Chapter 38 (Old)

This chapter is in the process of being rewritten. Expect a new version to be released by the end of the day.
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They were being watched. The chill in the air and the eerie feeling in Sam’s chest told him that they were. Sam could just barely see shadows flickering at the edge of his vision. Occasionally, red eyes flashed in the darkness, but when he turned his head towards them, they darted away.

“I think it’s that Misdreavus from yesterday,” he whispered to the group. “It’s still following us.”

Not once did the wild Pokémon reveal itself, but the hints were adding up. It was keeping in pace with the group, yet there had been no attacks.

“You sure about that?” Redi asked. “I haven't seen anything that might say it's still around.”

“I'm sure,” Sam said, rubbing his arms. “It's freezing out here. Ilex Forest should not be this cold.”

“It’s a dark forest.”

“Dark forests aren’t freezing.”

Redi looked around and shrugged.

“I believe you. You’re the Ghost Type trainer. I just don’t get why it’s not attacking again.”

“...I don’t, either.”

Mankey hadn’t brought down his hands from above his head since after that battle. He was on high alert, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, Cyndaquil had been returned to her Pokéball. The unknown, constant strain on her body meant Sam wanted to ensure she had a comfortable space in which to rest.

“Gastly, can you—” Sam interrupted himself when he realized he had said the wrong name, and Haunter looked up from where he was staring at a shadow-covered tree as if it were a mirror. The Ghost Type’s smile was as haunting as ever, and he held a finger out to poke at the darkness within the tree’s uneven ridges.

It rippled like a surface of water. He wasn’t able to dive into shadows like other Ghost Types just yet, but Sam was confident Haunter would figure it out within the next few days.

“Keep an eye out, alright?” Sam said.

Haunter saluted and cackled right after. Gesturing with his new hands brought him great joy.

“I’m just worried,” Sam continued. “I’m confident that Misdreavus was wild, but it knows how to fight too well. Its dodges were crazy—and it knew Shadow Ball!”

Shadow Ball was generally regarded as one of the strongest Ghost Type moves around. Thanks to the New Pokédex, Sam knew better, of course, but the fact a wild Pokémon was able to learn how to use it spoke of Misdreavus’s strength.

“We seemed to scare it off pretty well last time, so it probably won’t follow us out of the forest,” Redi said. “As long as we move quickly and stay on alert—There!”

Sam jumped.

Redi gained a menacing grin and charged to where a smaller tree grew between a greater one’s roots. She turned her head upwards and pointed at its branches.

“Porygon, can you use Psybeam on that fruit's stem?”

No response. She sighed.

“Porygon, use Psybeam on that fruit's stem,” she said, repeating her question as a command.

Sam watched in silent disbelief as Porygon shot a pink beam at a hanging green fruit to break it off the branch. Redi easily caught it and held it up like a trophy.

“Great job, Porygon!” she said, patting her Pokémon on the head. She turned to Sam. “Look! An Apricorn!”

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and started to walk away.

“W-wait up! At least let me gather a few more!”

She managed to get a handful to shove in her back before catching up and continuing their hike through the forest.

__________________________________________________________________________

Sam and Redi decided to minimize the amount of time they spent in Ilex, not wanting to risk an ambush by that Misdreavus or any swarm of Bug Types. Sam went as far as to attach the Cleanse Tag to his backpack, which would ward off any aggressive Pokémon thanks to its calming effects. They also reduced the number of times they stopped to train to ensure they kept moving.

But that didn’t mean there weren’t any developments over the week-long trip through the forest. Their Pokémon managed to improve in two important ways.

The first was simple: Haunter could now enter and exit shadows. Sam first discovered this when he awoke in a fright and found Haunter peeking up at him from the floor.

To Haunter, shadows were like a liquid; he was a Water Type swimming through a pond of darkness. His red eyes could glow from within, and he could bring out his hands without exposing the rest of his body. Each time he entered Sam's shadow, Sam felt as if someone had just walked over his grave. However, he quickly grew used to the spine-chilling feeling and was quick to test out that technique's potential in battle.

Unfortunately, it seemed that any attacks that struck the shadow also struck Haunter. It'd be good for evasion, but it wasn't useful for a direct defense.

Secondly, Teddiursa and Mankey both picked up one another's moves. Teddiursa learned Ice Punch, and Mankey learned Fire Punch. The movements for the attack were the same, but the conjuration of energy was different. Cyndaquil was tense over the trip, but she was at least able to squeak a lecture on Fire Type energy to Mankey. As for Teddiursa, that Pokémon just seemed to be an expert when it came to learning and using melee moves.

Was Sam jealous? Of course he was, but Teddiursa’s relative skill just meant he needed to put more effort in creating plans for a counter.

The one development that didn't happen was with Porygon, much to Redi's disappointment. As a Pokémon that only acted when following orders, teaching new moves was a much bigger ask than either of them first thought.

Redi went into detail describing Tri-Attack, desperately hoping Porygon could use it based on the description alone. However, no matter how much detail she went into, Porygon failed to successfully use the attack. By the time they neared Azalea, Sam recommended she start with Thundershock instead. At least, that change let her make good progress. She was pretty confident she could get Porygon to use the Electric Type move before the next Gym. 

Much to Sam’s amusement, she did comment that she might need to read a book on how electricity worked, first.

As they continued to get closer to Azalea Town, the trees began to shrink in size, and small, dirt paths became more apparent between them. The well-traveled dirt served as a guide to their destination, and following it, Sam and Redi crested over a hillside to be met with the sight of an idyllic, forest town. Azalea was situated right at the edge of the Ilex, framed by rolling hills covered by trees. On one side of it was a series of rocky slopes that likely hid the entrance to Union Cave. On another side was a calm lake with crystal-blue waters.

Sam wasn’t surprised that Azalea was sometimes called the most peaceful town in Johto. He and Redi lingered at the top of that hillside, just taking in the sight.

“So I did some reading,” Sam said.

Redi snorted.

“Azalea's pretty unique in that it doesn't have a dedicated Gym Leader,” he continued, ignoring her reaction. “Even with the Ilex Forest being nearby, there usually isn’t a need for a strong Gym Leader down here. Instead, the local Gym follows a more hive-like structure, with a group of Ace Trainer-equivalent running the place. It’s a source of pride for them, apparently.”

“Don’t hives have queens?”

“If you were in Sinnoh and dealing with Combee, then sure,” Sam said, shrugging and adjusting his pack. “But down here, they’re taking inspiration from Beedrill. That specific Bug Type works together in swarms to protect their vulnerable Kakuna and Weedle."

“Huh,” Redi grunted. Her eyes scanned the town. “And over there? That section with all that smoke?”

There was a row of houses set right where the forest met those rocky hills. Coming from their chimneys were black plumes of smoke.

“Probably the Pokéball-makers, I think?” Sam asked.

Redi immediately smiled.

She returned Teddiursa. She returned Porygon. Sam realized what was about to happen next.

“At least stop at the Pokémon Center, first!” he called out.

Redi was already darting away.

Following a sign on the road, she skidded as she turned, saluting Sam with two fingers, and continued down the street to heal her Pokéman. She had talked about it enough that Sam knew her plans; Redi wanted to go to where the tradesmen worked so she could exchange her Apricorns for free Pokéballs. Anything to save a buck.

Now alone, Sam glanced at the one visible member of his team, Mankey.

“Cyndaquil needs a check-up. We can explore the town after.”

Mankey’s eyes went unfocused. Drool dripped from his mouth beneath his fur. Exploration usually meant stopping at a new restaurant, and Sam could tell the primate was already dreaming of it.

Haunter remained in Sam’s shadow, although Sam could see the Ghost Type’s eyes peek out to glance around at their surroundings. As for Cyndaquil, she stayed in her Pokéball, as Sam mandated that she do so to get as much rest as possible.

Here, the houses were old-fashioned like they were in Ecruteak, but there was less of a focus on aesthetics and more of a focus on practicality. They were all made out of wood and were rather spread out. Overall, the population of Azalea was likely roughly the same as Dewford, but this town took up a much wider space.

Sam took his time to reach the Pokémon Center, allowing himself to take in the sights of the town. There were a surprising number of specialty shops advertising goods made from materials found in the forest—like a dedicated charcoal maker and an herbal remedy shop—and he marked both of them to check out later before he finally arrived at the Pokémon Center. That building was wooden just like all the others, but there was a touch of modernity to it with its red-shingled roof and clear glass windows. Reaching for the front door, Sam was forced to take a step back. He just barely avoided Redi running smack into his face.

“Woah! Sorry about that!” she said.

She might not have run into him, but she still accidentally elbowed his gut.

“..’s fine,” Sam grunted, pulling himself back up. “You got your Pokémon healed?”

“Yup! Just need a bit of rest, at most!”

“And Porygon?” he added quietly.

Redi smiled conspiratorially and leaned in.

“The Goldenrod nurse left a note in the system, remember? The one here didn't even comment, but she sure did blink!”

She laughed and continued forward, Sam stepping to the side to let her leave. Redi took off running towards where the Pokéball-makers lived, not even bothering to wave goodbye again.

Sam shook his head and stepped inside. Mankey followed him in. The front room of the Pokémon Center reminded him more of a lodge rather than a medical facility. However, instead of heading to the front counter, his gaze snapped to someone resting on the couch, and his feet brought him closer. He stood in front of the other trainer, whose arm was slung over his face.

Sam couldn’t help it. he spoke up.

“...Hey,” he said.

Xavier removed his arm and glanced over without even an ounce of interest.

“Yeah? Do you need something?”

His voice dripped with politeness.

Sam stared at Xavier without saying anything more, waiting for the boy to recognize him. However, Xavier blankly stared back, getting more and more annoyed with every passing second.

“You—” Sam had to cut himself off momentarily. “You don't remember me?”

He felt his voice hitch. Xavier raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? Oh. You're that boy from the boat.”

Xavier brought his arm back down to continue covering his eyes.

“...That’s it? Just that boy from the boat?” Sam said.

“We talked once. Battled once. What more do you want from me? I’m not bothering you, am I?”

Sam was left struggling to find his words. He had built Xavier up in his head so much, that to be so utterly dismissed like this made him feel—

“You crushed Whitney’s team. You declared you were going to win the Conference. You got second place in the Beginner’s Tournament!”

Xavier winced at that last one.

“So what?” he snapped.

“I have an evolved Pokémon, now,” Sam said.

“Oh. Your Cyndaquil? Congratulations.”

“No. My Haunter.”

Xavier rolled his eyes.

“Of course it is,” he mumbled. “You’re aware I have three evolved Pokémon on my team, right?”

Sam felt his hands clench into fists as Xavier leaned forward and rubbed his eyes. The nurse called out his name.

“Xavier! Your new Pokémon has been healed!"

“That’s me,” Xavier said.

He stood up without saying goodbye and waited for Sam to move out of his way.

Sam took a stilted step back to let Xavier pass by, the older boy walking towards the counter. Too many emotions flooded through Sam’s mind for him to notice his shadow stretching towards Xavier’s leg.

A purple, clawed hand left the floor to grab Xavier’s ankle. The boy yelped, falling forward, but he caught himself before he hit the floor.

“What was that for?” Xavier shouted.

Sam’s shadow snapped back to him like elastic. At Xavier’s side, a flash of light, and the boy’s Donphan released itself to protect its trainer.

Mankey moved in front of Sam.

“Huh? Whatever could you mean?” Sam asked.

He had also been caught off guard by Haunter’s prank, but he appreciated it. If his Pokémon was going to defend him, he was going to defend his Pokémon.

“You—!” Xavier’s expression was thunderous. “You had your Pokémon attack me!”

“I did nothing of the sort,” Sam said indignantly.

Xavier stormed over, thrusting his finger right at Sam’s chest, but Mankey prevented the older boy from getting too close. As Mankey and Donphan glared at one another, Sam and Xavier did the same. However, before the situation could devolve any further, a thump of two hands and a shout from the Pokémon Center’s front counter rang out.

“Boys!”

Both Sam and Xavier winced at the sound of the nurse’s angry voice.

“I will allow no fights within my Pokémon Center! Either take it outside and handle it like trainers, or talk it out and resolve it like adults!”

Xavier scowled, pulling back. Sam sent him a smug look, but a sharp glare from the nurse immediately cowed his reaction.

“...Sorry,” Sam mumbled.

Xavier scoffed and walked away. With Cyndaquil acting so strained, Sam didn’t want to risk getting her injured in a battle.

As the older boy retrieved his Pokémon from the nurse, Sam looked down and whispered, “Thank you,” to his two Pokémon. Haunter replied with a thumbs-up, and Mankey sniffed as if to say defending Sam was obvious.

“Next!” the nurse shouted.

When Xavier finished collecting his Pokémon, Sam moved up to do what he had come here for in the first place. He did his best to ignore Xavier in the corner, who released a Noctowl and started inspecting the bird’s tawny feathers.

“Hi,” Sam said, taking on the appropriate apologetic tone. “Sorry. That guy just gets on my nerves. But I have a Pokémon that might be sick. Do you think you can check her over?"

The nurse initially looked like she wanted to give Sam a talking-to, but when he mentioned a sick Pokémon, her expression softened.

“I can. Please give her here.”

Sam placed Cyndaquil’s Pokéball on the counter. Next to her, he put down his trainer ID so the nurse could look up his Pokémon’s records in her system.

He was aware of how the process usually went, but the nurse didn't immediately grab his card. Instead, she seemed to pause when he showed off his ID. Her eyes stared down at it before flicking up to him.

“Three badges?” she asked.

“Yeah. I want to challenge Azalea’s Gym for my fourth.”

She pursed her lips as she picked up the card. She rotated it in her hand, which made a certain part of it shimmer in the light.

“I’m sorry, but I have to check. Do you know what this mark means?”

The nurse pointed at the sprite of a ghost on his ID’s top-right corner.

“Ah. I, uh, don’t think I can say it out loud?”

“Go ahead. There’s no problem if you say it here.”

Sam glanced at Xavier out of the corner of his eye, noticing how the older boy had stopped moving when he had kneeled. Based on how he was staying still, he was likely trying to listen in. 

“Morty had it placed there,” Sam said proudly. “You know, Gym Leader Morty. It signifies that I’m someone that can handle problems dealing with real spirits. I’m a Ghost Type specialist!”

Xavier snorted.

“At least, I’m training to be one.”

“...Uh-huh.” The nurse leaned forward to eye Mankey on the ground. She picked up Cyndaquil’s Pokéball to place it on the tray of a Chansey behind her. As the pink Pokémon brought Cyndaquil through a door deeper into the Pokémon Center, the nurse finally turned to check Sam’s records on her blocky computer.

“You have a Gastly?” she asked.

“Haunter, now,” he said.

“That does show you have a familiarity...”

The nurse hummed and seemed to really think about it. After several tense seconds, she nodded her head once, as if coming to a decision.

“Alright. I have an exclusive job for you.”

Sam’s heart was already hammering in his chest. There was only one thing this could possibly mean.

“You want me to... handle a ghost?”

“Oh, no, no, no! Nothing like that!” the nurse tittered. “No, I just want you to scout out Slowpoke Well. There have been reports of a possible ghost down there, and I need someone to confirm its existence before I submit an expensive job to have someone help it pass on. We don’t want the Pokémon Center to waste money!”

Sam stood as confidently as he could, puffing out his chest.

“Of course I’ll do it. Anything to help,” he said.

He was just excited that he could finally put everything he had learned back in Ecruteak to use.

The nurse smiled at him and started to type on her computer once again. However, a voice called out.

“Hold on!” Xavier interrupted. “How come he gets this job and not someone more qualified?”

The other boy practically ran to reach the counter. The nurse frowned.

“Sam here does have the qualifications,” she said. “And when it comes to this job—”

“He has three Gym Badges as compared to my four,” Xavier stated.

Her frown deepened, and Sam immediately scowled. However, an idea hit him.

“Let him take it!” he said. “But only because I’m taking it. Since it’s just a scouting job, I wouldn’t mind the extra help! Teamwork makes it safer, right?”

Xavier sent Sam a side-eye, about to decline. However, right when the nurse glanced at her computer once again, Sam winked at him. Xavier looked caught off guard.

“Hm. It would help you stay safer...” the nurse mumbled.

“He has a Noctowl! Noctowl are great at seeing through illusions!”

Starting to catch on, Xavier nodded his head in agreement.

“It only took me two Pokémon to earn my last Gym Badge. I’ll be able to work with the utmost care,” he said.

Another hum. The nurse eyed them suspiciously before letting loose a sigh of defeat.

“Alright,” she said. “But I want to be clear: leave the moment you confirm there’s a ghost. I don’t want either of you to be harmed, or worse, possessed!”

Both boys quickly nodded in unison, replying with versions of, “You got it!” and, “Absolutely!”

Still keeping an eye on them, she turned to head into the back room, where the Chansey had taken Cyndaquil’s Pokéball.

The moment she was gone, Xavier immediately turned to Sam and glared at him.

“Explain,” he ordered.

Sam replied with a cheeky grin.

“A competition. Whichever one of us sees the ghost first gets the payment for the job.”

“That’s hardly anything,” Xavier said with a scoff. “How about you put up something that actually matters?”

“Then...” Sam smiled when he remembered where Redi had gone. “Loser has to buy the winner a custom-made Pokéball.”

“I can do that,” Xavier said, nodding. “But I want something else, too—an apology. And you have to say that I’m the better Pokémon trainer when you lose.”

“When you lose, you mean,” Sam said.

Xavier rolled his eyes and moved away to stand at the front door. Sam loitered near a couch before the nurse came back out and called his name.

“Samuel?” she said.

He quickly approached.

“How’s Cyndaquil?” he asked.

A soft smile. An amused soft smile.

“There’s nothing wrong with your Cyndaquil,” the nurse said warmly.

“What do you mean?” Sam asked. “She’s been a lot slower. Are you sure she’s not sick?”

She shook her head.

“There’s nothing wrong with your Cyndaquil. She’s the picture of perfect health. Rather, the strain comes from having too much strength. Congratulations! Any moment now, I believe your Cyndaquil will evolve into a Quilava!”

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Author Note:

Pokémon included in this chapter:
Chansey
Combee
Donphan
Misdreavus
Noctowl
Quilava
Weedle / Kakuna / Beedrill

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