The All Mighty Earth - Pokemon SI Chapter 36

Asher's Team:

Lago - Rhydon

Sebastian - Nidoking

Selena - Nidoqueen

Seraph - Clefable

Death - Marowak

Colossus - Steelix

Clamps - Gligar

Ivor - Mamoswine

Jet - Flygon

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In the stretches of silence between my time arriving at the Viridian Gym I managed to catch sight of a few construction workers and their Machoke, probably working to repair the more run-down areas of the city. Something which would have been made easier by the fact that the number of criminals gathering between the cracks and corners of Viridian had all but been completely culled.

A group of children walked past me whispering, and sneaking glances, only to go silent and look away when my eyes caught theirs.

Being a Gym Leader meant that in my community I was more than just a little well known. I was the city's guardian, and my authority was comparable to that of the mayor, above even in some cases. It was almost nerve-wracking. When I first became a Gym Leader, I just stared at my hands for a moment and was like 'I have the power'.

The pay was also a plus. Thirty thousand pokedollars a month was nothing to sneeze at. Though, that wasn't the reason I became a Gym Leader. It was Giovanni.

I stared down at my hands, particularly at the bandages I always wore since my battle with Giovanni; well, battle would be an understatement really. It was closer to a beatdown, or maybe a bug being crushed.

The bandages were a bit dirty and worn, but otherwise were perfectly secure and tight, hiding the flaws which lingered on my flesh from that night.

When I finished glaring at my hands and wrists, I took notice that I'd arrived at my destination, so I opened the door to the Viridian Gym and walked inside, immediately being greeted by a sight I'd grown accustomed to.

The entrance to the Viridian Gym wasn't anything unusual, in fact it was entirely what someone would expect from a pokemon Gym. The room itself was large, enough so that perhaps two dozen people could comfortably line up at the reception to book a time to battle me and earn their Gym Badge, though any more than that would be pushing it. Sofa's were present in both sides of the room, though they rarely saw use, and a front desk was present; where a red headed elderly woman would usually be present. Though, I was incredibly early, so Laverne wouldn't be present until three hours had past.

I needed to tell her I was going to take my leave soon. She didn't need to work whilst I wasn't present, she only did paper work afterall, and that could easily be handled in her home. Apparently, her daughter had a child recently, she could take a leave to spend some time with her family.

I walked past the reception and threw another door open, stepping through the hallway with extreme haste. I'd been training every day since the circuit ended, so I could have walked the route I was treading through blindfolded.

A few twists and turns through the corridor, and I was standing in front of my destination, my training grounds, and what might as well have been my second home with how much time I spent there.

I cracked my neck, easing the tension and making myself relax, before I stepped into the ranch behind the Viridian Gym. The fresh air hitting me full force in the bright morning.

A smile crept it's way onto my face, but in a second I discarded it and looked down from the hill that the entrance provided for me, consequently giving me a good vantage point to view the Gym's pokemon and their daily activities.

I'd had to catch a wide variety of ground-types and train them up to the right levels in order to run the Gym challenge at different difficulties, since a newbie trainer won't be battling my personal team, and they couldn't all be the same kind.

I could see Trapinch and Vibrava, Swinub and Piloswine, Gligar, Rhyhorn, and a number of other pokemon that I'd caught in my time as a Gym Leader. Every single one of them was mine, so I had to keep a connection to them, be it through training or otherwise. I would be keeping all of them, even if I stopped being a Gym Leader; space wasn't an issue for me.

I reach for my belt and released my entire team, except Colossus due to his size, and just said." We're training this morning, get ready."

We had work to do, I doubted that the trainers in Sinnoh were weak enough that we could afford to slack around. We needed to be ready.

Walking down to the training grounds, we were silent the whole way. Several of my pokemon looked our way, but they quickly dismissed us, used to the sight of us heading to the training grounds, and before long we arrived at the training grounds.

I turned my head around to face my team. It had been two years since... they died, but I wanted to think that we'd grown stronger in that time.

Giovanni was strong, I wanted my revenge, so I needed to grow stronger. A lot stronger. So, I did.

We were likely on the Elite Four level by now, however it still wasn't enough. We weren't prepared enough.

I wasn't foolish enough to just rush in blindly and expect to defeat Giovanni because we'd grown a bit stronger- I didn't have my arrogant streak like I used to- if I wanted my revenge then I needed to shed my weakness off.

I removed my shirt, not wanting it to get sweaty, and cast it aside. I stared down at my arms and stomach with a strange feeling of proudness welling up in my chest.

Over the last two years my body had changed drastically. I wasn't tiny, or even that childish looking, before, but I'd managed to outgrow most of my coltish youth. The baby fat on my face had all but totally melted off, my arms were defined and strong, my shoulders were broad and muscular, and my abs, though not overly massive, were still plainly visible.

My training definitely had paid off, and the results showed.

I shifted my analytical eye to my pokemon, and felt a similar proud feeling when I assessed their growth. Each of my team had surpassed my expectations.

I'd decided to get some new team members, and figured that I would pick some good ones whilst I was at it. Those three ended up being a Flygon, a Mamoswine, and a Gligar. Jet, Ivor, and Clamps. Those were the nicknames I'd given them anyway.

Jet and Ivor were two powerhouses that brought a lot of heat to my team, though Clamps would be limited until I managed to evolve him. Maybe they'd have a Razor Fang in Sinnoh, a Protector could also be great, though I had suspicions if it was actually something I could purchase.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that a strand from my bandages was hanging loosely, exposing some of the blemished skin which lied underneath, and for a moment my feeling of proudness faltered and collapsed as I took a moment to push down my pride, closing my eyes in respect.

I cracked them open as I took the strap and wrapped it tightly around my forearm, making certain that it wouldn't slip again.

Never again.

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Sabrina watched Asher train from afar, and couldn't stop herself from scowling when she saw him training yet again. It was all he ever seemed to do. He had it down to a schedule, as though every action he did flowed perfectly off the other.

He gets up at 6 AM, he has his breakfast which consisted of eggs and toast, he goes to the Gym to train, he roams the city to ensure everything is in order, he trains again, he has his dinner, he trains for a third time, then finally he goes to bed at 10 PM. That was usually his routine.

She honestly wasn't sure what she was doing. What she had been doing for a long time.

Asher had made his feelings very clear the last time they spoke, and he wanted nothing to do with her. Which was fine. He just betrayed her trust, spat in her face, and abandoned her. It was no big deal. Nothing she hadn't felt before.

She felt nothing for him. He was a manipulative liar and a scoundrel. He was too good to be true, and that was it. He was a liar, and a bastard, and a fiend! She hated him!... only she didn't truly mean that.

Her heart ached for him still. She wanted to be near him so badly that it hurt her, and she hated that. She'd been trying to block out her emotions recently, but she found herself unable to simply suppress her emotions like she did when she were younger. 

'Mistress, why do you choose to spend your time watching over master Asher?'

Sabrina almost jumped, having forgotten he was next to her." I don't know, Alakazam." She hugged her legs as her eyes honed in on Asher's back as he began to do a set of sit-ups, all whilst under the effects of Gravity.

Sabrina could practically feel the exasperation he was feeling, though he still patiently retorted.' I think you do know, Mistress. You simply don't know how to face him again. How to make up with him.'

Sabrina scowled as she looked to the side, though still glancing at her ex-boyfriend." Why should I need to make up with him? It's not as though I'm the one who split us up." 

Alakazam paused for a moment, something which she took notice of, and responded; with no small amount of hesitation in his voice.' Perhaps... you were the one who split the both of you apart.'

His words made something deep inside Sabrina bristle and burn with anger." What did you say?"

Her pokemon visibly flinched away, clearly caught off-guard by the dark tone in her voice, though he did reply.' I simply meant that whilst, yes, he was the one who ended your relationship, who could say that you wouldn't have been able to continue being friends? There is also the matter of how he might have been feeling in the moment. Tell me, how did he look that night?'

He... made a good point, she supposed. That night, he looked beaten down, as though he'd been crushed, it had physically hurt him to so what he did. He had also lost three pokemon just before they'd broken up, so what was it like for him? What was going through his mind at that time?

She looked around, noticing that a group of Rhyhorn and Rhydon were seemingly battling with each other. Be it for practice or some dispute, Sabrina couldn't say.

Alakazam didn't receive an answer, so he simply gave his advice.' I'm merely advising you to hear master Asher out, Mistress. I do not take his side, however it might do you good to hear him out before deciding what you truly think of him.'

Sabrina considered his words briefly in silence, and though he hadn't left her, he was no longer speaking with her either. They were in total silence.

After a while, she stood. She was tired of simply standing around and watching him go about his day. She was a Gym Leader, much like him, so she couldn't afford to slack around either.

"Take me home, Alakazam. " She spoke, her words quiet but left no room for argument.

Alakazam was hesitant at first, she had an idea why, but eventually he his respond as he began to glow faintly pink.

'As you wish, Mistress.'

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"Clamps, is that really the best you can do?!" I called, drenched in sweat and standing on the side-lines." If that's really all the juicy you can pump out, then what has the last year been for?!"

The provocation had it's intended effect, since Clamps seemed to gain a wave of vigour and energy as he did his best to remain upright under the intense gravity. This was what we'd been doing since I became a Gym Leader: Training, training and more training, this was all in the hopes of getting as strong as we can, as fast as we can.

My entire team has long since gotten used to the rigorous training hours and the intense strain which Gravity provided, even at maximum power, and it showed in the way they all battled. It was strange to witness a Rhydon charging and moving with such swiftness, especially for Lago's size, and the same applied for all of my pokemon. The only exception being Colossus, who was far too large to possibly hope of fitting in the Gravity fields Seraph can produce, but that was alright. He still had training of his own.

My three new members were coming close to my original team's strength as well, especially Ivor. Though, Clamps was definitely the weakest on my team, though that might change when he evolves.

New moves, our bodies pushed to new heights, and their abilities to harness type energies had improved by leaps and bounds. Though, I wasn't satisfied.

I noticed that the sun was high in the sky, so I decided it was about time to call it in.

"Hey, we're done for now." My words seemed to cast a veil of relief on the whole team as the Gravity field dropped and they all dropped onto the floor. Some more exhausted than others.

Seraph, being the one casting Gravity, was extra tired, so he collapsed onto his back like a massive beach ball. Death didn't have it nearly as bad, but he was still sitting down with his muscles probably aching like a bitch.

Sebastian and Selena were less effected, the massive poison and ground-types were more than used to the intense training, though they still decided to rest by sitting down. Ivor's legs had given out, making him plop to the floor panting with his four legs all spread out. Jet was sweating like a dog and panting with strain in each breath, lying directly on him was Clamps who had all but passed out from exertion.

Finally, there was Lago, the only member of my team that was more or less unaffected by the training, but even he was showing the tell-tale signs of muscle strain.

I let out a sigh as I gestured behind me for the Clefairy and Clefable to tend to my team.

"Heal them, please." I said simply, and they followed my orders as they jollily frolicked along to tend to my pokemon's exhaustion.

At one point, I figured that having extra healers in the ranch couldn't hurt, so I made the trip to Mount Moon and caught myself some of Seraph's kind. I could have gotten a Chansey, but they were just too expensive for my tastes, so I figured that Clefairy would work fine for a substitute.

I let myself groan as I remembered something really important. In this world, language was a whole separate issue. Because, just like in the non-pokemon world, other regions speak entirely different languages!

I soothed the incoming migraine I knew was going to crawl into my skull. How in the hell was I going to learn any significant amount of Sinnohan, the language native to Sinnoh apparently, within a single week?!

Kantonian, which was what the people in Indigo all spoke, at least seemed to be identical to English; which was convenient for me. This was something different entirely.

Lance had emailed me an online guide to the language, I probably needed to check that out. I wasn't lazy enough to not open an email. Though, my pokemon could use a break.

"There's something I need to do, you all take a break and I'll be back in like... a couple of hours. Rest up." After those words, I rose to my feet and put my shirt back on. I was disgustingly sticky with sweat, but I was dignified enough to put on a shirt when I was speaking with someone.

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"Honestly Laverne, just take the whole month off. I'm not gonna be here so the Gym will be closed, consider it a bit of extra vacation. Go see your family."

The elderly woman had a surprised look on her face." You're just letting me take the entire month off?"

I nodded at her, so she continued." And, I'll still be getting paid?" She was sceptical of that last part, but my next words just confirmed it for her.

"Of course. You're a good employee, and at your age you should be retired anyway. Be there for your daughter and your new grandkid. Consider that your job for the month."

Laverne paused for a moment, but responded with a heartfelt thank you." You're a very sweet young man, you know that?"

I snorted" Not half as sweet as you think. It's just convenient for us both if you don't waste your time around here, so go on. Enjoy your time off." I slid onto the computer which the elderly woman had just left, signing into my email as she left me alone.

I heard the door shut on her way out, but I didn't pay attention to that. Instead, I saw the digital clock on the computer and realised that it was two O'clock. Did I spend seven hours training?

Time really did fly by when you weren't fixated on it.

Drawing my attention away from the reminder of how much of a training junkie I really was, I logged into my email and scrolled through the numerous labelled files until I reached the top of the screen.

I tapped on the file named 'Sinnohan Language' and when it opened I found... English? Yes, English. Lance had sent me a Kantonian language file. 

Anger flashed in my mind. Was he seriously messing with me? I didn't take him for a prankster, but then again, it's always the man you least expect. He even labelled it like a sentence builder. Hello = Hello. Well, no shit.

You know what? If Lance wanted me to fail so badly, then I'd just fail. There was better stuff I could do than learn another language anyway.