[Pokémon] The Pokemon They Call Life

[TGrayLT]

Hello everyone! This story is a fanfic of the past, about five years before the timeline of the 6th generation, involving a few of the gym leaders and regional champions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Kalos. Please take note that I've rewrote this story a couple of times already so corrections are present. Please kindly point them out for me if you have the heart so I can edit it immediately. Enjoy the story and hope you'll understand cuz it's focused more on science.

The Protagonist is a young man at the age of 18. His father is a scientist in Hoenn's Devon Corporation and his mother is a retired regional champion of Hoenn. He was dropped out of Pokemon Trainer's School three years before the start of this story and has been struggling for the reason ever since. His story is what I think is what happened in the past but was not told in the games due to lack of evidence. But it's just a fan fiction.

Please enjoy the story and don't hesitate to give me your feedback and violent reactions!

The Pokemon They Call Life
(A Pokemon Story)
By TGrayLT (pokecommunity)



Chapter 1 -You Chose Me

This was the first time that I noticed Skitty was actually doing the same thing everyday. She chases her own tail during and before a meal, she sleeps on my feet everytime I go sit on the couch and watch TV, and she goes out of the house only to look at mom if whether she goes left or right. Left means mom's buying some food for her and right means mom's strolling in the city or visiting dad. I don't really care much about her, since she is mom's pokemon and I was obliged to care for her, or else. It's just unavoidable to notice these things when you're not doing anything at all.
This time, she's staring at the front door, waiting for mom to come home since mom usually goes back from the market just before dawn.

Mom opened the door and Skitty ran around her feet as quickly as she can. Mom almost stepped on her but I stood up from the couch and grabbed the groceries from her hand to keep her from getting unbalanced.

"Thanks, honey." she said.

I didn't say anything. I put the groceries on the table and waited for mom to say something.

She looked at me oddly and said "Oh! I forgot. Yeah. Grab a bottle of wine and three of those hamburgers that I bought at Reyna's. Your dad loves those."

"Three?" I smiled at her silliness.

"For the three of you." she answered.

"Brandon doesn't eat meat." I said.

She thought about it for a second. This is what she always do. I can't even tell if she really intends to do it or this is just her.

I started counting up. In five, she'll give me a laugh and then say 'Oh, silly me.'

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

She laughed and said "Oh, silly me!"

Just in time.

I grabbed the things she mentioned and waited for her permission without saying a word. I always loved it when mom sometimes has no idea what I was waiting for and she also loved it when I always waited for her to say something.

"Okay, off you go!" she said while pushing me out of the house.

I went outside and looked around the streets first. I didn't want people who knew me to actually see me outside the house. Not that I wasn't popular, I am popular. I didn't hate people. I mean, everyone was once scared of me. Was. But it never went away from me. I still had this uncomfortable feeling when I see someone who knows me. I feel like they don't want to be with me and I knew that they still had that same feeling with me.

On the left, I can just see the Pokemon Trainer's School. The place where everything happened. The place where I lost my future. So, I headed right. On the way, people were just passing by, just minding their own business. I passed through the town center since it's the only way and the fastest way towards the Devon Corporation. The walk wasn't long. And with just ten minutes of walking, I was already at the last overpass before the Devon Corporation building.

I went directly inside without having to have a full inspection since the guards already knew who I was. They only stopped me to check what I carried. They asked me what the wine was all about, so I clearly explained to them that it was for dad and Brandon. Then, they let me go inside. I heard the elevator ringing, so I ran as fast as I could and entered. The elevator door started closing but before it could close completely, someone else screamed to stop the door. I put my hand between the closing door and stopped it from closing. A girl entered and said "Thank you."

It was Leah, a schoolmate of mine and also a current apprentice of the city's gym leader. We weren't really that close but I knew her and she knew me. She told me that she was heading to the fifth floor. That was the same floor as mine, so I didn't havr to push the button anymore.

It was awkward, but she had enough courage to ask me "How are you, Gray?" Using my last name. Since I always told everyone before to call me by my last name.

"I'm fine. And you?" I said awkwardly.

"Same."

The elevator door opened on the third floor and a fat man went inside. He clicked on the fourth floor and the elevator door closed. Did he really had to use the elevator when he's just going up a floor? People today are just lazy. Maybe that's why he's so fat.

The man left when we got to the fourth floor and the elevator door closed again. I didn't say anything to Leah so when the elevator door opened on the fifth floor, we went our separate ways.

I noticed that the door to the laboratory was open and when I had a good look at what dad was doing, I just stood on the entrance and observed him on his work. Dad was already experimenting on one of the Cascoons that he has been doing his research for days now. He was trying to, what? Tickle the Cascoon? Poor thing. I think he's trying to find out about something but maybe, just maybe, he's provoking the poor creature. Dad was always very crazy at his experiments, especially when he gets to the point where he's almost at his conclusions. The Cascoon was hanging on the ceiling while dad was under it, holding a feather. He looked so stupid and funny with his large glasses and dirty lab coat.

"Hello, son." he said without looking at me. Still trying to find something from under the Cascoon.

"I brought wine and some burgers." I said. Then, went to sit down on the chairs near the entrance door and started observing what he was doing. A few others were also around, an old scientist that I have never met before and two guards, one was smoking a cigarette.

He started tickling the Cascoon from below and I couldn't figure out why he was doing it. I could hear the Cascoon complaining about the tickling. She even started jumping around while still hanging from her string shot.

A while later, she released a sort of gas from inside her hard shell. It was coming out from where dad was tickling the Cascoon. The smoke slowly occupied the whole room. I started coughing from the foul smell that the Cascoon released while the others did the same. But then a few seconds later, the smoke dispersed and the people calmed down.

The others complained. I also asked dad "What in Houndoom's tail was that?!"

"Didn't you recognize the smell?" dad said while still coughing. I saw him look closer at the bottom part of the Cascoon with a magnifying glass.

I tried to register the smell in my brain, and noticed that it was the same smell that the Koffing and Weezing releases, only stronger. "It was a Poison Gas attack?"

"Not just a regular poison gas. It's something more." Dad got a syringe from one of the tables. Inside was a dark violet liquid. "This is the liquid form of that gas that the Cascoon just released. And this-" he grabbed another syringe sample from the tables, but this time it had a slightly transparent brownish liquid inside, and said "And this, you see my son, is the liquid form of the poison gas that the Weezing releases."

"What are you saying, that this poison gas that the Cascoon released is much more poisonous?" I asked him, feeling a bit faint.

"Precisely." he said. But I couldn't hear much of what he was saying anymore.

I felt dizzy all of the sudden. Then, I layed down on the ground and couldn't think of anything at all. All I wanted now was to sleep for no reason and I just let myself fall asleep.

The moment I woke up, I was already lying down on a bed with a nurse standing in front of me. The nurse went outside and later, Professor Brandon came with an angry look in his eyes. I expected him to scold me for something that I clearly did not do but he was facing way more farther than where I was. I looked on my left and saw that dad was smiling, sitting down on his bed. My head still woozy from the gas, I think.

"Look what you did, Paul!" Prof. Brandon yelled. "Your son got caught up from the experiment!"

Dad laughed so loud and said to me "What can you say, son?"

I looked at him and laughed with him. I said "I see, you were trying to pull out an experiment if the gas affects human beings with different factors."

"Correct. My theory was correct! Look at all the patients!" he said.

I looked around and saw three more men in the room I was in. Those two guards and the old scientist. I noticed the diferrences that dad was trying out his experiments on. "I see. The factor is of age."

"And one thing. One guard smokes a lot, and the other doesn't. Guess who woke up first, son?" my dad asked me.

My head was still a little dizzy but I managed to sit down on the bed and faced him.

Professor Brandon yelled "How can you let your son-"

"Hush! Brandon! Listen!" dad yelled louder.

I look at the all the patients in the room. Beside me, being the last to wake up, the younger guard still had a hard time getting the frown off his face. While the old scientist and the older guard has no problem at all. Dad was also very happy, so that meant that the headache wasn't there for him anymore.

"The gas has little effect on older people than younger ones." I said. "Or that the older people has more resistance to the poison. The guard who smokes also woke up faster than those who didn't. But what of it?"

"Nicotine, son." he said.

I looked at the the two guards then I realized the aswer. "I see. Nicotine. People who are more exposed to nicotine has a lesser effect from the gas that the Cascoon has released. While those who doesn't smoke, like us, are more affected. Plus the age also has a factor. Both me and that old scientist doesn't smoke, but he was less affected from the poison gas than me. And you-"

"I stopped smoking the day you were born, son." dad said.

"Didn't get affected? Wait, that means those who are used to the aftereffects of nicotine won't have any effect on any poison gas attack."

Dad gave an applause and said "See Brandon? My son doesn't have to graduate from school! He's got more brains than every other student in that damned school."

"But that doesn't mean that you can just use any people, especially your son, as a test subject, Paul Gray." Professor Brandon said but dad didn't listen.

"You have more questions, son?" dad asked me again.

"What was that gas?" I asked him.

"It's simple. It's the poison gas that the Weezing produces but this one has a very huge amount of sleep powder and nicotine." he said.

I thought about what he said for a while. Sleep powder was an attack used by most grass and bug type pokemons. Being a Cascoon, a bug type that lives most of its life on trees, making it almost a grass type also. But Nicotine?

"Nicotine, dad. Nicotine." then the idea struck my head "Wurmple! Before it evolves, Wurmples eat large amount of tobacco to refuel its skin as it evolves into a Cascoon. Though, nicotine is an insecticide, the Wurmples feeds on it and then evolves into a Cascoon to avoid being poisoned in the first place. Due to the effects of nicotine, the Wurmple that's inside the Cascoon starts shedding its skin to produce more armor, besides the String Shot that the Wurmple covers its body with, to keep the Cascoon from breaking from the outside and the inside. And thus, making the Wurmple invincible from outside predators. To break free from its very hard shell, the Cascoon then breaks from the inside using the poison that the Wurmple has been feeding on, by spitting large amounts of the liquid form of that poison gas. As the shell of the Cascoon breaks, the poison would be no more, since it would disperse from burning the Cascoon shells and then comes out the pokemon inside. But since it's been eating nicotine as a Wurmple, the pokemon it evolves to becomes a very poisonous Dustox."

"When the Cascoon evolves into a Dustox, the attack turns into a Toxic attack." dad added, while showing me the syringe of poison liquid. "But this liquid when it's still a Wurmple inside the Cascoon shell has much lesser hydrogen atoms and more nitrogen atoms, thus evaporating faster than your regular old Toxic attack."

Professor Brandon stopped us from talking by saying "I think we have to go back to the lab, now. We have little time left before Mr. Stone will close the research if we don't give him answers."

Both me and dad looked at each other and nodded.

At the lab, both of them were on their computers. I, on the other hand, took the time and effort to pour each of them a glass of wine. I also poured myself a glass and finished mine off before I gave them theirs. I left them and poured myself another glass until I finished all of it. I overheard them, saying things like Professor Brandon asking dad how he knew where to tickle the Cascoon for it to release its gas, and then dad saying that the softest part of their shell was underneath the Cascoon.

He added "As the Cascoon releases its toxic attack underneath its shell, it cracks open due to the acid it contains, and then it uncontrollably release most of the gas that was inside the shell out and attacks the enemy by a very strong poison gas attack. Due to the pressure inside the shell, the liquid stays liquid. But when outside in normal atmospheric pressure, it could easily evaporate in just less than a second."

They started talking more and more but I could only pay attention to some of it. I was busy with cleaning the lab and taking the Cascoons inside their cages for me to release them outside. I waited for them to finish with their conclusions. When dad finally took his coat and briefcase, I took the cages outside the building and put them inside the van. Then, we drove off outside the city towards Petalburg Woods, just a bit farther south outside the city.

We stopped the van just when the forest was starting to cover most of the sunlight and got out. I took the cages one by one outside. As dad opened the cages he said "You know, son. If only you could get just one pokemon for yourself, maybe we could-"

"Let's not talk about that dad." I cut him off.

He opened all of them and started putting them below a tree for them to hang on to when the Cascoons realize that they are already in the forest. One tree per Cascoon. One by one, they used their String Shot to the trees and lifted themselves up.

"You didn't know that they held such-"

"Power. I know dad. Please, you don't have to tell me. I know what happened. I know everything now. I just didn't know what I did at the moment of that battle, but now I know."

He put a hand on top of my head and said "And it was because of you that I started these experiments. I have discovered more uknown but powerful abilities because of what you showed everyone."

I knew that. Of course I knew. And now, I've got more than what it takes to be a trainer. The thought of me being a trainer was too much for me that maybe it would happen again. We didn't talk as we went back home. I ran directly inside my room and, just a little, opened the door, so I could hear my mom and dad talking in the living room.

"The boy knows his stuff. He could be a fine trainer." dad said.

"I told him many times that he already is, but he just jumps out of every conversation of him being a trainer. Oh, if only that Geodude didn't evolve at the moment." mom said and then she started crying.

"Shh." I could tell that dad was holding mom and lowered his voice, saying "Our son wanted it to evolve. He just didn't expect it to jump-evolve into a Golem. But I know my son is a good person. He didn't mean to do it, nor did that Geodude."

I slowly closed the door and jumped on my bed. I didn't care much anymore of what has happened but I still can't believe that I want to hear everything that everyone will say about me. So, I just closed my eyes and fell asleep.

It was when I woke up that I realized that I was having that nightmare again. My mom and dad were with me, holding me inside their arms, both of them still sleeping. I always cry and talk in my sleep everytime I dream about it. But I could only remember the pain, not the details of the dream.

I silently got out of bed and cooked them breakfast. When both mom and dad finally woke up, I told them that I'll be at the hill in Route 115, north of the city.

This was were I would always go when I was still with my pokemon. But I haven't visited this place since what happened three years ago. Now, I have no clue as to why I was even going here in the first place. I just sat down on the grassy field, watching the sea and the sun rise from the horizon.

Since I was already here, I might as well think about what my life would've been if nothing happened. I would've already defeated most gym leaders in this region. I might as well already be the champion. I know I was a very capable trainer, even know that I am unique at my abilities. It's just that I can't control myself sometimes, and I just show everyone how I train my pokemons. I guess that's the problem of having a scientist father and a retired regional champion mother. Too much of their genes inside of me.

I'm already eight years too late of even starting to travel the world and catching all the pokemons. Most kids my age would've been apprentices to gym leaders or even gym leaders themselves. My mother was a regional champion when she was my age already. And me? Currently no pokemon. Not a single gym badge. Not even a single place that I travelled with a pokemon. Nothing.

I do want to do those things, but being at this age and having no pokemon at all makes it more complicated than anyone would expect. I mean I could just start off right away. But-

But-

But nothing could replace Geo.

I noticed something grabbing my leg. I looked down and saw a Ralts. Small thing, with a bowl cut hair and her mouth was open. I could tell that she was looking up at me, even with her eyes covered from her hair. What does this little thing want with me? I noticed a small dark colored stain on the very tip of its feet. So, I got closer to her to check it out. I tried wiping it off but I found out that it was actually her skin. The dark stain is her very skin. I wondered what it might be. We just stared at each other but after a while, Ralts raised both of her hands to me and waiting for me to what? Out of curiousity, I let her grab my face. She let her horn touch my forehead, and every nightmare I had since it happened came back to me. Every memory, every dream, every nightmare quickly passed through my head. Every pain was pushed into my heart and it hurt so badly that I couldn't help myself. I cried and cried, and I could feel my tears falling down my face.

Nothing I could do makes me want to stop. The memories, the pain, the nightmares, everything was coming back. Every dream of Geo, every pain of losing him, every pain of the bullies, the pain I felt when mother was sick, the pain of not seeing dad for a year, the pain of losing my closest friends.

When the pain was already too much for me to bare, I forced myself to push my body backwards, letting go of Ralts. I fell down on the ground and started to breathe heavily. My heart was beating so fast and I was sweating so badly.

"What did you do to me?" I asked Ralts, who in reply just stared back at me.

Her mouth was still open and the little thing stayed in her place.

I waited until I calmed down before standing up. I looked at her again and said "Was that a psychic-type attack?"

Ralts just stared. Not that I could even understand anything she'll say. She'll only say her name and that wouldn't really make me understand about what she did to me.

So, I looked away and realized that the sun was already setting on the other side of the mountains. What did she do to me? How long was I here? I needed to find the answers. That was not a psychic-type attack. I know how the confusion attack feels like, I know what every psychic attack would feel like. No, I should go home. It's already late in the afternoon and I'm sure that my mom and dad will be worried.

I walked as quickly as I can back home. Ralts was following me along the way, even tried to grab my leg, but she couldn't keep up with me. I ignored her, but also want her to follow me home. There was something about this Ralts and I needed to know more.

At the gate, mom emerged from the house and ran to me as fast as she could. She was crying and I could tell that she had been crying since afternoon. "Where have you been?!" she said.

"I told you, I was at the hill." I said.

She hugged me and said "We have been looking for you!"

I didn't expect them to look for me when I was only gone for the whole day, and I did tell them that I'll be at the only hill in Route 115. She said that they were looking for me, didn't they see me there? "Mom, why are you crying?" I asked.

"We thought you weren't coming back." she softly said, still crying.

That was when I realized that I wasn't really gone only for the whole day. "How long was I gone?" I asked her.

"What?"

"Mom, how long was I gone?" I said as I stared at Ralts, who was also staring at me from the gate with her mouth still open.

"Five days. You were gone for five days." she said.

Five days. How did that happen? How was I gone for five days?

"Son?!" I heard dad calling from outside the streets. "Son!" then he ran to me as fast as he could. He asked me the same questions my mom asked but my mom was the one who answered for me.

I didn't have the sympathy for their pain, so I just kept on looking at Ralts while they continued to say their love for me and how much they missed me and how they tried everything to find me. When they finally let go, I pointed at Ralts and said to dad "We need to find out more about her, dad."

They all looked at her.

"Who's pokemon is that?" my mom asked.

"Is it a wild pokemon?" dad asked.

While looking at Ralts, I realized that she had been following me the whole time that I guessed that she wanted me to be her trainer. Or maybe she wanted something from me. Whatever the reason is, she's here and my parents are expecting something good from my five day absence.

"It's my pokemon." I answered.

 

[TGrayLT]

Chapter 2 - A Hoenn Discovery

The next few weeks, Ralts was becoming part of the family. She followed me everywhere. Even helped me when I was cleaning the house, washing the dishes, and even feeding Skitty. But she does it without using her psychic abilities. Skitty was even starting to get fond of Ralts. The only odd thing about her is that she often grabs my leg even if nothing is happening and she really likes it if I let her touch my forehead with her horn. I guess it's just her thing.

One day, when dad was gathering around some Wurmples for his experiments, Ralts was with us helping us in any way she can. We looked around but found only Weedles and Caterpies in the area. Not a single Wurmple. An hour later and we finally gave up searching for Wurmples. Dad was frustrated and I lost hope in finding one. Ralts looked up at us with her mouth still open, and raised her arms. That's what I can tell that she wanted my to touch my forehead, again. I knelt down, let her horn touch my forehead, and I stood up. She smiled and waved her arms around, meaning that she was happy.

This time, dad put his arm on my shoulder and said "Well, I'll be damned. Look closely, son."

I looked at Ralts and noticed waves coming out of her body. Waves that looked like powerful psychic pokemons using a Psychic attack. But this wasn't a Psychic attack. It was something else.

Wurmples started emerging from the forest and lined up in front of us. It was the first time that we have ever seen. It was a Confusion attack. But the waves coming out of her was from a powerful Psychic attack. There were many Wurmples gathering around the area, now. And a single Caterpie who just happened to join the group. But dad wasn't interested on the Wurmples, he was more focused on my Ralts.

Dad was very excited when he said "The strongest psychic pokemon can only control up to ten pokemons. Ralts were supposed to be one of the weakest psychic pokemons, but look at her."

Around fifty Wurmples gathered, and it wasn't normal. How could a small psychic type pokemon, like Ralts, mind-control up to fifty pokemons.

"Forget about the Wurmples, let him grab-"

"Her." I corrected him.

"Let her grab your leg again until we're back at the lab." he said.

Dad did all his observations on my Ralts. But all he found were disappointments. Compared to other Ralts, my Ralts has a smaller horn. The horns are the amplifiers for their psychic powers. Smaller horns means weaker psychic powers. My Ralts was also smaller than the usual height. She opens her mouth all the time, indicating that she can't even control her own body movement. She doesn't look strong, and from the looks of her, she looks like she is the weakest of her kind. But how was she able to use Confusion attack on all those Wurmples at only one time? Impossible, but not yet. At least not for dad. He used some kind of machine to see the movement of her psychic abilities. I let Ralts use her Confusion attack again and the machine printed us a picture of how her psychic attack looks like. Normally, a Confusion attack would show a single wave, not visible to the naked eye. But my Ralts' Confusion attack showed more continuing waves coming from her body, and the invisible waves can also be seen from our eyes, but just barely. That means that she's more than capable than her fully evolved form, Gardevoir, to use powerful psychic powers. I tried to tell her to use her Psychic attack, but she didn't respond.

"Use your strongest Future Sight!"

Nothing.

"Use your most defensive Reflect!"

Nothing.

"Ralts, use your most powerful Hypnosis!"

That evening, both me and dad woke up from a very deep sleep. Ralts was also sleeping beside me inside the lab. I guess the Hypnosis attack worked. Dad helped me stand up and said "That was one heck of an attack."

I noticed that the lights were off, so maybe the guards left us inside the building since it's already night time. But when I opened the door outside the lab, I saw two of the guards sleeping on the floor. While Professor Brandon and some other scientists were also sleeping at the hallway.

"Dad. There's more here." I said.

"Don't tell me he-"

"She." I corrected him.

"She made everyone in this building fall asleep!"

We quickly woke everyone up and apologized for what happened. Professor Brandon helped dad with the experiments and stayed up late inside the lab. I left to go back home since it's already night time and thought that maybe mom was already worried that we still haven't gone back home. When I got back home, mom wasn't all that worried since she asked some of the workers who just lived next to ours about what happened. She told me that me and Ralts should go to sleep because it's already way past night time. So, I slept in my room with Ralts.

I woke up when dad finally came back home. It was midnight, and I could hear them talking in the living room.

"That pokemon of his is something else. That Ralts need to grow, but in order to grow, our son has to become a trainer." dad said silently.

"You know that he doesn't want to go back to that road, again." mom replied.

"He claims that Ralts as his pokemon. I think he's already back on the road."

"But I could tell that he's afraid. He doesn't even make Ralts use any attacks, expect for your experiments."

Dad was now mumbling something. He was stressed. He must've found something that made him want to say these things to mom. I got out of bed and out of the room. They stared at me while I slowly walked towards the living room and sat on the couch, looking straight at them.

"I'll try again." I said to them.

"What, honey?" mom sounded concerned.

I was certain that they knew what I meant. I gave them a soft smile and said "I'll try again to become a trainer."

Both of them looked at each other happily. Dad said "How about a battle, son?"

"You don't have a pokemon."

"I have Skitty." mom said.

"She's just a house pet." I said.

She looked at the sleeping Skitty and smiled. Then, she looked back at me and said "Tomorrow. Go back to sleep and we'll see what you mean by house pet."

When I did lay down back on my bed, I couldn't sleep. I was too excited and scared. Excited because I'll be able to see the retired regional champion battle, again. I mean, I already saw the videos of her when she was still a teenager. She easily beat all the Elite four and the Champion before her with just four pokemons. Four of hers versus five trainers with six pokemons each. And since she left the seat at being the Champion, she hasn't participated in a single battle. She stopped because she wanted to release all her pokemons back in the wild, which is what most retired trainers would do. She also stopped being the Champion to become my mother. And that was just amazing. Unbeatable until her last battle. I was also scared because now, I have the chance to battle her. But with a Skitty? Our house pet. But I shouldn't let that underestimate me. She is the unbeatable. I should try my best even with a Skitty.

I decided to let Ralts use her Hypnosis attack on me so I can finally go back to sleep.

The next morning, I prepared breakfast for them and ate as fast as I could. After eating, I left with Ralts and practiced on the empty lot just beside our house. I remembered that she only knew two attacks, so I improvised. I taught her how to dodge, crouch, jump, and even Growl to lower Skitty's attack power. Just before ten, mom finally went outside to battle with me.

"Are you ready, honey?" she asked me.

"I guess so."

"Alright. Paul will be our referee for today." she said.

Dad got out of the house, wearing a referee uniform. He looked so stupid. But I guess I was just so used to him wearing a lab coat that it's awkward for me to look at him when he wears something else. He said "Alright, trainers! Ready your pokemon!"

"Do you really have to do that, dad?" I asked him.

"Start!" he just yelled at me.

The battle is already starting! I wasn't even all that prepared but mom already ordered her Skitty to use her Quick Attack.

"Dodge, Ralts!" I said, but I was too late. Skitty attacked Ralts with her Quick Attack and she fell down on the ground.

"Honey! The match is already starting!" mom said.

I know that! Now, I have to use an attack.

Skitty was now coming back with another Quick Attack. Then, Ralts was hit again.

I tried to tell Ralts to use her Confusion attack but everytime she tries, she keeps on failing because either she was being attacked or trying to dodge Skitty's attack. After a few hits, Mom told Skitty to regain her strength. Just when I was about to tell Ralts to use her Confusion, Mom quickly told Skitty to use another Quick attack, but this time I was also quick enough to tell Ralts to cancel her Confusion and dodge the attack. She dodge it with just an inch.

Damn it. I can't use an attack. Skitty was just quick, and Ralts can't focus on a quick moving pokemon. She can't even use her Confusion attack on an enemy that keeps on attacking her. But how about Hypnosis? The Hypnosis attack doesn't need focus, but only for Ralts to release a sort of psychic power to her environment.

When Skitty was finally a good distance away, I silently told Ralts "Use Hypnosis. If she can hit you, just let her."

Then, mom yelled "Double slap attack!"

Skity jumped up and slapped Ralts. She was quick. Too quick. But I could tell that Ralts was already using her Hypnosis. After Skitty slapped Ralts three times, she backed out and fell on the ground. Sleeping heavily.

I was about to let Ralts use her Confusion attack, since she can finally use it without being disturbed. But dad blew the whistle and said "The battle is over! Skitty is unable to battle! Ralts wins the match!"

"What?!" I complained. "But I didn't even let her use an attack yet!"

"You won, son. We already know that. Come to my lab this afternoon and I'll show you all that me and Brandon found out about your Ralts." he said then he went back inside the house.

Ralts held my leg and looked at me with her open mouth. Then, mom picked up her Skitty and slowly walked towards me. When she was finally close, she said "We had a good match, honey."

"But I didn't even use an attack. That wasn't even a battle! That was just a skirmish!"

"Oh honey. As long as two pokemons starts moving after the referee blows his whistle, it's already an official battle."

"I saw your battles in the Pokemon League. I wanted the battle to be something like that." I said.

"But it was something like that. Didn't you notice, honey? Skitty was too quick and Ralts could never use a Confusion attack. Skitty could've avoided your every Confusion attack. A Hypnosis can be avoidable if you're quick, and Skitty could've avoided it. But you let Ralts get hit just so you can use the Hypnosis without missing. You have what it takes to beat the Champion. Well, eighteen years retired champion. And yes, honey. You are the first trainer to ever beat me." then she smiled.

Back home, I celebrated lunch time with mom, since dad was already at the lab. She was also very happy to see her son become a trainer. And I was happy to finally win a match without-

Without doing something like what I did before.

I just wished that Geo was still here.

That afternoon, I left home with Ralts to finally let dad tell me what he found out about her. Dad showed me different filters of the same pictures from her Confusion attacks. One picture showed ultraviolet rays, another showed infared rays, another showed something like millions of dots forming a wave. He also showed me calculations and comparisons of the powers of every strong psychic pokemons like an Alakazam, Gardevoir, and Meowstic.

"Your Ralts has much more power than a regular Meowstic, and has much more concentration that an Alakazam." dad said.

Professor Brandon showed another picture of the waves coming out of a Gardevoir when using a Confusion. "Their Confusion waves are almost the same." Professor Brandon said. "That means that even with proportion to your Ralt's size and horns, your Ralts is almost as equivalent to a fully evolved Gardevoir."

Ralts stared at me again with her mouth open. I crouched down and carried her on my arms like a baby.

"We also found a very mysterious discovery." dad confessed as he layed down all the papers from his hand except for one where it showed the dots forming a wave. "These are what we call, for now, Psychic Particles. Produced by psychic pokemons like that Ralts of yours. We've only concluded their existence to all psychic pokemons now because we thought that only a Gardevoir can produce such subatomic particles. Scientists once called it Gardevoms. But since your Ralts showed extraordinary amount of those atoms, we've looked through most psychic pokemons again and found evidence of their existence. We needed a supercomputer and the most expensive super-infrared detectors to actually see it to those other psychic pokemons."

"These psychic particles have been also found to be a very distant cousins of our very own dark matters, which are also present in ghost type pokemons. These dark matters are the exact opposite of psychic particles. Since dark matters were there to create void, psychic particles are there to keep matter intact."

"Matter? But how could it keep matters intact and becomes an attack move from psychic pokemons at the same time?" I asked.

"That's what we've been asking to ourselves all this time. We thought that maybe you can think of an answer. But we've still have more priorities to set straight. Since psychic particles can keep matter, it is not a matter itself."

"What do you mean?"

"Like dark matter, it isn't really matter. Don't mind the name. It's almost like an energy, but dark energies are also different. Think of a rubber band. Dark matters are the energy, or we might as well just call it 'reason', that makes the rubber band expand, but you would need something like a force to expand the rubber band like a hand stretching it. Now, this is the crazy part. These psychic particles are the one that keeps the rubber band from snapping off. It is also the ones that pulls the rubber band back if the force is gone."

"I understand. But we can always describe the universe, dad."

"I see. You know how dark matters works with the universe. But do you ever wonder why the universe keeps expanding but it doesn't break or it doesn't snap off? That's right. Our theory suggests that it's because of psychic particles. But we need to look into it more, since we still haven't even fully proven the existence of dark matters in the universe. It's still just a theory. But the only fact we can say is that these psychic particles are present from all psychic pokemons. That's all."

"So, that was what you wanted to say about Ralts?"

"Your Ralts has more undiscovered powers, son. We can't tell what, but from what we found out, maybe your Ralts could show us the answer to what the Devon Corp. is looking for all these years."

"What's that?"

"The ressurection of the fossils."

"And how can that happen?" I asked.

"I told you, we can't tell how or what that kind of power is."

"Oh. Great." I said ironically.

"We only thing, based on the evidences that we have, that since psychic particles can keep matter, maybe it can also create life from the matter it keeps. Just like how dark matters expands the universe, it can also create void."

"Maybe."

"Maybe." I followed.

Dad smiled and came close to me. He put a hand behind my back and used his other hand to rub Ralts hair. I could see that dad was very happy to see me with a pokemon. I was the reason for all his research. I was the one who showed him the incredible hidden powers of these pokemons without noticing it. I just did what I did three years ago and it was the biggest change of my life. Now, I'm back to being a trainer. But this time, I won't ever let it happen again.

"I'll help Ralts grow." I said. "And maybe you'll finally be able to find the answers."

We all stayed silent.

So, if dad could finally be able to find the full capabilities of these psychic particles, then maybe we could even resurrect the fossilized pokemons. Even more. Maybe we could create life as we know it.

The silence was too much, so I started laughing for no reason. Or maybe I was laughing because maybe, these two scientists can find the biggest discovery in the century. They've already discovered the existence psychic particles, what more of the capabilities of these particles. In this room, is where the conclusion of the Hoenn Discovery will take place.

 

[TGrayLT]

Chapter 3 - Stone Badge

Rocky Bull Boa, Rustboro City's current gym leader. Reknowned for being so strong, even as a woman. Middle aged woman that can tackle a Rhyhorn head on and make an Onyx flinch. That was why they gave her the nickname of Bull.

Her real name was Bethany Olivia Annabelle. That's right, it's only her first name. Last name not included. That was also why they call her BOA. Her name was just too long So, they went on ahead and just called her by her initials. Rocky, because she uses rock type pokemons in her gym. Though she trains all other types of pokemons.

Besides being a gym leader, she is also an instructor in Rusboro's Pokemon Trainer's School, where she was once my instructor in the arts of defense.

Dad suggested that I head for the Pokemon League if I wanted to help my Ralts grow. And for me to compete, I must gather all the badges in Hoenn. He told me that Bull Boa might be a good starting gym leader, since she respects new trainers and fights all trainers based on their level of experience. As for me, she might even use a simple Geodude, or an Onyx, or even a Nosepass. I trained my Ralts with other trainers before heading to the Rustboro gym. I defeated all of them with no problem at all. Ralts was very adaptable in any kind of situation, but I still have much more to learn. It has been three years since I left school. Surely there are some pointers that I've already forgotten.

After a week, I finally decided that I'm ready to battle Rocky Bull Boa in a official gym match. Mom and Dad came to see my match with one of the current strongest trainers of Hoenn. Dad and Boa were old friends, so dad came to her first and asked her how she was doing.

After their conversation, Boa came to me and said "Ah, so the legendary trainer returns."

It was what they called me when I was still in school, since I was at the top of my class in every subject. Even in skirmish school battles, I never lost a match. Oh the irony. Legendary Trainer.

"Please call me Gray. We're not in school anymore, Boa." I stubbornly said.

"You prefer to call yourself by your last name?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright." she smiled and said "I'm excited to have a match with you, Gray. I didn't expect you to return to this path."

"I didn't expect this either." I said and smiled back at her.

"Let me introduce this gym for you first. This is Rustboro gym. Trainers are allowed to train all their pokemons here, but you already know that. In an official match, based on the League regulations, the challenger must face rock-type pokemons. In my gym regulation, you must defeat two gym trainers first before you can battle me. Roxanne, like you in your school days. She's at the top of her class and uses weak pokemons to defeat strong trainers. And Leah, an apprentice of mine. She'll become the next school teacher on the arts of defense. But for now, she's a gym trainer."

"I know Leah. She was in the same class with me three years ago and she also works in Devon Corporation."

"Yes. Well, let's get started then?" she asked.

I nodded.

Mom and Dad took their seat with Boa and Leah at the side of the arena. My first opponent was Roxanne. I was nervous, of course. The trainer's I've defeated weren't top students, only regular ones. Some were even drop offs, like me. But from what Boa said, Roxanne was the top of her class. Also like me.

We took our sides and waited for the referee.

"Hello, Mister Gray. I'm Roxanne. I've heard rumors about you. They also call you the legendary trainer. They call me that, too." she said. I noticed that she was still too young. I wonder if she's an advanced student.

"I'm actually the first Legendary Trainer in our school." I said to her.

"I know. And I'm the last."

"The first and the last Rusboro Legendary Trainers, come face to face." I teased.

She giggled and said "I'll use two pokemons in this match."

"I'll use one."

The referee came and said "Our first match is between Gym Trainer Roxanne versus Challenger Gray! The rules are simple, no using of potions or any kind of healing items and when I declare the match to be over, then both trainers must call out all their pokemons. Are you both ready?!"

Both of us nodded.

"Fight!"

Roxanne called out her Geodude. Of course, a Geodude. But it isn't my old Geodude. That Geodude is a different one. My Geodude is already-

"Challenger Gray! Where is your pokemon?!" the referee complained.

Oh right. The match has started. Ralts was actually just behind my leg, and I just looked at her and she looked back at me. I let her touch her horn with my forehead and she started walking towards the arena. You're not my Geodude. But I love you all the same. You are my pokemon and you are so special to me. I will help you grow and I will not fail you. But look at you, you silly young pokemon. So small, yet when seen through super-infrared equipments, you are so huge.

"Geodude, use rock throw!" Roxanne made the first move.

"Double team!" I said.

Geodude grabbed large rocks on the arena and started throwing towards Ralts. But Ralts used her Double team and multiplied up to around fifty. It was too much than what I've expected but it was better. The rocks fell on the illusions but after an illusion would disperse, another would appear again. Geodude was surprised, but he continues to attack.

I could tell which of those illusions is the real one, and she was just closer to Geodude. This could mean that a direct attack wouldn't fail since she was too close that she wouldn't even miss.

"Confusion!" I said.

Geodude stopped moving afterwards and Ralts dispersed all the illusions. Geodude slowly picked up a rock, holding it with both hands, and then he started banging himself with the rock.

"Snap out of it, Geodude!" Roxanne cried.

Geodude was resisting the attack now, and I could tell that Roxanne did a pretty well done training Geodude to raise its Special Defense. Ralt's Confusion attack was completely useless now and Geodude started turning towards her.

"Rock Tomb!" Roxanne said.

I let Geodude use the attack. Just time it perfectly before using another trick up my sleeves. Geodude punch the ground, and then started lifting up a very huge piece of the ground. Ralts dropped down and fell on the ground from the vibration of Geodude's strength. Just as Geodude was raising the piece of rock up above his head, I screamed "Disarming Voice!"

"Oh no!" Roxanne cried.

Ralts released a high pitched scream, making Geodude's arms weak. The huge rock started falling down towards Geodude and smashed him right under it. Ralts ran towards me as fast as she could, away from the crushing rocks, with her mouth still open. Just when she was closer to me, she started glowing. And slowly, she started growing and growing. Evolving into a Kirlia. The light faded and a very strong eyes looked at me.

She evolved right after a battle, and without anyone seeing from the dust that's all around the arena. They all waited until the dust was gone and they were surprised to see a different pokemon standing beside me.

"Your Ralts evolved!" dad screamed.

I could finally reach to pat her head without crouching or kneeling, so I did. She stared at me with her mouth still open and a hand holding my leg. "Still couldn't close your mouth, huh?" I said.

The referee blew his whistle and yelled "Geodude is unable to battle! Ralts wins the match!"

"She evolved." Boa corrected.

But before the referee could correct himself, Roxanne was already releasing her next pokemon. A Nosepass, and a very shiny one. It was a rare kind of pokemon. Shiny pokemons were said to be more powerful than the normal ones and some would posses more elemental types. If my guess is right, then this Nosepass has electric attacks.

"Kirlia." I called out to her without looking at her. I was too focused on Nosepass, observing him. "If you need some time to rest, I could stop this match without hesitation."

But she didn't respond. Instead, she immediately went into the arena again.

"Your pokemon might've evolved, but no one has ever defeated my Nosepass. Not even a fighting type pokemon." Roxanne was very confident on her words. I could see her determination to beat me. It seems she has found her rival, as legendary trainers in our school. Not that it even meant anything at all, it was just a nickname for the top students.

I had to make the first move. So when the referee blew his whistle, I immediately told Kirlia "Double Team!"

She multiplied to more than fifty this time. And as I already thought, it was more than I was expecting. But Roxanne knew what attack to use.

"Hidden Power!"

Nosepass started floating from the ground. His eyes glowed and then pebbles started floating from the ground. Then came a lightning attack coming from inside his body connecting to the pebbles, like a chain. I couldn't predict what kind of power her Nosepass posses, but all I could tell was that Kirlia would really have to take a hit.

A Hypnosis or any kind of attacks would be useless, since there's too much disturbances around the arena. So, I had no choice but to wait for the result of this attack.

The pebbles then shoot themselves all around the arena, hitting every illusion that Kirlia has made with her Double Team. When the real Kirlia was hit, an electric explosion occured right after the impact and she was thrown down on the ground, bouncing off two times before she stopped sliding on the ground. She was laying down and she's really having a hard time getting up.

"Hidden Power, again!" Roxanne yelled.

"Kirlia! You can do this! Use Double Team again!" I had no other choice but to use the same attack.

Nosepass floated in the air, while Kirlia multiplied up to a hundred or less. I couldn't count how much, but it was more than the last.

This time, I had no choice but to use simple attacks. Since psychic attacks would be useless now that Nosepass was already using his Hidden Power attack. There were too much disturbances, now. And I was already too late.

The electric chains started connecting each other to the pebbles. But I immediately thought of an attack that might do the trick.

"Growl!" I just screamed.

"Growl?" dad wasn't so sure about it.

"Growl?!" Boa was surprised.

"Growl." mom was thinking about it but was sure that she got my idea.

All the illusion of Kirlia and herself loudly growled. It showed nothing but a simple pokemon just growling to the enemy. But what some of the people underestimated about this attack is that when used to about more than twice, it could lower the opponent's attack power of more than a hundred. And with this much illusions, Nosepass' attack would lessen to zero.

Just when Nosepass released his attack, all the pebbles were thrown all over the arena and with a distance of just a meter, the pebbles fell down on the ground.

"What?!" Roxanne was shocked to see the outcome. "How is that possible?!"

There were no more disturbances and even if she'd use another Hidden Power, it would still be too weak.

"Alright Kirlia, use the strongest Psychic attack you've got!"

Kirlia looked at me with her strong and serious eyes. But she didn't use the attack. Right. She doesn't know that attack, yet.

It was too awkward, and the silence made Roxanne use another attack. "Thunderbolt, Nosepass!"

A lightning striked Kirlia, but it was just a thread of a lightning. It was too weak. It even made Kirlia smiled, like she was just being tickled. I smiled and said "Alright, use Confusion."

She used the attack and made Nosepass dizzy. His eyes started to close and when it really went closed, he fell down on the ground.

"Kirlia wins the match!" the referee announced. "Next up, Leah versus Gray."

Already? Not even having to rest for a bit? I didn't complain about it out loud. Since they knew how the gym works, Leah was already standing beside Roxanne and threw a pokeball on the arena. Out came her Steelix and it was a very huge one.

"Is everyone ready?!" the referee was quick about it.

I was getting annoyed. Kirlia was starting to get weak, and I can already tell that if I'd win this match, Boa will be up next. And everyone knew that she was one of the top trainers in Hoenn. Endurance was the key for this battle, and strength.

The referee didn't wait for our answer, he blew the whistle and the match started.

Leah whipped her arms and said "Bind her, Steelix!"

Steelix crawled towards Kirlia as fast as he could and wrapped her around with his tail. Binding her was sstrong as he could. Kirlia was screaming from pain and I couldn't think of a move.

"Kirlia!" I just called out. Steelix continued to tie her up painfully.

Damn that thing. I couldn't help but feel fear. Fear of her dying? No. This was an official match and killing was against the rules. But this was too much for Kirlia to handle and she was screaming so loud that my heart also felt the pain.

"Use Confusion, Kirlia!" I screamed. But nothing happened.

"Hypnosis!"

Still nothing.

"Psychic!"

She continued screaming.

"Psywave!!!" I screamed as a last resort. I didn't know of a move such as that. I didn't even know if Kirlia knew such an attack. But when Kirlia screamed louder and louder. A light came out from the bind of Steelix body. The light grew brighter until a forceful wave came out of Kirlia and made Steelix let go of his Bind attack. Steelix flew sideways from the impact of the wave and he landed on the ground with a bang. Kirlia was now floating from the ground using her psychic abilities with her eyes glowing white.

"Steelix is unable to battle! Kirlia wins the match!" the referee announced.

What? How did that happen? I couldn't tell why the referee announced that. Everyone was also surprised but when we all saw how Steelix wasn't moving anymore, we knew that one attack defeated him.

"How was that possible?!" dad was screaming from the side of the arena.

"That was the most powerful psychic attack I have ever saw." mom said.

But there was no time to think of what happened. Boa was already slowly walking towards where Leah was and she put her arms behind her back. Leah was also surprised of what happened and it disappointed her to lose to only one attack. Boa was whispering something to her and after a while, she called back her Steelix inside her pokeball and left the gym.

All that's left is Boa. A strong pokemon trainer and uses pokemons that has the same level as mine. From what she saw from the previous match, I could tell that she'll use a very strong pokemon.

"Besides you having to find the perfect strategies to best Roxanne, your Kirlia also managed to defeat a strong defense pokemon like Steelix. Now, since you dropped off from school, this will be your chance to show us all that you are worthy of being a real trainer." she said. Then, she threw her pokeball and called out her pokemon. "Rhydon!"

The huge pokemon emerged from her pokeball. So, this was the pokemon that she chose to fight with my Kirlia. I don't know if this was fair, but to battle three strong trainers at the same time using a weak pokemon like mine was just crazy. I should've captured more pokemon if I knew that it was this hard. But I was stupid, I could've done that. I was just too focused on my Ralts, now a Kirlia. But this was no time to think, I have a battle to finish.

"Kirlia!" I called her to come closer to me. She was still floating with her eyes glowing from her last attack. She was breathing heavily and sweating. She came closer to me and then she started to calm down. I let her horn touch my forehead and then like for some reason, I knew that she wanted me to use a specific attack to use in this last battle. Like she gave me a thougth. I couldn't tell. Did she managed to tell me a message? A message that I could understand. It was weird. But with her eyes looking straigth at mine, I knew I could trust her.

"The next match will be against Gym Leader Rocky Bull Boa against Challenger Gray!" the referee announced. "Is everyone ready?!"

Obviously I'm wasn't. But he blew the whistle anyway.

"Gray! Let's finish this! I know I will lose. But I won't lose without teaching you a few lessons!" Boa said. "Rhydon! Use Dig!"

The big horned pokemon drilled on the ground and started going underground. Kirlia stood there with confidence. Waiting for a perfect opportunity to attack. Rhydon showed up and attacked Kirlia from below the ground. She flew from the impact and was hurt heavily. Then, in an instant, I observed Kirlia's eyes looking straigth down on Rhydon while she was still falling down on the ground.

"Future Sight!" I said.

Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped. Only me and Kirlia was the ones who are able to move. She fell down on the ground and when she was finally able to stand up, she ran towards me as fast as she could.

"What's this, Kirlia?" I asked.

She just looked at me with her mouth open.

Then, everything came back.

"Rhydon! Horn attack!" Boa yelled.

Rhydon attacked nothing, but he just kept on using his Horn Attack. Then, like Boa was seeing things, she said another attack. Then another. Then another. Then another. Her Rhydon was very fast and very strong, but looking at him like this. It was almost too funny to look at. I let Kirlia use an attack that made them see something different. Dad was yelling things like "Son! Use an attack!" or mom saying "Your Kirlia's taking more damage!"

But I was only there, laughing at this play that Rhydon was playing. Everyone was seeing the wrong kind of future, or was it me who was looking at the wrong future. When, Rhydon used all his strongest attack, he didn't hit anybody but himself. When he fell down from his own attacks, the referee said "The match is over! Kirlia is unable to battle!"

A moment later, the referee stopped, realizing what happened and said "Wait."

I just smiled at Boa, who's smile was starting to fade when she realized that she was the one who lost the match.

"This can't be." she said.

"Er-" the referee was also speechless, but everyone knew this time who really won the match.

When everyone was able accept the fact that they were being fooled by Kirlia's Future Sight attack, they all came close to me. Except for Leah, who left the gym before our match with Boa.

When Boa got closer, her face was all angry like she almost wanted to slap me. But she managed to control herself and said "You made two trainers miserable in this gym battle, Gray. But it was a match, and I accept the fact that you stood up to us like a strong rock type pokemon. And your Kirlia, so strong and so unbelievably unique. I couldn't believe what happened, and even though I was the one who wanted to teach you a lesson, it was me who needed teaching."

"I just did what I did. The gym battle was unfair, fighting three strong trainers put us in a tight situation. We were pressured, but I know that this gym battle was to test a trainer's endurance and strength." I said.

"I know." Boa confessed. "When Roxanne lost, I told Leah to continue the match without you healing your pokemon. I told the referee to continue the match like it was against four pokemons against one of yours. I could already tell that you have what it takes to be in the League, but train harder Gray. You may be the one who taught us a lesson in this gym battle, but you still have a lot to learn on your journey."

I bowed and said "Thank you."

She gave me the Stone Badge and excused herself to go and have a talk with Leah. I felt bad for her, but it wasn't my job to comfort her. Roxanne grabbed my arm and said "Battle me again when I'll become a gym leader, okay?"

"Okay." I replied.

Roxanne was a great trainer, and she managed to weaken my Ralts when she had the chance. She'll become a great gym leader if it will happen. She even has a chance on becoming a League Champion. But that is for her to decide her fate. My fate was to keep on going until I could reach Kirlia's full potential and help dad with his experiments.

I left the gym with mom and dad by my side, and Kirlia wrapped around my arms. She deserved to rest and I have to carry her all the way to the pokemon center before going back home. My mom and dad were so proud to the both of us that they just kept on cheering. They put me around their arms and celebrated my victory. I was happy, too. Because both of them were so happy for me that we looked so ridiculous together. Boys at my age shouldn't have their parents with them when battling a gym leader, but I didn't care about anyone's judgement. I just want to make them happy.

On the doorway outside the gym, I noticed a teenage girl heading inside the gym. She had short brown hair, big blue eyes and her eyebrows were a bit fuzzy. She was wearing white shorts and white shirt inside her white coat, and white boots. I couldn't just notice all the person's every detail but she looked so radiant and beautiful that it was hard not to look at her and observe her. She looked at me curiously, but I'm sure that she was only looking at me because of how ridiculous we looked. I was too focused on her that the last thing I noticed was that she had a Kirlia with her, too.

I didn't look away from her eyes but when she was a good distance away from me, I remembered that I had other things to do and girls weren't on my priority list, yet.

 

[TGrayLT]

Chapter 4 - The Girl from Kalos

Two days has passed since my victory in the gym, we found how much Kirlia has improved with her psychic abilities. We found out that most of these particles were individuals and can create vast movement towards matter with just a single subatomic particle in a single element. Psychic Particles were manipulators of matter, and that was the biggest discovery we have found, yet. Nevermind all the past theories dad has made. This is finally the real deal. We were on the very root of finding out how to restore fossilized pokemons. Many scientists volunteered to help dad with his project on manipulating matters. And even Mr. Stone provided enough funds for dad's experiment. Everything went on according to plan, but another question popped out of my head. The question that dad first asked me to answer.

"Dad, we can say that psychic particles are able to manipulate matter. But isn't psychic attacks based on the cerebral activity, and has nothing to do with any kind of matter? How is that possible to create such an attack with the use of psychic particles?" I asked him.

"I have a guess for that one." he stopped his work and turned to face me. "We've seen the waves from the psychic attacks of your Kirlia. These waves of psychic particles goes through the opponent and attacks it from inside the brain, right? But I would just guess that it isn't really completely attacking the brain. I think that these psychic particles manipulate the matters inside the five senses. For example, for an opponent to feel dizzy in Confusion attack, your Kirlia would manipulate the cells inside the eyes and creates an illusion to make the opponent dizzy or even attack anything carelessly."

"Can you prove your guess?" I asked.

"If we have a volunteer pokemon to be attacked, then maybe we can get the results through physical evidence."

I have no friends that would volunteer for that kind of experiment. But that afternoon, a guest came inside the laboratory. Mr. Stone was with a teenage girl. The beautiful teenage girl that I saw after my gym battle. With her was her Kirlia, standing beside her.

Mr. Stone introduced her to me "Good afternoon, my boy. This here is Diantha. She is from Kalos. As you can see, she needed help with her Kirlia and Instructress Boa told me that you can help this young lady find the answers to her questions. If you don't mind, I mean."

"I don't mind." I said.

"Huh?!" dad sounded surprised. He stared at her for a long time and couldn't look away. I found it very funny and started laughing silently before saying something to this girl. He looked so ridiculous and his jaw was starting to drop. I could even see his saliva dropping down from his mouth.

"Err-" she was starting to feel awkward from my dad's gaze.

I waved at her and said "I'm sorry. It usually doesn't do this."

"Wh-what doesn't usually do this?"

"I mean, my dad falling in love. He only fell once so I don't blame him if he falls again."

The girl giggled and said "Well, I'm sorry if I'm barging in like this."

She wasn't wearing her all white attire anymore, but she still looked as pretty from last I saw her. "You were at the gym the other day, right?" I asked her.

She nodded and said "Yes. Well, I already lost once to Boa. So, I was hoping to find something that might help me improve in my skills in battling. And also to help my Kirlia grow stronger. I don't know how to help her, since she always fails when I trian her the regular trainings for psychic pokemons."

"I can help. I mean, my dad can." I looked at dad and snapped my fingers in front of his face. He came back into reality and fell down on his chair.

"What?! Oh! Yes, of course!" he was shaking when he answered. "Well- er. Son! Uh- About that- you know. The question."

"Yeah, sure."

He went on ahead to prepare his equipments. He was planning to compare my Kirlia to hers. He called the other scientists to give way to him and his comparison with this girl's Kirlia. Giving such priority just because he fell in love. I noticed the girl looking around curiously at the lab. So, told her to make herself at home. She just nodded. But by then, I already forgot to ask her the question that my dad wanted to ask her.

"Dad will compare my Kirlia to yours, since he has already recorded most of my Kirlia's detail and status. This may also take a long time so you can leave and have fun outside if you feel like it." I said.

"It's okay. I can wait. I have much to ask the legendary trainer of Rustboro City." she said.

Refering to me. I guess Boa told her about me. Oh yeah. Mr. Stone did say that I was able to help, maybe he also told her all about me. I offered her a seat and some coffee and she gladly accepted.

"Lay it on me." I said after she was comfortable on her seat.

"How did you manage to beat Rocky Bull Boa with one attack?" she asked.

It almost felt like this was an interview. But she was just an ordinary trainer so I answered politely. "I wasn't expecting to use just one attack. But it did the job done." I said.

"How about that Steelix?"

"I didn't even know that there was an attack like Psywave."

"But there is. Psywaves are supposed to be just a fog of mystic aura, but they said that your Kirlia's Psywave was like a bomb."

"Pressurized inside the Steelix's body since he was wrapping her around using his own steel body. When the pressure was too much and Steelix couldn't hold it anymore, it exploded and made it look like a bomb."

"I see. How about that growl you used on Nosepass?"

"Wild guess?"

"I don't believe you. The way you explained it, you seemed so clueless about the battle. But you weren't. You knew what attack to use at the moment of battle."

"I guess I do know. It just all came inside my head. I train my Kirlia with precise knowledge of all the possibilities that can be made with a single attack. Except for the Psywave attack. They would've told you that I told Kirlia to use all the psychic attacks I could think of but she was too disturbed to use any attacks."

"You really are what they call the legendary trainer." she sounded inspired when she said it.

"There are about a dozen of us called by that title. It's just a school thing."

"But you're extraordinary. I've heard stories about you. Stories about the-"

"Let's not talk about it." I interrupted her. Then, I stood up and looked at dad coming back to the lobby.

"Your Kirlia, please. Uh- Miss Diantha." he said.

The girl's Kirlia walked inside the lab with my Kirlia. Then, dad started his experiments and observations. He was letting her Kirlia do certain attacks towards my Kirlia. I didn't expect this, but he actually did it to my Kirlia. Dad was using the girl's Kirlia to attack my Kirlia and see the observations through my pokemon. I can't believe he would do it without my concent. But I guess I couldn't stop him. It was okay for me, and my Kirlia has also been very cooperative at all the experiments since the day she evolved. When she was still a Ralts, she was unable to help beause of her very weak physical nature and small body structure.

"I'm sorry." Diantha stood beside me with her coffee in hand. "I shouldn't have told you that."

"It's okay. It was just an old memory." A memory that I don't want to happen again.

Dad was still doing his observation and experiments, I was observing from behind the glass mirror, and Diantha was looking around the place. It took an hour, until finally dad finished all he wanted to see. He came out of the lab with two of our Kirlias while holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"Sit down." he said.

We both sat down, but he said "Not you, son."

I stood up again and went closer to him. He gave me the piece of paper and he sat down beside Diantha. I almost laughed at how he just wanted to sit near her.

Great strategy, you creep.

"Alright. Now explain to her everything that's in that piece of paper." he said.

"Diantha." I said.

She looked at me with her blue eyes. I almost wanted to tell her that dad's smelling her, but I guess I should just let dad enjoy the only time he'll be able to be this close to the second person he fell inlove with.

I studied what's in the paper and then explained.

"Your Kirlia is a male."

She surprisingly looked at her Kirlia and said "You're male?!"

"It's all too obvious of how you've been training him. His psychic abilities are already too much and based on how these Gardevoms, now called Psychic Particles, showed extraordinary amount in your Kirlia means that his psychic abilities is already at its limit. You can see from his body that his build is more manlier than a female Kirlia. Also, the limit of his psychic powers isn't that big. Most male Kirlias tends to be more phyisically stronger, since their evolve form is Gallade, which is a psychic-fighting type. If you train him physically, then you may have a chance to beat Boa. Fighting type beats rock type, right?"

She knelt down on her Kirlia and said "You're male?!"

Her Kirlia just stared at her, almost looking like he was scared of what she will say next.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" she said, but now she was very happy.

I finally relaxed when she smiled. I thought she was angry, but I guess it was too shallow to think of it that way. Her Kirlia hugged her and and she carried him in her arms. "So that's why you kept on complaining in training." she said.

Gallade was a fighting type. I remembered having a technical machine of a fighting type move here in the lab. It was supposed to be rare, but I guess she'd need this if she wants to beat Boa.

"Here." I gave her the technical machine.

She accepted it and asked "What's this?"

"Focus Blast. It's a very strong attack, capable of beating any kind of rock-type pokemon. Especially Boa's, since most of her pokemons have very low special defense."

She smiled and said "Thank you."

Diantha started talking some pointers to her Kirlia and when she was finished, she came to me and gave me some money. I didn't accept and said to her "Please. The only thing we needed you to pay is you and your Kirlia's cooperation."

"I insist." she said.

"No." I was sounded so stubborn.

"I'll give this to Mr. Stone and he'll drop it in your account. Thank you!" she said then hurriedly left the laboratory's lobby.

"What was that all about?" I asked dad.

"Didn't you notice the amount of money she gave us, son?"

"No."

"It was a fortune!"

Now that dad said it, I did notice that it was a lot of money. But how could she give such an amount when we only showed her the details of her Kirlia. The experiments were supposed to be free, since it was data that we needed from her and not money. I just shrugged at dad and we continued with our experiments.

"So, what's the result?" I asked dad.

"I already showed you the result, right?" he turned away from me.

I know that he knows what I was talking about. "Come on, dad. It's okay. Just show me the results."

He gave me another piece of paper, folded from his pocket, and said "I was right."

So psychic pokemons are only manipulating cells in the five senses. And not directly on the cerebral activities of the pokemon. This was another breakdown in the pokemon universe. Since everyone thought that psychic pokemons control the brains of other species. It was actually different. They just use these psychic particles to manipulate matter, and even cells inside the senses.

Two nights later, I finally decided that I will leave Rustboro city and start my pokemon journey. My mom packed all my things for me and said her prayers to our ancestors, while dad gave me all the books about how to survive and travel the world without problem. They told me how much they'd miss me and how much they'd be worried about the other trainers battling me in a match. Right, worried about other trainers.

Then the day after, I started my journey. I planned to go east and pass through the Rusturf Tunnel and then head on to Verdanturf Town. It would just be a short journey, since the tunnel was a shortcut, and completely safe. When I got out of my house, my dad came running to me and gave me six pokeballs.

"Kirlia isn't the type that can walk all day, you know." he said.

"I forgot about that." I said. I grabbed the pokeball and looked at my Kirlia.

She didn't hesitate, and just came closer to me and went inside the pokeball. She understood dad's point or maybe she was just too lazy to walk and decided that inside the pokeball was a better idea than walking with me.

"Thanks." I said and then hugged him one last time.

"Take care, son."

Along the way, I noticed that some workers were heading away from the tunnel, with blood and bruises on their body. There must've been something wrong inside that cave. I asked some of them and they said that an earthquake occured and part of the tunnel was destroyed, releasing hordes of wild Whismurs. They said that the screaming doesn't stop and because of those Whismurs, more of the tunnel keeps on collapsing. I was curious and went on to see, and hear the screamings, for myself.

Officer Jenny was there, keeping some of the reporters and curious people out of the tunnel since it was too dangerous. I know this Officer Jenny, and she would let me inside with just a little convincing since she owes me her life a year ago. But she would also have to come with me.

I passed through the crowd and reached my hand to grab Officer Jenny's hand. She almost grabbed her gun until I showed my face. She relaxed and said "Oh, hi!"

"Hello, Officer Jenny. Mind if I can have a part in calming these Whismurs?" I said.

"You would do that for us? Go ahead and try! We've already tried everything that's within our power but these Whismurs still won't calm down" she sounded happy about it when she was talking to me. But she turned back to the crowd and she sounded way more serious and scarier now.

I talked to another Officer Jenny near the cave's entrance and I told her that maybe I could help. The screams were so loud that even from here, we have to scream to hear each other talking.

"What have you tried so far, Officer?!" I asked her.

"We've tried capturing them inside the pokeballs, but more just keeps on coming and they just keep destroying more of what's inside the cave! Some of the policemen and some of my sisters are already hurt from trying!!"

The Officer Jenny that I knew came to us and suggested "Why not try Sleep Powder attack towards those Whismurs so that they will calm down?!!"

I answered "Those bug type pokemons won't have a chance getting near those pokemons!"

The other Officer Jenny said "How about a Jigglypuff?! Let her sing! For what in Houndoom's tail might happen to those people trapped inside!"

"There are people inside?!!!" I didn't know that. "Wait! No! The scream are too loud and Jigglypuff's singing won't be heard!"

I threw my pokeball and let Kirlia out. She looked at me curiously and grabbed my leg with her mouth still open.

"Kirlia, you can use your Hypnosis even without seeing the pokemons right?!" I asked her. I remembered the time in dad's laboratory when she put everyone inside the building fall asleep. I wonder if she can do it without making us fall asleep and only just the Whismurs.

She nodded and stood at the entrance of the tunnel. She raised arms and then, after a while, the screams slowly turned down. One by one, we could hear another scream would stop. Then another. Then another. This was working well.

"Officer Jenny." I turned to the one who I didn't know well. "Tell every personnel you have to capture or bring all those sleeping Whismurs back into where they came from. Close every passage except for the ones connecting to Rustboro City and Verdanturf Town."

"Yes, Sir!" she saluted and then headed to where the other Officer Jennys and policemen and women are.

The Officer Jenny I knew put her arms around me and said "That's one heck of a pokemon you have."

"She's unique." I said confidently.

Kirlia came running towards me and came back inside my pokeball. I could already tell that she likes it inside rather than outside.

I waited until the next day to head inside the Rusturf tunnel since they were still taking out the debris and making way for the people to pass through. I've heard news that the people that were stuck inside the collapsed tunnel was finally free and I heard that one of them was a girl from Kalos. So, I went to the clinic and told Nurse Joy that I was to visit a friend. I entered her room inside the clinic and almost greeted her but she was still asleep.

So, I sat on the chair and waited for her to wake up.

When she did wake up, she said "Art thou my prince in shining armor?"

"No." I smiled at her. "How did you end up inside a tunnel?"

"I was on my way back to Mauville City and Rusturf tunnel was the shortest way. But there was an earthquake when I was still inside. The tunnel didn't collapse from the earthquake, but it opened a hole where hundres of Whismurs came out. They were scared because of the earthquake, I guess, so they screamed and screamed until the tunnel just collapsed because of the vibrations. I thought I was going to die. Die from their screams if not for the rocks."

"I see you had a rough day, huh?" I said and I also noticed that she also had a Stone badge pinned on her backpack. "You beat Rocky Bull Boa." I said.

"Thanks to you. I also heard that you were the one that stopped those Whismurs. I guess I owe you twice now." she said and smiled.

That beautiful smile always captures my heart. I've seen that smile many times at the lab and I've always appreciated it. She looked so properly raised too. Her voice was so fluent, and her skin was so white. Everything about her was just so elegant. I was thinking that she might be rich. I mean, she had the whole room only for herself. And the amount of money she offered to us back in the lab was too much even for just an observation of someone's pokemon.

But wait, twice? "What do you mean twice?" I asked her.

She showed me the technical machine I gave her. "This helped me beat Boa."

"Oh. Okay." I smiled back.

She seemed okay for me, so I thought about hanging out with her after she gets out of the clinic. I asked "If you want. I can wait for you to get better and maybe we'll head towards Mauville City together."

"Are you asking me on a date?" she said.

"You do need to repay me." I teased her.

"It's a date, then."

The next day, she said that she was ready to get out of the clinic. Again, she tried to offer Nurse Joy some money, but she declined.

"You know, there are people who would gladly help anyone without money." I said to her.

"I know. But it's always good to give people something when they helped you." she replied.

"A 'thank you' is enough."

She pouted her lips and started to walk away from the clinic. I followed her. We went inside the Rusturf tunnel immediately, since Officer Jenny allowed us to enter. But they closed it for now, saying that they will start a construction here to keep the tunnel safer in the future. We were lucky that we got a chance to enter it before the construction started. We just went straight and when we got out, Diantha told me that there was a nice restaurant just near the town's entrance. So, we went there and we ordered some food before sitting on the chairs on the restaurant's balcony.

"Verdanturf is always a good place to feel the wind." she said.

"Better if we call out our pokemons then." I said and then I released my Kirlia out of her pokeball. She did the same and out came her Goomy, Fenniken, and her Kirlia. My Kirlia grabbed her leg and stared up at her with her mouth still open, while her Kirlia looked at me straight in the eye.

"I think she likes you." I said.

"And I think my Kirlia likes you too." she said. Then, there was a long stare between us to our Kirlias. But I had a feeling that it was me that Diantha was really paying attention to because I was actually more focused on her.

Another long silence until she finally started a conversation. "So, my guess is that you're gonna start battling other gym leaders, too."

"I guess. I don't really know if that's the whole deal of my decision to travel. Dad wanted me to gather all the badges and participate in the League but I just want my Kirlia to grow."

"Just like me. And there's no better way to let our pokemons grow by travelling to new places and battling other trainers. And no better way to see the process of our growth by battling gym leaders." she sounded so genuine with her words. Then she started eating.

She eats like a fine woman, like one of those rich people in their fancy dinner table with their fine dinning and fine castles and fine red carpets on the floor. I noticed that all her things, even her clothes, looked so expensive. Though she only wore casual clothing, but still. The fine cloth, and those fine accessories she's wearing. Anyone would want to steal from her.

Our Kirlias were playing just at the side. They were just touching each others arms then letting it go, then doing the same thing over and over again. Both of them looked so happy, even laughing silently while doing it.

"You know. Ralts, Kirlias, and Gardevoirs sense their trainers emotions." she said, while still eating.

"Isn't it impolite to talk while your mouth is full." I teased her, hoping that she'll give me a clue of her financial status.

"Well, consider me impolite." then a piece of food flew out of her mouth. Both of us laughed.

"And by sensing, you mean our Kirlias liking each other, then your Kirlia likes me and my Kirlia likes you?" I asked.

"I mean you liking me and me liking you." she said.

I stayed silent for a while. It sounded like she was flirting or was she really serious, but I didn't put that long in my mind. Maybe she just wanted a friend to hang out with or a travelling companion.

"The idea of us liking a complete stranger is a very awkward and very odd thing. And besides, I don't even know who you really are." I said.

"Then, let us know each other."

"Okay?" I started to feel nervous.

"My name's Diantha." she said, raising her hand to shake mine.

"Uh- Gray." I said, also raising a hand to shake hers.

After we shook our hands, she said "I already know your name, but I do like Gray better."

"And where did you learn it from?" I asked her.

"Boa and Mr. Stone told me. She was very serious when she was talking about you. She told me that you were her best student in Pokemon Trainer's School."

"I didn't know that. And I also don't believe that. I believe she didn't even remember me when I was still a student. She only remembers me as the son of the famous Professor Gray and the retired League champion. Or maybe she remembers me when I dropped out since I started becoming popular by then."

"Well, whatever the truth is, I just finished my meal."


That was fast, for a girl. I looked at her oddly and she smiled at me. Even with a few distance from each other, I could smell her wonderful scent. My heart was beating fast, hands were cold, and my lips were starting to numb. All I could think of is how wonderful, beautiful, gorgeous, or anything that's the synonym of lovely, charming, exquisite, magnificent, stunning, and attractive she really is. I think I mentioned it all.

"Stop that." I told her.

"Stop what?"

"You're making me nervous."

"I think you're the one that's making me nervous."

"You're staring at me with ease. You're not nervous at all."

"You're saying all this confidently, I think you're the one who's not nervous."

And then we fell silent. It was awkward now, but after our Kirlias were finally returning back to us, she said "I feel like our Kirlia's bond made us feel the same thing with each other."

"You can sense that?" I asked her.

"Of course I can. I'm her trainer and we've been together since I was still a kid."

Our Kirlias kept on looking at each other, then at us. She was also right about how Kirlias would sense emotions of their trainers. But with us humans, feeling another pokemon is different. Maybe is it because of my Kirlia's power? Maybe she can make me feel what she felt about the other Kirlia, that is also connected to this girl. Maybe, just maybe, it's the psychic particles, connecting each other from human to pokemon, pokemon to pokemon, and pokemon to human. But it was impossible. Scientifically impossible.

After I finished eating, I told her that I'll head on directly to the gym. But she had other plans. So, both of us decided to get separated. She told me that she could contact me through the computers in the pokemon center. So I nodded.

"I'll see you around, then?" she said.

"Sure. I'll tell you when I'm going somewhere else."

Before she turned around to walk away, I saw in her eyes that she didn't want to leave me. I think she wanted to come with me, but couldn't. I also had the same feeling of regret for having the be separated from her. Was it love? Or was it our Kirlias psychic bond with each other? I can't tell, but I will tell dad about it