Chapter 69 & 70

Author Note:

The poll is now closed! If you want to see the final numbers, you can see the post itself here. Additionally, DooomCookie has made an incredible breakdown of every included species and what exactly they bring to Sam's team, which I highly recommend checking out here! (Link is to a Google Sheets document.)

I also recommend reading through their personal thoughts, which can be found on Page 13 of the comments of the poll itself. They directly touch on a few things I've been considering while coming to a decision.

Update 6/24: This chapter has been split! Two chapters are contained below.

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CHAPTER 69:

“So you’re just giving us Pokémon?” Sam asked.

Nurse Joy looked tired. Not tired at Sam’s question, but tired from staying up all night. He usually only saw her when she was working the night shift, and Sam and Redi hadn’t exactly given her news she could ignore.

“It’s more complicated than that,” Nurse Joy said. “You’re probably aware of this, but all Pokémon Centers are haunted. Ghost Types are purposefully kept inside to dissuade similar creatures from claiming the place as their own. Injured Pokémon, sleeping trainers, and anyone else who’s weakened are all easy targets. Having a place already be claimed helps, especially when the Ghost Types in question are trained to stop that exact circumstance.”

She briefly yawned before continuing.

“For the current situation, I'm reassigning our pair of Ghost Types to protect you instead of our Pokémon Center. Their skills and experience lay more in detecting and dissuading rather than combat, but that should still be enough to help keep you two safe.”

Sam wanted to say something, but he saw Nurse Joy’s expression. It spoke of determination but also quiet resignation. She cared about the Pokémon she was reassigning but also recognized that Sam and Redi needed to protect their teams.

“We’ll take care of them,” Sam said.

“I know you will. I saw how you and your Pokémon fought together in the tournament, remember?” she said with a wink.

Not needing to explain anything else, Nurse Joy walked over to a counter attached to the wall to pick up a pair of Pokéballs. The room was the same room Redi was treated in last night, and the Pokéballs were set up next to the computer. There was a moment of hesitation as her hands lingered on the Pokéballs, but while Sam couldn’t see her face, she still turned around with one ball in each hand.

“So, are they considered part of our teams? For carry limit reasons?” Redi asked.

“Think of them more as... auxiliary Pokémon,” Nurse Joy said, frowning. “Carrying capacity rules are already a mess enough when it comes to the Ghost Types. These two won’t count against any carry limits—they’ve been officially assigned. Just remember that they aren’t fighters. They detect and warn. You’ll see what I mean shortly.”

Nurse Joy didn’t release any Pokémon. Instead, she handed one Pokéball to Sam and the other to Redi. Sam could immediately tell by the weight in his hand that the ball was empty. Its Pokémon was already out.

That realization was marked by the lights in the room flickering. Shadows in the corner of the walls seemed to deepen. Nurse Joy chuckled to herself as mist drifted up from the floor. Despite the suddenly spooky atmosphere, she seemed more amused than anything else.

“They’re a little dramatic,” she said, hand on her cheek.

Seeing the environmental effects, Sam’s thoughts flashed through all the Pokémon these two could be. He could think of so many powerful species that might be assigned to protect a Pokémon Center.

Gengar or Mismagius would be really cool, but these might be something from out of Johto like Dusclops or Banette. Oh! This city is full of Flying Types. I bet the two Pokémon are a pair of Drifblim!

He turned around, half-expecting to see the Pokémon behind him in an attempt at a scare, but when he looked, there was nothing there. Only when he turned back around—Redi having done the same—did Sam see two, smaller Pokémon floating before Nurse Joy.

“Oh. A pair of Gastly?” he said.

They looked almost identical, resembling each other and almost every other Gastly Sam had ever seen. Gastly were skilled at hiding, but if these two were being assigned to protect them, he expected something... stronger.

He didn’t blink at their attempt to scare him, and the two Gastly looked at each other before the gas around their shadowed bodies fell in what was the equivalent of a slump. They frowned at him, huffing as they did so. Before anything else, however, Nurse Joy spoke up.

“These two boys are brothers, first found at an abandoned aviary at the edge of town,” she explained. “They don’t want to be split up, and most trainers aren’t willing to train identical Pokémon like that. They ended up working here after receiving advice from a passing Ace Trainer. They’re trustworthy, and more importantly, very good at their jobs.”

Nurse Joy smiled fondly at the two Gastly, and the pair of Pokémon perked up at the praise. Showing themselves off, they rose into the air, spiraling around one another and making it hard to tell them apart.

“Who’s who?” Redi asked.

Nurse Joy awkwardly cleared her throat.

“I, uh, may have given them nicknames,” she said as her face turned red.

Bringing up a finger to point, Nurse Joy easily picked apart the two Gastly. As she said their nicknames, she pointed to one and then the other with surprising confidence.

“He’s Tibia, and he’s Fibula,” she said, naming two Pokémon.

The Ghosts Types looked annoyed that Nurse Joy had told them apart with such ease.

“Nice to meet you two,” Sam said, bowing his head.

Redi did the same, and both Pokémon tilted up ever so slightly, grinning at the respect they were being given.

It didn’t last long. Redi asked the question Sam was holding back.

“But how are a pair of Gastly going to protect us?”

She received a set of glares, but she had a point. Two first-stage Pokémon would be useless against Pokémon as strong as the ones in Petrel’s team.

“Like I said, these two are detection specialists whose expertise doubles when hiding. Ghost Types attract Ghost Types, and they can lean into that spiritual sense to detect both living and unliving presences around them.”

Sam’s eyes flicked to the wall behind Nurse Joy. Neither she nor the Gastly seemed aware of a pair of red eyes creeping up the dim shadows formed by the edges of the cabinets attached to the walls.

“With how close the Pokémon Center is to the local Gym, Tibia and Fibula’s roles are more based on detecting threats and getting help if their presence alone doesn’t dissuade the invader. All it takes is a light push from a Noctowl to scare anything off, but that’s only happened once. An abandoned Duskull was trying to make its way in, and we were able to recapture and rehome the Pokémon after it was found out.”

The red eyes on the wall reached a point near the ceiling, and Haunter peeled himself out like a sticker or a tag. He silently floated closer and closer to try to scare the two Gastly that were now in the room.

But, at the very last moment, they snapped around to blow far-too-wet raspberries at him. His expression fell at the failure, and the two Ghost Types cackled.

“Alright. You’ve sold me,” Sam said, watching as Haunter re-entered the shadows to drip back towards the floor like a splotch of wet, depressed paint.

“If they could detect Haunter, I guess this can work,” Redi said, scratching at her chin. “So it’s less about them fighting alongside us, and more of giving them a heads up if someone like Petrel tries to ambush and catch us in a fight? Except...”

She hesitated.

“This is gonna sound mean, but if we need protection, I would’ve expected the Pokémon to, y’know, actually protect us?”

To add to her point, she lifted her leg with the sprained ankle and lightly shook it. The injury came from them trying to escape. If Petrel had won, he would have been able to do a lot worse than that.

“The idea is more that you don’t get into those fights,” Nurse Joy answered. “With these two’s help, you’d run away or know to contact the League, instead. But there’s always the possibility that he or someone else reaches you regardless. With the rate you two are developing, losing battles will only be an immediate worry. You’ll be able to defend yourself soon enough, and my boys will be able to help you more than if they got in your way during a fight.”

She paused briefly.

“Also, I was able to argue on your behalf, and the Pokémon League will provide you a PokéGear to use in emergencies.”

“A free PokéGear? Sweet,” Redi said, grinning.

But Sam wasn’t smiling. While Nurse Joy had expressed great confidence in their potential, the threat of Petrel was short-term. They didn’t have the strength to ward him away right now.

Sam’s team was rated at five stars. Redi’s was rated at four. However, her Pokémon had a strength comparable to Sam’s Pokémon, it was just that her team’s lack of numbers was a blow when it came to grading her overall strength.

Star ratings implied that the rated team would be able to win a basic Gym Battle worth the equivalent level of badges. A five-star team was nothing to scoff at, especially since most trainers dropped out at around four.

If Sam had to guess the strength of Petrel’s team, he’d say it was at a high seven stars. The man hadn’t sent out many direct combatants, but the sheer number of Koffing at his disposal could fill in the gaps between his other strong Pokémon.

Petrel would be able to defeat them, and even with the two Gastly, he would win if he caught Sam and Redi alone. The gap in strength was just too big. The lack of defense almost felt...

Purposeful.

“We’re bait,” Sam said the moment he had the realization.

Based on the wince that came across Nurse Joy’s face, Sam could tell he was right.

“Yes and no,” Nurse Joy answered reluctantly. “I tried to fight against the plan, but from what little he was able to explain over call, he was insistent that you two would be able to handle it.”

She then sent Sam a sharp look that passed just as quickly as it came.

“I was going to explain it to you, but I haven't had the chance to speak yet.”

“Sorry,” Sam mumbled.

“...It's okay,” she said with a sigh. “Yes. It’s intentional that we aren't providing you with a stronger Pokémon protector. We could have just as easily had Morty's Pokémon protect you instead of primarily the Pokémon Center. The issue is that the Champion himself has stepped in and put capturing Petrel as the highest priority. Given you two are targets—”

“If we're too defended, that might scare Petrel away,” Redi pointed out.

Nurse Joy frowned, but she kept talking.

“The one benefit of this situation is that we know Petrel is still in the city. That means he’s locatable and able to be captured. Having him slip through our grasp means more than just putting you at risk, it means risking opening up the entire region to Team Rocket’s expansion. As such, we’re asking you to remain here.”

“...In Violet City?” Sam asked carefully.

“In the Pokémon Center,” she answered. “In a place full of other trainers. In a building protected by Morty’s team member. Somewhere that’s safe.”

Redi bristled at Nurse Joy's words.

“We have errands to do! And the Gym is right across the street!”

“We can’t let you do that. If Petrel gets desperate enough, even just stepping outside might see him attack. We don’t know what he can do, and this Pokémon Center is extremely well-guarded. Even if he manages to slip through our defenses, Tibia and Fibula would be able to detect him and give you a heads-up so you can escape.”

Sam didn’t like this. He appreciated the League’s efforts to keep them safe, but he didn’t like that they had to effectively sit around and wait for someone else to solve the problem. He couldn’t exactly blame Nurse Joy, though. The League was doing its best to fight against Team Rocket. This situation was about more than just them. Sitting around the Pokémon Center would unfortunately help with that.

“This is annoying,” Redi said with a huff. “But fine. I guess I’ll be fine with waiting here if it means I can punch him in the face.”

“...Maybe,” Nurse Joy said, humming. “I’ll see if I can arrange that.”

Sam blinked at her.

“Excuse me?”

The head nurse completely ignored Sam’s bewildered look.

“You’ll have access to the courtyard out back, and I recommend spending your time here training to fight a difficult opponent. I dislike the current circumstances as well, but Morty has been placed in charge for a reason. Please, trust us. The League is doing its best.”

“...Yeah, I know,” Sam said reluctantly. “I guess we can do that, but you said Morty is sending a stronger Pokémon here? And we’ll be able to train against it?”

Nurse Joy sat up a bit straighter, smiling to herself at Sam’s eagerness.

“I did say that,” she answered. “The Pokémon is from Morty’s personal team. If you want to battle it...”

She paused.

“Tonight,” Nurse Joy said. “You’ll be able to meet with them tonight.”

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Sam practically lived in the Pokémon Center’s courtyard over the rest of the day. When he wasn’t practicing with his team, he was reading, going through the New Pokédex, and committing as much information as he could to heart. He may have spent a little extra time on species like Golbat, Koffing, and Raticate, but he also searched around for other species that Petrel might have on his team.

Would Petrel have a Ditto? That species can transform.

He wasn’t sure if a Ditto would pair well with a master of disguise.

Sam had his Pokémon train. Everyone had their own goals. Quilava needed more powerful moves, Primeape had Rage to start with, Haunter was doing his best to figure out Shadow Ball, and Misdreavus...

Misdreavus flitted between everyone else, bringing them into quick spars to let her learn their strengths. She had a lot of moves to work on, and she still had catch-up to get through. While her natural power was impressive, she hadn’t been with the team for very long. She still needed to familiarize herself with everyone’s capabilities and the team’s overall strategies.

Redi was, unfortunately, unable to have Ursaring practice Hyper Beam in such a confined courtyard, but she could still have her team practice other moves. That meant Thrash for Ursaring. The recently-learned Tri-Attack for Porygon. And between her two team members, moves that could buff them up—Swords Dance and Agility respectively.

Sam didn’t want to admit that he was jealous, but he was a little jealous. Redi knew by heart how to make the most out of brute strength. Ursaring could take out even the toughest of Pokémon if he combined everything, chaining a Guts-boosted, Swords Dance-boosted, raw strength-fueled Slash.

That doesn’t even include the things she hasn’t started working on yet. Once Ursaring figures out Facade, and once Porygon becomes familiar enough with the Psychic Type to use Trick Room...

He was thankful Ghost Types were immune to Normal Types. Not even Primeape would be able to withstand a combination like that.

The important part of this training was learning new, more powerful attacks and improving moves they were only just figuring out into something more battle-ready. It was less about increasing inherent strength and more about improving their skills. Considering the ferocity with which everyone threw themselves into training, Sam knew there would definitely be new developments in the coming days. 

Hours passed, and around dinner time, everyone pulled back to rest. They'd have a new training partner soon enough. Sam patiently waited for Morty's Ghost Type to find time to appear.

It eventually became late at night. Lights above the courtyard lit up the otherwise empty space. A few stars could be seen in the sky as only a handful of windows in the buildings surrounding them sent a warm glow inwards.

Sam stood in the training field’s center, and Redi and her injured foot were forced to sit on a nearby bench.

“What do you think it's going to be?” she asked.

Sam knew of a few of Morty's team members, but he wouldn't be surprised if the Gym Leader chose to send something more uncommon.

“It could be anything. Well, almost anything. Think of any species found in Indigo, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, and he probably has at least one training in his Gym.”

Redi hummed for a while, wiggling her head out of boredom.

“Spiritomb,” she named.

Sam sent her a look. That species was practically unheard of. Only Cynthia was known to have one, and she was the Champion of Sinnoh.

“Something more common,” Sam shot back.

“Gengar. Mismagius. Drifblim. Dusknoir,” she listed off.

Credit to her, she wouldn’t have been able to name all those species just a few months ago. While he didn’t have a response to that, Sam did feel a bit of pride.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just smug.”

“About that list?”

“Maybe.”

“You're bragging about your teaching skills in your head, aren't you?”

“What makes you say that?”

She opened her mouth as if to prime a snarky response before choosing to close it instead. In deep thought, Redi looked down at the compacted dirt beneath her feet.

A second passed before she next spoke. When she did, her voice was quiet and less boastful. There was thought behind every word. This wasn’t anything she wanted to joke about.

“I...” she started hesitantly. “I’ve been trying, recently. I want to learn more—need to learn more. It’s becoming more and more obvious that pure strength isn't enough. I’m going to figure out more and better strategies for my team. If I don’t, I won’t be able to win against Walker’s Gym. And if I don’t, I don’t know if I’d be able to continue from there.”

Sam went quiet as well, recognizing Redi’s resolve. He was prepared to work with her at any cost.

“I’ll help you,” he declared.

Redi looked up at him with a soft smile.

“Thanks, Sam.”

He smiled back.

More minutes passed, and Sam and Redi remained the only trainers within this outside field. Only two Ghost Types were out of their Pokéballs—the two Gastly assigned to them by Nurse Joy earlier today.

Those two tended to stick in shadow, and they preferred to stay hidden and not fall for any of Haunter’s attempts to lure them out. They had a job and they liked their job. They might not be combatants, but they were experts at detection.

But, eventually, a light flickered over the field. Mist on the glass made it hard to see into the Pokémon Center. While the chill wasn’t as intense as he’d felt it before, Sam did still notice something to the air around them.

Redi seemed utterly unaware.

“It’s here,” Sam said.

She followed his gaze to the door of the Pokémon Center, and Sam found himself holding his breath as he waited for Morty’s Pokémon to make an appearance. He expected billowing fog, clouds of darkness, and anything else to mark its entrance.

This was the Pokémon that they’d be training with. He’d ask whatever it was to help them train and become stronger than Petrel. He doubted that his team would go through the same, drastic growth they’d experienced before the tournament. Instead, the Pokémon would be a whetstone to sharpen his team’s skills.

And then, the doors opened up. Sam held his breath as he waited to see what it was. Bracing himself for whatever it’d do, the Pokémon walked out.

Well, it was more like it waddled out.

A stocky Dusclops, a bipedal Pokémon of dusky, wrapped bandages, idly ambled out and passively glanced around with its single eye. Outside the mist on the windows, there was no special entrance to its appearance.

Though a Ghost Type, its appearance was as casual as anyone else. Sam knew it was Morty’s Pokémon, but he couldn’t help but be surprised at how it seemed utterly mundane.

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CHAPTER 70:

The Dusclops shuffled more than it walked. Its feet dragged against the ground, each push forward corresponding with a shake. Its body was stiff, and it twisted to the side when it lifted its legs. A Pokémon on Morty’s team had to be strong, but as Sam watched Dusclops move, all he could think was that the Pokémon looked... goofy.

He heard a snort behind him. Redi covered her mouth. Likely, the only reason she didn’t outright laugh was out of respect for a member of Morty’s personal team. Gym Leaders had to be able to provide the appropriate challenges for trainers, which usually meant viable Pokémon couldn’t outpace an eight-star challenge. Dusclops represented a step above that, as Morty’s team was publicly graded at nine.

This Dusclops was likely one of the strongest Ghost Types in Johto, but nothing about it was that spooky to Sam. Yes, its appearance was creepy enough, and the way its singular eye seemed to both stare forward and stare right at him was unsettling, but there wasn’t the usual deep chill in the air, and the lights above their heads were as bright and stable as always.

It was just a Pokémon. It didn’t carry the expected Ghost Type effects. Once it reached the center of the courtyard’s battlefield, it stopped and shuffled a bit more to face the opposite end.

“Are you Morty’s Pokémon?” Sam called out to ask.

He took a step forward to get closer. With her injured ankle, Redi stayed on the bench behind him.

The Dusclops didn’t verbalize any answer. It had two large hands, paler than the rest of its body, that unconsciously clenched and unclenched as it stared towards the other side of the battlefield. It didn’t do anything other than stand still and wait there.

“Nurse Joy said we could ask you to help us train,” Sam said slowly. “So... Would you be willing to help us train?”

Nothing.

It was like talking to a brick wall.

Annoyed, Sam sent a glance toward Redi, but she just shrugged instead of giving any advice. Beneath her bench, a Gastly hovered above its shadow and watched the much stronger Ghost Type curiously. Sam couldn’t tell if the Gastly was Tibia or Fibula.

Though the Dusclops never reacted to Sam or Redi, its position hinted at its intentions. It very deliberately stood in the center of the battlefield, and though it was no longer looking at Sam, it was looking at the trainer box opposite to it. Sam couldn’t exactly say it was staring expectantly with how unemotional its face was, but it clearly wanted something to happen.

“So we are battling you,” he said.

If Primeape was out, the ape Pokémon would have lost his head over how the Dusclops refused to do anything but stand there.

Sam moved back closer to Redi, wanting a quick chat before either of them came to a decision.

“This thing is getting on my nerves,” she grumbled, peeling her eyes away from Dusclops as Sam approached.

“If I was Morty... maybe this is a test? He could have told his Pokémon to help us train, and a spar is a good way to determine a baseline.”

Redi frowned, glancing between Sam and the Dusclops. Something unhappy flashed across her face.

“So, what, we fight it one at a time?” she asked.

“We could do a double battle?” Sam offered. “I don’t think it has strong opinions about how we do this.”

Redi grunted and leaned back against the bench. Even with them barely bothering to lower their voices, the Dusclops made no effort to react to their conversation about it.

“Yeah, I want to fight it,” Redi said after several long seconds, “but I don’t think that’s the right choice. At least not right now. I... can’t let myself jump into battles without thinking. Can you fight it? I think I’m gonna stay here and do my best to think up a counter strategy. We’ll turn this into practice for both of us.”

Sam took in her look, seeing the hardness in her eyes. Her goal was to improve her skill at strategy. From experience, he knew observing could help.

“Alright. Then I expect a breakdown of both sides when I get back.”

“What? Don’t give me homework!”

He smirked at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Sam snickered as he walked off, knowing that Redi would try to go overboard now, just to tick him off.

As he moved over to the empty trainer box, Sam took in Dusclops. He knew Morty had a few Gengar he personally trained, and the Gym Leader’s Mismagius had made them tea back in Ecruteak. Dusclops wasn’t a Pokémon commonly found in Johto, but it was common to Sam’s home in the nearby Hoenn. It wasn’t unfounded for one to be present in the region, and it had likely trained for a long time if it was a part of Morty’s public team.

Except, Sam had spent years looking into the Ghost Type. He had no memory of actually seeing a Dusclops in any of Morty’s battles posted online.

So what do I know about Dusclops? They’re pure Ghost Types. Low stamina but high defenses. The species is entirely hollow, capable of hypnosis, and it’s said that anyone who looks into a Dusclops’s body gets their soul sucked away.

He almost missed his next step.

But they also say that about Shedinja and a lot of other Ghost Types. I haven’t really heard of anyone dying to them, so that’s probably not relevant.

Upon reaching the trainer box, Sam’s hand lingered above the Pokéballs on his belt. His team had been returned earlier just in case of a battle like this. Now, Dusclops was staring at Sam. It passively clenched its hands once more.

Sam could almost call the movement a stretch to warm up.

“I’ll be sending out my Pokémon to try to defeat you. We need practice against stronger opponents. I’m hoping that you can help us with that,” he said.

The Dusclops’s red eye looked as though it was burning. The shadows under its feet began to darken, and Sam felt his heart skip a few beats in his chest.

It was ready to fight. Sam was more excited than he was afraid.

“You’ll be the strongest Ghost Type we’ve ever faced, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to win!” he called out. “We’re starting! Quilava! Will-O-Wisp!”

There was no referee to guide their battle, and Redi was busy trying to figure out a counter strategy for Dusclops. Sam would be the one to determine how the battle progressed, and given how strong the Dusclops likely was, he didn’t think it was too out of place for him to start the battle on his own.

He tossed a Pokéball into the air, and a red light burst onto the field. Quilava appeared and exploded forward, motes of flame sparking up to float around her.

She immediately dashed to the side, circling Dusclops with incredible speed. Her fur glowed with embers—Quick Attack let her move with that initial burst, and then Flame Charge gave her the momentum to keep going.

The Dusclops didn’t move as she kept a distance away but also never once let her eyes look away. She built up the number of flames floating around her while tracking the motionless Dusclops on the field. It didn’t react to her presence, and it didn’t even turn its head. Though she was using Will-O-Wisp, she didn’t unleash it just yet. She was trying to gauge her foe to figure out the best way to send out her attack.

“When you can!” Sam yelled.

Quilava skidded to a halt and let her flames sail forward with the same momentum. They started to curve in their path, but before they could get anywhere close, Sam felt all the air leave his throat.

He started to choke, unable to breathe. It was like someone had taken millions of needles made of ice and stabbed them into every inch of his bones at once.

Quilava’s fur stood up all across her body, and her eyes were wide with fear. The space around Dusclops was hazy.

Even Redi looked pale.

“T-that’s P-Pressure,” Sam gritted out.

He was shivering. The Dusclops was glowering. Pressure wasn’t a move, it was an ability. Most books described it as an effect that made it hard for Pokémon to use moves.

In this case, it was like the entire power of the Ghost Type on the field was bearing down on him and his Pokémon. Every single Will-O-Wisp winked out. Quilava’s pupils were as wide as they could go. The Dusclops didn’t even bother to look their way, but if Sam had to describe the emotion that had finally overcome its previously expressionless face, the Dusclops looked annoyed.

“It’s just Pressure!” Sam repeated, clenching his fists to give himself the courage to shout. “Just an ability! It can’t prevent you from doing anything, just make it harder to use moves!”

Quilava took a shaky step back, hackles raised. However, even though she was so stiff, that one step was enough to inform her that there wasn’t anything physical keeping her down, and she was able to slowly regain a semblance of her speed as she resumed her circle around Dusclops.

While nothing had changed about the Ghost Type, Sam swore that its red eye wavered synchronized with the flickering of flames. It didn’t look at Quilava—it looked at Sam. There was a silent question about its expression.

“Did you think that would be enough?”

Sam snarled. Having Quilava use Will-O-Wisp wasn’t them holding back. Leading with Quilava was the basis of  their strategy. She used her speed and flames to test and prod her opponents, gauging their strength to inform Sam about the rest of the fight.

But if the Dusclops wanted to face something more, then Sam was willing to oblige.

“Return!” Sam shouted.

He could have ordered a Smokescreen, but he had a strong gut feeling that losing sight of Dusclops would be a horrible mistake.

Replacing Quilava was Misdreavus. Her usual soft smile fell the moment she was subjected to Dusclops’s Pressure. Thankfully, she didn’t freeze up and even seemed more ready than normal to fight in this battle. Her eyes met Dusclops’s eye, and the Ghost Type’s gaze finally flicked away from Sam to look at her—if only for the briefest moments.

“We might not have those utility moves mastered, but you still have your attacks, Misdreavus!” Sam shouted. “Shadow Ball! Harry it! Focus on your speed!”

Misdreavus cried her name, the sound of her voice transitioning into a haunting cry. Shadows gathered ahead of her mouth to form a Shadow Ball that rocketed forward.

Dusclops responded by merely holding its hands out, its fingers outstretched to let it present its palms. Instead of the Shadow Ball bursting against its body, the move was stopped in its tracks.

The attack utterly froze in the air, being held in place via Dusclops’s two hands. All of the move’s momentum vanished, and without any movement to it, the Shadow Ball was less willing to stay together. It fell apart, dissipating. Dusclops looked unaffected.

“What was that, Sam?” Redi shouted. There was worry in her voice.

Misdreavus didn’t move. She stared at Dusclops in shock.

“That was... nothing. It was nothing. Dusclops didn’t use a move. It wasn’t a technique. It just used its... inherent tankiness.”

Sam couldn’t stop the nervous laugh that left his throat.

Shadow Ball might not have carried the guaranteed effects of Acid Spray, but it had a small chance of weakening its target's defenses. That was what Sam had been hoping for by having Misdreavus use Shadow Ball; she could force Dusclops to take a bit of damage while fishing for the shadows to seep into it and make it more vulnerable to further special moves.

That obviously hadn’t happened.

Misdreavus, after taking a moment to recover, narrowed her eyes, and she rushed to the side to fly around Dusclops in a circle, not unlike Quilava before her. This time, when she used Shadow Ball, she didn’t take as long to build it up and kept the attack small but quick. In a regular barrage, she unleashed her shadowy spheres many times over. The Dusclops never once turned to face her, and unlike that large, initial Shadow Ball, each one of these attacks hit with ease.

They weren’t large enough to carry the effect Sam wanted, but they were at least damaging to the high-level Dusclops. Sam pushed through the feeling of Pressure around him to smile. While Misdreavus had to fight to attack, she was attacking. Even if she wasn’t able to do anything else, she was at least dealing a bit of damage that the rest of his team could capitalize on.

Her barrage continued, but Dusclops never once winced. The super effective moves left marks, yet the Pokémon never reacted to the pain. It remained in place as Misdreavus continued her assault. By the end of it, she was left panting. Using so many attacks under Pressure had taken its toll.

It was then that Dusclops finally moved. It shuffled in place, turning towards Misdreavus. Darkened spots marred its body, and its dusky bandages had bent inwards where it had been hit.

Weirdly enough, Sam would have said it almost looked close to fainting. However, that thought didn’t last. Misdreavus began to scream.

Dusclops’s eye didn’t glow with any specific move, but the space around its red pupil became covered in a haze. The darkened marks on Dusclops’s body faded away only to start reappearing on Misdreavus herself.

“...Pain Split,” Sam mumbled. He rubbed his temples, frustrated.

Pain Split took the pain of both Pokémon and ‘equalized’ it between the two of them. Given that Misdreavus was in perfect health, Dusclops was healing its injuries by transferring them to her.

“Return,” Sam said.

While he desperately wanted to win this, he also recognized that there was no point in leaving Misdreavus out. Pressure meant she was already exhausted, and while the equalizing effect of Pain Split meant it could never faint her, it could still prime her to be knocked out with only a single further blow.

“Primeape!” Sam yelled.

Like Quilava, the angry Fighting Type hit the field running. Primeape didn’t bother to listen to Sam’s command—he had likely been paying attention from inside his Pokéball and wanted to show off what he could do.

Too angry to be stopped by Dusclops’s Pressure, Primeape bounded forward, hand over foot, to reach where Dusclops stood. Along the way, the Ghost Type’s eye flashed blue, but nothing came of it. Primeape was able to land a single, solid Ice Punch to the middle of Dusclops’s face.

“There you go! Try for a Fire Punch next! See if you can burn it!” Sam yelled.

The impact of the Ice Punch didn’t send Dusclops flying away, but the Pokémon was still pushed an inch back along the ground. It wasn’t that Dusclops moved, it was that the dirt itself couldn’t resist the force of the punch. 

It was still something, and Primeape’s eyes twitched upwards to hint at a bloodthirsty smirk. With Dusclops making no moves to defend itself, Primeape unleashed attacks to furiously wail on his foe.

“Mix it up! Swap between Ice Punch and Fire Punch!” Sam yelled.

Primeape couldn’t maintain both at once, but each fist flashed between the appropriate Type of energy. Steam entered the air above them. Sam hoped that these attacks could inflict some kind of status condition, or that the rapid temperature change would help to wear down Primeape’s opponent.

With every punch, Dusclops took the attack, but at several points, it was like the impact never happened. Sometimes Primeape’s punches would deal damage, and sometimes they wouldn’t.

It knows Protect, doesn’t it?

The occasional lack of effect told Sam he was right.

Getting annoyed at the lack of anything, really, Primeape paused to glare at the Ghost Type. Both he and Sam noticed something about Dusclops’s body.

Embers lingered at the edges of several bandages on its chest.

Fire Punch had somehow managed to inflict a burn, and Primeape was ready to finish the battle. He drew back an arm, gloved hand turning Dark for an Assurance that’d take advantage of the lingering status effect.

Except, the punch was never thrown. Dusclops’s eye flashed for a sudden Pain Split, and out of nowhere, a blue flash of light suddenly slammed Primeape into the ground.

“...And what was that, Sam?” Redi asked.

For some reason, she sounded tired.

“Future Sight.” Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s why Dusclops’s eye flashed blue at the start.”

Primeape wasn’t fainted, but he was struggling to push himself up. Dusclops wasn't the strongest attacker around, so the super-effective Future Sight meant Primeape was like Misdreavus—a light breeze away from fainting.

Sam returned him, stewing where he stood. On his team, there was only a single Pokémon yet to battle, but he hesitated instead of immediately grabbing the Pokéball.

I doubt Hypnosis will work. I’m pretty sure Dusclops can learn Disable.

He was about to call it here until he remembered something important—embers were actively flaking off of Dusclops’s body.

“Tibia! Fibula!” Sam shouted.

One Pokémon left Sam’s shadow and the other pulled out from under Redi’s bench. Two Ghost Types looked at Sam curiously. He glanced between them to make sure they were able to act.

“Are we being watched?” he asked.

Both of them faded away before reappearing a second later. They shook their heads in unison.

“Good,” Sam replied. “So anyone who might have been watching is asleep. We’re safe.”

Grinning, Sam tossed Haunter’s Pokéball high into the air and gave the first command he truly felt confident about.

“Hex!”

Haunter didn’t hesitate. The second he emerged, he cackled, finally having the chance to use this move against such a powerful foe.

From around Haunter, deep purple flames spiraled out, forming a twister in the air around him. They left his body to float upwards before stabbing down at Dusclops like needles aimed at its skin.

Dusclops didn’t use an attack, and it didn’t use Protect. At every point in which the burn ate at it, the flames of Hex merged with them and turned horrifyingly caustic. A concoction of both flame and darkness seeped into Dusclops’s body. Hex was weaker than Shadow Ball in its base form, but when attacking a Pokémon subjected to a status condition, it dealt damage with twice the effectiveness.

For once, for once, Sam saw an actual reaction.

Dusclops took a step back from the pain, and it furrowed its single eye.

Haunter was still cackling. He held up his floating hands, taking a pose that would have worked better with lightning flashing behind him. More darkened fire entered the air, a swarm of Hex’s fire swirling under his control.

Two identical names were whispered as Tibia and Fibula watched in awe. They were unable to look away, completely enraptured by Haunter’s show.

“Keep it up,” Sam said. He was happy to brag for once. He wasn’t worried that Tibia and Fibula would learn about Hex—they weren’t battlers, and they technically belonged to a nurse. As for Dusclops, Morty’s Pokémon already knew about Hex, as that was what let Sam connect to the Gym Leader in the first place.

Except, when the Dusclops began to use a move, Sam realized he had missed something.

Between its Pressure, its defenses, its protective moves, and the reactionary Future Sight, Dusclops had never unleashed a direct attack.

Until now.

Its singular eye locked onto Haunter, inspecting him to prepare. Less than a second later, the wispy strands on Dusclops’s back shot out and stretched towards Haunter like tendrils of sentient fabric.

They grabbed onto him, and his cackles were cut off by a sudden yelp. Haunter was torn out of the air to be pulled towards the ground, brought to be wrapped up right in front of Dusclops.

“It used Foresight to identify him,” Sam groaned, identifying the moves. “And now it’s using Bind.”

Haunter looked like a mummy with how much Dusclops had wrapped him up. Foresight let Normal Type moves like Bind affect Ghost Types, as the move gave its user a way to detect where the targeted Ghost was the most solid.

With Bind, Haunter was trapped, and Dusclops squeezed. This attack combined with Pressure made Haunter cry out his name in pain. Even though Acid Spray might have been able to eat away at the bands, this wasn’t everything Dusclops could do. Even if Haunter could escape, he wouldn’t be able to do so without invoking some other cost.

“We forfeit,” Sam said reluctantly. Dusclops immediately released Haunter to be returned.

While the rest of Sam’s team could still fight, he saw no reason to send them out. Winning wasn’t the point of this spar. It was to test themselves against a stronger Pokémon and see how they all compared.

His thoughts: they had a long way to go.

From off to the side, Redi looked between Sam and Dusclops.

“I’d come over to talk about what just happened, but, y’know,” she said, gesturing to her ankle.

Sam walked over to her. So did Dusclops. As they regrouped, Sam took out a spray to heal Dusclops of both its injuries and burn.

“We can’t even compare to Morty’s personal team,” Sam mumbled. “Everyone I sent out was met with a counter, and Dusclops is only one Pokémon. I can’t imagine all the strategies his other Pokémon have. How many tricks does Morty have? How many different ways can he have his team fight?”

Sam shook his head, pulling back when he was pretty sure Dusclops was healed.

“And even when Dusclops took damage, that was just to set up Pain Split. The only moment of success we had was when we inflicted a status condition. So I guess that might be something to look more into? Trying harder to weaken tougher opponents to bring them down to our level?” he said.

Rubbing her chin, Redi studied the Ghost Type next to them.

“Maybe. If Haunter was prepared for that Bind, I’d say you might have been able to win. Another Hex and you probably could have won, but you weren’t bothering to dodge in this fight, were you Dusclops?” she asked.

It shook its head, an almost humorous motion given that it had to twist its body around. Now that the match was over, it was back to how it behaved at the start, looking as mundane as ever.

But behind that mundanity, there was power. And knowing what lurked underneath its goofy appearance made Dusclops that much more intimidating.

“If I had to describe your strategy...” Sam said slowly, looking the Pokémon up and down. “With your low stamina, one Pain Split can bring you to near-full, and then you could re-use the move again and again whenever you’re hit. Even if you’re wounded, you can turn around any battle thanks to that one move. That’s the basis of all of your strategies, isn’t it? When Morty fights, you’re constantly bouncing between wounded and full health, right?”

The Pokémon nodded its head, and Redi let out a snort.

“Yeah, okay. Then I got nothing. I was gonna say that we could probably bum-rush it and try to overwhelm it even through Pain Split, but it’s probably prepared for that. Maybe if Ursaring knew Shadow Claw, we’d have a chance, but he doesn’t know it.” She paused. “What if Porygon used a slow build-up of Charge Beam from range?”

“Disable,” Sam pointed out.

“Great,” she grumbled. “Yeah, that wouldn’t work. We need Ghost Type moves. You’ve been holding back on us, Sam.”

He winced at being called out. It’d been a while and he still hadn’t helped her team learn those new moves.

“A lot has been going on recently,” he mumbled.

“Not anymore. We’re stuck here.”

Redi sent him a pointed stare.

Sam looked down at the Dusclops, and it looked back up at him. 

He knew they could gain a lot from throwing themselves at it, but the main reason Dusclops was here was to protect the Pokémon Center. While it would help them train, they couldn’t risk making it too injured.

There was that, and there was that strength wasn’t what they needed to gain. A good strategy could make all the difference in the world, and Sam needed to figure something out if he wanted them to make any headway against Petrel.

Dusclops was a sparring partner at most, and Sam went through the possibilities in his head.

Sure, it could help with teaching Ghost Type moves, but there was something else it possessed that they could use to improve.

“Ever heard of training weights?” Sam asked Redi.

“...I’m the one who told you about them in the first place,” she flatly replied.

Training weights were held items that slowed a Pokémon but encouraged certain forms of growth—usually coming in the form of a Macho Brace or a Power Item. Sam and Redi never bothered with them due to how expensive they were, and the actual benefits of them varied from species to species and individual to individual.

For the average trainer, they simply weren’t worth the investment.

“I’m thinking... I can use Dusclops to test out new strategies,” Sam said. “And it wouldn’t be too difficult for you to occasionally spar against us and try to dismantle any new ideas we send your way, yeah?”

The Pokémon nodded.

“I see. Thank you. So then...” He paused to weigh the idea a bit more. It felt a little ridiculous. “What if, between those moments, you put your Pressure on our Pokémon?”

“As a training weight?” Redi interjected.

“Exactly! We aren’t catching up to Petrel’s strength anytime soon, but we can potentially bridge that gap with skill. He isn’t training. Morty’s going to force him to be on the run. Using Pressure as a training weight means our Pokémon would need to learn to use moves with greater control and efficiency. So, if we try to build up that habit...”

“I like that idea,” Redi said, exposing her teeth in a smile.

Happy with his plan, Sam faced Dusclops once more.

“What do you say? Are you willing to help us with that?”

When it silently agreed, Sam couldn’t help but to grin.

=============================================================================

Author Note:

This week has been kind of a mess, so I wasn't able to edit Chapters 66 and 67 like I had planned. It might be a bit longer until I can add in changes to Sam and Redi’s reactions. I'll make sure to add a note to the newest chapter once the edits are complete.

Pokémon included in this chapter:
Drifblim
Dusclops / Dusknoir
Gastly / Gengar
Mismagius
Spiritomb

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