirely disastrous on this front,¡± mused Nina. To take her mind off matters, Nina decided that she would go hang out with the Pokemon in the daycare. Maybe go and creep on the Azumarill couple some more. ¡°Pika pi!¡± ¡°Oh hey Pikachu, how was your day?¡± Patrick¡¯s Pikachu rarely got the chance to interact with other Pokemon outside of Tini, so she chose to stay behind in the daycare when Nina and Tini went out during the day. The electric mouse seemed to have befriended a set of Pichu twins that kept following her around like little ducklings. ¡°And I see you have your friends with you as well. Hi Pichus, do you guys want some berries?¡± Nina reached into her Berry Pouch to grab some of the treats she took from the pantry. She marveled at the softness of Pichu¡¯s fur as the duo approached to eat off Nina¡¯s hands. ¡°Grandma¡¯s right, maybe working in a daycare isn¡¯t so bad after all.¡± However, before Nina got too complacent in her fantasies, Pikachu pulled on her sleeve and gestured towards a certain direction. ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s up? Do you want me to follow you, Pikachu?¡± She asked, receiving a nod in return. Pikachu did not seem to be in a hurry so the little girl and three Electric mice took a leisurely stroll through the woods of the Lunar Mountain Daycare, stopping occasionally to interact with the various guests staying within its confines. ¡°Hey, Beedrill. How¡¯s it going?¡± The Beedrill that Nina met in the morning made a buzz and a click before nodding her head. Nina offered the Pokemon some Berries which she gingerly grabbed with her two hand stingers and brought it up to her face. There were apparently mandibles hidden beneath Beedrill¡¯s teardrop shaped head, but it was uncanny how Nina could not catch sight of it, no matter from which angle she looked at. ¡°So where are we headed, Pikachu?¡± ¡°Pika pika.¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there?¡± ¡°Pika!¡± The place that Nina was led to was nothing special, just a part of the daycare where the trees were relatively more dense. There weren¡¯t even any other Pokemon around. ¡°What¡¯s this, Pikachu?¡± Nina bent down to examine the spot where the electric mouse was pointing at. ¡°Hmm¡­ There seems to be something shiny there.¡± The girl squatted and pushed aside some of the vegetation to find what seems to be an oval gemstone with a pinkish and opaque hue. She grabbed hold of it out of curiosity and surprisingly, the object was warm to the touch. ¡°Is this some sort of held item?¡± Nina rummaged through her memories to try and see if she could recollect anything similar from the games, but came up empty. ¡°Well, I was never exactly a completionist when it came to the Pokemon games. There were even some that I never finished because I didn¡¯t like the artstyle or Pokemon design. Like the Black and White series.¡± ¡°Did one of the daycare Pokemon drop this?¡± Nina asked. All three Pokemon shook their heads in denial. At this point, Nina was quite perplexed. ¡°Then do you know what this is and who it belongs to?¡± Pikachu made a series of cries and gestures, before ultimately pointing up towards a tree. Nina followed with her eyes and managed to catch a glimpse of a glittering trail that went behind the leaves. ¡°Interesting, is it some wild Pokemon that wandered into the daycare. Judging from the brief flash of pink I saw, it could be a Clefairy. We are next to Mount Moon after all.¡± Nina gave chase, wanting to go make friends with the mysterious Pokemon. But the Pokemon in question seemed to be able to fly as it deftly circled around the trees, letting out a melodious giggle every once in a while as if teasing its pursuers. The closest Nina got was catching a glimpse of its slender pink tail which had a little nub at the end. ¡°That tail. It looks familiar¡­¡± Nina murmured. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be¡­ Mew! You¡¯re Mew, right?!¡± A childlike giggle could be heard in response to Nina¡¯s question, but this time the voice seems to be transmitted directly into Nina¡¯s brain. It was a little unsettling, but the girl took it as confirmation of her suspicions and doubled down on her pursuit. ¡°I¡¯ve got Berries. All sorts of flavors, do you wanna come over so we could share?¡± Nina called, but only got another mischievous giggle in return as the Pokemon never slowed down. ¡°It wants to play tag with us.¡± Nina realized. So the girl and her three Pokemon companions played along, Nina even incorporated some strategy by asking Pikachu and the twins to circle around and take up various positions to encircle the elusive Mythical Pokemon. Mew giggled excitedly, getting a kick out of the increased difficulty. The more airtight Nina¡¯s entrapment, the more wily the Pokemon became. There was a point where she even managed to catch sight of the Pokemon¡¯s full body in all its pink and feline glory. ¡°I knew it!¡± exclaimed the ecstatic Nina. For as powerful as Mew was, it was being a good sport by not flying above the treelines or using any moves aside from their flight. But it did not diminish how tricky the alleged Ancestor of all Pokemon were. Everytime, Nina or any of the electric mice came close to cornering Mew, the Pokemon would just make some sort of impossible maneuver to escape their grasp. At some point, Nina became too tired to continue. As energetic as her childish body was, she could not compare to the stamina of an average Pokemon, let alone a Mythical one. Even Pikachu and the Pichus were looking a little rough as all four of them sat down beneath a tree. ¡°Mew?¡± The Myth cried out in disappointment. Nina chuckled. ¡°Sorry Mew, but I¡¯m beat. I think you¡¯re the winner. Here, have some Berries as your reward.¡± The girl grabbed a fistful of Berries from her pouch and held it out to Mew whose eyes sparkled and flew circles around Nina. ¡°Mew mew.¡± The Mythical Pokemon seemed to be experiencing choice paralysis as it stared intently at the selection on offer, before reaching out and grabbing a random Aspear Berry to nibble on. ¡°Mew~¡± The sourness of the Berry took Mew by surprise as it scrunched up its face and did a little shiver, eliciting laughter from Nina and the other Pokemon. ¡°If you don¡¯t like sour foods, you can give that to Pikachu, because she loves her Aspears.¡± Nina suggested. ¡°Feel free to try some of the others as well, no need to be shy. I¡¯ve got plenty where those came from.¡± Mew cried out once more and settled down on Nina¡¯s lap, much to her delight, and began gingerly picking at the colorful Berries. True to its feline form, the Pokemon Ancestor reminded Nina of cats in their feel. They had a similarly soft texture to their fur and the same sort of lean muscular physique. Being able to caress the elusive Myth was an absolutely surreal experience which Nina never thought she¡¯d be able to do even after her awakening in this world. This world of Pokemon was fiction in her old world. But even in the context of this world, Mew was something close to fiction as well ¡ª a theorized existence but never fully confirmed. Or maybe it was confirmed but those who had the honor of interacting with Mew chose to obscure their findings in an effort to protect the innocent Pokemon. Nina vowed to do the same. ¡°By the way, Mew,¡± Nina took out the pink gemstone she found earlier from her pocket. ¡°Is this yours?¡± Mew nodded, its Berry stained mouth made for an adorable sight. ¡°Here, careful not to lose it again, okay?¡± She offered, but surprisingly, Mew shook its head and closed Nina¡¯s fingers over the stone. ¡°Are you saying, this is for me? Thank you. But erm¡­ What¡¯s it for?¡± Mew tilted its head and let out a giggle. The little prankster then flew in front of Nina and gave the girl a kiss on the cheek with its Berry stained mouth, before doing a twirl and disappearing in a flash of light. Nina simply sat there mouth agape, unsure of what had just happened. She then looked down at the mysterious gemstone and tried to get a feel for it. ¡°This warmth, and this¡­ aura?¡± Now that Nina has had a chance to touch Mew in person, the gem feels familiar somehow. The girl had no idea what the gemstone was, but since she was gifted the item by a Mythical Pokemon, Nina decided to keep it a secret from her grandmother and stash it away. ¡°I have no idea if this thing contains any sort of power, but just in case, best that I keep it safe with me at all times. Maybe I can turn it into a necklace or something. I should ask Beverly when I get back.¡± Chapter 33 Nina giddily bounced around like a hyperactive Spoink. ¡°Grandma is taking me up Mount Moon. Grandma is taking me up Mount Moon!¡± It was her last day in Pewter City, and Melina Ashes suddenly announced that she would bring Nina to a secret spot halfway up the mountain for a picnic before flying her granddaughter back to Cerulean City. Nina could not tell if her grandmother was doing this to spite her father or if she just wanted to get back at Nina for ruining her surprise yesterday, but regardless, she happily agreed to the trip. However, as it turns out, there was actually a relatively safe hiking trail that was established on the side of Mount Moon facing Pewter City, with stairs carved into the mountainside as well as railings and everything. The trail was intended for any tourists that came to visit and leads to an observation deck somewhere on the side of the mountain that overlooks the entire city. But that was not Melina¡¯s intended destination. In fact, about a third of the way through the trail, Melina veered off and led Nina away to a hidden sidepath around a fairly steep cliff. Nina silently followed along, happy to be brought on an adventure as opposed to going to some tourist trap. ¡°Do you come here often, grandma?¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± the woman answered. ¡°I usually Fly where I can, then make the rest of the way on foot. But since you¡¯ve been making a fuss about climbing the mountain, I decided to walk instead. I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints about your feet hurting, you hear?¡± Nina responded with a bright smile and an enthusiastic nod. ¡°Thanks grandma, you¡¯re the best!¡± Melina chuckled at her granddaughter. ¡°And don¡¯t you forget it!¡± The two continued walking, occasionally needing to crabwalk past a particularly narrow path, or squeeze their way through a gap in the mountain. But eventually, they reached a small grove of trees and Berries nestled within the mountainside, a rare sight among the barren landscape of Mount Moon. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Past the grove was a cave, and lining its entrance was a wooden arch painted bright red, with some sort of plaque of Unown letters adorning the middle of the topmost beams. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a torii gate?¡± Nina rushed forwards to examine the familiar construct. Torii gates were often associated with religious connotations in her old world, and she had not been expecting to see one in the middle of Mount Moon of all places. ¡°I would understand if this was Johto, but as far as I understand Shinto imagery isn¡¯t very prevalent on this side of Mount Silver.¡± ¡°Tory?¡± Chimed Melina. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that word means but this here is a spirit gate, or at least that¡¯s what people call it. They say it¡¯s used to separate the boundaries between the spirit realm and the material realm.¡± ¡°So different name, but same symbolism.¡± Nina half listened to her grandmother while she examined the spirit gate in fascination. The gate was ancient, Nina could tell from how worn down and textured the wood was. But it was also extremely well maintained as evident by the layers upon layers of paint applied onto it over the years. When she looked close enough, the girl could make out certain spots where the color was lighter than the others. The paint job was like patchwork, as each successive generation dabbed at it every so often with a coarse brush to touch up the spirit gate¡¯s appearance. ¡°Have you been coming by to fix up the gate, grandma?¡± Melina snorted. ¡°Heh. As if. I got better things to do than to coddle this old thing. No, it¡¯s the work of the family that guards this place. You¡¯ll see.¡± The woman beckoned for her grandchild to follow as she stepped through the spirit gate. Nina looked up at the gate in its entirety, trying to read the plaque that was on it, but ultimately faltering under the oppressive aura of the spiritual boundary. ¡°If I step through this, will I find myself back in my old world?¡± Nina was afraid. There was a part of her that still thought this was all just a dream and that one day she would wake up again in a hospital bed. Only, it won¡¯t be as a three year old toddler, but rather, a recently comatosed Miles. ¡°Tiin¡­¡± As if sensing his partner¡¯s unease, Tini moved in and booped Nina on the nose causing her to giggle in astonishment. ¡°Hehe¡­ Thanks, Tini. I needed that,¡± said Nina as she booped her partner in return. ¡°No matter what happens, you¡¯ll always be by my side, right?¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± The Dragon cried in assurance. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go.¡± Nina took in a deep breath as she thrust her feet past the threshold and continued onwards, finding solace in the familiar pressure of her Dratini coiled around her. The inside of the cave was one long and unnaturally smooth tunnel, suggesting that it might have been excavated. ¡°Likely not by hand. Probably an Onix or some other Rock Type Pokemon? But some of this looks a little too natural¡­¡± Visibility was not an issue because there were faintly luminescent moss and fungus dotted throughout. And Melina had whipped out a lantern at some point as well. ¡°Why are there no Zubats around?¡± Nina asked. The bat Pokemon were usually everywhere in these sorts of caverns. Her grandmother chuckled. ¡°Because this is Clefable turf. Those little pink devils don¡¯t take too kindly to Zubats flying around and leaving their droppings in their home.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll get to meet some Clefas today? I hope I brought enough Berries.¡± ¡°Heh. Maybe. Those guys are nocturnal so they¡¯re probably asleep right now.¡± said the old woman. Nina whined in disappointment. ¡°But look,¡± Melina pointed at the wall. ¡°At least you get to see doodles of them.¡± And indeed, Nina was beginning to see crude murals of what appears to be depictions of the Clefable line dancing under a large circle, presumably the moon. As they continued walking deeper in, the murals shifted to show a falling meteorite hurtling towards the dancing Pokemon. After that, Nina saw images of Clefairy dancing around a piece of rock, with some of them ¡°glowing¡± to indicate evolution. What came next was a little more perplexing as human stick figures began joining the ensemble. But just as Nina was pondering the murals, the space lit up to unveil a secret oasis in the middle of what appears to be a large crater, with a pristine body of water to the side and all sorts of vegetation growing in its surroundings. Amidst all of that was a simple looking Shinto shrine right in the center. Pokemon of the Clefable line could be seen lounging around the religious construct, all of whom were asleep, much to Nina¡¯s anguish. Within the shrine, in place of an altar, was a massive rock with a thick piece of hemp rope, or shimenawa as is the Japanese term, tied around it in a braided pattern. And in lieu of an offering box and summoning bell, local Pokemon seemed to have surrounded the large rock with a myriad of smaller rocks and stones. ¡°Is that a Moon Stone?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Yeap, in a very literal sense. That there is a piece of the moon that fell down to earth ages ago. See those piles of rocks at the base?¡± Melina pointed. ¡°Most of them will turn into Moon Stones after enough time has passed.¡± ¡°Wait, so are the rocks absorbing the ambient energy from the Moon Stone or are they actively siphoning from the source?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the former, child.¡± The sudden reply came from an old lady wearing a traditional priestess garb who seemed to have suddenly materialized out of nowhere by their side. Nina jolted in surprise, but her grandmother seemed unphased. ¡°Even after it was detached from the main celestial body, the Stone remains connected to its mother in the heavens above, and continues to be nurtured by her gentle light.¡± The priestess continued. Melina snorted in response. ¡°Always such a drama queen. Futaba, I see you¡¯re still alive and kicking.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Futaba snorted in return. ¡°If anything, I¡¯ll make sure to outlive you. You old skank.¡± ¡°Says the person looking like melted ice cream.¡± And indeed, the priestess was old. Older even than Melina, with wrinkled and saggy skin, and a head of white hair tied up in a braid. ¡°I can outrun you any day of the week, you insolent bitch. And who do we have here? Have you finally decided to bring a worthy successor to me?¡± Futaba asked. Melina scoffed at her old friend. ¡°You can go find your own successor, you witch. Just because your family all left you doesn¡¯t mean you have a right to mine. This is Nina, my granddaughter. I¡¯m just taking her to see the sights.¡± Futaba laughed. ¡°Ha! Your granddaughter! As if I¡¯d believe that, this one¡¯s eyes are too pure to be one of your spawn.¡± ¡°As if a decrepit old Sneasal like you would know anything about purity.¡± Nina looked back and forth between the two bickering grandmas, shrugging indifferently before wandering off to get a closer look at the giant Moon Stone. The girl made sure to take her shoes off before entering the shrine. In truth, Nina did not know if she was allowed in here. If not, then she¡¯ll just use her ultimate trump card of Baby-Doll Eyes to get off with a mild scolding. With how lustrous it was, the piece of the moon looked more like a gemstone than the boring moon rock that Nina was used to. ¡°I wonder if this world¡¯s moon is the same as Miles¡¯s moon.¡± Because despite all the technological advancements of this world, the people here don¡¯t seem very interested in space exploration. In fact, Nina was surprised to learn that no one had successfully made a trip to the moon. Or maybe they did, but the feat was never published. ¡°Everyone knew Rayquaza existed, and that guy¡¯s like a cosmic Dragon and all.¡± There were satellites of course, but there weren''t many. Communication in this world relied on Porygons and Psychic tethers formed by specially trained Psychic Pokemon. That¡¯s why Nina¡¯s Pokegear had impeccable reception even in the deepest of caves and why calling out to a different region was so difficult; the network here simply runs on different principles than the radio waves of Nina¡¯s old world. It also meant that everything was more utilitarian than the entertainment driven world of Miles. ¡°Speaking of Rayquaza, isn¡¯t that the Dragon right there?¡± The mural was brought to Nina¡¯s attention by Tini¡¯s nudging. She looked up at the top of a wall to see a very stylized green Dragon flying through the skies and headed towards the moon. Looking around, she also saw another mural of Lugia, showing the Legendary Bird enveloping a reflection of the moon on water. But before she could continue her observations, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Nina jolted in surprise, looking behind her to see Futaba hovering over her. ¡°Sorry, I got curious,¡± said the girl, in a shaky voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Futaba assured Nina with a smile. ¡°Curiosity is a privilege of the young. It¡¯s not often I get young ones here to visit.¡± ¡°Do you live here all by yourself?¡± The little girl asked. Futaba chuckled. ¡°Of course not. Do you not see all those Pokemon napping outside? Taking care of that lot is a full time job, I tell you.¡± Nina nodded, choosing not to comment on the part that was left unsaid. ¡°I always heard people say that the Clefable line was descended from the moon, but after seeing the murals here, that wouldn¡¯t make sense. If they indeed came from the moon, then why would they be dancing and praying to it in the pictures?¡± ¡°Oh? Quite an observant one, aren''t you.¡± Futaba laughed. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re that woman¡¯s grandchild?¡± She asked, but not answering Nina¡¯s question. Realizing that the woman wouldn¡¯t be willing to divulge any of her secrets, Nina chose to back off, but not before making another jab. ¡°Grandma said that your family left you. So when you¡¯re not around anymore, who will take care of the shrine?¡± Futaba cackled. ¡°Ah, there it is. There¡¯s the Arbok¡¯s venom.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. That wasn¡¯t my intent.¡± Futaba gave a listless shake of her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I have long since made peace with my life. Your grandmother is right, I¡¯m just a decrepit old fool wasting away all by my lonesome. My family did not leave me ¡ª I drove them away with my stubbornness. And as for this shrine, well¡­ I¡¯m not the only one privy to its existence. There are others, and you as well now, little girl. I¡¯m sure one of the more foolish of the lot will take it upon themselves to do something.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Melina snorted. ¡°As if I¡¯ll come and clean up your mess.¡± Futaba rolled her eyes and pat Nina on the head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t counting on it. Only my successor may peek behind the curtains and learn the truth of this world.¡± The last part was evidently aimed at Nina, much to Melina¡¯s chagrin and Nina¡¯s frustration. ¡°As if I¡¯d fall for that. Though I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Melina exclaimed. ¡°I brought too much food with me so you might as well come along and join us. There¡¯s stuff in here that even a toothless old Persian like you can chew on.¡± Nina held back her snicker. Despite her grandmother¡¯s cold facade, the woman was clearly concerned about the wellbeing of her solitary friend. Chapter 34 ¡°So, how have you been, Nina?¡± began Roxy, as was customary for the teacher at this point. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thanks for asking, Ms Roxy. Just spent the weekend over at my grandma¡¯s place in Pewter City.¡± Roxy smiled. ¡°Ah¡­ Pewter City, a place steeped in history. It used to be a military complex you know? Its proximity to Viridian, and its relative safety away from the frontlines along with the mountains shielding it meant that it was an ideal location to station troops and supplies. Not once in its storied history has Johto managed to breach its perimeter, and not for a lack of trying either.¡± Nina nodded, thinking it was cute how the history teacher started geeking out about the subject. ¡°Yeah, my grandma told me. She used to be a drill sergeant back in her day. It was interesting how¡­ abstract the city was. Really makes you wonder how they even managed to get plumbing into every household.¡± Nina¡¯s teacher laughed at her musings. ¡°Of course, I should expect nothing less of you, Nina. You really do make the most interesting observations don¡¯t you?¡± said Roxy. ¡°The answer is that they couldn¡¯t. Even now, there are still certain areas of Pewter City that rely on public toilets and bathhouses for their bodily needs. Do you know why the City was built the way it was?¡± ¡°Families of troops stationed there began establishing themselves in the vicinity to stay in touch with their loved ones. What began as wooden huts and makeshift tents slowly became brick and mortar buildings. For whatever reason, no one thought about regulating the development of the satellite town, and it just became the way that it was.¡± Nina answered. ¡°I also didn¡¯t know that there were bathhouses in the city, otherwise I would''ve asked to visit,¡± she murmured. Roxy chuckled ¡°Well they¡¯re not hot springs if that¡¯s what you were expecting. Mount Moon is absent of any thermal activity. The only place in Kanto where we can find genuine hot springs is in Cinnabar, really. Unlike our Johton counterparts where hot springs are fairly common. The flip side of that blessing is that they often suffer from more severe earthquakes of course.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°Anyways,¡± Roxy continued. ¡°How is your family otherwise? I heard your mother is back. Is she well?¡± ¡°Yeap,¡± Nina smiled. ¡°Mom is doing a lot better. I was actually sent to grandma¡¯s place because dad wanted to have some alone time with mom. They think I don¡¯t know but I¡¯m not that gullible.¡± Nina had no idea what Patrick did with Leanette while she was away. But whatever it was, it seemed to have worked because her mother did show some improvements. The woman was still somewhat aloof, but unlike before where she was very wary around Nina and abstained from making contact with her daughter unless initiated, Leanette actually bent down to caress Nina¡¯s cheeks of her own accord when she came back. She felt more like the woman that Nina used to know as opposed to some mindless doll. ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s good to hear,¡± said Roxy, with a faint smile. ¡°Now then, I asked you to come by because I can finally talk a bit about the opportunity I promised you last time. Good job on taking care of yourself by the way. I didn¡¯t fail to notice that you¡¯ve been resting more frequently than you initially said you would. Nina lit up and leaned forward in her chair. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what for, but I want you to write me an essay about Pokemon.¡± The girl tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Is there a specific theme or topic outside of Pokemon?¡± Roxy sighed and shook her head. ¡°No, unfortunately not. It¡¯s an open topic where you can write about anything you want, so long as it''s about Pokemon. I understand that this might be a difficult task, so just make sure to stay true to yourself and try not to overextend too much by delving into things that might be a bit too advanced.¡± Nina frowned, trying to decipher the underlying intent behind this assignment. But the only thing that came to her mind was that this was a test of character. ¡°May I know if this is purely limited to the elementary school circle?¡± ¡°No, this is an all ages thing. But don¡¯t be too pressured, there¡¯s a reason why the essay topic is so broad. In fact, not knowing the context might even be beneficial to you.¡± Nina hummed. ¡°So is it right for me to think that they¡¯re looking for a piece of work that showcases me as a person as opposed to my knowledge then?¡± She probed. Roxy smiled but did not give a verbal response, indicating that Nina had hit the bullseye. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll start working on it. Handwritten or printed? And may I know when the deadline is?¡± ¡°Printed might be best, and anytime before summer break commences should be fine. Though the sooner the better of course, to avoid any last minute mishaps.¡± They were now just about to enter May, which meant that Nina had around two months to work on the essay. That was plenty enough time. Though the question remains of what she should even write about. *** After returning from her trip, Nina messaged Beverly about a recommended jeweler. The older girl had initially wanted to bring her in person this coming weekend, but Nina wanted to limit people¡¯s exposure to her Mew Gem and declined her with the excuse of urgency. As expected, the shop that Beverly recommended to her was in the Stretch, since that was the girl¡¯s usual haunt. ¡°Welcome,¡± greeted the portly shopkeeper, once Nina stepped through the somewhat esoteric storefront filled with all sorts of crystals and gemstones. It kind of reminded the girl of those quirky little mystic shops of her past life. ¡°How may I help you today, little miss.¡± ¡°Hi there,¡± Nina took out her pink gemstone. ¡°I have this memento here and was wondering if it was possible to have a necklace made out of it?¡± The woman adjusted her glasses and leaned in closer to have a look at the gem. ¡°Oh my, I can sense a potent energy emanating from this beauty. In all my years, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anything quite like it.¡± ¡°It was a gift from a friend,¡± explained Nina. ¡°Would you happen to know of anything similar? I wasn¡¯t told much details about it.¡± The lady shook her head. ¡°Every individual stone contains their own unique aura. What I can tell you is that there was no ill intent behind the gift. But if it is a custom accessory you wish for then I can certainly oblige. Give me a week and I will turn this into a masterpiece.¡± ¡°Actually I was hoping to get something sooner, are there any ready made solutions available?¡± Nina was reluctant to part with the gem for fear that something might happen to it. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t be as good, but I can modify some of our inventory to house the jewel. Give me a moment and I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Nina thanked the lady and sat down to wait. During their little picnic yesterday, Nina had shown Mew¡¯s gem to Futaba after Melina had excused herself to go to the bathroom. She was hoping to elicit some sort of reaction from the sagely woman and gain some insight into Mew¡¯s gift. And indeed, the woman did react, by giving her a knowing smile without saying much more. The priestess¡¯s crypticness frustrated Nina to no end. But just when she was about to roll her eyes and give up on the endeavor, the old woman spoke. ¡°When you find my granddaughter during the course of your journey, bring her to me and I shall grant you the knowledge which you seek.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sensing some hope, Nina inquired further. ¡°Okay, can you tell me a bit more about your granddaughter?¡± ¡°I have not seen her since she was but a small babe, so it is likely that she now looks different from what I remember.¡± The old woman lamented in regret. ¡°What I can tell you is that the name I gave her at birth was Yotsuha. Though most likely she would have discarded that name and taken her father¡¯s by this point.¡± Nina sighed. Yotsuha was a fairly common name and without much else to work on, this request was like finding a needle in a haystack. ¡°Although, she did say ¡®when¡¯ I find her and not ¡®if¡¯. Like she knows for a fact that I would encounter her at some point.¡± ¡°I suppose, if her mother does not completely despise our family, she would have kept her Clefairy.¡± Futaba continued. ¡°And would have eventually passed on an egg to her daughter.¡± She also mentioned that Yotsuha should be 19 years old at this point which helps to narrow things down a lot more. The Clefable line was not rare, but they weren¡¯t exactly common either. So Nina just had to keep an eye out for anyone in their late teens with a Pokemon of the Clefable line and subtly prod them about their birth name. ¡°Difficult, but not impossible,¡± thought the girl. So Nina naturally agreed to the request, there was no penalty for failing anyway. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± said the shopkeeper, rousing Nina from her recollection. The woman laid out a selection of necklaces in front of her, none of which were housing any jewels. ¡°Please select one that you like and we¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t fit in your gemstone.¡± The woman proceeded to elaborate a bit more on the characteristics of each necklace to the girl, with Nina ultimately choosing a sturdy stainless steel one with a hard frame that would help secure Mew¡¯s gem in place without any risk of it falling off. It wasn¡¯t the most girly option, but Nina cared more about practicality anyway. ¡°Alright,¡± the woman took out some strings and calipers to take measurements of Mew¡¯s gem. ¡°Please lend me your jewel for a moment. This shouldn¡¯t take more than 30 minutes so feel free to wait here, though I wouldn¡¯t mind if you came back later as well.¡± Nina chose to wait, and ended up spending 500 Pokedollars on just the plain necklace, making her wince slightly. But she still willingly took out her Pokegear and made payment. Patrick had set up a bank account for his daughter once she began making her own money, which was nice. ¡°You¡¯re still a growing child, so if the necklace is no longer a good fit, feel free to come back and I¡¯ll adjust it for free.¡± The lady offered. ¡°Or if you ever decide to customize something more befitting of that gem¡¯s beauty then feel free to come back as well, I¡¯d be happy to do it at a discount.¡± It was a very generous offer, so Nina thanked the woman and stepped out of the shop with Tini and her new necklace in tow. The gem felt warm against her chest providing her with an additional sense of comfort. ¡°Next up, let¡¯s get a laptop.¡± Nina had been meaning to get her own personal computer for a while now. Her Pokegear¡¯s tiny screen was starting to feel really restrictive and she didn¡¯t want to always go to the library while she was working on her essay. The girl glanced at her bank account and calculated how much she would have left by the end of the day. The conclusion made her heart ache. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped, Nina. What¡¯s the point of having money if you¡¯re not going to spend it on stuff you need.¡± Nina sighed and marched towards an electronics store. Chapter 35 Pikachu and Tini splashed around in the water, crying and laughing as they did. Meanwhile their human companion was sitting on her camping chair and staring holes into her newly purchased gizmo. The laptop that Nina ended up buying was a rugged one equipped with a handle to be carried around like a briefcase when not in use. There were certainly slicker and more advanced models available, but she wanted something that would last her rather than a shiny new gadget that¡¯ll break after a couple of years. Not that this was any cheaper though, apparently ¡°Military Grade¡± in this world did not mean cheap mass produced garbage. ¡°Roxy did not say anything about a word or page limit, but she did specifically use the term ¡®essay¡¯. So I¡¯m assuming they¡¯re not looking for a doctoral thesis or anything. Especially considering that there¡¯s probably other children my age participating in¡­ whatever this is.¡± Nina looked back on her two lifetime¡¯s worth of experiences and thought about what made her who she was. In her past life, Miles just drifted through university picking up random electives and studying whatever took his fancy at the moment before graduating with a degree in accounting. Needless to say his life after that was less than exciting. But that did mean Nina had a wide breadth of knowledge in various esoteric subjects like history, anthropology, a bit of computer science, literature, etcetera. Note breadth, not depth. Everything she learned from her past life was surface level and introductory at best. She had always been someone who enjoyed the act of learning more than doing, devouring books like people devoured potato chips. Though her scattered attention span meant she rarely dwelled on a topic for too long. Case in point, Nina had tried researching the fundamentals of how a Pokeball worked since her reincarnation in this world. The schematics of the basic Pokeball were in the public domain and there was no shortage of material written on it. But she had yet to crack even the surface of how the technology worked. Mainly because she would get bored. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Apricorn balls were a different matter however, involving more artistry than science. But that was precisely why studying them was of little use. Since most of the written material was either historical records or just hocus-pocus spiritual nonsense. One thing that Nina still enjoyed doing in both her lives was traveling. Miles was especially well traveled, if compared to your average homebody. He would often save up his money and take two weeks off the year just to roam around and soak in new cultures. But instead of going to beachside resorts, he favored just renting an Airbnb in a residential neighborhood, exploring the area and mingling with the locals. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ You know, for a seven year old, I¡¯ve had my fair share of adventures. How many other kids my age can claim to have captured a Dragon in the Safari Zone, worked behind the scenes in a Gym, battled a Gym Apprentice, played tag with a Mythical Pokemon and explored a hidden shrine dedicated to the moon.¡± However, something felt missing. Nina could write about her adventures and do very well. But in all her experiences, the highlights have always been the people and the Pokemon. So how does she incorporate everything into one cohesive piece? ¡°People, Pokemon and the World. That sounds like a decent title¡­ Not that there¡¯s any substance to it just yet.¡± The girl continued her introspection until the sky was stained red and her two Pokemon companions came over to nudge her back into reality. ¡°Oh wow, look at the time. We should probably head back now. Did you catch any fish, Tini?¡± The little Dragon averted his gaze in guilt and Nina laughed at how cute her partner was. The girl had largely left the two Pokemon to their own devices since she was too busy with her thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We got, what? Half a cooler¡¯s worth. That should be fine. Not like we¡¯re pressed for money right now.¡± She said as she booped her partner on the nose. *** Nina thanked the bus driver as usual for helping to heft the cooler up the bus. The man didn¡¯t have to, but he did it every time anyway. Nina made a mental note to buy a thank you gift for the man at some point. Pikachu ran ahead and climbed up to their usual seat near the front, while Tini was content to just stay wrapped around Nina. The whole bus was empty today owing to how late it was, except for a familiar looking man who was sitting near the back. ¡°No way¡­ Is that?¡± Pikachu made a whining noise as Nina walked past her usual seat, dragging her cooler over to where the man was. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m sorry to bother you Professor Bill. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your paper on Eeveelutions and Evolution anxiety. It was very enlightening, especially your observations on how evolution was an active, and not passive phenomenon.¡± The man Nina was addressing was indeed the renowned Bill, who invented the Pokemon Transfer System. At this point in his life he was a full on Pokemon Professor and a much older man. Though he still retained his signature hairstyle while wearing a lilac purple button up. The Pokemon Professor gave an amicable smile. ¡°Oh my, to think that the Dratini Girl was aware of my name. I¡¯m quite honored. Though I do wonder, what prompted a young girl to read such an old and boring paper. If I recall, I wrote that one near the start of my career.¡± Nina sat down on the opposite aisle and frowned in confusion. ¡°Well, I saw a documentary about Rainbow Ranch and its Eevees, and the topic of Evolution anxiety was brought up. But wait, what do you mean Dratini Girl? Are you referring to the shows that Tini performs in over at the Gym. I don¡¯t think many people know I¡¯m his trainer though?¡± Bill chuckled. ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t know that you were one of Misty¡¯s either. Unfortunately, I¡¯m much too busy to go see the Cerulean Sisters perform. Though they do come and visit the Cottage from time to time. No, what I mean is your activities near the shore. ¡°You might not be aware but our lab has a clear view of our surroundings through a special omnidirectional telescope to monitor the local wildlife, and you often show up in the feed. Our researchers have taken to calling you the Dratini Girl. Which by the way, since you know my name, may I ask for yours?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s M-Melina, Melina Jones,¡± Nina stuttered. ¡°But most people just call me Nina. Melina is my grandma.¡± Her face flushed red in embarrassment at being secretly spied on. Again. ¡°Seriously, why does this keep happening to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I probably should have asked for your permission before fishing near your property. My friend Kumiko, who works with the Sea Rangers, told me about that place and I thought it was okay.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Nina. And no worries, you¡¯re quite alright,¡± assured Bill. ¡°We don¡¯t own anything beyond the boundaries of the Cottage. And my researchers get quite a bit of enjoyment from watching over you, some of them have even taken to spending their breaks in the observatory whenever you¡¯re present. They say that the sight of you and your Pokemon is ¡®healing¡¯,¡± said the man, causing Nina to flush an even deeper red. ¡°Though if you feel uncomfortable, do let me know and I¡¯ll make sure to tell them off. I can imagine such clandestine observations may come across as being a breach of privacy.¡± Nina shook her head vigorously. ¡°No, no it¡¯s alright. I just¡­ something similar happened not too long ago and I was just taken aback, you know? Because I mean, you¡¯re THE Bill. And here I am talking to you in a bus of all places. I don¡¯t mean to presume, but I would think that you have a personal chauffeur or a Pokemon you can ride or something.¡± Bill chuckled in amusement. ¡°I do have a chauffeur, yes. But every now and again I like to take the bus and say hi to Norm over there.¡± Bill waved towards the front, and the bus driver, who Nina had just learned was named Norm, waved back in the rear view mirror. ¡°And I must say, your Dratini looks marvelous!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Would it be alright if I examined him? It has been quite some time since I encountered one of his kind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but what about you, Tini? Are you okay with letting the nice man take a look at you?¡± ¡°Dra!¡± cried Tini, as the little blue noodle slithered over to boop Bill on the hand. The man laughed out in amusement and began gently caressing the Dragon. ¡°It¡¯s always such a joy to interact with a Dratini. And I can see that yours is still shedding healthily. That¡¯s good. Most trainers who come across a Dragon Type always make the mistake of evolving them too soon. The wisdom of Dragon Tamers tells us that it¡¯s important to allow a Dragon time to live through its juvenile phase.¡± Nina scratched her head. ¡°Actually, Tini has been holding off on his Evolution because I¡¯m still under age ¡ª also we don¡¯t have the money to feed a Dragonair. But that¡¯s good to know actually. Is there somewhere I can read up more about the topic?¡± Bill gave a helpless smile. ¡°No, unfortunately. The eminent Dragon Clans aren¡¯t keen on sharing their secrets. And they tend to have enough political sway to ensure that their secrets stay secret. Even Samuel Oak will find himself quite helpless in their presence.¡± ¡°Then would it be possible for you to tell me more. I promise I¡¯ll keep it a secret,¡± Nina begged, fully employing her Baby-Doll Eyes in support. Bill chuckled at the cute little girl in front of him. ¡°Oh my, how can I say no to such an adorable face. It seems your time with the Cerulean Sisters has not been wasted. Those Vulpixes can be quite charming when they want to. ¡°I will say this. The biggest change to a Pokemon upon evolution lies in their increased capacity to store Type Energy. But it is precisely because infant Pokemon have so little Type Energy that they learn to better sense their environments and make more efficient use of what is available to them.¡± He then went on to explain that trainers who allow their Pokemon the time to grow will end up with a fully evolved form that is much more deft in its Energy manipulation along with greater stamina and an overall more powerful moveset. Nina scribbled furiously in her notebook, pausing once in a while to ask clarifying questions about the professor¡¯s lecture. ¡°Would this also apply to second phase Evolution like Dragonair?¡± Bill hummed. ¡°This varies on a species by species basis. For some, the second phase is merely transitory. So sticking with the theme of Dragons, Shelgon would be a good example of this. One of the more intriguing aspects of Dragonair is that of those observed in the wild, there are some Dragonairs that never evolve into becoming a Dragonite. So make of that information what you will.¡± Nina nodded and continued her scribbling. ¡°Thank you, professor. I¡¯ll make sure to put this knowledge to good use. To tell the truth, I was really worried in the beginning about whether or not I was doing a disservice to Tini by holding him back. But I feel much better now.¡± Bill smiled. ¡°Your love for your Pokemon is clear for anyone to see. And no need to worry about your Dratini¡¯s development. Dragon Types out in the wild may take decades to fully evolve. That¡¯s just a common trait among the Type, and one of the reasons why they¡¯re so rare. The latter of which we can consider to be a blessing.¡± Nina did not want to bother the man too much. With any luck, she was hoping to form a longer lasting relationship with the Professor. So they moved on to chatting about lighter topics. The girl talked about the things she did out by the sea, fishing for Tini and practicing the moves he learned in the Gym and so on. The older man patiently listened on with a nostalgic look, as if he was reminiscing about his younger days. ¡°You know, I almost got a Dratini as my starter¡­ I wonder what would have happened had I journeyed with Dratini instead of Eevee all those years ago. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have been a Pokemon Professor and went on to become Champion instead.¡± Bill laughed out loud. ¡°Can you imagine? A Champion named Bill. How lame would that be? Haha!¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m glad you became the person you are today. I can¡¯t even imagine a world without all of your inventions and discoveries,¡± said Nina. ¡°Regrets are for people who are unhappy with their life. If you like the person you are right now, then all the past mistakes and regrets you experienced were necessary to build up to this point.¡± Bill took in the visage of his fellow commuter and renewed his assessment of her. His face looked like the one he wore when he came across an interesting research subject. ¡°Indeed, Nina¡­ I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± He murmured. ¡°Well then, I believe my stop is coming up. But before I leave, allow me to formally invite you to come visit the Sea Cottage sometime. I¡¯ll make sure to give you a proper tour and not the one my wife gives to the tourists.¡± Chapter 36 Procrastination is an ailment that plagues all students facing a deadline. It is unknown why such a phenomenon occurs. Some say it is a curse Giratina placed on Arceus¡¯s creations as payback for imprisoning it. Others say it is a yet undiscovered memetic virus, transmitted through the Pokenet via Porygon carriers to infect the youth. Only one thing is for sure, procrastination is inevitable. Those who say they do not procrastinate are either liars or Hypnos in disguise as Leanette claims. Which is why Nina was currently laying in her bed and making weird throaty noises at her ceiling. She had wasted her time reading through some of the reading recommendations on Evolution that Bill passed on to her in the bus the other day; some of it his own work, and some from lesser known academics. It was all very interesting but it meant she had made zero progress on her essay. Her scatterbrain simply refused to focus. ¡°Nina, it¡¯s dinner time.¡± The girl responded to her mother by intensifying her whining noises. ¡°Are you okay, Nina? You¡¯re not sick are you?¡± Nina sighed. ¡°No mom, I¡¯m fine. I just don¡¯t know what to write for this stupid essay.¡± Leanette went to sit beside Nina on her bed and gently caressed her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°Then stop thinking about it. Come back to it with a fresh mind. And your hair is atrocious, sweetie. What have you done to it?¡± Nina sat up to face her mom. ¡°What do you mean? I spent a whole ton of money on products that Beverly recommended. According to her, they¡¯re all organic and natural and stuff.¡± Not that the organic label meant anything really, the people of this world don¡¯t put a lot of artificial chemicals in their products. ¡°I mean, it was pretty bad at the start when you weren¡¯t around but I think I did a pretty good job.¡± Nina pouted. ¡°Especially for a secretly insensitive thirty year old guy,¡± she added to herself. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leanette frowned at her daughter¡¯s callousness. ¡°We should go to the salon sometime. You¡¯re due for a haircut anyway. Look at this, the ends are all frayed.¡± ¡°Will you let me cut my hair short? Not like super short or anything, but maybe up to my shoulders? Having super long hair is kind of annoying.¡± ¡°Of course, sweetie. It¡¯s your hair so you should choose how to style it. Maybe we should dye it back while we¡¯re at it? The color is all washed out now,¡± said Leanette with a smile. Nina was a little surprised at how receptive her mother was to her request. She remembered the woman being quite obsessive about maintaining her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°This is good, it means she¡¯s heading in the right direction. Maybe I can take her to the Gym soon¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I quite like the color. It fits better with my tanned skin. Kinda gives me an outdoorsy beach girl kind of vibe. Beverly said it helps to hide my nerdiness from people.¡± ¡°She also said that the gap between my looks and my bookworm personality is super hot.¡± Not that Nina would say that out loud to her mother of all people. Leanette¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°This Beverly doesn¡¯t sound like a very nice girl.¡± Nina laughed to reassure her mother. ¡°She¡¯s fine, mom. Beverly is actually really nice and takes good care of me. Speaking of which, you¡¯ve never gone to see me at the Gym right? Would you be interested to come and see your daughter at work? I can introduce you to Beverly and some of the other girls as well.¡± Her mother seemed hesitant at the idea, but Nina could tell that she was making a genuine effort to consider the matter. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to go if you don¡¯t want to. I was just spitballing.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I just¡­¡± Leanette shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re right, I do want to go to see my daughter at work. Everyone in the neighborhood has been gushing about how accomplished you are. It¡¯d be embarrassing if I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know what my daughter¡¯s up to. Nina smiled and gave her mother a hug. ¡°Awesome. I¡¯ll talk to dad about this. We can take you to the Monthly Exhibit to start. Tini performs in the afternoon so maybe we can go to the salon in the morning? Then after the show, I¡¯ll ask if I can take you on a tour behind the scenes.¡± Leanette smoothed out her daughter¡¯s hair and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°That sounds wonderful, Nina. I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± *** ¡°Hello~ Earth to Nina.¡± The noise of someone snapping their fingers in front of her woke Nina from her stupor. ¡°Hmm? Oh, sorry Bev. I was just thinking.¡± ¡°Urgh. Are you still thinking about that stupid assignment? You¡¯ve been at it for weeks already. Just make up some random Tauros poo and be done with it,¡¯ said the older girl, before taking a sip of her overpriced latte. The two of them were currently sitting in a cafe by the Stretch, because Nina said she wanted to go watch people and their Pokemon. Nina sighed and took a sip of her own milk tea. ¡°I know, I only have a month left till the deadline. Well, realistically only two weeks if I want to be timely about it.¡± ¡°What''s it for anyway? Is it even worth it? If not, then just flip that bitch off and tell her to stuff it.¡± Nina shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know actually, Ms Roxy wouldn¡¯t say. But I trust her enough to know that she wouldn¡¯t be wasting my time for no reason. Remember I told you that she was the one who got me into the Little League? The two of us wouldn¡¯t have met without her.¡± She had not participated in the Little League since her first due to the fact that Nina was now an apprentice. No point casting any unnecessary doubts on the Gym¡¯s partiality. Though she and Beverly engage in some casual spars from time to time. Nothing too intensive, to avoid stressing their Pokemon to the point of Evolution. Nina watched as Beverly reached down towards the little basin holding her Horsea and fed the Pokemon some special made Pokemon confectionary. She rubbed on her abdomen where Tini usually wrapped himself on and felt a bit wistful. Her partner was in the Gym right now, rehearsing for this month¡¯s show. So she was all by herself today. ¡°Have you ever thought about life without Luna?¡± asked Nina. ¡°As in like, if Luna just suddenly disappeared one day, what would you do?¡± Beverly frowned. ¡°What sort of question is that?! I mean, like, I¡¯ll have to expand my team at some point I guess and there¡¯ll be times where I can¡¯t have Luna with me.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. If Luna was your only Pokemon at the time and she just ran away or went missing or something. Would you just replace her?¡± ¡°Course not!¡± Beverly exclaimed, her loud voice attracting the attention of the people around her. Nina gave her fellow customers an apologetic look and bowed slightly for the commotion while Beverly continued talking. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine life without Luna. I wouldn¡¯t give her up even if someone came up to me with one of the Legendary Birds. I mean would you ever think about replacing Tini?¡± Nina replied in the negative. ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood the question, but you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t imagine life without Tini.¡± Before Nina encountered Tini, the girl often wondered about what sort of starter she should get. Despite knowing that this was the real world, there was still a part of Nina who thought of Pokemon as just game characters back then. She would think about which Pokemon species had the most potential while accounting for her family¡¯s means and came up with a list of Pokemon that would be an ideal starter for her. Needless to say, all of that deliberation went out the window when she got Tini. Especially when a Dratini wasn¡¯t even on that list due to practical concerns. But even if Nina were to go back in time and start over, she would have still gone back into Victoria¡¯s nest and partnered up with Tini. At this point, life without Tini was just unthinkable. Even if her partner decides to leave her at some point, she would always wonder about what the Dragon was doing at the moment, maybe even go visit him from time to time if it was possible. ¡°You know, I always thought of Ash as a somewhat heartless character. How could he just willingly give away his Pokemon or abandon them in Oak¡¯s ranch every time that he was done with a region?¡± For all that the show tried to portray the boy as a compassionate person, he was surprisingly callous. Nina thought about all the times where she felt down or depressed for whatever reason and the way that her little Dragon would just boop her in the nose to take her mind off things. ¡°Even the most exciting of adventures would be meaningless without Tini by my side¡­¡± With the introduction of Tini into her life. All thoughts of this world being a game had exited her mind. Each person and Pokemon are their own unique existence, with their own personality, likes and dislikes. ¡°Thanks Bev, I know what to write now.¡± Nina shoved her food to the side, pulled out her oversized laptop from her backpack and began typing. Beverly stared at her friend with disbelieving eyes. ¡°Gurl~ Are you seriously working on your homework during our date?¡± Nina gave Beverly an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry babe, just ten minutes. Let me write down my ideas before I forget them and I promise you¡¯ll have my full undivided attention.¡± Beverly simply glared at Nina in response while aggressively poking at her cake with a fork. *** Nina quietly munched on a rice cracker as Ms Roxy flipped through her essay. She had unintentionally written more than expected, with the final piece taking up ten whole pages. She ended up writing about her adventures, omitting some of the more sensitive details like Dragonair¡¯s nest, Mew and the Moon Shrine. She wrote down her observations about the people and Pokemon she encountered, and their relationships with each other. Be they good or bad. She wrote about Masayuki and his conservation efforts, the Rockfords and how they treat each of their Pokemon like family, the Safari Zone, the Cerulean Gym, the daycare, and even Cole and his unhealthy relationship with his Onix. But most of all, Nina wrote about Tini and the importance of his presence in her life. ¡°Without my partner Pokemon, not only would most of my encounters not be possible, life would also be empty and meaningless even in the midst of the most exciting of adventures.¡± Nina wrote at some point. ¡°This is very good, Nina,¡± said Roxy, once she was done with her review. ¡°I can feel your love of Pokemon and travel emanating from this piece. There are a few places where the writing is a little rough. And I think you could have been more concise in certain parts. But overall, it comes across as truly genuine, which is the most important thing. Do you want to submit this as is or make some more revisions?¡± ¡°I think this is fine. No point in overdoing it, I want this essay to reflect me as a person and I¡¯m well aware of how imperfect I am.¡± Nina¡¯s teacher smiled proudly at her. ¡°In that case, I think you¡¯ve certainly managed to accomplish that. I¡¯ll submit it as is then.¡± The girl nodded. ¡°Are you still not going to tell me what this is about?¡± Roxy simply gave a wry smile in return. ¡°You''ll find out. The other teachers are disguising this as some sort of special assignment and will hide any failure from their students but I think you¡¯re mature enough to handle it. Just make sure not to leave the city for an extended period of time this summer.¡± Nina replied in affirmation. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I think I already have my summer planned out.¡± In fact, aside from working in the Gym and making a short visit to her grandma¡¯s place, Nina called in to the Sea Cottage on Bill¡¯s invitation and managed to arrange for a sleepover there. Something which the girl was very excited for, motivated by thoughts of fluffy Eevee fur. ¡°Eevee fluff, here I come!¡± Chapter 37 Beverly and Nina were the two happiest little girls in the world right now. ¡°This is your best idea yet, Nins,¡± complimented the muffled voice of Beverly. Indeed, after seeing how friendly all the Eevees were, Nina decided to line her body with Berries, allowing the brown furry Pokemon to dogpile the girl and feed off her like a trough. ¡°Oh Arceus, I know I say this a lot, but you may take my soul now. Anything to stay in still fluffy heaven forever¡­¡± Nina moaned. The girl then giggled as an Eevee came close to lick her face, prompting her to gingerly extract her arms to grab hold of the licky Eevee and boost him high up into the sky over and over again, much to the Eevee¡¯s excitement. ¡°Eeeeee!¡± The Eevee cried in joy as he was tossed up into the sky. ¡°Prof, I think you¡¯ve got a million dollar idea here,¡± said Beverly. ¡°Eevee therapy ¡ª just what a hardworking gal needs to continue slaving away at a Gym.¡± Meanwhile Bill was standing by the side and gave an amused chuckle at the antics of his two guests. After having enough of uppies, Nina lowered the Eevee and buried her face in his fur. Eevees had a sort of musky scent to them like dogs do, but their long fur feels softer like that of rabbits. The summer was in full swing and Nina had invited Beverly along for her stay in the Sea Cottage. The peppy valley girl had wanted to go to the beaches in Vermillion City instead, but Nina ultimately convinced her with the promise of Eevees and a more private beach within Bill¡¯s estate. Nina cleared her throat after extracting herself from the avalanche of Eevees and regaining her sanity. ¡°Sorry about that unseemly display, Professor Bill.¡± She said in a meek tone. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bill simply laughed jovially at the girl. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, my dear. I always enjoy seeing the passion that people show for Pokemon.¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°Sorry, Tini. I kind of lost myself there. I didn¡¯t mean to neglect you.¡± Nina assaulted her jealous little Dragon with boops, kisses and cuddles just to assuage him, much to Tini¡¯s chagrin as he squirmed against his partner''s smothering embrace. ¡°Say Prof, do you ever let anyone adopt one of these cuties?¡± Beverly asked, in her most suggestive tone. Bill gave the girl a wry smile. ¡°You¡¯re definitely from the Mizuhana clan alright¡­ The answer is yes, but rarely ¡ª less than half a dozen a year. And never as a starter.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why not as a starter?¡± She was pretty sure there was a game back in her past life that had an Eevee as a starter, though it wasn¡¯t part of the mainline series. The professor gave a sagely nod and explained that Eevees in their base form aren¡¯t the most powerful Pokemon and that most beginner trainers have a lot of trouble raising them properly. ¡°Hence why most of them resort to forcing an early evolution. And I believe we¡¯ve already discussed how detrimental premature Evolution is to a Pokemon¡¯s growth.¡± Both Nina and Beverly gave an understanding nod. Beverly, having come from a long line of Gym Trainers, naturally had access to the treasure trove of Water Pokemon knowledge accumulated by her family over the years. ¡°So what do you normally give out as starters for your sponsored trainers then?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I rarely sponsor beginner trainers. I don¡¯t really need the attention, nor do I have any ongoing projects that require field work. I give out Eevees to trainers I find interesting and worthy,¡± said Bill, while giving a subtle look to Nina. The girl pretended not to notice and continued on with the conversation. ¡°So what sort of research are you doing now?¡± ¡°An excellent question, and I believe this is also a good time for us to move on to the lab where I may elaborate further.¡± Bill¡¯s lab was in the center of his estate and didn¡¯t really look much like a high tech research facility. Rather it was styled like a European cottage, which explained the Sea Cottage Moniker, except its three storey tall stature was also a little too big to fit the definition of a cottage. Behind the building, was something that looked like a cross between a silo and a lighthouse with a glass domed top, which Bill explained was their telescope. ¡°Not only is it capable of giving us a 360 degree view of our surroundings. We can also focus the lens and use it for stargazing.¡± The mention of stargazing turned Nina¡¯s own eyes into stars. ¡°Is it okay if we go see the stars tonight?¡± She asked, with much enthusiasm. Bill chuckled. ¡°Of course, the cloudless skies of summer is the best time to do just that. I¡¯ll teach you how to operate the central console when we visit the observatory later. Everyone is welcome to use it at their leisure unless we have some sort of specific research going on that requires it.¡± *** ¡°Oh Arceus! You¡¯re even cuter in person!¡± The female researcher squealed. She then flashed Bill a thumbs up to commend the man for his initiative in getting the ¡°Dratini Girl¡± to visit them. ¡°Good work, boss. You¡¯re the best.¡± The man in question simply gave an exasperated sigh and clapped his hands together authoritatively. ¡°Yes, yes, I know you¡¯re all very excited, but Nina and Beverly are here today as guests. So please maintain the appropriate decorum.¡± The insides of the research lab was a stark contrast to its homely exterior; various evolution stones could be seen contained within canisters with probes attached to them, screens lined the wall showcasing all of the ongoing projects, and all sorts of unknown but sleek looking machinery dotted the space. The researchers got back to work after a mild scolding from their superior, each wearing a white lab coat denoting their status within the lab. And in keeping with their stereotype, some even had unruly hair and baggy eyes from the sleepless nights they spent working overtime. Being faithful to their desires as trainers, both Nina and Beverly were immediately drawn to the Evolution Stones being studied. ¡°Is this machine measuring the Type Energy contained within each stone?¡± ¡°Very astute, Nina,¡± praised Bill as he walked over to join the girls. ¡°More specifically we are measuring the discharge rate of Evolution Stones.¡± He then gestured towards another line of Evolution Stones that were also hooked up to their respective canisters. ¡°Incidentally, that¡¯s where we measure the absorption rate of Stones against the various ambient Energy Types.¡± ¡°Wait, Evolution Stones can lose their charge?¡± This question was from Beverly. ¡°They do indeed. It¡¯s a little known fact since most Evolution Stones fly off the shelves once they hit the market. But some of the more ancient clans have been known to hoard Stones for their own benefit, only to come back to them after a few generations and find that their treasure has been reduced to mere pretty looking rocks.¡± ¡°What a waste.¡± Beverly scoffed. Nina raised her hands for a question this time. ¡°Is there a marked difference between a Pokemon who evolves using a deteriorated Evolution Stone versus one that evolves using a fully charged one.¡± Bill smiled at the question. ¡°That is indeed the question isn¡¯t it.¡± The man led the two girls over to a group of researchers in a corner and showed them a screen full of numbers and graphs. Beverly was thoroughly checked out at the visual noise, but Nina squinted her eyes and moved closer in an attempt to decipher what they meant. ¡°We have an ongoing experiment designed just to answer that very question you posed.¡± the Professor continued. ¡°So far the results are too inconclusive to say anything for certain, but the preliminary results seem to indicate a positive correlation between the levels of Type Energy in a Stone and the initial strength of a newly evolved Pokemon.¡± Nina frowned. ¡°If the results are inconclusive even with all the resources you¡¯re throwing at it, then would this mean that the difference is too marginal to be of note? That is a conclusion in itself is it not? And are we just limiting the sample population to Eevees? If so, then is it just the ranch bred ones? Because I would assume that an Eevee that has undergone dedicated training will probably outperform the pampered ones even if the Evolution Stone used is of subpar quality.¡± ¡°Nerd.¡± Beverly coughed, earning the girl a glare from her friend. Meanwhile the researchers in charge of the experiment were staring at the surprisingly erudite girl in wide eyed bewilderment. Bill laughed out, having already been exposed to Nina¡¯s abnormality. ¡°Quite. Everything that you just said and all the doubts you posed are all valid, dearest Nina. But this experiment is but one of many.¡± The man paused and pointed towards the row of Evolution Stones. ¡°Consider this,¡± he continued. ¡°If the outcome of using a subpar Stone is too marginal a difference then what¡¯s the minimum Type Energy necessary to evolve an Eevee. And if there is a difference, at what point do we see substantial enough gains to say, charge a Stone with additional Type Energy just for that extra boost. Given the scarcity of Evolution Stones, this might be a venture worth considering if all a trainer is able to procure was substandard Stones.¡± Nina nodded in contemplation. ¡°As expected of a successful entrepreneur, of course he would consider the commercial viability of any research he pursues.¡± What the professor didn¡¯t mention was that knowing the bare minimum of Energy needed to evolve a Pokemon could also give rise to an industry of artificial Evolution Stone cultivators. ¡°And to your questions about the Eevees. A very good point, one that even my fellow subordinates fail to realize.¡± The subordinates in question lowered their heads in shame. ¡°The qualitative difference posed by a trained Eevee should not be overlooked. In fact, I hypothesize that any marked improvements from using a high quality Evolution Stone would be better reflected when used on a trained Pokemon. Hence why we¡¯re doing this experiment in phases. With the ¡®pampered¡¯ Eevees, as you called it, being the first phase.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°Thank you for entertaining my questions, Professor. I didn¡¯t mean to undermine anyone. I¡¯m sure my question was simply too shallow for any of the professors here to consider.¡± Bill chuckled. ¡°Please, just call me Bill. And don¡¯t worry about the egos of anyone here. I¡¯m not such a poor judge of character that I would hire anyone insecure enough to hold a grudge against a child. If anything, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re pleased that anyone at all is interested in their work.¡± And as if on cue, the researchers all nodded in unison. ¡°And speaking of, let me show you an experiment that you¡¯re definitely going to take interest in.¡± The next station that they were brought to had screens showing what appears to be a pack of Eevees being led by an Umbreon. ¡°Is this a live feed of wild Eevees?¡± Nina asked. Bill shook his head. ¡°Not quite. This is actually a section of the ranch that we cordoned off to emulate the environments of a wild forest to the best of our ability. Can you guess what the theme of this research is?¡± Nina gasped in realization. ¡°You¡¯re experimenting with rewilding Eevees¡­¡± The professor once again gave an approving nod. ¡°Indeed. A few years ago we asked some of the more experienced Eeveelutions in the ranch if they would be willing to lead a group of newborns into this area to live a more ¡®natural¡¯ lifestyle, with the ultimate goal being to relocate them at some point if at all feasible.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± asked Beverly. ¡°Are we secretly running out of Eevees or something?¡± ¡°A good question. What do you think Nina? What would you say the ¡®point¡¯ of this experiment is?¡± Nina fell into thought. When she first heard about the way Eevees are bred in captivity, she immediately thought about dog breeders in her old world and how obsessed they were with purity. Often to the detriment of the animals in their care. ¡°To ensure that the genepool does not collapse,¡± she answered. ¡°Ranch bred Eevees risk becoming too inbred over the course of several generations. But Eevees in the wild will have a chance to mate with other Pokemon which will help to invigorate the genepool and maybe even result in some born as interesting variants or with a unique moveset. It also helps to prevent complete annihilation of the species in the event of some disease that a specific genepool is vulnerable to.¡± ¡°Excellent answer!¡± exclaimed Bill. Nina did not hold back on showing off her advanced brain knowing that was exactly what the Professor was after. Thoughts of potentially acquiring an Eevee of her own motivated her. ¡°At the moment Eevee breeders avoid the issue by holding exchange programs with other ranches. But this is not sustainable in the long term. It is important that we find a way to rejuvenate the wild Eevee population as soon as possible.¡± He then explained that the first step to their plans was ensuring that the Eevees could actually survive in the wild. To that end, the team would impose stress tests on the various packs they have roaming around, such as sending a hive of trained Beedrills to attack them or occasionally limiting their food sources and so on. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry,¡± assured Bill, in response to the girls¡¯ frowns. ¡°If ever an Eevee is in danger, our personnel will step in and extract them in lieu of ¡®death¡¯. In fact some of the young ones you interacted with today used to be part of the experiment.¡± As it turns out, the biggest challenge to rewilding Eevees was their inability to take care of their young. Generations of breeding has all but eroded their parental instincts since they¡¯re already used to humans taking care of their babies in their stead. ¡°What a sad state of affairs¡­¡± Nina lamented. ¡°Is it also possible that Eevees have difficulty living in the wild due to their Evolution being dependent on external catalysts? I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s easy to find Evolution Stones out in the wild. Not to mention the human dependent Evolutions like Sylveon.¡± Bill smiled. ¡°Well you see, there are different theories on how Eevees evolve in the wild. One is the gradual accumulation of ambient Type Energy and the other is¡­¡± Beverly rolled her eyes and wandered off to the break room, not willing to endure all this nerd talk any longer as the esteemed Professor answered her junior apprentice¡¯s inane questions one by one. Chapter 38 Nina laid on the floor and stared at the projection on the domed ceiling in awe. ¡°This is incredible isn¡¯t it, Tini?¡± She said, referring to the sea of stars that the two were now gaping at. ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini was less impressed since starry night skies were a common sight out in the Safari Zone. But to see them zoomed in and in such high fidelity was still impressive nonetheless. ¡°I don¡¯t recognise any of the constellations. Maybe we should find some documentaries on astronomy and give it a watch one day.¡± ¡°Tiin.¡± In her past life, Miles did not dabble in astronomy too much. He was interested, but astral physicists and their obsession with advanced mathematical theories made the subject an extremely dry read. So he preferred to watch documentaries about space instead. Nina looked intently at the starry projection, trying and failing to identify any of the known constellations of her past world, not that she knew many of them to begin with. ¡°I wonder¡­ Am I just in a different dimension entirely or is my old Earth still out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered in a few more eons.¡± ¡°That one kinda looks like a sword don¡¯t you think?¡± Tini tried to discern what his partner was pointing at but ultimately gave up and simply moved in closer to nuzzle against Nina¡¯s face, eliciting giggles from the girl. The two were currently alone in the observatory. She had been unable to sleep because of Beverly¡¯s snoring, something that Nina had not expected when she agreed to share a room with the girl. Even Tini had begged to sleep in his Ball for the night. So It was a good thing that Bill had explicitly permitted them free access to the observatory. ¡°Probably should have brought a blanket, but it¡¯s really nice here huh, Tini?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± echoed the Dragon as he began singing a soothing lullaby. Tini¡¯s singing skills have truly improved by leaps and bounds after being trained by Daisy. Nina giggled softly. ¡°Tini~ If you sing like that you¡¯re going to make me fall asleep.¡± Her partner simply rubbed against her in lieu of a response and the hypnotic tune slowly lulled Nina to sleep¡­ *** Nina awoke to the feeling of something soft being draped across her. The little girl stirred and endeavored to look around, eyes still blurry from residual sleep. ¡°Tini¡­?¡± Nina mumbled as she rubbed at her eyes, feeling the blanket which had been draped across her at some point. ¡°Oh my¡­ I¡¯m so sorry dear, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you,¡± said a feminine voice. The presence of a stranger jolted Nina wide awake as she slowly sat up to look towards the source. The woman could only be described as a goddess of light; her wavy platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and white nightgown was almost glowing even in the dimly lit observatory. Nina would have almost mistaken the lady for a ghost were it not for the burgundy shawl she had draped over her shoulders to ground her presence as a human. The woman giggled at the sleepy looking girl in front of her, her voice tinkling in Nina¡¯s ears like little bell chimes. ¡°Hello, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met. My name is Hikari, Bill¡¯s wife. You must be Nina? My husband spoke highly of you.¡± Nina sat up straighter after hearing the introduction and wiped some of the residual drool from her mouth. ¡°Oh, hello ma¡¯am. Sorry about this, I might have accidentally fallen asleep.¡± The sounds of bell chimes rang out once more with Hikari¡¯s laughter. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, dear. I find this place to be soothing as well. I come everytime I have trouble sleeping. Sometimes, I too fall asleep, only to find myself back in my bedroom after my husband carried me back.¡± Nina wracked her brain for any information she could remember about Bill¡¯s wife. ¡°I remember reading that her family was the primary investor in her husband¡¯s ventures, but not much else is known about Hikari herself aside from the fact that she was a prolific socialite and avid philanthropist.¡± Not having much to work with, Nina decided to simply make conversation. ¡°That¡¯s nice. Bill must be a very loving husband.¡± The woman chuckled. ¡°Indeed, ours was an arranged marriage but he has devoted nothing but love and kindness to me over the years. Of that, I am thankful.¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± At this point their conversation seemed to have aroused the sleeping Tini as well. Nina laid Tini on her lap and gently caressed the Dragon back to sleep, whispering comforting words in his ears all the while. ¡°I can see that the bond between you and your Dratini is strong,¡± commented Hikari. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that my husband and the Ancestor took an interest in you.¡± It took a while for Nina to process Hikari¡¯s words, her brain hasn¡¯t fully woken up yet. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m quite¡­ Wait, what do you mean by Ancestor?¡± Hikari flashed her a knowing smile. ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve met the Ancestor have you not? I can sense Mew¡¯s presence on you.¡± Nina had to hold herself back from reaching towards her necklace on instinct as she glared at Hikari warily. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± But instead of being offended, the woman simply gave her an approving nod. ¡°Good, a girl with a pure heart and good intentions. It is no wonder Mew deigned to appear before you. You need not worry, dear. I myself have a special connection to the Ancestor as well.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯ve met Mew?¡± Nina asked, still refusing to confirm her association with the Mythical Pokemon. Hikari looked up at the starry projection in reminiscence, her face was the very picture of nostalgia. ¡°A long time ago, yes. I did not meet Mew per se, at least not in person. The Ancestor appeared in my mind during a very troublesome incident and provided me with solace. And even after everything had settled, the connection remained and I have been able to sense Mew¡¯s presence ever since.¡± ¡°Why would Mew show up in your mind but not in person?¡± The girl asked in return, since she knew for a fact that Mew was a deft teleporter. In her mind, Nina was also cursing Futaba who had previously assured her that the gemstone was not detectable. Hikari gave a wry smile. ¡°It was a complicated situation. To be frank, I don¡¯t even know how it happened myself. The memories surrounding that incident are a little foggy.¡± She then proceeded to tell an absurd story about how she had accidentally been turned into a Mew due to an experiment gone awry. It was so absurd that Nina actually believed her, because reality was like that sometimes. Even the best fiction writers are incapable of fully capturing the absurdity of human nature. ¡°That¡­ sounds like quite an experience,¡± said a flabbergasted Nina, eliciting laughs from Hikari. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it? But like I said, I don¡¯t remember much of what happened. Only that I met Mew in my mind. So to answer your question, I don¡¯t really know why the Ancestor did not show up in person, perhaps the existence of two Mews at the same instance would constitute a paradox? Who knows, really.¡± Nina nodded. It sounded as plausible an explanation as any. All things related to Legends and Myths tend to be that way. Especially in this wacky world not entirely governed by the laws of science. ¡°Do you think that other people would be able to sense this thing as well?¡± Nina asked as she pulled out the little Mew Gem pendant she was wearing. ¡°This is probably a mistake, but I might as well take a leap of faith here and try to gather a bit more information.¡± Besides, Nina could feel that Hikari was telling the truth and that she meant no ill will. ¡°Some sort of instinct or intuition? I have a feeling that this has something to do with the gemstone. It would make sense that I¡¯d be able to read Hikari who is similarly touched by Mew.¡± Hikari gasped at the sight of the gem and reached out with her long elegant fingers. ¡°May I?¡± She asked before holding Mew¡¯s Gem between her fingers. ¡°This is something left behind by the Ancestor alright.¡± ¡°Do you recognise it?¡± Nina asked, with a hopeful gaze at the woman. Hikari shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, no. But I can sense a strong connection to the Ancestor through the gem.¡± ¡°Do you know any way for me to find out what it is? Mew gifted it to me but disappeared soon after without elaborating.¡± Hikari hummed. ¡°Perhaps my husband might be able to analyze it with some of his equipment. But I would advise against it, I have a feeling that this gemstone is meant to be by your side.¡± Nina nodded. The woman¡¯s words that ran counter to her husband¡¯s interest had cemented Nina¡¯s feeling that she was indeed not a bad person. ¡°I think so too. I feel antsy everytime I try to get away from it. Though I don¡¯t know if this is necessarily a good thing or not.¡± Hikari smiled and gently caressed Nina¡¯s hair in assurance. ¡°The Ancestor is not a malicious entity. So you can be assured that their intentions, whatever it may be, should be pure and benign.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Sometimes even the best intentions can lead to terrible consequences. Do you think that others connected to Mew might be able to sense the gemstone as well?¡± She was mainly thinking about Giovanni and all the other evil researchers that were complicit in the creation of Mewtwo. If all those touched by Mew gain a sensitivity to its presence then there was a chance that Nina might be in danger. ¡°Probably,¡± responded the ambiguous woman. Hikari herself was also unsure about Mew¡¯s Gem and its workings. ¡°If so, whatever encounters come your way, it should largely be beneficial. I mean it did lead my husband to you, no?¡± Nina frowned. ¡°Are you saying that Bill¡¯s presence on the bus that day was no mere coincidence?¡± Hikari shook her head. ¡°On the contrary, what if it was a coincidence? One that conveniently led to the two of you getting to know each other. And another that led to our meeting tonight, under the stars, all because we coincidentally weren¡¯t able to sleep at the same time.¡± ¡°So basically, it¡¯s a plot device. One that leads to the meeting of pivotal characters?¡± Nina did not like the implications surrounding that. ¡°All I want is to explore the world. And naturally there¡¯ll be excitement surrounding that but I¡¯m not sure if I want to become like a vanquisher of evil and savior of worlds or something.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m supposed to hand this to you? That would make sense. I¡¯m just a courier meant to deliver this gemstone to the intended recipient,¡± said the apprehensive Nina, trying to offload the macguffin that now felt to her like carrying a volatile Electrode around. Hikari simply laughed in response, either amused by Nina¡¯s apprehension or thought the girl was joking. ¡°Oh Nina, you¡¯re such a cutie. No, I don''t think that would be wise. Whatever it is, I¡¯m certain that it was intended for you. Otherwise the attraction I feel towards it would be a different kind.¡± Nina frowned, but she knew that Hikari was right somehow. ¡°So what now? Do I track Mew down with the gem? Is this just another convoluted game of tag to it? Or perhaps me seeking it out is exactly what Mew wants and I should avoid playing into its hands. If it really is some sort of macguffin, then I suppose trouble will come finding me even if I actively try to avoid it.¡± The girl sighed and temporarily resigned herself to her fate. She was tempted to just throw the gemstone into the ocean. The only problem was, she knew that Mew¡¯s Gem would make its way back to her somehow. She did not know how, but she knew it would. So in effect, Nina was stuck with it. Nina groaned and just laid back down on the floor to stare absentmindedly at the stars. ¡°Why can¡¯t life just be simple?¡± She thought. ¡°I knew it was coming, but I suppose this is just reckoning for all the blessings I¡¯ve received so far¡­¡± Chapter 39 Nina woke up with an aching neck. Hikari had apparently asked a servant to move Nina and Tini back to their room after she fell back asleep again. But the damage to her cervical spine from sleeping on the floor had already been done. Naturally, the girl was not in the best mood as she languidly poked at her breakfast. The one saving grace being that the lady of the house was also vegetarian so there were plenty of food options for her. ¡°Morning ladies!¡± Bill greeted, in an annoyingly chipper manner, as the man bent down to kiss his beloved wife. ¡°Morning, love.¡± ¡°Morning!¡± ¡°Morning¡­¡± ¡°So what are you girls planning to do today?¡± asked the Pokemon Professor. ¡°Unfortunately my schedule for the day is not kind to me, but I can arrange for a research assistant to show you two around if there¡¯s anywhere you want to go.¡± ¡°Beach day!¡± Beverly declared. Her sentiments were echoed by the Pokemon as both Luna and Tini cried out in agreement. ¡°Miss Grumpig over there needs some cheering up and what¡¯s better than a beach day with her bestest bestie.¡± Nina glared at her ¡®bestie¡¯. ¡°And who¡¯s fault do you think it is?¡± ¡°I. Do. Not. Snore!¡¯ Beverly argued. In response, Nina looked down at the basin where Luna was at for the Horsea¡¯s support. ¡°Luna, does Bev snore?¡± The Horsea averted her gaze and gave a guilty ¡°Sea¡­¡± Beverly gasped. ¡°Traitor! How could you stab me in the back like that?¡± ¡°Sea. Horsea¡­¡± ¡°You know Miss Mizuhana, snoring in children might be indicative of some latent chronic issues. I would suggest following up with a physician when it''s convenient,¡± chimed Bill, once he was done laughing at the comedy act taking place before him. Beverly¡¯s face paled at the Professor¡¯s words, much to Nina¡¯s amusement. Ignoring the distress he caused, Bill then turned to address Nina. ¡°And Nina, would you mind sparing me some of your time after breakfast. There are matters which we must discuss.¡± Nina agreed. Normally she would be feeling excited about what¡¯s to come, but the revelations from the night before were still haunting her mind. *** The place that Nina was brought to for the little ¡®talk¡¯ with Bill was the section of the ranch where they housed the Eevees and the Eeveelutions. It was the same place as yesterday where she and Beverly went to play with the Eevees. Despite the repeat visit, the area was as impressive as ever with various biomes stuck together to accommodate the different Eeveelutions and their preferences. There were generators set up for the Jolteon, a cave for the Umbreon, a heat retaining sand pit for the Flareon, a pond for the Vaporeon, forests for the Leafeon and so on. One can even discern which Eeveelution an Eevee was inclined towards from their tendency to spend time in a specific biome. ¡°Now then, Nina,¡± began Bill. ¡°As I mentioned to you yesterday, I only give out Eevees to trainers who I think are either worthy or interesting enough to catch my attention.¡± The man paused for dramatic effect as they slowly walked amidst the furry brown creatures who all congregated around Nina, after recognising her as the Berry girl. ¡°And after my own personal observations and a stellar endorsement from my wife ¡ª who I must add, is the best judge of character that I know ¡ª I have come to the conclusion that you are one such person.¡± Nina gave a weak smile. ¡°But didn¡¯t you also say that you don¡¯t give out Eevees to beginner trainers? Not only am I a beginner, I¡¯m also under aged. So technically, I¡¯m not even a proper trainer.¡± Her tone was hesitant since she really wanted this, but she was also apprehensive about Mew¡¯s machinations. There was also a sour note in Nina¡¯s mouth at the idea that she might not have ¡®earned¡¯ this opportunity at all. ¡°Then again, I suppose meeting Tini was also a fluke. And back then I hadn¡¯t even met Mew yet. Or has everything since my arrival in this world been preordained somehow? If that¡¯s the case then I might as well just fuck it and do whatever I want. Since my intention doesn¡¯t matter anyway. At least not to the gods of this world.¡± ¡°Nina, Nina? Are you okay?¡± Nina must have zoned out for longer than she intended because Bill was now looking at her with eyes of deep concern. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Professor¡­¡± she sputtered. ¡°I¡¯m a little out of it today.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± the concerned Tini gave his partner a boop on the nose as always to cheer her up, though it wasn¡¯t as effective as it usually was. Bill chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to sleep deprivation myself. But if I may?¡± The man¡¯s tone suddenly took on a more serious note. ¡°My wife is a very perceptive woman, sometimes frighteningly so. And while I¡¯m not privy to the conversation between the two of you, I would still like to apologize if anything she said happens to have dug a little too deep.¡± Nina hastily shook her head to deny the man¡¯s assumptions. ¡°No, not at all. You don¡¯t have to apologize for Hikari. In fact, I should be the one apologizing to your wife. I.. I might have been a little rude to her last night¡­¡± Bill ruffled her hair a little in assurance. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about her. She had quite the positive impression of you. And there¡¯s no need to deny it either, I¡¯ve been at the receiving end of her microscope plenty of times. Whatever you may think of yourself, know that my wife and I approve of you as a person and as a trainer. In fact, she¡¯s the one who tends to be overprotective of the little ones. So no need to worry at all.¡± ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t eliminate the practical concerns.¡± the girl argued. ¡°And I already have Tini as my starter. Wouldn¡¯t people take issue with this?¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Like I said before,¡± continued Bill. ¡°The reason why I don¡¯t endorse beginner trainers is because they simply don¡¯t have the right mindset to raise an Eevee. You¡¯re different, you¡¯re aware of all the pitfalls and are mature enough for the responsibility. ¡°And who exactly do you think will take issue with this? Who are these ¡®people¡¯ that you speak of?¡± Nina sighed. ¡°I¡¯m looking to enroll in the Vermillion Flame, maybe¡­ To be honest, I¡¯m still on the fence, but it¡¯s to my understanding that the faculty, as well as the general public, don¡¯t approve of a fledgeling trainer being afforded so many privileges. I already have a Dratini. If we add an Eevee into the mix, wouldn¡¯t this incur some backlash.¡± Bill laughed out loud at Nina¡¯s paltry concerns and gave her another pat on the head. ¡°Oh my dearest child¡­ It is good to be sensible, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re perhaps being a little too sensible? ¡°You¡¯re right that someone of a humble background like yourself might incur the ire of certain jealous parties. But I find that such blatantly uncouth behavior serves as an efficient way to filter out the rabble. In fact, this is a trick that I learned from Hikari herself while I was just a wimpy young inventor ¡ª Knowing thy enemy is key to besting them in battle.¡± Nina chuckled at the uncanny Pokemon world version of Suntzu¡¯s famous quote. ¡°And in regards to the school,¡± continued Bill. ¡°Such sycophants can easily be appeased by pure status. I doubt they would turn away a talented young girl endorsed by both myself and the Cerulean Gym. Such foolishness will make them a laughing stock amongst their peers. Not to mention, do you know what most newbie trainers do when they get their first Pokemon?¡± Nina shook her head, too out of sorts to work her brain for the moment. ¡°They go and catch Pokemon!¡± Exclaimed Bill. ¡°So rest assured that most of your future classmates are likely to have two Pokemon on their belt. In fact, the school imposes a two Pokemon limit on first years precisely to account for that fact.¡± Bill was right. Nina had studied up on trainer school regulations so she knew about the carry limit for students. For first years it was two, but that limit will automatically increase by one more when they advance to the next year. Or alternatively, students can earn extra carry limits by scoring within the top five of the midterms or doing well in specific school events. Nina smacked herself in the face to get herself together. Prompting a concerned Tini to lick the girl on her reddened cheeks. The girl gave a gentle smile and a boop to her partner Pokemon. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tini. Just trying to wake myself up. No need to worry.¡± Nina took a deep breath. ¡°If the weather is outside of my control then just ride the waves until I reach calmer seas. No point trying to fight the will of a Mythical Pokemon. Instead, I should just shore up whatever advantages I can to face whatever may come.¡± After finding her resolve, Nina turned to look Bill in the eyes. ¡°Thank you for the offer, Bill. I would be honored to adopt one of your Eevees. In fact, I swear that I will give them the best life that they deserve. If ever you see me going astray, please rescue them away from me. I don¡¯t ever want to hurt any of my Pokemon, whether it be intentional or not.¡± Bill gave the girl a bright smile, then knelt down and held her by the shoulders. ¡°What you just said at the end was more than enough to validate my decision. I am sure that you will grow up to become an excellent trainer, one of the greats in fact.¡± Nina blushed at the high praise and squirmed a little. ¡°And if I may be so bold to ask. Do you know what I would need to do to get my hands on a Pokedex?¡± Bill chuckled. ¡°I would give you one myself were I to have such authority. But unfortunately, only Professor Oak, the inventor of the Pokedex and our Regional Professor, along with Champion Lance and his Elite Four are allowed to hand out Pokedexes ¡ª not that those battle maniacs care to do so. In reality, it¡¯s mostly Sam who screens potential Pokedex recipients.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. It seems she¡¯ll have to rely on Roxy for this, if her guess on the woman¡¯s intentions were correct. ¡°Although, I can write to Sam and ask if he¡¯d be willing to add you to the list. The man trusts my judgment and being a Gym Apprentice means that you will likely receive one automatically once you come of age anyway.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Beverly will receive one, I know. But I don¡¯t plan on taking up the Gym¡¯s sponsorship offer. Doing so comes with obligations which I¡¯m not keen on.¡± The image of her in a string bikini being ogled at by the masses sent shivers down her spine. ¡°And there¡¯s no need to write to Professor Oak either, I think I¡¯ll try to earn a Pokedex on my own merits. If I fail then, well¡­ Maybe?¡± The last part was added in a sheepish tone. It would be stupid of Nina to be without some form of contingency. Bill chuckled at the girl¡¯s determination. ¡°I applaud your resolve. No worries, I¡¯ll cover for you if you fail, though I highly doubt you will.¡± The man said the last part with a smirk, so Nina suspected that Bill must know something. ¡°Also, I understand your reservations about being sponsored by the Cerulean Gym. In fact, I can promise you a sponsorship right now for when you come of age.¡± Nina''s eyes widened so much that her eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets. She was kind of expecting the Eevee, but not the sponsorship. ¡°A-are you sure? I thought you don¡¯t really do sponsorships?¡± ¡°I rarely do sponsorships, doesn''t mean I don¡¯t do them at all. I¡¯m curious to see where you¡¯ll go in the future so just think of it as a silly whim of mine. And I¡¯m sure my wife would approve of my decision, so no need to worry about me getting into trouble. She¡¯s been nagging me about nurturing the next generation anyway.¡± Nina gave a stiff nod, unsure of what to say other than ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now enough talk, let¡¯s move on to the most exciting part of today¡¯s meeting ¡ª choosing your Eevee!¡± Chapter 40 ¡°Would you be okay with us adding another member into our little family?¡± ¡°Dra!¡± Tini being the social little Dragon that he was, naturally welcomed any new additions to his life. It was a little late since she had already agreed to it, but Nina still wanted to get her partner''s permission before proceeding. She had taken to treating her Pokemon as family in the same way that the Rockfords did. ¡°I mean I¡¯ve already recognised two strangers as my parents. It¡¯s only right that the Pokemon who will live and fight by my side be treated the same.¡± She turned towards Bill and received a nod in return. ¡°Alright, come out Umber. Let¡¯s get the little ones in order.¡± The Umbreon that Bill released was his starter, and it showed. The Dark Type Eeveelution had an imposing aura around him, one that would not lose even to an Elite tier Pokemon. A single glance from his menacing blood red eyes was enough to scare most lesser Pokemon into submission. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Umb,¡± it cried. That single syllable was enough to get the juvenile Eevees away from Nina and have them line up in a neat pile. But most of the Eevees, being the cute little rabbit doggos that they are, were still lolling their tongues and wagging their tails as if anticipating treats. Nina got close to the assembly and knelt down to address them. ¡°Hi everyone, you probably still remember me from yesterday. But my name is Nina, and I¡¯m looking for someone to join my family and go explore the world with me.¡± The girl paused to look at her audience, unsure if the perpetually cheerful Pokemon even understood her or not. ¡°I can promise you plenty of Berries and lots of love.¡± The mention of Berries got the Eevees to wag their tails with greater fervor. ¡°But if possible, I¡¯d like it if the one joining me was aiming to evolve into either an Umbreon or an Espeon.¡± Bill¡¯s Umbreon made a little smirk at the mention of his species, only to click his tongue at the mention of Espeon, which they tend to have a rivalry with. The choice of the Dark and Psychic Type Eeveelutions weren¡¯t just because they looked cool and were among Nina¡¯s favorites, but also due to practical needs. If Nina wanted to be an explorer, there will come times where she¡¯ll inevitably dive into caves or other enclosed spaces. Having a Dark Type Umbreon with her will help in navigation. Psychic Types, on the other hand, are just useful in general. They can help facilitate communication with other Pokemon and help with tracking, teleportation and so on. Of course, if none of the outgoing Eevees had either of these aspirations then Nina would be happy to just have any Eeveelution in her team at all. There was also the choice of finding someone on the Pokenet who was willing to do a trade, but Nina was not a fan of treating Pokemon like commodities. The Eevees just continued staring at Nina, wondering where the Berries were. Some of them seem to have understood a little, but not entirely as they tilted their head in confusion at the yappy little girl. Nina¡¯s smile faltered a little as she looked towards Bill for help. Only to find that the man was covering his mouth and trying hard not to snicker. She let out a sigh and turned back towards her clueless audience. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it this way,¡± she said, taking on a sterner tone. ¡°Those aspiring to be Umbreons, please raise your paw.¡± A handful of Eevees responded. ¡°Good, could all the potential Umbreon move to my left please? Great. Next, future Espeons, please raise your paws as well.¡± A number of Eevees responded but not as much as the Umbreon wannabes. The lack of a role model among their leaders probably contributed to the lesser number. Espeons were highly sought after afterall. ¡°Awesome, Espeon babies, please move to my right.¡± For the rest of the Eevees, Nina gave them some Berries to reward them for their attention, however brief it may be. Then proceeded to address only the two groups which she had sorted. She fed them as well of course, to avoid any resentful stares. Once the two sides were sated, she repeated her spiel from earlier. Promising a happy life full of Berries and exploration. ¡°So is there anyone here wanting to join my little family?¡± All of them moved forwards to crowd Nina¡¯s lap, but the girl had a feeling that none of them truly understood the implications of what they were doing. It was mostly just a thirst for more Berries. Umbreon seemed to agree as he commanded the Eevees to fall back in line. The girl looked towards the senior Pokemon with pleading eyes. ¡°Do you think you can maybe explain my request to them? I don¡¯t want the Eevee that I adopt to be unhappy with regret.¡± The haughty Umbreon rolled his eyes at Nina and began barking out to the Eevees. Every once in a while, the brighter kids would cry back in response, seeming like they were asking questions. To which Umbreon responded with a few curt ¡°Umbs¡±. By the end of it, there seemed to be a whole conference going on as the Pokemon cried back and forth. Some excited, some not so much. At some point, however, Bill¡¯s Umbreon jerked his head up and looked towards the direction of the artificial cave before clicking his tongue. The senior Pokemon took off into the cave after addressing Nina with a curt ¡°Umb.¡± ¡°Er¡­ What just happened?¡± Nina asked Bill. Only for the man to shrug at her in ignorance. Not long after, Umber returned, biting onto an Eevee by the scruff of its neck and plopping the Eevee down in front of Nina like he had just gone to get the newspaper. ¡°Umb,¡± said the Umbreon as he jerked his head towards the newcomer and settled down on the side. ¡°Something feels different about this Eevee¡­¡± After determining that she was a female, Nina carefully approached the Eevee with some Berries in hand. ¡°Hey there, girl¡­ My name is Nina, do you want some Berries?¡± But instead of rushing to get at the treats like her peers, she simply stared at Nina with eyes full of intelligence, as if assessing the human girl trying to engage with her. ¡°Since Umber retrieved you from the cave, am I right to assume that you¡¯re looking to evolve into an Umbreon?¡± The Eevee shook her head. ¡°So an Espeon?¡¯ ¡°Vee,¡± she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s cool. I think Espeons are great. And I¡¯m actually looking for one to join my family, alongside Tini over here.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± ¡°My dream is to go out and explore the world ¡ª to touch upon unknown mysteries, and meet with new Pokemon and people along the way. Does this sound appealing to you?¡± The Eevee tilted her head slightly, as if considering Nina¡¯s words. ¡°Eevee eev e.¡± Nina tilted her head towards the sky as she tends to do when she was thinking, trying to decipher the Pokespeak. This particular Eevee wasn¡¯t very expressive in terms of body language so it was hard to understand her. Thankfully, Tini came to his partner¡¯s rescue as he began yapping and gesturing at the Eevee. The little Dragon had always been very expressive, but ever since assimilating into human society and getting involved in performances, his body language has been elevated to a whole other level. To the point where Nina had no issues having simple conversations with him. From what Nina was able to gather, it seemed like her partner was telling Eevee all about their adventures and day to day life, along with what sort of person Nina was and their plans for the future. Tini was effectively trying to appeal to the stoic Eevee, who simply sat there and listened intently. Occasionally, the little brown fluff ball would shoot back with a question, only for Tini to do a little slither and tilt before answering. The Eevee seemed to be quite the tough little cookie because Nina could see Tini visibly panicking at some of her questions. Then once everything was done, the Eevee went back to staring at Nina. The girl did a nervous gulp at the sudden scrutiny and held out her hand. ¡°So yeah¡­ As you can see, Tini is very friendly and so am I. We¡¯d be happy to have you if you¡¯re satisfied with us.¡± The Eevee looked down at Nina¡¯s hand before unceremoniously plopping her paw on the girl¡¯s palm ¡ª Nina had to hold back from squealing at the feeling of paw beans in her hand. At the same time, Tini let out a cheer and moved in to passionately nuzzle his cheeks against Eevee¡¯s. Eevee seemed a little annoyed as she passively endured the overwhelming physical affection, but not necessarily in a spiteful way. If anything, it was more like how Nina felt when someone messed with her hair or when someone was dealing with an annoying sibling. ¡°Welcome to the family, Eevee.¡± After deciding that her new Eevee has probably had enough of Tini¡¯s affection, Nina lifted the fluff ball away from him and gently settled the Pokemon in her embrace. ¡°Since you¡¯re aiming to become an Espeon, why don¡¯t we name you Espy? I¡¯m not very imaginative when it comes to names so let me know if you want me to come up with something else.¡± ¡°Vee.¡± Espy replied in an indifferent tone. It seems like she did not care what she was called, so they settled on the name. ¡°By the way,¡± Nina turned towards Bill¡¯s Umbreon. ¡°Is Espy one of your children, Umber?¡± Based on what she¡¯s observed so far, Nina had a hunch about her lineage, which the Umbreon confirmed with a snort and a nod. ¡°Oh¡­ Is this the one you were telling Hikari about? The little Shellder?¡± ¡°Shellder?¡± asked the confused Nina. Bill nodded. ¡°Yeap. As you can tell, little Espy here is smarter than the average. Which unfortunately, resulted in her having trouble making friends. She¡¯s a bit introverted and is as tight as a clam. Hence, Shellder.¡± ¡°E!¡± Espy cried indignantly, seeming to take offense at what Bill had said. ¡°Umb!¡± Umber argued in return, causing Espy to puff up her cheeks in defiance of her father. ¡°Oh gosh she¡¯s so cuuute! Seems like we¡¯ve got a prim and proper lady in our hands.¡± Bill chuckled at the Pokemon. ¡°We were planning on doing some tests on her to measure her intelligence but I suppose this is fine as well.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Nina frowned. ¡°Not only is she Umber¡¯s brood, but she¡¯s also female. I don¡¯t want to impose more than what¡¯s reasonable.¡± Eevee was one of those species where the population was disproportionately male. It was one of the factors contributing to their endangered status. With a female Eevee, a trainer could potentially open up a ranch and start breeding Eevee of their own. They were so valuable that people were willing to do heinous things just to obtain one. ¡°We can still do the tests, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re moving somewhere far away. Keeping a rare talent like Espy confined within the ranch will only result in unhappiness. Best that she go off and explore the world with you.¡± Nina agreed and promised to come by the lab on a regular basis to let the researchers measure Espy¡¯s brain activity. ¡°Although, I do understand your concerns. So we¡¯ll keep her registered with Sea Cottage for now and have her assigned to you as a loaner until you¡¯re strong enough to protect her on your own. Say¡­ when Tini evolves? That way we can take legal action on your behalf should something unforeseen happen.¡± Nina nodded, thankful for the Professor''s thoughtfulness. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll pay you back someday, Professor. Whenever you need an errand girl, just give me a call and I¡¯ll come running over.¡± Bill smiled. ¡°Oh please, again with the formalities. You can thank me by reporting on Espy¡¯s development and being the best trainer you can be. Though I might hold you to your promise as well. There are times where I need representation but am indisposed. I have other trainers who I¡¯m affiliated with of course, but they¡¯re all well established names in their own right.¡± After hammering out a few more details, Bill excused himself to the next agenda in his schedule and Nina returned to Beverly. ¡°Bev¡¯s gonna freak out when she learns about Espy.¡± Nina grinned, still a little salty about her friend¡¯s snoring. Chapter 41 ¡°It¡¯s not fair¡­¡± Beverly whined, for the umpteenth time. Nina simply smiled as she gently stroked Espy by her side. The girl had found the sweet spot for her new Pokemon located around the nape of her neck. Despite Espy¡¯s best efforts to put on an indifferent front like her father, Nina could see the Eevee¡¯s eyes crinkling ever so slightly everytime her fingers went through that particular spot. The two girls were now on a little private beach within the Sea Cottage estate, accompanied by Hikari who decided to take the day off and spend it with her guests. The older woman was wearing an elegant looking sundress and straw hat, while Nina was wearing her usual one piece looking two piece swimsuit. Beverly, however, had lamented the lack of string bikinis for nine year olds (Thank Arceus!), and opted for a frilly looking two piece. Sometimes Nina felt like her friend was a little too eager to follow in her cousins¡¯ footsteps. Hopefully she¡¯ll gradually grow into becoming her own person when she goes on her journey next year. ¡°You know, Violet has a Vaporeon,¡± said Nina. ¡°I¡¯m sure they must have given at least a few eggs over the years.¡± ¡°Nah, Vi¡¯s Vaporeon is male. I doubt it.¡± ¡°Try asking, you never know.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°Knowing Violet, I doubt she¡¯d let go of the opportunity to cash in on her own Eevee. She must have attempted a few schemes during her time with Vaporeon.¡± Beverly hummed. ¡°Yeah but I kinda don¡¯t wanna rely on those bitches too much, you know? They¡¯ll just keep dangling it over me for the rest of my life.¡± Nina paused her handling of Espy and pulled Beverly in for a hug, much to Espy¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Your cousins love you. But right now, they¡¯re treating you like a bratty little sis. So just showcase your adorable side from time to time and they¡¯ll take the bait ¡ª hook and all. I promise.¡± Beverly groaned. Just the thought of sucking up to her cousins made her sick to the stomach. ¡°Easy for you to say, Nins. You don''t even have to try to be all cute and adorkable. The grown ups all love you.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re cute too, Bev. You¡¯re my cute, cool and reliable senior. You just need to be more confident in yourself and stop trying to copy the older girls. Just let your inner beauty shine on its own.¡± Beverly blushed at the compliment. ¡°Urgh, you sound like some cheesy commercial. Also a girl can¡¯t be cute and cool at the same time, Nins.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Nina denied. ¡°You think Misty is cool right? And if you¡¯ve ever seen her in a onesie then you¡¯ll know that she can be cute too.¡± ¡°Exactly, Misty can be cute or cool, but not cute and cool.¡± Beverly argued. The two girls bickered back and forth for a little bit until Hikari chimed in. Which was good, because at some point, Nina began suspecting that her friend was just fishing for compliments. ¡°Girls, girls¡­ You¡¯re both very cute. Now how about the three of us head out into the water to cool off?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to join us, Hikari? Wouldn¡¯t the salt water ruin your pretty dress?¡± Hikari responded to Nina by removing her hat and casting off her sundress in one big flourish, unveiling a bombastic figure and an elegant looking white one piece underneath. The woman grabbed hold of Nina and Beverly¡¯s hands, and dragged them with her towards the sea to join Tini and Luna who were already playing in the water. Meanwhile, Espy was content to just sit there and watch over the humans and their silly antics, utterly disinterested in getting her fur all wet. Being near the sand was irritating enough already ¡ª the fine granules were going to be a nightmare to clean. ¡°But wait,¡± she thought. Now that she had a human of her own, she didn¡¯t have to groom herself anymore. She could just get her human to do it for her. Upon coming to that important realization, Espy allowed herself to lay down and enjoy the warmth of the sand beneath her. The little Eevee smacked her lips thinking that it would be nice to have refreshments on hand. But she¡¯d have to wait for her human to come back to procure some Berries. The human girl seemed to have an endless supply of the treats. Espy closed her eyes for a little nap, dreaming about her new life to come. She had always wondered what life beyond the ranch was like. At least now she wouldn¡¯t have to deal with all her other dimwitted cousins anymore. Humans, for all their faults, were excellent providers and intelligent beings. That one time Espy was taken to the human laboratory had already shown her wonders beyond her imagination. *** Nina stood by and watched as Pikachu slammed into Espy with a Quick Attack. The little brown fur ball yelped in pain and was sent tumbling on the ground. Seeing the Eevee struggle to stand up made Pikachu falter. But after noticing that Nina had yet to call a stop to the match, Pikachu continued charging towards her opponent. However, just as the electric mouse was about to prime another Quick Attack to close the distance, Eevee looked at her abuser with big, round, teary eyes, as if pleading for Pikachu to stop hurting her. The kindhearted Pikachu felt a pang of stabbing pain in her chest from guilt and stopped in her tracks, which was when Espy swiped at the ground and sent a cloud of sand and gravel her opponent¡¯s way. Now it was Pikachu¡¯s turn to cry out in pain as she desperately rubbed at her eyes. Capitalizing on the opportunity that she created, Espy rushed forwards with a nasty Bite on Pikachu¡¯s neck, causing the electric mouse to cry out even more and instinctually begin emitting sparks from her body. ¡°Okay, enough you two!¡± Nina declared as she went and separated the two battling Pokemon. Nina, Espy, Tini and Pikachu were at their usual fishing spot near the Sea Cottage. While Tini was doing his own thing in the water, Nina had asked Pikachu to battle against Espy without any special attacks just so that she could come to grips with her new Pokemon¡¯s abilities. In hindsight, she probably should have done this back at the ranch but was worried that Espy would feel bad about hurting her family. ¡°Sorry Pikachu, I know you don¡¯t like to battle. Thanks for doing this favor for me. I¡¯ll make sure to grab an Aspear smoothie for you on our way back.¡± ¡°Pika!¡± The first thing that Nina did was stop Pikachu from rubbing more sand into her eyes. She then proceeded to wet a towel using her thermos and gently dabbed away most of the residual sand before washing the electric mouse with more water. Nina also did not miss the look of disdain Espy gave to the parts of her fur that were all matted and dirtied. The dainty little Eevee was trying to lick herself clean with a frown on her face, probably not liking the taste of dirt in her mouth. ¡°And sorry to you too, Espy. I¡¯ll make sure to give you a thorough cleaning when we get back. It¡¯ll take some time before the special grooming kit I ordered for you arrives, but we still got the general use one I bought from Pokemart. And I¡¯ll also apply plenty of my Saphira conditioner that you like so much.¡± Nina had been with Espy for a couple of days now, and one thing she realized about her new Pokemon was that she was very dignified. Espy abhorred anything she deems uncouth and takes great care to maintain her appearance. Which unfortunately meant she wasn¡¯t a big fan of battling. That said, the little Eevee idolized her father a great deal and is willing to step into an arena if asked to. She also takes her training very seriously, which is good. After all, there¡¯s nothing more unseemly than being a weakling. It just means that Nina had to take extra care to pamper her little princess after a hard day¡¯s work. After hearing Nina¡¯s assurances, Espy stopped fussing over her fur and began purring against Nina¡¯s leg instead. This usually meant that her highness was demanding Berries. Nina chuckled and gave her Eevee a little stroke. ¡°I know, know. Give me a sec while I heal up Pikachu, then I¡¯ll get you both Berries.¡± After being healed up with a Potion, Pikachu grabbed her Aspear Berry and ran towards the water after deciding that she wanted to go for a little swim. Meanwhile, Nina carried Espy over to her camping chair and settled her royal highness on her throne, a.k.a Nina¡¯s lap. ¡°That was a good use of Baby-Doll Eyes and Sand Attack. Your timing was impeccable.¡± Espy silently listened while daintily eating Berries off Nina¡¯s hand. The awkward little Eevee may try to hide it, but Nina knew that she was pleased with the compliment from the way that Espy was waving her tail around. Another thing that Nina noticed about Espy was that she didn¡¯t really have a preference of Berries. Not that the little Eevee was indifferent or anything, it was actually the opposite. Espy was a connoisseur who enjoyed all the different varieties of Berry flavors. In fact, she liked having a different mix of Berries in her food to excite her palate, not unlike a fancy gourmand. It was just another unique thing about the Eevee that made Nina love her more. ¡°We really do need to teach you Quick Attack though. It¡¯s an extremely useful move which you can appropriate as a movement ability in addition to being an offensive attack.¡± Espy¡¯s ears drooped a little at the comment. In line with her personality, Espy was much more proficient in special attacks over physical attacks. So although she knew some advanced moves like Baby-Doll Eyes, and was swiftly picking up other moves like Swift, she struggled with learning the fairly basic Quick Attack. Nina gently stroked her furry little princess in assurance, telling her that there¡¯s no need to rush things. ¡°Everyone has things that they¡¯re good and bad at. Tini, for example, is a little awkward on land. He¡¯s better now, but it took a year of hard work to reach his level of improvement. Besides, I¡¯m still underage so there¡¯s plenty of time for us to train before we need to battle with any regularity.¡± ¡°Eee¡­¡± cried the dejected Espy. Nina leaned in to kiss her little princess on the forehead, earning the girl a glare. It was important to note that Espy liked being pampered but not doted on. This might have something to do with her advanced intelligence. But in Nina¡¯s eyes, she was just like a cute little child trying to act more mature than she actually was. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina giggled at the irate fur ball and smothered Espy in a hug, finding amusement in the squirming Pokemon struggling to deny her affection. Chapter 42 ¡°Hello there! Welcome to the world of Pokemon! My name is Oak. People call me the Pokemon Professor!¡± Nina looked towards the front of the lecture hall with starry eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m hearing Professor Oak¡¯s opening speech in real life! This is so surreal!¡± While Nina was being starstruck, Beverly just laid her head down for a nap right beside her. This little lecture was mandated for the older girl because she was to receive a Pokedex next year. She could have done this at any time but kept putting it off until now. Of course, this did not mean that Nina and all the other kids in the hall are Pokedex recipients like Beverly. At this point they were merely candidates. In fact, most of the children don¡¯t even know why they have to spend two hours of their precious summer break being stuck in a musty old lecture hall and listening to an old man gush about Pokemon. ¡°...Others use them for battles. Myself? I study Pokemon as a profession.¡± Some children yawned, some secretly played games under their desk. Meanwhile, Nina was diligently scribbling notes as the Professor spoke. Though it was mostly a rehash of the contents from Professor Oak¡¯s magnum opus, simply titled: ¡°The World of Pokemon¡±. It was the book that cemented his name as the Pokemon Professor. He spoke about the bonds between Pokemon and humans, why a Pokemon working together with a human being can grow and develop at a faster rate and the significance of a trainer¡¯s journey. He also spoke about Friendship Evolutions, a field of study which Professor Oak pioneered and which he still remained extremely passionate about. ¡°The fact that Friendship Evolutions exist at all is concrete proof that Pokemon and humans were always meant to coexist and work together hand in hand.¡± This was when Nina raised her hand to ask a question. ¡°I fully agree with your statement about humans and Pokemon coexistence. But there have also been reported sightings of Friendship Evolutions like Crobat and Sylveon out in the wild, albeit extremely rare. What are your thoughts on this.¡± Oak gave a sagely node and seemed to scribble something in his little tablet. ¡°A very good question. Truth be told, wild Friendship Evolutions remain a blindspot in our study of the field,¡± he confessed, with a somewhat dour tone. ¡°We are making an effort to track colonies of Pokemon in an attempt to observe the natural occurrence of the phenomenon. But as you can imagine, such an endeavor is extremely time and resource consuming while not guaranteed to yield results. ¡°Some of the proposed theories include previously trained Pokemon which have since been released into the wild or the steady accumulation of Type Energy over time. The former is supported by the relatively short lifespan of wild Sylveons, while the latter seem to indicate there is a certain threshold in which a Pokemon can simply force their evolution. ¡°Regardless, our findings and conclusions regarding Friendship Evolution remain unchanged. This is simply another avenue for us to pursue in order to further bolster our studies.¡± He added in the end. Nina thanked the professor and settled down to take her notes. *** After the lecture, most of the kids ran off to play while Professor Oak simply watched over them like a kindly old grandfather. However, Nina and some of the older kids who enrolled in the local trainer school opted to approach the podium and engage with the professor. ¡°Hello Professor, sorry to bother you.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ Nina is it?¡± The man was reading off a sticker on Nina¡¯s shirt with her name written on it. ¡°No bother at all. In fact, you asked some excellent questions during the lecture,¡± praised Oak. ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl blushed. ¡°And yes, my name is Melina Jones, but Melina is also my grandma, so most people call me Nina. If you don¡¯t mind, I recently read some of your findings on Alpha Pokemon and would like to ask some questions about that.¡± ¡°Cheh, show off,¡± heckled one of the people in the line, but they promptly wilted under Beverly¡¯s bad bitch glare. One of the more useful traits that the girl learned from her cousins. ¡°Now, now¡­ the pursuit of knowledge is an admirable affair. We must never discourage those who dare to ask questions.¡± He said with an amicable smile. But Nina also noticed the man writing something in his tablet, probably marking a demerit on the heckler¡¯s profile. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ Ah, you¡¯re one of Bill¡¯s. That explains your boundless curiosity. And the Cerulean Gym as well. Very impressive¡­¡± He added, before grabbing a chair and sitting down to face Nina. ¡°My apologies, my legs aren¡¯t what they used to be. Please, do proceed with your questions. I¡¯m not an expert on the matter, unlike my cousin. But I do have some knowledge.¡± Nina nodded in understanding, telling the professor not to worry. The man was in his sixties now, so some degeneration is to be expected. ¡°While I was reading through some of the material on Alpha Pokemon and Mega Evolution, I had a thought. Given that the two phenomena are closely linked to Infinity Energy, Is there a possibility that Alphas are simply a more natural occurrence of Mega Evolution? This would be in line with the Primal Reversion Theory. ¡°That said, I did look up pictures of Alphas and compared them to their Mega Evolved Counterparts and there does seem to be an obvious difference in appearances.¡± Professor Oak gave the girl an approving nod and hummed in consideration. ¡°Interesting, what made you think that Alpha Pokemon are linked to Infinity Energy?¡± ¡°There was a study that someone did recently ¡ª I¡¯m sorry, I forgot the name of the author ¡ª and they wrote about a potential correlation between the increasingly unstable dimensional rifts in Alola and the more frequent emergence of Alpha Pokemons. Most of it was just numbers and statistics without much substantiation, but it seemed reasonable enough to me.¡± Oak chuckled. ¡°A very astute observation. Have you ever seen an empowered Pokemon in person, by chance?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°I once went on a trip to the Safari Zone with a friend and his family. There was an Alpha Donphan who strayed away from his territory and stumbled into us. That was probably the most afraid I¡¯ve ever been in my entire life.¡± ¡°I see, that sounds unfortunate... It was good that you managed to escape unscathed. Alpha Pokemon are not to be trifled with. There is a reason why not even Champions and Elites count Alphas among their roster. These are Pokemon who would sooner die fighting than submit to the whims of a human.¡± Nina nodded in agreement, an involuntary shiver coursed through her spine as she thought about the overwhelming presence of the Alpha Donphan. ¡°Now then,¡± the Professor continued with a wink. ¡°What if I told you that people have described feeling a similar aura from Mega and Alpha Pokemon?¡± Nina buzzed in excitement. ¡°Then this might be a potential link between the two phenomena.¡± Oak smiled. ¡°Indeed¡­ Truth be told Nina, our research into the link between these phenomena are still in a very nascent stage. So unfortunately, I can¡¯t provide any definitive answers. ¡°But tell you what, I¡¯m scheduled to pay a visit to Bill tomorrow for lunch. Why don¡¯t you come along as well and we can discuss this further. I doubt we have enough time today without holding up the line, and I¡¯m sure Bill wouldn¡¯t mind either.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina lit up at the offer, only to be brought back down by a light chop on her head by Beverly. ¡°We¡¯ve got work tomorrow at the Gym, Nins. Ain¡¯t no way I¡¯m letting you ditch me to go have fun.¡± The younger girl wilted. ¡°Aww¡­ I¡¯m sure Misty wouldn¡¯t mind if I take an extra day. Please¡­¡± However, having been desensitized to Nina¡¯s Baby-Doll Eyes, Beverly remained stalwart as she forcefully squished her junior¡¯s cheeks to deny her. Professor Oak laughed out loud at the two girls. ¡°She¡¯s right, dear Nina. One shouldn¡¯t shirk their responsibilities. I see here that I have the contact information of your school. I¡¯ll check on my schedule and make arrangements for a video call for another day. So no need to worry and just focus on your Gym duties for now.¡± ¡°Thanks, Professor!¡± Nina beamed a bright smile. *** ¡°Oh come on, Nins. Are you still pissed off that I cockblocked you?¡± ¡°Beverly!¡± Nina yelled. ¡°That is not the appropriate word to use. Where in Distortion did you even learn that from?!¡± Beverly winced at her junior¡¯s admonishment. ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ my bad. Sheesh, you sound like my mom.¡± Nina sighed. She was still a little annoyed, but at least she got a one on one video call with Oak lined up, which was arguably better. That said, it was dependent on whether the professor remembered to follow up on that promise. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Come on, let¡¯s go to the cafeteria and explore the campus a little. I''ve never been to Cerulean College before.¡± Nina dragged Beverly by her arm and made her way to the cafeteria. As far as higher education institutions go, the Cerulean College was fairly mediocre with the usual spread of studies available. If anything, their Arts program was probably their most well known faculty given the nature of the city attracting all the appropriate talent. This was reflected in the campus decor as Nina and Beverly passed by all sorts of art pieces and paintings done by the college students. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, is that supposed to be art?¡± asked Beverly. The two girls were looking at a cordoned off area where there was a whole bunch of garbage glued together in a pile on the floor. It seems that the nonsense plaguing the contemporary art world of Nina¡¯s past life has found its way here in the Pokemon world as well. Nina simply laughed and shrugged. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s supposed to be a Garbodor or something? All I know is that I¡¯m losing my appetite looking at it.¡± ¡°Eh, who cares.¡± Beverly shrugged. ¡°I wonder if mom is free right now, maybe we can grab lunch with her.¡± Nina looked to Beverly with a face full of surprise. ¡°Your mom works here? Is she supposed to be the lunch lady or something?¡± Beverly¡¯s eyebrow twitched as she squished her junior¡¯s cheeks aggressively to punish the girl for her crass words. ¡°How could you say that?! I¡¯ll have you know that my mom is one of the lecturers here. She teaches Marine Biology, that''s how she and dad met.¡± Nina rubbed at her sore cheeks and wanted to make a comment about how Beverly fell very far from that particular tree, but ultimately chose to hold her tongue. And just as expected, Beverly¡¯s mother was the polar opposite of her daughter, looking every bit the working professional in her cardigan, pantsuit, and thick rimless glasses. ¡°Ah you must be the Nina I¡¯ve heard so much about. My name is Chelsea. Thank you so much for befriending our Beverly. She can be quite awkward at times, so not many people are willing to tolerate her.¡± The woman greeted. ¡°Mooommm¡­ Shut up, you¡¯re embarrassing me!¡± whined the girl in question. Nina laughed and greeted the woman in return. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s actually Beverly I should be thanking ¡ª she takes real good care of me at the Gym.¡± The two then began trading stories about Beverly, causing the girl to flush pink like a Jigglypuff. ¡°I have a lot of time right now so let¡¯s head out for lunch. The food in the cafeteria is subpar even on the best of days. I know of a quaint little cafe by the Quay. The owner and I both came from Kalos so she gives me special treatment,¡± said Chelsea. ¡°Oh, if you¡¯re talking about Nancy¡¯s place, I¡¯m actually friends with her son. I didn¡¯t know you were half Kalosian, Bev¡­¡± The three leisurely chatted as they strolled through the Quay and had a pleasant lunch together before going their separate ways. Chapter 43: Interlude ¡°Bill! It¡¯s been too long, my friend.¡± ¡°Sam! Welcome, welcome. I can¡¯t even remember the last time you came to visit. The two Pokemon Professors shook hands and pulled each other in for an embrace. ¡°How is Cerulean City treating you so far?¡± Professor Oak chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how quickly this place develops. It feels like the city has almost doubled in size. Not to mention all the art, the canals, the high rises. Heck, Even the Cerulean Gym feels like a whole different place. Just a little over a decade ago, it was just the same bog standard boxy Gym building that all the other Leaders use.¡± Bill led his guest into his abode and chuckled in return. ¡°Indeed, Misty and her sisters have put a lot of work into expanding their operations. The Cerulean Gym is an entire entertainment enterprise at this point.¡± ¡°Incredible! The ingenuity of the young never ceases to amaze me. And Hikari! Lovely as ever, how are you my dear?¡± Hikari stepped forward to kiss the senior Professor on his cheeks. ¡°Samuel, I am very well. Please come in, I just had the most delectable tofu dish the other day and asked our chef to recreate it. I¡¯m curious to hear your thoughts on how he did.¡± The three settled down around the dining table and a servant poured out a bottle of Shuckle juice for their refreshment. ¡°So how long will you be staying, Sam?¡± Bill asked. ¡°Oh not long at all, I¡¯ll be heading over to Pewter tomorrow, then Viridian, and finally back to Pallet Town,¡± answered the older man. ¡°I have no desire to linger for too long. You should know how insufferable those people in suits can be. Not everyone is lucky to have such a capable wife by their side.¡± Bill laughed. ¡°Well if you weren¡¯t such a womanizing bastard, maybe you¡¯d have found a cornerstone of your own by now.¡± He joked, eliciting laughter from his senior. ¡°What about the seminars then, any good seeds this year?¡± Oak hummed. ¡°As peace persists between Kanto and Johto, there are less reasons for humans and Pokemon alike to battle. Now we have children who grow up aspiring to be coordinators, researchers, nurses and so on. It is no longer the case where people took training Pokemon as seriously as they used to.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the children have become complacent then?¡± asked Bill. Oak smiled. ¡°Complacent and happier at the same time. It is not a bad thing. For the longest time, I dreamt of a world where Pokemon were no longer used as tools of war, and it seems we are finally at the dawn of such an era.¡± The old Professor looked out the window wistfully, reminiscing about bygone days. ¡°That was the reason why you gave up on the Champion¡¯s seat and chose to research Pokemon-human relations was it not?¡± chimed Hikari. ¡°You wanted people to feel the same sense of loss in losing Pokemon as losing a loved one.¡± Oak chuckled in affirmation. ¡°By the way,¡± he continued. ¡°I had the pleasure of speaking with Miss Nina yesterday.¡± Bill grinned. ¡°Quite the little girl, huh?¡± Professor Oak nodded in response. ¡°Intelligent and sincere at the same time, a rare combination indeed. Most geniuses her age are often devoid of empathy. You¡¯ve found yourself quite the pupil, Bill.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hikari laughed. ¡°You¡¯re giving my husband too much credit, Samuel. Nina was already brilliant even before she met Bill. It was simply the hands of fate that brought the two of them together.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. Our meeting was a pure coincidence. Though I do look forward to following her career in the future.¡± Bill laughed, alongside his wife. ¡°Which, by the way, she has expressed a desire to obtain a Pokedex of her own.¡± He added, in a somewhat suggestive tone. ¡°Oh you need not worry about that. After reading through her essay, I had her name added into the list right away. You can tell her to rest assured.¡± ¡°No need, Nina was quite insistent on ¡®earning¡¯ her own Pokedex, I believe she will welcome the surprise.¡± As they were talking, the appetizers were brought out to the table. The three adults continued on with their conversation as they dug into the food. Midway through the meal, Professor Oak turned towards Hikari for a favor. ¡°Hikari, dear. When you have the time, do you mind making a trip over to Pallet Town. I have some Pokemon that I would like you to talk to.¡± ¡°Oh? Do you not have a Psychic available?¡± The woman asked in return. Oak sighed. ¡°As you well know, Psychic therapy and talk therapy are two very different specializations. The situation is a delicate one and I fear that getting a Psychic Pokemon involved might be too intrusive.¡± Hikari tilted her head in interest and asked for more details. ¡°I recently lost a trainer over at Hoenn ¡ª it was a tragic incident, nothing that any of his Pokemon could have done,¡± said the Professor, his voice filled with pain and sadness. ¡°And yet the trauma remains¡­ It is times like this where I wish I had you gifts, Hikari.¡± Hikari nodded, readily agreeing to the elderly Professor¡¯s request. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll teleport over once you¡¯re back from your trip and have a look. Perhaps it might even be beneficial to relocate them to our ranch so that I may have more time with them.¡± ¡°If you would be so willing, that would be great. I suspect they will only find bitter memories within the confines of my estate.¡± The rest of the meal proceeded in a much more lighthearted manner as the friends caught up on their recent happenings. *** Misty took off her jacket and handed it over to her personal assistant, suppressing a cold shudder all the while. ¡°I¡¯m getting old¡­¡± She thought. The Gym leader had tried multiple times to ¡®clean up¡¯ her Gym¡¯s image and move away from bikinis but never managed to accomplish anything due to lukewarm reception from the various focus groups they consulted. ¡°Maybe what we need are hot guys in speedos¡­¡± She mused, but quickly shelved that thought. She did not trust her sisters and the other girls not to cause a scandal within the first week of implementation. Though in truth, it was actually Misty herself who would likely get caught up in a scandal. ¡°So what was the name of this kid again?¡± Misty asked her P.A. ¡°She goes by the name of Vicious Thunder,¡± replied the assistant, eliciting an incredulous look from her boss. ¡°She claims to be a punk rocker. Vicious Thunder is her stage name.¡± Misty shrugged and continued walking, her heels clacking and echoing in the hallway headed towards the main arena. ¡°Is she any good?¡± ¡°Eh so-so, if you like underground stuff. Did a few gigs here and there,¡± said the assistant, but then quickly corrected herself after receiving a look from Misty. ¡°Oh, you mean her battle record ¡ª top eight in the Indigo Conference last year.¡± Misty sighed. ¡°These people do know that a Gym¡¯s Star team is supposed to be Elite tier right? Except for that temp over at Viridian Gym maybe. How many Star badges have I given out this year?¡± The answer was one, against a Blackthorn from Johto. It was a common occurrence for the Dragon Tamers to come and flex on their neighbors every once in a while. Misty made a mental note to tighten the screening process for Star Battles moving forwards, lamenting the fact that the quality of new trainers have been on the decline as of late. ¡°Let me guess, this one¡¯s an Electric Type Specialist?¡± Misty asked, to which her assistant nodded in affirmation. ¡°Fucking amateurs think they¡¯re invincible just ¡®cause they have a Type advantage.¡± Misty recalled the gross looking eel thing she fought last year. She had already forgotten the name of the challenger but that particular Pokemon did leave quite an impression on her. ¡°What did Nina call it, an Eelektross? Stupid name, but interesting Pokemon.¡± It was rare to find an Electric Type that lives underwater. The only other one she could think of was Lanturn. Not to mention Eelektross¡¯s deceiving appearance, despite being pure Electric. Misty smirked. She had reached out to an old flame located in Unova to ask that he catch a baby one for her. Men were easy. All she had to do was bat her eyelashes and stroke their ego a bit and they¡¯ll come wagging their little dicks at her. In fact, her contact had insisted that he deliver the Pokemon in person due to its rarity and bureaucratic issues. It didn''t matter. Misty will just play around with him for a bit and then send him packing. Rather, she was looking forward to ¡®shocking¡¯ her opponents with her new Pokemon. Misty emerged onto the arena to the sound of canned applause from the speakers and a flowery introduction from their Gym¡¯s emcee. They were performers afterall, gotta maintain appearances. The Gym Leader looked around and greeted her audience with a smile before turning an impassive gaze at her opponent. The girl was mostly what she expected, with an ugly looking mohawk and an ungodly amount of piercings. ¡°Arceus, how many piercings does that kid have?¡± Misty thought that surely the Electric Type specialist would have a Magnemite or two in her team. ¡°How¡¯re you supposed to train your Pokemon if you can''t stand less than ten metres away from them?¡± The rest of the proceedings proceeded as usual, with the challenger throwing around some empty trash talk, calling Misty a slut and that she was a disgrace to womankind. Misty just rolled her eyes, she was already used to such inane insults from her inferiors. She learned long ago that it all stemmed from jealousy. Same with all the ridiculous rumours that people spread about her. Misty threw out her Pokeball the moment that the ref called a start to the battle. Technically they were operating by conference rules, which meant Misty did not have to abide by Gym customs and go first. But it was hard to predict how the haters would react online. She didn¡¯t care of course, just that she did not want the little ones to catch any flack on her account. The Gym Leader suppressed a yawn at her opponent¡¯s predictability. Kantonian Electric Specialists were all the same, they¡¯ll always start off with either an Electrode or Magnezone to set the terrain. ¡°Then they¡¯ll start blasting the water¡­ And yeap, right on cue.¡± After setting up Electric Terrain, Light Screen, Magnetic Flux and other buffs, Vicious Thunder commanded her Electrode to start blasting the water with electricity. Meanwhile Misty¡¯s Kingdra was just leisurely swimming and dancing in the water to power up. Misty scoffed at the sight. ¡°Why are all these Electric people all brawns and no brains? Do they not even bother to research Water Pokemon cause they think they can just brute force their way through?¡± Misty blamed that muscle-brained Surge for setting a bad example. Most people were unaware that pure water itself was not conductive, it was the ions contained within water that conducted electricity. And Water type Energy was as pure as water could get, which meant that all Kingdra had to do was coat his body with a layer of Water Type Energy to completely negate the electricity being conducted through the pool¡¯s water. It would be a different matter if the Electric Type Energy had struck the Pokemon directly since Electric Energy does overpower their Water counterpart. But such an indirect approach was completely ineffective towards Misty¡¯s highly trained Pokemon. Misty did not even bother to give out any orders because her Pokemon were all used to the routine at this point. She watched quietly as her Kingdra showed off a few dance moves in the water, and let out a smirk. ¡°Bastard¡¯s been getting cocky recently.¡± Ever since Nina¡¯s Dratini saw Kingsley¡¯s fight in person, the junior Dragon had developed a great deal of admiration for his senior. The little eel would often swim up to the Kingdra and gas him up, asking for advice and so on, giving Kingsley quite a big head from all the attention. Misty grinned. ¡°Hey, Kingsley! Tini¡¯s watching in the stands right now, think you can sweep this kid¡¯s team? Show your cute little junior how it¡¯s done!¡± ¡°KIIIINNNNNG!¡± The Kingdra erupted from the pool in a surge of purple draconic aura and shot a ball of super condensed Dragon Pulse right at his opponent to completely demolish the Electrode and the central platform. Electrode survived the blast thanks to Endure, but was tossed into the water where it helplessly sank into the pool. ¡°Attack, Electrode! Don¡¯t let that Kingdra get anywhere near you!¡± Vicious Thunder screamed. But unfortunately, they were now in Kingsley¡¯s playground as the Kingdra elegantly danced around his opponent, fainting the Electrode after another two applications of Dragon Pulse. The ball sphere Pokemon had attempted a Self Destruct, but alas, there aren¡¯t a lot that can outspeed a Kingdra underwater. Not even shockwaves from an explosion. ¡°Tiiiin! Tiiiin!¡± Misty looked over to the audience to see Nina¡¯s Dratini fervently cheering on his idol, while Nina herself was desperately holding on to the slippery eel to prevent him from falling off the edge. The Gym leader could not help but smile at the adorable sight. ¡°Gosh they¡¯re just so damned cuuute.¡± To the side, she could also see a calm looking Eevee watching over her battle with keen interests. ¡°Of course the girl managed to convince that stubborn asshole to give her an Eevee. And a female one at that.¡± Misty had found it quite entertaining to see Beverly awkwardly try to pander to her sister for an Eevee egg the past few days. ¡°That brat only acted cute when she wanted something.¡± Not that it was a bad thing, just that the girl needed to work on her execution. Violet had naturally made full use of Beverly¡¯s desires and jerked the girl every which way, without any signs of relenting to her wishes. At least, not that Beverly was aware of. In actual fact, Misty¡¯s sister had already reached out to her partners over at an Eevee ranch that she partially owned, and arranged for a coming of age gift for their cousin. Provided the girl stayed out of trouble of course. The match ended with a five-nil score. Kingsley was finally downed by an Electivire who also happened to be Vicious Thunder¡¯s ace. And by that point, the sea Dragon was too worn out to put up a good fight. Misty sighed. ¡°Kingsley¡¯s gonna be sulking all week. I¡¯ll have to get Nina and Tini to go talk him up later. Those two are really good at that.¡± Chapter 44 ¡°I¡¯ll miss you Bev.¡± ¡°Haill mwisszz heu doo Nims¡­¡± Nina was currently trying to console the crying Beverly while trying hard not to get snot and drool all over her ¡ª ¡°Aaand, there goes my expensive dress.¡± It was the new year and Nina was now eight years old. Which meant that her friend Beverly was now ten. They were currently in the Cerulean Gym, hosting a farewell party for the girl who had decided to skip school and go on a journey instead, just like Misty once did so many years ago. ¡°Don¡¯t be cringe, Bev. Are you seriously gonna embarrass yourself in front of your junior like this?¡± Beverly took the napkins that were offered to her by Daisy and began aggressively blowing her nose. ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± She exclaimed, voice sounding a bit nasally. ¡°I¡¯m gonna take my Nina with me. Together we¡¯ll travel the world and become the best mermaid duo ever! Just you wait and see!¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s proclamation and pulled her in for a hug, intentionally squishing Beverly¡¯s face against the part of her dress which had been soiled earlier. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly Bev, I¡¯m just going to be deadweight in your journey. And it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going away forever. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll come back to visit at some point, right?¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beverly sniffled and nodded enthusiastically at Nina. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll come right back once I get a Flyer or a teleporter.¡± Then the girl started bawling again, suffocating Nina with a hug and begging her not to go looking for another bestie while she was away. Nina gave a wry smile and just let the girl vent to her heart¡¯s content. After meeting Beverly¡¯s mother, Nina learned just how deep her friend¡¯s insecurities were. Her lofty background and inherent need to please the people around her made it difficult for her to form any sort of meaningful relationships. That was why she tried so hard to mimic the role models around her in an attempt to gain acceptance among her peers, unaware that it only made her even more unapproachable to kids her age. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± said Daisy as she pulled her clingy cousin away from Nina. ¡°You¡¯re ten years old now, so act like it. Besides, Nina has a gift for you. Don¡¯t you, Nina?¡± Nina nodded, then she bent down to pick up the Eevee right next to her and shoved it right into Beverly¡¯s embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you didn¡¯t get your own Eevee,¡± said Nina, her eyes beginning to water and nose lightly sniffling as the words struggle to come out of her mouth. ¡°I know how much you love Eevees¡­ So¡­¡± Nina averted her gaze and began choking up. ¡°S-so, please take care of this child for me!¡± She blurted. Beverly was speechless, she looked back and forth between the Eevee in her arms and her best friend. Tears of love and gratitude began flowing from her eyes as she tried to come up with something to say. ¡°I¡­ This¡­ I can¡¯t! Nina, this is too much! I can¡¯t take Espy from you!¡± She shouted. Then the girl felt a lick on her face and a sense of wrongness welled up in her mind. ¡°Wait,¡± Beverly thought. ¡°The Espy I know is a stone cold bitch who scratches at me everytime I try to pet her.¡± The girl wiped away her tears and looked closely at the brown fluff ball who was lolling its tongue at her. ¡°This Eevee¡­ It¡¯s a male!¡± Beverly looked up in shock, only to see Nina and her cousins grinning at her mischievously. ¡°You guys¡­¡± ¡°Happy Coming of Age, Bev!¡± Violet exclaimed, as the people surrounding Beverly all popped confetti in her direction. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been nagging at me for an Eevee, but I betcha you never thought I¡¯d actually follow through didja?¡± Violet teased with a wink. ¡°I¡­¡± Beverly sputtered. The girl really wanted to lash out at her cousin for stringing her along for half a freaking year. But all she ended up doing was bursting out into tears once more as the warmth inside her chest was too much to be contained. Nina watched her friend¡¯s overwhelming happiness with a bright smile, also feeling a trickle of tears gracing her eyes in solidarity. ¡°Being loved is such a wonderful thing.¡± She thought. Beverly ended up naming her Eevee, Vapey, to match with Nina. Which the girl was fine with, just that¡­ ¡°Vapey sounds a bit wrong, or is this just my past life sensibilities talking?¡± *** Nina submerged her shoulders into the hot water. The girl let out an involuntary moan as she felt her muscles relax and her exhaustion melt away. Ever since Beverly left on her journey, Nina remained the sole apprentice within the Gym and has been pulling double duty ever since. ¡°Now I know why Beverly is always complaining about being a slave.¡± Forget break days, Nina didn¡¯t even have spare time during the weekends anymore. ¡°We should buy a bigger tub, Tini.¡± The girl was growing fast and was almost to the point where she wouldn¡¯t be able to fit in Tini¡¯s portable tub anymore. Even Tini himself has grown quite a bit during the two years he¡¯s been with Nina. The brightside to Nina¡¯s increased workload was that her savings have been increasing alongside it, so she could splurge on luxury goods. Which was great because Espy¡¯s fur care product was ludicrously expensive. Speaking of which, the Eevee nuzzled against Nina with a whining ¡°Eee¡­¡± and Baby-Doll Eyes. Espy¡¯s favorite time of the day was grooming time. Despite her dislike of cold water, the dainty Eevee does love her hot baths. And she especially likes the expensive conditioner that Nina bought for her in Saphira. In fact, Nina and Espy¡¯s shopping trip to Saphira was the most animated she has ever seen her Eevee. Espy¡¯s eyes practically glowed as she yipped and yapped, bouncing between the selection of products laid out in front of her by the store attendant, and sniffing each and every one of them to find her favorite scent. Nina giggled and nuzzled her Eevee back. She reached out to the side for Espy¡¯s conditioner and lathered a generous amount into her mane, making sure to run her fingers through every strand of fur and gently rubbing at the skin underneath. ¡°Eee~¡± Espy moaned in pleasure, eyes squinted and crinkled in ecstasy. The cute little brown fur ball even lolled out her tongue subconsciously, making for quite a cute sight. ¡°Spending money to spoil a cute girl is as satisfying as ever, no matter which world I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Tini, Espy, make sure to wake me up if you see me falling asleep¡­¡± Nina mumbled as she slowly dozed off in the tub. *** ¡°Morning, Nina!¡± ¡°Morning!¡± Nina made sure to return the greeting of every kid in her school who took the initiative to greet her. Her work with the Cerulean Gym and her sponsorship with Bill has turned her into the most popular kid in school. It was a novel new experience for her, since Miles was never a popular kid. He was more part of the gloomy emo crowd. That said, her relationships with her classmates remain as shallow as ever, most of them were a little intimidated by her, and some admired her too much. ¡°I can see why Beverly always complained about not fitting in with her fellow students.¡± The difference being, Nina had greater emotional maturity and did not care about the lack of friends. Nina smiled and greeted a teacher who was passing by as she made her way to her classroom, Pokeballs dangling on her belt. Her companion Pokemon privileges had long since expired, but Principal Margaret judged that the girl was at least responsible enough to allow her to carry Pokeballs with her. Speaking of, Nina had also asked Espy to decorate her Pokeball. And the Eevee, with her elegant and refined taste, chose a simple sticker of a crescent moon enveloping the sun to put on the center of the Ball and nothing else. Though she did catch her eyeing a Premier Ball while they were in the Pokemart, so she vowed to buy her one once they have enough money to spare. Maybe when Bill transfers Espy¡¯s registration to her, that would be a good time, since they¡¯ll have to break the old Pokeball anyway. ¡°Morning Nina, did you watch Sabrina last night?¡± asked Nina¡¯s desk neighbor, whose name she couldn¡¯t recall for the life of her. ¡°Sorry, I fell asleep in my bathtub last night. I pretty much went to bed right after my Pokemon woke me up.¡± ¡°Aww¡­ Must be nice to have Pokemon already. I wonder what my parents are going to get me for my coming of age.¡± ¡°Did you talk to your parents and told them what you would like?¡± The girl shook her head in response. ¡°Not really, I kinda want it to be a surprise you know. But I do kind of want an Abra. Baby Abras are super cute, and Sabrina¡¯s Alakazam is so cool.¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Liking surprises is fine and all, but your starter is going to be your partner for life. So it¡¯s important that you find one that you like, at least. Especially if you really want an Abra. Those guys are wily and extremely hard to catch. Not to mention the League is very protective of Psychic Pokemon due to how dangerous they are. Your parents will need time to secure one for you, so I recommend having a discussion with them and see what they think.¡± The girl let out a noise of awe towards Nina and nodded her head. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re a Gym Apprentice, you¡¯re super smart, Nina. I¡¯ll talk to daddy when he comes home.¡± After that Ms Roxy walked into the classroom, signaling the beginning of their lessons for the day. There were only two to three classes per year in Nina¡¯s school, since it wasn¡¯t a particularly large neighborhood. Which meant there were also big overlaps in the teaching staff. ¡°Alright, settle down everyone.¡± said Roxy. ¡°Before we begin, some announcements ¡ª This year¡¯s Cerulean Gym Little League will be an open format. Previously, it was the school who would recommend contestants, but this time around, everyone will have the chance to compete so long as they pass a written test set by the Gym.¡± Excited murmurs spread throughout the class in response. This was actually Nina¡¯s idea since she was desperate for more help. Nominations will still happen of course, but the written test will be made intentionally difficult to screen for other potential candidates and cast the net a bit wider. After all, teachers were not omniscient and there¡¯ll inevitably be biases. For example, Beverly was not a very good student, and one wouldn¡¯t think of her as Gym Apprentice material at a simple glance. This was the argument she used to convince Daisy of her idea. It also helped that none of the Cerulean Sisters, sans Violet, were particularly studious back in their day. ¡°And before you all get any ideas. I don¡¯t want to find out that any of you went and bugged Nina about the test, okay? I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not aware of the questions or the format. Anyone caught cheating is a disgrace to the school and will be severely punished.¡± This time, a wave of disappointed whines spread throughout the class. ¡°Oh, and Nina. Come by the office after school. We received an email from a certain¡­ tree.¡± Nina buzzed with excitement. ¡°Yes, finally!¡± Chapter 45 Turns out, Professor Oak did forget his promise with Nina. It took a while before Nina gathered up the courage to ask Bill about it. In part, because she did not want to be a nuisance, and also because she wanted to give the old man the benefit of the doubt. In the end, the younger Professor just laughed at Nina¡¯s anxieties and sent a casual email over to his senior as a reminder. ¡°My apologies Nina,¡± began the regretful Professor. ¡°I got too preoccupied with other matters, and well¡­ my memory isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Nina was currently in the school¡¯s meeting room facing a laptop with Professor Oak on the other end of a video call. She had released Tini and Espy to keep her company, with Ms Roxy seated from across her to monitor the proceedings, not that the latter was strictly necessary. ¡°No worries, Professor, I understand that you¡¯re a busy man. I¡¯m just glad that you remembered me at all.¡± Oak chuckled. ¡°Of course I remember you, my dear. You wrote quite a memorable essay.¡± Nina blushed, not expecting her shoddy writing to be brought up so suddenly. ¡°You¡¯re being too kind, Professor. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve probably seen better work in your day. And speaking of, I just reread ¡®The World of Pokemon¡¯ in anticipation of today and it truly is a timeless classic. ¡°I wanted to ask ¡ª do you still stand by what you wrote about Pokemon battles being the purest expression of a bond between trainer and Pokemon?¡± She added, in a clumsy attempt to change the subject. Professor Oak gave the girl a wry smile as he lightly shook his head. ¡°No, as a matter of fact, I do not. We lived in a very different time back then, an age of great violence and bloodshed. That was merely my immature attempt to divert the people''s ire to less destructive means of competition, by glorifying battles as a sport and denigrating the taking of lives as savagery.¡± The Professor carried on to say that there were much more peaceful means of showcasing the bonds between man and mon these days. ¡°Mega Evolution is actually a great example of this. Without a strong bond between a trainer and their Pokemon, the phenomenon is simply impossible to achieve.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered actually. Why is there a need for a Pokemon to link with a human to achieve Mega Evolution?¡± Nina asked, grateful that the Professor had so elegantly brought their conversation back on track. ¡°Ah, a very good question,¡± said Oak. ¡°Previously you had speculated about the link between Mega and Alpha Pokemon. Now, the biggest difference between the two phenomena is that one is temporary while the other is permanent.¡± The Professor explained that the temporary boost provided by Mega Evolution carries an immense mental strain on the Pokemon involved, hence why a failed Mega Evolution, more often than not, will result in said Pokemon going berserk. ¡°The link between a Mega Stone and their corresponding Key Stone helps to share that burden. But of course, that¡¯s an oversimplification. In truth, we¡¯ve found that there¡¯s more to the connection than simply a mental one. The Mega Evolution process also deeply entwines the very being of the two parties involved.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Do you mean it also connects a trainer and a Pokemon¡¯s soul?¡± Oak laughed out in amusement at the question. ¡°The soul eh? I suppose that is one way of putting it. Souls are very abstract concepts after all, we know it exists but have no way of proving it. To be more specific, Mega Evolution also connects the aura and life force of trainer and Pokemon. To what extent? We do not know. Even Professor Sycamore who is the foremost expert of the field is still diligently conducting studies to unravel such mysteries.¡± At this point, Nina chimed in with her own thoughts. ¡°So that is to say, because the process of a Pokemon becoming an Alpha occurs gradually and over a much longer period of time, they can achieve empowerment wholly through their own means. ¡°But then what makes an Alpha Pokemon? Are there specific standards that need to be met to apply that label?¡± She asked. Nina came to the realization that the games were never too specific outside of labeling Alphas as abnormally large Pokemon. Even the scientists of this world seemed to use fairly abstract means of identifying Alphas, mainly relying on the ¡®feeling¡¯ that a Pokemon gives off, or their aura. ¡°Another good question,¡± praised Oak. ¡°I have a feeling that you¡¯ll make an excellent researcher in the future. Knowing the right questions to ask is half the battle after all. Some people are so ignorant that they don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re ignorant about.¡± The answer he gave to Nina¡¯s question was less than satisfactory, however. ¡°To be honest this is the biggest hurdle to our research into Alpha Pokemon. We are still unsure about the Alpha-fication process of Pokemon. Is it simply an accumulation of Type Energy? If so, then what makes it different from an Evolution? Or if it is Infinity Energy as you and so many others believe, at what point does that mutation occur? ¡°This is why you¡¯ll find that most studies pertaining to Alpha Pokemon are simple dissections and observations of active Alphas as opposed to a study into the underlying phenomena.¡± ¡°But surely your cousin over in Alola would have some insight,¡± Nina argued. ¡°Professor Samson Oak is the foremost expert on Totem Pokemons. And those are pretty much Alpha Pokemon in all but name.¡± Professor Oak laughed boisterously at Nina¡¯s blatant call out. ¡°Truthfully, I agree with your assessment.¡± He said with a wink. ¡°Though don¡¯t tell Samson I said that. He¡¯s been out to prove everyone wrong as of late.¡± ¡°So it''s true then?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Does that mean that the Alolan Trial Captains hold the secret to imbuing Pokemon with Infinity Energy?¡± Oak hummed in consideration. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly say that. They have specific means of training their Totem Pokemons, yes. Though I''m unsure if even the Captains understand the workings behind their methods. To my knowledge, it is highly reliant on their respective Island Legendaries.¡± ¡°So the secret lies with the Tapus then¡­¡± Nina murmured. ¡°That¡¯s very interesting. Thank you for entertaining my questions, Professor. I didn¡¯t mean to pry too much into the secret traditions of Alola.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± the old Professor laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a secret. The Alolans are a very generous people. And the Tapus are some of the most well documented Legendary Pokemon due to how well integrated they are in human society.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re on the topic of Alola,¡± Nina continued. ¡°How in Arceus did Alolan Vulpix develop an Ice Typing in a tropical environment of all places?¡± The two continued on with their conversation for quite some time until Roxy had to step in and remind the two that the sun was setting and that they needed to shut down the school at some point. ¡°I¡¯ll say. You are the most compelling child I¡¯ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with, Nina.¡± Oak said, towards the end of their meeting. ¡°If ever you have the chance, please stop by my laboratory in Pallet Town. It is nowhere near as impressive as Bill¡¯s but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find it interesting all the same.¡± ¡°Thank you Professor, I¡¯ll make sure to come visit if I¡¯m ever in the area.¡± *** ¡°So how have you been, Nina?¡± Roxy began, as per the usual. Meanwhile the girl she was addressing was just slumped on the table of the restaurant they were at. In a weird twist of fate, Nina¡¯s teacher had invited her out for dinner after her call with Professor Oak. And Nina, being the cheapskate that she was, naturally said yes. Especially since the woman offered to pay. ¡°I¡¯m just tired¡­¡± Nina responded languidly. ¡°Is it really that bad? Can¡¯t the Gym just hire more people?¡± asked the teacher. ¡°I¡¯m the only apprentice left. Violet, that miser, decided that we could manage with just two apprentices when Beverly was still around. Not to mention, there just weren¡¯t any good candidates anyway.¡± She also explained that hiring more Gym Trainers wasn''t that simple since not every competent trainer was comfortable with showing off their figure. There¡¯s no shortage of divas who aspire to be mermaid superstars of course, but whether or not they¡¯re good with Pokemon is a whole other issue. Especially because these personality types tend to be quite narcissistic. Roxy hummed. ¡°Well, hopefully you find someone suitable among the minors this year. It was your idea, right? To allow more participants in the Little League?¡± Nina groaned. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m gonna have to pull double duty to handle the logistics of the tests. I''m the one who¡¯s actually setting the test questions, you know? Of course, the Sisters will do a final passthrough but I¡¯ll be doing the bulk of the work.¡± Roxy¡¯s mouth gaped at Nina¡¯s ridiculous statement. ¡°You¡¯re eight years old, Nina! I don¡¯t care how smart you are. How could they make a child take on such a huge responsibility?!¡± Nina shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s actually not that bad, just tedious. Bev¡¯s mom is a lecturer working in the College. I reached out to her and she sent me some reference material that I just have to modify for the elementary level.¡± The end result ended up being a bunch of Water Pokemon trivia and general trainer knowledge that even Beverly knew. In fact, she used her senior apprentice as the barometer for setting the difficulty of the test. Meaning, the testees will need to possess a fair bit of niche Water Type knowledge to pass. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too advanced for other kids your age?¡± asked the incredulous Roxy. Nina was well aware that not every kid secretly had the brain of an adult, but she wanted someone competent, not just some random filler. Incompetent people tend to create more work than they take on and are simply not worth it. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± assured Nina. ¡°What about you Miss Roxy, how are you doing? Did you manage to find a boyfriend?¡± The woman nearly spat out her drink at Nina¡¯s brazen question. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ an inappropriate question to ask you teacher, Nina. I think you might be spending too much time with the Cerulean Sisters.¡± Nina giggled at Roxy¡¯s response. ¡°I mean we¡¯re out of school right now so it should be fine. You know¡­ if my mom never got better I would have supported your relationship with dad.¡± Roxy choked and broke out coughing at Nina¡¯s comment. But the girl just handed a napkin over to her teacher and continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯m happy that mom got better. But at the same time, I also feel bad for you. Especially after all that you¡¯ve done for me. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to attend Professor Oak¡¯s seminar and got to have that call with him earlier if it wasn¡¯t for your nomination. So thank you Miss Roxy, I¡¯ll make sure to pay you back some day.¡± Roxy wiped her mouth and stared at the little girl in front of her with mixed emotions. After some deliberation, she decided that she couldn¡¯t lose out in maturity to her own student, and a minor one at that. So she returned Nina¡¯s sentiment with a smile and leaned in to stroke her student¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome Nina. I hope you become a great explorer one day. And when you come home to visit, don¡¯t forget old Roxy. I¡¯m going to look forward to all the exciting stories you¡¯ll share with me when the time comes.¡± Roxy actually shared the same childhood dream as Nina. But unlike her student, Roxy was never a genius, nor did she share the same aptitude with Pokemon as Nina did. So she never made any strides in fulfilling her dreams, ultimately settling for a teaching job. ¡°It¡¯s like they say ¡ª if you can¡¯t do, then teach. That¡¯s my whole life¡¯s story right there.¡± She thought, laughing deprecatingly at herself. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina did not know what her teacher was thinking about, but she could recognise the face of regret when she saw one. ¡°You know Miss Roxy, it¡¯s never too late to go on a journey. A stagnant pool needs to be churned to enable life. Don¡¯t just let yourself rot away in discontent.¡± Journeys were integral to the culture here in the Pokemon world, and it truly is never too late to go on one, despite the common starting point being in a person¡¯s teenage years. In fact, a lot of the current reigning champions did not achieve any sort of greatness until their twenties, which meant they had been journeying all the while. It¡¯s also fairly common for a person undergoing a midlife crisis to just abandon everything and go on a journey of self discovery. Pokemon society was pretty accommodating of this fact and it wouldn¡¯t be odd for these journeymen to be welcomed back into their old jobs with open arms upon their return. Something that would be unthinkable in Nina¡¯s old world. Roxy held Nina¡¯s gaze, sensing the girl¡¯s sincere concern lurking underneath. Then smiled wryly to herself. ¡°Oh Roxy¡­ To think the day would come where you need to be comforted by a child. What a failure of an adult you are.¡± She mused. ¡°Thank you for the encouragement, Nina,¡± said the teacher. ¡°You¡¯re right, maybe I should venture out again one day. But for now, I¡¯d like to put off any thoughts of journeying until you come of age. Someone has to keep you out of trouble after all.¡± She chuckled. Nina beamed a bright smile at her teacher. ¡°Yeap! Please don¡¯t leave me yet, cause I won¡¯t know what to do without your guidance, Miss Roxy.¡± And with that, Nina and Roxy eventually left the restaurant feeling like they had developed a deeper bond with each other. One that goes beyond their status as teacher and student. Chapter 46 ¡°Nina! Someone screwed up and gave Nurse Joy a box of Antidotes instead of Potions!¡± ¡°On it!¡± Nina dropped the signboard she was using to guide the registration line and dashed into the storeroom. She opened up a box of Potions to double check the labels before hefting it up and power walked her way to the nurse¡¯s station. ¡°Hi Nurse Joy, I brought a box of Potions over. Do you want me to take those Antidotes off your hands?¡± The pink haired nurse took Nina¡¯s burden away from her and smiled. ¡°No worries dear, we¡¯re not lacking in space so you can just leave it there for now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Nina beamed, happy that she did not have to carry more stuff around. However, at this point, Nina¡¯s walkie-talkie crackled to life. ¡°Nina, come in! We¡¯re running out of Staryus in booth two.¡± The girl sighed, thinking that she had spoken too soon. Nina pressed a button on her device and replied that she was on her way to go get more, then ran off to the logistics room. Due to the increased number of participants this year, the Little League was going to be held over the course of two days, with the preliminaries taking place on a Saturday. There were a little over a hundred kids competing as compared to the forty to fifty of most years, so they had to make use of the smaller sub arenas just to get through everyone in a timely manner. It also made managing the crowd easier, since parents were only really interested in watching their own kid¡¯s matches anyway. So the people were all scattered across the different venues and would likely leave once their kid loses. The problem was the limited number of loaners that the Gym had on hand. ¡°We¡¯re out of Staryus?!¡± Nina exclaimed. ¡°The ones that are battle ready anyway,¡± said Nanami. ¡°So what should we do? Do I head over to the exhibit and catch a few more?¡± The older woman shook her head. ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t be fair to the competitors. Tell the girls to start a waitlist. The kids that want a Staryu can either choose to settle on a different Pokemon or wait for a Staryu to become available. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a few losers being returned soon enough.¡± ¡°Okay, but the match up is randomized right? Do we rig it so that the waitlist kids go later?¡± Nina asked in return. Nanami gave Nina a wink. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Nina smiled and thanked the woman before rushing out into the chaos once more. *** ¡°Argh¡­ I¡¯m dead,¡± Nina groaned, as she crashed onto a sofa in the break room. ¡°Thanks for all your hard work,¡± said one of the staff members with a laugh, as she pressed a bottle of chilled Shuckle juice against the girl¡¯s cheek. Nina jolted from the sudden chill and grabbed the bottle with a pout. ¡°Thanks Mizuho¡­¡± She whined, before cracking open the bottle and greedily gulping down its content. ¡°Ahh¡­ Bluk and Sitrus, Tini would have loved this.¡± Her little Dragon was currently hanging out in the Milotic exhibit as usual. Meanwhile, Espy¡¯s Pokeball was on her belt since the tsundere Eevee didn¡¯t like being away from her human. ¡°Right, I should let her out.¡± Nina expanded her Eevee¡¯s Pokeball and released Espy in a flash of light. ¡°Hey Espy, sorry for the wait. Did you miss me?¡± Espy did not deign to reply and simply jumped onto Nina¡¯s lap to curl up against her. Nina giggled at her Eevee¡¯s awkwardness. ¡°Gosh she¡¯s so damned cute. Espy misses me but doesn¡¯t want to admit it.¡± Nina began gently stroking Espy¡¯s fur as she turned her eyes towards the different monitors showing the low level battles that were taking place in the arena right now. She saw a match where two girls using Goldeens were just spamming Peck at each other. And another monitor was displaying a Marill struggling to use Rollout on water much like that kid Nina faced during her Little League match way back when. The girl sighed, lamenting the poor quality of trainers they were seeing. ¡°No wonder Charlie and I stood out so much. This is really painful to watch.¡± She could only hope that the later matches would be better. Mizuho sat beside Nina with her own bottle of Shuckle juice and noticed her junior¡¯s disappointment. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. They¡¯re all just kids ¡ª not everyone is an anomaly like you. And Bev was mostly brought up in the Gym so she¡¯s an exception as well.¡± ¡°But surely they would have seen professional matches on TV right? I mean there¡¯s an entire channel devoted to the Conference matches happening every month, all across the world.¡± Nina argued. The senior staff member shook her head. ¡°Being able to apply what you see on TV isn¡¯t something everyone is able to do. I mean look at me, I see Pokemon battles on the regular here at the Gym but you don¡¯t see me becoming a Gym Trainer.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Nina asked. ¡°If it¡¯s just screening battles, I¡¯m sure most of the staff here are more qualified than the randos that come into the Gym begging to be mermaids.¡± Mizuho chuckled. ¡°Most people, when it comes down to it, will blank out and just call out moves they remember from their Pokemon¡¯s move sheet. ¡®Sides¡­¡± The woman looked down and gave her belly a little pinch. ¡°Yeah, no¡­¡± She murmured. ¡°Oh come off it!¡± Nina exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful woman, Mizuho. And don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡± The woman swooned and pulled Nina into a hug while kissing the girl on the forehead. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetie, Nina. But I¡¯m also 36 years old now and have no business strutting about in a bikini. I imagine my son will be very embarrassed by his mother¡¯s shamelessness.¡± Nina just smiled and made a mental note to ask the Sisters to consider abolishing their stupid policy. Another option was to create another group of Gym Trainers purely dedicated to battle without the need to take part in performances. ¡°It really is a shame that such banal views on beauty and age are still a thing here in this world.¡± The first day of matches ended without any true standouts. Though Nina did note down a few names for how caring they were towards their Pokemon. ¡°Battle skills can be learned, but empathy is difficult to foster.¡± She thought, hoping that at least a couple of them will make it to the finals so that she could advocate for them. *** ¡°Nice to meet you, big sis Nina. We¡¯re looking forward to working with you!¡± Said a pair of twins to Nina, fully in sync with one another. Nina, now a senior apprentice, had to hold back a screech at how cute her two new juniors were. ¡°I get it now, Bev. I totally get it now!¡± The children that Nina ended up advocating for were a pair of twins just a year younger than her, Natsumi and Fuyumi, who ended up facing off against each other in the finals. The two girls were extremely caring towards their Pokemon, passed Nina¡¯s test with flying colors, and most importantly, they were super easy to market. Violet practically jumped onto Nina¡¯s side of the court right away as the two of them waged a war against Daisy who thought that twins were a cliche and so last decade. ¡°I mean we already have the Psychic twins over at Mossdeep. Twins are kind of overdone, don¡¯t you think?¡± said their opponent. ¡°Not at all!¡± Nina and Violet yelled in unison as they fervently espoused the doctrine of twin supremacy. In the end, it was Misty who served as the tie breaker, after watching a recording of the two girls giggling and playing with their loaners before a match. The two girls were practically identical, except Fuyumi sported a ponytail and wore blue while Natsumi had pigtails and wore yellow clothing. ¡°Alright girls, the first order of business for the two of you would be to pick out a Pokemon each,¡± declared Daisy. ¡°These Pokemon aren¡¯t going to be registered to you, at least not yet. And depending on your performance as apprentices, we may or may not allow you to keep them as starters. After that, I¡¯ll leave you in Nina¡¯s good hands to show you the ropes.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The twins responded in unison. ¡°Alright, so what would you like?¡± asked Daisy. ¡°You can choose among all of the first phase Pokemon we have available, including the Feebas, but excluding Magikarp. Though I will warn you that Milotics are extremely hard to care for and there¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll even have the means to evolve them in the first place.¡± The two girls simply looked at each other before crying out ¡°Goldeen!¡± at the same time. Nina and Daisy chuckled at their chemistry. ¡°Alright if that¡¯s the case, then I don¡¯t think I need to worry too much. Nins, can you take them to the Goldeen exhibit to pick out their Pokemon?¡± ¡°Will do. Come on girls, follow me.¡± Nina beckoned. ¡°So why Goldeen?¡± She asked, while they were making their way to the exhibit, their rubber boots squishing along as they walked. The twins were wearing matching boots that they bought in the aquarium gift shop; white for Fuyumi and red for Natsumi, same design as Nina¡¯s. The boots were part of the Aquarium Girl series of merch which included plushies of Tini and a chibi plush of Nina, the Aquarium Girl herself. All pushed through and marketed by Violet without Nina¡¯s consent of course. The amount of embarrassment that Nina felt, when she first saw kids in her school hanging a likeness of her on their backpack, was immeasurable. ¡°Cause Goldeen are cute,¡± began Fuyumi. ¡°And their fins are super pretty,¡± continued Natsumi. Nina nodded along, agreeing with their sentiment and making small talk to get to know her new juniors a bit better. Until the trio finally reached the door leading to the Goldeen exhibit. Nina unhooked her tuning fork from her utility belt and dipped it into the water after activating it, summoning a whole school of Goldeens to their attention. ¡°I would recommend getting a utility belt like this as well just to hold your tools and your future Pokeballs,¡± instructed the senior apprentice. ¡°And here are some berries for you to feed to the Goldeen, make sure to talk to them and find one that you get along with. Remember that your starter is going to be your partner for life.¡± Nina added. While the girls were doing their own thing, Nina looked out at the school of fishes and smiled when she saw a particular Seaking splash out of the water to get her attention. ¡°Hey there, Splashy. Sorry I haven¡¯t been around recently, things have been quite hectic since Bev left.¡± Splashy was the loaner Goldeen that Nina used back when she first competed in the Little League. The Gym added her into their regular roster after seeing her excellent performance in battle. After three years, the showy little Goldeen had achieved Evolution in battle and grew into a Seaking. Nina gently caressed the Seaking and took out a Tamato Berry to feed to Splashy, who as it turns out, favored dry and spicy flavors. In truth, when she became a Gym Apprentice, she was asked if she wanted to keep Splashy since the two of them got along so well. But ultimately declined, because Nina was still struggling with Tini at the time. ¡°Big Sis, is this Seaking yours?¡± Natsumi asked as she walked over to Nina with a content looking Goldeen held in her arms. Nina chuckled. ¡°You can just call me Nina, no need for the ¡®Big Sis¡¯. And no, this here is Splashy. She¡¯s the loaner Pokemon I used back when I took part in the Little League, see that dark streak of scales on her belly? That¡¯s from the Staryu we fought in the finals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice. I actually managed to find the Goldeen I borrowed as well. Pururu still recognised me!¡± Natsumi exclaimed, her face beaming with joy at having formed a connection with her Pokemon. ¡°That¡¯s great, Natsumi! I¡¯m glad to see that Pururu has accepted you as her partner as well,¡± said Nina as she grabbed a Pokeball from her belt and handed it to the girl. ¡°You can keep Pururu in this Ball. It¡¯s different from the temp Balls we used during Little League ¡ª those were modified to prevent the forming of a Psychic signature while this one will register it under the Gym.¡± While Natsumi was completing the capture process, Nina wandered over to Fuyumi to check on the girl, who seemed to be frowning at the Pokemon before her. ¡°Is something wrong with the Goldeen, Fuyumi?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The slightly older twin jolted up in attention. ¡°Oh, Big Sis Nina. I was just wondering if it¡¯s possible for me to go out and catch my own Pokemon just like you did. I can¡¯t seem to feel anything with any of the Goldeen here.¡± ¡°Again, no need for the ¡®Big Sis¡¯, just call me Nina. And we¡¯ll have to ask Daisy about that later. Did you not find the loaner you used the other day?¡± The girl shook her head dejectedly at her senior¡¯s question. Nina hummed. She noticed that Fuyumi was slightly more competitive than her sister. ¡°So maybe she feels down that she got outdone by Natsumi?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go and ask later.¡± Nina continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Gym would be okay, but we need to talk to your parents as well since the Pokemon will be registered with them. In the meantime, do you wanna go check out the other Pokemon exhibits? Maybe you¡¯ll feel differently towards another species?¡± The girl agreed to the suggestion. But in the end, Fuyumi never made up her mind, which was fine. Although Nina and Natsumi had to comfort the downtrodden girl and make a promise to go fishing with her one day. Chapter 47 Fuyumi yelled out at the sea and ran forwards excitedly to dip her feet in the water. ¡°Fuyuuu! Careful not to slip and fall!¡¯ yelled her mother. Nina simply giggled and set out her usual equipment. ¡°Here, Mrs Tendou, you can sit on this camping chair.¡± ¡°Thank you, Nina. If only my children had half of your maturity.¡± The woman sighed. Nina had taken Fuyumi out to her usual fishing spot after school. While Natsumi, being the kind sibling that she was, volunteered to stay in the Gym to take over their outstanding duties. The twins were actually quite diligent and quick to learn, so it did not take long for them to gain a minimum level of proficiency in their apprentice work. Naturally, not all parents were so lax as to allow their child to go diving on their own, so Fuyumi¡¯s mother tagged along as well to keep an eye on her daughter. ¡°Big Sis Nina! What are we gonna do? Will you be diving with me as well?¡± asked the excited Fuyumi. Nina chuckled at her enthusiasm and set Espy down onto her cooler. ¡°Did you bring your wetsuit and rebreather with you?¡± ¡°Yeap!¡± The girl answered, while giving her backpack a little pat. ¡°Awesome. Yes, Tini and I will be diving in with you to keep you safe. There¡¯s a lot of Pokemon in the water due to all the plankton and regular fish,¡± said Nina as she removed her jacket to unveil her wetsuit underneath. ¡°Thanks to the Sea Rangers, I don¡¯t expect we¡¯ll encounter anything dangerous like Tentacruels and what not, but you never know.¡± Fuyumi was so excited to get started that she began undressing on the spot, revealing her swimsuit underneath. ¡°If you¡¯re wearing your swimsuit then that¡¯s fine. Just keep in mind that they have a clear view of this place from the observatory over at the Sea Cottage, if you ever plan on coming back.¡± Fuyumi just shrugged and continued her actions. Being a young girl, she was uncaring about her modesty. Her mother on the other hand, overreacted and hastily held up a towel to shield her daughter from view. ¡°Alright, Fuyu. Did you memorize the hand signals that I taught you the other day? ¡®Cause we aren¡¯t going in until you assure me that you¡¯ll be able to understand me underwater.¡± said Nina. The junior apprentice nodded seriously and began demonstrating some of the basic hand signs that she had memorized. ¡°Great job,¡± approved Nina. ¡°Stick close to me and Tini. Do NOT wander off on your own unless you notify either one of us. Understood? Good, now do a final check of your equipment and let¡¯s go.¡± Nina welcomed the familiar chill of the sea and the salty taste that came with it. It¡¯s been several months since she went fishing with Tini, that was how busy it¡¯s been over at the Gym. So it was a good thing that they managed to secure help. The girl did not even want to imagine what it would be like during Crunchtober if things had remained as they were. Tini and Nina followed close as Fuyumi approached various different Pokemon with Berries in her hand to entice them. Some Pokemon were too wary to approach while others happily chowed down. But since she couldn¡¯t talk underwater, Fuyumi could only gesture at her Pokeball to ask if a Pokemon would join her, which oftentimes resulted in confusion or straight denial as the Pokemon turned their backs towards her. Nina swam close and patted her junior on the shoulder as reassurance. Trying to capture Pokemon without battling was hard. Doing so without being able to communicate was harder, so the junior apprentice has no other recourse aside from patiently trying again and again. To her credit, Fuyumi was quite determined and refused to give up. At some point however, they found their path obstructed by an angry looking Krabby who was pointing aggressively at Tini and spewing out a bunch of bubbles. Nina held back a sigh. ¡°This guy again¡­¡± There was a wild Krabby who Tini used as target practice at some point in the past. And ever since their beatdown, the same Krabby would show up in front of Tini and challenge him without fail every time they went fishing. Or at least Nina thought it was the same Krabby. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just one big family taking turns trying to get revenge? Who knows, who cares.¡± The girl signaled for her Dratini to get rid of the nuisance. Which Tini did by casually shooting a Dragon Pulse at the Krabby, sending them spiraling into the distance as per usual. Nina signaled indifferently for Fuyumi to continue her search. But surprisingly, instead of complying, the younger girl swam after the fainted Krabby instead. Nina looked towards Tini and shrugged before following suit. In theory, Nina was supposed to resuscitate any wild Pokemon that Tini fainted. But in reality, she rarely bothered. At least not out in this part of the sea, since Pokemon preying on each other was a common sight. She and Tini have seen plenty of Krabby trying to pry apart Shellders, and Shellders clamping down on Magikarps. It just seemed like a waste of Potions to heal a Pokemon who was just going to go and get themselves eaten immediately afterwards anyway. She had even asked the Sea Rangers about it and was told point blank not to bother them with such minor issues, unless the Pokemon she fainted was an entire colony, or some sort of endangered species or something. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina told Fuyumi as much when the girl pulled the Krabby out of the water and began healing him. ¡°Besides, this guy¡¯s tough. He keeps coming at Tini only to be beaten down again and again. Either he¡¯s really dumb or he¡¯s a masochist.¡± She added. The younger girl seemed to deliberate Nina''s words as she patiently awaited for her rescue to wake up. ¡°Hey Krabby¡­ Are you okay?¡± Fuyumi reached out to the Pokemon, only for Nina to pull her back when the Krabby snipped at her with his pincers. Nina told the girl to be careful, but Fuyumi simply brushed her off and said that she was fine, before steadily approaching the Krabby again. ¡°Hi there,¡± Fuyumi greeted. ¡°My name¡¯s Fuyumi and I¡¯m aiming to become the best Pokemon Trainer in the world.¡± She said, before laying out some Berries on the ground in front of the Krabby. ¡°Are you frustrated?¡± She asked Krabby. ¡°That you can¡¯t beat Tini no matter how hard you try? Well, I am too. My sister has always been better than me with Pokemon, even though we¡¯re supposed to be twins. And Big Sis Nina? Well, she¡¯s just perfect in every single way. How am I even supposed to compete?¡± Nina was taken aback by her junior¡¯s sudden confession, her cheeks reddening somewhat at the high praise. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to give up!¡± Fuyumi declared, fist clenched and eyes blazing with determination. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep working hard, and maybe, just maybe¡­ One day, people will look to me and call me a Pokemon Master!¡± The girl stared intently at the Krabby in front of her. ¡°And you too, Krabby! You¡¯re going to keep getting stronger and stronger¡­ And eventually, your pincers will be strong enough to take down a Dragon!¡± Fuyumi reached out to the Krabby once more, with Nina and her mother watching anxiously by her side in case anything untowards were to happen. Even Tini was coiled up and ready to jump in at a moment''s notice. But the Krabby was calm, and simply stared at the hand that was offered to him. ¡°So what do you say? Will you join me on my journey to become a Pokemon Master? To become the best that ever was!¡± Krabby paused in consideration, some bubbles gurgling out of his mouth, and steadily looked up to the girl who had offered him her hand. Then, after making some more gurgling noises with his mouth, he let out a curt ¡°Krab¡± and placed a red pincer on Fuyumi¡¯s palm. Nina couldn¡¯t help but pump her fist and cheer out loud at the sight. ¡°Now that¡¯s a shonen moment right there!¡± She thought, as she congratulated her junior on her first capture. ¡°Thanks, big sis,¡± said Fuyumi, before assuming a dramatic pose and pointing a finger at her senior. ¡°Krabby and I aren¡¯t going to lose! We¡¯ll train hard to become stronger, and when we do¡­ We¡¯re going to challenge you and Tini to a battle. And Krabby¡¯s going to pay you guys back tenfold!¡± ¡°Heck yeah! Bring it on!¡± Nina exclaimed. It was hard to resist getting pulled into the blazing hot shonen aura that Fuyumi was emitting at the moment. *** ¡°So what do you say? Will you join me on my journey to become a Pokemon Master? To become the best that ever was!¡± Nina yelled, eliciting cheers from the ladies in the break room The girl was currently standing atop a table, doing a dramatic retelling of her junior¡¯s triumphant moment, much to Fuyumi¡¯s consternation. The junior apprentice was sitting quietly in a corner, face buried in her palms and dyed the same shade of red as her Krabby. Which, incidentally, she had named Artoria. ¡°As if the girl wasn¡¯t edgy enough.¡± Nina thought at the time. ¡°That¡¯s awesome, Fuyu!¡± Natsumi exclaimed as she pulled her twin sister into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you and Artoria. Pururu and I won¡¯t lose. We¡¯ll get stronger and challenge Big Sis Nina as well. Let¡¯s all work hard together!¡± Fuyumi gave a weak nod and cheered along quietly with her sister. Misty smiled at her two new apprentices. ¡°I admire your resolve Fuyumi, you remind me of a certain bonehead that I used to travel with,¡± she said. ¡°Nina¡¯s gonna be a tough rival to beat, but as long as you don¡¯t give up and believe in your Pokemon, you¡¯ll get there eventually.¡± Fuyumi was embarrassed that even her Gym Leader was chiming in on the teasing, but she still nodded resolutely at Misty¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Nina laughed at the thought of her being the rival character in a Pokemon game. Except it won¡¯t be her tailing the protagonist and challenging them at every turn. She also didn¡¯t think that Misty had it in her to be so cheesy. Her current demeanor was much closer to the Misty that Nina knew from the anime. ¡°Alright everyone, let¡¯s get back to work!¡± Lily clapped, eliciting boos from everyone. ¡°And you two, if you wanna beat Nina then you can start by doing a better job of cleaning the exhibits than her. Now chop, chop. Let¡¯s get a move on!¡± Chapter 48 Nina watched as a Corviknight descended from the skies. The Pokemon¡¯s black steel feathers glistened under the sun in a sinister light. Riding atop the steel raven Pokemon was a man who looked like he just came straight out of a World War 2 war film, with his bushy mustache, tanned jacket, aviator goggles and those flappy aviator hats that pilots of that period liked to wear. But questionable fashion sense aside, Alias Jones was a handsome man with a strong chin and a jaw that was as sharp as his Pokemon¡¯s metallic feathers. The moment that the robust looking middle aged man stepped down from his gallant sky steed, Nina rushed over and jumped into his embrace. ¡°Uncle Ali!!!¡± She screamed, with the same enthusiasm as a child getting to meet her favorite uncle. ¡°Nina! Hohoho!¡± Alias Jones laughed, as he twirled his niece around in a circle. ¡°You¡¯re all grown up now. How¡¯s my favorite niece doing?¡± Nina stuck out her tongue. ¡°I¡¯m your only niece, Uncle Ali. Just like how you¡¯re my only uncle!¡± In truth, Nina had another uncle on her mother¡¯s side. But thanks to her grandmother¡¯s spartan upbringing, the eldest Ashes boy did not want to have anything to do with his family. ¡°Oh ho? Does that mean I¡¯m your favorite uncle then?¡± Ali asked with a wink. ¡°You bet you are!¡± Nina responded while throwing her arms up into the air. Ali laughed out jovially and gave his niece an itchy kiss on her cheeks before setting her down to greet his brother and sister-in-law. ¡°Patrick!¡± The man exclaimed, as he opened his arms wide for an embrace. ¡°Alias!¡± The younger brother moved in to reciprocate the hug. ¡°As flashy as always with your entrance. You look well! Your travels have been kind to you?¡± ¡°As kind as the open roads can be,¡± Ali chuckled. ¡°And you look much the same. This is good, you¡¯re the only anchor that our family has. Arceus knows we¡¯d all be scattered in the winds, with no hope of ever reuniting if you didn¡¯t serve as our beacon.¡± Patrick laughed, somewhat self-deprecatingly. ¡°That¡¯s a very kind way of saying that I¡¯m such a normie compared to the rest of you lot.¡± Ali shook his brother in denial. ¡°Nonsense! You are a remarkable man, Patrick. And my dearest brother. Let all who disagree face the wrath of my Pokemon!¡± After a few more pleasantries, the two brothers let go of each other and Ali turned his attention to Leanette. ¡°Leanette, my darling. Are you well?¡± He asked, his voice taking on a much more gentler tone. The woman smiled amicably at her brother-in-law and pulled the man into a gentle hug. ¡°I have a loving husband and a filial daughter, and I am as well as I can be, Ali,¡± she responded while kissing the man on the cheek. ¡°Good, good¡­ When Patrick called and told me of what happened, I had the urge to fly over to you all right away. But alas, I was stuck in Paldea on urgent matters.¡± Leanette chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ali. It¡¯s the thought that counts. Come, let¡¯s get you warmed up inside, you must be freezing from your flight.¡± Ali laughed at her concern and returned his Corviknight before being led inside. ¡°Right you are, Martha is quite an excellent Flyer and does not hold back at all when it comes to her speed. I can hardly feel my fingers from holding on too tight!¡± Nina had not seen her adventurous uncle for quite some time. ¡°If I recall, the last time was about a year or two after the original Nina¡¯s ¡®accident¡¯. He was really concerned at the time and even vowed to wipe out all the native Spearow population.¡± It was also Ali who reinforced Nina''s desires to become an explorer. Ever since her ¡®rebirth¡¯, Nina had wanted to go out and explore this new and wondrous world. But dreaming was one thing, actually doing it was another. Uncle Ali to her was a trailblazer and proof that her dreams were not impossible. When Ali regaled Nina with tales of his exciting adventures, she had truly felt like a wide eyed, innocent child again, and not some sort of soul devouring abomination who forcibly took over the body of a baby. ¡°You¡¯ve done quite well for yourself, Nina,¡± said Ali. ¡°Even in all of my travels it is a rare privilege to come face to face with a Dragon as magnificent as your Dratini.¡± Nina puffed her chest out in pride. ¡°Yeap! This is Tini, we met in the Safari Zone. And this is Espy. She was gifted to me by Professor Bill, my sponsor.¡± ¡°As expected of my niece! To be such an accomplished Pokemon trainer at your age. There aren¡¯t enough words in the world to describe how proud I am of you.¡± Nina giggled at her uncle¡¯s praise. ¡°Enough about me! I want to hear all about your adventures. What¡¯s Paldea like? Did you get a chance to explore the Crater?¡± Ali grinned and reached into his pocket to produce an opaque looking Pokeball-like orb to show to Nina. The little girl gasped in wonder. ¡°Is that¡­ A Tera Orb?¡± ¡°Yeap,¡± Ali confirmed. ¡°The whole reason why I had to stay in Paldea for so long was because I was recruited to join the survey corp tasked with exploring the Crater. I can¡¯t say too much unfortunately ¡ª I¡¯m under an NDA. All I can say is that it is every bit as wondrous and mysterious as you imagine it to be.¡± Ali described the Crater¡¯s interior as an endless spiral down into the abyss with no end in sight. A treacherous place filled with all sorts of dangerous and never before seen Pokemon. Nina knew about Area Zero and Paradox Pokemon of course, but the depth of Area Zero as described by Ali seemed to be much deeper than how it was depicted in the games. Nina asked if anyone knew what formed the Crater, only for Ali to answer that he didn¡¯t know, nor did he know anyone else who did. ¡°This is part of the mysteries we have yet to uncover. Even after years of work, we¡¯re still struggling to reach the bottom.¡± Ali¡¯s eyes seemed to glaze over as he recalled his time in Area Zero. ¡°It¡¯s maddening, you know? The isolation and the tension of constantly being on edge¡­¡± ¡°So does that mean you resigned from the survey corp?¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ali gave a boisterous laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood. ¡°What can I say? I miss my darling little niece too much. All I could think about during those lonely nights in the Crater was whether or not my cute little Nina was pissing her bed from nightmares and screaming for her Uncle Ali.¡± Nina¡¯s cheeks flushed red as she yelled out at her uncle indignantly. ¡°That was just one time, Uncle Ali!¡± In fact, the girl was embarrassed that the incident even occurred at all. Despite her adult brain, there were certain physiological quirks of a child¡¯s body that was simply inevitable. ¡°Nina, come help me set the table,¡± called Leanette. ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty enough time to chat with your uncle later on.¡± Nina wilted at the order. The girl still had many questions she wanted to ask. But she did comply in the end as she listlessly trudged over to the kitchen. ¡°So does that mean you¡¯ll finally be settling down then?¡± Patrick asked Ali. Ali chuckled at the very notion of ¡®settling down¡¯. ¡°For the short term, I just want some mundanity. Who knows, I might get the itch to go out again at some point. Just not right now.¡± Patrick popped open a can of beer to toast his brother. ¡°Then welcome home brother. We¡¯ll be here for you for however long you decide to stay.¡± Ali laughed. ¡°Cheers, brother. It¡¯s good to be back with family again!¡± *** ¡°So this is where you work? Been awhile since I¡¯ve visited the Cerulean City Gym. I¡¯ve gotta say, this place has changed quite a bit.¡± Nina gestured at all the attractions surrounding the Gym and gave her uncle a rundown of the place. ¡°Yeap, the Cerulean Sisters are quite diligent when it comes to expanding their enterprise. I¡¯ll introduce you later if they¡¯re not too busy.¡± Ali hummed at the grandiose sight of the supermassive glass dome. ¡°You know, back when I went on my journey, this place was just a boxy old boring building. If all this stuff was around back then, I probably would have wasted my time just playing around instead of challenging the Gym.¡± Nina went up to the woman sitting behind the reception desk after they stepped into the Gym area. ¡°Hey Mizuho, are the Sisters busy right now?¡± ¡°Hello, Nina. Oh my¡­ and who is this dashing gentleman accompanying you today.¡± Mizuho¡¯s tone, for whatever reason, sent chills down Nina¡¯s spine. ¡°Erm¡­ Well this is my Uncle Ali. Uncle Ali, this is¡­¡± The girl turned around only to find that her companion was missing. Looking around, she spotted her uncle walking towards the familiar figure of Misty. ¡°I have to say, milady. In all of my travels, I don¡¯t believe I have ever encountered a beauty as radiant as you.¡± Ali did an elegant bow in greeting, before kissing the Gym Leader on the back of her hand. ¡°Alias Jones, at your service.¡± Misty returned the courtesy with a playful smile and introduced herself. ¡°Misty Mizuhana, Gym Leader of the Cerulean Gym. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today, Mr Jones?¡± ¡°Ah. Beautiful and accomplished. It is true that Arceus does indeed have favorites,¡± said Ali, eliciting exquisite laughter from the orange haired woman. Nina sensed an impending disaster with this particular pairing and hurried over to interject herself into their conversation. ¡°Misty! I see you¡¯ve met my Uncle Ali. I brought him here for a tour of my workplace, if you¡¯re okay with it?¡± ¡°Oh my, is this your uncle, Nina? I can see now where you got your good looks and eloquence from.¡± Ali chuckled at Misty¡¯s insinuation. ¡°Please, as if a tongue-tied Feebas like myself can take credit for Arceus¡¯s blessings on my niece. On the other hand, blessing or not, I¡¯m sure your children must be as splendid as their mother.¡± Misty chuckled. ¡°Please, just Misty is fine. And as a matter of fact, you¡¯ll find that I¡¯m quite single at the moment, Mr Jones. Though I have been imploring Nina to let me adopt her all this while.¡± Ali beamed a radiant smile at the beauty in front of him. ¡°Well, well¡­ It seems that the men of Cerulean City are either blind or entirely lacking in sophistication. It just so happens that I¡¯m quite single as well. Unless of course, you are possessed of different predilections. In which case, I do apologize for any presumptions.¡± ¡°Not at all, Mr Jones. In fact you¡¯ll find that my tastes are quite in line with your expectations. You¡¯re here for a tour of our Gym, correct? Perhaps I can take over for our dearest Nina. She has her own duties to attend to and it just so happens that I¡¯m free at the moment.¡± Misty suggested as she held out a hand to her new guest. Ali gingerly held Misty by her proffered hand and moved next to her in an escort position. ¡°I would be delighted to accept your generosity. And please, I must insist that you call me Ali. No need for such distance between us.¡± And as if she had chosen to interpret the man¡¯s words literally, Misty took a step closer to Ali, almost to the point of touching shoulders with him. The pair then went off on their own, chatting and laughing all the while. Meanwhile, Nina just stood there, forgotten and mouth agape at the interaction that just took place. ¡°What the heck just happened?¡± She murmured. Chapter 49 ¡°So, Nina¡­ Are there any good restaurants in the city? Somewhere with a good atmosphere, classy but not too formal. Preferably intimate as well, without too much noise.¡± Nina puffed up her cheeks at her uncle and continued to aggressively scrub the floor she was cleaning. ¡°Please, Nina.¡± Ali pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for abandoning you earlier, but surely you understand. It¡¯s not often one gets a chance to encounter such a refined individual.¡± Nina rolled her eyes and scoffed. ¡°Refined, he says. If only he knew¡­¡± But Nina did not consider herself to be so uncouth as to talk behind her boss¡¯s back and chose to hold her tongue. ¡°Pretty please?¡± At this point, Ali was on his knees making a pouty face at his niece. The sight of a grown man trying to act all cutesy was enough to make Nina¡¯s stomach churn. The girl clicked her tongue. ¡°Urgh¡­ Get off the floor, you¡¯re going to ruin your pants.¡± Nina swept at Ali with her scrub to get the man to stand up. ¡°And fine, I might have a place in mind. But what¡¯s in it for me?¡± She figured, if she was going to have to endure the indignity of her boss having an affair with her uncle, she might as well get something out of it. ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°The Tera Orb,¡± said Nina, without an ounce of hesitation, only to be shot down just as quickly. ¡°Nope, can¡¯t do. Besides, the Orb needs to be recharged after every use. And as far as I know, there¡¯s no source of Terastal Energy to be found outside Paldea.¡± Nina groaned. ¡°Right, I forgot that thing needs to be recharged.¡± ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll take you on a fun ride on Martha. I know you¡¯ve been eyeing her saddle.¡± Ali proposed, only to earn him a skeptical look from his niece. ¡°As if you wouldn¡¯t have taken me if I had just asked. Don¡¯t think you can cheap out on me like that! I¡¯m not a naive little kid anymore.¡± Ali couldn¡¯t help but bend down and give his feisty little niece a hug at how cute she is. ¡°You are the apple of my eyes, Nina. Just say the word and I¡¯ll give you anything your heart desires.¡± ¡°Anything but a Tera Orb apparently.¡± The girl pouted. ¡°How did you get that thing out of Paldea anyway? Isn¡¯t the Paldea League worried that the other regions might reverse engineer it?¡± Ali laughed. ¡°They can try if they want, but it''s impossible. You need special material from the Crater just to make one of these suckers and Terrastilization is a phenomenon exclusive to Paldea, since only they have Terastal Energy. Don¡¯t ask me why though, no one knows.¡± Nina knew. It was because of the Terapagos slumbering deep within Area Zero, not that she would divulge meta knowledge willy-nilly like that. Besides, she always found the in game lore to be a little absurd. How is a single Terapagos capable of influencing an entire region? The Pokemon was only a Legendary by virtue of the fact that it was the last of its kind. It was said that there used to be many of them millions of years ago, so does that mean that Terrastilization was a common sight back then? If so then wouldn¡¯t that have affected Pokemon evolution in some way? Regardless, these are questions that Nina will have to answer for herself when she goes out to explore Paldea sometime in the future. Which gave her an idea on what she wanted as her bribe. ¡°I want you to pull some strings to get me access into the Crater when I eventually go on my journey.¡± Nina demanded. Ali frowned at his beloved niece, face full of concern. ¡°Nina¡­ The Crater is a dangerous place¡­¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m not saying I want to go right away. Sometime in the future when I become strong enough to handle myself. You can be the judge when the time comes. If you think I¡¯m not ready yet then feel free to stop me.¡± In truth, Nina could probably ask either Professor Oak or Bill to get her access, but it didn¡¯t hurt to hedge her options a bit. Ali stared intently in consideration. Nina could feel that the man was hesitant to put his one and only niece in danger. She appreciated the concern, but it also seemed quite hypocritical coming from a daredevil like Ali. ¡°Fine,¡± Ali relented. ¡°I can make some calls when the time comes, but no guarantees. Professors Sada and Turo are quite stringent about who they let access into the Crater. Not to mention the League bureaucrats. But I¡¯ll try my best, but only IF you¡¯re actually capable of actually surviving in there.¡± Nina frowned ever so slightly at the mention of Sada and Turo. It seems that both Professors were active in this world, and were even married to each other according to her uncle. ¡°Great, as if one mad scientist wasn¡¯t enough, we¡¯ve got a mad power couple in our hands. Or do only one of them go mad after the divorce?¡± Nina put her grim thoughts out of mind. Such concerns were way beyond her at the moment anyway. ¡°Thanks, Uncle Ali!¡± Nina beamed. ¡°And yes, I can think of a good place for your date. There¡¯s a quaint little cafe down by the Quay whose owner is secretly a Munchlax star level chef. You need to reserve a month in advance usually, but I happen to be friends with the owner, so I can make a call on your behalf and secure you their best table. Would this be good enough for you?¡± Ali ruffled Nina¡¯s hair in delight, much to her annoyance. ¡°Thanks, Nina. I knew you were my favorite niece for a reason!¡± Nina stuck her tongue out at the man. ¡°I¡¯m your only niece!¡± *** ¡°Oh hey, Bobby. Long time no see, did you bring over another batch of your Shuckle juice?¡± Nina answered the doorbell to find a familiar looking face outside her family¡¯s doorstep. Bobby¡¯s appearance had changed quite a fair bit since their time together at the Safari Zone. All the additional bulk from the boy¡¯s childhood had been used to fuel his growth, turning him into a lanky teen who was taller than most others his age. His personality hasn¡¯t changed much though, as he gave the girl an awkward smile and greeted her in return. ¡°Hey, Nina¡­ Yeah, actually.¡± Bobby held up a paper bag and handed it to his friend. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Here¡¯s the newest batch of Shuckle juice. I tried going for a drier, more spicy flavor this time around. It might not suit your taste though¡­¡± The last part was said with a fair amount of hesitation. True to his promise, Bobby had been gifting Nina with a bottle of his creations every time he completed a batch. Some were good, some not so much. But regardless, Nina would have a taste of it everytime and diligently wrote a no-holds-barred review for Bobby when she was done. She could tell that the boy was appreciative since he didn¡¯t trust his parents to be objective. ¡°Thank Bobby, I have a feeling that Espy might enjoy this. Oh right, you haven¡¯t met my Eevee yet. Come on in, let me introduce the two of you. She was gifted to me by Professor Bill and happens to have quite a sophisticated palate.¡± The boy seemed a bit shy at the invitation, hesitant to step into the house of a girl. But after another urging from Nina, finally pushed through the threshold. ¡°Mom, Bobby¡¯s here to visit,¡± Nina called as she told the boy to take a seat. She then went into the kitchen to grab a bowl for Espy and two glasses for her and her guest. ¡°Espy, c¡¯mere I have someone I want to introduce to you.¡± Her Eevee looked a bit incensed at being roused from her favorite spot on the sofa, but still sauntered on over to Nina. ¡°The juice is good to drink at room temp right?¡± Nina asked, getting a nod from Bobby before unsealing the bottle of Shuckle juice she was gifted. ¡°C¡¯mere Espy, you have to try this. Bobby here is a Shuckle juice brewer and a great cook, I think you might like this.¡± Espy curiously approached the bottle of blood red liquid that her human poured for her, staring at it intently and giving it a cautious sniff before daintily licking at the beverage. The Eevee tilted her head a little, ruminating a bit on the flavors dancing on her tongue, before going in for a bigger sip, much to Nina¡¯s satisfaction. The girl giggled. ¡°Seems like Espy enjoys the flavor.¡± She said, before pouring out more juice for herself and Bobby to sample.¡± The juice tasted very much like the wine of Nina¡¯s past life, but without the alcohol, which was unusual for Shuckle juice. Usually the drink had a flavor profile closer to expensive high end cocktails. ¡°I like it.¡± Nina said, after taking a sip. ¡°I doubt children will like this but I think adults will get a kick out of this if you ferment it into alcohol before selling it. And I have a feeling that this might pair very well with red meat or a hearty stew.¡± Bobby nodded fervently at Nina¡¯s comment. ¡°I think so too! Mom even asked me to make her another batch just so that she could use it in her cooking. Said that it¡¯ll make for a very decadent sauce.¡± As usual, the boy turned into a very different person when talking about his passion. Nina nodded along. ¡°Yeah, saute some mushrooms and hard herbs in residual pan jus, deglaze with Shuckle juice, and finish with some cold butter to add a bit of gloss to the final product. I think that sounds absolutely delicious.¡± At some point, Bobby took out a tiny notepad and began scribbling down Nina¡¯s ideas, saying that he¡¯ll pass it on to his mom. ¡°E~¡± Espy chimed, begging for more of the red liquid. Even Tini got curious and asked to try some. But Nina knew that her Dragon had a very one note palate and told him to sample some of Espy¡¯s before asking for more. And as expected, the Dratini made a gagging noise and crumpled onto the floor in an exaggerated manner to showcase his dislike. Nina sighed at her little drama king. ¡°Tini¡­ Don¡¯t lay on the floor, and what you did was extremely rude to Bobby. Get up and apologize to him.¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Tini cried, his head drooping a little in remorse. In response, Bobby waved his hands frantically, saying that it was okay and that he didn¡¯t mind. Surprisingly, Espy, who usually hated approaching strangers, went up to Bobby to give him a little sniff and a lick to his hand before jumping off the table and back to lounging on the sofa. Nina couldn¡¯t help but swoon at her Eevee and her awkward little gesture. ¡°Gosh, she¡¯s just so cuuute! Oh, that¡¯s Espy¡¯s way of saying thank you for the treat, by the way. She usually hates touching people she doesn¡¯t know, sometimes even people who she does know. So licking you is the highest compliment she can give out.¡± Bobby blushed at the compliment, happy to gain any form of acknowledgement. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to bring another bottle for her once the next batch is done brewing.¡± Nina smiled at the offer. ¡°Thanks, that¡¯ll be much appreciated.¡± After that, an awkward silence descended between the two of them, despite Nina¡¯s best efforts to make small talk. Her friend looked a little constipated, like there was stuff he wanted to say but was unable to get the words out. ¡°Is something wrong, Bobby?¡± Nina asked, as tactfully as she could. ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Bobby took in a deep breath to steady himself. ¡°My mom got invited to a brewery near Saffron City. We were planning to go there during summer break¡­ I was wondering if you wanted to come along?¡± Nina was a little surprised by the sudden invitation, but readily agreed to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were breweries in Saffron,¡± she said. ¡°Is it just you, me and Nancy? Or is your dad coming along as well?¡± Bobby shook her head. ¡°Technically, the brewery is located off Route 5. So it¡¯s actually fairly close to Cerulean ¡ª we can get there in under an hour by flying. And no, dad is too busy to come with¡­¡± The boy sounded a bit dejected by the absence of his father. ¡°I think mom¡¯s trying to invite the Rockfords as well, but it¡¯s looking like only Kumiko and Tiffany will be coming¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, that is.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± responded Nina. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve hung out with Kumiko so I¡¯m actually looking forward to it. I¡¯m surprised that Tiffany is tagging along though.¡± Bobby sighed, failing to hide the distaste on his face. ¡°That girl likes to act all adult and mature. You know how she is, probably just wants to brag to her friends about how sophisticated she is when she can¡¯t even tell the difference between Oran and Sitrus.¡± Nina laughed at Bobby¡¯s rebuke, fully agreeing with the boy on his assessment. ¡°Well Bobby, I¡¯d be happy to join you guys on your trip. Just let me know the precise dates so that I can get some time off from the Gym. Do you mind if I invite my family as well?¡± Bobby had no qualms with Nina¡¯s request, saying that she¡¯s free to invite who she liked, so long as she informed his mother beforehand in order for Nancy to make the necessary arrangements for accommodation. It seemed as if inviting Nina was the main purpose of Bobby¡¯s visit, because the boy left after exchanging a few more pleasantries after that. Nina once again thanked the boy for his gift, before walking him out the door. Feeling a little excited about her upcoming trip. ¡°Breweries weren¡¯t a thing in the games or the anime. I wonder what it¡¯ll be like. Also, I wonder if dad can get some time off? I doubt mom will want to tag along without him.¡± The girl also pondered if she should invite her Uncle Ali. Despite Bobby saying that she could invite whomever, she did not want to impose too much of a burden on Nancy. Chapter 50 Nina gently caressed the beak of Martha the Corviknight, marveling at the cold metallic feel of the Pokemon. She thought about how incredible it was that Corviknights were able to fly at all, since their exterior was basically steel feathers woven into a jet black suit of armor. ¡°Martha, where did things go so wrong?¡± Nina lamented. ¡°All I wanted was just a happy summer trip with my friends and family. So why is it that my boss is tagging along as well?¡± Nina¡¯s boss of course referred to Misty, who decided to join Nina on her brewery trip as Ali¡¯s plus one. Patrick was not able to get any time off work, which meant his wife was also disinclined to join, leaving Ali in charge of Nina. The couple was currently some distance away from the raven Pokemon, giddily flirting with each other like newlyweds on a honeymoon. Nina, naturally, refused to turn her gaze to look at them for the sake of her appetite. ¡°Are you sure the Gym will be alright without you?¡± Nina asked at some point. Only for Misty to brush off her concerns and say that her sisters will take care of things. ¡°I mean that¡¯s the whole point of us four running the Gym as a team, it¡¯s so that one of us can take a breather every once in a while. Unlike those other suckers who are stuck at work all year long,¡± said Misty. In truth, every Gym Leader was entitled to two weeks off during the Gym circuit. But most Leaders take their jobs very seriously and only ever take the time off under extenuating circumstances, like renovations or urgent family matters. ¡°Woah¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a Pokemon like that before.¡± Nina turned around to see Bobby and Nancy arriving at their rendezvous point outside the city. ¡°Hey Bobby,¡± she greeted. ¡°Yeah, this here is a Corviknight. They¡¯re only native to Galar and Paldea, but fairly common otherwise. You¡¯ll see a lot of Sky Taxi services that make use of them due to their phenomenal strength and durability. A well trained Corviknight could carry anywhere between five to six adults in a single trip, including the pilot.¡± ¡°Cor!¡± Martha cawed in affirmation. To the side, Nancy approached Ali and Misty to greet them. ¡°Lady Misty, what an honor it is to have your esteemed person join in on our little excursion.¡± Misty smiled at the amicable woman and pulled her in for a hug. ¡°Please, Mrs Bratwurst. I¡¯m on vacation right now. So none of that stuffy Gym Leader stuff.¡± Ali followed suit with his own greeting, complimenting Nancy on her incredible cooking and various other pleasantries. The adults chatted amongst themselves until Kumiko and Tiffany arrived, signaling that it was almost time for departure. This time around, Ali volunteered to transport everyone, pulling out a Paldean Fly Basket that was very different from Kumiko¡¯s portable one. In fact, it was stored in a Pokeball-like device which deposited the Basket in a flash of light, much like how a Pokemon would be summoned. Nina looked at the high tech gadget in wonderment. ¡°It kind of makes sense. I mean held items could be kept in a Pokeball alongside Pokemon. So why can¡¯t somebody modify the technology to store inanimate objects.¡± ¡°I want to ride on Martha¡¯s back!¡± Nina exclaimed, to which her uncle simply laughed and readily obliged. But only after she put on her goggles and scarf to prevent any windburns. *** Bobby was right, it only took less than an hour of leisurely flying to see the Hidden Valley Estate. Its most obvious landmark being the rows upon rows of Berry trees planted atop dark loamy soil. The Berries varieties were numerous and appear to be separated into separate segments. Nina could see some rare ones among them that she didn¡¯t even know were possible to grow in Kanto¡¯s climate, such as a small row of durian-like Maranga Berries. In between each of the segments were fields of colorful wildflowers which were currently being worked on by teams of buzzing Beedrill. When Nina asked about it through the telecom attached to Martha¡¯s saddle, Nancy explained that there was a colony of Beedrill around the vicinity of the Berry farm that helps to pollinate the trees and maintain security in return for a steady source of food. ¡°Melanie, the owner of the brewery and farm, is very good with Pokemon. In fact, most of the profit from the sales of her products goes towards taking care of lost Pokemon.¡± Nancy explained. Tiffany scoffed and said something along the lines of ¡°How could Pokemon get lost?! This is stupid.¡± Only to receive a knock on the head by Kumiko for her rudeness. And it was actually Nina who had to explain over the telecom. ¡°Pokemon that get released according to regulation aren¡¯t always successful in reintegrating themselves into the wild. That¡¯s why you sometimes see wild Pokemon wandering around in the city. Because they¡¯re simply not used to life without humans. This is what we refer to as lost Pokemon. If there¡¯s no one to care for them like Melanie, there¡¯s a good chance that they might starve to death or worse.¡± The brewery itself was a fairly large wooden mansion located right next to a pond at the bottom of the valley, with the only point of access being a small trek that leads towards Route 5. But the most stand out thing about it was the sheer amount of Pokemon around the vicinity of the building. Nina could see a couple of Bulbasaurs running around playing tag, some Oddishes sunbathing in the dirt, Meowths, Sandshrews, Rattatas and so on. The brewery might as well have been a Pokemon zoo with the sheer variety of Pokemon on display. As Martha made landing, some of the curious ones approached to check out the newcomers. While some can be seen running into the building, probably to inform the owner of her newly arrived guests. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why, hello there. Welcome to my humble abode! It¡¯s so good to see you again Nancy.¡± The woman who came out to greet the group was a kindly looking blue haired woman wearing a simple dress and an apron. Whilst everyone was disembarking, Nancy stepped away from the group to greet her old friend. ¡°Melanie, darling! It¡¯s good to see you again too. Thank you so much for having us.¡± Nancy greeted in return, she then went on to introduce each of her entourage, starting with the adults and ending with the children. ¡°You already know of my son Bobby, hopefully he can learn a thing or two from your marvelous work. And these are his friends, Nina and Tiffany. Nina is a Gym Apprentice under Misty and a big lover of all things Pokemon. I think you¡¯ll get along with her especially well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you all. Please come in, I''ve prepared rooms for all of you to stay in over the week. Though unfortunately, I must admit that my accommodations are quite lacking. It¡¯s not often that I get guests after all.¡± Melanie said, at the conclusion of the greetings. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ali exclaimed. ¡°With such a beautiful home and a lovely owner, I¡¯m sure our stay will be nothing short of delightful.¡± Melanie giggled in response as Misty elbowed her lover in the ribs. The interior of the mansion was fairly rustic and simply decorated. One could see various Pokemon lounging around on the furniture and some human workers walking about, minding their own business. ¡°I do apologize.¡± Melanie said, midway through the tour. ¡°I try to encourage the Pokemon to spend as much time as possible in the wild, just to hasten their resettlement process, but some of them simply prefer being indoors. I hope you don¡¯t mind their presence.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± denied Nancy. ¡°All of us here have a love of Pokemon. If anything, their presence will serve to liven up the place.¡± Melanie smiled, and it was then that she opened a door leading to the cellars. Immediately, Nina could sense a change in temperature as they made their way down the stairs. ¡°For those that are unfamiliar with the ecology of Shuckles. They are a Bug and Rock Type Pokemon commonly found in the mountains and other cave systems.¡± The guests sighed in awe at the sheer number of red shells that were laying around at the bottom of the cellar. ¡°These days it¡¯s rare to find them out in the wild anymore due to poaching and overcapture,¡± Melanie continued. ¡°But I¡¯m a firm believer that Shuckles are happiest in their natural environment. Hence I¡¯ve appropriated some of the underground caverns of this valley to serve as their home.¡± Melanie then bent down and gently rubbed at the Shuckle shell nearest to her, prompting a sleepy looking Shuckle head to poke out of the shell and nuzzle against her. ¡°Does the environment of a Shuckle affect the taste of the juice they produce?¡± This was a question from Bobby, who at this point had also released his own Shuckle into the rocky cellar. Melanie gave a wry smile in response. ¡°I like to think so. But to be honest, I¡¯m not too sure. Every batch of juice tastes a bit differently from each Shuckle to the next, which makes it hard to verify. Hence why we blend them all together for a consistent taste. Some people certainly like to argue that it doesn¡¯t matter. And since Shuckle are hardy Pokemon that can adapt to most environments, I can understand why they would think so.¡± ¡°Is it okay if I play with the Shuckles, Miss Melanie?¡± The woman giggled at Nina¡¯s enthusiastic question. ¡°Of course, Nina. Just try to be gentle when waking them. Shuckles spend a lot of time hibernating, and sometimes they might start spewing corrosive liquid at their surroundings if they get startled.¡± Nina nodded in understanding and gently rubbed at a shell, much like Melanie did, to rouse a Shuckle from its sleep. A Shuckle shell had a very unique texture, feeling almost like a ladybug shell crossed with a turtle¡¯s in terms of toughness. On the other hand, the little white rings which surround a Shuckle¡¯s cavity had a mushroom like texture with how soft and elastic they were. ¡°Is it okay to feed them Berries? I don¡¯t want to accidentally mess up their brew,¡± asked the little girl. ¡°Feeding them is fine,¡± responded Melanie. ¡°Just make sure not to shove any Berries into their cavities. That¡¯ll really mess up the brew. Not to mention, not all of the cavities are meant for Berry storage ¡ª a common mistake that a lot of beginner brewers will make.¡± Bobby seemed to redden a bit at Melanie¡¯s last statement. ¡°How do you tell which Shuckle is fermenting which brew? Or are all of the ones here brewing the same thing?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Why, we just need to ask the Shuckles, silly.¡± Melanie laughed. ¡°That said, we only really have about two to three different varieties brewing at any given time. Some of the more ¡®professional¡¯ brewers out there will stick tags onto their Shuckles to keep track of their dozens of different brews.¡± ¡°Well I think you¡¯re plenty professional, Melanie,¡± chimed Nancy. ¡°Some of those big brewers out there are only good for churning out boring tasting juices. Whereas I can taste the love and attention that you put into each and every one of your bottles.¡± Melanie smiled at her friend¡¯s compliment and thanked her. ¡°Now then,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all famished from your long trip here. Why don¡¯t we go upstairs and have some lunch? I¡¯ve got quite the spread prepared for all of you. Though unfortunately we do not eat meat here, so apologies if any of you find our selection to be lacking.¡± That last sentence was music to Nina¡¯s ears. Leave it to a pure vegetarian to make the best dishes for their own kind. Though surprisingly, it was Misty who seemed a little concerned. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me the Shuckle juices here are all non-alcoholic as well,¡± said the Gym Leader, only for Melanie to laugh at her concern and assure her that they have a variety of alcoholic beverages as well. ¡°Life out in the boonies can be terribly dull without some buzz,¡± said the brewer, in a somewhat out of character moment. Chapter 51 Life in the Hidden Valley Estate was quite leisurely. After a lovely lunch of dishes made using mountain vegetables, mushrooms, and Berries, Melanie told everyone to explore the property at their own leisure and that she would bring them out on a tour of the Berry farm tomorrow. Their rooms were all on the third floor which was largely reserved for guests. The second floor was where all the staff lived. Nina ended up sharing a room with Nancy, with Bobby getting a room of his own. Kumiko shared with her daughter, while Ali and Misty asked for a room in the corner, far removed from the others for reasons that Nina chose to put out of mind. Bobby immediately jumped to Melanie, asking all sorts of questions and wanting to see the refinery where they further processed and bottled the Shuckle juice, as well as the other cellar where they kept all their vintages. Nina, on the other hand, went outside to interact with the lost Pokemon. Most of them were really friendly, having formerly been domesticated. Though some stayed away from her, probably due to some prior unresolved trauma. The two Bulbasaurs on the estate were especially curious as they ran up to her, Tini and Espy. They ended up playing tag with them all afternoon. Although Espy was less enthusiastic, so Nina motivated her by telling her to treat it as Quick Attack practice. Right now, Espy could only trigger the move by focusing on a specific target, which more often than not, is the opponent that she¡¯s trying to hit. ¡°See if you can¡¯t cut off the Bulbasaurs by intercepting their front instead of hitting them directly. Try to concentrate on a point on the ground or conjure up an imaginary target in the empty space. Whatever helps you get in the zone,¡± urged Nina. In Tini¡¯s case, Nina had him practice his usual air swimming exercise. Air swimming refers to how some Water pokemon were able to ¡®swim¡¯ out of water. It¡¯s a skill that only trained Pokemon could do since they often needed to battle on land. The way it works is for the Pokemon to harness the Water Type Energy in the air to surround their body, allowing them to float slightly and move around in the air like they were swimming underwater. It¡¯s not a perfect solution ¡ª Water Pokemon were slower out of water and it took a lot of stamina and concentration to maintain. It also could not be considered flying since the lack of buoyancy meant they couldn¡¯t get too high. For Tini though, it was a lot easier, since he was able to move fine on land to begin with. The end result was that he could combine slithering with swimming to give him a boost in speed. Though his endurance still needed a bit more work. That night they all sat around a fire, roasting marshmallows and listening to Ali regale them with tall tales of his travels. To his side was Misty, who was propped up against him with a wine glass in hand. Ever since their arrival in the brewery, it really seemed like there was never a moment where Misty was without a drink in hand. Nina was surprised that the woman was still lucid at all, given how sloshed she was. ¡°You know, being here in these woods really reminds me of that one time I stumbled upon an abandoned ruin in Johto,¡± began the adventurer. ¡°I was still a young teen at the time, trying to conquer my second Gym Circuit. But in my foolishness, I attempted a teleport at a time when my Kirlia was exhausted from battle.¡± Ali chuckled. ¡°At this time, I was going through a phase where I thought teleportation was superior to flying due to how much more efficient it was. They don¡¯t make you get a license to use Teleport, because if you mess up, you¡¯re only going to get yourself killed. But they really should, in my opinion. ¡°Midway through the Teleport, Kirlia ran out of gas and deposited us in the middle of nowhere. There weren''t really any signifying landmarks I could follow, only a long abandoned shrine nearby. ¡°In hindsight, I probably should have sent out an SOS signal right away, but I was young and stupid at the time. Instead, I was enamored by the shrine and the ruins. Which, as it turns out, wasn''t really anything special. It was mostly just rotten wood, mold, Spinarak webs and so on.¡± By this point, Ali blew at his marshmallow to cool it down and sandwiched it between two graham crackers and chocolate before passing it to Misty with a kiss and proceeded to roast another marshmallow. ¡°But then, for whatever reason, I thought I would just camp there for the night and wait for Kirlia to recover before porting out again the next day.¡± Ali continued. ¡°Not the best idea I¡¯ve ever had.¡± He laughed. ¡°But I was young, foolish and fearless. Don¡¯t do what I did, kids. Standard protocol with teleportation incidents is to call for help immediately. You never know what might be lurking around the corner. The place you wound up at might have even been right in the territory of an Alpha. ¡°That said, hindsight is 20/20 and I was glad that I stayed for the night. Because something interesting did occur,¡± Ali paused for dramatic effect as he took a sip of his Shuckle juice. ¡°That night, as I retired into my tent and fell asleep, I was woken up by the sound of voices all around me¡­¡± Right then, there was a snap, crackle and pop as kindling burned in the fire, causing Tiffany to jolt up in alarm. Despite the girl¡¯s reverence for Sabrina, she had little tolerance for ghosts and the paranormal. Or perhaps it¡¯s because she believes in it so wholeheartedly that she gets so immersed. ¡°And so I roused my groggy, sleep deprived body and got out of the tent,¡± said Ali. ¡°Again, bad choice. If you hear any strange noise around your tent, make sure to take some precautions before showing yourself. You never know what might be stalking you.¡± He warned. ¡°Anyways, imagine my surprise when I got out and saw that a whole damned village just materialized out of nowhere when I was sleeping. Had to slap myself a few times to make sure that I wasn¡¯t still asleep.¡± Ali described an ethereal scene of ancient wooden huts and people in tribal tattoos and crude hemp clothing walking about during the night like it was daytime. ¡°And I almost would have thought the sun had risen as well with how bright it was.¡± There was a certain dim glow surrounding the mysterious people and buildings that appeared out of thin air. ¡°So I did what made sense at the time, which was to try and call out to these people and figure out what was up.¡± To his surprise however, none of the folks he went up to bothered to heed his call. In fact, they all acted as if they couldn¡¯t hear him or he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°When I finally had enough of being ignored, I reached out to grab hold of someone¡­ only to find myself phasing through them like water.¡± Tiffany once again shuddered, rubbing her shoulders at the sudden chill that took hold of her. ¡°Surprisingly though, when I tried to do the same with the Pokemon. I was at least able to get some reaction.¡± Ali explained that the Pokemon would shudder just like Tiffany did and frantically look around as if they had sensed something. Hearing that little detail, Tiffany paled and tried looking around in a panic as well. Kumiko who was sitting beside her could barely hold back her snicker. ¡°I was really flummoxed at the time. Were these ghosts from the past? Had I died and turned into a spirit? Or was I still dreaming?¡± Ali said as he took another sip from his glass. ¡°So I did what any reckless young teen would do and set out to investigate. ¡°The language that these people spoke sounded familiar yet foreign. I could tell that it was ancient Kantonian as opposed to the common we now speak. But unlike Nina, I wasn¡¯t particularly studious during my day and had no idea what they were yapping about.¡± Ali said that he tried going into the villagers¡¯ homes which was a simple enough affair since he could walk through walls at the time. He described seeing a rustic and barebones interior, consisting of jars, bedrolls and a basic hearth right in the middle of the hut. ¡°Nothing too interesting, but I did see a whole bunch of Unown script painted in the interior.¡± ¡°What about the shrine?¡± Bobby asked, only to receive a smirk from Ali. ¡°Of course I checked the shrine, though I intentionally left it until the end. If there was anything fishy going on, it¡¯s bound to be where the shrine was.¡± He said. ¡°So I did exactly that. After looking around the village and coming away from it with jack all to show, I turned my head towards the shrine at the back of the village.¡± He once again paused for dramatic effect and even took the time to make himself another s¡¯more which he happily took a bite of. Nina rolled her eyes and took a dainty bite of her own s¡¯more. She was wary of eating too much sugar after a whole day of drinking Shuckle juice. Unlike Tiffany, she was indifferent to Ali¡¯s story, as fascinating as it was. Mainly because she knew how horrible the man was when it came to telling horror stories. And also partly because she had an idea of what happened to her uncle when he was younger. ¡°But just as I was thinking about heading over to the shrine, I started hearing the voice of a child laughing in my ears.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tiffany yelped out loud, after Kumiko decided to sneakily poke her daughter in the back. ¡°I looked around,¡± continued Ali. ¡°Thinking that maybe someone was able to perceive me. But for the life of me I couldn¡¯t find the source of that laughter. However, just as I was about to give up and to move on, it happened again, and again, and again¡­ ¡°I ran every time, hoping to catch the source of the voice before it disappeared on me. But no matter how frantically I ran, how thoroughly I searched, nothing could be found aside from the same ghostly villagers that continue to ignore me.¡± Ali sighed as he thought back to the struggles of his youth. ¡°And so I gave up. No matter how loud the laughter became, or even when I felt a light pat on my shoulder, I kept my eyes focused on the shrine and kept walking.¡± He paused again to take another sip of his juice. Nina rolled her eyes once more, fully anticipating another twist to come. ¡°But just as I was about to reach the threshold of the spirit gate, I was blinded by a flash of light and was knocked out, only to be woken up in the morning by a Spearow pecking at me. I got up and found myself in front of the dilapidated shrine once more, the village and its inhabitants nowhere to be seen.¡± Silence descended upon the campsite as Ali wrapped up his story. After Tiffany got over her jitters, she began shooting random questions at Ali. Asking stuff along the lines of what it felt like to touch ghosts, was he cursed by dead children after his experience, etcetera. Basically the typical sort of stuff one would expect from a nutbag obsessed with mysticism. Bobby asked more practical questions, like was Ali¡¯s tent still around when he came to? Was anything missing? Why didn¡¯t he think to call out to his Pokemon when he was in his dream? What did these villagers eat and so on. ¡°You¡¯re unnaturally quiet, Nina. Wouldn¡¯t you be full of questions by now?¡± Ali asked his niece. ¡°Hmm? Oh, sorry I was just thinking. You said this was in Johto. Do you remember which forest it was that you got lost in?¡± Nina was considering the implications of another ancient shrine decorated with Unown letters. The common language of this world was similar to English, but they used a different script than what she was used to ¡ª a script that she had to learn when she first arrived in this world, which really helped to sell the fact that she was little more than a toddler. ¡°So it could be that I¡¯m the only person in the world who is able to recognise Unown as just stylized English alphabets¡­¡± ¡°You want to go and see for yourself huh? As expected of my adventurous niece.¡± Ali gave a knowing smirk to the girl. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no harm in telling you. As it turned out, I was actually fairly close to civilization. The forest is called Ilex Forest, and it¡¯s just a stone¡¯s throw away from Azalea town and Route 34. I probably could have walked my way back if I actually bothered to have my Pokemon scout around.¡± The man laughed boisterously at his younger self¡¯s blunder. Nina nodded. ¡°So I was right. It was Celebi¡¯s shrine, and Uncle Ali likely experienced some sort of temporal anomaly.¡± She was also willing to bet that the laughter Ali heard was actually Celebi playing pranks on him. ¡°Wait! This place is real?!¡± Bobby exclaimed. The boy had obviously thought that Ali was just making stuff up to scare them. Little did he know, this world was a lot more magical than he might think. Chapter 52 Espy¡¯s eyes glittered as she pawed her human¡¯s head repeatedly, crying ¡°Eee! Eee!¡± and pointing at the colorful jewel above her. Nina smiled at her Eevee¡¯s eagerness and set down the step stool she was carrying. The girl climbed onto the stool for some extra height and held Espy up, so that the Pokemon could reach out with her two little paws to pluck the Mago Berry that caught her eye. While Espy was happily savoring the sweet and delectable flavor of her latest spoil, Nina looked around to see that Tini had coiled himself around a branch and was gorging himself on Pecha Berries. ¡°Tini, don¡¯t be such a slob! Only two Berries per tree remember?¡± Nina admonished. The girl had set that rule because she didn¡¯t want to be a menace and ruin all of Melanie¡¯s harvests. Tini wilted at his trainer''s scolding and promptly jumped off the tree. ¡°Since when did he become so good at climbing trees?¡± She mused. Seeing how dejected Tini was, Nina couldn¡¯t help but boop her gluttonous little Dragon on the snout, staining her own nose with Pecha juices. Tini giggled at the sight and assaulted his partner with more boops for fun. Nina giggled and wrestled Tini into her embrace. ¡°Alright Tini, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re gonna get me all sticky. I see some Bluk Berries over there. Those are your faves right?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± As they made their way over to their next mark, Espy pawed at Nina again because she caught sight of some Nanab Berries she wanted to try. Only to be met with denial from her human. ¡°No can¡¯t do, Espy. See how green they are? That means they¡¯re unripe. I don¡¯t want you to get a tummy ache later.¡± ¡°Eee¡­¡± whined the cute little furball. But Nina stood firm. Instead, she promised Espy that she¡¯ll ask Melanie later to see if the brewery had any Nanabs in stock. ¡°Bulba~¡± ¡°Saur!¡± Nina bent down to address the pair of Bulbasaurs that ran up to her. ¡°Hey guys, do you want some Berries too?¡± She had developed a friendship with the two Grass Types after their little game of tag the day before. She also found out that the two Bulbasaurs actually belonged to Melanie, and that they were largely in charge of looking after the lost Pokemon. Not that they were doing a very diligent job of it. The pair of Pokemon cried out in affirmation and each pointed at different Berries that they wanted. Nina nodded in understanding and asked Tini for his help while she set down her stool. ¡°Tini, could you go get that Oran while I grab the Persim?¡± Her partner nodded and set out into action. Meanwhile, Nina raised Espy up so that she could pluck a Persim from its tree, turning a blind eye at the cheeky little Eevee who grabbed an extra Berry for herself. The little girl and her group of Pokemon continued their leisurely stroll through the fragrant rows of Berry trees and the fields of wildflowers. Occasionally stopping to pluck a few Berries that caught their eyes. *** Nina watched on with interest as the workers in the brewery manually filled up bottles of Shuckle juice before passing them down a roller to the next station to be labeled. Melanie¡¯s brewery was unlike anything that Nina had ever seen before. And she did quite enjoy visiting breweries in her past life, albeit it was beer breweries. Unlike the industrial, all-metal tanks and machinery of the breweries she was used to, Melanie¡¯s set up was much more rudimentary. There were wooden barrels, which she used to store the Shuckle juice, hanging from a high shelf, connected to tappers and tubes which flowed down to the filling station where humans and Pokemon alike filled glass bottles with the liquid. Right next to the bottling section was a number of large wooden tubs which they used to blend different batches of Shuckle juice together. And right beside that were where they added yeasts into the Shuckle juice to ferment it into alcohol. Nina could see casks upon casks of Shuckle wine aging away until it was their time to be bottled and sold. ¡°Your workers all look like they¡¯re getting up there in age, Melanie.¡± Nina observed. The woman nodded in agreement. ¡°Some of them are from the nearby off-route village. Some of them are retirees from the city who wanted a more scenic environment to settle down in.¡± Melanie explained how she was just brewing as a hobby at the beginning. ¡°I was living in a small wooden cabin by myself next to the pond and would feed all the lost Pokemon that came my way. Then one day, a Parasect ¡ª who is now the Alpha of this area ¡ª rescued a Shuckle which he left in my care. I had Berries which I was growing in my backyard and I always have some leftovers so I thought, why not?¡± ¡°How did it snowball into becoming such a big business then? I saw quite a number of Shuckles in the cellar.¡± Melanie chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s quite a long story. For one, the Shuckle that Parasect found was female. I¡¯m not entirely sure on the mechanics of Pokemon breeding, but I¡¯m pretty certain it was a stray Ditto that did the deed. There was also a little girl from the nearby village that found my cabin and kept coming back to play with all the Pokemon.¡± She explained how her existence spread through word of mouth and eventually there were some villagers who would stop by to ask for her help in procuring supplies from the city. ¡°Money is always an issue with the villagers since they don¡¯t really engage with the outside world much,¡± said Melanie. ¡°And there was only so much I could do to help them out of my own pocket. So eventually, we came up with the idea of starting a Berry farm, which then spun off into a Shuckle juice brewery. So in that sense, the villagers are also shareholders, I suppose?¡± Nina nodded in understanding, most Berry varieties were commodities despite their magical properties. In her past life, there would have been no end to the number of pharmaceutical companies willing to pay a fortune to get their hands on a sample. But here in the Pokemon world, they were treated just as regular fruits and hold similar value. Adding value in the form of Shuckle juice just made sense, given how rare the Pokemon were. ¡°That Alpha Parasect, are you still on friendly terms with it? I¡¯ve never heard of an Alpha that¡¯s friendly towards humans before.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± confirmed Melanie. ¡°Parasect stops by for treats from time to time, with her family. We¡¯ve known each other since she was a Paras. And it¡¯s not entirely unheard of. Alphas are really smart and most of them have cordial relationships with their local Rangers. They understand that sometimes, they might need help from humans. It¡¯s foreign intruders that they take issue with.¡± Nina stopped short of asking if she could meet with Parasect. She was no longer as helpless as she used to be since she now had Tini and Esper, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to go toe to toe with an Alpha just yet. ¡°What about the Beedrills then?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s rare for wild Beedrill to be so¡­ well behaved around humans.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s simple actually. Their queen used to be a lost Pokemon as well. I took care of her after she found me and she¡¯s since gone independent and started her own hive.¡± Melanie smiled wistfully at the fond memories. ¡°It¡¯s always a happy occasion whenever I see Pokemon under my care find the strength to move on¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the Pokemon in this area love her so much,¡± thought Nina. ¡°This woman might as well be a saint with how pure her heart is.¡± Melanie continued on with the tour and answered whatever questions Nina may have when suddenly, the sound of an explosion could be heard from outside. Melanie and her workers jolted in fear and looked around in panic. While Nancy pulled Bobby into a protective embrace. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nina asked. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± said Melanie, when another explosion rang out and the whole mansion shook. ¡°Stay here,¡± said Nina. ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± She then turned towards Espy and asked her Eevee to return to her Pokeball since she¡¯s not battle ready just yet. ¡°Tini, are you ready buddy?¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± cried the determined Dratini. ¡°No, this is my house. I¡¯m coming with you!¡± Melanie protested. She couldn¡¯t just cower in fear behind a child in a potential emergency. After yelling out to her workers and telling them to take shelter, Melanie raced out of the mansion with Nina and Tini. *** The first thing Nina saw when she got out of the mansion was the back of her Uncle Ali. The man was shouting orders to his Gardevoir and Drapion, which he had released at some point. ¡°Elizabeth, keep up the barrier! Don¡¯t let a single one of these thugs get through!¡± He yelled at the Gardevoir. He then immediately turned towards ¡®Keith¡¯, his Drapion, and ordered the Pokemon to shoot out Toxic balls at his opponents. Up in the sky, Nina could also see Martha the Corviknight, battling against a group of Flying Types all by herself. ¡°Uncle Ali!¡± She called. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nina! Get back inside, it¡¯s not safe out here!¡± ¡°I can help!¡± She argued. Nina could tell that the Pokemon her uncle was facing was not particularly well cared for. She was sure that Tini could take them if it came down to it. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of poachers and thugs,¡± said Ali. ¡°They¡¯re after the Shuckles. Get back inside, call for help, and reinforce the doors. I saw a group of them circle around to the back earlier.¡± Just as Ali said, Nina could see a bunch of dark clothed individuals standing behind the opposing Pokemon. Each of them sporting a flashy red ¡®R¡¯ symbol somewhere on their person, signifying their allegiance. ¡°What the heck is Team Rocket doing here?!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Misty?!¡± As a Gym Leader, the orange haired woman was the most competent battler of them all. Not to mention her abundant experience when it came to dealing with Team Rocket. Ali winced. ¡°She passed out in the living room. Go wake her if you can!¡± Nina nodded and rushed back inside. ¡°Melanie! Leave this place to Uncle Ali, we gotta secure the inside!¡± The woman nodded, but Nina caught her looking anxiously at the various lost Pokemon who were trapped in nets. No doubt, the work of Team Rocket. ¡°Those nets are specifically designed to contain Pokemon. We can free them after taking them all down. Now, come on! I need you to call the authorities while I go get Misty!¡± Melanie shook her head to get herself together and follow Nina inside, just in time to see a bunch of Team Rocket goons being assaulted by the Pokemon loitering inside the house. ¡°Melanie, the Pokemon here all listen to you ¡ª keep them organized and buy me some time. I¡¯m gonna go look for Misty.¡± Nina instructed. She was tempted to send Tini instead, but she wasn¡¯t sure if there were any more goons lurking around. ¡°Wait, before you go,¡± Melanie showed Nina her Pokegear screen, gesturing at the top where it showed there was no connection to the network. ¡°Shit!¡± The girl cursed. ¡°That means they either have some sort of device or a powerful Dark Type Pokemon jamming our communications.¡± Since the Pokenet was run by Psychic Pokemon and Porygons, only the opposing Type Energy could cause enough interference to disrupt it. Nina shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, stick to the plan for now. I¡¯ll go looking for the jammer once I wake Misty.¡± Melanie gave a determined nod and ran towards the group of Rocket thugs while shouting out orders to the various lost Pokemon. Chapter 53 ¡°Oh Misty¡­¡± Nina sighed in disappointment at the sight of the drunkard drooling on the sofa. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s impressive how she¡¯s able to sleep through all this commotion.¡± Nina tried to rouse the woman and even asked Tini to squirt a small Water Gun to her face. But the Gym Leader simply scowled and waved at her in annoyance. ¡°Well at least she kept her Pokeballs with her.¡± Nina looked down at Misty¡¯s belt and saw the three Pokeballs she had brought with her on the trip. After carefully inspecting them, she grabbed the two that she needed, leaving one for Misty if she ever decides to wake up. The girl then ran back to Melanie who was currently struggling with keeping the Rocket thugs contained. The woman was simply too timid in not wanting to see any of the Pokemon under her care getting hurt. As a result, Nina could see a couple goons rushing up the stairs for some inexplicable reason. Probably hoping to attack Melanie from above. ¡°Dammit, I have to stop them!¡± Nina threw out Misty¡¯s Pokeballs revealing two figures in a flash of light; a Kingdra floating in the air and a Slowking wearing a Shellder crown atop its head. ¡°Kingsley, Eric, I need your help!¡± Kingsley looked around in confusion after noticing the absence of his trainer, but looked down at Nina and Tini in recognition. Slowking, on the other hand, just looked as derpy as usual. But Nina could tell that the Psychic Pokemon had already done a scan of his surroundings and understood the situation. ¡°We¡¯re under attack and Misty is unconscious.¡± Nina explained simply. ¡°Kingsley, I need you to go and help Melanie take down those Rocket goons. They¡¯re really weak so it should be easy. Be careful above you though, I saw some assholes run up the stairs just now.¡± Kingsley nodded and with a loud whinny, threw himself into the air with a Hydro Pump to the ground and crashed into the three Rocket goons that Melanie was facing in a surge of Dragon Type Energy. She then turned towards Eric the Slowking. ¡°Eric, you probably have a better idea of what¡¯s going on than I do. But there¡¯s some sort of jamming in place that¡¯s preventing us from calling for help. Do you think you can pinpoint it?¡± Nina felt a wave of assurance caress her mind in response as Eric closed his eyes and focused on pinpointing the pesky jammer. ¡°Once you find the jammer, teleport to me. I don¡¯t want to risk you going after a powerful Dark Type on your own.¡± She said, eliciting a wave of mental affection in response. ¡°In the meantime, Tini, you and I are going after those two that ran upstairs. We can¡¯t risk them hiding away and screwing with us.¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± Tini cried as he wrapped himself around Nina¡¯s torso. After seeing that all of her enemies were preoccupied with Kingsley, Nina dashed towards the stairs and ran after the two Rocket goons she saw earlier. *** At the same time, Ali was struggling to pin down the assault team that he was facing. There were about a dozen Rocket goons facing him. And while they were all individually weak, they had the lost Pokemon as hostages, meaning he couldn¡¯t afford to use any moves that were too devastating to avoid collateral damage. Not to mention the ingrates were clearly stalling for time. Because despite having poisoned the Pokemon repeatedly, the grunts would just play it safe and rotate their Pokemon out so that they could cure them with Berries they stole from the farm. Looking up, he could tell that the same thing was happening around Martha as her opponents kept their distance to avoid being taken out. Ali gritted his teeth. ¡°Dammit, Martha could have ended this with a single Hurricane! I need to get the hostages out of the way.¡± A plan began to form in Ali¡¯s head as his Drapion struggled against a group of Houndours that kept harassing him with Flamethrowers, Ember and the occasional Crunch from behind. Individually, they were no threat, but they were extremely coordinated thanks to the Houndoom that was keeping a distance and guiding them. Going after the big canine would be a waste of time since Dark Types were extremely wily, which meant Keith the Drapion needed to take out the little ones first. His trainer was clearly too preoccupied to direct him, but that was fine. He knew what he needed to do. Keith had been spewing Toxic all around him since the start of the battle. The spread of the move might seem random and reactive to the untrained eye. But in reality, Keith was slowly boxing in his opponents and setting up for a finisher. As evident by the fact that the Houndour were instinctively avoiding and jumping over the Toxic splotches on the ground. As the time approached, Keith began sharpening his pincers with a Swords Dance. And predictably, the enemy trainers began panicking at the act, calling out orders for their Pokemon to be more aggressive and even sending out Koffings in an attempt to obscure the Drapion¡¯s sight. Ali smirked when he saw what his Drapion was doing. ¡°Sneaky bugger as always, Keith. I knew I could count on you.¡± He was unconcerned about his Pokemon¡¯s predicament because the toxic fumes weren¡¯t going to affect the final phase Poison and Dark Type. If anything, it would cause problems for the Rocket goon¡¯s own allied Pokemon. So instead, Ali took advantage of the distraction to begin whistling a tune. The canine Pokemon on the field could probably hear him but it meant nothing if they couldn¡¯t decipher the code. Next to him however, Elizabeth the Gardevoir nodded in understanding while Martha began churning a barrage of wind up in the sky. The moment that Ali gave the signal, Keith crossed his pincer arms together and let loose an X-Scissor at a Houndour who was misled into the Drapion¡¯s range, sending the unfortunate Pokemon flying towards another one of its companions like a cannonball. Having opened up a path for himself, the scorpion Pokemon made a rush towards the Houndoom, or at least he pretended to. The moment that the Houndoom was about to react, Keith pivoted and aimed a Venoshock at the Rocket grunts who were guarding the nets containing their ill captured Pokemon. That was also when Elizabeth let go of the barrier she was maintaining over the mansion and teleported into the midst of the enemy trainers to unleash an absolutely blinding Dazzling Gleam that she¡¯s been charging for a very long time. The Rocket grunts and their surrounding Pokemon cried out in pain and instinctively shielded their eyes. Meanwhile, Keith, who had already known what to expect, simply closed his eyes and endured the pain to make a rush towards the nets to get them out of the way. Up above, Martha was watching the proceedings intensely. And the moment that she saw her teammate skitter off with a bundle of Pokemon in his hands, the Corviknight let out a furious screech and swooped down onto the enemy humans with her body coated entirely in condensed Flying Type Energy. The enemy flyers tried to stop their foe, but Martha¡¯s Brave Bird simply knocked them aside with ease. Her momentum only slightly diminished as the humans she was targeting were all knocked into the air, all bloodied and bruised. One of the unlucky Rocket goons were even clipped by the Corviknight¡¯s steel feathers in an unfortunate angle and ended up severing half of an arm. Ali sighed at the sight, there was nothing worse than having to waste medicine to keep these sorts of scum alive. After seeing the fate of their trainers, the enemy Pokemon faltered, only to be held in place by a furious Howl from a scuffed looking Houndoom. The senior Pokemon had not gotten out of that exchange unharmed, largely due to Elizabeth¡¯s Dazzling Gleam. But it looked pissed and commanded its subordinates to directly attack Ali in revenge. Unfortunately for Houndoom, their assault was intercepted by Elizabeth who teleported back to Ali¡¯s side the moment that she had finished unleashing her Dazzling Gleam, clearing the field for Martha who began flapping her wings forcefully to conjure up a Hurricane to sweep up the remaining Pokemon. *** Back inside the mansion, Tini coiled his body and launched himself at the Raticate and Golbat blocking his way. Coil was a Poison type move, but it was also a move that Milotic knew for some reason. Misty¡¯s Milotic was very adept at incorporating the move in its own movements, seamlessly using it to zoom around, much like how Kingsley uses Dragon Dance to dodge. So naturally, Tini, being the impressionable little Dragon that he was, asked his senior serpent to teach it to him. The end result wasn¡¯t quite the same since it was physically impossible for him to harness Poison Type Energy. But he learned the movement side of the equation and substituted Poison with Dragon Energy instead. The end result was a bastardized version of Dragon Rush crossed with Coil as he surged towards the Raticate in a blaze of purple aura. The Raticate tried to negate the damage using Protect, but it did nothing to diminish the momentum of Tini¡¯s charge as the Pokemon was sent flying back to its trainer. Golbat tried to swoop in and blast Tini with a Supersonic, but the little Dragon simply countered it by crying out as loudly as he could. ¡°TIIIIINNNNNN!!!!!!¡± He yelled. As an avid abuser of Supersonic herself, there was no way that Nina did not teach her partner about how to deal with that move. Especially since the Golbat line were such common Pokemon. Sound waves cancel out sound waves. And while Tini could not match the high frequency of Supersonic, his cries did enough to deafen him from the effects of Confusion. After the noise had ended, Tini fought back the mild discomfort he felt from the Supersonic and lashed out with a regular Dragon Tail at the Golbat. Unfortunately, his sense of distance was still a little off as he only managed to clip the Golbat slightly. ¡°Fall back and Dragon Pulse while you recover!¡± Nina commanded, to which Tini readily obliged by ¡®swimming¡¯ back with a flourish. Tini hasn¡¯t learned how to air swim perpetually like Kingsley yet, but using it in short bursts does give the little Dragon a lot more options when it comes to movement. By this point, Nina had also released Espy, recognising that her opponents might attempt to bypass Tini and get at his trainer. That said, Nina held the Eevee in reserve by her side, since neither of her Pokemon have learned to coordinate with each other in battle just yet. It was a good thing that she did, because with an aggressive cry, Espy suddenly slammed a Quick Attack into an Ekans who had somehow snuck up behind Nina. ¡°Thanks, Espy!¡± exclaimed the surprised Nina. ¡°Go in for a Bite around its neck and don¡¯t let its fangs touch you!¡± Espy did as she was told, using Swift to keep the Ekans down while she closed in and bit the snake Pokemon, aggressively shaking the Ekans left and right like a dog with a chew toy. ¡°If you can, try to throw it off the balcony. Kingsley should be able to handle it.¡± But right as Nina said that, there was a flash of light behind the two Rocket goons, revealing a Slowking who had just teleported in and grabbed hold of the two rogue trainers with Psychic. Eric the Slowking yawned and began mercilessly slamming the two humans against the wall over and over again until they lost consciousness, before tossing them off the balcony to be handled by his teammate downstairs. Additionally, the Yawn from earlier wasn¡¯t superfluous either as the Raticate and Golbat began exhibiting signs of drowsiness, allowing Tini to slam into them in one fell swoop using his special Double Tail attack. Just as Nina was about to breathe out in relief, she heard a yelp from Espy behind her, who was now wrapped up by the Ekans she was just fighting. ¡°Espy!¡± The girl cried in panic. But just as the Poison Pokemon was about to sink its fangs into Nina¡¯s princess, a Psychic aura held the snake in place, pried it loose, before swiftly dispatching the Ekans and throwing it aside as well. Nina sighed in relief, picked up her Eevee in a gentle caress and thanked the Pokemon who came to their rescue. ¡°Thanks Eric. I don¡¯t know what we would have done without you.¡± ¡°Slow¡­¡± The senior Pokemon moaned in response. ¡°Have you found the source of the jamming yet?¡± She asked, to which the Slowking responded by sending her a mental affirmation. ¡°Do you think you, me and Tini can take them on or should we go get Uncle Ali as backup?¡± ¡°Slow¡­¡± The Psychic Type nodded while also sending out another mental pulse of affirmation. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina steeled her nerves and returned Espy into her Pokeball. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go then. The longer we dally, the more dangerous things might become.¡± She also held on to the gem dangling around her neck and let out a silent prayer as well as a curse. ¡°Damn you, Mew! I better not catch you laughing your ass off at my misery somewhere. At the same time, I¡¯m counting on you to swoop in and save my ass if I do get in trouble one day.¡± Chapter 54 Teleporting was a very disorienting experience, especially since Nina had never experienced it before. An apologetic sentiment invaded her mind alongside some images and concepts to explain what had just occurred. ¡°Whatever is jamming our communications is also messing up Eric¡¯s teleportation,¡± was what Nina concluded from the ideas that she was sent. Just as she was trying to get her bearings, a bolt of darkness slammed into a barrier that Eric conjured, causing Nina to fall on her butt in fright. The girl looked around, and found that she was on the roof of Melanie¡¯s mansion. And to the far side of them was a trainer from Team Rocket, carrying a weird device on his back and being guarded by a Honchkrow. Nina frowned. ¡°How in Arceus did a Team Rocket goon get his hands on such a rare Pokemon.¡± Not that the Honchkrow line were particularly rare, but they aren¡¯t commonly found in Kanto. Bolt after bolt of Dark Pulse relentlessly assaulted Eric. But the Slowking wasn¡¯t a Gym Leader¡¯s Pokemon for nothing. In fact, he was the one who trained the other Psychics in charge of maintaining barriers in the Cerulean Gym. Despite facing a Type disadvantage, the barrier maintained by Eric simply flickered ever so slightly under the onslaught. ¡°Tini, are you alright?¡± ¡°Tiin!¡± Nina got off her butt and whispered into her partner¡¯s ears. ¡°Dragon Pulse and Water Pulse at the Honchkrow to distract it. Eric can¡¯t teleport right now and he¡¯s fairly slow, so we need to create an opening for him.¡± Nina could have asked Tini to target the trainer, but doing so would invite attacks onto her, which would force Eric and Tini to split their focus on defence. And in accordance with his trainer¡¯s instructions, Tini began reciprocating the enemy¡¯s Dark Pulse with his own Water Pulse, occasionally mixing in the more demanding Dragon Pulse to catch the Dark Type Pokemon off guard. This provided Eric with enough leeway to steady his aim, lower the barrier and shoot an Ice Beam at the evading Honchkrow to freeze one of its wings solid. ¡°No!¡± The Rocket goon cried as he hastily dug into his pockets to retrieve something. ¡°Dragon Pulse on the trainer, Tini!¡± Nina cried in return. Which in hindsight might have been a bit overkill, because Tini sent the screaming man flying off the rooftop and crashing into the pond below. Meanwhile, Eric took advantage of his opponent¡¯s fall and did a Body Slam on the Honchkrow. When Nina looked over, she could see that the regal Pokemon was sitting atop the Dark Type and repeatedly throwing Focus Punches at the poor crow with that same indifferent, and derpy expression he always wore. ¡°Yikes, didn¡¯t expect Eric to be so sadistic,¡± thought Nina, only to receive a pulse of disapproval from the Slowking in return, prompting her to shut off her mind instinctively. Letting out a sigh, Nina looked towards the front of the mansion to see Martha swooping down on a bunch of Rocket goons in a flash of light, then whipping up a Hurricane to mop up the battlefield. ¡°Seems like Uncle Ali is about done on his end. Which reminds me¡­¡± Nina took out her Pokegear and checked on the signal, which was still a little weak, probably because the jamming device wasn¡¯t entirely destroyed. But it should still be sufficient for a simple phone call. And so Nina called up emergency services, telling them a summary of what happened and providing them with their coordinates. At first, Nina was not taken seriously due to her youthful voice, so she had to rely on her clout and throw her status around as a Gym Apprentice and Professor Bill¡¯s sponsored trainer. It was one of those frustrating things about being a child, so it was a good thing that her phone number was tied to her records. The bitch on the other end of the line became a lot more cordial and said that they were dispatching local Rangers to confirm the situation, evidently still a little skeptical of the girl¡¯s claims. ¡°Alright Eric, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s get down to the pond and find the asshole that Tini knocked down. It¡¯d be troublesome if he drowned, or managed to escape for that matter.¡± Turns out, there was no need for concern. Honchkrow¡¯s trainer survived the fall and managed to claw his way up to shore, only to be met with a very angry looking Drapion looking down at him. ¡°Good work, Nina,¡± praised her Uncle Ali, as he was tying up the ruffians who had assaulted them. But before the man could continue any further, Nina jolted at a sudden realization. ¡°Wait, Where¡¯s Kumiko and Tiffany?!¡± Bobby and Nancy were with Nina and Melanie earlier so they¡¯re probably with the brewery staff. But Kumiko, being a competent trainer and a defacto Sea Ranger wouldn¡¯t have just hidden away during such a crisis. Ali caught on to her concerns immediately and called for Martha to scout the Estate for any signs of their companions. As it turns out, the group that Ali and Nina faced wasn¡¯t the entirety of the Team Rocket invaders. There was another group that was sent towards the Berry farm to hold back the Beedrills that guarded the place. When Martha caught sight of Kumiko, she and her Pokemon were holding off the goons all by their lonesome while trying to keep the hysterical Tiffany safe. All around her, the raven Pokemon could see the unconscious bodies of Beedrill littering the ground, preventing the Water Type Specialist from using any big moves, similar to Ali¡¯s predicament from earlier. Just the sight of all those injured Pokemon were enough to trigger Martha¡¯s rage as she swooped down with an angry screech and picked up one of the Rocket goons to be lifted into the air. And the best part? There were no pesky flyers around to stop her this time. One by one, the Rocket goons were picked up and then dropped screaming onto the ground. Their legs crumpled and broke like little twigs. A couple even fell the wrong way and snapped their necks, which Martha did not feel the least bit guilty about. These humans had come here intending to do harm, they should have resolved themselves to be harmed in return. Kumiko shielded her daughter from the gruesome sight and made a mental note to talk to Ali about the cruelty of his Pokemon. But regardless, she still felt relieved for Martha¡¯s timely intervention. Her Dewgong, Seaking and Golduck were on their last legs. Kumiko sighed. ¡°The one time I decided not to bring Gary with me, shit happens!¡± *** It wasn¡¯t long until a pair of Rangers flew in with their Pokemon, cursing at the carnage that had been wrought on the Hidden Valley Estate. The Rangers immediately moved in to help secure the incapacitated Team Rocket members and sent out their Pokemon to scout the surrounding area for any stragglers. They also made a call to the Saffron City Police Department for backup, who teleported officers over almost instantaneously. Nina was a little annoyed by their expediency. It meant that the call center lady she spoke to never took her seriously. She reminded herself to file a complaint later when they inevitably asked to take her statement, a process which ended up being surprisingly tedious. For the adults that was. Maybe it was because the officers didn¡¯t want to put too much undue stress on a child, but Nina only had to give one round of statements before she was let off with a ton of commendation and praise for her bravery. They also promised to investigate the handling of her report and severe penalties for the representative involved. Misty, on the other hand, was grilled quite intensely about her dereliction of duty. And Ali was practically interrogated about the death and injury caused by his Corvinight. Causing intentional harm to other human beings via the use of Pokemon was considered a felony in the Pokemon world, as it should be. It¡¯s easy to forget that these cute creatures who coexist and live amongst them as companions and pets were all capable killing machines. Nina was not worried about her uncle, Team Rocket were considered terrorists. It was likely that Martha¡¯s actions would be filed as justifiable self defense, and her trainer be let off with a slap on the wrist along with a severe warning to better discipline his Pokemon. The person that Nina was really worried about was Melanie who had been all jittery and restless since the conclusion of the events. ¡°Hey, Melanie¡­ You okay? It¡¯s over now, the Pokemon are free and being looked at by the nurses,¡± assuaged Nina as she slowly approached the woman to avoid startling her. But Melanie simply looked at the girl with wide eyes and frantically shook her head. ¡°No, no¡­ this shouldn¡¯t have happened in the first place¡­¡± After sensing that the woman wasn¡¯t going to lash out, Nina moved next to her and held onto Melanie¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay¡­ This wasn¡¯t your fault. No one could have predicted this. You already did your best by standing up to them when it mattered.¡± However, despite Nina¡¯s best efforts, Melanie refused to calm down. ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it! Parasect¡­ Parasect is the guardian of this area. She would have stopped Team Rocket¡¯s intrusion and chased them away before they even reached us.¡± Nina frowned at the implication of Melanie¡¯s words, finally understanding the core of the woman¡¯s anxiety. ¡°She¡¯s worried that something might have happened to the local Alpha.¡± ¡°Stay here,¡± said Nina as she went off to look for the Rangers who had arrived at the scene just now. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ranger Williams frowned as well after Nina relayed Melanie¡¯s concerns about the Alpha Parasect. ¡°This is indeed a problem¡­ Displaced Alphas can severely disrupt the neighboring ecosystems, causing Pokemon stampedes or turf wars in the worst case scenario,¡± he said. ¡°But what I¡¯m really worried about is if Team Rocket has employed some unknown means to suppress the Parasect,¡± continued the Ranger. In which case, the Alpha represented a ticking time bomb who might go berserk at any moment. ¡°Dealing with a berserking Alpha is no walk in the park.¡± Williams sighed. After thanking Nina for bringing this to his attention, the Ranger walked off to ask for more information from Melanie. He also interrupted Misty¡¯s interrogation and recruited the Gym Leader, citing an emergent situation. Despite her blunder, a Gym Leader was still the most capable battler, even amongst all the Rangers and trained police officers. Calling upon their help to deal with nearby Alphas was common practice among Pokemon Rangers. Misty, of course, enthusiastically volunteered her services in order to redeem herself and to escape prolonged scrutiny. Melanie asked to tag along as well. The woman simply could not bring herself to sit still, knowing that her friend might be hurt somewhere. Ranger Williams reluctantly agreed, since Melanie insisted that she could guide them to Parasect¡¯s nests and help talk to the Pokemon if it came down to it. But he also made the brewer promise that she would stay behind them at all times and follow their instructions. Nina also asked to come along, only to be shot down by stern glares from all the adults around her. In the end, they even tasked a junior Jenny to come and babysit her, lest the girl wander off on her own. Nina was obviously indignant as she puffed up her cheeks in displeasure. ¡°I can understand not letting me go, but the babysitter is going too far!¡± She whined. Chapter 55 That evening, Nina lent a hand in helping to prepare dinner. Not that she was able to do much, the cook working in the kitchen didn¡¯t want her using any knives, so she just helped to wash and peel some of the root vegetables that were going into the curry. The cook had actually offered to prepare a separate ¡®decent¡¯ meal to their esteemed guests, but Ali turned them down, knowing that the workers were still a little rattled from the harrowing event they had just experienced. Besides, he was of the opinion that the best thing to eat after an intense battle was a big bowl of curry where he could just unreservedly chow down like a Snorlax. Something which Nina and Kumiko also concurred with. Hence why the cook ended up making a big pot of curry with an assortment of root vegetables and spicy Berries. He also made a whole tray of pasta loaded with mushrooms and Berries for anyone who didn¡¯t feel like eating rice. That night, the guests of the brewery and its workers all came together and enjoyed the simple but hearty spread that was prepared for them. Nina found it somewhat therapeutic to see the smiles and banter of everyone around her. She especially enjoyed the curry, which has just the right amount of spice while maintaining a delicate balance of sweet and savory. The pasta, on the other hand, was just like a loaded aglio e olio in its simplicity. Nina stayed up late into the night to await the return of Misty and Melanie, while Nancy volunteered to tuck Bobby and Tiffany into bed, the girl was still a little shaken from the day¡¯s proceedings. Ali, Kumiko and Nina were sitting around the living room playing cards when Misty stomped into the room, her face looking like a Mightyena with how dark and twisted it was. Behind her trailed Melanie, who rushed upstairs into her room without so much as a greeting. From the small glimpse that Nina managed to catch of her, the brewer seemed to be sobbing uncontrollably. Ali got up to pull his lover into a hug and even offered to make her a hot drink. But the woman declined, asking for something alcoholic instead. ¡°Whisky if they have it. If not, something strong will do, preferably bitter.¡± Ali nodded reluctantly but obliged her requests. Meanwhile, Misty lifted Nina up and sat the girl down on her lap. She held her apprentice tight, the same way one would hold a stuffed toy and fervently nuzzled her face against Nina¡¯s head. Nina was squirming around in discomfort initially but ultimately relented to Misty¡¯s whims after recognising that she wasn¡¯t going to let up anytime soon. ¡°Are you sure you wanna be drinking?¡± Kumiko joked, only to earn a glare from the Gym Leader. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I won¡¯t let that happen ever again. Next time I see one of those Rocket fuckers, I¡¯m gonna jam a real rocket up their asshole and send them blasting off into the skies!¡± ¡°Woah there¡­ Language, we¡¯ve got little ears here,¡± said Kumiko. ¡°Mind telling us what happened?¡± Misty simply huffed and chugged down the Shuckle juice that Ali poured for her, scrunching her face up at the taste, before pouring herself another glass and doing another chug. She then looked down at Nina and gave her a familiar look, seemingly reluctant to say anything in front of the child. But Nina was having none of it. Before they could even ask her to leave, Nina protested. ¡°I¡¯m your apprentice, Misty! You don¡¯t have to coddle me. I was involved in the battle too. I have a right to know!¡± Misty sighed out in exasperation and blew raspberries into her headstrong apprentice¡¯s neck, causing the girl to yelp in surprise, and beg for the woman to stop. ¡°They used poison,¡± said Misty, once she had her fill of venting. ¡°It seemed like they¡¯ve been planning the heist for quite some time now and had been steadily poisoning the Alpha¡¯s surroundings. That¡¯s why Melanie hadn¡¯t seen Parasect all this while, because she was too weak to leave the nest.¡± Misty grabbed at her drink and did another chug, there was a little droplet that threatened to fall onto Nina¡¯s head from the woman¡¯s chin but Ali leaned in to wipe it away. ¡°It wasn¡¯t much of a fight really. Eric easily suppressed her. But boy was she tenacious¡­ refusing to faint no matter what. It really did seem like she was willing to die fighting.¡± A glimmer of respect shone in Misty¡¯s eyes. But the problem was, any poison that was strong enough to affect an Alpha Pokemon could easily take out lesser Pokemon as well, with lethal efficacy. ¡°She¡­¡± Misty¡¯s voice began faltering. ¡°Parasect¡­ She was guarding a cave where her nest was¡­ The inside¡­ Her brood¡­¡± This was when the usually strong willed Gym Leader began bawling like a child. Nina reached behind her and stroked Misty¡¯s head as the woman buried her face in the girl¡¯s nape. Kumiko gasped in horror at what Misty implied while Ali slammed his fist onto the table in anger. ¡°Scum¡­ Absolute scum!¡± Ali exclaimed, with the most venom that Nina had ever seen from her uncle. Nina was grinding her teeth and had her other fist clenched as well. The dark realities of this world hitting the girl in a very visceral way. ¡°Humans are cruel no matter what world we live in. It¡¯s in our nature.¡± All of a sudden, the ideals espoused by N and Team Plasma didn¡¯t seem so far-fetched anymore. ¡°How on Earth did Team Rocket even get hold of Poison strong enough to take out an Alpha?¡± Kumiko asked, after Misty had calmed down a little. By this point, Nina had escaped from the woman¡¯s grasp and it was now Ali¡¯s turn to hold his lover in a tight embrace. ¡°No idea,¡± said Misty. ¡°Even the Rangers couldn¡¯t identify what they used.¡± ¡°Is Parasect going to be okay?¡± Nina asked. ¡°She¡¯ll live¡­ It¡¯s just that the Rangers don¡¯t know what to do with her. The chances of a successful resettlement are slim. So there¡¯s a chance that¡­ That they might have to put her down.¡± Misty was choking her way through that last sentence from how upset she was. If there was one thing more dangerous than a berserking Alpha, it was a grieving and vengeful one. The fact that the Rangers had to resort to such a drastic action was unfortunate. But at the same time, even if Parasect was kept alive, it would be a cruelty unto itself. ¡°That sort of mental trauma isn¡¯t something anyone can easily recover from, be it humans or Pokemon,¡± chimed Ali. ¡°But what about Psychic Therapy?¡± asked Kumiko. ¡°Surely we can just snip away the bad memories right?¡± Ali shook his head. ¡°Ain¡¯t that easy. An Alpha¡¯s Psyche is resilient like you wouldn¡¯t believe. Even Sabrina and her team might have trouble cracking into that noggin. Not to mention the constant risk of her going berserk if we mess with the wrong thing. You could also end up with a psychopathic Alpha with zero empathy.¡± Nina nodded in agreement, recalling the aftermath of her mother¡¯s own Psychic therapy. ¡°But hey, on the bright side, it was a good thing that we were here at the right time. Imagine how bad it would have been if we weren¡¯t around to defend this place when those thugs attacked.¡± Ali added, in an attempt to lighten the mood. ¡°It makes sense. Those goons were surprisingly organized, but weak at the same time. They probably weren¡¯t expecting a Gym Leader and her companions to be around.¡± Nina mused. Said Gym Leader was useless but her Pokemon played a pivotal role. ¡°Why did Team Rocket attack this place anyway?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Was it really just as simple as them wanting to steal the Shuckles?¡± Misty shook her head. ¡°No, otherwise they would have caused more destruction. They wanted to take over the Estate, keep everyone as captive workers and use it as a base of operations.¡± Both Nina and Kumiko tilted their heads in confusion. ¡°Why though? Is there something special about this area?¡± The Gym Leader sighed. ¡°You guys wouldn¡¯t know this since the League hasn¡¯t exactly publicized it. But Giovanni¡¯s been missing over the past couple of years.¡± Misty explained that the absence of their leader had resulted in Team Rocket splintering into different cells led by different people. ¡°The assholes we took out today were just rabble really, one of the smaller splinter groups. They wanted to take advantage of the steady income from Berries and Shuckle juice to fund their criminal activities. The lost Pokemon were just bonuses they could sell for a quick payday.¡± Nina frowned. She would have thought that the absence of a figurehead would result in the disbandment of the organization, but it seems that real life was as complicated as ever. There were probably plenty of executives within Team Rocket that had invested too much of their life into building up their careers to just give up on power. It made sense that they would vie for whatever scraps their boss left behind. ¡°Giovanni is missing¡­ I got a bad feeling about that. I doubt a megalomaniac like him would just quietly retire and fade into anonymity,¡± said Nina. Misty nodded in agreement. ¡°The League thinks so too. Which is why they avoided telling the public to prevent people from getting complacent. The manhunt for the head of Team Rocket is still very much in full force. If anything it¡¯s gotten even more intense as of late.¡± Ali lightly patted Misty on the back. ¡°Alright, I think we¡¯ve all had enough excitement for a day. It¡¯s about time we rested for the night. Especially you, young lady,¡± he said to Nina. ¡°It''s already way past your bedtime.¡± Nina pouted and whined about how she was too old to have a bedtime. But she did comply, no thanks to her childish physique starting to tire and feel groggy. *** S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina groaned as she lowered her exhausted body into the bathtub, alongside her two Pokemon. She wanted to clean herself before going to bed, thanks to Misty getting her all icky with her tears and snot. Espy was sleepy as well, but her Eevee refused to go to bed before cleaning herself too, which helped to reinforce Nina¡¯s decision. Tini did not care, he just liked hot baths. Nina leaned her head back and stared vacantly at the ceiling. Her mind refused to let go of the Alpha Parasect and her awaited fate. ¡°If they resettle her, she¡¯ll either go on a rampage or just allow herself to wither away¡­¡± She murmured. ¡°But just putting her down is such a waste. She¡¯s supposed to be an intelligent being. More so than any regular Pokemon and even some humans.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini went up to his partner and nuzzled her on the cheek. Even Espy looked a little concerned as she licked at Nina¡¯s face. The girl let out a feeble smile and pulled her Pokemon in for a hug. ¡°Thanks, you two. No need to worry, I¡¯m just a little tired is all.¡± The Pokemon cried back in response and continued to cling to their trainer. Nina sighed. ¡°If only I can speak to you guys¡­¡± She was actually quite looking forward to Espy¡¯s evolution if only for her to facilitate easier communication. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± One of the little tidbits that Nina learned about her sponsors was that Hikari was able to communicate with Pokemon due to the residual effects of her strange encounter with Mew. ¡°Maybe she¡¯d be willing to help? No, I know she¡¯ll want to help. Problem is, will this be good for Parasect?¡± The conundrum of the Alpha¡¯s mental state remained. Even if Parasect were to decide to live of her own volition, she¡¯ll be carrying that burden with her for the rest of her life. Will she even be happy then? Nina sighed. ¡°What am I thinking, I¡¯ve not even met Parasect before.¡± She decided to try knocking on Melanie¡¯s door later and consult the woman about her friend, since Melanie would know the Pokemon better than Nina did. Chapter 56 ¡°Hey, Melanie¡­ It¡¯s Nina. Are you awake?¡± Nina gently knocked on Melanie¡¯s door, but received no response. However, she did hear the rustling of bed sheets. So it was clear to her that the woman was still awake. ¡°It¡¯s about Parasect¡­ I might know someone who can help, but I don¡¯t know enough to know for sure.¡± There was more rustling and a thump, followed by heavy footsteps to the door, opening to reveal the disheveled looking Melanie staring at Nina with glassy eyes. Her room was completely dark with only a faint sliver of moonlight peeking in from an open window. The woman had clearly been crying, with her eyes all swollen and red. Her clothes were disheveled and dirtied from being outdoors, fingers soiled and bloodied, but probably not from her own blood. It was evident that the woman had not even bothered to clean herself after coming back from her prior excursion. ¡°Hey Melanie, sorry to bother you. But I figured the thing with Parasect was urgent enough to warrant it. Is it okay for me to come in?¡± Nina asked, only to receive a listless nod as Melanie trudged back to her bed. Nina followed suit, gently closing the door on her way in. She sat next to Melanie who collapsed onto the bed the moment she reached it. ¡°So¡­ I heard about what the Rangers wanted to do with your friend. And to be honest, I kind of understand where they¡¯re coming from. Doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t feel bad though¡­¡± Nina began awkwardly. ¡°The thing is¡­ I know someone who can talk to Pokemon. Not like charades or anything. But like, she can actually speak to Pokemon where she understands Pokespeak and they can understand her in return.¡± Melanie seemed to stir a bit at Nina¡¯s words. The woman shuffled her body up the bed and languidly propped herself up to look at Nina. ¡°I can give her a call if you want, it¡¯ll be an alternative solution to just¡­ You know? Ending Parasect. But I don¡¯t know enough about your friend to know if it¡¯ll be a good idea or not,¡± said Nina. ¡°What happened to her was tragic. And if something like that happened to me, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to go on. So I can¡¯t help but think that maybe the Rangers¡¯ proposal is a mercy?¡± Nina shifted and looked Melanie straight in her bloodshot eyes. ¡°So what do you think? I¡¯ve not even met Parasect before. But you¡¯ve known her for a very long time right? And you consider her your friend. So do you think she even wants the help? Will my actions just aggravate her wounds and cause unnecessary pain? I don¡¯t know, I really don''t¡­¡± Melanie seemed to fall deep in thought as she dropped her head, the woman¡¯s loose hair shielding her expression from Nina¡¯s gaze. The girl waited patiently for Melanie¡¯s response, quietly meditating on what she just said and trying to prevent herself from falling asleep. Her Uncle Ali was right, it really was way past Nina¡¯s bedtime. Especially after all the energy she expended that day. Despite it being her Pokemon that were battling, there was a certain mental strain that trainers experience during a Pokemon battle. Some trainers were even known to faint after losing an especially intense battle. It was a strange phenomenon that wasn¡¯t very well studied. Most simply attribute it to second hand stress and fatigue. ¡°I¡­¡± Melanie croaked, after what felt like an eternity of silence. ¡°I think that¡­ to live is to hope¡­ So long as we¡¯re all alive, there¡¯s always the hope that we can be happy again¡­¡± She said, her voice still hoarse from crying too hard. Melanie lifted her head and looked towards Nina with tear filled eyes. ¡°Is it selfish of me to want Parasect to continue living¡­ So that she may find happiness again one day?¡± Nina lightly shook her head. ¡°No. Not at all. In fact, I think that makes you a very kind person.¡± The girl teared up a bit as well at Melanie¡¯s heartfelt plea. She couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe this was what Mew intended for her to do ¡ª to lessen the impact of this tragedy. ¡°I¡¯ll make the call tomorrow morning, It¡¯s late now and I doubt anyone will pick up. Can I count on you to speak to the Rangers and convince them to hold off on their¡­ decision for just a while longer?¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Melanie gave a resolute nod to Nina, her eyes looking more alive than they had been just moments ago. *** The call with Bill went as well as it could go. In fact, the Professor was so outraged by Nina¡¯s retelling of the events that he vowed to personally petition the League to ensure that the perpetrators never see the light of day ever again. Hikari was much more subdued, but Nina could tell that the stiff smile she wore during the entire duration of their video call was being used to hide the blazing inferno raging within her. ¡°Give me a couple of hours to prepare and I will be right there with you, dear.¡± Hikari said to Nina. She then turned towards her husband and asked him to give a call to the Pokemon Rangers and request that they defer their careless execution of an innocent life. Special emphasis on ¡®execution¡¯ and ¡®innocent¡¯, with an added sprinkle of disdain on the word ¡®careless¡¯. Which was how Nina found herself in Saffron City. Hikari had asked Melanie and Nina to accompany her in visiting the Alpha Parasect, who was now being kept in a medical bay. Ali wanted to come along as well just to keep an eye on Nina, but Melanie was concerned that her Estate would be attacked again and pleaded for the man to stay behind. Misty backed her up as well since she did not want to go anywhere near the authorities at the moment. So Nina¡¯s uncle ended up giving her temporary custody of Elizabeth the Gardevoir as a compromise. However, Nina wasn¡¯t with the adults at the moment. Rather, she was sitting in Saffron PD¡¯s cafeteria, waiting on her companions who were roped into a meeting to discuss the handling of the Alpha Parasect. Nina slipped out using the excuse of boredom, and it wasn¡¯t like her opinion as a child would have been taken seriously anyway. Saffron City was a much older city than Cerulean, and it showed. While Cerulean City¡¯s architecture was all futuristic, artsy and slick, Saffron City was a much more conventional looking metropolis, with its blocky buildings and glass skyscrapers. The city¡¯s population was quite dense though, much more so than Cerulean. Mainly because Saffron City used to be Kanto¡¯s most populous city until that title was usurped by Vermilion City. Thanks to all the trade that now went through the harbors there. Wartime might be good for profiteering, but when it comes to overall economic development, peace was the best lubricant. The increased trade between Kanto-Johto and the rest of the world has done a lot in enabling rapid development of the two regions which the rest of the world previously considered to be savage and backwards. ¡°That¡¯s a very interesting child you have there,¡± said a husky female voice, jolting Nina from her focused observation of Espy¡¯s adorable eating habits. The girl looked up, surprised to find that someone had unknowingly slipped into the seat opposite hers at some point. In response to his trainer¡¯s shock, Tini tensed his body and hissed at the strange woman. Espy, however, was undisturbed and even went as far as to saunter across the table to the mysterious woman to nuzzle up against her. Both Tini and Nina were taken aback. Their companion was usually very hostile towards strangers. Taking a better look at the sudden intruder, Nina could see that she was around the same age as Misty, maybe a bit older; with jet black hair, sharp but beautiful asian features, and wearing stylish form fitting clothes that fully accentuated her exquisite pear shaped figure. The woman was none other than Sabrina Summers, Kanto¡¯s preeminent Psychic Type Master, Leader of the Saffron City Gym, and member of the Indigo League¡¯s Elite Four. Sabrina merely smiled sensually at Nina¡¯s surprise, casually reaching out with her hand to stroke Espy on her nape, exactly where the Eevee liked it. ¡°S-Sabrina, hello¡­ Erm, Hi? My name is Nina, this here is Tini and that there is¡­ Well she¡¯s Espy but I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re already acquainted?¡± That was the only explanation that Nina could think of for Espy¡¯s inexplicable stranger friendliness. ¡°No, not at all. I came here because I detected an anomaly. This delightful child was just a surprise find.¡± Nina sighed, holding herself back from reaching for her necklace on instinct. ¡°D-do you mind elaborating a little on this ¡®anomaly¡¯ you sensed?¡± Sabrina gave an elegant laugh in response. ¡°No need to worry, child. It was merely an interesting Psychic signature, one that shields your mind from any unwelcome intruders. Most Psychic practitioners will probably brush it off as the work of an exceedingly skilled Dark or Psychic Type Pokemon.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ That might be my uncle¡¯s Gardevoir then. Elizabeth is a very experienced Psychic who has been all over the world with him,¡± lied Nina. But based on the sharp gaze that Sabrina directed towards the girl, it was clear that the Gym Leader knew more than she let on. ¡°I really need to look into some resources on how to deal with Psychics and their nonsense. Maybe Uncle Ali will have some tips for me?¡± ¡°I can give you a list of reading material that might help.¡± Sabrina chimed, not even attempting to hide the fact that she had just read Nina¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯ll also refer you to some resources that would be helpful in developing Espy¡¯s ¡®Gift¡¯. This child is very eager to expand her mind. The inability to have a meaningful conversation with others is frustrating her to no end.¡± Nina winced a bit at the last part, feeling guilty about not being able to meet her Pokemon¡¯s needs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Espy¡­ I didn¡¯t know.¡± But instead of admonishing her human, Espy moved away from Sabrina and buried her head in Nina¡¯s neck instead, sniffing and nuzzling her all the while. Sabrina smiled affectionately. ¡°You need not worry, Nina. The bonds you share with your Pokemon are strong. Just continue loving them as you are and it will only be a matter of time until your Eevee evolves into a marvelous Espeon. One of the stronger ones I¡¯ve ever encountered, in fact. If she continues to grow at this rate.¡± ¡°Thank you, and I will make good use of the resources that you¡¯ve so graciously shared with us. But I have to ask, earlier you said that the anomaly prevents unwelcome intruders into my mind. So how were you able to read my thoughts then?¡± Nina asked, somewhat accusingly. Sabrina chuckled. ¡°The keyword there is ¡®unwelcomed¡¯. Which should tell you all you need to know about my intentions and assuage your worries. That said, competent Psychics at my level are more than capable of picking up surface level thoughts even amidst all the distortion. So it¡¯s not a bad idea to add a few extra layers of protection, just in case.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Nina murmured. ¡°So did you come here just out of curiosity?¡± Sabrina let out another amused chuckle. ¡°Correct. I was in the station to listen in on the meeting pertaining to the incident your group was involved in. They wanted my opinion on the possibility of Psychic therapy, which you need not worry about. I was quite clear in expressing my hesitance. The mind of an Alpha is a maze that not even the most elder of Metagross dare navigate.¡± Nina breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Makes sense, of course the local Gym Leader would be privy to any news of terrorist activity.¡± ¡°So does that mean they¡¯re letting Hikari go and do her thing?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Sabrina answered simply. ¡°And on that note, it seems that your companions have arrived. It was nice chatting with you Nina.¡± And before Nina could get a single word in, the woman vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace of her existence behind. There was not even a flash or a sound, demonstrating her mastery over Teleport which surpasses even the likes of Misty¡¯s Slowking. Nina and Tini looked at each other in bewilderment, whereas Espy just had a determined look on her face, eager to achieve the same heights of Psychic mastery as Sabrina. Chapter 57 Kumiko was slumped on the picnic table and sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time to Nina. Everytime, the older woman would throw a wistful glance at Nina while she did so. Nina slammed her book shut, no longer able to concentrate with the constant distraction. ¡°Alright Kumiko, what¡¯s up? Your hair¡¯s gonna turn all gray if you keep sighing like that.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kumiko sighed once more before answering the girl. ¡°No, it¡¯s my daughter who¡¯s going to turn my hair all gray¡­¡± She said, then proceeded to let out another sigh. ¡°What did I do wrong, Nina? I mean, Charlie turned out okay. Kid¡¯s a bit too impressionable, but he has a good heart. Tiffany though¡­¡± The woman sighed once more. Nina was aware that there was some sort of argument between the parent and child duo during the night, but she opted not to get involved in the drama and simply pretended to be ignorant. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll bite. What did Tiffany do this time? Or was it something that she said?¡± Nina asked. After finally getting the attention that she craved, Kumiko sat up straight and leaned towards Nina with a disbelieving look on her face. ¡°That girl, do you know what she said she wanted as her starter? An Eevee! Do you have any idea how expensive those are? Not to mention all those uppity interviews you have to go through to get one. I might as well go and apply to become CEO of Silph Co!¡± Now it was Nina¡¯s turn to let out a sigh as she turned her gaze to Espy who was concentrating extremely hard on a silver spoon that Nina had taped to a block of wood for her. While Nina was in Saffron City, she visited a Psychic specialty store that Sabrina recommended in her list. The store itself looked like one of those hoax-y mystic stores from Nina¡¯s past life that Miles would have taken one look at and dismissed entirely. But in the Pokemon world, Psychics were a legitimate thing. And she went in to buy some tools and books for Espy and herself. The silver spoon was one such item among her purchase. Because apparently, Psychics had some sort of weird affinity with the tableware. The shady looking old lady who tended to Nina explained that Alakazams that evolved in the wild will go to great lengths just to find a perfect piece of silver to shape into the perfect spoon. Some will even turn to street performance just to save up enough human currency to purchase one, given how smart they were. But this phenomenon was not just limited to Alakazams, of course. Other Psychic Types could rely on a silver spoon as a catalyst to focus their abilities as well. Much like wizards and wands. Silver spoons were also generally considered as the best tool for beginner Psychic training like what Espy was doing now in attempting to bend her new toy. Not all Psychics prefer spoons of course. The Hypno line, for example, preferred metronomes and pendants. Espy was the same way, because she thought that spoons were lame and ugly, or at least that was how Nina chose to interpret the face that her Eevee made at the time. However, the moment that the old lady lined up a whole selection of catalyst on the counter for Espy to choose from, the little Eevee immediately gravitated towards the spoon she was using right now, eliciting a haughty smirk from the store''s owner. According to her, it is usually the catalyst that chooses the Psychic and not the other way around. A saying that strongly reminded Nina of a certain popular series of books from her past life about magic and wizarding. Of course, the spoon was not cheap due to the silver and whatever else Psychic voodoo nonsense they imbued into it. And in addition, Nina also purchased a few simple puzzle boxes that Espy needed to solve with just her mind, as well as some books for herself on how to train a Psychic Type Pokemon and on how to build up one¡¯s mental defenses. All recommended by Sabrina. Nina sighed once more to knock herself out of her recollection and turned her attention back to Kumiko. ¡°Is it because of Espy and what I said about Sabrina?¡± Nina had naturally shared a modified version of her encounter with Sabrina with the adults. But it seems that it also caused Tiffany to develop some misguided notions. Kumiko¡¯s head drooped slightly in tacit acknowledgement. ¡°If not an Eevee then she wanted a ¡®cute¡¯ Psychic Type like Ralts or Abra.¡± The woman slammed her palms down at the table, causing Nina to jolt in surprise. ¡°Do you know how irresponsible that girl is?! She can¡¯t even clean her own room properly. In no way is she qualified to own a Psychic, let alone train one!¡± Nina nodded in acknowledgement. Psychic Types were smart, most of them even smarter than humans. If not for the fact that each of them have their own little quirks, Psychic Pokemon would have become the dominant species on this planet already. For example, Metagross possessed enough processing power to put even the most advanced super computers of Nina¡¯s old world to shame. But they possess little to no desires whatsoever. No one even knew what the Pokemon used all of its formidable brain power on. Are they trying to uncover the secrets of the universe? Or perhaps the meaning of life? But the last time that a Psychic delved into a Metagross¡¯s mind in an attempt to find out, they turned into a vegetable from the sheer influx of information they received. Then there were the likes of Natu. What was the point of being able to see into the future if they became too paralyzed by fear to do anything about it? Alakazam were too lethargic to be productive thanks to their sensory overload necessitating constant meditation. And Hypnos were just incorrigible perverts of the highest order. As a result, it takes a special kind of person to train Psychic Pokemon. And even then, they have to endure constant scrutiny from the Pokemon League to ensure that their Psychic Types weren¡¯t being misused for any heinous purposes. Of course, not all Psychic Types were equal. Some are fairly common like Starmie, Exeggcute and Wobbuffet, by virtue of their lesser Psychic capabilities. And those were fine to own without too much worry. Problem was, Tiffany was asking for the more dangerous ones that were sure to invite scrutiny. ¡°And you know what the worst part is?¡± Kumiko continued. ¡°She took your story about meeting Sabrina, spun it to make it seem like it was about her and told all her classmates about it on Pokenet. Then, she even had the gall to come up to me and ask that I convince you to loan her Espy for a couple of days. Just so that she could brag to her friends about it!¡± Okay, now Nina was upset. ¡°Pokemon. Are. Not. Toys!¡± She spat. ¡°Exactly!¡± echoed Kumiko. The older woman sighed once more. ¡°I know I¡¯m not supposed to compare children. But seeing you and Tiffany, I really just can¡¯t help it, Nina. It¡¯s one thing if she was at least a good natured girl, but her behavior is just¡­ I have a half a mind to forbid her from taking the Trainer License Exam. I really worry about what she will become in the future if she keeps going like this.¡± Nina shook her head with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s going too far Kumiko, and you know it. Tiffany just needs time to develop is all. If even her own mother gives up on her then who¡¯s left to pick up the slack? If anything, not letting her own Pokemon is just going to condemn her to a twisted path in life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Nina¡­ You¡¯re right,¡± Kumiko sighed. ¡°Why can¡¯t my daughter have at least some of your maturity, Nina¡­ I¡¯m trying my best. I really am.¡± Nina did her best to assuage Kumiko, but at some point, Espy jumped onto her lap to vie for her attention. The Eevee patted her human and turned to look at a corner of the mansion. Despite not seeing what Esppy saw, Nina had a good idea of what the Pokemon was trying to convey, eliciting another helpless sigh from the girl. ¡°So much drama¡­¡± *** Nina knocked on the door to Tiffany¡¯s room, Espy draped atop her head like a hat. ¡°Feels like I¡¯ve been doing this a lot lately¡­¡± The door opened to reveal the scowling face of Tiffany. ¡°Are you here to give your Eevee to me?¡± She asked curtly. Nina frowned. ¡°What? No.¡± Tiffany clicked her tongue. ¡°Then BUZZ OFF!¡± She yelled, before attempting to forcefully slam the door in Nina¡¯s face. However, something about the girl¡¯s attitude must have irked Espy a great deal. Because in a surge of fury, the door was held back by a fleeting Psychic aura, and the recoil from Tiffany¡¯s forceful action ended up hurting her hand instead. ¡°Ow!¡± The girl yelped, as Tiffany fell on her butt and cradled her right arm in pain. Nina suppressed a smile and silently reached up to scratch Espy by the nape of her neck to congratulate the Eevee on her triumph. This was the first time that Espy had successfully harnessed Psychic Type Energy. Hopefully this will open the door for further development in the future. And almost at the same time, Nina also entered the room and bent down with a concerned face at Tiffany. ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± She asked, gently. ¡°The hinges on these old doors can get a little stuck sometimes. Let me see your arm.¡± Tiffany looked up at Nina with teary eyes filled with defiance, but the older girl was undeterred. ¡°Come on, we need to make sure you didn¡¯t get a fracture from that. I got some first aid training in school and at the Gym so I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Eventually, the pain and fear of a debilitating injury must have overridden her pride because Tiffany gingerly let go of her arm and allowed Nina to come close. The older girl gently caressed the injured arm, lightly bending it this way and that to assess Tiffany¡¯s reactions. Nina hummed. ¡°It¡¯s likely just a muscle sprain. But just in case, you shouldn¡¯t move it around too much. Lemme go get a first aid kit from my room.¡± She said, before grabbing Espy from her head and placing her next to Tiffany. ¡°Here, you can pet Espy while you wait.¡± Espy whined at her human with a look of betrayal on her face. But Nina just scratched her nape in assurance. Her Eevee did harm someone after all, so some mild punishment was called for. Tiffany lit up at the prospect and reached out with her good hand to feel Espy¡¯s furry mane. Meanwhile, the Eevee just sat as stiff as a statue, trying hard to endure her impulse of wanting to swipe at the girl¡¯s hand. When Nina brought her first aid kit over, the first thing she did was make Tiffany chew on a pill of Oran Berry extract that had been synthesized for human use. The pill will help with boosting her body¡¯s natural regenerative ability and heal whatever internal damage she may have. Next she applied a numbing agent on Tiffany¡¯s swollen hand to help with the pain, alongside a diluted Potion that had been modified for human use as well. Humans have an overall weaker constitution than Pokemon, so they can¡¯t endure the use of a full strength Potion the way that Pokemon can. At the conclusion of the treatment, Nina¡¯s introverted Eevee jumped back to Nina¡¯s side and hid behind her human¡¯s back, much to Tiffany¡¯s disappointment. An awkward silence descended as Nina was packing everything away. Although Nina could tell that Tiffany was conflicted about whether to thank her or not. ¡°So anyways,¡± began Nina, dispelling the silence between the two girls. ¡°I came over today because I wanted to lend you a book,¡± she said as she handed said book to Tiffany. ¡°It¡¯s a book about what makes a Psychic Type trainer ¡ª the sort of attitude and mentality that they need to possess in order to effectively handle Psychic Pokemon.¡± Nina explained. ¡°It was recommended by Sabrina. I¡¯ve already read through it so don¡¯t worry about returning it anytime soon. You might find it useful.¡± Tiffany scoffed, but swiped the book from Nina regardless. ¡°What¡¯s the point, mom won¡¯t let me have a Psychic ¡®cause I¡¯m not good enough for her.¡± There was a fair bit of resentment in her tone, some of which was directed towards Nina. The older girl sighed and sat next to Tiffany on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s not that your mom doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re good enough, it¡¯s that she thinks Psychic Type Pokemon are not a good fit for you ¡ª there¡¯s a difference. Read the book and maybe you¡¯ll be able to understand why she feels that way. ¡°Whatever it was that you overheard, Kumiko said all of that out of frustration. She was just venting. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re used to her venting to you about her colleagues and whatnot, and yet she gets along with them just fine right?¡± Tiffany hugged her legs and buried her face in her lap, not replying to Nina. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think your mom is wrong about you,¡± said Nina, much to the younger girl¡¯s surprise. ¡°I saw you the other day trying to help the nurses with handling the captured Pokemon while Kumiko was giving her statement. They turned you away out of concern, but you tried, and that¡¯s what counts. I also saw how well you¡¯ve been getting along with one of the Meowths in the mansion.¡± Nina placed a hand on Tiffany¡¯s shoulder and the girl turned her head away out of embarrassment. ¡°If you¡¯re serious about wanting a Psychic Type then you need to learn to control your emotions and prove your mom wrong. The way you¡¯ve been rebelling against Kumiko isn¡¯t doing you any good. If anything you¡¯re just playing into this stereotype that she¡¯s built of you in her head.¡± Tiffany snorted. "Easy for you to say, little Miss Perfect.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°Your mom is wrong about me as well. I¡¯m not perfect, no one is. Did your mom ever tell you about my mom?¡± Tiffany shook her head. ¡°My mom is crazy, like literally. She was diagnosed with all sorts of mental conditions and was admitted into the Psychiatric Ward of Cerulean General for two whole years.¡± Nina grabbed Espy and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°And you know who put her there? It was me.¡± Tiffany turned around and gave her a bewildered look. Nina sighed. ¡°Dad didn¡¯t want to confront mom¡¯s issues because he was worried about losing her. But I saw how she was hurting him, so I went and tattled to my teachers at school about it. And when the school got involved, mom got locked up the next day. ¡°The first few months were rough, you know? Dad didn¡¯t want to go back home so we stayed in a hotel. Everyday after school, I would spend time in the library. After that, I¡¯d get some take out and go back to that cold hotel room all by myself.¡± Those days, Patrick would bury himself in his work and come back late almost every day. Either that, or he was fucking Roxy, but Nina had no proof of that. ¡°When dad got himself together enough to go back home, everything felt different. The house just didn¡¯t feel the same without mom around. And this was before I got Tini, so mostly I¡¯d buy groceries, cook dinner and just wait for dad to come home while I watched TV or study or something. ¡°But even after I got Tini, there was the issue of money ¡ª rearing a Dragon is expensive. That was the main reason why I took the offer from the Gym, because they promised to pay me for Tini¡¯s performances and feed him on the days we were there. And working in a Gym isn¡¯t exactly as glamorous as most kids think it is. I¡¯m basically a glorified janitor most of the time. ¡°So no, Tiff, I¡¯m not perfect. I¡¯ve just had to work harder and mature faster than other kids my age.¡± That was a lie, but the other girl didn¡¯t need to know that. Nina gave Tiffany¡¯s shoulder a squeeze before concluding her speech. ¡°So yeah, that¡¯s all there is to it. It¡¯s all just hard work. If you want something then you gotta work hard to get it yourself. You feel frustrated at Kumiko because you feel helpless. Because you¡¯re relying on her generosity to get you what you want.¡± Nina stood up and looked Tiffany in the eye. ¡°But why is it that you need to rely on her? Why can¡¯t you just work to get what you want on your own,¡± she then pointed towards the book in Tiffany¡¯s embrace. ¡°That¡¯s your first step, proving to Kumiko that you can become a trainer worthy of a Psychic Type. Show her that she was wrong about you.¡± As Nina began walking towards the door, she turned around once more to address Tiffany. ¡°And no, I¡¯m not going to lend you Espy just so that you can brag to your friends about that story you made up. You¡¯ll just have to deal with the consequences of that yourself. ¡°Pokemon are our friends, they¡¯re our family. They¡¯re not ¡®stuff¡¯ that we can just lend out at a whim. But despite what your mom thinks, I¡¯m sure you already know that. So stop letting her get into your head.¡± And with those last words, Nina closed the door and went about her day. ¡°Alright Kumiko, I¡¯ve done all I can to repay you. Now it¡¯s up to you and Tiffany to work things out by yourselves.¡± Chapter 58 A standard Parasect would be around Nina¡¯s height, maybe a little shorter at around a meter. But an Alpha Parasect would tower over even the likes of Stephen Rockford, were he here, at around two meters. Their claws large enough to snap an adult human in half if one were to get caught in them. Melanie¡¯s friend was nowhere near as imposing as the Alpha Donphan that Nina had encountered in the Safari Zone, but she still possessed the same domineering aura that marked a Pokemon as an Alpha. Albeit severely diminished due to her sorry state. Nina and Melanie watched anxiously behind a glass window as Hikari approached the Alpha. Despite her fragility, the woman was fearless, declining the offer of an escort to go face a grieving Alpha all by herself. They had only managed to get permission to visit Parasect after a couple of days of negotiation. The nurses wanted to make sure that the mystery poison was completely flushed out of the Alpha before allowing visitors, to avoid the delirium that accompanied her sickened state. But for whatever reason, Parasect was completely at ease in Hikari¡¯s presence, despite having previously lashed out at the nurse that went to check up on her. Hikari was cordial, introducing herself and talking about Melanie, a topic that they both have in common, before eventually moving onto lighter topics like her favorite food and her hobbies. Largely avoiding anything that would invoke the Alpha¡¯s trauma. All of it was pretty standard for an initial therapy session The Parasect mostly just stayed still and listened, occasionally chiming in with a few clicks and cries to respond to Hikari. It just looked like a human and a Pokemon conversing normally with each other. Except from Nina¡¯s point of view, it was a very one-sided conversation since she couldn¡¯t understand Pokespeak. To her side, Melanie was gritting her teeth and clenching her fist in worry. And it was hard to blame her. Her Parasect friend looked pale and discolored from all the poison that invaded her system, one of her legs was even severed and in the midst of regrowing. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But in the end, the session concluded without issue as Hikari merely spent an hour with the Parasect to avoid overwhelming her. ¡°I¡¯ll try to Teleport to this Pokemon Center and interact with Parasect every day. I would have liked to transfer her over to my ranch, but I know that my husband and his researchers wouldn¡¯t be able to resist running tests and taking measurements of her, so best we leave her be for now.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. She still regularly took Espy to the Sea Cottage to be tested and her Eevee always came out of the lab looking all grumpy and demanding treats. So she knew how bad of an idea it was to subject a volatile Alpha to the same treatment. ¡°Is Parasect going to be alright, you think? How did she sound to you?¡± Melanie asked, voice tinged with concern. Hikari embraced Melanie in a soothing manner and reassured her that everything will be okay. ¡°Your friend was a little listless. Overall I think she¡¯s still quite strong. Though I suspect the nurses did not inform her of the fate of her nests. But from what I can tell, she has her own suspicions and is trying to deal with it in her own way.¡± Melanie still looked a little worried, but she nodded in understanding at Hikari¡¯s words. Hikari pulled away and clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sneak away and get something good to eat shall we? It just so happens, all three of us are vegetarians and I know of an excellent restaurant here in the city. My treat!¡± She exclaimed. Only to be turned down by Melanie who wanted to pay instead, to express her thanks to the other woman. *** ¡°Tiffany wants to adopt one of the lost?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Yeah,¡± said Kumiko. ¡°Apparently she made friends with one of the Meowths and said she wanted to practice with a regular Pokemon before she¡¯s ready to get a Psychic. And thank you, by the way. That book you lent Tiff really got through to her somehow, she¡¯s a lot less stubborn about things now.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, and it¡¯s mostly Tiffany¡¯s own willingness to improve so I can¡¯t take any credit. A Meowth is good though ¡ª even if she doesn¡¯t end up becoming a professional trainer, Meowths and Persians make for good pets.¡± It would be a different matter if it was an Alolan Meowth since Dark Types can be quite a handful, but the one that the girl befriended was a regular Kantonian variant. Kumiko patted Nina on the head and thanked her once again. ¡°Also, I¡¯ll make sure to buy you a new copy of that exact same book, if you don¡¯t mind? I saw that girl scribbling notes on it¡­¡± She sighed, eliciting a laugh from Nina. ¡°It¡¯s okay, no worries. I haven¡¯t exactly repaid you for the rebreather and wetsuit you gave me way back when. Think of it as an exchange. Rather I¡¯ll feel like I ripped you off with just a book, so I¡¯ll make sure to pay you back even more in the future.¡± Nina had since bought a new wetsuit, but she still used Kumiko¡¯s rebreather when she went diving. Waste not, want not and all that. Not to mention, Nina was only able to become a Gym Apprentice thanks to that chance encounter with Daisy at the Sea Ranger outpost. The woman knelt down and pulled Nina into a hug, gently caressing the girl¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Nina. No need to be all stiff about it. I¡¯m glad that you found a good use for all that old stuff. Just promise me that you¡¯ll stay safe and happy, yeah?¡± Nina nodded and returned Kumiko¡¯s embrace. *** And so, Nina¡¯s five day trip in the Hidden Valley Estate came to an end. Originally, Melanie had some events planned during the last few days of their trip but after Team Rocket¡¯s incursion, she gave all her staff some time off to decompress. So the last few days ended up being quite boring for the rest of the group. The only reason why they didn¡¯t leave earlier was because everyone was concerned about the the condition of the Alpha Parasect and wanted to stick around to support Melanie. During their last day, they decided to leave in the morning after breakfast and take Bobby and Tiffany on a day trip to Saffron City, since the two kids didn¡¯t get to go yet. ¡°I want to go see Sabrina in her Gym!¡± Tiffany exclaimed. The girl was currently holding onto her Meowth like a giant plush toy. And Nina had to admit, the two made for a very cute pairing. Kumiko nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see if they have any tickets for sale.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± chimed Misty. ¡°Are you forgetting that you¡¯re with a Gym Leader? I¡¯ll even get you backstage access to that uppity bitch if you want.¡± ¡°Please, hun. Mind your language in front of the kids,¡± rebuked Ali. Though it was clear that his tone was a playful one. ¡°Oh god, Uncle Ali is hopelessly in love. I really wish Misty won¡¯t go and break his heart.¡± The man may be very good at hiding it, but Nina could tell that her uncle¡¯s mind was in a very fragile state at the moment. Likely due to whatever harrowing experiences he had to endure during his years in the Crater. ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± said Nina. ¡°There were a few books I couldn¡¯t find in the store and I want to go see if the Saffron City Public Library has them. Also, I didn¡¯t get to go sightseeing the last couple of times I was here.¡± In truth, Nina just wanted to avoid seeing Sabrina again. Having her mind read was not a pleasant experience. So she wanted to get her mental shields up to par before another reunion. Nancy and Bobby also passed on going to the Gym, the woman said she wanted to go visit one of her husband¡¯s restaurants and greet the staff members there. Ali nodded and handed Gardevoir¡¯s Pokeball to his niece. ¡°Make sure to stay safe and call us if anything happens. Better yet, have Elizabeth Teleport you out of there immediately,¡± he instructed. The man then turned to Misty with a mischievous expression. ¡°If we¡¯re splitting up anyway, then how about the two of us go on a romantic date? After we get Kumiko and Tiffany into Sabrina¡¯s Gym, of course.¡± Misty returned the sentiment with a kiss and a smirk, while Nina tried her best to hold back the contents of her stomach. After the group split up, Nina took the subway to the south of the city. She had lied earlier about going to the library. Whatever book she wanted could be found online as ebooks anyway. What she was really after was the house of Mr Psychic. She remembered that in the games, the man would read the player¡¯s mind and gift them with a TM for Psychic. And while she didn¡¯t really need it, since Espeons could learn it naturally anyway, she figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try her luck and maybe get something out of it. Nina also wanted to test Sabrina¡¯s claims that Mew¡¯s Gem will help to protect her mind. And to her knowledge, Mr Psychic was completely harmless as far as his background goes. Worst case scenario, the guy would just think of Nina as a weird kid and chase her off. *** There was a whole suburban district to the southern side of Saffron City. The entire neighborhood was connected to the city with only a single highway and one subway station. The vibes kind of reminded Nina of New Jersey in a way, with its seemingly endless grids of houses. Nina exited the subway station and found herself in a sizable little shopping district that mainly catered to the locals. ¡°Shit, now what?¡± The girl was flummoxed. The entire suburb itself was the size of a satellite town, and she had not anticipated needing to search through such a large area. ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Tini cried meekly. ¡°Hmm? Are you hungry buddy? I guess it is lunchtime huh. Let¡¯s go find something to eat while we think then.¡± The train ride over was about an hour long, just to give an idea of how far away this place was. So it was already approaching lunchtime by the time that Nina arrived. ¡°Vee!¡± But before Nina could go any further, Espy began pawing her trainer¡¯s head to get her attention. ¡°What¡¯s up, Espy? Is something wrong?¡± Nina¡¯s Eevee pointed to the side, bringing her attention to what appeared to be a sleazy looking old man staring at her. The man was wearing what looked like boxer shorts, a stained wife beater over a very pronounced beer belly, and sporting a thin looking comb over on his balding head. At this point, conventional wisdom would tell Nina to flee from the creepy looking pedo man. And Tini certainly agreed as the Dratini took up a defensive stance in front of his partner. But Nina simply held her cute little bodyguard back and casually strolled up to the guy. ¡°Hi there, can I help you?¡± She asked. The man snorted, making a very disgusting nasal sound. ¡°That should be my question, girlie. Aren¡¯t you the one looking for me?¡± Nina smiled. ¡°Are you Mr Psychic? Wow, you¡¯re actually Psychic!¡± Mr Psychic huffed. ¡°Of course, how else would I know to look for you here?¡± He explained how he had a premonition the day before, telling him to be here at this time to meet with someone. ¡°And apparently, that someone is a little brat. What a waste of time, I was hoping for a hottie like Sabrina¡­¡± Nina¡¯s eyes twitched, thinking all sorts of rude thoughts about the old man in her head to gauge his reaction. ¡°He can¡¯t read my mind. That¡¯s good. Either that or he¡¯s a really good actor, but I doubt it.¡± It appears what Sabrina said about Mew¡¯s Gem was true. ¡°Well I¡¯m sorry if that''s how you feel, mister. But I had a premonition as well,¡± she lied. ¡°That I would meet someone who¡¯d be very helpful in developing Espy¡¯s gift. Would that someone be you?¡± She asked as she gestured towards the Eevee lounging on her head. Mr Psychic rubbed his chin and gave Espy a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Hmm¡­ Got a little whelp, have you? Sure, I might have something for her.¡± The man reached behind him to produce a transparent CD case holding a pink TM inside. But just as Nina reached her hand out for it, Mr Psychic raised the item out of her reach. ¡°But I ain¡¯t giving this to you for nuthin¡¯. You owe me a meal at least.¡± Nina beamed. The price of lunch was cheap compared to a rare TM. ¡°Done, just so happens we were headed to lunch anyway. Do you know any good local spots around here?¡± Nina gingerly grabbed hold of the TM case with the tips of two fingers, after noticing that Mr Psychic did not have any back pockets on his boxer shorts. ¡°Cause, you know? They¡¯re boxers.¡± The girl did not want to even imagine where the man had been keeping it before their meeting. She also ended up following the man to a local beef bowl shop, one that served Miltank meat over rice. Fortunately they also served other foods as well, and she ended up ordering a set of natto over rice, with miso soup and fried tofu at the side. They didn¡¯t provide service to Pokemon though, so Nina had to return Espy and Tini with an apology and promised to treat them to a feast later. It was all worth it, because the man gave her a TM for Calm Mind. A move that would be very useful for Espy¡¯s development. ¡°Especially if she learned how to use it passively the way that Eric does.¡± In the games, Calm Mind boosts a Pokemon¡¯s special attack and defense. But in real life, that translated to Espy having an easier time focusing her Type Energy which would allow for faster and more devastating attacks, while making it easier for her to perceive attacks leveled against her to dodge or react in a way that would mitigate the damage. Basically, it was a watered down Ultra Instinct mode. Nina was so excited that she used the TM immediately after she parted ways with Mr Psychic, since Espy was already in her Ball anyway. TMs were CD shaped for a reason, the central hole fits perfectly with the button on a Pokeball. So Nina pressed the button on Espy¡¯s Pokeball in a pre-designated sequence to activate TM reader mode and slotted the disc onto it. The moment that she did, the TM began spinning and glowing in the pink light of Psychic Type Energy, as all the information contained within got absorbed by the Pokeball and infused into Espy¡¯s mind. TMs effectively recorded data and stored it in the form of Type Energy. So theoretically, so long as there was still Energy contained within the TM, it could be reused over and over again until it was depleted. The one gifted by Mr Psychic however, dulled and cracked after a single use. Indicating that it was either old stock or used goods. Not that Nina was going to complain. Free was free. Nina released Espy from her Pokeball and the pair of girl and mon grinned giddily at each other over their latest gain. Espy was so happy that she even hummed along with Nina and Tini on their train ride back to Saffron City proper, something that she wouldn¡¯t care to do normally. Chapter 59 It was Crunchtober again. And Nina was ashamed to admit that she felt a sadistic glee in watching the twins run around like headless Torchics at the increased workload. And it wasn¡¯t even that bad, since both she and Beverly were around to help this time around. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to be taking part in the conference this year then?¡± Nina asked her senior apprentice. ¡°Nope. What am I? A firecracker?! Half of my team is still green. I¡¯d never hear the end of it if I lost in the prelims¡± Nina nodded in understanding. Gym badges had a two year validity for a reason. This wasn¡¯t an anime or a game. Pokemon need time to grow, and you can¡¯t reasonably expect a newbie trainer to scrounge up a conference worthy team in just a few months. Most ¡®firecrackers¡¯, as Beverly called them, do try though. There was this weird prestige surrounding first year conference participants. But most of them get their asses handed to them in the preliminaries, failing to even step into the main stadium arena. Their career as trainers fizzled out as quickly as it was lit, hence firecrackers. Though to be fair, Nina¡¯s Uncle Ali was a firecracker as well and he went on to compete in conferences all around the world, so tenacity does play a big part. For Gym trainers like Beverly, the true challenge lies in trying to obtain a Gym badge at intermediate difficulty and above. Unlike Star badges, trainers who completed a Gym at a higher difficulty did not receive a visibly different badge. But it does reflect on their trainer record. And for them, being awarded a badge after beating a Leader on ¡®baby mode¡¯ was the equivalent of getting a participation prize in school ¡ª as Beverly phrased it, ¡°it was embarrassing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame they won¡¯t let you do the screening battles though. It¡¯d be good practice, and you¡¯d be more help in the arena anyway,¡± mused Nina. Beverly rolled her eyes. ¡°Nah, those bitches won¡¯t let me. Something about conflict of interests blah blah blah¡­¡± She whined as she reached into the shallow pool and lifted up a Staryu to be examined. The two senior apprentices were currently double checking the Pokemon that were transferred back to them from the Pokemon Center to make sure they were actually battle ready. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t trust the nurses, but even the Joys were only human after all. With how frantic October was, it was easy for some mistakes to be made and Pokemon to slip through the cracks. There were even a few instances where the Pokemon Center accidentally gave them Pokemon that didn¡¯t belong to the Gym. ¡°Did you end up catching a Finizen by the way? That¡¯s one of the main reasons why you stuck to Cinnabar for the past few months right?¡± Nina asked. Cinnabar Island, being that it was an island, was ideal for training Water Pokemon. It was also one of the few places in Kanto-Johto where one can hope to regularly encounter extra-regional Pokemon. And according to Beverly, there was a seasonal migration of the Palafin line that was due to occur during her time there. Beverly sighed. ¡°Nah, you have any idea how fast those damned fish were? Even Luna had trouble keeping up. And when we did catch up, those assholes just kept bouncing us around like we¡¯re volleyballs or something.¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s ordeal. It seemed that the dolphin Pokemon were equally as playful and mischievous as their animal counterparts. ¡°When are you gonna join me, Nins? I¡¯m all alone out there¡­¡± Beverly whined, eyes all wide and sparkly in her plea. Nina sighed. Despite Beverly looking like an outgoing and peppy sort of gal, she was actually hopeless when it comes to socializing outside of the Gym. ¡°I don¡¯t know Bev. There¡¯s still a little over a year to go before I¡¯m ten. And even then I¡¯m partial to enrolling in trainer school instead of going straight on a journey.¡± Beverly pouted. ¡°But why though? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be an explorer? School¡¯s boring! It¡¯s the opposite of exploring.¡± ¡°Because once you pass a certain age, you can¡¯t enroll anymore. I¡¯m curious about what trainer school is like. Besides, trainer school students are entitled to a two year sabbatical that they can use at any time to journey before coming back to study.¡± If Nina ever got bored, she could just leave on a journey and come back if she felt like it. If not, then no harm done. Graduation wasn¡¯t strictly necessary. With her credentials, Nina could enroll into any University she wants without a school diploma. With such lax standards, it really is a wonder how this world¡¯s academia is able to advance at all. ¡°Besides,¡± continued Nina. ¡°If I do go on a journey, the first leg will definitely be Kanto and the Indigo Circuit. It¡¯d be kind of embarrassing if I skipped my home region and went straight to a foreign one right away, no? Wouldn¡¯t you be bored to just tag along instead of venturing elsewhere?¡± Beverly continued pouting, but didn¡¯t respond because she knew that Nina was right. ¡°Then how about in the future?¡± She asked. ¡°You¡¯ve always talked about going to Hoenn right? We can go together!¡± Nina nodded. Emerald was her favorite among all the Pokemon games and she did want to explore the ruins containing Legendary Regis. Also, the Sky Pillar if she could even get in. Plus Pacifidlog Town looked absolutely stunning in all the pictures that Nina''s seen of it. Not to mention the Draconid tribe and their Dragon sanctuary. Hoenn was truly the best region in Nina¡¯s mind. ¡°Sure. After I¡¯m done with Kanto, we can go together to Hoenn,¡± she promised. ¡°Although, I would like to take the long way around, maybe pass by Johto on the way there. I think that would be nice,¡± said Nina. Beverly squealed and pulled her best friend into a hug. ¡°Awesome! It¡¯s a promise! It¡¯ll be two besties versus the world. Maybe we can even join the Contest circuit as a duo. The Mermaid Sisters: Grand Coordinators Extraordinaire. It¡¯s gonna be great! I can¡¯t wait!¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** ¡°You did what?!¡± Misty yelled. Both Beverly and Nina were now sitting in seiza in front of four very angry Cerulean Sisters. In truth, Nina did not know why she got roped into this, since it was entirely Beverly¡¯s own blunder. ¡°Ryu was swimming all alone in that little pond¡­ I felt bad for him,¡± explained the dejected Beverly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on evolving him at first, but he worked really hard! He would join in when everyone else was training. And then when he won his first battle¡­ Well, it kind of just happened.¡± Misty rolled her eyes. ¡°You named a Magikarp Ryu and you seriously want me to believe that you had no intentions of evolving it? We had one rule, Bev. One rule! No Gyarados! Was it really that hard to follow?!¡± Misty then turned towards Nina. ¡°And you! I thought you were the good one, Nina. How long have you known about this?¡± Nina stuttered and looked up at Misty with big round eyes. ¡°W-well Bev¡¯s been calling me a lot¡­ And I knew she caught a Magikarp, but I didn¡¯t know she evolved it¡­ Actually, Bev. How are you even able to feed him? Pretty sure your allowance can¡¯t cover a Gyarados¡¯s diet. And I have not seen you let him out at all since your return.¡± Beverly shrunk as all eyes suddenly focused back on her. She laughed sheepishly at Nina¡¯s question. ¡°Well¡­ I was working in a bar while I was in Cinnabar. The owner¡¯s real nice, pays me well and lets me come in late and stuff. But ever since I came back I¡¯ve mostly just kept Ryu in full stasis.¡± Nina gaped at Beverly¡¯s statement. Every Pokeball had a full stasis mode, which as the name suggests, puts the Pokemon contained within into complete stasis. It was basically like a timeskip for Pokemon, where they lose awareness of their surroundings and all their bodily functions were put on hold until the stasis expires. Meaning they won¡¯t feel hunger or anything. It was very useful in emergencies, but it was also a feature that severely drains a Pokeball¡¯s power and would automatically cancel after a day or so depending on the Pokemon affected. Afterwhich, one needed to go to a Pokemon Center to have the Ball recharged and the Pokemon checked on for any abnormalities. ¡°How are the nurses not mad at you for that?!¡± asked the disbelieving Nina. It was exceedingly rare for a trainer to need to continuously activate full stasis like this. Beverly averted her gaze as she nervously scratched the back of her head. ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯ve been going to different PokeCenters every day. Then at night I would sneak out and feed Ryu. It kinda helped to reduce the number of feeds. And the nurses were mad,¡± she added. ¡°¡®Cause you know? They can see the logs and all that. But they just look at me all stern-like without saying much. Probably thought it was a Gym thing?¡± Misty practically drilled holes into Beverly with how intensely she was glaring at her. ¡°Beverly Mizuhana!¡± She called, causing the girl in question to straighten her spine almost immediately. ¡°I have half a mind to expel you right now if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I¡¯d feel bad for your Pokemon. Does Aunt Chelsea know about this?¡± Beverly shook her head and said that she hasn¡¯t told her mom yet. Lily sighed, ¡°Bev, do you know why we don¡¯t let you catch Gyarados?¡± Beverly nodded, all teary eyed. ¡°¡®Cause the Gym doesn¡¯t have anywhere to keep them. And there¡¯s always tourists around as well, so the League mandated that any Gyarados had to be kept in an enclosure far away from this place to avoid any potential casualties from them going berserk.¡± The apprentice answered, in a fairly textbook perfect response. ¡°But that¡¯s why I never sent Ryu back! And I don¡¯t plan to either, I¡¯ll keep him in my team no matter what, so you guys won¡¯t be burdened.¡± Beverly pleaded. Lily bent down and ruffled her cousin¡¯s head in a very rough manner. ¡°It¡¯s not just that, you silly Psyduck. Look at you. Your hair¡¯s a mess and your skin is all sun damaged. You haven¡¯t been taking care of yourself at all have you?¡± Now that Nina had a good look at her friend, she realized that Lily was right. Despite always lecturing Nina about the importance of beauty and skincare and stuff, Beverly had very obviously let herself go over the past year or so. At first, Nina had thought that it was because she was spending so much more time at sea in Cinnabar Island, but that was only part of the truth. ¡°Bev, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re too broke to afford cosmetics?¡± asked Nina. ¡°You¡¯ve been spending every penny you earned on all your Pokemon, haven¡¯t you?¡± Beverly nodded, tears streaming down her face at this point. Nina swooned and pulled her friend in for a hug. ¡°Oh Bev¡­ You really are a silly Psyduck.¡± If there was one unquestionable thing about Beverly¡¯s character, it was her intense love of Pokemon. It was also what Nina loved the most about her friend. Lily glanced towards Misty, and the youngest Cerulean Sister gave a helpless sigh in return. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give a call to the old man. He¡¯s been living large over at Alola with all the money we¡¯ve been making. It¡¯s only fair that he finally put in some work.¡± Beverly glanced fearfully at her cousins. ¡°You¡¯re not going to take Ryu away are you?!¡± Lily joined Nina in hugging Beverly, her tone noticeably softening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re family, and we don¡¯t abandon family. Misty¡¯s just going to contact our dad and get him to prepare a space for your Gyarados. You can send him there if you need to store him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Beverly sniffled. ¡°Yes, despite what you may think. We don¡¯t have anything against Gyarados. It¡¯s all just practical concerns and League nonsense. It¡¯s good that you know why we have our rules, but it¡¯s still not okay that you broke them. We¡¯ll punish you at another time, but your Pokemon is innocent in the matter.¡± Beverly buried herself in Lily¡¯s bosom and began crying in relief. The other Cerulean Sisters also softened their expression and joined in on the cuddle. Meanwhile Nina was stuck in the middle, gasping for breath from being suffocated on all sides. Chapter 60: Interlude Alias Jones fiddled with the noose around his neck. For the life of him he couldn¡¯t get the blasted thing to look right. His brother, Patrick, laughed out by his side and gently spun Ali around to face him. ¡°You know it¡¯s really not that difficult,¡± teased Patrick. Ali scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s the point of this damned thing anyway?!¡± He exclaimed, referring to the necktie that his brother was adjusting for him at that moment. ¡°Are you people so masochistic that you have to have something choking your neck at all times. As if all the red tape wasn¡¯t enough bondage for you all.¡± Patrick chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just a formality. Most people don¡¯t need to wear them on the regular. Just be thankful they¡¯re not suspenders.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with suspenders? At least they serve a purpose. Unlike this decorative silk noose.¡± Ali grew up reading a lot of adventure novels about the industrial era, back when the world was more isolated, with an abundance of unknown regions and Pokemon to discover. As such, he had a fondness for the old-timey fashion of that time period. It was his love of those same adventure novels that spurred him to go out and see the wider world. He wanted to be like the heroes depicted in their pages; handsome, daring and cunning. To explore treacherous temples, strike down conniving villains, and rescue damsels in distress. ¡°Yeah¡­ I forgot that you had a thing for suspenders¡­ There, all done.¡± Patrick straightened his brother''s tie and sweeped Ali¡¯s shoulders to straighten his shirt, then turned the man back towards the mirror to await his judgment. ¡°Thanks, Patrick. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do without you.¡± Despite Patrick¡¯s humility, Ali was of the firm belief that his brother is one of the most remarkable people he knew. And that was on a list that includes lots of big name trainers and researchers. He sincerely believed that it took a lot of dedication and courage to root oneself and single-handedly provide for an entire family. Unlike their own parents who were whimsical at best, and irresponsibly negligent at worst. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t something that Ali believed he was capable of accomplishing on his own. Patrick laughed and gave his brother a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine,¡± he said. ¡°Remember, just be yourself. Interviewers can sniff out lies like a Growlithe sniffs treats. Also, I know it¡¯s called an interview, but treat it like a conversation. Ask questions of your own, engage with them, and form a connection. The Ali I know isn¡¯t some passive Slowbro anyway.¡± Ali mouthed all of Patrick¡¯s advice in an attempt to memorize them. When it came to stuff like this, his younger brother knew best. The man had gone through his fair share of interviews and has even conducted interviews of his own. ¡°Thanks, bro,¡± said Ali. And with that, Patrick left the house with Leanette to go out on a date, allowing Ali to have the apartment all to himself. Ali took in a deep breath and did a little hop to psyche himself up, in the way that he would often see his darling little niece do when she was feeling overwhelmed. He had to admit, the little jolt to his brain does kind of help. The nervous man glanced at the time and sat down on his brother¡¯s living room sofa to grab the bulky laptop that Nina had lent to her Uncle Ali just for today. The endearing little girl had even written down detailed instructions on a piece of paper for Ali, teaching him how to operate the machine. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ This is the power button¡­ Then I put in the password¡­ And then which icon do I click? The one that has a magnifying glass with a Porygon¡­ Aha! Found it.¡± Ali was never really good with technology. He always had to rely on the people around him to even check his email. So hopefully this job wouldn¡¯t require him to be computer savvy. The job he was about to interview for was with International Police, or Interpol, as they were more commonly known. He got inspired by their eventful trip to the Hidden Valley Estate. Seeing the harm caused by Team Rocket and the emotional state of the usually cool and collected Misty made him realize that there were lots of ne''er do wells in this world, and that he could do a lot of good by dedicating his life to locking them up. He could have joined more conventional law enforcement, but that required time in the Police Academy and Ali had always been a poor student. Interpol was great since it also allowed him to satisfy his travel itch from time to time. And it was actually Misty who brought the job notice to his attention, which he was extremely thankful for. As the time of the interview approached, Ali straightened his back, took in another deep breath and put on his best smile. ¡°Dammit Ali, why do you gotta feel like peeing right now?! Didn¡¯t you go just now?¡± But before he could even consider another bathroom run, the blank screen blinked into life as Ali was diverted from the waiting room over to the digital conference room where the stoic faces of two men and one woman in generic black suits awaited. ¡°Hello, Alias Jones I presume?¡± Began the man sitting in the middle. Ali let out his most charming smile, showcasing his pearly white teeth. ¡°Indeed, Alias Jones at your service. Hello to you as well, and thank you for having me today.¡± The man did not reply, simply nodding curtly and scribbling something down on a piece of paper. The tension in the air was enough to make Ali sweat, his blasted necktie feeling like it was closing in on his throat to strangle him. ¡°Why does it feel like facing down an Alpha feels easier than this?¡± ¡°Now then, Mr Jones. I see that you have quite the resume,¡± continued the man in the middle. ¡°What prompted an individual like yourself to apply for this position? I believe you do understand what the role of Interpol Liaison for the Kanto Region entails, yes?¡± Ali nodded with a stiff smile. ¡°Yes, actually. Basically, I¡¯m to act as a middle-man for Interpol and the local authorities. Stepping in to represent the agency whenever an incident occurs that infringes upon Interpol''s jurisdiction.¡± The man nodded and continued scribbling. ¡°An adequate if somewhat basic interpretation. The general scope itself is as you said, but the actual details of this role is a fair bit more nuanced. Merely representing our agency is not enough. A liaison also acts to actively advocate for Interpol''s interests and at times function as a bulwark to resist the¡­ willfulness of the Pokemon League.¡± Ali cleared his throat and adjusted his neck tie. ¡°Do you mind giving me an example just so that I can make sure our understandings are aligned?¡± The interviewer smiled faintly for the first time and Ali swore to give his brother a big kiss later for his sage advice. ¡°Of course,¡± said the man. ¡°Say for example, an Ultra Wormhole was found in Kanto. The likelihood is slim of course, but we¡¯re merely entertaining hypotheticals here. As everyone well knows, all matters pertaining to Ultra Wormholes are firmly within Interpol''s jurisdiction. In such a hypothetical, how would you, as our hypothetical liaison go about handling the matter?¡± Ali cleared his throat again. ¡°I suppose the obvious first step would be to report the matter to Interpol and move to secure the location of the Wormhole? I¡¯m not entirely sure about the nitty gritty of your processes. But at some point, I¡¯d probably have to contact someone in the League to discuss the handling of the Wormhole. Since we would need the Indigo League¡¯s cooperation in dealing with any crisis that occurs within their borders.¡± The man nodded again and followed up with another scenario. ¡°Now say for example, this hypothetical Wormhole emerged in the Safari Zone, a nature reserve wholly under the management of the Indigo League. And our counterparts in the League took advantage of the fact to deny Interpol access to the site by citing environmental disruption as a concern.¡± The man then clicked his pen a few times and gave it a twirl. ¡°However, the underlying intent behind said hypothetical is one where the Indigo League wishes to obstruct our Interpol agents in conducting their duties, all so that they may procure Ultra Beasts of their own for research purposes. How would you go about resolving such a situation?¡± Ali let out a stiff smile as his sweating intensified. ¡°W-well as you mentioned, there¡¯s a lot of nuances with every situation. In this case I suppose we can only try our best to negotiate for entry.¡± The man clicked his pen again and began scribbling indifferently. ¡°However!¡± Ali exclaimed. ¡°I do personally know a number of Safari Rangers from my travels and a couple of them owe me some favors. So I suppose while the diplomacy is ongoing, there¡¯s really no point in lying still. I might reach out to my contacts and try to conduct an independent investigation on the League¡¯s intent. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to find some sort of bla- I mean, leverage to use in our negotiations.¡± The man in black nodded and continued scribbling, but said nothing else. Next, the sole woman among the interviewers spoke up. ¡°Tell me, Mr Jones,¡± her tone sounding more cordial than her colleague. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re a very well traveled person. Can you tell me what your expectations are regarding this particular role?¡± Ali smiled naturally, feeling more comfortable with this question. ¡°Well, even the sturdiest of Pidgeots need to make roost at some point. I¡¯m hoping for more stability in my life. My recent¡­ work in Paldea has instilled in me an appreciation for family. I¡¯m hoping to maybe follow in my brother¡¯s footsteps and start a family of my own.¡± He said, somewhat pensively. ¡°But at the same time, I don¡¯t think I can ever give up on my desire to travel. So I¡¯m hoping that this job represents a decent compromise to that end.¡± The woman nodded, scribbling notes of her own. ¡°The job may not be as exciting as you imagine. There¡¯s lots of paperwork and tedium involved when it comes to dealing with bureaucrats. And make no mistake, you will be dealing with bureaucrats on a day to day basis. In fact, one might even say that¡¯s the main bulk of the job. What do you say to that?¡± Ali laughed. ¡°Well I suppose I should start taking lessons from my brother then!¡± He answered simply. Next up, the other guy in a suit spoke up. And the words that man recited were ones feared by interviewees all across the globe. ¡°So Mr Jones, tell me about your plans for the next ten years¡­¡± *** After finally liberating his neck from the abominable silk noose. Ali left the apartment to get some fresh air and stretch his body after that strenuous ordeal. He felt utterly exhausted, and yet his mind would not let go of the interviewers¡¯ words and his subsequent responses, replaying them over and over again and thinking of other things he could have said instead. He knew that ruminating on past events will do nothing to change the outcome, but it was inevitable for humans to feel regret. It was how they identify mistakes and learn to do better, propelling their weak species to continuously innovate to reach their current position in the world. ¡°Uncle Ali, are you okay?¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ali lifted his head from the park bench where he was sitting to see the ridiculously cute sight of his beloved niece and her Pokemon. The girl¡¯s hair was all damp and clumped together, indicating that she had just returned from her weekly dives. Wrapped around her was Nina¡¯s Dratini who was mirroring his trainer¡¯s expression and staring at Ali with the same concerned eyes. On top of his niece¡¯s shoulder was the girl¡¯s haughty little Eevee who was leisurely hanging on, making Ali wonder how the girl was even able to sustain the weight of two decent sized Pokemon on her. And riding atop a cooler that Nina was dragging around by its handle was Patrick¡¯s Pikachu who had also joined in on the excursion. The girl covered in Pokemon looked ridiculous, but Ali couldn¡¯t help but let out a warm smile at the sight of his adorable niece. It usually took some time for children to learn how to live alongside Pokemon, something that Ali himself had to go through as well. But to his knowledge, Nina was an absolute natural when it came to her aptitude with Pokemon. To the point where she even earned the acknowledgement of Misty, a seasoned Gym Leader. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s my favorite niece! Did you just come back from diving?¡± Nina nodded and asked her Pokemon to go play in the park while she sat next to Ali and gave him that same insightful gaze that the girl had always possessed. Sometimes, it really feels like the girl could just see right through him to all the deep seated insecurities he had hidden away from the world. ¡°How was the interview?¡± She asked, getting straight into the heart of the matter. Ali chuckled. ¡°About as well as you¡¯d expect from a thirty six year old man who¡¯s never had a stable job in his life. Your father is a remarkable man, you know that?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Dad has things he¡¯s good at and things he¡¯s not. You¡¯ve been all over the world and have seen sights that other people could only dream of. In my mind, you¡¯re a very remarkable person too. One of the greats, in fact. There¡¯s probably only a handful of people in this world who can do what you did.¡± Ali laughed. His niece has always had a way with words. Truly, she inherited only the best from their family¡¯s piddly little genepool. Ali gave a bright smile at his niece¡¯s encouragement. Or at least he hoped he did. It was a little hard to tell what his face looked like given his current mood. He couldn¡¯t let himself appear weak in front of Nina. He knew better than anyone how much his niece worshiped him. In her mind, Ali was a hero. Someone who she aspires to become one day. But little did she know, Ali considered her as his guiding light as well, one that shines brighter even than Arceus¡¯s radiance in the deepest and darkest depths of Area Zero. The inbox full of emails from Nina that he would find everytime he returned to civilization was the only thread he could climb to restore his sanity after an excursion into the abyss. Reading about Nina¡¯s recent events, her joys and anxieties of finally owning Pokemon, the stressful work at the Gym, her friends and family ¡ª all of these little mundane things helped to ground him and maintain his humanity. As a matter of fact, he would always ask the researchers at the lab to help him download the emails onto his Rotom Phone just so that he could read them during the most strenuous of nights in Area Zero. Because as much as he loved his Pokemon, there was something special about a human connection that they simply could not replicate. Nina was unconvinced by her uncle¡¯s facade, puffing up her cheeks to glare at him. ¡°Is this about your time in the Crater? You can tell me stuff you know? Without needing to go into specifics. It¡¯s not good to keep things bottled up like that.¡± There it was again, Nina¡¯s keen insight. Ali felt a little inadequate as an adult for being exposed by a child so easily. He reached out to pat his niece on the head and assure her once more that he was fine. Just a little bothered by some of the things he said in the interview. But in truth, the scars behind his back were throbbing. Misty often said that they were sexy and loved to caress them. And Ali did not have the heart to tell her about the pain they caused him. The wounds have long since healed of course, but everytime they throbbed, Ali was reminded of the broken Key Stone dangling around his neck and the Charizard who stayed behind in exchange for his worthless life. And his heart would feel like it was being grated on by a million Sandshrews. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go get dinner,¡± suggested Ali. ¡°Your parents have gone off on a little date so no one¡¯s home right now. It¡¯ll be my treat.¡± Nina scoffed. ¡°Between the two of us, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s unemployed, Uncle Ali. If anything it¡¯ll be my treat.¡± Ali laughed out loud at the deep cut that his adorable little niece just delivered to him, and pulled her in for a hug that would put even a Bewear to shame. The girl yelped in surprise and struggled to pry herself loose before sticking her tongue out at him. ¡°I wanna go back home and drop off the fish first. Then we can go,¡± said Nina. ¡°Alright, what do you want to eat, boss?¡± ¡°Munchies!¡± Nina exclaimed, eliciting more laughter from Ali. ¡°Kids and their junk food¡­¡± And yet, he couldn¡¯t help but spoil his one and only niece. It was not until two weeks later that Ali got an email from Interpol, notifying him of his successful transition to the second round of interviews. ¡°Oh boy¡­ Here we go again.¡± He thought. Chapter 61 ¡°Now can anyone tell me, what is the maximum limit of Pokemon that a person is allowed to carry on their person?¡± asked Mrs Watanabe, to which several hands raised up in Nina''s class to answer. Meanwhile, Nina herself was trying hard to suppress a yawn and avoid falling asleep. Nina is nine years old now. And in the final year of elementary school, they had a class specifically to teach the syllabus necessary to pass the Trainer License Exam. Which was great since not having a trainer license in Pokemon society was quite disgraceful. In this world, a trainer license served as a universal identification of sorts. The singular ID functioned as a passport, Flying license, driver¡¯s license, medical card, and so on. Some people in Nina¡¯s past life might consider it to be an authoritarian nightmare where the government tracks all their citizens and controls all aspects of life. But in reality, it was just super convenient. Problem was, Nina had already gone through all the material pertaining to the TLE. In fact, she¡¯s way ahead of the curve after having studied for the Gym Trainer Qualifications Exam as well. Not that Nina intended to become a full time Gym Trainer, but the Cerulean Sisters insisted that she take the exam anyway. Because as they said; ¡°Once a Gym Apprentice, forever a Gym Apprentice.¡± Nina did not mind, having Gym Trainer qualifications will help to bolster her credentials even further. Though she suspected that they just wanted to use her as free labor whenever she returned home to Cerulean City. Which was fine as well, she did owe the Cerulean Gym a lot for taking her in. ¡°Miss Jones, a moment of your time please.¡± Mrs Watanabe beckoned as Nina was about to leave the classroom for lunch. ¡°Of course, what can I help you with, Mrs Watanabe?¡± The teacher smiled and waited for the class to empty before speaking. ¡°The faculty recently had a meeting about the final year school trip, and we were wondering if it was possible to arrange for a tour of the Cerulean Gym this year.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Sure? But isn¡¯t that where the school normally goes to anyway?¡± Mrs Watanabe shook her head and explained further. ¡°We go to the aquarium and the amusement park, yes. Some years we¡¯d even visit one of the Ranger outposts. But we¡¯ve never had the honor of touring the Gym itself. And since Arceus has blessed our school with your presence, we were hoping that you might help facilitate matters.¡± She further explained some of the educational benefits that the students could gain from observing the workings of one of Kanto¡¯s premier Gyms. All of which were pretty standard and sensible to Nina¡¯s ears. ¡°Okay,¡± responded Nina. ¡°I don¡¯t see why this would be an issue. But I¡¯ll have to ask Violet about this and get her permission.¡± In fact, she had an idea on how the Gym could take advantage of this request. *** ¡°Don¡¯t we already do school tours for the aquarium?¡± Violet asked. Nina nodded. ¡°Yeap, but this will be for the Gym itself. I think this is good. You guys are always talking about rebranding the Gym¡¯s image right. Why not start here by cultivating a more child friendly look for some of the Gym Trainers?¡± Nina explained her idea of hosting another monthly event in addition to their usual Monthly Exhibit, by allowing access to the local schools and offering tours of the Gym. ¡°We can even give some lessons on the basics of Pokemon battling and allow the students a chance to interact with Water Pokemon in person. Because honestly, seeing all those kids in the Little League blunder their way through a battle then blame the loaners for their loss kinda makes me cringe. This will help to shore up their fundamentals a little bit.¡± Violet nodded. ¡°So instead of changing our image wholesale, we can start by diversifying our profile ¡ª create a sort of sub-brand that¡¯s more geared towards children. It¡¯s a low risk endeavor that¡¯s well worth the try. I like it.¡± Nina concurred. ¡°There¡¯s only about 50-60 students in my final year, so we can use them as a sample and tweak whatever doesn¡¯t work. After that, we can think about expanding the number of participants if it¡¯s enough of a success. I imagine once we do this first tour, there¡¯ll be other schools that¡¯ll attempt to reach out for similar arrangements anyway. Teachers do like to gossip afterall.¡± Violet looked through a few folders and began typing stuff on her office computer. ¡°I expect your help in organizing the proceedings, but who else do you think would be good for the job? I don¡¯t know if any of my sisters will be available to take on more work.¡± Nina held back a sigh. She had already expected that cheapskate to push the work onto her. The same thing happened with the Little League last time. ¡°I don¡¯t think you and your sisters need to be too involved,¡± said Nina. ¡°We can look for volunteers among the Gym Trainers. I know at least a few of them are eager to get away from bikinis. Aside from that, we can have the twins help out as well¡­¡± And that was how Nina ended up leading her entire school year, explaining the ins and outs of the Gym¡¯s workings to her schoolmates. ¡°...and this is the logistics room where we monitor all of the ongoing battles in each of the arenas. You can see there on the wall of screens who¡¯s battling at this very moment,¡± said Nina, gesturing at all the different aspects of the room. ¡°That shelf over there is where we keep all the spare Pokemon, ready to be rotated in if necessary. And that over there is our transfer station that leads directly to the most available Pokemon Center where any injured Pokemon can be healed up with the utmost efficiency.¡± After showing the gaggle of schoolkids all of the nitty gritty of the Gym¡¯s operations, as well as giving them a peek into one of the aquarium exhibits, Nina brought the group over one of the spare sub-arenas that had been reserved for their use. ¡°Now everyone, please join me in greeting two of our esteemed Gym Trainers; Miss Ashley and Miss Aoi!¡± Nina introduced the two Gym Trainers who had forsaken their usual bikini to don colorful wetsuits decorated in various cartoon caricatures of Water Pokemon. This was the outfit that everyone decided on after much heated debate. As it turns out, the Gym Trainers were a lot more enthusiastic about Nina¡¯s new initiative than she had expected, with most of them volunteering to help out. So in the end, they decided to take turns. After a scattered round of applause from the children, Ashley spoke out. ¡°Hi everyone, my name is Ashley. Now then, how many of you have actually touched a Water Pokemon before?¡± a few hands rose up in response. ¡°And how many of you have witnessed a Pokemon battle right beside the arena before?¡± Most of the hands rose up in response. Aoi chuckled. ¡°Ashley¡¯s not talking about being in the audience seat, you sillies.¡± She then gestured to the arena around us, particularly in a little area that they had marked out with yellow tape right next to the pool. ¡°We¡¯re talking about ringside seats, where you get to experience the battle in close proximity to the Pokemon!¡± At this point children began chattering excitedly while the teachers who were looking after them seemed to frown a little in worry. ¡°Not to worry,¡± assured Ashley. ¡°Our three capable Gym Apprentices and their Pokemon will stand between you and harm''s way.¡± And right on cue, Nina and the twins released their Pokemon, eliciting murmurs from the audience. The kids were particularly excited to see Tini and Espy, two extremely rare Pokemon, as they pointed and squealed at the duo. Tini was relishing the attention and struck a few poses for his admirers while Espy just rolled her eyes and remained as impassive as usual. ¡°Oh yeah, I suppose the kids from my school have never seen Tini and Espy in person before huh? Except for maybe Tini¡¯s performances I guess,¡± Nina mused. ¡°However,¡± Aoi continued. ¡°You¡¯ll be right next to the splash zone. So to avoid getting your clothes all wet, please wear these boots and raincoats that we have prepared for you. You can even take them back home as souvenirs if you like.¡± The apprentices then reached into the box that they prepared beforehand and began distributing the waterproof clothing to their guests. ¡°Here, Mrs Watanabe, these are adult sized for you and the other teachers. Let me know if the fit isn¡¯t right.¡± The kindly old teacher smiled at her student¡¯s thoughtfulness and thanked her. ¡°I have to say Nina, I was not expecting this tour to be so involved. Thank you very much for expending the effort for us.¡± ¡°No worries, the Gym was looking into experimenting with something new anyways.¡± She replied. And after exchanging a few more pleasantries and confirming that everyone was well equipped, Nina guided the group into position and explained a few simple rules to the kids. Namely, they shouldn¡¯t leave the yellow marked line, and not to panic if anything shocking happens. ¡°Our Pokemon will keep you safe no matter what. So please remain calm and listen to our instructions if anything unforeseen happens. This will make it easier on us to ensure your safety.¡± ¡°Nina! Can you do the honors?¡± Nina nodded at Ashley¡¯s request and positioned herself in the referee¡¯s spot. The girl wasn¡¯t an official League certified ref, but this was a casual match so it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Trainers, are you ready?¡± She called, receiving cries of affirmation in return. ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1, and begin!¡± Ashley sent out a Marill and Aoi chose a Seel. They had agreed beforehand to use Pokemon at the level of Little League loaners to showcase the importance of a trainer¡¯s skill over a Pokemon¡¯s inherent strength. They also said they would try and keep the battle above water to allow for easier visibility. ¡°Seel, use Headbutt!¡± Aoi called, as her Pokemon slid across the slippery platform to attack Marill. ¡°Dodge with Aqua Jet, Marill!¡± A stream of high pressure water shot out from the aqua mouse¡¯s mouth and propelled the Pokemon out of Seel¡¯s way. At this point, Natsumi and Fuyumi faced the audience to begin commentating on the battle. ¡°Now, just to give some context on what¡¯s happening,¡± began Fuyumi. ¡°Big Sis Ashley and Big Sis Aoi are using Pokemon rated to be at the same level as the loaners you would see in Little League.¡± Natsumi then chimed in with a faux voice. ¡°But Fuyumi¡­ I participated in the Little League and I know for a fact that Marill doesn¡¯t know Aqua Jet. What gives?¡± ¡°Well, Natsumi, it¡¯s because most Marills can actually learn Aqua Jet naturally. It¡¯s as simple as compressing water in their mouth and shooting them out while jumping.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the reason why I lost isn¡¯t because my Marill was weak, but because I didn¡¯t take the time to know my Pokemon before the match?¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Exactly, little Natsumi. A Pokemon is only as good as their trainer after all.¡± Fuyumi concluded, at the end of their little routine. At this point, Nina chimed in as well, since the two seasoned Gym Trainers did not need her intervention. ¡°One of our biggest frustrations about the Little League every year is how little the participants care to interact with their loaner Pokemon. The move list that we provide just shows a standardized set of moves that all the loaner Pokemons have in common among their species. ¡°But if you actually took the time to get to know your Pokemon before a match, you¡¯ll be surprised to find that the loaners might actually be more capable than their move list suggests. After all, every Pokemon is unique in their own right and it is up to a Pokemon trainer to help their Pokemon reach their fullest potential.¡± Meanwhile, the match was still ongoing, with Seel sliding around trying to catch Marill, and Marill zipping around the arena to avoid being struck. Ashley narrowed her eyes. ¡°Enough running, use Rollout, Marill.¡± Marill jumped, tucked in all its appendaged and began rolling towards Seel, which the sea lion Pokemon narrowly dodged. ¡°Use Tail Whip, Seel. Launch Marill into the pool!¡± Aoi said with a grin. And right as Marill turned around and rolled towards Seel again with increased momentum, Seel whipped out its tail at an angle and launched Marill into the air. The rolling Pokemon was completely helpless in its predicament as the chubby blue ball eventually landed in the water, splashing a rain of droplets onto their giggling audience. The twins didn¡¯t seem to know how to explain what just happened, so Nina stepped in again. ¡°Any Pokemon that has a tail will know how to use Tail Whip, that¡¯s just common sense,¡± said the girl. ¡°So again, this goes back to what we said earlier about Pokemon being more than their official move list. In particular, ¡®weak¡¯ utility moves like Tail Whip are often dismissed as being useless. But in the hands of an experienced trainer like Miss Aoi, creative use of these sorts of utility moves are what often decides who comes out on top between Pokemon of matching strength. Such as using Tail Whip as a ramp to disrupt an ongoing Rollout.¡± Marills were not as good swimmers as Seels. So the moment that Marill fell into the water, its opponent followed suit and bounced the little blue mouse around like a volleyball, much to the amusement of the children. ¡°Aqua Jet into the air, Marill! Get out of the water and back onto the platform!¡± ¡°Rill!!!¡± Marill cried as a burst of water shot out from the Pokemon and impacted against Seel to launch Marill back into the air. The Water Fairy Pokemon ended up missing the platform, but it gained enough distance away from Seel that it could afford to swim its way back. Unfortunately, after the bashing it just received, Marill was looking quite rough. So Ashley called for a finale. ¡°Aqua Jet into Seel, Marill. It¡¯s time to end this.¡± ¡°Take it on with a Headbutt, Seel. Marill is weak, so don¡¯t lose!¡± And in the end, the match concluded with an epic clash between the two Pokemon in the center of the platform, with both of the battlers being knocked back from the recoil. ¡°Marill is unable to battle!¡± Nina declared. ¡°Winner is¡­ Seel!¡± ¡°Okay everyone,¡± called Aoi with a flourishing gesture. ¡°I hope you all enjoyed that match. Next up, we have a selection of Water Pokemon that you can interact with.¡± And with a snap of her fingers a colorful variety of Pokemon jumped out of the pool, having just snuck in from the hidden tunnels built into the arena. The children all cheered and clapped at the sight. ¡°We¡¯ll also have Berries for you to feed them with as well,¡± said Ashley. ¡°And remember kids, Pokemon are our dearest friends and companions. And to some, Pokemon are family as well. So please treat them with the same love and respect as you would your human friends and family.¡± After the end of that battle segment, Nina once again stepped in front of the group to address them, explaining the dos and don¡¯ts when it came to interacting with Pokemon. Some of the students asked if they could touch Tini as well, which Nina obliged since she saw no harm in it. But she declined on behalf of Espy because she knew her Eevee would hate the experience. Same went for Fuyumi¡¯s Artoria. Although Natsumi¡¯s Pururu was friendly enough. And at the end of the tour, the kids were tasked with writing up a report about their school trip by their teachers. Nina was exempt due to her exemplary performance in organizing and leading the tour. However, she did hand out survey forms to the adults to garner any feedback on how they could improve. Overall everything went really well, though the adults had their doubts on using apprentices as guards during the battle segment, which was fair enough. So Nina made notes to call in full fledged Gym Trainers for help next time. ¡°Everyone¡¯s excited to wear those cute new wetsuits anyway¡­¡± Chapter 62 ¡°Artoria, Bubble Cloud!¡± Nina and Tini watched as Fuyumi¡¯s Krabby spewed bubbles into the air and all throughout the arena, obscuring the crab Pokemon from view. Nina couldn¡¯t help but whistle at the sight. Artoria has always been really good at producing bubbles, but to think that her junior managed to modify Bubble Beam in this way was genuinely impressive. ¡°Unfortunately there¡¯s a flaw to this move,¡± she thought, as evident by the mild irritation that Tini was exhibiting everytime a bubble made contact and popped against him. ¡°She¡¯s sacrificing damage for utility.¡± The source of Bubble Beams damage was in the sheer density of it, creating a pseudo explosion from the chain reaction of bubbles popping. Scattering them like this completely mitigates that aspect of the move. ¡°Get in there and smash him down, Artoria!¡± Taking advantage of the visual camouflage, Artoria used Aqua Jet to dash in towards Tini at a weird angle and slammed a Metal Claw at the Dragon like a hammer. Unfortunately, the attack missed when Tini gracefully danced around the Krabby, causing the Metal infused claw to slam into the arena instead. The Dragon has been diligently practicing the use of Dragon Dance as an evasive maneuver, but without infusing himself with Dragon Type Energy. It took a lot of self control, but his admiration for Kingsley made him too impatient to wait for Nina to come of age. ¡°Just cause I promised you the first five moves, doesn¡¯t mean Tini will just sit still and let Artoria hit him.¡± Nina taunted, in response to her junior¡¯s frustration. ¡°That¡¯s four by the way, including the Swords Dance which I did catch Artoria sneakily using. You¡¯ve got one move left, think carefully.¡± Fuyumi clicked her tongue and glared at Nina, brows furrowed in contemplation about what to do next. ¡°Harden and Endure, Artoria!¡± Nina laughed out at her junior apprentice¡¯s cheekiness when Artoria¡¯s shell started gleaming like metal. It seemed as if Fuyumi had unknowingly taught her Pokemon Iron Defense by substituting Normal Type Energy with Steel Energy when hardening. ¡°I wonder if she knows, I¡¯ll ask later.¡± ¡°Alright, Tini. Let¡¯s wrap this up by trying out your new Double Pulse,¡± called Nina. This was a new move that her Dratini has been working on as of late. Since Tini was able to combine Dragon Tail and Aqua Tail, It stands to reason that he would be able to do the same with Dragon Pulse and Aqua Pulse. ¡°Tiiin!¡± Tini cried, as a swirly ball of water formed around his mouth, gradually being condensed into a smaller form before eventually being enveloped by a shell of purple draconic flame. Then with another cry, Tini shot the deadly projectile at his opponent in an audible whoosh as the Double Pulse zoomed towards Artoria at a mind boggling speed. An explosive noise rang out all across the sub-arena as Artoria was sent flying out of the arena and impacted against the opposing wall. The Krabby was still conscious thanks to Endure, but was just a finger¡¯s flick away from passing out. ¡°You did good,¡± Nina said to the pouting Fuyumi, while they were waiting for Artoria to be healed in the Pokemon Center. They could have used the transfer station, but the senior apprentice judged that it was best for Fuyumi to get some air after a frustrating loss. ¡°That was a creative use of Bubble Beam, quite good for setting the field. I can see it being very useful when you¡¯re up against a Fire Pokemon. Also, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed but that hardening move was actually Iron Defense and not Harden, since Artoria used Steel Type Energy.¡± Nina gave Fuyumi a smile and a gentle pat on the head. ¡°Keep up the hard work, I can already tell that Artoria is waaay stronger than he was just a few months ago.¡± Fuyumi¡¯s pout became even more pronounced as she narrowed her eyes at Nina. ¡°What¡¯s the point¡­¡± She whined. ¡°Artoria still lost in a single hit. I should¡¯ve told him to keep attacking instead of defending.¡± Nina chuckled and pulled Fuyumi into a hug. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that¡­ I¡¯ve been with Tini for three years now, while you¡¯ve had Artoria for only about a year. You¡¯re making good progress and that¡¯s what counts.¡± She then proceeded to give Fuyumi more advice, such as how she should¡¯ve stuck with Iron Defense and Aqua Jet to maneuver around Tini¡¯s attacks instead of staying in place. ¡°Train your Pokemon to use any empowering moves passively. Just like how I¡¯m training Espy to use Calm Mind. ¡°Or you could incorporate them into Artoria¡¯s movement like the way Kingsley uses Dragon Dance. I¡¯m sure Artoria can learn to do the same with Swords Dance, that way it¡¯s not as obvious to your opponent.¡± Fuyumi nodded, already letting go of her frustrations in favor of self improvement. It was the girl¡¯s best trait, the fact that she just never gives up. On the other hand, Natsumi was more like a performer with the way that she puts a lot of emphasis on her Goldeen¡¯s form when using moves. The girl cared a great deal about how beautiful her Pokemon looked when battling as opposed to the effectiveness of each move. She even volunteered Pururu for the monthly shows completely pro bono. Which as it turned out, the girl just didn¡¯t know that Tini was getting paid for his work. When Nina found out about it, she gave quite an earful to Daisy and advocated that she compensate Natsumi properly, even if the girl was too naive to ask for it herself. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s buy some pudding for Natsumi on our way back to the Gym,¡± said Nina. ¡°She¡¯s been working real hard lately and deserves a reward.¡± ¡°What about me¡­?¡± Fuyumi whined, her eyes fully in Baby-Doll mode. The cheeky twins have clearly been learning a little too much from their senior apprentice. Nina giggled and pulled Fuyumi in for another hug. ¡°Of course, you can get whatever you want as well. My treat.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yay!¡± The girl exclaimed, her adorable face beaming in happiness. ¡°Is this what it¡¯s like to have little sisters? I get it now Bev, I really do.¡± *** Nina walked out of the exam center while stretching her arms, her joint audibly popping from the strain. A trainer license could only be issued when a person came of age at ten, but it was perfectly fine to take the exam early. In fact, most kids do, just to avoid delaying their journey or have enough time to retake the exam if they fail. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t get how anyone could fail such a simple test. You¡¯d think everything should be common sense to people who grew up in a world filled with Pokemon. Or maybe they just take everything for granted here.¡± Nina said hi to some of her classmates who greeted her and briefly joined in on their circle of misery as the children all reflected on what they did wrong in the exam. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I misspelled my name on the answer sheet, do you think they¡¯ll fail me for that?¡± said one of the boys. Another boy laughed out loud. ¡°How do you even mess up your name, bro?! That¡¯s hilarious.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± assured a girl in glasses. ¡°They identify the worksheet using a barcode at the top that¡¯s tied to your seat number and personal ID. It¡¯s to prevent people from cheating by swapping out the sheets you know? So it¡¯s likely they¡¯ll just deduct a couple of points for your mistake.¡± ¡°But what if those couple of points are what I need to pass? I¡¯m DOOOOMED!¡± cried the first boy. ¡°How did you do, Nina?¡± One of her classmates asked. ¡°Hmm? Oh, fine I guess. I mean a lot of it was already covered in class anyway.¡± The girl who engaged Nina nodded in return. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve always been super smart so this was probably easy for you. A bunch of us are going to go to Munchies later and hang out, do you wanna come?¡± Nina shook her head with an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry guys, I have the Gym Trainer Qualification Exam in half an hour, so I¡¯ll have to pass.¡± She had scheduled the two exams for the same day because she didn¡¯t want to bother making repeat trips to the exam center. The circle of kids all gaped at Nina¡¯s statement. ¡°Wow¡­ Are you gonna become a Gym Trainer, Nina? That¡¯s so cool!¡± One of them said. ¡°Make sure to go easy on me when I go to the Cerulean Gym, okay?¡± said the girl in glasses from earlier. Though Nina could sense a hint of jealousy from her tone. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re going to be a mermaid?¡± Another girl asked with sparkly eyes. Nina recognised her as that one girl who said she wanted an Abra from some time ago. It seems that she has quite a severe case of celebrity-worship. ¡°Nah,¡± denied Nina. ¡°I want to become an explorer. I¡¯m only taking the exam because Misty asked me to. The Gym can get very short-staffed at times, so they want me to come back and help out from time to time ¡ª can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m not qualified.¡± She explained, before making a move to leave. ¡°Anyways, I gotta go now. Hope you guys have fun at Munchies!¡± The Gym Trainer Qualifications were fairly straightforward as well and rather basic. ¡°But I suppose, just because you have the certificate, doesn¡¯t mean a Gym is necessarily going to hire you.¡± Much like Nina¡¯s past life actually, having a university degree becomes somewhat redundant when all people care about are abstract metrics like experience. The most interesting part about the GTQEs is actually the practical portion of the exam. As expected of a Gym Trainer, one needed to be a competent battler. And so, to ensure an even matchup, every examinee was allowed a choice of loaners to battle with. The matchups were a series of random one on ones and victory was irrelevant. The judges only care about how well you commanded your loaner Pokemon in battle. Some of the examinees there actually grumbled about not being able to use their personal team. To which the invigilators present responded by mercilessly failing them on the spot and kicking them out of the exam venue. ¡°In case some of you are still ignorant about why those fools were kicked out. It¡¯s because in a Gym setting, Gym Trainers are not allowed the use of their personal Pokemon when assessing a challenger. All Pokemon used by Gym Trainers are technically loaners registered under the Gym in which they serve. The only exception to this rule would be a Gym Leader during Star battles, for obvious reasons,¡± said the invigilator, before ending with a muted ¡°unbelievable¡­¡± Nina picked a Marill as her loaner due to her familiarity with the species from her work. And frankly, the actual battle itself was too underwhelming to even note. The first person she faced was using an Oddish, but they commanded it like someone who had just started on their journey, simply spamming moves without much complexity. Nina¡¯s Marill easily outmaneuvered the Oddish¡¯s Razor Leaf and took it out with a Slam. It was clear to her that Nina had been underestimated by the older examinees in the venue due to her youthful look. But eventually, those haughty looks gave way to trepidation when rumors started to spread that she was a Gym Apprentice, which then turned into panicked desperation for whoever was facing her next due to her unbroken win streak. The invigilator huffed at the end of the practical exam. ¡°Ha! As expected of Misty¡¯s apprentice. In truth, your mentor has already sent in a letter of commendation along with some of your battle footage for our review. We could have just exempted you from the practicals, but we wanted to show these useless braggarts what a real Gym Trainer is like.¡± He said, eliciting an eye roll from Nina. ¡°The state of Kanto¡¯s future soldiers is truly deplorable if this becomes the norm. Oh how standards have fallen¡­¡± The invigilator lamented. The use of the word ¡®soldier¡¯ gave Nina a good idea of what this person¡¯s political inclination was like. ¡°He¡¯s one of those ultra-nationalist warhawks who can¡¯t seem to let go of the war.¡± She sighed. Nina was glad to have passed the exam, but did not appreciate that she had unknowingly been used as a political statement. ¡°I should tell Misty about this. I doubt she¡¯ll just let this lie.¡± Chapter 63 Pallet Town was the very definition of a sleepy seaside town. There were no bustling highrises or any commercial activity of note, save for the little dock housing several fishing vessels and the local fish market where the fishermen went to process their haul and ship it all across Kanto. The town itself consisted of just rustic looking houses with a few shops interspersed between to meet the local needs. But what really caught Nina¡¯s eyes was the singular vintage looking tram station that ran straight to Viridian City, operating only once every couple of hours during the day owing to the lack of demand. Nina tapped at her uncle¡¯s arm to get the pilot¡¯s attention. ¡°Uncle Ali, can we go check out that tram station please.¡± Ali gave a boisterous laugh at the girl¡¯s request. ¡°As expected of my niece, impeccable taste as always.¡± ¡°Of course, trains are cool! Especially super old ones like that tram,¡± said Nina, earning a nod of approval from her like-minded uncle. With a quick command, Martha pivoted and began gently descending near the tram station. Ali was careful in telling Martha to avoid stirring up the winds too much to avoid startling the locals. As they got closer, Nina could see that there were also other decommissioned trams on display around the station. Their rusty, dilapidated exterior spoke of the locomotive¡¯s age and history, really tugging at the boyish side of Nina who used to collect model trains in her past life. Even Ali was feeling a childish urge to jump onto those antiques and just soak in the musty atmosphere contained within. ¡°Gosh, if I knew we could have taken a tram to Pallet town, I would¡¯ve asked to fly to Viridian and commute here instead. Why didn¡¯t you tell me there were trams here, Uncle Ali?¡± Nina whined. Ali laughed. ¡°My bad, my bad¡­ I didn¡¯t know that my niece was such a girl of culture. I knew you were my favorite niece for a reason.¡± Nina rolled her eyes at their running gag. ¡°I¡¯m your only niece, Uncle Ali. But I wonder if the conductor will let us have a look inside the tram.¡± Nina glanced around but saw no one in the station, there was simply an empty ticketing booth, and a fairly redundant turnstill that leads into the platform itself where one can board the tram. ¡°Welp, one way to find out.¡± Ali returned his Corviknight and yelled out at the station. ¡°EXCUSE ME, IS ANYBODY THERE?¡± Nina covered her ears at Ali¡¯s reckless behavior and glared at the man for not giving her a heads up. His call out did work though, as an elderly looking man wearing a train conductor¡¯s hat stepped out of the station¡¯s office. ¡°Oh my, are you passengers?¡± asked the feeble looking old man. ¡°Unfortunately the tram isn¡¯t due to run for another hour or so. Perhaps you can have a look around and return later? We¡¯re fairly lax here so no need to worry about missing your ride.¡± Ali gave the man a bow and a bright smile. ¡°Oh no, not at all. Truth is, my niece and I were flying in to visit, when we noticed your delightful little station. We were simply wondering if we could have a look inside the tram, maybe even admire some of the disused ones as well, if it¡¯s not too much trouble.¡± Ali even offered to pay the conductor for the privilege which the man simply turned down with a genial smile. ¡°Ah, fellow railfans are we? It¡¯s so rare to find someone who appreciates classic locomotion these days. Please, do come in. No need to be reserved.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mister!¡± exclaimed the ecstatic Nina, as she and Tini pushed through the turnstill. Her curious little Dragon had been on trains before, but he¡¯s never seen one so small, with only its single compartment. ¡°A diesel engine eh?¡± Ali observed. ¡°You don¡¯t see a lot of those these days, what with the environment and all.¡± The conductor nodded. ¡°Technically it¡¯s an old school electric engine being powered by a diesel generator. It used to run off an overhead line, but they deemed it too expensive to maintain due to how frequently the poles were toppling over, and also how often Flying Pokemon got caught on the lines.¡± ¡°Does she have a name?¡± asked Nina, who was currently wiggling her butt to get a feel of the broken and worn out leather cushions in the tram. ¡°This here is ol¡¯ Denka.¡± The elderly man responded with a smile. ¡°She¡¯ll be 56 this year. And it¡¯s likely that she¡¯s the only one of her kind left that¡¯s still running in the whole of Kanto.¡± Nina smiled at the pun, ¡®Denka¡¯ meant her majesty, but it was also an abbreviation of electric car. A very fitting name for such a majestic vessel. Afterwards, the conductor was even kind enough to let Nina play with the console of the inactive tram, something that Nina had never experienced before in all of her two lives. ¡°Gosh, there¡¯s just something super tactile and satisfying about pulling the lever back and forth like this.¡± Even Ali was begging for a turn with it. ¡°These three are all of the trams that we¡¯ve had to decommission over the years. None of them had the same tenacity as ol¡¯ Denka, unfortunately,¡± said their guide as the old man gestured towards the three rusty trams that were now being parked perpetually on some of the disused tracks. ¡°We used to have two trams running parallel to each other.¡± The conductor continued. ¡°This was back during the war and soldiers often came and went.¡± He pointed towards two of the more ancient looking trams, now covered in overgrowth and filled with holes from being eaten away by rust over the years. ¡°Those two are ol¡¯ Denka¡¯s predecessors who served all throughout the war with Johto. The old gals have probably seen more tears and laughter throughout their life than everyone in Pallet town combined.¡± He said, somewhat wistfully. He then gestured towards the less dilapidated tram of the trio and explained that it was ol¡¯ Denka¡¯s partner who gave up long before she did. ¡°She ran into a stray Rhyhorn and completely totaled the engine, even took the conductor with her,¡± said the old man as he led Ali and Nina towards the crumpled front of the tram. ¡°Must¡¯ve been one tough Rhyhorn.¡± Nina mused, while admiring the outline of said Pokemon forever pressed into the metallic carriage. The elderly conductor laughed at the girl¡¯s comment. ¡°Ha! You should have seen that bastard. Didn¡¯t even stick around after it got hit, just shrugged it off and kept walking like nothing happened.¡± Unfortunately, Ali and Nina were not able to get inside the disused trams because their doors had long since rusted over and were now impossible to open. It was fine though, their curiosity and adventurous spirit had been fully sated. The two thanked the kindly old conductor and made their way to their primary destination ¡ª Professor Oak¡¯s laboratory, in order to retrieve Nina¡¯s Pokedex. *** Nina could have just waited in Cerulean City for her Pokedex to be shipped to her. Which was how Beverly got hers. But she has always wanted to visit Pallet Town, the birthplace of Samuel Oak, Ash Ketchum, Gary Oak, Red, Yellow, and all these other famed Pokemon Trainers. This small, unassuming town was basically like the Austria of Pokemon Trainers with how many big names were associated with it. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just thanks to the presence of Professor Oak¡­¡± After seeing that she had no plans for this year¡¯s summer break, Nina took a chance and emailed Professor Oak to see if he¡¯d be okay with her visiting and grabbing her Pokedex early. The reply came back a little late, but the Pokemon Professor did ultimately agree to her request. The man even sounded quite enthusiastic about it. So she worked out an arrangement with her Uncle Ali, who was also looking forward to meeting the famed Professor and scheduled an appropriate date for the trip. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The roads of Pallet town shimmered from the summer heat as the girl walked alongside her uncle, having already returned her Pokemon to the comfort of their Pokeballs. In the distance, a beautifully glittering seascape could be seen, lining the horizon and framing the quaint little townscape surrounding the two visitors. Professor Oak¡¯s lab was right by the edge of town, where he also had vast swathes of verdant land reserved as a ranch for all of his sponsored trainers. ¡°I do wonder where the man keeps the more delicate Ice Types in an environment like this?¡± Nina mused. Compared to Bill¡¯s Sea Cottage, Oak¡¯s Laboratory looked even more unassuming. In fact, if Nina hadn¡¯t been actively searching for it on her map, she would have just dismissed it as just another suburban farmhouse. It really was impressive how Samuel Oak managed to achieve so much with so little. They were greeted at the door by a Mr Mime who was busy sweeping a broom around, even though the place looked pretty clean to Nina. ¡°Wait, is this Ash¡¯s mom¡¯s Mr Mime?¡± Her brain immediately recalled all the memes about Oak banging the lonely housewife while her son was away. The mime Pokemon held out a finger and asked the visitors to wait as he performed a gesture of calling out to the house, despite not making a single sound. Nina looked towards her uncle in confusion, to which Ali simply shrugged in return. But surprisingly, after a brief wait, Professor Oak did eventually show up. The Pokemon Professor opened his door with a bright smile and gave his two visitors an enthusiastic welcome. ¡°Ah, Nina! Welcome, welcome. It¡¯s so good to see you again.¡± He said to the little girl. ¡°And this must be the famed Alias Jones, I¡¯ve heard quite a fair bit about you from Professor Sycamore. I should have made the familial connection sooner. Nina¡¯s incredible talent with Pokemon makes so much more sense now.¡± Ali chuckled and stepped forward to shake the Professor¡¯s hand. ¡°Please, Nina¡¯s talent is her own. I was so busy traveling that I contributed little to her childhood. But I have to say, it is such an honor to meet you Professor. I regret not being talented enough during my youth to catch your attention. The stories of your rise to the Champion¡¯s seat and your altruism in pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of our world has always been an inspiration to me and many others.¡± Professor Oak smiled at the man¡¯s kind words. ¡°Please, I was just being true to my desires and pursuing my interests. Not unlike what you¡¯ve been doing over the years. If anything, your bravery has done much in furthering our academic knowledge and for that I thank you as well.¡± Their hosts then gestured for them to come inside and get away from the heat. ¡°Mr Mime, could you be a dear and go prepare some refreshments for our guests. I¡¯m sure they must be parched from the long trip here. How was the trip, by the way? I hope it was uneventful.¡± ¡°It was very pleasant,¡± answered Nina. ¡°In fact, we spotted the town¡¯s tram station from the air and the conductor was kind enough to give us a tour¡­¡± Chapter 64 Nina peeked underneath a rusty old truck by the docks, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything pink or sparkly. ¡°Wait, is the truck here in Pallet Town or somewhere else. I can¡¯t remember. Maybe it was Vermillion City?¡± ¡°Is there something interesting about that old rustbucket, young Nina?¡± An elderly voice sounded from behind her in curiosity. ¡°Oh, not at all, Professor. I err¡­ Just like rusty old machines. You know? Like those old trams by the station.¡± Professor Oak gave an amused smile to the little girl crouching in front of him and held out a hand to help her up. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯ll find that this old rustbucket is nowhere near as interesting as those old gals. It used to belong to my father, see. It hasn¡¯t been in use since¡­ I don¡¯t know, since my father closed down his pub I would presume.¡± ¡°You dad used to own a pub?¡± The girl asked. Professor Oak laughed and pointed to an old building in the distance. ¡°Indeed, right next to the docks, catering to fishermen and sailors, back when the latter still stopped here to drop off military supplies.¡± He said, with a nostalgic look on his face. ¡°My father was a simple man, you see, whose greatest pleasure in life was fishing. In fact, I probably would never have achieved the exalted status of Champion, or even become a Pokemon Professor if not for the Dratini he accidentally caught on his fishing rod.¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So you can fish for Dratini!¡± Nina was ecstatic to find out that a favorite pastime from her previous life was still valid. ¡°Dratini was your starter too?¡± She asked. The old man chuckled. ¡°Indeed, much like yourself. Dragonite has since gone on a journey of his own. Though we do visit each other from time to time. Last I checked, he started a nest somewhere on an island. Happily indulging in his twilight years, not that Dragons age the same way that humans do.¡± ¡°You have your own grandson too, right? I always read rumors about Gary on the Pokenet. Though it¡¯s hard to tell if any of them are true or not.¡± The Gary Oak in this world has devoted himself to a life of a wandering trainer, going around taking down bad guys and documenting rare Pokemon. It was very similar to the life that Nina wanted for herself, sans the taking down bad guys part. Oddly though, Nina had failed to find any mention of Ash in her research. She wondered why¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ Gary, yes.¡± The older Oak responded with a strained smile. ¡°If only that child would care to come home every once in a while.¡± He sighed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really be the best person to validate Gary¡¯s exploits, but it is true that he is a remarkable Pokemon Trainer and a fairly competent researcher in his own right. He did work under Professor Rowan for a time after all.¡± Nina nodded, choosing not to pry any further into the delicate subject. ¡°Then what about Red? Is it true that he¡¯s erm¡­ No longer with us?¡± Professor Oak laughed at Nina¡¯s insinuation. ¡°Haha. Not at all, child. That boy had a taste of the celebrity lifestyle during his brief tenure as Champion and decided he wanted none of it. Ran off before he even passed the mantle onto his successor properly. Thanks to him, I no longer hold the title of Indigo Champion with the shortest reign.¡± The Professor made a move to walk towards the fish market and Nina faithfully followed suit. ¡°Wow¡­ must be cool, huh? To have so many capable trainers under you. Your ranch must be packed full of rare and interesting Pokemon from all over the world,¡± said the girl. Professor Oak nodded with a great deal of pride. ¡°Indeed, the greatest treasures of my laboratory are its Pokemon. Thanks to all the hard work from the likes of my grandson and Red, I don¡¯t even need to leave my home to seek out new and wonderful specimens.¡± ¡°But how do you deal with the Pokemon that require more delicate handling?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Unlike Bill¡¯s place, I don¡¯t see any special biomes or facilities around the ranch. It¡¯s mostly just grassy plains and forest areas.¡± Oak chuckled. ¡°Well you see, one of the perks of being famous is the connections that come with it. I have a cordial working relationship with all the Regional Professors out there. If there is a Pokemon that is unsuited to the environment of Pallet Town then I simply arrange for them to be housed elsewhere. The other Professors are very agreeable to this arrangement since they get a chance to study the Pokemon in question as well.¡± Nina nodded in understanding as they entered the bustling fish market, filled with fishermen unloading and sorting through their catch for the day, forklifts carrying crates of fish to be loaded onto trucks and container sized Fly Baskets for delivery all over the region. ¡°Ah, Professor!¡± One of the fishermen called. ¡°Here to buy some fish? We¡¯ve got quite the haul today.¡± He said, gesturing towards a spread of colorful sea fish and even some Pokemon resting on ice. Nina felt a surge of nausea from seeing dead Pokemon and had to avert her gaze. Professor Oak gave the girl a warm smile and a soothing pat on the head after noticing her reaction. ¡°Do you eat fish, Nina?¡± He asked. Nina gave a stiff nod. ¡°Regular fish, yes. But not Pokemon.¡± The Professor gave an understanding nod and chuckled lightly. ¡°Indeed, I am much the same way¡­ Why don¡¯t we buy some ¡®regular¡¯ fish for dinner tonight. Are any of your Pokemon big eaters?¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Espy¡¯s quite the dainty eater, she cares more about the quality of the food than quantity. Tini¡¯s a glutton though. Sometimes he overeats when I¡¯m not looking and gets a tummy ache afterwards.¡± Professor Oak laughed at Nina¡¯s description of her Dratini and remarked that; ¡°A healthy appetite is the mark of a growing Dragon.¡± He then turned to address the fisherman again. ¡°Do you mind filling a box with some of your best fish, no Pokemon of course. And if I could trouble you to deliver it to my home, that would be much appreciated as well.¡± ¡°''Course, Professor. Anything for you. I¡¯ll have Machamp carry it over once the goods are ready,¡± said the jovial fisherman. ¡°Thank you, Larry,¡± said the Professor in return. ¡°By any chance, have you and your colleagues completed the task I entrusted to you last time?¡± The fisherman hummed. ¡°Ah, those little gizmos? We¡¯ve put out most of them, but there¡¯s still a few areas that we haven¡¯t done yet. There¡¯ll be boats heading that direction over the next few days, so it shouldn¡¯t be too long now.¡± The Professor thanked Larry the fisherman, exchanged a few more pleasantries and excused himself to go elsewhere. ¡°Are you researching Water Pokemon, Professor?¡± Nina asked, after they walked away from the fisherman and out of the fish market. ¡°Technically yes, we¡¯re trying to get a census of Alpha Pokemon in the ocean. Unlike on land where human intervention limits the emergence of Alphas, they¡¯re much more unbridled out in the sea where they may develop unfettered.¡± Nina frowned at the implications. ¡°Is there a chance that Alpha Pokemon may disrupt any of the established shipping lanes?¡± Oak widened his eyes at Nina¡¯s astute question and laughed in amusement. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten what a remarkable mind you have, dear Nina. Yes, that is indeed a possibility though we¡¯re being very cautious about presenting our findings until we can know for certain. The bureaucrats in the Pokemon League can get very antsy when it comes to anything that might disrupt the regional economy. We wouldn¡¯t want them jumping the gun and causing an even bigger mess.¡± ¡°Indeed, nothing gets a politician more riled up than a threat to their wallets.¡± Nina thought. ¡°But mainly we just want to get a more accurate sense on the exact rate of Pokemon Alpha-fication. As well as to fine tune the probes that we¡¯re deploying to detect Alphas. At the moment, they have a 60% detection rate at best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s practically a coin toss!¡± Nina exclaimed. Professor Oak chuckled. ¡°Indeed, hence why we¡¯re relying on a larger sample size to make up for any variance.¡± ¡°Why not just use some of the known Alphas in the wild? Wouldn¡¯t that be more efficient than trying to chase after false positives?¡± The girl asked. ¡°Ah, a good question. Each Alpha Pokemon species possesses their own unique signature, much like Mega Evolution for that matter. In fact, it is these unique signatures that are causing much of the variance in our detection to begin with,¡± explained the Professor. ¡°Much like how we need to uncover a Mega Stone¡¯s unique signature before we can fabricate it, we also need a larger sample of Alpha Pokemon signature in order to fine tune our processes and hopefully get a better understanding of the phenomenon.¡± By this point they had returned to Oak¡¯s Laboratory, and Nina released Tini and Espy inside the house where they¡¯d be protected from the heat. Ali was currently away in Viridian City to visit some old friends, so as far as Nina could tell, they were the only two humans around. ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°E¡­¡± The Pokemon cried as Tini started doing some stretches on the side, while Espy climbed atop her throne on Nina¡¯s lap. The girl was really tempted to place the warm little fur ball somewhere else, but decided against it out of sheer love for her Eevee. Professor Oak handed a cool towel to Nina and poured her an ice cold glass of lemonade. ¡°Thanks, Professor.¡± She said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± said the older man in return while also sitting down on a chair himself and pouring another glass of the refreshing beverage. ¡°Vee~¡± ¡°Oh, do you want some lemonade too, Espy?¡± Nina took advantage of her Eevee¡¯s request to place her atop the dining table and head into the kitchen to grab two bowls for her Pokemon. Upon her return, Nina continued chatting with Professor Oak while she poured refreshments into the bowls. ¡°So Professor, what would you say is the most interesting Pokemon in your collection?¡± The Professor hummed in consideration, seeming conflicted about his choice. ¡°Hmmm¡­ All of the Pokemon in my ranch are special, but if I had to pick then¡­ Have you heard of a Pokemon called Mimikyu before?¡± Nina nodded in enthusiasm. ¡°Yeap, it¡¯s a Ghost and Fairy Type that hides under a homemade Pikachu costume to hide its frightful appearance in order to make friends!¡± Mimikyu was one of the most lovable and wholesome Pokemon ever. ¡°Sure, the eldritch abomination hidden beneath its disguise is capable of killing a person at a glance, but who cares when they¡¯re so gosh darned cute.¡± Oak chuckled in amusement. ¡°Indeed. They¡¯re very good natured despite their horrific abilities. Many consider them the greatest mystery in all of Pokemon, myself included.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking. What exactly is underneath a Mimikyu¡¯s disguise? It¡¯s hard to imagine a Pokemon that¡¯s so grotesque that they¡¯re capable of killing anything that lays eyes on them.¡± ¡°The honest answer to that question is that nobody knows,¡± said the Professor. ¡°Those who foolishly peek at a Mimikyu either go insane or lose their life as a result. We know that it¡¯s not some sort of Psychic effect since even watching footage of a Mimikyu¡¯s true appearance will induce the same outcome. In fact, most horror stories you hear about cursed footage are the result of ill conceived pranks by buffoons utilizing Mimikyu¡¯s unique characteristic.¡± Nina shivered at the thought of videos out there that were capable of literally killing someone. It¡¯s no wonder the possession of Mimikyu was so frowned upon. ¡°But surely someone must have come across a Mimikyu egg before, right? Or had one in captivity that gave birth? I doubt a Mimikyu comes out of its eggshell fully in costume already.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ as a matter of fact, all of that is true. No one has ever encountered a Mimikyu egg, either in captivity or in the wild. In fact, one of the most bewildering things about the Pokemon is that they¡¯re always alone even when out in the wild. No two Mimikyu have ever been seen engaging with each other in their natural habitat, and a Mimikyu has never been observed in the mating process, regardless of the context. As far as anyone can tell, their reproductive cycle is a black box, much like their physique.¡± The Professor explained that there have been attempts to use more indirect means of observing the Pokemon¡¯s biology through the use of various scans. But the results always showed an eerie blackhole. It was as if Mimikyu¡¯s existence itself was an impossible anomaly given sentience. ¡°We know that Mimikyus have minds of their own, otherwise Psychic Type moves would be wholly ineffective on them,¡± said the Pokemon Professor. ¡°We also know that they have all the same senses that other Pokemon do, else they would be incapable of pain. We know that they do eat, but are never seen expelling any waste. So some speculate that the act of eating to them was just another attempt at socializing to gain acceptance from their peers. But then, where does the food go? Truly a fascinating Pokemon¡­¡± Nina nodded, having begun recording their conversation at some point. ¡°What are your theories then, Professor Oak? As one of the rare few people in the world who has actually gotten to study Mimikyu in person. Surely you must have your own thoughts on their origins.¡± Professor Oak gave a sagely nod. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m of the belief that the key to unraveling their mysteries lies in their secondary Typing.¡± ¡°Fairy?¡± asked Nina. ¡°Yes. After all, Mimikyu is the only Ghost and Fairy Type Pokemon that we know of. If deceased Pokemon have a chance of being reborn as Ghost Types through a, as of yet, unknown process. Then what happens when Fairy Type Pokemon ¡ª a Type typically associated with nature, life, spirits and the paranormal ¡ª what happens when they undergo the same process? ¡°What if the anomalous Pokemon was just that, an anomaly? An impossible existence that our piddly mortal minds are simply incapable of comprehending. Hence why the mere attempt of trying to gaze upon their mysteries result in broken minds and heart attacks.¡± ¡°So much like Fire and Ice, Ghost and Fairy are two Types of Energy that were never meant to coexist in the form of a single Pokemon. Hence why they¡¯re an impossibility.¡± Despite the summer heat, Nina could feel a cold chill running down her spine at the Professor''s words. Truly there were still many unknowns left to discover in this mysterious world. They continued along this line of conversation until a bell rang out in the house to notify Professor Oak of someone at the door. ¡°Ah, that must be the fish. Please excuse me.¡± He said, to which Nina said not to worry. ¡°So that¡¯s how Mr Mime gets Professor Oak¡¯s attention. Sneaky bugger was using Psychic to ring that bell. As expected of a natural born performer,¡± thought Nina, as she took a sip of her now lukewarm lemonade. Chapter 65 Nina reverently lifted the compact little red device that was presented to her. The culmination of all of the Pokemon world¡¯s knowledge, a Pokedex, was now in her hands. The Pokedex wasn¡¯t just some glorified encyclopedia for someone to document their captures with. It also serves as a pass to allow unfiltered access to the Pokemon League¡¯s database. No bureaucratic censorship and no possibility of false and misleading information. Though the actual knowledge one can obtain will be restricted to their access level. No longer will Nina have to prowl the Pokenet and sift through mountains of shitposts, memes and trolls just to find a single nugget of useful information. Not to mention some of its other nifty functions, like an automatic transfer system for when a trainer exceeds their carry limit, access to a GPS network exclusive for Pokedex holders, free healthcare for Pokemon, as well as discounts in League owned stores. It also functioned as a phone, a trainer ID and so on. To own a Pokedex was to be included in the top echelons of trainers in the Pokemon world. Outside of trainers selected by Regional Professors, it was a privilege reserved for Champions, Elites, Gym Trainers, Ace Trainers, Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, Rangers, and other Pokemon Trainers that were considered essential for the continuation of Pokemon society. Unlike the Pokedex depicted in the animes. The one in Nina¡¯s hand looked super slick, about the size of a smartphone from her previous life that folds out to reveal a wide screen in the inner part. Despite feeling like a fragile device, Professor Oak assured her that the Pokedex was in fact, quite indestructible. ¡°Not even a full on attack from a Legendary Pokemon will scratch that thing,¡± as he put it. Nina thanked the Professor and registered her biometrics to the device. This was to prevent theft and misuse. There was even an EMP built into the Pokedex that can be triggered in the event of loss to scramble the device¡¯s innards as a precaution. ¡°Now then, usually I would offer special children like you the chance to pick a starter Pokemon as well. But since you already have your Dratini and Eevee, I shall refrain. But if ever you feel ready to expand your team, feel free to seek me out in the future and I¡¯ll see what I can offer you. Consider it as my thanks for all the delightful company you¡¯ve provided this lonely old man.¡± Nina shook her head in embarrassment. ¡°Please Professor, I should be the one thanking you. I recognise that you¡¯re a busy person. That you would spend your precious time indulging my inane questions is an honor in itself. I¡¯ll make sure to repay your generosity in the future. So if you ever need me for anything, I¡¯m just a quick phone call or an email away.¡± Professor Oak laughed at the polite little girl and reached down to pat her head. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Nina. But the offer still stands. It is rare to find talent such as yourself as of late, it would bereave me to see all your hard work go unrewarded and such potential left undeveloped. You will go far in your career as a Pokemon Trainer, Nina. Of that, I have no doubt.¡± Regardless, Nina still thanked the Professor profusely, until her Uncle Ali put a stop to it by lifting her up and spinning the girl around in celebration. ¡°My Nina¡¯s a Pokedex holder now! I feel like the proudest uncle in the world. Haha!¡± said the boisterous man. Tini and Espy also joined in with their own cheers, making it hard for Nina to hold back her own laughter as well. The rest of the day was spent touring Professor Oak¡¯s ranch, marveling at all the wondrous new Pokemon that Nina had never seen in person before. Even her Uncle Ali, despite his wealth of experience, was impressed by the wide array of species on display. ¡°Is that a Darkrai?¡± He whispered, referring to a fleeting red shadow that peeked out from the forest. ¡°Look, Uncle Ali! That¡¯s a Hisuian Zoroark!¡± The girl pointed excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s so freaking cool!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After getting a nod from Professor Oak, Nina ran towards a baby Zorua that was poking his head out from behind his mother in curiosity. ¡°Hi there, my name is Nina. I have Berries here to share, would the two of you like some?¡± The white variant Zoroark seemed to scrutinize Nina for a time before nodding and pushing her child out to meet Nina, eliciting a giddy excitement from the girl. Nina held out a handful of berries and waited patiently for the Zorua to come close and sniff at her. The wispy little fluff ball looked back at his mother for assurance before digging into the proffered Berries. Seeing the scene, even other Pokemon began to congregate, hoping to get some treats as well. And for a time, Nina was surrounded by all sorts of rare and cute Pokemon while Tini went around greeting the newcomers, nuzzling up to those who were willing and offering some Berries from Nina¡¯s Berry Pouch as well. The sneaky Dragon had somehow learned to access Nina¡¯s backpack at some point. Espy was as impassive as ever, but even she couldn¡¯t help but be enamored by the cute little Zorua and Vulpix that tried to engage with her, ultimately caving and chasing them around in a game of tag. Meanwhile, the two adults just watched over the scene with genial smiles on their faces. Ali took the opportunity to snap a few pictures for a scrapbook that he had started compiling recently of all the memorable times he spent with his loved ones. It was a recommendation from his therapist that Nina had encouraged him to go see, after persistently badgering him for the better part of a year. Nina spent an especially long time doting on a couple of Charmanders that had come up to her, seriously considering if she should redeem Professor Oak¡¯s offer for one of their species. She preferred Bulbasaur, of course. (Team Green FTW) But Charizard was just cool all around. ¡°I mean it¡¯s a freaking fire dragon!¡± Well, not actually. But Nina has always just attributed the lack of Dragon Typing to shortsightedness from the game developers, as evident by the fact that they tried to make up for it with the X variant of Mega Charizard. As for why they didn¡¯t reclassify them in the Pokemon world, the girl had no idea and made a mental note to ask Professor Oak later. Turns out a Pokemon¡¯s Typing was determined based on the kind of Type Energy that they were capable of storing. For example, Tini could store Dragon Type Energy, but not Water Type Energy. He could harness Water Energy of course, but compared to a Pokemon with Water Typing, there was going to be a noticeable difference in efficiency and power. In the end, she decided not to be so impulsive. She already had a Dragon in the form of Tini, who will eventually evolve into a Dragonite. And Dragonites can pretty much do all of the things that a Charizard can do but in a slightly different flavor. ¡°Having two Dragons in the team might be too much for me to handle.¡± She had read enough articles about Dragon Tamers who died trying to stop a conflict between two of their party members. It didn¡¯t mean that she wouldn¡¯t redeem Professor Oak¡¯s offer though. Just not in the near future, and likely not for any of the three regional starters. After seeing all the rare Pokemon contained within Oak¡¯s ranch, she was sure that she could probably shoot for something better. ¡°A lot of these stored Pokemon are interbreeding with each other. So what happens to the eggs? It¡¯d be pretty straightforward if both parents belonged to the same trainer, but if it''s different trainers?¡± It was the same dilemma that Nina encountered in her grandmother¡¯s daycare. And Nina suspected that being able to get custody of these contentious eggs was one of the reasons why a Pokemon Professor would be willing to sponsor so many trainers at any given time. Not that she was suspecting Professor Oak of any shady dealings, but she doubted that baby Zorua was registered to his mother¡¯s trainer. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder that poachers haven¡¯t swept this place clean. But then again, the ranch was being guarded by Ace Trainers, and with most of these Pokemon belonging to former Champions, heroes, and Elite trainers, even Giovanni would have to think twice before attempting a heist.¡± Success was less of a concern than the vindictive ramifications that would follow in its wake. *** Enrollment into the Vermillion Flame was a piece of cake. Nina had submitted her application near the beginning of the year, and she only had to go through a courtesy video call with the principal, a board member, and a faculty member to be accepted. Unlike Charlie, who was made to go all the way to Vermillion City in person just to test the boy¡¯s ¡®dedication¡¯. Turns out, Professor Oak and the Cerulean Gym had also thrown their names into the ring as nominal sponsors for Nina, that is to say, they provided support outside of financial assistance. Which made Nina a triple-sponsored trainer, a fact that was all the more impressive given the actual caliber of her sponsors. These were some of the highest authorities in Kanto and not some mom and pop shop trying to pad their kid¡¯s resume. Nina¡¯s ass felt raw from all the brown-nosing that was going on in her meeting with the school. ¡°Bill was right about sycophants and their blind worship of status and prestige.¡± With how accommodating the Vermillion Flame people were, Nina couldn¡¯t help but wonder at some point if she was the one interviewing them instead of the other way around. Needless to say, she was given the best suite that their dorms had to offer alongside a full scholarship. ¡°Charlie¡¯s eyes are gonna pop out of his sockets when he finds out.¡± Speaking of, she hasn¡¯t heard much from her friend at all. His parents seem to think that he¡¯s fine, but Nina was expecting a call from the boy at least. ¡°I think the last time he called me was¡­ During the first year of his enrollment?¡± Ever since then, Charlie had been radio silent. ¡°Maybe he finally realized that his little crush on me was stupid and now he¡¯s embarrassed by it?¡± It was hard to say, teenage boys were weird and awkward. And this was coming from someone who had been a teenage boy before in her past life. *** Nina picked up the incoming video call from her brand spanking new Pokedex, feeling quite pleased with herself. ¡°Hey Bev, what¡¯s up?¡± She greeted. ¡°Nins¡­¡± Nina¡¯s senior apprentice was all teary eyed and disheveled. ¡°Hey, hey¡­ Are you alright, did something happen? You¡¯re not hurt are you?¡± Nina asked, voice full of concern for her friend. ¡°I¡¯m freaking out, Nins. I don¡¯t have much time left until I gotta challenge Misty¡¯s Star team. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready!¡± Nina sighed at the drama queen, but at the same time, she also felt relieved that her friend was unharmed. She had thought that something catastrophic had happened based on how upset Beverly was. It was a tradition among all Gym Apprentices, no matter which Gym or region they were from, to leave their home Gym as the final badge in the Gym circuit. They were to challenge their mentor at full strength and showcase the results of their journey. Should they lose, which they often do, said Gym Leader will still assess the apprentice¡¯s performance and reward them with a badge if they find them worthy. Nina thought it was a super cool tradition, and she fully intended to follow suit when it was her turn. She wanted to show Misty that she was right to have taken her in and that she would continue to do the Cerulean Gym proud in the future even if she had no intention of being a full time Gym Trainer. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Bev. Just do your best and Misty will reward you,¡± assured Nina. ¡°I told you about how my GTQEs went, right? Let me tell you, girl~ compared to those wannabe Gym Trainers, you might as well be a member of the Elite Four.¡± Beverly whined, unconvinced by her friend¡¯s assurance. ¡°I told you, Nins. Those were chumps, we can¡¯t compare ourselves to them. Me especially, since I carry the family name,¡± the older girl gasped, as if she just realized something. ¡°Oh Arceus¡­ They¡¯re not gonna disown me if I lose right? I can¡¯t afford to feed Ryu all by myself. Forget becoming a mermaid, I might have to sell my body to make ends meet.¡± Nina laughed at her friend''s hysteria. ¡°Relax, Bev¡­ They love you too much to disown you. At most they¡¯ll lock you up in the Gym for intensive training before the conference. Besides, no one is expecting you to win. Misty¡¯s ancient compared to you, and so are her Pokemon. My advice? Aim to take out at least 2-3 of her team. That should impress her enough to at least award you with a standard badge.¡± Beverly continued whining at her friend, refusing to let go of her worries, while Nina just patiently listened. The younger girl was well aware that her friend was just venting. When it came time to perform, Nina had no doubts that Beverly would pull through. Chapter 66: Beverly Beverly fidgeted with the strap of her swimsuit as she paced back and forth in the waiting room. While Nina, her detached junior, just sat to the side and watched on in amusement. ¡°Relax, Bev. Take a deep breath and settle down. You¡¯re gonna wear out your new sandals at this rate,¡± said the younger girl. Beverly glared at her. ¡°How am I supposed to relax?!¡± She exclaimed. Beverly wanted nothing more than to bury herself in sand and hide away from the world. ¡°This was a bad idea. I¡¯m gonna get my ass kicked and everyone¡¯s gonna point and laugh at me.¡± As Beverly was immersed in her own self-loathing, her thoughts were interrupted by Nina who pulled her into a sudden hug. ¡°Have some faith in yourself. If not, then believe in the me who believes in you.¡± Beverly laughed at her friend''s ridiculous saying. ¡°Pfft. ¡®Believe in the me who believes in you.¡¯ Where in Arceus do you even get these weird sayings from?¡± During the entire time that they have known each other, Beverly noticed Nina was full of these little gems. ¡°She probably made them up herself, Nina was smart like that.¡± Nina kneaded Beverly¡¯s cheeks in the same way that the older girl was prone to doing. ¡°I believe in you Bev, you¡¯re going to do well out there. Remember, try to down at least 2-3 Pokemon. We¡¯re not looking for a full sweep here, but try your best regardless. There¡¯s no harm in doing more.¡± Beverly gave a determined nod and took in a deep breath. ¡°How do I look?¡± She asked. The girl had specifically gone and bought a new swimsuit just for today ¡ª a cute blue and white patterned two piece, and a pair of tall wedges that accentuated her butt. For the life of her, Beverly couldn¡¯t find any bikinis that would fit her and not make her look like a kid wearing her mom¡¯s clothes. Which was fine, it wasn¡¯t like she had a figure to show off anyway. Beverly was not upset at all. Nope. Nuh-uh. Nina adjusted the straps of Beverly¡¯s top and smoothed out her friend¡¯s hair before making her do a quick spin to check. ¡°Yeap, all good,¡± she said as she gave the older girl a light pat on the back. ¡°Go out there and show us the fruits of your labor!¡± Nina cheered. The walk towards the main arena felt like an eternity to Beverly, her heart pounding so hard that she could hear it echoing in the cold, barren corridor. ¡°Should¡¯ve taken Nins up on her jacket,¡± she thought, rubbing her bare shoulders to stop the chill from creeping up on her. She emerged under the glaring spotlight into the Gym¡¯s main arena which she was deeply intimate with, having spent a good chunk of her life here. The familiar sounding voice of their Gym¡¯s emcee blared out from the speaker system, hyping up her entrance and introducing her to the few audience members who weren¡¯t any of the Gym¡¯s trainers or staff here to support her. Beverly looked out at the audience seat and saw a sea of familiar faces; Nina and the twins, her senior Gym Trainers, the supporting staff, even Daisy, Lily and Violet had taken time off during this busy Crunchtober to watch the match. The sight of them was nerve racking and heartwarming at the same time. Across from her was the familiar form of Misty who was fully in her uppity bitch Gym Leader mode as the woman stared indifferently at Beverly, like the girl wasn¡¯t worth her time. It was all an act of course. Beverly had once caught her mentor practicing poses and expressions in front of a mirror. But she got in trouble later on when she couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter at the part where Misty began blurting out catchphrases like a dork. The thought of that pleasant little memory was enough to snap her out of her anxiety and sharpen her focus towards the upcoming match. ¡°Nins is right, I¡¯m worrying too much. At the end of the day, it¡¯s just Misty.¡± The girl has witnessed the Gym Leader¡¯s battles countless times, dating back to her early childhood. Beverly knew Misty¡¯s Pokemon like her own and came in here with a solid plan to counter them, all that¡¯s left was to do her best in executing them. ¡°Trainers, ready?¡± ¡°Ready!¡± Beverly¡¯s hand hovered over her Pokeballs on her waist. It was courtesy for the Gym Leader to choose their Pokemon first, but as a Gym Apprentice, she shunned such a handicap. She wasn¡¯t some fresh ten year old who needed coddling. The moment that the ref called for the match to begin, Beverly threw out her Pokeball at the same time as Misty. The Gym Leader briefly flashed her an approving smirk. Flashes of light from two Pokeballs unveiled a Cloyster on Beverly¡¯s side, and a Starmie on Misty¡¯s. Beverly frowned. Starmie was a gift from Misty¡¯s mother and one of her oldest companions. It wasn¡¯t the strongest Pokemon around, but it was fairly experienced. And for whatever reason, Misty never bothered to give it a nickname. ¡°You know what to do, Pearl!¡± ¡°Psybeam,¡± called a nonchalant Misty. Beverly¡¯s Cloyster had barely begun to snap her spiky shell together when a Light Screen focused Psybeam shot through the thin gap and struck at the Pokemon within. Beverly could hear her Pokemon¡¯s muffled cry of pain. But nevertheless, Pearl managed to shut her shell to prevent further damage to her innards. The Cloyster¡¯s shell gleamed as a triple layer of Withdraw, Iron Defense and Endure was used in succession. Further dissipating the purple beam that was trying to drill into Pearl¡¯s shell. ¡°Start setting the field!¡± Beverly called, prompting a thin layer of Poison Type Energy to surround her Pokemon before shattering and spreading Toxic Spikes all over the field. It was unfortunate that Pearl wasn¡¯t strong enough yet to cover the entire arena with a dense layer of poisonous spikes. Hence why Beverly had instructed her beforehand to focus on spreading them as much as she could to limit the battlefield and hamstring Misty. Misty stood frowning on top of her platform. ¡°You sure learned some nasty tricks huh?¡± In truth, it was Nina who first told Beverly about stall tactics. The older apprentice had thought it was a ridiculous and cowardly notion, until she was forced to use it against Surge during her match with the Vermillion City Gym Leader. It also happened to be the best tactic to use against Misty¡¯s team. Beverly knew for a fact that outside of Milotic and Slowking, Misty¡¯s other Pokemon weren¡¯t very good when it came to long drawn out matches. A weakness that isn¡¯t readily apparent given how quickly the Gym leader ended her battles. The stall tactic that Nina had once described to Beverly involved the constant switching of Pokemon from the opponent to slowly wear down their entire team. However, Misty was unlikely to use any of her swaps, even if she could, to maintain her pride as a Gym Leader. ¡°Pry it open, Starmie!¡± At its trainer¡¯s urging, a Psychic aura began forming around Pearl¡¯s purple shell as the Starmie attempted to force open a gap in the Cloyster¡¯s defenses. Pearl persisted by doubling down on her buffs, but was ultimately unable to resist the more senior Pokemon¡¯s willpower. Starmie began spinning rapidly while maintaining the Psychic grip, aiming its edge towards the Cloyster¡¯s gap, before launching itself forwards like a shuriken and using its own body as a wedge to widen the gap. ¡°Pearl, freeze it!¡± Instead of letting go of the spinning buzzsaw-like Starmie, Pearl clamped down even harder to hold it in place and blast it at point blank range with an Ice Beam, slowing down the intensity of the spinning Pokemon. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Misty grinned. ¡°Not bad, but not quite there yet. I think it¡¯s time to ¡®shock¡¯ our opponent, don¡¯t you think Starmie?¡± A sparkle of electricity crackled from Starmie¡¯s jewel at the delivery of its trainer''s terrible pun. A spark which eventually turned into a charge, which then transitioned to an explosion of Electric Type Energy as the starfish Pokemon unleashed a Thunder in close proximity to Pearl. ¡°Get out of there, Pearl!¡± yelled the frantic Beverly, but it was too late. After the flash of heat and plasma subsided, her Cloyster was burnt black and smoking. But Pearl did not let her opponent¡¯s audacity go unpunished either, Starmie''s gem was now blinking feebly from the purple Icicle Spear that had pierced into it at some point. The Cloyster had managed to sneak in a Poison Jab amidst the turmoil. Beverly held back her tears and returned her Pokemon. She whispered a barely audible thank you and gave the Pokeball a kiss before stowing Pearl away. ¡°Starmie¡¯s weakened, but Misty won¡¯t let herself swap. Which means she¡¯ll try to play getaway next round.¡± With that in mind, the girl sent out her next Pokeball. The moment that the new Pokemon revealed himself on the arena, Beverly could hear a squeal from the audience stand, eliciting a grin from her. ¡°Yeap, this one¡¯s for you Nins.¡± Beverly recalled how nuts her best friend was for Quagsires when the derpy looking blue blob stepped out of the light to tilt his head slightly and give a friendly wave to his opponent. ¡°Quag~¡± cried Sir Quagsalot, with his silly sounding, buccal tone of voice. Beverly didn¡¯t really get the appeal of the little dorks until she found a colony of Woopers in the Safari Zone. ¡°I get it now, Nins. I really do.¡± She thought at the time. In truth, she was at the Safari hoping to catch a Dratini like her friend. Nina had refused to tell her where she caught Tini because she was under an NDA or something. But she did know that her junior found the Dragon in water somewhere. She had foolishly thought it¡¯d be easy, only to waste two weeks of her time on the wild Mew chase. ¡°Continue what Pearl started, Sir Quagsalot!¡± The Quagsire was much better at producing poison than his teammate as Poison Spikes began jutting out from the little purple patch on his back and shot out all around the arena. Starmie was not idle though, as Misty commanded her Pokemon to get into the water, regardless of the poisonous hazards that now floated on its surface. ¡°I get it, no point pussyfooting around the poison when your Pokemon is already poisoned.¡± Beverly scoffed. ¡°I ain¡¯t some chump who would challenge a Water Gym with Water Pokemon that can¡¯t swim, Misty! Sir Quagsalot, get in there and chase after Starmie, use Muddy Water!¡± Misty laughed out in amusement at her apprentice¡¯s comments. ¡°That¡¯s right, our Gym doesn¡¯t produce chumps. Show me what you got, Bev!¡± The Quagsire dove into the water and immediately started spewing brown muddied water from his mouth, only for the Starmie to deftly dodge to the side. But the effect was apparent, as the previously clear pool water was now turned an opaque beige. ¡°Keep going Sir Quagsalot!¡± The Pokemon obliged, spewing Muddy Water until his figure was obscured even from the underwater cameras, leaving only the faintly blinking light of the Starmie in the polluted waters. Misty¡¯s Starmie hovered in place, unsure of where to go after losing sight of its opponent. That was, until Misty reminded it to use its Psychic abilities to sense Quagsire. But that slight moment of hesitation was enough for Sir Quagsalot to Bulldoze into the starfish Pokemon and slam it against the pool wall. ¡°Take it out, Sir Quagsalot. Don¡¯t let up!¡± The blue blob thoroughly laid into his opponent, starting with a Body Slam as they both impacted against the hard walls, followed by Brick Break, Ice Punch, Drain Punch. The greatest strength of a Quagsire lay in their sheer robustness and versatile arsenal of moves. Starmie tried to retaliate by using Psychic to hold back its opponent before trying to get away with a super concentrated Hydro Pump to propel itself. But Sir Quagsalot was having none of it as it used Mud Shot and Sludge Bomb to disrupt his opponent, weakening its Psychic grasp for just long enough for him to break free and crash into the starfish Pokemon again with a Take Down. In the end, Starmie¡¯s light went out and the Water Pokemon floated feebly onto the surface where Misty returned it with a proud grin. And without delay, she immediately sent out her next Pokemon ¡ª a Tentacruel with a vicious and sharp gaze. ¡°You want to play with poison?¡± said the Gym Leader. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what a real toxic field is like.¡± And right on cue, the Tentacruel spewed poisonous liquid into the air, which solidified and rained down on the entire arena to cover the place in Toxic Spikes. Even the central platform which Beverly had been avoiding with her own Toxic Spikes got covered. Misty¡¯s Tentacruel was not spared of course. Since the woman released her Pokemon in the water, the jellyfish Pokemon was poisoned by Beverly¡¯s Spikes as well. The problem was that Tentacruel was notorious for being extremely poisonous itself. And its partial Poison Typing made it resistant to the toxic environment. In fact, the Tentacruel relished in the abundance of Poison Type Energy and commandeered some of it to form a layer of Acid Armour. Beverly frowned. Outside of a few mainstays in Misty¡¯s team, there was always going to be a random element on who the Gym Leader was going to pick to fill in the remaining slots. ¡°Just my fucking luck that she went with Tentacruel.¡± The Gym Apprentice resigned herself to the fact that she was going to need at least two Pokemon to take down this fiend. ¡°Deep breaths, Bev. Just 2-3 Pokemon¡­ Just 2-3¡­¡± Beverly calmed her mind, taking solace in the fact that she still had two of her aces in reserve. ¡°Get in close, Sir Quagsalot!¡± The Quagsire zoomed towards his opponent with uncanny speed. And since Tentacruels weren¡¯t very fast, Misty told her Cruella to attack the Quagsire instead, which the Pokemon obliged by shooting out a few quick Venoshocks in succession. ¡°Push through! Don¡¯t let up!¡± Sir Quagsalot kept swimming, allowing the corrosive projectile to strike him and persevering through the burning pain that seeped into his skin, before finally crashing into the Tentacruel with a Take Down and getting all tangled up in Cruella¡¯s tentacles. Cruella Wrapped her tentacles around Sir Quagsalot to keep him in place, the microscopic needles in the appendage forcing the Quagsire to endure a constant agony of Poison Sting. At this point, most trainers would panic and order their Pokemon to break free. But getting into close proximity like this had always been Beverly¡¯s goal. And Luckily, one of her Quagsire¡¯s arms was free from entanglement. ¡°Time to shake up this bitch¡¯s world!¡± Beverly yelled, with a savage grin on her face. Sensing that something was wrong, Misty called for Cruella to disengage. But it was too late. Sir Quagsalot threw out a punch after going through a ridiculously dorky winding motion, and slammed a full on Earthquake right into his opponent¡¯s head. Bubbles spewed from Tentacruel¡¯s mouth as she cried out in pain from the quaking that was rattling her brain. ¡°Get out of there!¡± yelled a panicked looking Misty, worried that Beverly¡¯s Quagsire would follow up with another Earthquake. But Cruella was still reeling from the ongoing impact and couldn¡¯t hear her. The Gym Leader didn¡¯t even know that you could use Earthquake as a direct attack like that. But with the way that Beverly had set up the field with Quagsire¡¯s Muddy Water ensured that such a ridiculous stunt was perfectly possible with the abundance of Ground Type Energy in play. Though she was still trying to figure out a way to use it without going through such an involved set up process. Beverly also wasn¡¯t ashamed to admit that she got the idea from one of Nina¡¯s stupid questions. ¡°If Pokemon are strong enough to cause an Earthquake by just striking the ground. Why not focus the strike directly onto a Pokemon¡¯s head and cause a concussion instead?¡± They ended up getting into a childish argument about how a Pokemon¡¯s head isn¡¯t ground and that you need Ground type Energy to trigger an Earthquake, only for the younger apprentice to rebuke her with a thousand whys and logical loopholes. However, unfortunately for Beverly. Sir Quagaslot was pretty worn down and wasn¡¯t in the state to follow up with another Earthquake, so she simply commanded him to lay into Cruella in whatever way he could before he succumbed to his many wounds and poison. In the end, no doubt thanks to the continuous application of Acid Armor, Cruella managed to outlast Sir Quagsalot as Beverly recalled her fainted Pokemon. Surprisingly, Misty also withdrew her Tentacruel from the match, citing a fear for her Pokemon¡¯s wellbeing after such a devastating Earthquake. Beverly could even see her handing her Pokeball off to an assistant to be checked out. Beverly grinned. ¡°Sir Quagsalot managed to take down one of Misty¡¯s Star Pokemon all by himself! Nins was right about Quagsires being cute and ¡®overpowered¡¯, whatever that means.¡± The audience cheered for the challenger¡¯s underdog victory. Chapter 67: Beverly II Beverly carefully considered the next Pokemon she wanted to send out. Given the horrid state of the battlefield, there was really only one choice available to Misty. Unfortunately, that one choice will most likely require her to expend the rest of her Pokemon just for a chance to beat. Without waiting for Misty to make her choice, Beverly sent out her next Pokemon. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Vapey!¡± She called, revealing her Vaporeon who winced in pain the moment that he came into contact with the toxic field. ¡°Sorry, Vapey.¡± The girl apologized. ¡°Use the poison for Acid Armor and liquidate yourself.¡± After a round of empowerment, the Vaporean dissolved into liquid and disappeared in the water. Surprisingly, Misty¡¯s choice wasn¡¯t Milotic as Beverly had expected. But rather, a creepy looking eel thing with arms. Beverly gawked at the choice. She recognized the Pokemon but could not for the life of her, remember what it was called. On the other side of the arena Misty let out a smug grin as she relished the look of surprise on Beverly¡¯s face. ¡°Right, Slick. Time for your debut, get in the water and start zapping.¡± Unfortunately for Misty, it soon became abundantly clear that she had blundered and made a miscalculation. The muddied waters of the pool effectively turned into a deterrent against any Electric Type Moves. No matter what the Eelektross tried, be it Thunder, Zap Cannon, Discharge, Wild Charge. It all fizzled out into nothing a mere meter away from the Pokemon. At some point, Misty began chuckling awkwardly and told her Pokemon to get close instead, but was foiled by the poor visibility underwater and Vaporeon¡¯s innate elusiveness. Beverly visibly slumped in disappointment and just asked her Vaporeon to keep his distance and continued sniping at his opponent from range. In truth, she was hoping that Misty would withdraw that embarrassment of a knock off Water Pokemon and save her the trouble, since Vapey was still poisoned after all. But despite the ridiculous circumstances, Misty was determined to figure something out as she called out one command after another. Turns out, her Eelektross knew quite a few Poison Type moves, but what was the point, when none of them would hit and Vapey was already poisoned. ¡°I came in here for a serious match, Misty. Not to take part in a circus show!¡± Beverly admonished, once Eelektross fainted, feeling incensed for not being taken seriously. ¡°Haha! My bad, my bad¡­ I was so excited to debut Slick that I completely overlooked the state of the field. Won¡¯t happen again,¡± said the apologetic looking Misty. ¡°That said, I hope you¡¯re ready Bev. ¡®Cause I¡¯m pretty sure you already know what¡¯s gonna happen next.¡± Beverly gulped, nervously fingering her Pokeballs but ultimately choosing not to switch out Vapey. She was going to need all the damage she could get in, and Vapey was already on his last legs anyway. In a flash of brilliant light, Misty unveiled her ace, and arguably the strongest Pokemon in the whole of Cerulean Gym. With a beautiful melodic song, Misty¡¯s Milotic showcased its unparalleled beauty to the world. But unlike the Pokemon before it, the radiant Pokemon¡¯s scales became even brighter and took on a rainbow sheen when exposed to the Toxic Spikes as Marvel Scale took effect. Beverly groaned, she already knew this was going to happen but took the risk of setting up the field anyway. Marvel Scale was theorized to be an ability that was unique to Pokemon whose delicate constitution was easily affected by their living environments. It was the first line of defense whenever said Pokemon¡¯s ecology was polluted, empowering them for a period of time and allowing them the leeway to move and find a new home. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t last forever. But in the context of a short battle, it was more than enough to serve as a potent buff to its wielder and bolster their durability. ¡°Continue stalling and wear her down as much as you can, Vapey!¡± Beverly yelled. But before her Vaporean could even make a single move, Misty¡¯s Milotic cried out and conjured up a massive Whirlpool with a casual flick of her tail. Vapey¡¯s Liquidation wore off from the turbulent damage and got sucked right into Milotic¡¯s Whirlpool where he was taken out by another casual swipe of the Pokemon¡¯s tail. ¡°Now, now¡­ Josephine, be nice. You should let your cute little junior make their move first,¡± said the smug looking Misty. ¡°Besides, you haven¡¯t shown everyone your dance yet.¡± Right on cue, Milotic emerged from the water with a flourish and began a hypnotic dance right on the central platform, singing along as she did. The Pokemon was currently using a combination of Rain Dance and Dragon Dance to empower itself, utterly unconcerned that the rain would serve to benefit her opponent as well. Not wanting to let her opponent have free reign of the arena, Beverly hastily sent out her Mantine to replace Vapey. ¡°Sora, take to the skies and harass her!¡± Josephine was unconcerned, merely shrugging off the Air Slashes that flew her way in favor of completing her dazzling performance. She might be a little more brutish when compared to her mate, but she was still a performer at heart after all. The moment that the Milotic was done, she coiled up and propelled herself towards the air to slam into the flying mantaray Pokemon at extreme speed. On their way down, Josephine Wrapped around Sora to secure him in place and dragged him down into the water to slowly choke out the Mantine. There were no moves involved, just pure muscles. The Mantine was so constricted that he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to lash out with any moves, failing to conjure up Type Energy from the bone crushing pressure that was surrounding him. Beverly sighed and announced that she was withdrawing her Mantine, fully cognizant that there was nothing that could escape Josephine¡¯s grasp once she grabbed hold. The girl sighed. She only had two Pokemon left, so she needed to be strategic about her next choice. Beverly expanded her choice of Pokeball, whispering words of encouragement to its occupant and giving it a kiss before throwing it out onto the field. ¡°Beat her up Ryu! Show Misty that it wasn¡¯t a mistake for me to evolve you!¡± With an earth shaking Roar, Beverly¡¯s Gyarados took to the stage, his eyes glaring at their opponents with a determined gaze. Ryu¡¯s mind filled with nothing but thoughts of love and resolve towards the girl who took him in and gave him a family. And now was his chance to repay her. Misty took one look into the Gyarados¡¯s eyes and gave an approving smile to her apprentice. A stark contrast to the scene that Beverly and Nina witnessed just a few of years ago. A sense of pride welled up inside Beverly¡¯s chest, because it meant that she had done right by her Pokemon. ¡°Clear the skies, Ryu!¡± With another ear-splitting Roar, Ryu shot a ball of condensed Fire Type Energy towards the ceiling, supplanting the Rain Dance with Sunny Day instead to marginally weaken his opponent. When it came to weather manipulation, not even the Gym¡¯s ace Pokemon could compete with a Gyarados. Then, ¡°Outrage,¡± called Beverly as the Gyarados infused itself with Dragon Type Energy to induce a berserker state, and began thrashing around the arena, Ryu trying his best to keep his remaining wits in tact and hone in on Josephine to cause as much damage as possible. But the Milotic did not shy away. Instead, she took the raging sea serpent head on and managed to wrap herself around Ryu¡¯s neck, making it easier for him to thrash her around, but also allowing Josephine to choke him out. ¡°Time to put that big baby to sleep, Josephine,¡± said Misty. And at her trainer¡¯s approval, a shining ball of raw energy began forming inside Josephine¡¯s mouth as the Milotic repositioned herself to stare Beverly¡¯s Gyarados right down its gaping maw. Over in the audience seat, Nina¡¯s eyes were sparkling at the prospect of being able to witness a ¡®Godzilla moment¡¯ in person. Meanwhile, Beverly¡¯s face twisted into an ugly scowl, fully aware of what was about to happen. ¡°Should I pull Ryu back?¡± She thought, since there was no other way of canceling the ongoing Outrage, but quickly shook her head to disabuse herself of that notion. ¡°Ryu wanted this battle and he worked hard for it. He¡¯d be sulking all month if I recalled him right now.¡± So she opted to cheer out loud and encourage her sensitive fish boy instead, causing the audience to also join in on her chorus. Ryu seemed to feel empowered by his partner¡¯s trust in him as he desperately tried to get a few more hits in before the inevitable happened. And when it eventually did, Ryu¡¯s eyes were blinded by a radiant light as a searing heat invaded his mouth, burning his throat and wrecking his insides with unimaginable agony. Josephine, being a professional battler, held back just enough and knew exactly how long to hold her Hyper Beam to avoid permanently damaging her junior, managing to stop right as Ryu¡¯s consciousness cut out. Otherwise, she could have easily blown a hole through Ryu and splattered his innards all over the arena. A prospect that would have been very upsetting for everyone involved. Beverly held back her tears and recalled Ryu. Thanking her beloved Gyarados with a hoarse voice before handing him over to a nearby attendant for emergency treatment. With a quick smack of her own face, Beverly psyched herself up for the final showdown. ¡°This is it, Luna¡­ You¡¯re our final hope. Ryu already did all the legwork¡­ SO GET IN THERE AND WRAP THINGS UP!¡± Luna, Beverly¡¯s starter Pokemon and oldest companion, who had now evolved into a Kingdra, took the field with a silent intensity. There was no cry or whiny as she normally would. Instead, she just glared at the imposing senior Pokemon in front of her as well as the Gym Leader in the background. Luna grew up under the guidance of Josephine, Kingsley and the others. And now it was time to showcase her growth. She gave a respectful bow towards the Milotic in the same way that she¡¯d seen so many humans do, earning her nod of respect in return from her mentor. A tense silence descended onto the field as the senior Pokemon ceded the first move to her junior. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Beverly called out to her Pokemon. ¡°Get into the water and start zooming, Luna!¡± Outside of Josephine¡¯s terrifying burst of acceleration, Beverly¡¯s Kingdra was faster than the Milotic, of this the girl had no doubt. Which was why she planned to play into this with hit and run tactics while trying to make use of the polluted waters as camouflage. Not that it would be of much help since Josephine¡¯s control over Water was to the point where she could even sense the slightest turbulence around her. Josephine simply stood on the platform and leisurely twisted her serpentine body around to dodge against the Dragon Pulses and Ice Beams aimed her way, allowing Luna to call in a Blizzard and even empower herself with Dragon Dance whenever she could. But aside from a couple of wide area Dragon Breaths, Josephine was unphased. Her poise was so elegant that she didn¡¯t even allow any signs of the damage from her previous tussle with Ryu to show. Looking down at the Milotic from her platform, Beverly had the impression that Josephine was the pinnacle of Water Pokemon, silent and profound just like the sea. Yet lurking behind it all was a savage intensity capable of swallowing the world. After deciding that she had given enough leeway to Beverly. Misty called out for a finisher. ¡°Surf,¡± muttered the impassive Gym Leader. And what resulted was less of a Surf and more of a tsunami as the pool water swelled, more than doubling its volume with a single melodic cry from Josephine, before rising up towards the ceiling and forming a massive wave that towered imposingly over the entire arena. Luna, who was left standing on a now shallow pool of water, looked up in trepidation at the horrific disaster that was about to befall upon her, when the voice of her partner called out to snap the Pokemon out of her reverie. ¡°Quickly, get to the base of the wave and ready Protect!¡± Beverly yelled, immediately kicking the Kingdra into action, water gushing from behind her as Luna accelerated towards the wave like a jetski. But before she could even get halfway through the arena, the imposing shadow deepened and a rush of water crashed onto the field. At this point, the Psychic Barrier that shielded the audience from the arena shimmered and turned mildly opaque, looking almost like a solid glass wall as the Gym¡¯s Psychic Pokemon gave it everything they had to contain the massive volumes of water unleashed by Josephine. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both Beverly and Misty could barely see into the barrier but Beverly called out instructions regardless, just to let Luna know that she wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Focus on stabilizing yourself and finding your bearings, evasive maneuvers until things calm down. Do not engage with Josephine!¡± Meanwhile, Misty was as calm as an Abra, merely trusting her Pokemon to do what needed to be done. Which for Josephine, was further churning the turbulent waters and transition the Surf into a Whirlpool with her in the center. Luna struggled against the pull of the imposing tide and found herself being gradually pulled into Josephine¡¯s orbit against her will. ¡°Kiiiiing!!!¡± yelled the desperate Kingdra. Had Beverly been less panicked and knew what was going on, she would have instructed Luna to ride the swirl and hold an Ice Beam on the unmoving Milotic. But alas, both trainer and Pokemon were too rattled at the moment. It didn¡¯t take long for Luna¡¯s endurance to give out and for the Kingdra to be helplessly pulled towards Josephine who swung out her tail in the opposite direction of the Whirlpool¡¯s rotation and effectively clotheslined the Kingdra. By the time that everything was allowed to settle, Beverly found her partner floating helplessly above the murky water, slowly being lowered from all the excess liquid exiting the arena. ¡°Challenger Beverly¡¯s Kingdra is unable to battle. Winner of this round, and of the match, is Leader Misty!¡± The referee declared, causing tears to burst out from Beverly¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Luna¡­ I¡¯m sorry. If only I was a better trainer.¡± Beverly was bawling as she returned her fainted Pokemon. Despite her low expectation, the girl was hoping that the combined forces of her four remaining Pokemon would have been enough to barely eke out a victory against Josephine. ¡°And she didn¡¯t even have to send out Kingsley. Luna was so looking forward to that showdown too¡­¡± The staff member standing behind Beverly, went up to her and pulled the girl into a reassuring hug. Beverly had been a fixture in their Gym since she was old enough to walk, so all of the adults in the Gym had taken to treating her like a cheeky little niece or daughter. After the arena was tidied up a bit, the trainer platform activated and extended to meet in the middle. The first thing that Misty did was to embrace Beverly. ¡°You did good, Bev. Three Pokemon, that¡¯s how many you took out. I¡¯m really proud of how far you¡¯ve progressed over the years. It won¡¯t be long now until you can match up to me and my sisters.¡± Beverly sulked into Misty¡¯s embrace. ¡°It¡¯s two, that stupid eel doesn¡¯t count¡­¡± She whined. Misty laughed at her cousin¡¯s willfulness. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s fine. It still counts. Pretty sure Vapey would have knocked him out even under better circumstances.¡± The woman pulled away from her apprentice and presented a badge to the girl. ¡°Congratulations, I hereby award you with the Cascade badge, with a Star, to commend you for such an excellent performance.¡± Beverly balked at the sight of the shining star decorating the middle of the teardrop shaped ornament. ¡°I-I no¡­ But I lost. This¡­ This isn¡¯t right¡­¡± She stuttered. To which Misty just gave her an amused grin. ¡°This is my Gym and I¡¯m the Gym Leader. So I get the ultimate say on what badge to award which challenger. And based on your performance, I¡¯d say it more than warrants a Star badge.¡± Beverly shook her head in overwhelming shock and tried to back away from Misty, but the older woman simply held her in place and pinned the badge against the girl¡¯s swimsuit. ¡°Congratulations, Bev. You now own two Star badges,¡± said Misty. ¡°I doubt you have time to go out and get a third, so make sure not to flunk out in the prelims, okay? I expect you to be in the top four at least.¡± Beverly balked at the ridiculous expectations that were set on her, feeling the urge to run away and bury herself in sand right this instant. Chapter 68 ¡°That was awesome, Bev!¡± Nina ran across the waiting room and tackled her friend with a hug. ¡°That Earthquake straight into Cruella¡¯s noggin?¡± Nina made a kissing motion. ¡°Muah! That¡¯s Elite tier stuff right there!¡± Beverly reddened and wilted slightly at the compliment, feeling like she didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°That¡¯s not true, besides I couldn¡¯t even take down Josephine.¡± ¡°Now, that¡¯s not true!¡± At this point, the twins also crashed into the duo and joined in on the hug. ¡°You almost had Josephine! Just a little bit more and she would''ve fallen.¡± Fuyumi chimed. ¡°Yeap! You were super cool, Big Sis Beverly!¡± Natsumi added. ¡°They¡¯re right, Bev,¡± continued Nina. ¡°Josephine was really low after she fought with Ryu, that¡¯s why Misty told her to use such a big and flashy move to end things. She only looked fine cause she was posturing.¡± Beverly shook her head dejectedly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the fact that I lost though.¡± At this point, Violet joined in and ruffled her cousin on the head. ¡°You did fine. Misty didn¡¯t just give you that Star badge out of nepotism. You nearly took out her Milotic. And had she chosen to send out her Kingdra instead, you would have handily taken him down as well. Her Slowking would have been a different matter. Though I can see your Gyarados putting up a good fight¡­ ¡°Overall, I would say that your team is almost on par with what we would expect of a Star team. I mean you did earn one Star badge on your own right?¡± Beverly denied the accomplishment. ¡°That was with the Viridian Gym. The temp there is a loser, no one takes him seriously.¡± Indeed, the Viridian Gym has really been struggling since Giovanni was ousted for being the boss of Team Rocket. No one wanted to take on a role with so much baggage attached to it. So they¡¯ve just been going through a steady turnover of interim Gym Leaders, with the current one, Victor, being the longest serving. Mainly due to the man¡¯s meek personality and lack of ego. Victor¡¯s Star team will still pose a challenge to regular trainer¡¯s of course. But among Ace and Gym Trainers, the guy was considered as an easy score. Some even go so far as to say that his Star badge shouldn¡¯t really count and that if one were a proper trainer then they¡¯d go for a fourth Star badge instead of settling for three. Nina kneaded her friend¡¯s cheek. ¡°A win is a win, Bev. Don¡¯t dwell on the specifics too much. Will you be staying in the Gym until the conference to train?¡± She asked, trying to change the subject. Beverly nodded. ¡°Yeah, Misty said she wanted Luna to work with Kingsley, and for Vapey to work with Violet¡¯s Vaporeon.¡± the girl turned towards the woman in question. ¡°Is that okay, Vi?¡± The blue haired Cerulean sister nodded. ¡°Yeah I can tell that your Vaporeon is probably your weakest link. You evolved him too early didn¡¯t you?¡± Beverly averted her gaze at the accusation, too embarrassed to respond. ¡°Bev¡­ Seriously? After all that Bill taught us about Eevees?¡± said Nina, her tone tinged with disappointment. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Beverly responded, her eyes wide and teary. ¡°Vapey was all depressed because he kept losing. He was practically begging for me to evolve him! And when he looked at me with those beady little eyes, I just folded¡­¡± Violet sighed. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. What¡¯s done is done, we¡¯ll just salvage what we can. That said, we only have a couple of weeks until the Conference. So don¡¯t expect any miracles.¡± Beverly nodded vigorously and was told to go rest up for now. Nina, on the other hand, was just itching for the opportunity to pet her friend¡¯s Quagsire. A fact that Beverly was well aware of and kept teasing her with. *** Nina marched on in solidarity with her fellow Cerulean Gym sisters to enter Victory Stadium. The group made for an imposing sight as the crowd parted ways to allow their passage. Each of the groupies had glow sticks, banners and flags in hand, and were all wearing matching happis that had a picture of Beverly¡¯s snoring face plastered on the back, courtesy of Nina. Was it a little excessive and gaudy? Yes. But was it fun to tease Beverly like this? Double yes. In fact, the girl¡¯s face was so puffy and red when they unveiled this to her that she could easily be mistaken for a Magmar. The bright side was that the preliminary matches usually don¡¯t have much of an audience outside of parents cheering on their own kids. So the embarrassment was contained. When the actual main event starts though¡­ Nina was cognizant that this might come back to bite her in the ass when it was her turn to compete. But she did not care. Everyone was having fun and that was all that mattered. The seating arrangement in Victory Stadium came in different forms. Most of them were single seats for a party of four or less. But above that, if one came in with a large group of friends and family, they could reserve boxed seating that was similar to those offered in sumo matches of Nina¡¯s past life. Where there was essentially a section of the floor delineated into ¡®boxes¡¯ where you could sit on the ground and potentially have a little picnic on. As members of the Cerulean Gym, they had of course made full use of their clout to reserve an entire section for themselves. It was necessary to accommodate their sheer numbers anyway. Unfortunately, none of the Cerulean Sisters could join in on the fun. As upper echelons of the Indigo League, they had to show their faces in the VIP areas and take part in various social events during this time. Daisy was especially upset for missing out, even said that she¡¯d find an opportunity to sneak out at some point to join in and that they should save a happi for her. ¡°Alright Cerulean Gym, are you ready!¡± Their head cheerleader exclaimed, when they spotted Beverly walking out into her arena. The woman also happened to be their resident emcee so she was perfect for the job. ¡°Ready!!!¡± The leader placed a cardboard cone in front of her mouth to use as a makeshift loudspeaker. At the same time, some of the ladies unfurled a massive banner with Beverly¡¯s sleeping face printed on it with the slogan ¡°I¡¯m gonna be the very best, like no one ever was!¡± ¡°Yoisho!!!¡± ¡°B. E. V.¡± ¡°Be Ver Ly!¡± ¡°Kick. Some. Ass.¡± ¡°Be Ver Ly!¡± ¡°Be. The. Best.¡± ¡°Be Ver Ly!¡± Meanwhile down at the arena, steam could be seen shooting out of the girl¡¯s ears as Beverly sincerely prayed for Arceus to end her misery and reincarnate her as a Diglett right this instant. The rest of the audience didn¡¯t seem too bothered. Most of them just laughed in amusement at the ridiculous scene and some smiled down warmly at the girl named Beverly who was so loved by her people. There were sixteen rounds of preliminaries that Beverly had to go through before she could qualify for the main conference. Mainly due to the sheer number of participants that were competing. There are thousands of kids that begin their journey every year after all. And that¡¯s not even including the recurring participants and foreign trainers. During this stage of the conference, all the matches are three on three for the sake of expediency, as well as to ensure that trainers don¡¯t have to withdraw because their team was wiped out and needs too much time to recover. And as one would expect, most of the trainers that Beverly will encounter in the preliminaries are firecrackers who went through the Gym Circuit in baby mode. Though every once in a while, there is a chance to encounter a formidable foreign trainer or a recurring participant who is challenging the conference again in the hopes of getting a better ranking. For her first match though, that was not the case. In fact, the Gym Apprentice swept through the poor boy¡¯s team with only her Mantine. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beverly had decided to keep one ace in reserve on her team at all times in case she meets a veteran, and rotate some of her weaker members on the other two slots. So if at all possible, she would try to sweep her opponents with either Mantine, Vaporeon or Cloyster just to give them some more experience and bolster their confidence a bit. Fortunately for her, Beverly did end up passing the preliminaries smoothly. Not that anyone was expecting anything less from the girl. There was really only one match she faced where her opponent seemed fairly experienced. And that was the only time where she had to swap in her second Pokemon to get the job done. But overall, it wasn¡¯t that much of a challenge. *** Beverly¡¯s first proper match though, was a lot more interesting. Her luck backfired and she got matched up with a Grass Type Specialist right off the get go. And not just any random tree hugger either. This guy was a former Gym Trainer of Erika¡¯s who parted ways with the Gym due to a difference in opinion. ¡°You know¡­ You Grass people are always coming up to us Water people, being all cocky and thinking you can just roll over us ¡®cause Grass drinks Water or some shit,¡± said Beverly in her victory speech. ¡°But have you forgotten that most Water Types can also learn Ice moves? I mean Ice is just frozen Water. And what are Grass Types weak to? Ice!¡± Beverly laughed hysterically. ¡°Hilarious, innit? Ice is just solid Water, but Grass Types are so weak to it!¡± The girl boasted haughtily at the conclusion of her speech, complete with an uppity bitch face that would make even Misty proud. And to be fair, Beverly did deserve her moment. She swept through all six of the guy¡¯s team with just her Cloyster and Mantine without even having to show any of her aces. And the guy was in his early twenties as well, which meant that he should have been an all around more experienced trainer as compared to the eleven year old Beverly. ¡°Oof!¡± Nina thought. ¡°Mr. Grass is gonna have a hard time living this down. I¡¯m starting to wonder if he resigned from Celadon Gym or he got fired for being too weak. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising even if he hung up his belt after such a humiliating loss.¡± Regardless, it was none of her business as she set aside her musings and joined in on the other Cerulean Gym members in cheering for Beverly. Happi, banners and embarrassing slogans fully intact of course. By this point, Beverly had given up on yelling at them and chose to pretend like her colleagues didn¡¯t exist. Her scarlet red ears gave away the fact that she could still hear them fine though, so the groupies persisted with their loving encouragement. The banner slogan for this match was simply ¡°Mermaid Sisters: Grand Coordinators Extraordinaire¡±. It implicated Nina as well but nobody else knew that, so it was fine. The picture was one of Beverly sneakily using her mother¡¯s makeup for the first time ¡ª courtesy of Chelsea of course. Chapter 69 ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay for you to not go to school, Big Sis Nina?¡± Natsumi asked. The twins finally got early leave from school to come support Beverly in the conference. Unlike Nina who has been here since the beginning. ¡°Itsh fwine,¡± assured Nina, her voice muffled from the mouthful of delectable Aspear tart in her mouth. ¡°They stopped caring when I got into the Vermillion Flame. Just gotta show up for graduation cause the faculty wants pictures with me. Also, when are you two gonna let go of the ¡®Big Sis¡¯? Isn¡¯t it quite a mouthful?¡± There had actually been a lot of talk over the years about Nina skipping grades, since the syllabus was so obviously beneath her capabilities. However, with ten being such an important age for children, things got a bit complicated. Because it¡¯s not like Nina could go on a journey as a minor, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to go to trainer school without being able to legally own Pokemon. Plus, Nina herself didn¡¯t want to be an outlier. Luckily, Miss Roxy advocated for the school to consult Nina and prioritize the child¡¯s feelings, so all notions of skipping grades went out the window. ¡°But why the Vermillion Flame though?¡± Fuyumi asked, sounding somewhat wistful. ¡°Can''t you go to school in the Cerulean Gem instead?¡± She pleaded. In truth, Fuyumi was right. It didn¡¯t matter which school she went to. In fact, she didn¡¯t need to go to school at all. Nina wanted to attend trainer school purely out of curiosity and nothing else. Originally, before meeting Tini and joining the Cerulean Gym, Nina had always regarded trainer school as the most efficient way for her to start her career as a Pokemon Trainer. A sentiment largely shared by the general populace. Because trainer schools provided all sorts of equipment, facilities and resources that would be helpful in the nurture of Pokemon. But now that Nina had a Pokedex, access to the Cerulean Gym and a generous three thousand Pokedollar a month stipend from Bill when she comes of age, she didn¡¯t need to worry about blundering her way through Pokemon training anymore. And Nina figured, since she wanted to go to trainer school anyway, might as well go to one in a whole new city instead of sticking to the comforts of her home. Besides, it was nice to get away from her parents and responsibilities as a Gym Apprentice to just live her own life. Because it was almost certain that she would be expected to work part time as a Gym Trainer if she stuck around Cerulean City. Nina explained as much to the twins, who were hoping that she would change her mind and stay back. As far as she could tell, the Tendou family was more sensible in wanting their children to attend a local school, since they could stay near the Cerulean Gym and receive personal guidance from professional Gym Trainers. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Bev will be hanging around the Gym for a couple more years before she heads out again. Isn¡¯t that right Bev?¡± Nina asked the still pouting Beverly who snorted and turned her nose up at her. ¡°Aww¡­ come on, you¡¯re not still mad are you? Here, have some of this tasty tart. Ahh¡­¡± Nina grabbed a forkful of her desert and placed it near her friend¡¯s mouth. And after a bit of resistance from the older girl, she finally opened up her mouth begrudgingly. The quartet of Gym Apprentices were currently in a cafe in Indigo Village. But despite being called a village, the place was actually large enough to house an entire city¡¯s population. It was an odd place that was empty most months throughout the year, with only a few shops in operation to cater to the local League workers and Ace Trainers. However, when the Indigo Conference commences every November, the whole Village comes to life and becomes a bustling metropolis filled with tourists and merchants hoping to make a buck. It was practically one big social convention where even unrelated industries will hold expos and events during this time to take advantage of the gathered crowd. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± asked Nina. ¡°You¡¯re finally in the top eight now. A couple more matches and you¡¯ll be in the finals.¡± Beverly groaned. ¡°Urgh¡­ Don¡¯t remind me. Misty wants me in the top four and I¡¯m never going to hear the end of it if I lose this next one. Forget going on another journey, they¡¯ll probably lock me up in the Gym and make me do the conference again until I get it right.¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s paranoia. ¡°Not gonna happen. Even Misty didn¡¯t bother to redo the Indigo Conference before she took over as Gym Leader. She went out on a journey with her friends instead. So no worries.¡± At the mention of friends, Beverly winced and stared at Nina with Growlithe eyes. ¡°Are you sure you wanna go to school? We can go out and explore instead¡­ I¡¯ll even go to those dusty old ruins with you that you like so much.¡± Nina chuckled and pulled her needy, socially awkward friend into her hug. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. But it¡¯ll probably be only a couple of years until I get bored. And we will go to those dusty old ruins when we journey together, whether you like it or not.¡± ¡°Can we come with?¡± asked the twins. ¡°We wanna go out and explore with Big Sis Nina too.¡± ¡°Hey, what about me?!¡± Beverly exclaimed. ¡°And Big Sis Beverly too of course.¡± They added, with a cheeky smile. ¡°No worries, once the two of you complete the Indigo leg of your journey, I¡¯m sure we can all go traveling together. I mean, Fuyumi, you still want to face me in the conference right? I¡¯m looking forward to the challenge so work hard and don¡¯t let me down.¡± Fuyumi gave a determined nod, which only elicited laughter from the group due to how full her cheeks were with sweets. Contrary to what was depicted in the anime, trainers and Pokemon participating in the conference did not get to eat for free. After all, there were thousands of them each year and such a misguided policy will end up bankrupting everyone involved. Instead, it was the top sixteen that got to indulge in free food, albeit with a hard limit on how much feed a Pokemon got, since the ones competing at this level were mostly heavy hitters and big eaters. Hence why today¡¯s tea party was courtesy of Beverly. *** Nina cheered along with the other members of the Cerulean Gym at the entrance of their colleague. By this point, everyone was already used to their antics, and the cheer squad had even gathered quite a following with other unrelated people printing their own happis and banners to cheer alongside them. Not to mention Beverly herself, who had become somewhat of a celebrity due to all the attention they directed her way, and with the girl¡¯s outburst against the Grass Specialist in her first match going viral on the Pokenet. Beverly walked confidently onto her platform, having learnt to automatically tune out the embarrassing chants at this point. Her opponent was someone who looked like he just stepped out of a renaissance fair with a full suit of chainmail, slicked back hair and a wispy handlebar mustache. ¡°This might be a tough one¡­¡± murmured Daisy, who had snuck out to join them as promised. ¡°You know the guy?¡± asked Nina. ¡°No, but I read his profile. He¡¯s a Dragon Tamer from Galar. No idea what he¡¯s doing here, but he has quite an impressive record ¡ª four Star Badges, including one from Blaine. But he ran out of time before he could reach ours, otherwise he might have had five.¡± Nina gaped at the revelation. ¡°That¡¯s really bad for Bev, isn¡¯t it? No way she¡¯s gonna win this one.¡± Daisy nodded but still flashed a reassuring smile and caressed the concerned Nina¡¯s head. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. That¡¯s just the nature of the conference. It¡¯s likely that this guy will go on to win the whole thing since we don¡¯t have many Fairy Type Specialists in our region. It¡¯s just bad luck. The most important thing is for us to support Bev and believe in her no matter what. You never know, miracles can happen.¡± Nina grabbed hold of her necklace and began praying. ¡°Mew, if you ever wanted to flex your miracle making prowess, now would be a good time.¡± Fortunately, Mew did pull through. Though not necessarily in an ideal way. Things started off well enough, the Dragon Tamer sent out a Shelgon to face Beverly¡¯s Cloyster. The girl seemed to have done prior research on her opponent, because right away she set the field by doubling down on Blizzard and Snowscape to turn the grassy field into a winter wonderland. She even commanded Pearl to spam Surf, Ice Beam and Ice Spike to essentially terraform the field to her liking, fully taking advantage of the fact that Shelgon could do nothing against her sturdy Cloyster. The Dragon Tamer tried his best, but eventually decided to swap out Shelgon for a Duraludon, who wasn¡¯t as vulnerable to Ice compared to your typical Dragon thanks to its Steel body. Pearl hung in there for as long as she could, even managing to lay down Toxic Spikes in the form of purple icicles on her opponent¡¯s side of the field. But despite severely damaging the Duraludon with an Ice Beam and freezing a couple of its joints, the Cloyster fainted in the end. Beverly¡¯s next play was Luna, who handily took down the alloy Pokemon with a single empowered Dragon Pulse. She was then met with an Altaria, who¡¯s Cloud Nine ability in combination with Sunny Day cleared the weather. The Dragon bird then tried to melt the icy field with Fire attacks but Luna was having none of it as she bombarded her opponent with a series of Ice attacks that were super effective thanks to the Altaria¡¯s dual Flying and Dragon Typing. In the end, Altaria fainted without doing much damage to the field, and was then replaced with a Flygon who stuck to the sky and attempted to take on the relatively landbound Kingdra with aerial bombardments. Unfortunately for the other Dragon, Luna had trained under the best Dragon Dancer in the entirety of Kanto, so she easily dodged around the projectiles and even overwrote the Sunny Day and Sandstorm with a Rain Dance and Blizzard combo. Unfortunately, this meant covering the ice field with a layer of mud that limited its efficacy. Which as it turns out, was exactly what the Dragon Tamer was after. Because the moment that Flygon fainted, he sent in Garchomp who made full use of the muddied ground to rework the terrain into something more Dragon friendly. Luna tried her best, but the Garchomp was not only viciously relentless in its offense, but also extremely cunning in its defense. It was especially proficient in using Sand Tomb to block all attacks and Dig to dodge and ambush its opponent. It was clear that the Pokemon was one of the Dragon Tamer¡¯s aces. When met with the Garchomp¡¯s melee offense, Luna eventually fainted. It was unfortunate that the Kingdra was more geared towards range and special attack. To take her place, Beverly sent out her Mantine, which Nina thought was a mistake at the time. The older girl probably thought that she could wear down the Garchomp from the skies given how dependent it was on melee. But that was not true at all. The intense sandstorm raged on despite Sora¡¯s best efforts to clear it with Rain Dance and Hail. Garchomp¡¯s mastery over its element was simply on a whole other level compared to the inexperienced Mantine¡¯s. Visibility was poor, which meant that neither Beverly nor Sora could see well enough to make any good decisions. And with a combination of wide area Scorching Sands to coral the flying stingray, alongside some well aimed Stone Edge bullets to snipe at the Mantine, Sora eventually fell from the sky and fainted. Next up was Ryu the Gyarados. Beverly wanted to clear the hazardous sandstorm with the sea serpents supremacy in weather control, which he did manage to accomplish, but not for free as he had to do so while under constant assault from the Garchomp. Ryu did eventually faint the Garchomp by drowning it in wide area Water and Ice attacks; he used a surf to wash the Garchomp away and flood any holes it dug, and an Icy Wind to suppress the Ground Dragon in order to restart Blizzard and freeze the ground, preventing any further digging. Finally, an Ice Beam and Dragon pulse combo to wrap things up. But then, things took a turn. With an intimidating roar, a Haxorus landed on the field. Though it was clear that this wasn¡¯t just your run of the mill Pokemon. This Haxorus looked ancient, with scars all over its dull golden scales. One of its blood red eyes was also missing, looking as if something had gouged it out. But the sheer overwhelming aura of the Dragon was what stood out the most, as the entire stadium went silent at its glare. Even Beverly¡¯s Gyarados reeled back somewhat in the presence of his opponent''s pure, unadulterated killing intent. What happened afterwards was a complete beatdown. The Haxorus dashed towards Ryu while simultaneously activating Swords Dance and Dragon Dance, not even bothering to clear the weather and set up like its previous colleagues. Beverly commanded for an Outrage which briefly held back the Haxorus, only for the Dragon to quickly recover and grab onto the Gyarados¡¯s horns and saddle itself on top of Ryu¡¯s head. Then, with a powerful swing of its shining axe blades and a gush of blood, a massive gash appeared on Ryu¡¯s face as the Gyarados fainted in one hit. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beverly was hysterical, immediately returning her injured companion in full stasis and frantically yelling for someone to take the Pokeball to a nurse right away. At this point the referee called for a pause to the match as a panel of judges deliberated on what to do about the Haxorus¡¯s actions. After all, this was a tournament and not the battlefield, some degree of sportsmanship was expected from all participants involved. Nina along with the rest of the audience was aghast at what had just transpired. ¡°What¡­ In Distortion was that?¡± She murmured. ¡°Guillotine,¡± answered a scowling Daisy. ¡°It¡¯s a lethal move that¡¯s banned all over the world, since there¡¯s no way to use it safely without causing severe harm. That guy is likely going to be disqualified and banned from the Indigo Conference.¡± ¡°Is Ryu going to be okay?¡± asked a concerned Natsumi. Daisy hummed in consideration. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, but I think he should be fine. Worst case scenario, he gets left with a scar and some trauma. That Haxorus could have easily chopped Ryu¡¯s head off, but intentionally held back. In that sense, I suppose there¡¯s still some consideration to be made for clemency.¡± Nina winced. ¡°If that was holding back then I don¡¯t want to know what the real thing would look like.¡± In the end, Daisy¡¯s predictions came true. Haxorus was eliminated and banned from the conference, but its trainer was allowed to continue with his final Pokemon, which was the Shelgon he returned earlier. Beverly took on the innocent Pokemon with the wrathful vindictiveness of someone whose loved one was nearly killed. She sent out her Quagsire who slammed the Shelgon all around the arena before covering it in mud and finishing it off with a direct Earthquake to its innards. It is said that inside a Shelgon¡¯s shell was a Bagon whose body was undergoing metamorphosis into Salamence. Hence why the shell is so sturdy, in order to protect the delicate innards. As to what sort of effect a devastating Earthquake will do to Shelgon¡¯s delicate interior, nobody knows. But it is likely that its trainer will find out eventually. Nina hoped that the Salamence won¡¯t come out all deformed, but for now, the most important thing was that Beverly had an opportunity to vent. Otherwise, she could easily see this twisting her friend¡¯s personality towards a darker path. Chapter 70 ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go on without Ryu¡­¡± Nina tightened her embrace on Beverly who was crying into her arms. The two girls were currently in the waiting room of Indigo Village¡¯s Pokemon hospital, where Beverly¡¯s Gyarados was sent. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that,¡± assured Nina. ¡°The nurses said that Ryu will be fine. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t want to see you give up like this. Surely you must have caught other Pokemon as well right?¡± Ryu would indeed be fine, but the nurses gave a one month estimated recovery period. Which meant that the Gyarados would not be able to compete in the rest of the Indigo Conference. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beverly sniffled. ¡°I¡¯ve got an Azumarill, but she¡¯s not strong enough. The rest aren¡¯t really trained up either.¡± Nina nodded in understanding, Ryu¡¯s withdrawal was a huge blow to Beverly¡¯s fighting strength. The Gyarados was Beverly¡¯s bruiser, the one Pokemon that she took out when she needed to deal with a tricky situation or make a turnaround through sheer brute force alone, much like how it was when she was faced with that Garchomp. ¡°There you are.¡± The one who called out to them was Misty, whose heels clacked rhythmically on the sterile floor before sitting down next to the girls and joined in on the cuddle. ¡°How¡¯s things?¡± The Gym leader asked Nina. ¡°Ryu will be fine, but out of action for a month. Bev¡¯s worried that she¡¯s not gonna make it with her spares.¡± Misty sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. These things happen,¡± she said in a somewhat dejected tone. ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know that asshole will be banned from both Kanto and Johto circuits, which he had plans of going to after this. I personally petitioned for it myself. Though the League stopped short of outright banning him from our borders.¡± However, she did add that there would be a black mark on the Dragon Tamer¡¯s record. So wherever he goes after this, he would be tracked and faced with intense scrutiny. To ensure this doesn¡¯t happen again. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that this hasn¡¯t happened before. I mean surely there must have been a better move than Guillotine to use at that moment, right?¡± Nina asked. That bloodthirsty Haxorus was clearly a little deranged in Nina¡¯s mind Misty scoffed. ¡°To my knowledge, that Pokemon isn¡¯t even his. It¡¯s a hand-me-down. That fool called it his family¡¯s sacred axe. It was well behaved in all the Star battles ¡ª that¡¯s how he got all his Star badges by the way, he pulled out the Haxorus whenever things looked bad. My guess is that Pokemon used to be a soldier, probably had some sort of Gyarados related trauma. Which was why he was so heavy handed. ¡°All things considered, it really was a blessing that Bev¡¯s Gyarados didn¡¯t have his head chopped off.¡± Beverly¡¯s crying intensified at Misty¡¯s final thought, earning the woman a glare from Nina. ¡°So the guy relied on his family¡¯s ringer to make it this far then? Fucking nepo baby!¡± The younger girl swore in a very uncharacteristic moment. Usually, Nina would try to keep her inner Miles suppressed and play the good girl. But the sight of Ryu¡¯s bloodied and limp figure was still very fresh in her mind. ¡°Fucking nepo baby indeed¡­¡± Misty echoed. ¡°Anyways, you shouldn¡¯t give up, Bev. I doubt your Gyarados would like that. I¡¯ve seen first hand how hard he¡¯s worked to get you this far after all. You shouldn¡¯t let his efforts go to waste so long as there¡¯s still hope.¡± Beverly nodded feebly, though Nina could tell that her heart wasn¡¯t in it. In the end, Beverly¡¯s Indigo Conference ended at the top four. Her Azumarill couldn¡¯t fill the massive hole that Ryu left behind despite Beverly¡¯s best efforts. And the girl did indeed try her best. After receiving a ton of encouragement from the people around her, Beverly managed to snap herself out of her grief and hold together long enough to push through that last battle. *** Nina was reluctant to leave Beverly who stayed behind in Indigo Village to be with her Gyarados, but Tini still had to take part in this year¡¯s Cerulean on Ice, and Nina had to help out and attend her graduation as well. A couple of the Gym staff did opt to stay behind though, and Chelsea even flew in from Cerulean City to look after her daughter. ¡°Nina, would you be willing to be the ring bearer in my wedding?¡± asked Ali. Nina¡¯s look at her uncle with her mouth agape. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re getting married? When did this happen? Why haven¡¯t I heard about this? And to whom?¡± Ali chuckled at his niece¡¯s surprised reaction. ¡°That¡¯s cause I haven¡¯t proposed yet, silly. And to Misty of course, who else? I reached out to some of the ladies from the Gym and I¡¯m thinking of skating out at the end of her performance to pop the question.¡± The man flashed a cocky grin at Nina. ¡°Whaddya think? Super romantic right?¡± Nina shook her head vigorously. ¡°No! That¡¯s a terrible idea! What if she says no, Uncle Ali. Have you considered that? There¡¯ll be hundreds of people in the audience, not to mention the thousands watching online. You¡¯ll become a meme!¡± This was a train wreck waiting to happen. Nina¡¯s uncle was finally in a better state, mentally. He finally got a job, even though he often complained about it. And most importantly, he was happy. If Misty breaks his heart in public, it would be devastating. Even the boisterous and thick skinned Alias Jones would struggle to recover from a trauma like that. Ali simply brushed off Nina¡¯s concerns and gave the girl a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± He said nonchalantly. ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± Nina yelled in her head. This was the Misty Mizuhana they were talking about ¡ª the most notorious femme fatale of Cerulean City. Sure, Ali¡¯s relationship with the woman had been uncharacteristically stable, but Nina attributed that to her Uncle¡¯s persistent charm and novelty as opposed to Misty¡¯s faithfulness. In fact, the girl wouldn¡¯t have been surprised at all to learn that her boss has been cheating on Ali behind his back. Not that she had seen or heard any indication of such infidelity. Ali grabbed the frozen Nina and sat the girl on his lap for some reassuring headpats. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± He reiterated. The man seemed oddly confident about his prospects. ¡°Surely he would have seen through Misty¡¯s true colors by now right?¡± thought Nina. They¡¯ve been together for over a year at this point, there was no way that Misty was able to maintain a demure and classy facade for so long. ¡°Heck! That woman passed out from drinking too much while we were under siege by Team Rocket. He should at least know about her alcoholic tendencies.¡± Despite Nina¡¯s best efforts, her uncle was undeterred. And in the end, she did agree to be his ringbearer, because who else was he gonna ask if not her. But if and only if he managed to secure the proposal. She also tried to convince him to wear a mask during his audacious stunt to avoid being recognised by the public, only to be laughed at by Ali. *** Nina gnawed on her fingers so much that they might as well be stumps by now. This year¡¯s Cerulean on Ice was about to reach its climax. The theme being the Pokemon world¡¯s creation Myth, with each of the Cerulean Sisters taking on the role of a Pokemon of Myth; Violet was Dialga, Lily was Palkia, Daisy Giratina, and Misty was Arceus, the Original One. They were entering a scene where Arceus battled Giratina to banish the latter into the Distortion World, so it was only Misty and Daisy on the ice. Tini was just playing a supporting role this time, so he had long exited the stage and was watching alongside Nina in the logistics room, still in full costume and body paint. As the music reached its crescendo, a single concentrated spotlight shone on ¡®Giratina¡¯, causing Daisy to wail in agony and dramatically curse all of Arceus¡¯s creations. And at the end, a hole opened up in the ice to swallow the dark clad actress in its freezing depths, before sealing up again with an Aurora Beam from underneath. The music settled as Misty¡¯s Arceus was lowered to the ground, doing an elegant flourish and bow all the while, eliciting heated applause from the audience. At this point, the script called for all the cast members to congregate and do a final curtain call for the audience. Even Tini had disappeared at some point when Nina wasn¡¯t looking. However, that did not happen. Instead, Misty just stood alone on the ice until the audience settled down, thinking that there might be an encore in store. All the while, the Gym Leader dressed in her white and golden attire wore a light smirk and merely focused her gaze at a certain direction of the arena, as if waiting for something to occur. Nina was on the verge of pulling her hair out from anxiety at this point, knowing what sort of tragedy was going to unfold. And sure enough, a well-built man in a flamboyant looking white tuxedo, fully matching Misty¡¯s dress, skated out onto the ice with a poise full of confidence. That was, until Misty held up her hand and a bunch of Florges descended out of nowhere to begin circling the interloper, stopping him in his tracks. Ali actually looked bewildered, as if this wasn¡¯t part of the plan, though he schooled his expression back to his usual radiant smile soon enough. ¡°Well, well, well¡­ Do you honestly think you can pull a fast one on me? In my gym?¡± asked the haughty looking Misty. Ali gave an awkward laugh and resisted the urge to scratch the back of his laugh. ¡°No, I suppose not. Nina did tell me this was going to be a bad idea,¡± he replied. Nina groaned into her palms. ¡°They mic¡¯d him up? Seriously?! Who¡¯s freaking idea was that?!¡± Misty grinned, and shifted her expression to the arrogant facade which she normally used to face her Gym Challengers. ¡°Indeed. Do you have any idea who I am, Alias Jones?¡± The woman took in a deep breath, and turned her nose up at the man she was addressing. ¡°I am Misty Mizuhana; Leader of the Cerulean Gym, Water Type Master and head of the Mizuhana clan.And I will NOT allow anyone to hold my reins.¡± Ali seemed to wilt at his paramour¡¯s decisive words, smile faltering and shoulders visibly drooping. Meanwhile, Nina¡¯s veins were bulging from anger. ¡°Is this really freaking necessary? Fucking bitch! If you knew he was going to do this then you should have stopped him before he went ahead with it. Not humiliate him live in front of a regional audience!¡± But then, with a snap of her fingers, the orchestra restarted, playing a slow romantic tune in concert with all the reappearing cast members who began an elegant ballet sequence. ¡°Alias Jones,¡± continued Misty, whose face had visibly softened to that of a maiden in love. ¡°Ever since you came into my life, you have brought me nothing but smiles and sunshine¡­¡± The music slowly began picking up in volume. ¡°Despite all of my flaws and the poisoned words of others, you have never once attempted to change me, simply accepting my broken self for who I am, and showering me with endless love and affection.¡± Misty sensually skated towards the subject of her affection, the ring of Florges parting ways for her with a spin into a beautifully synchronized Petal Dance, causing flower petals to rain all over the frozen arena. ¡°Seeing you battle your own demons and working hard to better yourself for the sake of those you love inspires in me the desire to do the same.¡± Misty took a knee and glided to her frozen lover¡¯s side. ¡°Alias Jones, you are a ray of sunshine in the dark stormy seas that is my soul¡­ ¡°I wish dearly to welcome you into my life so that you may illuminate it further, and in doing so, I hope to provide you solace and a home in return.¡± The orange haired Goddess of Light reached into her cleavage and pulled out a box which opened up to reveal a titanium ring adorned with a brilliant blue gemstone that was approximately the size of an adult¡¯s thumb. How in the world Misty managed to secure such a heavy package in her breasts while dancing and flying around was beyond Nina. But she could hear gasps of awe from the audience when the cameras zoomed in on the ring. ¡°Alias Jones, my love, my light¡­ Will you marry me?¡± Ali gawked in disbelief at the words that just entered his ears, and before he knew it, a single stream of tears flowed down from his eye. ¡°Yes¡­¡± He muttered instinctively, brain still too overwhelmed to process any rational thought. ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, yes!¡± Ali repeated, louder and louder each time as the realization of Misty¡¯s proposal slowly dawned on him. The audacious Gym Leader let out a brilliant smile and gracefully stood up to secure her ring onto Ali¡¯s finger. The two then fell into each other¡¯s embrace and melded together in a passionate kiss. At the sight of the heartwarming scene, the audience and cast members exploded into rapturous applause, some even crying in tears from how touched they were, including Nina, whose face had turned into a snot filled mess at some point, prompting a motherly staff member to kneel down and wipe the girl with a handkerchief. After they were done kissing, Misty pulled Ali into the center of the arena for a final waltz. The performers surrounding the couple, humans and Pokemon alike, all broke out into a joyous celebratory number to cap off the evening¡¯s dramatic show. Among them was Nina¡¯s Dratini, who was crying out in joyful laughter at the successful proposal. ¡°That sneaky little bastard!¡± Nina thought, when she caught sight of Tini. ¡°He knew about this all along and never told me about it!¡± Nina swore to cut down on the number of Bluk Berries she fed to the conniving Dragon for the next month out of pure spite. Chapter 71: End of Part One ¡°My lovely granddaughter is all grown up now!¡± Melina Ashes grabbed hold of Nina and spun her around aggressively until Nina¡¯s eyes swirled like a fainted Pokemon. ¡°Mother, enough! You¡¯re going to get her all dizzy before the party!¡± Leanette yelled. ¡°Oh pish,¡± dismissed Melina, but let Nina down regardless. ¡°My granddaughter isn¡¯t so weak. Right, Nina?!¡± With a pat from her grandmother, Nina tripped and stumbled into her Uncle Ali who grabbed hold of her and kept the girl steady. The man knelt down, told his niece to close her eyes and covered the girl¡¯s ears with his extra large hands. ¡°That¡¯s it¡­ Breathe in slowly and focus on feeling your legs.¡± He instructed, chuckling after seeing Nina steady herself. ¡°Your daughter is right,¡± continued Ali. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want her stomach churning before she¡¯s had a chance to taste all this wonderful food Nancy prepared for her.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°And who in the Distortion are you?¡± Melina asked, flustered to be ganged up on by a stranger. Ali laughed at the old lady¡¯s memory. ¡°Alias Jones, Patrick¡¯s brother. I think the last time we met was back at my brother¡¯s wedding.¡± He stood up and reached a hand out to the woman for a handshake. Which Melina gladly obliged by squeezing the man¡¯s hand tight in an attempt to crush it, metaphorical sparks forming between the two as they locked eyes. After regaining her bearings, Nina slipped away from her family, no longer wanting any part of this drama. She was currently in the Cerulean Gym, attending her own Coming of Age party. All of her close friends and family were invited and Nancy had gone all out in the catering, opting for a full pescetarian spread with no Pokemon carcass in sight. After all, it was Nina¡¯s day and her preferences took precedence. The girl looked around and saw a bunch of familiar faces, including Bill and Hikari who took precious time out of their schedule to attend. ¡°I should go and thank them for coming, knowing how busy they are.¡± And with that thought, she approached the couple to do just that. ¡°Ah, Nina! The star of the day,¡± Bill greeted. ¡°And no worries at all, Hikari never misses an opportunity to party. And I¡¯d be remiss not to come and offer my blessings as well.¡± Hikari giggled, the woman¡¯s laughter was melodic as ever. ¡°It took a lot to get this stubborn Tauros out of the lab. I forget if we¡¯ve told you, but Melanie¡¯s friend, the Alpha Parasect has agreed to be relocated to our ranch. Her presence has riled up my husband and his researchers as of late.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Nina cheered at the news. ¡°Parasect will be safe in the Sea Cottage. Just make sure not to overwhelm her too much, okay?¡± She said to Bill. ¡°She¡¯s had enough trauma pertaining to humans already. No point adding more baggage to the pile.¡± Bill looked a little sheepish at the reminder while Hikari nodded along in agreement. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been telling them much the same thing. But not to worry, Parasect¡¯s stay in our estate is merely transitory. To free up resources at the Pokemon Center since she is no longer in need of treatment. We do have plans to transfer her over to the Safari Zone at some point, once she¡¯s ready to move on, of course.¡± After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Nina moved on to her other guests, trying to prioritize those that she hadn¡¯t seen in awhile. She spotted Tini together with a Donphan, arguing over a piece of pie while Stephen was looking over them and smiling at the scene. ¡°Hey Stephen,¡± greeted Nina. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Nina! Happy Coming of Age! I swear it felt like just yesterday that you were yay tall.¡± Stephen gestured towards his knees, causing Nina to puff up her cheeks in defiance. ¡°I was never that small!¡± She argued, eliciting laughter from the man as he reached down to pat the girl in the head. Though to be fair, the man¡¯s knees were taller than most. ¡°So you¡¯re going to the same school as Charlie right?¡± He said, while the two of them grabbed plates and began going through the buffet. ¡°I am, yeah,¡± responded the girl. ¡°Is he well, by the way? I haven¡¯t heard from him in a while. And the few times that I tried calling, he never picked up.¡± Stephen laughed. ¡°He¡¯s fine. Boys will be boys. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just going through an awkward phase right now. I¡¯ll pass you his address, so just go knock on his door when you get a chance. He¡¯s living with his aunt and cousins right now.¡± Nina nodded, despite having gone through the same awkward teenage boy phase in her past life, she could not claim to understand the hearts of hormonal teens anymore than Stephen did. So she just accepted the man¡¯s words as they were. The food was great, as expected of Nancy, whom she and Stephen went to greet when they spotted her conversing with Kumiko and Chelsea. Nina thanked the woman for gracing her special day with her impeccable culinary prowess and proceeded to heap tons of praise onto her, which the woman merely brushed off as a small matter. After engaging in more friendly conversation with the adults, Nina left the group and made her way over to the Cerulean Sisters and Beverly, who flew back from Indigo Village just to attend her best friend¡¯s coming of age. Even though her Gyarados had yet to recover. In truth, Nina wanted to delay the party for her friend¡¯s sake, but Pokemon society was quite a stickler when it comes to a child¡¯s Coming of Age celebrations. So she was assured that it would be fine and that Beverly wouldn¡¯t mind stepping away for just a day. Just to note, a child¡¯s Coming of Age is usually held during the first week of the new year. There were even communal celebrations that would be hosted in various different venues for kids with smaller or busier families who couldn¡¯t make preparations of their own to celebrate. The week after that would typically be when children receive their starters and Trainer license so that they could have some time to get to know their Pokemon before heading out on a journey or commencing school in February. ¡°Hey Bev¡­¡± Nina reached out with her spare hand to embrace the older girl, who looked a little listless and haggard. ¡°How¡¯s Ryu?¡± Beverly kissed her best friend on the cheek and buried her face in Nina¡¯s nape. ¡°Happy Coming of Age, Nins. And yeah¡­ He¡¯s alright. They finally let me go in to see him.¡± Nina tightened her embrace on Beverly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Bev, I told them I wanted to wait for you and Ryu to be back before celebrating,¡± she said, only to be met with a vigorous head shake from her friend. ¡°No it¡¯s fine, I wouldn¡¯t want to miss this for the world.¡± Beverly let out a strained laugh. ¡°You know, they asked me if I wanted to remove the scar on Ryu¡¯s face. I couldn¡¯t decide, so I asked him. And what do you know? He said no. Probably thinks it¡¯s all cool and badass from the way he was making funny faces in the mirror.¡± Nina laughed at the imagery, boys do love their scars. She could attest to this as a former member of the gender. ¡°That¡¯s good to know, sounds like he really is fine. But how are you feeling though? I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s easy to be reminded of the incident everytime you look at Ryu¡¯s face. Maybe you should talk to him and ask him to reconsider? I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Beverly shook her head once more. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Ryu¡¯s the real victim here. If he¡¯s strong enough to survive¡­ that. Then as his trainer, I shouldn¡¯t pussy out either. I¡¯ll get over it eventually. Once Ryu recovers and I know for sure he¡¯s alright.¡± There was a determined gleam in the girl¡¯s eyes, indicating to Nina that she¡¯ll be fine. After giving Beverly another squeeze, she turned to address her cousins with a deep bow. ¡°Thank you guys so much for taking me in and guiding me throughout all these years. I don¡¯t think I would have accomplished so much before my Coming of Age if not for your generosity and care.¡± Misty reached out and gently patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Oh please¡­ Look at her, acting like this is gonna be the end or something. Once a Gym Apprentice, always a Gym Apprentice. Don¡¯t think you can get away from us just yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± echoed Violet. ¡°You¡¯re the only person here in this place that has half a brain cell worth squeezing. Business has been on the up and up since you¡¯ve joined us, and our rebranding efforts have been going really well, so don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let go of you just yet. Especially since there¡¯s still some worth in the Aquarium Girl IP.¡± Lily chimed in. ¡°Yeap, we¡¯ll call into the Vermillion Flame for October. Trainer schools are pretty understanding of the needs of us Gyms since practical experience is also good for their students. So we expect you back for at least a month during the year. ¡®Cept this time, you¡¯ll be in a swimsuit screening challengers. I¡¯ve already registered you under our Gym, so don¡¯t think you can go running off to Surge or Sabrina or something.¡± Nina paled at the thought of her being forced into bikinis and heels, instinctively turning around to run away from her unreasonably demanding bosses, but was yanked back by Misty who reached out to grab Nina by the scruff of her hoodie. ¡°Dammit! I should have agreed to the formal dress code.¡± She cursed. ¡°I knew I had a good eye for talent,¡± bragged Daisy. ¡°What¡¯d I tell you bitches? Nina¡¯s a big fat hidden pearl, just needs a bit of polishing.¡± Lily rolled her eyes. ¡°We already knew that when we saw her during Little League, you skank. And don¡¯t call the girl fat just ¡®cause you¡¯ve been gaining weight, fatso. It¡¯s rude.¡± said the red haired Cerulean Sister, signaling the beginning of an ensuing catfight. Nina simply sighed in exasperation as a crowd of people gathered around them, cheering and hollering at the barbaric women. She was half expecting the other two sisters to step in and stop them but they only added fuel into the fire instead, with Violet taking bets and Misty cheering along with the rabble. Curiously, the youngest Cerulean Sister didn¡¯t have a drink in hand. Usually, in a party like this, she¡¯d be halfway through her second bottle by now. ¡°Huh? I guess Uncle Ali really did get through to her. That¡¯s good to know.¡± *** That night, Nina laid in bed with both her Pokemon, staring wistfully at the ceiling. ¡°So this is it, I¡¯m finally ten years old. It¡¯s been a long time coming huh, Tini?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Nina booped her partner in the nose and gave him a kiss. ¡°Thanks for being so patient with me Tini. I know you¡¯ve been ready to evolve for quite some time now. It¡¯s just going to be a little bit longer.¡± Tini nuzzled up against Nina affectionately, as if to tell his partner not to worry. Nina giggled and scratched Tini in his favorite spot, pressing another kiss onto the Dratini. ¡°I know you¡¯re eager to go out and travel, and I am too. But I think it might be good for us to spend a couple more years in trainer school just to build up our team. I have a feeling that¡¯ll be hard to do while we¡¯re on the road.¡± This was Nina¡¯s true purpose for wanting to delay her journey. She wanted to at least get a couple more Pokemon before setting out, and nurturing new Pokemon was just easier in a stable environment. ¡°I still have Professor Oak¡¯s offer in reserve, but I¡¯m gonna leave that till the end when I run out of options.¡± ¡°Besides, Espy still needs a bit more time to develop. Let¡¯s wait for her to evolve first shall we?¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± echoed the good natured, not-so-little-anymore Dragon. While Nina reached over to the sleepy brown fur ball, who was laying on her own little cushion by her human¡¯s side, and gave Espy a gentle caress. In a rare occasion, the Eevee had lost control and stuffed herself full of Nancy¡¯s impeccable cooking during the party earlier. Nina cooed at the cute little frown that Espy had on her face, as she struggled with her bulging stomach. The gluttonous little princess even let out a little burp when Nina rubbed at her back, much like a baby who had just finished feeding. Nina had to hold back a squeal to avoid waking the sleeping cutie. Tini yawned. The Dratini had his fair share of food as well after getting too competitive with his best friend, who had evolved into a Donphan at some point during the years. ¡°Shame that I missed out on the moment¡­¡± Nina yawned after being infected by Tini. The girl closed her eyes and gradually drifted off to sleep. ¡°Good night , Tini¡­¡± ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Chapter 72 The first thing that Nina noticed when she walked out of the Sky Taxi terminal was the noise; the cacophony of footsteps and chatter as people and Pokemon flooded the streets of Vermillion City, all of whom looked to be in a hurry to go somewhere. There were men and women in business suits, trained Pelippers carrying an assortment of mail and packages, a vendor chasing after thieving lost Pokemon, Machokes lifting furniture to be delivered and so on. Another thing that really set the city apart was the sheer amount of vehicles that were on the road. Unlike Cerulean and Saffron, which possessed robust public transportation systems, and Pewter where the roads were too narrow to fit most cars, Vermillion City was bustling with motor vehicle activity, enough to cause traffic jams as impatient drivers honked in frustration at the slow moving line. It almost reminded Nina of New York in a way. Especially when it came to the gleaming glass towers looming over the skyline. But of course, being that this was the Pokemon world, all the cars were electric, so the air lacked the grimy, acrid scent of smoke that plagued the metropolis of Nina¡¯s old world. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the skyscrapers blocking out the sky were much more aesthetic and artsy in their designs, being that the development of Vermillion City was relatively recent. The buildings actually reminded Nina a lot of home, since the Cerulean College produced a lot of architects and artists, but utilizing much more industrial concrete and steel in their construction. ¡°Tiin¡­¡± Tini cried in awe. The Dragon had never experienced such a crowded and dense cityscape before. Even Saffron City paled in comparison to the sheer hustle of Vermillion. It was no wonder that they were no longer Kanto¡¯s most populous city. ¡°Right, Tini,¡± called Nina, snapping the Dratini from his wonderment. ¡°There¡¯s a week to go before school starts so there¡¯ll be plenty of time for us to explore the city. For now, we need to get to the dorms and drop off our luggage. Are you okay with walking next to me?¡± ¡°Draa!¡± Tini cried in affirmation. Nina¡¯s partner wasn¡¯t wrapped around her as usual because she was already overwhelmed from carrying a bulky backpack and dragging an extra large suitcase around, and this was in addition to Espy who was standing on said backpack and propped against her human¡¯s head. The backpack was actually a Coming of Age gift from Nina¡¯s family ¡ª a Silph Co one with expanded dimensional storage. However, its storage capacity wasn¡¯t unlimited and there was only so much weight it could mitigate, hence the extra suitcase for her other stuff. Even Misty chipped in, in an attempt to score some extra brownie points as Nina¡¯s future aunt, which enabled them to buy a higher end model with a refrigerated compartment for fresh foods. The Rockfords were also nice enough to give her a bunch of camping gear which she appreciated greatly. And Nancy¡¯s gift to her was the delicious banquet at her party. The clothes she was wearing at the moment were also gifts, but from the Cerulean Gym. The ladies had all chipped into a pool and tasked Beverly and the twins with taking Nina clothes shopping, saying that hoodies, shorts and sneakers weren¡¯t chic enough to represent their Gym. In fact, most of the contents of the suitcase was because the girls had gone overboard in their shopping. She was currently wearing a pair of white jeans with black lacy boots and a seafoam blue tank top. She had wanted regular blue jeans but Beverly said it was lame and insisted on white even though they stained easily. That said, she drew the line at the ripped jeans that Beverly had originally wanted. The boots had raised soles of course, anything less was unacceptable to Beverly. This was a compromise that Nina made because she refused to wear heels. ¡°I mean, who in their right mind would walk around with heels in the wild?¡± Even Beverly wasn¡¯t that senseless, the girl was just too caught up in the shopping spree at the time. Which was fine, because that day was the most that Nina had seen her friend smile since Ryu got injured, and the only reason why Nina indulged her as much as she did. Even going so far as buying a brand new set of party dress and heels which she will likely outgrow before she even has the chance to use more than once. Her favorite piece however, was the puffy windbreaker that the twins picked out for her. It was yellow on the outside, lined with a dark blue interior and made with a miracle material that was not only breathable, but could also moderately regulate Nina¡¯s temperature using a little dial near her chest. It was extremely practical and also useful in maintaining Nina¡¯s modesty, which was the only reason why she agreed to wear a tank top to begin with. Beverly pouted because she thought that yellow was garish. But Nina figured, since she already created an image of wearing yellow boots in the Gym, might as well stick with the motif. Throw a hat into the mix to complement her ponytail and the whole package actually came together really well. In fact, Nina liked it enough to buy an extra two sets as a spare. Except for the windbreaker, because that thing was ludicrously expensive. Besides, she¡¯ll probably need to buy a new one once she outgrows it anyway. ¡°Right, subway''s that way.¡± Nina adjusted her grip on her suitcase and began walking. But a few steps in she stopped and looked up at Espy. ¡°Espy, do you mind riding on my suitcase? I don¡¯t want anyone to steal it when I¡¯m not looking. Please?¡± That was a lie and Nina¡¯s empathic Eevee knew it as well. However, for the regal Espy, pretense was important. And it did certainly sound better than ¡°You¡¯re real heavy, Espy. Could you get off my head?¡± ¡°Vee.¡± The Eevee replied simply, before jumping off Nina¡¯s backpack onto her suitcase instead. *** ¡°Woah¡­¡± Nina and Tini sparkled at the wide sandy beach in front of them. Meanwhile, the look on Espy¡¯s face indicated disdain at the thought of getting sand stuck in her precious fur. The Vermillion Flame was located near a slightly detached college town at the southeastern side of the city. And the atmosphere was pretty much what one would expect from a place dominated by young students and tourists, filled with trendy cafes, restaurants, street performers, food trucks and so on. The chill and fun vibes of the place was a stark contrast compared to the suffocating urban environment of its parent city. Nina checked the map on her Pokedex for navigation and hummed. ¡°Says here the school is located on that cliff up there, so we¡¯ll need to take a bus. Are you guys hungry yet? Let¡¯s grab some food before we head to the bus station. ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°E!¡± Nina chuckled and headed towards the gathering of food trucks she spotted by the beach. The girl ultimately opted for fish and chips, while Tini got an extra serving of kebabs piled on top of coleslaw and chips. Espy, being a lady of more refined taste, opted for a Pokebowl with an extra side of berry salsa. And since they were all curious, Nina got a portion of takoyaki to share between them as well. Everything was delicious if a bit overpriced, as one would expect from a touristy spot like this. But after a hearty lunch, Nina flashed her acceptance email and took a free student bus that brought them up to the Vermilion Flame¡¯s campus. The bus driver was even kind enough to lower the disability ramp for her so Nina didn¡¯t need to heft her heavy suitcase up the steps. The Vermillion Flame was very European, or rather Kalosian by this world¡¯s standard, consisting of a stone construct with lots of arches and towering spirals. It was a little uncanny to find such architecture in the distinctly Japanese Kanto. But according to Nina¡¯s research, the place was originally a stronghold for foreign settlers who were eventually forced out by the natives. The castle itself was eventually repurposed into a school by its founders. However, decades of intermarriage and assimilation meant that their foreign lineage remained. Hence why there were a lot of ¡®western¡¯ sounding names in the four eastern regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. Adjacent to the ancient castle were more modern buildings, one of which was the Vermillion College and Research Institute, and another pair of blocky apartment buildings that served as the gender segregated dorms for staff and qualified students. It was also the place that Nina went to straight away after getting some instructions from a security guard. *** ¡°Wow, they weren¡¯t kidding when they said they¡¯d give us the best suite they have.¡± Nina¡¯s assigned room was practically an entire studio apartment, complete with a balcony, kitchen and bathroom, equipped with its own laundry machine and bathtub. The bed was even a queen sized one with a decent sized TV and a three person couch. And since this was a school dorm, there was of course a study desk with a surprisingly comfortable chair to go with it. Tini and Espy dashed into the room excitedly. The former headed straight out into the balcony to admire the seaside view, while Espy jumped onto the couch and meticulously pressed down on its various spots to find one that was fit to serve as her regular spot. Nina giggled at the sight of her silly Pokemon and began unloading her baggage before joining Tini on the balcony. The girl stretched her sore shoulders with a groan and breathed in the salty sea breeze. ¡°This is it, Tini. Our home for the foreseeable future. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Tini tiin!¡± Nina reached out to embrace her partner and gave him a kiss on the forehead, noticing that the little white bump on his head had crystallized significantly and taken on a bluish jewel like gleam. ¡°Not much longer now, Tini. Once we find you a worthy opponent, you¡¯ll be able to finally evolve.¡± ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini reached forwards and booped his partner on the nose, eliciting giggles from her. ¡°Once you¡¯re all evolved and strong, let¡¯s call up Mr Masa and schedule a trip to the Safari Zone to show off to your family. I¡¯m sure you miss your mom a whole ton.¡± ¡°Dra!¡± The Dratini cried in excitement. It was inevitable to feel homesick, even for Pokemon. There were times that Nina would reminisce about her old world as well, even though she wouldn¡¯t go back if given the choice. After they¡¯ve had their fill of the scenery, Nina and Tini went back inside to join Espy, who had decided that the right most cushion with its abundant exposure to sunlight and slightly worn stuffing was her favorite. Nina chuckled and scratched the pedantic Eevee¡¯s nape, eliciting gentle purrs from Espy. Then, at Tini¡¯s urging, Nina grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to see what sort of channels were on offer, which ended up being mostly ones about news, food and documentaries as one would expect from an education institute. Not that it mattered when the Pokenet existed. ¡°Right, we should give a call to mom and dad to let them know that we¡¯ve arrived¡­¡± And with that thought, Nina opened up her Pokedex to do just that before eventually heading out again to explore her new campus. Chapter 73 Nina put on her Vermilion Flame school uniform. It was a maroon blazer with the student¡¯s choice of either a pleated skirt or shorts for girls. Boys had the choice of trousers or shorts. Nina went with the shorts to cover up a pair of nylon tights she was wearing underneath. Nina never did get into the habit of wearing skirts, tights on the other hand though¡­ ¡°Man, guys are missing out on wearing tights. These are super comfy and warm.¡± Leanette had bought the legwear for her daughter, but Nina never had a reason to wear them until now and didn¡¯t realize how much she liked them. To complete the outfit, Nina pinned a logo of the Vermillion Flame on her chest, which was basically a sharp V with stylized flames on the upper right to symbolize the F. She did a final check of her stuff, Pokeballs on her belt, Pokedex hidden away in her pocket, and her regular non-Silph Co Backpack for her school supplies since the other one was too bulky for casual use. Nina also had a decoy Pokegear clipped to her belt which she planned to use most of the time because she didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. ¡°Good morning, Mrs Phillipe.¡± Nina greeted the dorm supervisor on her way out. The woman had been very patient in answering her questions and offering assistance during the week she spent settling in. ¡°Ah, good morning Nina. First day of school today, have you had breakfast yet?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Mm hm, I reheated some leftovers from dinner last night. Thanks for asking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very good dear, breakfast is the most important meal of the day,¡± said the affable woman. ¡°Just try not to get into the habit of eating leftovers, okay? Your scholarship does include meals, you know?¡± Nina thanked Mrs Phillipe for her concern and walked out of the building, feeling a little lonely that her Pokemon were not with her. The school had clear guidelines regarding which areas Pokemon were allowed to roam free to avoid any mishaps from occurring. It did make sense. After all, they were dealing with a bunch of immature kids with their inadequately trained Pokemon. In general, most indoor areas sans the gym were limited to humans only, unless you have permission from the school. Classes were conducted university style where there were different lecture halls for students to congregate in depending on their schedule, which was largely the same for first years, aside from a few electives. But before any of that, first days of school in Kanto always necessitate a schoolwide assembly for the faculty to give inane speeches. So Nina made her way to the large auditorium that they had built separate from the school. The first person to speak was the student council president, an unassuming looking boy with thick rimmed glasses and well combed hair. The guy was utterly boring and uncharismatic, mostly just reading off a script he had written beforehand. Nina and most of the other students in the auditorium were openly yawning in boredom. ¡°Really makes you wonder how they even elected this guy. Was it just ¡®cause no one else wanted the job?¡± After the snoozefest was over, the boy introduced their next speaker, who was a short, rotund looking man with a flamboyantly long mustache and a face that seemed to be all smiles all the time. This was Mr Niko, the principal of the Vermillion Flame. Nina had already met him during her interview, but somehow the man looked even smaller in person. ¡°Ho ho ho! Greetings, students of the Vermillion Flame! For some of you, today will be the start of your journey in our prestigious academy. And others, old faces who are returning to the comforts of their second home. But nonetheless, we at the Vermillion Flame would like to extend our warmest welcome to each and every single one of our precious students!¡± Members of the faculty began clapping, triggering a wave of applause from the students as well. After everyone had settled, the vertically challenged principal kicked off a speech that was filled with platitudes and empty slogans, espousing the virtues of their academy and highlighting what a prestigious honor it was for them to be accepted into their doors and so on. Nina stopped paying attention midway through and reflected on a book that she had read recently instead. *** Nina breathed in the musty scent of the ancient lecture hall they would be using within the castle¡¯s domain. Apparently, first year classes were almost exclusively held within the ancient building to instill upon students the grandeur of the school¡¯s history. Not that she minded, Nina liked old buildings. Typical of most lecture halls in her past life, the ones in Vermillion Flame also had pitched seating with curved long tables as opposed to individual desks. Overall, Nina reckoned the entire space was about large enough to seat two to three hundred students. Which might seem like a lot, until she considered the fact that this was the entirety of the school¡¯s first years, really lending credence to the school¡¯s supposed high barrier of entry. ¡°And apparently, the numbers will only dwindle as the years go on and students drop out or take sabbaticals to go on their journey,¡± mused Nina as she secured a seat on the rightmost middle section ¡ª her go to spot even back in her past life because it afforded her a good enough view without being too noticeable. The girl took out her stationery and notebook in preparation for class, then settled down and began observing her new classmates. Nina could already tell that cliques were already forming as certain students grouped together with those they had previously been acquainted with. It really was funny how these things worked. Even if two people had never spoken to each other in their old school, they automatically became best friends simply by virtue of the fact that they recognised each other¡¯s faces. Seeing a gaggle of girls tailing another pink haired girl walk into the lecture hall made Nina feel a bit melancholic. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going on with Charlie¡­¡± Nina had tried to go visit the boy, but there was no answer at the door. Though to be fair, it was the middle of the day so it was somewhat expected that they might have all been out. ¡°Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?¡± The one who interrupted Nina¡¯s reverie was a gentle looking girl, with a slight build and short cotton candy pink hair. ¡°Erm sure, go ahead,¡± replied Nina instinctively, not immediately recognising that this was the same girl who was leading her own clique just now. Nina looked around and saw that the previous group had somehow detached from their leader and sat bunched up together near the back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit with your friends?¡± She asked the pink haired girl. The other girl jolted slightly. ¡°Ah¡­ those girls? They¡¯re not my friends¡­ Not really?¡± ¡°I see. Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to pry. My name is Melina Jones, but everyone calls me Nina. Nice to meet you.¡± Nina reached out for a handshake, which for some reason, the girl seemed really delighted by. ¡°Yes! And no worries, I didn¡¯t mind,¡± the girl daintily grabbed hold of Nina¡¯s hand, like she¡¯d never given a handshake before. ¡°I¡¯m Kerry-Anne. But you can just call me Kerry. It¡¯s nice to meet you too, Nina. I hope we can have a wonderful time in school together!¡± Kerry said, with a bright smile. Nina nodded and returned the smile. Something about the girl felt a little off, yet familiar at the same time. ¡°Now where have I seen that face before?¡± She wondered, until their lecturer stepped into the room to commence classes. *** Their first lecture was an introductory one that mostly focused on the distinction between Type generalist trainers and Type specialist trainers. It was a topic that Nina had considered in depth in the past. Basically generalists were more versatile, but being a specialist was more efficient. Specialists of a certain type can train new Pokemon up to battle ready condition in just a couple of months by having their more experienced Pokemon guide them, saving on the costs of TMs as well as food and other general needs. There was a reason why most Champions, Elites and Gym Leaders of the world were specialists. And it¡¯s not simply because it made creating and marketing their image easier. It¡¯s because generalists spread themselves too thin and are usually unable to fully develop a Pokemon¡¯s potential. For example, if a generalist¡¯s Water Pokemon took on their specialist counterpart, in most cases, the specialist¡¯s Pokemon will win. There was a time when Nina often considered which Type to specialize in. But this was before Tini, when her future as a trainer was still filled with uncertainty. These days, she isn¡¯t as strapped for cash, which made her concerns mute. Besides, with a Dragon and a future Psychic in her team, that specialist boat had long since sailed. Doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t favor certain Types to make managing the rest of her team easier though. ¡°Do you wanna have lunch together?¡± Nina asked Kerry, after their classes had ended for the morning. The bubbly girl lit up at the offer. ¡°Of course!¡± And for whatever reason, she also rushed Nina out of the lecture hall before any of the previous girls could catch up to her. The Vermilion Flame¡¯s cafeteria had a seating area, but Pokemon weren¡¯t allowed inside to save on space. Instead, trainers who wanted to eat with their Pokemon can request for food to be placed inside handy little bento boxes which they can then bring outside to eat. In Nina and Kerry¡¯s case, they opted to have a simple picnic on the inner courtyard. ¡°Kerry, I have a picnic blanket in my backpack. Can you get it for me please? You can stack your bentos on top of mine in the meantime.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked the skeptical Kerry, whilst eyeing the large stack of three boxes that Nina was carrying on her person. ¡°Yeah, no worries. I¡¯m stronger than I look. You¡¯re looking for a little string pouch with flower patterns on it.¡± Kerry reluctantly obliged and did as she was told, reaching into Nina¡¯s backpack to procure said pouch and unfurling a blanket onto the grassy turf before retrieving her lunch from Nina. ¡°Wow, you thought really far ahead huh?¡± commended the girl. Nina chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m living in the dorms and I¡¯ve been around for a week now, so I know the rules. Besides, I¡¯m not gonna let my Pokemon starve while I eat on my own.¡± In fact, Nina had shaken her head in disapproval at some of the first year kids she saw who got so enamored by their new group of friends that they had completely forgotten about their Pokemon. ¡°Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t want to eat without Peppy either.¡± ¡°Oh, is your Pokemon named Peppy? That¡¯s super cute.¡± By this point, Nina had placed her boxes on the blanket and took out her Pokeballs. ¡°Alright guys, it¡¯s lunch time!¡± She called, as she released Tini and Espy onto the courtyard. ¡°Tiin!¡± ¡°E.¡± Kerry squealed. ¡°Oh gosh, is that an Eevee?¡± The girl immediately approached in an attempt to pet Espy. ¡°Wait! Espy¡¯s ¡ª¡± But before Nina could warn Kerry, the pink haired girl was already running her fingers through the Eevee¡¯s fur, who looked oddly calm. ¡°Oh, sorry. Was I not meant to touch her?¡± Kerry asked sheepishly. Nina was looking at the girl with her mouth agape. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Espy doesn¡¯t usually like strangers touching her¡­ Are you Psychic by any chance?¡± Nina was getting a sense of deja vu from this. Kerry laughed. ¡°No, not at all. I guess I¡¯m just good with Pokemon? I can¡¯t imagine such a cutiepie hurting anybody though.¡± The girl continued cooing at Espy and gently caressing her. ¡°Right¡­¡± muttered the bewildered Nina. ¡°Anyways,¡± she sighed as she went about unpacking her portion of the bento. For Tini she had asked the lunch lady for a high calorie seafood diet, which she now supplemented with some Bluk Berries from her Berry Pouch. ¡°Alright Tini, c¡¯mere. Make sure to eat your lunch before digging into the Berries, okay?¡± Nina instructed, much to Tini¡¯s dismay. This was part of Nina¡¯s effort to keep her partner¡¯s sweet tooth under control. Next, Nina grabbed handfuls of Berries and crouched in front of Espy who was still indulging in some belly rubs. ¡°Milady, may I present to you our house¡¯s finest selection for today.¡± Nina said, in a pompous Galarian accent, feeling very much like a sommelier presenting the wine list. Espy recovered from her belly rub and assumed a much more regal pose. The Eevee took a careful gander at the random assortment of Berries on offer, before tapping her paw to her chin in faux contemplation, much like the humans she saw do on TV, before eventually tapping on a few Berries at random. Nina held back her laughter and lowered her head in servitude before lining her princess¡¯s selection onto her bento box ¡ª a standard mix for Normal Type Pokemon of Espy¡¯s size. Kerry squealed at the adorable little act between the Eevee and her trainer. ¡°Oh gosh, she¡¯s so cuuute.¡± ¡°Yeah, Espy¡¯s real adorable,¡± said Nina as she also settled down and unboxed her own food. ¡°You should eat too, by the way. There¡¯ll be plenty of time to play later.¡± Kerry nodded in agreement and sat down to eat as well. Except, Nina noticed her Pokemon¡¯s bento remained untouched. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to release your Pokemon?¡± She asked. The other girl jolted in surprise and averted her gaze in a somewhat dejected manner. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I say something wrong?¡± asked the slightly skeptical Nina. ¡°This girl¡¯s been acting weird this entire time. She looks familiar but I can¡¯t seem to recognize her¡­¡± Just as Nina¡¯s suspicions took a darker turn, the girl spoke up. ¡°If¡­ If I show my Pokemon, will you promise to treat me just like anybody else?¡± Kerry muttered, in a barely audible tone. Nina nodded. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve seen my Dratini right? Unless your Pokemon is a Legendary or something?¡± Kerry vigorously shook her head in denial. ¡°No! It¡¯s just¡­¡± The girl sighed and released her Pokemon for Nina to see for herself. ¡°Oh my gosh! Is that a Happiny?!¡± Nina squealed. Now it was the other girl¡¯s turn to rush over and pet the pink blob that joined them. ¡°Oh Arceus, she¡¯s so soft and bouncy, it¡¯s like holding a giant marshmallow. And that little egg! So cuuute! Oh I could just eat you up right this instant.¡± Happiny seemed to have taken Nina¡¯s words a little too literally as it shivered in distress, eliciting giggles from Nina before she leaned in to smother the Happiny in kisses. ¡°Wait a sec¡­ Pink hair, and owns a member of the Blissey line¡­ ¡° Nina looked towards Kerry in wide eyed realization. ¡°You¡¯re a member of the Joy Clan!¡± She exclaimed. However, Kerry-Anne Joy seemed to wilt at her classmate¡¯s realization, as if she had just lost something precious to her. Nina chuckled. ¡°I get it now. Those girls from earlier were trying to cozy up to you in hopes of forming a connection with your family.¡± The Joy Clan was the singular most powerful clan in the entirety of the eastern regions, being that they run all the Pokemon Centers. To piss off a Joy is to piss off the entire healthcare system, an absolutely horrifying prospect. It was honestly a good thing that the clan of nurses prided themselves in neutrality and never swung their massive political capital around even in the midst of terrible wars happening. Otherwise, the world would be in an even more tumultuous state. Kerry nodded somewhat dejectedly. ¡°Yeah¡­ I saw that you looked a little bored and there was also a single empty seat next to you, so I lied to them and said that I spotted a friend¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been homeschooled all my life so I was really looking forward to a normal school life.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°Yeah, I get you. I¡¯m kind of in a similar situation, so don¡¯t worry about me treating you any differently.¡± Nina then held Happiny in one arm and reached into her blazer¡¯s inner pocket with the other to pull out her Pokedex. ¡°See,¡± said the girl, before gesturing towards the Pokegear on her belt. ¡°I put that little decoy on display so that I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the same problem as you.¡± Kerry perked up at the sight and broke out into laughter. ¡°Maybe I should consider putting on a wig then.¡± She mused. Nina laughed along before returning Happiny to her owner. ¡°You know, I always thought that your family dyed their hair in solidarity or something. It never occurred to me that it might be natural.¡± Especially since Nina had seen Nurse Joys with varying shades of pink hair. Kerry shook her head in denial. ¡°No, some of us are born with different hair colors, though most of us will dye it pink anyways. Some of the meaner kids will make fun of you if you showed up with blonde hair or something.¡± Nina smiled, the thought of a ¡®mean¡¯ Nurse Joy just sounded ludicrous to her. ¡°But I suppose kids will be kids. It seems that capable Nurse Joys were nurtured and not born.¡± This invalidates the rumor that all Joys were genetically identical clones of the original Joy Prime, not that Nina took much stock in it to begin with. But given the level of technology in this world, it wasn¡¯t entirely outside the realm of possibilities either. ¡°So do all Joy women have to become nurses?¡± Nina asked, this was a question that she had been wondering about for a very long time now. Kerry shook her head in between mouthfuls of food. The girl was evidently not a vegetarian, breaking another one of Nina¡¯s preconceptions. ¡°No, not all of us are cut out for this life. You have to pass an assessment before the matriarchs will give you an egg.¡± She also said that it was always an egg, because nurturing an infant Happiny from its most fundamental stage was also part of an ongoing lifelong test. A Nurse Joy can only qualify as a matriarch and have a say on clan matters when they¡¯ve successfully nurtured a Blissey into existence. ¡°Those who don¡¯t pass the test or opted not to take it, are asked to change their family name and dye their hair,¡± continued the young Joy. Nina nodded fervently, having pulled out her notebook to take notes at some point. ¡°Man, I didn¡¯t expect the usually genial Nurse Joys to have such a pragmatic system in place. But I guess you kind of have to when the life and death of so many Pokemon are in your hands.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ It can be a little¡­ much, sometimes,¡± said the apprentice Joy in a somewhat wistful tone. Then she caught sight of her Happiny who was currently happily chatting with the friendly Tini and a warm smile blossomed on her face. ¡°But I can¡¯t imagine doing anything else really.¡± Nina returned the smile and continued asking some less intrusive questions while offering tidbits about herself in return. The girl simply could not help her curiosity. ¡°You! I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!¡± Unfortunately, their relaxing soiree was interrupted by a bratty looking kid who came up to them with a finger pointed at Nina. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 74 The spiky blue haired boy who challenged Nina to a battle looked to be a first year just like her. Next to him was a Squirtle who was trying his best to mimic the dynamic pose of his trainer, his adorably awkward demeanor immediately stole Nina¡¯s attention away from the intruder. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh gosh, he¡¯s so cuuute!¡± Nina grabbed some Berries and held them out to the Water Pokemon. ¡°Here Squirtle, do you want some Berries?¡± ¡°Squirtle!¡± At the sight of the colorful treats, Squirtle immediately gave up on his posing and trotted over with his stubby legs to the girl, causing his trainer to gawk in disbelief. ¡°Wha?! Squirtle, you traitor!¡± The kid exclaimed. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Your Squirtle¡¯s shell seems a little rough,¡± chimed Kerry, who also joined Nina in petting the little Water turtle. ¡°Which usually indicates a deficiency in calcium and some key vitamins. Have you been feeding him properly?¡± The boy¡¯s face reddened at the accusation. ¡°Of course I have!¡± He yelled, only to be betrayed by the grumbling stomach of his Squirtle, followed by his own. An awkward silence descended on the trio as Nina sighed in exasperation. ¡°Go get a couple of bento boxes from the cafeteria,¡± ordered Nina. ¡°We¡¯ll look after your Squirtle for you.¡± The boy began to protest, only to be shut down immediately by a stern, motherly glare from Kerry. Nina chuckled at the sight. ¡°Yeap, she¡¯s a Joy alright.¡± The boy dashed off in a hurry and it wasn¡¯t long before he came back with food. Though it was clear that pickings were slim in the cafeteria at this time. So Tini was kind enough to share some of his Pokechow with the Squirtle, even though Nina suspected that the Dragon just wanted to get to his Berries sooner. ¡°Anyways, going back to what you said earlier. Who are you and why do you want to challenge me?¡± Nina asked the boy, who was currently shoveling food down his mouth like a starving Snorlax. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ talk with your mouth full.¡± She added hastily, after seeing that he was about to open his mouth and spew food all over the place. The boy forcefully swallowed the contents of his mouth, banged against his chest and frantically grabbed his water bottle to avoid choking to death. ¡°My name is¡­¡± the boy coughed and took another swig of water. ¡°My name¡¯s Justin, and I¡¯m going to be the world¡¯s greatest Pokemon Master!¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Regional starter, check. Bad table manners, check. Brash, shonen protagonist attitude, check. A lofty and likely unattainable dream, check.¡± ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re one of Professor Oak¡¯s sponsored,¡± said the girl. ¡°Yeap!¡± The boy exclaimed, with an irritatingly bright smile that was marred by a piece of meat stuck in between his teeth. ¡°The Professor said that you¡¯re super strong. Probably the strongest of our year. So battle me!¡± Nina let out another sigh at the mouthy old man. ¡°No, I won¡¯t battle you.¡± ¡°Wha?! Why not? We¡¯re Pokemon Trainers, we¡¯re supposed to battle!¡± ¡°Right, Jacob was it? Let me ask you this, how many battles has your Squirtle been in?¡± Nina had gotten really good at assessing a Pokemon¡¯s strength from her time in the Cerulean Gym, and she could tell that Squirtle was still very green, likely fresh from Pallet Town. ¡°It¡¯s not Jacob, it¡¯s Justin!¡± The boy corrected. ¡°And Squirtle¡¯s fought Lucy¡¯s Charmander before, and won!¡± He said, with his chest puffed up in pride. Nina nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s one battle in total. Listen to me kid, my starter Dratini has been with me for four years at this point. I could have my Eevee fight your Squirtle, but I can assure you that he¡¯s going to lose. Badly.¡± Nina explained to the boy the importance of mental development for juvenile Pokemon and urged him to get a bit more experience before trying to challenge an opponent that¡¯s out of his league. ¡°If you send your Squirtle down a losing streak this early on in his life, he¡¯s going to develop an inferiority complex and some bad habits. Or worse, he might get traumatized by something inane and stupid.¡± Nina concluded. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± chimed Kerry. ¡°It¡¯s a mistake that young trainers often make with their starters because they¡¯re too eager to battle and go around challenging everyone who makes eye contact with them.¡± Justin glared at the pink haired girl. ¡°What would you know? Your Pokemon looks like it can¡¯t even battle.¡± Nina saw veins visibly bulging on Kerry''s face as she took offense at Justin¡¯s rudeness. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, my Happiny is proof that I¡¯m a member of the Joy Clan. Which is all the more reason why you should listen to me!¡± And here Nina thought that Kerry wouldn¡¯t be comfortable flexing her family status. ¡°I guess this is just the wonders of that shonen protagonist aura. Super effective in getting people to open up.¡± ¡°And if you don¡¯t want to listen to her then you should at least listen to me,¡± said Nina, interrupting the childish squabble between her two classmates. ¡°Has Professor Oak told you anything about me at all aside from the fact that my Pokemon are strong?¡± Justin shook his head in response. ¡°Well, it just so happens that I¡¯m a certified Gym Trainer under the Cerulean Gym.¡± Now it was Kerry¡¯s turn to be surprised by Nina as she stared at the girl with wide eyes. ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t told her that bit about myself yet.¡± She thought. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with my fair share of juvenile Pokemon while working at the Gym. So you can rest assured that my opinion is valid. If you¡¯re looking to battle, our final class of the day is going to be P.E and the teachers will be assessing our starters and your abilities as a trainer. You¡¯ll get your fill of battles then.¡± ¡°But I wanna battle you right now!¡± whined the petulant child. Nina could feel a migraine coming, she had never been good with this sort of type-A personality. The girl sighed. ¡°Tell you what, if your Squirtle manages to get ten wins in his record then I¡¯ll let him battle Espy, my Eevee. How does that sound?¡± The best way to deal with these sorts of competitive nuisance was to direct their spirit elsewhere. ¡°Deal!¡± The boy exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s a promise, so you better not Abra out when the time comes!¡± Justin flashed another one of those annoyingly bright smiles at Nina¡¯s challenge. ¡°At least his Squirtle will be good for practice for Espy¡­¡± Nina mused, as she resigned her fate. *** Nina changed into her gym clothes, which was basically just a pair of shorts and a white T-shirt. There was a physical assessment for the students at the beginning of class before moving on to Pokemon battles. It was a sneaky way to burn off the children¡¯s excess excitement before the main event, to make them easier to manage. The first step was a measurement of her vitals; her height, weight, eyesight, proportions and so on. Nina¡¯s body proportions were especially concerning to her because she can tell from the larger numbers that she was beginning to develop curves. ¡°I thought diving and swimming was supposed to give me a swimmer¡¯s body!¡± lamented the prepubescent girl. Nina really did not want to have big boobs. Based on what she heard from the ladies at the Gym, it was nothing but a source of backache and unwanted attention. In Nina¡¯s past life, Miles had an appreciation of a good pair of badonkadonks like any other hetero male. But the prospects of actually owning a pair did not appeal to her at all. The physical assessment was straightforward enough, involving an obstacle course and some basic survival skills tests like starting a fire and pitching a tent. The latter of which were already taught at the elementary level, given the world¡¯s uniquely outdoorsy culture. Nina was fitter than most kids her age and passed handily enough. Though it wasn¡¯t like her classmates struggled either. With how outgoing the Pokemon world¡¯s people were, and with their hyper advanced medical technology, obesity was an extreme rarity. Especially when it came to a bunch of energetic trainer school kids. The first years erupted into cheers when the teachers announced that they would soon begin the battle segment. Though Nina noticed some kids sitting out, among which was Kerry, so they were probably the non-battlers of their cohort. All the students were divided into separate groups, each supervised by a P.E teacher. And after Nina was assigned, she went up to her teacher with a question. ¡°Mr Yamada, I know we¡¯re supposed to use our starters and all, but I worry that mine might be a bit too much for the other Pokemon. Is it okay if I use my secondary instead?¡± The gruff looking man stared at the girl in confusion and consulted his tablet. ¡°What was your name again?¡± He asked, to which Nina responded accordingly. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Yamada exhaled in realization. ¡°So it¡¯s you¡­ Yeah you¡¯re right, your starter might be too advanced for this. Your secondary Eevee is fine. Although¡­¡± The teacher began poking at his tablet again. ¡°Give me a sec, I have an idea.¡± Nina held back a frown. ¡°Shit! I know that look.¡± She cursed. It was the look that the adults around her always had whenever they wanted to take advantage of her. Yamada eventually returned, after running off to consult some of his other colleagues, and informed Nina of his brilliant idea. ¡°Let¡¯s just be honest here, Nina. None of these kids are gonna be much of a challenge for a talent like you. So instead of wasting your time, why don¡¯t we put your Gym Trainer Certification to good use and have you assess some of the brighter talents among this year¡¯s batch.¡± ¡°I mean it¡¯s not really a waste of time¡­¡± said the reluctant Nina. ¡° I¡¯m happy to just sit out on the side. I imagine it¡¯s quite troublesome to change the curriculum on the fly like this. Think about all the work that went into optimizing the process, you know?¡± Yamada laughed at what Nina said, like it was the most hilarious thing he¡¯s heard all year. ¡°Oh please, it¡¯s no trouble at all. Here in the Vermillion Flame, we¡¯re committed to the development of Kanto¡¯s best Pokemon Trainers. We¡¯d be remiss not to make use of Lady Misty¡¯s prodigy in our midst. I¡¯m certain these little brats can all stand to learn a thing or two about how a proper Gym Trainer battles.¡± ¡°Great¡­¡± Nina drawled, resigning to her fate. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal, are we still using my Pokemon or do you guys want me to use loaners?¡± Yamada gave a toothy smile at the girl¡¯s implicit acceptance. ¡°We¡¯d still like you to use your Eevee, but if she gets too worn out to continue, we have loaners to provide.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°Well at least they¡¯re being reasonable about this.¡± And with that, the teachers made another announcement about the change of plans, calling out a list of names that the faculty determined were some of the top talents in Nina¡¯s year ¡ª about thirty something students in total. Among which, was the giddy looking face of Justin. ¡°Damn that kid and his shonen protagonist luck! This is all his fault!¡± Chapter 75 ¡°Alright you lot, Arceus has blessed us with a rare opportunity today.¡± Mr Yamada began as he gestured towards Nina. ¡°This here is Nina, she is a certified Gym Trainer under the employ of the Cerulean Gym, and also the direct disciple of Lady Misty Mizuhana herself, Flower of Kanto.¡± Nina had to hold herself back from laughing at ¡®Flower of Kanto¡¯, she had forgotten that drunkard had a nickname like that. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that title go to Erika instead? Also, direct disciple!? How much did that woman glaze me up in her letter?¡± ¡°So pay attention,¡± Yamada continued. ¡°Cause what you¡¯re about to face today will likely be the level of standards that are expected of you when you inevitably challenge a Gym at the beginner tier.¡± The mention of facing a Gym challenge made all the students perk up. In truth, Tini was already at the intermediate tier and Espy was getting close as well. But Nina did not bother to correct her teacher, just wishing that she could get this over with. The first one to get called up was, predictably, Justin. Because of course it was him. Nina first sent out her Eevee, as was courtesy for Gym Trainers, and Espy appeared on the flat arena while looking at her surroundings in confusion. ¡°Sorry, Espy,¡± said Nina, calling her Pokemon¡¯s attention to her. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need you to play with these kids a bit. They won¡¯t pose a threat to you, so just think of it as an exercise and try to use your Gift wherever possible. And there¡¯s no need to go so hard that your fur gets all ruffled.¡± Espy simply stared at her human with a little puff of her cheeks before acquiescing with an impassive ¡°Vee.¡± Knowing that the girl will likely take extra care in grooming her tonight as compensation. Meanwhile, Justin did a very Ash-like behavior of pulling his Pokedex out to scan Eevee. The little red device spouted trivia about the Eevee line in its signature mechanical voice. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he just do that during lunch?¡± Nina wondered. ¡°Eh, probably just forgot about it.¡± After the boy was done, he threw out his Pokeball with gusto while yelling for his Squirtle who eventually emerged from the flash of light. ¡°This is it, Squirtle!¡± called the boisterous Justin. ¡°Let¡¯s beat that Eevee and force her to take out Dratini!¡± Nina sighed at his overconfidence and gave a glance at Mr Yamada, who was refereeing at the side, to signal for him to start the battle. ¡°Alright, trainers. Are you ready?!¡± ¡°Ready!¡± ¡°Ready.¡± ¡°3, 2, 1, and begin!¡± ¡°Right Espy, let¡¯s test his reaction speed with Quick Attack.¡± ¡°Squirtle, Water¡ª¡± But before Justin could call out his move, Squirtle was already sent flying by a little brown blur that struck at his front. Nina winced a little. ¡°Too hard, Espy. Dial it down a couple of notches, remember we¡¯re just testing them, so try not to take out the upcoming Pokemon immediately. Just dance around Squirtle for a bit and see how well he responds.¡± Espy¡¯s back was to Nina, but the girl could feel her Eevee rolling her eyes at how troublesome this was. ¡°Squirtle squir!¡± With a cry, Squirtle did a little spin on his shell and forced himself back onto his feet. But before he could do anything else, Espy suddenly appeared in front of him and threw sand into his face, causing the turtle Pokemon to cry out in surprise and began randomly shooting Water everywhere. Espy casually jumped around the spray and even whipped her tail out to trip her opponent, causing Squirtle to fall on his back again. ¡°Use water to wash your face, Squirtle!¡± Justin called, earning him a nod of approval from Nina and Yamada for the quick thinking. Squirtle did as he was told, while Espy just stood to the side, yawning at the sight of the clumsy turtle and waiting for him to get up. ¡°Alright Espy, let¡¯s test his defenses next. Use Swift but tone it down as well,¡± said Nina, after deciding that she¡¯d given enough leeway to her opponent. Espy casually wagged her shining tail back and forth, sending waves of glittering stardust towards Squirtle. The intensity of the attack was a far cry from the shuriken sized Swift stars that she usually let out, but even that might have been a bit too much for her opponent as Squirtle cried out in pain and desperately covered his face with his stubby hands. ¡°Get back into your shell!¡± Justin yelled, while Nina asked Espy to widen the spread of her Swift because they were doing a bit too much damage in aggregate. Justin gritted his teeth in frustration, trying desperately to wrack his brain for a solution to this overwhelming beatdown. ¡°Water gun inside your shell, Squirtle. Blast your way over to her!¡± Water began gushing out of all five holes on Squirtle¡¯s shell, causing the shell to spin and begin moving slowly towards Espy. Nina whistled in admiration for the genuinely ingenious thinking on Justin¡¯s part. A sentiment that his teacher seemed to also share as Yamada began writing on his tablet with a slight smirk. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Professor Oak really does have an eye for talent alright.¡± The girl mused. ¡°Espy, let¡¯s try holding Squirtle in place with your Gift. Try to aim for the centroid of the shell and pin him down. It might be a bit difficult since you¡¯ll need to concentrate more than usual but it¡¯ll be an interesting exercise.¡± Espy broke her facade of boredom and let out a slight grin at the challenge presented to her. The Eevee narrowed her eyes at the spinning shell that was slowly approaching her at a turtle¡¯s pace. A purple aura of Psychic Energy eventually emerged to cover the spinning Squirtle¡¯s shell. The spread was too broad at first which made it difficult to maintain due to the constant movement of Espy¡¯s target. But eventually, she got used to the resistance and gradually shrunk the Psychic Energy until it was just a concentrated blob in the center of the shell. Espy pressed down on the advancing Squirtle with just her willpower, and with a loud ¡°Vee!¡± The Squirtle¡¯s momentum grinded to a halt and began digging into the ground instead. Not long after that, the Water Pokemon¡¯s stamina gave out and Squirtle¡¯s head reemerged with his eyes spinning in circles. ¡°Squirtle is unable to battle. Winner is Eevee!¡± Yamada declared, as Justin immediately ran over to check on his Pokemon. ¡°Good work on using Squirtle¡¯s own Water to clean up after Sand Attack. And I especially liked what you did with the concentrated Water Gun in the shell. A very inspired idea.¡± Nina praised. ¡°I would suggest further developing that move by having Squirtle concentrate it in one hole instead, for maximum propulsion. It¡¯s a move known as Aqua Jet and it¡¯ll be very useful in making up for Squirtle¡¯s lack of mobility.¡± Justin seemed to puff up a bit at Nina¡¯s praise, having already gotten over the fact that he had just lost to an overwhelming degree. ¡°I also like how much Water Squirtle is able to produce on his own. It shows that your Pokemon has a lot of promise.¡± Nina continued, eliciting a haughty grin from the boy. ¡°However, that is not something to be proud of! Because I can tell that was an ability that your Squirtle had to develop out of necessity.¡± Nina gestured towards the fainted Pokemon. ¡°Look at him!¡± She yelled. ¡°Look at how dehydrated your Squirtle is and tell me! When was the last time that you brought your Squirtle swimming!¡± Justin stuttered, trying to conjure up an excuse, but ultimately wilted at Nina¡¯s stern gaze. ¡°The ocean¡¯s right there!¡± Nina pointed. She had no idea which direction the ocean was, but it didn¡¯t matter. The point was made. ¡°Instead of playing around with your friends, consider taking your Squirtle out for swims when you have free time.¡± And with that, Nina ended her lecture and called for the next challenger to step out. Completely bypassing Mr Yamada who fumbled his tablet to keep up with her. But the girl didn¡¯t care, she was in full on Gym Trainer mode at this point. The rest of the thirty-six matches went much the same way. With Espy messing around with her opponents for a little bit before finishing them off, and with Nina pointing out strengths and weaknesses before giving out tips after each match. The only match that Nina considered interesting was a girl who sent out a Tyrogue. Not because it was particularly challenging, but because of how mischievous Espy was during the entire match. During the match, whenever the Fighting Type Pokemon attempted to charge towards Espy, she would trip them by conjuring some Psychic Type Energy to bind either one of its legs mid step. And when they did finally get close, Espy would just Quick Attack somewhere else and leave them swinging at the air. There were a few times where the Eevee had allowed her opponent to come close. But everytime, she would just sit there and watch as every single one of the Tyrogue¡¯s attacks inexplicably missed its mark. Espy was effectively flexing her control of Psychic Energy by deflecting each blow as they came, with the only move she had to dodge being a Low Kick that she casually hopped over. Nina watched on in amusement and eventually called for Espy to wrap things up when she determined that Tyrogue¡¯s trainer was about to implode from rage and that there was nothing else left for Espy to learn. They had even gathered an audience at some point as the other first years came to watch. Most of them were cheering against the overwhelming Espy and rooting for the underdogs. ¡°That¡¯s not fair! That Eevee is clearly stronger than all our Pokemons,¡± cried a sore loser at some point, earning him a demerit in Yamada¡¯s tablet. But in response to the criticism, the teacher also picked out a student at random and asked them to lend their Pokemon to Nina, before asking the girl to ¡°teach that one a lesson.¡± Which she did, handily, by using her loaner Oddish against the kid¡¯s Pidgey. A matchup that would usually be quite bad for Oddish, until Nina instilled upon him the horrors of Sweet Scent. The Pidgey was so inebriated by the end of the match that it was liable to be locked up for drunk flying. ¡°Good work, Nina. You showed them alright,¡± said Yamada as he gestured towards the fiery gazes of the losing kids, all of which were directed towards Nina. Nina sighed at the sight. ¡°I would like to make a request, Mr Yamada.¡± ¡°Of course, Nina. After a performance like that, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s much we can do for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, but this is just a simple one. I would like you to discourage the other first years from challenging me outside of class for the foreseeable future.¡± Nina continued, eliciting a frown from the teacher. ¡°I would hate to be forced to transfer away to a different school just to get a moment of peace around campus.¡± The threat of an implied transfer immediately made Yamada compliant as he began squirming and lowering his head at his student. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s perfectly reasonable. But as you¡¯re well aware, all students have a right to challenge each other so long as they abide by school regulations when doing so ¡ª it¡¯s how we keep them sharp, by continuously honing the students against each other.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Which is why I¡¯d like to make a proposal ¡ª make it so that anyone who wishes to challenge earns at least 30 legitimate wins in school sanctioned matches before approaching. I don¡¯t want to waste my Pokemon¡¯s time by facing them off against weaklings, it¡¯s bad for their development.¡± Nina¡¯s final sentence triggered boisterous laughter from the P.E teacher. ¡°Well I can hardly say no to that. Leave it to me.¡± Yamada walked towards the crowd and called for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Alright, you losers!¡± He shouted, completely taking Nina aback. ¡°What a disgrace, 37 against 1 and you can¡¯t even take out a single Eevee! I¡¯m disappointed.¡± He said, causing each of the losing students to grit their teeth in frustration. ¡°Do you want a rematch?¡± The teacher asked, eliciting cheers in return. ¡°Do you wanna go back out there right now and redeem yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah!!!¡± ¡°Well too bad. You ain¡¯t getting it!¡± Yamada denied, triggering a wave of groans and boos. The P.E teacher scoffed. ¡°Look at you lot, barely a few minutes in since you got your asses kicked and you¡¯re already eager for more? Why don¡¯t you look into the mirror and ask yourselves, ¡®Am I good enough to challenge Nina right now with my pathetic skills?¡¯¡± Shoulders drooped in disappointment and indignant whines could be heard from the group. ¡°And you,¡± Yamada pointed a finger towards Justin. ¡°Professor Oak must be going senile in his golden years. How is it possible for such a big difference to exist between two trainers sponsored by the same person?!¡± Nina wanted to groan into her palm. ¡°Did he really need to publicize my backing so openly like that?¡± She could already hear people murmuring stuff about her in the background. ¡°So until you people shape up¡­ No one!¡± Yamada turned and looked at all the gathered first year students, regardless of whether they had participated in Nina¡¯s assessment or not. ¡°No one is to disturb Miss Jones with any more challenges, am I understood?¡± Another wave of groans could be heard from the crowd. ¡°The only ones who are allowed to challenge her are students who have managed to secure at least 30 wins in their school record. No exceptions!¡± ¡°But she said 10 to me before!¡± Justin cried, only for his voice to be drowned out by the commotion in the Gym. ¡°No exceptions!¡± Yamada reiterated, before calling for an end to class. Nina took it as her cue to make a run for it, having already snuck up to the dressing room as much as possible during her teacher¡¯s speech. Chapter 76 One of the perks of being friends with a Joy was the constant supply of Soft-Boiled eggs. Nina¡¯s eyes rolled into the back of her skull from the bliss of the bite she just took. Kerry¡¯s Happiny was still developing, so her eggs have yet to fully take on the same ambrosial quality of Chansey¡¯s yet. But it was delicious nonetheless. For Happiny, the trigger for their Evolution is for them to fully master Soft-Boiled as a move. Much like Dragon Dance is the trigger for Tini¡¯s Evolution. The moment that a Happiny produces a full sized egg is when they will finally evolve into a Chansey. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay for me to eat Happiny¡¯s eggs?¡± Nina asked, after she had already devoured the entire thing. Kerry giggled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Happiny can¡¯t produce another egg until she gets rid of the previous one. And she has to keep using the move to develop it. So if anything, you¡¯re doing me a favor. That way I don¡¯t have to keep wasting them.¡± Nina gawked at the young Joy¡¯s words. ¡°How is it possible to get sick of Soft-Boiled eggs?! That¡¯s like saying being happy is boring or something.¡± As if reading the look on her friend¡¯s face, Kerry gave a tired sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been eating them all my life, and trust me, it really does get tiring after a while¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s so good about those stupid eggs anyway?¡± Said Justin, who had taken to eating lunch with them from time to time. The boy was just incensed that he wasn¡¯t given a portion, what with his rocky relationship with the apprentice Joy. Nina tutted at the ignorant child. ¡°See, this is why you still have a long way to go, young Jackie.¡± The girl had taken to intentionally messing up Justin¡¯s name as a running gag, one that the boy was not cognizant of as he yelled at Nina to get his name right for once. However, she did notice the tan on the boy¡¯s skin. Which meant that Justin took Nina¡¯s advice seriously in taking his Squirtle out for swims. Nina ignored Justin¡¯s outrage and enticed his Squirtle over with Berries. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ His skin has a nice bounce to it, and what little scales he has is a little dull, but the rigidity is decent. What do you think of the shell, Kerry?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Better than last time, but still some ways to go,¡± added the other girl. ¡°Have you been following the diet that I prescribed?¡± She asked the boy. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Justin¡¯s face flushed red in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m trying, okay?! But some of that stuff you mentioned is¡­ kind of expensive¡­¡± The boy tapered off at the end there as he lowered his gaze. Nina frowned in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a stipend from Professor Oak? Where did all that money go?¡± Justin¡¯s blush deepened. ¡°I¡­ spent it all on Pokeballs¡­ I couldn¡¯t help it! I saw all those cool variants in the Pokemart and before I knew it, all my money¡¯s gone!¡± Surprisingly, Nina nodded in understanding. She had to resist that same urge herself. But luckily, she had a legitimate reason to buy a Premier Ball for Espy, so she allowed herself to splurge on that one item. In fact, Espy had already been eagerly decorating her future Ball in preparation for the eventual transition. ¡°So you bought all those Pokeballs but haven¡¯t caught a single Pokemon yet?¡± Kerry chimed, causing the boy to avert his gaze in shame. ¡°Speaking of, have you considered getting a secondary Pokemon for battling, Kerry? Or does your family not allow it?¡± Nina asked her friend. Kerry shook her head. ¡°No, getting other Pokemon is fine. Rather, we¡¯re encouraged to. I¡¯m just too scared to go out into the wilds on my own.¡± The pink haired girl looked towards Nina with pleading Growlithe eyes, as if imploring her for help. Nina giggled and pulled her in for a hug. ¡°Silly Psyduck, if you wanted me to go out with you, you could have just asked.¡± Kerry beamed a bright smile at her friend¡¯s agreement. ¡°I wanna go too!¡± Justin exclaimed, to which Nina simply nodded in return. ¡°That¡¯s fine, if you¡¯re all free this weekend, we can all go together. I¡¯ve been meaning to explore Route 11 anyway. Make sure to ready your camping gear, we don¡¯t have a flyer so we might need to spend the night depending on how far we go.¡± Both Kerry and Justin¡¯s eyes lit up at the prospect of an overnight camping trip with friends. Their sense of adventure flaring up in excitement. *** ¡°So, have you thought about what sort of Pokemon you want to get?¡± Nina asked Kerry. The three students and their respective Pokemons were currently on their way to a Ranger outpost located near the eastern exit of Vermillion City. They wanted to get some guidance on the local fauna before embarking on their excursion. ¡°Yeah, I would like someone strong. There¡¯ll be times where I need to handle heavy Pokemon, and having a Pokemon that can move them around would be very helpful.¡± The apprentice Joy was wearing what can only be described as colorful medical scrubs, but designed with more durable material for outdoor use. They looked super comfy though and Nina considered getting some for herself. Nina nodded in understanding and flipped through her notes. Despite the convenience of having a Pokedex, she still preferred the tactility of analogue note taking. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­ There¡¯s apparently a colony of Fighting Types in the forest that should fit your needs. Otherwise there¡¯s bound to be Geodudes in Diglett Cave. That said, we¡¯re not geared for cave exploration, so best we avoid that place for now.¡± Justin grumbled at Nina¡¯s words, but as the strongest trainer and de facto leader of their little expedition, she was quite firm about keeping her two companions out of harm¡¯s way. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind getting a super strong Fighting Type for myself,¡± said Justin. The boy was basically wearing similar clothes to ¡®Youngster¡¯ trainers from the Pokemon game, but in a different color scheme, and paired with a vest. Nina on the other hand, had on the same casual clothes she wore during her initial arrival to the city, but swapped out the chic jeans with a more practical pair of brown khakis she specifically bought for use in the wilderness. The Ranger outpost they were aiming for was an unassuming, green boxy building with the Pokemon League logo plastered on the front. It was located right on the border that delineates Vermilion City from Route 11. The three children walked inside and rang a bell on the counter to announce their presence. ¡°Why hello there, what can I do for you kids today?¡± asked a man in full Ranger garb. ¡°Hi there, my friends and I were hoping to go catch some Pokemon on Route 11. Could you give us a bit of guidance ¡ª any notable spots, or places we need to avoid and stuff like that?¡± Nina responded. ¡°Why, of course. Mind if I have a look at your maps?¡± In response, all three kids pulled out their Pokedex and handed it over to the Ranger, who balked slightly in surprise at the sight. Despite probably owning a Pokedex of his own, their kind was still in the minority after all. The man politely took the children¡¯s devices from them then placed them on a little wireless data pad next to the reception¡¯s PC and began tapping away. ¡°So what sort of Pokemon are you guys looking for?¡± He asked, while he was working. Nina gestured towards Kerry. ¡°My friend here is looking for a strong Pokemon that can lift a lot of weight. But we¡¯re not exactly prepared enough to enter Diglett cave. So are there any areas where we can maybe find some stray Geodudes. Also, we¡¯re curious about the local Fighting Type colony as well.¡± The Ranger nodded in approval. ¡°Wise choice, as expected of kids with Pokedexes. Diglett Cave might not be as bad as Mount Moon, but cave exploration is no joke.¡± Nina smiled, while Justin seemed to redden in embarrassment at the Ranger¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll mark out a few spots where you can typically find stray Geodudes. I wouldn¡¯t recommend the Fighting Types for Miss Joy though. Those muscle heads can only be persuaded through battle.¡± Nina caressed her friend¡¯s head as Kerry wilted at the thought of battling with her pacifist Happiny. It wasn¡¯t that the Blissey line couldn¡¯t battle, just that most of them weren¡¯t cut out for it due to their gentle nature. They tend to gravitate more towards healing over harm, which was why it was so difficult to evolve them and also one of the factors contributing to their rarity. The Ranger finished uploading the relevant data into the Pokedexes and returned the devices to them. ¡°I doubt I need to remind you kids of this, but the areas that I marked red are known Alpha territory. Try not to get too close.¡± Nina gave a grave nod at the warning, and shot a stern glare at Justin. ¡°Are there any interesting interregional species in the area?¡± She asked. The Ranger hummed in consideration. ¡°Hoothoots are pretty common, just don¡¯t expect to find them during the day. There¡¯s also Hoppips and Gulpin,¡± which neither of the kids were interested in. ¡°Aside from that, we had a Carvanha infestation in the river a while back. It¡¯s already been dealt with but maybe you¡¯ll find some strays. In fact, we encourage you to catch them if you find any, just to stop them from breeding. Otherwise, mark them on your map and inform us about it on your way back.¡± Justin lit up at the thought of catching one of the hyper-aggressive Water Types. Nina consulted her updated map and scribbled notes on it using a stylus she bought a while back. ¡°I read online that there might be Shinxes and Electrikes as well?¡± This was for her own future reference. ¡°Ah, those guys have probably moved up north onto Route 6 to be closer to the windmills. That said, the Shinx pride is under protected status so you¡¯ll need permission to catch them ¡ª bigwigs at the league want to localize the species.¡± Nina nodded and thanked the Ranger for the information. *** Route 11 was very scenic and well maintained, filled with verdant grass, wild flowers, and flowing streams, with forests and tall grass lining both sides of the route. The three children stuck to the paved road as they soaked in the gentle breeze caressing their faces. Tini was especially excited by the sight of wild Berry bushes that Nina had to hold him back from eating them. Consuming uncategorised Berry varieties were a massive risk since no one knew what their effects were. ¡°Look, a Taillow!¡± Kerry exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°Huh, I would¡¯ve thought they¡¯d migrated by now. Probably a stray,¡± said Nina. ¡°You can consider capturing them. Having a flyer is always useful.¡± The apprentice Joy nodded in consideration but ultimately decided to pass. ¡°When are we gonna get some action already? This is boring.¡± Justin whined. Nina consulted her map. ¡°Almost there now.¡± They had just passed the entrance into Diglett Cave and were steadily making their way towards the point where they would need to veer off route. ¡°I think here should be fine. Everyone do a final equipment check!¡± The girl ordered. Nina returned Tini to avoid his draconic aura scaring away any potential Pokemon encounters. But the girl did set Tini¡¯s Ball to transparency mode and stuck it to a magnetic strap that she wore around her neck just so that her partner could have a first person view of their journey. ¡°Espy, please let us know if you detect any Pokemon nearby.¡± She asked the Gifted Eevee who was propped on top of her human¡¯s head as usual. Kerry had her Happiny cradled in her arms while Justin returned his Squirtle as well due to how difficult the off route terrain was for his awkward little turtle. Once she confirmed that everyone was ready to go, Nina instructed Espy to cut them a path through the bushes using Swift. And thus commencing their off-route excursion. Chapter 77 Most of the Pokemon who hung out so close to the predator free main route were rather timid, and often avoided human contact. Though occasionally, one would encounter Pokemon who were eager to find a competent trainer to go on their own journey as well. Which was why there was an unspoken rule that trainers only battled Pokemon who proactively challenged them. Assaulting unwilling Pokemon was considered abuse and highly frowned upon. Some may even consider it poaching. So far in their off route excursion, the trio of kids who were prowling for potential captures have yet to encounter any Pokemon that would willingly approach them. There were Pokemon all around them of course, Espy would point them out to the group everytime she sensed one nearby. But often, they would simply observe from a distance or run away immediately after perceiving the approaching humans. Justin was getting a little antsy, but either Nina or Kerry would just shush him every time he made a fuss. Nina wasn¡¯t too bothered, since they have yet to reach the location marked out by the Pokemon Ranger. According to their maps, the place they were looking for was a little secret clearing in the woods where there was an abundance of Pokemon, including the possibility of Geodude sightings. ¡°You know, Nidoking are quite strong,¡± said Nina as they passed by a family of Nidorans. But Kerry shook her head, saying that their Poison Typing was prone to causing accidents. Besides, she¡¯ll need to evolve them twice before they¡¯d be of use to her. The apprentice nurse was surprisingly practical in her considerations. ¡°Azumarills can be trained to be powerful brawlers, and they evolve fairly easily. Oh, how about Poliwags? They¡¯re cute, and both their evolved forms are quite strong as well,¡± continued Nina. Kerry nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right, and having a source of water around would be pretty handy. Let¡¯s head to the river if I don¡¯t find any Geodude.¡± And with that, they eventually reached a break in the forest, revealing a sunlit clearing filled with wild flowers and lounging Pokemon. Nina held her companions back and signaled for them to crouch down to avoid startling the Pokemon. The three children hid behind a bush and just patiently observed the Pokemon that were available. ¡°Do you guys see any Geodudes?¡± Kerry asked. Justin shrugged. ¡°Eh, some rocks here and there but I dunno if any of them are Pokemon.¡± Kerry frowned and turned to her two companions, ¡°Do you mind waiting for me here, I¡¯ll try and engage with the Pokemon. I¡¯ll signal you guys if it¡¯s okay to approach.¡± Nina frowned but ultimately agreed. ¡°Here, take Tini with you,¡± said the overbearing girl, as she detached her partner¡¯s Pokeball from her necklace. ¡°Let him out if there¡¯s any indication of danger. I don¡¯t care if you think you¡¯re being paranoid or not.¡± Kerry smiled and thanked her friend¡¯s consideration with a hug. She then gently emerged from the bushes, attracting the guarded attention of the wild Pokemon. Some of them ran away immediately, but most of them just stayed and stared curiously at the human girl. It was hard to be hostile towards the friendly little Happiny waving at them after all. Nina watched anxiously while Justin was yawning in boredom. ¡°So, what made you want to go to trainer school?¡± the girl whispered, in an effort to blunt her nerves. ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t wanna go, actually. I wanted to go on a journey just like Lucy, but my mom wanted me to do it. So I figured, one year wouldn¡¯t hurt, just to stop the hag from nagging. Then I¡¯ll just run off and do my own thing.¡± The boy responded. ¡°Makes sense, most of Professor Oak¡¯s sponsored tend to be more impatient than the rest,¡± mused Nina. ¡°So how are you finding school so far?¡± Surprisingly, Justin was quite positive about it, saying that it was alright and he was enjoying himself. ¡°There¡¯s lots of people to battle here and I¡¯m actually learning quite a lot of stuff.¡± He said that last part with a blush and quick glance at Nina. The girl giggled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Justin. Feel free to ask if you ever have any questions. I¡¯m not exactly an expert like Professor Oak, but I try my best.¡± ¡°Wha?! No!¡± Justin exclaimed, only to have his voice muffled by Nina who covered his mouth in an attempt to silence him. Luckily, the wild Pokemon were not startled. In fact, Kerry just laughed at the talking bush and called for her two friends to come join her. They ended up having lunch in the clearing surrounded by all the nearby wild Pokemon, much to Nina¡¯s delight as she fed them with liberal amounts of Berries and had her fill of physical affection. There were a couple of Geodudes as well, but Kerry failed to convince any of them to join her. Or more like, they didn¡¯t really understand what she wanted, even with Happiny¡¯s help. This was a common problem when interacting with wild Pokemon that weren¡¯t very in tune with civilization. A lot of times, certain concepts were just too alien for them to grasp. Nina even had Espy help out and showed them some videos on her Pokedex of the city, hoping to pique their curiosity. Only to be looked at like a weirdo as the two Rock Pokemon turned their backs to her and left. ¡°Cheer up, Kerr. We¡¯ve still got plenty of daylight left. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something eventually,¡± assuaged Nina before biting into her Happiny egg sandwich, courtesy of Kerry. The girl had demonstrated her feminine prowess by packing a picnic basket for today. She nodded with a brittle smile and took a sip of tea. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not in a rush. It¡¯s important to find a Pokemon that I can get along with.¡± ¡°Just challenge them to a battle,¡± said the insensitive Justin, earning him a glare from Kerry. There are indeed many trainers who believe that such a capture method was valid, and coming from Nina¡¯s experience playing the games, she was inclined to do so as well. But unfortunately, Pokemon captured through such forceful means tend to be very rebellious and require a lot of time and effort to tame. Nina sighed at the two bickering children and clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough, you two. Let¡¯s wrap up lunch soon, because there¡¯s another area we can check out on the way to the nearest river. After that, I want us to make it back to this clearing before nightfall. It¡¯s the perfect place to set up camp for tonight, provided the local Pokemon don¡¯t mind our presence.¡± *** The next hotspot they went to wasn¡¯t much better than that first clearing. Rather, it was worse because a troupe of Mankeys had claimed that area at some point, bullying away most of the local Pokemon. Nina made a note to report the issue to the local Rangers and even had to send out Tini to fight off a few of them who got too aggressive. Justin thought it might be a good idea to catch one of them, but Nina dissuaded him against it. In addition to being Fighting Types, Mankeys were also primates with severe anger issues. To keep one in check, a trainer had to have a competent leader in their team that can give the pig monkey Pokemon a regular beating just to keep them in line. A role that Justin¡¯s Squirtle wasn¡¯t strong enough to play just yet. ¡°It¡¯s a shame really, Annihilapes are cool but most Primeapes end up dead in pursuit of that pinnacle.¡± Nina lamented. Annihilapes were Fighting Ghost Types for a reason. In order to achieve that final evolution, they needed to first experience anger strong enough to push them towards the brink of death, before reeling it back in to achieve a perpetual balance of rage and zen. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get one then?¡± Justin asked Nina. ¡°Tini should be strong enough to control one right?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°The school limits us to two Pokemon at this point. I have to do well in the midterms to secure another slot. Not that I would use it on such a pain in the ass Pokemon anyway.¡± Nina valued harmony and coexistence in her team, not one built on a hierarchy of strength. Which was another reason why she didn¡¯t want to specialize in Dragon Types. As the trio continued walking, they eventually heard the gurgling of running water as they found themselves in front of a rocky river bank and a shallow river. Nina reckoned that the depth of it was about waist height and the currents weren¡¯t strong enough to carry them away if they attempted to wade across. Justin cried out in excitement and released his Squirtle as the pair ran over to the river and began splashing water at each other. ¡°Careful not to get your clothes too wet!¡± Nina yelled as she also released Tini into the water. Tini appeared with a spirited cry and looked around curiously before joining Justin and Squirtle in their play. Nina turned to Kerry and told her that she was heading upstream to check out the area. ¡°Do you wanna come with or stay here with the boys?¡± Kerry chose to come with, feeling insecure without the reliable Gym Trainer around to protect her. Visibly, there weren¡¯t many Pokemon to be found in the water. But Nina knew that was just an optical illusion. She remembered how in her past life, Miles had once gone river fishing. It was one of those paid experiences where he got a limited amount of time to catch as many fish as he was able, and the owners of the site will grill up the fish for him after the fact. She remembered how Miles complained to the owner about there not being any fish, only for the guy to laugh and take his fishing rod from him to show the lousy tourist how it was done. And just like that, rainbow trout started appearing out of thin air on the other end of the fishing line with a few masterful jerks of the rod. Miles was so fascinated that he read up on it afterwards. Apparently, fish can camouflage themselves through the use of platelets in their skin to reflect polarized light. That¡¯s why it was so hard to spot them swimming through the water. The master fisher did tell Miles how to spot the presence of fish in the river though. Namely they had to look out for a particular way that the water shines under the sunlight. And as Nina was attentively scanning the water for any signs of life, Kerry called out to her. ¡°Nina, look over there!¡± The girl looked over and saw the distressing image of a crying Poliwag being bitten on by a Carvanha on the opposite bank. The tadpole Pokemon was all bloodied and desperately trying to crawl up the river bank, while its assailant was halfway out of the water and forcefully trying to pull them back into water. ¡°Go back and get Justin and the others,¡± said the frowning Nina, before adding on a stern ¡°Now!¡± to get the frozen Kerry moving. Meanwhile, Nina grabbed a special whistle that they used to train Pokemon in the Cerulean Gym and blew on it as hard as she could. The sound was too high pitched to be heard by humans, but in the distance, a certain Dratini perked up at the sound and his happy go lucky face shifted into one of absolute severity. The Dragon cried out in rage at the thought of someone daring to harm his most beloved person, before swimming upstream at maximum speed to reach his partner. ¡°Tini!¡± Nina cried, as she saw the violent stream of water racing her way. ¡°Over there, save that Poliwag!¡± She pointed. Tini felt a sense of relief wash over him after seeing that Nina was unharmed, then proceeded to direct his rage at the offending Pokemon who dared to ruin his day. Seeing the fragile state of the Poliwag that his partner asked him to save, he decided to play it safe and shoot a low powered Water Pulse, near the Carvanha to grab its attention. With a splash of water interrupting its hunt, the Carvanha looked around with starving eyes and saw the dangerous looking Dragon that was hurtling towards it. The Pokemon briefly contemplated the idea of letting go of its prey to defend itself, only to receive another much more powerful blast to the body, causing it to reel in pain and loosen its grip just long enough for the Poliwag to wiggle loose. Nina let out a sigh of relief. That last Water Pulse came dangerously close to impacting both Pokemon. ¡°Force the Carvanha away and keep it at bay until Justin shows up with Squirtle. Don¡¯t faint it yet,¡± she instructed, to which Tini responded with an affirmative ¡°Tiin!¡± By this point, Nina trusted her Dratini to have enough control over his strength to accomplish such a delicate task. Her Dragon had spent a long time in abstinence after all. Nina had no doubts that this encounter was due to Justin¡¯s shonen protagonist luck. What were the chances that the two Pokemon their group wanted appeared right at the same time after all. ¡°Alright, this confirms it. I need to stop hanging out with Justin from now on.¡± She wasn¡¯t going to outright shun the boy. But if ever there were any more plans for such an excursion, the trouble magnet was not going to be included no matter what. Speaking of the devil, a frantic looking Justin soon showed up with Kerry in tow. ¡°Jacy, you wanted to catch a Carvanha right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Justin!¡± The boy exclaimed, before he looked towards Tini¡¯s opponent with an excited grin. ¡°Tini, pull back and see if you can¡¯t get the Poliwag over to us. Squirtle will take over the battle.¡± Nina instructed. The Poliwag was looking to be in dire shape as it bled out on the opposite shore. Tini did as he was told and pushed the Carvanha away with a flick of his tail before rushing over to the injured Pokemon, looking a little bewildered as to how he could even accomplish his tasks given that the little eel did not have hands. Nina wracked her brain to consider that very same dilemma, when she heard a splash to her side. Looking over, she saw a familiar set of scrubs laying on the ground, and the swimming figure of Kerry trying to make her way over to the other side. ¡°Shit!¡± Nina cursed. ¡°Tini, change of plans! Go and escort Kerry to the other side!¡± The Dratini followed his partner¡¯s gaze and immediately jumped back into the water. On the other end, Justin was fervently cheering for his Squirtle to take down the Carvanha. The piranha Pokemon was looking really haggard after its bout with Tini, but remained as tenacious as ever as he glared at its new opponent in defiance. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina sighed. Justin was going to have a rough time trying to get that one under control. Chapter 78 Nina and Justin looked on in concern as Kerry administered first aid treatment to the feeble looking Poliwag. The apprentice nurse had immediately secured the Pokemon in a Pokeball and swam back with Tini once she determined that there was little she could do on the other shore without any of her medical supplies. Kerry was so frantic that she didn¡¯t even bother to put on her clothes when she got back, and went straight to rummaging through her backpack in just her underwear. After admonishing the crudely staring Justin, Nina grabbed a towel from her own luggage and covered up her friend who muttered a curt thanks before continuing to work on the Poliwag. Nina looked up at the lightly stained sky and made the executive decision to set up camp for the night. ¡°Justin, go and get us some dried twigs for firewood,¡± she ordered. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to make it back to the clearing in time.¡± The boy nodded and ran off into the woods, while Nina started unpacking her camping gear from her Silph Co Backpack. They had portable stoves for cooking, but given how thoroughly soaked both her companions were, she figured they could use a warm fire. ¡°How¡¯s Poliwag?¡± Nina asked as she handed a cup of hot tea to the exhausted Kerry. Kerry groaned and warmed her ice cold hands against the steel mug. ¡°She¡¯s stable, but she¡¯s lost a lot of blood. I¡¯ve put her in full stasis for now, but we¡¯ll need to make our way to a Pokemon Center soon.¡± Nina wrapped an arm around her friend and gave her a tight squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s getting late now, so let¡¯s head out first thing in the morning. Do you think your Pokeball can last for that long?¡± Kerry nodded and showcased what seemed to be a regular looking Premier Ball but with a red cross on the top. ¡°This is a special Pokeball that us nurses use to transport Pokemon. It doesn¡¯t impose a psychic registry, similar to Safari Balls, and is overall more sturdy and higher capacity. Also stops Pokemon from breaking out on their own as well, out of necessity.¡± She explained. Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the unfamiliar gizmo but chose not to press for more details out of consideration for Kerry¡¯s emotional state. Instead she nodded and laid Kerry¡¯s head against her shoulder. ¡°When you¡¯re feeling up for it, wipe yourself down and put your clothes back on. Can¡¯t have you fall sick on us too.¡± Instead of responding, the young Joy simply relaxed her body and leaned further into Nina¡¯s embrace, wanting to just shut down and rest for a bit. *** ¡°Right, the first thing you need to know about Carvanha is that they possess Rough Skin,¡± Nina said to Justin, over the campfire they had built. Kerry ended up falling asleep in Nina¡¯s arms, so she had asked Justin to grab her another towel to double wrap the girl in before carrying her into Nina¡¯s own tent that she had set up. Afterwards, she and Justin heated up some MREs that they packed for the trip and ate while chatting about the boy¡¯s latest catch. Nina even helped to feed Peppy the Happiny who was left out after her trainer fell unconscious. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean rough skin like Carvanha needs to moisturize or anything. I mean Rough Skin as in the ability. If you run your palm through its skin, you¡¯re liable to shear off all the skin on your palm,¡± said Nina, causing Justin to shiver in disgust at the imagery. ¡°That same ability is the species¡¯s greatest strength ¡ª imagine being able to harm your opponent through sheer touch alone. But that also means you need to be very careful when you¡¯re handling your new Pokemon. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why we don¡¯t keep their species in our Gym. In fact, I suspect the initial outbreak of Carvanhas in this area was due to some callous trainer releasing theirs because they couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. As you saw, Carvanhas have very few natural predators out here in fresh waters. So don¡¯t make the same mistake.¡± Nina lectured in her stern Gym Trainer tone. Justin gave the girl a grave nod, having already learned that his classmate was a much more competent and experienced trainer than he was. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be careful. And If I¡¯m not cut out for training Carvanha, I¡¯ll hand it over to the Rangers to be relocated.¡± Nina gave the boy an approving smile. ¡°Good. Once we get back to the city, I¡¯ll take you shopping for protective gear. I know you don¡¯t have money right now so I¡¯ll front the costs and you can pay me back next month.¡± Justin looked at Nina with tear filled eyes like she was Arceus incarnate. ¡°Thank you!¡± The boy¡¯s voice quivered as he expressed his gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to pay you back. Promise!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina chuckled in amusement. ¡°I believe you. Professor Oak might be getting on in years, but I trust his judge of character. By the way, I never asked. Are you from Pallet Town?¡± Justin sniffled and rubbed his nose before shaking his head. ¡°Nope, Viridian City. But gramps lives in Pallet Town so we visited all the time. That¡¯s how I got to know Lucy and Professor Oak.¡± ¡°Lucy¡¯s your childhood friend who went on a journey?¡± ¡°Yeap! Lived right next door to gramps. She¡¯s a real brat, always saying that she was better than me and that she was going to beat Lance and take his place as Champion.¡± Nina chuckled at the pot and kettle dynamic between the two. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna battle her in the Indigo Conference? I imagine she¡¯ll rush to compete this year.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Justin scoffed. ¡°And she¡¯ll lose and try again next year. I¡¯ve still got time to train up Squirtle, and with an actual Gym Trainer giving me advice as well.¡± He grinned. Nina gave a wry smile at the boy. ¡°I can only do so much. At the end of the day, you¡¯re solely responsible for your own Pokemon. But I¡¯m sure you already know that.¡± Justin nodded with a determined glint in his eyes. ¡°One thing I will say though, try to build up your team while you¡¯re still in the Vermillion Flame,¡± Nina continued. ¡°They¡¯ll have all sorts of events and stuff you can take part in to raise your carry limit. And it¡¯s not just me you can seek out for advice either. From what I can tell, the teachers in the school are all pretty competent trainers in their own right.¡± *** The next morning, the trio had a light breakfast and disassembled their camping gear before setting out. Kerry was quite eager to get a move on immediately, but Nina reminded her that Happiny needed to eat as well. It was approaching noon by the time they reached the Ranger outpost, since they beelined straight back to Route 11 without dallying. Nina told her two friends to head to the nearest Pokemon Center without her, while she went into the outpost to give a report on their encounters. She was met with the same Ranger from the day before, who had a brief scare when he saw that Nina came back alone. ¡°Hmm¡­ An aggressive Mankey troupe in the forest and a stray Carvanha in the river.¡± The Ranger sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. Nina gave a weak smile in return and held herself back from apologizing on behalf of Justin. After the Carvanha incident, she had a suspicion that their encounter with the Mankeys was probably the boy¡¯s fault as well. No doubt it was one of his desired Pokemon. ¡°Do you know if the Carvanha was male or female?¡± The Ranger asked. ¡°No idea, I told my friend not to release it since it was quite aggressive and we had to beat it up real bad before being able to subdue it. I had him put the fish into full stasis as well just to be doubly sure.¡± The Ranger nodded in approval. ¡°A Ranger¡¯s work never ends¡­ You said they¡¯ve gone ahead to the nearest Pokemon Center right? I¡¯ll call in later to request for more details. And we¡¯ll send someone to check on the Mankey as well. Probably just some beta and their lackeys who got kicked out of a larger troupe cause they failed to usurp the alpha. Happens all the time.¡± After a few more pleasantries, the man thanked the girl once more for the info and Nina left the outpost to rejoin her friends. *** Nina walked up to the Nurse Joy standing behind the reception to hand in Tini and Espy for a full check up, Tini in particular had lost a few scales during his fight with the sentient sandpaper that was Carvanha. And when she asked about her friend¡¯s whereabouts, she was directed towards the cafeteria ¡ª which Kerry had access to because she was a Joy. ¡°They have Chansey¡¯s egg on the menu!¡± exclaimed the excited Nina, but best of all, her status as a Pokedex holder meant that she didn¡¯t have to pay for her meal in the Pokemon Center. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I could¡¯ve had free Chansey¡¯s egg all this time!¡± The realization hit Nina like a Focus Punch as she listlessly wandered over to her two companions with a tray full of various Chansey¡¯s egg menu items in hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked a concerned Kerry. Nina slowly faced her friend with wide eyed astonishment. ¡°Kerr, did you know? I could¡¯ve gone to Pokemon Centers to eat free Chansey¡¯s egg all this time!¡± The pink haired girl giggled in amusement. ¡°You have to be either staff, patient, or visiting patients to gain access to the cafeteria, not that they check of course.¡± The girl winked suggestively at that last part. Nina could tell that the young Joy was looking much more cheerful than she was this morning, which was quite the relief. ¡°Do they do take outs?¡± She asked, sending her friend into a fit of laughter. ¡°So are both Poliwag and Carvanha, okay?¡± Nina asked once they¡¯ve all settled down a bit. Kerry was the first to respond. ¡°Yeah, Poliwag had lacerations and wounds all across her body, and lost quite a fair bit of blood. But it was a good thing that there wasn¡¯t much internal damage aside from some punctured intestine, so overall she¡¯ll be fine. My cousins said that it¡¯ll take about a week or so for her to fully recover. Justin looked down in remorse, feeling guilty on behalf of Carvanha who was technically his responsibility now. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± He muttered. But Kerry just waved him off, saying that it wasn¡¯t his fault. ¡°Just don¡¯t let Poliwag catch sight of that killing machine in the foreseeable future. At least until I can help to dispel some of her trauma.¡± ¡°Not like I¡¯ll be able to let him out of his Pokeball in front of other people anyway.¡± Justin shrugged. ¡°At least not until I can get through to him¡­ Oh, and Carvanha¡¯s fine by the way, just a bit beaten up. The nurses said they had to put him to sleep before they could do anything though.¡± Nina hummed in acknowledgement. ¡°So you¡¯ll be keeping Poliwag then?¡± She asked Kerry. Kerry lowered her gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I don¡¯t want Poliwag to feel like she owes me or anything. So if she wants to go back to her home then I¡¯ll respect her wishes.¡± Nina squeezed the girl¡¯s hand in assurance. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, just show her how much she¡¯ll be loved in your company. It beats going back into the wild and potentially getting munched on again.¡± After their lunch, Nina convinced Kerry to go shopping with her and Justin. Since Poliwag was still unconscious anyway. The girl ultimately agreed, albeit reluctantly. Chapter 79 Nina dove into the water while holding onto a little harness that Tini was wearing. The pair zoomed around and took in all the colorful marine life that the seas of Vermilion City had to offer. The two of them no longer needed to catch fish, since Nina¡¯s scholarship provides for all their meals. But after several years of routine, diving had become a ritual for them at this point. Nina felt that there was just something relaxing about being in the water, surrounded by nature and accompanied only by her best friend in the whole world. No offense to Beverly of course, but the bond between her and Tini was unique and absolutely irreplaceable. At this point, she would even go so far as to call Tini her soulmate, and she was sure that the Dragon felt the same way. The girl pointed excitedly at a cluster of Shellder who were napping adorably within a coral reef dotted with Corsola. She could even see some Horseas peeking out shyly from the corals, which she offered Berries to. Most of the Horseas shied away at the gesture, diving back into the safety of their home. But one of them was brave enough to approach and partake, which was all it took to satisfy Nina¡¯s need for affection. ¡°One. All it takes is a single brave soul to inspire others. Much like Tini back when I met him.¡± She mused. And sure enough, after seeing that their brethren was unharmed, more and more Pokemon approached Nina to demand treats. She had been thinking alot about expanding her team lately. The midterms were right before summer break. And if she did well enough, which she was confident she would after seeing the syllabus, Nina would be able to expand her carry limit by one. ¡°Ideally, I¡¯d like to go catch something in advance during summer. But unfortunately, my summer break is likely going to be very hectic¡­¡± Because that was when Misty¡¯s wedding with her Uncle Ali was going to be held, and these were two people to whom the word ¡®humility¡¯ does not apply. So naturally, they were going all out. Violet had already begun marketing the occasion as being the wedding of the decade. They even started selling commemorative paraphernalia like the couple was the royal family or something. But the funny part was, people lapped it all up thanks to Misty¡¯s proposal going viral on the Pokenet. Nina was pretty certain that they¡¯d already recouped all the money they spent on the extravagant ceremony and then some. Even the local government was chipping in on the promotional efforts, already projecting a massive spike in tourists revenue. The whole wedding might as well be a citywide festival at this point. As the ring bearer and also the only person with direct ties to both the bride and the groom, Nina was expected to play a large part in the celebrations and was asked to make her way back the moment that summer break commences to help with the preparations. They had not been very specific in telling Nina what they wanted from her, but she was already dreading every second of it. ¡°Tiin~¡± Tini swam up to the daydreaming Nina and booped the girl on her rebreather, before making a weird face at the inexplicably hard surface, eliciting giggles and a burst of bubbles from his partner. *** S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you Melina Jones?¡± Nina was leisurely chatting with Kerry on their way to the next class when she was intercepted by an unfamiliar face; a stoic looking girl, with a wild mane of red hair and wearing a¡­ ¡°Is that a half cape attached to shoulder pauldrons?¡± While Nina was contemplating the girl¡¯s odd choice of fashion, her silence was misconstrued as tacit admission, prompting the girl to continue speaking. ¡°I challenge you to a duel!¡± The girl exclaimed, while taking up her own unique brand of dynamic posing. Nina held back her urge to groan and simply put on her ice queen facade, or uppity bitch face as Beverly liked to call it. This was how she¡¯d been dealing with all the random challenges that came her way since the start of school. Most get too intimidated by her silent glare and eventually falter, allowing Nina to wave them away or simply walk past them. The rest she would ask to see their battle record to see if they¡¯ve reached the requisite thirty wins necessary to challenge her, which most of them wouldn¡¯t have. But Nina could already tell that this one wasn¡¯t going to give up that easily. ¡°First of all, it¡¯s only polite to introduce yourself before challenging someone,¡± said the incensed Nina. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you around before, are you an upperclassman? Because I¡¯m pretty sure the school has rules against older students issuing challenges to their juniors.¡± ¡°You will find that I am indeed in the same year as you. And as for my name¡­¡± The girl gave a confident smirk, threw out her arm with a flourish, before clenching her fist and slamming it against her chest with a loud thump that would make even Commander Erwin proud. ¡°I! Am Lilian Blackthorn! Successor to the Blackthorn Legacy, and the one who will one day step on the charred corpse of Lance Blackthorn to ascend the Champion''s throne!¡± Nina shared a look of disbelief with Kerry. ¡°Blasphemy against the Regional Champion aside, did you know that we had a Blackthorn enrolled into our school?¡± To which, the young Joy shrugged and shook her head in ignorance. ¡°Ah, I see. You demand proof of my lineage. Very well.¡± The self-proclaimed Blackthorn then took hold of a Pokeball and expanded it. ¡°Behold, my mighty Drag¡ª¡± But before the pompous girl had a chance to finish, a white gloved hand appeared out of nowhere and gently covered up the exposed Pokeball. ¡°Milady, I must remind you that the academy has strict rules pertaining to the release of Pokemon within its confines. Might I suggest presenting your student identification instead. I believe that should suffice,¡± said the genial looking elderly man in a tailcoat, who inexplicably materialized next to the girl during that brief moment of distraction. ¡°Alfred, yes. My thanks for the reminder.¡± Nina gawked. ¡°This girl has a butler named Alfred? How cliche can you get?¡± At her servant¡¯s suggestion, Lilian went through her shirt pocket and pulled out a Pokedex which she flipped open with a single handed flick then turned to face Nina, to show a display of her student ID alongside her battle record. The butler gestured towards his mistress¡¯s device. ¡°As you can see Miss Jones, milady has already earned the school mandated 30 wins to issue the challenge.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± said the bewildered Nina. ¡°And that does say Lilian Blackthorn alright. I¡¯m just a little confused as to why a member of Johto¡¯s leading family is here in a Kantonian school and why we¡¯ve never seen her around before?¡± ¡°Indeed. Lady Lilian has been sent to Kanto as part of an exchange program to further deepen the ties between our two regions. During this time, she has been given the status of nominal student in all of the great Kantonian schools to facilitate greater interaction among the local youths.¡± The butler explained on Lilian¡¯s behalf. ¡°As a nominal student, Lady Lilian may freely enter the confines of any school she is enrolled in without being fettered to their established curriculum. Thus freeing her from the obligation of attending classes. Though rest assured that milady is quite up to date on her studies.¡± Nina took a deep breath to compose herself. ¡°Sure, but before I accept the challenge. May I ask, why me?¡± That question was directed towards Lilian herself. The red haired girl grinned. ¡°Because a mighty Dragon¡¯s fangs can only be sharpened by another Dragon!¡± ¡°What milady means is that she heard tales of your prowess as a trainer and would like to test her mettle against yours. This is in addition to the fact that you possess a member of the noble Dragonite line ¡ª a rarity here in Kanto.¡± Alfred interpreted. Nina sighed at the odd dynamic between the Johton duo and agreed to the challenge. ¡°Do you wanna put in a wager or will this just be a friendly spar?¡± She asked. To which, Lilian simply snapped her fingers in response, prompting Alfred to pull out a small briefcase in a sleight of hand. Then proceeding to snap it open with a satisfying clack, unveiling a single lustrous Gold Nugget. Nina balked at the sight of it, jaw nearly hitting the floor from astonishment. Even Kerry was taken aback by the ball of pure gold that suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°I uh¡­ I don¡¯t think I have anything that can match something of that value¡­¡± Nina stuttered. Lilian simply laughed dismissively at the girl¡¯s concern. ¡°Oh no, you misunderstand, Melina Jones. This is your reward should I deem our battle satisfactory. And should you prevail, then I shall double it¡¯s worth. So hold nothing back, and give me everything you got!¡± Nina was speechless, trying to figure out if this was a prank or not. How could someone give out a freaking Gold Nugget just for agreeing to a battle. Was it not a given that Nina would give it her all? ¡°Though I suppose if you grew up in a family as prestigious as the Blackthorns, sycophantic followers trying to gain favor by deliberately losing must be the norm.¡± In a way, Nina kind of felt bad for the girl. ¡°Just for the record, I would have given it my all even if you hadn¡¯t offered me such a ludicrously valuable item,¡± said Nina. ¡°But I thank you and accept it nonetheless.¡± In fact, she would be an absolute dumbass if she had declined. Lilian gave a haughty but approving nod. ¡°Very good! Now, let us be away!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Nina¡¯s call halted the other girl in her step. ¡°We¡¯ve still got classes ongoing. In fact, Kerry and I are late to our next one. I¡¯ll battle you after school.¡± Lilian frowned and opened her mouth to protest only to be held back by Alfred. ¡°Miss Jones is correct, milady. For regular students, attending classes and marking their attendance plays a vital role in their academics. It would behoove us to wait until Miss Jones¡¯s obligations are completed before commencing the bout.¡± Alfred¡¯s mistress nodded somewhat reluctantly. Lilian was clearly eager to battle but had enough self-control to reign in her desires, earning her a bit of respect from Nina. ¡°I guess the girl isn¡¯t as spoiled as I thought she was.¡± ¡°Very well, but I shall attend your classes with you. To ensure that you do not be waylaid by other emerging obligations,¡± declared Lilian. Nina groaned. But after seeing that the butler was going to do nothing to stop his mistress, she gave Kerry a helpless look and simply resigned to her fate. Chapter 80 Word had spread and Nina¡¯s match with Lilian had gathered quite the crowd. To the point where teachers had to step in to impose order in the gym where the match was going to be held. Nina began by first dictating the terms. ¡°This will be a one on one match against my Dratini. Does that sound good to you?¡± Lilian smiled. ¡°I am only possessed of my partner Dratini at the moment. So this is a perfect arrangement.¡± ¡°Awesome, no point in playing senseless mind games then.¡± Nina said as she released Tini onto the flat arena. ¡°I concur.¡± Lilian grinned as she also released her Dratini. Nina had spent enough time with Tini at this point to be able to discern the gender of his species at a glance. She could tell that this one was female, based on her sharper eyes and more pronounced ear fins. Lilian¡¯s Dratini glared at Tini and let out a challenging cry. To which, the friendly Tini simply responded with a smile and a cheerful wave of his tail. It had been a long time since he¡¯d seen another one of his kind, so naturally he couldn¡¯t help but feel joy at the surprise encounter. ¡°Alright, Tini. Today¡¯s finally going to be the day.¡± Tini looked back at his partner with glittering eyes, fully in tune with Nina¡¯s intent. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hold you back anymore, so show our new friends here the fruits of your labor¡­ and become the Dragon you were always meant to be!¡± ¡°Dra TINI!¡± Tini cried out in determination, as he turned his head back to face his opponent with a determined gaze, looking more serious than Nina had ever seen him before. Lilian gave a savage grin at the sudden change in Tini¡¯s demeanor, recognizing that she was finally going to be presented with a proper battle for once. Seeing that both trainers were ready, Mr Yamada, who had volunteered to referee the fight, announced the start of the battle. ¡°This will be a one on one battle between Lilian Blackthorn, representing the exalted Blackthorn Family, and Melina Jones, representing the Cerulean Gym and the prestigious laboratories of Professor Oak and Professor Bill.¡± Nina held back an urge to groan. Her overly dramatic teacher was treating this as if it was an official conference match. Even going so far as to call out each of their individual sponsors. She could already hear the audience¡¯s murmurs at the mention of the big names backing her. ¡°Trainers, are you ready?!¡± ¡°Ready!!¡± ¡°3, 2, 1, and¡­ Begin!¡± Right off the bat, both Dratinis started off with a Dragon Pulse, without even needing any input from their trainers. Eliciting fervent cheers from the audience when the two equally powerful bolts of Dragon Energy collided in the middle of the arena. That said, Nina could tell that Tini¡¯s Dragon Pulse fell a bit short of his opponents. Something that Lilian noticed as well as she ordered her Pokemon to persist in her bombardment. ¡°Don¡¯t bother matching her, Tini. Time to show off what you learned from Kingsley.¡± With a slight grin and another cry, Tini danced all around the bolts of Dragon Energy that was shot his way. The scales on his muscular serpentine body glowing with a purple draconic aura all the while. The sight of which was enough to make Lilian lose her composure. ¡°Get in there, Sapphire. Stop him!¡± The Blackthorn yelled. A surge of Dragon Energy took over the other Dratini¡¯s body as she surged forth in a Dragon Rush, quickly closing the gap between her and Tini. ¡°Milotic into an Onix,¡± commanded Nina. She had taken to using codewords related to battles they¡¯ve experienced to hint at specific moves and strategies that they¡¯ve formulated over the years. Instead of moving to dodge the incoming Dragon Rush, Tini simply coiled up his body and tensed his muscles while steadily waiting for the right moment to strike. And right as Sapphire was due to come into range, a feeling of discomfort overtook her, causing her to falter somewhat in her charge. Leaving her slightly open to a counter strike from Tini¡¯s pseudo-Coil empowered Dragon Rush, which was more akin to a whipping motion as opposed to the charging one that Sapphire had employed. Tini slammed into Sapphire right in the jaw, effectively uppercutting the female Dragon as she cried out in pain and was sent tumbling back to her side of the arena. ¡°Snap out of it, Sapphire!¡± Lilian yelled. ¡°Burn him!¡± An impressive wave of purple Dragon Breath spewed out from the Dratini as she covered the entire arena in her draconic fire. Tini winced at the damage, unable to avoid the all encompassing attack. Nina hummed. She could tell that Lilian¡¯s training ethos was more geared towards pure power in the form of Dragon Type Energy. To that end Sapphire seemed to have quite a fair bit of endurance as well. ¡°Trying to end this quickly with big moves might end up backfiring on us.¡± ¡°Cerulean on Ice.¡± She called. This was the original strategy that Nina had devised to make up for Tini¡¯s lack of mobility on land. But her Dratini had since learned air swimming and his variant Dragon Rush to make up for it. Didn¡¯t mean the idea had lost its merit though. Tini cried and shot a Hydro Pump straight into the air, the geyser eventually tapering off to sprinkle water droplets all over the field and turning into steam as they hit the blazing draconic flames. Lilian misunderstood, thinking that Tini was trying to put out the flames, and told Sapphire to double down on Dragon Breath. But the male Dratini was undaunted, instead of repeating his actions, Tini simply endured the Dragon Breath and began performing an elegant dance, his body flowing and undulating like ocean waves. The rising water vapors from earlier began to congregate at Tini¡¯s Rain Dance, forming gray clouds overcasting the arena as droplets of rain began falling. The range of Sapphire¡¯s mighty Dragon Breath was diminished in an instant, no longer able to cover the entire arena like it used to. Lilian once again ordered her Dratini to rush in, only to be dodged by another Dragon Dance from Tini. ¡°Time to finish your set up, Tini.¡± With a casual Dragon Pulse from Tini to keep his opponent at bay, he whipped his tail up into the air and raised a wave of water that washed over the entire arena, pushing Sapphire even further away from him with a yelp. Nina grinned. Tini¡¯s Typing meant that his Surf took copious amounts of effort to set up only for a single use. And it likely didn¡¯t do much damage either. But now, the surface of the arena had become one big puddle, allowing Tini to skate around the space as if it were ice. Hence, Cerulean on Ice. Which was exactly what Tini did as he skated all around Sapphire while Dragon Dancing and spamming Water Pulse at his disconcerted opponent. Lilian¡¯s eyes flitted all around as she gritted her teeth and wracked her brains. Finally calling out to Sapphire for an indiscriminate Thunder to make use of the ongoing rain clouds. A flash of bright light and thundering boom rang out at Sapphire¡¯s cry, causing Nina and spectating students to cover their ears in fright. Tini barely dodged out of the way but could clearly feel the superheated plasma singing his scales. Unfortunately, his opponent did not stop at just one strike. Lilian called for an indiscriminate bombardment, so bolts of Thunder began striking the arena at random, straining Tini¡¯s reaction speed to the limit as he attempted to dodge each one. Nina was unable to give orders from all the noise and Tini could not dodge forever, eventually getting struck and crying out in pain, finally putting a stop to the crisis. Sapphire heaved in exhaustion at the ridiculous power she just demonstrated, while Tini spasmed in pain from the electricity coursing through him. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina suppressed a tear at seeing the burned and singed figure of her partner. She had half a mind to return him right now, but Tini simply cried out with a defiant ¡°TIIIN!¡± as if sensing Nina¡¯s hesitation. A wave of strong emotions washed over Nina, infusing her with a renewed determination and completely dispelling her defeatist notions. The girl sniffled and rubbed her eyes. ¡°I believe in you, Tini. I know you can do it.¡± Tini looked back and gave a solemn nod to his partner, before he began to gently sway his body to an inaudible tune. Nina recognised the beat, it was the same lullaby that Tini always sang whenever she was having trouble sleeping. A rendition of the song that Victoria, Tini¡¯s mother, sang to him during their last moments together. Nina unconsciously hummed along, feeling her connection with Tini solidifying as they became increasingly in sync with one another. Seeing that Nina and Tini were passive and Sapphire had recovered somewhat from her strain, Lilian commanded her Dratini to finish this. Sapphire heaved, forming a feeble Dragon Pulse in front of her mouth before shooting it at Tini, who just casually swayed to the side to dodge. Lilian frowned as Tini¡¯s scales began to regain their luster and shine in a brilliant light. ¡°Twister!¡± She called. ¡°Whatever it is they¡¯re planning, disrupt it!¡± ¡°Draa!¡± Sapphire cried as she forced herself to wave her exhausted tail and conjure up a Twister, which Tini simply dispelled through a casual flick of his empowered tail. Not even needing to break the rhythm of his dance to do so. By this point, Tini was full on glowing as he sang along with Nina, letting out a haunting melody which had captured the hearts of everyone present in the gym. And for a brief moment in time, everyone ceased their chatter and strained their ears to enjoy the mesmerizing Dragon song. Even Lilian and Sapphire watched on with bated breath at what was about to happen. Tini¡¯s body slowly began to thicken and elongate as he danced, his silhouette gradually sharpening in the light. Like a Dragon rising into the skies, he went higher and higher until he attained a length long enough to reach halfway across the arena. As the light began to dissipate, Tini¡¯s tune shifted, from somber and melancholic to upbeat and cheerful. Nina could feel her partner¡¯s happiness being conveyed through song and broke out into a wide smile. The girl clapped fervently to congratulate Tini for his achievement. ¡°I suppose I should call him Nairy from now on.¡± ¡°Good job, Nairy! I knew you could do it. Now let¡¯s finish this match with a bang! ¡°Dragonair!!!!¡± The Dragon roared, announcing his newly evolved status for everyone in the world to know. Purplish blue Dragon and Water Type Energy converged on his tail as he primed for his signature Double Tail attack. Charging up at a speed that was almost three times as fast as before he evolved. ¡°Defend, Sapphire!¡± yelled the panicking Lilian. Sapphire obliged by conjuring a circular Protect barrier to encompass her. But Tini simply broke it with the raw strength of his tail. Then circled around to immediately slam the full might of his Dragon and Aqua Tail hybrid onto the Dratini, leaving an ugly gash on the floor from the sheer amount of power that was contained within his strengthened body. ¡°Dratini is unable to battle. Winner of this match is Melina Jones and her Dragonair!¡± The referee called the match, after observing that Sapphire was completely unconscious and buried deep in the gash that Nairy created. Nina pumped her fist into the air in ecstasy as the audience broke out into rapturous applause at the incredible match they just witnessed. Chapter 81 The moment the match was declared to be over, Nina rushed into the arena towards her newly evolved Dragonair. ¡°You did it Nairy! You finally evolved!¡± The girl exclaimed in joy. ¡°Nair!!!¡± Nairy cried out as well and rushed towards Nina to wrap around her. The Dragon was now fully capable of encompassing Nina¡¯s tiny body with his coils, completely immobilizing the girl as he went in for nuzzles and boops, eliciting giggles and endless laughter from his partner. ¡°Nairy, stop~ No, don¡¯t lick me¡­ You¡¯re going to get my uniform all wet!¡± Nina struggled in Nairy¡¯s grasp. But unfortunately, her Dragon wasn¡¯t so little that she could wrestle with him anymore. Instead, she now found herself completely at his mercy as Nairy did whatever he wanted with her. After Nairy had his fill of teasing, Nina embraced her Dragon¡¯s slender neck and the two of them simply luxuriated in each other''s presence in silence. Completely disregarding the commotion that was happening in the gym all around them. ¡°That was an incredible match. It was completely worth the effort to come here today.¡± After allowing Nina and her newly evolved Dragonair some time together, Lilian approached the pair to congratulate them. ¡°Thanks Miss Blackthorn, your Sapphire was incredible as well. I didn¡¯t know that a Dratini could harness such an incredible amount of Electric Type Energy.¡± Nina reached out to shake the other girl¡¯s hand, but couldn¡¯t get very far since she was still stuck in Nairy¡¯s coils. Nina looked up at her partner. ¡°Erm¡­ Nairy, could you loosen up a bit. I need to talk to Miss Blackthorn.¡± She pleaded, but Nairy simply hummed a tune in ignorance and averted his gaze. Lilian chuckled at the sight and reached across Nairy to shake Nina¡¯s hands. ¡°Please, call me Lilian. I insist. And the Thunder is nothing special ¡ª just like how your Nairy¡¯s element of choice is Water, Sapphire¡¯s is Electric. Though she has a hard time holding back, so it¡¯s something of a last resort for us.¡± Nina nodded in understanding as she looked around, spotting Kerry in the distance who was currently assisting a school nurse in treating Sapphire. ¡°Yeah, despite my family¡¯s Pikachu doing her best, Nairy can¡¯t really get the hang of Electric Type Moves. The best he can do is Thunder Wave, which is still useful, but powerful moves like Thunderbolt take too long to charge up.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m most intrigued by is your Nairy¡¯s application of Dragon Dance.¡± Lilian said, with a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°I dare say I have never seen such sublime elegance and beauty even amongst our clan¡¯s Dragons.¡± Nina snorted and dismissed the other girl¡¯s praise with a casual wave. ¡°Oh that¡¯s nothing. Wait til you see Misty¡¯s Kingdra ¡ª she¡¯s the Gym Leader of Cerulean City, by the way ¡ª Kingsley¡¯s Dragon Dance is completely effortless. And Josephine, her Milotic, the amount of power she can harness with just a single Dance is staggering.¡± Lilian hummed in curiosity. ¡°Interesting¡­ I¡¯ve never considered Kanto¡¯s premier Water Gym to be such expert Dragon Tamers. Thank you for sharing, I shall make a visit sometime. In the meantime, I¡¯d like to reward you for such an excellent bout. I am certain that this experience will do much in strengthening the flames of Sapphire¡¯s ambition. And for that, I am infinitely grateful.¡± Lilian snapped her fingers and Alfred appeared once more in the blink of an eye. Nina could almost swear that the guy was teleporting or something. The butler opened his briefcase again to showcase its contents. ¡°I¡¯ve taken the liberty of adding to your reward for going above and beyond in showing me such a splendid evolutionary sight. Never have I ever seen a Dratini evolve to a Dragon Dance of such caliber,¡± said the generous Blackthorn scion. And indeed, Nina could see a TM case in addition to two massive golden balls. The thought of how much each item is worth was enough to make the girl salivate. Just because she was no longer pressed for money, does not mean that Nina has moved on from her miserly ways. She did spend a lot of time working under Violet after all. ¡°The Technical Machine is for Flamethrower.¡± Alfred explained. ¡°Years of expertise in nurturing the Dragonite line has given the Blackthorn family more insight into their natural development than most others. In particular, the great ancestors have noticed that Dratinis and Dragonairs experience a great deal of difficulty in sensing Fire Type Energy at their stages of Evolution.¡± Lilian nodded in approval at her servant¡¯s words. ¡°Indeed. In our clan, we will make an attempt to naturally attune our Dratinis to Fire. But should we fail, we will use a TM at the Dragonair stage to introduce them to the element. You¡¯ll find that it also serves as a good deterrent should some arrogant fool challenge you with Ice Pokemon.¡± Nina thanked the two Blackthorns and reached out to grab her prize, which Alfred handed to her with the briefcase and all. She almost felt embarrassed for being more excited than she should about the free briefcase. ¡°I mean it looks really sturdy and super expensive. Waste not want not, right?¡± ¡°I will see you again, Melina Jones.¡± Lilian concluded. ¡°I have greatly enjoyed¡­ ¡®school life¡¯ with you. I believe I shall come back and do this again. Please be ready to accept my challenge when the time comes ¡ª victory will be mine the next time we battle.¡± Nina chuckled at the girl¡¯s awkwardness. Lilian felt to her like a noble lady who spent her entire life being sheltered from the larger world, which makes sense given her background. ¡°You can just call me Nina,¡± she said. ¡°And sure, come by anytime. There aren¡¯t a lot of trainers around here that can match up to Nairy, unfortunately.¡± Lilian laughed. ¡°A dilemma that I am very familiar with. But no, I shall not call you Nina. Nicknames and terms of affection are reserved for family. While full names are for those whom I have acknowledged as being worthy. Conversely, the names of the unworthy aren¡¯t even fit to enter my mind. And with that, I bid you farewell, Melina Jones.¡± With a flourish of her half cape, Lilian Blackthorn sauntered out of the gym in a straight line, the crowd parting in her wake. Nina caressed Nairy until he had his fill of cuddles and finally decided to let her go. They were technically hogging the arena and obstructing the maintenance people from fixing the floor. But nobody dared to admonish the scary looking Dragonair who had just beaten a Blackthorn Dragon. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Afterwards, Nina sought out Kerry and asked if she¡¯d be willing to do a full physical on Nairy, just to make sure his Evolution didn¡¯t encounter any issues. Not to mention, the supercharged Thunder he just took to the face. *** [Dragonair: Capable of storing an enormous amount of energy inside its body. It is often called the Divine Pokemon. The crystalline orbs on its neck and tail appear to give this Pok¨¦mon the power to freely control the weather.] Nina was playing with Nairy¡¯s tail crystal when she suddenly got curious about what they did, her meta knowledge failing her due to the post battle exhaustion she was feeling. So the girl just pulled out her Pokedex and scanned Nairy instead. They were currently in the nurse¡¯s office where Nina was overseeing Nairy¡¯s physical exam. All of the school nurses, as well as Kerry, were super excited at the prospect of being able to examine a Dragonair. It¡¯s not exactly a Pokemon they get to encounter very often in life. ¡°Nairy already knows Rain Dance, so I should get Sunny Day as well just to complete the set. If he can get used to Flamethrower easily enough then maybe there¡¯s a chance he can learn it on his own. If not, then a TM, I suppose?¡± The problem was that weather controlling TMs were ludicrously expensive due to how useful they were in various professions like farming. Famine wasn¡¯t really a thing in the Pokemon world since weather did not play a factor in food production. If a Farmer needs dry weather for harvest, then they¡¯ll just have their Pokemon brighten the sky. If they need water for a drought, then Rain Dance. Hence why the prices of those TMs are also at an ¡®industrial¡¯ level.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Nairy? That Thunder didn¡¯t affect his Evolution in a bad way did it?¡± Nina asked Kerry, who was currently pressing her bliss-filled face against the Dragon to feel his rippling muscles and lustrous scales. A process that she insisted was very necessary to properly evaluate the Dragonair. ¡°Wha?¡± Kerry jolted awake and wiped a bit of drool from her face, eliciting giggles from her friend. ¡°I asked if Nairy was okay, and if the damage from the battle affected his Evolution?¡± Kerry hummed. ¡°He¡¯s fine, just some burnt scales that were already shed during Evolution. My aunt, who¡¯s the head nurse here, is running a few more scans just to make sure there¡¯s no issues with Nairy¡¯s internals. But so far the preliminary results looked good.¡± Nina yawned in exhaustion. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Good to know¡­ How much longer is this going to take?¡± Kerry smiled and sat next to Nina to lend her shoulder to the girl. ¡°Not much longer now, I know you¡¯re exhausted. I can¡¯t even imagine what it¡¯s like to go through such an intense battle,¡± she said as she gently caressed her friend¡¯s hair. ¡°I was so worried for Nairy after he got hit by that Thunder.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The sleepy Nina murmured listlessly. ¡°Me too¡­ I was thiiiss close to returning him. But I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t. Otherwise¡­¡± Nina let out another yawn and surrendered herself to Kerry¡¯s warmth. *** ¡°Alright, Espy. It¡¯s finally time.¡± Nina could see the cute little Eevee bouncing slightly in her seat as Nina took out her brand new Premier Ball. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t exactly new since Espy had already begun decorating it for some time now. The originally white Pokeball now had complex floral patterns painted on the top shell. Espy had flipped through interior design magazines of all things to determine the pattern based on some curtains and carpets she saw. Everytime she found one she liked, she would compile it into one cohesive image in her head, before transmitting it directly to Nina¡¯s mind to double as a Psychic exercise as well. Then, it was up to the artistically crippled Nina to try her best in recreating that pattern on the Pokeball, all while under the intense scrutiny of Espy, who was sure to freeze Nina¡¯s hand with a Psychic aura whenever the Eevee felt like there was going to be a mistake incoming. Again, this was to train her precognition abilities, however limited they may be. To top everything off, Espy also picked out a few tasteful 3D stickers, mostly imitation gemstones or small leaves and flower petals, to add some sparkle and depth to the design. Nina had to admit, she did a pretty good job. The plain looking Premier Ball was utterly transformed into a work of art, and whatever mistakes she made weren''t readily apparent at first glance. Even Espy was pleased with her handiwork, which was the most important part. Now that Nairy has evolved into being a Dragonair, they could officially register Espy to Nina. Bill had already given his blessings beforehand, so that when the time comes, Nina just had to break the old Pokeball and transfer Espy to a new one. But regardless, she still sent a message to both Bill and Hikari as a courtesy. Hikari was quick to reply with a congratulatory message and assured Nina she would inform her absent-minded husband as well. Nina did a convoluted series of button presses on Espy¡¯s old Pokeball that she had set way back when. It acted as a password of sorts to help protect any stolen Pokemon from being reregistered easily. A security measure that, unfortunately, most beginner trainers forget to implement. After the Pokeball aggressively flashed red a few times to seek confirmation from Nina. She held the button down for twenty seconds until it flashed green to open up the empty Pokeball, allowing her to forcefully break the Ball at its hinges, which were surprisingly sturdy. Even Espy had to chip in using her Psychic aura. With a cringe-inducing snap, the Pokeball was now broken into two pieces as Espy made a weird face at the uniquely tingly feeling of a Psychic registry being erased from her head. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her human asked, to which Espy simply nodded and eagerly gestured towards her new custom Premier Ball. The Eevee had been looking forward to this for quite some time now. Nina smiled at her silly princess and held out the Pokeball for her with a bow. Espy gave her human a little nod and a bend of the knee in place of a curtsy, before gently tapping on the new Ball with her paw. The capture device barely even shook as it flashed white and made a satisfying ¡®thunk¡¯ sound to symbolize a successful capture. Apparently, the sound was from the successful application of a Psychic registry, based on what Nina read. Then immediately after, Nina released Espy again as the pair looked at each other with giddy smiles. Finally feeling like they were officially a family. Chapter 82 Nina and her Pokemon watched as a Growlithe and a Zigzagoon used Bite on each other. The two canines latched on and tousled in a pile of fur on the arena floor. She knew that Bite was a dangerous move, yet couldn¡¯t help but swoon at the two Pokemon and their amateurish play fighting. ¡°Excuse me, we have brought the Ultra Deluxe Jumbo Berry Parfait that was ordered,¡± said an approaching waiter. Nina looked over and held back a sigh as the waiter and his two colleagues gingerly set down the super massive portion of desserts in front of them. They were currently in a Battle Cafe chain in Vermilion City, to celebrate Nairy¡¯s evolution. And since it was Nairy¡¯s special occasion, she had asked where the Dragon wanted to go. Which was a mistake, because he had just seen an ad on TV for this monstrosity of a dish and begged to come here. Nina didn¡¯t mind too much. It was just that Battle Cafe food tended to have extra generous portion sizes with a quality that can only be described as aggressively mediocre. Nairy¡¯s eyes sparkled at the bowl of sugary treats that were larger than the size of his head, while Nina just shared a helpless look with Espy. ¡°One sec, Nairy. Lemme split a portion for Espy. And make sure to thank her for winning this for you, okay?¡± In keeping with the theme of the Cafe, the menu and pricing available for guests were determined by their performance in battle based on an audience score. One could still access the high score menus even if they did poorly, just that the prices would be fairly unreasonable in comparison to earning it. ¡°Nair!¡± The jovial Dragonair cheered as he affectionately rubbed at Espy¡¯s cheeks. The Eevee looked as impassive as ever. By this point, she was fairly used to her companion¡¯s tendency for physical affection. Nina spooned some soft serve into a bowl, with extra Berries and crispy bits. She knew that Espy liked the sour little starburst candies that pop in her mouth, so she grabbed some extras of those as well, before spooning a mouthful to taste for herself. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s a whole lot of sugar. And the soft serve is not creamy at all ¡ª tastes like its 80% water or something. Is there even any Miltank milk in here?¡± ¡°Kay, Nairy¡­ Make sure to eat it slowly, I don¡¯t want you to get a brain freeze.¡± How was it that an Ice weak Dragon developed a love for ice cream, she will never know. ¡°Nairrr!¡± The inattentive Dragon cried out, before promptly shoving his face into the comically large pile of sweets. Nina sighed and took a sip of her tea, knowing that her gluttonous Dragonair was definitely not finishing the dish, and he was most certainly going to get a tummy ache afterwards. Which was why she didn¡¯t order anything since she abhorred wasting food. ¡°Though I doubt I¡¯ll be able to make a dent in that either.¡± *** Nina and Espy tilted their heads in confusion at the eye-searingly shiny building in front of them. It looked as if someone had just crumpled a very large sheet of aluminum foil and plopped it down in the middle of an elevated square. ¡°What do you think, Espy? Can this be considered art?¡± ¡°E, eevee e?¡± The fact that even a connoisseur like Espy was unsure was telling enough. The meme-worthy building they were looking at was Surge¡¯s Electric Gym. They decided to take a walk and do some sightseeing in the city after that ridiculous meal. Only Espy was out with Nina since Nairy was now too large to roam around in populated areas without being a nuisance. Besides, true to Nina¡¯s prediction, the Dragonair was now in a sugar coma. So she had returned him to his Pokeball which she now wore around her neck in transparency mode. It was a sad state of affairs since Nina¡¯s day was less lively without her partner''s constant yapping and excited gestures. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Apparently Surge wanted to ¡®modernize¡¯ his Gym, just like the Cerulean Sisters. And this was the result.¡± ¡°E?¡± ¡°The guy¡¯s very competitive, and has a one sided rivalry with us. As you¡¯d expect from a former soldier." From what Nina could tell, her bosses mostly treated the boomer Gym Leader with barely veiled disdain, further fueling the guy¡¯s competitive flare. Surge¡¯s Gym had indeed become somewhat of a meme on the Pokenet, with people making fun of it by cropping out the ¡®aluminum ball¡¯ and editing it onto various kitchen or dining room settings. Some even replaced the building with various different objects on the square and captioned it with ¡°When Surge hires a(n) X to design his building¡± and so on. ¡°I wonder where he even finds the space to train his Pokemon. That building is like what? A tenth of the size of Cerulean Gym?¡± ¡°Vee~¡± Espy tapped at Nina¡¯s shoulder and pointed down. ¡°Underground, huh? Seems like a safety hazard to me.¡± It reminded Nina of a trip to Seoul she once made in her past life. Miles was just doing touristy stuff on Gwanghwamun Square when he stumbled upon a small space behind the giant statue of some ye olde great king. He walked in out of curiosity and saw some tourists heading down a set of stairs. Imagine his surprise when he found a full on museum down the seemingly never ending stairwell. It was a place that he didn¡¯t know existed since it didn¡¯t show on Google maps. After having their fill of ridiculing the Vermilion City Gym, the girl cradling her Pokemon continued walking down the cityscape. Nina has not had a chance to fully explore the city yet. That first week when she first arrived, she mostly hung out in Breakwater Bay; the little college town that was next to her new school. There was a lot of stuff to do there as well as an abundance of foods and boutique shops. And since she and her Pokemon were all gourmands in one way or another, they spent a lot of time there to familiarize themselves with the local culinary scene. Nina did make brief trips into the city, but mostly it was with a clear agenda in mind so there wasn¡¯t much exploring. A shortcoming that she was planning on remedying today. ¡°It¡¯s kind of cool how you can find obscure little shops like this in a large city huh?¡± Nina and Espy were walking down an unassuming alleyway when she found what she thought was a hidden little hole in the wall record shop, which turned out to be a place specializing in TMs. According to the jazzy shop owner, who was most definitely high on something, there was a whole subculture of TM enthusiasts who make and collect rare TMs. These people believed that a Technical Machine varied in quality depending on which Pokemon it was recorded from. For example, a Fireblast recorded from Red¡¯s Charizard would probably cost hundreds of thousands just by virtue of how iconic that Pokemon was. Naturally, all TMs degrade over time, so Nina didn¡¯t see much of a point in collecting them, but everyone has their own thing she supposed. Another useful thing that Nina learned was that there was some merit in buying ¡®lower grade¡¯ TMs recorded from amateur Pokemon as well. ¡°See, if we use a TM from Red¡¯s Charizard, say¡­¡± The shop owner took a puff from his inhaler before continuing. ¡°Then what we get is a move that¡¯s already maxed out for that one Charizard¡­¡± Another puff and a moan. ¡°Which is fine if you wanna use it on another Charizard, but ain¡¯t a guarantee that the two Charizard brains work the same way. And ''specially if it comes to a different species like Magmar or sumthin¡¯¡± Nina nodded. Basically, if a Pokemon learns a move from an ¡®unrefined¡¯ source, then they obtain the fundamentals which they can then further optimize to fit their specific style. It takes more time and training to effectively master the move, but it would be better in the long run, since it¡¯ll be more personalized. But a fully ¡®mastered¡¯ move on the other hand, will teach a Pokemon how to use said move in a way that¡¯s fully optimized to work in a way that was specific to the original Pokemon. Making it very difficult to modify and leaving little leeway for any further improvements. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you have any basic Protects, by any chance?¡± Nina asked. She had been meaning to teach that move to her Pokemon for a while now. But despite its ubiquity, it wasn¡¯t exactly an easy move to pick up. The shop owner pointed to a section of the cramped little shop. ¡°Protect pile¡¯s right there, babe. Just know that every Pokemon uses the move different, so pick wisely.¡± Apparently, more Physical Pokemon manifest the move in the form of body strengthening, while special attackers conjure up a barrier of Type Energy. Each method was useful in their own way depending on the context. Nina thanked the man and began browsing, flipping through the colorful TM cases of varying covers like she would CDs and feeling a pang of nostalgia. Nina did like going to record shops in her past life. There was just something really novel about them. She ended up buying a barrier style Protect, copied from a Wobbuffet, and the only available copy of a physical style Protect she saw. The source of the latter was unknown though, only that it wasn¡¯t a powerful one. ¡°Oh well, Nairy¡¯s adaptable enough that he should be able to work with this.¡± Worst comes to worst, her Dragon can also pick up barrier style Protect from Espy. Unless she owned a Wobbuffet, Protect was a last resort move that shouldn¡¯t be used too often, given how taxing it was. Most Pokemon tend to be sluggish or immobilized for a time after using it, which leaves them vulnerable. Nina preferred her Pokemon to rely on dodging to mitigate damage. *** Next up, Nina wanted to visit the city¡¯s iconic lighthouse. On the way there, she passed by Vermilion Port, which had now turned into one big logistics port with stacks of shipping containers everywhere. While she was there, she made sure to peek under every single truck she could find. Much to Espy¡¯s embarrassment. At some point, she even grabbed Mew¡¯s Gem over her top and began praying for guidance. But there were no sudden epiphany or fateful encounters. ¡°Oh well, I guess that really was an urban legend¡­¡± She concluded. A fascinating urban legend that had managed to proliferate globally in an age where the internet wasn¡¯t as widespread as it was when Miles died. Nina zipped up her windbreaker with Espy¡¯s head poking out from underneath, the winds that blew through the breakwater leading to the old Vermilion lighthouse was strong enough to blow the dainty Eevee off Nina¡¯s back, and she didn¡¯t want to risk any accidents. To her left, in the distance, Nina could spot the iconic S.S. Anne docked in the Port as she struggled against the winds on her way to the lighthouse. The old gal was still going strong despite all the other more luxurious modern cruise ships that came into business over the years. There were always talks about decommissioning her, though it never really amounted to anything. Nina hoped to take a trip on the ship one day, just for the sake of the experience. The historical lighthouse was quite the sight, its concrete exterior steadily enduring the harsh elements all throughout its hundreds of years of existence, with all the cracks and tears to show for it. Even with all the advanced navigational technology of today, the lighthouse was still operational, serving as a shining beacon for any wayward ships seeking safe harbor. It was a shame that Nina couldn¡¯t go into it. The entrance into the tower was barred with a chain and a sign that states ¡°No Entry¡±. ¡°I saw some food trucks near the parking lot, shall we go get something to eat?¡± Nina said, after she¡¯s had her fill of taking pictures. ¡°Thanks to Nairy, my stomach¡¯s in a weird place after that last meal.¡± ¡°Vee!¡± Espy echoed. She was craving something savory as well. And so that¡¯s what they did, as they once again braved the winds on their way back to the Port. Chapter 83 ¡°Nair¡­ Dra gon air¡­¡± Nairy whined, pleading with his partner with teary eyes. Meanwhile, Espy, who was in her usual spot playing with her Psychic spoon, shook her head in exasperation at her companion¡¯s tantrum. ¡°I know you love your tub Nairy, but you can¡¯t fit inside it anymore.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not throwing it away, I¡¯m just gonna put it aside until we can find a use for it, okay?¡± Ever since Tini evolved into Nairy, lots of things have changed for him. Not being able to walk alongside Nina when they were out was upsetting of course, but he couldn¡¯t bathe with Nina and Espy anymore either. According to the Pokedex, most Dragonairs were around 4 meters in length, but maybe because Nairy spent more time as a Dratini than he should, he ended up exceeding the average and is slightly bigger at a little under 4.5 meters. Meaning he could no longer fit in any of Nina¡¯s bathtubs, whether it be the built in one in the dorm¡¯s bathroom or Nairy¡¯s old foldable bathtub. ¡°Nair¡­¡± The crybaby Dragon whined once more, eliciting boops and kisses from his partner to assuage him. ¡°I know it sucks, Nairy. But if you try to force yourself into this tiny space, you¡¯re gonna break the tub. You don¡¯t want that, right?¡± Nairy looked at his dingy old tub and reluctantly shook his head. ¡°Tell you what, I saw an inflatable one on the Pokenet that¡¯s round and fairly large, you should be able to fit if you coil your body. So I¡¯ll buy it and we¡¯ll see how it goes, okay?¡± With two Gold Nuggets in reserve, Nina was much less thrifty these days than she used to. Based on the current market prices of gold, each Nugget was worth anywhere between six to eight thousand Pokedollars depending on the purity. And Nina doubted the Blackthorns would skimp on her, so she could very well have around fifteen thousand Pokedollars worth of gold in her hands. ¡°Nair!¡± The Dragon exclaimed happily as he nuzzled affectionately against his beloved partner. Nina sighed. What is the one thing that children, animals and Pokemon have in common? They all get irrationally attached to physical objects. Nina still remembered that one time she tried to wash Pikachu¡¯s bean bag because it was starting to get all stinky. The electric mouse nearly went feral on her. Not that she could blame them, Miles used to have a favorite teddy bear as a kid as well that he slept with every night and refused to part with. *** Nina dove into the school¡¯s pool and grabbed onto Nairy with special non-slip gloves as the two swam laps around the water. Nairy¡¯s old harness he used as a Dratini could no longer fit him. And since the Dragonair needed to submerge his body to maintain the moisture of his skin, They¡¯ve been going swimming every day after school in lieu of taking baths. As one would expect of Kanto¡¯s number one trainer school, the campus was complete with various facilities for Water Type Pokemon as well, including a massive indoor pool that could go up to several dozen meters in depth. It was also a good thing that Nina had enough foresight to buy earplugs, because while Dratinis were reasonably fast underwater, Dragonairs can get up to ridiculous speeds. At the rate that Nina was being dragged around, she was liable to burst her eardrums from the water pressure. After feeling like her body couldn¡¯t handle the strain anymore, Nina tapped on Nairy to get him to stop for a break. The energetic Dragon could probably keep going, but it was time for her to surface. Nina gasped for fresh air and brushed her hair out of the way as she let go of her rebreather, slowly swimming her way to shore with Nairy playfully circling her like a shark. ¡°Hey, Nina.¡± The moment she got back to the poolside, Nina looked over to see Kerry waving at her with a little Poliwag waddling by her side. She waved back in return. ¡°Hey Kerr, fancy seeing you here. Are you bringing Polly in for a swim?¡± ¡°Yeap,¡± affirmed the other girl. ¡°Her wounds are all healed up, so I figured it was time to up her physical activity.¡± Nina approached her friend and bent down to take a closer look at her Pokemon. She could see that there was some faint discoloration on the Poliwag¡¯s body from where she was injured, but overall she looked healthy as one would expect of a nurse¡¯s Pokemon. ¡°Hey there, Polly. You¡¯re looking good. Are you ready for swimmies?¡± Nina reached out her hand to pet the Poliwag, but the timid Pokemon jolted in surprise and hid behind her human¡¯s leg. Nina couldn¡¯t help but swoon at the display. ¡°Oh my gosh, she¡¯s so cuuute!¡± Kerry giggled and bent down to reassure the tadpole Pokemon. ¡°It¡¯s okay Polly. You remember Nina right? She was the one who saved you from that nasty Carvanha.¡± With a light pat on the Poliwag¡¯s back, Kerry encouraged her Pokemon to approach Nina, which she did by hesitantly waddling towards the brunette haired girl with quivering eyes. Nina held back a squeal and gently caressed the oversized tadpole with a warm smile. Touching a Poliwag was like touching a nice round elastic ball, with a thin mucus-like membrane on the outside that protected their skin and aided in swimming. However, unlike wild Poliwags, which tended to be quite sticky to the touch, Polly was nice and slippery which indicated the absence of any nasty bacteria coating her body. It was a good sign, one that showed Kerry had been taking good care in grooming her Pokemon. Nina nodded in approval. ¡°She¡¯s really healthy. You¡¯re right, I think it¡¯s about time for her to start training for real now.¡± Kerry smiled and blushed slightly as she looked at Nina with Baby-Doll Eyes. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s kind of why I¡¯m here. I was wondering if you could come up with a training regimen for Polly. Because you know? Since you¡¯re a Gym Trainer and all, you¡¯d know more about this than I do.¡± Nina laughed at the girl and pulled her in for a hug. ¡°Of course, Kerr. Anything for you.¡± She then turned to address Polly again. ¡°Okay, Polly. Can you show me what you can do? I¡¯d like you to use Water Gun, just aim it at the pool and keep going until you can¡¯t anymore, okay?¡± Polly looked up at Kerry who gave her a reassuring nod. After receiving permission, Polly turned towards the pool and shot out a thin stream of water until she ran out of breath and plopped down on the floor. Nina smiled and gave the Poliwag a little pat on the head for a job well done. ¡°Good job, Polly. Why don¡¯t you go for a swim with Nairy for now. I know you want to.¡± She then called out to Nairy who was still messing around in the pool. ¡°Hey Nairy! Could look after Polly for us? You remember Daisy¡¯s Poliwrath right? Just guide her on swimming the way that he does. Ten laps should be good enough for now.¡± ¡°Is it really okay to have Polly swim when she¡¯s so tired?¡± asked the concerned Kerry. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina nodded in assurance. ¡°Yeap, it¡¯ll be fine. Even for an amphibian like Poliwag, Water Pokemon feel more at ease underwater. They¡¯ll recover faster with the abundance of Water Type Energy they can absorb. They don¡¯t really tire out from swimming the same way that we humans do, rather it¡¯s more tiring for them to walk around on land.¡± Nina then moved on to explain her assessment of Polly. ¡°Her Water Energy output is pretty standard as far as her species goes, not excellent but not poor either. That means we have good and balanced fundamentals to work with. You plan on battling with her right?¡± Kerry nodded fervently. ¡°Yeah, since Peppy can¡¯t battle¡­ I wanna join you guys in P.E too!¡± Nina laughed and couldn¡¯t help but pat Kerry on her silky smooth pink hair. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll teach you some basic exercises that Polly can do for now. You ready to take notes?¡± Kerry nodded again and pulled out her Pokedex to begin typing. ¡°Right, so¡­ To begin with, it¡¯s good to have a concrete goal to work towards. And a good one for all young Water Pokemons like Polly is to get them to learn Hydro Pump.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Hydro Pump a little too advanced for Polly?¡± asked the bewildered Joy. ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s a move that most Water Pokemon can learn at any stage and a good measure of how much Type Energy they can store. Besides, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be forcing her to learn it straight away. There¡¯s concrete and gradual steps that Polly will need to take to reach that point.¡± Nina explained that the first step was learning Water Pulse. ¡°Water Pulse teaches a Pokemon on how to compress their Water and release it in a more powerful burst, as opposed to the weak stream of Water that you saw just now.¡± The techniques that were involved in Water Pulse will serve as the foundation for Hydro Pump. ¡°Next up is to increase Polly¡¯s capacity for storing Water Type Energy. And I¡¯m not going to lie to you, Kerr. There¡¯s no easy way to do this.¡± The whole process was just a gradual grind, involving exactly what the Poliwag is doing right now. ¡°Just like training a muscle, you gotta break it down and wait for it to recover in order to build tolerance. So basically, you¡¯ll need to get Polly to drain all her reserves, either through trial and error Water Pulse training or just have her use Water Gun until she can¡¯t anymore, like I did just now. After that, it¡¯s swimming time until she recovers.¡± She also added that swimming while in her Energy deprived state also doubles as very effective physical conditioning, since the Poliwag can¡¯t cheat with water manipulation to make swimming easier. ¡°She eventually evolves into a Fighting Type if you¡¯re wanting to go the Poliwrath route, so best to get her body in shape early on.¡± Kerry nodded in understanding and continued to furiously type in her Pokedex. ¡°What about her diet?¡± She asked. ¡°Since she¡¯ll be taxing herself, make sure to increase her calorie intake of course. But I¡¯m sure you probably know more about this than I do.¡± Kerry was very helpful in helping Nina tweak Nairy and Espy¡¯s diet after all. ¡°And break days? I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s bad to have Polly train every day.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not as bad as you might think. Breaks are mostly for mental care. We don¡¯t want Polly to experience burnout by forcing her to do Type Energy training every day. But there¡¯s no harm in getting her to swim every day. In fact, she might even enjoy it.¡± Nina recommended that Kerry allow her Pokemon two days off from Energy training. ¡°Stagger the break days instead of resting consecutively. Helps to prevent Polly from getting too complacent.¡± She said. She then went over other details like alternating Polly¡¯s routine so she doesn¡¯t get bored and so on. While Kerry continued taking notes and asking questions all the while. They continued on until Polly was done with her laps, after which Nina oversaw the Poliwag¡¯s training with occasional assistance from Nairy. ¡°You¡¯ll also want to have her battle at some point,¡± said Nina, towards the end of their training session. ¡°There¡¯s no substitute for actual experience.¡± Talks of Pokemon battles actually lit a fire in Kerry¡¯s eyes, eliciting amused laughter from Nina. Despite being a Joy, the girl was still a Pokemon Trainer at heart after all. Chapter 84 The chime of a doorbell could be heard from behind the stained wooden door when Nina pressed on the button. She had taken to visiting Charlie¡¯s place on different days of the week, hoping to catch someone that she can talk to. Originally, Nina had hoped to encounter the boy at some point in school, but that has yet to happen. And given that he still wasn¡¯t answering her calls, she had begun to worry. Even Kumiko was concerned when Nina called her up to ask at one point, who said that she¡¯d felt something was off with her son for some time now and asked if Nina could investigate. The door finally opened unceremoniously to an unfamiliar, plain looking older boy in glasses who simply stared at Nina while chewing on something with a bored looking expression. ¡°Hi there,¡± Nina said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Charlie Rockford, my name is Nina and I¡¯m a fr¡ª¡± Her words were cut off when the door slammed shut in her face with a bang, eliciting a wince from the girl and her Eevee. ¡°Eevee e ee eevee!¡± In a rare display of outrage, Espy loudly cried out at the door and the boy in condemnation. Nina sighed and gently caressed Espy to soothe her anger. ¡°Guess I have no choice¡­¡± she muttered. There was actually a more direct way to track down Charlie, but Nina has been holding back out of respect for her friend¡¯s privacy. However, if this was going to be the hostility she had to deal with then ¡°Screw it!¡± She thought. She turned around and began walking out of the dilapidated apartment building filled with mysterious stains and black mold. It was a place located in an older section of the city with an unsavory reputation. Honestly, Nina was shocked when she first came here. In fact, she probably wouldn¡¯t be brave enough to venture this far in without a literal Dragon to protect her. ¡°Knowing the Rockfords, I find it very hard to believe that they would be callous enough to allow their son to stay in a neighborhood like this. Were they lied to?¡± *** ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s proper for me to do that for you, Nina. It would constitute a breach of our student¡¯s privacy.¡± ¡°I understand that, Mrs Smith. I just need to know if Charlie Rockford is still enrolled in the Vermilion Flame or if he¡¯s gone on a sabbatical or something. I haven¡¯t been able to get a hold of him and his mother is worried about his behavior. Please?¡± Nina broke out the Baby-Doll Eyes on her teacher. She had yet to reach an age where making such a face would be cringe on her, so she intended to make full use of it. The teacher known as Mrs Smith sighed. ¡°I suppose if that¡¯s all you need to know then I can probably oblige¡­¡± She replied as she began tapping away at her PC. Nina smiled. ¡°Thanks, Mrs Smith. I really appreciate this.¡± The teacher hummed. ¡°Well¡­ if you want to thank me. I do have a thesis that I¡¯m working on at the moment. I wouldn¡¯t mind some feedback from Professor Bill, if at all possible.¡± Nina stopped her eyebrows from twitching. This has been a common occurrence since her enrollment so she was used to it, but it didn¡¯t make it any less annoying. ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°I can send an email but there¡¯s no guarantee that he¡¯ll read it. His secretary is very strict and the Professor himself is quite scatterbrained. Usually, if I need him urgently, I give his wife a call or go visit him in person.¡± ¡°Yes, an email would be lovely. Thank you, Nina.¡± Mrs Smith beamed in satisfaction before continuing. ¡°Now then, as for your friend. He is still, in fact, enrolled in our school, though just barely¡­¡± She said that last part with a frown as she looked through Charlie¡¯s records. ¡°What do you mean barely?¡± Mrs Smith looked a little hesitant, but ultimately decided to answer. ¡°His academic records are quite poor and he has a history of frequent truancy. He¡¯s been somehow hanging on and avoiding expulsion, but the line he¡¯s threading is very thin. Very thin indeed¡­¡± Now it was Nina¡¯s turn to frown. ¡°If it¡¯s that bad, then why hasn¡¯t anyone informed his parents yet?¡± Mrs Smith chuckled helplessly. ¡°As you can probably relate, trainer school students are quite restless. It¡¯s fairly normal for them to suddenly tire of their mundane routine and seek out adventure. As such, truancy isn¡¯t irregular, especially among the older students. ¡°But for an individual as¡­ unfocused as Mr Rockford, it''s rare that they haven¡¯t withdrawn from school or taken their sabbatical yet. It is the policy of our school to not meddle in personal matters in an effort to cultivate independence among our students ¡ª a vital trait for a Pokemon Trainer to have. We simply act as a safety net and a guide. Our students know where to find us if they seek help.¡± Nina couldn¡¯t fully relate to her teacher¡¯s words. ¡°I suppose this is another culture clash between this world and Miles¡¯s one.¡± This sort of behavior from a student in her old world would raise all sorts of red flags. A competent teacher wouldn¡¯t have allowed things to reach this point. Nina felt a bout of outrage coming at such callousness, but quickly suppressed it with a tight clench of her fists. ¡°You¡¯re in a different world right now, Nina¡­ They do things differently here¡­¡± She assuaged, mostly for her own benefit. As one would expect from a society that willingly allows their children to venture out at ten years old, accidents occurred on the regular and grieving parents were not an uncommon sight. Thankfully medical technology was highly developed, so most injuries that would be lethal to a child in Nina¡¯s old world can still be dealt with so long as they were given the proper care in time. As evident by Nina¡¯s own revival. So in that sense, the mortality rates weren¡¯t as high as one would expect either. With enough money, even a severed limb can be regrown in due time. ¡°Thank you for the answers, Mrs Smith. I understand that you¡¯ve compromised a lot in telling me this. I¡¯ll be sure to inform his parents and work out a solution. One last question though, does it say if he¡¯s present in school today?¡± The teacher replied that he was not, so Nina thanked her again and left the faculty office. *** ¡°I knew about the state of the house,¡± said Kumiko, earning her a disapproving frown from Nina. ¡°That neighborhood is not as dangerous as you might think, just a little destitute. But I do agree that it¡¯s not the healthiest environment either.¡± After her brief meeting with her teacher, Nina made an urgent call to Charlie¡¯s mother to get her take on the situation. ¡°Stephen wanted to support his sister,¡± Kumiko continued. ¡°Vanessa is a single mother supporting three kids. Stephen¡¯s been using Charlie¡¯s rent as an excuse to supplement her however he could.¡± The woman sighed. ¡°That kid you saw is probably one of her sons, Charlie¡¯s cousin. Things¡­ have always been difficult for them. What¡¯s with their mother constantly at work and never being home. She tries though, that much I do know. She¡¯s a good woman and a hardworking mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse to subject your son to such a toxic environment.¡± Nina admonished. ¡°Charlie has always talked about how reluctant he was to live with his extended family. So it¡¯s clear that something is going on. Which neither you nor Stephen seem to know, or care about.¡± Kumiko pursed her lips at Nina¡¯s harsh words. ¡°I do care, Nina! I wasn¡¯t too happy about sending Charlie to live with them either, but we were hoping that Charlie¡¯s optimism might help to brighten the household a little bit. And if things weren¡¯t working out, I would have moved him elsewhere.¡± She choked. ¡°But Charlie never told us! Every time he called in, he would be all smiles, telling us everything was fine¡­ I knew something was off. His smile never reached his eyes, and he always seemed so¡­ evasive.¡± Kumiko was on the verge of tears at this point. ¡°Stephen would tell me he¡¯s doing fine ¡ª just boys being boys. Probably found a girlfriend or something¡­ I just wanted him to be happy, Nina¡­¡± She then said that Charlie had only visited home once in the four years he was away, during his first summer break. In the subsequent years, he¡¯d say that he wanted to work and earn money. Which they were happy to overlook since they considered it a sign of growth. And indeed, the Pokemon League regulates a message board where people could post requests to hire independent Pokemon trainers for various miscellaneous tasks. It was meant as an avenue for journeying trainers to earn some funds during their travel ¡ª a gig economy of sorts. So the Rockfords probably thought that was what their son was doing during the summer months. Nina sighed at the drama. ¡°I¡¯ll try to track him down.¡± She promised. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯d appreciate it if you attempted to reach out on your end as well.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The teary eyed woman nodded in gratitude. ¡°Thank you Nina, can I ask you to keep this from Stephen for the time being? My husband can be a little¡­ inconsiderate at times.¡± Nina nodded in agreement and ended the call. ¡°Now then, time for Espy to get a little revenge.¡± *** Nina once again trudged up the creaky stairs of Charlie¡¯s apartment building, this time with a plan. In truth, she did not know if anyone would be home. But she decided that she would keep trying until she did get someone, friendly or otherwise, or until Kumiko got back to her with some positive news. Secretly though, she was hoping to get that same brat who slammed the door on her again, just so that she and Espy could have some fun. And it seemed that Mew was listening for once. Because a short while after she rang the doorbell, she could see Espy grinning. Which meant that she detected a familiar Psychic signature. Nina schooled her expression to be as stern as possible. And predictably, the moment that glasses boy opened the door and saw Nina, he immediately moved to slam the door again, only to be Tiffany¡¯d by Espy. Right as he was about to swing the door, he found himself met with a bouncy resistance that sent him tumbling on his ass just like Tiffany did way back when. Except, Espy¡¯s execution was much smoother and intentional this time. Nina kicked the door the rest of the way open and sauntered right into the apartment, standing over the rude boy and glowered at him menacingly. ¡°Gotta be careful with those hinges,¡± she mused. ¡°In a rundown place like this, they can get a bit rusty. Especially if you keep abusing them like that.¡± ¡°W-who are y-you¡­ What do you want?!¡± The boy stuttered, whose name Kumiko probably told Nina but she did not care to remember. At the boy¡¯s unfriendly tone, Espy¡¯s eyes glowed slightly as the boy suddenly felt a pang of pain in his head from the Eevee¡¯s Psychic jab. ¡°What I want is simple. I¡¯m looking for Charlie Rockford, do you happen to know where he is?¡± The boy scowled. ¡°Why should I care what that loser¡¯s up to!¡± He yelled, earning another jab from Espy. Glasses boy opened his mouth, probably to argue or cuss at Nina again because Espy sent another Psychic jab his way, causing him to yelp out in pain multiple times before finally acquiescing. ¡°Okay, alright! Stop hurting me!¡± He pleaded. Nina let out a sinister smile and repeated her question. Glasses boy quivered in fear at the domineering girl and the Eevee with glowing eyes. ¡°I¡­ He¡¯s probably at work¡­ I dunno where. He¡¯s got a ton of jobs ¡ª changes all the time too ¡®cause his useless ass keeps getting fired.¡± Nina frowned and pressed for more details, telling the boy to give her the name and location of each of Charlie¡¯s workplaces that he knew of. In the end, after squeezing as much information as possible out of the wimpy kid, Nina left. Without much to work with, she¡¯ll just have to check out each of Charlie¡¯s known employers to track him down. Chapter 85: Charlie Charlie held back a gag as he scrubbed the vomit off the nightclub¡¯s bathroom. It was one of the worst parts about working in this place. Though believe it or not, he had cleaned up much worse. A drunkard then stumbled into the bathroom, and Charlie had to step in and stop the guy before he slipped and fell on the floor. But drunkards being drunkards, he took Charlie¡¯s meddling as a sign of aggression and punched the boy right in the face. By the time he came to, he found himself lying on a bench in the locker room. ¡°Finally up, princess?¡± Charlie turned his throbbing head to the side and saw one of the security guards changing by a locker. ¡°Gotta work out a bit more kid, clocking out after one punch? Oof! Even cardboard can take more than that.¡± The guard rummaged around and tossed an ice pack onto Charlie¡¯s chest. ¡°Here, this¡¯ll help. Also, boss man said you ain¡¯t getting paid for the night since you spent most of it sleeping.¡± And after slamming his locker shut, the security guard bid adieu to the boy and sauntered off with a carefree whistle. Charlie groaned and grabbed the ice pack to press against his black eye, wincing at the pain of contact. After laying down for long enough to dispel some of his moodiness, Charlie sluggishly got up to change out of his soggy work uniform. All the while, his mind was blank despite having slept through most of his shift. He felt too numb and worn out to really care about anything. He trudged out of the backdoor into an alleyway, mechanically saying goodbye to all his coworkers along the way, even the asshole manager who just snorted at him. Pretty sure that sleazy Snorlax of a man said something to him as well, but it all just went over his head. ¡°¡ªCharlie! Hey, Arceus to Charlie! Are you there?!¡± Right as he exited the alleyway and entered the main street, he heard someone calling out to him. His lethargic feet grinded to a halt as he slowly turned around to look at the person who called. Only to find a stunning looking girl glowering at him. The girl had tanned skin that was reminiscent of his mom¡¯s, looking to be around his age and height. She was wearing trendy clothes with a distinctive looking yellow jacket on top. And on her shoulder was a fed up looking Eevee who mirrored its trainer¡¯s expression. ¡°How nice, I wish I had an Eevee too¡­¡± He mused, maybe then he would stop losing. He snorted to himself lightly. ¡°Who am I kidding? As if I have the chops to train an expensive Pokemon like that.¡± He¡¯d just end up wasting his parents¡¯ money again. ¡°Oh sorry, didn¡¯t notice there you Miss¡­ Is there anything you need from me?¡± Charlie asked, with his best customer service face, only for the girl¡¯s frown to deepen in response. ¡°Do you seriously not recognize me? Or did you get hit too hard by whoever gave you that black eye? It¡¯s me, Nina!¡± Charlie reeled back at that familiar name, once again scanning the girl from top to bottom. ¡°Impossible.¡± He thought. Nina¡¯s the cute, adorkable little girl who he used to be friends with back home. Not this super hot chick who looked like she could be a mermaid in the Cerulean Gym. ¡°Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t Nina apprenticed at the Cerulean Gym?¡± ¡°Nina¡­? Is that really you?¡± asked the disbelieving Charlie. The girl claiming to be his childhood friend snorted. ¡°In the flesh, you dumbass. Maybe you¡¯d recognize me if you picked up my calls for once!¡± Charlie winced, he had indeed been dodging Nina¡¯s calls. He didn¡¯t have the heart to tell his childhood friend that life in the Vermilion Flame wasn¡¯t as rosy as he thought. Or that he wasn¡¯t as big of a deal as he thought. Thinking back on how he used to gloat about how he would conquer the school and become its number one student made him cringe in embarrassment. Turning his gaze back to the grown up Nina, Charlie smiled in spite of himself. Only for that smile to falter at the thought of how pathetic he looked right now. ¡°What happened to you, Charlie?¡± Nina asked, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°It¡¯s fine~ What are you talking about? Everything is all good!¡± He found himself defaulting to the usual words he used to assuage his parents, only to suddenly experience a sharp pain in his head. ¡°Ow!¡± Nina scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for lying to me. Now come on, let¡¯s find a place to talk that isn¡¯t so¡­ urgh.¡± The girl averted her gaze from the nightclub entrance covered in piss, vomit, and littered with garbage Charlie watched as Nina walked away, probably expecting him to follow. But his brain was too dull at the moment to process the signal. After noticing that he wasn¡¯t coming, the girl turned around with an impatient look, her Eevee¡¯s eyes glowing an eerie purple color. ¡°What in the Distortion are you waiting for?!¡± She yelled. ¡°Hurry up! I skipped school today for you, so you better not waste my time.¡± She said, followed by another pang of pain in Charlie¡¯s head. *** They ended up in a 24 hour Munchies, since it was the only thing that was open this early in the morning. Charlie was unabashedly tackling a burger that his friend had insisted on buying for him. He had not realized how starved he was until his stomach started growling. Meanwhile, Nina just watched him with an undecipherable expression, while casually stroking her Eevee¡¯s fur and occasionally feeding it some Berries. After he was done, Charlie accepted the napkin that Nina passed to him and sheepishly wiped the ketchup stains off his mouth. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± He muttered. Nina narrowed her eyes. ¡°Really? Years of ghosting me and that¡¯s the first thing you apologized about?¡± Charlie¡¯s shoulders drooped at the admonishment. ¡°Sorry for ghosting you too. I just¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to see me like this.¡± His childhood friend had always been uncannily perceptive. It was like she could read his mind or something. He was scared that she would tell his parents that something was wrong. Nina crossed her arms and leaned back against her seat. ¡°So? What happened to you? If your aunt or your cousins are abusing you and extorting you for money, you can tell me.¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Charlie denied frantically. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ No! My aunt¡¯s never around and my cousin¡¯s are assholes but it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°Then what is it? You looked so different that I nearly didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± It wasn¡¯t just his appearance, Charlie¡¯s face hasn¡¯t changed much aside from some acne. He had gained a bit of height, but it was mostly his gait and demeanor. Nina¡¯s childhood friend had gone from boisterous and cheerful to being all gloomy and timid. Charlie laughed. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. I was thinking; ¡®There¡¯s no way that this hot chick would want to talk to me!¡¯ You look like one of those pretty ladies in Misty¡¯s gym!¡± Nina scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject, kid. Answer the question!¡± Charlie drooped his head once more and apologized. He knew that Nina had the habit of calling other children ¡®kid¡¯ when they were being dumb. But what was once a cute little quirk of hers now sounded condescending with Nina¡¯s new look. He felt his stomach rebelling against the burger he just ate as a bitter taste took over his mouth. The boy sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ everything¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m not as good a trainer as I thought I was. Everything just¡­ sucks.¡± Nina breathed in to calm herself and took on a gentler tone. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by telling me why you wanted to go to the Vermilion Flame in the first place. I knew you were excited about it, but it never occurred to me to ask why.¡± Charlie gulped and slurped on his smoothie to wash the bitter taste out of his mouth. ¡°There was a kid that transferred into my school at one point¡­¡± He began, somewhat reluctantly. ¡°Name¡¯s Ichinose, from Johto. I always just called him Ichi.¡± Charlie thought back to his childhood, feeling melancholic about how much better life was back then. ¡°Ichi and I, we weren¡¯t exactly friends ¡ª I didn¡¯t get along with him the same way I did with Bobby and Nobita.¡± The mention of his friends¡¯ names deepened that sense of melancholy. They¡¯ve probably forgotten about me at this point.¡± He sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t hate him¡­ But Ichi, he would always go on about how Kanto trainers are weak and that he would sweep through our conference and stuff. So I always argued with him.¡± ¡°This Ichinose, he''s in the Vermilion Flame now?¡± Nina chimed, to which Charlie nodded in response. ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, I think he took a break to go on his journey now, but he was the reason why I wanted to go to school in the first place. I always thought I¡¯d just journey straight after I come of age, you know?¡± He continued, after receiving an encouraging nod from Nina. ¡°Anyways, he said that none of us here in this ¡®backwaters school¡¯ could possibly get into VF. I took him up on the challenge and well¡­ you know the rest.¡± ¡°So what happened after you got in then?¡± Nina asked. Charlie wilted even further into his seat, reluctant to say much about his failings. ¡°I¡­ At first, I would keep challenging Ichi to battles cause you know, we always talked about how we would when we were finally allowed. It was fun at first¡­ Even though I kept losing.¡± Back then Charlie was determined, he was sure that if he kept training, he¡¯d be able to beat Ichi one day. But instead, what happened was, his rival just kept pulling farther and father ahead. ¡°And at some point, Ichi just lost interest in me. He¡¯d ignore me when I challenged him, and then his friends started calling me a loser. That name stuck¡­ and soon, even my shitty cousins started calling me that too.¡± Charlie scoffed. ¡°As if those normies knew the first thing about battling.¡± ¡®Normie¡¯ was a derogatory term that trainer school kids liked to use to demean kids that went to general schools. Vocational school kids would be called ¡®plumbers¡¯ since that was the one job that nobody wanted to do. Kids were mean that way. ¡°So you can¡¯t win against your rival, then ignore him and find someone else. There¡¯s literally hundreds of kids in school, I¡¯m sure you can find someone that¡¯s more of your match,¡± said Nina. Charlie slammed his fist on the table, earning him a glare from Nina¡¯s Eevee who jumped down onto the girl¡¯s lap. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Nina! I keep losing! Not just to Ichi, but to the others as well. And when I did win, they¡¯d just say it was all luck. Nothing I did mattered!¡± Nina frowned. ¡°And so what? You just gave up, and decided to be a janitor in some seedy nightclub? If you¡¯re going to quit then just quit all the way and go on your journey. Your parents are still working hard to afford your tuition and rent, you know? Do you even know how much it costs to own a Gyarados?¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Charlie yelled. But he was too scared of disappointing his parents. After all that he said, he still wanted to graduate at least. Otherwise this would all be for nothing. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m working so hard¡­¡± Charlie was crying at this point. ¡°I want to pay them back at some point and earn money for my journey as well. I just don¡¯t want to disappoint mom and dad¡­¡± ¡°Charlie,¡± Nina leaned in and looked at the boy with a hard gaze. ¡°If your parents were to see you right now, I can guarantee you they¡¯d be more disappointed than if you¡¯d just dropped out. You know what your mom said to me yesterday? All she ever wanted was for you to be happy. She would¡¯ve even supported you if you wanted to move out of that shitty apartment. But you never said anything, so nothing ever got resolved.¡± ¡°Wait, you told mom about me?!¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina scoffed. ¡°Your mom¡¯s not a derpy Slowpoke, you dumbass. She could already tell that something was wrong. Who else did you think asked me to look into you?¡± Charlie fell silent at the revelation. ¡°Of course, mom¡¯s always been able to see through my lies. It¡¯s just one of those superpowers that all moms have.¡± ¡°Does¡­ dad know too?¡± The thought of disappointing his father was even more crushing to Charlie than disappointing his mom. Thankfully, Nina shook her head. ¡°Stephen¡¯s as oblivious as always. I know you look up to him but there are certain things that you shouldn¡¯t imitate.¡± Charlie sighed in relief. That was, until Nina asked about his Pokemon. ¡°Tell me about your team, you¡¯re in your penultimate year. So surely you have a full team of six by now?¡± Charlie clenched his teeth at telling the truth, only to cave when Nina gave him a scary looking glare. ¡°Where is she getting this from?! It¡¯s like I¡¯m being interrogated by Misty here.¡± ¡°I have¡­ well, had¡­ three Pokemon.¡± He stuttered. ¡°There¡¯s Poliwhirl of course, then I caught a Metapod in the forest. But I felt that he just wasn¡¯t really happy with me losing all the time. So I released him some time after he evolved. Then there¡¯s a lost Growlithe I adopted, But I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s just sticking around ¡®cause I feed her.¡± Nina nodded in approval. She was thinking that the boy wasn¡¯t entirely a lost cause if he cared enough to release an unhappy Pokemon and adopt a lost. ¡°Show me your starter, it¡¯s been a while since I last saw Typhoon.¡± Yes, Charlie did indeed name his Poliwag Typhoon when he caught her. Something that he was still cringing about to this day. Charlie obliged and let out Typhoon in a flash of light. Nina materialized some Berries seemingly out of nowhere and lovingly called out to the Poliwhirl. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that some things didn¡¯t change.¡± Looking at Nina right now, Charlie was reminded of the Pokemon obsessed girl he used to hang out with. But that image was soon shattered by the angry look his friend gave him when she got a closer look at his Pokemon. ¡°Have you been taking proper care of Typhoon?¡± She asked, in a somewhat accusatory tone. ¡°I try my best¡ª¡± ¡°What have you been feeding her? Tell me about her training and grooming regiment.¡± Charlie faltered, unsure what to say. ¡°I mean I feed her Pokechow¡­ and I don¡¯t really groom her? Training is¡ª¡± But he was cut off again by the incensed Nina, looking like she¡¯s heard enough from him. ¡°Typhoon is in a terrible state. Look at how dry her skin is. She¡¯s a Water Pokemon for Arceus¡¯s sake! And her swirls! The clarity of the swirls on her species is indicative of overall health. Look at how pale and twisted the lines are!¡± Nina was furious, and Charlie could feel his self-loathing come back in full force at her admonishment. The girl bent down and lovingly caressed the Poliwhirl, muttering apologies into her ear holes and lavishing Typhoon with kisses. For a moment, Charlie felt a pang of jealousy towards his own Pokemon. ¡°The whole point of you getting a Poliwag to begin with was to make use of both your parents¡¯ expertise. Have you been asking them for any advice at all?!¡± Nina exclaimed. ¡°Well dad said I shouldn¡¯t hang onto their thighs and that he wanted me to be a trainer that surpasses them¡­¡± Charlie replied, meekly. ¡°You idiot child!¡± Nina yelled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t rely on them! All trainers our age are fumbling around trying to find the right path. Why else do you think trainer school¡¯s exist? Even now, I still reach out to the Gym and my sponsors to ask for advice on Pokemon.¡± Charlie gritted his teeth in frustration. Feeling like even more of a failure than he already was. ¡°Give me Typhoon¡¯s Pokeball.¡± Nina demanded, with her hands stretched out towards Charlie. ¡°What? Why?¡± He questioned, only to be silenced by another glare from the girl. In the end, after another burst of pain in his brain, he complied and placed the Pokeball in Nina¡¯s soft palm. ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto Typhoon until I nurse her back to full health. In the meantime, expect a call from Kumiko. Don¡¯t you dare ghost your mother as well!¡± Nina said, with a stern glare. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she already called you but you didn¡¯t pick up.¡± Charlie checked his Pokegear, and indeed his mother had called multiple times. The first time he was busy, but afterwards, he was passed out in the nightclub and couldn¡¯t answer. Nina returned Typhoon to her Pokeball and put on her jacket as Charlie stared at her with eyes full of longing and regret. She then slid her burger across the table to Charlie and told him to bulk up because he looked like a Duskull, whatever that means. And just like that, Nina picked up her Eevee and left. Leaving Charlie all alone in the empty Munchies, pondering about life. Chapter 86 Nina dissolved a packet of powdered supplements into Nairy¡¯s old bathtub. The powder contained salts and electrolytes that were essential for the health of the Poliwag line. She then gently lifted Typhoon and placed her into the water for a soak, the Water Pokemon moaning in pleasure at the coolness of the water. ¡°Nairy, keep an eye on Typhoon and make sure she drinks this glass of nutrient shake, it looks green and nasty but it doesn¡¯t taste bad at all.¡± She then turned towards her Eevee. ¡°Espy, this bowl of Berries is for Typhoon, okay? So don¡¯t eat it. You too Nairy.¡± Espy gave her human a haughty flick of the head, slightly offended by the insinuation that she would be so lacking in self control, eliciting giggles and an apology from Nina. The girl was technically breaking the rules by carrying a third Pokemon in school. Which was why she hid Typhoon¡¯s Ball in her backpack on the way back. What the school didn¡¯t know wouldn¡¯t hurt them after all. Next up, she took a seat and dialed out to Kumiko. The woman picked up with lightning fast speed, and Nina could tell that she was wearing her work uniform as well. Which showed how anxious she was for an update. ¡°Nina! Please tell me you found Charlie. He¡¯s not picking up and he¡¯s usually so good about it!¡± said the distraught woman. ¡°Relax, Kumiko. I did find Charlie¡­¡± Nina then told Kumiko about what had happened, everything her son said and her personal observations. ¡°Typhoon¡¯s in a bad state, I can tell that Charlie has been neglecting her care in his depressed state, so I took custody of him for now.¡± Nina panned her Pokedex to give the woman a view of the Poliwhirl who was currently enjoying her first ever spa day. ¡°Just a heads up though, I might need to transfer her over to you soon, because I¡¯m not allowed to carry more than two Pokemon in school just yet.¡± Nina couldn¡¯t just leave Typhoon alone in her room when she was out during the day. There wouldn¡¯t be anyone to feed her. Kumiko nodded with tearfilled gratitude. ¡°Of course, dear. I¡¯ll take over her care. This should¡¯ve been Charlie¡¯s responsibility anyway. That boy¡­¡± The woman¡¯s eyes quivered at all the things that Nina just revealed about her son. ¡°Thank you so much, Nina. I don¡¯t¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have known. Not until it was too late. I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Ever since my mom got hospitalized, you guys have been like a second family to me. I especially appreciate how you treated me like I was your own daughter. So like I said last time, this is just my way of repaying you. I don¡¯t really know how else to help Charlie though¡­¡± Kumiko gave a gentle shake of her head. ¡°No, you¡¯ve done enough. I¡¯ll give him a call and take some time off work to check on him. Please, if Charlie ever shares anything else with you or if you see him in trouble, do let me know.¡± ¡°Will do, Kumiko.¡± Nina agreed. ¡°I do suggest pulling him out of school though. Either a full withdrawal or a sabbatical. He¡¯s clearly not cut out for this. But that¡¯s just my opinion, you should talk to him before making any big decisions.¡± Kumiko nodded in agreement and once again thanked Nina. The two exchanged some more pleasantries which mostly involved Nina assuring the inconsolable woman before finally ending the call. *** ¡°Who''s the Psyduck?¡± Nina shot Justin a look, which prompted the boy to stop talking and begin shovelling food into his mouth. ¡°This is Charlie, an old friend from my hometown,¡± introduced Nina. ¡°Charlie, these are my friends, Kerry and Justin. Come, have a seat. How are you doing?¡± Charlie glanced nervously at the two unfamiliar kids. ¡°I err¡­ I''m fine, thanks for asking.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± The boy looked at the bento boxes being held in each of his schoolmates hands and flushed in embarrassment. ¡°Justin, could you do me a favor and grab some food for Charlie here? And a portion for a Growlithe as well please.¡± Nina asked. ¡°What?! Why can¡¯t he go get his own dam¡ª Ow!¡¯ Justin¡¯s complaint was interrupted by an elbow jab from Kerry who gave Nina an understanding look. ¡°Come on, Jackie. I¡¯ll go with you since you¡¯re such a baby.¡± The young Joy beckoned. ¡°Not you too! It¡¯s Justin! How hard is it to remember my name!¡± Justin grumbled but got up and followed after Kerry regardless. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt you guys¡­ I just wanted to thank you, and properly apologize for¡­ well, everything.¡± Charlie continued. ¡°Also, mom called. Said that she was gonna come visit.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°No worries, Charlie. After all, that¡¯s what friends are for.¡± Charlie shook his head. ¡°No. Not all friends. You really went out of your way¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but thank you.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Like I told Kumiko, it¡¯s because you guys took good care of me when my mom was being treated in the hospital. Without meeting you and getting to know your family, I wouldn''t have had the chance to meet Nairy when I did¡­ and life would have been a whole lot different. You¡¯re like a brother to me, Charlie. So no need to be all stiff.¡± Charlie felt a stabbing pain in his heart at the word ¡®brother¡¯, but forced himself to let out a brittle smile. ¡°Is that Tini, by the way?¡± He asked, in an attempt to change the subject. ¡°I hardly recognized him.¡± ¡°Yeap!¡± Nina reached up to pat her Dragonair on the cheek. ¡°He¡¯s become Nairy now¡­ Nairy, you recognize Charlie right?¡± ¡°Nair~¡± The Dragon cried as he got closer to Charlie to sniff him, only to jerk back a little afterwards. The boy¡¯s face reddened like a Magmar. ¡°Sorry, my cousin was hogging the shower this morning.¡± He explained. Nina laughed and scolded Nairy for his rude behavior. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Nairy¡¯s just being a drama queen like always. But if it really bothers you, there are showers in the gym you can use,¡± she suggested. Charlie nodded sheepishly. ¡°I might go and do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not still working are you?¡± asked the skeptical Nina. Charlie shook his head in denial. ¡°No, mom told me to focus on school for now and see how it goes. We¡¯ll discuss things when she comes by¡­ on whether or not I want to continue¡­¡± Then he jolted, as if he just remembered something. ¡°How¡¯s Typhoon by the way¡­ I know I haven¡¯t been the best to her. But is she okay?¡± Nina nodded in approval at the boy¡¯s concern. ¡°She¡¯s fine. I actually transferred Typhoon over to Kumiko last night. So she has custody of her right now. Will you be alright with just your Growlithe for the time being?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll be fine, I think. Not like I¡¯ll be doing much battling,¡± The boy said, in a dejected manner. ¡°Cheer up, you¡¯ll be reunited with Typhoon soon enough. And once Kumiko is done with her, she¡¯ll be stronger than ever,¡± assured Nina. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met your Growlithe. Mind introducing us?¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­ Here,¡± Charlie threw out a Pokeball and released an energetic looking canine Pokemon on the grass. Nina swooned at the cute little fire doggo and immediately grabbed some Berries from her pouch. ¡°Arf!¡± At the sight of treats, Charlie¡¯s Growlithe immediately rushed to Nina¡¯s side, allowing the girl to ruffle her warm fur while she ate off her palm. ¡°Who¡¯s the good girl? You are! Yes, you are~¡± Nina was severely tempted to catch a Growlithe of her own at that very moment. Espy was great, but she acted more like a cat than a dog. And there was just something magical about the unconditional love that only a dog can provide. Meanwhile, Charlie just continued watching his friend pamper the doggo, until Kerry and Justin returned with a couple of boxes, much to Growlithe¡¯s excitement when she smelled food. Two weeks later, Kumiko told Nina that Charlie was taking a sabbatical to go on his journey, using all of the money he saved up so far. By that point she had already spent a week with her son and met up with Nina a few times for dinner. It was a bit late in the season, and Nina was worried that Charlie might be aiming to compete in the Indigo Conference that year to catch his rival, but the boy assured her that he was not. And that he would take the time to ready his team first, however long it took. But before he set out, the boy would first head back to Cerulean City to rest and spend some time with his family. Nina gave her blessings to Charlie, whose eyes looked clearer, free from most of the doubts that had been plaguing him all these years. Chapter 87 Nairy dove into the school pool and cordoned off a small corner with his long serpentine body. He was fully alert and ready to jump in if something bad were to happen. Seeing her partner in position, Nina nodded at Justin who was currently wearing an exaggerated set of bulky looking overalls and thick mittens that covered up til his elbows. She was a little uncomfortable about the fact that the boy wouldn¡¯t be wearing a helmet, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. His Pokemon needed to learn his face after all. Next to Nina, Lilian was observing curiously. The Blackthorn scion had been coming to school more often than she said she would. It was clear to Nina that the girl found the experience of being a ¡®regular¡¯ schoolgirl quite enjoyable, despite her perpetually stoic and uptight demeanor. Which was kind of endearing actually. Sapphire, the Dratini by her side, only had eyes for Nairy. Nina could tell that the little Dratini had fallen hard for her partner. But the way that she expressed it was very similar to battle aggression, which made the air between the two a little awkward, since Nairy was an innocent little boy utterly inexperienced in romance. For now, the two trainers decided to just observe their Dragons passively and see how it goes. Justin took a deep breath to keep his jitters under control and released his Carvanha into the pool. When the Pokeball¡¯s light eventually cleared, the trio could see the anxious looking piranha Pokemon take in the field, snapping his jaws as he jerked his body every which way to assess his environment. Even at a distance, Nina could see the rabid hunger in his eyes. Food anxiety; it was a condition that plagued a number of the world¡¯s most troublesome Pokemon species. In particular, low intelligence and instinct based Pokemon like Carvanha, Zubat, and Gible among others. Which was why Lilian had joined in, because her family had experience dealing with Gible before. The problem largely dissipates after Evolution, once the Pokemon gains a bit more sentience and self control. But for a Carvanha, which typically lived among a shoal of close to fifty others of its kind in the wild, only one or two Sharpedoes would emerge from the midst. Largely due to the fact that the Pokemon would resort to cannibalism in times of want. Justin took in another breath and let out a genial smile. ¡°Hey again, Carvanha. It¡¯s me, Justin? Do you remember?¡± He began as he steadily reached a hand out to the snappy Pokemon, who immediately flew out of the water and latched on to the mittens with Crunch. Justin winced in pain at the impact on his hand, but was otherwise unhurt. His special mittens helped to soften the blow and keep his limbs intact as he underwent the strenuous process of taming his newest capture. Both Nina and Nairy watched on anxiously, ready to step in should the worst case scenario occur. It would have been more reassuring if Kerry was here, but the young Joy had duties in the nurse¡¯s office after school today and couldn¡¯t join in. Justin reached out with his other hand to stroke Carvanha near the underfin of his belly. It''s the one soft spot that the boy found was effective in calming the fish down. As he gently stroked at that spot, Carvanha began to loosen his jaw and let go of his trainer¡¯s hand. Once it was loose enough for Justin to break free, he immediately gripped the piranha Pokemon on his sides, turned him around and clamped the hardy Pokemon underneath his armpit to secure him in place and keep him from lashing out. Carvanha snapped his jaws in aggression at the sudden maneuver, but found himself biting only air as Justin gently whispered at him to sooth his anxieties. ¡°Hey, hey¡­ It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s me, Justin. Remember? I just fed you this morning. No one¡¯s gonna hurt you. I even got more food for you, see?¡± Justin reached into the bucket of meat by his side that they prepared beforehand. It was just some red meat that had been cut up into bite sized slivers that he got from the cafeteria. ¡°Here, see. No need to worry about food now. So long as you¡¯re with me, I¡¯ll make sure to feed you everyday. You¡¯re gonna be the happiest Carvanha in the world.¡± The Pokemon¡¯s snapping intensified at the sight of food, while Justin slowly brought the meat closer and fed it to him. The moment that Carvanha bit down on the meat, Justin began caressing his belly again, this was to prevent the piranha Pokemon from chewing too aggressively and swallowing immediately. One of the most effective ways to soothe food anxiety in Pokemon was to teach them that eating food was an enjoyable experience and not just a means of survival and sustenance. So Justin needed to slow his Carvanha¡¯s mastication down so that he would learn how to properly taste what he was eating. To that end, he also alternated between Berries and meat for some complexity. All the while, Justin kept assuring Carvanha with his voice, to get the Pokemon used to his presence and to let him know that he was a benevolent force in his life. Once Nina had judged that Carvanha was calm enough, she began approaching from his blindspot. ¡°Hey there Carvanha, you¡¯re looking good today. Great appetite as usual.¡± Carvanha started squirming and snapping again at the sudden intrusion of an unfamiliar voice, only to be soothed immediately by Justin¡¯s gentle caress. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just Nina. You remember Nina right? She¡¯s the one who found you. She can be a bit mean a lot of the time, but she¡¯s a real softie inside.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes twitched at her friend¡¯s unflattering description of her but held herself back and continued on with a regular conversation. ¡°How¡¯s Carvanha looking Justin? The vibrancy of the red, blues, and yellows of his body is an indication of health.¡± Justin hummed. ¡°The colors look deeper¡­ I think? Honestly I can¡¯t really tell. All I know is that he¡¯s a lot fatter than he was in the beginning.¡± Nina rolled her eyes at the boy¡¯s undiscerning eyes. ¡°Men!¡± She scoffed, despite having been one in her past life. Slowly and steadily, Nina entered Carvanha''s line of sight so as not to startle him with her presence. Carvanha seemed alarmed at first from the inclusion of the unfamiliar human, only to be quickly cowed by a glare that Nairy shot him from the background. Instinct based Pokemon were very quick to pick up the presence of any hostile apex predators as a means of self preservation. Nina and Justin continued on with their conversation while the boy occasionally fed Carvanha some meat and Berries. The intent was to condition the savage Pokemon and teach him that humans were neither threats nor food. This is important if Justin ever wants to use the Pokemon in battle, otherwise he risks getting disqualified for directly assaulting an opposing trainer. Once they determined that Carvanha was fully sated, Justin gently returned the much calmer Pokemon into the pool, maintaining eye contact and a toothless smile all the while. ¡°Okay, Carvanha. Good job today. I¡¯ll see you again tonight, okay?¡± He said, before returning the Pokemon into his Pokeball. Feeding without Nina and Nairy around was less involved, Justin would simply release the Pokemon into his dorm¡¯s bathtub and toss a piece of steak into the water for the Pokemon to chow down on. These sessions were tedious, but necessary, to gradually condition Carvanha so that he may be introduced to human society at some point. ¡°Bravo!¡± A series of claps sounded out after Nina and Justin had settled down from that heart pounding experience. The children looked over to see the compact figure of Principal Niko and his supermodel tier secretary approaching them from a distance. ¡°A very exemplary display of how to handle aggressive Pokemon. Truly the stars shine bright upon our humble academy.¡± He continued. ¡°Principal Niko,¡± Nina greeted with a faux smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. To what do we owe the pleasure?¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Jones, radiant as ever! Mr Mayo, I see Professor Oak¡¯s assessment of you was spot on!¡± He then turned towards Lilian and gave a respectful bow. ¡°And how could we neglect our esteemed guest? Lady Blackthorn, it is an honor, as always to be graced by your magnificent presence.¡± Nina could tell that Lilian was doing her best in resisting the heavy urge to roll her eyes at the sycophantic old man. A sentiment that Nina could strongly relate to. ¡°I am here today to seek out Mr Mayo actually.¡± Yes, Justin¡¯s last name was Mayo. Ash Ketchum and Justin Mayo, Professor Oak has quite the sense of humor in picking out trainers. Niko continued. ¡°I was wondering if Mr Mayo would do us the honor of representing the Vermilion Flame in an upcoming inter school meet that is happening during summer break. It is custom for each Kantonian school to elect a representative from each year, and we¡¯d like you to represent the first years. Naturally, all expenses are paid for and we will reward you with extra credit for any outstanding performance.¡± Justin tilted his head in confusion and looked at Nina. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but shouldn¡¯t you be asking Nina instead?¡± The principal let out a wry smile and looked wistfully at the girl in question. ¡°That would indeed be ideal, yes. No offense to you of course, Mr Mayo. But I believe Miss Jones is already preoccupied with more important matters this summer. Hence we would like to extend the opportunity to you instead.¡± Nina nodded in agreement. Principal Niko had already approached her previously but she turned him down, citing Misty and her uncle Ali¡¯s wedding as an excuse. Naturally, with all the promotion going on, the principal was aware of the event and gave up easily enough. So instead, she recommended Justin to get the trouble magnet out of the way. Kerry was really excited about the wedding and she had asked if she could get an invite. Nina said that she¡¯d work on it. But in truth, she was worried about Justin hearing about their plans and begging to tag along. ¡°That¡¯s a bummer. But sure, I¡¯ll go. Where¡¯s it at?¡± Justin replied with a bright eyed expression. The boy was clearly looking forward to some new adventures. Principal Niko smiled at the positive response. ¡°This year¡¯s meet will be held in Celadon City. Hosted by the Verdant Orchid, the city¡¯s premier trainer school. I¡¯ll have my secretary send you all the details.¡± With that, the shortstack principle once again bombarded the children with flowery words and excused himself to attend to other matters. ¡°Man, Celadon City! I wonder what Pokemon I can catch there?¡± said the enthusiastic Justin. Nina hummed in consideration. ¡°Erika¡¯s Gym specializes in Grass Types. So naturally, they¡¯ve cultivated a very diverse variety of them around the city. But, there¡¯s also a good amount of Bug Types to be found as well to keep a balanced and healthy ecosystem. Are you looking to catch your third Pokemon?¡± Grass Types were some of the easier Pokemon varieties to assimilate into any region and Erika has been very prolific in trying to diversify Kanto¡¯s severely lacking Pokemon ecosystem. This was largely due to the prolonged war between Kanto and Johto, most powerful and useful Pokemon within the region were largely driven to extinction due to either overexploitation or sabotage from the other side. Justin made a face at the mention of Grass Types, but did perk up a little when Nina said Bug Types. ¡°Yeah, I think I can get that third slot easily enough. I wonder if they have any Scythers there?¡± Nina laughed. This was a boy who was painstakingly trying to tame a Carvanha just so that he could have a torpedo shark in his team. Of course he¡¯d be into Scythers. Not that Nina could fault him, Scythers were cool. ¡°They should, yeah. But you¡¯ll have to check with the local Rangers to see if they¡¯re protected or not. Are you looking to evolve one into Scizor, or Kleavor?¡¯ ¡°Scyther can evolve?!¡± Justin exclaimed, as he excitedly pulled out his Pokedex to check. The boy hadn¡¯t previously known that Pokedexes were good for something other than scanning Pokemon. Nina sighed at Justin¡¯s lack of common knowledge. ¡°Yes, into Scizor with a Metal Coat and Kleavor with a Black Augurite.¡± The conversation felt familiar to Nina. She was pretty sure she¡¯d shared this bit of trivia before. Was Scyther¡¯s evolution really that unknown. ¡°Indeed,¡± chimed Lilian. ¡°Though to procure Black Augurite is a fool¡¯s errand. The last time one appeared on the market, it was snatched up by the president of Devon Corporation in an auction for an eight figure sum. Even my family with all their influence would have difficulties in procuring one.¡± Nina balked at the rich girl¡¯s words. She knew that Black Augurite was rare, but not that rare. If even the Blackthorns had trouble, then it was basically an impossibility for a plebian like her. ¡°Welp there goes my dreams of owning a Kleavor. I¡¯ve always preferred Scizor anyway.¡± ¡°What about the other one? Metal something¡­¡± Justin asked, readying his notepad to take notes. The boy had picked up that habit from Nina at some point after seeing how cool she looked whenever she scribbled in her notebook. ¡°Metal Coat,¡± corrected Lilian. ¡°Those are fairly common, though you¡¯ll have to compete with rabid Onix trainers to get them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Scyther¡¯s evolution is more of a sidegrade anyway,¡± Nina added. ¡°So there¡¯s no rush in evolving them. Their base form is pretty comparable to Scizor in strength, it¡¯s just a change in Typing, which has its pros and cons. Kleavor is similar but it¡¯s hard to say since there¡¯s so little of them.¡± Lilian nodded in agreement. ¡°To be precise, only five are known to us. Three of which are in the hands of various trainers. While the other two are guardians of ancient forests teeming with unspeakable dangers.¡± The mention of ancient forests and guardians got Nina buzzing, wondering what sort of wondrous sights she¡¯d be able to see in such places. Justin was buzzing as well, but for different reasons. Nina can probably expect to pet a Scyther when the boy gets back from his trip. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± Chapter 88 Nina huffed in exhaustion as she forced herself up the twenty meter high wall. ¡°Damn those teachers!¡± She cursed. There were no clearly protruding colored footholds for her convenience ¡ª it was raw rockface the entire way through. The girl could feel blisters forming on her palms, and her whole body felt like it was on fire. Midterms in the Vermilion Flame were pretty straightforward; there was the written portion and then the practical portion. For once in Nina¡¯s new life, she felt some challenge in the syllabus she was subjected to. Though, nothing a bit of diligent studying couldn¡¯t resolve. Math was especially annoying, it had been a long time since she did Algebra, Calculus and Geometry. Miles was an accountant, but knowing how to balance a balance sheet had little to do with knowing how to find the value of x in an equation, or the length of a hypotenuse. Matter of fact, what is a hypotenuse? Why can¡¯t they just say the longest side of a triangle? Why all the jargon? But this was all just Nina venting. She understood the importance of advanced mathematics and tried her best to learn it. Didn¡¯t mean she would enjoy it though. She still hadn¡¯t unraveled the workings of a Pokeball even after all these years. But she was undeterred, and had taken it on as a personal long term challenge. The practical portions were, as usual, the more interesting parts and one that a school full of extroverted Pokemon Trainers actually looked forward to. There was physical fitness, wilderness survival and Pokemon battles, of course. Physical fitness was another obstacle course, and students were graded on time or in the case of a DNF, how much of the course did they complete before tapping out. The latter was more common than Nina had initially expected. The obstacle course portion of the gym was actually quite impressive. It was a modular terrain that used state of the art technology to create whatever simple constructs the teachers could think of. Any additional accessories or natural elements will need to be added manually, but that could easily be accomplished with the help of Pokemon. For the exam though, they really upped the difficulty of the obstacles compared to the ones they usually went through during P.E class. Even Nina struggled to finish as she took in another pained breath and languidly retracted the Escape Rope she used to secure her on the way up, only to tie it onto anchors prepared at the top of the Rock Wall to scale her way back down the other side again. The way down was a lot easier, but the ordeal was not over yet as Nina was subsequently dropped onto a sticky, noxious swamp which she had to wade through. By the time she reached the goal, she felt like her whole body was on fire. Arceus bless Kerry who offered her decrepit looking friend one of Happiny¡¯s eggs to help with her recovery, otherwise she¡¯d be sore all week. Wilderness survival was the one Nina enjoyed the most. This one involved a two day camping trip out in the forests. Students were split into groups of ten and asked to accomplish a few tasks during this time without any adult supervision. Instead, there were drones that followed after them to monitor their progress. This portion of the exam actually took a whole week, since they needed to stagger the examinees to avoid overcrowding the forests. But overall, it was quite relaxing actually. Most trainer school students would have gone camping at some point or rather during their life, so everyone was reasonably competent and had a lot of fun. They trekked through the woods to reach a spot designated to them on the map, a physical one and not their Pokegear. Nina even had to surrender her Pokedex to a Nurse Joy in a lockbox, given how valuable it was. Instead they were each given a backpack¡¯s worth of standard supplies and equipment. Once there they had to split up, a few members of their group were tasked with searching for a water source while the rest set up camp. Food was also an issue, the good thing was that they were allowed their Pokemons, but subject to restrictions. For Nina, she wasn¡¯t allowed to bring Nairy, much to the Dragonair¡¯s consternation. He almost went berserk when it was time to separate the pair and Nina had to send him over to Bill just to make sure he had friendly company. Their separation anxiety had gotten better over the years, but a two day absence of his partner was still too much for him. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For the rest of the kids, there were no elemental movesets allowed. Basically, the Pokemon were only allowed physical abilities or whatever biological functions they were endowed with. So for example, Pokemon with wings were allowed to fly and Ghost Pokemon were allowed to shadow travel and so on. Cheating would be punished depending on the severity. But funnily enough, Espy¡¯s empathic abilities were not against the rules, so it made tracking and hunting easier. Nina did not partake in the meat, instead she borrowed a Goldeen to go fishing and an Oddish for foraging. The only groups that encountered issues were the ones where the members didn¡¯t get along or if there was an especially conceited one who thought they could score extra points by ¡®leading¡¯ the group, thereby triggering a petty internal power squabble. Nina had none of those issues. She had cultivated an air of intimidation and admiration in her year. Whatever she says goes, with minimal complaints. Naturally, she wasn¡¯t a tyrant and tried to be diplomatic and friendly with her classmates most times. But whenever there was some dumb argument or petty conflict, she would step in and quickly put an end to it. The Pokemon battle portion though, was disappointing. This part was actually held simultaneously during the wilderness survival week for maximum efficiency. Since the students who weren¡¯t out camping were just idle in school. Nina got an automatic pass with the highest grade the school could afford her for the battle portion. There wasn¡¯t even any doubt. Ever since her little showcase during that first day P.E Class, all the teachers have taken to using her as a teaching assistant of sorts in every single one of her Phys Ed classes. The girl had half a mind to demand a salary with all the extra work she was doing. In reality, most of the teachers in the Vermilion Flame had also undergone the Gym Trainer Qualification Exam. Problem was, they never got employed at a proper Gym. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be pursuing a teaching career. Gym Trainers were often treated as minor celebrities. And when it came to the many bombshell beauties of the Cerulean Gym, most of them were part time models, actresses, social media influencers and so on. Gym work always took precedence though, so everything worked out in the end. In truth, some of Nina¡¯s teachers even felt a little intimidated by her. Because oftentimes, during the occasional lectures and outbursts that Nina would break into, they would listen along as well as they learned little nuggets of Mizhuhana clan knowledge that they weren¡¯t privy to before. *** ¡°What do I do, Nina?¡± Justin whined. ¡°You gotta save me! I¡¯m not gonna get that third slot at this rate. I¡¯ll have to wait til next year!¡± Nina laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just confidently declare not too long ago that you¡¯ll get that third slot easily enough?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know the written exams would be that hard! And that obstacle course was Tauros poo. How the heck did anyone manage to clear that at all?¡± ¡°You simply need to work harder,¡± chimed Lilian, who was elegantly drinking tea that her butler prepared for her. The best part about having lunch with Lilian was that Alfred would always prepare a feast for all the children and their Pokemon, with food fit for a princess of Kanto-Johto¡¯s leading clan. ¡°I had a go at this ¡®Giratina devised¡¯ obstacle course after hearing all the chatter surrounding it. It was an adequate workout. I believe Melina Jones completed it just fine. And not only are we the same age as you, but we also possess feminine physiques which puts us at an inherent disadvantage. You have no excuse.¡± Justin groaned but remained speechless at the finality of Lilian¡¯s statement, eliciting snickers from Nina and Kerry. ¡°Cheer up, Jayce,¡± assured Nina. ¡°If you¡¯d gone and read the email that Principal Niko sent you, you¡¯ll know that you can expand your carry limit by performing well in the inter school meet.¡± Justin frowned. ¡°It¡¯s Justin! Jayce isn¡¯t even two syllables. Are you guys just messing with me?¡± Nina snorted. ¡°About time you figured that out.¡± But just as quickly, the boy lit up with hope again. His face really was like a traffic light with how quickly it changes. ¡°So I just gotta kick the butt of some first year kid and I¡¯ll earn that extra slot then? Awesome! Now this is more like it!¡± Nina chuckled. It was more nuanced than that but it wasn¡¯t like it mattered with Justin anyway. His shonen protagonist luck will pull him through as usual. She then turned to Kerry. ¡°Anyways, Kerr. I got that invite for you to my uncle¡¯s wedding. You can bring one person along with you, but you¡¯ll be sharing a table with the local Joys. Is that okay with you?¡± Kerry tackled Nina with an enthusiastic hug and kissed her friend on the cheek. ¡°Of course! Thanks Nina, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Ah, you must be referring to the wedding of Misty Mizuhana and her fiance. Just so happens I was invited as well,¡± said Lilian. ¡°I suppose we shall convene in the venue then.¡± ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t know they invited you too.¡± To Nina¡¯s knowledge, Misty didn¡¯t like the Blackthorns very much. And the couple was very adamant that the ceremony itself must be focused on family and friends, and free of any political power plays. That¡¯s why invitations were so exclusive. Even high ranking League officials and Lance Blackthorn, Lilian¡¯s uncle, did not receive invitations to avoid any inane drama. Lilian took another sip of her tea. ¡°As mentioned before, I made a visit to the Cerulean Gym. After a few compromises, Lady Mizuhana agreed to my request for a demonstration of her prowess. She extended me an invitation after the fact. I have to say, contrary to her reputation, your mentor is a very amicable woman,¡± she said. Nina raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Misty? Amicable? Are we talking about the same person here or did she go to the Celadon Gym by accident?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about some wedding anyway?¡± Justin scoffed, probably lashing out because he felt left out, only to trigger Kerry and launch her into a tirade about the virtues of love and how wonderful Misty¡¯s proposal was. The way the young Joy described it, it was as if Misty was some sort of queenly figure in a fairy tale who fell in love with her dashing knight and overcame all sorts of obstacles and hardships to finally be together. The girl was clearly delusional, but Nina did not have the heart to burst her fantastical bubble. ¡°Let the kid believe in true love for just a bit longer.¡± Surprisingly, Lilian nodded along as well. Nina did not think the girl was such hopeless romantic. Chapter 89 Nina put on a pair of shades, lowered her hat and pushed her way through the crowd out of Cerulean City¡¯s Sky Taxi port. Not because the sun was especially bright or anything, but because she saw a banner of herself with Misty and Ali looking like one big happy family. ¡°Urgh! Damn you Violet.¡± Because of that one image, there was a rumor online that the Aquarium Girl was actually a secret child of Misty¡¯s who was born out of wedlock. ¡°Vee¡­¡± cried a listless Espy. ¡°I know, sorry girl. I don¡¯t like how crowded it is either. Do you wanna return to your Ball?¡± ¡°E, vee.¡± Espy shook her head, insisting on accompanying Nina. It was a heartwarming gesture because she knew how introverted her furry little princess was. Nina gave Espy a little scratch and continued onwards towards the familiar cityscape of her home. ¡°Professor Oak¡¯s right, this place does change very quickly.¡± ¡°Vee?¡± And it wasn¡¯t just all the annoying tourists who were crowding the city for the festivities either. Looking around, she could spot a brand new statue that was erected at some point; another nonsensical abstract art piece. ¡°And is that a new fountain? Do we really need another fountain in this damned city?¡± Despite the sweltering heat, made even worse by all the bodies surrounding her, Nina decided to take a leisurely stroll back home. Not because she was dreading what was awaiting her when she got back or anything. Nope. Nuh-uh And she most definitely did not reject the offer of a welcome party because she did not want to be dragged to the Gym right away to be subject to their whims either. Nope, couldn¡¯t be her. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the Stretch to stock up on your fur care product.¡± Nina said to Espy, eliciting cheers from the Eevee. Shopping in Saphira¡¯s has always been a favorite pastime of hers. Along the way, there were plenty of stalls and street performers lining the streets. Merchants and dreamseekers hoping to capitalize on the bustling crowd to showcase their wares and talents. It was a good thing that Cerulean had never really been a city big on personal vehicles like Vermilion, otherwise the roads would be perpetually congested with how haphazard everything was set up. Nina was constantly having to dodge people and take detours, taking almost twice as long just to go from the Sky Taxi port to the Stretch, which was realistically only a ten minute walk away usually. ¡°Vee, ee!¡± Espy pawed frantically at Nina¡¯s shoulder, she had not wanted the fur ball on her head in this weather to avoid adding to the heat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Espy?¡± Nina looked towards where the Eevee was pointing and saw a small group of people in blue vests bearing the logo of the Cerulean City Council. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In response to her query, Espy sent some blurry imagery of their time in the Hidden Valley Estate to Nina¡¯s mind. More specifically it was images of men in black with flashy red Rs on their person. Nina narrowed her eyes in concern. ¡°You think they¡¯re Team Rocket members?¡± ¡°E¡­?¡± Espy¡¯s cries were a little unsure, deepening Nina¡¯s frown. ¡°So you think they¡¯re suspicious? Bad guys maybe?¡± ¡°Vee¡­¡± The Eevee nodded her head, but there was still an element of uncertainty there. Nina hummed while pretending to browse a nearby stall selling bootleg Misty and Ali merch to avoid alarming the people in blue vests. ¡°Do you think you can memorize their Psychic signature?¡± Another image went through her head, this time of the Honchkrow that Nina faced with Eric and Tini back then. ¡°So they¡¯ve got Dark Types shielding their minds?¡± Which was suspicious in and of itself, so Nina unclipped her Pokegear and pretended to take a selfie with an accessory, but was actually aiming the camera at the suspicious personnel. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to Uncle Ali about this. I doubt Interpol is out of the loop on any suspicious Rocket activity,¡± she whispered to assuage the distressed Espy. ¡°I¡¯m really hoping these are just regular criminals taking advantage of dumb tourists¡­¡± Nina sighed, what was the point of getting Justin out of the way when there was a trouble magnet hanging right around her neck. ¡°Having some plot armor on our side would actually be ideal right now. At least then we¡¯d know things will work out.¡± Despite the urgency, Nina still decided to stop by Saphira, just to cheer up the dour Espy. ¡°Ah, Miss Jones. Welcome. It has been quite some time since we were last graced by your presence.¡± Nina looked up at the stunning looking shop attendant and chuckled as she took off her shades. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you recognized me Miss Lafayette, I¡¯ll have to work on my disguise a bit more.¡± The woman named Lafayette laughed along in good humor. ¡°Here in Saphira, we pride ourselves in remembering all our regulars and their needs. Besides, Lady Misty¡¯s wedding has been a great boon to our store.¡± She gestured towards the crowded store interior, plastered full of manicured imagery of Misty in her wedding dress set to a fairy tale-like backdrop. Nina smiled feebly. ¡°What happened to surprising the groom on the wedding day?¡± ¡°Not to mention, one could never mistake an Eevee with fur as lustrous as Miss Espy¡¯s.¡± She continued, eliciting a haughty puff of the chest from said Eevee, and earning the adorable little fur ball nuzzles from her swooning human. ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Espy¡¯s been feeling a little down from how crowded the city was. We¡¯re looking to stock up on her usual items, but do you have anything that¡¯s new and interesting as well?¡± The ebony skinned woman presented a radiant smile and gestured for Nina to follow her. ¡°Please, follow me. We have a private room in the back that will allow Miss Espy to browse at a more leisurely pace.¡± Nina thanked the woman and followed suit, exchanging pleasantries along the way. In particular, Nina talked about the differences she noticed between this Saphira and their sister store in Vermilion City. ¡°I¡¯ve made a visit during my time there. But it just feels like the stuff on offer in Vermilion City was less¡­ bespoke?¡± Nina said, holding back her own cringe at her choice of words. ¡°Since when did I become so snooty?¡± Lafayette let out an amicable smile. ¡°Yes, we try to cater to the needs of the locals, and the people of Vermilion City are¡­ how to say? Much more value conscious than the discerning guests of Cerulean City. That¡¯s not to say their selection is lacking in any way. I shall make a call to our sisters in the city and notify them of your presence. They¡¯ll ensure that you are presented with our best products during your visits, Miss Jones.¡± Nina nodded, feeling like she was a noble lady from some prestigious household. ¡°Have you noticed the people in the blue vests by the way? I¡¯m seeing them all throughout the city and I don¡¯t believe they were around before this.¡± A little girl pulled at her mother¡¯s dress and pointed excitedly at Nina as they were walking. But luckily, the older woman was too busy perusing to take notice. ¡°Ah, yes. Those are volunteers from the city council. With the sudden influx of visitors, the Jennys are having trouble maintaining order in the city. The volunteers are mainly there to ensure that any business is conducted according to council guidelines and report any misdemeanor they find.¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Volunteers you say?¡± ¡°Indeed. And here we are, please help yourselves to the refreshments while I gather a selection of products for your perusal. I do apologize for the lack of hospitality, our staff are stretched quite thin at the moment.¡± Nina waved off the woman¡¯s concern and settled down with a chilled bottle of Shuckle juice from the fridge for her and Espy. *** ¡°Yes, we are aware of the presence of those scoundrels in our city.¡± Ali confirmed, when Nina brought Espy¡¯s findings to his attention during dinner. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware they were posing as council volunteers though.¡± Nina frowned. ¡°Is Team Rocket planning to do something during the wedding?¡± She asked. But her concerns were dismissed by Misty. ¡°No need to worry, sweetie. We¡¯ve already taken down the terrorist cell that wanted to attack the wedding venue. The ones that are left are just the profiteering ones who are looking to take advantage of tourists with sketchy dealings. We¡¯ll let the Jennys know and have them deal with it.¡± ¡°There were terrorists looking to attack the wedding?!¡± The girl exclaimed. Even Patrick and Leanette looked alarmed as they asked for more details. Ali laughed nonchalantly. ¡°Yeah, it was a group of Rocket goons who wanted to ¡®change the world and achieve greater things than petty crime¡¯ or something. They were really sloppy though, and we managed to track them down easily enough.¡± Misty nodded along. ¡°The idealistic ones usually have heads so far up their own asses that they can¡¯t even see the road they¡¯re walking on.¡± ¡°Please love, mind your language in front of our niece.¡± Ali admonished, but it was clear that it was just a token effort. The two were too infatuated with one another to really argue. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s wise to continue with the wedding, Ali?¡± Patrick asked in concern. Ali let out another hearty laugh. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. If we cancel the wedding then we¡¯re just giving them what they want. Besides, Misty managed to petition the League to dispatch Ace Trainers to guard the venue.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Misty echoed. ¡°Those old farts are worried about a potential incident as well. Lots of interregional tourists in the city at the moment, and we can¡¯t risk a diplomatic crisis at a time when we¡¯re about to renegotiate some trade agreements. Those assholes from the other Leagues will fleece our region for all we¡¯ve got. Especially Johto.¡± Nina sighed, there was no persuading these two stubborn Tauroses. So she moved on to more practical matters. ¡°So long as your confidence isn¡¯t misplaced. Anyways, what exactly do you guys want me to do? The wedding isn¡¯t until the end of the month and you already want me back so soon.¡± She did not end up going to the Gym today since her mother wanted Nina to stay home and spend some time with her. Nina could tell that Leanette was feeling a little lonely without her daughter around. The girl made a mental note to talk to her father about this to avoid a relapse of her mother¡¯s condition. Misty just shrugged at the question. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know. You¡¯ll have to talk to Bev about it ¡ª she seemed quite excited. I wonder what it¡¯ll be¡­¡± She ended that last sentence with a teasing wink, indicating that she did indeed know. Nina frowned. ¡°That¡¯s Tauros poo, Misty! If you knew about Uncle Ali¡¯s proposal then you¡¯d know what the others are planning as well.¡± She pouted. ¡°Nina, language,¡± admonished her mother, but the girl just continued glaring at her soon-to-be aunt who was laughing in amusement. Chapter 90 A/N: Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is indeed the unreleased Chapter 90. For any of my existing RR readers who stumbled upon this, congratulations. Consider this your early bird reward. XD *** ¡°Nins! You¡¯re back! I missed you so muchhh!¡± Beverly tackled her friend with a hug and lifted her up slightly. ¡°And is this Tini? Oh my gosh you¡¯re so big now!¡± The enthusiastic older girl let go of Nina and reached out for a hug with the Dragonair as well, who happily reciprocated by wrapping her up. Nina smiled. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s Nairy now. Good to see you too, Bev.¡± Beverly blew out her tongue. ¡°Lame! We really gotta work on your naming sense, Nins. Poor Nairy¡­¡± She gently caressed the Dragon¡¯s cheeks and gave him a kiss. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear that from somebody who named her Gyarados Ryu. How edgy can you get?¡± Nina scoffed. ¡°Anyway, I heard you¡¯re up to no good? Spill it, what are you bitches planning this time?¡± Beverly gasped. ¡°My innocent little Nina is swearing! How could they?! Tell me, who corrupted my bestie? I¡¯m gonna go over there and kick their ass!¡± Nina rolled her eyes. ¡°You did, you potty mouth. Now stop changing the subject and answer the question.¡± Beverly grinned, looking like an idiot all wrapped up by Nairy. ¡°Hehe¡­ It¡¯s gonna be great, Nins. I¡¯ve worked out the perfect choreo for the two of us ¡ª¡± ¡°Nairy, squeeze her.¡± Before Beverly could even finish, Nina chimed in and ordered her partner to pass down divine punishment onto the capricious girl. ¡°I told you Bev, I have no interest in performing as a mermaid.¡± Beverly squeaked, desperately tapping at Nairy to stop before panting for breath. ¡°I¡­Come on, Nins¡­ It¡¯s Misty and your uncle¡¯s wedding! It¡¯s just one time, please~ Everyone¡¯s super excited about it. It¡¯s the debut of the New Cerulean Sisters!¡± Nina cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the actual Cerulean Sisters are gonna take issue with that name.¡± ¡°Who cares about what those old hags think!¡± Beverly loudly exclaimed, only to be met with a hard fist to her head. ¡°Ouch!¡± She yelped. The culprit was Daisy who joined in at one point. ¡°Who are you calling an old hag, you brat!¡± She then turned to Nina. ¡°And Nina, you¡¯re doing this no matter what. We¡¯ve already made all the necessary preparations and reserved a time slot in the arena. It¡¯s too late to have a change of plans now.¡± Nina opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, Daisy had already walked off. Meanwhile, Beverly was rubbing her head and grinning at a mission accomplished. ¡°This is revenge for the cheer squad back in the conference isn¡¯t it?¡± Nina asked. To which, her friend just responded by putting on an insufferably smug face. So she told Nairy to give her another tight squeeze as punishment. *** ¡°I¡¯m practically tone deaf, Bev. I can¡¯t sing, you¡¯ve heard me in karaoke before.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± assured Beverly. ¡°We¡¯ll be pre-recording the audio track, just gotta lip sync. You think Misty and the others are actually singing while they¡¯re flying around and whipping their bodies all over the place? A couple of vocal lessons with Ashley and a recording sesh in the booth and we¡¯re good~¡± Credits to Beverly, she had thought about Nina¡¯s complete lack of talent in the performing arts. Even the choreography looked simple enough to follow; lots of twirls and mid air flips and Pokemon assisted shenanigans to make it look dynamic, but there was a pretty simple flow and rhythm to it. No complex, intricate pop star body movements, just lots of big and fast ones to mask the simplicity. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing a bikini.¡± Nina stated. This was the one thing she was putting her foot down on. Beverly snorted. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not tasteless. This is a wedding. Gotta keep it classy. Aoi is designing something special for us. Think white leotard with lots of flowy laces. No idea how she¡¯s gonna make it all work, but it¡¯s Aoi, so no worries. Oh that reminds me, gotta take your measurements as well.¡± Nina sighed in relief and nodded. Aoi owned her own boutique store in the Stretch that specialized in more conservative Disney princess-esque dresses, so Nina did trust in her to make something classy as Beverly said. ¡°What about Pokemon then, based on your terrible drawings, you¡¯ll want Nairy¡­ I¡¯m seeing Josephine, of course. And Ryu? Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Positive. And it¡¯s not terrible! I had help from the twins. I¡¯ll tell them you said that!¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°What about the twins by the way? Are they not being included?¡± ¡°Heh. Nope! It¡¯s just us two besties against the world. This will be great, Nins. We¡¯ll be rich and famous. Those old hags are gonna be yesterday¡¯s news. From here on, it¡¯s gonna be Beverly and Nina: Mermaid Duo Extraordinaire!¡± Nina just tuned out the delusional ramblings of her friend and went over everything in her head once more. It did seem doable, the problem was the time frame. ¡°We¡¯ve got what? Two and half weeks of practice time, maybe? This is assuming we¡¯ll want to take some break days in between ¡ª can¡¯t wear ourselves out or injure something¡­¡± The girl sighed in exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll be able to make it in time. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this sooner?¡± Beverly puffed up her cheeks in defiance. ¡°Because I know you, Nins. If I told you beforehand, you¡¯re gonna use that big brain of yours to Abra your way out of this. Well that ain¡¯t happening! You¡¯re in this whether you like it or not, just like Daisy said.¡± Nina rolled her eyes at the assessment. Not that she was wrong, but Nina resented it regardless. *** Nina laid herself down on the changing room bench. Feeling more exhausted than she¡¯d ever been in her two lives. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather go a couple of rounds in the midterm¡¯s obstacle course.¡± The first practice session was a disaster, Beverly knew what she was doing since she devised the whole thing, but Nina was stumbling all over the place. Despite its simplicity, it was hard to catch the rhythm of the background music when you¡¯re being spun around mid air at dizzying speeds by Psychic Pokemon. The dizziness and vertigo were a whole other beast as well. Nina chewed Beverly out for refusing to use earpieces because ¡°they were ugly¡±. Earpieces were important for live shows because they tuned out the outside world and kept the performers focused and on beat. Misty and the others didn¡¯t need them only because they were already experienced mermaids who had been doing this for years. In fact, the only reason why the ladies of Cerulean Gym were able to keep up with the Monthly Exhibit despite their busy schedule was because they have set routines that they just splice in and out with only minor adjustments each year to keep things from going stagnant. They have everything memorized by heart at this point. The practice sessions they conducted regularly were more for the Pokemon than the humans, since it was a great way of keeping Pokemon in shape and train up new Gym Trainers and Pokemon. As evident by how skilled Nairy had become over the course of his time in the Gym. In the end, they settled on a compromise by agreeing to wear earpieces decorated by Aoi to mask the equipment from the audience. Things were a bit smoother after that, though Nina¡¯s complete lack of coordination could only improve so much with so little an addition. ¡°Good work out there. You¡¯re abysmal, but you have the heart and that¡¯s what counts. A bit more practice and you¡¯ll be golden.¡± Nina craned her neck to see who was speaking to her and found the blue haired figure of Violet looking down on her with a bottle of Shuckle juice in hand, which she pressed against the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Here, drink this and get yourself cleaned up. You have a photoshoot in half an hour.¡± The woman continued. Nina balked at Violet¡¯s words. ¡°A photoshoot! For what?! No one told me about this.¡± Violet chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the ringbearer, the star apprentice, and the groom¡¯s one and only niece. Of course we¡¯d want pictures of you for the promo. I even have a few sponsors lined up who want to use you for their children¡¯s line of products.¡± She responded, before sighing. ¡°Honestly I would have liked to do this sooner, but you left early in the year before we had everything nailed down. Oh well, not to worry. My marketing people have predicted a residual three month post wedding hype trajectory, so there¡¯s still plenty of money to be made.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes twitched at the audacity of this gold digging Meowth. ¡°I hope I¡¯m getting a cut of all this profit¡­¡± Nina said, amidst clenched teeth. She knew better than to argue against Violet¡¯s desires when it came to money. So the least she could do was get something out of it. Violet let out an amicable smile, one hiding sinister and conniving connotations. ¡°Of course, my dear. But most of it will go towards funding the once in a lifetime wedding of your beloved uncle and esteemed mentor, I¡¯m sure you understand¡­¡± Nina sat up straight and pointed an accusing finger at the incarnation of greed standing before her. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t! The wedding¡¯s already fully funded by all the merch sales and advertising revenue, and you know it. This is all just about profit at this point!¡± ¡°You have no proof of that¡­¡± After a series of heated back and forths, the two misers finally came to an agreement that neither of them were happy about. Which as far as Nina was concerned, was the mark of a good compromise. So the girl did as she was told and went to take a hasty shower. She didn¡¯t bother to groom herself since she¡¯ll have to go through a stylist later on anyway. ¡°What in Arceus¡¯s name is that?!¡± Nina exclaimed, gesturing towards the Teddiursa costume that was laid out in front of her. Violet groaned, as if she just tasted something unpleasant. ¡°It was Misty¡¯s idea, since you¡¯re going to be the ringbearer and all.¡± Nina groaned along as well. ¡°Urgh¡­ Ring- ¡®bear¡¯ -er. Of course it was Misty! That woman loves her shitty puns.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you guys want me to walk down the aisle wearing that, right?¡± Nina pleaded, to which Violet simply shrugged indifferently. ¡°Whatever the bride wants, she gets,¡± said Violet, effectively putting an end to the girl¡¯s complaints. So Nina endured the humiliation and put on the outfit reluctantly. It was akin to a onesie, so the loose fit wasn¡¯t an issue, complete with cute little bear paws attached to the end of the sleeves. Though thankfully, there were holes for her hands in between the paws and the sleeves, so she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about fumbling her precious cargo during the actual wedding day. In place of Teddiursa¡¯s cute little round ears, they tied up Nina¡¯s hair in twin buns and covered it with two little hair sack things, and had her wear a crescent moon tiara. Next, they painted the tip of her nose black to serve as the Pokemon¡¯s precious little button nose. The end result was actually pretty darn cute if Nina may say so herself. The makeup lady, and the photographer and his assistants were all swooning at the adorable little girl. Meanwhile, Nina could see Violet¡¯s pupils morphing into Pokedollar signs. ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s Meowth¡¯s gold coin thing on her forehead. Since when did Violet learn Payday?¡± *** Author''s note: Reminder that you can get 10 advanced chapter in my Patreon as well as exclusive side stories for those who are eager to read ahead. And I''d also like to highlight the first fanart I''ve ever received for this story from winterseeli a.k.a Winter_Sage. https://www.tumblr.com/winterseeli/773394513349754880/one-of-newer-art-i-have-made-its-fan-art-of-a I love the detail of having Nina wear the same tanktop as Leaf, the female protagonist of the FireRed and LeafGreen games. In fact, it''s such a genius idea that I decided that little detail is going to be canon from now on. Anyways, huge thanks to Winter for DM''ing me their work. I''m not on any of the social media platforms so I wouldn''t even have known about it otherwise. I do plan on commisioning art sometime in the future, but receiving fanart and commissioned art feels different, you know? One is a labour of love while the other is a business transaction. So I couldn''t help but tear up a bit when I received that message. Thank you all once again for your support and for reading my story. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 91 Nina pulled up her hoodie and put on her sunglasses. She looked shady as heck but what can a girl do? The entirety of the past week had just been her being jerked around one way or another. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When she wasn¡¯t practicing for Beverly¡¯s performance or working on her vocals, she¡¯d be under the whims of one of the Cerulean Sisters, modeling for various products or attending different social events. She desperately needed a break but couldn¡¯t exactly stay at home where they could easily find her. So Beverly suggested going incognito and roaming around outside, except¡­ ¡°Nins, look! Those earrings are so cuuute. Let¡¯s go check them out!¡± The older girl had the subtlety of a Gyarados, loudly calling out to her and dragging her to every single stall that caught her fancy. Luckily, they hadn¡¯t been recognized just yet, which was good. Nina sighed, thinking that she should¡¯ve just gone to the library today instead. ¡°Slow down, Bev. I don¡¯t have the energy to keep up today. And please stop yelling out my name.¡± Nina said, for what felt like the umpteenth time today. ¡°Oh relax~¡± assured the energetic girl. ¡°You don¡¯t have that ugly jacket with you today. Aside from Espy on your shoulder, you look just like any other girl.¡± Nina groaned. ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re not. You still look like Beverly Mizuhana, the ¡®Ice is just frozen Water innit?¡¯ girl.¡± In fact, Beverly just wore her regular outfit and slapped on a pair of gaudy star shaped sunglasses. ¡°Urgh¡­ Don¡¯t remind me. Why is it that everyone thinks you¡¯re like a super cute mascot but treats me like I¡¯m some insane meme queen?¡± Beverly whined. ¡°Being a mascot is NOT fun.¡± Nina hates being fawned on by middle aged ladies in all those stupid social events that the sisters kept dragging her to, saying that it¡¯s all important networking and stuff. But networking for what?! They ran a Gym, not some political fundraiser. Beverly pouted. ¡°Better to have kids come up to you with Growlithe eyes asking for signatures than to have them point and laugh at you.¡± Nina pulled her friend in for a hug while gently caressing the girl¡¯s hair in assurance. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. The Pokenet has a short memory, once you become more accomplished as a Gym Trainer, people¡¯ll look at you differently. You recently started a Pokegram account right?¡± Beverly nodded. ¡°Yeap, Daphne is guiding me through it. I barely have one tenth of her followers but it¡¯s going up¡­¡± Then, her eyes lit up as if she had a bright idea. ¡°I should start posting shorts of our practice! Steal some of your clout!¡± Beverly let out a sinister laugh, like she was some sort of supervillain with an ingenious plan. Nina sighed. Beverly had already been posting pictures of them together on occasion anyway, what¡¯s a bit more. In fact, Nina was flabbergasted that Beverly didn¡¯t figure this out sooner since any posts the wannabe Pokegram model made with Nina in it were sure to get an uptick in likes and engagement. ¡°Eevee, vee ee!¡± Nina looked towards where Espy was pointing and saw a little girl around five or six years of age crying by the side of the street, likely having lost sight of her parents. But just as Nina was about to approach and check on her, a city council volunteer in a blue vest bent down and began consoling the girl. The man in the vest looked normal enough, if not for the fact that Espy was pawing Nina in distress at the sight of him. Nina frowned and dragged Beverly to the side of a stall where they could observe without being seen. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Beverly asked, bewildered, only for Nina to place a finger on her lips to shush her. ¡°Keep it down, that guy in the vest might be a Team Rocket member.¡± Nina explained. Beverly was about to burst out in confusion, but Nina covered the girl¡¯s mouth to muffle her voice. Seeing that the man held onto the lost girl¡¯s hand to lead her somewhere, Nina took out her Pokedex and set it to automatically ping her location. The signal will go towards all her loved ones, so that they would know where to find her if something were to happen. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go and follow them.¡± Nina was desperately hoping that the volunteer would just take the girl to a lost and found shelter to keep up appearances, but based on Espy¡¯s response, she doubted that would be the case. It was likely that the empathic Eevee picked up negative emotions from the guy. Based on one of Sabrina¡¯s books that Nina read, Dark Types could shield a mind from being read and detected. But emotions showed up on a person like colored auras, something that most lesser criminals were not usually aware of. Which was why skilled interrogators could extract information just by asking the right questions and judging their subject¡¯s emotional response like a lie detector. Only full Psychics could completely mask a person. But then again, those were highly regulated and not the sort of Pokemon that two bit thugs were able to easily acquire. Facial expressions and body language were also viable tells, so no real method of obfuscation was fool proof. They casually followed along, pretending like tourists that just happened to be going the same way. Eventually reaching an unassuming alleyway where the suspected Rocket goon pounced, restraining the child and knocking her out with some unknown gas. Nina had to hold Beverly back from rushing in to save her. ¡°What are you doing, Nins! That girl is in trouble!¡± The older girl whispered aggressively. However, Nina just shook her head and asked her impulsive friend to calm down. ¡°These guys have been here for a while, which means she isn¡¯t the first victim, and they probably have a base somewhere. If we go in now, we risk startling the Ekans. Best we play it safe and follow along for just a bit longer.¡± ¡°What about the girl?!¡± Beverly exclaimed, unconvinced. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to rescue her. I promise you,¡± assured Nina as she sent a text message out to her Uncle Ali about everything they saw. ¡°... I¡¯m going to tail them to find out where the kidnapper is going. Please don¡¯t barge in until I give the okay or if I don¡¯t update you in fifteen minutes.¡± She hit the send button and peeked back out into the alleyway. ¡°Alright Bev, let¡¯s go.¡± Nina continued, when they saw that the kidnapping thug had turned a corner. *** ¡°So what now?¡± The two girls followed the thug until he entered into a dilapidated building of sorts that was left half way abandoned in its development, quite a rare sight in Cerulean City where real estate usually gets snatched up fairly quickly. Nina checked her Pokenet connectivity. ¡°Good, there¡¯s no jammers in place.¡± On second thought, it made no sense for them to have jammers in a busy city like this. A massive blackspot showing up in the network was sure to draw attention. The girl sent a message to her Uncle Ali with their coordinates. ¡°Please come in quietly from a distance to avoid startling the bad guys.¡± She wrote. ¡°Now, we wait for backup¡­¡± Nina replied, after she was done with all her set up. After about twenty minutes or so, an Officer Jenny came up to them from behind the corner they were hiding in. ¡°You two must be Miss Jones and Miss Mizuhana?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeap, is my uncle not able to make it?¡± Nina asked in return. The officer, who introduced herself as Lieutenant Seiigi Jenny, shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, Interpol has no jurisdiction, so we¡¯ll be taking over the case. Can you tell me what you''ve seen so far.¡± Nina told her story, starting from Espy¡¯s detection of the suspicious people in vests during their return home, to their latest encounter with the kidnapper. ¡°Unfortunately we¡¯re a little too far for Espy to pick up anything of detail, but she¡¯s getting bad vibes from the place, so it¡¯s probably filled with a fair number of Dark Types.¡± She added in the end. Lieutenant Jenny nodded in approval. ¡°Very good, it¡¯s rare to find Pokemon Trainers with any semblance of patience these days. Usually they¡¯d have jumped the bastard and scared away the rest by now.¡± ¡°But what about the girl?!¡± Beverly exclaimed. The Jenny sighed. ¡°Case in point. The girl won¡¯t be harmed, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have gone through so much trouble to kidnap her. Your friend is right, there¡¯s a chance that there might be other victims, would you be willing to sacrifice the rest just to satisfy your passing hero complex?¡± Beverly looked down dejectedly at the admonishment and Nina pulled her in for a hug to assuage her. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong in wanting to help, Bev. Just gotta have a bit of patience like Lieutenant Jenny said.¡± She then turned towards the gruff police officer. ¡°So what now? Are you guys going to storm the place?¡± The blue haired woman shook her head in frustration. ¡°Unfortunately, no. The building is listed as private property. We can¡¯t go in without a warrant. And since we don¡¯t know if the owner is complicit, we can¡¯t exactly reach out to them either.¡± Nina frowned at the inane bureaucracy. ¡°There might be lives at risk! The two of us are active Gym Trainers, surely our statements must have some weight right?¡± ¡°It does,¡± echoed Lieutenant Jenny. ¡°However, we¡¯ll still need to wait on a warrant. Which will take a couple of hours at least. But no worries¡­¡± The police officer gave the two girls a hard look. ¡°We do have a plan, but it¡¯ll require both your cooperation. And frankly, neither I nor Inspector Jones are particularly enthusiastic about endangering the safety of two children, Gym Trainer or not.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do it. Whatever it takes!¡± Beverly blurted, with zero hesitation. But Nina held her by the shoulder and caressed the girl¡¯s back to calm her down. ¡°Before we agree to anything, I¡¯d like to know the specifics of this ¡®plan¡¯ you mentioned.¡± Nina chimed. The Jenny nodded in approval. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple actually. We need a just cause to barge in without permission, so if two rogue trainers were to ¡®break in¡¯ and ¡®assault¡¯ the occupants. We¡¯d be justified in entering to ¡®arrest¡¯ the offenders. Naturally, if we ¡®coincidentally¡¯ find evidence of wrongdoing inside the building, then we¡¯d have no choice but to arrest everyone for an investigation.¡± Nina¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this look bad on our record? You¡¯re basically using us as sacrificial Mareeps for the sake of expediency.¡± Lieutenant Jenny chuckled and waved at Nina¡¯s concerns. ¡°On the contrary, if we manage to bust a kidnapping ring, potentially being run by the terrorist organization known as Team Rocket, we¡¯ll not only waive your charges, but even reward you for the heroic act. ¡°How else did you think Red busted the Rocket Game Center by himself all those years ago? He caused the commotion and took out most of the executives, but the police were the ones who had to go in and mop things up at the end.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°Bev, which of your Pokemon did you bring with you today?¡± The older girl grinned. ¡°All of them. My full conference team.¡± And naturally, Nina had Nairy and Espy with her. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the plan. I want you to fly up to the rooftop of that building with Sora while I charge in from the front. Do not bring Ryu out for this. We don¡¯t want to risk bringing the whole place down and harming the hostages.¡± Beverly responded with a grave but hesitant nod. ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t mind lending Sora to you and charging the front instead.¡± She offered, but Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°No, knowing these villain types, their toughest executives are probably at the top of the building looking down on everyone. I doubt I have the firepower to stall them from escaping, let alone take them down.¡± Surprisingly, Lieutenant Jenny nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, Miss Jones is right. These lowlives can be very cliche a lot of the time.¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯ll take the front where all the grunts are at. Nairy should be more than enough to take on their abused and malnourished Pokemon.¡± Nina continued. ¡°How long will it take for backup to arrive?¡± She asked the Jenny. ¡°I¡¯ll personally jump in right away after you guys enter the premises. The rest of the squad have already surrounded the area, but it might still take another five to ten minutes to close the net.¡± The woman replied. ¡°Good. Bev, send me a message once you¡¯re in position. And I¡¯ll start us off with a bang.¡± And after some last minute preparations, the two vigilantes moved out to commence the operation. *** Author''s note: So a bit of an irregular schedule this week since I''m travelling. Next chapter should be this weekend. And apologies if there''s more jank than usual since I''m on my laptop and I hate typing on it. I tend to make more mistakes on this stupid keyboard than normal. I''m also extremely jetlagged right now. Chapter 92 ¡°How should I go about doing this? Cute innocent girl looking for her sister, or just go in Dragon blazing.¡± Nina wanted aggression on the bad guy¡¯s side. Because innocent bystanders will cower in fear when attacked, while most bad guys tend to fight back. Not to mention if she caused chaos, the police will have justification to arrest everyone for illegal Pokemon battling. Since they wouldn¡¯t have known who the primary aggressor was, just that they received reports of a commotion. ¡°Going in Dragon blazing it is.¡± The girl smirked as she pushed open the rusty metal door. Inside, she could see three goons in blue vests hanging around what was supposed to be a reception desk. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for an asshole who kidnapped a lost girl just now. You three stooges wouldn¡¯t happen to know where he is, right?¡± Nina tilted her head at one of the goons. ¡°Actually now that I had a better look at your ugly mug, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re the asshole.¡± She pointed at one of the goons who was now frowning at her. The man in question scowled before schooling his face to be that of an amicable city employee. ¡°Hi there, little girl, I think you might have made a mistake. This building is still under construction and it''s dangerous to be here¡­¡± The creep reached out a hand in an attempt to assuage Nina. But naturally, the girl was having none of it. ¡°Sic¡¯ em, Nairy.¡± With a flash of light, the Pokeball hanging around Nina¡¯s neck opened to release an angry looking serpentine Dragon, glaring down at the creepy man who tried to touch his girl. One of the ¡®volunteers¡¯ at the back, a woman, was quick to respond, expanding her Pokeball to let out a Poochyena. But unfortunately for her, the unconscious body of her colleague was soon sent tumbling back towards them via a vicious Dragon Tail from Nairy. Another Water Pulse for good measure, and soon, the final goon was being suffocated inside Nairy¡¯s wrap. The guy was too slow to react and didn¡¯t put up much resistance at all. ¡°Now then, if you don¡¯t want my partner here to burn you alive in Dragon fire, I suggest you tell me where the kidnapped children are?¡± Nina threatened, while Nairy singed the guy¡¯s hair with a mild Dragon Breath to prove her point. At the same time, the entire building shook. Indicating that Beverly had also begun the assault on her end. The man in Nairy¡¯s grasp shook in fear and nodded fearfully at Nina, who signaled her Dragonair to loosen his grip for the man to talk. ¡°D-downstairs¡­ In t-the b-basement.¡± He stuttered. Nina would have liked to ask for more details, but by that point, Lieutenant Jenny had arrived at the scene with her Growlithe to ¡®arrest¡¯ her. ¡°The captives are in the basement,¡± said the girl. ¡°We should get down there and hold them off before they do anything stupid.¡± The Jenny frowned as she cuffed the goon that Nairy was restraining. ¡°We should wait for backup¡­¡± She muttered, the tone of her voice filled with doubt. ¡°Do you really want this whole thing to develop into a hostage negotiation!¡± Nina yelled. ¡°They¡¯re in the basement. By the time that backup shows up, they¡¯ll have reinforced the place and hunkered down!¡± As far as Nina could tell, the only way to access the basement was through the emergency stairwell or the elevator. The place would be a nightmare to siege, especially with the presence of any Dark Types thwarting the use of Teleport. Lieutenant Jenny sighed. ¡°Fine, but you have to stay behind me and let your Dragonair take the lead.¡± The girl readily agreed as the pair of trainers and their Pokemon rushed towards the stairs. On the way down the stairwell, they encountered a stream of Rocket goons that were rushing up to see what the commotion was about. And these were unmistakably Team Rocket goons, with their dark uniforms and gaudy red R. ¡°Jackpot!¡± Nina grinned as Nairy crashed into the terrorists with a Dragon Rush, sending them flying limp across the air like screaming bowling pins. With a massive 4.5 meter Dragon serpent bulldozing them a way through, Nina and Lieutenant Jenny made it down to the basement floor in no time. Though the policewoman did face difficulties lumbering her way through the fallen bodies, slowing down their advance somewhat. Unfortunately, Nairy didn¡¯t manage to get all the goons, and some of them had retreated and were waiting with their Pokemons at the exit. While Nairy and Growlithe engaged them in battle, Nina squinted and took in her dim surroundings. The space was dimly lit, with a good portion of the light bulbs flickering in and out in a vexing manner. She could see the presence of numerous cages lined up by the side of the basement. Some were filled with crying children, while others had listless looking lost Pokemon. Nina scowled in anger. ¡°How in Distortion did the police not find this place sooner?!¡± Lost Pokemon aside, this many missing children must have raised some sort of alarm right? The girl shot a suspicious look to the Jenny by her side. ¡°No mercy, Nairy! Burn them all!¡± The Dragonair howled in rage and engulfed all the perpetrators in purple Draconic flames, eliciting cries of agony to permeate the space. Only a few Houndours were capable of enduring the Dragon Breath and attempted to fight back with their own Fire. But those were quickly extinguished with a sweeping Aqua Tail from Nairy. Seeing an opening to push through, Nina left Nairy to it and rushed towards the cages with Espy on her shoulder. She had faith that her partner was more than capable of holding their assailants back. ¡°W-wait!¡± Lieutenant Jenny exclaimed as she moved to chase after the reckless girl, only to be intercepted by a Poochyena who attempted to Bite at her. ¡°Dammit!¡± The woman cursed as she summoned another Growlithe onto the field. Nina and her companions were clearly outnumbered. As powerful as Nairy was, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to take out all their assailants in a timely manner. So she wanted to secure the hostages before the disorganized Team Rocket grunts wised up and started employing meat shields. ¡°If I can at least get some of the lost Pokemon free, they can join in on the battle and add to the chaos.¡± She thought. The first cage that Nina reached was the one containing the girl that she and Beverly witnessed getting kidnapped earlier. By now the girl had woken up from her forced stupor and was sobbing uncontrollably. Nina threw her hood back and took off her sunglasses. ¡°Hey there¡­ it¡¯s gonna be alright, big sis is here to rescue you.¡± The girl momentarily held back her sobs and looked up at Nina with starry, hope filled eyes. ¡°A-Aquarium Girl¡­?¡± Nina let out a warm smile to assure the girl. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s me! Say, you wouldn¡¯t happen to see where those baddies kept the keys did you? Kind of hard to break you out of these cages without them.¡± ¡°I know!¡± A defiant boy cried out in a nearby cage. ¡°It¡¯s at the back, where they keep all our Pokeballs!¡± Nina flashed the boy a winning smile and a thumbs up. ¡°Thanks kid, I¡¯ll get you out soon. Keep up your spirit and hang tight!¡± Nina ran towards the direction indicated by the boy, only to suddenly stop in her tracks when Espy cried out in alarm. The girl barely stopped in time for the Eevee to launch off her shoulder and rushed towards a corner with Quick Attack, unveiling a Houndoom who leaped out of the shadows and into Nina¡¯s path. ¡°Well, well, well¡­ What do we have here?¡± A masculine voice drawled, with a distinctly New York accent. ¡°Bad day to be playing hero, kid. Tell ya what, if you back off and surrender now, I might be kind enough to just lock you up and sell you off to a nice, rich daddio, whaddya say?¡± From behind the Houdoom, a sleazy looking man with tasteless golden grills lining his teeth stepped out of the shadows and leered at Nina lecherously from top to bottom, like the girl was some slab of meat whose quality he was assessing. ¡°Vee!¡± Espy cried, jumping in front of Nina to glare at the Houndoom and its trainer defiantly. Nina held back a frown, trying to keep her face as impassive as possible. ¡°This is bad, Espy isn¡¯t a match for a Houndoom, poorly trained or otherwise.¡± So she unclipped a whistle she kept on her belt and blew into it forcefully. The sudden high pitched noise must have irritated the Houndoom, because he whinnied and Lashed Out at Espy who handily dodged to the side with her Calm Mind. The Rocket goon snorted. ¡°Hmph! What a pity, s¡¯not always we get such high quality goods. Houndoom, roast ¡®em. Lessee if this one¡¯s pipes sound as good as she looks.¡± ¡°Espy, Protect!¡± Nina called, fully anticipating what was coming. And just as she feared, a wide area Flamethrower was released from the Houndoom¡¯s maw. The searing hot flames splitted in the middle as it impacted Espy¡¯s Protect barrier. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Eeeee!!!¡± Espy cried out in distress while she struggled to maintain the defensive move. To the sides, Nina could also hear the cries of Pokemon and children as the dark red flames began heating up the metal exterior of the surrounding cages. Thankfully, Espy had enough presence of mind to extend her barrier at an angle to prevent the flames from actually reaching the victims, so it was only the scorching heat they had to contend with. Unfortunately, the larger barrier also imposed a lot of unnecessary strain on the Eevee. Nina yelped and stepped closer to Espy and her Protect barrier. The oppressive flames converged on the girl¡¯s back to cut off her retreat. ¡°Dammit! This guy¡¯s a lunatic and Espy can¡¯t hold Protect for too long.¡± It hadn¡¯t been too long since Espy learned Protect from the TM that Nina bought. And she was still tweaking the strenuous move to better suit her. ¡°Hang in there for a little bit longer, Espy! Nairy¡¯s almost here!¡± Nina called out to her Pokemon encouragingly and blew into her whistle once more in desperation. ¡°EEEEEE!¡± But despite Espy¡¯s determined cry, Nina could already see the cracks forming on the translucent barrier as the Eevee shrunk the Protect to maintain its integrity for as long as possible. Nina inched closer to Espy as the flames closed in, before finally deciding to raise her hood and throw her body over Espy to shield her from the flames. She was hoping to give her Eevee some reprieve from the roasting flames to better concentrate. ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Espy. Just have to keep it up for a while longer¡­¡± Nina whispered hoarsely, in a feeble attempt to encourage her princess. ¡°Just a bit longer¡­¡± But despite her bravado, she could already feel her hoodie giving out as heat began to sear into her delicate skin. Causing her to wince in pain in spite of herself. This was one time where she wished she had her signature yellow windbreaker with her. The miracle material and its temperature regulating properties would have been extremely useful right now. Seeing her human¡¯s face twist into a pained expression made the fragile little Eevee wish she could be stronger; as strong as her father, or Nairy. At the very least, she wanted to be strong enough to contend with the Houndoom who was causing harm to her human. Espy cursed herself for being weak, tears streaming down in frustration, her heated emotions burning hotter than the flames that she was resisting as they fed into the Protect barrier to infuse it with a purplish Psychic glow. The empowered Protect barrier expanded, even curving to shield the cages in their periphery to spare the kidnapped victims from the harsh heat, completely isolating the Houndoom and its trainer. At the same time, Espy began glowing, her luscious fur shedding and body shifting to take on a more feline form. Her previously fluffy tail that Nina always enjoyed huffing, twisted and elongated before finally splitting into two near the base. Nina reeled back from the blinding glow, mouth agape at the awe inspiring scene that was taking place before her, then broke out into tears of her own as her emotions synchronized and became one with Espy¡¯s. ¡°Thank you, Espy¡­¡± The girl sobbed. ¡°Thank you for evolving to protect me!¡± ¡°Es! Espeonnnn!!!¡± As Espy cried out in triumph, and the Light of Evolution began to dissipate, an angry roar could be heard from behind the two as Nairy finally arrived in a surge of furious Draconic energy, his body full of scratches, scales chipped in places to indicate the fierce resistance he had to fight through. And indeed, when Nina looked behind her, she could see a swarm of Zubats and Spearows, led by a Golbat, chasing after the Dragon. The Rocket goons must have changed tactics at some point. ¡°Nairy! I¡¯m leaving the creep and his Houndoom to you. Espy will take care of the tagalongs.¡± ¡°DRAA!!!!¡± ¡°ESSSS!!!¡± With that, Espy lowered her barrier to allow Nairy to decimate the Houndoom with a devastating Double Pulse attack. Meanwhile, all the Flying Pokemon that were chasing after Nairy were held in place, mid-air, by an overbearing Psychic aura that suddenly engulfed them. Nina¡¯s companions let out another cry and lashed out without mercy; Nairy slammed a Double Tail onto the lecherous Rocket goon, crumpling the guy¡¯s body into a bloody heap with a sickening crunch. Meanwhile, Espy narrowed her eyes, her Psychic aura crushing her captives, folding their wings and bodies at unnatural angles before dropping them onto the floor. Nina winced at her Pokemon¡¯s brutality. She was unsure if the Rocket goon was dead, and it¡¯d be a miracle if any of those Flying Pokemon didn¡¯t become lifelong cripples after this. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to endure a lot of pointed questions for this¡­¡± After seeing the dreary condition of the cages and nearly getting roasted alive, Nina had very little sympathy to give to these scumbags. But she still scrunched up her nose at the visceral scene and made a mental note to have a talk with her Pokemon. Having witnessed the sorry state of their Pokemon, the pursuing Rocket goons that Nairy did not manage to take out in time faltered, allowing Lieutenant Jenny to subdue them from behind as Espy froze them in place with her Psychic Aura. Nina ignored the moans of pain from the incapacitated Team Rocket members and continued on her search for the keys before steadily going through each cage and releasing their captives, either to cries of gratitude or listless and glassy stares. Midway through her efforts, aided by some of the more energetic kids who offered to help, a bunch of police officers in blue uniforms and black boots stormed into the basement to aid their lone colleague in apprehending the criminals. ¡°Did you do this¡­?¡± A disheveled and nervous looking Lieutenant Jenny asked Nina, when she caught sight of the bloodied Rocket goon to the side Nina scratched her head apologetically. ¡°Technically, my Pokemon did. We didn¡¯t have a choice, that guy would have killed me if my Eevee didn¡¯t evolve in time. He had no reservations against harming the hostages either. I¡¯m sure some of the kids can testify on my behalf.¡± Everything that Nina said was technically true, if a bit contrived. And she was sure that the kids would be too traumatized to give any accurate statements. All they¡¯d remember would be the miserable darkness and the scary flames that nearly burned them, all of which only served to further incriminate Team Rocket. ¡°Anyways, do you know if Beverly is okay?¡± The girl continued, in an attempt to divert the conversation. The policewoman cleared her throat and nodded. ¡°Miss Mizuhana is safe. We¡¯ve sent our best battlers to assist her on the top floor. She struggled in trying to hold back the two executives of this particular splinter group, but she held out long enough for help to arrive.¡± The Lieutenant continued, eliciting a sigh of relief from Nina. ¡°That¡¯s good to know¡­¡± The singed and haggard looking girl muttered as she winced in pain, the strain of the burns Nina suffered finally catching up to her, and buckled onto the floor in exhaustion. The newly evolved Espy and Nairy nuzzled up against their human to provide comfort. In particular, the anxious Nairy was coiled protectively around Nina, not allowing a single person to go anywhere near his partner. ¡°You did it, Espy. You finally managed to evolve into a proper Espeon¡­¡± Nina whispered to her princess affectionately while gently caressing her velvety lilac fur, which was now much shorter than before. A blessing in disguise for Nina, since it made grooming easier. ¡°Es~¡± The Espeon nuzzled her head against Nina¡¯s face and tickled her with licks. ¡°Hehe¡­ We should find some time to visit the Sea Cottage and show off to Bill and your dad. I¡¯m sure Umber¡¯s gonna be really proud of you.¡± ¡°Espy es!¡± *** Author''s Note: Had some time to sit down and write the past couple of days. And it wasn''t until I took a step back that I realized I wrote like 4-5 battle sequences back to back in the latest chapters. It''s no wonder I feel so burnt out. The good news is, I''ve officially started writing the finale of this current part. In fact, I went ahead and wrote the final 2 chapters just to really nail down the goalpost. I''m aiming to finish writing the finale by the end of February. If I manage to do that, and am able to get ahead on Part 3 (I renamed the prologue as part 1 since some people are sensitive to the use of that term.) I will maybe do daily chapters until we reach the end of Part 2. But that''s a very big IF, so don''t quote me on that. After that though, I might take a break on public releases to work on Part 3 as well as an original story idea that''s been kicking around in my head. Releases will go on as usual on Patreon though, until I feel ready enough for public scrutiny. Chapter 93 In the end, about a dozen children and nearly forty lost Pokemon were rescued from that particular Rocket den. Which really brought into question the competency of the local law enforcement. A fact that Misty made full use of as she mercilessly tore into the commanding officer in charge of the subjugation efforts when she finally arrived at the scene. ¡°So not only did you stubbornly refused and hampered the aid of Interpol and the League¡¯s Ace Trainers for the sake of your vainglorious pursuit, but you also had to rely on two of my apprentices to spearhead the operation for you ¡ª who I should also note, are only ten and twelve years old. Thereby placing them in dire danger where either of them could have been killed or worse!¡± The middle aged Jenny, the superior of the Jenny that accompanied Nina earlier, reeled back at the Gym Leader¡¯s fierce admonishment, looking flushed with indignation. ¡°We would have successfully completed the operation even without the cooperation of ¡ª¡±¡¯ ¡°Would¡¯ve! Could¡¯ve!¡± Misty interrupted. ¡°The fact of the matter is, without Nina and Beverly¡¯s efforts, this operation would have been a wash. You could have allowed Team Rocket to escape. Or worse! The hostages could have been harmed or we¡¯d be forced into a standoff where the city would have had to negotiate with terrorists!¡± Nina and Beverly just spectated the drama on the sidelines, with the younger girl sitting on her uncle¡¯s lap ¡ª who, she should note, was also fuming silently. Ali had apparently spent the whole day trying to cut through all the red tape keeping him from rushing over to his niece¡¯s rescue. ¡°And that¡¯s not even accounting for the fact that the city allowed these terrorists to impersonate council personnel to go on an unrestrained crime spree!¡± The enraged Gym leader continued. ¡°Ten! That¡¯s how many kids were rescued by my girls! How in Distortion did the Cerulean police allow ten missing children¡¯s cases to go unresolved for so long!¡± Commander Jenny groaned and glared at Misty. ¡°Thanks to you, my officers have been spread far too thin during this time! And we already had detectives working on tracking down the missing children¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, fuck off! My sisters and I have already informed the City Council of our plans beforehand. And might I remind you that it was the council who decided they wanted to double down and cash in on our wedding. We did want to profit on merchandising and some sponsorships to make up for the extravagant costs, yes. But it was never meant to be turned into this spectacle. So don¡¯t you dare try to shift the blame on me or my Gym!¡± Misty huffed and gestured for her people to follow her in leaving. ¡°I expect accurate reporting, commander. Fully reflecting you and your people¡¯s ineptitudes. Don¡¯t let me catch you trying to overstate your meager contributions and downplay the true heroes of this operation.¡± She gestured towards Nina and Beverly with that last sentence. ¡°I¡¯ll be making my own separate report to the League as well to ensure full transparency and accountability.¡± ¡°Interpol will also be interceding,¡± chimed Ali. ¡°For months, we have been feeding intel to local authorities on suspected criminal activities. It is devastating to know that our efforts have not been treated with due severity. ¡°Your inaction nearly allowed all of these missing children and stolen Pokemon to be trafficked out of the region from right under your noses. Had it not been for the bravery of my niece and her fellow Gym Trainer, these victims might be halfway across the Eastern Ocean by now.¡± And with that ultimatum, the Interpol inspector followed after his fuming fiance with Nina in his embrace and Beverly to the side. Normally, Nina wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be coddled like this, but given how on edge her uncle was, she decided to just let Ali indulge in the comfort of her presence for now. On the way out, Nina waved at a meek looking Lieutenant Jenny who was also present. Despite the circumstances, they were comrades who fought together. And the policewoman was also kind enough to play along with her reckless whims. A fact that she would no doubt be admonished for later on. Not that they¡¯d be able to do much to her, the woman was one of the reasons why this controversial operation did not end in a disaster after all. In truth, Nina felt a little mixed towards that tense exchange. On one hand, she understood why the Cerulean Police was reluctant to allow external organizations to undermine their authority. But on the other hand, she also felt that they were too heavy handed in trying to obstruct the helping hand that was offered to them, for no good reason other than to preserve their vanity. Not to mention how they jumped the gun and pushed through a half-baked operation just to get ahead of their rival organisations. Truly a vainglorious pursuit, as Misty said. Not that she and her sisters were entirely faultless either, with their excessively ostentatious display. At the end of the day, it was all just inane politics and a clash of egos. Nothing that would involve her and Beverly. Or at least she hoped the adults around her would shield them from it. In fact, the one sided verbal beatdown the older Jenny received was clearly a warning for the police to back off and not attempt any funny business with the two children. So basically; ¡°If you go back on your word and try to press charges on our girls, we¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± Just another layer of leverage and assurance to keep each other in line. And in return, Misty and Ali will just make a token gesture of admonishment and refrain from pursuing any tangible actions in retaliation as well. *** ¡°WHAT WERE YOU TWO THINKING!¡± Nina and Beverly winced at Misty¡¯s admonishment. ¡°That was extremely reckless of you two. You shouldn¡¯t have agreed to their stupid plan like that,¡± Ali scolded. After getting both Nina and Beverly looked at by the paramedics, the group took shelter from nosy reporters in the private room of a nearby restaurant. Nina would have loved to just go straight home to change out of her ruined clothes, but she didn¡¯t want to worry her parents. So she managed to convince the two adults to allow her some leeway to buy some new clothes and get changed before they head back. Which they agreed to, by having one of Misty¡¯s regular stores bring a selection over to this restaurant. That way, they could avoid the scrutiny of Aquarium Girl being seen in public looking like she had just escaped from a Charizard¡¯s maw. And since they were here anyways, might as well have some lunch while they were at it. ¡°It¡¯s not Nina¡¯s fault¡­ I would have charged in even if she refused,¡± said Beverly, earning her a gentle stroke on the head from Nina. ¡°No, I thought the plan was feasible since we would have backup. If anything I shouldn¡¯t have asked Beverly to take on the Rocket executives without a full grasp of their capabilities.¡± Nina cuddled up to her friend. ¡°I nearly got you killed, sorry Bev.¡± But the older girl simply pulled her junior in for a hug and scoffed. ¡°Please, those guys were chumps. I only struggled a bit in the beginning cause they ganged up on me.¡± ¡°They¡¯re criminals, Bev! What did you expect?!¡± Misty rebuked, as she took a sip of the cocktail she ordered. ¡°Criminals don¡¯t play by the rules. They¡¯re not going to take you one on one with a referee, kid!¡± ¡°I already know that¡­¡± Beverly whined. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± said Ali, before addressing Nina again. ¡°You got lucky with that Houndoom. If it had its pack with it, then you¡¯d be in a cage by now.¡± Nina wilted. ¡°I know¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone strong to be guarding a bunch of helpless kids. But I guess if they were thinking of them as precious ¡®merchandise¡¯ then it kind of makes sense.¡± She added that she was too caught up with trying to prevent a hostage situation. ¡°One misstep and you could have gotten those hostages killed, Nina.¡± ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m really sorry, Uncle Ali. I should have texted you and asked for your opinion before agreeing to anything.¡± The man nodded in satisfaction at Nina¡¯s words. Ali knew that his niece wasn¡¯t an idiot and that she would learn from her mistakes. At the end of the day, both the girls were safe and got out of that tricky situation as heroes. That was something worth celebrating at least. So he called the waiter over and told them to order whatever they wanted, in an attempt to ease their collective nerves. ¡°In celebration of our two heroes, and Espy¡¯s evolution. Cheers!¡± The girls cheered along and clinked glasses with each other. Though Misty was still fuming at the whole ordeal. Something that she quickly got over once she had a few drinks in her. ¡°By the way, could you keep this a secret from mom? I¡¯m worried that she¡¯s gonna have a freakout,¡± Nina said to Ali at some point. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The older man sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no point. The media is already hounding the parents of the rescued children. It¡¯s only a matter of time until it''s known that ¡®Aquarium Girl¡¯ rescued a bunch of kidnapped children and stolen Pokemon. Best we break the news to Leanette on our terms. At least we can shift the narrative a bit and soften the blow.¡± Nina sighed but nodded in agreement. Her uncle was right, no point trying to hide it from her parents. ¡°Hey, what about me?! I played a part too!¡± exclaimed the pouting Beverly, earning her laughs from Misty. ¡°Oh don¡¯t you worry your pretty little head,¡± assured the woman. ¡°No doubt Violet¡¯s already concocting all sorts of Tauros poo to advertise you and pull in some sponsors. For a generous cut of course.¡± Nina nodded in agreement and assured Beverly as well. ¡°Leave it to Violet to handle your publicity. She¡¯s expensive, but very effective as you can already tell from all my suffering.¡± She moaned, eliciting an excited look from the girl. *** Nina let out an involuntary sigh as she soaked her body into the hot water. They were using Nairy¡¯s brand new inflatable tub, but it still felt cramped in there despite Nina having ordered the largest size they had. It wasn¡¯t until Beverly pointed it out during one of their regular calls that Nina realized she had made a mistake in shopping for products designed for humans instead of Pokemon. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s only an issue when I¡¯m back home. There¡¯s a separate bathtub for me and an Espy in the dorm so no harm done.¡± Home¡­ since when did Nina start to consider this tiny apartment in this strange new world to be home, she wondered. ¡°Nair~¡± The water shifted as Nairy tightened his coil around his two companions, while nuzzling his snout against Nina¡¯s face, eliciting giggles from the girl. Nina¡¯s partner had become super clingy after their most recent ordeal, clearly still plagued by residual anxiety. ¡°Es¡­¡± Meanwhile, Espy was gently pressing against the pale patches of Nina¡¯s skin, where the girl had been burned by the Houndoom¡¯s flames earlier in the day. The Espeon was clearly still feeling guilty about letting Nina come to harm from her own perceived weakness. Nina smiled warmly at her princess. ¡°Or should I say queen now?¡± And gave the silly Espeon a loving kiss on her ruby red forehead jewel. ¡°No need to worry, Espy.¡± The girl assured while flaunting the freshly healed skin on her back. ¡°See, it¡¯s all healed, just like new!¡± That was because it literally was new, the fresh patch of glistening supple skin was a stark contrast to the rest of Nina¡¯s tanned body, making her look like a dairy cow. Pokemon world medicine truly was miraculous. It only took a single application of Burn Heal by the nurses to fix her up. That said, her current looks might pose a problem when it came time for her performance during the wedding, but it was nothing a bit of makeup can¡¯t fix. And speaking of, both Nina and Beverly agreed to hold off on practice tomorrow, so the girl had the entire day free. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the Sea Cottage and visit Bill and your dad tomorrow, shall we?¡± Espy nodded, perking up slightly at the prospect of reuniting with Umber. The Espeon was eager to show off her growth to her father, as evident by her newly acquired twin tails splashing around in the water, eliciting a swoon and more kisses from Nina. ¡°Nair!¡± Nina laughed at her needy Dragonair and gave him a little boop on the nose. ¡°Thank you both for all your hard work today.¡± The girl said as she pulled her two precious family members in for a hug. ¡°But still, you guys went a little too far.¡± Nina continued, her tone taking on a sterner tone. ¡°Nairy, I know we were dealing with bad guys, but using Double Tail on that goon was too much, when a simple Water Pulse could have done the job.¡± Nina chided, causing Nairy to droop a little in remorse. ¡°But thank you. You got all injured just to rush to me and Espy¡¯s rescue. Otherwise, things could have turned out a lot worse for the both of us.¡± Nina reassured Nairy with more kisses as she and Espy repeatedly talked about how much they loved and appreciated him. Regardless of their circumstances, Nairy did what he did out of love for his companions. And Nina did not want to discourage him from doing the same thing again in the future if it came down to it. ¡°Better them than us.¡± The girl thought. In the end, it was all about restraint and control which Nina, as Nairy¡¯s trainer, was responsible for instilling in him. She also briefly touched on Espy¡¯s excessive handling of Team Rocket¡¯s Flying Pokemon. Which in hindsight, was probably due to the highly emotional state that the newly evolved Espeon was in at the time. Espy was usually much calmer than that due to her perpetually active Calm Mind. So in the end, it came back to a lack of training on Nina¡¯s part. She needed to teach her Pokemon to maintain a balanced state of mind even when under heavy stress, else they were liable to make dumb mistakes in battle. *** ¡°Umb.¡± ¡°Es.¡± The pair of father and daughter Eeveelutions were as stoic as ever as they simply sat in front of each other and exchanged curt greetings. But in the eyes of their respective trainers, they could tell that the two socially awkward Pokemon were ecstatic at their reunion. As evident by the proud glint in Umber¡¯s eyes and how animated Espy¡¯s two tails were. ¡°Espy has become quite the remarkable Espeon. In all my years researching Eevees, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve seen a specimen quite like her,¡± said Bill. ¡°How do you figure?¡± Nina asked in return. Bill gestured towards Espy, particularly her tail. ¡°See how close the split of Espy¡¯s tail is to her body? The depth of the split is usually a good measure of how powerful an Espeon¡¯s Psychic potential is.¡± He then pulled out pictures of average Espeons on his Pokedex and showed it to Nina for comparison. And indeed, Nina could tell that most Espeons only had a split near the final third of their tail. With the longest one that Bill had on record being a split that reached halfway. In comparison, Espy¡¯s tails were barely conjoined for five centimeters or so before splitting. ¡°And look at how dextrous each of her individual tails are,¡± Bill continued. ¡°They¡¯re practically independent limbs of their own!¡± Apparently for most Espeons, the fork was purely aesthetic with the species being unable to move the individual splits the way that Espy could. Bill¡¯s high praise made Espy puff her chest up in pride, while Umber let out a rare smile and gave his daughter a nod of approval. Nina couldn''t help but tackle her Espeon with a hug at the adorably awkward display of affection. ¡°Hear that Espy? You¡¯re the most special Espeon in the whole wide world. As expected of my precious princess.¡± ¡°Es~¡± Espy reciprocated Nina¡¯s nuzzle and gave her human a little lick with her feline-esque barbed tongue. The rough texture of the barbs made it a little unpleasant on Nina¡¯s face but she simply endured the discomfort out of love for her Pokemon. Nina did not want Espy to shy away from physical affection like she used to. In fact, aside from appearances, this was probably the largest change that Nina observed in Espy since the Evolution. Her tsundere princess¡¯s temperament had warmed somewhat and was now much more open to physical displays of affection. Where before, Espy would dislike Nina for coddling her like this outside of grooming time. Now, she accepted it without complaint and would even reciprocate. Much to Nairy¡¯s delight as he had been pestering Espy with non-stop cuddles. As if Espy had literally just read Nina¡¯s mind, probably because she actually did, the Espeon huffed and jerked her head away in embarrassment. Causing her overbearing human to swoon even more at her cuteness. ¡°You know Nina, when Umber and I entrusted Espy to you, we were not expecting such stellar results. I mean, we always knew that she was different from the rest of the litter, but such incredible growth was beyond even our wildest imaginations. I¡¯m sure Professor Oak would love to use the two of you as a case study on the correlation between the potency of a Pokemon¡¯s Friendship Evolution and the strength of their bond with a trainer.¡± Nina denied the praise however, citing her conversation with Sabrina. ¡°I met Sabrina during a brief trip to Saffron City, and she mentioned that Espy was already extraordinarily Gifted to begin with. All she needed was just a bit of diligence in nurturing her Gift. So I¡¯m pretty sure she would have done fine even if she was under your care, Bill.¡± But the Pokemon Professor shook his head in denial as well. ¡°You¡¯re selling yourself short, Nina. No matter how much potential a Pokemon holds, they require proper nurture in order to achieve said potential. Nurture, which you tirelessly work to provide for all of your Pokemon. Otherwise, what meaning is there in bonding with a human trainer? ¡°But enough about that. I¡¯d like to run some tests on Espy, if she may be kind enough to oblige?¡± That last sentence caused the Espeon to wilt in despair while sending a pleading glance to her father, who simply averted his gaze in helplessness. Nina chuckled at the silly sight and kissed Espy¡¯s forehead jewel in assurance. *** Author''s note: My flight got canceled! Joy! I''m stuck in a hotel room somewhere! Joy! I can''t make it to work in time! Joy! 2025 is off to a great start people. Everything has gone wrong so far. And I do mean everything! How joyous! It really does feel like the whole world is against me sometimes. Also, next chapter on Thursday. Chapter 94 ¡°Madame Opal! Wassup, how¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Ah little Miss Beverly, good of you to visit my humble shop once in a while.¡± The girl sheepishly grinned and muttered a casual apology. The shop that Beverly and Nina had stepped into was the same crystals and jewelry shop that Nina went to years ago to get her Mew Gem fitted into a necklace. And today, on their day off, she was here for much the same reason since all the salt water exposure and recent ¡®heat treatment¡¯ had really begun to threaten the integrity of the stainless steel chain and its clasp, which had begun to rust. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know stainless steel could rust. But I guess enough saltwater and high enough heat will stress any metal.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ and you brought a friend today as well. I believe I¡¯ve met you before¡­ The girl with the intriguing gemstone, correct?¡± Madame Opal asked. ¡°Yup, I¡¯m actually here today to take you up on that offer for a custom necklace. The one I got is starting to rust.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Opal said as she gingerly grabbed hold of the necklace that Nina handed to her, before catching sight of the Espeon by Nina¡¯s side. ¡°Oh my, and who is this beauty? I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve seen a Pokemon as Gifted as this in a very long time. At least one that wasn¡¯t from one of the noble Psychic lines¡± The noble Psychic lines referred to Pokemon who were of the Psychic Typing from birth all the way to final Evolution. So think Abra, Ralts, Drowzee etcetera. ¡°You¡¯re a Psychic?¡± Nina asked, bewildered, as Espy jumped up onto the counter and sat down in a prim and regal pose. The girl sighed. ¡°Espy¡­ it¡¯s really rude to step on the counter like that.¡± But Madame Opal simply dismissed her concern and proceeded to gently caress Espy¡¯s fur. ¡°No need to worry, little miss. I do not mind. Rather, your Espeon is truly remarkable. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen one quite like her.¡± Nina chuckled at Espy who huffed in pride at the lady¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s been hearing that quite a lot lately. And actually¡­¡± Nina took another look at the shop''s esoteric interior, thinking that it made sense a woman with such taste was into mysticism. ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s any good shops in the city that sell catalysts? Espy¡¯s outgrown her old spoon and I don¡¯t want to make a whole trip to Saffron City just to get another one.¡± Madame Opal let out a mirthful smile at Nina¡¯s request. ¡°Oh my, as it just so happens, my shop is a bit of a hidden secret among the local cabal. Usually, only those who have received a referral may have access to my precious wares. But as fate saw it fit to bring the three of us together, it would bereave me to deny you my services. Please, wait for a moment.¡± The portly shopkeeper then made her way to the back before coming back with a massive wooden case, which she snapped open to unveil a varied selection of silverware resting atop a purple velvet lined interior. Beverly hummed. ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t know you sell dinky old spoons as well, Madame Opal,¡± said the girl, earning her a glare of indignation from Espy and the shopkeeper. Nina sighed and explained the importance of silver catalysts for Psychics to the ignorant girl. ¡°You¡¯re looking to catch a Slowpoke at some point right?¡± Nina asked towards the end, to which Beverly simply nodded in embarrassment. ¡°Then It¡¯s important that you know about this stuff. I¡¯ll lend you some books that Sabrina recommended to me.¡± ¡°Oh my, to think that you¡¯re acquainted with the esteemed Lady Sabrina as well. It would seem that fate has indeed been kind to me today.¡± ¡°Kind enough to warrant a discount?¡± asked the cheeky Nina, only to receive an amused smile in return from Opal. ¡°Es!¡± Meanwhile, Espy seemed to have found her new catalyst which she pointed to using one of her two tails. ¡°That¡¯s a really pretty design, quite big though¡­¡± Nina mused. And indeed, the spoon was the size of a typical ladle. On the handle, she could see intricate carvings of a fairy and what looked suspiciously like Mew with a super long tail looping around the handle. It didn¡¯t exactly look practical for tableware, but it wasn¡¯t exactly crafted for dining purposes anyway. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You know, for a spoon that big, you can probably bend it and wear it around your neck like a collar or something¡­¡± Nina jokes, but to her horror, Espy cried out in agreement and proceeded to levitate the spoon to do just that. The expensive looking spoon unraveled and warped under the guidance of Espy¡¯s Psychic aura, before wrapping itself around the Espeon¡¯s neck to form a form fitting metallic collar. The whole process happened so quickly that Nina was powerless to stop her capricious Pokemon. Nina felt the blood drain from her face as she stiffly turned towards Madame Opal with a flabbergasted look. ¡°I¡­ I am so sorry. Truly, I didn¡¯t mean for Espy to take me seriously like that!¡± However, the woman simply cackled and dismissed her concern. ¡°Not to worry. It is the catalyst that chooses its wielder, not the other way around. That particular child was actually one of my older stocks. To date, it has yet to find one worthy of wielding it.¡± The woman looked towards the Espeon in her brand new collar with a melancholic smile. ¡°I am actually glad that it found a home where it belongs. That said, as you well know, a catalyst is forever tethered to the first to wield it. So I¡¯m afraid this sale is already a done deal,¡± said the woman with a ravenous smile. Nina nodded helplessly in agreement. She couldn¡¯t exactly deny her beloved Espy who was now rapturously playing with her new toy by morphing it between its default spoon form and into other shapes. The girl sighed. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°Given the craftsmanship and the storied history of that particular relic. And accounting for our fateful encounter today¡­ I would be willing to part with it for this much,¡± the profiteering woman held out ten fingers in the air, causing Nina to nearly have a heart attack. ¡°Ten thousand?!!¡± She exclaimed, alongside Beverly who finally caught on to the ridiculous pricing. ¡°For a lousy SPOON!¡± The older girl exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± Madame Opal closed her eyes and gave a gentle nod of her head. ¡°Indeed. Like I said, this isn¡¯t just a regular catalyst. It is considered a relic with a rich and storied history. I¡¯ll include the details in a scroll that shall come with the purchase. But I won¡¯t fault you for being unable to afford it. Just know that you¡¯ll have to pay a significant penalty in order for me to hire an expert to unregister Lady Espy from the spoon.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll accept a trade?¡± ¡°Wait, Nins! You can¡¯t be serious? This is a scam. It¡¯s daylight robbery!¡± The younger girl shook her head to deny Beverly¡¯s allegations. ¡°No, it¡¯s actually not. I¡¯m not an expert but I do know that high quality catalysts can go up to five and sometimes even six figures in pricing. If it is a relic as the Madame claims then ten grand is actually a steal.¡± The older woman nodded along. ¡°Indeed, I was entrusted with the spoon by my mentor. However, she procured the spoon in an auction for an amount that would be equivalent to a five figure sum in today¡¯s money. Like I said, I already accounted for fate¡¯s machinations in my pricing. Now, Miss Nina¡­ What would you like to trade with?¡± ¡°Sounds like a bunch of Tauros poo to me.¡± Beverly grumbled, but Nina ignored her and rummaged through her backpack to produce a gleaming Golden Nugget in a little box she got for it. Beverly balked once more, but this time at her friend. ¡°How in Arceus''s name did you get that, Nins?!¡± ¡°I told you, I beat that Blackthorn girl and this was the reward,¡± she replied simply before holding the item in front of Madame Opal¡¯s eyes for her inspection. ¡°In terms of market value, it might not reach up to the 10 thousand Pokedollars you asked for, but gold appreciates over time and I doubt you¡¯ll easily find one of such purity very often.¡± Madame Opal adjusted her glasses and nodded in appreciation. ¡°I would consider this more than a fair trade indeed¡­ I do value material substance over arbitrary pieces of paper or numbers on a screen. Very well, throw in another thousand in cash and consider it sold, I¡¯ll even include a steep discount for the necklace you requested.¡± Nina smiled and handed the Golden Nugget over to conclude the trade. Seeing how willing her human was to indulge her whims, Espy nuzzled up against the girl and gave her affectionate licks, which Nina returned with a warm smile and gentle smooches. Her Pokemon¡¯s happiness was well worth the money in her mind. ¡°For the necklace, would it be possible for the work to be done without the presence of the gemstone? I¡¯m reluctant to part with it for too long,¡± said Nina, to which the woman simply responded with a troubled nod. ¡°It is possible, yes. I can make a quick mold of it to work with in the interim and you can come have it fitted once the design is done. I¡¯ll need a couple of hours with it today and maybe about half a day when the time comes for the actual work. Would that be acceptable?¡± It wasn¡¯t ideal but Nina agreed to it regardless. She knew that Mew¡¯s Gem would always return to her so long as it has yet to fulfill its purpose, but leaving its side for a prolonged period of time still made her feel anxious. ¡°Is this Stockholm Syndrome?¡± She wondered. Despite Beverly¡¯s protest, Nina opted to wait in the shop for the gem to be returned to her. ¡°What¡¯s so special about that rock anyway? I noticed you always wear it. Did your boyfriend give it to you or something?¡± The older girl teased. Nina sighed and pulled her silly friend into a hug. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but it is super important. It¡¯s hard to explain but I just feel anxious without it.¡± Beverly hummed skeptically but chose not to pry any further. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you spent ten thousand Pokedollars on a freaking spoon,¡± she said. Nina gave a wry smile and shrugged. ¡°Whatever makes my darlings happy. I¡¯m sure you would have done the same for Luna, Ryu, Vapey and the others as well.¡± Speaking of Vapey the Vaporeon, Beverly had released him at some point to keep her company and Nina could see the bedroom eyes that he was throwing Espy¡¯s way. Not that she could blame him, her princess was captivatingly beautiful and powerful. Any Pokemon would be lucky to get together with her. Unfortunately for Vapey, the regal Espeon wasn¡¯t some roadside skank he could just hit up for a casual quickie. He¡¯ll need to buy her an expensive Munchlax star dinner first before she¡¯d even consider letting him near her. Espy, having read Nina¡¯s mind, huffed in indignation, as if to say she wasn¡¯t that cheap. Nina giggled and nuzzled at her Espeon. ¡°You¡¯re right, Espy. He¡¯ll need to do more than just dinner to earn your attention. Maybe some flowers and expensive jewelry. I wouldn¡¯t mind some gifts myself.¡± The pair of girl and mon laughed out at the oblivious Vapey¡¯s expense, while Beverly just watched in confusion. ¡°Is Espy talking to you in her head?¡± She asked. ¡°Kind of?¡± Nina replied. ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe it, but Pokemon don¡¯t exactly ¡®talk¡¯.¡± Usually when a human talked to a Pokemon, they interpreted the words through their underlying intent as opposed to deciphering the words themselves. That¡¯s why Pokemon were so good at detecting lies, since they could sense the mismatch between what a human said and what they actually meant. It was also how wild Pokemon, who had never interacted with humans before, were able to understand human words. As well as how Pokemon of differing species talked to one another. ¡°When Espy wants to ¡®say¡¯ something to me, she beams a bunch of images, emotions and intent into my mind. I don¡¯t hear actual words, but I can get a sense of what she''s trying to convey. In fact, a lot of the time, it¡¯s much more efficient and accurate since it happens at the blink of an eye and there¡¯s no room for misunderstandings.¡± Nina explained. Beverly nodded in confusion, still not fully grasping the concept. But the older girl decided to just put it out of mind until she got her own Psychic. They then transitioned to other topics until Madame Opal came back. All the while, no other customers stepped into the store during that time, which really put into perspective just how obscure this little shop was. Chapter 95 There were going to be two ceremonies for Misty and Ali¡¯s wedding; one, a private ceremony where only their closest friends and family were invited, and the other, a public one with an expanded guest list that was also going to be livestreamed. Nina could not claim to know the rhyme or reason behind such an excessive arrangement, nor did she care to know. Like Violet said; ¡°Whatever the bride wants, she gets.¡± The private ceremony was first to be held in a quaint little Church of Origin in the outskirts of the city. The building itself was a fairly standard white chapel with a vine covered exterior and scenic gardens surrounding it. The only difference being the crucifix from Nina¡¯s past life was replaced by the golden cross wheel symbolizing Arceus. Neither Misty nor Ali were particularly religious. And it wasn¡¯t like Arceus¡¯s creation myth was widely accepted by the whole world either, what¡¯s with the abundance of Mythical and Legendary Pokemons on record. There were bound to be contradictions here and there. In fact, Nina vaguely recalled hearing from Lilian that the Blackthorns worshiped an esoteric religion centered around Dragons. No, the reason for the venue was simply because all girls dream of a church wedding apparently. Both in the Pokemon world and Nina¡¯s old world, and Misty was no exception. Nina did a final check of her outfit and the ring case in her hand before doing a little hop to psych herself up. Since she was doing this anyway, she might as well do it properly. After seeing that the bride¡¯s sisters had entered the church as maids of honor, Nina followed in their wake, trying to tune out all the amused gazes and light squeals that were directed towards her. ¡°Damned Teddiursa dress. Stupid Misty and her stupid puns.¡± The girl maintained a smile as she took in her surroundings, she could see her Uncle Ali on the altar with her father right next to him as the best man. On the other side, the three Cerulean Sisters had already reached the altar and were lined up behind where the bride was going to stand. She remembered the three women got into a heated argument about which order they were supposed to stand in during the rehearsal not too long ago. Nina steadily walked along the red carpet and turned to stand next to her father. Patrick Jones smiled down at his daughter in her cute little outfit and sneakily gave her a gentle pat on the back in assurance. He was actually itching to pull out his camera and snap pictures of the adorable ring bearer, but that could wait until the end of the ceremony. Looking out towards the chapel interior, Nina could see that the distribution of guests were a little lopsided. On Misty¡¯s side, she saw members of the Mizuhana clan that the sisters liked enough to invite to the wedding. While the clan of Water Type specialists weren¡¯t exactly the most rigid or united of the great Kantonian families, they still possessed the numbers necessary to hold onto that position. And among the clan members, seated right at the front, Nina could see Misty¡¯s father and the previous generation Cerulean Gym Leader whom she was introduced to previously. On the other hand, Ali¡¯s side of the family was much smaller, so the majority of the guests seated there were friends from both sides of the family. Nina could see the Bratwursts and the Rockfords among them. And right at the very front, she saw Percival and Anabeth Jones, Nina¡¯s paternal grandparents smiling at her. The girl returned the sentiment with an amicable smile. In truth, she had never met the two older Jones couple in person until now. Their only interaction thus far had been through the occasional video call and souvenirs sent back from whatever exotic location they were traveling through at the time. Nina was surprised that Ali even managed to convince them to come at all, since they didn¡¯t even make it for Patrick and Leanette¡¯s wedding. The celebratory music from the church¡¯s organ continued playing as the flower girls in the form of Natsumi and Fuyumi in Bellossom outfits entered the scene. The girls threw flower petals to line the bride''s path as Misty entered the scene, prompting a choir of Pokemon to begin singing to grace her presence. Misty looked stunning in her form fitting wedding dress. In lieu of a more conservative design, she opted for a thin lacy fabric that fully accentuated her figure with a billowy skirt that opened up at the front to reveal her long shapely legs with every step that she took. On her head, the bride wore a tiara with a half veil that concealed the upper half of her face, exposing only her seductive ruby red lips to titillate one¡¯s imaginations. As Misty progressed through the aisle, Nina could also see Beverly at the back, in a much more conventional bridesmaid outfit holding on to the long tail of Misty¡¯s dress. And with the entrance of the older girl, the doors leading to the chapel were closed shut with a loud clap, signaling the official start to the ceremony as the bride eventually took her place on the altar. The ceremonial music slowly wound down as the priest cleared his throat and began reciting a few passages from his holy scripture. Nina couldn¡¯t remember much of the content but it was largely the same sort of vague religious dribble that she was used to in her past life. The sort of words that could be interpreted a dozen different ways, leading to fissures and wars. ¡°We are gathered here today, under the light of Arceus to celebrate the blessed union of Alias Jones and Misty Mizuhana,¡± said the priest, after the conclusion of his recital. ¡°Those who are opposed, please speak now or forever hold your peace.¡± Aside from an awkward cough, the audience remained silent. So no dramatic duel and elopement to be seen today. Nina was a little disappointed to be honest, she was fully expecting some drama today given the long list of suitors that Misty had churned through in her lifetime. In fact, she was disappointed to find the absence of her old travel companions as well. Brock wasn¡¯t here because the guy was busy at his own Gym, though he did send his regards and a generous gift of valuable gemstones and his special homemade Pokechow. Ash, though, remained missing. Even Professor Oak had no idea where he was, only that he was last seen in Johto. ¡°Very well,¡± the priest continued. ¡°May I once again affirm that you have come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?¡± ¡°I have,¡± responded the couple in sync, their eyes locked into a perpetually loving gaze despite the hindrance of Misty¡¯s veil. ¡°Then do you, Alias Jones, swear to remain faithful to Misty Mizuhana, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and to love and honor her for all your days to come?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°And do you, Misty Mizuhana, swear to remain faithful to Alias Jones, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and to love and honor him for all your days to come?¡± ¡°I do,¡± said Misty, with the most radiant smile that anyone had ever seen her wear. The priest nodded towards Nina to approach. ¡°Then may the couple please exchange their vows, and with it, the rings which shall forever bind your lights under the grace of Arceus.¡± Ali was first to grab hold of the ring that was presented to the altar and began reciting the vows he memorized by heart. ¡°Misty, you are a lighthouse amidst dark, stormy seas, a beacon of light for my wayward soul. With you, I not only find love and happiness, but also a home where I can finally settle and find peace.¡± Ali gently grabbed hold of Misty¡¯s hand. ¡°Misty Mizuhana, I love you. Will you grant me the honor of becoming your husband?¡± Misty nodded amidst sniffles as she tried to clear her throat and compose herself. And with that tacit agreement, Ali placed his ring onto Misty¡¯s finger, eliciting excited cheers and applause from the guests. Misty¡¯s vows were similar to her proposal ones, saying in a teary voice that Ali was a ray of sunshine in her life and that he made her want to be a better person. She vowed to love him for all eternity and cut down on her drinking, which elicited laughter from the audience. Then, same as Ali, she grabbed hold of his hand and placed her ring onto her lover¡¯s finger, triggering another wave of applause and cheers. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The priests smiled warmly at the happy couple, and lit a few candles on the altar while declaring, ¡°By the holy light bestowed upon me by Arceus, I declare Alias Jones and Misty Mizuhana to be husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.¡± Ali eagerly unveiled Misty, taking a moment to appreciate his new wife¡¯s beauty before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. The entire chapel erupted into cheers and congratulatory blessings at the sight. Tears of happiness flowed liberally among the attendees, either reminiscing about their own marriage or wishing that they too would find their other half at some point. *** The actual wedding reception would not be until the second, more public ceremony, so that all the guests got the chance to mingle with one another. A party was more fun with a larger crowd after all. So instead of the reception, the newlyweds had an intimate family dinner with some of their closest relatives and Pokemon. On Ali¡¯s side, it was his parents and his brother¡¯s family of course. While Misty had her sisters and her father; Levy Mizuhana, who looked to be an affable old man with Guy Fieri hair and a deep tan as proof of all the time he spent in the seas of Alola. ¡°So, Misty¡­ When can I expect grandkids?¡± Levy teased, earning him shoulder slaps from his youngest daughter. ¡°Not now, Pa! Behave yourself or I¡¯m gonna cut your allowance!¡± Misty threatened, only to receive a carefree laugh in return. ¡°Careful there, Ali. This is what¡¯s gonna happen to you in the future if you don¡¯t keep your own secret stash.¡± Levy guffawed, eliciting chuckles from his new son-in-law. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Misty¡¯s too stingy to give me an allowance anyway. No gain, no loss,¡± he jested, also earning him shoulder slaps and pinches from the woman. Nina laughed along at the wholesome interaction until her grandparents tried to engage with her. ¡°So Nina, I heard you like trains,¡± said Percival. ¡°Yes, grandfather, I hear your recent travels have taken you to Galar?¡± Nina was a little stiff, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Her paternal grandparents were practically strangers to her. And based on the stories she heard from Patrick and Ali, about absentee parents and crippling neglect, she didn¡¯t exactly have the best impression of them either. ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s right. Your grandmother and I have a souvenir for you.¡± ¡°Tadah!¡± Anabeth Jones exclaimed as she reached over and handed a box to Nina. ¡°Go on, open it!¡± She urged. Nina let out a wry smile and did as she was told, opening the box to find¡­ ¡°Huh? A conductor''s hat, this is kind of cool actually.¡± It was a typical blue conductor''s hat with a black lip, adorned with a golden pin of a sword in a stone. Usually the elder Joneses would send back a whole bunch of inane stuff. The sort of manufactured garbage that one would typically find in tourist trap gift shops. Pretty much, the only thing that Nina enjoyed from their care packages were some of the exotic snacks that they would inevitably include in it. So it was quite surprising that Nina found the gift to be genuinely pleasing. ¡°Thank you, grandmother, grandfather. I¡¯ll make sure to cherish this. Is this the logo for the Grand Excalibur?¡± ¡°Yeap, the only currently active steam locomotive in the world,¡± said Percival. ¡°Just like you and your uncle, your grandmother and I have always had a fascination with trains. In fact, did you know that the Grand Excalibur was where I first proposed to her?¡± Anabeth nodded with a dreamy gaze. ¡°We were so young back then¡­ I was quite hesitant, you know? I wasn¡¯t ready to settle down just yet, but your grandfather can be quite persuasive when he wants to be. So I ended up agreeing to it.¡± ¡°Ever since then, we try to make a trip to Galar every year for our anniversary. It doesn¡¯t always work out, but the important thing is that we try.¡± Percival sent a loving gaze to his wife, which she returned in kind. Percival and Anabeth Jones were what happens when two restless Pokemon Trainers marry one another. They were always traveling even when they had their firstborn, only settling down briefly in Kanto where Patrick was born to give their two kids a slightly more stable upbringing. But even then, they quickly shipped the second boy off to a boarding school the moment he came of age so that they could continue their nomadic lifestyle. Ali and Patrick practically raised themselves under such callous behavior, resulting in an unbreakable bond between the brothers. Nina smiled at the old couple. The two of them weren¡¯t the best parents due to their never ending wanderlust, but there were no doubts that they loved each other a great deal. No point, hanging on to past resentments. After all, both her father and uncle are happy now weren¡¯t they? And that¡¯s all that mattered. *** Author''s Note: Super absent minded today. I nearly forgot to post, then I realized I left my phone outside when I went to get coffee. Such a dumbass. Anyways, next chapter will be on Monday, and it''ll be Nina''s debut as a mermaid, so look forward to it. Chapter 96 Beverly and Nina rushed into the dressing room to quickly get changed. It was a tight schedule since they had to redo the whole wedding ceremony in the main arena of the Cerulean Gym in skates. But luckily, they already had a makeup artist and other staff members on standby to expedite the matter. Their performance was supposed to be a surprise gift for the newlyweds after the ceremony, but Nina was pretty sure that Misty was already well aware of what was about to happen. Regardless, the show must go on. Though Nina wouldn¡¯t mind a sudden crisis to derail the entire thing right about now. Unfortunately, the Ace Trainers from the League were extremely competent in maintaining security, and everything has been quite smooth so far, security-wise. Nina puffed her cheeks up at Beverly¡¯s outfit. ¡°No fair, I wanted to be the prince!¡± Their theme was a prince and a princess, so Beverly was dressed up as a dashing prince charming, while Nina¡¯s outfit looked like something she¡¯d find in a reproduction of Swan Lake; a white leotard with a lacy skirt and various adornments. Beverly snorted in response. ¡°Heh, gotta grow a bit taller first, Nins.¡± ¡°We¡¯re about the same height! You just wanted to be the prince cause you don¡¯t have a figure.¡± Nina quipped. It really was a cruel twist of fate that the wannabe mermaid among the two of them was utterly flat like a board, while Nina had already begun developing curves despite her young age. Beverly jumped at her cheeky junior to teach her a lesson, only to be held back by a staff member. ¡°Hold still, Bev! You¡¯re going to ruin the outfit!¡± The staff admonished. While Nina stuck out her tongue in defiance. ¡°Alright, you two. Get your shit together! We¡¯re two minutes till go time and the show¡¯s being streamed live. You don¡¯t want them to make more memes of you, do you?¡± That last question was especially pointed towards Beverly, the reluctant meme queen. ¡°Fine.¡± The older girl grumbled as she forced herself to settle down. Nina let out a smug grin at the small triumph, only for her face to completely fall apart when she began hearing the cheers of the audience members when the emcee announced their surprise performance. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this Bev. I never wanted to be a performer¡­¡± To her credit, Beverly acted like a proper senior and pulled Nina in for a reassuring hug instead of messing with her out of spite. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Nins. How¡¯s this harder than taking down a whole den of Team Rocket bozos? ¡®Sides, you¡¯ll need to get used to this when you eventually compete in the conference right.¡± Nina shook her head, the flowery tassels adorning her hair waving in the air as she did. ¡°It¡¯s not the same. This is different from battling!¡± Beverly lightly shook the younger girl and looked her straight in the eye. ¡°It is the same. You won¡¯t be alone out there, you¡¯ve got me, and Nairy, and Ryu, and Josephine and all the other supporting Pokemon. Two trainers and their Pokemon in an arena, surrounded by a crowd of busybodies, just like a conference battle. You¡¯ll be fine, Nins. Believe in the me who believes in you.¡± Nina chuckled, her friend¡¯s oblivious regurgitation of Gurren Lagann helped to lighten her mood. ¡°Fine, but if this goes tits up then you¡¯re going down with me.¡± ¡°Heh. I already prepared myself for that when I saw how shit you were at everything.¡± And with that, the two girls held on tight to each other¡¯s hands as they skated out into the main arena. *** Natsumi and her twin sister loudly cheered out alongside the crowd. She had seen first hand how hard her two seniors had worked for this moment and couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear. Beverly was born into the family so she had been training to become a mermaid all her life. From tireless ballet practices as a kid, to all the vocal lessons she secretly took, all of it led up to this moment, for her to finally debut to the world. Natsumi was told not to tell, but Beverly had actually deliberately delayed her debut because she wanted to do it alongside her best friend. Which Natsumi thought was just the sweetest thing ever. ¡°I wonder if Fuyumi would do the same for me. Oh, who am I kidding, of course she would!¡± She and her sister were inseparable after all. On the other hand, there was also Nina, without whom they wouldn¡¯t have even gotten the opportunity of a lifetime to be apprenticed at the Gym. Their senior apprentice was always someone she and her sister looked up to greatly; with the way she just effortlessly got along with any Pokemon, and her cool lecturing tone whenever she gave them lessons on training and battle tactics. Aquarium Girl just seemed perfect in every way. Or so she thought¡­ S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turns out, Nina was absolutely hopeless when it came to the performing arts, from stumbling on her own feet while dancing to screeching like a Murkrow when singing. All of it formed a gap to her usually intelligent and highly capable self, which just added even more to the girl¡¯s charm. Compounded all the more when Natsumi saw how hard she worked. Nina thought that nobody knew, but Natsumi and Fuyumi noticed her sneakily practicing her singing and dancing in the dressing room when she thought that it was empty. There was even one time, where the girl was crying after practice because of how much she messed up that day. All of it just made the twins look up to Nina even more and spurred them to cheer for her even harder. The emcee gradually ramped up the hype as the two performers skated out into the arena, smiling and waving at the adoring crowd before settling down in the center with a slide. Natsumi could barely stop her heart from pounding as soft piano music began playing from the speakers. The two girls eschewed a live band for the performance because they weren¡¯t good enough to adapt to any spontaneous changes in rhythm just yet. The audience quieted down as Prince Beverly and Princess Nina ¡®sung¡¯ to the prerecorded lyrics while they danced around each other. The movements were simple, yet elegant, with both performers gently raising and lowering their hands in subtle waves and circling around on their skates. Until the music began to ramp up, prompting the two dancers to match with more dynamic movements; leg raises, contorting body spins, and even a double axle from Beverly into Nina¡¯s embrace where the older girl lifted her partner up with a flourish, eliciting claps and a scream from Natsumi. Eventually though, the music died down and lights dimmed as a menacing serpentine figure took to the field. Princess Nina hid behind her partner in fear, while Prince Beverly puffed her chest up and bravely confronted the hissing Dragonair that had come to prey on them. The make up lady had done an incredible job at making the usually friendly and jovial Nairy look menacing, with sharp eye shadows and various black ¡®tattoos¡¯ painted all over his body. Nina jumped back with a twirl; a move that the girl practiced over and over again until blisters began forming on her feet. While Beverly moved forward to ¡®spar¡¯ with Nairy through a series of complex movements. The Prince jumped and twirled all over the Dragon¡¯s twisting body, barely ducking down against a fierce tail swipe from the villainous creature. The whole sequence was only about a minute long, but the entire audience was sitting at the edge of their seats at how tight the execution was at certain parts. All the while, Princess Nina¡¯s frantic singing compounded the tension in everyone''s hearts. And just when it felt like Prince Beverly was about to lose, she ran. The older girl grabbed at Nina¡¯s hand and pulled her along as they did a lap around the arena, with Nairy in close pursuit. All the while their lips kept moving to the lyrics, ¡®singing¡¯ about hopelessness and despair, until they found themselves trapped in the middle of the arena, with Nairy forming a perfect ring and circling around them, steadily closing the loop as he did. In response, the two dancers locked hands and began spinning in the opposite direction, gradually tightening the spread of their skates until they formed a perfect V. All the while, Nairy kept circling in closer and closer until he was mere inches away from touching his prey. When suddenly, the ice cracked. The rest of the audience might not have noticed it, but Natsumi and Fuyumi caught a thin sliver of Psychic aura enveloping dancers as the ice began breaking down all around them. Nairy¡¯s encirclement faltered, wobbling under the uneven surface. But Nina and Beverly just kept spinning in the middle, completely unphased. Until a loud crash echoed, and the gaping maw of a Gyarados emerged from beneath the ice to push Nairy away and elevate the regal dancers into the air with his scarred face. The two girls stopped spinning when they were assured of their safety and repositioned themselves on top of Ryu¡¯s head. Prince Beverly held Princess Nina in a tight embrace as they looked down at the evil Dragon who dared to attack them. The embrace was an extra addition because Nina had trouble recovering from the intense spinning maneuver in time and needed Beverly to steady her. The two serpentine Pokemon began dueling as they ¡®swam¡¯ around each other in the air. Nairy tried everything he could to reach the two humans, while Ryu dodged and swiped his tail around in an attempt to keep his passengers safe. Meanwhile, Beverly led Nina into a waltz atop Ryu¡¯s head, the Prince elegantly twirling her Princess around her. All the while, keeping their footing steady through the aid of Psychic Pokemon and began ¡®singing¡¯ again. This time it was about the misunderstood hero, Gyarados. ¡°Fear not his fearsome looks, for underneath it all is a playful rook,¡± they intoned. The pair calmly danced atop the fearsome Gyarados despite all the chaos that was waging all around them. Juxtaposed by the unnaturally serene music amidst the horrible clash, and framed by the divine lighting work ¡ª it all came together to form a very striking image. Not long after, the fight was interrupted by another song breaking out. This one distinctly punctuated by soft howls and deep moans. Water began rising to the voice¡¯s rhythm, encircling the two violent Pokemon to pull them apart before eventually enveloping the Prince and Princess in a sphere of water. Then, like an ethereal water spirit, Josephine the Milotic rose up from the water¡¯s depths and shot a Hydro Pump at Nairy, sinking him into the water. However, just when she was about to do the same with Ryu, the sphere of water containing the two girls drifted down in front of the Milotic to stop her. The two broke out into an underwater dance in the sphere, circling each other while twisting and writhing their body in an elegant manner. Natsumi remembered that this was the part where neither Nina nor Beverly had any issues with, due to how much time they spent underwater. The trickiest bit was being careful enough to not fall out of the sphere, since it was hard to tell where the translucent boundary ended. Seeing the two dancing girls, Ryu and Josephine joined in as well, enveloping the sphere with their own rendition of Dragon Dance, which was soon joined by Nairy, who was now ¡®purified¡¯ of the black marks on his body. It culminated in quite the spectacle as the scales of the three serpents glowed with an iridescent sheen, giving the sphere of water they were encircling a disco ball-like effect. And as the music reached its peak, the three Dragon Dancers exploded in a burst of blinding light and disappeared from the scene. Leaving only Nina and Beverly in a sphere of water that was slowly being lowered down onto the arena¡¯s central platform. As a quiet calm took over the arena, the Prince and the Princess looked affectionately into each other¡¯s eyes and slowly turned towards the audience to begin singing as an acapella duet. They declared their undying love for each other as they held up the other¡¯s hands and broke out into another waltz. There was no background music or applause as the audience simply appreciated the rawness of the young girls¡¯ voices and the emotions contained within. This was also the only part where there was no lip syncing involved, further adding more texture to the chorus. And in the end, the Prince pulled her Princess into a loving embrace as the lights faded and the audience clapped, signaling an end to Beverly and Nina¡¯s debut performance. *** Author''s note: Can I just take a moment here to show some appreciation to the mods of Scribble Hub. Like the fact that they actually moderate their platform. Crazy, I know. But after dealing with the mods on Royal Road, I was starting to rewrite my definition of moderator. Does the word actually mean moderator? Or does it mean asshole who can''t even answer a simple question properly without any form of sass. Anyways, thank you mods. Keep up the great work. Fun fact: I wrote two versions of this chapter. The other one was from Nina''s perspective, and it ended up being her cussing incessantly and regretting every single decision she ever made in her second life that led her to this point. Personally, I found it amusing, but not exactly the sort of vibe I was going for. So I ended up with this chapter from Natsumi''s perspective instead. Next chapter on Thursday. Sorry guys, I wanted to make it Wednesday, but something came up and I worry I might not have the leeway. Chapter 96.5 Author''s Note: Bonus chapter release due to popular demand from the folks over at Royal Road. Had to gut about half of the original draft and rewrite it just to add a bit more depth to the story over Nina just being whiny the entire chapter. I haven''t had much time to proofread this so please be extra patient if you spot any mistakes. *** ¡°FUUUUUCKKK!!!¡± As the wind whipped through her face, her body under siege by inertia, Nina couldn¡¯t help but wonder; ¡°Where did it all go wrong?¡± She agreed to this ostentatious display out of love for her friend and family, but it wasn¡¯t until she stepped under the spotlight that regret started to really set in. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to Daisy¡¯s proposal to join the Gym all those years ago. Damn you and your greed, Nina!¡± It was pure willpower that allowed her to maintain a deathgrip on Beverly¡¯s hand, even as the two of them were spinning around like a beyblade. That and the fear that if she were to let go, both she and her friend would be violently slingshot towards the edge of the arena and be seriously injured. She definitely did not make the same mistake during practice or anything. Nope. Definitely not. Must have been a different Gym Apprentice who was secretly a guy from another world. The next part was the trickiest, trying to tighten the spread between her and Beverly¡¯s skates, all the while maintaining their current momentum without tripping and slamming into each other in a pile of limbs and curses. Nina recalled her ankle getting all sprained and swollen the first time she tried this. ¡°Focus Nina, focus¡­ Look into Beverly¡¯s eyes¡­¡± This was important to prevent dizziness, if she focused even a fraction of her mind on the spinning background, she was liable to be overwhelmed and end up throwing up all over her partner. Again, definitely not speaking from experience. Nina did not throw up all over Beverly, and even if she did, it definitely did not happen more than once over the course of their practice. Nope. Nuh-uh. Couldn¡¯t be her. As the ice began to crack all around her, she could feel a sense of warmth enveloping her. This was Espy who was working in tandem with a team of Psychic Pokemon to help stabilize them ¡ª a fairly difficult feat, according to what Espy told her. The familiar presence of her Espeon was a great source of comfort for Nina, especially in the face of what¡¯s to come. Face in a very literal sense. Because once the floor completely disintegrated underneath them, Nina suddenly found herself atop the brow of a fierce looking Gyarados. Ryu was a sweetheart, probably the nicest and goofiest Gyarados Nina had ever met. Not that she¡¯d met many of them. A grand total of only three, in fact. But it didn¡¯t make the experience of dancing on the precipice of that gaping, toothy abyss any less daunting; one little slip, or Arceus forbid, if the Psychics lost their grip, Nina would be sent plummeting into Ryu¡¯s mouth. She could only hope that the Gyarados wouldn¡¯t swallow on instinct. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, right as she had that thought, Nina¡¯s balance faltered. A sense of vertigo overwhelmed her as her surroundings warped. For a moment there, it felt like the floor was just inches away from her face before her vision pulled back again. Nina keeled over slightly and hastily grabbed hold of Beverly to regain her balance eliciting a hiss from the older girl. ¡°Dammit, Nins!¡± Beverly whispered through gritted teeth and a stiff smile as she did her best to hold the two of them up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to, okay?!¡± Nina exclaimed, but not out loud. She had the sneaking suspicion that if she were to open her mouth to speak right now, her stomach would rebel against her. In fact, she deliberately skipped breakfast and lunch just to avoid that from happening. The music shifted, signalling the start of the next act as Beverly yanked Nina a little too forcefully to correct her poise. Nina didn¡¯t mind. In fact, she appreciated it, otherwise they would have missed the beat. And she definitely did not have the confidence to adjust and catch up. More than likely, she would have just panicked and ruined the rhythm. As the two girls broke out into a slow waltz, the only thought in Nina¡¯s mind was; ¡°Don¡¯t step on Beverly¡¯s feet. For the love of all that is Pokemon, don¡¯t you dare step on Bev¡¯s feet, Nina!¡± They had to simplify the choreography because Beverly got sick and tired of being stepped on, this part was one that Nina never really got the hang of in the end. So they decided to just cheat with Psychic Pokemon. At present, Nina was being hovered in the air to allow Beverly to spin her around like she was a lifeless doll. That was not to say the younger girl was spared from dancing though, there were still a few sequences that required her to move her legs somewhat and she needed to be mindful of her steps ¡ª something very difficult to do while maintaining eye contact with Beverly. ¡°Dammit Nairy!¡± Nina cursed at the tail of her Dragonair that wooshed past her head in too close a proximity. This entire act was the part that she dreaded the most, no matter how hard they practiced, there were always going to be some variables in a play fight between two powerful Pokemon. Not to mention, trying to maintain a serene expression when in the midst of so much chaos took nearly all of Nina¡¯s concentration. So she wouldn¡¯t be able to react in time even if she saw a stray attack coming her way. And for a brief moment there, Nina saw her two lives flashing before her eyes; her first memory as Miles, watching the Pokemon cartoon as a kid, his first exposure to the deformed looking sprite art of Pokemon Yellow on a CRT screen, the frustration he felt when he finally got a PC and was impatiently trying to figure out how to install an emulator on it. Then there were all the times Miles pulled out his phone to go Dratini fishing every time he felt overwhelmed in life; when he defied his parents wishes and ran off to go to college in a different country, when he got fired from his first part time job, when his first girlfriend cheated on him, all the times he had to work overtime, that one time where he had a mental breakdown and spent an entire weekend drinking and sobbing in a corner of his apartment. And finally, when he got hit by a truck on the way to celebrate his mother¡¯s birthday, a bouquet of flowers and an expensive box of jewellery in hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry mom, I¡¯m sorry that I died on your special day. Please forgive me.¡± Then came Nina¡¯s second life, almost like a dream come true to her as she recalled all the happy moments she spent getting to interact with real life Pokemon. Even her new family wasn¡¯t bad despite all the drama she had to deal with early on in life. They loved and cared for Nina despite all her oddities, which was more than she felt like she deserved. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Patrick, sorry Leanette. Sorry for taking your daughter away from you. I¡¯ll make it up to you one day, I swear.¡± Not to mention the Cerulean Gym, practically her second home by this point. Despite all her whining and protest, Nina was grateful that Daisy decided to take her in all those years ago. Without the guidance of the Cerulean Sisters, Beverly, and all the other ladies of the Gym, Nina could hardly imagine what her life would be like right now. ¡°Maybe I¡¯d have ended up like Charlie, struggling at the bottom after digging myself into a hole, without all the proper resources I needed to take good care of Nairy and Espy.¡± That was the one thing she feared the most; not doing right by her precious Pokemon. Maybe that¡¯s why she was so harsh on Charlie when she saw the less than ideal state of his Poliwhirl. In hindsight, Nina probably overreacted and she had since apologized to her friend. But she still made a mental note to make it up to him someday. ¡°Provided I survive this of course.¡± As Nina¡¯s mind spiralled further into nihility, a cooling sphere of water abruptly enveloped her, signalling the start of the next act. The girl couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief and exhaustion, discharging bubbles from her mouth as the soothing melodic tone of Josephine the Milotic permeated the arena. Nina looked towards Beverly, who gave her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up. ¡°Almost there now, Nins. Nearly to the finish line.¡± Even without words, Nina could make out the message that her friend was trying to convey to her. The two performers took the time to rest their weary bodies. In particular, Nina relished in the relief that the cooling water provided to her throbbing feet. However, that moment of reprieve was short lived as a beep sounded out in Nina¡¯s earpiece to signal the start of the next part. Surprisingly, dancing in water came very naturally to her, thanks to all the time she spent underwater with Nairy. This was the one part where Nina barely struggled during practice. The only issue was her lung capacity, she had the bad habit of exerting her chest with every movement at the beginning, which put a lot of unnecessary strain on her breath. But it was something that she got used to pretty quickly ¡ª the key was just to stay relaxed and follow the flow of the water as opposed to struggling against it. Before long, the two girls found themselves lowered onto the arena¡¯s platform as Nina did her best to resist sucking in a deep breath with her mouth. ¡°Gotta keep smiling Nina, keep smiling¡­ Shit! What were the lyrics again?¡± In the midst of all the excitement, Nina¡¯s mind completely blanked out on the lyrics of the song she was supposed to be singing after this. All that lip syncing had made her complacent. However, when the speakers went silent and Beverly¡¯s voice sounded out, Nina automatically followed suit, just a quarter beat behind as her voice cracked audibly. It seemed that her muscle memory managed to kick in in time. Nina dared not to let a single stray thought into her mind, for fear that her subconscious would falter and that she would forget her lyrics again. A very difficult thing to do when she could make out a very obvious smirk from Beverly, probably making fun of her for the voice crack. ¡°Dammit, I¡¯m never going to hear the end of this am I?¡± By the time that the show ended, Nina was panting in exhaustion as she looked towards Beverly with a foolish looking smile on her face, feeling an immense wave of relief and satisfaction after finally completing the nearly month long ordeal that she was put through. Beverly returned the smile and gave Nina¡¯s hand a tight squeeze. The two fledgeling mermaids then turned to face their audience and bowed deeply amidst rapturous applause and fervent cheers. ¡°Never again.¡± Nina swore, but she knew that was an unlikely wish. In fact, she overheard Daisy saying to Misty that they could save time and money by just having her and Beverly repeat their performance for this year¡¯s Cerulean on Ice if everything went well. ¡°Dammit, is it too late to quit this gig?¡± *** Author''s Note: Just FYI, I don''t plan on writing anything extensive for Cerulean on Ice, just a brief mention to transition into the next arc. Also if you''ve enjoyed this bonus release, consider tipping me over at my Patreon. You''ll get 10 advanced chapters as an extra extra bonus. Soon to be 11 chapters, because I have a special release planned for this Saturday in lieu of a regular chapter release. Chapter 97 Nina tried her best to smile in order to hide the exhaustion that she felt permeating throughout her body. There was still some time until evening where the wedding reception was going to take place. So Violet thought it¡¯d be a waste not to make full use of the downtime by scheduling a meet and greet session with their Gym¡¯s two star apprentices. Unbeknownst to Nina, the profiteering woman had released a limited edition album containing all of the Cerulean Gym¡¯s greatest hits and featuring the song that Beverly and Nina produced just for today¡¯s performance. And any children who purchased the album were entitled to a ticket for a meet and greet with the two young Gym Trainers. Apparently, this was part of her broader plans to rebrand the Gym by shifting some focus away from the Cerulean Sisters onto their newer talent. Which Nina wasn¡¯t opposed to, but she wished that the conniving woman would show some consideration and allow her time to rest after such an intense show. Nina barely dried her soaking body and had all her makeup redone before she was dragged out of the dressing room. On the other hand, Beverly looked more energetic than she had ever been, still riding off the high of her maiden show. That was until she saw the line that formed in front of her, which consisted mostly of boys and butch looking girls. While all the cute girlies and timid femboys formed up in front of Nina¡¯s table and stared at her with admiring Growlithe eyes. Nina covered her mouth to hold back her snicker at the quietly fuming Beverly. ¡°I told you, that¡¯s what you get for not letting me be the prince.¡± She quipped, eliciting an annoyed look from her friend. The event commenced amidst excited chatter after a Gym staff recapped a few rules over a loudspeaker. Basically, every ticket holder was entitled to one minute with the talent, they could ask for photographs, autographs or just chat if they wanted, so long as they kept it within the time limit. Nina noticed that most of the kids asked her to sign their CDs for them, while the parents who were escorting their children took pictures all the while. The whole process was very smooth with minimal lag. Though there had been some kids who got too excited and made a commotion or were reluctant to leave once their time expired. It was a brand new experience for her. Never once in Nina¡¯s two lives had she done anything like this before. She felt like she was one of those cutesy Japanese idols. And honestly, seeing all these kids look up to her as much as they did really warmed her heart, especially when it came to the next girl in the line. ¡°A-Aquarium Girl¡­ Erm¡­ I¡­ T-thank¡­¡± Nina smiled at the familiar looking girl in pigtails who nervously shuffled up to her with a CD case clutched tightly in front of her chest. It was the same lost girl who ended up leading Beverly and her to the Team Rocket den ¡ª the one they witnessed getting kidnapped. ¡°Hi there¡­ How have you been? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get to check on you after the police came that day. Things got really hectic.¡± Nina took the initiative to bend over and greeted the girl. The girl lit up at being recognized by her idol. She looked up at her mom in excitement, who smiled encouragingly and urged her daughter to get a little closer. ¡°Erm, I¡­ Thank you for saving me from those bad guys, Aquarium Girl. You were really pretty today!¡± The girl blurted hastily. ¡°I really hope I get to be as strong as you one day and beat up bad guys just like Miracle Puffy!¡± Nina had no idea who Miracle Puffy was, but based on the graphics on the little girl¡¯s t-shirt, it might have been this world¡¯s equivalent of a magical girl who fought monsters with her companion Slurpuff. Nina held back her swoon and reached over the table to give the girl a gentle pat on the head. ¡°So long as you love and care for your Pokemon just like Puffy does, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll grow up to become a super strong trainer one day.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled at the acknowledgement, beaming a radiant smile at Nina. ¡°Do you think I can become a mermaid like you and Miss Beverly and dress up all pretty on stage too?¡± Nina didn¡¯t have the heart to tell the girl to temper her expectations. So instead, she decided to give her some practical advice. ¡°If you work hard and study hard, I¡¯m sure you can achieve any dreams you set for yourself.¡± She then leaned in further and whispered to the girl in a conspiratory manner. ¡°Ask your school to let you take part in our Little League and show to us how much you love and care for your Pokemon, I¡¯m sure your efforts won¡¯t go unnoticed.¡± The little girl nodded enthusiastically at her idol, practically buzzing in happiness at the attention she was receiving. ¡°Now then,¡± Nina continued. ¡°How about I sign that CD for you and we can get a picture together?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The girl nervously handed her CD case over which Nina flipped open to mark with her signature. By this point, the movement was second nature to her as she wrote a stylized Nina, with an extended tail on the ¡®a¡¯ which looped around and crossed with the ¡®Nina¡¯ before curving back up again to end with a simple caricature of Nairy¡¯s head. Nina asked the little girl for her name, which turned out to be Melody. So she wrote a nice little message at the bottom of the cover sleeve to encourage Melody to never give up on her dreams. The little girl grabbed hold of the CD case that was handed back to her and clutched it to her chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. In truth, Nina had felt a little iffy about profiting off children like this. But seeing Melody, she realized that for these kids, such dark and complicated thoughts never really entered their minds. At the end of the day, this moment would become a precious memory that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. So it would behoove her to act as the proper role model that they all expected her to be, so as not to disappoint their lofty expectations. Behind Melody, her mother gave a deep bow to Nina and thanked her once again for saving her daughter from Team Rocket. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No worries, ma¡¯am. I was just doing what anyone else would have done.¡± Nina responded with a casual wave of her hand. ¡°But in the end, it was you and Miss Beverly that saved my little Melody. So we still wanted to thank you.¡± The woman shook her head and bowed once more with Melody awkwardly mirroring her mother¡¯s movement and muttering a thank you of her own. The woman then took out two business cards and handed them to Nina. ¡°I run a little travel agency here in the city. So if you or Miss Beverly ever have any need for my services, please don¡¯t hesitate to reach out. We will do our utmost to repay you for your bravery.¡± Nina let out an awkward chuckle. The girl was not used to being shown this level of gratuity. ¡°Like I said, we were just doing what we felt was right. But I¡¯ll make sure to keep hold of this. Bev and I are planning to go to Hoenn at some point, so maybe you¡¯ll be able to help with travel arrangements when the time comes.¡± Melody looked up at Nina with sad droopy eyes. ¡°Does that mean I won¡¯t be able to see you again?¡± She whined. But Nina simply laughed and casually dismissed her concerns. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Melody. We won¡¯t be leaving for another few years. And besides, it¡¯s just a journey. Journeys aren¡¯t meant to be permanent, and every journeyman has to come home to roost at some point.¡± With that, they said their goodbyes and allowed the person next in line to come up. Nina had actually exceeded the time limit with Melody, but the staff had enough tact to overlook it. *** ¡°Thanks, Nina. I know you worked really hard for today¡¯s show.¡± Ali said as he pulled his niece into a tight hug at the wedding reception. ¡°Yeah,¡± chimed Misty, joining in on the hug as well. ¡°Your uncle was crying like a Whismur by the end of your performance. Good work out there, sweetie. I¡¯m proud to have you as a niece.¡± Nina responded with a warm smile and a quiet thanks, feeling a surge of heat welling in her chest. It felt good to receive validation from her loved ones, especially after all the hard work she put in for the sake of the newlyweds. ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys enjoyed it¡­¡± Patrick and Leanette expressed their own words of endearment as well. Leanette, in particular, was especially animated as she complimented her daughter on her stellar performance. Even going so far as to praise Nairy. ¡°Your partner was great! For a few moments there, I really thought Nairy was going to crash into Beverly, but it all went well in the end.¡± The fact that her mother used Nairy''s name and the word ¡°partner¡± to describe him meant the world to Nina. ¡°Thanks mom¡­¡± Nina muttered as she pulled the woman in for a kiss and a hug, a little teardrop escaping the corner of her eye. The girl was glad that her performance contributed to an improvement in Leanette¡¯s trauma. Frankly, just that alone made all the sweat and tears she had shed over the past month all worth it. Patrick then followed up with a heated rambling of how cute his daughter was and went around showing off all the pictures and videos he took of the performance, eliciting a fiery blush from the girl and prompting Nina to sneak away to the buffet table to save herself the cringe. That and the fact that she was starving, having only had a single protein bar the entire day. ¡°Nina! You were great out there!¡± Nina¡¯s knees buckled at the weight of Kerry who tackled her out of the blue. ¡°Hey there, Kerr¡­ Glad you enjoyed it¡­¡± Nina responded, listlessly. Kerry pulled away from her friend and looked at her with concern. ¡°Are you okay, Nina? Did you hurt yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just¡­¡± Nina yawned. ¡°Just exhausted¡­¡± In response, Kerry picked up her Happiny from the ground and held her up in front of Nina. ¡°Do you want one of Peppy¡¯s eggs? It¡¯ll help you feel better.¡± ¡°Happiny!¡± Nina gratefully accepted the nascent Soft-Boiled egg that was offered to her and reciprocated Kerry''s hug. ¡°Thanks Kerr, I really don¡¯t know how I managed to survive so long without you.¡± ¡°Aww¡­ you¡¯re welcome, Nina. It¡¯s the least I can do after you invited me to such a wonderful wedding,¡± said the young Joy. But their heartfelt reunion was interrupted by a very pronounced cough to the side. ¡°Ahem!¡± Beverly exclaimed, before inserting herself into the conversation. ¡°My name¡¯s Beverly. Nina¡¯s best friend. I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met before.¡± Kerry gave Nina a look and giggled at Beverly¡¯s insecurities. ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m Kerry. I saw your performance just now. It was quite impressive¡­¡± Nina tuned out the two posturing girls and shoved the egg she received into her mouth in its entirety. A huge mistake on her part since she started choking when she attempted to swallow the load. Thankfully, someone handed a drink to her after seeing the unseemly idiot banging desperately on her chest. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Nina choked and coughed. ¡°Thanks for the save¡­ Oh, hey Lilian. Didn¡¯t see you there.¡± Nina¡¯s savior was indeed Lilian Blackthorn, who was wearing a stunning red party dress that matched perfectly with her fiery red mane of hair. ¡°Hello there, Melina Jones. I commend you on your performance today. That final act with the synchronized Dragon Dance was quite a sight to behold.¡± Nina chuckled. Of course the Dragon obsessed Blackthorn girl would hone in on the Dragon Dance sequence. ¡°Thank you, Lilian. I hope you¡¯ve been enjoying your summer so far?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the noble girl nodded. ¡°I made a trip to the Safari Zone to pick up a Mareep upon your recommendation. I was expecting to have to wait until Topaz¡¯s evolution to Ampharos before reaping any benefits, but it seems that her expertise in Electric Type Energy has done much in aiding Sapphire¡¯s development as well.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Looks like your summer¡¯s been very productive. I can¡¯t wait to bury my head in Mareep¡¯s wool next time.¡± Lilian chuckled in amusement. ¡°Not as productive as yours. I read about your exploits in foiling Team Rocket¡¯s machinations. As expected of the one I acknowledged, you do not disappoint. I simply regret that I was not with you in subduing those scoundrels.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that impressive, we had a lot of help from the police. And I¡¯m sure that if you were with us, things would have gone a lot smoother.¡± Lilian lightly shook her head. ¡°Such humility. Perhaps we can join hands next time. It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak, and eradicate such incorrigible scum with the utmost prejudice!¡± The Blackthorn declared, as she clutched her fist in unwavering determination. Nina almost reeled back from the sheer heat being emanated from the girl¡¯s fiery passion. The peace loving Nina wanted to say that she would rather not have to deal with another Rocket encounter ever again, but held her tongue, knowing that Lilian wouldn¡¯t listen anyway. *** Author''s Note: Happy Singles Awareness Day. This chapter marks the end of the wedding arc. Next release will be on Saturday, but it''s going to be a special one. Side Story: Charlie Part 1 Author''s note: The following side story takes place after Chapters 84-86. And quick disclaimer before you dig in, each part of the Charlie Side Story is at double the length of a typical main story chapter. With Part 4 in particular being at triple the length. All in all it''s about 10 regular chapters worth of content in the following four part Side Story. So please ration your time accordingly. As mentioned on RR, this was originally a Patreon exclusive. But the reason why I''m releasing it is because I want to reintroduce the character back into the main story and wanted to provide a primer before that happens. For those of you who need a refresher. Below are Charlie''s current Pokemon. Typhoon the Poliwhirl (F)Growlithe (unnamed) (F) *** Charlie awoke with a stretch, feeling more refreshed than he had ever been the past few years. ¡°I¡¯m home¡­¡± The boy thought. When Charlie was a kid, home always felt like jail to him, and his parents the wardens. He yearned to go out and seek adventure, to become the Pokemon Master that he knew he was always meant to be. Boy, was he a fool¡­ Charlie sighed and took a moment to soak in the interior of his childhood room; the poster of Red and his Pokemon plastered on the wall, his messy desk covered in all sorts of knick knacks and figures that he never bothered to clean, a shelf housing a commemorative trophy from the Little League that he took part in way back when, and his well worn but comfy bed that felt smaller than he remembered. The trophy in particular made him feel a little melancholic, since he knew he only won that because his mom told him about the move that he now knew to be Rapid Spin. Without that little piece of knowledge, he probably would have just been spamming Tackle like all the other kids and flunked out at the early stages. ¡°Arf!¡± Sensing that her trainer was finally awake, Charlie¡¯s Growlithe jumped up onto his bed and slobbered all over him, eliciting laughter from the boy. ¡°Hey, girl. Let me guess? You¡¯re hungry again?¡± ¡°Arf!¡± Charlie chuckled and proceeded to rub at his Growlithes belly the way she liked it. He never did come around to naming her. Back when the puppy Pokemon was caught, Charlie was going through a phase where he wanted to imitate his idol, Red, who never named any of his Pokemon either. He thought that mimicking what the legendary trainer did would help him find a way to victory somehow. It was all just an act of vanity, unfortunately. ¡°Would you like a name, girl? It¡¯d be kind of unfair of me to leave you nameless.¡± Charlie asked, since he¡¯d likely be naming all of his future Pokemon. But his Growlithe just kept panting with her tongue out as she stared at him with her big round eyes. Charlie laughed, his Growlithe was a little too carefree for her own good. ¡°I doubt she¡¯ll ever want to evolve into an Arcanine. But that¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not gonna abandon her¡­ Just like how she never abandoned me, even when I was being a complete dumbass.¡± The boy lowered his Growlithe onto the floor with a little pat and got out of bed to open the door for her. ¡°Alright, off you go Growlithe. I¡¯m gonna go to the bathroom before joining you downstairs. Pretty sure mom¡¯s already got breakfast ready.¡± ¡°Arf!¡± Growlithe let out one final bark before excitedly running past Charlie to go look for food. *** ¡°Morning, mom.¡± ¡°Morning, Charlie.¡± Kumiko responded to her son with a bright smile and gestured towards the food she had laid out on the table. Breakfast today was bacon and eggs to go with rice and miso soup. Pretty standard for the Rockford household. ¡°Once you¡¯re done eating, go and feed the Water Pokemon out in the pool.¡± Kumiko said, as she sat down to join her son at the table. Charlie nodded in affirmation, feeling glad to be given chores for once. The boy had been starved of approval for way too long and he wanted to be of use to his loving family. ¡°Also, if you could go wake up Tiff, that¡¯d be great.¡± The woman continued, eliciting a groan from her son. Not all chores were pleasant, some involved more resistance than others. ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡± Charlie asked, in an attempt to distract his mother. ¡°Your dad left for work long before you woke up. The project that he¡¯s currently working on is running way behind schedule and they¡¯re having to work double time just to make up for the delay.¡± Stephen Rockford ran a small construction company in Cerulean City. They mostly handled smaller projects and renovation work, but they did get contracted to work on bigger stuff from time to time when one of the larger companies were short staffed, as was the case with the project that the man was currently working on. ¡°Aww¡­ Dad said that he would help me train Typhoon today.¡± Kumiko let out a wry smile at her son¡¯s childishness, feeling glad that Charlie had regained a small portion of his previously sunny disposition. The week that she spent in Vermilion City was very eye opening. Never had the woman felt more like a failure in her life. Kumiko chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy in the morning, but you can come by the outpost in the afternoon and we can get some training in during my downtime. You¡¯ve never been to the Ranger training grounds before, right?¡± Charlie lit up at the proposal. The training facilities used by the Rangers were highly advanced and very well equipped, second only to the Cerulean Gym in the city. ¡°Is it okay?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°You have to study for the Ranger exams right?¡± It had been a long time coming, but Kumiko finally decided to stop being lazy and go for her Sea Ranger Qualifications. The woman had been doing Ranger duty for years, with the only difference being that she didn¡¯t own a Pokedex, so they couldn¡¯t assign her to some of their more involved operations. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Now eat up and go wake your sister. She¡¯s gonna be late for school at this rate.¡± Kumiko responded, as she took a sip of her miso soup. *** Surprisingly, Tiffany didn¡¯t lash out at Charlie like he expected, merely glaring at him when he barged into her room after he got fed up with knocking. Charlie¡¯s sister used to be so close to him, always begging to tag along whenever he went out to play with his friends. But at some point, she started becoming a lot colder and much more aloof as Charlie continued ignoring her, the way that older brothers tended to do. According to their mom, Tiffany seemed to have turned over a new leaf after she got her Meowth and was much better behaved than she used to be. Not that Charlie could tell the difference. After Tiffany finally decided to get her butt moving, Charlie went out to their pool to feed their family¡¯s Water Pokemon. They had an auto-feeder installed, which all the Pokemon were smart enough to know how to use. But it was always important to have that personal interaction with the Pokemon, they¡¯re not just pets afterall. Each one of them were considered part of the family ¡ª a point that the Rockfords were very particular about instilling in their children. ¡°Hey Typhoon, hope you had a good night.¡± Charlie greeted as he laid out Typhoon¡¯s bowl for her. The chubby tadpole Pokemon cried out in acknowledgement as she sat down on the floor and began eating with her hands. Charlie¡¯s Poliwhirl was as impassive as ever, always just silently going along the whims of her trainer and whatever harebrained schemes he cooked up to ¡°achieve victory¡± and make a ¡°comeback¡±. The boy might not be aware, but Typhoon¡¯s indifference was a contributing factor to his stagnation, and was even a factor to the Poliwhirl¡¯s own deteriorating health. Pokemon training was a two-way relationship. A Pokemon also needed to have a say in their own development, instead of leaving it entirely up to their trainer. Similarly, a trainer couldn¡¯t just dictate their Pokemon¡¯s development without taking into account their Pokemon¡¯s feelings and thoughts on the matter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t been the best trainer to you.¡± Charlie apologized for the umpteenth time. He had been saying the same thing pretty much every single day since Nina and his mom revealed his negligence to him. But in response, Typhoon merely shrugged, patted Charlie on the arm before continuing to eat her breakfast of Pokechow and Berries. ¡°I¡¯m going to work harder, but in the right way this time. I¡¯ll ask mom and dad for advice on training you. I''m going to expand our team, and we¡¯ll go and collect all the badges before taking on the Pokemon League.¡± Charlie said, mostly to reaffirm his own resolve than for Typhoon¡¯s benefit. ¡°I don¡¯t know how far we can go. But we¡¯ll try our hardest to get past the preliminaries and make it into the top sixteen at least.¡± Charlie recalled what Nina once said to him during their time in Vermilion City; set realistic goals and take it one step at a time. One of his goals at the moment was to try and clear the Gym circuit at the intermediate difficulty. He had always dreamed about taking on a Gym Leader¡¯s Star team and being featured in the League¡¯s annual highlights. But he was well aware that such a dream was an impossibility for him at the moment. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m hoping we can do some light training in the morning.¡± The boy continued. ¡°After that, I promised to have lunch with Bobby today.¡± It had been a long time since he got in touch with his friend, and Charlie couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous at the prospect. Given how drastically Nina had changed, he was bracing himself for a similar shock to occur during his reunion with Bobby. ¡°Next, we¡¯ll head over to mom¡¯s workplace for more training.¡± Charlie only planned to stay home for a week before he properly set out on his journey, and he wanted to make the most of his time here to make up for all the years he languished in the Vermilion Flame. *** ¡°Hey Bobby¡­¡± Charlie gave an awkward wave at his friend, which Bobby returned with an equally awkward wave and a meek greeting of his own. The two boys stood facing each other, shuffling their feet for some time before Bobby took the initiative to extend a fist towards Charlie. Charlie smirked and put out his own fist to meet Bobby¡¯s, then transitioned seamlessly into a secret handshake that they used to do back when they were smaller. The flow of their movement was a little stiff from lack of practice, but the fact that they even remembered the handshake at all was enough to reassure the boys that their relationship had remained unchanged. They pulled each other in for a shoulder bump, and Bobby proceeded to drag Charlie into a newly opened restaurant that he had been keen to try out for some time now. ¡°This place serves Hoennese barbecue, the owners are first gen immigrants so you know it¡¯s gonna be authentic.¡± Bobby explained as he went through the menu and began filling out their order sheet. Charlie¡¯s friend explained that the place was all you can eat for 90 minutes, so they had to be strategic if they wanted to try everything. In the center of the table was a recessed gas stove that was burning charcoal, which Charlie found to be a little redundant ¡ª why have charcoal when they were going to burn gas anyway? Bobby tutted at his friend and said in a pompous voice: ¡°It¡¯s for the flavor, Charles ¡ª there¡¯s a distinct smokiness that can only be obtained through the use of high quality charcoal.¡± Charlie laughed. ¡°You¡¯re really into this whole foodie thing huh? And I remember you used to say that any food was good food so long as it filled your belly.¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Bobby nodded. ¡°I finally decided that I want to become a chef when I grow up, maybe do a bit of brewing on the side. I really enjoy it ¡ª brewing. But I don¡¯t think I can do it as well as the other pros, you know?¡± Charlie smiled, thinking that it must be nice to have such concrete aspirations. The boy couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight pang of envy at the clarity of his friend¡¯s desires. ¡°What about you?¡± Bobby continued. ¡°You mentioned in your message that you¡¯re going on a journey right? Must be nice, us normies don¡¯t get sabbaticals like you jocks do.¡± Charlie¡¯s smile faltered briefly, but thank goodness Bobby wasn¡¯t perceptive enough to notice. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ Well, I dunno If I want to go back to trainer school. For now, I just wanna venture out a little. It¡¯s a shame you can¡¯t take any time off, it would have been great to travel together. That way I don¡¯t have to worry about not getting a good meal and all.¡± Bobby laughed. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll have to wait until I graduate. ¡®Sides, I think you¡¯ll be bored travelling with me.¡± The lanky boy outlined the plans he made for his eventual journey, which mostly involved going around to visit the region¡¯s foodie hotspots; farms, restaurants, breweries, obscure little villages, and so on. ¡°I¡¯ll still try my luck at the Gyms.¡± Bobby added. ¡°Cause it¡¯s tradition and stuff, but if I can¡¯t make it then no skin off my back, y¡¯know?¡± Charlie nodded. Not every kid cared to complete the Gym circuit and that was fine, but most of them will try to get at least a couple of badges under their belt, just to show that they could and that they just chose not to. They continued chatting even as the food arrived, which Bobby took charge to grill for them. It was honestly quite impressive to see how confident the boy was when plying his craft. Charlie had never seen this side of his friend before. The Bobby in Charlie¡¯s memory was a clumsy little Munchlax who always begged to copy his homework, and the boy who pissed his pants at the sight of his family¡¯s Gyarados. Not that Bobby would ever admit to the latter. ¡°Did you catch any new Pokemon? You¡¯ll need at least a couple of battlers if you want to journey. Unless your Shuckle got a power up or something.¡± Charlie said that last part in jest, he was not convinced that the mold Pokemon was good for anything other than brewing Shuckle juice. Bobby snorted as he put a piece of meat on Charlie¡¯s plate, telling him to try it with some salt and sesame oil first before going for the more intense dips. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that Shuckles can battle if you specifically train them to. At least, according to Nina. She told me about setting up for a Body Press combo or something?¡± Bobby still had the note that the girl left for him, but he wasn¡¯t really that into battling anymore so he never bothered. ¡°But yeah, I do have a Pidgeotto that I traded some Shuckle juice for.¡± Bobby answered. ¡°She¡¯s a fairly good battler, but she¡¯s still not evolving for some reason. It¡¯d be good if I can get her to become a Pidgeot before I leave on my journey, that way I can get around a lot easier.¡± ¡°A Flyer is nice,¡± said Charlie in return. ¡°I might go and catch a Spearow before I leave.¡± Listening to Bobby talk about his journey roadmap got Charlie to ponder about his own plans. It was something that he hadn¡¯t given much thought about, but that he realized he probably should. ¡°I¡¯ll ask mom and dad about it when I get back home.¡± One thing he did know was that he did not want his first Gym to be the Cerulean Gym. *** ¡°Alright Typhoon, why don¡¯t you do about a dozen laps around the pool first while I talk to Charlie.¡± ¡°Whirl.¡± Typhoon nodded at Kumiko before diving into the water to do as she was told. Meanwhile, the woman watched the Poliwhirl swim for a bit before turning to address her son. ¡°She¡¯s using Water Type Energy to aid in her swimming, we¡¯ll have to address that later. But for now it¡¯s fine, since she¡¯s just warming up.¡± Charlie tilted his head in confusion at his mother. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°In a battle, yes. But during training, it¡¯s best to have Typhoon rely on her physique to swim. We¡¯ll have to be careful not to confuse her of course, make it clear that this is only during training. We don¡¯t want to slow her down in a battle.¡± Charlie nodded and committed his mother¡¯s advice to memory. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe I should get a notebook and start writing stuff down like Nina.¡± He mused. ¡°Anyways,¡± Kumiko continued. ¡°I just want to confirm the route that you and Typhoon want to take. Are you guys still looking to evolve into a Poliwrath or does Typhoon want to turn into a Politoed?¡± Charlie hummed in consideration. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. I think Typhoon doesn¡¯t care, but isn¡¯t a King¡¯s Rock expensive?¡± Kumiko shook her head in response. ¡°You should sit down and have a talk with Typhoon then. It¡¯s always important to gather the opinion of your Pokemon before locking in an Evolution. And King¡¯s Rocks aren¡¯t that rare these days, some boffins somewhere have figured out how to fabricate them. They¡¯re still a little pricey but nothing you can¡¯t afford with a little hard work.¡± Charlie nodded and added another item on his mental to-do list. ¡°I think for now, I just want Typhoon to be the strongest Poliwhirl that she can be. There¡¯s nothing wrong with having a stronger Pokemon to evolve from right?¡± The boy¡¯s mother chuckled and reached out to ruffle his hair. ¡°No worries, let¡¯s just stick with a balanced regiment for now. Typhoon still has some time before she¡¯s ready so there¡¯s no need to rush. And I noticed that she hasn¡¯t fully mastered Water Absorb yet, that simply won¡¯t do. The pair of mother and son then proceeded to hash out a few more details while they waited for Typhoon to finish her warm up. *** ¡°Hey err¡­ son, do you have a minute?¡± Stephen Rockford approached Charlie after dinner, looking more meek than usual. Charlie did not fail to notice the look that his mother gave the man before this. All that time working in customer service did wonders in boosting the boy¡¯s perception. He nodded in response to his father¡¯s query and stood up to follow him out into the yard. Charlie hadn¡¯t spoken to his father much since he just returned home yesterday. This was in addition to Stephen¡¯s busy work schedule, though Charlie was beginning to suspect that might have been intentional on his father¡¯s part. Stephen awkwardly placed a hand on Charlie¡¯s shoulder and gave him a little squeeze. ¡°I erm¡­¡± The man sighed, looking more vulnerable and weak than Charlie had ever seen him. In Charlie¡¯s eyes, his father was like Mount Silver, strong, reliable, and steady. A constant fixture in his life that never faltered, and nigh impossible to surmount for the average person. Seeing the feeble look in the man¡¯s eyes made Charlie nervous, like the world was about to be shattered into a million pieces ¡ª if there was something that could unnerve even Stephen Rockford, then what hope did a wimp like Charlie have? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son¡­ about everything¡­¡± Stephen choked. ¡°About your Aunt Vanessa, about the Vermillion Flame, and all that you had to go through.¡± Charlie¡¯s dad gave him one more squeeze as he took in a sharp breath and averted his gaze. ¡°When I said that I wanted you to surpass us, I didn¡¯t mean for¡­¡± Stephen let go of his son and stepped away from him. The man had his back turned against Charlie, but the boy could still hear his subdued sobbing. Charlie was unsure of what to do. So he just stood there awkwardly, feeling a little bad about himself for causing his usually composed father to break down like this. ¡°We¡¯ll always be there for you, son. I want you to know that.¡± Stephen continued, after a lengthy moment of silence, as he finally turned around to face Charlie again. But this time, his gaze was steady and reassuring just like the one that Charlie grew up with. ¡°Thanks dad¡­ I erm¡­¡± Charlie stuttered, unsure of what to say in response. ¡°Thank you, and I¡¯m sorry that I wasn¡¯t stronger. I should have opened up sooner, but I just¡­ I didn¡¯t want to let you and mom down¡­¡± Now it was the boy¡¯s turn to cry as his father pulled him in for a hug. They stayed in each other¡¯s embrace for some time until Charlie calmed down, and Stephen pulled away to ruffle his son¡¯s hair with a chuckle. ¡°You really are a silly Psyduck. We¡¯ll never be disappointed in you, Charlie. So long as you stay happy and live a proper and righteous life that is ¡ª wouldn¡¯t want you to run off and join Team Rocket or something.¡± Charlie sniffled as he laughed. There was no way that he would allow himself to fall that low. He¡¯d seen enough of society¡¯s dregs during his various work experiences to develop an aversion towards them. ¡°Anyway, that isn¡¯t all that I wanted to talk to you about.¡± Stephen continued. He gestured for Charlie to follow as they walked towards the little hut that he had built for their family¡¯s Donphan. ¡°Would you be willing to take Murph with you on your journey?¡± Murphy Jr was the name that Stephen had given to the Phanpy that they caught in the Safari Zone all those years ago. It was in commemoration of their memorable encounter with the herd¡¯s Alpha. Both Stephen and Nina thought that it was hilarious at the time, a sentiment that Kumiko did not share as she dragged her husband through the ringer for his sick sense of humour. Charlie gawked at his father¡¯s proposal. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Dad, are you sure? Don¡¯t you need Murph for your construction work?¡± Stephen nodded and gave his son a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°Yeap, Murph¡¯s always been a little restless and I can¡¯t take her out on walks as often as I should.¡± He also added that the scenery around Cerulean City has become quite stale for the Donphan, and that they could always just use machinery in her place. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ve talked to Murph about this and she¡¯s quite eager to venture out. Not to mention, your mother and I would feel a lot better if you had an experienced Pokemon in your team.¡± By all accounts, Charlie should have nurtured an equivalently strong Pokemon by this point. The fact that he hadn¡¯t just goes to show how much the boy had been allowed to languish over the years. Charlie¡¯s knee jerk reaction was to reject the offer, not liking the idea of being coddled. But the still rational part of his brain held him back. Deep down, he knew that he needed all the help he could get if he wanted to catch up to his peers. And if that meant taking on the crutch that was a legacy Pokemon then so be it. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like they can make fun of me anymore than they already are.¡± The boy decided that he would not allow himself to be beholden to the petty scrutiny of others any longer. ¡°What¡¯s important is my own goals and what I want. Ichi and his lackeys can jeer at me all they like, but I won¡¯t care anymore.¡± Charlie took a deep breath and looked his father in the eye. ¡°Thanks dad, I¡¯ll make sure to take good care of Murphy Jr.¡± And with that, Charlie added another member into his budding team. He was still serious about wanting to catch a Spearow, but that could come later when he found the right Pokemon. The boy won¡¯t allow himself to repeat the same mistake he made with his Butterfree. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°One step at a time, Charlie. One step at a time¡­¡± *** Author''s note: No one commented on this so I assume no one got the reference. But the original Alpha Donphan was actually named after Murphy''s Law. Since Alphas were mentioned in that arc, therefore an Alpha appeared. Side Story: Charlie Part 2 Charlie''s current Pokemon. Typhoon the Poliwhirl (F)Growlithe (unnamed) (F)Murphy Jr the Donphan (F) *** ¡°RUUUNNN!!!¡± Charlie and his team booked it, yelping in pain each time they felt solid beaks against their tender flesh. Murphy Jr was unaffected though. But the armor Pokemon wasn¡¯t as fast as her companions, so she took to curling up and rolling beside them, further discouraging any of the Spearows from going after her. ¡°Dammit! What did I do wrong? I approached the flock with Berries and everything!¡± Charlie lamented. He could have sworn he¡¯d seen his childhood friend do this dozens of times before, and it always worked for her. ¡°Ouch!¡± Charlie exclaimed as he pulled his cap down to secure it, even raising his arms to cover his head against the relentless onslaught of angry Spearows. ¡°Dammit! Growlithe, use Ember, scare them away!¡± The boy commanded, but that was a mistake. The Fire from his Growlithe only served to further agitate the bird Pokemon, and because Growlithe had to pause in her steps to execute the move, it turned her into an easy target as the Spearow all piled onto her. ¡°Shoot!¡± Charlie cursed, running back to shield his puppy with his body and scooping her up in his embrace before continuing their frantic escape. Charlie gasped as he collapsed underneath a tree. It took a while, but the Spearows finally relented and gave up on pursuing them. ¡°That was a close one huh, Typhoon?¡± Charlie almost saw his life flashing before his eyes when one of the Spearows overtook them and charged towards his face with its claws primed. However, just as the boy was reaching to pat his partner on the back, the Poliwhirl winced in pain. ¡°Oh shoot!¡± Charlie unslung his backpack and frantically began searching. In his relief, he had completely neglected the sorry state of his Pokemon. ¡°Dammit Charlie, you gotta do better than this!¡± He chided, eyes teary, while completely ignoring the bloody wounds that he himself had sustained as well. After a bit of rummaging, he finally grabbed hold of a Super Potion, one of the only three that he bought, but now was not the time to be stingy. In fact, Charlie regretted not buying more since it would take over a week for him to trek from Cerulean to Pewter City, thanks to the rough terrain of Route 3. ¡°There, buddy, how does that feel? Did I miss a spot?¡± Typhoon pointed to a few other areas that Charlie had overlooked, prompting the boy to continue spraying the healing Potion. After that was done, the Poliwhirl rubbed at her belly with a subdued ¡°Whirl¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s the matter, girl? Did you get a tummy ache? Or are you hungry?¡± Typhoon nodded at the latter and Charlie checked his Pokegear for the time. ¡°Oh wow, we wasted the whole day on that chase.¡± They had set out from Cerulean City at around mid-morning, and it was now late noon, which meant that they had completely skipped over lunch. In fact, it was now closer to dinner time than lunch time. No wonder Typhoon was hungry, and after such a strenuous run to boot. ¡°Sorry, buddy. Let me tend to Growlithe and Murph and I¡¯ll go get dinner ready for us, okay?¡± said Charlie, which was exactly what he did as he grabbed his Fire puppy and did a thorough check of her health. Murphy Jr was completely fine though, just a little hungry as well. Charlie laid out Typhoon¡¯s bowl and filled it with a combination of Pokechow and a mix of fresh and preserved Berries. The boy had purchased a Silph Co backpack using some of his hard earned money, but it was one of the more basic models that lacked any refrigeration compartments. So he couldn¡¯t stock up on as many Berries as he would like. He did have Berry Pouches which were good for preserving the fruits, but those were meant to be portable and could only hold a handful of Berries at most. As it was, the majority of the Berries he carried might go bad within the week, but using it all upfront would expend them in mere days. So his parents suggested getting dried and pickled Berries to stretch his supplies. ¡°Alright Typhoon, dig in. And make sure to take your supplements as well, alright?¡± Charlie said, as he laid a thumb sized pill on the edge of Typhoon¡¯s bowl, eliciting a shudder from the Poliwhirl. Charlie let out a wry smile and gave his partner a reassuring pat. The nasty looking green pill was a herbal supplement that one of Nina¡¯s friends, the Joy girl, had recommended to him. And as everyone knows, one does not simply ignore the advice of a Joy. Next, he moved on to his glutinous Growlithe, who, thankfully, was being distracted by Murphy Jr who was tossing the Fire dog into the air over and over again with her powerful trunk. Charlie laughed at the sight and reached out to grab hold of Growlithe on her way down, causing the canine to whimper in disappointment as she licked her trainer in retaliation. ¡°Sorry to ruin your fun, but it¡¯s chow time, girl. If you want to keep playing, I can serve Murphy first.¡± ¡°Arf! Aroof!¡± Growlithe pawed frantically at Charlie, eager to be fed. The boy grinned and nuzzled at Growlithe¡¯s warm fur in response, before setting her down to prepare her food. *** ¡°A Spearow might be out of the question for now¡­¡± Charlie sighed as he adjusted the grip on his fishing rod. Since there was still a few hours of daylight left, Charlie consulted his map and was able to locate a little water source just twenty minute¡¯s walk from where they were resting earlier. He wanted to try his hand at fishing for Water Pokemon, so he packed up and made his way there. Not to mention, it was simply more convenient to camp near a source of water. On the far edge of the pond, Typhoon was languidly floating in leisure, Murphy was roaming around trying to forage for snacks, while Growlithe just laid beside Charlie in bliss. Seeing the peaceful look on Growlithe''s face elicited a yawn from Charlie. Having a warm bundle of fur cuddled up so close to him really served to compound the exhaustion he felt after a long day of running for his life. But before he could doze off, his fishing rod started shaking. ¡°Dammit!¡± Charlie cursed as he frantically began reeling his catch in. He must have hooked a feisty one because the line was violently jerking from side to side, practically on the verge of snapping. ¡°Typhoon! Dive in and weaken it!¡± He called, spurring the Poliwhirl into action. Shortly after, Charlie¡¯s struggle against the fishing rod intensified, nearly pulling him into water, before calming down again. Sensing that the time was right, the boy heaved with all his might and pulled his catch free from the water to reveal an unhappy looking Goldeen on the other end, followed by a Poliwhirl who jumped out of the water at almost the same time. The Goldeen flopped onto shore, but was otherwise unrelenting as it glared at the boy holding a fishing rod in his hands and shot a Water Gun at him. Charlie fell on his butt in an attempt to dodge the attack, before Typhoon interceded and slammed a Pound onto the Goldeen. The Goldeen yelped in pain as it was sent bouncing on the ground. But to its credit, it somehow managed to right itself awkwardly before refocusing its attention on Typhoon to unleash a Water Pulse on the tadpole Pokemon. ¡°Tank it, Typhoon! Let¡¯s test out your Water Absorb.¡± Typhoon grunted at the impact, but was then partially rejuvenated by the Water Type Energy contained within the Water Pulse. The ability wasn¡¯t perfected just yet, but it was enough to give the Poliwhirl an edge in aquatic battles for now. Charlie recalled his mother¡¯s advice of using the ability in battle whenever possible, since the stress will help Typhoon develop it faster. ¡°Hypnosis, Typhoon. Let¡¯s try our best not to hurt Goldeen too much.¡± Charlie called as the lines on Typhoon¡¯s belly began swirling around in a dizzying pattern. The lines weren¡¯t actually moving of course, it was merely an optical illusion. But a very effective one, as Goldeen¡¯s eyes began to droop in lethargy. The Goldeen¡¯s sprightly bounce faltered, becoming weak little flops as the Pokemon was lulled into sleep. Charlie held back his cheer and grabbed an empty Pokeball on his belt to throw at Goldeen. The impact woke the goldfish Pokemon, but it didn¡¯t matter as it was absorbed into the red and white sphere in a flash of light. The Pokeball fell onto the ground and began wiggling. This was always the most tense moment when it came to battle captures like this. Because if the Pokemon was dead set on not wanting to go with a human, no amount of attempts afterwards would work, and Charlie would have to give up. Unless he was willing to faint the Pokemon, to prevent it from struggling. However, that was something that the boy was unwilling to do. Besides, the nurses in the Pokemon Center were sure to do an emotional evaluation on any Pokemon that they received. So any force captures would be swiftly dealt with. The whole process took longer than Charlie was expecting. Or perhaps it was just his nerves diluting his sense of time. But after a few more wiggles, the Pokeball finally stopped moving and flashed red with a satisfying thunk. ¡°Heck yeah!¡± Charlie jumped up in excitement, prompting Typhoon to do the same, as the pair of trainer and mon held each other¡¯s hands and danced around in a circle to celebrate their victory. Once everyone had settled down, Charlie prepared a bowl with some Pokechow and Berries to welcome his newest family member. His other three Pokemon stood at a distance in equal parts excitement and trepidation. They didn¡¯t want to overwhelm the Goldeen and trigger its fight or flight response. The post capture experience for Pokemon was always jarring. After all, they went from an intense battle, to being confined in some mechanical doodad, to having a Psychic signature imprinted onto them, only to be released again ¡ª possibly in an entirely new environment. It was a very stressful ordeal, and having unfamiliar Pokemon surround them upon release was only going to make things worse. Taking a deep breath, Charlie expanded Goldeen¡¯s Pokeball and released it by the edge of the pond. ¡°Deen!¡± The Goldeen looked around in confusion, before its brilliant blue eyes settled on the boy who attacked it earlier. Charlie smiled awkwardly at his newest capture. ¡°Hi, Goldeen¡­ Sorry about rudely disturbing your peace. I¡¯ve got some food and Berries here for you as a token of my apology.¡± He said as he gestured towards the bowl of food he laid out. Goldeen narrowed its eyes at Charlie, but still huffed in indignation and chowed down on the free food that it was offered. Charlie¡¯s smile became more confident, happy that he had succeeded in taking the first step towards a more cordial relationship. ¡°Anyways, the reason why I was fishing around is because I was looking for a Water Pokemon to add into my little family.¡± The boy gestured towards his other Pokemon who each greeted the newbie with a friendly wave, Murphy Jr with her trunk, and Growlithe with a friendly bark. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I might not be the best trainer around, but I¡¯m willing to work hard and train you to be the strongest you can be.¡± Charlie then talked about his mother who was a Water Type specialist, and his friend who was a Gym Trainer. ¡°So yeah, if there¡¯s stuff I don¡¯t know, you can bet that help is just a call away.¡± Charlie paused, allowing his words to sink in as the Goldeen considered his offer. Taming Pokemon was quite the ordeal, and something that Charlie was not confident in. He remembered taking some classes on the subject back in school. But he was completely devoid of any practical experience. So if at all possible, he preferred it if Goldeen would work with him willingly. Otherwise, he would simply finish feeding the Pokemon and release it back into the wild. ¡°So¡­ if you¡¯re up for it, I¡¯d like it if you could join my team and go around challenging strong trainers.¡± Charlie said, before quickly backtracking on his statement a little. ¡°But like, if you¡¯re not that into battling, that¡¯s fine as well. I can¡¯t promise you I won¡¯t use you in battle, but I¡¯ll try my best to keep you out of any non-essential ones. Goldeen did not respond, simply continuing to focus on its meal. In particular, Charlie noticed that it had quite the fondness for Rawst Berries, which the boy made sure to note down in his mind for future reference. ¡°Deen.¡± After it was done eating, the Goldeen returned its attention to Charlie, carefully looking the boy over from top to bottom, before turning its gaze towards the boy¡¯s Pokemon, as if trying to assess their worthiness. ¡°Deen¡­ Goldeen.¡± After much deliberation, Goldeen returned its gaze to Charlie and gave him a curt little nod in affirmation, prompting another round of celebratory dance to break out. The Goldeen that Charlie captured ended up being male. Which was great, since every one of his team had been female so far. And given his gruff demeanor, Charlie decided to name him Lance, after the Indigo League¡¯s Champion. *** ¡°Make sure to teach Goldeen how to Air Swim before challenging the Pewter Gym,¡± said Kumiko, when Charlie called back home to check in at one point. Needless to say, the woman was not happy about her son¡¯s close encounter with the Spearows, a fact that Charlie had tried to hide, but in vain. Kumiko knew better than to ignore her instincts now, especially when it pertained to her children. So she relentlessly hounded Charlie until he opened up. ¡°And say hi to the folks over at the Gym for me will ya?¡± Stephen added. ¡°I heard Brock got himself into a spot of trouble recently.¡± ¡°Will do, dad.¡± Charlie responded. That call was over a week ago, and Charlie now found himself nearing the borders of Pewter City. The trip was a little rough at times, especially when he had to hunker down for a whole day when it started raining heavily all of a sudden. But compared to the ordeal he had to endure during that first day, everything went relatively smoothly. Charlie had briefly entertained the idea of passing through Mount Moon, but ultimately gave up. His Pokemon were exhausted after a week-long hike, and his limited backpack capacity meant that he was running precariously low on supplies. A detour into the bowels of Mount Moon was the last thing he needed. However, the boy did pass by the Ranger outpost on Route 3 just to check on the availability of the campgrounds. He would have liked to just pay for lodgings in one of the city¡¯s numerous hostels, but he needed to be conscious of his limited budget and opted to camp out for free instead. The campgrounds run by the Rangers had basic amenities like showers and toilets, so he wouldn¡¯t be left wanting. The only thing Charlie had to pay for was firewood, but there was a tradition among the campers where they would all just pool their funds together to maintain one big bonfire to save money. And given that this was the tail end of spring, the weather was pleasant enough that a large bonfire wouldn¡¯t really be necessary anyway. So it¡¯s likely that Charlie could just make do with his portable stove. Thankfully, the campgrounds surrounding Pewter City were relatively empty during this time of year, since most people preferred Pewter as their first Gym. So Charlie registered his name at the reception and headed back out to go visit the Pokemon Center. His Pokemon were in need of a more thorough checkup after such a long journey. ¡°Ahh¡­ Sweet air conditioning¡­¡± Charlie moaned, the moment that he stepped into the Pokemon Center ¡ª air conditioning truly was the hallmark of civilization. Luckily there was no one paying attention to his embarrassing little outburst, because they were all focused on the vicinity of the reception desk for some reason. Charlie followed the gaze of the small crowd to find a familiar looking macho man grovelling in front of the reception. ¡°Please! Ayaka, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± Brock pleaded, only to be met with a disgusted gaze from the Joy who was manning the reception. ¡°Mind your decorum, Mr Harrison. As Gym Leader, it is your responsibility to uphold our city¡¯s dignity.¡± The nurse rebuked, who Charlie presumed was the Ayaka in question. The woman gestured towards their spectators and once again, in no uncertain terms, told her disfranchised paramour to stand up and stop making a fool of himself However, Brock was undeterred and simply persisted in his plea. ¡°Ayaka, please! You have to believe me ¡ª I love you, and only you! There¡¯s no other woman I¡¯d rather be with. This is all just a misunderstanding!¡± Charlie could tell that the nurse was starting to lose her patience as veins began bulging on her temple. ¡°Save it for someone who cares, Mr Harrison. Perhaps that blue haired skank you¡¯re so enamoured with¡­ Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have patients that need tending to.¡± The nurse turned to leave with a haughty flick of her bouncy pink hair, while gesturing towards a security guard who was standing by the side. The guard let out an exasperated sigh and approached the Gym Leader to give the man a gentle pat on the back. ¡°Alright, up you go Brock¡­ The missus is right, you¡¯re making a fool of yourself. Come on, I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± The heavyset man gently grabbed Brock by his arm and coaxed him up on his feet as they made their way out of the Pokemon Center. Charlie and the rest of the crowd watched on in amusement, some even recorded the entire proceeding. There was no doubt that today¡¯s events would probably make it on the Pokenet in due time. It was now up to the court of public opinion to decide on how to perceive Brock¡¯s humiliation; either make a meme out of the guy or crucify his reputation, but more than likely, it''d be both. Charlie felt bad for his dad¡¯s childhood friend, but that drama did leave him in a bit of a dilemma ¡ª there was now no one around at the reception desk. Which meant that Charlie couldn¡¯t get his Pokemon healed. The boy sighed. ¡°What now, do I wait or come back?¡± Ultimately, he decided to catch up to Brock to check on the guy. Charlie¡¯s dad did tell him to send his regards after all. ¡°Brock! Hey, Brock!¡± The listlessly trudging Gym Leader perked up slightly and turned his head around, only to instantly fall back into depression when he saw Charlie. ¡°Sorry, kid¡­ I¡¯m not in the mood for autographs right now.¡± He said as he continued trudging along. Charlie frowned and planted himself in front of Brock to stop the man in his tracks. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for an autograph. My name is Charlie Rockford, my dad¡¯s Stephen.¡± He said. ¡°You know? Stephen Rockford? He told me to say hi to you if we ever get a chance to meet.¡± Brock instantly lit up at the mention of his old friend. ¡°Ahh¡­ You¡¯re Stephen¡¯s kid!¡± Brock grabbed hold of Charlie¡¯s shoulders and gave the boy a good look. ¡°Yeap, that¡¯s Stephen¡¯s nose alright.¡± The man laughed and pulled Charlie in for a friendly hug. ¡°Gosh, I remember you were just a little kid the last time I saw you. Time flies, huh?¡± Charlie let out an awkward laugh at the man¡¯s enthusiasm. The rapid change in Brock¡¯s mood was quite jarring. ¡°Yeah, I just took some time off school to go on my journey. I was actually planning to go challenge your Gym at some point, but only once I have my newest Pokemon trained up.¡± Brock nodded in approval. ¡°Good lad, don¡¯t just settle for a baby badge like some of these other kids. Try to aim higher if you can. There¡¯s nothing wrong with being over-prepared.¡± The man then invited Charlie to go have a meal with him, citing the fact that he thought the boy needed to bulk up a little ¡ª a sentiment that Stephen also shared. ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t want to take up too much of your time. Don¡¯t you need to return to the Gym?¡± ¡°I err¡­¡± Brock¡¯s smile faltered somewhat at the query, as he gazed wistfully at the direction of the Pokemon Center that he was just evicted from. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said, finally. ¡°I left things in Forrest¡¯s hands for now. He¡¯ll take good care of things while I¡¯m away. ¡®Sides, it¡¯s not always I get to meet an old friend ¡ª gotta make the most of it.¡± The man, once again, beckoned for the boy to follow. ¡°Come on, I know a great place around this neighbourhood ¡ª they¡¯re friendly towards Pokemon as well.¡± Not knowing what else to do, Charlie just shrugged and started walking with the Gym Leader as they chatted about Charlie¡¯s family. Side Story: Charlie Part 3 Charlie''s current Pokemon. Typhoon the Poliwhirl (F)Growlithe (unnamed) (F)Murphy Jr the Donphan (F)Lance the Goldeen (M) *** ¡°Use Flamewheel, Growlithe!¡± With a sharp howl, a circle of fire enveloped Growlithe to defend against the Sandshrew she was facing and its incessant rollout. But to little effect, as the Sandhrew merely plowed through the flames and slammed into Charlie¡¯s Growlithe, forcing her to cancel the move. ¡°Hang in there, Growlithe!¡± said the frowning Charlie. ¡°Get up and use Agility.¡± ¡°Arf!¡± Growlithe barked as she got up and did as she was told, running around the rocky arena of Pewter Gym to try and build up some speed. Unfortunately, the hazardous nature of the arena meant that there wasn¡¯t really a clear path for her to run with all the boulders, humps, divots, and rocks on the field, causing the puppy Pokemon to constantly have to jump around and slow down to evade the obstacles barring her way. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough, Sandshrew,¡± called the Gym Trainer who was currently assessing Charlie. ¡°Sand Attack into a Bulldoze, let¡¯s end this.¡± The Sandshrew cried out in affirmation and steadied itself for an opportunity to strike. But Charlie wasn¡¯t going to let his Pokemon get taken out that easily. ¡°Forget Agility, use Flamethrower, Growlithe!¡± ¡°Arf!¡± Growlithe skidded to a halt with all four of her stubby paws digging into the ground while she took in a deep breath and let out a burst of flames towards the Sandshrew. However, the armadillo Pokemon merely rolled out of the way and hid behind a boulder, the flames barely singing the Ground Type¡¯s hardy scales. Charlie gritted his teeth in frustration but told Growlithe to keep up with the heat, hoping to smoke the Sandshrew out. For a brief moment, the arena fell into a lull, but even after Growlithe ran out of flames and huffed in exhaustion, Sandshrew was still nowhere to be seen. Charlie furrowed his brows in confusion, thinking through his options. His instinctive reaction was to ask his Growlithe to get close, but immediately dismissed that notion. ¡°That¡¯s probably what they¡¯re after.¡± He thought, after recalling what the Gym Trainer said before. ¡°Use Howl, Growlithe!¡± The boy called, after finally deciding to play it safe. However, before Growlithe could act on the command, the ground surrounding the puppy stirred and burst apart to reveal a Sandshrew who had just burrowed out of the ground. Charlie gasped in shock and quickly yelled for his Growlithe to dodge, but before he could even get a single word out, Sandshrew had already blinded Growlithe with a Sand Attack. ¡°Get out of there Growlithe!¡± Charlie called out to his Fire puppy, who was currently yelping in a panic and desperately shaking her head to get rid of the sand. Needless to say, the well-trained Sandshrew did not let go of that momentary weakness by crashing into Growlithe with a Ground Type Energy infused Bulldoze, sending Charlie¡¯s Pokemon barreling towards the distance and slamming into a boulder. The impact was hard enough to form cracks on the point of impact. Charlie clenched his fist in frustration and returned his Growlithe, who was clearly unfit to continue battling. ¡°Sorry, girl. I¡¯ll make it up to you later with all your favourite treats.¡± He whispered. With a shake of his head, Charlie forced himself to get over his self-loathing and returned his gaze towards the Sandshrew. ¡°That Sandshrew is looking weak, and I can tell that it suffered through some burns.¡± He thought, referring to the dark patches on the armadillo Pokemon¡¯s soft underbelly, as well as some residual embers that were still licking at the seams of its coarse, segmented scales. The boy smiled, glad to know that his Growlithe¡¯s hard work was not in vain. ¡°Alright, Typhoon. Let¡¯s avenge Growlithe!¡± And with a flash of light, Charlie¡¯s Poliwhirl took to the arena. The moment that the referee called for the start of the round, Sandshrew tried to use Dig again, only to be thwarted by an intense Bubble Beam from Typhoon. ¡°Don¡¯t let up, Typhoon. Use Hypnosis!¡± The Gym Trainer told his Sandshrew to avert its eyes, but it was too late as Typhoon¡¯s mesmerizing swirls stole the gaze of Sandshrew and caused it to wobble unsteadily in place. ¡°Get in there with an Ice Punch, Typhoon! Don¡¯t let up!¡± Charlie exclaimed, not wanting to miss this opening. ¡°Whirl!¡± Typhoon cried out in determination as she ran towards her opponent while focusing a frosty layer of Ice Type Energy around her powerful fist. ¡°Shrew!!!¡± Sandshrew reeled in pain as the ice hard fist collided with its head, the impact shattering the layer of Ice coating Poliwhirl¡¯s knuckles. ¡°Body Slam!¡± ¡°Whirl!¡± Typhoon did as she was told, capitalizing on her residual momentum to crash into Sandshrew and pinning the struggling armadillo against the ground. ¡°Give it everything you got, Typhoon!¡± Charlie was buzzing at this point, high on the feeling of victory within his grasp. In the end, Sandshrew was taken out with a point blank Bubble Beam, followed by another Ice Punch. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± declared the Gym Trainer, whose figure was obscured by all the boulders and rocks between them. He then sent out a Geodude, who Typhoon also took out handily. But Charlie couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his opponent was taking it easy on him, since that Geodude was withdrawn too soon. ¡°Nina did say that Gym Trainers will throw a match once they feel like they¡¯ve seen enough of a challenger¡¯s capabilities. Something about not wanting to wear out their Pokemon.¡± Charlie mused, hoping that the Gym Trainer¡¯s conduct was a sign in his favor. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve earned the right to challenge the Pewter City Gym Leader. When would you like to schedule the match?¡± The Gym Trainer said, once Charlie met up with him after the battle. Charlie clenched his fist and almost cheered out in celebration, but right as he did, he thought of something very important. ¡°Wait, what difficulty challenge will I be facing?¡± He asked, hoping that it would be at the intermediate level at least. The burly Gym Trainer, who looked like a younger version of Brock, raised an eyebrow at the kid before him while tapping at his tablet. ¡°Your challenge will be at the beginner level.¡± He said, causing Charlie to droop in disappointment. ¡°May I ask, why?¡± The boy murmured. The Gym Trainer smiled and gave Charlie a light pat on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re close, kid. But you¡¯re not quite there yet.¡± He replied. ¡°I can see that your Growlithe has the potential to beat Sandshrew just now, but a series of poor decisions lead to her defeat. Had you managed to win that round, I would have qualified you for the intermediate challenge.¡± Charlie sighed, feeling frustrated at himself for dropping the ball like that. It was always the same way with him, whenever a battle got too heated, his emotions would get the better of him and caused him to make dumb mistakes. On the other hand, his classmates at the Vermilion Flame might have started off the same way, but learned very quickly to keep a cool head in battle, a state that Charlie was simply unable to cultivate for whatever reason. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use your Goldeen?¡± The Gym Trainer asked as he continued to read Charlie¡¯s profile. ¡°I¡¯ve only had Lance for less than two weeks, he¡¯s not ready for battle yet.¡± Charlie answered. Not to mention the fact that his Goldeen hadn¡¯t learned how to air swim yet either. Lance, like his namesake, was quite an aggressive Pokemon. Not to the point where he could be described as unruly or feral, but the Goldeen did have a shorter fuse than Charlie¡¯s other Pokemon, so he couldn¡¯t spend as much time training him as he would like. The Gym Trainer nodded his head in approval. ¡°A good call,¡± he praised. ¡°What about your Donphan then?¡± He continued asking. Charlie winced and averted his gaze. He wasn¡¯t sure what expression he made at the time, but it seemed that the Gym Trainer glimpsed something from it and chose not to pry any further. In truth, while Charlie had accepted his dad¡¯s generosity, he didn¡¯t want to be carried by a ringer if possible. Especially not for his first badge. The boy¡¯s self esteem was as low as it could get at this point, which was why he was desperately clinging onto what little fragile remnants he had left. And relying on Murphy Jr to secure his first badge was definitely something that he wouldn¡¯t be able to let down for the rest of his life. ¡°I take it you¡¯ll want to try again for the higher difficulty?¡± The Gym Trainer asked, eliciting a nod from the boy. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put you in as a priority, so there¡¯s no need to wait in line the next time you return.¡± The man then gave Charlie another pat and a squeeze on the shoulder. ¡°All the best, but make sure not to push your Pokemon too hard.¡± Charlie thanked the man and walked out of the screening arena back to the lobby. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± A familiar voice came as Charlie was about to exit the Gym. He turned around in response and saw the familiar figure of Brock waving at him. ¡°Oh, hey there Brock. Fancy seeing you here.¡± Brock laughed at Charlie¡¯s response. ¡°I mean, can¡¯t a guy be in his own Gym?¡± Charlie chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. ¡°Yes, but shouldn¡¯t you be at the back dealing with challengers or something?¡± Brock replied by saying that it¡¯s not that busy around this time of the year and that he saw Charlie¡¯s name on the challenger list and got curious. ¡°Did my brother give you a hard time?¡± He asked. Charlie shook his head. ¡°No, not really. He was really fair. And I did win¡­ Just that, it was only for the beginner challenge.¡± He then went on to relay everything that Brock¡¯s brother said to him and said that he would try again once he trained his Goldeen on how to air swim. ¡°Yeah, Forrest can be a little strict at times, but he¡¯s not wrong.¡± Brock responded, as he hummed in consideration. ¡°Do you have a training plan in place for your Goldeen?¡± Charlie wilted. ¡°No¡­ I was going to call my mom and maybe a friend of mine who works with Misty for advice.¡± ¡°Do you mind lending me your map for a sec?¡± Charlie tilted his head in confusion at the Gym Leader¡¯s request, but still complied by handing over his Pokegear. Brock fiddled with Charlie¡¯s Pokegear for a bit before going behind the reception desk to rummage around and dug out a rusty iron key, one that was almost the size of Charlie¡¯s hand. ¡°Here,¡± Brock urged, as he handed the two items to Charlie. ¡°I marked the location of a water wheel on your map, the key is to a disused hydroelectric power plant that¡¯s attached to it ¡ª well, I say power plant, but it¡¯s more of a wooden hut really.¡± The Gym Leader explained that there was a waterfall right next to the waterwheel and that it would be helpful for Charlie¡¯s training purposes. ¡°The mist and water vapours surrounding the waterfall saturates the air with an abundance of Water Type Energy. You¡¯ll find that Goldeen will have an easier time training in that environment.¡± Brock said. ¡°The place is a little far away from the city, so if you find yourself forgetting the time, then feel free to use the wooden hut for shelter ¡ª it¡¯s a little run down, but last I checked, it was still sturdy enough that it won¡¯t collapse on you or spring a leak or something.¡± Charlie lit up at Brock¡¯s generosity and thanked the man profusely for his kindness. ¡°No worries, just stay safe out there in the woods, alright? I don¡¯t want Stephen hunting me down for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Will do!¡± Charlie exclaimed, before thanking Brock again and left to heal his Pokemon at the Pokemon Center. *** Charlie fed some Berries to his Goldeen as an encouragement for the training they were about to undertake. ¡°Alright Lance, let¡¯s try your air swim again.¡± The boy said, his voice slightly muffled by the roaring waterfall in the background. Every breath that Charlie took felt dense and cool with water molecules, his skin perpetually tickled by moisture and mist. Brock was right, this entire area was filled with Water Type Energy. Lance the Goldeen nodded in understanding after he had his fill of Berries, the Goldfish Pokemon liked to be rewarded upfront, with an additional bonus at the end of training. Else, he simply did not have enough motivation to entertain the whims of his trainer. ¡°Deen!¡± With a determined cry, Lance burst out of the water and into the air, trying and failing to secure enough Water Type Energy to coat his body before flopping back into the river. ¡°Try to coat your body with Water Type Energy before you come out of the water.¡± Charlie instructed. ¡°That way, you just need to focus on maintaining that connection when you¡¯re in the air.¡± Lance frowned in frustration and did as he was told. That second attempt was better, but he only briefly held in the air before falling back down again. Charlie clapped in encouragement. ¡°Good work, Lance. Almost there, just gotta keep at it.¡± The Goldeen attempted a few more tries after that, but with mixed results. Charlie couldn¡¯t seem to pinpoint what the issue was. There was no lack of Water Energy surrounding them, and his Goldeen seemed to understand the mechanics of ¡®Air Swimming¡¯, but he just couldn¡¯t maintain that state for very long. ¡°Maybe he needs more buildup?¡± Charlie wondered as he looked towards the waterfall. ¡°Do you think you can swim up the waterfall and gradually get into the air?¡± He asked, only to receive an incredulous look in return from the Goldeen. Charlie smiled sheepishly. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s worth a try right?¡± Lance rolled his bulbous eyes at his idiotic human and tried his suggestion, only to be beaten down by the heavy waterfall and be sucked into the swirling vortex underneath it. ¡°Lance!¡± yelled a panicking Charlie, as he scrambled to release Typhoon. Fortunately, the gesture wasn¡¯t necessary, because the Goldeen surfaced shortly after he disappeared into the currents, looking pissed like a Mankey as he did. ¡°Hah! Dumbass!¡± Charlie was startled by an unfamiliar voice coming from behind him. The boy jolted in surprise and turned around frantically. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Charlie yelled, only to see that an unfamiliar boy had intruded upon the area at some point, and was currently sitting cross-legged on a rock and observing him with a twisted sneer on his face. The boy seemed to be around Charlie¡¯s age, maybe a bit younger, with tanned skin, a buzzcut, and familiar looking slit-eyes that marked him as part of the Harrison family. In lieu of a response, the unknown boy simply snorted and waved dismissively at Charlie. ¡°You suck, kid. And you¡¯re trespassing on my turf, so get lost before I make you.¡± Charlie frowned at the kid¡¯s rudeness. ¡°First off, I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re around the same age, kid.¡± He retorted, merely eliciting a loud snort from the boy. ¡°And secondly, my name is Charlie. Brock recommended this place to me, he even gave me a key to that old power plant over there.¡± The boy said, as he waved around the rusty iron key that Brock gave him. The rude boy scoffed at Charlie¡¯s words, his sneer twisting into a scowl as he did. ¡°Of course that wuss took interest in a loser like you.¡± Charlie¡¯s eyes twitched at being called a ¡°loser¡±, but instead of allowing himself to be cowed like he used to back in trainer school, he gritted his teeth and glared at the uppity kid. ¡°Screw you!¡± He yelled. ¡°What would you know? I bet you¡¯re all talk. The rest of your family¡¯s working hard at the Gym and yet here you are, lazing around.¡± Charlie sneered. ¡°I betcha they don¡¯t even want you in the Gym!¡± It felt good to be mean, like a rock nestled deep within the pit of his stomach had finally been dislodged. Charlie tried to be friendly and amicable even as his cousins and former classmates walked all over him. He told himself that he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to stoop beneath them, for all the good that it did him. But no more! Charlie Rockford won¡¯t allow himself to succumb to the whims and fancies of mean-spirited bullies ever again. This he swore, not to Arceus or his parents, but to himself. The rude boy reeled back at Charlie¡¯s intense gaze, face twitching all the while. ¡°W-whatever, loser!¡± He stuttered, before getting up and disappearing into the woods. Charlie sighed in relief as he let go of his angst, hands twitching from all the excess adrenaline his body was subjected to. ¡°Sorry about that, Lance,¡± the boy said, as he returned his attention to the Goldeen. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he came from, but let¡¯s just ignore him and continue with our training. Surprisingly, Charlie¡¯s little outburst seemed to have left a good impression on the angsty Goldeen, as Lance looked at his trainer with a glint in his eyes and responded to Charlie¡¯s words with a respectful nod. The boy smiled, glad to have at least made some gains from that unpleasant encounter. *** ¡°You¡¯re doing it all wrong.¡± Charlie sighed and turned to look towards the olive skinned boy, who he learned was named Cole at some point, but only after aggravating him enough and baiting him to blurt it out. Charlie had spent around a week camping out by the waterfall now, and everyday, Cole would stop by and mess with him. At first, he was annoyed by the inane taunts, but after some time, he came to the realization that the kid was probably just lonely and learned to appreciate having his company, as aggravating as that company may be. He also figured out that Cole was a lot more knowledgeable than he might seem, being that he came from a family of Gym Trainers after all. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So how am I supposed to do it then?¡± Charlie asked, he was still trying to train his Goldeen to air swim. Lance had made quite a lot of progress over this brief period of time, but he was lacking in endurance out of water, especially when he tried to battle or move around at the same time. Only managing to float in place for five to ten minutes at most. Cole scoffed. ¡°Figure it out yourself, dumbass.¡± Charlie shrugged and just continued with what he was doing before. The best way to prod Cole into action was to just ignore him and continue making the same mistake that he was making. That way, Cole would get frustrated enough to intervene once he couldn¡¯t stomach Charlie¡¯s incompetence anymore. Just like right now. ¡°Dammit! I told you, you¡¯re doing it all wrong!¡± Charlie flashed a smirk before schooling his expression and turning back to address Cole again. ¡°I did ask you what I¡¯m supposed to do. If you¡¯re not gonna help then just shut up and let me do my own thing.¡± Cole huffed and marched over to Lance with a scowl on his face, before lifting the Goldeen out of water and unceremoniously tossing the goldfish Pokemon onto land. ¡°Hey!¡± Charlie exclaimed, while Lance shot a Water Gun at Cole for the boy¡¯s rough treatment. ¡°Dammit! Tell that fish to cut it out!¡± Cole yelled, as he desperately tried to avoid getting wet. But if there was one thing that Charlie knew about his Goldeen, it was that Lance was very vindictive and wouldn¡¯t stop until he got his due. ¡°Not until you tell me why you so rudely took Lance out of water.¡± Charlie responded with a smug grin. Cole threw himself onto the ground to avoid a stream of water aimed at his face. ¡°Alright, fine! Just make it stop!¡± Charlie grinned at his triumph and asked Lance to stop with his attacks. ¡°Let¡¯s hear him out, Lance. You can continue later if you¡¯re not happy with Cole¡¯s answer.¡± He said to the fuming Goldeen, who begrudgingly halted his assault with an aggrieved huff. Cole groaned and propped himself up. ¡°You¡¯re pampering that stupid fish too much.¡± He said, eliciting a confused look from both Charlie and Lance. The boy clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°How do you expect your Goldeen to swim in air if he spends all his time in water?!¡± He exclaimed, before turning his back against Charlie, seemingly done with his curt explanation. Lance looked towards Charlie with a look that seemed to say; ¡°Can I continue drenching him now?¡± But Charlie lightly shook his head in denial as he contemplated the other boy¡¯s words. ¡°Lance, can you try swimming right now? Using just the ambient Water Energy around you.¡± Charlie said, wanting to give Cole¡¯s suggestion a shot before trying anything else. The Goldeen narrowed his eyes in doubt, but did as he was asked and tried to gather the water vapours permeating the surrounding air to achieve buoyancy. Lance floated in the air ever so slightly, steadily ascending until he was just a few centimeters off the ground and began swimming around. His speed was slow and movement sluggish, but he was indeed air swimming. Charlie took out his Pokegear and started a timer, steadily counting the time that Lance was able to remain active. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s never been able to keep going for so long before. That¡¯s awesome!¡± The boy exclaimed, turning to thank Cole for the tip. ¡°But why though?¡± He continued to ask. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Cole gave a haughty snort and begrudgingly explained the mechanics behind air swimming with his back still turned. ¡°The key is stability,¡± said the boy. ¡°If you start him off in water, then he¡¯s not gonna be able to get used to the sudden drop in Water Energy density once he gets out of it.¡± He explained. ¡°Obviously, If you start him off with less then he¡¯s gonna have to learn to make use of what he¡¯s got¡­ Dumbass.¡± That last bit of name calling was unnecessary, but Charlie did not mind. Rather he just smiled warmly at the boy and thanked him for the advice. *** Author''s Note: For those who don''t remember, Cole is Brock''s youngest brother and the kid that Nina defeated when she first visited Pewter City. The one that was given an Onix too early and caused a lot of trouble with it, resulting in Brock taking the Pokemon away from him after some "persuasion" from Nurse joy and Nina''s grandma. And since I noticed that some people have a hard time picking up context clues, I''ll give a quick rundown of Cole''s experience after his defeat in Nina''s hands. Since we last saw him, Cole was distanced from Flint and had undergone extensive disciplinary actions from Forrest, Brock''s brother. He''s the same age as Beverly and had actually completed his conference run in the same year but with middling results. That said, due to his rough childhood, his relationship with his family remains rocky. Cole refuses to work in his family''s Gym but also has an aversion to school. So nowadays, he just spends his time in limbo, trying to figure out what he wants to do in life while ocassionally joining Forrest in training his Pokemon. Side Story: Charlie Part 4 ¡°What¡­ are you eating?¡± Cole remarked, prompting Charlie to turn towards his companion with bulging cheeks as he tilted the contents of his pot for the other boy to see ¡°Hwant shome¡­¡± Charlie offered, only to receive a look of disgust in return. The boy shrugged and continued shovelling food into his mouth. Charlie was on a budget, which meant he needed to have priorities. And number one on his list was definitely the wellbeing of his Pokemon. Both Nina and his mom made it very clear that if Charlie were to ever neglect his Pokemon ever again, the two of them would join hands and make him regret it. Not that he would repeat that mistake ever again, even without the threat of the two scary ladies. Nope. Definitely not. So he made sure to stock up on good quality Pokechow for his Pokemon before he left the city for this secluded training camp. He already got an extensive list of appropriate feeds for Typhoon from Nina, and he just had to continue feeding Murphy Jr what his dad was feeding her. For Growlithe, since they were very common, it wasn¡¯t hard to come up with a diet for her through trial and error. He had to learn how to do some things by himself after all. Although, the most helpful advice that he got from every dependable person in his life was to consult the Pokemon Center on his Pokemon¡¯s diet. Which he did do for his recently acquired Goldeen. That said, he also made a call to his mom and Nina to be doubly sure. And thank goodness as well, because Nina actually provided him with an alternative brand of Pokechow used in the Cerulean Gym that was as good as the one that the Nurse Joy recommended to him, but at nearly half the cost. ¡°Yeah, Violet is a real cheapskate, so she tries to save a buck whenever she can. Especially since the Cerulean Gym has to buy the stuff in bulk.¡± The girl said at the time. Unfortunately, properly providing for all four of his Pokemon was a huge strain on his budget. So in an effort to save money, Charlie slashed his own food allotment and made due with whatever he could find at the best value for nutrition. His most recent obsession was with natto, because it was actually a local produce here in Pewter City. Thanks to the population of Pewter being more on the aging side, there was actually huge demand for the fermented beans. And since production of natto only required soybeans ¡ª which were imported ¡ª starter spores, and some space for the beans to ferment, a good number of producers have popped up to meet the demand. Which meant that Charlie could buy them for cheap. The boy had taken to eating it with rice, a super tasty brand of fermented chili sauce that he found, and furikake ¡ª crispy rice seasoning, just for some added texture and complexity. Best of all, not only were all those ingredients super affordable, they were highly nutritious as well. Charlie also made sure to supplement his diets with Berries of course, since he had to buy them for his Pokemon anyway. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna eat.¡± He asked Cole, after he properly swallowed his mouthful. It was currently lunchtime, and Charlie had settled down to eat after preparing his Pokemon¡¯s feed. Cole on the other hand, was just lounging around and heckling at Charlie like he usually did. Cole shook his head with scoff. ¡°Watching you eat that slop is enough to make me lose my appetite.¡± He said, barely hiding the disgust in his voice. Charlie smiled wryly in return. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, the natto is from one of your local producers, you know? I thought you Pewter folks love this stuff.¡± He said, eliciting groans and a sneer from Cole. ¡°Welp, it''s your loss.¡± The boy continued. ¡°What about your Pokemon though? Don¡¯t you need to feed them?¡± The edgy teenager, who was indeed a couple years younger than Charlie, snorted. ¡°None of your biz.¡± He spat. Charlie chuckled. ¡°I get it, you¡¯re too bad of a trainer, so Brock didn¡¯t entrust you with any Pokemon.¡± Either Charlie¡¯s words, or the mention of Brock must have triggered him, because Cole stood up with a face full of rage and yelled at the boy to ¡°Shut up!!!¡± ¡°As if a loser like you knows the first thing about me!¡± Cole exclaimed, looking like he was about to pin Charlie to the ground and strangle him. Charlie reeled back in shock. ¡°Hey, relax¡­ I was just kidding.¡± He murmured, but held back on apologizing on account of how mean and rude the other boy was usually. ¡°It¡¯s not nice to call someone a loser, you know?¡± He added quietly at the end. ¡°Hah! If you¡¯re not a loser, then why else would you be here? And just so you know, I¡¯ve already finished my conference run so don¡¯t you dare sass me, you loser!¡± Charlie frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose, you know¡­ But I was screened for the beginner challenge and wasn¡¯t happy about it. So I decided to train and do better.¡± His honest response took Cole aback and pacified him somewhat as he sat down on his log with another huff. ¡°Fucking dumbass, just take the win and move on already. Also, you¡¯re fine with me calling you a dumbass, but not loser? What a dumbass¡­¡± Cole murmured. Charlie laughed in response. ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause I AM a dumbass. A dumbass who got too into his own head, got abandoned by his Pokemon, and dropped out of trainer school.¡± He said, every word and syllable pricking at his heart as he was saying them. ¡°But I¡¯m not a loser.¡± The boy declared. ¡°A loser is someone who gave up. So long as I haven¡¯t given up yet, then I won¡¯t lose!¡± Charlie vowed that he would keep going, even if he fell into a deep dark pit, he would claw his way out. If he failed to do so, then he had faith that his friends and family would go in and drag him out. After all, he had already fallen once, what¡¯s a few more times. Cole frowned at Charlie¡¯s words and fell silent. Sensing that his companion was deep in thought, Charlie opted not to speak, and continued with his lunch. After what felt like an eternity amongst the awkward atmosphere, Cole stirred and produced a lunchbox from a sack that he had by his side. Charlie looked over in curiosity and watched in awe as the other boy unveiled a gleaming jewel of myriad dishes surrounding a glistening bed of rice. ¡°Wow, did your family make that for you? Lucky¡­¡± Charlie sighed in envy, feeling a wave of homesickness wash over him. However, Cole simply scoffed in return, in his usual haughty manner. ¡°As if. Why would I let someone else cook my food for me.¡± ¡°Wait, are you saying that you made that lunchbox yourself? I thought you were gonna say you bought it or something?¡± Cole clicked his tongue in response, which Charlie took to be a yes. ¡°Wow, you must be a great cook. How long did it even take you to make so many dishes? And they all look so tasty too¡­¡± Charlie looked at the colorful contents of the lunchbox with a face full of longing, eliciting a sneer from Cole as he plucked a piece of fried tofu with his chopsticks and tossed it into Charlie¡¯s pot. The boy instantly lit up at the charitable gesture, thanked his companion and gingerly placed the piece of tofu in his mouth. Charlie made sure to savour each bite, focusing his palate on the earthy sweetness that he was tasting. Seeing how much Charlie was appreciating his cooking, Cole grumbled incoherently and begrudgingly tossed another piece to the pathetic looking boy. This time, it was a piece of mini croquette filled with minced meat stuffing. Charlie was almost about to cry out of gratitude at this point, it had been too long since he last had meat. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He sniffled, running his sleeve across his nose to prevent the snot from dripping onto his food. ¡°Urgh. Get your shit together already! How the heck are you going to taste the food if your nose is all stuffy?¡± In response to Cole¡¯s admonishment, Charlie nodded fervently and went away to clean himself up. *** ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve earned the right to challenge our Gym Leader at the intermediate difficulty.¡± Charlie pumped his fist and grabbed hold of Typhoon¡¯s hand to dance around in celebration, eliciting chuckles from Forrest who screened him. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too early,¡± the Gym Trainer warned. ¡°You still haven¡¯t beaten Brock yet, this is just the first step.¡± Charlie ceased his merry-making and returned Forrest¡¯s concerns with a grave nod. ¡°Now then,¡± Forrest continued. ¡°If you want to do your best then you need to have your Pokemon in their best condition, so go and get your Pokemon healed up. I¡¯ll schedule you for a match two hours from now. That ought to be enough time.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr Forrest.¡± Charlie said as he ran off to the Pokemon Center to have Typhoon and Lance checked. Charlie couldn¡¯t tell if Forrest went easy on him or if his training did indeed pay off, because he passed the screening battle with more ease than last time. ¡°Don¡¯t doubt yourself like that Charlie. Mr Forrest doesn¡¯t look like he plays favorites.¡± After all, his Goldeen did get fainted, so maybe it was just the perks of having a Type advantage. ¡°You went easy on him.¡± Brock remarked, once Charlie left the room. Forrest snorted at his brother. ¡°Not really, the kid would have done just fine even if I hadn¡¯t called it early. I just didn¡¯t want to wear him out before the big match. Besides, he did us a big favor with Cole, whether he intended to or not¡­¡± That last sentence was said in a barely audible murmur, one that his older brother picked up on just the same. Brock smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve mellowed out a bit. That¡¯s good.¡± He said, eliciting chuckles from Forrest. ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been nagging me to ease off on the newbies? Well, there you have it. Not that the elders are gonna be happy if they ever catch wind of this.¡± Brock gave his younger brother a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, those old farts have always preferred you over me anyway. Maybe it¡¯s about time I passed on the mantle¡­¡± He murmured. Forrest turned with a start and stared at his brother with a look of incredulity. A look that Brock responded to with a gentle chuckle and another pat on Forrest¡¯s shoulder before heading back to the main arena to face his next challenger. *** ¡°Welcome Charlie, I hope you¡¯re ready to earn your Boulder Badge.¡± Brock said, over the microphone on his platform. ¡°And don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go easy on you just because your dad and I are friends.¡± The Gym Leader added, his smile disappearing to make way for a more severe look. Charlie gulped, trying to suppress the jitters threatening to dominate his body as he slowly shuffled closer to the platform''s control panel. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not gonna lose! Not anymore!¡± The boy blurted, eliciting a nod of acknowledgement from Brock. ¡°This match will be a four on four between Charlie of Cerulean and Brock, Leader of the Pewter Gym.¡± The referee declared. ¡°Trainers, are you ready?¡± ¡°R-ready!¡± Charlie yelled, nearly biting his tongue in fright. ¡°Ready.¡± Brock responded. And the moment that he did, the referee counted down and declared the start of the match, prompting the Gym Leader to toss out a Pokeball, revealing his first pick in a bright flash of light ¡ª a Sandslash. Charlie frowned as he considered his options. He was really tempted to send out his Growlithe to give her a chance of redemption, but quickly dismissed that notion. ¡°Get your head in the game, Charlie! This is a proper Gym battle with a Leader, not some screening match!¡± He chided himself, before finally deciding to send out Typhoon for the match. It wasn¡¯t ideal that he needed to use his ace in just the first round, but it couldn''t be helped. Based on his prior experience with Sandshrew, he was expecting Sandslash to be a very hardy and melee focused Pokemon. Meaning, Lance would have a very hard time holding his ground against it. ¡°Sand!¡± Without needing to be told, Sandslash took action the moment that the match started, by burying its hardy claws into ground and gouging it out with a violent jerk to reveal earth covered claws covering its arms, each almost half the size of the Ground Type Pokemon as it crashed them together to shake off the loose dirt and stare menacingly at Typhoon. Charlie sensed a sudden surge of urgency as he hurriedly called for Typhoon to ¡°Make it rain!¡± If the terrain wasn¡¯t to his favor then make it be. That was the biggest advice that his mom gave him, corroborated by all the videos of Poliwhirls in battle that Nina sent him. ¡°Whirl¡± At her trainer¡¯s instructions, Typhoon pounded at her belly and began spewing mist into the air, which gradually coalesced into gloomy rain clouds. Meanwhile, Sandslash wasn¡¯t idle either as it curled its body and began rolling towards Typhoon with its comically large earth claws jutting out from the side, much like those scythed chariots that Charlie often saw on TV. It was a good thing the main Pewter Gym arena was so big, otherwise at the speed that Sandslash was going, Typhoon wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to execute her Rain Dance before being struck by that violent Rollout. Droplets of rain began to fall on two-thirds of the arena. It was unfortunate that Typhoon wasn¡¯t powerful enough to cover the entire arena just yet, but it was good enough for now. ¡°Get out of the way and use Bubble Beam when you can, Typhoon!¡± Charlie called, and just in time as well, because Sandslash¡¯s earth claws barely clipped his Poliwhirl¡¯s belly before rolling past with its unstoppable momentum, only to collide against the arena wall, rolling up it and turning around to charge towards Typhoon again. But this time, Typhoon was ready as she shot a continuous beam of bubbles towards the spiky wheel of doom, killing its momentum and forcing Sandslash to end its Rollout early. However, it wasn¡¯t time to celebrate just yet, as the seasoned Gym Pokemon was now in perfect melee range. A chance that Sandslash was not going to squander as it leaped towards Typhoon and followed up with a powerful Crush Claw, in an impact that was powerful enough to shatter both its makeshift earth claws and send Typhoon bouncing on the ground. Charlie gritted his teeth and was just about to call out some dumb, knee-jerk order before he shook his head and reminded himself to stay calm. ¡°Think Charlie, think! Don¡¯t just blurt out whatever random thing that comes to mind!¡± The boy racked his brain and considered his options. Sandslash was about on par with Typhoon as a brawler, but Charlie couldn¡¯t risk having his Poliwhirl be so worn down by a slug fest this early on in the match. ¡°Which means, I have to slow it down.¡± He concluded. ¡°Keep your distance and use Icy Wind, Typhoon!¡± Typhoon grunted as she forced herself up, taking in a deep breath before blowing a gust of freezing winds from her mouth. This caused Sandshrew to cry out in pain and raised its arms to defend itself. It tried to Dig into the ground to seek shelter, but its Icy Wind induced sluggish movement allowed the Poliwhirl to slam an Ice Punch into her opponent and stop its maneuver. ¡°Sand!¡± Sandslash was sent tumbling across the ground. Meanwhile, Typhoon¡¯s skin was glistening as her latent Water Absorb ability combined with the continuous rainfall slowly reinvigorated the Poliwhirl from its prior damage. At the other end of the arena, Brock nodded in approval and considered his options as well. ¡°I commend you on the use of Icy Wind, Charlie. However, in this case, that will likely be your downfall.¡± He remarked. ¡°Gyro Ball combo, Sandslash.¡± Charlie yelled at Typhoon to keep her distance. ¡°Gyro Ball¡­ What the heck is Gyro Ball again?¡± There was no point knowing a move¡¯s name if Charlie didn¡¯t know what it was. But his instincts were screaming danger at him so he opted to play it safe. ¡°Don¡¯t just let Sandslash set up for free, bombard it with Bubble Beam!¡± Sandslash slammed its claws into the ground and did a flipping motion to summon a Rock Tomb from the ground in an effort to block Typhoon¡¯s ranged assault. And on the other end of the barrier, Sandslash sharpened its claws with Swords Dance as its entire body took on a metallic gleam from being infused with Steel Type Energy. Seeing the sight of Sandslash powering up made Charlie panic in spite of himself. ¡°Hydro Pump, Typhoon! Wash Sandslash away!¡± Charlie¡¯s Poliwhirl didn¡¯t have enough endurance to abuse Hydro Pump too much. At most she could do three in perfect condition, and two in her current battle worn state. So the boy was reluctant, since he wanted to save it for the later matches. But there was no point saving it if it meant his ace gets knocked out early. The violent stream of Water steadily broke apart the Rock Tomb weakened by rain and crashed into Sandslash. The Ground Type let out a struggling yelp as its set up was disrupted, the Pokemon washed away and crashed into the arena wall. Once the flood of Water settled, Sandslash tried to force itself up with a shaky poise and a spiteful look in its eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get up, Typhoon! Finish it with a Bubble Beam!¡± Charlie called, putting an end to the round with a win in his favor. The boy let out a sigh of relief, a little bit more and Typhoon might have been in big trouble. Brock chuckled and returned his fainted Sandslash with an amused smirk. His next selection was an average looking Geodude, so Charlie opted to return his Poliwhirl to save her strength, but not before asking Typhoon to dismiss her Rain Dance. Because his next Pokemon was going to be¡­ ¡°Growlithe, I choose you!¡± ¡°Arf!¡± With a bright flash, Charlie¡¯s energetic Fire puppy was deposited onto the arena. The first thing she did was jump into a puddle and get mud all over her fur, eliciting groans from her trainer. ¡°Dammit, I¡¯ll have to clean her later.¡± He sighed. Quite the chore, given how much Growlithe hates baths. One thing that Charlie learned about Geodudes was how slow they were, albeit incredibly sturdy. So the plan was to take advantage of Growlithe¡¯s faster speed to keep juking Geodude and stall their way to victory. So right off the bat, Charlie told Growlithe to build up some speed with Agility, this time accounting for the rough terrain as Charlie made sure to train his Fire puppy on a self devised obstacle course during the two weeks he spent in relative seclusion. He used logs and whatever else he found lying around at first, but at one point, he managed to get Cole to help out by having his Graveler create a bit of rocky terrain for Growlithe to play on. ¡°Just like we discussed, Growlithe! Keep running and use Flamethrower!¡± Charlie called. However, Geodude was unphased as he simply buffed up with Defense Curl and Rock Polish, before beginning to methodically crush the boulders surrounding it and scattering sharp splinters all over the arena. This was Stealth Rock, but the inexperienced Charlie was blissfully unaware of the sabotage that was currently happening. Amidst Geodude¡¯s setup, it was also using Rock Blast to fling larger chunks of rock towards Growlithe, the spread of which was deliberately wide to account for the wiliness of Growlithe, causing her to sustain a decent amount of damage since Charlie¡¯s puppy had a lot of trouble avoiding the random projectiles aimed towards her. Charlie frowned in consternation. ¡°Leer and Howl, Growlithe!¡± He called, in an attempt to weaken the opponent Rock Type. And while Geodude did falter a little in response, it still stood its ground as one would expect from a well disciplined Gym Pokemon. Seeing that Geodude remained unphased, Charlie began to lose his patience. ¡°Get in there and use Reversal, Growlithe!¡± ¡°Arf!¡± An orange aura of Fighting Type Energy suffused Growlithe as she charged towards Geodude with a determined look, eliciting a mild smirk from Brock on his platform. Charlie, sensing that something was wrong, wanted to open his mouth and abort the attack. But it was too late. With an eye-searing glow, Geodude exploded in a burst of Normal Type Energy, completely fainting both itself and Growlithe with a Self-Destruct. Charlie was aghast, he had not expected a Gym Leader of all people to resort to such a frowned upon move. The boy clenched his fist and recalled his Growlithe with an apology to her Pokeball. ¡°If only I just stayed patient and stuck with the plan. This is all my fault¡­¡± However, there was little time for the boy to wallow in regret, because Brock sent out his next Pokemon immediately after recalling the fainted Geodude ¡ª a sturdy looking Graveler. ¡°GRAAA!!!¡± The four armed boulder Pokemon emerged with an aggressive, gravelly roar, knocking Charlie out from his self-loathing. The boy sniffled and renewed his determination. ¡°I won¡¯t let Growlithe¡¯s hard work go to waste¡­¡± He murmured, before tossing out a Pokeball of his own. ¡°Go, Lance!¡± The Goldeen emerged, billowing, floating a few centimeters above the ground and with a hard gaze, one that turned into a wince, when shards of rock fragments levitated from the ground and converged on the Goldeen like he was a magnet against nails. However, Lance was undeterred as he renewed his determined gaze. The goldfish Pokemon had been training hard in preparation for this match and refused to allow himself to be treated as fodder. However, that might end up being the case since a Graveler was no joke. One trained by a Gym Leader especially. Right off the bat, Graveller charged forwards with a Bulldoze, before transitioning into a roll to create a Bulldoze/Rollout hybrid. The entire arena rumbled in Graveler¡¯s wake as large swathes of earth and rock were churned and dug up in its path. Charlie even had to hold on to the railing to steady his jelly legs from all the shaking. ¡°Return, Lance!¡± Charlie yelled in a panic. It was very cowardly and lame of him, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Charlie would have liked for Lance to at least weaken Graveler before returning him, but as it stood, he was probably going to be flattened before he could do anything meaningful. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oof!¡± The boy grunted. Right as the Goldeen left the arena, Graveler violently slammed against Charlie¡¯s platform, causing the boy to stumble and crash into the railing to steady himself. Charlie could feel his heart pounding at the prospect of nearly toppling over and falling into the arena. ¡°Gra¡­¡± The disappointed Graveler huffed and looked up at its opponent¡¯s trainer with barely veiled disdain, upset that its target was yoinked from it at the last minute, eliciting a sheepish look from Charlie as he shrunk back to the middle of the platform. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Charlie muttered over the microphone. But Brock did not seem to mind, merely shrugging at the kid without saying anything else. Charlie took in a deep breath to steady himself, feeling his heartbeat slowly subside until the referee reminded him that he was on a timer. ¡°Fifteen seconds remaining, challenger.¡± Charlie fumbled at his belt and tossed out his Pokeball. ¡°Use Rain Dance, Typhoon.¡± Charlie called out his first order before the Pokeball even landed, while making sure to create a bit of distance with his throw, since Graveler was still camping at his side of the arena. ¡°Whirl!¡± Typhoon landed on the ground and immediately spewed mist into the air amidst rhythmic belly pounds, restarting her Rain Dance once more while enduring the barrage of Stealth Rocks. Meanwhile, Graveler smirked at the emergence of a new target and restarted its violent charge. ¡°Hydro Pump! Don¡¯t let it get near you.¡± With a loud crash, Typhoon¡¯s pressurized jet of water collided against the rolling Graveller, dissipating its momentum. ¡°GRAAA!!!¡± However, with a determined yelp, Graveler soldiered on, gritting its rocky teeth against the pain as it slowly pushed back against the Hydro Pump. ¡°Dodge out of the way, Typhoon.¡± Charlie chose to concede that exchange, he didn¡¯t want to risk Typhoon meeting the same fate as Growlithe. And by this point, Graveler was slowed enough that his Poliwhirl could easily avoid it. ¡°Whirl¡­¡± With an exhausted cry, Typhoon stopped her Hydro Pump and ran off to the side, keeping a healthy distance from the potentially volatile Graveler, who merely frowned in frustration. The good news was, after tanking that Hydro Pump, Graveler did not seem to be in the best condition either as cracks began to form on its body, exacerbated by the droplets of rain, loose bits of rock and gravel fell to the ground with every movement it made. Water Type moves were super effective against the Rock Type Pokemon after all. ¡°Finish it off with a Bubble Beam, Typhoon!¡± ¡°Earthquake.¡± Brock commanded. And all of a sudden, the entire arena began shaking once more. This time, Charlie made sure to crouch down low to avoid getting tossed around again. Brock on the other hand, was steady like a rock, coolly standing on his platform and merely watched as Graveler was assaulted by an unfocused stream of bubbles from Charlie¡¯s Poliwhirl, who had crouched down on all fours at some point. Typhoon¡¯s efforts were admirable, but she still got tossed around and bounced repeatedly off the ground against the surrounding terrain eventually, looking bruised and haggard by the end of the ordeal. It was clear that the Poliwhirl was barely hanging in there by a thin thread, thanks to the ongoing Rain Dance feeding into her innate Water Absorb. On the other hand, Graveler, having expended the last of its energy reserves, wobbled in place before crashing face first onto the ground. ¡°Whirl! Poliwhirl!!!¡± Typhoon forced herself up shakily and cried out hoarsely at the hard won victory, prompting Charlie to get back on his feet and cheer alongside her. ¡°Good job, Typhoon! You¡¯re the best!¡± He yelled, making eye contact with his Poliwhirl as his longtime partner returned the sentiment with a happy smile, her swirls spinning in pride. And for just a brief moment in time, a connection was formed between them as their emotions synchronized and a bright light took over Typhoon¡¯s silhouette. Charlie was mouth agape at the sight, tears welling in his eyes. His partner had been stuck at the Poliwhirl stage for years by this point. For a species of Pokemon that were notoriously fast growers, Charlie had long since reached the conclusion that it was somehow his fault that Typhoon was unable to reach ner next evolutionary phase. But at this very moment, the boy felt vindicated, as all the grief and frustration he experienced over the years flashed through his eyes. ¡°Finally¡­ I finally did something right for once¡­¡± Charlie choked as tears streamed down his face. Typhoon grew in size, her originally thin limbs bulging as her muscles rapidly developed from a sudden infusion of Fighting Type Energy, padding out her physique with added bulk. And when the Light of Evolution subsided, a newly evolved Poliwrath was unveiled to the world. ¡°Poli. POLIWRATH!!!¡± Charlie pumped his fist and cheered out once more. ¡°Congratulations, Charlie.¡± Brock said, with a genial smile, eliciting an excited exclamation of ¡°Thanks!¡± from the boy. ¡°However, while I would love to test out your new Poliwrath, as a friend, I must advise you to return her and withdraw her from the match for the sake of her wellbeing.¡± The Gym Leader continued. Charlie tilted his head in confusion and turned his gaze to have a more thorough look at his Pokemon. He knew better than to ignore any well-meaning advice. Especially if it came from a seasoned Gym Leader like Brock. Typhoon was clearly exhausted, she had a sharp and determined look in her eyes, but her posture was wavering and it was clear that it took everything she had just to remain standing, despite the constant rain steadily rejuvenating her. Charlie frowned and did as he was advised. While newly evolved Pokemon tend to be reinvigorated by the sudden influx of Type Energy, that state was merely transient. Forcing a volatile new Evolution to undergo strenuous battle when they were already in an exhausted state was bad for their long term development. Or at least that¡¯s what Brock explained to Charlie, after the boy withdrew his Poliwrath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Typhoon. But your health means the world to me¡­¡± Charlie murmured to Typhoon¡¯s Pokeball. The boy would not allow himself to repeat past mistakes. ¡°But then that means¡­¡± Charlie sighed. Brock¡¯s next Pokemon was likely going to be an Onix, and there was no way that Lance could handle an intermediate tier Onix on his own. Which meant that Charlie would have to rely on his dad¡¯s Donphan after all. ¡°Dammit!¡± Charlie gritted his teeth in frustration but quickly shook it off. He couldn¡¯t quit right now. Not after all the work his Pokemon put in to get him this far. The young trainer was determined to secure that Boulder Badge, whatever it took. His pride was nothing compared to Typhoon and Growlithe¡¯s suffering. And sure enough, Brock summoned an Onix as his final Pokemon. Lance fought valiantly but still fell short in the end, despite the advantage of Typhoon¡¯s lingering Rain Dance. The Goldeen¡¯s limited speed while air swimming meant that he couldn¡¯t effectively dodge the rock snake¡¯s ruthless attacks. The damage was further compounded by the sheer difference in mass between the two Pokemon. Brock¡¯s Onix was a fairly aged one, which meant that it possessed a decent length. ¡°I think dad once told me that the older the Onix, the more segments get added to its body¡­¡± The boy recalled. And speaking of Charlie¡¯s dad. The boy sighed in resignation and finally released Murphy Jr, his dad¡¯s Donphan, onto the arena. The elephant Pokemon didn¡¯t require much training on Charlie¡¯s part. During their two week long training camp, he only needed to condition the Donphan and ensure that the gluttonous Pokemon did not grow lazy and lose practice in the interim. Of course, he also had Murphy Jr spar with Typhoon to temper the Donphan line¡¯s innate battle aggression. Charlie¡¯s Donphan and Brock¡¯s Onix were fairly well matched as they clashed in a brutal melee, completely destroying the surface of the arena in the process. But in the end, it was Murphy Jr who emerged victorious, since Onix, as a pure Rock Type, was severely weakened by Typhoon¡¯s Rain Dance. Donphans were weak to Water as well, but it was a two times difference compared to the roughly four times weakness of the Onix, allowing Murphy Jr to defeat the rock snake with a final Bulldoze. ¡°Congratulations, Charlie. You have earned yourself a Boulder Badge. And at the intermediate tier as well, just as you wanted.¡± Brock said, when the two Pokemon Trainers met in the middle after the match. Charlie thanked the man and received the angular silver badge with mixed emotions. He was elated that Typhoon evolved, but felt bad about needing Murphy Jr to clutch the victory. ¡°Fucking dumbass, just take the win and move on already.¡± Cole¡¯s words echoed in Charlie¡¯s mind, causing the boy to inexplicably chuckle. ¡°Right, better a dumbass than a loser.¡± He mused. ¡°So what¡¯s next for you?¡± Brock asked, interrupting Charlie¡¯s reverie. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Charlie responded ¡°I want to head to Fuchsia City, to visit the Safari Zone and seek guidance from Mr Masayuki. You know Mr Masayuki right? He used to be a Gym Trainer here.¡± Brock nodded with a nostalgic face. ¡°Yeah¡­ Masa used to always sneak candy for me and my siblings whenever Flint wasn¡¯t looking. Good times¡­¡± Charlie let out a warm smile at the Gym Leader. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my next destination. After that, I want to go to Celadon to look for a friend.¡± Charlie had tried reaching out to Nobita after his return to Cerulean, but his childhood friend was not responding. Thinking back on his own dark experiences, Charlie couldn¡¯t help but worry about him a little. However, there was always the chance that they just became estranged after being apart for so long. So for now, he decided to give Nobita the benefit of the doubt and persisted with his sporadic communications in hopes of getting a response at some point. ¡°Not sure how I¡¯m going to get to Fuchsia though, since there¡¯s no direct path from here.¡± The boy added with a furrow. He didn¡¯t exactly have the money to take the Magnet Train or a Sky Taxi. ¡°You may consider going through Diglett¡¯s Cave to Vermilion and taking a ferry to Fuchsia from there.¡± Brock suggested, eliciting an odd look from Charlie. The boy was disinclined to return to Vermilion City so soon. ¡°Otherwise, you could try going down to Pallet Town and see if any of the fishing boats are headed that direction. The fishermen are all pretty friendly, so you might be able to convince some of them to take you in exchange for some labour. Maybe you can even try your luck with the Viridian Gym while you¡¯re at it.¡± The Gym leader added. Charlie lit up at the second suggestion and thanked the man. He wouldn¡¯t try to challenge the Viridian Gym just yet, since he was still harbouring hopes for a potential Star Badge. But he kept such conceited notions unspoken, to avoid making a fool of himself. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± said Brock. ¡°Just make sure to take good care of Cole for us, will you?¡± He murmured at the end, before giving Charlie a solid pat on the shoulder and turning on his heels to leave. Charlie tilted his head in confusion at Brock¡¯s words, but ultimately shrugged and returned to the reception area to eagerly claim his prize money. ¡°Finally I can treat myself to a good meal!¡± *** ¡°Oh, hey Cole. Whassup?¡± It was the day of Charlie¡¯s departure from Pewter City. And on his way to check out of the Ranger outpost, he stumbled upon Cole, who was all dressed up in green hiking gear and carrying a bulky looking backpack. Cole scoffed in his usual manner and told Charlie to ¡°Hurry and check out already.¡± Charlie was confused, but shrugged and did as he was told. That was his original intent anyway. ¡°So where are we headed?¡± Cole asked, eliciting an even more confused look from Charlie. ¡°What do you mean ¡®we¡¯?¡± Cole clicked his tongue in impatience. ¡°We as in we! Don¡¯t you know the common tongue, you dumbass!¡± Charlie was taken aback. ¡°Wait, are you meaning to say that you want to join me on my journey?¡± In lieu of a response, the other boy merely rolled his eyes and walked towards the direction of Route 2, leaving Charlie stunned in place. ¡°W-wait for me!¡± He yelled, before hurrying to catch up with Cole. ¡°Does this mean that I get to eat your cooking from now on?¡± asked the excited Charlie, eliciting groans from Cole, who was already starting to regret his whimsical decision. *** Into the Unown SS: Charlie Part 5 (sneak peak) Charlie stumbled as a violent wave crashed against the hull of the boat. For a moment there, the boy felt like the world was nearly turned upside down as the vessel he was on briefly lifted into the air. ¡°Heave, boy! Heave! Don¡¯t let up just yet!¡± One of the burly fisherman urged, as he too began pulling at his section of the net. Charlie sputtered, a spray of saltwater spewing from his mouth. The boy did his part with a strained groan, his palms in searing pain from rope burn aggravated by seawater. ¡°Keep at it lads! Almost there now. One last heave!¡± called Larry, the lead fisherman of this fishing vessel as he yelled out a traditional fisherman¡¯s chant. ¡°Dokoisho, doikoisho!¡± ¡°Soran! Soran!¡± The other fisherman responded, with renewed vigor. And with one last pull, Charlie fell onto his butt as the net was finally lifted, pouring a deluge of colour marinelife onto the deck of the ship, almost burying the boy alive in the midst. ¡°We snared some Tentacool! Machoke, get in there and deal with them!¡± Larry yelled, prompting his Pokemon to burst into action as a battle ensued on deck. ¡°Everyone else on Tentacruel watch! I want every Water Pokemon on deck right now!¡± He added, before turning to look down at the struggling Charlie. ¡°You have a Poliwrath with you right, boy?¡± Charlie nodded with an anxious look. ¡°Get ¡®em out right now!¡± Larry ordered as he tossed out another Pokeball to unveil his own Poliwrath. But before Charlie could ask why, the turbulent waters surrounding the fishing boat churned and bulged, unveiling two bright red orbs casting a menacing light on the ship¡¯s occupants. Charlie gawked as a Tentacruel the size of their mid-sized boat emerged from the waters and stared him down with sharp eyes full of hate and loathing. ¡°Defensive positions!¡± Larry yelled, prompting every member of the crew to burst into action, and Charlie to scramble for his Pokeball. The boy felt immense regret at his decision to hitch a ride with these fishermen. *** Author''s Note: Hope you guys enjoyed this little tangent so far. Part 5 of the Charlie side story onwards will be Patreon only unfortunately. But no need to worry, Charlie and Cole will return to the main story eventually. And when that happens I''ll provide sufficient context for their involvement. Another thing is that I have an Announcement. Next week''s schedule is going to be a bit irregular. The reason being, I need to work on rewriting some chapters before they get released. In particular Chapter 100 and Chapter 101. Aside from those two, I''ve also been struggling with a lot of life circumstances at the moment and all those piled up frustrations have bled into my writing. So among all the recent chapters I''ve written of the Part 2 Finale, about 5-6 of them need to be rewritten. All of that takes time, and I don''t want to go on a break so soon after my last one, so this is sort of a middle ground. You might only get 1-2 chapters per week in the following two weeks as a result. Anyways, as always, thanks for reading. Chapter 98 Scyther¡¯s carapace felt unlike what Nina imagined. It was hard, of course. But texture wise, it was quite unique; very similar to how a leaf feels to touch ¡ª that distinctly smooth yet gummy texture of a leaf¡¯s surface. Then there were the Pokemon¡¯s scythe blades which were actually composed of a sharp chitinous material, not metal. So contrary to Nina¡¯s expectations, they did not have a shine to them, but rather a milky opaqueness. Not that it detracts from their toughness or sharpness in any way, a Scyther could still easily cut an adult in half with their scythe arms. This actually served as an advantage since there were no risks of the deadly blades gleaming under sunlight and alerting any prey they were stalking. And their green leaf-like coloration also helped to camouflage them in the forest. ¡°He looks absolutely incredible¡­¡± Nina praised as she fed some Berries to the Scyther she was admiring. Summer break was now over, and after wrapping up any outstanding matters in Cerulean City, Nina had made her way back to the Vermilion Flame where classes commenced once more and life went back to normal. And as usual, Nina was in the inner courtyard having lunch with Kerry, Lilian and Justin, who came back from Celadon City with a new friend. ¡°Hehe. Found Scyther off Route 8,¡± said the smug Justin. ¡°He tried to attack me, thought I couldn¡¯t see him hiding in the bushes. And after Wartortle beat him, he decided to come along to become stronger with us.¡± Then the boy averted his gaze a little. ¡°I showed him a picture of Kleavor and he got super excited. So now I don¡¯t even know what to do about it. The Black stone thing I need to evolve him with is crazy expensive right?¡± ¡°Expensive and rare.¡± Nina corrected. ¡°But oh well, what can you do? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get lucky at some point. It¡¯s a good thing you managed to get that extra slot in the inter school meet, otherwise Scyther would be hanging around Professor Oak¡¯s ranch right now.¡± Justin, as he himself predicted, did not do well enough in the midterms to earn his third carry slot. Nina did, however. Though surprisingly, she didn¡¯t come first in her year for once. She was actually ranked second behind Kerry whose extra curricular activities as a nurse helped to earn her lots of extra credit that boosted her grades. Nina then turned her attention away from Scyther and moved back to Topaz the Mareep, who Lilian was kind enough to release for Kerry and Nina to cuddle with. ¡°What about you, Kerr? Have you thought about expanding your team as well. Kerry, whose blissfully derpy face was halfway buried in Mareeps¡¯s wool, hummed softly at the question. ¡°Dunno¡­ I¡¯m not in a rush~ Maybe later¡­¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s euphoria and fed some more Berries to Topaz before going back to her own lunch. ¡°And yourself, Melina Jones? I would assume you to be someone who meticulously plans out her captures, given your impressive retinue so far.¡± Lilian chimed. Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°I had somewhat expected Espy when I made a connection with Professor Bill, but Nairy was a happy coincidence. Though you are right that I have a third member in mind. In fact, I might head down to Diglett¡¯s Cave this weekend to see if I can catch them.¡± Justin perked up at the mention of an excursion, only to be quickly turned down by Nina. ¡°No Jillen, I¡¯m not looking for company. Rather, I¡¯d prefer to go at it alone this time.¡± The boy¡¯s penchant for trouble aside, Nina would have also denied Kerry if she asked to come. She wanted to focus on her own mission without any distractions. Besides, it¡¯s been a long time since she last went on an excursion with just her Pokemon and she wanted to spend some quality time together with them. It was this last excuse that she gave to her friends as an explanation. ¡°Nairy¡¯s been stuck in his Pokeball a lot these days, so I thought a little adventure might do him some good.¡± This was true as well, Nairy¡¯s equally as adventurous as Nina. It was what they bonded over when they first met after all. She actually felt bad for her partner at times because he kept having to patiently wait for her to be ready before he could go out and explore the wider world like he always wanted. ¡°Nair~¡± Sensing her melancholy, Nairy came over and booped Nina with his crumb covered snout. Nina giggled and cradled the messy Dragonair¡¯s head to wipe his face with a handkerchief. ¡°It¡¯s Justin¡­¡± Justin grumbled. He was a lot less sharp in his retort these days, probably recognizing how futile it was. ¡°Anyways, what Pokemon are you planning to catch?¡± Nina placed a finger on her lips and winked at the boy. ¡°That is a secret. You¡¯ll just have to wait to find out.¡± *** Nina stretched her arms and relished in the satisfying pop of her shoulder joints as she once again strolled down Route 11 with the company of her two Pokemon. She felt a lot lighter than normal since both her Pokemon were now too big to hitch a ride on her. It was late afternoon on a Friday when they set off because Nina wanted to spend as much time as possible underground to maximize their chances of a fortuitous encounter. The route felt busier than usual since they were about to enter the height of the Gym season. By this point, most fledgling trainers would have trained up their Pokemon to a reasonable degree and begun their rush to finish the Gym Circuit in time for the conference. There were a lot of passing eyes on Nina and her uber rare Pokemon, but the trio simply paid them no mind and continued on their little excursion. Gawking busybodies felt trivial in comparison to the heart pounding anxiety the girl felt when she had to perform in front of an arena¡¯s worth of discerning gazes. Even the Ranger outpost that Nina just went to in order to gather intel was packed with people who couldn¡¯t afford accommodation and decided to camp out instead. A common occurrence, since the journeying trainers could save up on costs by sharing one big bonfire as well as taking advantage of the public toilets and showers available to them. Not to mention, it was also a good opportunity to socialize with their fellow campers. The Ranger that Nina met earlier was a different one from before so she was unable to get an update on the Carvanha and Mankey situation, but she was kind enough to tell Nina about potential Golbat colonies in the tunnel. Even going so far as to mark out a few hidden side paths that Nina could explore thanks to her credentials as a Pokedex holder. Yes, that¡¯s right. Nina wanted to catch a Golbat as her third Pokemon. She would settle for a Zubat as well if they had the right temperament, but she really wanted a Golbat to save the hassle of guiding the Pokemon through their juvenile, mentally undeveloped state. The reason being; the bat Pokemon were very useful to have when exploring caves and other dark enclosed spaces thanks to their echolocation ability. Unlike the games where all you needed to pass through Mount Moon was Flash and an abundance of Repel, the real world was a lot more complicated. There were risks of cave-ins, and for certain places with an abundance of Diggers like Onix, the layout of a cavern could be ever changing. Not to mention the lack of maps in less explored areas. A Dark Type and a Ghost Type would also serve as an adequate replacement for a Golbat. But since Nina already had Espy, a Psychic Type, in the team, she didn¡¯t want to risk any irreconcilable conflicts with a Dark Type Pokemon. As for Ghost Types, they were on the list and Nina did plan to acquire one in the future. Ghost Type Pokemon made for phenomenal bodyguards because they could hide in a person¡¯s shadow, effectively functioning as eyes behind one¡¯s back and the first line of defense against any ambushes. Another reason was because Koga was her favorite Gym Leader. ¡°I mean who doesn¡¯t like a cool ass ninja black ops guy.¡± Though in this world, Koga had relinquished his Gym Leader position to his daughter and was now a full time Elite Four member. Nina remembered the moment when she saw footage of one of Koga¡¯s battles. The man only had a Golbat since he treated his Pokemon like tools and didn¡¯t develop much friendship with them, but boy was that Golbat fearsome. Nina couldn¡¯t tell if the Golbat used Double-Team or if it was just Substitute taken to its logical extreme. But that singular bat Pokemon literally turned into an entire cauldron that proceeded to swarm its opponent and overwhelm them with sheer numbers. The sight reminded Nina of Dracula when he swished his cape and disintegrated into bats. Little Nina¡¯s eyes practically popped out of her sockets from how cool that battle was. Not to mention, as a certified abuser of Supersonic spammage, how could she not get her very own discombobulator? Just the thought of harassing some uppity brat with her ultrasonic nuisance made her giddy with satisfaction. She had a plan, of course. There was a reason why she opted to have Nairy out with her without any worries of the Dragon scaring away wild Pokemon. She was looking for a Golbat with the personality of a tenacious battle maniac. Friendship Evolutions were always tricky, just because a trainer got along with their Pokemon, did not mean they were guaranteed to achieve a Friendship Evolution. There needed to be a genuine bond between the two parties before that phenomenon could occur. In that sense, she lucked out with Espy. Though the semi canine nature of Eevees meant that developing friendship was never really an issue. The somewhat feral and sinister nature of Golbats on the other hand made that difficult, since they didn¡¯t really calm down until they evolved into Crobat. Which was why Nina wanted a battle maniac. That way she could develop a relationship with the Pokemon purely through battle, an activity that they would likely enjoy. This would also allow her to bench Espy and Nairy until she really needed them, since neither of her current Pokemon enjoyed battling too much. Nairy was mostly indifferent to battles, neither passionate nor adverse. Espy was more adverse, though she does fight if necessary. That said, Nina noticed that her princess had gotten quite lazy since her Evolution to Espeon. In every spar that she¡¯s engaged in thus far, Espy would just sit there and throw her opponent around using her overwhelming Psychic ability. Pretty much the only ones who could do anything to her were Nairy and some of the Gym¡¯s more senior Pokemon. Even Beverly had to pull out either Luna, Ryu or Sir Quagsalot to face her. Everyone else just gets picked up and thrown around like a wet paper towel. Nina didn¡¯t mind too much, but Psychic Type Energy had no effect whatsoever on Dark Types. She was worried that Espy would become helpless in the face of another Dark Pokemon like that Rocket grunt¡¯s Houndoom if she relied on her Psychic abilities too much. A sentiment that her Espeon actually agreed with when Nina spoke to her about it, and has since been rectified by having Espy work on some alternative strategies and moves like Hyper Voice. Nina was also hoping to transition her Hyper Voice to Hyper Beam at some point. Though that was a long term project since even Nairy was still struggling to learn it. Which was why Nina wanted a Pokemon that would serve as a vanguard; one that could sweep the opponent¡¯s whole team, or if failing to do so, be capable of debilitating them and make things easier on her subsequent Pokemon. ¡°Alright guys, we¡¯re here.¡± Nina and her two Pokemon stared down into the deep maw of the entrance leading into Diglett¡¯s Cave as she did a final check of her equipment, some of which she bought brand new just for today. The lengthy set of stairs with no end in sight reminded Nina of a place that Miles went to in her past life. Back then, he saw a video about Doai Station, Japan¡¯s deepest subterranean station that was located somewhere in the mountains of rural Gunma. And out of curiosity, Miles made a trip to the station during one of his many holidays in the country. The entrance into Diglett¡¯s Cave felt a lot like that ridiculously long stairwell that Miles had to go down in order to reach where the railway platforms were. Equally damp and slippery with an air of eeriness to it. Each step down the stairs were thin and shallow, so Nina had to be careful not to fall. Visibility wasn¡¯t an issue since there were lights lining both sides of the tunnel, though it was clear that this place wasn¡¯t very well maintained as evident by the flickering of the dim, filth covered light bulbs. It was a good thing that Nina visited towards the tail end of summer, so wind wasn¡¯t much of an issue either. During the stormy seasons of autumn and winter, the vast empty expanse of Diglett¡¯s Cave transformed into a violent wind tunnel, to the point where it needed to be closed off to prevent anyone from going in. Nina steadily descended, feeling quite bored at times as she ran out of things to talk about with her Pokemon. Nina remembered that Miles¡¯s descent down into Doai Station only took about ten to fifteen minutes, give or take. But her ongoing descent down to Digglett¡¯s Cave had already exceeded that length of time by quite a fair bit, which goes to show just how deep underground this tunnel was. She recalled some of the history of this place. Diglett¡¯s Cave, as the name implies, was a tunnel that formed due to the work of a migrating Diglett colony long ago. Nobody knew what spurred such a large number of Digletts to move en masse, but the end result was quite pronounced as large swathes of earth were dug through in their wake. Leaving behind a massive cavern that was big enough to accommodate even the largest of Pokemon. Since then, humans have gone in to reinforce the space and trimmed it up a bit for their own usage. In particular, back in the war, the tunnels were considered the safest route available to transport troops and supplies back and forth between Pewter City and Vermilion City, which served as the region¡¯s navy yard at the time. They even considered laying down railroad tracks were it not for the fear of triggering cave-ins from the constant vibrations. Nina breathed out in relief as she reached the bottom of the stairs. To her side, Nairy¡¯s eyes were sparkling as he took in the sheer scale of the vast cavern that opened up before him. Even Espy had to hold herself back from crying out to test the acoustics of the large empty space. And it was indeed quite a sight. Looking up, they could hardly see the tall ceiling covered in barely forming nubs of nascent stalactites, indicating that in the eyes of the world, this cavern was actually fairly young at less than two hundred years old. On the floor, spotlights were set up sporadically to illuminate the space, though there were still a fair amount of dark areas that remained. There were actually less Pokemon around than Nina had expected, likely due to the blinding illumination scaring off most critters, and from the frequent trespassing of humans. ¡°Nair!¡± cried the less discreet Nairy as his voice traveled through the cavern, triggering a subdued chain of echoes. The cave was wide enough that by the time the soundwaves of Nairy¡¯s voice reached the far walls, most of it had already been dissipated. Nina chuckled and gave her partner a playful slap to admonish him, before clapping her hands together a bit louder than she should, to trigger much of the same effect. ¡°I can¡¯t help it, okay?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, guys. Let¡¯s take a quick break and then we¡¯ll head out to explore for a bit before setting up camp for the night, does that sound good?¡± ¡°Nair!¡± ¡°Es.¡± *** Author''s Note: Good news, I''ve completed the rewrite of the more pressing chapters. Bad news, there''s still quite a few more to get through. I''m dealing with a very severe case of writer''s block right now. It''s vexing really. Anyways, I''m hoping to have another release on Saturday, maybe. On a side note, I read a manga called "Medallist" over the past weekend. Probably the best manga I''ve read in a good long while. Highly recommend it. Try to buy from legitimate sources if you can. I know that we now live in an age of abundance where content is easily and readily accessible, but that''s not an excuse not to pay for the media that we consume. Honestly the writing for Medallist is so damned good it kind of triggers my inferiority complex. Really wish I could write like that. Chapter 99 ¡°I wonder what a Diglett¡¯s full body looks like¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Dra.¡± Nairy nodded in agreement. Nina had once asked Kerry about it, thinking that the apprentice Nurse Joy would have some knowledge about Diglett physiology. But the cheeky girl just winked at her with an enigmatic smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± She said. No amount of bribes, pleas and negging could get her friend to loosen her lips. And the most infuriating thing was, there was no available information in the League¡¯s database either. It was like the true appearance of the Dugtrio line was a full blown conspiracy or something. ¡°Should I catch one to find out?¡± Nina shook her head at the terrible idea. Digletts and their evolved form were very fragile Pokemon, the whole reason why they lived underground was because they dry up really easily under sunlight. In addition to the fact that they couldn¡¯t be summoned on non-ground surfaces. So using a Diglett in the Cerulean Gym¡¯s arena won¡¯t be feasible, for example. Since they simply won¡¯t come out unless there was ground for them to burrow into. The Pokemon¡¯s weakness to sunlight made Nina think of earthworms based on facts that she remembered from her past life. And it would make sense given their shape. Except, when she mentioned her theory to Kerry in an attempt to gauge the girl¡¯s reaction, she was told by the mischievous Joy that Digletts did indeed have feet. Nina was unsure if it was a lie or not, but she did feel an intense urge to strangle her friend at that moment for all her teasing. ¡°I should ask Professor Oak next time.¡± Surely THE Pokemon Professor wouldn¡¯t be so cruel as to deny knowledge to an inquisitive little girl right? Shelving the mysteries of Diglett biology in her mind, Nina moved away from the group of Digletts that she found and continued exploring Diglett¡¯s Cave. There were very few Zubats to be found in the main cavern. And those that were present were very similar to main route Pokemon in that they were too timid to approach the human with a scary looking Dragon by her side. So she decided that she would try to explore as many of the side passages that she knew within the time that she had. Obviously she wouldn¡¯t be able to get to all of them, because some of them were simply too far away. The entirety of Diglett¡¯s cave went from Vermilion to Pewter City, a distance that spanned almost half the region. To put into perspective, it would take Nina almost two weeks to get to Pewter City from where she was if she simply walked it without mounting a Pokemon. Besides, she doubted that any Zubats would live too far from an exit anyway. Since they still needed to surface at night in order to hunt. The first side passage was actually very well hidden. Nina wouldn¡¯t have been able to spot it were it not for the marker the Ranger made on her map the day before. It was actually a narrow crevice that was angled in such a way that it was entirely hidden in darkness. The insides were relatively safe, since it was the remnants of someone¡¯s illegal mining activity and had all the reinforcements that one would expect from a mineshaft. The problem was that Vermilion City¡¯s side of the Diglett Cave did not have much in terms of precious minerals, so the place was quickly abandoned. Nina also found that the space was a little too narrow for the liking of Zubats, but she did find a family of Sandshrews hiding within. They were scared witless by the sudden intruder and jumped back into their little burrow the moment they caught sight of the human girl. Nina felt a little bad, so she left some Berries near the entrance of their hidey-hole as an apology. ¡°Hmm. Neat.¡± Nina bent down to examine a shiny object she found partially buried in the ground, which turned out to be an empty Potion bottle. ¡°Not like I¡¯d feel safe using some random bottle of Potion I found lying on the ground anyway.¡± The girl chuckled, eliciting a nods of agreement from her Pokemon. This was real life, not a game, so one couldn¡¯t expect to come across valuables just laying on the floor. Precious metals and minerals were a possibility though. But as evident by the abandoned mineshaft, the chances were quite slim. Not to mention, the relatively straightforward structure of Diglett¡¯s Cave and its frequent use by humans meant that the space was thoroughly canvassed, and whatever hidden treasures hidden within its bowels would have been unearthed by now. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t know how I feel about robbing a corpse.¡± It was an unfortunate fact that most valuables found in caves were what remained of unfortunate spelunkers and ill-prepared travellers who lost their lives for one reason or another. It was also etiquette to report the findings of any human remains to the League so that they may be identified and returned to their loved ones. However, there were no explicit rules against looting, so long as it wasn¡¯t too egregious. Aside from the bottle, there wasn¡¯t anything else of note in the little passage that Nina was in. So she stored the empty Potion bottle in her bag to be disposed of later and moved on ¡ª littering was no good, no matter where it was. This trend largely continued across the next few tunnels she visited, some man made and others dug naturally by Pokemon. She was especially cautious of the latter since she didn¡¯t know how sturdy they were, making sure to have Nairy standby outside to look for help in case of a cave in and bringing only Espy, who could buy them enough time for an escape if necessary. ¡°What do you think, Nairy? You used to live underground right? Surely you had a few Zubat friends near Victoria¡¯s nest?¡± Nina asked, when they eventually breaked for lunch. ¡°Nair~ Dragon nair nair.¡± Nairy gestured as he spoke but Nina still couldn¡¯t fully grasp his meaning. Thankfully Espy intervened and a bunch of ideas and images went through her head of food, feelings of irritation, and images of Nina and Nairy out fishing. Nina thanked Espy and nodded at Nairy. ¡°I see, you mostly hunted them for food and ¡®cause they were super noisy and annoying huh?¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Nairy nodded before sticking out his tongue and shaking his head in disgusts. Nina chuckled, not needing Espy¡¯s help for this one. ¡°Yeah, I imagine Zubats probably have a nasty taste to them.¡± Nairy nodded once more and nuzzled against his partner in affection. Which Nina reciprocated with kisses and boops. Lunch was Pokechow with Berries for the two Pokemon while Nina took out her portable stove to heat a pack of MREs she packed for the trip. Nina was having a dish similar to mapo tofu with soy meat today. There was a surprisingly robust selection of vegetarian MREs on offer since those tended to be easier to preserve and a lot cheaper than ones with real meat in them. The moment that Nina¡¯s packet of instant rice was done boiling, she poured the rice into the MRE pouch containing the mapo tofu and dug in with her spoon. Nairy and Espy were nice enough to wait for her to begin eating as well. ¡°I thought I smelled something good,¡± said a masculine voice, midway through Nina¡¯s meal. The girl looked around to find the source of the voice to be a fairly rotund looking bearded man with a wide smile and dressed in red hiker¡¯s gear. ¡°Hello there,¡± greeted the affable looking man. ¡°The name¡¯s Collin, I smelled your cooking and got a bit nosy. You wouldn¡¯t happen to be looking for some company, would you?¡± Nina glanced towards Espy, who gave her a small nod, prompting her to return Collin¡¯s smile and invite him to join in. ¡°My name is Nina, and as you can see I¡¯m not short on company, but the more the merrier right? Please, do join in, and feel free to use my stove if you like. I have no need for it at the moment.¡± Collin let out a hearty laughter at Nina¡¯s hospitality and unloaded the hefty looking backpack that he was carrying onto the ground before rummaging around for his supplies. ¡°That¡¯s quite a load,¡± Nina commented. ¡°Must be rough to be trekking around with so much stuff.¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s not too bad,¡± responded Collin as he took out some dried rations and a can of coffee to boil on top of Nina¡¯s stove. ¡°Can¡¯t afford one of them fancy Silph Co Bags, so the trick is to just be smart about what I pack. Coffee?¡± He offered, to which Nina declined with an amicable smile. ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee, mom says it¡¯s bad for my growth. I¡¯ll happily take tea though if you have any.¡± Collin chuckled. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not one for leaf juice. Tastes too¡­ herbal.¡± Nina laughed at the man¡¯s face and continued with her meal. And for a moment, a comfortable silence took over their camp as Collin focused on settling down. Surprisingly, he released a Dugtrio, a rarity among trainers. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met anyone who had a Dugtrio before, aren¡¯t they difficult to rear?¡± Nina asked, as she reached out to pet the surprisingly smooth and thin skin of the Pokemon and fed them some Berries. Collin nodded. ¡°Haha! That¡¯s true, but Dexter here is a real help when I¡¯m working underground. And I do spend more time down in these caves than up there in the sun.¡± Collin explained that he was a Geologist who traveled all around Kanto-Johto to research the two region¡¯s cave systems, mainly focusing on soil and mineral compositions of every location he visited. It was a tough job, but it was extremely helpful in enabling the League to pinpoint areas of interest to send prospectors to. As well as to detect any potential cave-ins or sources of pollution in a location. ¡°Former mining areas are especially bad, because the soil is all loose. A bit of heavy rainfall is all it takes for any residual metals to seep into the environment and completely ruin it.¡± Nina nodded along while writing in her notebook. ¡°So what sort of measures are taken to resolve the pollution?¡± ¡°League sends in Ground and Metal Type Pokemon to help unearth any residual minerals and cleanse it. Metal Types have a constitution like you wouldn¡¯t believe, their bodies will absorb whatever minerals they find useful and excrete the rest. Makes it easier to manage any toxic waste, ¡®cause you just gotta have them shit in a designated area.¡± The man took a sip of his coffee. ¡°And after all is said and done, they¡¯ll send in Fire Types to cleanse any polluted biomatter and Grass Types to help rejuvenate the land.¡± Nina hummed and furiously scribbled her notes. Pokemon truly were miraculous beings, learning about how they could be used to maintain the sanctity of nature was absolutely fascinating to her. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you must have encountered a lot of fossils during the course of your work huh?¡± The girl continued to ask. Collin nodded with a mixed expression. ¡°I do, aye. Selling them is tricky, but they make for a nice bit of bonus when I do find buyers.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. She had thought that fossils were just universally valuable given that they could be revived. Collin further elaborated to clear the girl¡¯s doubts. ¡°Not all fossils are intact enough to undergo the revival process. The success rate is actually quite mixed even for fossils that looked alright on the surface. And the costs of revival will largely depend on how well preserved the fossil is.¡± He explained that sometimes they ended up with a ¡°stillborn¡± or some sort of wretched abomination that was missing crucial parts and organs. ¡°Contamination also plays a factor, and it''s generally known that even the most successfully revived Fossil Pokemon have limited lifespans without very expensive and persistent rejuvenation treatment.¡± Oftentimes it was more cost effective to just revive a new fossil than maintain an existing one. So only eclectic and wealthy collectors, or dedicated researchers will seek out Fossil Pokemon. ¡°There are boffins who are working on DNA revival though ¡ª that is, they extract the remnant DNA from fossils and grow the Pokemon in a vat instead of ¡®reviving¡¯ them. Kind of like cloning, I guess? It¡¯s supposed to be more reliable, but I don¡¯t really know the specifics. Just that it¡¯s more expensive ¡®cause it takes more time or something.¡± Nina thanked the man for enlightening her and scribbled in her notes. In truth, Nina had at certain points fantasized about digging up fossils to either sell or revive for her own use. So this was really helpful knowledge. She asked for a few more details before settling to focus on her notetaking. ¡°What about yourself?¡± Collin asked, after a moment of silence. ¡°Not often I see young¡¯uns come down this way. Usually they prefer to stay above ground or take a Sky Taxi if their folks are rich enough.¡± The man clearly thought Nina was a rich girl with the way he was judging her expensive looking backpack and Pokemon. Nina laughed and waved dismissively at the man. ¡°Nah, I found Nairy by chance, and Espy¡¯s from my sponsor. I prefer taking my time traveling so I try not to take Sky Taxis unless I¡¯m pressed for time. I¡¯m actually here to see if I can catch a Golbat.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not the sort of Pokemon that¡¯s usually popular with prim and proper girls like yourself,¡± said the bewildered Collin. Nina nodded and explained her rationale. ¡°I¡¯d settle for a Zubat as well. But given how instinct driven they are, it just seems like such a hassle to train.¡± Collin hummed in consideration. ¡°Hmm¡­ I would say that it¡¯s precisely ¡®cause of how animalistic Zubats can be that it¡¯s easier to endear them to you. That¡¯s why you see so many criminals using them. Golbats, despite their boost in intelligence, don''t exactly have solid morals, if y¡¯know what I mean.¡± ¡°And yet, you don¡¯t see a lot of Crobats among your run of the mill Rocket goons.¡± Nina argued ¡°Like Professor Bill said, Evolution is an active phenomenon, not a passive one. A Pokemon needs to have purpose and a drive to grow stronger in order to progress through the next stage. Friendship Evolutions especially.¡± In fact, Professor Oak once hypothesized that the intent of a Pokemon and their trainer needed to be aligned in order to trigger a Friendship Evolution. Hence why it was easier to evolve Pokemon in battle, since their thoughts were usually quite straightforward in such a scenario ¡ª a desire to beat the opponent in front of them. Case in point, Espy evolved with Nina under a mutual desire for survival and their love for one another. The strain of the predicament they were in at the time helped to cleanse their thoughts of everything superfluous, thereby helping them to sync up. ¡°I doubt a Golbat that¡¯s simply obeying me for the sake of food and shelter would be able to evolve into a Crobat.¡± Nina concluded. Collin nodded in understanding and stared at the little girl in front of him with eyes full of intrigue. ¡°Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met a young girl quite like you before, Nina. Are you sure you¡¯re just ten years old?¡± Nina laughed and waved dismissively at the older man. ¡°I am a bonafide ten year old alright, just had my coming of age not too long ago. But if it helps, I am sponsored by Professor Bill as you can tell from my Espeon. So I¡¯ve studied a bit more about Evolution theory than your average ten year old.¡± Collin slapped his fist against his palm. ¡°Ah¡­ I see, that explains a lot. A student of Professor Eevee himself, no wonder. As expected of an esteemed Pokemon Professor, the man sure has an eye for talent.¡± Collin laughed. Nina laughed alongside him, thinking that sometimes, sharing a fraction of the whole picture was more than enough to sate the curiosity of an average layman. Especially if they didn¡¯t harbor any ill intent. ¡°Y¡¯know, I might know of a little guy that meets most of your requirements¡­¡± Collin continued, while flashing the girl a knowing smile. Nina grinned at the fortuitous encounter and sent a quick thank you to Mew in her head. *** Author''s note: The only two NPCs present in Diglett''s Cave, as far as I can tell, are Hiker Collin and Hiker Dexter. Dexter lost the coin toss, so I had him become the Dugtrio, while Collin remained human. Chapter 100 Author''s Note: CHAPTER ONE HUNDO!!!!!! Thank you all so much for sticking with me so far. To celebrate the milestone, I have a double length chapter and bonus chapter for you today. Enjoy! *** Unsurprisingly, Collin was infinitely more familiar with Diglett¡¯s Cave than Nina was. The man was even kind enough to point out a few side passages that were not included in her map. According to him, he had been underground for the better part of a week at this point, saying that it was easier to get work done during the relatively drier weather of summer as compared to rainy autumn. ¡°Gotta warn you, this Golbat that I¡¯m about to show you is a real prankster. Kept harassing me during the couple of days that I camped nearby. Had to wrap up early and move away ''cause I couldn¡¯t take it anymore.¡± The Pokemon that Collin described didn¡¯t sound malicious, just a prankster like the man said. He told Nina stories about how he¡¯d wake up with his shoes missing, only to find that it was hidden on top of some ledge on the wall. And when he was just about to fall to sleep, he¡¯d be jolted wide awake again after hearing a loud screech from outside his tent. The man would then spray Repel all over the camp to ward off the prankster, only to find that the Golbat had somehow managed to pour water all over his camp instead and soaked all of his stuff. After every prank, the Golbat would perch nearby, deliberately in sight, to cackle at the furious human and his indignant cursing. It wasn¡¯t exactly what Nina was looking for, but it was pretty in line with her desires. So she thanked the man and gladly followed along to where the Golbat was last spotted. Nina felt that she could work with the prankster. A Pokemon with a clear and distinct personality was much more preferable to a mindless drone that just did whatever she asked. They ended up going back to Collin¡¯s old campsite, The Golbat was nowhere to be seen since the species was mostly nocturnal. So the man asked if Nina was okay with camping here for the night. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay with that. Rather I¡¯m sorry you have to put your work on hold for my sake,¡± she replied. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not in a rush. ¡®Sides, I kind of do want to see you teach that jerk a lesson for me.¡± He said, with a somewhat vindictive look on his face. Nina smiled and opted not to reply. She didn¡¯t want to beat up any of her future companions if she could help it. But depending on how willful the Golbat was, she just might have to do that before she could even have a proper conversation with it. Since it was still a long way to nighttime, Nina ended up volunteering herself to assist Collin in his work. Which mostly involved her helping to carry some of the man¡¯s more cumbersome equipment in her own Silph Co Backpack, so that he could cut down on weight and move around a little faster. It really was a wonder how the guy managed to nurture such a pronounced belly with all the physical labor he was doing. *** Nina stumbled as she swung the pickaxe in her hand, her center of gravity completely thrown off by the top heavy pickaxe. ¡°Wow there, careful missy¡­¡± Collin cautioned as he dropped what he was doing and rushed towards Nina¡¯s side, only to be halted in his steps by the girl who said she was okay. ¡°No worries, I¡¯m all good.¡± That was just a test swing, so Nina easily regained her balance after shifting her weight around a little bit. Collin sighed in relief. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny, so you gotta widen your stance a little.¡± The geologist advised. ¡°And when you¡¯re swinging the pickaxe, focus on your shoulders and your core, also your elbows are too close to your body, gotta spread them out a little bit. Nina thanked her companion and mimed a stance without the pickaxe. It was only after a few more adjustments and receiving Collin¡¯s approval that she went in for another attempt. ¡°Do you think we might be able to dig up some fossils here, Mr Collin?¡± Nin asked amidst the rhythmic clanging of metal against rock. Collin hummed out a tune. The man was currently working his shovel and digging against some of the softer parts of the cavern wall they were facing. As part of the geologist¡¯s prospecting work, he had to obtain samples of specific areas in Diglett cave at different depths. It was a tricky endeavour, since Collin had to find a spot that could hold up to their excavation work without any risk of collapsing. Something that the seasoned professional could do almost at a glance at this point. But he still made doubly sure to be extra safe by using some specialized instrument to measure soil composition and density. The risk couldn¡¯t entirely be eliminated though, so Espy and Dexter the Dugtrio were on standby to intervene. ¡°Hmm¡­ I doubt it,¡± replied Collin. ¡°We¡¯re a little too deep underground, not that it¡¯s impossible or anything. All the seismic activity in our region could very well have buried some fossils this far down, but the chances of them being intact enough to be of use is slim.¡± Nina nodded. According to Collin, the availability of fossils largely depended on an area¡¯s geological history and climate. Bones were sturdy but still subject to environmental erosion and decay after all. ¡°Besides, fossil hunters don¡¯t use pickaxes for their work ¡ª one hit from that thing and whatever bones you manage to find will be ruined,¡± added Collin. ¡°So where would one usually find fossils in Kanto then? And what do people use to excavate fossils?¡± The girl continued to ask. ¡°The most common spot would be Cinnabar Island. Lava is great for burying critters alive and preserving their remains, not to mention the fact that the island used to be submerged in the ocean in prehistoric times. As for the pros, they use soundwaves to loosen the soil. After that, it¡¯s a shed load of brushing ¡ª real tedious work, lemme tell ya. Sometimes, Ground and Rock Type Pokemon can help, but it depends on how well trained they are too.¡± The man then laughed. ¡°That reminds me of the time I thought I found an Aerodactyl in Cinnabar actually. Turns out, it was just the tip of a Zubat wing. Hah! Spent an entire week on that wild Mew chase.¡± Nina laughed along as she lowered her pickaxe for a break. Working the unwieldy tool was hard work, who woulda thunk? ¡°Too bad, I imagine an Aerodactyl probably could have sold for a lot.¡± ¡°Eh, not as much as you would think, or at the very least, it kind of depends on its condition like what I told you before,¡± said Collin. ¡°A fully intact Aerodactyl fossil is as rare as a shiny Entei. Most of the ones you see with those hotshot trainers are clones. So in that sense, there¡¯s still value in a fragment I suppose, just that the boffins prefer a larger sample to fill in any potential genetic holes.¡± Nina took in another breath and hefted her pickaxe up to continue her work. She had initially thought that shovelling was the easier task until Collin told her to try it for herself, prompting her to volunteer for pickaxe duty instead. The two continued to chat, mostly just Nina asking questions and Collin going on a tangent about his various experiences. Nina, being a wannabe explorer, actually enjoyed the work a great deal ¡ª it was taxing but fulfilling. In particular, the girl learned a lot from the veteran geologist, accumulating a wealth of knowledge that would be very useful to her in the future. *** ¡°Thanks Nina, I usually don¡¯t have enough space to fit too many Ready Meals into my pack. So I typically save them for when I¡¯m feeling really down in the dumps. A hot meal¡¯s a luxury in a place like this.¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve still got plenty more where those came from. Think of it as my thanks for being my guide for today.¡± Collin chuckled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. You have no idea how lonely it can get in these places sometimes. I mean sure, I have Dexter. But Pokemon company and human company¡¯s different, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it. My Uncle Ali, who¡¯s an explorer, says the same thing.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°So what made you choose this line of work then, if it¡¯s as hard as you make it out to be?¡± Collin let out a melancholic smile and took a sip from his mug of hot soup. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but basically my parents passed away in a mining incident. I know I complain a lot, but at the end of the day I don¡¯t think I can imagine a different life for myself. It would just feel weird, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Ever thought about retiring? Can¡¯t keep doing this forever.¡± Nina reckoned Collin was in his mid forties and it¡¯s clear from all the grunting and cursing she heard during the afternoon tailing him that the man was beginning to lose steam. Collin laughed at the idea of retirement. ¡°Honestly, kid. Don¡¯t really know. Maybe get a teaching job somewhere? I mean this life is all I know and all this cave exploration stuff is the only thing I¡¯m good at. I reckon there might be some people out there that¡¯d be willing to put up with my yapping.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea. I for one would have greatly appreciated some of the things you taught me today if it was done in school. Saves me the hassle of doing my own research and stumbling around on my own.¡± They kept on chatting, mostly it was Collin regaling Nina about all the different places he¡¯d been to over the course of his work. In particular, Nina was most intrigued by his experience with the Ruins of Alph. ¡°I¡¯ve only been there twice before, but that place gives off weird vibes every time,¡± he said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been to my fair share of ruins. And usually with these sorts of places, you can kind of tell what their original purpose was, y¡¯know? Like a religious monument, a kitchen, a bathroom and all that ¡ª lots of those by the way, bathrooms. For whatever reason, the ancients really know how to build a loo that can last through the ages.¡± Nina smiled and nodded, urging Collin to continue. ¡°But the Ruins of Alph¡­ Nobody has any clue what it''s for. I mean, it¡¯s clearly manmade. You can tell from how each slab of stone is meticulously carved and stacked. Even the sigils on the walls, all spaced evenly and consistently shaped. But you know what the weirdest part was?¡± Nina shook her head. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There¡¯s no Pokemon in there, none except for the Unown that is. Usually with these sorts of abandoned places, you¡¯ll at least find a few squatters; Rattatas, Zubats¡­ Y¡¯know, the usual. But there¡¯s nothing in there, no other signs of Pokemon life. Like they¡¯re avoiding the place or sumthin¡¯ ain¡¯t that creepy?¡± ¡°What about the Unown then?¡± asked Nina. ¡°What¡¯s their deal?¡± Collin shrugged. ¡°No clue, they don¡¯t eat, they don¡¯t sleep and they don¡¯t talk. They just¡­ exist.¡± The man then told a story about how some crazy scientist tried to figure out the origins of the Unown by capturing half of the population in the Ruin of Alph. It caused quite the hubbub, but he did it anyway, just for the pursuit of knowledge. ¡°So he caught half the Unowns in the place. And you know what happened? The next day, he went in and did another census. The numbers just went back to normal like nothing ever happened. But all the Unowns he caught were still in their Balls. Not like they escaped or anything. ¡°So he released them back into the ruins, to see what happens. And guess what? The next day, those extra Unowns just disappeared. Poof! Gone just like that, no idea where. Not even the cameras caught anything cause electronics get all weird in that place. Makes them unreliable.¡± According to Collin, that particular scientist was driven mad in the end. His mind was so consumed by the Unown mystery that it just broke him. Nina tilted her head in consideration. ¡°Has no one tried to decipher the writings on the wall? If they are indeed sigils or alphabets, then there has to be a logical system behind them right?¡± She asked. Collin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m no expert, but from what I heard, those writings on the wall change sporadically. No one¡¯s been able to pin down anything sensible. So the running theory is that the Unown are the sigils on the wall come to life.¡± Nina nodded. That hypothesis was pretty close to the truth. She once again renewed her vow to visit the Ruin of Alph in person sometime in the future. After a bit more chatter they decided to call it a day and go to bed. So far, Golbat had yet to appear, but Collin assured her that it was only a matter of time. ¡°That bastard likes to surprise you when you least expect it. Just make sure to keep any precious belongings in your tent.¡± He said, to which Nina nodded and wished the man a good night. *** Nina was woken from her deep slumber by a loud commotion from outside her tent. Nairy was too big to sleep with her inside and Espy volunteered to keep her big Dragon baby company, so she was sleeping all by herself. The girl rubbed at her tired eyes and checked the time before listlessly getting out of her tent to see what was going on. Only to see an enraged Nairy crying out at the ceiling and shooting sporadic shots of Dragon Pulse everywhere. His target appears to be the cackling Golbat that was zigzagging around the air while dodging the projectiles and occasionally sticking his tongue out to taunt the Dragon. Nina frowned at the sight. ¡°Espy, what¡¯s going on?¡± She asked, to which the Psychic responded by beaming a bunch of images into her mind. Apparently, Nairy had been sound asleep when little pebbles began dropping on his head. At first he thought it was just the rocky ceiling above them, so he simply relocated to a different spot. Only for the exact same thing to happen again when he fell asleep the second time. Nairy looked up to see if there was anything above, but saw nothing but darkness. So he paid it no mind and tried to go back to sleep again. Only for the same phenomenon to reoccur. And after another relocation and another interrupted sleep, the Dragonair finally snapped and let out an enraged Dragon Breath into the air, revealing the existence of the mischievous Golbat messing with him. ¡°What in Distortion is going on out here!¡± exclaimed Collin, who had finally woken up and crawled out of his tent. Nina sighed and reassured the older man before calling out to Nairy. ¡°Nairy, stop. Please? C¡¯mere and lemme have a good look at you?¡± She gestured. The Dragonair did as he was told and stopped his tantrum, then he looked at his partner and rushed towards the girl with tear filled eyes, crying and whining all the while. Nina let out a wry smile, pulling the pouty Dragon into her embrace while gently caressing her partner. ¡°There, there¡­ You¡¯re alright. It¡¯s just a small boo boo.¡± Nina kissed her partner''s forehead where the rocks impacted and nuzzled against him. ¡°Come on now, you¡¯re a big strong Dragon. No need to be upset over a few rocks.¡± Nairy was just being overly dramatic and Nina knew it. Her Dragonair could take a full on Rock Tomb to the face, as if he¡¯d be hurt by rocks the size of a pebble. But he wanted to be spoiled and babied, so Nina willingly obliged. Though for whatever reason, Nina¡¯s show of affection with Nairy seemed to have upset the Golbat somehow as it let out an annoyed screech and swooped in to interrupt them. But just as it was about to strike, the Golbat was intercepted by a purple Psychic aura that held it in place. Nina let go of Nairy and looked over to the panicking Golbat who was frozen in mid air, and decided that some punishment was warranted for all the mean-spirited pranks it had pulled so far. ¡°Espy, spin Golbat around for a little bit. But make sure not to hurt them.¡± Having perfectly read Nina¡¯s intent, Espy grinned and spun her target around like a top in mid air, only stopping when the Golbat¡¯s eyes were all swirly from dizziness before letting go of her Psychic hold. Golbat wobbled around in the air for a bit as the bat Pokemon tried to regain its bearings, only to slowly drift down to the ground and fall on its back. Nina walked over to the side of the incapacitated Golbat and sat down cross legged on the floor before picking the Pokemon up into her arms and gently caressing its backs to soothe the dizziness. About a minute later, Golbat got its bearings back and finally recognized the strange girl that was holding onto it. The Golbat panicked and tried to flap their wings to get away, but Nina simply held it down and tried to reassure the bat Pokemon with a gentle tone. ¡°Hey, hey¡­ You¡¯re alright, I¡¯m not gonna hurt you. Settle down, see I¡¯ve got Berries. You like Berries right?¡± At the mention of Berries, Golbat calmed down a little as Nina reached into her Berry Pouch to procure some treats for the wary Pokemon. The moment that the Berries were presented in front of him, the Golbat unceremoniously chowed down, splashing Berry juices all over Nina. But the girl simply beared with it and gently caressed Golbat¡¯s back to slow him down. ¡°No need to rush, there¡¯s plenty more where that came from.¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± The Golbat cackled as it looked up towards Nina with intelligent eyes, as if trying to take her in for the very first time. ¡°Say, are you a boy or a girl? I can¡¯t really tell.¡± But instead of picking a hand, Golbat just snorted and let out another ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± A sign of rudeness that greatly irked Espy as she glared at the bat Pokemon with glowing eyes. That act of intimidation seemed to have cowed Golbat as he shuddered in fear and bent his wing to touch Nina¡¯s left hand, indicating to her that he was male. Nina chuckled and pulled the Golbat into an embrace, gently caressing his wide back all the while. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry. Espy won¡¯t hurt you. But it¡¯s not good to be rude to others, okay?¡± Surprisingly, the Golbat willingly snuggled up to her, his sharp eyes scrunching up in happiness at the physical affection he was receiving. Nina swooned. ¡°Aww¡­ he was just lonely. That¡¯s why he pulled all those pranks, he just wanted someone to pay attention to him.¡± At that realization, Nina gently caressed the Golbat on the head, much to the Pokemon¡¯s delight. ¡°You know, Golbat. The reason why I came down here in the first place was so that I could find someone new to join my family.¡± Golbat looked up at Nina with a curious gaze, before letting out another one of his creepy laughs. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Nina wasn¡¯t sure how to interpret that response, so she asked Espy for help. The Espeon helped to relay everything that Nina said in the form of ideas and concepts directly into the Golbat¡¯s mind. ¡°Just so happens, you¡¯re exactly the sort of Pokemon I¡¯m looking for.¡± Nina continued, prompting Espy to continue interpreting. ¡°We¡¯ll have to set a few ground rules about your pranks so you don¡¯t end up getting us into trouble. But I can promise you that you won¡¯t feel lonely ever again in our little family. What do you say?¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Golbat closed his eyes before looking around the cavern, as if deliberating his options. Nina did not rush him. This was his home after all. Who knows if he has a family or a cauldron to take care of or something. But eventually, the Golbat did return his gaze to Nina and gave her a curt nod in response, eliciting a bright smile from the girl. Nina pulled her new Golbat in for a tight hug and smothered him with kisses. Probably a bad idea since wild Pokemon might carry all sorts of weird bacteria and viruses on their body. But she was too ecstatic to care. Even Espy and Nairy cheered in celebration, despite the latter still being somewhat annoyed at the Golbat. Nina asked Espy to grab a specific Pokeball from her tent; one with a green top decorated with red teardrops at the front. This was a Friend Ball, a special Pokeball variant that Nina purchased specifically for this capture that costed her a whopping 3,000 Pokedollars. It was times like these that Nina was glad that she fought tooth and nail to negotiate better terms with Violet instead of just letting herself be jerked around from one money making scheme to another. In the games, it automatically sets any captured Pokemon¡¯s friendship value to a specific number. The effects in real life were similar in that it does boost Pokemon friendliness, but Nina had no idea what the mechanics behind it were, since the people who invented it have an exclusive patent. However, she did contact Bill and asked about it, and the Professor assured her that there were no mind control shenanigans going on. Rather, it was a modern iteration of a custom Apricorn Ball from Kurt, the renowned Pokeball Smith. Apparently there was a whole load of drama going on about plagiarism and a lawsuit, but Nina did not care about any of that. ¡°If it works, it works.¡± ¡°Now we need to decide on a name for you, do you have any preferences?¡± Nina asked, only to receive a confused look from the Golbat. ¡°Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s see here, I was gonna name my Golbat Bruce if it was a male. But given his personality, wouldn¡¯t Heath be more appropriate? Nah, Bruce is funnier, so let¡¯s stick with that.¡± ¡°Alright Golbat, from now on you¡¯re going to be named Brucey! Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey replied with a laugh, which Nina took to be a yes. So she jumped in front of him and pulled him into another hug, this time joined by Nairy who coiled around them while Espy just shook her head in exasperation to the side. After Nina explained to Golbat what a Pokeball was, she held out the Friend Ball in her palm and waited for the Golbat to engage, which he did by pressing the button with the edge of his wing. A shake and a blink later, and the capture was complete. Nina jumped into the air and ran to embrace Nairy and Espy in celebration before releasing Golbat again. ¡°Welcome to the family, Brucey!¡± The girl exclaimed, with her two other Pokemon crying out enthusiastically as well. ¡°That was¡­ easy,¡± chimed Collin, who Nina had forgotten was still with them. ¡°Is it always like that with you?¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what you mean? I suppose, yeah? Cause I only catch Pokemon who are willing to go with me. Brucey is the closest I¡¯ve ever gotten to a forced capture.¡± Collin smiled wryly and lightly shook his head. ¡°Nevermind, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it so no worries. Congratulations on your latest capture, by the way.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± *** Author''s note: FYI, Martha, Ali''s Corviknight was a Batman reference as well. Because you know, Dark Knight, Batman V Superman, Martha? Get it? XD Alright, I''ll see myself out now. Chapter 100.5: Bonus Perspective Ivy couldn¡¯t stop her gaze from constantly wandering over to an ancient oak tree in the distance. It was the best spot to have lunch in the school¡¯s scenic courtyard, but no one would dare to compete with its current occupants for the tree¡¯s cool shades. ¡°Stop staring already, Ivy. You¡¯re being a creep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being a creep!¡± Ivy exclaimed, her face flushed red in embarrassment. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ How many times have you watched that video again? If you want an autograph then just go and ask for one, she¡¯s not gonna bite your head off.¡± Ivy glared at her friend, Hina. She was a jerk for constantly teasing her, but she was also the only person in Ivy¡¯s year that would willingly befriend a shy introvert like her. ¡°You don¡¯t get it! Do you have any idea how scary it is? I mean just look at who¡¯s sitting around her!¡± Ivy said, as she subtly gestured towards the students sitting underneath the oak tree with their respective Pokemon. There was Kerry-Anne Joy, the student who ranked first in their year and also a member of the freaking Joy Clan. Then there was Justin Mayo, the first year representative for this year¡¯s inter school meet who, apparently, handily beat all the other school¡¯s first year reps and even some of the older reps as well. The boy was actually friendly enough, but his boundless enthusiasm towards everyone kind of made her feel super awkward around him. But scariest of all was Lilian freaking Blackthorn, who for whatever reason started frequenting their school. Ivy still remembered how nervous Mr Smith, their history teacher, was when she first showed up in class, constantly raising her hand and correcting the man on whatever inaccuracies he made during his lecture. Poor guy sweated enough fluids to fill an entire pool. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then last of all was Nina Jones, the coolest girl in class, Ivy¡¯s beloved Aquarium Girl. Like Hina said, Ivy had been rewatching the surprise show she put on during Misty¡¯s wedding every chance she got. She even begged her little cousin in Cerulean City to buy a whole bunch of Aquarium Girl merch for her and mail it over. Her favorite was a keychain of Nina in her adorable Teddiursa ring bearer outfit, which she was carrying with her right this instant. Ivy¡¯s only regret was not getting her cousin to get Nina¡¯s autograph for her copy of the album. A fact that the brat kept lording over her, saying that she got to shake hands with Aquarium Girl and even repeatedly sending Ivy the pictures that she took with her idol to rub it in her face. ¡°It¡¯s not fair! I go to the same school as Nina. Why can¡¯t I get an autograph and pictures too?¡± By all accounts, it should be easier for Ivy. But the girl was simply too shy to take any action. ¡°What if she thinks I¡¯m a creep just like Hina said? I¡¯ll die from embarrassment!¡± Hina sighed at her hyperventilating friend who looked like she was having an existential crisis. She looked over to the group of ¡®cool kids¡¯ and saw that Justin Mayo had stood up at one point and was pointing at Nina Jones in a ridiculous pose. ¡°How in Arceus does he bend his body like that?¡± She thought. No doubt the boy was trying to challenge the girl again. A common occurrence. And no doubt Nina would just deny him with the excuse that he was too weak, or so Hina thought. But surprisingly, Nina just laughed and nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Oh do we get to see Justin get his ass kicked today?¡± Hina shook Ivy to knock her friend out of her stupor. ¡°Hey Ivy, snap out of it. Justin just challenged Nina to a battle.¡± Ivy stopped her cursed mumblings and stared at her friend impassively. ¡°So what? Nina never agrees to it.¡± ¡°Nah, look over. She said yes. I think she wants to try out her new Pokemon.¡± Hina found it weird that Nina had caught herself a creepy looking Golbat of all things. Given all her rare Pokemon and the fact that she was a mermaid, one would think that the girl would choose something more¡­ aesthetic? Or maybe a Feebas, so that she could have a Milotic in the future. Ivy instantly perked up at Hina¡¯s words and eagerly looked over. Hina chuckled. ¡°Chill, they¡¯re not gonna battle right now. Lunch break¡¯s about to end. We¡¯ll probably have to wait until after class.¡± Ivy immediately wilted in disappointment, prompting Hina to shake her head at the fickle girl. *** ¡°Slow down, Ivy¡­¡± Hina chased after her friend who rushed towards the gym after class. ¡°If we don¡¯t get there first then all the good spots will be taken!¡± Ivy yelled. Every one of Nina¡¯s battles always drew a crowd, not because it was particularly exciting or anything since she won most of the time, if not with her Eevee then with that crazy strong Dragonair of hers. But because she would often give out advice and tips on battle tactics that were worth listening to. Even some of the teachers sneakily joined in sometimes to take notes. Hina just sighed in exasperation. ¡°Justin and Nina haven¡¯t even left class yet¡­¡± Last she saw, their two classmates were still joking around and leisurely chatting in class. As expected, the two girls were the first to arrive, outside of the students who had just wrapped up with P.E. They picked a spot and just waited, not even knowing which arena the two battlers were going to use. It took another ten minutes for Justin and Nina to arrive, casually strutting into the place and taking positions at a random arena that was furthest away from them. So Hina and Ivy ended up having to move anyway, much to the latter¡¯s despair as she couldn¡¯t get to the front row. As usual for Nina¡¯s more casual matches, Kerry was refereeing. The girl counted them down in her soft voice and waved her hand down to signal the start of the battle. The two trainers each sent out their newest captures; Scyther for Justin and Golbat for Nina. ¡°Go, Scyther! Let¡¯s show everyone how hard you¡¯ve trained!¡± Justin yelled, boisterous as ever. Meanwhile, Nina was as calm as usual. ¡°Alright Brucey, this is your first battle. So let¡¯s try to do what we discussed the other day.¡± Brucey the Golbat took to the skies and began flying around in a jerky motion. Just looking at the bat Pokemon made Hina and Ivy dizzy from how chaotic his flight pattern was. In response, Justin¡¯s Scyther began vibrating its wings and slowly took off from the ground in pursuit. The Bug Pokemon¡¯s Scythe arm glowed as it slash down at the Golbat, but was unable to catch his opponent from his constant juking. The Scyther looked overwhelmed as he hovered in midair, jerking his head around in an attempt to predict the wily Golbat¡¯s flight patterns. ¡°Use Leer, Scyther! Try to slow him down.¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± But before Scyther could execute his order, a creepy sounding laugh could be heard from Nina¡¯s Golbat, taunting the Scyther and causing him to continue swiping at the air in rage. ¡°Dammit! Fury Swipes! Keep going until you hit!¡± At this point Nina¡¯s face took on a sinister look. One that sent chills down Hina¡¯s spine. ¡°How¡¯s a girl like that supposed to be a mermaid?¡± Meanwhile Ivy also felt chills down her spine, but of a different variety as she panted with her face flushed, eliciting a look of disgust from Hina. While Scyther was letting out a fury of swipes at the general vicinity of Nina¡¯s Golbat, a high pitched whining noise began to be emitted from the Golbat, bombarding his opponent with non-stop Supersonic waves from all directions as he continued to weave around the Bug Pokemon. Eventually overwhelming Scyther enough that his eyes began swirling. Justin watched in despair as his Scyther wavered in his flight, before eventually faltering and falling to the ground. ¡°Get up, Scyther! It¡¯s not over yet! I believe in you!¡± The boy yelled. At this point, Nina took something out of her pocket and shoved it in her ears. ¡°Alright Brucey, remember what Espy taught you about Hyper Voice? Let¡¯s give it a try shall we.¡± At his trainer¡¯s words, Golbat put a stop to his seizure-inducing flight and pointed his face towards the grounded Scyther, before taking in a deep breath to let out a grating sound akin to nails on chalkboard. Hina and Ivy along with all the rest of the audience covered their ears in pain, feeling like someone was scooping their brains out with a scrapper. Meanwhile, Nina just casually stood there with earplugs in her ears. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She hummed. ¡°That was Screech, not Hyper Voice. But no worries, you did your best. Thanks for trying Brucey. Now let¡¯s wake Scyther up with a bit of pain shall we.¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± The blushing Golbat laughed as he began conjuring blades of wind around him and pelting the helpless Scyther with it. ¡°Shield yourself with your blades and get up, Scyther!¡± Scyther did as he was told, fighting through the confusion, raising his Scythe arms to try and mitigate some of the damage. ¡°Hmm¡­ Not bad,¡± said Nina. ¡°But one thing you need to understand, Jillian. Scythers aren¡¯t tanks, their greatest strength lies in their speed. That said, a bit of defense in case of emergencies won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯ll refer you to a good TM shop, so you should go pick up Protect for your Pokemon.¡± With that advice out of the way, Nina then asked Justin to surrender. ¡°Brucey doesn¡¯t have any good finishers at the moment but he can easily go in with a Poison Fang and stall his way to victory. I don¡¯t want to bother Kerry too much and I think you¡¯ve already learned what you can out of this match, so no point continuing.¡± Justin started protesting, but Kerry just ignored him and ended the match on his behalf. This was a casual spar after all, so no need to be too uptight. Next came the part that everyone had been waiting for. Hina glanced over and saw Ivy taking out her own notebook to take notes, a quirk that she picked up in an attempt to mimic her idol. ¡°Right, going back to what I was saying about Scyther¡¯s strength being his speed,¡± Nina began. ¡°Your Scyther might be a Flying type, but due to his body proportions, he¡¯s actually not a very competent flyer. If anything, his wings serve as supportive appendages more than anything else. So trying to compete in mid air with a dedicated flyer like a Golbat is a mistake.¡± Justin groaned. ¡°So what? Are you saying I should have used a different Pokemon?¡± Nina shook her head at the boy''s pessimism. ¡°No. Like I said, his wings help to support his capabilities and is what will allow a predominantly melee Pokemon like Scyther to take on ranged flyers. You just have to be smart about it.¡± Before going any further though, Nina did suggest that Justin teach his Scyther Air Slash, just so that he would have some ranged options if it came down to it. ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s go back to talking speed. I noticed you didn¡¯t tell your Scyther to use Quick Attack during that whole match. Why?¡± Justin grumbled. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s like you said, right? Scyther isn¡¯t the best flyer, so he can¡¯t use Quick Attack in the air, and your Golbat never landed so¡­¡± Nina shook her head in disappointment. ¡°Quick Attack can also be used vertically, kid. You just gotta train for it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked the skeptical Justin. Instead of replying, Nina simply released her regal looking Espeon with an intricate looking metal collar on her neck. Looking at the beautiful Eeveelution really made Hina jealous, Eevee has always been her favorite Pokemon. ¡°One day, I¡¯m gonna become mega rich and get an Eevee of my own.¡± She vowed. Ivy smiled at her friend and gave her an encouraging pat. ¡°Hey Espy,¡± Nina called out to her Espeon in a courteous tone. ¡°Do you mind showing off your air strats to Justin and Scyther?¡± ¡°Es.¡± The regal Espeon cried as she got up on all fours and did a light stretch of her body. Then with a yawn, the Espeon very deliberately lowered herself into a crouching position, before suddenly shooting off into the air in a blur of pink, too fast for anyone to follow. But it didn¡¯t just end there. The moment that Nina¡¯s Espeon reached the air, a small purple barrier emerged in her path, which she elegantly flipped her body to land on horizontally, using it as a temporary foothold for another Quick Attack in a different direction. Then stopping again when another barrier appeared, launching the Espeon in another blur. And again, and again. The crowd all gasped in awe at the mastery of Quick Attack and Psychic control being demonstrated in front of them as the pink Eeveelution zigged and zagged and bounced around like she was dashing in the air. Even doing flips and tricks mid air just to show off to the crowd, eliciting giggles from Nina. ¡°Alright Espy, that¡¯s good enough. You can come back down now,¡± said the girl as she rewarded her now grounded Espeon with Berries and affectionate cuddles. ¡°Now I know Scyther can¡¯t create barriers like Espy can,¡± continued Nina. ¡°But one thing he does have that Espy doesn¡¯t is wings. You¡¯re a smart boy, Julius. I¡¯m sure you can figure out something similar using your Scyther¡¯s strengths.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Justin!¡± The boy exclaimed. But Hina could tell from his grin and the look in his eyes, that her classmate was all fired up to work harder. And he wasn¡¯t the only one either, she could also see that everyone around her was suddenly feeling motivated after that incredible display, and she was no exception. ¡°Did you see that, Hina?! That was so cool!¡± Ivy exclaimed. The girl looked like she was ready to worship the ground on which her idol walked. Hina chuckled at her friend and gave the girl a pat on the head. ¡°Of course I did, you Psyduck. Everyone did. So you should buckle up and go ask for that autograph already.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?!¡± yelled the flustered Ivy, to which Hina just laughed in response. *** Author''s note: If I''m being entirely honest, I wasn''t going to release a chapter today. However, I made a lot of good progress with my writing recently; I''m only one chapter away from finishing the finale of Part 2. I promised before that if I can finish writing the Part 2 Finale before the end of this month and get ahead on the chapters for Part 3 then I''ll do daily chapters until we reach the end of Part 2. That will still happen, but I need more time, since I still need to clean up my most recent writing and rewrite a couple of chapters. All in all, I anticipate daily releases to happen sometime in March. After that, I''ll be taking a break on public releases until I feel like Part 3 is ready for scrutiny. Patreon releases will still continue in the usual cadence though. Chapter 101 It had been a good week since Nina¡¯s excursion into Diglett¡¯s Cave when she was suddenly awoken in the dead of night by a loud cry from Espy. ¡°EEEEEE!¡± Both Nina and Nairy jolted awake, frantically looking around them to assess what was going on. Only to find an angry looking Espeon in the midst of aggressively spinning a Golbat around in circles with her Psychic Aura. Hovering next to the Golbat was what seemed like a fainted Ekans which Espy unceremoniously tossed out the window. ¡°Espy, no!¡± Nina croaked as she scrambled towards the window to check on the fate of the Ekans. The girl sighed as she looked down, completely wide awake by this point. ¡°I really hope that Ekans doesn¡¯t land on somebody¡¯s head.¡± She also prayed that the Pokemon was still alive from the fall, otherwise she might have to endure some pointed questions from her dorm supervisor. ¡°Alright, you two, time out!¡± Nina chided her two troublesome Pokemon, prompting Espy to halt her abuse of Brucey and look towards Nina with puffy cheeks. Nina desperately resisted the urge to squish her adorable Espeon¡¯s bulging face sacks and continued her questioning with a throaty cough to clear her voice. ¡°Alright Espy, what¡¯s going on here.¡± A deluge of frustration and anger flooded Nina¡¯s head, along with blurry images of a Golbat trying to sneak into their home with a muted cackle and a fainted Ekans in his grasp. Golbats were nocturnal creatures, so there needed to be a transition period where Brucey had to adjust his internal clock to that of a daywalker as opposed to a nightcrawler. This was in order to sync himself up with Nina and the rest of his new family. During this time, Nina would leave a window open at night for Brucey to leave the dorm with, just so that the Golbat wouldn¡¯t feel bored while everyone else was asleep. Of course, she had to have a talk with him and forbid him from pulling any pranks within the vicinity of the school to avoid any trouble. Though evidently, the mischievous Golbat had taken her words lightly. Nina sighed once again and turned to address Brucey this time, who was being forcefully grounded by a heavy Psychic aura. ¡°Brucey, did you try to sneak a poisonous Ekans into our home just for a prank?¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey laughed in his usual undecipherable manner. This was the biggest challenge associated with the Golbat ¡ª Nina had no idea if her words were getting through to him, or what he was trying to say. There seemed to be some underlying emotion and intent behind each of his laugh, but Nina hadn¡¯t been with him long enough to interpret them yet. In a way, it kind of reminded Nina of Mile¡¯s autistic cousin in her past life. The kid would often do things that many would consider to be highly inappropriate and self-harming, like trying to dip their hands into someone else¡¯s bowl of piping hot soup. But there was no malice behind such actions, just misguided logic from a peculiar mind. ¡°Brucey, do you understand that what you did was very dangerous and could have caused harm to me and your new family?¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey responded, but there was no nod or shake, just the same mischievous glint in his eyes. Nina frowned and asked Espy to directly convey Nina¡¯s question to Brucey¡¯s mind, finally eliciting a weak nod from the Golbat as he wilted in remorse. His reaction confirmed the girl¡¯s theory. ¡°Brucey doesn¡¯t understand words or know how to decipher social cues.¡± Zubats were largely instinct driven Pokemon, in addition to being blind. So it made sense then that a Golbat wouldn¡¯t suddenly be capable of reading faces and gestures despite gaining sight. ¡°And I doubt there¡¯s any complex emotions for Brucey to read out there in the wild. No wonder the species was so favored by criminals, most of them simply didn¡¯t know any better.¡± Nina hummed in consideration. ¡°Is that the key to a Golbat¡¯s evolution I wonder? To guide them into developing a full spectrum of emotions?¡± It¡¯s a theory that would make a whole lot of sense given that humans had a naturally higher EQ than most Pokemon. And out in the wild, if a Golbat were to befriend an emotionally complex Pokemon, like say, a Chansey or a Psychic, there was also the chance of them Evolving naturally as well. ¡°I should send an email to Professor Oak to ask about this.¡± Nina wasn¡¯t so conceited as to think that she was the first to come up with a theory like this, so maybe the Professor could steer her towards some relevant research material. And if it really was a new theory, then being able to prove it would be a great boon to understanding the Evolution of Golbats. Nina had the urge to type out the email right now, but before that, she had to settle the conflict between her two Pokemon. ¡°Espy, you were following my thoughts earlier right?¡± She asked, prompting the Espeon to nod in response. Such was the convenience of having a Psychic Pokemon. ¡°Then you should know that Brucey didn¡¯t mean anything bad by his actions. We just need to patiently guide him until he understands.¡± Espy averted her gaze with her cheeks still puffed in irritation, but Nina could tell that her Espeon understood from what she was feeling through their mental link. The girl couldn¡¯t help but swoon at her awkward princess and pulled her in for a hug while rubbing her face against Espy¡¯s fuzzy little cheeks. At the sight of this, Brucey screeched and struggled against Espy¡¯s Psychic hold, desperate to fly over and get in on the action, prompting Espy to hiss at him in annoyance and renew her spinning. ¡°Espy, no!¡± Nina chided once again as she pulled her Golbat into the hug as well. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of me to go around, so no need to fight.¡± ¡°Nair~¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°You too, Nairy.¡± The girl beckoned for her needy Dragonair to join in as well, much to Espy¡¯s annoyance, who didn¡¯t like to be crowded like this. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** It had been a few days since, and Nina wished she could say that Brucey had learned his lesson from the events of that night. Unfortunately, the Golbat didn¡¯t appear to be upset or remorseful. Instead, he seemed to relish the attention he got from Espy and tried to do everything he could from then on to get a rise out of her. To the bat Pokemon, any attention was good attention, because all of it helped to soothe the loneliness gnawing at his heart. He didn¡¯t seem to realize that his poor behavior would only serve to foster resentment and drive a wedge between him and all his other companions. It was getting to the point where Espy was actually irritated enough to break Brucey¡¯s wings if he kept pushing his luck any further. ¡°What now¡­¡± Nina sighed as a crying Brucey rushed into her embrace and drooled all over her. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, Brucey¡­ What happened?¡± Nina gently caressed the Golbat, marvelling at the leathery skin beneath the layer of fuzzy blue fur. ¡°Gol! Golbat, gol!¡± Nina was a little taken aback, this was the first time that Brucey had tried to use Pokespeak instead of just laughing like he usually did. Didn¡¯t mean she could understand him though. The Golbat¡¯s body language was arguably worse than Espy¡¯s when they first met, coming across as erratic and frantic no matter what he tried to convey. ¡°Nairy, could you help me out here?¡± Nina asked her partner, knowing that Espy wouldn¡¯t be in a cooperative mood. ¡°Nair, dragon, dragonair¡­ Nairy nair, nair¡­¡± Nairy wiggled around and started engaging in charades, shifting his expression in a variety of different ways to convey to Nina what had just happened, from anger, to a malicious smirk, to sadness and so on. Despite some uncertainties, Nina managed to grasp a rough understanding from her partner¡¯s miming, thanks to their tight bond, leading her to turn towards Espy with a furious gaze. At some point, Nina started harbouring some regrets about taking Brucey in. She had thought that she could redirect Brucey¡¯s prankster energy towards battles. But she had been proven to be nothing but wrong so far. And apparently, after realizing that corporeal punishment was doing nothing to deter the Golbat¡¯s pranks, Espy decided to translate Nina¡¯s feelings of regret and beam it directly into Brucey¡¯s mind, completely unprompted. Which then resulted in the current situation. ¡°Espy! That was super mean and uncalled for!¡± Nina yelled. It was probably the first time that she had ever raised her voice against the Espeon. However, Espy was unrepentant, which just goes to show the extent of her frustrations. Worst still, it seemed even the good natured Nairy was inclined to take Espy¡¯s side on the matter. It made sense, Espy was like a sister to him by this point, while Brucey was just an annoying newcomer who kept griefing him and a vampire who was stealing Nina¡¯s attention away. ¡°I need to do something about this. Otherwise, my team¡¯s going to fall apart at this rate.¡± Nina considered her options. There were all sorts of personality types among the Pokemon in the Cerulean Gym, but none of them were quite like Brucey. And if there were, they wouldn¡¯t be included in any training and be left in the exhibit instead. So Nina was at a loss on what to do. Nina looked towards the sheepish Nairy, who was nervously glancing between his two companions; Brucey, who was still crying in her arms, and the defiant Espy who had her back turned towards Nina and her Golbat. ¡°What Espy did was extremely uncouth, but maybe I can make use of that¡­¡± Nina approached Espy and sat Brucey down in front of her. The Psychic Pokemon had already known about Nina¡¯s approach. In fact, she had already read Nina¡¯s mind and understood what the girl wanted from her. The fact that she was still posturing was just her tsundere side acting up, which Nina thought was the cutest part about her Espeon. ¡°Please, Espy?¡± Nina pleaded. To which the Espeon begrudgingly agreed with a curt nod. What Nina wanted Espy to do was beam all the negative emotions she felt towards Brucey directly into his mind. That way, there was no room for misinterpretation on Brucey¡¯s end. The end result was inordinately effective, Brucey wilted and even broke out crying at all the hate that he was feeling from Espy, prompting Nina to pull him in for an impromptu cuddle session and assuage him until he was calm enough to continue. The stick had to be balanced out by a carrot, so Nina then asked Espy to think of a time where she felt positive acknowledgement from something nice she did for somebody else. The tsundere princess actually averted her gaze and took awhile to respond, feeling too embarrassed to expose her soft side in such a direct manner. But in the end she did comply, though she kept Nina out of the loop, so her human did not know what was shared. Brucey immediately perked up at the emotions he was feeling, seeming to like it much more than what he was feeling before. ¡°See, Brucey,¡± said Nina. ¡°There¡¯s a big difference between the attention you get from doing something nice for someone and pranking them. I¡¯m not going to stop you from playing pranks ¡®cause I think it¡¯s a big part of who you are. But you need to learn when to stop and to balance it out with good deeds every once in a while to make up for all the grief you cause. Do you think you can do that?¡± And just for good measure, Nina also asked Espy to reiterate her words using simple concepts for the socially challenged Golbat. Brucey nodded, seeming to understand. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hope this works. But only time will tell.¡± *** Author''s note: Good news! I finished writing Part 2! Well, sort of. I still have to write the epilogue and there''s a few things that I need to move around, maybe delete an entire chapter and rework its content elsewhere just to make the whole thing flow better. Anyways, I''m pretty much done. I would tell you guys the chapter count but I feel like that might be a little spoiler-y. And regarding whether or not to do a daily release. Somehow I feel like opinions are split on that so I''ll put up a poll tomorrow for my Patreons to vote on. The council will decide your fate! Muahahaha! Edit: Forgot to add, next chapter on Saturday. Chapter 102 It did work, kind of. Ever since the events of that day, Brucey had been trying to make it up to Espy with all sorts of awkward gestures like massaging her with his claws when she was lounging or leaving Berries and Pokechow next to her while she was sleeping. All of this only served to annoy the senior Pokemon, but she was adept enough to know that it was all done under good intentions. So instead of admonishing him, she just gently chided Brucey and corrected him whenever she was feeling patient enough for it. Seeing the two of them like that reminded Nina of the awkward dynamic between an older sister and her annoying younger brother. She could feel a sense of warmth within her from her Pokemon¡¯s wholesome interaction with one another. That said, Brucey was still quite persistent with his pranks against Nairy. Though at least he now knew to back off when he was told and had significantly reduced the frequency of his mischief. Apparently, Espy had included some of her desire to expel Brucey from the team during their little sharing session, a fate that the needy Golbat feared more than anything else. There were still some rough patches, but that¡¯s just something for Nina and her team to work on over time. ¡°Thank you for taking my call today, Professor Oak.¡± Nina said towards the white haired visage of the Pokemon Professor on her Pokedex screen ¡°No, it is entirely my pleasure,¡± replied the excited looking Professor. ¡°That email you sent was very enlightening. If proven true, we might finally be able to crack the mysteries behind Crobat Evolution! As expected of Bill¡¯s student, I almost feel jealous that he found you first. Not to disparage your own abilities of course, dear Nina. Yours is the most remarkable young mind I¡¯ve encountered in a long while.¡± Nina smiled and thanked Professor Oak for his praise. ¡°Judging by your reaction, I¡¯m assuming nobody else has come up with a similar thought? Why, though? It felt fairly obvious to me after interacting with Brucey.¡± Professor Oak shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°Such is the benefit of having a layman¡¯s perspective. Sometimes, we so-called ¡®experts¡¯ miss the obvious because we¡¯re too entrenched in the nitty gritty of advanced sciences. And while I have found a couple of papers which follow a similar line of thought, most of them were hyper focused on the instinct component of the Zubat line and not from the perspective of an emotional development standpoint as you proposed.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Professor explained that most of those papers ended with a shaky proposal that a Golbat¡¯s natural Evolution was the result of the Pokemon being ¡®Gifted¡¯ or simply more intellectually developed than their peers. Which wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, but it felt very much like an obvious observation as opposed to anything meaningful. ¡°So what should I do then, Professor?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I would like to prove this theory right as well, but I¡¯m not exactly a scientist, so I don¡¯t really know if there¡¯s any strict processes that I need to abide by.¡± ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t presume to tell a trainer how to train their Pokemon either.¡± Oak responded. ¡°Simply do what you think is best for the development of your Golbat and maintain proper documentation. If it is not too much to ask, I would love it if you could send your records over to me for review. By the end of it, with your blessing, I¡¯d like to list your name as the primary author of the research paper that will be published on the subject.¡± Nina blushed in embarrassment, unsure of how to respond. ¡°You flatter me, Professor. I wouldn¡¯t mind being a collaborator, but primary author is a little¡­¡± ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be the one writing the paper or anything!¡± Professor Oak laughed at the girl¡¯s reservations. ¡°Nonsense! This is a theory that you proposed, my girl. And you will indeed be doing the bulk of the work with your regular reporting. My job is to just sort through them and compile them in an articulate manner to support this hypothesis. So having your name front and center is only right.¡± ¡°But having a sample size of just one Golbat feels a little tenuous don¡¯t you think?¡± The girl argued. ¡°Indeed. Which is why, with your permission, I¡¯d like to reach out to some of the other trainers in my network and get them involved as well. Any contributors therein will be listed as collaborators. What do you think?¡± Nina naturally agreed to the proposal. Having a larger sample size would help to substantiate their claims. Not to mention, the other more experienced trainers might spot something that Nina overlooked. After hammering out a few more details, like the frequency and formatting of her reports and so on. Nina exchanged a few more pleasantries with Professor Oak before heading off to the Vermilion Flames specialized Pokemon training facilities. *** ¡°Do you think you can achieve this someday?¡± Nina had booked one of the many private training rooms in the Vermilion Flame. There were rules regarding their usage, mainly related to Pokemon size and move restrictions but none of them applied to her since she was looking to train Brucey today. The girl had pulled up a video of Koga¡¯s Golbat on her Pokedex and was now showing Brucey to see if he had any inkling on how to achieve the bat swarm effect that the Elite Golbat was currently performing on the screen. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey laughed, but in a weaker and more uncertain tone than usual. Nina kissed the Golbat on the top of his head to reassure him. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you feel overwhelmed, we¡¯re not looking to be able to do this in just one day. For now, let¡¯s try having you use Substitute, see how many clones you can produce in one go,¡± she said. Which, as it turns out, was only two at once. More than what Nina had initially anticipated. It seemed that Brucey really pushed himself to the limit to impress his human as evident by the slight wispiness and translucent look of the second substitute. Nina made sure to heap a ton of praise on Brucey and rewarded him with some Berries, which he now learned to eat without making a mess of his surroundings. ¡°Alright, seems like the first step would be to first raise your endurance and efficiency.¡± Substitute in the Pokemon games worked by sacrificing a portion of a Pokemon¡¯s HP to create a clone that could take a hit for them. In real life, this translated to a stamina and Type Energy costs. The former, Brucey had in abundance since he was quite hyperactive, but he still had room for improvement as evident by the exhausted heap of Golbat in Nina¡¯s arms. Type Energy capacity might be a bit tricky since Substitute used Normal Type Energy and Golbats were Poison and Flying Type. But it wasn¡¯t impossible. Normal Type Energy served as the foundation for all Type Energy, which meant that all Pokemon could harness it to varying degrees. Arceus¡¯s default form was Normal Type for a reason after all. So Brucey just needed to optimize the conversion of his native Type Energy to Normal Type Energy to be as close to being one to one as possible. Nina put on her earplugs and continued instructing Brucey. ¡°Since you¡¯re having trouble being physical right now. Let¡¯s do some Hyper Voice training.¡± Nina was aware that Hyper Voice wasn¡¯t part of a Golbat¡¯s official movelist. It even said as much on the Pokedex when she looked it up. But it was another one of those things that just made no sense. After all, Golbats could learn Uproar, so why not Hyper Voice. They shared the same principles, just that the former was a more focused move whereas the other one was indiscriminate in its scope. If this was a game then that would be it. Such limitations were simply hardcoded and there was nothing that Nina could do about it. But this was real life, and if something made sense then it should be achievable. And, since Espy was also working on the move as well, Nina decided to be efficient and had her teach Brucey so that they could both work on it together. That said, her Espeon didn¡¯t like having her ears blasted by an external source so she kept away from the Golbat when he was practicing. Brucey took in a deep breath, puffing up his massive cheeks as he yelled out as loud as he could. But what came out wasn¡¯t an ear splitting roar as much as it was a sharp and unpleasant Screech. Screech itself wasn¡¯t a bad move; it could stun an opponent Pokemon for a period of time, leaving them completely vulnerable to any attacks. But it was more of a utility/status move instead of one capable of doing damage. Nina did have plans to hone Brucey¡¯s Screech into becoming an aural spear that was sharp enough to pierce through eardrums and deafen most opposing Pokemon though. Without their hearing, battling Pokemon couldn¡¯t receive instructions from their trainers. And hearing also played a big part in maintaining one¡¯s sense of balance. It also wasn¡¯t a typical status condition that could be easily cured with some quick healing on the field. ¡°You did good, Brucey. But remember we¡¯re focusing on volume, not pitch. You remember how Nairy always roars at you whenever you piss him off too much with your pranks. Try to channel that sort of energy.¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey laughed in amusement at the recollection of his companion¡¯s grief and tried to imitate him. The end result was a little hoarse, but it was significantly more dulled than compared to the earlier Screech. Nina clapped her hands in encouragement. ¡°Awesome, Brucey. You did great. And remember to do the vocal exercises that Nairy taught you. We don¡¯t want you straining your voice too much. And tell me if you need to take a break, okay?¡± Brucey nodded and continued on. And once Nina judged that her Golbat had drained all of his Type Energy, she tapped on the tablet that controled the training room and conjured up a holographic obstacle course for Brucey to fly in. She didn¡¯t fully appreciate this at the time. But Brucey did an incredible job of dodging Nairy¡¯s attacks down in Diglett¡¯s Cave when they first met. Most of it came down to his quirky way of flying and his clever use of Taunt. Instead of going in one smooth line or weaving around in curves, Brucey was almost like a housefly in that he jerks and zips around in short bursts and seemingly random patterns. He could fly smoothly as well of course, but whenever he was feeling excited from a successful prank, that was how he flew. Most trainers would probably think of it as some problem to fix, but Nina saw it as an advantage. As evident by all the battles that Brucey had been in so far. Most of her classmate''s Pokemon simply could not get a handle on him as he buzzed around like an annoying bug, causing most ranged attacks to miss and completely disorientating any melee opponents. In addition, he was very good at sneaking in Taunts to hinder his opponents judgment and force them into an enraged state where they just attacked mindlessly. It was an issue that could be largely mitigated through training and experience, but most trainers at Nina¡¯s age simply could not deal with such an aggravating tactic. The only times that he had been defeated was when encountering indiscriminate Electric Type moves and that one time he faced off against that girl whose Oddish Nina borrowed during her first day of school. Only now, it had evolved into a Gloom. The girl used the same sweet scent tactic Nina demonstrated to her, alongside an assortment of other nasty powders to completely incapacitate Brucey. And honestly, Nina didn¡¯t even feel bad about the loss. Rather she felt an odd sense of pride at having greatly contributed to the growth of such a promising trainer. Though she did send Espy out to take the girl down a peg after Brucey. They also had a pleasant conversation afterwards where Nina commended her on her hard work while the girl was telling Nina all about her Gloom¡¯s training regimen the past few months. She didn¡¯t bother to make friends with the girl though since her personality was a little too intense. Also, at some point, she took out an album from the Gym and asked her to sign it. And Nina had strict policies when it came to getting too intimate with fans to avoid any unnecessary drama. ¡°We need to work on your control Brucey. I like the way you fly, but you need to do it with more thought. There were more than a few times where you got hit by an attack you could have dodged just ¡®cause you weren¡¯t thinking and flew right into it.¡± There was still a part of Brucey that retained a Zubat''s animalistic instincts, which was good if used in moderation, but at the moment, Nina¡¯s Golbat was too heavily reliant on those instincts to guide his actions. Nina watched as Brucey tried his best to dodge the random projectiles and obstacles that came his way as he progressed. She intentionally randomized some of them to hone Brucey¡¯s reaction speed, so that he could dodge on instinct if he had to. But the rest followed a fairly predictable pattern. A pattern that Brucey had trouble discerning due to his bad habits. She noticed that Brucey was still prone to panicking and lacked peripheral awareness, but the number of times he was getting hit was steadily decreasing after each run. So he was no doubt improving. Nina continued cheering for Brucey and rewarding him for a job well done, rotating his regimen a couple more times before calling it a day. She had faith that her Golbat would become an absolute menace in the arena some day. Thoughts of all the tears that would be shed because of Brucey made Nina smile in sinister glee. Until said thoughts were interrupted by a message from Kerry, saying that she was done with her extracurriculars and asking about Nina¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Oh right, I forgot. Kerry wants to come over to my place tonight.¡± And so the girl returned her Pokemon and cleaned up before heading out to meet with her friend. *** Author''s Note: The Council has spoken! New release schedule will be four chapters a week, starting from next Tuesday! Chapter 103 ¡°Sorry for the bother¡­¡± Nina laughed as she entered her dorm room. ¡°You know you don''t have to say that everytime you come to visit my place right?¡± Kerry blushed, her lips pouting. ¡°It''s only polite! And I feel bad for always coming by to bother you and eat your food and all.¡± Nina smiled and told her friend not to worry about it. Kerry''s mom was obviously a Nurse Joy, but her dad was also a doctor. Which meant that her parents had irregular working hours and were barely around. And even if they were, never both at the same time. This was the reason why the nurse apprentice was so involved in extracurricular activities, and why she had taken to hanging out in Nina''s place from time to time, just to stave off some of the loneliness she felt from returning to an empty house. ¡°Besides if you''re not around then I''ll just end up eating at the cafeteria again.¡± Nina added. ¡°This gives me an excuse to cook.¡± That said, the girls did acquire Pokemon bentos from the cafeteria before coming in, which Nina plopped down on her coffee table before releasing her Pokemon from their Pokeballs. Cooking the large amounts of food necessary to sustain three battle-ready Pokemon was a hassle and a half and Nina felt bad if she just fed them Pokechow everyday, so this was the most efficient solution. ¡°Nair!¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Nairy and Brucey immediately rushed towards the bento boxes, with an eager look on their faces. Brucey, in particular, was especially famished after an intense training session. ¡°Now, now, you two. Hold your Ponytas, we''ve got guests with us today, so let''s wait until I''m done cooking dinner before we eat together, okay?¡± Nina chided, prompting both of her Pokemon to wilt slightly. Nina chuckled. ¡°Espy could you look after the boys for me?¡± She asked, eliciting an eye roll and a mental pulse of affirmation from the Espeon. ¡°Thanks, and make sure to keep an extra close eye on Brucey, okay?¡± The Golbat should be too exhausted to pull any pranks, but the perpetually mischievous glint in his eyes made Nina uncertain, so better safe than sorry. Kerry giggled at the sight of Nina and her Pokemon while releasing Polly and Peppy, her Poliwag and Happiny. ¡°Must be nice to have such lively Pokemon.¡± She said as she bent down to caress her timid Poliwag. ¡°Alright Polly, go and play with Nina¡¯s Pokemon.¡± ¡°Wag¡­¡± However, Polly just quivered and rushed into Kerry¡¯s arms instead when she saw the sinister looking Brucey. Nina smiled warmly at the little tadpole Pokemon and approached to assuage her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brucey¡¯s friendly.¡± The girl said as she beckoned Nairy to come over. ¡°Here, you know Nairy right? He¡¯s the one who always takes you out for swimmies.¡± ¡°Nair~¡± cried the Dragonair as he went in for a friendly boop with the timid Poliwag. And after a few more assurances from Nina¡¯s affable partner, Polly finally relented and followed him over to be introduced to Brucey, looking shy all the while. ¡°Gosh, your Poliwag is so cuuute.¡± Nina swooned. ¡°Is she still not willing to battle yet?¡± Kerry sighed and followed Nina to the kitchen. ¡°Unfortunately no, she¡¯s too scared to even spar with Peppy.¡± Nina nodded and gave her friend a gentle pat on the back. ¡°It¡¯s alright, these things take time. Maybe we can have her spar with Espy at some point. Nairy¡¯s too powerful and Brucey¡¯s out of control, but Espy should be gentle enough to prod her into action without too much stress.¡± Kerry nodded and thanked Nina for the offer as she rummaged through her fridge to figure out what was available to cook. ¡°Let¡¯s make gnocchi,¡± said Nina as she produced a few baked potatoes that she had for dinner last night. ¡°Could you grab a bowl, cut these tatters in half and scoop out the flesh? Don¡¯t throw the skin away though, we can bake them and get them all crispy. Which reminds me¡­¡± The girl then dove back into the fridge to grab a bowl of mash potatoes that she had left over from a few days ago. Kerry did as she was told, but still tilted her head in confusion and asked; ¡°What¡¯s gnocchi?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ Think of it as a type of pasta, but made primarily using potatoes instead of flour,¡± Nina replied, feeling a little taken aback by the fish out of water moment. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s easy to forget that stuff is different here in this world.¡± Especially given all the other similarities to her past life that the otherworlder had largely taken for granted by this point. ¡°Here, use this.¡± Nina passed a potato masher to Kerry. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly have a ricer, but the potatoes should be dry and crumbly enough that a simple mash will do. No need to get it too fine, we¡¯re not looking to make a creamy mash or anything.¡± She said, in an attempt to distract her friend. Kerry nodded and got to work. ¡°But if you already have mashed up potatoes then why do we still need to make more?¡± The girl said, referring to the bowl of mashed potatoes that Nina was currently mixing with some cream cheese and chives. ¡°Nah, I already added cream and butter into this mix, so it¡¯s not good for gnocchi. I¡¯m gonna be piping this into the hollowed out potato skins and shoving them into the oven to make twice baked potatoes.¡± Which was what Nina did, before she grabbed a pair of scissors and headed out into the balcony. In a similar vein to her past life, Nina took advantage of her balcony space to grow some edible plants. Plants which she procured from the gardening club in exchange for a few signed copies of her and Beverly¡¯s CD. There were basil, chives, chili, rosemary, a few other staples, as well as a perilla plant. She wanted mushrooms as well, but the guy from the gardening club advised her against it since there was a high risk of cross contamination. Nina planned on making a pesto sauce, so she grabbed a bunch of basil, making sure to leave enough of the stalks for them to regrow. ¡°Dammit.¡± Nina cursed as she took stock of her gathered ingredients. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± asked the concerned Kerry. ¡°Nothing, just realized I ran out of hard cheese.¡± Pesto was typically made with parmesan, but any hard cheese would do really. Except, Nina didn¡¯t have anything on hand at the moment. The girl hummed in consideration of her options. ¡°Oh screw it. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s any Italians around to crucify me for this.¡± In a fit of inspiration, Nina approached Peppy to ask for a Soft-Boiled egg, which the Happiny happily obliged by focusing some Type Energy on her little belly pouch to produce an egg roughly the same size as a chicken¡¯s The Happiny line, when they were born, would find a nice piece of stone to fill their pouch while they developed Soft-Boiled, the move. Once they were able to form a nascent egg, they then discarded the placeholder stone which then transformed into an Everstone, a peculiar item that prevents a Pokemon from Evolving when held. Nina wasn¡¯t sure about the science behind it, but according to Kerry, it had something to do with the unique Type Energy signature that a Happiny imbues the stone with during their possession of it ¡ª a sort of maternal aura that tethers a Pokemon to their infantile instincts. Depending on who was asked, the ethics behind the use of an Everstone may be debatable, since it could be considered a means of stunting a Pokemon¡¯s mental development. And in a similar vein to Dratinis and Dragon Dance, once Soft-Boiled as a move was fully developed and the Happiny was able to create a full-sized egg, that was when they would Evolve into a Chansey. Incidentally, chicken eggs were a rarity in the Pokemon world, so Nina¡¯s gnocchi recipe involved just the use of flour to create a fluffier and more pillowy pasta. One which she actually preferred over conventional gnocchi in fact. Once Nina had procured one of Peppy¡¯s eggs, she then grated it into her blender which she had already loaded up with basil, olive oil, Sitrus Berries, and whatever mixed nuts she had available in the drawer. ¡°Italians, if you take issue with this then feel free to dial the isekai hotline at 1800-imaweeb to file a complaint with truck-kun.¡± A quick whirl of the blender later and the knock off green pesto sauce thing that Nina made was ready to taste. ¡°Hmm¡­ Needs a bit more salt, maybe a crack of pepper as well.¡± The concoction was actually really tasty but tasted nothing like the pesto that Nina was used to, having been imbued with a lot more complexity from the Soft-Boiled egg. That said, it wasn¡¯t lacking in umami from the omission of cheese which was the most important part. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Kerry asked, eyes twinkling after experiencing a rush of flavors she had never tasted before. ¡°Next we just boil the gnocchi in water, fry it in some butter, before tossing together with the sauce.¡± And right on cue, the oven chimed as well, indicating that the twice baked potatoes were also ready. The two girls then proceeded to have a lovely dinner with all their Pokemon before watching a movie on Nina¡¯s TV. Nina preferred documentaries usually, being the nerd that she was, but Kerry could never get through them without falling asleep. So they met in the middle and found a movie about a group of characters who were invited to a park filled with prehistoric Pokemon. The scene where the Tyrantrum was first revealed in its full glory with an earth shaking roar was especially intense ¡ª both Nina and Kerry felt as if they were actually there in person, being stared down by those cruel, ravenous eyes. ¡°Thanks again for hanging out with me today.¡± Kerry pulled Nina in for a tight hug at the entrance of the dorm. ¡°No worries,¡± Nina reciprocated with a tight squeeze of her own. ¡°Feel free to stop by anytime.¡± She said while escorting Kerry out to where her dad was waiting with a Pidgeot. Kerry almost seemed a little wistful for leaving as she waved at Nina from the edge of the Fly Basket. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Nina yelled, before shuddering at the sudden chill that took over her, prompting the girl to hurry back into the warmth of VF¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Man, winter¡¯s really coming huh? Crazy how quickly time flies¡­¡± Nina muttered, to no one in particular. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Nina sighed as she returned to her room, only to wilt when she saw the pile of dishes in her sink. For a brief moment, Nina considered leaving the task for the next day, only to receive a judgemental gaze from Espy, eliciting another sigh from the girl as she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. *** Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Author''s note: Is it just me or does Monster Hunter Wilds feel too easy? I didn''t really notice during the beta since my character was undergeared, but I haven''t really carted at all. I like that they''ve made it so that the other weapons are equally as viable instead of just endlessly buffing Long Sword, but at the same time, they''ve also overcompensated by making LS completely broken. I actually made a conscious decision to forgo LS this time around because I wanted to actually play the game rather than rush through it. Focus mode is great though, being able to reorientate your character really makes the combat feel less clunky, especially with less wieldy weapons. Also, hot take; I don''t mind the talking Palico. I was annoyed at first, but after forgetting to turn off that setting during character creation I got used to it and now I find them endearing. Chapter 104 ¡°Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s see here, Whismur, Hoothoot and Doduo. How in Arceus did someone teach their Hoothoot Uproar anyway?¡± Nina was currently in that same hidden TM shop she found in Vermilion City last time. She had a few items in her to-do list. The first of which was procuring an Uproar TM for Brucey, who was currently waddling around in tow under the watchful eyes of Espy. Nina did not want to pay for any damages, but it didn¡¯t feel right to keep the prankster cooped up in his Pokeball either. After another week of effort, Nina realized that Brucey¡¯s progress with Hyper Voice was too slow and it strained him too much. Something about a Golbat¡¯s perpetually unhinged jaw and their body structure made it difficult for the species to focus their voice in a narrow cone. So she decided to try a top down approach. Starting from Uproar, which Nina was certain that Brucey was capable of, then trying to work on his control so that he could focus the Uproar into a semblance of Hyper Voice. Nina took the three Uproars she was considering up to the counter for some clarification. ¡°Hey, Johnny. These two TMs aren¡¯t seconds right?¡± She asked, referring to the Uproar copied from Hoothoot and Doduo. Johnny the crackhead store owner took a puff of his inhaler and looked at Nina with bloodshot eyes and scoffed. ¡°Johnny doesn¡¯t do sloppy seconds, babe. Those Uproars are preem virgin stock.¡± Sloppy seconds was slang referring to TMs that were copied from Pokemon who learned the move originally through a TM as well. It was highly frowned upon in the TM collectors community since it was inevitable for there to be some noise and degradation with the practice. It was almost like a game of telephone. At some point, the original message gets lost along the way, and all you¡¯re left with is a garbled mess. Nina decided to take his word on it since the guy seems quite passionate about his ¡®art¡¯, as he called it. ¡°So which one would you suggest for my Golbat here?¡± She asked, still unsure about her choice. ¡°Neither,¡± responded Johny. ¡°Should be one from a Loudred in the pile. It¡¯s pricier but it¡¯ll be worth it.¡± His logic was the similar open jaw structure of the two Pokemon, which made the TM more compatible with Brucey. And after looking up a Loudred in her Pokedex to refresh her memory. Nina couldn¡¯t really refute that logic and decided to shell out the 700 Pokedollars for the TM. She was tempted to pick up Sludge Bomb as well, but ultimately decided not to. Brucey was very proficient in Poison Fang and was making good progress in learning Venoshock. Sludge Bomb was only a matter of time and effort. ¡°Say, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know what this move is right?¡± Nina pulled up the footage of Koga¡¯s Golbat on her Pokedex to show to the TM shop owner. It was a shot in the dark but she didn¡¯t have much choice. She had previously asked her sponsors about it, but this wasn¡¯t in Professor Bill¡¯s wheelhouse and Professor Oak refused to say because he did not want to risk offending the Koga clan. And honestly, Nina couldn¡¯t blame him. After the passing of Agatha, Koga was now head of the Indigo League¡¯s Intelligence Bureau. Pissing him off was like pissing off the CIA or MI6. Being put on a watch list would be the least of Nina¡¯s worries. Surprisingly, Johnny was actually able to provide an answer. ¡°Kage Bunshin¡­¡± whispered the crackhead, in an uncharacteristically severe and reverent tone. ¡°Kage Bunshin¡­ Like shadow clone technique?¡± asked the perturbed Nina. Johnny nodded and took another puff of his inhaler. ¡°Yup, the Koga clan¡¯s secret sauce. Passed down from one Koga to the next.¡± Koga wasn¡¯t really a birth name, more like the name of the clan that each successive head had to bear when they took over. So for example, when Janine eventually succeeds her father, she would change her name to Koga as well. Johnny scoffed. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t do to get a TM like that. Won¡¯t even sell it, just frame it in my bathroom so I can admire it everytime I¡¯m in the shitter.¡± Nina scrunched up her nose at the disgusting imagery and soldiered on. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing you won¡¯t know anyone who might be able to teach it then? Bummer.¡± But in yet another surprise, Johnny scratched his chin in consideration. ¡°Not exactly, but I don¡¯t know how far you can get with the guy.¡± Nina perked up and asked for more information. ¡°I¡¯ll even pay you,¡± she added. ¡°Not that simple babe, guy¡¯s a ronin. Know what that is?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°A masterless ninja, or someone who has strayed from their clan.¡± ¡°Yup, not exactly the friendly sort. Quite ruthless as well. I don¡¯t mind telling you, so long as you keep your trap shut about ol¡¯ Johnny. And under one more condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Johnny took another puff of his inhaler. ¡°I don¡¯t want the money. But if, and that¡¯s a very big if. IF you survive and do manage to get the move, I want to copy a TM.¡± Nina frowned. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable condition, but it wasn¡¯t exactly as simple as it seemed either. ¡°I¡¯m not dumb, Johnny. If I give you the TM, what¡¯s stopping you from just making your own copies and selling them. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s tons of people out there who¡¯ll pay a lot of money for a move that valuable.¡± Johnny cackled at Nina¡¯s concern. ¡°Well for one, Koga¡¯s gonna skin my ass. And two, I already said didn¡¯t I? Johnny doesn¡¯t do sloppy seconds. And that¡¯s a guarantee.¡± ¡°Except Koga won¡¯t just be skinning your ass but mine as well. And there¡¯s no guarantee that your TM printer isn¡¯t equipped with memory storage. So theoretically, you could just grab a fresh printer and go ham without worrying about degradation.¡± ¡°Fine, one copy of the TM that you print using your printer.¡± Johnny conceded. ¡°Don¡¯t have one? I¡¯ll front you the cash to buy one. I get to choose the model though. Don¡¯t want you giving any money to some overpriced, overengineered corpo garbage.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± And so the two shook on it. The location of where Nina could find the person though was very problematic. Not the sort of place a reputable Gym Trainer and minor celebrity should really be seen going to. Especially not one that¡¯s only a ten year old child. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina sighed. ¡°What to do? I¡¯ll need backup as well ¡®cause no way I¡¯m diving into a place like this on my own.¡± *** The backup that Nina ended up recruiting was Lilian Blackthorn of all people. Since Kerry was out of the question and Justin in a den of criminals was asking for trouble. She had actually expected Alfred to object, but the old butler was surprisingly tolerant, saying that this was a good opportunity for ¡®milady¡¯ to get a bit more exposure to a different facet of society. Especially if she was to govern the two regions in the future. The man seemed to have no doubts whatsoever that Lilian would eventually dethrone Lance as Champion. The old man wasn¡¯t tagging along, of course. Since he was too conspicuous. Also, he was going to be their guy in a van, whispering into their ears with advice when necessary and jumping in to bail them out if things went horribly wrong. The inconspicuous butler used to be counterintelligence apparently. As expected of the Blackthorn clan, they did not fuck around. On Lilian¡¯s part, she was excited to have a chance to play vigilante, and Nina had to talk her down by reminding her that their purpose there was to find someone and hopefully engage in amicable negotiations. She also caught the girl mumbling: ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s possible to teach a Noibat this move?¡± The thought of a swarm of Draconic Noiverns descending down onto the arena sent chills to Nina¡¯s spine. That was some apocalyptic imagery right there. At the same time, she also couldn¡¯t help but wonder the same thing. The Noivern line wasn''t native to Kanto-Johto, so it wasn¡¯t odd that the Koga clan had never tried rearing them. But the Blackthorn clan with their abundant resources could easily procure one. ¡°How do I look?¡± Lilian asked, looking a little uncomfortable in the casual hoodie and jeans. She tied her hair up and stuffed the bulk of it under a cap, while leaving only a short ponytail sticking out from the back. Overall, the girl looked like a handsome young boy as opposed to the young lady of the region¡¯s most influential clan. Nina reached over to tilt her cap down a little bit to help shade her features further. ¡°You need to relax your shoulders and hunch over some more. You look too disciplined and proper. Remember, we¡¯re supposed to be delinquents.¡± Lilian frowned, but tried her best to comply. They also agreed that she would keep her mouth shut and act all brooding and silent, and leave all the talking to Nina. The uptight Blackthorn girl wasn¡¯t a good enough actress to change her speech pattern to something less formal. Nina, on the other hand, had put on a ton of makeup with some help from Alfred to lighten her tan. Skin color was one of the biggest identifiers of a person, so just this small change was enough to make Nina look significantly different from Aquarium Girl. She was also wearing a hoodie with jeans. Though her gender wasn¡¯t as ambiguous as Lilian¡¯s, looking just like a normal bratty girl. Next up, Alfred presented two cases of contact lenses to the girls. The contacts were intentionally a prominent icy blue color to mislead people. In addition to being high tech gizmos that would allow Alfred to have eyes on what the girls were seeing as well. It was really funny how people¡¯s memories worked, they tended to automatically focus on a small number of prominent features and build an image from there. So for Lilian, it would be her fiery red mane and uptight demeanor. Whereas Nina was most identifiable by her tanned skin, big round eyes and her penchant for yellow clothing. Obscure any one of these features and people will have a significantly harder time recognizing them, according to Alfred. The two caps that Nina and Lilian wore were also gadgets that could transmit sound through bone induction, allowing Alfred to talk to them if necessary. Meaning they didn¡¯t stick out like an earpiece would. The downside to the tech was that there was inevitably some sound leakage. But unless someone pressed their ear against the headwear, it wasn¡¯t too audible. Besides, Nina anticipated that the place they had to go to would be very rowdy. ¡°What do you think, Mr Alfred? Do we look passable enough?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Indeed, this should be enough to fool your average thug. Make sure to hide your Pokeballs in your pockets as well, and ensure that you keep track of them. An easy way would be to use the front pockets of your hoodie, that way you can keep your hands on them at all times without breaking your faux demeanor.¡± Nina and Lilian both nodded and did as they were told. ¡°Welp, that should be it then. You ready Lilian? Or rather, Luther.¡± Lilian, now disguised as Luther, gave Nina an awkward thumbs up. ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be, Meli¡­ ssa.¡± Nina laughed at her friend¡¯s blunder. She had already anticipated this, so she picked a similar name to Melina. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then.¡± *** Author''s Note: Reminder of the new schedule. New chapter tomorrow and on Sunday. Chapter 105 Author''s Note: Disclaimer: Some depiction of gore ahead. It shouldn''t be anything too eggregious I think, but I understand that some people are really sensitive towards stuff like this. So please be warned. *** The place that Johnny directed Nina to was an illegal fight club. Located on the north-eastern side of the city, It was only a few blocks away from the nightclub that Charlie used to work at. ¡°I wonder why the city doesn¡¯t just clean this place up already?¡± Nina mused. ¡°A few reasons; namely stubborn residents and a complete lack of priority,¡± said the voice in her head. ¡°This part of the city used to be an industrial area, but since Vermilion City has largely moved away from that sector, many businesses have shuddered accordingly. The lack of contribution towards the logistics sector meant development was slow. And thanks to how entrenched the local gangs are, any independent entrepreneurs who try to take root here are met with harassment and constant threats of violence.¡± Alfred explained. Nina shook her head in exasperation, especially towards the second half. Gentrification was a nuanced topic, poorly done and it would lead to displacement of residents, but an irrational fear of it only resulted in stagnation. One couldn¡¯t hope for economic revival without an outside source of money. And no amount of subsidies and donations would help if most of it was going towards fuelling local criminals. The two girls continued walking, Nina wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar with this area since she roamed through it while searching for her friend last time, but she mostly stuck to the main street. This time, she had to delve deeper into the bowels of this unsavory neighborhood, and that meant going through dingy alleyways smelling of sewage, chemicals, and strangely, oil and spices from nearby kitchens. The occasional drunkards, druggos and back alley Pokemon could be seen along the way. The former two mostly passed out in a heap most of the time, thankfully. Dealing with a persistent beggar this early on would force them to show their hand and wouldn¡¯t be ideal. As the duo continued walking on, they found their previously dim and gloomy path lit by a feverish neon glow. The eerily derelict alleyways gave way to a cacophony of muffled music and indistinct chatter. The place that Nina and Lilian were looking for was a megastructure that looked to be a strange fusion of five to six different buildings. There was an uncanny organic feel to it, the way that the haphazard patchwork of constructions conjoined each of the main buildings, to the point where it was no longer possible to tell which was the original structure and which were bits that were just tacked on. It reminded Nina of a diagram of a leaf''s internal structure that she saw long ago. It was a wonder how such a place hadn¡¯t completely toppled over yet with how rickety and precarious the whole thing looked. ¡°This place used to be a hotbed for illegal migrants to the region and any asylum seekers displaced by the war. Years of unregulated construction work has led to its current state. Quite a marvelous piece of architecture, don¡¯t you think?¡± Nina nodded her head in agreement with Alfred, not that the man could see her. Though he could probably tell through the bobbing of Nina¡¯s visual feed. Lilian on the other hand, tensed up at the sight of the various scantily clad men and women propositioning sleazy looking passerbys, and a number of shops containing unhealthy looking Pokemon in cages, as well as what appeared to be body parts and internal organs preserved in jars, or dried and hung up on display, most likely being sold for ¡®medicinal¡¯ purposes. Even Nina struggled to hold back her bile at the macabre sight. Nina looped her arm around Lilian¡¯s to keep both of them steady and reminded her of their purpose. The sheltered girl hissed angrily. ¡°What are the police doing?! How could they allow such heinous atrocities to exist?¡± However, Nina simply rubbed Lilian¡¯s arm in assurance, trying her best to direct their path and keep the girl moving to avoid suspicion. She had a good idea as to the answer to Lilian¡¯s question, if this was anything like her old world. An answer that Alfred soon provided. ¡°Because the City is well aware that for a metropolis as prosperous as theirs, such unsavory activities are unavoidable, milady. Cracking down on them will simply result in these dark deeds going further underground or scattering throughout the whole city, making it all the more harder to manage. Therefore, the most efficient solution was containment ¡ª to contain everything in one centralized location and use their inherently poor reputation to ward off any visitors.¡± This was the reason that slums and red light districts existed. Disparities in income was an inevitability in human society, and desperate people were prone to desperate means of survival. So rather than allow these people to disrupt the peace, better to just corral them into one big pen and monitor them from a distance. Not to mention that people of influence and power were always in need of fodder to handle whatever dark dealings they may have. The fact that such a place existed at all in this fantastical world of Pokemon was somewhat of a disappointment, but Nina had already been disillusioned since Team Rocket first attacked her. Back when Miles was first transmigrated, Nina held such an innocent view of this Pokemon world, believing that everything was all rainbows and flowers ¡ª a utopia where suffering and poverty did not exist. But she had since taken on a more nuanced view. After all, if the world was perfect, how could an organisation like Team Rocket exist? There had to be more than just malice and ambition that drove a person to crime. Most criminals were equally victims of their own circumstances. Nina agreed with Alfred, but opted to remain silent and casually glanced around to find the place that they were looking for. Johnny wasn¡¯t too specific in his directions, only gave her a general description and told her to look for a particular mark that led into an alleyway, where there would be a non discrete metal door marked with the same graffiti. After a few more minutes of walking while ignoring all the touts that approached them to promote various shady services and wares, Nina found the mark and dragged her companion into the designated alleyway. Eventually coming across the metal door they were looking for. Nina rapped on the door in a rhythmic pattern, and a slot slid open with a loud clunk, revealing a set of angry looking eyes looking down on the two children. ¡°Password?¡± said a masculine sounding voice lurking behind the door. ¡°Professor Oak¡¯s fucking your mom and he even got Mr Mime to join in this time.¡± The metal slot slid closed and there was a bit of noise before the door opened to reveal the hulking figure of a man. ¡°Beat it, kid. This ain¡¯t no playground,¡± said the gruff bouncer. But Nina was undeterred. ¡°Aww~ Come on, my babe and I heard there¡¯s some fun stuff to see down there. We have money to spend. Pleaseeee~¡± Nina waved a 50 Pokedollar bill in front of the bouncer, which he just grabbed from the girl unceremoniously before slamming the door in her face. ¡°Motherfu¡ª¡± Nina was fuming. She had half a mind to release Nairy and break the door down right this instant. ¡°Calm down, Nina¡­ Calm down¡­ It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°So what now? Mel¡­issa?¡± ¡®Luther¡¯ asked. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Melissa¡¯ sighed and dragged her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ with her to a secluded nook in the alleyway. ¡°Mr Alfred, is there another way in?¡± She whispered. ¡°A backdoor maybe?¡± ¡°There are no schematics for the building, given its nature,¡± responded the voice in her head. ¡°Otherwise, I can have my Gallade teleport you and milady in.¡± Nina hummed in consideration and released Espy, who did not look pleased at all to be summoned in such a foul environment. The girl knelt down to give her Pokemon an apologetic nuzzle. ¡°Sorry, Espy. Do you think if you can maybe use your mind¡¯s eye and see into this building behind us? We need a way into the basement.¡± Espy huffed indignantly but still closed her eyes for an attempt, gradually furrowing her brows in exertion as she did. A series of noisy images invaded Nina¡¯s mind as Espy linked her in. Most of it was too muddled and dark to see anything, but there was one particular image, supposedly in a far corner of the club, of a crummy, nauseating looking bathroom stall that looked like someone just had some very explosive diarrhea, from the front and the back by the looks of it. Both Nina and Espy gagged at the same time, but it seemed like they found themselves an in, albeit a less than ideal one. A series of stringent ideas and admonishments washed over Nina, eliciting chuckles from the girl. ¡°I know, Espy, I¡¯ll make sure to clean up before I go home tonight.¡± Matter of fact, she vowed to burn the clothes she was wearing for this particular endeavour. Espy nodded in approval before begging to be returned to her Pokeball. ¡°The whole building is shielded,¡± said Nina ¡°Espy could barely see inside, but she did find a small corner that was relatively unprotected. Do you think your Gallade can thread the needle?¡± The girl asked their overseer, before relaying in detail the image that she saw. ¡°Hmm¡­ It is hard to say,¡± responded Alfred. ¡°I shall send Gallade over with his Pokeball for a closer look. Given the nature of the place, I would feel more assured if you were in possession of him. Please leave the vicinity of the building and try to get as close to this blindspot as you can.¡± Nina replied in affirmation and left the alleyway hand in hand with Lilian. The unshielded bathroom stall was somewhere near the front, which made things a little complicated given how visible they were. But fortunately, there was a rundown looking love motel in the vicinity where they were able to rent a room in, the listless looking receptionist barely batting an eye at the two minors before him. The first thing that Nina did when she entered the room was to have Espy check for hidden cameras, a move that confused the sheltered Lilian until they produced several spy cams hidden in various nooks and crannies. The ones in the wall, Espy crushed with her Psychic ability. ¡°Alright, Mr Alfred, we¡¯re ready for you.¡± And with a dull flash, a noble looking Gallade emerged in the room, eliciting a subdued squeal from Nina as she approached and caressed the Pokemon¡¯s sharp blades, until a cough from Lilian brought her back to her senses. ¡°Sorry,¡± Nina murmured, before allowing Gallade into her mind. ¡°Do you think you can make that jump?¡± She asked, eliciting a cautious reply in her mind. Nina nodded and relayed Gallade¡¯s intentions to Lilian. ¡°He says he¡¯s gonna attempt a solo teleport before coming back to get us.¡± And with another dull flash, Gallade disappeared from the room. Both Nina and Lilian waited anxiously for the Fighting Psychic Type¡¯s return. At some point they even began to worry if something had happened to him after a whole ten minutes of absence. But just when Nina was about to pester Alfred again for his take on the matter, an exhausted looking Gallade reappeared with another dull flash. Nina wanted to ask Gallade what happened to him, but just got an unprompted wave of irritation in response. Nina comforted the incensed Pokemon with a gentle pat on the back and some berries as a reward. Once Gallade had recovered enough to proceed, he gave Lilian a courteous bow and reached his hand out for hers, before grabbing Nina¡¯s and proceeded to do a series of convoluted teleports. Both girls could barely keep track of their surroundings amidst the dizzying array of sights that flashed before them, but Nina could have sworn they were in the middle of the air and in the sewers at some point. Once things settled, Nina felt like someone had ran her stomach through a blender as she gagged and belched in spite of herself. Lilian on the other hand, actually threw up, not from the teleport, but from the sudden noxious smell of the bathroom stall that assaulted her all in one go. A fact that was made worse after she caught sight of the contents of the toilet bowl she was facing, causing her to throw up even harder. Credit to Gallade, he took the initiative to shield Lilian¡¯s senses and sooth his mistress with his Psychic ability before hurriedly urging Nina to open the door and exit the space, which the other girl was more than happy to do. Luckily there wasn¡¯t anyone else in the seedy bathroom at the time. Nina gently soothed Lilian with gentle backrubs as her friend cleaned herself in the sink. Once the Blackthorn scion recomposed herself, she muttered a quiet apology to her two companions before thanking Gallade and returning him to his Pokeball. ¡°Forgive my moment of weakness.¡± Lilian said once more, as she straightened her back and hooked an arm around Nina¡¯s. ¡°Let us venture forth.¡± She declared, eliciting a genial smile from the other girl. The moment that the ¡®couple¡¯ stepped out of the door and began walking down the narrow hallway, they could hear the muffled sounds of fervent cheers and loud cursing which steadily became louder and clearer the deeper they went. The space opened up to a deluge of body odor, stale alcohol and blood. Hundreds of ruffians and lowlives surrounded a cage in the middle of the fight club. In it, was a three armed Machamp currently engaged with a Pinsir. The Machamp had his fist trapped between Pinsir¡¯s thorny pincers, desperately slamming into the Bug Pokemon with his other two fists in an attempt to free itself. Only for Pinsir to strengthen its hold, causing the Machamp to cry out in pain. In another desperate attempt, Machamp heaved and shoved his fingers into the Pinsir¡¯s eye, crushing the eyeball hidden within and causing blood and gray matter to burst out. Pinsir cried out in pain as well, but instead of loosening its grip, it tightened on impulse and crushed the Machamp¡¯s wrist, completely mangling it in a mess of broken bones and loosely hanging tendons. Nina averted her gaze in disgusts at the barbaric display. She was once more reminded of the difference between official Pokemon battles and the harsh realities of the Pokemon world. If not for a trainer¡¯s handling and all the rules imposed by League sanctioned referees, this was the sort of outcome one should expect when two Pokemon went at it with no holds barred. Surprisingly, Lilian looked unphased, probably because the Blackthorn clan was used to more brutal displays among Dragons. Nina leaned in to her partner and took a breath to steady herself. ¡°C¡¯mon babe, let¡¯s go check this place out.¡± ¡®Luther¡¯ nodded and the two casually made a round of the jam packed arena. The fact that so many people were here to indulge in such brutality was quite disappointing. *** Author''s Note: You might be interested in knowing that the depiction of the area that Nina and Lilian went to was based off Kowloon''s now torn down Walled City. I''ve never been there in person, but as someone who grew up watching old school Hong Kong martial arts films, it''s a place that''s always piqued my imagination. On the other hand, the depiction of the Pokemon "chop shop" is based on my first experience walking into an old fashioned traditional medicine shop. And I do mean . Not like the more modern ones these days where it''s just a bunch of dried up herbs smelling like earthy medicinal goodness. For those of you who have never seen that sort of a sight in person before. It is every much as macabre as your imagination makes it out to be. It''s a sight that has always haunted my mind, begging to be put onto a page in some capacity. And today, I finally had the chance to do just that. I pray such places no longer exists, but unfortunately that isn''t true. I''m sure there''s some rural areas somewhere in the world that still possess such dated practices. I''ve always imagined Vermilion City in a sort of urban noir setting. In the original variation of this story where Nina never got a Dratini as a starter, she was supposed to go around the city taking up various jobs and commissions to earn money; maybe search around for a lost Pokemon or tail someone''s spouse suspected of having an affair. But that never came into fruition and this arc took its place. But the idea still appeals to me, so I might explore this from Charlie''s perspective instead, in his side story. Chapter 106 Author''s Note: Reminder: Nina and Lilian are undercover. Nina is Melissa and Lilian is Luther. Disclaimer: Same as last chapter, there will be some depiction of gore but it shouldn''t be any worse than what you read previously. So any sensitive souls beware. *** There was a bar attached to the side of the fight club, though the selection of drinks on offer were limited; either cheap beer or hard liquor with very little in between. ¡®Luther¡¯ decided to grab a beer just for appearances sake. And as one would expect from an establishment like this, the bartender didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid at the underaged children. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey Barkeep, where can we find out who¡¯s gonna be fighting after this?¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ asked, to which the bartender just jerked a thumb to the side where the betting counter¡¯s located. With a curt thanks, the two squeezed through the crowd and headed over. Nina scanned through the crudely written roster. Purple Shadow was quite an ostentatious name, but then again, most of them were. She saw a Black Widow, Grave Digger, and one that was a little smudged and hard to see. ¡°Purple Shadow.¡± ¡®Luther¡¯ mumbled as he pointed towards the board. ¡°Nice eye, babe. Knew you were the best.¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ leaned in and pecked her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ on the cheek. ¡®Luther¡¯ stiffened a little at the unfamiliar physical affection, which ¡®Melissa¡¯ thought was kind of cute. She then grabbed some money from her pockets and headed to the bookie. ¡°Hey there mister, half on Black Widow and half on Purple Shadow,¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ shoved the crumpled bills, a total of 400 Pokedollars through a divet under the glass panel as she placed her bets. ¡°Heh. New around here are ya, kid? You got a good eye there.¡± ¡°Nah, the names just sound cool. And Black Widow is a girl, gotta support a sister y¡¯know?¡± Nina responded. The man behind the glass laughed. ¡°Hah! S¡¯pose that¡¯s as good a reason as any. Never know what¡¯ll happen in the cage¡­¡± He said with a sly wink. Nina caught on to the insinuation, and it did make sense. This sort of shady place probably engaged in some form of match fixing. It¡¯d be hard to keep any sort of win streak going. Rather, it¡¯s precisely the fighters on a win streak that people needed to be wary off, because you never know when they might inexplicably fall to some underdog. A wave of cheers drowned out ¡®Melissa¡¯ and the bookie¡¯s voice, followed by disappointed groans and angry curses. As the wave of winners moved towards the betting counter to claim their winnings, the two children took the opportunity to find a nice spot to watch the next fights. They made sure not to get too close to avoid any splashback. Some people might enjoy a bit of viscera on their face, but definitely not Nina and Lilian. Purple Shadow was three fights in, with Black Widow versus Grave Digger going right before that. And honestly, the Black Widow fight was kind of boring. The salacious looking woman sent out an Ariados in keeping with her name, While Grave Digger sent out a Graveler. A fairly odd matchup as far as entertainment went. Ariados started off with spewing corrosive Poison all over the Graveller, before spinning its webs to begin hampering its opponent. It was basically stall tactics. And since the spider was bouncing around all over the cage, the poison just slowly seeped into the Graveler¡¯s rocky shell as it tried to wade its way through the cumbersome threads to get at the bugger. Graveler would occasionally use Rock Throw against Ariados, only to find all its projectiles getting stuck in the webs which the spider Pokemon just cleverly flung back by using its steel like strands as slingshots. The ending was pretty much the only thing of note. At one point, the mid-Rollout Graveler got into melee range with Ariados. But instead of using the opportunity to grapple its opponent, Grave Digger called for an Explosion instead. And boy was it an explosion. Definitely beyond the safe limit of force permissible by the Pokemon League, because Ariados just turned into paste against the cage as green blood and purple innards sprayed all over the audience. Nina was thankful that the explosion was facing away from them. Meanwhile, Black Widow just shrieked out in rage like a Fearow at the loss of her Pokemon. *** ¡®Luther¡¯ took another sip of his beer as he leaned back against an exposed pillar. The ¡®boy¡¯ had been going back to it every so often, despite having made a disgusted face at his first taste. ¡®Melissa¡¯ wasn¡¯t sure if it was stubbornness or if her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ had actually developed a taste for it. The girl thought. Nina had half a mind to wrench the beverage from her friend¡¯s hand and pour it down the toilet. Partially because underage drinking was not okay, and partially because she didn¡¯t want the girl¡¯s impression on beer to be spoiled or perverted by such swivel. Although it had been a long time since Nina had a beer, not since her time as Miles. While Nina was pondering deep philosophical issues, the emcee shouted out in his disgustingly noisy microphone. ¡°Well that was quite the banger of an ending, wouldn¡¯t you say folks?¡± A wave of boos sounded out from the crowd at the bad pun, but the man was undeterred. ¡°Next up, we have the hotly anticipated matchup of an old favorite, Purpleeee SHADOW!!!!!!¡± At the emcee¡¯s call, the spotlight shined on one side of the arena to reveal a haggard looking man in jeans, a stained button up, and wearing a torn jacket, who looked like he had just woken up from a hangover. His eyes were bloodshot, face covered in uneven stubbles and had a demeanor like he¡¯d rather be anywhere but here right now. ¡°And in the red corner¡­ a newcomer who¡¯s electrifying performance has shocked us over and over again. Please give a round of applause to Vicioussss THUNDER!!!!!¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ tilted her head in recognition of the name. It wasn¡¯t until a familiar looking androgynous figure, covered in piercings and tattoos, showed up that she remembered. ¡®Melissa¡¯ shook her head. She recalled that Vicious Thunder was quite the ambitious trainer, if a bit unrefined. It¡¯s only been a few years, but the fact that they were here instead of somewhere more reputable probably meant that the amateur punk rocker had been on a downward spiral since Nina last saw them. ¡°Will this upstart be able to beat one of our old favorites? Well, we¡¯re about to find out folks! Ref, take it away!¡± The referee wasn¡¯t a League sanctioned one, of course. More like an actor that was just there to add some flare to the match. And the moment that the man wearing pinstripes waved his hand down to signal the match, Pokemon was released onto the field. Vicious Thunder had chosen a gruff looking Electabuzz covered in scars, while Purple Shadow just lazily threw out his Pokeball with a yawn and revealed his Weezing. Honestly, Nina was a little disappointed. She was hoping to see his Golbat in action to verify Johnny¡¯s intel. At this point, ¡®Melissa¡¯ covered her mouth to fake a yawn and talk to Alfred who was remotely observing the proceedings. ¡°So? Did you manage to ID the guy?¡¯ ¡®Melissa¡¯ hummed in understanding. It was a shame, but this was a confirmation in and of itself. Right off the bat, both Pokemon burst out into their respective elements; Weezing began spewing toxic Smog that obscured the entire cage, while Electabuzz just indiscriminately released Thundershocks all over, supercharging the metallic confines of the cage and turning the entire area into a hazard. Weezing cried out in pain at the bolts of Electricity lancing through it, And Electabuzz was clearly poisoned from its bloodshot look and rough breathing. Even the front row audience and Vicious Thunder were coughing at the toxic fumes entering their lungs. Purple Shadow seemed fine though. All the while, Weezing belched and vomited a pitch black Sludge Wave onto the field, coating Electabuzz¡¯s fur with the sticky substance and stopping it from closing the distance with a Thunder Punch. ¡°Charge in, Electabuzz!¡± Vicious Thunder yelled. And in response, Electabuzz lowered its knees in a ready stance, its entire body glowed in a blinding surge of electricity, and rushed towards Weezing with a Wild Charge. The speed of the assault was too fast for Weezing to contend with as the Electric Type smashed into the Poison Type and pinned the latter against the supercharged cage. Weezing cried out in pain once more, but Purple Shadow looked as impassive as ever, simply clicking his tongue and telling Weezing to end this. Which the Pokemon did by unleashing a stream of blue flames from each of its cavities, lighting the sludge covered Electabuzz and cage floor on fire. The heat emanating from the cage was so intense that the audience members at the forefront were desperately trying to shove their way further back, only to be deterred by a meat wall of their fellow fight club enjoyers pushing them back. Desperate screams and pleas to make way sounded out from the front from melting faces and hair catching on fire. Nina wished she could say that she felt bad for these people. But in truth, they deserved it for supporting such an uncouth blood sport. Electabuzz let out a rage-filled howl and gritted its teeth to Endure the searing heat while continuously pummeling Weezing with Thunder Punches, over and over again, the Poison gas Pokemon became even more deformed from swelling and bloodied bruises. Vicious Thunder yelled fervently at her Electabuzz to keep going and not to let up. But Purple Shadow just remained silent, content to allow Weezing to keep spewing flames and for Electabuzz to continue laying into his Pokemon. In the end, the match was decided when Electabuzz picked up the Weezing and slammed it onto the floor with all its might. Weezing at this point was already fainted, but in a fit of rage, Electabuzz kicked its downed opponent across the cage. That final act seemed to have gotten a reaction from Purple Shadow as he scowled at his opponent¡¯s graceless behavior and hurriedly returned his Pokemon. ¡°Well there you have it folks! After a heated battle, Vicious Thunder prevails once more!!!! Is there no one who can stop her rise?!¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ frowned at the outcome of the match and so did ¡®Luther¡¯. It seemed that the couple were in agreement on what they just witnessed. *** A few rounds of free drinks and some questions later, ¡®Melissa¡¯ and ¡®Luther¡¯ found out about the location of a black clinic that the fighters used to heal up their badly wounded Pokemon after each battle. After all, it was hard to avoid pointed questions if they went to a proper Pokemon Center in such a sorry state. Just so happened, the black clinic was located in the basement of a dinghy looking dive bar, and it was there that they caught up with Purple Shadow, who was currently drinking himself into a coma in a corner. The two children ignored the mix of hostile and curious gazes leveled towards them by the bar¡¯s occupants and took a seat at Purple Shadow¡¯s table without permission. ¡°You threw the fight,¡± began ¡®Melissa¡¯. ¡°Why?¡± Purple Shadow scoffed and listlessly waved his bottle at the two intruders. ¡°Fuck off¡­¡± He slurred. ¡°That Electabuzz was on its last legs, Weezing had any number of options to end the match with a win. Even Explosion if it came down to it. That match was rigged wasn¡¯t it?¡± The drunkard slammed a palm onto the table and glared at the two kids. ¡°If you have a fucking problem with it then go talk to Villy! Not me!¡± A spray of spittle flew everywhere as the man yelled. ¡®Melissa¡¯ and ¡®Luther¡¯ frowned, but avoided flinching at the disgusting projectiles and foul smelling breath. ¡°If it¡¯s money you¡¯re after. We have an offer for you.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Purple Shadow snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not into kiddies, I ain¡¯t that much of a loser.¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ ignored the tasteless insinuation and continued. ¡°Kage Bunshin¡­¡± She said, causing the drunkard to immediately sober up and gaze at her with a sharp and unfriendly gaze. ¡°You know it. And we¡¯d like you to teach it to us.¡± Purple Shadow snorted once more and spat on the floor. ¡°Has the Iga clan fallen so low that they¡¯d stoop to using children to run their errands?¡± There was an abundance of venom in his voice as he took a proper look at the two kids for the first time. ¡°Nah, can¡¯t be. You two are full of holes. Initiates? A bit too early to be going rogue innit?¡± ¡®Melissa¡¯ deliberated on her next move. Purple Shadow did not deny her outright. But he also did not affirm her allegations, which meant he probably did know the move. So she did what she did best, which was to ask questions. ¡°The Iga clan? That¡¯s the clan of ninjas that sided with Johto ages ago wasn¡¯t it? I thought your Koga predecessors had already wiped them out of existence.¡± ¡°Hah! Playing dumb? No¡­ You really are clueless. Listen kid, I¡¯m gonna say this one last time ¡ª fuck off. Whatever it is you want, I ain¡¯t got it.¡± ¡°Where there is light, there is shadow. We guard the shadows, so that others may walk the light.¡± ¡®Luther¡¯ chimed, parroting lines that Alfred was feeding him. Purple Shadow¡¯ stared at the ¡®boy¡¯ with a slight twitch of his ear, his eyes roaming until he settled on the cap that ¡®Luther¡¯ was wearing. Instead of responding, he just took another swig of his bottle and let out a loud burp. It seemed that he wasn¡¯t willing to engage them anymore as he got up and stumbled his way to the back door. ¡®Melissa¡¯ frowned and considered going after him but was dissuaded by Alfred. The girl let out a sigh and reluctantly nodded. From the sounds of it, the old butler knew more than he let on. She decided to follow his advice for now and stood up alongside ¡®Luther¡¯ to leave. However, on the way out, they were followed by some unsavory looking thugs who surrounded them and spewed some generic sounding garbage about children and the dangers of night and so on. Honestly, Nina wasn¡¯t in a good enough mood to entertain them. And neither was Lilian apparently, because they both released Brucey and Topaz simultaneously. The hooligans were taken aback and fumbled for their own Pokeballs, but didn¡¯t manage to do anything before swiftly being dispatched by a series of Electric shocks and Poisonous projectiles. If these were decent people, Nina might have felt bad enough to get them medical attention. But they weren¡¯t, so the two kids just stepped over the pile of human garbage and went on their way unimpeded. *** Author''s Note: Vicious Thunder was the trainer that challenged Misty to a Star battle in Chapter 60 for those of you who have forgotten. Not that it''s an important detail or anything. Chapter 107 Author''s Note: For the readers who are bad at context clues; Hattori = Purple Shadow. And the first half of this chapter is from Purple Shadow''s perspective. *** ¡°Why the fuck is everyone bothering me today!¡± Hattori lashed out at the other person who sat at his table without permission again, by flinging his bottle. But contrary to his expectations, there was no shattering of glass or indignant curses. Instead, the bottle was set back on to the table with a soft thunk and slid back to him. The drunk ronin lifted his head to take in the interloper, but his vision was too blurry and unfocused to make out any features. All he could tell was that it was a man with a head of white hair and wearing a fancy suit. Hattori opened his mouth to speak, only to feel a wave of bile threatening to spew out from his gut. He covered his mouth on instinct and tightened his throat to prevent the outflow, but the pressure was too much as a wet belch of gas was let out in place of vomit. All the while, his unwanted guest was just sitting there, staring at him silently. The thought of the asshole¡¯s judgemental gaze was enough to light a fire in Hattori as he forced himself to stand up and reach over to the guy. The problem was, Hattori¡¯s body was too inebriated to obey him. So instead of standing up, he ended up tripping and almost smashed his face against the table. If not for the timely save of the man in a suit, who suddenly appeared next to Hattori to catch the younger man and set him down gently. ¡°You¡­¡± Hattori¡¯s speech was interrupted by a dull ache in his brain. ¡°You¡¯re the asshole behind those kids just now¡­¡± He scoffed. ¡°Finally decided to show your face, huh? Well you got the wrong guy, pal¡­ I ain¡¯t got what you want¡­ So fuck off!¡± After a brief silence the mysterious man was finally willing to open his mouth and speak. ¡°You care a great deal about your Pokemon,¡± he said. ¡°And yet you¡¯re still willing to subject them to such abhorrent treatment. It must ache you a great deal, to see them hurt. Or perhaps that¡¯s the point ¡ª a self-inflicted punishment perhaps?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hattori scowled and reached out to his bottle for a drink, only to find disappointment in the empty vessel. In a fit of rage he tossed his bottle to the side and called out to the barkeep for a refill, but received no response. For the first time since the beginning of this interaction, Hattori turned his aching head to check on his surroundings, only to find it completely devoid of human presence. Save for himself and the stranger in front of him. The younger man rubbed at his eyes, in an attempt to dispel some of the fog obscuring his vision. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± He muttered. ¡°A man who has been freed from the shackles of duty that once bound him. It is jarring isn¡¯t it? To walk your own path, only to stumble and fall. The chains that bind us also serve to keep us from falling. Without which, only a deep dark pit awaits in the wake of failure.¡± Hattori snorted. ¡°What are you, a fortune cookie? I asked you for a name, asshole!¡± The man in a suit chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve discarded my name a long time ago, just like you. I now take on whatever name suits my purpose. All you need to know is that I can give you what your heart desires ¡ª a way out of this chain of karma you found yourself in.¡± ¡°You know nothing about what I want, old man!¡± Hattori yelled. And it indeed was an old man sitting in front of him. Now that his vision had cleared somewhat, he could tell that the man was dressed up in an expensive, but ridiculous looking, penguin suit with a head of immaculately combed white hair and the face of a genial old grandpa. But Hattori wasn¡¯t fooled. That face was a mask; a perfectly crafted, deliberate set of curated expressions and subtle gestures designed to lower the inclinations of ignorant fools. And though Hattori may be a fool, he wasn¡¯t that ignorant yet. ¡°I know enough. At the very least, I know about the incredible sum of money you owe and to whom you owe it to. That¡¯s the reason why you¡¯re even here isn¡¯t it? Forced into indentured servitude to buy your freedom.¡± Hattori scoffed. ¡°Why do you care? I don¡¯t have what you want. You¡¯re wasting your time.¡± The old man smiled, his eyes deep and unfathomable like the darkest oceans. ¡°On the contrary, I think you do have what I want. And even if you don¡¯t, it does not matter. I will still help you regain your life. What you do with it afterwards is none of my concern.¡± ¡°Hah! So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll help me pay off my debt even if I choose to jump off a building right after that?!¡± The man nodded. ¡°Indeed, but I don¡¯t think you will. Death is a sweet release for our kind, a reward for having lived a life of purpose. It is not claimed, but granted to us. As I am sure you agree, else you wouldn¡¯t be persisting in this banal attempt to poison your body, instead of splitting your stomach long ago.¡± For the first time, the elderly man showed a bit of emotion as his face twisted in subtle disgusts at the number of bottles surrounding Hattori. ¡°Your training has ensured that such toxins will do little harm to you. You might numb your mind, but your body will persist.¡± Yet in spite of the man¡¯s words, Hattori still dragged himself out of his seat to the nearby table where there was some unfinished alcohol left for him to drink. The man quietly followed suit and relocated to the next table. ¡°Heh!¡± Hattori laughed. ¡°I just thought of a great idea. You said I need someone to grant me death? Alright, sure. You want the old man¡¯s secret technique? Fine, I¡¯ll give it to you. That way Koga will come and eliminate both you and me! Don¡¯t blame me if those two kids get wrapped up in this though, they asked for it! If you even care at all that is¡­¡± But the old man was unfazed. ¡°If it is Koga you fear then you need not worry,¡± he said, before scribbling a number on a piece of paper and shoving it into Hattori¡¯s hand. ¡°You can dial that number when you are ready. In the meantime, consider yourself free of any outstanding obligations. ¡°And just in case your addled brain is still unable to comprehend. This is my gift to you ¡ª a fresh start. But should you choose to commit further, I can also give you a renewed purpose.¡± Hattori crumpled the paper in his hand and took a swig of beer after his unwanted visitor saw himself out. The alcohol tasted especially sour in his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of the backwash or the bile threatening to escape from his stomach. *** ¡°He will come. Despite his miserable state, Purple Shadow is still a man of honor. And all gifts and favors must be returned as his honor demands.¡± That was what Alfred had told Nina the next day after her failure to compel the disgraced ronin to teach her his secrets. It had been a week since then, and there had yet to be any news. During the couple of times that Lilian came to school during that week, Nina had asked about it. But the young Blackthorn just expressed confidence in her servant''s capability and urged patience. ¡°More importantly, we cannot standby and allow such rot to fester in the city!¡± Lilian exclaimed. The girl had not been able to let go of the sights she saw during their little excursion and had been harping on about it ever since. Nina sighed. ¡°Just like what Alfred told you that night. This isn¡¯t the sort of problem that you can resolve through force, Lilian.¡± In fact, Nina wasn¡¯t sure if there was even an easy solution at all. ¡°This is a social phenomenon that requires time, patience, and a great deal of erudite policy making and governance to address. I¡¯m sure you can probably use your family¡¯s political capital to pressure the City Council into doing something. But in all honesty? They¡¯ll probably just make a token effort to sweep the problem further under the carpet and make it less visible. The core issues are still going to exist.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t believe you guys went on an adventure without me¡­¡± Justin grumbled, but both Nina and Lilian just ignored the boy. ¡°If we are lacking in erudition, then we simply need to replace these incompetent buffoons with others more qualified. At the very least, such callous indifference must not be overlooked!¡± Nina sighed at the girl¡¯s idealism. ¡°Oh Lilian¡­ But enough about that, have you managed to obtain a Noibat yet?¡± Lilian gave an ambivalent smile, ¡°I have managed to identify a small invasive colony near Mount Moon, the local Rangers have put a bounty on them. One which I plan to claim.¡± ¡°Why not just have your family get you one from their native region?¡± Kerry asked. ¡°Because catching Pokemon is part of my journey and I refuse to rely on my family name to circumvent the process,¡± replied Lilian. ¡°I am the one who will defeat Lance and take his place! There must be no doubts whatsoever on the legitimacy of my ascension.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more surprised that the Rangers have decided to eliminate the Noibats instead of assimilating them,¡± said Nina. ¡°You would think that the League would jump at the opportunity to introduce another line of Dragons to the region. In a fairly uncharacteristic moment, Lilian sighed. ¡°That¡­ is a very complicated matter. To put it simply, there is an accord struck between each of the leading Dragon Tamer clans. The migration and relocation of our native Dragon species must only occur under ¡®natural¡¯ circumstances.¡± Alfred went on to explain that an illegal release situation like the one in Mount Moon did not fall under such a category. As for what constitutes a ¡®natural¡¯ relocation, the butler said that the list was too long and convoluted to explain properly. There was apparently an ancient magical scroll or something that binds them. ¡°Hence why the Blackthorn clan is considered one of the weakest among the Dragon Tamer clans. Because our native Dragon species are fairly limited and ubiquitous across the world.¡± Lilian added, with a wisp of regret. ¡°Then are you sure it¡¯s okay for you to catch a Noibat then?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Sounds kind of contradictory.¡± However, Lilian simply dismissed her concern, saying that there were loopholes she could exploit and that it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡°Can I come?¡± Justin asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a Dragon in my team.¡± The boy had always been jealous of Nina and her Dragonair. ¡°I will not allow you to suckle at my teat,¡± said the girl. ¡°But I can forward you the information that I have obtained and you may find your own way.¡± ¡°Have you expanded your carry limit, Jerome?¡± In response to Nina¡¯s question, Justin shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s Justin. And no, not yet. But I can just have my Pokemon take turns with Professor Oak. Well, maybe not Carvanha. But the rest of them should be fine being on their own until I can get Noibat settled in.¡± ¡°Pardon my interruption, milady,¡± chimed Alfred at one point during the conversation. ¡°But Purple Shadow has responded to our request.¡± He said with a smile. Lilian looked towards Nina with a grin, which the other girl returned in kind. Chapter 107.5: Hattori Author''s note: Bonus chapter attached to Chapter 107. This was originally a much longer exclusive side story for my Patreon but I wasn''t happy with the several drafts that I wrote. So I just gutted it and mixed in some main story elements to come up with this bonus chapter. The side story will still happen, just that it''ll take place post-Part Two and take on a more retrospective approach. *** ¡°Shadow! Purple Shadowww~¡± The man who called himself ¡®Gold Fingers¡¯ drawled. There was a certain slimy quality to the pock faced man¡¯s voice that sent goosebumps down Hattori¡¯s neck. Like someone had poured a whole bottle of baby oil down his ears. ¡°My friend! Congrats on paying off all that debt, musta found yerself quite the sugar mommy eh?¡± Gold Fingers laughed nervously as he backed himself into a corner of his office, cold sweat dripping down his temple whilst he cradled his bloodied hand that tried to reach for the alarm under his desk earlier. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m ain¡¯t jealous¡­¡± The pimp continued, all the while his eyes fleeted from one corner to the next, trying desperately to find an avenue of escape. ¡°Heya, didja know? I, err¡­ I was the one who came up with the name Purple Shadow¡­¡± He stuttered, as the man in black who violently intruded upon his establishment loomed ever closer. Outside of his office, Gold Fingers could only see a scene of bloody carnage, lightly obscured by a thin veil of purple smog. The poisonous gas felt like a living thing, a specter shadowing the menacing ronin, much like his moniker suggests. The man could have sworn he saw a sinister looking face cackling at him when he peered into its misty depths. ¡°¡®Ol¡¯ Fingies never misses¡¯ they said¡­¡± Gold Finger rambled on mindlessly, but at some point, the desperation must have snapped his nerves as the man dropped onto his knees with a loud thud and looked up at his would-be executioner with pleading eyes. ¡°Hey man, whatever beef ya got with us, it¡¯s all Villy, okay? He¡¯s the boss man¡­ We¡¯re all just chumps trying ta make a living here¡­¡± He begged. ¡°Ya get it, right? You were one of us! Has Ol¡¯ Fingies ever done ya dirty? Remember that one time I footed yer bill over at Al¡¯s clinic?¡± Gold Fingers continued talking, but Hattori showed no signs of mercy even as he stood over the snivelling coward, close enough to wrap his fingers around the pimp¡¯s flabby neck and choke him out. Which was exactly what he did as he violently slammed the Croagunk-like man in a gaudy suit against the wall. ¡°Where¡¯s Villy?¡± Hattori growled, menacingly, barely loosening his grip enough to allow his victim just enough air to speak. Gold Fingers choked, trying, but failing, to let out a cough as he squeaked out a response. ¡°I¡­ I dunno. He squirtle¡¯d right after ya took out his muscle¡­¡± Evidently, Hattori was not pleased with the answer that he received, his iron grip once again tightening on his target¡¯s windpipe. ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s a load of Tauros poo, Fingers...¡± With a silent gesture, the purple gas trailing after Hattori coiled around his body and forcefully invaded every single one of Gold Finger¡¯s orifices. ¡°You¡¯re like a wart on Villy¡¯s ass.¡± Hattori continued. ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t tell you where he went, I don¡¯t believe for a second that you don¡¯t know the location of his hide-y holes.¡± Meanwhile, Gold Fingers felt his heart palpitating as the poison invaded his veins ¡ª his skin burned and eyes throbbed, while blood began seeping out of his pores. ¡°That¡¯s one of my personal recipes, by the way,¡± said the ronin. ¡°Real nasty stuff, I reckon you have five hours of slow agonizing death ahead of you¡­ Oh, but don¡¯t worry. I used the instant stuff on your lackeys, most of them were probably all numb by the time I slit their throats. I only have so much of the good stuff available after all ¡ª gotta save it for my VIPs, y¡¯know?¡± Hattori wasn¡¯t lying. Only he possessed the antidote for this particular concoction of his. But he might have been exaggerating its effects a little bit, the poison wasn¡¯t guaranteed to be lethal since its intended purpose was to inflict maximum pain. But there was a good chance that someone as unhealthy as Gold Fingers would die of a heart attack before the effects wear off. Gold Fingers was oblivious to all of this of course as he gazed frightfully upon Hattori like he was Giratina incarnate, before straining to lift a finger up to point at an unassuming little painting decorating one of the walls. ¡°What¡¯s the passcode?¡± Hattori didn¡¯t even need to check to know that it was a safe. It was always a safe. ¡°6¡­ 69420¡­¡± Gold Fingers croaked, his fingernails digging into Hattori¡¯s bracers as he struggled in vain to catch his breath. With a swift kick, Hattori broke one of Gold Fingers¡¯s knees before dropping him unceremoniously onto the floor with a pained cry and pathetic whimpers. Meanwhile, the ronin made his way over to the painting and ripped it off the wall to unveil a safe hidden underneath. Of course, he did his due diligence beforehand, making sure that nothing was booby trapped before touching the painting and unlocking the safe. Inside were a few Gold Nuggets, some stacks of cash, as well as a notebook and some document folders. Hattori was uninterested in the riches, completely passing them over in favour of the paperwork he found. He flipped through them briefly to confirm their contents, most of which were lists of clients who frequented Gold Fingers¡¯s brothel, as well as some blackmail material on a good number of the city¡¯s bureaucratic authorities and politicians. But more importantly, there was also information pertaining to Villy¡¯s gang along with observations on the boss¡¯s activities and a map of his hideouts contained within the notebook. Satisfied with his findings, Hattori stored the documents in his backpack before returning to the incapacitated Gold Fingers and squatting down to meet the pimp¡¯s tear-filled eyes with a cold and indifferent gaze. ¡°Any last words?¡± He asked. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯ll do anything. Whatever ya want, ya can have ¡ª money, girls¡­¡± Gold Fingers gasped in realization. ¡°Girls, this is about that girl ain¡¯t it? The one you were all sweet on? Sweet enough to pay off her debt after she croaked.¡± The pimp¡¯s eyes lit up with hope as he continued pleading at Hattori, probably thinking that he finally found a lifeline. ¡°Look man,¡± He continued. ¡°If it¡¯s girls ya want, we¡¯ve got plenty. Even a batch of fresh merch coming in soon. I¡¯m sure we can find something for¡ª¡± Hattori¡¯s face twitched at the mention of ¡°merch¡±, lashing out to choke at Gold Fingers, all the while watching intently as the pimp¡¯s eyes bulged out from pressure and roll towards the back of his skull, until all semblance of life escaped the man¡¯s grotesque body and the corpse fell limply onto the floor. Hattori drew in a deep breath as he stood, feeling a little numb at all the death and destruction that he had just wrought on the place. He made sure to spare all of the innocent staff and victims of Gold Fingers¡¯s operations, but some collateral was inevitable. The ronin chided himself for becoming sloppy and his loss of touch from lack of practice. ¡°Can¡¯t let yourself falter now, you fool¡­¡± He murmured to himself. ¡°There¡¯s still more to go, and the night ain¡¯t over yet¡­¡± Hattori once again steeled his resolve as he broke one of the office¡¯s windows and jumped out into the pouring rain. *** ¡°Well, well, well¡­ Look what the Meowth dragged in? Are you here to get your ass kicked by Vicious Thunder again, you loser?¡± Hattori scratched his chin in confusion at the person who suddenly showed up to bar his way. The one who was covered in tattoos, piercings, and overall, looking like a Miltank-human monstrosity that even a mother would struggle to love. ¡°Right, this is that asshole from the other day ¡ª Villy¡¯s new favorite of whatever¡­ Did no one tell this guy that the match was rigged?¡± Hattori also noted the shiny red R that was pinned on Vicious Thunder¡¯s jacket and frowned ever so slightly. It was no secret that the gangs of Vermilion City were all tied to Team Rocket in one way or another, but never had he seen anyone display their affiliation so openly before. The gangs each had their own pride after all. And while most of them were happy to maintain a working relationship with Giovanni, none of them were willing to submit themselves to his authority. ¡°I guess that old coot was right ¡ª something fishy is going on in Kanto¡¯s underworld¡­¡± He mused, but Hattori¡¯s thoughts were swiftly interrupted by Vicious Thunder expanding a Pokeball and pointing provocatively at him. ¡°If you think showing up in cosplay is enough to give you an edge, then think again!¡± The apparent Rocket goon tossed out her Pokeball without even giving Hattori a chance to respond verbally, only to find that the red and white sphere was intercepted mid air by a net that Hattori threw out on instinct. The net was a special tool that restrained a Pokeball and prevented it from opening. Even if the user had missed the timing, and the Pokeball was in the midst of opening, the net would still function to constrict the released Pokemon for some time in order for the user to follow up with other actions. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Vicious Thunder was flabbergasted at the sight, but before she could say anything, the ronin she was facing suddenly appeared right in front of her in a blur of motion and slammed a palm up her jaw, rattling her brain and completely discombobulating her. The punk rocker felt a sharp pain in her mouth, and hot blood streaming down her throat from biting into her own tongue. But Hattori wasn¡¯t done just yet, as he followed up his assault by slamming both his palms on Vicious Thunder¡¯s ears to completely knock her out. ¡°Man, they¡¯ll take in just about anybody these days, huh?¡± Hattori could have sworn that lowlives were a lot smarter back in his day. He briefly contemplated killing Vicious Thunder, who was crumpled in a heap before him, but ultimately decided not to. This was the only blatant Team Rocket member among everyone he had taken down so far, and he thought it might be good to keep her around for interrogation. Provided Vicious Thunder didn¡¯t die from her severed tongue first. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ll leave it up to fate I guess¡­¡± Hattori stepped over the incapacitated Rocket member with an indifferent look as he proceeded further into the building to find his ultimate target. It took a couple of tries, but the ronin finally managed to pin down the safehouse that Villy was hiding in. *** Hattori flicked his kunai against the shuko attached to his palm to light the cigarette between his fingers, taking a moment to breathe in the nostalgic smell before taking a drag, only to break out into an inevitable cough at the acrid smoke tickling at his lungs. The black clad man ran a sleeve over his mouth and glared at the offensive stick of vice he was holding, unable to fathom how his sister found this suffocating experience to be enjoyable. But then again, when you were coerced into selling your body to disease riddled scumbags, any solace was a welcome one. He was tempted to just fling the cigarette out the window, but decided against it. This was among the last few sticks of this particular brand of cigarettes that he had left from his sister. And while he did manage to scrounge up another pack from among Villy¡¯s stash, he never did figure out where it was sourced from. And speaking of Villy, the only thing that was left of the former gang boss was a sizzling heap on the floor. It took quite some time, but the acidic poison he doused the guy with had finally eaten through enough of his flesh to end him. Looking at that grotesque puddle of flesh and bones, Hattori couldn¡¯t help but feel a little melancholic. There was a gaping hole inside of him, feeling even more prominent than the day he had to bury the only family he¡¯d ever known. Hattori briefly entertained the idea of visiting the old orphanage where they spent a brief but blissful childhood, only to shake his head to dismiss that notion. There was nothing there for him. Even the cruel matron who had sold him to the Koga Clan and chased his sister out the moment she came of age had long since passed ¡ª not his doing, unfortunately. She died of a heart attack on her own. For the longest time, Hattori was just mindlessly trudging along, bitterly doing the bidding of the people who drove his sister to her death, all so that he could clear her karma and finally be free to pursue his revenge. And yet, now that the deed was done, he couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed. Because at the end of the day, there was no catharsis to be found. Only a wretched fool steeped in blood. Hattori sighed and lightly tossed out a Pokeball to reveal a Porygon2. ¡°You know what to do.¡± He said, as the virtual Pokemon went to work scouring every inch of Villy¡¯s safehouse to gather every scrap of data it could find. The Pokemon was on loan to him by his newest ¡®benefactor¡¯ for this exact purpose. Hattori didn¡¯t mind, he owed the old man that much at least. And while the guy was dodgy as heck, he could still tell that there was nothing nefarious going on. Not that Hattori was the best judge of character. While Porygon2 did its part, Hattori got to work manually searching the space as well, making sure to pore over any physical documents and items he could find. He made a deliberate effort to overlook one of the corners of the room. It was hard to notice, but there was a secret panel over there that would likely open up to reveal a smaller hiding space built into the safe room. Even now, Hattori could still pick out the quiet sobs and muffled breathing of the occupants inside, using his keen, ninja trained hearing. The wretched ronin did not mind that the two kids inside had likely witnessed the brutal murder of their father. And he had no intention of nipping their fear and hatred of him in the bud at this stage ¡ª they had every right to demand vindication from him. ¡°I can only hope that they come looking for me when they¡¯re actually ready, and not before¡­¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± The Porygon2 nodded and returned itself into its Pokeball, while Hattori wrapped things up on his end as well and secured the documents he acquired into his backpack. One of which really caught his eyes ¡ª a shipping manifesto for the next round of ¡®merch¡¯ that was due to come in at some point in the following year. ¡°Now then, I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to convince that old coot to lend me a hand in dealing with this?¡± Hattori mused, as he stepped out of the room, while willfully ignoring the sigh of relief he heard trailing from behind him. *** Author''s Note: Some people have been a little put off by the change in tone in this most recent arc, just know that I always write with intention. So If you feel like the style shifted all of a sudden, it''s usually done with a purpose, so have a little faith for now. If I ever am unsure about a chapter or feeling a little lost, I''ll write an author''s note to gather feedback for a potential rewrite, just as I''ve always done in the past. Just note that the major plotpoints of Parts One and Two were decided since the beginning and this arc was one of them. Part Three however, is a little murky at the moment. Though I have set a concrete end and some checkpoints I want to hit. Matter of fact, I''ve only written a single paragraph of Part Three so far. >.< Kind of suffering from a writer''s slump at the moment. Good thing my backlog will last for another three months at least. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Anyways, next chapter will return to a more normal and casual pace. Chapter 108 Purple Shadow looked more put together. He took a shower, put on some clean clothes, and even shaved his face. Though Nina could tell he didn¡¯t do a very good job of it, since there were visible knicks here and there. One would think that a ninja would be more proficient with blades. The man still had that weary energy to him though. Like a man who would happily welcome the end of the world, just so that it meant an end to his miserable existence. The two of them were in a little secluded corner of Diglett¡¯s Cave, near Brucey¡¯s old home actually. It was a bit of a trip, but the lack of any traffic meant that there wouldn¡¯t be any busybodies snooping on them. And more importantly, between Espy and Purple Shadow¡¯s ninja expertise, they could easily detect any foreign presence within their vicinity. Unfortunately, Lilian and Alfred couldn¡¯t join them, since her friend was currently on an excursion to capture a Noibat in Mount Moon. To capture all the Noibats actually. As a representative of the regional Dragon Tamers, she was obligated to repatriate the foreign Dragons to their home soil. Which meant that Justin was racing against Lilian if he wanted a Noibat of his own. A challenge that the competitive boy actually relished in. ¡°Are you just going to stand there staring like a Psyduck, or are we gonna get this over with?¡± asked the impatient Purple Shadow, which was a bit of a mouthful, so Nina decided she¡¯d just address him as Shadow from now on. The girl held back her retort about the man being unemployed and idle, simply responding to his biting tone with a genial smile. ¡°Of course, Mr Shadow. Is it okay if I call you Mr Shadow by the way? My Golbat is already released and eager as you can see. Feel free to begin whenever you would like.¡± Shadow snorted, murmuring something about how Nina could call him whatever. Then to her surprise, what he released wasn¡¯t a Golbat, but a Crobat. Nina gasped. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Out of habit, she produced some Berries and approached to pet the four-winged bat Pokemon in front of her. Nina¡¯s first impressions were that the Pokemon felt the same to touch as Brucey, except he was much bigger. Brucey himself was around the same size as Nina. The only reason why he was able to perch on the girl usually, was because of Flying Type Energy shenanigans. But Crobat was about the same height as his trainer and significantly more robust, with a much wider build than an average adult. Nina reckoned that Shadow could probably ride his Crobat around without much issue, though it¡¯ll be a bit of a tight fit. ¡°You must love him very much¡­¡± Nina murmured, eliciting a slight twitch from Shadow. ¡°But why though? Why take part in such a heinous sport when you care for your Pokemon so much?¡± Shadow scoffed. ¡°Are you here to learn, or interrogate me?!¡± He snapped. ¡°Hurry up and pay attention already!¡± Nina gave the Crobat one last pat and waited for him to finish his Berries before shifting all her attention to the ronin. ¡°Right, first off, tell me what you¡¯ve been doing with your Golbat. I can tell he¡¯s very¡­ active.¡± He said, referring to Brucey who had been sneakily trying to drop stones onto Purple Shadow since just now. Nina nodded and started going into detail about her regimen with Brucey, especially when it came to their aggravating attempts at trying to learn Kage Bunshin on their own. ¡°Brucey can do two Substitutes at maximum. He¡¯s been steadily getting better at maintaining the clones, but we¡¯ve yet to find a way to optimize the move well enough to address the Energy drain.¡± The girl lamented. Shadow snorted. ¡°¡®Course you¡¯re not getting anywhere. You¡¯re going about it all wrong!¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°But I don¡¯t blame ya kid, that¡¯s what everyone thinks whenever they see that bastard whip out his Golbat. It¡¯s all a ruse ¡ª subterfuge to trick overly ambitious idiots like you.¡± The girl simply nodded in acknowledgement of her failure, not looking upset at all. ¡°I thought as much. So what¡¯s the actual secret then?¡± Shadow clicked his tongue, like he was annoyed the girl didn¡¯t fall for his provocation. ¡°Ever heard of Payday?¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. ¡°No¡­ No freaking way. Can a Golbat even learn that move?¡± said the flabbergasted girl. ¡°But that would explain why Koga¡¯s clones are so¡­ material,¡± she murmured. ¡°Payday conjures up physical projectiles¡­ But how do they even fly around like that?¡± There was actually a lot of debate on the nature of Payday. Unlike in the games, the coins conjured up by a Meowth were impermanent. But the illusion was staggeringly realistic, to the point where the coins even take on physical properties, however fleeting they may be. So there¡¯s long been doubts on whether the move was actually secretly a Fairy Type move or a Psychic Type move. A debate that would be quite contentious were it not for the irrefutable fact that Payday used Normal Type Energy. Not that this stopped a small niche of researchers from dedicating their entire life¡¯s work to uncovering its mysterious workings. That said, most of them were just nutjobs who believed they could unlock the secrets of unlimited wealth through Payday. It was basically the Pokemon world¡¯s equivalent of transmuting lead to gold. Shadow let out a smug grin as he relished in the girl¡¯s confusion. ¡°Heh. A long fucking time ago, there was a Koga who was obsessed with cats. It was all she cared for. They say the claws of the Persians she reared could even pierce the scales of a Dragonite. Probably all Tauros poo, but that¡¯s what they say anyway. She was the one who came up with the move.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the Persian line is also capable of Kage Bunshin.¡± ¡°Nope~¡± denied Shadow, with a long drawn out pop at the end. ¡°The move came about because the dumbass was trying to teach Payday to every random Pokemon they had lying around. Persians can¡¯t learn Kage Bunshin because of their higher affinity with Dark Type Energy. Ironic, I know. Even the name¡¯s part of the ruse. Shit has nothing to do with shadows. Psychic Energy ¡ª that¡¯s how you control the clones. It¡¯s not a lot of control, mind you. But if your Golbat gets good enough, he might be able to split his swarm two or three ways.¡± Nina frowned in confusion and pulled out her Pokedex. ¡°I know that Alolan Persians are Dark Types. But it still makes no sense. Regular Meowths are Normal Types. And from what I can see, they share a lot of moves with Golbat.¡± Both species are also capable of learning a similar number of Psychic and Dark Type moves. ¡°Also, does that mean that a Pokemon has to be Gifted to learn Kage Bunshin?¡± She continued. Shadow snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know, something about genetics and Type Energy compatibility or something.¡± He then let out a grin and looked over to Espy. ¡°As for the second question, it¡¯s a good thing you have a Psychic to help out. I never did say this was going to be easy. There¡¯s a reason why you don¡¯t see all the Koga ninjas using that move.¡± He said with a sneer. The man also explained that not all the historical Kogas possessed that move. That¡¯s why they never made it a requirement for assuming leadership of the clan despite numerous discussions around the matter. Though knowing the move does certainly make one a shoe-in. All the while Shadow had a smug look on his face as he said all of that. Which really made Nina wonder what sort of transgressions such a gifted trainer would need to commit to be kicked out of the clan. ¡°I mean here he is, a drunken, washed up prize fighter, toting around a Crobat when even the current Koga doesn¡¯t have one.¡± Nina shot a quick message to Lilian while Shadow was talking, telling her to take care in selecting a Noibat that was ¡®special¡¯, without leaving any context. She never did find out if messages sent through the Pokenet were encrypted or not. Nina trusted that her friend was smart enough to understand what she meant. Otherwise, Alfred could help. ¡°What about Payday then?¡± Asked Nina. ¡°Do we need a Persian to teach it, or is your Crobat going to do it?¡± Shadow rolled his eyes and gave the girl a look like she was an idiot. ¡°Well no duh! Why else would I send out Itachi? I thought you were supposed to be a genius or something?¡± Nina did not mind the insult since she never claimed to be a genius, but she did have to hold back a flinch at the familiar name. ¡°A ninja Crobat named Itachi, how appropriate. The only thing he¡¯s missing is a secret demonic eye or something.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Nina suddenly had a thought as she recalled a novel piece of information she read on the Pokedex. The girl turned to look at her Espeon, whose mouth curved up a little at having read her human¡¯s mind. ¡°Espy can learn Kage Bunshin!¡± She remembered researching Payday as a kid to see if she could use the move as a cheat to get rich quick. But naturally, this being the real world, she was disappointed to find out that such convenient money making schemes did not exist. Otherwise, the wild Meowth population would be in the same precarious situation as the Eevees by now, instead of roaming around cities in abundance. ¡°Nope, not gonna happen,¡± interrupted Shadow. As a trained ninja, the man could easily read the girl¡¯s intent just from that brief interaction. ¡°What? You thought all those old farts never tried with Pokemon other than Golbats? Arceus knows I have.¡± The man added, in response to the befuddled look Nina gave him. ¡°And it has to be a Golbat, mind you. Zubats are too dumb and Crobats are too smart, but they¡¯ll remember the move from when they were Golbats. Just not learn it from scratch.¡± ¡°So by that logic, Espy is also too smart to learn Kage Bunshin. I wonder if there is a component of instinct involved¡­ So a Golbat would be like the Goldilocks zone when it comes to learning the secret move.¡± Nina mused. Pokemon in real life was certainly more nuanced and interesting than a game. ¡°Your Espeon can manage 2-3 bunshins, maybe. If she tried hard enough. But at that point you might as well just use Double Team or Substitute or something. Which by the way, it was actually good that you trained your Golbat on Substitute cause he¡¯ll be needing to mix in a bit of that as well.¡± Nina sighed. ¡°Should I message Lilian and tell her to forget about the Noibat then?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Now hang on a second,¡± Shadow chimed, his eyes looking more alive than Nina had ever seen him. ¡°It¡¯s never been tried before, but I don¡¯t see why not. Or at the very least, I¡¯m willing to give it a go.¡± Nina let out a warm smile at the enthusiastic Shadow, thinking that someone like him likely couldn¡¯t be too bad. ¡°Everyone has their own story after all¡­¡± *** As it turned out, learning the basics of Kage Bunshin wasn¡¯t that hard with the help of a Gifted empath like Espy. She just had to read Itachi¡¯s mind and conveyed all the feelings and intent she captured wholesale into Brucey¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but Nina¡¯s Espeon was basically acting like a simplified TM copier. Thanks to that, Brucey was able to get the hang of consistently producing upwards of four to five clones easily. Even Shadow was so flabbergasted that his jaw nearly took on the same shape as Brucey¡¯s. Learning how to control the clones though, was a different matter. Since Kage Bunshin was based off Payday, a projectile move. Brucey was only able to throw his bunshins forward like they were oversized batarangs. Not to mention the weird, inconsistent shapes and sizes of the clones thanks to Brucey¡¯s difficulties in focusing his attention. But Nina was ecstatic. Brucey¡¯s quick progress aside, the discovery of a new way to apply Espy¡¯s empathic abilities opened the door for much more efficient avenues of training. No longer would Nairy have to struggle with Hyper Beam when they could just import the foundations from Ryu for example. The loss of clarity from the translation process and all the junk ¡®data¡¯ from the species discrepancy was actually beneficial in this case, since her Pokemon would be able to get a feel for how the move was used and try to apply it their own way as opposed to being stuck with incompatible software. Nina wanted to slap herself for not realizing Espy¡¯s potential sooner. ¡°How have I been such an idiot all this time?¡± Shadow laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll say, what a fucking moron.¡± He added, in a not so helpful manner. Nina scowled at him. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna see you begging at my knees when you want to borrow Espy¡¯s help one day.¡± That was enough to shut the mouthy ronin up and prompt him to treat the girl with much more courtesy. Or at least as much courtesy as an incorrigible asshole like Shadow could manage. *** Author''s note: This remains one of the chapters that I feel iffy about so I welcome any feedback for potential rewrites. The idea of combining Payday and Substitute with a bit of Psychic control makes sense in my head but I don''t know if I conveyed it properly. My Patreon members seem to think it''s fine, but they''ve always been very kind to me. So yeah, if anyone has any feedback, I''ll gladly take it for a potential rewrite. All those backseat writers out there, now is your time. Just keep in mind that the means of learning Kage Bunshin isn''t that important. What''s important is the act of Nina learning it. Also FYI, Espy''s newfound ability isn''t actually broken. Think of it as a learning aid to help speed up the process of learning a move as opposed to being equivalent to using a proper TM. We''ll get into this later on. Chapter 109 Author''s Note: Didn''t have the time for a thorough edit last night so forgive any glaring mistakes you may find. I''ll go in and do a more detailed proofread later. PS. 2025 sucks. *** ¡°Can anyone tell me, if two Pokemon from different species were to interbreed, which species would the resulting offspring be?¡± ¡°The female one!¡± said an eager student who raised her hands to answer. Nina recognized the girl as being from a family of breeders, so naturally, she was quite an expert on the subject. ¡°Indeed,¡± their Pokemon Biology teacher responded with a sagely nod. ¡°In the case of Pokemon, the mother has an outsized influence on the genetic makeup of her offspring. Thus, interspecies breeding will almost always result in the propagation of the female species. Hence why certain male dominated species like Eevees and the regional starters are so rare.¡± Nina stifled a yawn and scribbled in her notes before raising her hand to ask a question. ¡°May I ask why that is? Even among species of regular animals that we know of, it is often a mixed bag with some bias towards the male¡¯s genetics. Why do things work differently for Pokemon?¡± The teacher nodded with a smile. ¡°A good question, Miss Jones. The answer lies in the means of which Pokemon reproduce.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Through eggs?¡± Nina chimed. ¡°Indeed. As we mentioned before when we touched upon the topic of Pokemon reproduction, there is an internal gestation period that a Pokemon egg is subjected to before it is laid and birthed. It is during this period that the female parent shapes the genetic structure of the fetus. Thus resulting in the formation of a Pokemon from the mother¡¯s species.¡± It basically boiled down to Type Energy superseding any and all genetic coding. Given that the father¡¯s influence is removed during the internal gestation period, the mother¡¯s Type Energy had unfettered reign in the construction of her offspring''s genetic makeup. Nina nodded as she continued to write while the teacher continued on with her elaboration. ¡°The only real exception is when the breeding process involves a Ditto. The most unique trait possessed by members of the amorphous Pokemon species is the malleability of their genes ¡ª Dittos possess a DNA structure that is in a constant state of stable volatility. No one knows the exact workings of Ditto biology, nor the principles behind their Imposter ability that allows them to transform into any Pokemon they see. By all means, it is a fascinating species of Pokemon that defies all laws of nature and Type Energy Theorem as we know it.¡± ¡°The Ditto Paradox¡­¡± Nina muttered, earning her an approving look from her teacher. ¡°As expected of a sponsored individual from our region¡¯s most eminent academics. Indeed, some believe that the unravelling of a Ditto¡¯s perplexing mysteries will lead us to unraveling the mysteries of the Pokemon world as a whole. But that is a topic that¡¯s far too esoteric and beyond our scope. Those interested may consider pursuing the subject at the university level.¡± ¡°What about Egg Moves then?¡± Nina asked. ¡°How is a Pokemon born already knowing how to use one of their parent¡¯s advanced moves without any training? And from the male side of the parentage no less.¡± ¡°Another good question from Miss Jones,¡± said the Pokemon Biology teacher. ¡°There are many speculations regarding this subject matter, none of which are fully verifiable as of yet. The most prominent theory is that it is a form of self-preservation from the residual Type Energy of the male Pokemon, where it encodes itself in the form of genetic memory as a means to counteract the overwhelming influence of the female. Ultimately manifesting as an Egg Move in the offspring. ¡°But as you all well know, Egg Moves aren¡¯t a big factor in a Pokemon¡¯s subsequent development. A lot of paternal movesets may be learned later on in life through varying degrees of difficulty. Though it is undeniable that possessing an advanced move in the juvenile phase gives a Pokemon certain advantages early on.¡± The teacher added. Nina thanked the woman for her detailed answer and settled down to focus on note taking. *** ¡°You¡¯ve been yawning a lot lately Nina. Are you having trouble sleeping?¡± Kerry asked, on the way to their next class, after noticing how listless her friend had been the past week or so. Nina stared at the other girl with baggy eyes. ¡°It¡¯s September now, Kerr¡­¡± She whined, really not looking forward to her trip back home next month. It probably wouldn¡¯t be as bad as she was expecting, since she¡¯d be working as a bonafide Gym Trainer this Crunchtober, instead of just menial labour. But she still couldn¡¯t help worrying about the sort of money-making schemes that Violet might cook up next. Kerry laughed and gave Nina a gentle pat on the back. ¡°Cheer up, it can¡¯t be that bad. And the school is letting you count your work for extra credit right? Just take the opportunity to spend some time with your family.¡± Nina groaned. ¡°Urgh. You don¡¯t get it Kerry, my grandparents have decided to stay in Cerulean after the wedding. So there¡¯s been a lot of drama going on in the house.¡± These days, whenever Nina called back home, she would be subject to Leanette¡¯s incessant complaints about her in-laws. On one hand, it was good because the presence of her paternal grandparents ensured that the housewife was not plagued by loneliness, which was beneficial for her mental health. On the other hand, the petty drama was getting a little tiresome at this point. Especially since Patrick had also taken to calling her to complain about his wife¡¯s complaining. Kerry chuckled in amusement. ¡°That sounds like a good problem to have. I wish my house was that lively.¡± Nina squeezed the young Joy¡¯s hand in assurance. ¡°Are you going to be helping out at the PokeCenters next month?¡± She asked. Crunchtober was also a hectic season for the Pokemon Centers, especially for a bustling metropolis like Vermilion City. They simultaneously had more resources to deal with the rush, while also having to deal with more challenges at the same time, since a lot of journeying trainers liked to leave their home city for last. Kerry nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll even have to skip some days in school if they really need me,¡± she said. ¡°But chances are, I¡¯ll just be doing grunt work like you always complained about.¡± It would be highly inappropriate to allow a fledgeling apprentice to play a big part in the healing of an injured patient. The liability side of things would be a nightmare for any lawyer to deal with. *** The next class scheduled for the two girls was Pokemon Husbandry. And perfect timing as well, because what better way to stave off the gloom of impending doom than with some quality Pokemon time. ¡°Alright kiddos, we¡¯ve got a treat for you all today.¡± said the elderly teacher in charge of the class before gesturing towards a leathery man to his side. ¡°This here is Mr MacDonald, an old friend of mine who runs his own Pokemon farm.¡± ¡°Hello everyone,¡± said Mr MacDonald, eliciting an incongruous wave of hellos in return from the students assembled in front of a barn. ¡°So, I heard you received special permission to import a certain species of Pokemon into our Region. What did you bring to show everyone today, Harry?¡± The farmer laughed at his friend¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Well, I believe it¡¯s faster to show everyone, don¡¯t you think?¡± And with that, the barn door opened and out came an entire herd of Skiddos. Both Nina and Kerry were jumping at each other in giddy excitement as they rushed to pet one of the adorable little goats, marveling at the contrasting textures between the dark shaggy fur and the luscious leaves on its back. It was honestly kind of uncanny the way that the plants were growing out of the Skiddo¡¯s skin and how it interweaves with the fur to form a complex network of vines and hair. All the while, Mr Macdonald the farmer was explaining to the class about how the docile goat Pokemon were most commonly found atop the mountains of the western Regions and that they were said to be the first Pokemon to ever be domesticated by humans. ¡°The ancient Paldeans used to ride them atop mountain trails, and until recently were widely used as mounts until the likes of Ponytas and Cyclizars became more ubiquitous.¡± He also added that these days, people mostly farmed them for meat. A fact that Nina willfully ignored as she focused on helping Kerry do an examination of their Skiddo¡¯s health by doing stuff like lifting the Skiddo¡¯s legs to examine the hooves and parting its fur to peek at the skin underneath. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m seeing some irritation on Skiddo¡¯s skin, it could be that they¡¯re not used to the hotter climate. The excess humidity is also causing some wilting in the leaves.¡± Kerry remarked. Nina nodded, but before they could raise any of their concern, one of their classmates asked if they could ride the Skiddos, an idea which sent the whole class into a frenzy. Even Nina was excited at the prospect. The class¡¯s teacher chuckled. ¡°Of course you can. But before that, we need to learn about the Pokemon and how to care for them. I saw Miss Joy and Miss Jones doing quite a thorough examination earlier, do you mind sharing with us your findings?¡± Nina looked towards Kerry, who stood up to relay everything that she observed earlier. Mr MacDonald clapped at the young Joy¡¯s astute observation. ¡°That¡¯s right, the Skiddo¡¯s natural habitat are arid mountaintops where the temperature is much cooler than Kanto¡¯s. However, no need to fret. Part of the agreement I struck involves maintaining a certain standard of welfare for the herd, and we have a specialist on site who works tirelessly to ensure that the Skiddos and the few Gogoats that we own are kept to those standards.¡± Caring for the Skiddos¡¯ involved the use of Never-Melt Ice to regulate the temperature of their living environment. The cold air leeched moisture from the humid Kanto environment and kept the Pokemon nice and cool, just the way they liked it. The farmer bragged about how expensive the super-massive chunk of Never-Melt Ice they used was. But if one were to consider the fact that the miracle substance lasted almost in perpetuity if preserved correctly, it really was not that unreasonable. The alternative was a constantly air-conditioned environment which might end up costing more in the long run. He also remarked that the ¡®wilting¡¯ of the leaves was largely due to the rainy autumn season and that things will improve once winter comes along. ¡°This is a new species to our region, so it is inevitable that we will have to deal with some hiccups. But over at MacDonald¡¯s Farm, we are committed to integrating the species and adding much needed diversity to our customer¡¯s dining experience.¡± Nina was only half listening by this point as she pampered the Skiddo in front of her with Berries, earning her cute little bleats in return. The farmer guy was probably doing this as part of some promotional campaign, but everything he said just served to further reinforce Nina¡¯s abstinence. ¡°I mean how could anyone bring themselves to eat such a cute little thing?¡± She had half a mind to steal the Skiddo away right this instant. After realizing that he was starting to lose his students, the husbandry teacher put a stop to his friend¡¯s yapping and proceeded to demonstrate how to groom a Grass Type with mammalian components like Skiddo, which involved periodic shearing of excess vegetation as well as the trimming of fur to maintain a balance between the two. The bodies of Grass Types Pokemon were mini ecosystems in their own right and needed to be treated as such. The Rancher even explained that in the wild, Skiddos would graze the leaves off each other¡¯s backs as a form of communal grooming ¡ª one of the reasons why the species lived in herds. ¡°In summer, Skiddo¡¯s fur will shed on its own. Failing which, they¡¯ll rub against rocks to do the job. Some Skiddos have even been observed using their teeth to pull at their mate¡¯s fur.¡± Mr MacDonald explained. These were all very interesting bits of trivia, prompting Nina to start a recording on her Pokedex. But it also reaffirmed her decision to stay away from Grass Types for the time being. They were too sensitive and simply required too much upkeep for her liking. ¡°Sorry Team Green, for I have betrayed you.¡± Nina vowed to find a low-maintenance Grass Type that would be good for a wandering lifestyle. They did get to ride the Skiddo in the end, which Nina actually struggled with when compared to all the other kids. Despite the T-shaped horns of the Skiddo being shaped to perfectly function as a handle, Nina had a great deal of trouble steering the mount Pokemon, resulting in her crashing against bundles of hay more often than not. Nina groaned as she once again dug her way out of the latest batch of hay that she found herself in, just in time to see a laughing Kerry pass her by. ¡°Skiiiddd~¡± Her Skiddo bleated as it gave her a sticky lick with its unnaturally long tongue, attaching pieces of hay and debris to her face. The girl laughed and pulled the Skiddo in for a hug. She was pretty sure that the unruly goat Pokemon was just messing with her, but oh well¡­ Chapter 110: Interlude Author''s note: Edit: Sorry guys, for whatever reason the scheduled chapter thing didn''t work. And I didn''t notice it until now since I just woke up. For those who don''t like surprises, you can find a rough roadmap for the remainder of Part Two down below. I won''t go into detail, just an approximate guideline of what to expect. Spoiler The next few chapters coming up will be a short 3 chapter arc of Nina back in Cerulean City doing Gym Trainer stuff. After that, there will be a couple of one off chapters before we go on to a lengthy vacation arc to wind down. This will also be when Nina catches her fourth Pokemon. All of that will happen around the chapter 120 range. Chapter 125 is when the finale officially starts, though there''ll be a slow buildup with some mini arcs interpersed in between before things really kick off around Chapter 140. Chapter 160 is the epilogue of Part Two [collapse] *** ¡°Nina, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!¡± Justin yelled, also taking the chance to debut the new pose he devised; head twisted and facing the sky in indifference, left arm across his torso and hugging his right shoulder, right arm pointed, and single leg bent and raised in a sharp angle. It was Justin¡¯s best work yet if he may say so himself. But the boy received no response. There was no sigh or thorny quips, just silence as the strain of maintaining his dynamic pose caused Justin to eventually falter and glare at his classmate. Only to find that Nina¡¯s seat was empty, with just an impassive looking Kerry sitting next to it in her usual spot. Justin rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. ¡°Hey err¡­ Kerry. Is Nina not in yet?¡± Kerry looked at the boy like Justin was a Muk that had just crawled out of the sewers. ¡°She¡¯s been called back to the Cerulean Gym, since it¡¯s October and all.¡± Justin just looked at the girl with a confused look as he vaulted over the desk and sat in Nina¡¯s usual spot. ¡°What¡¯s up with October?¡± Kerry sighed at the boy¡¯s ignorance, really wishing that their more mature friend was here at the moment. Nina usually served as a lubricant between her and the impetuous Justin. ¡°November¡¯s when the Indigo Conference begins. So Gyms usually experience a surge during October, since it''s the last month of the Gym circuit. The Gym people call it Crunchtober.¡± ¡°Wait, so that means she¡¯s gone for the whole month?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± replied the girl. ¡°She already tried to delay it for a week since she wanted more time to get Brucey in shape before leaving their instructor. What about you? You¡¯ve been gone for what? Two weeks now. Did you manage to catch a Noibat?¡± Kerry asked, with a somewhat expectant gaze. Justin grinned. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll show her to you during lunch. But boy did Lilian make me work for it.¡± He basically had to live like a caveman during the two weeks he spent trying to capture a Noibat, too afraid to head back into the city to avoid falling behind Lilian who could teleport around with the help of her butler. ¡°Every time I showed up at a place, that snob was already there, blasting every Noibat in sight with Electricity.¡± Since Lilian had to repatriate most of the fledgeling Dragons regardless, she just captured them through forceful means for the sake of efficiency. Justin wasn¡¯t opposed to it, since he liked to battle Pokemon before capturing them anyway. Problem was, he had no chance to even challenge any of the Noibats, with them screeching and running in fear from the crazy Blackthorn girl. ¡°So, how did you catch one then?¡± Kerry asked. Justin let out a feeble smile. ¡°Had to battle Lilian to buy time for Scyther to bring one of the injured Noibats to safety. I lost. Badly.¡± Justin¡¯s Wartortle hardly stood a chance. And he was even dumb enough to demand a fight with Sapphire, Lilian¡¯s Dratini, who at this point had fully mastered her control over Electric Type Energy. In fact, the Dragon and her mistress just toyed with Justin the entire time. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even get her to use a single Dragon Type move¡­¡± The boy sighed dejectedly. ¡°And here I am, thinking I¡¯ve caught up to Nina a little bit. If Lilian¡¯s Dratini is already that strong, then how much stronger is Nairy, who managed to beat Sapphire and was now a Dragonair?¡± Justin had only ever gotten one glimpse of Nairy¡¯s strength in recent memory. It was the time when he tagged along with his friend to go swimming by the beach. He had challenged her in the water on a whim. Which surprisingly, Nina accepted. Though thinking back, his friend had probably just been humoring him because she had stuff she wanted to test out. He still remembered the Surf that Nairy conjured up that day. Even Wartortle, a pure Water Pokemon, looked scared at the gigantic wave that towered over them. And according to Nina, Misty¡¯s Milotic could create a wave that was three times bigger than Nairy¡¯s. Something that Justin¡¯s brain simply could not fathom at the time. As expected of Justin¡¯s number one partner though, Wartortle was undeterred. Instead he had been working ten times as hard to catch up to Nairy. After all, how could a pure Water Type lose out to a pure Dragon Type in Water moves? In a rather uncharacteristic moment, Kerry reached out to give Justin an assuring pat on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s like Nina always said, you shouldn¡¯t compare yourself to her and Lilian. The two of them have unique backgrounds and way more experience than you. Pokemon training is a marathon, not a sprint.¡± Justin nodded with a thanks, his motivation reignited. The boy had not realized how big the world was until he left Viridian City and met all these talented people in the Vermilion Flame. He was half tempted to stay for another year if only to take advantage of Nina¡¯s expertise and all the facilities here. But then shook his head as he recalled the girl¡¯s words about how he shouldn¡¯t get into the habit of relying on her too much. ¡°Nina¡¯s right. My Pokemon are my own responsibility. And I have my own journey to make. I¡¯ll pick her brain on how to train Noibat for the rest of my time here and then leave.¡± Four Pokemon, that was a good start to a decent Gym circuit. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a firecracker!¡± He vowed. *** Lilian took a sip from her dainty tea cup, savouring the fragrant bitterness of the double strength Earl Grey that she preferred, the nutty citrus flavors dancing on her tongue, and the scent of wood and floral honey permeating the back of her nostrils. Breakfast today was a thick cut piece of premium Oinkologne ham imported straight from Paldea with a side of salad made using an assortment of Berries and vegetables. Lilian wasn¡¯t a big fan of vegetables, but she recognized that one needed to endure some unpleasantries for the greater good. ¡°What¡¯s my schedule looking like today, Alfred?¡± Lilian¡¯s butler refilled his lady¡¯s tea with a bow as he answered the question. ¡°This morning is freed as you requested, to allow you some time with your recent acquisition. May I ask if you¡¯ve decided on a name for the Noibat yet, Milady?¡± The girl shook her head. Melina Jones had sent a message to her saying that she should capture a ¡®special¡¯ Noibat. Lilian was a little confused about the cryptic message, but Alfred suggested that she perhaps reference Melina Jones¡¯s Pokemon for what the girl considered ¡®special¡¯. What stood out to Lilian the most was her Espeon of course. Even among the noble Dragons of her family, very few were possessed of a poise as regal as Melina Jones¡¯s Psychic Eevee. Then there was her marvelous specimen of a Dragonair, which although frivolous in mind, had an immaculate physique. But given that the message was likely to do with their recent efforts in trying to learn the Koga Clan¡¯s secret technique. Lilian concluded that the answer probably laid with that ridiculously misbehaving Golbat that her friend recently procured. She was skeptical of Melina Jones¡¯s judgement at first. But after seeing the Golbat in action and experiencing his infuriating airborne maneuvers in person, she had realized the qualities that the girl had seen in the Pokemon. To that end, she made sure to capture herself a similarly energetic Noibat. While none of them stood out much, there was one that was particularly defiant, refusing to go down no matter what and insisted on fighting till the very end. That fiery spirit of his caught Lilian¡¯s eyes and she decided that this would be the new addition to her entourage. Unfortunately, the Noibat¡¯s willfulness resulted in her having to catch him through somewhat more forceful means. Which meant necessitating that Lilian go through an arduous taming process for her newest Pokemon. ¡°I refuse to name him until I have successfully tamed the Noibat and bent him to my will,¡± she said, finally responding to her servant¡¯s query. Alfred lowered his head subtly in servitude. ¡°Indeed, milady. The safety gear has been readied for your use. I have absolute faith that the beast will come to terms with your virtues in due time.¡± However, Lilian denied the gesture with a shake of her head. ¡°I refuse. I shall tame the Dragon with naught but my bare hands, just like my ancestors did in days of old.¡± Alfred frowned slightly but quickly schooled his expression. ¡°Might I remind you, milady, that your ancestors were not so foolish as to engage a Dragon with their bare bodies. They had armor on as well, as ineffective as they were back then. If nothing else, I implore that you put on the gauntlets at least.¡± Lilian groaned. Alfred was right, as usual. The man was always right. But he was also too level headed and conservative, prioritizing her safety above all else. ¡°Sometimes, one needs to take some risks to reap greater rewards. Speaking of¡­¡± Lilian was reminded of Melina Jones who possessed the same steady qualities of her right hand man, whilst also being bold enough to take risks for her own benefit. ¡°Now that is a woman worth having by my side.¡± As of late, Lilian found that her gaze would oftentimes linger on her friend¡¯s softer features; those almond shaped eyes, slender nape, olive tanned skin and shapely lips. She recalled the frown on the girl¡¯s delicate eyebrows whenever she was met with a particularly difficult conundrum, as well as her vibrant visage whenever she encountered a rare Pokemon, invoking an involuntary smile from Lilian. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After realizing her moment of weakness, Lilian shook her head to snap herself out of her reverie and took a sip of tea to cool her overactive desires. ¡°Blasted! Is this what the elders meant when they warned me against the trappings of puberty? How insidious¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put on those cumbersome gauntlets as you advised. Now, what¡¯s next on the agenda?¡± said the flustered Lilian, in an effort to forcefully divert her mind¡¯s wanderings. If Alfred noticed any irregularities with his mistress, he did not let it show, as his professionalism demanded. ¡°There is a meeting this afternoon with the Pokemon League. Milady¡¯s presence was requested as a representative of the Clan to oversee the final phase negotiations of the Kanto-Johto trade agreement.¡± ¡°Urgh! What a waste of time. Those old coots are going to attempt to divert the discussion to Silph Co again!¡± In taking advantage of the renewed trade negotiations, there was a group of conservatives in both regions who were trying to instigate an antitrust investigation into Silph Co¡¯s operations. Silph Co was originally a Kantonian company. But as part of the Pokemon League¡¯s broader initiative to smother the seeds of future conflict, they had turned a blind eye to the company¡¯s aggressive expansion into their neighbouring Johto. Hoping that the existence of a dominant conglomerate which unified the economies of both regions would act as an effective deterrent for war. After all, money and greed were some of humankind¡¯s greatest motivators. The warmongers on both sides of the aisle agreed as well, and in an ironic turn of events had joined hands in trying to hinder Silph Co¡¯s growth. Each with their own baseless rationale of course. The Kantonian side was worried that the transfer of technology from Kanto to Johto would empower their enemies. While the Johton side were paranoid about the proliferation of Silph Co tech being used as a means of spying and developing an overreliance on a foreign entity. All of these concerns were inane and short sighted. It was all just based on the irrational pride and blind resentment of lesser men. ¡°We should just snap the necks of these troublemakers and be done with it already!¡± Lilian exclaimed. ¡°These individuals would not have made it to their lofty positions through competence alone,¡± said Alfred in his usual calm, lecturing tone. ¡°To eliminate them is easy, but the forces behind them will simply instate another in their place. Change is a gradual process, milady. One must have patience to enact a lasting legacy.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t even supposed to be my duty! My uncle¡¯s the one who¡¯s supposed to be representing our Clan in these negotiations! And what about Aunt Clair?!¡± ¡°Lady Clair is busy with the Clan¡¯s governance. And Master Lance is preoccupied with¡­ important matters.¡± Lilian scoffed. ¡°You mean he¡¯s shirking his duties as Champion and off gallivanting through the Black Zones in search of worthy opponents again!¡± It wasn¡¯t fair, Lilian thought. Her uncle was getting stronger by the day, while she remained stagnant at the starting point, wasting her time in these inane meetings when she should be training her Pokemon instead. ¡°The road towards becoming Champion is a long one, milady,¡± assuaged the elderly servant in response to his mistress¡¯s agitation. ¡°To reach Master Lance, you must first patiently lay down the foundations for your ascension, one brick at a time.¡± The girl rolled her eyes. ¡°What is the point of laying bricks when my opponent is blasting off into the distance with a jet engine!¡± Lilian aggressively cut into her breakfast meat, all the while pretending like it was Lance¡¯s face. After waiting for his mistress to calm down, Alfred refilled Lilian¡¯s tea and continued on with the debriefing of her schedule. ¡°After the meeting with the League, there will be another one with our family¡¯s stewards regarding the persistent losses incurred by some of our ventures in Kanto. Shall I cancel it to make time for your training, milady?¡± ¡°This is the third time that we¡¯ve discussed this topic. Just cut our losses and move on! Why does this need to be so complicated?¡± Alfred let out a genial smile. ¡°As mentioned previously, there are many individuals under our employ at these businesses, most of whom have families that they provide for. It is our duty to ensure that they are supported even in the toughest of times. Winding down these ventures should be our last resort.¡± Lilian scowled. ¡°Who was supposed to be in charge of these losses to begin with.¡± ¡°The stewards of the two loss making businesses are the Yoshida family and Okubo family. And just as a reminder, removing them from their position will only serve to exacerbate matters since there is no one else qualified to take their place.¡± Lilian let out a sinister grin. ¡°Oh I am well aware¡­ From the looks of things, the issue stems from a lack of cooperation. What is the point of having a consortium when the members are all trying to bring each other down? ¡°Tell all the stewards that from now on, the fates of the two failing businesses are going to be a joint responsibility. For every quarter that passes, should either business fail to show improvement, we will select a steward at random for replacement. And yes, cancel the meeting. My decision is final and I will brook no argument.¡± Alfred bowed in obedience, feeling a sense of pride in his mistress¡¯s decisive handling of the issue. ¡°And lastly, there is a dinner party tonight hosted by Vermilion City¡¯s mayor elect. You requested an invitation to lobby for action against the criminal infestation in the northeastern district.¡± ¡°Renounce my attendance.¡± Lilian ordered. ¡°Melina Jones is right, there¡¯s no point in relying on these spineless sycophants to take any meaningful action. If I want to see any change, I must first wrench the mantle of Champion from my uncle and secure true authority.¡± In the end, might makes right. As evident by how Lance¡¯s overwhelming dominance of their two regions put an end to a seemingly never ending war. However, Lilian¡¯s uncle was now obsolete. His blatant indifference towards League matters has allowed some unsavoury elements to gain a foothold in their governance, enabling them to impede their earnest pursuit of long lasting peace. It was time for someone else to step up and put these ingrates in their place. Lilian, got up from the dining table and made her way to the training hall with Alfred in tow. Along the way, she stopped by the armory to equip the bulky metal gauntlets that had been prepared for her, the mechanisms hidden within hissed and engaged to secure themselves around her arm. The Dragon Tamer then flexed her fingers and nodded in satisfaction at the well tuned gauntlets. ¡°It seems that Alfred has done his due diligence.¡± In order to become Champion, Lilian needed a Champion worthy team. And for that, she first had to tame the rebellious Dragon before her. ¡°One brick at a time, just like Alfred said.¡± *** Author''s notes: Just to note that I still don''t plan to delve too deep into romance, not until Nina grows older at least. And even then, that''s not a guarantee. Anything that you''ll encounter going forwards will mostly just be surface level stuff. So shippers are still free to do the things that you guys do. Chapter 111 Author''s Note: This short 3 chapter mini-arc, aside from a brief mention in a chapter down the line, will be the last time that we''ll see Cerulean City for a long, loooong time. Not until Nina comes back for her final Star badge at least. And not unless I can think of something else to add to Part Three in the interim. *** ¡°Nairy, use Hyper Beam.¡± ¡°Nair!!!¡± Nairy unleashed a beam of pure destructive energy into the pool, causing the pool water to sizzle and evaporate on contact. Nina looked at the water using a pair of shades to get a sense of how deep Nairy¡¯s Hyper Beam could go. The answer was almost to the bottom, when Nina told Nairy to stop. She didn¡¯t want to trouble the maintenance staff too much, especially during the middle of Crunchtober. ¡°You did great, Nairy!¡± Nina wrapped her arms around her Dragon¡¯s neck and commended him with boops and smooches. Nairy looked a little exhausted, but he returned the affection of his partner all the same. Nina figured that since she had to come back to the Cerulean Gym for the month, she might as well make productive use of her time. So the first thing she did when they had a bit of breathing room was ask Josephine, Misty¡¯s Milotic, to demonstrate Hyper Beam for Nairy. Which she then asked Espy to tap into and convey to the junior Dragon. Nina made sure to get Josephine¡¯s permission before intruding upon her mind of course, but Espy truly was a cheat when it came to learning new moves. She basically made it easier for any Pokemon to pick up the fundamentals of a move through a mental link. It wasn¡¯t perfect of course, and paled in comparison to the direct use of a TM, but it made that initial learning phase ¡ª which was always the biggest hurdle ¡ª a lot easier. The girl had shared her discovery with the Gym as well, and Misty had a go at using Eric to reproduce the same effect. But while the Slowking was extremely proficient in barriers, he wasn¡¯t a natural empath like Espy, making the results hit or miss. He seemed to have an easier time directly transferring his own moves and abilities though, something which they had already been doing with the Gym¡¯s junior Psychics anyway. ¡°That was awesome, Big Sis Nina!¡± Natsumi jumped in to join in on the cuddle as well. ¡°Nairy looked super cool!¡± Behind her, there was Fuyumi, looking a little downtrodden as she slowly approached as well. Nina smiled at the more competitive twin and reached out to pat her on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself, Fuyu. Artoria can learn Hyper Beam as well when he eventually Evolves into Kingler.¡± Fuyumi¡¯s Krabby could technically learn Hyper Beam right now. But given his underdeveloped physique, trying to learn such a strenuous move this early on was not advisable. It was the same reason why Nina and Nairy had opted against experimenting with Draco Meteor for the time being. ¡°Yeah!¡± Natsumi chimed. ¡°Artoria will be super strong when he evolves, so don¡¯t sweat it!¡± Fuyumi made a dissatisfied face at her airheaded sister, as if to tell her that she wouldn¡¯t get it, before leaning in to hug Nina for comfort. The senior apprentice smiled warmly. Nina had noticed that the twins were starting to diverge and become more independent as time went on. ¡°By the way, sis. Should we tell Big Sis Nina about what happened recently?¡± Natsumi said, in an attempt to distract her twin sister. Fuyumi nodded and joined her sister by her side. The two twins beamed and looked towards Nina with sparkling eyes. ¡°Guess what?¡± They said in sync. ¡°We managed to earn a Pokedex from Professor Oak!¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t rely on our Gym sponsorship,¡± said Fuyumi with a proud huff. ¡°We earned it on our own! Just like you did, Big Sis Nina!¡± Natsumi exclaimed. Nina gave them a proud look and rewarded them each with headpats before pulling them into another hug. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! I¡¯m so happy for you two,¡± she said, eliciting giggles from her two juniors. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll be eligible for a regional starter?¡± She asked. ¡°Yup!¡± answered the ecstatic Natsumi. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go get a Squirtle,¡± but then she wilted slightly and made a pout. ¡°Fuyu wants a Charmander though, even though we¡¯re supposed to be part of the Cerulean Gym.¡± Natsumi gave Nina pleading eyes as if she was expecting her senior to talk some sense into her stubborn sister. Something which irked Fuyumi a great deal. ¡°What I choose to be my Pokemon has nothing to do with you, Natsu! And don¡¯t try to get Big Sis Nina on your side, you sneaky Ekans!¡± rebuked the marginally older twin. ¡°I¡¯m not an Ekans! You¡¯re the one being a Psyduck, Fuyu!¡± The two then launched into a childish back and forth while Nina just watched in exasperation on the side. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± Nina declared with a clap, putting an end to the sisterly quarrel. ¡°First off Natsu, Fuyu is right. She has a right to choose her own Pokemon.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Nina shut the girl down before she had a chance to argue. ¡°And secondly, the Gym doesn¡¯t mind if you¡¯re not specializing in Water Types. I had a talk with Daisy ages ago and she told me as much before I joined. And plenty of our sisters here in the Gym have at least a couple of non-Water Types in their personal teams. But that doesn''t mean they¡¯re not proficient enough to command the Gym¡¯s Pokemon.¡± The only reason why the Cerulean Sisters were so committed to Water Types was because of their family name and also to uphold the Gym¡¯s image. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m supposed to be THE Aquarium Girl or whatever but I don¡¯t have a single Water Pokemon in my team.¡± Nina laughed at her own expense and gently caressed the pouting Natsumi. But just to balance the scales a little bit, she also addressed Fuyumi. ¡°And Fuyu, it¡¯s not good to call your sister names like that. I know we¡¯re lacking in good role models here in the Gym, but that¡¯s no excuse. Apologize to your sister. You too, Natsu.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± said the two sullen twins in unison. ¡°See Natsu, you heard Big Sis. Don¡¯t worry about the Gym and go get that Bulbasaur you wanted.¡± Natsumi glared at Fuyumi who just casually blurted out her secret like that. ¡°Bulbasaurs are good. Honestly they¡¯re my favorite among the regional starters. I just don¡¯t have the confidence to rear them properly. But a warm and caring girl like you should do just fine,¡± said Nina, with an encouraging smile. It was quite appropriate as well since Natsumi was named after summer. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The bud on a Bulbasaur¡¯s back was quite fragile. It needed to be cared for properly before it could bloom into a healthy flower at the Ivysaur stage. The health of the flower largely determined how strong the species was at any given stage, requiring constant grooming and upkeep. And honestly, Nina just wasn¡¯t a good enough botanist to subject herself or a potential Bulbasaur to her inevitable blunders. ¡°Are you two planning on going in person to claim your Pokedex, or are you gonna have the Professor mail it to the Gym?¡± ¡°We wanna go in person!¡± said Natsumi, to which her sister nodded in agreement. ¡°We have enough savings that we can afford a Sky Taxi to Viridian City.¡± Fuyumi added. Nina tilted her head and hummed in consideration. ¡°That¡¯s nice. I¡¯ve been meaning to pay a visit to the Professor again at some point. Maybe we can go together.¡± The twins cheered enthusiastically at Nina¡¯s proposal, eagerly looking forward to a trip with their ¡®Big Sis¡¯. ¡°Actually, you guys have never been to the Safari Zone before, right? I promised Nairy to go visit his family at some point. So since Fuchsia City is just across the pond from Pallet Town, let¡¯s invite Bev along as well and make it a full on adventure,¡± Nina continued, eliciting excited cheers from her two juniors. *** An awkward silence prevailed at the Jones family dinner table, interrupted only by the rhythmic tinking of cutlery on porcelain and the background noise of a show currently being watched by the Pokemon in the living room. Nina¡¯s Pokemon had already been fed at the Gym while Pikachu opted for more pleasant company among her peers as she partook in her Pokechow. ¡°Nina dear, it¡¯s so good to have you back,¡± said Anabeth Jones, in an attempt to dispel the silence. Nina¡¯s paternal grandparents had decided to temporarily stay in Cerulean City after their eldest¡¯s wedding for a bit of ¡°family time¡±, as they said. The elderly couple had an apartment they were renting on a short term basis, but they often frequented Nina¡¯s house for some company with her mother. Company which Leanette found burdensome. But at least it helped to alleviate the housewife¡¯s loneliness and gave her something else to focus on, even if it was mostly incessant complaints about her in-laws. The girl returned her grandmother¡¯s smile. ¡°Thank you grandmother. How are you and grandfather finding life in Cerulean so far? Anything interesting happen lately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very¡­ quaint.¡± Annabeth replied, in an amicable tone. ¡°I can¡¯t quite remember the last time Percy and I last settled down like this. Maybe it¡¯s about time, really. My hips aren¡¯t what they used to be.¡± ¡°Oh nonsense! You¡¯re as spry as the first day I laid eyes on you, Anna,¡± chimed her husband. Annabeth giggled. ¡°Oh please, Percy. When was the last time you woke up without complaining about your joints?¡± ¡°I realized I never asked,¡± said Nina. ¡°What do you guys do for a living? Given how often you¡¯re on the road and all.¡± What she really wanted to ask was whether or not her grandparents even have the funds for retirement, or were they planning to mooch off their two sons? ¡°Oh, have we never told you before?¡± Percival responded. ¡°Your grandmother and I are couriers. Sometimes there are some packages that are too sensitive to be transmitted through the transfer system, so clients will hire people like us to transport them in person.¡± Nina frowned. ¡°So you mean like smugglers?¡± After all her recent experiences, Nina couldn¡¯t help but jump at a somewhat nihilistic view of this world and its people now. ¡°Oh goodness no!¡± Annabeth laughed. ¡°We have cultivated a very clean and trustworthy image over the years, it¡¯s the reason why our clients even hire us to begin with. Though I won¡¯t deny that some of our peers in the industry aren¡¯t as particular about the ethics of their dealings.¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Hmm¡­ So what sort of package would require a dedicated escort then? Feels kind of inefficient to me.¡± These days, whatever items that couldn¡¯t be transmitted through the transfer system were delivered through bulk shipping or the postal system. So naturally, Nina was a little skeptical. ¡°Well for one, Pokemon Eggs in specialized incubators.¡± Percival answered. ¡°You might not be aware, but some people are a little bit paranoid about transferring Eggs through the transfer system, especially those of rare Pokemon. And incubators in particular are much too complex to be deposited into digital storage.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ that makes sense,¡± agreed Nina. ¡°Have you ever had a Pokemon hatch on you mid-transit?¡± ¡°Oh we came very close that one time with the Larvesta Egg didn¡¯t we, Percy.¡± ¡°Indeed, the client was a little too late in procuring the Egg for his granddaughter¡¯s Coming of Age. We had to really rush to get there in time. Had quite a few scares along the way.¡± Annabeth continued. ¡°But it was all worth it in the end, because we made it just in time for the hatching, and were even present to witness the moment.¡± The elderly woman cooed in nostalgia. ¡°You should have seen it, Nina. The hatching of a Larvesta¡¯s egg is unlike anything you¡¯ll ever see¡­¡± Nina¡¯s grandmother described a wondrous scene of the Egg bursting into flames, its shell slowly unraveling into sparkling embers that scattered into the air to form an ethereal sight, akin to that of fireflies at night. And at the climax of it all, the motes of light converged on the newly hatched Larvesta to empower it with a brilliant glow, much like a miniature sun, gradually dimming as the newly hatched larva absorbed the smoldering Fire. ¡°Ah¡­ Good memories, I remember your grandmother was so taken by the sight that she vowed to catch a Larvesta of her own,¡± said the melancholic Percival. Anna flushed and slapped her husband on his shoulder. ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t even remind me. We ended up spending months on that wild Mew chase. Volcaranoes have a legendary reputation for a reason, dear. But given how fortunate you¡¯ve been in your encounters, perhaps you might find one of your own one day. When that time comes, do let this old woman have a good look at it, will you?¡± Nina nodded. She wouldn¡¯t entirely rule out the possibility since she still vaguely recalled some meta knowledge on it. But that would depend on her situation at the time and the willingness of the Pokemon as well. Nina¡¯s grandparents continued to regale their only granddaughter with all sorts of exciting stories for the rest of dinner, warming up the awkward atmosphere by quite a fair bit. In particular, Nina especially liked the one where they had to team up with other couriers to escort a valuable relic from a museum over to a research facility. Midway through that particular commission, the much younger Percival and Annabeth Jones at the time were assaulted by a team of phantom thieves who wanted to steal the relic from them. The whole thing sounded like an action movie from the way that the two veteran trainers were talking about it. No doubt the proceedings were embellished somewhat by rose-tinted glasses. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t believe how everything ended!¡± Percival exclaimed boisterously. ¡°The police conducted an investigation on one of the thieves we apprehended. And as it turned out, it was the museum that hired them!¡± Apparently they wanted to retain the relic while also using the incident to make an insurance claim to make a quick buck. Nina laughed and nodded along, thinking that things really did play out like a generic action movie. ¡°I mean, why bother hiring competent couriers if the intent was to steal the item to begin with?¡± Cartoon villain logic never ceases to amaze her. Chapter 112 ¡°Hey Mrs Tanaka, I got some souvenirs for you.¡± It had been a while since Nina visited the old librarian in her elementary school library. The old woman took really good care of her, especially during the time when Leanette was first hospitalized . She would bend the rules and bring snacks and drinks to her table whenever she was reading. And at times when Nina was feeling bored, she would chat with her too. Nina suspected the old woman was feeling lonely as well, but she appreciated the company nonetheless. ¡°Oh my, dried squid and prawn crackers,¡± Mrs Tanaka smiled in delight. ¡°Thank you Nina. I¡¯ll make sure to share it with the rest of the faculty.¡± ¡°Yeah, I also got some artisanal senbei here for Ms Roxy. Could you pass this on to her, I didn¡¯t spot her in the faculty room.¡± ¡°Oh my, did she not tell you dear?¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Tell me what? Did something happen to Ms Roxy?¡± Mrs Tanaka sighed. ¡°That girl is as awkward as ever¡­ Ms Roxy has taken leave to go on a journey, dear. This was shortly after your uncle¡¯s wedding I believe. I had assumed that she had said goodbye to you.¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Nope, wasn¡¯t told. Sorry I didn¡¯t come to visit until now by the way, things were really hectic that month.¡± During that time, she had her breaks with Beverly, so the older girl would always drag Nina here and there. And her downtime after practice was completely packed with events that the Cerulean Sisters arranged for her. Mrs Tanaka let out her usual matronly smile. ¡°Not to worry dear, the most important thing is that you are doing well. I got to see your performance by the way. Some of the teachers here set up the¡­ What did they call it? Live video? And I got to sit in and watch. You were absolutely wonderful out there, we¡¯re all so proud of you.¡± Nina giggled. ¡°Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Though I can do without my face being plastered all over a wall though.¡± There was a display case in the school, near the cafeteria, that showcased stuff related to notable alumni. And Nina had noticed that they went a little overboard with her part of the display, which dominated most of the space at this point. There was a framed screenshot of her debut performance, articles written by local news outlets about her various sponsorships and also the two times she tangled with Team Rocket. Someone had even printed out all the various memes and advertisements that featured Aquarium Girl. It was all kind of cringe-inducing if she was being honest. ¡°Oh pish.¡± Mrs Tanaka waved off the girl¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°We¡¯re all very proud of you, and that display has been barren for ages. I remember former Principal Williams used to clutter the space with even the most minute mention of our students, be they obituaries or just tacky advertisements for pest control. It was all nonsensical really, I¡¯m glad we finally have a student actually worth celebrating.¡± Nina held back a sigh. ¡°Do you know where Ms Roxy went for her journey?¡± She asked, in an attempt to divert the conversation. Mrs Tanaka hummed in recollection. ¡°I believe she mentioned something about Hoenn. That girl would never admit it, but she has a great deal of admiration towards Mr Stone. And given that he had just recently ascended as Champion of the Ever Grande League, perhaps she was hoping to catch a glimpse of him.¡± Nina nodded. The timeline of this world was a bit weird, and Steven Stone had indeed just became Champion this year in the summer. It was the biggest piece of news outside of Misty¡¯s wedding, much to Violet¡¯s consternation as the woman grumbled about being overshadowed at the time. The girl and her former teacher continued chatting, even as other teachers and students came to visit the library, until it was time for Nina to go back home. *** Nina stood to one side of the arena in a white one piece, a pair of wedges and her iconic yellow windbreaker. It wasn¡¯t a bikini, but it was still revealing a bit more skin than she was comfortable with. And knowing that all Gym battles were recorded for posterity did not help either. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Gym¡¯s rebranding efforts had been very successful, thanks to everyone¡¯s combined efforts, so Nina should have had the option to wear the same cartoony wetsuits that most of the other Gym Trainers had opted for these days. But the PR person in the Gym said that it was paramount she maintained her Aquarium Girl image and insisted on something that incorporated her yellow windbreaker ¡ª whose company had apparently decided to sponsor her. They actually tried to convince her to wear a floatie as well to complete the look, but Nina had vehemently denied. There was only so much humiliation she could take after all. In fact, barring a handful of the younger Gym Trainers and the Cerulean Sisters, most of Nina¡¯s seniors had forsaken bikinis in favour of wetsuits. Even Misty herself had taken to wearing a blue variant of Nina¡¯s windbreaker in an effort to change up her image. Apparently, this was a look that she used to have in the past, so public reception had actually been quite positive, with many lauding it as a return of a classic. Also, as it turned out, she did have to take everything off when she peed in a one piece. A fact that irked Nina to no end. ¡°I gotta push harder for something else. A sporty looking two piece? Or maybe something cute like an oversized t-shirt?¡± Failing which, she could probably convince her manager to let her wear just the lower part of the wetsuit with the top unzipped and hanging by her side for a more sporty look. ¡°Actually that sounds good, let¡¯s go for that instead.¡± And yes, Nina had a manager now. More specifically she hired Mizuho, one of the long time staff members of the Cerulean Gym. The woman had been around for almost as long as the Cerulean Sisters and commanded a great deal of respect among the other members of the Gym, so she was the perfect person to stand up to Violet¡¯s unreasonable demands. Not to mention, Nina was offering Mizuho a cut of all the money she earned from all her celebrity work. So the seasoned old Persian was extra motivated to shaft Violet and secure the best deals for Nina. ¡°Alolan retirement here I come!¡± The woman exclaimed when Nina was negotiating her contract. All of this meant that the girl¡¯s own earnings were diminished, but it was all worth it if it meant securing a peace of mind from having to deal with Violet¡¯s greed. The girl watched with a stoic face as Splashy the Seaking splashed all around the central platform. Meanwhile, her opponent, a Weepinbell, looked around in a panic, unsure of what to do. ¡°Calm down, Nutnut!¡± yelled the boy Nina was facing. ¡°Send out a bunch of Razor Leaf into the air, don¡¯t bother with aiming!¡± The boy¡¯s steady voice was able to reassure his Pokemon somewhat as the Weepinbell settled down and did as he was told. Nina gave a subtle nod of approval at his handling of the situation. ¡°He¡¯s a pretty decent trainer ¡ª calm under pressure. Shame that all his Pokemon seem a little too green.¡± The young Gym trainer tilted her head in consideration of how to proceed. ¡°He¡¯s already way beyond the beginner level challenge, but he¡¯s not quite at the intermediate level yet. Close, but not quite.¡± Different Gym Trainers have different approaches to assessing their challengers. Depending on their luck, some Gym Trainers might be lenient and approve someone like Nina¡¯s current challenger for the beginner challenge. Others might be more stringent and rate them for the intermediate level. Nina had decided to be one of the strict ones to shore up the appalling state of young trainers these days, but she wanted to be fair as well, instead of just being mean. ¡°Let¡¯s push him a bit further to see if his Weepinbell can make a breakthrough during this match.¡± She decided. ¡°Alright Splashy, let¡¯s kick things up a notch, Ice Beam spam on the central platform.¡± By this point, Nina¡¯s loaner from the Little League was now an experienced Gym Pokemon. She knew exactly how far she needed to push her opponents and match their level. So despite being able to nail the Weepinbell if Splashy so wished, she intentionally deviated her aim to give just enough room for the Grass Type to dodge, which it did awkwardly by bouncing around on account of Weepinbell not having arms. Nina frowned. ¡°Yeah, that Pokemon was prematurely Evolved alright.¡± A few more instances of Ice Beams later, the surface of the platform froze over and became a slipping hazard, hindering the Weepinbell¡¯s movement as it wasn¡¯t able to control the trajectory of its bounce. After deciding that she¡¯d seen enough, Nina told her Seaking to wrap things up, which Splashy did by completely freezing the Weepinbell. ¡°Hopefully this will push the kid to go a bit further and try again for the intermediate challenge.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Weepinbell to use its vines?¡± Nina asked, after the match had ended. She didn¡¯t bother giving lengthy lectures after each match, but she did try to give pointers whenever she could. Some kids were too arrogant after beating her that they just ignored the girl, but that was their loss. ¡°Instead of bouncing around like that, Weepinbell could have used its vines to move around. You¡¯ll get much more control that way.¡± The losing kid clenched his fist and ran out of the Gym without saying a word while Nina just shrugged indifferently and brought up her Pokedex to put in some notes. ¡°Let¡¯s see here, who do I have next¡­¡± An amused smile bloomed on Nina¡¯s face as she read the name of the next challenger in line. ¡°Lucy Yokarashi. That¡¯s Justin¡¯s childhood friend, isn¡¯t it?¡± The girl chuckled and walked into the break room to heal up her Pokemon. Nina wasn¡¯t one of those picky slave driving women of the Gym and just grabbed a Shuckle juice from the mini fridge instead of asking her juniors to bring over anything specific. In fact, she only called for the twins when she needed someone to rotate her Pokemon. Justin¡¯s childhood friend was a petite blonde girl with a pixie cut and a fiery look in her eyes. And the girl was glaring very intensely at Nina for some reason. ¡°We¡¯re going to go two on two if that¡¯s okay with you?¡± Nina said, to which the girl simply gave a curt nod. Nina had checked Lucy¡¯s profile before this, and found that the girl only had five Pokemon in her team. A bit unusual since they were already approaching the end of the season. Usually Professor Oak¡¯s sponsored were a bit more impatient than this. The moment that the referee called for the start of the battle, Lucy sent out her Pokemon in response to Nina¡¯s Marill. And her choice was a stunning looking Manectric. Just at a glance, Nina could already tell that this was a Pokemon worthy of an intermediate challenge. And she had no doubts that Lucy¡¯s abilities as a trainer were matching as well, having already known her background. So Nina just set up a few tricky scenarios to test the girl¡¯s wits before signalling for her Pokemon to throw the match. She didn¡¯t want to wear them out too much and strain the Gym¡¯s resources unnecessarily. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve earned the right to challenge the Cerulean City Gym Leader. We have a slot available in about an hour if you¡¯re okay with that? Otherwise, we can also schedule you for another day if you prefer.¡± But instead of answering Nina¡¯s question, the girl just burst out angrily at her. ¡°Where¡¯s your Dragonair?!¡± She yelled. Nina looked up from her Pokedex and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°I came in here for a challenge! Justin must have been lying when he said you were strong. ¡®Cause all I see in front of me is a loser!¡± Nina sighed. It was baffling how some people didn¡¯t know how Gyms work. There were people who honestly thought that Gym Trainers and Gym Leaders were weak since they always lost and all that. It really gave these entitled children too big of a head, which was detrimental to their development in Nina¡¯s opinion. ¡°Look, kid,¡± said the exasperated Nina. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get this far while knowing so little. This is what? Your eighth badge? Us Gym Trainers aren¡¯t allowed to use our personal Pokemon in these screening battles. All the Pokemon you¡¯ve faced so far, including all the Gym Leaders¡¯, are Gym Pokemon specifically catered to match our challengers¡¯ abilities.¡± Lucy¡¯s head flushed bright red as she stomped her in embarrassment. ¡°I- I knew that! Of course, I did! Who do you think I am?!¡± Nina let out another sigh at the girl¡¯s defiance. ¡°Say what you will about Justin, but at least the boy knew when to admit his faults and keep an open mind.¡± Nina was really starting to doubt Professor Oak¡¯s judgement. She knew that the elderly Professor always provided for any children born in Pallet Town as a community service of sorts. ¡°So maybe Lucy was one of them?¡± ¡°Anyways,¡± continued the young Gym Trainer. ¡°If you want to face my personal team then you¡¯re welcome to challenge me during off hours. Though whether or not I¡¯d be willing to accept is a different matter. Now, going back to what I said earlier. Do you want to challenge Misty in an hour or schedule for another day? We have other challengers waiting for a turn so please make up your mind.¡± Lucy chose to battle in an hour and Nina had to ask a staff member to escort the girl outside, because she was stuck fuming where she stood and reluctant to leave. *** Author''s note: Just to give an idea on the standards of difficulty for a Gym challenge. Beginner - Single moves only. Mainly assesing a trainer''s base competence and knowledge on Type Advantage. Intermediate - Combo moves and advanced startegies incorporated. i.e. Dig into Sand Attack into Tackle etc. Bonus points for trainers competent in the use of utility moves. Expert - Weather and terrain altering moves included. Trainers will be judged based on the overall strength of their Pokemon, how well trained they are and how in sync the Pokemon is with their trainer''s intent. Star - No holds barred. Standard conference rules. Teamwide cohesion is a must. Pokemon must be fully in tune with their trainer. There''s also a subjective element inherent in each of the difficulty tiers which is dependant on the Gym Trainer doing the assessment. Like Nina said, some people might be more lenient, while others might be more strict. A Gym Trainer is trusted to make fair and impartial decisions to ensure that a Gym challenger is screened appropriately. I''ll have Nina go into more detail within the canon of the story when it comes time for her own Gym challenge. Chapter 113 ¡°Aquarium Girl, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!¡± Nina sighed at the petite girl who ambushed her at the Gym¡¯s entrance and was now pointing at her with a ridiculous pose. ¡°Good to know she has something in common with her friend I guess.¡± The girl who was being challenged looked towards the sky and checked the time on her Pokegear. Nina had asked to be let off early today because she wanted to go visit Bill. ¡°I guess, I can spare 10 minutes¡­¡± She muttered, before gesturing at Lucy to follow her. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve got stuff to do today, so we¡¯ll battle elsewhere.¡± Nina just kept walking to her designated bus stop without bothering to check if her stalker had bothered to follow suit. ¡°Hey Mr Norm.¡± Nina greeted when she got on the bus. Espy had already gone ahead and secured their usual spot, not that she needed to since the bus was empty as usual around this time. Nina took out boxes of snacks from her backpack and handed it to the bus driver. ¡°I got you some souvenirs from Vermilion City.¡± The silent bus driver nodded in response while flashing the girl a thumbs up and a smile. Nina paid her fare and continued into the bus to see that Lucy was already seated in the opposite aisle and staring at Espy in fascination. Her Charmeleon was out as well and sitting right next to her. Nina was tempted to ask if she could pet the Charmeleon, but she expected the other girl would probably ask to pet Espy in return. And from the looks of it, Nina¡¯s princess did not like their tagalong very much. So she opted not to, and just sat next to Espy to silently read an ebook on her Pokedex. She could tell that the other girl was fidgeting awkwardly in her seat, but Nina could not be bothered. She was too tired from a day''s worth of work to entertain the girl. *** ¡°Nair!¡± Nairy cried out excitedly at the sight of their usual fishing spot outside the Sea Cottage. Nina chuckled and called out to her partner. ¡°It''s been a while huh, buddy?¡± ¡°Nair!¡± The Dragonair looked at Nina with sparkling eyes and she could tell that her oversized noodle boy was itching to get into the water. ¡°Alright Nairy, you have until Brucey is done with the battle. Make sure to come back when you hear me calling, otherwise I''ll have to sic Espy on you.¡± Nairy let out one more excited cry before rushing to dive into the water. ¡°I wanted to fight that Dragonair!¡± Lucy exclaimed. But Nina just ignored the girl and found a relatively flat space to have their battle. ¡°Well too bad.¡± Nina retorted. ¡°You''re the challenger, so I get to decide the terms.¡± She then turned to Espy. ¡°Espy, do you mind being the ref?¡± ¡°Wait, so if you''re not gonna use your Dragonair or your Espeon, then what the heck are you going to use?!¡± In response to the girl''s query, Nina simply released her mischievous Golbat onto the field. ¡°If you can beat Brucey then I''ll consider letting you fight Espy. Honestly it''s a good thing we''re doing this out of the public eye ¡®cause Brucey needs to practice his new move.¡± Nina glanced towards Brucey who simply acknowledged her intent with his usual unsettling laughter. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Lucy frowned. ¡°So it''s a one on one then?¡± ¡°Nope, feel free to use your full team.¡± The blonde girl scowled in response to her belittlement. ¡°I''ll make you regret looking down on Lucy Yokarashi! I''m the girl who''s going to be Kanto¡¯s first female Champion!¡± She declared. Nina nodded in approval. ¡°A worthy goal,¡± she thought. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Lilian will probably beat her to it.¡± She then signaled for Espy to start them off, which the Pokemon did by tossing a stone into the middle of the field. Oddly enough, Lucy¡¯s first pick wasn¡¯t her Manectric as Nina was expecting, but a Rhydon instead. ¡°Rock Blast, Rhydon. Bring it down!¡± Rhydon stomped its feet and began blasting loose gravel onto the sky which eventually rained back down to pelt Brucey on both sides. ¡°Ahh¡­ so she wanted to use the terrain.¡± Nina was honestly quite impressed by her ingenuity. ¡°Sorry Professor Oak, I take back everything bad I said about you.¡± Unfortunately for Lucy and her Rhydon, Brucey was quite adept at dodging random projectiles at this point thanks to all the training Nina put him through, so majority of the Rock Blast missed its mark. Though the few that did hit, was able to do a fair bit of damage, as Brucey¡¯s flight pattern looked a bit more disorientated than usual. However, Nina¡¯s Golbat wasn¡¯t just idly taking damage. While Rhydon was busy with its barrage of projectiles, Brucey was sneaking in Supersonics every chance he got, causing the Rhydon¡¯s spray to become wider each time. Sometimes even shooting blanks because the bipedal rhino had scooped up sand instead. At one point, the Confusion became too much to bear as Rhydown stepped into a divot that it had unknowingly dug and tripped on its face. Lucy cried out in alarm, but that opening was all that Brucey needed to stretch his dominance. Beginning with a loud Screech to further overwhelm the Rhydon and swooping in with a Kage Bunshin. Brucey was only able to create eight clones from the attempt. But all the clones impacted the incapacitated Rhydon with a loud crash while the Golbat took advantage of the chaos to sink a Poison Fang into Rhydon. Unfortunately, the poison did not take hold, since Rhydon¡¯s hide was too thick. Seeing that his Poison was ineffective, Brucey swooped back up to the air to continue with his Supersonic harassment mixed in with the occasional Shadow Ball that he learned from Itachi the Crobat. Rhydon was completely at Brucey¡¯s mercy as Lucy gritted her teeth in frustration. Everytime that the Pokemon broke free from its Confusion, it would just be put right back into the state again. There were also a few times where Lucy tried to get her Rhydon to buff up and hunker down to wear out the harassment, but a few timely Taunts from Brucey put a stop to that. Eventually Rhydon wore itself out by spamming indiscriminate Hyper Beams into the sky in frustration, which Brucey just handily dodged around. It was just a straight line of Energy after all. No more than three Hyper Beams in and Rhydon was panting in exhaustion, the Pokemon¡¯s appalling state further compounded by the poison inflicted from a couple of Sludge Bombs to the face. And after letting out a feeble roar, Rhydon finally wobbled and fainted from the exhaustion. ¡°You should have used Sandstorm,¡± advised Nina. ¡°That would have been enough to give you the edge.¡± But Lucy just scowled and returned her Pokemon. Nina didn¡¯t blame the girl, Sandstorm wasn¡¯t a very popular move because of how messy it was. Not being able to see through it also gave most trainers a lot of anxiety. Brucey was looking a little weak as well, but Nina judged that he could still go a few more rounds. That was unless Lucy¡¯s Manectric, which she sent out next, managed to take down her Golbat. But when the new round began, Nina understood why Lucy didn¡¯t send out the Electric Type earlier. Her Manectric was clearly more conditioned towards being a physical attacker as evident by the limited range of its Thunderbolts. By the time that the bolts of lightning reached anywhere near Brucey, their force had largely dissipated and would cause minimal harm even if Nina¡¯s Golbat hadn¡¯t dodged out of the way. It was a far cry even compared to the Thunder that Lilian unleashed with her Dratini. A Screech, another barrage of Supersonics, a couple of Sludge Bombs and a few experimental Kage Bunshins later, and Manetric was down for the count. Nina shook her head. ¡°I understand wanting to cater to your Pokemon¡¯s preferences and strengths. But Electric Type moves are some of the easier ones to train among the elements. It doesn¡¯t hurt to expand your Manectric¡¯s arsenal a little bit.¡± The next Pokemon to be sent out was a Pidgeotto, a species that naturally preyed on Zubats. A shame the bird could barely maintain its flight after an omnidirectional Supersonic from Brucey. ¡°A Pidgeot probably would have been able to overwhelm Brucey, but it can¡¯t be helped. No point forcing an Evolution just for a win.¡± While Lucy did indeed have five Pokemon, the fifth was a brand new Magby that she caught recently. So realistically, her Charmeleon was going to be the last. Charmeleon had been by Lucy¡¯s side the entire time, watching in barely contained frustration as every one of his companions got taken out by the insidious Golbat. So by the time that he stepped onto the field, the fire on his tail was blazing hotter than ever. ¡°Oh boy, we¡¯re gonna see some shonen level shenanigans aren¡¯t we?¡± Nina mused. And sure enough, the moment that Espy signaled for the match to begin, the Charmeleon let out the biggest blast of Flamethrower that Nina had ever seen. Big enough to qualify as a Fire Blast, were it not for the lack of density and destructive power. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey let out a strained laugh as he struggled to fly high enough to get out of the way. Hot air rises after all, so there was no escaping from the wave of heat that enveloped the Golbat. And for the first time since the match began, Nina called out an order. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Brucey. Try to get close! Send out clones ahead of you and dive down. See if you can circulate Air Cutters around you as a shield as well.¡± Nina hadn¡¯t been with Brucey long enough to develop code words and tacit understandings, so she had no choice but to give clear instructions. Brucey did as he was told, a bombardment of Kage Bunshins plowed through the flames, and paved a perilous path for Brucey to go through. However, the flames were too strong and destroyed the flimsy clones midway through, subjecting Brucey to the full wrath of Charmeleon¡¯s Flamethrower with only a thin stream of air to shield him. But even that flimsy barrier was quickly consumed by the flames Brucey made it through in the end, but looked severely charred from the ordeal. Nina called for a Sludge Bomb, which Lucy countered by telling Charmeleon to use Fire Spin all around him. Nina could have ceded the round and called it here. But figured there was no harm in pushing Brucey to his limits every once in a while. ¡°Uproar,¡± she called, as the girl tightened the earplugs in her ears and returned Espy to her Pokeball. The indiscriminate blast of sound was powerful enough to dispel the flames, causing both Lucy and her Charmeleon to cover their ears in pain. Wild bird Pokemon flew into the air in the distance from the sudden barrage of noise. Even Nairy poked his head out of the water to see what was going on. But instead of succumbing, Charmeleon let out a roar of its own and began glowing. Nina grinned at the sight, thinking that this was truly an anime moment, having already accepted her loss. Charmeleon grew; wings formed behind its back, tail extending and neck protruding. Its fire blazed hotter than ever as it roared out in triumph. ¡°CHARIZAAARD!!!¡± Lucy looked at her newly evolved partner in awe, tears welling in her eyes from the deluge of emotions she was feeling at the moment. One Fire Blast later and Brucey was down for the count. Nina smiled and returned her Pokemon. ¡°Congratulations. That is an absolute beauty of a Charizard,¡± said the girl, as she couldn¡¯t help but admire the smoldering sheen on the pseudo-Dragon¡¯s scales. ¡°Absolutely incredible¡­¡± Charizard huffed in pride, evidently still ready for more as the Fire Pokemon roared out in a challenging tone, and looked towards Nairy who was watching from the water. Nina chuckled at her opponent¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°What do you say, Nairy? Wanna show Charizard what a real Dragon can do.¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Her happy-go-lucky partner responded in a jovial manner as he swam towards shore and entered the field. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! Show that Dragonair who¡¯s boss, Charizard!¡± Lucy yelled in excitement. ¡°Char!!!¡± Nina let out Espy again and waited for her to call the match. One. That was the number of moves it took for Nairy to put an end to Charizard¡¯s celebration. A single Double Pulse, Nairy¡¯s special concoction of Dragon Pulse and Water Pulse, was all it took. Charizard didn¡¯t even stand a chance as it tried to unleash a Fire Blast onto Nairy, only to find the blue and purple bolt of condensed Type Energy easily punching through the flames and slammed right into its face. The newly evolved Charizard unceremoniously tumbled onto the ground without even so much as a whimper. Lucy stood frozen on her side of the field, unable to get over the whiplash from how quickly things ended. ¡°Right, that¡¯s it then I guess. Let¡¯s get your Pokemon healed up.¡± Nina declared. ¡°It¡¯s quite a ways back to the city so I¡¯ll take you to Professor Bill¡¯s place. They should have medical equipment available in the lab.¡± *** Author''s Note: S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not entirely happy with this chapter. In particular, the battle scene. So any feedback is appreciated. Chapter 114 Author''s note: ONE MILLION VIEWS!!! Bonus chapter release for this story reaching a million views on Royal Road. Thank you all for sticking with me up to this point. I said this before, but when I first released this story, I wasn''t even expecting 100 readers, let alone the thousands of you that come back on a regular basis. Oh and the 8k average views are skewed by the early chapters and the people who''ve already dropped off. The actual number is around 3k per recent chapter. Numbers go brrrrr!!! *** Nina happily stroked the Magby who was sitting on her lap. She was particularly enamored by the little nubs on the Pokemon¡¯s head which she had thought was hair or oddly shaped fur at first. But in reality, they were callouses of sorts. Magby cooed as Nina stroked her and pampered the Fire pokemon with Berries. Meanwhile her trainer sat all by her lonesome on the opposite aisle. Lucy had been very compliant with Nina¡¯s demands post defeat, just quietly following the girl around even as she was dealing with her own matters in the Sea Cottage. ¡°Am I¡­ a firecracker?¡± The sullen girl asked, during their bus ride back to the city. Nina hummed and just shrugged. ¡°The problem with rushing to the conference during your first year is that people tend to also rush their Pokemon¡¯s development in the process,¡± she explained. ¡°Professor Bill, whom you just met, is an expert on Evolutions. And finds it a particularly appalling affair that young trainers these days have the tendency to force premature Evolutions for the sake of a misguided expediency. Gym badges have a validity of two years for a reason you know?¡± ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re saying that Charizard evolved too early?¡± Nina took her eyes off the adorable Magby and looked towards Lucy. ¡°Hmm? Oh no, not at all. The researchers did a quick exam of your Charizard just now, yeah? If he had evolved too early then they would have made a comment about it. It¡¯s actually perfectly normal for the three regional starter species to mature at a rapid pace. It¡¯s the reason why they¡¯re so sought after to begin with.¡± Nina recalled reading some materials from Professor Oak about how the regional starters relied on emotional triggers to evolve. Hence why they¡¯re given out to his sponsored trainers, because he valued the nurturing of strong bonds between trainer and Pokemon above all else. ¡°As for the rest of your team though,¡± Nina tilted her head in consideration. ¡°Well I¡¯ve pretty much said all there is to say. Manectric, for example, would have benefited from training his Type Energy manipulation a bit more at the Electrike stage.¡± ¡°Justin always makes fun of me, says I¡¯m a firecracker. I didn¡¯t know what he meant until someone explained it to me. I was super pissed back then¡­¡± Lucy murmured. Nina chuckled. ¡°Yeah, my bad. I might have taught him that term. To be fair, that¡¯s what I use to make fun of him whenever he gets impatient about his Pokemon¡¯s progress. So it¡¯s not like he has much right to be throwing that word around either.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even beat a single Golbat¡­¡± Tears of frustration began welling up in Lucy¡¯s eyes as she recalled her loss. Nina sighed and got up to place Magby back on her trainer¡¯s lap. Cuddle time with a cute Pokemon was always effective in alleviating one¡¯s mood. ¡°Honestly, of all the first year kids that I have to deal with on the regular, I¡¯d say you¡¯re better than most,¡± assured Nina. ¡°What about Justin?¡± Lucy asked, in between sobs. ¡°Can I beat him ¡ª hick. You think?¡± ¡°Right now? Yes. Handily. Your friend has a tendency to pick up some really troublesome Pokemon. So he needs more time than most to get them in shape. You can probably even sweep him with just your Charizard. In a year though¡­ Who knows?¡± Lucy snorted and blew her nose on a handkerchief before looking at Nina with a hardened gaze. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to make it past the prelims next month?¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Honestly, it depends on your luck on how many conference veterans you end up facing. For most others in your year though, you¡¯ll do just fine I think.¡± Lucy nodded with grim determination. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for one more year, maybe get Magby trained up and find a sixth Pokemon first. I¡¯m not gonna let Justin call me a firecracker for the rest of my life.¡± Nina thought it was kind of cute how the girl assumed that she would be friends with the boy for her entire lifetime. Friendships can be very fickle ¡ª if they lose touch for a couple of years during their journey, who knows if things will remain the same. But it was this sort of innocent optimism that only children with infinite possibilities could possess. Nina was knocked out of her musings when Lucy declared that she wouldn¡¯t lose to her the next time they met, before hastily getting off the bus. Nina chuckled in amusement and went back to idly caressing Espy and reading her ebook until it was time for her to get off. *** TM printers were expensive. Not that Nina needed to worry about the cost since Johnny said he would pay for her. Problem was, the list of brands and models that the TM shop proprietor sent to her all contained products that were too big and unwieldy. Looking through the pictures, Nina was reminded of those massive office printers from back in her old world. There were smaller more compact TM printers of course ¡ª some looking almost like the Walkman disc players of Miles¡¯ past. But Johnny refused, on account of the fact that those were linked to the ¡®corpo spy network¡¯ of their respective producers. Translation; most modern printers these days were linked to the Pokenet, which gave the companies that sold them some degree of access to the devices¡¯ metadata. Not to mention, the usage and functionality of those TM printers were often softlocked by way of a subscription fee. The alternatives then were older models with no network capabilities or niche brands that cost way too much for way too little features in exchange for a simple, but easier to maintain construct. Thankfully, Nina was a Gym Trainer and the Cerulean Gym had their own TM printer which Nina had borrowed. She still took Johnny¡¯s money though, asking the man to transfer her the subsidy and claiming that she would purchase a printer before getting back to him with a fresh TM of Kage Bunshin. When Nina handed the TM over to Johnny, the stoner looked like he had just achieved orgasm for the first time in his life. ¡°How do you know that¡¯s even the real deal anyway?¡± Asked Nina. ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t cheat you. But you don¡¯t know that.¡± Johnny tutted at the ignorant girl in front of him. ¡°Heh. See this is why I own a TM joint and you don¡¯t girlie. I can tell what a TM contains just from a look. ¡®Course the details still need to be verified.¡± ¡°Actually, you know what? Johnny¡¯s in a good mood today, come along and I¡¯ll show you how it¡¯s done.¡± He then stood up unsteadily and beckoned Nina to follow after him. As it turned out, nothing. The backroom of Johnny¡¯s store was actually very well lit and quite spacious as well. Even more so than the front end, which was all cluttered and required Nina to wade through precarious looking stacks of Technical Machines. The space actually looked almost like a gun range with how barren it was. The walls were bare concrete with only a few machinery and a desk with a PC by the corner. ¡°Here¡¯s where all the magic happens.¡± Johnny said, with a wide and dramatic gesture. ¡°You mean this is where you record TMs?¡± asked the intrigued Nina. ¡°Yup, Johnny¡¯s one of the best in the biz. I do a whole bunch of recording for all sorts of peeps.¡± In particular, he explained that his clientele mostly consisted of Ace tier trainers who valued discretion. Nina and Nairy weren¡¯t the only ones who came up with their own custom moves after all. ¡°Why would they pay money to hire you when they can just buy a TM printer of their own instead?¡± Nina assumed that it would be more economical in the long term if these people were creating new moves on a consistent enough basis. Johnny scoffed at the girl¡¯s naivety. ¡°Making a good TM ain¡¯t just about hooking your Pokemon up to a recorder, girlie. It¡¯s like making music ¡ª sometimes you need an expert Move Director like moi and spend a whole day just to find that perfect take. Maybe even make a few adjustments along the way. You¡¯d be surprised at how big a difference a properly tuned TM can make.¡± But what really caught Nina¡¯s attention was when Johnny started sharing tidbits about secret TM auctions that were held on an invite only basis. So in addition to acting as a director in TM recordings, he was also a broker of sorts that procured TMs and helped trainers list their custom TMs for sale. ¡°Consider yourself invited to the club,¡± said the jovial Johnny when Nina asked about the matter. ¡°With a treasure like the one you brought in today, how could I not? ¡®Sides, you¡¯re a good enough trainer that I have a feeling you might have your own brand of secret sauces. If you¡¯re looking to sell, make sure to come to your old pal first, yeah?¡± He said, with a knowing wink. Nina nodded in agreement and joined the man by the computer. She watched as Johnny slotted the TM into a boxy looking disc reader and began inspecting cryptic looking patterns that showed up on the screen. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± muttered the reverent TM connoisseur. ¡°To think the day would come that ol¡¯ Johnny would be able to feast his eyes on such a legendary move¡­¡± The man did have his complaints, however. In particular, he pointed out a few spots where he said was a bit noisy, even a few parts where he could tell that Brucey was a little distracted when he was using the move. Nina just nodded along, completely out of her depth when it comes to the nitty gritty of Technical Machines. ¡°So if you can glean so much from just looking at patterns on a computer. Are you able to break down the move into its individual components and reverse engineer it as well?¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had been completely ignorant about this aspect of TMs and was now feeling a little paranoid about the spread of the Koga clan¡¯s secret. A dangerous gleam flashed through Nina¡¯s eyes for the briefest of moments. ¡°Nope!¡± exclaimed a slightly panicking Johnny. ¡°Johnny ain¡¯t no snitch. ¡®Sides, if I showed you the wavelengths of Lisia¡¯s song, do you think you can sing it as good as her?¡± However, he did admit that he could tell Kage Bunshin was based off Payday, since he recognized patterns unique to the move. It was just that he had no idea on how he would go about applying it in the right way. ¡°Hmm¡­ Well you better not try to pull a fast one on me,¡± Nina warned. ¡°There¡¯s people who won¡¯t be too happy about it. And I¡¯m not talking about Koga. Feel free to hang it in your toilet or whatever, but nothing else okay?¡± Johnny gulped. ¡°¡®Course, ¡®course. Trust me, I don¡¯t wanna go the same way as Villy¡­¡± He shuddered in fear at the thought he just invoked in his mind. ¡°What happened to Villy?¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t know? Didn¡¯t Purple Shadow tell you? Guy went nuts and took out Villy¡¯s whole gang. They say he melted Villy alive in a vat of Poison and made his entire family watch before suffocating the lot with gas.¡± Johnny confessed that no one knew for certain that it was Purple Shadow, but the motif and the modus operandi all checked out. Nina frowned at the revelation but opted not to look into this any further. It was odd that Shadow did not just do this sooner and get away from the fight club. But based on the bits of information that Alfred was willing to share, it seemed like it had something to do with Shadow¡¯s ninja creed. But the moment that his financial obligations were fulfilled, the man no longer needed to hold back in repaying the more personal vendettas that he had accumulated over the years. thought Nina. Though she did make a mental note to not offend Purple Shadow too much in the future. Chapter 115 ¡°Nina, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too cold for me to be dealing with your nonsense today, Justin.¡± Nina simply ignored the boy as she walked past him with her bento boxes in hand. ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± Nina held back a sigh, not wanting to waste her breath in this weather. It was November now and winter had fully descended onto the Vermilion Flame in the form of biting winds, on account of the school being located right next to the seaside. The inner courtyard where Nina and her gang usually lunched at was now too unpleasant to eat in. Not to mention Kerry was away at Indigo Village at the moment, since the entirety of the Kantonian Joy Clan, including the apprentices, had to be mobilized to deal with the Indigo Conference¡¯s preliminaries. Leaving only the minimal amount of staff necessary to operate all the local Pokemon Centers. Nina was unwilling to eat without the warmth of her Pokemon or her closest school friend. So she decided to take her food and bring it back to her dorm room for consumption. ¡°I¡¯m coming with.¡± Justin declared when Nina explained her intentions. ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother ever tell you that it¡¯s rude to follow a girl back to her room without permission?¡± Nina didn¡¯t care of course, but it was funny to watch the awkward expression on the boy¡¯s face. ¡°Come on,¡± she urged the now-hesitant Justin. ¡°We¡¯ll need to ask Mrs Phillipe for permission first. You¡¯re a boy trying to sneak into the girls¡¯ dorm afterall. We don¡¯t want her siccing her Gengar on you.¡± Mrs Phillipe was fine with Justin coming to Nina¡¯s dorm room. By this point, she knew that Nina was mature enough to conduct herself with the proper decorum. And should Justin try anything untowards, Nina was more than capable of keeping her guest in line. That said, the dorm mother still made sure to give the boy a stern glare and a series of severe warnings, punctuated by her writhing shadow, to send Justin reeling in fear. The first thing that Nina did when she reached her abode was release her Pokemon and turn on the TV while Justin looked around curiously. As if the boy hadn¡¯t seen the insides of the school¡¯s dorm room before. To Nina¡¯s knowledge, Justin¡¯s room was pretty much a carbon copy of hers, but facing the main school building instead. ¡°Feel free to let out your Pokemon as well ¡ª except Carvanha. You haven¡¯t fully tamed him yet, and I don¡¯t want him chewing on my stuff,¡± said Nina. But she received no response as Justin was intently staring out into the ocean from her balcony for some reason. ¡°Oh come on, at least close the door first. You¡¯re letting the wind in!¡± The girl chastised in annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it, Nina? The ocean¡¯s crying¡­¡± Nina frowned and went out to check on her classmate, only to find Justin¡¯s eyes glazed over slightly as he continued staring intently at the distance. Nina followed the boy¡¯s gaze and indeed, the ocean did seem to be in turmoil; turbulent waves crashed against the cliffside, winds howling like a grieving Arcanine, and skies so dark it might as well be nighttime. She instinctively grabbed at her Mew Gem and felt it to be warmer than usual, almost to the point where it might be scalding to touch. Nina dragged Justin back indoors and shut the balcony door before flipping through the TV until she reached the interregional news channel. ¡°¡ª can see behind me, Ron. The view from Mossdeep City is looking quite dire as the Pokemon League is still unwilling to comment on the nature of this unusual storm. All we know is that the origins appear to be from the vicinity of Sootopolis, which still remains isolated from the Pokenet and beyond any communicable means¡­¡± Just as the reporter said, the image being broadcasted in her background did look quite bleak, with hurricanes and water spouts linking the sea and the sky like writhing pillars of doom. Nina watched as a medium sized boat flipped over from the violent waves and what appeared to be a post box being unseated and tossed through the air from the fierce winds. It was honestly quite impressive that the reporter was able to remain standing under such harrowing conditions. ¡°A blanket travel ban is in full effect, grounding all flights and prohibiting any and all forms of sea travel. Residents have been advised to stay indoors and call emergency services for any urgent matters instead of venturing out on their own¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Justin asked, face full of concern, while Nina¡¯s frown deepened. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, then Hoenn might be facing a world ending crisis right now from the misguided ambitions of Teams Aqua and Magma. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± Nina flicked open her Pokedex and checked on the public registry of Pokemon Trainers. ¡°Brendan Birch and May Maple¡­ There, right here. Registered last year and competed in the Ever Grande Conference this year.¡± Both of them lost but that''s besides the point. It served as confirmation for Nina¡¯s suspicions and meant that things were going to be alright. She also looked up information on either Zinnia or Aster, but as expected of the secretive Draconid tribe, nothing came up in the public registry. Nina sighed. ¡°This is just the prelude. Things will be way worse down the line when the remnants of those fools try to awaken one of the Primals. That¡¯s also when the meteorite will be arriving as well¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Jackson. No need to worry,¡± assuaged Nina, but Justin was too rattled to respond with his usual quip at the moment. ¡°Yeah, but what¡¯s happening though?¡± Justin continued to ask in an anxious tone. Nina couldn¡¯t blame him, his shonen protagonist senses must be tingling like crazy right now. Nina tilted her head in consideration, thinking about how much she was willing to divulge. ¡°Some terrorists are trying to end the world. But no worries, the Hoenn League should have the situation under control. There¡¯s nothing we can do on our end anyways, so let¡¯s just eat our lunch soon and get back to class.¡± ¡°How can you be so calm?!¡± The boy exclaimed. ¡°The world is ending and you expect me to just go back to school?!¡± Nina shrugged. ¡°I mean what else do you wanna do? Rather, what else can you do? We¡¯re completely helpless in the grand scheme of things. It¡¯s not like we can just fly over there. And even if we could, we¡¯d just be in the way of Steven Stone and his Elite Four. You know? The people who are actually strong enough to handle the situation.¡± Justin still looked unconvinced so Nina pulled the boy to a chair and sat him down. ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s frustrating,¡± the girl continued. ¡°But we just need to have faith in our betters until we one day reach a position where we can solve these problems on our own.¡± Nina pressed down on Justin¡¯s shoulders and looked the boy straight in his eyes. ¡°And mark my words, Justin. The world will need us to step up at some point in the future. Bad things will never stop happening. So long as we humans and our misguided ambitions exist, there will always be a crisis that needs solving.¡± Nina pointed towards the TV screen currently showing one of Steven Stone¡¯s Metagross teleporting into Mossdeep City and was now maintaining a citywide barrier to protect the populace from the errant weather. ¡°People like Steven Stone and Lance Blackthorn, their reigns won¡¯t last. There¡¯ll come a time where a new generation is expected to step up and take over.¡± Nina jabbed a finger at Justin¡¯s chest. ¡°And with how poorly new trainers are performing these days, it¡¯s all the more important that people like us work harder to fill in the gaps.¡± Justin stared intently at his friend with a fiery gaze before returning Nina¡¯s words with a determined nod. Nina smiled in response and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair before gesturing towards their bento boxes. ¡°Can¡¯t become stronger if you and your Pokemon don¡¯t eat. So let¡¯s dig in already. I¡¯ll even let Brucey spar with you after school. I¡¯m curious to see how your Noibat performs in battle.¡± With that, Justin released his Pokemon and the group sat around the sofa to follow the news as they ate. For a long time, nothing really happened on screen. Now that things have calmed down a little from the Hoenn League¡¯s intervention, the news anchor was mostly just regurgitating known facts that they had already gone over earlier. The local League officials were keeping a tight lid on the amount of information they were releasing to prevent mass panic. But checking on the Pokenet, Nina could already see a whole bunch of wild rumours and speculations being spread en masse. It was really funny how some of them were actually pretty close to the truth, but she knew for a fact that it was just baseless drivel conjured up in the imaginations of some troll on the Pokenet. In that sense, this facet of humanity was pretty consistent with Nina¡¯s old world. A fact which the girl found to be equally as appalling. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** Meanwhile, Lilian Blackthorn was sitting at the head of a conference table surrounded by League officials. The girl tapped at the table impatiently and glared at one of the officials. ¡°Are those fools still refusing our help?¡± She snapped. ¡°I just came in here today for a meeting with some old fogies. How in the world did I get roped in to preside over such a major incident?!¡± Lilian mused. The middle-aged official shrank a little at the girl¡¯s overbearing demeanour. ¡°Unfortunately so, Lady Blackthorn. The Hoenn League maintains that they have the situation under control.¡± Lilian scowled and turned her gaze back onto the screen in front of her. The image was grainy and of extremely low fidelity, but she could still somewhat make out the silhouette of two titanic Pokemon facing off outside of Sootopolis. Powerful waves clashed against molten earth to send shockwaves through the drone that they had deployed to capture the footage, causing the feed to momentarily cut out before resuming again. Lilian slammed a palm against the conference table. ¡°Where in Distortion is our Champion?! And why aren¡¯t any of the Elite Four here yet?¡± In the midst of Lilian¡¯s outburst, the conference room door slammed open to admit the imposing but nonchalant figure of Lance Blackthorn strutting in with his signature cape billowing behind him. ¡°Do not fret, Lily,¡± said the newcomer. Lance¡¯s voice was as deep and authoritative as ever, possessing a quality that demanded one''s respect and attention. ¡°Hoenn¡¯s new Champion is no slouch. Besides, the Accords are clear ¡ª the Draconids will not take kindly to our meddling in their affairs.¡± Lance stood next to the seated Lilian and gazed down on her, earning him an annoyed growl as the girl vacated the leading seat for her uncle. In turn, Lilian then glared at the League official sitting directly to her right in an unspoken demand, which the man promptly complied by relinquishing his seat. ¡°This is an event that could reshape the entire world! How could they possibly expect for us to just standby and watch it happen?!¡± Lilian yelled. But the girl¡¯s voice was utterly ignored as Lance¡¯s attention was fully immersed in the screen in front of him. ¡°Groudon and Kyogre¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t do to test my mettle against such Legends.¡± Even the Pokeball by Lance¡¯s belt was trembling in excitement as the man ran a finger through it affectionately. ¡°Yes, I know you¡¯re eager as well my friend.¡± He whispered. ¡°But that blasted Accord stands in our way. We have no choice but to wait patiently for our turn¡­¡± To his right, Lilian was rolling her eyes in disdain at the sight of the hopeless battle maniac who was supposed to be their level-headed leader. Not long after, a halo of light burst through the thick canopy of dark clouds to come between the cataclysmic conflict of the two Legendary Pokemon. As the weather cleared and calm was restored, the camera panned up to show the illuminating figure of Rayquaza descending onto the battlefield. With a divine roar and a bright flash of light, the footage abruptly cut out as the drone was blown away by the shockwave of the Legendary Dragon¡¯s overwhelming Hyper Beam. Lilian sat speechless at the awe inspiring sight. As a member of a clan of Dragon Tamers, it was inevitable that the girl would feel a deep sense of reverence for the Emerald Sky Dragon who served as this world¡¯s guardian. Even Lance had his eyes closed in silent prayer for Rayquaza¡¯s benevolence. ¡°Well then, I guess the show¡¯s over. But do send me the incident report once Hoenn gets around to it.¡± Lance ordered as he promptly left the conference room not long after he just arrived. As usual, it would be up to the League officials and Lilian, as the clan¡¯s representative in the Kanto region, to deal with all the tedious paperwork that followed after a near-apocalyptic event. This led Lilian to grit her teeth and once again renew her vow to wrest the mantle of champion from the irresponsible man-child that was her uncle. ¡°With Lance becoming increasingly distant and aloof these days, it¡¯s no wonder the troublemakers in the League are stirring.¡± Lilian could only hope that Alfred¡¯s investigation would bear fruit soon, now that he had the assistance of Purple Shadow to share some of the leg work. ¡°Even the clan elders are starting to become restless. I¡¯ll have to hurry up and produce results before they decide to groom a backup candidate.¡± Lilian frowned as she felt a deep sense of urgency welling within her, but quickly suppressed it by yelling at a League official who was being a little too chatty. ¡°Haste makes waste, Lilian. Haste makes waste¡­¡± She chanted. It was a phrase that she heard Melina Jones recite at one point, and it was poignant enough that she had taken to using it during meditation. Chapter 116 Author''s note: Chapter 116 feels a little too transitory, so I''ll be releasing it alongside chapter 117. That''s right, it''s a double chapter release today. *** Nina raised her scarf to shield her face from the biting winds. The Sky Taxi¡¯s Fly Basket had been modified with an acrylic shield to help dissipate the winds somewhat. But at the altitude that Nina and her friends were currently travelling at, its protection wasn¡¯t as prominent as they would have liked. It was now winter break of Nina¡¯s tenth year, the students of the Vermillion Flame had just finished their final exams and were now pretty much free until school restarted in February. Most students at this point would either go out on their own adventures or return home to roost. Nina was no different, but her purpose in going back to Cerulean City was less for leisure and more for work. Because this year¡¯s Cerulean on Ice was going to be a repeat of her and Beverly¡¯s performance from back in summer. Since the only people who got to see the two apprentices perform in person were guests of Misty¡¯s wedding, there was a lot of demand from the general populace who wanted to view it in a live setting as well. So rather than come up with anything new, the Cerulean Sisters decided to cheat and just have their two apprentices do all the work this time around. The performance was going to be spruced up a little of course, with extra visual effects and some minor additions, like an extension of Beverly¡¯s ¡®fight¡¯ with Nairy complemented by a solo singing sequence from Nina. The girl wasn¡¯t taken by surprise this time since she was given the song beforehand to practice, all that remained was just refreshing her memory on the dance choreography when she got back to the Gym. Naturally, when Nina told her friends about this, they all wanted to tag along. Nina didn¡¯t mind. Kerry had never been to one of the Cerulean Gym¡¯s winter celebrations before, and she even agreed to bring Justin because she was secretly hoping for some sort of crisis that would lead to the cancellation of her performance. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lilian wanted to tag along as well, but winter break was a very demanding time for a scion of the great Blackthorn Clan. Though she did vow to make it to one of Nina¡¯s performances no matter the costs and even asked for tickets to be reserved. Nina ducked down into the basket where Kerry and Justin were both sitting to seek refuge from the cold. ¡°Here, Nina. Some lotion for your face.¡± Kerry offered. ¡°We don¡¯t want any scuffs before your big performance.¡± Nina let out a wry smile underneath her scarf but thanked the young Joy and accepted the offering all the same. ¡°So¡­ are you gonna be in a bikini or something?¡± asked the prudish Justin, earning him glares from both his female companions. ¡°No, Jennifer. I will not be in a bikini. It¡¯s more of a leotard. Aoi, one of our Gym Trainers, said that she was designing something new for the occasion but I don¡¯t know any of the details.¡± Justin grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s Justin¡­ Jennifer¡¯s not even a boy¡¯s name!¡± Kerry scoffed at the boy¡¯s indignance. ¡°With how interested you are in women''s clothing, maybe you should go and become a girl already. You even asked me about why girls wear bras the other day.¡± Justin sputtered, face red with embarrassment as he scrambled over to Kerry to shut her mouth. Meanwhile, Nina just laughed at the awkward teen. It was normal for kids at Justin¡¯s age to be fascinated by these things, but it was still funny to tease him nonetheless. Nina remembered that conversation from back when she had requested Kerry¡¯s help to go underwear shopping with her. It was especially awkward for Nina since she secretly possessed the mind of an adult male and had no idea how these things worked. Kerry, being an apprentice nurse, was much more knowledgeable despite her young age and offered to help out. Back then, Justin hadn''t just asked insensitive questions about the matter, but had even hinted at wanting to tag along, a desire that both girls blatantly ignored for obvious reasons. Nina sighed, she really wanted to curse Arceus for making her body develop so early. For the life of her she just couldn¡¯t understand why. As far as she could tell, her other classmates weren¡¯t such quick bloomers. And all the research she did online did not provide any further elucidation. The finer details of puberty remained as much of a black box in this new world as it did in her old one. ¡°Does this have something to do with my unique circumstances?¡± Nina wondered. Even speculating that her overly mature mind had affected her unnatural growth somehow. The lady at the store measured her and said that Nina was growing at a steady and relatively continuous pace, and recommended a flexible, padded undershirt for her as opposed to a bra since she would outgrow them quickly enough. The girl had even asked if there was a way to stop the growth, earning her amused laughter from her friend and the store attendant at the time. At a certain point, she began suspecting that maybe Mew¡¯s Gem was to blame and refused to wear it to school for some time. Not that it mattered. Whenever Nina would rummage around in her bag, she would see the pink Gem nestled safely in a nook somewhere despite having been left behind in her room¡¯s lockbox the morning prior. ¡°I¡¯m really not looking forward to when I eventually start my menstrual cycle¡­¡± Nina made a mental note to do some research on the matter so she wouldn¡¯t have to embarrass herself again. ¡°Or maybe I should ask mom or grandmother. I mean, it¡¯s kind of their job isn¡¯t it?¡± *** As it turned out, Nina¡¯s rapid growth meant that Aoi needed to do a lot of last minute modifications just to properly fit her new outfit. Height was also a factor, an area of growth that Nina actually welcomed. She was already pretty tall for a kid her age, but now she was head and shoulders above her peers. Beverly was not happy of course, the older girl was still pretty lanky with little to no curves to her name. A fact that Nina relished in reminding her every chance she got. ¡°Fatso¡­¡± grumbled the discontent girl. But Nina merely smirked at her and grabbed hold of Beverly¡¯s arms to press against her budding breast, causing veins to pop on the older girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°It really is quite a bother¡­¡± Nina sighed. ¡°It feels like someone strapped two Dittos to the front of me. They keep rebelling against my body at every turn and threaten to rip right off if I¡¯m not careful about my movement. Can¡¯t even run as fast as I used to anymore.¡± The girl hummed, completely ignoring the glare that her friend was sending her way. ¡°Maybe I should get a sports bra. But what am I saying? I doubt you¡¯ll know much about bras, Bev. I should be talking to one of your cousins instead.¡± Beverly growled. ¡°Or maybe I should just rip them out for you? That way you don¡¯t have to worry anymore!¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°Honestly, I would if I could¡­¡± ¡°Alright girls, that¡¯s enough!¡± Mizuho chided. ¡°You¡¯ll be going out soon, so make sure to put your game faces on.¡± Nina took in a deep breath and replied with a firm nod. Her heart felt like it might burst out of her chest at any moment. She had been really dreading this. Unlike before where she had a close to a month of practice, they only had a couple of days worth of rehearsals this time. She was pleased to find that her muscle memory remained. But even then, she still messed up a bit during practice. Beverly grabbed hold of her junior¡¯s hand and gave it a little squeeze. It was only times like this where the girl seemed extra reliable. Nina returned the sentiment with a squeeze of her own and the two girls once again skated out into the ice covered arena to the fervent cheers of a much larger audience than what they faced during the wedding months ago. *** ¡°Happy Coming of Age!!!¡± Colorful confetti flew out with a series of pops and rained down onto the two girls in the center. It was a new year and that meant another batch of children were once again celebrating the momentous milestone of turning ten years old. The two stars of the occasion were the Tendou twins who opted to have one big celebration at the Cerulean Gym. The sisters stood in stark contrast to each other despite their identical faces, with Natsumi wearing a cute green dress adorned with frills and yellow accessories, while Fuyumi opted for a more mature looking red cocktail dress with white hair pins. But despite their best efforts to differentiate from each other, at this very moment, the twins wore the same bashful look at all the affectionate attention they were receiving from their friends and loved ones. ¡°Congrats, girls! Here, this is a gift from me and Bev,¡± said Nina, when she saw that there was finally an opening for her and Beverly to approach. ¡°Thanks, Big Sis Nina, Big Sis Beverly!¡± The two girls said in unison, both looking equally eager to open up their present right away. Nina laughed at their enthusiasm and urged them on. ¡°Go on now, there¡¯s no need to be shy. And when are you two gonna drop the ¡®Big Sis¡¯? You¡¯re ten years old now, I think it¡¯s about time, no?¡± ¡°Never!¡± The two girls exclaimed as they giggled and gingerly began unwrapping the box they were given, to ultimately reveal a full set of expensive looking cosmetic items. ¡°These are travel series packs from Saphira,¡± explained Beverly. ¡°I know you two aren¡¯t going on your journey just yet, but it¡¯s never too late to start taking care of your skin. Especially you Natsu, ¡®cause I know you wanna become a mermaid just like me, your favorite Big Sis.¡± Nina chuckled at the unnecessary emphasis in Beverly¡¯s words. ¡°Bev was going to buy you two a full suite, but I talked her out of it because I know first hand how overwhelming this sort of stuff can be. The travel pack also works as a good beginner¡¯s package for you to try out all the essentials before branching out into the more specialized stuff in the future, if you find yourself lacking in any way.¡± The twins beamed bright smiles at their senior apprentices and thanked them once again. ¡°We love it! We¡¯ll make sure to use them everyday and grow up to be all pretty like you, Big Sis Nina! ¡°Hey!¡± exclaimed the indignant Beverly, to which the mischievous twins giggled in good humor and added; ¡°You too, Big Sis Beverly!¡± ¡°And I thank you two as well for all your patience in guiding my foolish daughters,¡± chimed Mrs Tendou, the twin¡¯s mother. ¡°No worries, Mrs Tendou. Bev and I are just doing our part. Besides, you have two very bright children who would have done fine even without our meddling.¡± The older woman shook her head with an amicable smile. ¡°Regardless, we would still like to thank you. So if there¡¯s anything we can do for either of you in the future, you need only ask,¡± she said. ¡°We are also very grateful that you would be going with Fuyu and Natsu to Pallet Town.¡± Mrs Tendou added. ¡°My husband and I were so worried that they might accidentally offend the great Professor.¡± Nina laughed at the woman¡¯s concern and casually waved a hand at her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about offending Professor Oak, he¡¯s a friendly old grandpa who adores children. Fuyu and Natsu¡¯ll be fine. Speaking of¡­¡± Nina turned towards the twins in question. ¡°When do you guys wanna set out? It¡¯s quite chilly right now, but it¡¯s not really gonna get any better until February. Which would be a little too late then.¡± Fuyumi and Natsumi nodded their heads in unison. ¡°As soon as possible!¡± Natsumi exclaimed. ¡°Whenever it¡¯s most convenient for you, Big Sis.¡± Fuyumi corrected. Nina nodded and briefly discussed a few more details about their trip before making way for other guests who wanted to come and congratulate the twins for the occasion. Chapter 117 Author''s note: Chapter 117 was released with chapter 116, so make sure to go back and read it if you haven''t already, to avoid confusion. *** The one who would be flying the Cerulean Gym girls to Viridian City was going to be Ryu, Beverly¡¯s Gyarados. For the longest time, the scar-faced Gyarados had trouble learning Fly since he evolved post-battle and not through ascending a waterfall, which was how the species typically learned the move. Beverly had stubbornly insisted that her hardworking boy would get the hang of it on his own eventually. But after a whole year of fruitless effort, she finally caved and got a TM for Ryu. Unfortunately, this was before Nina¡¯s revelation about Espy¡¯s empathic ability. Otherwise, she could have asked had Kumiko¡¯s Gyarados to teach Ryu how to Fly. Nina released the Fly Basket that she had borrowed from her Uncle Ali from its storage device. It wasn¡¯t as big as the one Kumiko used all those years ago, but it was plenty enough space for four little girls to comfortably fit in. They wouldn¡¯t be able to have any Pokemon companions with them though. Not that any one of their Pokemon would be willing to be out in this chilling weather anyway. ¡°Alright, you bitches ready to roll?¡± Beverly asked, only to receive admonishment from Nina in return. ¡°Mind your language around the twins, Bev. We don¡¯t need another set of potty mouths at the Gym.¡± Beverly parroted Nina¡¯s words in a mocking tone. ¡°¡®Mind your language around the twins¡­¡¯ Okay, grandma¡­¡± The older girl whined. Nina simply shook her head in exasperation and finished feeding some Berries to Ryu. All the while, whispering to the sea serpent about what a hopeless idiot his trainer was. ¡°Alright, girls. Picture time!¡± Beverly exclaimed. The older girl wanted to take some pics and record a few shorts for Pokegram. Nina found the whole affair to be quite vexing, but wanted to be supportive of her friend¡¯s social media ambitions, so she decided to play along. ¡°Make sure to run everything through us before posting okay?¡± She reminded. ¡°And no live streams. We don¡¯t want any weirdos stalking us during our trip.¡± ¡°Okay, sheesh! I¡¯m not an idiot, Nins. Daphne taught me all about etiquette and stuff. ¡®Sides, the twins don¡¯t mind. Right, girls?!¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Natsumi answered, though Fuyumi looked a little reluctant. It was honestly fascinating how their personalities had begun to diverge. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina sighed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s only polite to ask. I trust that you¡¯ll do the right thing, Bev. But enough about that, let¡¯s all get on. I wanna reach Viridian before we miss the last tram.¡± Nina was determined to hitch a ride on the tram this time around, instead of flying straight to Pallet Town. Beverly sighed. ¡°What¡¯s so good about some rusty ol¡¯ engine anyway?¡± But Nina ignored the older girl¡¯s grumbling and hopped into the Fly Basket, feeling a fair bit of anticipation for the upcoming trip. *** Viridian City was a weird place. Out of all the great Kantonian cities, it was the least developed with clusters of buildings interspersed across fairly lengthy distances from one another, and without a single skyscraper in sight. The place definitely had the capacity to house a city¡¯s worth of population for sure, but from the outside looking in, one wouldn¡¯t be faulted if they had thought that this was a sleepy little town instead. The City itself was surrounded on all sides by the Great Viridian Forests, all except for the side facing Mount Silver ¡ª a barren piece of land which had been decimated over the course of the region¡¯s protracted war with Johto. Even today, that area was left uninhabited for fear that a new round of conflict might break out at any moment. In the background of all this was Mount Silver, looming over the city like an impassive deity, the most prominent landmark that separated the borders between Kanto and Johto. ¡°There used to be a wall there, you know?¡± Nina pointed towards the space between Viridian City and no man¡¯s land. ¡°The wall demarcated Kanto¡¯s border on this side of Mount Silver. It suffered through years of violent assault from Johto, knocked down and rebuilt over and over again for as long as the war waged on.¡± But in the present day, Nina could see that only a rough outline of the wall¡¯s foundation remained as a reminder of the region¡¯s bloody past. ¡°One of the more radical things that Lance did when he ascended the Champion¡¯s seat was order the dismantlement of the borders on both sides of Mount Silver. And when the politicians at the time tried to obstruct him, he swooped in with his Dragonite and did the deed himself.¡± Many still resented the Blackthorn patriarch for the careless vandalism, but Nina thought that it was one of the more enlightened things that the man had done in his career. Even if the actual intent behind the act wasn¡¯t as profound as the history books made it out to be. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time, how about we grab some food in Viridian City before transiting?¡± Nina proposed. Viridian City¡¯s main produce to this day was agriculture, which goes to show just how backwards the place was. But in recent times, there had been a bunch of farm to table type establishments popping up, including one owned by Bobby¡¯s father which Nina had a standing invitation on. Nina¡¯s companion¡¯s cheered in approval at her proposal, and Beverly asked Ryu to make landing. Though Nina had to remind her friend to land her Gyarados somewhere secluded and out of sight. ¡°Lots of war vets living around these parts. Best not to traumatise them too much. We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± She said. Viridian City was known as the City of Evergreen, but in this particular season, it looked like a ski town more than anything as the boots of the four girls crunched through the thin layer of snow and ice on the road. Nina thought that the roads were surprisingly well maintained. ¡°They must have a snow plow that goes through here every so often¡­¡± She murmured. But that comment was soon proven to be not entirely accurate when they eventually came across a Rhyhorn towing a plow through some of the accumulated snow. The four girls waved and called out a friendly greeting to the old man steering the Rhyhorn. ¡°Ho there,¡± the man greeted in return. ¡°Visitors are ye? Ain¡¯t never seen such pretty lassies ¡®round b¡®fore.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± answered the perky Natsumi. ¡°We¡¯re headed to see Professor Oak in Pallet Town.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ One of the Poke Prof¡¯s are ye?¡± The man said, with a smile and an approving gaze. ¡°I¡¯d offer to take you to the tram station meself, but well¡­¡± He gestured towards the pile up in front of him. ¡°This snow ain¡¯t gonna plow itself.¡± Nina lightly shook her head at the offer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mister. We¡¯re actually headed to grab a meal before taking the tram. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know about this place do you?¡± She said, before showing the man the details of the restaurant they were headed to on her Pokedex. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s one of them fancy ones them tourists always like to go to. Done a lot of good for the city they have.¡± The man nodded with a hum. ¡°That¡¯a one¡¯s just a skippity hop away. ¡®Bout ten minutes walk I reckon.¡± The girls thanked the kindly old man as he pointed them towards the right direction. In truth they could have just checked their maps, but it was always nice to interact with the locals like this. It was Nina¡¯s favorite part about traveling ¡ª just getting to know the people and immersing herself in these niche little microcosms. *** ¡°Hey, Mr Mime. How¡¯s it going? Is Professor Oak around?¡± The perpetually smiling mime Pokemon flashed Nina a thumbs up and ¡®called out¡¯ silently towards the door. Nina giggled at the bewildered look on her friends¡¯ faces and simply told them to ¡°Wait for it.¡± And soon enough, the elderly Professor Oak opened his door to greet his guests. ¡°Why hello there, dear Nina. And these must be Miss Mizuhana and the two Miss Tendous.¡± ¡°Professor Oak!¡± Nina exclaimed as she jumped up the front porch to give the Pokemon Professor a hug. The old man chuckled in amusement and gently caressed Nina¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again too, dear. Now please, come on in. You all must be freezing out here.¡± Professor Oak¡¯s house was the same as usual, looking mundane and lived in. Were it not for the stacks of books and research papers strewn about here and there, one wouldn¡¯t even think that this was the abode of one of the Pokemon World¡¯s greatest minds. After dusting the snow off their boots, the four girls followed along into the dining room where Mr Mime and Professor Oak began brewing fresh cups of hot cocoa. The smell of sweet chocolate wafting through the air helped a great deal in relaxing the weary travellers. ¡°Thank you for your help in guiding Lucy by the way,¡± said Professor Oak as he sat down in front of his own cup of tea. Apparently, his advanced age meant that he had to manage his blood sugar levels. Nina shook her head in denial. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much, just gave her the battle that she wanted.¡± Professor Oak laughed. ¡°And in doing so, taught her a valuable lesson. She stopped by here not too long ago, on her way to Cinnabar island. I could tell from the look in her eyes that the girl had grown quite a fair bit from your encounter.¡± ¡°Cinnabar eh? I guess she¡¯s serious about wanting to train up her Magby.¡± ¡°Indeed, the volcano is the perfect environment for their species. Her newly evolved Charizard will benefit greatly from the abundance of ambient Fire Type Energy in that area as well.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Beverly chimed, feeling a bit left out. Nina shrugged. ¡°One of Professor Oak¡¯s sponsored that showed up in our Gym during Crunchtober. You probably don¡¯t remember her ¡®cause she only challenged Misty at the medium difficulty.¡± Beverly snorted. ¡°Ah, so a firecracker then.¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± Nina corrected. ¡°But anyways, enough about Lucy. How have you been, Professor?¡± The girl noticed that the man¡¯s gait was a little stiff when they were coming in. Professor Oak chuckled. ¡°Quite well, Nina. Thank you for your concern. It¡¯s just that my joints tend to act up during this season. I do apologize for not being able to answer all your queries though. Some things are simply beyond my control.¡± The Professor was being intentionally vague, but Nina knew what he meant. One of those unanswered queries was regarding Kage Bunshin while the other was about Diglett anatomy. Though she suspected that the denial of the latter was part of some inside joke in the scientific community as opposed to true ignorance or any restrictions. ¡°Not to worry Professor, I achieved my own breakthrough with my Golbat with some help from a friend.¡± Nina said with a knowing look. ¡°Oh?¡± The Professor leaned forward in intrigue. ¡°Well now, I had not been expecting such news. Though do be careful alright, dear? Should anybody try to give you a hard time, feel free to use my name.¡± Nina beamed a bright smile at the offer and thanked her sponsor. ¡°However, my friend who is helping me out isn¡¯t one to be trifled with. I doubt anyone will try anything unless we go way out of line.¡± She added. ¡°Very well¡­ And where are my manners? I seem to have neglected my other guests. It¡¯s good to finally meet you in person, Miss Mizuhana.¡± Professor Oak then turned towards the twins. ¡°And I¡¯m delighted to have such lovely young ladies be our newest Pokedex holders.¡± ¡°Yes, my name is Fuyumi, and this is my sister Natsumi,¡± said the older twin with a bow. ¡°Thank you for choosing us, Professor Oak. We¡¯ll do our best to meet your expectations!¡± Natsumi added. Professor Oak smiled warmly at the adorable pair of twins. ¡°No need to be so stiff, my dears. We shall do as I did with Nina last time and confer the Pokedexes and your regional starters tomorrow. For now, you should rest for the day. Mr Mime has already prepared a couple of guest rooms for your use.¡± ¡°Thanks Professor Oak, and sorry to bother,¡± said Nina. ¡°Not at all, my dear. But once you¡¯re finished settling into your rooms, I would appreciate some time with your Espeon. I heard from Bill that you have quite the remarkable specimen.¡± Nina laughed. She was already expecting this request from the Friendship Evolution expert. In fact, this was one of the reasons why she wanted to come visit in the first place. Nominal or not, it was only right that she repaid her sponsor¡¯s generosity in any way that she could. ¡°Of course, Professor. I¡¯ll be right back once I drop off my luggage.¡± Chapter 118 Despite Espy¡¯s disposition having mellowed out considerably after her Evolution, Nina was still a little worried that her Espeon might react poorly to the examination. A concern that turned out to be unfounded as the experienced hands of the veteran Professor ended up being much more proficient than the overly eager researchers of Bill¡¯s lab. Espy was entirely untroubled, and in fact, seemed to be completely at ease with Professor Oak¡¯s gentle handling. The Professor gasped. ¡°Remarkable¡­ In all my years, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen an Espeon with such lithe tails before. What an exemplary showcase of human-Pokemon bonding!¡± Nina explained that Espy was extremely Gifted to begin with, according to Sabrina. But that did little to diminish the elderly Professor¡¯s fascination. He also took a lot of interest in Nairy as well as he gently stroked the Dragonair with a wistful look on his face. ¡°Such incredible physique and inordinately clear orbs. I had seen the video, but there are some details that can only be discerned through personal observation.¡± ¡°Wait, what video? I know I uploaded scans of Nairy, but I don¡¯t remember taking any video.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, did you not know? Your battle with Miss Blackthorn was uploaded onto the Pokenet. Your Dragonair¡¯s hauntingly beautiful Dragon song was a subject of much heated discussion among Dragon Type research circles. I have to ask, Nina, what did it feel like in that pivotal moment? Were you aware that Nairy would evolve even before the Light of Evolution took hold?¡± Nina suppressed a groan and tried to ignore the fact that she was publicised again without her permission, but such was the era of cameras and the Pokenet. ¡°I did feel something back then,¡± the girl answered. ¡°There was a moment where it felt like Nairy and I had become one. I could feel his resolve like it was my own. And we had known that Nairy would evolve soon. In fact, he was way overdue at that point since he had to wait for me to catch up.¡± She explained that she was just about to forfeit the match when a rush of emotion came through to her, prompting Nina to rethink her decision and double down on her faith in her partner instead. ¡°Did you feel it as well, Nairy?¡± Nina asked. ¡°That feeling like someone had tied a thick piece of rope between the two of us.¡± ¡°Dra~ Nairy nair!¡± Nairy nodded his head and wiggled his body around like he was trying to illustrate the abstract feeling he had at the time. Nina giggled and pulled her silly Dragon in for boops and kisses. Professor Oak hummed in fascination. ¡°I¡¯ve always had the theory that Friendship Values affect not only Friendship Evolution, but also the quality of regular evolution as well. Something very difficult to prove due to the lack of any reliable means of measurement. But with this, I¡¯ll be able to add one more into my sample population.¡± ¡°Hear that, Nairy? You¡¯re a sample.¡± ¡°Nair?¡± The girl laughed at her Dragonair¡¯s confusion. Professor Oak chuckled along as well before saying, ¡°Have you considered my previous offer, Nina? I think one of the regional starters would do quite well in your hands.¡± Nina tilted her head in consideration. She had thought about it extensively. And with the new school year approaching, she would have her carry limit in the school expanded by one as well. But ultimately, the girl ended up shaking her head in denial. ¡°For now, I¡¯d like to try catching my own Pokemon,¡± she said. ¡°I might circle back to you on that offer. It¡¯s just that, right now I don¡¯t think I can give one of the regional starters the attention that they deserve.¡± The three starter species thrive from human affection. And while Nairy and Espy were fairly independent by this point, Brucey was still being a bit of a handful. So she¡¯d like something a little less demanding for the moment. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really know. I kind of want to get a Ghost Type, but given Brucey¡¯s behavioral issues, getting another prankster in the team might be a bit too much for me to handle.¡± ¡°Oh? Why a Ghost Type?¡± Nina hummed. ¡°Well, having a Pokemon in my shadow just seems practical.¡± Ghost Pokemon were great to have as shadow guards, that is, literal bodyguards that resided in Nina¡¯s shadow and would be the first to respond to any threats against her. ¡°Not to mention they¡¯ll be handy to have when I¡¯m out exploring a ruin or some cave as scouts, since they thrive in darkness and can phase through walls.¡± The girl continued. ¡°Once Nairy and Brucey evolve, food expenditure will go up considerably as well ¡ª Ghost Types don¡¯t require much in terms of physical sustenance. Also, I¡¯m just curious¡­ I suppose?¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± Professor Oak nodded. ¡°I do recall you were asking questions about Mimikyu the last time we met.¡± ¡°Yup! I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to handle a Category Black Pokemon just yet. But I wouldn¡¯t mind getting a Mimikyu in the future. For now, I¡¯m thinking a Gastly will do just fine.¡± Professor Oak chuckled. ¡°One would think that you would prioritize acquiring a Water Pokemon first, given your affiliations with the Cerulean Gym. Though I suppose your journey is your own after all.¡± Nina smiled sheepishly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell any of the girls this, but truth be told, I can get my fill of handling Water Pokemon in the Gym as it is. I¡¯m not feeling much urgency to fill my team with one. I¡¯ll still get one though, they won¡¯t let me hear the end of it otherwise, but maybe something more unique than what¡¯s common in the Gym.¡± At some point in her new life, Nina had decided that she would embrace the generalist life and get to know as many different varieties of Pokemon as possible. That was not to say that she wouldn¡¯t welcome a Water Pokemon, she had some favorites after all. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve often been told that Nairy might as well be part Water Type with how much time he spends in the water.¡± In particular, Lilian liked to tease Nina with this fact. One that she could hardly deny. ¡°I see,¡± said Professor Oak, alongside a sagely nod. ¡°Well if you¡¯re looking for Ghost Types, Lavender Town is the most obvious destination. Though you probably already know that.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Because of the Pokemon Tower¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, though the Ghosts in the Tower are not for capture,¡± said the elderly Professor. ¡°Some still do, but it is largely frowned upon as poaching. After all, you never know who these Ghost Pokemon were in their past life ¡ª they could have been someone¡¯s family or dearest companion. Ethics aside, it is highly inappropriate and many feuds have been started as a result.¡± ¡°Yet in spite of all that, you still recommend Lavender Town for Ghost Pokemon?¡± Nina was not aware of this aspect of the Pokemon world. It all made sense, but she did not want to risk incurring the ire of the locals. Professor Oak chuckled and waved at the girl¡¯s worries. ¡°No need to fret, young Nina. There¡¯s still lots of Ghost Types out in the vicinity of the town. In particular¡­¡± The old man leaned in to whisper in a conspiratorial manner. ¡°You may consider making a visit to the Lavender Mansion.¡± ¡°Lavender Mansion?¡± Nina did not recall there ever being such a place in the games or the anime. Professor Oak chuckled. ¡°I assume you know who the late Agatha was?¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Former Elite Four member, Ghost Type Master, and former head of the Kantonian Intelligence Bureau. Or better known to her enemies as the Witch of Kanto, Baba Yaga, Nurarihyon, Megitsune, Amanojaku and so on.¡± Agatha was one scary lady back when she was alive, to the point where the Johtons had taken to using her as a boogeyman of sorts to scare misbehaving children. Professor Oak seemed amused by the hushed reverence which Nina used to describe his deceased friend and laughed at all of the various nicknames that the woman had accumulated in her life. ¡°Agatha was a deadly woman, yes. But I mostly knew her as that grumpy old hag who always liked to pull on my ears for no reason.¡± The man let out a nostalgic smile, probably thinking about all the memories he shared with the legendary Pokemon Master. ¡°Anyways, the reason why I brought her up is because the Lavender Mansion was her family home. Not a lot of people know this, but Agatha¡¯s family was probably the oldest and most storied clan in all of Johto-Kanto. Older than the Kogas even.¡± Nina tilted her head in confusion. ¡°You say ¡®was¡¯, does that mean they no longer exist?¡± Professor Oak nodded. ¡°Indeed, Agatha was the last of her line. She made the conscious decision to terminate the lineage for good, even going as far as forsaking her family name. Hence why I shall not speak it out of respect for an old friend.¡± The Professor explained that the decision had to do with a ¡®curse¡¯ that had plagued the clan since time immemorial. One that ensured any direct scion of Agatha¡¯s clan would meet an early grave. Hence why the clan was very obsessive about procreation to ensure that their bloodline would never fade. ¡°No one knows if it was a genetic disorder or if there was something mystic at play.¡± Professor Oak continued. ¡°But it was without a doubt that once Agatha had exiled the majority of her clan and eliminated the rest, she remained the longest living member of her family to date.¡± Agatha had lived til the ripe old age of 107, an incredible accomplishment even by normal standards. What was most impressive was how active and sprightly she was even in those later years. At least, according to Professor Oak. The woman had lived a hermit''s life towards the end, so not a lot of people were privy to her condition. ¡°So you recommend that I head towards Agatha¡¯s family home to catch some Ghost Pokemon?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± affirmed the Professor. ¡°Whatever Ghost Pokemon that linger there are more powerful than the norm. So I would recommend taking precautions and avoid going alone. But if you¡¯re still keen on it, then I¡¯d be willing to share the coordinates of the mansion. It is hidden even from the residents of Lavender Town. In fact, no one really knows if the mansion was named after the town or the town after the mansion, just to give you an idea of how ancient it is. ¡°Additionally, one of my mentors, Professor Fuji ¡ª though he prefers to be called Mr Fuji these days ¡ª also resides in Lavender town and has taken it upon himself to maintain the integrity of Agatha¡¯s old home in her stead. That old crone will likely disapprove of such ¡®needless meddling¡¯, as she was prone to say, but Mr Fuji was fairly close to her in life and one can¡¯t help being sentimental.¡± Nina furrowed her brows in consideration, but ultimately thanked the Professor for his generous intel. ¡°Mr Fuji, now where have I heard that name before?¡± *** ¡°Do not go to the Lavender Mansion,¡± said Hikari, the moment that Nina picked up her call that night. ¡°For that matter, try to avoid Lavender Town for now if you can.¡± ¡°Why¡­ not?¡± Nina asked, feeling incredibly bewildered at the moment. ¡°How does she even know that I plan to go to the mansion? More Mew shenanigans or did Professor Oak tell her?¡± ¡°You are not ready for what dwells within it just yet, my dear.¡± The woman continued, but without offering much in terms of useful details. Nina sighed. ¡°Are you seriously gonna be all cryptic like this? Come on, surely you can elaborate further¡­¡± She pleaded. The tinkling of bells accompanied Hikari¡¯s chuckle as she responded with a wry smile. ¡°Fret not, this does not mean you¡¯re barred from visiting that place in perpetuity. But only when you¡¯re ready.¡± She said, giving the sort of non-answer that Nina absolutely loathed. ¡°In the meantime, if you are seeking a Ghost Pokemon, I have another avenue to offer. But since you¡¯ll be going to the Safari Zone soon, I doubt it will be necessary for now.¡± Nina groaned, feeling an intense urge to reach across the screen and choke the woman out at the moment. ¡°Damn you mystics and your cryptic prophecies¡­¡± She whined. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mew¡¯s Gem supposed to guide me? If that place really is as dangerous as you say, then you wouldn¡¯t even need to make this call. Stuff will just happen to dissuade me from going.¡± The girl argued, mainly out of spite rather than genuine protest. Hikari shook her head. ¡°No. If anything, you should be wary to not allow that gem to pull you towards that place.¡± Nina narrowed her eyes in suspicion. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t know what this thing was. How are you such an expert all of a sudden?¡± Nina was starting to reevaluate the faith that she placed on Hikari. Was it wise to continue trusting the woman like this? Especially if she had blatantly lied to her during their first meeting. ¡°I understand your skepticism.¡± Hikari said, with an expression of hurt. That brief flash of vulnerability on the face of such a breathtaking beauty contained the power to start wars and topple nations. ¡°Just know that both myself and the Ancestor have only your best interest at heart.¡± Nina was almost captivated by Hikari¡¯s charm. But she ultimately managed to shake herself out of that stupor. She would not allow herself to be bamboozled by whatever mystical shenanigans were at play here. ¡°Why? Why would she warn me against going to Lavender Mansion?¡± Given the circumstances, it was likely to do with Mew and the gemstone adorning her collar. ¡°What¡¯s in Lavender Town?¡± The girl mused as she racked her brain for every ounce of meta-knowledge she could remember. ¡°Is it because of Mr Fuji?¡± Nina blurted, after recalling Professor Oak¡¯s words and pinpointing exactly why she found the name to be familiar. Nina recalled that he was the Pokemon Professor who was responsible for the birth of Mewtwo. Hikari widened her eyes at the girl¡¯s insight. ¡°Nina, you¡­ You¡¯re aware?¡± She asked, her smile faltering as she did. But Nina simply shook her head in response. ¡°I have some guesses, but nothing concrete.¡± The girl replied. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ll take your words into consideration. Good night,¡± said Nina, before she unceremoniously disconnected the call. She was feeling quite weary of these mystic shenanigans. ¡°I just want to live my second life in peace, is that too much to ask?!¡± She exclaimed, while glaring intensely at the Mew Gem she was wearing. Chapter 119 ¡°Eeeeeeeeee!!!!¡± Natsumi let out a high pitched screech whilst tackling her sister with a hug and hopped up and down in unbridled excitement. Meanwhile, Fuyumi looked a little put off by Natsumi¡¯s piercing voice. Though that did little to dampen the bright smile on her face as she stared down in wonderment at the Pokedex in her hands. Professor Oak smiled warmly at the ecstatic twins and congratulated them on their newest gain. ¡°Now then, It¡¯s time for you to each choose a regional starter.¡± He said while gesturing towards a transfer machine in the middle of his lab. On it were three plain looking Pokeballs for the twins to choose from. ¡°I believe not much else needs to be said about them, but before you are three Pokeballs. Each contains either a Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur. Feel free to step up and make your selection when you¡¯re feeling ready.¡± Fuyumi was first to choose, having already made up her mind on what she wanted. She picked up the Pokeball with a Fire element sticker on it and released the Pokemon contained within. ¡°Char!¡± The liberated Charmander cried out, as he looked around his surroundings with curious eyes. Fuyumi knelt down and lowered herself to be eye level with the juvenile Fire lizard. ¡°Hey there, Charmander. My name¡¯s Fuyumi, and my current goal is to beat Big Sis Nina and become a Pokemon Master. Would you like to join me on my journey?¡± ¡°Char!¡± The jovial Charmander jumped up in excitement and threw himself into Fuyumi¡¯s embrace, eliciting giggles from the girl as she nuzzled up against her new companion. She then released Artoria and began introducing the Krabby to their newest family member. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to name you Siegfried. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Char~¡± Charmander replied with a wide smile, indicating his approval. Meanwhile, Natsumi was completely paralyzed as her eyes flitted between the two remaining Pokeballs. Nina could tell that there was a fierce war waging inside the girl between her desires and sense of obligation. Nina did not want to intervene too overtly since this was ultimately Natsumi¡¯s own choice. So she decided to help out indirectly instead. ¡°What do you think, Bev?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Ever thought about getting a non-Water Type in your team?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Beverly exclaimed. Nina couldn¡¯t tell if she picked up on the situation and was playing along or if she was just oblivious as usual. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Safari Zone next right? If I find myself a Dratini then you betcha I¡¯m catching one for myself!¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask the Safari Rangers for permission first, ¡®cause they¡¯re very protective of the brood. But aside from copying me, ever thought about getting anything else that isn¡¯t a Water Type? Or does your clan forbid it?¡± ¡°Nah, they¡¯re pretty chill. Honestly, If I ever get a chance to go to Alola, I might try to catch one of them Ice Vulpixes. Just the thought of that fluffy white fur makes me go all kyaaaaa¡­¡± Beverly swooned at her fantasies, eliciting more laughter from Nina. ¡°I think I read somewhere that Alolan Vulpix can be found in Hoenn as well. So there¡¯s no need to go that far just to get one.¡± Beverly lit up and slapped Nina on the shoulder. ¡°Then all the more reason why you should hurry up and go on your journey already, Nins! I can¡¯t wait any longer!¡± While Beverly and Nina were having their little back and forth, Natsumi appeared to have finally made up her mind as she hesitantly picked up the Pokeball containing Bulbasaur. The girl looked towards her sister, who gave her a firm nod, and gingerly released the Grass Type Pokemon from his Ball. Regional starters that were given out to trainers typically contained male Pokemon to prevent any illegal breeding. ¡°Hi Bulbasaur,¡± greeted the timid Natsumi. ¡°My name¡¯s Natsumi and I¡¯m looking to become a mermaid and a Grand Coordinator one day. If that sounds alright with you, would you be willing to join me on my journey? But like, you know, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t. I mean, I know most Pokemon prefer to battle and like, I totally get it¡­¡± ¡°Bulba!¡± Bulbasaur interrupted Natsumi¡¯s breakdown by climbing up her lap and nuzzling against the girl affectionately. That was enough to stop the girl¡¯s stuttering rant and dissolve the doubts she was feeling as she returned the gesture by wrapping her arms around Bulbasaur and sniffling quietly in the Pokemon¡¯s embrace. ¡°You smell really nice, Bulbasaur. Like fresh cut grass in the morning¡­¡± Natsumi sighed as she took in her Bulbasaur¡¯s fragrance. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to name you Mokoko. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Bulba! Bulbasaur!¡± The Grass Type replied, prompting Natsumi to tighten her embrace on the Pokemon. *** Winter time in Fuchsia City was absolutely picturesque; a thin layer of snow dressed the ceramic roof tiles of the traditional wooden townhouses, cobblestone pavements lined with plum trees withered and frosted over in the chilling winter. Yet despite all of that, Nina struggled to take in the beautiful cityscape. Because she was too busy trying not to slip on the frosty slopes of the ancient city. One of the things that Beverly had enthusiastically proposed on their way here was to rent kimonos and do a full on photoshoot in the traditional sector of the city. Nina and the twins had agreed, thinking that it would just be at a studio or some sort of curated space. But what ended up actually happening was their senior-most apprentice had them traipsing across various locations in the massive city to snap pics at all the famous landmarks. Which wouldn¡¯t be so bad if it weren¡¯t for the fact that the girls could barely split their legs more than half a step in the tight fitting kimono before tripping over themselves. And this was further compounded by the geta, the traditional wooden sandals, that they were wearing as part of the full outfit. The traditional footwear was every bit as impractical as one might think, designed to accentuate an elegant form as opposed to actual walking. Even with the ¡®two-toothed¡¯ design that they opted for, there was barely any grip on the wooden base to contend with Fuchsia¡¯s icy cobblestone roads. The madame who dressed them had tried to advise the girls against it and urged them to wear straw sandals instead. But Beverly was insistent, saying that it was not that much harder than skating. Boy, was she wrong... Nina seriously regretted not at least bringing a pair of straw sandals with her just so that she could have actual functioning footwear for when they needed to walk. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it!¡± exclaimed the irritable Nina. ¡°I¡¯m calling it here!¡± She declared as she gingerly shuffled over to a teahouse with outdoor seating. ¡°Aww¡­ Come on, Nins! We¡¯ve still got just a couple more places to hit and then we¡¯re done.¡± Beverly whined. But Nina was having none of it. ¡°Those last two places are at least 20 minutes apart from each other!¡± Nina rebuked. ¡°Not to mention we have to make our way back to the kimono store as well. Which would take another hour based on the Slugma¡¯s pace that we¡¯ve been walking at. We¡¯re done, Bev. You¡¯ve had your fun and gathered plenty of material for Pokegram. I¡¯m taking a break and making my way back.¡± Beverly looked towards the twins with pleading eyes, trying to gather support for her misguided cause. But the pair of gloomy sisters just walked past her and saddled up against their now-undisputed favourite Big Sis for warmth. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen more than all of us combined, Bev.¡± Nina added. ¡°Just sit down and rest your feet for a bit. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m freezing and could really use a hot cup of strong tea at this point. Excuse me!!!¡± She called out to try and get the attention of the proprietress to put in an order. Beverly grumbled about how if she could do it then they could too. But ultimately still conceded and sat down next to her friends. Nina even noticed the older girl rubbing at her sore ankles, revealing that all her bravado was just senseless posturing in the end. ¡°Oh my, such lovely young ladies. Are all of you visiting perhaps?¡± said the proprietress who came over to take the group¡¯s orders. ¡°Yup!¡± answered the affable Nina. ¡°We¡¯re going to stay in the city for a night before heading out to the Safari Zone. Do you know if there¡¯s any good food places nearby?¡± ¡°There¡¯s lots of good food to be had in Fuchsia City my dear. So long as you don¡¯t mind traditional Kantonian cuisine that is.¡± The elegant older lady hummed in consideration. ¡°Although¡­ There have been quite a few fancy dessert places popping up recently with their chocolates and pastries and whatnot. But if you ask me, nothing beats good old anko.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°I tend to agree, but it¡¯s a shame that most places make their red bean paste too sweet for my liking. I prefer to taste more of the natural earthiness of the azuki.¡± The proprietress lit up at the little girl¡¯s words. ¡°Oh my, a young lady of refined tastes. Just so happens I have a batch of anko that I reserve for my own personal use. I deliberately tempered it with a bit of miso and koji to give it a more savoury flavor. Would you like to try some perhaps?¡± ¡°Yes please!¡± responded the adventurous Nina. ¡°Can I get that with the Dango Matcha Tea Set? I¡¯m not sure about my friends though¡­¡± Nina turned towards her companions to ask for their preference. Natsumi happily joined in on Nina¡¯s order since she had an equally sophisticated palate. Beverly liked her sweets extra sweet so she went with the normal anko and even asked for honey in her matcha. Fuyumi was undecided so she ended up asking for a mix of both varieties in her set. ¡°Very well,¡± affirmed the lady. ¡°It might take a bit longer than usual since I¡¯ll have to make some of the special dango from scratch. In the meantime, feel free to sit closer to the heater. You all look like you¡¯re freezing in this weather.¡± The four girls thanked the kind lady in unison and did as they were told by shuffling closer to the electric heater. ¡°Alright, Bev. Take your selfie. I know you want to.¡± Beverly snorted. ¡°Hmph! Shows what you know. Gotta wait for the food before the selfie, Nins.¡± The older girl tutted at the amateurish Nina, earning her a helpless chuckle from the younger girl. ¡°Are we going to be staying in a ryokan tonight, Big Sis Nina?¡± asked a lethargic Fuyumi. ¡°Yup, it¡¯ll be one with an outdoor bath. It¡¯s not a proper hot spring, but I wanted to have a nice soak out in the snow. I think it¡¯ll be quite the experience, don¡¯t you think?¡± Nina recalled trying several times in her past life to obtain that snowy onsen experience. But Miles could never get the timing right. There was accumulated snow of course, such places weren¡¯t hard to find in Hokkaido. But the intent was to bathe outdoors in the midst of a gentle snowfall. As it just so happened, the Weather Institute forecasted snow in Fuchsia City tonight. And Pokemon World weather forecasts were anything if not accurate. ¡°Oh my gosh, imagine if I could post a short of that scene, maybe with my back facing the camera as I stare off into the snowy sky. My followers are gonna eat that up! I¡¯ll be drowning in likes!¡± Fuyumi smirked. ¡°I dunno¡­ instead of a Stunfisk¡¯s flat back, I think most people would prefer to catch a glimpse of Big Sis Nina¡¯s curves instead.¡± Nina was agasped at her junior¡¯s remark. ¡°Fuyu! No! I will not be exposing myself on the Pokenet like that. As a matter of fact, children should not be exposing themselves on social media, period! Who was the one who taught you this stuff anyway?! Tell me and I¡¯ll go kick their asses next time!¡± She was, of course, unbothered to chastise Fuyumi for her Stunfisk comment. The girl was merely stating facts after all. ¡°Hey! I am not a Stunfisk!¡± exclaimed the indignant Beverly, but everyone just ignored her outrage. Chapter 120 Nina reached her hand out and revelled at the tingling sensation of the melting snowflake in her palm. The girl let out a silly grin at the feeling of mundane happiness that she was experiencing and stretched her body, allowing the hot water to wash away the exhaustion and aches in her ankles. ¡°This is the life¡­ Don¡¯t you agree, Nairy?¡± Nothing beats a late night soak where one could hog the entirety of a spacious public bath to themselves. Especially in the midst of dainty snowflakes raining from the sky. The contrast between the cool air chilling Nina¡¯s face and the heat permeating her body was simply divine. ¡°Nair~¡± Nina¡¯s partner appeared to agree as the languid Dragon coiled around his partner to provide her with a backrest to lean on. Even Espy was looking more relaxed than usual as she allowed her body to float limply in the hot bath. The only one missing from Nina¡¯s team was Brucey, who disliked baths and didn¡¯t do well with the cold weather. So she set his Friend Ball to transparency mode and allowed it to float on the water like a rubber ducky, just so that her Golbat wouldn¡¯t feel left out. An important tip to know when one stayed in a ryokan with a public bath was for the guest to note down the cleaning time of the baths. Because right when cleaning ends was usually when the bath was completely empty. That, and early dawn or late midnight. In the case of this particular ryokan where Nina and her friends were staying the night in, they did the cleaning during dinner time. And since they had reserved the Kantonian course meal, Nina couldn¡¯t get to the bath during that time. Nairy leaned in for a lazy boop with Nina, eliciting giggles from the girl as she affectionately pulled him in for an embrace. ¡°Are you excited to go see your family tomorrow?¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Nina gave her excited Dragon a little kiss. ¡°Mr Masa said that not a lot of people visit the Safari Zone during winter so he can bend the rules a bit and give us a full-on tour of the reserve ¡ª well, parts of it anyway.¡± The nature reserve was massive, and more than half of it was deemed too unsafe for visitation. It was a good thing that Nairy¡¯s old neighbourhood wasn¡¯t part of those areas. Nairy nodded fervently and began singing a little tune to express his anticipation. A contented smile bloomed on Nina¡¯s face as she leaned back against her partner to enjoy the live Dragon song that served as the cherry on top of this luxurious outdoor bath experience. *** ¡°Mr Masa, Long time no see!¡± ¡°Hoho¡­ Is that you girlie?¡± Masayuki asked, looking a little bewildered. He could scarcely believe that the young beauty in front of him was the same quirky little girl he had met all those years ago. ¡°Yup! I¡¯m all grown up now,¡± said Nina as she did a little twirl to let the old Safari Ranger get a good look at her. Meanwhile, Masayuki looked much the same as he did back when Nina first met him. However, she did notice that the man seemed to have shrunk a little. Probably a byproduct of his advancing age. ¡°I¡¯ll say, they musta been feeding you good over at Cerulean City. I feel old just looking at ya.¡± Masayuki reached out to pat the girl affectionately, earning him giggles in return. ¡°And these must be your friends.¡± He then turned to greet the rest of Nina¡¯s entourage. ¡°That¡¯s right, this is Beverly, Fuyumi and Natsumi. We¡¯re all apprentices from the Cerulean Gym,¡± said Nina. ¡°Nice to meet you sir,¡± greeted Natsumi. ¡°Thanks for having us,¡± added Fuyumi. Meanwhile, Beverly just gave a curt nod, being awkward around strangers as usual. ¡°Heh, to think I¡¯ll be showing a bunch of little mermaids around. Wait till I tell those youngsters at work.¡± Masayuki gestured towards the little electric cart that he drove to get here. ¡°Come on over and hop on. Y¡¯all should be tiny enough to fit in.¡± The lodge that the girls were driven to was a quaint little two storey with enough rooms for each of the girls, and even a spacious lawn where they could release their Pokemon on. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of guests around right now so I took the liberty of picking out one of the better lodgings for you girlies.¡± ¡°Thanks Mr Masa,¡± said Nina as she released all her Pokemon into the lodge. Masayuki whistled at the sight of the now-evolved Nairy. ¡°My oh my, Is that you, Noodles? You¡¯re a thick noodle now huh¡­¡± ¡°Nair~¡± Nairy perked up at the familiar face and got in close to nuzzle at the senior Ranger. Masayuki chuckled and gave the Dragonair a few firm pats to assess Nairy¡¯s condition. ¡°Flexible and hardy scales with dense muscles underneath. I can tell that Noodles here has been shedding healthily and getting loads of exercise.¡± The man nodded in approval. ¡°Good work, girlie. And here I remember you panicking about not being able to take good care of him way back when.¡± Nina rubbed at the back of her head sheepishly. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all thanks to the Cerulean Gym taking me in honestly. I doubt Nairy would be in such great condition if not for all their support and training.¡± And the girl did indeed have a chest full of Dragon Scales now that she had stowed away in her dorm room. Too much to really know what to do with. So when she asked Lilian, the Dragon Tamer proposed that she saved them to be made into a cloak in the future. ¡°The Blackthorns do love their gaudy capes.¡± ¡°When there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. I told you back then didn¡¯t I? The most important thing is that you care. You¡¯d be surprised at how many people lack even that.¡± Nina nodded. Having gained more experience in this world and been exposed to all its different facets, she could now wholeheartedly agree with the older man¡¯s words. ¡°Anyways, you two wanna go visit ol¡¯ Victoria right?¡± ¡°Can we come?¡± Beverly chimed. The older girl had been eyeing the chance to get a Dratini of her own for a very long time. Unfortunately, Masayuki let out a wry smile and shook his head in response. ¡°No can''t do girlie, the brood is mostly hibernating right now and in a very vulnerable state. Not saying that I don''t trust you or anything, but it''s too easy for peeps to come in and swoop them up at the moment, so we have to be real careful here.¡± He then turned his attention back to Nina. ¡°Which is another thing I gotta talk to you about. With how much Noodles here has changed, there''s a small chance that his mother won''t be able to recognise him.¡± Nairy drooped his head at the depressing warning. ¡°So play it by the ear and try not to be too pushy alright? Victoria''s real sensitive right now.¡± Nina returned the senior Ranger''s concern with a grave nod. ¡°Aww¡­ We wanted to play with baby Tinis¡­¡± Natsumi whined, genuinely disappointed that she wouldn''t be able to bury herself in a spaghetti of little blue noodle Dragons. Masayuki chuckled. ¡°One of the rules we have when it comes to the Dratinis is, ¡®if it''s meant to be then it''s meant to be¡¯. Only people who accidentally fish one up or encounter them naturally in the wild get to have a chance to catch them ¡ª just like Nina here. I''m not gonna stop you from coming back some other time to try your luck though.¡± The Safari Ranger also said that he would arrange for his colleagues to guide the other girls while he and Nina were off visiting Victoria. ¡°In fact, one of them is a familiar face.¡± Masayuki added in a suggestive tone, eliciting a confused look from Nina. Masayuki chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s Stephen¡¯s kid. You remember him right?¡± Nina lit up at the realization. ¡°Wait, Charlie¡¯s still here?¡± The girl did remember that her childhood friend mentioned wanting to revisit the Safari Zone again. But that was months ago, so she had assumed the boy would have moved on by now. ¡°Last time he called me was right before he left Pewter City, said he was gonna go catch a boat in Pallet Town or something. But it¡¯s been what? 4-5 months now?¡± ¡°Yup, showed up right on our doorstep.¡± The Ranger continued. ¡°Took him in for a couple of weeks and showed him the ropes. Boy then decided he wanted to experience the Ranger life in more depth, so we hired him as an unpai- I mean, voluntary apprentice. Him and his buddy both ¡ª the youngest Harrison boy.¡± Beverly¡¯s face seemed to twist into a scowl when Masayuki mentioned something about a youngest Harrison boy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Bev?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Harrison is Brock¡¯s last name right? I thought we had a great relationship with them. He even sent such thoughtful gifts to Misty for her wedding.¡± Not to mention the two¡¯s long acquaintance from their journeying days way back when. Beverly sighed. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the youngest Harrison sibling?¡± She asked Masayuki in return. The man nodded with a wry smile. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. But the boy¡¯s turned over a new leaf, so no sense in getting too hung up on those baseless rumors. Better to hold onto your judgement until you actually meet him, alright?¡± In lieu of a reply, Beverly just nodded silently and squished Nina¡¯s cheeks to vent. ¡°Dammit, Bev! What¡¯s your problem?!¡± Nina exclaimed, prompting Masayuki to laugh out at their childish antics. ¡°Anyways, you girls should get settled down and take it easy for now while I go make arrangements for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you Mr Masa. And sorry to be such a bother,¡± said the apologetic Nina as she embraced the pouting Beverly to comfort her Masayuki laughed. ¡°Not at all, we''re quite idle during winter without as many tourists around.¡± He explained that most of their work during the season involved dealing with Pokemon who were out of hibernation for whatever reason. Those reasons may include stuff like lack of preparation and food during autumn, Pokemon who were unable to compete for shelter, or any disturbances that caused Pokemon to awaken prematurely and go berserk, and so on. ¡°Oh, and the poachers.¡± Masayuki continued. ¡°Can¡¯t forget them. Winter is like buffet season for those ne-er-do wells ¡ª not a lot of dangerous Pokemon roaming around and lots of sleeping ones.¡± ¡°So how do you deal with them then?¡± Nina asked. To which the Ranger explained that they have watchtowers and outposts set up all around the nature preserve. A lone Ranger would spend a week there in isolation, paired with at least one Psychic Pokemon and a full team of battlers. After the week was up, someone else would come by and take over. It actually sounded really appealing to Nina, like one of those firewatch people who would spend entire months in the middle of nowhere just to watch out for bushfires. ¡°Also, you''ll be happy to know that we recently acquired some Galarian Ponyta as part of our exchange program with the region.¡± Masayuki added. ¡°They''re not entirely settled in yet, so I''ll have your friends brought over to the pen to make up for the Dratini.¡± The twins instantly lit up at the proposition. If there was one thing more appealing to girls than Dragons, it was unicorns. Nina chuckled. She wanted to go see the rainbow ponies as well, but Nairy''s family reunion took precedence. ¡°Besides, I''m not a horse girl, so why would I obsess over unicorns? Nope. Nuh-uh. Dragons were cooler. Who needs those virgin obsessed perverts anyway.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t catch ''em though.¡± The older man added, eliciting groans of disappointment from the other girls and a relieved sigh from Nina. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 121 Author''s Note: In all honesty, I was planning on doing a thing where I announced the cancellation of the public release of the story and moving exclusively to Patreon as an April Fools joke. But then I realised that people can be a little oblivious sometimes and some of y''all mighty actually take it too seriously, not recognizing that it''s a joke. Haha. Also, April Fools is dumb anyway and I didn''t have the time to write a joke chapter. *** ¡°Naaaaaiiir!!!¡± Nina laughed at her Dragonair who was sticking his head out of the moving jeep like an overly excited doggo. It was Nairy¡¯s first time on an open back motor vehicle. And this was necessary because the 4.5 meter long Draconic serpent was too big to fit in the Fly Baskets they used here in the Safari Zone. But it was fine, since most of their route was through unobstructed grassy plains anyway. That was, until they finally reached the border of a forest where Masayuki instructed his passengers to disembark. ¡°So somewhere in that forest is a hidden cave that leads to Nairy¡¯s childhood home?¡± It was unfortunate that Nina and Nairy were now too big to fit in the underwater cavern that the girl went through to get to the nest last time. So they had to take an alternative route. Masayuki nodded. ¡°Yup, you¡¯ve done a good job of it so far. So I don¡¯t think I need to say this. But try to keep it a secret, yeah? For the sake of your partner¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nina promised, as they began trekking through the snow covered pine trees. ¡°Nairy nair nair~ Nairy nairy~ Nairy nair nair~¡± Nina giggled and gently stroked her Dragonair who was happily singing as they were going through the forests. She could tell that her partner was very excited to finally be back home. It was a shame that there weren¡¯t many Pokemon around them, with most of them either hibernating or too afraid to approach the jovial Dragon. In fact, the forest felt more eerily silent than usual. With the only sounds being the crunching of snow as the trio went along. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered. Victoria¡¯s brood shouldn¡¯t be the only one in the Safari Zone right.¡± Masayuki grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. Otherwise where would she find her mates from? Although the other nests are deep in the danger zones and far too inaccessible for your common tourists.¡± ¡°So how do you deal with the excess population then? Victoria¡¯s nest probably doesn¡¯t have enough space for all her grown up children, and I doubt there¡¯s enough resources around to support too many Dragon¡¯s nests.¡± ¡°Heh, how else do you think we¡¯re able to trade for Galarian Ponytas?¡± Masayuki said, but quickly elaborated further when he noticed Nina frowning at him. ¡°It¡¯s a bit more complicated than what you¡¯re thinking of.¡± He explained that they deal with the extra Dratinis differently depending on their respective temperament. Some of the more combative ones were sent to the Blackthorns in their Dragon sanctuary for training to become potential battlers. Others who were more adventurous might get involved in their exchange programs with other regional sanctuaries. Then there were the ones who encountered suitable trainers and chose to be caught, of course. ¡°Whatever we do, we do so with the permission of their parents. And in truth, broodmothers like Victoria are actually quite thankful to be rid of their more mature children. So even if we didn¡¯t take them, they¡¯d be kicked out of the nest anyways. Which, as you can imagine, might end up disrupting the local ecosystem. Not a lot of natural predators for Dragons around these parts.¡± ¡°What about the Accord between the Dragon Tamer clans?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the casual relocation of the Kantonian Dragon population go against that?¡± Masayuki whistled and gave Nina an impressed look. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you even know about that. But then again, I s''pose you do have a Pokedex now, huh?¡± Nina smiled but didn¡¯t bother to correct the man on his misunderstanding. Such high level information was not available at her access level, but it¡¯s not like it would matter much anyway. She wasn¡¯t a Blackthorn and had no intentions of becoming a specialist Dragon Tamer. ¡°To answer your question, Dratinis can be found all over the world. They¡¯re just rarer than most other Dragons due to how passive they are. Which means they can¡¯t compete with the more aggressive species. That¡¯s why they¡¯re valuable even to the nature reserves of other regions. In fact, Kanto and Johto probably have the highest population of the Dragonite line in the entire world due to our lack of competing Dragon species.¡± He also explained that the only region the Indigo Safari Zone can¡¯t trade with was Alola. Since the independent isles didn¡¯t have any of the Dragonite line. ¡°A shame really, Alola probably has the most diverse Dragon population in the entire world.¡± Which was probably the issue, since the islands did not have enough space for non-combative Dragons to thrive. Nina nodded in understanding, whilst recording the conversation in her Pokedex all the while. ¡°Does that mean there might be Dragonite flying around in the Safari Zone somewhere? Why have there not been any reported sightings? I would think that a big orange Dragon flying at the speed of sound would be quite noticeable, even from here.¡± Masayuki chuckled. ¡°Nope, not a single one. I mean if you could fly anywhere you want in this world, would you really wanna limit yourself to this little patch of earth? Or at least that¡¯s what we think is going on. In truth, we don¡¯t really know if any of the local Dragonairs have ever evolved that far. There¡¯s been no observations, and it¡¯s not like we can keep a constant eye on every single one of them either.¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Their conversation was interrupted by Nairy crying out and dashing ahead of the two humans while excitedly looking around. ¡°Do you recognize this place, Nairy?¡± Nina asked, to which the Dragon turned his head around and nodded eagerly at his partner. Masayuki laughed. ¡°Yeah, this one probably snuck out on his own all the time. They usually don¡¯t stray too far from the cave.¡± ¡°Nairy was a curious little boy when I first met him. He¡¯s gotten a lot calmer these days though.¡± Nina remarked. With Nairy leading the way, they eventually found their way to a hidden crevice nestled in the ground and underneath a large boulder. With how overgrown the vegetation surrounding the area was, it was no wonder that tourists had yet to discover it. ¡°Yup, this is it.¡± Masayuki confirmed as the Safari Ranger set about tying a rope to a nearby tree. ¡°Gotta be careful here cause it¡¯s a bit of a slippery slope. ¡®Specially in this weather.¡± Nina nodded and held on to the section of the rope that was passed to her. The entrance into the underground tunnels was as perilous as Masayuki warned about. It¡¯s a good thing that the senior Ranger made sure they came prepared, with miners¡¯ hats and thigh high rubber boots to deal with the damp and mildly waterlogged environment. ¡°I doubt we need to worry since we have Noodles with us. But the Zubats around these parts are fairly aggressive since they¡¯re not used to humans. If they swarm in, make sure not to panic to avoid slipping. It¡¯d be bad if you hit your head on a rock or something.¡± Masayuki advised. ¡°Trying to rescue someone from a narrow cave like this is a real hassle.¡± Nina hummed at the mention of Zubats, wishing she had Brucey with her. It was precisely these types of exploration that made her want to catch one of the species to begin with. Fortunately, Nairy was very familiar with the space and served as an effective guide. And whenever any of the local Pokemon got too riled up because they inadvertently disturbed their sleep, an intimidating growl from Nairy was enough to deter them. After another fifteen to twenty minutes of steady walking, and a couple of close calls with some deceptively deep puddles, Nairy began crying out in excitement and raced ahead. ¡°Nairy, slow down!¡± Nina called as she and Masayuki tried their best to keep up without falling. When the humans eventually caught up, they witnessed two Dragonairs facing off against each other, one with a scrutinizing gaze and the other with pleading hopefulness. In the background, there was a tangled heap of Dratinis who were looking apprehensively in their direction. ¡°Nair, nairy nair. Dragonair!¡± Nairy gestured animatedly to his mother. ¡°Dra¡­¡± Victoria, warily approached the unfamiliar Dragon, sniffing at him all the while. ¡°Dragon¡­ Air?¡± ¡°Dra, nair!¡± Nairy fervently nodded his head, tears welling up all the while. Victoria¡¯s eyes widened in realisation as she looked back and forth between her son and Nina. ¡°Nair, nairy. Dragonair!¡± And with that, the two Dragons intertwined with each other in a tearful reunion and initiated a Dragon Dance with a beautiful duet. Rhythmic howls and melodic moans suffused the cave interior, enticing the other Dratinis to approach and join in the celebration with their own simplistic sways and juvenile hums in place of the more complex Dragon Dance. All of it coming together to form a unique rhapsody of Draconic voices. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be¡­¡± Masayuki whispered, awestruck by the display. ¡°Ain¡¯t everyday you get to see a grand sight like this. Glad I tagged along today.¡± Nina nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks, her emotions synchronizing with Nairy¡¯s and face shifting to match the same exuberant expression of her partner. Once the Dragons settled down, Nairy cried out and returned to push Nina towards Victoria, wanting to properly introduce his partner to his mother. Which Nina conceded by doing a much more refined curtsy than she gave all those years ago, now that she had a much more dextrous and athletic body. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Victoria. Thank you once again for allowing Nairy to come with me back then. I hope his growth meets your expectations.¡± ¡°Nair,¡± affirmed the regal Dragon as she gently touched her snout against Nina¡¯s forehead. Nina then reached into her backpack and pulled out a whole sack of Berries that she bought just for this occasion. ¡°Unlike last time, I made sure to bring enough Berries for you and the whole nest this time. I hope you will accept my offering. Victoria nodded in approval and called out to the rest of her children, who all cheered out in excitement at the prospect of receiving treats. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If there was one thing that was comparable to being buried in a heap of furry Eevees, it was being buried in a heap of slippery Dratinis. The cooling sensation of the baby Dragons slithering all over Nina and the little nibbles as they ate Berries off her body elicited endless giggles from the girl. Nina reached out randomly and pulled in one of the scaly noodles to cuddle with them, at the same time remarking about how much she missed being able to hold onto a Dratini like this. ¡°Nairy¡¯s too big for me to scoop him up like this anymore. These days, whenever I go in for a hug, he just wraps me up and won¡¯t let me move.¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Nairy cried, seeming a little offended by Nina¡¯s words, before returning his attention back to Victoria. The Dragonair was regaling his mother with tales of his adventures and vividly describing all the strange and remarkable sights he had seen during the course of his long journey. There were also a handful of Dratinis that were with him and listening in with rapturous attention. Probably fantasizing about going on a journey of their own someday. Nina could only hope that they find trainers worthy of them. But maybe the Safari Rangers could help to facilitate that. She made a mental note to talk to Masayuki about it later on. Speaking of the old Ranger, the man was content to just observe by the sidelines. All the while, wearing a genial smile on his face. Nine felt a little bad because they ended up spending the entire day there. Nairy was reluctant to leave so soon and Nina did not have the heart to pull him away. In the end, it was Masayuki who had to remind them of the approaching dusk that they finally left. He even promised Nairy that he was free to come back anytime he wanted. ¡°You¡¯ll have to inform us beforehand instead of just randomly showing up. But there shouldn¡¯t be any problems with making a little exception for one of our own.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr Masa!¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Chapter 122 Nina could not stress enough that she was not a horse girl and never will be. But boy was it ever so nice to hug a Ponyta and bury her face in their fiery mane. Equines do not hibernate, and were one of the few Pokemon species that were still active in the Safari Zone during this winter season. Nina and the other girls were out touring the Safari Zone on their own when they came across a group of Ponytas who were chasing each other and playing around in the snow. And since Nina had missed out on the Galarian Ponyta the day prior, she insisted that they make a stop to interact with the Fire variants of the horse Pokemon. ¡°You should just go and catch yourself a Ponyta already. I know you want to.¡± Beverly teased. But Nina just shot her friend a look and once more emphasised the fact that she was not a horse girl. ¡°I refuse to fall into that stereotype.¡± She declared. Beverly snorted. ¡°You already are. Not for Ponytas or whatever, but for Pokemon. I mean that¡¯s kind of all you talk about.¡± ¡°That is not true!¡± Nina cried with indignity. ¡°I read books as well, I just can¡¯t talk to you guys about it. I mean, we¡¯re supposed to be professional Pokemon Trainers for Arceus¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Beverly scoffed. ¡°Books about Pokemon. Name me one Lisia song.¡± She demanded. ¡°Just cause I¡¯m not into trashy pop music, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m someone whose world revolves only around Pokemon!¡± Nina cared about other things as well, like travelling and food and stuff. ¡°Gurl~ The first time I met you, you were covered in Pokemon from head to toe. And you looked like a dork who didn¡¯t even know how to comb her hair right.¡± Nina turned towards the twins for support, only for them to sheepishly avert their gaze. ¡°Betrayal! What happened to me being their favourite Big Sis?!¡± Nina buried her head in Ponyta¡¯s comforting flames for solace. Pokemon were the best, they love unconditionally if treated right and weren¡¯t all judgemental like humans. ¡°I think it¡¯s wonderful that Big Sis Nina loves Pokemon so much,¡± assuaged the kind hearted Natsumi. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Which is why I think it¡¯s fine if you want to get a Ponyta, Big Sis. I¡¯m sure whatever Pokemon you catch will all become super strong just like the rest of your team.¡± The younger girl added, completely unnecessarily. ¡°Not you too!¡± Nina was reeling from the intense betrayal she was facing right now. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say that you wanted a Ride Pokemon?¡± Fuyumi asked. Nina did say that but she was thinking about getting a Shinx because they were cute and Luxrays were cool. Also, Luxios have X-ray vision, which was super handy when exploring ruins. ¡°Nairy can already learn Electric Type moves right? What¡¯s the point of getting an Electric Type?¡± Beverly chimed. Nina groaned. ¡°Nairy¡¯s still a little slow with Electric moves. I mean he can use Thunder with Rainy Day active, but that¡¯s just because it¡¯s a wide area move without needing much control.¡± ¡°Then just use Espy to help him learn. You said you¡¯re friends with that Blackthorn girl right?¡± Beverly said that last part somewhat begrudgingly. The Mizuhana Clan had a fundamental dislike of the region¡¯s ruling clan, despite the olive branch that Misty had extended by inviting Lilian to her wedding. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina nuzzled against Ponyta once more. The Fire horse Pokemon looked a little confused since he was too young to understand much of human speech. He was just happy to be fed Berries and doted on by the human girl. In truth, Nina was stubbornly refusing to use Espy to cheat with Nairy¡¯s elemental training. Dragonair¡¯s were supposed to be naturally in tune with the weather and the elements. Yet, she still struggled to teach her partner Sunny Day. So Nina couldn¡¯t help but feel a little inadequate, like she was doing something wrong somehow. ¡°By that logic, I don¡¯t need a Fire Type, or a Water type either.¡± Nina grumbled. ¡°Since Nairy can learn all those elements. Might as well just go get a Mightyena or something.¡± Beverly rolled her eyes at her junior. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Nina¡¯s rebuke was interrupted by a sticky lick from Ponyta who had finished his Berries and was demanding more. The girl laughed and returned the gesture with a little kiss before reaching into her Berry Pouch. *** In the end, Nina did not catch the Ponyta, despite the Pokemon¡¯s intensely wistful gaze, which she surmised to be a desire for more Berries and cuddles as opposed to a yearning to go on a journey. Not that Berries and cuddles weren¡¯t valid reasons for why a Pokemon wanted to be caught, it was simply that Nina was unsure about her own desires. ¡°Are you kidding me? We¡¯re having a hard enough time trying to manage the three canine species with their constant turf wars, adding a Shinx pride to that is just impossible!¡± Masayuki said, when Nina asked about the presence of Shinx in the Safari Zone. The girls decided to host a barbecue in their lodge today, to thank the old Ranger for his hospitality. They even invited Ranger Charlotte, Charlie''s mentor, as well as the one who guided the rest of the girls when Nina and Nairy were off visiting Victoria. Charlotte nodded in agreement at her senior¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah¡­ I get you though, Shinxes are super cute and I kinda want one for myself too. I heard they might have them around Vermilion City?¡± ¡°They do,¡± Nina confirmed. ¡°Up on Route 6. But they¡¯re protected by the local Rangers because they want to localize the species. Part of an initiative between Surge and the Pokemon League or something.¡± ¡°Ho¡­ Can¡¯t even get permission with all your fancy sponsors?¡± Masayuki chimed. Nina hummed. She probably could if she pushed hard enough. Even if Surge didn¡¯t get along well with the Cerulean Sisters, Professor Oak and Bill¡¯s names should be more than enough to sway the Pokemon Rangers. She just didn¡¯t want to wave that particular stick around. ¡°Oh well, there¡¯s no rush. Ideally I¡¯d like to get another Pokemon before the start of the new school year, since my carry limit is automatically expanded. But I¡¯m fine with waiting as well, because Brucey still needs more attention.¡± It was the truth, but Nina would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t coping. ¡°Oh just get yourself a Ponyta already,¡± said the persistent Beverly. ¡°That one from earlier today looked like it really likes you.¡± Nina blatantly ignored the girl and bit into her corn ribs. She remembered the recipe from her past life and wanted to try it out, earning her quite a lot of appreciation even from the carnivores in their midst. ¡°Anyways, how have you been Charlie? I haven¡¯t heard from you in a while. Thought you went rogue again.¡± Nina said, in an attempt to divert the conversation. Charlie let out a sheepish smile. ¡°Pretty good actually, Typhoon¡¯s evolved, but you already know that.¡± The boy said as he gestured towards his Poliwrath. Nina responded with a warm smile and an enthusiastic nod. ¡°Yup, had a good look at her just now. You¡¯re doing a great job of taking care of your Pokemon. Super proud of you, C.¡± Nina said, as she gave the boy a playful punch on the shoulder, eliciting a boisterous laugh from Charlie. Nina was glad to see that her friend had regained some of his former optimism. ¡°Yeah, that was¡­ quite the moment.¡± Charlie said, voice full of awe at the memory. ¡°Outside of that, I¡¯ve just been tailing Charlotte and learning a whole bunch of stuff. Like, did you know that Butterfrees are actually omnivores? I always thought that they only ate leaves and stuff. Also, Rhyhorns have to break their horns periodically, otherwise they grow all curved and deformed. Also¡­¡± The boy rambled on about various Pokemon trivia he learned during the course of his ¡®voluntary¡¯ work experience, while Nina continued to listen with a genial smile. She fondly recalled their first trip to the Safari Zone where it was actually her that was yapping non-stop about Pokemon while Charlie just rolled his eyes and tuned her out. ¡°Oh how the turns have tabled¡­¡± ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s Cole of course. Can¡¯t forget him. I don¡¯t think I could have beaten the Pewter Gym without his advice.¡± Charlie then covered his mouth and whispered to Nina; ¡°He¡¯s also a great cook,¡± like it was some earth shattering secret or something. The girl laughed and threw her gaze over to the grill where Cole Harrison was busy cooking up a storm. The boy had distanced himself very early on after a curt greeting to the group, preferring the company of the flames instead. ¡°Is he avoiding me perhaps?¡± Nina thought. She still remembered her first meeting with the boy. As far as first impressions went, it could hardly have gotten any worse than that moment. Nina understood Beverly¡¯s reaction now. In fact, even she was a little skeptical of the boy, but Masayuki did vouch for him, so it was likely that he did turn over a new leaf. The old man had a very sharp eye when it came to people. ¡°Cole must be a great trainer.¡± Nina said to Charlie. ¡°I wonder what his Pokemon are like?¡± She asked, trying to prod at Cole¡¯s current disposition. Charlie nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yup, he¡¯s a bit of a jerk, but he takes real good care of his Pokemon ¡ª makes sure to polish his Geodude every single day, and his Graveler is probably one of the strongest Pokemon I¡¯ve seen, even stronger than the one Brock used when I fought him. I wonder why it hasn¡¯t evolved yet though?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Gravelers need to fulfill a special condition to evolve,¡± Masayuki explained. ¡°In nature, a whole bunch of Gravelers will huddle together, forming a temporary hivemind between them to evolve a single Graveler into a Golem to lead and protect the colony.¡± Nina nodded along with the Ranger¡¯s explanation. The girl had seen documentaries on the phenomenon and it was quite the sight; a single Graveler stood huddled amongst a group of its kind under radiant moonlight. Surrounding them were circles of Geodude, hands linked as they engaged in a primitive dance whilst humming a rhythmic tune. And in the apex of the ritual, each of the Rock Pokemon glowed, their lights gradually congregating in the center where the leading Graveler stood, imbuing it with the Light of Evolution and pushing it towards the next stage of life. ¡°A trained Graveler without a supporting band however, may Evolve through different means.¡± Masayuki continued, as Charlie took out a notepad to take notes in, eliciting an amused smile from Nina. ¡°In particular, the shift in Psychic imprint when a Pokemon undergoes the trading process creates a reaction that¡¯s close enough to that ¡®banding effect¡¯ to trigger an Evolution. If the Graveler is ready for it of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s super cool¡­¡± muttered the bright eyed Charlie, after he was done taking notes. ¡°So Cole¡¯s Graveler needs to be traded to Evolve¡­¡± The boy mused, as if deep in thought. ¡°Yup.¡± Nina affirmed. ¡°Maybe you can offer to do the trade with Cole?¡± She suggested. ¡°You need a lot of trust to do a Trade Evolution like this since there¡¯s the possibility of theft. I imagine the guys over at the Pewter Gym can just trade amongst themselves, which isn¡¯t really an option for Cole given his rocky relationship with his family.¡± Nina was glad that Cole wasn¡¯t being a bad influence on the impressionable Charlie. In fact, she suspected that it was actually Charlie who was influencing Cole for the better. So she had no reservations about helping them out. Charlie nodded in response, but didn¡¯t say much else as he excused himself to go check up on his solitary friend by the grill. ¡°Anyways, tomorrow¡¯s your last day in the Safari right?¡± Masayuki asked Nina, earning a nod from the girl in return. ¡°Yup, Nairy wants to see his family again for one last time, and Bev wants to have a go at fishing for Dratini.¡± Masayuki laughed. ¡°In this weather? Good luck with that.¡± Dragon Types were weak to Ice after all. Beverly scoffed at the man¡¯s doubt. ¡°I¡¯m definitely gonna catch one someday! I¡¯ll show all of you for ever doubting Beverly Mizuhana!¡± *** The next morning, Beverly and the twins flew off on their rental Pidgeot to the lake district of the Safari Zone, while Nina was once again zooming across the plains in a jeep. Except it was Charlotte who was guiding her today, leaving Charlie in the hands of Masayuki, since the woman wanted to play with the cute Dratinis as well. With Nina and Nairy with her, there were no worries that Victoria might react poorly to the unfamiliar Safari Ranger. ¡°So you used to be a mermaid?¡± Nina asked the twenty odd years old green haired Ranger. Charlotte chuckled wryly. ¡°Not exactly¡­ More like a knockoff mermaid since I was never part of the Cerulean Gym. Me and my girlfriends, we used to dream about becoming mermaids. So we gathered together during our trainer school years to form something like an independent unit. We mostly performed with our Pokemon about once a month by the beach to a small crowd.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°Half of us didn¡¯t even have Water Pokemon, which goes to show just how legit we were.¡± ¡°What happened to your friends?¡± Charlotte let out a melancholic smile. ¡°Oh, you know how it is¡­ We all grew up, went on our journeys and realized that we didn¡¯t have the luxury of holding on to our childish dreams anymore.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late, you know,¡± said Nina. ¡°The Gym is always shorthanded, and as an experienced Pokemon Ranger and independent performer, we¡¯d be more than happy to have you. At the very least, you¡¯d be more qualified than most of the self entitled divas that show up on our doorstep.¡± Charlotte hummed in doubt. ¡°I mean it¡¯s been years since I did any sort of song and dance. I doubt I can get back into it at my age¡­¡± Nina laughed. ¡°Did you see me and Bev¡¯s performance during Misty¡¯s wedding?¡± She asked, to which the older woman nodded fervently. ¡°Yup! It was wonderful. Even the wedding as well. I hope I get to have a ceremony like that one day¡­¡± Charlotte sighed longingly. ¡°Well just so you know, that was about two weeks worth of intense last minute practice. Before that, I¡¯d never done any dancing or singing before.¡± Nina chuckled wryly. ¡°In fact, I was so tone deaf that my vocal coach had to stuff cotton in her ears just to dampen the horrible noise I was making at the beginning. Not to mention the amount of times I stepped on Bev¡¯s toes¡­ ¡°If a talentless hack like me can do it then there¡¯s no reason why an experienced veteran like you can¡¯t. Besides, it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll throw you into the deep end right off the bat. We¡¯re lacking in battlers and Pokemon handlers, not performers. So it¡¯s fine for you to slowly ease your way back onto stage.¡± ¡°You really think I could do it?¡± Charlotte murmured, her voice tinged with childish hopefulness. Nina nodded. ¡°Definitely!¡± A comfortable silence settled between them as Charlotte considered Nina¡¯s words. ¡°What Pokemon do you think I should catch next?¡± Nina continued, as she struggled with a dilemma of her own. ¡°I kinda want a Ride Pokemon, but a good Digger would be nice as well.¡± Charlotte hummed in consideration. ¡°Well, there¡¯s Ponyta like your friend mentioned¡­¡± Nina groaned. ¡°As for Diggers, we have the usual fare of Rock Types near the mountains, a healthy population of the Rhydon line, and a bunch of others. Sandshrews are cute, and maybe Woopers? We do have the Paldean variants available. Why a Digger anyway?¡± ¡°I want to be an explorer. So having a Pokemon that can Dig would be very helpful. How does the Wooper line use Dig anyway? Given how¡­ round they are.¡± The species was strong, but they didn''t possess teeth or claws. ¡°They excrete a special mucus that helps them to soften the earth and manipulate it.¡± The Ranger explained. ¡°Unfortunately, that also means they¡¯re not the most efficient Diggers, given how slow the process is. Clodsires are a little better since they have those spikes on their back.¡± Nina nodded. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but she did love Woopers and had planned on catching one at some point. ¡°What do you think Nairy?¡± ¡°Nair~¡± Nina¡¯s partner was happy to just add to their little family. So anyone would do, so long as they got along with the rest of the team. The Dragonair did manage to get used to Brucey¡¯s relentless pranks after all. So in his mind, nothing could be worse than that. ¡°Do you mind making a quick detour and guiding me to some Paldean Woopers?¡± Nina asked Charlotte, to which the woman readily agreed with an amused smirk. In truth, Nina probably should have prioritized a Ride Pokemon. Maybe get over her own prejudice and catch that Ponyta like Beverly suggested. And as far as Diggers go, pure Rock Type Pokemon were probably best, and Nina did indeed have plans on catching one in the future, but not now. Woopers would eat just about everything. And as it was, she could feed them using any one of Nairy, Espy or Brucey¡¯s feed, whichever she had the most excess of or was easiest to store. Rock Types would require a more specialized diet of not just gravel, dirt and rocks, despite what some people may think. They required a good mix of organics and a myriad of other minerals and vitamins as well to maintain a hardy and lustrous body. Some Rock Types even had the tendency to feed on expensive gems, like Carbink. Those were absolute nightmares on the wallet. These were all excuses of course, Nina could probably afford to rear a Rock Type just by moving her budget around a little. But in the end, she couldn¡¯t help her own desires to have a cute little blob of her own. Also she didn¡¯t want to deal with Beverly¡¯s insufferable demands every time she felt like cuddling with Sir Quagsalot. Besides, there were other alternatives to Ride Pokemon, like bicycles for example. It wouldn¡¯t be viable in every terrain, but those could be overcome once Nairy or Brucey evolved as well. She also had a very powerful Psychic in the form of Espy, whose highly versatile Telekinetic ability was nothing to scoff at. *** Author''s note: Did you guys see the Nintendo Switch 2 info? 450 USD for the console. Yowzas... I was kind of expecting it but to be gouged this much... I''m starting to think if Pokemon A-Z is even worth it. Since I didn''t play Legends: Arceus either. But then again, I suppose I''m gonna buy the console anyway, if the newest mainline Pokemon game comes out. Problem is, I just recently bought a refurbished MacBook since my old Windows laptop could barely last 2 hours without needing to be charged. Seriously, fix your shit Microsoft. Cause it''s obviously not a hardware problem. Anyways, cheeky reminder that my Patreon is a thing and that you can get advanced chapters. XD Patreon readers just entered the final arc and is currently 13 chapters ahead if I''m not mistaken. Chapter 123 ¡°Woop woop! Wooper, wooper woop woop. Wooper!¡± ¡°Wooper!!!¡± ¡°Woop~ Woopy woop woop. Woop~ Woop!¡± ¡°Woop~ Woop!!!¡± ¡°Err¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Nina asked. Before her were two groups of Woopers on opposite ends of a frozen pond; one side consisted of bog standard water variant Woopers with their antennae-shaped gills, while the other side were dark colored Paldean Woopers with bone-shaped gills. The two sides appeared to be at odds with each other, and each led by a leader who was facing their respective groups on an elevated space, gesturing enthusiastically, and giving what appeared to be rallying speeches. Their followers responded with fervour to their leaders¡¯ words and glared at their opponents. Or at the very least, they glared as best as their inherently derpy faces would allow. ¡°It¡¯s a turf war.¡± Charlotte answered, though the expression of mirth on the female Ranger¡¯s face did not seem to match up to the severity of her statement. ¡°Should we do something¡­?¡± Charlotte chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, just watch.¡± She said, as she pulled out her Pokedex to record the scene. ¡°This is one of the few ponds in the area that hasn¡¯t completely frozen over yet.¡± The Ranger gestured towards one of the muddy banks of the pond on the far side. ¡°Woopers, no matter the variant, like to play in mud. But there¡¯s not enough space here to accommodate both groups.¡± She explained. ¡°Wooper woop! Wooper!¡± The leader of the Paldean Woopers cried out and charged headfirst into battle, its stubby little feet trudged aggressively on the ice as best as they could, while its paddle tail slapped limply against the ice at every step. Nina knew that this was a very serious moment for the little brown blob, but she couldn¡¯t help but swoon at its adorable gait. ¡°Woop~ Woop~ Wooper!¡± The leader of the regular Woopers let out its own battlecry in response. Except this one appeared to be smarter, as it flopped onto its belly and slid across the ice into battle. The initiative of both leaders prompted their ¡®armies¡¯ to follow suit, hopping onto the ice and charging into battle with a chorus of determined ¡°woops¡±. After seeing the ingenious strategy being employed by its opponents, the leader of the Paldeans conceded its pride and begrudgingly aped them, also flopping on its belly to slide on the ice, prompting its subordinates to mimic the action. The two army of Woopers clashed, blue against brown, their bodies jiggling like jelly as they slapped against each other. Some even attempted to bite at their enemies despite their lack of teeth. Meanwhile, the two leaders, a determined looking Paldean Wooper and a haughty looking regular Wooper, faced off in the center of the pond. Both their armies consciously steered clear of them to allow the two leaders ample space for their duel. ¡°Wooper woop!¡± The Paldean Wooper cried out in defiance and slapped its paddle tail on the ice as an act of provocation. ¡°Woop~¡± But the regular Wooper was undeterred, puffing its chest up arrogantly and wiggling its tail back and forth to taunt its opponent ¡ª to great success, as the Paldean Wooper fumed and was goaded into making the first move by tackling its opponent. The leader of the regular Wooper stumbled clumsily to the side to dodge the Tackle, and retaliated with its own. But despite its initial genius, the fight between the two leaders still devolved into a childish play fight between two distinctly colored blobs, much like the rest of their compatriots, as they merely slapped lamely against each other, got knocked down, awkwardly struggled to get back on their feet and repeated the whole process all over again. Nina couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud at the ridiculous sight. Despite all their bravado, the Woopers were just like children wrestling with each other. However, the girl¡¯s laughter inadvertently gave away their hiding position, because the startled Woopers all stopped what they were doing and focused their gaze towards the two humans hiding behind a bush. An awkward silence descended upon the field as Nina waved feebly at her audience. ¡°Err¡­ Hey guys, don¡¯t mind us¡­ Just keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡± Nina said, with a chuckle, as she slowly retreated into the shade. ¡°Wooper, woop?¡± The Paldean Wooper turned towards its counterpart and asked. ¡°Woop~ Woop~¡± The regular Wooper responded. They both then nodded at each other and turned towards Nina. An unspoken signal must have been given, because both Wooper armies paused their conflict and turned their attention towards the girl who had intruded upon their domain. ¡°Charlotte¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Nina asked her guide, tone filled with apprehension. But the Ranger was just keeled over and trembling as she struggled to hold back her own laughter at the situation. ¡°Wooper woop! Wooper!¡± ¡°Woop~ Woop!¡± ¡°Wooper!!!¡± With another round of battle cries, the Woopers charged towards Nina as a collective, in a joint attempt to defend their turf against the encroachment of the titanic humanoid who had invaded them. And for just a brief moment in time, Nina could have sworn she heard Guren no Yumiya playing in the background. ¡°Ouch! Hey, that hurts!¡± Nina exclaimed, as she reached out to snatch a Wooper who soared through the air towards her, only to be tackled at the shins by another Wooper, toppling her onto the ground and allowing the rest of the great Wooper army to pile on top of her. By this point, Charlotte had given up on her inhibitions and was prone on the ground, laughing her ass off. Meanwhile, Nina felt a jolt of pain everytime one of the Woopers touched her bare skin thanks to the mild Poison that coated their bodies. It wasn¡¯t anything lethal, but it was annoying as heck. ¡°Not fair! Why are they after me and not you?!¡± Nina yelled, in between her desperate struggle to extricate herself from the pile of Pokemon, each vying to make contact with her in some way to prove that they had done their part in the battle. ¡°Hey! Not the face!¡± Nina brushed aside a paddle tail that came dangerously close to smacking her. ¡°That¡¯s because they know me¡­¡± Charlotte said, her voice still wheezing slightly from residual laughter. ¡°I was the one in charge of monitoring the Paldean Woopers when they were first introduced into the Safari, just to make sure they didn''t clash with the existing population of Woopers.¡± After explaining herself, the woman finally regained enough of her composure to get up and help Nina out of her predicament. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these little guys are smart enough that they know not to harm humans. Not unless it¡¯s in self-defense,¡± said the Ranger as she picked up one of the Woopers, which Nina recognized to be the leader of the regulars, and cradled the blue blob in her arms. ¡°Hey there, Wooper. Do you mind asking your friends to go easy on my guest? Nina¡¯s a really nice girl, and she¡¯s actually here to recruit one of you into her team, if anyone is up for it.¡± ¡°Woop?¡± The Wooper in Charlotte¡¯s arms tilted its head in confusion, but still cried out to tell his companions to get off the human girl. ¡°Thanks, Charlotte.¡± Nina groaned. ¡°But a heads up would have been nice¡­¡± ¡°Haha! Now where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Nina rolled her eyes at the mischievous Ranger and took out some of the Berries she reserved for Nairy¡¯s family. ¡°Here, some sustenance for you all after your epic battle.¡± She offered. ¡°Woop!!!¡± The Woopers all cheered out in triumph as they crowded around Nina to claim their spoils. ¡°So yeah, like Charlotte said, I¡¯m looking for someone to join my little family. We¡¯re looking to go out, explore the world, meet new people and Pokemon, and eat good food.¡± Nina continued. ¡°Is anyone interested?¡± ¡°Wooper woop~¡± The leader of the blue Woopers turned to its brown counterpart and nodded. The latter then stepped up to Nina with a glare and aggressively slapped its tail around while making whooping noises. Nina tilted her head in confusion, really wishing that she had Espy with her right now. ¡°The Woopers are challenging you to a battle.¡± Charlotte explained, finally being helpful for once. Nina frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have my Golbat with me. I don¡¯t think any of the Woopers here will be a match for Nairy ¡ª it wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡± Nina had returned Nairy earlier, to avoid startling the Woopers. Her partner was currently dangling around her neck while watching the proceedings. However, Charlotte simply dismissed Nina¡¯s concern with a casual wave. ¡°That¡¯s up to the Woopers to decide. It¡¯d be an issue if I wasn¡¯t around to supervise, but we¡¯re well equipped enough to provide emergency aid if anyone gets hurt.¡± Nina nodded reluctantly and expanded Nairy¡¯s Pokeball. Regardless of Charlotte¡¯s assurances, Nina trusts that Nairy had enough control over his strength and was too good natured to hurt the cute little Woopers too much. ¡°Alright, Nairy. Be nice, okay?¡± Nina said as she tossed the Pokeball out in a flash to reveal an excited looking Dragonair who had never seen so many Woopers in one place before. ¡°Nairy, nair~¡± The Dragonair eagerly began approaching the cute little blobs surrounding him. But understandably, all the Woopers were petrified in fear at the Dragon that suddenly showed up in their midst. Or so Nina thought¡­ ¡°Wooper woop. Wooper!¡± ¡°Wooper!!!¡± Instead, what happened was that the Woopers all stood in attention and lowered their head in reverence towards Nairy. Even the leader of the regular Woopers fought to get out of Charlotte¡¯s embrace so that it could join in on the display. Nina looked towards Charlotte for an explanation, but even the Ranger was confused, having never seen the Woopers behave in such a manner before. Their behaviour almost seemed tribal to Nina, like a bunch of primitives worshipping a sacred beast, the way that they lowered their bodies while repeatedly bowing towards Nairy. All the while, producing rhythmic whoops like chants of prayer. Nina watched on in fascination, not wanting to interrupt the proceedings. But Nairy seemed extremely troubled by the worship he was receiving as he glanced around in a panic before turning towards Nina with a pleading gaze. The girl chuckled and approached the Dragon for a hug, a gesture that seemed to alarm the Woopers as they began making a fuss. ¡°Have they never seen one of Nairy¡¯s kind before?¡± Nina asked her guide. Charlotte shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. The Dratinis are known to sneak out for a bit of mischief, but the Dragonairs are generally smart enough to remain stealthy even if they do venture out. Plus, this place is a ways away from Victoria¡¯s nest, so it¡¯s likely they¡¯ve never had a chance to encounter members of her brood.¡± ¡°So what do we do now? Neither Nairy nor I are looking to form some sort of weird Wooper cult.¡± But right as Nina said that, the Woopers began to move; with the majority of them forming a circle around the two leader Woopers as they slapped their tails on the ground while letting out baritone whoops, kind of like one of those Australian didgeridoos actually. The scene was reminiscent of a tribal war dance. In fact, Nina was pretty sure that the two Woopers were going to battle each other to determine who was most worthy to be by Nairy¡¯s side. Nina chuckled in amusement, and took out her Pokedex to record the scene. In hindsight, she probably should have started recording sooner. ¡°Man, the researchers in Bill¡¯s lab are gonna lose their minds when they see this.¡± In fact, Nina wasn¡¯t even sure if her friends would believe her if she told them about what she saw today. The moment that the collective whoops crescendoed and abruptly stopped. The two Wooper leaders launched into action. Or at least they rushed forwards as far as their stubby little legs would allow. The first move went to the Paldean Wooper, who conjured up some mud and flung it at its opponent with a whip of its tail. The regular variant Wooper, not being able to dodge in time, took the Mud Shot straight in the face, and completely halted its momentum. ¡°Wooper!¡± The Paldean Wooper cried out and followed up with a Tackle, unwilling to let its advantage go to waste. But its opponent was no slouch either, having anticipated that the brown blob would follow up almost immediately. It was clear that these two had a long history of battling against each other. ¡°Woop~¡± The blue Wooper lashed out with a wide sweeping Aqua Tail as a deterrent, intimidating the Paldean Wooper enough to stop it mid-Tackle. Its vision was still slightly obscured, but at least the blue Wooper was smart enough to use that brief moment of reprieve to wash its face with a Water Gun. Annoyed that its attack was disrupted, the Paldean Wooper jumped forwards and did an impressive front flip to slam its own tail attack against the opponent, but this time, the move was covered in Poison Type Energy. The regular Wooper yelped in pain and retaliated with Water Pulse. Nina whistled in admiration, it was clear to her that these two Woopers were leaders of their respective groups for a reason. They were both very battle savvy by wild Pokemon standards. In particular, the blue one was of a more strategic and cautious mind, while the Paldean one leaned more into brute strength and power. Nina would happily welcome either one of them into her team. In fact, she¡¯d be open to catching both of them even, if not for the fact that the rest of the Woopers would be left leaderless. For the sake of their wellbeing, one of them needed to stay behind to lead the Pokemon. Who knows? This might even mark the beginning of a long lasting peace between the two Wooper tribes. But just as things looked like they might come to a standstill, The Paldean Wooper did something that Nina had never seen any Pokemon do before. It slammed its tail on the ground, causing the earth to undulate like non-newtonian fluid on a speaker, before sinking its body underground. Nina was flabbergasted, and even Charlotte was mouth agape at the sight. The level of control over Ground Type Energy that a Pokemon needed to accomplish such a feat boggled the mind. Especially when one considered that the Wooper had, presumably, never been trained before. ¡°Seems like you found yourself a Digger.¡± said the Pokemon Ranger, eliciting a nod from Nina. The Paldean Wooper didn¡¯t fully sink into the ground, half of its body was still sticking out. But that was enough to allow the Wooper to swim through the ground like it was made of mud ¡ª the Ground and Poison Type¡¯s natural habitat. ¡°It¡¯s a land shark!¡± Nina exclaimed. The way that the Paldean Wooper was circling its opponent menacingly really was reminiscent of a shark on land as it threw Mud Shots at the regular Wooper, and occasionally jumped out of the ground to Slam into it. Nina¡¯s mind raced with all the different possibilities of what she could do with a Pokemon like that in her roster. Not to mention the convenience of wading through difficult terrain like swamps. The young Gym Trainer was already drafting a training regimen for the Paldean Wooper in her mind. Hence why it was fortunate that it was the Paldean Wooper who ended up prevailing. With the pond completely frozen, the blue Wooper was unable to escape into the water to even the odds. It did, however, try to use a rudimentary version of Earthquake to force the Paldean Wooper out of the ground, but to no avail. The nascent move only managed to shake the ground somewhat and help to loosen it further for the brown Wooper. In the end, the Paldean Wooper stood triumphantly over his fallen opponent and cried out in victory, prompting the surrounding Woopers to also chant in celebration. ¡°Woopwoopwoopwoop!!!¡± *** Author''s Note: So for some context. When I started writing this version of the story, I had Nina''s 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th slot already decided. The 4th slot and the 6th slot however were up in the air. I had candidates but nothing concrete in mind. Initially I had written a draft of Nina catching a Shinx. But that was based on the original premise of Nina not catching a Dratini, so it was quite far removed from the current version of the story. And when I reviewed my old work and thought about adapting it, I just didn''t feel like doing it for some reason. That''s when I wrote another draft of Nina catching a Ponyta. In fact, I proceeded to write an additional 3-4 chapters under that premise. But upon review, I wasn''t happy with that draft either. So I put up a vote with my advanced readers and asked them to vote on it. The candidates were Ponyta, Shinx and Wooper. That last one was a last minute addition since it''s a personal favorite of mine. I would show you a screenshot of the poll, but unfortunately, Patreon seems to be broken and everything is messed up right now. When I went back to the original post, the poll disappeared and I get an error when I try to download the results. Anyways, point is, Ponyta only got like 2% of the votes if I remember correctly, while Shinx lost by 3% to Wooper. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a close call, but in the end, I went with Wooper as per the polls. And also to note, I didn''t vote because if I had an opinion then I would have just gone with it instead of putting it to a vote. Anyways, TLDR; Nina''s team won''t be just limited to six members. The losers of the poll will come back in one way or another. In fact, I''ve already written Shinx back into the story. As for Ponyta, we shall see. I came up with a funny idea in lieu of Nina getting a Ride Pokemon, so that won''t be for some time yet. Chapter 124 ¡°Hehe¡­ Copycat.¡± Nina ignored Beverly and continued to focus her attention on the tiny Wooper who was huffing his chest and posturing at Sir Quagsalot, Beverly¡¯s Quagsire. Her newest companion, whom Nina had decided to name Sir Clodington, to match with Beverly, was very combative as evident by their first encounter, and he had taken to treating the senior Quagsire like a rival of sorts. Nina felt an inexplicably impulsive urge to name the Wooper Jeff for whatever reason, but ultimately decided to listen to her rational mind. She was already being made fun of for Brucey¡¯s name, not that anyone in this world would get the reference. In response to his junior¡¯s provocation, Sir Quagsalot, being the friendly and amicable little derp that he was, just gave a friendly wave at his junior and plopped a hand on Sir Clodington¡¯s head to dot on him, much to the Wooper¡¯s annoyance. Nina¡¯s face bloomed into a big dumb smile at the sight of the silly Wooper, who proceeded to approach Nairy and petition his ¡®god¡¯ to strike down the infidel who dared disrespect him. Nairy seemed troubled by the plea and gave Sir Quagsalot a helpless look. In return, the Quagsire merely tilted his head in confusion. Nina laughed at the comedy unfolding before her and couldn¡¯t resist the urge to scoop Sir Clodington into her arms. Which was a mistake, because she yelped out in pain immediately after making skin contact, like someone had stung her with a dozen needles or something. ¡°Dammit! I gotta stop doing that.¡± The girl exclaimed, eliciting laughter from her senior apprentice. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Good luck with that. It took me forever to train Sir Quagsalot to suppress his poison when interacting with people.¡± said Beverly. The mucous coating a Wooper¡¯s body was a part of their natural bodily function. That¡¯s to say, it was a passive defense mechanism that couldn¡¯t be eliminated entirely, only suppressed. Which for a regular bog standard Wooper, was not a problem. Since they were Water and Ground Type hybrids, the Poison wasn¡¯t very potent to begin with and served little purpose. Paldean Woopers on the other hand, were Ground and Poison Type. Which meant that their bodies were oozing with Poison. The passively excreted ones weren¡¯t very lethal, but it also meant that it was almost impossible to suppress it to the point where Nina wouldn¡¯t feel a prick if she tried to touch Sir Clodington. Nina sighed. ¡°There goes my plans for a cuddly little blob that I can hug to sleep at night.¡± Not that Sir Clodington would have agreed to it anyway. The Wooper was quite a stickler on ceremony and proper decorum. To the point where Nina would say that he was worse than pre-evolved Espy. Not to mention, the Wooper line was very sensitive to temperature. They prefer cool environments, which was why the species was typically only active during night time, when the sun was set. The only reason why Nina was able to encounter them during the day was because it was winter time. Nina was starting to have a little regret about her newest capture. She had been so caught up on the Pokemon¡¯s potential that she failed to account for the practical aspects of owning a Paldean Wooper. Chiefly, she would have to prepare a mud bath or some other means to keep the Pokemon cool in her dorms. Also, she needed to figure out a way to maintain Sir Clodington¡¯s activities when the weather was hot as well. ¡°I still have time before winter¡¯s end. And spring should be bearable with all the rain. Hmm¡­ I wonder if there¡¯s a held item I can get¡­ Never-Melt Ice? Too expensive, and too potent. Icy Rock or Damp Rock perhaps¡­¡± Outside of Espy¡¯s silver spoon, Nina hadn¡¯t dealt with held items too much. There was a subsect of trainers who considered it cheating. Not to mention, some items were just straight banned in tournaments. A lot of them were scammy placebos as well, like a Black Belt or a Silk Scarf for example, all of which had been debunked as having no tangible effects on a Pokemon¡¯s Type Energy. ¡°Hey Bev, how are you keeping Sir Quagsalot cool usually?¡± Nina asked. The older girl shrugged. ¡°I mean, so long as there¡¯s water then Quagsy is fine. My Pokemon aren¡¯t chumps that can¡¯t handle a bit of heat. I think you¡¯re overthinking it, Nins ¡ª Woopers aren¡¯t so weak that they can¡¯t handle a bit of sun. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s always going on about how sturdy they are.¡± ¡°In game terms maybe.¡± Nina thought. ¡°Yeah, but I want my Pokemon to be happy and comfortable, you know?¡± ¡°Eh, just keep him in his Pokeball,¡± dismissed Beverly. ¡°I doubt that Wooper of yours will care, seems like a real Nosepass to me.¡± Speaking of Pokeballs, Sir Clodington did not care for anything specific, so Nina ended up just keeping him in a camo-skinned Pokeball styled after Safari Balls that she bought from the Safari Park gift shop. It was twice the price of a regular Pokeball despite just having a cosmetic difference, but Nina wanted to commemorate where the Wooper was captured. ¡°Big Sis Nina, now that you have Sir Clodington, are we still going to Lavender Town?¡± asked a timid Fuyumi. Nina smiled and gave the girl a reassuring pat on the head. She had originally intended to go to the periphery of Lavender Town as a backup plan if she couldn¡¯t find anything in the Safari Zone. Not the town itself or even Lavender Mansion, just near the edge, maybe around Route 8 to try her luck with any stray Ghost Pokemon. Hikari did offer her an alternative, but she didn¡¯t feel like speaking to the woman right now. Her companions agreed to come with her, even Fuyumi, who was scared of ghosts. It was always a good idea to have backup when dealing with Ghost Types. Surprisingly, Natsumi was actually quite enthusiastic about the paranormal, which really served to accentuate the difference between the personalities of the twins. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be headed to Lavender town for some time yet.¡± Nina said, eliciting a gentle sigh of relief from Fuyumi. In truth, Nina was feeling a little conflicted. Hikari said that Mew¡¯s Gem might pull her towards Agatha¡¯s ancestral mansion, but if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t Nina have failed to capture a Pokemon in the Safari Zone somehow? That way, the girl would be inclined to travel to its vicinity. The girl sighed. ¡°Am I supposed to go or not? I can¡¯t tell.¡± *** ¡°Cut it out you two!¡± Nina stepped in between the bickering Golbat and Wooper, her head pounding in frustration. This had become a common occurrence in their household ever since Sir Clodington joined the team. The Wooper possessed a great deal of reverence for Nairy, despite having seen the more mundane side of the Dragonair. And from what Nina could tell, it was largely based on a sense of primal instinct as opposed to any rational reasoning. So naturally, whenever Brucey saw fit to mess with Sir Clodington¡¯s ¡®god¡¯, the Wooper took extreme offense towards the infidel and would seek to punish him for the transgression. But little did the Wooper know, his outrage only served to trigger Brucey¡¯s mischievousness and spur him on even further. ¡°I need to do something about this.¡± Nina thought. The easiest solution would be to get Nairy to give his follower a stern talking to, but her partner had proven to be less than reliable on the matter. In fact, Nairy almost seemed afraid of the Wooper and his zealousness ¡ª always hiding behind Nina everytime Sir Clodington tried to show his devotion through various misguided gestures; like the offering of sensitive clothing items that he stole from Nina¡¯s drawers, or in this instance, confronting Brucey who had just filled the Dragonair¡¯s bean bag with rocks. Nina had no idea how Sir Clodington managed to rummage through her clothes without arms and why he thought Nairy would like the gesture, nor did she know how Brucey managed to sneak so many rocks inside their home, but none of that was important. What¡¯s important was that she needed to do something soon or risk being driven insane. ¡°Espy, some help please?¡± The girl pleaded, resorting to her secret weapon. The Espeon rolled her eyes in exasperation and held the two rival Pokemon in place with her Psychic aura. Nina sighed in relief and took a seat on the sofa before asking Espy to settle the two troublemakers in front of her. ¡°First off, Brucey, remember what we discussed about the scale of your pranks?¡± said Nina, with Espy acting as an interpreter. The Golbat wilted slightly at the admonishment. ¡°I think somehow managing to sneak 40 kilos worth of rocks into our home definitely counts,¡± she continued. ¡°I expect you to clean up your own mess okay?¡± ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey cackled in acknowledgement. Nina had been with Brucey for long enough by this point that she could differentiate between her Golbat¡¯s laugh even without Espy¡¯s aid. She also added that Brucey should apologize to Nairy afterwards as well. Not that it needed to be said since Brucey knew the routine by now. ¡°And Clody,¡± Nina turned to address her Wooper. ¡°Brucey doesn¡¯t mean anything bad by his pranks, and Nairy certainly does not mind. Right, Nairy?¡± Nina turned to his partner with a glare, prompting him to nod vigorously at his junior. ¡°See? So you need to learn to loosen up. I can¡¯t have you starting a fight during all hours of the day. It¡¯s disrupting our peace ¡ª mine, Espy¡¯s, and especially Nairy¡¯s.¡± ¡°Nair, dragonair.¡± Nairy nodded along with Nina¡¯s statement. This time, of his own volition. But Sir Clodington still seemed unconvinced, merely frowning at Nina¡¯s words. Nina held back a sigh, racking her brain for any knowledge that might help. ¡°What motivates religious fervour?¡± Nina thought back on that one semester of anthropology that Miles took in her past life. Sacrifice and abstinence was the answer. ¡°But do I want to further enforce this behaviour?¡± The dilemma was that Sir Clodington was only with Nina because of his worship towards Nairy. He considered his current position to be a privilege he earned in battle against his adversary. So if Nina were to eliminate said reverence, then he might not want to stick around anymore. Or worse, he might even fall into despair at having been forsaken by his deity, thinking he committed a cardinal sin or something. The alternative was to double down to the point where she could guarantee absolute, unquestioning obedience, but that seemed worse somehow. Nina was quite adamant about not wanting a mindless drone among her roster. ¡°There has to be a middle ground¡­¡± Nina mused. ¡°Espy can you keep an eye on these guys?¡± Nina got up and gave Espy a little pat, completely ignoring the look of exasperation the Espeon gave her, then stepped out onto the balcony to make a call to Professor Oak. She probably should have sent an email, but she knew first hand how bad the Professor was at replying to those. ¡°Besides, why else would he give me his personal number?¡± ¡°Hello, little Nina! Are you well?¡± Professor Oak asked when he got on the line, a hint of concern evident in his tone. Nina let out a wry smile, feeling a little guilty as she did. ¡°Hello, Professor. I¡¯m sorry to bother your busy schedule, but I just have a question in regards to my latest Pokemon. It¡¯s nothing urgent, so I can call back at a more convenient time if you prefer.¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± denied the Professor. ¡°I was due for a break anyway ¡ª I tend to get too enamored with my work, so this is good. Please, ask away.¡± Nina thanked her benefactor and explained some background and her concerns regarding Sir Clodington to him. She even sent him the recording she had of the Wooper and his ¡®tribe¡¯, much to Professor Oak¡¯s fascination. ¡°What an absolutely intriguing display of Pokemon sociology¡­¡± The Professor awed. ¡°Hmm¡­ Perhaps I should reach out to my colleagues at the Safari Zone to request for more observations? But I digress. In regards to your concern,¡± the Professor hummed in consideration. ¡°Have you tried anointment?¡± He said. Nina frowned in confusion. ¡°Anointment?¡± ¡°Indeed. You seek a middle ground, one that would allow your Wooper to retain his individuality without compromising on his loyalty towards your Dragonair. So just anoint him to a position of perceived importance.¡± The Professor explained. The idea was that by officially appointing Sir Clodington as an official retainer of sorts, Nina would be able to put him indirectly under her authority through specific rules of conduct as opposed to simply allowing him to act as he pleased through a set of arbitrary self-imposed beliefs. ¡°So long as you frame your ¡®rules¡¯ with the appropriate pretence, your Wooper will take it upon himself to act accordingly. And should he behave in any way that is untowards, simply make an addendum or render cryptic admonishment as religious authorities tend to do.¡± Nina tilted her head in consideration. Everything the Professor told her made sense. If the primary worry was Sir Clodington¡¯s unruly behavior, then this would neatly solve the issue without compromising too much on the Wooper¡¯s personality, however twisted it may be. That said, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little ambivalent towards this solution. ¡°It feels¡­ deceptive somehow. But then again, what choice do I have?¡± Ideally, she would be able to make the Wooper see reason and endear him to the team as family as opposed to a religious sycophant. But she had enough real world experience in her past life to know that this was nothing more than vain idealism. It often took extreme events and experiences to sway someone¡¯s beliefs, let alone completely invalidate them. ¡°I think I know what to do now, thank you Professor.¡± Nina said as she proceeded to exchange a few more pleasantries with Professor Oak before ending the call. Nina sighed as she stepped back into her room, giving Espy a look all the while, eliciting an exasperated sigh from the Espeon as she read her human¡¯s mind. Pokemon could detect lies to a certain extent, so she needed Espy to help obfuscate her intent. Not to mention, the added mystique would also help to reinforce her authority. Nina expressed silent gratitude towards Espy as she rummaged around in her dresser to extract a single Dragon Scale from her stash, before returning to the group. Meanwhile, Espy telepathically communicated with Nairy to convey their trainer¡¯s intent. Nairy frowned in hesitation, but a silent admonishment from Espy got him to behave. When all was said and done, Nairy stood regally in the center of the living room, while Nina gave the Dragon a reverent bow. The atmosphere became solemn as silence descended upon the space, further amplified by the subtly oppressive Draconic aura that Nairy intentionally let out. ¡°Sir Clodington, kneel before your liege.¡± Nina had intentionally avoided any reference to divinity since she wasn¡¯t comfortable with that notion. So she sought to transform the relationship into that of a king and his knight instead. This also aligned with the Wooper¡¯s name, so it felt more appropriate. The Wooper jolted in attention and hurriedly lowered his body in front of Nairy and his spokesperson. ¡°Sir Clodington, in recognition of your devoted and selfless service to His Eminence, I hereby anoint you as Scalebearer!¡± said Nina, in a grandiose tone, as she produced a singular gleaming Dragon Scale under the light. ¡°Wooperrr¡­¡± Sir Clodington sighed in reverence and further lowered his head. Nina suppressed that feeling of stuffiness in her chest and moved on. ¡°As Scalebearer, you are to hereby abide by these Three Commandments; ¡°First Commandment: Thou shalt safeguard the wellbeing of His Eminence, Nairy, and his pantheon.¡± Nina didn¡¯t just want Sir Clodington to be devoted to Nairy at the expense of everyone else, so she included the mention of pantheon to refer to the rest of the team. ¡°Second Commandment: Thou shalt not seek conflict in vain, lest it be to the benefit of His Eminence and his pantheon.¡± Hopefully, this would temper the Wooper''s aggressive behavior and stop him from picking random fights. There was still room for interpretation here, which was intentional, Nina didn¡¯t want to abstain him from battle after all. And if he acted out of line, she could just admonish him. ¡°Third Commandment: Love and harmony above all else.¡± This last one was a little contradictory to the second one, but all religions were contradictory to a certain extent. And weirdly, such contradictions only served to reinforce belief, because it gave the impression that God was all knowing and unfathomable. Nina was also hoping that this would make her Wooper second guess any acts of aggression he might be considering in the future. For now, these three commandments were the only ones she could think of on the spot. Nina would run with these for now and see how it goes before making any additions in the future. It was hard to predict the actions and thoughts of religious zealots, because it was hard to predict what might trigger them. ¡°Arise, Sir Clodington, and err¡­ accept thy burden.¡± Sir Clodington rose with sparkly eyes and an enthusiastic ¡°Woop!¡± Meanwhile, Nina was dealing with the dilemma of how to attach the Dragon Scale onto the armless, slippery blob. Chapter 125 ¡°So you¡¯re heading off then, Justin?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± True to his word, Nina¡¯s classmate was going to take a break from school and head out on his journey. So they were now having a little farewell party for him. ¡°But before I go¡­¡± Nina chuckled wryly. ¡°I know, you want a battle right?¡± Justin grinned at his rival before flashing the girl a ridiculous pose with a big thumbs up. Nina laughed in spite of herself. ¡°I hate to say this, J. But I think I might miss having you around a little.¡± ¡°Heh. I¡¯ll see you again at the top, when you come and challenge me for the mantle of Champion.¡± The boy boasted. Nina shook her head in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯ll have to beat me first if you even want a chance at reaching Lilian, let alone Lance. Speaking of, do you mind reffing us, Lilian?¡± The Blackthorn girl nodded in amusement, eager to see the beat down that was about to occur. While Kerry-Anne stood by for medical duties. They had rented out a Battle Cafe for the party, courtesy of Lilian¡¯s generosity, so all Nina and Justin had to do was step into the central arena. ¡°I really don¡¯t get why the boys in this world are so obsessed with Battle Cafes. The food is shit and all they have going for them is the gimmick. Am I just old now? Was Miles like this as well when he was younger?¡± The audience cheered, mostly consisting of Justin¡¯s other friends from school, majority of whom Nina never had much interaction with outside of battles. As usual, Nina sent out Brucey to start her off, since she felt Sir Clodington wasn¡¯t ready for debut yet. While Justin chose his Scyther, who was eager for a rematch with the Golbat. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Scyther! Let¡¯s show ¡®em the fruits of your training!¡± Justin yelled, with a determined look on his face. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Brucey laughed at the boy¡¯s confidence and began his usual juking maneuvers. ¡°You know what to do, Scyther!¡± ¡°Scy¡­¡± The Scyther hissed as he compressed his powerful quadriceps and leapt into the air in a barely perceptible blur. Brucey yelped in surprise and barely dodged out of the way as the Bug Type grazed past him. ¡°Keep your guard up, Brucey,¡± Nina warned. ¡°Scyther¡¯s not the same as when you first fought him last year.¡± Meanwhile, the mantis Pokemon¡¯s wings fluttered to arrest the momentum of his Quick Attack, and at the same time, taking advantage of the counter inertia to serve as a cushion for Scyther to launch into another Quick Attack, much to Brucey¡¯s chagrin. Nina nodded in approval. Scyther wasn¡¯t as fast as Espy just yet, but she could tell that Justin and his Pokemon had found their own solution to the technique that they learned from her. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Brucey attempted to use Supersonic and Screech to interrupt his opponent¡¯s barrage, but Scyther was simply too fast for him to nail down. At some point, the assault became too overwhelming for the Golbat to bear as Scyther eventually sliced into him with his sharp mantis blades. ¡°Hmm¡­ This might be something that I need to work on with Brucey in the future. After all, there¡¯s no shortage of insanely fast Flying Types out there.¡± Nina thought, before whistling and adjusting her earplugs to fit more snugly in her ears. ¡°Watch out, Scyther ¡ª¡± Justin attempted to yell out a warning after noticing his opponent¡¯s gesture, but it was too late. Because the moment that Brucey perceived Nina¡¯s signal, he launched into an Uproar, deafening his surroundings with ear splitting noise and causing Scyther to falter in his charge and fall to the ground in anguish. The audience all groaned and plugged their ears with their fingers, while Alfred had shown up at some point to cover Lillian and Kerry¡¯s ears with earmuffs like the magical super butler that he was. Glass cups began cracking as the windows of the Battle Cafe vibrated at the offensive sound waves that they were being subjected to. Nina winced, hoping that Lilian wouldn¡¯t mind paying for the collateral damage Brucey was causing. The overwhelming Uproar lasted for a whole minute before Brucey became too winded to continue. Nina was hoping to triple that duration at some point, to use the move as a killswitch that would take Brucey¡¯s opponents down with him whenever he was on his last legs. But surprisingly, Scyther endured through the strain and shakily stood up from where he was balled up in a defensive maneuver. It seemed Justin took Nina¡¯s advice and got Protect for all his Pokemon, which was just barely able to see his Pokemon through. Nina sighed in resignation, having already accepted Brucey¡¯s defeat. It was an inevitable fact that a demanding move like Uproar would leave its users completely winded. As evident by the fact that Brucey was now grounded on the arena to Roost. ¡°Scyther!¡± The determined mantis Pokemon forcefully launched himself forwards and slammed into Brucey with an X-Scissor, completely fainting the Golbat in a single move. ¡°Oh right, Scyther¡¯s ability makes it so that his attacks are extra potent in the face of desperation. I forgot that was a thing.¡± Nina mused, having just recalled that the Scyther line possessed Swarm. The girl then recalled her fainted Golbat and whispered words of encouragement at Brucey¡¯s Friend Ball before passing it over to Kerry for healing. Justin cheered alongside the audience. It was always a momentous occasion whenever anyone managed to down one of their school prodigy¡¯s Pokemon. Nina smiled wryly and waited for the crowd to settle down before speaking. ¡°I know you¡¯re already working on it, but Swords Dance would have really put Brucey in a pickle. Maybe even faint him before he even got to using Uproar.¡± Swords Dance was still a dance after all, despite its offensive nature. So naturally, the conventionally boyish Justin had trouble trying to teach the art to his Scyther. ¡°You know¡­ Those poses that you do. I would consider them a sort of dance as well¡­¡± Nina continued, in a somewhat suggestive tone. Justin¡¯s eyes glinted at the hint that his friend just dropped for him. While the girl was cringing inside at the monster that she had just knowingly unleashed into the world. She let out a silent prayer to all of Justin¡¯s future opponents who would have to suffer through the boy¡¯s brand of eye bleach. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ll let you choose your next opponent. Do you wanna battle Espy or Nairy?¡± Justin grinned and turned his gaze to the sidelines where Nairy was currently busy pigging out on a jumbo sized parfait. ¡°Do you really have to ask? I choose Nairy of course!¡± Nina¡¯s smile faltered slightly, wondering if her gluttonous Dragon was even capable of battling right now. She reluctantly called Nairy over, much to her partner¡¯s chagrin, and sighed in relief when Nina got a closer look at her messy Dragonair. ¡°Thank goodness, he hasn¡¯t eaten too much just yet.¡± It was a good thing that Brucey¡¯s Uproar had interrupted Nairy¡¯s meal earlier as well. ¡°Nairy¡­ What did I tell you last time about slowing down with the ice cream?¡± Nina grabbed a spare napkin from a neighbouring table and aggressively wiped at Nairy¡¯s face in exasperation. ¡°Nair~¡± However, the easygoing Dragon was utterly unrepentant and simply nuzzled against Nina before moving into the arena. ¡°Alright, Nairy. Let¡¯s give Justin and his Pokemon a fighting chance here. Flamethrower, Fire Spin and Dragon Dance only.¡± ¡°Nair!¡± Nairy had been doubling down on his Fire Type training recently. With Sir Clodington¡¯s eyes on him at all times, he felt a pressure to try harder just to keep up appearances. Not that he particularly cared if the Wooper looked up to him or not. In fact, he¡¯d rather the brown blob cut it out with his obsessiveness, but peer pressure was a funny thing and Nairy was inherently a people pleaser. He had taken to swimming a lot less and even slept all coiled up around the heater just so that he could get used to detecting ambient Fire Type Energy. The latter of which Nina actually disapproved of since it got her oversized Dragon eel all dried out. So she upped the intensity of his Flamethrower training instead. And with a bit of experimentation combining Flamethrower with Twister, a skill that Nairy was well versed in at this point, he had even managed to modify his Twister to become a Fire Spin. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡± Justin exclaimed. But despite his bravado, it was undeniable that Scyther was on his last legs and was easily taken out by a Flamethrower from Nairy. The Dragonair didn¡¯t even have to perform a Dragon Dance to do it. The boy¡¯s next choice was his Wartortle. Not that there was much choice to begin with. Justin¡¯s Carvanha had improved a lot but was still a little short of being able to completely obey orders. While Noibat, his most recent capture was uncharacteristically timid for a Dragon Type. Especially when face to face with Lilian. It seemed to Nina like the Noibat was still struggling with some trauma from her recent ordeal, requiring a bit more time and care to fully recover to a battle ready state. A process which would not be aided by having her face down against another Dragon. Wartortle started off with an Ice Beam which he had managed to learn at some point. However, it was clear that this was a relatively recent revelation since the beam was fairly weak, allowing Nairy to effortlessly dodge around it before countering with a Flamethrower. The fiery stream clashed with the Ice Beam and formed water vapours in the air, causing a light mist to descend onto the arena ground. ¡°Dance, Wartortle!¡± Justin called, which the turtle Pokemon obliged by shrinking into his shell and spinning in place to gather up the mist and directed it towards the ceiling to form rain clouds. Nina smiled in amusement. It seemed like her friend had been studying the match that she had with Lilian and was able to learn a trick or two. The Rain Dance really served to empower Wartortle and further disadvantage the handicapped Nairy, who¡¯s nascent Fire Type moves were almost instantly smothered the moment they left his control. Much to the Dragonair¡¯s frustrations. ¡°It¡¯s now or never, Nairy.¡± Nina urged. ¡°This situation can easily be resolved if you can pull off a Sunny Day.¡± Instead of liberating Nairy from his restrictions, she just doubled down and used her partner''s frustrations to motivate him instead. ¡°You can do it, Nairy. I know you can. Believe in the me who believes in you.¡± ¡°Nair¡­ Dragonair!¡± The determined Nairy cried out as he began forming a ball of pure condensed Fire Type Energy in his mouth. ¡°Get close, Wartortle! Don¡¯t let them have their way!¡± Justin yelled, and Wartortle moved in with an Aqua Jet before engaging Nairy with a combo of Aqua Tail and Ice Punch. It was unfortunate that Nairy wasn¡¯t able to fully dodge the assault in his hyper focused state. But at least the damage he took wasn¡¯t enough to disrupt his concentration and dispel his incomplete Sunny Day orb. As Wartortle¡¯s assault continued, Nairy endured through the pain and began dancing to empower the orb of Fire he held in his mouth. Justin clicked his tongue in frustration and commanded his Pokemon to change tactics. ¡°Pull back and use Surf, Wartortle! Put out Nairy¡¯s Fire!¡± ¡°War!¡± The turtle Pokemon conjured up a wave of water that he sent crashing towards Nairy. ¡°Split the waves with a Double Tail, Nairy!¡± Nina commanded. Her partner was on the verge of success and she couldn¡¯t allow him to be disrupted at this critical stage. Nairy paused his Dragon Dance to slam an empowered tail into Wartortle¡¯s Surf, completely obliterating the waves that were sent his way. Giving him just the boost of confidence that he needed to complete his Sunny Day orb and launch it into the sky. The fiery orb pierced through the rain clouds and completely dispelled the Rain Dance with a bright flash of light. And for a brief moment in time, it looked as if someone had blown a hole into the ceiling and summoned an early summer sun into the Battle Cafe. ¡°Nair!¡± The divine weather Dragon roared in triumph, before letting out a stream of Dragon Dance and Sunny Day empowered Fire towards Wartortle. Instead of faltering in shock, Wartortle¡¯s training pulled through as he countered with a hasty Hydro Pump. Fire and Water clashed in the middle of the arena, producing hot steam that scalded the surroundings of the Battle Cafe. But it soon became clear that Wartortles hastily conjured Hydro Pump was no match for Nairy¡¯s empowered Flamethrower as the pressurized jet of Water was slowly pushed back towards its source. ¡°War¡­ Wartortle¡­¡± The turtle Pokemon groaned in his struggle. ¡°You can do it, Wartortle! I believe in you. Believe in the me who believes in you!¡± ¡°Oh boy¡­¡± Nina muttered. Shameless plagiarism aside, the girl could already predict what was about to happen. And sure enough, the Battle Cafe arena was soon graced by the Light of Evolution as Wartortle steadily increased in mass until he eventually towered over his trainer and stared down at the now diminutive looking Nairy. His two newly acquired cannons primed and ready for another round of exchange with his Draconic opponent. ¡°Blas. Blastoise!¡± The fully evolved turtle Pokemon cried in a defiant tone. ¡°You did it, Blastoise! I knew you could!¡± Justin cheered and jumped in barely contained exuberance alongside the members of the audience. Seeing a mid-battle Evolution was always an exciting spectacle. Nina was used to seeing similar sights during the course of her Gym work, but she still clapped and cheered in celebration of her friend and his Pokemon. But the merry atmosphere was soon broken by a chillingly ominous grin from Nina. ¡°You know, Lucy¡¯s Charizard couldn¡¯t even take a single hit from Nairy after he evolved. I wonder how many hits your Blastoise can take after his Evolution.¡± Justin felt a shudder down his spine and hastily called for a Hydro Pump. ¡°Hyper Beam,¡± said Nina simply, prompting Nairy to unleash a ray of pure condensed Type Energy that easily overwhelmed the Blastoise¡¯s Water canons and slammed into him with a painful cry. ¡°BLAST!¡± But Blastoise did not falter, instead he withdrew into his shell and shrouded it in a layer of Water Type Energy and deep blue aura before jetting towards Nairy with his cannons and crashing into the Dragon. Nairy howled in pain at being impacted by a sturdy shellfish nearly five times his weight and paid him back with a quick Dragon Tail in response. Unfortunately, the strike wasn¡¯t as effective as he would like, merely landing with a dull thud against the Steel empowered shell. Meanwhile, Nina nodded in amusement. ¡°It seems Blastoise accidentally stumbled upon Wave Crash¡­ Now, what to do?¡± The girl didn¡¯t mind losing, but she didn¡¯t want to be that cliche rival character that lost to plot armor either. Nina surveyed the terrain and noticed that the arena was still wet. Nairy¡¯s Sunny day wasn¡¯t strong enough to instantly dry out the space the way that Beverly¡¯s Gyarados could just yet. For that matter, she could also tell that the Sunny Day was doing very little to hamper the ambient Water Type Energy in the air, merely serving to offset it just enough to bring things back to neutral. ¡°No point holding back anymore, Nairy. Let¡¯s show Justin and Blastoise what you can do! We¡¯re going full Cerulean on Ice and Kingsley!¡± Nairy was a Dragon trained in the Cerulean Gym, and he would not lose out to Pure Water Types even in favourable terrain. So in response to his trainer¡¯s urging, Nairy canceled Sunny Day with a cry and began Rain Dancing. All the while keeping a distance from the lumbering Blastoise who tried to follow up his Wave Crash with a Rapid Spin. ¡°Hydro Pump again, Blastoise! Nairy¡¯s too fast for you!¡± Justin called, the moment that droplets began falling from the sky again. Except the rain clouds were visibly darker and more pronounced than the ones summoned by Wartortle during the start of the match. One could hardly compete with a divine Pokemon when it came to weather control. Another violent jet of Water assaulted Nairy, but Nina¡¯s Dragon merely danced around it without even needing to break his rhythm. The Dragonair¡¯s radiant orbs left residual traces of prismatic light in the gloomy space as he moved. At his trainer¡¯s urging, Blastoise tried to close the distance again with an empowered Wave Crash, but Nairy was ready this time and merely air swimmed out of the way with a graceful leap while shooting a Dragon pulse towards his opponent in one smooth motion. The rest of the match proceeded in much the same way. Kingsley strats referred to the hit and run tactics that Misty¡¯s Kingdra preferred. Blastoise was a fairly slow species to begin with, and a newly evolved one was even more so, since Justin¡¯s Blastoise hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to get accustomed to his much larger body yet. It was inevitable then that his movements were a little awkward. In fact, outside of that surprising first strike, all of Blastoise¡¯s subsequent Wave Crashes took a fair bit of telegraphing to initiate. A flaw that Nairy wasn¡¯t so inept as to miss. It would take a bit of practice, but Nina had absolute confidence that Justin would turn that Blastoise into a close combat menace in no time. It took a long time to take Blastoise down though, necessitating three Double Pulses on Nairy¡¯s end to faint him. It was clear to Nina that Blastoise was steadily getting reinvigorated by the rain as they fought. ¡°Probably Rain Dish, but Blastoise doesn¡¯t know how to fully utilize that ability just yet. Otherwise Nairy has no hope of winning the match under this weather condition.¡± She mused. ¡°Incredible work, Justin!¡± Nina clapped enthusiastically at the match¡¯s end. ¡°All the work you put into Blastoise¡¯s training during his early phases really paid off ¡ª it¡¯s rare to see a newly evolved Pokemon come to grips with their abilities so quickly. That Wave Crash needs more work though, but I can easily see it replacing Aqua Jet and becoming a very effective mobility move.¡± She also expressed confidence in Blastoise being able to beat Lucy¡¯s Charizard if it came down to it, eliciting a sheepish grin from the boy. ¡°Charizard¡¯s ability to fly might be a bit tricky. But in a confined space, if you train Blastoise to be able to hold the Rain Dance advantage throughout the battle and combine that with a fully developed Rain Dish, then I see no reason why you would lose.¡± Justin rubbed at the back of his head at Nina¡¯s praise and thanked his friend for the advice. Meanwhile, the staff of the Battle Cafe were just looking over the aftermath of that cataclysmic battle with barely contained despair at the thought of needing to clean everything up. Chapter 126 ¡°So which city are you headed to first?¡± Kerry asked Justin. ¡°Hmm¡­ I dunno, maybe Pewter?¡± Justin answered, in between mouthfuls of spaghetti. ¡°Gotta start things off with a win, you know?¡± ¡°Then why not Viridian? That¡¯s your home isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Nina chimed. Justin snorted, nearly choking on his noodles. ¡°Nah, I¡¯d be kind of stupid to pass up on a free Star badge. I¡¯ll leave Viridian City for last, that way I can spend the time just before the conference training at home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Victor,¡± Nina warned. ¡°I know he has a weak reputation but that¡¯s only among the upper echelons of trainers. Most firecrackers who underestimate him end up paying the price for it in defeat.¡± Not that Nina thought Justin couldn¡¯t handle the Viridian Gym Leader. With a bit more training, the boy could probably go toe to toe with Victor¡¯s Star team just fine. But complacency bred ineptitude and she would hate to see him fail at the final juncture. ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± The boy waved his fork dismissively at Nina before continuing to stuff his face. ¡°Melina Jones,¡± called a fiery eyed Lilian. ¡°I wish to schedule a match with you.¡± The girl challenged Nina with a tone of utmost severity, indicating to her that it was finally time. Back when Lilian had lost to Nina all those months ago, the Blackthorn progeny swore to Nina that she wouldn¡¯t challenge her again unless she was confident of her victory. They had casual spars over the course of their acquaintance, but it was nothing serious and mostly consisted of them testing out various moves and swapping pointers. Nina returned the girl¡¯s sentiment with an earnest nod. ¡°Sure, you don¡¯t want to do it now? Nairy can still battle. I think¡­¡± She glanced towards her Dragonair who now had his face all scrunched up from brain freeze. Brucey was cackling at him to the side with a frowning Sir Clodington, while Espy just rolled her eyes and ignored her more immature companions. ¡°On second thought, probably not,¡± revised Nina. ¡°So when and where do you wanna do this? At school, maybe?¡± ¡°No. I wish to battle you in my abode. Alfred will make the necessary arrangements and hire the services of an impartial League sanctioned referee.¡± Nina smiled wryly at the girl. ¡°I don¡¯t mind going to your place, and I¡¯m fine with just using Mr Alfred as the ref. So no need to go out of your way to get a third party really.¡± By this point, Nina was well aware of how seriously the Blackthorn girl treated matters pertaining to her honor. Lilian shook her head. ¡°There shall be no doubts leveled against my worthiness.¡± ¡°Err¡­ Okay?¡± Nina responded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to doubt you. We¡¯ve known each other for almost a year now and I consider you a trustworthy friend.¡± ¡°Allow me to explain,¡± chimed Alfred, who suddenly appeared next to his mistress. In the beginning, Nina would jump in her seat from the butler¡¯s surprise appearances. But after all this time, she had gotten used to the man¡¯s antics. ¡°This battle is of utmost importance to milady because it will be submitted to the clan elders for review. This will determine her worthiness in the eyes of our clan, and as such, there must be no doubts in regards to the results. Especially considering your friendly acquaintance.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. ¡°I see, is it okay for me to be her opponent then? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for her to seek out someone whose intentions can¡¯t be questioned?¡± ¡°There are none more worthy!¡± Lilian declared. Nina felt flattered, but the girl¡¯s terse words left little for interpretation. Thankfully, Alfred was around to elaborate. ¡°In milady¡¯s age bracket, there are none in the clan who are able to contest her. As someone who once bested milady, you are indeed the most worthy candidate for this battle, Miss Jones.¡± Alfred also explained that the alternative was for her to leave the region in search of an opponent, which would be a hassle given her current duties as clan ambassador to the Kanto region. ¡°Huh, so I guess this is kind of like a rite of passage?¡± Alfred shook his head lightly. ¡°Rite of passage? Perhaps. It is something that all children of the clan need to go through if they wish for their voice to be acknowledged. I shall not divulge any details in such a public setting, but there will be no reasons to deprive your curiosity come the day of the match where there are less prying ears.¡± Nina nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, send me the details then. There¡¯s not much going on until school restarts anyway.¡± She had mostly been spending the remainder of her break training with her Pokemon in the morning and Purple Shadow in the afternoon. The ronin wasn¡¯t much of a morning person. Alfred bowed in gratitude at Nina¡¯s cooperation while Lilian returned the agreement with a determined nod. The girl¡¯s face was one of barely contained excitement at their upcoming match. *** Lilian¡¯s ¡®abode¡¯ wasn¡¯t a posh mansion as Nina had expected. Rather, it was an entire skyscraper situated near the central business district of Vermilion City. The one hundred and one storey building wasn¡¯t just a display of vain opulence of course. Lilian and her servants only occupied a few floors at the top. The rest of the space was all in use by the clan¡¯s various subsidiary companies. But Nina wasn¡¯t headed to the top. Instead, she was escorted into an elevator going down towards the basement where a private arena was contained, one which didn¡¯t at all pale in comparison to the ones found in proper Gyms. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Surprisingly, what caught Nina¡¯s eyes when she first entered the space wasn¡¯t the high tech modular terrain that could simulate any environment, nor the futuristic looking podium that floated in the air through unknown means, but rather¡­ ¡°Is that a freaking orchestra?¡± Indeed, arranged on the audience seat were various men, women and Pokemon in fancy suits wielding a wide variety of instruments. The whole ensemble was led by a Mr Mime in a tuxedo who seemed to be serving as the conductor of the orchestra. ¡°Err¡­ Mr Alfred? Aren¡¯t we supposed to be here for a battle?¡± The butler escorting Nina lowered his head in affirmation at the girl¡¯s confused query. ¡°Indeed. But before the battle commences, Milady and Mistress Sapphire have prepared a performance for your pleasure. If I may trouble you to release Master Nairy as well, so that he may also partake in the exhibit?¡± Nina nodded and did as she was asked, unclipping Nairy¡¯s Pokeball from the strap she was wearing and releasing her partner onto the field. Nairy, as usual, was a bundle of curiosity and immediately looked around the new space in fascination before Nina called her over. ¡°Hey buddy, Sapphire apparently has a performance she wants to show you. Do you think you can watch over her and show some support?¡± ¡°Nair~¡± The Dragonair cried in affirmation while he wrapped himself around Nina. The performance started with the dimming of lights. All except for the ones in the audience seating illuminating the orchestra. Mr Mime mimed a coughing motion, giving his conductor''s baton a little wave and a tap to signal for the musicians to ready themselves. Then, with a dainty gesture, the music began. The score had a waltz-like quality to it, gentle as a breeze, slowly picking up as the lights once again dimmed and refocused on the central arena where a hidden platform slowly lowered Lilian and Sapphire into the arena. Lilian clicked her heels together and gave her half cape a little flick, taking on an elegant pose as Sapphire followed suit by circling around her and taking up her own pose, snout pointed towards the sky in an arrogant expression. The music stopped briefly, before picking up again as Lilian rotated her body rhythmically in a one woman waltz. Sapphire followed suit and circled her trainer in a counter rotation. The mermaid trained part of Nina¡¯s brain felt that the performance was quite simple with certain parts feeling a touch awkward. But overall, it was a very elegant and noble presentation. The royal purple suit that Lilian wore really helped to accentuate the Blackthorn¡¯s dignified demeanor as a Dragon Tamer, and as a member of the region¡¯s ruling clan. Sapphire was unadorned but that was to be expected if Nina¡¯s guess on the pair¡¯s intentions were correct. And right on cue, the orchestra began to change tunes, whilst Lilian slowed down her rhythm and gradually began to work herself away from the central spotlight and fade into the background, leaving only a swaying Sapphire in focus. The music began to ramp up along with Sapphire¡¯s movements, taking on an overall more heroic and epic tone. ¡°Nair!¡± Nairy cried out in support of his friend. Nina¡¯s silly Dragon had also lit up his tail crystals at some point and was waving them around like a glowstick. Sapphire¡¯s body began to twist and writhe, taking on the familiar pattern of the Dratini¡¯s rendition of Dragon Dance that Nina and Nairy had seen her practice many times before. It was a lot less dynamic than Nairy¡¯s, since the female Dragon had learned it from her elders in the Blackthorn Clan. All of whom were more utilitarian battle maniacs as was the norm within the clan. Compared to Nairy¡¯s more gentle flowing movements, Sapphire¡¯s had a sharp edge to it as she flicked her head out occasionally and even slammed her tail onto the arena in tune with the orchestral rhythm. In fact, it actually reminded Nina of Haka ¡ª the ceremonial Maori dance that Miles once saw in Nina¡¯s past life. It made sense, Haka could be danced as a form of welcome, in celebration of any great achievements or occasions, and even performed as a war dance. All of which were applicable in this scenario. A line of drums and trumpets blared out in a triumphant manner when Sapphire¡¯s scales began gleaming, kindling the Light of Evolution which eventually enveloped the entirety of her slender body. As the radiant Dratini continued to dance, her body grew in length, much like Nairy¡¯s during their first battle together. However, in place of Nairy¡¯s Dragon song, it was a Pokemon choir that accompanied Sapphire¡¯s Evolution instead. The choir of Jigglypuffs sang a divine chorus, punctuating the momentous moment, and prompting Nairy to subconsciously hum along as well, feeling nothing but immense happiness and merriment at his friend¡¯s achievement. Soon the light began to fade, and a newly evolved Dragonair was unveiled to the world. ¡°Dragon. DRAGONAIR!!!¡± Sapphire cried out in ecstasy, feeling immense satisfaction at finally achieving a long anticipated milestone. Nina broke out into applause alongside fervent cheers from the excited Nairy. Even the usually stoic Alfred was clapping along with a warm smile on his face. On the other end of the arena, Nina could also make out the faint silhouette of Lilian who had her face pressed against her forearm. It was hard to make out much detail, but it was safe to assume that the Blackthorn girl had been moved to tears by her partner¡¯s long awaited growth. *** Author''s note: Was going to do a double chapter today since I don''t like leaving you guys on a cliffhanger. But considering there''s a chapter tomorrow anyways, I decided to hold back. Also, I might make some adjustments to this chapter down the line if I have the time and energy. *sigh* My rewrite list is just getting longer and longer. Chapter 127 Author''s Note: Just a heads up, next week''s release may or may not be irregular. This whole tariff situation is making my life very difficult and I might just need some time to deal with stuff. But I''ll keep you guys posted. Next story chapter will still be Sunday. *** As the one being challenged, Nina had the right to dictate the terms of the battle. And while she could have given her and Nairy an advantage by requesting for a water arena, she decided to start off on more neutral ground instead. This was a match between two Dragonairs, famed for being a species of divine Pokemon capable of controlling the weather at will. And as such, it was only right that they each endeavored to secure their own advantages. ¡°There shall be no wager.¡± Nina declared. ¡°Instead, If I win. I want you to drop the formalities and call me Nina, instead of my full name.¡± Lilian let out a savage grin at the proposal, but ultimately shook her head. ¡°No. If Iwin, then I shall earn the right to address you in affection. And should you win, you will earn my eternal friendship. How does that sound?¡± Nina laughed. It was all just a bunch of platitudes in her head, but she still agreed since there was no loss in it anyway. ¡°Nair! Nairy nair. Dragonair~¡± Meanwhile, Nairy was just yapping at Sapphire, congratulating her for the Evolution and commending her on the beautiful dance. All while the other Dragon stared at him from the other end of the arena with an intense gaze, looking like she was ready to pummel him at any moment. Nairy may be too oblivious to notice, but this was Sapphire¡¯s way of conveying embarrassment. Both trainers could tell that the female Dragonair was ready to pounce on Nairy, not to pummel him, but to do things that weren¡¯t at all battle related. And after exchanging another look, Lilian called on the referee to begin the match. ¡°Very well, this will be a battle between Lilian of the Blackthorn clan, and Melina Jones of Professor Bill and Oak¡¯s Laboratory, and the Cerulean Gym.¡± The man in the pinstripe suit proclaimed. Nina could have sworn she¡¯d seen the guy in an Elite Four match before. ¡°Trainers, are you ready?¡± The referee asked, breaking Nina from her reverie and forcing her to focus up. Even Nairy hardened his gaze at the signal, though his resolve fell short of Sapphire¡¯s, who looked like she was being encompassed by a fiery draconic aura. ¡°And¡­ Begin!¡± At the commencement of the match, both Dragonairs unleashed Dragon pulses at each other, in a mirror image of their first encounter. However, unlike their first fight, Sapphire unleashed a continuous stream of Draconic bolts at Nairy instead of just one, completely catching Nina¡¯s Dragon by surprise as he cried out in pain. And not only that, the bolts exploded with Electric Type Energy as well, causing Nairy¡¯s translucent scales to flake off and disintegrate into ash. Indicating to Nina that the bolt contained Paralyzing properties. ¡°Seems like Lilian taught Sapphire some new tricks¡­¡± Nina called for Nairy to dodge, prompting a Draconic aura to infuse him as he did his usual evasive Dragon Dance to empower himself. ¡°Set the terrain, Nairy. Hold nothing back!¡± The crystalline orbs adorning Nairy¡¯s serpentine body glowed a prismatic light as storm clouds formed above the arena at an unprecedented rate. The sudden change in air pressure was even abrupt enough to stir up the air and conjure violent winds that began to assault all parties present in the arena. ¡°We will not falter, Sapphire!¡± Lilian yelled in response. ¡°Show them that you are no less of a Dragon!¡± ¡°Dra!!!¡± Sapphire cried out as her own orbs began glowing, causing the storm clouds to crackle with electricity before summoning a bolt of lightning to strike down onto the arena to supercharge the space. Nina scowled upon recognizing the move. ¡°Electric Terrain¡­ Can the Dragonite line even learn that?¡± She wondered, but was once again reminded that this was real life and not a game. If it made sense then it should be doable, even if the results weren¡¯t entirely ideal. ¡°Flood the place, Nairy!¡± She called, after deciding that they needed to take action before Lilian acted on her advantage. Nina had yet to come up with an effective countermeasure for Sapphire¡¯s overpowered Thunder. With a swoosh of his tail, a massive wave enveloped Nairy and hung menacingly over the arena. Nairy¡¯s Dragon and Rain Dance empowered Surf was barely half the height of Josephine¡¯s, but it was more than enough to submerge everything underwater and cover up the nascent Electric Terrain that Sapphire had conjured. Lilian looked towards the oppressive sight in bewilderment, before her face twisted into a grin at the prospect of Nina and Nairy finally going all out against her. ¡°Brace yourself, Sapphire! Become one with the waves, don¡¯t fight against it!¡± And true to her trainer¡¯s instructions, Sapphire endured the pain of impact and allowed herself to be carried by the turbulent waters before finally wresting some semblance of control over Nairy¡¯s Water Type Energy to reorient herself. Meanwhile, the storm continued to rage on, churning the waters and forming turbulent waves that crashed against the walls of the arena. Bolts of lightning, summoned by Sapphire¡¯s Electric Terrain, crackled and slammed into the waters at irregular intervals, looking like a scene from the apocalypse. Nina had to pull up the hood of her windbreaker to shield against the rain. While Lilian just stood stoically on her platform, half cape flapping in the wind as she clenched down on her feet and widened her stance to prevent herself from being blown away. The two trainers briefly exchanged a look of defiance before calling out their next orders simultaneously. ¡°Time for the Josephine Special, Nairy!¡± ¡°Get close and overpower him, Sapphire!¡± A surge of Electricity and Draconic aura suffused Sapphire¡¯s body as she shot towards her opponent in a violent rush. Meanwhile, a massive Whirlpool began forming with Nairy in the center as he continuously danced to empower himself. Unfortunately for Nina, Nairy¡¯s Whirlpool was too slow in forming and Sapphire managed to reach her mark before the waters had a chance to suck the Dragonair into its flow. Bubbles spewed from Nairy¡¯s mouth upon the electrifying impact as Sapphire wrapped herself around Nairy and overwhelmed him with a supercharged Thunder Wave. Nairy cried out in pain once more, but was thankfully not paralyzed thanks to his Shed Skin ability expelling the residual Electricity through the shedding of sacrificial scales. But this situation would not last. Nina¡¯s Dragonair could only use Shed Skin so many times before it ate into his defenses. ¡°Outrage!¡± the girl called. Nina hated using this move, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Nairy¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot from anger while a purple Draconic aura infused him with the strength needed to break free from Sapphire¡¯s hold. Once Nairy was free from his bindings, he then began to mindlessly slam himself against the other Dragon, in complete disregard of his own wellbeing. ¡°Get away from him, Sapphire!¡± Lilian was right to call for a retreat, but compared to Nairy who spent an inordinate amount of time in water for his species, Sapphire¡¯s speed while swimming paled in comparison. Sapphire broke away, only for Nairy to suddenly cut her off from the front and slammed his tail into her. ¡°Nair!¡± Lilian¡¯s Dragonair cried in pain and scrambled to get away again. However, Nairy was relentless, immediately cutting her off again with an empowered tackle. Lilian gritted her teeth in frustration, and called for her own indiscriminate attack. ¡°Thunder!¡± She yelled, as a powerful surge of Electricity exploded from her Dragonair¡¯s body. The arena shook in response to the Blackthorn Dragon¡¯s unrelenting will, prompting Nina to put on her earplugs to protect herself against the booming thunderbolts raining down onto the arena. It was clear to Nina that Sapphire¡¯s overwhelming raw power had been boosted by her Evolution and buffed even further by Electric Terrain. In addition to the much finer control she was observing from Lilian¡¯s Dragon; the powerful Thunder being emitted by Sapphire was much more focused in its intensity as it continuously blasted into Nairy, singing and charring the scales of Nina¡¯s beloved partner. ¡°Nairy!¡± Nina cried out in a panic, her voice drowned out by the raging howls of the ongoing thunderstorm, barely holding back her tears while she desperately racked her brain for a way out of this predicament. ¡°Use Protect, Nairy! Double layer it if you can!¡± However, Nairy, still in the throes of Outrage, couldn¡¯t tell the difference between friend and foe, and was heedless of Nina¡¯s plea. Instead, he just kept throwing himself against Sapphire, only to be blasted back by the other Dragonair¡¯s Thunder, time and time again. The girl clenched her teeth in frustration. This was why Nina hated using this move; not only was it self-harming, but Nina could barely feel the deep connection that she usually shared with her soulmate. Like there was a river of rage separating the two and Nairy was drowning in its torrent. In the end, the accumulated damage overwhelmed Nairy so much that he was brought back to his senses. Only it was now too late for a counterattack, because Nina¡¯s Dragonair was floating listlessly in the water, looking haggard, burnt black and spasming in pain from the residual Electricity. Meanwhile, Sapphire looked bruised but imperious, very much the image of a Dragon from a regal clan of Dragon Tamers as she looked down on her opponent with bloodshot eyes full of determination, body crackling with Energy, seeming like she was ready for a fight to the death. Nina sighed and raised her hand to concede defeat. She was not a protagonist character like Justin and could not hope for a miracle comeback. And even if she did somehow manage to turn things around, the costs would be too great. Nina cared more about the safety and wellbeing of her Pokemon than some petty win. Lilian pumped her fist out in triumph at the decision and breathed in a sigh of relief. While Sapphire forcefully wrapped herself around Nairy, not to harm him, but to push her snout against Nairy¡¯s in a show of love and affection as she often saw humans do in the dramas that her partner liked to watch. *** Nina watched in amusement at the sight of her partner being smothered in one sided affection from Lilian¡¯s overbearing Dragonair. Sapphire had refused to leave Nairy¡¯s side even as he was being looked at by the Blackthorn clan¡¯s personal healers. Which led to a very awkward situation, since Nairy could not understand why his usually haughty and aggressive friend was now being so affectionate towards him. ¡°I¡¯ll explain Sapphire¡¯s feelings to Nairy later,¡± Nina began. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to force him into an unwilling relationship. Besides, we still want to go out and explore the wider world, so Nairy¡¯s not going to make for a very present parent.¡± She said. But Lilian simply shook her head in response. ¡°You need not worry, any egg borne of a Blackthorn Dragon is to stay within the clan. We are not to share our boon with outsiders. That is, unless¡­¡± Nina was taken aback as the Blackthorn girl suddenly invaded her space, bringing her face close enough to Nina¡¯s that she could feel Lilian¡¯s minty breath tickling at her lips. ¡°That is unless¡­ you wish to come into our clan¡¯s fold? Nina¡­?¡± The other girl said Nina¡¯s name in such a sensual manner as to make her blush red and gulp in nervousness, before breaking out into nervous laughter. ¡°Haha¡­ Ha¡­ That¡¯s funny, Lilian. I knew you had a sense of humour in there somewhere¡­¡± She responded, voice faltering at the seductive smirk that Lilian gave her in return. The Blackthorn girl¡¯s skin glistened under the lights of the arena, still wet from the earlier rainstorm as she ran her fingers through her slick back red hair and bore a feverish gaze into Nina. Lilian gently caressed Nina¡¯s cheeks, daintily running her thumb through Nina¡¯s lips to trace its outline before leaning in to whisper into her ears. ¡°You need only say the word, Nina¡­ And I shall make you my queen.¡± Nina pushed her friend away in fright and gestured towards their Pokemon. ¡°Haha¡­ Good one! Thanks for the offer, but erm¡­ I should probably go check on Nairy now ¡ª Yeah! That''s right! That Thunder did quite a number on him and I gotta make sure he¡¯s okay¡­ Smell ya later!¡± She exclaimed, before running off in a panic, heart pounding and cheeks flushed all the while. ¡°Fuck! Too soon puberty, too soon!¡± The gap in mental age was also a no go in Nina¡¯s book. *** S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Author''s note: I realize this might not be coming across clearly in the chapter. But Lilian is actually a junkie when it comes to trashy romance dramas. Basically, think about all those K-dramas and soap operas that the women in your life likes to watch, the girl is a sucker for those. And that final scene was just Lilian aping a moment from a show. I was going to write a slice of life chapter of Nina, Kerry and Lilian having a girl''s night out where Kerry and Lilian would go all crazy about their favorite shows and rewatch them on TV while the indifferent Nina hung out with the Pokemon in a corner. But that didn''t end up happening for some reason. But I did write it as a side story which will be released after the end of Part Two. Chapter 128 Author''s Note: A reminder that the release schedule for the upcoming week might be a little wonky due to my real life obligations. Also a reminder that my Patreon exist and that you can read ahead if you''re feeling impatient. Current progress is up to Chapter 142 and I''ll be doing daily chapters for that final stretch of Chapter 150-160 leading to the end of Part Two. *** Going through puberty with a fully matured mind was an interesting experience. Nina wondered if there was ever a genuine teenager who had experienced puberty while being fully cognizant of the fact? Perhaps a bonafide genius? But cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence were two different things. Most teenagers simply rode that particular wave in ignorance, and for the better as well. Sometimes it was good to just let things happen instead of worrying too much about appearances. A regular teen may struggle in confusion and awkwardness at all the changes they experience, but they do so without restraint. An impossibility for Nina, since she was fully aware of when she was acting strangely or if she was in the throes of a particularly bad moodswing. It was like she wasn¡¯t in control, her mind completely disconnected from her body. ¡°The last time that I felt like this was ages ago, when I died the first time and just became Nina.¡± Nina recalled that it took her nearly a year to regain full control of her faculties back then. Hopefully this time would be easier. The occasional acne and her rapidly developing figure aside, Nina found herself to be increasingly irritable these days. There were even times where she found it unreasonably difficult to get out of bed, and she had developed a preference for sleeping on the floor with Nairy for warmth and comfort. Her beloved partner had learned how to passively circulate Fire Type Energy while they slept purely for her sake. It really did wonders in soothing her crankiness. But no matter what she did, she simply could not shake the burdens of her physique. Back when she first came to this world, she had thought that she could get through this phase of her new life through sheer willpower and self control. That thought turned out to be a lie. She couldn¡¯t resist the lethargy that plagued her. And despite consciously being aware of her sensitive disposition, she found her baser nature commandeering the reins regardless, while she wallowed in helplessness, further compounding her foul mood. Lilian¡¯s behaviour from the other day was especially troubling to her. The girl¡¯s husky voice, warm breath and cool touch often plagued Nina¡¯s mind, despite her better judgement. She found herself consciously avoiding the Blackthorn girl in school these days, during the rare instances that she would attend. Nina had even taken to maintaining a healthy distance from Kerry-Anne, instead of being as physical with her friend as she used to. Not even allowing herself friendly hugs or shoulder pats to avoid accidentally doing anything weird. Nina knew what needed to be done. Her rational mind was cognizant that this was all just a physiological response, and that she didn¡¯t actually have any sort of tangible feelings towards the girls around her. Especially not with such a huge disparity in mental age. It was thankful then that she still didn¡¯t find boys to be attractive, especially given how brash and immature even the best of them tended to be in her age group. Otherwise, she risked being overwhelmed by all the confusion. The solution was simple. But the problem was, despite her intimate familiarity with the male anatomy from her past life, Nina hadn¡¯t exactly explored her new gender in that sort of way just yet. And in truth, her inner Miles was just uncomfortable with the idea. The two identities, past and present have largely melded together by this point. Miles was Nina and Nina was Miles. But it still didn¡¯t change the fact that an adult mind toying with a child¡¯s body remained an uncomfortable fact. The lack of privacy with all of Nina¡¯s Pokemon being around her all the time didn¡¯t help either. That said, her Pokemon were a great source of comfort in these trying times. Especially Nairy, who shared a deep and inexplicable bond with her, and Espy, whose empathic abilities could sense the struggles that Nina was dealing with. They each helped her to cope in one way or another; Nairy would always chime in with just the right amount of physical affection and silly shenanigans to cheer Nina up, while Espy would help wake Nina in the mornings with gentle prods to her mind whenever she was feeling lethargic. Her Pokemon even assisted with chores, and told Brucey and Sir Clodington off whenever one of them was being particularly annoying. All of which was greatly appreciated. The one silver lining in all of this was that Nina¡¯s menstrual cycle hadn¡¯t begun yet. Though it was only a matter of time. The girl had already done extensive research on the matter in preparation. Even seeking advice from her mother and grandmother in her usual fish-out-of-water transmigrator sort of way by grilling them with lots of hyper specific and pedantic questions. Way more so than what a girl her age would reasonably inquire about. But she wanted to be sure, weird looks be damned. This was something that she would have to deal with for the rest of her new life after all. And her adult mind meant that she could not bear the embarrassment of just fumbling her way through and figuring things out as she went. ¡°Nina, are you okay?¡± Nina found herself snapped out of her reverie by Kerry, who was peering up at her lowered head with a concerned look on her face. ¡°I err¡­ I¡¯m fine. Just thinking about¡­ stuff. Haha.¡± Nina laughed awkwardly as she blurted out her flimsy excuse to assuage her friend. Lilian was not present with them today, and after Justin left on his journey, it was mostly just the two girls having lunch together these days. Nina suppressed the bout of wistfulness she felt welling from her chest. She had to admit, it did feel lonely with just Kerry around, not that the girl was bad company or anything. It was just that the two of them weren¡¯t exactly the most proficient in banter. That role usually fell to Justin, who really helped to liven up their friend group with his rambunctiousness. The boy also served as the butt of their jokes a lot of the time with his careless behaviour and inconsiderate remarks. Without him around, things were just quieter. It really was funny how these things worked. When Justin was still around, Nina and Kerry would often complain about how annoying the boy was out of earshot. But now, the two girls found themselves inexplicably missing his absence. ¡°You¡¯ve been zoning out a lot lately, Nins. Are you feeling sick? It¡¯s not good to push yourself too hard you know? How about you come with me to the nurse¡¯s office later?¡± Kerry continued, her tone gentle but firm, filled with concern for her friend. Nina chuckled and dismissed her friend¡¯s worries with a wave. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I was just thinking¡­ Maybe it¡¯s time for me to go on my journey soon¡­¡± Kerry frowned at her friend¡¯s sudden declaration, feeling a bitter taste at the base of her tongue. ¡°What made you suddenly think that? Is it because of Justin?¡± She asked, trying hard to hide the sadness in her voice. A journey was a very personal matter after all, and it wasn¡¯t right for anyone to interfere with someone''s decision to embark on one. ¡°You told me before that you¡¯d wait until after your second year to journey out right?¡± The young Joy continued. Nina nodded. That was indeed the case. But if she was being honest, school life in the Pokemon world was a lot duller than she had initially anticipated. Outside of gym class and the Pokemon sciences, the rest of the subjects were pretty much in line with that of Miles¡¯s world, but in a slightly different flavor. Nina had expected to be challenged, or at least intrigued somewhat by trainer school. And while the facilities were nice, and she was thankful to have so many fortunate encounters during her time here, it was still falling short of her expectations. It was especially disappointing that she had to hold herself back from participating in some of the events that the school would hold from time to time ¡ª most of them being battle tournaments ¡ª since she was worried that it might be unfair to the other fledgeling trainers in her year. Of course, there were tournaments that weren¡¯t age-gated. But most of the time, she preferred to volunteer for behind the scenes work, often at the urging of Kerry who desired her company. Trainer school kids were too hyperactive for menial labour in most cases. It couldn¡¯t be helped then that she was starting to feel a little antsy at her stagnation. That incident a while back with the three Legendary Pokemons of Hoenn also served as a reminder to Nina that this wasn¡¯t some video game, and that the world would keep on spinning with or without her, further infusing her with an added sense of urgency. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can even do in the larger scope of things. But Mew must have given me this stupid rock for a reason¡­¡± Then there was the matter of Futaba¡¯s request, which Nina had almost forgotten at this point. She could only hope that the old lady was still hanging in there. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave right away. The new season has already started, and I did promise Principal Niko that I¡¯ll represent the school in the inter school meet this year.¡± Nina replied, after finally getting her mind in order. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s just something that I¡¯ve been considering lately. And no, it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Justin. I¡¯m just feeling a little impatient these days.¡± Nina¡¯s recent mood swings and wayward thoughts did not help matters either. If anything, they only serve to fuel this irrational sense of anxiety that she was struggling with. ¡°What about you, Kerry?¡± Nina asked in return. ¡°Are you going to stick with school all the way, or will you go out on a journey at some point?¡± Nina didn¡¯t even know if journeys were a thing with the Joy clan. She couldn¡¯t recall if she ever saw any of them participating in the Indigo Conference before. Kerry averted her gaze, unwilling to reveal the storm brewing inside of her. Even after a whole year of trainer school, she hadn¡¯t been able to make many friends outside of her lunch crew. The girl was simply too skeptical of the intentions of most of the kids who approached her. Nina had laughed at Kerry at one point, saying that most kids their age were too dumb to engage in subtle politicking, and that she shouldn¡¯t worry too much. But Kerry was still wary, she couldn¡¯t claim to be as insightful as her inordinately mature friend. ¡°I¡¯ll go on my journey at some point, there¡¯s no customs or rules against it,¡± Kerry responded. ¡°I just want to wait for Polly to evolve first before going. Journeying without a battler is considerably dangerous.¡± Nina hummed in consideration. ¡°Poliwags evolve fairly quickly so that shouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. Outside of that¡­ You could come with me, you know? If you don¡¯t mind going through the Gym circuit that is.¡± Travelling alone was awfully dull, and having an apprentice nurse around was convenient in many ways. Kerry lit up at the proposal. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t mind me tagging along?¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°Yup! You¡¯re an apprentice nurse, so it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be deadweight or anything,¡± assured the girl. ¡°But I do have to warn you, I might take a lot of detours to explore places. So we¡¯ll probably end up spending a lot of time away from civilization.¡± The young Joy shook her head in indifference. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I think I prefer to go out and see more of the world instead of going from city to city anyway.¡± There would be plenty of time for civilization when Kerry eventually became a full time nurse. If anything, it¡¯d be hard for her to step away from work once she started, so this was the only time where she could journey around freely like this. Nina let out a joyful cheer. ¡°Yay! That¡¯s settled then ¡ª we¡¯ll set off after summer break. In the meantime, let¡¯s aim to evolve Polly and find you a third Pokemon.¡± A year and a half should be more than enough time for Nina to complete her Gym circuit and compete well enough in the conference. There was still a much wider world out there waiting for her to explore, so no point dallying. Kerry cheered as well. Feeling ecstatic at the prospect of going on a journey with a friend ¡ª a lifelong dream of hers. In all honesty, the young Joy was beginning to lose hope after realizing how abysmal her social skills were. She felt glad that she made the decision to sit next to Nina during the start of school. The intimidating young Gym Trainer had inadvertently acted as a bulwark to shield her against some of their more frivolous classmates. Even helping to filter out the sincerity of some of the other kids that she did end up befriending through the course of her various volunteer work. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a small tournament next week being hosted by one of the teachers. Do you think I should join?¡± Kerry asked, feeling impatient to get started on one of the goals that Nina set out for her. The other girl laughed at her eagerness and gave her a gentle pat on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­ For now, let¡¯s get at least one proper battle under your belt first.¡± Polly engaged in casual spars on occasion, but she had not participated in a proper battle just yet. ¡°It just so happens, Sir Clodington needs some battle experience as well ¡ª under proper League rules and not brawls in the wild.¡± Nina continued as they spent the rest of their lunch break talking about all the various locations that they wanted to visit during their travels. Chapter 129 Author''s Note: Double chapter release to celebrate Scribble Hub reaching 100k views!!! I''ll be honest with you guys, I actually wasn''t planning on posting today due to aforementioned reasons. However, it seemed unfair to celebrate a milestone on RR but not here on SH. That said, I likely won''t be online and looking at any comments today. So I''ll thank you now in advance for any kind comments that you leave down below. Also, next chapter release will likely be on Sunday. But things should ease off after that and go back to normal, hopefully. *** Nina cheered as she watched Kerry send out her Poliwag against an opponent Machop. The girl was actually quite the proficient battler, not by virtue of raw talent like Justin, but through sheer persistence and hard work. The young Joy had been following the training regime that Nina previously set out for her like a religious doctrine. Which resulted in her Poliwag becoming quite strong by the standards of her species. As evident by the powerful Hydro Pump that Polly just unleashed upon her opponent. Honestly, Polly was probably ready for Evolution. The tadpole Pokemon grew at an incredibly fast rate. But after hearing Nina espouse some of Bill¡¯s theories on Pokemon Evolution, Kerry decided that she wanted to further shore up her Poliwag¡¯s fundamentals a little before moving on to the next phase. Preferably, Kerry wanted a few more wins under her belt before evolving Polly, which was one of the primary reasons why she took part in this casual tournament. These sorts of friendly competition was common all throughout the Vermilion Flame. The school encouraged it as a form of extra-curricular activity and it served as an effective avenue for students to step out of their circle and engage their other peers in battle. For the first time since she enrolled, Nina joined in on one of these tournaments with Brucey and Sir Clodington in tow. Children developed at an astounding pace, and by this point, most of her classmates were more than capable of giving her a challenge. So long as she didn¡¯t break out Nairy or Espy. Those two were still very powerful, even by wider standards. In fact, Nina had already been challenged several times since the start of the new school year, and Brucey had lost almost as much as he won, leading to a very sulky Golbat. Much to Nairy and Sir Clodington¡¯s chagrin, since Brucey used pranks as an outlet for his frustrations. Even Nina wasn¡¯t unscathed, finding her shoes hanging from the balcony one day, and grabbing a bite from her snack drawer, only to find that the contents were swapped out for Pokechow. It also didn¡¯t help that her Golbat was making very slow progress in learning Kage Bunshin. He¡¯d been stuck at only ten clones for months now, and his finer control wasn¡¯t improving in any way. So Nina decided to pivot. Learning Kage Bunshin would still be a long term goal of theirs, but for now, she was having Brucey focus more on his sound based attacks and his Poison which they had been underutilizing up to this point. She also began training Brucey on Confuse Ray since it was more efficient than Supersonic at causing Confusion, albeit less subtle. The hope was that combining the use of the two moves would make their harassment strategy more foolproof. Nina was working really hard to shore up Brucey¡¯s weaknesses. She planned on evolving him into a Crobat primarily through battles after all. But although they had a good understanding of each other¡¯s intent by now, she was still struggling with Brucey to form that invisible bond she shared with Nairy. It was hard to describe, but basically, Nina could largely extrapolate Brucey¡¯s intent through observing his actions in battle, but she couldn¡¯t feel it the same way that she could feel Nairy. This missing link irked her to no end, since she felt that it was an important aspect of Friendship Evolution, something that Professor Oak actually agreed with when she consulted him about it. And speaking of Professor Oak, there was also the matter of Brucey¡¯s emotional development ¡ª something which couldn¡¯t really be rushed. It was especially difficult without any established precedence, since Nina had to figure out her own methods as she went along. That said, the good Professor had been very helpful with all his subtle hints and recommended resources on Pokemon Psychology. ¡°Kukuku¡­¡± Nina reached out to caress the Golbat perched on her side to calm him down. She recognized that glint in Brucey¡¯s eyes, it was the same look he had every time he was feeling mischievous. In particular, he was eyeing the very obvious toupee her teacher was wearing as he refereed the ongoing match. It was likely that Brucey was feeling antsy at the lack of action. ¡°It¡¯ll be your turn soon, Brucey. Just take it easy alright, we¡¯re looking to learn and improve, not win all the time.¡± The girl assuaged. Nina cheered out once more as Kerry¡¯s Poliwag tripped Machop with a Tail Whip and finished the match with a Body Slam. All the while, she kept a hand on Brucey to prevent him from flying off to do something that could get both of them in trouble. *** Nina palmed the two Pokeball in her hands like stress balls, rotating them around and around in a rhythmic manner as she stepped onto the arena. Her opponent was a boy in the same year as her. With a sleight of hand, Nina hid her Pokeballs behind her back and expanded one of them out of sight. The girl¡¯s Pokeballs were distinctive and most of her peers recognized them by this point. Any student worth their salt would have done their research before stepping into the arena, a habit that the Vermilion Flame made sure to instill into their students early on. Nina¡¯s opponent frowned at the subterfuge before expanding his own bog standard Pokeball. This was all part of the pre-battle mind games that was standard in more equal settings, which was exactly what Nina wanted at the moment. The moment that the referee signaled for the start of the match, Nina tossed out her Pokeball to reveal¡­ ¡°Woop!¡± A dark colored Paldean Wooper wearing a Dragon Scale earring took to the field with a determined look on his face, eager to impress his ¡®liege¡¯ who was watching on the bleachers with Espy and Kerry. His opponent was a Hitmonlee who emerged with a spirited cry and a flurry of blows to the air. Nina held back her frown. This match was convenient and inconvenient at the same time. The upside being it would be pretty straightforward, and Sir Clodington wouldn¡¯t have to deal with any environmental hazards or complicated setups ¡ª ideal for a new Pokemon still lacking in experience. The downside was that his opponent was a fully evolved Pokemon, which implied a certain disparity in strength. However, there was no room for hesitation as the Fighting Type exploded into action right away without any input from its trainer, further indicating how well trained this Hitmonlee was. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sink, Clody!¡± Nina commanded in haste. There was no way that the derpy Sir Clodington could match up to his opponent¡¯s speed, so the Wooper needed to make up for the difference with his signature maneuver. ¡°Woop!¡± The Wooper slammed his tail into the ground, causing it to undulate and soften, but couldn¡¯t sink fast enough before he got hit with a Low Kick from the Hitmonlee. ¡°Wooper!¡± Sir Clodington cried out in pain as he was sent tumbling, but his actions weren¡¯t in vain as the Hitmonlee now found that its footing was compromised by the softened ground, one of his legs swallowed by the swampy earth. ¡°Get out of there, Jackie!¡± Nina¡¯s opponent cried, eliciting an involuntary snort from the girl. ¡°Really? Naming a Hitmonlee Jackie?¡± She was well aware that this was a different world and the people here didn¡¯t get the reference, but it didn¡¯t make it any less funny to her. ¡°Snap out of it, Sir Clodington! Take the time to sink into the ground. Remember, Nairy¡¯s watching.¡± Nina urged. The mention of the Dragonair motivated the Wooper enough to grit through the pain and force himself up, once again repeating the motion of slamming his tail on the ground to soften it before steadily sinking in. ¡°I should probably train him out of doing that to trigger his special Dig.¡± From what Nina could tell, the act of tail slamming was purely habit on Sir Clodington¡¯s part, a visualization aid as opposed to a prerequisite. So long as the Wooper was in contact with the ground, he should logically be able to manipulate the Ground Type Energy necessary for that move. Meanwhile, the ¡®swampy¡¯ ground that had trapped Hitmonlee was merely transient without Sir Clodington around to maintain it, so it quickly solidified and allowed the Fighting Type to crush the ground and force its feet out with an aggressive huff. But by that point, it was too late to stop Sir Clodington who was now freely ¡®swimming¡¯ around the arena. Nina had found out that her Wooper couldn¡¯t maintain his landshark mode for too long, a shortcoming that she was planning to address down the line. ¡°I should go get a Sandstorm TM from Johnny as well.¡± It would help to further compound the elusiveness of her Wooper. ¡°Alright, Clody. Time to set up, like we discussed last time.¡± The Wooper cried out in affirmative and began spraying Poisonous liquid everywhere, which solidified into tiny little Toxic Spikes in the air to lightly coat the arena. Nina was uncaring about the indiscriminate sabotage since Sir Clodington was unaffected by his own Poison and Brucey could fly. Nina¡¯s opponent scowled in annoyance and ordered his Hitmonlee to ¡°Catch up to that squirt and kick its ass!¡± Hitmonlee frowned and flexed its body, seemingly contracting and expanding its muscles in a violent fashion as it used Bulk Up to empower itself. ¡°Lee!¡± The Pokemon let out a determined cry as it sprinted through the prickly Toxic Spikes, completely unheeding of its Poisoned state. ¡°Mud Shot at Hitmonlee¡¯s legs, Clody. Let¡¯s not make this easy on him.¡± The muddy projectiles will not only serve to weaken the kicking Pokemon, but also taint the ground and make it harder for Hitmonlee to establish proper footwork. And as all martial artists would say, footwork and poise was key to delivering a powerful blow. The boy, whose name Nina completely missed earlier, frowned and told his Pokemon to forgo running and jump instead. Nina held back a curse, having neglected what formidable jumpers the species was. As evident by the Hitmonlee¡¯s springlike limbs, which it compressed before propelling itself into the air. ¡°Dive deeper, Clody. Don¡¯t let it reach you.¡± Sir Clodington complied by burrowing headfirst into the ground, but was too slow to submerge completely before getting kicked in the bum by Hitmonlee. The damage had been done, but it also helped to force the Wooper deeper underground, even trapping Hitmonlee¡¯s foot once more. Nina was compelled to tell her Pokemon to take the chance to retaliate, but knew that Sir Clodington couldn¡¯t hear her while underground ¡ª another shortcoming that would need to be addressed in the future. So she could only hope that the battle savvy Wooper would be smart enough to follow up. Which he was, by leaping out of the fluid ground and slapping Hitmonlee with a Poison Tail. ¡°Poison Jab! Don¡¯t let up!¡± On the way down, Sir Clodington deftly coated his ear fins with Poison Type Energy and scratched Hitmonlee¡¯s wide torso. But not for free, since the Fighting Type gave up its struggle to free itself and opted to slam a knee into the descending Wooper instead. Sir Clodington was sent flying, and for a moment there, Nina worried that her Wooper would faint as he struggled to force himself up. But a cry of concern from Nairy in the audience reinvigorated the poison fish Pokemon¡¯s determination, prompting him to rise once more with a loud ¡°Woop!¡± ¡°Try to sink back into the ground and focus on keeping your distance, Clody. Do not engage!¡± Nina¡¯s plan was to keep stalling and wear the Hitmonlee out in due time. Sir Clodington fought through his exhaustion and complied weakly, but didn¡¯t manage to get far before a violent Double Kick from his opponent knocked him out. Nina let out a wry smile and returned Sir Clodington while whispering words of encouragement into his Pokeball. ¡°You did good, Hitmonlee is on its last legs. A little more and you would have had it¡­¡± She murmured as she sent Brucey out to finish the job. In the end, Nina did manage to beat the boy and the Machoke that he sent out afterwards. But proceeded to lose the subsequent match with a Rock Type specialist. Sir Clodington and his Poison didn¡¯t manage to faze the sturdy Rock Pokemon very much, and Brucey only managed to take out a fledgeling Geodude before being defeated by its senior Graveler with a well-timed Rock Blast. Nina didn¡¯t mind the loss since she hadn''t expected to win anyway. She only joined for the learning experience. However, she did regret the losing streak she had inadvertently inflicted on Sir Clodington. The girl was hoping for at least one win for the Wooper, which didn¡¯t end up happening. Chapter 130 Author''s note: Reminder that Chapter 130 was released with Ch 129. So go back and read that if you accidentally skipped ahead. *** ¡°Okay, you two. Do you understand the importance of working together now?¡± After their most recent loss, Nina booked a training room and lined up both her newest additions in front of her. ¡°We¡¯re called a team for a reason. You might not be fighting on the field at the same time, but it¡¯s important that you set up for the one that comes after you.¡± A well honed team of Pokemon would know to automatically set up for their successor whenever they were on the verge of fainting, even without trainer input. Beverly¡¯s Pokemon were a good example of this. Nina turned to Sir Clodington. ¡°Especially you, Clody. I know you don¡¯t get along with Brucey but it¡¯s imperative that you work together with him as a fellow brother in arms. I shouldn¡¯t need to tell you to Poison your opponents whenever you get the chance.¡± None of what Nina said was the crux of the duo¡¯s defeat, but she still wanted to take advantage of their introspective mood to iron out their relationship a little. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But before any of that, we¡¯ll need to work on your fundamentals. Starting with you Clody¡­¡± Nina explained that Sir Clodington needed to stop telegraphing his Dig, it was a waste of valuable time in battle, especially given how slow he was in sinking to the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll also need to work on your endurance and Type Energy capacity, but there¡¯s no way to rush that, just plain hard work.¡± The girl then turned to her Golbat. ¡°Brucey, I know you¡¯ve been trying hard. But I can¡¯t help but feel that you¡¯ve been very impatient as of late. That final Rock Blast shouldn¡¯t have hit you if you didn¡¯t rush in like that. I know we don¡¯t have a big finisher for you just yet, which is all the more reason why you should stick to what you¡¯re good at until we do.¡± Harassment tactics required a lot of time and patience to pay off, a fact that Brucey, as a natural prankster, should be well aware of. Both Pokemon grumbled in acknowledgement. It was a good thing that Sir Clodington had a stubborn and unyielding will, so a couple of losses wouldn¡¯t deter him just yet. Nina gave them both an encouraging smile and clapped her hands together to pep everyone up. ¡°Alright, Brucey, you¡¯re working with Espy today on your Quick Guard and Confuse Ray. You¡¯ll notice that Supersonic isn¡¯t as effective as it used to be for these well trained VF kids, so we need to get your Confuse Ray to the same level of efficiency. Quick Guard will help to shore up your lacking defenses. Doesn¡¯t matter how quick your opponents are if they can¡¯t get through to you, and Espy is an expert with parries and guards so pay attention to her.¡± The girl instructed. ¡°And Sir Clodington,¡± continued Nina. ¡°You, me and Nairy will work on upping your stamina. After that I want you to experiment with Sludge Wave and potentially Muddy Water.¡± Muddy Water wasn¡¯t a move that Paldean Woopers could learn naturally, but they could harness Water Type Energy and they were inherently Ground Type. So Nina was hoping that her Water proficient Dragonair could help facilitate matters, with the eventual goal of combining both Sludge Wave and Muddy Water to create a custom move ¡ª Swampy Terrain. It would be quite a difficult feat given the complexity of both moves, but Nairy was also an expert in combination moves so it didn¡¯t hurt to try. And with that, they set about a very intense training session, with both the focal Pokemon more motivated than ever to improve themselves. Nina would have to further educate Sir Clodington on teamwork as well, but shoring up his fundamentals took precedence. *** ¡°Impressive work.¡± A series of claps caused Nina to jolt in surprise at the end of her Pokemon training session. She turned around to see the figure of Lilian Blackthorn standing by the entrance. ¡°Lilian! Hi! Erm¡­ Did you want to use this room? Sorry, I¡¯ll get out of the way.¡± Nina moved to return her Pokemon only to be stopped by a firm grasp of Lilian¡¯s hand. ¡°Melina Jones, Nina! Please¡­ I¡­¡± Lilian faltered and let go of the girl before averting her gaze in an uncharacteristically meek fashion. ¡°I had a talk with Alfred, and he pointed out the error of my ways.¡± The boyish girl took in a deep breath and refocused her eyes on Nina with a steady gaze. ¡°I came here today to apologize for my conduct the other day. I¡­ might have gone too far in jest. Please, forgive me.¡± The normally regal Blackthorn girl lowered her head in remorse towards Nina, causing the girl to fluster and panic. ¡°Please, no.¡± Nina urged her friend to raise her head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive ¡ª I might have overreacted as well. Joking¡­ that¡¯s right, you were joking! Of course you were! I¡¯m the one at fault for taking things too seriously.¡± There was no way that aristocracy like Lilian would take a romantic interest in a plebian like Nina. ¡°Of course not, duh! Stupid hormones! Stupid puberty!¡± Nina inwardly chided herself. In response to Nina self-deprecation, Lilian gave a firm shake of her head. ¡°No, the fault lies with me. I am, as you are well aware, not privy to the finer subtleties of casual socialization. Especially among¡­ friends.¡± Lilian¡¯s eyes softened and began to waver. ¡°We still are right¡­ friends?¡± Nina chuckled and let out a warm smile at the awkward girl in front of her. ¡°Of course we are, you silly Psyduck. Friends forever.¡± The girl extended a hand to Lilian, which the other girl firmly clasped with a shake. They stood grinning at each other before letting go as Lilian cleared her throat and straightened her posture. ¡°I do have other matters to discuss, if you would be so kind as to lend me your time?¡± said the Blackthorn, to which Nina readily agreed. ¡°Of course, do you mind if I settle my Pokemon first, or is this urgent?¡± Lilian shook her head and told Nina to take her time. Nina nodded. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not in a rush, we can also head to the cafeteria for a quick meal as well. My Pokemon are probably feeling peckish after that workout.¡± Lilian seemed to hesitate at the proposal as she instinctively reached towards her pocket, presumably to check her schedule, but then thought better of it and returned to Nina with; ¡°I¡¯d love to share a meal with you Nina. As friends, of course!¡± She added hastily. Nina laughed and gave the socially awkward girl a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ¡°No worries, lemme just address my Pokemon and we can head off.¡± *** ¡°Will you be taking part in this year¡¯s inter-school meet?¡± Lilian began as the two girls settled down on their usual spot in the inner courtyard. It was close to evening by this point, so there was an almost warm ethereal glow to the dim twilight passing through the ancient oak tree under which the pair sat. Second year students of the Vermilion Flame didn¡¯t have as many classes in the main castle campus anymore. More often than not, they would be required to be in one of the satellite buildings to make use of the more advanced facilities and make room for the new batch of first years. But Nina and her gang still preferred coming to the inner courtyard to eat lunch, as opposed to the more spacious detached cafeteria building where Pokemon below medium sizes were allowed out of their Pokeball. Nina nodded as she unboxed her bentos one by one. ¡°Yup, Principal Niko already approached me about it during the start of the school year, probably didn¡¯t want to risk me getting engaged in something else during that time.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Lilian continued. ¡°Well it just so happens that I have been invited as a guest of honor as well.¡± The coalition of Kantonian schools invited the Blackthorn girl last year too, but she was preoccupied with clan matters at the time and could not attend. ¡°And so I was wondering if you would like to stay in my family¡¯s villa during that time? Kerry-Anne Joy is invited as well of course, should she choose to come along.¡± Nina hummed in consideration. ¡°I think Kerry mentioned something about tagging along as a volunteer, but I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯ll have to ask her next time. As for me¡­¡± The girl was unsure if she wanted to stick with the presumably luxurious villa or stay with her other classmates in the school-prepared hotel just to socialize a bit. As if sensing her dilemma, Lilian moved to assuage her friend¡¯s doubts before she even voiced them. ¡°The villa is attached to the school¡¯s nature preserve in the outskirts of the city and is actually fairly close to the Verdant Orchid, where the event will be held.¡± There were many schools vying for the honor of hosting the inter-school meet, but unfortunately, not all of them had the space or resources to do so. Which meant that the Verdant Orchid, with its more open architecture, abundance of real estate, and dedicated nature reserve, was chosen more often than not. ¡°Additionally, to my knowledge, the traditional inn which all the schools plan to stay in is also within the vicinity.¡± Lilian added. ¡°In fact, the inn imports hot spring water from neighbouring Johto, of which we also may partake in through an interconnected pipe.¡± Nina lit up at the prospect of a private hot spring. ¡°Indoors or outdoors?¡± She exclaimed. Lilian chuckled in amusement. ¡°Both. The bathing area has a partially open design that will allow you to admire the starry night sky should you desire.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Nina eagerly agreed to the invitation. *** ¡°Do you have really basic Sandstorm TMs?¡± ¡°That depends¡­¡± Nina raised an eyebrow at Johnny. ¡°On?¡± ¡°Whether or not you¡¯re one of those assholes who throws away the case and immediately puts the TM in one of those disc towers.¡± The TM shop owner replied, with a great deal of indignation. Nina laughed. ¡°Lemme guess? Someone did that right in front of you?¡± ¡°The balls on that motherfucker!¡± Johnny exclaimed, looking more sober with rage than Nina had ever seen him, eliciting more laughter from the girl. ¡°Cheer up, just ban them from the store and be done with it. Besides, you know me well enough by this point that you know I won¡¯t do something as crass as that.¡± Collecting all the colourful and artsy cases was half the fun in owning physical media as far as Nina was concerned. Johnny nodded in approval. ¡°Sandstorm pile is right there.¡± The man pointed. ¡°What Pokemon are you looking to teach?¡± ¡°A Paldean Wooper.¡± Nina replied. Sir Clodington was in his Pokeball at the moment, since the derpy brown blob didn¡¯t particularly like being out in the sun. ¡°A rare little bugger.¡± Johnny hummed in consideration. ¡°Get one from a Diglett, there should be heaps of them available.¡± The stoner then took out his inhaler for a hit to cool his temper. ¡°Oh yeah¡­ That¡¯s the stuff¡­¡± He moaned. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m not short on Sandstorm so if you buy another one, I¡¯ll give you 50% off on it.¡± Nina chuckled. ¡°You just want to get rid of your old and unpopular stock.¡± Sandstorm was a really unpopular move among conventional trainers ¡ª too messy and got in the way of proper communication. But that was exactly why it was advantageous for well trained Pokemon. Nina thanked the man and proceeded to browse the store¡¯s selection. All the while thinking about which second TM to get. Sir Clodington¡¯s training over the past few weeks had been going really well, thanks to the Wooper¡¯s iron will and unrelenting tolerance for punishment. In fact, Nina had trouble telling the overly zealous knight to stop and rest sometimes. It was a good thing that Nairy was around to intervene when needed. Just as Nina had anticipated, the Paldean Wooper and his abundant control over Ground Type Energy meant he was quick to pick up Earthquake. They had yet to reach a point where the nascent move could affect the entire arena, but it was only a matter of time. Sir Clodington¡¯s stamina was steadily increasing as well, albeit at a much slower pace than the overachieving Wooper would prefer. But this has always been the case with endurance training. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe I should get Sludge Wave?¡± Nina considered. She found that Sir Clodington¡¯s excellence in Ground Type control was balanced by his inefficient Poison Type manipulation. So although Paldean Woopers could learn Sludge Wave naturally, progress on that front was stalling. Nina shook her head to dismiss that notion. ¡°Nah, Brucey managed to get the hang of Sludge Bomb. With Espy¡¯s help, we can probably import it over to Clody and have him appropriate it for his own use. But speaking of Brucey¡­¡± Nina looked over to the pile of TMs specific to Flying types and hummed in consideration. ¡°We do need a big finisher for him.¡± So in the end, Nina bought a Sandstorm with only a handful of uses left, which was fine because she had Espy. As well as Brave Bird and Steel Wing, which were ludicrously expensive. The former, in particular, cost the miserly girl three thousand whole Pokedollars. Nina sighed at her impatience and lack of foresight. ¡°I should have asked Martha for help instead.¡± She mused, referring to her uncle¡¯s Corviknight. *** Public Service Announcement: Before you click off, just a quick PSA. I just found out that "Into the Unown" has started to show up on pirate sites. More specifically the one that rhymes with trash bin. Now before you pick up your pitch forks, I''d just like to say that I don''t actually mind. In fact, it''s kind of a strange honor in a way since my understanding is that only novels above a certain size gets scrapped into these websites. >.<; The most important part is that I''m not incurring any financial loss from this since the advanced released chapters aren''t available in those sites. My little story could hardly compare to a behemoth like Shadow Slave after all. That said! Please be aware that "Into the Unown" is only being officially posted on Scribble Hub, Royal Road and Patreon. If you find this story anywhere else then know that the one posting isn''t me and avoid engaging. Honestly, I don''t even know why you would go out of your way to read this story in a subpar platform that butchers the formatting of every post anyway. Since the story is available for free on RR and SH. I say this because G3, the author of Shadow Slave has been encountering an issue where these pirates are running his chapters through AI to modify the content before posting. I don''t know why they''re doing that, I could only speculate. And I doubt they''ll do the same with my story, but I just want you all to be aware in case that does happen and my words get misrepresented. That''s the one thing that I hate the most by the way, I hate it when people twist my words and misrepresent my intent. And that''s basically it. Another reminder that next chapter will be on Sunday. Chapter 131 Author''s Note: I completely neglected the fact that today was Good Friday. Anyways, Happy Easter for anyone that celebrates it. I don''t have any chocolates to give so here''s a chapter release. *** A gentle spring breeze rustled Nina¡¯s hair, carrying with it the scent of grass and dew. The girl held a finger down to maintain the capriciously fluttering page of the book she was reading while she gazed out at the field of wildflowers in the Vermilion Flame¡¯s garden. A gentle smile bloomed on Nina¡¯s face as she caught sight of her Pokemon playing with some of the Grass Types that other students released onto the field. The only exception was Espy, who preferred to lay by her human¡¯s side. ¡°Nina! Nina! Guess what?¡± Nina pried her eyes away from the textbook she was studying to look up at her eager, pink-haired friend. ¡°What?¡± said the girl in return. Kerry¡¯s grin deepened and morphed into a haughty smirk. ¡°You know how you sometimes talk about wanting a Shinx?¡± ¡°Uh-huh?¡± ¡°Guess who just got permission to catch one~?¡± said the smug girl, in a cheerful, melodic tone. Nina gaped in stunned silence, before bursting out in surprise. ¡°What? How? That¡¯s not fair, I wanted a Shinx too!¡± Not that she could catch one at the moment, but it was one of the Pokemon on her list. Kerry continued on with her smug tone. ¡°Heh. I had my mom pull some strings for me. Not even Surge could resist a senior Joy!¡± She bragged as she produced a capture permit for Nina¡¯s perusal. ¡°Aww man¡­¡± Nina whined, but quickly broke out into a genuine smile to congratulate her friend. ¡°But congrats, it¡¯s about time you got your third Pokemon. Do you want any help or are you planning to do this solo?¡± Nina might not be able to capture a Shinx, but nothing¡¯s stopping her from tagging along to play with the cute little lion cubs! Kerry laughed at her friend¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°I knew you¡¯d want to come along, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Wanna go play with some baby Shinx with me this weekend?¡± Nina nodded vigorously in agreement. Given that the local Rangers had designated the Shinx pride as a protected species, not a lot of people knew where their location was. There were sightings from time to time, but it was all hearsay with little substance. So this was a rare opportunity to interact with the pride without getting in trouble with the authorities. ¡°The only thing is that the Rangers assigned a guide to keep an eye on us.¡± Kerry continued. ¡°But it¡¯s someone I know and he¡¯s actually a great guy, so don¡¯t worry about him being a wet blanket or anything.¡± Nina replied in understanding. ¡°Yeah, no worries. I can see where the Rangers are coming from. And any friend of yours is a friend of mine too. Is there anything else I need to prepare?¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯ll just be a quick day trip. Just bring loads and loads of Berries for the Shinxes.¡± Kerry also mentioned that any meat products were welcomed too, but not strictly necessary. That last part was mostly said for the benefit of the pescetarian Nina, since the young Joy didn¡¯t want to force her friend to do anything that might make her uncomfortable. And with that, their plans for the weekend were settled. *** ¡°Hey, Ohm! Thanks for guiding us today!¡± The guy that Kerry greeted was a boy in his late teens, with a look that seemed oddly familiar to Nina; mid fade, spiky blonde hair, well built figure dressed in full camo Ranger garb, with chiseled caucasian features and a sharp nose. ¡°No worries,¡± said their guide. ¡°Anything for little Kerry.¡± He added as he reached out to give Kerry a gentle pat on the head, like that of an older sibling. But Kerry seemed to shrink a little and blush at the contact while giving the guy a doe-eyed look. Nina raised an eyebrow at her friend as if to say; ¡°Really, that¡¯s your type?¡± Her friend must have read her perfectly because Kerry puffed her cheeks up in defiance and glared at her. ¡°You must be Kerry¡¯s friend? I¡¯m Ohm, nice to meet you.¡± The Ranger said as he extended a hand to Nina, which the girl reciprocated with a firm shake. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nina. Thanks for guiding us today.¡± Nina replied. ¡°And say, you look familiar. Have we met before?¡± Ohm let out a wry smile at Nina¡¯s probing. ¡°Nope, but Kerry tells me you¡¯re from the Cerulean Gym, so you probably know my dad, Lieutenant Surge?¡± Nina¡¯s mouth gaped in realization, thinking that the family resemblance was uncanny. The boy did indeed look like a younger Surge, except with a much more amicable face than the perpetually cocky grin of his father. The girl laughed awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, you must get that a lot huh?¡± She said, sheepishly. But inside she was thinking; ¡°Really, Surge? You named your kid Ohm? What kind of name is that?!¡± Ohm chuckled and just waved off her concern. ¡°Tell me about it. Anyways, the place we¡¯re going to is quite a ways from here, do any of you have a Rider or a Flyer?¡± Both girls shook their heads in response. ¡°No worries, both of you are small enough that you can probably all ride with me.¡± He said as he threw out a Pokeball to unveil an imposing looking Manectric. Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the Pokemon before here. ¡°Is this a Manectric with the giant¡¯s gene?¡± She asked. The last Manectric she encountered was Lucy¡¯s, but Ohm¡¯s Manectric was almost double the size and could fit all three of them on its back easily. Ohm smiled and reached up to caress his partner¡¯s snout. ¡°Yup, Thor here is a Coming of Age gift from my dad. Apparently he got the egg from an auction, but I didn¡¯t care to learn the details.¡± The boy¡¯s smile faltered somewhat at the mention of an auction. Nina presumed that as a Ranger, he probably disapproved of such practice. A sentiment that the girl was inclined to agree with. ¡°Have you tried tracking down his mother?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I doubt there¡¯s many Manectrics out there with the giant¡¯s gene.¡± Ohm shook his head in denial. ¡°Be that as it may, a giant isn¡¯t guaranteed to give birth to other giants and vice versa.¡± Meaning, there was no guarantee that Thor¡¯s parents had gigantism either. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like it¡¯ll matter after so many years. I doubt Thor¡¯s parents would even recognize him.¡± He continued, with a tinge of melancholy in his voice. Nina nodded in understanding and reached out to brush her hands against the Manectric as well. The Electric wolf¡¯s fur had an almost coarse, bristle-like texture to it, and if Nina was less careful about her touch, the added friction was liable to incite strong sparks of electricity and shock her. In the meantime, Ohm had taken out a supersized saddle and hoisted it on top of his Manectric before inviting the girls to climb aboard. Nina, being the good wingwoman that she was, got up first and sat at the very front, that way Kerry would be sandwiched between her and Ohm. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Kerr.¡± The mischievous girl gave her blushing friend a cheeky smirk. ¡°Hold on tight, this might get a little rough.¡± Ohm firmly placed both of Nina¡¯s hands on a little nub at the front of the saddle, while the Ranger himself held on to the edge of the leather, with a red-faced Kerry secured tightly between them. Before Nina could quip about how rough it could get, the Manectric burst forth in a stream of light, not even giving the girls a chance to scream. *** Nina groaned and begrudgingly picked at all the leaves, sticks and debris that had stuck to her hair. The journey over was rough, as Ohm warned. It was all a blur to Nina, due to the ludicrous speed that Thor was running at. All she knew was that at some point, the Manectric had left the main route and was barreling through bushes and jumping above tree tops. Neither Nina nor Kerry could even scream in the midst of that high speed roller coaster ride amidst their tightly clenched teeth ¡°Haha! Told you!¡± Ohm laughed exuberantly, earning him a glare from Nina. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl suspected that his action was a deliberate attempt to obscure their way to the Shinx pride, that way the girls could not retrace their steps. ¡°I mean surely it¡¯s not because he¡¯s just an inconsiderate speedster right? Surely not. Surely, he just overlooked the fact that we can just check our Pokedexes to track our location. Yup, let¡¯s go with that. Silly Ohm.¡± Ohm had to help Nina dismount from his Manectric because she was frozen from fear. Kerry was absolutely fine since her thoughts were preoccupied with other matters during the ride over. It also helped that Nina was in front of her to block the worst of the debris. ¡°You could have given more of a warning!¡± Nina chided as she got off the Manectric. ¡°That way I could have wrapped me and Kerry¡¯s head up before we zoomed off.¡± Ohm let out a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± He murmured. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m alright. And that was really exhilarating.¡± Kerry said, earning her a wild eyed glare from Nina. Combined with her disheveled and dirtied hair, Kerry¡¯s friend looked like she had just gone through a particularly rough trek in the forest. Kerry, feeling a little guilty about her earlier remark, offered to help Nina tidy up before they continued walking the rest of the way. Ohm didn¡¯t want to intrude too abruptly and alarm the Luxray guarding his pride, so he only brought them to the periphery of their territory. It was also for this same reason that he recalled his gargantuan Manectric and summoned a Raichu in his stead. ¡°Raichu will guide us. But be on alert, okay? The two of you should stick together and stay a few steps behind me.¡± Ohm instructed as he wade through the untamed forest. ¡°Should I release one of my Pokemon as well?¡± Nina asked, Espy would be ideal in this scenario. But Ohm simply shook his head in response. ¡°No, we want to avoid alarming them, so best we don¡¯t mix in any unfamiliar Pokemon for now.¡± He said, to which Nina nodded in understanding and got close to Kerry like she was told. Her friend wanted to hold hands, but was denied because Nina worried that she might need both her hands free in an emergency. One of those hands was constantly hovering above her Pokeballs in preparation. They continued on, but surprisingly, Ohm was not opposed to chatting, despite his caution. The Ranger explained that it helped announce their presence. ¡°Only poachers stalk around suspiciously.¡± He said. ¡°So Ohm, are you not a Gym trainer?¡± Nina asked, to which the guy simply shrugged in return. ¡°I am, but part-time. The old man wanted me to join the military and do a bit of time before coming back to take over, but I opted to join the Rangers instead.¡± Nina laughed, trying to imagine how that conversation went. ¡°Not a fan of Surge and his methods? I get you, my grandma used to be a drill sergeant in Pewter City and she can be a little heavy handed at times.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­ Heavy handed doesn¡¯t even cut it¡­¡± The trio continued chatting while maintaining a healthy degree of vigilance, until Ohm announced that they were near. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s just across those bushes. Stay here while I ¡ª Get down!¡± Ohm yelled as soon as he noticed a change in the air, but before he could act on his own warning, a bolt of Thunder descended from the air and struck the Ranger. Kerry screamed in terror while the disbelieving Nina acted on her instincts and began dragging her friend as far away as possible from the incapacitated Ranger. Meanwhile, Raichu cried in outrage as she hurriedly imbued her tail with Steel Type Energy and raised it towards the air as a lightning rod to divert any follow up attacks away from her fallen trainer. ¡°No! Ohm! We have to go back and get him!¡± Kerry screeched. But Nina was having none of it as she struggled against the girl to get her to safety. ¡°Dammit! What the heck is going on!¡± Nina exclaimed. Chapter 132 ¡°Stay down!¡± Nina yelled as she pressed Kerry down onto the ground to avoid accidentally catching a Thunder to the face. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Ohm. If you black out too then there¡¯ll be no one left to treat him!¡± Nina¡¯s words seemed to have gotten through to the girl because she nodded with tear-filled eyes and stopped her struggles. Nina sighed in relief and took a moment to assess her surroundings; Ohm¡¯s Raichu could no longer be seen as she took off to battle their assailant. Probably not wanting to stay near her trainer to avoid accidentally implicating him. Meanwhile, Nina could tell that Ohm was injured, skin charred and veins exposed, but still alive, his body occasionally spasming and breathing shallowly. As expected of someone whose family ran an Electric Type Gym, he had probably developed a certain degree of tolerance towards being shocked. Nina would have preferred to find cover first before moving the injured Ranger, but she did not want to risk hiding under a tree and there was no other shelter nearby. So she expanded two of her Pokeballs and released Espy and Sir Clodington. The former immediately jumped into action after scanning through her trainer¡¯s mind, no words needed to be said. Espy enveloped the fallen Ohm with a purple Psychic aura and gently lifted him back towards the girls, while Nina turned to address Sir Clodington. ¡°Clody, there¡¯s a Raichu ahead that¡¯s battling whoever¡¯s attacking us. Could you go over and provide some backup? But don¡¯t try to take the lead, okay? Raichu¡¯s the more experienced of you two, so just focus on supporting her.¡± The initially excited Wooper seemed to wilt a little at Nina¡¯s addendum, but still nodded resolutely and rushed off to do as he was told. ¡°Espy, get ready to shield us if you sense an attack coming.¡± Espy nodded stiffly as she finally retrieved Ohm and settled him in front of Kerry, who immediately sprung into action to check on her friend¡¯s vitals. ¡°How¡¯s he doing?¡± Nina asked, after Kerry was done with her preliminary assessment. Meanwhile, the noise of an intense battle could be heard from where the Shinx pride was supposedly located. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kerry said, with a great deal of relief. ¡°That flash of Thunder was brief and low powered enough to just knock him out and paralyze him.¡± Boom! Crackle. Another Thunder, but this time away from them. Sir Clodington was immune to Electric Type moves and Raichu should be fine. Yet, Nina couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of urgency welling deep within her. Nina took in a deep breath to calm herself, her brain spinning rapidly to try and grasp their predicament. ¡°Whoever attacked us just wanted to scare us off.¡± She concluded, before sharing a look with Espy. And when she did, a whole bunch of murky images flooded her mind; mostly of a Raichu facing off against a Luxray and a Luxio. Both of them seemed to be guarding a cave. And within the cave, were a litter of Shinxes and another Luxray, who appeared to be injured and breathing heavily. Nina frowned. ¡°This is bad, I know the fundamentals of taming an unruly Pokemon, but how the heck do you go about defusing a situation like this?!¡± ¡°Do you think you can transmit your findings to Raichu?¡± Nina asked Espy, to which the Psychic shook her head and replied with a bunch of concepts in return. ¡°Raichu has her mind shielded huh? Figures¡­ How about Clody?¡± Espy responded by indicating that she had already gone ahead and done that. Nina smiled at her Espeon¡¯s initiative. But unfortunately, Espy followed up by conveying that the Luxray their companions were facing was too worked up to listen to reason right now. ¡°Dammit!¡± The girl cursed, the only option she could think of right now was to recall their Pokemon and run away. She was certain that Thor the Manectric could be persuaded to take them to safety. The other option was to have Thor go and beat the Luxray and Luxio duo, but that felt wrong to her. ¡°They¡¯re just trying to protect their injured kin, no point antagonizing them for that.¡± Nina turned to Kerry and briefly recounted her findings and thoughts to the young Joy, before asking; ¡°Do you think Ohm can stand the strain of being on his Manectric, or do we need to buy time for you to stabilize him?¡± Kerry shook her head in response. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± She said as she released her Happiny. ¡°Do you think you can safely escort Peppy over to the Luxray and have her talk to them?¡± She asked the bewildered Nina. ¡°Are you a hundred percent sure about this?¡± Nina asked in return, her voice filled with doubt. Kerry replied with a resolute nod. ¡°Positive. And if this fails, then we can always withdraw.¡± She added. Nina sighed and looked towards Espy for her opinion, receiving a mental pulse of assurance in return. ¡°Welp, looks like Espy is confident that she can keep Peppy safe. Let¡¯s do it your way then,¡± said the girl. She then proceeded to secure Peppy on Espy¡¯s back like a princess and her steed, much to the noble Espeon¡¯s annoyance. Despite her protective urges, Nina wouldn¡¯t be following along to monitor the proceedings in order to avoid any complications. Instead, Espy would maintain her Psychic connection with her trainer and keep the girl abreast of the events and seek instructions when necessary. Not that Espy needed Nina¡¯s input, the Psychic Pokemon knew the plan and was intelligent enough to make her own decisions. Nina offered a silent prayer. To pray for their Pokemon¡¯s safety and their safe retreat. *** Ohm woke up to the smell of burnt hair, a stiff neck and a splitting headache. He instinctively tried to reach up to cradle his head, only to find that he could barely feel his arms from all the tingling. The feeling of being shocked by electricity was all very familiar to him, having grown up in the Vermilion Gym around so many Electric Type Pokemon. The Pokemon Ranger took in a deep breath and began to methodically recalibrate his appendages, starting from his toes and slowly working his way up. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± came a voice, right as Ohm was flexing his arms. The voice sounded a little dull amidst the buzzing in his ears. He tried to open his eyes to see, but found it hard to focus his vision. ¡°Easy there¡­¡± The voice continued. ¡°Kerry said she did the best she could, but we¡¯re still a little short on supplies and equipment out here.¡± The mention of Kerry¡¯s name seemed to jolt Ohm¡¯s memories as he recalled the preceding events. ¡°What¡­ ha¡­ppened?¡± Ohm forced himself to speak despite his sore throat, his voice coming out hoarse and strained. Nina helped Ohm to sit up, keeping a hold of the older teen until she deemed he was stable enough to not fall. The girl then chuckled as she grabbed some water from her backpack. ¡°You got struck by lightning, that¡¯s what. Or should I say Thunder, since that¡¯s what Luxray used.¡± ¡°Lux¡­ray¡­?¡± Nina nodded as she poured some water into the cap of her thermos and gingerly fed it to the weakened Ohm while summarizing what had happened after he fainted. ¡°... So after that, we sent Peppy and Espy out to meet with the Luxray who, as it turned out, was the matriarch of the pride.¡± Nina continued. ¡°She wasn¡¯t very willing to listen at first, but after exchanging a few moves with Espy, Peppy had the bright idea of trying to appeal to Luxio instead.¡± The Happiny had noticed that while the Luxio was supporting his mother and keeping Sir Clodington at bay, his emotional state was not as intense as Luxray¡¯s. So after asking Sir Clodington to stand down, Peppy managed to convince the Luxio to help calm his mother down. ¡°Then, Peppy explained to them how we could go about helping the Luxray¡¯s injured mate.¡± Nina concluded. ¡°Man the Blissey line sure is neat huh? Between their inherent likeability, Charm and Disarming voice, Luxray acquiesced pretty quickly.¡± Not that it always worked, the species were often hunted by aggressive predators in the wild because of their healing properties. So it was also lucky that Luxray was amicable enough to listen to reason. ¡°Where¡¯s Kerry?¡± Ohm asked, his voice sounding better after having a bit of water, but still concerned over his friend. ¡°She¡¯s in the cave right now, tending to the injured Luxray.¡± Nina said in response. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I had Espy tag along to keep her safe ¡ª she¡¯s keeping me updated even now. Apparently, the Luxray was injured after fighting off an encroaching Primeape troupe, then on the way back, he was ambushed by an Arbok. Just a series of unfortunate events.¡± The girl then explained that Kerry seemed confident enough about stabilizing the Luxray. But after that, they would have to rely on Ohm to possibly arrange for more help or persuade the Luxray to come along to a Pokemon Center. Ohm groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I think it¡¯s best we hold off on any follow-ups for now.¡± Calling more strangers into the territory was a bad idea, and it was unlikely that Luxray would want to leave its pride. Nina simply shrugged and grabbed the Rawst extract and Cheri extract that Kerry instructed her to feed Ohm after he woke up. ¡°You¡¯re the expert.¡± She added. Not long after, Kerry exited the cave with a feeble smile and a tired look, but then immediately perked up again after she saw that Ohm was conscious and well. ¡°Thanks for the save, Kerry.¡± Ohm gave the girl a warm smile and a gentle pat on the head before approaching the Luxray matriarch with a stiff gait to talk. ¡°How are things?¡± Nina asked Kerry. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Good,¡± replied the other girl. ¡°But not ideal. The worst of it was just the Poison, which I¡¯ve dealt with.¡± Arbok venom was pretty common, so a quick application of Antidote sufficed. ¡°I would like it if we could bring Luxray with us to a Pokemon Center, but judging by his vulnerable state and the wariness of his family, that might not be possible.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°Yeah, Ohm said something similar, we¡¯ll just have to see how it goes then. Do you think they¡¯ll still let us adopt one of the Shinxes at this point?¡± She said as she looked over to Ohm, who had lowered his body and was trying to gently liaise with the Luxray. Kerry didn¡¯t reply and just watched over her childhood friend with barely contained concern. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Nina asked, when Ohm eventually returned to their side. Ohm chuckled wryly. ¡°Welp, good thing they still recognize me from the few times I came by on patrol.¡± He said as he assuaged Kerry with another pat on the head. ¡°Aside from that, I managed to get us permission to camp out here for tonight as a token of their apology for nearly frying me.¡± The older teen laughed in self-deprecation. ¡°We¡¯ll see if they loosen up a bit in the morning and if we can¡¯t persuade them to accept more help. But of course, if the two of you want to head back, I totally understand and I¡¯ll get Thor to take you back.¡± He offered, but both girls shook their heads in denial. One was worried about leaving Ohm out here by his lonesome, and the other was determined to at least play with some Shinxes after being forced through that troublesome ordeal. ¡°Alright, can I trouble you girls to set up camp and get a fire started? I need to make a call to HQ and report on the situation.¡± Nina and Kerry both nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Ohm, would it be alright for me to release my Dragonair here?¡± Nina asked, not wanting to alarm any of the wild Pokemon with the presence of an imposing Dragon Type. Ohm frowned in consideration, but promised that he would ask the Luxrays later. ¡°Okay,¡± said Nina. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some firewood. Kerr, you stay here and rest up a bit.¡± The young Joy protested, but neither Nina nor Ohm were having any of it. It was without a doubt that their friend was the MVP of the occasion and deserved a break for her incredible performance. Chapter 133 ¡°Shinx!¡± ¡°Not yet, we still gotta wait a little longer.¡± Nina giggled and gently caressed the drooling Shinx and his siblings by her side. In particular, Nina was especially enamored by the cute little star shaped tails that they were waving around in barely contained excitement ¡ª a hallmark of the species that they carry with them throughout their Evolution. ¡°The most efficient way to get to a Pokemon¡¯s heart was through their stomach!¡± The girl proclaimed. The moment that Nina got a fire going, she immediately started roasting some of the sausages that she brought with her. A portion of them were made with vegan meat for her own consumption, but the rest were meant for the Shinx which she bought an excess of since she didn¡¯t know how big their appetite was. Setting up camp was easy since no one brought tents with them. Both Nina and Kerry only had blankets, but that was fine, because Nairy could coil himself up and allow the girls to sleep against him. Once the smell of succulent sausages permeated the surrounding air, the eager Shinxes began to congregate and not even their parents could stop them. ¡°Lux!¡± Nina turned to see a Luxio with a perpetual frown on his face approaching his younger siblings who were all bunched up around her. ¡°Hey, Luxio. Do you want some sausages too?¡± The girl asked, only for the Luxio to turn his head in contempt, but then deepened his frown when his stomach began to growl at the wafting smell. Nina laughed and beckoned for the posturing Pokemon to come over. ¡°Come on, you just went through a battle. And I betcha you didn¡¯t eat much while you were guarding your dad.¡± Nina waved a stick of sausage in front of Luxio, and the awkward lion couldn¡¯t help but snap at the piece of meat. ¡°Shinx! Shinx!¡± Seeing that their older sibling got to eat before them, the younger Shinxes all cried out in unfairness, eliciting more giggles from Nina. ¡°Alright, alright. You guys can dig in too.¡± Unable to resist the adorable little lion cubs, Nina finally acquiesced and placed the medium well sausages on a few bowls that she had lined up beforehand, thinking that the carnivores could probably handle a bit of raw meat. She also produced some Berries and added them to the pile as well just to help supplement the juvenile Pokemon¡¯s diet. ¡°Here Luxio, this is yours.¡± Nina said as she prepared a separate bowl for the rapidly growing Luxio. ¡°Lux.¡± The Luxio, unable to resist the tasty food before him, begrudgingly acknowledged Nina and chowed down on the offering. ¡°No fair, you started without me!¡± Kerry exclaimed as she approached the Shinx litter to pet them. The girl had earlier gone into the cave with Ohm to check on the Luxray patriarch¡¯s recovery. Nina chuckled and offered one of the vegan sausages to the girl ¡ª those didn¡¯t require much cooking since they weren¡¯t raw. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here and hang out with them while I go feed our Pokemon then?¡± She said as she got up to do just that. Nina had enough tact to allow Kerry some space to bond with the Shinxes. After all, their primary objective was to help her obtain one. ¡°Thanks for all your hard work earlier, Clody.¡± Nina commended her Wooper by feeding him some Berries. She would have loved to pet the little guy, but it still stung to touch him due to the poisonous membrane coating him. Which at this point, they had all but given up on trying to suppress. Sir Clodington¡¯s Poison Energy manipulation just wasn¡¯t deft enough for such a subtle feat. And Nina did not want to risk neutering the overall potency of his Poison. ¡°And you too, Espy.¡± Nina reached out with her other hand to scratch the nonchalant Espy by the nape of her neck, receiving a mental wave of haughty dismissal in return. Nina laughed and pulled her princess in for a hug. ¡°Haha, this is a small matter to you huh? Not even a fully evolved Luxray could trouble you.¡± After spending a bit more time with her Pokemon, Nina set about preparing food for them. It was a good thing that she brought enough for a day¡¯s meal, but she still supplemented the feed with some freshly roasted sausages, much to Nairy and Brucey¡¯s delight. *** That night they all gathered around to bask in the warmth of the campfire, even the two Luxrays joined in at the urging of their children. So both Nina and Kerry were luxuriating amongst a heap of sparky lion cubs at the moment, while Ohm was busy preparing dinner for everyone. Normally they wouldn¡¯t have enough supplies to feed the entire Shinx pride, but the local Pokemon Rangers dropped off a care package in the periphery of the pride¡¯s territory after their call with Ohm. It contained within it a whole bunch of nutritious foodstuff and medical supplies that allowed Kerry to further heal the previously injured Luxray. By this point, the young Joy determined that the Luxray patriarch could fully recover on his own and wouldn¡¯t need to be brought to a Pokemon Center, thereby solving their biggest conundrum. ¡°Alright, all done!¡± Ohm declared, much to the excitement of the yapping Shinxes surrounding them. ¡°Dinner tonight is meat and potato stew with a healthy dose of Berries and Chansey¡¯s eggs to help energize everyone after a long day.¡± The Ranger explained as he began scooping food into bowls and distributing them to the Pokemon. Nina got up to help out as well, while suppressing Kerry and telling her to stay put. The girl was too helpful for her own good. ¡°Here Luxray, eat up. I loaded your bowl with extra Soft-boiled eggs to help with your healing.¡± Nina said as she gently caressed the luscious black mane of the injured Luxray. The male Luxray was actually a lot friendlier than his cynical mate, or maybe it was just the magic of a Joy at work. ¡°Wait, what are you going to eat, Nina? There¡¯s Mareep meat inside that stew.¡± Kerry asked, to which Nina just shrugged in response. ¡°I¡¯ve still got MREs and some vegan sausages leftover.¡± said Nina. ¡°Though I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to having some of that Chansey egg.¡± ¡°But the broth is okay?¡± asked a confused Ohm. Nina frowned in hesitation. ¡°I mean my main gripe is that I can¡¯t really bring myself to eat Pokemon, but like, fish and unintelligent animals are fine¡­¡± Nina was wavering. Despite her having largely assimilated in this world, her unwillingness to eat Pokemon had been a constant part of her second life. ¡°I dunno¡­¡± the girl murmured, before shaking her head to renew her conviction. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll pass on the stew.¡± Kerry smiled warmly at her friend and pulled her in for a reassuring hug. ¡°It¡¯s okay Nins, when we get back, I¡¯ll ask my mom to cook some egg dishes for us.¡± Kerry¡¯s promise immediately got the dejected Nina to perk up in anticipation. ¡°Lucky¡­ Kerry¡¯s mom is a great cook.¡± Ohm remarked, as he sat down with his Raichu. He opted not to release his other Pokemon to avoid overcrowding the space, saying that he would feed them separately later on. ¡°So, you guys are childhood friends?¡± Nina asked. Ohm chuckled. ¡°Pretty much, I¡¯ve known Kerry since she was a tiny wittle baby.¡± The boy formed a small gap between his thumb and index finger to illustrate just how small Kerry was, eliciting an indignant huff from the girl. ¡°I was never that small!¡± She exclaimed. The group laughed, and Ohm continued speaking. ¡°Yeah, I remember I was what, seven or eight? When my mom brought me over to visit little Kerry. My mom works as a nurse too, so they knew each other from work.¡± ¡°Wait, Does that mean your mom is a Joy?¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Ohm snorted. ¡°Nah, as if my old man has the chops to bag a Joy. As far as I can tell, most of them can¡¯t stand him.¡± Kerry nodded sheepishly at that last sentence. ¡°My mom¡¯s just a regular nurse. Gotta have a few of them you know? There¡¯s not enough Joys in this world to help everyone.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. In fact, she knew that the majority of people working in healthcare were not of the Joy clan. It¡¯s just that the clan of pink haired matriarchs ran the entire system and was largely considered to be the face of healing. The night proceeded under the auspices of a crackling campfire, the lingering smell of the savoury stew and charred firewood, like a warm blanket enveloping the sated bellies of everyone surrounding it. Both Nina and Kerry spent their night marveling at the little blue and black lions surrounding them. In particular, the Shinxes were very eager to show off their abilities to the humans by showcasing their limited movesets. ¡°So cuutee¡­¡± Nina swooned and pointed at one of the Shinxes who was currently flexing its stubby little legs. ¡°Look at that one, it needs to charge up its Electricity by doing leg pumps!¡± ¡°Yeah, the Luxray line is capable of converting kinetic energy to Electric Type Energy.¡± Ohm explained. ¡°Not sure how it works, but it does. And it¡¯s also the reason why they become such incredible physical attackers once they Evolve ¡ª the stronger and more developed their muscles are, the more powerful the Electricity they can generate.¡± Nina nodded. She did her research on the species since she had originally intended to catch one if given the opportunity. Not only were the Luxray line incredibly strong, they were also fast, though not at the level of an Arcanine or a Rapidash. Not to mention the fact that the species developed X-ray vision at the Luxio stage. ¡°Huh? That actually makes them great for a nurse like Kerry now that I think about it.¡± Nina mused. The X-ray vision would help with diagnosis, and having such a fast Ride Pokemon was useful in getting Kerry to and from places that required her services. Before this, Nina was mostly considering her own needs, thinking that having a biological X-ray machine under her belt would be great for exploring ruins and searching for treasure. ¡°No matter, a Ghost Type will do much the same job. Though it¡¯d be great to get a Ride Pokemon at some point.¡± Having what would effectively be a power plant in the form of a cool looking star lion was also a plus, but Nairy could harness Electric Type Energy as well, so that wasn¡¯t much of a loss. Besides, Nina planned to travel with Kerry during the first leg of her journey, so they could take advantage of each other¡¯s Pokemon. In that sense, it was better to have some variety in their lineup. ¡°Welp, no point dwelling on this. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be other Pokemon out there for me.¡± Nina mused as she wrapped herself in a blanket and cuddled up next to Nairy for sleep. By this point, everyone was ready to call it a day ¡ª the humans in particular, after all the excitement they went through. *** ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should, Nina¡­ I don¡¯t want Luxray to think he owes me or anything,¡± said the hesitant Kerry. Nina sighed and looked helplessly towards Ohm, only to receive a wry smile in return. It seemed like the Pokemon Ranger was not willing to chime in on this. Even as morning came and the group of humans were preparing to leave, Kerry had yet to broach the subject of adopting one of the Shinxes yet. The girl did want one of the cute little lion cubs, that much Nina could tell. But she was too worried about her request coming across as coercive or transactional due to the fact that she had helped cure the injured Luxray the day prior. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this Kerry¡­¡± Nina sighed once more and looked towards her Espeon for help. In response to her trainer¡¯s silent plea, Espy rolled her eyes a little and sauntered over to the Luxray couple for a talk. ¡°Wait, Espy!¡± Kerry exclaimed, but Nina just held a hand up to silence her. In the meantime, there was a silent exchange ongoing within the minds of Espy and the Luxrays until the mother lion furrowed her brow and raised her head to stare at Kerry with a judgemental gaze, causing the girl to break out into sweats and shrink behind Nina for assurance. When the discussion ended, the Luxray patriarch broke out into a roar, causing Kerry to jolt in fright. But both Ohm and Nina were unfazed, the former because he sensed no hostility, and the latter because Espy had kept Nina in the loop during the conversation. Listening to Pokemon talk to each other was an odd experience, because they didn¡¯t exactly speak with words the way that humans do. It was more like an exchange of emotions and intent, simultaneously nuanced yet straightforward at the same time, possessing an almost refreshing honesty that was mostly absent among conniving humans and their awkward wordplay. Luxray¡¯s roar prompted their children to gather up neatly in front of him as he began to yap at them to see if anyone wants to leave their den and venture out into the wider world. In a similar vein to the problem that Nina had when she was adopting an Eevee, most of the naive little Shinxes didn¡¯t fully understand the implications of what their parent was asking of them, causing the two Luxrays to growl in frustration as they threw a barrage of questions and confused cries their parents¡¯ way. Until eventually, one of the Shinxes asked something along the lines of; ¡°Will I get to eat lots of tasty food like yesterday?¡± as interpreted by Espy. To which, his father huffed in acknowledgement and proceeded to grab that particular Shinx by the scruff of his neck before plopping him down in front of Kerry and Nina. Nina smiled in amusement and pushed Kerry towards the new member of her team. ¡°Go on, say hi to him. You guys will be spending a lot of time together from now on, so gotta make sure you get along.¡± She said, opting to omit the circumstances in which the Shinx was chosen to avoid causing her friend any unnecessary worry. Kerry looked back at Nina with a fair deal of uncertainty, but still bent down and reached a hand out to the naive little Shinx. The Shinx in question tilted his head in confusion and approached Kerry¡¯s hand to give it a little sniff, recognizing the tasty smell of food lingering on the girl¡¯s hand from breakfast, before perking up and licking at her affectionately. Kerry¡¯s face bloomed into a warm smile in response as she grabbed hold of the Shinx and cradled him in her arms. ¡°Is this okay?¡± The girl asked as she looked up to the pair of Luxrays with timid eyes, earning her curt nods in return. Nina let out a congratulatory cheer and gave her friend a light pat on the back. ¡°Congrats, Kerry! You got yourself a Shinx now.¡± She said, not feeling jealous in any way. Nope. Nuh-uh. No jealousy whatsoever. Kerry giggled and looked down at the Shinx in her arms with a loving gaze. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to name you Lynxie.¡± And with that, the group said their farewells to the lion Pokemon and made their way back to Vermilion City on Ohm¡¯s Manectric. This time, Nina had the chance to wrap herself up properly and tell the reckless rider to slow down, citing a desire to enjoy the scenery as an excuse. *** Author''s Note: Patreon chapters are up to Chapter 146. Which means that by next week, I''ll be doing a daily chapter rush from Ch 150-160 to the end of Part Two. Recently, I''ve been considering the idea of adding in another $2 tier to the Patreon which would give subscribers an advanced 5 chapters. The $5 dollar tier would then remain at 10 advanced chapters while the $10 tier would give 15 advanced chapters. I''m interested to gather some feedback on this. How many people here would actually be interested in the lower tier? Any changes would only be realised once I officially start posting Part 3 on Patreon of course. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 134 A trickle of sweat dripped down Nina¡¯s brow, her mouth claggy, and heart pounding from fear and trepidation. She knew that the angry Tauros before her was trained, and that it wouldn¡¯t actually hurt her, but looking into those manic eyes and flaring nostrils triggered her escapist instincts all the same. The girl took in a deep breath to steady herself, resisting the urge to cough as particles of dust threatened to invade her lungs. The tension in the arena reached a breaking point and Nina raised the piece of red cloth she held to cover her front, leaving only the tip of her head peeking out to keep track of the Tauros she was confronting. Nina knew that the color red had little relevance to Tauros as a species. Even in her past life, bulls were actually color blind and couldn¡¯t even recognize the strikingly colored cloths that matadors used in their performance. It was actually the movement of the fabric that attracted their attention. The difference between Tauros and their animal counterpart was that the Pokemon could actually see colour. So for this particular assignment, Nina took advantage of that fact and sought to use the eye-catching cloth to trick the Tauros. The idea was, she would keep the bull Pokemon¡¯s attention focused on the red cloth instead of her. That way, she could use it as a homing beacon of sorts to guide it or dodge out of the way safely, in theory. Nina did not know if this would work or not, but it couldn¡¯t be helped since the teachers provided minimal instructions to the lead up of this class. Only telling the students to try their best and that ¡°it¡¯s okay if you fail.¡± Nina¡¯s musings were broken by the whistling of Mr Yamada, the teacher overseeing this class. The Tauros kicked its foreleg in aggression and charged at the student in front of her, its speed and force already tempered for the girl¡¯s benefit. ¡°Dammit! Get your shit together!¡± Nina chided, in an attempt to force her frozen knees into action. Fortunately her survival instincts kicked in right as the Tauros neared, prompting her to wave the red cloth in provocation and step out of the way as the bull passed right through it, barely nicking Nina¡¯s flank in the process. The Tauros couldn¡¯t stop its momentum in time and crashed loudly into the side of the arena. Nina had positioned herself accordingly before the start of the match. A momentary wave of elation and relief washed over her when she realized that her half cooked plan actually worked. But that moment soon passed when the stinging pain to her side brought her back to the visage of the disgruntled Tauros before her. Nina cursed inwardly and hastily moved to reposition herself for another round. Pokemon, who should by all means be intelligent, shouldn¡¯t fall for the same trick that many times. But the premise of the lesson today was how to tame a rampaging Pokemon without aid. As such, the Tauros acted accordingly while also being well trained enough to know how to mitigate any debilitating injuries, mostly. Accidents do happen, which was why there were nurses stationed in the periphery that would jump in if anything were to happen. Regardless, it all felt very callous to Nina, even though her teachers assured the students that they have not had a fatality for over a decade now. The next charge from the Tauros ended much more smoothly, now that Nina knew what to expect. She was able to dodge out of the way without making any contact with the Tauros at all, causing it to crash into the sturdy arena wall once more. However, instead of allowing herself to fall complacent, she threw aside the cloth and jumped onto the back of the dazed Pokemon, scrambling to secure herself by grabbing hold of Tauros¡¯s menacing horns. ¡°Wait, why the heck did I do this again?¡± But before she could regret her life choices, the Tauros recovered and began bucking Nina up and down, waving the foolish girl around like a flag as it bounded all across the arena. The bull ride did not last because Nina¡¯s grip eventually slipped and she was tossed off the Pokemon¡¯s back, landing on the arena ground with a mouthful of dirt. That marked Nina¡¯s failure as Mr Yamada whistled to signal the end of her session. Nina groaned as she willed her bruised and battered body to move, spitting out clumps of dirt and sand as she did while begrudgingly grabbing hold of the hand that was offered to her. ¡°Haha!¡± Mr Yamada laughed. ¡°That was quite the performance. No idea why you got onto Tauros at the end there though, should¡¯ve just kept baiting him until he wore out.¡± Nina winced as she attempted to roll her shoulder, but was unable to muster any strength amidst the pain, likely having dislocated it during the fall. ¡°I was going to take the opportunity to cover the Tauros¡¯s horns.¡± She said, as she gestured towards her belt at the special cushions that she had fashioned together from the supplies and props they were given. ¡°But my mind blanked, and Tauros recovered quicker than I expected.¡± The girl whined. The P.E Teacher chuckled at the flimsy plan. ¡°Not the best idea, but we¡¯ll talk about why that wouldn¡¯t work during the proper demonstration. Now go and get yourself looked at before little Miss Joy runs into the arena.¡± He said, while gesturing towards the anxious looking Kerry near the nurses. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nina huffed in acknowledgement, but not before demanding an explanation of why they didn¡¯t do a demonstration of correct methods before asking students to get hands on. Mr Yamada laughed sheepishly at his student and explained that it was to instill a genuine sense of danger among their students. ¡°We could teach you the right method first, but when you¡¯re actually facing down an angry Pokemon like this, all rational thoughts tend to be usurped by fear and panic. This way, students will better remember our subsequent lessons after having experienced painful failure, as well as having a better idea of what to expect if it really comes down to it.¡± He explained. ¡°In addition, we find that you kids tend to get too overconfident if we do it the other way around. Since you already know the right methods, there¡¯s minimal urgency and severity. We want you to experience that sense of helplessness, know that this is a matter of life and death, and that you shouldn¡¯t be complacent just because you took a class on how to tame Pokemon.¡± Nina nodded in understanding, and was then dragged away by a stern looking Kerry who had approached them at some point. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?! Why are you so calm about this?¡± Kerry exclaimed, eliciting a wince and a feeble laugh from her friend. It did hurt. In fact, Nina could feel tears welling out of her eyes as her injured arm was jostled during their walk to the nurse¡¯s station. And when they arrived, Nina obediently allowed the nurses to manage her and do their thing. All the while, she kept her eyes trained on the arena to distract her mind from the pain of treatment. Not that it was too bad, the nurse made sure to apply a light numbing agent on her shoulder before attempting to maneuver it back into position. One of the most stand out performances in their class was a girl who grew up on a ranch. She opted for a length of rope which she tied into a lasso and was doing all sorts of fancy tricks with it before the start of her session. When the charge began, the girl skillfully entangled the Tauros¡¯s limbs with the lasso, causing it to fall and tumble onto the ground. The whole process repeated itself several times, before the girl deemed that Tauros was exhausted enough to be restrained. Naturally, the whole class gave her a standing ovation for such an incredible display, even Nina, earning her some light scolding from the nurses to stay still. Another student that stood out to Nina was a boy using a whip. She didn¡¯t manage to catch his name, but she dubbed him Indiana in her mind from how skillfully he was manipulating the long strip of leather he wielded. Every time that the Tauros kicked its legs to gear up for a charge, there would be a flash of whip to its side, followed by the crack of booming thunder to shock it out of its intense concentration and kill the Pokemon¡¯s drive. As a result, the Tauros¡¯s charge was a lot slower than the previous demonstrations, and completely devoid of aggression, allowing ¡®Indiana¡¯ to casually hop out of the way. Seeing that actually inspired Nina. In a way, the shock caused by the whipping noise was similar to how Brucey used Screech, except it happened in quick bursts and contained a lot more impact. ¡°I wonder if I can get Brucey to do something similar.¡± She mused. It would also be a good alternative to Taunt for opponents that could resist it. ¡°Man, it¡¯s hard to tell sometimes since I kind of had an unfair advantage coming in. But there¡¯s actually a lot of really talented kids here in this school huh?¡± Nina murmured. Kerry laughed by her side. ¡°Of course, VF is the number one trainer school in Kanto for a reason. It¡¯s just that not everyone¡¯s used to battling the way that you are. But everyone here can handle Pokemon to a certain extent.¡± Nina chuckled along as well. ¡°Yeah, guess I shouldn¡¯t allow myself to be too complacent. Not that I¡¯m looking to compete or anything.¡± She then turned towards Kerry with a little smirk. ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t had your turn yet, right? Feeling nervous?¡± The dainty nurse apprentice groaned ¡°Urgh. Don¡¯t remind me. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m supposed to do here.¡± Nina laughed and gave the girl a light pat with her good arm. ¡°No worries, just use that magical charm that all you Joys have.¡± She teased, earning her a glare from the anxious girl. *** ¡°Alright, I hope you all learned something today. Because as second years, this will be part of your practicals in the midterm.¡± Mr Yamada¡¯s proclamation earned him a wave of groans from the class. The brawny teacher laughed at the response and reassured them that they likely wouldn¡¯t be facing a Tauros in the exams. ¡°You¡¯re only in your second year, so you¡¯ll likely be dealing with an unruly Pikachu or an aggressive Zubat or something.¡± He said, triggering sighs of relief from some of the students. ¡°In reality, it¡¯s likely you won¡¯t be dealing with a rampaging Pokemon the size of a Tauros without backup from Pokemon of your own.¡± Yamada explained. ¡°However, that¡¯s no reason to be complacent.¡± He added. ¡°Accidents happen all the time. We may treat the Pokemon in our lives as friends, families and companions,¡± Yamada paused and turned to look at every one of his students with a severe gaze. ¡°But out there, in the wild, Pokemon are to be treated as wild beasts that you should approach with the utmost caution.¡± The class fell silent at the teacher¡¯s grave warning. And indeed, while Pokemon were largely intelligent. There was no shortage of species out there with more aggressive tendencies that treated humans as hostile entities. As budding Pokemon Trainers, this was a fact that every student in the school should be properly educated on to prevent any unfortunate mishaps. ¡°So that feeling of dread and helplessness you felt when you were confronting Tauros today? Engrave it into your hearts. And so long as you still have the privilege to handle Pokemon, I don¡¯t want any one of you to ever forget it. Is that understood?¡± Nina and her classmates all cried out in acknowledgement. And with that, Mr Yamada called an end to their class. The haggard looking students cheered and steadily vacated the premise, each of them looking forward to a hot shower and a hearty meal to soothe their aching bodies. *** Author''s Note: One of my Patreons asked me a good question when I initially released this chapter. So I thought I''d share the answer here as well. The question was why I didn''t flesh out the school setting a bit more since I went through the trouble of introducing it in the first place. And the answer is; Had Nina not gotten a Dratini as her starter I would have had a much more fulfilling school life for her. Since she wouldn''t have joined the Cerulean Gym and VF would be the main source of Pokemon knowledge for her. Unfortunately, the Gym superceded everything. And all the curiculum that I could think of for a first year was hardly worth the time since she would have already learned it at the Gym. I considered just skipping the school entirely and find some other way to introduce the characters I wanted to introduce. But the entire point of me writing this story was because I got sick of reading the same old badge collector fanfics. Like seriously, there''s hundreds of them with little to no variation in between. Had this remained as a private project then maybe I would have scrapped Part Two mid way and rewritten it in its entirety. But oh well, what''s done is done and from this point on, it''s one straight shot to the end of Part Two without any deviations or side quest. Chapter 135 ¡°Alright, Espy. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Given that Nina had been holding back in her battle performance this year in favor of training her two new Pokemon. The school deemed it fit to actually assess her battle prowess during the midterms instead of affording her an automatic pass like last year. But Nina, ever the pragmatic gal, didn¡¯t want to risk her grades over her silly reservations and decided to go all out during the exams. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever come back to VF after my journey. But hey, better safe than sorry.¡± She mused as she watched her Espeon demolish every opponent that came her way. The current one was an Electabuzz, who charged towards her with a Thunder Punch, only for Espy to casually lower her body to duck out of the way. By this point, Espy had long since achieved mastery over Calm Mind, able to keep it active almost perpetually like a passive ability. There weren¡¯t a lot of moves capable of actually hitting her anymore, unless it was perfectly executed by Pokemon of the Ace tier or indiscriminate area of effect attacks that Espy couldn¡¯t dodge. But even then, she could rely on her Psychic barrier to mitigate damage. Just like right now, when Nina¡¯s opponent commanded her Electabuzz to blast the entire arena with Thunder. Espy yawned as she made a game out of Electabuzz¡¯s barrage, forgoing the use of an all encompassing barrier in favor of tiny Protect panels that materialized right in front of the bolts of Thunder only when they came her way. Nina shook her head in exasperation but held her silence since she knew that Espy was smart enough to not overexert herself. Despite her stoic demeanour, the Espeon was indeed straining herself with this flashy stunt. In fact, Nina could feel the ridiculous amount of mental strain that Espy was subjecting herself to through their Psychic link. It took a lot to simultaneously predict where Thunder was going to strike and to conjure up a strong enough barrier at rapid speeds to block it at the last minute. The strain was so great that Nina could feel Espy¡¯s Calm Mind faltering. The Espeon even had to offload some of the burden onto her trainer¡¯s mind a few times, causing a wave of exhaustion to wash over Nina each time. The pair had only recently begun intensifying the use of their Psychic link. Maintaining an active connection in the midst of heated battle was actually an advanced technique and much more difficult than people might think. It also required an active effort from both sides of the connection to prevent one mind from encroaching upon the other and utterly dominating it. If Nina let her guard down even for a moment, she risked Espy accidentally damaging her mind with her overwhelming Psychic prowess. Or worst, Espy¡¯s personality might subsume Nina¡¯s and result in her developing a split personality or a shattered mind, a mere vessel being puppeteered by her Pokemon as opposed to her own person. The level of danger involved was the reason why they had been very conservative in training this aspect of Espy¡¯s abilities until they each felt confident enough to be able to terminate the connection at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Espy. You¡¯re approaching your limit. Finish this match right now.¡± Nina commanded in her mind. She didn¡¯t want her opponent to clue in on how worn out Espy was and pushed for an all-out attack. Espy returned Nina¡¯s thoughts with a pulse of affirmation and triggered the Future Sight that she had set up beforehand. Nina actually didn¡¯t fully understand how Future Sight worked. From what she observed and from what Espy explained to her, it involved analyzing the opponent¡¯s weakness and seeing into the future to prime an attack to hit a critical spot, right as the target was at their most vulnerable. In essence it was like setting up a clairvoyant trap, one that needed to be manually triggered by maneuvering an opponent to just the right spot. Which was what Espy did, as she repositioned herself with a Quick Attack and tossed sand into the Electabuzz¡¯s eyes. It was Espy¡¯s favorite combo that she kept using even at such an advanced stage. Sometimes, Nina worried if her Espeon was influenced a little too much by Eric, Misty¡¯s sadistic Slowking. Electabuzz cried out and stumbled at the underhanded Sand Attack. But before he could fully recover, a Light Screen empowered Psybeam materialized out of nowhere and struck the Electric Pokemon in the back of the head. Espy then followed up by encasing the faltering Pokemon with a layer of Psychic aura and proceeded to Hulk slam Electabuzz into the ground over and over again until it fainted. Nina shot an apologetic look to her opponent over Espy¡¯s rough treatment. ¡°Yup, definitely spent too much time with Eric.¡± She thought, in response to Espy aping her senior¡¯s signature maneuver. The invigilating teacher declared Nina the winner with an almost flabbergasted look and both students moved on to their next match, which Nina called on Nairy to handle, much to the despair of her next opponent. *** ¡°Trains!¡± That was the means by which Nina and the rest of the VF representatives for the inter-school meet were going to travel to Celadon City. Naturally, as a bonafide train enthusiast who had never taken the Magnet Train before, Nina was super excited. ¡°Slow down, Nina.¡± Kerry laughed at her friend who was acting like her age for once. Nina was currently rushing into the train¡¯s bento shop along with other busy travelers who were all taking the train for myriad reasons. Wading through the hustle and the bustle of a busy train station during rush hour was also a quintessential experience when taking a train. ¡°Hurry up, Kerr! Or all the limited edition lunchboxes are gonna be sold out!¡± Nina exclaimed in excitement. Ekiben were a must when one embarked on a protracted train ride. In fact, she had arrived at the station an hour and a half early just to vie for some of the Vermilion Station¡¯s specialty bentos. That said, they had to make a stop in Saffron City where the region¡¯s Central Station was before transiting to Celadon. And there was a one hour break in between that would allow passengers to disembark and grab a bite to eat. ¡°Dammit! I wanna go eat at one of the standing eateries too.¡± Standing eateries were also a big part of train culture in her past life¡¯s Japan. Nina glanced back anxiously to see if Kerry was still trailing her when she got a brilliant idea. ¡°That¡¯s right, I can share the bentos with Kerry. That way we can get a nice variety and I¡¯ll hopefully have some room for Udon when we get to Central Station!¡± With a plan in place and her determination renewed, Nina hardened her resolve and threw herself into the throng of individuals crowding the bento shop. *** ¡°Wow there, you looking to feed an army, Nina?¡± Mr Yamada teased as he laughed at the girl carrying two hefty stacks of bentos in her hands. The burly teacher, along with the nerdy Mrs Smith were going to be overseeing the students heading to the inter school meet. Nina blushed and averted her gaze in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m willing to share with everyone¡­ So long as they let me take a few bites from each bento of course.¡± ¡°Oh? Is Aqua Girl buying lunch?¡± chimed an older, sporty looking female student who was wearing the school¡¯s jersey with its sleeves all rolled up. Nina nodded. ¡°It¡¯s Aquarium Girl, I don¡¯t own a trident. And I prefer to be called by my name, Nina. Also, yes. If you¡¯re okay sitting with me and Kerry, I¡¯d love to share my food with you.¡± The older girl seemed like a big eater, which was great. It meant that there was still hope for Nina¡¯s gourmet aspirations. The senior student tilted her head in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a trident has to do with anything, but sure! I¡¯ll sit with you two.¡± She then dragged a gloomy looking boy over, which Nina recognized as being the student council president, a final year student. ¡°I¡¯m Matsuri, and this doofus here is Thomas. Nice to meet you!¡± Thomas seemed unbothered by the rough treatment and just followed up with a curt nod at his two juniors. ¡°Indeed, this should be an ideal arrangement from my perspective.¡± The boy remarked as he pushed against the bridge of his thick rimmed glasses. ¡°I was initially forced to forgo sampling the station¡¯s boxed lunches in favor of partaking in a famed Udon shop situated within Central Station. But with your generosity, I shall be able to have a taste of both.¡± Nina nodded fervently as an invisible connection formed between the two train enthusiasts. The girl wordlessly offloaded one of her bento stacks to her senior as they gave each other a firm handshake and nods of acknowledgement, the lens on the older boy¡¯s glasses gleaming subtly all the while. ¡°Weirdoes,¡± said Matsuri, while Kerry just smiled warmly at Nina¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Alright, kiddos!¡± Mr Yamada called. ¡°Do one last check of your belongings and gather up for attendance.¡± Including the teachers, there were about two dozen members in their entourage; One student representing each year as battlers, volunteers like Kerry and two other nurse apprentices, as well as some other representatives from the research faculties and a couple of students from the student council that were in charge of logistics ¡ª a role which Matsuri and Thomas also shared, in addition to representing their year. ¡°I can already see that a lot of you have buddied up, good. This will be your group going forwards, I trust that you¡¯ll keep each other in check and accountable. If anyone goes missing, I¡¯ll be looking for their group mates first,¡± said Yamada as he scanned through the students in front of him and went through a checklist on his tablet all the while. ¡°Seats in the cabin are in fours, so if anyone is left out. No worries, you can come and sit with me and Mrs Smith,¡± said the teacher, with a wolfish grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t bite.¡± He added. But Nina could see students in some of the odd numbered groups looking around anxiously, not liking the idea of being forced to sit with their teacher for the 6 hour long train ride to Celadon. ¡°I don¡¯t need Espy to predict that there¡¯s going to be some intense rock, paper, scissors coming in the future.¡± Nina mused. Mrs Smith then clapped her hands to settle the rowdy students. ¡°Now then, I¡¯ll be going around and distributing the train tickets. Make sure to scan it properly in the turnstill and remember to retrieve it on the other side.¡± She instructed. ¡°We¡¯ll still have need for them in Central Station, and to exit Celadon Station. Any students who lose their tickets will be subject to a fine. Is that clear?¡± The students nodded gravely at the mention of a fine as the two teachers settled any outstanding business before embarking on the Magnet Train with a gaggle of hyperactive teenagers in tow. Nina, in particular, was practically sparkling at the sight of the sleek, futuristic looking chrome carriage. The whole thing just looked so surreal with round tubes levitating on top of magnetic rails as the name ¡°Magnet Train¡± implied. ¡°Was I actually isekai¡¯d to a sci-fi world all this time?¡± She mused. Nina turned to Kerry and asked her friend to help hold her bentos for her while she pulled out her Pokedex and began snapping pictures. To her side, Thomas was even more intense as the older boy whipped a massive camera out of nowhere, with a lens that was probably the length of his forearm. The two nerds along with some other like minded students kept at it until one of the teachers admonished them and threatened to leave them behind if they didn¡¯t hurry it up. The interior of the train was as sleek as its exterior, with the usual overhead compartment and velvet-lined seats. The only difference between the Magnet Train and the Shinkansen of Nina¡¯s old world, was the lack of windows. This was because the Magnet Train actually traveled through underground tunnels. It was unfortunate, since leisurely gazing out at the scenery was also a big part of train travel. In fact, Miles always made sure to book tickets for seats facing Mount Fuji when he took the bullet train in Nina¡¯s past life. But it couldn¡¯t be helped, since the denizens of this world did not want to displace any Pokemon habitats by laying down lengthy railway tracks across nature. ¡°I wonder how they prevent Pokemon from digging into the tunnels though?¡± A question that Nina would ask Collin the geologist about through a message later. The girl then settled down next to Kerry, across from Matsuri and Thomas with a giddy smile on her face, eagerly awaiting the launch of the Magnet Train. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *** Author''s Note: For context, Matsuri and Thomas were characters that would have played a bigger role in the timeline that Nina did not catch Tini as a starter. Matsuri in essence would have been Beverly, that annoying older sister character. While Thomas would have been a mentor of sorts. Because as per anime tradition, what school arc would have been complete without a group of dysfunctional Student Council crew? However, at the moment, they have been largely rendered moot and are now just colorful side characters that I don''t plan to do much with. I might recycle them again in the future, but we shall have to see. Chapter 136 Celadon City was an interesting place. Its outskirts were lush verdant forests, teeming with Pokemon and plant life thanks to the tireless work of Erika and the Celadon Gym. However, the city itself had a distinctly archaic feel to it; blocky buildings, stained concrete, faded signboards and tacky neon. It was like stepping back into disco era Japan with how dated the aesthetic was, like a city left behind by progress and time. For a brief period in history, Celadon was the most developed and populous city in Kanto. However, a bout of mismanagement by disconnected cronies and real estate inflation drove longtime residents towards neighbouring Saffron instead. As their bus drove by, Nina could distinctly make out the shadows of that momentary period of excess in the form of ostentatious hotels, storefronts and ¡®entertainment centers¡¯, now dull and utterly devoid of glamor. There was a distinctly retro feel to it all. Yet despite its lost glory, there was still an abundance of people living in the city; gloomy eyed individuals squinting at the afternoon sun after a long and intimate session with the slot machines, haggard looking night workers, anxious salaryman buzzing about, skeezy looking touts, easygoing passerbys and so much more. ¡°There¡¯s a certain color to this city that the industrial Vermilion lacks¡­¡± Nina muttered, eliciting a confused look from Kerry who was sitting next to her. ¡°Did you say something, Nina?¡± Kerry asked, but was met with a light shake of the head from her friend. ¡°Nothing. Just wondering why there¡¯s so many people lining up outside the department store.¡± Nina pointed at the long queue outside the iconic building that wrapped all the way around the block in an attempt to change the subject. Oddly enough, Kerry seemed to light up at the question. ¡°That¡¯s because Lady Erika just released a new scent today. So everyone¡¯s vying to get their hands on it.¡± The girl then wilted when she realized that the line was actually double stacked and even extended across the street from the department store. ¡°I was hoping to maybe buy some as a souvenir for my mom, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s happening.¡± The girl added, voice tinged in melancholy. ¡°Oh yeah... I think Bev mentioned something about wanting me to buy a bottle for her as well.¡± Nina took another glance at the Gyarados of a line outside the bus window. ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t no way I¡¯m getting involved in that.¡± She concluded. Nina never liked queues, in this life and the last, it was a waste of time and herd mentality at its worst. ¡°I wonder if we can get Lady Lilian to pull some strings for us,¡± said the sheepish Kerry. It seemed the girl wanted Erika¡¯s new perfume more than she was willing to admit. Nina simply laughed and said that she would ask their highborn friend when they met up later. *** ¡°I was informed by Lady Blackthorn that you two won¡¯t be staying with us?¡± Mrs Smith asked, once they had arrived at the inn that the school booked for the group. It was located at the outskirts of the city, but was fairly close to the Verdant Orchid, where the inter-school meet was going to be held, a mere twenty minutes bus ride away, closer to Route 16 as opposed to the forty minutes it took to get here from the city. ¡°Yup,¡± Nina answered. ¡°The Blackthorn villa is only about a fifteen minute walk from here, so there won¡¯t be any issues with us coming by and engaging with the rest of the team.¡± Mrs Smith nodded in understanding. ¡°Very well then, if you know your way there then go and store your luggage before coming back to join us for dinner. It¡¯s important to spend some time bonding with your peers. Lady Blackthorn is welcome to join us as well of course, if she feels so inclined.¡± Both Nina and Kerry replied in affirmation before bidding their goodbyes to Matsuri and Thomas, promising that they would come back and join them later in the evening. Nina had a great time with her two seniors during their train ride. Matsuri was boisterous but extremely friendly, while Thomas was a kindred soul whom Nina thoroughly enjoyed speaking with. It wasn¡¯t often that Nina got to meet someone who was equally as passionate about Pokemon in the same way that she was, outside of the various Professors and researchers she was acquainted with. In fact, she found out that Thomas was actually sponsored by Professor Cerise, an expert in Pokemon ecology. ¡°This place is really different from the city huh?¡± Kerry remarked as the two students leisurely strolled through the little village that surrounded the inn. Nina nodded and flipped through her notes. ¡°Yup, this place is called Rainbow Meadows and mostly houses people who work to maintain Erika¡¯s private nature reserve. But recently it¡¯s been making a name for itself as being an idyllic vacation spot. In fact, the inn that the others are staying in was a recent addition to accommodate the influx of tourists.¡± ¡°Wow, Erika¡¯s super capable huh?¡± Kerry said before casting her gaze to take in the quaint little village adorned with fragrant wildflowers and a river so clear, one could easily see the colourful pebbles lining the bottom and the leisurely Goldeens swimming through it. ¡°Shinx!¡± ¡°Pi!¡± The water looked so enticing that even Kerry¡¯s Pokemon were tempted to jump in, though Lynxie looked like he wanted to take a bite out of the Goldeens instead. ¡°Careful not to fall in, you two.¡± Kerry called as she hovered anxiously over the two juvenile Pokemon. Nina chuckled at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s fine, the water¡¯s shallow and either Nairy or Espy can fish them out if they fall in.¡± She assured, but just as an extra precaution, Nina also asked Espy to keep an eye on the little ones in her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t see a lot of tourists around though.¡± The young Joy remarked as they stopped atop a cute little wooden bridge to take a photo. ¡°That¡¯s because this place can be considered as a gated community of sorts. Do you remember that guarded outpost we passed by on our way here?¡± Kerry nodded. ¡°Yeah, they talked to our bus driver before letting us through. Also, what do you mean gated community?¡± In lieu of an answer, Nina pointed towards a large building located at the center of the village, one that looked understated and blended in well with its surroundings, but was otherwise constructed using quality and expensive materials. ¡°That there is Erika¡¯s new Gym. Her old one in the city is still intact, but you¡¯re not going to find her there most days. Instead, she has a stand-in that handles challengers on her behalf.¡± She then added that if a trainer wanted to fight Erika herself, then they needed to obtain permission to enter Rainbow Meadows to do so. Which actually wasn¡¯t that hard to do, since they just had to make a booking with an authorised tour group. Cost was a factor of course, since accommodation in Erika¡¯s inn with all their amenities and Munchlax star rating wasn¡¯t cheap. Kerry frowned in confusion at Nina¡¯s words. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Erika has abandoned Celadon City?¡± Nina shrugged in ignorance. ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s a question we should ask Erika if we ever get a chance to meet her. Maybe in a less direct manner though, I hear she¡¯s a very sensitive soul.¡± Word on the grapevine was that Erika was in constant conflict with the entrenched business community and City Council of Celadon City, so she went and built this little paradise away from all the politics. That said, she couldn¡¯t just forsake the city entirely since her position as Gym Leader was attached to it, so she took the route of malicious compliance instead. Even all the work she did on the outskirts of the city was in part out of spite, since it was ancestral land belonging to her clan and the City Council had no jurisdiction. But Nina refrained from sharing such rumours and hearsay to avoid spoiling her friend¡¯s impression of the noble and demure Gym Leader. Their walk to Lilian¡¯s vacation home took a little longer than anticipated, since the girls often stopped to take pictures and marvel at the scenic view along the way. The villa owned by the Blackthorn clan was a quaint two storey construct which stood alone and slightly removed from Rainbow Meadows as a whole. The two girls were greeted not by Alfred, as Nina had expected, but rather a familiar looking face in a butler¡¯s outfit that caused Nina to burst out laughing. ¡°Looking good, Shadow.¡± Nina snickered, once she calmed down a little. The man who greeted them was indeed the usually gruff Purple Shadow, who looked extremely out of place in a swallowtail suit. Utterly conflicting with the sleazy, dishevelled image that the ronin usually wore. In response, Purple Shadow merely gritted his teeth and forced out a cordial greeting to his two guests. ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Joy and Miss¡­ Jones¡­¡± said the man, looking constipated as he addressed Nina in a respectful tone. ¡°On behalf of milady Lilian, I would like to warmly welcome you to her humble abode.¡± Nina let out a little smirk at her friend and mentor. ¡°You know, you¡¯re looking an awful lot like a Sebastian right now. Should I call you Sebastian while you¡¯re working as Lilian¡¯s butler? That¡¯ll help with your cover, and you said last time that I¡¯m free to call you whatever I want right?¡± Purple Shadow¡¯s eyes twitched at the teasing of the haughty girl, nose flaring as he simply responded with; ¡°You may address me in whichever manner you desire, Miss Jones¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Err¡­ Nina, do you know this gentleman?¡± Kerry chimed, feeling a little bad for the poor man. Nina snorted at the use of the term ¡°gentleman¡± to describe the brutal ronin. ¡°This here is Purple Shadow, or Hattori as is his original name. He works for Lilian and is the one who has been helping me with Brucey¡¯s training.¡± She explained, having learned Purple Shadow¡¯s real name at some point after pestering the guy for months. Kerry nodded and gave a little bow towards the ¡®butler¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr Hattori. My name is Kerry and I¡¯ll be in your care during the duration of our stay.¡± Hattori¡¯s face blossomed into a warm and amicable smile as he returned the sentiment. ¡°Likewise, Miss Joy. It is always a pleasure to be of service to such an elegant and intelligent lady. It is a shame that not all individuals are as refined as yourself.¡± He added, in a subtle dig at Nina. However, the girl in question merely snorted and feigned ignorance. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Lilian you said that. It¡¯s not right to speak ill of your lady behind her back.¡± Hattori leveled an intense glare at Nina and was just about to burst out with a rude remark before he was struck on the head by a gloved hand. ¡°Behave yourself, Hattori.¡± said the steady voice of Alfred as he lowered himself in a bow towards his two guests. ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Jones, Miss Joy. It is wonderful to see you as always, and an absolute pleasure to welcome you to the villa. Please, you have been left unattended for too long, allow us to relieve you of your burdens and show you inside.¡± Nina nodded and said her thanks to Alfred, before unceremoniously offloading her backpack to the fuming Hattori. Kerry did the same, but in a much gentler manner. The inside of the villa itself was, surprisingly, very tastefully decorated. Nina was expecting a load of gauche, maybe Lilian¡¯s cape collection, ostentatious banners or stuffed Pokemon heads and various tasteless paraphernalia. However, looking around, Nina couldn¡¯t even see a single clan emblem in sight, which was very out of character from her impression of the Blackthorn clan so far. As usual, Espy went in search of a good spot to sit on the living room couch, but not before Nina made her wipe her feet against a mat to avoid soiling any of the, presumably, expensive brand named furniture. And since this was the estate of a clan of Dragon Tamers, they were naturally very welcoming of Nairy¡¯s presence, who gave Nina a little boop upon release and went about exploring the place with Sir Clodington in tow. Brucey opted to stick close to Nina, and for the better as well, since she didn¡¯t want to risk her mischievous Golbat doing something that might put an unnecessary dent in her wallet. ¡°Please allow Hattori to settle your luggage while I provide a tour. Milady has specifically asked that I prioritize our bathing amenities.¡± Nina lit up at the mention of the baths, wondering if it truly was as luxurious as Lilian described. ¡°Where¡¯s Lilian by the way?¡± She asked, as the two girls followed Alfred to the back of the villa where the bathroom was. ¡°Milady is currently engaged in a call with her elders upstairs.¡± Alfred answered, before checking his wristwatch. ¡°I believe she will be joining us soon.¡± Nina nodded and said that there was no rush. ¡°Oh, Mr Alfred.¡± Kerry chimed, looking a little shy in front of the dapper old man. ¡°Our teachers ask that Nina and I join them at the inn for dinner tonight, will Lady Lilian be willing to join us?¡± Alfred let out a genial smile as he opened a sliding door leading to the changing room. ¡°Of course, milady has cleared her schedule this evening specifically for the both of you. I am sure she won¡¯t be opposed to the notion¡­ And here we are,¡± said the old butler, while gesturing towards the steamy space that opened up before them. Nina¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight. Just like Lilian said, there was an indoor portion and an outdoor portion to the villa¡¯s bathing area. The indoor bath consisted of a massive square bathtub made from cypress wood, filled with steaming hot spring water flowing from a stone relief of a Gyarados¡¯s head that was attached to the tiled wall. The outside bath was a stone one recessed into the ground, lined with smooth rocks and filled from an intricate Dragonair statue that poured water from its mouth. Encompassing the bath was an entirely open space that afforded its occupants with a scenic view of a bamboo forest, with no worries about privacy thanks to the natural wall of yellowish green plant stalks surrounding them. The top was also covered with a straw canopy to shield against the elements. All in all, the villa¡¯s bathing area felt refreshing to look at, despite the stifling heat of the steamy waters. ¡°There is also a sauna behind that door should you be so inclined.¡± Alfred added as he went over each of the amenities within the bath, including the little shower area as well as the expensive looking liquids and lotions that they stocked for the girls. Nina was grinning like a fool by the end of the tour, feeling glad that she took Lilian up on her offer. She doubted that even the inn¡¯s bath was so well equipped. And even if it was, she would have to share it with others who may or may not be respectful of bathing etiquette. She recalled that Miles once went to a hot spring where some of his fellow bathers had neglected to completely rinse the bubbles off their bodies, resulting in the residual soap floating on the surface of the bath he was in. He knew that they weren¡¯t exactly dirty, but the bubbles seemed gross to him nonetheless. Nina checked the time on her Pokedex. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s still some time before dinner. Surely I can afford to take a little soak¡­¡± Chapter 137 ¡°Nair, naiiir¡­¡± Nina let out a wry smile and gently caressed her wimpy, oversized noodle who saw fit to hide behind her from Lilian¡¯s intimidating Dragonair. Meanwhile, Sir Clodington was puffing his chest up and confronting the passionate Sapphire who was looking to get hold of her muse. In the mind of the devoted Wooper, Sapphire was an evil god out to harm the idol of his worship. ¡°Wooper! Wooper woop, wooper!¡± The little Wooper knight exclaimed valiantly, only to be casually batted aside with a tail swipe from Lilian¡¯s Dragonair, freeing the way for Sapphire to advance upon Nairy. ¡°Nair! Dragonair!¡± Sapphire cried out passionately. But Nairy was unheeding of his admirer¡¯s attention, instead he rushed over to Sir Clodington¡¯s side to check on him. After seeing that his friend was unharmed, Nairy turned towards Sapphire with a fuming look on his face. ¡°Nair, nairy dragonair. Nair!¡± He exclaimed, admonishing Sapphire for her brutish behaviour. Sapphire reeled back in shock and hurt, but as a proud Blackthorn Dragon, she refused to allow herself to be suppressed, and instinctively shot back with furrowed brows and biting cries of her own, prompting an intense argument to ensue between the two Dragonairs. Nina looked towards Espy, hoping that her Espeon could help interpret for her so that she would know what to do. But Espy was uncaring of the drama and simply continued lounging on a comfy little cushion that she found, with Brucey gently massaging her back ¡ª the fussy Pokemon had learned to enjoy the sensation of her junior¡¯s raking claws at some point. In fact, the Espeon even went so far as to form a barrier around her to tune out all the outside noise. ¡°Did you not say that you would explain Sapphire¡¯s intentions to your Dragonair?¡± Lilian asked, being as unhelpful as ever when it came to the messy romance of their two Pokemon. The Blackthorn girl looked absolutely ridiculous as she had opted to wear her usual shoulder pauldrons and half cape over her elegant gold-trimmed yukata. Nina frowned. She did indeed explain things to Nairy. Sort of. More precisely, she took advantage of Nairy''s excellent visual learning capabilities and had a little movie night with him. She specifically picked out a Pokemon romance movie between two Herdiers called ¡°101 Alsatians¡±, starring Diantha in the villainous role. Lilian raised an eyebrow at her friend¡¯s callousness. ¡°So you didn¡¯t explain things to him then.¡± Nina was flabbergasted at Lilian¡¯s accusatory tone. ¡°I did too!¡± She exclaimed, saying that her partner was smart enough to pick up the hints on his own without her needing to spell it out for him. ¡°What about you?¡± She argued. ¡°Did you tell Sapphire to tone down her behavior? It¡¯s clear that her pushiness is what¡¯s driving Nairy away from her!¡± ¡°A Blackthorn Dragon does not shy away from conquest!¡± Lilian declared, in her usual cryptic nonsense. ¡°My Nairy is not a thing to be conquered!¡± Nina rebuked, resulting in another set of arguments to break out in the serene villa. Kerry sighed at the sight of her rowdy friends, deciding that she needed to step in before things came to blows, starting with the two Dragonairs who were now suffused with Electric sparks and Draconic aura respectively. The young Joy approached with her Happiny in hand and reached out to gently caressed Nairy, whom she knew was the more reasonable of the two Dragonairs. ¡°Nairy, it¡¯s okay. Sir Clodington is unharmed.¡± She assured, as an apprentice nurse, she could tell that there was barely any force behind Sapphire¡¯s strike. And not counting Nairy himself, the Wooper was probably the sturdiest of Nina¡¯s Pokemon. ¡°Naiir~¡± Nairy easily let go of his anger and just as quickly switched to baby mode as he rubbed against Kerry for comfort, whining about how mean Sapphire was being all the while. Kerry chuckled in amusement and gently caressed the silly crybaby. Even Peppy was joining in with dainty little pats of her own. The sight of Nairy being such a wuss must have triggered Sapphire, because the Dragonair¡¯s sparks intensified with a furrowed brow. However, before she could cry out and drag Nairy back into an argument, she was silenced by a glare from Kerry. By this point, the girl had long understood that Dragons of the Blackthorn clan did not respond well to a meek presence. If she wanted her voice to be heard, then she needed to be stern. ¡°Sapphire, I think it¡¯s wonderful that you have such strong feelings towards Nairy. However, love is a two way streak,¡± said Kerry. ¡°You can¡¯t just keep one-sidedly imposing yourself on Nairy when he¡¯s not ready for you yet.¡± Sapphire jolted in surprise at how feisty the usually unassuming little girl was being. Kerry then turned towards Nairy and forced the Dragonair to look her in the eye. ¡°Nairy, I don¡¯t believe for a second that you¡¯re not aware of Sapphire¡¯s feelings for you.¡± Nairy wilted and averted his gaze, only to be forced back by a strong jerk from Kerry. ¡°Feigning ignorance, and hiding away everytime Sapphire is trying to engage with you is not only disrespectful, but deeply hurtful of your friend¡¯s feelings!¡± She yelled, causing the Dragonair to almost tear up at the admonishment. The young joy then dragged the slippery Dragonair by the ear wing and placed him right in front of Sapphire, who quivered in surprise at the sudden close contact and swiftly averted her gaze. ¡°The right thing for both of you to do right now is to talk to one another and set boundaries.¡± Kerry continued, as she turned to address Sapphire. ¡°Sapphire, as the initiator, you need to be clear about your feelings and clearly state your expectations. Pokemon love each other in many ways ¡ª for some, it is fleeting, a one time transaction¡­¡± Sapphire vigorously shook her head in denial. ¡°Others might prefer a more long term arrangement. So convey your intentions properly and listen to what Nairy has to say.¡± Sapphire nodded in acknowledgement of the girl¡¯s words, albeit begrudgingly. ¡°And Nairy,¡± Kerry turned, eliciting a desire to escape from the Dragonair. ¡°Running away from your problems isn¡¯t going to make them go away. I know you got that bad habit from Nina¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± exclaimed the girl in question. But Kerry simply ignored her and continued. ¡°However, when it comes to delicate matters like this, you need to deal with it properly, or else it¡¯ll fester into other more unpleasant emotions. Do you understand?¡± Nairy nodded. ¡°You like Sapphire and consider her as a friend right?¡± The Dragon nodded once more. ¡°Do you want Sapphire to hate you?¡± ¡°Nairr¡­¡± The good natured Nairy cried with a vigorous shake of his head. ¡°Good, then listen to what she has to say and have a proper talk with her.¡± Kerry concluded, before turning around and glared at the two tactless humans who allowed the situation to reach this point, striking fear in the hearts of the cool Gym Trainer and the fearsome Dragon Tamer. When a Joy gets angry, none may escape her wrath. *** ¡°Miss Joy, I¡¯m sorry to bother. But I believe it is time for us to begin making our way to join your fellows at the inn.¡± Alfred chimed, midway through Kerry¡¯s lengthy lecture on love and romance. Both Nina and Lilian shot the elderly butler teary eyed looks filled with gratitude. In truth, Kerry¡¯s lecture should have ended long ago, but the girl got too heated and started talking about irrelevant things mid way through. Nina valued her friend a lot but she could be very delusional at times, especially when she started hinting at some sort of secret romance between her and Lilian with wide sparkly eyes. Kerry coughed in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr Alfred, I got too into it. Let me go tidy up and I¡¯ll come right back.¡± She said, as she rushed upstairs into her room. Nina sighed as she got up from the couch that had become her captor the last hour or so, relishing the stretch in her legs as she extended her whole body, the loose sleeves of her yukata falling to reveal her well toned arms. Looking around, she could see that Nairy and Sapphire were currently in a little corner by themselves. The two Dragonairs were in physical contact, but not in such an overbearingly intertwined manner as Sapphire usually was. Rather, the female Dragonair was just content to rest next to Nairy as the two engaged in quiet conversation. ¡°Seems like Sapphire took Kerry¡¯s words to heart.¡± The girl thought. Nina groaned in ecstasy as she released her stretch, turning to look at Lilian who was staring up at her for some reason. I¡¯m going to go to the bathroom and grab my stuff before heading out. Are we all going to be walking there?¡± That final question was directed towards Alfred, who shook his head in response. ¡°No, I shall have my Gallade teleport us there.¡± The elderly butler responded, eliciting a starry eyed gaze from Nina who was looking forward to interacting with the rare Pokemon again. *** ¡°Nina, Kerry, over here!¡± Matsuri called, the moment that she saw her two juniors walking into the banquet hall. The banquet hall was a very large tatami room, the sort that could probably be segmented into smaller rooms, judging by the seams present on the floor and ceiling. Today¡¯s dinner was going to be a joint event with all the other prestigious schools visiting for the meet, so even the lavish banquet hall was having trouble accommodating the hundred over students and teachers that were present. Nina waved at Matsuri and headed over with Kerry and Lilian. Meanwhile, she was looking around at all the unfamiliar faces. Some of them were wearing jerseys in lieu of yukatas, same as Matsuri, and she could make out the emblems of Pewter City¡¯s Military Academy and Saffron¡¯s Psychic Institute among others. ¡°Big Sis Nina!¡± Nina grunted and laughed as a pair of blurry silhouettes crashed into her. Naturally, Nina¡¯s juniors from the Cerulean Gym were here representing the Cerulean Gem as well. Or rather, only Fuyumi was selected as a rep while Natsumi was tagging along as a volunteer. ¡°Hey girls, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡± Nina greeted the twins with a tight squeeze, as she led them to where she was sitting and introduced everyone. In particular, the twins stiffened their backs and gave Lilian a nervous bow when Nina got to her, eliciting an amused smirk from the Blackthorn scion. ¡°I believe we¡¯ve already met during Lady Mizuhana¡¯s wedding reception. All of us are here to touch shoulders today, so no need to linger on formalities,¡± said Lilian. ¡°Oh wow, what¡¯s it like being a rich girl?¡± Matsuri blurted, eliciting a smack on the head from Thomas, an incredulous look from the noble girl and boisterous laughter from the rest. The banquet proceeded in a similarly raucous manner, as one would expect from a horde of hyperactive trainer school kids. It took everything the teachers had to get everyone to settle down when dinner arrived ¡ª a traditional three course Kantonian cuisine which Nina thoroughly enjoyed since they were considerate enough to cater to her Pokemon-free dietary preferences. ¡°I sense a strong presence on your person.¡± After dinner, the students were free to mingle around, and Nina was approached by a creepy looking boy with a neat bowl-cut and wearing the signature high collared black uniform of the Psychic Institute. ¡°Why¡¯s he wearing his uniform? Isn¡¯t that super uncomfortable. Even his schoolmates are in jerseys or Yukatas.¡± Nina mused, feeling a little relieved that the boy did not immediately respond to her thoughts, but she still reinforced her mental defenses just in case. It mostly involved putting herself in a semi-meditative state where any surface thoughts were either empty or filled with nonsense. Nina¡¯s method just involved humming Nairy¡¯s lullaby continuously to mask her thoughts, something she¡¯d gotten very good at over the years. ¡°I have an Espeon on me.¡± Nina explained, but refrained from releasing Espy to prove her point. There wasn¡¯t enough space in the room to accommodate Pokemon, so everyone would likely have to feed their team separately later on. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sabrina once told me that my Espy is one of the most Gifted Eevees she had ever seen. And she has only evolved and gotten stronger since then.¡± Nina continued, in an attempt to gauge the boy¡¯s reaction. The boy nodded with eyes full of intrigue. ¡°I see, I look forward to meeting an Espeon who gained the attention of Lady Sabrina. My name is Mash, it is nice to meet you.¡± The boy known as Mash extended his hand, which Nina ignored in favor of a courteous nod. Some Psychics were able to bypass mental defenses and infiltrate the mind through physical contact. ¡°Nice to meet you, my name is Nina, a second year student from the Vermilion Flame.¡± She greeted, eliciting a smirk from the boy named Mash. As a highly competent Psychic, Mash was not offended by Nina¡¯s snub. Rather, his respect for the girl only increased from her act of caution. ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± said Mash. ¡°I¡¯m only in my first year, so my Alakazam will have to wait until the free-for-all to cross spoons with your Espeon.¡± Nina frowned in confusion. ¡°You have an Alakazam in your first year?¡± She asked, thinking that it was only the middle of the school year. ¡°Surely this kid knows better than to rush the development of his Pokemon.¡± Mash nodded in acknowledgement, not needing to read Nina¡¯s mind to know what she was thinking. ¡°You need not worry, I¡¯ve had Mob with me since I was but a mere babe, and he an Abra. We grew up together and see each other as brothers.¡± Nina was intrigued and asked a few more questions about Mash¡¯s unique upbringing. The boy was a little evasive and cryptic as all Psychics tend to be, so she gave up and moved on to other topics instead. Other students from various schools joined in at some point as well, since it wasn¡¯t always that one got to interact with a bona fide Psychic. Not to mention that everyone at least knew of Nina thanks to her work in the Cerulean Gym. She had the most enjoyable time speaking with a final year student from Silver Glory, Viridian City¡¯s trainer school, which was actually founded by Giovanni, but had since lost its lustre thanks to the purge its faculty was subjected to after the Gym Leader was ousted. ¡°So your research subject involves trying to rejuvenate the no-man¡¯s land bordering Viridian City?¡± She asked. The boy, who looked to be in his late teens nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly call it research at this stage, but it is a subject that I¡¯m keen on studying in university, yes.¡± He explained that the reason why nothing grew in that barren land was because of Type Energy pollution, the remnant Type Energy that were left behind from battles of yore were constantly in conflict with one another, making it hard for any life to thrive under those circumstances. ¡°My idea right now is that Dragon Type Energy may be key to solving this problem.¡± The boy continued. ¡°Dragon Type Energy has powerful, commanding properties that can bring all the other elements to heel, sans Ice and Fairy. Hence why Dragon Pokemon are so versatile¡­¡± The idea he proposed was to use Dragons to dominate the chaotic ambient Type Energy pervading the land and cleanse them somehow. There was some rationale there, but it was clear that the idea was still half-baked. ¡°Do you mind sparing me some time with your Dragonair at some point, to run a few tests? I have some ideas I want to verify.¡± The boy asked, to which Nina simply replied in ambivalence and said that she would ask Nairy about it. The rest of the proceedings were much the same, as Nina got to know the eclectic mix of young Pokemon Trainers that had been gathered for the meet. There were a few times, like with the guy from Silver Glory, where she was reminded that trainer schools weren''t just for battle obsessed muscle heads. A fact that was easy to overlook thanks to the unique culture of the Vermilion Flame. *** Author''s Note: The daily chapter rush on Patreon has begun. We''re doing daily chapter releases over there until we hit Chapter 160 for anyone that wants to join in. Chapter 138 ¡°Welcome to the Verdant Orchid, my name is Erika, chairwoman of this humble academy.¡± The gathered students clapped at the introduction, some even yelled out fervently at the sight of their idol. Erika was the very definition of a yamato nadeshiko, a traditional japanese beauty, wearing an intricate green and red kimono with golden floral accents, skin white as snow, glossy black hair tied up in a bundle held by luxurious looking hairpins to expose her delicate nape, and ruby red lips looking more supple than even the juiciest of apples. ¡°You are all here today because you are the best and the brightest that our proud region has to offer.¡± The Gym Leader continued, eliciting more cheers from the gathered audience. The total number of participants in the inter-school meet turned out to be much larger than Nina had anticipated. Outside of the seven major schools, a good number of smaller and lesser known trainer schools were also invited, a very recent development in an effort to stoke competition. It was simply that the less well-off schools were not able to secure accommodation in the luxurious inn that the established players were all staying in, so there was still an element of fraternity there. Nina looked around and saw that Lilian was standing behind Erika, with a glaze over her eyes, eliciting a cheeky smile from the girl. Not that Nina could blame her, these sorts of speeches and opening ceremonies were boring no matter who was officiating it. Kerry, though, was absolutely eating it up. The young Joy¡¯s eyes had yet to stop sparkling since Erika took to the stage. ¡°Psst.¡± Matsuri hissed, with a light tap on Nina¡¯s shoulder. The younger girl turned her head to see what she wanted. But right as she did, Nina could feel her knees buckling from pressure being applied on the underside. Nina scowled as she righted herself. ¡°Dammit! What are you? An elementary schooler?!¡± The childish senior laughed at her successful prank while Nina just ignored her and returned her attention to the front, not wanting to cause a commotion. *** First day of the inter-school meet involved a healthy dose of bonding exercises. And what better way for a bunch of hyperactive trainer school kids to bond than through an obstacle course ¡ª a winding and strenuous path through the nature preserve attached to the Verdant Orchid. ¡°Keep at it Aqua Girl, not doing so great out of water huh?¡± Matsuri chimed, as she passed Nina by. The mischievous senior even ran backwards as she was addressing her junior. ¡°Dammit! Damn these stubby 11 year old legs!¡± Nina cursed as she pumped her legs to run as fast as she could, her competitive side having been provoked by the senior VF student. But despite her best efforts, all the older students from the other schools overtook her one by one. There was simply not much she could do to close the gap in physique. Eventually, after a strenuous trek up a fairly steep hiking trail, the girl reached the top of a waterfall, pausing in apprehension in spite of herself. If the map she was given was correct, Nina would have to jump down the curtain of rapidly flowing water and into the small lake underneath it. A fact that was soon verified by the other runners ahead of her when one of them resolutely jumped off the vertical cliff with a boisterous ¡°Woohoooooo!!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this, Nina¡­¡± While Nina was still hesitating, a sweaty looking Kerry caught up to her at one point. Seeing the same apprehensive look on her friend¡¯s face invoked a protective urge deep inside of Nina and helped to bolster her courage. Perhaps it was the inner adult inside of her, but Nina felt like she needed to put on a brave front and set an example for the young girl. ¡°I believe in you. You can do this Kerry ¡ª we can do this. Together.¡± Nina said, as she grabbed hold of Kerry¡¯s hand with a tight squeeze and a resolute nod. Kerry gulped in response, and returned the sentiment with a nervous nod of her own. And with that the two girls rushed towards the edge of the cliff, hand in hand, as they made a leap of faith amidst ear piercing shrieks. The chilling impact of the water shook Nina to the core, but once she regained her wits, the girl blew some bubbles from her mouth to determine her bearings. She looked to the side and saw that Kerry was still holding tightly to her hand with closed eyes. With a quick shake of Kerry¡¯s shoulders, Nina gestured at her to follow as they both swam to the surface and made their way to shore. The next section was a lot more fun ¡ª a Pokemon race. There were a number of Ride Pokemon to choose from, but Nina ultimately tapped into her inner horse girl and chose a Rapidash. Not that she could utilize the horse Pokemon''s speed to the fullest, since this was ultimately an obstacle course, and that meant needing to navigate through rugged forest terrain. Hence why others had opted for more cumbersome, but sturdy, Pokemon like Rhyhorn. Another option was Tauros, but a lot of students had also gone for a Gogoat, like Kerry, for their uncanny litheness. The Grass Type could surmount pretty much any terrain. ¡°Figures that a Gym Leader and environmentalist like Erika had no problems importing foreign Pokemon into our borders.¡± If anything, Nina was disappointed there wasn¡¯t a more diverse selection. She would have loved to ride a Cyclizar ¡°Nina, can I warm up near your Rapidash?¡± Kerry said, as she approached with her Gogoat in hand. Nina laughed and asked her Rapidash to flare up the temperature a bit. The two girls were still wet from their earlier dip in the lake. By this point, Nina had given up on overtaking her seniors. But she¡¯d be damned if she allowed herself to lose to the other kids around her age. So after a quick dry session from Rapidash, which Kerry¡¯s Gogoat was none too pleased by, Nina mounted the bare back of the Fire horse Pokemon ¡ª the students weren¡¯t given a saddle, nor were they afforded a harness, so Nina had to be careful here. ¡°Alright, giddy up Rapidash! We¡¯ll keep to a reasonable speed to avoid any accidents, but maintain a Flame Wheel and be ready to Flame Charge ¡ª we¡¯re gonna blaze a path forward!¡± In response to Nina¡¯s command, Rapidash bucked his forelegs and cried out with an enthusiastic whinny, eliciting excited laughter from the girl. ¡°Let¡¯s ride, Rapidash!¡± And with that, the girl and her fire horse exploded into a burst of fiery momentum. Nina made sure to hunker down and keep her arms firmly wrapped around Rapidash¡¯s thick muscular neck to avoid getting thrown off and left behind. ¡°Woohooo!¡± Nina couldn¡¯t help but cry out at the thrill of the ride as she savoured the warm gust of winds that rushed through her whole body. The world around her faded into a blur from how fast Rapidash was going, and yet this was barely even a fraction of the Pokemon¡¯s speed. It was crazy to think that this hyperbike in Pokemon form was capable of going so much faster if given a clear path. And speaking of which, they were soon met with their first set of obstructions as they neared the edge of the grassy knolls and approached a dense wooded forest. ¡°Like we discussed, Rapidash.¡± Nina called, her voice barely audible from Rapidash¡¯s fierce gallop and powerful heartbeat. ¡°Fire Blast through the bushes, Flame Charge our way through and Firewheel throughout to preserve as much momentum as possible.¡± Rapidash whinnied with an aggressive huff and did as he was told, leaving flaming carnage in his wake. His flames were hot to the point that any vegetation that was within a five meter radius of the full grown Fire stead burst into flames and disintegrated at his approach. Even Nina could feel the heat rising on the back of the Rapidash. Yet, despite the slight discomfort, she was entirely unharmed thanks to her mount¡¯s impeccable control over Fire Type Energy. The only real issue was the trees in their path, which forced Rapidash to slow down his charge and prance around the stubborn, unyielding trunks. Some of the younger sapling combusted easily enough and allowed the sturdy Fire Type to force his way through, but the more ancient trees were barely tickled by the flames and nigh unyielding in their eternal vigil. But the thrill of the ride was there all the same, as Nina steadily raised her posture and took in her surroundings with a silly grin on her face. In her immediate vicinity, she could see a Rhyhorn toppling trees with utter indifference, an excited rider above her jumping through the forest canopy from branch to branch on the back of a Gogoat, and behind her a fiery trail of destruction paved by her Rapidash. Nina laughed, hoping that Erika wouldn¡¯t mind the defacing of her precious land. ¡°Oh who am I kidding, a quick sweep with a squad of powerful Grass Types and this place will be as good as new.¡± Pokemon were magical that way. And speaking of Pokemon, the local wildlife were probably used to the semi-recurrence of this reckless marathon, considering there had yet to be any accidents so far. Nina wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were some nosy Pachirisu hiding atop the branches with nuts and Berries in hand to watch the show, an image that brought an amused smirk to her face. ¡°Alright, time to speed up again, Rapidash.¡± Nina said with a firm pat, once she saw that the vegetation had cleared up somewhat in front of them, probably thanks to the work of some bulldozing Rhyhorn. Rapidash let out another whinny and burst into flames once more, the girl on his back hollering excitedly at the rapid acceleration with a deformed face. *** ¡°Ahh¡­ that¡¯s the stuff¡­¡± Nina moaned as she lowered herself into the spacious wooden bathtub, allowing her legs to stretch out as the healing properties of the hot spring water seeped into her bones and relaxed her muscles. After their friendly little race, Nina had dismounted from Rapidash feeling utterly rejuvenated and sweaty at the same time. The girl made sure to thank the Rapidash for his hardwork and thoroughly pampered the Pokemon with Berries as a reward. ¡°Man, Ride Pokemon are so fun!¡± She thought at the time, regretting the fact that she opted not to catch that Ponyta back in the Safari Zone. The Rapidash line was great because they had a very clear Evolution criteria. According to the information that Nina scrounged up from the Pokemon League¡¯s database, Ponytas get faster with age. And much like how juvenile Dragons evolved from the first successful completion of a Dragon Dance. A Ponyta¡¯s evolution was triggered when they finally reached a certain speed threshold and were able to keep up with their Rapidash elders ¡ª at around 200 kmph. It was an absolutely mind boggling speed, faster than most supercars from Nina¡¯s old world. But it was important to note that adult Rapidashes could go anywhere up to 240-250 kmph, so 200 kmph was actually the bare minimum for a Ponyta to be considered an adult and achieve Evolution. Just the thought of running through the entire region with her personal speedster made Nina giddy with excitement. ¡°But oh well¡­ Maybe next time.¡± For now, the girl would just pin her hopes on Nairy when he eventually evolved into a Dragonite. ¡°Who needs a hyperbike when I got my very own fighter jet!¡± ¡°Nair~¡± Speaking of Nairy, the pampered Dragonair cozied up to Nina to make up for the lack of physical affection throughout the day. The fact that there was still room in the bathtub even with her oversized Dragon in it just goes to show how big it was. After racing through the nature preserve, Nina had sneakily asked Alfred if he could teleport her back to the villa to soak in the hot spring instead of using the school¡¯s shower facilities. Kerry wanted to join as well, but she was waylaid by her cousins from the other trainer schools. Probably for the better, since Nina was not sure how her unstable hormones would react to seeing her friend¡¯s bare body. Though in Kerry¡¯s case, the mousey girl still retained a very childlike physique so there were probably no problems there. As Nina revelled in the bliss of having the entire bath to herself, she was startled by the crackling sound of someone opening the sliding door behind her. The girl ran a heated palm through her face to wake herself from her stupor and gather her spirits. ¡°Is that you, Kerry? Did you manage to get away from your cousins?¡± Nina asked as she turned around to greet the newcomer, only to see the frozen figure of Lilian Blackthorn standing, towel in hand, at the doorway instead. ¡°Oh, hey Lilian.¡± Nina greeted with an awkward smile. ¡°Feel free to uh¡­ join in.¡± The girl muttered as she resisted the urge to smack herself in the face. ¡°You idiot, this is her family''s villa. As if she needs permission from you, you fool!¡± However, Lilian did not reply and just continued to stand by the threshold, a look of surprise frozen on her face. Nina lightly waved at the girl in caution, wondering if she had maybe said something wrong. ¡°Hey uh¡­ Lil? You okay there? If you¡¯re not comfortable bathing with me, I can head to the outside bath¡­¡± She offered. That way Lilian could be by herself in the indoor bath. But instead of responding to the question, Lilian¡¯s face simply flushed red as she hurriedly slammed the door shut, with a frantic ¡°Sorry!¡± Nina was left by herself in the bath, looking absolutely bewildered as she considered what just happened. ¡°Is she¡­¡± The girl muttered, but quickly shook her head to dismiss the rogue thoughts invading her head. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Lilian¡¯s a girl of noble birth, so she¡¯s probably just not used to the idea of a communal bath.¡± Nina mused. The girl remembered being much the same way when she first made a hot spring visit in her past life. The idea of communal bathing was a very uncomfortable one for most people in the world if they weren¡¯t raised with the appropriate set of values. For most cultures, bath time was a private and intimate moment where one laid themself bare and cleansed their bodies. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s probably it.¡± Nina concluded. She had already misunderstood her friend once before and will not allow herself to fall into the same trap. That said, she felt bad about hogging someone else¡¯s bath like this, so she quickly concluded her time there and exited, much to Nairy and Espy¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Lilian, I¡¯m done with my bath. You can go in now!¡± Nina shouted, but the Blackthorn girl was nowhere to be seen in any of the common areas. *** Author''s note: I''m so creatively drained right now that I''m in dire need of reading material. Anyone has any recommendations? I don''t need anything serious or introspective. Just casual and mindless would do. No litrpgs though. In fact, I''ve been trying to read korean manhwa during my downtime. But they''re all the same; edgy male protagonist aura farming with a gaggle of women vying to blow them. Anyways, needless to say, I gave up on most of them barely 10 chapters in. I think I came a across a thread once in the forums ranting about how korean NovelFires and webtoons these days are ostensibly just fanfiction. And you know what? They''re right. It''s all just Solo Leveling in a slightly different flavor. It''s kind of like pizza; everyone has their own little twist and recipes. But at the end of the day, it''s still just pizza. Having it once every couple of weeks or every month is fine. But you can''t just eat it every day. It''s not healthy for you. Chapter 139 Sixteen schools and representatives from each five years. Yes, trainer schools only had five years of curriculum to account for the sabbatical that they afford their students as compared to the more standard six years of general schools and vocational schools. Although, most trainer school kids tended to run off after their second or third year to undertake their conference run. A case like Charlie where he only took his sabbatical in his penultimate year was rare but not exactly unheard of either. All in all, trainer school students were still in the minority, because until relatively recently, there just weren¡¯t that many of them. Being enrolled in a trainer school was a sign of prestige and excellence. Though some of the more traditional conservatives also decry it as cowardice, because it was originally meant for scions of the rich and wealthy to dodge military duty during the war. Things were starting to change though. With the emergence of new generation trainer schools and the prevalence of peace. Parents were now starting to prefer trainer schools as opposed to throwing their ten-year olds into the wilderness immediately after they came of age. Justin was a good example of that, even though he ran off after he did the barest of minimums to appease his mother. So for the restricted tournament on the second day of the meet, it would be 16 participants of each year facing off against each other in four rounds of single elimination until a winner was crowned. Matches would be two on two for the sake of expediency and to account for anyone who still only had two Pokemon for whatever reason. In the case of Nina, she wanted to give her newer Pokemon a shot at some experience while still keeping her promise of ¡°preserving the prestige of her school¡± by winning the whole thing. So she did what Beverly did in her conference preliminaries and paired a less experienced Pokemon with an ace. In this case, it would be Brucey/Espy and Sir Clodington/Nairy. Mostly out of personal chemistry more than anything. Her first opponent though was tricky; a representative of the Kanto Military Academy, who were hyper competitive and possessed a deep disdain for the Vermilion Flame, which many considered to be the region¡¯s number one training school. Nina sighed as she stepped up to the arena platform in her maroon school jersey. The other girl though, was wearing a severe look on her face and full on military garb. The girl held a Pokeball in her hand on full display ¡ª green top etched with a silver chrysanthemum, a standard issue Ball among the military. Nina smiled. ¡°No wonder she looks like she wants to strangle me. Girl¡¯s a career soldier, probably from one of the legacy military families as well.¡± She mused. That and the fact that Nina was a Gym trainer working under one of the great Kantonian clans and studying in VF. From the other girl¡¯s perspective, Nina was not only a rival, but also a political pariah. So it was likely that she would be desperate to win this just to prove a point to her sponsors. ¡°Change of plans, sorry Brucey.¡± Nina muttered a silent apology to Brucey in her mind and shifted her Pokeballs around with a sleight of hand. She didn¡¯t mind losing, but only if it didn¡¯t affect her sponsors¡¯ prestige. And in this case, there was too much at stake for her to play around. At the call of the referee, both trainers threw out their Pokeballs simultaneously, revealing their first picks. And when Nina caught a glimpse of her opponent¡¯s Pokemon, the girl had to hold back a squeal. Because what appeared on the opposite end of the arena was a Nidoking, one of Nina¡¯s all time favorites. ¡°Dammit! If not for all these inane politics, I could go and make friends with the girl and ask to pet her Nidoking!¡± Nina cursed. Meanwhile, her first choice of Pokemon was the stoic looking Espy, whose silver collar was already gleaming a menacing light in preparation for the match. ¡°Nidokiiiing!!!¡± The regal Poison Pokemon roared with maximum aggression as it stomped its feet on the ground and glared at his puny opponent. ¡°This match will be between Tanya of Pewter, representing the great Kanto Military Academy and the great Morimoto family¡­¡± The word ¡®great¡¯ was said with a great deal of sass from the referee''s part, likely an unreasonable imposition thrust upon him. ¡°And Nina of Cerulean, representing the Vermilion Flame, the Laboratory of Professor Bill, Professor Oak, and the Cerulean Gym.¡± A tense silence fell onto the arena at the end of the introductions as both sides waited for the countdown. The soldier girl leveled a poisonous glare at Nina, but she simply ignored her and continued conversing with Espy in her head. As the seconds ticked by, the referee finally spoke. ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ And, begin!¡± He called. At the start of the match, both Pokemon sprung into action completely unprompted. Nidoking roared and stomped his foot onto the ground to invoke a Sandstorm. But the moment that he did, the cloud of sand was immediately suppressed by an oppressive Psychic aura that descended upon the entire arena. Gravity ¡ª but despite the name of the move, it had little to do with the manipulation of the natural phenomenon. Instead, the principles involved blanketing a space with an all encompassing Psychic aura and using it to weigh down on the occupants through sheer force of will. ¡°Nido... Nidoking!¡± Espy¡¯s opponent buckled ever so slightly under pressure, but cried out in defiance and righted himself with pure brute force. Tanya the soldier girl frowned and called for an Earthquake, prompting Espy¡¯s Gravity to falter as she jumped onto a Psychic platform she created in the air. ¡°Blizzard, Nidoking!¡± Taking advantage of the momentary reprieve, Nidoking set up his next move by summoning a raging snowstorm onto the field. All the while, he was also trying to subtly inflict Taunt and Torment onto Espy, a pointless endeavour given Espy¡¯s overwhelming Calm Mind enhanced willpower. Nina laughed, she had nearly forgotten how versatile Nidoking was as a species. The Pokemon probably had access to more Type Energy variety than your average Dragon Type. In fact, she distinctly recalled teaching her Nidoking Surf in the Pokemon games of her past life. ¡°How the heck would that move even work in the real world?¡± Nina¡¯s musings were interrupted by a nagging sense of irritation over her Psychic connection with Espy. The Espeon was not happy about having to deal with environmental hazards and constant mental assaults at the same time. The solution? Get rid of one of them. With that thought, Espy¡¯s forehead jewel gleamed as she shot a beam of light into the ceiling, completely dispelling the snow clouds and replacing it with Sunny Day, a move she learned directly from Nairy. But Nidoking persisted, refusing to let go of the battle¡¯s initiative. Strands of shadow rose from his silhouette and converged into a Shadow Ball around his mouth. Then, with a silent roar, blasted the Ghostly projectile towards Espy, one after another. Espy clicked her tongue in annoyance as she deftly avoided one shadowy bolt after another. All the while, the Nidoking was inching closer and closer to melee range, taking a step with each Shadow Bolt he unleashed. ¡°Don¡¯t bother evading, Espy. Those bolts are weak, just block ¡®em and begin retaliating. Nidokings are weak to Psychic.¡± Nina relayed over their mental link, prompting Espy to instantly shift gears as she laid down a barrier and attacked Nidoking¡¯s mind directly with Confusion. ¡°Kiiing!¡± Nidoking cried out in pain and halted in his steps, allowing Espy the leeway to shoot a Light Screen empowered Psybeam at the purple Pokemon¡¯s head, further compounding the damage. ¡°Dammit! Earth Power, Nidoking! Hold nothing back!¡± With a pain filled roar, the whole arena began to quake as Nidoking heaved and slammed the full weight of his Ground Energy infused body onto the arena floor. But just before the moment of impact, a Psybeam appeared out of nowhere from the ground and struck him once more in the head, completely countering the move and silencing the regal Pokemon. Future Sight ¡ª Espy had foreseen this pivotal moment of the match and laid down a trap beforehand, just waiting to be triggered at the right time. The Nidoking¡¯s forceful momentum, compounded by the counter of a powerful Psybeam resulted in his demise. Tanya the soldier girl froze on her platform, eyes wide with shock and disbelief at the abrupt development. Not stirring until the referee finished his countdown and declared Nidoking the loser. Nina¡¯s opponent ground her teeth in frustration while she recalled her Nidoking, glaring daggers at Nina all the while. However, Nina just returned the vitriol with a wry smile. It wasn¡¯t like she had a personal vendetta against the girl. And one couldn¡¯t choose the circumstances of their upbringing. Once she was done fuming, Tanya finally summoned her next Pokemon, who emerged with an imposing Howl, one so fearsome that Nina could even feel Espy wavering in her mind. ¡°Now I really wanna make friends with her!¡± Nina lamented. Because Espy¡¯s next opponent was an Arcanine with the most majestically fluffy fur she had ever seen. Even Espy was feeling a little envious at the legendary canine¡¯s billowing tail and luscious mane. ¡°I wonder what product that Arcanine uses?¡± Both trainer and Pokemon thought at the same time. However, those wayward thoughts were quickly interrupted when the referee called for a resumption of battle. Nina meant to ask Espy to cancel her Sunny Day, but before she could even form a single coherent thought, Arcanine disappeared in a flash and collided into Espy with Extreme Speed. No amount of foresight and instinct could spare her if she couldn¡¯t react in time. ¡°Trick Room, Espy! Create a maze!¡± Nina called, she was in too frantic a state for mental communication. Anything she tried to relay to Espy at this point would be tainted with noise and only cause confusion. ¡°Es!¡± Espy cried out in affirmation and attempted to oblige, but was once again tossed into the air by another Extreme Speed. ¡°Return!¡± Seeing that Dark Type Energy had begun to coalesce in Arcanine¡¯s gaping maw, waiting on Espy¡¯s landing, Nina immediately withdrew her princess to avoid her coming into further harm. Tanya glared from being rug pulled, but Nina did not care. The wellbeing of her beloved Pokemon was more important than her pride. ¡°Thanks, Espy. You did great¡­¡± Nina whispered, before hardening her gaze and expanding her next Pokeball, one decorated with stickers of stars and a Dragon¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Nairy. I choose you!¡± She yelled. The moment that the serpentine Dragon emerged, the artificial sun dotting the ceiling faded, replaced by coalescing rain clouds as Nairy¡¯s orbs shone in fury. No one hurts his beloved family and gets away with it. The audience erupted into cheers. It wasn¡¯t often that one got to witness a clash between two pseudo legendaries in person. The crackling of thunder and the first drop of rain marked the start of the battle as Arcanine once again disappeared in a flash, colliding with Nairy, but not without cost, as the Dragonair erupted into a Thunder Wave almost immediately, shocking the Arcanine and effectively sealing the reliability of its Extreme Speed with Paralysis. ¡°No mercy, Nairy!¡± ¡°Nair!!!¡± Nairy forced himself up and fought through the pain of impact, crying out in determination as he broke into a dance, suffusing his entire body with Water Type Energy and a fierce Draconic aura. All the while, every drop of moisture was extracted from the air to form an imposing wave around him. Tanya the soldier girl gawked at the sight and yelled at her Arcanine to push through the Paralysis. ¡°Flare Blitz and Extreme Speed, Hachiko! Fight your way through to the other side!¡± ¡°Awooo!!!¡± Arcanine howled, his mane bursting into golden white flames. Flames hot enough to immediately evaporate the droplets of water all around him. The members of the audience sat at the edge of their seats, heart pounding in anticipation at the epic scene before them ¡ª an arena dominated by raging Fire on one side and an imposing storm on the other. ¡°Drop it, Nairy.¡± And with Nina¡¯s chilling call, the gargantuan wave fell, prompting the Arcanine to burst into action, water erupted into steam with a violent hiss the moment that the flaming canine clashed with the heavy waves. The arena flooded, waves churned and bubbled as vapours rose from the superheated water. On the other end of the arena, Tanya clenched her fists in anxious anticipation, fully cognizant of the fact that her Arcanine needed to take the Dragonair out in a single hit or risk losing in the flooded terrain. Nina furrowed her brows in anticipation as well, but she had absolute faith in her partner. She could tell from their shared connection that Nairy was still active, which meant that this match was all but won. And sure enough, after a bright flash of light escaped the water¡¯s surface, an unconscious Arcanine floated into sight while a singed and haggard looking Nairy emerged with a nasty looking Bite mark on his neck. ¡°Nair!!!¡± Nairy cheered out in triumph, signaling an end to Nina¡¯s first round of the tournament. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.